 Martin Luther King, the Connecticut Lottery and MBE Development |
This coming week there will be many celebrations honoring and commemorating the the life and work of Martin Luther King. As I thought about this coming week and the status of the campaign to change Connecticut state law that would support our mission to develop minority business, I was struck by the similarities between the work of Dr. King to change state and federal law and our work to make changes here. In both cases there are entrenched interests to maintain the status quo. In both cases there are non-violent confrontations pitting powerful political and economic interests against a group that relies primarily on a principle. In both cases there are risks associated with making parties uncomfortable because of the non violent confrontation. And there are risk to those individuals and groups initiating the action, personally, professionally, and organizationally. It would be presumptuous of me to think that Dr. King would approve the billboard campaign that is designed to ultimately change state law, but I believe that he would. The tactic to focus on a particularly example of disparate outcome, in this case the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, is no different from the focus on the Montgomery Bus Company that also was designed to change the law. But let be clear, we are not calling on a boycott of the CLC. I hope that reasonable legislators and the Governor can come together with us to make this happen expeditiously so that we can take these billboards down as soon as possible. This campaign has upset a few people, just as it has received the support from people around the country. The story has been picked up by NPR, MSNBC, the Hartford Business Journal, the Lottery Industry news and other outlets. The criticism has been that the Council should not engage in public campaigns, particularly ones that are so strongly worded. I go back to Martin Luther King on this issue. When he wrote his "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" (http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html) he was addressing not only the police brutality and the exploitation of black Alabamians, he was addressing his "friends", particularly his friends in the clergy who advised him to slow down, to not be so aggressive. In his words, "My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work." Dr. King goes on to say: "You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative." To my corporate members who might have questions about the appropriateness of this message, I say that they should have no fear. The NMSDC was founded by corporate leaders who understood that social change and legal changes were necessary to create more opportunities for minority businesses. What we are doing is trying to change laws and policies. We are not focused on private corporations or corporate members, nor do we intend to. Change requires strong positions and strong leadership. In King's letter to the Birmingham clergy, he was responding to their request to slow down; to not challenge the authorities directly; to not take a public position; essentially to work quietly through channels and let "political" evolution take its course. Well King responded with this beautiful letter explaining why we can't wait and why direct non-violent action is necessary in order to bring about change. This billboard campaign is not urging violence it is urging thought. And in America that is what makes this country great. In two days since the billboards went up, I have already heard directly from leaders in the General Assembly and from the Governor's office. It is working! So we will continue to keep the pressure on in order to bring about change. I may suffer some consequences of this action, but I am prepared to pay the price in order to what is right. I suffer no delusion of martyrdom, nor do I deserve to compare this action to the noble and bold action of those American heroes in Birmingham, but this action is a direct extension of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights struggle of the 1960s. We are pursuing the dream; the American dream. |
| It is Time to Submit Your Nominations! |
| As we close out the old and bring in the new, it is time for MBEs and corporate members to nominate outstanding MBEs, corporate buyers, supplier diversity advocates, and corporations for award recognitions that will be presented at the 2011 GNEMSDC Awards Gala on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at the Aqua Turf in Southington, CT. Each year, at our Annual Awards Banquet, the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (GNEMSDC) recognizes those certified minority suppliers (MBEs) who have distinguished themselves and their businesses by: Successfully demonstrating growth in sales and employment while overcoming significant obstacles; Consistently providing high quality products and services at competitive prices and offering innovative approaches and cost saving ideas: Continuously growing MBE to MBE purchases; and Significantly contributing to the growth and development of society and their community. All corporate members are invited to nominate MBEs in each of the following categories:
By the end of the first week of 2011 all corporate members will receive a form that should be completed by January 31, 2011 with the names of their nominees. Give the office a call if you have any questions about the appropriate category of your nominees. The important thing is to get your nominees in. MBEs will also be making nominations for the following awards:
Certified MBEs will be provided with nomination forms in the first week of 2011 in an email attachment. We are requesting that the nominations by MBEs also be back by January 31, 2011. The staff is here to assist MBEs with any questions they have about the process or the categories. It is appropriate for companies, corporate representatives and MBEs to ask their supporters to consider nominating them for these prestigious awards. Although you cannot nominate yourself, sometimes you have to toot your own horn with a gentle reminder to your friends who you have supported throughout the year. |
 Save the Dates |
We are looking forward to a productive 2011. We have many of our events already deep into the planning process and other events under consideration. We would like to hear from you if there are things that you want to see the GNEMSDC doing in 2011. Here are the four big GNEMSDC events for 2011 are as follows:
In addition to these major events, we will have Quarterly Meetings, "Meet and Greets" workshops and other activities for MBEs and our corporate membership throughout the year. Here are some of those activities:
We are putting together a series of events with with MBE Input Committee entitled "How to do business with". If you are a corporate member and would like to host one of these meetings in 2011, please call the office. We would like to work with you to schedule as many of these important sessions as possible. This year we are also looking to expand our seminar series for both MBEs and corporate members. Our goal is to have at least one seminar a month starting in February. The Regional Advisory Committees in Fairfield County, Boston, Providence, Western MA and Hartford are also looking to have at least one reception in each of these regions in 2011. If you would like to host one of these receptions, we are interested in working with you. All in all it is going to be another busy and productive year for MBEs and corporate members throughout the region. We know that you cannot make every event, but we welcome you at all events. |
| And Finally, |
| by Dr. Fred |
 I like many Americans am shocked by the shooting in Arizona this weekend. You did not need to know the victims or their party affiliation to have a strong sense of revulsion at this heinous act that strikes the core of civil society. Violence, unfortunately is a national and global epidemic. It spreads under the false illusion that your "problem" can be solved by physically eliminating your opponent without realizing that fundamentally we are all connected, and consequently violence against someone else is ultimately violence against yourself. Our connectedness applies to every aspect of our relationships. During this week that we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, let us strive to be see ourselves in others no matter how different we appear to be. In your service |
