A New Season of Accountability, Will We Rise to the Occasion?

Refl ections on the Gift of Black Theological Education and Black Church Collaborative

Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr., Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

We cried, we laughed, we shouted, and we celebrated together. Dr. Delores F. Brisbon made a clarion call for us to gather at Shaw University on April 25-28, 2022, in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a time of reflection, engagement, and focus toward a plan and an agenda for the Gift of Black Theological Education. We came from the seminary, classroom, pulpit, and pew to engage, collaborate, and give direction for the future of this gift we call Black Theological Education. We all realize that training students in a black seminary is a gift we must handle with care; we must cherish the legacy God has placed in our hands. The institute started with a worship experience because we understood God called us all together to be directed by the Holy Spirit. Wonderfully blessed and gifted presenters taught at the institute.

Reflections of the Institute

First, we all believed and were called to be stakeholders in the Gift of Black Theological Education. We were called together to reimage and re-focus our efforts to enhance and engage us to improve and chart the future of Black Theological Education. The Gift of Black Theological Education is a gift for us, but also for theological education worldwide. Our gift will impact theological education in the future and in this present age. As we nurture the Gift of Black Theological Education, we share our God-given gifts to enhance and improve this process. Second, we understand that Black Theological Education must move to the digital age. The church and preparation for ministry must consider this new platform for carrying and sharing the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. The session on digital church challenged us to move beyond our comfort zone and do church differently. Presenters challenged my comfort zone and pushed me toward thinking differently to reach a new generation. As we explored the digital church together, the experience challenged us to look through different eyes to see the ministry and our call to collaborate for a better Black Theological Education. We all understand we have several platforms to extend and articulate the Gospel of Christ. Yet embracing such is, for many, an uneasy but valuably challenging position. It made me feel like the first time I dove into deep water to test my swimming skills several years ago. I had practiced the skills, but the final test was swimming in deep water. The digital church is deep water for many of us. To cherish the Gift of Black Theological Education means swimming in deep water and working through the skills we have been taught. It means depending on God’s grace and direction.

Lastly, Dr.Brisbon challenged us to ponder and reflect on the question: When was God real for you? In our final session, we cried, shouted, and reflected because God had been a presence for all of us in the room. Dr. Pollard allowed God to perform surgery on him in our company. When God left the surgical room working on Dr. Pollard, the Almighty moved around the room, touching and blessing others as we reflected on the realness of God. This was a fitting conclusion for a week of study, worship, reflection, and planning. I cried, I shouted, I laughed, and I felt a new presence of God. We left Shaw University with our marching orders from Dr. Brisbon, but even more impelling were our marching orders from Almighty God. The Gift of Black Theological Education Institute gathers us the academy and the church, to remind us that theological formation is our baby to nurture, nourish, teach, and even correct when necessary. As we nurture the gift we ask God for direction and inspiration for the task. Let us all embrace the gift that God placed in our hands. Let us not be selfish or careless with the Gift of Black Theological Education. If we are careless, God will hold all of us accountable. God, please give us the wisdom to cherish the Gift of Black Theological education. ❏ ❏ ❏

A New Season of Accountability, Will We Rise to the Occasion?

Mrs. Cynthia Gordon-Floyd, CPA, Columnist

Having trained pastors and church leaders across the country in financial stewardship, I, unfortunately, witness many church leaders who justify withholding financial information because they are concerned that their congregation will distort and gossip about the information. These leaders believe the finances are better controlled with fewer people being aware of the detailed information. Is this a deliberate attempt to conceal poor stewardship or abuse of power? Should we hide and covet gifts that are freely given? These are questions to examine as a larger question looms. Is the current threat facing the church great enough for us to change?

A biblical view of accountability must be at the forefront. Unfortunately, some receive accountability as a code name for red tape and bureaucracy. Others lament that accountability is an opportunity for accountants and managers to question a leader’s decisions or utilize it as a backdoor to block progress. While I do not present this as a biblical perspective on accountability, we must reconcile that accountability and transparent oversight encompass the essence of stewardship.

