I AM BLACK HISTORY...photo shoot

So I have an amazing idea that can really become something if others are willing to participate. Black History Month is right around the corner and I would like to put together an I AM BLACK HISTORY story portfolio through pictures...each day we will pay homage and profile black leaders + everyday heroes with young people. Meaning I would be Harriet Tubman...take a scene from her life and bring it into 2012! Side by side photos Harriet then and Harriet now...get it? Got it. So let me know if you are interested. I already have the photographer and the first few people lined up. E-mail 1voicehavoc@gmail.com with your ideas...SPREAD THE WORD

A dream...deferred

A dream that is deeply rooted in the American Dream...

I Have A Dream Speech 

January 16, 2012 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr birthday is observed for millions to either perform various acts of community service, attend a ceremony commemorating his honor, work or sit at home and complain about what MLK was/what he stood for/how Malcolm X should have his own holiday. So what was his dream about? Was his dream ever realized or are we still dreaming in his honor, hoping to be able to one day reach the Promised Land?

One major point that stands out from the I Have  A Dream speech is: 

1. Equality for all mankind. Black, white, yellow, blue and red - we should all be afforded the same opportunities as everyone else. He wanted there to come a time when no matter what color of skin you are, you received treatment based on your character (how you treat others). You see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived during one of the most inhumane times known to mankind. African Americans were treated brutally in their community, at the polls and one was even killed for whistling at someone of another color. He was a heroic leader during the Civil Rights Movement, not afraid to speak up about indifference and led a nation of people out of a time of darkness.

It is said that he didn't want to be in the spotlight. He didn't sit in on those meetings initially to become the leader of the Civil Rights Movement, but someone saw a quality in him that surpassed all others. So he answered the call and 44 years later we are working to make sure his dream is realized. However, now the dream takes on a different meaning. Blacks weren't able to sit at the same lunch counters as whites, had to sit at the back of the bus and were looked at as second class citizens. Has much changed? Yes, we can now eat wherever we like without worrying about consequences because of our skin color, we are also able to hold political offices and go to school with our white counterparts. Equal opportunity education for all was a major focus of the Civil Rights Movement. 

"One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition."

However today I am worried about the meaning of his dream and would like us to take the dream a step further. MLK as well as Malcolm X worked alongside other influential African Americans who didn't use the word "nigger" freely (most didn't use it at all), they fought for a people who took pride in their education and their communities. Here we are in 2012 where a huge number of African Americans look at education as a backup plan. Our communities have been infiltrated with drugs and violence (mostly black on black or police brutality), nigger and bitch is used synonymously with friend/enemy/woman, and the communities we live have trash up and down the street, we don't support black businesses and the village that used to raise a child? Burned down. Now we have leaders such as Cornel West and Tavis Smiley who wish to criticize President Barack Obama for not caring about the poor people in America, in my opinion Smiley and West don't care either. They set out on a Poverty Tour, but what was the result? Did they put a plan in motion to help those who they talked to, did they network with other community leaders to put an end to the issues addressed? We are focusing on the wrong things and need to get back to the dream...

You see Dr. King's "Poor People Campaign" demanded economic aid for the poorest communities in the United States. He didn't go with the intentions of a personal vendetta or act like a child because he wasn't invited over Malcolm X house for dinner one night... (cue Tavis)

"We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality." 

So what would his dream be today? As we look around and see the same people of color who worked effortlessly 44 years ago to make sure that we had the same rights as everyone else and were looked at as normal human beings, become complacent with the state of our being. The issue today is still the same -racism and hatred that existed since Africans were first brought over to this country, but now it seems that we inflict a lot of the issues upon ourselves. We don't have to worry about the "enemy" killing us off because gangs now handle that problem. There is no need to sit around and discuss schools not teaching our children because once they go home parents either don't follow up or are busy working and providing for the roof over their head. So I am asking that we take this dream a step further and bring it back home. I am not saying turn a blind eye to the institutionalized racism or the many curve balls that the government seems to throw our way, let's just focus on making ourselves better - OUR PEOPLE, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR HOMES, OUR FAMILIES.

"For some reason I can never be what I ought to be, until you are what you ought to be"

The Civil Rights Movement was a time when there was blatant hatred aims at blacks, 2012 the same problem still exists it's just more covert and we can't seem to understand that. We feel as if we have arrived because we can now join hands and eat at the same table as our white counterparts. So was his dream realized? In that aspect yes. But look at us now and tell me what the dream is....what will you do to protect what we once were and get us back to that? Don't let his dream die with him.

Gil Scot Heron - A Message to the Messengers 

Literacy Awareness Month - Support!

Well over here at Having A Voice of Change (HAVOC), we have declared the month of March - Literacy Awareness Month. Yaaaay! Finally a month where we focus on illiteracy rates in our communities, work with families who need help with tutoring/mentoring and also provide FREE information for those who are providing sources to help combat the issue of illiteracy.

This cause is just as important to us as Breast Cancer Awareness and AIDS/HIV. Why? Because since the age of social media (Facebook, Twitter) we have noticed millions of people not being able to type complete and correct sentences as well as several grammatical errors. During the Literacy Promotes Success program in Atlanta this past school year we worked one-on-one with elementary school students helping them with reading comprehension. As well as volunteering at several public schools with third grade students. The number of children who can't read complete sentences + use correct spelling when writing sentences was visibly overwhelming.

The Walk for Literacy combines two causes into one great event. Maintaining and encouraging healthy lifestyles for children in inner-city communities and also READING READING READING.

Some events that we have lined up for the month are
1. Popup book clubs at the Fulton County libraries each week. Adult and children books will be discussed (two separate meetings)
2. Conversations in Black - an artistic event for spoken word, poetry, music and live art. Come out and support local artists as well as hear great music in the city of Atlanta.

3. Walk for Literacy 2012 - will be held March 24, 2012. More details to come.

Summer Jobs !!

Rebuild the dream has posted information regarding the White House program to employ 180,000 low income youth in 2012 ---> yay! (no excuse for some of them now) Even though this doesn't cover every single young person out there it is a start in a positive direction. Check out the article and spread the word to anyone who may be looking for a summer job...

Rebuild the Dream

Remember to be the change, don't just look for it...

Hip Hop Youth Center

The Elementz Hip Hop Youth Center in Cincinnati  decided to do something different for youth in their city.  Instead of assuming what young people needed they asked them, what would make you happy? What inspires you? Most of the time we assume that we know how to control or stimulate the minds of children and are absolutely wrong. If we can't reach them then how can we teach them? So we should salute places like the Elementz Hip Hop Youth Center for being apart of the change and catering to the needs of young people.

The center provides free art classes and mentors youth allowing them to relieve tension in a positive way.  The center was founded in February 2003 after the city experienced a major increase in violence and to encourage youth to go to college and provide a safe haven for them after-school.  We need more community centers like this worldwide, not just Cincinnati. Now a days people are just collecting money claiming to help youth when the same problems still exist.

Check out more of their story here... Elementz Hip Hop Youth Center

Motivational Mondays

Motivational Mondays highlights young individuals (ages 12-28) doing positive things in their community and with their life. Each Monday we are looking for a new person to show off their work, talents or community service efforts so that more people can celebrate their behavior. If you know of someone who is a good candidate just send us their information at 1voicehavoc@gmail.com