WHAT'S NEW?
Urban Peace Initiative - Peace Alliance Network
On September 11, 2010, concerned citizens from Pittsburgh came together to talk about the devastating impact that violence has had on our communities. Causes and solutions were discussed. Out of the conversation, the Urban Peace Initiative was born. It was decided in the meeting that to address violence, communities had to begin to have conversations about peace, that it was up to residents in communities to make it happen, and that it would take a groundswell of residents from communities affected to create the motivation necessary to develop an agenda and policies addressing root causes to violence and acquiring the necessary resources to alleviate it! Members of the Urban Peace Initiative began meeting and planning ways to develop strategies. In the meetings, a decision was made to partner with concerned citizens and organizations from other communities and to recruit residents for this peace effort. As a result The Peace Alliance Network was formed.
Motivational Discussion by T. Rashad Byrdsong
The Peace Alliance Network and Brother to Brother Leadership Forum Along with the Men's Ministry of Beulah Baptist Church Announce a Motivational Discussion by T. Rashad Byrdsong on Saturday, January 6, 2011 at Beulah Baptist Church in Beltzhoover.
Mr. Rashad will speak about the root causes of violence in our community, strategies to bring about positive change - Step out on Faith, and much more.
Click Here for more information about this event.
Petition Requesting Public Hearing
In order to request a Public Hearing before the City and County Council relative to gun violence in the Black community we need to circulate a petition, get signatures from City of Pittsburgh residents who are registered to vote and take it down to the City Clerk. The City Clerk forwards it on to Ms. Darlene Harris who is President of City Council, and a date is selected for the public hearing. While only 25 signatures are needed, what power and unity will be demonstrated when we collect hundreds of signatures behind this Public Hearing!
I am asking you to circulate this petition and get signatures and bring your signed petitions to a Strategy meeting on January 29, 2011 at Noon at the CEA Culture Center 7143 Fleury Way, the former Rite Aid Building. At this meeting we will collect the petitions, and define the tactics we will use to market the public hearing, and create clear and specific goals to be achieved during the public hearing. READ MORE
Download Petition |
In this issue:
• what's new
• top stories of 2009-2010
• latest photos
• featured video
• press release
• featured flyer
View 2011 Upcoming Activities & Events |
| TOP STORIES OF 2009-2010
Forum Questions Lack of Stimulus Funding in Black Community
Pittsburgh, PA. March 13, 2009.
State, county, and local priorities for use of the Stimulus Funds over the next
two years will be examined at the Community Forum entitled "Speak Truth to
Power: Does the Stimulus Plan Truly Help the Black Community?" The Forum will
be held at the Pittsburgh Schenley School (formerly Reizenstein) this Saturday,
March 14, 2009 from 12:00 noon until 3:00 p.m. Invited panelist guest include
legislators and elected officials. The public is welcome. READ MORE
New Pittsburgh Initiative to Reduce Crime is Doomed to a Failure
Pittsburgh
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Councilman Ricky Burgess recently announced the
Pittsburgh Initiative to Reduce Crime (PIRC) to implement a crime reduction
strategy aimed at reducing violence among youth. Although their well-intended
commitment to crime reduction is admirable, over the long run, they are in for
serious disappointments. A majority of the U.S. cities, which adopted this
initiative, have focused on measuring the "success" rate based on short-term
periods when many of the offenders are as yet released from the prisons, and
during subsequent violence gap periods-- awaiting resurgence given more time.
Additionally, Pittsburgh is unlike the other major US cities in which this
initiative has been introduced (e.g., Boston, San Francisco, Minneapolis,
Indianapolis, and Chicago). Our city offers unique set of issues associated with
neighborhoods' poverty, drug abuse and dependency patterns, educational
achievement, and employment opportunities. READ MORE
The City PIRC Program has Ressurrected the Tuskegee Experiment - PIRC convened close to 100 African American males to the Federal Courthouse; Their next stop is the Federal Prison!
