What does it take to be nominated for awards? Community service, 40 yrs is enough???

Why don't I get nominated for any awards? I do community service, i think i do anyway, you tell me.....A reflection

The inclusion of people of color in the media circles, especially in management areas. After 30 plus years of being a suffering artist , the toll is showing , but my passion for the community and the struggles we endure, makes my struggle worth it, I look up at the sky and reflect the struggles of our ancestors and then i take another step.

I'm told that I should have been recognized years ago for the unselfish work i do daily. I just wonder, I look at the nomination forms for all of these organizations and say, hey someone will put you in for a city council award, a state award and community service award. read article and please make call and submit a form for me only if you think i deserve one. Thanks/////

40 plus years of watching and attending folks award ceremonies gets to you over time. I thought about submitting my own form, just need a pick me up. Times are hard these days and wonder why I am still breaking my neck to publish other peoples works, my email box is full of announcements, events and requests. I have mentor high schoolers to masters degree's. 

 

Have touch people like Dawn Staley, coach , star wnba player and the Bernard Hopkins ,boxing former world champion in the day camps i ran in Raymond Rosen housing projects in the mid 1970's, gang war years, when it was hell. The list tirelessly long.Now a day's I stand press conferences and applaud elections and stand at the pols to get folks elected, provide housing for the homeless,and TANF , welfare to work outreach coordinator with the (ISCV) Institute for the Study of Civic Values and Phillyblocks, with Ed Schwartz as a mentor for 10 years.

 I worked in quality of life union coordinator for the united states post office, building self directed work teams and fostering better relationships between labor and management for a few years, developing cost saving projects that were implemented local and a few adopted nationally, thus saving taxpayers millions.I  worked with the Mental Health / Mental Retardation  community and helped a man become self determined, independent living and achieve his dreams, I did get to speak at the awards luncheon but was never nominated.

 

Growing up in the shadows of the church of the advocate with a great mentor like Father Paul, I was able to mingle with the Black power mover and shakers in the mid 60's as it is probaly why i am so dedicated today. A curse of sorts, may be but i would not change a thing. 

 

I guess it has all come to a head this past few weeks when i had a chance to attend the conference in Daka, Senegal. Now unemployed and disabled, I write, I shoot photos and I blog. i attend functions to support and mentor for free from the heart.

 

But when i could only raise $20 towards a all expense paid trip, where i only needed to renew my passport and get vacinations totaling less than , $600 i think, could have been $200, I could not afford it and did not get much help. I sholved snow and two nieghbors donated $10 each to my cause. That was it. I feel as I have worked and continued to work tirelessly for the quality of life for the city , state and nation, support would come. None did, my comrades are in Africa now, I plan to send some money to them to support their efforts. But my bank account is over drawn again and the bank will not give me back the fee's, $29 overdrawn.

My peace comes when I see the good works of others getting support for their events. When crimes get solved, when i can help the senior , 82 yrs young that fell, two days ago, ( Emergency wagon came and , they allowed me to drive here home) that is my pay! I guess, times are hard for everyone, i am starting to see my era , may be over. I was recently asked to gather names for a petition at .50 cents each, as much as i needed the funds, i chose not to, not at this stage in my career.

 

I remember 30 yrs ago testifying for Jim Wade to get a minority cable company, he got it and sold it for a ton of money and flew the coup. We are just getting public access now. I signed up for Phillycam, and see other ventures where i could get some video training but the small membership fee's are out of reach these days. Can't afford them and I dare not as for help, it hurts to much to see the results, so i go with out.

I remember David P. Richardson, C. Delores Tucker, Robert N. C. Nix Sr., John White Sr. organizer of the Black political forum of 1968. I touched these leaders and was touched to my soul by them.

Hundreds of Black Youth Rallied in Front of the Philadelphia School District Building in November 1967under the leadership of the David P. Richardson Education Coalition

On the Importance of the November 17th, 1967 Black Student Rebellion November 9, 2009 On the Importance of the November 17th,  1967 Black Student Rebellion By the David P. Richardson Education Coalition “Awake youth of the land and accept this noble challenge and salvaging the strong ship of civilization by the anchors of right, justice and love” Valedictorian Speech, Ella Baker 1927 “You’ve got to get out there in [...]

Most days, i travel the thrift stores and pick up used cameras, have a ton of em here, worthless, use a fliphd , a small old  canon and my cell phone to capture photos and videos that others charge for and people use mines for free. Have a $500 wish list up on Facebook Causes, did get $20 donation a long way from a state of the art camera others use, when i am in media events , I'm the one with the small stuff, but i publicize folks news. That the community could use, free no charge not even expenses.

