Farewell Beloved Sister/Friend Mary Long - Rest in Power

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:


When you meet someone as effervescent and lively as Mary Long, it's hard to think of her as having made her transition.  But she is now resting with the Ancestor/Angels, and leaving us to shaker our heads and wonder why.  

She barely stood 5 feet tall.  She was always elegant and energetic, and looking much too young to have a daughter, my friend Shyra Arrington, and two adult granddaughters.  Mary dressed as though she just stepped out of Vogue Magazine - and had a ready smile to everyone she met.  

She was an enterprising entrepreneurial sister who had launched a successful travel agency - that successfully booked international tours.

A California sister, Mary, her daughter Shyra, and I were actually set to get together this weekend for an event in Washington, DC honoring a mutual friend, and my Sorority Sister, Dr. Efaye Williams, Esq.    But our sister had a prior appointment with God the Living Spirit Almighty, and we now have to reschedule our gathering to when we all receive our own inevitable invitation.

Mary Long and Me at the National Congress of Black Women's Awards Ceremony, DC 2018

I met Mary Long through her daughter, Shyra (whom I met at NAN in NYC two years ago) at the Congressional Black Caucus in DC.  They came in from California with  a friend, Andrea, an aspiring medical intuitive; and were joined by a friend, author Sherry Hill from New Orleans. 

Mary's daughter, Shyra, is a people magnet, and has the reputation of meeting people from all over the world, and endearing them to her - a trait it was obviously she inherited from her mother.

So this is by way of a farewell and a tribute to a woman who cast a gigantic shadow even though she was barely 5" tall:

Dear Mary:
It was soooo wonderful getting to know you - and all the great times we shared in DC.  Remember the Middle Eastern restaurant we went to in Alexandria? The food was sooo fabulous and spicy - I don't think any of us could finish it.  We ended up having to take it back to the hotel.  

And for some reason, we could never get out of the hotel in time for the CBC workshops - we spent so much talking and comparing wardrobes - and you always had the most elegant by far. 

But remember we hung out so late we couldn't get in gear for the National Black Women's Congress Breakfast and Awards Ceremony, we were late going, and it was right down stairs in the hotel we were staying in.  We had to finesse being fashionably late?   But it was a wonderful event, and you were so proud when Shyra was honored by Dr. Efaye Williams for her dedication to the organization.
We laughed our way thru the rest of the day.

I always recall how close you and Shyra were - what a wonderful mother/daughter relationship - more like Sister/Sister - you two share everything - opinions, concerns, and it's clear to see that she not only inherited your beauty, but your energy, creative resourcefulness, and brains.

I was so looking foward to hanging out with you in DC this week end, but I understand that you got an Exclusive Premiere Invitation that you could not refuse, from none other than God The Living Spirit Almighty.  And I get it:  When you're called to become a part of the Ancestor/Angel Elite, it's a once in a lifetime privilege.

So, I truly hope you're enjoying your stay.  You always were the elegant one.

So, while you're hanging with the other Celestial beings, please do us a favor and think about us and the good times, once in a while.  Because we'll certainly be thinking about you, and when we do we'll smile and treasure all the great times we shared.

Stay Blessed 
Rest In Power
With Much Love
Gloria

At the 2018  National Congress of  Black Women's Awards Brunch in DC - Mary is 5

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Kamala Harris for US Senate from California June 7 primary - Get in it to win it!!!

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

I was definitely cheering for Donna Edwards to become Maryland's first Black female senator - but it didn't happen.  I suggested they use the time and social media to get the people together to do a massive write in vote campaign in the November general election.  It's been done before -but it takes unity, creativity, and door to door, face to face campaigning to make it a reality. We have the numbers, but we have to move them from apathy to action.

 Not only will it be a turning point in the lives of Baltimorians - who are now having to deal with the aquittal of the officer who brutalized and murdered Freddie Gray, it will stop those who get in office only to disrespect and misrepresent them.  I am hoping this will not fall on deaf ears.

