YOUR Program + YOUR Success = YOUR Progress
Program Success 31 Summer 2017
Publisher ' s Editorial Footprints Darryl A . Barrs Jacksonville , Florida Summer 2017
Feet-PRINTS
Publisher ' s Editorial Darryl A . Barrs , Sr . President / CEO Program Success
Many of people have made great contributions to our continued success as a people . In this issue we have championed the lives of some of these people who have since passed on and the impressions of their footprints are embedded in our history . Rutledge Henry Pearson was the President of the NAACP in Jacksonville in the decades of the 1950 ' s and 60 ' s , a time when Jacksonville would become a battle-ground for the fight for equality of opportunity and justice , marked by non-violence protests and outbreaks of racial violence . Rutledge , our leader would lead this fight and it ultimately cost him his life .
Susan Armstrong-West was a Professor of Psychology at Edward Waters College who brought to the forefront a greater awareness of Mental Health Issues in the African American Community . Her workshops highlighted the shortage of mental health professionals in our community , the fact that our system of care if fragmented , and our public sector is underfunded .
The taking of Trayvon Martin ' s life underscored parish ." the undervaluing of our young Black males lives . His story awakened the sleep of apathy and enthused our communities to never aspire nor maintain to a level tolerance . Harvey L . Riley was a Senior Pastor not only in his church Mt . Moriah Baptist of Palm Bay ;
YOUR Program + YOUR Success = YOUR Progress
he was also a Senior Pastor and Great Leader in the State of Florida . His exemplary ways and quiet demeanor inspired the best in all people which improve relationships civil , social , economic and spiritually .
The importants of the lives of these individuals is they will forever be remembered for their sacrificial deeds and the footprints their lives made in our history . I ' m not talking about the warm fuzzy make you smile footprints in the sands , where there was two sets of footprints then only one set ... no I ' m talking about the footprints in the sand that when times got tough and most difficult , you saw the same footprints ... only blooded and bruised , sometime dragging , but pressing in the direction of danger until they were no more .
We need these types of leaders today . Not afraid to sacrifice a paycheck . Not deterred by the threat of jail . Willing to loose pride , property and even their lives . Marching to the beat of a drum that they only may hear with the resolve " If I parish - I
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