Faith in Action

On September 11th, I was blessed to commemorate an unforgettable day in America’s history by making a radical statement in a public demonstration - I answered the call made by Women in Black to stand for PEACE on Charles Street. For the past few years, WIB has organized this peace witness by encouraging people to line up along Charles Street from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor all the way out to the 695 Beltway. The effort is an expression of our desire for a world without violence and bloodshed.

I announced in the pulpit on the previous Sunday at church that I would be standing with WIB and others committed to peace along Charles Street. I invited the entire congregation to join me.

No one did, but a few of the church members drove by and saw their pastor on the street holding a sign that said, “Blessed are the Peacemakers!” I pray that leading by example will help those congregants who are unaccustomed to nontraditional Christian witness to start living our their Faith in intentionally, public ways.

I was standing with the Sisters of Notre Dame out front of the Cathedral of Mary our Queen and of course mine was the only Brown face in the crowd. I had a great time with the Sisters and next year we pledged to come together again with my church in tow so we could stand shoulder to shoulder along our portion of Charles Street. What a sight that would be!

Partners for Peace stand in unity on 9/11

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Well folks - the next chapter of Faith in Action has begun and this time we’re on Spirit 1400AM (Baltimore). The show tonight was great. We had callers right off the bat which is always a good sign and my guests (pictured above) were amazing. A special “THANK YOU” to Revs. Tamara Hardy, Scott Adams, and Ronald Covington. You all were awesome! Get ready because you will be back on the air with me before you know it.

Also - a special “Thank You” to those who have already made financial contributions to this ministry including members of my family, Bro. Chip Dizard from Absolute Presence, and Bro. Haki Ammi. I appreciate you! If anyone knows of any businesses or organizations that may like to advertise their products or services on my show please let me know by visiting my Contact Me page.

Soon the shows will be up on itunes and other internet locations so you can download and enjoy.

Next week - we’re talking about the prevalence of liquor stores in Baltimore City and what can be done about them. You don’t want to miss it!

Thanks for all of your support.

…they published my latest op/ed on Darfur and local divestment activities.

Click here to read my piece and feel free to comment.

As I shared last month, I am a proud mentor in a program that serves incarcerated youth at the Charles Hickey School in Baltimore County. I’ve joined with four other strong brothers and we go to Hickey every Saturday for a strong 90 minute session - half youth develoment / half recreation.

The 15 (or so) young men that we mentor range between the ages of 15 and 18. Their charges are as petty as not completing community service as a stipulation of probation and as serious as selling narcotics and grand theft auto.

Because Hickey is a short term facility (supposed to be anyway), we only have about 5 weeks to positively impact the lives of these young men before they are moved out to a placement, another facility, or released back into the community.

We’ve been going strong now for two months and have learned much about the young men and ourselves. God has really blessed the mentors with great chemistry and comraderie. We all are 30 or younger, college educated, community-involved, married men - some with children. And all of us have a personal relationship with God that we do not hide from our mentees or staff. Prayer is a central part of our sessions and we stress to the young brothers that if they don’t have a spiritual connection with Almighty God that they will continue trafficking in the same hazardous circles that got them in Hickey in the first place.

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On Friday, August 24, 2007, the brothers of BrothaSpeak and members of Young Clergy for Social Change went on location in an East Baltimore community where a firebomb attack occurred just days before. We went to the scene late in the evening (10PM - 12:30AM) to see for ourselves what was going on there and to establish relationships with the people that live there. Much to our surprise, a group of about 60 youth crowded the block and surrounded a group of young men who were preparing to fight. We converged on the scene along with police officers who were noticeably perturbed by our presence and filming of the situation.

(Eventually, the officer came over and asked us to turn off our cameras because it was illegal to film them in the midst of an investigation.  We suspect that he made this “law” up, but we didn’t have the facts at the time.  Next time, we will have our rebuttal ready.  Does anybody have info on whether or not this is truly illegal?)

We will be going back to continue establishing relationships with members of that and other communities.

Enjoy this special edition of BrothaSpeak!

I’ve been quite active over the past couple of days.  On Wednesday night, I spoke at a Back to School Rally in Turners Station.  There was a good sized crowd out at the Fleming Center to hear motivating words about school and to receive school supplies.  I received the invitation to this event on rather late notice, but I feel it important to take advantage of these types of opportunities.  I consider it a blessing to be able to make positive investments in the lives of youth.  All things being equal, they will see days that my eyes will never see.  So it’s almost like I’m impacting the future by speaking in their “now”.  Not only do I attempt to give them something of worth, but I receive something so much more valuable.  Engaging youth gives me an opportunity to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the world as they see it and hear it.  Young people, like Master Cedric who posted his comments in a previous post, have much to say and should be given the opportunity to say it.  It’s up to the adults to have the wisdom to listen.

On Thursday afternoon, I was blessed to be invited to be on the “Pause for the Cause” Radio program on 1010AM WOLB.  The theme of the show was “Where are all the Black Men?” 

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Hat Tip: Leonard Sparks

BALTIMORE-

The intransigence of the Baltimore’s crime problem is emblazoned in the one number that is everyone’s fixation: the annual number of homicides.

And as Baltimore’s number climbs, 193 at press time, it becomes apparent that this urban center is not the only one with the mounting problem. Philadelphia registers 251 homicides, 12 more than this time last year when their total reached an all time high of 402; Miami has 56 compared with 39 this time last year and a 2006 total of 77. Washington, D.C. is actually seeing a reduction—106, down two from this time last year—as is Newark, N.J. with three fewer homicides than the 63 of last year but was recently thrust into the spotlight with the execution style shooting of four college students, one of whom survived the tragedy.

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