The evolution of America in the post industrial era has created for Black Americans a new cultural mantra. No longer are we viewed as a civil rights group or a minority collective in search of parity and equality. Black Americans are no longer the most significant minority group in the nation. Our destiny is ours and ours alone no one is going to rescue or take us to the promise land.
Into this new reality it is imperative that we develop and articulate a new modern theme which defines our present day mantra, agenda, agency and our course of action. I propose our new Black Ethos be defined as "Way Now". Instead of leveraging our history as a people who created civil rights in America or the nation's premier minority group we must now evolve beyond this legacy.
This cultural paradigm shift of course requires a lot of work and consciousness. It is more than just another intellectual exercise and political construct but a living and real time pursuit for the community at large.
The 'Way Now" ethos is more than a shorthand drive by renaissance platform but a living real time manifesto and series of living principles which understands and acknowledges the reality of the moment for Black Americans living in a post industrial nation in the year 2014 It is a reality that recognizes our present day standing in America.
A nation which continues as a society to not only marginalize Black folks but continues to wage a civil war against us. Into this real time reality it demands that Black folks take complete control of our destiny and status not as segregationists and isolationists but as a collective of progressive and pragmatic people with a agenda driven by social and cultural utilitarian themes and objectives.
Under the umbrella of a culture and society which adopts 'Way Now" it means that we must heal our wounds and repair the shortcomings which plague our community that prevents us from reaching and attaining our individual and collective goals as a community.
'Way Now" requires a new paradigm which begins before the birth of our children to the end years of seniors.
We must charter a course which designs a blueprint for every member of our community from those fractured by decadence and decay to those who sparkle with genius and productivity.
"Way Now" requires a respect for honesty and recognition of reality. It does not tolerate excuses, denial, avoidance, deflection and failure. It embraces the future not the past. It cultivates innovation not the endorsement of historical alliances from our historical past.
"Way Now" means we shape our future today and proceed accordingly.
We are the architects for the solutions and ideas which advance the community.
"Way Now" is the living template for the future of Black America.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Police - Community Partnership Project
Background:
In Detroit as well as other urban venues the relationship between the police and the community is fractured and disjointed for a multitude of reasons ranging from allegations of police brutality to acute levels of mistrust of police by large segments in the community. Quite often police are not viewed as public servants but as mercenaries with an agenda to arrest and harass rather than protect and serve.
Given this disconnect many interests have tried to bridge the gap between the police and community through a variety of outreach programs from gun buybacks to neighborhood watch programs. Many of these programs have value many are hollow photo op efforts.
Plane Ideas© has created a threshold project paradigm that takes the relationship between the community and the police into a deeper organic partnership. We have developed an interactive project that has our volunteers making individual house calls to every household in the city to provide them with information and opportunities to assist the police. Our volunteers deliver to the household detailed crime web based crime incident reports tailored to the various zip codes. We distribute information on crime prevention, safety, surveillance, witness, recruitment efforts on behalf of the police department.
We have created a paradigm which implements and interactive exchange and dialogue between the citizens and the police department. We believe our approach will be the cutting edge template for police and the community relations and a national model for community policing in the new postindustrial urban era.
Goal: To reduce crime and increase safety in Detroit by the operation of this interactive community based partnership model that incorporates a volunteer infused distribution and interactive exchange portal between the police and the community.
Capsule Description: A volunteered based partnership with DPD wherein the project volunteer’s home visit and door knock protocols permit the real time interaction with every precinct resident and provide every household with core information on the DPD services from victim assistance programs, crime prevention ,safety ,materials, crime incident data to specific information on police officers in their neighborhood/precincts.
