Famed Olympian/Civil Rights Advocate Speaks Feb. 17 at Eureka

Carlos at right, offering the gesture of solidarity that sparked Olympic controversy and global awareness of racial issues.

1968, Mexico City. Olympic bronze medalist John Carlos made headlines not only with his feet but also with his fist -- an upraised fist that told the world social change was coming in America.

During the awards ceremony following his loss to fellow American Tommie Smith in the 200-meter run, Carlos grabbed global attention when he bowed his head and raised a Black Power salute as a statement on racial inequality in the U.S. Eureka College welcomes Carlos as a guest speaker at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the college's Cerf Center. The program is free and open to the public -- reserve tickets at www.eureka.edu/events.

Carlos was joined in his gesture of protest by Smith, as well as by Peter Norman, the silver medalist and white athlete from Australia who participated by wearing an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge. Carlos and Smith wore black socks and no shoes on the podium to represent African-American poverty in the United States.

Then-International Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage deemed the statement unfit for the Olympic Games, and ordered Smith and Carlos suspended from the U.S. team and banned from the Olympic Village. As a founding member of the OPHR, Carlos originally advocated a boycott of the 1968 Olympics unless South Africa and Rhodesia withdrew from the games, Muhammad Ali's world heavyweight boxing title was restored, Brundage stepped down, and more African-American assistant coaches were hired.

The boycott failed, but Carlos saw his greatest year in track and field in 1969, leading San Jose State to its first NCAA championship. He continued on to a stint in U.S. and Canadian football and a career as a coach and staffer at Palm Springs High School in California.

In April 2008, Carlos was a torch-bearer for the Human Rights Torch, which ran parallel to the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay and focusing attention on China's human rights record. On July 16, 2008, John Carlos and Tommie Smith accepted the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for their salute, at the 2008 ESPY Awards, and Carlos is an honoree of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.

One Billion Rising Mobilizes Against Violence

YWCA McLean County's Stepping Stones assists and counsels local victims of sexual assault. The Y focuses on fighting violence and ending racism.

Leave your work, leave your school, interrupt the day, rise for revolution, dance, drum, and demand an end to violence against women!

Members of the community are invited to participate in One Billion Rising on Friday, February 13, from 12 to 1 p.m. at Heartland Community College's Community Commons Building, Room 1406, for Zumba, drumming, yoga, community resources, raffle items, refreshments, and more.

One Billion Rising Revolution is an escalation of the first two stages of a YWCA-supported campaign, One Billion Rising and One Billion Rising for Justice. The last two years, organizations have "mobilized, engaged, awakened and joined people worldwide" to end violence against women. The campaign highlighted the fact that violence against women is a global human issue "not relegated to country or tribe or class or religion, further exposing it as a patriarchal mandate, present in every culture of the world."

 The community agencies sponsoring this year’s event are Children’s Home + Aid, McLean County DVMDT, Mid Central Community Action, The Om Tribe, and YWCA McLean County. To learn more about One Billion Rising for Justice, visit www.facebook.com/TwinCitiesOneBillionRising or www.ywcamclean.org/1billionrising.

Black History Month Pt. 1: Santa and Civil Rights

History highlights the monumental deeds of giant men, but it also documents the great small steps of ordinary but courageous citizens and the events that moved the wheel of social progress, if even an inch. Over national Black History Month beginning next week, we will examine the lives, deeds, and struggles of McLean County African-Americans who made a difference. Here's one unusual but significant episode in the community's history.

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In November 1966, the Twin Cities tasted a yuletide sampling of the social discontent that was continuing to mount across the nation, as city fathers decreed there was only one Santa Claus -- and he wasn't black.

Merlin Kennedy challenged that assumption, as he had for much of his adult life. Kennedy later challenged State Farm, spurring new corporate opportunities for African-Americans, and in 1977, he was honored for his efforts on behalf of his community with a local Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Adult Human Relations Award.

Kennedy was born in Decatur and drafted into the Navy right after high school graduation in 1945. He was discharged a year later, and spent several years in Detroit, moving to Bloomington in 1958 for better employment opportunities. He soon became involved with the local chapter of the NAACP and civil rights issues. He also served as chairman of the Bloomington Human Relations Commission.

Kennedy in 2010

In 1966, the annual Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade featured a float with a white Santa Claus; another float, with Kennedy, a black man also portraying Santa Claus, was not allowed. The NAACP float arrived at Franklin Park as promised, with Merlin Kennedy in his Santa Claus costume in a sleigh, but according to the Nov. 20, 1966, Pantagraph, the float was blocked at Main Street. Kennedy, then NAACP president, and three other companions climbed down from the float and led a protest on the Bloomington courthouse square before Kennedy was told by a Bloomington policeman he was under arrest for disturbing the peace."

