Minutes of March 13, 2023 BUF BLM Business Meeting

 BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team

Minutes March 13th, 2023, 7pm

 

In Attendance: Pam Graham, Naomi Gary, David Curley, Rupert Ayton, Murray Bennett, Claire Lending, Michael Betz, Stephanie Sarver, Mel Hoover, and Rose Edington

 

1.     Land acknowledgement provided by Pam Graham

 

2.     Upcoming speakers

a.     Mar 20 Donnell Tanksley

 

3.     Speaker Honorariums

a.     in process with Kathy Wahto

 

4.     I am the Hope and the Dream Juneteenth video part 2

a.     Remy Styrk is raising funds; video will feature Isaac, Jason, and Sislena; has extra footage from first video

b.     Can BUF plan a fundraiser event in May? Maybe combine with George Floyd Memorial on 5/25??

 

5.     March 11^th Black History Month Celebration Debrief

Naomi to start a Thank You card for Sean!!

 

6.     Planning March 18 retreat

New concept…not a retreat but a 10am-12noon planning session at BUF

Work on Protocols (Naomi and Pam)

Use the Johari Window framework to understand conscious and unconscious bias that can help increase self-awareness and our understanding of others (Pam to facilitate)

 

7.     Okanagan Charter

a.     Could we make this the focus of the Mar 27 program meeting?

 

8.     Follow up on possible guest speakers starting in April:

a.     Jeremy Wang, counselor at WWU—Rupert in conversation

b.     Willie Broxton Jr., relationship manager at WECU—Rupert in conversation

c.      DeeDee Davis, homelessness advocate—who wants to contact?

d.     Sislena Ledbetter (WWU ED for Counseling, Health, and Wellness)—Rupert in conversation

e.      Katryne Potts WWU police chief—who wants to contact?

f.      Chuck Parsons, Community Co-op GM—has not yet responded to Rupert

g.     Keith Montoya—Whatcom CARE—does David want to follow up?

h.     Dr James Ray WWU music—has not responded to Rupert

i.       Dr Richard Hodges WWU music—has not responded to Rupert

j.      Deanna Lane D/E/I consultant—discussed with Rupert but has some scheduling conflicts

k.     TeeJay Morris (NWYS, Juneteenth Coordinator, Bellingham Unity Committee)—no invitation yet

l.       Flo Simon (former Interim COB Police Chief)—keep on list?

m.   Debra Lekanoff (WA State Rep)—who wants to contact?

n.     WWU Black Student Union representative—Naomi to contact

o.     Gabe Epperson of Whatcom Land Trust—who will contact?

p.     Daman Wandke—consultant, disability expert—who wants to contact?

q.     Clyde Ford (Author)—spoke with Mel and Rupert but seemed reluctant and suggested multicultural roundtable discussion

Program Guest Speaker February 27th, 2023

On February 27th, thirteen members of the BUF BLM Action Ministry team welcomed Jason McGill as our guest speaker.  Jason is the ED of Northwest Youth Services, and hails from West Virginia.  As part of our Widening the Circle effort, Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley and Restorative Community Coalition president Joy Gilfilen also joined the Zoom call.

Jason shared programming at NWYS, including the acquisition of a house in Ridgemont that will accommodate young adults.  Last year, over 400 homeless young people were first time participants in NWYS programs.  In all, Jason estimates there are over 1200 homeless youth in the area.

The conversation turned to the question of how the current justice system is not serving society.  Jason related the story of Portugal, which has invested considerably in preventative and rehabilitative services that reduce crime and keep individuals out of jail.  In comparison, the challenge of local reactionary policing was discussed, along with the incarceration system and continued argument over building a new jail for Whatcom County rather than investing in prevention.

Jason described his concept of Beloved Community following the teaching of Dr. King.  He also discussed allyship and promotes Dr. Cornell West’s concept of a Love Warrior.

Program Guest Speaker February 20th, 2023

On February 20th, the BUF BLM Action Ministry team welcomed Matthew Durkee as our guest speaker.  Matt identifies as transnational/transracial as he was born in Korea and adopted by a white family in Bellingham at the age of 5.  Matt is veteran and currently serves as the Director of the Veterans Resource Center at Edmonds College.

Matt shared his experience growing up and going to high school in Bellingham where he regularly faced racism, oppression and violence.  Matt was clear that Bellingham is diverse, but that only insiders see that diversity.  He also pointed out that those new to Bellingham, and those who are not insiders to Bellingham’s diversity, don’t necessarily understand the needs of the oppressed, and need to listen and not act like “saviors.”

Matt refers to the U.S. as a “salad bowl” as each individual’s uniqueness contributes to the overall “flavor” of the nation.  Matt shared that his military experience and exposure to strong leadership instilled in him a sense of creating “hand-ups” rather than “hand-outs” for the less-fortunate.  He believes in a national service model and he is a proponent of “peace officers” rather than police officers. Matt also has a strong interest in truth in education.

