Black History month continues (see links to activities below). Today is Saturday, February 17. Christians are observing the period of Lent until March 28. Monday, February 19 is President’s Day, the day we observe George Washington’s birthday.
Quote of the Week:
“Accomplishments have no color” Mary Violet Leontyne Price, African American woman, one the world’s leading opera sopranos.
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Leader for this week: Mary Violet Leontyne Price, born February 10, 1924 – present.
Leontyne Price | Biography, Opera, & Facts | Britannica
EVENTS:
Here is what is going on in the Rochester area:
1. 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.
2. Brittany White-Volks of Black Owned in Rochester shares a screening of ‘Being Black in America: Screening + Q&A’ on Wednesday, February 21 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM at the Pittsford Community Library. See below for information.
Being Black In America: Screening + Q&A – Black-Owned In Rochester (blackownedinrochester.com)
3. 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
4. Yaqub Shabazz invites you to The Last Friday, 9th Floor Artist Collective studio exhibit Friday 23, 6:00 – 9:00 PM at 1 South Washington Ave. (Suite 220). See details at link below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3JVb59uKCr/?igsh=ZzBsMDFzM213YXV1
5 Steve Martin shares information on events held at Spiritus Christi on February 23rd and 24th.
https://exploringracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/SPARC-BHM-1.png
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.
12. 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
13. 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:
14. Here is a link to a great source for Black History Month activities, the City of Rochester lists events for Black Heritage Month and beyond.
City of Rochester | Black Heritage Month
15. Frederick Jefferson shares information on the Urban League of Rochester’s proposed Diversity Roundtable of Greater Rochester. See below.
16. John Engels shared this brief piece from the Wall Street Journal on bias with the award of municipal bonds;
17. Drew Saur shares an article from Bloomberg, ‘Does DEI still matter?”;
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”.
‘Black dads are more likely to play, dress and share a meal with their child, data shows’,
https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/18/health/black-dads-wellness/index.html
19. One article is provided below from this week’s Beacon; ‘I know what’s best for my children’s education.’
20. This latest article from the Pink Elephant Newsletter by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare; “Three Of The Most Popular DEI Myths Debunked”.
(4) Three Of The Most Popular DEI Myths Debunked | LinkedIn
21. Here is the Urban League of Rochester’s latest Interrupter newsletter
https://mailchi.mp/9a4782c94961/dhs-expanding-access-to-community-13719080?e=25818c1f26
22. There are 7 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Shootings are down, but it’s not clear why (maybe the passing of COVID-19 pandemic and the various programs have had their effect).
b. Exclusion of Black artists is Grammys’ oldest tradition (is it unintended bias or emphasis on commercial success?).
c. GOP-backed bills target diversity efforts nationwide (the trend continues).
d. Report finds wealth disparities by race grew during pandemic (confirms much of what has already been reported).
e. Still missing after 15 years (would there be a different level of attention if he were White?).
f. Prisoner freed in ‘judicial bias’ case (this Native American did the crime but judge’s bias gave him too much time).
g. School names to honor diverse group (the renaming appears appropriate, hopefully the school board is working on improvement throughtout the district).
OPPORTUNITIES:
23. 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.
24. Joseph Searles shares the job positions that are open at Trillium Health.
25. 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)
26. Jennifer Suppe shares information on the 2024 Greater Rochester Chamber MWBE Awards. See information at the link below:
27. Joseph Searles shares information on the 2024 Ibero American Action League Scholarhip program. See below.
28. 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:
29. 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)
30. Do you have a favorite fragance or are you looking for a new perfume or oil? Check out Renditions by Paula!
Paula Howard Essentials® (phessentials.co)
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.