He reported also being "pushed around" by a policeman and "a couple other strong arm boys." The quartet was detained temporarily, but Kennedy ultimately was not arrested, and the incident gained some national attention.

It wouldn't be the first time Kennedy shook local sensibilities in the interest of social equality. Kennedy “got on State Farm’s case” about not hiring minorities and convinced the corporate giant to hold night classes to improve minorities’ skills. The company began hiring minorities, and at the prompting of Kennedy, also approached the colleges to find minority students.

His wife, Beulah Jones Kennedy, was his partner in the struggle. Mrs. Kennedy was born and grew up in Bloomington, attending Bloomington public schools through high school, and Illinois State University for 1 1/2 years.

She worked at St. Joseph's Hospital and was active in the local NAACP, where she was a firsthand witness to Bloomington-Normal's employment and housing situations.

Breaking Barriers: Police, Residents Come Together to Eye Future Needs

McLean County law enforcement agencies and citizens came together Thursday for a dialogue on police and their relationship and rapport with the community.

Bloomington's City of Refuge Church hosted and Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal co-sponsored Breaking Barriers, a discussion between locals and the police organized to address concerns in the wake of Ferguson and other nationwide incidents between the public and law officers. The meeting gave residents the chance to question the Bloomington and Normal Police Departments, as well as the Mclean County Sheriff and State's Attorney and the head of Illinois State University's police department.

Organizers hope the program opens the lines of communication between residents and local leaders.

"Education is key. If you know why they do things or if you disagree with why they do some things, you can head off some problems ahead of time," said John Elliott, Bloomington NAACP president and NIOT:BN steering committee member.

Elliott hopes people will continue to speak up and get more comfortable with polices and procedures that local police officers have to follow.

Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner told WMBD-TV "some things will come up yes, but it's how you handle them. And when you have lines of communication open with your civic leaders, we can work things out and they have the faith in us that we will handle it."

Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner and Bloomington Chief Brendan Heffner with a young participant in Thursday's Breaking Barriers forum.
 

The chief echoed Mayor Tari Renner's recent assurance that Sgt. Ed Shumaker's 2013 statement that an African-American stabbing victim should "bleed to death" following an altercation at a local restaurant is "not what we're about." While the new chief said Shumaker's reprimand -- deemed by some in the community as inadequate -- reflected the remark being a "one-time incident" for the officer that Heffner deemed "out of character," he noted "we brought it out and we did address it."

"His comments were terrible," Heffner told residents at the forum. He said he could not address whether Shumaker himself would proffer a public apology for the remark.

Meanwhile, residents among other things inquired about the racial makeup of local police departments and the psychological screening procedures for prospective and new officers.

Heffner, who extended an invitation for new community recruits for his department ("We're going to recruit"), said three more Breaking Barriers-style meetings are planned for the near future. Twin Cities Stories will provide a more in-depth analysis of Thursday's discussion and conclusions later this week.

On January 22, members of the Bloomington-Normal came together with representatives of McLean County, Illinois, law enforcement in Breaking Barriers, a dialogue aimed at addressing concerns about police-community relations. Here's a sampling of the dialogue, including Bloomington Police Department Chief Brendan Heffner on a recent racial remark by one of his officers.

Here's a video snapshot of moments from the forum, from NIOT:BN's Darlene Miller. Twin Cities Stories will provide more in-depth analysis of forum discussions and conclusions this week.

Uma: Youth a Focus For India Association in 2015

When you speak of McLean County’s Indian “community,” you’re covering a wide swath – from Indian-American residents of long standing in the Twin Cities to university and college students to visa’ed workers and specialists in the U.S. seeking a community with which to temporarily share the cultures and traditions of their homeland. Bloomington-Normal is home to Indians representing a number of the subcontinent’s states and culturally diverse regions.

And Uma Kallakuri sees it as her mission to reach out and unite them all. Kallakuri is 2015 president of the McLean County India Association (MCIA), a group formed in the late ‘70s to support what she deemed a “handful” of Indian families across the cities. Now, McLean County is home to a reported 600-some families of Indian heritage, a new Hindu temple opened its doors last year at 1815 Tullamore Ave. in Bloomington, and a new priest was installed in December.

Members of McLean County's Indian community celebrate during "PARAMPARA - The Heritage," an Indian classical dance performance last February in Bloomington, featuring artists from Nrityamala Dance Academy.

Kallakuri pledges to continue MCIA’s central goals of “bringing together the community and inspiring them to keep up their traditions and their roots, while at the same time helping them integrate into the community and give back to the community.” Kallakuri, a local classical Indian dance instructor and adjunct professor with Illinois Wesleyan University and, understands the need to keep fresh blood flowing through the community, and MCIA currently is focusing especially on younger members of the community.

That includes working to engage Illinois State and Wesleyan and, increasingly, Heartland Community College students in events and celebrations for the overall Indian community. Kallakuri hopes to foster a broader mentoring program offering youth the opportunity to develop professional and life skills and insights from established members of the community.

