Photo Credit: Library of Congress
Independence Day: The Significance for Black America
Growing up in the suburbs of Ohio, July 4 was a massive celebration. The whole city of Columbus came together for fireworks on July 3. However, the next morning I participated in a parade where seats were reserved on lawns a week early in anticipation of the best viewing. How much do we know about this holiday? We don’t believe that it’s our fault to celebrate without knowing the full truth. What is the truth?
What is Independence Day?
Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated every year on July 4, in commemoration of the Declaration of Independence, signed in 1776. The 13 colonies claimed their independence from England, which eventually led to the formation of the United States. However, July 4, 1776, wasn’t the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence; it was on August 2, 1776. It wasn’t until 1783 the Fourth of July became a holiday in many places. The celebration included speeches, military events, parades, and fireworks.
The Declaration of Independence
This statement, written by Thomas Jefferson declared the freedom of thirteen American colonies from Great Britain. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator.”
Contradiction
While we were fighting for freedom from Great Britain, the Declaration of Independence stated that “all men were created equal.” The existence of American slavery attracted comment when the Declaration of Independence was first published. Before the final approval, Congress, having made a few alterations to some of the wording, also deleted nearly a fourth of the draft, including a passage criticizing the slave trade. Forty-one of the fifty-six signers were slave owners. The slave trade was still a big part of America. Declaring that all men are created equal, and transporting human beings to become slaves seems like a contradiction.
When American colonists took up arms in a battle for independence starting in 1775, it excluded black Americans. General George Washington stated on November 12, 1775, that “neither negroes” boys unable to bear arms, nor old men” could enlist in the Continental Army. Two days later, black soldiers proved themselves at the Battle of Kemp’s Landing along the Virginia coast.
Frederick Douglass gave a speech the day after Independence Day in 1852, saying “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn¦ Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?”.
Douglass reminded listeners that when the Declaration of Independence was signed, many blacks were still slaves. The British were even more likely to offer freedom to blacks. According to Christopher Klein of the History Channel, the patriots battled for independence from Great Britain, around 20,000 runaway slaves declared their own personal independence and fought on the side of the British.
What we should teach our kids about Independence Day
I spend hours searching the internet for “what to teach kids about Independence Day.” Many history books don’t tell the untold story that all men were and still are not created equal. Most of these blogs left out what they don’t want us to know. However, I do agree with the following teaching from the following blogs:
“We are blessed to live in a free country where we have the right to choose our religion, worship God how we want, and vote. That is a freedom that not all countries have.” – faithgateway.com
I will tell them that the great founders of our nation spoke boldly of freedom, and enlisted African Americans to fight alongside them to the death of liberty. I will tell them that around 5,000 African Americans enlisted in and fought bravely in the Continental Army. I will tell them that these brave African American soldiers, their forefathers, did this, despite the fact that their enemy-the British-offered their freedom and their countrymen continued slavery. I will tell them that their forefathers fought for America even though America wasn’t fighting for them. – Los Angeles Sentinel
“On this day, celebrate the willpower of the slaves who stayed alive and struggled through their hardships.” -The Black Media
Work Cited
July 2019 USA Holidays Calendar – Local and Federal Holidays. https://uricompare.com/july-2019-usa-holidays-calendar/
Independence Day of Ukraine – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_of_Ukraine
The Declaration of Independence: Full text – US History. https://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/
The Ex-Slaves Who Fought with the British – HISTORY. https://www.history.com/news/the-ex-slaves-who-fought-with-the-british
Talking to Kids about the Importance of Independence Day …. https://www.faithgateway.com/talking-to-kids-importance-of-independence-day/
For Black Americans, Independence Day Is Complicated …. https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2012/07/05/for-black-americans-independence-day-is-complicated
What should we know about Independence Day?
Podcast Notes:
Vanessa and co-host, Sharmell Favours discuss what the July fourth holiday meaning is, what it means to them and the significance of this holiday for Black people.
Introduction
Tellers of the Untold is a platform to recognize fragments of our past, so our story will be complete and that we as Black Americans can be united and reconcile with the country and ourselves.
