Faith in Action

My Saturday didn’t work out exactly like I planned it.  The culmination of the day was supposed to have me sitting with my brothers and sisters at the School of Original Thought to hear The Plan which was produced by the Zero Murder Rate Movement.  However, I never made it to the meeting.  An unexpected family matter required my attention so I had to miss the unveiling of The Plan.  I pray that the community came out and supported the Zero Murder Rate Movement.  I look forward to being filled in.

At least the first half of my Saturday went pretty much according to schedule.  I spoke at a “Gang” Summit sponsored by Sen. Verna Jones in the morning at Mt. St. Joe High School.  I had to cut my speech short because mapquest got me lost and I got to the event late.  I’ll send the full article in to a local newspaper in hopes that they’ll publish it.  Big ups to my brother Von Vargas - local Gospel MC with a Global Message - for blessing the mic and the crowd at the summit.  After that shindig, I stopped by the Radical Book Fair at St. Johns United Methodist Church. 

The Radical Book Fair is one of my favorite yearly events.  Last year, I bought this shirt at the Fair to express my patriotism and it enjoys prime placement in my closet and on my chest every time I get the chance.

This year I didn’t buy any shirts (I’d rather spend my $$ to buy shirts from this Black owned company…or this one) I did add a few books to my already bulging personal library though (surprise surprise).  I bought The Huey P. Newton Reader (Hilliard), Putting the Movement Back in Civil Rights Teaching(Menkart), and A People’s History of the United States(Zinn).

Before leaving the Fair I called my cousin and reminded him of it and he met me there.  He is one of the few people in the world that I can talk to about theology, politics, grassroots organizing, and revolution.  After he bought his books we stood on the corner for about 90 minutes catching up, questioning, strategizing, and wrestling - with ideas that is.

Feel free to check out all of my pictures from the Radical Book Fair (and other events) over at my FLICKR page.

Today I will join members of the Baltimore Algebra Project and their many allies as we march for jobs and quality education for Baltimore City’s youth.  These committed students are extremely frustrated with a government that seems to be more concerned with criminalizing them and/or locking them up than it is providing a quality education for them and securing avenues to gainful employment.  While “gang enforcement” is the buzz word in Baltimore and other cities in the nation, fewer people are talking about the root causes that help to cultivate the growth and expansion of these street organizations.  What many will find is that at the root is social injustice - concentrated poverty, substandard educational systems, aggressive policing, blight, and divestment by the business sector coupled with fragmented families and shotty social support (i.e. unconcerned Faith institutions, dirth of recreational opportunities, etc.) create the perfect storm that propels the disconnected and marginalized to fashion their own “community.”

I join the Baltimore Algebra Project (BAP) in calling on Governor Martin O’Malley, Mayor Sheila Dixon, and all other elected officials (especially the Baltimore delegation) to provide Baltimore City youth with a quality education as mandated by the Maryland State Constitution (and as requested in this 2006 Baltimore City Council Resolution) and to create job opportunities so that the city’s younger population can become members of the city’s workforce.

Today the march will begin at Baltimore’s City Hall, 3:30PM.  For those in Baltimore, I pray to see you there.

Enjoy this rap video by a couple of members of BAP as they offer lyrical expression to their desires. (This video features some of my pictures - Chris! X! Can a brotha get some credit?!)

While driving to work one day this week, I happened to turn on the radio and came across a song that was simultaneously playing on both WERQ 92.3FM and WKYS 93.9FM.  I was immediately disturbed by the lyrics of the chorus and further disgusted by the verses.  The song was “Freaky Girl” by an artist called Gucci Mane.  Here’s the chorus which was repeated over and over in the song: 

“She A Very Freaky Girl  / Dont Bring Her To Mamma
First You Get Her Name / Then You Get Her Number
Then You Get Some Brain (oral sex) In The Front Seat Of
The Hummer

Then You Get Some Brain (oral sex) In The Front
Seat Of The Hummer”

I have ceased to be amazed at how low corporate-backed mainstream media will go to demean, disrespect, stereotype, and objectify African people (especially women of African descent) in the name of profiteering.  Further, I am convinced that no other people group on the planet would allow such dehumanization to go unchecked and unchallenged.  I think we have much to do in the way of strategically combating this media injustice which I’m sure all of us have similar feelings about.  I think the IMUS situation really shed light on one way in which corporate media can be held accountable for its support of such disturbing lyrics and images. (The sisters of Spelman College chose another way to hold the “artist” - Nelly - accountable back in 2004)

