Telling The Story Of Police Brutality And Justice Toward Black People

Raising voices and telling stories - two things that are vital in communities which are underrepresented. Raising voices and telling stories are things that happened in the aftermath of the shooting death of Michael Brown at the hands of police. Black voices were raised to tell of injustice and of law enforcement efforts directed, frequently brutally, towards their minority community. Raised voices and stories truthfully told helped in healing by bringing institutional violence back, at least a little bit, into the national conversation.

Through a project, THE TRUTH TELLING PROJECT, there is this possibility, this voicing of stories, the sharing of truth, educating beyond the black community, by raising voices. The truth will be told of the systemic racism that holds all of us back, because in holding back one group of people, we hold ourselves back.



The truth of owning the past and the present is that we can change our future; we can heal. But we must let the voices of those oppressed be heard, especially when it comes to solutions, to reconciling, to bringing ourselves together. The Truth-Telling Project has provided venues for these discussions to take place, discussing particular aspects of the issues, bringing bright and experienced African-American individuals into the discussion. Another consideration has been discussing alternative forms of justice that do not involve incarceration, such as restorative justice.

Besides face-to-face discussions, other forms of truth-telling have been considered. Utilizing media, as occurred over one month during the summer, chronicled the story of Ferguson and Mike Brown from the perspective of five youth protesters. That turned into the documentary, Youth Speak Truth. Media is also incorporated onto the project's website and continues to document the stories of those subjected to police brutality, along with an alternative justice archive.

The latest podcast was published last month. A discussion of the phrase "Ferguson is Everywhere" not only talked about the building frustration in one area, but also widened the concept into a pervasive Black experience around this country. In a similar fashion, the chants of "Whose street?" that were heard in the Ferguson protests were picked up around the country, as black people voiced the oppression they felt everywhere.

Sabaah Folayan, an activist from New York, who had traveled to Ferguson to participate in that protest, made the cry of protest into a film, Whose Street?, which tells the story of the protests, along with the media distortions of those protests. Ms. Folayan's intent was to portray the love and fellowship, the courage and the beauty among the protesters on the front lines. It is planned that the movie will premiere at this year's Sundance.

Correcting the media is a way of conveying truth.

Taylor Payne, the second guest, has been holding knitting meet-ups on the East Coast, teaching people to knit for black liberation. An advantage of knitting, actually takes those who knit out of depending upon the capitalist system for clothing items, since they can be designed and made. Knitting groups can also serve as places to carry on discussion of issues pertaining to the black community and its relationship to other parts of society.

Thanks for information from this page on Truth-Telling Project: http://thetruthtellingproject.org/about-us; this page from the same site: http://thetruthtellingproject.org/#youth-speaks-truth; this page from We Stay Woke: http://westaywoke.blogspot.com/2017/01/episode-31-political-climate-happy.html; and the above link.

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Catholic School Week At The Catholic High School of Baltimore

The Catholic High School of Baltimore.

Back in 1938, a property known as the Raming Estate became the site of a new Catholic high school. By 1939 the school was completed and was ready for its first class of students, comprised of 254 freshmen, to begin on Sept. 6, 1939. The school's name was/is THE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL OF BALTIMORE, taught by the Sisters of St. Francis of Glen Riddle, PA.

Located on the east side of Baltimore, The Catholic High School has 300 female students in grades 9 to 12, coming from the city and several counties surrounding the Baltimore area. Although this high school is still under the Catholic archdiocese, it accepts students of all different religious denominations.



All of the area Catholic schools are commemorating Catholic School Week this week, and The Catholic High School is no exception. In fact this high school highlighted its differences and trailblazing efforts to showcase its uniqueness. Back in 2008, the school became the first all-female Catholic high school with a STEM program. But since then, it has added three specialized programs - Biomedical, Visual Performing Arts, and the Archangel program. In addition, the students can also take advanced placement courses and earn college credits before even setting a toe on a college campus.

Students learn to think globally through the Global Initiative, which provides critical thinking skills and points students toward discovering solutions to real issues around the world. Then, also, is the Green Club, which helps students think environmentally and maintain the school's status as a Green School. Then, also, is the added value of spirituality, based on the traditions of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. Even more, the spiritual values help students develop into future leaders.

Of course, students participated in a special liturgy at Mass and then allowed time for reflection on the Franciscan Five values, on which the school's identity is based. Students reflected on three different questions within classroom settings. In condensed version, 1. What gifts were you given and how do you use them to help others? 2. What are things to avoid in this current world? What can you do that is "good and pleasing and perfect"? How do you spread the word of God? 3. Bonus: What is the name of the crucifix that is all around the school?

Some of the honorees at the school's award ceremony.

This week is wrapping up with an honors assembly. That awards program honors students who have achieved silver and gold honors in the past quarter. Presentations are made in front of friends, family, and the student body. In addition, students of the month during the quarter were also honored.

