It's Labor Day and I hope we are celebrating laborers - the people who do the work, including tending to the menial tasks, that make it possible for everyone else to enjoy the benefits of living in an advanced and developed society.
I want to celebrate the people who work with their hands and who make tangible things - those who participate in the manufacture of trains, planes, cars, clothing, phones, televisions, machine parts, toys, medical equipment, pipes, cables, light bulbs and the countless other things that make our lives easier, and enable some of us to have leisure time.
I want to celebrate agricultural workers who spend their days stooping in hot fields to pick berries and melons and all kinds of fruits and vegetables that find their way to our Farmers' Markets and our dinner tables.
I want to celebrate teachers who care, nurses who are careful and compassionate, and other caregivers who tend to the vulnerable.
Let's celebrate the people who pick up our trash, clean our streets, maintain our parks and highways, deliver our food, do our laundry, drive our ambulances and our cabs and our subway cars.
Perhaps, for this one day, we can disengage from the media-driven obsession with "the lifestyles of the rich and famous" and of the high-profile and dysfunctional "celebrities" who clutter our TV screens and the front pages of tabloids. Perhaps today, we can take a breather and pay attention to the people whose honest work produces and provides the essential goods and services we rely upon and, too often, take for granted.
Workers of the world - THANK YOU!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Vacation 2010- Portland OR
Yesterday, in Portland OR, friends Meg and Ted showed me around the city. We visited a farmers' market, had lunch at a food cart pod where the Korean tacos, and the Thai noodles, were scrumptious, shopped at The Real Mother Goose- a veritable wonderland of beautiful crafts, visited the Nike Tower and had dinner at Ping, a pan-Asian restaurant that, deservedly, gets rave reviews from many - including me.
We spent last weekend at Meg and Ted's beach house in Oceanside,OR where we walked on the beach as the waves of the Pacific Ocean washed onto the shore, visited and bought lovely things to eat and to wear at the Tillamook Farmers' Market, visited a lighthouse, had cappuccino at a coffee place by the beach, and saw cheese being made at the Tillamook Cheese factory.
Portland is a lovely city. It's small by NYC standards AND it's clean, manageable, has good public transportation and lots of good food, restaurants and street food carts. As in Seattle, people are concerned about the environment and take measures to preserve it. The people I met were friendly, hospitable, helpful and pleasant. The lifestyle seems very pleasant and the vibe is mellow yet interesting. The weather was lovely during my stay - sunny, warm but not hot,there was little, if any, detectable humidity.
Portland and Seattle seem like lovely places to live. For a "dyed in the wool" New Yorker of my ilk, the only thing missing is the "gorgeous mosaic" that results from the amazing racial, ethnic, religious, cultural... diversity that one finds in the crazy, densely populated, frenetic city that I call home. I had a wonderful time in SF and Portland. My friends there are awesome and.... being back home is good. :)
We spent last weekend at Meg and Ted's beach house in Oceanside,OR where we walked on the beach as the waves of the Pacific Ocean washed onto the shore, visited and bought lovely things to eat and to wear at the Tillamook Farmers' Market, visited a lighthouse, had cappuccino at a coffee place by the beach, and saw cheese being made at the Tillamook Cheese factory.
Portland is a lovely city. It's small by NYC standards AND it's clean, manageable, has good public transportation and lots of good food, restaurants and street food carts. As in Seattle, people are concerned about the environment and take measures to preserve it. The people I met were friendly, hospitable, helpful and pleasant. The lifestyle seems very pleasant and the vibe is mellow yet interesting. The weather was lovely during my stay - sunny, warm but not hot,there was little, if any, detectable humidity.
Portland and Seattle seem like lovely places to live. For a "dyed in the wool" New Yorker of my ilk, the only thing missing is the "gorgeous mosaic" that results from the amazing racial, ethnic, religious, cultural... diversity that one finds in the crazy, densely populated, frenetic city that I call home. I had a wonderful time in SF and Portland. My friends there are awesome and.... being back home is good. :)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Vacation 2010
I've been on the west coast-in San Francisco and Portland Oregon- for the past nine days. While in SF I visited with old and new friends and enjoyed their hospitality, kindness and generosity. The hustle and bustle of SF felt very familiar - not unlike NYC.
