A farmers market and holistic health experience.

A farmers market and holistic health experience.

Thank you so much for supporting Aya Community Markets and making our Inaugural Launch one to remember. We received so many well wishes, compliments and great advice from so many folks in the community that we cannot express our thanks enough.  We made a short video (click here) just to show how much it meant to us.  In the video you will see some of the great produce like peaches, greens, blackberries and tomatoes.  Many people also enjoyed smoothies, iced tea, and amazing hats.

We hope that you will join us again on August 20th from 11am-5pm at Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church (3000 Pennsylvania Avenue SE).  We have been working hard to get the word out at events like the National Night Out, but nothing spreads like word-of-mouth.  So enjoy the photo gallery below and please tell a friends and meet them at the market on August 20th.

Sincerely,

Chris

Getting to know the 2012 Ford Focus before the trip back to DC.

After the trip to Madrid, Spain as finalists of the Ford Global Test Drive we are back in DC and ready to start more than a car!  In Spain we test drove the 2012 Ford Focus (see the video here), now we will have the Focus for 6-weeks to drive around DC while accomplishing Dreaming Out Loud’s mission.  With help from Ford Motor Company, Global Giving, and Action Marketing Group we are ready to start more than a car with phase two of this contest.  We will be taking ideas about how to best use the car for good during the six week period.  What are your suggestions?  Here are a few ways to leave your suggestions.
1. Go to our Facebook page (click here) and leave a suggestion on our wall.
2. Tweet a few suggestions by mentioning us @doldc using the hash tags #doldc or #FocusGlobalDrive.

Please stay tuned to our progress with the Focus Global Test Drive and our Walking the Dream Path program at Spingarn Senior High School.  We will be working with ten (10) of their most behaviorally and academically challenged 9th graders, exploring character and leadership development through community asset-mapping and video projects centered around food justice.

Thanks for your support,

Chris Bradshaw

A DOL participant enjoying an art project.

I am Fred Smith, Chairman of the Board of Dreaming Out Loud, Inc. Dreaming Out Loud (DOL) began in 2008 in the founder and executive director, Christopher Bradshaw’s apartment, with a computer his mother gave him and a dream he had to inspire young people to improve their communities and them- selves, hence the organization’s motto “When Dreams Emerge, Communities Arise!”

Chris has come a long way since those days of “sitting in my living room not fully aware of what was coming next and filled with the anxiety of what to do next.” DOL has progressed and many of Chris’ dreams for the organization have been realized. The organization now operates out of shared space in a great location; the work Chris and the partners he has engaged have positively recognized in the local media, by funders, District government agencies as well as the District’s learning communities.

A few of DOL’s accomplishments include a successful program at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy in which the DOL Team worked with ten of their most academically and behaviorally challenged 9th graders. At the conclusion of the program the young people achieved a 30% reduction in detentions and a 27% decrease in suspensions. I invite you to visit our website at www.Dreamingoutloud.org to learn more. As a result of this work, DOL has been included in a Depart- ment of Education Promises Neighborhood planning grant recently awarded to Ceasar Chavez.

This summer Project Dream Green, a program designed by Dreaming Out Loud and Groundwork Anacostia River DC, a non-profit supported by the DC government and the National Park Service, provided a six-week program to 72 youth participants from some of DC’s most underserved neighborhoods. The participants worked to improve their communities, the environment and themselves. The quantitative impact of the program can be seen here.

Project Dream Green will continue this fall in four DC charter schools and a Boys and Girls Club–all of which are in underserved neighborhoods enrolling some of the District’s most “at risk” students. As a result of Dreaming Out Loud’s growth, one of its most immediate needs is for an After School Program Coordinator who will work with school personnel, DOL interns and volunteers to implement programs at four sites this Fall. A secondary need is for general operating support, which will underwrite the salary of the executive director who has been receiving little, if any, compensation since the organization began. I know of few people… young or old… who would take on the challenge Christopher has taken on or to give so much–beginning at such a young age, 26. He says he is committed to Dreaming Out Loud because it is his passion and it is a “hopeful organization”–and it is.

I am asking you to contribute to the inaugural Dreaming Out Loud Annual Campaign, during this giving season and becoming an Annual Donor. This year’s Annual Campaign goal is $50,000. You can donate now or by mailing your contribution to:

Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.

920 U Street NW

Washington, DC 20001

I hope we can count on your support. Your pledge or donation of $50, $100, $500 or more would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Fred D. Smith, Chairman

DOL Dec Donor

Education is the key!

Publicly and privately funded, charter schools operate with more freedom than traditional public schools. With greater independence and funding, charter schools often produce better results than traditional public schools. In the article “Good Data for Charter, but Some Urge Caution,” Meg McSherry Breslin discusses the successes of Chicago-area charter schools as well as the areas in need of improvement.

This past spring, six charter high schools funded by the Renaissance Schools Fund graduated its first class of students with a college matriculation rate of over 90 percent. In contrast, surrounding Chicago Public Schools have a 52 percent college matriculation rate, according to 2008 data. Looking at outgoing data, charter schools are clearly doing something right to get students into college. Unlike other high-performing schools with high college admission rates, those six charter high schools have open-enrollment and a majority student population coming from low-income minority families. What are these schools doing right and what can we learn from them?

