Today is Saturday, April 20. Sunday, April 21 to May 3 is the Baha’i festival of Ridvan, the 21st is believed the day that Baha’u’llah learned of his mission as the last messenger of God to the world in 1863. April 21 is also the festival of Mahavir Jayanti. The Jain religion commemorates the birth of Lord Mahavir, the last spiritual leader of Jainism. Monday, April 22 starts the Passover, commemorates the story of the Israelites freedom from slavery in Egypt. The Passover runs throught April 30.
Quote of the Week: “The critical responsibility of the generation you’re in is to provide the shoulders, the direction and support for those generations that come behind“. Dr. Gloria Dean Randle Scott, a civic and educational leader, first African-American president of the Girl Scotts of America and the twelveth president of Benedict college . April 14, 1938 – present.
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Leader for this week: Dr. Gloria Dean Randle Scott, a civic and educational leader, first African-American president of the Girl Scotts of America and the twelve president of Benedict college . April 14, 1938 – present.
https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/gloria-scott-41
EVENTS:
1. 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)
2. George Yeodon shares information on a program in advance of May’s Asian American Pacific Islander month, titled ‘Storytelling Through An Asian American Lens’. The program is sponsored by WXXI and held ate th MCC downtown campus on Wednesday, April 24 at 7:00 PM. See below.
3. Dr. Frederick Jefferson shares with us that the Rochester Oratorio Society has an upcoming performance of “Freedom Song – When Gospel Came to the Empire,” at the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua on April 27. See below for information on the performane and the Rochester Oratorio Society.
4. 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.
5. Bill Wynne advises that Saturday, May 4 is the 2nd Annual Black Authors Day from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at The Avenue Blackbox Theatre780 Joseph Avenue Rochester, NY 14621. See below for more information and tickets.
2nd Annual National Black Authors Day Tickets, Sat, May 4, 2024 at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite
6. Check out the Urban League’s 2024 Homecoming events, May 31 – June2, 2024
Homecoming Events — Urban League of Rochester (urbanleagueroc.org)
7. Bill Wynne reminds us that it is not too early to plan for Juneteenth. Here is one event, more to come.
8. 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
9. Save the date, 9/18/2024 for the Urban League – Rochester’s (UL-R) ‘Interrupt Racism’ Summit. See item #13 for this and more UL-R information.
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
10. This latest article from the Pink Elephant Newsletter by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare; ‘4 Ways to Deconstruct Systems of Oppression’.
(6) 4 Ways To Deconstruct Systems Of Oppression | LinkedIn
11. 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 lawmaker proposed a bill that would ban DEI in medical schools. Doctors say it could roll back progress toward improving Black maternal health.’
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/17/us/dei-medical-schools-black-maternal-health-reaj
12. Two opinion pieces from this week’s Beacon;
a. The success at East can be replicated, but it would require the one thing that RCSD has refused to grant to anyone proposing anything out of the ordinary: autonomy.https://rochesterbeacon.com/2024/04/16/the-only-path-to-educational-reform-in-rochester/
b. My wellness matters: I will continue to push for my joy
https://rochesterbeacon.com/2024/04/17/my-wellness-matters-i-will-continue-to-push-for-my-joy/
13. Here is the Urban League of Rochester’s latest Interrupter newsletter:
👀 Interrupt Racism Summit Announcement (mailchi.mp)
14. There are 4 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Report: Racial inequities rife in school suspensions (we need to find a way to keep children in the classroom).
b. New voting restrictions in the South could sway races (a continuation of Jim Crow efforts).
c. REFLECTIONS OF THE CITY (Rochester to celebrate 4 new murals in program aimed at neglected neighborhoods).
d. Harriet Tubman corridor proposed (meaningful education & awareness or commercial exploitation?).
OPPORTUNITIES:
15 Laurie Mahoney shares information on Habitat for Humanity. Do we know any potential Habitat homeowners??
 Home Applications Now Open in RochesterThank you for your continued interested in homeownership through Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity. The application portal is offically open from April 15th – May 17th. Criteria, income requirements and the application can be found by clicking the link below. **Please note that applications for Wayne and Ontario counties will be opening this summer. Start your Homeownership Journey Today |
16. 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)
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
Food Link also announces that they are reopening their Lexington Ave Community Farm volunteer shifts this week. To those that have already signed up for shifts, due to a system error the shifts were showing for an hour from 8am-9am but in actuality the shifts are from 8am-11am. If you had signed up for a shift, please sign up again if you are interested! Since the volunteer shifts were erased by the time correction. You can can sign up using the link below:
17. Lexington Ave. Community Farm Volunteers: https://give.foodlinkny.org/campaigns/18252-lexington-ave-community-farm
If you have any questions. I can be reached at 585-413-5083 or cquick@foodlinkny.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:
18. 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)
19. Want to make or repair your own clothes? First you will need to learn how to operate a home sewing machine. Learn about a sewing machine lesson 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 on Friday.
Thank you!