Third Annual "Role/Roll" Like Marcus Harley-Davidson Memorial Ride for Peace and Officer Thomas Wortham, IV

Chicago, IL - More than 200 motorcycle enthusiast are expected to rev their engines down south Halsted Street from 115th Street to Union Park on Randolph Street on Sunday morning, May 30, 2010, in honor of Marcus Hendricks and fallen police officer Thomas Wortham, IV, both killed by senseless gun violence. This event is sponsored by the Marcus Hendricks Memorial Foundation. The participants will ride for peace and community unity and to promote mentoring as a solution to violence.
The first Roll Like Marcus event was held on May 4, 2008, just two weeks after Marcus Hendricks was fatally shot while in the office of his plumbing business in the Sheldon Heights neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. An avid Harley-Davidson enthusiast, Marcus' friends from the biker community joined together for a ride to commemorate Marcus - a father, a husband, a business man and a community supporter on what would have been his 35th birthday.
Since Marcus' death his family has created the Marcus Hendricks Memorial Foundation to promote the tenets of his life: hard-work, family and commitment to community. As a plumber Marcus created his own successful plumbing and sewer business. He supported the community by employing individuals whom he felt deserved a second chance and an opportunity to become self-sufficient and provide for their families.
Chicago Police Officer Thomas Wortham IV was murdered on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, and the ride this year will pay tribute to Officer Wortham. Cynthia Flowers of the Marcus Hendricks Memorial Foundation says, "Officer Wortham's death should spark outrage from the community. Like my brother he was doing everything right. My heart is bleeding for this family and for this dad who had to go to war against domestic terrorists to defend his son's life!"

The Marcus Hendricks Memorial Foundation is asking motorcycle officers from the Chicago Police Department and the Illinois State Police to lead the parade this year. Additionally, Black Bikers of Chicago, the Chicago biker community and bikers from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana are invited to participate in this event. The Black Bikers of Chicago and the biker community on the whole represents professionals, businessmen, members of law enforcement and a vast array of resources and talent that can be shared within our communities.
Just as men and women are being asked to Roll (r-o-l-l) like Marcus, they are also being encouraged to "role (r-o-l-e)" like Marcus by making hard-work, family and community development a way of life. Participants on this ride will have the opportunity to sign-up as mentors in local schools. This ride is also meant to link community advocacy groups who are actively working within Chicago neighborhoods to the bike clubs and individual mentors to help develop a partnership to impact positive changes in our communities.
Since Marcus' murder his sister Cynthia Flowers has committed herself to working towards improving education, family integrity and community unity. Flowers states, "When the youth speak about the reasons violence occurs they often refer to adults who don't care. Through our ride we want to show those youth that there are plenty of adults and organizations that do care. We want to show them that members of the biking community, to which my brother belonged, not only say they care but many of them have programs that give back directly to the community."

Sears Tower by any other Name...

When I first found out I shook all over. I just kept shaking my head from side to side in shock and utter disbelief. Finally, I rubbed my eyes to see if i were hallucinating or simply lacking comprehension of what I was reading. But alas, reliable news sources from the Chi-town, confiormed the devastating news--The Sears Tower is history. Gone. Kaput.L
Last Thursday, the tallest building in the United States, Chicago's Sears Tower disappeared from existance. Well, sorta. Willis Tower was introduced to Chicago by Mayor Richard M. Daley and others during a public renaming ceremony hosted by Willis Group Holdings, a British Company.
"It's always going to be the Sears Tower to me. I watched it being built from the ground up. I remember the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach the very first time I rode the elevator to the observation deck."
The 110-story skyscraper has been known as Sears Tower since it opened in 1973. Sears Roebuck and Co., moved out in 1992 but the name stayed.
The only way I could foresee calling this iconic landmark "Willis Tower" is it were named after my childhood friend, Jocelyn Willis or one of my favorite actors, Bruce Willis. In that case "Willis Tower" would be cool. Named after some anonymous British company makes the name change lame. hey, that rhymes!

Change Has Come to America...Meet the new 'First Family' of the United States of America

My options were many. I had three invitations to election night viewing/victory parties all in downtown Chicago. I'm leery of huge crowds even though the idea of being in the energy was inviting. I opted to stay at home and take a nap so that I could stay awake and see the results with my husband and 3 sons.
Four hours later when I awoke from what was supposed to be a 45 minute 'cat-nap', I tuned in to election coverage and was awed by what I saw. A peaceful, patriotic, sea of people in Grant park. This was more people in one place just standing still than I'd ever seen in my life. People of every size, shape, height, and ethnic heritage. Suburbanites and city-dwellers; old and young, men and women, boys and girls. Kids and babies were perched on top of the shoulders of their parents--given a joyful reprieve from going to bed early on a school-night.

