Why Black Lives Matter (BLM) Signs In Storefront Windows Still Matter In 2021

The BLM sign in Clutter’s window, at 163 Main Street, Beacon, NY

During the summer of 2020, some storefronts in Beacon put up signs that said: Black Lives Matter. Some residents put out flags on their lawns. Some people did nothing at all, perhaps showing their support in other ways, or maybe just watching and learning. Some people who said they were in favor of Black lives, mocked the signs, and refused to put them up.

While the summer of 2020 is over, as are those initial waves of protest marches in Beacon (for now), the signs are still up in storefronts. Pictured above in this storefront window is Clutter’s sign of support: a simple BLM inside of a box right under Clutter’s main logo, to the left of the front door. It’s located where it cannot be missed.

That sign - and all of the other signs in Beacon’s storefronts - matters because this discussion is not over. When the first march happened in Beacon, someone asked in social media comments: “Is there racism in Beacon? I thought that ended in 1970s after the riots.” That statement alone shows how close racial tension is - as the 1970s weren’t that long ago. But segregation took a different form - a silent one. For those of us living with it if our skin is Black; or writing about it; or for those of us marching; or for those of us speaking up at meetings; or for those of us speaking up in the family kitchen, it is not over.

Signs out on the street are important because they show support. Listen to the chat with Pete Seeger’s granddaughter, Moraya Seeger DeGeare, MA LMFT, at ALBB’s sister company, Tin Shingle. She is mixed race, calls herself “white passing” in that she lives with a privilege as her skin is lighter, has beautifully large hair, and on this late winter day speaks of appreciation for walking by a Black Lives Matter sign in someone’s lawn or storefront.

During that chat, she said that if she saw that a business made zero mention of race or social developments happening now in their social media or storefront, she began to feel a sense of distrust. In the new year of 2021, there have been some local companies who were dormant in their social media all 2020, or mentioned nothing of the world around them. The pandemic became politically charged, and social injustice was the other topic anyone was talking about. If a company comes back online after 11 months of silence, to have their photo being one of promotion of a new product, that could speak volumes. But we’ll never know, because silence. To get past silence, one needs courage.

“I Love Black People. But I’m Not Putting Out A Sign.”

Hearing that from a business owner was difficult to experience. It was said with disgust and waving a limp fist. The person confessed love for Black people, all of their Black friends, but saw no need to show it in a sign. In fact, they felt that the signs were not authentic.

This was not the first time the limp fist was waved by a person who professed to support Black people. With eyes lit up, a second person during a different encounter waved the limp fist, in mockery, when speaking of others who were showing support, marching in marches, hanging signs. It was heartbreaking to watch. It was unclear how to process the information.

Imposter Syndrome With BLM Signs

A person may feel Imposter Syndrome with the sign. The Biggest Fear is that one will get called out: “Hey, you don’t really mean it! You’re an imposter! You’re trying to be trendy!” Those are of course words of demon critics in one’s head, and of actual statements that people may fling. Truth is - it doesn’t matter. Of course, authenticity matters. But baby or big steps into these waters are important. No matter what one’s steps were in the past, or continue to be in the present and future.

Of course, having a sign out (or writing about it) doesn’t absolve anyone from participating in racist behavior. Every day, one needs to check their privilege (Myisha T. Hill)

With All The Buzz, Lots Of Silence, But Crickets Are Watching

While protest marches will continue, and news headlines will continue, and new legislation will be adopted, this issue will stay active. Yet, many in many communities will stay silent, watching. We learned that silence is violence in 2020, but still some may be more comfortable there. Not being silent is extremely uncomfortable. However, the heartwarming part is that from the crickets - the once-silent audience that doesn’t respond - there are whispers making their way to those of us writing about these issues. It has come in the form of participation from formerly silent people who didn’t feel comfortable in this space. It is why we continue. Crickets are coming from the Black community and the white community, in very subtle signs.

For the white community, the most silent of all, there are a lot of deer in headlights, moving cautiously with their learning and processing. For the Black community, they seemed to have said a lot already, and are maybe done speaking to crickets. While some have taken up the call again and continue to pound.

BLM Signs And Comfort In The Community

While some Black people have said they feel safer or welcomed walking into a store that does have a sign, or at least acknowledgements in their social media, reporters may feel it as well. While these topics have often not been covered - the most comfortable thing being to turn a blind eye and not research it - the results are extremely uncomfortable to write about at the community level. Nationally - it’s easier to report on uncomfortable topics when it is about faceless companies with multiple leaders, or politicians who are so far away.

Here in Beacon, or Poughkeepsie, or Peekskill, or Cold Spring, a reporter may have just written about someone they shared a play date with with their kids. Or bought a meal from. Or bought a trinket from. The goal being not bring down or tear down, but to report on an issue that may need repairing.

This Is Why The Signs Continue To Be Important.

For those who are staying silent - white people and Black people - for the myriad of reasons that keep a person silent, it’s OK. There are silent ways to show support, and you probably know what those are, and you are probably doing them. Your signs are subtle, and you’re taking your time.

Everyone’s journey is unique.

Inspiration Behind ALBB's Black Owned Business Directory - Property Ownership Matters

Back when the pandemic was declared a pandemic, Ahmaud Arbery was killed - shot - hunted down - by two white men in a pickup truck near Brunswick, GA. I watched the video on Twitter. Unfiltered. Un-”Graphic Warning.” I followed the local GA news for legal developments. Events happened to other Black people that did not make it to social media, but then George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis. Also video taped by many people as it happened. Everyone video taping stayed in their corners as events played out. That’s what we are used to - staying in our places in our corners. Thankfully these images made it to our newsfeeds, so that we could experience how Black people are seen, not seen.

Most people watching the social revolution/re-awakening of 2020 experienced deep feelings, and some people who are not Black wanted to do something. Black people started shouting: “Silence is Violence, Speak!” mainly to the white people in the room who have been bred to be mainly silent. To stay safe. To keep the place. The ground started shaking, and white people wanted to speak. White people wanted to support. But how?

The designer of ALBB’s Black Owned Business Directory logo, Perry Crosson (right), of the Hyacinth Group, a digital design firm founded and directed by Lauren Johnson (left).

Media across the country started making Black Owned Business Directories. Readers were writing in to ALBB: “Where can we support? Who can we support? What Black owned businesses can we support?” Here at A Little Beacon Blog, our fingers started typing. Writer Izdihar DaBashi feverishly emailed: “Are you making a Black Owned Business Directory? I want to make one - can we make one?” Designer Allie Bopp heard this, and said: “It needs a logo - I can make a logo!”

So we started on this Black Owned Business Directory. Right before I emailed Allie to brainstorm the logo, I realized: “Wait. We need to talk to someone who is Black, who experiences being an artist and business owner as a Black person. They are going to feel this, and this logo needs to be theirs. We need to find them to design the logo. Sadly, it has just occurred to me that I don’t know any Black graphic designers in Beacon, and I’m sure there are quire a few.”

ALBB Put Out The Call For A Logo Designer From The Black Community

And thank gosh we did. Because that’s how we met the architectural designer, Perry Crosson, and Lauren Johnson, a digital brander and founder of The Hyacinth Group (@thehyacinthgroup). We did the same for a Juneteenth logo for 2020. Did a call for artists, and met Nickeya Allen who answered the call on behalf of her children, which has blossomed into a beautiful friendship.

