The African American Leadership Commission

2006 Theme

“Connecting the Dots to Raise Up A Standard

Against A Flood of Segregation”

Event Proposal

Raise Up Drowning on Dry Land / Connecting Covenant Visit

August 15-19, 2006

New Orleans [Ninth Ward/St. Bernard’s Parish];Baton Rouge; Biloxi, Miss.

Purpose of Visit

On August 15-19 Gamaliel/AALC will make a site visit to  the Gulf Coast region devastated by Hurricanes Katrina/Rita to build institutional relationships with faith community/survivors; and support faith community, allies and organizations in their on-going Katrina/Rita restoration strategies. We will visit with clergy/ public policy/and public officials and pursue a unity reception with other organizations, policy/ community to learn how AALC can best  provide support.

Objectives

To build relationships between AALC/Gamaliel clergy/leaders and allies, and Gulf Coast faith community/Katrina/ Rita survivors and allies;

To deepen our understanding of analysis and actions needed to reverse conditions that predated Hurricane Katrina/Rita; and

To support institutional relationships and coalitions that raise up people and communities “drowning on dry land” from concentrated poverty in the Gulf Coast.

Guiding Scriptures:

“…When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall raise up a standard against him." (Is 59:19).  " So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine…rather speak truth in love... closely joined and knit together”. (Ep 4:14-16)

The African American Leadership Commission convened its 4^th annual event in St. Louis, Missouri  on June 15, 16 2006 under the theme “Connecting the Dots to Raise Up A Standard Against A Flood of Segregation”. Over 200 persons participated in AALC Juneteenth 2006 at the Roberts Mayfair Hotel and Covenant Community Church. The St Louis event launched the AALC Gulf Coast/ opportunity initiative. Speakers included Professor john powell, Kirwan Institute on Race and Ethnicity; 

AALC has been agitated by the raging Gulf Coast Hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, and the outrageous inadequacy of government actions in response, recovery and restoration. AALC has been urged by the Spirit greater than ourselves to come see about our brothers and sisters in New Orleans.  AALC heard a clarion call to connect with, and advocate for righteousness, justice to restore and make whole people and places destroyed by the storm.

While survivors are weary and may be losing faith in government,  it is clearly time for people of faith beyond the Gulf Coast to stand and increase their engagement in fight for rebuilding the Gulf Coast.

AALC stands with and for survivors of Katrina/ Rita and will demand government action on behalf of the poor, the left-out and left behind. AALC will help rebuild by advocating for public policy, social and economic capital that benefits survivors  as they so determine. AALC seeks to connect with survivors, first hand, to support them and institutions who are already on the ground organizing in the Gulf Coast. AALC clergy, laity, organizers and allies give their faith feet, by fighting for just economic policies for our surviving brothers and sisters. AALC’s Drowning on Dry Land / Connecting Covenant Visit “  helps leaders make the connection that our destinies are intertwined and that our fates are linked whether we live in New Orleans or Chicago, IL..  

Looking Back to Move Forward The intensity of the Gulf Costs storms exposed a flood of segregation, poverty, racism and abject failure of government that was rarely discussed in America, let alone filmed and televised worldwide, around the clock. When Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, hundreds of thousands of residents were left behind to fend for themselves, and suffer with disease, catastrophic destruction and ultimately death.

America and the world witnessed unprecedented natural disaster and deprivation in the U.S.A, pathetic indifference, and inhumanity of our government to in time of severe crisis. When the levees broke, it was our people, Americans left behind, wading amidst garbage and dead bodies_ it was poor people, especially, poor Black people, isolated, alienated, with no cars, no money, and no way to get out of harms way. who were drowning, fighting to stay alive by any means.  Government failed to connect the dots between rescue and response __ life and death __civility and chaos.

One Year Later The places and people that suffered destruction and devastation from Katrina/ Rita are still disconnected. Hopelessness, rage, disappointment, rejection and abandonment still pour out into shambled and battered lives of Gulf Coast survivors. Church has historically helped to center and organize the lives of African Americans, but with so many churches destroyed in New Orleans area, that center is gone. According to conversations with Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian who is working with the New Orleans churches,  “Pastors don’t even have pay checks and cannot support themselves or their families”.  Recovery is still slow in New Orleans, and somewhat better in places like Biloxi. However, there is overall recognition that it will take years to adequately rebuild homes, schools, hospitals, infrastructure, small businesses etc., and the people.   AALC seeks to support survivors and those on the ground organizing and help push for the federal government to release adequate funding to rebuild the places and people of the Gulf Coast. .  Homes and institutions churches and worship centers and the people and places must be made whole.

