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A Passion for Giving-PBS Documentary Extols Virtues of Philanthropy 11/24/09

teachersofcolor — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:17:53 +0000

A Passion for Giving
Film Review by Kam Williams

The Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu once said, “He who obtains has little, he who scatters has much.” That sentiment is the recurring theme of A Passion for Giving, an inspirational documentary marking the brilliant directorial debut of Robin Baker Leacock. Accompanied by her husband, Robert, who served as her cameraman, Ms. Leacock crisscrossed the planet chronicling the selfless efforts of generous individuals dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the less fortunate.

To its credit, the film doesn’t limit itself to highlighting the admirable work being done by billionaire philanthropists like Bill and Melinda Gates. Perhaps more significantly, it addresses the often astonishing achievements of folks with fewer dollars at their disposal. For the movie’s prevailing message is that it doesn’t necessarily take a heavily-endowed foundation to make a difference. Furthermore, it’s clear that practicing compassion proves as beneficial to the donor, spiritually, as it might be for the recipient on the material level.

For instance, there’s Alexandre de Lessups who, with just $15,000, reconstructed an entire village of 160 homes which had been wiped out by the Indian Ocean Tsunami. And because he fell in love with the people and culture of Burma, he built several schools and orphanages for children who had lost their parents, observing, “We got things done for very little money.”

Closer to home, we meet Gael Greene, long-time food critic for New York Magazine. In 1981, she and the late Chef James Beard co-founded Meals on Wheels to address the needs of the housebound elderly who could no longer shop or cook for themselves. “We raised $35,000, and 6,000 people had a Christmas dinner who otherwise wouldn’t have,” she recalls. Over the intervening years, the charity has blossomed into a solid service organization which now delivers over two million meals a year.

Then there’s Darryl McDaniels, better known as rapper DMC of Run-DMC. He reveals that he only learned that he had been adopted at the age of 35 and has since become committed to the causes of foster care, urging people to at least become a mentor if they can’t make more of a commitment. Elsewhere, we are introduced to a Brenda Combs, a schoolteacher who used to be homeless. This helps explain why she gives hugs, food and hygiene items to people living under a bridge.

Also weighing-in eloquently are Jeff Flug, CEO of Millennium Promise, Louise Mellon Stephaich of the Albert Schweitzer Clinic in Haiti, Henry Buhl of the Soho Partnership, John Sykes of VH1 Save the Music, Missy Hargraves of the Wildlife Rescue Center, AIDS researchers Bob Colocello and Ross Bleckner of ACRIA, various volunteers from groups such as Doctors without Borders and Habitat for Humanity, and celebs ranging from hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons to CNBC’s Ron Insana to fashion designer Donna Karan to author Fran Lebowitz to Virgin Atlantic’s Richard Branson.

In sum, if Robin Baker Leacock undertook this project to raise awareness about the value of any act of kindness, however seemingly insignificant, then it must be deemed a most successful endeavor indeed. For anyone with a heart who watches A Passion for Giving is likely to be left asking him or herself whether they’re really doing the best they can do for the least of their brethren.

Excellent (4 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 50 minutes

Studio: Robin’s Films

To see a trailer for A Passion for Giving, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ASaWuY5o4 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ASaWuY5o4>

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story 11/12/09

teachersofcolor — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:11:46 +0000

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
DVD Review by Kam Williams

Bio-Pic about Brilliant Black Brain Surgeon Released on DVD

World-renowned Dr. Ben Carson has long been considered by his colleagues as the best pediatric neurosurgeon around, so it’s no surprise that he remains in such great demand. Besides being stationed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where he performs over 300 operations on children each year, the peripatetic physician also crisscrosses the planet to share his miraculous talents with less fortunate folks in developing countries who can’t afford his services.
Dr. Carson is best known for his seminal work separating Siamese twins joined at the head, including the 50-member medical team he led during a 28-hour operation on a couple of nine month-old Zambian babies in 1997. Despite being the recipient of countless accolades including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, the humble doctor has never let his success go to his head. Instead, this devoted family man and devout Christian is quick to credit the Lord for his bounty of blessings.
Unless you’ve read his autobiography, Gifted Hands, you probably have no idea how many hardships Dr. Carson encountered en route to reaching the pinnacle of his profession. For he and his brother, Curtis (Tajh Bellow) were raised in the slums of Detroit by an overwhelmed, divorced single-mom (Kimberly Elise) who juggled numerous jobs as a housekeeper and babysitter just to keep a roof over their heads.
Furthermore, because she couldn’t read, Sonya Carson wasn’t able to help her sons with their homework. She still emphasized both religion and education, sensing that that combination offered their best chance of avoiding the pitfalls of the ghetto.
Yet, Bennie fell far behind in grammar school where he was being mercilessly teased and regarded as bordering on mentally-retarded. His fortunes began to change only after his mother recognized that he needed eyeglasses. Then, relying on a combination of faith in God and a dedication to hard work, the youngster rededicated himself to academics, determined to show those who had labeled him dumb that he could set his sights high and become a doctor.
Now, Gifted Hands has been adapted into an inspirational bio-pic starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the title role. A moving tribute to a real role model who’s living proof that it’s possible to overcome any obstacle standing between you and your dreams.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 90 minutes
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

To order a copy of Gifted Hands on DVD, visit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002D755AI?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002D755AI

To see a trailer for Gifted Hands, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jehtJPhmaKo

I.O.U.S.A. (One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.) May 5th 2009

teachersofcolor — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:58:18 +0000

