GDW Event Alert: MLK DAY CELEBRATIONS

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born January 15, 1929 - 91 years ago.  He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, 52 years ago, at the age of 39, leaving his beautiful wife and life/soulmate Coretta, four children, Martin III, Yolanda, Albertina and Dexter, and entire population of Black people to mourn him.  The word "assassination" is only applied to royalty who have met their death by the hand of another; and for us, Dr. King was Royalty - our Black knight in shining armor, who laid his life on the line for the liberation of our people and the salvation of our souls from the oppression of  an evil, racist, segregated, society.  If Malcolm X was our Black Shining Prince, Martin King was our Black Knight in Shining Armor, but even more valiant.  He stood in the face of adversity, using peaceful means, and challenging the system by showing their barbarism in contrast to his civility, perseverance and intelligence.

In the 52 years since his assassination, several changes have been made in society - some good, some not so much.  A holiday, or day of observation, has been made in his honor and is celebrated on the third Monday in January, as opposed to his actual birthdate - some say to provide a 3-day week end and give more time to the celebration.  Whatever!   

There are a plethora of events that are planned for Monday, January 20, 2020 for Dr. King's Birthday:

NEW YORK CITY MLK DAY EVENTS:

1A. Quotation Food For Thought:

“Let us say boldly that if the total slum violations of law  by the white man over the years were calculated

and were compared with the lawbreaking of a few days of riots, the hardened criminal would be the  white man.”

- Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr.“The Crisis In America’sCities”August 15, 1967

1B. “Christianity has long taught “Thou Shall Not Kill,” but for centuries the most devastating killings have occurred

constantly by Christians killing Christians, killing Buddhists, killing Moslems, killing Jews and killing members of

their own family or the families of friends or associates.”

― The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Message to the Blackman in America

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1. 

ON SATURDAY JANUARY 25, 2020 AT 2: 00 PM CEMOTAP IS HOSTING A FORUM CALLED

"The Meeting" Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King and The Honorable Elijah Muhammad"  Speakers include.

Minister A. Hafeez Muhammad, Dr. Rosalind Jeffries, Sister Fredrica Bey and Professor James Blake. 

A special Poetic Tribute will be given by Brother Layding Kaliba. 

The meeting will take place at CEMOTAP CENTER located at 135-05 Rockaway Boulevard South Ozone Park,

Queens, NY 11420. Admission is free but RSVP because seating is limited. 

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2.    FROM SISTER FRANCINE JONES

3. 14  HIDDEN FACTS ABOUT DR MARTIN LUTHER KING AND THE NATION OF ISLAM

GO TO THIS LINK BELOW  FOR SOME INTERESTING HISTORY

http://researchminister.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/NEW-Dr-King-As-Black-Muslim-FINAL.pdf  

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4. Dr. King was no dreamer--

See Link Below

https://www.noi.org/dr_king_not_dreamer/

 

NYC  MLK CITYWIDE CEREMONIES

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1MDAPLA_enUS876US876&ctzn=America/New_York&q=new%20york%20coty%20MLK%20DAY%20EVENTS&source=mobilesearchapp&ioshw=iPhone10,2&apps=yt&biw=414&oq=new%20york%20coty%20MLK%20DAY%20EVENTS&hl=en&channel=iss&pbx=1&qsubts=1579497615396&vpa=2&vse=1&ie=UTF-8&gsawvi=1&gs_lp=Eg1pcGhvbmVhcHAyLXBiGgIYACIcbmV3IHlvcmsgY290eSBNTEsgREFZIEVWRU5UUzIKCAAQABgWGB4oATILCAEQIRgKGKsCKAEyCwgCECEYChirAigBMgYIAxArKAFI_Y0CUOgMWPKDApgBzwSgAaMrqgEIMGoyOGo1LTO4AQPoAQGAArPxM5ACAJgCI6gCD7ACAcICCRAuGBQYhwIoAcICCRAuGEMYkwIoAcICBxAAGIMBKAHCAgYQABhDKAHCAgwQIRgWGAoYHRgeKAHCAgYQABgKKAHCAgYQABgNKAHCAgkQIRgKGKABKAHCAgoQABgIGA0YHigBwgIGECMYJygBwgIIEAAYDRgeKAHCAgoQABjqAhiPASgBwgIJEAAYgwEYQygBwgIGEC4YQygBwgIHEC4YgwEoAcICCRAAGBQYhwIoAcICBhAuGAooAcICCRAjGOoCGCcoAcICBBAAKAHCAgsQABgKGEYYgAIoAdICJDU2RjFDMkY4LUEyQkItNDJBQS04QUUyLTc2OUVDNDk5RkQzMaAD1wHAA7QB4gMECAoYEOIDBAgLGATiAwUIDBjCBMoEAhgAggUECAAQAA%3D%3D&bih=696&ntyp=20&GSAForceLoading=11&rciv=evn&ibp=htl;events&gsas=1&client=mobilesearchapp&v=85.0.274229539#fpstate=tlexp&htiq=new%20york%20city%20MLK%20DAY%20EVENTS

