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Stop the campaign by some corporations to hinder voting registration. Read letter below and click link:

Dear Friends,
For years, the right wing has been trying to stop Black people, other people of color, young people, and the elderly from voting � and now some of America’s biggest companies are helping them do it.

These companies have helped pass discriminatory voter ID legislation by funding a right wing policy group called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Voter ID bills linked to ALEC have already passed in seven states,1 and similar voter ID bills have been introduced in 27 other states.

Supporters of discriminatory voter ID laws claim they want to reduce voter fraud (individuals voting illegally, or voting twice). But such fraud almost never actually occurs, and never in amounts large enough to affect the result of elections.3 What is clear is that voter ID laws prevent large numbers of eligible voters from casting a ballot, and could disenfranchise up to 5 million people.4

ALEC’s voter ID laws are undemocratic, unjust and part of a longstanding right wing agenda to weaken the Black vote. Major companies that rely on business from Black folks shouldn’t be involved in suppressing our vote. Please join me in demanding that these companies stop funding ALEC:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/alec

ALEC�s right wing agenda

The American Legislative Exchange Council is a behind-the-scenes group whose membership consists of legislators and corporations who work together to push legislation that benefits their interests. ALEC crafts model legislation, which its member legislators then introduce in statehouses across the country, without mentioning its corporate ties. The group has written legislation to impose harsher criminal penalties on juveniles, to privatize education, and to break unions.

ALEC is funded in part by the Koch Brothers, the same family that funds the radically conservative tea party. It also receives funding from large corporations, many of which are household names.

“Voter fraud” and discriminatory voter ID laws

Supporters of discriminatory voter ID laws say it�s needed to stop “voter fraud.” The fact is that voter fraud rarely occurs, and when it does occur it does not happen at a scale that would change the outcome of an election. The kind of voter fraud addressed by the ALEC voter id bill happens as infrequently as death by lightning.5

Over and over again, the myth of widespread voter fraud is used to justify stronger restrictions on voting and voter registration (like voter ID laws), as well as voter roll purges. It has also been used to attack organizations which register large numbers of low income and minority voters, by painting simple mistakes made during registration drives as organized efforts to commit voter fraud. These kind of made up scandals have helped the right wing convince the public that voter fraud is real and voter ID laws are necessary to protect the integrity of elections.

The truth is that voter ID laws are discriminatory � Black people, Latinos, the elderly, students, people with disabilities, and the poor are all less likely to have the photo IDs necessary to vote under these laws.6 For example, if you’ve recently moved because of foreclosure or some other economic circumstance, you’re more likely to have recently ended up in a new state which won’t accept your out of state driver’s license. If you don’t have a car, you’re less likely to have a driver’s license in the first place.

In many states, it can be expensive and time consuming to secure the proper ID. Even when the ID itself is free, it often requires supporting documents like a birth certificate which cost money to achieve. There are already stories of voters who have been eligible for years struggling to navigate a frustrating bureaucratic maze in order to vote. Requiring ID to vote amounts to a modern day poll tax. And that’s the real purpose of voter ID laws - they are an important part of the modern effort to suppress the votes of groups that usually vote against right wing politicians.

These laws are part of a long history of voter suppression directed at Black folks and other underrepresented groups. No longer is the Black vote suppressed through violence, intimidation and literary tests. It�s now suppressed through laws that make it burdensome and difficult for many Black folks to vote.

Corporate-backed voter suppression

Some of the companies supporting ALEC may simply be unaware that the group is involved in voter suppression. Others might think that voter suppression will benefit their political interests, and hope that they can get away with supporting it because so few people have even heard of ALEC.

Adding our voices to this campaign will help convince these companies that continuing to support ALEC will hurt their reputation with consumers. Please take a moment to join me in standing up to corporate-backed voter suppression.

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/alec

Thanks.

