Brazil Comes To Project Brownstone!

Project Brownstone wants to welcome Anderson Silva of Salvador, Bahia to our office. This project is in conjunction with his Master's studies at the University of Bahia in Brazil. The Social Residency, as it's called, was a three week commitment to have Ander shadow me to find out what we do on a day-to-day basis, as well as what it takes to establish an organization.

At first, it was a daunting task because I operate daily without paying close attention to the minute details that actually make the office function. The best part of the residency is it made me slow down and consciously go over details that I normally would not. It was helpful in it helped me to check in with the inspiration that motivated the creation of Project Brownstone, and how it evolved and bore fruit. As I learned in a business class where we developed our business plans, external developments can change the direction of your company and redefine why it's in business. I am pleased to know that we are still following the path that was originally charted in the plan.

Brazil has the largest population of blacks outside of Africa. I always refer to them as our close cousins because our histories are similar. While there are cultural differences, the spirit and struggle of a people held under the yoke of white supremacy is shared. Together, we share the same objective to uplift our communities and make a better way for our children to succeed and have prosperous lives.

Our shared experience made it obvious that we can share the work of Project Brownstone in Brazil because it aligns well with their needs. We aspire to open a satellite office in Bahia. Anderson will be instrumental in making this happen. See, he understands well the 'formula' that makes PB work. Like any franchise, there are standards and modes of operation that create our own special brand of service. It is important to maintain the integrity of our mission.

Stay tuned in 2016 for updates to our plans. You can see firsthand Project Brownstone taking a leap onto the global sphere. We are in agreement, both Anderson and I, that children and education are global issues!

Crowdfunding: Does it work?

A few months ago, Project Brownstone embarked on a new journey. We decided that we were going to try Crowdfunding as a way to generate support for Project Brownstone, but more so, the Textbook Stipend Project.

Going in, the process of signing up gears you to think that the moment you post, things will take off. That is not the case. Like everything else, once it's been tried and tested the airwaves get clogged with requests for legitimate causes and the not so legit ones. I imagine this leads to a bit of crowdfunding malaise.

The first step was to make a video appeal. That was pretty easy because our story has been told many times, and the need of our constituents remain the same. The profile you build is important for people that cruise the sites looking for worthy causes so they can find out about you.

Then...you wait. Days and hours begin to go by. The only messages you get are companies and individuals offering their services. They range from manipulating Facebook 'likes' to creating press releases to capitalize on your cause as well as garner some media shine. Through all of that you learn the ropes of what dictates success in crowdfunding and how to make the algorithms work for you in order to place you at the top of a very long list. In other words, it's a crap shoot.

While we earned 15% of our goal, I realized we could have done much better if we knew what we learned going in. In other words, hindsight is 20/20. Making lemonade out of lemons is how we looked at it and were pleased that our 'story' reached as far a Japan, Liberia and Germany as well as South America. Many people and places that never heard of us, now know of us. We were even fortunate enough to be sponsored by a viewer that will sponsor our year-end gala using their team of experts to raise $25K.

So, when entering the crowdfunding arena, make sure that your targets and goals go beyond just making money. That's a recipe for disaster. Instead, revel in the outreach your organization does and capitalize on the newfound interests in spreading your word further than it is.

Have a look at our video...you may get inspired:

Prepping For An Event: Picking A Location

This time last year we were gearing up for our 1st Annual 'Making A Difference' Award Benefit. It all came together pretty quickly once the decision was made to do it. The first step was finding a location that encapsulates the pathos of what Project Brownstone is about. Columbia University was a natural choice because it was there that I received my graduate degree in Fundraising Management. The program helped to make the concept of Project Brownstone a reality. Because our mission is in the area of education, it makes sense to hold it at this institution of higher learning.

At the time of our benefit, there was an onslaught of 'parties' using charities as a vehicle to draw people in. Everyone loves a good cause, and they surely love a good party! It was a win-win situation for many in the Harlem community. They were able to capitalize on this. However, we wanted to separate our efforts from this because we did not want to be perceived as a trend or a convenient partnership in the name of a party.

