Greetings,

It was great to see many of you in person at 2023 Undoing Racism Day of the CommUNITY Breakfast Collaborative. Initial feedback we have received is that this year's panel addressing the topic "Becoming the Beloved Community: A Work in Progress" was one of the best in terms of the issues raised by the moderator and panelists. Once the recording is ready we will post it on the CBC website and also make the link available in this e-newsletter.

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Here are the October 1, 2023 and following upcoming events shared with us that we want to let you know about.

A note that we share these events, programs and learning opportunities both because you send them to us to share, and also because we believe in them.

In some cases, our own members of the CBC board of directors have participated in them and learned from them, so they are worth checking out.

Thanks to those who sent PDF or JPG format flyers so the sharing is manageable.

If you have sent something other than a PDF or JPG flyer, we cannot use that. Please send either of these and we will share it for you to the best of our ability!

We are aiming to share a twice monthly email on the 1st and 15th. Please send any event announcements 5 business days prior to thecommunitybreakfast@gmail.com and we will aim to share.

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

6:30-9 PM

Roberts Hall

ROB 100 Jaharis Recital Hall

Join us for the 2023 Campus Read Special Guest Lecture by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Leon Forrest Professor of African American Studies at Northwestern University on Tuesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. with a reception beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Jaharis lobby.

This year’s Campus Read selection is How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective. The Combahee River Collective, a path-breaking group of radical Black feminists, was one of the most important organizations to develop out of the antiracist and women’s liberation movements of the 1960s and 70s. In this collection of essays and interviews edited by activist-scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, founding members of the organization and contemporary activists reflect on the legacy of its contributions to Black feminism and its impact on today’s struggles. Copies of the book are available to any member of the campus community on a first-come, first-served basis and may be picked up from the Dean's Office in Stokes 101 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

This special event is co-sponsored by the THRIVE Initiative, the Distinguished Visitors Program, IDEA, and the Offices of the Provost and Dean of the College.

Uncomfortable Conversations, presented by the Baha'i Community

Time: Oct 4, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://sju.zoom.us/j/93500756481?pwd=WlJNMUtXVWN3TjJyMU9ibGhDQmRIdz09

Meeting ID: 935 0075 6481

Passcode: 092993

You are invited to join the thirty-ninth meeting of “Uncomfortable Conversations” on Zoom, devoted to the issue of race in the country. Please share this invitation with others who may be interested to participate.

These meetings are intended to provide learning opportunities from personal stories and experiences of people who have been directly affected. These personal stories and experiences may be better appreciated if one looks back on the past with a view to understand how as a nation we have gotten to this point!

The presenter at the next “Uncomfortable Conversations” series is Rev. Gregory Holston.

Rev. Holston is a recognized community activist, pastor and civil rights leader known for advocating for racial justice.

Reverend Holston is an Elder in the United Methodist Church. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University of PA., a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University, a Masters of Education degree from Cheyney University and a Masters of Divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia. As a United Methodist elder he has been the senior pastor at several Methodist Churches including the historic Janes Memorial United Methodist Church in Germantown.

In 2020, District Attorney Larry Krasner named the Civil Rights and Faith Leader Rev. Gregory Holston to serve as the Senior Advisor on Advocacy and Policy for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO). As a part of his work and as a member of Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, he helped organize a coalition of groups that successfully demanded the city spend $68 million in new dollars and $20 million for community groups. That coalition has now become the 57+Block Coalition, 70-plus organizations dedicated to reducing gun violence through deep investments in the hardest hit neighborhoods.

In 2020, Rev. Holston was voted one of the 76 most influential Philadelphians by Philadelphia Magazine.

Rev. Holston, as the former Executive Director of POWER, led campaigns to raise the wages for city contracted workers to $15 dollars and helped unionize thousands of workers at the Philadelphia International Airport.

Reverend Holston is experienced as a pastor, professor, speaker and community activist. However, his most important role is serving as a devoted and loving husband to Deborah, his beautiful wife, and father to the four adult children they share, Taheerah, Jamila, Nia and Nasser.

