May/June 2013 Volume 1 Issue 4 The Silent Warrior ISSN: 2326-182X Chair’s Corner In this issue: Making Sure Everyone Has a Shot to Make It In America Honorable Steny H. Hoyer In the spirit of US House of Representatives, Democratic Whip innovation and 5th congressional district of American ingenuity, this Maryland edition we focused on all Derrick Figures things that Education and Community embrace the Development Policy Advocate theme, “Make It In America”. Make It In America: An Alma Derrick The viewpoints in Director this issue cover the spectrum of American Initiative Deloitte Consulting LLP opinion: candid, thoughtful and in By the Honorable Steny H. Hoyer some cases, provocative – good things Wiliam E. Spriggs, Ph.D all. In short, we want to inspire and For ten years, I had the honor of Chief Economist remind folks how we really built our serving alongside Rep. Augustus AFL-CIO country’s foundation and what we need Hawkins in Congress, and I had a to do now if we intend to maintain our chance to witness firsthand his Garrick T. Davis track record for trailblazing to compete commitment to advancing the growth Augustus Hawkins Foundation in the world market. This may seem a of opportunities for working families Board Member bit off the education and workforce and those struggling to achieve the track for some, however we American Dream. Throughout his understand that a trained and long career in public service, he Honarable Jason M. Fields experienced workforce is perpetually in fought with a quiet but powerful Former Wisconsin State need of actual ‘work’ and that those determination to shape policies that Representative that provide this work – small help more of our people make it in Vice President, Business Development Continued on Page 4 America. Spring Water Asset Management Corporation For the past three years, I have led In the Spotlight: Art Sanctuary – an effort by House Democrats to Stacy Brown One of Philadelphia’s Cultural create jobs and grow the kind of Columnist with the Washington Manufacturers opportunities Rep. Hawkins worked so hard to expand. Our plan, which Informer we call “Make It In America,” places a strong emphasis on attracting manufacturing jobs back to our shores and making sure our graduates are well prepared to succeed in those jobs. Traditionally, manufacturing careers have been gateways to the middle class, enabling workers and their families to afford higher education, attain homeownership, access quality health coverage, and retire with peace of mind. Continued on Page 3 The Silent Warrior Warrior The Silent Art Sanctuary Johnetta Cole describes the Art Sanctuary as “sacred” to Philly’s artistic community. In addition to regular monthly Whether celebrating famed photographer Erin Cosby’s programming, Art Sanctuary annually hosts the exhibit “Beauty” highlighting the images of women and Celebration of Black Writing festival, during which writers children from around the world, hosting the 29th Annual discuss their work with up to 1,500–2,000 students, and Celebration of Black Writing Festival, introducing the another 2,000–3,000 people participate in panels, fabulous musical works of saxophonist, composer and workshops, a teachers’ symposium, Family Pavilion, main arranger Odean Pope to Philly’s next generation of stage, and much more. musicians at a Jon Coltrane concert or honoring poet, playwright and author Ntozake Shange, recording artist and one half of the legendary songwriting and production team and musical duo Ashford & Simpson Valerie Simpson and veteran journalist Annette John-Hall Warrior The Silent during its Lifetime Achievement Awards Ceremony, Art Sanctuary as given breath to artistic expression for those who use their creative talents to ‘Make It In America’. Founded by esteemed, best-selling author, educator and activist Lorene Erinn Cosby and Valerie Gay Cary in 1998 and located in Lorene Cary’s literary achievements are many. Her North published works include her latest novel, If Sons, Then Philadelphia, Heirs; best-selling memoir Black Ice, an American Library Art Sanctuary Association Notable Book for 1991 taught in several Odean Pope and a young fan colleges and high schools; The Price of a Child a 1995 novel chosen as the first One Book, One Philadelphia is an African American arts and letters 501(c) 3 non-profit selection; Pride, a contemporary novel, and FREE! Great organization that uses the power of African America Escapes on the Underground Railroad, a collection of visual, literary and performing arts through events, true-life stories for young readers, scheduled for reprint promotion and education to transform individuals, unite fall 2011 by Temple University Press. cultural and ethnically diverse people, and enrich, and draw inspiration from the inner city of Philadelphia. Cary’s essays have appeared in publications including Recognizing ‘art’ as an industry, the organization invites Newsweek, Time, Essence, and O Magazine. In established and aspiring artists to help create excellent December 2010, the public opening of The President’s lectures, performances, and educational programs, House on Independence Mall in Philadelphia introduced enriching the community and stimulating an appreciation visitors to five videos, shot from Cary’s original scripts, for the economics of Art. depicting the lives of nine enslaved Africans in the household of President George Washington as well as the free black men and women who helped two of them run to freedom. In 2003, Cary was recognized by the city of Philadelphia for her arts activism, her writing, and for serving as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania receiving the Philadelphia Award, the city’s highest civic honor. One of Art Sanctuary’s popular trans-generational programs is Hip H’opera. This collaborative program between Art Sanctuary and the Opera Company of Philadelphia is a three-phase project taking teaching artists and workshops to more than 100 students and their Johnetta Cole and Valerie Gay teachers in seven area schools. Students learn the history and aesthetics of hip-hop and opera, genres that use the Some15-years after bringing Cary’s cultural vision to life, human voice to tell profound stories, and then, using more than 10,000 diverse participants enjoy Art poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, these students capture Sanctuary’s unique programs of excellent African- their own urban stories. American arts and letters in inner-city Philadelphia. A Continued on Page 3 thriving oasis of expression by artists of every genre, 2 The Silent Warrior Warrior The Silent Librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, named one of America’s Gay offers an organic perspective of Art Sanctuary’s Top Young Innovators by Smithsonian Magazine and contribution to the Make It In America concept. “We look composer Daniel Bernard Roumain known at every community, in our country to see the beauty and internationally for his collaborations with Philip Glass, creativity and potential contributions that those citizens Cassandra Wilson, Bill T. Jones, Savion Glover and Lady can make to the betterment of us all, and we expose to Gaga are the creative team behind artistic operatic . them the beauty and provide for them opportunity, they often exceed our expectations”. The initial pieces, which premiered in 2008, were work shopped with young librettists, and then performed, first as poetry by the teens, then in musical form by opera An American Initiative continued from Page 1 singers, a string quartet, a pianist, and intergenerational chorus. Hip-H’opera sold out two local performances. Investment in a strong manufacturing base will help us secure the jobs of tomorrow and enable more Americans Warrior The Silent to enter a growing middle class. Already our manufacturing sector has seen promising gains, with thousands of jobs created over the past few years after decades of decline. A rise in wages overseas and a decline in energy costs here at home have contributed toward making our country an attractive place for manufacturers to locate their operations. Plus, our workers are still the world’s most productive. The Make It In America plan is designed to build on these gains. Since first launching our plan in 2010, we’ve achieved a number of important successes. Working across the aisle, we reauthorized the Export-Import Bank in order to help American businesses compete on a level playing field overseas. Congress also passed landmark patent In 2013, professionals plan to craft the students’ new work reform that promotes innovation and the into an opera for a new fall 2014 production. Students will commercialization of new products. Both of these will have an opportunity to work with a librettist, dramaturge, encourage private sector hiring. To ensure that those in producer, composer, and choreographer while mounting our workforce can compete for new jobs, we enacted the the final production. They will also be involved in such America COMPETES Act, which invests in science, technical areas as set design and costuming. The technology, engineering, and mathematics – or “STEM” – program is expected to become a national model for education initiatives. However, heightened partisanship in bridging genres and bringing new energy to inner-city Congress prevented the bulk of Make It In America music study. legislation from reaching the House floor. Art Sanctuary has also partnered with more than 20 public Recognizing that the only way jobs legislation will make it and charters schools in Philadelphia providing similar through Congress and onto the President’s desk is artistic collaborative opportunities to expand the range through bipartisan consensus, I joined with other House and reach of inner-city future artists. Democrats in early April to unveil four key Make It In America priorities for the 113th Congress that will have Art Sanctuary is lead by Executive Director Valerie Gay. the greatest chance of success. Not only success in Like Cary, Gay is no stranger to Philadelphia’s art world.