It was a conscious decision to hold it on the campus of Columbia University. We discussed potential locations in the area. None really measured up to the message we were trying to send to the public upon our debut. Where and how we began dictates where we'll go and end up. So, after not much deliberation, Faculty House at Columbia University was an easy choice.

This year we're embarking on our 2nd Annual 'Making A Difference' Award benefit. It will be held in the same location as last year for the same reasons stated above. When you find something that works and fits the mission of your organization, it's wise to stick with it and develop it further. Do not forget the people that attended and had a great time. 

Reaching Students Through Poetry

The Poetry Open Mic event opened doors for Project Brownstone by introducing us to a new demographic: young adults in poetry. We had no idea when we decided to host this event. We had no idea what to expect. At best, I thought it would be a pleasant afternoon spent with our featured poets, but I had no idea the people that would come through the door to participate with the open mic would be present a game changer.

We had participants in their 70s as well as poets as young as 11 years old. The event presented a platform that made it possible for all age groups to share. The spoken word is so powerful, it has no limits or boundaries and defies any rules about mixed company. It's amazing to see.

Because it was such a great success, we will repeat this program at least three times a year. You can expect another poetry event in October. The date has not been determined yet so keep an eye out for it. Don't miss it!!

Here's a few shots from the event.

The Eagle Has Landed

I would like the pleasure of introducing you to my mother, Earlease. A longtime supporter of Project Brownstone; she can be found at all of our events offering her support. She works tirelessly behind the scenes sharing her experience and insights into such areas of children and education.

Her experience of raising five children of her own as well as being a longtime teacher makes her a wealth of information to us. For as long as I can remember,  she's always been involved with some aspect of guiding children. Whether as a girl scout leader, a den mother, a teacher or the chair of some committee in our parish, I've always had a clear example of what to do and how to go about it. More so, we were taught the importance of sharing our gifts with the community.

While I wasn't always the best student, I was well aware of the importance an education had for me. My parents invested in giving us all a quality education. So even if I didn't fully apply myself, the environment was conducive to exposing me to all of the options available. I learned at an early age that education is a tool that can be applied, at will, to any given situation at any given time of your life. The clock never runs out on learning; it's just like when you pull a screwdriver out of the toolbox to fix something, you can pull education out of your toolbox to fix your life.

Project Brownstone will succeed because of the blueprint put down by people like Earlease. By setting examples and doing the heavy lifting in organizing around the areas of children and education, she plays a big role in forging the basis for why we exist. Combine that with unwavering love and support...I can't lose!

While I'm somewhat biased, I know there are so many children that need a mother like Earlease. I'm blessed to have her!! Project Brownstone wants to extend its gratitude...thank you, Earlease!!

Verses of Power

Making preparations to embark on our 1st Poetry Open Mic called Backdrop To Black on March 28, 2015 at 4:00pm-8:00pm. The event will take place at the Project Brownstone office at 133 West 131st Street in Harlem. We're looking forward to the event because this is an area of the arts that we have not attempted thus far.

To help us out, we have enlisted the help of John "Chance" Acevedo. I call him Chance. I've known him for years from the Upper Westside neighborhood I used to live in. I watched him develop into an amazing individual that hosts and organizes poetry events around New York City. He has a large following of established and up-and-coming poets and artists. He is the go-to man for youth talent and motivational development.

Chance hooked us up with three amazing featured poets, Margarita Cruz, Sammy Maldonado and Gabriel Ramirez, who are known on the poetry slam circuit in New York City. We're honored to have such talent under our roof. We're hoping this will kick off great new relationships as well as subsequent poetry events hosted by Project Brownstone. The Poets & Writers Foundation has been wonderful by generously supporting us with funding.

Anyone that's been to our office will be surprised at how we will transform it to enhance the event. We want it to be an experience that people talk about long after it's over. We will post photos of the transformation for your viewing.

