5th Grader’s Life Saving Course

Getting something positive out of the government shutdown

By WE THE PEOPLE

Here’s a class project for some really smart 5^th graders. The objective is to ENGAGE THE LEARNER in applying FOUR KEY LIFESAVING STEPS to the current condition of the federal government.  Let's assume that a 911 call is key to successful life saving.  Your response to this article will be accepted as the 911 call.

1: START THE BREATHING -- The federal government is our patient. There is no heartbeat, respiration is shallow and the patient appears to be choking on something. WE THE PEOPLE must open an airway and restore breathing and heartbeat.

2: STOP THE BLEEDING – A significant amount of blood is already out of the body and on the floor. If the patient loses too much blood, the patient dies. WE THE PEOPLE must stop the bleeding.

SOURCE OF THE BLEEDING: H.CON.RES.25 is also known as the “Ryan Budget” or the House of Representatives version of the Federal Budget. Candidates Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan hoped to implement such a budget had they won the 2012 presidential election. The legislation proposes a budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2014 and sets forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2015 through 2023. The Ryan budget is not likely to pass in the Senate because it seeks to reverse or “defund” Public Law 111-148. The President is unlikely to sign a bill into law that seeks to reverse or “defund” public laws passed by previous congresses and/or presidents. In doing so, he might undermine the Full Faith and Credit Clause in Article IV of the U.S. Constitution.

SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2014.
Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2014.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.
SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.
TITLE II--RECONCILIATION
SEC. 201. RECONCILIATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TITLE III--RECOMMENDED LEVELS FOR FISCAL YEARS 2030, 2040, AND 2050
SEC. 301. LONG-TERM BUDGETING.
TITLE IV--RESERVE FUNDS
SEC. 401. RESERVE FUND FOR THE REPEAL OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
SEC. 402. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE REFORM OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
SEC. 403. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND RELATED TO THE MEDICARE PROVISIONS OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
SEC. 404. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.
SEC. 405. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REFORMING THE TAX CODE.
SEC. 406. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR TRADE AGREEMENTS.
SEC. 407. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REVENUE MEASURES.
SEC. 408. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR RURAL COUNTIES AND SCHOOLS.
SEC. 409. IMPLEMENTATION OF A DEFICIT AND LONG-TERM DEBT REDUCTION AGREEMENT.
TITLE V--ESTIMATES OF DIRECT SPENDING
SEC. 501. DIRECT SPENDING.
TITLE VI--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT
SEC. 601. LIMITATION ON ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS.
SEC. 602. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS.
SEC. 603. ADJUSTMENTS OF AGGREGATES, ALLOCATIONS, AND APPROPRIATE BUDGETARY LEVELS.
SEC. 604. LIMITATION ON LONG-TERM SPENDING.
SEC. 605. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS.
SEC. 606. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS AND AGGREGATES.
SEC. 607. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES.
SEC. 608. TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF THE TREASURY TO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND THAT INCREASE PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS.
SEC. 609. SEPARATE ALLOCATION FOR OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS/GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.
SEC. 610. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.
TITLE VII--POLICY STATEMENTS
SEC. 701. POLICY STATEMENT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION.
SEC. 702. POLICY STATEMENT ON TAX REFORM.
SEC. 703. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICARE.
SEC. 704. POLICY STATEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
SEC. 705. POLICY STATEMENT ON HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY.
SEC. 706. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE CANCELLATION OF UNOBLIGATED BALANCES.
SEC. 707. POLICY STATEMENT ON RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SEC. 708. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE REDUCTION OF UNNECESSARY AND WASTEFUL SPENDING.
SEC. 709. POLICY STATEMENT ON UNAUTHORIZED SPENDING.
TITLE VIII--SENSE OF THE HOUSE PROVISIONS
SEC. 801. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.

