8/24/2017 Eyewitness Account Of The Boston Protest March And Rally Why I Had To Be There: Where We Go From HereRead Now
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern.
Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime At This Blog Post. Each broadcast can be replayed immediately following the show. ======================== The anxiety levels were on full alert, with no certainty that all would stay calm. It did stay calm and the day was declared a big success for those on the side of social justice, equity and real freedom. I witnessed the August 19th Boston Protest March and Rally with my own eyes at Boston Common. 40,000 strong. And I witnessed the quiet escape of the 50 or so alt-right Boston Free Speech rally participants get escorted off the Parkman Bandstand by the police to ensure their safety. Today’s show will give you all of the details of why this modern day civil rights march was indeed the right thing to do and why the world needed to see it happen in Boston. About The March and Rally The Boston Free Speech Rally took place at the Boston Common on August 19, 2017 The organizers and participants were characterized as adherents of the alt-lite, a loosely organized right-wing political movement. Around 50 people attended the rally, and they were met by tens of thousands of counter-protesters.The rally was organized by John Medlar and others in the Boston Free Speech Coalition.It was intended to feature Kyle Chapman, Joe Biggs, Shiva Ayyadurai, and Samson Racioppi as speakers, although the rally ended before all of the speeches were made. Police erected barricades and blocked streets near the rally, and weapons of any kind were banned.The city planned for around 500 police officers to be present for the event. The alt-lite rally ended early, and all rally attendees left the Parkman Bandstand by 12:50 pm. Most of the planned speeches did not take place, although Republican Senate candidate Shiva Ayyadurai gave a speech to other rallygoers making reference to "fake news" describing the rally as a Nazi event. Samson Racioppi, who was scheduled to speak, said "I really think it was supposed to be a good event by the organizers, but it kind of fell apart." The rally drew only a handful of attendees, while between 30,000 and 40,000 people participated in the counter-protest. The counter protesters were organized by Black Lives Matter, various Faith-based organizations, trade unions, the NAACP and other social justice groups. The event was largely peaceful, with no injuries reported as of the afternoon of August 19. A total of 33 people were arrested, largely for disorderly conduct. There were a few arrests for assaults on police officers. During a news conference in the afternoon of August 19, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans said that some rocks and bottles filled with urine had been thrown at police officers but that over all there was "very little injury and property damage."
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Top Left: Boston Red Sox Award Top Right: Adam Jones Bottom: Awardees Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree & Carole Copeland Thomas ![]() Full disclosure. As a native Detroiter who has lived in the Boston area for more than 35 years, I cringe when I hear stories about racism in my adopted city. As a diversity speaker and trainer for 30 years, the pain of these stories runs deep. For nearly a week, I have read the newspaper reports about a stupid local fan who yelled out the “n-word" during last week’s Boston Red Sox - Baltimore Orioles game at Fenway Park. The victim, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones, tempered his anger, even after the same fan or another one threw a bag of peanuts at him, missed and hit a police officer. The incident threw Boston back in the news as a city that can’t ditch racism no matter how hard it tries. It's now become a national news story that forces us to remember that The Red Sox were the last team to recruit a black player in the major leagues. Its owner at that time, Tom Yawkey, had no use for black people, including rising baseball stars like Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays. That history was buried when the new owner, John Henry II, took a very pro-active stand to make his team more diverse and inclusive. Other players have also been called the “n-word” at Fenway, which makes it even worse. Those are the facts. Lingering racism remains with the diehards who just can’t accept the realities of a changing city and nation where multiculturalism is a mainstream choice for most. Clearly, city and state elected officials have beaten the drums about making our region more inclusive. Boston’s Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Governor Charlie Baker immediately condemned the ballpark incident as intolerable, socially and morally unacceptable. The Red Sox team president, Sam Kennedy, stated, “I find it despicable. There’s no place for it.” And so go similar comments uttered in board rooms and community centers. Boston is NOT a city of hate. Boston rejects racism of any kind. The fans made that point very clearly during the ballgame between the rival teams the next day. They gave Adam Jones a prolonged standing ovation to show their support for him despite the previous night’s ruckus. There’s another side to consider when you look at what happened at Fenway Park. Boston HAS changed. I should know as a 35 year resident of the region. Many factors have led to the transformation of Boston. Both governmental and private initiatives have worked diligently to mute the angry and hateful voices of the past. Take, for example, the efforts of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau (GBCVB). They created a Multicultural Committee, designed to transform the image of Boston (www.crossculturalboston.com). The first committee was launched in the early 1990s as the city geared up for some high-profile national minority conventions scheduled to come to the city. One of them held in 1995 was the national conference of the National Black MBA Association. I served on the Multicultural Committee and as the local chair of that event that hosted over 5000 black professionals from around the United States and beyond. The efforts of the Multicultural Committee combined with support from corporate leaders and then-Mayor Thomas Menino led to one of the most successful conventions in the association’s history. The Multicultural Committee took a hiatus for a few years in the late 1990s and relaunched in 2003 under GBCVB President & CEO Pat Moscaritolo. He appointed me as the committee chair, and we have been rocking and rolling ever since. Our committee of nearly 15 ethnically diverse business owners, hospitality leaders, and GBCVB staff meet every month except for July and August. We commit to serving in this volunteer role because we care about the image and reputation of our city. The committee formulates ways that we can support the Bureau’s efforts to attract conventions of color. We attend various functions and serve as a welcoming body when executive boards and association leaders come to town. Our enthusiasm mounted in 2014 when both the National Association of Black Journalists and The Eastern Regional Conference of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. hosted their meetings just weeks apart. Both groups left Boston with renewed levels of confidence that the city was embracing diversity and inclusion in powerful new ways. Other conferences, including The National Council of La Raza, The Asian American Journalists Association, Blacks in Government and The Urban League have all had national meetings in Boston, with much success. One of my finest moments was a sunny afternoon in August 2016 when the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Church League honored me and several other civic, social justice and business leaders on the playing field at Fenway Park. We stood on that bright green turf, heard our names announced over the PA system and received the cheers from thousands of fans across the ballpark. No-one shouted the “n-word.” No-one threw bags of peanuts at us. No-one audibly disrespected us. Our families and friends cheered with the crowd in support of our achievements. It was a shining moment for all of Boston and us. As a diversity trainer and speaker, I choose to look at the glass half filled. The days of forced busing in South Boston are long gone. The confrontations and racial divisiveness of the past have been replaced by a city that is now a progressive international destination that welcomes the world. We condemn the actions of ignorant fans who can’t let go of their racism. They have been ejected from Fenway Park and shouldn’t be accepted anywhere else. They do exist, and I grudgingly acknowledge their existence. But they do NOT represent the life blood of a city that’s turning the corner and closing the chapter of its racial past, never worth reliving. Bostonians are resilient as evident during the 2013 Marathon bombing. And Bostonians rose up last week, delivered a standing ovation, and told Adam Jones and the rest of the world that it’s a city too big to hate and too proud to let the actions of a few stand in the way of progress. =================== As an award-winning speaker, trainer and global thought leader, since 1987, Carole Copeland Thomas moderates the discussions of critical issues affecting the marketplace. She has her pulse on the issues affecting working professionals and regularly consults with industry leaders. She has spent 30 years cultivating relationships and partnerships with local, national and international sponsors, including Walmart, Amtrak and Emirates Airlines. Carole has worked with clients throughout the United States and seven foreign countries. Carole is the past president of The National Speakers Association -New England Chapter and is on the board of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. Carole is a blogger and social media enthusiast using various technology platforms to enhance her business development activities. Carole has been featured in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Black Enterprise, ABC Radio and CBS News. She is the author of four books and is the Past National Vice Chair of the National Black MBA Association. www.carolecopelandthomas.com www.crossculturalboston.com Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Multicultural CommitteeMembers of the GBCVB Multicultural Committee. Standing Left to Right: Turner Skenderian, Dr. ErinnTucker, Tiffany Probasco, Darrell LeMar, Ola Akinawuni Seated Left to Right: Suzanne Grogan, Carole Copeland Thomas, Michael Munn, Donna DuPee, Kelley Chunn
9/17/2015 Salute To Boston’s Diverse Leadership: Portraits Of Purpose With Co-Authors Don West and Kenneth J. CooperRead Now
