MG Nathaniel James, AUS, President of the 369th Veterans Association Inc. has contributed the following article in observance of Veterans Day.

"Preserving the Legacies of the Past Generations"

by General Nathaniel James

Tradition lets keep the legacies given to us by our past generations.  The eleventh day the eleventh hour and the eleventh month: given us by our world war one generation. To remember the sacrifices made by those brave soldiers who went to save freedom and democracy.  This Veterans Day the 369th Veterans Association up held that tradition by laying a wreath on the 369th Monument at the end of 5th Avenue which was attended by many.

We the current generation must and should bring into the fold, our younger generations, to school them of our celebration and what they stand for.  It's like history if you stop teaching the past then you will be doomed to live it over again. My fellow Veterans, it is you who must get busy and help foster these traditions on the new generations.  So let's not be complacent and think that someone else will do it, it is you who must join in and wage this program of truth and remembrance.

Why do we salute the flag, why do we say a prayer before we embark on a major task or journey?  These are traditions that are needed to be instilled in our younger generations.  Legacies are needed to insure that we understood the past and will work for better in the future. Knowing these things will make a stronger nation and a safer world.

Men and Women of the 369th are working every day to instill pride in our young people.  The 369th Veterans are engaged in helping our youth, our fellow veteran, and our community.  More than a half century ago the General Nathaniel Jameswas founded.  It was the toil and sweat of the WW Two Veterans who got together and formed this Veterans Association.  The task was not simple, it was complex and challenging, but was doable.

We need more young Veterans to join our ranks and help with the legacy to let our young people know their history and traditions. You may visit the 369th Armory at 2366 5th Ave. NYC any day during the week and find out more about the 369th Harlem Hell-fighters and the famous world war one troops who blazed Europe with Jazz and music from the United States of America, which is now very popular in France and Europe. Call, 212 281-3308 for any other information.

MG Nathaniel James,
AUS, President of the 369th Veterans Association Inc.
10037-0091

The following article has bee contributed by Michael Unthank, Executive Director, Harlem Arts Alliance. (October is National Arts and Humanities Month.)

It has been repeated so often the words ring in our ears: “…This is the worst economy our nation has seen in decades.”  In December of 2008 as President Obama prepared to take office, everyone acknowledged that the economy was teetering on the brink of financial collapse. 

In this environment it’s tough to talk about the arts and get people to listen. There are too many competing priorities. Should we talk about the needs of artists when homelessness is on the rise?  Why worry about cultural organizations when our schools are in decay?  The truth is when Wall Street was raking in trillions, and it seemed the balloon of our economy would expand forever; we did not solve the problems of the needy or our schools.  The truth is in today’s economy the arts are part of the solution, not part of the problem.

In Harlem we know that our community is defined by the arts.  Our artists and our arts organizations make Harlem one of the top destinations for visitors and tourists in the region.  Our institutions stand as beacons attracting development and commerce. As one of the world’s best known communities, Harlem’s engine is its arts and culture.  Yet, our most visible and successful arts and cultural institutions don’t exist in a vacuum, and the health of our creative community depends on a broad diversity of artists, community activists and arts organizations large and small.
  
Today, as our communities remain firmly in the grip of a deep recession, many Harlem arts organizations struggle against ever increasing odds for adequate facilities, human resources, attention, and funding. The story of the important contributions that our organizations make to our community remains a well-kept secret, and so support for them remains a low priority. For example, this month during National Arts and Humanities Month, we find anticipated support allocated through the New York State Council on the Arts at a standstill and much of the funding from New York State committed in the previous fiscal year has apparently disappeared. 

This means that our organizations cannot fulfill the commitments they’ve made to provide important programs for our community’s audiences, our young people, and our seniors, our hospitals and our schools. Artists committed to working in the classroom or in the community center will not be paid for work they have already done in good faith. Other issues are critical as well; arts institutions are faced with the increasing costs of facilities, and struggle to keep their doors open for community members that need them more now than ever. 

