“Are you with me now” A J Ryder
Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again – Bob Dylan
Last week, it took me two days to get to Providence from San Diego and it took me another two days to get out of Providence to go to Chicago and then to Memphis. I did make it to the last day of the ceremonies that honored Cedric Huntley and I’m glad I did. What I took away was even after he passed, he was still giving the love he always gave everyone, no one was ever excluded. Inclusivity took on a whole new meaning and level for Cedric. Following a packed Veteran’s Memorial Hall, I rode with Andrew Coburn in a procession that went from Veteran’s Hall to the Institute for Non-Violence where Cedric was Executive Director ending at The Met with a New Orleans brass band sendoff. A must since Cedric was from Louisiana. The ceremony culminated with the release of white doves on The Met Commons. On each release of a dove, a principle of the Institute for Non-violence was read.
Afterwards, I spent time with Nancy, Scott, Andrew and Senator Charles Walton who came up from North Carolina to honor Cedric. It was great to see him. Senator Walton was instrumental in ensuring The Met and for that matter Big Picture started. It is a great story that I will tell on the next Shameka and El After Dark.
Long distance information, give me Memphis Tennessee – Chuck Berry
When I left Providence for Memphis on Sunday morning, it became clear how the music that was played at the events celebrating Cedric’s life was a precursor to Big Bang. At Vet’s Memorial Hall they played People Get Ready by Curtis Mayfield who was from Chicago. On the STAX label, The Staples Singers covered People Get Ready. Cedric spent time with the Institute for Non-Violence in Chicago and like songwriter/musician Curtis Mayfield, Cedric lived by the vision of another Curtis Mayfield song Move On Up – “Enter the steeple of beautiful people where there’s only one kind.”
The music and verses of these songs bring up the question: What happens when people only get ready to get and never get? Are they ready for the new ways of doing schools and ready for Movin’ On Up. It’s been 28 and 29 years respectively since we started The Met and BPL. Dennis and I always talked about being ahead of our time but more than 29 years ahead? Do efforts like continuous improvement really get us there? They sound a lot like getting’ but not getting there. Taking the next step up to MOVE On Up is a courageous act and action is what we had in common with Cedric. Many talk, we do.
Walking in Memphis
This week, BPL put on a wonderful Big Bang thanks to all the planning that so many contributed to. The choice of The Past is Present as a theme certainly played out for us in the city of Memphis where there is so much history from the civil rights movement embedded in the music and architecture of places like the Lorraine and Peabody hotels and the rebuilt site of STAX. For me, both Casey's advisory and my advisory's trip to STAX as our Leaving to Learn put it all together and thereafter set the tone. Our conversations in advisory were meaningful and chock full of action steps to take as everyone returns to the places they live and work. As usual, it was listening to the students both from STAX academy and the students and alums from BPL schools that were the most meaningful. I loved listening to the STAX students talk about the deep respect they had for their elder musicians and for the STAX catalog of music. It is shaping their lives where the past is surely present and happily runs counter to how DMC spoke at a recent Leadership Journeys about the disconnect between the new generation of Hip-Hop artists and the artists that came before them.
Probably our largest Leaving to Learn ever was to the National Civil Rights Museum at The Lorraine Hotel where Representative Justin J. Pearson of the Tennessee General Assembly keynoted. For me, it was his actions around the stand he took around gun violence that shaped his words.
Hearing feedback, it sounded like everyone had loads of favorite activities. There were plenty of workshops to choose from and loads of time to mingle with old and new friends. I loved doing Shameka and El After Dark and was very pleased with the heartfelt reception from the audience participants for the viewing of the documentary on the Friendship Bench. Pam Roy is one of the producers. Lots of next steps.
Next year we are off to Providence for the 30th anniversary of BPL and now I’m already on Kauai for a week of meetings culminating in a very large community event for Namahana. In a few days Andrea, Anthonette will join Kapua & Co as well.
Peace
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