Co-host Sharmell Favours
– She was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. Her background is in-home health care and senior caregiving. She is studying to be a phlebotomist and has a one-year-old daughter.
What is your tradition for the 4th of July?
– Sharmell- The city of Columbus and her family celebrates with fireworks, BBQ and parades. She bought her daughter a red, white and blue dress for the day.
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Vanessa- In Chicago, the celebration isn’t as big as she remembers when growing up in Ohio. She remembers being in a parade every year. People would receive seats a week beforehand to save their spots.
The meaning of July 4th
Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated every year on July 4, in commemoration of the Declaration of Independence which was signed in 1776. The 13 colonies claimed their independence from England, which eventually led to the formation of the United States. However, July 4, 1776, wasn’t the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence. That was done on August 2, 1776. It wasn’t until 1783 the Fourth of July became a holiday in many places. The celebration included speeches, military events, parades, and fireworks.
The Declaration of Independence
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator.â€
What does that mean?
Fredrick Douglas
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Frederick Douglass gave a speech the day after Independence Day in 1852, saying “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn… Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?â€.
Do you look at this day differently now?
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Sharmell: Who were they referring to when they said “All men are created equal? It’s important to do our own research, but when will we get our own “Declaration of independence?…. food for thought.â€
Dr. Sebi: The Infamous Household Name in Hip Hop and Health for Decades (That You are Probably Just Now Hearing)
Written by Desmond Alphonso
Photo Credit: Wake Up World.
Who is Dr. Sebi?
The common idiom is “you are what you eat” may tend to take on a different meaning within pop culture today. Previously, the immediate perception simply was the consumer will react according to the quality of the food, but because of the lifestyle influence of Dr. Sebi, even our youth are aware each piece of nutrient has a benefit and it is the nutrients that we bestow to our bodies that hinder illnesses. Once summoned to the court of law due to his seemingly outrageous medical claims, Dr. Sebi went on trial for practicing medicine without a license yet having patients and their actual medical doctor confirm being free of the illness they once had he helped cure with herbs and holistic medicine.
What we should know
However, his career dates back as far as Honduras in 1971, he has become a household name in recent years because of his link to two of the music industry’s late-great hip-hop icons Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez and Los Angeles community activist, Nipsey Hussle. Though the two reasons behind their fascination for Dr. Sebi differed, it always occurred to the public that Dr. Sebi’s discovery and knowledge of cures for major diseases and illnesses, such as asthma, diabetes, parasites, kidney disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and many others was the most revolutionary. According to the belief system of the Sebi family, it is the mind’s negative thoughts that released mucus-prone acid that promotes a harmful environment for the food and a just environment for ailments, not the opposite way around ironically.
Early Life
Alfredo Darrington Bowman, of African descent, was born in Ilanga, Honduras on November 26, 1933. Unlike the typical American child, young Alfredo did not attend school nor did he have any education at all aside from what he was taught about heritage. By his late 20s, Bowman had been obese; asthmatic; manifesting signs of erectile dysfunction; diabetic; schizophrenic, and was becoming visually impaired. His dissatisfaction with traditional medicine prompted his migration to many different countries looking for treatment, but it wasn’t until he arrived in Cuernavaca, Mexico where he met a 94-year-old herbalist (with the same first name), Alfredo Cortez, before he started to see changes in his health. He was asked by Cortez to fast for 90 days by only drinking water and eating herbs. Once he completed the fast, he was then permitted to eat only African-bound foods simply because they are of his origin. It was not only the diet but also the meditation Bowman took belief in that had the power to heal.
Bowman then became known as Dr. Sebi when he introduced the people of his village to holistic treatment. By the time of his 1993 lawsuit against the State of New York, Dr. Sebi cured a plethora of people around the globe and had 77 patients there to attest to it. He had no defence attorney but was against the idea he needed one. He eventually helped the courtroom realize he is not treating several different diseases but in fact only one: mucus.
What sits on the lungs of a patient with pneumonia? [Mucus does.] What do AIDS patients cough up? [They cough mucus.] What is trapped in the intestines of the blind? [Mucus is.], a Dr. Sebi banters with Judge Anne Schneiderman.
