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romanic
romanic's Journal
romanic's Journal
August 23, 2015
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-america-broke-its-promise-to-jamylabolden/article_db8fa5e1-677f-5bad-a354-b9c5f81a21ba.html
Cross-posted from GD. Very sad editorial that speaks on some harsh truths that affect the chances of our young black children succeeding from underfunded schools, rampant gun violence, and a sense of hopelessness that destroys these young lives. R.I.P. Jamyla.
Editorial: America broke its promise to #JamylaBolden
Enough.
Let Jamyla’s death touch a region’s heart. Let her be memorialized in the conversations about inequality in the greater St. Louis region that have been taking place in the past year. Let it not end with conversation. Let conversation become conversion.
Change is happening, but not nearly quickly enough.
We may never know who killed Jamyla, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find justice for a 9-year-old child who wanted to do better than her best.
A year after #Ferguson, the schools that serve its children are still underfunded and failing. The housing is still unequal and unsafe. Guns are rampant. Jobs are few. In a community where blindly fired bullets can kill a little girl in the safety of her home, hope is scarce. Justice is only a word.
Until St. Louis invests in its children — and it’s going to take a whole lot more than $26 million — the promise of a positive future will be trapped in the casket of a child.
Let Jamyla’s death touch a region’s heart. Let her be memorialized in the conversations about inequality in the greater St. Louis region that have been taking place in the past year. Let it not end with conversation. Let conversation become conversion.
Change is happening, but not nearly quickly enough.
We may never know who killed Jamyla, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find justice for a 9-year-old child who wanted to do better than her best.
A year after #Ferguson, the schools that serve its children are still underfunded and failing. The housing is still unequal and unsafe. Guns are rampant. Jobs are few. In a community where blindly fired bullets can kill a little girl in the safety of her home, hope is scarce. Justice is only a word.
Until St. Louis invests in its children — and it’s going to take a whole lot more than $26 million — the promise of a positive future will be trapped in the casket of a child.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-america-broke-its-promise-to-jamylabolden/article_db8fa5e1-677f-5bad-a354-b9c5f81a21ba.html
Cross-posted from GD. Very sad editorial that speaks on some harsh truths that affect the chances of our young black children succeeding from underfunded schools, rampant gun violence, and a sense of hopelessness that destroys these young lives. R.I.P. Jamyla.
August 23, 2015
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-america-broke-its-promise-to-jamylabolden/article_db8fa5e1-677f-5bad-a354-b9c5f81a21ba.html
Was going to post this in Good Reads, but figured I post it here to instead. This editorial really got to me; especially the last few sentences detailing just how much in the city of Ferguson hasn't changed. I feel like the rampant gun culture and failure from this nation to ensure a livable and leveled field of opportunity and success for many young black kids needs to be discussed, it needs to be national news and conversation too.
RIP to this little girl and to the others lost to senseless gun violence and lack of care for black children.
America broke its promise to #JamylaBolden
It’s not good enough to go home and hug our own 9-year-old daughters a little tighter, to let that kiss goodnight on the top of the forehead linger. It’s not good enough to march and light another candle, to go to church and temple and mosque, holding hands and calling for calm and peace and healing.
Those actions get us through the day. But what about tomorrow?
Tomorrow, Jamyla’s classmates, those innocent children left behind in the Riverview Gardens School District, will go to school and before the bell rings be eons behind 9-year-olds in other parts of the city. Their chance at success, and a long life, is limited by their ZIP code.
The For the Sake of All report published by Washington University last year under the direction of assistant professor Jason Purnell tells us they will die a full 15 years earlier than people who live just one or two ZIP codes to the south, just because of where they live. The same report tells us that Jamyla’s friends, those who graduate high school, at least, will earn about half what their white counterparts in St. Louis will earn. They’ll be more than twice as likely to be unemployed. They will be more likely to have heart disease or cancer. Their ability to move out of the social strata into which they were born is severely limited, Harvard University’s recent study on social mobility tells us.
They are stuck in a community in which dying of a gunshot wound is not an unusual event.
This is the reality that too many St. Louisans of color, particularly on the north side of the city and county, have been living for too long. It’s costing us more than lost lives; it’s costing the entire region billions of dollars in economic opportunity. We continue to allow an entire region, one generation of people after another, to suffer because in a divided St. Louis, some people have theirs and that’s just the way it’s going to be.
Enough.
