Writing the Ford Foundation November 25th, 2015 Wednesday

November 25, 2015 Wednesday

To: The Ford Foundation

320 East 43^rd Street

New York, New York  10017

From: Mr. Tracy Charles Gibson (God)

670 North 41^st Street, Apartment B

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Dear Ford Foundation Associates:

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and at this time of Thanksgiving, I Am at the end of my rope in writing People and organizations and asking for money for the many worthwhile causes I Am associated with. I have a private S corporation that was founded & incorporated on December 18^th, 2006 to help Black youth determine and establish a better life for themselves and to become responsible North American citizens – an asset to our Black community, as opposed to a detriment to our nation. [I must mention that my late mother, Mrs. Jessie Mae Gibson—an educator & motivator --  determined Thanksgiving as Her favorite Holiday as it brought together Her family for a festive and elaborate meal, fellowship & good times. This year I will show gratitude for what little I have by eating with homeless People [I like the term Home Challenged Brothers & Sisters].    I have done an enormous amount of work over the years, but have never received much money to maintain and advance that work.  We are not a 501c3. We are an S corporation. [Frankly, I don’t want to be beholden to the grantors and prefer to establish my work from money from the Black community itself.] Unfortunately, these are such hard times that it has been almost impossible to get much capital through this process of community building. [The financial back-biting and the crabs-in-a-basket attitudes have been phenomenally destructive to community progress.].

I Am sending you a copy of my Annual Report from this past year (2015). You will understand what we do and How we do it with such a small amount of money. At this point we have a bank account at United Bank – a Black bank in Philadelphia --  but haven’t even been able to establish and maintain a checking account. I have been able to pay myself a small salary [from time to time] (see number one on the annual report), but hit a problem with our payroll company.  I Am an expert writer and a expert strategist politically. I have supported the President on some issues and opposed Him on some issues. Our company and I as an individual have friends on both sides of the isle [I Am an independent voter] and have even written letters to both sides in the Middle East conflict. I have a Peace Plan for the Middle East which I have sent to many establishments since I first started writing it over seven years ago. It has grown and developed, but has been largely ignored. It is controversial, but will effectively put an end to the whole crisis there. I AM sure of it.  We are basically a Think Tank called Bro. Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc. (Brother Tracy Gibson & Associates, Incorporated) and we do writing, Education, Public Relations, advertising, small but very effective Philanthropy, Black Community Advocacy & Advocacy for Black youth and Black children, consultations for individual problems, & have always been a determining factor in building self esteem and better values in Black young People. We have requested financial support from several Black celebrities, but to no avail. Out of respect I will not mention their names. As you can see from our annual report, we have received some financial support from the community and I have invested in our company as my small disability money has allowed.  We took a financial nose dive this year to effectively reach out & help a 27-year-old Black man we hired and taught many subjects this last summer. The experience was fantastically rewarding and we were really able to help Him learn about Black community relations, electronics, ethical values, good manners and Black history. We even helped Him pay for the care of His two small children by giving Him a stipend of over $300.00 ever two weeks as we could afford it. Recently, I Am a bit concerned about my nephew who is a filmmaker living in Brazil. I think He is rather embarrassed to tell His uncle –that would be me (who is Gay) that He is a man who loves men also.  This is only a theory I have looking at the lack of women in His life. I will probably be an important bridge for Him in relating with His parents, who will feel a real disappointment in Him if this is true.  [They have their own issues.]. My nephew has been very quiet and aloof on the subject. Tomorrow I will send Him an important e-mail on the subject to try to get Him to reach a level of self acceptance in the face of a rather stern father and mother on the subject of homosexuality.  (I Am about to write this in a few moments and put it on my travel drive to send Him tomorrow).  During the summer of 2014 I helped a White friend of mine battle some of the same demons as He wanted to be straight, but found himself wanting a man as a lover. After spending a few months with me, He is now living in Florida with a male lover, but He comes to Philadelphia (and I assume sends checks here) to meet with and support his young male child. I have had to battle my own demons as I Am dealing with being a bipolar Person with a hint of schizophrenia. (I Am treated very professionally by a psychiatrist (Doctor Chang) 215 748 8400 and psychologist (Ms. Sarah E. Johnson, LCSW (1 267 354 2797 – my outpatient therapist --  at a place in West Philadelphia at 55^th and Chestnut Street called The Consortium Inc.   (They desperately need a grant themselves and probably do have their 501c3). The Consortium Inc. provides very good services to the Black community here.    (My sister says if Black People ever got reparations, it would give us all, our entire nation, great benefit if they were given in the form of mental health services.)  I have to agree. When I see poor Black People spend $20.00 a day on lottery tickets and then agree with their misguided leader that they can’t afford a $5.00 national Identification card – and spend an entire election cycle fighting against the community taking responsibility for that small worthwhile $5.00 investment, I cringe knowing some of our Black leadership is just as misguided as the People He is trying to lead. (Out of respect, I will not mention any names).  If you need any information from me, please contact me at the existing contact points below. (I Am giving you my home address and my mailing address as well as my phone number and my business e-mail address.) My sister is an up-and-coming artist in Wash D.C. who once received a Ford Foundation grant. I hope you will contact Her again as well. (She presently has a back injury that has temporarily put Her partially out of commission. However, She is a determined Black woman who raised four children with the help of an equally determined doctor / activist husband/ (Their address and phone number is also listed below.)  I thank you for any consideration you can provide. My brother-in-law, sister and myself have worked diligently to help our Black People with little regard for financial reward and we have done so over a duration of about 35 years.