We must renew our commitment to provide a strong voice for our own continued cultural development.  We must remember that it is organizations like the Harlem School of the Arts and Dance Theatre of Harlem that provide expert training for thousands of our young people whose programs are at risk.  It is Harlem Stage and Jazzmobile and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem that deliver outstanding performances year in and year out, employ our artists and enrich our communities.  These are the organizations at risk.

Above all, please remember that it’s our community that will ultimately suffer if our organizations are further weakened.  Harlem’s future cultural and economic vitality are directly linked to health of our artists and arts organizations.

None of us can do it alone, we must do it together.  That’s why during National Arts and Humanities Month we at the HARLEM Arts Alliance ask for your help.  Take this as a wake-up call and reach out to your local arts center, museum, theatre or dance company - find out how you can become involved and then get involved. 

Our organizations need volunteers to make phone calls, distribute flyers and to help serve refreshments at their events.  Of course they also need your financial contributions, positive word of mouth and you and your family members in  the audience.  None of us can do it alone, so become part of the solution and support your arts and cultural institutions.

Michael Unthank
Executive Director, Harlem Arts Alliance

The Harlem Arts Alliance is a non-profit organization advancing arts and culture in Harlem and surrounding communities.  To learn more visit: www.Harlemaa.org.
 

The following article has been contributed by Christina Curry, Executive Director of The Harlem Independent Living Center, in recognition of National Disabled Employment Awareness Month (October).

Promoting Disability Rights For Urban Minorities

By Christina Curry

One of the factors the disabled person has to consider when interviewing for a job is “when do I disclose my disability, do I need to disclose my disability, how do I ask for an accommodation and still remain as a job candidate?”

Under the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, federal protections were enacted to ensure the disabled person does not face discrimination in areas such as employment, interviewing for a job but the sad truth is it still happens.  For that reason among many, those in our community who might otherwise be engaged as productive citizens might feel strong reluctance in facing rejection based on mis-perceptions.

The current mission of The Harlem Independent Living Center (HILC) is to assist the un/underserved disability community in achieving optimal independence through culturally and linguistically appropriate services by advocating, educating, empowering and being a community change catalyst.

In other words, we assist the disabled person to be as independent as possible for that person without physical or attitudinal barriers. We help with employment related issues (soft skills training, computer literacy, resume building, etc) that are crucial for the disabled person living in New York in the current economic climate.

While the Census states a little less than 7,000 people living in the geographical area of central Harlem are unemployed it does not include those receiving SSI (which is supposed to be for disabled individuals who are medically unable to participate in gainful employment).  The number jumps to just fewer than 16,000 who are un/underemployed.

The HILC strongly believes in the ability of the disabled community and as a result continues to participate in The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD/ the country's largest cross-disability membership organization) and the New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), National Disability Mentoring Day project.  This allows the disabled person the opportunity to observe the work environment while learning about the necessary skills and education needed for the workplace.  Additionally the employer has the chance to interact with a disabled person he/she might not have met otherwise. If you/your office has not participated in this program, please consider this for the year 2012.

The HILC also has a program specifically for our Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers called Deaf Tax.com.  This service is free and provides tax preparation service for consumers who communicate in American Sign Language.

Some of the services provided are Self/systems advocacy, education and information/referral services to people with disabilities, community agencies, institutions and family members.  We are open Monday – Friday, 9-5pm.  Services are free of charge; we speak English, Spanish and are fluent in American Sign Language.

The HILC originated out of the Harlem Hospital Department of Rehabilitation Medicine before moving to 5-15 West 125th in 1991 and then the relocation to our present address.

If you are in the area, come in and say hello.

