DinoMights-Powercamp.

This week the DinoMights have been learning about forensics. They truly have become CSI:Minneapolis.

The Mini-Mites & Mites have learned about public service people in our community
( police officers, firefighters...)


The Squirts & PeeWees have been learning about fingerprinting, chromatography, and other aspects of crime scense investigations.

Hope.

Hope- 1.wish or desire: something that somebody wants to have or do or wants to happen or be true 2.confident desire: a feeling that something desirable is likely to happen 3.trust: a feeling of trust


Tonight I left my grad school class with a sinking feeling. Each time I open up my cell phone it has a picture of two beautiful girls, Dekayla & Desiree. On the top of my phone it says "hope." I realized I hadn't seen these two girls in a year. Their family was evicted the apartment complex I lived in last year around this time.

Throughout the summer we would often go to Dairy Queen, or they would come over & play Uno. They also taught me the art of "ships across the ocean."

4 girls under the age of 12 were in this family. A humbling reality was that their mom was a year older than me.

Many of the kids I have gotten to know over the past few years have moved. I have also moved out of some of their lives.
( moving from St. Paul to Minneapolis)

Yet, I have seen several boys grow into young men in the past 3 years and become role models for their younger siblings. I have watched two girls who have been best friends throughout their entire life make solid life choices as teenagers. They even received a service leadership award this Fall. I've seen my neighbor stay home on the weekend, after many of his friends began to join gangs.

I can only have hope for Sha'liece, Desiree, Dekayla, & moody ( that is what we called the 3 year old). They were evicted from the apartment after only living in it for 5 months.

These girls were brilliant, full of childhood wonder and curiosity.. As much as I desire for so many kids to grow up and truly grasp who they are- this does not always happen. This notion spans beyond the urban environment to kids who grow up anywhere. Kids are full of dreams, and they have so much potential.

Chances are I may never see these 4 girls again. I pray that they will hold to truth... I pray that they will grow up to be young women who know their worth and use all of the amazing gifts that they have.

an excerpt from Still I Rise by Maya Angelou...

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Maya Angelou

SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't posted anything for quite awhile. Between summer school, work, and travels it is already JULY!

So far the highlights have been:

- Celebrations with my family.. Birthdays, mothers day & fathers day. It is still an adjustment living so close to my family, but certainly great when an event happens!

-Seeing Obama at the Xcel Center

-The Urban Mosaic of Talent. My friend Sarah & I put on the second Urban Mosaic of Talent at The Hub. We had some amazing acts, especially in the High school category.

-Marta & Billy's wedding. I lived with Marta this past year at the Oakland house.. I was honored to be in their wedding. Delone & Savannah were the most adorable flower girl & ringbearers ever!

-Biking more than driving this summer. Although my tire got a flat today.. =(

- Hiking/camping the Superior Hiking trail with my Dad & brother Dan

-grilling out with the neighbors.

-Hockey in the Hood Camp with the DinoMights.. I actually skated this year.. Before you know it, I will be a hockey player. We have 8 new DinoMights!

-Kids Across America Urban Sports Camp in Missouri. We brought two 15 passenger vans of Dinos down for a fabulous week of camp.

-4th of July at the cabin with my family.


Lacy, Paola, Sandy, Joeny, Nancy, & Lucy on the way to Missouri.


Chris giving a tour of the grounds at the George Washington Carver museum on the way to KAA.



Jacob on the treetops at KAA.


Mi Padre y Madre.



Family birthdays ( Dan & I have birthdays one month apart) The cake started to tip over!


Dave & my sister in-law Liz at the cabin. Dave is such a goofball.



Marta's bachelorette



Delone & Savannah stealin the show at Marta & Billy's wedding.





Barack & Michelle Obama at the Xcel Center.

Community.

My friend Katie showed me this poem today. Her roommate wrote it, the words are incredibly beautiful.

Community
by Emily K. Bright

It is nearly midnight and I'm
scrubbing at the grout.
The dishes, washed,
are put away. This is how I love
the people in my house,
with baking soda and a sponge.
We build our community
from the kitchen out,
knowing eggs or cornbread
stretch a meal to feed
the neighbor boys, who come
when we sit down to supper.
They always join us
when we offer, always ask
to use the phone to talk to girls
They claw through adolescence
and such obstacles I never had to face:
gangs and constant relocations,
Michael's father half way through
his fifteen years for selling. I learn,
I learn from them. Outside, sirens
flash their blue and red again.
I sweep footprints in a pile,
fill the bucket and mop.
So much is beyond my circle of control.
But this house, this place of gathering,
it shines, if only for a few to see,
if only through the morning.

The compact....

Sunday June 1, 2008 begins a new day. I have been thinking this decision over for awhile, and I talked with my good friend Siri about it. She has decided to join me on this year long journey. It will end June 1, 2009.

Last week I also had lunch with two friends who work in the same building as me. One of them mentioned "The Compact", and it really made me start to seriously consider this idea.

I am not going to buy anything new for a year ( except personal hygiene products)
The biggest struggle will be clothes. With clothes I am going to try my best to even avoid thrift stores. I am the queen of justifying purchases, and finding "good deals" or sales. Yet, I own WAY too many clothes and shoes.

The other week I was at Patagonia and saw a shirt that said "Live Simply." In the same day I read the quote by Thoreau that says "Live simply, so others may simply live." I thought of how often I love the concept of simple living, but I do not truly live it out.


You can read an article about The compact here. I know their could be even bigger steps towards simple living, but I am starting with this. Also, a blog has been written about The compact

I am going to try to follow these two guidlines: not buying new products of any kind (except personal hygiene items),and to borrow items or buy used.

June 1, 2008....................................

To be young, gifted, and Black.

Tonight I went to a dance, music, & spoken word performance over in North Minneapolis. It was written by Lorraine Hansberry who also scripted " A Raisin in the Sun." The High schoolers who performed in this play were incredibly talented.
The play was titled " To be Young, gifted, & Black."

The event was held in the Capri Theatre on Oliver & Broadway in North...

It was a powerful evening celebrating the talents, hopes and dreams of youth in North Minneapolis

My parents are currently hosting a young African-American man from Atlanta for the month. He is interning for the summer with a church located in my neighborhood in South Minneapolis. One of the first things someone told him when coming to Minneapolis, is to stay away from "the Northside." Well, I am all about changing perceptions and sterotypes. In his first 24 hours of being in Minneapolis I took him to the Northside to see what is really goin down.


As Mayor R. T Rybak said " With a visionary plan calling for a new marquee, new programs, renovation, and an outdoor plaza, The Capri thater will become a beacon for changing times on west Broadway. The life of this theater will flow onto the street and influence the design, streetscape, public art.. as a further sign that things are changing for the better. On West Broadway. On the northside. And in Minneapolis."

The lives of the innocent....

This weekend was certainly a roller coaster.
There were some amazing times of celebration- having a party for Marta before she gets married in two weeks!

Yet, some intense moments happened in our home.
The police ended up having to come over TWICE... I don't want to go into exstensive details as to why they were at our house. The family that lives in our duplex had to call the police

Life becomes both difficult & beautiful when you enter into trusting community with those around you.

I have such a deep sense of love for Delone & Savannah who live below us.
Continually, I have hope for these two kids who will soon be Marta's ringbearer & flower girl. They are surrounded by the systemic injustices of poverty on a daily basis. Their entire family is amazing, and they have taught me more about community than I could ever learn from a book, or a conference.

I pray that these children will learn to dream of a world where they have hope, and opportunities to grow, and love deeply.


savannah is getting so smart.




Savannah sportin my dress.



Making cookies.

Delone ...