Posted on Sat, Dec. 29, 2007

Marchers mourn the loss of black men to violence

BY ANDREA ROBINSON

The men came from South Dade, Miami, Miramar and beyond to Carol City Park Saturday to march in silence and remember black fathers, sons and brothers who have died violently.

Declaring the killings a curse on the community, they evoked a clear message: We must do better.

The Miami-Dade branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, People United to Lead the Struggle for Equality and ministers led about 300 men, teenagers and toddlers in a silent march through Miami Gardens followed by a rally to protest the increasing violence plaguing South Florida.

Organizers hope the display of unity will encourage peace.

''This march is in memory of all the brothers we've lost. They can't speak any longer so we have to do it for them,'' said Victor T. Curry, the local NAACP branch president who suggested the idea months ago, following fatal police shootings of unarmed black men, and ``brothers killing each other.'' [Continue reading…]

Art by Shirley Shelton 

During the Kwanzaa ceremony, Kukumbuka (Remembering), the ancestors and those who have lived and applied the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles) with songs, poetry, literature, music or deeds are remembered and honored. It is in that spirit the names of individuals who transitioned during 2007 are listed below. Feel free to leave a comment including the name of your loved one who passed away this year.

• Effi Barry
• Elias Blake
• Judge Jane Bolin
• Robert "Buck" Brown
• Roscoe Lee Browne
• Chad Butler AKA "Pimp C"
• Julia Carson
• George W. Clinch
• Pateesha Clinch
• Alice Coltrane
• William Dandy
• Art Davis
• Sgt. Donnie Dixon
• Lucky Dube
• Cecilia Dunn
• Catherine Finch
• Nailah Franklin
• Eddie Griffin (professional basketball)
• Rep. Augustus Hawkins
• Billy Henderson
• Oliver Hill
• Dr. Asa G. Hilliard
• Pookie Hudson
• Joe Hunter
• Pamela Hutchinson
• Luther Ingram
• Rev. Dr. Robert Ingram
• Linda Innocent
• Stebbins Jefferson
• Dennis Johnson
• Adrian Dennis Jones
• Hercules "Pops" Joyner
• Yolanda King
• Ernie Ladd
• Robert Weldon Lawrence
• Henry LeTang
• Marissa Lightbourne
• Calvin Lockhart
• Jon Lucien
• Lamar Lundy
• Harold Madison Jr. AKA "Mr. Butch"
• Judge William McAnulty
• Jesse J. McCrary
• Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald
• Barbara McNair
• Rep. Parren Mitchell
• Frances Murphy
• Bishop G.E. Patterson
• Frankie Bell Payton
• Oscar Peterson
• Max Roach
• Eddie Robinson
• Percy Rodrigues
• Fred Ross
• Dr. Sheryl Shivers-Blackwell
• Monica Smart
• Lowell Smith
• Dakota Staton
• Darryl Stingley
• Sekou Sundiata
• Sean Taylor
• Zola Taylor
• Hansel Tookes
• Walter Turnbull
• Ike Turner
• Johnny "J.B." Turner
• Dr. Donda West
• Willye B. White
• Audrey Bethel Williams
• Darrent Williams
• Willie Williams
• Ernest Withers
• Carl Wright

Kutoa majin is the calling of names of family members, ancestors and African-descended heroes to invite their presence. As the proverb says, "As long as someone is here to speak your name, you exist."

We first call forth beings of the past — family members, leaders and teachers who left us a place on Earth to harvest our success.

Please call out your deceased loved ones now.

Next we call out the names of those who are living now – our partners, friends, family members and co-workers. Please call out your living loved ones now.

Finally, we call on the nameless, faceless, formless children of the future. We ask a moment of silence for them because they have not been named, but we feel their presence. We feel their light because the work of freedom, dignity and prosperity must continue and we leave a legacy of triumph for them.

Ashe'.

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Marenda Biz over at Living Life Abundantly has named Blogging Black Miami one of the Top 50 Best Blogs for 2007. I am so proud of this honor. Just check out the other blogs on the list and you'll see that we're in great company.

I will proudly display the badge on the sidebar and try to make Blogging Black Miami better in 2008. Thank you, Marenda and congrats to the other 49 recipients.

Peace and Progress!

