Today is Saturday, May 24. Monday, May 26 is Memorial Day, the day we honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. The evening of Tuesday, May 27 – Wednesday, May 28 is Ascension of Baha’u’llah. This commemorates the day when the founder and prophet of the Baha’i Faith died in 1892. Thursday, May 29 the Catholic faith celebrates the Feast of the Ascension, the day 40 days after Easter that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander month honoring the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the United States. May is Jewish American Heritage month celebrating the history and culture of Jewish . May is also Mental Health Awareness Month to raise awareness about mental health and promote positive mental well-being.
Quote of the week: “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” Malcolm X born May 19, 1925 – died February 21, 1965; American human rights activist.
Featured civil rights activist/abolitionist/pioneer: Malcolm X born May 19, 1925 – died February 21, 1965; American human rights activist.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Malcolm-X
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
With the current administration’s attack on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion programs it is important that companies and organizations do not overreact and abandon the principles of D, E & I . We share with you a presentation from a recent meeting of the ROC Community Table that may be useful to you and your organization to justify and support continuation of these principles. Presenters are available at your request.
EVENTS
1.Our Local History project is hosting an event: ‘Our Story, Our Voice, Families Exploring Civil Rights Together’, Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 12:00–4:00 PM at Asbury First United Methodist Church | 1050 University Ave, Rochester.
Hosted in partnership with Greater Rochester PLTI, this interactive experience is designed for families to explore Rochester’s civil rights history while supporting youth voice, identity, and civic participation. *Zoom option available. See below for addtional information and to register.
2. Our Local History project presents ‘From Book Bans to Policy Change, A Community Conversation on Securing Kids’ Freedom to Read and Learn Diverse Histories’; Tuesday, June 4, 2025 | 5:00–6:30 PM, St. John Fisher University – Basil Hall, Room 135. This program is presented in partnership with St. John Fisher University’s School of Education and many other sponsors, this timely community event will feature a powerful panel conversation about the rise in book bans, censorship of civil rights history, and how we can respond through advocacy, storytelling, and inclusive policy. Community Members, Educators, High School Students. See below for additional information and to register.
3. “In This Moment; Revolution, Reckoning, Reparations” fundraiser and concert ‘Voices of In this Moment’, will be held at The Little Theatre 1 on Wednesday, June 4 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM. The tickets can be purchased for $100. See below for artists and tickets.
4. The City of Rochester begins the 2025 Juneteenth commemoration Saturday, June 14th, 2025 at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 353 Court Street Rochester, NY, Parade begins at 11:00 AM, Festival begins at 12:00pm-8:00pm. See details at the link below.
Join the Festivities | Rochester Juneteenth
5. Eric Townell shares information on the MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence ‘Soulforce’ event at the Memorial Art Gallery on Saturday, June 14th from 6:00 – 10:00 PM. See below for details.
Soulforce 2025 Fundraising Campaign for MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence
6. City of Rochester’s Juneteenth Block Party will take place Wednesday, June 18, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. as the City celebrates Juneteenth with a lunchtime block party at Austin Steward Plaza! There will be food trucks and live music. See below for more information.
City of Rochester’s Juneteenth Block Party | City of Rochester, New York
7. Elizabeth Long shares that on June 19 @ 7 PM: Juneteenth, the Finger Lakes Opera (FLO) kicks off the FLO festival, the 2nd time FLO has collaborated with Mt. Olivet to commemorate this holiday. The event is free. See the flyer below to register.
8. The Finger Lakes Opera also has two (2) other upcoming events, July 12 from 3-6 PM: Behind the Curtain – this is a movie viewing of Chevalier which is a biopic on the composer of The Anonymous Lover, Joseph Bologne. Bologne was a contemporary of Mozart’s. He was born to a slave in Guadalupe and eventually sent to Paris by his slave-owning father who saw his unusual talents. Following the movie, there will be a panel discussion on the influence Bologne had on Mozart and why much of his music was destroyed by Napoleon; at The Little Theatre.
9. On July 20 @ 2 PM: The Anonymous Lover – Finger Lakes Opera will perform Joseph Bologne’s only existing opera at Panara Theatre at RIT/NTID. More information will follow on this event in coming weeks.
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
10. Mary Worboys-Turner shares this opinion piece that is a worthy consideration as our nation and community celebrates Memorial Day. See link below.
Opinion: Why we should teach it all… the pain, the progress and the possibility
11. This recent piece by Heather Cox Richardson’s ‘Letters from an American’ newsletter is an important piece of history behind the struggle to integrate K-12 schools (the struggle continues).
12. Head Start just celebrated its 60th Birthday. Please assure that the program reaches its 61st birthday. See below.
13. Laurie Mahoney shares this piece produced by News10NBC. See below.
14. Here is the latest from Dr. Janice Gassam Asare’s Pink Lady Newsletter, ‘First They Came for the Professors: Why Censoring Equity in Higher Ed Threatens The Workplace’
15. Sharing 1 article found in the current The Minority Reporter:
a. ‘Genesee Country Villaage Museum to Host Muster at Mumford Civil War in the Genesee Valley’.
16. Here is are 2 articles from this week’s Beacon:
a. ‘An Advocate from Prison for the Incarcerated’.
https://rochesterbeacon.com/2025/05/16/an-advocate-from-prison-for-the-incarcerated/
b.
17. We share the latest Interrupter Newsletter from the Urban League of Rochester:
The Interrupter Newsletter – May 22, 2025
18. There are 6 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Inside Trump’s ‘woke’ resistance
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0f7499a10_134f9ba
b. 3 more COs decide to go to trial in Brooks case; 1 takes plea deal
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1506d102d_134f9bb
c. Red states join fight to ‘root out DEI’
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0eddfc3cf_134f9bb
d. Hochul apologizes for NY’s past ‘atrocities’ (part of healing process for Seneca Nation).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0399cf529_134f9bf
e. CRACKDOWN DEEPENS (Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students revoked)
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=2e6f09abb_134f9bf
f. South Africans exasperated by Trump false claims (emboldens racist supporters).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1e6f09abb_134f9bf
OPPORTUNITIES: We share opportunities to get involved in addressing some of the communities challenges. Please share any opportunities for employment, assistance, grants, etc. that you are aware of with the community by sending them to “tcmitch1951@gmail.com”.
19. Concerned about the current U.S. administration’s agenda? Join ROC Community Table. The ROC Community Table is a coalition of over 80 committed community leaders, advocates, and service providers who have been working together since November 2024 to protect critical programs. See below for details.
20. Join your colleagues from multiple agencies for the All In Roc Community Health Outreach Partnership door-to-door community canvassing. Through this partnership, health information is disseminated throughout the city right to residents’ doorsteps. This year’s program will run from May 28th to October 29th from 3:00 to 5:30 PM every other Wednesday.
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
21. 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)
22. Driveway in disrepair or need a new driveway? Checkout True Paving. See link below:
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon on Friday.
Thank you!