She could not refute the medical status of his patients nor she could his logic; Dr. Sebi was free of charges then and was one of the very few that won a case in the New York State Supreme Court during that time.
Conclusion
What makes him an icon today is the work he has done for the entertainment industry in helping celebrities such as John Travolta, Lisa Lopez, Eddie Murphy, and Michael Jackson to name a few, live healthier lives in the past; as well as the impact he has made on the African American youth in recent years. From YouTubers to the late great Nipsey Hussle, each was compelled to live better through Dr. Sebiâ’s methodology in which they have seen results. Following the rap star’s death in March, Nick Cannon came forth proclaiming he will, in fact, finish the Dr. Sebi trial documentary Nipsey Hussle spoke into existence. It soon circulated on social media that Cannon cancelled the documentary once receiving death threats and fearing he would be murdered like Hussle. He went to Instagram to deny this claim, however, and even laughed at it! According to HipHopWired, the release of the documentary can be expected around 2021 with the help of the Bowman family.
Work Cited
/@arahthequill. “‘Dr. Sebi’ Was Either A Complete Fool Or A Complete Fraud, But He Was No Healer.†Medium, Medium, 6 May 2019, medium.com/@arahthequill/dr-sebi-was-either-a-complete-fool-or-a-complete-fraud-but-he-was-no-healer-a378dff54713.
97, HOT. “Family Of Dr. Sebi On Nick Cannon Reaching Out On Doc, Magic Johnson’s HIV Status Left Eye.†YouTube, YouTube, 24 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq2OUdle6Bg.
“Alfredo Bowman, Celebrity Herbalist – Obituary.†The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 23 Aug. 2016, www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/08/23/alfredo-bowman-celebrity-herbalist–obituary/.
BerriosPosted, Martin. “Nick Cannon Is Moving Forward With The Dr. Sebi Documentary.†Hip, 31 May 2019, hiphopwired.com/808581/nick-cannon-is-moving-forward-with-the-dr-sebi-documentary/.
“Dr. Sebi Started His Health Journey After Being Cured By A Mexican Herbalist.†Alkaline Plant Based Diet, 28 Feb. 2019, www.naturallifeenergy.com/dr-sebi-started-his-health-journey-after-being-cured-by-a-mexican-herbalist/.
RockNewmanShow. “DR SEBI on The Rock Newman Show.†YouTube, YouTube, 23 Oct. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx6_073GDkQ.
Juneteenth: 10 Interesting Facts You Should Know
Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19 for the past 150 years that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Many don’t know what it is, or how it got its name. The name Juneteenth originated from Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. This day is a combination of “June” and “nineteenth,” in honor of the day that Granger announced the abolition of slavery in Texas.
KIDS TEACHING KIDS ABOUT JUNETEENTH
Facts about black slaves prior to the Emancipation Proclamation
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According to historian R. Halliburton Jr. In 1830 3,775 free black people owned 12,740 black slaves.
The census of 1830 lists 3,775 free Negroes who owned a total of 12,760 slaves.
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The number of enslaved people held by Cherokees at around 600 at the start of the 19th century and around 1,500 at the time of westward removal in 1838-9. (Creeks, Choctaws, and Chickasaws, she said, held about 3,500 slaves, across the three nations, as the 19th century began.) says Tiya Miles from the 19th Century for Slate magazine in January 2016.
What we should know about Juneteenth
1. Many slaves did not know they were free
January 1, 1863, The Emancipation Proclamation came into effect abolishing slavery. Texas would not accept this Proclamation and kept their slaves. Some slave owners hid the news from the slaves of their freedom. However, after the Emancipation Proclamation, it was not until Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived with 2000 troops traveling into Galveston, Texas, that many slaves learned of their freedom.
2. The freedmen were advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages.
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.””General Orders, w3; Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865.
3. General Gordon Granger and solider’s forced them to free their slaves
On June 19, 1895, two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, General Gordon Granger along with Union Soldiers, entered Galveston, Texas, and forced them to free their slaves. Lincoln’s freeing of the slaves was only on paper, and the ongoing Civil War prevented freedom from becoming a reality as many plantation owners withheld the news.
