I Speak of Dreams

Adrian Harper: Making a Difference

Via my friend Missprofe, I learned about Adrian Harper's blog and website.

Harper writes:

I am the writer of the Tales of Urban Horror Series, a series of horror books targeted toward multicultural young adults. I firmly believe that urban teens would read more if there were more books targeted toward them and young adult males would read more if there were more books that empowered them. My website is www.urbanhorror.com

Harper's books: Night Biters is the first in the series, and he recommends these books

Closing the Achievement Gap

About a year ago, I wrote up a list of the programs in the Bay Area that focus on "closing the achievement gap".

Thanks to Coach Brown  for pointing me to an Education Wonks article I missed, I've just learned of another network, the Nativity Network

...a national movement helping urban children enter some of the region's selective private high schools, and from there, win admission to college.

We hear the bad news a lot.  How about some good news?

Judy Crawford, Cowgirl CEO

Judy Crawford grew up in Chicago, IL, without a horse. As a part of her recovery from her husband's suicide, she began grooming horses, which grew into a stable of her own, Marwil Stables, which she runs like a business, not a hobby. She is a brilliant speaker, and was appointed as the spokesperson for the State of Texas by the International Professional Rodeo Association, thus becoming the first and only woman of color spokesperson of any professional rodeo association in the country.

Recently, she's started more dreams:

1. U Go Girl Rodeo Productions, a full service company specializing in the production and promotion of the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) All Women's Rodeo. With approval from the WPRA, she became the first Black woman Pro Rodeo Producer.
2. Developing other black women in the sport (producing as well as competition) to continue what she has pioneered.
3. Hosting an all women's rodeo show at the World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden.

African Americans on the Rodeo Circuit

Most folk don't think of black people and rodeo in the same sentence. They are wrong. Bill Pickett invented bull-dogging.

I missed this year's Bill Pickett local appearance--it closed July 11 in Hayward--but you can find out more at the site.

There's also the Cowboys of Color National Rodeo Tour (the site also hosts the National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame website; you can take a virtual tour.)

Update: The more you know, the more you find out. An enormous Black Rodeo. Black Rodeo in Harlem . There's the Black Rodeo, and the Federation of Black Cowboys
(Phone: 718-925-0777 Fax: 718 -925-0474). Here's a page of photos; a biography of Alonzo Pettie and an amazing album here.

Sphynx Organization

I would like to introduce my readers to an old friend that I have had the good fortune to get reacquainted with recently. His name is Aaron Dworkin and he is the founder and president of the Sphynx Organization, a non-profit group that helps black and latino students find a place in the world of classical music through the funding of outreach and educational programs, scholarships and internships. I lost track of Aaron and have been out of touch with him for the past 10 years or so and I'm very pleased to find him again, and to see that he has followed through on his extraordinary promise.

"My Readers" of course refers to Ed Brayton, not me. I've never been a comedian. I'm not sure I've ever even been funny.

National Urban League

This category is about people and organizations that reach into the community and help children get from not-going-to-graduate-from-high-school to having the vision, determination and skills to go to college.

Here's another program: The National Urban League's Incentive to Excel and Succeed (NULITES)

Cosby at Stanford

Bill Cosby's been in the news lately for criticizing the way many young African-Americans have turned away from education, and are conducting themselves in public.

Cosby was at Stanford May 23, 2004 to make a difference. His appearance raised over $1 million for Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP), teachers who promise to work in schools that serve low-income children. “I was blown away by how the Bay Area community came forward when they had an opportunity to make a contribution,” says Deborah Stipek, dean of the School of Education. The school will use the funds to provide Mary Forchic Fellowships, named in honor of the sixth-grade teacher whom Cosby says made a critical difference in his life. This fall, the first 10 students will receive $20,000 each to defray the $30,000 cost of the STEP program, which leads to a master’s degree and a teaching credential

Okokon Okon III--A Young Man I Wish I Had Known

Here and there, you are reading about young African-American males, and what you read is not necessarily admiring.

This young man was an inspiration to all who knew him.

Adolescent Literacy

It is my belief that the achievement gap and the ever accelerating pay gap are the two biggest threats we face. The threat of terrorism is big and real, but these two domestic problems in my view, have the real capacity to end the American way of life.

So who's picking up tools to help change the threats? I am not sure what can be done about the accelerating income inequality. But the achievement gap? That we can work on.

Pathways to Outcomes

What will it take? In America's tough neighborhoods, are there already programs and practices that will make the neighborhoods safer, more supportive, and more conducive to family life?

I'm particularly interested in the School Readiness Pathway

The School Readiness Pathway is a broad and coherent body of information about what it takes to increase the number of children who are ready for school learning at the time of school entry. It highlights actions that individuals and organizations can take to achieve three crucial goals: good health, supportive social and cognitive environments, and safe, strong neighborhoods.

Main page

http://www.pathwaystooutcomes.org/

Pathways to Outcomes