STEAM: New "Season of Black Art" in San Francisco Celebrates Black Music at AAACC November 18th

The Arts, a vital part of 'STEAM' (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math).

Cultural knowledge and understanding.  

Essential for being 'humane' as a humanitarian.

https://www.prlog.org/12993433-new-season-of-black-art-in-san-francisco-celebrates-black-music-at-aaacc-november-18th.html  

STEAM: Cultural Knowledge and Understanding. DIWALI. November 2023

Diwali is a major festival celebrated by many of our friends and colleagues who are Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs around the world. It is also known as the Festival of Lights, as people light lamps, candles, and fireworks to symbolize the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. 

Diwali usually falls in October or November, depending on the lunar calendar. The festival lasts for five days, each with its own rituals and significance.

The history of Diwali is linked to various stories and legends in different regions and religions of India. 

Some of the most common ones are:

·        The return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Lakshmana to their kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and defeating the demon king Ravana. The people of Ayodhya welcomed them by lighting rows of lamps.

·        The incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Krishna, who killed the tyrant king Narakasura and freed 16,000 captive princesses. The next day, Krishna’s consort Radha and the other women applied colorful powders on his face, which started the tradition of playing with colors during Diwali.

·        The worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, who was born from the churning of the ocean by the gods and the demons. People perform Lakshmi puja, clean and decorate their homes, and exchange gifts and sweets to invite her blessings.

·        The nirvana or liberation of Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism, who established the core principles of ahimsa (non-violence), anekantavada (many-sidedness), and aparigraha (non-attachment). Jains observe fasting, meditation, and charity on this day⁴.

Diwali is a time to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, and to spread joy and peace. It is also a time to reflect on our inner light, and to seek the divine grace within us.

Happy Diwali!

On this day Nov 13, 1957. Texas Officials Threaten and Jail NAACP Officers for Not Disclosing Members

How many members in your organization?

How many members in BEMA International?

"In 1958, in NAACP v. Alabama ex rel Patterson, the U.S. Supreme Court declared these mandatory disclosure laws unconstitutional, as violative of the First Amendment right to freedom of association."

Texas Officials Threaten and Jail NAACP Officers for Not Disclosing Members

Galveston Daily News

On November 13, 1957, Longview, Texas, Police Chief Roy Stone threatened four top-ranking NAACP officers—the Reverend S.Y. Nixon, I.S. White, E.C. Hawkins, and Rance James—phoning each of the men at home and stating he would jail them if they did not produce NAACP membership records immediately. Chief Stone acted under the authority of a new Longview city ordinance that gave the city manager the power to demand membership lists from any organization operating within the city’s limits and to impose criminal fines for non-compliance. Within 24 hours, Chief Stone made good on his threat, arresting Mr. Nixon, Mr. White, Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. James and detaining them in the city jail. Longview City Judge Henry Atkinson set bail at $200.

On October 9, the Texas NAACP announced plans to host the organization’s annual state conference in Longview. During planning meetings, local white officials refused to allow the Texas NAACP to convene in Longview unless they produced membership lists. During one meeting on October 23, white Longview journalist Carl Estes physically assaulted Field Secretary Edwin Washington and forced Black organizers out of his office after the NAACP declined to disclose confidential information about its members.

The following day, the Longview City Commission passed the mandatory disclosure ordinance targeting the Texas NAACP. Every city commissioner endorsed enforcement of the ordinance, knowing that requiring the NAACP to disclose its membership lists could have disastrous and deadly consequences for its members. On October 27, NAACP Field Secretary Washington announced plans to move the Texas annual conference to Dallas, considering “the pressures, threats, ugliness, and distress” that Black civil rights leaders faced in Longview.

Membership in the NAACP or participation in civil rights work often meant that Black people would be fired from their jobs, harassed by the police, and become targets of vigilante violence and hate crimes. African Americans joined despite the threats because of their commitment to end racial inequality, but the risks were real.

The passage of this ordinance in Longview led to the passage of a new state law, enacted in December 1957, modeled on the Longview ordinance, which authorized county judges to demand confidential records from civil rights organizations. In 1958, in NAACP v. Alabama ex rel Patterson, the U.S. Supreme Court declared these mandatory disclosure laws unconstitutional, as violative of the First Amendment right to freedom of association.

Register. December 6, 2023. Learn how innovative technologies can help boost equitable resilience for people, economies, and the built environment. DHS\FEMA RNPN

 

Join the Resilient Nation Partnership Network (RNPN) on December 6 to learn from industry leaders and service providers about how innovative technologies can help boost equitable resilience for people, economies, and the built environment. Register here

DHS\FEMA. Resilient Nation Partnership Network (RNPN)

 

The Resilient Nation Partnership Network (RNPN) represents a diverse network of voices united in their commitment to help communities act and become more resilient toward natural disasters and climate-related events. What started as a handful of like-minded individuals has flourished to over 1,600 organizations represented. Our mission is to inform, educate, and motivate communities to protect themselves from the loss of life, property, and prosperity as a result of natural hazards.

FEATURED

Building Alliances: Stories of Inclusion, Climate Action and Equity

The Resilient Nation Partnership Network announced the final installment of the Building Alliances series. The “Building Alliances: Stories of Inclusion, Climate Action and Equity is a collaboration with our partners in equity and resilience. ” As we shift from the “Building Alliances” series, the stories of the last three years found in this resource is a foundation to adopt and advance equitable and inclusive resilient practices.

Download the Resource

It wasn’t long ago the Resilient Nation Partnership Network was simply an idea. How do we develop a network that can drive actionable change to build a resilient nation? In 2015, the RNPN was formed to cultivate relationships with non-traditional organizations, bring new voices to the table, and advance the resilience conversation.

We all have a stake in creating a more equitable and resilient nation. None of us can do it alone. By placing the success of the whole community first and foremost, our impact as a network continues to grow and strengthen.

Our Priorities

The Resilient Nation Partnership Network is driven by three central priorities which influence our work, partnerships, programming and strategic goals.

1. Promoting natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation actions.
2. Advancing equitable resilience initiatives.
3. Expanding capacity through partnerships.