July 2022 Edition

Culture & News

Happy Summer

The summer has arrived with all of its glory. It’s a time for travel, cook-outs, and gathering with friends and family for some fun in the sun. There is so much going on in the nation and world, that socio-political turmoil is often the soup du jour. Although, these issues are of importance, so is the need for a day of rest. For this reason, relax on the virtual front porch with me and enjoy some Southern house wine (sweet tea), while we talk about the perks of summer.

The summer brings fresh vegetables and fruit to the table. On the menu can be old favorites or new dishes to try out. Eden Westbrook of Sweet Tea + Thyme gives a recipe for delicious Carnitas Street Tacos, Monique of Divas Can Cook shares her recipe for a scrumptious Fresh Strawberry Cake, and Mike of Chili Pepper Madness has a fiery recipe for Jalapeno Cornbread. After you put these yummy dishes on your plate don’t forget a cold beverage. Try Betty Crocker’s refreshing Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade to cool that summer-time thirst.

There are many local activities that can be enjoyed during this season. A visit to the museum, amusement parks, library events, or the timeless backyard cook-out. Short-stay or longer vacations to fun destinations are the plans of many people. The U.S. Virgin Islands offers travelers beautiful beaches, mouthwatering Caribbean cuisine, and the benefit of U.S. currency. There are four main islands: St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, and Water Island. If you are a U.S. citizen, travel is allowed with an official government ID, no passport is required. However, I highly suggest everyone to obtain a passport (because it’s like insurance, just in case a need arises). As always, check the entry requirements for your destination country prior to departure.

The Essence Festival 2022 (June 30th-July 3rd) of New Orleans has returned after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. There will be a variety of cultural activities and the inclusion of a virtual marketplace. It makes for a fun weekend event.

Happy summer everyone!

Art/Film/Literature News

The Rumble Hunters

A little boy at bedtime keeps hearing strange noises that frighten him. He goes on a night adventure to investigate the noises and picks up comrades along the way. Read more about this wonderful adventure in the book: The Rumble Hunters by Courtney B. Dunlap and Illustrated by Nazar Horokhivskyi (2020, 19 pages, kindle edition).

Book Quote:

“Is that a rumbling in my ear? A midnight grumbling coming near” (kindle loc. 5).

This book has a great plot, humor, cute rhymes, and fun illustrations. Love this story!

Business/Non-Profit News

Sharity, Not Charity

Mallence Bart-Williams is a social entrepreneur whose powerful Ted Talk “Change Your Channel” (2015) features her philosophy of “Sharity, not charity” to address global economic disparities between African nations and other countries. She is trained in economics, an international globetrotter, business owner, and the founder of Folorunsho, a sharity creative collective that works with homeless youth in Freetown, South Africa. Her philosophy and creative ideas have been added to several high school studies and university programs. Watch the Consumer News & Business Channel (CNBC) video of her below.

HuffPost:”Sharity, Not Charity“: The Story Behind The Boldest TED Talk (2017)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sharity-not-charity-the-story-behind-the-boldest_b_58c84b9ce4b05675ee9c5b09

*Notice: Mallence Bart-Williams was first mentioned in the March 2020 Edition, to view the entire edition click here

*Notice: I would like to add a caveat to the above posted video conversation by referencing the following: The July 2020 Edition which discusses racial bias in policing and U.S. systematic racism. A great book to read: How the Left Destroyed the Western Negro by VKY (for Victoria Kabeya) featured in the April 2021 Edition. And see the October 2021 Edition for a video of the dearly departed Ferguson activist Darren Seals, who speaks on BLM.

For Additional Reading

WUSA 9 News: You want to talk about black-on-black crime? It’s misdirection | Reese’s Final Thought (2020) Article excerpt: “But the real flaw in this argument is the simple fact that when a black person commits a crime against another black person, or a white person against another whiter person, and so forth, that person faces justice –something that happens less than 1 percent of the time when the perpetrator is a cop.”

ABC 7 Chicago News: Mexico cartels now fuel deadly Chicago opioid epidemic (2018) Article excerpt: “Chicago, a longtime hub for Mexican heroin and cocaine imports to the U.S., is now also a feeder point for cartel shipments of illicit opioid drugs smuggled along the conventional supply lines.”

HuffPost: Opinion The Business Of Black Death And A $6 Million Mansion (2022) Article excerpt: “Ferguson activist Darren Seals tried to warn the rest of America that the Black Lives Matter organization was not the sacred cow everyone believed it to be.”

Essence: She, The People: Susan Burton On Leading Women Returning To Society To ‘A New Way Of Life’ (2019) Article excerpt: “I realize I couldn’t take back the years of pain and suffering that I had experienced. But I could help another woman from experiencing reincarceration by providing a safe environment and a community where they could belong and resources to help them navigate life. And that’s how A New Way of Life started,” Burton told ESSENCE.”

Los Angeles Times: Federal agent convicted of taking bribes from organized crime (2022) Article excerpt: “With his credit cards maxed out and in danger of losing his home, Cisneros agreed to look up a person in a government database in exchange for a $30,000 bribe, according to testimony during his trial this month in federal court.”

MSNBC: The political perks of being ‘The First Gay President’ (2014) Article excerpt: “There’s no questioning the fact that President Obama has been a transformative force for the LGBT community, going further in protecting their rights “than any administration in history,” as he’ll often boast. But there may be another beneficiary in this equation: President Obama himself.”

Atlanta Black Star: Tamir Rice’s Mother Voices Utter Disappointment in Obama’s Stance on Police Brutality: I Don’t Know How He Sleeps at Night (2016) Article Excerpt: “President Barack Obama, I don’t know what you are doing,” Rice says with disdain. “I don’t know how you are able to sleep at night … Nobody is getting any justice … I am very disappointed in him.”

Book Review

Contrast Brings Clarity

Teressa Kennedy explains the unexpected road that lead her to homeschooling in the book: Contrast Brings Clarity: The Unexpected Path that Led Me to Homeschooling. She details experiences with traditional/charter schools, tutors, IEPs, and diagnostic academic exams.

Even as a single mother, she never gave up. And there were times of frustration. But her love and dedication to find the best educational option for her child was unwavering. A true story with a great God-wink twist!

Book Quote:

“I have always believed that God allows us to have certain experiences so that we can be a blessing to others.” (kindle p. 55)

Video (5)

Copyright© Sankofa Newsletter 2019-2022 All Rights Reserved U.S.A.