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Do you use your public library? I do. My public library is a couple of miles from my home. I go there on a weekly basis. It seems that more and more of us are going to the library to find jobs, create new careers and help grow our small businesses. We borrow books, journals, music and movies. We learn to use the latest technology. We get our questions answered, engage in civic activities, and improve our skills.
There are over 16,600 public libraries in America. Here are some of the unique 2010 statistics about public libraries:
Career Assistance - 13,000 libraries offer career counseling resources, resume assistance and help in filling out online applications. There are only 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers in the country.
Getting Technical - More libraries (5,400) offer technology training classes than there are computer training businesses (4,000) in the United States. Every day, 14,700 people attend free library computer classes.
Hot Spots - Most public libraries provide free wireless Internet access for their users. Nearly 12,000 now offer free Wi-Fi. That's more than Starbucks, Barnes & Noble or Borders.
It's in Our Wallets - Almost two-thirds of Americans have a library card. For many young people, its the first card in their wallet is a library card.
Let's Meet - More public libraries offer free meeting rooms than there are conference centers, convention facilities and auditoriums combined. Every day, 225,000 people use library meeting rooms at a retail value of $11 million. That's $3.2 billion annually (based on 286 business days per week).
Movie Night - Every day, Americans borrow 2.1 million DVDs from libraries. This compares to 2.2 million DVDs rented from Neflix or 1.1 million DVDs rented from RedBox vending machines.
Taking Care of Business - Business owners and employees use resources at the public libraries at least 2.8 million times per month.
I came across this information from the folks at OCLC while I was in their world headquarters building as a guest speaker. I knew about the movies because I check-out one or two movies from the library every week. I often find my good reads at the library ... less expensive than buying the books from Borders!
I have great memories of the library as a kid. I remember walking to Pio Pico Library to participate in the summer reading contests. We would get ribbons and certificates for reading 100 books each summer!
NAACP is hosting their annual conference this week in Kansas City. First Lady Michelle Obama made a presentation there the other day. NAACP is working hard to update their online presence on the various social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It appears that the new leadership is working hard to make the NAACP relevant in the 21st century.
NAACP Chairman Roslyn Brock stepped up to the podium to give a speech about the future of the NAACP on Sunday. Take some time to listen to what this young and powerful sister had to say:
What say u? Will you give NAACP a second chance to serve you and your community in the 21st century?
Two police officers have lost their jobs after repeatedly tasering a woman who called them fearing a burglar was outside her house.
Janice Wells told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview, "All of it's just unreal to me. I was scared to death. He kept tasing me and tasing me. My fingernails are still burned. My leg, back and my butt had a long scar on it for days."
This blog usually reports on taser incidents that result in death. However, this case of taser abuse is unusual because it results in police officers losing their jobs.
What are you thoughts about the video and the story?What say u?
BDPA Washington DC Member of the Year * Louis Shack
Louis Shack, Technology Education Manager for DC Courts, combines his passion for computers with his passion to see youth reach their fullest potential. These passions have led him to volunteer with BDPA Washington DC chapter for the past five years. As a mentor, teacher and coordinator in the high school computer competition (HSCC) program, Louis has coached teams to achieve second and third place rankings in recent national BDPA HSCC championships (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009).
On behalf of National BDPA, I would like to announce a special discount for our 32nd National Technology Conference specifically for the students of DeVry University’s College of Engineering Science. This offer will allow students to register and attend the 4 day conference for only $100 which is a 50% discount off the regular college student rate of $200.
Using a technique called "flow switching," researchers from MIT are developing a model Internet that is significantly faster and more energy-efficient than today's technologies.
With fiber-optic communication expanding throughout the world, our current Internet is quickly gaining speed. Still, downloading high-resolution pictures or streaming online videos can take time. Luckily for YouTube addicts, researchers from MIT are devising an Internet 100 to 1,000 times faster than today's connection speeds.
Hotel Rooms Are Now Going Fast: Please Book Now!!! Reserve your room today by contacting the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown at 1-800-266-9432 and ask for the BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates) rate or register online.
