15 January, 2024 4 4 Comments

Love & Light

January 15, 2024 By 4 Comments

 

Today would have been Martin Luther King’s 95th birthday.

Each year on MLK Day, I make it a point to listen to a speech, read something he wrote or take a stroll through his famous quotes. MLK has been a hero of mine, even though I was not quite 4 when he was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39.

Each year, I think of Dr. King in the context of ‘the dream’ and whether America or my own community is living up to the ideals he outlined during his famous speech.

I think it’s obvious that we aren’t there yet. The promise of the United States remains a work in progress.

And that’s OK, because as Americans we are responsible for working toward a more perfect union and since perfection may be unattainable our jobs are never done. But we are called to never give up, to never stop striving to live up to America’s  ideals.

Those ideals—all men (and women) are created equal, the pursuit of happiness, freedom, Democracy—have inspired people all over the world. Those ideals are to be cherished and protected.

This year, on my hero’s birthday, I fear for America’s future and for MLK’s dream. I don’t think I am alone.

And so, in reading some of Dr. King’s most famous quotes in the wee hours of this morning I was struck by six gems which meet the moment.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability but comes through continuous struggle.”

“A lie cannot live.”

Yes, that’s only five. But if you stay to the end, I will share the 6th.

When you read MLK two words rise above the others. They are the themes of his life, and they are evergreen. Love and light–those words will never be archaic or wrong.

And yet we are lacking both in our world right now.

We cannot remain silent. We are in the same boat now.

In this new year, I will be looking for love and light. I will strive to help those who are struggling to build a better world.

Last week, my colleague and I visited Boca Helping Hands, a wonderful charity that brings so much light to our community. We heard about programs designed to give people the skills they need to build better lives. It filled our hearts with light and hope.

As you enter the facility, there’s a saying carved into the front desk: “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Indeed.

As we moved through the facility and saw the bustle of volunteers hard at work, a long line of cars lined up to receive a bag of food and a hot meal. They are the working poor, or as the government characterizes them ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed).

They are our neighbors—our brothers and sisters.

Yes, in our “wealthy” community there remains great need.

The recipients of the food were getting sustenance and a dose of love. Another program provides children with nutrition to get through the weekend. Yes, children go hungry in our community. These are our children.

When the kids are given food to take home, they are receiving love and light provided by an army of volunteers and philanthropists who shine brightly and love greatly.

Love and light. That’s the beauty of MLK. A bullet may have ended his life but his work endures, which is why I saved the sixth quote for last.

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

It’s just that simple.

16 January, 2023 4 4 Comments

A Change Is Gonna Come

January 16, 2023 By 4 Comments

 

“On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, “Is it safe?” Expediency asks the question, “Is it politic?” And Vanity comes along and asks the question, “Is it popular?” But Conscience asks the question “Is it right?” And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.”
Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

“I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.”

Breathtaking, just breathtaking.

Don’t those words make your heart sing?

What a gift Martin Luther King Jr. had.

What a legacy he left us. What an inspiring visionary he was.

MLK is one of my all-time heroes. I’m not alone, millions throughout the world admire the preacher from Ebenezer.

And so MLK Day is special.

We read Dr. King’s memorable quotes, watch his famous speeches, and remember a true giant.

On MLK Day 2023— in a world plagued by violence, war, incivility and a lack of empathy; where some of us view our fellow Americans as the enemy, I feel the need to immerse myself in the dream, to know it’s still alive and achievable.

But that raises a question.

Fifty-five years after Dr. King’s murder, are we closer or further away from making the dream a reality?

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

With racism and antisemitism on the rise, we are not there yet. MLK went to the mountaintop and saw the promised land. He didn’t get there– as he eerily predicted a day before his death–but neither did we.

We did not get there either.

A tyrant is on the march in Ukraine, murdering, raping, burning, bombing and trying to break the will of an independent nation.

In China, a dictator threatens Taiwan, bullies Hong Kong, and mistreats Uighurs.

And the list goes on.

Me, I wonder where the lions are (the lionesses too).

I wonder where the next generation of leaders are hiding.

We can sure use their moral leadership right about now. We need courage, vision, political will, intelligence, love, empathy and toughness. Yes, you can have empathy and be tough.

On this MLK Day, I’m thinking about our journey right here in Delray Beach.

A lion, since passed, named C. Spencer Pompey is in my thoughts of late.

