In
the midst of the celebration of the 107th Founders Day of
Delta Sigma Theta, I have to pause and give a Birthday salute to a
dear friend, KERMIT EADY, FOUNDER OF THE BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW
YORK (BUFNY), who made his untimely transition a year ago, just
shortly after celebrating his birthday in Florida.
Kermit Eady Social Activist - founder of THE BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW YORK (BUFNY)
Kermit
Eady was not only a friend, but a personal hero in my life – and
actually, in many ways, a super hero for many New Yorkers. I had the
pleasure of working as an account executive and advocate for BUFNY
from approximately 1992 to 1999. And continued to maintain my
affiliation with them even after I was no longer employed there. I
was so proud to be part of an organization that helped Black people
and organizations achieve their goals and dreams through the
underwriting of their programs by providing the financial wherewithal
necessary. While many conscious Black people would always talk about
how much Black people could do if they each contributed $1.00 a week
to a pool – a mutual fund system, Kermit Eady actually made it
happen!! And in doing so, he made history. And in making Black
history, he made enemies. But
that didn't worry him. He was able to get Black people from all
walks of life, from cleaning ladies, laborers, secretaries, nurses,
technicians, doctors, lawyers, educators – to voluntarily
contribute from $1.50 to $20.00 per pay check per month into a pool
of funds, via payroll deductions from Black people all over New York,
as well as parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. No federal dollars
were involved, because whenever there were federal funds and other
so called charitable organizations involved, they would routinely
turn down Black led, oriented or beneficiary programs over minutiae.
However, the Black United Fund of New York – and by association,
extrapolation of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Chicago, and other areas,
made BLACK PEOPLE THEIR PRIORITY, and in doing so, funded homes,
remodeled buildings, providing decent, affordable quality living
spaces for Black people throughout NYC. They were the barrier
between rabid gentrifiers and the community – competing with them
for abandoned buildings, and then, using Black skilled workers,
renovated them so the community could remain in the hands of the
people. Their
motto was THE HELPING HAND THAT IS YOUR OWN I
always teased Kermit that the reason he was so devoted and
determined and so cool was because he was born on January 13, which
is also FOUNDERS DAY FOR DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY. He couldn't
help himself. LOL Because
of Kermit, more than 600 units were renovated in Manhattan alone,
along with 400 units in Brooklyn and the Bronx. He helped underwrite
or incubate several new Black owned businesses, saved homes, provided
scholarships, provided health coverage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6CZwvzDeH0 This
is the first year we've actually been without our beloved friend, who
made his transition to the realm of Ancestor/Angels on or about
January 24, 2019.
So
I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY KERMIT – WE MISS YOU SO MUCH AND ARE
EVER GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOU DID AND ALL YOU TRIED TO DO. With
much love from your crew Larry
Barton & Jacqueline
Durant & Gloria
Dulan-Wilson
Nearly
a week ago I said goodbye to a longtime friend and ally, Brother Kermit
Eady, founder of the BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW YORK.
Kermit's Homegoing service was held on Tuesday, February 9, 2019 at St Mark AME Church in
Jackson Heights, Queens - on perhaps the worst night of the week - snow
and plummeting temperatures. Yet, many of Kermit's family members and
close friends gathered in his honor.
I
had the privilege of speaking at his services as well as two of his
nieces and the Hon. Charles and Inez Barron - New York's premiere
political power couple.
I'm
sharing a copy of my speech, along with that of his compatriot, Larry
Barton who currently resides in Florida and was not able to attend.
There is also a video graciously provided by cinematographer Winston Gilchrist, a long time friend of Kermit's.
Saying Goodbye to Kermit - and Thanks From Gloria Dulan-Wilson
How do you say goodbye to a
legend - a force of nature - a man who used his will, love, might,
integrity, tenacity and courage to take institutions head on and blazed
trails for BLACK PEOPLE in real time?
First of all, I have to credit my home girl Goldie Watkins Bryant with meeting and getting to know Kermit Eady - Goldie
resonated to my complaint that the New York Transit Authority did not
have any specific deductions for Black organizations and Black causes -
this was in 1985.