References

1. http://www.campusprogress.org/articles/new_evidence_of_alec_connections_in_all_successful_voter_id_legislatio/
2. http://www.economist.com/node/21529061
3. http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/the_myth_of_voter_fraud/
4. http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/10/gop-alec-could-make-it-harder-5-million-cast-ballots
5. See reference 3.
6. http://www.brennancenter.org/page/-/d/download_file_39242.pdf

What are you doing to celebrate Black History Month! With my high school students we are participating in the NCTE’s African American Read In. Visit www.ncte.org for more information. On February 4th the Association of Black Educators of New York is celebrating people of African descent with the winners of its essay competition at the Public Library in Brooklyn. Visit abeny.org for more information.
Are you attending a special event in honor of black history? Are you reading a book by Toni Morrison, Edwidge Danticat, Walter Mosely or other African, African American or Caribbean author? Are you going to see the movie, “Red Tails.” Plan ahead and take a friend. What are you doing to celebrate Black History Month?
– Jeanette Toomer

The Association of Black Educators of New York
Black History Essay Contest 2012

Theme: “Peoples of African Descent: Global Influences and Traditions.”

In honor of 2011 as the United Nations’ Year of People of African Descent, this year’s ABENY Essay Contest will celebrate the global influence of peoples of African descent. Students are asked to research how Blacks have brought African culture, values or themes to countries throughout the world, particularly Haiti, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands, South America, Central America and the United States. African leaders and their contributions in bringing African culture, values or themes to the world may also be considered. Here are some examples:

Muhammad Ali from the United States Patrice Lumumba from the Congo August Wilson from the United States
Adam Clayton Powell from the United States Jean-Jacques Dessalines from Haiti Zora Neale Hurston from the United States
Miriam Makeba from South Africa Bob Marley from Jamaica Malcolm X from the United States
Jan Carew from Guyana W. E. B. Dubois from the United States Derek Walcott from St. Lucia

In writing your essay, follow these steps:

1. Select one person of African descent. (Note: He/she does not have to come from the above list).
2. Identify the person’s country, and his or her achievements.
3. Discuss how he/she helped to bring African culture, values or themes to the world. Examples of African themes include racial pride, equality, self-determination and social justice.
4. Explain how reading about this person has influenced you.

Guidelines: Students in the NYC Public Schools are invited to participate as follows:
• Students in Grades 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 should write a 250-400 word essay.
• Students in Grades 4 and 5 should write a 200 word essay.
• Students in Grades 2 and 3 should write a 150 word essay.

Essays will be judged based on the following criteria:
content, presentation, originality, neatness, quality of research, adherence to topic,
proper use of language conventions, proper use of punctuation and grammar

In addition, all entries must:
be typed or neatly written using dark blue or black ink on 8 and half x 11 paper with margins; have a cover sheet that includes: the title or topic of the essay,
school, district, borough, student’s first and last name, grade, class; the teacher’s first and last name and email address, and the principal’s first and last name and email address.

Important: Include research used, references and bibliography. Essays which do not include references will not be considered.

Only three (3) entries per school will be accepted. Entries will not be returned.

DEADLINE:
All entries must be postmarked by the close of business no later than Monday, January 9, 2012. No entries will be accepted after the postmark date.

PRIZES
• Each winner will receive a certificate at the ABENY “Bridge from Africa” ceremony during Black History Month, Saturday, February 4, 2012, 1-3 PM, Cadman Plaza Library, 280 Cadman Plaza at Tillary Street, Brooklyn Heights, New York.
• Additionally, each winner will receive a $50 U.S. Savings Bond upon completing and submitting the required U.S. Savings Bond form which requests the student’s full name, social security number, and a mailing address. The completed form must be submitted to Mr. Victor Jordan, P.O. Box 100042, Vanderveer Station, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, on or before Friday, March 9, 2012 in order to be eligible to receive the bond.
• Principals or their designees will be notified by email of the winners. The Savings Bond form will also be sent by email to principals or their designees and distributed at the Bridge from Africa ceremony.
• If there are questions, contact Dr. Sheilah Bobo at sbobo@schools.nyc.gov or call her at 917-412-9099.

