Nonprofit Thursday: The Gathering Place • Black Professionals Assn. Charitable Foundation • Cleveland Tenants Organization •

Cancer in the African American Family

Oftentimes we don’t know what we don’t now. This is especially true of children. It seems that for so many of them — and once upon a time, us — their presumption is that their lives are normal, no matter how golden, bleak, weird, blessed or hexed their surroundings or conditions actually are.

I grew up at a time when cancer was the great unmentionable. No one used the word in polite company, it was taboo in popular magazines, and it did not exist on television. Some people looked upon “The Big C” as disapprovingly as if it were a venereal disease.

Cancer certainly intruded into my home, though it went unacknowledged by my parents whenever I was underfoot. It was discussed in euphemisms delivered in the hushed tones that people still reserve when referencing skeletons in the attic.

Of course such odd silence was at direct counterpoint to what my young eyes saw: trips to the doctor, daily struggles with a shoulder to palm rubber glove that my mother wrestled with daily to control the swelling that resulted from lymph node removal following her double mastectomy when I was a rug crawler. I couldn’t make sense out of what I saw from that low vantage. I just rationalized it as normal.

These thoughts stirred when I learned that The Gathering Place, a true community resource, is hosting a discussion next week on “Cancer in the African American Family”. The ninety-minute guided discussion is designed to help families learn ways to improve how to communicate about our feelings, hopes, fears, and needs while on the cancer journey.

The gathering will take place at TGP’s wonderful eastside facility, located at 23300 Commerce Park in Beachwood, next Thursday, October 24, from 6:30-8PM. There is no charge but advance registration is required for planning purposes. To attend, call 216.595.9546.

TGP’s mission is to support, educate and empower individuals and families touched by cancer through programs and services provided free of charge. When you need them, they are there.

My mother lived until I was 21. I think that might have been one of her goals, since I was the family caboose. She was extremely able, articulate, determined, faithful, generous, and hard working. Today she would be known as a survivor. Had she had the time and energy, she probably would have wanted to be a volunteer at The Gathering Place.

CORRECTION! The Bayard Rustin film screens today, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013.

 

The Greatest will be at The Cleveland Museum of Art this weekend

Of course that’s what CMA enthusiasts insist is true every day at the Cleveland Treasure House, aka The Cleveland Museum of Art. Saying it has

special meaning this weekend, when the new documentary, The Trials of Muhammad Ali, will be shown. Times are Friday at 7PM and Sunday at 1:30PM. Admission is $9 [$7 for seniors, students, and CMA members].

The film chronicles the pivotal years during which the “The Greatest!” converted to Islam, changed his name from Cassius Marcellus Clay, and refused to fight in Vietnam. He was banned from boxing, convicted for his refusal and his case went to the United States Supreme Court.

This week’s showing is a Cleveland premiere. You can view the compelling trailer here.

For more information, including tickets, visit here.

Black Professional of the Year Gala is this Saturday

Few nonprofits in town do an annual gala as, well, professionally, as the Black Professional Association Charitable Foundation. This year’s event, set

for this Saturday, October 19 at the new Cleveland Convention Center, salutes Dr. R. A. Vernon as the Black Professional of the Year.

This year’s general chairs are Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. and Jerry Kelsheimer, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank. The Honorary Co-Chairs are Pamela Marshall Holmes, Valerie McCall, and Myrna Lee Corley.

For more information, call 216.229.7110.

This year’s BPACF Scholarship Class:

Gary Baker, Case Western Reserve University

Paige Bobbitt, Towson University

Lamar Burns Jr., Kent State University

Nicolette Carson, Eastern Michigan University

Kymeron Carter, Berklee College of Music

Damian Cowan, Walsh University

Eric Dowery Jr., Muskingum University

Moses Ford, University of Toledo

Jailyn Greenwood, Eastern Michigan University

Gabriann Harris, Cuyahoga Community College

Stephanie Harris, Miami University

Theo Hike, Central State University

Jaelin Johnson, University of North Carolina

Morelle McCane, Clark-Atlanta University

Elisha-Grae Peoples, University of Toledo

Kevin Pettit, Howard University

Sierra Reid, Cleveland State University

Miranda Richmond, Case Western Reserve University

Anthony Simmons, Morehouse College

Faith Speight, Ohio Dominican University

Shannon Suttles, Butler University

Murder Mystery Theater Company featured at CTO Benefit Dinner

The Cleveland Tenants Organization is hosting its annual benefit dinner next week, October 24, at Windows on the River, 2000 Sycamore in the Flats, Cleveland. Dinner and show start at 6:30PM, preceded by a cocktail hour.