Mr. Pompey’s book (a tome really at nearly 800 pages) “Many Rivers to Cross” is beckoning from my bookshelf.  I have picked it up again in search of another one of my heroes who invited me into his living room 36 years ago and told me stories about integrating Delray’s municipal beach and the days when people who looked like him were not welcome east of Swinton, our historic dividing line.

And I’m thinking about Elizabeth “Libby” Wesley, a mentor to so many, the “mother of Delray” who could melt you with her smile and a well-placed word. She spoke of a covenant with the people and the responsibility those in leadership had to serve, not be served. There is a difference and it makes all the difference.

Libby and others taught me that politicians should remember that in the end the people are always heard. You can delay and you can stifle and even stomp on others, but in the end, the people will be heard whether you like it or not. Yes, Ms. Wesley we are here to serve.

Oh, how I miss those local giants; they reside in my heart and I hear their voices still.

Truth be told, we do have some local lions and lionesses and we’re blessed that they are in the trenches doing exceptional work. They give me hope that the dream is alive.

In thinking about this blog, I stumbled across a presentation I made 15 years ago in Bellingham, Washington. I was just termed out as mayor, but an organization called Transforming Local Government invited us to present to a national audience of leaders about our efforts in race relations.

We took on that subject and we did our best. We struggled, but we had some victories too and we left the job undone, just like America remains a work in progress toward a more perfect union.

Here are some notes I found that I thought I would share on this special day. I’m hopeful future leaders will take up where we left off because right now a whole lot of people feel disenfranchised, marginalized and unseen. Until we reach out to all of our neighbors, we won’t be the city we need to be.

Lessons Learned:

 

Dialogue not Diatribe: It is critically important to create a safe place for dialogue in your community. Dialogue allows for people to be heard…it encourages listening…it’s safe and not threatening.

We used Study Circles (small groups of citizens who meet to discuss sensitive issues regarding race in a safe and respectful environment) and we changed the format of our Town Hall meeting to encourage dialogue not diatribe. We held community pot luck dinners to bring diverse neighbors together at the Old School Square fieldhouse.

Big meetings are often nothing more than invitations to grandstand and therefore these meetings lose their meaning and we find that people interested in dialogue stay away or are too intimidated or nervous to get up and speak.

Note: These words were written before the onset of social media where diatribes and echo chambers rule. So much toxicity is dispensed without us ever sitting down as neighbors to talk. It’s a lost opportunity easily remedied if leadership searches for ways to connect us to our neighbors and practice civility. 

 

Be Proactive not Reactive: We identified race relations as an issue…. we didn’t ignore the issue…we didn’t wait for an incident to put a process and an effort in place. Consequently, when we did have an issue (the shooting death in 2005 of 15-year-old Jerrod Miller by a rookie police officer outside a school dance) we had a process in place and had built up a reservoir of good will among people in the community. They knew we were trying….

Note: Is anyone in leadership building that reservoir of goodwill today? I see a lot of vitriol online, blame, innuendo, bullying and conclusions drawn without dialogue. Some of it comes from people who call themselves leaders. I don’t see any official effort to bring the community together. 

Build Trust: Trust is essential for dialogue to take place. People need to feel valued, respected and listened to before they will trust. This is not a process with a beginning, a middle and an end…it is a commitment to doing things differently and changing how business is done.

Note: When the commission I served on launched the race relations initiative, we hoped to pass it on to future commission’s because we knew the task would be something we needed to work on for the foreseeable future, maybe even forever. The notion of stewardship is critically important in a community. We are only here for a finite amount of time, good leaders know how to protect what’s valuable, improve what needs betterment, transform what needs to be eliminated and turn over the job to others having left the community better off than before. 

 Build Relationships: A lot of success can be attributed to showing up. It’s critically important for the leadership of a community to show up…. you need to be visible, accessible and responsive…at all times. But not only do you have to show up: you must stay. You can’t just show up and leave. You can’t just start something and stop. People watch…they can tell whether you’re sincere or opportunistic.

Note: The social justice lawyer Bryan Stevenson talks about “proximity.” Leaders need to be in the trenches not above the fray in order to connect and be effective.

Follow through: Actions Matter. Talking is wonderful. Dialogue is invaluable, process is important, but results are how we’re ultimately measured.

 

Note: Our community mourns the loss of three unique contributors.

