#DoTheWork

[petervintonjr]

Everybody raise a glass to activist Opal Lee, one of the driving forces behind how we even got a Juneteenth in the first place.

Born Opal Flake in 1926 Texas, her home burned down when she was a small child and the family moved to Fort Worth. In 1939 the family purchased a home in a south side Fort Worth neighborhood --the first Black family to do so, which didn't sit well with some of the neighbors, and after only a few weeks an angry mob burned the house down. Despite these dual childhood traumas, Opal graduated from high school in 1943, and then eventually from Wiley College in 1953. She took a job teaching at an elementary school in Fort Worth, married fellow educator Dale Lee, and ultimately earned a Master's in counseling in 1968, from the North Texas State University (today the University of North Texas). She retired from her career in education in 1977 at the age of 51... and was clearly just getting started.

Beginning with a post-retirement career supervising a local food bank and its adjacent 13-acre farm, expanding it to a 33,000 sq. foot facility that today serves upwards of 500 families a day. More recently she also founded Transform 1012 N. Main Street, a coalition of Fort Worth area nonprofits and arts organizations aiming to reconstruct a former Ku Klux Klan auditorium into the Fred Rouse Arts Center (named for a Black man who was lynched by a Fort Worth mob in 1921). But Lee's greatest passion was always aimed toward preservation of local Black history, leading into the founding of the Tarrant County Black Historical and Genealogical Society. It was from this starting point that June 19th began to be more widely acknowledged and celebrated as a yearly event. Each year Lee and other members of the society made a point of walking two and a half miles, symbolically covering the number of years between the formal end of enslavement (i.e., the Emancipation Proclamation) and the time most Texans found out about it.

In 2016, now at the age of 89, Lee took the advice of the society to "go bigger," and walked from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C. (a distance of roughly 1,360 miles), taking more than five months to complete and collecting enthusiastic signatures along the way, in support of the premise of at last elevating Juneteenth to the status of a national holiday. On June 17, 2021, Lee was present at the White House when then-President Joe Biden signed the bill officially marking Juneteenth as an annual federal holiday. Today Lee is the oldest living member of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF), and is both a board member --and Honorary Chair-- of the National Juneteenth Museum. She was named by the Dallas Morning News as 2021's "Unsung Hero of the Pandemic," has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and in 2024 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

This past year, Habitat For Humanity built and gifted Opal a new house on the very Fort Worth lot where a racist mob burned down her family's home 85 years prior.

[mbfrezon]

https://quiltr.com/?p=24621

If May is Here...

… can geranium season be far off?

[thetechtalk]

You can’t automate vision. Ashkan Rajaee’s story shows what happens when you do the real work.

[mysterious-merchant-of-ink]

🎨 Books That Help You Think Like an Artist (But Only If You Put Them Into Practice)

Lately, I’ve been diving into books that are less about how to draw and more about how to think like an artist. These aren’t technical guides — they’re mindset books. And even though I’m still early on my journey, I can honestly say they’ve already shifted how I see creativity, discipline, and growth.

Here are a few that have stood out:

📖 The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

– Helped me see creativity as something that needs space, consistency, and care. “Morning Pages” and “Artist Dates” sound simple, but they’re powerful.

📖 Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

– Taught me that creativity isn’t about being “original,” it’s about collecting, remixing, and building from what inspires you.

📖 The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

– Hit me hard. That internal “Resistance” he talks about? I’ve felt it every day. This book helped me recognize it — and push through.

📖 Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

– A reminder to stop fearing failure and just follow curiosity. Art doesn’t have to be tortured — it can be joyful.

📖 The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp

– Reinforced the idea that creativity isn’t about waiting for inspiration — it’s about routine, repetition, and doing the work.

🧠 My mindset has definitely started to shift from reading these, but I’ve learned something important:

Reading about art isn’t the same as doing the work.

Understanding improves your thinking — but only putting it into practice will bring the real change.

So that’s what I’m focused on now: applying the lessons, not just collecting them.

💬 Got any books that changed the way you think about your creativity? I’d love to add more to my list!