 

Peace & Blessings,

 

*GOD, Mr. Tracy Charles Gibson

*When I say I Am GOD, People always miss the second part of this because I also say ``I Am no more GOD than anyone else. It is all a matter of personal, spiritual, educational (not always formal), and other development.’’ This s not a new concept. If you do the research you will find professionally qualified and high-ranking  academicians who talk about humans being Gods when they develop in a good and positive manner.

Founder (Disabled), CEO & President of

Brother Tracy Gibson & Associates., Incorporated

A growing concerned facing extinction unless we get funding very soon.

 

Brother Tracy Gibson & Associates, Incorporated

Post Office Box 42878

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101 – 2878

Phone 215 823 9985

Home address:

Mr. Tracy Charles Gibson

670 North 41^st Street

Apartment B

Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 19104

The Gibson Hunter Residence

Doctor Keith Hunter & Mrs. Claudia Aziza Gibson Hunter

4221 Argyle Avenue

Wash D.C. 20011

Phone : 1 202 723 9409

[Doctor Hunter, I Am sure, has a private company and perhaps a 501c3 but Is entangled in some legal matters that have been temporarily financially crippling. Perhaps you can help.).

To Check out my older sister’s art work log onto: www.ClaudiaAzizaGibsonHunter.com

 

Important Letter you Should Be Aware of About WRTI Jazz / Classic Radio

 November 16th, 2015, Monday

From: Mr. Tracy Charles Gibson

(Disabled Philanthropist & Businessman)

The Mount Olivet Projects

670 North 41st Street

Apartment B

Philadelphia, Pa 19104

To: WRTI Radio Classical / Jazz

1509 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, 3^rd Floor

Philadelphia, Pa 19121

Dear Associates & Management at WRTI:

I like much of the Jazz you play. I would LOVe to provide a significant money donation to you, but I live off of less than one thousand, Four hundred dollars a month & pay $398.00 in rent a month. Plus I have to pay for food, medicine, transportation, a haircut, clothing, notebooks, etc. out of the rest of that money. If I Am able to eke out a contribution of $5.00 or $10.00 here & there, it is a Holy Miracle. Sometimes I give one or two dollars as I can. But there is another reason I don't give to WRTI Radio. *[If you look back on your financial records about 20 years you will see I have given you money in the past.] I Am very disappointed in the amount of Black radio announcers you have on during your Jazz Programming. I also don't like the kind of encroachment I see Temple University doing in North Philadelphia. I Am Black and feel Temple has displaced hundreds of Black People from North Philadelphia. [I used to cover North Phillie for the Philadelphia Tribune & I testified about gentrification in front of Philadelphia's City Council a while back, so I know what I'm talkin about.]. This is a proven fact, and it is shameful (your record of gentrification that is). I can't financially support such behavior. The really outrageous thing is, on your classical music side, from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., you always have White radio announcers. This is also shameful and the reason you will not get a dime from me. It is as if your management is saying there are no qualified Black People to work on the station as announcers for Jazz or Classical European music!! This is outrageous and ridiculous!! This is also the reason why this letter will be published on my Google Blog for the Public to read. Black People are significantly tired of Europeans fronting with Black this and Black that and taking our money, meanwhile there is very little positive Black representation & Black positive gain as often Jewish People, other ``Whites,'' and more established and conservative Black People get almost all footage from business endeavors Black People should be benefiting from. If Black People are to make the positive advantages we must make to truly move forward, we must stop this phony care-fronting you and Temple are doing. So, no, you will get any donations from me until such policies change and you join the 21^st Century. I don’t hate White People. I have LOVe in my heart for all of mankind and womankind. I also LOVe People who are Gay--as I Am-- or bisexual or transgendered. As a Black Gay man, I feel, the more we learn to LOVe ourselves as Black People, the more we will be able to be fair to ourselves & stop such fraud and phony fronting going on at Temple and WRTI Radio. I will not send you a single dollar until I see significant change in a correct, Positive and forward-moving direction.

