Media Clips April 2012
Headline: Nonprofit CEO Showcase: Ben Warner Date: April 3, 2012 Re: Profile on Ben Warner Link to online story: http://bit.ly/Hi5xca Value: $124 Copy:
President and CEO, JCCI — Jacksonville Community Council Inc.
Mission JCCI — Jacksonville Community Council Inc. — is a nonpartisan civic organization that engages diverse citizens in open dialogue, research, consensus-building, advocacy and leadership development to improve the quality of life and build a better community in Northeast Florida and beyond. Serving Jacksonville Since 1975. Jacksonville-based. Those served Every day, JCCI is driven by the bold idea that together we can build a better community. We bring people together to learn about our community, engage in problem-solving and act to make positive change. We provide learning, engagement and action opportunities for all of Northeast Florida. Every year, more than 1,000 volunteers engage with us on one of our many projects. Biggest challenge Helping people value the role of participatory democracy: that civic engagement in a shared learning process creates insights that incite change. Too often in our country we substitute activity for thoughtful action, which must always be preceded by both learning and listening. Taking the time to plan an approach, including understanding multiple viewpoints and identifying measurable benchmarks, allows for the kind of community improvement that is accountability-based, not project- or program-centered. Biggest satisfaction I’ve been with JCCI in various capacities since 1998 and have seen both the good work we do as well as the transformative impact this organization has made in the community. Since stepping into the CEO role, I’m most excited about the caliber of staff and volunteers who together put the good of the entire Northeast Florida community above their personal interests. I was introduced to a new word last week, “extrospection,” which is the analysis of matters outside oneself (the opposite of introspection.) For sustainable forward movement, honest inquiry must address both “the unexamined life” and our surroundings, which are too often the “unexamined community.” Hometown I grew up in many cities across the country, including Provo, Utah; Miami; Bloomington, Ind.; Bowling Green, Ohio; Baltimore, Md.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Brasilia, Brazil. It wasn’t until I moved to Jacksonville that I stayed put long enough to have a “hometown.” I’ve been here 20 years now and think of it as my hometown. First experience with community service I grew up with parents who believed strongly in community service, and was active from childhood serving others. My first solo effort was at age 12, when I volunteered for two summers as a “Reader Leader” in our local public library. Your job before JCCI I worked with Community Connections here in Jacksonville, and then for Community Opportunities Inc., where I supervised three-day treatment programs statewide for dually diagnosed individuals (people diagnosed both with mental illness and developmental disabilities). Upcoming events April 10-11: The Great Give, a 38-hour online giving event to support JCCI’s projects and programs in honor of JCCI’s 38th birthday. The Great Give will run from 7 a.m. April 10 through 9 p.m. April 11. June 22: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership. We will release the results of our 71st community inquiry, “Children: 1-2-3,” focusing on helping children succeed from their earliest
years. The results reflect input from experts around the country and our volunteers’ best ideas on how Jacksonville can prepare children from birth through age 3 for lifelong success. Contact information www.jcci.org 396-3052 ben@jcci.org
Headline: EWC Students and Mayor Alvin Brown Date: April 5, 2012 Re: Mention of JCCI Link to online story: http://fcnews.tv/IbRuaQ Value: $100 Copy: By William Jackson, M.Edu. Edward Waters College ImpactJAX (myjaxchamber.com) hosted the Honorable Mayor Alvin Brown in a discussion centering on the direction of Jacksonville in the current economic climate and future entrepreneurial endeavors/business growth. Attending the event held at The Carling in downtown Jacksonville, the backdrop served as a reminder of the economic successes of the city and the bold new direction of Mayor Brown’s administration for continued growth and expansion of businesses throughout the community, growth of Jacksonville ports, sustaining of the armed forces based in Jacksonville, support of public education and the increased development of downtown Jacksonville for business expansion and tourism. JCCI Forward (jcciforward.org) members were also in attendance and other professionals in careers ranging from law, entrepreneurialism, commerce, and many others who work daily for the economic growth and stability of Jacksonville, Florida. This events is an annual Mayoral Address; Mayor Brown gave an update on the progress of the city and engaged questions and discussed how young professionals can impact the future of Jacksonville, Florida. Stating that, “there should be a thousand young professionals here now.” Making reference to the desires of many young people to own their own businesses and make a positive difference in the city. Edward Waters College students attended the event, which was the first