By Frank Kineavy, Special to The Informer via DiversityInc
“Given the legal mandate, it is surprising that such a large proportion of students are consistently placed in restrictive settings,” said Matthew Brock, an assistant professor of special education at The Ohio State University who worked on the study. Brock’s study will be published in the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
During the ’90s and the first decade of the 21st century the education world has pushed for school districts to integrate students with intellectual disabilities into mainstream or regular education settings. By 2010, 18 percent of students with intellectual disabilities were spending at least 80 percent of their day in general education classes, but that has leveled off. In his report, Brock admitted that it is not realistic to have all students with disabilities be exclusively in general education classes, but he thinks “we need to find opportunities for all kids to spend some time with peers who don’t have disabilities if we are going to follow the spirit and letter of the law.”
Liza Long, a mental health advocate and author of “The Price of Silence: A Mom’s Perspective on Mental Illness,” in an op-ed compared fighting for the rights of children to being in a war. As tragic mass shootings in schools gained more prevalence in the American media, parents of neuro-typical students have been wary of their children being in the same classroom as students with both intellectual disabilities and behavioral disorders. But this practice only attaches an even greater stigma to students with intellectual disabilities.
According to Long, “What is the logical consequence of taking 100 students with behavioral and emotional symptoms between the ages of 12 to 21, 95% of whom are male, and putting them together in a program that will not allow them to earn a high school diploma or to learn to interact with neurotypical peers?
“In our society, too often the consequence is prison.”
So what is the answer? Schools must fight against the disorder by equipping themselves with proper treatment plans and early prevention strategies which could change the trajectory of a student’s future from a life of uncertainty and despair to becoming a productive member of society.
I’ve never been good at remembering special dates – Memorial Day, my girl’s birthday – most dates besides Christmas, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving get past me. So when Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Noble’s press coordinator on May 17 called me about a press conference to discuss he and running mate Dr. Gloria Bromell Tinubu’s position on education and segregation, it didn’t sink in that May 17 commemorated the 64th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against public schools segregation.
Maybe it’s not so hard to forget that racial segregation in public schools is supposed to be against the law because schools still are racially segregated. Heck, America still is racially segregated! Electing a Black president was monumental, but did little to change the reality of racism in America. Most recently I’ve been thinking there is no real desire to end segregation, racism and discrimination in America.
According to one source, the NAACP since the 1930s had been fighting to end racial segregation in public schools. A lawsuit that began in South Carolina’s ‘Corridor of Shame’ in Clarendon County led to the 1954 Supreme Court decision. Clarendon County’s public schools today still are shamefully segregated, unequal and discriminated against.
In 1954 the Supreme Court gave America a way out of the order to end segregation, racism and discrimination. The Supreme Court’s decision did not spell out any method for ending racial segregation in schools. It only ordered states to desegregate “with all deliberate speed”. That’s the same rouse South Carolina’s Supreme Court used to make the 20-year-old Corridor of Shame lawsuit go away. And neither the state’s legislature nor the people who elect it have moved an inch otherwise.
The race disparities in Charleston County report released last year by the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture at the College of Charleston documented some things most of us know. Despite having some schools that are racially integrated, racial disparities in educational attainment still are blatant. In 2008 about 74,000 whites in the county had attained a Bachelor’s or higher degree compared to about 7,000 Blacks.
In the 2015-2016 school year, the five schools with the highest poverty indicator were predominantly Black schools and those with the lowest poverty indicator were predominantly white. In 2015 of the students taking and passing advance placement tests about 78 percent of Asian students passed AP tests, about 76 percent of White students passed the tests while only about 25 percent of Black student passed the tests.
During the 2014-2015 school year there were about 8,000 suspensions in Charleston County schools. Black males accounted for about 4,500 of those suspensions. Black females accounted for another 2,000 suspensions. Among elementary school students, Black students accounted for about 1,900 of the 2,200 suspensions. Black males accounted for about 1,400 of those suspensions.
In December I talked with former Charleston County School Board Chair Hillery Douglas who said those disparities exist because some residents in the county are “hell-bent” on insuring that progress for Black citizens is limited. That effort is played out in every aspect of daily life, including public education, he said.