Let Jamyla’s death touch a region’s heart. Let her be memorialized in the conversations about inequality in the greater St. Louis region that have been taking place in the past year. Let it not end with conversation. Let conversation become conversion.
Change is happening, but not nearly quickly enough.
We may never know who killed Jamyla, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find justice for a 9-year-old child who wanted to do better than her best.
A year after #Ferguson, the schools that serve its children are still underfunded and failing. The housing is still unequal and unsafe. Guns are rampant. Jobs are few. In a community where blindly fired bullets can kill a little girl in the safety of her home, hope is scarce. Justice is only a word.
Until St. Louis invests in its children — and it’s going to take a whole lot more than $26 million — the promise of a positive future will be trapped in the casket of a child.
Those actions get us through the day. But what about tomorrow?
Tomorrow, Jamyla’s classmates, those innocent children left behind in the Riverview Gardens School District, will go to school and before the bell rings be eons behind 9-year-olds in other parts of the city. Their chance at success, and a long life, is limited by their ZIP code.
The For the Sake of All report published by Washington University last year under the direction of assistant professor Jason Purnell tells us they will die a full 15 years earlier than people who live just one or two ZIP codes to the south, just because of where they live. The same report tells us that Jamyla’s friends, those who graduate high school, at least, will earn about half what their white counterparts in St. Louis will earn. They’ll be more than twice as likely to be unemployed. They will be more likely to have heart disease or cancer. Their ability to move out of the social strata into which they were born is severely limited, Harvard University’s recent study on social mobility tells us.
They are stuck in a community in which dying of a gunshot wound is not an unusual event.
This is the reality that too many St. Louisans of color, particularly on the north side of the city and county, have been living for too long. It’s costing us more than lost lives; it’s costing the entire region billions of dollars in economic opportunity. We continue to allow an entire region, one generation of people after another, to suffer because in a divided St. Louis, some people have theirs and that’s just the way it’s going to be.
Enough.
Let Jamyla’s death touch a region’s heart. Let her be memorialized in the conversations about inequality in the greater St. Louis region that have been taking place in the past year. Let it not end with conversation. Let conversation become conversion.
Change is happening, but not nearly quickly enough.
We may never know who killed Jamyla, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find justice for a 9-year-old child who wanted to do better than her best.
A year after #Ferguson, the schools that serve its children are still underfunded and failing. The housing is still unequal and unsafe. Guns are rampant. Jobs are few. In a community where blindly fired bullets can kill a little girl in the safety of her home, hope is scarce. Justice is only a word.
Until St. Louis invests in its children — and it’s going to take a whole lot more than $26 million — the promise of a positive future will be trapped in the casket of a child.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-america-broke-its-promise-to-jamylabolden/article_db8fa5e1-677f-5bad-a354-b9c5f81a21ba.html
Was going to post this in Good Reads, but figured I post it here to instead. This editorial really got to me; especially the last few sentences detailing just how much in the city of Ferguson hasn't changed. I feel like the rampant gun culture and failure from this nation to ensure a livable and leveled field of opportunity and success for many young black kids needs to be discussed, it needs to be national news and conversation too.
RIP to this little girl and to the others lost to senseless gun violence and lack of care for black children.
August 12, 2015
Will anarchy help black people? I think not.
Regarding that interview with Marissa and her talks about "destroying" and "blowing up" the system; it made me wonder if doing away with politics and government will possibly help black people in the fight against racism.
All i could come up with is: HELL NO.
There is no end game with anarchy. No protection. Who or what would uphold our civil rights without government? I doubt any agitating anarchist would care or give a damn when everything id said and done. And even if they succeeded in blowing shit up; what would they replace it with???
So i ask you all, do you think anarchy groups who view the system, government, politicians on both sides, progressives/moderates/conservatives as enemies would ever help black people?
August 10, 2015
http://oliverwillis.com/2015/07/23/if-black-lives-matter-blacklivesmatter-has-to-grow-up/
Please read the whole article, it's possibly one of the best articles I've read about BLM in a while.
If Black Lives Matter, #BlackLivesMatter Has To Grow Up
The Clock Is Ticking
Changes like those I’ve described need to happen, the sooner the better. #BlackLivesMatter has approached critical mass, but risks deflating itself much like Occupy Wall Street and other temporarily buzzing movements did (I’d argue that this has happened to the Tea Party, which has been co-opted by the GOP mainstream and the hucksters who made a lot of money using it as a fundraising tool).