In the interim, across the US in California, another woman is poised to make history - and we want to make sure that everyone going into the June 7th Primary, are awake, aware, alive, active, and united behind Kamala Harris.

 We might not be able to vote for her, per se; but we can help support her campaign. $3.00 is not a lot of money, but if we put it together collectively, it can make a critical difference in the success of this campaign.

Of course we know that donations alone will not make the difference - getting out the votes, overcoming the apathy, providing transportation, holding rallies, hosting events - in a community as spread out as California, will also be essential.

I am posting this  EMILY's List communication - read it, share it, act on it.  We cannot allow this to become another repuglycon sweep.

  information@emilyslist.org    wrote:

We ignite change by getting pro-choice Democratic women elected to office. www.emilyslist.org 1800 M Street NW, Suite 375N, Washington, DC 20036 Make sure you receive email updates from EMILY's List. Add information@emilyslist.org to your approved senders list. This email was sent to: gloriadulanwilson@gmail.com. Unsubscribe from this list. Contributions or gifts to EMILY's List or endorsed candidates are not tax deductible. PAID FOR BY EMILY'S LIST WWW.EMILYSLIST.ORG AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Stay Blessed & 

ECLECTICALLY BLACK

Gloria  

Support Color of Change & Sign Credo's Petition: They've Been Supporting Us

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

There is an old saying that "freedom ain't free" - and it is as true now with the demonstrations and movements that are emerging today, as it was Black in the day of brother Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, etc. That said, and with the new year bringing a new set of vultures in Congress, the role of Color of Change is going to be more pivotal and important than ever.
Additionally, CREDO is circulating a petition for Police Reform in New York City, and across the country - please show your support and sign it and pass it on.  If you can't sign it on my blog, please go on line and sign it on their website - everything we do makes a big difference in the final outcomes.

I'm reposting emails I received from them that we all need to resonate to and get behind - as we move forward.  

Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria 

STAY BLESSED

On Mon, Dec 15, 2014 at 8:13 AM, Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org <info@colorofchange.org> wrote:

2014 has been transformative for the racial justice movement Chip in to make 2015 even bigger

Dear Gloria,
Earlier this month I was at the ColorOfChange annual staff retreat. On the first morning we held four and a half minutes of silence: one minute for every hour Michael Brown lay on the street after being killed by Officer Darren Wilson. It was a powerful reminder of why we fight, and also of the historic time we're in.
There's a sense of pain and anger, but also of possibility as Black folks and our allies have taken to the streets across the country asserting that "Black Lives Matters" and demanding an end to discriminatory, militarized policing.
The moment of silence was also a reminder of the important role that the ColorOfChange community plays in this movement for a just and inclusive America. At the staff retreat we took stock of our work over 2014, and while we've faced hardships, I was blown away by what we've accomplished together this year...

1. We successfully pressured Saturday Night Live to hire not one, but three Black women. This included Sasheer Zamata, who became the first Black woman cast-member since 2007.
    
2. We stopped the fight between DMX and George Zimmerman, who was continuing to victimize Trayvon Martin and capitalize on his death.
    
3. We got racist Clippers-owner Donald Sterling kicked out of the NBA, forcing him to sell the team.
    
4. We fought back against the telecom corporations attempting to buy the Internet and end Net Neutrality, which has been critical to our 21st-century fights for justice. We made sure our voices were heard in DC, and - in November - President Obama let us know he was listening.
    
5. More than 1 million people saw our #IfTheySpeakForMe YouTube videos, encouraging folks to get out and vote during the 2014 mid-term elections.
    
6. We divested nearly $60 million from the private prison industry, which is responsible for some of the most abusive and inhumane conditions in the country.
    
7. We fought hard for important reforms to New York City's Stop-and-Frisk program, including a city-wide ban on discriminatory policing and an independent monitor to oversee changes.
    
