On The Road To Literacy

Project Brownstone has embarked on another part of our journey. Our main focus has been to make sure underserved students transition to college with help and guidance via the Textbook Stipend Project.

We have seen incredible gains and transformation through this project. We understand the need and benefit of creating a college-going culture within our schools. Many of our students after their first semester of college admit to just how lacking they are in preparedness for this new environment. They are challenged to step up to the plate and find ways to advance in this new arena, or fail.

While offering this project to high schoolers, we see the need to start earlier. In order to create this college-going culture, we must reach further back and address this issue at the beginning of their school years rather than the last part of secondary school. So we recently established Project Brownstone’s Literacy Project.

This project is geared towards children in grades kindergarten through 3^rd. There are many in the NYC public school system not reading on grade level. The reasons vary but too often are the result of poverty. Impoverished neighborhoods lack funding and supplies; they suffer from transient populations that pass through the shelter system. Often, the student population changes numerous times throughout the year, the result of their instability.

It’s during these years that we have to make sure students read on grade level, but it’s imperative to plant the seeds of college attendance. Part of the literacy project is to introduce students to the prospect. We can do this with assistance from our participating TSP students as well as with the many generous college students willing to participate. 

Rebekah Livingston

We cannot do this without help from experts. Luckily, one found us. Ms. Rebekah Livingston reached out to us and volunteered her time to launch this pilot, manage it, and help to build it into a full-blown program. Ms. Livingston has a great deal of experience in this area, and is able to apprise us of what is necessary to comply with state and federal requirements.

Ms. Livingston hails from Portland, OR, where she has spearheaded literacy programs in the public school system there. She focused on reading and math to help kids that were falling behind. She designed customized learning modules to target the needs of students in grades K-3, with the understanding how urgent it is to reach them before 4^th grade. If not, it’s quite unlikely they’ll ever catch up to their cohort.

Together with Ms. Livingston, we have begun the Literacy Project in conjunction with P. S. 197, John B. Russwurm School, in Harlem. Ms. Natasha Spann, the principal, has graciously opened the doors to us and is working closely to render the best results possible. There is a mutual understanding about the urgency involved with children’s literacy and their future. We cannot wait to report back to you about the challenges and successes met with this endeavor.

Above all, we want to give a warm welcome to Ms. Rebekah Livingston! We look forward to this new partnership.

Our New Intern's Perspective: Meet Devin Wilson

As I walked down the streets of Harlem looking for building number 133, all the brownstones appeared the same except for one. Outside are two green rails that line the stairs leading to the front door. I rang the bell and was greeted with a smile from a man whose personality exceeds himself. Earl invited me in and immediately I felt at home, the office is calm and welcoming. We engaged in a conversation where he helped me find out things about myself I didn’t know.

Project Brownstone is about helping students down a career path that will bring out the best in them. The aim is to help children overcome adversity using knowledge as a tool to help them succeed and become who they are meant to be. Earl said some words that stuck with me, “We are not here to mold you into something, we’re here to break the mold and turn you into who you’ve always wanted to be”. Coming from a neighborhood, where people had a lot of expectations of me, that made me feel at ease. I’m a Colombian and Jamaican kid from Uptown the Bronx. Being that I’ve been 6 feet tall since I was 12, I was always expected to be a professional basketball player or something that would “put my height to good use”. I’ve never really been good at basketball, but there was always constant pressure.

 Here at Project Brownstone they want to help stop stereotyping children and telling them what they should be, by cutting off these early expectations for kids. It helps children be more open and more likely to know what they want as they grow and mature. This program encourages youth to find a career that suits them. They familiarize us to a world of things we didn’t or couldn’t experience, and to opportunities we wouldn’t have been offered because we come from under-served neighborhoods.

With the office being right in the heart of Harlem, you can still feel the impact of the Harlem Renaissance which was a heavy influence on Project Brownstone. Through the ideals from the Renaissance, the program targets to restore knowledge to the youth, togetherness and unity in the communities and battle racially based stereotypes. Project Brownstone offers a community uplift by giving back to the community through a textbook stipend program and more. The message to learn from Project Brownstone is knowledge is the key to success, and children are the door to our futures.

Making A Difference 2016

The Davis Family

On June 14, 2016, Project Brownstone celebrated their 3rd Annual 'Making A Difference' Award benefit. It was great fun. We were fortunate to have Marc Wilson of MWD Lifestyles design sponsor our event. Mr. Wilson is an award-winning events designer who is well-known for his work in Design + Production, Event Management, and Destination Management + Events. So you can best believe we had a winning event!