Film Review by Kam Williams

DVD Explains Financial Crisis in Layman’s Terms

Listening to the experts and political pundits weigh-in on the recession is likely to leave you confused about why we’re in this mess. Democrats and Republicans predictably resort to blaming each other, while economists tend to explain the situation using jargon too complicated for the Average Joe to comprehend.
            For this reason, director Patrick Creadon is to be commended for making I.O.U.S.A. (One Nation. Under Stress. In Debt.), a nuts and bolts documentary which seeks to explain the burgeoning financial crisis in layman’s terms. The film opens by stating the basic proposition that the most serious threat to the U.S. is our own irresponsibility when it comes to spending. America’s present predicament is then put in perspective via telling analogies of the Roman Empire shortly before its fall.
            Next, Creadon cleverly sets about proving his premise by relying on a combination of archival footage and some surprisingly frank interviews with concerned, if not fed-up folks like billionaire Warren Buffett, fired Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, the late Tim Russert, CNBC’s Jim Cramer, presidential candidate Ron Paul, and former Comptroller General of the U.S. David Walker.
Secretary O’Neill whose words fell on the deaf ears of President Bush when he was a member of the current administration, warns that, “When you get extended to the point that you can’t service your debt, you’re finished.” Ron Paul is shown sounding an equally-dire alarm in 2000 telling then Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan during a House hearing that he had so mismanaged the economy that he should start looking for another job.
Greenspan’s replacement takes it on the chin, too, his hit coming courtesy of animated Jim Cramer who shouts that “Ben Bernancke is an academic who has no idea” how bad the crisis is. “The Fed is asleep,” an exasperated Cramer concludes.
Apparently, America’s basic problem boils down to the fact it is a nation which has become addicted to credit in the wake of outsourcing so much manufacturing overseas. To balance the budget we either have to raise taxes or cut spending, because a country which consumes more than it produces is simply unsustainable.
Tough talk for tough times.

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG for mature themes.
Running time: 85 minutes
Studio: PBS

To see a trailer for I.O.U.S.A., visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBo2xQIWHiM

The 10 Best Black Books of 2009 (Non-Fiction)

teachersofcolor — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:30:49 +0000

1.         Sugar of the Crop: My Journey to Find the Children of Slaves

by Sana Butler

Who even knew that any children of slaves were still alive? A debt of gratitude is owed to Sana Butler for compiling this bittersweet collection of revealing interviews with the offspring of folks freed by the Emancipation Proclamation well over a century ago. What makes this book special is how seamlessly the author contrasts her aging subjects’ fading recollections with her own expectations of them and her intimate reflections about being black and female in present-day America.

Consider her account of meeting 99 year-old Walter Scott at the Sulphur Spring Baptist Church, which begins: “Mr. Scott was waiting for me in the fellowship hall, sitting at the end of a collapsible picnic table covered with a checkered red-and-white plastic cloth, surrounded by women in white usher uniforms carrying grits and scrambled eggs in black iron skillets. One hand rested on top of his walking cane, the other held a black Bible in his lap.”

It’s such well-crafted descriptions which elevated Sugar of the Crop to the top of the list. Thanks to Sana Butler, a bounty of priceless pearls of wisdom and whimsy have been preserved for posterity via this seminal contribution to the nation’s folklore.

2.         Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges

by Byron Pitts

Earlier this year, Byron Pitts became the heir apparent to Ed Bradley’s coveted spot on 60 Minutes when he was named a contributing correspondent to the long-running, television newsmagazine. While many might have deemed Mr. Pitts’ ascension to the plum position a natural outgrowth of his Emmy-winning work covering such major stories for CBS as the 9/11 Attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the Afghan War, the truth is that this talented reporter had to overcome a host of seemingly-insurmountable childhood challenges en route to turning himself into a great success story.

Pitts humbly recounts these admirable achievements in Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges. The moving memoir proves to be as inspiring as it is sincere, with the potential to serve as a source of motivation for any individual who dares to dream big in the face of overwhelming learning disabilities. Bravo to Byron Pitts for having the guts to go public with such an intimate testimonial to the power of passion and persistence, especially when one has faith in God and strategic help along the way from some loving role models.

3.         Between Good and Ghetto: African-American Girls and Inner-City Violence

by Nikki Jones

The recent murder of an African-American honors student brutally beaten

to death right outside of his Chicago high school by a mob of fellow teenagers failed to generate as much outrage as one would expect. We’ve become so blasé about violence in this country that such attacks are taken in stride and nobody notices that the fastest-growing sector of the prison population are black females

Fortunately, Professor Nikki Jones has dedicated her career to understanding and reversing the alarming phenomenon, and the fruit of those labors has yielded this revealing treatise. The author’s research led her to the conclusion that, “It is that the battle for respect, dignity, and positive life chances is not one these girls should have to fight on their own.” A sobering discourse on the growing problem of social inequality which must be addressed before our rapidly decaying, urban infrastructure turns the prospect of the fall of American Civilization into a culturally-irreversible fait accompli.

4.         Accountable: Making America as Good as Its Promise

by Tavis Smiley

In 2008, Tavis Smiley took a lot of heat over his reluctance to rubber-

stamp Barack Obama’s candidacy simply on the basis of its symbolism as opposed to demanding to know exactly what the victory would mean for black America. Tavis’ hesitancy ostensibly came from a reasonable expectancy that Obama would have to deliver on his campaign promises, for his historic win to be of palpable value to the masses of black folks who had turned out in record numbers to support him at a rate of 93%.

Now that Barack Obama has proven a disappointment as President, many might look more favorably on Mr. Smiley’s effort to hold him accountable to his most loyal constituency. Each chapter of the book delineates Obama’s campaign promises in terms of such areas in dire need of attention as health care, education, justice, the economy, and so forth. It also includes checklists to enable the reader to assess whether or not the administration is delivering.