8. We helped pass California's Prop 47 ballot initiative, reclassifying nonserious, nonviolent crimes as misdemeanors instead of felonies, keeping countless Black folks out prison and giving many a chance to get out.
    
9. And we brought the campaign for police accountability and systemic reforms to the White House, delivering nearly 1 million petition signatures. During this amplified moment we're continuing to fight for justice for Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Ramarley Graham, John Crawford, and too many others.

Our work is far from done, which is why spent the second half of the retreat hatching plans for 2015. We discussed ways to improve our work so that we can more effectively win real-world change for Black folks. Ultimately, that’s what ColorOfChange is about.
But change takes a community. Our 2014 victories and achievements wouldn’t have happened without you signing petitions, advocating on social media, showing up on the streets, and chipping in your hard-earned money. And now we're looking toward the year ahead.
Our ability to make ambitious plans for 2015 is constrained by what we're able to fundraise this month. If we can raise $100,000 by December 31, we'll have the resources we need to dream big this coming year. We’ve proven that we’re an effective force for change for Black folks and our allies. Click to contribute whatever you’re able to, today.
Thanks and peace,
--Rashad, Arisha, Matt, Bhavik, and the ColorOfChange team

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ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and their allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All

Credo Action

What New York can do after Eric Garner

Sign the petition

Tell New York Governor Andrew Cuomo:

"Issue a temporary executive order giving Attorney General Eric Schneiderman authority over any police killings of unarmed civilians."

Name

Email*

Street address*

Zipcode*

You'll receive periodic updates on offers and activism opportunities.

Last week, the police officer who choked Eric Garner to death escaped justice when a Staten Island grand jury failed to indict him. The Garner tragedy — coming on the heels of the failure of a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri to indict the officer who killed MIchael Brown — makes clear not only the need for major changes in policing to protect people of color, especially African American men, but the powerful role that local prosecutors play in protecting police officers who kill unarmed civilians.
This week, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to strip the state’s 62 elected district attorneys of their power to investigate police killings of unarmed civilians and turn it over to the state.
Taking this authority from local prosecutors is a key step to bringing real justice to the victims of police killings and their families.

Tell Governor Cuomo: Give Attorney General Eric Schneiderman authority over police killings of unarmed civilians in New York.

For anyone who watched the video of Garner’s death, or heard his haunting last words of “I can’t breathe,” it was a shock that the Staten Island grand jury failed to indict the officer who killed him. But it’s actually not surprising that district attorneys seem to act more often as defenders of police who kill than as their prosecutors, especially during grand jury proceedings. Not only do district attorneys work closely with the police on a daily basis, they depend on the support of law enforcement unions for reelection. It’s a conflict of interest that lets police kill without consequence.
Attorney General Schneiderman has asked for only temporary authority from the governor, with the hope that the state legislature will pass more systemic reforms. But it’s a critical first step in holding police accountable and offers a major stopgap if the legislature is slow or fails to act.
There’s no reason for Governor Cuomo not to act now to give Attorney General Schneiderman the power to investigate all police killings of unarmed civilians.
Thanks for helping to hold police accountable.

CREDO Action is a publication of Working Assets | credomobile.com

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Now that you know what are you going to do about it? 
Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria 

EVENT ALERT: LET MY PEOPLE VOTE FAITH BASED COMMUNITY & ATAC Make All Out Push to GOTV - GET OUT THE VOTE

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

Halloween just ended the other day, but the evil that walks among us may well still have the last say unless we do our part.  To show you what vampires and goblins look like,  you need look no further than these miscreants and all that they've done to harm us to realize that it will take more than prayer to bring in the victory during this mid-term election. 

In case you've forgotten the bad old days of repuglycon evil, just take a look at these two.  It's enough to chill your bones - thank goodness there are conscientious Americans throughout the US coming together to put a stop to this.  All you have to do is get up out of your easy chair, go and vote.  Takes less than 5 minutes to do so, but will have a lifetime affect on what happens here in the US, as well as in your own local community.  