time these students were part of an event such as this. Students of Professor William Jackson’s Educational Technology 250 class were invited by Prof. Jackson; he is a member of ImpactJAX and JCCI Forward. This event was an opportunity to put into practice the use of Social Media to Blog / Write about the students experiences. The students are taking Educ-ational Technology which is part of the Department of Education Program at EWC and contains a component in using Social Media (LinkedIn, Blogging, Twitter and Web Design) to share information in and out of the class-room, and how it can be used to engage learners in the educational systems such as in public, higher education and used in the business environment. Freshman Avery McClenton (Biology Major) had the opportunity to hear words of wisdom and encouragement as he spoke directly to Mayor Brown about being a college student and his aspirations majoring in Biology. The dialogue lasted several minutes as Mayor Brown inspired Mr. McClenton with life experiences working for Winn Dixie in his years as a student attending Jacksonville University and
working in President Bill Clinton’s administration. The sharing of Mayor Brown’s life has been a motivating point in Mayor Brown’s talks with students as he visits students in DCPS and colleges throughout Jacksonville. During the question and answer session Alicia Young (Elementary Education) another EWC student had the opportunity to ask Mayor Brown questions addressing students receiving support from the Mayor’s office in mentorship and support in choosing a career. In a supportive gesture showing his continued backing of higher education Mayor Brown quickly charged members of his administration to talk to Ms. Young about mentorships and partnerships within the Mayors administration in her future career to be a professional elementary education educator in the Duval County Public School System. The support of businesses, encouragement of entrepren-eurialism, growth in tourism and equality of education are understood by Mayor Brown and his administration as important elements to help Jacksonville grow in the 21st century. These are needed to take Jacksonville, Florida “to the next level” as the Mayor references several times. The growth and expansion of the ports of commerce to encourage international trade as well as taking trips abroad to network and support/encourage global commerce. These actions place Jacksonville, Florida on a competitive footing with other cities not just on the Eastern Seaboard, but nationally. The students of EWC had a direct understanding of the resources and support mechanisms that are in place to support their continued educational and economic growth in the “Bold New City of the South.” Photos located: http://s1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc422/williamdjackson/EWC%20Students... Blogging Sites of attending students: Alicia Young http://aliciayoung21.wordpress.com Avery McClendon http://mcclendon21.wordpress.com Chris Haynes http://throughtheeyesofalefty.wordpress.com Laqiesha Reed http://prettyblack23.wordpress.com Michelle McNealy http://michelle7dotme.wordpress.com
Headline: 40 Under 40: Crystal Jones Date: April 6, 2012 Re: Mention of JCCI Volunteer Link to online story: http://bit.ly/KfyObz Value: $160 Copy:
Crystal Jones, 30 Executive director Teach for America — Jacksonville Jacksonville Business Journal Date: Friday, April 6, 2012, 6:00am EDT - Last Modified: Friday, April 6, 2012, 9:16am EDT Hometown: Austin, Texas. Social media platforms you use: Facebook, LinkedIn, Yammer Education: Bachelor’s in mass media arts with a concentration in radio, television and film from Clark Atlanta University. About the business: Our mission is to help close the achievement gap in our country. We enlist our nation’s future leaders to teach in low-income communities for two years. Then, they either continue with education or go into other sectors and help to change the prevailing ideology about what’s possible for kids and families in low-income areas. iPhone, Android or BlackBerry? BlackBerry for work; Android for personal use. Mac or PC? ... To continue reading subscribe now
Headline: Guest columnist: Mayor Alvin Brown, City Council should build on New Town success Date: April 9, 2012 Re: Mention of JCCI Link to online story: http://bit.ly/HzJeMN Value: $174.46 Copy:
In the fall of 2010, Peter Rummell spoke to JCCI volunteers beginning a community study about ways the Jacksonville region might recover from the global recession. Rummell had returned from a chamber-sponsored trip to Indianapolis and praised that city for its many achievements. Key to its successes, said Rummell, was the continuity of its mayoral leadership over 40 years, whether Democratic or Republican. Jacksonville has not been so lucky. Too often mayors have chosen to make their own mark, regardless of what has gone before. One clear example was the dumping of John Delaney's neighborhood enhancement efforts by his successor. Yet John Peyton had his own successes. Current Mayor Alvin Brown might look to perpetuate them. Several programs stand out as worth continuing. Among them is the New Town Success Zone. The program began in 2007 with a trip to see how the Harlem Children's Zone worked with impoverished inner-city youth. The resulting New Town Success Zone focused