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Haynes Tackles Mental Health at Macedonia Summer Revival
LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — As anxiety sweeps America, the Rev. Dr. Freddie Haynes stopped by Macedonia Baptist Church to offer solutions to soothe stress-related tensions. Known as a prophetic international leader and passionate social activist, Haynes is the pastor of the Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, which boasts a membership exceeding 12,000.
By Cora Jackson-Fossett
As anxiety sweeps America, the Rev. Dr. Freddie Haynes stopped by Macedonia Baptist Church to offer solutions to soothe stress-related tensions.
Known as a prophetic international leader and passionate social activist, Haynes is the pastor of the Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, which boasts a membership exceeding 12,000.
He shared keys to calm during a three-day appearance at Macedonia’s Summer Revival, held August 18-20, in the Watts-area edifice. Being a highly sought-after proclaimer of God’s Word, Haynes naturally pointed to the scriptures and spiritual revival to resolve angst and fear.
“Both in scripture and history, spiritual revival has always produced social revolution. So the fact that we are in such a time as this, a time of hate and division, a time where this empire is in a constitutional crisis and that has created a psychic attack and warfare on our people, we hope to have a message that ministers to our mental health,” said Haynes in a Sentinel interview prior to the worship service.
“We are in a different day as it relates to church life and this nation. The Black church was born as a protest movement and as that beloved alternative community to the outside world that was hating on us. Now, the Black church that has been that source of strength is under attack, even by our own people,” he explained.
“Politically, we are in a different day. I have never seen a presidency, in my lifetime, like the one we see right now. Lance Watson, my brother and friend, says we were raised to reach a world that doesn’t exist anymore. So that is the kind of world we are in now. I am here to bring a message of hope.”
The message by Haynes was the reason that Macedonia pastor Shane Scott invited him. “We here on the ‘left’ coast need to hear from Frederick Douglass Haynes III,” said Scott. “He is this generation’s Martin Luther King in terms of social justice and the gospel and one of my preaching heroes.”
In addition to the capacity crowd, several local preachers came to hear Haynes including the Rev. Kelvin Sauls, L.A. Pastor George Hurtt of Mount Sinai Baptist Church, L.A. Pastor Terry Brown of Liberty Baptist Church and Long Beach Pastor Welton Pleasant II of Christ Second Baptist Church, who noted that Haynes’ timely sermon was needed.
“Dr. Freddie Haynes definitely resonates with the hip-hop community, which is so critical because it is a powerful community that is often overlooked and minimized. He has a message to reach that generation. He can bring the sanctuary to the streets,” insisted Pleasant.
The Rev. Dr. Melvin V. Wade, Sr., retired pastor of Mount Moriah Baptist Church, was on hand as well and cited his long relationship with Haynes, who first preached in L.A. at the invitation of Wade. Also, their families have been friends for decades, going back to Wade’s father and Haynes’ grandfather who were close acquaintances.
In the midst of complimenting Haynes’ successful ministry, Wade digressed to voice with his dismay that the esteemed theologian was not elected to assume leadership of the national NAACP.
“I’m disappointed,” declared Wade, “and my disappointment is based upon the fact that we have a preacher who is intellectually astute, knowledgeable about the affairs of the nation as well as scripturally sound and the NAACP passed over him.
“We have somebody who has an international platform that could have been a launching pad to give leadership at this particular time. He is attuned to both levels – those who are in front of him and the millennials who are behind him. We missed the mark,” said Wade, who is a lifetime NAACP member.
However, Haynes didn’t discuss the matter as he preached a powerful message from Matthew 6:25-34, which commands believers to seek God and not to worry about life’s challenges, entitled, “Mind Playing Tricks on Me.”
“When you are miserable and in stress-filled situations so that you feel that the walls are closing in on you and you are wrestling with worry, the mind will play tricks on you,” proclaimed Haynes. “Some of you are wrecked by anxiety. You can walk by faith and every now and then, anxiety will attack you.
“We live in a time and culture today that creates anxiety and mental stress. Don’t depend on social media for ‘likes’ and validation. Depend on God to ‘like’ you. ‘For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son and whosoever believes in Him will have everlasting life.’”
Issuing a final charge to the audience, Haynes reminded listeners of God’s love and care for troubled believers. “Our emancipator and sable-skinned Savior, Jesus, ministers to the have-nots and gives the blessing to those who are broken,” he stressed.
“He is able to heal people with pre-existing conditions and He did it before there was an Affordable Care Act!”
This article originally appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel.
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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.
Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.
Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”
Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.
“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”
The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.
Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.
President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.
Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.
Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.
Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.
Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.
Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.
Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.
The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.
In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.
The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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