Let's put an end to this reign of terror and error once and for all!  VOTE BLUE!!!

Prominent Faith Leaders & Voters with the Nation’s Largest Faith-Based Voter Turn-Out Program, Available to Discuss GOTV Focus on Infrequent African American and Latino Voters

Final Push for 2014 Election Comes as “Let My People Vote” Electoral Program Surpasses 400,000 Person-to-Person Conversations

Washington, D.C. – Today, clergy and faith voters with the PICO National Network, the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the country, are focused on the massive neighbor-to-neighbor, non-partisan Get Out The Vote effort to turnout African-American and Latino voters who don’t usually vote in mid-term elections.
This weekend, volunteer faith leaders from PICO surpassed conversations with more than 400,000 voters about faith and voting and still plan to talk to thousands more as polls open tomorrow.
PICO organizations are working in key battleground states, such as Florida, Louisiana and Colorado, as well as on critical ballot initiatives including Question 4 in Massachusetts regarding earned sick time and California’s Proposition 47 that would reclassify many non-violent felonies as misdemeanors.

In these final days leading up to tomorrow’s elections, PICO logged live conversations with more 10,000 targeted voters a day. Almost 6,000 volunteers were scheduled to work over the weekend in the big GOTV push, demonstrating the power of the power people of faith can have when they stand up for their family, neighbors and coworkers.

The Let My People Vote program has recruited and trained more than 10,000 volunteer leaders, developed new community relationships and met voters where they are: in the pews, on their phones, and at their doors in Florida, Louisiana, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

PICO volunteers are emphasizing the importance of voting to advance racial and economic justice issues at the heart of what it means to be a person of faith in America—especially in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson and the lack of action on immigration reform.

“As a person of faith, every single conversation we’re having on the doors or on the phones is a sacred act that will bring people to the polls whose voices would not otherwise be heard,” said Rosie Washington, a lead community organizer with the Micah Project in New Orleans. “As faith voters, especially those of us in the African American community, we cannot and will not stand on the sidelines while families around us are struggling to make ends meet, to find good jobs, to take care of their kids, and to get back on their feet.”

“The Let My People Vote program is about the moral obligation to stand for forgiveness, redemption and restoration,” said Desmond Meade, PICO’s Faith in Florida State Director of Live Free campaign. “This is God’s work with a focus on empowering our families, our friends, and our communities to make sure the voices of voters who have been marginalized or locked out of the voting process are engaged and have the opportunity to fight for what they believe in.”
Pastor Michael McBride, director of the PICO’s Live Free campaign said that people of faith have the power to change the crises our country faces. “David in Psalm 28:2, says ‘Hear my cry for mercy, as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy place.’ With those words in mind, the faith community will work through Election Day to empower and engage voters in black, Latino, and other communities to help heal our nation by voting and encouraging our neighbors to do the same,” said Pastor McBride. “When everyone in our community votes, elected officials cannot ignore us.”

**GOTV FOCUS**

CALIFORNIA
PICO California

GOTV FOCUS: Made up of 19 non-profit organizations representing 450,000 families through 400 congregations, schools and neighborhood institutions, PICO California is working within a coalition to say YES to Proposition 47, a law would reduce felony convictions to a misdemeanor 10,000 non-violent offenders. GOTV activities are happening in various locations throughout the Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern, CA

Communications Contact: Trineka Greer, PICO California Communications Director, trineka@PICOCalifornia.org, c: (916) 813-9428

COLORADO
Together Colorado
GOTV FOCUS: Together Colorado's Let My People Vote is a civic engagement campaign with a goal of 400 shifts of phone banking and door knocking to reach more than 6,000 voters.
Communications Contact: Stephanie Gustafson, 720-838-6392, stephanie@togetherco.org ; Lead Organizer, Patty Lawless, patty@togetherco.org

