GREATER BRIDGEPORT BRANCH

P.O. Box 287, Bridgeport, CT 06601 • Phone: 203-916-8060 • Email: NAACP@bridgeportnaacp.comRepresenting Bridgeport, Fairfield, Stratford, Trumbull • George Mintz, Branch President

NAACP Greater Bridgeport Branch June 2019 | Page 1

Newsletter: Volume 3, Issue 4 [June 2019] | Communications Committee of NAACP of Bridgeport

�e Vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination

Sheena Graham is an award winning music teacher at Harding High School in Bridgeport who was recently named the 2019 Connecti-cut Teacher of the Year. She has been teaching for 36 years, mainly in Bridgeport public schools.

While taking attendance one day during her second year of teaching at Blackham School, she called a girl’s name and another student responded that the girl had been shot the day before. Without skipping a beat, Graham called the next name on the list. Re�ecting on that moment, she was troubled by her reaction. Why hadn’t the shooting of a young person elicited the normal response

of shock and grief? She decided to transfer to an Ansonia school in the familiar surroundings of her hometown, taking the time to think about who she really was.

�e ��h of seven children born to Freddie and Annie Graham, Sheena recalled her early childhood in Connecticut. Her parents moved to Ansonia from South Carolina and though her memo-ries are of happy times in a house always �lled with friends, there were many challenges along the way. �at the family bought a house from a white homeowner seems a triumph amid signs they weren’t welcome: an o�cer of the law telling them people object-ed to their living in the town, a brother not allowed to play at a white classmate’s house, having their above ground swimming pool slashed. And why was the white homeowner willing to sell her house to the Grahams? According to family lore, she had never seen such clean, white socks on so many children.

Sheena Graham always seems to �nd a cloud’s silver lining. In addition to music, she imparts to her students the many values that helped her succeed in her �eld. And she creates a fun, safe setting for learning. A huge bulletin board in her classroom is covered with photos of the many places her students have been invited to perform, including the White House for Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, and a second time in a White House talent show. Asked whether providing safe spaces in the school for students might be interpreted by some as coddling, she answers with a �rm, “No. �ere’s a big di�erence.” While she encourages students to express themselves through their music and to communicate any issues they may be having, she demands discipline, hard work, responsibility for actions, and respect for others. Nothing coddling in that.

Listing the many grants she has applied for and received to supply her music classroom with instruments, including a le�-handed guitar and bass, Graham credits an English teacher she once accused of being a racist (the teacher was African American, too) with teaching her the writing skills she would need throughout her life. She is �lled with gratitude for these lessons and is not afraid of admitting she was wrong. She also cites a 5th grade teacher who demonstrated that it was acceptable to have feelings and express them.

When listening to the lyrics of Sheena Graham’s music composi-tions, it’s obvious she has no trouble �nding the perfect words and rhythms to express her thoughts. It’s evident in student record-ings of her compositions, including Bridgeport Reach https://w-ww.youtube.com/watch?v=yRXNoKZssls&t=3s, and a tribute to the survivors of the L’Ambience Plaza tragedy, among many other works.

Her greatest hope for her music students is that they discover what they are most passionate about, pursue a career related to that, but always be prepared with a more practical sideline.

Education as a Pathway to Success

In recognition of her support for “Educational Opportunities that

A�ord All Children Good Pathways to Successful Careers”, Sheena Graham received the Prudence

Crandall Education Award at the Greater Bridgeport NAACP 2016

Freedom Fund Dinner.

By Lori Hashizume

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." Martin Luther King, Jr

June 2019 | Page 2 NAACP Greater Bridgeport Branch

Neighbors In �e News• Laurie B. Giles and her professional associates, all members of Black Attorney Resource (B.A.R.) co-sponsored a two hour legal roundtable on May 2, 2019 to introduce the many members of the profession who practice in the region from Stamford to Shelton. “Know Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities” was the title of the

panel presentation. However, it really served as a comfortable introduction to several local practitioners and their special areas of competence. Judge Barry Stevens moderated the meeting. Participating were Ellen Morgan , (juvenile law subjects), Reine Boyer (appeals, bankruptcy and foreclosure), �eodore Jones (taxes), James Maye (business startups and non-pro�t organizations), Michael Woolen (real estate) and Sharon Skyers (civil litigation, etc.). In a short session covering such subjects and others like, Elderlaw planning, divorce and family law, employment law, women’s issues and higher education, the overview was intended to showcase, the range of expertise available to the community of color locally. In a follow-up interview, Ms. Giles said that the group, formed in 2017, was intended to link attorneys of color together in an e�ort to support referrals to specialists where indicated thereby making sure that their clients were well served. She also related that the �rm receiving the major portion of Bridgeport City funds has legal and paralegal sta�s that poorly represent City demographics.