We're asking for a suggested donation of $10 that will help Project Brownstone continue its important work in education, empowerment and youth development in the community. If you have a poem, please feel free to drop by and give it a go. We're asking that participants sign-up between 4:00pm-5:00pm. We look forward to seeing you!

The Wind Beneath Their Wings

 
I would like the pleasure to introduce Curlene! She is the real deal when it comes to supporting and enriching the lives of children. Where most people talk about what they want to do, she actually does it. There's no fanfare here; there's action. Unfortunately, she's a rare breed. The number of people that pledge their support and renege on it, is staggering. I guess the old adage: the road to hell is paved in good intentions, sadly, applies. This is the type of person whom Project Brownstone looks for and values because we can rest assured that she will deliver what she promises.

Curlene, my oldest sister, has been the ultimate example of what art and dance can do for you, and how it can transform the community. I witnessed this firsthand when I was 12 years old when she and friends got together and formed a dance school, Movement of the Children Dance Center, for the young children in our parish community. I had the dubious honor of dancing in their first recital. Let's just say...I'm no dancer. However, it provided the structure and discipline that I needed in my music career as well as running Project Brownstone. It taught me to look outside of the realm of possibility and to reach for the stars.

There's this apocryphal idea that in black communities, unless it's a free service, it will not flourish. They proved this wrong ten times over and are still in business 40 years later! They have a simple business model: for a nominal fee they teach dance classes, all disciplines, as well as provide direction and self-esteem. I remember having a discussion at Columbia in our Annual Fund class. There's a myth that black people do not and will not support causes. While, after some experience with the organization, I find partially true, my sister and friends managed to prove this wrong. So when I feel discouraged, I always have that example to refer to.

She's part of a movement that shows just how much parents are willing to invest in their children's well-being, if given the opportunity. We, as a community, need to take this example and apply it to every aspect of our lives. Instead of pointing fingers and complaining about what is not, we can pool our energy and resources, and change the world. We just have to be willing. We have to be willing to move beyond our own shortcomings and misgivings, and respond to the message instead of the messenger.

Curlene is our greatest cheerleader. Always there to lend support and positive encouragement, she helps to make all possible. If we had an army of Curlenes, the world would be a much better place!! Thank you, we value you!

Are Guidance Counselors "Guiding" Your Children?

The Textbook Stipend Project has been a very rewarding venture for Project Brownstone. So far we've completed the first semester of college with our students. They showed great enthusiasm and an interest in their studies. They're energized by their new surroundings and new friends.

We were fortunate to have the input of a Guidance Counselor in assisting with our choice of the right students that fit the criteria we look for. Not only do they have the inside track on who is qualified, they also have firsthand knowledge of the personality traits and characteristics that thrive in this setting. I was lucky to make the acquaintance of a counselor at an after school party held by a friend. We immediately forged a connection that has been fruitful and helpful to our process. She supplied us with two of our first three candidates.

Presently, we've been blessed with a grant from the West Harlem Development Corporation to expand our program. We have enough funds to increase our numbers by four students. This is great news! While four students out of thousands doesn't sound like much, it is the beginning of something that can grow enough to accommodate as many students possible. So we forged forward with our plans of expansion only to reach a dead end!

Something I think of as a win-win situation seems to have built-in limitations. We did our research of the schools that fall under the aegis of Community Board 9, a large swath of West Harlem, and immediately began emailing the Guidance Counselors. The subject of the email is "Scholarship Opportunity For Your Students." Maybe I'm oversimplifying, but that is the type of benefit that most students transitioning to college would be happy to have. Most students look high and low for scholarships to subsidize portions of the education expense involved. A perfect opportunity....or so I thought.