FLORIDA
Faith in Florida
GOTV FOCUS: Hundreds of voters expected to participate in Florida’s early voting as expression of faith.  Pastor Johnson available for interviews after 12:00 PM ET
Communications Contact:
Faith in Florida—Carlos Vogel, O (727) 726-8617 ext. 227 ? M (727) 483-8854; Rhoda Thomas (On-Site), rthomas@faithinflorida.org; Lead Organizer: Pastor Carl Johnson and Ms. Kim McCray - mccray.kim@gmail.com; Ms. Deborah Dion, dion.deborah@gmail.com

INDIANA
IndyCAN
GOTV FOCUS: At the press conference participants, including diverse religious leaders, those turning their lives around after a sentenced served, and immigrants who fear deportation, will announce an alternative vision for the justice center and share why they believe incarceration-first policies contradict the shared values of IndyCAN congregations that everyone is redeemable and deserves a place in our community.
Communications Contact: Juard Barnes, (317)-285-9256; juard@indycan.org

LOUISIANA
The Micah Project
WHAT: GOTV Mega Phone Bank and Prayer Vigil Monday
WHEN: Monday, November 3 at 6 PM
WHERE:  Micah Office, 2001 Simon Bolivar
GOTV FOCUS: Forty Micah leaders and supporters will make phone calls to their community to remind them about the importance of voting.  Leaders will then end the evening with a candle lit prayer vigil on Simon Bolivar to bless the central city community and to ask that the votes cast on November 4th will be the first step to transforming the area.
Organizer Contact: Rosie Washington, (502) 682-5659; rosie@micahpico..org

MASSACHUSETTS

Brockton Interfaith Community (BIC), Essex County Community Organization (ECCO),

Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN)

GOTV FOCUS: PICO Federations in Massachusetts continue weekly phone banking and canvassing with some focused outreach to the Latino community in addition to engaging voters on Question 4 regarding earned sick leave for Massachusetts workers.
Communications Contact:  Lead Organizer- Julie Aronowitz, juliearonowitz.bic@gmail.com, 508-587-9550 (office) or 857-272-9872 (cell),

# # #

 PICO National Network is the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States. PICO works with 1,000 religious congregations in more than 200 cities and towns through its 60 local and state federations. PICO and its federations are non-partisan and do not endorse or support candidates for office. PICO urges people of faith to consult their faith traditions for guidance on specific policies and legislation. Learn more at www.piconetwork.org.

NEW YORK
 New York State's Board of Election Candidate Rostrum is 92 Pages Long!!! Needless to say there is a lot at stake here - but the space allotted is much too small to list all the races.  I am personally endorsing the re-election of Governor Andrew Cuomo for governor of the State of New York.  Other than than, if you need to find out who's running in your district (Assembly, State, etc.) log on to
 NYS 2014 Elections

• General Election Candidate List ( 209KB)

PENNSYLVANIA 

ATAC (Avenge The Ancestors Coalition) Michael Coard, President

Brothers and Sisters:  In my capacity as a radio show host for more than ten years, a trial attorney for 20 years, a cultural activist during my adult lifetime, and an African descendant throughout my entire lifetime, I submit the attached list of my endorsed candidates in the November 4, 2014 General Election....unlike the average voter, I have the time to research the candidates and the issues and also have the experience to know the good from the bad (as well as the not-so-bad from the truly bad), particularly in regard to what they have done or not done to benefit our community.
     By the way, voting must be merely one part of a one-two punch. In other words, voting by itself is not nearly enough. You also must engage in political activism afterward. That's why I call it "Vote & Voice!" which means to put candidates in office and then vocally demand that they do the right thing for Black people and poor people. 
     In closing, it is necessary for me to point out that there are at least three important reasons why you must vote for somebody (even if it's a write-in candidate, including yourself if you want).  One: The first rule of warfare is to do exactly what your enemy doesn't want you to do. And the enemy is so-called white supremacy, which has created modern day "poll tax and literacy test" anti-voting obstacles like photo ID. Two:  By voting, you increase your chances to get called for jury duty...stopping courthouse racism in its tracks. Three: Your ancestors fought, died, and won the battle for you to elect people like Dave Richardson, Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, Adam Clayton Powell, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, revolutionary lawyer/Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, and many others.  Thank you.