“It may be hard to believe those people exist in these times, the 21st century. But there are those who would limit our gains in politics, economics, education – you name it. It’s not so pervasive in other parts of the state. But here, it’s blatant. To overcome that we must ask ourselves whether our progress will be determined more by us or that group. Do we put forth the effort to guide our children to become successful? We have kids who are smart. Will we invest more in them or in our iPhones, hair and nails? It’s a hard job to get people to be engaged. Some of our people are fighting, but so many don’t know how to fight. They don’t know how to instill in their children the things that make them successful. And there are those among us who let a few dollars influence whether or not we do the right things. We’ve got some politicians who shouldn’t be in office,” Douglas said.
The 64th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision against segregated public schools – by some estimates counted in 20-year intervals – that’s more than three generations. I applaud Noble’s willingness to address racism and inequality, to put those issues on the table as he campaigns to become S.C. governor. But then, that’s who Phil Noble is. It’s not just a discussion with him: it’s a life philosophy. I first came to know of Noble because of his positions on race and racism in our community.
The sad part is, for far too many it is just a matter of discussion. For politicians it’s a talking point. The laws and legislation they introduce and enact however says something different. Meaningful change can occur in 100 years – that’s if you mean to change. Obviously few mean to change the segregation and inequality that exists in our schools. I think the sooner we make that admission, the sooner we can move on. A definition of crazy is doing the same thing the same way and expecting a different result. We’re all not crazy. So when it comes to segregated unequal education, quit spittin’ on me and callin’ it rain.
We’re all not crazy. So when it comes to segregated unequal education, quit spittin’ on me and callin’ it rain.
Tour the Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., with the Friends. Free tours begin at 11 a.m. each Saturday afternoon in the rotunda. Tour goers receive a coupon for a free book at the end of the tour in the Bookseller Store and Café. To arrange for a special tour call (414) 286-TOUR.
EXHIBIT
Binding Wounds, Pushing Boundaries: African Americans in Civil War Medicine On display Monday, April 30 – Saturday, June 9 Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Many histories have been written about medical care during the American Civil War, but the participation and contributions of African Americans as nurses, surgeons and hospital workers have often been overlooked. Binding Wounds, Pushing Boundaries: African Americans in Civil War Medicine looks at the men and women who served as surgeons and nurses and how their work as medical providers challenged the prescribed notions of race and gender. This exhibition was developed and produced by the National Library of Medicine with research assistance from The Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
SPECIAL EVENT
Somos Latinas Book Launch
Twenty-five Latina agents of change share their inspirational stories in Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin
Latina Artists, co-edited by Andrea-Teresa Arenas, PhD and Eloisa Gómez who will speak at the event at the Mitchell Street Branch, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St., Tuesday, June 5, 6-7:30 p.m. Co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press and Boswell Books. Books will be available for purchase.
PROGRAMS
Resume 101: First Steps to Building Your Resume
A resume has become a necessary tool in the world of job search and employment applications. Make it work to your advantage by learning what employers look for in a resumeand what style best markets your strengths.
Create a “ready to be typed” personal resume outline at this resume workshop at the Zablocki Branch, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave., Monday, June 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Discovery Lunch
This one-hour program lets you explore and connect with fellow learners at the Capitol Branch, 3969 N. 74th St., Tuesday, June 5, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Please call 414.286.3011 to register; a light lunch is provided. Eliminate Stress From Your Life: Learn simple, yet powerful techniques to quickly ease your mental and emotional distress in no more than 30-60 seconds.
Crosswords, Coloring & Contemplation
Perk up your afternoon by working on a crossword puzzle, a coloring sheet, or your own creative, contemplative project at the East Branch, 2320 N. Cramer St., Wednesday, June 6, 12-1:30 p.m. Beverages, crosswords, and coloring supplies provided by the library while supplies last.
Movies at Mitchell Street
Watch free movies twice monthly throughout the year at the Mitchell Street Branch, 9096 W. Historic Mitchell St., Wednesday, June 6, 5 p.m. Wednesday’s feature: Ferdinand (PG).
Prevent Stress From Affecting Your Health, Life and Productivity
Learn how stress affects you physiologically, physically, emotionally, and behaviorally at the East Branch, 2320 N. Cramer St., Wednesday, June 6, 6-7:30 p.m. Receive simple, yet powerful techniques to quickly ease your mental and emotional distress in no more than 30-60 seconds. Dr. Tony Piparo is an internationally bestselling author, speaker, coach and award-winning researcher.
Color Your Way to Calm
Color your way to calm at a drop-in coloring club for adults at the Zablocki Branch, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave., Thursday, June 7, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Coloring sheets, art supplies and hot tea will be provided.
