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St. James M.B. Church and Local Peace Groups show support
for Charleston 9
Fernando Garcia urging motorists to Honk for Charleston
The sound of honking horns, some loud, some blaring, some
barely a beep, were heard throughout the neighborhood on North and Leverett
Streets Saturday, June 20 as the Historic St. James M.B. Church hosted a vigil
in honor of the Charleston 9 whose lives were tragically lost on Wednesday June
17, 2015 during a prayer meeting at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston SC.
Peace Volunteers encouraging motorists to support Charleston
Motorist and walkers were curious as to why people were
holding up signs, but as they got a closer look, they saw signs that read,
“Black Lives Matter, Charleston Matters, We Stand for Justice.” As well as
simple signs that garnered the most amount of action such as, “HONK for
Charleston!”
Irvan Camacho and Mayra
“Wow, I’m glad that you’re doing this,” shouted one
gentlemen driving by on North St.
More horns were heard across Leverett and North Street
almost simultaneously at times.
“Honk for Charleston,” shouted Rose Collins, a peace
volunteer as a female motorist beeped her horn. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Rose Collins and Leora Jackson urging motorist to unify with Charleston by honking their horns
When asked why she wanted to do this volunteerism support,
she replied, “I didn’t want to just stay home today. When I saw the Facebook post
about the vigil, I wanted to come out and do something. I am glad that you all
are doing this. I didn’t want to be like my other white friends and ignore it
and be mum about this, I wanted action! This is needed.”
Sarah Marsh of Fayetteville City Council & Fernando Garcia of OMNI stands in Solidarity with Charleston
Sarah Marsh, of the City Council made an appearance and spoke for an interview with David Garcia for Fayetteville Free Zone.
OMNI Members Standing in Solidarity
Other members of Omni Center for Peace, Justice &
Ecology were there to show support. Signs were made with the help of OMNI members
and USWG (Umoja Soul Writers Group).
“Make some noise for Charleston and honk your horn,” shouted
Leora Jackson, USWG member.
Many people honked and gave the Thumbs up sign as in
solidarity for Charleston.
Nik Robbins standing for Justice for Charleston
Leora Jackson with USWG, standing in Solidarity
NWA Peace groups, St. James M.B. Church and the motorists blasting
their horns on North and Leverett streets between 5:30pm-6:45pm, were all
STANDING IN SOLIDARITY with the Charleston 9 and with the rest of the world as
they paid their respects to those 9 people who lives were taken because they
were BLACK.
Let us continue to pray for healing in Charleston for the families and community. Pray for Healing in the world today.
It was a nice sunny evening on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 in Charelston SC as Parishioners arrived to Emanuel AME Baptist church greeting each other, hugging and chatting for a bit as they were preparing their normal prayer meeting without an inkling that soon something drastic would occur to make it their.... last prayer and last supper.
Six women ranging in ages of 26 to 87 and three men ages 41 to 75 were all gathered for what is to become their last evening ALIVE on earth.
While praying and discussing the financials and arrangements as usual, thirty minutes later, a young white male with hatred, malice and evil in his mind, heart & Spirit, approached the Lords House with an intent to SEEK, KILL, and DESTROY!
He entered the church and took a sit while waiting for the the perfect time to unleash his HELL's FURY onto unsuspecting members.
He shouted, "No! You've raped our women and you've stolen and you've taken over the country, so no, this must be done"
Then he opened FIRE to Destroy!
And Destroyed he did!
He Destroyed 9 LIVES
He Destroyed a Church!
He Destroyed a Community!
He Destroyed 9 Families!
He Destroyed a Race of People!
Now, Because he is ALIVE and they are dead.
He Destroyed our TRUST in the Judicial System!
Justice Must be Demanded!
Keep Fighting for Justice!!
JUSTICE FOR "THE 9"
Cynthia Hurd- 54 years old
Susie Jackson-87 years old
Ethel Lance- 70 years old
Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor-49 years old
The Honorable Rev. Clementa Pinckney-41 years old
Tywanza Sanders-26 years old
Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr. 74 years old
Rev. Sharonda Singleton-45 years old
Myra Thompson-59 years old
COME TO ST. JAMES M. B. CHURCH SATURDAY JUNE 20 AT 6PM-7PM FOR
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO HONOR CHARLESTON LIVES LOST AT EMANUEL AME
CHURCH.
Join with HandsUPNWA, Umoja Soul Writers Group and Omni Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology as we unite together for this tragedy.
LETS STAND TOGETHER IN UNISON FOR THE DECEASED AND PAY OUR RESPECTS
COME LATER TO POETIC JUSTICE OPEN MIC to talk about Justice, Pain, Suffering and more at Common Grounds on Dickson St from 8pm-11pm. Free Platform to Speak about Justice!