In Unity,
Michael Coard, Esquire
One Liberty Place
1650 Market Street, 36th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
MichaelCoard@msn.com

11/4/14  PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS

 Governor-

     TOM WOLF

 Lieutenant Governor-

     MIKE STACK

 State Senators-

     INES REYES (District 4)

      ANTHONY HARDY WILLIAMS (District 8)

 State Representatives-

     W. CURTIS THOMAS (District 181)

      JORDAN HARRIS (District 186)

      JAMES ROEBUCK (District 188)

      VANESSA BROWN (District 190)

      RONALD WATERS (District 191)

      LOUISE BISHOP (District 192)

      MICHELLE BROWNLEE (District 195)

      STEPHEN KINSEY (District 201)

US Representatives-

     ROBERT BRADY (District 1)

      CHAKA FATTAH (District 2)

 Charter Change Ballot Questions-

     1- YES (Supports environment concerns)

      2- YES (Creates a new Department of Prisons and supports re-entry programs)

      3- YES (Borrows $137,295,000 to improve transit, streets, sanitation, and parks)
                                                                            

            

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS- AND PROTECT THEM!

How can you find the location of your polling place?

   Call the Citizens’ Access Center at 866-268-8603.

 What time do the PENNSYLVANIA polling places open and close?

   They open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.

 Who is legally permitted to vote?

   Basically, anyone who is registered is permitted to vote.

 What type of identification is needed in order to be permitted to vote?

   Although you might not necessarily need any if you have voted before, you should play it safe by taking with you your driver’s license, non-driver’s license, passport, state identification, federal identification, military identification, employee identification, student identification, or voter’s identification card. Or you should take your utility bill, bank statement, current paycheck, or government paycheck (but those bills, statements, or paychecks must have your name and address pre-printed on them).

 What do you do if you are not permitted to vote when you get to the PENNSYLVANIA polling place?

   Immediately call the Committee of Seventy at 215-557-3600 or the Voter Registration Office at 215-686-1590. If that doesn’t work, immediately demand a “Provisional Ballot,” which you have an absolute right to receive and that ballot can serve as a kind of temporary vote until the problem is resolved.

 Are people who have been convicted of crimes permitted to vote?

   If you have been convicted of a felony but have been released from jail (or from a halfway house), you are permitted to vote.
   If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor and even if you are still in jail (or in a halfway house) for that misdemeanor, you are permitted to vote. But obviously, it would have to be done by absentee ballot if you are still in jail (and probably if you are in a halfway house as well).
   If you are on probation or house arrest or are a released parolee and that probation or house arrest or released parolee status is for either a felony or a misdemeanor, you are permitted to vote.
   If you have traffic tickets, owe child support, and have any situation like that, you are permitted to vote.
 Are you permitted to wear buttons, tee-shirts, etc. regarding a particular candidate?
   In Philadelphia, the answer is yes. You are permitted to “endorse” a candidate by (passively) wearing buttons, tee-shirts, etc., but you must immediately leave the polling place after you vote. You are not permitted to “electioneer” for a candidate by (actively) campaigning.  

For more information, call attorney Michael Coard at 215-552-8714,

the ACLU at 215-592-1513, or the Committee of Seventy at 215-557-3600

 

 

Now that you know - you need to share this information - spread the word - make sure you make it viral - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 (TOMORROW) IS ELECTION DAY. GET OUT AND VOTE - MAKE YOUR ANCESTORS AND YOUR FAMILY PROUD.

 

Stay Blessed & 

ECLECTICALLY BLACK

Gloria Dulan-Wilson

www.gloriadulanwilson.blogspot.com

 

 

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