It isn’t enough to have Hillary Clinton and others say “black lives matter.” They’re aware of it, we’re aware of it. But now you need to pummel them into doing something that truly shows black lives matter and have them in fear of the consequences if they don’t enact what is being asked of them.
These social movements are important. They change the fabric of the American experience. This idea is more important than others, and it cannot be allowed to simply whither on the vine.
Changes like those I’ve described need to happen, the sooner the better. #BlackLivesMatter has approached critical mass, but risks deflating itself much like Occupy Wall Street and other temporarily buzzing movements did (I’d argue that this has happened to the Tea Party, which has been co-opted by the GOP mainstream and the hucksters who made a lot of money using it as a fundraising tool).
It isn’t enough to have Hillary Clinton and others say “black lives matter.” They’re aware of it, we’re aware of it. But now you need to pummel them into doing something that truly shows black lives matter and have them in fear of the consequences if they don’t enact what is being asked of them.
These social movements are important. They change the fabric of the American experience. This idea is more important than others, and it cannot be allowed to simply whither on the vine.
http://oliverwillis.com/2015/07/23/if-black-lives-matter-blacklivesmatter-has-to-grow-up/
Please read the whole article, it's possibly one of the best articles I've read about BLM in a while.
July 13, 2015
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bs-md-ci-mayor-water-in-face-20150711-story.html
Looks like Rawlings-Blake has lost favor in the city from the looks of things, though I'm not a B-More citizen so what do I know?
(Baltimore) Mayor hit with water by festival-goer at Mondawmin
A Baltimore woman was arrested after she dumped what appeared to be water on Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake as she greeted residents Saturday morning at the Mondawmin Festival.
The woman, identified by police as Lacheisa Pailin-Sheffer, ran up to Rawlings-Blake and poured a large cup of liquid over the mayor's head. Aides rushed to the mayor to help her dry off while a member of her executive protection unit grabbed the woman and placed her in handcuffs.
Lacheisa Pailin-Sheffer is charged with second-degree assault after pouring what appeared to be water on Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake at Mondawmin Festival. (Baltimore Police)
When asked later about the incident, Rawlings-Blake said, "I didn't know what it was that she threw at me. I hope it was water. It was more shocking than anything else."
Her spokesman, Howard Libit, said, "Fortunately, the mayor is fine. She went on and had a great time at the festival."
Libit said the incident would not keep the mayor from going to other public events. "She enjoys opportunities like this to engage with the people of Baltimore. This was an odd, random incident. Things like this happen."
Rawlings-Blake was attending the Mondawmin Festival, a daylong event with live music, free food and representatives from city agencies and nonprofits, held both inside and outside at the mall where violence and rioting erupted in the city just two months ago.
On April 27, as class at nearby schools was letting out for the day, students clashed with police officers in riot gear, and the unrest later spread throughout the city. Some have criticized the Rawlings-Blake administration for its handling of the rioting and recent violence across Baltimore, including her opponent in the coming Democratic primary election, former Mayor Sheila Dixon.
The water-throwing incident did not interrupt the mayor's plans for the festival or for the day, Libit said. Rawlings-Blake spent time visiting booths before leaving to meet with supporters, then visiting a basketball clinic.
The woman, identified by police as Lacheisa Pailin-Sheffer, ran up to Rawlings-Blake and poured a large cup of liquid over the mayor's head. Aides rushed to the mayor to help her dry off while a member of her executive protection unit grabbed the woman and placed her in handcuffs.
Lacheisa Pailin-Sheffer is charged with second-degree assault after pouring what appeared to be water on Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake at Mondawmin Festival. (Baltimore Police)
When asked later about the incident, Rawlings-Blake said, "I didn't know what it was that she threw at me. I hope it was water. It was more shocking than anything else."
Her spokesman, Howard Libit, said, "Fortunately, the mayor is fine. She went on and had a great time at the festival."
Libit said the incident would not keep the mayor from going to other public events. "She enjoys opportunities like this to engage with the people of Baltimore. This was an odd, random incident. Things like this happen."
Rawlings-Blake was attending the Mondawmin Festival, a daylong event with live music, free food and representatives from city agencies and nonprofits, held both inside and outside at the mall where violence and rioting erupted in the city just two months ago.
On April 27, as class at nearby schools was letting out for the day, students clashed with police officers in riot gear, and the unrest later spread throughout the city. Some have criticized the Rawlings-Blake administration for its handling of the rioting and recent violence across Baltimore, including her opponent in the coming Democratic primary election, former Mayor Sheila Dixon.
