Field Day!!

Nearly 90 Dreamers spent their Saturday (March 3 2012) at a Field Day in Greynold's Park! To enjoy this day of Egg-N-Spoon Race, Water Balloon Toss, Potato Sack Race,and Tug-of-War, two I Have A Dream programs came together: the middle/high school Dreamers from Overtown and the fourth/fifth grade Dreamers from Hibiscus Elementary. It was nice to see the older and younger Dreamers come together in play, conversation, and over GREAT food!

Although working in different locations and with different youths, both programs share a common vision: to have our Dreamers attain educational goals that will allow them to lead positive lives. Knowing this common goal, it is only natural for the two groups to not only enjoy each other's company, but also learn from one another. There is so much that the older Dreamers can teach the younger Dreamers; and believe it or not, the older Dreamers can also learn from the younger Dreamers as well. It was an AWESOME collaboration...one worth repeating in the near future :)

A VERY special thank you to AmeriCorps VISTA Glenn Howard, Project Coordinator Jonas Severes, Co-Project Coordinator Micah Whitney, and ALL of the volunteers who gave up their Saturday to help.

Black Police Precinct & Courthouse Museum

In honor of Black History Month, the Dreamers toured the Black Police Precinct & Courthouse Museum in Overtown on February 25 2012.

The Precinct & Museum was constructed in 1950 in the Black community of Colored Town (now known as Overtown). Although short-lived, the Precinct & Museum was very successful: Officer Otis Davis was one of the first Black homicide detectives in Miami, Florida; the Precinct was responsible for confiscating numerous fire-arms and making the streets of Colored Town safe; and more than 6000 cases were tried by a Black judge, Judge Johnson.

Dreamers learned that despite the hard work of the Black police officers, they all faced discrimination:
1. They were denied the opportunity to take the Police Exam
2. Were called "patrolmen" instead of "policemen"
3. They did not receive a pension, although the white police officers did
4. Only Black police officers had to walk or share the one bicycle in the Precinct

Dreamers were also able to see the courtroom, Judge's chamber, and the jail cells. It was a nice trip and I urge all followers of this blog to take a visit.

A HUGE "Thank you" to our tour guide, Shelby D. Goodman!! You were AWESOME!!

Retired Black police officers responsible for making the precinct a historic museum

White officers in KKK gear during a funeral procession of a fellow officer

Otis Davis: one of the first Black homicide detectives in Miami, FL

Black officers had to walk or ride a bicycle

Inside the courthouse

Jail Cell

Group Picture :)

A Day at a Community Farm in Little Haiti

On January 28 2012 the Dreamers took a very interesting field trip to an urban/community farm in the Little Haiti community of Miami, Florida. As the school bus drove to the location, Dreamers were surprised and skeptical to believe that a farm actually existed somewhere in between the houses and apartment buildings off 76th street. But they were pleasantly surprised...

This urban farm sits on approximately 2 acres of land and is located behind a house, all owned by Ray Chasser. Dreamers walked through the house, entered the backyard, and suddenly found themselves on an farm! Unlike a farm in Texas, Mr. Chasser's farm was less traditional, but was eccentric and eclectic: potted-turtle-shaped plants; music playing in the background; road signs and other postings that normally would seem out of place, but fit right in; and other little artifacts (shells and empty coconuts hanging from trees). All of these details made the farm so much more unique and inviting.

Mr. Chasser first began the field trip by sharing with the Dreamers how and why he started the farm. Mr. Chasser purchased the home at a time when drugs and crime was at an all time high in the Little Haiti area. He wanted to create a haven for the youths in the area as well as provide a healthier food source for the members of community. Today, community members are able to purchase goat milk, eggs, papayas, ackee, mangoes, collard greens, peppers, and honey from Mr. Chasser!

Dreamers began the tour by feeding the animals (mostly goats, an Emu, turkey, and a pig). The Dreamers also learned about the compost techniques that Mr. Chasser uses...the most interesting was human waste!! As Dreamers ventured further onto the 2 acre farm, tree houses, and an outdoor bathroom and kitchen appeared. People actually live in the tree houses!!

Few interesting facts Mr. Chasser shared:
1. Chickens can lay approximately 300 eggs per year
2. A rooster is NOT needed for a chicken to lay an egg
3. Chicken-Rooster=eggs found in the store
4. Chicken+Rooster=eggs, that if kept at a certain temperature for 21 days, hatch into baby chickens
5. Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the nation's bird because it has traces of red, white, and blue

Hope you all enjoy the pictures!!

Thank you Ray Chasser for opening up your home and the farm to I Have A Dream-Overtown Inc.