I
didn’t know exactly what to expect when asked to cover the Umoja Soul Writers’
Group (USWG) Writers’ Workshop at the R.E.A.L. Conference NWA Teen Summit. So I
had no pre-conceived notions when I arrived that day (at 9:30 am on a Saturday
morning May 30).
Leora Jackson
Since
I was a little early, I noticed there weren’t a lot of people there yet and
figured they would file in later. Already there were Umoja Soul representatives
and four teens. As the time for the event to start approached, I noticed only a
few more people trickled in, but none were teenagers. Remaining undaunted, the
organizers soldiered on with their plan.
They
had created this event for an important purpose, inspiring teens to explore
their creativity through writing and to give them a safe, non-judgmental place
to explore their self-expression.
Lakeesha Shaw
Leora
Jackson, Coordinator of the Umoja Soul Writers Group, took the floor first to
do the opening.
“People
write all the time whether they know it or not,” she said. “And we all have a
story to tell, but we just need the time to write about it.”
Examples
started running through my mind. People will tell you that they can’t write, maybe
even add “creatively”. But in today’s world, we write almost constantly
(depending on your generation). Social media has created a tide of new writers
who don’t even know they are writers.
"Bowtie" Todd Jenkins encouraging youth to be engaged
She
also discussed activism in the community and how writing can be used to help
affect change. This led into her introduction of LaKeesha Thomas Shaw who would
introduce the workshop’s speaker, “Bowtie” Todd Jenkins.
Mr.
Jenkins, a distinguished and accomplished orator, discussed having a plan for
your life with the teen attendees. He related his personal tale of struggle and
figuring things out for himself through trial and error and strong, loving
parenting.
"Bowtie" Todd Jenkins and REAL Writing Mentees
“Teenagers
don’t have complete control over what they can and cannot do,” Jenkins said. “There would be times when there would be
conflicts between what they want to do and what they are allowed to do.”
He explained to them that they could choose to
either embrace or rebel. If they chose to rebel, lying and doing what they
weren’t suppose to, this would represent that choice, a negative choice. If they choose
to embrace positivity and take responsibility for their own actions, then
expressing themselves through writing could help them gain control over what
they think they didn't have control over.
mrsShiny
Jenkins
encouraged the youth to, “be engaged, be there, be open, and tie things
together in order to get the most out of the workshop.”
Next
up was rapper/activist, mrsShiny. She discussed the therapeutic nature of
writing, a way to get things out that are bottled up inside. She followed that
up with an inspirational rap about "not letting the haters slow them down, or
the naysayers steal their crown."
mrsShiny rapping to the kids to keep moving Forward
It had a nice beat and I could dance to it. J I thoroughly enjoyed
it and I think all the other workshop attendees did also. During her
performance, the teens seemed attentive and engaged.
At
this point, the teenagers were paired with mentors from USWG and asked to
perform a writing exercise. The assignment was to write about a life experience
that became an inspiration to do better in life.
Mentors & Mentees writing in their journal
Young mentee writing a story
Once the time limit passed the
workshop participants were encouraged to come forward and share what they had
written. Some stories were heart tugging, some contemplative and others
inspiring.
LIFE writing her story
Stacey
“LIFE” Harper came up next and had a roundtable discussion with the teens about
their self-esteem, moving forward through adversity, taking control of their
lives, and defining themselves. She introduced them to the concept of them
being “rainbow children” and encouraged them to look it up, because they would be inspired to know that they are special and unique in their own gifted way.
She spoke to them
in poetic rhythm, with dramatic emphasis on the most important parts. They
seemed to soak it in. I think it will take time for all of it to register but
they do have the information to start with.
My
overall analysis of the workshop comes down to one word, SUCCESS! I truly
believe the workshop was a positive experience for all who attended, mentor and
mentee alike. I think anytime you can be a positive force in a young person’s
life, it’s worth the effort.
Kudos
to Leora "F. L. Jones" Jackson, “Bowtie” Todd Jenkins, mrsShiny, LaKeesha Thomas Shaw,
Stacey “LIFE” Harper, John Bell, Tonya "mrsShiny" McCoy, Patricia Rodriguez, Carma Nicholson, & Carla
Thompson and all others who worked to make this happen.
I’m
sure the youth were inspired and motivated to Move Forward and to Be Engaged!
Poetic Justice in the
'Ville: The Groove Will Not Be Silenced
Poetic Justice Open Mic Nite #2 April 24, 2015
Hostess Stacy "LIFE" & Jared
Common
Grounds was the scene again for the Poetic Justice Open Mic #2 sponsored by
USWG. On this moderately cool night, poets and onlookers trickle into the venue
waiting for the night's festivities to start. Jared Carter mans the door and
the sign up sheet, engaging each and every patron as they come in. Personable
young man.