A compelling exercise in truth in advertising designed to keep Obama’s feet to the fire.

5.         Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud

by Cornel West

Everybody knows Cornel West, the public intellectual, the popular

Princeton University Professor and best-selling author who has remained dedicated to the plight of the poor and underprivileged over the course of his illustrious career. Yet few know anything about his private life, or about what has inspired him to remain on such a righteous path and in touch with his roots over the years. At 56, Dr. West has decided to share his life story in this moving memoir comprised of the candid reflections of an uncompromising, compassionate Christian with a functioning conscience and an open heart.

6.         Go, Tell Michelle: African-American Women Write to the New First Lady

Edited by Barbara A. Seals Nevergold and Peggy Brooks-Bertram

This opus is a collection of letters of support for Michelle Obama designed as a way “to send her a special message, grounded in our common ancestry and in the belief that our daughters have not only been inspired by her accomplishments but empowered by her example.” The assorted missives amount to a quite evocative collage of heartfelt correspondence in poetry and prose ranging from the intimate to the light and lyrical.

I found particularly moving the simplicity of Shirley Hanshaw’s entry sharing her favorite recipe for Pecan Pie. “I know that you and Barack are not Southern, nevertheless, I thought you might enjoy this dessert. It is always a hit wherever I take it.” An impressive compendium of eloquent best wishes which together paint a touching tapestry reflecting the depth of sisters’ emotional investment in the First Lady.

7.         Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook

by Patrick and Gina Neely

It’s impossible to say what’s more appealing about this opus, the authors’

sweet love story, or their succulent barbecue recipes. The back story is that chefs Patrick and Gina Neely had been high school sweethearts, but didn’t actually marry until after reuniting in their native Memphis after attending different colleges out of town.

Today, the blissful couple has not only been blessed with two beautiful daughters, but they also own one of the most successful restaurant chains in the country, Neely’s Bar-B-Que, with locations in both Memphis and Nashville. Last year, they also started co-hosting their own cooking show on the Food Network, and in response to the series’ popularity they decided to share their trade secrets in this practical cookbook attractively illustrated with dozens of mouth-watering photographs. Enjoy!

8.         Family Affair: What It Means to Be African-American Today

Edited by Gil L. Robertson, IV

Although Barack Obama has generated considerable “hope for change,” Gil Robertson recognized that most African-American communities still exist “in a state of almost perpetual crisis… … in terms of health disparities, political injustices, crime statistics, and a plethora of social ills.” This led him to wonder, how could the country have its first African-American President while the masses of blacks continue to struggle with so many of the same issues the Civil Rights Movement had attempted to address a half-century ago?

So, the veteran journalist opted to pose the question to a host of prominent black luminaries like Cathy Hughes, Ruby Dee and Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, and their intriguing responses are the sum and substance of Family Affair. Congrats to the intrepid author for not only figuring a way to take the collective pulse of African-Americana but for distilling the essence of his research into an informative and eloquent cultural tapestry destined to stand the test of time.

9.         Why He Hates You! How Unreconciled Maternal Anger Is Destroying

Black Men and Boys

by Janks Morton

To what do you attribute the underachievement of young African-American males? Poverty and the host of woes permeating inner-city ghettos? Absentee fathers and kids being weaned on hip-hop music promoting a combination of materialism, misogyny, anti-intellectualism and black-on-black crime?

Weighing-in with a unique slant is award-winning filmmaker Janks Morton who sees the source of the problem as unresolved black male anger at their single mothers. He addresses the pressing issue head on and in incendiary fashion in a controversial manner certain to generate thought-provoking debate.

The author’s embrace of intact nuclear family values might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but there’s no denying he makes a persuasive case in this timely tome before offering some sobering lessons in tough love aimed directly at baby mamas and their at risk offspring.

10.        African American History in the United States of America: An Anthology

Compiled and Edited by Tony Rose

The typical public school curriculum devotes precious little attention to

the considerable cultural contributions made by African-Americans. In fact, most history books divide U.S. citizens into blacks and whites before focusing on whites to the exclusion of blacks and other minorities.

However, as Tony Rose astutely observes in the Foreword to this innovative opus, “There is only one race, the Human race… everything else is culture.” And he has come up with a novel text teaching U.S. history while dispensing with the terms “black race” and “white race” altogether.

Well-written and informative from beginning to end, African American History in the United States of America is an engaging read that’s every bit as entertaining as it is a worthwhile educational tool. Kudos to editor Rose for creating an innovative treatise to help the nation take a significant step towards his ultimate hope and dream “that we can all call one another who we truly are — Americans.”

The Haiti Relief Effort Interview with Soledad O’Brien 2/17/10

teachersofcolor — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:51:28 +0000

Soledad O’Brien

The Haiti Relief Effort Interview

with Kam Williams

Soledad’s Eyewitness Report on the Haitian Relief Effort

In the wake of the Haitian earthquake, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien rushed to the region to deliver the same sort of high-quality, eyewitness coverage that she has dependably broadcast in the past on location after location from such disasters area as the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Because of her seemingly effortless style and her People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People List looks, what tends to get lost about this intrepid, Emmy-winning reporter is that she’s also a Harvard grad with a keen intellect, a razor sharp wit, a great sense of humor and an ever-inquiring mind.

I’ve interviewed a bunch of bright people in my day and, trust me, Soledad might very well be the brightest. You’ll instantly see what I mean, if you ever have the pleasure of engaging her in conversation one-on-one. Until then, I hope that this revealing tete-a-tete about the Haiti relief effort effectively conveys the essence of her brilliant mind and very likable spirit.