Stormet Norem was a long time business leader active in the Delray Chamber and in the Boynton Beach business community for decades.
Stormi– as he was known– was a kind person who ran funeral homes and served on numerous boards. He will be deeply missed.
We also lost Boca Raton philanthropist Yvonne Boice-Zucaro last week.
Yvonne was a kind and generous community servant who touched countless lives through her service to dozens and dozens of good causes.
I recently saw her at the Lynn University Christmas party and she seemed to be happy surrounded by friends and admirers. Her loss will be felt far and wide but her impact will live on.
We also mourn the loss of Roger DeCapito Jr. who lost his life tragically at age 28 in a boat accident on Lake Osborne.
“Rogie” as he was known left a huge mark on so many as evidenced by the huge crowd that  attended his funeral at Ascension Catholic Church in Boca Raton.
It was heartwarming to see such a large crowd surround Roger’s parents and family with love during this painful time. May they find some peace as they mourn this huge loss. 
 

 

 

20 January, 2020 0 Comments

MLK Day 2020

January 20, 2020 By Leave a Comment

Today is MLK Day.
It’s a special day.
A day to reflect. A day to take stock. A day to look back and a day to think about our future.
We are challenged by this holiday and by the legacy of Dr. King to do more, be more, love more and envision a more perfect union.
We have come a long way but we also have a long way to go. We see that there are forces in our society that would take us backward. We cannot let that happen. Not as Americans and not as residents of our local communities.
I worry about race relations in our country. But I also worry about race relations in our city. I see the fissures. I see the cracks. I can sense the anger and the frustration.
We would be foolish to ignore it.
Division doesn’t just go away. It takes an effort to build bridges and to mend fences.  It takes both love and strength. One cannot exist without the other.
Below are ten of my favorite MLK quotes.
I hope you find as much inspiration in these words as I have throughout my life.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
“There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.”
21 January, 2019 0 Comments

Remembering MLK On His 90th

January 21, 2019 By Leave a Comment

The list of people I admire is long.

But my list of heroes is a short one.

For me, hero is a special term reserved for people who are extraordinary souls. Some, like my father and grandfather, are quiet heroes. Others are giants who have changed our world or at least tried to.

Martin Luther King Jr., is a hero of mine. And millions of others too. Today we celebrate his legacy on what would have been his 90th birthday.

MLK’s message and his mission are both timeless and important. The issues he devoted and gave his life for –are still front burner in our society. Depending on how you look at it, that’s either depressing or inspiring, maybe a little of both.

We have undoubtedly made progress in the 51 years since MLK was taken—violently—from us. But we still wrestle with racism, hatred, violence, inequality, opportunity, education, health care, discrimination and a host of other ills.

Perhaps that’s the human condition—maybe as imperfect beings we never quite reach the Promised Land or achieve the dream—but it would sure be nice to slay a problem or two.

It would sure be nice to say ‘remember those days when people couldn’t afford health insurance?’ or ‘could you believe that there were once homeless people in America.’

We are a long way from the Promised Land.

In so many ways we are stuck.

Stuck with old ways of thinking, stuck with old biases and stuck in an endless battle with the other team, side, party—you name it.

I don’t hear a lot about what unites us these days. I do hear the endless cacophony of what divides us and it’s like fingernails on a blackboard.

Liberal elites, snowflakes, crazy conservatives, Trumpers—labels that divide.

Our leaders are not uniting us so therefore they are not leaders. They are combatants locked in an endless battle that will never end, can never end and it is doing tremendous damage to our nation and our standing in the world.

I am not suggesting that people give up their principles and pretend to get along but I am suggesting that the way we “debate” in this country is ruinous. We are not getting anywhere; the shutdown is a good example. We are willing to risk our economic growth, screw up airports (more than they already are), deny 800,000 families paychecks (not to mention thousands of contractors), hurt our farmers and destroy morale because our “leaders” have failed to come up with a coherent and comprehensive immigration policy for our country. Ironic, since we are a nation of immigrants.

On this MLK Day, a day when we are called to reflect and act on Dr. King’s dream we ought to look beyond Washington to our local communities as well.

Here, on the ground, we also see plenty of division in our communities over issues large and small.

Look no further than the future of the West Atlantic corridor to see the divide.

Thanks to years of work, the Delray CRA has amassed enough property to do an impactful project on the gateway of our city. There’s pressure to get it right and pressure is good because it should serve to focus the powers that be on the opportunity and the possibilities. But I sense some distrust in the process and while that may be inevitable, leaders need to recognize that distrust and face it head on.