I
celebrate over 30 years of friendship with this remarkable force and
source of nature - and was proud to have worked with him in the most
remarkable organization for and about Black people - ever. He touched
so many lives in indelible ways - people who thought there was no hope
for them found a true champion for them in Kermit
Eady. He delberately surrounded himself with likeminded people - and
if they weren't when they started, they were by the time he got through
with them.
In
1992 I began working for BUFNY as an account executive - and really had
the honor of becoming an integral part of of that magnificent
operation. It
was the first time I had ever worked for a Black organization that
called its own shots, set its own pace, had its own boss, and had Black
people as its only focus. Working for THE BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW YORK was one of
my most cherished experiences.
I
would show up at the site with all my BUFNY PARAPHENALIA - my video
tape, VCR, brochure, pledge cards, BUFNY HANDSHAKE PINS, and set up 6 to
10 presentations a day - GRAND COUNCIL OF GUARDIANS - who are now 100
Blacks in Law Enforcement who care; the VULCAN SOCIETY - the Black Fire Fighters, HHC - the
HEALTH AND HOSPITAL CORPORATION - Goldwater Hospital, Harlem Hospital,
Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Bellvue Hospital, Downstate Medical
Center were my regular beats - I made so many friends as a result of these presentations.
There
was a video I played at the beginning that was produced by Kermit and
Jacquie Durant - I was so proud to speak after Patti's song completed
playing, because there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house. The video
was produced inhouse - I was trying to find a copy of the original and
the pins. They are classics.
Apparently Patti finally made an updated version of the video, which you can check out on the YouTube link below:
Kermit
Eady was a dynamo - He was a CAPRICORN - who are known to be task oriented
workaholics; who never stop til they get the job done; practically
fearless - at least on the surface. He
didn't back down from a challenge - as long as it was for and about
Black people, he took it on and saw it through. He could talk forever -
practically without taking a breath, and almost always thinking about
what the next great thing he could come up with to do for Black people.
And
I, who had grown up in the Civil Rights era, and participated in all
kinds of movements from the age of 10, was, for the first time, proud to see tangible
results from our efforts - We were not
just sitting in, or marching, or kneeling, or praying, or begging - Kermit was a modern day MARCUS GARVEY - Kermit was renovating and
building homes, underwriting businesses, providing educational
programs, saving his home town of Orangeburg, South Carolina from egregious tax assessments.
He
was totally politically incorrect - long before Bill Maher - because
the politically correct - politically expedient minons weren't getting
the job done!
He took on the giants of industry - rather than being conciliatory - and made them dance to his tune - Instead
of lip service - he put Black people in charge of their own destiny by
collectively consolidating their contributions and making sure they were
allocated where they would do the most good. Not huge $1000
contributions that broke the bank, but $1.50 to $5.00 at a time -
through payroll deductions - so that even people on welfare or social
security could afford to participate.
He
took a rundown corner of Adam Clayton Powell an 134th Street and
transformed it into the heart nerve and sinew of the BLACK UNITED FUND
OF NEW YORK - a/k/a BUFNY.
He sued the United Way because they tried to Block BUFNY FROM HAVING PAYROLL DEDUCTION OPTIONS - AND WON!!!
The
United Way only shared 3% of their contributions to Black Causes
nationwide. BUFNY allocated 85% to Black Causes, with 15% being used
for administrative costs.
I
was so proud to be a part of a Black organization with real balls. I
could point to a building, a home, people - and say this is who we are,
this is what we do, and this is what you can do - and have so many
people sign up that we ended up averaging $111 million a year. I don't
know one Black organization that can show that as their list of
accomplishments.
Kermit
introduced me to the philosophy and works of WALTER BREMOND and THE
BROTHERHOOD CRUSADE; and Danny Bakewell, who kept the legacy alive - I
later had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bakewell at the 100th Anniversary
of the NNPA. Thanks to Kermit,
I had to study King E Davis' book on Black Philanthropy. I
learned how to present to a diverse audience of people from rank and
file employees, to high ranking executives - guess who pledged the
most money? And if you said the high ranking execs, you'd be totally
wrong. Kermit understood the psychology of the oppressed coming
together to help each other.