 “Youth are our future, and we want to create a platform for them so that we can keep working on understanding better and then work more on diversity,” she maintains. “We are trying to bring them all together.”

With State Farm, two hospitals, and two universities to a growing retail/restaurant sector, McLean County suffers no dearth of Indian mentors. Through her local Nrityamala Dance Academy (NDA), launched in 1984, Kallakuri has helped keep classical Indian dance vividly alive and provided cultural insights for the broad community through local performances that often have helped support causes such as the Community Cancer Center, Children's Hospital, Red Cross, Salvation Army, American Heart Association, and Hindu temples. The academy has contributed as well to Hurricane Katrina and Asian tsunami relief.

MCIA is co-sponsoring a marrow donor registration drive this Sunday, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Normal Community Building, 1110 Douglas Street, while NDA students will perform at 2 p.m. March 21 at the Hindu Temple of Bloomington-Normal.  

MCIA attempts to reach out to new members of the local Indian community, including temporary workers and employees, “to let them know there is a place they can call upon and come forward and connect with other Indians,” Kallakuri relates. MCIA also helps coordinate orientation/training sessions on the community for area businesses and agencies, and offers cultural education for area schools. Kallakuri points out that while many Twin Citians may be aware of the fall festival of Diwali, they may be unaware of Indian New Year, celebrated in March or April. The annual Festival of India, held on the ISU quad each September, offers a glimpse of Indian regional cultures, art, food, and folkways. While there are often significant differences in observances and customs across the various Indian states, MCIA sponsors generalized seminars, celebrations, and other events designed to bridge all subcultures.

“We do come together, especially at the Festival of India,” Kallakuri said. “Everyone enjoys coming together and watching one another. Each state and each region has its own way of cooking, its own way of dressing, its own way of doing things. But basically, there’s the same idea behind it all.”

Kallakuri finds Bloomington-Normal “generally, a good place to live.” She has taught not only at Wesleyan and ISU but also at other regional universities and in surrounding towns, and has found her fellow Illinoisans generally “encouraging.”

“I’ve had good experiences here – I love this place,” she said.

For more information on the Indian Community and MCIA, visit http://ourmcia.org/.

Robert: Feb. 13-15 Conference Aimed at Community, Empowerment

Steve Barcus

Originally published on STATEside

Illinois State University will host the 2015 Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference (MBLGTACC) February 13–15. The three-day conference is expected to draw 2,700 attendees from 13 states to educate and unify the LGBTQIA community in an open and welcoming environment.

Senior social work major Robert Alberts is leading 20 of his peers in planning and executing this massive event. STATEside caught up with Roberts to get an inside look at the conference.

What is the MBLGTACC?

Alberts: For any student in the minority demographic, they are always the “other” student. They’re always “that one LGBT student.” They’re always “that one student of color in the classroom.” So you’re always “othered” no matter where you go. It’s not anything that forces you to feel insecure or unsafe, but it definitely weighs on you.

Walking into this environment and knowing that while people may identify differently than you, they’re all a part of the same community is one of the most incredible feelings. You feel like you have a sense of purpose and you belong. And you don’t feel worried that you’re going to be this other person because you’re standing in a group of people who have so much in common with you. So it’s empowering to stand there and know that all of these people are there not only to learn but also to form a community.

Read more about Alberts and the conference on Illinois State’s daily blog STATEside, at http://stories.illinoisstate.edu/magazine/illinois-state/state-side/qa-big-lgbt-conferences-student-leader/.

To learn more about the MBLGTACC or to register, visit www.mblgtacc2015.org. Volunteer opportunities are still available. Learn more on the conference website.

Wanted: New Blood in the BPD

The Bloomington Police Department is hiring. In a recent interview on WTVP-PBS' At Issue, representatives of Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal urged young Twin Citians to explore a career in law enforcement as one strategy for fostering diversity within the force and thus improving police-community rapport.

Here are the requirements:

Application Process
1. Complete Employment Application a( high school diploma or its equivalent is required)
2. Written Examination (next new hire test March 2015)
3. Physical Agility Test...
4. Background Investigation
5. Oral Interview
6. Polygraph Examination
7. Medical/Psychological Examination

Physical Agility Task Standard
- 1.5 Mile Run (min/sec) 14:45
- 300 Meter Run (sec) 63.00
- 1 RM Bench Press (ratio) .80
- Maximum Push Ups (#) 25
- 1 Minute Sit Ups (#) 35
- Vertical Jump (inches) 18

For details, visit http://www.cityblm.org/police. And plan on attending tomorrow's Breaking Barriers community-police dialogue, at 6 p.m. at Bloomington's City of Refuge Church.
 

