Writing the story when the story is about you

Beginning in June, I will assume the responsibility of rebooting Durham Voice, a community newspaper founded by Jock Lauterer after the murder of Eve Carson, a student at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Prior to ending circulation, Durham Voice focused on stories in North East Central Durham (NECD) with student journalist from UNC-CH, North Carolina Central University and Durham Technical Community College. The focus of work will expand beyond NECD to include all of Durham with student reporters from local colleges and universities. 

This column is inspired by the work of student journalist at the University of Missouri and the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC-CH.

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Commentary - It’s the moment that changes the way I teach. My students seemed overburdened by the news happening outside the building.

Students couldn’t avoid the mass of news reporters on campus to tell the stories of disillusioned Black students. They were calling for the resignation or termination of University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe.

Jonathan Butler, a graduate student at the University of Missouri - Columbia, launched a hunger strike to bring attention to racism on the state’s flagship campus.

“Mr. Wolfe had ample opportunity to create policies and reforms that could shift the culture of Mizzou in a positive direction but in each scenario, he failed to do so,” Butler said.

Payton Head, the student body president, shared a personal experience with bigotry and anti-gay sentiments on campus on his Facebook page. He claims unidentified people riding in the back of a pickup truck hurled racial slurs at him.

“For those of you who wonder why I’m always talking about the importance of inclusion and respect, it’s because I’ve experienced moments like this multiple times at THIS university, making me not feel included here," Head posted on September 12, 2015.

My students seemed wearied by the national attention after the football team announced they would not practice or play until Wolfe resigned. The decision would cost the university a $1 million fine if they forfeited their upcoming game against Brigham Young University.

“How do you write the story when you’re the story,” I asked my students.

I waited for an answer from one of the 19 students. My one Black student seemed overwhelmed by activities on campus. The look on her face clarified what I felt. She needed more than a class on journalism writing could offer. I didn’t want her to answer. I cherished an opportunity for white students to speak.

“I don’t want to be here,” a white woman said. “I want to join the protest.”

‘I can’t write this story without bias,” another student said.

The nods spoke to a common view that extended beyond the call of Concerned Student 1950 – the group of Black students seeking the president’s resignation.

I felt something brewing in my belly. After teaching lessons involving finding the story within the story, my students were learning lessons not taught in textbooks. After sharing my personal grappling in writing columns aimed at offering a perspective beyond the views of white men in newsrooms, my students felt the tension.

There’s more to the story than they considered prior to enrolling to learn the craft of journalism.

I taught them to consider the pain in the story. We discussed finding tension in the story within the story – the unknown truth hidden by an inability to see and feel others carrying what words often miss.

We talked about overcoming privilege. I shared the limits of my Christian, heterosexual, male privilege. I shared how being Black impacts how I view the story. We discussed how personal experience is a tool when used to advance the story beyond what each of us take for granted.

Journalists are challenged to bring their humanity to the story. This is the gift of storytelling. It’s what separates humans from the stale presentation of artificial intelligence.

“You are standing in the middle of history,” I told my students. “This moment is a gift to each of you. How will you write this story? Who are the people who need to be heard? What’s missing in how we inform the world regarding the unfolding of this historical moment?”

I shared my experience growing up in Columbia, MO - being the first local Black person to graduate from the school of journalism. I talked about my encounters with race on a campus with an overwhelming white population.

I told my students to leave to join the protest. I challenged them to take time to heal. While pondering what it all means, I told them to find the story within the story, and to begin by accepting this story is about each of them.

They left to write that story.

I left inspired to help students find stories beyond what they couldn’t see.

 

SCAD: another mistake like a walk down memory lane

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COMMENTARY – Supporters of Simplifying for Affordable Development (SCAD) argue it’s an effective tool in reducing housing costs in Durham.

My response, I’m reminded of promises made when 95% of Black Durham residents approved the Urban Renewal bond that dismantled the Hayti District.

It's a familiar tactic used to entice folks willing to bite the apple when hope for the future is tainted by obstacles no one can control. Last I checked, the lure of the forbidden fruit is what Christians and Jews believe led to humanity falling out of God’s favor.

Members of the Durham City Council need to be careful about biting too soon. History teaches many lessons. Durham’s Hayti’s tragic removal is an example of what happens when a few well-intentioned people pitch a promise that requires loads of trust in people positioned to make money.

I’m not saying these developers are gold diggers, but I don’t see them hanging with the broke ----. You know the song.