ABENY ESSAY CONTEST COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Sheilah Bobo and Ms. Jeanette Toomer, Co-Chairpersons; Mr. Victor Jordan, Essay Bond Coordinator; Ms. Nora Barnes, Ms. Aletta Seales, and Ms. Larcelia Kebe, Education Committee Chairperson

Please mail essay entries to: Ms. Jeanette Toomer
PO Box 1092
Cathedral Station,
New York, NY 10025-1092

K.G. English B
Ms. Toomer

Remembering September 11th
I remember September 11, 2001 as if it was yesterday. I attended my first grade class at P.S. 43 located in the Bronx. My teacher kept leaving the class but I did not why. I kept wondering why. She looked worried with crossed arms and a frown on her face which made me curious and scared. Minutes later my mom showed up to take me home. That’s when I really started to panic.
After we arrived home, I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted to know what happened. My house phone kept ringing every five minutes. I would hear firefighters more often than usual and finally I asked my mom. “Mommy, what’s going on? Why is everyone so scared?”
She sat me down and told me, “Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center.” Of course, I didn’t know what that was but I knew it wasn’t something positive.
I asked my mom, “Why are so many people calling the house phone?” She replied, “Our family and friends want to know if your daddy is okay.”
“But why, Mommy?”
“Honey, they think your dad was working in the Twin Towers but you have nothing to worry about because he’s not.” It turned out my dad was working on 34th Street that day.
I could see the smoke from my window that day. It was horrible. My mom turned on the television. As I watched the news, people jumped out of the building. Concrete and papers flying everywhere fell on people’s heads. Police officers and firefighters risked their lives for hundreds of innocent victims. It was terrible.
Just the thought of the many lives taken away and the many people who suffered that day still bothers me. This day long tragedy will affect our lives FOREVER.

For more student memoirs visit my writing gallery at www.galleryofwriting.org and search for “On the DDL: NY Stories.”

One of my students at Bronx Aerospace High School wrote the following song lyrics in rememberance of the tragic events of September 11, 2001:

In Came Strength
by A.M.

As I saw the plane crash
my heart started to race
so I broke into a dash
and saw terror in people’s face
Many died that day
in better words they passed away

I can only remember this feeling, so intense
but out of that tragedy came strength
came love that was so immense…
a love that had no boundaries, no length
All I knew was that many people went to heaven,
on that day, nine eleven

He is presently working on a melody with a refrain for the song.

I am copying an e-mail I received from the founder of Meetup.com. It demonstrates a big change in his life as a result of the September 11th tragedy. — Jeanette Toomer

Fellow Meetuppers,

I don’t write to our whole community often, but this week is
special because it’s the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and many
people don’t know that Meetup is a 9/11 baby.

Let me tell you the Meetup story. I was living a couple miles
from the Twin Towers, and I was the kind of person who thought
local community doesn’t matter much if we’ve got the internet
and tv. The only time I thought about my neighbors was when I
hoped they wouldn’t bother me.

When the towers fell, I found myself talking to more neighbors
in the days after 9/11 than ever before. People said hello to
neighbors (next-door and across the city) who they’d normally
ignore. People were looking after each other, helping each
other, and meeting up with each other. You know, being
neighborly.

A lot of people were thinking that maybe 9/11 could bring
people together in a lasting way. So the idea for Meetup was
born: Could we use the internet to get off the internet — and
grow local communities?

We didn’t know if it would work. Most people thought it was a
crazy idea — especially because terrorism is designed to make
people distrust one another.

A small team came together, and we launched Meetup 9 months
after 9/11.

Today, almost 10 years and 10 million Meetuppers later, it’s
working. Every day, thousands of Meetups happen. Moms Meetups,
Small Business Meetups, Fitness Meetups… a wild variety of
100,000 Meetup Groups with not much in common — except one
thing.

Every Meetup starts with people simply saying hello to
neighbors. And what often happens next is still amazing to me.
They grow businesses and bands together, they teach and
motivate each other, they babysit each other’s kids and find
other ways to work together. They have fun and find solace
together. They make friends and form powerful community. It’s
powerful stuff.

It’s a wonderful revolution in local community, and it’s thanks
to everyone who shows up.

Meetups aren’t about 9/11, but they may not be happening if it
weren’t for 9/11.

9/11 didn’t make us too scared to go outside or talk to
strangers. 9/11 didn’t rip us apart. No, we’re building new
community together!!!!

The towers fell, but we rise up. And we’re just getting started
with these Meetups.