Gender and Needs Part 1: Health Care Providers Eye LGBT Issues

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients experience barriers to health care that include fear of discrimination, as well as insensitivity and lack of knowledge about LGBT-specific health needs among providers, according to new study by a recent Illinois Wesleyan University student and her Illinois colleagues.

The study, published in the Journal of Nursing Education, examined the effectiveness of educational strategies designed to improve knowledge and attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students regarding LGBT patient care.

Education focused on key terminology, health disparities, medical needs of transgender patients, and culturally sensitive communication skills for competent LGBT patient care. Individual knowledge levels and attitudes were evaluated before and after the "intervention," using a survey based on a modified "Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale" and two assessment tools developed for this study.

A statistically significant increase in positive attitudes and knowledge levels was found immediately after the intervention. Findings from the study -- co-authored by Carle Foundation Hospital Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit nurse Kristy Strong -- support the inclusion of education related to LGBT patient health care in undergraduate nursing curricula, to promote "cultural competence and sensitivity."

At the time the article was written, Strong was an IWU student. She collaborated with Victoria Folse, director and with Wesleyan's School of Nursing.

A number of U.S. hospitals have tailored programs for LGBT patients and their families, focusing on special concerns such as potential substance use, parenting issues, and domestic and homophobic violence, as well as specialized medical care programs for lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered individuals.

Joyful Noises: 25th Annual MLK Gospel Festival

Illinois Wesleyan University's Westbrook Auditorium today was filled with joyful noises as IWU and the United Community Gospel Singers of Bloomington-Normal presented the 25th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Holiday Gospel Festival.

The festival honored King’s legacy and featured performances by The United Gospel Singers of Bloomington-Normal Mass Choir, The Gayles Memorial Baptist Mass Choir and Praise Dancers of Aurora, The Fantastic Jones Family of Springfield, and The Family Choir of Harvey, Illinois.

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Additional performers included Mount Pisgah Sunbeam Choir, Union Missionary Baptist Church Junior Gospel Quartet, Union Missionary Baptist Church Adult Choir, Mount Pisgah Praise Dancers, and Mount Pisgah Adult Choir.

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The Gospel Festival was founded in 1991 by the late Corine Sims and her husband, the Rev. James Sims, with Illinois Wesleyan and the United Community Gospel Singers of Bloomington-Normal as co-founders. King spoke at Illinois Wesleyan in 1961 and returned to the University in 1966 after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

David: Addressing Bullying is Elementary; Prevention Often Begins At Home

Bloomington Oakland Elementary School Principal David LaFrance, a former Bloomington High School assistant principal, stresses "you see bullying all the way from the elementary school age to the high school age." All District 87 schools are "proactive" in raising awareness of bullying issues and prevention, via "positive behavior intervention systems, LaFrance said.

"Character education," focusing on appropriate behaviors, is an important part of the district's weekly curricula.

"Daily, we try to set incentives for kids who are doing the correct things to others and for others," LaFrance notes. At Oakland Elementary, students can earn "hoots" -- credits for positive actions that contribute to a better school environment -- that can be redeemed for special prizes or recognition or tickets toward a larger eventual reward.

But it can't end there, LaFrance emphasized. As adults, teachers, staff, and administrators must understand "how important it is how we treat each other." It's a message school officials are working to send home, where personal attitudes, prejudices, and behaviors are formed.

"Everything we do, we're modeling for the kids, we're modeling for other adults," LaFrance said. "It's not always when somebody's watching that we have to do the right thing."

Listen below to LaFrance's further thoughts on bullying prevention and how the dinner table is as important to that effort as classroom incentives.

Renner at MLK Awards Luncheon: Police Remark 'Not Who We Are'

As more than 600 attendees lunched and ruminated on the spirit and philosophy of one of the U.S.' preeminent civil rights leaders, Mayor Tari Renner acknowledged and apologized for a 2013 racial remark by a BPD policeman that came to light in a recent court proceeding.

Uploaded by Martin Ross on 2015-01-19.

At the 39th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Luncheon program Saturday at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center, Renner said the comment, which earned the officer an official reprimand by new Police Chief Brendan Heffner, "is not who we are."

"It's not the community I want us to be in the 21st century," The mayor said (see accompanying video by Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal's Darlene Miller).

"It is just unacceptable behavior. I'm very sorry for that," Renner said. "Let's work together. I need your ideas. We need your creativity in the future. I look forward to working with all of you to make Bloomington-Normal a better community and embrace our diversity."

Keynote speaker was AME Church Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie of Texas, who told the luncheon's sold-out crowd "the recent events this year have shaken America out of our fantasyland of a post-racial society." Recent police shootings and subsequent public protests have "exposed the underbelly of hatred and fear and elicits biases that still exist," the AME's first elected female bishop said.

"We must find a nonviolent way to give voice to the rage simmering just below the surface," Murphy McKenzie maintained.