 

Despite having health problems , I have been turned down by the state and can not afford even the the pa care plan $283 per month billing, so i have no health isurance until i qualify in january 2012. No meds for next 11 months, i will make it...my hearing aids are only few years old, my voice issue is ok, bp, sleep apnea and other illnesses is livable i guess. we shall see, won't we. I still have my insurance license (25 yrs.), been contracted but can not speak well enough to sell any. I just keep renewing em, why , don't know, the education i can provide folks with i guess.

I work daily on fixing issues reported on seeclickfix.com, i'm number one, as a citizen in thecity of philly, philly311 is working with a full time staff, i get help for grand children from time to time and a neighbor that has disabilities. We have asked for brooms and shevels to continue to clear senior citizens pavements when it snows, but none come. the excess salt on street helps us do the pavements and corners. 

So, i write and right. I go to meetings to assist others suffering from additions few times a week, been doing that for 26 years now. I remember the good times, I remember raising my 3 children and watching them obtain their degrees and start families. They are my reasons i keep going on as well, they are my personal showcase, they are the results...

This morning sent 4000 email digests out as i do every morning with 5 - 10 resources included. some 28,000 messages a week, over 1 million per per year. No nominations tho...haha jokes on me..

 

5:30 am , was at the pc sending newsworks.org calendar events and posting articles i had written the night before. Could not sleep, as i attended the funeral of another high school youth , only to have to plan for another one, this week. Our young are dying to soon, too many. 

My works with the X-Offenders for Community Empowerment movement has been long and hard fought. I remember sitting down with the tirelessly  warrior of formerly convicted and and previously incarcerated persons, advocate brother Wayne Jacobs. Pledging to support the latest advocacy event to ,"Ban the Box" effforts advanced by city council woman Donna Reed Miller. The bill she introduced wishes to pass a law deleting the box located on the employment applications asking applicants to check the box if they have a criminal history. here Reuben Jones, Frontline Dads , explain how he could not get a job cleaning Porta-Potty (toilets) because of the Box he checked.here

As community editor concerned with the quality of life of the people of the city of Philadelphia, i joined editorial team here with list of articles here  The Philly Independent Media group 

The federal, state and city cuts will run deep next few years. Must get ready, thinking seriously of getting out of this game, to much thank less work. To many thankless people, yesterday sent job announcements to people as i do most days. Got a nonprofit setup request for south carolina, reads like another needy person as it stated they are stuck in the paperwork. haha...it never ends, I am so tired, must relax and get some sleep....I'm feeling better now. writing does help, I miss my voice, so much , it has only been few years but, it has changed my personality and i am unable to speak to my mother and my grand children over the phone, boy does that hurt.

Being unable to small talk is a bummer.paying for a cell phone that i hardly use the minutes as people hang up on me and while others look at me strangely , face to face...Spasmodic Dysphonia has changed my life. So I join national Dysphonia group and co-founded a support and advocacy group here in Philadelphia @ Jefferson hospital, we meet monthly all are welcome . 

I once viewed spasmodic dysphonia as a door that was closing on me, shutting me off from normal social discourse. I held my breath, hoping that door wouldn't slam shut and leave me totally silent and alone. However, the Internet has changed the way I perceive my world. Now I know that at most any time of day or night I can hop on-line to "talk it up" with other people with SD and even communicate with the scientific and medical people trying to find a cure for my disorder. Many individuals with SD have told me that going on-line was the watershed experience of their SD journey-the catalyst that helped them reclaim their lives once again and reconnect to the rest of the world.

-- Dot Sowerby, from the book "Speechless

I remember.....

I'll be ok, just needed to vent a little. Milton T. Street, shaking em up again, good for him...I remember the good he has done, the vendors are able to sell hot dogs and stuff as a result of him, housing ownership from us squatting, people working on penns landing for busting old boys network. Remember PHA and Philadelphia police department busting heads, prior to our Save our Land community patrol, marched on Whitman park to get affordable housing done, mid  70's, the switching of parties to get services sent to Philadelphia and more. The federal housing money going into center city rebirth illegally for projects like the Gallery opened up funding for the neighborhoods , I remember standing with Georgy Woods and Cecil B. Moore, remember Alphonso Deal, NAACP , starting the Philadelphia Police department Guardian civic league.