I’m weary of long proposals crafted by developers to radically change how Durham envisions long term development. Durham, like many communities across the nation, is swamped with gentrification - making it impossible for many residents to afford housing. The SCAD proposal offers no protections in securing real affordable housing.

How will the growing number of residents, with limited public affordable housing options, maneuver through the web of planned development if SCAD is approved? Where will residents of Liberty Street Apartments and McDougald Terrace rent now that one is already demolished and the other is slated to be razed within the next two years?

Where is the imagination for housing for the people living in Durham, versus planned housing for people moving to one of the fastest growing communities in America? SCAD isn’t a proposal to repair what aisles Durham the most. It’s a plan to make it easier for developers to maximize profit as land options dwindle.

The answer, according to SCAD proponents, is to build closer, higher and with no parking requirements. That’s not an answer.  It’s a prescription for increased gentrification, poverty and the widening of economic disparities.

Welcome to the vision for Durham. The future home of economically privileged white people and the former home of the Black Wall Street.

When did Progressives become Republicans?

Proponents of SCAD are schooled in a version of supply and demand economic theory taken directly from pages of the Republican Party play book. It’s a theory that roots for varied forms of deregulation with an assumption that the people who make more money will trickle the profits down to the people in need of help.

The promise – if we make it easier for them to make heaps of money after making it easier for them to make profit, everyone wins. Housing prices drop. Why? Because the decrease in cost automatically dribbles down.

Sorry to say it, and excuse my language, but I’ve been taught not to trust the white man with my future interest. By white man, in this context, I mean the people with the power to manipulate systems due to their greed.

In Durham, we’ve been shielded from corporate interest due to the power and influence of progressives elected to guard our communal identity. That has changed.

When did the progressives elected to serve on our city council take on the persona of republicans? How, why and when were Mayor Pro-Tem Mark Anthony Middleton, Jillian Johnson, Javiera Caballero and Leonardo Williams enticed into biting the rhetoric of Republican Party economic ideology?

Do we want to become Washington DC?

The SCAD proposal is simple. Their plan to simplify codes for affordable development (not affordable housing) will reduce housing costs.

How does it work?

It works by making Durham a microcosm of Washington D.C.

Imagine a city with limited parking and increased density. Imagine houses packed close. They are much taller than before. There are more people living in areas with limited greenery. The plan is to make Durham a place where owning a car is a luxury.

There’s a problem with the vision. Durham lacks an infrastructure to protect bikers. Durham public transportation lags far behind cities with the type of high density envisioned in the SCAD proposal.

The Durham City Council is trending in the direction of moving Durham toward becoming a city like Washington DC. Note the massive increase in parking costs. The city council disincentivizes cars without a solid plan to advance both local and regional public transportation.

Are we ready to become Washington DC?

Stop pimping my religion

Attachment H in the 86-page SCAD proposal mentions congregations who participated in a charrette to discuss the potential benefits to faith-based institutions. St. Stephens Episcopal Church, Bethany United Methodist Church, Grey Stone Church, Holy Cross Catholic Church and Duke Chapel participated in the charrette held on December 3, 2022.

Participation is not the same as an endorsement. During a presentation before members of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, supporters of the SCAD proposal hinted that churches did more than participate in a conversation. They suggested these congregation supported changes to codes in hopes of providing mission-based housing.

Having a conversation is not an endorsement. Bob Chapman, a Durham developer who assisted in writing the SCAD proposal, is accused of overstating Habitat for Humanity of Durham’s co-sponsorship of SCAD. According to reports in INDY Week, SCAD enacted an unauthorized agreement through a third party.

“The same third party has been speaking and negotiating on the behalf of Habitat for Humanity of Durham with members of City Council and others,” INDY Week reported in a letter received from members of the Durham Habitat board.

Chapman, and other proponents of SCAD, may be guilty of overstating support of faith-based institutions. This play signifying backing of the good folks at Durham Habitat and local congregations is an unearned endorsement of a plan with significant moral and ethical concerns.

You must do more than infer an endorsement. You must earn that support.

Please, stop pimping my religion.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

SCAD is potentially the worse thing to happen to Black people living in Durham since the freeway shattered the dreams of Black residents and businesses in the Hayti district. Black voters supported that mistake. This time it’s in the hands of a Black majority on the city council and one Brown representative.

If they pass SCAD, shame on them.

Provident1898 and the Durham History Museum to discuss Black Capitalism: Lessons from Soul City

 

Lew Meyers remembers the days when Floyd McKissick, Sr. carried a vision for a city built and occupied by Black people.

In 1969, McKissick proposed Soul City, a community in Warren County, NC, to invest in Black businesses focusing on the development of Black economic power. Meyers served as the Executive Director of Soul City.