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Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Now that Boston has officially become a “Majority-Minority” city, with 53% of its residence non-white, it’s time to showcase the many contributions of its diverse citizens. That’s now been done in a graphically rich new “coffee table” book: Portraits of Purpose: A Tribute To Leadership. Portraits of Purpose is a visual chronicle of 127 Boston-based African American leaders and their allies who have continued the pursuit of freedom and justice in a post-civil rights era. Renowned Boston photographer Don West and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kenneth J. Cooper teamed up to capture the images and shared the stories of these significant individuals of conscience. From Charles Ogletree, Jr. and Cheng Imm Tan to Elma Lewis and the up and coming Tulaine Montgomery, these leaders of action are portrayed for the significant contributions they have made to the region…and the country. ==================== Don West A seasoned photographer and consummate professional, Don captures the spirit and character of people, places and events. A newsman at the core, he likes to be where the action is. West began his career as a freelance and news photographer, working for United Press International (UPI) and the Bay State Banner, Boston’s black weekly paper. He has since gone on to a host of photojournalistic assignments that have taken him throughout the United States, Latin America, Africa, China, Europe and the Middle East. He is particularly proud to have served as Nelson Mandela’s photographer when he first visited Boston after release from prison, in South Africa; the official photographer for Mel King’s historic “Rainbow Coalition” Mayoral campaign; and to be called upon to cover special events of Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign in New England. Likened to a “griot,” or people’s historian, Don uses his camera to provide visual witness to our rich diversity and collective contributions, capturing images and telling stories of individuals at work, at play, with their families, and in struggle for what they believe. Ken Cooper Kenneth J. Cooper is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and editor, veteran of 30 years at a major newspaper including The Washington Post and the Boston Globe. Currently, he is the editor for The Trotter Review, an annual scholarly journal focused on the history and culture of African Americans, published by the William Monroe Trotter Institute at UMass Boston. Independent writer for national magazines, freelance editor and consultant on journalism projects, Cooper is exploring new interests in the Middle East and is developing a major writing project, a historical narrative set in Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. Learn more about the book at www.portraitsofpurpose.us ======================== How To Embed The Show: How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Select Today's Show •At the top right hand corner you’ll see three symbols: a cloud with an arrow pointing down, a rectangle with an arrow pointing to the right and a speaker that you can control. Pick the first symbol: the cloud with the arrow point down. For MAC: press down your command key and control key at the same time and click on the cloud. Select “Download Link File As” and save to your computer. For PC: Press down your command key and follow the instructions above for a MAC. •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPad, Android device, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device
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Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Sometimes in our fast paced world it’s difficult to imagine our communities of the past. Historian Rui Santos detailed an average trip by horse and carriage from Boston to Plymouth in the 1830s lasting some 10 hours. Fifty years later a new form of transportation would take center stage: the bicycle. And it was during that time period between 1880 and 1900 that the intersection of race, athleticism and cycling came to mean new forms of freedom and expression. Lorenz Finison’s remarkable new book, Boston’s Cycling Craze paints the landscape of how a host of visionaries took to the streets and byways … all for the glory of the bicycle. Black, White, Asian and Biracial…they are all in the book and all chronicled in detail during these pioneer years of cycling. Come explore with us as we turn back the clocks to the golden age of bicycles during and era worth noting in the annuls of American history. About The Book From 1877 to 1896, the popularity of bicycles increased exponentially, and Boston was in on it from the start. The Boston Bicycle Club was the first in the nation, and the city’s cyclists formed the nucleus of a new national organization, the League of American Wheelmen. The sport was becoming a craze, and Massachusetts had the largest per capita membership in the league in the 1890s and the largest percentage of women members. Several prominent cycling magazines were published in Boston, making cycling a topic of press coverage and a growing cultural influence as well as a form of recreation. Lorenz J. Finison explores the remarkable rise of Boston cycling through the lives of several participants, including Kittie Knox, a biracial twenty-year-old seamstress who challenged the color line; Mary Sargent Hopkins, a self-proclaimed expert on women’s cycling and publisher of The Wheelwoman; and Abbot Bassett, a longtime secretary of the League of American Wheelman and a vocal cycling advocate for forty years. Finison shows how these riders and others interacted on the road and in their cycling clubhouses, often constrained by issues of race, class, religion, and gender. He reveals the challenges facing these riders, whether cycling for recreation or racing, in a time of segregation, increased immigration, and debates about the rights of women. See more at: https://www.umass.edu/umpress/title/bostons-cycling-craze-1880-1900#sthash.bZqbMUTL.dpuf ======================== YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME! How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Select Today's Show •At the top right hand corner you’ll see three symbols: a cloud with an arrow pointing down, a rectangle with an arrow pointing to the right and a speaker that you can control. Pick the first symbol: the cloud with the arrow point down. For MAC: press down your command key and control key at the same time and click on the cloud. Select “Download Link File As” and save to your