THE ASBURY VOICE - AUGUST 12, 2019 Issue # 3

THE ASBURY VOICE

You are not voiceless but are often unheard

We can change that together

August, 2019 # 3

In This Issue:

Introduction and Purpose

Cooperate Asbury - A way to make our community collective

The Road to Asbury - The Story of Sister Isis - Part II

My Addiction - sUN*LiTeTHEpoet

Another Day - Jazelle Nicholls

Shootings in Asbury Park - Rev Gil

Introduction and Purpose of The Asbury Voice

CLICK HERE

Cooperate Asbury: A way to make our community collective - Part 1

Cooperate Asbury is a new grass roots group in Asbury Park that looks to channel the community's collective power economically and politically. We support racial, gender, ability, sexuality, and environmental justice. We also recognize that we are on the ancestral homeland of the Lenni Lenape and we long to see all oppressed groups working together for collective liberation.

We want to create community-owned cooperative businesses, affordable housing, and people-powered direct democracies. We aim to promote collaboration instead of competition in the spirit of cooperative economics and governments to share our communities’ wealth and political power. We also look to cooperate with the earth and practice ecology. We are a group made up of democrats, progressives, socialists, marxists, anarchists and humanists with the common belief that people should share power and work together.

There are two main focus of Cooperate Asbury (Co-op Asbury): cooperative businesses and the cooperative political focus.

We aim to teach Cooperative Economics believing that communities and businesses who distribute their wealth and power evenly become stronger and healthier communities. We look to dismantle hierarchy and share horizontally. Instead of bosses we will all lead the businesses together. We no longer want to live in a world were eight people control half the world's wealth or in a world were one percent of the population owns 70% of the world's wealth.

We believe that when Darwin said evolution is about the survival of the fittest, he did not mean every person for themselves. Darwin went on to say that species that cooperate together survive at higher rates than those species that compete. Along this idea we follow the words and work of Ella Baker and want to create a cooperative, leaderful movement from the grassroots up guided by reinvestment in working class communities by building up their economic and political power.

The United States was the first nation in the world founded as a capitalist country built by land theft, gencide of indigenous peoples, and the enslavement of Africans. We wonder what it would have looked like if Columbus and other European settlers got here and said, “Well aren’t the native people here so nice and community minded. They didn’t know us, but taught us to make our clothing, farm and live on this land. How can our different communities live together?” Sadly, we all know what happened. So much of American wealth was made from stolen land and labor so a small amount of mostly white European men could profit(gain capital) while others worked for them to build up their ruling class wealth.

When our children are young, we teach them to share. It would be a little bit ridiculous in preschool to allow one child in the room to play with all the toys and say “well that child got to the toys first”, or “Sorry, but this child comes from a wealthy family and they paid for all the toys.” We wonder when we start to tell each other it is all right for some of us to have so much more than others?

Co-op Asbury believes that some can have more than others or even make more than others, but that this needs to be decided upon by the workers or by the community. We do not believe it is okay for a CEO to make 287 times more than the average worker. According to new data just released by the AFL-CIO labor Federation, they found that the wealth gap is, “ unsurprisingly obscene. The average chief executive of an S&P 500 company earned 287 times more than their median employee last year, according to an analysis of the new federal data released Tuesday by the AFL-CIO labor federation. America’s CEOs earned a staggering $14.5 million in 2018, on average, compared to the average $39,888 that rank-and-file workers made. And CEOs got a $500,000 bump compared to the previous year, while the average US worker barely got more than $1,000.” Citation info here here .

We believe that it is not okay to live in one of the wealthy nations in the world and have 43 million people who are food insecure and over 500,000 people experiencing homelessness. In 2016 30.6% of Asbury lived below the poverty level according to City-Date.com . What if we lived in a community that said that is not ok and did something systematically to change that statistic? We believe that communities can come together and decide to share wealth and land outside large scale centralized governments creating a large scale participative economy and democracy. Find some examples of this here in Jackson, Mississippi and here in Chiapas, Mexico.

On a more local note, who wants a boss? Most people that are bosses became bosses because they have the privilege to do so or because they didn’t want a boss to tell them what to do. How exciting would it be to learn to work together and share the profit and power?

Co-op Asbury looks to create cooperative businesses and housing cooperatives that are worker-run. These businesses would be owned by some or all of the workers. Depending on the start-up capital needed, they can offer workers a chance to own part of their own company with very little financial investment. This makes worker co-ops an ideal structure for people of modest or low incomes. Members can join through sweat equity(work to own), by financial investment or both.

In the end, we question an economic system (capitalism) that desires unlimited growth on a finite planet and we look to build a new economic and political system where people, the land, and all beings are seen as important.