 

Respectfully Yours,

 

Peace & Blessings,

 

Tracy Charles Gibson, Businessman (Disabled) & Philanthropist.

Business Address:

Brother Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc.

Post Office Box 42878

Philadelphia, PA 19101 – 2878

BlackExecutive46@GMail.Com

1 215 823 9985

Brother Sean Peretta

The Light Behind the Throne – Sean Peretta

 

By Anonymous

 

Sean Peretta was one of, if not the kindest, sweetest, smartest Black men I eve met. While He attended Law School at Villanova University He worked at TV Guide Magazine, where I was also employed. We both worked as editorial assistants in the National Programming Department.

 

Sean Peretta had a smile that GOD depended on to help Him light up the world each and every morning.  He was Black and Italian, but He knew of racial hatred & discrimination. He NEVER , EVER, however, let these evil forces make Him hateful, angry or bitter. I, an angry Black man at the time, never understood this—especially coming from a younger Black man.

 

To say Sean Peretta was a beautiful Black man would be like calling the lush, robust African Baobab tree a little sprout or like calling the Hope Diamond a little gem –the understatement is deeply apparent. Sean was one of the most physically beautiful men of any race I had ever known or seen.  He LOVed humanity and had a female friend named Randy who was of European extraction. Sean never made any excuses about Randy being His friend. They made it through thick & thin. I don’t think they were intimate partners, but frankly, that is none of my bees wax. All I know s Randy would have given the world for Sean and Vice Versa.

 

The job as an Editorial Assistant at TV Guide didn’t look hard on the surface, but it did require some detailed work, concentration & punctuality.  TV Guide’s Human Resources Office was literally littered with a good many pink slips from People who didn’t make the grade.

 

Sean LOVed Basketball. He was a fish out of water without it. He was very tall & thin like most basketball stars & basketball players are. But there was something very special about Sean that I didn’t get a chance to reflect on until now – some 15 to 20 years after His tragic death.

 

I never knew a man of any race – known or unknown – rich or income-challenged, who had a brighter, more authentic smile and a total honesty about His deepest persona. The secret to Sean was that it was all there. There was really nothing much very deep or secret about Him. This is the deep part—humanity& the Universe really embraced Him with all its’ might. This was a delightful man with a good joke or two who didn’t understand the concept of greed, deceit, hatefulness or resentment. My own parents didn’t represent the type of honesty of personality represented in Sean Peretta. He sat directly in front of me, across a table where we had our work.  The sun light shined from behind Him through a large window.  It created the impact of Sean looking like a vision in light – an angel, a beautiful Black male angel. I was so very, very honored to have met & known Sean, but it took years for me to come to terms with How much I LOVed & missed Him.  Sean was straight and I Am Gay, but this made no never – mind to Him. I knew full well not to step over certain boundaries with Sean in our daily work & brief encounters that happened as part of our working in the same office. 

 

Maybe Sean had that early Obama charm that comes with being bi-racial. He was brown. He identified as being Black. But People didn’t talk much about race around Him, although He was known to support liberal causes like, perhaps the American Civil Liberties Union or the Human Rights Campaign in the early days of their work.  He also supported a few liberal Democrats in His day. 

 

When I heard Sean died playing basketball one hot summer day and that He had had a fatal heart attack, I was more than shocked and saddened because His LOVe for humanity and People were just beginning to rub off on me.  I was changing from a bitter Black radical into a more refined man with great taste in other men and fine foods.  Sean was a stellar man who a lot of People at The Guide LOVed.  I rarely go to funerals, but not to be at this gentleman’s funeral would not be proper at all.  I remember one of His nephews or a niece [Sean had no children] saying How much they would miss their uncle.  It was all very sad that Day at White Rock Baptist Church at 53^rd and Chestnut Street.

 

Know this Sean. Please in heaven or in limbo or with the Ancient, Black African Ancestors, even from antiquity, please work to make this earth a Heaven like you may be in right now. Help me and so many other Black, Asian, Latin, Arab and White progressives make this planet a haven for Peace, prosperity for ALL, LOVe, decency, non-judgment, equality, abundance, Joy, Freedom, sharing, non-violence, non-discrimination, wealth-sharing, non-drug dependency,& sustainability. Help us save or planet’s water, air and other natural resources so they will be here for the children.  Help us all come full circle in ending war and destruction and helping the rich share with all of us. And help us all make what we need to make economically to make this word a much, much better place. Protect us from the evil manipulation of others who are geared towards the destruction of this planet, its’ People and who have greed and hatred as a base of their motivations.  I will never forget you and that smile. I know you can help us in this time of need.  I know you Will.

LOVe is Easy, Change you Have to Work at

LOVe is Easy. Changing is not. But we must work at it. Success saves our Black Planet.

