Ending Education inequality - Where is the White "Family Values" Crowd?

Last night, the husband and I attended the 22nd annual "Tennis Ball" fundraiser for the Achievable Dream which was founded by our late friend Walter Segaloff.   For 22 years the program has operated in conjunction with the Newport News City Public Schools and this year moved into Virginia Beach at that city's most historically disadvantaged elementary school.  The Achievable Dream Academy in Newport News is located in the city's worse neighborhood and its students come from extremely disadvantaged families, most black.  Yet it has a 100% graduation rate and 95% of its graduates go on to college or other higher education.  The other 5% go into the U.S. military.  How does this "miracle" happen?  Through the financial support of the business community and social progressives.  Here's the organizations mission statement:

Our mission to motivate all students to excel in academic achievement, to instill respect for themselves and adult leaders, and to teach core human values by providing a social, academic, and moral education. Through a challenging, disciplined environment, we enable each child to develop an achievable dream that will light their way to success and life as a productive citizen.

Last night's event was amazing and raised large amounts of money.  And at times it left one extremely moved.  One thing struck me however in looking at the sponsors and those who donated goods and services for auction prizes.   One segment of Virginia society was totally absent.  The white Christian base of the Virginia GOP, in particular The Family Foundation ("TFF").  TFF raises and spends large amounts of money each year denigrating gays and claiming to support "family values."  But families matter to TFF only when they are white far right Christian families. Last night saw amazing support from the area's relatively small Jewish community, liberal Democrats, local corporations - even Chinese owned Smithfield Foods which stepped up to sponsor the 2015 graduating class.   But no a single white mega church or anyone from TFF.

Some think me severe when I say that TFF (and by extension its affiliates, Focus on the Family and Family Research Council) is racist.  But when looks where such groups put their money and the legislative agendas they support such as voter disenfranchisement efforts targeting blacks and minorities, the truth is easily seen.  The ONLY time TFF gives a damn about blacks, much less black families, is when it is seeking to dupe black pastors into doing TFF's political bidding.  

Last night was amazing.  Equally amazing was the total absence of the "family values" crowd.  It spoke volumes.

 

Lazy Morning - Back Yard Beauty

I am definitely running slow today.  Perhaps it's because it's the first really cold morning we've had (at least by Hampton Roads standards).    I will concede that it is pretty as this back yard photo of the crape myrtles and creek with the tide out suggests.  I need to get moving and run errands, go to the gym, hit the office for a while and then get ready for the "Tennis Ball" black tie event for the Achievable Dream Foundation this evening.  The event is always amazing and a great opportunity to mingle with the "who's, who" of the area.   As I run errands, however, my mind will be on some place tropical - like the scene at the top of the blog which is a scene from near Puetro Castilla, Honduras where my late mother was born.

An Achievable Dream - Real Christian Values in Action

Last night the boyfriend and I attended the 21st annual Tennis Ball fundraiser for The Achievable Dream Academies along with 950 other people.  The Achievable Dream was founded by late the Walter Segaloff who died this summer.  Walter and his wife was/is a client of the boyfriend's salon.  They are wonderful people.  As I noted shortly after his death, here's how Walter got the idea for what has turned out to be an amazing program that will be extending to Virginia Beach next year:

In an interview earlier this year, Segaloff said he got the idea for An Achievable Dream when he watched from his car as police handcuffed three teens.  "I felt there's no American dream here," he said in the interview. "It isn't happening."  He said he had also noticed that his family's stores had trouble hiring workers because many applicants didn't know how to act or speak in an interview. He said he wanted to change that.

For all of the far right's and the GOP's talk of the "American Dream," the reality is than their vision doesn't extend to minorities, especially blacks.  In my years of education activism in Virginia Beach, I was often infuriated by the attitude that poor black children couldn't learn and were not able to achieve.   The Achievable Dream academies have turned this prophesy on its head and destroyed this bigoted mindset that would happily relegate countless children to a life of crime and poverty.  And what struck me most about the event last night was that although Walter Segaloff was a wealthy man, unlike so many to me disgusting "celebrities" - the Kardashian family springs to mind - he gave back to the community constantly. 

Moreover, although Walter was Jewish, he far better exemplified fulfilling the Gospel message than so many of the self-congratulatory falsely pious folk.   Think what could be done for the poor and disadvantaged with the money that anti-gay, thinly veiled white supremacist "family values" groups like The Family Foundation, Family Research Council, the National Organization for Marriage use to enrich their leaders and disseminate hate and bigotry. 

Last night was a wonderful event and very uplifting.  The businesses that donated items for the auction (like a $90,000 Jaguar)  were amazingly generous.  Especially, the Jewish owned business.  But I could not help but wonder to myself, where are the Christofascists?   They were nowhere to be seen.  Meanwhile, I feel very, very lucky to have known Walter Segaloff.  

Hampton Roads Loses an Amazing Benefactor

There are many who achieve success and do little or nothing to give back to their community. Walter Segaloff, who dies suddenly yesterday morning was not such a person.  After a successful career in building a chain of women's clothing and specialty stores Segaloff remained involved in the Hampton Roads community, especially on the Virginia Peninsula and in 1992 established An Achievable Dream, a program offering tennis lessons and summer and after-school tutoring to elementary school students in Newport News.   His vision for the program: to end the cycle of poverty through education.   An Achievable Dream evolved into an elementary school and expanded to include a middle and high school.  Now, more than 1,200 economically disadvantaged students in grades K-12 receive an education with a social curriculum at the year-round, extended-day, public/private schools.  Just recently, plans to open a replica of that school in Virginia Beach in fall 2014 were announced.  Both the Virginian Pilot and the Daily Press are carrying stories on Segaloff's passing and his many past civic activities. Here are some excerpts:

In an interview earlier this year, Segaloff said he got the idea for An Achievable Dream when he watched from his car as police handcuffed three teens.  "I felt there's no American dream here," he said in the interview. "It isn't happening."  He said he had also noticed that his family's stores had trouble hiring workers because many applicants didn't know how to act or speak in an interview. He said he wanted to change that.

The schools are operated as part of Newport News Public Schools, but An Achievable Dream's nonprofit status allows it to raise money to add longer days and more programs for students.

Segaloff has developed partnerships with local businesses, the military, law enforcement and other agencies, and employees of those entities spend time in the school interacting with students.  The students, known as Dreamers, are greeted each morning by teachers, administrators, deputies from the Newport News Sheriffs Department and Fort Eustis Soldiers who line up to shake their hands as they enter the building. "Our kids ... you just show them the way.

If you teach them socially, morally and ethically the right thing to do, they'll do the right thing," Segaloff said Friday night [when he had been honored by the Virginia Press Association as its 2013 Virginian of the Year]. "With all of our graduates, we don't have one of them in trouble.

They are in business, college or military; they're productive, law-abiding citizens."

Traditional classroom instruction is blended with lessons about ethics, etiquette, peaceful conflict resolution and healthy living.

Walter Segaloff was one of the boyfriend's clients and we supported the Achievable Dream's annual fundraiser each year.   I feel lucky to have known him.  I cannot help but contrast what he did for his community compared to what so many of the "godly Christian" crowd fail to do.  Segaloff was Jewish and like many others in that faith community gave back to others.