Soledad is never one to shy away from a difficult or probing question, but is rather refreshingly frank and forthcoming in addressing in considerable depth whatever issue she’s asked to address. That’s the reason I sought her out in the first place to get the scoop on what’s really happening in Haiti.

Keep in mind that this interview was conducted soon after her return to the States, while she was cooking for and frequently distracted by a house full of rambunctious kids, and she even paused briefly from our conversation to pull one of her 5 year-old twin’s baby teeth, all without ever missing a beat.

Kam Williams: Hi, Soledad, thanks again for the time.

Soledad O’Brien: Hey, how’re you doing? I hope you don’t mind but the kids are running around so we might have some interruptions. The conversation’s definitely going to be like that from my end. That was Charlie [one of her 5 year-old twins] who answered the phone.

KW: Of course, I understand. The kids missed mommy while she was away, and now they come first.

SO: Cool!

KW: Well, I guess my first question is, how’s Haiti?

SO: Haiti’s a mess for a host of reasons: because it’s historically never been given a chance, because it currently has no real infrastructure, and because, of course, in the wake of the earthquake those factors combine to make for a country that’s going to have a very slow recovery. These conditions don’t exist in a vacuum but are correlated to how fast Haiti is going to be able to recover. There’s a reason why people aren’t getting food and other resources quickly, even when supplies have arrived to hand out, namely, that it’s really hard to get to folks in the absence of an infrastructure.

KW: I told my readers I’d be speaking with you, and they sent in a lot of questions. Larry Greenberg asks, do you think we should be having a dialog about making Haiti the 51st state or a commonwealth of the United States?

SO: No, I think what Haiti needs is to not be continually screwed by the forces around it, whether that be American forces, meaning political, not military forces, or French forces. The history of Haiti, as I’m sure you’re well aware, has been one of never giving Haiti a chance. What it really needs is an opportunity. I’m not sure that there would be an upside to the country becoming a state. Nor do I think America needs for Haiti to become a state. Haiti has a president and leadership elected by the people. It just needs some real infrastructure.

KW: You also covered the tsunami and Katrina. How do these disasters compare to each other?

SO: To me, the scope of Katrina was so much bigger than where I was in Thailand. In Thailand, after a couple of days everyone could kind of get their act together, except for in the affected area which they needed to continue working on rebuilding. By comparison, Katrina was just giant, space-wise. As for Haiti, the damage caused by the earthquake is even more widespread than Katrina, and they have much less infrastructure. I found the same sort of devastation I saw in Port-au-Prince, when we drove to Jacmel and beyond. Plus, the population density in is so much greater in Haiti where they build homes right on top of each other into these hills. So, there was a domino effect when they collapsed, especially because of the substandard construction work.

KW: I write for a Haitian publication, Heritage Konpa Magazine, whose publisher, Rene Davis, is from a place called Petit-Goave located 30 miles outside of Port-au-Prince. He emailed me to say that still nothing in the way of help has reached his hometown.

SO: Part of the problem is just the logistics. Some of those places you can’t reach simply because the roads are physically impassable. The other issue involves the challenge of delivering supplies to Haiti. Is the port open? How do you get shipments in? So, even right in Port-au-Prince, where you have such population density, you have a real problem just figuring out how to hand out stuff.

KW: Tony Noel wants to know, to what extent this is an international relief effort? Are there other countries contributing that might not be mentioned by the American mainstream press?

SO: Oh, yeah. Absolutely! What I found interesting from the getgo, when we went to the hospital in Jacmel, was that the first people I encountered were Cuban doctors. They already had a longstanding, joint project with Haiti, so they were the ones who immediately set up the outdoor, triage hospital. Those were Haitian and Cuban doctors. And at that hospital there were also medical teams from Costa Rica, Canada, Sri Lanka and the United States. It was truly an international response. No question. It was strange to be yelled at in so many different languages.

KW: After both 9/11 and Katrina, the Red Cross solicited donations but later admitted that it only distributed a small fraction of the funds raised during those ad campaigns. You were down there in Haiti. Laz Lyles asks, what’s the most effective way people can help?

SO: From my perspective, I would wait now. They have a lot of immediate money in. And people have started bringing in supplies. The initial first phase of the crisis is over. The rebuilding effort is going to take so much time that whether I wanted to send $1,000, or $5,000 or even $50,000, I’d hold on and wait to see what’s coming down the line, because that money is really going to be needed later. You might, for instance, be able to help rebuild a school, or some other project that nobody’s thinking about right now. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to help? But still, if you’re not going to send any money when the hoopla dies down, then send it now. Otherwise, wait to see what projects emerge, because the initial response has been tremendous, financially.

KW: Jimmy Bayan asks whether there’s any truth to the rumor that they’re taking Haitians survivors to Guantanamo Bay?

SO: No, I never heard that.

KW: How did it feel to be in the midst of the continuing crisis?

SO: It’s sort of the same feeling you get at any of these disasters. You don’t have a 500 lb. bag of rice to feed people who are really hungry, or a dump truck to remove cement from a spot where someone might be trapped. It’s frustrating, but I think I’ve sort of reconciled in my own head that my job is to bring notice to the world of these people’s plight. And if I try to get involved in rescuing, too, I’ll end up not doing either job very well. Although at one point, I helped out at an orphanage when an overwhelmed doctor pointed out a dehydrated baby that basically had about a couple of hours to live unless she got an IV. At that point, I was wishing that Dr. Sanjay Gupta was with me or somebody who could do it well, because I didn’t know how to put an IV in. And I knew that two doors over, there were another half-dozen kids in the same situation. She was so dehydrated, it was obvious that she wasn’t going to make it. And she hadn’t even been injured in the quake. She was just dehydrated. Babies who don’t have water will die. Dehydration kills them. After I got the IV in, I had never been so relieved in my life, because the risk had been so high. I kept thinking, “God, if this needle doesn’t get in, that’s it.” Fortunately, once we did get the IV running in her, she was fine. A lot of these infants would be just fine, if we could only get a bottle of formula to them.