To Be Seen

Black owned businesses are here, they just aren’t always seen. Stereotypes could get in the way, blocking the vision of what is true. When I spoke to Perry to give him direction for the logo, my only direction was: “It could include many shades of color, to show different racial identities, but whatever strikes you. Take it and own it.”

Perry ruminated in it. As he developed it, his mother asked him what he was working on, and he told her. She suggested that he use the Alsdorf building in Newburgh as inspiration. It was a no-brainer for her. The building was built in 1915 as the Alsdorf School of Music and Dancing, a business started started in 1849 by Professor Dubois Alsdorf, formerly a slave in Ulster County who (acquired, gained, earned, was granted….what is the word here?) manumission. Manumission is something that frees a person from slavery. According to NewburghNY.org, George Alsdorf and his wife Caroline headed to Newburgh “within 20 years of his manumission) at 260-262 Washington Street.

Perry’s curiosity was piqued. He pursued it, dove into the research, looked into the rights of the building to make sure he could use it as a logo, and delivered. Perry’s background is in architecture, so this subject matter was even more up his ally.

The Alsdorf Building As Part Of The Logo

In preparation for the IG Live I did with Lauren and Perry on Wednesday (2/24/2021) about Black businesses locally and in general, I took a pause to reflect on why I loved the logo. Of course brick and mortar buildings are often used when representing businesses. But…

Black people owning property is a big deal. They were written out of property ownership - and voting rights - in the United States Constitution and had to work themselves into the Bill of Rights over many years. Undocumented practices that excluded Black people from property ownership (vague deterrences, suggestions to take education classes before owning property, things that white people do not usually get recommended to do) may not have been written into laws, were conducted that simply made it hard for Black people to acquire the title to property. A recent example: maybe the date of a contract to close on the home was 30 days, but suddenly move to 20 days (just happened to my Black friend in December 2020). Nothing that can be proven as racist, but something that keeps a friend who is Black out of almost owning her home in Poughkeepsie. When she appealed to the homeowner to have patience with the all of the documents they needed to file, his response was “It’s not me! It’s the bank!” And the hot potato hops around the room. Thankfully, she closed on the house.

The concept of “Generational Wealth” - is a term that is new to me, but is one that is common in my white community as “old money.” People in the Black community tend to speak of “Generational Wealth” as the goal of what needs acquired in order to help their children’s paths to security be more…secure.

“Old money” takes less effort, is usually something stepped into, is sometimes squandered, and is possibly not understood, if finances are not discussed in the open within families.

Hence, the selection of the building for this logo by the designer Perry takes even more meaning. Thank you for reading this far, and please do go visit and explore the businesses listed in the Black Owned Businesses section of ALBB’s business directory. There are other sections, but none that serve the purpose of elevating people otherwise not seen. Or not seen at their core for what they offer or make.

A Little Beacon Blog is always eager to hear from Black Owned Businesses to add to this directory - in any capacity - from construction to baking - so tell us about yourself. Other sections of the Business Directory are paid (we really appreciate and rely on the support!) but the Black Owned section is not.

Nursing Home Workers Stage Picket Calling For Owners To Be Transparent in Staff Treatment and Quality Care - In Poughkeepsie Thursday

Since the pandemic, the employees and residents of Nursing Homes have been in the national spotlight, out of concern for their physical and emotional safety. The pandemic has brought what may be systematic problems within the nursing home industry to light. Said Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of the Nursing Home Division: “Our members have been battling COVID-19 for the last year, but issues like low wages and a lack of adequate time to devote to individual patient care existed pre-COVID. Our goal is to enact real reforms to raise standards within the industry, and ensure that meaningful investment is made in residents and workers once and for all,”

In a prepared statement to the Legislature during hearings, which is published on NYSenate.gov, Milly stated: “The nursing home industry is not going to be the same after this pandemic. Resident census is lower, and it is unclear how quickly it will recover. Returning to the status quo pre-pandemic is impossible. More than that, it is not morally acceptable. New York ranked 31st in the nation for nursing home quality according to CMS surveys, and in the bottom 10 nationally for persistent pressure ulcers. Residents are only getting 2.38 hours of hands-on care per day, earning our state a ‘D”’on a national scorecard. Nursing home caregivers are forced to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, leading to staff turnover and burnout. We can, and must, do much, much better.”

Picket In Poughkeepsie By Nursing Home Employees

Today, Thursday, February 18, 2021, nursing home staff represented by the United Healthcare Workers East (1199SEIU) are hosting a picket and holding vigils in Poughkeepsie, calling for nursing home reform, transparency and investment in quality care.

According to the press release announcing the picket, “1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America,” it says. “We represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.”

What follows below is the press release sent by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East 2/16/2021:

1199SEIU Nursing Home Workers Stage Statewide Pickets and Vigils, Call for Nursing Home Reform, Transparency and Investment in Quality Care

Hundreds of workers in the nation’s largest healthcare union will hold vigils and demonstrations outside nursing home facilities to demand investment in people over profits.

New York ranks 45th in the nation in an important quality metric due to the large number of nursing homes with below-average hours of care per resident 

When:      Thursday, February 18 | 2:30p.m.- 4p.m.

Where:      The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at River Valley | 140 Main St, Poughkeepsie

1199SEIU nursing home workers in Poughkeepsie are among the hundreds of members of 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East, the nation’s largest healthcare union, who will be holding demonstrations and vigils at more than 20 nursing homes across New York State, calling for greater transparency and investment in quality resident care. 

Actions will also be held at nursing homes in Schenectady, Erie, Jefferson, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Onondaga, Oneida, and Suffolk counties and New York City.  Many of these facilities have low average hours of care per resident, use a high number of related parties to hide profits, or otherwise rank poorly in care quality. 

“For far too long, nursing homes around New York State have made investment in resident care an afterthought,” said Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of the Nursing Home Division.

“We are calling on these for-profit nursing homes to prioritize and invest in people – the residents and the workers who care for them day in and day out.  Our members have been battling COVID-19 for the last year, but issues like low wages and a lack of adequate time to devote to individual patient care existed pre-COVID. Our goal is to enact real reforms to raise standards within the industry, and ensure that meaningful investment is made in residents and workers once and for all,” Silva continued.

The demonstrations are the latest actions led by the union to call attention to the need for systemic reform of the nursing home industry. Last week, 1199SEIU launched a multi-million dollar ad campaign, Invest in Quality Care, to press the legislature to ensure nursing homes focus on quality care to protect residents and the dedicated workers who care for them, rather than maximizing profits. On Valentine’s Day, members across New York engaged in a virtual “sticker” campaign, using social media to urge their State Assemblymembers and Senators to enact key reforms and ensure the most vulnerable in the state get the investment and care they need. 

Lourdes Torres is an LPN at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at River Valley.

Forty residents. Two aides. And me. How is it possible for me to meet the needs of my residents? Today, I tried to spend time with a very scared man who recently almost died from COVID and still has a lot of anxiety. He has no family other than those of us who take care of him at River Valley. But there were 39 other people who needed my attention, and I had to walk away. He was upset. And I was upset. So many co-workers have left or are planning to leave. That’s terrible for continuity of care. It’s terrible for those of us left. But I understand. It feels unbearable so often. The state needs to make changes in how nursing homes owners do business.”

1199SEIU’s Invest in Quality Care campaign points out that Instead of investing in enough staff to ensure quality care for residents, many nursing home owners are hiding their profits by sub-contracting services to companies they own, often at inflated prices.

