Today is Saturday, June 29. With the completion of June ends Immigrant Heritage month. The U.S. has celebrated National Immigrant Heritage Month, a commemoration throughout June that aims to celebrate, honor and educate others on the contributions that immigrants have made to the country. June is also Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) celebrated annually in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots, and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans. Sunday, June 30 is All Saints Day observed by the Eastern Orthodox churches on the first Sunday after Pentecost, it commemorates all known and unknown Christian saints. Thursday, July 4 is Independence Day (4th of July). The anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Quote of the Week: “It is important for all of us to appreciate where we come from and how that history has really shaped us in ways that we might not understand.”; Justice Sonya Sotomayor, born June 25, 1954 – present; American attorney and Supreme Court Justice.
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Pioneer for this week: Sonya Sotomayor, born June 25, 1954 – present; American attorney and Supreme Court Justice.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sonya-Sotomayor
EVENTS:
Do you know of upcoming events that would interest and benefit members and friends of out community? If so, please share.
1. Represent Rochester: Literature & Arts Showcase; Saturday, June 29 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Enjoy an evening of literature and art with Rochester’s finest local poets, authors, photographers, and artists of BIPOC and underrepresented communities. International playwright Monique Franz will feature excerpts of her play series, “Biracial Rage,” which takes a poignant look into the unique challenges and contributions of individuals of mixed-race heritage. Featured artists include Photographer Courtney Malcolm, Author Nicole Doyley, and CaTyra Polland, founder of Love for Words. Other performances include poets like Jon Jon Stefan, Ellen Foos, Doug Curry, and more.
Click here to purchase tickets.
2. 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
3. Save the date, 9/18/2024 for the Urban League – Rochester’s (UL-R) 5th Annual ‘Interrupt Racism’ Summit. This year’s theme is ‘Honoring Whence We Came”. This year’s Keynote Speaker is Ms. Cheryl Brown Henderson, daughter of the late Rev. Oliver Brown, lead plaintiff in the Brown vs. Board of Education court case that led to the desegregation of schools.
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
4. Bill Wynne shares this piece on a Black baseball stars experience of racism in baseball during most of our lifetimes. Reggie Jackson’s description of the terror he faced early in his career is a must read.
5. An article in the Minority Reporter announces that the Rochester City School District is renaming the John James Audubon School (No. 33) in honor of Dr. Iris J. Banister.
6. This latest article from the Pink Elephant Newsletter by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare; ‘New York Medicaid Recipients Now Have Access To Doulas, In Effort To Improve Maternal Health’.
7. Here is the Urban League of Rochester’s latest Interrupter newsletter:
Urban League Creating Housing Opportunities (mailchi.mp)
8. There are 7 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Minister wants ‘street code’ revived to help lessen violence (article shares insight into today’s innercity street culture).
b. Black driver stopped. People noticed (Would Marvin Taylor be stopped or treatment be the same if he were White?).
c. DIFFERENT OUTCOMES (Comparing the Doorley and Taylor cases).
d. Know your rights during a traffic stop (You may not need this a White person but may if Black).
e. Elmira museum honors man who helped free slaves (I grew up in the Elmira area and knew nothing of this man).
f. MOURNING A MAN OF PRINCIPLE (Opinion piece about a man that inspired MLK Jr.).
g. Tribe to reclaim land once buried by reservoir (rights of Native Americans ignored for nearly a century).
OPPORTUNITIES: Please share any opportunities for employment, assistance, grants, etc. that you are aware of with the community by sending them to “tcmitch1951@gmail.com”.
9. The Urban League of Rochester is always looking for qualified and committed people interested in helping others and building a stronger community. See link below for the latest postings.
Career Opportunities — Urban League of Rochester (urbanleagueroc.org)
10. The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce invites nominations for the Colors of Success Leadership Award. This award celebrates individuals who have shown exceptional leadership in fostering belonging, ensuring economic fairness, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and the Greater Rochester community. See below for more information and the links to the nomination forms.
11. Explore grant opportunities available from the Rochester Area Community Foundation:
Grant Opportunities – Rochester Area Community Foundation (racf.org)
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
12. 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)
13. Looking to take you business to the next level? Call on AIOPX – Business Consulting. AIOPX leads clients through the methodologies of Operations Excellence to produce extraordinary bottom-line results
https://www.websterchamber.com/members/aiopx-management-consulting-webster-ny
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon on Friday.
Thank you!