The first two days of my stay in SF were surprisingly cold with temperatures in the 50's and below. By the third day, temperatures were in the 80s and the day before I left SF for Portland, the temperature went up to 99! I joked that Lita Taracido and I, two Puerto Ricans, had brought tropical temperatures from the east coast. A long cold spell had broken and we all enjoyed the sun.
My friend, Mary Risley, whom I first met on an Amtrak train a few years ago, took me to her friends' swimming pool on Santa Margarita Street in Marin County where we splashed around and took a break from the oppressive heat of the day. Mary also introduced me to the Presidio and Chrissy field from which there is a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. We also visited a terrific farmers' market in Half Moon Bay where I saw the greenest greens and sampled the sweetest melons I've every tasted. Oh, and there were the tastiest peaches from a stand run by Latinos. I visited Mary's Tante Marie cooking school and saw students and teachers at work. We had dinner at A16, a lovely and popular upscale restaurant owned and run by one of Mary's former students. Mary was generous with her time and hospitality. I had a lovely time!
My dear friend Joe Schubert showed Lita and me around Golden Gate Park where we visited the Academy of Sciences, the planetarium, the aquarium and the Japanese Tea Garden. Earlier, we had visited the Impressionist Exhibition at the De Young Museum with friends of Lita's with whom we also visited in Sausalito. The shops at the Ferry Building were fun to walk through, and the Farmers' Market was full of culinary delights.
Tomorrow is my last day in Portland.I will be writing more about the Oregon part of the trip after I return to NYC. My former Harvard Law School suite-mate, Meg Nightingale, and her husband Ted have been wonderful hosts! Portland is a lovely city, and Oceanside - on OR's Pacific Coast- is spectacular. Stay tuned!
The first two days of my stay in SF were surprisingly cold with temperatures in the 50's and below. By the third day, temperatures were in the 80s and the day before I left SF for Portland, the temperature went up to 99! I joked that Lita Taracido and I, two Puerto Ricans, had brought tropical temperatures from the east coast. A long cold spell had broken and we all enjoyed the sun.
My friend, Mary Risley, whom I first met on an Amtrak train a few years ago, took me to her friends' swimming pool on Santa Margarita Street in Marin County where we splashed around and took a break from the oppressive heat of the day. Mary also introduced me to the Presidio and Chrissy field from which there is a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. We also visited a terrific farmers' market in Half Moon Bay where I saw the greenest greens and sampled the sweetest melons I've every tasted. Oh, and there were the tastiest peaches from a stand run by Latinos. I visited Mary's Tante Marie cooking school and saw students and teachers at work. We had dinner at A16, a lovely and popular upscale restaurant owned and run by one of Mary's former students. Mary was generous with her time and hospitality. I had a lovely time!
My dear friend Joe Schubert showed Lita and me around Golden Gate Park where we visited the Academy of Sciences, the planetarium, the aquarium and the Japanese Tea Garden. Earlier, we had visited the Impressionist Exhibition at the De Young Museum with friends of Lita's with whom we also visited in Sausalito. The shops at the Ferry Building were fun to walk through, and the Farmers' Market was full of culinary delights.
Tomorrow is my last day in Portland.I will be writing more about the Oregon part of the trip after I return to NYC. My former Harvard Law School suite-mate, Meg Nightingale, and her husband Ted have been wonderful hosts! Portland is a lovely city, and Oceanside - on OR's Pacific Coast- is spectacular. Stay tuned!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A Victory !
On August 18,2010, the families, staff, board, friends and supporters of the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center, Bushwick, Brooklyn scored a victory when the NYC Agency for Children's Services rescinded the closeout of the Center.
