reality check
The tri-annual newsletter of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol s Summer 2008 s Vol. 10 No. 2
from the directors circle
Khary Lazarre-White, Cidra M. Sebastien, Susan Wilcox
During a mid-March session with Eternal Sistas (ES), a currently graduating
chapter of our Rites of Passage Program, we read the transcript of the A More
Perfect Union speech by Barack Obama. Their reflection on his speech is the
inspiration for this piece. Teens have an amazing gift for delivering a stinging
dose of truth – whether you want to hear it or not. Before Wendy, with
whom I co-facilitate ES, and I passed out the speech, the young women were
spewing cynicism – “Yea yea yea, we heard this before” or “Oh, I knew he
was gonna badmouth his pastor” and “Damn, he’s gonna try to please folks.”
None of them, all seniors in high school, had actually heard him deliver his speech.
No one at their homes did. None of their peers listened to it on the radio or watched
it on YouTube the following day. By the end of our reading, ES was impressed by
how much of who they are – young Black women in Harlem, living in working
class families, attending mediocre to failing public schools – was in his speech.
They were glad Obama drew out the complexities of race and racism in America.
Excited and overwhelmed by their first opportunity to vote this Fall, they
were all inspired – except one young woman. She is 18, a mother of a three-
year-old, and struggling to graduate from high school. While sharing our
reflections, she said under her breath, “So he’ll get elected President and we’ll still be poor.” Everything stopped. We all
heard her – and we knew exactly what she meant. How would the election of Obama translate into real positive change
for children and families in Harlem, in Bushwick, in the South Bronx; people who have been cut off from the prosperity of
urban revitalization; who attend failing schools; who struggle from paycheck to paycheck; who cross the street, eyes low,
to avoid glances that may lead to confrontation and senseless violence; who cringe at the sight of cops? She asked all those
questions in the brevity of her statement. It is difficult to envision change and have hope, after years of broken promises
and flat-out lies by people you have elected (or didn’t elect, for that matter). Amidst strong doubt that elected officials
will do anything to transform our society and the world into a more just place, who will take on the challenge to bring
about change? Assuring her that her skepticism was valid and understood, I asked her, “Who’s gonna take the weight?”
The very simple answer is that it must be us: you and me. Ignorance and apathy must cease. We cannot live by the adage “it
is what it is.” We must become informed, critical thinkers who envision possibilities and take action, whether big or small.
Members of our Liberation Program have taken the weight during a six-year campaign to seek the restoration of an abandoned
public school in Harlem into a viable multi-use community facility. Members of our Rites of Passage Program take the weight
as they challenge each other to live up to their definitions of what it means to be a sister/brother, women/man and leader.
Members of this year’s International Study Program are taking on the weight of bridging global communities as they prepare
to explore the rich history and culture of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Each of us who question and act – who
question why there are continuous threats to public school funding and demand more for our youth from our city; who question
why Black and brown children are usual targets of police harassment and brutality; who teach young people their rights and
how to avoid negative interactions with the police; who question why we are in a recession,
and who create a plan to amass wealth for future generations – we all take the weight.
in this issue:
What’s Good @ Bro/Sis: 2 Paraphrasing Toni Morrison, the author Julia Alvarez writes, “The function of freedom is to free
College Acceptances: 3 someone else.” Understanding that our individual lives are connected to others’ lives is an
Teen ASP Speaks: 4 essential step toward creating an equitable and just community
Voices/Voces: 5 and world. Social justice work cannot be seen as the sole
And Still I Rise: 6 responsibility of our elected officials. It is our responsibility.
Big Ups: 7 While some of us wait for the right person to lead this
country, we have to acknowledge that we possess the ability
to become the right people to transform ourselves and the world.