Meghan
Then comes the disappointing news that the mic and amp normally
used to power the show is not available. A flurry of activity ensues, trying to
procure a replacement. All the while time is moving on. With options dwindling,
Jared and his co-host for the night, Stacey (L.I.F.E.) White Harper decide the show
must go on, opting to do the slam without aid of amplification. They explained
the situation to the crowd in attendance, all of whom were supportive.
Mr.
Carter opened the proceedings with a song and an introduction of L.I.F.E. She
masterfully engaged the crowd with anecdotes and clever banter. At the end of
her time, she introduced the first performer of the night, Meghan.
"Step The Poet"
Meghan
regaled us with a poem created in response to a situation she had with a
classmate in class about social issues. The classmate was not very receptive to
discussion on those issues. Meghan's response highlighted the ignorance,
selfishness, and privilege of her classmate. Snap, snap.
Next up was a poet
going by the name of "Steph the Poet". Steph the Poet's poem "Beauty"
speaks to the oversexualization of women and the beauty of loving someone for their
mind and soul, not just lust for their body.
Justine
Justine followed discussing the funny of being transgender focusing on the silly things.
Jared then graced the stage with another song. All the while, an appreciative crowd clapped and snapped their approval, despite the absence of a mic.
Kaia was next to take the stage. She brought with her a poem titled Real Freedom. Her delivery conveyed her conviction to the words she wrote. Powerful!
Max Sauce
Next up a singer named Jane sang a song from "The Prophet". Her silvery voice floated through the crowd garnering their rapt attention. She smiled sweetly exiting the stage to appreciative snaps.
Max Sauce was next to heed the call to share
with the crowd. She shared her personal story of coming out to her mother.
Having lived through it, the fear and trepidation, she finds herself on the
other side seeing the humor in it all.
Stacy "L.I.F.E" Harper
L.I.F.E. followed Max with a song called
"Come To Me Peace". I can tell she is accustomed to public speaking
and projecting her voice because the lack of amplification was no obstacle to
her.
After her song, L.I.F.E introduced the next performer named Graham who
brought to the stage his personal tale of woe about a bad breakup. This is a
common experience for many. Something that the crowd could relate to
wholeheartedly.
Steph the Poet returned to the stage to offer another original work
entitled "Speed Dating". Steph strikes me as a man who is aware of
absurdity in some of the ways males and females interact and has vowed not to
fall prey to it. Just a personal observation.
Fernando Garcia
During this early portion of the
program, Jared and friends have been frantically working to procure
amplification for the performers. Projecting is good but amplification is
easier on the voice.
Fernando Garcia is the first beneficiary of those efforts. He
is an advocate of workers rights and his time on stage spoke to the disparity
between the ones with the money and means for production and those who do the
actual work to produce the product.
Irvin Camacho
Several other performers took advantage of
the stage time. Irvin Camacho read his "My Angry Father".
Kaia
returned to the stage with a piece about "Assumptions And Making An Ass Of
Yourself".
Leora "F. L. Jones" Jackson
Leora "F.L. Jones" Jackson spoke in recognition of
women issues. Her poem "Oh Valentine" about domestic violence told a
sorrowful tale of happiness and sorrow, acknowledgement and denial, suffering
and compliance, mental breakdown and and lashing out, and finally, a disconnect
from reality. A very poignant and gut wrenching piece.
Luther Coram
Luther Coram spoke
of removing "can't" from his vocabulary. (He actually went to great
lengths to get the audience to say it so he wouldn't have to). His poem
"Have You Ever" referenced the pain he felt losing his grandfather.
Maricio told a story that puts a human interest element into the question of
illegal immigration.
Marie chose to use her time on stage to quote personal
favorite poems of hers, "We Alone" by Alice Walker and "We Real
Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks. She also did an original one called
"Mom".
Jimmy
A West Point man named Jimmy discussed his desire to fight for
everyone's rights, regardless of race, creed, color, sexual orientation,
religious beliefs, etc. He discussed his journey to self-discovery and his
philosophy of "the crucible". The crucible is a military training
tool that tests the resolve of the soldiers trying to make the grade. Jimmy
applied that philosophy to his own life and it enabled him to overcome many
trials and tribulations in his life.
Brandon Bledsoe
An unexpected treat came next with the Acapella rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" by Brandon
Bledsoe. Bledsoe's distinctive voice pierced the room and called all in
attendance to attention.
F.L. Jones returned with another woeful piece
chronicling the horrible Alabama bombing that took the lives of 4 precious
little black girls in a church in Birmingham. Her poem was called "4
Little Girls, We Remember You".