The Word provides a solid foundation for how we are to conduct business matters, and the principle of accountability runs throughout the Bible. The Parable of the Talents gives us a pointed analogy of how we will be held individually accountable to the Lord for our stewardship (Matthew 25-14-30). Paul also addressed the need for accountability of his work in his second letter to the Corinthians: “We are making this arrangement lest anyone blame us about this generous gift that we are administering, for we are setting our minds on what is right not only before the Lord but also before the people.” (8:20-21). Paul’s desire for accountability led him to conduct himself in a manner that would not be easily subjected to human suspicion. Such conduct is a high bar to reach, but it is what should be required from followers of Christ. Making the right choices requires listening to the Holy Spirit, submitting ourselves to others, and seeking wise and independent counsel.

As a church, we were bleeding internally, but now our blood is splattered in the streets via the newspapers and television. We must change. Are we willing to rise to the occasion? Will we take the drastic steps needed to repair this breach, restore trust, and conduct business in God’s way? I pray so.

Cynthia Gordon-Floyd is a certified public accountant and founder of Willing Steward Ministries, LLC. Willing Steward Ministries (willingsteward.com) is a financial consulting and accounting firm for churches and other faith-based non-profits, specializing in Biblefocused financial practices, pastoral compensation issues, IRS compliance, and other financial needs specific to churches. Cynthia is a graduate of Lake Forest College and holds her MBA in Accounting from DePaul University. She is a steward and the financial secretary at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Manassas in Manassas, Virginia.

Edward Waters University Won Black College World Series Saturday Night Beating Kentucky State 3-2

Chris Porter, First Coast News

EWU came all the way back from a second-round loss to arch-rival Florida Memorial in the game that ended at 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The Tigers took back-to-back one-run games to win, and Edward Waters outfielder Keilin Washington won the College World Series Most Outstanding Player. The Tigers got on the scoreboard first on a run-scoring double by catcher Anthony Roman in the top of the second inning and added another run scored on a run batted in triple by John Nobles to take a 2-0 lead.

Kentucky State would get back into the game in the third inning plating a run on a sacrifice fly to close the gap to 2-1. EWU would get another run in the fifth inning off the bat of Daiton Pass with a run-scoring single to go up 3-1. Edward Waters pitcher Austin James earned the victory for the Tigers on the mound, going 5.0 innings, allowing just one earned run, and six strikeouts, while Caden Hutchinson earned the save for EWU. ❏ ❏ ❏

Vacancy Announcement – AME University

34 Camp Johnson Road • Monrovia, Liberia • jobs@ame.edu.lr AME University is a faith-based institution located in Monrovia, Liberia. Founded in 1995, the University has grown steadily over the years. In fostering its mission, the University is seeking a highly experienced, vibrant, and progressive Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research, with a cutting-edge academic vision, to work with the Vice President for Academic Support Services in leading the institution as it continues to accelerate progress in becoming a premier tertiary institution in Liberia.

Class/Title: Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research & CoCa Cola Institute. Division: Academic Support Services Reports to: Vice President for Academic Support Services Benefits: Commensurate with position and experience Closing Date: May 31, 2022 How to Apply: Submit CV, cover letter, and credentials to: jobs@ame.edu.lr

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research, is a member of the management team in the Office of the Vice President for Academic Support Services and is an academic officer who meets with the Vice President for Academic Support Services regularly to coordinate the management of programs related to the disciplines in question. The Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research, is responsible for maintaining active membership in several related professional organizations and developing strong contacts and partnerships with local and regional institutions. In addition, by organizing and delivering great programs, he or she should provide leadership and direction to the Institutional Research program. The Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research must have a terminal degree in research or a related field from an accredited institution and a track record of teaching, research, and service that qualifies the candidate for the Assistant Vice President position. A minimum of five (5) years of administrative experience in an academic setting is required of the successful candidate. The Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research should be able to provide visionary and strategic leadership for the office and program’s educational missions and promote high academic achievement, honesty, and professional integrity among staff and students. He or she must be a Microsoft Office Suite expert, capable of leading seminars and training sessions for faculty, knowledgeable about the Internet, and possess strong written and oral communication abilities.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

