MLK Week Kicks Off!

 

After the showing of the documentary film 13th at Bethel AME Church at 10 am on January 14, across town at the Spokane Public Library PJALS (Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane) sponsored a 5 hour hands on workshop: Love > Hate: Bystander Intervention Training which covered:

Being Resistant to Assertiveness

  1. Self-defense
  2. Continuum of Oppression / Nature of Prejudice
  3. The Spinach in Your Teeth Theory and Overview
  4. Putting Assertiveness into Context
  5. Assertiveness Model & Calling In

My observation as I photographed the workshop was that it was excellent. I thought that the information below that was listed on a wallet sized card was a good tool for it was an excellent tool for using white privilege to intervene in oppressive situations.

Assertiveness Model
Breathe.
Describe the problem or name the problem behavior. “The situation is ______.”
Tell why the behavior is wrong or say how it makes you feel. “That’s not ok because _____.” “I feel ________when you _____.”
State your needs or give a direction. “What I/we need is _____.”
Be firm and persistent.

Practice Assertiveness!

Act like a self-respecting equal: You are! You have a right to your opinions, decisions, and to say NO with no excuses. Be persistent!
Visual: Straighten your spine. Breathe deeply. Make direct eye contact. Take up space.
Vocal: Speak in a firm tone. Don’t end statements with question marks.
Verbal: Think & talk about yourself positively. Don’t self-limit with lead-ups or tags. State your needs. Use “I feel ___.” Clarify. Say what you mean directly.
Support others in solidarity and unity.

 

Red Alert! Red Alert!

MLK Week Kicks Off

On January 14 in a small inland northwest town MLK Week kicked off with the Netflix documentary 13th:

Sandy Williams, publisher of the Black Lens News and Rev. Walter Kendricks president of the Spokane Ministers Fellowship started the week of Martin Luther King Jr. Celebrations with the screening of the Netflix documentary film 13th at Bethel AME Church in Spokane hosted by the Rev. Lonnie Mitchell.

Spokane Washington 2015 Census DataAfter the screening the audience – predominantly white residents of the inland northwest – broke up into small groups for discussion. How did they feel? What did they need to do about it?

  1. I wish all the kids in our school district could see this.
  2. I never heard of the organization ALEC.
  3. I have 4 family members with a total of over 100 years in prison plus one with 3 strikes you’re out.
  4. I think we need political action.
  5. I take Netflix and I have never seen this before.
  6. I worked on both sides of this issue – as a corrections officer on the inside and as a youth counselor on the outside.
  7. The corrections industry is a cesspool.
  8. We need to talk about self responsibility.
  9. Black people need to have serious discussions about race also.
  10. White people need to check out SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice). PJALS is starting a SURJ Spokane branch.
  11. Look into  Hope Cafe : Washington State Department of Corrections initiative.
  12. We can send out information to follow up on this meeting.
  13. Subscribe to Black Lens News.
  14. We can join forces with a group started on the west side of the state called Black Prisoners Caucus.
  15. There is a small group that meets the First Thursday of every month at the Rocket Market at 43rd & Scott at 10 am and discusses actions that may be taken to build the community we would like to live in.

As the meeting at Bethel AME was ending a workshop called

Love > Hate: Bystander Intervention Training

was being held by PJALS across town at the Spokane Public Library. This workshop gave hands on experience in how to challenge oppressive statements.

INTERNS WANTED

WANT TO WORK FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA?

AFRICAN AMERICAN INTERNS WANTED FOR 2013
WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Washington, DC (BlackNews.com) — The 2013 White House Initiative’s Year-round Internship Program provides current undergraduate and graduate students with an opportunity to learn about African American-focused education policy communications, and outreach at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Collecting and compiling research and data on African American education, institutions and communities; Performing data entry and managing the office database; Greeting and escorting visitors to meetings; Participating in strategic planning and staff meetings and other Department policy briefings and meetings relevant to the work of the Initiative; Responding to constituent inquiries verbally or in writing; and more.
Throughout the course of their internships, students will have the opportunity to attend and potentially lead in the planning and management of meetings, briefings and other special events on the Hill, at the White House and in other federal agencies.
To apply for the 2013 White House Initiative’s Year-round Internship Program, visit:
www.findinternships.com/2013/04/white-house-initiative-year-round-internship-program.html
To search hundreds of other internships, visit:
www.FindInternships.com

-END-

This information has been distributed through BlackPR.com andBlackNews.com, properties owned by Diversity City Media, but the content or opinions expressed within are those of the author and/or represented company or organization.
Need A Black Expert to Interview? Visit www.BlackExperts.com

Textbooks for Ugandan Grade School Children

 

Angela Clinton

TEXTBOOKS for Ugandan Grade School Children

Organized by NAKISENYI FOUNDATION NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Greetings from Uganda!