Meyers joins Floyd McKissick, Jr and Dr. Charmaine McKissick-Melton, children of the legendary civil rights leader and director of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to discuss the impact of Floyd Sr’s unfilled dream at Black Capitalism: Lessons from Soul City on March 30 at Provident1898. The event begins at 5:30 p.m.

Dr. Nishani Frazier, associate professor of history and American studies at the University of Kansas, will join Meyers and the children of McKissick’s legacy. Floyd Jr follows in the footsteps of his father as a former North Carolina State Senator and Charmaine is a former associate professor at North Carolina Central University.

McKissick envisioned three villages housing 18,000 people with jobs in industry, retail, residential housing and services. Soul City promised a place to work, go to school, shop, receive health care and worship on Sunday morning. A place for Black people to prosper in a community removed from limits imposed by institutionalized racism.

The vision preceded the collective pleas of the Black Power Movement. It emerged before Black Power became a slogan and “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” became the anthem of resistance for Black people. Soul City received a grant of $14 million in 1972 from HUD. North Carolina added $8 million in resources before Senator Jesse Helms attacked McKissick vision of Black capitalism.

Meyers, also McKissick’s son-in-law, will join in a family conversation regarding what happened to the once bold vision of Black capitalism. The decline of Soul City in 1975 is the result of several factors – a dwindling national economy, negative press coverage aligning Soul City to the separatist rhetoric of the Nation of Islam and the criticism of Helms and other politicians.

What happened to the vision in support of Black capitalism?

The dream for local Black economic development began in 1898 when John Merrick, the son of a slave, joined with investors to form the North Carolina Mutual and Provident Association. The business of the company increased from less than one thousand dollars in 1899 to a quarter of a million in 1910. The discussion on Black Capitalism: Lessons from Soul City is held in the building symbolic of the potential of McKissick’s dream.

As Carl Webb, one of the owners of Provident1898, walks through the space he helped create to manifest the ongoing dream of Black capitalism in Durham, questions linger.

What happened to Soul City?

Why is it so hard for Black people to build beyond the vast disappointment of the promise of McKissick’s vision?

Can we resurrect Soul City?

Please use this link to register: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-capitalism-lessons-from-soul-city-tickets-593220166487?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

 

  

City Council member DeDreanna Freeman says she will always fight a bully

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Durham City Council member DeDreanna Freeman says her profanity-filled outburst after a recent city council meeting is her response to the actions of a bully.

 A reporter with WRAL recorded on camera an argument between Mayor Pro-Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton and Freeman after members of the city council discussed censuring Monique Holsey-Hyman for two alleged inappropriate actions.

“Get off of me, get off of me. This is how you treat Black women,” Freeman yells in an argument revealing deep hostility between the council members.

“Because I made her. Because I made her,” Middleton responds. 

“She can think for her fucking self, just like every single woman here” Freeman fights back in an exchange that has people wondering about what else happens behind closed doors.

“There will never be a time when I watch a person attempt to take a woman down and not say something,” Freeman said in an interview after the altercation. “If there was an investigation to prove a censure, I would be the first in front of the line, but when you accuse a person with no evidence, I will always defend a person.”

Holsey-Hyman is accused of offering support to a developer in exchange for a campaign donation. In a statement prepared before the reading of the resolution to censure Hosley-Hyman, Mayor Elaine O’Neal said the alleged action will be referred to state law enforcement and could lead to criminal consequences.

Councilwoman Jillian Johnson wrote and introduced a resolution to censure Holsey-Hyman for allegedly engaging a city staffer to work on her campaign. Middleton, Johnson, Leonardo Williams and Javier Caballero support the resolution.

O’Neal does not support the resolution.

“Last night, I did receive a draft of a resolution from a council person that had my name down as a signee. From my understanding, a resolution had never been signed and I ask that my name be removed from that resolution,” said O’Neal. “I also admonish anyone who uses my signature in a manner that I didn’t give you permission for to know you do not have permission to do that.”

Blurred lines and potential conflicts of interests

Holsey-Hyman often sides with O’Neal and Freeman against development proposals that require the approval of the city council. Freeman says the move to censure Holsey-Hyman is Middleton’s payback for refusing to follow his leadership.

“There’s something to be said about a group of people who call for social justice while refusing to protect the rights of a Black woman,” said Freeman. “They’re not looking for an actual investigation. They got what they wanted. They have four votes and pushed right through it.”

Freeman says a real investigation may require consideration of potential misconduct of every city council member.