PS: Please share this information with your friends, co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
We now learn that 87-year old Phyllis Owens was electrocuted to death by a taser-happy sheriff's deputy because he couldn't tell the difference between a pellet gun and an actual firearm. [SOURCE]
Clackamas County deputies were called to a mobile home park in Boring after a report that a woman was waving a gun and threatening a man who was excavating a trench.
Deputy Steve Shelly arrived at the scene, hid in the bushes and fired 50,000 volts of deadly electricity into Mrs. Owens. She died about an hour later.
After the incident, deputies learned the gun involved was a black pellet pistol and not a firearm.
Steve Shelly, the deputy who killed this woman, is a 19-year veteran with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Corrections Division, the Oregon City Police Department and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Patrol Division.
BDPA exists to advance African Americans in the information technology industry from the classroom to the boardroom. Turkenya Herring is a remarkable example of BDPA turning its vision into reality.
The mainstream media usually focuses on the negative behaviors of Black youth in America. This blog joins with Essential Presence, Tradition of Excellence and others who seek to share positive stories about our people.
For example, I'd like villagers to know about Turkenya Herring -- a young woman who is quite possibly the future face of technology!
Turkenya was introduced to science, technology and mathematics training while she was in middle school. She joined a robotics team with a BDPA sponsor, Patriots Technology Training Center.
Her interest stayed with her as she matriculated to high school. She connected with BDPA Washington DC chapter and their high school computer competition (HSCC). She represented the chapter on its national HSCC team in 2007, 2008 and 2009. She earned multiple Jesse Bemley Scholarships that will help her continue her education at Bowie State University.
Let her share her testimonial with you:
Hello, my name is Turkenya Herring. I graduated in 2010 from Charles Herbert Flowers High School. I plan to attend Bowie State University. I will major in computer science with emphasis in information systems. I plan to pursue a career in networking or database management. I am proud to say that being a part of the high school computer competition has changed my outlook on society and the effects that science and technology has on businesses.
My first year in BDPA was spent meeting new people and learning how to grasp a concept at a very quick pace. I was very shy and far from gregarious. One of the instructors, Mr. Shack, knew I was very smart and always called on me to answer questions and stand up in front of the class to present my project. Eventually, I crawled out of my timid shell and began to converse amongst my peers and instructors. My instructors knew that I had potential to be one of the brightest students; my first year I was selected to compete in the national competition with four of my peers. I was elated and my parents were proud of my accomplishments.
In my second year, I was more motivated and cordial. My instructors and peers looked up to me and expected me to lead the path to success, which was to win 1st place that year. Unfortunately, we won 2nd place but I told everyone to stay motivated because one day we would become HSCC champions. Being in the competition was not about competing, it was about building friendship, learning how to present, showing compassion, and many other valuable skills that I will need in the workforce.
BDPA was the most life-changing experience I have encountered throughout my entire life. It has influenced me to become a computer scientist and give back to others. One day I plan to create and give away my own scholarships. I’ve gained a close relationship with my peers, mentors, and parents over the past three years. I know that I would never have become the knowledgeable, compassionate, cooperative, cordial person I am today if I had not joined this outstanding program.
BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) provided Turkenya Herring with a Jesse Bemley Scholarship for her efforts in the national HSCC championships held in 2007, 2008 and 2009. We look forward to following her career over the coming years!
You can help us provide more scholarships in the future with a secure online donation. Won't you make that move today?
It happened again. This time a New Britain police officer electrocuted 61-year old Anibal Rosario-Rodriguez to death by jolting 50,000 volts of electricity into his body.
The chief medical examiner’s office is expected to perform an autopsy today on the body of Mr. Rosario-Rodriguez.
New Britain police say an unidentified officer discharged a five-second shock with his Taser while trying to arrest Rosario-Rodriguez during a foot chase for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.
Police say Rosario-Rodriguez suffered a facial wound when he fell forward during the incident. Authorities say he was conscious when he was taken to the hospital, but later died.
His family said something isn't right, and they wonder if the stun gun led to the cardiac arrest that killed him. They said Rosario-Rodriguez was a healthy man and think the police department used excessive force in trying to subdue him. They are waiting for the results of an autopsy.
Please let this blog know if you learn of any new information about this taser-related death.
