March is Women’s History month, a month dedicated to honoring women’s contributions to US history. Today is Saturday, March 30, on this day in 1870 the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed giving Black men the right to vote. Sunday, March 31 is Easter Sunday, one of the most important Christian holidays. It memorializes the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his burial. Saturday, April 6 is Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night of the year for Muslims. It is believed that this is the night that the Quran was sent down from Heaven. This marks the last ten nights of Ramadan, dedicated to praying and scripture reading as Muslims believe this night of decree took place in one of these ten nights.
Quote of the Week:
“Words don’t come easily, like forgive me.”. Tracy Chapman, American singer-songwriter,activist, born March 30, 1964.
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Leader for this week: Tracy Chapman, American singer-songwriter,activist, born March 30, 1964.
https://www.biography.com/musicians/tracy-chapman
EVENTS:
Here is what is going on in the Rochester area:
1. Jalil Muntaqim shares information on the Story Lab program to be held on Saturday, April 6th, 2024, from 2:00PM to 4:00PM, at the Sidney Hillman Health Center, 750 East Avenue, Rochester, N.Y., Citizen Action in partnership with the Redlich Horwitz Foundation, will be conducting this “Story Lab” for parents who have had negative experiences with Child Protective Services (CPS). See flyer below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uhl714pNDtJ15Ineat_s6OjQryRJVCHl/view?usp=drive_web
2. Kit Miller and David Powe each shared that on Saturday, April 6 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM is also a book talk and signing event by a rising Black Author, Victor Luckerson. His book, “Built from the Fire” recounts the story of “Black Wall Street”.
Book Talk: Author Victor Luckerson Discusses “Built from the Fire” In-Person / Online.
Rochester Library website – https://calendar.libraryweb.org/event/12202837.
Join author Victor Luckerson as he recounts the epic history of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, often referred to as America’s Black Wall Street.
3. Jalil Muntaqim also shares information on a Town Hall meeting – Intersectionality of Poverty in Rochester to be held on Friday, April 12th, 2024, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM, at the University of Rochester, Dewey Hall 1011. See flyer below.
412 Town Hall Flyer.pdf – Google Drive
4. “The Black Woman is Art,” an exhibit curated by local creative Zharriay Callier and Rochester photographer Erica Jae, is on display at the City Hall Link Gallery, 30 Church St., now through Friday, April 19.
The Black Woman is Art at City Hall Link Gallery (minorityreporter.net)
5. The Winters Group is hosting its 2nd Annual Virtual Racial Justice Summit April 23 – 25 (see below for details)
The 2024 Racial Justice at Work Summit: Justice for All (wintersgroup.com)
6. Jeanne Strazzabosco shares an invitation to the In This Moment Chapbook launch featuring Midge Thomas, Humanitarian and Dr. Walter Cooper PhD, Regent Emeritus of State of New York. Their writers and photographers will also take part in the panel discussion. The George Eastman Museum (900 East Ave.) is presenting the book launch and panel discussion.
April 29th; 7:00 – 7:25 – Reception in the Wolk Concourse, 7:30- 9:00 – Panel Discussion in Dryden Theatre
The event is free but we ask guests to register. Here is the link to register for the book launch and panel discussion.
7. A reminder that the Clarissa Uprooted exhibit reopened February 21, 2024 and will be open through December 2024 on Wednesdays 3pm – 7:30pm // Saturdays Noon – 4pm at the Rundel Memorial Building, 115 South Ave (riverside), 2nd floor, Rochester NY. See below for information.
Exhibit – Clarissa Uprooted – Rochester, NY
8. Bill Wynne reminds us that it is not too early to plan for Juneteenth. Here is one event, more to come.
9. His Branches, operates as a community health center with clinics in the 19th Ward and Beechwood communities within the City of Rochester, dedicated to the pursuit health and economic equity for all people and the good of our neighborhoods is holding a fund raising golf tournament on July 22. See link below for more information.
https://www.hisbranches.org/golf
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
10. The University of Utah’s Women’s Basketball team met with hate in Idaho. Read story at link below.
11. Alan Ziegler shares a statement by Dartmouth’s president welcoming the students back for the Spring semester and talking about how they will protect and support all ethnicities equally.