HARLEM INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER
289 St. Nicholas Avenue  #21, Lower Level
NY, NY 10027
212-222-7122/general  212-222-7199/fax
212-222-7198/tty  646-755-3092/sorenson vrs
866-326-5876/relay 800-673-2371/toll free
 

The following article has been contributed by Cecilia M. Gastón, MPA, Executive Director of Violence Intervention Program, Inc.. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Every year for the last ten years a growing group of women and men have donned wedding dresses and marched through the streets of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx chanting and shouting, “¡No más abuso contra las mujeres! No more violence against women!” The image of Gladys Ricart, who was shot and killed on her wedding day by her ex-partner, and many other women who have lost their lives to domestic violence are visible on signs and in newspaper articles pinned to the dresses worn by marchers.
                                  

This is the Annual New York City Brides March, and as the Executive Director of the Violence Intervention Program, a Latina domestic violence agency that together with the NY Latinas Against Domestic Violence coordinates the event, I look forward to marching every year.  The survivors, community members and activists who come together each September 26th, the anniversary of Gladys’ death, are doing the important work of raising awareness about the hundreds of thousands of women that VIP and other organizations work year round to serve.

One in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime and the challenges that these women face in getting safe are monumental. Violence Intervention Program, Inc. (VIP) provides services to Latinas and other women healing from the trauma of domestic violence in a culturally competent environment that is supportive, non-judgmental and respectful of each woman’s right to self determination. We promote social change and believe that we can change societal attitudes through developing public awareness in the Latino communities. VIP engages clients in this work through a new program called Adelante Mujer, working with survivors as promotoras, or community educators, to empower others to seek help from abusive relationships.

Rosa Maya is one of our promotoras and this is her story:

“I'm Rosa Maya and I spent 20 years with a man who repeatedly insulted me. When we arrived to New York from Mexico, I worked 12 to 17 hour days to make rent and pay the bills. He hardly ever worked, blaming me that he couldn't since someone had to watch the children. In September of 2008, he fractured my jaw, which had just been operated on in March for an injury he was responsible for 8 years before.

When I went to the hospital, I was told that my jaw could not be operated on because it had not healed from the last operation. From there I went to a homeless shelter. It was very hard. I couldn't take my 5 children with me, only the youngest who were 6 and 14 years old. My children were appointed an attorney who then referred me to VIP.

From the moment I arrived, VIP referred me to a group and a social worker who were supportive of me. In February of 2009, I received my working permit and filled out an application for Social Security. Shortly after, I started my job cleaning hotels. I'm happy because VIP helped me a lot and I realized that it is possible to move past domestic violence.

Hopefully, as a promotora in the Adelante Mujer program, I can convince other battered women to seek help. I advise them to have faith and confidence because as women they can move forward. I put myself as an example, I lasted 20 years in abuse and I was able to move ahead. There is always help available as long as you want it. If you believe in God and have faith, anything is possible in life, only death has no solution.”

Rosa Maya’s story is one of success, but there are hundreds of thousands who continue to live in fear. And so every year on September 26th, VIP staff together with the community will continue to march in protest until the abuse ends for all women.

Cecilia M. Gastón, MPA
Executive Director
Violence Intervention Program, Inc. (10035)
Bilingual Hotline: 1-800-664-5880

The following article has been contributed by Hillary Rutter, director, Adelphi NY statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, in recognition of October Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Getting help from our hotline

by Hillary Rutter

When I became the director of the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program nearly 15 years ago, I first came into contact with an amazing group of women—our hotline volunteers.

These are the women who answer the phones when people call with their concerns and fears about breast cancer. They listen and provide useful information and a shoulder to lean on.

Our volunteers are all breast cancer survivors who have completed an extensive training course led by our social workers and a nurse. Callers have told us that they are immediately calmed because they are speaking with someone who has “been there” and has not only survived but now is volunteering to help others. It gives people hope.

Callers can stay on the line as long as they wish and call as often as they wish. Many callers have told us they don’t want to be a burden on their family or feel they are unable to express what they want because they don’t want to worry the people around them. Some callers are alone and need a friendly, knowledgeable person to speak with.

Who are these wonderful women? Here are seven:

Mary, diagnosed at age 46, had a lumpectomy. Mary says: We’ve come a long way in treating breast cancer; cancer is no longer a death sentence.” Mary wanted to do something positive with her experience so she decided to become a volunteer.