Smoooches…

VByers

Since 1989, the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida A&M University National Alumni Association has celebrated Kwanzaa. We grew from celebrating in the living room of an apartment in South Miami with a kinara drawn on a poster board to the largest celebration in the Miami area.

In 1999 we were honored to have Tavis Smiley as our special guest. At least 500 people packed the meeting room at the Joseph Caleb Center to hear Smiley, enjoy the entertainment and feast on American soul food, Caribbean delicacies and African entrees. The next year, our event expanded to include the Caleb Center auditorium for the main performances and the meeting room for more performances and the feast.

The event has always been free to the public with members of our organization providing the karamu (feast) and various musicians and drummers sharing their talent gratis. Through Miami-Dade County, the facility, security and custodial services were provided at no charge to the organization.

Unfortunately, this year, we will not celebrate Kwanzaa because support from Miami-Dade County has been reduced tremendously. That is most disheartening because practicing the principles of Kwanzaa is exactly what the black community needs. Sometimes it appears as though those in responsible positions of government and other influential positions want the people to remain un-enlightened and un-conscious.

Even when other local organizations received assistance to present the Kwanzaa celebration and make money from vendor booths, members of our organization continued to provide in the true spirit of Kwanzaa.

The Kwanzaa Celebration provided an opportunity for family and friends to celebrate together, in spite of religious and perhaps political differences. Kwanzaa principles reinforce individual pride and pride in the community. It also promotes support of businesses in the community as well as appreciation for the artistically gifted among us.

Most important is Kwanzaa's foundation of non-commercialism and lessons of faith and responsibility to children and respect for elders.

Several people in the community have contacted us about the event this year and we've had to share the bad news of our forced break this year but our intent on enlarging our circle of support for 2008.

"Ain't no shaking down going down in my district." --- Michelle Spence-Jones

A rally was held last night at New Providence Missionary Baptist Church in support of embattled City of Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. Interestingly, media reports of the rally differ in tone and flavor.

Miami Herald: Spence-Jones supporters hold rally

Miami New Times: Spence-Jones Looks for Support in Familiar Places

Altine/Productive Hands
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786-260-1246
Liberty City, FL 33147

Antonio Jimenez defended his reputation in The Miami Herald after being called a liar by the SAO. He has already set up private practice in Coral Gables. Controversy about his firing, the resignation of Herbert Walker and firings of other SAO staffers have really heated up the JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG.

Amid allegations of disparate treatment of blacks and unreported sexual harassment issues, it seems as though the SAO may need to be investigated also. Read for yourself. Some assertions may not be true but others just make you go…hmmm.

Westside Gazette
Originally posted 12/27/2007

On Dec 18, the Advancement Project, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, and Project Vote won a preliminary injunction that blocks a Florida state law prohibiting applicants from registering to vote if the state cannot match or otherwise validate the driver’s license or Social Security number on a registration form. This law stood to disenfranchise tens of thousands of eligible applicants, particularly Black American and Latino voters, in the upcoming elections.

A federal court in Gainesville, Fla. held that Florida’s law conflicts with both the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. HAVA requires every state to obtain a unique identifying number for voter registration applicants, but it does not make the “verification” of one’s ID number a prerequisite for one’s eligibility to vote. As a result, the court ruled that Florida’s “matching” statute violates HAVA. The court also held that the matching process would result in thou-sands of eligible voters being denied the opportunity to vote “for reasons unrelated to their voter qualifications under the Florida Constitution,” thereby violating the Voting Rights Act. [Continue reading...]

Families in Miami apartment building explosion receive holiday gifts from Commerce Bank employees
Westside Gazette
Originally posted 12/27/2007

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Christmas came early for 11 families who lost their homes in an Aug. 30th gas explosion in Miami’s historical Overtown community thanks to Spirit of Giving, a nonprofit organization that is run, managed, and funded by Commerce Bank employees.

The explosion ignited a large fire in the Town Park Village apartments and left two apartment buildings condemned.

With help from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Commerce employees and the Commerce Bank mascot, Mr. C, delivered more than 150 wrapped gifts to the families at a Saturday morning holiday celebration in the Town Park Village. The daylong party was capped with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, food, music, and plenty of dancing. [Continue reading...]