1 Reality Check - a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
what’s good @ bro/sis
WELCOME ENMANUEL Passage: The Journey of Manhood
This Spring, current and alumni Brotherhood members came together
The Brotherhood/Sister Sol is excited to embrace at Trout Lake Camp in Stroudsburg, PA for a weekend wilderness
Enmanuel Candelario as a full-time staff retreat to reflect, bond, build. During mind, body and spirit challenges,
member. Enmanuel is an alumni members acted as big brothers as they pushed current members
alumnus of Lyrical Circle, to define their values and live by their words. Of the retreat, one brother
and has been involved writes, “When I laid down I started thinking about a lot of stuff, and
with Bro/Sis since 2001. watching the stars. The stars were beautiful. I’ve never seen stars like
that in the city. At the moment, I realized that I had an opportunity
Enmanuel graduated from that other kids don’t. So I have to take advantage.”
Fordham University in
May 2007 with a B.A. in Alumna Day of Self-Indulgence & Reflection
Political Science and Urban
Young women who graduated from Sister Sol, the Liberation Program
Studies. He has taught
and After School Program came together on May 31st for a day
creative writing workshops
of pampering and reconnecting. Sister Sol alumna received their
all over NYC, and he will continue to co-facilitate binders—a collection of handouts and writings gathered over their
the Writers Collective Program. “I’m super 4- to 6- year experience in the Rites of Passage Program—and took a
amped and ready to do great work!” This Fall, trip down memory lane. All alumna were happy to see old faces and
Enmanuel will be teaming up with Brotherhood meet new sisters. The group also completed an alumni survey. Writing
Chapter Leaders Orisanmi Burton and Juan about what comes to mind when she thinks of Bro/Sis, one alumna
Tavarez to create two new Brotherhood chapters. shared, “I think about self-respect. I think about struggle. I think about
broadening my horizons. . . I think of myself and who I’ve become
and of what a dramatic impact Sister Sol had on me.”
Co-Executive Directors
reality check
Khary Lazarre-White
Susan Wilcox, Ed.D.
Publication Team
Associate Director
Cidra M. Sebastien Editor-in-Chief & Designer: Valerie Caesar
Contributors: LaShae Adams, Keith Brisbane, Tiana Hammonds, Zora Howard, ShaToka
Hyman, James McMichaels, Cidra Sebastien, Richard Watson, Maxwell Veloz
Board of Directors
Tinika Brown, Esq.
B. Seth Bryant, Esq. (Chair) The Brotherhood/Sister Sol is grateful for the support of hundreds of individuals
Paul E. Butler, Esq. and the following foundations, organizations and agencies:
Susan Chapman
Cori Chertoff
Jocelyn Cooley PRIVATE & CORPORATE SUPPORT: Booth Ferris | Cantor Foundation | Citi | Frances &
Rabbi Rachel Cowan Edwin Cummings Memorial Fund |Nathan Cummings Foundation | Deutsche Bank | Douglas
Isis Delgado B. Gardner | Elton John AIDS Foundation | The Fine Family Charitable Foundation | Ford
Stephen C. Graham (Treasurer) Foundation | Charles Hayden Foundation | Kellogg Action Lab | W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Frantz Jerome | Leadership for A Changing World | Levitt Foundation | Reginald Lewis Foundation |
Jane Lazarre Theodore Luce Charitable Trust | Monet Family Fund | Vincent Mulford Foundation | New
(Secretary) York Foundation | New York Women’s Foundation | Presbyterian Women of Katonah | Public
Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsey Domain Foundation | Rush Philanthropic Art Foundation | Shelly & Donald Rubin Foundation
Dominique Mitchell | Rutgers Presbyterian Church | St. James Church | Scherman Foundation | Shippy Foundation |
Jon Moscow (Vice-Chair)
Surdna Foundation | Tiger Foundation | Trust For Public Land | Tweny-First Century Foundation
Pedro Noguera
Andrietta Sims | Union Square Awards | Valentine Perrry Snyder Foundation | Winky Foundation
Nicole Valentine, Esq.
