Today is Saturday, August 17. August is Black Business Month (see item 13 below for a book that lays out the importance of supporting Black businesses). Monday, August 19 is Raksha Bandhan, the Hindu, also called Rakhi, this festival celebrates the protective relationship between brothers and their sisters. Friday, August 23 is International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This day memorializes the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade, coinciding with the anniversary of the uprising in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) that initiated its abolition.
Quote of the Week: “The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class – it is the cause of human kind, the very birthright of humanity.” Anna Julia Haywood Cooper born August 10, 1858 – February 27, 1964
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Pioneer for this week:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anna-Julia-Cooper , Anna Julia Haywood Cooper born August 10, 1858 – February 27, 1964
EVENTS:
1.The 26th Annual Clarissa Street Reunion will be celebrated on Saturday, August 17th from 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM on Clarissa Street.
https://www.clarissastreetlegacy.com
https://www.minorityreporter.net/post/26th-year-annual-clarissa-street-reunion-festival-celebration
2. The Little Theatre’s Black Cinema Series continues Friday, August 23 at 7:00 PM with the showing of the film “Sing Sing” with discussion to follow. See article below for details.
https://www.minorityreporter.net/post/the-black-cinema-series-showcasing-the-film-sing-sing
3. The Jewish Federation of Rochester, with the Levine Center To End Hate, is continuing it’s Rochester Rekindle Program in Black-Jewish Dialogue. The 2024 Rekindle sessions will take place on Monday evenings: September 9, 16, 23, and 30 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dinner is provided during each session. The 2024 application is here:https://www.jotform.com/form/241695921292160 and is open until August 20th.
4. Writers and Books offers an encore performance of the staged reading of Monologues on Clarissa Street, Sunday, August 25, as part of the Sankofa Theatre Festival at The MCC. See the Writers & Books website, “wab.org” for details.
5. The Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester is hosting the Mort Skillboll Lecture on Antisemitism with Dr. Rachel Fish on September 5 at 7:00 PM (location to be determined). See further information at link below.
https://jewishfederationofgreaterroche.regfox.com/mort-skirboll-lecture-on-antisemitism
6. Tickets are now on sale for the Urban League – Rochester’s (UL-R) 5th Annual ‘Interrupt Racism’ Summit to be held at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center on 9/18/2024 . 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.
2024 Interrupt Racism Summit Tickets On Sale Now! (mailchi.mp)
7. 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
8. George Eastman Museum presents ‘In This Moment; Revolution, Reckoning, Reparation’, a book launch and panel discussion to be held on Monday, September 30, 2024 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the Dryden Theatre. See the link below for details.
https://www.eastman.org/moment-vol-3
9. George Yeodan suggests this program offered by the Smithsonian Associates, ‘Bloody Tuesday: The Untold Story of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Tuscaloosa’ on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – 6:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. See details at link below.
10. Monday, October 14 is Indigenous People’s Day. There are 3 major gatherings that day in City parks at sunrise, noon and sunset. The City of Rochester is sponsoring but is seekig co-sponsors. Attached below are details for the day and an application for co-sponsors.
11. Donna Richie shares information on the University of Rochester’s Annual Diversity conference on Tuesday, Friday, October 15 from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. See information below.
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
12. I wasn’t aware of the Springfield, Illinois massacre in 1908, were you? See information below for that history and article in items 15#g on the National Monument designation.
https://www.lib.niu.edu/1996/iht329622.html
13. Shawn Rochester lays out a compelling case for the benefit to all for supporting Black businsessed. See book below for this and other challenges to Black businesses.
14. Here is one (1) article from the Beacon this week.
15. There are 6 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. ‘From the day I got here, I started fighting’ (Rochester’s first Black doctor faced discrimination and many challenges).
b. Who’s behind Project 2025? (this is more than political, it is transformational).
c. States move to ban prison ‘slavery’ (how much should prisoners be compensated?
d. Ohio officer charged in deaths of Black woman, child (appears there should have been another course of action).
e. ‘We’re losing way too many’ (interesting insights into why witnesses don’t come forward).
f. Biden approves Illinois monument (an event largely unknown to many).
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”.
16. Amy Stein shares that the Rochester Education Foundation is seeking career models for the Future Fair which will be held on October 11 at St John Fisher to bring hope, inspiration, and excitement to all RCSD 7th graders to help them imagine the possibilities for their bright future ahead. Hoping to have all 100 career models secured by September 1.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xOrw-Aml7BASvP3bUsnfEf4CylJVv870CchDrxM0kdA/edit
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
17. 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)
18. Look for some places to enjoy breakfast? See options below.
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon on Friday.
Thank you!