3: TREAT FOR SHOCK – The patient is insured. As a result of Public Law 111-148, the cost for treatment can be covered by insurance, but only if the patient complies with the law. Some 800,000 federal employees are out of a government job, but are blessed with some time to ENGAGE 800,000 5^th graders in POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. WE THE PEOPLE must control, or treat for shock.

4: PROTECT THE WOUND – Public Law 111-148 was executed by the President on October 1, 2013. WE THE PEOPLE and our elected representatives are obligated to support and defend the law of the land. Prosecution by the U.S. Justice Department is a potential “band-aid” solution for saving the patient. WE THE PEOPLE, represented by the U.S. Attorney General must now dress and bandage the wound.

Will 114th Congress Feature Hip Hop Caucus?

What happens when Hank “Public Enemy” Shocklee, MC Lyte and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels speak for WE THE PEOPLE? Stay tuned for “change” from the “#DoNothing” 113^th Congress.

By Eric Stradford and Stephanie A. Walker Stradford

AMWS, September 20, 2013, Washington, DC -- If you are running for Congress anytime in the future, you may want to “boehner-up” on some highly offensive legislative lexicon.

WARNING!!! Depending on your orientation, the language may be almost as offensive as the “work” of the 113^th Congress of the United States. The Congress most likely to be labeled “#DoNothing,” according to Huffington Post, has had just 15 bills signed into law so far, the fewest in recent history. Before now, the 112^th Congress had established itself as the most unproductive since the 1940s.

Congressman Andre Carson (D-IN) held the gavel on another caucus.  Since Rock and Roll, America has long feared this threat might emerge. Rev. Lennox Yearwood, President, Hip Hop Caucus engaged Hip Hop house speakers MC Lyte and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Radio One’s Amos Brown, Michael Skolnik, President, Global Grind, and Angela Rye, President, IMPACT Strategies to welcome one of the nation’s emerging leaders to the world stage.

Hank Shocklee, Founder, Public Enemy is no stranger to the Annual Legislative Conference. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation invited him for an encore appearance. Last year, Shocklee shared his empowered perspective on Digital Divide. This year, he seems to be running for Congress—maybe even Speaker of the House.

Carson’s panel of prospective protagonists shared some prophetic insight on HIP HOP POLITICS, OUR GENERATION'S MARCH TOWARD AMERICA'S FUTURE. The emerging discussion centers on how the hip hop generation can drive political activism. Ongoing discussion addresses barriers perceived by hip hopers in moving their agenda to the next level.

An Open Letter to Congress alleged to be communicated by Rapper Jay-Z set the tone for some legislative lingo that is heightening concerns among conservative as well as liberal incumbents. Public Law 111-274, The Plain Language Act of 2010, may serve as the last line of defense against attempts to make rap an official language of Congress.

President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act of 2010 on October 13, 2010. The law requires that federal agencies use "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." With the emergence of Hank Shocklee, founder of Public Enemy to the congressional scene, the term “public” is being closely monitored for relevance.

Public Law 103-62 may offer some legal ground for impeaching congressional rebel rousers. Enacted in 1993, The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) is one of a series of laws designed to improve government project management. The GPRA requires agencies to engage in project management tasks such as setting goals, measuring results, and reporting their progress. In order to comply with the GPRA, agencies produce strategic plans, performance plans, and conduct gap analyses of projects.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is tasked pursuant to the GPRA with producing an annual report on agency performance within the executive branch. OMB’s annual report is produced with the President's annual budget request to Congress. Requirements by Congress to produce results in compliance with PL 103-62 are unclear.

It is clear, and becoming more clear that laws and legislative agendas need to change.  If America is dissatisfied with its elected leaders, perhaps the performance, or the lack thereof is the catalyst for change.  A few good professional performers may need to “boehner-up” on the law.

Angry Black Man

What the problem IS? “Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater (Luke 12:48).”

By Eric Stradford and Stephanie A. Walker Stradford

AMWS, September 19, 2013, Washington, DC -- An angry black man at The White House this week is reportedly a figment of someone else’s imagination. A vocal minority within an elected majority has called on the President of the United States to value the angry black man as a threat to America’s economic security.