Michelle read poems by Ruby K. entitled
" Self-Esteem" and "Beauty".
Jared offered quotes from Zora
Neale Hurston.
Hobert Taylor
Brock Moses spoke of "Spiritual Awakening In The Middle Of Cultural Change".
Hobert Taylor brought a different element to the slam by reciting haiku. He
recited the poems "The Caterpillar" and "Objective
Efemora". He was supposed to be the last one but the groove could not be
silenced. Marie returned to the stage to offer a poem about unrequited love.
And with that, the Poetic Justice Open Mic closed down for the night, but the groove will not be
silenced. Merely bide its time till its next incarnation Saturday, June 13 at Common Grounds again.
Yeah, the Awakening of a New Groove!!!
See the YouTube video below.
USWG Members:
Leora Jackson Michael Lafears Rhonda Holmes Tony E. Boyd Hannah Spivey Lakeesha Nicole Stacy Harper John Bell Juana Washington Carmalita Nicholson Shurla Jobe Steven Tolson Joe "Bloka" Mitchell Carla Thompson Patricia Rodriquez Tina Gaston Jared Carter Tyra Eckwood
There was a non-violent protest in Fayetteville Saturday, May 2nd in recognition of the death of Baltimore Freddie Gray and the whole Black Lives Matter movement. If you were unaware, it was understandable.
The protest was pulled together in a few small days and the word didn’t have time to spread as well as it could have. Not to mention on the day itself, several other events were going on around town like the opening of the Razorback Greenway, the Farmers Market (great weather for it too), etc.
The group that did show up was small in number (approximately 35-40 people) but large in determination and dedication to having their message heard. With police escort and protest marshals in tow, the intrepid group took to the streets with their protest signs and rhythmic chants about peaceful protests and support for Freddie Gray. The group walked at a brisk pace along the legal observer, Alison Carter and myself mustered the energy to keep up. The reaction of bystanders as the marchers passed through ranged from surprise to dismay to amusement to indifference to supportive. Some blew horns as they drove by. Some threw the thumbs up sign. Some clapped and waved. Others just stared. I recall not seeing any outright opposition to the march or its marchers.
The worst thing I perceived was dismissive indifference. What’s all this, oh its about that, doesn’t affect me kind of looks. The march took us on a little over 3 mile trek from the front lawn of Old Main, down Dickson street, up Block street past the Farmer's Market, down Mountain St. past the Federal Building, to the intersection of College and Dickson, ending at the parking lot of St. Paul's Episcopal Church (at the corner of College and Dickson, across from the new courthouse).
There we were treated to inspiring speeches, impassioned poetry and calls to action. Speakers included Professor Pearle Dowe, political science professor from the University of Arkansas, Daniel McFarland, outgoing president of the Associated Student Government at the U of A, Jakym Battle, president of the UA chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, poet Juana Washington, along with students, Dara Gaines, Jessi Hicks, & Sussana Oad. Hicks and Oad were the organizers of this event. After which, a Die-In was staged for 109 seconds, to recognize the 109 lives lost by police brutality. A Die-In is where protesters lie motionless on the ground in simulation of and solidarity with past victims of wrongful death at the hands of the police.
It was a poignant moment and a good exclamation point to the message the protesters were trying to get across. At the conclusion of the Die-In, the intrepid group made their way back to where they began to conclude this particular effort of social consciousness about the need for better legal and social justice. Hopefully, one day, the judicial system and its corruptions would be analyzed and disputed. For more pictures, check out YouTube Video below:
From Contributing Author/Photographer Tony Boyd:
“On a side note, I spoke with Alison Carter who walked with the group as a volunteer legal observer. She expressed a desire to grow that type of volunteerism in Northwest Arkansas. Alison belongs to the UA Student Chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild (nlg.org). The Guild believes in human rights over property rights. That’s one of the reason their members volunteer to be legal observers at marches and rallies to make sure the protesters’ legal rights are observed by the police and to be witnesses if they do not. You don’t have to be a lawyer or law student to become a legal observer. They offer classes. If you are interested in becoming a legal observer, you can contact James Depper at jdepper@uark.edu . I made to the decision to present the images I took in Black and White because in a way it’s a throwback to the unrest and racial tensions of the turbulent sixties. By eliminating the color, I feel it also removes some of the visual distractions from the message of the march”.
Its Time for a Black REUNION! Yes, and the time starts NOW! Lots of activities are happening this weekend for the University of Arkansas Black Alumni graduates, friends and family. So, come on out and enjoy the fun! For a more detailed look, clickSCHEDULE OF EVENTS
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