“If they want an investigation. Investigate everything,” said Freeman. “I’m Ok with you censuring me. I’m gonna stand right here and support this Black woman.”

Middleton is rumored to be dating Karmisha Wallace, chief of staff in the city manager’s office. The allegation raises latent conflict of interest issues with profound implications related to the management of the city.

It matters that Johnson, a Black woman, wrote and read the proposed resolution to censure Holsey-Hyman. Freeman’s profanity-laced attack, combined with Middleton’s response, places Black women in the center of a conversation involving what it means to protect the hearts of Black women.

Is this a story about accountability or is this a story involving who manages power on the city council?

While at it, ask yourself, what does it mean to make a Black woman?

 

 

 

Black Men Matter: Durham Public School Board to select a new member

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Commentary- It matters when a Black man is in the room.

Black men matter. Black men matter.

Black men are dying. Black men are caught within a vicious cycle that is complicated to understand. It matters when Black men show up because problems related to Black men are too vast for most people to fully understand.

It is why I weep whenever I consider the current state of the Durham Public School Board of Education. There is no Black man on the board. Not one.

Can I repeat, Black men matter.

Members of the current board vote on Thursday, March 15 to replace Matt Sears, a white man, after he resigned on Jan. 31 to join the Durham Public School Foundation. Sears accepted the job after voters elected him to another term in May, giving the board the power to select his successor.

The process smells like week old fish – funky. The developments leading up to Sears exit from the board reveals activity tainted by politics, conflicting interests and questionable ethics. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but it stinks.

Xavier Cason left the school board to become the new Director of Community Schools and School Transformation. Sears is Director of Partnership, another position created and filled by a school board member. Not illegal, but it is funky.

Four candidates have emerged to fill the vacant seat. Apryle Lawson Daye, a real estate agent and paralegal, Jessica Friedlander, a mentor at Duke TeachHouse, Jessica Carda-Auten, a public health researcher at UNC and  Kevin Primus, a local business owner, teacher and coach.

Primus is a Black man. His background and experience protrude above the rest. He has education credentials. He has experience. He is a parent of Durham Public School students. He has dedicated time in service to the Durham community.

Did I mention he’s a Black man?

Some members of the board may say it doesn’t matter. They may push for a less qualified candidate with a pitch promoting the narrative of a better fit. They may talk about board chemistry. They may suggest there’s more to the selection than what can be seen on paper and what is heard during the interviews. They may tell us to trust their judgement more than our gut feelings.

There is a deeply inherent problem when a Black man isn’t chosen because of the assumptions of the powerful people in the room. There is a message which transcends the story line of group cohesion. It involves what we instruct Black boys about what it takes to sit at the table. It involves the integrity of a process aimed at selecting the best qualified person for any position.

The actions of board members matter as much as the curriculum taught in classrooms. Integrity matters. It matters when Black men are chosen because they deserve to sit in the room. It also matters when they aren’t selected because of politics more committed to controlling the room.

It matters when Black boys see a Black man on the school board. It matters when Black men are represented to undo stereotypes about Black men. Beyond teaching the way, we need systems committed to equity, inclusion and accountability.

“Professor Kenney, I’m so glad to have you teaching this class,” a Black male student at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill said after class. “You are my first Black male teacher. Ever.”

The truth startled me. I considered my own story. My first class with a Black man teaching didn’t happen until my sophomore year in college. The absence of Black men impacts the identity of Black boys. It matters when Black men show up in rooms to display unlimited possibilities.

Black men are not looking for special treatment. We are not looking to be selected because we are Black men. We simply do not want to be dismissed when we are the most qualified in the room. We do not want to hear excuses for not being chosen. We desire being chosen because it is the right thing to do.

Black men work hard to be seen and heard. In a school system with enormous problems related to reaching and nurturing Black boys, we refuse to accept a narrative that excludes the significance of our presence.

Kevin Primus is a Black man.

Yes, that Black man matters.

And, yes, he is the most qualified person in the room.

 

Chris Rock and the slap that triggers rage

Rev-elution returns after a hiatus to discuss the Chris Rock Netflix comedy special. Support local, Black owned, Black focused, independent journalism  with a contribution to at: Cash App ($CMizzou) or Venmo (@Carl-Kenney-1)

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So, can I offer a confession? Thanks. Take a seat and rest your mind.

 

"Selective Outrage", the Chris Rock Netflix comedy special, triggered me. It opened old wounds that I’ve spent years and too much money in therapy to overcome. Watching Rock on that stage reminds me of how difficult it can be to deal with trauma when doing so demands onloading personal feelings in public view.