"We need more people with uncommon courage to work toward a solution to the problems that face us in our communities ... and find a way to speak with one voice. We must work hard to find a common ground."

Community groups including NIOT:BN and local police agencies hope to identify that common ground during Breaking Barriers, a police-community discussion from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at City of Refuge Church, Bloomington.

A new lifetime achievement award was given posthumously to local labor leader David Penn.

Award-winner Stokes is a volunteer with the Boys & Girls Club, is active in Mount Pisgah Baptist Church and is a long-time member of the Orthodox Woodriver District Baptist Association. She is first vice president of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP and is past president of the Bloomington-Normal alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.

Jones has coordinated the Bloomington-Normal Cultural Festival; spearheaded the creation of an entrepreneur showcase to inform the community of minority businesses; and created a monthly fundraising event with proceeds going to different community organizations.

Ajayi attends Normal Community High School; Smith is a student at Normal Community West High School. She was cited for her leadership of the school's Culture Club and her church; she has worked for a Not In Our School campaign. 

Smith was cited for her school and extracurricular activities and her broad support of inclusiveness. She will be salutatorian for the Class of 2015.

Katherine: MLK Inspired 'A Clear Vision'

Katherine Warren

Perter Yarrow,Paul (Noel) Stookey and Mary Travers sing "Blowing in The Wind" at the 1963 march on Washington . Before or after Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech.

I have always been very inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and the vision Martin Luther King, Jr. had for this nation. I remember being in 5th grade. I spent days and nights memorizing the I Have A Dream Speech which I recited at an assembly. Then I met Peter Yarrow (of the '60s folk/rock trio Peter, Paul, and Mary), who told me he marched with MLK Jr. And I found that to be the most honorable action ever.

To see how far we have come and where we are now, I have hope for the future. That people are recognized as human and equality is just given, not granted. That as a whole nation we humble ourselves to have a full heart and a clear vision. That one day we stand tall, proud, and hand in hand to serve each other. May the dream MLK had continue to be lived out today, tomorrow, and for as long as any legacy should last... Forever.

Peter Yarrow, right, with singer Bob Dylan, center, during a 1963 civil rights march on Washington. Above, left, Yarrow remembers the '63 march and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s participation.

Bloomington's Katherine Warren is a student at Indiana State University working toward a Masters in Student Affairs and Higher Education. She is a graduate assistant for AmeriCorps and Programming for Indiana State's Center for Community Engagement.

Editorial: Police-Community Meeting a Chance to Move Ahead

The Pantagraph

It is not easy to have a well-reasoned discussion on the topic of race.

But that's exactly what we expect will happen Jan. 22 in downtown Bloomington, when the public is invited to meet with representatives of 11 groups in a community-police discussion about race, race relations and racism.

The Twin Cities' Not In Our Town anti-racism group was re-energizing last summer just as Ferguson, Mo., erupted after a white police officer shot a black man. As NIOT discussions continued, the nation watched police-involved deaths take place in Ohio and New York.

And a week ago, just as NIOT and 10 other groups announced their event, a recording of a Bloomington police officer's racial comments from a 2013 incident were played at a trial, leaving little doubt as to the officer's feelings.

Non-discrimination is a belief system that must be practiced by everyone for it to be successful and for it to spread beyond our municipal borders.

It was just last month when NIOT started a pledge drive, asking community members to sign a card agreeing to fight hatred and discrimination in the Twin Cities.

As we said then, true change starts at the grassroots level. And that includes respectful, open, truthful conversation about what works, what doesn't, and why.

The success of a local discussion on race will not be immediate; to start, we must look each other in the eye, speak and harbor respectful thoughts, agree on the problems and try to fix them.

As with any discussion on a difficult topic, there could be finger-pointing and blame. It must be accepted, at the outset, that hurtful words may be said. But once the air clears, the community must agree to work together to pinpoint issues and find ways to address them.

Part of that dialogue could be learning about police policies and training. Equally important is hearing from those who feel judged because of their color, age, employment, religion or background.

Without that information, we run the risk of staying "mind blind" — that is, limiting our responses based on individual beliefs rather than from shared knowledge.

Willfully neglecting to learn about our differences and appreciate our similarities is childish. We must learn about one another to better understand one another. That can lead to a better community.

Our community must step up to step forward.

("Breaking Barriers" will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 22 at City of Refuge Church, 401 E. Jefferson St., Bloomington. The Rev. Lee Bennett will moderate. Conexiones Latinas will provide Spanish translation. Questions should be submitted in advance and can be done anonymously at http://bit.ly/1wMTMAa or by postal mail to NAACP, PO Box 925, Normal, IL 61761.)

1966: Dr. King Comes to Campus

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Illinois Wesleyan University's Fred Young Fieldhouse on Feb. 10, 1966. Here are his remarks, as recorded by WJBC.