I have yet to receive one response to the emails that were sent. I even went so far as to resend in the hope that the message would gain some traction. Well, it hasn't. That forced me to question what and how these counselors are 'guiding' students. I spoke to an academic professional about this and he said that most of them are overwhelmed rendering them ineffective or they just don't care. I'm shocked! I always thought the role of the counselor is to find ways to enrich and edify the existence and future of students. They are there to guide students to their next moves... in theory. In practice, it's not happening.

The moral of this story is that it's up to parents to investigate who the people are 'guiding' your children. I cannot stress this enough. Many parents in the district can really use the financial help so you have to hold the counselors' feet to the flames as to what opportunities are out there that will help in their transition, and what type of advice they give your children. Parents have to be proactive in this pursuit because I would really hate to see a great benefit like the Textbook Stipend Project disappear because of lack of participation.

We're all in this together!

Birds Flying High In The Sky

Introducing Pat! She's a longtime friend of Project Brownstone who lends her expertise and vision to the organization. Her worldview aligns well with the pathos that the organization is built on. It's about bringing all of our experiences under one roof and sharing it in the pursuit of enriching and empowering youth. Having the unique opportunity to travel the world as a model adds to the cache of experiences that makes up the reason for our existence.

I know Pat as a friend, a model, a photographer and my road dog. There is nothing that I can throw at her that she cannot help me with. Anything from running errands to bouncing ideas off of, she's there. Because we have somewhat similar backgrounds in fashion and travel, there's a connection that enables us to communicate about some of the esoteric ideas that we put forth for the organization. When you've been blessed enough to have the opportunity to work and see the world through eyes that many never get to, it's important to bring that back to your community with the goal to share and enrich. I always knew while I was out there traveling that there would be no point in it if I didn't have an opportunity to use it to uplift my community.

Branding is a big part of any organization. As a photographer, Pat lends us her eye to translate the vision making it palatable for the public. She spent six months traveling throughout Africa photographing and documenting the beauty of our people as well as the amazing landscapes that have long been forgotten due to the transatlantic slave trade. That connection through her photographs adds a certain extra purview into the souls of the people that support and are supported by Project Brownstone. Her photography goes much deeper than the two-dimensional photographs that record an event but fail to record the experience. Pat gets to the heart of WHY the event is necessary.

Pat documented our 1st Annual 'Making A Difference' Award Benefit in May 2014 at Faculty House at Columbia University. She zeroed in on the spirit of the event and captured some of the really special moments that made the event a great success. The photos further helped to cement the branding of Project Brownstone because now people have a clear idea and picture of what they can expect when they get involved with our organization. We are forever grateful for that. And grateful for Pat's valuable contribution! Thank you!

Here are some pictures from the event:

It Will Take More Than A Month

Once again, Black History month is upon us. It's the time of year where everything black becomes relevant to the every day narrative of the American people. Mind you, it's the shortest month of the year. How can such a short period of time encompass a few hundred years' worth of history? Is it by some nefarious design? Is it an attempt to give a little but not too much? These are the million dollar questions.

This speaks to a greater issue prevalent to this country. It speaks to a system that is set in place, since this country's inception, that still hasn't been properly addressed. We learn about the Constitution and the Founding Fathers (quiet as its kept some of these men are the fathers of our fathers) but are we aware that slavery IS written into this document? It just isn't named. Do you know the fugitive slave acts are also written into it? You have to ask why are amendments necessary? Why is citizenship a topic that needs amending? Who are they talking about when they utter the phrase, "We the people...?"Let's not forget...black people were considered 'property.' The Constitution makes sure that's protected!

I'll never forget my Political Science professor, who shall remain nameless because he was recently voted into political office in the Bronx, denied the existence of slavery in the document. I thought it strange considering how knowledgeable he is about the political make up of the country. He knows the ins and outs of how the government operates. However, that feigned ignorance speaks to a larger problem of not properly connecting the dots that led up to the Constitution's signing. Hence, we need more than a month to apprise the populace of the history and legacy of a people that made all of this possible. Everyone needs to know who's responsible for building an economic system that surpassed the rest of the world in making the United States a super power.