[amnglobal]

City of Baltimore (AMNG) Scan this code below on the flyer with your #smartdevice to go directly to the submissions form for our weekly #Monumental Mondays newsletter and partner programs. Deadline for next issue is 08/25/2024.

Read details at amnglobal.com

We urge you to submit your entries before August 25th,2024 at midnight (Est) to ensure that they are included in the next newsletter. Here are some key points to keep in mind when submitting your entries:

Entries should be brief and to the point.

Include any relevant details, such as dates, times, locations, and contact information.

Contributions should align with our community values and mission.

This is your chance to share your business’s happenings or initiatives that you are passionate about. Whether you’re promoting an upcoming #charityevent, showcasing a new #businessprogram or activity, or announcing a significant milestone, we want to hear from you.

Starting a new business is a monumental achievement, and we want to support you by giving you a platform to share your journey and successes. Don’t miss out on this chance to connect with a broader audience and gain more visibility for your endeavors.

So, take action now and submit your entries before the deadline closes. We look forward to receiving your submissions and sharing them with our readers.

#befinanciallyfree

Thank you for your contributions and continued support.

[jclementi]

Great companies don’t chase profits; they pursue purpose, and the profits follow. #coachjoe #curiousleader

When organizations focus on nurturing a purpose-driven culture, profits naturally follow. This post explores how aligning a purpose-driven culture with business actions not only fosters a positive workplace but also enhances financial outcomes. purposedriven #culture

[dalydose22]

This week on the Daly Dose, the NFL proves once again that it is king, and our Daly Dose March Madness Bracket Challenge is open for you to join! Then, we are joined by college basketball coach and recruiting expert Jared Zeidman, to discuss the world of college athletic recruiting. Jared discusses his background in coaching college basketball, how he ended up taking some time away, and then how he became a consultant for young athletes that are looking for help in the recruiting process! Jared breaks down some of the most important points of his book Nail The Recruiting Process and talks about some of the best ways that high school athletes can separate themselves from the rest of the recruiting pack. We also look at some of the biggest pitfalls that face players and their parents as they try to find the best college situation. What are the biggest things that he wants them to understand about the recruiting process? What are college coaches really looking for in recruits? He also tells us some of the newest recruiting trends that prospective athletes need to be aware of, and whether or not the current collegiate athletic system is sustainable. If you are a prospective collegiate athlete or know someone who is, you need to check out this very informative episode of the Daly Dose!

[deidreraven-things]

Lesson Learned

Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life. To stand up for yourself. Not let people walk all over you. And taking accountability. I didn’t start setting boundaries and standing firm in my beliefs until a few years ago. That’s only because The Mórrígan took me under her wing (kind of literally, cause She shapeshifts into a crow), and told me to work on myself. I had to learn to…

[stochastique-blog]

Lol

It’s 8am and i have been reminded of this scripture twice already. Yes, Lord. I hear you and I am ready.

#2020 #2020vision #prophetic #nothingisimpossible #nothingisimpossiblewithgod #getready #dothework #mytime #myyear #mydecade #focus https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Ls37Phtqq/?igshid=fhv20wwj2gqw

[petervintonjr]

"My lawyer summed up the case beautifully by telling the board that this was not a case involving any violation of the Articles of War, or even of military tradition, but simply a situation in which a few individuals sought to vent their bigotry on a Negro they considered 'uppity' because he had the audacity to exercise rights that belonged to him as an American and a soldier."

While his legendary contribution to baseball is of course widely known and (rightly) celebrated, the military service of Jackie Robinson is perhaps less familiar. The future barrier-breaking athlete was born in 1919 in Cairo, Georgia, but his father left the family when Jackie was still a baby --his mother moved the family to Pasadena, California in search of better prospects but the family was never able to truly rise up out of poverty. Robinson's early athletic abilities earned him varsity letters in no less than four sports (football, basketball, track, and baseball). In 1939 Robinson graduated from Pasadena Junior College and was accepted at UCLA, where he again lettered in the same four sports. His athletic path ostensibly fixed in the heavens, his life nevertheless took something of a detour in 1942, and he found himself drafted into a segregated all-Black U.S. Army unit based out of Fort Riley, Kansas.