Students in the school library for Faculty Appreciation Tea.

Thanks for information from this page: http://thecatholichighschool.org/about_us/; this page: http://thecatholichighschool.org/about_us/profile/; and this article: http://thecatholichighschool.org/news/article/viva_catholic_high; along with the above link, all from The Catholic High School of Baltimore.

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Providing Better Hearing For Those In Need

At the Ears4Me booth at a local health fair.

Hearing - we all know how important that basic sense can be. From being able to hear a beautiful concerto, to picking up a cry of distress from a baby, hearing enables full participation in the human world.

But what happens when your hearing ability worsens, or fails? Not often does health insurance provide for the treatment needed, especially hearing aids and hearing protection. If a person is just making the minimal income to get by, paying for expensive protections and hearing aids falls right off the budget.



That's where EARS4ME, started by Fred McClory, enters the picture. For 30 years, Mr. McClory had been experiencing progressive hearing loss, which had become profound as he entered his senior years. Then, like many others before him, he received a cochlear implant at the age of 77, about five years ago. He continued, "From having a profound hearing loss which leads to all kinds of mental and physical problems; to be able to hear again, is simply a life-changing experience. At times I still cry tears of happiness."

Ears4Me serves the Coachella Valley in California, by partnering with medical and dental clinics in the more remote areas, to provide free hearing screenings, exams, and various types of amplifiers. Every year, the organization provides free hearing screenings at local health fairs, along with separate hearing screening events, and has provided approximately 270 individuals with fitted hearing amplifiers. This year, the group intends to increase the number of hearing screening events by ten and hope to be able to fit another 150 individuals with hearing amplifiers.

Fred McClory (right) helps fit a client with a hearing amplifier.

On Jan 7, Ears4Me participated in a new health fair called Eyes And Ears in Palm Beach, held by the former mayor. That event resulted in fitting five people with hearing amplifiers, with two of them receiving two. A few days later on Jan. 10, the organization visited the Senior Center in Coachella, where six out of the nine seniors tested received one fitted hearing amplifier each, to be seen at a later time for fitting a second ear amplifier. So, the organization is off to a good start towards meeting this year's goals. With more donations, Ear4Me plans to become involved in providing services for those living at Senior Citizens Low Income Housing in Palm Beach.

Look for their logo at local hearing screening events.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://www.facebook.com/ears4me.org; this post on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ears4me.org/posts/585187228346819; this article on Ears4Me: http://www.ears4me.org/copy-of-our-purpose-1; and the above link.

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Powerful And Award-Winning Documentaries

Film crew on the scene in Malaysia for the series, #EndCrimeNotLife.

Storytelling through film and video, documenting an emerging world view, providing a platform and venue for inspiration by individuals, businesses, and organizations. An apt description for a media production company. Even with a focus on the work of its founder and filmmaker, Dawn Mikkelson, it's an award-winning company that produces distinguished documentaries. That company is EMERGENCE PICTURES. And although you may not have ever heard of this production company, you may have seen its films on your local PBS network.

One of the documentaries already filmed, the first in a series, #EndCrimeNotLife, commissioned by the Coalition for the Abolition of the Death Penalty in ASEAN (The Association of East Asian Nations). This first video documented the situation of Madame Eswari's son, who had borrowed a friend's car and was stopped by police and found with a small quantity of drugs. The drugs did not have his fingerprints, the car didn't belong to him, yet the judge ruled him guilty. And the penalty for that small quantity of drugs, is death.



The video depicts the sadness of the mother and her anguish over her son's sentence, due to be completed this year. The young man was the economic support for his family, thus explaining his need for the borrowed car. The lawyer and the mother both explain their involvement with the young man sentenced. It is meant to leave the viewer thinking about justice and whether justice was really served in this case, and others like it.

Another film that is still in the process of development and the majority of it is already filmed is RISKING LIGHT. This documentary is planned to tell the story of forgiveness, from the perspective of individuals, who have been deeply aggrieved. One of the women in the film lost her only son at the age of 21 to a killer who was only 16 years old. Yet, years later, she met with the man who killed her son and found forgiveness deep in her own heart. Others are Debra, an Australian of mixed aborigine origin, who was taken from her family, placed in foster care, and brutally abused; Kilong, who lived in Cambodia and was taken into slave labor, starved, and beaten; and O'Shea, who killed a young man, whose mother took the time to truly forgive him.

Ms. Mikkelson was at the time she filmed her story, struggling with her own issues of trust, from filming some of the dark side of life. She wanted to understand the hope that emanated from the people who forgave what seemed to be unforgivable. And so, the film will show how that forgiveness emerged and provides hope for others, too. In order to give this film the best publicity, so large audiences can see this hope, there is a campaign online, here: https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/risking-light#updates; to spark the spread of knowledge that this film is out there and worthwhile, hopeful, for those interested. You know, this campaign may also be here at quite an apt time; it could be something that helps a country divided, looking at forgiveness for each other and being more tolerant of humanity.