 

 

PHILADELPHIA MLK CELEBRATIONS

https://www.google.com/search?q=mlk%20day%20events%20in%20philadelphia

 

NEW JERSEY MLK CELEBRATIONS

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1MDAPLA_enUS876US876&ctzn=America/New_York&q=jersey%20city%20MLK%20DAY%20EVENTS&source=mobilesearchapp&ioshw=iPhone10,2&apps=yt&biw=414&oq=jersey%20city%20MLK%20DAY%20EVENTS&hl=en&channel=iss&pbx=1&qsubts=1579496624778&vpa=2&vse=1&ie=UTF-8&gsawvi=1&gs_lp=Eg1pcGhvbmVhcHAyLXBiGgIYACIaamVyc2V5IGNpdHkgTUxLIERBWSBFVkVOVFMyCQgAECEYqwIoATIJCAEQIRirAigBSMSvAVDkHVjVpgGYAe4CoAGNH6oBCDBqMjRqMWoxuAED6AEBgAKz8TOQAgCYAhuoAg-wAgHCAgkQIxjqAhgnKAHCAgQQKygBwgIGECMYJygBwgIJEC4YQxiTAigBwgIJEC4YFBiHAigBwgIEEAAoAcICBBAuKAHCAgYQABhDKAHCAgcQABiDASgBwgIGEC4YJygBwgIHEC4YgwEoAcICChAAGOoCGI8BKAHCAgYQLhhDKAHCAgkQLhgnGJMCKAHCAggQABgWGB4oAcICBxAhGKABKAHSAiRBNUMwNkFCRC01N0U2LTRFM0EtODYxNy0wNDI2QjA4OUQ4N0GgA6oBwAPFDuIDBAgKGAbiAwQICxgL4gMFCAwYkg7KBAIYAIIFBAgAEAA%3D&bih=696&ntyp=20&GSAForceLoading=5&rciv=evn&ibp=htl;events&gsas=1&client=mobilesearchapp&v=85.0.274229539#fpstate=tlexp&htiq=jersey%20city%20MLK%20DAY%20EVENTS

 

 

DC MLK CELEBRATIONS 

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1MDAPLA_enUS876US876&ctzn=America/New_York&q=dc%20mlk%20day%20events&source=mobilesearchapp&ioshw=iPhone10,2&apps=yt&biw=414&oq=dc%20mlk%20day&hl=en&channel=iss&pbx=1&qsubts=1579497061320&vpa=2&vse=1&ie=UTF-8&gsawvi=1&gs_lp=Eg1pcGhvbmVhcHAyLXBiGgIYACIKZGMgbWxrIGRheSoJCAAQABjEAigBMgkIABAAGMQCKAEyCQgBEAAYxAIoATIJCAIQABjEAigBMgYIAxAAKAEyBggEEAAoATIKCAUQABgWGB4oAUjIpQFQ7yZYvowBmAGaAaABsAmqAQMxajm4AQHoAQGAArPxM5ACAJgCC6gCD7ACAcICDBAAGIMBGBQYhwIoAcICBhAAGEMoAcICCRAjGOoCGCcoAcICBxAAGIMBKAHCAgcQLhiDASgBwgIEEC4oAcICBhAuGEMoAcICChAAGOoCGI8BKAHCAgkQABiDARhDKAHSAiRENzhFMjA2RC1GQzQ2LTRGQjQtOTAxMi0xNDRDOUFDMzYzMzGgA_EBwAOaA-IDBAgKGAHiAwQICxgD4gMFCAwYhgPKBAIYAIIFBAgAEAA%3D&bih=696&ntyp=20&GSAForceLoading=7&rciv=evn&ibp=htl;events&gsas=1&client=mobilesearchapp&v=85.0.274229539#fpstate=tlexp&htiq=dc%20mlk%20day%20events

