Category Archives: Spokane Washington

Jerrelene Williamson: African Americans in Spokane

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 BOOK SIGNING

Hope you were able to get out to Barnes and Noble in the Valley last Saturday to have your copy of African Americans in Spokane signed by Jerrelene Williamson and  benefit the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center with a percentage of your purchases. If you haven’t bought a copy yet, it is available for check out at the Spokane Public Library, Spokane County Library, Spokane Community College Library, Eastern Washington University Library, Whitworth University Library and Washington State University Library.

Read more about Jerrelene Williamson and the book……

Bookfair Benefit for MLK Outreach Center 2 PM February 18

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Support Jerrelene Williamson and the Martin Luther King Jr Family Outreach Center. Come to Jerrelene’s book signing at the Spokane Valley Barnes & Noble Bookfair.  A percentage of every book bought at the bookfair or online using the bookfair ID 10692119 will go to benefit the MLK Outreach Center.

Barnes & Noble is located in the Market Pointe Shopping Center 15310 East Indiana Avenue.

 

Hi, all:

My mom, Jerrelene Williamson, will be signing her book “African Americans in Spokane” on Saturday, Feb. 18, at  Barnes & Noble bookstore in the Spokane Valley.  This time it is also a bookfair to benefit the Martin Luther King Center Jr. Family Outreach Center.  

If you buy ANY book that day from B&N using the attached voucher in ANY store, or using the bookfair ID number online, the MLK Center will get a percentage of the proceeds.

If there’s a book you want to buy, now’s the time to support my mom and a good cause.  Thanks a million!

Jennifer Roseman

Publisher’s Note: Jerrelene Williamson is the mother of Jennifer and Larry Roseman, all long-time contributors to the community.

Ivan Bush Joins Police Use of Force Commission

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Ivan BushThe membership of the City of Spokane’s Use of Force Commission is now complete. Ivan Bush, equal opportunity officer for Spokane School District 81, and Susan Hammond, director of outpatient and psychiatric services for Spokane Mental Health are two of the members.

Former mayor Mary Vernor established the commission and chose Earl Martin, former dean of the Gonzaga Law School, as the chair.

The purpose of the commission was originally to investigate the use of force by police in the Otto Zehm case. Chair Martin says the the commission will now also review police procedures and training and civilian police oversight.

Other members of the commission include retired Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander and Bill Hyslop, former states attorney for Eastern Washington.

See the Spokesman Review article of January 25, 2012 for additional details:

Ex-chief justice joins police use of force panel

 

Do African Americans Walk in Spokane?

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37 years ago might see an African American downtown every month or so. You would give the Black power salute and say “What’s up brother?” Since then the African American population in Spokane has increased. Now you might see an African American downtown once a week but you will never see an African American on a walk through the neighborhoods. It did not encourage me to go for a walk. But since I have been diagnosed with diabetes, wife, doctors and friends have suggested that I walk. Then one day in January 2012 my friend Robert, an African American, asked me if I would accompany him on one of his daily walks.    See where the two Robert’s walked . . . .

Do African Americans in Spokane walk? If so, where? I would like to take your walk and post the photographs here.

Black HIV/AIDS in Spokane by Robert Williamson

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Every time I hear the word disproportionate in conjunction with African Americans I cringe.  The reason is, is the information that follows is never good.  Here are a some examples of what I am talking about:  There are a disproportionate amount of African American males incarcerated, there are a disproportionate amount of African Americans with high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, who are unemployed and live in the filthiest neighborhoods in America.  I am sure you get my drift.  This list is not conclusive.  We have a lot on our plates.  The list just got bigger.  Did you know that we have the largest rates of people who are newly infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)?  The following information comes from the Center of Disease Control. . . . .

The rate of new infections among Black NHs is approximately 6.0 times higher than White NHs in Spokane County and 6.4 times higher in Washington State.    Full story . . . .

This Will Keep You Out of Jail

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I think that all people should be taught what their rights are before they encounter a police officer; it’s something you should know.  And you should not start thinking at the moment when suddenly there’s the police officer, See This Video Will Keep You Out of Jail

World AIDS Day

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News Release Nov 28, 2011
Media Contact: Kim Papich
kpapich@spokanecounty.org
(509) 324-1539, c (509) 994-8968

Commemorating World AIDS Day in Spokane
Local event to raise awareness for prevention and treatment, fight prejudice
SPOKANE, Wash. – Dec. 1, 2011 once again marks the arrival of World AIDS Day, an annual event to raise awareness about the global epidemic of HIV and AIDS. Spokane Regional Health District staff encourage the community to join them in commemorating the day by attending Spokane’s annual recognition event on Dec. 1 at Unitarian Universalist Church, near Spokane Falls Community College, from 6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

The program will lend visibility to prevention and treatment progress and help fight prejudice. It includes a candlelight vigil to pay homage to those who have passed away. The key takeaway from the event is that HIV testing and associated care can save lives and local agencies like Spokane Regional Health District are working to build on those successes to allow more people to live longer and healthier lives.

During 2010, there were 30 newly-diagnosed HIV infections in Spokane County. It is estimated that Spokane County has 450 people living with the HIV virus. Both Spokane and Washington state continue to see the total number of people living with HIV disease increase. Worldwide, over 7,000 people contract HIV each day. In 2008, over 2 million people died from AIDS.

Spokane Regional Health District’s HIV/AIDS program works to stop the spread of HIV and to provide education and support to those who are HIV positive and those living with AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends HIV testing as a routine part of health care. Testing can be done through most health care provider offices and clinics. Testing is also available at the Spokane Regional Health District by appointment at (509) 324-1600.  SRHD supports CDC recommendations that:

  • Everyone ages 13-64 get tested at least once.
  • People at high risk for HIV get tested more often. Those at the highest risk (including injection-drug users and their sex partners, persons who exchange sex for money or drugs, sex partners of HIV-infected persons and men who have sex with men) get tested at least annually.
  •  Women get tested during each pregnancy.

 The health district joins several agencies in supporting the Dec. 1 program including the Spokane AIDS Network, Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane, Brighton Court, and Spokane’s HIV/AIDS Speakers’ Bureau. For more information about the event contact Ann Bruce, World AIDS Day event co-chairperson, (509) 324-3606. For more information about World AIDS Day visit worldaidsday.org.

More information can also be found at www.srhd.org. The site offers comprehensive, updated information about Spokane Regional Health District and its triumphs in making Spokane a safer and healthier community.

Feed Hungry Kids

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This photograph is something I felt you’d like to see. At Rogers High School in Spokane, we recently launched our School Pantry pilot. It’s an inspiring attempt to feed more hungry kids without breaking the bank. If all goes well, Second Harvest will be able to reach more hungry kids in the coming year.

The response from one young lady at that first distribution in October makes me hopeful. She picked up a box of donated groceries after school on a Friday afternoon. “My mom is going to be so excited,” she said. “We haven’t had spaghetti in a long time. I’m going to make dinner tonight.” Spaghetti is one of those things that earn a spot on many scribbled grocery lists. Who would have expected so much enthusiasm for something so common?

I’m always very grateful when simple ideas bring good results. We made a difference for that Rogers High student and 250 of her school mates in need. We’re continuing to sort out ways to do as much good as possible with our limited means. I suppose our grocery list isn’t always as long as we’d like it to be either.

We need to raise $400,000 by Dec. 31 to provide more than 60 truckloads of food to area food banks, meal sites and even our fledgling School Pantry this winter. We hope you will send your gift by clicking here to donate securely online. Your donation is always appreciated. Thank you.

Take care,
Jason L. Clark
President and CEO