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Through The Eyes of Art: a Salute to Black Comedy

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The Chosen Few and the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) present the 6th year of Through the Eyes of Art, a Black History Month celebration. This annual event brings together artists, community leaders, politicians, and tastemakers from across the state of Washington to celebrate the black experience.

This year’s theme is A Salute to Black Comedy, where we’ll explore the history of Black comedy, its place in American pop culture, and its importance as a medium for speaking truth to power and social commentary. Come celebrate the many African American comedic voices that echo through our social consciousness.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Redeeming the Prophetic Vision Interfaith Gathering

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Sunday, January 19, 2020 will mark the 14th annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Redeeming the Prophetic Vision, an annual, all volunteer-organized, interfaith community event. It seeks to honor Dr. King’s radical call for peace and justice for ALL people by helping our community to shine the light of his vision on our current local, national, and global situation; re-imagine unity across difference; renew our shared commitment to the path of social justice; and reconnect with peace and justice activists and advocates across our community.

This inspiring event is produced by The Conversation in partnership with Associated Ministries and Urban Grace Church. Come and hear Dr. Dexter Gordon’s keynote address, and see a dramatic production written and directed by C. Rosalind Bell.

After the main program, come downstairs for light refreshments, conversation, and networking. Over 25 community organizations will be on hand to chat about their programs.

Join The Conversation, Urban Grace Church, and Associated Ministries at Redeeming the Prophetic Vision 2019.  Bring your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors on Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 2:30pm to Urban Grace Church (corner of 9th & Market) in downtown Tacoma.  Plan to “fill a row” at Urban Grace!

Coming Together to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Expresses Solidarity With Black Americans Across the Nation

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National Sikh Campaign Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Expresses Solidarity With Black Americans Across the Nation

Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day taking place on Monday, January 20, the National Sikh Campaign issued the following statement: 

“Martin Luther King Jr.’s work paved the way for Black Americans, marginalized people, and allies everywhere to stand up for dignity, understanding, and freedom,” said Anjleen Kaur Gumer, Executive Director of the National Sikh Campaign. “Now more than ever, it’s important to celebrate the progress we’ve made while acknowledging the fight isn’t over. We must continue working against racism and discrimination to create a world where everyone is treated with respect.

“Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak, began his work in the 1500s by speaking out against discrimination of women and the poor — a fight for justice that mirrors Dr. King’s hundreds of years later. Sikhs hold Guru Nanak’s values of equality closely, and believe that everyone has access to God, regardless of their background. For this reason, Sikh Americans are honored to stand with our Black neighbors in celebration and solidarity.”

In Remembrance Of Fitzgerald Redd Beaver , Gone But Never Forgotten.

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“I shall pass this way but once; therefore any good that I can do or any kindness that I may show let me do it now. For I shall not pass this way again.”
Fitzgerald Beaver – Founder THE FACTS NEWSPAPER
Photo History : Charlie James interviewing Fitzgerald Beaver at THE FACTS NEWSPAPER OFFICE on Empire Way (Martin Luther King Jr. Way) and Cherry

Forever In Our Hearts.

 

FITZGERALD REDD BEAVER (FITZ) (1922–1992)

Fitzgerald Beaver , Photo History: Friday, Aug3, 1962 News clipping photo of “From My Pen” Beavers Weekly Editorial

Fitzgerald Beaver was born January 18, 1922, in Martinsville, Virginia. He graduated from high school in Martinsville and then attended North Carolina A & T College in Greensboro, North Carolina in the late 1930s.  Beaver left college without graduating and worked as a railroad porteracross the United States. By the beginning of World War II he had arrived in the Pacific Northwest and was living in the city of Portland, Oregon.

During the war “Fitz” Beaver, as he was now known, worked briefly for the U.S. Army as a civilian employee and then was hired by the Kaiser Company in Portland as a shipyard worker. After the war he briefly resided in North Bend, Oregon where he worked at a local radio station.  Finding a career he liked, he moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue radio and public relations training.