BALTIMORE MLK CELEBRATIONS

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1MDAPLA_enUS876US876&ctzn=America/New_York&q=Baltimore%20MLK%20day%20events&source=mobilesearchapp&ioshw=iPhone10,2&apps=yt&biw=414&oq=Baltimore%20MLK%20day%20events&hl=en&channel=iss&pbx=1&qsubts=1579497396248&vpa=2&vse=1&ie=UTF-8&gsawvi=1&gs_lp=Eg1pcGhvbmVhcHAyLXBiGgIYACIYQmFsdGltb3JlIE1MSyBkYXkgZXZlbnRzMgYIABArKAFI7rUBUNgoWLquAZgB3AKgAbMgqgEIMGoxM2o4ajG4AQPoAQGAArPxM5ACA5gCE6gCALACAMICChAAGAcYChgeKAHCAgYQABhHKAHCAgYQABgNKAHCAgoQABgIGAcYHigBwgIKEAAYBxgFGB4oAcICChAAGAgYDRgeKAHCAggQABgHGB4oAcICCBAAGA0YHigB0gIkNDEwRERBREEtMTMyQy00N0VCLTg5QjItMTRFNDYxODc0QjQzoAPxAcADmgPiAwQIChgA4gMECAsYAOIDBAgMGADKBAIYAIIFBAgAEAA%3D&bih=696&ntyp=20&GSAForceLoading=9&rciv=evn&ibp=htl;events&gsas=1&client=mobilesearchapp&v=85.0.274229539#fpstate=tlexp&htiq=Baltimore%20MLK%20day%20events

With all these activities planned for Dr. King, there should be no one sitting home trying to figure out how to carry his legacy forward.  There are so many ways that we can commemorate this wonderful Black man.  Our children, by the same token, must not be left out of the equation.  They have to understand the commitment he made to his people, regardless of the dangers and threats he endured.  They have to know that he was more than the "I Have A Dream" speech; that he was the factor behind President Johnson's signing into law the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, and the initiation of the Great Society.  And, while it's great to celebrate him on his birthday, and the national holiday set aside in his honor, we must also inculcate the principles and qualities by which he lived.  

 

So I'm attaching a link to some events and publications that were collected by the Preitauer Black History Collection to give more context to the significance of his efforts.  This is for youth and adults - some of us who lived through this, and for those who never received much more than the regurgitation of his speech.  Check it out:

 

https://blackhistorycollection.org/category/civil-rights/

 

Dr. King was a highly educated Black man - which also informed his principles and qualities as a charismatic leader.  Our children have a legacy in this valiant brother, and we must always inform them of their own capacity to become leaders in their own right.

To all my brothers and sisters, Have a Blessed and Wonderful MLK Day of Celebration.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT

Stay Blessed & 

ECLECTICALLY BLACK 

Gloria Dulan-Wilson

 

 

 

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DECEMBER IS RAINBOW PUSH'S ANNIVERSARY MONTH - LET'S CELEBRATE!!

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson
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Hello All:

Celebration Time, Come On!!

It was 1962 when Rev. Jesse Jackson started with Operation Bread Basket - a grass roots organization to assist poor African Americans in getting jobs, and not buying where they could not work, it was originally initiated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  It was highly successful in Chicago, through the staging of boycotts of several national brands - including Pepsi and Coca Cola - in getting 2000+ jobs for local residents.  However, after King's assassination in 1968,  Rev. Jackson was designated to head up the organization in Chicago.  Due to his later refusal to relocate the organization to the South, a schism occurred, and the Rainbow PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) was born in December 1971 - 45 years ago.  

It has evolved into a major player in the realm of research and economic parity - both on the national and international scale - with it's premiere Wall Street Project (January of each year), providing cutting edge information, insight and opportunities to Black Americans who have been economically disadvantaged and marginalized by the financial industry.

