President Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation and posted a video, about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2015. The proclamation is worth sharing, so I have posted it below. You can also find it at the link above.
Here is a link to the video:
2015_martin-luther-king-jr-day-service-video
~ Marcie
Here are two Local Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Related Events:
Right to
Dream
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
11:00 – 12:00
Naval Undersea Museum Auditorium
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport
Captain Dave Kohnke will be the Master of Ceremonies. Featured presentation by The Living Voices. The Right to Dream recreates a student’s coming of age as an African American in Mississippi during the 1950’s and 1960’s. This program illuminates the issues of civil rights, leading audiences to understand how the fight against prejudice has shaped our history.
Martin Luther
King Jr. Celebration
featuring the MLK Jr.
Community Choir.
Monday January 19, 2015 at 10:00 AM
President’s Hall, Kitsap County Fairgrounds, 1200 Fairgrounds Road
NW, Bremerton, 360-337-5376
This annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday celebration is by the Ebenezer AME Church, the City of Bremerton, the Kitsap County Commissioners, and Olympic College.
This is always an enlightening and uplifting event.
~ Marcie
Transgender Day of Remembrance is commemorated on November 20th each year as a day to remember the transgender folks who have been killed as a result of transphobia and hate. There are way too many of them, and many of the murders remain unsolved.
This year’s Kitsap County Human Rights Conference is coming up and registration will be underway soon!
Save the date – Friday December 5th, 2014
Kitsap Conference Center, Bremerton, WA
This year’s conference is around the important topic: Breaking the School to Prison Pipeline – Changing the flow for our youth.
More information will
be on the Kitsap County Council for Human Rights web site:
http://www.kitsapgov.com/boards/humanrights/hrcboard.htm
~ marcie
Like so many others, I was saddened by the death of Robin Williams. His roles brought such laughter and such depth of thought to all of us, and he will be incredibly missed.
Robin Williams was one my favorite actors. Back in the day, I used to watch Mork and Mindy occasionally, not because I liked the show necessarily, but just to see his humor in action. Over the years he would show up in some unusual roles, even on an episode of Law and Order SVU. I remember seeing him and John Ritter (from Three’s Company) doing a sort of stand-up comedy duet/stand off (I don’t remember the show) and Robin Williams ran comedic circles around John Ritter. He and his talent will be missed.
At first I had planned to say a bit about Robin Williams and his advocacy for the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender folks. Then the news came out that he had Parkinson’s Disease and that hit close to home for me too. So I will mention both.
Robin Williams was an ally of LGBT folks. He did more than play
several gay, and other diverse, characters. According to the
Advocate, “Williams supported local efforts by LGBT community
groups and was involved in multiple fundraisers and
events. “
Link to article:
http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/people/2014/08/11/robin-williams-found-dead-age-63
Parkinson’s Disease is a heartbreaking diagnosis. I have a movement disorder called Essential Tremor, and while there can be some outlying symptoms, the main thing I have to look forward to is shaking more and more as the years go by. Katherine Hepburn is one of many famous people who had Essential Tremor, and it is much more common than Parkinson’s. Folks with Essential Tremor have an increased risk of having Parkinson’s Disease but the connection is not understood. The prognosis for someone with Parkinson’s Disease is much grimmer, but more and more treatments are available.
I can’t know how much the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease had
to do with Robin Williams’ decision to end his life. I just
wish he hadn’t.
RIP Robin Williams.
More about Parkinson’s Disease:
www.parkinson.org
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/basics/definition/CON-20028488
More about Essential Tremor:
http://essentialtremor.org/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/essential-tremor/basics/definition/CON-20034509
~ Marcie
Olympic College Diversity Conference – Great Job!
Olympic College’s first Diversity Conference was very well done, with so much good thought provoking information I am still processing it all.
What I enjoyed most about the conference were the two keynote speakers: Dr. Joy DeGruy and Yoshiko Harden.
The first keynote speaker was Dr. Joy DeGruy
From her website: “Dr. Joy DeGruy is a nationally and internationally renowned researcher, educator, author and presenter.”
The topic of her presentation was Post Traumatic Slave
Syndrome
From the Olympic College Diversity Conference Program “The theory
of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome suggest that centuries of slavery
followed by systemic racism and oppression have resulted in
mutigenerational adaptive behaviors – some of which have been
positive and reflective of resilience, and others that are
detrimental and destructive.”
I was enlightened by her presentation and have bought her book on the subject, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing.
The second keynote was given by Yoshiko Harden, Vice President for Diversity at Bellevue College
Her speech title was “Good Intentions Aren’t Enough; The Damaging Effects of Microaggressions”
Microaggression was a new concept to me, and some of you may not be familiar with it either.