We are not always able to keep up with the various RSS feeds and such. That is the reason that we use these blog safari expeditions to enjoy the flow from talented bloggers out in the afrosphere. I encourage all interested villagers to click on the links below to enjoy these suggested blog posts!
Two grown-azzed deputy sheriffs felt so scared of an 87-year old woman that they electrocuted her to death on July 8 in the front porch of her Oregon home. The victim is Phyllis Owens. She is unhealthy and suffered from dementia.
Clackamas County sheriff deputy Steve Shelly and his unidentified partner were involved in the taser-related killing. They indicate that she was reaching for a handgun. It seems to me that the police would use a gun if they thought that their lives were in danger from a suspect with a gun. However, in this case Deputy Steve Shelly hid in the shrubs on the front porch and used 50,000 volts from a taser gun ... it just doesn't seem credible that they were in fear of their life. Anyhow, the two deputies have been placed on administrative leave until things can be sorted out.
Dr. Larry Lewman, deputy state medical examiner, said an autopsy revealed that Owens suffered from heart disease and had a pacemaker. He said he needed more information on when she had the pacemaker implanted to determine whether that played a role in her death.
"But let me put it this way: A healthy person would not have died from this," Lewman said.
According to Clackamas County sheriff's deputies, Owens threatened the mobile home park manager with a handgun shortly after 2 p.m. When deputies arrived, Owens was on her porch, still holding the gun. They negotiated with her, trying to calm her down and persuade her to surrender the gun.
Owens put the gun down briefly on her porch railing. But when the deputies advanced, she reached to pick it up again. That's when Deputy Steve Shelly shot Owens with a Taser.
Owens immediately collapsed. Deputies performed CPR in an attempt to revive her. However, she died at a Gresham hospital about an hour later.
It should be interesting to see how this pre-judicial electrocution turns out. In the meantime, I encourage you to share your thoughts. What say u?
The company Taser International likes to promote their electric stun guns as a non-lethal alternative for police officers to take down suspects. Unfortunately, the statistics show that these stun guns are quickly becoming just as lethal firearms.
To make matters worse, more and more reports are pouring in about police officers abusing the weapons and firing on children, pregnant women, and mentally handicapped people.
Mike Papantonio talks with Aaron Watson, an attorney from Pensacola, Florida, who has some insight into the abuse of Tasers by police.
"Would America have been America without her Negro people?" asked famous scholar W.E.B. Du Bois. Our recent celebration of Indepenence Day reinforced the need for us to continually look back and honor everyone who took part in her creation.
Walmart Stores, Inc. Regional General Manager David Gose, Cincinnati Museum Center President and CEO Douglass McDonald, exhibition presenter Tavis Smiley and Arts and Exhibitions International Senior Vice President Mark Lach stand in front of a specially decorated Metro bus to celebrate the opening of America I AM: The African American Imprint at Cincinnati Museum Center.
Tavis Smiley brought America I AM: The African American Imprint to the Cincinnati Museum Center so that we might explore the many ways that African Americans helped develop the United States.
This 15,000 square-foot exhibition is divided into 12 galleries that house an assembly of over 200 artifacts representing nearly 500 years of American history. Travel through time on a journey from struggle to triumph to experience how African Americans throughout history have shaped us as Americans today.
America I AM is a four-year traveling museum that has allowed people from all over the United Stated to leave their own video "imprints" through one of the exhibit's interactive pieces. This piece will continue to grow as the exhibit travels from city to city, and has potential to become the largest recorded oral history project in the U.S.
Don't miss the chance to not only learn the history of a highly influential group of people, but to become a part of history yourself. America I AM is now open at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Click here for ticket and time details.
More Tea Party nonsense ... this time it's the 7th congressional district in Georgia. John Lindner (R-GA) is retiring after about 18 years in office.
An empty congressional seat is like a magnet for nuts in the 2010 election year. There are eight candidates in the July 20th Republican primary election. U.S. Rep. John Linder’s chief of staff is running for the seat. So is a state legislator. A syndicated talk show host is also among the group along with a prosecutor, a flight attendant, a state government retiree, a CPA and a human resources executive.