Without properly connecting the dots, mistakes like this are taught in our schools on a daily basis. This is a disservice to ALL students because it does not explain the unfair system that is in place for economic reasons that victimized a whole race of people, and left behind the poisonous vestiges that underpin racism. I bet many don't know that Apartheid was modeled after American practices. South Africa studied us and improved upon our hideous system of race-based terrorism. We need to make that information readily available and included in curricula.

Post-racial is nothing but present-day denial. It makes it way too easy to sidestep the real issue at hand, and excuses practices that still affect the world today. The damage reaches far beyond a pretty package of Post-Racialism..... Ask yourself, what does the term 'Civil Rights' imply? It speaks to the lack of civility by an uncivilized few that make laws necessary to treat your fellow man with humaneness. That's what it is....

Anyway, before I get stuck on my soapbox, I want to post a video about the slave trade that addresses what we don't read in the textbooks, and explains its effect on ALL people. Take a look so you can see what took hundreds of years to create and how it will not, and cannot, be appeased by giving us a measly month.....28 days!!

The Chirping Bird Gets Heard

It is Project Brownstone's pleasure to introduce to you, Lydgia! Her contribution to the work of the Amistad Watch is of great value. If you don't know by now, the Amistad Watch is engaged in the important work in the area of education. This initiative is in response to the 2005 legislation of Assemblymen Keith L. T. Wright and Tom Alfano to incorporate the African American experience into the social studies curriculum of the NYS Public Schools.

Lydgia is instrumental in organizing a group of concerned Harlem residents around social issues plaguing our community. Lack of knowledge of self and the ongoing challenges to our children's self esteem resulted in the formation of the Amistad Watch. 

She's a community Activist. We first met through Harlem Children's Zone's Community Pride. She facilitated great discussions and opportunities for the community to find ways to channel their voices. Most important, is what developed out of that effort.

Thank you, Lydgia!

Microaggressions In College

When women and students of color attend college they aren't always prepared for some of the interactions that take place. We don't take into consideration how these encounters affect students and can, in some cases, impede progress. The interactions I speak of can be referred to as microaggressions.

Microaggressions are very subtle. They're sometimes imperceptible. But they do exists. These negative encounters can be experienced in exchanges between students of color and women with their peers in predominantly white institutions of learning. This can result in an hostile environment creating a climate too uncomfortable to succeed. This shows up in ways such as blanketing whole segments of the population with stereotypes that border on racist as well as sexist.

My experience at Columbia University made evident that not all students understand nor care to integrate with 'others.' This comes in subtle statements as well as misinformation and lack of sensitivity to people not like them.

I'm not exactly a shrinking violet so I met fire with fire. I refused to allow this type of behavior or belief system to interfere with getting the best education possible. Besides, at the point that I attended grad school, I was fully comfortable with who I am and my place in the world.

My masters is in Fundraising Management, a field dominated by white women. I was one of two males in most of my classes. I always felt an underlying discomfort around many of these women. Mind you, all of my life, I've been around many women of different stripes so I know it had nothing to do with gender. I found them dismissive and, at times, rude making assumptions based on stereotypes.This became glaringly evident when we did our final group project, which I will address in another blog.

I noticed that no matter how I applied myself, there was always a discount of a half point on my final grades. I started to find it strange that after leaving an intensive undergrad experience majoring in History with a 4.0 GPA, the best I seemed to be able to accomplish was an -A.

Fortunately, we were required to take classes in the Business School as part of our requirements. Ironically, I managed to pull three A pluses and an A! The work was definitely much more rigorous. I began to realize what was going on and actually jokingly coined it the "Negro Discount." In the field of fundraising I automatically lose a half point based on some unforeseen microaggression...go figure?!

To add insult to injury, when we designed a training for a nonprofit as an assignment, I was met with condescension, and told "nobody will ever agree to that!" I let it stew for a week and when the time permitted, I confronted the professor and told him that by looking at the assignment through the eyes of a white man, you're doing a disservice to people who live and are affected by adversity in communities of color. He told me it was a "point well taken." Needless to say, I got an A!