More than just a feel-good event, the Wall Street Project - which is held in New York City, was originally held on Wall Street - giving participants first hand opportunity to interact with major financial houses and learn about investments, and determining factors that affect their communities.  Subsequent to the Attack on the World Trade Center, the conference has been held in Mid-Town Manhattan at the Sheraton Hotel, where experts share their knowledge with novices, businessmen and women, investors, political figures, activists, and ministerial representatives.

Rev. Jackson and Dr. King both recognized early on that the most segregated area was the economic divide that marginalized Black Americans in practically every area of their lives - from grass roots to the most sophisticated arenas.  

It's no secret that I am an unabashed admirer and supporter of Rev. Jackson - for all he's done and tried to do for Black people.  Somehow we don't seem to grasp the full impact of this brother's genius.  There have been instances that he's been so far ahead of the curve that other's are just beginning to catch up on information he provided years ago.  Some are just beginning to realize that economic development is key to our survival - something he's been working assiduously on for decades.  

His team of researchers work year round assessing where we need to focus our efforts - and he's been correct 95% of the time.   It's high time we began to get on board with what he's trying to accomplish and form the critical mass necessary to move us from Lodebar to self sufficiency and autonomy.  

For those of us who do not reside in Chicago, the Rev. has posted a connection via YouTube to keep abreast of the Month-Long Celebration of the 45th Anniversary of PUSH - check it out -

show some love and appreciation for the dedication of Rev. Jesse Jackson, and the entire Jackson Family to the Progress of  Black People.

During this season of giving we urge you to put PUSH under your Christmas Tree this year. Every contribution large or small is an investment in our movement for social change.
Click here to become a Member	Click here to Donate Now

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Follow PUSH!
    

Donate to Rainbow PUSH

Stay up to date on Rainbow PUSH and download the app for Android and iOS.

Follow our livestream at www.livestream.com/PUSHTvLive Download the app for Android, iOS, and Roku.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK

Gloria  

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity To Pay Full Cost Of Michael Brown's Memorial And Funeral Services

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Amidst all the aggravation, animosity, anger and investigation, one ray of hope and brotherhood is shining through in the personage of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (also known as A Phi A),  who have generously offered to pay the full cost of young Michael Brown's memorial and funeral services.  

In the face of all this valiant family has endured, and the community itself going through the shock of realizing that they are indeed living in a police state, this is much needed good news, in the midst of unspeakable grief.  

This would not be the first time the great fraternity has stepped up in the breach to bring about a positive solution.  This is the fraternity that did the fundraising, and commissioned the artist to erect the first ever monument of a Black man, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr - a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity - in Washington, DC.  

Below is the letter sent to the family, as well a brief history of A Phi A:

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity To Pay Full Cost Of Michael Brown's Memorial And Funeral Services

Standing in their tradition of service and social justice, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has offered to pay the entire costs for the memorial and funeral services of Michael Brown, the 18 year old teen who was shot to death by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on August 9.

Al Sharpton and Kimora Lee Simmons are among other notables who offered to pay the services, but Alpha has stepped to the plate and requested that the expenses not be shared with any other person or organization.

Brown’s services, under the direction of Austin A. Layne Mortuary, Inc., are incomplete at this time.

Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-Americans, was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by seven college men who recognized the need for a strong bond of Brotherhood among African descendants in this country. The visionary founders, known as the “Jewels” of the Fraternity, are Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle, and Vertner Woodson Tandy.

The Fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell. The Jewel founders and early leaders of the Fraternity succeeded in laying a firm foundation for Alpha Phi Alpha’s principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity.

Alpha Phi Alpha chapters were established at other colleges and universities, many of them historically black institutions, soon after the    founding at Cornell. The first Alumni Chapter was established in 1911. While continuing to stress academic excellence among its members, Alpha also recognized the need to help correct the educational, economic, political, and social injustices faced by African-Americans.  Alpha Phi Alpha has long stood at the forefront of the African-American community’s fight for civil rights through leaders such as: W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Edward Brooke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, and many others. True to its form as the “first of firsts,” Alpha Phi Alpha has been interracial since 1945.

Kudos to the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to their generosity at a time of great turmoil and confusion.  While the plans are thus underway for services, this serves in large measure to relieve some of the stress the family has been under.  

Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK 
Gloria 
www.gloriadulanwilson.blogspot/ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS

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EVENT ALERT: Rainbow Push Coalition Celebrates their 15th Annual Wall Street Project, January 25-27

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

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

EVENT ALERT: Jimi Holloway's Annual Post New Years Celebration Still Going Strong - Be There

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Every year without fail Jimi Holloway, The Empresario, has thrown the most elegant party ever to start off the year. It turns out the Jimi and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. share the same birth day. In honor of Dr. King, and partly because he just loves to see people having a good time Jimi Holloway hosts an event in the most elegant, prestigious hotels in New York.

However, with the snow seeming to overshadow so many other events, I thought it necessary to just call Jimi and check if we were still on for this week end. And of course, as I had hoped, the answer was definite and emphatic "YES!"

Of course the message was delivered in Jimi's quiet power tone of voice, one that has been the hallmark of this elegant brother ever since his emerging in New York City from Nigeria, his home.

I started calling Jimi the "Empressario" after he was able to get Trump to allow him to hold a party at their hotel, when no one else could do so - it's a combination of Emperor and Impresario (you know a business magnate of the highest order - they do kind of go together, don't they?) And the great thing about Jimi Holloway is that he is a down to earth, positive brother who enjoys his success, but does not let it go to his head.

Jimi calmly responded: "The Opulent Event must go on "snow or no snow", a lot of people had already booked their rooms. Incidentally, the rooms reservations were sold out. "I always walk with faith not by sight". It is going to be one of the best Event ever. Those who really appreciate what "Quality of Life" is all about would come, in spite of the weather. They will not be disappointed and they will be talking about this Event for a while. And to those who miss it will regret what they had missed "THE EVENT OF THE YEAR".(lol) Stay Blessed Jimi H.

Now you heard it from the "Empresario" himself. Those who have attended Jimi's parties know it's what's happening on the inside, not the weather condition on the outside. Not only that, it is one of the most elegant gathering of people for an evening of camaraderie, entertainment, fun. As he stated, "It's like a reunion! Some people only come to this event, and you don't see them until the next year. Or you have lost touch with people you usually see and they all turn up at my event.

This year as usual, Jimi has five ball rooms, each with a different theme and a different event going on simultaneously. Special guest artist Melba Moore will perform, along with Taste, and other artists be there. The festivities start at 10:00, with a buffet at 11:00, and non-stop music UNTIL 3:00am.

This year, as always, Jimi pays tribute to Blacks who have made a difference in our lives. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and the late, great promoter Olin Martin Ferguson (affectionately known as Ferguson) will be honored.

From Jazz to Soul to Salsa and beyond, people will be mixing, mingling, sharing, smiling, dancing and enjoying the company of some of the finest people on earth: YOU.

So, the snow don't stop nothing!

See you at Jimi Holloway's Post New Year Celebration

If you haven't gotten your tickets, call one of the numbers listed below for a vendor in your area:

QUEENS
718.527.1127
718.528.2889
347.805.2287

BROOKLYN
718.345.6911
718.638.1357
347.350.7198

BRONX
917.459.6760
718.294.5855
347.735.7710

MANHATTAN
212.799.9897
212.862.6917
917.843.7716

LONG ISLAND
516.538.3001
516.489.0148
9117.449.5158

PHILADELPHIA
215.276.8065
215.280.8817

NEW JERSEY
201.332.0110
973.623.4162
908.810.9820

WESTCHESTER CTY
914.949.2304
914.667.5157
845.538.6078

BALTIMORE
443.858.9655

CONNECTICUT
203.237.7537

BOSTON
617.584.9706

DELAWARE
917.523.3339

GROUP RATES
718.528.2889


For additional information you can contact 718.528.2889

See you at the event of the season.
STAY BLESSED &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson

THANKS AND BLESSINGS TO REV. JESSE JACKSON FOR THE RAINBOW/PUSH WALL STREET PROJECT

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Yes, I know today is January 15, the actual birth date of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And a great many of us, including yours truly, are paying tribute to him today and throughout the weekend, and on his holiday for his accomplishments and sacrifices. He was truly a remarkable man who loved his family, and made great sacrifices for us all - including having his life cut short in service to the principles of economic parity for all people.

And this is why I am thanking Jesse Jackson, for having the vision, dedication, determination, insight, hutzpah, fortitude - you name it, to bring that to fruition in the form of the Wall Street Project.