“Drowning on Dry Land” The term “drowning on dry land” coined  by Rev. Cheryl Rivera refers to  conditions of concentrated poverty, where people are living in circumstances, just barely keeping their heads above water, and many are drowning  due to lack, struggling with  low paying/no paying jobs, crime, violence, inadequate housing, homelessness, failing schools, inequitable healthcare, wealth gaps that isolates them from opportunity and no way out.  

 The sight of starving, thirsty, dead and dying men, women and children, 3-4 days after the roaring hurricane winds ceased, hit most Americans in the very depths of the soul. Yet, it was families, abandoned, ripped apart, tattered, weary and worn, and sent to places unknown that was all too familiar, of a much darker period in history. Many African Americans talked about feeling a pain that they imagined reached back from slavery that pierced their gut today. We never want to experience that pain again. AALC clergy, laity, organizers and allies seek to act, and to organize against public policy that creates conditions where people are “drowning on dry land.

One year after the Katrina/Rita storms have ceased, Gulf Coast storm survivors are still “drowning on dry land.”  They and their children, and their children’s children will not be able to get out of the critical conditions without significant public investment. People are drowning on dry land, And the waters are rising all over America from the Gulf Coast to Lake Michigan which borders much of the “rust belt” Gary, IN, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI etc. because of bad, unfair public policy, corporate greed and public corruption.    

Connecting the Dots AALC seeks to connect the analysis of critical spatial arrangements within metropolitan areas to real moral and social responsibility for the poor and marginalized. Americans can not maintain islands of privilege for a few, and deludes the majority to think that they can buffet themselves from perceived threats of concentrated poverty. The hurricane of segregated opportunity will roar and kill far beyond the Gulf Coast, but through out the urban core and rural poor and people of color, and immigrants in America.

Faith has continued to be a shelter from the storm and a roof over our heads. As people of faith we are guided by faith in our daily lives and times of crisis. AALC embraces faith, scripture and organizing principles of metropolitan equity and opportunity to guide restoration and action strategies for survivors of storms, whether created by nature or racism, classism or greed and destructive human powers .

AALC is committed to fight for relief from poverty, abandonment and issues of race and class that are destroying America and thousands of Gulf Coast survivors. still with out homes and churches and worship centers and the people and places must be made whole.

Connecting Covenant Visit AALC’s, Gulf Coast visit is for relationship building, support advocacy efforts and leadership development.  AALC clergy/faith community will enter into a “ Connecting Covenant” with clergy/ faith community survivors of Hurricane Katrina/ Rita survivors in the Gulf Coast with AALC and leadership from other “drowning on dry land” communities in the country. AALC seeks to connect with Gulf Coast faith community and public policy leadership to help support create and restore opportunity.

Goals _ Goal 1 : To conduct a  site visit with 30 Gamaliel AALC clergy/laity and organizers  traveling to the Gulf Coast,  August 15 - 19, 2006  to connect with peoples and places impacted by Hurricanes Katrina/ Rita.

Action:  AALC clergy/ laity, organizers and allies will meet with faith/community leaders and survivors impacted and displaced by Katrina in New Orleans (Ninth Ward/ St Bernard’s Parrish); Baton Rogue; Biloxi, Miss; and make connections to places where people are “drowning on dry land.”  Leaders will identify and then fight for public policies to promote fairness, equity and opportunity in all places.

Action: Clergy/ laity/ organizers will make connections between Gulf Coast , and the plight of those in left behind neighborhoods like Youngstown, OH, Chicago, IL; Gary, Detroit, etc, where the poor, especially poor Black, and people of color, across America are “drowning on dry land” from the same policies of neglect, racism, classism, abandonment, isolation and disconnect that exposed and predate Hurricanes Katrina/Rita.

Goal 2:  To educate clergy/ laity, organizers and diverse communities on Gulf Coast restoration legislation, and to activate campaign to fight for fair and adequate financial rebuilding assistance.

Action :African Americans, the poor, other marginalized and working class communities will work collectively on Gulf Coast and opportunity legislation to reduce segregated opportunity and promote a national watch and recovery plan in the Gulf Coast and other communities where constituencies “ .

Goal 3: To convene Katrina/ Rita Sundays and local meetings on Gulf Coast and opportunity agenda back in local communities.

Action: Leaders will preach, teach and agitate the community and public officials to concentrate on building equity and opportunity and engage and train leaders and community on fairness and other resources promised to survivors, and the places where they live.