Rev. Holston’s presentation will include a brief report on the progress of the initiative named “57+ Blocks Coalition”, a strategy aimed at reducing gun violence and addressing its harmful impacts on Philadelphia’s hardest hit neighborhoods through targeted investment of resources, services, education, and environmental improvements.

Rev. Holston will also share from the Racial Injustice Report recently released by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office which delineates the devastating racial disparities that exist in the Philadelphia Criminal Justice System.

October 6th at the Free Library

Due to the tragic passing of Temple University President JoAnne Epps the September 27th screening of our new film, A Hope That Lights The Way, at the Temple Performing Arts Center was postponed to October 6th.

We are still eager to share our film and the stories of our community leaders, so join us for our next screening on October 6th at the Free Library's Parkway Central location! 

Saturday, October 14 - 9:30am - Noon 

St. Vincent de Paul Church

109 E. Price Street, Philadelphia, PA

Join us on Saturday, October 14th, 2023 for a morning with Sister Cora Marie Billings, RSM. Sister Cora is a Sister of Mercy, who desegregated her order when she joined in 1956. She went on to co-found the National Black Catholic Sisters Conference in 1968, and has been a lifetime advocate for Racial Justice and Equity in the Catholic Church.

She joins us at St. Vincent de Paul Church to share her story and the story of her family, to educate and inspire us.

The event will start with a meet & greet at 9:30 am, and Sr. Cora’s presentation will go from 10am until Noon.

Dear Sisters in Christ of our Black Catholic Community,

Please join us for the Catholic Women’s Conference on Saturday, October 28, 2023 from 9am-4pm at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown. The mission of the conference is three-fold: to invite women into a personal and transformative encounter with Jesus Christ, to form women in the truth about their feminine genius, and to equip women to be a leaven for the world, living their feminine gifts in service to the family, the Church and all aspects of society. See below for more details and visit the website, catholicwomensconference.org. We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday, November 4, 2023 - NAACP Luncheon

Dear Community Partner,

The NAACP Main Line Branch is excited to announce its upcoming annual Freedom Fund luncheon on Saturday, November 4th at 11:30 a.m., hosted at the elegant Desmond Hotel in Malvern, PA. This year's theme, "Building Legacy through Education, Leadership, and Excellence," reflects our unwavering commitment to unity in the face of hatred and bigotry. Our ongoing mission to achieve political, educational, social, and economic equality for all remains of paramount importance, and we sincerely invite you to join us in this critical endeavor.

This momentous occasion will be an opportunity for us to recognize and honor the outstanding contributions of community leaders and organizations on the Main Line, who have passionately championed the cause of ensuring political, educational, social, and economic equality for every individual, actively working to eradicate race-based discrimination. We take great pride in honoring the following esteemed individuals and groups:

*Rev. Dr. James A. Pollard Sr., Pastor, Zion Baptist Church, Ardmore, PA.

*Dr. Candace Robertson-James.

*The Honorable Dr. Anthony Stevenson, Commissioner, Lower Merion Township.

*Neighbors Helping Neighbors on the Main Line, Muneera Walker Founder & Executive Director.

*Rev. Carolyn Cavaness, Pastor, Bethel AME Church, Ardmore, PA.

Special Guest Award.

We are humbled and honored to have representative Malcolm Kenyatta as our Keynote Speaker. The afternoon promises to be a meaningful gathering, fostering networking opportunities, forging new connections, and celebrating the exceptional work of our distinguished honorees.

We would be honored if your organization would consider being a sponsor for this year's luncheon. Attached to this email is our sponsorship letter, which outlines the various sponsorship levels available. Additionally, we invite you to purchase an ad in our souvenir booklet; the AD form is also attached for your review.

We hope that your membership will take advantage of our early bird sale, available until August 31st. During this period, tickets are priced at $50, and tables can be purchased for $500. Afterward, ticket prices will be $60, and tables will be priced at $600. To secure your spot, please purchase tickets online by clicking the button below.

Thank you for considering this invitation, and we look forward to the possibility of your participation in making this event a tremendous success.

With warmest regards,

Jamil D. Reese-Turner

Chair, Freedom Fund Committee

Brian J. Reese-Turner

President, NAACP Main Line Branch

An Immersive Interfaith Experience

Through this interactive course, you’ll learn about different faith traditions through meaningful dialogue in sacred spaces with a community of remarkable women.  