It’s a teachable moment. Leaders wait for these moments. They are a chance to engage the community, dispel rumors, gather input and anchor the project to a bigger vision. If that opportunity is seized and we choose a good project it will build trust and community pride. If that opportunity is lost, the opposite happens.

MLK is a hero of mine because he exuded hope in a better future. That’s leadership—instilling fear is not leadership. Fear is easy to stir, but hope is real. It’s fuel—fuel to build a better world as MLK envisioned all those years ago.

 

 

 

15 January, 2018 0 Comments

MLK Day 2018

January 15, 2018 By Leave a Comment

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ~ Dr. King.

I have always been in awe and intrigued by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In awe of his oratorical genius and intrigued by his message which is eternal and as relevant as it has ever been.
This MLK Day—which would have been Dr. King’s 89th birthday—arrives at a teachable moment. Let’s hope we learn. Because clearly we have a lot to learn.
In 2018, we are still struggling with race, still wrestling with hatred and violence.

Our discourse is often disgusting, violent, hurtful and ignorant.
We are better than this..we better be.
America is an idea, not a race Sen. Lindsey Graham noted this week.
We were built on ideals and values. But those ideals and values—freedom and equality chief among them—have always been locked in a struggle with forces that would deny both.
It was that struggle that MLK devoted and ultimately lost his life pursuing.
He was not alone.

Many others have been devoted to Dr. King’s dream, which is the promise of America. Many others lost their lives too. Or died before we can truly proclaim that we as a people are free at last.

This blog assiduously avoids national politics. But sometimes what happens in Washington touches us here in our community.
And so the President’s comments on immigration whether “tough” —as he asserts they were —or profane —as was widely reported impact us. They affect us in profound and deep ways.

I have long contended that Delray is America in 16 square miles.
We have it all here. Rich and poor. Young and old. We are a rich tapestry of ethnicities that make us a fascinating and culturally rich community.
I’ve have always felt our diversity was an immense strength. But while I think we have navigated some very hard issues better than many cities in America, I still believe that we wrestle with race in Delray Beach.

That does not make us unique. But I’ve always believed we had the potential to be a national example for how we can to work to build trust, create opportunities and solve challenges through dialogue, collaboration and commitment.
All three elements are critical.
Dialogue: because how and even if we converse is important.
Collaboration: there can be no progress unless everyone works together.
Commitment: communities have to commit to the long term, otherwise you will lose traction and often slide backwards.
So how are we doing?
You be the judge.
I think we need work in all three areas.
Our dialogue often includes talking past each other which makes it hard to collaborate. And commitment can’t come just during an election cycle. It has to be the way you roll. All the time.

My Delray experience has been blessed by relationships with a slew of civic giants who devoted themselves to equality, healthy neighborhoods, education, history, civil rights, politics and economic opportunity.
People like C. Spencer Pompey, H. Ruth Pompey, Elizabeth Wesley, David Randolph, Zack Straghn, Bill Condry, Yvonne Odom, Red Odom, Vera Farrington, Mr. and Mrs. Strainge, Beatrice Tyson, Ernestine Holliday, Frances Carter, Sam and Loretta McGee, Jimmy Weatherspoon, Tony Newbold, Rev. Thomas, Nadine Hart, Joe and Carolyn Gholston and the list of leaders goes on and on. They taught us that progress was possible through dialogue, collaboration and commitment.
Today, I see that legacy live on through initiatives like the Community Land Trust, The Knights of Pythagoras, SD Spady Museum, The Elders, the EJS Project and the promising Set Transformation Plan championed by the West Atlantic Redevelopment Coalition. Of course there’s more, which is why Delray Beach is so promising. It’s why we remain a beacon.
All are in service to and in pursuit of MLK’s Dream.
It’s in all of our interests that they succeed. It’s up to all of us to ensure that they do.

16 January, 2017 1 Comment

Realizing The Dream

January 16, 2017 By 1 Comment

mlkday

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. King believed that America could be a beacon for every other nation on Earth. The United States could extend opportunity to everyone regardless of their skin color or identity.
He believed that America would reach its potential if we created a society where people were judged not on the basis of the color of their skin but on the content of their character.

It’s a powerful idea and an enduring one.
Dr. King wished for and worked toward a post racial society. He gave his life in pursuit of his ideals.
Rep. John Lewis gave his blood.