1199SEIU and its members are calling on Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to pass systemic reform for the nursing home industry to improve transparency, hold operators accountable for misconduct, and ensure they prioritize resident care over maximized profits.

As New York Attorney General Letitia James found in a shocking new report on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, “the current state reimbursement model for nursing homes gives a financial incentive to owners of for-profit nursing homes to transfer funds to related parties (ultimately increasing their own profit) instead of investing in higher levels of staffing and PPE.”

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We representover 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, D.C. andFlorida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

City Of Beacon Plans To Prioritize How To Spend The $25K Food Grant Money From CARES ACT

Picture of pre-packed food prepared by the Beacon City School District Food Services Department. Example of free food distribution happening in Beacon since the pandemic, due to federal funding to all public school districts regardless of proving moderate or low income thresholds.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

While this Valentine’s Day was an extra heavy one to bear, being that the pandemic continues and there was report of one little friend in an elementary school who did not bring classmates Valentine’s cards because both parents lost their jobs, the safety net for food insecurity showed signs of strengthening in Beacon, while affordable housing in a booming real estate market remains a threat to those looking to stay here.

During Monday’s City Council Meeting, after which the council discussed once again and voted on a years long recurring agenda item of viewsheds (ie what constitutes as a protected view when a developer or property owner is looking to build upon their land), as well as other items, the $25,000 CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) that Beacon was awarded from the CARES ACT via Dutchess County in December 2020, made its debut as a planned talking point for the City Council.

Councilmember Dan Aymar-Blair, who is an advocate for affordable housing and community services, asked the new City Administrator, Chris White, for an update on any progress made to get a study created and funded in order to see what kind of needs the people want for an expanded Recreation Department and possible new public building for activities and services. It was discussed during Budget Season (October-December) that a study on the Recreation Department could range from $25K-$50K. Another study on Digital Broadband access was also considered.

The Unspent $25,000 Food Grant Makes It To City Council’s Attention

Chris White responded by saying: “We are trying to work through all of the budget initiatives that you put into the 2021 budget, for now we had prioritized the Mental Health Worker, and we are then trying to do the Food Program. Mark Price from our Recreation Department is trying to figure out a mechanism for doing that, and for meeting the CBDG guidelines. I’ve talked to Mark about doing the Recreation Plan next, and both that and the Broadband study I think should come back to Workshop so that we can get our goals and what you envisioned there…I do want to get the Food Program off the ground first.”

Pictured here is City Administrator Chris White, and below him, Councilperson Dan Aymar-Blair.
Photo Credit: Screenshot of City of Beacon council 2/16/2021 meeting.

Dan said that he had forgotten about the grant, and applauded Chris for taking it. Chris added: “We [Chris and Mark] were trying to think ‘What can we do, and what makes a difference?’”

How Food Access Is Working Elsewhere In Beacon; Elevated Systems With Lower Red Tape Since The Pandemic Started

The Community of Beacon and the Beacon City School District have been pulling together to provide free food to people as easily as possible. For example, the Beacon City School District designed a system to deliver pre-prepped or made cafeteria food via their Remote Bus Delivery to any registered child in the District.

When that federally funded food service was started, it was pick-up only. Many families did not go to pick up, as they were working at home on digital meetings, or weren’t home. Community members volunteered to pick up for each other. Some families who were scarce in emergency savings felt like they didn’t deserve the food and didn’t want to take from others who needed it more, yet they themselves had lost their jobs. Delivery made a difference for food reaching people.

Groups such as Fareground, Beacon’s Salvation Army by way of Captain Leilani Rodríguez-Alarcón who used to actually cook and deliver food to children years ago when Beacon lost qualification for its Free Summer Meals Program, I Am Beacon (see their Thanksgiving story) and others have been working together to continue to circulate food to the community.

Bureaucracy In Free Food Distribution with Federal Or Local Requirements

Back in December 2020 when this grant was awarded, A Little Beacon Blog followed up with Mark to inquire as to any movement on the spending of the grant. At the time, he spoke of a time consumption of organizing the required income survey.

“Of the groups in Beacon who work in food security, everyone would need to give assurance. They would each need to do an income survey.” When asked by A Little Beacon Blog if this grant’s required documentation of proof of need made it difficult to spend, Chris expanded: “Grant funds are to be utilized for low to medium income families, like all CDBG funding. There is no proof of need that has to be validated. We will have to administer a income survey to insure the appropriate population is being served.”

While this may not account for families newly unemployed or economically stressed who would otherwise not fall into the low to medium income bracket on paper yet, Mark and Chris hope to use the existing food distribution point on Wednesdays at Memorial Park to collect information before the funds can be distributed. Said Chris to A Little Beacon Blog: “We plan to focus the funds on expanding food provided at the Wednesday food distributions so that we can simplify implementing the necessary income survey.”

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Fareground to see if they had been approached about assisting in this grant. While they had not directly, co-founder Kara Dean-Assael, DSW said that their members do participate on regular calls with other food groups. Kara also provided guidance on how to implement a survey, stating:

“Our recommendation is to not make our community members 'prove that they are in need of food. The scarcity mentality or the thinking that people may take advantage is not something we want to support. However, i do understand that bureaucratic processes often require 'evidence' and so if it's truly required, we recommend these 2 questions which have been proven to indicate food insecurity:

To easily assess for FI, Hager et al. (2010) recommend the use of a 2-item screen that utilizes questions 1 and 2 of the Household Food Security Scale (HFSS), asking:

• “Within the past 12 months, we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more” and

• “Within the past 12 months the food we bought just didn’t last and we didn’t have money to get more.”

Kara continued: “Of late, this screen is used more often than the lengthy HFSS to assess FI risk (Garcia-Silva, Handler, & Wolfe, 2017; Helton, Cross, Vaughn, & Gochez-Kerr, 2018; Makelarski, Thorngren, & Lindau, 2015).”

Mark confirmed earlier that the Wednesday distribution at the Memorial Park location serves 150-200 cars per week, with the 9:30am Beacon Recreation Center distribution serving 75 families. Distribution lasts until the food runs out, which is early.

How does Mark envision the funding being used? “I would like to see it utilized to supplement and enhance the work already in place.” In terms of boots-on-the-ground knowledge of how people are needing the food, and best ways of getting it to them, Chris confirmed: “Mark participates in a bimonthly call with lots of the folks doing the work here in Beacon.”

Beacon's Mayor Lee Kyriacou's Comments Concerning The Storming Of The U.S. Capitol

Just days after the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol, Beacon’s City Council met for its regularly scheduled Workshop, where they would discuss regularly scheduled items like if the new building owner of the Kitchen and Sink building that was formerly Ella’s Bellas could build a 4th floor if he created enough public outdoor space for the public in exchange; or the debate on what is a viewshed; or how investment tools that the City uses are invested, Mayor Lee Kyriacou addressed the insurrection on January 6, 2021 with a moment of silence for the fallen officer of the Capitol Police, who died during the riot while defending the Capitol.

Mayor Kyriacou went on to give his memories of his time at the U.S. Capitol building, as a college student studying law. At time, his voice wavered, possibly pushed with emotion, or just with seasonal wavering. His full remarks are at the beginning of the replay of the meeting here in this video, and some are quoted below.