The night of ghoulish fun to further CTO’s mission will feature Cleveland’s Murder Mystery Theater Company.

For ticket information visit http://www.clevelandtenants.org.

Richmond Heights

Richmond Heights residents can be proud of their city tonight. All questions at tonight's mayoral candidate forum came from an audience of perhaps 200 people and were well conceived to draw out candidate positions in ways that enabled those in attendance to get a clear sense of each candidate.

Here are the questions:

1. Do you believe in term limits?

2. What is your giggest accomplishment in public office or in life?

3. What would you do to collaborate withother cities to save money?

4. What are your plans for improving community services for our youth to encourage more families to move to Richmond Heights?

5. What would you do to make RH more environmentally friendly?

6. What is your plan or vision for future of RH?

7. RH is city with a forward look. How do you plan to use civic engagement so that it is relevant in 21^st century context?

8. What plans do any of you have in place to keep pools open and to have more diverse activities around the gazebo?

9. What about allegations surrounding properties on Chardon Rd.?

I did my best to transcribe the answers and will report them in the next day or two. Part Two of the evening {council candidates] is about to begin.

LIVE BLOG from Richmond Heights Candidate Forum

Richmond Heights — I'm seated in front row. The program is about to start. There is an overflow crowd.

A few minutes before program began

Free screening on life of Bayard Rustin in Cleveland Heights tonight

CORRECTION! This film screens THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013.

A critically acclaimed film on the life and work of civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin will be shown tonight in Cleveland Heights. The film, BROTHER OUTSIDER: The Life of Bayard Rustin, premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and has since been shown several times on PBS.

Rustin, a visionary strategist and activist, was in many ways an unknown hero” of the civil rights movement, despite having been a primary architect of the success of 1963 March on Washington.

The film will be shown at Imani Temple Ministries, 2463 N Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights [watch clip here]. 

Bennett Singer

One of the film’s producers, Bennett Singer, will lead a post-showing discussion.

Tonight’s FREE showing is sponsored by the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats. The program begins at 6:30PM. Off-street parking is available.

Richmond Heights Mayoral candidates square off tonight

Candidates for city council, school board also on program

It has been well over a decade since any one has stepped up to challenge Richmond Heights Mayor Daniel Ursu for city leadership.

This year, three distinctly different candidates are seeking to oust Ursu, who is seeking his seventh term. The challengers are city council members Miesha Headen and Eloise Henry and businessman Dawud [“David”] Ali.

The Cuyahoga League of Women Voters is co-sponsoring a forum tonight at 7PM to introduce the candidates for local elections who will be on the Nov. 5 ballot. The forum will feature candidates for mayor, city council, and the Richmond Heights Board of Education.

Headen raised the interest level in tonight’s event by her claim that Ursu and Ali are colluding in a municipal sweetheart deal as well as a conspiracy to dilute the vote to insure Ursu’s reelection bid.

The forum will take place at the Richmond Heights Secondary School-Middle School Gym, 447 Richmond Road.* It is co-sponsored by the local chapter of the American Association of University Women.

All candidates, with the exception of one school board aspirant, have confirmed their attendance.

* Change from original venue.

Cleveland chase cops case churning slowly but surely toward uncertain end

Jackson administration announces discipline for 63 officers who were “outside the box”

"Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small;

Though with patience stands He waiting, with exactness grinds He all." 

            — Traditional proverb

It ain’t over til it’s over.

            — Yogi Berra

Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath announced today that 63 police officers would be disciplined for their roles in the high-speed chase that resulted in the deaths of two unarmed citizens.

The officers will collectively receive a total of 178 days of suspension, with the maximum suspension being ten days. Two other officers will receive disciplinary letters.

The suspensions mark the second round of the city’s action against the more than 100 officers who participated in the chase.

The first phase ended in June when the city fired one police supervisor, demoted two others, and disciplined nine other supervisors.

The third phase will deal with the 13 officers who collectively fired the 137 shots that resulted in the deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams.
 

The highly controversial chase, which began in downtown Cleveland and ended at an East Cleveland school last November, still awaits final resolution.

Most if not all of the officers who were disciplined today are expected to appeal.