 

I am sad that “we,” the consumers of art, require this type of display. I lament anyone forced to address their rage due to an unspoken obligation to feed the curiosity of folks consumed with rumors and stuff that ain’t none of our business.

 

I recognize that look on Rock’s face. I understand wanting to be left alone to heal from the shame of being slapped for doing your job. I recognize that strut aimed at keeping pace with a heart beating too fast after a year of hearing your name tendered for twitter feed.

 

It is safe to say it comes with the paycheck. Reports claim Netflix contract pays Rock $40 million to expose all that pain. Let the one among us willing to say no to all that cash to cast the first stone. Is the payday enough to resolve the agony of the slap?  Who wants to turn the other cheek?

 

Yes, it comes with the job. Yes, people get paid to share their rage. Yes, it is what the public desires. Sadly, folks crave watching others bleed.

 

I understand the fascination. I watched it. Since watching it, I have read what people have to say. “It isn’t funny.” “Rock is disrespecting women.” “He needs therapy.”

 

Duh! All of that may be true, but help me understand. How do you get to the other side of pain when everyone demands hearing you help them take a trip into your personal business?

 

My direct response, after reading the slew of comments on social media, regards it ain’t none of our business. True; however, this is what happens when our business gets interrupted with a slap changing our Oscar night celebration. We witnessed it. We heard it in real time – the Prince slapped Rock proving he “Hates Chris.”

 

We, the viewers of this mess, believe we deserve an explanation. It happened to Will and Jada, their children, Venus, Serena, and Rock. It happened to Questlove, the winners, nominees and the people who produced the show. Yup, it happened to you and me – all of us were harmed by what happened a year ago this week.

 

All of that is true, but no one, and I mean no one, experiences the rage related to that night more than Chris Rock.

 

So, after that long introduction to place my feelings within context, let’s talk about my trigger. Yeah, the one that felt like gunfire on my face after being slapped by the leaders of a congregation. That hurts. Like Rock, I continue to hear Gospel tunes ringing in my head.

 

It is not the first time I have been slapped. Brock slapped me when I was 14. He was six years older. He broke his hand after bruising my face. I have endured being slapped over a dispute regarding a girlfriend. Love triangles are painful for a variety of reasons. Ouch. Been there. Done that.

 

Being slapped is common. What hurts more is being slapped for doing your job. What hurts more is being slapped in public view.  What hurts even more than that is being slapped in public view while having to take the punch because doing otherwise only makes matters worse.

 

Let me make it clear for the people who don’t understand Black folks religion. I got slapped by the church, in public, for doing my job. I got slapped for following my call – like telling a joke – and watched people share opinions related to the validity of the slap.

 

The church slapped me for expounding a theology of inclusion. They slapped me due to a divorce and unfounded rumors regarding things that ain’t none of their business. They slapped me for promoting and protecting the ordination of women in ministry. They slapped me for writing columns rooted in the message of Jesus and extending the work of the Church to include the needs of the least among these.

 

I’m triggered after hearing faith leaders scream, “keep our church name out of your mouth,” followed with a slap of rejection.

 

Watching Chris Rock on that stage triggers so many emotions. Like, my screaming, “I am not a victim”. Like, the desire to share what no one has the right to hear. Like, the movement of a wounded man who seeks to use comedy to inspire and heal.

 

And how can they tell jokes when there’s so much rage?

 

And how can they preach when the slap of rejection still hurts decades after shame consumes every step they take?

 

Triggering is a mothersucker.

 

Inhale, exhale, release.

 

I repeat, I am not a victim!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People faces legacy with new possibilities

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Walter Jackson says the future of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People (DCABP) is in the hands of a group of capable young people.

Those young leaders join seasoned organizers to form a team prepared to continue the legacy of North Carolina’s oldest Black led group engaged in the empowerment of Black people.

The installation of new officers and committee chairs takes place during the DCABP annual meeting on Sunday January 29 at St. Joseph A.M.E. Church, 2521 Fayetteville Street beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Formed in 1935 by C.C. Spaulding, president of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, James E. Shepard, founder of what became North Carolina Central University, Rencher N. Harris, W.D. Hill, R. L. McDougald, J. T. Taylor and Louis Austin, publisher of The Carolina Times, the group of men referred to as “a committee of influential Negroes” formed a powerful coalition that distinguishes Durham from other communities.

In 1936, while Black men were being lynched across the nation for simply being Black, 78 percent of Black people registered to vote in Durham, NC. The DCABP facilitated Black political and economic activism that helped build one of the nation’s leading Black Wall Streets.