Remember having press credentials back in the early 1980's and having to fight to gain access to events , while others walked right in with the same media passes. Remember being at so many events that changed the face of the city. Remember fighting charter change challenge by the Mayor Rizzo and drafting a young w.W. Wilson Goode from the PUC to run for Mayor of Philly. Remember talking to the young move children before the first confrontation on 34th street , remember trying to negotiate with charlie boo burris to stop gang wars near house of umoja, and a young congressman Chaka Fattah and councilman Curtis Jones running around the corners.Remember the riots on Susquehanna ave 1964 and the strip searches on Columbia ave as my mom worked near there. Remember my  phila. tribune paper route being mowed down by temple university.  Remember the Uptown shows, as i lived few streets over. remember all my friends that left Thomas Edison high only to come home in body bags. Remember our high school having the highest number of vet's killed in the nation. I remember my selective service number in 1971 was # 48, they were drafting up to 51. Remember attending historically black college VUU. and coming home to bomb shelter, drug infested communities as result of Vietnam and heron addictions. I remember being scared to leave home for getting beaten up as i did not belong to a gang. Remembered being afraid of police as MLK, Martin, JFK , Bobby, Fred Hampton and others being killed. Remember the rise of the Philadelphia Black mafia. 

I remember the long cold over nighters @ the Church of the Advocate 1982-83 will working with Shaka Kusaidi of AFCOM learning institute @ 25th Lehigh avenue, paste-ing together the North Philly Press, 11x17 , 24 page monthly community newspaper founded by small grant from Rev. Paul Washington and the Bread and Roses fund

I remember serving as a professor at Community College as a DUI / Alcohol Highway safety instructor for over 10 years. For Shalom Inc. , working to convince folks drinking and driving is bad. I remember working for Shalom inc. at Mercy votech Catholic school and North Catholic school and being the only African American staff member, I remember students throwing balled up paper balls at my back as I walled for class to class.

I remember talking to when  Brother Luke when he and Willie Nash was designing the logo for the Million Woman March , October 25, 1997. I remember training with the security team for the march. I still publicize the works of the MWM movement, here article Enough is Enough , with killing of 21 yr old single mom, The Black Womans Defense League call to action, a group providing work towards the goals of the MWM movement.here

I remember working for the West Branch YMCA when the old building was torn down and we used area churches for activities. I remember opening the Youth Emergency Services inc during the 1976 bicentennial because of the influx of run aways from around the country. Remember being a founding member of the Fatherhood movement in the city. check my name is in the records of each.

I remember marching to get LIST developer to respect the residents coalition at Southwark housing project and The coalition at Raymond Rosen housing projects. I remember opening one of the first branches of Community College in Raymond Rosen in 1977 working as a PHA social services worker. I attended college and worked for model cities program in the early 1970's. I remember the Kearny brothers Kentu and the great Tom Kearny. 

I remember playing in the old Leroy kelly softball leagues with R&B Rockets and Roscoe barnes against the Cobra's, Charles Yong Post, Bee hive, yellow birds, Charles Young Post, Yorkyowm, Marcel macks and others.

I remember getting tooth knocked out as i walked in south philly area blacks were not supposed to walk. I remember taking young kids of color to play in the South Eastern and Delaware Valley Youth association leagues where blacks did not play. I remember coaching the traveling teams against the south philly Sabers. 20th Johnson, 7th patterson areas, blacks did not try to play nor coach , Well I did. Just yesterday i traveled to BEBASHI, Blacks Educating Blacks About Social Health Issues for the World AIDS day.

Now, this past few years, I joined groups to help build monuments to our past hero and s-hero's, like the memorial to the enslaved afrikans that lived and toiled for the nations first president. I am proud to say, i am avenging our ancestors with articles of the movement. 

I am putting the collection of work together for history and my grandchildren, as i may never get a award for the work but this will serve as a brief historical document of the life and times of on Robert Bob Shipman Jr, born and raised during a turbulent time and has dedicated his life to the uplifting of the community at large. Let this serve as to some proof of the fact that he worked long and hard hours, weeks and months so that he and his family of human beings could fore-fill the dreams and goals of our ancestors. 

So if u get a chance to nominate a community service or lifetime award think of me, i am working as a disabled person , writer, journalist, videographer, scribe, organizer,advocate,coach, teacher, instructor and giver with out compensation, never received just compensation for my skills and services any how..so , the struggle continues...despite weak hearing aids , and loss of speech, i pray the next generation acts quickly to advance the just causes of people undeserved in our wonderful but not perfect country, ..we need you! I need you!  My Linked In profile      My NowPublic assignments 

My Phillyimc         My Philly1 (470)        My Tribe.net         My Parent Partner egroup (6890) , SeeClicFix (3054)     international pubs