“My visit to the Capitol at that time did what it does to every 20-year old going there for this first time….It leaves you in awe. It gives you this incredible sense of the power of democracy, and the importance of that symbol.

“I was a History Major, and also an Economics Major. As a History Major I studied 20th Century World History, in particular, the period between the two World Wars.

“The Big Lie in Nazi Germany was that Germany had not lost WWI; that it was due to the betrayal of the leadership and the military leaders, and of course, the conspiracy of the Jews. That lie just kept on going. And built up steam, and eventually brought those to power. Which led to about 4 weeks after the installation of Chancellor…of the National Socialist Party, the Burning of the Reichstag, which was the German equivalent of the Capitol Building. I was reminded of that in the last week.

“I’m not going to go any further. I think we have all watched somewhat in amazement and with obviously many many different reactions. Mine is still the same, which is my belief in democracy is unchanged. I think there are enough people in this country who put democracy first, and our constitutional obligations that all of us as elected officials swore allegiance to. And I think we go on. I don’t want to be making political calls, as much as pointing out those are the things that have happened. They do have historical precedence, and I do think our democracy held.”

City Of Beacon To Vote Tonight On Resolution Condemning "Attack On January 6 Of The U.S. Capitol and Congress" and Supports Accountability

Today, Tuesday, January 19, 2021, Beacon’s City Council will vote on a Resolution officially “Condemning The Attack On January 6 Of The U.S. Capitol and Congress,” which they will vote upon during tonight’s regularly scheduled City Council Meeting, which is a public meeting that meets on Zoom and YouTube, where members of the public can speak for up to 3 minutes on any topic during the first 30 minutes of the meeting, and last 30 minutes of the meeting.

The Resolution in its entirety has been republished below for easy reading, and can be accessed here at the City’s website. You can attend the City Council Meeting digitally via the links found on the City’s website here.

During last week’s City Council Workshop meeting on January 11, 2021, Mayor Lee Kyriacou contributed comments to the January 6th event that were historically based on his studies in college as a History Major on the time period between the two Word Wars. You can read some of those comments here.

While some police officers in departments around the country (NPR) and within the Capitol Police itself (CNN) are being reported as to having participated in the riot, A Little Beacon Blog has inquired last week with the City of Beacon by way of the Mayor, City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero and new HR Director Gina Basile to see if the Police and Fire Chiefs have issued a statement describing if they have looked within their own departments for any participants, or if they have held team meetings to have group talks about the event, and how it makes everyone feel. Inquiry has been made again today. Should a response be received, this article will be updated.

CITY OF BEACON CITY COUNCIL
Resolution No. of 2021
RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE ATTACK
ON JANUARY 6 OF THE U.S. CAPITOL AND CONGRESS

WHEREAS, on January 6, 2021, there was a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol and on the U.S. Congress, described succinctly by USA Today: “As a shocked nation watched..., a pro- Trump mob battled police, broke into the U.S. Capitol, and sent members of Congress fleeing as lawmakers were counting Electoral College votes.... Now, five people are dead, including a U.S. Capitol police officer.” And

WHEREAS, this attack on the U.S. Capitol and Congress was caused by the current President, as stated by third-ranking House Republican Liz Cheney, “The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing.... There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.” And

WHEREAS this attack on the U.S. Capitol and Congress followed the November national election with more than 150 million Americans exercising their constitutional right to vote, and thereafter by the counting and certification of votes by state election officials, as well as the meeting and voting by the Electoral College, and also by the adjudication of many dozens of court challenges by the current President that affirmed all the election results; and

WHEREAS, this attack on the U.S. Capital also followed months of assertions without proof by the current President that elections in states where the President lost were somehow unfair, which were repeated and amplified by the current President, culminating in and repeated at a White House rally immediately preceding the attack on the U.S. Capitol, which attack was largely perpetrated by individuals attending that rally; and

WHEREAS, the practical demonstration of a true democracy is the peaceful transfer of power from outgoing to incoming officials, which for President and Vice President of the United States has occurred peacefully and as prescribed by the U.S. Constitution after every national election since 1788 – until now; and

WHEREAS, each elected representative of the City of Beacon takes an oath of office, which includes supporting the Constitution of the United States;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Beacon condemns the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol and Congress, and supports all actions to ensure accountability for those inciting and conducting the attack.

MLK Day In Beacon: The Webinar Version From Springfield Baptist Church & Beacon Sloop Club: "Keep The Flame Alive"

The light is not out for the annual MLK Day Parade in Beacon presented by the Springfield Baptist Church and the Beacon Sloop Club (via Pete Seeger before his passing)!

In lieu of the parade, you can participate from home for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Zoom Celebration on Monday, January 18, 2021 from 11am - 1pm. The theme is "Keep The Flame Alive" and all are welcome.

From the presenters: "Join us for a fun-filled morning of Civil Rights, Gospel & Inspirational Music, Quotes from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a message from Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor of Springfield Baptist Church. All attendees are welcome!"

MLK Day Of Service
Springfield Baptist Church & Beacon Sloop Club Present: "Keep The Flame Alive"
Dates: Monday, January 18, 2021
Time: 11am-1pm
How To Log On: The Webinar ID, Passcode and Phone Number are in the flyer above.

Beacon Awarded $25K From CARES Act Funding via Dutchess County Through Block Grant (CDBG) For Food Purchasing - Spending It Is Next Step

Federal money was made available through the CARES Act for communities to apply for and be awarded money to spend on food security and/or ensuring safety for seniors at local senior centers. Dutchess County manages this money, and in a press release sent 12/22/2020, announced that all of the municipalities who applied for the money were awarded money, which was “based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) income guidelines, for efforts to promote food security and safety at local senior centers to enable them to be open for seniors.”

Beacon applied for and was awarded $25,000 “for assistance to a local food bank to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income households,” according to the press release. Beacon’s Director for Parks and Recreation, Mark Price, is the point person for the spending of this money, and says that spending the grant money is not so simple.

Because the money is federal, they require an “income survey” in order to prove the need a municipality says they have in their population. Says Mark: “The County was willing to fund a food purchase only, for moderate to low income families in Beacon. We have to give assurance to them that they are giving us money and we're using it for the population we say we are. Because we are using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, there is usually a map that identifies the low to moderate areas (Editor’s Note: like with the small business Microenterprise Stabilization Grants currently available). When you use Block Grant monies, you are to use those to those areas. That map is slowly shrinking in Beacon. However, COVID funding doesn't use a map.”

How Does A Municipality Find The People To Prove The Need?

For this article, we asked Mark how he is going to find the people for the survey that identifies low to moderate income households. “We are hopeful that our Wednesday 9am free food distribution at Memorial Park, which serves 150-200 cars per week, in addition to our Wednesday 9:30am Beacon Recreation Center distribution to 75 families, will be a one-shot way to survey the need.”

The number of organizations who are offering food security services to people in need in Beacon has increased since the pandemic started in March 2020. “Of the groups in Beacon who work in food security, everyone would need to give assurance. They would each need to do an income survey. At this point, we are thinking that this one distribution location could be the most efficient way of getting a good sampling for the income survey. Some independent food security groups may need to do sampling for a month to get a good sampling.”

How Other Municipalities Proposed To Spend Money

Other municipalities made proposals for federal CARES Act funding based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money guidlines, and were awarded. Ideas differed, and are included below:

City of Beacon: $25,000 for assistance to a local food bank to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income households.