As a result of this victory, 160 children from low-income families will continue to have access to affordable and quality child care and 40+ staff members will continue to have jobs.
Achieving this victory required belief in a cause AND strategic thinking, determination, persistence, creativity, effective networking, relationship-building, strong community organizing, political savvy, constant vigilance, and relentless pursuit of a just outcome. We built a coalition of parents, staff, board members, a union, advocates, elected officials, and friends and supporters.
This was a true "David vs Goliath" story. I don't think there were many people betting on "David". The road was long, the terrain was rough, the "opposition" was very determined, there were obstacles and detours and false starts and setbacks AND we prevailed.
I believe we prevailed because our cause was just, our focus was clear, our determination was strong, and our commitment was unwavering.
On a personal note - this was an a challenge I could not walk away from; surrendering was not an option; allowing another budget to be balanced on the backs of those perceived as powerless was not acceptable. I had a firm belief that "people of conscience and good will" could be rallied in support of a just cause; I was not disappointed.
The Grand Street Settlement team is awesome! It is an honor to be its leader.
As a result of this victory, 160 children from low-income families will continue to have access to affordable and quality child care and 40+ staff members will continue to have jobs.
Achieving this victory required belief in a cause AND strategic thinking, determination, persistence, creativity, effective networking, relationship-building, strong community organizing, political savvy, constant vigilance, and relentless pursuit of a just outcome. We built a coalition of parents, staff, board members, a union, advocates, elected officials, and friends and supporters.
This was a true "David vs Goliath" story. I don't think there were many people betting on "David". The road was long, the terrain was rough, the "opposition" was very determined, there were obstacles and detours and false starts and setbacks AND we prevailed.
I believe we prevailed because our cause was just, our focus was clear, our determination was strong, and our commitment was unwavering.
On a personal note - this was an a challenge I could not walk away from; surrendering was not an option; allowing another budget to be balanced on the backs of those perceived as powerless was not acceptable. I had a firm belief that "people of conscience and good will" could be rallied in support of a just cause; I was not disappointed.
The Grand Street Settlement team is awesome! It is an honor to be its leader.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The Capeman at the Delacorte Theater
Last night I saw The Capeman at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The music was amazing, the cast was fabulous, the rain stopped in time for the crowd to have wet seats to sit in as the sky cleared!
Paul Simon was there, as was Ruben Blades. Danny Rivera made a special appearance and sang about his (our) beloved Puerto Rico. Lin Manuel Miranda, of In The Heights fame, was there with his fiancee Vanessa. They are a beautiful and engaging couple. They will be married three weeks from now. Congratulations Lin Manuel and Vanessa!
The Capeman is a musical wonder! The story?
If you've seen The Capeman and have thoughts, opinions... please share them with this wise latina and friends. :)
Paul Simon was there, as was Ruben Blades. Danny Rivera made a special appearance and sang about his (our) beloved Puerto Rico. Lin Manuel Miranda, of In The Heights fame, was there with his fiancee Vanessa. They are a beautiful and engaging couple. They will be married three weeks from now. Congratulations Lin Manuel and Vanessa!
The Capeman is a musical wonder! The story?
If you've seen The Capeman and have thoughts, opinions... please share them with this wise latina and friends. :)
Monday, August 16, 2010
It Takes A Village....
On Friday, August 13, the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center (GGS CTC) came a major step closer to victory- staying open and continuing to serve low-income children and families in a high need section of Bushwick, Brooklyn.
The Grand Street Settlement and the private landlord/owner of 783 Knickerbocker Ave, the Center's "home" for decades, reached an agreement on lease terms and signed a term sheet reflecting the agreement. The positive outcome was the result of months of intense, strategic actions on the part of a team consisting of determined and committed parents, staff, GSS' executive management team, GSS' board of directors, advocates,a union, friends, supporters and elected officials.