“Eager Beaver” Fitzgerald Beaver Photo History : In 1955, Fitzgerald returned to Portland and at the age of 33 became a local radio personality known as “Eager Beaver.”

In 1955, he returned to Portland and at the age of 33 became a local radio personality known as “Eager Beaver.”  In 1961, Beaver moved to Seattle, Washington to manage radio station KZAM-FM, the first black-owned radio station in the Pacific Northwest. He stayed at the station only a few months before launching The FACTS newspaper on September 7, 1961.

The FACTS quickly became a major media presence in black Seattle. The paper’s mission stated:  “We try to pick up where the daily papers leave off” meaning the paper would focus on stories not covered by the major daily newspapers but which were of particular interest to black Seattleites.  He gave the paper a distinctive “pink” color to separate it from its competitors. By the late 1960s, Beaver authored a popular column called “Right On!” that discussed local and regional issues.

Beaver was an eclectic personality who often clashed with other black journalists over news related to African Americans such as coverage of the race riots in Seattle and across the nation in the late 1960s.  His FACTS newspaper also became a community icon.  Its office, on the corner of Cherry Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, was a familiar landmark in Seattle’s Central District with an old truck situated on top of the slanted roof and a large reader board.

Fitzgerald Beaver – Founder of THE FACTS NEWSPAPER Photo History: Mr Beaver built The FACTS to quickly became a major media presence in black Seattle. The paper’s mission stated: “We try to pick up where the daily papers leave off”

 

Despite his clashes with other black journalists Beaver also hired numerous young black journalists who went on to other newspapers.  Chris Bennett, owner and publisher of a competing African American weekly newspaper, The Medium, and Ernie Foster, publisher of The Skanner newspaper in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, were aided by Beaver when they established their respective new

An ardent golfer, Beaver was a founding member of the predominantly African American Fir State Golf Club. He also served as president of the Boys and Girls Club in Seattle and worked with the Army, Navy and Coast Guard in minority recruiting programs in the 1970s and 1980s.

Fitzgerald “Fitz” Beaver died on
New Year’s Day, 1992 in Seattle, Washington at the age of 69. 

Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth, and their three children, Dennis, Marla, and LaVonne Beaver who are the current publishers of the newspaper.

 

Join Us In Honoring The Memory of  Fitzgerald Redd Beaver.

Please Sign, Leave a Comment or Memory for the family and Community to cherish

Navigating the pathway to college graduation successfully requires hard work, sacrifice and resources. It also takes a community.

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Nyomi Bennett (Cohort 18) was this year’s recipient of the Frederick Douglass award

At Rainier Scholars, we recruit fourth-graders into a cohort, so that students belong to a community of highly motivated students who share a vision of college success.  The initial phase of our program is the 14-month Academic Enrichment Phase (AEP), which begins the summer before the start of fifth grade and continues twice weekly during the school year. During this phase, scholars develop the skills needed to thrive in college preparatory settings. We honor the completion of AEP with a Rites of Passage ceremony, celebrating our scholars’ accomplishments and hard work.

Nyomi Bennett (Cohort 18) was this year’s recipient of the Frederick Douglass award, in recognition of her dedication to her own and her classmates’ education, as well her willingness to fight through obstacles with grace, wisdom and maturity. After completing 14 months of academic enrichment, Nyomi is now a sixth-grader at Seattle Girls’ School.

 

Ford Fund Teams Up with the City of Tacoma and the Washington State History Museum to Kick-off Men of Courage Barbershop Challenge  

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  • The Men of Courage Barbershop Challenge invites community-focused barbershops
    in the Tacoma area to submit innovative community program proposals supporting
    why their location should be selected as a Men of Courage barbershop

 

  • Two barbershops will be selected as finalists and compete for a grant of $10,000
    to activate community engagement programs at their shops

 

  • Challenge runner-up to receive $5000 for their favorite nonprofit organization

Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, is joining forces with the City of Tacoma and the Washington State History Museum (WSHM) to offer motivated barbershops in Tacoma an opportunity to compete for a $10,000 grant to support programs they create to educate and empower African American men in their community. Additionally, the runner up in the challenge is eligible to select a local non-profit to receive a $5,000 grant.