I learned about incentives and rewards and how to motivate people to participate in their own well being.
My
clientele was The Grand Council of Guardians, The Vulcan Society, HHC,
the Combined Municipal Campaign, Combined State Campaign - as well as individual donors in general.
We
took no federal dollars, and set the criteria for contribution on our
own standards and basis of need as opposed to some arbitrary criteria
set by the feds that had no bearing on our needs.
Kermit
set up incubator programs to help Black businesses get off the ground;
intern programs to help youth learn self management and mutual giving at
young ages.
Kermit
actively participated in the auction process to save Black homes and
neighborhoods from having the homes go on the auction block and into the
hands of predatory developers who would subsequently push Black
families out, while overly developing their neighborhoods for white
replacements.
When he
renovated the properties, he exceeded the standards so the homes were
not only updated, but state of the art, wired for cable and computers,
long before it became the thing to do in the general market. He did
this 400 times - all over New York - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens - He set
the bar - no one has come close - without selling out or selling his
soul.
On
the fun side -Kermit had a rapier wit - he forgot nothing, loved
people, became a scuba diver in his late 50s; bought a sports car
convertible at a time when most people were buying over sized trophy
vehicles. And it was red!!
Kermit
found religion long before it became a thing and had spiritual music
piped throughout the entire office. You always knew when Kermit was in
the room - he had a booming voice that could be heard almost across a
football field - "DULAN-WILSON! What's going on? How'd the presentation
go!" He called me "Dulan-Wilson" so much, most people in the office
didn't know I had a first name. LOL
Kermit
introduced me to the great Les Brown - at a time when I thought he was talking about the white
guitar player - and opened my whole world to motivational speaking. More
importantly, to the phenom that is Les Brown.
I
was so privileged to work with so many dedicated people - Larry
Barton, Nicki (Sheniqua); Jackie Durant, Israel, Hassan, Graham
Weatherspoon, Eric Adams, Noel Leader, Sidique Wai, etc. People who have
since become lifelong friends.
When
I played the video tape that showed the key people of BUFNY, with Patti
LaBelle singing in the background and different vignettes of how BUFNY
helps the homeless, community organizations, and activist groups. Every
contributor received a gold pin of two hands clasping each other with
the statement - THE HELPING HAND THAT IS YOUR OWN.
Just as there were those of us who loved Kermit, there were many people who feared Kermit as well - and suffice it to say, Kermit
had a list of people he didn't like a mile long - and for good reason. In Kermit's world, you were ether for Black people or you were not.
And the worst kind of person was a Black person who didn't stand up for
Black people, and who became a shill for whites. I have a list of those
people - but I don't need to recount them here. He feels that white
people were being who they were, but it was up to us to not be the dust
under their feet.
However,
if I was going to put anyone on the the top of the list of Kermit's
dislikes it was Elliott Spitzer - who destroyed the organization, and
the negroes who helped him, coupled by those negroes who didn't stand
with him. Even more crushing were the people who did not protest the
destruction of BUFNY and all it stood for. It broke his heart - but not
the man.
He
tried to continue his good work under another entity, but was not able
to sustain it. He was doing blog radio shows, and interviewing people
who were key He eventually left the environs of NYC for Florida.
Kermit
tried to persuade me to move to Florida - but, I have an abiding
dislike for the deep south - However I was happy to see him get to a
place where he could relax in his own skin.
I
spoke to Kermit recently just after his Birthday - we have been
collaborating on a book - he wanted me to do it
for free - LOL
He and I were also collaborating on a multilevel marketing opportunity for CBD, and putting
together a payroll deduction training program for an organization - our
last conversation was on January 22 - when I tried to reach him back on
the 24th -
he did not respond - it usually takes a day for him to get back to me,
so I wasn't concerned. I tried calling him again on the 25th and 26th -
by that time his voice mail was full.