• Dallas Carter will enter the third grade in September at Black Rock School where she has created a record of perfect attendance during her three years there. She loves to read and admitted that her favorite book encountered in the past year was JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. In addition to reading she has taken piano lessons since age 3 and has participated in two recitals. Ms. Brum, her school athletics teacher, started a running

group before school hours. She encouraged DC, as she is known at Black Rock, to “have con�dence” and “go for it” by entering the 2019 the Black Rock Day Kids Race. It was her �rst competition and she received the �rst place medal. She is standing proudly with her mother Brittany Richardson.

• Ron Rapice, coordinator of the Bridgeport Public Schools Debate League, and a partner with Greater Bridgeport NAACP Branch with such events, has been working on a new and exciting project. It would engage the middle/high school debaters with private school teams in Washington DC. �e �rst

year competition would be in DC. Ron can supply the contacts, the students and the training required but he is short a handful of adults who would assist in planning, funding, logistics and selecting the local schools and teams for the competition. Do you know any adult who understands the profound bene�ts of debating for young people? Have you observed the increase in their ability to study an issue and present either side of a question with imagination, conviction, and within a timeline? Ron would be pleased to hear from you at RRapice@bridgeportedu.net.

• Introducing Kim Bianca Williams who started life in New Rochelle, NY where her sport of choice was track. Since then she has lived in Tennessee, Atlanta and Savannah before arriving in Bridgeport in 2011. �e City was her intentional choice because of its potential for development and proximity to her family. She is an adjunct educator at University of

Bridgeport in Business Communication and also teaches public speaking and Humanities at Housatonic CC. She has positioned herself as a consultant to newer businesses and terms herself a “serial entrepreneur”. She serves the East Side NRZ as a board member. While reviewing Craig’s List o�erings she found a food trailer o�ered at a “can’t turn down price”. Last summer it became the platform for selling premium bottled water, and this year it has re-emerged selling several sizes and varieties of fresh popcorn. I observed her dealing with the Ordinance Committee of the City Council recently where she was collaborating to introduce a new Pedi-cab business….a �rst for Bridgeport. She shared a dream for the future where she will be able to purchase real estate suitable for residential and commercial use by workers who serve City clients like social workers, architects, and lawyers service providers to the community. �ere is something spiritual, and more than practical, that will impact the underserved of the community, certainly. Look for her food van at downtown events this summer. Say hello.

CRIME 2019 2018

Murder 2 1 Robbery 96 77 Felony Assault 126 114 Burglary 140 148 Felony Larceny 40 29 MV �e�s 115 146

Bridgeport Crime Statistics* for 4-1-19 to 6-30-19

* Bridgeport Police Department Courtesy of PIO

NAACP Greater Bridgeport Branch June 2019 | Page 3

Just Bugging Me by Peter George(Bridgeport resident, former educator, Letter to the Editor writer and sound thinker, Peter George has agreed to provide a sample

of his thoughts to the Greater Bridgeport NAACP Newsletter in the form of LTE. Most letters do not get published by the CT Post. �is is an opportunity to become familiar with the thoughts of a “local thinker”.)

Letter to the Editor of Connecticut Post:

A�er reading in the Connecticut Post two articles, ‘Shelton seeks to overturn ruling’ and ‘ Why I am a hospice volunteer’, I could not help but come away with two di�erent examples of cultural mind-sets that were dramatically the opposite of the intrinsic God given natural value of a human being.

�e latter article recognized the intangible worth or nature of comfort, touch and speech that a volunteer gives to a chronically ill patient that is indescribable and imperceptible.

Now contrast that to a police o�cer “using the ‘n-word’ or calling Barack Obama, a Muslim piece of ______”. Imagine the mind-set of any o�cer guilty of uttering such in�ammatory, derogatory, and hateful verbiage!

In my opinion obviously such dastardly and vile speech deserves not only a suspension but termination. For the Arbitration Board to order reinstatement with back pay was an outrage!

�e Arbitration Board is signaling approval of his actions that becomes precedent and an encouragement to repeat such actions by him.

Ode to Local Election: 2019 Bridgeport, CT

Letter to the Editor:

A�er reading the letter in the Connecticut Post entitled “Wealthy to Lamont: Raise Our Taxes” I was overjoyed.

To think that an organization directed by Phillip VanderKlay of New Haven, with support from the House Democratic Progressive Caucus is publically advocating raising taxes on the wealthy is revolutionary in my mind and long overdue.

According to them around 36,000 of Connecticut’s most fortunate average around $60,000 annually in tax saving from the Trump federal tax cut. In addition to this 400 millionaires and billionaires have petitioned Congress not to cut their taxes and complained that the hedge fund community is not asked to contribute enough.

Also, people and couples making one million or more per year should be placed in a higher income tax bracket. �e end result would raise $74 Million in state revenue.

To buttress his appeal and their e�orts, Vander Klay is tirelessly seeking the support of many more wealthy people.

As Mr. Nixon of Norwalk said, “It’s just basically a matter of fairness in Connecticut tax policy.”

Finally the end result of all of this and probably other saving e�ort could result investing in improving transportation and education in our state.

Letter to the Editor of CT Post:

In my opinion justice was not served at the Board of Education meeting this week held at the Aquaculture School in Bridgeport.