This week, President Barack Obama identified “a faction” that views compromise as a dirty word. “Anything that is even remotely associated with me, they feel obliged to oppose,” he said.

The President’s decision to keynote the Phoenix Awards Dinner at The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC2013) underscores a minority agenda to expand opportunities in health, education, and economic recovery. Ironically, the majority of Obama’s audience at the conference is a minority group of Americans historically categorized by the color of their skin.

National Security is among the historically excluded topics from the black caucus agenda. But rumors of an angry black man, perhaps heightened by a mass shooting at The Washington Navy Yard, a police shooting of a black man in Charlotte, NC, and a sighting of Trayvon Martin’s parents in D.C., has added cause to perceive the increased presence as a credible threat.

Up to now, the content of character for America’s legendary Stolen People has been to expect more from One Nation Under God. A half century after the historic 1963 March On Washington, remnant survivors have renewed the challenge for Washington to choose—“Chaos or Community?” CBC leaders are calling on fellow Americans to “be and to lead the positive change needed in public policy,” said A. Shuanise Washington, president and chief executive officer of CBCF.

Some congressional leaders and their constituents fear that Black America’s longstanding battle cry, “we shall overcome” might be an emerging reality for America’s future. They seem driven, perhaps by fear, to block Obama and a minority base of constituents from achieving anything but <= to the status quo. The knee jerk reaction to rumors of a black man in The White House has been STAND YOUR GROUND! Some have gone as far to threaten a shutdown of the federal government “on principal.”

As a counter measure, CBCF has tapped Congressman Andre Carson (D-IN) for HIP HOP POLITICS, OUR GENERATION'S MARCH TOWARD AMERICA'S FUTURE. The discussion centers on how the hip hop generation can drive political activism. Ongoing discussion addresses barriers perceived by hip hopers in moving their agenda to the next level.

Earlier this week, The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) announced plans for a $5 million investment in African-American banking institutions. The investment is said to be “part of a broader effort” to increase the availability of loans for businesses and individuals in African-American communities. CBCF is targeting banks in four regions of the country-the North, South, East and Midwest in an attempt to achieve “geographic balance” in an initiative that could prove crucial in lifting the economic fortunes of black communities. In all, five banks are to receive $1 million each.

The threat feared by a diminishing majority in Congress is now out front. And you guessed it! It’s all about the money. The intentional, pro-social approach, measured by a mere $5 million community reinvestment represents a pinchin’ from a trillion dollar Troubled Asset Relief Program. The $5 million investment by CBCF reflects a change in attitudes and actions about equity for historically disadvantaged Americans. One might recall TARP as the congressionally approved government purchase of assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector. President George W. Bush signed TARP into law October 3, 2008 and bounced a check to purchase or insure up to $700 billion of "troubled assets."

Citigroup, Bank of America, J P Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, GMAC Financial Services (Ally), General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, PNC Financial Services Group, U.S. Bancorp, Chrysler, Capital One Financial, Regions Financial Corporation, American Express, Bank of New York Mellon Corp, State Street Corporation, and Discover Financial all participated in a “shell game” to shift the full faith and credit of the American people toward an emerging new minority.

To date, some in the financial industry have been doing the bait and switch – diverting the loaned dollars from the intended reason. Others further abused investors after the TARP legislation was passed by telling investors their money was invested in the federal TARP financial bailout program and other securities that did not exist.

In an October 2011 quarterly report to Congress, The Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) reported "more than 150 ongoing criminal and civil investigations." SIGTARP had already achieved criminal convictions of 28 defendants (19 had already been sentenced to prison), and civil cases naming 37 individuals and 18 corporate and or legal entities as defendants. It had recovered $151 million, and prevented $553 million from going to Colonial Bank, which failed.

