GOOD NEWS FROM THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY
www.thepositivecommunity.com Summer 2011
Vol. 11, No. 7
Publisher Adrian A. Council, Sr. Editor-in-Chief Jean Nash Wells Associate Editor R. L. Witter Sales Angela Ridenour Adrian Council, Jr. NGS Communications, Inc. Satori MPR Church/Community Affairs Coordinator Faith Jackson Contributing Writers Sonja Gracy Dr. Phillip Bonaparte Linda Armstrong Mwandikaji K. Mwanafunzi g.r. mattox Rosemary Sinclair Patricia Baldwin Rev. Theresa Nance Rev. Reginald T. Jackson Herb Boyd Glenda Cadogan Toni Parker Helene Fox Rev. Dr. Joanne Noel Rev. Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood William Parrish Jeanne Parnell Photographers Bob Gore Wali A. Muhammad Seitu Oronde Rev. Dr. William L. Watkins, Jr. Darryl Hall Vincent Bryant Donovan Gopie Linda Pace Hubert Williams Art Direction & Layout Penguin Design Group Martin Maishman The Positive Community Corp. 133 Glenridge Avenue Montclair, NJ 07042 973-233-9200 Fax: 973-233-9201 Email: positive.corp@verizon.net Website: thepositivecommunity.com All contents © 2010 The Positve Community Corporation. All Rights Reserved. This publication, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, stored in a computerized or other retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means whatsoever without the prior written permission of The Positive Community Corporation. Any opinions expressed herein are solely the opinions of the writer(s) and not necessarily those of The Positive CommunityTM, its management or staff. The Positive CommunityTM reserves the right to retain all materials and does not assume reponsibility for unsolicited materials.
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The Positive Community Summer 2011
The Last Word BY R.L. WITTER SUMMER IN THE CITY VILLAGE s the mercury continues to rise and the heat is visible on the streets, there is no question that summer is in full swing. We’ve had record-breaking heat and happily, area colleges and universities have had record-setting numbers of graduates! For the first time in ten years, The Positive Community has lauded graduates in two consecutive issues in an attempt to congratulate the hardworking and determined brothers and sisters donning robes and mortarboards this year in recognition of their academic achievements. As I peruse the pages of recent graduates, I feel pride and hope. I’m proud of the dedication and tenacity of this group and hopeful that they will find employment and fulfillment in the next phase of their lives. I think fondly of the contributions they’ll make to our community and the adventures in store for those brave enough to seize opportunities and forge ahead. The graduates got me thinking about a young adventurer in my life. My 12-yearold niece, Autumn traveled to England and France this summer with a group of students selected from around the United States. Autumn—a straight-A student since first grade who is a cheerleader, plays violin and sings like an angel—visited all of the postcard perfect places and even had the privilege of participating in a wreathlaying ceremony honoring American soldiers killed during World War II in Normandy. In the current economy, most of us couldn’t afford to even think about a European vacation this summer; many of us had no vacation at all. This trip was a huge financial undertaking and frankly, money could have been an insurmountable obstacle to making this dream trip a reality for a deserving young student. When the opportunity presented itself, there was no question that her parents wanted Autumn to go; the question was how to make it happen for her in such tight and uncertain times. To find an answer, her parents turned to the village that is our family. Our family has always embraced the message of the African proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child.” I, my siblings and my cousins can recall being both praised and
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Autumn in Versailles, France
punished regularly by grandparents, aunts, uncles, older cousins and close friends of the family throughout our childhood. If the ice cream truck arrived when my parents were out of sight, Uncle Bobby would jingle his pockets and produce quarters that were traded for bombpops and dixie cups. And rightly so, when I temporarily lost my mind and acted out of sorts, Aunt Josie had a look that would stop me in my tracks and make me think long and hard about the spanking that was undoubtedly coming. I vividly recall our family pooling resources to buy a new dining room set when my cousins Cheryll and Dwayne first purchased and moved into their home, and how care packages, phone cards and “mad money” were sent to all of us while away at college to ease the homesickness and reliance upon ramen noodles. There was even a family fund that helped some of us attend a family reunion a few years back. Some of us gave $20 to help fund Autumn’s trip, others gave $500; no amount was too small and every penny was appreciated. The village banded together and did what no one or two us could do separately to accomplish a shared goal. It reminded me of another village, the Village of Harlem, New York. Every summer, the Village joins together to send all who would like to attend on an adventure in culture—with music, food, art and inspiration. The annual HARLEM WEEK celebration brings people from around the world to sit at the family table and partake of the joy, spirit and wonder that is African American culture and that table sits squarely in the center of the African American universe. While I might not make it to Europe this summer, I know I’ll enjoy the sights and sounds of HARLEM WEEK with my extended family. www.thepositivecommunity.com