Tamar Rice

CLEVELAND, OH -- After over a year of waiting for a grand jury decision regarding the shooting of Tamir Rice by police officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback, the grand jury has decided not to indict The Rice family released the following statement shortly after the grand jury released their decision:

"My family and I are in pain and devastated by the non-indictment of officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback for the murder of our beloved Tamir. After this investigation—which took over a year to unfold—and Prosecutor McGinty’s mishandling of this case, we no longer trust the local criminal-justice system, which we view as corrupt.

Prosecutor McGinty deliberately sabotaged the case, never advocating for my son, and acting instead like the police officers’ defense attorney. In a time in which a non-indictment for two police officers who have killed an unarmed black child is business as usual, we mourn for Tamir, and for all of the black people who have been killed by the police without justice. In our view, this process demonstrates that race is still an extremely troubling and serious problem in our country and the criminal-justice system.

I don't want my child to have died for nothing and I refuse to let his legacy or his name be ignored. We will continue to fight for justice for him, and for all families who must live with the pain that we live with.

As the video shows, Officer Loehmann shot my son in less than a second. All I wanted was someone to be held accountable. But this entire process was a charade.

I pray and hope that the federal government will investigate this case."

 

It's Christmas day which means the Jackson five Christmas album is on a continuous loop in my house. I love music. I love Christmas music.

Here are my Top 5 Christmas songs. What are yours?

5. I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus
4. The Little Drummer Boy
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
2. This Christmas
1. The Christmas Song

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Celebrate Kwanzaa in Miami! Dr. Steve Gallon III, Prince Aderele & Osundara Yoruba Dance Theater, Rebecca "Butterfly" Vaughns, Next Generation Dance Academy, Zoe's Great Doll Giveaway, Special Recognition of Broadway Arts District, 18th Avenue & Counting and MORE! 

Sat. 12/26/2015, Program - 4p, Feast - 6p, AHCAC, 6161 NW 22 Ave, Miami, FL 33142. Admission: FREE. (Donations of books and new, unwrapped educational toys are greatly appreciated.)

Join us for this joyous celebration of family, friends and community at the largest and longest-running public celebration of the principles of Kwanzaa presented in Miami, Florida --- the 26th Annual MARY WILLIAMS WOODARD LEGACY KWANZAA CELEBRATION. Hosted by the Miami-Dade Chapter of the FAMU National Alumni Association, the Dr. Arthur & Mary Woodard Foundation for Education and Culture, Community-Builders Holistic Development Corporation and Osun's Village African Caribbean Arts Corridor. 

The sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority continues to grow as the two Miami-Dade County graduate chapters, Gamma Zeta Omega and Pi Delta Omega, recently welcomed new members into its organization of women committed to delivering supreme service to all mankind. Alpha Kappa Alpha, founded on January 15, 1908 at Howard University, is the first Greek-lettered organization established and incorporated by and for college-educated black women.

On Sunday, December 6, 2015, family and friends gathered at the Hyatt Regency in Coral Gables to celebrate the eight lovely and sophisticated women welcomed into the Pi Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated --- Dorothy Cook, Kristen L. Pope, Rachel Mumford, Bianca Killins, Lisa Thelwell, Kimberly Wilson, Patricia Jones-Cummings and Olisa Adger.

Do check out the fabulous photograph below of the “Eight Elements of Elegance”; it has caused quite a stir on social media.

 

On the following Sunday, December 13, my chapter, Gamma Zeta Omega, welcomed 35 lovely, sophisticated and energetic new members as more than 500 friends and family gathered to celebrate at the Bonaventure Resort and Spa in Weston. The occasion was made all the more special by the participation of Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover, International First Vice President of Alpha Kappa Alpha and President of Tennessee State University and past South Atlantic Regional Director and past Gamma Zeta Omega Chapter President, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson.

 

Welcome Kairos 35: Natalie Baldie, Jasmine Baldwin, Candice Bethel, Odessa Blythe, LaShara Bostic, Tonja Carter, Linda Christian, Cecelia Facey, Deborah Forte, Sandi Foster, Shelly-Ann Gibson, Shelia Goodman, Karen Ingraham, Stacey Ingraham, Kimberly Jackson, Samine Jernigan, Erica Knowles-Nelson, Sandra Lee, Elaina McCann-Brinson, Nyshel McKenzie, Brita Milton, Shawntavia Montero, Marquita Moore, Deldra Owens, Eboni Peoples, Shekeyla Roberts, Rosheika Rolle, Trecia Rolle-Bursey, Michael Strong-Mason, Jonell Studstill, Nakita Walker, Kim White, Richelle Williams, Sasha Wong and Shawna Woodruff.

 

Welcome again, Eight Elements of Elegance and Kairos 35…enjoy your journey in our sisterhood!

 

 

 @vbyers

 

 #AKA1908 #TeamAKA #Team20Pearls #AKAGZO #AKAPDO #SupremeInService  

Merry Christmas from Blogging Black Miami! Thank you for reading, subscribing and sharing our news and information. You are truly appreciated.

Remember the Reason for the Season. Merry Christmas! !Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noël!

- VaVa

by William 'DC' Clark

Faye Davis is known to many in the community as an activist that loves kids. She and other Black firefighters spent the entire Summer teaching neighborhood kids how to swim at the Betty Ferguson Sports Complex in Miami Gardens. She is also known as a straight shooter. If she doesn't like something she doesn't have a problem telling you. However, in the strait-laced, lockstep, para-military world of the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department, her MO of telling it like it is doesn't fit very well. Because of her outspoken demeanor, she has been passed over several times for promotions by the department despite scoring very high on the exams.

In 2009, Ms. Davis scored high enough to be 2nd in line for a promotion on the Chief's test. That same year, another Black female, Lisa Gilbert, scored high enough to become #3 on the same list. However, in an unusual set of circumstances, no one was promoted on that list. Later on, the department came back and only promoted the individual that finished #1, leaving both Davis and Gilbert to die at #1 and #2 respectively.

In 2010, Ms. Davis and Ms. Gilbert took the test once again with Gilbert finishing #4 and Ms. Davis finishing #5. However the department only hired the top three as Chiefs, leaving Gilbert and Davis to die on the list at #1 and #2 once again. Ms. Davis has since filed a discrimination case against the department but a friend of the department, Magistrate Elizabeth Schwabedissen, has since ruled that Ms. Davis cannot prove her case. On January 15, 2016, Judge Rodney Smith will rule if Ms. Davis has enough evidence to proceed in her case. It appears that the court and the department are trying to sweep this travesty under the rug.

Those of us who know Ms. Davis and the community service she provides, want the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue to do the right thing where Ms. Davis and Ms. Gilbert are involved.