My last text to him was on January 27, asking him to give me a call - and clear his voice mail.
Later that night I found out via Facebook that he had passed
I was blown away - devastated - crushed - heartbroken.
As were we all.
My entire family knew how much I loved Kermit as a brother/friend -and have been sending me condolences.
Dear Kermit:
Thank you for so many wonderful years of friendship - for craziness and times of genius; for insight and words of wisdom.
I
want to thank you for being all that you can be while others were
trying to stop you, and for walking around them as if they didn't exist.
Thanks
for showing that Black people could do whatever they put their hearts
and minds to by unifying their minds, their hearts and their finances.
I am going to miss you. We
are going to miss you - but I hope we have enough love, intelligence
and information to not let what you did die - it's time for resurrection.
Stay Blessed
BELOW IS THE VIDEO OF KERMIT EADY'S HOMEGOING SERVICES
It
is with homage and all due respect, but it must be said that Kermit
was no angel or saint, and I thank all powers that be for he was,
simply, an exceptional man with a vision needed at the right place
and time.
Kermit
was a dedicated, honest leader of high integrity and energy who took
on a mission and challenge not too different than did past heroes
like Callie House with ex-slaves contributing for mutual relief while
awaiting 40 acres and a mule; Booker T Washington with bootstrapping
and self-help for uplifting a race; and Marcus Garvey with mass
organizing and economic development for self-reliance and Black
empowerment through development and ownership of wealth-producing
resources. Had Kermit’s pioneering and innovative efforts not been
unjustly and suspiciously interrupted and, ultimately, destroyed with
assistance from enemies within and without, we may have had the
second coming of Garvey.
Kermit,
beginning in 1978, was mentored by the late Walter Bremond, Jr.
(1933- 1982), president and founder of Brotherhood Crusade (1968) in
Los Angeles and National Black United Fund (1972) following the 1965
Watts Rebellion. Bremond charged Kermit with the mission to establish
the New York City chapter in 1979 and organize public and private
sector employees, and ultimately throughout New York State under
Black United Fund of New York (BUFNY 1984), to gain access to payroll
deduction systems for charitable giving then monopolized by United
Way and the non-profit establishment. Kermit would become the nemesis
of those non-profits in power that excluded and sought to destroy any
independent organization that would upset the status quo and
landscape of the lucrative employee payroll deduction marketplace.
With
employees and workplace organizations support, Kermit led BUFNY to
gain access to campaigns in city, county, state and federal agencies
across New York and major corporations including IBM, ATT, New York
Telephone/Verizon and others that opened their systems to new
participating agencies.
Under
Kermit’s leadership BUFNY built and/or managed over 400 affordable
housing units in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens; saved land about to
be lost by Black folks in the Sea Islands of South Carolina;
established Harvest Information Tech Centers in Harlem and Brooklyn;
and provided grants to community-based organizations. All this plus
helping organize the Black United Funds of New Jersey, Pennsylvania
and as far west as Oregon.
I
am grateful for having worked with Kermit spanning 40 years. He was a
brother-in-arms, friend and colleague on the same mission. While he
is gone in body, his spirit and legacy live on. May his song join
with Walter’s and be sung for all to hear, heed and pick up the
torch for the generations to come.
RIP.
Larry
A Barton Former Vice President and General Manager
It's hard to believe that fifteen years have passed since the First Wall Street Project opened in New York City. It was 1997, at at that time we actually were on Wall Street, with many of the events happening either in board rooms, on the trading room floors, or at the World Trade Center.
I can remember sitting in the top of the World Trade Center at one of the luncheons, in a facility where the ceilings were arched, and so low that you had to bend to be in there, and you could not see the speakers because the columns blocked your view.
They've come a long way from those early days of trying to make Black people more financially literate, investment action oriented, and move away from the mentality of a consumer to that of a producer.
