Black History month continues (see links to activities below). Today is Saturday, February 24. Christians are observing the period of Lent until March 28. February 26 through 29 is Intercalary / Ayyam-i-ha the Baha’is celebration and period of fasting for giving back to the community and giving gifts to loved ones, which honors the Divine Essence of God.
Quote of the Week:
“I didn’t want to speak for Black people and I wanted to speak to, and to be among them… it’s us. So the first thing I had to do was to eliminate the white gaze.” Toni Morrison, American author, editor and professor.
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Leader for this week: Toni Morrison, American author, editor and professor who won the 1993 Nobel Price for Literature. Born February 24, 1931 – August 5, 2019.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Toni-Morrison
EVENTS:
Here is what is going on in the Rochester area:
1 Steve Martin shares information on an event held at Spiritus Christi today, February 24th.
https://exploringracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/SPARC-BHM-1.png
2. 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.
3. 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”.
https://mailchi.mp/ulr/dhs-expanding-access-to-community-13733432?e=25818c1f26
4. 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.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcPoiAh9XNFKAYSqMaH4fsd0La3uWumysg9h5fqb1hzTOz7g/viewform?usp=send_form
5. 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.
6. 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
7. 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.
8. 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
9. George Yeadon shares information on the CNBC Equity and Opportunity Forum – Constructive Conversations with information for 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:
10. 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
11. Richard Glaser shares an article on the legacy of one of Black Power’s main architects.
12. Laurie Mahoney shares this opinion piece from the NYT ‘Voices from inside America’s homelessness crisis’
13. 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”.
‘Homeownership gap between Black and White owners is worse now than a decade ago’,
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/20/economy/black-white-homeownership-gap/index.html
14. Two articles are provided below from this week’s Beacon;
a. Funding for Rochester’s anti-poverty initiatives.
b. Most of us do not have access to Black voices. Program such as this would provide that access.
15. Here is the Urban League of Rochester’s latest Interrupter newsletter
Commons Dashboard: Making Data Accessible (mailchi.mp)
16. There are 6 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Survey: Health workers see disparities (racial discrimination is significant especially according to those under the age of 40).
b. Seeking to preserve disappearing Black cemeteries (discriminating against the dead, the ulitmate humilitation).
c. Who in Rochester gets basic income? (an update on the City’s Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) pilot program).
d. School dress codes seek to promote discipline (is this discipline or discrimination?).
e. Judge: Texas school legally punished Black student over hair (again, is this discipline or discrimination?).
OPPORTUNITIES:
17. 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.
18. 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)
19. Jennifer Suppe shares information on the 2024 Greater Rochester Chamber MWBE Awards. See information at the link below:
20. Joseph Searles shares information on open positions at Trillium. See below.
21. Joseph Searles shares information on the 2024 Ibero American Action League Scholarhip program. See below.
22. 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:
23. 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)
24. 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.