I'm surprised that the Tea Party didn't go for Jody Hice, the syndicated talk show host. Jody is spending money to put up several billboards around Atlanta calling out President Barack Obama's so-called "socialist" policies.
Is there never any end to the nonsense from the GOP wingnuts?
I encourage all villagers that love jazz music to make plans to hang out on the lawn (rain or shine) for the 2010 Smooth Jazz in the Park Festival™ at Central Park in Forest Park, Ohio, located at Winton & Kemper Road. The music and entertainment is FREE!
Nominees for the Epsilon Professional Achievement Award Nominees are highly experienced professionals well who have made significant achievements in technology or information technology in industry or government. Their specific degree earned is less relevant than the significance of the work and the nominee’s achievements as a role model and leader for other minorities in the field.
William Marcus King was the Director sponsor of Innovative Challenge/Breaking Form Initiative at State Farm Insurance. The Innovation Challenge/Breaking Form initiative encourages IT employees to develop and present ideas that can be quickly assessed for viability. Each IT employee has the opportunity to choose his own work schedule, benefits package and work environment from a series of options that range from the traditional to the innovative, with an emphasis on mobile and collaborative work environments
Mr. King also improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the solution delivery business within the Systems Department. His leadership was a contributing factor to the increase in productivity of the Systems Department and reduced the solution delivery expenses of the department. William’s responsibilities included establishing the vision, strategy, and approach of this Initiative. Breaking Form facilitated improvements within the department, creating a strong foundation for the years ahead. During this assignment, William reported to the CIO of State Farm’s Systems Department.
The Electronic Village joins all villagers in congratulating William Marcus King on his 2010 Epsilon Award for Professional Achievement.State Farm Insurance is one of the best places for IT professionals to work because of the innovation and character of people like William!
Patrick Burns was electrocuted with multiple 50,000 volt shocks from various taser guns shot by Sangamon County police officers in January. The Sangamon County coroner's office ruled that Burns died due to excited delirium.
No action has been taken against the police officers that killed Mr. Burns.Sheriff Neil Williamson says his deputies didn't do anything wrong.
With that as background, Williamson did think it would be a good idea to avoid future lawsuits by giving his officers updated taser training. He brought in Lt. Michael Paulus of the Champaign Police Department to train Sangamon County deputies. Paulus will try to teach Williamson's deputies how to arrest suspects believed to be in a state of excited delirium. [SOURCE]
Over 80 people have been killed by taser-happy police officers around the country in the past 18 months. This is one of the first police departments involved in these taser-killings trying to do something proactive ... and for that we are grateful to Sheriff Williamson.
Damon Lamont Falls, 31, made a fatal error when he decided to struggle with police on July 5, 2010. He was in police custody for his part in an armed robbery. Instead of going to jail to face the music for that charge ... he died last week after being shot with a Taser and struggling with officers. [SOURCE]
Falls fled from officers who were investigating a report of a suspicious man, who was wearing a wig, fake mustache and fake beard tried to lure a clerk into the back room.
Officers arrived and saw the man drop or throw a pistol and run. One of the two officers who arrived first shot Falls with a Taser, and Falls struggled with officers when they caught up to him. Four more officers arrived to help with the arrest.
Police handcuffed Falls and stood him up. He then collapsed while being taken to a patrol car. Falls was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The six officers are on routine administrative leave pending an outcome of the investigation into the incident. The officers were identified as four-year veterans Jacob Cole, 26, Aaron Wake, 34, and Zachary Miller, 27, and one-year veterans Ramon Castro, 28, Daniel Herring, 30, and Tyler Duncan, 23.
Please let us know if you have any additional information or insights to share with us on this taser-related death.
I give credit Fox News for the fair and balanced manner in which they analyze this case of a Polish man electrocuted at a Canadian airport.
I encourage you to watch the video:
What are your thoughts after you see the video and listen to both sides of the argument? Should these police officers be fired? Should they face criminal charges for killing this man?
I was nudged twice in the past week by people that I respect. Each of them introduced me to Deonte Bridges. I had never heard of the young man before this week. However, any youngster that can earn over $1 million in scholarships for his college education is worthy of attention.