on perhaps the poorest neighborhood in Jacksonville, near Edward Waters College. Compared with other neighborhoods, its 6,000 residents had less education, greater unemployment, higher crime rates and 90 percent of the schoolchildren relied on free or discounted lunches. Meeting the needs required a major cooperative effort from public and private agencies. It began with pre- and post-natal care by Family and Children's Services. The Urban League provided Early Start and Head Start for preschool children. S.P. Livingston Elementary and Eugene Butler Middle schools became totally involved. The Boys and Girls Clubs ran after-school programs. Neighborhood residents provided support.. The silent heroes were the police officers who developed community policing techniques, knocking on doors, listening to grandmothers' safety concerns, organizing after-school basketball teams and patrolling the neighborhood streets. In three years, the New Town Success Zone under the leadership of Irvin PeDro Cohen and his partners has seen a major reduction in crime, kids doing better in school, dedication of the first neighborhood park and plans for a police substation at Edward Waters. Yet with all of the successes to date, efforts have just begun. Three years of programs does not ensure a kindergartner will finish high school, or a middle schooler reach college. Programs need a decade or more to truly track the lives of these kids. Here is where Mayor Brown is needed to maintain the continuity of the program. As he prepares the city budget for 2012-13, children in New Town and across Jacksonville look to the mayor for support. The health and welfare of our city and its future is in his and the City Council's hands. Jim Crooks is a community activist and professor emeritus of history at the University of North Florida.
Outlet: Fox 30 News Headline: Race relations in the Trayvon Martin case Date: April 10, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Race Relations Report Link to online story: http://bit.ly/HO0vo2 Value: $3100 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Community Council Inc. releases a race relations report annually, but what happens with those numbers to help make a change? The Trayvon Martin case has been dubbed a race issue since the beginning, but could the research have made a difference if someone had just done something with it? Ben Warner, President and CEO of JCCI, spoke with us about how the report can make a difference. Watch the video for more.
Headline: Kids Count Date: April 10, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Children 1-2-3 Link to online story: Not Available Value: $15 Copy:
Headline: Becoming a college town: Support our libraries Date: April 10, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Check It Out: Independent Library Funding Link to online story: http://bit.ly/IyvnqW Value: $174.46
By The Times-Union How do you become "a college town"? By that we mean a town that values education for its own sake. Where lifelong learning is simply accepted. That's an American trait. This is a nation that made universal public education a national goal long ago. This is a nation that has built the largest group of outstanding universities in the world. So if you're not a small college town like Gainesville or Athens, Ga., how do you foster the attitudes that are consistent with a college town? The University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville are growing in both size and quality. Jacksonville University and Edward Waters College are keys, too. But how can we hasten the day when we look around and realize that Jacksonville can be called a "college town?" How can we break out of old insular attitudes that education is just nice to have? It never was, but it's clearer than ever when almost all new jobs require education after high school. And this isn't education simply for the degree. There are characteristics built in college that carry over into later life: the ability to persevere when faced with handicaps, the ability to learn on your own, the ability to work with people of different backgrounds. There is one way for Jacksonville to become a "college town." Make public libraries special, devote extra resources to them, spare them from severe budget cuts. Libraries foster a love of learning and literacy. What could be more attuned to a college attitude than that? This is National Library Week. Today, libraries are transitioning into the 21st century when they will be recognized as more than buildings but as centers of lifelong learning for the people. Libraries today are helping people apply for jobs, fill in income tax forms and learn how to use computers. Library staffers of all kinds are being freed from mundane chores like checking in books and are using their expertise to answer hundreds of thousands of questions for citizens. Even in the Internet age, people need a guide. Jacksonville Community Council Inc. is leading a study into the financial underpinnings of the public library here. City leaders will have to decide if they consider libraries keys to the future of the city or something that is nice to have. A love of learning and literacy are keys to democracy. The American experiment relies on the people to vote and decide wisely. That can only come from an informed, educated and curious citizenry.