I. KEY RESULTS AREAS ❖ Provides leadership and oversight for all research initiatives and programs in the Coca-Cola Institute for Innovation. ❖ Develops, performs, collects, compiles, and analyzes research data ❖ Ensure to improve and implement the University’s research program. ❖ To create new knowledge and technologies for the research institute. ❖ To design statistical and comprehensive data for decision-making. II. TECHNICAL DUTIES ❖ Operate, extract, and analyze data from collection, or other internal and external sources, as they relate to the University. ❖ Coordinate with various departments and verify the integrity of internal institutional data for reports, policies, and decision-making. ❖ Safeguard institutional research data, including student-faculty evaluation; faculty-peer surveys; reports on key indicators of enrollment: graduation, retention, gender, success, progress, and student learning outcomes. ❖ Develop, coordinate, and publish the University’s annual ...continued on p30

Paul Quinn’s 2022 Graduating Class Receives $250,000 Investment From Alfred Street Baptist Church

Southwest Airlines, Vistra, and artist Ryan Parker among those honored with President’s Award at 145th Commencement

Paul Quinn College (PQC), the creator of the urban Work College model and one of the most celebrated colleges in the country, continues its commitment to fighting intergenerational poverty by announcing the formation of an investment fund for the graduating class of 2022 seeded by a $250,000 gift from Alfred Street Baptist Church’s Seek 2022 initiative.

The Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley, the senior pastor of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church and Paul Quinn’s commencement speaker, made the first-of-itskind surprise announcement to graduates, parents, and friends during commencement exercises on Saturday, May 7, 2022. The class of 2022 is the largest graduating class from Paul Quinn since 2008 and continues the college’s steep upward trajectory.

“We are truly grateful to Alfred Street Baptist Church and my friend, Dr. Wesley. The vision needed to make this type of investment is as uncommon as it is generous,” said Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College. “With this gift, we will be establishing a trust fund for the class of 2022. In doing so, we are making available the type of wealth management/building tool that is not commonly available to first-generation college graduates and Pell Grant recipients. The number one tool in the fight against poverty is access to capital. Together, Alfred Street and Paul Quinn are making sure that PQC’s class of 2022 begins their post-college lives on the right foot. We can never say ‘thank you’ enough to Dr. Wesley and his extraordinary congregation.” The investment fund will be managed by JP Morgan Chase and will be accessible to the 2022 graduates in 10 years. The goal is to build upon Alfred Street’s gift by securing additional contributions and thereby increasing the fund’s value. The fund will provide a tangible, monetary gift that will go directly to students and grow as the students continue in their educational or professional pursuits. “Congratulations to the Class of 2022! This graduating class has spent at least half of their college career in a global pandemic navigating an immense amount of stress and hardship. We know the impact this has had on our mental and physical health and especially the impact it has had on the black community. These resilient students deserve to be celebrated in a one-of-a-kind way and I, along with the incredibly giving community of Alfred Street Baptist Church, am excited to bless these bright young leaders who have the brightest future ahead. Our hope is that this gift will sow a seed into Paul Quinn students, allowing them to become all that God has called them to be,” said the Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church.

Paul Quinn College Honorary Degree and President’s Awards

Paul Quinn presented Dr. Wesley with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of his tremendous contributions to society. Honorary degrees are conferred on individuals who have made distinguished contributions in scholarship, music, the arts, business, or social service. Also, at the ceremony, Paul Quinn honored Southwest Airlines and Vistra with the President’s Corporate Partner Award and Ryan Parker with the President’s Community Partner Award. These distinguished awards honor the organizations and individuals who have contributed significantly to Paul Quinn, its students, and staff and have enhanced the campus experience in impactful ways.