Instead of voting for a highly quali�ed candidate for interim Superintendent for the school system, the BOE elected Michael Testani, someone who has never consistently taught in the classroom and has not met Connecticut and most other state certi�cation proposed for the position of Superintendent. �is allowed his sycophants to enumerate his accomplishments, not in my and many others estimation the quali�cations for such a position, particularly in comparison to that of others of his opponents like Dr. Brice and Denise Clemons.

My greatest regret is that I did not speak up that evening. Not that the �nal decision would have been di�erent but that I had not voiced my opinion like that of others. Who knows? It could have helped to sway the result or outcome, more favorably toward one of Testani’s opponents.

In the end many le� with the impression that politics, not the children of Bridgeport, had really triumphed.

Got work that pays for food, roof and coat,Skilled tools in the heavy old sack that I tote, And attend full mind to real news of note. I read, view and learn, and click the remote,So I can be wise, when it comes time. I vote.

‘Politics is dirty’, at least many folks say,‘Cuz those elected work to make the job pay,For them and their own; all others mere prey!All are not equal; and ‘believers’ get betrayed.Especially the aged and weak le� to pray.

We serve in uniform when we’re called to �ght.We work to help others when storms cause all fright.When the old and broke make plans for �ight, We then see things b’coming more wrong than right.Are we just folks divided, to face a sorry plight?

Who’ll raise a voice, a vote and some cents?To support the few who are honest, make sense?“Defeat Hate, Educate, Vote” works with patience,To sweep out corruption, greed, and incompetents.‘Cuz our biggest all around sin is: public ignorance.

John Marshall Lee

June 2019 | Page 4 NAACP Greater Bridgeport Branch

TO: Mayor Joseph Ganim Police Chief Armando J. Perez

DATE: June 6, 2019RE: Targeting of citizen and limitation of rights to

participate in Free public activity at City Hall for Black History Month

FROM: Myron D. Dukes,

I �led a complaint subsequent to a surprising encounter at City Hall Annex on February 23, 2019 with several members of the Bridgeport Police Department asking me to depart the premises. I grew up in Bridgeport, have family here and though I was separated from the community for nearly 25 years, today I live in my grandmother’s home, go to work daily and attempt to be a good citizen. I am a lifetime learner, an opponent of gun violence and through hip-hop and sports reach out to youth culture to encourage better life choices.

I was asked to depart the Annex premises without explanation. No one could provide me with a reason. I was calm and respectful throughout. I still wonder who has the power in this City to prevent a law abiding citizen from enjoying the subjects covered by that session including: hip hop, civil rights, gun violence, youth art and African American history.

My earlier complaint to the City Clerk was termed “incomplete” as to details and evidence and denied. I apologize for this but I have never �led such a paper in the past. Today I can identify at least three members of the Department (O�cer Reed, Lt. Colon, and Captain Blackwell). �ere were at least two others whom I took pictures of on my camera, even though at least one was camera shy. You are leaders. What happened that day? I ask for a public apology if o�cers exceeded their mandate. If I am judged at fault, without explanation, I will continue to question my treatment.

I am seeking a response to this complaint from your o�ces. If your research discovers directions in writing to those involved, please provide copies of same to me with your reasoning. Are there police reports? How and why did my picture become the subject of Bridgeport’s Police Department on that day? On that day was the department co-opted from its mission of “protect and serve all of the people” except Myron Dukes? Why, please?

Rights as Returning Citizen- Two Claims Filed, Two Denied

Juneteenth Parade 2019�ank you George Mintz for taking the time to assure that a parade will be held this year. �ank you also for being the person who �rst communicated the story of Juneteenth to this older white man who had never before heard the story. For more than seven years I have repeated this story to people of all colors as part of honest American history that was never shared in the school rooms where I learned as a youth. And thank you, Doug Wade, for being regularly supportive of multiple attempts in the City of Bridgeport and surrounding towns to help create opportunities for sisters and brothers of diverse skin colors to reach new opportunities.

�e City of Bridgeport charges parade sponsors for o�cer overtime, and though I do not know the exact expenses, I have a sense that they are considerable. By the way, this is the parade that Captain Mark Straubel, suddenly retired this past year from the Bridgeport Police Department, referenced negatively in racial texting reported in the CT Post. �e NAACP was quoted this week on a front page article about Police Department investigative laxness in not pursuing a fuller and more prompt set of facts. I did not hear any black, white or other color person laughing at this NAACP response as some joke. Did you?

PERSONALLY, as a white man, so late in life an active member of the local NAACP and a student of the stories from slavery, through emancipation, into a failed reconstruction, continuing abuse and injustice in subsequent time, isn’t this a time to come together and stand for American rights as citizens to share the fullest story with the young? Or is it a time to further divide the entire community into weaker, smaller, and angry with each other groups that cannot join to share the work, necessary resources, voice, hope and energy necessary to engage the existing hatred? TIME WILL TELL.

DEFEAT HATEEDUCATE

VOTE Walter Luckett, Parade Marshall 2019