Citizenship Classes
Free citizenship classes presented by Voces de la Frontera at the Mitchell Street Branch, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St., Saturday, June 9, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Registration required. To be added to the wait list call Voces de la Frontera: 414-643-1620. Also June 16, 23, 30.
Active Adult: The Art of Poi Dancing
Poi is an art form that uses a set of two handheld tethered balls that you twirl around your body in beautiful patterns. Simple poi movements will improve your coordination, balance your bilateral motor skills, sharpen analytical skills, boost endurance, and enhance self-awareness. Learn Poi skills with Marilyn Besasie, Milwaukee’s most experienced instructor at the Tippecanoe Branch, 3912 S. Howell Ave., Saturday, June 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Please arrive early; class space is limited. Also June 16, 23.
Bring Your Own Device
Get help downloading FREE e-books, magazines, music and more! Bring your library card and device and a librarian will get you started.
Washington Park Branch, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., Tuesday, June 5, 6-7 p.m. Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Saturday, June 9, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
BOOK DISCUSSION
Vegetarian Cookbook Book Club
Plant-based diets are good for you! Try recipes at home, then discuss each cookbook with fellow food enthusiasts at the Tippecanoe Branch, 3912 S. Howell Ave., Wednesday, June 6, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Featuring reader’s choice of: The Inspired Vegan, Afro-Vegan, or Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry. Cookbooks are available to check out one month prior to discussion. No food will be prepared at meetings.
FOR TEENS
Beats & Rhymes Workshop
Interested but not sure where to begin? Experts from True Skool will be at the library to help you every step of the way. Plus, all the recording equipment, mixing technology, and software you’ll need to create your entry will be available for use. You can complete a small project within a two-hour workshop session or continue attending as many workshops as you’d like to further advance your skills and final project.
Atkinson Branch, 1960 W. Atkinson Ave., Thursday, June 7, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Capitol Branch, 3969 N. 74th St., Monday, June 4, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Tippecanoe Branch, 3912 S. Howell Ave., Friday, June 8, 2-4 p.m.
Washington Park Branch, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., Thursday, June 7, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Zablocki Branch, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave., Thursday, June 9, 2-4 p.m.
Superheroes and Villians: Sketch and Discuss
Summer sizzles with superheroes including Black Panther, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and the Incredibles. Who is your favorite superhero? What makes a great superhero? Sketch and discuss your favorite character at the Center Street Branch, 2727 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Monday, June 4, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Scratch Sessions with DJ Bizzon
No matter your experience level, learn the fundamentals of DJing all the way to advanced techniques. Sessions include lessons on music selection, scratching and beat-matching, as well as event planning, promotion, and tips for becoming a professional DJ. Turntables and controllers and digital software such as Serato DJ and Traktor, will be available at the Mitchell Street Branch, Thursday, June 7, 3:30-5:30 p.m. If you have your own equipment, bring it along and continue your projects at home. Also June 14, 21, 28.
FOR FAMILIES
Sing-a-long Story Time
Hear stories and sing songs at this Saturday morning story time at the Bay View Branch, 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Saturday, June 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Pajama Story Time
Families with young children are invited to have fun sharing stories, songs and rhymes designed to develop early literacy skills and encourage a love of reading. Come dressed in your coziest PJs and bring a stuffed animal friend to the East Branch, 2320 N. Cramer St., Monday, June 4, 6:30-7 p.m. Also June 11, 18, 25.
Playgroup With Stories
A 20-minute story time for children and their parents or guardian is followed by open play time with a variety of age-appropriate, educational toys.
Capitol Branch, 3969 N. 74th St., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m. For children ages 2 and under with a parent or guardian. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Wednesday, June 6, 9:30-10:30 a.m. For children ages 2 and under with a parent or guardian. Session repeated at 10:45 a.m. Also June 13, 20, 27.
Playgroup With Stories (CONTINUED)
East Branch, 2320 N. Cramer St. Thursday, June 7, 10-11:30 a.m. For children ages 2 and under with a parent or guardian. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Mitchell Street Branch, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11:15 a.m. For children ages 1-4 with a parent or guardian. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Tippecanoe Branch, 3912 S. Howell Ave., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m. For children ages 1 to 4 with a parent or guardian. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Villard Square Branch, 5190 N. 35th St., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m. For children ages 1 to 4 with a parent or guardian. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Zablocki Branch, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m. For children ages 1 to 4 with a parent or guardian. Also June 14, 21, 28.