Minutes of BUF BLM Business Meeting December 12, 2022

 BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team

Minutes for December 12, 2022, 7pm

In Attendance: Rupert Ayton, Stephanie Sarver, Pam Graham, Mike Betz, David Curley, and Naomi Gary (providing the minutes)

1. Land acknowledgement 

https://www.lhaqtemish.org/xwlemi-resilience/lhaqtemish-land-acknowledgement

2. David discussed the follow up to James Addington Tragic Investment book group. He worked with Genia Allen-Schmidt. Ideas include…. create a historical record of BUF’s ARAOMC work. Reparations including BUF paying rent to the Lummi Nation. David also brought up news that the BUF Climate Action Team is reforming. Todd Jones to get the word out by January 2023. 

3. Mel to discuss RCC collaboration in January

4. Planning a retreat in March 2023…Rupert to send out an email re interest.

5. Donnell “TANK” Tanksley campaign for Sheriff…let’s invite him to speak to BLM. Learn more.

6. Possible guest speakers:

Rupert to contact theese potential guest speakers...

Dr James Ray WWU music

Dr Richard Hodges WWU music

Deanna Lane D/E/I consultant

Naomi to contact these potential guest speakers…

Damani Johnson (retired WWU professor)

WWU Black Student Union representative

Brian Womack

Additional ideas for guest speakers...

Clyde Ford (Author)

Jason McGill (at NWYS)

TeeJay Morris (NWYS, Juneteenth Coordinator, Bellingham Unity Committee)

Flo Simon (former Interim COB Police Chief)

Debra Lekanoff (WA State Rep)

Sislena Ledbetter (WWU ED for Counseling, Health, and Wellness)

Gabe Everson

Daman Wandke

7. Rupert to send out an email to let people know how to participate in MLK Activities

Identified MLK day 1/16/23 activities such as…

 WCC organized by Whatcom Human Resource Task Force (regular annual event)

TeeJay’s Masquerade Ball at the Yacht Club on Saturday 1/14/23

8. Planned for May 25th Floyd Memorial Bench

Naomi to contact Kristina Michele Martens for ideas and suggestions…maybe Opera in the Park? With Dr. Ray and Dr. Hodges from WWU Music??

9. Identify Juneteenth activities…need to work on this

10. Racial Equity Commission Update…reach out to Elie/David to f/u

11. Coordination with CBC on AR/AO/MC speakers and schedule

12. Community Actions and Projects…ongoing!

a. We have noted that Bellingham lacks a documented Black history and plaques memorializing locations of notable events

i. Rupert found resources at the library and at the local Cemetery

13. Pam Graham mentioned that other faiths are active in our community, and we should make sure we are in coordination with them. She mentioned Baha’i and Sikh. Naomi has been in contact with Marilyn Freal at the Presbyterian Church.

Minutes of February 9, 2023 Business Meeting

 BUF Black Lives Matter Ministry Action Team

Minutes for January 9, 7pm

In Attendance: Rupert Ayton, Stephanie Sarver, Mike Betz, David Curley, Mel Hoover, Murray Bennet, Claire Lending, and Naomi Gary

1. Rupert gave a brief land acknowledgement 

2. The group discussed the MLK celebration planned for the 16th in the Sanctuary.  Rupert, David, Mel and Rose will volunteer to help with set-up, greeting, and take-down

3. David further discussed the follow up to James Addington Tragic Investment book group

a. BUF needs to make its history visible

i. Start with recent accomplishments

1. Mailee and Genia to help

2. Create a poster

ii. Organize a working group to research long term history

b. Check out https://www.sociocracyforall.org/sociocracy/ for rethinking governance; David will attend one of their sessions

c. Space for events.  Look for intersectional opportunities to host at BUF.  MLK event is a good example.

i. David and Naomi will attend SEJC meeting on Jan 22

d. Reparations.  Consider paying a reparation rent to the Lummi as part of a restorative justice action.  King County is paying the Duwamish.

4. Article 2.  The group discussed the status of revisions to Article 2 and the need to have input.  Stephanie provided an insight from a conversation with Lou Phinney.  Murray will follow up with the Board and Lou to understand the process and how BLM may participate.

5. Deb Cruz is trying to reform the Environmental Justice team.  That is an intersectional opportunity for BLM.

6. Mel gave a detailed overview to possible RCC collaboration.  It is a compassionate community building opportunity.  The group discussed breaking down the opportunity into bite-sized chunks with a beginning and end that could engage more participants. The work needs to be framed as a positive story.  Details are in the attachment.

7. Planning a retreat in March 2023.  No response to the BLM subscriber email.  Perhaps the retreat could spend some time on discussing RCC.