I invite all villagers to listen to his four-minute Valedictorian speech before fellow graduates, faculty, staff and parents at Booker T. Washington High School's graduation ceremony on May 28, 2010, at the Atlanta Civic Center.
What are your thoughts after listening to this young man?
The New Black Panther Party made its presence known in Newberry County ... the location of 30-year old Anthony Hill's dragging death.
"We fundamentally cannot allow a modern day lynching to take place," says party leader Malik Zulu Shabazz, "and we sit back and doing nothing about it."
The brutal murder is under investigation. Police say 19-year-old Gregory Collins shot and killed Hill before tying his body to a truck and dragging it ten miles. The incident is being considered as a possible hate crime.
"He was the best husband ever and the best father he could be," says Anthony’s estranged wife Aurea Hill. "When they told me what happened I was in shock."
Members of the New Black Panther Party have called for quicker action from law enforcement.
Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster insists that his department, along with federal officials are doing everything they can.
"What is perplexing to me and law enforcement is that we have a suspect in jail and charged with murder," says Sheriff Foster, "which is the highest crime that you can be charged with in the state of South Carolina."
According to Foster, Collins is sitting behind bars without bond as investigators continue their probe into what led up to the killing.
New Black Panther Party members and supporters say until Collins is charged with committing a hate crime, they will not be silenced.
"We as black people need to get together," says Newberry resident Leslie Means, "we need to come together with some unity and be as one."
The group has planned a march against hate crimes for July 17 in Newberry County.
I think that this blog may begin to keep an eye out on the new Black Panther Party over the coming days and weeks.Is there any activity from this group in your geographical area?
Team Ghana beat Team USA last week in the 2010 World Cup. One of the strongest players on the Ghana team is Asamoah Gyan. Team Ghana played 120 minutes of soccer against Team Uruguay ... and in the final seconds of the final minute a penalty was called and Asamoah had a free kick to win the game for his team.
See how it turned out:
Agony of Defeat ... I hope that we keep Asamoah Gyan in our prayers.He has to be feeling like the unluckiest guy on the face of the earth right now.
This game was watched by billions of people around the world. This game carried the hopes of the entire continent of Africa.
I think that this is now the worst individual moment in the history of sports.
African Americans are still being hit harder than most with the bad economy. A new employment report released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows us that the unemployment rate for African Americans dropped from 15.5% in May 2010 to 15.4% in June 2010.
The mainstream media is painting this month's report in a negative light -- 125,000 jobs were lost last month. The unemployment rate edged down from 9.7 percent to 9.5%. There was some positive news with private employers hiring increasing by 83,000 jobs last month.
President Obama is the hardest-working person that I know. His job is a never-ending series of crisis-management events. Yesterday he was working on the illegal immigration crisis.
Our president delivered an address at American University to "make the case for providing a path to legal status for the estimated 11 million people who live in the U.S. illegally."
Obama met with lawmakers earlier this week to discuss a strategy for passing immigration reform, "possibly during a lame-duck session of Congress after the November election."
I simply wish that our elected representatives would get together on come up with solutions to issues like comprehensive immigration reform. However, I can see that it is not possible when the Republicans are being as cynical as they are being in this "Just Say No" legislative policy. I'm glad that Obama is calling them out on it.
It is 2010, but the National Association of Black Journalists sees our cable news networks moving backward when it comes to who they believe is worthy of anchoring prime-time news shows.
NABJ was founded in 1975 to encourage news media companies to hire and to promote more Black journalists. At that time, Black journalists originally hired to cover riots during the turbulent 1960s found they were not being assigned to other meaningful beats or were only allowed to cover “Black” stories.
NABJ’s advocacy for fair hiring practices paid off. Many of our founders, including columnists Les Payne in New York and DeWayne Wickham in Washington, D.C., and anchor Maureen Bunyan in Washington, D.C. remain prominent figures in the media.
NABJ continues this advocacy today. To be candid, we have been focusing our talks with media executives on ways they can increase the diversity of their news management teams. It is our belief that a diverse management team improves coverage decisions and hiring practices. It seems, though, that the companies have taken that to mean that we don’t care about who is on the air. We’re watching, and we do.
Over the past several years, NABJ Executive Board members have met with leaders of the top media companies. Our message: “Let us help if you are looking for diverse talent.”