That means supporting libraries in a consistent way and creating a strategic plan that is supported by funding. Every city in America ought to act like a college town.
Headline: Point of view: Time for younger leadership in NAACP Date: April 10, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Race Relations Report Link to online story: http://bit.ly/HzGqPJ Value: $248.92 Copy:
As a young black man about to begin my professional career in Jacksonville, I want to become involved with the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. However, I refuse to do so. It is unfortunate that some of my own people will blast me because I choose to not become involved with the organization. But if I did, I would become an effective "do-nothing-but-remain-silent-because-'they'told-me-so" professional. No thanks. I am not for sale. When I came up through Duval public schools, I was taught the NAACP is an organization that stands up for what is right and for the empowerment of minorities. My teachers had me believe this is an organization that is very vocal about injustices because just as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. opined, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Let's talk about the NAACP's advocacy in 2012. Four predominantly black schools, one the only remaining historically black high school in the city, are struggling to keep the doors open. Where is the NAACP? Only 23 percent of black males are graduating from high school on time, making Duval second to last in the state. Still no sign of the NAACP. The city is pumping millions of dollars into a courthouse when the quality of life for all people is at its lowest point in history. Have you found the NAACP yet? Several minority elected officials who serve minority constituents have sponsored no legislation or brought any relevant resources back to their communities. Why is the NAACP so silent? Jacksonville is one of the leading cities for not just crime but black-on-black crime. Waiting ... and waiting for the NAACP. Is the NAACP needed today? Yes. A 2010 report by Jacksonville Community Council Inc. finds that 80 percent of black residents and 48 percent of white residents believe racism is a major problem in Jacksonville. Just as this JCCI report suggests, there is much work to be done, but the NAACP must become about action more than talk. It appears the NAACP has become too complacent, exuding no boldness or commitment. It appears the NAACP strives to maintain the status quo. It appears the NAACP can be bought with seats on boards or jobs for its members to negate the duties of representing the interests of disenfranchised people.
While my teachers and their history books painted a much more superlative picture of NAACP than mine today, my teachers and family taught me to stand up for what is right. And, therefore, I believe it is time for younger generations like mine to step up to the plate and accept the call to better our communities. However, there is one thing that has stopped us for so long — the older generations that will not pass the baton. A good friend of mine suggested if they will not pass the baton, we will snatch it! And we will show them what to do with it. Bradford L. Hall Jr. is a graduate of Ribault High School who plans to begin his professional career in Jacksonville. Outlet: WJGR Mike Lewis Radio Show Date: March 1, 2012 Re: Stephen Rankin on Public Pensions Link to online: Not Available Value: $3000 Copy: Not Available
Headline: Groups credit public for Zimmerman charges Date: April 13, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Race Relations Report Link to online story: http://on.msnbc.com/Ic0UjK Value: $100 Copy: A day after George Zimmerman was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, civil rights group leaders are crediting the public for pushing lawmakers and law enforcement to take action. As special prosecutor Angela Corey announced the murder charge Wednesday, she stressed pressure from the public did not play a role in her investigation. Some civil rights group leaders say the case wouldn't have been investigated at all if it weren't for public pressure.
"For three weeks, nothing happened after Trayvon's death," said Isaiah Rumlin, president of the Jacksonville branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "But when social media and demonstration began and the pressure was put on the governor to appoint a special prosecutor, at that point, you saw the wheel of justice begin to turn." Thousands of people rallied around the case, marching in Sanford, in Jacksonville and around the state and country. "Public pressure brought about this new thorough investigation, not the charges necessarily, but that there would be a more thorough investigation," said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. Race and Florida's "stand your ground" law was at the heart of the debate. "It just reminds us of where we've been, where we've come and how much further we need to go as its related to relationships in this country and equal justice," said Pastor R.L. Gundy, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The Jacksonville Community Council Inc. has done extensive studies on race for a number of years. Officials say no matter what side people are on, it's about perception. "People's perceptions are guided by their own personal experiences, history and heritage, and because of that, we will look at the same incident, and it doesn't matter what the incident is, and we will see it with different eyes," said Ben Warner, president and CEO of JCCI. Local civil rights groups leaders say they'll be watching the case closely and hope to be part of the task force scheduled to study the stand your ground law.