I remember when he first announced that he was going to launch the project. I remember the skepticism when he said that the biggest barrier to equality was the economic barrier, and that Blacks were not represented in Wall Street where most of the economic wealth was concentrated. What!??! Hadn't we already overcome. You know those white folks down there aren't going to let Blacks into the board rooms and on the bidding floors of Wall Street.

But here we are nearly 15 years later. The numbers this year were smaller - partly because of predictions of massive snow storms; partly because there are those - white and Black - still trying to recover from the most pervasive economic down turn in the 21st century. But still, enough people turned out, and those who did were regaled with the finest minds, not only from Wall Street, but from Africa, and other parts of the world, looking to band together to do well by doing good.

The workshop on Affordable Housing - and whether or not the current foreclosure prevention programs really hurt or helped Americans was a total eye opener. The program currently being supported by the Feds does not seem to be living up to its promise. However, there are several private investors who came to the Wall Street Project ready to help families save their homes, with no cut throat strings; no dragging out the process; no pointing fingers of blame. Who could have put that together, but the Rev. Jesse Jackson?

It was Reverend Jackson who informed us that many of our Black churches are in serious financial conditions, and are likewise about to be foreclosed upon. That it is now time to turn the attention to the fact that the pervasive foreclosures are about to eviscerate our entire neighborhood. It is time to learn what to do, do it, and do it together.

The forum on the HIP-HOP generation and wealth creation and wealth retention featured a friend I had not seen since he left office as Mayor of "Money Earnin", Mount Vernon (NY), The Honorable Ernest Davis. Or Amsterdam News great, Herb Boyd, who just penned his new book, We Shall Overcome: History of Civil Rights in America (where does Herb find the time to get it all done?).

The panel also featured Rosa Clemente, the former vice presidential candidate who ran with Cynthia McKinney in the 2008 Presidential Election Campaign. Her clarity and insights were amazing and refreshing. She proudly acknowledged that she was a Black woman, as opposed to being a Latina, and her origins, like the rest of us, was Africa, the Mother Land. Where else would we have had the opportunity to be exposed to this brilliant woman? Who but Rev. Jackson would have thought enough to have her participate in such an epoch-making panel.

And who, but Rev. Jackson would realize the need for Hip Hop artists to not only make millions, but to know how to sustain it, maintain it, invest it, understand it. The Rev has offered to take them to Wall Street to learn where the money goes, how it's invested, and how to be sure they themselves don't get ripped off. "If you only talk among yourselves, you have no way of getting new and essential information. Its a one-sided conversation," he asserted throughout the program.

For the January 11 kick off reception, he brought Lalah Hathaway, the daughter of the great Donny Hathaway, to perform. As he stated, "Laila Hathaway could not help having a fabulous voice, it's in her DNA; just like we cannot help being successes as a people - it's in our DNA."

It was Rev. Jackson who brought the clergy together from all over the US for a luncheon to address the problems of church foreclosures, and prevailed upon the foreclosure prevention panelists from the previous day to remain the next day, as his guest, to meet with the ministers to begin resolving these problems.

And it was Rev. Jackson who featured Hezekiah Walker to perform at his first annual Rev. Timothy Wright Gospel Fest, which was held at the Sheraton Hotel. Along with Walker were gospel artist from across the country, keeping the tradition of praise and worship alive.

The fate of Black people does not just rest with what happens here in the US, but is inexorably tied forever to what happens in Africa, our Mother Land, and point of origin as well. Rev. Jackson convened a panel to deal with the future of investing and doing business with Africa, including panelists from South Africa, as well as local businesses that have formed successful linkages between the 6th Diaspora (US Blacks) and Africa. You can't allow yourselves to be lulled into a false sense of knowledge based on what the headlines say. It really does require the ongoing communication and consolidation of efforts to make sure that Africa does not undergo pervasive recolonization. Africa has more mineral wealth per square inch than the rest of the world; they do not have control of it; neither do we. What can be done to make sure those profits go to the people who need them the most?

