James & Grace Lee Boggs Center
To Nurture Community Leadership
3061 Field Street, Detroit, MI 48214
www.boggscenter.org
December, 2004
Dear friends of the Boggs Center,
As we struggle to "grow our souls" in response to the
quagmire in Iraq, as we accept the challenges of George
Bush's re-election, the Increasing polarization of the
American people, the window of opportunity opened up by
Yasser Arafat's transition, and the seemingly insoluble
risis of our public schools and inner cities, we are
committed to developing advanced ideas and visionary
strategies necessary to build the movement to create the
New Self-Governing America that all of us, regardless of race,
class, gender, ability, religion or national origin, will be
proud to call our own.
The first decade of the 21 century needs a movement based
upon participatory democracy and community building.
In 2004, Board members, with the conscientious assistance of Resident
Associate Soh Suzuki but no paid staff, were able to:
- Organize a 3-day 40th Anniversary Celebration of Freedom Schooling
during Mississippi Freedom Summer
- Host gatherings & discussions with student groups from MSU, U of M, Chicago
- Support Detroit Summer, now beginning its 14th year.
- E-mail Grace’s & Shea’s weekly Citizen columns to 300 readers.
- Support Detroit Asian Youth Project.
- Initiate a Detroit Freedom Schooling Movement.
- Arrange for the Wayne State re-publication of Racism & Class Struggle,
The American Revolution & Revolution & Evolution in the 20th
Century.
- Organize a 4 day trip with Detroit Summer Youth to Chicago for MLK Speech.
- Host conversations at the center: with Ruth Needleman on education;
post-election reflections, etc.
- Maintain the Boggs Center website reproducing Grace's speeches & writings.
- Maintain 3061 Field St. including replacing gutters and painting the building.
In 2005 we will be continuing these activities. We also hope to
- Create a Youth Mini-leadership Institute for intensive study of advanced ideas
on Movement Building for Revolutionary Change
- Actively engage in educational activities related to the
Detroit School Board Election
- Sponsor and promote cross-cultural conversations to build
the Beloved Community as projected in www.belovedcommunity.org.
Board members and volunteers will continue to provide the leadership
and energies for these activities. But we need at least one paid staff
person, if only part-time to coordinate volunteers. If the above
projections speak to you, we are asking you to make a tax deductible
contribution of at least $25 to help make it real. I know that not
everyone can do that some of you are struggling with multiple jobs
to make ends meet. But please send whatever you can. Please consider
a major donation.
If your finances allow, pledge $1,000, $500, $250, $100 or $50.
Let us Know you believe in what we¹re doing.
Join us and support us in our work in 2005!
Please send your checks to the Boggs Center, 3061 Field, Detroit, Mi
48214.
All contributions are tax deductible. You can also go to the website:
www.boggscenter.org and use a credit
Card with paypal.
A Special Spring Gathering:
Please let us know if you’re interested in joining a Boggs
Center Advisory Council and/or attending a two day gathering
in May focused on Revolutionary thinking and Building the
Movement in the 21 century. Grace will be celebrating her
90th birthday in 2005.
Thank you,
Rich Feldman/ For the Boggs Board
313-923-0797
Email Grace Boggs Center
|