4. There were other options for an official holiday marking the end of slavery.
On September 22, which was the day in 1862 when Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation Order on January 31, date the 13th Amendment passed Congress in 1865 and officially abolished the institution of slavery. However, it was Juneteenth that stuck.
5. In 1979, Texas was the first state to declare Juneteenth a holiday.
6. There is a flag that represents Juneteenth.
In 1997, the founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF), Ben Haith, created the Juneteenth flag. Raising the flag ceremonies takes place throughout June in many cities.
7. Why there aren’t any official Juneteenth songs
As the celebrations grew, so did the adopting of so-called “Freedom Songs” or spirituals that connected to the civil rights movement. Standout songs like “Lift Every Voice And Sing,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” and “This Little Light Of Mine” also figured prominently in Juneteenth gatherings over the decades.
8. Senator Obama campaigned to make Juneteenth Day a National Holiday. Even after two terms as President, it is still not a national holiday.
9. Trump and Juneteenth
“As a Nation, we vow never to forget the millions of African-Americans who suffered the evils of slavery,” President Donald Trump said in a statement in 2018 attempting to recognize the holiday. “Together, we honor the unbreakable spirit and countless contributions of generations of African Americans to the story of American greatness. Today we recommit ourselves to defending the self-evident truth, boldly declared by our Founding Fathers, that all people are created equal.”
Meanwhile, Trump may be pretending to recognize the importance of upholding our constitutional rights, his administration continues to enforce his “zero-tolerance policy.” He has separated nearly 2,000 migrant children from their detained parents and held them in “temporary shelters,” which resemble prison camps.
10. States that recognize Juneteenth as a holiday
Forty-five states recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday or a special day of recognition or observance. Those states that recognize this day are North Dakota, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Montana, and Hawaii.
Work Cited
Chandler, D. L. “Little Known Black History Fact: Juneteenth.†Black America Web, 19 June 2015, blackamericaweb.com/2015/06/19/little-known-black-history-fact-juneteenth/.
“Juneteenth: Our Other Independence Day.†Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 15 June 2011, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/juneteenth-our-other-independence-day-16340952/.
“Juneteenth: Our Other Independence Day.†Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 15 June 2011, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/juneteenth-our-other-independence-day-16340952/.
Locker, Melissa, and Melissa Locker. “6 Things to Know about Juneteenth and Why It Matters More than Ever. Fast Company, Fast Company, 18 June 2018, www.fastcompany.com/40586361/6-things-to-know-about-juneteenth-and-why-it-matters-more-than-ever.
Telusma, Blue. “Celebrating Juneteenth Is More Important Now than Ever in Trump’s America.†TheGrio, TheGrio, 19 June 2018, thegrio.com/2018/06/19/juneteenth-trump-immigration/.
Episode 11: Changing the Black Dad Narrative
Intro Music: SOLO BLUES CONTES
Closing Music: Wolf
PODCAST NOTES
In this episode, our teller is a Harvard graduate student, a System Admin for a College, a former director for a video game company, a husband and a father of two young black boys. This southside Chicago native speaks on why there is a stereotype about the Black Father and what we can do to change the black dad narrative today. His name is Cornell Wright.
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He attended the well known, Mt. Carmel high school
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Received his bachelors of science degree from Elmhurt College in Physics and Math
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Worked as a Director of Development for a video game company
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Currently, he is Windows System Admin for a college in Chicago for the past 12 years
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He has 1 more semester at Harvard University where he will receive a Master’s degree in Information Management Systems.
Percentage of Black Dads in the home
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Studies and research have shown that 72% of black children are raised in a single-parent home. This is normally with a single parent being the mom. Cornell gave his reaction.
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Only two out of a group of his black friends while growing up had a father that lived with them. Cornell was one of the few that had both parents that raised him. His father was somewhat of a role model to those friends.
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Legal system. Locking up people of color. It’s not that uncommon to have a person graduating from high school with a felony. Instead of punishing we should focus on rehabilitation and doing more in the community. We have to be better than our peers.
