History Squeezes Its Way In

Sections

Neighborhoods

Features

NHI Newsletter

Legal Notices

Some Favorite Sites

Government/ Community Links

by Michael Alexander | Feb 27, 2006 8:48 am

(5) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Politics, Dixwell

The occasion was Black History Month, but present politics caught up with the past at a series of panels on “The State of Black New Haven” in Dixwell. Speakers at the event, including activist Barbara Fair (shown with Alderman Jorge Perez), did manage to discuss matters other than the governor’s race or the failings of the current mayor.

In the sanctuary of Varick AME Zion Church, Sam Kearse explained the site’s nearly 200-year tradition of black history to about 30 attendees sitting in its pews at the Saturday event. He mentioned that across the street stands the Hannah Gray Home, an institution founded by a New Haven resident who befriended Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. The church itself, he said, was even more special.

“Behind me, on this very pulpit, we had Frederick Douglass,” he said. “Booker T. Washington preached his very last sermon here, went back home and died.”

Democrats for the Future, the group responsible for the event, has endorsed Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy over New Haven’s John DeStefano for governor, and Malloy himself showed up to speak. The list of panelists also included several of Mayor DeStefano most vocal detractors, including Alderman Perez and former Mayor John Daniels, which made the event sometimes feel like an extension of the pro-Malloy events they have attended before.

After the speeches, however, a free-form discussion on community issues wove together personal stories and frustrations about a city and a state many characterized as unresponsive to their needs. Speakers and members of the public expressed anguish at a lack of political participation, a failing education system, and a lack of access to public works jobs.

Democrats for the Future co-chair Sandra McKinnie made her group’s political sympathies clear from the outset.

“We invited DeStefano, but he’s not here and you probably won’t see him here,” she said. “You can make all the inferences you like. Why wouldn’t my mayor join us on such a historic occasion?”

Daniels (pictured)aimed his comments at DeStefano as well, saying the city has been abandoned to crime and corruption since the end of his own stint as mayor in 1993.

“I tried very, very hard to say something positive about our city now, but I just could not,” he said. “We used to have one of the most active block watch programs in the state; it’s gone. The education system has been turned into a patronage system for the mayor.”

Malloy spoke about jobs and education, saying society had failed its underprivileged members.

“Simply unacceptable to raise a generation of people who never have a job until 20, whose only opportunity for employment is as a lookout for a drug cell,” he said.

State Sen. Toni Harp (in photo) lamented the relative lack of power cities have in Connecticut, laying the blame on dwindling voter participation and lack of leadership. She noted that affluent Greenwich often outvotes Hartford and New Haven. She called upon attendees to show their strength and hold their government accountable.

“The vote hasn’t been in our cities for decades,” she said. “This is a form of darkness and bondage we have to be led out of.”

Jorge Perez said he saw the relative disenfranchisement of minorities as a conscious choice by those in power in New Haven.

“I believe the Democratic Party in the city of New Haven is very happy with the fact that we don’t turn out, especially minorities,” he said. “Democracy only works if people really rise up and keep our leaders accountable.”

Again and again, people mentioned apathy and nonparticipation in political causes as a growing problem among the younger generation.

But Barbara Fair, organizer for the criminal justice reform group People Against Injustice, said it was a mistake to fall into stereotypes about young people.

“The soundbites say, ‘These kids on the corner are thugs,’” she said. “But they’re also our kids, and we need to talk to them like people.”

Joshua Garriga, an attendee from Fair Haven and self-described “member of the hip-hop generation,” said he knew the power of low expectations from personal experience.

“I didn’t have role models, so I became what I thought I was supposed to become,” he said. “But for some reason, people treated me like a young guy with potential, and I started to turn my life around. People become equals when you treat them that way.”

Perhaps the strongest bridge between history and the present came in the words of attendee Clifton Graves Jr., who said the struggle to gather support for the rights of minorities had never been as easy as is popularly believed.

“Even at the time of Dr. King’s highest popularity, black churches in the South were closing their doors to him because they were afraid,” he said. “It’s always been very difficult to organize, even back then when the issues were so much clearer.”