By Anonymous

I Love Black men. In fact, I’m infatuated with them. This would not be so bad if I weren’t a Black man myself. This makes things hard. I’m not talkin about one or two Black men. I mean everyone I see. Everyone that ever was or ever will be. God gave me this LOVe so I could save the planet earth. It is LOVe that saves things. Not firemen. Not policemen. Not school teachers. Not community activists. Not money. It is the LOVe in the heart that forces these people to act the correct way and do the best at their jobs. The LOVe of a Mom for Her child is instilled in a young boy and when He becomes a Black man, He LOVes in turn.  Greetings from Heaven. We now all live in Heaven. If we are makin it a Hell that is because of circumstances. We also live in the United States of Native America. It is not necessarily our fault to have difficulty.  If we were lucky enough to make a difference, even just for ourselves – that is God workin for us and the universe workin with us.  A lot of Black men still blame the White man for their ills. Sayin we are oppressed. Certainly there is a situation in place that puts oppressive glue on us each morning when we turn the tv on; eat a donut; turn the radio on or read most magazines and newspapers. Not reading them and turning them on or eating a donut is a choice we can make. We can choose to go to the library instead of choosing to have another 40 and get laid. We can choose to go to school instead of blow $20.00 a day on lottery tickets. When White men wake up the oppressive glue they listen to, read or eat or turn on doesn’t oppress them – it tunes them up for their day and gets them goin and gives them every advantage White skin can muster and put forth. The People who tried to tell Black men – beautiful Black men – about this were killed. Martin. Malcolm. Medgar.  We lost something when the computer was invented. We used to invent a lot of things. The computer has turned the landscape in the Black community into self-haters and mush. Don’t use your computer night and day. Learn how to rule it instead of letting it rule you. Don’t hate on White People. It is useless to hate anyone or anything except perhaps injustice, greed, bigotry, economic inequality, -- did I say greed. If I sound like a broken record to you, you probably are already a Black activist workin hard to figure out a Way to free Black People from the often self imposed mind set of slavery. We work to ``improve’’ the school system. We should  have our own private school system with a set of principles to lift our children’s minds out of the ``imposed’’ gutter of the ghetto and become a new class of  thinkers and doers. They have a commercial on tv about doers and they are all White and just about all male. As Black men we have been erased from the class of doers in their minds. And we let these people teach our children. This is not wise. If we have the money to save part of the liquor industry, we have the money to stop smoking cigarettes and cigars and – stop Bling Blinging. We can put our children through privet schools with expert Black teachers and pay our Black students  (and give them scholarships). This will support our Black private school system and raise our standards for our children and the rest of us. Our children need to go to Black colleges and Black universities where there are expert Black teachers, expert Black Administrators and expert Black companies and expert Black individuals who want to see the Black students achieve greatly.  Black Colleges and Black Universities succeed must succeed or we have failed. But it really needs to start at the grade school level with private schools. We can do this if we change some of our old ways and behaviors and take on being very coherent to listen to positive direction. We have a certain Continent that is our land as Africans and still full of People who we have a very special attachment to. (Our African Brothers & Sisters).  ``They’’ (White People) say the Africans don’t like or LOVe us as African Americans. Some White People say Africans want to just come here for education and go back and save their own piece of the African planet. I think, given a few positive words, we will find a lot of LOVe from Africans. But we must embrace our whole family. We have to also ask our Black family to start acting correctly and stop all the self destructive behaviors. (Certainly slow those negative behaviors, down think about them and, with help turn some of them around into positive behaviors). This may well take years of re-training and therapy.  We need to get started right away and stop being fearful and stop accepting stereotypes and stigmas, and stop listening to fear monsters.  When we learn how to embrace each other no matter what we are or who we are -- like Jesus said we should (and I’m convinced He was talkin about Black People inside our race) – then we will start on a generational journey towards the self LOVe that will save the Black family, the Black earth and save Black LOVe. Otherwise, we may be doomed to another day of doom. Look in the mirror and say I’m gonna stop hating and start learning and lOVin to make the world, our Black World – a much better place. Spend the afternoon at the library reading anything you want instead of watchin the Hip Hop Awards nonsense. You will be inviting God into your life. He has a funny way of setting up shop and stayin when He finds interested parties. 

Corporate Annual Report From Brother Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc. Thanks for your support!!!

👑👑Annual Report From Brother Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc.