The NYC Agency for Children's Services (ACS) told Grand Street Settlement that it would rescind its plan to close the GSS CTC when GSS had a term sheet. Well, there is a signed term sheet and it's time for ACS to send letters informing parents, staff and others that the GSS CTC will remain open and will continue to serve children and families as it has done all along - despite ACS' issuance of a closeout plan that required GSS to give termination notices to 40+ staff members and ACS' notification to working parents, that the center they relied upon for the safe and reliable care of their children would cease to operate.
The Grand Street Settlement and the GCC CTC's supporters have done their part and more. The ball is now in ACS' court. Will ACS and the City of New York deliver on a promise? Stay tuned and I'll tell you.
The Grand Street Settlement and the private landlord/owner of 783 Knickerbocker Ave, the Center's "home" for decades, reached an agreement on lease terms and signed a term sheet reflecting the agreement. The positive outcome was the result of months of intense, strategic actions on the part of a team consisting of determined and committed parents, staff, GSS' executive management team, GSS' board of directors, advocates,a union, friends, supporters and elected officials.
The NYC Agency for Children's Services (ACS) told Grand Street Settlement that it would rescind its plan to close the GSS CTC when GSS had a term sheet. Well, there is a signed term sheet and it's time for ACS to send letters informing parents, staff and others that the GSS CTC will remain open and will continue to serve children and families as it has done all along - despite ACS' issuance of a closeout plan that required GSS to give termination notices to 40+ staff members and ACS' notification to working parents, that the center they relied upon for the safe and reliable care of their children would cease to operate.
The Grand Street Settlement and the GCC CTC's supporters have done their part and more. The ball is now in ACS' court. Will ACS and the City of New York deliver on a promise? Stay tuned and I'll tell you.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
My team (Grand Street Settlement's Executive Management and Board leadership) and I have been working night and day since June 2, 2010, to ensure that the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center in Bushwick, Brooklyn (serving 160 children from low-income families and employing 40+ staff members) does not fall prey to a haplessly wielded budget ax which is aimed at, and soon will land on, our program. The amount, in dollars, standing between saving the program and dismantling it is $125,000 per year for 2 years at most. We're told that our City's budget woes are such that it cannot come up with that amount Did you know that the time and effort of city workers (price tag please?) are being used to close off, and install portable swimming pools on, Park Avenue for tourists and others? How can one argue with the wisdom of such a choice? I'm not going there!
The affected families, and we, have taken our case to the highest echelons of the bureaucracy in charge, and little has changed. The day designated (by the bureaucracy) as the final day for serving families is August 20, 2010. But-the families and children and staff keep showing up - determined not to allow the little they have (good quality child care services ) to be taken from them. At the moment, the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center in Bushwick is alive and well and open for business because the children and families need the services.
At the moment, it feels like those in charge are hoping to run out the clock - dismantling the program and services by default. This is taking place even as the Mayor and the Commissioner of the NYC Agency for Children's Services have, with fanfare and celebrity sponsors, launched a campaign warning parents to be very careful about leaving their children in the care of family members, friends, and others who might be untrained or unsuited to care for children. It's a good campaign issue but, under the circumstances, there seems to be something wrong with this picture. Do you see it? It's causing more than a few thinking people "cognitive dissonance".
The people in charge may not see the disconnect between what's being promoted- safe and reliable care for vulnerable children- and taking safe, reliable and professional child care away from low-income working parents (who are voters and taxpayers) and their children. Perhaps others can help them see and understand the wisdom of stopping a counterproductive action ( discontinuation of valuable services to children and families in need) that makes little sense.
311 was created so that government decision makers can hear from us- the voters and taxpayers. You can make your voice heard by calling 311 and, for information about how to contact the players (Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs, ACS Commissioner John Mattingly, Deputy Commissioner (ACS) Melanie Hartzog) more directly,(find phone numbers and email addresses etc) go to www.nyc.gov
August 20, 2010 is 12 days away. The clock is ticking. Please do what you can to help!
Gracias
The affected families, and we, have taken our case to the highest echelons of the bureaucracy in charge, and little has changed. The day designated (by the bureaucracy) as the final day for serving families is August 20, 2010. But-the families and children and staff keep showing up - determined not to allow the little they have (good quality child care services ) to be taken from them. At the moment, the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center in Bushwick is alive and well and open for business because the children and families need the services.