8. BLM needs to know the open spot dates for AR/AO/MC moments and then recruit speakers.  Rupert spoke with Jeff Copeland and there is no technology problem for playing remotely recorded AR/AO/MC moments, playing video or audio clips, or using slides.

We ran out of time for discussing other agenda items.

AR Moment of August 7th on Black Incarceration and Political Prisoners

Hi, I am Rupert Ayton. 

I’d like to recognize that today falls between the 77th anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

And let me recognize that last week we lost two African American role models in Bill Russell and Nichelle Nichols.  Both were originals.

This past week we also lost an archetype of Black political imprisonment. Albert Woodfox was the last surviving member of the Angola 3, Louisiana inmates falsely convicted of killing prison guards in the early 1970s. He served 44 years in solitary confinement before being exonerated.

As Hank mentioned last week, many consider the level of imprisonment of Black men in America institutional racism.  And many consider it political. Let me share a complex story with you.

On August 7th, 1970, 17-year-old Jonathan Jackson walked into the Marin County courtroom where San Quentin inmate James McClain was on trial for murdering a prison guard.

Jackson was armed, and his goal was to spring 3 inmates and take hostages to exchange for his brother and 2 others, who were incarcerated at San Quentin on murder charges.  But that day Jackson died in a hail of police bullets in a van outside the courthouse, along with McClain, inmate William Christmas, and Judge Harold Haley.  The other hostages, and inmate Ruchell Cinque Magee, survived.

My 66-year-old self is still stunned that a 17-year-old, or anyone, would try this.  But as I think back to the influences in my Leave it to Beaver life, I see that a big part of what I was being fed as a boy was the lore of heroic efforts for freedom against all odds. Davy Crockett.

Perhaps that’s what Jonathan Jackson was attempting. A heroic effort to free Black political prisoners against all odds.

I don’t condone gun violence in aid of freedom.  But it seems to me White America does when it is violence against some other.  And that other includes Black men.

The story of August 7th started a year earlier at Soledad State Prison, where the superintendent was accused of fomenting racial violence. There was a riot, and his accuser and two other Black inmates were shot dead by a White guard.  Days later an all-White grand jury exonerated the guard for the killings, although many years later the State of California would settle wrongful death suits.

The Soledad violence escalated with the alleged payback deaths of White guards and a White inmate.  3 Black inmates, the Soledad Brothers, were charged with murder and transferred to San Quentin.  One was George Jackson, Jonathan’s older brother.  Like others in this story, he was a political activist and writer, and his work targeted the institutional racism of the prison system.

A year and ten days after Jonathan Jackson died, his brother George Jackson was killed by San Quentin guards in what has alternatively been described as a murderous riot or prison break.  But the evidence points to George Jackson possibly being set up and the violence a cover.

The remaining two Soledad Brothers were acquitted of the murder charge.

The infamous riots at Attica followed 3 weeks later.  Prison problems were making headlines.

And high-profile activist Angela Davis was accused of supplying the guns to Jonathan Jackson, and charged with murder, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy.  She was put on the FBI’s top ten most wanted list and declared armed and dangerous.

Fearing for her life, Davis hid. After a nationwide manhunt, she was arrested in Florida.  President Richard Nixon congratulated the FBI on capturing a quote “dangerous terrorist.”

Looking back, Davis recalled realizing that it wasn’t about her.  It was about sending a message to discourage the public from getting involved in the Black freedom struggle. 

That didn’t work.  The prison riots, the high-profile Davis trial, and subsequent high-profile inmate trials generated an outpouring of liberal protests and public condemnation.  Davis, who remains actively outspoken, was acquitted of all charges, as were most of the inmates on trial during that period.

However, Magee, who survived August 7th, is still in prison and considered by some the longest serving political prisoner in America.  He will be 85 if he lives to his next parole hearing.

I wonder where all that public condemnation is today.

Program Guest Speaker July 25th Report

On July 25th, the BUF BLM Action Ministry team welcomed Shovia Muchirawehondo as our guest speaker.  Originally from Georgia, Shovia earned her Master’s from Western and recently organized the BIPOC celebration at the Depot in June.

Shovia provided our audience of 13 with an unvarnished perspective on racism in Bellingham, emphasizing that if Bellingham wanted to end racism, the solution needed to start with White on White conversations as racism is a White problem.

Shovia highlighted two economic concerns: one is that the current system of “affordable” housing is racist as it relegates most housing to less desirable land, and in desirable neighborhoods, it is not really affordable for Blacks who have been discriminated against when it comes to intergenerational wealth-building.  The second concern is lack of affirmative hiring of Blacks in professional positions and how White hiring managers still hire White candidates. The issue extends to lack of support for Black entrepreneurs, who are not given the tools to navigate government programs and banking.

The conversation switched to the fragmentation of Bellingham’s Black community and the need for a BIPOC community center. The group discussed how such a space would work and where, with Local Group Studio as an example.