Some of the companies have reached out, but the names we have submitted never seem to be called in for interviews.
Three years ago, Ebony magazine’s Kevin Chappell noted, “While CNN has the most Black news anchors with eight, the other cable networks don’t (fare) as well… and none of the national cable stations has any Blacks in prime-time slots.”
Nothing has changed. NABJ questions CNN’s decision to hire former New York governor/attorney general Eliot Spitzer to co-host a new show in Campbell Brown’s old time slot. The company missed another opportunity to place a person of color in prime time. It just seems that cable news can never find diverse candidates who are good enough to meet their standards. We want to know your standards.
Are you telling us that CNN could find no one better than an ex-politician who quit being New York governor after consorting with prostitutes to grace America’s living rooms each night?
CNN does have Tony Harris anchoring in the morning, and Fredricka Whitfield, T.J. Holmes, and Don Lemon on the weekends. But that’s not prime time. The same can be said about MSNBC which last week named veteran Lawrence O’Donnell as the anchor of its new 10 p.m. show. The prime-time host line-up at Fox News also lacks any racial diversity.
“In his story, Chappell talked with NABJ Member and CBS News anchor Russ Mitchell who summed up what many of us have witnessed over the years. Mitchell told Ebony “I’ve been to journalism conferences over and over again, and heard some executive say ‘I’d like to hire more African-Americans, but I just can’t find any qualified ones out there.’ That was b.s. then, and that’s b.s. now.”
NABJ couldn’t agree more.
Sincerely,
The National Association of Black Journalists
Gray-Haired Witnesses Fast for Justice was held on June 21, 2010, calling attention to the growing numbers of incarcerated Black women and the gross over-sentencing in cases such as the Mississippi Scott Sisters, Jamie and Gladys. The Scott Sisters received double-life sentences each in an alleged armed robbery of $11.00 in which no one was harmed or injured, and for which they have steadfastly maintained their innocence. This outrageous case became all the more urgent when Jamie Scott, now in the 16th year of this draconian sentence, suffered kidney failure in January 2010 and has had several close calls with death as a result of poor medical treatment in the prison.
The rally began at the Department of Justice with a small but spirited protest and speak-out against the prison industrial complex, the disparity in arrests, sentencing and treatment during and after incarceration, particularly of Black people. Supporters came from as far as Boston and Mississippi to proclaim that the Scott Sisters be released from prison, as well as all those suffering under the MDOC system, one of the worst prison systems for medical care in the country.
“We are here to represent those who came before us,” stated Gray-Haired Witness B.J. Peak-Graham, "Our Ancestors cry through us demanding all justices denied."
Atty Sam Jordan was very thorough and spoke with great conviction, as well as Gloria & Clarence Bolls, Donnie Finley, Chioma Oruh, and more! They were each eloquent and adamant that an investigation into the case of the Scott Sisters needed to be a top item on the Washington agenda and that enough is truly enough for this devastating case!
Later that afternoon at Lafayette Park, the energy was still very high and a lot of information was shared with attendees and passersby. Brenda Branson, Spoken Word and Slangston Hughes were among those who brought the power to bear on this system during their hard-hitting and impassioned spoken word presentations, and the crowd was visibly moved by a beautiful musical performance by Khadijah “Moon” Ali-Coleman. The many speakers who brought dynamic information to the rally included Returning Citizens United, UNIA Pres. General Senghor Jawara Baye, Clinton Alexander, Atty Nkechi Taifa, Mike Johnson, revered community mother and esteemed elder Mama Nia, and more, that made for a very meaningful day of education and information that lit up the entire square and reached everyone within earshot. Atty Ann Wilcox also took the stage and spoke in solidarity on behalf of the local Green Party and the Gray Panthers.
Portions of the rally were very moving and being in the shadow of the White House made them all the more poignant.
Gray-Haired Witness, Jamia Shepherd, read from heartbreaking letters from Jamie and Gladys Scott, one in which Jamie wrote: “I’ve been robbed of so much by the state of Mississippi until I can’t feel anymore. But in the midst of this pain, I do also feel the love and support from each of you. Please stay strong in your stand for justice. One day we shall overcome. I just pray my day won’t be too late.”