 

For 2015 To: Our Board & The Public

 

From Founder, President & Chief Executive Officer Mr. Tracy Charles Gibson (Disabled, but quite active and functional)

 

Major Achievements:

1] We provided financing and training for a 27-year-ole youth to take part in a new program called (The New School for Progressive Black Thought & Black Achievement). The individual who took part in this pilot program was Mr. Andre Paulhill. He was able to pay His child support and have money for the summer because of our program. We paid Him almost $1,050.00. He was able to be trained in electrical work; took part in visiting the Liberty Bell and the Slave memorial to the Slaves of former United States President George Washington at 5th &Market; He also: visited City Hall’s City Council to watch an actual session of City Council while they were hearings about the availability and cost of the supply of Natural Gas for the State of Pennsylvania going on. Mr. Paulhill was also lectured about fatherhood, good ethics, Black history & He took a vegetarian cooking class. [We did not have a checking account set up at the time of His hire and there was some confusion, not due to our mistakes, with the taxes He is to pay to the City of Philadelphia, the State of Pennsylvania& the Federal government. The Internal Revenue Service has been informed of the problem and we will send a statement to the State of Pa & The City of Philadelphia as well.]  The taxes were collected, but due to this error, they never got to the proper authorities.  This matter is being handled by our President who is already discussing the matter with a professional tax accountant [Meltzer & Meltzer Certified Public Accountants of Elkins Park, Pa.], and the payroll experts they referred us to.  Mr. Paulhill loved the program and we expect to hire Him back in the near future as funds allow.

2] We started a process to officially campaign for a new Bank Branch for United Bank of Philadelphia in West Philadelphia and have recently talked with a bank representative to talk about how to expand this work to include a new branch in South Philadelphia and a new branch in the Northeast as well. We are planning to talk in late November of 2015 in front of a group of Progressive Black decision makers and activist about United Bank.

3] Continued advocacy work by writing a public letter to Minister Louis Farrakhan about what actions we suggested to be taken after the Million Man March on Saturday, October 10th, 2015. [I could not attend this event for financial reasons.]  This letter to Brother Farrakhan is posted on our Blog at: http://ThePoliticsofReal.Blogspot.Com

4] Attended several events, workshops and a class including one on personal finance with a WURD Radio , 900 AM, host  as the instructor down town this summer.  A cornucopia of financial tactics & strategies were discussed at this class including How to prepare for sending your children to school; retirement accounts; investing; tricks the banks use & the stock market. Also: I attended a conference on Racism in the Black community this summer and took part in the question & answer session. We also advocated for more Grass Roots representation on various participatory panels hosted by WURD 900 AM, Black Talk Radio, this past summer. The Radio station complied with our request and successfully acquired a Black man from the Hip Hop community to take part in one panel discussion and question & answer event held at the Painted Bride.

 5] As a corporation we have also read & / or watched several videos and books. Some of the videos I have watched personally include adult, sexually explicit Black Gay videos. Some of the titles I have watched include: ``You Want the Pipe?,’’ ``Harlem Thugs Four,’’ `` Stress Release,’’ ``In Too Deep,’’ & ``Like a Freak.’’ The reason I have watched such videos in not only for sexual gratification, but to continue a process of advocating for more intimate films that actually teach our young Black Gay [or Same Gender Loving] men and older Black Gay men about intimacy and properly treating their male mates & / or sex partners with respect & decency. We are developing this idea to also help to advocate for the decrease of high levels of Sexually Transmitted Diseases within the prison system and throughout the Black community as many People mimic what they see on film and need more healthy, positive images on screen and video. We are also using this process for advocating for more use of condoms, especially in the United States of Native America’s prison system & for all sex between and among consenting Black male adults.  Along these same lines we are also helping to establish a new gerund of Black film that will look at Black Gay life in a realistic, healthy, dramatic or comic, upbeat, aesthetic& energetic Way. [Examples of such films already out include ``Dirty Laundry’’ and ``Black Bird.’’ ]Our corporation has submitted a proposal to Oprah  & Tyler Perry about this matter and idea and have signed away all rights to the project to stimulate the active and fast-tracked development  of this idea. We have also written the Philadelphia Film Department about this idea.  This decision, to share this idea, was not an easy one, but when you look at the high level of Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Black women especially;  the need for more diversity in the type of dramas we as Black People watch; and the commercial possibility of such films,  I thought the idea’s honesty and timeliness would help it enter the realm  of being accepted, financed and developed.

6] Other research materials I read, listened to or read over slightly includes: ``The Money Class,’’ by Suzie Orman (read completely several months ago(; ``Vegan Holiday Cooking,’’ by Nava Atlas (read parts of[beautiful photos]); ``Bicycles Love Poems,’’ by Nikki Giovanni(read substantial parts of this book & plan to read it at Open Poetry readings along with some of my own writing.).; ``The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook,’’ by Haylie Pomroy. (read many of the easy recipes.). ``Pay Yourself First The African American Guide to Financial Success and Security,’’ by Jesse B. Brown.; (I read this book {about five chapters} and I took it out of the library twice.).

7] Some of the People I plan to write about funding includes: activist Anna Aagenes a bisexual lgbt sports expert & lgbt sports promoter (You Can Play)!! ; the foundations of late comic TV host Johnny Carson; The Ford Foundation; &  the foundation of Jazz Trumpeter Clark Terry.