WJBC News Director Don Newberg interviews King during his earlier 1961 visit to Illinois Wesleyan University. (WJBC archives)

"President Bertholf and members of the faculty and members of the student body of this great institution of learning, ladies and gentlemen.  I need not pause to say how very delighted and honored I am to have the privilege of coming once more to the campus of Illinois Wesleyan and the privilege of sharing with you in your lecture series.  And I certainly want to express my appreciation to you for extending the invitation.  I must apologize for being a little late getting here this evening, it so happened that we had a very important meeting in Chicago.  And it was raining a little when we left Chicago and we were moving from the meeting where I had to speak, to get to the airport and my assistant, the Reverend Bernard Lee who is here, was driving us along and I noticed the car skipping around a bit in the midst of this rather slippery pavement.  I had to say to Bernard to slow up a little bit.  And I followed that up by saying that I would rather be Martin Luther King late than the late Martin Luther King.

But we are here and delighted to be here as your distinguished President has said, we are happy to be accompanied by Mrs. King, whom you have already met, and also by my dearest friend and close associate and perennial jail mate, the Reverend Dr. Ralph David Abernathy and his wife, to my left.  You may stand.

There is a desperate and innocent poignant question on the lips of hundreds and thousands, yea millions of people all over our nation and all over the world.  I get it a great deal as I journey around the country and other places and I am sure this question is on the lips of many here tonight.  It is the question, are we really making any progress in race relations?  I think that there are basically three answers that can be given to this question.  One is the answer of extreme optimism.  Now the extreme optimist would say in substance that we are making marvelous strides in race relations.  They would point joyously to the marvelous developments that have taken place over the last few decades in terms of legislative advances.  And from this they would conclude that the problem is just about solved now and that we can sit down comfortably on the wayside and wait on the coming of the inevitable.  The second position that can be taken is that of extreme pessimism.  The extreme pessimist would say that we have made only minor strides in race relations.  They would contend that the deep rumblings of discontent that we hear over the nation, the resurgence of the Klu Klux Klan in some sections of the South and other sections of the North, and the rebirth of white citizens councils, all indicative of the fact that we have created many more problems than we have solved.  And from this they would go on to argue that there can really be no real progress in race relations.  And it is very interesting to notice that the extreme optimist and the extreme pessimist agree on at least one point.  And that is that we can sit down and do nothing in this all-important area.  The extreme optimist says do nothing because integration is inevitable.  The extreme pessimist says do nothing because integration is impossible.  But there is a third position that can be taken, namely the realistic position.  The realist in race relations trying to answer the question of progress would seek to combine the trues of two opposites, while avoiding the extremes of both.  And so the realist would agree with the optimist that we have come a long, long way, but he would seek to balance that by agreeing with the pessimist in that we have a long, long way to go.  And it is this realistic position that I would like to take as a basis for our thinking together this evening as we deal with the question of progress in race relations, and as we deal with the whole question of the future of integration.  We have come a long, long way, but we have a long, long way to go before the problem is solved."

Martin: Ms. Pate and Dr. King

Martin Ross

Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal

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I was a wobblingly uncertain eighth grader wandering warily and dazed through the social revolution and evolution of the early '70s when I met LaRosa Pate and, under her tutelage, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In the Sarah Scott Junior High class catalogue, Ms. Pate was assigned the task of sharpening our command of the language, educating the apathetic and uninitiated on American letters. But you got a special bonus package in LaRosa Pate's eighth-grade English -- she was an uber-serious, occasionally dry-witted, and sternly kind twentysomething African-American who sought to use her teacher's pulpit to shape wet clay like us into solid, safe, thoughtful citizens. Her fifth-hour class was a quirky mélange of textbook lit, drug education (Ms. Pate would have none of the era's new permissiveness), and that then-hidden corner of public school knowledge known as "Afro-American" history.

LaRose Pate introduced me to Dr. King one afternoon in the stacks of the Sarah Scott library, where my buddies and I had decided to squander our study hour with some fairly innocent but audible horseplay. Ms. Pate gently admonished me for my momentary lapse in judgment and dignity, suggesting I had much to live up to -- i.e., another Martin, a man I remembered vaguely as having died a tragic death a few years back. A man, not young, not old even by my adolescent barometer, whose name was murmured in some quarters with reverence, in others with contempt. As Ms. Pate went on, I transitioned from embarrassment to something else. This was a man who sought all men to be equal, who valued character above human superficialities.

It now may seem unfair, almost ludicrous, offering this giant of a man up as a 14-year-old's ethical yardstick, based on the mere commonality of a Christian name. But dreams are often bigger when you're young, and somehow, amidst the cruelty and anything's-possible hope of junior high, Dr. King's Dream imprinted in some corner of my white, semi-formed teen psyche.

