Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar
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Week of Mon July 6th through Sun July 12th, 2020
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About the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar
The purpose of the Monterey Bay Black Folks Event Calendar is to connect the Black Community of CSU Monterey Bay with the local Black Communities of the Greater Monterey Bay Area. The Calendar is edited by Steven Goings, MSW and is entirely voluntary and looking for institutional support. To submit an event for possible inclusion, please send to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com.
The plan
is to send out the Calendar
every
Monday at 9 AM for those who wish to receive it. The deadline for Monday submissions is midnight of the previous Thursday.
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Steven's Take
CSUMB & Community Black Folks Town & Gown Meeting.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who made the first Black Town & Gown zoom call a success:
Mel Mason,
Regina Mason
, Brian Corpening,
Vanessa Littleton
,
Yvonne Thomas
, Pastor Eugene Jones, First Lady Britt, Darchelle Burnett,
Rhonda Evans
, Dirrick Williams, Asya Guillory,
Miriam Smith
, Mayor
Ian Oglesby
, Councilman
Tyller Williamson
,
Ann Todd
, Fred Jealous,
Victoria Lee
, Lonnie Hawthorne, Judith McCaskill,
Simeon Etoria
,
Ruthie Watts
,
Charmaigne Scott
, Andrea Monroe,
Rosalyn Green
, Renie Rondon Jackson, Cristine Cole, Brushira Diallo, Cindy Hyatt,
Ogochukwu Obi
,
Lisa Mitchell
, Lori Black,
and Ben Bruce.
Also there is still time to fill out the...
Recall Petition Initiated For Seaside City Councilman Jon Wizard
You may have read in the Monterey County Weekly that there is a
petition
afoot to recall Seaside City Councilman Jon Wizard. As I personally endorsed Jon when he was running for his seat two years ago, I don't feel that I can avoid commenting on the issue.
In the 10 years that I have been a resident of Seaside, I have only ever publicly endorsed two people -- Dave Pacheco (for whom I taped a
video endorsement
) and Jon Wizard. I am once again endorsing Dave Pacheco as a councilman for the City of Seaside.
I was immediately impressed with the speed and thoroughness with which Mr. Wizard educated himself on local issues and I still am. I am also quite proud of Jon's willingness to take a political risk by calling for the de-funding of police at Black Lives Matter type rally on June 2, 2020. In a Voices of Monterey Bay
interview
on the subject, Wizard clarified that the phrase "de-fund the police" -- particularly when uttered while addressing a crowd -- is primarily about getting people's attention in order to prepare them for a more nuanced discussion of the matter prior to any actual policy changes. Well he's certainly done that!
Wizard has also recently
announced
his candidacy for mayor (from a safe City Council seat in which he is not up for re-election for another two years).
With that set-up, I will put my cards on the table.
I do not support Jon Wizard for mayor at this time.
I am supporting the current Mayor Ian Oglesby (presuming he is running). My current choice is more about Wizard than Oglesby. Wizard is a talented -- and obviously ambitious -- politician. But from my perspective if you run for a 4-year seat, you should serve a 4-year term. If he and Mayor Oglesby run for the same office two years from now, I will have a difficult decision to make, but I won't make it prematurely.
I also do not support the recall of Jon Wizard.
And it has nothing to do with whether I am for or against de-funding the police. Again, if you have earned a 4-year seat from the electorate, you should be able to serve a 4-year term. For those of us who believe in representative government, we elect leaders to consider issues, express their opinions and vote on policy while exercising their best judgment. That's the job.
From my perspective, recalling an elected official should only be exercised as a last resort when an office holder has broken the law or has behaved in a egregiously destructive, unprincipled and unethical manner. Not because we have strong opinion about where they stand on a particular issue.
That's what elections are for.
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The Village Project EMANYATTA Saturday African American Pride School
As I, Steven Goings, said last week, I am a proud The Village Project Jubilee Campaign Leader. The Monterey Bay Black Folks Calendar is dedicating the month of July to fundraising for The Village Project, Inc.
This week we highlight the EMANYATTA Saturday African American Pride School!
Emanyatta
is a pilot program to see if an early culturally sensitive and culturally enriching intervention would impact students in a positive way. Based on past research and knowledge of how Black students are doing in local schools and other institutional systems, this pilot was created to specifically serve as a buffer for students of African descent as they navigate environments which often denigrate their heritage and view them negatively. Increasing their understanding of their history and culture to in turn bolster their self-esteem was a primary goal. Research has shown that students with such knowledge and who have positive self-esteem do better in school and overall in life.
