November 2008
|
Vol 3, Issue 13
|
|
 |
In the Black
Newsletter
|
|
|
| Greetings! |
Over
the last two weeks, people throughout the country and in our community have
been rejoicing or mourning over the results of the 2008 elections. Through In
the Black (see Special Election Edition) and Valley Black Talk's joint-Election Night coverage, many expressed the flood of emotions they
experienced with the victory of democratic nominee, now President-elect Barack
Obama. On the local front, there was a mixed response from the results of the
mayoral race as Ashley Swearingen became the first woman to be elected as mayor
(the second to the position as Karen Humphrey as part of the council-mayoral
model) of Fresno. Some initially
attributed the victory to the conservative tendencies of the Valley and the
Republican's edge with 8-10K more registered voters, which has now consecutively
elected three individuals identified as Republicans for Fresno's mayor.
Is
that really the reason why Henry T Perea didn't win his third election bid? Fresno
has demonstrated the ability to elect Democrats for local and state
representatives and most currently through handing the President-elect Obama
the county for the first time ever.
So was
it due to the well-greased Swearengin campaign or mistakes from Perea who
started the election cycle at an advance with greater public awareness? Every
campaign consultant and pollster would tell any local candidate that north
Fresno elects the mayor of Fresno. That presumed ideology was taken to heart as
demonstrated by both candidates who conducted the bulk of the campaign
activities in neighborhoods north of Shaw. Traditionally, that strategy would
make sense without the Obama Effect.
You've heard of the Bradley Effect but the democratic 2008 election
victories across the country were the result of the influence Obama had
overwhelming on new voters- ethnic minorities and young people (18-30). Some
believed that Perea would benefit from the excitement surrounding the candidacy
of Obama as a young, progressive-minded person of color appealing to voters
looking for new leadership. Yet, through my campaign and post-election conversations,
I found there to be a lackluster sentiment from young and African-American
local voters about Perea and the mayoral race in general. Some African-Americans
expressed that his platform-green jobs, solar energy and clean air that are in
an environmental democrat ideology, didn't appeal to their prioritizes from the
social justice spectrum. Could it be his stance on the police audit/auditor or
his ability to attract African-American dis-swayed black voters, which were
critical as demonstrated in the passage of Prop. 8?
Yet,
when one looks at either candidate neither garnished significant visible
support from the Fresno African-American community. In the Black requested a list
of black endorsers from both camps, which equated to less than 20 people between
the two (see Pre-Election, Vol 3 Issue 11).
There may have been some assumption based on the large percentage of local
African-American democrats that they would vote automatically for Perea, a
democrat, even though this was a non-partisan race... well officially (both the
Autry-Whitehurst and Swearingen-Perea race aligned along party lines). Outside
of a few traditional appeals through black churches and advertisements in the
California Advocate, you saw very little campaigning directly to the African-American
community. All the blame can't be laid at the feet of the candidates. Unfortunately,
there were very few, if any official or organized opportunities to make those
connections that were spearheaded by the black community. Outside of the BWOPA
(Black Women Organized for Political Action) pre-primary closed endorsement and
Valley Black Talk's October election coverage( both candidates were invited to
call-in but neither did), there were no forums, open endorsement
processes or opportunities for the average African-American to voice their
concerns to the candidates or the candidates to layout out how their
administration would benefit the black community.
In order to move Fresno
forward, as Mayor-elect Ashley Swearengin proposes to do (see Swearengin's campaign policy briefs and actions plans),
the black community must meet her no nonsense approach to addressing systemic
issues with leadership and concise strategies that will allow her office to
work in conjunction with us to attack poverty, institutional discrimination and
improve our quality of life.
Tate Hill
Editor
|
The Mayoral Wish List:
What should be the priorities of Fresno's next mayor?
|
Americans can expect to get less from their Christmas wish list as consumers are
poised to spend less during this holiday. You can't always get what you want' but as the saying goes 'a close mouth don't get fed'. In the Black ask you want do you want
the next the mayor to address when she comes into office in January 2009?
In the
Black ask you to participate in a brief survey that we will share with
Mayor-elect Swearengin that expresses what you believe her priorities should
be.
