Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network Celebrates MLK

NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK
Birthday salute to Dr. King at National Action   (By HERB BOYD Special to the AmNews) There's not enough room here to recount all the speeches and comments, and there were some precious ones from Erica Ford on stopping the violence; from Dr. Lenora Fulani, who reminded listeners that "poverty is also violence"; and from City Comptroller John Liu, who announced that without King, "I wouldn't be standing here today," he said.

Obama Speaks to Sharpton's National Action Network

NEW YORK PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS 2012

• Obama's Sharpton: Consistent Defender and Visible Ally (By Anna Sale, WNYC) Two days after formally relaunching his reelection campaign, President Barack Obama is coming back to New York to speak to Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. While some prominent African American activists have called for tougher scrutiny for the first black president – Princeton professor Cornel West quipped on his radio show last week that “for the first time now, some of the Kool-Aid begins to wear off a bit” – Sharpton has enjoyed a cozy, and conspicuous, relationship with Obama while in office.
• President and preacher form a bond (Trenton Times/NJ.com) Last week, Sharpton was in Trenton, meeting with local black preachers to rally support for his convention and to reaffirm his commitment to Obama. Last November, he barnstormed the country, urging Americans to give Obama time to carry out his policies. Harvard Law Professor Charles J. Ogletree, who taught Obama when he was a student at Harvard in the early 1990s and has mentored the president over the years, called Sharpton "the lightning rod in moving Obama's agenda forward."
• Obama to Appear With Sharpton (By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL, Wall Street Journal) While the White House said there is no connection between Mr. Obama's 2012 campaign and his decision to attend the National Action Network's annual convention, some of the president's supporters and political observers said the visit marks the beginning of a series of events designed to shore up support among Mr. Obama's base, specifically African-Americans.
• Obama to Appear With Sharpton (By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL, Wall Street Journal) While the White House said there is no connection between Mr. Obama's 2012 campaign and his decision to attend the National Action Network's annual convention, some of the president's supporters and political observers said the visit marks the beginning of a series of events designed to shore up support among Mr. Obama's base, specifically African-Americans. ...Mr. Sharpton said Mr. Obama shouldn't take the black community "for granted" in his re-election bid, but added that he doesn't believe the president faces any significant weakening of support among African-Americans…
• Obama: ‘We will reclaim the American Dream in our time’ (By Darlene Superville, Chicago Sun Times) NEW YORK — Ensnarled in another political spat with Republicans, President Obama conceded to a civil rights audience Wednesday that there are times when people “lose hope” over whether national politics will ever change.  NOTE: This AP article was distributed widely on local broadcast and print media
• Obama, other US officials at NY Sharpton event (VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press, The Olympian) NEW YORK – The Rev. Al Sharpton marked the 20th anniversary of his Harlem-based organization by teaming with President Barack Obama and top White House officials to tackle issues troubling black Americans - from youth violence and school dropout rates to foreclosures.
• President Obama Speaks At Sharpton Event In Midtown (CBS New York) Rev. Al Sharpton marked the 20th anniversary of his Harlem-based organization by teaming up with President Barack Obama and top White House officials to grapple with issues affecting black Americans.
• Obama Takes Aim at Inequality in Education (By HELENE COOPER, NY Times) Describing education and education equality as the “civil rights issue of our time,” President Obama called Wednesday for a renewed effort to eliminate the achievement gap between African-American students and others.

Dr. Lenora Fulani's National Action Network Goal: Nonpartisan Elections in NYC -- It's a Start!

CNN's coverage of last week's National Action Network conference included interviews with Dr. Lenora Fulani and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Dr. Fulani is campaigning for a referendum in NYC for nonpartisan elections that would allow the one million independents to vote in the first round of voting (primaries) in city elections. NYC is one of the few major cities in the country that conducts partisan elections at the municipal level. Partisan elections in NYC exclude significant segments of people of color (20%) and youth (40%).

Dr. Lezli Baskerville, President and CEO, NAFEO - America's Black Colleges and Universities said the network of campuses would provide 500,000 students for nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts and that more campuses will make their facilities available to young people for after-school activities, including recreation. h/t to the Field Negro for this, although both the FN and the Root left out the "nonpartisan" part...

Dr. Fulani and Dr. Baskerville had both spoken on Thursday's Education panel about the "achievement gap" in education. You can see video of Fulani's statement here where she says that the achievement gap has been studied to death.

The issue isn't more achievement, it's more development.... both politically and educationally. Something all people need to attend to.
- NH

Youth to Education Secretary Arne Duncan: Don't Leave Us Out!

All Stars Project activist  and actress Francelli Chapman asks Education Secretary Arne Duncan and National Action Network organizers to include young people in discussions of education at Education Panel on April 15, 2010

Lenora Fulani honored

Dr. Lenora Fulani, the first woman and first African American to ever be on the ballot in all 50 states when she ran for President in 1988 as an independent, was honored on Friday by the New York chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Also honored was state Sen. Eric Adams, co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care. Fulani was cited for her work to bring cops and kids together in dialogue in a project called "Operation Conversation", begun after the violent shooting of Sean Bell in Queens, NY. She reported on the project this weekend at Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network conference.

Fulani also had words with NY1's Dominic Carter at the conference...