GDW EVENT ALERT: Philadelphia City Commissioner Omar Sabir Announces Philly Rises: Youth Civic Engagement Tour Tuesday February1, 2022

By Gloria DULAN-Wilson

Hello All:

Philadelphia City Commissioner Omar Sabir is hosting the launch of Philly rises - a Youth Civic Engagement Tour - stopping in high school classrooms across the city, on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at 12PM  at the African American Museum of Philadelphia (701 Arch St).  Urban League of Philadelphia President Andrea Custis, PA Youth Vote Executive Director Angelique Hinton, and the African American Museum in Philadelphia will also be on hand.

The upcoming tour will present an exciting opportunity for Philadelphia high schoolers to learn about the importance of civic engagement and the electoral process, and offer assistance with voter registration, mail ballot applications, and accept applications for student poll workers.

In Pennsylvania, anyone who will be at least 18 years old at the time of the next election is eligible to register to vote and students as young as 17 years old can serve as a poll worker.

“The more you vote, the more you get. Today's youth will need to fight for the resources they deserve at the ballot box,” said Commissioner Sabir.

“The policies that shape the future of our community and our country are determined by the people we vote for. We are excited to support our youth and help them understand how to translate Protest to Power through their Vote” added President Andrea Custis.

“PA Youth Vote is so excited to embark on this tour with our partners to advance the crucial work of getting our youth civically engaged,” said Executive Director Angelique Hinton. “We hope you’ll follow along on social media using the hashtag #PhillyRises!” she added.

"It's important that they impress on our youth the significance of their participation at this crucial time - with Mid-Term elections looming large, voter suppression legislation and gerrymandering at epidemic proportions, and misrepresentation of the facts in the news media.  One can only hope our youth are awakened to their pivotal role in this situation.  Like their predecessors who participated in Civil Rights movements, Sit-Ins, Black Lives Matter, and other pivotal interventions, this is a key opportunity for our next generation to take their role in the future of their people (GDW)"

School representatives who are interested in scheduling a presentation at their school can Contact Chief Deputy Commissioner Devin Uqdah, Esq. at ibndevin.uqdah@phila.gov or 215-686-3462

 

NOW THAT YOU KNOW

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Stay Blessed 

&

ECLECTICALLY BLACK  

 

 

Gloria DULAN-Wilson

African American Museum in Philadelphia Celebrates 6th Annual W.E.B. DuBois Day, Monday February 24, 2020

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

One of the most fantastic brothers that ever lived and walked the planet was William Edward Burghardt DuBois - aka W.E.B. DuBois.  Scholar, author, activist, lover of Black people, leader, co-founder of the NAACP, The Crisis Magazine, among others. 

The African American Museum in Philadelphia will celebrate its 6th Annual W.E.B. DuBois Day on Monday, February 24, 2020 - doors open at 4:30  - the Museum is located at 7th and Arch Streets. 

DuBois, who did the seminal study, The Philadelphia Negro in 1899 for the University of Pennsylvania, as well as Souls of Black Folks, and enunciated the Talented Tenth, as well as Dusk of Dawn, Dark Water, The Gift of Black Folk, John Brown - and so many others - books our children, and many of us adults need to read.  And for those of us who have already read his works, we probably need to read them again - especially The Philadelphia Negro.

DuBois was born February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, MA, and passed in 1963 in Accra, Ghana. He was smart enough to leave America when it became clear that the government was going to try to silence him because of his beliefs and great influence.  Too bad he was not able to take Paul Robeson with him, who ended up literally being a prisoner in his own home in Philadelphia for also trying to save Black people.

DuBois attended Fisk University, an HBCU in Tennessee, and graduated from Harvard University in 1895, but could not get gainful employment, despite the fact that he had an earned doctorate.  However, he was hired as a consultant by the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia to do the exponential analysis of Black life in Philadelphia.  Nothing of its magnitude had ever been done - before or since.   I remember having to study it in school - even though I had no idea at the time that I would ever live in Philly or even attend Lincoln University.  Interestingly enough, my Senior Thesis was on DuBois and Marcus Garvey - two great Black leaders, and their clash over whether Black people would fare better if they went back to Africa.  Garvey was for it, DuBois was against it.  The white news papers, who were trying to undermine Garvey, made a big deal of it in their meanstream newspapers - including the New York Times.   Ultimately, the white uberstructure prevented the more than 12 million Black people from returning to Africa; ironically, DuBois ended up spending his last years there.

The NAACP is now 111 years old, and still standing for Black People's Rights.  Thanks to Dr. DuBois, we not only have that, but the many wonderful contributions from his genius.

That said, make sure you come out to the AAMP and celebrate the life of this great man.

Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK 
Gloria Dulan-Wilson 
eclecticallyblacknews@gmail.com


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