NorCalUrban

Samuel and I just returned from New York. We had a great time. Most of the week was reserved for appointments and connections - mainly on behalf of BCM - but we also had some time to hang in the city and have some fun. We spent a ton of time with Dr. Louis Carlo at Nyack College in Manhattan. I was very impressed with what they have going on there. It's one of the only Christian colleges I've been to that has an overwhelming majority of students of color. I really sensed that God is reserving something special for that college. I appreciate Dr. Carlo's hospitality and opening the doors for us. He is the director of the grad school - it's very impressive. I hope to make a connection between he and David Moore at Patten. Dr. Carlo is an amazing, warm and open leader. The students love him and it shows! Additionally I had a great meeting at NYU with Curtis Wright at the multicultural life department. We got to connect with Jason Lewis - a former BCM intern and amazing art...

Plane is delayed - takin' the red-eye to NYC. This should be my last large recruiting trip for BCM. I'm speaking at Nyack College in Manhattan - thanks to Dr. Louis Carlo. The fun part is that Samuel is traveling with me. He's excited to be in New York again. He's 10 now - I'm sure this is a trip he'll remember all his life. We have a couple of fun things planned - a Knicks game and a tour of Yankee Stadium. We're flying on Jet Blue - direct tv all the way! My friend Katie called it a boondoggle, hmmmm. I had the strangest stomach flu over the last few days. Sorry to whine - but, man - I felt acute pain like I never had before. Right now I'm feeling ok... hope it lasts. We land around 6:45 am...

Here is a ongoing conversation I'm having with a friend about gentrification and economic development. Thoughts??? M WROTE: Hi John. I don't have any good leads for you in NY. But I'm very interested if you learn anything. I think that a critical step next for (our organization) is both the challenge of Gentrification and Economic Development and I think they are both linked.Right now if a young leader comes to our association and says that their CDC is ready to start doing economic development in their community what do they do, I think that to a certain degree (our organization) is a bit clueless. I don't think we could tell them a clear message as to what they should be doing. What economic development activity should our CDC undertake to help our community? Is there one strategy that we should do first? (Jobs, small businesses, training, asset building, micro lending, credit unions, recruiting manufacturers, employment assistance, etc.) Or is there a process w...

Just got back home from my trip. After leaving Hampton University on Friday I flew down to Florida to I spend the weekend with family and friend. I had the chance to hook up with one of my oldest friends, Tony. Tony is now a dentist in the town I grew up in. I've known him since kindergarten. It's a trip to see the two of us, late 30's, having coffee, talking 'grown up' talk. I remember alll the times on the playground at St. Peters School with him... TIme flies. Also had the blessing to spend a ton of time with my nephew Noah and niece Lilli. I pasted some of the pics of the kids. It was good to be with the family. It was hard to leave but I was anxious to return home to Melissa and Samuel. Oh yea, I also found a great pic of Melissa and Samuel taken on Christmas Eve. Next Monday I head to NYC to recruit for BCM. Samuel is going with me... Hope to hook up with family and friends when I'm there. On Friday we're taking a tour of Yankee Stadium and going to a...

Transcript: Bono remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast Remarks — as prepared for delivery and courtesy of DATA — by Bono to the National Prayer Breakfast; Feb. 2, 2006. BONO: Thank you. Mr. President, First Lady, King Abdullah, Other heads of State, Members of Congress, distinguished guests … Please join me in praying that I don't say something we'll all regret. That was for the FCC. If you're wondering what I'm doing here, at a prayer breakfast, well, so am I. I'm certainly not here as a man of the cloth, unless that cloth is leather. It's certainly not because I'm a rock star. Which leaves one possible explanation: I'm here because I've got a messianic complex. Yes, it's true. And for anyone who knows me, it's hardly a revelation. Well, I'm the first to admit that there's something unnatural… something unseemly… about rock stars mounting the pulpit and preaching at presidents, and then disappearing to their villas in...

Been on the east coast all this week - Atlanta (Spelman, Morehouse and Georgia State) and Hampton University in Virginia. It was good to be with students. Our turnout in Atlanta was somewhat poor, because of the King funeral (I think). Hampton was great - I'm thrilled about our relationship with Minster Ray at the school. Now I'm in Florida, hanging out with family for the weekend. Right now I'm having an intense discussion with my brother in law about the emergent church. Good times!

I've been reading this book. It's by a local Bay Area guy who was a key play in Apple a few years ago. Practical, clear and honest. If you're looking to start something or are looking for funding... this is worth the price. Get it here.

There are a couple of artists that have influenced my thinking and passion. Bruce Springsteen taught me about the pain of the blue collar worker. Bob Dylan taught me the power of song (ever hear "Hurricane"?). Larry Norman told me that you could be a Christian and care about politics (song - The Great American Novel). Bono changed me - he IS a Christian and a social activist. Bono used the scripture to define my theology about the poor. I do what I do today in part because of artists like these. Last week Bono spoke at the national prayer breakfast. Listen here. . This is a prophetic message to the church and those of us who care about God's heart for the poor.

*This went out to our CU partners... Hopefully it'll give you an update on our progression...* I wanted to take a moment and give you an update on our work over the past few weeks. Charlene returned from Guam on 1/18, which has provided us the opportunity to move ahead on our tasks and projects. Her father thankfully is doing well and recovering. We are working on a number of fronts to see this project established. Here is the list of things that are on the “front burner”. - CDFI Fund grant. The CDFI fund grant is due on 2/13. We are applying for federal money to provide us capital for EPAFCU. The grant application is arduous. We expect to get the grant complete, but the deadline is tight. We’re asking for 100k for technical assistance. If approved, it will fund in the fall. - Business plan. We’re working diligently on the business plan for EPAFCU. We recently spent a day together working on this. Our goal is to have a draft plan by no later than 4/1. There will be additional piec...