computer. LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST BELOW Online Business Radio at Blog Talk Radio with CaroleCopelandThomas on BlogTalkRadio Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== New author Kevin Parham has collapsed a lifetime of summer memories into one remarkable book titled The Vineyard We Knew: A Recollection of Summers on Martha’s Vineyard. The unheated small cottage his grandmother acquired would become a place of summer refuge for Kevin and his extended family for decades. Now he has done what most people only talk about doing: Kevin has published a new book about his summer adventures on this celebrated Massachusetts island. Before President Bill Clinton’s summer vacations...before President Barack Obama’s summer vacation...there were Kevin Parham’s summer vacations on the “Vineyard.” We’ll talk to Kevin on today’s show and preview what millions will experience from Gay Head to Edgartown to the Inkwell straight through Labor Day. It’s all about Martha’s Vineyard on today’s edition of Focus On Empowerment. Purchase Kevin's book at www.thevineyardweknew.com From Wikipedia: Martha's Vineyard (Wampanoag: Noepe) is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony. It includes the smaller Chappaquiddick Island, which until 2007 was part of the same land mass before becoming detached by a storm. Often called just "The Vineyard," the island has a land area of 100 square miles (260 km2). It is the 58th largest island in the United States and the third largest on the East Coast of the United States. It is also the largest island not connected to mainland by a bridge or tunnel on the East Coast of the United States. It is located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as a part of Dukes County, which also includes Cuttyhunk, as well as the island of Nomans Land, which is a US Wildlife preserve, and was a US Naval practice bombing range until 1996. The Vineyard was also home to one of the earliest known deaf communities in the United States; consequently, a special sign language, Martha's Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL), developed on the island. The 2010 census reported a year-round population of 16,535 residents; however, the summer population can swell to more than 100,000 people. About 56% of the Vineyard’s 14,621 homes are seasonally occupied. Martha's Vineyard is primarily known as a summer colony, and is accessible only by boat and air. However, its year-round population has grown considerably since the 1960s. A study by the Martha's Vineyard Commission found that the cost of living on the island is 60 percent higher than the national average and housing prices are 96 percent higher. A study of housing needs by the Commission found that the average weekly wage on Martha's Vineyard was “71 per cent of the state average, the median home price was 54 per cent above the state’s and the median rent exceeded the state’s by 17 per cent.” ======================== YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME! How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPad, Android device, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device It's FUN FRIDAY and we're excited about my special book signing next Tuesday March 11th at Darryl's in Boston. My topic: "Spiritual Alignment When You Want To Live Right." No charge to attend, and you'll have a prime opportunity to mix and mingle with Boston's Finest. Details are on the flyer below. Time: 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm.
And don't stop there! Join us on Wednesday March 12th when award-winning jazz artist and Berklee music professor Dr. Bill Banfield kicks off his latest CD Release Party at Sculler's Jazz Club here in Boston. Time: 8pm For Tickets Visit: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3964664 Two special events won't want to miss!! -Carole ![]() Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== In 1953 I was born into a somewhat segregated Black community in my hometown of Detroit. My pediatrician was Black. My mother’s favorite dress shop was Black owned. My father was a co-owner of a Black owned business. The hospital of my birth was Black owned. And as a teenager I volunteered at a Black owned hospital. Black entrepreneurship was simply a way of life for me. Now some 60 years later the historic significance of Black owned businesses resonates as the forerunners of our enterprises today. The businesses of yesteryear operated out of courage, necessity and innovation. They laid the foundation and endured the hardships of their era. Today my colleague, Bill Wells and I will pay tribute to the innovators, entrepreneurs and advocates of yesterday and today during this special Black History Month Tribute to the drivers of Black economic development. Today's Black History Entrepreneurs And Advocates Richard Allen, Co-Founder of the AME Church AND An Entrepreneur Beth Williams, Roxbury Technology Curtis Wells, Educator and Advocate John Johnson, Johnson Publications (Ebony and Jet Magazines) Dr. Frederick Patterson, Educator and Advocate Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, Educator and Advocate ======================== YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME! How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPad, Android device, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device NECN-TV News Anchor Latoyia Edwards with Carole Copeland Thomas at this summer's National Association of Black Journalist Convention in Orlando, Florida Latoyia Edwards, one of the most enthusiastic and spirited television personalities in the New England region is our opening keynote speaker at the November 7th Multicultural Conference. She kicks off the morning of more than 20 GREAT speakers, panel presenters and diversity advocates who will be a part of our upcoming event.
