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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Beat Will Continue Written by Danny
Bakewell Jr., (President & Executive Editor)
Today's Date
-- 01-24-2008 ...
First off, once again let
me wish all of you a Happy King Day. For those of you who did not
know, I was recently honored by the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference (SCLC) with the Drum Major for Justice Award.
I want to thank Board
Chairman Tyrone Freeman, President and Executive Director Eric Lee
and all of the agency’s board of directors and committee members
at SCLC who thought enough of me, and the work I do to find me worthy
of such a prestigious honor.
As I sat up there on the
stage I remembered the first time I ever attended an MLK Day Dinner.
It was in the early 80s and my dad was receiving this prestigious
award and at the time I really did not understand the significance of
the day. Well now, flipping the script and receiving the award (with
my dad watching me accept the award) I probably still don’t
really understand the honor, but I am humbled and proud to be part of
such an incredible group.
The truth for me is that I
was brought up at the knee of some of the greatest civil rights
organizers that Los Angeles or any other part of this country has
ever seen. I grew up not only watching Danny, Sr. build the
Brotherhood Crusade, but I was there when Walter Bremond first made
the decision to start an organization committed to the concept of
Black people helping Black people. I also watched Lillian Mobley
build up South Central Community Center, I watched Mary
Henry fight for our people and at the same time build up Avalon
Carver. As a teenager, I can’t tell you how much
fried chicken I ate at fundraising dinners (some of y’all
remember them as suppers) sponsored by Johnnie Tillman and ANC
Mothers. I remember having long talks with Dr. Thomas Kilgore about
marching with Dr. King as he worked to strengthen The Black Agenda. I
recall Ophelia McFadden having strategy meetings with Brenda
Marsh-Mitchell and Danny Sr. working to insure that labor unions not
only fought for workers’ rights, but particularly the rights of
African American workers.
I tell all of you all of
this because the truth is, working and caring about the quality of
the Black community and Black people is like breathing. It is just
what I do. In recent years I have been blessed to have the Sentinel
as the vehicle I use to promote and advance the quality of life for
African Americans, but whether it is via the Sentinel or via Bakewell
Company development or construction projects I have always been
committed to the advancement of the Black Agenda.
This ideology is something
we have all been taught at a very early age. Even before I learned it
from Ms. Mobley, I learned it from Grandpa, Pa, Mamee and Granny
(these are the names of my grandparents), we all learned it. We
learned if from Madear, Big Momma, Uncle Earl, or any other family
name of those who came before us. They are the ones who laid the
foundation for everything I do, and everything we all MUST do to make
our community better.
So as we all pay tribute to
Dr. King this week, think back to those people in your life and those
life lessons who not only told you about the greatness of Dr. King,
but also lived and taught you about the greatness of the life lessons
Dr. King so vigorously tried to teach all of America. Lets pay
tribute to all of our family and forefathers on King Day, by not only
paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, but by also paying tribute
to those family members who paved the way between Dr. King and us who
lived and died so we could all live the American Dream.
So, whether you agree or
disagree, now more than ever I really need your input. I need to hear
from you. I need to know what is going on in our community. I also
need to know what other stories we need to tell, and what is on your
mind. I really do want to hear from you, I want you to “Talk to Danny.”
Sincerely,
Danny J. Bakewell, Jr.
President & Executive Editor
For More Information Contact:
Avalon-Carver
Community Center
4920
Avalon Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90011
Tel:
(323)
232-4391
FAX:
(323)
234-1008
Internet: info@avalon-carver.org
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