The End Crime, Not Life campaign.

Thanks for information from this article on Charter For Compassion: https://www.charterforcompassion.org/emergence-pictures; this Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/EmergencePictures/posts/10153768469756401; this Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/EmergencePictures/posts/10153476112706401; and the above links.

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Helping Those Without Permanent Housing In Detroit

Doxie (right) met Ross, who came to Detroit to distribute gift packs to those without permanent homes. 

Hope resides in the City of Detroit. It is the inspirational city dwellers who have never given up on the City they call home. All of the bad press about the City's failure hasn't stopped their hope.

One of the individuals who has enthusiasm and faith in her City is Danielle "Doxie" Kaltz. She's been one of the shining lights to those who live on Detroit's streets, those without permanent shelter. Maybe it's her humanity or maybe it has just been her outreach and respect, but that's having an influence.

It may be this simple gesture of volunteers working together for DETROIT BURNERS WITHOUT BORDERS of providing the basics for their clientele that makes a difference. So many people thinking about those in need. The backing of a worldwide organization, BURNERS WITHOUT BORDERS, which provides disaster relief and assistance with community initiatives, like the Detroit project. It all goes into the Detroit organization. 

So, what does this organization do? It starts with collecting backpacks. Then those backpacks are filled with such items as toiletries, gift cards, emergency blankets, foot warmers, wipes, scarves, hand warmers, even cans of baked beans. More than that, though, Doxie learns about the people, whom she serves, who found themselves in such difficult circumstances. And then, with their permission, includes their stories in her blog posts.

Jennie Kay, who knows Doxie Katz well, talks about her devotion, "Doxie is a doer. She doesn't wait for the 501c3 [tax-exempt paperwork] to be filed, the structure of things to get figured out...she sees a need, she gets it done, especially when it comes to helping the welfare and outcome of others."

One of Doxie's posts from last month discusses an outing into the city with a family group who accompanied her into the City to give out backpacks. The couple had both their own children and two nephews who were in their late teens or young adult age group. One of the youth came from Canada and the group noted that similar issues with homelessness also occurred in Canada. 

Doxie and Michael, from Congregation of Every 1, are ready to hit the streets with extra canned goods.

Windsor is just over the US-Canadian border from Detroit and a local radio station was on and discussing homelessness in Windsor. The estimate was that at least 200 people there live in the streets every night. You never know if someone you love could one day be in the situation of no longer having a permanent residence. So many people live from paycheck to paycheck, and just one day of illness could mean that difference between a home or no home. And that's a whole different perspective on this issue. 

Volunteers together assembling backpacks with necessary supplies.

Thanks for information from this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/doxie-kaltz-burners-without-borders/; this post from Doxie's blog: https://bwbdetroit.wordpress.com/2017/01/16/thank-you-to-michelle-chris-and-family/; and the above links.

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Expertise In Accounting And Consulting

Members of the KatzAbosch Medical Team, who hosted a Medical Boot Camp last month.

Personal accounting, tax services, and financial and management consulting - those are some of the services offered by KATZABOSCH, located in Timonium, MD. Not only can you receive these services, but you are offered personalized one-to-one attention, while also benefiting from the expertise of their entire team. Client satisfaction is quite high, with services exceeding client expectations about 90% of the time.

In November, KatzAbosch held its first annual Government Contracting Symposium. The focus of most sessions was on cyber security, along with current issues and trends in this area. Keynote speaker Ken McCready, Director of Cybersecurity and Aerospace Business and Economic Development at Maryland Department of Commerce, highlighted some of the trends looming for the year 2017.

In the morning, a panel of three experts engaged in discussion of how cyber threats can affect the energy, finance, and professional services companies. Moderator Josh Sutherland, CPA, Principal at KatzAbosch, kept the discussion moving along. Some of the areas covered ranged from the biggest risks that could lead to cyber attacks to information on preparing budgets to account for cyber protection.

Another panel, also facilitated by Mr. Sutherland, covered successful teaming arrangements to grow your business. Four executives of local data companies made up the panel. Topics included trends, subcontracting and hiring processes, and perspectives on procurement and growth,''

In the afternoon, James Bratten, President and CEO of EzGovOpps, spoke about the new GSA "requirements for transactional data reporting". Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, who has served for 12 years on the House Intelligence Committee, was the keynote speaker. He spoke about his area of expertise in the areas of cyber security and cyber threats. He discussed how companies could protect themselves from these threats and the areas from which these attacks come. He kindly took time to answer audience questions.