FOR CHILDREN
What’s the Scoop?
Celebrate the start of summer and enjoy an ice cream treat! Make a sundae or create your own unique flavor at the Villard Square Branch, 5190 N. 35th St., Tuesday, June 5, 4-5 p.m. Kids and teens welcome.
Saturdays at Central
Milwaukee Public Museum’s Digging Up Discoveries at the Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Saturday, June 9, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Enter the mind of an archeologist! Participants will examine real artifacts from MPM’s education collection.
Saturday Afternoons at Central for ‘Tweens
All Things Space at the Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Saturday, June 9, 2-3 p.m. Join the Milwaukee Public Museum as we investigate our corner of space and beyond! Learn how our understanding of the universe has changed over the years. Presented by MPM’s Educators.
Preschool Story Time
Preschoolers are invited for fun stories, songs, and finger plays designed to help them develop important literacy skills needed prior to learning how to read. Child care centers are welcome.
Atkinson Branch, 1960 W. Atkinson Ave., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Bay View Branch, 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Capitol Branch, 3969 N. 74th St., Thursday, June 7, 10-10:30 a.m. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Center Street Branch, 2727 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Monday, June 4, 4-4:30 p.m. Also June 11, 18, 25.
Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Tuesday, June 5, 10:30-11 a.m. Also June 12, 19, 26.
Martin Luther King Branch, 310 W. Locust St., Friday, June 8, 10-10:30 a.m. Also June 15, 22, 29.
Washington Park Branch, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., Thursday, June 7, 10:30-11 a.m. Also June 14, 21, 28.
Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities. For additional information or to request services contact the Library Director’s Office at (414) 286-3021, 286-2794 (FAX), or mail to Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53233 Attn: Accommodation Request.
BOOKSELLER and COFFEE SHOP
Visit the Bookseller, the library’s used book store, located at Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., and R Café, the library’s coffee shop. Call 286.2142 for hours of service. ###
More than 100 students at the 43rd Annual Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) Conference in Birmingham on Friday created their own city where technology is paramount and littering and cyberbullying are not tolerated.
The City of Diversity – with the slogan, “Where Everybody Counts and YOU Matter” – was a “tech city” and it even came with an election season to give students a taste of politics.
Birmingham is hosting the 43rd Annual Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) Conference. The four-day event, which ends May 26, features a series of panels, workshops, and collaborative events that encourage networking, camaraderie, and idea-sharing. The theme for 2018 is “Building Tomorrow’s Community Today.”
Creating a city during the youth conference was a lot harder than imagined, said Annissa Owens, a rising junior at Shades Valley High School.
“You have to find neighborhood presidents, city councils, a mayor; you have to find transportation, how to get around,” she said.
However, Owens, 15, said she is grateful for the experience which included her role of getting people out to vote.
“[Citizens] have to get the law they want to be passed, and to do that, they have to vote for whoever they want to be mayor,” she said. “I think my part is important because if you want your voice to be heard you should go vote. So, you can’t get mad when the change you wanted didn’t happen if you don’t vote.”
DeRenn Hollman, 13, who will attend Ramsay High School in the fall, was a mayoral candidate and said his goal was to “make the city more comfortable and like easier for people.”
“I want more technology, and you won’t have to work as hard for things,” he said. “It’s a tech-heavy city, so it’s easy, but the easiest thing to do is to participate in the things the city has going on.”
Running for elected office wasn’t as easy he thought.
“Campaigning is hard because you have another candidate who is just as qualified as you,” he said. “But you also have a team behind you and people who support you and believe in you. It’s still hard to go up there and speak in front of people though.”
The candidates had two major campaign issues: cyberbullying and littering.
“You’re either for littering to be a crime or against littering to be a crime,” Owens said. “You’re either for social media to end because of cyberbullying or you’re against social media to end because of cyberbullying.”
Hollman said, “as a mayor I want some cyberbullying to stop, but I don’t think social media should have to end because of it. Social media is fun but use it responsibly.”
Campaigning taught the students some valuable lessons.
“You still have to go through a lot of different people (such as the legislative branch) and if they don’t like it, they cannot go through with it,” Hollman said. “You can’t just say ‘littering is a crime’; you have to send it to your council to approve it. If they don’t like the law they can vote against it.”
Owens said he now sees some things differently.
