Sam Ford, WJLA TV-7 Bureau Chief, journalist and history maker will be the guest speaker for Men’s Day at All Nations Baptist Church, Sunday, November 20, at 10:00 AM where he will address the topic: Reclaim Your Brother. He will be followed by a panel discussion on the topic: “Go Get Your Brother.” All Nations is located at #2 Rhode Island Avenue, N.E. The pastor is Reverend Dr. James Coleman.
The panelists will include (Ret.) Judge William Alexander, Ward 5 attorney Bradley Thomas, ANC Commissioner Gordon-Andrew Fletcher, Esq., executive director of the D.C. Department of Employment Services and chair of the DC Democratic Party for Ward 5; Triston Elliott, a long-serving member of All Nations and a Navy veteran for the Submarine Unit; and Men’s Day Chair Reverend Hugh Terry.
Tune in this Friday, November 17 at 6:00 PM to hear more about Men’s Day on The Lyndia Grant Show – Think on These Things. My guests will include our pastor, Dr. Coleman, accompanied by Dr. Karen McRae, the first female to serve as National President and CEO of the National Organization of Concerned Black Men (CBM). Thanks for the 47th Annual Awards Dinner invite, Dr. McRae. It was fantastic! Allow me to share a little about the CBM Annual Awards Banquet hosted annually.
Invited to cover this event for the Washington Informer Newspaper, the dinner was held in Hanover, Md. Capitol Hill Police Officers Harry Dunn, Byron Evans, Eugene Goodman, Sgt. Aguillino and D.C. MPD Detective Michael Fanone were honored. Other honorees included the family members of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25 year old Black man killed while jogging in a neighborhood in Glen County, Georgia. The two white men charged with murdering Arbery were sentenced to life in prison on Aug. 8 and a third man was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
The National Organization of Concerned Black Men’s Annual Awards Dinner was yet another outstanding example of our theme for the All Nations Baptist Church’s Men’s Day – “Go Get Your Brother!” I’m happy to share this news with readers.
Maryland Governor-Elect Wes Moore recently reported that Maryland has the highest arrest rate/imprisonment record for Black men in the entire country, and Mississippi is second. He said on Reverend Al Sharpton’s TV show, “We’re going to do something about this.” Moore is a Rhodes Scholar, military veteran, family man, and speaker extraordinaire who gets his point across. He cares about all people, and he has experienced what it’s like to be a Black Man living in the City of Baltimore.
I’ve been reading a book written by Moore in 2011 titled: “The Other Wes Moore – One Name, Two Fates.” In short, the Baltimore native juxtaposes his life with another young man with the same name, Wes Moore. The other Wes Moore went to prison for murder. This was an incident that occurred when Moore was a young man, but he wanted to know more about this other young man with the same name who lived on the same street, only a few blocks away.
Wes Moore got to know the imprisoned Wes Moore. He wrote letters to the other Wes Moore, he went to the prison to visit him. Governor-Elect Wes Moore had a natural instinct, even when he was a young man. He is yet another example of our theme “Go Get Your Brother.”
My sorority sister Saymendy Lloyd is someone who has worked with men and women in the prison system over the years. She told me, “I have to attend your Men’s Day for two reasons. One, because your pastor invited me, and secondly,” she said, “I have to support Judge William Alexander because, in court, he has reduced the probation of people in my program over and over again, giving them a second chance.”
This is her way to say thank you to Judge William Alexander. Though Judge Alexander is retired now, he is also an excellent example of our theme: “Go Get Your Brother!