Town of Beekman: $20,000 for touchless bathroom fixtures for the Town’s senior program

Town of Dover: $17,200 award for substantive meals and home-keeping necessities for homebound seniors.

Town of East Fishkill: $20,000 award for HEPA sterilization units and UV air purifiers at the senior center.

Town of Hyde Park: $29,500 award for plexiglass partitions, air purifiers and UV-C lights, Wi-Fi network upgrades and 7 laptops at the senior center, as well as tent for outdoor programming.

Town of Poughkeepsie: $15,950 award for plexi-glass barriers, hand sanitizing stations, wall-mounted thermometers, HEPA filter, air purifiers, gloves/wipes/masks for the senior center.

Town of Pine Plains: $26,542 award for support to Willow Roots food pantry to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income families.

The Beacon Democrat's Executive Committee "Condemns President Trump And The Insurrection He Incited On 1-6-2021"

The Executive Committee of the Beacon Democratic Committee issued a statement to the media, announcing their position on Wednesday’s insurrection and attempted blocking of the electoral college certification. As a group, they have not had the opportunity yet to meet to get the vote of all of their committee members on this statement.

The Beacon Democrats are representatives of the Democratic party in Dutchess County. Their local Beacon meetings are open to the public on the second Saturday of the month at 9:30 a.m., previously at Beahive and now via Zoom.

Their statement is below:

The Executive Committee of the Beacon Democratic Committee condemns President Trump and the insurrection he incited on January 6, 2021. Mob violence has no place in our democracy. We support the Constitution and the rule of law.

We also condemn the unequal, unfair, and un-American practices of law enforcement agencies, who allowed acts of violence and destruction to unfold in our nation's capital. This was white supremacy taken to its logical conclusion and was particularly shameful in light of the extreme tactics regularly used against protesters in support of Black lives.

We call on elected officials of all parties to also condemn the President and his accomplices, and we urge all appointed officials to uphold the rule of law and defend against any attempt to subvert peaceful self-governance.

Beacon Democrat’s Executive Committee:
Chair: Lisa Jessup
First Vice Chair: Pam Wetherbee
Second Vice Chair: Peggy Ross
Treasurer: James Cotter
Corresponding Secretary: Amber Grant (current City Councilmember At Large)
Recording Secretary: Adam McKible

Beacon City School District Superintendent Landahl Responds With Support To Student Community Regarding Imagery At The U.S. Capitol After The Insurrection

During the Remote Learning life of the pandemic, many kids of all ages are at home with parents or a caregiver, and were home during Wednesday’s storming of the U.S. Capitol Building, and watched the events happen in real time. Videos from inside of the Capitol from people participating in the swarming were also circulated.

Parents needed to speak with their children about events and meanings of symbols as they happened. Beacon City School’s Superintendent Matt Landahl sent an email to the community the following day, offering encouragement to parents and caregivers that the district community was there to give support.

His email statement is below:

Dear Beacon Community:

The events yesterday in our nation’s capital were disturbing, to say the least. We are open and ready today for students in-person and online. Knowing that many of our youngest students may not even be aware of the events that took place, we will emphasize safety and community today and always. Thanks again to our educators and staff for doing this every day.

Images have been widely circulated on social media and television of the confederate flag and clothing celebrating the Holocaust being brandished in our Capitol building yesterday. It has always been our practice to not allow these images in school and it was put officially into our Code of Conduct by the Board of Education last year. We want to reassure a sense of safety on that level as well because of how disturbing these images were to us all.

If you have any specific concerns for your child, please contact your child’s teacher, principal or guidance counselor. We are prepared to offer support to everyone who needs it.

I wish I could be more eloquent in times like this and words often fail me. I know our school community will continue to offer strong support for our students during what has been an incredibly challenging year. As I often say, I am inspired on a daily basis by the resilience and strength of our staff, families, and students this year. Thanks as always for your support.

Sincerely,

Matt Landahl

Beacon4Black Lives Community Responds To Attempted U.S. Election Certification Block At Capitol Building

After the sun went down on the blocked Election Certification attempt at the nation’s Capitol, Beacon4Black Lives organized an impromptu and peaceful vigil at Pohill Park, Beacon’s destination for public gatherings. They brought a projector and screen to project the news onto a screen. Stefon Seward, one of the original members of Beacon4Black Lives and current committee member on Beacon’s Police Chief Search, was one of the first to speak about the difference between the white people storming the Capitol who seemed to do it with ease and no punishment, versus Black people who get shot in the back sometimes in front of their children.

A handful of speakers spoke, including Xavier Mayo, a founding member of Beacon4Black Lives, sharing a story of him getting pulled over yesterday twice for a tail light being out, and of the two different emotional experiences he went through when pulled over by two different police officers. The experience with the first officer was normal and helpful as to how to fix a tail light, yet the second experience invoked fear as the officer smirked and laughed at Xavier when the he said he felt afraid.

Justice McCray, who is also a founding member of Beacon4Black Lives, spoke about how Black people are treated differently and how basic needs for some Beaconites are not being met, and how the Black community in Beacon does not feel safe with police. Justice is connected to several food insecurity initiatives like the Community Fridge, and is an advocate for community safety in new ways. “We’re here to build something better. What’s happening now is not OK, and is a slap in the face of democracy.”

Paloma Wake also spoke, who is a member of Beacon4Black Lives and has been involved in several Beacon based organizations including the Beacon Farmers Market when she was its manager. She currently holds a seat and is the Vice Chair on Beacon’s Human Relations Commission.

Other speakers included former regular participants of past protest marches down Main Street over the summer in favor of Black lives mattering more, as well as the protest of the Beacon 2021 budget.

One speaker was new to the group, after moving to Beacon recently. He said that having been down in the dumps earlier, he turned to his wife and they agreed to come down to the vigil. He expressed happiness that he came, and sadness at the new life navigations he needed to make with his family who are Trump supporters and he is not. He expressed dismay at not being able to communicate with them because of their political differences, which was a choice he made, after not being able to tolerate tolerance any longer.

Beacon Councilperson for Ward 4, Dan Aymar-Blair, spoke about his experience during the day with his child at home who was asking questions about democracy. Dan has a BA in Political Science and Government and stated that while watching the events unfold, he expressed desire to explore his own relationship with democracy, as he tried to answer his son’s question.

The day seemed to have launched a deep dive for many as events developed. Listen to all of the stories and speeches at the vigil here at Beacon4Black Lives Instagram.

Racist Zoom Bombing Targets Desmond-Fish Library Bake-Off Awards Ceremony While Black Employee Hosts

During the holiday season of December, 2020, the Desmond-Fish Public Library in Garrison held a month-long bake off contest for kids, who could bake at home and submit their entries. The submissions would be presented in a video montage Awards Ceremony on January 2nd, 2021, where participants could gather on a Zoom call, hosted by Justice McCray, a well known lover of books and creative programming, having worked at Beacon’s Howland Public Library, and currently works at the Desmond-Fish Public Library, as well as Split Rock Books in Cold Spring. Justice is also an emerging local activist in the social revolution to make Black lives matter more, and has been a leader in most of the protest marches down Beacon’s Main Street and educational story circles held at Memorial Park and Pete & Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park.