Fresno Mayoral Priorities Survey
Survey closed December 1
|
So what's happening at Hinton???
|
If you
are anything like me, you're confused about what's going on with the Hinton
Center and what we can do make it the place the community wants it to be. On
Monday, November 17, many of these questions were answered by a panel including
Council President Cynthia Sterling, Assistant City Manager Bruce Rudd, Park
Director Randy Cooper and Concerned Citizens of West Fresno representative Bob
Mitchell. During the discussed facilitated by Rev. Floyd Harris at New Birth
Center church in near MLK School in southwest Fresno, city leaders gave a brief
synopsis of the how the Hinton Center came into the control of a 3-4 member
board.
Randy
Cooper expressed that the community-owned center operated without a functional
board for 17 years with no documentation of annual elections or minutes.
According to the Hinton Center Board by-law the center was originally to be
governed by 23 members openly ele cted by the community. In 2006, the City in response to the
community relinquished its management of the center but signed a basic lease
agreement with the
Concern residents listen to panel at New Birth
reestablished board to continued limited services at a
monthly payment of $4500 or $54,000 a year. Bruce Rudd stated the $2.00 sq/ft it
agreed to pay was higher than what the market demanded but the City valued
supporting operations at Hinton Center.
In
June 2008 after several failed interventions the community and the Hinton
Center board to increase access and provide administrative/governance documentation-audited
financial statements and minutes from board elections as promised-that the City
would require in any agreement, Councilmember Sterling requested that the City
break its lease with the Center during the FY 2008-09 budget discussions.
According to both Rudd and Sterling, the City had the right to terminate lease
and payment due to Hinton's failure to meet the agreement's terms including public
access with reasonable accommodations (e.g. heat/AC and electricity) and Center
activities.
Sterling
apologized for allowing the situation to degrade to it's present situation
where the Center is primarily used to church services for Carter Memorial. In
addition, Rev. Floyd Harris expressed that community leaders, like himself,
must ascribe some of the blame for not getting involved early on.
So, what's next for the Hinton? Bruce Rudd
outlined the following steps that need to take place in order for the City to
re-establish a healthy relationship with the Hinton Center and sign a new
lease:
-
A small group needs to discuss and formalize
their concerns and present those to Fresno City Council
- The Hinton Center Board, which has expressed
its willingness to work things out with the City, needs to meet with
representatives from the City and the citizen's group
-
The Hinton Center needs to elect a full
functioning board and produce the standard but necessary governance documents to
the City before the City can enter a new agreement with the Board
Members of the audience voiced their concerns
about the practicality of there being an open and creditable election process for
new board members. Bob Mitchell laid out the concept behind the creation of a
prospectus list that was submitted to the current Hinton Board earlier in the
year with the desire to have a fully open floor election during the next cycle.
Some questioned the sincerity of the board based on the application questions.
Virgina Robinson, one who submitted an application by the October 31, 2008
deadline, presented the application that requested information not limited to
the applicant's education, skill set, and availability but also a criminal background
and credit check.
After the discussion that went on for over
two hours, some audience members expressed their frustration with the lack of
leadership and how the circumstance is affecting the livelihood of the youth.
Lee Ayers of I.M.A.G.E.S., a sports & mentorship program for
southwest Fresno youth summarized how this incident demonstrates need for fresh
and effective leadership in the black community. Hear Lee's comments about new leadership.
|
|
 |
| Archives |
Missed a past isssue? Want to share a past issue with a friend or peer?
See back issues dating to 2007 for FREE. No downloading required.
|
|
|
In the Black: 2008 in Review
|
In the Black is preparing for the January 2009 '2008 in Review' issue. The issue will include the 'good, bad & ugly' that shaped 2008.
See the archived The Best of Black Fresno- 2008 and the In the Black: 2006 in Review on the Urban Knowledge Blog.
Do you have an opinion? Feel free to share your ideas betwen now and the end of the year.Email us at urbanknowledge@gmail.com and let us know your thoughts.
|
Will
West Fresno get the middle school it deserves?