The organizers were uplifted by those in attendance as well as all of those who supported but were unable to attend, and all expressed their love and admiration for the awe-inspiring courage and fortitude of Mrs. Evelyn Rasco, the true engine behind all of the organizing that goes on with respect to her beloved and suffering daughters. The movement is growing and all of the people who are organizing on behalf of the Scott Sisters around the country and world will be heard!
“We come from a history of struggle, we must relearn that we don’t just lay down and accept injustice!” said Gray-Haired Witness Marpessa Kupendua.
The women vowed to remain consistent and continue to move forward in the spirit of Ida B. Wells on this case and in other efforts to demand an end to the demonization and dehumanization of the Black community in general and Black women in particular in the future.
I encourage all villagers to find a way to support the Scott Sisters ... even if it is simply with the power of your prayer!
Angela James was a trailblazer on the ice, a fierce competitor who piloted Canada’s national women’s hockey team to four world championships. James blazed another trail when she was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame last week.
James, 45, is the first Black woman voted into the hall and the second Black player ever to receive the honor. She joins Grant Fuhr, a Black five-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender with the Edmonton Oilers, who entered the Hall in 2003. She will be formally inducted into the Hall, located in Toronto, in November.
“On behalf of everyone in women’s hockey, I am truly honored,” James said. “As a kid, I went to the Hall and was in awe of those who had been inducted. I am delighted to be able to join them.”
James was dubbed “the Wayne Gretzky of women’s hockey” in Canada and is regarded as one of the first superstars of modern women’s hockey. She had a distinguished playing career at Toronto’s Seneca College – where she currently works as a sports co-coordinator – leading her team to several championships. The school retired her number 8 jersey.
She moved on to the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association in the late 1970s, where she led her in scoring in eight seasons and was named its most valuable player in six seasons. In 1990, she was selected to the Canadian national team for the inaugural Women’s Champion in Ottawa. There, she powered the team to a gold medal by scoring a tournament-leading 11 goals in five games.
James was the driving force in leading the Canadian women to more gold at championships in Tampere, Finland in 1992, in Lake Placid in 1994 and in Kitchener, Ontario in 1997. She also powered Team Canada to gold medals in the Three Nations Cup tournaments in 1996 and 1999.
In all, James was a medalist in 12 national championships and won four world championships. She was named MVP at eight Canadian championships, scored 34 points in 20 games over the first four world championships in 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1997. She is the only Black Canadian to captain her country’s national hockey team.
“Back in the days when we wore pink uniforms, we did what it took to get our game on the map,” James told the Canadian Press. “We didn’t care if we were wearing polka-dots, we just wanted to play.”
For all her goals, medals, and awards, James never played in the Winter Olympics. In a controversial move, she was left off the women’s hockey team.
“I don’t look at this as retribution,” James told The New York Times of her induction and the 1998 Olympic slight. “I look at this as a great day for women’s hockey.”
Her Olympic exclusion – which many said was like keeping legendary New York Rangers team Captain Mark Messier of the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team – didn’t stop the accolades from coming.
She received Hockey Canada’s Female Breakthrough Award in 2005, was inducted into the Black Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2006.
Two years later, she, Cammi Granato, and Geraldine Heaney became the first women inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. Last year, James was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
I encourage all villagers to take a moment to share some love with Hockey Hall of Famer Angela James for being such a remarkable athlete!
I invite curious villagers to join us as we sojourn through our next blog safari. We use these occassional blog safari expeditions to enjoy the flow from talented bloggers out in the afrosphere. I hope you enjoy these suggested blog posts!
We support the 'Am I Not Human?' blogging campaign that lights up on the 27th of each month. I encourage all villagers to find a way to support this effort to shine a light on human rights abuses taking place all over the world.
This blog tracks taser-related deaths. One of these killings occurred at the US/Mexico border near San Diego. It turns out that these border killings are more frequent than I imagined.
As a result, this blog joins with Human Rights Watch, American Civil Rights Union and others in calling for the US government to conduct a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation of the recent killings of two Mexican citizens by US border agents. The increasing number of episodes in which migrants are killed or wounded by border agents, raises grave concerns about possible unlawful use of lethal force.