The bake-off program was well marketed in advance across social media channels and in the local press. As the program got started, with eager children, parents and caregivers on the call to look at delightful attempts at baking, the The Great Desmond-Fish Public Library Bake Off award ceremony was interrupted by people or a person masquerading as participants on the call - using participants’ names like a wolf in sheep’s clothing - typing words such as the N-word dozens of times in all caps across the screen. The Desmond-Fish Public Library Director Jen McCreery confirmed to A Little Beacon Blog: “The interloper appropriated the identities of several program participants, which is how they were able to access the program through the waiting room.”

The program had been “hacked by one or more interlopers who used the platform to spread racist and sexist messages” the library director explained in an email press release sent soon after the incident, and on the library’s Facebook page, in a message from the library’s Board of Directors, posted 2 days after the event, and after the authorities had been notified, and participants began to process what had happened. As to if the library or Justice himself were targeted, Jen emphasized: “I do want to clarify that we have no way of knowing whether this was a targeted or random attack on the library and Justice specifically.”

The program’s host, Justice McCray, expressed in his social media that he wasn’t sure what to do after the targeted incident. He has since co-hosted an evening vigil at Pohil Park in Beacon, in honor of finishing the Election Certification that was derailed at the Capitol yesterday (1/6/2021) by people, some of whom were armed, climbing the building and breaking windows to get inside to sit in offices and put their feet up on the desks of people who had evacuated.

This was the first time that the Desmond-Fish Public Library had ever been Zoom Bombed, Jen confirmed. Library staff was able to handle the breach “as quickly as possible in the moment, but, sadly, the Zoom participants were exposed to this hateful and illegal behavior,” Jen told A Little Beacon Blog. In their message to the public, the library Board expressed: “The Library Staff and our Board of Trustees are horrified that a program created as a positive and joyful celebration of our community was derailed by one hateful individual, We are especially sorry that this attack was witnessed by children. No family should have to encounter such hate speech.”

According to Jen in response to A Little Beacon Blog’s questions, the library notified Putnam County Sheriff's Department. “They have taken our full report and it's my understanding they are looking into what charges might be brought against the perpetrators.”

In terms of moving forward, “we are looking into alternate online platforms as well as additional security measures we can take for future online events,” Jen told A Little Beacon Blog.

Jen also expressed: “Everyone at the library is grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support we've received from local organizations and families and we hope that, going forward, we can channel that support into creating programs and educational resources to help our community members come together in addressing the larger systemic issues that contributed to this incident.”

Justice McCray told A Little Beacon Blog in response to an email asking him if he had comments he wanted to share regarding his and this experience: “This was a traumatic incident for me. There’s no way for me to not take this personal. To be the first Black staff member at my job to host an event and to have this happen cuts deeper than I can explain. I’m glad the library and community aren’t sweeping this incident under the rug. It’s necessary to center to voices and needs of those most impacted by this event. It’s also equally necessary not to center them in a way that amplifies the trauma.

“The work ahead is as vital as it is difficult and painful. Now is a necessary time for or communities, especially Philipstown, to reflect on the impact its history of racism has on its dreamed future of inclusivity. The next questions that need to be asked are not “how can we improve security on our events to prevent this from happening?“ but rather, “How is this something that can happen in our communitiy? What behaviors have we dismissed or ignored that led to this escalation? How can we create a community where harm like this doesn’t continue?”

Who Or What Is Fareground? Distributors Of Food; Savers Of Food Waste; Connectors Of Food To People

When the pandemic started, the focus on food - how people would get food in quarantine, and/or pay for food - took a front seat. This fear of lack of food access is known as food insecurity. People in communities all over the country started getting together to figure out how to bring food to people who, for whatever reason, have a hard time leaving their house to get to food, either to pay for it at a grocery store or to collect it at a food pantry.

In Beacon, a few organizations started new, or got stronger. In addition to the church-based food pantries that have been serving the region for years, new organizations include Mutual Aid Beacon and Beacon4BlackLives, who started during the pandemic and protests, and Fareground, who was established earlier as a pop-up cafe, and found their calling connecting food to people in these extreme times. Fareground has had their hand in several social projects, and they’ve only just gotten started.

Fareground In The Beginning

Fareground was co-founded by Kara Dean-Assael in 2012. The intention was to be a “pay what you can” cafe “but this shifted due to issues securing space in town,” Kara told A Little Beacon Blog. So they had pop-up cafes around town, with several pop-up cafes at the Beacon Recreation Center in 2014-2015.

Fareground And The Tiny Food Pantries

Fareground is behind the Tiny Food Pantries around town in public spaces, and most recently in low-income housing communities. The concept here is that anyone can leave food inside of the Tiny Food Pantry house, and anyone can take what they need, when they need it.

The first Tiny Food Pantry went up in the summer of 2016 at the Beacon Recreation Center in the front lawn near the parking lot. The next one was inside of the Howland Public Library. Next came Binnacle Books, and Tompkins Terrace. There are 2 Tiny Food Pantries in Wappingers Falls.

The Tiny Food Pantry in Tompkins Terrace, which is a residential community, is managed by a designated manager at Tompkins Terrace. Fareground visits once per month - sometimes twice per month - to drop off food and hold a free marketplace for all residents. In November 2020, Fareground launched the first “community fridge” in Beacon, in partnership with Binnacle Books and Becon4BlackLives.

Where Does The Food Come From?

Fareground is donation-based and applies for grants. People either donate money to them, or supply food. Says Kara: “We have been filling our Tiny Food Pantries on a regular basis. This happens in a number of ways and we have 'managers' to help. People often pick up food from my porch, food from our Key Food bin, or food form our Fareground home at 12 Hanna Lane.” Hanna Lane is home to LNJ Tech, which is an event production facility and location that has been connecting Fareground and other organizations when things they need like supplying sound equipment and set-up, space, etc.

Food Deliveries and Distribution

Fareground has been on the organizing end of getting food to families in the Beacon City School District, and has been distributing food themselves. During the first school shutdown, “we packed 'to go dinner' bags from March-September and dropped them off with the school lunch distributions and deliveries. We also helped the school and Common Ground Farm this fall by purchasing a few things for their Meal Kits.”

Fareground has weekly distributions where they go to different low-income housing areas, which include South Davies, Tompkins Terrace, Meadow Ridge, Forrestal Heights, and. Hamilton Fish on a rotating basis. Fareground sets up a free marketplace on location, and anyone can join to select what they like. “We work with the different housing managers to send out flyers to all residents,” says Kara. “We received a grant from the related foundation to support our work at Tompkins Terrace. This afforded us to drop off 95 turkey kits last Friday (before Thanksgiving) in rolling bags for people to use at our future distributions!” Having a easy to pack-and-carry bag is key to collecting food from any food pantry.

For the December holidays, Fareground has given away 30 meals with more to come. They include donations of Chicken from Murray’s Family Farm.

However, sometimes distribution needs are select. Says Karen: “We also get phone calls from different people in need and respond to them ASAP, usually by dropping off a box of food and connecting them to a food pantry or distribution site. Our board president, Karen George, lives in Wappnigers Falls and has about 15 families she brings food to every week. So, we are really focused on increasing access to food NOW. in both micro and macro ways.”

Food Waste - Saved

Fareground is committed to using all the food, and to not see food wasted. Recently, a group donated untouched food from an event. Kara had this to say to Fareground’s Instagram following: “It was one of the biggest food donations we’ve received, aside from our trips to the Hudson Valley Food Bank, thanks to @akapsales ! She made this happen and we’re so grateful! Don’t throw food away! We’ll find homes for it‼️”

Contact Fareground if you have such events, and want to donate the untouched food.