Comments

posted by: Gary Holder-Winfield on February 28, 2006 6:36am

As the organizer of this event I would like to state that the intent was not to talk about John Destefano but rather to discuss issues in the Black community of New haven. Sometimes peoples personal agendas will get in the way of the mission at hand. While John daniels trudges through the mud en route to Mayor Destefano he dragged all of us who were there with him.
As for my co-chair her comments seem to originate from a place of excitement and not reflection. I invited Mayor Destefano this is true but he had other engagements. This is a fact of political life and life in general. We must learn to understand this and not use circumstances to make a case against the mayor. Beyond that though the mayor was invited because he is the mayor of this city and possibly the next governor of the state. He thus may have a major impact on the future of Black New Haven (and Black Connecticut). This is also why we invited Dan Malloy. Each was to be allowed a few minutes to address the community.
This was not a pro Dan Malloy rally (at least in concept). The group has not officially endorsed Mayor Malloy (although we are considering him). This was to be a frank discussion of the issues at hand. We failed in some ways to deliver on that mission and that is dissapointing. If any of the members of the community feel as though we set out to fool them that is untrue (but understandable) and I apologize for it.
Gary Holder-Winfield
Co-Chair
Democrats for the Future

posted by: newhavennews on February 28, 2006 2:52pm

I did not attend, but what I read through several sourcs, I do not believe it is fair to call Mayor John Daniel’s comments mud. He in fact was telling the truth, something we all say amongst ourselves on a daily basis. Yes, nearly three fourths of the black alderman either work for the Board of Ed, or have a direct relative who does. Two of our black legislators work for the Board, one clearly bought and paid for by the administration (just review her last campaign statements if you don’t believe).

So where was the mudslinging?

posted by: gary holder-winfield on February 28, 2006 5:06pm

When you are asked to attend a Black History Month event and speak about Black leadership and the only thing you can talk about is the mayor and his issues I say yes. Yes it was mudslinging. When you begin by stating that you have not been respected by the mayor - I say yes.
Regardless of whether what you say happens or not the mayor was not the subject up for discussion. That is the point. If John Daniels has such an issue with what is happening to the community then as a leader he should be out helping to mobilize that community not using that venue to advance his own agenda.
It isn’t always a matter of whether what you say is true but rather the appropriateness and motivation of those comments.
John Destefano is not the problem with the Black community. If anything he might be a symptom of the problems in the Black community. Afterall, with the percentage of the population we make how does he get back into office if he is so bad for us? Answer that and you have done much more service to us than did John Daniels’ commentary
Gary Holder-Winfield

posted by: new haven news on March 1, 2006 5:27pm

You made some good points, and yes, John DeStefano is not the problem, those leaders who have been bought, and who do not advocate for their communities, are the problem. How does DeStefano get back into office? Three reasons; 1) No real choice for the black community, 2) low turnout in the black community, 3) bought off black leadership. If you look at the numbers in the last several elections (discounting 2005), DeStefano won most of the black wards, but not by much. When Daniels won, 90%+ in the black wards voted. Black history month events won’t solve the problem, giving the black community hope, and then doing what you promise when you gave them that hope, will go a long way towards tackling issues in the community. As much as I respect Daniels, his election was probably the worse thing that could have happened, because once he was elected, he did not follow through, which left us even more frustrated.

posted by: Joshua Garriga on March 6, 2006 4:24pm

I was quoted in this article as claiming to have ran with gangs. For the record, I was never a gang member and I never claimed to be a gang member. Unfortunately, the article’s author heard me talk about my struggles with my own identity development growing up. And as I have come to expect, I was once again stereotyped. The author assumed I must have been a gangster. Why is that? Is it because any male racial or ethnic minority who does not conform to mainstream expectations must be a criminal? Or is it because the article’s author expects the worst from young men like me.

This goes back to my original point. Yes, the point I made at the “State of Black New Haven” event in which I was severely misquoted in this article. Young men of color in our society are expected to beome criminals. How can we not turn to crime with all of these expectations? When a white boy misbehaves it is assumed that he is “going through a phase.” But, when a black or Latino boy misbehaves, he must be a gangster. Please!!! The New Haven Independent has shown it’s true colors. Instead of becoming part of the solution, you have become part of the problem. I expect a complete retraction of that phony quote and I want you to erase that lie. And let these people know, I’m still representing for the Elm City.

Joshua Garriga

New Haven Independent

New Haven Independent Login Form