At all six schools, college attendance is an integral part of the discussion and culture. Schools hire more college counselors than other Chicago public schools. Just as a lower student-to-teacher ratio is ideal and beneficial to learning, a lower student-to-counselor ratio is beneficial for advice and counseling. Counselors become more familiar with students and can more effectively guide and counsel students about college. In turn, students feel more comfortable knowing their counselors and are more willing to communicate.

The schools also make college more feasible and easily accessible to their students. They take students on the road for college tours—a luxury often reserved for students with more means. Physically experiencing and visiting colleges allows students to visualize themselves in college. Schools also hold a yearlong course about completing college applications and forms. This is a valuable asset and tool for students. Many students do not gain admission to a university because they fail to complete their applications. And considering the high cost of college and the fact that many students come from low-income households, students must also complete financial aid forms properly in order to fund their education. Students are less likely to be overwhelmed by the lengthy, document-laden process if they are educated about the process and know that they will be guided all the way.

With their heavy focus on college attendance, no wonder these charter schools boast a 90 percent college matriculation rate. However, college acceptance does not necessarily mean college attendance and completion. A 2008 report by the Consortium on Chicago School Research shows that 9 percent of students accepted into college did not enroll due to financial trouble and family obligations. The ultimate question after getting students into college is “How do we keep them in college?”

Charter schools are answering the call and hiring full-time guidance counselors to track graduated students once in college. Schools cannot guarantee that all students will attend college, but they can ensure that those who do attend complete their college education. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools can and have the means to go above and beyond for their students. Now, in addition to getting a large portion of their students into college, charter schools (at least the six in Chicago) are taking much-needed steps towards keeping their high school graduates in college. Though imperfect, charter schools are taking initiative to improving their already fantastic record. Charter schools are proving to be a a great alternative to traditional public schools and are perhaps the future of education.

Ethical Reflections on the Oil Spill

In my previous blog, I talked about the interconnectedness of different countries.  As it turns out, the planet itself is interconnected.  The recent and devastating oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico proves this point precisely.  One incident, an explosion on an oil rig, has had massive implications for several surrounding regions.

The offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon experienced an explosion on April 20.  Two days later, the rig sank.  The sinking caused a major pipe to break, and the breaking caused crude oil to flow out from the ocean floor into the surrounding water (at a rate that is yet to be determined, estimates range from 12,000 to 100,000 barrels per day).  Though owned by Transocean, the rig was being leased by BP at the time of the explosion.   For this reason, the US government has laid the blame on BP.  BP grudgingly accepted responsibility, insisting that Transocean is at fault.  BP argues that, at the time of the explosion, Transocean employees ran the rig.

As the oil gushes into the Gulf of Mexico, its accumulation is twofold.  On the one hand, an oil slick is developing on the ocean surface.  The area of this slick is increasing; it struck Louisiana shoreline in the middle of May; by June, Mississippi and Alabama were also hit.  As of June 4, oil was reported on Florida’s coast.  Surface oil is incredibly dangerous; it can spread to and destroy critical wetlands (including marshlands) along the coast.  In addition to the surface accumulation, the oil is also building up beneath the water’s surface; the oil aggregating into massive, deepwater plumes.  The plumes, like the surface slick, are harmful to the local ecology.  Oil plumes deplete the water of oxygen, ultimately killing organisms in the area.  Furthermore, the high concentration of oil has triggered a fishing ban on almost half of federal waters in the Gulf.  The rig explosion, though a confined incident itself, has had severe consequences for the Gulf waters, precious coastal ecosystems, and a regional economy.  The consequences worsen as more oil escapes into the water.

Because the affects of this tragedy are so large and wide-ranging, they involve people from regions all around the country.  Though the oil spill is causing much pain, it is opening up an opportunity for people to work together and help each other.  The oil spill is actually providing a chance for the Ethics Mirror to shine.

NKONSONKONSON:    community

The oil crisis has defined a community in terms of a shared economic lifeblood.  The Gulf community depends on its coastal access to sustain major fishing and tourism industries.   Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi are currently suffering the consequences of resource misuse.  As oil fills the Gulf of Mexico, fishing and shrimping activities have been severely limited, and tourism has declined significantly.  The spill has revealed the community’s reliance on these industries, and what the Gulf gives to people in the region.  However, the spill is also proving the community’s ability to work together to overcome a disaster (this scenario sounds familiar).  Countless organizations and volunteers are cooperating to remove oil, revitalize local wildlife, and begin economic activities again.

The oil crisis is also expanding the definition of community; the oil spill is affecting people and wildlife from faraway regions.  The spill’s repercussions are rippling through the economy; they can be felt even in New York City.  Migratory species, though only in the Gulf for a small amount of time, are harmed by the oil spill.  The oil’s effects are deep and widespread, bringing our interconnectedness to light.   Likewise, the response to the spill comes from both near and far.  People around the world share the local community’s outrage at the unsafe extraction of oil.  The federal government is working with state agencies to coordinate cleanup efforts.  Though in terrible circumstances, the oil spill underscores the shared interests and responsibilities of the larger, even global community.