Harvard University's Voices of Diversity project conducted a study addressing this phenomenon. Here is an article that presents the findings in their report: http://colorlines.com/archives/2015/01/report_for_students_of_color_college_life_filled_with_microaggressions.html.

Our First Workshop: The Textbook Stipend Project

We had an inspired weekend with a visit from students from the Philadelphia area and the workshop for the students of the Textbook Stipend Project. They were resounding successes. It's great to see students of color making positive moves in the education arena. They are shattering the negative expectations placed on them by the media and society as a whole. There's still work to be done but it is evident, we're headed in the right direction.

The students from Philadelphia have varied majors that range from Criminology and Forensics to Communications and the Recording Industry. They are equally motivated to complete their studies and also discussed the specter of attending Graduate School. They possess an entrepreneurial spirit that I'm sure will result in the growth of industry that will have important social implications at its core and activism in its practice.

Last August, we introduced you to the students participants of the Textbook Stipend Project. There's Dina Atwa, Faith Culpepper, and Gavin Ferguson. We got the opportunity to hold a workshop designed to bring the participants together to create the shared goals and expectations. The workshop takes place post-semester so we can get a perspective based in experience. The purpose of the stipend is to provide funds for textbooks and supplies necessary to the matriculation process.

In the workshop, we broke things down to the basics. It really came down to what they like, dislike, challenges and their shifting paradigm. The students unanimously liked their first semester of college. They enjoyed meeting new peers from different backgrounds, and quickly came to understand things do not operate the same way they do in high school. They like their classes, events, campus, and in one case, dorm life. Most striking, is the pride in attending college and the opportunity inherent in their new environments.

They are hard pressed to come up with dislikes. I pressed them for some kind of answer. All they came up with is the length and time of travel to and from campus, the number of days with classes, the foreboding darkness of one campus at night, and college food. Not too bad. I'm happy that they're taking full advantage of the resources as well as the advise given to them. They have managed to successfully navigate their first semester without any major drawbacks.

All in all, the most important piece of the workshop is finding out just how helpful and important the stipend is to the progress of their academic pursuit. They are unanimous in the opinion that the stipend makes things easier as well as provides a smoother transition into their studies. Most telling is they are aware of the academic requirements needed to continue in the project and used that as motivation to do well. It works.

In the coming days you will get to see and hear the students tell you in their own words just how important the Textbook Stipend Project is to their success. Stay tuned....

http://youtu.be/_8VWAmof9Mc
http://youtu.be/VXCvRZjM6nA
http://youtu.be/js1Vo5anmWA

We Need the Birds In the Clouds

Dana is the Dreamer. She dreams big and sets her sights on obtaining her goals in life. This desire combined with our fledgling organization has created an advantageous condition for us to use her skills in communication to assist in giving a definitive face to our message of empowerment and development.

Dana has all of the qualities that Project Brownstone looks for. She has a pioneering spirit that translates and transports our brand into the new age of Millennials. She is the quintessential representative of all that is and all that is possible. She's a young woman from a middle-classed family in Queens who worked her way through school majoring in Communications.

She has the moxy needed to succeed in the competitive landscape we live in presently. Dana knows how to think outside of the box, take advise and make the necessary moves that will take it to the next level.

Her goal is to be an on-air personality that reports on lifestyle as well as groundbreaking individuals. Her on air name is D. Carrie, you may have seen her show us what she's made of by lending her skill by interviewing myself, the Executive Director, Assemblyman Keith Wright as well as the guests Artist-in-Residence, Noel Donaldson, for our Gallery Series.

Her professionalism and bright spirit, hands down, make her our choice to be the face and spokesperson for our brand. Her message aligns well with the mission. Her work ethic and courage make her the perfect match for our new, daring, forward thinking organization. We thank you, Dana!!