8] I have attended and written to several Black churches in the Philadelphia area. The result has been volunteering for the Historic Black activist church, The Church of the Advocate at 18th & Diamond Street for their soup Kitchen / Café – and the possibility of helping some Black churches raise funds.

9] We received at least $195.00 in donations & loans this year. The money is not a large sum, but has come from some sources that really pull at the heart strings. One $20.00 donation came from a Home-Challenged [read homeless] Black woman who has some instability problems. Every time I see Her I thank Her profusely. I would like to do something nice for Her, but I can’t right now. She eats meals at a certain place in Delaware County that I would like to provide a whole mostly vegetarian meal for. I hope I can get some of our Board members to volunteer. {Something tells me this will be soon.}.  Another $100.00 came from a Board member who asked not to be identified. Another loan for $50.00 came from a good friend and a Board member. The last $25 came from  a good friend of mine.  He can’t join our Board because He has other obligations with another Progressive Board that concerns itself with South Africa. We also applied for a $20,000.00 loan & a $500.00 loan at two separate and different times (The $500.00 one first), but were denied for both loans. We will be applying for a $7,000.00 loan with the same company (West Philadelphia Financial Services Institution). I Am looking for co-signers on this loan. If you balk at the idea of co-signing, I want you to think about what we are asking White People to do. Make changes and go against their traditions of racial inequality.  I Am asking you to do the same thing – go against your traditional idea of not trusting anyone or Black People in particular, or Black companies and co-sign. If you can’t do this remember this when you ask White People to change. I as an individual have worked diligently this last year to improve on my credit rating. I have worked with a Ms Omi at the City of Philadelphia’s Clarifi Program. My personal credit score has gone from 334 to 553 or better.

 

10] I have written several articles that I have shared with the reading Black Public through my Blog. Included: The final Addendum to the Booklet for Black Youth; final editing of my poetry book; Article: Don’t Send Our Third Graders to Jail; Cut to the Quick; Article: Jesus Is Here; The Hefty Cost of Not Supporting Our Activists; A Letter of Support to Senator Elizabeth Warren; Total Package; Land Ownership in Africa; and The Concept of Earth Father.

 

11]  I went to a seminar that was attended by workers at the Free Library’s Foundation Center and I have continued our outreach to funders, supporters, the general Public,& the Black supporting Public. Part of this effort was to take on supporting the West Phillie Produce Store at 62nd Street on the West side of the Street between Market & Ludlow Street.  This is a Black-owned produce store whose owner  (Arnett Woodall ) is very empathetic to Black youth issues and stands as a stable rock in that community. I spend over $50.00 a month on fruits & vegetables at His store and have promoted Him among friends, colleges, business acquaintances and associates.

 

12] I have also and we have as a company, supported three Black film directors by sending financial incentives (no actual cash) to them in hopes that they get their films either finished or produced. One director actually interviewed me on camera for His film. I have also kept in touch with the City of Philadelphia’s Film department about various film-related projects we have endorsed such as a proposed film to be made by Black Film director Michelle Parkerson of Wash D C about aviator Bessie Coleman; The film about the Adodi movement by director and producer Brother Rod of Brooklyn;  and we have supported the work of Brother Kamau Stewart Gibson Hunter in Brazil who has many projects underway. Lastly, we will be in contact with novelist and theater director Stanley Bennett Clay of California and New York to see if we can assist Him as well. 

 

13] We endorsed the idea of helping provide the momentum for a huge celebration of the activism of Sistah Pam Africa, whose work has spanned several decades.

 

 

 

14] Poem:   Why Do We DO All This?

 

So as to not see another small mountain of candles

 

Stuffed teddy bears

 

And

 

Balloons

 

At

 

Yet

 

Another site where one of our youths

 

Has been taken from us

 

15] Through all this work I have kept a positive attitude, a good Spirit, and, often with your help, have managed to keep my head above water – even in these positively changing times we live in right now.  This is why I continue to go to see my psychologist on a regular basis and keep taking medicine – so I can stay balanced enough to do this work. 

**If you have any questions about this Annual Report; Please give Brother Tracy Gibson a call at 1 215 823 9985 or write Him at BlackExecutive46@GMail.Com.

If you would like to make a no-pressure contribution of any sum you wish, can afford and feel totally comfortable with, please do so by sending your postal money order or personal check to

 Brother Tracy Gibson & Assoc., Inc.

Post Office Box 42878

                  Philadelphia, Common’s Wealth of Pennsylvania 19101 – 2878

 

You have our heart-felt thanks!!!