Did you know that Latoyia is a former Miss Massachusetts??? If not...read on!!!! With two weeks to go, we hope YOU are planning to attend this exciting conference. The Multicultural Conference and the Multicultural Symposium Series (MSS) are the brainchild of entrepreneur Carole Copeland Thomas. DESPITE THE ROLLER COASTER ECONOMY, MSS has been going strong since 2008. It is the only initiative of its kind started and operated by an African American business owner in the region. Here's more information on Latoyia Edwards. Hope to see you at our exciting Nov 7th event. ======== Latoyia Edwards is the weekend Anchor for New England Cable News (NECN) in Boston, Massachusetts. For 13 years Latoyia has had the privilege of covering breaking news and human interest stories for television and radio outlets in New England and in New York. Latoyia is a regular on Boston's WGBH's Basic Black, a live television program hosted by a panel of the region's sharpest observers, who discuss and debate current news, events, and topics that impact the black community locally and nationally. Latoyia recently served as president of the Boston Association of Black Journalists. During her spare time Latoyia enjoys delivering keynote addresses and motivational speeches to youth groups and school children. Latoyia's story of her rise from the projects to the pulpitis able to connect with young and old alike. Prior to joining NECN, Latoyia worked as the weekday 5pm News Anchor for WWLP TV Channel 22 in Springfield, MA. Latoyia's experiences with Channel 22 took her as far as Paraguay, as fast as Richard Petty and as high as the Blue Angles. Before joining Channel 22 Latoyia was crowned Miss Massachusetts, USA 2002. Latoyia accredits the pageant experience for helping project her career. Before joining the 22 News team Latoyia provided local new updates on the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Drive Radio Show for WILD 96.9 in Boston. During that time Latoyia taught Performance for Television at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. Latoyia first anchored television for Media One Cable News Network in Lowell, MA where she covered local news and political stories for Billerica, Tewksbury and Lowell. Prior to that Latoyia got her start in television as a news reporter for WICZ Channel 40 a Fox Affiliate in Binghamton, New York. She began her career in news during her college internship as a news writer for WBZ-1030 AM radio. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Emerson College in 1998 Latoyia where she earned her Bachelors Degree in Broadcast Journalism. Latoyia was a scholar athlete who not only excelled in the classroom but on the basketball court breaking numerous NCAA Division III rebounding and blocked shots records. Latoyia currently ranks 5th in the nation in blocked shots per game 5.1 and 4th in the nation in rebounds per game 15.2. While at Boston Latin Academy High School Latoyia knew she wanted to be a news reporter - it was in her blood. Latoyia is the oldest on 9 children who grew up the notorious Columbia Point Housing Project in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. As a member of the Strand Theatres Teen Players Latoyia found her solace in competing in city and school sponsored oratorical, speech competitions and plays. Latoyia is a proud Boston native who was recently names to Boston Business Journal's 2010 Top 40 Under 40, a recognition of Boston's top 40 young professionals who have established themselves as leaders to be watched in their fields. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE NOVEMBER 7TH CONFERENCE. Carole Carole Copeland Thomas C. Thomas & Associates 26 Years In Business 1987 - 2013 (508) 947-5755 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ![]() By Carole Copeland Thomas Eric Esteves, Chair of the Political Action Committee of the Boston Branch NAACP, is serious about social action and empowering the community about voting rights. Filmed in the Boston Branch offices in Roxbury, Massachusetts on Saturday September 21, 2013, the branch was busy preparing the community for the upcoming City Council and Mayoral Primary Election set for Tuesday September 24th. Michael Curry is the Boston Branch President. For More Information visit their website at www.www.bostonnaacp.org. Or Visit The National Website at www.naacp.org GO VOTE!! Your Comments Are Welcome. |
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The Multicultural Symposium Series Webinar Series features current topics designed to enhance personal development both on and off the job. All you need is a computer and a phone to join each webinar. Open to Members of the Multicultural Symposium Series.
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Click On The Book Cover Below... AuthorCarole Copeland Thomas is a 27 year speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in global diversity, empowerment, multiculturalism and leadership issues. Archives
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