Indeed, Ms. Pate had made her indelible mark on me. I recall my exhaustive (and for my folks, exhausting) hunt for all things peanut-based as part of a definitive "English" presentation on the legacy of African-American botanist/inventor George Washington Carver (1864-1943). Linoleum from peanuts, who'd have thought? I remember Mom dutifully venturing to a place she likely otherwise never would have ventured -- Charles T. Hyte Community Center, the social center of Terre Haute's African-American community -- to secure an autograph from Louis Russell, then the world's longest-living black heart transplant recipient. It would serve as the cherry atop a carefully scripted and bound report for Ms. Pate's perusal.

And, I like to think, I began with that gentle scolding in the Sarah Scott library to understand the character that lies potentially under all human skin. That's why, when I sought a quote to accompany the above Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal ad that will appear in Monday's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday Gospel Festival program booklet, I bypassed some of the man's more oft-quoted pearls for a piece of fundamental wisdom that pays ample tribute to Ms. Pate, Dr. King, and all those willing to teach those willing to listen.

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."

Citizen Summit Brings Together Grassroots Interests

A diverse panel will explore cultural, economic, and strategic concerns during the City of Bloomington’s annual “Citizen Summit,” from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 20, at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.

 Since 2009, the summit, described as "a focused budget discussion" open to the public, has helped Bloomington’s mayor and City Council pinpoint grassroots needs and issues for the year ahead. Willie Holton Halbert, a Not In Our Town: Bloomington-Normal leader who has been asked by Ward 3 Alderman Mboka Mwilambwe to provide input at the summit, sees the potential to improve the community by identifying priorities for the city's diverse populations and neighborhoods.

 "I believe we have an obligation to allow our system to work when an injustice has been done but if the people within the system appears to have failed us, we must actively get involved to help bring about a positive change in our system for the community and nation for which we live,” Holton maintained.

 “We can do this by the power of our pens, sharing our thoughts in a constructive manner, being informed and taking a stand with a plan. It starts with one person, one group/organization, and/or one community and it is amazing how it becomes contiguous."

 Check out past summit comments and findings at  http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=428.

 

Mike: Overcoming Mind Blindness

Mike Matejka

WJBC Forum

This is Mike Matejka. The recent trial revelation of a racist remark by a Bloomington Police officer, shows again how volatile racial issues. Despite a 1960s Civil Rights movement and the election of a mixed race President, Americans still split over racial divides, often over economic and police issues.

 As a person of European descent, I really cannot truly know the experience of my African-American, Latino, or Asian neighbors.  Personally, I have been in Asia and Africa where I was the only white person on the street, but only once was I treated disrespectfully.

Many of my African-American and Latino friends talk about having to assume a public face daily, knowing that their actions and words will not only be perceived as theirs, but somehow will reflect positively or negatively on their ethnic groups. 

My daughter uses an interesting term when she misses a cue or does not perceive something. She says she was “mind blind” to that situation. As a white person in America, I often wonder how mind blind I am to challenges and perceptions that others face. I assume certain responses from store clerks, job interviewers, or law enforcement, but would those responses be different if my skin color was? And do I have my own “mind blindness” toward racial or ethnic prejudices that are buried within me?

People who attend Alcoholics Anonymous start the meeting with self-disclosure. “Hi, my name is Mike and I am an alcoholic.” I sometimes wonder if I should start each day with a look in the mirror and say, “Hi, my name is Mike and I was raised in a racist society,” doing this not to feel guilty, but to remind myself that I need to be conscious of my society and its presumptions.

We all have our own perspectives and our own “mind-blindness” to others. Listening carefully to others is key, but also understanding past histories of discrimination and how those negative attitudes still linger is also important. Only in reaching out to others and reflecting on our own presumptions can we hope to bridge these divisions. 

Marc Making Fosters Artistic Skills of Differently Abled

Culture, arts, and even prejudice transcend racial, religious, or ethnic lines. The developmentally disabled also face challenges, obstacles, and ignorance, but an upcoming Bloomington exhibition will help differently abled artists make their cultural mark on the Twin Cities.

The Marc Making exhibition at the Jan Brandt Gallery, 1106 East Bell St., opens with a public reception from 5 to 7 p.m. January 24. Proceeds from the exhibition will benefit artists with developmental disabilities.

Marcfirst was started in 1955 by a group of families of children with disabilities in order to provide support to each other and to their children during a period in American history when children with disabilities were often excluded from the public school system. On November 18, 1955, the original non-profit corporation was incorporated as the McLean County Association for Mentally Retarded Children, which was later changed to Marc Center in 1980 and to Marcfirst in 2007.

Marcfirst has created Marc Making to offer a creative self-employment opportunity to artists making work with developmental disabilities. Marc Making 'goes beyond making great artwork as a means of self-expression by giving artists the additional support to explore ways to be involved in our local fine arts community and to generate income from their work."