Objectives:
1. Connect directly with residents households on DPD duties, services, and activities of the department
2. Develop a data base of residents that will interact with police on safety, crime prevention, and related police activities
3. Provide residents with DPD materials and contact information
4. Recruit residents in crime indicatives, Intel, rewards, information, gang related activities, property crime fences
5. Foster respect and trust between residents & DPD
6. Connect local precinct rank & file to residents in tract
7. Provide residents with latest web based crime data on incidents of crimes in their neighborhood.
8. Provide residents with most wanted list of suspects, to missing people alerts, crime trends in neighbor
9. Provide residents information on traffic tickets, fines, towing costs and related neighborhood ordinances
10. Seek from resident’s feedback to solutions to combat crime and to enhance public safety in the city.
Volunteers:
The criteria for the composition of the volunteers will be determined by DPD and Project Manager. Focus on seniors and no residency requirement. We accept all who seek to make a difference.
Implementation:
Detroit Police Citizen Representatives aka DPCR are a corps of volunteers who after workshop training engaged in a door to door contact and informational /material drop exchange within the community.
1. Volunteers undergo a training workshop sessions on how to meet-greet- leave materials-document visit. Workshop sessions include DPD trainers, pledge taking, and assignment of official shirt/jacket.
2. Designate canvassing areas based upon DPD precincts alignments.
Costs/Budget: TBD
1. Grants
2. Sponsorships
Evaluation: TBD
MISC: -Synergy with other non-profits-Platform for other projects
Presentation Prepared by PLANE IDEAS©
Greg Thrasher
Project Manager
In Detroit as well as other urban venues the relationship between the police and the community is fractured and disjointed for a multitude of reasons ranging from allegations of police brutality to acute levels of mistrust of police by large segments in the community. Quite often police are not viewed as public servants but as mercenaries with an agenda to arrest and harass rather than protect and serve.
Given this disconnect many interests have tried to bridge the gap between the police and community through a variety of outreach programs from gun buybacks to neighborhood watch programs. Many of these programs have value many are hollow photo op efforts.
Plane Ideas© has created a threshold project paradigm that takes the relationship between the community and the police into a deeper organic partnership. We have developed an interactive project that has our volunteers making individual house calls to every household in the city to provide them with information and opportunities to assist the police. Our volunteers deliver to the household detailed crime web based crime incident reports tailored to the various zip codes. We distribute information on crime prevention, safety, surveillance, witness, recruitment efforts on behalf of the police department.
We have created a paradigm which implements and interactive exchange and dialogue between the citizens and the police department. We believe our approach will be the cutting edge template for police and the community relations and a national model for community policing in the new postindustrial urban era.
Goal: To reduce crime and increase safety in Detroit by the operation of this interactive community based partnership model that incorporates a volunteer infused distribution and interactive exchange portal between the police and the community.
Capsule Description: A volunteered based partnership with DPD wherein the project volunteer’s home visit and door knock protocols permit the real time interaction with every precinct resident and provide every household with core information on the DPD services from victim assistance programs, crime prevention ,safety ,materials, crime incident data to specific information on police officers in their neighborhood/precincts.
Objectives:
1. Connect directly with residents households on DPD duties, services, and activities of the department
2. Develop a data base of residents that will interact with police on safety, crime prevention, and related police activities
3. Provide residents with DPD materials and contact information
4. Recruit residents in crime indicatives, Intel, rewards, information, gang related activities, property crime fences
5. Foster respect and trust between residents & DPD
6. Connect local precinct rank & file to residents in tract
7. Provide residents with latest web based crime data on incidents of crimes in their neighborhood.
8. Provide residents with most wanted list of suspects, to missing people alerts, crime trends in neighbor
9. Provide residents information on traffic tickets, fines, towing costs and related neighborhood ordinances
10. Seek from resident’s feedback to solutions to combat crime and to enhance public safety in the city.
Volunteers:
The criteria for the composition of the volunteers will be determined by DPD and Project Manager. Focus on seniors and no residency requirement. We accept all who seek to make a difference.
Implementation:
Detroit Police Citizen Representatives aka DPCR are a corps of volunteers who after workshop training engaged in a door to door contact and informational /material drop exchange within the community.