❖ Southwest Airlines generously provided travel for the Paul Quinn men’s basketball team to the USCAA national championship tournament. Southwest Airlines also hosted a welcome home celebration at Dallas Love Field when the team returned home after winning the national championship. ❖ Vistra has invested heavily in both the Paul Quinn campus and students, establishing the Vistra Scholars Program and donating over 60 new trees to beautify and enhance the grounds. The investment in Paul Quinn is part of Vistra’s overall $10 million commitment to organizations working for social justice and equity. ❖ Ryan Parker, the founder of FreeKeyThree Creative, designed the basketball court in Paul Quinn’s new Health and Wellness Center. The court’s striking black and white theme incorporates archival photos of the Dallas skyline prior to integration, grounding the college’s newest building in a defiant recognition of its resilient past. The court became a viral sensation on social media when it was revealed in October of 2021 and has been widely described as “the best basketball court in America.”

“We are eternally grateful for having partners and advocates like Southwest Airlines, Vistra, and Ryan Parker,” said Dr. Sorrell. “Each of them shares our values and belief that people deserve to be treated fairly and with dignity.”

Paul Quinn College 2022 Valedictorian

Pricilla Deyanira Aguilar is Paul Quinn’s 2022 valedictorian and a firstgeneration American and first-generation college student. Aguilar’s parents are from Mexico, and she was born and raised in Oak Cliff. Aguilar is graduating with a major in Business Management. She was captain of the women’s soccer team and interned with JP Morgan Chase in the company’s Consumer & Community Banking sector.

About Paul Quinn College

Paul Quinn College is a private, faith-based, four-year, liberal arts-inspired college founded on April 4, 1872, by a group of African Methodist Episcopal Church preachers in Austin, Texas. The school’s original purpose was to educate formerly enslaved people and their offspring. Today, we proudly educate students of all races and socio-economic classes under the banner of our institutional ethos, WE over Me. Our mission is to provide a quality, faith-based education that addresses the academic, social, and Christian development of students. Under President Sorrell’s leadership, Paul Quinn has become one of the nation’s most innovative and respected small colleges and now serves as a model for urban higher education. Fortune magazine recognized President Sorrell’s work and the college’s transformation by naming him one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. President Sorrell is also a three-time award winner of HBCU Male President of the Year by HBCU Digest, was selected as 2018-2019 President of the Year by Education Dive, and was named by Time magazine as one of the “31 People Changing the South.” ❏ ❏ ❏

How My Mom Taught Me to Write by Cultivating My Imagination

J. Jioni Palmer, Columnist

My mother taught me the virtue of words and trained me to be a wordsmith. Sure, we read books together—James and the Giant Peach, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Where the Sidewalk Ends—as we lay in bed. But, while the stories stirred my imagination and ignited a lifelong desire to create, what intrigued me most was how the words on the page could carry her away to a time and place distant from our own.