It was the Rev. Jackson who put together the Women's Summit and brought three powerful Congresswomen together: Nydia Velazquez (D - Brooklyn, NY), Maxine Waters (D - California) and Yvette D. Clarke (D - Brooklyn, NY)

Now I'm not saying that the brother did all this single-handedly -- he has excellent staff members, including the irrepressible Andrew Carr, who works tirelessly to "make it so". But none of this would have even gotten off the ground had it not been for the fact that Rev. Jackson takes the time, the interest, the energy, the insight to make it happen.

One of conference goers remarked that Jesse was the last of the remaining civil rights leaders alive. That's partly true. There are still some, like Ms. Clara Luper in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who at 93 has more than served her time and deserves a good rest(I had to mention her, she was my mentor during my sit-in Civil Rights days as a kid in OKC). But Jesse, who was also a kid then, is the only one from that era who is an active and effective activist, to my knowledge.

If there are others that I have overlooked, please feel free to email me. I don't think we give nearly enough recognition to our brothers and sisters who laid their lives on the line so many of us can live where we want to live, vote, eat what and where we want to eat; send our children to the schools of our choice; have a decent job; get a decent education. There are many who are pre-baby boomers, who are sitting silently on the sidelines, thinking they have been forgotten. There are also many who lost their lives for something as simple, yet as powerful, as a paper ballot, the right to drink from a water fountain, the right to use a toilet in a public facility; the right to eat at a lunch counter, or ride a bus.

When the Rev. Jackson was growing up (as our kids say, "Black in the day"), you'd never have seen his image on television, let alone at the Sheraton Hotel (and if at the Sheraton, he most likely would have been a janitor or an elevator operator back in the day).

That the brother devoted his entire career to Black people, and is still going strong is a testimony to his love for us (did I already say that? Well it bears repeating, because there are some who just don't get it!).

Jesse Jackson, his family, especially Jonathan and his dynamic wife Jackie, are in the fray making it happen. Not just for show, but they are working behind the scenes - meeting, haranguing, negotiating, researching, communicating, trying to provide us with the information we need to get ourselves out of this pit.

We need to begin reciprocating and passing this information along, sharing it with each other; putting it into action. It's time to cut the 80/20 principle, where 80% of the people benefit from the work that 20% do, and make a paradigm shift that says we are all in this together.

Dr. King's Dream Speech was made in Tennessee just before he was assassinated. He was addressing men and women about moving from poverty to prosperity; for the right to work to be paid a just and equal wage. Better known as economic parity.

We are now at the point where we deserve so much more. We also have to be about forming our own businesses, corporation, partnerships; inventions, limited liability corporation. We are now at the point where we must show that in the 21st century, where President Obama's YES WE CAN can now become YES WE WILL, and later YES WE DID.

If you are not familiar with or aware of the Rainbow/Push Wall Street Project, log on to www.rainbowpushwallstreet.org. Or Google it. In this day and age of computers, cell phones iPads/iPhones/ etc., we have no excuse not have as much of our programs, organizations and interests out there as the mainstream does. We ought to have T-shirts and caps that say THANK YOU Rev. JESSE JACKSON. We ought to have Rainbow/Push Wall Street Mugs, watch bands, sneakers. Just like we we know and honor JZ. Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and the rest, put Rev. Jackson, Al Sharpton, Len Jeffries, and the rest up there in our pantheon of Black celebrities.

Let's deal with the fact that this brother, the Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, is still standing after all he's been through; that individually and collectively he is standing for us.

Now is the time to reciprocate. Now also is the time to study, learn, replicate, and spread the Jackson Method of Excellence and Economic Development throughout the Black Community.

It's nice to have dinners in Honor of Dr. King. I will try to attend and cover them all. But I would much rather see us begin to put our funds together, in the way the Black United Fund of New York (BUFNY) did, so that we can underwrite our own programs, build houses, provide scholarships; start our own credit unions so that we can have resources other than redlining banks.

So while we honor Dr. King, remember his protege is still out there trying to make that dream come true. And we need to be out there with him. Start planning now to be here for the 15th Anniversary of the Rainbow/Push Wall Street Project conference in 2012 - the second week in January, at the Sheraton Hotel, New York City, NY. If you do it right, you can book your reservations with Rainbow/Push now, and pay for it on a monthly basis, so that all you have to do is show up.

See you in 2012 -- by the way, they're active throughout the year, so you might want to sign up to be a part of the ongoing process, as well.

Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson