Monthly Archives: September 2022

I remember that hot summer day, when I sat under the dim fluorescent light in my 9x4 cell, and wrote a draft of what would become my first published story, Scars.

I had to muster up the inner courage to write that essay, because it was about being out on the condemned exercise yard in San Quentins isolation confinement unit and seeing the knotted burns and snakelike whip marks on the bare backs and arms of the men lifting weights.

In prison, nobody talked about their scars. Our scars were our own personal and private remnants and reminders of years and years of childhood abuse, often perpetrated by those the State had appointed to protect and care for us.

Nobody wrote about the painful backstories that gave rise to the scars, either, which is why it had taken more than a bit of convincing for me to try to submit my account for publication. In my minds eye, sharing our collective secrets was equivalent to sentencing myself to death all over again. But I later found the opposite was true. Writing Scars gave me a life. My story spoke for all of us on the yard, and for those of us outside it who have endured similar struggles.

Years after I published Scars in 1991 in Wingspan magazine, a friend said, Man, trip off this, I kind of always knew about this abuse thing, because I was doing it to my own kids. Maybe even worse. The daddy I had was the same daddy my kids had. After your article got published, I mailed it to my sons, and then we were able to talk about our scars together.

Putting the truth on paper made me realize that as powerless as I'd felt, I had a voice, that I had the ability to effect the kind of openness my friend experienced with his sons. When own what happened to uswhen we own our sufferingit becomes ours to keep and to learn to come to terms with. And, more than that, writing revived something in me: for the first time in forever I felt yes, I, Jarvis Masters, matter.

It was at the start of my writing journey, along with my spiritual practice, that gave me both the space and the guardrails to find my power. While I might be confined physically to this shoebox-cell, I can own my voice and raise it not in anger or rage, but to be of benefit to others, especially to those troubled teens who are on that dangerous pipeline from the cradle to prison, the odyssey I was on that landed me in San Quentin.

That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row

That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row

Of all that I've lost in my years behind bars writing and the power it affords is something no one can take from me. Along with meditation, through writing I've discovered an awakening sense of freedom, a life. And I know that even after I'm gone, my words will survive.

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Oprah's Book Club Author Jarvis Jay Masters on How Writing Has Given Him Freedom and Power - Oprah Mag

On Monday, during the seventh day of her visit to the United States, Hungarian President Katalin Novk spoke about the protection of human life, support for families, and true freedom, based on Hungarian family policy and her own conservative values at the Benedictine College Christian University in Kansas.

In her lecture, the head of state made a special point regarding what true freedom means to her and how to achieve it. Part of this, she said, is that no one should have to go along with the mainstream, so that they have a choice and can speak, think, and live truly freely.

Speaking about the protection of human life, the president stressed that everything starts with education, which shows the beauty of human life and also teaches where human life begins. As an example of the steps taken in Hungary, she said that pregnant women planning to have an abortion must attend two counselling sessions to consider the decision, which is also about a human life. Novk added that the possibility of accessing state family allowances during pregnancy was an important measure, and that Hungary had also sped up adoption procedures.

In her speech to university lecturers and students, the head of state quoted the provisions of the Hungarian constitution on families, which stipulate that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that the mother is a woman and the father a man.

In response to questions from the students, the President also spoke about the Hungarian Child Protection Act, saying that parents have the primary responsibility for the upbringing of their children, and as she put it, we must show respect for our children. In addition, the legislation was aimed at drawing attention to the so-called woke and LGBTQ propaganda, which in the words of the head of state, is not about respect for the other, but the opposite, that they do not respect our children.

Related article

Katalin Novk wished the Hungarians of the San Fernando Valley the freedom of God, family, and life.Continue reading

At the end of the lecture, Novk received the Benedictine College Award named after Pope John Paul II from the President of the Benedictine College, Stephen D. Minnis.

Novk concluded her visit to the United States on Tuesday, during which she spoke at the Franciscan University in Ohio on the principles of Hungarian family policy, related government measures, supportive and encouraging measures, and the right to free choice.

In the discussion that followed her presentation, Novk said that

Novk also attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Lajos Kossuth in Cleveland on Tuesday afternoon, and then took part in a session of the Artr Grgey scout troop at the St. Imre Catholic Church in Cleveland, and spoke at the churchs ceremony, where she summed up her week and a half visit to the US.

After two years of a very difficult pandemic, Novk asked the Hungarian-American community to do their utmost to strengthen their communities again, not to give up the importance, beauty, and opportunities of physical togetherness, as this is how they can help young people to ensure that the door to Hungary never closes.

Featured photo via Facebook page of Katalin Novk

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Hungarian President: "True freedom is not having to go along with the mainstream" - Hungary Today

FULL STORY: Fletcher, Freedom flex their physicality to down Central Catholic

Freedom 32, Allentown Central Catholic 14 Rapid Recap

Freedom High Schools football team has righted the ship.

The third-ranked Patriots, who started the season 1-2, climbed back above .500 on Saturday night with a 32-14 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference South Division victory over No. 2 Allentown Central Catholic at J. Birney Crum Stadium.

Turning point: Both teams traded a combined four punts to start the game, but Freedoms offense gained traction during a 60-yard scoring drive.

Tailback Jalen Fletcher completed the series with a 10-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.

Next, a miscue on a Central Catholic punt started the Patriots at the Vikings 45-yard line. Freedom found the end zone again when quarterback Ethan Neidig, with a defender hanging on him, tossed a 3-yard TD to Justin Peluso on fourth-and-goal.

Prajeet Santras PAT gave the visitors a 14-0 advantage with 6:54 remaining in the second quarter.

The Vikings fumbled on their next possession, and Neidig connected with wideout Owen Johnson for a 43-yard gain to put Freedom back in the red zone. A 2-yard score from Fletcher pushed the Patriots lead to 20-0 with 3:12 to go before the break.

Top performers: Fletcher finished with 163 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries. Neidig threw for 121 yards and a score.

Johnson finished with five receptions for 82 yards.

Running back Caiden Shaffer led the Vikings offense with 65 yards and two TDs on 14 carries.

What it means: Freedom has won back-to-back games and is now 3-2 overall and in the division. The Patriots have their first cross-divisional contest next week when theyre back at J. Birney Crum to face Allen on Friday.

Central dropped to 3-2 overall and in the division. The Vikings also have a North Division foe Dieruff on deck Oct. 1.

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Kyle Craig may be reached at kcraig@lehighvalleylive.com.

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Freedom football fights way to 3-score win over Central Catholic - lehighvalleylive.com

Todays MAGA Hot Mic moment comes features Idaho, where women are struggling to access Plan B and other forms of birth control as a result of thestates draconian abortion ban.

Idahos extreme trigger law, which bans nearly all abortions without exceptions for a womans health and threatens health care providers with prison time for providing vital reproductive care, went into effect a little over a month ago.

Washington Post: Idahos trigger law, which is set to take effect Thursday, bans abortions except in cases involving rape or when a womans life is in danger. There is no exception if a patient faces nonlethal health risks, such as a stroke or organ damage, by continuing the pregnancy.

Washington Post: Idahos trigger ban took effect on Aug. 25, approximately two months after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. That law, which was passed by state lawmakers in 2020, bans abortions at any time after conception, except in instances where the pregnant persons life is at risk or in cases of rape or incest so long as the crime was reported to law enforcement.

NPR: Physicians who perform abortions outside of these circumstances will be at risk of up to five years in prison. The Justice Department sued Idaho to block this law. During a court hearing on Monday, a federal judge said there seems to be an absolute conflict between that law and federal law regulating emergency care.

Thanks to the trigger ban, many health care providers are unable to offer basic health care services like birth control because they fear they could face a felony conviction and be permanently barred from all future state employment.

Washington Post: The University of Idahos general counsel issued new guidance on Friday about the states near-total abortion ban, alerting faculty and staff thatthe school should no longer offer birth control for students, a rare move for a state university. University employees were also advised not to speak in support of abortion at work. If an employee appears to promote abortion, counsel in favor of abortion, or refer a student for an abortion procedure, they could face a felony conviction and be permanently barred from all future state employment, according to an email obtained by The Washington Post.

Washington Post: Because the language of the law is unclear and untested, the message reads, we are advising a conservative approach here, that the university not provide standard birth control itself. Condoms could be provided for the purpose of helping prevent the spread of STDs, according to the guidance but not for purposes of birth control.

Lets not forget this is the same abortion extremism Idaho Republicans have been calling for. At the Idaho GOP state party convention, lawmakers rejected an amendment to the party platform that would protect abortion access in cases where the mothers life is at risk, and argued for the criminalization of all abortions:

Idaho Capital Sun: No exception for life of mother included in Idaho GOPs abortion platform language

Idaho Capital Sun: While language already existed in the platform classifying abortion as murder from the moment of fertilization, [State Senate candidate Scott] Herndons language added that the party supports the criminalization of all abortions within the states jurisdiction.

Republican lawmakers in Idaho, and across the country, are keeping their promise that overturning Roe was just the beginning; Theyre coming after a womans fundamental right to privacy. This is whats at stake come November.

Link:

MAGA Hot Mic: Women in Idaho Are Losing The Freedom to Access Birth Control - Democrats - Democrats.org

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- El Salvador, the first sovereign nation to make bitcoin legal tender, will host Adopting Bitcoin, a conference promoting Bitcoin adoption in the context of creating a freer and more equitable financial system.

The conference, which takes place in San Salvador and Bitcoin Beach from November 15-17, brings together the bitcoin ecosystem for collaboration, networking and learning.

The event is organized by Galoy Inc., whose bitcoin banking platform powers Bitcoin Beach Wallet in El Salvador. "Nobody expected a sovereign nation to adopt bitcoin as legal tender in 2021," said Nicolas Burtey, CEO of Galoy. "The move has changed public perception about both the country and the currency. El Salvador is now making strides to become the Singapore of Central America and a beacon for financial inclusion, while bitcoin is proving itself as an excellent medium of exchange that can facilitate millions of daily transactions."

Bitfinex, the state of the art digital token trading platform, is the headline sponsor of the event. The exchange, which has the deepest Bitcoin liquidity, has a vision to extend financial freedom to communities, societies and countries across the world. Bitfinex is working closely with the El Salvador government to provide the financial technology platform for the issuance and trading of the proposed Volcano Token.

"Bitfinex is proud to be a technology and exchange partner for the Salvadoran people in their historic journey towards financial freedom and to be a sponsor of educational initiatives aimed at increasing financial and technological literacy," said Paolo Ardoino, CTO at Bitfinex.

The first two days of the event will take place at the Crowne Plaza convention center in San Salvador. More than 110 speakers from over 30 different countries will share the latest developments from the whole spectrum of bitcoin disciplines, relating to both technology and the economy. A highlight of the technology and development focused track will be the presentation of bitcoin core developer Jon Atack, while the economics focused track's most prominent name is Mexican senator Indira Kempis. The multi-track event will be conducted in English with real-time translations in Spanish for the main stages.

Day three of the event will take attendees on a field trip to Bitcoin Beach, El Zonte, where the country's bitcoin adoption originated. Mike Peterson, Director of Bitcoin Beach, noted: "After less than one year, we are seeing one in five people use bitcoin daily. Now delegations of representatives, bankers and technologists from all corners of the world are coming to El Salvador to learn how bitcoin can be used as a tool for financial inclusion."

The non-profit event can be accessed by Salvadorans at a preferential price of $21 dollars.

About Adopting Bitcoin

Adopting Bitcoin brings together stakeholders from all sides of the bitcoin ecosystem with local actors in El Salvador to network, collaborate and learn in a 3-day conference.

More information: adoptingbitcoin.orgTwitter: @AdoptingBTC

About Galoy

Galoy develops bitcoin-native banking software enabling organizations to plug into the Lightning Network and launch bitcoin banking services. The GaloyMoney open source core banking platform includes a secure backend API, mobile wallets, point of sale apps, an accounting ledger and administrative controls. Learn more at galoy.io or github.com/galoymoney.

More information: galoy.ioTwitter: @GaloyMoney

SOURCE Galoy

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El Salvador hosts Adopting Bitcoin conference as nation promotes financial freedom - PR Newswire

Before we get into todays Freedom Kicks, be sure to check out yesterdays:

Tuesday Freedom Kicks: International matches galore, Dave Johnson part of Annapolis Blues ownership group, and more

Read it? Welcome back. Its almost October, which means those of us secretly already watching Halloween movies can now openly watch Halloween movies. I love this season. Meteorologically, that is - not MajorLeagueSoccerly.

Andy Najar has unfortunately been injured again on international duty with Honduras. I just dont know what to say anymore.

Loudoun United is young. Very young. Globally young.

Hoyas, its time to buy into the Washington Spirit: I never get tired of reading about new fans wonderstruck by our local teams.

Washington Spirit call on Congress to pass Equal Pay for Team USA Act: Want to know more about what this headline means? Click the link.

Trinity Rodman gains some more recognition.

Three takeaways from the USMNTs frustrating 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia: Jasons thoughts on how last last match went... My thoughts? Berhalter obviously is playing 4D chess to make our World Cup opponents overconfident.

Meanwhile, on the U20 side of things... I recognize that name.

Report: 2026 World Cup Final to be played at AT&T Stadium: The World Cup looks like its headed to JerryWorld.

The IMSA season draws to a close at Road Atlanta this Saturday, and with it, the end of the DPi era. The DPi championship remains up for grabs. A reminder of how this race and championship ended last year:

With that, I leave you with the famous words of a beloved pig: Thats all, folks!

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Wednesday Freedom Kicks: Another D.C. United injury, International roundups, and more - Black And Red United

Emily Dimick | Reporter

The Bowling Green State University College Democrats, Feminist Organization Rallying for Gender Equity and BG Persists will meet on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 5:30 p.m. in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union to address the confusion behind Roe v. Wade being overturned.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned, it left many Ohioans wondering what is and isnt legal, in regards to reproductive rights. The senior organizer at ProChoice Ohio Hannah Servedio will talk about the new restrictions on abortion in the state and options that are available for women seeking abortions.

Bowling Green Councilperson Nick Rubando will attend the meeting, to inform attendees about the ways they can protect their reproductive rights. Tables with resources including handouts, informational pamphlets and more will be available for those attending.

After the meeting, attendees and anyone else who would like to join, are welcome to march through campus. Supplies will be available for people to make signs about the new restrictions on reproductive rights.

Read the rest here:

Reproductive Freedom Event happening Thursday | Campus | bgfalconmedia.com - bgfalconmedia.com

We may be on an international break, but soccer news never stops! D.C. United players have been busy on the pitch, albeit not in Black-and-Red, and there is plenty to keep us typing.

Victor Plsson got the start for Iceland against Albania today. A 1-1 draw puts Iceland in second place in their group.

Ravel Morrison made the XI for new head coach Heimirs first Reggae Boyz match - a friendly against Argentina at 8 pm ET today.

Morrison and Plsson arent alone competing for their country today. Jeremy Garay plays for El Salvador against Peru at Audi Field at 8 pm ET, while Andy Najar kits up for Honduras against Guatemala at 9 pm ET. Jackson Hopkins will join the U20 Youth National Team to take on Paraguay at 10 pm ET.

Loudoun United had three players make the USL Championship Team of the Week; Tyler Freeman, Skage Simonsen, and Ted Ku-DiPietro all made the cut.

Dave Johnson, the voice of D.C. United (and the Wizards, and really the voice of sports in the DMV) has joined the Annapolis Blues ownership group. We love to see it!

According to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, D.C. United is valued at more than $800 million. (This figure includes real estate development, Audi Field, the United Performance Center, sports betting and more.)

Finally, how is the USMNT really doing? Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, and Tom Bogert discuss:

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Tuesday Freedom Kicks: International matches galore, Dave Johnson part of Annapolis Blues ownership group, an - Black And Red United

The HU Skate Club, photo courtesy of Kennedi Armour.

Nested in the corner of the Banneker Recreational Park lies a skate park, dressed in graffiti. The park can be heard before its seen with skateboards banging against the concrete to the tunes of R&B and Hip-hop. If its quiet, its likely a weekday afternoon and the Howard University students that fill the park are busy at school. A growing community of Howard students meet at the park every Friday to skate, sit, talk and debrief after a long week.

If I am not in class or working, I am skating, said Monyell Sessoms, the Howard University Skate Club president. If Im frustrated I skate, if Im happy I skate, if Im sad I skate, literally any state you can find me skating. Its kind of just my outlet.

Sessoms was a huge fan of the music group Odd Future growing up and after watching them skate, she thought of taking it up herself. She enjoyed it, but she didnt become an avid skater overnight. Sessoms didnt live in sunny California like the people in Odd Future, she lived in North Carolina where hardly anyone around her skated, let alone any Black people. She didnt have a cool group of people to skate with like those she admired.

Sessoms wanted to change that going into college and began recruiting skaters far before even stepping onto Howards campus. A year into the coronavirus pandemic and a year before students would return to Howards campus, Sessoms made a request for Howard skate buddies on Twitter.Monyell Sessoms, photo courtesy of Kennedi Armour.

Through this informal PSA, she met Kameren Haliday, another skater at Howard. Haliday is a junior computer science major and the vice president of the skateboarding club. When she was 11-years-old, she got her first board on Christmas. It was a thin, plastic $15 skateboard from Walmart. She was grateful for the board even though it was not the sturdy, wood skateboard that she really needed. Shortly after receiving the skateboard, she was riding at her local skatepark when the wheels abruptly stopped turning and she was stuck in a cast for weeks. During this time, she saved up for a better skateboard, and this one was perfect. If you saw Haliday, you saw her penny board glued to her arm, she described.