BOA ME NA ME MMOA:  cooperation

Though the journey has been a little rocky, people are finally cooperating their efforts to stem the oil spill and complete the cleaning process.  Initially, cooperation was nonexistent, and BP, Transocean, and the US government engaged in much finger pointing.  When BP was deemed responsible, it resolved to clean the Gulf itself.  However, on April 28, the government joined BP’s cleanup effort, officially taking some of the responsibility.

The overall cleanup has taken the form of a “unified command.”  In this way, all involved groups have access to each other and consensus decisions can be made.  The groups include BP, Transocean, and federal agencies (including Minerals Management Service, NOAA, the EPA, Homeland Security, the Coast Guard, the Department of the Interior, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the US Geological Survey, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration).  Cooperation allows the groups to pool their knowledge and resources.

Cooperation is also present between state and federal officials.  Louisianan state officials favored the construction of sand berms to help shield their wetlands.  However, federal officials questioned both the effectiveness and long term effects of such berms.  Louisiana was unable to build any berms without federal permission, and arguments arose.  Fortunately, Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell asserted the state’s right to build berms in the face of possible coastal damage.  The federal government cooperated with the state’s wishes, and the berms were approved on June 1.

ASASE YE DURU:   sustainability

Based on the effects of the Deepwater Horizon leak, offshore drilling is not sustainable (at least not at current levels of investment in spill prevention).  The ecological consequences of the spill are deep and potentially irreversible.  Though the lesson is harsh, the oil spill teaches us that unchecked resource extraction can impact many nonhuman species.  If this ecosystem is to be sustained, the oil extraction industry must be amended.

The Deepwater Horizon spill affects Gulf ecology from the ground up.  Plankton, which are very susceptible to oil, form the basis of the Gulf food chain.  If plankton die, the effects could ripple through the entire ecosystem.   Scientists do not know how extensively the local ecology will change, but it could potentially be weakened for years to come.  Furthermore, the oil threatens coastal wetlands.  Wetlands are important sources of biodiversity as well as storm surge buffers.  Like plankton, such lands are critical components of the Gulf ecosystem.

The spill also poses a direct threat to species in the higher trophic levels.  Oil bogs birds down and renders them flightless.  The sticky stuff is also lethal to turtle eggs.  Scavenger species, including bald eagles, inadvertently ingest oil when they feast on victims of the leak; ingestion can lead to organ failure and other troubles.  These larger animals face a double attack, both direct exposure and indirect loss of their food supply.

AKOMA:   patience ∙ tolerance

Central to the oil spill crisis is the need for a peaceful solution.  The researchers, politicians, and businesspeople involved must be tolerant of each other’s ideas.  Furthermore, people must find patience and humility when their ideas prove unsuccessful.  During such times, it is important to acknowledge failure and allow others to contribute their ideas.  At the spill’s outset, both BP and the Obama administration were looking for someone to blame.  More important, however, was the need for the various groups to recognize a common failure, and to begin the solution process.  Fortunately, they reached this point within a few weeks after the rig explosion.

AYA:   endurance ∙ resourcefulness

Though BP has experienced several disheartening failures in their attempt to stop the leak, they endure; the company is continuously searching for better solutions.  Initially, BP tried to implement the rig’s blowout protector, a set of valves which was designed to stop oil outflow in emergency situations.  When the valve system failed to halt the flow, they tried to build containment dome.  The dome was also unsuccessful.  Operation “top kill,” which was a government-approved attempt to plug the well with heavy fluid, also lead to a dead end.  Insertion of a giant “straw” to suck up some of the escaping oil found limited success.  BP held further consultations with the government, and on June 3 a loose-fitting cap was successfully placed over the broken pipe.  BP is now in the process of building relief wells to reduce the stress placed on the cap.

The oil spill also brings resourcefulness to light; the events of the past seven weeks force us to question our oil use.  Can we continue to use this resource so readily?   We now see the incompatibility between heavy dependence on oil and assured protection for the oceans.  The investment put into extracting oil has not been matched by investment into research on accident prevention (specifically, the federal Minerals Management Service never developed an adequate response plan for spills).  In other words, we are too focused on oil use and have not taken proper safety measures.

The federal government has placed a moratorium on the Gulf, an order which will limit exploratory, deepwater drilling for months to come.  While a reduction in drilling lessens the chance of another spill, it also puts people out of work.  This Gulf community, which has already proved its resilience during the aftermath of Katrina, will again have to endure a period of hardships.  In pursuit of that elusive silver lining, the moratorium may provide a backdrop which shifts the regional economy away from drilling and toward green jobs.

AKOFENA:  moral courage

Though the challenge is daunting and the stakes are high, neither the government nor BP has the option to give up.  This crisis must be handled thoroughly and immediately.  Though some may still be looking to blame others for the spill, people must step up and admit their mistakes.  Furthermore, politicians have to find the courage to pressure giants such as BP and major federal agencies into action.  Many people are under a great deal of pressure to end this tragedy.  Even under such a strain, they have shown a great moral strength in their determination to find a solution.