Susan was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 32. Five years after treatment she made the decision to become pregnant. Her “baby,” she says is now nine and she has no regrets about her decision. Susan handles specialty calls about pregnancy.

Jean had breast cancer 24 years ago. She is bilingual and is there for Spanish-speaking callers.

Diane is positive for the breast cancer gene BRCA2. Many in her family have been had breast cancer, including an uncle, and she has written a book about the family’s experience. Diane handles specialty calls about inherited breast cancer.

Florence, who is 70, was diagnosed 11 years ago. She became a volunteer so she could help other people and make a difference.

Serap is from Turkey and she was diagnosed five years ago. She has developed a web site in Turkish to help people from her homeland to understand breast cancer and to cope with the disease.

Catherine, diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, says that when diagnosed with breast cancer your life changes in every aspect. “The most important thing is Hope,” she says. “When you phone the hotline you hear a voice, you know they understand. Well, I am now one of those voices.”

Each of our 100 volunteers is an individual who has had an encounter with breast cancer. They recognize that each caller has her own special story and they are there to listen.

We encourage people to call. All calls are free and confidential.

Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program
You are not alone.
800-877-8077
www.adelphi.edu/nysbreastcancer

The following article has been contributed by Rick Downes, President of Coalition of Families of Korean & Cold War POW/MIAs. (Guest blog entries provide opportunities for people to share their thoughts and and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Congressman Charles Rangel.)

According to history, the Korean War armistice was agreed to in 1953 and the Cold War ended in 1989.  While it is true that the shooting stopped in one and the Wall came down in the other, the two conflicts have continued for decades within the hearts and minds of the families of missing American servicemen. Even more meaningful, credible evidence indicates that it continued in captivity for an unknown number of Americans held after the armistice. More than 8000 missing American servicemen - brothers, uncles, fathers, now grandfathers - need to be accounted for from these two conflicts.

The quest to account for these missing American servicemen, along with the missing from Vietnam and World War II, is not a backward look toward lost opportunities. It is a current, vibrant, issue. The U.S. government’s umbrella budget for the accounting community as a whole reaches $100 million dollars annually. Research and recovery operations span the globe. Identification facilities are expanding. International policy and officials meeting at the highest levels are influenced by, and influence, the accounting effort.

On the other side of the coin, official documents holding vital information on missing men remain cloaked in mystery. The U.S. withholds search and recovery operations from North Korea. Identification goals project decades ahead, long after the people who care most will be gone.  Live sighting reports haunt the families, as if the men themselves, ephemeral, walk among us.

Meanwhile, the wives, children, nieces and nephews of the missing men from the Korean and Cold Wars are aging, as are key witnesses in North Korea holding vital answers to so many of the men’s cases. The parents and most siblings of these men have already passed-on without learning the fate of their loved one. 

In order to bring true meaning to POW/MIA Recognition Day, fulfill our promise to bring the missing men home, and find closure for their families, a number of things need to be done for the Korean and Cold Wars. Among them are:

    * Develop a comprehensive protocol that requires all live-sighting debriefings be done by Americans, using polygraph testing, and exhaustive follow-up procedures.

    * Return our search and recovery teams to North Korea, or at least outsource the eyewitness interviews to a third party nation having established relations with both North Korea and the U.S.

    * Sharply increase the Defense Authorization Act’s mandated number of remains to be     identified each year, spread the numbers over all conflicts, increase funding, and bring high level official involvement to resolve political blocks.
 
     * Establish an unbiased review committee with declassification authority over all agencies.
 
The fates of thousands of missing men from all the wars are waiting to reveal themselves. Along with a day of recognition, a sense of urgency needs to be infused into the accounting effort, so that America can not only live up to its promise to account for these men but do so while the people who care most about them, hopefully even some of the men themselves, can find the closure they have sought for so long.