When the two finally arrived at Howards campus, they immediately began skateboarding. To their surprise, not many students were at Banneker upon their arrival.

My first day here, I came up here and I was like Dude, I dont see any skaters, said Sessoms in disbelief. So we started gradually finding each other, but I just thought, what if we were organized? What if we had set times to meet, just as a set inclusive space for everyone to come skate?Photo courtesy of Kennedi Armour.Photo courtesy of Kennedi Armour.

The HU Skate Club had its first meeting on Friday, Aug. 19 and the turnout made Sessoms and Haliday more confident to continue promoting their club.

First day, I had a bunch of people come up to me like, Oh my god, there are Black skaters here they didnt know this was here, they didnt know people skated on campus, but were here, said Sessoms excitedly. Weve kinda created a space where people can just be happy Black kids, theres no pressure to do anything.

Haliday and Sessoms both attested to chasing down anyone they saw with a skateboard, urging them to join them at the park. Community was something both of them valued and they wanted to create one if it wasnt already there. Not just for their fellow Howard students, but for little kids in the neighborhood who play just a few hundred feet away from the skatepark.

Were going to impact all the little girls that go to the playground and see us skateboarding, all the little boys that walk by, you know, to get McDonalds with their friends and see us skateboarding. All the other students that think, Oh Im too old to learn actually come out here and want to learn, said Haliday. Because its something fun that everyone should be allowed to do. Free to express themselves in this way.

Freedom of expression is what drives the club. Upon walking onto the skate grounds, one begins to realize that no one skater looks the same. Every shred of clothing, board and song that becomes a backdrop for cool tricks and aspiring skaters, all of it is aesthetically distinctive from the rest of what Howard University has to offer. Despite the individuality of every skater, they are all drawn to each other through the umbrella of being Black.

Were all here for the same purpose. Here, were all passionate about skating and its just somewhere we can go, said freshman psychology major and health sciences minor, MJ, from Pennsylvania. I feel like this skate community is very non-judgmental, especially as Black skaters. We just wanna hang out, this is our way of letting go, of having a good time.

Regardless of skill or experience with a board, everyone who sets foot on the skating grounds feels free of all judgment, like Bryten Gant, a junior electronics studio major from Georgia.

The fact that [the club] is very beginner friendly helps a lot because when I did my research, I feel like I got scared because I didnt wanna be seen as a poser, said Gant, holding their skateboard with both hands. But seeing so many Black skaters is so empowering and the fact that they emphasize beginners are welcome made me feel accepted.

Non-skaters, beginners and experienced skaters all share the park whole-heartedly. Its a community that thrives because of everyones willingness to be who they are. This freedom to be authentic is what allows beginners to learn, fall and get back up without embarrassment. Its common to find Haliday with a small group of beginner skaters, helping them balance on their boards, holding their arms so as to not fall over.

People like Sir Aivlys Blair, a Washington, D.C. resident, also teaches beginners how to skate. Blair doesnt attend Howard University, but finds peace and happiness in skating and his ability to teach others how to skate.Sir Aivlys Blair (right), photo courtesy of Kennedi Armour.

My homie signed up for this program to become a skateboarding teacher and he put me on. I applied and was accepted and I started doing lessons for like, two years, then branched off and started doing my own lessons, said Blair, speaking over the thumping music and scraping skateboard wheels. I love sharing this thing that carried me through more than half of my life and gave me happiness and friends I wouldnt have gotten otherwise.

To people like Essenia Satya, a junior sociology major and Spanish minor from Oakland, California, the Howard University Skate Club is more than a large group of like-minded individuals who have a desire to skate, its a family of students and D.C. locals who have bonded over skate culture and Black culture. Its a safe space of passion, dedication, friendship and love.

All types of people are welcome, whether you skate or not, said Satya. You can come at 5 p.m. and there will be people skating here until, like, 11 p.m., even after the lights turn off. Therell be people playing games and doing random stuff and becoming friends with each other.

Skating is an art form. Howard students are often known for their acute sense of style, intelligence and art. The skate club is simply another affirmation of this established reputation. Jerome Halsell, a senior electrical engineering major from Indianapolis, Indiana, found comfort in the clubs welcoming atmosphere.

Not only is it a community, its an open place for all, skaters and non-skaters alike, Halsell said passionately. Its a place for people to just enjoy themselves, to watch others enjoy themselves, and you know, have a good time. This club is just another way Howard is expressing diversity and art.

You can find more information on the club on Instagram.

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The Howard University Skate Club: A Celebration of Freedom and Authenticity - The Hilltop Online