Registration closes November 22, 2023.

Six sessions: Sundays, January - May, 2024, 2:00-5:00 PM

at amazing locations throughout Philadelphia

• Increase your  religious literacy through visits to different faith communities in the Greater Philadelphia area;
• Lean into layered, and sometimes uncomfortable, conversations exploring the intersections of gender and race in different faith communities;
• ​​Develop a deeper understanding of your identity/tradition; and
• Feel empowered by learning with social justice advocates of all experience levels. 

President Announces Establishment of Federal Office

of Gun Violence Prevention

Heeding God's Call to End Gun Violence shares that happily, President Biden announced last week that the federal government is establishing an Office of Gun Violence Prevention to be led by Vice President Kamala Harris. A spokeswoman for the new entity said that Biden “hears young people all around the country demanding a world in which they do not have to live in fear of gun violence. The president hears them, he agrees with them and he is acting." Heeding hopes this new governmental organization will facilitate ending gun violence. We will track its steps and keep you informed.

Radnor Township is Updating Its Comprehensive Plan and it’s Looking for You to Participate

Post Date:09/29/2023 11:58 AM

Radnor Township is updating its Comprehensive Plan, titled "A Vision for Radnor 2035." The Comprehensive Plan will define a shared vision for the Township, shaped by the input from the community. The vision will lay the foundation for the strategic goals and actionable recommendations that will provide a roadmap for decision-making and investment prioritization over the next 10 years.

“In order to ensure the voices of the community are embedded into the Township’s priorities over the next ten years, we’re excited to partner with FHI Studio to engage Radnor through a series of outlets,” said Township Manager William White, MBA. “Public engagement is critical to the process and critical to creating an accurate and successful comprehensive plan. We hope that Radnor will invest a few minutes and provide their thoughts in the Virtual Workshop and stay connected with us throughout the process.”

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

People who want to get involved immediately should visit Radnor2035.com. There, people can find a link to the Virtual Workshop. This interactive survey will allow participants to share their ideas about how to make Radnor Township an even better place. They will be able to identify their priorities for the Township and use an online mapping tool to identify where there are issues that need to be fixed. They can also share their big ideas for what would improve the Township, then read and upvote other responses. The Virtual Workshop will help the Township understand community concerns and prioritize topics for the Plan.

Later in the process, there will be presentations and in-person events where people can learn more about the project and contribute to the development of the Plan. Since it will be a few months before that work begins, the Township is encouraging people to visit Radnor2035.com and sign up for emails.

WHAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Municipalities are enabled by the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) to create comprehensive plans to guide growth and development for their jurisdictions. These plans play an important role in guiding the community's future growth, development, and preservation. The plans are legally required to set goals and polices for land use, environment and natural resources, housing, economic development, transportation, housing, historical and archeological resources, community services economic development. However, municipalities are also permitted to address other issues and topics that are specific to their communities. Most importantly, comprehensive plans serve as the foundation for zoning and play a critical role in the land development process.

WHAT WILL RADNOR TOWNSHIP’S PLAN INCLUDE



The Comprehensive Plan will update the existing 2003 Plan that is available on the Township’s website. Like the previous Plan, A Vision for Radnor will address the following topics and themes, and any additional priorities identified during the engagement process:

• Open Space, Trails, & Recreation
• Stormwater Management
• Neighborhood Conservation
• Economic Development
• Community Resources
• Housing Diversity & Affordability
• Mobility & Connectivity
• Institutional Relations
• Historic Preservation
• Environmental Protection & Sustainability

At the end of the year-long planning process, FHI Studio and Township staff will present the Plan for adoption by the Board of Commissioners. Once the Plan is adopted, it becomes the official policy of the Township, and implementation of the strategies and action items can begin.

WHO IS DEVELOPING THE PLAN

Recognizing the importance of a robust and representative engagement to create a community-driven Plan, the Township has contracted FHI Studio to develop the Plan. FHI Studio will collaborate directly with the Township throughout the one-year process. The project will also include the input of a Steering Committee, a group of community representatives that will serve as advisors and ambassadors for the Plan.  

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