Today, the label of being “a committee of influential Negroes”, points to divides within the Black community – the haves versus people without, young versus older and heterosexual versus alternative sexual and gender identities. There's also an influx of new people unfamiliar with the DCABP and its rich history.

For decades, discussions involve whether the credibility and sway of the DCABP has declined due to dwindling membership, a lack of collaboration with other groups and rumors of persistent infighting.

Jackson obtained a bachelor’s degree from UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media after he graduated from Durham’s Hillside High School. He’s a Vietnam War veteran and former reporter for the Durham Morning Herald and the Charlotte Observer. He founded Ideas Coffee House after retiring from Standard Oil.

The Rev-elution engaged in a Q&A format interview with Jackson to consider his vision for the DCABP. 

Rev-elution: Some argue the influence of the DCABP has waned over the past two decades due to changing demographics combined with the increased influence of Durham’s People Alliance. Is this a fair assessment?

There is an old saying that the proof of the pudding is in the eating.  There are probably many ways of looking at and trying to assess the influence of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, but one of the most common ways of looking at its influence is just looking at the people who are serving in significant elected and appointed positions in our city and county.  Few cities in America can compare with Durham in having the quantity and quality of officials who represent us well that we have in Durham, and I don't think the situation has ever been better in that regard. Can The Durham Committee claim all of the credit for that?  No, certainly not.  Would we have the same results without the presence and influence of The Durham Committee?  My answer to that would also be no, certainly not.  So, I would say any reports of the waning of The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People are greatly exaggerated.  Going into our 88th year, we still have a lot of work to do.  

Rev-elution: What is your vision for improving the DCABP’s position as a powerful voice in support of Durham’s Black citizens? How does this influence show up beyond elections?  

That is a great follow up to my previous response.  Even though people's thoughts about The Committee do often revolve around election results, there is so much more, and we intend to continue to work to make our voice and presence felt and heard in many ways, including continuing to stake out positions on major issues and make our support of or opposition to various policy matters well known to public officials, and work to hold them accountable to the electorate.  We want to make sure that we are making a difference in the lives of residents in very meaningful ways, including housing, education, economic development, health and public safety and other ways that affect people's daily lives.  

Rev-elution: Is the DCABP engaged in establishing a position that affirms LGBTQIA residents? If so, how is that position communicated and how will it be used to promote an inclusive mission?

Although I think we are and want to be an opinion leader in our community, the DCABP also largely reflects the priorities and will of our community.  We have certainly supported a number of candidates who are themselves LGBTQIA and/or are closely aligned with the values and priorities of such residents, I have no knowledge that we have ever engaged in establishing a position on this, among all the other challenges that we are facing as a community.  The fact that we have not obviously does not mean that we will not, but with all the other great challenges facing our community I would be somewhat surprised to see this matter percolate to the top in the short-term future.

Rev-elution: The DCABP was founded and supported by powerful Black business owners. As the influence of independent Black business owners’ fades, so has the influence of the DCABP. What adjustments do you envision to offset expanding concerns rooted in economic disparity (gentrification, affordable housing and a wealth gap)?

First, I am going to repeat that I challenge any assertion that the influence of the DCABP has faded.  And even though I might somewhat know the answer to this question I'm going to come back with a retort than might resonate in the African American community:  "Says who?"  We absolutely do have great concerns about economic disparity in Durham, however.  That concern is obviously part of a national and international problem of economic disparity, but we will certainly be most focused on Durham and what can be done here.  As opposed to the idea of me and our new leadership team trying to come forth with our own answers to complex questions like these we are looking at engaging the vast pools of talent and expertise we have available to us within the Durham Committee and partner with other organizations and educational institutions to work on devising strategies that will work best for Durham.  The problem is deeply rooted in our national and even international history, and it is not something that will be solved quickly and easily, and is probably going to be with us on some level for even decades and centuries to come.  That might sound pessimistic to some, but to me it reflects the reality of a situation that none of us created.

Rev-elution: What actions will DCABP take to expand and support diversity in membership? Specifically, youth, people living in public housing, people with disabilities and people of color who don’t identify as Black American?