Rick Downes
President,
Coalition of Families of Korean & Cold War POW/MIAs

The Coalition of Families of Korean & Cold War POW/MIAs promotes the fullest possible accounting, in a timely manner, for American servicemen who remain missing from the Korean and Cold Wars.


 

by William Clay Sr., former Member of Congress

As a former member and original founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, and one victimized in schemes of harassment and vindictive behavior by government, media and political adversaries, I speak from first-hand knowledge of the peril confronting you as a minority member of Congress.  I caution you to look beyond published reports of alleged scandalous conduct as a basis for arriving at conclusions concerning guilt of highly publicized accusations.

For those unfamiliar with my ordeal of persecution, let me cite a few bizarre claims of my “felonious” activities: (1) accusation by U.S. Attorney in Federal Court trial of trafficking illegal drugs, (2) investigation by U.S. Justice Department to establish drug charge, (3) target of IRS criminal investigation for evasion of Income Taxes, (4) appeared 4 times before Grand Jury Investigating allegation of padding Congressional payroll, (5) $189,000 law suit by the Justice Department for allegedly filing false travel expense claims, (6) investigated by the FBI for failure to report campaign contributions.

I was exonerated in each instance with public apologies from Attorney Generals of three Administrations: two Republican, one Democrat. Need I continue to impress upon you the seriousness of the extent to which some will go in attempting to silence your voice?

If I have your attention, please bear with me in a lengthy assessment of the present crisis that exists for the CBC because of the excessive allegations against minority members.

It has been said that a prophet is not without honor in his or her own land.  Since its inception, the CBC has raised its collective prophetic voice and cried out loudly as an advocate for public policies and legislative initiatives that would enable the voiceless to be heard in the lofty towers of power.

But raising a prophetic voice has its consequences. Old Testament prophets learned that challenging the postulates of virtue often resulted in serious reprisals: stoning, torture or banishment. In the New Testament, it was crucifixion.

Today, the political establishment, on the whole, unable to effectively muzzle its prophetic nemesis, unable to defeat them at the polls, unable to silence their voices – has developed an alternative scheme of banishment – discredit them and their voices.  Let’s take a look at the evolution of the use of “ethics violations” that have been repeatedly thrown at Black Members of Congress.

In 1968, when Richard Milhouse Nixon successfully implemented a “Southern Strategy” and won the presidency, there were six (6) Black Members of Congress.  Eighty-eight (88) additional Black Members were elected since – some from new districts, others replacing retired, defeated or deceased members.  Of the total number elected since 1968, thirty(30) or thirty-four(34) percent of current and former Black Members have been investigated by various ethics committees or otherwise publically cite as potential ethics violations.  Names such as Chisholm, Clay, Conyers, Dellums, Christensen, Braun, Brown, Davis, Diggs, Fauntroy, Flake, Ford, Gray, Hilliard, Stokes, Thompson, Towns, Tucker, Washington, Waters, Watson are among those on the long list that should set-off warning bells.

A relevant question is how many of that long and distinguished list of so called “ethically challenged” Black Members have been actually found guilty of violating rules or regulations, let alone criminal statutes?  The number is miniscule.

Often in the political arena, the change is sufficient to be a game changer.  After months and sometimes years of innuendos, quotes from unnamed sources, millions of printed words, the frivolous charges are unceremoniously dropped for lack of evidence, effective voices muffled, compassionate leaders defeated for re-election without the production of any substantive proof of wrongdoing.

Presently, the white hot glare of ethical klieg lights is shining on Charles Rangel and Maxine Waters – two of the leading prophetic voices championing the cause of the ignored and unrepresented masses.  Charged as “ethics violators”, without credible evidence produced, they are vilified by the media and “Good Government” groupies.  And, as they should, the two veteran legislators are fighting back with every ounce of strength, and we should be right there in support!  Since when did it become a crime to demand that those issuing charges must prove the accusations? Since when did the accused become guilty until proven innocent?

If they roll over and quietly resign from office, as the media hounds and their likeminded cohorts insist, it would be a dereliction of their duty as prophetic voices for the powerless.