1. Volunteers undergo a training workshop sessions on how to meet-greet- leave materials-document visit. Workshop sessions include DPD trainers, pledge taking, and assignment of official shirt/jacket.
2. Designate canvassing areas based upon DPD precincts alignments.
Costs/Budget: TBD
1. Grants
2. Sponsorships
Evaluation: TBD
MISC: -Synergy with other non-profits-Platform for other projects
Presentation Prepared by PLANE IDEAS©
Greg Thrasher
Project Manager
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Value & Valued
As a public activist, I am often contacted to offer my advice on a number of issues both private and public. I really enjoy being an activist when I received a call from a parent seeking to secure my counsel and insights on parenting ideas, especially when the focus is their children. In our post industrial world that is fixated and obsessed with gadgets, fast food, drive by experiences the role of parenting in our post industrial world now more than ever before is the central factor in the evolution of our nation especially when the focus surrounds Black families.
Tragically in our nation the public the image of Black youth, especially our males, is very negative. Our nation ‘s canvass does not paint a portrait of the Black community as a place of serenity nor bliss. Quite often the whispers and depictions of the Black community is framed in dysfunction, decay and hopelessness. When the focus is on our youth especially our Black males the landscape is painted with portrayals of fear, anger and anguish. There are a number of reasons for this unfortunate narrative of Black youth. Many of the reasons have historical roots, others are just nasty ugly stereotypes.
So into this world of dispair and hopelessness we must create a place and a space where we can reach out to another . Please then share with another my discovery excercise.
When I decide to connect with another especially a child I ask then what is their favorite color? When we walk together tell then I am going to give them a gift as part of their walking gear. During our trek we talk, talk, talk and then we engaged in more talk. Often at the end of our hike in the park I tell them now I am going to give you a gift. I give them a pocket size hand mirror in their favorite color. I tell them to keep it with them 24/7.
I then instructed them to look at the mirror and spend a whole 60 seconds staring at the most important, significant, wonderful, awesome, sweet, gentle, good, beautiful, interesting, brilliant, unforgettable, remarkable and the greatest living creation in the world.
Tragically in our nation the public the image of Black youth, especially our males, is very negative. Our nation ‘s canvass does not paint a portrait of the Black community as a place of serenity nor bliss. Quite often the whispers and depictions of the Black community is framed in dysfunction, decay and hopelessness. When the focus is on our youth especially our Black males the landscape is painted with portrayals of fear, anger and anguish. There are a number of reasons for this unfortunate narrative of Black youth. Many of the reasons have historical roots, others are just nasty ugly stereotypes.
So into this world of dispair and hopelessness we must create a place and a space where we can reach out to another . Please then share with another my discovery excercise.
When I decide to connect with another especially a child I ask then what is their favorite color? When we walk together tell then I am going to give them a gift as part of their walking gear. During our trek we talk, talk, talk and then we engaged in more talk. Often at the end of our hike in the park I tell them now I am going to give you a gift. I give them a pocket size hand mirror in their favorite color. I tell them to keep it with them 24/7.
I then instructed them to look at the mirror and spend a whole 60 seconds staring at the most important, significant, wonderful, awesome, sweet, gentle, good, beautiful, interesting, brilliant, unforgettable, remarkable and the greatest living creation in the world.
Monday, February 6, 2012
How to Survive & Develop in an Urban Society: The Blueprint
As an activist for almost four decades at the core of my body of work and mission is the creation of a user friendly interactive guide that provides a template for living the best possible life as human being in an urban environment.
Activism as a public endeavor has a legacy of defining problems yet Activism also has failed legacy of not producing and creating outcomes that address the issues and shortcomings of a society. Plane Ideas is unlike any progressive organization in the country today. We provide an interactive hands on series of instructions for creating and producing outcomes that matter and address the myriad of shortcomings in urban venues for all.
Plane Ideas : 10 point Interactive Blueprint to survive and develop in an Urban Society.
