Today is Saturday, September 23. Sunday, September 24 through Monday, September 25 is Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith. The central themes of Yom Kippur are atonement and repentance. We are in National Hispanic Heritage Month. This month honors Hispanic and Latino Americans for their contribution to U.S. culture. Wednesday, September 27 is Mawlid, the celebration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad in the Islamic faith. Friday, September 29 marks the end of Mabon, the celebration of the autumnal equinox. A variety of religious faith observe this across the globe. Friday, September 29 starts Pitru Paksha, a period when members of the Hindu faith pay homage to their ancestors. Friday also begins Sukkot, a day commemorating when Jews journeyed to the desert on the way to the promised land.
Since there will be no “sharing” next weekend we will list the special dates the following week. Sunday, October 1 starts Global Diversity Awaremess month. The goal of the awareness month is to promote respect toward various cultures. Sunday also marks the beginning of National Disability Employment Awareness month with the aim to advocate for individuals with disabilities and their inclusion in the workforce. Sunday is also the start on National Polish American Heritiage month, selected to honor those with Polish heritage. Friday, October 6, Sukkot the period commemorating when Jews journeyed to the desert on the way to the promised land ends.
Quote of the Week:
“When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hangups…I want to speak to their souls” John Coltrane, American jazz saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, an iconic figure of 20th-century jazz. September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967.
Who was John Coltrane? See information below.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Coltrane
EVENTS:
Here is what is going on in the Rochester area:
1. Richard Glaser shares information on Daniel’s Day, Saturday, September 23, 1:00 PM – 4::00 PM in Rochester, other tiems in Albany and Brooklyn. This is a statewide community building and mental health awareness in memory of Daniel Prude. See below,
2. The Strong Museum of Play has 2 programs of interest in September:
a. Black Dolls, organized by the New-York Historical Society, presents a landmark exhibition that explores handmade Black dolls through the lens of race, gender, and history. Exhibit opens Saturday & Sunday, September 23 & 24 and runs through January 7.
b. National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, Saturday, September 30, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM.
3. The Anti-Racism Curriculum Project is hosting program titled “Envisioning a Better Future” with 2 films exploring Rochester’s History of Racism. This will be a screening and discussion of the 2 films, “July ’64” and “Home: Access Denied” at the Little Theatre on September 28 at 7:00 PM. There is no cost to entry, but seats are on a first come basis.
4. George Yeodan shares information on a program offered by Harvard’s JFK Jr. Truth and Transformation Conference “Tools for Accountability: Lessons and Strategies for Racial Equity” program on September 28 and October 4. The program is free but must register. See link below.
5. 2nd Annual UR Department of Medicine Research in Diversity, Equity, and IncIusion & Healthcare Equity Symposium is being held on Friday, September 29, 8:15 AM – 6:30 PM. See below for details.
6. The YWCA Empowering Women Luncheon title “be the change” will be held Wednesday, October 4 from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center. The YMCA of Rochester & Monroe County is celebrating 140 years of service to our community. Join us!
Empowering Women Luncheon – YWCA Rochester & Monroe County
7. The Concert to End Hate, October 4, 7:00 – 9:00 PM at the Artisan Works – Bourbon St. featuring RPO Trumpeter Herb Smith, The Freedom Trio, Strings for Success, and More. Sponsored by the Levine Center to End Hate of the Jewish Federation. See link below for tickets and more information.
https://www.endhateroc.org/concert-end-hate-rochester-herb-smith
8. Dr. Frederick Jefferson reminds us that the Gateways Music Festival, the program “connecting and supporting classical musicians of african descent”” will be held in Rochester October 17 – 20. See below for more information and tickets.
2023-24 Season (Rochester) — Gateways Music Festival
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
9. Bill Wynne continues to push for affordable housing in the Town of Perinton. He has requested a meeting with the Perinton Town Supervisor and Mayor of Fairport to urge modification of the Town’s Inclusionary Zoning Plan.