Minerva Warwin PUBLIC SUPPORT: Councilmember Robert Jackson | NYC Department of Youth and Community
Douglas H. White, Esq. Development | New York State Office of Children & Family Services-APPS Program
Jason Warwin
(Co-Founder on leave)
Reality Check - a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol 2
COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES Congratulations to all the graduates of the class of 2008!!
The Brotherhood/Sistser Sol provides comprehensive college guidance to our members. Over their time in our program, our
teen members attend college tours where they are exposed to higher learning. We work with each young person to form a list
of schools that fits her or his particular needs and interests. We provide intensive guidance, write letters of recommendation,
and provide financial aid. Our members are presently attending or have graduated from a wide array of colleges and
universities. Below is a list of this year’s high school class and the colleges in which they were accepted and plan to attend.
Antaeus Ashcroft-Turns Sequan Spigner
St. John Fisher College Brandeis University
Adelphi University Liberty University
Bryant University Lincoln University
Clark Atlanta University State University of New York @ Canton
Hampton University State University of New York @ Clinton
Mulhenberg University State University of New York @ Delhi
State University of New York @ Buffalo State University of New York @ Onondaga
State University of New York @ Old Westbury
St. John’s University
Utica College jhana myers-roach
Clark Atlanta University
Hartford College
Hampton University
Howard brown Morgan State University
Haverford College City College of New York
Vassar College Borough of Manhattan Community College
University of Connecticut
State University of New York @Albany
State University of New York @ Binghamton
State University of New York @Buffalo
andrew ensley
State University of New York @ Clinton
Dowling College
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
njeri parker State University of New York @ Onondaga
Manhattanville College
City College
Lehman College dominique mitchell
Manhattan College State University of New York @ Delhi
St. John’s University John Jay College
Keith brisbane Shaun burgess
State University of New York @ Cortland Borough of Manhattan Community College
State University of New York @ Onondaga
3 Reality Check - a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
teen asp
speaks
THE VIEW FROM THE THIRD FLOOR
Teen ASP provides a drop-in space for youth from the immediate community and those who participate
in our Rites of Passage and Liberation Programs. Our teen members have access to an environment where
they can focus on their schoolwork, hang out after a long day at school, receive healthy meals, utilize
computers, attend enrichment classes, and benefit from spending quality time with positive adult role models.
We why do you come to
the after school
program
asked every day?
teens:
”I come because
It is my home, and home is the program keeps
where the heart is, so they say. me off the street
and offers other
-James McMichaels opportunities
for me.”
--Richard Watson
I come to the After
School Program because I come to meet new
it is fun and we do lots people and I want
of cool activities. to get better at my
-Tiana Hammonds English. The people
who work here make
me feel at home.
It’s like my second -Maxwell Veloz
home. I love being
here; I love the
people that come
here; and most of I come to the program
all, I love myself to be with my family!
when I am here. -ShaToka Hyman
-LaShae Adams
Reality Check - a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol 4
VOiCES VOCES
Cultivating young voices is a vital component of our Mad old and dusty
work, and Writers Collective (WC) is a program that helps
spoken-word artists and poets hone their creative voices. But hopefully short enough
WC emerged from Lyrical Circle, an alumni group that
met weekly over five years, went on to receive both local I can’t stand on two feet because I got
and national recognition for their work, and published the A womb full of premature dreams
collection Off The Subject: The Words of Lyrical Circle And garbage pails too overwhelmed
of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol. The current WC group, With ribcages
Of caged birds too empty to sing
Poetic Mosaic, has been meeting for one year and its
So we string together melodies of babies on
activities are co-facilitated by a member of Lyrical Circle.
The end of rusty hangers and destinies we could never
Bend
With no mothers to breastfeed
We choked so many times on these curdled dreams
That never comes in true, crème, skim
Because of black there is Life Or low fat.
