Sunflower County Freedom Project

ULTIMATE!! FRISBEE!

Ultimate! Frisbee! Yesterday, July 10, 2010 about 20 people gathered for the first Ultimate Frisbee Event in Indianola, MS.  Planning this event was a little difficult.  I was a little skeptical about the weather, because we had scattered showers. Luckily, the sun came out at the perfect time.  I also had to make sure that all of my participants were hydrated.  I asked the co-owner of our local Sonic, Brad McDaniel to donate about 30 cups and a few bags of ice.  After every thing was together, the game ran smoothly.  We had SCFP fellows, interns, and Brad McDaniel's family came out.  We all had a a great time and I hope to do this again.  Maybe, I will expand to other towns like Greenville, Leland, or Moorhead.  This is just one good success out of many to follow.

-Mykia Clayton, Fourth Year Fellow, Sunflower, MS

Photos From the Front Line

Freedom Summer 2010!  

Team SCFP Summer 2010

Girl's Study Session in the Red Room.

Second Years Mr. Minton and Mr. Stewart working hard in class

Walking in Memphis

On, January 18th, we traveled to Memphis to meet SCFP Co-founder, Shawn Raymond, Freedom Summer 2009 intern Olivia Manne, and SCFP Family member Neal Manne.  They were joining us for a day of reflection, education, and entertainment. We spent time in the city touring the National Civil Rights Museum and learning about the legacy of Martin Luther King and countless other Civil Rights leaders.

After a delicious lunch, where our students grilled Mr. Manne and Mr. Raymond about the world of law among other topics, we then followed up with our own discussion of what dreams our students had (which you can read in earlier posts.)  Our Freedom Fellows talked about dreams, goals, disappointments, expectations, and plans for their future.  

To top it all off, we went to see the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies basketball team play the Phoenix Suns. Many thanks to Mr. Mike Heisley, the Grizzlies staff and players, and Mr. Manne for making this all possible. It was a great game and even better day spending time with our SCFP Family!

A Fiddler on the Roof?

A Fiddler On the Roof.

"Sounds crazy, no? But in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You many ask, why do we stay up here if it's so dangerous? We stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in a word- TRADITION!"  - Fiddler on the Roof by Joseph Stein

Last Sunday, Freedom Fellows and Greenville Renaissance Scholars attended the musical performance, Fiddler on the Roof, in Greenville, Mississippi.

After reading the play and learning about  Jewish culture, the tradition of arranged marriages, and the proper use of Mazeltov, our Fellows were ready to experience what turned out to be a great performance.

We're channeling the amazing energy of the show to get ready for our upcoming performance in North Carolina. Get ready for a great show! L' Chaim!

Kornheiser Comments...Was it worth it?

From the world of Sports and the town of Indianola, Mississippi, Freedom Fellow DeMarcus Gillespie, an aspiring sports commentator in the eighth grade, we bring you his take on the latest in Sports News. 

My thoughts and opinions on: Kornheiser's Suspension

Sportscenter's TV show, Pardon The Interruption (PTI) has a co-host named Tony Kornheiser who made some necessary, but inappropriate comments on Hannah Storm's wardrobe on his radio show. It was necessary because it's his show and that's part of the normal sports talk to have people laughing. 

He described Hannah Storm's wardrobe as a "horrifying, horrifying outfit" as well other comments. As a result, he was suspended for two weeks from ESPN's PTI talk show.  It could have been anybody but his colleague.  Since, she also works at ESPN, he should have known something like that was going to happen.

My advice:  Keep doing your job and have more respect for the people you work with.

Read more about this in the articles below and feel free to post any comments.

Signing off,

DeMarcus Gillespie

References:

1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/23/tony-kornheiser-suspended_n_473491.html

2) http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4939740

Kenyon King has a Dream

"If not you, then who; If not now, then when?" is a quote that was written by the SNCC organization way before I was ever born.  They knew way back then that nothing was going to be done the way you wanted them to be done unless you did it yourself.  Your mother could not do it.  Your father could not nor could anyone else.  They knew that they were the "key" to unlocking that door.  They had dreams for their community that they made reality, so by them making their dreams reality, I can now dream for myself and my community.

The dream that I have for my community is the dream for which my white side of town would come together with my lack side of town and throw some kind of community party.  Shame to say that when Moorhead throws it's Annual Yellow Bog Festival, there are only about 5 or 6 whites there.  I don't know what the problem is but I really have a dream for that to happen one day. 

The second dream I have for my community is for that on Sunday mornings there would be no one standing at the stores or standing on the corners.  I dream that they are at work or for heaven's sake at church.  Not only on Sunday but for every day of the week.

I have a dream that when a person of upper age comes by and tells someone younger to do something, they do it.  I don't mean they have to be related but if they don't even know them they should say, "Yes, Ma'am, No Ma'am" or "Yes Sir, No Sir" and keep on going.  There would be no back talk or anything like that because they know that adults are supposed to be respected.