At the moment, it feels like those in charge are hoping to run out the clock - dismantling the program and services by default. This is taking place even as the Mayor and the Commissioner of the NYC Agency for Children's Services have, with fanfare and celebrity sponsors, launched a campaign warning parents to be very careful about leaving their children in the care of family members, friends, and others who might be untrained or unsuited to care for children. It's a good campaign issue but, under the circumstances, there seems to be something wrong with this picture. Do you see it? It's causing more than a few thinking people "cognitive dissonance".
The people in charge may not see the disconnect between what's being promoted- safe and reliable care for vulnerable children- and taking safe, reliable and professional child care away from low-income working parents (who are voters and taxpayers) and their children. Perhaps others can help them see and understand the wisdom of stopping a counterproductive action ( discontinuation of valuable services to children and families in need) that makes little sense.
311 was created so that government decision makers can hear from us- the voters and taxpayers. You can make your voice heard by calling 311 and, for information about how to contact the players (Mayor Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs, ACS Commissioner John Mattingly, Deputy Commissioner (ACS) Melanie Hartzog) more directly,(find phone numbers and email addresses etc) go to www.nyc.gov
August 20, 2010 is 12 days away. The clock is ticking. Please do what you can to help!
Gracias
Happiness and Newly Discovered Talents
Today's NY Times contains two items that caught my attention. The first is about how experiences are more lasting, and make us happier, than things do. Filling our spaces and surrounding ourselves with "stuff" has been found to yield less satisfaction than filling our lives with enriching experiences - travel, learning new things, meeting new people, becoming reacquainted with the people we already know and with ourselves etc.
Last Fall I decided to find out whether the little bit of aptitude I've had for drawing was anything more than that. After taking a drawing class for Absolute Beginners (that was me!) I discovered, to my surprise and delight, that I do indeed possess aptitude for drawing. People are my favorite subjects, though I've also enjoyed drawing landscapes. I don't enjoy drawing architectural structures (buildings etc.) and still lifes aren't much fun for me either.
Drawing with pastels has been more fun that I ever would have imagined. Having my hands covered in chalky substances (or any other messy media) was never my idea of a good time but- to my surprise- the pleasure of producing something pretty and colorful that surprises even me, trumps the ickiness of blending chalky, or oily, pastels with my fingers. At 50++ :) I'm learning the joys of finger-painting (for grown ups). "Playing" with pencils, paper, colors, shammies, erasers...is captivating. Though I don't display my "masterpieces" on the refrigerator door, like my mom might have done, I'm not shy about showing my portfolio to friends. To my delight, they usually "ooh" and "ah" and support and encourage my latest indulgence and I feel sooo happy when they do.
When I was a child, there was a television show titled "My Little Margie". Margie was, and is, my nickname and my parents sometimes referred to me as their "little Margie". "Little Margie" has made a comeback. There's something to that "inner child" stuff.
If you've met up with your "inner child" lately, perhaps your and mine can meet. How's that for an invitation?
Last Fall I decided to find out whether the little bit of aptitude I've had for drawing was anything more than that. After taking a drawing class for Absolute Beginners (that was me!) I discovered, to my surprise and delight, that I do indeed possess aptitude for drawing. People are my favorite subjects, though I've also enjoyed drawing landscapes. I don't enjoy drawing architectural structures (buildings etc.) and still lifes aren't much fun for me either.
Drawing with pastels has been more fun that I ever would have imagined. Having my hands covered in chalky substances (or any other messy media) was never my idea of a good time but- to my surprise- the pleasure of producing something pretty and colorful that surprises even me, trumps the ickiness of blending chalky, or oily, pastels with my fingers. At 50++ :) I'm learning the joys of finger-painting (for grown ups). "Playing" with pencils, paper, colors, shammies, erasers...is captivating. Though I don't display my "masterpieces" on the refrigerator door, like my mom might have done, I'm not shy about showing my portfolio to friends. To my delight, they usually "ooh" and "ah" and support and encourage my latest indulgence and I feel sooo happy when they do.