Ken McCready, keynote speaker at Government Contracting Symposium.

One of the highlights of the day was a special thank you to service members, since Veterans Day occurred close to the day of the symposium. The Marine Corps also was celebrating their 241st anniversary. A special cake was presented to mark the occasion, with Mark Powell, who was a panelist earlier in the day, receiving the cake. Other Marines in the audience participated in cutting the cake.

In all, there were 100 attendees at the event, which took place at The Hotel At Arundel Preserve in Hanover. Sponsoring organizations included Chesapeake Regional Tech Council; Cyber Security Association of Maryland, Inc.; The Columbia Bank; and Unanet.

A special cake for the Marine Corps.

Thanks for information from this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/KatzAbosch/about/?ref=page_internald; this article on KatzAbosch: https://www.katzabosch.com/news/katzabosch-holds-first-annual-government-contracting-symposium/; and the above link.

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Defending Against the Indefensible

Some of the protesters at JFK International; it's quite a commitment for each protester, $50 just to get there.

Lately, we've been seeing a lot of one organization that is prominent in protecting people from the extreme abuses of the Trump administration. That organization, the AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION (ACLU), has a long and distinguished history. In existence for nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been on the job "defending and preserving the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States". At no other time in our history, have we cried out and needed the expertise of this organization, like we need it now.

While the Trump administration has made it their business to codify discrimination and bigotry into an unlawful ban against Muslim refugees, the ACLU has undertaken the task of defending these vulnerable individuals through the very laws that Trump's administration is ignoring. Despite court orders from a federal court in Brooklyn, NY, which prevented deportation of those with visas and green cards, and Boston, that placed a temporary stay on detention and additional interrogation of those caught in the ban for 7 to 10 days, Trump and his officials have been ignoring the judicial orders.



In fact, Trump administration action has not gone unnoticed by the ACLU. Joanne Lin, senior legislative counsel, stated, "We've received many reports of potential violations of court orders. We're looking into those, and whether or not people are going to have to sue the federal government to enforce the court orders."

Another court in Virginia had mandated that those being detained and questioned have access to lawyers. Reince Priebus, on Meet the Press, had pronounced that those with green cards weren't being targeted, but that border agents can still detain anyone from the banned countries if they deem them "up to no good".

However, this entire exercise of ignoring court orders has been very upsetting for travelers from the countries that Trump deemed to be banned. At LAX, Sarah Fatemi, a graduate student who was helping to translate for families affected many of whom went for hours without food, has noticed the level of distress. She noted, "A lot of  people were exhausted, they were crying, they were running into each other's arms. There was a steady stream of about two at a time coming into arrivals. We were handing out food, we would give them intake forms to fill out and give to an attorney in case they'd been harassed or given a difficult time." She returned the next day and also noted that there were more Farsi-speaking greeters to help passengers.

A large group of Iranian Americans live in the area of LAX and mobilized quickly. Some came looking for family members who were in flight when the Trump orders were issued. Kamryn Taghizadeh was waiting for her 80-year-old grandfather and found out that he had been detained, even though he had a green card. She was clutching a sign, which said, "Free My Grandpa", as she tried to locate him. The trip from Iran had lasted a long nine hours, after he had already spent five hours on the drive to the airport.

Some of the hard work of those who do the work at ACLU.

Ms. Taghizadeh detailed the ordeal that her grandfather endured, "He doesn't speak any English, so they were trying to interrogate him, but he couldn't reply. They were asking him questions over and over, even though he couldn't answer because of the language barrier. We had no contact with him either, because his cell phone doesn't work in America. It was very hard on him, he was just so tired." Finally, he was released at 1:45 AM. Kamryn then rushed toward him and gave him a big hug. She said, "I just broke down. It was so heartbreaking."

And that was just one of many stories. A five-year-old boy was detained until, finally, he was released to his mother. A young woman, a data scientist, who has lived legally in South Carolina for seven years, cut short her visit to Iran and frantically tried to get back to her home. Her trip didn't end so well, since she ended up being deported, with no hearing, and all of her belongings, including her puppy, left behind in the home she may never see again. It boggles the mind how twisted the logic is from those who are left with the task of justification. But - there is no justification. Pontificating about the dangerous nature of a five-year-old, as Sean Spicer did, only shows the cruel and heartless lengths that those who have sold their souls to Trump have gone. Keep the light shining, ACLU. We really, really need you right now. And we want to let those from the black list countries know that we want to roll out the red carpet for you, we really do. Those protesters at the airports are about getting to the point that we can right that wrong committed against you.

The ACLU is also helping to defend against deportations without at least a day in court.

Thanks for information from this article by Sonya Narang and Angilee Shah on PRI: https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-01-30/federal-judges-have-temporarily-blocked-parts-trump-s-immigration-restrictions; and the above link.

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