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Trailblazing Black Ballerina Misty Copeland Sends Message of Encouragement to Buffalo City Ballet Students
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Over the holidays retired Judge James A.W. McLeod decided to go and see a local production of the Nutcracker which was being performed by the Buffalo City Ballet. “It was a fantastic performance,” recalled McLeod. “It was clear that Executive Director Marvin Askew put a lot of work into it and it was financed completely by him. I was impressed!” So much so that he contacted a “very good friend” who just happened to be the aunt of trailblazing Black Ballerina Misty Copeland. “ I told my friend what I had seen and how great these students were and how I believed they needed some encouragement above and beyond what Mr. askew had so beautifully done.” He then asked her to send his copy of the program to Misty and ask her to autograph it or send back a note or something that might be given to the company. “I was blown away by her response. Instead of a note she sent an autographed photo of herself with the inscription: “To Brown girls of Buffalo City Ballet, my best, Misty Copeland.” McLeod had the photo framed and made a presentation to Mr. Askew and six pretty,beaming little ballerinas a week ago. The image will hang in the studio. “These kids now have something special,” he continued. “Hopefully a line of communication opens up to help keep these young girls and boys Interested in ballet. And who knows, added McLeod? A visit by Misty herself may even be in the works someday! He applauded her sensitivity and immediate response. “It shows her dedication - especially to this company of young African Americans. She knows the trials and tribulations she had to go through - and she took the time out to do something to keep them encouraged.” -About Buffalo City Ballet Buffalo Inner City Ballet was developed to give inner city youths from the undeserved community the opportunity to take part in comprehensive summer and after school dance training in the art of classical ballet. Buffalo Inner City Ballet provides daily classes to primarily young girls between the ages 3 and 18 years with no prior experience in dance. Training offers a wide scope of cultural awareness through dance to minority youths, as well as non-minority who show an interest in learning dance. Classes are offered in Pre-Tots, Beginners Ballet, Pointe works for girls through Intermediate and boys’ ballet. The school is now located at 307 Leroy Avenue and celebrating 50 years of service to the community, our doors have remained open throughout the pandemic. Executive Director, Marvin Askew began dancing with the Buffalo Inner City Ballet under the tutelage of Karl Singletary, the founder. For more information call 716-833-1243. City Ballet Students
From left Mr. Askew and Judge McLeod and students BUFFALO OPERA UNLIMITED presents SPOTLIGHT ON BLACK COMPOSERS
William Grant Still Margaret Bonds Ulysses Kay Adolphus Hailstork Jaman Dunn, conductor
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25 7:30 p.m. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27 2:30 p.m. ROCKWELL HALL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
National/International Supreme Court Allows Alabama Congressional Michigan Inaugurates all-Muslim Government Map that Diminishes Black Voting Power... Last month Hamtramck, Michigan became the first known city in the US with a government made up entirely of Muslims, according to the Muslim Public Affairs Council."We Guess Who Voted Against Black Folks' Voting Rights? are Muslims," said the mayor-elect. "We are proud of our beliefs and values. But we are not going to try and impose As the battle over votthem on others." ing rights and legislative districts rages across the No Justice For Tamir… country, a divided Supreme Court ruled on an The Department of Justice recently announced that officials will not reopen the case of Tamir Rice, the Black boy who was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer in 2014. After the federal civil rights investigation into Rice’s death was closed in December 2020, the child’s family and their legal team issued a letter to President Joe Biden’s administration, and the Department of Justice, calling for the investigation into the 12-year-old’s death to be reopened, the Grio reported. Alabama case that could disenfranchise Black voters and further erode broader voting protections based on race. Guess who voted against Black folks voting rights?Give up? The answer is Clarence Thomas, the Court’s lone Black justice...
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Just my thoughts. That politically correct stuff doesn’t get the message across. I don't mix words and I don't know any other way to say what God lays on my heart.
Murder upon murder... Black on Black murder... Teenagers, young men and WOMAN stretched out in a pool of blood... Homicide tape everywhere... Folk waging war in the classroom... Non-stop beef... School isn’t safe... Suicide rate high as ever... 8 year- old KILLING themselves. Look it up... Prayer without action DON'T WORK.
Folks waiting for principles, political figures, pastors, and a school board to raise their kids. I got news for you. Midnight basketball won’t do it and help isn’t coming. Time for parents to become the child's biggest cheerleader. Time to challenge our young people. We cannot raise our children as if it is the 60s and 70s. It's 2021. These young people have innovative minds. They bore quickly. We as adults have to constantly keep them involved. Keep their attention. We need to learn to understand their world. If we don't understand their world, how can we teach them to live in it?
I wish I would depend on another man to knock on my door to direct my household. Be ACCOUNTABLE for your own kids. Look hard at what you created. Ask yourself a question: "ARE YOU RAISING YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN TO ONE DAY KILL MINE?" It’s a fair question because your kids share space not just in the classroom, but in the world.
Besides better parenting, I think there should be cameras that cover every inch of our schools. I’m sure folks will argue it’s a violation of privacy. But if you ask the child I’m sure they would rather have big brother watching over them while they learn as opposed to a gangbanger intimidating them from across the classroom. Closed circuit cameras should be inside and outside the school; the same kind of cameras used to capture license plates in school zones. Also, each class should have two-way mirrors. Big brother should be able to watch from the district police station. Parents should be able to watch their children in school from an app on their cell phone. We have groups the Government just gave thousands of dollars to. Just gave the district millions. Tell us why a state-of-the-art camera system shouldn't be installed. Tell us why state-of-the-art metal detectors shouldn’t be installed.
Jesse DOYLE/EDP
ANY of our children can be on EITHER SIDE of the gun. It’s very important to be more interactive than ever with our children. I have been working from home in one room for the last two years. I'm a social butterfly to a degree. My outlet in large part has been social media. No matter who you are, two years in covid lockdown is a lot of change. A lot of built-up frustration even as an adult. It's not all parents. But respect, accountability, and morals come from home.
Folks don’t just wake up and decide to kill. It's a process. Picture our children confined to home. A lot of them have been confined to their bedroom the last two years. Picture the mental effect. The only heroes, direction, and examples come from social media, Tik Tok, Facebook, and cell phones. They turn the TV on and all they see is adults engaged in nasty political wars. Brown vs Walton, democrats vs republicans, school board members screaming and yelling at each other, adults fighting in the church house, weed legalized. Everybody high. Mom screaming. Dad screaming. But the same adults on the news are talking about solutions. Speak
Lord. We need you!
I need anyone who has a child under your roof or children period to simply spend 24 straight hours with that child. Have a conversation. Not just the adult talking and pointing out all that’s wrong. Listen to your child and find something to celebrate or build on. You would be amazed by what you find out. Constantly monitor their social media, check their cell phones. The key is to pay UNDIVIDED attention. If you hear something or see something you don’t understand, instead of passing judgment, offer an option. But whatever you do - just listen. Just listen. Our youth are clearly speaking.
Here’s an idea for the village. Ask the young folks: What do you want? What will make you feel safe? Make them feel inclusive in the process. The weather is about to break and outside is beginning to open. What’s behind the mask is about to be unveiled. That built-up rage becomes a ticking time bomb once they hit the streets. One wrong word… BO0M!!! The bomb detonates. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick Tock…….