The $5 million community reinvestment by CBCF is being praised by some as a demonstration of accountability to the beloved community. “Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater (Luke 12:48).” Others fear any reinvestment in certain people might be construed as reparation for slavery--replacing that hand out of past politics with a hand up to the future.

BIG Financial Mistakes: Part 1

By Stephanie A. Walker Stradford and Eric Stradford

September 13, 2013 – AMWS - Since 2009, we have been on a quest to improve our finances and empower others to do the same. Most of us come from hard working parents or grandparents who lived from paycheck to paycheck.

Most of us desire the American Dream (or at least what it used to be) for ourselves, our children and grandchildren. But, too many of us are set in our ways and refuse to CHANGE our habits to make a difference in our life and, therefore, those we love. Get real! If you keep doing the same thing over and over, you will continue to get the same results.
Regardless of your circumstances, here are a few tips that will change your future. Just try it for one year. If it doesn’t improve your life, stop.

ADDICTIONS – If you have a negative habit which has turned into an addiction, whether it is abuse, bullying, smoking, alcohol, drugs, pornography, prostitution, or worse, GET HELP TODAY! It has cost you too much and your family has paid an enormous price. Don’t wait. Addictions are Big Financial Mistakes. Yes…it will be hard. No…it is not impossible. It is never too late for you to become a productive human being and use your story to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

SAVINGS – Pay yourself! Every time you get paid and every financial gift for your birthday or a holiday set aside a portion for your personal savings account. When you go to the store and have pocket change, set it aside in jar or vase for your savings. When you get rebate checks, save them! If you have money left over at the end of the month after paying your bills, move it to your savings account. You will not regret this action of fiscal responsibility and it will add up quickly.

CAR LOANS - A decade ago, the average term for a new car loan was 53 months. Now, according to Federal Reserve data, the average term is ten months longer which means more interest paid by the consumer. The longer the term, the more money you are wasting because a car is a depreciating asset. In just one year after your purchase, the value will usually be 30 to 50 percent lower, depending on the make, model and year.

Recommendation: Do not pay interest on a car for any longer than you must pay, depending on your down payment and income. And never, if possible, agree to a car loan for longer than 60 months. You are paying more and getting less for your money. If you cannot afford the payment under 60 months, you need to shop for a cheaper car.

Conversely, do not pay cash for the car unless it is a used small ticket item. Why? You can help your credit score by paying a short term auto loan on time. Select 36 months or less and pay ahead of the due date. If you have the funds to pay the car in full, put it in an interest bearing account so that you have the payment when due, and you are making money on your money. After one or two years, pay it off in full.

CREDIT CARDS – Don’t buy sales items on credit, unless you are going to pay the bill in full within 30 days or with no interest. According to Suze Orman, if you purchase $350 worth of merchandise at a 15 percent discount, your bill will be $298. But if the $298 goes onto your credit card at 20 percent interest and you pay only the minimum due each month (usually about 3 percent), it will take you two years and $67 in interest to pay it off.

CASH OR DEBIT – Pay cash or debit for most purchases, unless there is a benefit using credit (such as points for gas or travel). When you use credit, pay in full when the bill arrives. If you cannot afford to pay in full, you should decide in advance if the item is essential. If it is not essential, wait and save for it but do not make the purchase on credit. For instance, if you NEED new tires for the car, cannot pay cash or debit and must put it on credit, make the purchase and pay it off as soon as possible.

AUTO AND HOME INSURANCE - Do not select a low deductible on your auto or home insurance policy. Although it seems that you are limiting your immediate expenses with a low deductible, you should not report small claims which may increase your policy or cause your agent to drop you. When possible, meaning you have more than $1,000 in savings, elect for a $1,000 deductible and you may reduce your premium by 10 percent.

EDUCATION SAVINGS – If you have just had a baby, your child is in elementary school or not yet ready to graduate from high school, begin to set aside funds in a 529 plan or other savings account for higher education. Did you know that fewer than 40 percent of students graduate in four years? A fifth year can add 25 percent to the cost of higher education. So, you have a responsibility to encourage your child to become an academic achiever and score well on Advanced Placement tests. This action can reduce the required coursework in college, which reduces your costs.