Punto Space was the location chosen to have the event. They were so kind to donate it to us. With this amazing events space at 325 West 38th Street, Storefront #3, we were able to attract a cross section of people who came out to support. Our students took to the floor dancing the evening away.

Speaking of dancing.....DJ Martin from On the Move Events & Entertainment, did an amazing job of keeping the students rocking out on the dancefloor. He created an atmosphere of celebration that aligned well with our desire to commemorate the accomplishments of the past year.

No event is complete without food! We were fortunate to have Chef Eddie G of the Food Network show, Coast to Coast, donate his services to our cause. His hors d'oeuvres ran out of the kitchen. It wasn't long before we were cleaned out, a clear indication of how much they were enjoyed.

Earl Davis, Exec. Dir., awardees, Alicia Barksdale & Michael McElroy

We had our usual casts of participants taking on the helm to make sure things moved along at the right pace. We had an amazing host, Terry Robison, a VP of Sales at Douglas Elliman Real Estate. This is his second time hosting our event. We can assure you, there will be many more.

Curtis Archer, President, of the Harlem Community Development Corporation came through to assist us in presenting the 'Making A Difference' award to Alicia Barksdale, Michael McElroy, and Elijah and Earlease Davis. This is his third time with us, and like Mr. Robison, there will be many more!

We are already looking and planning next year's event! In case you missed out on this year's festivities, you will be more than welcomed to join us again for our next annual event. This will be a tough act to follow but Project Brownstone is up for the challenge.

It Only Takes One Person!

Yesterday we had another professional discussion group with prospective candidates for the Textbook Stipend Project. As usual, it always ends up being as edifying for the panelists as it is for the students. Project Brownstone's philosophy is, it only takes one person to alter the trajectory of a student's life by just reaching out and engaging.

One of our students gave us a background story of how he arrived at the place in his life where he could choose between going to Harvard or Columbia University. It wasn't an easy ride. It all started in El Salvador.

Domestic abuse found him living with his single mother in Los Angeles. He was failing out of school getting involved with the wrong crowd. His single parent family moved to Harlem where he began a journey of failure in the New York public school system. His trajectory looked glum; it didn't seem as if there was a future worth being hopeful for.

One day his math teacher approached him and told him he needed to get himself together. If he failed out of school, his options would be diminished. He knew he needed help but had no idea where to turn. The teacher suggested he go see a particular librarian at the Countee Cullen branch of the New York Public Library in Harlem.

At first, he pushed back because he thought the books were being pushed on him. He jokingly said he had no real choice but to read the books. Said librarian was not playing with him. Before long, he started to enjoy reading. Science seemed to be his top choice of subjects he was interested in. He was given an extensive ongoing list of books to read.

Before long, he started to excel in his classes. He actually began to enjoy school. Now in his senior year, the hard work paid off. He was accepted to Harvard and Columbia University with a full scholarship!

After a visit to Harvard he decided to turn them down. He didn't like the atmosphere that hints at a degree of discomfort for students of color. He wanted to still be part of New York City yet get the same level and quality of education. He chose Columbia University!

Coming soon, you'll get to know this individual up close. He's enrolled in the Textbook Stipend Project. We plan to do a video segment on him where we will make the proper introduction.

Keep on the lookout for this powerful story!

Giving Great Gifts....

I had the pleasure of attending a great birthday bash of a good friend of mine last Friday, February 12, 2016 in Dumbo, Brooklyn. You might remember him from the 2^nd Annual ‘Making A Difference” Award benefit we held last May. Terry Robison served as our Master of Ceremony for our annual fundraiser. He did a great job of warming up the crowd and guiding them through a memorable evening.

Did I say Terry is a performer? The same energy he brought to our event was in full effect on Friday. The qualities that make him such a great MC also make him a great performer. He’s warm, affable, outgoing, and has a very direct way of engaging an audience. That’s something I envy…his moxie! With a full band in tow, he belted out a few Prince tunes as well as a heartfelt tribute to David Bowie. He moved the crowd to tunes that served as the backdrop to many of our younger lives. Even if we weren’t Bowie aficionados, you couldn’t avoid singing along to tunes that permeated the sound waves of America.