I wanted to bring your attention to another way that a dear brother of mine is pressuring mainstream media - and in this case BET - to produce quality content devoid of demeaning images/messages.  Dr. Delman Coates, pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, has mobilized his church on this issue.  He has convened a coalition of organizations called “Enough is Enough” and has begun protesting outside the home of Debra Lee - CEO of BET Networks.  Dr. Coates has committed to leading protests outside the home of Debra Lee every Saturday until BET agrees to a clearly defined set of goals as outlined on the “Enough is Enough” website.  In the short time that the protests have begun; Dr. Coates has received tremendous support from other organizations, churches, and community leaders.  Last week, 6 charter buses pulled up in front of Debra Lee’s house filled with people ready to rally and protest.  This past Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 7 buses pulledup out front Debra Lee’s home.  I had meetings all morning Saturday, but I sped down to DC and arrived just in time to catch the last 10 minutes of the rally.  (A priceless 10 minutes considering that I got the chance to meet and interview Dick Gregory who also is a supporter of this campaign. )

Check out the pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hb3/

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My brother, Dr. Delman Coates from the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, just informed me about the wonderful success that the Enough is Enough Campaign is experiencing already in regard to their efforts to influence what is broadcast on Black Entertainment Television. The demeaning, disrespectful, and derogatory videos are well known. It’s time that African Americans do something substantive to address this issue.

Please visit the website of the Enough is Enough Campaign and consider how you can support their efforts. For those in the PG/DC/Baltimore Metro area, please consider attending the Saturday rallies there OR think about extending the campaign to where you live. We’ve got to put the pressure on multiple places in this pipe if we’re going to bust it up.

I’ll be a panelist at this event.  Click the graphic for a larger view.  I hope to see you there.

With as many shootings and homicides in one week than there are days; with Baltimore residents feeling less and less safe; with our young people increasingly becoming targets of others’ irresponsible behavior; with our political officials doing the best they can (in some cases) to address and eradicate violence in Baltimore City, the time is NOW for the faith-based community to step up in an even greater way as a collective body to confront the fast growing culture of violence that is infiltrating too many communities and devastating too many families.

As we both recognize and applaud the current efforts of those faith-based entities that are doing great work throughout the city, this upcoming Clergy Summit is a call for a more collective process of engagement; one that crosses faith, doctrine, and denominational lines in the name of RESTORING HOPE AND RESURRECTING MORALITY. It is our hope therefore that pastors, clergy, youth pastors, youth leaders, and community-based program providers throughout this city will meet us on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at Israel Baptist Church of Baltimore City (where Rev. H. Walden Wilson, II is pastor), located at 1220 N. Chester Street from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. for this most powerful event.

Although attendance for the Clergy Summit is FREE, registration is absolutely REQUIRED. Click here to access the REGISTRATION FORM (pdf) and once completed please fax it to: (410) 662-5517.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Nathan Sooy
410-913-3624

John Hopkins BioPark, ALIVE…
Middle East Baltimore Residents, DIE.

Residents from the 900 Block of North Washington Street Came Together to Discuss the Increasing Number of Asthma Cases That Have Been Caused By Constant Dust, Debris That Continues to Worry Most Parents and Grandparents With Small Children, the Unclean Water That Goes Repeatedly Unnoticed, and The Residents Would Like to Know What is Johns Hopkins, EBDI and the City of Baltimore Going to Do to Meet the Needs of the Community.

Baltimore, MD—On Thursday, May 31st, community residents and SMEAC have an opportunity to speak with Jack Shannon, President and CEO of EBDI and Bob Penn, Chief Operating Office, to ask questions about East Baltimore Development Inc. emergency relocation process. 

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In an effort to reach out to the surrounding community; my church started a special series last week called “Gospel Jazz Under the Stars”.  For the next three Fridays, different jazz artists will be coming to share their gifts and talents.

Last Friday, world renowned jazz pianist - and Baltimore’s own I might add - Cyrus Chestnut wooed the crowd with his God-given ability to make the piano sing its own song.

His 90-minute set included old, familiar hymns and upbeat selections that even had the “mothers” of the church dancing in their seats to the rhythm.  He reminded me of why I love good jazz so much.

It was a wonderful way to start the Gospel jazz series.  It continues tonight and for the next three Fridays.

Click here for more information about Gospel Jazz Under the Stars at Shiloh Baptist Church, Maryland.