Today is Saturday, July 19. July is Disability Pride Month, created in 1990 with the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Disability is a spectrum encompassing a vast uniqueness of illnesses. However, it is important to recognize that, contrary to the societal norm, disability should not be seen as existing “without.” July is also Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. It is a time to bring awareness to the unique challenges that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States face when it comes to mental illness.
Quote of the week: “When you’re accustomed to privilege, parity and equity and equality may feel like oppression.” Raphael Warnock born July 23, 1969 – present: United States Senator.
Featured civil rights activist/abolitionist/pioneer: Raphael Warnock born July 23, 1969 – present: United States Senator.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Raphael-Warnock
ROC Community Table:
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.
We recently convened approximately 50 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion professionals to discuss issues faced under the Executive Orders and other actions of the Trump administration, share goals and objects, learn best practices and encourage one another to carry on the fight for justice. Interested in attending future meetings? Contact Tom Mitchell @ “tcmitch1951@gmail.com”.
EVENTS
1. Rochester’s Pride Parade and Festival is today from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm at Highland Park.
2. Monica Gebell shares about a film at the Rochester Jewish Film Festival called “Ain’t No Back To A Merry-Go-Round,” showing Sunday, July 20th at the Dryden Theater. Summary: “Three years before the 1963 march on Washington, Glen Echo and other amusement parks like it were drawing families from all over the DC area, hoping to escape the heat and bustle of city life. However, this opportunity was not afforded to Black families, who were barred from entering the park. As the civil rights movement gained momentum, Black and Jewish civil rights activists worked together to protest this injustice outside of amusement parks, despite backlash and provocation. This movie tells the inspiring stories of those who fought to see those barriers come down.”
For more information and tickets, here’s the link: https://jccrochester.org/events/aint-no-back-to-a-merry-go-round/
3. 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 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM ; Go to the link below for tickets.
Finger Lakes Opera on Ticketbud
4. Liz Brown suggests that you join a 7/24 for a Virtual Screening & Panel Discussion of “Unheard Voices: The Fight for the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s Way of Life” film, a panel discussion with Nation citizens and Allies of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation will follow. More information on the film is found below at ‘What is the film about’.
| Join us for a screening and panel discussion to learn about the Tonawanda Seneca Nation’s fight to Rethink STAMP and how you can take action in solidarity with this critical struggle for Indigenous environmental justice, land justice, and sovereignty. Please RSVP to receive the Zoom details. |
5. Eric Townell shares information on a free concert “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” on Sunday, July 27, 4:00 – 6:00 PM at the Hochstein Performance Center, 50 Plymouth Ave. North, Rochester to benefit the Gandi Institute for Non-Violence. See flyer below for more information.
6. George Yeadon shares a list of Summer Events scheduled by ‘In this Moment. Revolution, Reckoning, Reparation’. The next on is In This Moment Celebrity Bar Tenders at Flight Wine Bar, 262 Exchange Blvd., Rochester, Thursday, August 21 at 5-8pm. Come ready to eat delicious charcuterie and chocolate and sip wine with us expertly poured by ITM luminaries Amanda Chestnut, Shawn Dunwoody and Dr. Shaun Nelms!
Save The Dates For Our ITM Summer Events!
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES
7. John Engels shares a thought provoking piece by Kmele Foster of the Tangle ‘Let’s have an authentic racial reckoning’. I believe you will find this well worth your time to read.
8. Following the ‘John Lewis Day, Good Trouble Lives On’ rallys in this region and across the nation yesterday I thought I would share Heather Cox Richardson’s ‘Letter from an American’ on John Lewis.
https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/july-17-2025?r=2z79lj&utm_medium=ios
9.Trudy Quartley shared this article that appeared in the July 4 RBJ about Upstate Interiors Academy, a training center that is focused especially on underrepresented groups in the construction trades. Consider this resource as a good place to contact when a need exists in your organization or on an upcoming project:
Rochester’s Upstate Interiors trains diverse construction workforce
10. Liz Brown shares that the eight correction officers charged in the brutal murder of Robert Brooks at Marcy prison will stand trial in October. On Monday, the NY Times released heartbreaking footage of the gross negligence and medical neglect that Michael Nieves received at the hands of corrections officers at Rikers Island, leading to his death. These horrible instances highlight how the State Commission on Corrections (SCOC) is utterly failing to fulfill its oversight responsibility and must be overhauled. Incarcerated people’s lives are at stake. The legislature passed a bill to correct this in June. It’s now on Hochul’s desk.
There is a quick online action tool for individuals to email Gov. Hochul and demand that she sign the omnibus bill into law immediately! Consider signing this bill and help share this within your organization and network.
11. Here is 1 article from the Beacon this week:
a. Pilot crisis stabilization program funded – Rochester BeaconRochester Beacon
12. Sharing 1 article found in this week’s The Minority Reporter; ‘
a. Rochester Police Accountability Board Elect New Board Leaders https://www.minorityreporter.net/post/rochester-police-accountability-board-elect-new-board-leaders
13 There are 5 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C this past week.
a. The data behind the deaths.
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0fa5e62f8_134fa7d
b. Compassion a missing element of public policy (Opinion piece from the Rochester area leaders of the Episcopal and Methodist faiths).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=15a7cffc7_134fa7d
c. Lack of diversity creating bias in AI
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1140c404d_134fa7e
d. ‘This is not about values, this is about erasure’ (a theme expressed at John Lewis National Day of Remembrance ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ event)
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=2127fb3b6_134fa83
e. AZ mine case a test for religious rights (Native American religion denied same rights as Christian and other faiths).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=04f2478e0_134fa83
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”.
14. Monica Gebell informs us that applications are open and live for Cohort #3 of Rochester’s Rekindle Black-Jewish Dialogue Fellowship: https://form.jotform.com/241695921292160 Rekindle’s mission is to drive meaningful social change by fostering collaboration between Black and Jewish leaders. Through open, challenging dialogues and direct, face-to-face interactions, we aim to dismantle barriers and cultivate new connections. Applicants who have not yet explored allyship between communities and who are willing to listen and learn from one another are sought.
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
15. 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)
16. Cosco member? Whether you are or not there is a wonderful Black owned restaurant in the northwest corner of the Rochester Cosco’s plaza. Visit The Toast Factory website below and plan a visit to the restaurant at 255 Westfall Road.
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon on Friday.
Thank you!