Want to stay aware and get involved in Cooperate Asbury? Like us on Facebook here !

ROAD TO ASBURY

The Story of Sister Isis

Part II

But it was Rosalee's deepest desire to connect once again with her birth family. She was the baby, and her older siblings were living in New Jersey. She intended to buy tickets and take a bus to Newark. However, Willie insisted that he would take her there. What followed felt like a kidnapping as they ended up in Buffalo and stayed there for several months. Eventually, they finally arrived in Newark where Rosalee would settle for the next twenty years.

Rosalee once again established herself at clubs and along with scrubbing floors was able to buy a house and became the breadwinner after Willie left her. Her daughter Hartance was an incredible support for Rosalee over the years in so many ways. Not only, as previously mentioned, in Ft. Pierce when her words woke Rosalee up as to what she had to do, but also now in Newark where Rosalee came home one day and saw her become the mommy. Without being asked, she picked up the roles of cooking and cleaning.

This became an exciting period of time for Rosalee as she found herself being drawn into what she would believe was her life's work. Her kids got to know other kids in the Newark area and made friends and brought them to the house, and they played together. Rosalee also ran into other kids who played music and were artistic. They were really smart and talented kids, and Rosalee taught them drumming. They practiced at her house and would play for different events Rosalee was involved with, and as their reputation grew, they played for special events at City Hall and other occasions.

Freddie Roach was a play writer and promoter who became aware of Rosalee's activities in Newark, and they became friends. One day he told her he wanted to change her name. This took Rosalee off guard, and she asked him why. He said people knew her as "Fire Eating Rose," but, Freddie said, "What you are calling yourself is not you. Give me three days, and I will tell you your name." When she went to see him three days later, he had her sit quietly in a chair and went out of the room. When he came back, he stepped behind her and quietly said the name, "Isis". Rosalee immediately said, "Yes". She knew that was her name. It had a spiritual connection for her, and she became known as Sister Isis.

Freddie knew a lot of the things that Rosalee was doing. She was getting the kids off the streets during the very chaotic time after the riots in the late '60s. She joined up with Amiri Baraka (Leroy Jones) who was a leading figure in the Black Panther movement. The Spirit House in Newark was his meeting place, and Rosalee brought her drumming kids there one evening to play as a way to discover what she could do. He wanted her to be part of it. But one of the understandings was that everyone needed to have a gun to protect themselves. This made Isis slowly withdraw from the group. Her grandfather had told her, "You only pick up a gun for food. One never picks up a gun to shoot a person."

Newark at that time had the nation's worst housing, highest crime rate, second highest infant mortality rate, and the seventh largest number of drug addicts. Black power meant using the concentration of black people in urban areas to take control of institutions that affected their lives. And this was where Isis focused her efforts. She became involved with others in reaching out to homeless women living in hotels. They would get together and cook beans and rice and bring it to the women there.

Her sister, Edith, was getting sick and her niece, Lavinia, along with her friend, Betty, were putting pressure on her to come to Asbury Park to help out with the kids who were getting killed and running wild. So Rosalee went to visit but knew in her heart that once she went there, she would not come back. She began to work with Miss Maynar at the West Side Community Center. There was space for the kids to come in and do their homework, and then they could play in the gym. This is also where Sister Isis set up her drums and taught the kids drumming. Another woman, Miss Kelly developed a fierce drill team.

They went to City Hall to find a space so the kids could put on a show. They were given an area on the Westside and developed an annual African Festival which grew larger each year to such an extent that they were forced to move it to Sunset Park to accommodate the growth. Sister Isis worked on this all year long. They did fundraisers to cover the expenses of insurance, flyers and setting up, and buying the kids' outfits. Isis would get a case of flyers printed and walk the streets, giving them out wherever she went. This is something she is known for even today, where a brochure for an event she wants you to know about will be pressed into your hand when you meet her.

Isis was able to work with the hardcore kids on the streets, some of whom were drug dealers. She had a magical way with these kids. They would stray into the Westside Center to get some food and see what was going on and find themselves under the spell of her love and acceptance. Isis had a great skill in relating to every kid, pulling them into her love. She knew that if you do not save them as a child, they have a huge struggle to turn themselves around.

Of course, Isis continued dancing with fire in the clubs in Asbury. When she first arrived her sister, Agnes, brought her some clothes and dressed her up and set up her first appearance - an event Isis would never forget. Her sister was quite the promoter who unbeknownst to Isis bet the crowd that she knew someone who could dance with fire and put it in her pants, and mouth and all over her body. They wouldn't believe her, and she bet them all it was true. "If I am a liar, put your money up." Most, if not all, placed a bet with her sister. It was a wild night. African music began to play as "Fire Eating Rose" made her appearance. People went crazy - stomping, screaming and hollering, and her sister made a few extra dollars that night.