When the polls closed on the West Coast and the election results were shown, Senator Barack Obama was declared the winner at about 10pm CST, with 280 electoral votes. The crowd erupted in a resounding roar and my spirit literally left my body briefly and soared through the air. I prayed to go high enough to see the face of God. When I landed I did see His face--in all the tearful faces involved in a giant flag-waving, celebratory hugfest
Senator Barack Obama had been elected President of the United States of America in a landslide victory. What a beautiful day to be alive. Change has come to America.
Here are a few lines from his powerful 16 minutes acceptance speech in Chicago, Illinois to a crowd of over 150,000 in Grant Park. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The moment was sacred.

OBAMA: If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
We are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

Pastor Sylvester Williams: Portrait of a Spiritual Leader

My pastor, Rev. Dr. Sylvester Williams, Sr., recently celebrated his "golden birthday." Offiially "he's grown now." (That's what I always say whenever anybody I love turns 50.)
A native of Alabama, he became my pastor 6 years ago, when my former pastor, Rev. Dr. Henry M. Williamson Sr. became Bishop and the Presiding Prelate of the 9th District, and moved away to California.

He's a cool person and is beloved by our congregation. He uses a very practical approach to ministry and preaches sermons that could be considered motivational. He's not into condemnation and eschews anything that might "bring a person down." He is humble and respectful. He is committed and faithful to our Methodist tradition. He treats children and seniors as the special citizens that they are.

He loves his family and his friends. he is a dutiful son, brother and uncle. He is a husband and father of two adult daughters and a son.
He loves to eat at good restaurants and appreciates unique atmospheres and service. He also loves home cooked foods and is an excellent cook. He loves music and is fond of the blues. He likes sports and doing regular guy stuff.
The church celebrated his birthday this past Sunday. His birthday was October 11th. I wasn't there--although I emailed him a birthday greeting. Even that didn't seem enough to me so I'm sending this sentiment to cyberspace for eternity.
Happy Birthday, Pastor Williams.

You have been a blessing in my life and I have grown under your spiritual leadership. You encourage me to live right--but not cause man is watching. May God bless you with the desires of your heart.

your sister in Christ Jesus,
The Churchlady

Happy Birthday Trevor Fields:A Biker Laid to Rest in Grand Style

On Saturday, June 28, 2008, a brother-friend of mine, Trevor Fields, was laid to rest in a homegoing service that was second to none.When I arrived at the service, which was held at Carter Temple CME Church in Chicago, I was greeted by a sea of bikers wearing colors that seemed to represent every black MotorCycle Club in the Chi-town.

Trevor, it seems was a part of the Red Liners MC. Their colors are red & black. There were many men and women Red Liners who came out to pay their respects. It was very touching and I'm sure his family was very happy to see such an awesome show of support from his friends and those persons who cared enough to put a comma in their day to celebrate the life of this young man. They say that it appeared to be over 200 bikers in his processional, in addition to the many cars.

I never knew Trevor loved motorcycle riding, which means I never really knew Trevor. I've known who Trevor Fields was only casually for 12 years. I knew his parents, William & Brenda Fields better than I knew him; but I knew he was their son whom they loved dearly.

I love motorcycles too. Trevor was killed in a motorcycle accident while riding his motorcycle on the Bishop Ford expressway in Chicago. Trevor was wearing his helmut, but in this instance it didn't help him. He died from mostly bodily injuries.

The news accounts I read were very tragic.I am the mother of four sons. I feel Brenda's pain at the sudden loss of one of her only two sons. When I saw her at the funeral I could only say, "I love you."

On July 5th, William and Brenda's son, Trevor would have celebrated the 36th anniversary of his birth. I know that this will be a very hard day for the Fields' family.

Trevor, I celebrate your life today. I am glad that you lived. I am glad that you knew how it felt to be 'one with the wind.' I am glad for the life of your daughter; I am happy that you had many friends and folks who loved you. I am glad that you had the parents that you had, and most of all I am glad that you knew Jesus for yourself.

Now, ain't that good news?