“Some things are not as easy as it sounds,” she said. “Like getting extra transportation is not as easy as I thought it was. Like getting a new bus. You have to go through voting and funding to get those new things.”
Danny Brister, operations manager for the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services and co-chair for the NUSA Youth Conference, said the message for students was simple.
“We told them that we need their impact, their intelligence, we need them to engage,” Brister said. “At the age of 18 a young person can serve as neighborhood president. That’s important for them to know. As early as 16 they can vote in their neighborhood elections. We hope they gain an understanding that it takes a lot of work. We hope they leave inspired to make a change.”
Birmingham is hosting the 43rd Annual Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) Conference. The four-day event, which ends May 26, features a series of panels, workshops, and collaborative events that encourage networking, camaraderie, and idea-sharing. The theme for 2018 is “Building Tomorrow’s Community Today.”
NEWBURGH – With graduation only a few days away, Mount Saint Mary College seniors were recognized for their dedication to academics and the campus community.
More than two dozen deserving senior students received awards earlier this month.
Senior class president Jake Kosack of Hopewell Junction, N.Y. was the recipient of the MSMC Award, presented to a graduating senior who has held high academic standing, manifested loyalty to the college, and represents the students of Mount Saint Mary College.
Angelique Suarez of Jersey City, N.J. was the recipient of the Thomas J. Conlon Memorial Award.
Jessica Free of Hewitt, N.J. was the recipient of the Father Michael J. Gilleece Memorial Award.
Angelique Suarez (right) of Jersey City, N.J. receives the Thomas J. Conlon Memorial Award from Elaine O’Grady (left), Vice President for Students. Photo: Lee Ferris
Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges award recipients were Steven Tobey of Stratford, Conn. and Venezia Verdi of Medford, N.Y.
Bridget McKeever of Middletown, N.Y. and Verdi received awards for Outstanding Service to the Class of 2018.
Senior Class Awards for Service and Involvement recipients were Meghan Atwood of Rockaway Park, N.Y.; Nicole Cavallo of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Rachel Collymore of New Hampton, N.Y.; Janae Graham of Orange, Conn.; Shantelle Lord of New Windsor, N.Y.; Samantha McGregor of Highland Mills, N.Y.; Brittany Moore of Walkill, N.Y.; Geoffrey Quist of Montrose, N.Y.; Maria Rivera of Bronx, N.Y.; Alexa Walsh of Rock Tavern, N.Y.; and Danielle Zaleski of Walden, N.Y.
Senior Class Awards for Outstanding Leadership recipients were Nicholas Boffoli of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; Jeffrey Hamrlicek of Bayport, N.Y.; Ashley Lane of Levittown, N.Y.; Dylan Legg of Hayes Falls, N.Y.; Caleb Oliver of Jamaica, N.Y.; Jessica Rini of Bethpage, N.Y.; Hope Schaumburg of Goshen, N.Y.; Heidy Taza of Hempstead, N.Y.; Tobey; Megan Torpey of Oakland, N.J.; and Guy Zoutis of Walden, N.Y.
Jake Kosack of Hopewell Junction, N.Y. received the Mount Saint Mary College award, presented to a graduating senior who has held high academic standing, manifested loyalty to the college, and represents the students of Mount Saint Mary College. Photo: Lee Ferris
Mount Saint Mary College celebrated its 55th annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 19, featuring keynote speaker Robert Dyson, chairman and CEO of The Dyson-Kissner-Moran Corporation.
Two Birmingham city high school student-athletes recently won $500 to plant trees around the metro area.
Jordan Embry of Ramsay High School and Kobe Howard of Wenonah High School won for their presentation on the importance of mitigating deforestation in Alabama which impressed a panel of judges at the Together Assisting People (TAP) Business Pitch Competition.
“I think it’s brilliant for them to come up with a concept talking about tree deforestation,” said Chris Rogers, founder and CEO of TAP. “They want to take the (prize) money (of $500) to do that. They want to get their teammates and TAP to plant more.”
The students want to start out by planting five trees in two Birmingham neighborhoods this summer but hope to plant more.
Embry, who is a junior and a running back at Ramsay, and Howard, who is a senior with the culinary program at Wenonah, provided statistical information about deforestation in their communities.
Embry said he came up with the idea of planting trees because he wanted to do something that makes a difference. “I feel like trees are a necessity in life,” Embry said. “They help with oxygen and it has so many benefits for everyday life. When you cut down a tree I feel like you should also replant a tree.”
