February is Black History month (see links to activities below). Today is Saturday, February 10, the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, the pan-Asian festival that celebrates the beginning of the new year, based on the traditional solar Chinese calendar. Wednesday, February 14, Christians observe Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer and fasting preceding Easter Sunday. Wednesday is also the Christian Feast of St. Valentine, honoring a martyr and later through folk traditions, it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world. Wednesday is the Hindu festival of Vasant Panchami celebrated to honor Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, music, art and wisdom. Thursday, February 15 is Parinirvana or Nirvana Day celebrated to honor the death of the Buddha in 483 BC. It commemorates his attainment of the final Nirvana.
Quote of the Week:
“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free… so other people could be free” Rosa Parks
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Leader for this week: Rosa Parks; American civil rights activist, born February, 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rosa-Parks
EVENTS:
Here is what is going on in the Rochester area:
1.Dr. Frederick Jefferson shares a few activites taking place this weekend and next sponsored by Avenue. See below.
When I tell you we’re PARTYING!!!! (mailchi.mp)
2. Steve Martin shares information on several events held at Spiritus Christi on February 10th, 11th, 23rd and 24th.
3.Jalil Muntaquim notifies us about the Town Hall meeting ‘Intersectionality of Rochester’s Poverty’ to be held at the University of Rochester, Friday, February 16th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the Georgen Hall Sloan Auditorium. See below for details.
4. Dr. Frederick Jefferson provides information on the Clarissa Uprooted: The Exhibit Grand Re-opening, Wed. February 21, 4pm-7:30pm at the Rundel Memorial Building of the Central Library, 115 South Ave., 2nd floor (the building closer to the river). See below for more information and to sign up.
5. Dr. Frederick Jefferson shares a program at the University of Rochester on Thursday, February 22, 6:00 – 7:30 PM by author William Sturkey discussing his book “Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White“.
University of Rochester – Neilly Author Series: William Sturkey
6. Michael Boucher informs us of an upcoming opportunity to reflect more deeply on how you might connect your own individual work on anti-racism to larger movement work. There will be a virtual program featuring Chris Crass entitled Building Grassroots Movements for Justice as part of a faith and spirituality series at Spiritus Christi Church on Monday, February 26 – (Virtual only) 7 – 8:30 pm EST. More information and link to register found below.
Chris Crass is an internationally known organizer and anti-racist activist working to build powerful working class-based, feminist, multiracial movements for collective liberation. He is a one of the leading voices in the country especially calling for and supporting white people to work for racial justice.
7. The Urban League next Speaker’s Series program will be Friday, March 1 from 1:00 – 2:00 PM via Zoom. The speaker will be Dr. Laurance Spear sharing “Evidence Based Tools to Disrupt the School to Prison Pipeline”.
8. Bill Wynne shares information and a link to Virtual Antiracist Education Conference titled ‘JOY, COMMUNITY, RESISTANCE, SUSTAINABILITY’, Saturday 3/2, 9:00 – 3:30 PM.
Information is below with a link to the free registration form below that.
http://tinyurl.com/acpcon2024
9. Bill Wynne also shares that the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival ‘Mass Poor People’s March’ will take place on Saturday, March 2 at 10:00 AM in Albany, N.Y. and other state capitals across the country. See details below.
10. George Yeodan shares information on a program offered by WXXI on Sunday, March 3 at 3:00 PM.
WXXI Classical presents Kearstin Piper Brown & Friends from BSUE• Asbury First Church – WXXI
11. Bill Wynne provides information on the program ‘The State of Poverty in Rochester’ held on March 5th Dugan Center/ St Mary’s / Rochester. See below.
The Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative is pleased to present “Poverty, by Rochester: A Conversation with Matthew Desmond” at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6 at Innovation Theater.
The #1 New York Times bestseller and Pulitzer-Prize winning author returns to Rochester to continue the conversation about poverty. In his most recent book “Poverty, By America,” the acclaimed sociologist draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor and how all Americans can become “Poverty Abolitionists.”
Desmond will present his new book and its findings – along with potential solutions to poverty in America – during this lively event, including an audience Q&A and a book signing.
For tickets go to:
Poverty, By Rochester: A Conversation with Matthew Desmond via Th (thundertix.com)
More information about the event can be found here:
Poverty by Rochester
12. George Yeadon shares information on the CNBC Equity and Opportunity Forum – Constructive Conversations with information for to corporate leaders about how they are navigating the current environment, working to engage in constructive conversations with employees and other stakeholders, and potentially reframing DEI initiatives as they work to create equity and opportunity for all. This livestream forum takes place on Thursday, March 21. See link below for details.