|
On Wednesday-November 18, district staff and
the Facilities Ad hoc Advisory Committee presented preliminary recommendations to the Fresno
Unified School Board of Trustee on a Master Facilities Plan. The plan outlined
the feeder patterns of elementary and middle school by pyramid into high
schools. Some of the proposed changes include:
-
Building a new elementary and high school in
southeast Fresno and a middle school in southwest Fresno
-
Changing the use ('re-use') of Wolters
Elementary, Slater Elementary, Heaton Elementary and Carver Academy
-
Converting Awahnee, Sequioa, Anthony & Greenberg
to 5-8 middle schools and King and Lawless
to K-6 schools and Wawona to a 6-8 middle school
-
Adding 18 new preschool sites to district elementary
school
Staff and the Advisory Committee were
commissioned to look at the following areas to address attendance and facility
needs:-
The realignment of feeder school allocations,
particularly to Bullard (2720 students) and Sunnyside (3196) in order to get high
school enrollment down to state recommended populations of 2500
-
Ways to reallocate students to under-populated
schools in northwest Fresno
-
Accommodate the exponential growth in southeast
Fresno by building a new high school and elementary
-
Address the need of a middle school in
southwest Fresno
District staff gave an update on the
plan for a southwest middle school stating it would be a comprehensive 7-8 middle
school. The District started initially investigating 12 possible sites and has narrowed
it down to a few. Staff expressed the difficulty in finding the state
recommended 25-30 acres needed to accommodate building a new middle school. Staff
responded that the largest middle school is 17 acres after questioned by Trustee Michelle Arax Asadoorian whether any district site met the state recommendation. She
also expressed concerns based on her conversations with the community that they would not
be satisfied a 're-use' plan for Carver and the creation of an interim or
temporary middle school without seeing 'sticks in the ground' for the construction
of a new middle school.
The long promised middle school in West
Fresno by the District, where 67% of the bussed out students do not graduate
from high school, is questionable as the District does not have the $10-13 million of funding
to build it. At the December Board meeting (where newly-elected trustee Larry
Moore will come in), staff will report out on the balance of the Measure K bond
that was sold to West Fresno as a possible ticket to build the school. The middle
school is a Priority #2 under that funding stream but an unlikely source to
fully fund construction according to FUSD Chief Financial Officer, Ruth Quinto.
The District is examining a number of financing options including issuing a new
bond or a package that incorporates developer fees.
Trustee Manuel Nunez, in one of his last
meetings serving on the Board, recommended that southwest residents may agree
with an interim or transition middle school site at Carver or Sunset as an alternative given that
it could take the District a minimum four years to build the middle school assuming
the finances are available. He alluded to the Fresno Academy for New Americans
in southeast Fresno that was used as an interim site until Storey Elementary
was built.
Trustee Carol Mills expressed her concern not
only about the shift of upper-income neighborhoods out of the Fresno High pyramid
to Bullard and about the composition of the Advisory Committee. She noted that
six of the eight members were from the Old Fig Garden or Bullard areas which didn't
provide diverse district representation. Superintendent Michael Hanson shared that the District
has conducted six community meetings to gain a broader perspective along with
two scheduled for southeast Fresno on December 4th (Fresno Academy for New
Americans) and the 11th (Balderas Elementary). Mills countered and recommended
that those meetings take place after the holidays to allow better parent attendance.
The District has four steps to finalize plans
by early 2009.
-
Develop a proposed implementation plan. Staff
and the Advisory Committee will conduct a district-wide assessment scoring the
needs of each school site followed by determining the investment types and
categories (e.g. new construction, conversion of portables, building upgrades,
etc).
-
Financial Analysis
- Community engagement and a Board workshop
- Adoption of a Final Plan
|
|
Looking for In the Black Writers
|
 Do you have something to say? Are you passionate about a particular subject? Have you said, "they need to write to
about ..."? Well, here's your chance!
In the Black is looking for other Issue writers, opinion editorals, and reviews of local restaurants, shops and entertainment venues from a black prospective.
College students are especially welcomed to inquire.
|
Roseanne Bar says black voters are "bigoted and ignorant"
|
 Roseanne Barr on her radio program, Roseanne's World said black Californians misused their vote and "every inch as bigoted and ignorant as their white christian right wing counterpartners" in supporting Proposition 8.
|
Racial
scapegoating: Are black voters responsible for the passage of Prop. 8?
|
Weeks after the fallout from California's
passage of Proposition 8 that defines marriages between one man and one woman, opponents
are blaming black voters for it's victory. According to exit polls (CNN Exit Poll),
African-American's overwhelming supported the Proposition in conjunction with voting for the country's first president
of color (well, let me rephrase that- self-identified black president as some
argue that some past presidents had a mixed Anglo-African heritage). Black women (75%) next to Republicans (82 %),
provided the most support of the proposition. So, should the victory or defeat
be laid at the feet of African-American voters? Were they the deciding factor?