The water-throwing incident did not interrupt the mayor's plans for the festival or for the day, Libit said. Rawlings-Blake spent time visiting booths before leaving to meet with supporters, then visiting a basketball clinic.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bs-md-ci-mayor-water-in-face-20150711-story.html
Looks like Rawlings-Blake has lost favor in the city from the looks of things, though I'm not a B-More citizen so what do I know?
July 11, 2015
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/29524577/michael-brown-sr-joins-detroit-city-leaders-to-occupy-the-block
(vid at the link)
I'm real happy to see Mr. Brown Sr. out here in Detroit for this discussion. There has been way too much violence in our communities and in our neighborhoods. Tackling police brutality is only half the solution, we need to be involved with taking care of our neighbors and overcoming this no-snitch rule and anti-police thinking.
I also agree with Mr. Brown Sr. on the disconnection between cops and citizens - which is more noticable in black neighborhoods. I hope residency was apart of this roundtable discussion because you can't have cops patrolling streets their not familiar or invested in.
What say you all?
Michael Brown, Sr. joins Detroit city leaders to 'Occupy the Block'
A movement to stop the violence brings the father of a well-known shooting victim to Detroit.
The father of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teen shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri joined city leaders for Occupy the Corner Detroit.
It was Detroit city councilwoman Mary Sheffield occupying the corner and this time it was Brush and Bethune at the Delores Bennett Park in Detroit's north end.
"I just want us to come together and be united as one," Sheffield said. "And take a stance against the crime we're seeing within our neighborhoods."
Alongside councilwoman Sheffield was Brown, father of the Missouri teenager killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.
He's on a crusade to stop violence and to bridge the gap between police and people of color - one that his son's death exposed.
"As a kid when I was growing up there were officers out jumping rope with girls, playing basketball with boys knocking on your doors introducing themselves," Brown said. "They let you know when you're doing wrong and telling you to go home. None of that is going on right now. We need to get back to the basics."
Brown took part in a round table discussion at Metro United Methodist Church. Cops, neighborhood leaders and politicians engaged in tough talk about tackling violence, personal responsibility and the relationship police have with their communities.
"This speaks volumes that we are working together and that you do represent peace and that you're not anti-police," said Cmdr. Todd Bettison.
From the four walls of the church to the neighborhoods in need of change, This Occupy the Corner and visit from Mike Brown, Sr. comes after the number of police officers hit the lowest point the city has seen in years, and a violent start to summer.
Homicides are up more than 10 percent compared to this time in 2014 and to make matters worse, the "no snitch" code so common in Detroit has seemingly crippled many investigations.
"The whole no snitch mentality in our communities has to stop," Sheffield said. "And I also think we have to make sure we're protecting those who do speak up, so we have witness protection. But is it underfunded, yes it is."
Sheffield is working on getting Detroit police's witness protection program more money to safeguard people doing their part to make Detroit more safe
The father of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teen shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri joined city leaders for Occupy the Corner Detroit.
It was Detroit city councilwoman Mary Sheffield occupying the corner and this time it was Brush and Bethune at the Delores Bennett Park in Detroit's north end.
"I just want us to come together and be united as one," Sheffield said. "And take a stance against the crime we're seeing within our neighborhoods."
Alongside councilwoman Sheffield was Brown, father of the Missouri teenager killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.
He's on a crusade to stop violence and to bridge the gap between police and people of color - one that his son's death exposed.
"As a kid when I was growing up there were officers out jumping rope with girls, playing basketball with boys knocking on your doors introducing themselves," Brown said. "They let you know when you're doing wrong and telling you to go home. None of that is going on right now. We need to get back to the basics."
Brown took part in a round table discussion at Metro United Methodist Church. Cops, neighborhood leaders and politicians engaged in tough talk about tackling violence, personal responsibility and the relationship police have with their communities.
"This speaks volumes that we are working together and that you do represent peace and that you're not anti-police," said Cmdr. Todd Bettison.
From the four walls of the church to the neighborhoods in need of change, This Occupy the Corner and visit from Mike Brown, Sr. comes after the number of police officers hit the lowest point the city has seen in years, and a violent start to summer.
Homicides are up more than 10 percent compared to this time in 2014 and to make matters worse, the "no snitch" code so common in Detroit has seemingly crippled many investigations.
"The whole no snitch mentality in our communities has to stop," Sheffield said. "And I also think we have to make sure we're protecting those who do speak up, so we have witness protection. But is it underfunded, yes it is."
Sheffield is working on getting Detroit police's witness protection program more money to safeguard people doing their part to make Detroit more safe
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/29524577/michael-brown-sr-joins-detroit-city-leaders-to-occupy-the-block
(vid at the link)
I'm real happy to see Mr. Brown Sr. out here in Detroit for this discussion. There has been way too much violence in our communities and in our neighborhoods. Tackling police brutality is only half the solution, we need to be involved with taking care of our neighbors and overcoming this no-snitch rule and anti-police thinking.
I also agree with Mr. Brown Sr. on the disconnection between cops and citizens - which is more noticable in black neighborhoods. I hope residency was apart of this roundtable discussion because you can't have cops patrolling streets their not familiar or invested in.
What say you all?
July 9, 2015
http://www.mtv.com/news/2205783/white-people-cast-trailer/
Uhhh....what do ya'll think about this cause honestly I'm just befuddled at the whole thing. :/
So MTV has a show called "White People" coming up...
And there's a trailer for it:
http://www.mtv.com/news/2205783/white-people-cast-trailer/
Uhhh....what do ya'll think about this cause honestly I'm just befuddled at the whole thing. :/
June 29, 2015
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/faisal-abbas/are-we-living-islams-dark_b_7680478.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592
Interesting read from Mr. Abbas. I can defintiely agree with his frustration on the silence from other Muslims regarding ISIS and the actions of their faith's extremists. What do ya'll think, agree or disagree?
Are We Living Islam's Darkest Hour?
How much terrorism can the world take in 24 hours? Friday June 26, 2015 will certainly go down in history as a day that pushed the limit.
Just in case the daily dose of evil committed by the likes of ISIS or Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq wasn't enough, we witnessed three additional horrific attacks done in the name of Islam yesterday.
In Kuwait, a deadly bomb took the lives of 27 innocent people and injured 200 others in an ISIS attack on a Shiite mosque.
In the Tunisian resort town of Sousse, at least 38 innocent people were killed and dozens wounded when at least one ISIS gunman opened fire at a beachside resort. Meanwhile, a headless body and Islamist flags were found at the scene of an attack on a gas factory near France's second largest city, Lyon.
Here is what will happen next: Leaders of affected countries will visit the wounded and vow retaliation, world leaders and concerned parties will condemn, the press will talk about it for a few days.
Then, the story will die and terrorism will be forgotten -- until it strikes again.
'Quiet Condoners'
The madness needs to stop. But this will not happen as long as there are Muslims who, while not actively participating in these crimes, still think the likes of ISIS have grounds for what they are doing,
People might say the above argument echoes the rather unpopular (but accurate nevertheless) views of British PM David Cameron who recently accused many British Muslims of quietly condoning the ISIS ideology.
Now, while it remains a puzzle how anyone can agree -- privately or publicly -- with this group's evil creed; one has to wonder if these "quiet condoners" realize that it is Muslims -- and nobody else -- who are ultimately being hurt the most?
Putting aside the innocent Christian, Jewish and/or Muslim lives that these terrorist acts take, let us not forget that after almost each one of these attacks, hate crimes against Muslims increase and Muslim communities end up finding it harder to be accepted, to find jobs and to integrate.
Some might ask: what about Muslim grievances regarding occupied lands, unjust causes and unfair treatment, which these terrorist groups claim to be fighting for?
In response to that question, one can only ask how many of these grievances, while legitimate, have been solved by terrorism? If anything, the likes of ISIS and al Qaeda has made these causes worse and much more complicated to resolve.
As simple as this truth is, many people refuse to see it and this is probably the reason why I remain extremely pessimistic about our region. Perhaps one positive thought remains. It is said that the night is darkest just before the dawn -- I don't think our night can get any darker!
Just in case the daily dose of evil committed by the likes of ISIS or Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq wasn't enough, we witnessed three additional horrific attacks done in the name of Islam yesterday.
In Kuwait, a deadly bomb took the lives of 27 innocent people and injured 200 others in an ISIS attack on a Shiite mosque.
In the Tunisian resort town of Sousse, at least 38 innocent people were killed and dozens wounded when at least one ISIS gunman opened fire at a beachside resort. Meanwhile, a headless body and Islamist flags were found at the scene of an attack on a gas factory near France's second largest city, Lyon.