1. Let the community know who U R
2. Interact with the Young and Old in the Community
3. Volunteer in the Community
4. Read everything that circulates in the neighborhood from newspapers to local blogs
5. Create a ‘Safe House’ in the community
6. Share with others in the community from coupons to ride sharing.
7. Develop an weekly newsletter for the community
8. Find a Friend that is not of your RACE in the community
9. Know the police officers in your neighborhood.
10.Report all crime incidents to the police
Thursday, January 26, 2012
New Qualitative Indices for Urban America
One of the discouraging realities of modern day life in our nation is the constant theme of publishing data and statistics on the demographics of urban life from the lens and perspectives of those who lack depth, scope and authentic insight and real time data about the lives and realities of people in urban America. Far too many people seek to report and publish a Misery Index especially for urban venues.
Far too often these narratives are full of sterile and empty statistics which purport to cover the economic and quality of life for residents of the city yet just the opposite happens. The paradigms and templates many of these urban planners, non-profit executives, academics ignore the reality of life in the corridors and avenues of the city. Many of these inferences are based upon models which do not replicate the real life metrics of life in the city and of course many of the architects of these white papers and studies lack the authentic insights from the people who are the subjects of these metrics and statistics.
When this paradigm is focused on the urban communities of America the demographics are depressing and too often negative. There is always a sense of despair, failure and crisis in most articulated demographics about Black folks in the city. Grievance reporting is something I will never endorse or affirm.
I believe this constant theme of decay and failure creates a collective sense of failure and hopelessness in to many Black venues. Therefore I propose a new set of standards, lists, metrics and rankings be created that articulate the positive attributes and accomplishments of the urban residents especially its Black residents. There is a place for the metrics of love, happiness, progress, civility, solidarity, and community.
The architects of these new metrics must reflect not only the demographics of the city (read majority Black folks) but they must be comprehensive, novel and free from the metrics and contamination of the past templates and paradigms that indicted and demonized every behavior and aspect of life for city residents.
Let's run numbers and create metrics and paradigms on those in the community who are happy, productive, and engaged in activities that promote progressive outcomes. Designing a nation with our ideas is my canvass for the community
Far too often these narratives are full of sterile and empty statistics which purport to cover the economic and quality of life for residents of the city yet just the opposite happens. The paradigms and templates many of these urban planners, non-profit executives, academics ignore the reality of life in the corridors and avenues of the city. Many of these inferences are based upon models which do not replicate the real life metrics of life in the city and of course many of the architects of these white papers and studies lack the authentic insights from the people who are the subjects of these metrics and statistics.
When this paradigm is focused on the urban communities of America the demographics are depressing and too often negative. There is always a sense of despair, failure and crisis in most articulated demographics about Black folks in the city. Grievance reporting is something I will never endorse or affirm.
I believe this constant theme of decay and failure creates a collective sense of failure and hopelessness in to many Black venues. Therefore I propose a new set of standards, lists, metrics and rankings be created that articulate the positive attributes and accomplishments of the urban residents especially its Black residents. There is a place for the metrics of love, happiness, progress, civility, solidarity, and community.
The architects of these new metrics must reflect not only the demographics of the city (read majority Black folks) but they must be comprehensive, novel and free from the metrics and contamination of the past templates and paradigms that indicted and demonized every behavior and aspect of life for city residents.
Let's run numbers and create metrics and paradigms on those in the community who are happy, productive, and engaged in activities that promote progressive outcomes. Designing a nation with our ideas is my canvass for the community
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Black Sudents in Peril
The media accounts documenting the disproportional rates of suspensions between Black and white students in our country's school districts of course is not a newsflash to many interests including of course Black parents in school districts all across America.
The contempt for Black students is similar to what their parents encounter. The soft bigotry of low expectations shares the lesson plan with disparate rates of expulsion and suspensions for Black students. The landscape of academic success in our nation for Black students is full of obstacles navigation is perilous in all levels of education in our nation from kindergarten to the university venue for Black students.
The more important issue now is how Black families and their students can navigate around these inequities and obstacles. Black parents must develop their own lesson guide to disarm educational officials, teachers and even students who discount the educational goals of Black students. We must embrace our own self-worth that we are worthy of respect and our offspring deserves superior educational efforts and outcomes. Black parents must develop strategies that equipped them to combat, reject and influence educational systems that have contempt for our offspring. Instead of lamenting the horrors of a destructive pathological educational system that has contempt for Black students now is the time to develop our own lesson plans that produce motivated students and students who can themselves defeat the waves of contempt for them that exist in our classrooms across our nation.
The revelation of systemic disproportional suspensions of black students in the DC region's school districts is disturbing and troubling on a number of layers beyond and above educational concerns. One wonders if this same horrid disparity exists in private and parochial school venues. The portrayal of black students has always been contaminated with ugly themes some of which include themes regarding genetic inferiority.
In our nation the incongruent levels of parity and inequality have often received attention in the criminal justice area and in some health care terrains to observe this inequality surface in our educational systems is truly a concern worthy of state and federal intervention. Our government must create a reporting metric that provides transparency and disclosure to minority parents about the incidents and comparable rates of suspensions between student racial groups. One of the constructive attributes of recent federal educational legislation was the right to make evaluations and contrast academic outcomes based upon racial groups.
The importance of superior educational outcomes is heighten more by the troubled economic realties of the new world order. Parents of black students must be in the vanguard of programs and laws which impact the future of their children this focus must involve best practices and uniform guidelines which ban disparate punishment and remedies for troubled students to the delivery of superior educational programs .
The contempt for Black students is similar to what their parents encounter. The soft bigotry of low expectations shares the lesson plan with disparate rates of expulsion and suspensions for Black students. The landscape of academic success in our nation for Black students is full of obstacles navigation is perilous in all levels of education in our nation from kindergarten to the university venue for Black students.
The more important issue now is how Black families and their students can navigate around these inequities and obstacles. Black parents must develop their own lesson guide to disarm educational officials, teachers and even students who discount the educational goals of Black students. We must embrace our own self-worth that we are worthy of respect and our offspring deserves superior educational efforts and outcomes. Black parents must develop strategies that equipped them to combat, reject and influence educational systems that have contempt for our offspring. Instead of lamenting the horrors of a destructive pathological educational system that has contempt for Black students now is the time to develop our own lesson plans that produce motivated students and students who can themselves defeat the waves of contempt for them that exist in our classrooms across our nation.
The revelation of systemic disproportional suspensions of black students in the DC region's school districts is disturbing and troubling on a number of layers beyond and above educational concerns. One wonders if this same horrid disparity exists in private and parochial school venues. The portrayal of black students has always been contaminated with ugly themes some of which include themes regarding genetic inferiority.
In our nation the incongruent levels of parity and inequality have often received attention in the criminal justice area and in some health care terrains to observe this inequality surface in our educational systems is truly a concern worthy of state and federal intervention. Our government must create a reporting metric that provides transparency and disclosure to minority parents about the incidents and comparable rates of suspensions between student racial groups. One of the constructive attributes of recent federal educational legislation was the right to make evaluations and contrast academic outcomes based upon racial groups.
The importance of superior educational outcomes is heighten more by the troubled economic realties of the new world order. Parents of black students must be in the vanguard of programs and laws which impact the future of their children this focus must involve best practices and uniform guidelines which ban disparate punishment and remedies for troubled students to the delivery of superior educational programs .
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Navigating in Hopelessness
Right here..Right now...For many Black people living in America from the gritty urban venues of neighborhoods like Detroit to the contours of cul de sacs of suburbia these are perilous times even in the post racial era of a Black Man in the White House. The velocity of negativity is at web speed from the media accounts of entire industries collapsing and people being laid off into forever to tales of young children body parts being tortured and burned in shabby 3rd world urban shacks. Life in America is perilous the revolution is being televised and it is on every channel with surround sound and 3d pictures.