Headline: Metro North Community Garden: Do We Love Where We Live?
Date: April 20, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Michelle Simkulet Link to online story: http://bit.ly/InUVFO Value: $100 Copy: Community organizers and community gardens alike struggle with some of the same issues: not enough involvement in the community. If you talk with Ron Pauline, one of the founders of the Metro North Community Garden, you get the perspective of experience. "We don't love where we live," cites Mr. Pauline as a primary factor in the erosion of our neighborhoods and communities. An interesting perspective. Do we love where we live? And how do we express that love? Are we simply driving into and out of our neighborhoods at the end of the day? Do we talk to our neighbors? Are they friends, acquaintances, or strangers? Does my attachment to place extend beyond my front door? My front yard? If you see the Metro North Community Garden, it's obvious that someone loves it. It is immaculate. It is verdant. It is well planted, well thought out and well maintained. Each bed has a water spigot. The large mature camphor tree on the front of the property has been carefully pruned to allow sun to reach the garden. Someone has spent a lot of time, money, and thought on building this garden. But this garden faces the same challenge as so many gardens in our area. Inconsistency in participation. In so many of our area gardens, there are a few heroes who are doing the majority of the work and many who are relying upon "someone else will do it". But, this garden is loved. Stephen Covey, author of the best-selling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, makes the point that LOVE is a verb. He continues to state that LOVE, the feeling, is a product of LOVE, the verb. That it is Hollywood that has promoted the importance of LOVE, the feeling, above and beyond acts of love. So what do you do when you don't feel LOVE? You LOVE - you actively engage in demonstrating LOVE and the feeling will be the byproduct. This applies to all aspects of our lives. Our personal relationships and even our communities? How are we expressing our love of our communities? And if we aren't doing anything, do we really love them? Okay, it sounds dramatic. But lack of involvement in our gardens and in our communities is an issue. A big issue. And it's no secret. As new gardens are proposed, part of the process becomes establishing to the "powers that be", whether grantors or property owners or the city, that the involvement in the project will be ongoing and will sustain the garden over time. In other words, is there a community to support the project? And HOW are the project organizers going to ensure that? Existing gardens ask themselves the same question on a regular basis. So what's the solution? Michelle Simkulet of JCCI (Jacksonville Community Council Inc.) was on point when I called her in a quandry at the end of the previous paragraph. Luckily, JCCI has just completed a 7 week study of the Slow Food Movement and had the following input: •
Keep in mind the following components: Organizational (businesses that are close to you), individuals (your neighbors - and not just the gardeners) and fixed institutions (such as schools unlike businesses which may leave your area, fixed institutions will be there indefinitely). These are all stakeholders in your garden or project. You need make sure they are/become/stay involved. DIVERSIFY.
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When you find yourself in the role of keeping a garden growing, remember: o No one is born as a community organizer and
o
No one is born knowing all of the issues in a community So, do not second guess yourself. You have learned much about the community you are working within and will continue to learn as your project continues. Have confidence in yourself and in the work that you are doing. There will always be plenty of naysayers who will poke holes in your plan, making it seem like a failure before you've even begun. Keep going. Remember, they aren't experts either.
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Build the community into your garden. Look around your area and find a way to include and benefit its members. Perhaps dedicate space within your garden to the benefit of a neighborhood food pantry or other outreach service or ministry. Approach area businesses with the intent of partnering with them for community goals they have set. Host extension classes for area residents (free, just call them) - provide a resource to your area for more than just garden plots. Grow flowers for area children to pick for Mother's Day. Grow pumpkins for neighbors for Halloween. Let a yoga or tai chi class use your garden as a site for a class.
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Start small - one bite at a time. You yourself should not bite off more than you can chew. You need to avoid burnout. You want to make sure your garden has longevity - and it needs you and your guidance. So pace yourself. If you and your fellows can only manage 6 beds - then stick with that. Growth will come naturally as you successfully implement what is manageable.
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Don't pretend to know more than you do. There will be many unknowns as you proceed. Be honest and share what you've learned. Your passion and hard earned knowledge will win more fans than grand statements that you have no idea how you may implement.