Owner, Ray Chasser

Alejandro feeding an Emu

Treehouse

Compost

Collard Greens (left) and Green Peppers (right)

Papaya Tree

Warm eggs laid by chickens!

MLK Day of Service: A Day ON, Not A Day OFF

January 16th is a day when most schools and businesses are closed. Many students and working adults are happy when this day of the year approaches because it is one less day of the week that they have to attend school or go to work. As a result, many spend the day relaxing.

But when people realize the importance of this day, that this, the birth date of activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., January 16 takes on a new meaning. No longer are people only concerned about relaxing and attending a parade, but a need a to "serve others" is inspired. Dr. King once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"

To answer the above question, on January 16th 2012, twenty-two Dreamers, along with hundreds of other students and community volunteers, joined City Year-Miami on a beautification project at Miami Northwestern Senior High School. Opening in 1955, the high school was the first vocational school of its kind in a generation to serve African-American Miamians. Today, Miami Northwestern continues to serve predominately Black students and is a landmark in the Liberty City area. Knowing its history and the "B" status the school has received, Miami Northwestern was a perfect place to host MLK Day of Service.

Hundreds of people were dispersed around the entire school painting and gardening. The Dreamers were responsible for painting the Reading Hallway on the third floor and did a great job!! A special THANK YOU to City Year-Miami and all the Dreamers who attended!!



Volunteers gather in the Courtyard for the Opening Ceremony

 

Dreamers hard at work :)

Our future artist



MDCPS Superintendent: Alberto Carvalho:
"Collectively we get to see a better tomorrow..."



Day At The Holocaust Memorial

"Developing the whole child, academically, socially, and emotionally are all targets of IHAD" are words written in a grant proposal and were exemplified on Monday, December 19 2011. This Monday marked the first weekday of the Winter Break, but the Dreamers still made the conscious decision to attend a field trip at the Holocaust Memorial.

The small group of Dreamers learned about the Holocaust (1933-1945): the persecution of Jews, gypsies, Methodists, and homosexuals by Hitler's regime who considered the previously mentioned groups to be inferior and responsible for the economic state of European Germany at the time. This history lesson and tour were facilitated by actual Holocaust survivors Mrs. Riva Rosenblat and Mr. Maurise Trojanowski. Mrs. Rosenblat actually shared how her family hid in forests at that time and how here grandmother died in a concentration camp after a few days.

The Dreamers really soaked up the information that were given this day. Not only were they alert to what was being shared by the survivors, but they asked great questions!! Through their questions, we learned many things: the term "ghetto" was coined during the Holocaust when Jews were restricted to certain parts of the city and underwent curfews and rationing of food; "Holocaust" means "sacrifice by fire"; twins were experimented on during the Holocaust; Jews were stripped of their names/identity and branded with a number as a new form of identification; and many members of Hitler's regime moved to Argentina after the Holocaust ended.

The Memorial has a mural illustrating the history of the Holocaust. At the center of the Memorial, is a large hand sculpture with people coiled around it. Mrs. Rosenblat asked the sculptor what's the meaning behind the structure and his response was, "What does it mean to you?" Mrs. Rosenblat's interpretation of it is: a hand reaching up to God.

The following pictures will give followers of this blog a glimpse of what the Dreamers experienced on this day. But, if given the chance, visit the Memorial on your own...it is a great experience whether you are of Jewish descent or not. Again, a special THANK YOU to Mrs. Rosenblat and Mr. Trojanowski for sharing their stories!!

Dreamers gather around to hear the Survivors speak

The tour begins

Sign at the entrance of a labor camp. It means "work will set you free." Forced to make this sign, the Jews turned the "B" upside down...a subtle, yet brave act of resistance.

Jewish twins underwent very invasive experiments and were left to perish afterwards

Written on the walls of this tunnel were names of the many concentration camps

A torch with "XXIII Psalm" written below

A list (not a complete one) of families persecuted during the Holocaust...



Holocaust Survivors Mrs. Rosenblat and Mr. Trojanowski (center) & the Dreamers



Go Buccaneers!!!

To reward the Dreamers who are doing academically well and to welcome the Winter Break, Dreamers attended a men's basketball game at Barry University on Saturday, December 10 2011. The Dreamers have already traveled to Barry University for a college tour, so most were very familiar with the campus. Unlike a college tour, which is more academically driven, this field trip was more recreational. It allowed Dreamers to relax from the regular hustle and bustle of high school, as well as spend time with their mentors, who were kind enough to attend the game as well!

Although the Buccaneers suffered a lost against St. Thomas University (67-70), the game was very exciting, especially the last half. The half time performance was also great: competitive jump rope routines performed by elementary and middle school students. They were super talented!

It was a nice Saturday. Thank you to all the mentors who attended!