Brother Shawn Peretta

The Light Behind the Throne – Sean Peretta

 

By Anonymous

 

Sean Peretta was one of, if not the kindest, sweetest, smartest Black men I eve met. While He attended Law School at Villanova University He worked at TV Guide Magazine, where I was also employed. We both worked as editorial assistants in the National Programming Department.

 

Sean Peretta had a smile that GOD depended on to help Him light up the world each and every morning.  He was Black and Italian, but He knew of racial hatred & discrimination. He NEVER , EVER, however, let these evil forces make Him hateful, angry or bitter. I, an angry Black man at the time, never understood this—especially coming from a younger Black man.

 

To say Sean Peretta was a beautiful Black man would be like calling the lush, robust African Baobab tree a little sprout or like calling the Hope Diamond a little gem –the understatement is deeply apparent. Sean was one of the most physically beautiful men of any race I had ever known or seen.  He LOVed humanity and had a female friend named Randy who was of European extraction. Sean never made any excuses about Randy being His friend. They made it through thick & thin. I don’t think they were intimate partners, but frankly, that is none of my bees wax. All I know s Randy would have given the world for Sean and Vice Versa.

 

The job as an Editorial Assistant at TV Guide didn’t look hard on the surface, but it did require some detailed work, concentration & punctuality.  TV Guide’s Human Resources Office was literally littered with a good many pink slips from People who didn’t make the grade.

 

Sean LOVed Basketball. He was a fish out of water without it. He was very tall & thin like most basketball stars & basketball players are. But there was something very special about Sean that I didn’t get a chance to reflect on until now – some 15 to 20 years after His tragic death.

 

I never knew a man of any race – known or unknown – rich or income-challenged, who had a brighter, more authentic smile and a total honesty about His deepest persona. The secret to Sean was that it was all there. There was really nothing much very deep or secret about Him. This is the deep part—humanity& the Universe really embraced Him with all its’ might. This was a delightful man with a good joke or two who didn’t understand the concept of greed, deceit, hatefulness or resentment. My own parents didn’t represent the type of honesty of personality represented in Sean Peretta. He sat directly in front of me, across a table where we had our work.  The sun light shined from behind Him through a large window.  It created the impact of Sean looking like a vision in light – an angel, a beautiful Black male angel. I was so very, very honored to have met & known Sean, but it took years for me to come to terms with How much I LOVed & missed Him.  Sean was straight and I Am Gay, but this made no never – mind to Him. I knew full well not to step over certain boundaries with Sean in our daily work & brief encounters that happened as part of our working in the same office. 

 

Maybe Sean had that early Obama charm that comes with being bi-racial. He was brown. He identified as being Black. But People didn’t talk much about race around Him, although He was known to support liberal causes like, perhaps the American Civil Liberties Union or the Human Rights Campaign in the early days of their work.  He also supported a few liberal Democrats in His day. 

 

When I heard Sean died playing basketball one hot summer day and that He had had a fatal heart attack, I was more than shocked and saddened because His LOVe for humanity and People were just beginning to rub off on me.  I was changing from a bitter Black radical into a more refined man with great taste in other men and fine foods.  Sean was a stellar man who a lot of People at The Guide LOVed.  I rarely go to funerals, but not to be at this gentleman’s funeral would not be proper at all.  I remember one of His nephews or a niece [Sean had no children] saying How much they would miss their uncle.  It was all very sad that Day at White Rock Baptist Church at 53^rd and Chestnut Street.

 

Know this Sean. Please in heaven or in limbo or with the Ancient, Black African Ancestors, even from antiquity, please work to make this earth a Heaven like you may be in right now. Help me and so many other Black, Asian, Latin, Arab and White progressives make this planet a haven for Peace, prosperity for ALL, LOVe, decency, non-judgment, equality, abundance, Joy, Freedom, sharing, non-violence, non-discrimination, wealth-sharing, non-drug dependency,& sustainability. Help us save or planet’s water, air and other natural resources so they will be here for the children.  Help us all come full circle in ending war and destruction and helping the rich share with all of us. And help us all make what we need to make economically to make this word a much, much better place. Protect us from the evil manipulation of others who are geared towards the destruction of this planet, its’ People and who have greed and hatred as a base of their motivations.  I will never forget you and that smile. I know you can help us in this time of need.  I know you Will.

Is Filming the Police Enough?

Is ``F**-ing’’ them Enough?

By Brother Tracy Gibson

 

I decided I didn’t want to ``F’’ the Police. That is what started to get me into trouble. I’m not talk about filming the police. The other ``F.’’ I rejected one officer and thus, I rejected them all.  Sorry to be so explicit, but we are talking about How to save our Black youth’s and our Black children’s lives. I Am askin our leadership & our Black community to take another look at the police brutality issue. I Am askin for balance, fairness, openness, and greater exposure on this issue.. Eighty Five % of the time, when we stand back and call the police, because of security risks and necessity, we make out without a bad incident or anyone getting killed or murdered or beaten mercilessly.  Some How this never gets into our news coverage on CNN or ABC. But when a Black youth like that young girl in the classroom who was treated brutally by an officer in a school when She was misbehaving – that got a lot of media attention and news coverage. Nerves were tingling, people were on the edge of their seats, People were angry, People were upset. I’m beginning to wonder if the rich White media isn’t the real problem and enemy here. The People need to Cool It, But, By GOD, the Media really needs to cool down.