To this day, Sister Isis continues to have an impact on people's lives. When asked to reflect on her life, she shared I made a few mistakes, but I am proud of myself for being able to help others change their lives.

When we sat down outside the Kula Cafe for this story, we were constantly interrupted by those passing by to greet her and people shouting from their cars driving by. As one car drove by, a young man shouted out the window, "I got a job." Isis told me he was one of those hardcore kids she worked with years ago and he just wanted her to know he had turned it around. Just her presence had a significant impact on people. A father passed by with his two kids and Isis immediately drew them in and had them share the things they did at school, and Isis encouraged them to go to pursue college, although they were now in kindergarten.

Another thing, which one could not but be impressed with, was the way everyone sitting outside the cafe would give a shout out to kids passing by. "Keep up those studies" "Keep out of trouble" "We are thinking of you."

The second time we met, we went to the "High Voltage" on Springwood, so we could have more private space, but as we just sat down a woman came over for a long chat. But this is who Isis is - people are drawn to her - they know she is there for them.

submitted by Bill Stevens

My Addiction

My addiction was crooked like Richard Nixon

It showed me the worst things in life that addiction took my wife

It was a very selfish feeling

It had no square dealings

It lied,stole and cheated

Made me do the craziest feats

When it called I couldn’t sit in my seat

It always had a plan, but to the sober they couldn’t understand

How my addiction went hand and hand with death and jail

Only the bad things would prevail to weigh it on a drug dealer scale

At the end of my sad tale my addiction always made me fail,

My addiction

->sUN*LiTeTHEpoet

Below is a poem written by 11 year old Jazelle Nicholls which she read at the Open Mic program sponsored by KYDS [Konscious Youth Development & Services] which supports girls and boys of all ages to find self-love and inner peace. For more information on this organization Click Here .

ANOTHER DAY

As I get ready for school today hoping

I will not be fooled again today

As the time passes by I don't know

when I'll be bullied again

The words that are said stay in my head

the pain in my heart has turned to dark

The bumps and bruises they all go away

as I look for a happier day

As I get ready for bed I am safe and

think of what happened today in my head

As I get ready for school today hoping they

will be fooled today because I am here

to stay for another day

Jazelle Nicholls

Shootings in Asbury Park

I have written and said more than once, “Asbury Park is too small to be exclusive.” During the Civil Rights Movement, some said, “Atlanta is too busy to hate.” This was said because Atlanta sought to be about more than its racial segregation history.

“Whatever happens in Asbury Park, concerns everybody in Asbury Park”.

We dare not pretend that our “tourist” focus compels us to conceal nor ignore the hurts, angers, and human tragedies that are here. Shootings here are not “fake news”. They remind us that despite the appeal of our sea, sand, and sun, humanity with all of its joys and sorrows is present among us.

Some of us wish that our City Council would create ways for us to focus on not just the hurts, angers, and human tragedies, that attract our attention, but to explore and be honest about the history, whys and wherefores, responsible for our human ills.

South Africa had its Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Asbury Park I believe is ready for a group of citizens who with civility, honesty, and respect, engage in truth telling, confession, reading, listening, meditating, reflection, and bold solution suggestions, that would lay the groundwork for healing.

The late Catholic Priest, Henri Nouwen, wrote about “Wounded Healing”. He suggested that we become “Wounded Healers” who allow the recognition of our own Wounded-ness, to shape our healing and the healing of others.

I am 85, I have been arrested and detained 4 times as I have engaged in civil disobedience. I was present at all of the major Civil Rights Movement demonstrations. But today, all of that seems to mean nothing. “The more we change, the more we remain the same.”

Asbury Park, I want us to become a “Wounded Healer City”, honest about our Wounded-ness, daring to be a place where Human Healing takes place, 24/7. We know we need it, and we all know Washington needs it.

Gil Caldwell

a.k.a. “Rev. Gil”

Did You Know...

Michelle Gladden wrote an excellent article in the Asbury Park Sun on the shootings in Asbury Park, including responses made by Linda Phillips, Duane Small, Rev. Nicolle Harris, and Jennifer Lewisnski at the City Council Meeting on Wednesday, July 24th. CLICK HERE

There is a free workshop by Cooperate Asbury on Wednesday,

September 4. 2019 from 6 - 8 pm at the Asbury Park Library. Click Here for more information

You are welcome to attend the 1619 Project Launch from the NY Times Magazine Tuesday, August 13, 2019 from 6 - 9:30 pm at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church 155 Prospect Ave. Asbury, Park. Speakers: Rev Gil Caldwell, Walter Gleason, Rev. Dr. Semaj Vanzant, Sr. Click Here for more information