Without fail, her voice would eventually trail off, sometimes because she had fallen asleep, but more often because she was so engrossed in the material that she forgot I was listening. I would watch her face broaden into a smile or shrink with a grimace as the plot unfolded. It was entertaining hearing her snigger, gasp, and provide a commentary on the action and the characters. “What’s happening?” I would ask. “Oh, it’s getting good! Wait until I finish this paragraph.” If I were lucky, she would go back and reread the passages aloud, but I had to settle for a summary more often. While the stories held my interest, my curiosity was piqued by these authors’ power to shift reality and perspectives. In our tiny two-bedroom duplex on Bonar Street in Berkeley, California, I would sit on the living-room floor playing with my Lincoln Logs imagining I was a pioneer on the American frontier. At the same time, my mother lounged on our tattered floral printed couch with a thick tome in her plump but worn hands. Occasionally, I glance up at her immersed in the prehistoric world of The Clan of the Cave Bear. Then, in those rare moments when she put the book down to fix us something to eat in the kitchen, I would sneak a peek at the pages. None of it made sense to me, but I loved listening to her talk about the saga of an orphaned Cro-Magnon girl living with a clan of Neanderthals with our neighbor Bunny as they sipped wine with Anita Baker crooning in the background. What kind of magic could Jean Auel conjure to compel my mother, who wore the exhaustion of multiple jobs and single parenting like a parka, to trek to the public library and dig through telephone books to find the author’s phone number in Portland, Oregon? I do not know what spell she cast on my mom in that phone conversation, but I do know that somehow she found the time and energy to begin taking classes at the local community college. A year after I graduated from high school, my mother graduated from college, and before I could get my bachelor’s, she would receive her master’s in social work. Every so often, my mom would declare that we needed a mental health day, and we would play hooky from school and work. Sometimes we would lounge around the house doing chores while listening to Sam Cooke, Joan Armatrading, or Cameo, but more often, we would shower and get dressed as usual and then go for a long leisurely breakfast, visit a museum, or watch several movies in a row. In high school and college—and even as of last month–I would make the same declaration and follow the same pattern, but unlike my mom, I pay for the first movie and then sneak into the rest. One of the games we often played during our mental health days was speculating about someone in line at the grocery store or eating at the same diner. “You see that man over there, to your left,” she would whisper conspiratorially. I eventually learned to look clandestinely by shifting my gaze, but I would first swivel my head, exposing myself to the target. “The one reading the newspaper?” I would ask. “No, the one reading the book.” “Yeah, I see him. So what?” “So, what do you think?” “Think about what?” “What do you think his name is? He looks like a Robert to me. What does he do for a living? I think he’s a farmer because he’s wearing overalls and boots, but maybe he is an actor getting in character for an upcoming play. What do you think?” By the time our food arrived, we had concocted a complete back story beginning with the man’s childhood growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the only child of German immigrants who fled the Fatherland between the two great wars. Before the check arrived, we fabricated tales of unrequited love, questionable business deals, and weekends tending to his bonsai garden at his home in El Cerrito, down the hill from the cemetery where our ancestors are buried. It never occurred to me to try to ascertain whether our assumptions were even close to the mark or not. It was fun enough wrestling with the raw material of our imaginations to bother whether we were in the vicinity of fact or the neighborhood of fiction. For the moment, we were living in a universe of our own creation where laws of physics and gravity were malleable to our ingenuity. Years later, while working as a journalist, I cultivated the art of enticing people to reveal information about themselves despite their best efforts to keep them concealed. Most people, I have found, want to share their stories, but what the game my mom and I played taught me is that sometimes you need to engage in a little bit of fiction to get at the truth.

J. Jioni Palmer is the founder and publisher of “Thinking Good,” a digital media community that helps men be their better selves, and is the men’s minister at Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C. A graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles and Howard University School of Divinity, Palmer is a former journalist, Congressional staffer, and Obama administration appointee. He lives in Washington, D.C, with his wife, two sons, two cats, and a puppy.

The Truth Behind the Coverage of the Vice President’s Staff Transitions

Rev. Carey Grady, 7th Episcopal District

Politics is the art of compromise. Compromise is an intentional and mature way of handling conflicting ideas and potential conflict. Compromise occurs when groups make concessions. Unfortunately, we are missing the art of compromise in today’s political climate. Politics has become a dirty nonphysical combat sport steeped in perception and built on people, power, influence, and money. Yet, in the midst of ideological differences and public debate is compromise. Progress is often the result of compromise. Politics are important because that is how we make decisions. The most dominant influence on modern American politics in the 20th and 21st Centuries is the influence of the media. A news clip, sound bite, newspaper article, blog, or trend on social media can build or tear down political aspirations or careers overnight.

Kingdom Fellowship African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church

Kingdom Fellowship African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Calverton, Maryland, celebrated Resurrection Sunday with their first inperson worship in their new edifice. To celebrate this momentous occasion Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emerhoff joined Kingdom Fellowship for worship. Photos show an exuberant worship experience. A recording of the service is archived on the church’s Facebook page. The celebration continued through Eastertide as the congregation broke ground on the Kingdom Care Center. The congregation and community will use the center to provide food, job training, healthcare, and communityoriented services. Bishop T. D. Jakes, Bishop John R. Bryant, Bishop James L. Davis, and a host of gospel artists excited about what God is up to in Calverton joined the celebration. Under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Matthew L.Watley, Kingdom Fellowship has established itself as a glowing and ever-growing ministry committed to “serving, supporting, and strengthening communities.” ❏ ❏ ❏

St. Luke AME Church in Lawrence, Kansas, Holds First Full Service Since Pandemic, Renovation

Elvyn Jones, Lawrence Journal World

St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was founded in 1910, renewed its proud motto of “The friendly little church on the corner” the weekend of May 15, 2022, with its first full Sunday service in more than two years and a rededication marking extensive renovations to the East Lawrence landmark. Church member Maryemma Graham shared that “Sunday’s 10 a.m. service was the first at the church on the southeast corner of Ninth and New York streets to welcome the full congregation and open to the public since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.”