The 10 EMANYATTA Affirming Habits/Rituals and Routines are
1.
Practice of positive greeting (Hotep)
2.
Sharing Meals
3.
Libations offered to ancestors
4.
Community Circle
5.
Culturally sensitive/consistent speakers
6.
Group chants (thank you and close-of-day affirming chant)
7.
Involving parents and community members
8.
Community celebrations
9.
Exposure to positive African centered people and places outside of local community
10.
Child-centered affirming clinical practices
A Parent’s Testimony
“To say that I am grateful for the Emanyatta program would be truly an understatement. Since moving to Monterey almost 10 years ago, I have never been in a space with Black children with the goal of empowerment and educating kids on their culture! So often our children sit in rooms where they are ‘only one’, they are so often the ‘other’ and it is my belief that they are subject to direct and indirect mistreatment! So, to offer a space such as this provides a resting place. The word ‘Hotep’ summarizes this feeling exactly: The God in me recognizes the God in you. Thank you”
Click Here
to visit the EMANYATTA page of The Village Project website.
The Village Project’s work is unconditional; your support is crucial.
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Truth Be Told w/ Dirrick Williams
Two years ago, Wiliams was the target of racially motivated violence. In this week's column, Williams reflects on his case which has yet to go to trial and feelings of overwhelm navigating the so-called Criminal Justice System.
The most difficult thing to manage during this time is not my feelings, but more accurately identifying exactly which feeling I am experiencing. Each of us are dealing with thoughts and emotions we will hopefully never again experience. donald trump, COVID 19 and George Floyd, and if these are not enough, we contend with attitudes and opinions of people who, if it were not for the ability to sit at home and hide behind a monitor, would not take the time to utter a single thought regarding the upheaval and change our world is going through.
For me there is one other concern added to the already inflated pile of mixed emotions. Two years ago, I suffered a broken jaw, and because I wear a partial, two weeks ago I lost a tooth as a result of the force behind my attackers’ fist. Still, two years after the attack those who attacked me have yet to go to trial. I am concerned and amazed at...
To read media accounts of Dirrick's ordeal, click the links below:
1
st
Article of 2018
2
nd
and opposing article of 2018
(mind you Dirrick wrote for this paper for 4 years)
3
rd
Article: 2020
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Free Webinar
Black Minds Matter
announcing confirmed guest speaker
Professor Ivory Toldson
from Howard University
hosted by J. Luke Wood & Donna Y Ford
A Five Part Series Beginning July 16, 2020
Addressing the Parallels Between the Policing of Black Lives
and Schooling of Black Minds
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NAACP National Convention
Held Virtually: August 2 – August 15
The safety and security of our communities continues to be our utmost priority. We hope that you join us as we have imperative conversations discussions around COVID-19, voting and economic stability for Blacks.
The 111th National Convention will now be held virtually on
August 2-6, 2020
.
Regional Meetings for our members will take place
August 9-13, 2020
.
Monterey County NAACP to choose delegates to NAACP National Convention soon. Watch this space!
Click here
for a recap of the 110th National Convention
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Useful Links:
- Here is something the Monterey County Branch NAACP is working on. You can send your entries directly to lbogene@yahoo.com
- Check out the list and add your bio and photo to it.
- We all know the so-called criminal justice system treats our folks much more harshly than others, sometimes just having community members show up at court can make a difference in how things turn out.
- Check it out or add your favorite to the list
- With so few African Americans working in our K-12 and higher education systems, our kids have too few opportunities to see professionals and role models who look like them. We are looking for Black community members and professionals who can be called on to be occasional guest speakers in local classrooms.
Black Voices and Photo Portrait Project
- Local photographer Nic Coury has launched this Black Portrait Project and looking for subjects. If interested in posing for a professional picture message him on Facebook or send me (africanquazar@gmail.com) your contact info for me to forward.
- Just the basic public contact and position info
- Click on this google document to share your thoughts about what is needed in the Black community. We will prioritize them for further action.
- Check out the current list of churches, update existing entries or add new ones.
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Monterey Bay Black Folks Weekly Event Calendar
Submit to AfricanQuazar@gmail.com
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