Howard said he was surprised by the number of trees cut in every year.
About 3.5 billion trees are cut every year around the world including about 500,000 acres of trees a year in the United States, he said. “We don’t cut down as much as Brazil, but they also have a rainforest,” Howard said. “So we don’t have as many trees . . . but we’re still losing a lot of the benefits that trees provide us.”
Howard said he learned a lot about research while working on the project.
“If you have the right people, the right materials, the right information, you can go far and do a lot,” he said.
Embry agreed.
“I think our idea was pretty good,” he said. “We learned about creating a budget plan for the project. For silver maple seeds (to plant the trees) it’s $20 for 100 seeds. We’re not going to plant over 300 seeds or anything, but we do hope it will make a difference.”
The students said they hope their project inspires others to take notice of issues like deforestation.
“If they want to help in another area and plant trees there, they should go for it,” Embry said.
Jordan Embry presents information about deforestation to a panel of judges during Together Assisting People’s first Business Pitch event. (Provided photo)
Rogers acknowledged that the topic wasn’t one that many athletes would care about.
“You’d never think that athletes would be into that kind of stuff,” he said. “Jordan is a kid who gets it. Kobe is looking to go to the University of South Alabama and major in business, but he has dreams of being a chef. He actually caters our events. So, we’re letting him fine-tune his skills by catering our events. He’s getting the opportunity to get real-life skills and we’re putting money in his pockets.”
Other pitches as part of the competition included ways to improve customer service. Students Lee Witherspoon of Parker High School and Jayst Dorion of Spain Park High School are trying to come up with an app to improve customer service, Rogers said.
“They said they see a difference between how you’re treated at Wal-Mart and Whole Foods,” he said.
This is the first Business Pitch, but Rogers wants it to become an annual event.
“We have some . . . guys doing exceptional work,” Rogers said. “To have them . . . researching and pitching. I think long term they all won. They’ve got something invaluable.”
I must remind you that a starving child is violence. Suppressing a culture is violence. Neglecting school children is violence. Punishing a mother and her family is violence. Discrimination against a working man is violence. Ghetto housing is violence. Ignoring medical needs is violence. Contempt for poverty is violence. – Coretta Scott King
Something is wrong that we have to feed so many. Why should there be poverty with all of our science and technology? There is no deficit in human resources – it is a deficit in human will. – Coretta Scott King
It was not my intent to retread some of the thematic ground I’ve covered over the past couple of months, but current events both locally and across the nation, cause me to do so.
The two columns that were published here in April marked 50 years since Dr. King’s assassination, and subsequently, the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The discussion of the Fair Housing Act is particularly relevant today, as there have been numerous efforts in recent years, both underhanded and overt, to undermine and ultimately overturn this essential law (as ineffectual as it has sometimes been).
Another 50-year milestone that has just passed is what history has come to know as “The Roads to Resurrection City.” It was on Mother’s Day, May 12, 1968, that Coretta Scott King led thousands of demonstrators from far and wide to Washington, D.C. demanding that the U.S. Congress pass an Economic Bill of Rights, an idea originally proposed by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1944.
The centerpiece of Dr. King’s “Poor People’s Campaign,” the Economic Bill of Rights called for, among other things, full employment and a living wage; sufficient and affordable housing; and the right to health care, social security, and quality education. Of the Poor Peoples Campaign, Dr. King said, “We believe the highest patriotism demands the ending of the [Vietnam] war and the opening of a bloodless war to final victory over racism and poverty.”
Of course, Dr. King was not around to witness the culmination of this campaign or the establishment of Resurrection City on the National Mall where he helped to lead the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom nearly five years earlier. In late June of 1968, six weeks after setting up camp in Resurrection City, demonstrators were violently evicted by the local police and National Guard. Nearly 300 of them, including Dr. King’s most trusted aide Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, were arrested.
Today, history is repeating itself as a new movement (inspired by Dr. King’s original vision), The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, has emerged in communities throughout the United States. This campaign restates the demands of 50 years ago and adds several more. It highlights the rising social and racial inequities in employment, education, housing, economic security, access to health care and health-related outcomes, human rights, and environmental justice.
On Monday, May 14, thousands of protestors, including 13 near the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, were arrested as they engaged in a national groundswell of nonviolent civil disobedience. According to the Minnesota Poor People’s Campaign, this calls for “new initiatives to fight systematic poverty and racism, immediate attention to ecological devastation, and measures to curb militarism and the war economy.”