To apply, shop owners should visit http://fgb.life and submit their application online. Applications are being accepted now until November 22, 2019.

“The Men of Courage program is designed to uplift and celebrate the many contributions of African American men to our world,” said Pamela Alexander, director of Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund.“We are excited to bring this program and the associated barbershop challenge to Tacoma.”

The Men of Courage Barbershop Challenge is an expansion of the Men of Courage (MOC) grassroots program that launched in 2015. Its intent is to build communities by advancing the narrative of black men through storytelling. The MOC initiative has included several activations that include community outreach, education programs and toolkits for conversation starters.

Over the past three years, curated forums have been held in Detroit, Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles with national stakeholders such as activist Shaka Senghor, former Detroit mayor and NBA Hall of Famer Dave Bing, and NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis participating. With nearly 200 community leaders serving as mentors and engaging in hours of storytelling, vision boarding and solution mapping with young men in the community, the work has resulted in more than 2,000 toolkits downloaded in 34 cities around the country. Additionally, the theme of the 2016 Ford Freedom Award, which celebrated and recognized achievements of lasting and positive impact for African Americans, highlights the pivotal work of the Men of Courage program.

“In helping African American men tap into powerful community conversations through this new program, we are making a statement,” said Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. “We are saying that their ideas matter and can, in fact, profoundly shape the evolution of African American male identity in this country.”

The Tacoma MOC Barbershop Challenge seeks state-certified barbershop owners ages 18 and up to submit innovative applications that state why their barbershop should be distinguished as a Ford Fund Men of Courage shop and what that would mean for their community. Two finalists will be selected to compete by developing community engagement programming for adults and youth that focus on education, entrepreneurship and empowerment. Ford will support their efforts leveraging partnerships such as the Washington State History Museum and Microsoft to facilitate fun and engaging activities such as coding workshops, Xbox Game Nights and amplifying a job search with LinkedIn.

“We are proud to partner with the Ford Motor Company Fund in bringing their innovative Barber Shop Challenge to the Tacoma area. We look forward to experiencing the impact of the fun and meaningful activities that will come out of the challenge,” said Jennifer Kilmer, director of the Washington State Historical Society. “Men of Courage is the perfect companion program to the Men of Change exhibition. The Washington State History Museum is honored to host that exhibition this winter and we encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to see it here.”

To apply, shop owners should visit http://fgb.life and submit their application online. Applications are being accepted now until November 22, 2019.

The Men of Courage program serves as a complimentary grassroots activation to the Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth. exhibition at WSHM December 21 – March 15, 2020. Created by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), Men of Change is made possible through the support of Ford Motor Company Fund and highlights revolutionary men—including Muhammad Ali, James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, W.E.B. Du Bois and Kendrick Lamar— whose journeys have altered the history and culture of the country. Cincinnati’s Freedom Center was the first stop of the national three-year tour. For more information visit sites.si.edu.

For more information on programs that support the African American community, go to http://fgb.life .

About Ford Motor Company Fund

As the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, Ford Fund’s mission is to strengthen communities and help make people’s lives better. Working with dealers and nonprofit partners in 63 countries, Ford Fund provides access to opportunities and resources that help people reach their full potential. Since 1949, Ford Fund has invested more than $2 billion in programs that support education, promote safe driving, enrich community life and encourage employee volunteering. For more information, visit www.fordfund.org or join us at @FordFund on Facebook and Twitter.

