Today is Saturday, July 20. July has been recognized and celebrated as Disability Pride Month. After the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law that established the right to reasonable accommodations, equal treatment, and equal access for persons with disabilities. The law was signed by the 41st President, George H.W. Bush, on July 26, 1990. Sunday, July 21 is Darhma Day, also known as Asalha Puja, it commemorates the historical Buddha’s first discourse following his spiritual awakening. We continue in the month of Muharram, the beginning of the Islamic liturgical year. Muslim’s are in the ten-day Shīʿite Remembrance of Muharram, a period of intense grief and martyrdom of Hussein, the son of Ali and grandson of Muhammad.
Quote of the Week: “Every day of my life I walk with the idea that I am Black, no matter how successful I am and our success is tempered by that; you’re successful in this way given the fact that you are Black, and most Blacks don’t get to that point.” Danny Lebren Glover, American actor, producer, and politcal activist born July 22, 1946 to present.
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Pioneer for this week: Danny Lebren Glover, American actor, producer, and politcal activist born July 22, 1946 to present.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Danny-Glover
EVENTS:
1. See the “SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES” section below for information on the Friday August 16th 12th 4:30pm-7:30pm, Paddleboard Chocolate Mindfulness Retreat at Canandaigua Lake.
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. Grequan Carter and Richard Glaser just shared that ROC Healing Peace Walk commemorating the 1964 fight for justice will take place Wednesday, July 24 from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM at the F.I.G.H.T, Village Community Center, 186 Ward St., Rochester, NY 14605.
4. Liz Brown shares information on the Indigenous Music & Arts Festival, Saturday & Sunday; July 27th & 28th, 2024, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Admission is free but donations are requested. See link below for details.
Indigenous Music & Arts Festival | Ganondagan
5. The next City of Rochester ,Pathways to Peace “Peace BBQ” will be held Wednesday, July 31 from 5 – 7 at Grand Ave. & Cumberland. See info below.
6. https://www.minorityreporter.net/post/pathways-to-peace-to-host-peace-barbeques The 26th Annual Clarissa Street Reunion will be celebrated on August 17th from 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM on Clarissa Street.
https://www.clarissastreetlegacy.com
7. 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.
8. Exploring Racism Group program celebrates 5 years. Join us on Tuesday, September 24 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM to reunite and energize for the next 5 years. See link for more information and to register.
http://evite.me/QCsFn5A2eD
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
9. Melanie DellaPietra shared that SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), “the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces”, has announced it will no longer include “equity” in its DEI framework, now promoting “I&D” instead. This shift has led to considerable outrage within the HR community.
Here is a link to the SHRM announcement post.
Here is a link to a Forbes article on the topic.
10. Bill Wynne provides a mid-July update titled ‘Prayers for non-violent solutions and other information’ along with his Town of Perinton – Inclusionary Zoning Proposal.
11. Here is an article from the Minority Reporter;
City of Rochester dedicates Austin Steward Plaza in the Heart of Downtown.
https://www.minorityreporter.net/post/city-dedicates-austin-steward-plaza-in-the-heart-of-downtown
12. Here is one (1) article from the Beacon. Despite the political rhetoric crime is on the decline nationally and in Rochester.
13. Here is Heather Cox Richardson from Letters from an American article from July 17 about the Black soldiers of the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry of the U.S. Army, July 18, 1863.
14. There are 3 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Hotel workers fired after death of man (was there no room in their duties for some form of compassion?).
b. Penfield school district names new superintendent (the district places the equity and access officer in the superintendent’s chair bucking a growing trend).
c. Ill. deputy arrested in death of Black woman (a woman killed in her own home after requesting police assistance).
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”.
15. Foodlink has a need for Curbside Market Volunteers. See information and dates at link below.
16. We repeat the link Bill Wynne provided to a video of Alvin Mitchell’s for youth at Rochester’s Cobbs Hill. As shared in the past, Alvin is virtually a one man band aiding kids and young adults at Cobbs Hill during the summer…the resources it takes for the program all flows through him with small donations makes this all possible … but he needs help. See below.
https://rocovp.com/2024/07/11/meet-x-the-mayor-of-cobbs-hill
17. Here is an opportunity to directly help the poor and homeless. Please read.
Brooks Landing Diner gives back by serving those in need
18. 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.
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
19. 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)
20. Need a photographer for a wedding, family photo or event? Try Denise Batiste Photograhpy (I did!). See below.
‘www.DensieBatistePhotography.com’ or batnote@yahoo.com or 585-281-4862.
21. Looking for a program to immerse your employees in experiential wellness practices that decrease stress to increase productivity and improve retention? Check out MYRetreat, a wellness app that pairs chocolate with mindfulness to dramatically improve habit formation. Also, see the business case for MYRetreat below that.
https://exploringracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/MYRetreat-wellness-app.docx
https://exploringracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Business-Case-for-MyRetreat.pdf
Here’s a Paddleboarding Chocolate Mindfulness Retreat in partnership with Fingerlakes Yogascapes
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon on Friday.
Thank you!