Good day!
Today, Sunday, January 1 is the last day of Kwanzaa, the celebration that honors African heritage in African-American culture.. The principle is Imani (Faith), To believe with all our hearts in our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. “Heri za Kwanzaa!”
1. If you are not aware of Rochester poet and artist Grequan Carter, I feature one of his poems here, “Black Lives Matter/Questions to what we are” from his book of poetry “Journey of a Maturation Rollercoaster”. The poem and information on how to obtain his book can be found immediatel below:
BLM Questions to what we are JoMR.pdf
(69K)
https://store.bookbaby.com/bookshop/book/index.aspx?bookURL=Journey-of-a-Maturation-Rollercoaster
2. Many informative news and periodical items appeared over the past 2 weeks. 29 additional items are listed in this website sharing, 28 below the Events section. Here are two (2) of the best, in my opinion that appeared in the Democrat and Chronicle. They report on the City of Buffalo but the same issues can be found in Rochester:
a. No Wegmans? No problem.
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=07885db26_1348751
b.1. YOUNG VOICES Part 1
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0070448dd_134a9f9
b.2. YOUNG VOICES Part 2
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=054768c3e_134a9f9
3. Here is an article from Pachamama Alliance of the Rochester Area newsletter by Joyce Herman: “Why Anti-Semitism Should be Everyone’s Concern”
https://www.pachapeopleroc.org/post/why-antisemitism-should-be-everyone-s-concern
EVENTS:
4. The link to register for the ABC Signature event “Empowerment, Equity and the Journey Ahead”, January 12 & 19 (virtual) and Award Celebration (live), January 26 is found below.
5. The National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) Rochester is hosting a workshop Thursday, January 12 from 9 am to noon on Zoom co-facilitated by Steve Jarose and Laura Robinson on Critical Race Theory +. Here is the link to the registration: https://ncbirochester.org/critical-race-theory-workshop-january/
6. The Community Foundation is sponsoring a virtual program held on The National Day of Racial Healing, January 17, 7:00 – 8:00 PM with the author of the “Sum of Us” , Heather McGee with a program titled “Why Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together”. See the attached information. https://thesumofus.virtualvenue.ca/?utm_content=buffer5f19f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#/preliveHome
7. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 16. There are several opportunities to honor Dr. King listed below. Please forward any information that you may have that I can share with others.
-Martin Luther King Jr. Storytelling (in-person) – The Blackstorytelling League of Rochester will present stories relating to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Audience: all ages)
- Date: Saturday, January 14, 2023; Time: 2:00pm–2:45pm
- Location: Pittsford Community Library, Fisher Meeting Room
- Event information: Martin Luther King Jr. Storytelling
-MLK Day Free Dance Classes at Garth Fagan Dance Studio
- Date: Monday, January 16, 2023; Time: 12:00pm
- Location: Garth Fagan Dance Studio, 50 Chestnut Street
- Event information: Garth Fagan Dance Studio: MLK Day Free Classes
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Documentary (in-person showing) – Watch King in the Wilderness, a documentary that follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the volatile last three years of his life, from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination. (Audience: adults)
- Date: Monday, January 16, 2023; Time: 1:00pm–2:00pm
- Location: Brighton Memorial Library, Learning Center
- Event information: King in the Wilderness Showing
-2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Address – Instituted in 2001 to promote diversity, freedom, civil rights, and social justice, by the University of Rochester, The Office of Minority Student Affairs & The Office of the President
- Date: Friday, January 20, 2023; Time: 6:00pm–7:30pm
- Location: University of Rochester, Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons, Rochester, NY 14627
- Event information: University of Rochester – 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Address
-2023 Expressions of King’s Legacy – The 41st Annual Expressions of King’s Legacy featuring keynote speaker Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine. The program will include RIT student Daniel Aisogun, spoken word artist, and the RIT Gospel Choir. This event is free and open to the public. It will not be live streamed.
- Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2023; 12:00–2:00pm
- Location: RIT Gordon Field House, The Quarter Mile Walkway, Rochester, NY 14623
- Event Information: 41st Annual Expressions of King’s Legacy
8. Melanie shares information on a University of Central Florida DEI in the Workplace certificate program. See the information at link below.
https://exploringracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/UCF-DEI-in-Workplace-Certificate-program.docx
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCES:
9. Will Wallace shared information with us on a CNN Race Newsletter. You can sign up at the link below.
10. Richard Glaser shares a couple of items:
a. NY Times Magazine article, “Kendrick Lamar’s New Chapter: Raw, Intimate & Unconstrained”
Kendrick Lamar’s New Chapter With Dave Free – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
b. NY Times Magazine article, “Was the Civil War Inevitable?”
11. Bill Wynne shares information on job position openings at Baden St. Settlement:
12. The Beacon had three (3) articles of interest over the past two (2) weeks:
a. Americans’ views of the nation’s racial history are deeply divided. In many ways, this division shapes what students learn—or don’t learn—in the classroom.https://rochesterbeacon.com/2022/12/27/the-gaps-in-teaching-u-s-racial-history/
b. A Journey Toward Ending Extreme Poverty
A journey toward ending extreme poverty
c. Nearly a decade after the Black Lives Matter movement emerged, it still has broad support, but for some the number of questions has grown.https://rochesterbeacon.com/2022/12/20/the-changing-perceptions-of-blm/
13. The D&C had 21 articles of interest over the past two (2) weeks. I list them in order of appearance below:
a. Training for future teachers reimagined
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0db64c34c_1348747
b. At Hanukkah event, Biden condemns ‘venom’ of antisemitism
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=242f34bf3_1348748
c. Central Park entry gate honors ‘Exonerated Five’
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=068a5bead_1348749
d. NAACP sues Mississippi over legislative redistricting plan
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=3be2e7f42_1348749
e. Officer gets nearly 12 years for killing Atatiana Jefferson
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1b67f595a_1348749
f. Poll: Half of the LGBTQ people in the Rochester area fear attacks
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=2645da663_134874a
g. Jewish leaders turn to message of Hanukkah to fight antisemitism
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=2c598e073_134874a
h. Cayuga Nation reclaims farm from the county
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1372f6280_134874a
i. Congressional medal to honor Till, mother
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=3250ef941_134874a
j. Hochul picks LaSalle to lead state’s courts
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1f01eab68_134874b
k. Apology issued over experiments
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=2bb2e6c86_134874b
l. West Point will remove symbols of Confederacy
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0e882c787_134874d
m. Not In Our Town group still inspires after three decades
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=19596d55f_134874e
n. Schenectady aims to turn 5 schools into community hubs
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=29bcb1016_1348751
o. How NY plans to save lives
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=02d85b453_1348752
p. Court asked to end acquitted conduct time
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=06f0e3973_1348752
q. Shootings compound loss in community
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1448a500b_134875
r. ‘NARRATIVE JUSTICE’
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0b738470e_134a9f9
s. Cherokee Nation seeks promised seat in US House
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=17f05f43a_134a9f9
t. Loomis Street situation points to need to support renters
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=0fb13ef7b_134a9f9
u. Student play at East High was moving, had message of hope
https://rochesterdemocrat-ny.newsmemory.com/?publink=1fb13ef7b_134a9f9
That is all for this week.
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy New Year!