It's important that I say this, and that you grasp this and how significant it is that Rev. Jackson saw, and understood early on - before the economic downturn, before the mortgage crises, before the rampant foreclosures - he understood the devastation of not having economic parity for Black people -whether here in the US, or Africa, the Caribbean, or anywhere else we reside.
His mission has been to provide us with as much education, exposure, opportunity and understanding of what Wall Street was about, and what it meant to us, who had been psychologically, physically, emotionally and economically kept out of the loop. The realm of investment, the marketplace, and the high stakes of finance had been relegated to the realm of whites and high rolling Blacks, the few who were allowed behind the "green" door. The rest of us were either part of conspicuous consumption, or the welfare state (at least that is where we were pushed).
When Rev. Jackson first enunciated plans to study Wall Street as a means of breaking down the next barrier of racism, many of his peers in the "movement" thought he had lost it. Others thought he had joined the ranks of the "capitalist pigs." Interesting, since we all need and want money how many of us tried to pick the idea apart as though it was some kind of pariah.
However, we who have given up more free labor on this planet than any other group of people in the world, and have not been compensated for our efforts - for the blood, sweat, tears and lives that went into building this nation - including the hallowed hall of Wall Street, Dow Jones, Broad Street and the other denizens of the almighty dollar. We, more than anyone, need to learn to work smarter, not harder, how to invest in growth funds, how to plan for longevity and retirement, how to make wise deals and purchases. When you think about it, the investment they made in bringing us here from Africa has paid off for everyone but us - big time.
Now it's time to learn how not to make the mistakes that the "smartest guys in the house" made, which caused the economic mess we're in right now, while at the same time begin to develop our own autonomous investment and banking systems, as have other groups, so that we too can underwrite our children's education, purchase our own homes, build quality communities - in other words, call the shots.
The most interesting thing about this is the irony that we live in New York City, the financial capital of the world. Yet we know nothing about it. The major industries in New York are FIRE - Finance, Insurance, Real Estate - yet they are not taught in any of our schools in a meaningful way. Neither we nor our children have ever been exposed to the inner workings of Wall Street. We know it's there, but except for the few Black proteges, we are more likely to see African Americans as security guards and custodians, than having a pivotal role in the high end banking, finance and investment arenas. The schools in New York may teach you how to count money, but they don't teach you how to use, invest, expand it. Why is that?
Last year, the Rainbow Push Coalition quietly celebrated its 40th Anniversary on December 25, 2011. The great thing is that they are as relevant and active today as they were when they were first formed. In October 2011, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. celebrated his 70th Birthday anniversary. And like these stellar programs he's created, he keeps getting better with age. There are few out there who can match his stride, his energy and his dedication to Black people. In celebrating these milestones, we are all winners as well, because he has taken the time to provide us with a blue print that we can follow out of this mess we're in - if we would but follow it (see gloriadulanwilson.blogspot.com - January 15, 2011).
The theme of the 2012 Wall Street Project is "Bringing Everyone to the Table." The Economic Summit this year will be lead by Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. and Terry J. Lundgren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Macy's Inc. It will feature such panels as: Wall Street Project Career Development; Retooling and Retraining Break Out Sessions; The Women's Luncheon; The Minister's Prayer Breakfast and Roundtable. Among the presenters will be John Grant, Author, Career Coach and Speaker; Staci Grant, President C&G Enterprises; Pat Thomas Motivational Speaker and career coach. There will be other speakers and surprise guests as the conference gets underway.
Rev. Jackson indicated, in a recent teleconference, that the possibility of putting together a mutual bank or credit union similar to the Black United Fund of New York, to make it possible for Black investors to underwrite their own programs, has been a consideration for quite some time. "I am quite familiar with the program and the principles established by the late Walter Bremond, and think it would be a powerful tool for Black Economic Development. It would be an natural resource builder for programs that are underserved or poorly underwritten by mainstream finance or charitable organizations." New York's Black United Fund, which was established by Kermit Eady, at its zenith raised more than $111 million a year, which was then put back into the Black community in the form of affordable housing, business incubator programs, scholarships, and business start up loans. (Many will remember it was destroyed by then persecutor Elliot Spitzer in his bid for the gubernatorial nomination - but that's another story for another day).