We have many challenges before us, and diversity issues of the type that you mentioned are certainly part of the package of those issues.  The world has changed and continues to change, and that applies to the Durham Committee as well.  The Durham Committee of today is not the Durham Committee of yesterday, and almost certainly will continue to change.  Some might see those changes as happening too fast, and others might see them as happening too slowly, but we are certainly changing and adjusting.  We have seen an uptick in membership in just the last few weeks, and I predict that that membership increase is going to continue and accelerate.  More younger people are coming into the organization, and some of them are taking on key leadership roles.  We have not had an opportunity to collectively address many of these issues, but watch what we do much more than what we say we are going to do.  The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

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DCABP officers for 2023: Shea Ramirez, serving as Second Vice Chair, Thelma Glenn White as Third Vice Chair, and Dr. Tara Fikes will begin a new term as Executive Secretary.  

DCABP committee chairs for 2023: Angelique Stallings will continue to serve chair of the Civic Committee, and Rosa Anderson will continue to serve as Civic Committee Vice Chair.  Attorney Cassandra Stokes will be serving as new chair of the Political Committee, and Jadda Richardson serving as Vice Chair.  Dr. Wanda Boone will continue to serve as chair of the Health Committee, and Attorney Stephen Valentine will be the new chair of the organization’s Legal Redress Committee.

 

 

2022 Carolina Youth Mentoring Symposium explores the "courage to thrive"

Atrayus O. Goode, president & CEO of Youth Mentoring Collaborative (YMC) grew up in a household plagued by drug abuse. His background shapes his understanding of how Black and Brown students navigate traumatic experiences while attempting to get an education.

“Meeting my first mentor through the 100 Black Men of America afforded me the social and emotional support I needed to chart a different course, ultimately becoming the first in my family to attend college," Goode said. “That experience launched me into a lifetime journey of exploring how relationships, especially in a mentoring context, can bring fulfillment through noticing, caring effectively, and moving to action for yourself and those you love.”

 

Youth development experts from across the country gather on Saturday, November 12 at Friday Center, 100 Friday Center Drive, Chapel Hill, NC for the annual Carolinas Youth Mentoring Symposium to discuss ways to expand mentoring programs that promote health and well-being of families most impacted by systems of oppression. The YMC office is located at Provident1898, a Black-centric coworking community located in the historic NC Mutual tower. 

 

Goode says mentoring has the potential to disrupt patterns of disparity, while also perpetuating structural oppression through how programs view marginalized groups as targets of grant proposals instead of human beings.

 

“Instead of acknowledging how communities have been systematically stripped of power, many nonprofits—especially those focusing on mentoring and youth development—treat recipients of their services as needing to be saved from poor life choices,” Goode said. “For people on the receiving end, these invalidating environments create feelings of internalized inferiority that lower expectations, harm self-esteem, and ultimately impact their well-being.”

 

This year’s symposium features topics that elevate the power of identity-affirming mentoring relationships. Goode says YMC is exploring Healing-Centered Mentoring, an approach that examines the youth experience through varied perspectives to identify ways mentoring can promote mental wellness, while reducing structural barriers to mental health services.

Goode said Covid-19 exacerbated the mounting youth mental health crisis as school systems across the country continue to be overwhelmed with students experiencing elevated levels of stress and anxiety.

 

“But while the pandemic was hard on everyone, pre-pandemic realities for black and brown students disproportionately worsened pre-existing mental health conditions, hitting them and their families harder,” Goode said.

 

Participants at the symposium will be educated on several topics including advocacy, youth power and critical mentoring.

 

“Symposium attendees will have the chance to network and learn from each other, with the goal of taking knowledge back to their organizations. A new feature for this year's event is our youth track,” Kanalyn Jackson, vice president of training and organization at YMC said. “This track will have session topics around building relationships, entrepreneurship, working music industry, and the opportunity to connect and have fun.” 

 

Malenia Swinton, vice president of community engagement at YMC, said mentoring programs across the country, and specifically in North Carolina have experienced significant mentor and mentee attrition. Not being able to meet in person for mentoring session, funding and sustainability and mentor morale are contributing factors that negatively impact programs.

 

“However, we've seen mentoring programs rise to the challenge and fill gaps in services in their communities,” Swinton said. “Communities are reprioritizing young people and their mental health, pouring more resources into mentoring programs and other initiatives that support the health and well-being of youth.”

 

Swinton believes the symposium will serve as a catalyst for attendees to become more invested in the mentoring movement.

 

“By bringing together some of the brightest and most forward-thinking leaders from government, education, business, and beyond: we hope the Symposium plants the seed for even more meaningful and impactful mentoring relationships,” Swinton said. 

Hannah McKinney, manager of communications & storytelling at YMC, said the story of mentoring is about radically changing the lives of youth and their families.