Robinson earned his commission as a second lieutenant a year later (making him one of a very small minority of Black officers at the time, as Black soldiers were generally not accepted at Officers' Candidate School), and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas as part of the 761st Black Panthers tank battalion. Significantly during Robinson's time in the service, he was part of the "Double V" (double victory) movement, an assertion that Black soldiers use their wartime service to not only fight rising fascism abroad, but also institutionalized racism at home. This campaign was borne out of an editorial in The Pittsburgh Courier that (not-so-rhetorically) asked, "Would it be demanding too much to demand full citizenship rights in exchange for the sacrificing of my life?" The hypocrisy that the article called out, was then further amplified in a speech by no less than W.E.B. Du Bois (see Lesson #1 in this series). Robinson, mindful of his public status (he was already something of an athletic role model, at this point), stuck to his convictions and wore the "double V" button.

On the pivotal date of July 6, 1944, Robinson happened to be aboard a civilian bus bound for Fort Hood, but when additional white passengers boarded, he refused the driver's order to move to the back. Despite Executive Order 8802 having been in effect since June 1941 (a directive that banned discriminatory practices throughout all Federal agencies including the War Department), MPs and Fort Riley's provost marshal were nevertheless called and Robison was arrested and court-martialed. Six charges initially arose from his seat refusal: disturbing the peace, drunkenness, conduct unbecoming an officer, insulting a civilian woman, insubordination, and refusing to obey the lawful orders of a superior officer. These obviously-inflated extra charges were eventually dismissed but that was very much not the norm for Black officers serving at that time, and the court-martial became not so much a question of internal discipline, but of unwillingness to bend to bigoted Southern customs and traditions. A court of nine combat officers ultimately acquitted Robinson and his Army career could continue, despite a deeply contentious process that could very easily have gone the other way.

He was then transferred to Camp Breckenridge (Kentucky), and served as a coach for the Army athletics until his honorable discharge in 1944. His army career thus over, Robinson would return to athletics and play for various Negro League teams, the first steps along the path that would eventually bring him to his history-making 1947 signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

(And... I guess this means I have again --technically-- drawn another baseball card for this series.)

[mbfrezon]

https://quiltr.com/?p=24492

NaPoWriMo 2024 Day 15

three yellow paints • gradually become a • page of daffodils

[christophercolbath]

NAMBSAAM

The more I spend time with women folk – not the point, move along – I find that I agree with their assessment of men.  I can recall moments in life where I acted like men do. I also remember the moments I chose to walk away from each of those behaviors. I was *taught* those behaviors by men (not my Dad, of course); SA’d by men; bullied, beaten and ostracized by men in various ways. Mostly,…

[the-fact-of-the-matter]

Final workout before #WWEWhitePlains tomorrow. Giant sets of: Inverted BW rows Seated barbell snatch Log cleans Low cable cross #DoTheWork

[prayerith]

i don’t really wanna do the work today i don’t reaaaally wanna dothework today i don’t really wanna do • the work • today i don’t wanna do the work today~

[jclementi]

The essence of true success is a concoction of elements as unpredictable as the weather. #coachjoe #curiousleader

🪢 Adopting a mindset of success is akin to walking a tightrope, requiring an exquisite balance of humility to keep us grounded, courage to dare the impossible, and resilience, the strength to rise each time we fall. 🔺This equilibrium is not stumbled upon but cultivated with intention and perseverance. 👉🏼❤️‍🔥It’s our internal drive to exceed our own expectations that truly defines success.

[joy-wasted-with-kb-dickey]

Ever broken a promise to yourself? Skipped the plan, wasted the time, ignored the goal? Yeah… me too. But it’s time to apologize to you and get back on track. Read the latest blog: 💬 “My Bad, Self” – A Real Talk on Wasted Time and Fresh Starts 👉🏾 Forgive yourself. Recommit. Let’s grow. #Accountability #SelfForgiveness #DoTheWork #GrowthMindset #StartAgain