The range of tuition is vast. However, a good estimate is between $10,000 and $60,000 per year. This is tuition and does not include books, a computer, furnishing the room, transportation costs, trips home for holidays and pocket money. If your child’s career requires a graduate degree or a doctorate, that bottom line drastically increases. Starting to save at birth or at a young age becomes critical as the costs for education increases. And, don’t dismiss FAFSA forms for financial aid, federal loans, and scholarships. Every penny counts!

COLLEGE – Your child or grandchild may want to go to a fantastic private college. However, did they work and save for their education? It is also possible that you did not create an education fund and private school is outside your price range. Also, take into consideration that every child does not have to go to a four-year college. There are good technical schools and community colleges, depending on the career choice. A college education can be valuable, but it makes absolutely no sense to accrue extensive debt in today’s economy. Your child may have a great degree, unable to find a job and must come back home to live in your basement! Suze Orman says, “I can't stress this enough: Do not deplete your retirement fund or mortgage your home to pay for college. That money needs to keep working for your future.”

Summary: We hope that these tips improve your life as much as it has ours. Please look for Part 2 of this series. Remember, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. If you start today to improve your life and believe that ALL things are possible, within a few months, and certainly a year, you will see the evidence of your hard work and perseverance. Be blessed!

Research provided by Suze Orman

Needs of The One

“At times the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the millions, and in time the vision of the one, can move millions to the miracle.” -- Unknown

By Stephanie and Eric Stradford



As millions participated in a virtual March On Washington, Economist Yvonne R. Griswold, a national director for Youth Achievers USA Institute and fellow Youth Achiever John H. Bonds III, regional manager for Global Cleaning Services, LLC, engaged a Whole Village in Cobb County, GA to endow One Community Asset, The Joi Butler Fellowship of YouthUSA. Photo by Crystal Smith
 


AMWS, August 26, 2013, Atlanta – In the national demonstration for human rights, participants are most likely pressed toward the movement. The media mindset of the past has been to microwave the message for quick and easy consumption, mass marketing Cliffnote summaries to the millions and the millions who might follow them.

But for the 50^th Anniversary of the March On Washington, a message is getting through despite some bad habits of the past. Veteran leaders like Dr. C.T. Vivian and The Honorable John Lewis are tapping into endless possibilities for framing collective action by committing themselves to a common vision for America’s Future.

The Reverend Dr. Bernice A. King, Chief Executive Officer for The King Center offered some tangible guidance for moving the movement. In 1963, millions walked away with a common and sustainable reference to the March On Washington. Almost everybody looks back to part of a speech they remember as “I Have A Dream.”

In looking ahead, Bernice A. King is building on a message behind the media blitz of mass movement. The youngest daughter of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King has taken on the task of servant leadership for the remnant watershed factions of the historic American Civil Rights Movement. Her needs, perhaps inspired by the greatest quote from the 1963 #MarchOnWashington, are today among the most important reasons for the masses to march. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” said The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As the youngest of three surviving offspring, her message has been simple, elegant and compelling. But, like her father and her mother before her, the message is still being met with unjustifiable resistance. The media can share blame with the masses because her message to herself has been simply, “BE A KING.” The difference made by half a century of growing up as children of the Civil Rights Movement is that everybody needs to be your daddy and your momma.


Her simple, humble request is for WE THE PEOPLE to follow some marching orders. Buy and read the book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King, Jr.  The 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington holds specifically inspiring significance for B. A. KING. Today, the masses must embrace the humility in the messenger’s enduring message.

Bernice Albertine King (born March 28, 1963) is today an American Baptist minister. She is the second daughter and youngest child of civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Her older siblings are Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King, and the late Yolanda Denise King. Bernice was only five years old when her father died and is the only King child to have become a minister.

Her daddy, Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was, to most of us, an American clergyman, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. King has become a national icon in the history of American progressivism.

