A million thanks to Pastor Smith, the ministers, ministries, church leaders, church members, the old and the young, and to all who participated in my birthday party with overflowing love and countless cards and gifts of lavish generosity.
Your deeds of love touched me and my mate, the Reverend Bernestine Smith, in the tender places of our hearts.
We will never erase such large outpouring of love from our memories.
0ur daily prayers will hold each of you up high before the presence of God Almighty.
Please accept our heart felt thanks for your acts of expansive and extravagant love.
Humbly, Pastor. E.
About The Black/Brown Unity Mural
It is a joy for Allen Temple to partner with the American Friends Service Committee's “67 Sueños” project in the creation of this Black/Brown Unity Mural. 67 Sueños is a project of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker religious organization "that promotes lasting peace with justice, as a practical expression of faith in action". Dating back to the mid 1700’s, the Quakers were the most active Christian community in the movement to abolish Slavery; and they have continued throughout this nation's history to champion the cause of social justice.
The Black/Brown Unity Mural is the product of a youth led process of participatory action research in the community, listening and brainstorm sessions, and finally five weeks of hard work painting the mural itself collectively.
According to Pablo Paredes, the mural creation process began with the youth at 67 Sueños choosing in the early spring for the coming summer mural project. This year, the Latino immigrant youth at 67 Sueños decided it was important to focus on Black and Brown unity and the over-incarceration of both communities. 67 Sueños had been involved in work to raise awareness around the brutal murder at the hands of Immigration Customs Enforcement and Border patrol agents of Anastacio Rojas. Rojas was killed the same year as Oscar Grant. So, our youth made connections between the two cases. The youth of 67 Sueños also learned together about Private Prison Corporations that run both private prisons and immigrant detention centers and therefore profit from the incarceration of Black and Brown men in large numbers. The youth heard Michelle Alexander speak on her recent book The New Jim Crow and realized that Black and Brown folks are being targeted and incarcerated as a matter of business. All of this was behind the choice of this summer's theme.
Once the theme was chosen, the youth designed interviews and outreach in the community for interviewees who are relevant to the theme. This year, it was decided that the youth would interview 5 African American men who have been incarcerated and 5 Latino men who have been locked up in immigration detention centers. We carried out the interviews, led by youth in the program. Then, 12 listening sessions were held where the youth heard the interviews and discussed reoccurring themes and potential ways to visualize them in a mural.
The youth of 67 Sueños also began searching for a wall. There were many visits and potential sites that were explored; however, when we met Isai Hurtado and the folks at Allen Temple, we were very clear we found our community partners. Isai heard about our group and offered his walls in front of the Iglesia Bautista. However, our grant required a larger project. He immediately contacted the larger parent congregation of Allen Temple and we had a meeting within a week to discuss a Black/Brown Unity Mural on the empty lot on 86th and international. The wall was perfect. One 90 by 25 foot wall as the main canvass and a second 35 by 25 foot wall as a complimentary piece. Allen Temple became very engaged in the process.
Three preparatory meetings were held in preparation for our final brainstorming process, which would produce the vision that would guide our hired artist to sketch a draft of the mural for our approval. At the Brainstorm session, we had roughly 60 people, mostly Black and Brown youth with some adult allies. We had rich discussions in small groups, and with the larger group about the struggles of Black and Brown people, the commonalities and the things we are most proud of. This rich discussion and idea "heart"-storm led our Lead Artist Francisco Sanchez to draft a full composition incorporating all of the feedback from the Allen Temple and 67 Sueños communities. One week later, he arrived before the same group with a sketch that we instantly fell in love with. We made some small recommendations for improvements and additions, but in general endorsed the vision.
We began painting during the following week (July 14, 2014).
About the Vision
The mural is large and covers many themes, concepts and details. In general, the idea was to portray the legacies of pride, resistance and culture that Black and Brown people come from on the ends of the left and right end of the mural. This includes portraits of the late great Maya Angelou, Pastor Emeritus J. Alfred Smith, Sr., a Zulu Warrior, a Black Panther Party member, and an actual black panther. On the left side of the Mural, this was represented for the Latino community as Pastor Ruben Hurtado, an indigenous elder, a Brown Beret, An Aztec Warrior, and a Jaguar.