KW: What about the reports of crime and violence? The U.S. news networks said there was sporadic looting and gang violence, and that 4,000 prisoners had escaped from prison and were crawling all over the streets. How much of that did you witness?

SO: There was a case where people broke into a candle store, stole the candles, and then set up shop selling candles on the street. That’s not the same as stealing a loaf of bread to keep from starving. There’s an incredible desperation there. One night, a couple hours after I left one of the orphanages, about 20 armed gunmen climbed over the wall, because they know that the orphanages have some food and supplies. I don’t think threatening children with a shotgun is okay by any means, but I can understand that they acted out of desperation.

[Attending to her son] Hey Charlie, one hard-boiled egg at a time. No two-handed eating! And anybody who’s eating needs to sit. Sorry, Kam.

KW: Did you ever feel threatened while you were in Haiti?

SO: I never felt unsafe. When I first arrived, literally 20 feet from our hotel on, there were about 20,000 people camped out on the Champ de Mars. Everyone was sitting calmly. That number must have swollen to 50,000 or more by the time I left. The plaza was just packed, but no one ever tried to climb into the hotel, where there was plenty of hot water and hot food. No one ever threatened me, or rushed me, or tried to grab my backpack, or attempted to break into our car to steal our cameras or gear, even 10 days in to the disaster. They were still all patiently waiting for food and water trucks to arrive. To me, that was the real story.

KW: What do you attribute their patience to?

SO: In part, it’s cultural. In part, Haitians don’t have the same expectation of help coming that, say, Americans had after Katrina. [Distracted by Jackson, Charlie’s twin brother] Jackson! Don’t torture your sister! Go get a toy from the other room and bring it here. That bouncy thing, or your red car. Sorry. Haitians have experienced a lot of natural disasters and have almost a sense of resignation.

KW: Yale grad Tommy Russell asks what percent of Haiti’s political infrastructure is intact?

SO: I’m not sure. I never covered that story, although I know that CNN did a report on finding the government. But I never had a sense that the Haitian government was there. I was just in lots of places where people were trying to help, like this little town where a French medical team suddenly appeared, set up a tent and started taking x-rays and treating the wounded.

KW: I remember seeing a spokesperson for Doctor without Borders complaining on TV about how most of their planes were not being allowed to land. And that the U.S. military was in control of the airport and was focused more on bringing in 13,000 soldiers than on the medical supplies that were so urgently needed.

SO: I understand, but, they needed so many things, honestly: medical supplies, food, water, excavation machines, doctors, nurses, rescue personnel, engineers, etcetera. Part of the reason they couldn’t land all their planes is that there was simply no space to land. The planes were all stacked up. That’s why we went to choppers. Getting in and out by helicopters was just so much easier. So, Doctors without Borders complaint was right that they definitely need more medical professionals, but if you’re going to try to distribute, you also need infrastructure. Haiti’s just a very messed up place right now.

KW: Where are people gravitating in Haiti, to the city or to the country?

SO: Initially, people basically moved right to open spaces because they were terrified and wanted to sleep outdoors. Then, as fuel became available and the buses began running again, you’d see them leave to live in the country, if they had relatives there. What’s complicating matters are the massive numbers of people. If you’re walking through a city with a half-million people living in tents, it’s very challenging, logistically.

KW: Mirah Riben, author of a couple books on adoption asks, what you think of the people rushing to adopt Haitian babies?

SO: I think anybody who is willing to adopt a child in any situation is amazing. That’s really a very selfless thing to do. However, I agree with those who say that adoption should not be rushed. The adoption process in Haiti normally takes several years, and it should. It would be terrible to risk an adoption by someone who should not be adopting a child. Still, what I find frustrating is that so many people see it as an either/or situation. You can do an airlift for kids who are dying, feed them, and return them without adopting them out. It doesn’t have to be either snatching babies out of their parents’ arms or leaving them there to die. There’s a middle ground in there, and what’s made me really angry is how the question has been posed as one or the other. Plus, there are plenty of orphanages that don’t offer kids for adoption, but just take care of kids for people who can’t afford to raise them. In a way, those kids are currently the most desperate, since they’re totally under the radar. You get a sense that their situation is very dire and that no one is keeping track of them. So, it sort of annoys me that there isn’t a sense of urgency about trying to save them, too.

KW: Mirah also feels that people inclined to adopt on impulse ought to be encouraged instead to donate money so the kids can be raised right there by relatives and grow up in Haiti in their own culture.

SO: Yeah, the impulse to adopt is coming from a great place. I felt the same way when I encountered a truck with about 25 babies lying in the back. I wanted to grab as many as I could hold and run for the border. They had diarrhea and started puking all over me. I can’t tell you how many of my personal friends have asked, “What do I have to do to help one of those babies?” Their thinking is, if they’re going to die, it’s worth trying to save them, no matter what’s involved. That’s a wonderful impulse. But I think there’s a vast middle ground between adoption and doing nothing. I’ve spoken to bureaucrats who say, “Well, you know, we don’t want to rush anything,” and I’ve responded, “But human beings are literally dying, and it really disturbs me that you’re waiting.” I had parents handing me their kids. They were like, “Please take this child and educate him.”

KW: This reminds me that Mirah was wondering whether you’re aware of the controversy suggesting that children are being taken out of the country before their relatives can be located.