The national Poor People’s Campaign, along with its state and local affiliates and supporting partners, will continue these demonstrations over the next several weeks before convening at the United States Capitol Building on Saturday, June 23. Dating back to the Women’s March on Washington in January of 2017 up to the student-led March for Our Lives this spring, this will be at least the 22nd major demonstration to take place in Washington, D.C. over the last year-and-a-half.
I am curious to see how America reacts to the upcoming June march as well as to all of the related events leading up to it. Why? Well, let’s be frank for a minute.
An enduring theme throughout the history of this nation is that people living in poverty are somehow to blame for their own plight. There are a number of journalists, scholars and activists, including John A. Powell and Arthur Brooks, who have recently declared that “America can’t fix poverty until it stops hating poor people.”
Please indulge me for a moment while I shift gears to reinforce this point. I chose the two quotes above from Mrs. King specifically for their bold and straightforward assertions. Number one: Poverty is violence. And second, as her husband acutely noted, “Poverty has no justification in our age.”
Why then, do we not have the will to end it? Why do we choose to hate instead?
On a couple of occasions, I have used this space to reference insights from comedian W. Kamau Bell’s CNN documentary series “United Shades of America.” In the third season’s premier episode, which aired at the end of April, Bell visits the U.S.-Mexican border to engage locals about their thoughts on “illegal immigration” and “the wall.”
He visits with a pair of Border Patrol officers who, above all, view their principle responsibility as saving lives. They cite the hundreds of migrants, determined to make a better life for themselves and their families, who die every year from dehydration, heat stroke, and even hypothermia.
It is very common for activists and even concerned citizens who live on the border to leave water out in the hope they might possibly save the life of a fellow human being. Yet, Bell contrasts this good will with images that have been captured of Border Patrol agents who think differently than the two he interviewed.
Knowing full well why the water is there, one Border Patrol agent is shown on film casually kicking gallon after gallon of water down a steep desert hill. Another agent is shown simply dumping water into the sand while he smiles and speaks directly into the camera.
Whatever he was muttering was unintelligible to me, but he was obviously quite proud of himself. Apparently, that was his idea of justice, or national security, or whatever.
Let that sink in. And while we do, let us not forget that poverty is violence. Poverty kills. Hate kills.
Clarence Hightower is the executive director of Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties. Dr. Hightower holds a Ph.D. in urban higher education from Jackson State University. He welcomes reader responses to 450 Syndicate Street North, St. Paul, MN 55104
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, our community was under a full-fledged attack. Crack was in our streets, it was in our schools, it was in our parks, it was in our playgrounds, and for some, it was in our homes. The epidemic wasn’t just affecting one part of the community; this impacted the entire community, leaving sons without fathers, daughters without mothers, and parents, ultimately, alone.
But the carnage didn’t stop there. Policies enacted during the crack epidemic exacerbated the destruction. Children in South Los Angeles were ripped away from their parents and shipped off into the child welfare system, some to never see their parents, or their families, again. It was at the height of the crack epidemic when the number of kids in foster care exploded and the percentage of Black youth in the system skyrocketed.
Now, the country, not just our community, faces a new epidemic. Our child welfare system is already becoming increasingly populated due to the consequences of the opioid epidemic. The current crisis is starting to devastate families and our already over-worked and under-resourced child welfare system. This time, we must apply the lessons learned from the crack epidemic: if you want successful policy, you must include the affected communities in the formulation of new policy. We cannot afford to turn our backs on those impacted again.
At the end of this month, the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth will host its 7th annual Foster Youth Shadow Day, a program that brings foster youth from all over the country to meet and shadow the very Members of Congress who represent them in Washington, D.C.
No one knows more about the pitfalls of our nation’s child welfare system than those who grew up in it. These young people are travelling thousands of miles to come to D.C. to share their stories—both their challenges with abuse, trafficking, overmedication, or homelessness—as well as their successes with mentorship, adoption, family reunification, community activism and independent living.
The result of these visits is a better understanding of how to improve the child welfare system and fight against this epidemic. The FY 2018 omnibus bill that was passed earlier this year had the single biggest increase in investment in child welfare funding history along with a large investment in funds to combat the opioid crisis. Despite this progress, there will always be more work to be done and this month, I look forward to continuing this fight. National Foster Care Month is a month to honor the successes and challenges of the more than 400,000 foster youth across the country and to acknowledge the tireless efforts of those who work to improve outcomes for children in the child welfare system.