Not really. Let's look at the facts.
 Fact:
Black don't control a major voting block
in California. African-Americans only make 6% of the California electorate
while white-Americans represent 70% and Latino
and Asian-Americans compromise one out of five (21%) of the likely state voters
(PPIC Just the Facts, August 2008).
Fact:
All ethnic minorities aren't political
liberal even if they identify themselves as Democrats. One of four
African-Americans self-identity as conservative. Asian and Latino-Americans are
more likely to identity themselves as moderates (39% of Asians) or conservatives
(34% of Latinos) according to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC Just the Facts, August 2008).
Fact:
Ethnic minorities and white women with
children supported Prop 8. According
to exit polls, Asians (49%), Latino (53%) and mothers (61%) voted for the
marriage definition proposition along with 49% of whites, who represent 63% of state
voters (CNN Exit Poll).
There have been stories across the country
and throughout the state about gay activists and proposition opponents claiming
that blacks cost gay couples their civic rights. Melissa Harris Lacewell, a
African-American political professor at Yale and outspoken Obama supporter, recently
on MSNBC compares this proposition to the legality of civic unions vs. gay
marriage to a Jim Crow's separate but equal policies.
But even blacks part of the NO for Prop 8
understood that groups that have experienced discrimination don't necessarily support all issues
labeled as civil rights-orientated. "African
Americans are treated with 'a presumption of civic obligation' to support other
liberal causes", said Andrea Shorter, a No on 8 spokeswoman. Some black scholars refer to
the phenomenon as "exceptionalism" - a mistaken belief that because
African Americans went through slavery, Jim Crow and other systematic forms of
oppression, that they automatically have greater moral understanding on all
issues (SF Gate, November 16, 2008).
So, what
explains why blacks voted for Prop 8? Religion and faith. According to the CNN
Exit Poll, 82% of those who voted yes attended church on a weekly basis, with
65 percent proclaiming to be Protestant or Catholic. In numerous surveys, 92% of black Americans say
that they practice some faith or identify themselves as 'religious' (81%).
Blacks represent a large block in the Baptist church (9.8 million) and count
for one of out every four Muslims in the United States (American Religious
Identification Survey, 2001, The Graduate Center of City University of New York).
When asked in a recent Pew survey, parishioners of historically black churches
(46%) and Muslims (61%), believed 'homosexuality is a way
of life that should be discouraged by society'. Even with this moral belief, a
majority of them voted for or leaned towards democrats, 78 and 63 percent
respectively (Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life , June 2008).
Californians
continue to be split about this as a moral issue that will play itself out in
the California Supreme court in the following months.
READERS:
What should the CA Supreme court do? Do you see the gay marriage as a civic
right or moral issue? Post your comments and thoughts on Urban Knowledge Blog (tag- gay marriage).
|
|
Making Community Connections
Your partner for community engagement & mutli-cultural marketing
|
Graffiti-filled playground may prevent physical activity
|
Earlier this month, Bethel Temple's Operation WIPE-OUT, graffiti abatement program in partnership with th e City's NQLII program was cleaning up tags in southwest Fresno. At Frank H Ball Park managed by the City,
we found a significant amount of tagging on the baseball diamonds and on the
playground equipment.
In the Black (ITB) had a email Q&A with Fresno Parks & Recreation Community Service (PARCS)- Park Division Manager, Forrest Dean.
ITB: Who is responsible for removing tags from City
Parks?
PARCS: The Parks division has one painter on staff and
he is assigned to paint our buildings and facilities and to remove
graffiti from our Neighborhood Parks once graffiti has been identified or
reported. If it is a small amount of graffiti, approx. 3' X 3', our
maintenance personnel can try to remove it with graffiti remover or paint over
it.  If larger than this size our painter will do the job. We do try to remove graffiti daily and with in 24
hours but unfortunately we do not always have enough staff available to
identify where the graffiti has been done.
ITB: Is tagging/graffiti at city parks a trend
citywide or more prevalent in southwest Fresno?
PARCS: Tagging of
graffiti really knows no boundaries and is prevelant through out our
parks. It is a DAILY challenge to remove graffiti from our parks-North,
South, East and West.
 ITB: What can the surrounding community do to reduce
and prevent graffiti?