10. We repeat the following from last week. Bill Wynne provides information on the work of Tiffany Porter below.
Tiffany Porter doesn’t live too far from me in Fairport and is doing some great work for the marginalized not only in her local community but other suburbs as well. Tiffany’s ‘Being Black in the Burbs’ program, is a grassroots organization focused on highlighting and combating anti-Black racism and discrimination, and poverty, while providing suburban local governments, organizations, and individuals with the tools and resources they need to become anti-racist, including community education, access to anti-racist curricula, and instruction in advocacy for equity. While the group centers and lifts Black and Brown people who live in the suburbs, it also provides material support, aid, and assistance to people of all ethnicities and from all walks of life.
Its MISSION: To combat anti-Black racism and discrimination which is prevalent throughout the suburbs of the Greater Rochester Area. To challenge predominantly white suburban entities — governments, schools, organizations, and communities – to become anti-racist and hold them accountable for providing equity and access for people marginalized by the system of white supremacy.
Its VISION: With a sense of urgency for the future, ‘Being Black in the Burbs’ is a regional leader in the fight for equity, access, and anti-racism. It is equipped to respond “at the moment” to acts of harm and to dismantle systems of oppression while re-imagining, and implementing new ways of providing for the needs of all members of the community.
Its VALUES: Integrity, Innovation, Intersectionality, Sustainability, Justice.
https://www.facebook.com/beingblackintheburbs/
11. Here is a piece from the Pink Elephant Newsletter by Dr. Janice Gassam Asare; “These are the Reasons Why Your Black Employees Keep Quitting”
(26) These Are The Reasons Why Your Black Employees Keep Quitting | LinkedIn
12. We are sharing just 1 item from the latest edition of the CNN Newsletter Race Deconstructed this week (there are 2 more, go to racedeconstructed@newsletters.cnn.com):
The untold story of the Leesburg Stockade Girls
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/17/us/leesburg-stockade-girls-return-after-60-years/index.html
13. One article is provided below from this week’s Beacon; “Focusing on Legacy to Interupt Racism”. RACF President & CEO, Simeon Banister and others focus on the 4th Annual Summit theme “Legacy: What will yours be?”
14. Here are 7 of articles that deal with Race, Hate or Intolerance found in D&C over the past week. We list in order of appearance:
a. Rochester to get $3M in federal urban tree funding (Additional funding is announced for increasing the Rochester’s tree canopy and improving neighborhoods over time).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0ea758e6d_134ad29
b. US celebrates Hispanic heritage month (Article provides information on the background and purpose of the Hispanic heritage month).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0ebe35071_134ad29
c. Protocol changes could cut deaths in childbirth (Too many women die giving birth, Black women die at the highest rate).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1f5d102e7_134ad2a
d. Faith leaders decry threats at area houses of worship (These may be Jewish places of worship but it could be yours in the future).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=257e936c5_134ad2c
e. West Point sued over using race as admissions factor (If leadership should represent the those they serve, maybe the admission rate for the various races is correct).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=24ff391ac_134ad2c
f. Author to speak on school reform (former RCSD Edison Tech student, Colombia University professor and author returns with a best selling book and suggestions for positive change).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1626f7dde_134ad2d
g. Is diversity in medicine at new risk? (With Blacks representing 13% of the population but only 6% of physicians shouldn’t their admissions rate be higher?).
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=220e4f0fe_134ad2d
OPPORTUNITIES:
15. Be aware of the Adult Education Services offered by the Action for a Better Community
https://www.abcinfo.org/adult-education-services/
Please share any opportunities for employment, assistance, grants, etc. that you are aware of with the community by sending them to “tcmitch1951@gmail.com”.
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
16. 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)
a. Looking for a make-up artist and/or beauty treatment? Look no further that Beauty by Kriz (see below).
That is all for this week!
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon Fridays.