A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. With the SCLC, King led an unsuccessful struggle against segregation in Albany, Georgia, in 1962, and organized nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama, that attracted national attention following television news coverage of the brutal police response. King also helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.

There, he established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. He also established his reputation as a radical, and became an object of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's COINTELPRO for the rest of his life. FBI agents investigated him for possible communist ties and reported on them to government officials.

On October 14, 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence. In 1965, he and the SCLC helped to organize the Selma to Montgomery marches and the following year, he took the movement north to Chicago. In the final years of his life, King expanded his focus to include poverty and the Vietnam War, alienating many of his liberal allies with a 1967 speech titled "Beyond Vietnam".

King was planning a national occupation of Washington, D.C., called the Poor People's Campaign. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. His death was followed by riots in many U.S. cities. Allegations that James Earl Ray, the man convicted of killing King, had been framed or acted in concert with government agents persisted for decades after the shooting, and the jury of a 1999 civil trial found Loyd Jowers to be complicit in a conspiracy against King.

King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986. Hundreds of streets in the U.S. have been renamed in his honor. A memorial statue on the National Mall was opened to the public in 2011.

Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community?   READ THE BOOK!

March On Washington

A virtual movement from information to operation

AMWS, August 22, 2013, Washington, DC -- Fifty years ago, civil rights activists from across the United States gathered here for one of the most momentous events of the 20th century. They marched and rallied around a shared message of civil liberty, civil rights, and economic opportunity for all.

It would be a good thing to say that we have made progress. It would be great if the measured steps of a few produced great strides in America’s fight for equality. But the truth is people are unemployed, underemployed, and scared to death about their children’s future. For too many in our families, the glass is not even half full.

We are all reminded of times where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.  But, when the threat comes to your door, there is no doubt that your national security is priority one in your American dream.

The basic right to vote is in danger. It seems everyday another child dies from some form of violence. Our criminal justice system is anything but "just for all." Children are being left alone more as parents take on jobs that barely pays the bills. Too many people in too many communities struggle to find jobs and provide for their families. Too many dreams remain unfulfilled.

So, as neighbors from across America prepare to #MarchOnWashington, we invite you to join a virtual economic movement. SAVE a little money by connecting from home. Then SAVE a little more money by sharing the ride to church with friends and family members. Finally, you can SAVE by learning more about your finances. Take a free online FDIC MoneySmart Financial Literacy course today and upload your certificates of completion.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @YouthUSA drafted some tweets to help get you to the virtual  #MarchOnWashington

Join us for a virtual #MarchOnWashington www.facebook.com/YouthAchieversUSA

What will it take to prevent gun violence? One Nation Under God! We #MarchOnWashington for #EconomicSecurity. http://youtu.be/HMkWhOR4qzA

Divisive politics of the past have no future. We #MarchOnWashington for #EconomicSecurity on Our Streets, USA. http://youtu.be/N7uWSpqpVIM

Our children r more valuable than stuff dividing us. We #MarchOnWashington for #EconomicSecurity on Our Streets, USA. http://youtu.be/hSg6JlBsYBE

Let the children come to me. God’s kingdom belongs to them. We #MarchOnWashington for #EconomicSecurity. http://youtu.be/5751pNO9kDA

Message to Congress. Get along! We #MarchOnWashington for #EconomicSecurity on Our Streets, USA. http://youtu.be/pTarSW2XN94

#MarchOnWashington begins 8:00 am Saturday August 24, 2013 at the Lincoln Memorial. marching to the King Memorial and ending at the Washington Monument.

Martin to Mayo to Martin

By Eric Stradford and Stephanie Walker Stradford


AMWS, July 29, 2013, Marietta, GA – An unyielding trust in God is one American value inherited from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Another might be an enduring hope that trouble won’t last always. The historic civil rights organization founded by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is still standing, back to back, and shoulder to shoulder, to meet civil rights challenges now and into the future.