PARCS: The biggest help we can get from the neighbors surrounding our parks is
for them to report tagging or any other suspicious behavior to the Fresno Police
Department [or 621-TAGS/8247]. Most tagging occurs when the parks are closed or before staff
is on site for programs. Any help we can get from the neighbors would be
greatly appreciated. We will get our painter over to remove the graffiti ASAP.
|
|
'Bout time... |
By Julia Dudley
Funny things, funny politics...what does it all mean? Means you and I have a vote; means you and I
have no excuse; means you and I have work to do in our communities, where
shackles once restricted our minds, culture, and race...
The race to be number one, the race to be the first...Is it
already won? No, many more firsts to
come...Because Obama is there, theory says 40 acres and a mule; reality says
history echoes through the White House walls for now.
Instead, I say it's 'bout time we all break bread and end
what was, and begin what finally is: there are no excuses, no funny politics,
no shackles, no victims! There are
brighter days, more responsibility, more maturity, more movement ...
Moving on up? Some once aspired to be the Jefferson family
but have transcended to multiple moves of prosperity, abundance and reassurance
for a better tomorrow today. There is
work to do to move... there is hope, the fuel, to move... there is life to
live to move, and there are wise tales and superstitions that we can move away
from, just as stereotypes are society's bad habits.
Habitually our culture, Black, portrayed fear, self-hatred,
hopelessness, degradation. Today
culture, Black, portrays wealth, honor, acceptance, pride and opportunity.
This Opportunity has awakened the Soul, allowed it to dance
to an upbeat, and reminded me not to sit down because it's 'bout time...
|
From the Campus:
|
Brianna R Simpson
Vice Chair of CSU Fresno- Black Student United
Brother to Sister was an event that Fresno State's Black
Students United (BSU) has put on for the last two years. It's a chance for black men
and women to come together and discuss issues that effect the African American
community on and off campus. This year's theme was "Keeping It Real...
Life As a College Student."
The discussion was co-facilitated by Minister DJ Criner of Saints Rest
Baptist Church and BSU Advisor & Communications professor, Dr. Marnel Niles.Topics discussed ranged from communication,
African American leadership, and balancing school and social life. Participants
touched on how to communicate with each other, professors, family, etc. They
also came up with solutions to solve the lack of communication and low
graduation rates among black students at Fresno State. We hope to keep this
event going in the future, for we have found that it has become beneficial to
our black students.
This event was sponsored by Black Students United, Kappa Alpha Psi,
Fraternity,Inc., The Central Valley Cultural Heritage
Institute and Black Faculty & Staff Association.
27th
Annual African American Student Recruitment Conference
Tanya Crabb
CSU Fresno Student Recruitment
This is a special event designed to motivate high school and community college
students to further their education after high school. This year's African
American Student Recruitment Conference is being hosted in conjunction with
United Black Student Union of California Regional Conference.
The conference will
have an opening ceremony, a college and community fair, as well as over 20 different education
and interest workshops. There will also be a parent information
session, as well as entertainment for students and parents. Lunch
will be provided for all registered attendees.
When: Saturday, December 13, 2008
Where: CSU Fresno Satellite Student Union
Agenda
9:00
- 9:50 a.m.
Check-In
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Opening
Ceremony (Tribute to the past)
11:10 - 11:40 a.m. Admissions
Overview
11:50
- 12:50 p.m. Workshop I (Educational
workshops)
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Lunch and BSU Voting
2:10
- 3:10
p.m.
Workshop II (Interest Workshops)
3:20 - 4:30
p.m.
Closing Ceremony (Celebrating the future)
The event is FREE and open to
the public
Pre-registration for this year's event is mandatory. Registration is due by December 1 at 5 PM. For event registration and more information on parking and
directions to the campus, please visit our website www.gotofresnostate.com.
Individual
registrants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Professional dress is
encouraged.
We
look forward to seeing you at this special event produced just for YOU!!
Sponsored
by University Outreach Services and the United Black Student Union of
California
|
|
|
Food for Thought:
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached
in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.
Booker T. Washington
|
| In the Black, a publication of the Urban Knowledge Blog
Disclaimer: This is an editorial publication. The comments above are solely of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views or ideologies of any organization or person outside of Urban Knowledge Blog or In the Black. If there is a numerical or factual error, please inform us and we will publicly rectify it via email. Comments received may be republished for the betterment of other readers, unless you indicate otherwise. Thank You. |
|
|