The Jan Brandt Gallery

According to Marcfirst, "it has been shown that participating in art activities increases an individual's self-esteem by allowing for expression, peer recognition, and creative thinking. It also offers additional occupational, cognitive and emotional goals to a wide range of skill sets and disabilities. The Marc Making program encourages individuals with disabilities to create and learn about art while learning how to run a business."

Proceeds from purchased artworks go directly to artists with developmental disabilities and the Marc Making program. The program also can use pre-stretched canvases, drawing pads, drawing paper, acrylic paint, brushes, pencils, pens, and most other art supplies. Any instructional books or videos demonstrating techniques also are useful.

Also crucial are individuals affiliated with an accessible art studio, gallery, university program, or museum that can invite artists to tour and learn more about the business side of being a self-employed artist. Art students or professional artists can donate a few hours to teach prospective artists.

Initial funding for the program was made possible from the Bloomington Normal Daybreak Rotary.

For information, call (309) 451-8888 or (309) 451-8888, ext.258.

Officer Reprimanded; Heffner 'Deeply Saddened' By Remark

Kevin Barlow

THE PANTAGRAPH

Bloomington Police Department will join with other local law enforcement agencies for a Breaking Barriers community-police dialogue from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 22 at Bloomington's City of Refuge Church, 401 East Jefferson. The event is open to the public.

A Bloomington police sergeant received a written reprimand in 2013 after he was recorded on an in-car police camera saying he hoped a black stabbing victim "bleeds to death."

According to a document obtained Wednesday by The Pantagraph through a Freedom of Information Act request, Edward Shumaker received the reprimand following a Sept. 4, 2013, meeting with R.T. Finney, who was then interim police chief, and Assistant Police Chief Clay Wheeler.

The comment was made during a conversation with officer Stephen Statz about 2:05 a.m. on June 30, 2013, after police responded to a fight inside the Denny's Restaurant at 701 S. Eldorado Road in Bloomington.

The video and recording were made public last week during the trial of Gabriella Calhoun, who was charged with hitting a police officer inside the restaurant. Calhoun was acquitted.

The written reprimand came as a result of conduct unbecoming of an officer, according to the record of disciplinary action.

The reprimand was signed by Finney and Shumaker and included a summary of corrective action: "Employee should be very aware of his surroundings and situational awareness while not allowing the stressor of an event to cause a comment that would be considered inappropriate."

Current Police Chief Brendan Heffner said Wednesday police officials are "disturbed and deeply saddened that one of our officers made such comments," but take a variety of factors into consideration when determining disciplinary action.

"There had not been a pattern of this type of behavior and that is a factor when we are considering discipline and there have not been any issues since," he said. "We have all learned from this, but I have spoken with every shift and reminded our officers that whether they are being recorded or not, these comments are inappropriate and not acceptable."

After learning of the reprimand Wednesday, Mayor Tari Renner said, "This is deeply disturbing to me as a mayor and a citizen. This is not the Bloomington that I want for the future as mayor. We are better than this."

Renner said he is pleased the records were released, adding he has talked with the City Council, adding aldermen should consider a review of the consequences officers should face for racial remarks.

City Manager David Hales said he was troubled and upset that a Bloomington police officer made the comments.

"Such comments are unacceptable anywhere in our organization and not indicative of the city’s values," he said. "Chief Heffner has made great strides in training his officers and further developing a culture that accepts and celebrates diversity, and I look forward to continuing work with him on these efforts."

Heffner said the department will continue to work with civic leaders and organizations to improve relations with the community.

"I want our citizens to know we are working together and always there to serve and protect them," he said.

ISU Conference to Focus on Social Justice, Identity

The Power of One: Awareness, Change, Responsibility Social Justice Institute is a free one-day conference for ISU students, faculty, and staff. The conference is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. January 31 in the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center.

This event will provide participants with an opportunity "to explore the identities that make up who they are and help them gain a better understanding of how these identities impact everything they do." Nationally recognized consultants Sam Offer and Monica Collins will coordinate activities. Offer is a senior consultant with the Washington Consulting Group, a multicultural organizational development firm based in Baltimore. Collins works in the Women and Gender Advocacy Center at Colorado State University as the assistant director for prevention and education programs and victim advocate, and teaches courses on violence prevention, gender socialization, and race/ethnicity in popular media.

Through facilitated activities and exercises along with small group dialogue, participants in the ISU conference will engage in conversations that will "challenge and support them in their journey toward understanding how they can individually impact our global community."  Breakfast and lunch will be provided for participants.

Apply online by January 23 at www.deanofstudents.illinoisState.edu.

The event is sponsored by Diversity Advocacy, which works to foster civility and raise cultural awareness among students, faculty, and staff. Diversity Advocacy helps multicultural and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students find their way at Illinois State University through a variety of resources, programs, activities and advising.

It also works to facilitate a supportive campus environment in which multicultural and LGBT students "can flourish academically and socially."