The most salient points of Rev. Jackson's teleconference was the fact that South Carolina continues to be the bastion of racism and abuse, despite the progress made under Dr. King to destroy many of the negative institutions. The new version of the prison industrial complex is proliferating there, where factories are actually being established within the prison walls, and those who are incarcerated are forced to work for pennies a day. Apparently there are also investors who are underwriting this heinous program in order to save money. If not curtailed, it will be a means of undermining President Obama's move to bring businesses home to make jobs available for Americans who have been out of work since the onset of the economic downturn. How to handle this will be one of the main focal points of this year's Wall Street Project.
Also of concern are our voting rights, which are being target by South Carolina and Arizona. Republicans are pushing these laws in states across the country claiming they are needed to deter voting fraud, but offer no evidence of its existence. In fact, the laws will disproportionately impact African Americans, Latinos and poor people — who are less likely to have a driver’s license. In South Carolina, the Dept. Of Justice concluded minority voters would be 20 percent more likely to be disenfranchised than white voters (excerpted from Rev. Jackson's weekly report)
He will also focus on foreclosures, building and developing decent affordable housing, home ownership, and quality of life issues. Stated Reverend Jackson: "Banks got bailed out; people got locked out." Millions of homes have been lost from the Black community - the largest land grab rip off in history. His 2011 panel dealt with more humane ways to help families in distress than the methods used by recalcitrant banks and lending institutions, who claim to not want their homes, but proceed to foreclose and take them anyway. This year's panel is set to take it to the next level. If you happen to have been a victim of these scams, you'll want to be there as well.
If you haven't attended any of the Wall Street Projects over the past 15 years, make this the time that you break that pattern. Make a paradigm shift. There are a great many contacts to be made, a lot to be learned - networking with peers, as well as establishing new contacts, and expanding those you already have. Come for the seminars - they're priceless! Your input is as valuable as the panel of experts sitting on the dias. With so many opportunities for innovation, you may well walk away with a solution to problems you considered impossible; or you just might make a connection that you thought not possible.
And lest you thought he has overlooked brothers and sisters in Africa, he's just returned from Johannesburg and Bloemfontein South Africa to join other leaders across the globe in paying tribute to the ANC and the people of South Africa. "This is not just an ANC celebration, but one for the entire continent and, indeed, for peace and freedom loving people around the globe. I look forward to giving a report to the American public upon my return," he stated.
Make no mistake about it, Reverend Jackson is “Bringing Everyone to the Table” in a way that has never been done before. We can be either at the table or on the sideline. As President Barack Obama said (sang) at the Apollo: "Let's Stay Together!" It's the only way we'll survive. It's the only way we will win. It's the only way we'll Succeed.
Here's a little history for those who are not familiar with how the organization began: In 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. appointed Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. to serve as the first director of Operation Breadbasket in Chicago, IL. In 1971, three years after King's assassination in Memphis, TN, Rev. Jackson founded Operation P.U.S.H (People United to Save Humanity in Chicago to continue Dr. King's mission. In 1972, the idea of the "Black Expo" (Black Business Exposition) was developed to "expose" African-American businesses. In 1984, the National Rainbow Coalition was formed in Washington, DC following Reverend Jackson's first presidential campaign. Rainbow's focus was to unite progressive people, historically locked out of the mainstream of American politics, into a "coalition of conscience," dedicated to making America more inclusive. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity.
The organization is headquarted in Chicago, IL at 930 E 50th St., can be reached by calling (773) 373-3366. For information on this years 15th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project, visit www.rainbowpush.org. Rainbow PUSH Coalition ✆ publicservices@rainbowpush.org via bounce.bluestatedigital.com
The 15th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project is being held on January 25 to the 27, and the Sheraton Towers Hotel, 53rd Street and 7th Avenue, New York, New York. See you there.
Stay Blessed & ECLECTICALLY BLACK Gloria Dulan-Wilson