Many of you
know that the PIRC Program of Pittsburgh summoned close to 100 African American
young males that are on probation or parole to the Federal Courthouse-not to
offer the “carrot-and-stick” approach that was described by officials
(Pittsburgh Post Gazette dated July 6, 2009). Instead, this group of individuals
was extended an invitation to the Federal prison system based on the premise
that they fit the profile of a gang member. READ MORE
Community Empowerment will Hold a Community Forum to Address the Brutal Beating of Jordan Miles
In response to
the inhumane beating of Jordan Miles, Community Empowerment is calling all
community leaders, families who’ve been victimized by police violence, afflicted
youth, and concerned citizens to contribute their testimonies and suggestions to
a community forum on police violence on February 13, 2010 from 2 – 4pm.
Location 7143 Fleury Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 - CEA Culture Center.
It is your time
now to speak out for justice! Please help outline a coordinated response to the
Jordan Miles attack, as well as a list of demands and action steps for the City
of Pittsburgh Police and Government Officials! READ MORE
Day of Black Male Solidarity - June 2010
CULTURE, POLITICS & EDUCATION - The Education of African American Males in Pittsburgh: Saving Our Sons, Broadening the Dialogue
American people
of African descent are caught between a hurricane and a volcano when it comes
to the acquisition of life giving and life sustaining knowledge. Too many of our children are
trapped in urban school systems that have been programmed for failure; and all too often the
answer to what is to be done to correct this injustice is left in the very hands
of those most
responsible for the problem. READ MORE
Gun Violence in the Black Community - AN OPEN APPEAL TO THE COMMUNITY
CEA and the
Peace Alliance Network of Greater Pittsburgh and Allegheny County would like to
offer its sincere condolences to the Grayson family and the entire congregation
of Wesley Center A.M.E. Zion Church, for the untimely loss of your son, Jeron
Grayson. We would like to acknowledge and commemorate Jeron for the man he was
becoming, what he had accomplished in giving back to his community, the dreams
that he had for the future, and the many young people that Jeron touched. READ MORE
Emergency Town Hall Meeting regarding Gun Violence in the Black Community
On Saturday,
November 13, 2010 (12:30 pm at Schenley High School – former Reizenstein
school) Community Empowerment Association, Inc., in collaboration with the Peace Alliance Network will host an Emergency Town Hall meeting to facilitate and promote a united meaningful dialog on the impact of Gun
Violence in the Black Community, and to forge a network of peace. READ MORE
Peace Alliance Network - Workforce Development - CCAC - A Collaborative Message to the Board of Trustees
Mr. Rashad Byrdsong of CEA and Mr. Edward Meeks of Renaissance III 2000, Inc wrote a letter to the CCAC Board of Trustees with concern about the relationship with CCAC and the Black community.
Click Here to read letter
Peace Alliance Network Addresses Root Causes to Violence: Employment Opportunities - The Target Project Has Ignored Their Mark!!!
The Peace
Alliance Network will host a RALLY-DEMONSTRATION at the new Target site
located in Penn Circle East Thursday, at 12 NOON. The new Target store
development currently underway in the heart of East Liberty, taking place in one
of the city’s poorest , unemployed, dislocated and disenfranchised community has
no plans to include the residents of the community or surrounding communities in
its growth and development of their 30 million dollar project. Instead of
partnering with local training programs and unions to assist in reinvesting in
the area where Target will be making Billions of dollars, the developers has
decided to offer the community residents miniscule cashier, stocking and
consumer service employment once the entire multi-million dollar project is
completed. READ MORE
|
CEA Newsletter is a monthly newsletter that allows for the analysis of current issues impacting the Black Community.
CEA wishes to express to our Community a Happy and Prosperous New Year. We have a lot of work to do to turn our communities around. CEA Believes Healthy Families = Healthy Communities. Let’s work together to move from the vision for change to shifting our Community back into a Healthy Community.
If you are interested in having the Peace Alliance report to your community, contact us at 412-371-3689, Ext 14.
The Staff of the CEA Newsletter welcomes stories, information and activities and upcoming events from community residents and community based organizations. To obtain information on how to submit articles please contact 412-371-3689,Ext. 14.
For further information about the Community Empowerment Association, Inc. please visit the website at www.ceapittsburgh.org. The site offers in-depth information about the organization's programming initiatives, interests and how you can get involved. In addition, you may contact CEA at 412-371-3689, Ext. 14. |