About Men of Courage

Ford Motor Company’s Men of Courage (MOC) initiative launched in 2015 as a grassroots program designed to build communities by advancing the narrative of black men through storytelling, intergenerational forums, and community programs. Since its inception, MOC has hosted forums in the five cities and reported more than 2,000 toolkit downloads across 34 cities throughout the US.

About Washington State History Museum

The Washington State Historical Society partners with communities to explore how history connects us all. The Society’s most visible activity, the Washington State History Museum is located in Tacoma’s downtown core along Pacific Avenue among a thriving cultural scene. The museum features interactive permanent exhibitions about Washington’s past, unique rotating exhibitions highlighting the Society’s collections and dynamic traveling exhibitions.

“Conversation With The Streets”

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“Conversation With The Streets” | IS A MOVEMENT

With the “Conversation With The Streets” movement,
we believe in an unconventional way of reaching out, healing, and educating!

SEPTEMBER 2019 PANEL RELEASED | DINNER WILL BE SERVED

Wed, September 25, 2019 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM PDT
Seattle City Hall (Main Level)   600 4th Ave Seattle, WA 98104

BLACK LEADERS UNITE

  • Andre’ L. Taylor, Activist and Motivational Speaker
  • Jay Morrison, CEO, Entrepreneur, and Real Estate Expert
  • Nuri Muhammad, Nation of Islam, Student Minister, Indianapolis, Indiana

This event is sponsored by the organization, NOT THIS TIME, with support from the Mayor’s Office of Seattle, Seattle Neighborhoods, Seattle Foundation, The McCaney Project, and Savren Marketing.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

YOUR COMMUNITY IS ONLY A CLICK AWAY … www.nwfacts.com

Treehouse’s 5th Annual African American Community Conversation

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Treehouse’s 5th Annual African American Community Conversation is on Wednesday, October 23rd  at 5:30 p.m. at the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) in Seattle, and I hope you’ll join us! This year’s conversation is titled “Black Excellence: Celebrating our success and preparing for the future.” We need each of you to join the conversation, as Treehouse seeks to close the academic/opportunity gap for African American youth that have experienced foster care. We encourage youth to attend the event and participate in the discourse as well.

 

The exhibits at NAAM are open to those attending the conversation. We encourage you to show up at 5:30 p.m. and explore the museum before our discussion.

 

See event details attached, and register at https://engage.treehouseforkids.org/AACC19. Feel free to bring a friend and spread the word.

Business and Labor Summits; City Tours Encourage Year of Return Visitors to Invest in Ghana

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NAACP Leads Largest Delegation of African Americans to Ghana to Commemorate Year of Return

Nearly 300 African Americans reconnected with their African roots in the journey of a lifetime marking the 400th Anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Baltimore, MD (August 28, 2019) – NAACP led a delegation of nearly 300 African Americans, ranging in age from 4 to 90, on a transformative journey from Jamestown, VA to Jamestown, Ghana to reconnect with their African roots and commemorate the Year of the Return – a landmark spiritual and birth-right journey inviting the global African family, home and abroad, to mark 400 years since the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to the United States.

Participants in the Jamestown to Jamestown journey, explored two complementing sectors in Accra, the cultural landmarks and monuments, and the prime opportunities for investment in the city, and to a larger extent, what the country represents for the Black Diaspora. Hosted by the Ghana EXIM Bank, NAACP President Derrick Johnson gave poignant remarks as to the purpose of the Jamestown to Jamestown trip, reminding the group that the threat to exploit Black labor is still an unfortunate reality across the world, and the need to recognize the value and power of Black labor and consumerism.

The group also took part in a variety of group tours in Accra and the surrounding area, visiting sites such as the home and museum of one of the founders of the NAACP, W.E.B. Du Bois, the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Park, the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine, and the very first cocoa farm in Ghana, the Tetteh Quarshe Memorial Cocoa Farm.

To learn more about Jamestown to Jamestown, please visit: https://www.naacp.org/ghana/ and NAACP on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naacp/.  Hi-Res images are also available upon request.