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Cornell believes in rehabilitation and contributing to society rather than just locking people up
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He also believes black men have to understand that we have to go over and beyond. “Be better than your peers.â€
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Some issues with Obama. He didn’t want to come off as an angry black man.
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It’s important to control your emotions as a black man because it may come off to others differently, especially law enforcement.
Our fathers who have passed on
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Cornell’s father had multiple degrees including a Ph.D. and worked in Education. He also had an accounting and a law degree.
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The host Vanessa also stated her father had multiple degrees including Ph.D. and post-doctorate, and also worked in education.
How significant is education?
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He noticed a lot of people have a lack of knowledge. Education helps with the “How to… How to make this?…..
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Reading is important
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It’s not that people of color don’t have a low IQ, but it’s lack of assessing some don’t know there are aware of grants and scholarships
What advice would you give dads in the inner city with issues with violence?
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Take advantage of the museums or events around the city to broaden their minds
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Our experience in the city gives us strength
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He loves “Midnight Circus†a circus shows in Chicago that’s only $5
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If you can’t afford these places, contact the library for free passes for events around the city
What’s one thing your father taught you that you would like to pass down?
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He is taking his kids to White Sox games as his father did with him growing up
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Eating a lot of meat, especially BBQ
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The host answered the same question and eating popcorn and watching OSU Buckeyes.
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Hosts father was involved with a lot of international people
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Does Cornell say it’s important to know what is Diversity? Appreciating people’s cultures. That’s what we are doing in our family with friends, food, events. It makes people more well-rounded. Find a way to teach your kids new food from a different culture.
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Closing
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His 2 boy’s comment on the podcast
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They share with their favorite thing they love about their dad. Going to work with him! Â And what they remember most about their papa- sparkling lemonade.
End!
Crisis Counselors were on set for “When They See Us’ cast and crew
Crisis Counselors were on set for “˜When They See Us’ cast and crew
Age 17
Asante Blackk is a passionate young actor who loves his craft. He was born and raised in Maryland to Ayize and Aiyana Ma’at both clinical social workers and couples therapists. Coming from a long line of preachers, social activists and counselors Asante grew up in a spiritually grounded and socially conscious family.
Asante has worked with Nickelodeon to recreate the SpongeBob, Danny Phantom, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme songs with a rap twist. Asante started acting at only 6 years old. He was cast as Mowgli in The Jungle Book in 2008, which ignited his passion. e also played the role of Kevin Richardson in the Netflix limited series ‘When They See Us’.
He played the role of Kevin Richardson in the Netflix limited series ‘When They See Us’.
Andre Robinson
Age 16
He joined Nickelodeon in 2015 and voiced AJ from Blaze and the Monster Machines, then later in 2016, he provided the voice of Clyde McBride on The Loud House[1] until season 3, where Andre Robinson succeeded him in the role due to Harris’s puberty. Harris also played Duke in Think Like a Man and its sequel Think Like A Man Too.[2] He is the younger brother of Curtis Harris, known for his starring role as Miles Preston on The Haunted Hathaways.
Ethan Herisse
17
Ethan Herisse is an American Actor, Model and Social Media personality from Los Angeles, California. Their first big break he appeared in the TV show About a Boy, and then was cast on the Netflix series where he played Yusef Salaam.
Marquis Rodriguez
Marquis Rodriguez Luke Cage. Marquis played the role of Darryl in the Luke Cage episode Take It Personal and the Iron Fist episodes Shadow Hawk Takes Flight, Rolling Thunder Cannon Punch, Eight Diagram Dragon Palm, Felling Tree with Roots and Black Tiger Steals Heart.
Jharrel Jerome
American actor whose role as young Kevin in the award-winning 2016 drama Moonlight proved to be his big breakthrough. He is also known for his work on Mr. Mercedes and Robu. The film’s success has led to him being cast in films like Monster and shows like Mr. Mercedes and Netflix’s When They See Us.
How did DuVernay decide to create this series?