 “Unfortunately, one in three young people grows up without a person or people that they can rely on. In this story, the problem is that historically disadvantaged and underserved youth lack reliable, supportive adult relationships,” McKinney said. “The solution is goal-based mentoring relationships with adults who can support their development. Who wouldn’t be swayed by a story like that?”

Herschel Walker and other Black men "pickin' and grinnin" like Amos and Andy

commentary - I consider it an honor being a public intellectual within the tradition of Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, E. Franklin Frazier, James Baldwin, Frantz Fanon, St. Clair Drake, Cornel West and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Make no mistake, I’m not as prolific in my work. I do claim responsibility connected to a rich tradition – Black men who read, process and write about the impact of race on the lives of Black men and women.

I could name a legion of Black women. Zora Neale Hurston, Anna Julia Cooper, Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Ida B. Wells, Maria W. Stewart, Francess Ellen Watkins Harper – who shape how I view the intersected nature of race, class and gender as they apply to groups and individuals in systems of discrimination. They help me in considering how my being a heterosexual, Christian, man provides a level of power beyond the limits of being a Black man.

I revere the work of Black women, but this is about my bond with Black male writers, past and present.

Why does it matter?

A few names come to mind. Herschel Walker, Republican candidate to represent Georgia as a U.S. Senator. North Carolina Lt. Gov Mark Roberts and Jahnmaund Lane, who unsuccessfully, as a Black Republican, took a shot to become mayor of Durham. Insert Negro please.

The three Black men listed have things in common. Yes, being Black is on that list. Yes, being a man is on that list. Yes, being a Republican forces rapid headshaking followed by an onslaught of name calling akin to “Uncle Tom”, “Sellout” along with being a disgrace to grandma and “them” for forgetting where you come from. It’s on that list.

Lane took center stage among other Black men representing alt-right, conspiracy minded Republicans, after seeking membership on Durham’s Human Relations Commission. Durham’s progressives followed with public scorn bearing witness to being way past being sick and tired. Lane’s public reputation took a hit after White Progressive Twitter (something like Black Twitter without real street cred) reminded people of what happened before and after soldiers enlisted in Donald Trump’s army and showed up at the U.S. Capitol to allegedly lynch Vice President Mike Pence for failing to abide by Emperor… I mean former President… Trump’s, command.

Pictures of Lane postured in front of a Trump flag circulated on social media after his wish to serve on the Human Relations Commission became public.

There is all of that – the foolishness of a Black man - given all grandma, granddaddy and Black folks history books (because Black history doesn’t show up in many of the other books) tells us about enduring hardship through many dangers, toils and snares. Nope, I’m not talking about singing “Amazing Grace”. For context and meaning, sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as reference to Black folks been through more than a trip to the stereotypical escape at the corner liquor store.

Thus, my fascination with Black scholars and their work.

Real talk involving work that escapes the regurgitation of words aimed at whitesplaining the Black experience of racism in America. Real work beyond pickin’ and grinnin’ like “Amos and Andy” as a subplot in an ongoing drama created to degrade Black people. Real talk to counter the pigeonhole of Black folks being greedy, dishonest and schemers in a world created to instill white wealth and comfort. Do I need to say it, again? Negro, please.

My gurus of Black intellectual thought continue to battle the futility of overzealous Black capitulation. They consistently subdue the temptation to embrace the lure of demeaning rhetoric that abates the effects of the history and continuing quandary of white folks pitching a narrative that it’s only in our imagination. How many times must I say Negro, please?

The Black gurus of Black conscious thinking challenge the simpleminded ways of some white people. Why Herschel over Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock. Put some respect on that name – Warnock with an earned Ph.D. – versus a barely literate Black man? He play feetball. Insert proper spelling for the folks who don’t know the difference.

The Georgia senate race pits one Black man against another. What type of Black man are white folks interested in supporting after an educated Negro became President of the freaking United States? Can we insert fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me?

Is this the payback for smart Black folks making white folks feel stupid? Help me understand how that’s not true after Mark Roberts got enough votes to become North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Google him to confront his homophobic, sexists, “Leave it to Beaver” back in the old days thinking political ideology. Somebody please find his people! One more time for the folks not keeping pace. Negro, please.

Are these Black men the anti-Obama? Even more, is there an attack on smart Black men?

These “Amos and Andy”, behind-the-times thinking Negros find themselves on center stage singing and dancing like minstrel show performer wearing black face makeup.

Stated before picking up another book with more than 500 pages to help me explain why all of it is a damn shame.

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Given the work of Black intellectuals is under attack, please contribute to the work of Rev-elution at: Cash App, $CMizzou, or Venmo, @Carl-Kenney-1.