The  Atlanta area Congressman was in the news over the weekend when he questioned the legitimacy of the presidential election and was in turn criticized for being all talk and no action. This blog does not wade into national politics but suffice it to say that spilling your blood for a cause qualifies as action.
Regardless of where you stand politically, race is never far from the American conversation. And so as we mark MLK Day 2017 and remember the remarkable life, words and achievements of Dr. King we also must acknowledge that living in a post racial society remains elusive.

New York Times arts critic Wesley Morris says we are actually living in a “most racial society”.
In discussing the incredible artistry of playwright August Wilson Morris writes:  “We’re living in an identity first culture and a time in which those identities are being pitted against one another for political sport.”
Indeed.
I have lived in Delray Beach for nearly 30 years and race is a major factor in the history, present and future of our city.
It lies at the heart of the failure of our commission to abide by our charter and appoint a replacement for a departing commissioner and it figures prominently in discussions relating to development, jobs, public spending, policing,  elections and representation in our community.
While we are a diverse community and while we rightly celebrate that fact, we remain extremely segregated in our churches, neighborhoods, friendships, sports leagues and community organizations.
It was the first thing I noticed moving here from New York in 1987–because it is stark and unavoidable.
When I served as mayor, I pushed a race relations initiative that had its triumphs and its failures because I sensed a desire for unity and because I was convinced that conversations and dialogue might bring people closer together. When people get together and look each other in the eye (as neighbors seldom do these days) they quickly realize that they share more in common than they might otherwise believe. They aspire on behalf of their children, they worry about their jobs and finances. They just want to get home safe.

We used to hold “study circles” to foster dialogue and community dinners too–where neighborhoods that ordinarily wouldn’t interact got together to eat and talk. These were simple things, but to this day,  a decade or more later I still run into people who enjoyed those dinners and long for the interaction. In a world where we hide behind screens and keyboards and pass judgment on people we don’t know, these simple human activities are more valuable than ever and in danger of being lost as we segregate ourselves with groups and people who look and think like us.
On the spectrum of Dr. King’s vision of a post racial society and today’s “most” racial society I fall decidedly on the side of MLK.
But while dialogue is essential and important, action is critical.
I have seen lots of progress in many areas over the past 30 years and some areas where we are plain stuck.
Tens of millions of dollars have been invested in neighborhoods once ignored. Attempts have been made and are being made to bring jobs and investment to areas of town that have experienced blight and flight.
Much of that investment has been made as a result of citizen visions and political leadership. That’s action. And we ought to be proud of it. Not many cities can match our record.
But more needs to be done, should be done and I believe will be done.
But the progress will be sustained  only if we tear down barriers that divide us.
I’m not referring to branding and identity efforts which seek to enhance pride and marketability.
But rather attitudes that define investment as a zero sum game or people who seek to pit one group against the other to serve their narrow and selfish needs. Be wary of people who label, divide, bully–especially those who claim to speak for the majority. They most often do not.
MLK’s life was also devoted to economic empowerment and opportunity.
Part of “the dream” was to see our children thrive in a society that offered abundant opportunities for all.
I have longed believed that once the capital investment was made in streets, parks and housing we could focus on the immense human capital that exists in Delray Beach.
Initiatives that focus on health, education, entrepreneurship, technology, leadership and the local economy are available to us and can and should involve the private sector.
The potential is limitless. The opportunities are boundless.
We live in a small city that I call America in 16 square miles.

We’re a fascinating blend. We have come a long way. We have proven that progress is possible.
I remain a believer.

That the best is yet to come. That the dream is not only possible but that it’s more desirable and relevant than ever.
It’s up to us to turn the dream into reality. We know how to do it.

18 January, 2016 1 Comment

MLK Day: Quotes Sure to Motivate

January 18, 2016 By 1 Comment

mlkday

We’re  strong believers in the power of words.
We’re also firm believers in the power of leadership to facilitate transformational change.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day we offer some of our favorite quotes from one of our favorite leaders.
Enjoy, dream and more important put these thoughts into action:
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
 
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
 
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”
 
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
 
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
 
  “The time is always right to do what is right.”
   “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
 “Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.”
 “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
 “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

 “Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”

 
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

 “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

 “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

19 January, 2015 0 Comments

MLK

January 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment

MLK“On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, “Is it safe?” Expediency asks the question, “Is it politic?” And Vanity comes along and asks the question, “Is it popular?” But Conscience asks the question “Is it right?” And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.”
MLK