My name is Angela Bukenya, a Clinton School of Public Service graduate student. I was born and raised in Uganda, but currently residing in the USA.

In addition to the skills i have gained as a student, i have been working to raise funds to assist the Nakisenyi Foundation Nursery and Boarding School in Uganda, based on a needs assessment, to help improve their education. Of immediate need for 254 students, is textbooks that they can use for the entire year that will cost less than $10 each.
I am therefore asking everyone with the same passion, to join me in accomplishing this goal through a donation of any amount.

If you can please be a part of my personal project, together we shall make a difference in the lives of these young ones.  Thank you in advance!

Textbooks for Ugandan Grade School

Free Help With Your Taxes

Did you work in 2012? Make less than $50,270?

Single or married, with or without children, you likely qualify to get your taxes done free. Also, based on your earnings and family situation, you may get extra money back from the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

If eligible you could receive (individual results may vary):

  • $3,169 if you have one child
  • $5,236 if you have two children
  • $5,891 if you have three children or more
  • $475 even if you have no children living with you & earnings less than $13,980

A community partnership of Avista Utilities

2012 FREE TAX LOCATIONS OPEN FEB 1 – APRIL 15

Sites by appointment only:

Cheney Library 610 1st St Thurs 4-7 pm; Fri 1-5 pm **

Northeast Community Center 4001 N Cook Wed 4-8 pm; Thur & Sat 10am-2pm **

Numerica Union 301 N Havana Tues, Wed, Thur 10am-2:30pm **

Spokane Co United Way 920 N Washington Suite 100 Tues 4-7pm; Fri 9-2; Sat 9-4**

Spokane Public Library 906 W Main Mon, Tues, Wed 10:30am-2pm **

** call 358-3526 (Washington Trust Bank)

 

Sites first come/first served:

Spokane Moran Priairie Library 6004 S Regal Tues 2-5pm; Sat 11am-3pm

Spokane Valley Library 12004 E Main Mon 4-7pm; Fri 1-4pm; Sat 10-1pm; Closed Mon Feb 18 for President’s Day

Deer Park City Library 208 S Forest Fri 11am-3pm

Medical Lake City Hall 124 S Lefevre Wed-Thur 5-7pm

 

What to Bring:

  • 2011 tax return
  • Valid PICTURE identification
  • All income statements, such as 2012 W-2s, 1098, 1099 forms for you and spouse
  • Social Security cards for you, spouse and all household members
  • Proof of other income from you or spouse and banking information
  • Child care provider information
  • Property tax information if homeowner

 

The After Life Of An AAVoice Staff Member

Student Studies in Zambia:
Lorenzo, Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership (MATL)

Lorenzo Herman, S.J. is a current student in the Master of Arts program in Transformational Leadership (MATL). We met with Lorenzo recently to learn about his summer trip to Zambia as a part of his internship requirement in the MATL program.

When Lorenzo began the program Fall of 2011, he said that his interest immediately peaked when Dr. Sharon Henderson Callahan, Associate Dean for Academics & Student Life, mentioned in orientation that the internship requirement for the MATL could be fulfilled nationally or internationally through the School’s interdisciplinary options– including through Seattle University’s Nonprofit Leadership, Public Administration, Business and Law programs among others.

For eight weeks this past summer, Lorenzo lived in, explored and researched in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, while traveling to other cities within the country on assignment. Lorenzo was based within the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection in Lusaka, a centre highly respected throughout Africa for its focus on advocacy for social conditions, faith and justice, outreach and economic efforts. Centre founder, Peter Henriot, S.J., has taught on social analysis at Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry over the years, and his social analysis method is used in the Master of Arts programs in Transformational Leadership, Pastoral Studies, and Transforming Spirituality as well as the Master of Divinity program.

The Centre, along with 26 other organizations that make up the Civil Society Constitution Coalition, is working rigorously with the Zambian government on the first draft of their Constitution and meets weekly at the Centre. 

Prior to his visit, Lorenzo had studied the Constitution at length, and upon his arrival attended meetings with key political figures and stakeholders. In the Constitutional framework, one priority was to include clauses of non-discrimination, including for individuals that have disabilities. The Coalition was finding that the families of individuals with disabilities were directly and indirectly affected by the Constitution, and needed explicit clauses of inclusivity and equality that were monitored and enforced in the community. There were not any representatives from the special needs population or service organizations in the Coalition at that time and some research was needed to further their work on the Constitution.