Along the border of the mural, we placed Indigenous Meso-American and African symbols with a legend explaining their meanings on the adjacent wall. The mural includes painful images - of family separation, Police violence, incarceration, Alcohol, Slavery and wage slavery. It also contains symbols of resistance, power and beauty such as the Scarab Beetle and the Monarch Butterfly, the Sankofa, and the Hummingbird.
The mid-right side of the wall contains the most painful images of incarceration and exploitation, and the mid left side contains families around a bonfire with Black and Latino women braiding their children's hair. Out of the smoke of the fire we see silhouettes of Senegalese Dancers and Aztec Dancers. Maya Angelou's poem, Still I Rise, is quoted on a ribbon flying across the right over the images of violence.
The centerpiece of the Mural is a Scarab Beetle with an African/Meso-American floral arrangement. In the middle of the Beetle, a dark fist symbolizes resistance, and it comes out of the spinal cord on a race-less figure and eventually becomes a tree whose roots reach out throughout the mural pulling back the hands of oppression. Below the roots and the centerpiece are the words: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
Read more: Unity Mural - Black & Brown Dreams
Join the Youth of Allen Temple, Iglesia Bautista de Allen Temple, 67 Suenos and Youth Uprising as we celebrate the completion and unveiling of the Black/Brown Mural at 86th and International (Buss Auto & Family Life Center buildings)! Pastor J. Alfred Smith, Jr. and Pastor Ruben Hurtado will offer a blessing, enjoy great food, spoken word, dance, and more! Special guests include Davey D, Miguel Gavilan, Amend, Kufu, West African Dance, and Danza Azteca!
Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong
Saundra Brown Armstrong became the first African-American woman to serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California when she was appointed by the President of the United States and sworn in on June 21, 1991. At the time of her nomination to the federal bench, she was serving as a Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court, a position to which she was appointed by the Governor of the State of California.
Prior to serving on the Alameda County Superior Court, Judge Armstrong served as a Commissioner of the United States Parole Commission, a position to which she was appointed by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. As Commissioner, she was responsible for making all parole decisions on eligible federal prisoners, federal parolees and mandatory releases within the 14 Western states. Prior to serving on the United States Parole Commission, Judge Armstrong served as Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission in Washington, D.C., a position to which she was appointed by the President of the United States, again with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. She was one of five Commissioners responsible for protecting American consumers from unreasonable risks presented by consumer products.
Prior to her service on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Judge Armstrong was a Trial Attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the United States Department of Justice, where she investigated and prosecuted violations of federal criminal public corruption statutes. Before joining the Department of Justice, Judge Armstrong, a native of California, was a Trial Attorney with the Alameda County District Attorney’s office, where she prosecuted violations of state criminal statutes. She has also served as a Senior Consultant to the California Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice in Sacramento, California, where she provided legal advice to State legislators concerning the California criminal justice system.
Read more: 2014 Black History Month Award Honoree - February 23
Honoree for Sunday, February 9
Judge Gail Brewster Bereola
The Honorable Gail Brewster Bereola is a Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda. She has been a judge for 21 years. Currently assigned to a Civil Trial and Calendar Department since 2010, she is formerly the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court from 2006 to January 2010.
Judge Bereola convened Alameda County’s Restorative Juvenile Justice Task Force in 2008. She has since been in the forefront of the movement to institutionalize restorative justice in the county’s schools and justice system.
Prior to her appointment to the bench in 1991, she was a trial lawyer specializing in criminal defense, and a prosecutor. Judge Bereola has served as faculty for judicial education programs and makes frequent presentations as a keynoter, teacher, trainer and panelist in the areas of restorative justice, access to courts, fairness and disability issues, the law as a career, overcoming adversity and other topics.
Judge Bereola has served in several leadership positions with the Superior Court. She has also served as Vice-Chair of the Juvenile Court Judges of California, and is active in a number of other legal and civic organizations, including the California Judges Association, the Charles Houston Bar Association and the National Bar Association, among others.
Read more: 2014 Black History Month Awards
Reverend Robert A.Wilkins, Sr.
