Today is Saturday, January 20. Wednesday, January 24 is Baha’i World Religion Day, a day to promote interfaith understanding and foster unity among different religions. This day is also the United Nations Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture to recognize the significant contributions these cultures have made to the development of humanity in various fields of culture such as arts, literature, science and technology. Thursday, January 25 is Mayahana New Year, the significant holiday celebrated by Mayahana Buddists across various nations. The 25th is Thaipusam, a vibrant Hindu festival celebrated by Tamil communites around the world. The 25th is also Tu Bishvat, also known as the Jewish New Year for Trees, an ecological and agricultural holiday celebrated by Jewish Communities worldwide. Did you know January is National Poverty Awareness month? See information below in the NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES section.
Quote of the Week:
“Well for one, the 13th amendment to the constitution of the US which abolished slavery – did not abolish slavery for those convicted of a crime.”, Angela Davis.
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Leader for this week: Angela Davis, , activist, author, teacher, feminist, January 26, 1944 – present
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Angela-Davis
EVENTS:
Here is what is going on in the Rochester area:
1. Our friend, Nanette Massey is hosting a 2nd of a 3 part program titled “Reckoning With Racism for Nurses” with the remaining two hour sessions on Saturday; January 20, and 27. It is not too late to join. See updated details with video introduction below.
The video message can best be viewed here:
2. The MLK Jr. “Living the Dream” series takes place in Pittsford at the United Church of Pittsford with 4 different dates in January. See link below for information. There are still 2 dates left. Bill Wynne advises that the earlier events are recorded and placed on Youtube.
https://rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/content/mlk-living-dream-series-building-coalition-love
3. RIT’s 42nd Expressions of King’s Legacy program featuring keynote Dr. Ibram X. Kendi on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 from 12:00 – 2:00 PM. To register, see below.
Expressions of King’s Legacy | Diversity and Inclusion | RIT
4. There will be a Town Hall Meeting – “Intersectionality of Poverty in Rochester” tentatively scheduled for February 9, 2024, interested stakeholders please contact Jalil Muntaqim at the link below:
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
5. January is National Poverty Awareness Month. Read a related message below from Pathstone CEO, Alex Castro,
6. Dr. Frederick Jefferson created this Haiku poem in honor of Racial Healing Day (January 16).
Join Racial Healing
To Gain Purity of Life
For Self and The World
F. Jefferson
7. Alan Ziegler shares this piece, ‘Our true feelings (about Race) in six words’;
8. Bill Wynne shares a 3 items;
a. A poem from a mother of an Israeli hostage in Gaza that could be the wish of any mother.
https://forward.com/fast-forward/573260/one-tiny-seed-rachel-goldberg-poem-hersh-goldberg-polin/
b. Heather Cox Richardson’s reflection on Martin Luther King Day.
January 14, 2024 – by Heather Cox Richardson (substack.com)
c. A piece from Richard Rohr’s Daily Mediations on MLK Day titled ” The Tension of Nonviolence”.
email.cac.org/t/d-e-vuyukty-tlkrtkjkyd-g/
9. Richard Glaser shares a couple of items:
a. An article from the Economist, ‘Is Harvard Business School too Woke’;
b. An article on the United Church of Pittsford MLK Living the Dream Series:
10. Laurie Mahoney shares this piece produced Rochester Channel 10, ‘Consumer Alert: Average rent out of reach for many Rochesterians’;
Consumer Alert: Average rent out of reach for many Rochesterians – WHEC.com
11. Find the latest newsletter from the Urban League of Rochester, Equity and Advocacy Division:
ZAP: Zoning Alignment Project (mailchi.mp)
12. We share one item from the latest edition of the CNN Newsletter Race Deconstructed this week, there are two more at “racedeconstructed@newsletters.cnn.com”.:
New poll reveals a generational divide among Black Americans on overturning affirmative action in higher education.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/16/us/affirmative-action-generational-divide-reaj/index.html
13. One article is provided below from this week’s Beacon; “Buy the Block’s next steps”. What to expect in the upcoming year for the city of Rochester’s homeownership effort.
14. This latest article from the Pink Elephant Newsletter by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare; “Academia Is Failing Black Women: Examining Misogynoir Within The Academy””.
(7) Academia Is Failing Black Women: Examining Misogynoir Within The Academy | LinkedIn
15. There are 7 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Road to MLK Day was sometimes bumpy (worth recalling the history of how the holiday was established).
b. Commemorative coins by US Mint honor Tubman (this is a history worth reviewing as well).
c. Clean Slate Act to help people back into work (if you do the time for the crime shouldn’t that clean the slate?).
d. SPEECH MARRIED RIGHTS, LABOR (MLK ties the Civil Rights to the Labor movement in an 1965 speech).
e. Disparities still exist in stroke risk, care in US (stroke impacts POC at a greater rate than White people).
f. Man’s requested removal from ambulance probed
g. Local leaders assess state of Black Rochester
OPPORTUNITIES:
16. Jennifer Suppe shares information on the 2024 Greater Rochester Chamber MWBE Awards. See information at the link below:
17. Joseph Searles shares information on the 2024 Ibero American Action League Scholarhip program. See below.
18. The Community Foundation (RACF) provides scholarships and awards helping students achieve their goals in education and life. Check out the link below.
Rochester Area Scholarships and Award Resources – Rochester Area Community Foundation (racf.org)
Please share any opportunities for employment, assistance, grants, etc. that you are aware of with the community by sending them to “tcmitch1951@gmail.com”.
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
19. Support the Black Community by supporting their businesses. Please share Black businesses you support and value. A good resource is “Black Owned in Rochester”
Black Owned Businesses Rochester NY Black-Owned In Rochester (blackownedinrochester.com)
20. It is not too early to get ready for Valentine’s Day. Black Owned in Rochester provides all the information you need for a great day. Check them out at the link below.
That is all for this week!
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon Fridays.