Right here..Right now..This is a moment for the community to step away from the insanity and madness and the aura of hopelessness and decadence and confusion and reach out and hold on to each other from family to friends to associates and maybe even strangers. People are under enormous stress and duress all manner of thoughts, excuses, plots are in the heads of even normal responsible people. The dreams people have now are nightmares full of nothingness.
Right here..Right now..The Black community more than any other aggregate of people in this nation must get a grip and stop the descent into raw insanity. Our pastors, uncles, aunts, cousins,sons and daughters must reach into their collective souls and memories to create a place where a safe refugee exists not just a real place but a sphere where the unspoken word is supreme and positive thoughts are cultivated and rewarded and embraced .The Black community needs a life altering transfusion of humanity and hope. This force must be new and novel and life altering . It must be more than prayers, testimonies and tired sound bites. We have to create a harvest of love even in dirt of concrete streets and alleys. We must crave out a new real time miracle that enters in our homes and our minds. We need a sound, a noise, a creation of powerful bond that elevates us from the present day insanities. We are in perilous moments 24/7 everywhere in America.
Right here..Right now...The Black community must regroup and create a safe haven where love, honesty, civility, decency, trust, sharing, all the ingredients of civility and love must break though. We are in dark era where fear, anger, frustration, pain, and evil is becoming an accepted norm and custom. Our values and purpose are floundering. We are shaky and unreliable for each other.
Right here..Right now.. Across this great nation in every enclave , backyard, front porch, pew, gym, office, basement, church, temple, playground, bedroom, kitchen our community needs a cultural reset and return to the genius of basic truths and straight forward truth. Our community must step up and correct all the wrongs which have us at the end of cliff.
Right here..Right now....We must save ourselves from each other .....This is where our lives must change ..Right where YOU are when YOU read this...Reach Out and help our community navigate to a new promise land..Right Here..Right Now.
Navigating though Hopelessness- Together
Right here..Right now..This is a moment for the community to step away from the insanity and madness and the aura of hopelessness and decadence and confusion and reach out and hold on to each other from family to friends to associates and maybe even strangers. People are under enormous stress and duress all manner of thoughts, excuses, plots are in the heads of even normal responsible people. The dreams people have now are nightmares full of nothingness.
Right here..Right now..The Black community more than any other aggregate of people in this nation must get a grip and stop the descent into raw insanity. Our pastors, uncles, aunts, cousins,sons and daughters must reach into their collective souls and memories to create a place where a safe refugee exists not just a real place but a sphere where the unspoken word is supreme and positive thoughts are cultivated and rewarded and embraced .The Black community needs a life altering transfusion of humanity and hope. This force must be new and novel and life altering . It must be more than prayers, testimonies and tired sound bites. We have to create a harvest of love even in dirt of concrete streets and alleys. We must crave out a new real time miracle that enters in our homes and our minds. We need a sound, a noise, a creation of powerful bond that elevates us from the present day insanities. We are in perilous moments 24/7 everywhere in America.
Right here..Right now...The Black community must regroup and create a safe haven where love, honesty, civility, decency, trust, sharing, all the ingredients of civility and love must break though. We are in dark era where fear, anger, frustration, pain, and evil is becoming an accepted norm and custom. Our values and purpose are floundering. We are shaky and unreliable for each other.
Right here..Right now.. Across this great nation in every enclave , backyard, front porch, pew, gym, office, basement, church, temple, playground, bedroom, kitchen our community needs a cultural reset and return to the genius of basic truths and straight forward truth. Our community must step up and correct all the wrongs which have us at the end of cliff.
Right here..Right now....We must save ourselves from each other .....This is where our lives must change ..Right where YOU are when YOU read this...Reach Out and help our community navigate to a new promise land..Right Here..Right Now.
Navigating though Hopelessness- Together
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