Two years ago, the Congressional Leadership recommended and the House approved establishing a new ethics process – the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) – that was supposed to be “more effective and transparent” in rooting out wrong doing on the part of Members of Congress.  Since its inception, the OCE has recommended eight members for further investigation by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, (the ETHICS COMMITTEE), seven of whom are Black Members.

Blacks make up 9.7% of the membership of the House yet they are accused of committing 87.5% of all of the ethics violations?  This is a travesty that doesn’t pass the laugh test, let alone the smell test. Not only is it a perversion of fairness and justice, it is just plain dumb and dangerous.

Since 34% of white Members of Congress have not been investigated or charged, is it not reasonable to believe a mindset prevails that Black Members as a group are more criminally inclined, less principled, more corrupt, less moral?

This new procedure is flawed beyond repair, not to mention the fact that it rests on extremely shaky constitutional grounds.  Apparently it was designed to ensure confidence and improve the public perception of the House of Representatives.  Instead, it has become a hand grenade for the partisan bomb throwers with the potential of destroying what little confidence the American public has in the institution.

It is past time to repeal this legislative nightmare and abolish the Frankenstein monster that subverts bedrock Constitutional principles of “Due Process”, and be judged by their peers in an open, public speedy trial. 

The following article has been contributed by WeHarlem's founder, Sergio Lilavois:

In the recent years, Harlem has experienced an emergence of the digital environment fusing with its real life community through online social networks and Web 2.0.

The iconic Apollo Theater has a Twitter account that often tweets the amateur night winner for the week in real-time. There is even a Twitter account for St. Nicholas Park which tweets messages about upcoming events in the park and remind patrons about good park practices. I recently encountered a Facebook Page for The Wagner and Lincoln Housing Projects in Harlem where most of its friends are current and former residents. The influence of the two different realms of real and virtual has created some what of a hybrid community that should not be discounted as a mere trend but rather a tool which can help rebuild a community.

Online social networks have been denounced by some as an extension of the “Me” Generation's narcissism. These critics perceive online social network users as young people with their heads buried in their smart-phones and laptops trading real life experience for something intangible and frivolous. Although research is still being conducted on the effects on an individual spending a large amount of time on the internet and an argument can be made for excessive use, to discount online social network's power to affect the real community in a concrete and positive way would be to limit the scope of our thinking.

It is only fair to disclose that I am the founder and partner of my own online social network called WeHarlem, so some may view this as a non-impartial article to further the cause of online social media. However, my motivation to start WeHarlem was not initiated by a need to capitalize on a popular technology trend but rather to meet and stay connected with people, businesses and organizations in my neighborhood. I really wanted to know more about Harlem through different people and vice versa.

My social experience in Harlem led me to see that there were so many different social circles and I wanted to figure out a way to help connect most, if not all, of them together. I felt that Facebook and Twitter were great websites for connecting people but the two social networks were very large and did not target one area or topic so there still was a disconnect within the Harlem community. So I created WeHarlem.

In addition, I truly believed in the power of Web 2.0 before creating the site; talking to anyone who would listen on how it's a tool that allows people to work together and is changing the world. You see, the traditional internet (let's call it Web 1.0) was primarily a one way information stream although it had the power to be much more. Basically, an “expert of something" inputted data or information and then people viewed or purchased it. The Web 1.0 visitors were passive consumers and audience, similar to the audience of traditional media like print, radio and television.

However, when Web 2.0 arrived, the same visitors were transformed into active participants in how information and content was being created and delivered. No longer were visitors told that they were not “experts” so they should leave the business of delivering news, videos, and audios to the professionals.

On the contrary, Web 2.0 recruited the audience to provide content for all these medias for websites like YouTube, Wikipedia, BlogTalkRadio and Wordpress just to name a few. The result was that the internet was now filled with much more diverse content than any traditional mass media could provide and people were feeling a sense of empowerment.