Here is what will happen next: Leaders of affected countries will visit the wounded and vow retaliation, world leaders and concerned parties will condemn, the press will talk about it for a few days.
Then, the story will die and terrorism will be forgotten -- until it strikes again.
'Quiet Condoners'
The madness needs to stop. But this will not happen as long as there are Muslims who, while not actively participating in these crimes, still think the likes of ISIS have grounds for what they are doing,
People might say the above argument echoes the rather unpopular (but accurate nevertheless) views of British PM David Cameron who recently accused many British Muslims of quietly condoning the ISIS ideology.
Now, while it remains a puzzle how anyone can agree -- privately or publicly -- with this group's evil creed; one has to wonder if these "quiet condoners" realize that it is Muslims -- and nobody else -- who are ultimately being hurt the most?
Putting aside the innocent Christian, Jewish and/or Muslim lives that these terrorist acts take, let us not forget that after almost each one of these attacks, hate crimes against Muslims increase and Muslim communities end up finding it harder to be accepted, to find jobs and to integrate.
Some might ask: what about Muslim grievances regarding occupied lands, unjust causes and unfair treatment, which these terrorist groups claim to be fighting for?
In response to that question, one can only ask how many of these grievances, while legitimate, have been solved by terrorism? If anything, the likes of ISIS and al Qaeda has made these causes worse and much more complicated to resolve.
As simple as this truth is, many people refuse to see it and this is probably the reason why I remain extremely pessimistic about our region. Perhaps one positive thought remains. It is said that the night is darkest just before the dawn -- I don't think our night can get any darker!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/faisal-abbas/are-we-living-islams-dark_b_7680478.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592
Interesting read from Mr. Abbas. I can defintiely agree with his frustration on the silence from other Muslims regarding ISIS and the actions of their faith's extremists. What do ya'll think, agree or disagree?
June 19, 2015
Don Lemon gets called an Uncle Tom live on CNN
Just saw a clip on Worldstar. Yikes this tragedy is bringing out all kinds of crazy. Anyone else seen it? :/
June 14, 2015
https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/how-black-fathers-facebook-group-of-9k-is-121297535977.html
Saw this earlier and it warmed my heart.
I truly believe black fathers, single black fathers especially get a bad wrap with the "deadbeat jailbird" stereotype that is often thrown out by the mainstream media. I wish Mr. Prestbury and his group luck.
How 'Black Fathers' Facebook Group of 9K Is ‘Shattering Stereotypes’
When Matt Prestbury gained custody of his then 2- and 3-year-old sons, after divorcing his first wife 12 years ago, the single dad knew he needed support. “I’m very much an introvert,” the Baltimore father, 39, tells Yahoo Parenting. “But I knew that I wanted to build a brotherhood in a sense — and I didn’t see anything else like that out there.”
So in 2008, Prestbury, a kindergarten teacher, took matters into his own hands and founded the Black Fathers Facebook group for dads. “I wanted to create a virtual space where fathers could come together and be a resource for each other — and help break lot of stereotypes to change the narrative of what it means to be a black father in America,” says the now remarried father, who has four children today: sons Breon, 16, Bryce, 14, Braylon, 10, and daughter Laila, 8, with his second wife, Kelly. “There used to be the perception that fathers, and in particular black fathers, all abandon their children. But I wanted to have stories represented like mine, where the fathers are actively involved in their kids’ lives.”
Fatherhood, he says, “wasn’t really a big social issue at the time. Sure, you could have kids and take care of them,” Prestbury adds, “but sitting home and kickin’ it with homies, we didn’t talk about fatherhood and being dads. And I wanted to give dads a sense of validation.”
At first the group was about gathering for casual playground meet-ups, but it quickly grew in scope and size. Now with a whopping 9,000 members from across the country, Black Fathers has become the network, and the agent of change, that Prestbury always hoped that it would be. The group offers workshops, an active discussion board, and resources for men seeking advice and legal counsel regarding custody and other family issues. There are also events — including the group’s recent “hip-hop and spoken word celebration,” with musicians who are fathers or who rap about fatherhood, and “Daddy & a Movie,” a free outdoor film series.
https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/how-black-fathers-facebook-group-of-9k-is-121297535977.html
Saw this earlier and it warmed my heart.
I truly believe black fathers, single black fathers especially get a bad wrap with the "deadbeat jailbird" stereotype that is often thrown out by the mainstream media. I wish Mr. Prestbury and his group luck.
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