For those Carlton's out there...

I am trying not to read much more in the news about the case(sensory overload), especially articles or statements from those who are defending the murderer as if he had no choice but to shoot an unarmed kid and/or those who are criminalizing the victim whose voice cannot be heard from the grave.  For those who think profiling does not happen and if it does it rarely results in "real" harm, you must not have had it happen to you or someone you love yet.  For those of us who understand, let's get busy!

Will and Carlton in jail

Tonight I remembered the episode of the Fresh Prince when Will and Carlton are driving their Dad's law partner's Mercedes down to Palm Springs as  a favor to him and get lost.  While driving in a rich neighborhood, they get pulled over and the officers assume that they have stolen the car.  Carlton, who lived in a bubble most of his life, was pretty much oblivious to the profiling that was going on.

This episode it is comical, however in real life many of us don't have an "Uncle Phil" to come bail us out of jail...

What the Trayvon Martin Case Tells Us and What YOU Can Do

Unfortunately cases like this happens all too often.... it just so happens that Trayvon's case hit the national spotlight. We all have stories of us or someone close to us in the same situation. Regardless of the outcome, it is 100% unacceptable.

In regards to the verdict that came down on Saturday, to be honest, I expected it, but it still saddens me greatly. However, we do know that that "George Zimmerman's business with the criminal court in Florida may be done, but a federal civil rights investigation remains open, and legal experts say he could face a civil suit"
Also there are online petitions and protests going on around the country.  So what are WE doing about it?  Get Busy!

Here are at least 9 things we can do...(off the top of my head)

Rallies in Raleigh, NC

1. We can sign petitions
2. Protest and rally in your community
3. Volunteer with your local 'get out the vote'
4. Write letters to your local, state and national reps to make changes
5. Better yet write our legislation and proposals ourselves
6. We can also make sure we're having "the talk" with our sons to make them safe (sad but necessary)
7. Teach our kids their heritage and history. 
8. Volunteer with organizations that support the uplift of our young men
9. VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION

These are just a few suggestions off the top of my head, but what else can we DO?

"The soul that is within me no man can degrade"

Frederick Douglass

Here's the thing, my heritage and my identity is not defined by my struggle(not solely), it is not defined by how someone else views me or is afraid of me or threatened by me. Our heritage is one of greatness, and leadership and genius and beauty and yes, resilience and strength.


Now, here are three petitions you can sign today:

The first is to tell all states to repeal or reject "Stand Your Ground" laws before more people are murdered for presenting imaginary threats.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/563/278/407/?z00m=20594296

The second is the NAACP petition to urge the Department of Justice to file civil rights charges against Zimmerman.

http://www.naacp.org/page/s/doj-civil-rights-petition

The third is a petition to free Marissa Alexander, a black woman serving 20 years for firing a warning shot and no one was killed.  Yes, Michael Vick went to jail for killing dogs while Zimmerman walks free for killing a teenage boy, but Marissa gets 20 years for killing no one.  Please sign this petition.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/pardon-marissa-alexander-serving-20-year-prison-sentence-firing-warming-shots/dbd2tBdS

Voting Rights Act

"The House will hold hearings on the Voting Rights Act in July, following the Supreme Court's decision last week striking down a central part of the landmark law, House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte told CNN Sunday."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/30/goodlatte-unsure-if-congress-will-take-up-voting-rights-act/

What does this mean for us?

Across the country there are communities that are changing the voting laws in ways that will suppress the vote.  The fact remains that people will continue to try to limit the voting rights of voters that will not support them. We must remain diligent in protecting our rights locally.  Find or better yet START a local GOTV campaign in your community.  Here's one organization that helps to do that:  http://www.nonprofitvote.org/

Here's a petition that supports the creation of a constitutional amendment to allow the federal government to set national minimum standards to ensure free, fair and accessible elections for all.

http://www.freetovote.org/

Happy Black Music Month

Black Music Month is recognized in the month of June. Kenny Gamble first urged President Jimmy Carter to proclaim June as Black Music Month.

"Gamble, along with Philadelphia International Records and its Sounds of Philadelphia (TSOP)--led a delegation including the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach to the White House in 1979 for the very first observance of BMM. Dyana Williams, co-founder of the International Association of African American Music (IAAAM) and President of Influence Entertainment--and ex-wife of Kenny Gamble--was on the South Lawn of the White House on that momentous occasion 30 years ago."

Every democratic president since President Carter and President George W. Bush (3 times) has held a annual celebration event at the White House. It was not until President Clinton, however, that there was an "official" presidential proclamation of June as Black Music Month.

Here is Dyana Williams talking about the "official" founding of Black Music Month.

http://blackagendareport.com/content/black-music-month-30-cultural-retrospective

http://philly360.visitphilly.com/news/2013/05/31/dyana-williams-breaks-down-the-evolution-of-black-music-month

N.C. NAACP Fights Conservative Agenda To Weaken Voter Rights and Student Aid

NC NAACP Students Protest

"It’s a bit scary how Republican lawmakers in North Carolina are attempting to overturn standards of fairness and good-government that have stood for generations.

In fact, it seems as though they all collectively fell and bumped their heads, with Republicans having woken up to a 1920′s North Carolina where minority and poor folks had few rights that those in power had to acknowledge."

Read more here:

• http://newsone.com/2426223/north-carolina-naacp-general-assembly/
• http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/30/17-arrested-at-naacp-pray-in-against-north-carolina-republican-agenda/
• http://myfox8.com/2013/04/29/nc-naacp-president-others-arrested-at-general-assembly/