We search these dark alleyways where black cats always
We went from being the first man to kingdoms of gold Passed my paths
To slavery and labor that made our heart turn cold With no other place to stand
Influencing great things Find ourselves underneath ladders
Like rock and roll and the blues That never got no rungs going high enough
From swing dancing to shaking a tail feather up out them shoes Till we find them same alleyways to get high above
We went from rap to love songs to hip-hop and R&B behind our high schools
Everyone in the world knew black was the thing to be despite what mothers told
But we had white man tryin to put us down cause I would trade a million of my broken souls
Hangin us around trees lynchin us if one of those many seeds I once planted could grow
Havin us on our knees whipin us until we bleed and if only a weed
Callin us niggas plantin they hate seed and if only some green
So we can kill each other Cause maybe with that damn tree
So our blood wouldn't be on their hands I could spread roots through hoods
Tryin to make their race look grand That little girls never had to comb
When they knew we were the dominant race And crack up that cocaine
Tryin to make us think being black was a disgrace Someone sprinkled across their skies
But because of black there is life So when they wanted to reach for stars
So tell me can your race be misused confused They never had to reach so far
Put against each other and still come out on top Maybe with that tree
I dont think they can I could plant a garden
So this is why we hot Sound a little much?
I should beg your pardon.
- James McMichaels III Too many broken Brooklyns
We craven
And baking babies in bellies
No hubbies
So these babies just party
And these babies just junkies
Maybe I could plant my seed
Maybe I can plant my weeds
Maybe I could grow this tree
So when we ain’t have nothing to lean on
We’d just hold on
- Zora Howard
5 Reality Check - a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
and
still youth reflections
and insights
i rise
Long Journey Home
by Keith Brisbane
When I was younger all I knew of the world was I cried there, like I never have before. It opened me up. All
what I saw along the journey between my house and my of my soul poured out of me into the holding area that was the
school. As I became older I learned more and more about male dungeon. But my soul came back and with it a whole new
the world through school and my own studies. But none of outlook on life, and knowledge of who I am.
it was real to me. In July of 2007 I took the chance to make There was one village where we stayed that was named
all those National Geographic specials real. Thanks to The Wusuta. It is a quaint village a few kilometers inland from the
Brotherhood/Sister Sol, I was able to travel to Ghana, Africa. main road. I was home. Wusuta is an Ewe community from
I can say it truly was the most life altering experience I have which many Africans were taken, led out towards the coast to the
ever had. aforementioned slave castles. Uprooted from their homes by other
I went because I yearned for and needed something Africans, and then sold to marauders of the British and Portuguese
different. My trip home to the Motherland was a gateway to variety, I felt like I was going back to the start, I was re-planting
a new beginning. Everything smelled, tasted, felt, and looked those roots. I call Wusuta my African neighborhood. There was
new. The food was more succulent, the color of the sky was little electricity and no hot water, but I still felt good. It taught
more vibrant, and everything felt right for a change. My soul, me that I really don’t need all of the things I am accustomed to
body, heart, and mind - they were all completely refreshed. at home. Trivial things like computers, television, and public
I really didn’t like my life in America; I was always heated transportation, they all made me lazy and I had to adjust to the
and stressed because village lifestyle. I met people in
of my academic and My trip home to the Motherland was a the village that were genuinely
family life. My high gateway to a new beginning. Everything friendly, they took care of me as
school has never
smelled, tasted, felt, and looked new. The if I was family, and it really felt
really captured my that way.
interest or challenged food was more succulent, the color of For the final test I had to
m e t o r e a ch m y the sky was more vibrant, and everything felt face life at home, life in America.
full potential. My right for a change. My soul, body, heart, and The long and arduous plane ride
mind - they were all completely refreshed. think about change, about my
voyage gave me time gave me a lot of time to think, to
to find myself and
make some serious friends and family, about my
adjustments. It helped me to reevaluate the way I treated my education. I’ve never been the studious type; my high school
family, the company I kept, and my approach to school. career was sidetracked by my frustration with the tediousness
I was challenged mentally, physically, and spiritually of the curriculum being taught. On the plane, on my way back,
during my stay in Ghana. We traveled throughout several I realized that although I was intelligent, I need my grades to
regions of the country. My body and mind were strained reflect my intellect, and they do not. I was diverted away from
because we traveled via bus and most of our destinations my schoolwork because I felt that only I could develop my mind.