The Netflix series was first created with the help of social media. In 2014, one of the then-teenagers who became known as the Central Park Five who was convicted of raping and beating a 28-year-old jogger in New York tweeted. Ava DuVernay responded and Santana asked her if she would be interested in the story. She was.
Casting
DuVernay invited all five (Korey Wise, Yusef Salaam, Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, and Raymond Santana) to weigh in on the casting of their characters.
While watching this compiling series, I couldn’t help but think of the five lead actors. During the time of the shooting, the majority of the five actors were the age of 16, which means these actors had to abide by the Child Labor Law in the state in which the film is being made. I have worked with children and adults as an agent and have booked them in horror films. There are sometimes psychological effects when the actors are in character. To my knowledge, there are no official guidelines from SAG or the Child Labor Laws other than payment policies such as Coogan’s Law. I have heard from directors that when working with children on violent films or shows they go over the scene and storyboard very carefully with the child’s parents/guardians (although this isn’t always constructive as many parents will let their child do anything to get them on-screen). However, the editing, filming techniques, and set attitude can seriously change the perception of what is actually going on. Some parents will go on set to make sure that the child in question isn’t overly exposed to “uncomfortable elements.” Not all five were kids at the time, but still very young.
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The Actors emotional state
According to The Wrap, for some of the actors, the experience was both traumatic and deeply emotional. âœI always brought my work home, said Jerome, the Moonlight star who shot 10 straight days of solitary confinement in a real prison.
“I could never go home and not think about Korey. Not think about what I did on set. I would have nightmares. I would wake up and be afraid to go to work, afraid to go back in that headspace. But I knew it was for a purpose bigger than me.â€
Crisis Counselor
The actors and everyone on set filming the recently released Netflix miniseries, When They See Us, had access to crisis counselling to help with the heavy, based-on-real-life material portrayed on screen.
Jerome never called the crisis counsellor, though. Instead, he took his inspiration from Wise himself. When I first met Korey, he took the chain off his neck and said, ˜You’re Korey Wise now,’ he said. œIt was an absolute responsibility ” but in front of a man like that, you feel nothing but confidence.
“He was the therapeutic part of the process, knowing he is alive, that he smiles and hugs people and tells them he loves them. Walking the street as a confident man. He is the strongest human on the planet. I’ve never met someone more inspiring.â€
They were also present on set during the emotional re-creations of the police interrogations and supposed confessions and what followed.
Blackk gave DuVernay credit for helping the actors get through tough scenes, like the court verdict. “She was always there for a shoulder to lean on,” he said. His co-star Harris agreed that DuVernay didn’t just provide access to counselling but gave it out herself. “I felt like [DuVernay] was really just that blanket and comforter on set,” he said.
visit – tellersuntold
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3F9n_smGWY&w=854&h=480]
Episode 10: Words of Wisdom from a Wise Black Man!
(Part 1)
Closing Music Credits: WOLF
Show Notes
Who is James Parrish Smith?
Renowned for visionary leadership in ministry, education, non-profit management, and entertainment, J. P. as he prefers to be called, served as Warren Central High Schools, Counseling Services Centers, first Program Coordinator from 1995-2011. Near the completion of his tenure, he also held dual responsibilities as Program Coordinator and Counselor. In his role as Program Coordinator, he was responsible for the oversight of the Counseling Services Centers Special Programs. A number of these programs targeted low income and first-generation college students. The programs provided participating students with access to post-secondary opportunities.
Mr. Smith served as the school’s liaison with the University of Indianapolis, Bridge Scholars; I.U.P.U.I., Upward Bound; Indiana University Groups, and the State of Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program. Mr. Smith supported district initiatives through his involvement in various organizations. He also played a key role in ensuring marked increases in student post-secondary admissions, employment, non-commissioned military officer admissions, and securing program funding. During his tenure, both superintendents cited his many contributions to the district and its families.
Prior to his tenure at MSD Warren Townships, Warren Central High School, he served as an Executive Director; Director; Program Specialist; and Career Specialist.
A respected alumnus of I.U.P.U.I., and a charter member of the Iota Phi Theta graduate chapter, Mr. Smith continues to serve the community. He earned a master’s degree in Guidance & Counseling from I.U.P.U.I. and an undergraduate degree in Psychology/String Music from Tougaloo College. J. P. also did extensive theological research on the “African Presence in Biblical Times” in Israel.