Did I mention Terry has a big heart? In the many years I’ve known him I’ve never encountered any negativity. He has the talent to look on the brighter side of things, and an ability to laugh at oneself - that keeps even the best of us sane. He has an innate understanding of the needs of people because of his generous spirit. That’s why it was his idea to donate, in lieu of gifts, contributions to Project Brownstone to ensure students get the necessary textbooks and supplies for college. I’m blown away at his selflessness and generosity.

I have to say this was the easiest and most fun I’ve had thus far raising funds for the organization. Great friends, great party, amazing entertainment, food and drink, and funds for PB, that’s what I consider a win-win situation!

Importantly, Terry is a VP at Douglas Elliman. He is an exceptional real estate agent. If you're looking to work with someone with integrity, especially, in something as serious as buying, selling or renting property, he is your man!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Terry Robison for his generous support of Project Brownstone. Thank you!!!

A Workshop Worth Taking!!!

On January 9, 2016 Project Brownstone held its semester end workshop for students participating in the Textbook Stipend Project. It was an amazing day filled with great ideas and insights into their new college environments. We heard stories about campuses, roommates, and even food plans. Quite enlightening!

We started the day with a visit from the West Harlem District Leader, Alicia Barksdale. She came and spent a good deal of time speaking about civic duty registering our students to vote. She also took time to enroll our students with the local NAACP. She explained what the connection to this agency can be for each of them. Did you know students can summer internships? Go figure...they have their finger on the pulse of what's going on in the community.

Margarita Cruz of Open Moments NYC conducted a workshop that consisted of role play. Students were able to confront some of the stereotypes they encountered during their first semester in these new environments known as college. Some of it was shocking. Sadly, some of it is a continuation of what we hear and see in the media. By expressing and acting out these false stereotypes, we dispelled some of the myths told about young people of color. To conclude the workshop, each of the students created a 'declaration' of what their world would consist of if they set the standards. Illuminating!

The afternoon was just as amazing with a panel of professionals that came by to sit and talk with each of the students. We had an array of talent to present. We had Suzanne Rust, the Lifestyle Editor of Family Circle Magazine as well as TV Personality; Crystal Hall, Broadway Actress and Singer/Songwriter; Carol Watson, Consultant with Tangerine-Watson with a pulse on advertising, media and marketing; the Honorable Sheila Abdus-Salaam, Appellate Judge of NYS; and, Marc Wilson, of MWD Lifestyle. They each brought their stories to the students and showed them how they made a life out humble beginnings with tenacity, professionalism, a positive attitude, and hard work. What was supposed to be an hour and a half panel went on for three hours!! The students were enthralled.

Each student walked away from the workshop satiated with new ideas of where their lives can go. From each of our panelist, they took away with them gems of information that will make a huge difference in their futures. And something even more valuable than gold.....they now have access to information and people that will propel them into powerful lives. What more can we ask for?!

Bravo!!!

Brazil Comes To Project Brownstone!

Project Brownstone wants to welcome Anderson Silva of Salvador, Bahia to our office. This project is in conjunction with his Master's studies at the University of Bahia in Brazil. The Social Residency, as it's called, was a three week commitment to have Ander shadow me to find out what we do on a day-to-day basis, as well as what it takes to establish an organization.

At first, it was a daunting task because I operate daily without paying close attention to the minute details that actually make the office function. The best part of the residency is it made me slow down and consciously go over details that I normally would not. It was helpful in it helped me to check in with the inspiration that motivated the creation of Project Brownstone, and how it evolved and bore fruit. As I learned in a business class where we developed our business plans, external developments can change the direction of your company and redefine why it's in business. I am pleased to know that we are still following the path that was originally charted in the plan.

Brazil has the largest population of blacks outside of Africa. I always refer to them as our close cousins because our histories are similar. While there are cultural differences, the spirit and struggle of a people held under the yoke of white supremacy is shared. Together, we share the same objective to uplift our communities and make a better way for our children to succeed and have prosperous lives.

Our shared experience made it obvious that we can share the work of Project Brownstone in Brazil because it aligns well with their needs. We aspire to open a satellite office in Bahia. Anderson will be instrumental in making this happen. See, he understands well the 'formula' that makes PB work. Like any franchise, there are standards and modes of operation that create our own special brand of service. It is important to maintain the integrity of our mission.

Stay tuned in 2016 for updates to our plans. You can see firsthand Project Brownstone taking a leap onto the global sphere. We are in agreement, both Anderson and I, that children and education are global issues!