Donating to Fareground, either with cash or by sending food, can be done here.

Beaconite, Believer In BLM, & Volunteer Elijah Hughes Goes To NBA: Utah Jazz Draft Pick. Voices From The Community Speak Praise

Elijah Hughes, on the phone after getting drafted by the Utah Jazz. Elijah was in Beacon at Carters with his family to watch the event.
Photo Credit: Carters (formerly The Beacon Hotel)

Fast breaking on the South Avenue Morning News, anchored and produced by Mr. Burke and Co., Beaconite Elijah Hughes, who went to South Avenue Elementary and Beacon High School, has been selected by the Utah Jazz in a 2nd round NBA Draft pick as the 39th pick held on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 (delayed from the summer due to the pandemic). First selected by the New Orleans Pelicans as the 9th pick, of which they traded, leading to the 39th of 60 picks overall (for those who like numbers), according to the Highlands Current.

Elijah was a “small forward” at 6’6” but in High School, he played in the point guard position, which requires a lot of speed, quick shots, and quick thinking. According to Wikipedia, Elijah “became well-known in Beacon for his basketball ability, dominating games at Loopers Park.” Loopers Park is the basketball court between Loopers Plaza (Beacon Dental) and South Avenue Elementary School. There is also a tennis court next to the basketball courts.

As An Aside: There have been recent requests to enable night lighting for evening basketball games, especially as days are so short in winter. Other sports fields in Beacon have such lighting, including baseball and soccer fields at Memorial Park.

Local Praise For Elijah Hughes By Friends In Beacon

Elijah is being praised by everyone in the media since the draft pick as being a good person, and for being involved in community. Says one of Elijah’s earliest coaches, Ken Dawson, founder of The Player Academy, “It’s more important to be a good person than a good basketball player,” Ken told the Highlands Current. “He was in the 3rd or 4th grade when he came to Playmakers, and Dawson remembers him well. ‘Elijah loved to work; he was coachable,’ he said. ‘And he was a very good person.’”

Group photo of the Label Foundation, after one of their donation days in the summer of 2020. Pictured on the far left back row is John Galloway Jr., part of the Label Foundation, who declared his candidacy for Beacon’s School Board in July 2020, and was appointed months later.
Photo Credit: The Label Foundation

Says a friend and former councilmember of Beacon’s City Council, Ali Tawfiq Muhammad, of his early memories of Elijah: “He went to Beacon Recreation Camp with his sister Talah when he was a kid and I was a counselor in training back then. That was my first job as a public servant and got hired seasonally for the next 5 years. Elijah and I grew as friends, and as he grew older, reached out from time to time. We had a bond. His sister Talah is one of my mentees. Elijah’s played a couple games in my Summer Basketball League, the Terrence Wright League, on my team, so yes I’ve technically coached him, but he’s always been a superstar in the making, and he’s actually helped me learn more about basketball just from watching and having conversations with him. He’s a natural leader and has co-started an organization with his friends this year called the Label Foundation, which I’ve helped him and his friends incorporate and set up the organizational structure. Long story short, we’re good friends. Utah also happens to be my favorite team in the NBA, since forever.”

You can watch more of the founding members of the Label Foundation here to hear their stories and get to know what drives them.

Rueben Simmons, one-time Superintendent of the Highway Department, and current worker in the Highway Department, is known as Coach Yogi in Beacon for his coaching of various teams in Beacon. Reuben had this to say when A Little Beacon Blog asked if he had ever coached Elijah: “No, I did not have the pleasure too. He would have been a top pick of mine had I got the opportunity, based off his on court awareness of the game. I was a coach in the Beacon Hoops program and I remember seeing Elijah at evaluations. He was young and his basketball IQ was beyond his age. He stood out from every kid in his age bracket, as well as kids in the older division. I remember his dad being there, and my first thought was that I hope he’s not coaching because under the family rule, his dad would get Elijah automatically.”

Elijah’s Early Support For BLM, And Participation In Protests and Volunteering

Elijah participated in one of the first protests in Beacon, which marched down Main Street and ended at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park. He told Mike Waters of Syracuse.com back in June 2020:

“I think it was super important to be there,” Hughes said. “Number, one, I’m a Black man. It could’ve been me or one of my friends or someone in my family. I know what’s going on and it’s not OK. I wanted to walk for George Floyd. I wanted to show up and be there.

“Growing up, my parents instilled in me that, being a Black man in America, nothing’s going to be easy," Hughes said. "Knowing that we’re living in a racist world and not everybody’s going to like you because of the color of your skin.

“I’ve had talked with my parents about using my voice," he added. “I can lead something and do something big.

“Everything against Black people and police brutality and discrimination in general was on my mind and in my heart," Hughes said. "It’s a scary time. You don’t really know. Someone like me can get pulled over and it could be my last time ever. It’s a scary time we’re in, especially for Black people.

“At the end of the day, it was a very peaceful protest. We marched for George Floyd and all the Black lives we’ve lost in the last few years to police brutality. We just want a change.”

Also according to the article, Elijah tackled racism on his campus by being an outspoken voice during the student-led #NotAgainSU protests at Syracuse University. The protests were in response to several racist graffiti tags and other incidents at the university, resulting in dissatisfaction with the Chancellor Kent Syverud’s handling - or lack of handling - of the incidents.

Elijah had the idea to wear t-shirts to show support and solidarity with the student protesters. He told Syracuse.com: '“After visiting with student protesters over the weekend and communicating with some during the week, Hughes said he went to his teammates with the idea to wear #NotAgainSU T-shirts before the game against Cornell to support the school’s protest movement.

“‘I’ve been in contact with a few of the protesters,’ Hughes said. ‘It’s something I thought about. ... When I brought it up, everyone bought in. We decided to do it as a team. I talked to one of the students during the protest and threw my thoughts out. I came up with the idea of the T-shirts, talked to the team and they were all in. I laid it out to Coach (Jim Boeheim) and he talked to people and we made it happen.’"

The Celebration

Go watch this video capturing Elijah’s Draft Day of the NBA Draft Pick as he prepared, played basketball, got a slice from Sal’s, drove through Beacon, and ended the day at Carters (formerly The Hotel Beacon) where he watched the NBA Draft with this family.

Follow Elijah Hughes on his Instagram, his Twitter and the Label Foundation.

Reminder About Comment Policy; No Grammar Shaming; Bias In The Media

After last week’s reaction to news, we are running an article to remind everyone about the Comment Policy at A Little Beacon Blog. As a result of the insults being thrown around throughout the pandemic, which peaked during election week, and will continue as we cover racial and pandemic topics, and quote people (any people), the insult darts from neighbor to neighbor are going to continue. This is how we deal with them at A Little Beacon Blog:

Comments Are Privileges, Not Rights

Back in the days when print media was the only way to get the news delivered to you in some format that was not word of mouth, people had the opportunity to write in a Letter to the Editor. Of the letters received, only a few could be selected. So it’s a big deal to be printed. Now with website platforms, people can publish comments usually un-moderated. Some websites thrive on this activity. ALBB does not. We do not relish in discomfort, hurt, punches through words.

While a news story might hurt someone’s feelings, it is usually a reflection of what happened. In a news story, reading the truth might hurt, or reading yourself quoted when you spoke at City Council Meeting or other public meeting might feel awkward, but that’s another matter.