Growing up in Mississippi
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Mr. Smith discusses his family upbringing and how his father passed away at a young age.
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Without a father, he had many father figures like his cousin. He continues to mentor others because of his past experience.
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What it meant to have his mom working as a “maid†for white families.
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He was asked about his time at Mississippi Valley State, Tougaloo College, and Jackson State. He was at Jackson State during the 1970 Killings and discussed his experience.
Black History being taught in the schools
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His view is that Asian-Americans, Latinos, Native American History should be taught along with black history in the schools. “We as a community should be teaching our young people before they even enter school. We should teach them at home and not just in schools.â€
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Start small with teaching young kids about our history by storytelling like this podcast. “We come from a history of telling stories, we didn’t write about them because we were taught not to read or write so we communicated orally.â€
What can kids learn from this interview?
Miles, a 7-year old boy from Chicago listened to this podcast and stated what he learned. Miles learned the role of a “maid†during J.P’s time. He said he would have asked his mom to stay home with him and not go to work. To make money, they would go fishing together and sell the fish for money instead of working not being around and raising other people’s children.
This episode is part 1 of 2
What we should know about Diversity and Inclusive Training work?
History of Diversity in the workplace
In the workplace in the United States, diversity was virtually non-existent for the first 150 years. It changed the workplace from a white male domain to better reflect a multicultural society after World War 1, the 1920s Jazz Age and the voice of minority workers.
In 1948, President Truman officially desegregated the armed forces with Executive Order 9981, which made discrimination based on color, religion or natural origin. illegal for all members of the armed services.
According to Wikipedia, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Pub.L. 88–352, 78 Stat. 241, enacted July 2, 1964) is a landmark civil rights and labour law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibits the unequal application of voter registration requirements, and racial segregation in schools, employment, and public accommodations.
Black people were segregated to work in the service industry, such as servants, porters, and manual labor, according to early office museum.com. According to Experience by Simplicity, In the 1950s, more than 60% of the American workforce consisted of white males. These men were mainly the sole breadwinners in the household, expected to retire by age 65 and spend their retirement years in leisure activities. The American workforce is now a better reflection of the population with a mix of genders, races, religions, ages, and other background factors.
Diversity and Inclusion Training
Recently, Sephora closed its doors for an hour for Diversity and Inclusion Training. In April, the Black R&B star SZA said a Sephora employee called security to monitor her. SZA said she worked for Sephora before her break in the music industry. She was also in an advertisement for them as well. SZA claims that a Sephora employee in Calabasas, California had to call security to make sure I wasn’t stealing. The news threatened to upset that carefully honed, diversity-focused image.
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgq4NCnYmHY&w=854&h=480]
Every person of color has experienced a situation similar to this, no matter if they are rich, poor, or middle class. It’s that way of the world. It’s not just the white employees to follow you around the stores, it’s sometimes our own race. I have been in Sephora several times in Chicago, a few times in yoga pants, and they treated me fine.
Visit – tellersuntold
Sephora has created a campaign, “We Belong to Something Beautiful which they say has been in the works for over a year now. However, on June 5, 2019, Sephora closed all of its stores, distribution centers, and corporate offices in the U.S. on Wednesday for an hour to host inclusion workshops for all their employees. However, if you view their campaign it’s largely geared towards a celebration of diverse gender expressions. They are donating $1 from the sale of every product in this selection to support LGBTQ organizations. There is no mention of racial diversity. What did the diversity and inclusion training consist of?
Last year, Starbucks closed all of its stores for a half-day to conduct training on cultural bias, after two African American men were arrested in their store after attempting to use the restroom without having first bought something.
According to Inc.com, Dove, Heineken, H&M, Prada, and Gucci have all apologized after producing culturally insensitive advertising or products. Papa John’s, Disney, and Netflix have each severed ties with high-profile talent after their use of racist language. Nordstrom, Yale, Starbucks, and even Sephora have apologized for employees’ mistreatment of customers due to racial profiling and bias.