I don't know about you, but I have a dream today.

-Kenyon King, 4th Year

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Freedom Project took 9 students to Memphis to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, meet up with other members of the SCFP family, and see a Memphis Grizzlies' Game.  To attend, students completed "I have a Dream" essays.

Mykia Clayton has a Dream

I have a dream.  Every man that has ever set foot on this earth knows what dreams are.  Now, the dictionary states that dreams are a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep.  I believe that there is more to dreams than just that.  It's those back-up batteries people use to push on.  Dreams are what inspires us to be all that we can be.  As an American I definitely have some big dreams of my own.

As an African American and a teenager, I know what it is like to have no hope.  That is one of the reasons I joined the Freedom Project.  I not only believe in myself but in others as well.  I have always known that I could make it to greatness.  There are so many things I want to do to change this world that we live in.

 First, I would like to give back to the community from which I came.  My grandmother always told me, "Make sure you know where you going, child, but never forget where you came from."  I take this to heart.  I could start by helping those in need, such as the elderly.  I would also like to introduce other surrounding areas to the Freedom Project.  Something else that I plan to accomplish is to become an anthropologist and a doctor.  I really enjoy learning about others' cultures.  It fascinates me to see people be content with their lives even though they have so little.  i know that this may seem out of my range, but nothing can stop me.  That is my dream.

-Mykia Clayton, 3rd Year

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Freedom Project took 9 students to Memphis to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, meet up with other members of the SCFP family, and see a Memphis Grizzlies' Game.  To attend, students completed "I have a Dream" essays. 

Johnnie Mae Williams has a Dream

My dream for myself is to live my life right as I can.  My main dream is to stay in school, graduate, go to college, and get a degree.  My only way to reach these goals is to challenge myself and get motivated.  Many people say that I won't make it but I know where my future is heading.  I won't let a lot of people get in they way of what I want to be in life.  For example, Martin Luther King had to go through hard challenges to get where he wanted to be.  Without hims, whites and blacks wouldn't have come together as one.  When I first heard Dr. King's "I have a Dream" speech, I knew I could do better.  I always can put a lot of effort in what I do.  A lot of effort is all I take to keep going.  Judgment and stupidness is not going to get i my way of being somebody one day.  Like what my superintendent said, "Don't let stupid be your friend."  If I don't do my best, I can always try harder the next time.

My dream for my community is to talk to someone I know someone I can trust to make everyone come together as one to clean up trash, recycle, fix our streets, and tear down everything that my community does not need.  Sunflower is having a hard time and no one wants to make a difference but I know that my community can be a better place to live in.  My main dream for my community is to make sure it is safe and environmentally clean.  With my effort and skills, my dreams will come true.

-Johnnie Mae Williams, 2nd Year

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Freedom Project took 9 students to Memphis to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, meet up with other members of the SCFP family, and see a Memphis Grizzlies' Game.  To attend, students completed "I have a Dream" essays.

Michael Burse has a Dream

My dreams are to graduate High School and go to college, maybe Texas A&M University or the University of North Carolina.  Make many life long friends.  And to graduate from college and go straight into my job.  A marine biologist become well known then at age of 65.  And to get a family and move back home to help out the community.

So when I move back home I hope to see that everyone is moving back to help with the delta.  And we will sit down and reminisce about old times.  And then talk about what we need to change and then have a town meeting and discuss everything we need to do.  So after we meet we all will go into the community and see if the change is happening.  And if nothing changes we all will have to start.  Remember Margaret Mead sad that "never doubt that a small group of individuals can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has."

So now when everybody sees that the way we're going we are not moving forward, so they will help.  Altogether we can make a change.  And then Sunflower and the delta can come out and become the place that I know it can be.  Then, hopefully everyone with each other and one accord.  Remember Li Jun Fan said, "There is no weapon more deadly than the will." If you remember this, where there is a way, you will always be on top.

-Michael Burse, 5th Year

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Freedom Project took 9 students to Memphis to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, meet up with other members of the SCFP family, and see a Memphis Grizzlies' Game.  To attend, students completed "I have a Dream" essays.

Primus Apolonio has a Dream

I have a dream that I would like to see come true.  I would like to attend Duke University and I want to major in Medical Technologies.  While I'm on my road to success, I will have smaller goals and obstacles to pass.  I have friends, family, and teachers who will push me to strive for the best.

Tests are a major obstacle that I have to study hard for.  Passing these tests are just a couple of steps toward college.  Also, ignoring trash talking students will boost up your confidence to succeed.  Playing sports and juggling schoolwork is kinda hard.  So I'm trying to get my work done first and assiduously focus on sports later.

-Primus Apolonio, 2nd Year

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Freedom Project took 9 students to Memphis to visit the National Civil Rights Museum, meet up with other members of the SCFP family, and see a Memphis Grizzlies' Game.  To attend, students completed "I have a Dream" essays.