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Be very specific with what is needed from others be they prospective gardeners, volunteers or community partners. People are leery of committing to spending time or money when there is no clear idea of what is expected. They will always overestimate what could be expected of them and that will keep many from getting involved. Be able to define EXACTLY what the commitment should be (i.e. 2 hours per week, 2 dollars per week). Don't be afraid of requiring a cash component. Having a financial investment in a project is often a great motivator to staying involved and seeing the project through.
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Assume nothing. Be ready to clearly and specifically define the most basic of elements. It may be obvious to you what needs to happen next, but leaving those next steps undefined leads to misunderstanding and damages trust. It is worth the effort to ensure that all members of your group are on the same page.
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Consider using a Day of Service to introduce people to the garden. As people become involved in your garden and in something they may have no experience with, they need to see it in action which enables them to get over the fear of the unknown. Then they are ready, willing and able to do it themselves.
To see a little more of the Metro North Community Garden, check out this segment on food deserts by WJXT Channel 4 and Tarik Minor.
Headline: Billboard foe girds for another fight
Date: April 20, 2012 Re: Mention of JCCI Volunteer Link to online story: http://bit.ly/HY9dkI Value: $280 Copy:
JACKSONVILLE — As a boy growing up in Jacksonville, Bill Brinton got his first exposure to civic responsibility from listening to his father discuss the issues of the day at the dinner table. As a young lawyer in the early 1980s, shortly after getting involved with the Jacksonville Community Council Inc., Brinton took on his first and largest civic cause to address visual pollution. When he got involved to create legislation to limit the billboard industry, his two children were 1 and 3 years old. In 1987, Brinton took the lead in drafting an amendment to the city’s charter that ... To continue reading subscribe now
Outlet: First Coast News - Saturday Morning Show with Ken Amaro Date: April 21, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Race Relations Report Link to online story: Not Available Value: Not Available
Headline: Isaiah Rumlin: NAACP is as relevant and needed today as it ever was Date: April 22, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Race Relations Report Link to online story: http://bit.ly/JCtttr Value: $285.12 Copy:
I read with obvious interest Bradford Hall's critical letter about the Jacksonville Branch of the NAACP. The NAACP's record speaks for itself both locally and nationally, but I have decided to use this public forum as a teaching moment for him and those who read the letter. Attorney (and later Supreme Court Justice) Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund fought and won the Brown vs. Board of Education case involving the Topeka, Kan., school desegregation case. That case resulted in the decision that ordered school integration with all "deliberate speed." Yet the speed was not deliberate, so the NAACP returned to court. The Jacksonville Branch NAACP through its attorney, the late Earl M. Johnson, filed its first school desegregation case in 1960. The plaintiffs were NAACP member Sadie Braxton on behalf of her daughter and son, Sharon and Daly Braxton. The case was later amended, and the new plaintiffs were the children of then- Jacksonville Branch NAACP President Eddie Mae Steward. One of the first black students to integrate Ribault High School was Patricia Pearson, the daughter of the late Rutledge Pearson. He was a former president of the Jacksonville Branch NAACP, former president of the Florida State Conference of Branches NAACP, former member of the board of directors of the national NAACP, the former adviser to the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP during the 1960 sit-ins and a former public school teacher. The NAACP monitored all aspects of that case until the courts ruled that Jacksonville arguably has a unitary school system. The NAACP's Education Committee continues today to monitor many educational issues that impact education in the black community. They meet regularly throughout this community, hosting forums and directly challenging the school system and its decisions. Although it is commendable that JCCI did a race relations study, it follows continuous reports done by the NAACP and the Jacksonville Urban League over the years that highlighted many of the same racial problems. JCCI's report was forwarded to the mayor and the Jacksonville City Council for information and their implementation. We receive countless requests in the local office for help on a variety of discrimination issues; some we can help and give advice, some we cannot. Everyone likes to opine that the NAACP is not relevant until they get in a "racist" bind, and then they find the NAACP. The work of the NAACP is not always played out in the front of the cameras and in the media but in ways that give comfort to those who are aggrieved. Standing up for what is right can begin today. Understand that the easiest thing one can do is complain about what someone else is doing instead helping to solve the problem. One of our well-worn sayings in the black community is if you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem.
