Friday, Aug. 08, 2008
Controlling your own destiny: Freedom banquet stresses importance of education
Success in life requires a plan according to event's keynote speaker
By Corey Pride / cpride@mindspring.com
Print
E-Mail
AIM
ReprintSANTA NELLA - Education leading to a successful life was stressed as the Los Baños-Dos Palos-Gustine branch of the NAACP held its second annual Freedom Fund Banquet Aug. 2 at the Mission De Oro hotel.
This year's banquet was attended by about 130 people, including local officials, representatives of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and private citizens of varying ethnic backgrounds.
The Rev. Benjamin Brown acted as Master of Ceremonies.
Many people were recognized at the event for their contributions to the community and the NAACP. But educators grabbed the spotlight.
Teacher Mary Catherine Grissom presented plaques to three educators--Arneeder Carlton, Jettie Marshall and Nezzie Bates--who in the 1960s were among the first black teachers to be hired by the Los Baños Unified School District.
"The courage to make a difference begins with a vision of what can be. There were some ladies living in various parts of the country... they all came to Los Baños, Calif. Tonight the NAACP is proud to salute these pioneers for transforming vision into reality," Grissom said in her presentation.
She said presenting the plaques had special meaning to her because the women's actions allowed her to have an opportunity to teach in the district.
Keynote speaker John Fleming, a retiree and former Avon executive, spoke about the high dropout rate in the black community.
"Like many of you I (am) dismayed by the ever-increasing dropout rates among our youth," Fleming said. "It's not unusual in an urban community today to see dropout rates of 50 percent, 60 percent or even 70 percent. We create our own destiny by the choices that we make and by the rules that we live by."
Fleming called the dropout rates "a blinking red light" that could impact cities 20 years from now.
Fleming said he has five rules for life--go to school, study hard, get as much education as possible, get a good job and get married.
Fleming is the chief executive officer of Black Educational Events. The group organizes the Angel City Classic each year in Los Angeles. The event gathers black colleges to showcase the educational and fun sides of higher education.
"It came out of an idea my son gave to me," Fleming said. "I was sold on the cause, and that is our historical black colleges and universities don't have a presence on the west coast. They are as relevant as ever before and if our kids never have the opportunity to see them in living color then how can those schools become a matter of choice?"
Fleming said the annual event, which started in 2006 began without any sponsorships and drew about 20,000 people. He said in September he's planning to draw 80,000 people to the event and his organization has gained the support of Farmer's Insurance and actor Nick Cannon, who starred in the 2002 film "Drumline."
"It became another learning experience for us," Fleming said of his and his son's efforts to grow the Angel City Classic. "We (people) can do amazing things when we believe we can."
Fleming emphasized self-reliance. He said he believes the country needs a change in leadership, but African Americans will not achieve the change they need without doing some things on their own.
The local NAACP presented former teacher Joe Gutierrez with its Citizen of the Year award. Mayor Tommy Jones introduced Gutierrez.
"The way this man interacts in his community, he's there for every single kid. Whichever side of town they live own, whatever they're having for dinner, whatever you got to walk over to get in their house, he has the same respect and he has the same love and concern," Jones said.
Gutierrez responded to the kind words.
"I almost started crying. I said who is this person you're talking about. I got to meet this guy," Gutierrez joked. "Wow, thank you."
NAACP Chapter President Jon Grissom said he believed the event went well.
"I think it was great. I think as a community it really showed what Los Baños is about, bringing people together."
Enterprise staff writer Corey Pride can be reached at 388-6563 or cpride@losbanosenterprise.com