SO: Absolutely! That’s not a controversy. It’s a fact. You should never want to adopt children out and give them a new set of parents before you’ve done your due diligence to find their biological parents. What I would suggest is that instead of adopting them out, you make sure they’re safe and fed. You just take care of them. We certainly have the resources to do it in Haiti, once the infrastructure is fixed.

KW: Marcia Evans asks, why isn’t anyone talking about the lack of support from Santo Domingo? She says that one Dominican hospital on the border only belatedly opened its doors to Haitian refugees.

SO: That’s not true. That hospital was open from the getgo. I was there. That hospital on the border was open very early on, and the Dominicans were flying in a lot of supplies. I saw Dominican trucks and Dominican soldiers, too. The Dominicans were not dragging their feet. They were triaging people and flying the more seriously injured to other hospitals that could take better care of them.

KW: Marcia further suggests that Dominicans might have racist feelings about their darker-skinned Haitian neighbors.

SO: Has there been a long mutual distrust and animosity between Haiti and the Dominican Republic? The answer definitely is “Yes!” In fact, I interviewed the Dominican President about that. His take is that at one point Haiti and the Dominican Republic were at war with each other, and that the Dominican Republic won its freedom from Haiti. So, the history of those countries is of not getting along. But in terms of the earthquake, I haven’t seen anybody who’s said, “We’re not going to help.”

KW: We’re you afraid when that 6.0 aftershock hit?

SO: Yes, that was very scary. I grabbed my Blackberry and sneakers, and ran like hell out of my hotel room. It was the craziest thing to see the entire hotel empty out of people who were running for their lives. After all, we’d been spending our entire days examining the aftermath of what happens when entire buildings collapse on people. And who knew how structurally sound our hotel was?

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

SO: Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. It’s a biography of Dr. Paul Farmer which focuses on Haiti and the history of medical care there. If you haven’t read it, you should. It’s amazing!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812980557?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0812980557

KW: How did the kids feel about your being in Haiti and how were they affected by the disaster?

SO: They want to help. They want to adopt a baby, or a village. My daughter had a long conversation with me. She feels that we, meaning all of America, could make a difference, and make some real, structural changes in Haiti, not just short-term change that will only last six months.

KW: Wow! That’s wonderful! Well, thanks again for taking the time to share what you witnessed in Haiti with me and my readers.

SO: Thank you.

To see a video of Soledad O’Brien reporting about orphans in Haiti, visit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1UKha9yoEw <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1UKha9yoEw>
ow. <http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390707/direct/01/>

The Providence Effect TV Review by Kam Williams 2/25/10

teachersofcolor — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:32:09 +0000

Inspirational Documentary about Chicago Prep School Set to Air on TV One

Paul J. Adams, III was the principal of Providence St. Mel, a parochial school in an impoverished section of Chicago, when he was informed by the Catholic diocese of its plans to close the institution. Instead of updating his resume’ to look for a new job, Adams started a fundraising campaign in order to be able to continue to serve the community, where most of the kids attending public schools didn’t have much of a future.
Well, he not only saved Providence St. Mel but turned it into an elite, K-12 prep school where the aim was not merely to graduate students but to send them on to college. Hiring only competent, dedicated teachers who saw their job almost as a ministry or calling, Adams implemented a rigorous academic regimen with high expectations.
And that approach has paid off, as Providence St. Mel has achieved remarkable success, with 100% of its graduates gain admission to college for over 30 years in a row. This uplifting story is recounted in engaging detail in The Providence Effect, an inspirational documentary directed by Rollin Binzer.
The film is set mostly in and around the school, which Founder Adams runs with a combination of empathy and tough love because of gangs and other potentially-attractive maladies of the ghetto waiting just outside the door. To help discourage students who might be tempted by the idea of making easy money on the street, he even rewards those who make the honor roll with stocks and bonds.
A moving bio-pic about an unsung hero with a winning formula which ought to be replicated in inner cities all across the country.

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG for mature themes.
Running time: 92 minutes
Studio: Slowhand Cinema Releasing

The Providence Effect airs on TV ONE on Sunday, February 28th at Noon ET/PT (Check local listings)

To see a trailer for The Providence Effect, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyf0AG5Oso8 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyf0AG5Oso8>

3 US teachers removed over choice of black heroes 03/10/10

teachersofcolor — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:56:07 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three Los Angeles elementary school teachers accused of giving children portraits of O.J. Simpson, Dennis Rodman and RuPaul to carry in a Black History Month parade have been removed from their classrooms, a school district spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Children from other classes at the school displayed photos of more appropriate black role models, such as Nelson Mandela, Harriet Tubman and President Barack Obama, Los Angeles Unified School District spokeswoman Gayle Pollard-Terry said.

The incident occurred Friday at Wadsworth Avenue Elementary School in South Los Angeles, where the student body is more than 90 percent Latino.

District Superintendent Ramon Cortines placed the teachers — all white men who teach first, second and fourth grades — on administrative leave on Tuesday while an investigation is conducted, Pollard-Terry said.

“The superintendent will not let anyone make a mockery out of Black History Month,” she said.

The issue was brought to district officials’ attention by the Los Angeles chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People after the organization received a complaint early Monday, chapter President Leon Jenkins said.

Jenkins said he felt the teachers acted in concert to mock black heroes and children’s innocence.

“These are not the people we want our young people to emulate or believe these people represent the best of the African-American community,” Jenkins said. “It’s hard for the NAACP to believe this was a mistake.”

Simpson, a former American football star, is serving a nine-year prison sentence for robbery and kidnapping. He was famously acquitted in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife and her friend.

RuPaul is a drag queen performer. Rodman, a former basketball star, has gained notoriety for bad boy behavior on and off the basketball court.