Scott Heiferman (on behalf of 80 people at Meetup HQ)
Co-Founder & CEO, Meetup
New York City
September 2011

–

Last year the 10th graders at Jane Addams High School in the Bronx were just seven and eight years old in 2001, and they described their experiences. Their parents came unannounced to school that morning. Teachers herded classes into auditoriums or cafeterias to facilitate parents’ need to easily collect their children.
One student wrote:
“It was nerve wracking when I saw my mother earlier than normal running towards me really scared. I noticed something was wrong when she gave me multiple kisses on my forehead.”
Even for a third grader a normal school day suddenly changed.
“After I climbed in the car my father said to me, ‘Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center.’ I asked him where was Mommy because I knew she worked not too far from there. Growing up I’ve always been mature and smart for my age. I knew that a plane crash could make a big explosion and hurt people that weren’t even close to the accident. Fear covered my heart and I hoped that my Mommy was okay.
I asked my father again where was she, not because he didn’t answer me the first time, but because my mind wasn’t on the answer to my own question. It was on the well being of my mother. He repeated, ‘ “She’s okay. She just had to walk across the bridge.”’ I remembered that the grip of fear let me go, and I felt much better.”
Derrick lived in Maryland when the terrorists flew their planes into the World Trade Center. Before his mother took him to school, she received a call to turn on the television to watch the unfolding of the day’s tragedy.,
“My heart beat faster than a bullet. I was scared to see what would happen next. Then the second plane hit. My mom’s eyes filled with tears of sadness and so were my sister and cousin.
Later that day we found out that another plane had crashed. After that happened, I couldn’t think straight. I was scared for my life. All I did was look out my window every ten minutes hoping a plan didn’t crash into my house.”

*Students’ names have been changed.

By Jeanette Toomer

For more student memoirs of Sept. 11th visit the NCTE writing gallery: On the DDL: NY Stories at www.galleryofwriting.org.

(My review of this play produced by the National Black Theater was published earlier this year in the New York Daily Challenge newspaper. Here below is the original article.)

In the National Black Theatre’s “Accept/Except,” written by Karimah, the spirit of a slave meets a young black man, in his late teens, who is dangerously close to losing the freedom that he takes for granted. Directed with a vibrant pace by Chuck Patterson, this short play brilliantly juxtaposes the past history of slavery with modern-day enslavement in today’s prisons. This young man, already an ex-offender at 19, is again in a precarious position hiding in a tree to escape the police. In this tree, where this slave once met his death, is where the playwright expertly brings to life this meeting of the past and present.
The advice given by Jonah, here portrayed by Michael Alcide with great energy, friendliness and quiet wisdom, gives G, the enigmatic teenager, more to think about than the next hiding place. At first, G does not like his unwelcome company. After all, he is trying to hide to avoid arrest. It is Jonah who helps him to think deeper about his life and his freedom—a precious commodity that Jonah is never able to experience during his lifetime in the 1700s.
Steven Prescod as G is not your stereotypical troubled youth. He mirrors some qualities that we may associate with teenagers, in general, but his specific concerns are before now unheard. Prescod does a fine job creating a unique character who defies modern-day stereotypes of young black men.
Karimah draws some scary comparisons between Jonah and G. Jonah remembers being sold on the auction block, and G recalls being strip searched and placed in a cell block. Jonah bears the slaveowner’s branding mark on his skin while G boasts about his tattoos.
The ending may surprise most but the best way to judge is to see the play for yourself. This short play can easily run during the school day in any high school. It is a cautionary tale for all youth and well-worth seeing. The freedom that young people enjoy is something to cherish.
“Accept/Except” clearly dramatizes the importance of choosing freedom, instead of the “except” where, according to the 13th Amendment, the state has the right to enforce involuntary servitude.

By Jeanette Toomer

If you support President Obama, speak up or write it so the world can know. I noticed that over the past two weeks t.v. news programs are publishing polls that say that less than 50% of Americans support President Obama’s reelection.

We have to speak out and let the world know that we do want President Obama re-elected. Let the media and public know why you feel he should be reelected. Post your comments on this website or on my facebook page under Jeanette Toomer. The world needs to know where we stand!

OBAMA 2012!

I had a wonderful visit to Paris. I visited most of the well-known sites–the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Notre Dame Catheral and took many, many pictures. I loved the Louvre exhibits and walking tours by Discovery Walks. These tours are led by native Parisians who speak English. Go to www.discoverwalks.com for more information.

– Jeanette Toomer