Making sure that all children have a permanent and loving home is not a Democrat or Republican issue – it should be an American priority. Our society is judged on how we treat the most vulnerable amongst us. We must invest in life improving foster care services, praise foster families, caregivers, and relatives for their selflessness to others, and continue to provide a hand up so that foster youth can realize their full potential.
Congresswoman Karen Bass represents California’s 37th Congressional District. She is the 2nd Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth. Follow her on Twitter at @RepKarenBass.
I cannot recall a day when I didn’t have a book under my arm, in my backpack or in my briefcase. I’ve treated books like my best friends, sometimes refusing to lend my “friends” to others because they tended to handle my books like they were pieces of paper that could be easily discarded and had little merit.
But I knew better. My parents helped me develop a passion for reading because of the ideas within the covers. Whenever I had questions or could not understand concepts and notions, they’d point me to the room in our house designated as “the library.” Yes, that’s right, even some Black folks have libraries in their homes.
I’d spend hours in silence, without the distraction of television or the radio, reading about faraway places, becoming familiar with historical figures, letting my imagination run wild. Today, young people have even more distractions with their phones and social media apps. And some seem like they have no desire to read. They don’t realize what they’re missing.
Meanwhile, my children in their younger days were, and now my two grandsons are required to read and then, to sit with me now or with my parents in years gone by and share what they’d learned. That was the way we transmitted ideas. That’s the way we passed on our stories to the next generation.
Books were special to me for another reason. My grandmother, my mother’s mother, had been abandoned on the streets of Baltimore when she was 10. She had been forced to drop out of school so that she could find a way to survive. So, her studies ended before she had completed elementary school.
Grandma never lamented over what happened to her, the obstacles placed in her life and she never sought anyone’s pity. She just kept keeping on.
Whenever we were together, she’d reserve time for just the two of us — time during which I would read to her. Sometimes, it would be the Bible. But she would also ask me to read a story that I liked or a book that I may have been reading at the time. Whenever there were words with which she was unfamiliar or concepts that were a bit too complicated, she’d ask me to explain. She would even pull out her dictionary and have me give her the definition of words she didn’t know.
These were our special moments, our treasured moments. And she only reserved them for me. I guess with my thick glasses and mountains of books that I always brought with me during our visits to her home in Williamsburg, Virginia, she wanted me to feel good about my passion for reading, my desire to learn as much as I could. She celebrated the fact that I was a smart little boy. And she loved listening to me read.
I read to my grandmother … because she could not read. And we loved every minute of our story time sessions.
What’s the last book you read? And when did you last read to someone you loved?
The 5000 Role Models of Excellence conducted its 2nd Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner at William M. Raines High. Students from the Raines High Culinary program catered the event. The celebration honored 5000 Role Models of Excellence student leaders and graduating seniors who have gone above and beyond for the 2017-2018 school year. Adult Role Models who serve as mentors for the students enrolled in the program and Site Directors who head up each of the 12 school programs were also honored.
The event was held at William M. Raines High, which along with Highland Middle School, will be the two new expansion sites for the 2018-2019 school year. This will make a total of 14 schools comprised of 7 middle schools and 7 high schools spread throughout Duval County. Currently the program has 425 registered minority male student members from Duval County Public Schools. Initially founded in Miami, FL by Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, the program has been in Duval County for three years. The initiative looks to provide exposure to minority male students educationally, vocationally and culturally. In its third year in Duval County, the program has partnered with female compliment programs at six of the twelve current sites.
Amongst awards received during the ceremony included a custom backpack designed by BlendedDesigns, a custom 5000 Role Models of Excellence class ring designed by Rhodes Graduation-Jostens and over $7,000 in scholarship funds. Lawrence Hills, District Supervisor for the initiative stated, “this was an opportunity for us to honor those students who have worked extraordinarily hard in the classroom and/or improved their citizenship in an effort to become a leader in their schools and community.”
By Ariel Worthy
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, our community was under a full-fledged attack. Crack was in our streets, it was in our schools, it was in our parks, it was in our playgrounds, and for some, it was in our homes. The epidemic wasn’t just affecting one part of the community; this impacted the entire community, leaving sons without fathers, daughters without mothers, and parents, ultimately, alone.