Many times people meet me personally in the “real world” and genuinely ask me “What's happening this weekend in Harlem, Mr. WeHarlem? You're the expert.” And most of the times I tell them, “Hmm, I'm not sure.” The reality is that I'm not an expert on Harlem. I don't even write blogs about Harlem. Most of the information listed on WeHarlem is posted by our online community of Harlemites. Before creating the online social network, I believed that no one person knows everything about one thing. But you get as many people together and they can provide a wealth of information and insight that could rival a small group of experts. So, what happens when you get a community like Harlem together online? Rather than a “Me” generation, you have the potential to create a “We” generation.

Recently, my WeHarlem partner Lorraine read a message posted on the WeHarlem website from a member about an 11 year-old girl by the name Shannon Tavarez who happens to be a Harlem School of the Arts alumna and played “Nyla” in the Broadway musical The Lion King until she was diagnosed with an acute form of Leukemia. According to the article, there would be a bone marrow donor drive for Shannon being held at the Harlem School of the Arts so that she could find a potential match for a bone marrow transplant in order to save her life. Shannon Tavarez is half African American and Dominican and has a greater chance of finding a match from a donor within her ethnicity.

However, according to the NIH bone marrow donor government website, there is a shortage of minority bone marrow donors. With that knowledge, Lorraine spearheaded a campaign to get the message out about the bone marrow drive at the Harlem School of the Arts for Shannon Tavarez through all our online social networks. The premise was not only to broadcast the information to Harlem and its surrounding communities but also to have each viewer participate by “ReTweeting”, “Facebook Sharing” and “Wepeating” the information amongst their own network of people. This is the essence of “Social Media”.

Every individual has a network of friends and associates and often times our social network overlaps. For the person who is reading this article that does not know me personally, we most likely are connected by a mutual friend or associate by one or more steps. This is what is referred to, in pop culture, as the “Six Degrees of Separation” Theory, meaning everyone in the world is connected some how through no more than 6 people.

Online social networks, like Facebook, has created a tangible link among networks producing a large chain of connection. But what does this all mean? It means that if I send a message out to my network, that message has the potential to be distributed to a great mass of people in a short amount of time that's comparable or rival to major television networks, radio stations and newspapers.

Who is the distributor of social media? You. Me. Him. Her. We. It does not work if we do not participate and share. Another major difference between traditional media institutions and social media is that people who use social media do not have a “bottom-line”. Most people do not share things through social media to get paid, they share because it is an innate part of who they are. Because to share is to be human.

I witnessed our Shannon Tavarez campaign go viral as a few of our Facebooks friends shared the information with their Facebook friends, some of our Twitters followers retweeted it to their followers, our WeHarlemites “wepeated” it within their network and so on. We even had people on Facebook ask WeHarlem when and where would be the next bone marrow donor drive. I replied, “Hmm. I'm not sure.” But through the large chain of our online network, a few WeHarlem followers were able to quickly provide information about the next bone marrow donor drive for Shannon. To this day Shannon Tavarez continues to search for a bone marrow donor match.

As inspired by the old African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child, it will also take a village to save one.


Sergio Lilavois
Founder and Partner
www.WeHarlem.com
 

This week, I'd like to feature Patrik Willaims as my guest blogger. The following is his thoughts on Creating Jobs:

"It is great news, after so long a time, that those long term unemployed will get relief, at least through November.  At the same time, it is sad that Republicans still say “No” and seem not to be doing anything except making times stay bad so that maybe voters will blame the Democrats for their woes. 

It is unfortunate that history will repeat itself in that common wisdom suggests lowering the budget deficit is a good thing, but not right now!!! 

Government is the only influence to create jobs and take care of the countless teachers and city and state employees that will lose their jobs come September, because some members of Congress does not have the courage to offer stimulus to them.  How many state and local budgets are going to fall short that the Congress and senate could easily cure with the stroke of a pen?"

Patrick Williams
Zipcode 10032

NOTE: If you'd like to be considered as a future guest blogger, please subscribe to the Rangel Report for further instructions. (Click here to see a sample e-newsletter.)