Fall 2005
Message from Washington Burns
MD - PJCCE Executive Director
Hello Everyone!
This has truly been a year of discovery qith many significant events, programs and people contributing to the coming of age of the Prescott-Joseph Center. We have added new programs and have expanded our scope to provide family-centered services. We are absolutely dedicated to stregthening the individual, the family, and the community. I want to personally thank each of you for your continued support of PJCCE. We are on the move!!!
Happenings Around Prescott-Joseph!
Dr. Burns, our Executive Director, with Ouida Cooper Rodriguez, our new Program Director.
Erika Kayondo, our new Program/Administrative Assistant
Ouida Cooper-Rodriguez, MA joined the PJCCE team in April, ‘05 and will manage the ARS project. Ouida has made significant contributions and changes to move both PJC and the ARS project forward. We also brought on Erika Kayondo as Program/Administrative Assistant. Needless to say, increasing our capacity has increased our production.
Art and Culture
June 2004 - We did Raisin, an adaptation of Raisin in the Sun in The Sister Theater Bowman Theater in our backyard. This was followed by Notes from William III, Monologues from Shakespeare. Both adapted and directed by PJC Theater Director Ayodele Nzinga.
December 2004 – We held the 5th annual Art in the Convent, multicultural art show curated by Sahara.
Spring 2005 - Brought selections from the West Oakland Oral History project (Jonathan Eubanks and Opal Palmer) as the back drops for Senior Teas, where seniors from the neighborhood came to tell their stories of life in West Oakland prior to the 1950’s.
June 2005 - Our revival of Amen Corner in the backyard theater October 2005 - Saw the 5th annual Shakespeare in the Yard adaptation of Macbeth., renamed “Mack.”
December 2005 – We will have our 6th annual art show entitled “Signatures of Intention” curated by Tomye Neal Madison. The show will run from December 1st through the 30th.
Scene from James Baldwin’s Amen Corner in our Backyard Theater at Prescott-Joseph
“Thank You’s!”
Website
Collaborations
We want to give a special thank you to the following individuals and organizations that continue to support PJC:
The San Francisco Foundation
Joe Debro
David Anderson
New College
James Patrick
John D’Amico
Kenneth Grebenstein
www.prescottjoseph.org, the website developed by the YVOD team, Ulan McKnight and Marisa DeSalles, chronicles the changes and happenings at PJC. Check out our website to learn all about PJC’s role in West Oakland and the East Bay. Visit often as we are planning awebsite “facelift” in the coming months.
Collaborations are a major part of our effort to bring organizations together providing services to West Oakland residents. We house several non-profits in our building: Black Women Organized for Social Action (BWOPA), Digital Underground Storytelling for Youth (DUSTY), HOPE, Mandela Marketplace, West Oakland Asthma Coalition, and West Oakland Community Collaborative. Environmental Science Institute.
West Oakland Asthma Coalition
PJC is lead agency for the Coalition and Dr. Burns is Director. Asthma is a major problem in West Oakland. The Coalition taught in seven West Oakland schools last academic year. Over 1102 students were taught in English, Spanish and Arabic languages
Computer Training
PJC was awarded a mini-grant from The San Francisco Foundation to do computer-training classes for Spanish speaking residents in West Oakland. This program is also partially supported by Philanthropic Ventures. It will continue into 2006. The courses will be taught by Sam Guevara starting Saturdays, October 15 through December 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Building Renovations
The notoriety generated by our programs, happenings and the website made it clear to the Board that the exterior of the building needed to be painted to grace these programs. The front of the building has been finished along with restoration and painting of the statue of S.t Joseph (The Sisters of the Order of St. Joseph of Carondelet were here in this former convent from 1913-1989). We also have just finished putting on a new roof. After a long delay, we finally got a permit for a handicap ramp, which we will start in late October.
Partner News
This summer we provided office and meeting space for the I Have a Dream, Inc. staff as they were displaced during renovations for McClymond’s High School. IHAD helps children from low-income areas reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment with an assured opportunity for higher education. Visit them at: www.ihad.org.
New Art Programs
In October, two new art programs will start. Carmen Reyes Edstrom will conduct a “Healing through Art and Self Expression” healing art class for the women in the SISTER program starting October 12 through November 16 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Our after-school art program taught by Alethia Walker will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays for middle school students starting October 3 through December 7 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Both classes are free to West Oakland residents.
News from the West Oakland Community Collaborative…
Founded in 2001, the West Oakland Community Collaborative (WOCC) consists of nine community-based organizations serving West Oakland. Agencies address a wide range of issues from substance abuse and HIV/AIDS education to job training and economic development. The WOCC is pleased to welcome the George P. Scotlan Youth and Family Center as its newest member agency. The Scotlan Center, located in historic DeFremery Park, is West Oakland’s oldest community service center providing comprehensive services for at risk youth and their families. For more information or to access Scotlan’s services, please call 510-832-4544.WOCC Members include: Prescott-Joseph Center, The Economic Council for West Oakland Revitalization, the Institiute for the Advanced Study for Black Family Life and Culture, Jubilee West/United Neighborhood Improvement Association, People’s Community Partnership Federal Credit Union, Regional Technical Training Center, George P. Scotlan Youth and Famiy Center, SISTER Program, and the Women’s Economic Agenda Project (WEAP)-Prescott Resource Center
Voters Registration
We joined with other organizations, especially the West Oakland Community Collaborative for a very successful voter registration drive and voter turnout in Fall, ’04. We were awarded a $5,000 mini-grant from TSFF and registered over 3500 new voters. PJCCE serves as the lead agency for this project of the West Oakland Community Collaborative
The McClymond’s Youth and Family Center (MYFC)
…started last year at MHS and provides social services support to students and their families. It is in its second year, WOCC members now provide family support services to all three of the schools (2 high schools and a middle school) in the new McClymond’s Education Complex. PJCCE serves as the lead agency for this project of the West Oakland Community Collaborative
Another Road to Safety
Last year, Prescott-Joseph Center was given a planning grant to study the possibility of serving as the lead agency for a partnering project with Alameda County Social Services Agency (ACSSA) and First Five/Every Child Counts for a replication of Another Road to Safety (ARS) project in West Oakland. The purpose of the ARS program is to provide support to families referred by CPS with the ultimate goal of keeping them out of the “system” and reducing the number of youth displaced of children to foster care. The Board felt that this fits right into our mission of enhancing the community by enhancing the Individual, except now we significantly add to our mission by enhancing the family. Following ACSSA’s issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). PJCCE serves as the lead agency for this project of the West Oakland Community Collaborative.