Lorenzo set out to visit the Ng’ombe compound in Lusaka as a part of this research. Many children throughout Zambia struggle with autism, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, and down syndrome, among other special needs. There is a special needs school within Ng’ombe called Little Assisi Day School, run by an Irish Franciscan sister, Sister Helen Scully, who also has a background in special needs education. The staff at the school do far more than teach–providing extensive support to mothers and special needs children in the community: from teaching, to healthcare, to home visits, to providing basic supplies for the families.

Lorenzo visited the School and spoke extensively with its staff–asking if he might be able to  interview the mothers of special needs children to find out more about their experiences of medical and social systems in Zambia to provide recommendations to the Centre and Coalition in their work on the country’s Constitution. Lorenzo then interviewed 18 mothers, with the support of two incredible teachers at Little Assisi: Edith and Paula. Each mother that Lorenzo interviewed worked intermittently while living in the community, had 0-6 years of education, had high hopes for their children, families and community, and all experienced some form of discrimination, shame and guilt from their communities because of their children’s struggle. Some reoccurring themes in their stories included housing needs, the lack of food and medical care, desire for self-empowerment and entrepreneurship, and hopes for employment and better transportation. It took two days for Lorenzo to type out 55 pages of notes from these interviews, which he then presented to colleagues from the Centre for evaluation. After evaluating themes as well as their subtexts/contexts that illuminate further their similarities and differences, Lorenzo drafted a succinct list of recommendations for the Centre and Coalition in their work.

This experience is close to both heart and home for Lorenzo, since his sister Leslie was born with hydrocephaly and cerebral palsy, and has experienced multiple surgeries and medical treatments over her 26 years. She currently participates in integrated educational programs and social programs in the community, while benefiting from disability benefits in the United States. Lorenzo shared throughout his interviews of special needs children’s mothers, he often thought of his own mother and her strength and struggle in supporting his dear sister.

Below are photographs from Lorenzo’s trip.

Lorenzo presented his qualitative research study entitled “The Mothers of Children With Learning Disabilities in Lusaka, Zambia” at the School on Thursday, November 29th, from 4:30-5:30pm. The study’s objective was to use the collected information and to make recommendations to the Jesuit Centre of Theological Reflection and to those local and national disability advocacy groups to facilitate making recommendations to reduce the burden of disability discrimination and stigma in Zambia. The focus of this research study was to learn how mothers who have children with a learning disability are affected by their families, faith communities, medical and social systems.

FRESH OFF THE PRESS!
Since we interviewed Lorenzo, he has been elected as President of the National Black Catholic Seminarians Association (NBCSA), which seeks to contribute to the wellbeing of candidates for priesthood and religious life, with an emphasis on Black American, African, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Latino candidates preparing to serve the Church in the United States and its territories. The Association is an affiliate of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus. The National Black Catholic Seminarians Association also cooperates with the National Black Sisters Conference.

Lorenzo_Zambia1.jpg

From the Soweto Market (above and below)
Lorenzo_Zambia2.jpg

 

Lorenzo_Zambia3.jpg

Lorenzo comments on the above photo:
“I was walking home one day when I came upon these two boys in front of me. It was endearing to see the public affection they have for each other. They were inseparable and having a great time. I could not understand what they were saying because they were speaking Nyanja but their body language was endearing, playful, and sincere.”

Lorenzo_Zambia4.jpg

Lorenzo shares about this photo, above:
“I thanked the wonderful lady next to me who let me help sell her fish for a while. She thought I was weird for asking. — at Soweto Market.”

 

 

 

Spokane: Deepening the Dialogue

IS THIS THE SPOKANE YOU WANT?

Join the Discussion at East Central Community Center

We’ve all heard that Spokane is a great place to raise a family. But, Spokane Regional Health District’s recent health equity report paints a different picture of Spokane County. Health inequities affect us all, and it’s time to do something about it. Numerous local agencies are banding together to host Health Equity in Spokane: Deepening theDialogue. Join us for this free event and help be a part of the solutions.

October 10, 2012 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm

East Central Community Center 500 S Stone St, Spokane, WA 99202

Light refreshments served.

For more information, please call 324-1542

Visit: http://www.srhd.org/healthequity

Volunteers Needed June 13

Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Outreach Center is in need of a few volunteers to help us move our furniture in and out of storage in preparation for our summer programs! If you or someone you know would like to help, we would sincerely appreciate it!

MLK Center
845 S. Sherman St. Spokane WA 99202
Weds., June 13
Anytime between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Please RSVP to Jeani at 509-455-8722 ext 0 or via email at jbrickner@mlkspokane.org

Thank you for your consideration of this volunteer opportunity.