When I was a child, there was a television show titled "My Little Margie". Margie was, and is, my nickname and my parents sometimes referred to me as their "little Margie". "Little Margie" has made a comeback. There's something to that "inner child" stuff.
If you've met up with your "inner child" lately, perhaps your and mine can meet. How's that for an invitation?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
One "follower "and counting - today
This blog got its first visit from a "follower" (blog talk). I'm delighted!
My day, today, included working closely with my "cabinet" - the executive management team of the Grand Street Settlement- at a 2 day long "retreat".
During today's meeting I received a telephone call from a NYC official, a "public servant", who hung up on me, angrily, when I offered to return her call later in the day. I explained that I was engaged in a planning exercise with my team and couldn't answer her questions - asked in a hostile-sounding tone- at that moment.
The subject of the call was the proposed closing of a child care center in Bushwick, Brooklyn that serves low-income families in an area identified by ACS (the NYC Agency for Children"s Services) as a "high need" area. ACS's decision to close the center came after ACS failed to renew a lease on favorable terms, thereby giving the private landlord of the building that houses the child care center, the opportunity to request a rent hike. ACS is using the landlord's demand for more rent as the rationale for requiring the center to relocate or close. ACS failed to find a suitable alternative location for the program. Instead, it issued a closeout notice that will cause 160 low-income families and children to lose child care and 47 workers to lose their jobs. The families mobilized and implored NYC officials to preserve the center and its services. Members of the Board and staff of the Grand Street Settlement, a parent who's child benefited from the center's services, and two GSS supporters met with ACS Commissioner John Mattingly, Deputy Commissioner Melanie Hartzog and other ACS officials and made the case for preserving the services.
Despite the Commissioner's assurances that ACS has no intention of dismantling the services of the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center, ACS has refused to suspend the closeout process, has urged parents to seek other child care services and has maintained that NYC lacks money to pay higher rent. The closeout is scheduled to take place on August 20, 2010. Families and staff and others have not been deterred and have continued to advocate.
Today, an ACS official - a "public servant"- angrily hung up the phone on me - a tax payer, voter,constituent. It was a memorable moment. More to follow....
My day, today, included working closely with my "cabinet" - the executive management team of the Grand Street Settlement- at a 2 day long "retreat".
During today's meeting I received a telephone call from a NYC official, a "public servant", who hung up on me, angrily, when I offered to return her call later in the day. I explained that I was engaged in a planning exercise with my team and couldn't answer her questions - asked in a hostile-sounding tone- at that moment.
The subject of the call was the proposed closing of a child care center in Bushwick, Brooklyn that serves low-income families in an area identified by ACS (the NYC Agency for Children"s Services) as a "high need" area. ACS's decision to close the center came after ACS failed to renew a lease on favorable terms, thereby giving the private landlord of the building that houses the child care center, the opportunity to request a rent hike. ACS is using the landlord's demand for more rent as the rationale for requiring the center to relocate or close. ACS failed to find a suitable alternative location for the program. Instead, it issued a closeout notice that will cause 160 low-income families and children to lose child care and 47 workers to lose their jobs. The families mobilized and implored NYC officials to preserve the center and its services. Members of the Board and staff of the Grand Street Settlement, a parent who's child benefited from the center's services, and two GSS supporters met with ACS Commissioner John Mattingly, Deputy Commissioner Melanie Hartzog and other ACS officials and made the case for preserving the services.
Despite the Commissioner's assurances that ACS has no intention of dismantling the services of the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center, ACS has refused to suspend the closeout process, has urged parents to seek other child care services and has maintained that NYC lacks money to pay higher rent. The closeout is scheduled to take place on August 20, 2010. Families and staff and others have not been deterred and have continued to advocate.