Finally, there are those who think change is instantaneous. Change does not come on our personal timetable as much as we would want it do. There is no magic wand. Change is a process that those in the civil rights movement understood then and understand now. Before anyone criticizes, they should join the NAACP, attend the meetings, visit the NAACP office and volunteer. Further, there is a college chapter of the NAACP at the University of Florida where people can participate. Since the NAACP is a membership organization with local branches and state conferences all over the country, volunteer help is always welcomed. People should always seek to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Isaiah Rumlin is president, Jacksonville Branch NAACP
Headline: Why we should care about the library - to music! Date: April 24, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Check It Out: Independent Library Funding Link to online story: http://bit.ly/IHvrG1 Value: $100 Copy: While Jacksonville Community Council Inc. is studying how to improve and protect library services to the public, several points have been made. Libraries are all-American, dating to the founders. They are about information and entertainment for many people. Yet, they often are taken for granted. Thus, the services need to be protected. Listen to an audio editorial that makes the point. Thanks to the Marine Corps band for its rendition of "God Bless America." http://news.jacksonville.com/specials/audio/mikeclarklibrary042312.mp3
Outlet: WJCT Melissa Ross Radio Show Date: April 24, 2012 Re: Interview with JCCI Task Force Member with Jack Manilla regarding Recession Recovery Implementation Link to online story: http://bit.ly/IYZXd5 Value: $5,000
Headline: People love and support their libraries Date: April 25, 2012 Re: Mention of Jacksonville Community Council Inc. and Check It Out: Independent Library Funding Link to online story: http://bit.ly/Jq1U5j Value: $397.84 Copy:
The secret to passing a referendum is simple. Give people what they already want. That was the main message from Bruce Barcelo as he spoke to a study group talking about the future of the Jacksonville Public Library led by Jacksonville Community Council Inc. He put it another way when conducting a focus group. When the participants of the focus group start nodding their heads up and down, say more of that. When they start nodding their heads back and forth, stop saying that and go back to the first statements. And when it comes to the future of the library, there is something precious to sell. HISTORIC TRADITIONS
The library has a historic connection with the Founding Fathers. Benjamin Franklin had a lending library. The library’s open access has a historic connection to the American belief in universal public education. So many Americans have deep emotional connections to libraries dating to their childhood. While school may not have been a positive place for some, libraries usually involve learning for the love of it. As Laura Bush, the former first lady, said, “Libraries offer, for free, the wisdom of the ages — and sages — and, simply put, there’s something for everyone inside.” PICTURE THIS Barcelo said to the print-oriented in the JCCI study that they need to think of pictures of the library: ■ A family using the library. ■ A student studying. ■ A child taking part in a program. ■ A community group using the free meeting rooms. ■ A staffer helping a citizen apply for a job. ■ A volunteer helping a senior citizen fill out a tax form. Put all of these images together, and you have an all-American portrait. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS Libraries have built relationships with their customers, but perhaps they have been taken for granted. That is why change is needed. In this era of budget cuts, collections are being shortchanged, hours are being cut, the branches are falling apart. Even the glamorous Main Library needs roof repairs. But beyond the funding issues, the Jacksonville Public Library system has no way to implement a strategic plan. The board makes plans and then sees the budget cut every year by the Mayor’s Office and City Council. There’s no reliable maintenance budget. There’s no capital budget for new branches and renovations.
And there is no way to raise revenue. Even revenue from fines goes into the city’s general fund rather than being dedicated for library uses. So the system just muddles along, a still-proud system that is beginning to show wear and tear. CORNERSTONE OF BJP Jacksonville was justly proud of its library system. Libraries were a centerpiece of the Better Jacksonville Plan. And it made sense to include libraries in Better Jacksonville’s successful referendum because they affect every part of town and every demographic. Branches were renovated and new ones were constructed, including the showplace Main Library. But future maintenance and collections have not been adequately budgeted. Barcelo suggested that even red-meat Republicans like him know “you can’t cut yourself to greatness.” WHAT SHOULD WE DO? The question for the citizens of Jacksonville involves what to do. Doing nothing is not an option. The current dysfunctional arrangement has left us with a slowly deteriorating system. Libraries need more accountability. The board is independent in name only. All decisions must go through the mayor and City Council. But when accountability is so diffused, it really doesn’t exist. There is hardly a more popular place than a library. The Main Library is a showplace. The citizens of Jacksonville have been willing to fund services when they are providing a real service that people want. Libraries are perhaps the most popular service in government — free, available to everyone. They deserve our support.