In Cobb County, Georgia, ground zero for civil rights challenges, The Reverend Dr. Sheryl Graves, Dr. H. Benjamin Williams, Attorney Carletta Sims and others have been reviewing practices of the past and charting a course toward an inclusive future. Dr. Graves continues the work she and her late husband Rev. Dwight Graves considered their life’s mission as foot soldiers in the movement. Slow-walking civil rights problems in the schoolhouse, the courthouse, the workplace and the unemployment line serve citizens described as Martin Luther King, Jr’s “beloved community.”

According to local SCLC President, H. Benjamin “Doc Ben” Williams, it’s a job that doesn’t pay. How can that be? The job of keeping the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. alive does not earn a decent wage for the foot soldiers in the movement? Clearly, someone needs to go back and review the transcript of the now famous “I have a dream” speech.

Cobb County Chapter President Williams and Georgia State Chapter President Reverend Samuel Mosteller are calling on fellow foot soldiers, past and future investors, as well as beneficiaries of Dr. King’s investment to do just that. As local leaders prepare for SCLC’s 55th Annual Convention, and their return to Washington, DC for the 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington, local, state and national leaders are “Moving Together, Moving Forward for Jobs and Freedom.

The Reverend Mosteller engaged social media partners to address economic security concerns raised by Dr. King’s speech – concerns that still exist as “Unfinished Business.” Dr. Williams invited Youth Achievers USA Institute, a national 501c3 public charity to share an emerging vision for the movement from INFORMATION TO OPERATION.

The INFORMATION TO OPERATION initiative seeks community reinvestment from corporate beneficiaries of tax credits, federal grants and contracts. A Billion + Change is a national campaign to mobilize $1 billion of pro bono and skills-based service by 2013 to address core issues our communities face.

The federal initiative seeks to transform how businesses leverage their employees to make a lasting impact on society by engaging, inspiring, and mobilizing professional talent to build the capacity of non-profit organizations to better meet community needs. The grassroots initiative engages local youth with leadership opportunities where they live, learn, work and worship. Caring adults to include retirees, unemployed and underemployed neighbors support capacity building needs. The federal initiative “strategically aligns philanthropy and business goals, and provides a platform for enhanced collaboration, leadership development, and community visibility for the company and its employees.” The replicable capital campaign developed for local communities directs investments to local needs.

In theory, results are measured by the impact of collective, corporate or national efforts in meeting the needs of the individual citizen. If all news and politics were local, the killing of Trayvon Martin and the not guilty verdict awarded to his killer, George Zimmerman might have died in Sanford, Florida.

In reality, color-blind prosecutors perhaps did the best they could with the evidence available to them. A color-blind judge instructed a color-blind jury to consider a law legislated through a color-blind political system. If anyone ever questioned the reality of “blind justice,” the trial of George Zimmerman proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

For SCLC leaders, the inclusive economy hoped for, emerged as a “dream deferred” within a “color-blind” vision of America’s future. Before Zimmerman gave chase, detained, tried and executed Trayvon Martin, legal precedence for racial profiling had long been established within a majority-minority, color-blind society.

In Cobb County, a genuine desire to heal America remains clouded by misperception that equal rights and equal opportunity is here for all. A quest for answers bringing Youth Achievers USA Institute organizers to the region follows a seemingly endless trail of tears.

Our move to Georgia in 2005 followed a series of evolving stories concerning America’s future. We had completed projects that culminated in a Million Youth Movement, homegoing celebrations for Arthur Fletcher, Rosa Parks and C. Delores Tucker. The Reverend Dr. Diane Johnson, one of Stephanie’s choir buddies from Ebenezer AME Ft. Washington blessed us with and opportunity to engage in “blackonomics.” Neither we nor Dr. Johnson referred to it as that, but it seemed to be a good description for the modern day Civil Rights movement.