Today, an ACS official - a "public servant"- angrily hung up the phone on me - a tax payer, voter,constituent. It was a memorable moment. More to follow....
Monday, August 2, 2010
It's like talking to yourself
What if you start a blog and nobody joins ? :( Well, it feels like you're talking to yourself! :) So many good thoughts, so few folks to share them with. That said, blog I will.
Today it's back to the barricades in a quest for fairness for a group of low income children and families of color who are being shortchanged by NYC bureaucrats who seem more interested in scoring points with the NYC office of management and budget than in doing what's right and decent for the families and children we pay them to serve.
The entire sorry story is being chronicled and will be told. Stay tuned to read another chapter in the ongoing tale of how Main Street pays the price for Wall Street's follies.
Today it's back to the barricades in a quest for fairness for a group of low income children and families of color who are being shortchanged by NYC bureaucrats who seem more interested in scoring points with the NYC office of management and budget than in doing what's right and decent for the families and children we pay them to serve.
The entire sorry story is being chronicled and will be told. Stay tuned to read another chapter in the ongoing tale of how Main Street pays the price for Wall Street's follies.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
A lesson in leadership
My most recent lesson in leadership came from observing parents of the children served by the Grand Street Settlement Child and Family Center (CFC) in Bushwick , Brooklyn. When informed
that the NYC Agency for Childrens' Services (ACS) planned to dismantle the high quality services provided to low-income families and children by the Grand Street Settlement CFC because of a lease dispute between the city and a private landlord, the parents sprang into action. They gathered signatures on petitions, attended meetings, held a rally on the steps of City Hall and spoke to elected officials and the media. At a meeting with the Commissioner of ACS and members of his staff and others, the mom of a child with special needs (and a wise latina), who has benefited from the CFC and its services, spoke truth to power and did so eloquently - with a perfect mix of passion and reason. She spoke and everyone listened. She was poised, well- informed, well spoken and comfortable in her role. It was a wonderful display of grassroots leadership in action.
Si se puede!
that the NYC Agency for Childrens' Services (ACS) planned to dismantle the high quality services provided to low-income families and children by the Grand Street Settlement CFC because of a lease dispute between the city and a private landlord, the parents sprang into action. They gathered signatures on petitions, attended meetings, held a rally on the steps of City Hall and spoke to elected officials and the media. At a meeting with the Commissioner of ACS and members of his staff and others, the mom of a child with special needs (and a wise latina), who has benefited from the CFC and its services, spoke truth to power and did so eloquently - with a perfect mix of passion and reason. She spoke and everyone listened. She was poised, well- informed, well spoken and comfortable in her role. It was a wonderful display of grassroots leadership in action.
Si se puede!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Inter-generational learning
There are people of my daughter's generation - in their twenties- who show, and sometimes express, longing for a cause about which they can feel passionate. Sometimes they are drawn to stories and music from a time when "movements" were about finding common ground, about joining forces to combat bigotry and ignorance, about the pursuit of peaceful coexistence and not about "tea parties".
Those who were there before them, have a lot to teach and a lot to learn from a younger generation. Wise latinas help nurture and support emerging leaders.
Community-based organizations are natural meeting places and ideal settings for inter-generational leadership development. The Girls' and Young Women's Initiative of the Grand Street Settlement is one example of an incubator for future leaders and inter-generational learning. We learn from each other every day - from the seniors and teens and toddlers. I will share lessons learned with you.
Those who were there before them, have a lot to teach and a lot to learn from a younger generation. Wise latinas help nurture and support emerging leaders.
Community-based organizations are natural meeting places and ideal settings for inter-generational leadership development. The Girls' and Young Women's Initiative of the Grand Street Settlement is one example of an incubator for future leaders and inter-generational learning. We learn from each other every day - from the seniors and teens and toddlers. I will share lessons learned with you.
Getting off the dime
A wise latina told me to get my blog started. That was yesterday and here we are! Rossana, do you recognize the person I'm referring to? Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
have a great day.
have a great day.
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