Reverend Robert A. Wilkins, Sr. is the President and ChiefExecutive Officer of the YMCA of the East Bay in Oakland, CA.The YMCA annually serves 55,000 youth and adults in Alamedaand West Contra Costa counties with a wide variety of youthdevelopment, healthy living and social responsibility programs and services. Rev. Wilkins is the founder and Managing Director of Encounter Alliance™, a consulting firm which advises churches and faith-inspired organizations on all aspects of organizational development and mission fulfillment.
Rev. Wilkins is also a theological educator serving asProfessor of New Testament at the Leadership Institute at Allen Temple, as well as Adjunct Professor of Functional Theology at the American Baptist Seminary of the West (teaching subjects such as The Nonprofit as Prophet: The Purpose and Practice of Nonprofit Organizations in Capitalist Society, The Church as Social Institution, The Bible and Public Policy, and Morality in Social Life). He is the former Associate Minister for Young Adults at the Allen Temple Baptist Church. He is currently a member at the Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church of Oakland.
Rev. Wilkins is a graduate of the University of Southern California(Religion - Biblical Studies) and earned Master of Divinity degrees from both Fuller Theological Seminary and American Baptist Seminary of the West. He has completed class studies in the Doctor of Ministry program at San Francisco Theological Seminary and holds a Certificate in Strategic Marketing from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Rev. Wilkins is a graduate of the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders and is an alumnus Fellow at the Center for Social Innovation both at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Rev. Wilkins serves a host of community and professional organizations including: American Baptist Seminary of the West, East Bay Economic Development Alliance, GO Public Schools, and the Graduate Theological Union.
On Sunday, March 16, Allen Temple will join with faith communities across the land to participate in Live Free Sabbath, a day where we will preach, pray and act in unity! In addition to its' partnership with Ceasefire Oakland/Lifelines to Healing and President Obama's My Brother's Keeper Initiative, The Live Free Campaign is committed to:
- Raising awareness about the impact of gun violence and mass incarceration
- Reducing homicides in cities across the United States
- Reducing incarceration rates and restoring compassion for and rights to the formerly incarcerated
- Building healthy and safe communities
- Mobilizing the faith community in service of this cause
You can play a vital role in this campaign! Click here to view a detailed PDF on Live Free. You may also view the image below for more information on how you can engage via social media; we will also have information available on Sunday, March 16 on how you may sign up to join the campaign!
Bishop J.W. Macklin & Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Jr. Co-Host Interfaith Advanced Care Session
Over 60 religious leaders and faith-based organizations convened in Northern California to address better care for advanced illness and to launch the Alameda County Caring Alliance in Oakland California on November 12, 2013.
The Alameda County Caring Alliance (ACCA) kicked off its half day agenda with breakout sessions and facilitated discussion to grow the capacity of each participant. The meeting also marked National Family Caregiving Month.
Held at the Allen Temple Baptist Church, the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC), along with local clergy, stakeholders, and health providers convened one of the first interfaith gatherings to close the partnership gap between the faith and healthcare sectors.
C-TAC is a national alliance of 100+ health systems, consumer advocacy organizations, faith-based organizations and others.
Glad Tidings COGIC Senior Pastor, Bishop J.W. Macklin, enthusiastically embraced the gathering, while also sharing his personal experience with advanced care decisions. “When we come to the table with mutual appreciation for each other, we can learn a great deal from each other. We’re going to build on this, and see some tangible results come out of our collaborative work.”
The diversity of Northern California was represented by a broad spectrum of faith leaders, and stakeholders including Pastor Gregory Payton (Baptist Ministers Union), Pastor Raymond Lankford (Healthy Oakland), Carl Chan (Asian Health Services), senior leaders of Kaiser Hospital, Alameda Health Care Alliance, and many others.
“Every congregation is challenged with finding care for families dealing with advanced illness. This cuts across all ethnic and class lines,” said Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Jr., Senior Pastor, Allen Temple Baptist Church.
Following break-out sessions addressing the barriers, opportunities and current efforts within the faith community to provide support to caregivers, participants reached a consensus to commit themselves to building a movement to transform advanced care through ACCA.
“This is truly a Kairos moment for the health care system,” said Brad Stuart, ACI Strategies.
For more details on the Alameda County Caring Alliance, or to get involved, contact Minister Cynthia Carter-Hill at ccarter-hill@allen-temple.org.