The 10^th Community Economic Empowerment Conference, held by what was then known as the Collective Banking Group, connected people of faith, business and banking to address unmet needs in their communities. Among the clinicians were newly elected Bishop E. Earl McCloud, who at the time oversaw economic initiatives of the AME Church through the Office of Ecumenical and Urban Affairs and our friend Jim Klingman, an author from Cincinnati who headed the African American Chamber of Commerce. It was not the first such event for Stephanie A. Walker Stradford.

Formerly known in DC Circles as Stephanie Colbert, the veteran communications strategist orchestrated well known conferences to include the Rosa Parks Tribute at the Kennedy Center, the Greater Washington Business Center, National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Urban Bankers Summit 2000, Bethune DuBois events, National Black Caucus of State Legislators Conferences, and the list goes on.

Needless to say when Jim Klingman told Stephanie about William Mayo, she was ready to book a midnight train to Georgia to see firsthand how American children were being undervalued. Mayo had been arrested in Cobb County, tried in a color-blind court, and sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years for a robbery he did not commit. Even his co-defendants say he is innocent. Mayo appeared via satellite in 2002 on the John Walsh show, When False Accusations Put You Behind Bars.

Today, Klingman posts at blackonomics.com, his expert observations on present day injustices. “What has become our mantra in this post-George Zimmerman era are U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder’s words to the NAACP last week; “We must stand our ground” against injustice. Holder drew cheers, “Amen’s,” and a standing ovation when he spoke those words.

The next day, however, Martin Luther King III spoke to the NAACP, and while he did suggest we stand our ground, he went a bit further and reminded Klingman of his father’s speech in Memphis the night before he was killed. King III, after reflecting on our trillion dollar “spending power,” slipped in a little suggestion that maybe we should no longer buy Florida Orange Juice. Hmmm.

Whether we’re thinking about Trayvon Martin, William Mayo, or too many other victims of color-blind dreaming like Marissa Alexander, the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. needs to be revalued for reinvestment in America’s future. Marissa Alexander, the 31-year-old Florida woman who fired a warning shot at her abusive husband, was sentenced in 2012 to 20 years in prison.

Alexander was convicted of three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for firing into a wall near her husband and his two young children at their Jacksonville home in 2010. Alexander has maintained that she wasn't trying to hurt anyone and that she was “standing her ground” against a man who had over the course of nearly a year punched and choked her on several different occasions. Alexander says that she believed she was protected that day under the state's Stand Your Ground Law, which gives people wide discretion in using deadly force to defend themselves. A judge, a jury, and state attorney Angela Corey, disagreed. It took the jury 12 minutes to find her guilty.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott began on December 5, 1955 after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on the bus. The boycott lasted for 381 days and ended on December 21, 1956, with the desegregation of the Montgomery bus system.
The boycott was carried out by the newly established Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). Martin Luther King, Jr. served as President and Ralph David Abernathy served as Program Director. It was one of history’s most dramatic and massive nonviolent protests, stunning the nation and the world. The boycott was also a signal to Black America to begin a new phase of the long struggle, a phase that came to be known as the modern civil rights movement.

As bus boycotts spread across the South, leaders of the MIA and other protest groups met in Atlanta on January 10 – 11, 1957, to form a regional organization and coordinate protest activities across the South. Despite a bombing of the home and church of Ralph David Abernathy during the Atlanta meeting, 60 persons from 10 states assembled and announced the founding of the Southern Leadership Conference on Transportation and Nonviolent Integration. They issued a document declaring that civil rights are essential to democracy, that segregation must end, and that all Black people should reject segregation absolutely and nonviolently.

Further organizing was done at a meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 14, 1957. The organization shortened its name to Southern Leadership Conference, established an Executive Board of Directors, and elected officers, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as President; Dr. Ralph David Abernathy as Financial Secretary-Treasurer; Rev. C. K. Steele of Tallahassee, Florida as Vice President; Rev. T. J. Jemison of Baton Rouge, Louisiana as Secretary; and, Attorney I. M. Augustine of New Orleans, Louisiana as General Counsel.