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
13. Links to two (2) great sources for Black History Month activities, the City of Rochester and the Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC) are found below.
a. The City of Rochester lists events for Black Heritage Month and beyond.
City of Rochester | Black Heritage Month
b. The Rochester Museum and Science Center (RMSC) has several programs at its Celebrating Black Excellenc on Sunday, February 11, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Celebrating Black Excellence | Rochester Museum & Science Center (rmsc.org)
14. Len Bower shares an opinion piece from the Wall Street Journal that is worth considering. Instead of tuning out, it would be worthwhile understanding why others think and vote the way they do.
15. Frank Staropoli shares that the movie “American Fiction” (playing at The Little Theatre and elsewhere) is an intriguing look at how Black people are portrayed. without giving too much away, I’ll just say that a Black author, fed up with how white Americans eat up literature portraying Black people as underp rivileged, undereducated, involved in criminal activity, and eventually shot by the police. He decides to author a book that is a perfect example of that stereotype, and it goes viral. It’s provocative, and would be a fascinating exercise for a cohort or a group of ERG alums to view it together and then discuss it!
16. Frederick Jefferson shares a piece from The Winter’s Group, ‘Setting the DEI Record Straight: It’s All about Power’.
17. Margit Brazda Poirier has shared several items;
a. An film that is important to watch, “The Unattainable Dream: Redlining in Rochester, NY”. See link below.
b. The National Museum of African American History and Culture has programs centered on the Black History Month 2024 theme “African Americans and the Arts” See link below.
c. The Black History Mental Health Virtual Series “Amplifying Equity sponsored by BIPOC/PEEEEEEK. See link below.
18. 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”.:
The relentless focus on White Christian nationalism is spreading a racist myth
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/03/us/white-christian-nationalism-racist-myth-cec/index.html
19. One article is provided below from this week’s Beacon; ‘The human cost of cashless transactions.’
20. This latest article from the Pink Elephant Newsletter by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare; “Black Women: This Is What You Can Do If You Were Passed Over For A Raise Or Promotion”.
21. Here is the Urban League of Rochester’s latest Interrupter newsletter
Creating Pathways to Access Capital (mailchi.mp)
22. There are 7 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Black Americans feel they can’t be themselves at work (an issue White people don’t have to deal with).
b. NYPD to track race of people they stop (will this reduce profiling?)
c. 13 KILLED SINCE DANIEL PRUDE (we need to police but one would think policies and practices need to change.).
d. FROM PRISON TO PLATES: OUR HIDDEN WORKFORCE (2 files below, a situation most of us are unaware of).
e. ‘Crime-free’ eviction laws facing scrutiny, lawsuits (what is fair those to be evicted could be unfair to neighbors and landord, what is the right thing?).
f. Bills targeting trans community flourish (ERG’s focus is on Racism but we reject any form of hate and/or discrimination).
g. Black people sleep less after killings by police (not difficult to understand why).
OPPORTUNITIES:
23. Dr. Frederick Jefferson shared an opportunity from the Winters Group to share African American Art at their 2024 Summit, Racial Justice at Work. The deadline to submit proposals to be a speaker, perform or to include your art is Thursday, February 15, 2024. See below for more information.
24. Starting March 4, The Greater Rochester Health Foundation will be accepting proposals under their Call for Ideas funding opportunity. This grant opportunity is part of their Responsive Grantmaking. Driven by community voice, Responsive Grants are open, nimble, and responsive to emerging health issues and needs. Through this opportunity, we seek ideas/solutions from a broad array of organizations and populations, focused on health equity, and developed with rather than for communities.
25. Joseph Searles shares the job positions that are open at Trillium Health.
26. The Urban League of Rochester has opened its Black Scholars Common Scholarship Application process. The deadline to apply is April1, 5:00 PM. See link below for information.
Scholarships — Urban League of Rochester (urbanleagueroc.org)
27. Jennifer Suppe shares information on the 2024 Greater Rochester Chamber MWBE Awards. See information at the link below:
28. Joseph Searles shares information on the 2024 Ibero American Action League Scholarhip program. See below.
29. 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:
30. 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)
31. Looking for a wonderful restaurant? Visit Granny’s Kitchen. See information on their website; Granny’s Kitchen (grannyskitchenny.com)
32. Valentine’s Day is less than 4 days away. 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.