The following types of comments will be deleted if left on our Instagram or Facebook, and will not be accepted to be published here on this blog:

• Name Calling, like “They are stupid!” Phrases that disrespect people, especially those phrases that combine a word that implies a mentally disabled person. No matter what side you are on, or if you are blended into both sides, if you imply others as being stupid, your comment may be deleted.

• False Accusations. When an implication is made in a comment, sometimes we will know who the person is, and if the claim is true. If we cannot validate an event mentioned in a comment, usually we use the comment as a lead to follow up on with the proper authorities, or get more information from that person.

• First and Last Names Required, usually: When publishing a comment here at the blog, you need to include your first and last name, and your actual email. If you include just your first name, and your correct email, we may consider publishing it. But really, if you stand behind what you say, you won’t be afraid to include your first and last name. If you use a false email, we won’t publish it. Emails are kept private. They are not published, and we do not add them to our newsletter list.

• Try to contribute a thought. If you’re making a comment, please try to contribute a thought that we all can benefit from, as we consider different angles.

• Time to disengage. If a comment conversation gets too heated, with insults piling up, we will ask you to stop. Please respect this and move on.

• Facebook Alias: If you use an alias at Facebook, and we find out, we may delete your comment. Already we have corresponded with people who do use aliases for various reasons. Those who do use an alias have so far left the most bully-ish comments. If you want to be a bully, do it under your full name with your face for us all to get to know you better.

• Instagram Alias: Instagram is a different vibe than Facebook. It was not designed to be like a moving yearbook. If you use a cute name at Instagram, we are fine with this, and may quote you using your Instagram handle.

• Quoting from Instagram or Facebook: When you leave a comment at Instagram or Facebook, it is public for the world to see, so we will not ask your permission to quote it if we lift it for an article.

• Exceptions to these rules: If you leave a horrific comment, we may actually leave it up, so that others can learn more about you.

Grammar Shaming

What has become clear during the 2020 election is that one group is being implicated as stupid, while that group despises the other group for being elitist smarty-pants types. While one group viewed the 45th president as a great leader, others viewed and experienced him as a bully.

Grammar Shaming is an act of bullying. It is taking the distraction of one’s error in using a official word - either spelled or pronounced - and discarding them based on a spelling error or grammar flub. We discussed this with former mayor Randy Casale in a podcast episode on “What, What Is That?” Randy uses his own diction in pronouncing some words, and for years has been discounted and cut down for it in Facebook. And he’s not the only one who is grammar shamed. It happens all of the time in social media when someone spots a misspelling, etc.

Cutting someone down for the way they speak is wrong. If a white person did that to a Black person, it would be racist. If a white person does it to a white person, it is rude and hurtful. Both versions are an act of being a bully and are hurtful.

People love finding misspelled words. It basically makes them feel better about themselves, because they also make mistakes. But there are several things to consider here:

• Ideas are not discounted just because someone spelled something wrong, or uses their own diction. If you see an error, and you want to snicker, keep it to yourself, and do not use ALBB’s social media to point it out.

• The English language really is not logical. For those who are professionals at it - good for you. The logic just isn’t consistent. Why are “dove” and “love” pronounced with a soft “o” and “move” is spelled with a hard “o”?

• Why does “y” sound like a “y,” except when it’s at the end of a word like “happy?”

• There is probably a grammerly type answer for these questions, but that doesn’t mean they are logical or contribute to an easy life :)

• So give everyone a break, and don’t use Grammar Shaming if you disagree with someone.

Editing For Spoken and Written Word

There are times when people speak in their style, and their grammar is unique, or part of a dialect of their community. We tend to not edit for that, especially when we transcribe a speech. The speaker loves the way they speak, and we want to respect that. If a speaker asks that we edit a pronunciation, we can do that.

Usually in press releases, if we feel that there needs to be an extra comma, and we really want to add one, we won’t. We love commas! And run-on sentences. If a press release forgot a word, like “not,” then we reach out if the context doesn’t make sense.

Holding Ourselves Accountable Too

There are lots of times we want to reply to a comment, but don’t, as it’s mainly a conversation space for you. We also know that you like your media on the neutral side. But sometimes we dip in. Know that we too are sitting on our hands and biting our tongues if a really snarky or sarcastic comment is trying to come out. We try to follow a guidline of not responding after 7pm, as that’s when words can get really spicy. We try to give it a minute.

Bias In The Media

Every single media outlet is biased, because it is run by humans. Even if the media was created by a computer, the machines learn, right? So they eventually lean in a certain direction. When a writer has an idea, they have an idea for a reason. From the genesis of their idea, or their clue that they are onto a good story idea, they are biased with that idea.

When they pitch it to their editor, their editor gets to make the choice of if the writer can pursue it or not. That editor is also biased. Everyone putting the publication together has a bias. Even the layout artist who is arranging pictures and words and headlines, to find what stands out more. You can’t not be, because you are alive and process information around you.

To accuse a media publication of being “biased” and that being the reason you stop reading is … a sign that you don’t like that one article. Everyone likes to hate on the Poughkeepsie Journal, except when that newspaper breaks a great story that proves your opinion.

Of the two people who unsubscribed from our last newsletter digest, one person had moved, and the other person, an avid reader and inspiration for our Where To Buy Easter Egg Stuff On Main Street Gift Guide (she DMed us from Target, where she put everything back and wanted to buy on Main Street), unsubscribed to say that the publication had become too biased.

That newsletter digest contained the article about the truck train, and article about the second Black person to be appointed onto Beacon’s Board of Education, and how Beacon’s Superintendent was committed to keeping the theme of Undoing Racism in the school’s curriculum.

So if this publication is biased because it is writing about Black people, and making a point to do so more, then yes, that is how we lean into our bias.

“But I’m not racist.”

That’s great!! This comment has been circulating a lot by people who say they are not racist. One of the first steps of not being racist is to be anti-racist. That little word, “anti,” means that you are putting out an extra effort to not be racist.

Part of not being racist is to believe people. If someone tells you a story, or shares a video of someone shouting “white power” in front of the Beacon Post Office, the comment that shows you are not racist would be: “Oh my gosh. That is dreadful. I am so upset he was part of our rally.” Or “Oh my gosh. I know him. I am ashamed that he did that in our rally. I am going to speak to him later.”

But if you say: “I did not hear that from the car I was in.” or “Did you it see coming out of his mouth? Did you see his mouth move?” This will signal that you are in denial. An person in denial contributes to racism. Which brings us back to being anti-racist. Several people who supported the Trump caravan did say these statements - stating that they did not hear anything and wanting more proof than it captured in a video - and it fueled the tension because it was denial. It also stunned a lot of fellow readers.

Ultimately, all of the readers wanted no racism. Anti-racism is how we get there. If you hear a story told to you, and then you respond by telling a story that counter-balances the testimonial given to you, you have denied that person’s testimony. That is not an act of being anti-racist. That is an act of being in denial, and contributing to racism.

You can also know, that our readership has grown with our racial coverage. White people reading are wanting to know more about Black people and their culture - a culture that exists within this very white community but isn’t covered that much - if at all - by the media. So we are trying our best to increase that.

In between breaking news stories about the pandemic or police or whatever else keeps happening.

Thank you for reading, and for your support. This community wants the same thing. Getting there is a unique journey, and never ends. It is a journey we will always be on, so is daily work.