Some parents at the school on Wednesday said the issue was overblown.

Sharon Tinson, who has two daughters at the school and attended Friday’s celebration, said she had been surprised to see Simpson displayed in the parade. But she noted that Simpson, like Rodman, was a great athlete before falling from grace. RuPaul simply has an alternative lifestyle, she added.

She noted the event also included a tribute to pop singer Michael Jackson, who has also had a checkered career.

“I kind of laughed at it,” Tinson said. “I wasn’t offended.”

Gabriel Blackson, whose son attends the school, said he also took a larger view of the ruckus.

“These guys were heroes before. People make mistakes,” he said. “I think they show kids they can be somebody, to push them to be somebody.”

Jenkins said he is calling for the teachers to be fired.

34.5% Of Young Black Men Are Unemployed 12/7/09

teachersofcolor — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:49:21 +0000

The Washington Post printed an article on the high unemployment statistics for black men. In case you missed, read the article below.By V. Dion Haynes
Washington Post Staff Writer

These days, 24-year-old Delonta Spriggs spends much of his time cooped up in his mother’s one-bedroom apartment in Southwest Washington, the TV blaring soap operas hour after hour, trying to stay out of the streets and out of trouble, held captive by the economy. As a young black man, Spriggs belongs to a group that has been hit much harder than any other by unemployment.

Joblessness for 16-to-24-year-old black men has reached Great Depression proportions — 34.5 percent in October, more than three times the rate for the general U.S. population. And last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that unemployment in the District, home to many young black men, rose to 11.9 percent from 11.4 percent, even as it stayed relatively stable in Virginia and Maryland.

His work history, Spriggs says, has consisted of dead-end jobs. About a year ago, he lost his job moving office furniture, and he hasn’t been able to find steady work since. This summer he completed a construction apprenticeship program, he says, seeking a career so he could avoid repeating the mistake of selling drugs to support his 3-year-old daughter. So far the most the training program has yielded was a temporary flagger job that lasted a few days.

“I think we’re labeled for not wanting to do nothing — knuckleheads or hardheads,” said Spriggs, whose first name is pronounced Dee-lon-tay. “But all of us ain’t bad.”

Construction, manufacturing and retail experienced the most severe job losses in this down economy, losses that are disproportionately affecting men and young people who populated those sectors. That is especially playing out in the District, where unemployment has risen despite the abundance of jobs in the federal government.

Traditionally the last hired and first fired, workers in Spriggs’s age group have taken the brunt of the difficult economy, with cost-conscious employers wiping out the very apprenticeship, internship and on-the-job-training programs that for generations gave young people a leg up in the work world or a second chance when they made mistakes. Moreover, this generation is being elbowed out of entry-level positions by older, more experienced job seekers on the unemployment rolls who willingly trade down just to put food on the table.

The jobless rate for young black men and women is 30.5 percent. For young blacks — who experts say are more likely to grow up in impoverished racially isolated neighborhoods, attend subpar public schools and experience discrimination — race statistically appears to be a bigger factor in their unemployment than age, income or even education. Lower-income white teens were more likely to find work than upper-income black teens, according to the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, and even blacks who graduate from college suffer from joblessness at twice the rate of their white peers.

Young black women have an unemployment rate of 26.5 percent, while the rate for all 16-to-24-year-old women is 15.4 percent.

Victoria Kirby, 22, has been among that number. In the summer of 2008, a D.C. publishing company where Kirby was interning offered her a job that would start upon her graduation in May 2009 from Howard University. But the company withdrew the offer in the fall of 2008 when the economy collapsed.

Kirby said she applied for administrative jobs on Capitol Hill but was told she was overqualified. She sought a teaching position in the D.C. public schools through the Teach for America program but said she was rejected because of a flood of four times the usual number of applicants.

Finally, she went back to school, enrolling in a master’s of public policy program at Howard. “I decided to stay in school two more years and wait out the recession,” Kirby said.

On a tightrope

The Obama administration is on a tightrope, balancing the desire to spend billions more dollars to create jobs without adding to the $1.4 trillion national deficit. Yet some policy experts say more attention needs to be paid to the intractable problems of underemployed workers — those who like Spriggs may lack a high school diploma, a steady work history, job-readiness skills or a squeaky-clean background.

“Increased involvement in the underground economy, criminal activity, increased poverty, homelessness and teen pregnancy are the things I worry about if we continue to see more years of high unemployment,” said Algernon Austin, a sociologist and director of the race, ethnicity and economy program at the Economic Policy Institute, which studies issues involving low- and middle-income wage earners.

Earlier this month, District officials said they will use $3.9 million in federal stimulus funds to provide 19 weeks of on-the-job training to 500 18-to-24-year-olds. But even those who receive training often don’t get jobs.

“I thought after I finished the [training] program, I’d be working. I only had three jobs with the union and only one of them was longer than a week,” Spriggs, a tall slender man wearing a black Nationals cap, said one afternoon while sitting at the table in the living room/dining room in his mother’s apartment. “It has you wanting to go out and find other ways to make money. . . . [Lack of jobs is why] people go out hustling and doing what they can to get by.”

“Give me a chance to show that I can work. Just give me a chance,” added Spriggs, who is on probation for drug possession. “I don’t want to think negative. I know the economy is slow. You got to crawl before you walk. I got to be patient. My biggest problem [which prompted the effort to sell drugs] is not being patient.”

The economy’s seismic shift has been an equal-opportunity offender, hurting various racial and ethnic groups, economic classes, ages, and white- and blue-collar job categories. Nevertheless, 16-to-24-year-olds face heavier losses, with a 19.1 percent unemployment rate, about nine points higher than the national average for the general population.

