National–On “Freedom’s Eve,” or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States. Only through the Thirteenth Amendment did emancipation end slavery throughout…
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National – Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary (JCSTS) begins the 2022 Juneteenth Drum Major for Justice Cohort Certificate program June 17 – November 11, 2022. Juneteenth is a bold and intentional decision to continue to pursue positive growth and change. The Juneteenth Cohort was added for Learning Partners as a safe, sacred space to be transparent, grow, and open the door to their next chapter. A recent MLK Cohort Learning Partner noted, “This course means so much to me. I can’t believe that I can see that about myself now – that I am a Drum Major for Justice.” The Drum…
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Decades of legal and structural discrimination have affected the well-being and economic status of many LGBTQIA+ older adults. The unique social, economic and health challenges they face are explored in NPT’s Aging Matters: Aging with Pride, premiering Monday, June 20, at 9 p.m. and available for streaming at pbs.org. The program will be followed at 9:30 p.m. by the premiere of LGBTQIA+ Resources in Middle Tennessee, a panel discussion with Del Ray Zimmerman, director of the Program for LGBTQ Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Gretchen Funk, chief program officer at FiftyForward; The Rev. Dawn Bennett, pastor…
FRANKLIN, TENN. (TN Tribune) DeAngelis Diamond is honored to have completed the addition to Franklin Christian Academy located near downtown Franklin on Old Charlotte Pike E. This project included a 33,000-square-foot 10-classroom addition to the existing campus. Additional project highlights include a new turf sports field which provides brand-new programs for the school, more parking, a common area for lunch, high-quality visual and performing art rooms, new admin space, learning alcoves, and access to 96W with a connection to Mack Hatcher bike/walking path. Design of the new addition was facilitated by 906 Studio Architects which included high-performance lighting, daylighting and views…
On June 18, 2022, 10 students were surprised with big checks, hats anduniversity swag inside of the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale.These 10 students received a total of two hundred thousand dollars to help support theirundergraduate studies. Each received this scholarship for their involvement in the SoutheasternConsortium for Minorities in Engineering, also known as SECME (SECK-mee).This scholarship program is part of FLPs commitment to stem education and supporting our next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators. 10 Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and parent company NextEra Energy announcedthe NextEra Energy Scholarship for Black Students in SECME,…
Nashville, Tenn. (TN Tribune)–Today was the opening of the Tennessee State University Academic eSports Center. Students from the metro area and surrounding counties, who were eager to learn about coding, STEM programs, and careers were in attendance. TSU Academic eSports Initiatives and eSports Teams are established and designed to promote pathways into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), as well as offer eSports Team Opportunities to create, code, and compete from PreK, collegiate teams, to lifelong learners. eSports encompasses all disciplines from education, business, computer science, engineering, psychology, communication, health sciences, agriculture and natural life sciences, liberal arts, and…
NEW YORK – Captain Zero: Into The Abyss is a coming of age film that explores the psyche of Xerxes Hughes, a teenager whose double life as a superhero and struggles with depression are causing him to experience blackouts. Lamard Cher-Aime, a finalist winner in the 2021 Ida B. Wells Fund competition, will debut his virtual animated action film on Juneteenth (June 19) from 7:30 p.m EST/4:30 pm PST. Admission is free. Did you know . . . “Sixteen percent (4.8 million) Black and African-American people have reported a mental illness and 22.4 percent of those (1.1 million people) reported…
We hear a lot about employee burnout, but we have a different question: is your nonprofit burned out? Employees play a critical role, but they may be burned out because the organization itself is burned out. Yes, you must address issues impacting employee mental health, but focusing on individual employees as the source of what’s afflicting your nonprofit may mean you are not seeing the larger picture. One place nonprofit burnout shows up is in fundraising numbers. Here are some symptoms to look out for: Your donor attrition rate continues to increase, and the size of your average gift continues…
By Kenya Bradshaw National–Our country is fraying at the seams. Black people and children are being gunned down while some governors, school boards and elected leaders are more focused on banning the truth of our history than protecting us. For Black youth, these bans are a threat to their identities and an affront to their very existence. Educators are left to supplement curricula with fear of retaliation looming, while Black students often feel misunderstood and isolated while trying to discover who they really are. The truth is public education has always been bred in segregation and racial discrimination. Black children…
By Devynn Case Dr. Opal Lee, a civil rights activist known as “the Grandmother of Juneteenth,” told an audience at The University of Texas at Arlington that the National Juneteenth Museum planned for Fort Worth “will show the world that we can work together.” The Apr. 13, 2022 event was organized and sponsored by UTA’s Art and Art History Department, Center for African American Studies (CAAS), Office of the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and NAACP chapter. Lee discussed the museum project with Mavericks, spoke about her tireless efforts to spread awareness about Juneteenth and Black history in…