My 8th grade boyfriend lived in a large, old house that was rumored to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. The basement, indeed, had some “secret passageways” and hidden rooms that made the story seem likely. I remember the first time I got to explore down there-… Read more
We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I was the kind of kid that adults liked to call non-athletic. I wasn’t uncoordinated or weird enough to be the last one picked for recess games. But I also was a better cheerleader and fun teammate than I was an actual athletic asset.
Enough years of people… Read more
On this date in 1890, between 150 and 300 Lakota Sioux people were killed at the massacre near Wounded Knee Creek on the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
Earlier that fall, native folks began hosting ritual Ghost Dances to celebrate and bring back the native… Read more
Last night’s Ella Baker Legacy Event was even better than I imagined it might be. The wisdom and inspiration shared by Cathy Cade, Dolores Huerta, and Ericka Huggins will continue to make me think and move me to action for a long time. In addition to powerful stories about Ella… Read more
Growing up in the Midwest, I spent a fair amount of time at the local mall. That’s kind of where teen social life happened in my town. We would spend a lot of time anticipating what big, hip chain might set up shop next. Maybe the Gap will… Read more
Today, Miss Ella Josephine Baker would turn 108 years old. The more I learn about this remarkable woman, the more in awe I become. She believed in freedom and she believed in the power of communities to change their lives.
I can’t help imagine wondering what Miss Baker… Read more
Tonight is a special opportunity to Use Your Money! Shop local at the Holiday Pop Up!
Not only can you invest in Oakland artists and vendors, but the event benefits Wardrobe for Opportunity. This local organization works in partnership with the community to assist low-income individuals to
… Read more
Looking for a way to get involved with the Ella Baker Center in 2012? Join the Ella’s Voice Editorial Board.
The Ella’s Voice Editorial Board assists Ella Baker Center Communications staff in blog oversight, content development, and promotion. Editorial Board volunteers serve as Ella’s Voice ambassadors out in… Read more
I was 23 years old the 1st time that a friend who I considered a peer tested positive for the HIV virus. The night he received the news, we did a lot of crying, a lot of talking, and even some shouting at the moon.
Before that time,… Read more