Their rate of employment in October was 44.9 percent, the lowest level in 61 years of record keeping, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment for men in their 20s and early 30s is at its lowest level since the Great Depression, according to the Center for Labor Market Studies.

Troubling consequences

Unemployment among young people is particularly troubling, economists say, because the consequences can be long-lasting. This might be the first generation that does not keep up with its parents’ standard of living. Jobless teens are more likely to be jobless twenty-somethings. Once forced onto the sidelines, they likely will not catch up financially for many years. That is the case even for young people of all ethnic groups who graduate from college.

Lisa B. Kahn, an economics professor at Yale University who studied graduates during recessions in the 1980s, determined that the young workers hired during a down economy generally start off with lower wages than they otherwise would have and don’t recover for at least a decade.

“In your first job, you’re accumulating skills on how to do the job, learning by doing and getting training. If you graduate in a recession, you’re in a [lesser] job, wasting your time,” she said. “Once you switch into the job you should be in, you don’t have the skills for that job.”

Some studies examining how employers review black and white job applicants suggest that discrimination may be at play.

“Black men were less likely to receive a call back or job offer than equally qualified white men,” said Devah Pager, a sociology professor at Princeton University, referring to her studies a few years ago of white and black male job applicants in their 20s in Milwaukee and New York. “Black men with a clean record fare no better than white men just released from prison.”

Teachers of Color Making A Difference

Dr. Steve Perry Interview

Uncovering the “Secrets” of High Poverty, High Success Schools

Black Boys and Special Education – Change Is Needed!

Experts Call for More Black Male Teachers 11/3/09

Adams 12 Five Star Schools, CO

teachersofcolor — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:40:53 +0000

www.a dams12.org
Broomfield Federal Heights Northglenn Thornton Westminster
Adams 12 Five Star Schools is located just seven miles north of
downtown Denver, where we enjoy 300+ days of sunshine each
year, professional sports teams, a diversifi ed and growing economy,
and beautiful mountain scenery right in your own backyard. The
five stars represent the fi ve unique communities the district serves:
Broomfi eld, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster.
As a fast growing district of 38,000 students in 47 schools, we take
pride in creating a child centered environment that is warm and
welcoming. To us, educating the whole child is the focus of our work.
The Five Star community has set its mind to improving student performance
and this hard work has certainly blossomed into new areas
of growth. Media headlines touted the fact that Adams 12 Five Star
Schools made the greatest gains on the CSAP tests compared to all
other districts in the Denver Metro area for 2005.
We value a diversifi ed workforce and are committed to continually
enhance our workforce diversity. Please consider joining us in improving
the lives of students using the powerful gift of education.
Human Resources
1500 E. 128th Ave.
Thornton, CO 80241
(720) 972-4068

American Indians: Stereotypes & Realities 12/12/09

teachersofcolor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:13:08 +0000

American Indians: Stereotypes & Realities

By Dr. Devon A. Mihesuah
Clarity Press
Paperback, $14.95
154 pages, illustrated
ISBN: 978-0-932863-22-5

Book Review by Kam Williams

“Accurate books about Indians have been written, yet misinformation abounds and inundates our children at an early age. Racist television cartoons which portray Indians as befeathered savages are still shown today as entertainment… Textbooks continue to be inadequate. For example, students still learn in first grade that in 1492 Columbus ‘discovered’ America and that for 500 years after this encounter all peoples of the Western Hemisphere have been content, despite the fact that this cultural encounter resulted in the most devastating holocaust the world has ever known…
Professors who teach this version of history evaluate Indians by non-Indian standards. They still frequently refer to Indians as ‘savages,’ ‘heathens,’ and ‘red men’ without considering the Indians’ side of the story… [My] purpose is to correct some of the most prevalent misconceptions about Indians. It is important for all of us to recognize and combat stereotypes. All peoples deserve to have their histories and cultures properly placed in the scheme of things.”
n Excerpted from the Introduction (pages 14-20)

Between Hollywood movies and history books, most of our minds are
filled with many misconceptions about Native Americans. For instance, the film The Last of the Mohicans gives the erroneous impression that that tribe has disappeared entirely. Meanwhile, the picture Pocahontas suggests that the 12 year-old Indian princess had a romantic relationship with a much older white man named John Smith, when they never married and weren’t ever even lovers. An accurate account of what transpired would relate how he was one of the settlers who participated in the extermination of Pocahontas’ people, the Powhatans.
Dr. Devon A. Mihesuah, a professor of International Cultural Understanding at the University of Kansas, also happens to be a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. And as the author of over a dozen books on Indigenous history, it has been her life’s mission to set the record straight about Native Americans. In American Indians: Stereotypes & Realities she corrects 25 common mistaken notions, ranging from “Indians had no civilization until Europeans brought it to them” to “Indians have no religion” to “Indians are a vanished race” to “Indians get a free ride from the government” to “Indians have a tendency towards alcoholism” to “Indians were conquered because they were inferior” to “Indians have no reason to be unpatriotic.”
Consider the chapter debunking the stereotype of Indians as warlike, where the author matter-of-factly explains that they were understandably fighting “to defend their lands, sovereignty and way of life from invaders.” She goes on to point out that movies and history books have generally portrayed her people as wild savages, when it really was generals like George Washington and Andrew Jackson who were the bloodthirsty aggressors. But unfortunately, the ethnic cleansing on the part of the conquerors continues to be celebrated as great military victories instead of massacres.
A precious primer on Native Americans for anyone who can handle the truth about how the West was won.

To order a copy of American Indians: Stereotypes & Realities, visit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0932863221?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0932863221 <http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0932863221?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0932863221>