Today is Saturday, September 14. Tomorrow, September 15 starts National Hispanic Heritage month through October 15th. This month celebrates the contributions, heritage and culture of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Monday, September 16 is Mawlid Al-Nabit the Sunni Muslim observance of the birthday of Islam founder Prophet Muhammad, which is celebrated in Rabi’ al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar. Shi’a Muslims celebrate it five days later than Sunni Muslims. Tuesday, September 17 we commemorate the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1787. This day also honors all who have become U.S. citizens.
Quote of the Week: Alain Leroy Locke, American educator, writer and philosopher born September 12, 1885 – June 9, 1954
Quote: “Art must discover and reveal the beauty which prejudice and caricature have overlaid.”
Featured Civil Rights Activist/Abolitionist/Pioneer for this week:
Alain Leroy Locke, American educator, writer and philosopher born September 12, 1885 – June 9, 1954
Quote: “Art must discover and reveal the beauty which prejudice and caricature have overlaid.”
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alain-Locke
EVENTS:
1. 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)
2. Please join us to celebrate ERG’s 5 year birthday celebration Tuesday, September 24, 5-7 pm.
Enjoy music, food, an open bar and connecting with dozens of committed leaders.
RSVP for this special event, and feel free to invite others: http://evite.me/QCsFn5A2eD
We appreciate these organizations for their continued support and event sponsorship: Butler/Till, ESL, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust, VP Supply Corp, Go Beyond Rochester, ITX, The Ramerman Group.
3. The YWCA, will be hosting an Empowering Women Luncheon on September 25. Here is information of the event and to request tickets, Empowering Women Luncheon — YWCA Rochester & Monroe County | Survivor Services | Racial Equity
4. The Rochester Oratorio Society and the RIT School for the Performing Arts presents “Freedom Song: When Gospel Came to the Empire”, Friday, September 27 from 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM, at the Skylarski Glass Box theatre on the RIT campus at 1 Lomb Memorial Drive. See below.
5. 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
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
https://www.rochester.edu/diversity/annual-diversity-conference
9. Donna Richie also shares informtion on the Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed build on Saturday, October 19. This is a great opportunity to volunteer for a much needed and appreciated item, a child’s own bed. See link below for details.
10. Action for a Better Community (ABC) will hold it’s 2025 Signature Conference on January 9th & 16th (virtual both days) and January 23rd, In-person Awards Breakfast. ABC is celebrating 60 years of “Empowering Communities and Inspiring Change”. Save the dates. More information to follow on programs and presentations as well as sponsorship opportunities.
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
11. Here is the latest piece by Janice Gassam Asare, Ph.D. found in the Pink Elephant Newsletter, “Why are Black Women the Least Likely to Breastfeed”.
12. Here is are 3 pieces from this week’s The Minority Reporter;
b. RAAFA Hosts Free “Stop the Bleed” Gun Safety Workshop for the Community (minorityreporter.net)
13. Here is an opinion piece in this week’s Beacon on the housing shortage and a landlord’s view of Good Cause Evictions
The housing shortage hurts our whole community – Rochester BeaconRochester Beacon
14. Laurie Mahoney shares a piece from downstate on the potential legal challenges to Good Cause Eviction.
‘Good Cause’ Eviction’s Legal Litmus Test Begins (citylimits.org)
15. Bill Wynne reports that the Perinton Town Board continues to ignore the recommendations he made about this time a year ago re: Affordable Housing and Inclusionary Zoning … please see https://www.wewynneauthor.com/2024/08/22/inclusionary-zoning-recommendations-for-the-town-of-perinton-the-challenges-and-opportunities-september-2023/ .
He believes many of these recommendations would be relatively simple to implement thus easing the significant affordable housing pressures in Perinton/Fairport, and could serve as a model for the greater Monroe County community.
16. There are 7 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week.
a. Pregnancy Peril (reducing maternal deaths, especially among Black women). Two parts, open each file below,
b. ‘THE WORK IS NEVER DONE’ (Rochester’s new violence prevention director focuses on youth mentorship and school outreach programs).
c. Lake monitoring differs by community (less monitoring of lakes near minority communities).
d. Harvard’s Black enrollment dips after landmark ruling (the impact is not the same with all elite private schools).
e. Haitian immigrants fueled Midwestern city’s growth (although these immigrants strain social services they also filled many need job openings).
f. 1971 uprising shaped Attica prosecutor’s life (author shares impact of prison riot investigation on his life).
g. Fetal mortality at historic low, but gaps remain (Black women twice as likely to lose pregnancy).
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”.
17. Here is an important program to share with those that could benefit from skills that lead to a career in the Building Trades, The Multi-Craft Apprenticeship Preparation Program. See the link below.
http://www.mappinc.org/
18. 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:
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. Repeating from last week, looking for a new restaurant? Give the new Vault Cafe & Cabaret on Culver Road in Rochester a try.
Here is an article that appeared in this week’s D&C on Vault Cafe & Cabaret.
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon on Friday.
Thank you!