“With increased socioeconomic diversity comes an even greater variety of student experiences from every part of the U.S. and around the world. A more robust mix of voices and perspectives adds to the richness of dialogue across campus, which is a hallmark of a Dartmouth education. As you have often heard me say, research shows a clear link between enhanced learning and discovery and environments where people with different life experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints readily exchange ideas.” Sian Leah Beilock
12. Here is an article from the Minority Reporter; ‘In the Black Community, It’s Not Voter Apathy’ by Dr. Wilmer I. Leon III
In the Black Community, It’s Not Voter Apathy (minorityreporter.net)
13. This latest article from the Pink Elephant Newsletter by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare; ‘Baltimore Bridge Collapse Blamed On DEI: The Attack on DEI Continues’.
(15) Baltimore Bridge Collapse Blamed On DEI: The Attack on DEI Continues | LinkedIn
14. 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’.
‘A controversial Suprement Court decision could hurt Biden in November’
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/26/us/race-supreme-court-biden-election-blake-cec
15. Two articles are provided below from this week’s Beacon;
a. The local organization and three others in Monroe County were among 361 nationwide selected to receive funding from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Givinghttps://rochesterbeacon.com/2024/03/26/connected-communities-receives-2-million-gift/
b. The campaign to create a business improvement district, led by the Partnership for Downtown Rochester, faced vocal opposition and insufficient City Council support.https://rochesterbeacon.com/2024/03/21/effort-to-establish-downtown-bid-ends/
16. Here is the Urban League of Rochester’s latest Interrupter newsletter:
Telehealth and Mental Health Services in Schools (mailchi.mp)
17. There are 7 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. What just three blocks of this tiny street can tell us about city’s challenges (introduction to a series about Rochester’s Weld St..
b. After big drug arrest, can community fill street’s power vacuum with help? (Weld St. story).
c. Realities of life can’t stop the party at S&T Lounge on North and Weld (2nd in serise on Weld St.).
d. Police seek more diverse recruits amid staffing crisis (but, success to date has been limited).
e. Will New Jersey pay for slavery’s legacy? (the conversation is taking place in some sectors in N.J.).
f. Housing bill eases path for religious groups (will this actually produce more affordable housing? will religious groups make good landlords?).
g. Will Black English be embraced in classrooms? (Will this aid in learning? Is it similar to ESL?).
OPPORTUNITIES:
18. Joseph Searles Jr. announces Trillium Health is hiring for the position listed in the attachment below.
19. 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.
20. Looking for an “action” item to include in your ERG personal action plan? Here is a simply one; Foodlink is in critical need of a volunteer to assist with our Curbside Market Program (Mobile Market Helper)
Friday, 4/12/24 R1: 9:30am – 12:45pm & R2: 9:30am – 1:00pm
Friday, 4/19/24, R1 9:30am – 12:45pm & 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Monday, 4/22/24, R1 12:00pm – 4:30pm
to meet our operator at Foodlink to ride on the truck to the sites and back to Foodlink. To volunteer, see below.
https://give.foodlinkny.org/campaigns/16962-curbside-market
21. 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)
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:
20. 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)
21. Need a change in corporate culture or a great team building experience? MYRetreat Inc. is holding a Chocolate Mindfulness™ Retreat at Frequency Wellness Space on Saturday (today) on March 30th 4-5pm. Located at 34 Elton St, Suite 130 Rochester, New York, US, 14607
Below is the invitation:
(1) Chocolate Mindfulness™ Retreat | LinkedIn
22. Need a photographer for a wedding, event or portrait? Check out the ‘Denise Batiste Photography. See below.
Denise Batiste Photography of Rochester, New York
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 on Friday.
Thank you!