According to the New York Times, In 2014, Barneys New York agreed to pay $525,000 in costs, fees and penalties after a nine-month investigation by the state attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman. They found that the store profiled customers by race. (The inquiry was triggered by complaints from two black patrons who described being detained after making expensive purchases.)
After the diversity and inclusive training at Sephora, Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones blasted the brand on social media for mistreating her makeup artist, Lola Okanlawon and a friend at one of its Manhattan locations.
“She needed makeup and to learn how to apply. My makeup artist just called in tears about how badly they treated her and my friend’s wife by the salesperson and manager.
According to Study.com, Diversity training is an ongoing process to educate employees on the proper way to treat people of different backgrounds. The main goal of a successful diversity training program is to create a positive work environment.
Inclusion: All individuals are valued regardless of talents or skills. Equal value is placed on individuals regardless of their roles, job titles, or standing in the organization. In an inclusive workplace, there are policies in place for equality, human rights, and the welfare of employees; policies include fair recruitment and procurement.
Inclusion is the goal businesses want to achieve, and diversity is the measure of success.
If you have worked for any large company or organization, most likely you have had diversity training. As an Educator, even though I am part-time, we are required to watch an hour-long online video training session every year. The online sessions are monitored. If you leave your laptop, it stops. In the past, we were required to attend in-person sessions for training. When I worked for smaller businesses, this was not a requirement. Overall, I didn’t learn anything. I like to think of myself as well as diverse with all cultures. However, there may be a misconception as to what diverse training focuses on. Most people think it’s related to how to deal and work with Black people. However, the training that least, the ones I have had focuses on gender, race, class, disabilities, and sexual identity. There is even a training video that is all about “how to work with Millennials.”
A study by researchers, Frank Dobbin of Harvard, Alexandra Kalev of Berkeley, and Erin Kelly of the University of Minnesota researched over 829 companies over 31 years and showed that diversity training had “no positive effects in the average workplace.” Millions of dollars a year were spent on the training resulting in, well, nothing. Attitudes” and the diversity of the organizations remained the same. “It gets worse; In firms where training is mandatory or emphasizes the threat of lawsuits, training actually has negative effects on management diversity.”
Works Cited
A Brief History of Diversity in the Workplace – Brazen. https://www.brazen.com/blog/recruiting-hr/a-brief-history-of-diversity-in-the-workplace-infographic.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964
Diversity and the Workplace | Experience. https://www.experience.com/advice/professional-development/diversity-and-the-workplace/
What’s the difference between diversity and inclusion …. https://www.collegerecruiter.com/blog/2015/09/18/whats-the-difference-between-diversity-and-inclusion/
Leslie Jones Is Done With Sephora, And Many on Reddit Are Too. https://www.dailydot.com/irl/leslie-jones-sephora/
Morgan-Smith, Kia. “Leslie Jones Blasts Sephora after Her Makeup Artist Left a Store in Tears after Being Mistreated.†TheGrio, TheGrio, 6 June 2019, thegrio.com/2019/06/06/leslie-jones-blasts-sephora-after-her-makeup-artist-left-a-store-in-tears-after-being-mistreated/.
Sephora to Close Stores for Companywide Diversity Training …. https://www.inc.com/sonia-thompson/sephora-to-close-stores-for-company-wide-diversity-training-research-shows-that-might-not-be-a-good-idea.html
“We Belong to Something Beautiful.†Sephora, www.sephora.com/beauty/Belong.
Respect our Elders
The teller in this episode was born in 1925. She is a Black woman from Chicago who is telling it like it is. She gives advice to Black parents and tells her secret about staying young.
Lavilia Ray
- Born in Chicago in 1925
- She has 9 siblings all have passed but one
- father died when she was 13 years old
- She helped out with the family business
- She attended High School but didn’t go to college
M Luther King Jr.
- She doesn’t remember any big changes after the movement
– Today’s Black Young
- kids don’t respect their parents
- Spank them is her advice.
How do you look this good at 94? What’s your secret?
- Bowling
- Line dancing
- Yoga
- Staying busy