Making the day more special was the first sermon titled “Act Brand New,” drawn from John 21:1-19 to the full congregation by the new pastor, the Rev. Brandee Mimitzraiem, and dedication after the service by our presiding prelate, Bishop Clement W. Fugh.

“Although some congregation members had the opportunity to view the renovations during a hybrid Easter service, Sunday’s service will be the first opportunity for the entire congregation to see all the changes,” Graham said, as “much of the renovation, including remodeling of the vestibule and the fellowship hall, rehabilitation of large stained-glass windows, tuck-pointing and structural repairs of the brick exterior, and installation of a chairlift to the basement-level fellowship hall was completed during the pandemic pause.”

Tours of the church were available after the rededication. With regular Sunday services returning, the congregation is eager to resume all its traditional activities, such as Sunday meals.“Everybody is excited to get back to church,” she said. “This is an old congregation who wants to go to church. It’s a close-knit community with deep roots, especially in East Lawrence.”

Saint Luke undertook the renovations under the leadership of the Rev. Verdell Taylor, who retired last fall after 26 years as pastor. Taylor provided remarkable leadership to the church and the Lawrence community. Graham noted that the congregation’s first female pastor, Mimitzraiem, carries on a tradition recalled by the experience of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes. Hughes attended St. Luke while living in Lawrence with his grandmother in the early 1900s, an association critical to the church’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

“He was impressed with the role of the strong women who attended the church,” said Graham, a University of Kansas English professor who heads the school’s project on the history of black writing. “This church has a tradition of strong women, and women still play a major role in the church, and our new pastor is our first woman pastor.”

Reprinted with permission.

The press coverage of vice president Kamala Harris is designed to derail her potential presidential aspirations but, in fact, is giving us a glimpse of what life is like for a vice president. When was the last time the media reported on a vice president’s staff transitions? Can you honestly recite the names of the chief of staff, press secretary, director of Press Operations, or director and deputy director of Public Engagement of present and former vice presidents? No! And more than likely, you will not know the names of future vice presidential administrations. Do you know the name and address of the official vice presidential residence? Probably not! Everyone knows 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Few know 1 Observatory Circle. The coverage of the swift and frequent transitions of the vice president’s staff is designed to make her look incompetent as a leader. To say this is sexist is an understatement; unfortunately, racism comes with it, intentionally and unintentionally. The barrage of negative coverage about her staff comings and goings speaks to the fear of VP Harris’s future endeavors. The shallowness of President George H. W. Bush’s vice president, Dan Quayle, did not take this kind of heat, and Quayle kept putting his foot in his mouth. Nevertheless, the coverage of Harris’ staff transitions speaks to her future as one of the faces of the Democratic Party. Washington, District of Columbia, and Capitol Hill jobs are transitory. Young people want a congressperson’s, senator’s, or vice president’s staff position on their resume in hopes of landing a major job. No one wants to make a career working for a vice president, a gig that can last four to eight years max. Few VPs become president, with the recent exceptions of Presidents Nixon, Johnson, Ford, Bush, and Biden. Most

...From The Truth p12 vice presidents end their political careers as vice president, including VPs Humphrey, Agnew, Rockefeller, Mondale, Quayle, Gore, Cheney, and Pence.

Vice presidential staffers are young and on the upward swing. Being on the VP’s staff is a launching pad. It is time for the media to stop making it seem like VP Harris is incompetent. The staffers leaving are part of the cycle for staffers hoping for the next big thing. In our rock star culture why would a young person want to stay on the staff of the number 2 when there are more glamorous jobs with more pay? The Rev. Carey A. Grady is the pastor of Reid Chapel AME Church in Columbia, South Carolina (www.reidchapel.org). He believes words have power. He blogs at www.careyagrady.com.