From Wikipedia – “Microaggression is a theory that hypothesizes that specific interactions between those of different races, cultures, genders or sexual orientation can be interpreted as small acts of mostly non-physical aggression; the term was coined by Chester M. Pierce[1] in 1970.”
From the Olympic College Diversity Conference Program: “Often it
is well intended, “nice” people who tend to perpetuate
microagressions”
According to the speech description “Participants will learn to
identify both individual and institutional forms of
microagressions, and learn practical and useful strategies to
address, interrupt,a nd dismantle them.” Yoshiko Harden’s Keynote
speech did all of that for me.
The topic of microaggressions found its way into a couple of the sessions, and I attended two of those.
One of the things I like about the idea of microagressions is it helps make sense of something I have seen and felt, but couldn’t find a way to describe. One thing that comes to mind for me is how I feel when someone says to me “Wow, you are an engineer?! Good for you!” (Usually interpreted as ‘you are smart for a woman’) I also like that the concept helps break down our overwhelming anti-inclusion systems into bits we can makes sense of, and find ways to each make a real difference.
There were two videos presented at the conference that showed, in a humorous way, some examples of microagression.
What Kind of Asian Are You? (this video was posted just over a hear ago and has over 7 millions hits)
Top 100 – Things White People Say to Black People
There were so many good sessions, and I was impressed by the presenters.
I look forward to attending the Olympic College Diversity Conference next year!
~ Marcie
The theme is “Are Your Roots Showing: Exploring Diversity in the Puget Sound Region”
From the Olympic
College Diversity Advisory Council Web Site, the day and a half
of conference “will offer participants the
opportunity to enhance their understanding and skills in the areas
of diversity, inclusion, multiculturalism and social justice.”
The conference schedule includes two speakers, Dr. Joy DeGruy and Yoshiko Harden.
Here is a little bit about them:
From Dr. Joy DeGruy’s website:
Dr. Joy DeGruy is a nationally and internationally renowned researcher, educator, author and presenter. With over twenty years of practical experience as a professional in the field of social work, she gives practical insight into various cultural and ethnic groups that form the basis of contemporary American society.
Dr. Joy DeGruy is the keynote speaker during the conference opening morning.
From the Bellevue College website:
Harden, with over a decade of experience as a student affairs practitioner, comes to us from Highline Community College, in Des Moines, where she has held several positions, including director of multicultural services and student development.
“One of my primary goals is to increase access and success for all students, but particularly for historically marginalized groups,” she says.
Yoshiko Harden is speaking during dinner on the first day of the conference.
~ Marcie
On Friday March 21st I attended the 20th annual Kitsap Youth Rally for Human Rights at Olympic College in Bremerton. I was once again amazed and encouraged by what our youth are able to accomplish.
The Rally is supported by Kitsap Safe Schools, the Kitsap County Council for Human Rights and the Olympic College Multicultural Services Center, and is primarily planned and achieved by youth.
Some of the 12 workshops the youth prepared and presented were:
Alternative Voices of Humanity’s Universal
Soul
Volunteering in the
Community
Shattered Spirits: A Native
Perspective
There were also break out sessions dealing with difficult topics like rape and identity, and a production by the North Kitsap High Theater Arts and GSA of PUSH: A Social Awareness Play.
Kudos to the hosting Bremerton School District and all the youth that participated!
~ Marcie
In a concert at the Admiral Theatre the Seattle Women’s Chorus will celebrate the iconic image of Rosie the Riveter in a whole new way:
Through the power of an original composition by Associate Artistic Director, Eric Lane Barnes. Highlighted by pieces entitled “It Ain’t Women’s Work,” “Femininity Quotient,” and “The Doors You Opened,” this moving narrative gives you a glimpse into the lives of the women who lived and worked in these dark but exciting times. Joining Seattle Women’s Chorus for a portion of the show is local all-female group, the MoodSwings Jazz Band
3:00 Sunday February 23rd
Admiral Theatre,
Bremerton
Tickets are still available at http://admiraltheatre.org
The concert is sponsored by the Kitsap Pride Network
http://kitsappride.org/
~ Marcie
Five Ways I am Inspired by Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
1) He spoke out about what is right
2) He promoted using peaceful means, while not backing down
3) His had superb oratory skills – people listened to him
4) His succeeded academically at a place and time when racism was an omnipresent barrier
5) He had a dream
Five Inspiring Quotes from Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
1) “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
2) “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
3) “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
4) “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
5) “the time is always right to do the right thing”
~ Marcie