Border control agents shot and killed Adrian Hernandez, 15, on the evening of June 7, 2010, at a railroad bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, with El Paso, Texas, after rock-throwing migrants confronted agents during an arrest. In a separate incident, Anastacio Hernandez Rojas died on May 31 after being electrocuted by border control agents on May 28 with a taser gun at the San Ysidro border crossing.
According to the Mexican government, the number of incidents in which Mexicans were killed or wounded by border patrol has increased significantly in the past three years. Five Mexicans were killed or wounded in 2008 by the border patrol. The total in 2009 was 12, and there have been 17 incidents already in 2010.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a statement that in the June 7 incident, agents encountered a group of suspected illegal immigrants entering the United States and arrested two of them. The others fled across the border and began throwing rocks at the agents. One agent fired several shots, killing Adrian Hernandez. The victim's family says that he was not involved in the rock throwing and had not crossed the border.
In the earlier incident, the San Diego police said that Hernandez Rojas, 42, attacked the border patrol agents as they prepared to return him to Mexico. One agent allegedly struck Hernandez Rojas with a baton, and then another agent electrocuted him with a taser gun. Hernandez Rojas stopped breathing and showed no pulse. He was taken off life support three days later. Hernandez Rojas reportedly had been in the United States since the age of 14. He had been deported after a traffic violation, returned to the United States and was rearrested on the afternoon of May 28.
The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials provide that authorities shall, as far as possible, apply nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force and firearms. The Basic Principles provide that if the lawful use of force and firearms is unavoidable, then the authorities must use restraint and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offense. Lethal force may be used only when strictly unavoidable to protect life. The Basic Principles also call for an effective reporting and review process, especially in cases of death and serious injury.
President Obama continues to have a remarkable series of legislative successes during the past 18 months. Today he is very close to signing legislation that reforms Wall Street. He uses his weekly address to talk about it:
The purpose of the Lilly/BDPA Scholarship is to recognize outstanding minority students, with an interest in information technology, who make significant contributions to society. Applicants must excel academically, show exceptional leadership potential, and make an impact on their communities through service to others.
Lilly/BDPA Scholars will be awarded a one-time $2,500 scholarship that may be used to pursue an information technology focused degree at an accredited four-year college or university of their choice. The Lilly/BDPA Scholarship may be used to supplement benefits from the college or university a student plans to attend and fellowships from other foundations or organizations. Students may use the scholarship to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other college-related expenses.
Scholarship winners will be selected based on the application, essay, and letters of recommendation.
To be eligible for Lilly/BDPA Scholarship, each applicant must:
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States
Be a graduating high school senior or current college student in good standing at the time of their application.
Demonstrate academic achievement (minimum GPA of 3.0)
Exhibit leadership ability through academic or civic involvement and participate in community service activities
Complete application packet must include the following:
Scholarships will be awarded only to students who fully meet the scholarship requirements. All application materials must be RECEIVED on or before July 9, 2010 in order to be eligible.Incomplete, e-mailed or faxed applications will not be considered!
We will announce the Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners during the 2010 National BDPA Technology Conference in Philadelphia, PA. We are very proud of our past Lilly/BDPA scholarship winners:
Do you know any high school or college kids looking to study in a technology-based field during college? Can they use a $2,500 scholarship? If so, you need to share this information with them right away!
Villagers should know that an evidentiary hearing for death row inmate Troy Davis is taking place today in a Savannah federal district court. According to his sister, Martina Correia, Mr. Davis is in a great spirit and prayerful about the pending outcome.
“Troy is in total prayer, asking God to deliver him. He says people keep asking him why he’s not upset or broken down by now. It is because he believes God is protecting him," said Ms. Correia. [SOURCE]
Troy was sentenced to death for the 1991 killing of Mark McPhail, a police officer in Savannah, Georgia. We have posted before that the State of Georgia should not kill Troy Davis because there is no physical evidence tying him to the crime and seven out of nine witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony.
The high court ordered a federal judge in Georgia to determine whether there is evidence "that could not have been obtained at the time of trial (that) clearly establishes petitioner's innocence."