Moreover, when we spend time trying to build bridges and heal and mend aching hearts, sooth tired minds & make People understand that things will get worse if the same people stay in charge of producing what we think is the news – you know exactly who I’m talkin about. When we sit by and watch the drivel on TV and not question it and demand more reality--& I’m not talkin about ``reality shows’’ like that awful Jerry Springer of that terrible Moorie Povich. These shows are gruesome, silly, exploitative of the poor, stupid and over hyped by the same ole customers who cram the other stupidity down our eyeballs. I’m talkin about real reality on TV. The sort of shows that help create Peace, Decency, Respect, Honor, LOVe, Understanding, Hope, and help these things blossom & spring forth like Spring in Mae—this is what we need in TV programming. I don’t think Tyler Perry gets it. Maybe Oprah with Her Spiritual Hope shows is beginning to crack an egg here & there, but even She is not really on target or on point. Where are the Black Spiritual leaders on Her show? I see an awful lot of crying White women of Her shows and a lot of crying White women on Doc Phil on Oprah as well. The United States of Native America (Here, We) are made up of a lot more than this!!   

When will honesty and true meaning and decency and real kindness and respect for People start to dominate the airwaves instead of just more hype and police shows and Two White Chicks without a Dime because Wall Street took it all—when will a great degree of diversity Spring forth.  I was very encouraged that they are starting a show about Librarians. It is fantasy and over hyped and TV land, but it is a start. I have yet to see ``The Haves and the Havenots,’’ the TV show. I saw the original Tyler Perry stage play on video and was appalled and repulsed by the massive stereotypes & stupidity.  The ole granny was a prostitute type and there were few shows of real affection between the main man and the main woman characters. The youth was a border-line drug dealer who stayed out until 3 AM.  But there is one thing I know for sure. Mr. Perry is very capable of morphing into whatever He needs to in order to make a buck and show People what they want. He does not seem good at raising Black community standards and helping Black viewers see they can ask for and get and be something much better. The showing of Black viewers raving about His plays at the end of the Perry Play videos is Legendary and exacting. It helps cut away at the racist money backers who would deny Him funding for His shows.

What does this have to do with police brutality in our community? I think the police and our Black community are gettin a raw deal by the partisanship and the hyped one-up-man-ship and the controversy about police abuse. There is police abuse and the City of Philadelphia must take on and accept, under the new administration, the policy changes, recommendations & suggestions offered by several community groups that will bring on positive changes and fairness. If I Am not mistaken, among these changes & improvements is: mandatory sensitivity training for Police officers across all racial lines; more restraints on the use of force and the use of guns; more roads and pathways to successfully seeking and locating justice when something goes very wrong; a civilian review board for the police; & also less partisan and racially hype median coverage. We should add to that getting & demanding more positive media coverage of police and communities working successfully together.  This police abuse is an issues the entire community needs to be concerned with because there are cases of White youth being abused as well; and Latino and Latina youth also.  Our leadership needs to stop looking at the issue like a gold grab bag or a brass ring and really get out there and help the Grass Roots with more than rhetoric and hot air.   Makin money by the boat loads off of our young Black People’s and our Black families’ suffering is as appalling as some of the Police Abuse itself.

The police, most of them, do a very good job most of the time. They report to work on time; they rarely use their guns; they get involved in the Police Athletic League & help young Black males stay off the streets sometimes; they also have families and children and must be treated with the same respect they treat us as Black People with. We have to, as Black People, demand respect and get it. When things go wrong, it is our duty to not only call Al Sharpton & Rodney Muhammad, but call for that civilian review Board in a letter to the Daily News & get on WURD and ask for all the other community recommendations. This is why we need Black Lives Matter also: to keep the pressure on all the time and make demands & effectively make positive changes. But Black Lives Matter must work at finding good role models among the police – Black, Latin & White Police—and making sure these good hardy examples get into the media and in front of the Black community as well.    We need to stop callin each other Uncle Tom and Miss Ann just because we might have a view that is more open, balanced and moderate than what ours might be. We need to listen to all our Black voices. And by the Way, there are Gays and Lesbians among the Police force in Philadelphia as well. We rarely hear from them. Their right to speak up and speak out should be exercised & respected as well. What do they have to say about the dreadful murders of Trans People in our Fair City? Just Sayin..