were usually six to eight hours apart. I read a vast amount, consuming all the information held in books
We visited various landmarks, with one being the most such as 1984 by George Orwell, James Baldwin’s Going to Meet
dreadful, yet spiritually liberating places on the planet. I’m the Man, and Claude Brown’s Manchild in the Promised Land.
speaking of Cape Coast Castle. It is the site where millions of Upon my return I began reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall
Africans were placed in bondage and transported through the Apart, the story of an Ibo village in present day Nigeria. I read
“Middle” Passage. It is also the site where the British governor this novel because of my interest in the study of my people and
held office and where foreign students came to learn on my culture before colonialism. Reading Things Fall Apart and
the upper levels, while hundreds of enslaved Africans died experiencing my trip back to the Motherland has given me a new
beneath them. Everything about that place was wrong. The direction towards the decisions I make in my life.
smell was rancid and the walls were filthy from centuries
of blood and dead flesh. There were scratches on the walls
where my ancestors tried to claw their way to freedom. Keith Brisbane is a member of the Intrinsic Kings Chapter and will attend
SUNY Cortland in Fall 2008.
Reality Check - a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol 6
Big Ups!!!
books, movies, music, & events that we enjoy
Women Writing Resistance: Who’s Gonna Take the Weight: The Brief Wondrous Life
Essays on Latin America Manhood, Race, and of Oscar Wao
and the Caribbean Power in America by Junot Díaz
edited by by Kevin Powell
Jennifer Browdy De Hernandez
Powell’s collection of essays focuses Diaz’ long awaited novel is a
Eighteen writer-activists explore
on issues facing us today, from great look into a Dominican
art, feminism and activism in
manhood, violence, and gender American family. Seamlessly
this collection that reflects the
oppression to celebrity culture and linking historical events in
connections among women
hip-hop. Using compelling personal Dominican history to the lives of
as artists, social change agents
stories as the connecting thread, the de Leons in New Jersey, The
and sisters. Contributing authors
he examines what our nation has Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
include Gloria Anzaldua, Jamaica
become and challenges readers has readers hoping that Oscar
Kincaid, Cherrie Moraga, and
to take the weight to transform it. will get some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Margaret Randall.
School’s out for summer.
Young people need safe spaces more than ever.
Please consider making a contribution to support summer programs
at The Brotherhood/Sister Sol.
Please take a moment to support The Brotherhood/Sister Sol by making a tax-deductible contribution.
$500 $250 $100 $75 $50 Other: $
Name Organization
Address
Phone Email
Please make your check or money order payable to:
The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
512 West 143rd Street
New York, NY 10031
or you can donate online at
www.brotherhood-sistersol.org/donate
7 Reality Check - a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
Each of us who question and act - who
question why there are continuous threats
to public school funding and demand more
for our youth from our city; who question
why Black and brown children are usual
targets of police harassment and brutality;
who teach young people their rights and how
to avoid negative interactions with the police;
who question why we are in a recession,
and who create a plan to amass wealth for
future generations - we all take the weight.
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE
PAID
NEW YORK, NY
PERMIT #5147
Established 1995
512 West 143rd Street
New York, NY 10031
www.brotherhood-sistersol.org
Our Mission The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
was created to address the dire need for
supportive programs for Black and Latino
youth who are surrounded by the poverty,
drugs, violence, racism and mis-education
that plague America’s cities. The Brother-
hood/Sister Sol provides these youth with
the knowledge, resources, opportunities
and love necessary in order to understand
and overcome these negative pressures,
as well as the skills to combat them. The
Brotherhood/Sister Sol is not simply an
organization; it is more accurately a way of
life. Providing youth with an opportunity
to explore their ideas, identity and future
among peers, with the support and guid-
ance of their immediate elders, is a natural
method of promoting
Reality Check positive development
- a publication of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol 8
into adulthood.
