March Winds Blow With Activity at the Redford Branch Library

Professors Visit Teen Center

On Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 6:00 pm, Professors Bruce Smith and Michael Wright will be presenting  a discussion on African American popular and historical culture and how it effects our daily living.  All young adults are invited to take part in the interactive discussion.

The presentation will provide and interesting retrospective of how we have arrived at this place in time.

REAL MEN READ!

 Mr. Tood Kelly was our first gentleman reader for our Real Men Read series which was held on Monday, March 1, at 6 pm.   This event will take place on the first Monday of every month through December 2010.  In accordance with the theme of men as they appear in the lives of their families and communities.  Selected men will read, talk, share and laugh with interactive audience participation.  These men represent the real men in our community.

Men that are interested in participating in this event should contact Dr. Conja Wright at 313-578-8000.

Senator Tupac A. Hunter will read to our children and patrons on Monday, March 15 at 6 pm as a special edition of our "Real Men Read," program.

In November 2006, Tupac A. Hunter was overwhelmingly elected to the Michigan Senate representing the citizens of the 5th District, which comprises northwest Detroit, Dearborn Heights, and Inkster. As a freshman Senator, he has been bestowed the honor of being appointed Assistant Democratic Leader. He is the ranking Democrat on both the Banking and Financial Institutions Committee and the Homeland Security and Emerging Technologies Committee. He also serves as a member of both the Commerce and Tourism Committee and the Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee.

Prior to being elected to the Michigan Senate, he served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2003-2006. As a State Representative, he served as the ranking Democrat on the Banking and Financial Services Committee and the Insurance Committee, as well as Chief Whip of the House Democratic Caucus.

Answers to Our Black History Month Quiz

Match the name to what they became famous for:

1.  Romare Bearden - E.  Artist wh was "the master of the collage."
2  J. Raymond Jones - D.  Politician known as "The Harlem Fox."
3.  Rita Dove - B.  Poet
4.  Alexander L. Twilight - I.  1st African American to receive a college degree
5.  Otis Boykin - J.  Electronics wizard
6.  Marshall "Major" Taylor - M.  World's fastest bicycle rider, "The Black Cyclone."
7.  Benjamin S. Carson Sr. - K. Led 1st successful operation to seperate siamese twins
8.  Susie King Taylor - L. 1st Black army nurse during the civil war
9.  Walter S. McAfee - C. Calculated the speed of the moon.
10.  Frederick McKinley Jones - A. Put refrigerated trucks on the road
11.  Ruby Bridges - N. 1st African American to enter an all white school
12.  Richard Wright - O. Author of 1st black selection for the Book of the Month Club
13.  Peter Hill - H.  Highly skilled clock maker
14.  Clayton Bates - G. Extraordinary dancer
15.  Herman Petty - 1st African American McDonald's franchise owner

Meet the Representative Coffee Hour

Meet your local Representative from Lansing, Shanelle Jackson from the 9th State District on Wednesday, March 17 from 6 - 7 pm.  Bring your questions and obtain pertinent, current informtion from Lansing.

State Rep. Shanelle Jackson is dedicated to serving her community and making Detroit a great place to live, work and raise a family. As a state representative, Rep. Jackson's priorities include:

•Reforming unfair insurance practices.
•Ensuring equitable funding for education.
•Reforming Michigan's revenue-sharing system so all municipalities get their fair share.

Experience

Rep. Jackson served as the deputy chief of staff for State Rep. Virgil Smith, a fellow Detroit lawmaker, for two years. Rep. Jackson also has done work with Michigan Young Democrats, the NAACP and Project Vote Smart

REDFORD READERS BOOK CLUB

Did you see Leonard Pitts speak but didn't have a chance to atttend a book club in February? Its not too late. The Redford Readers book club will be discussing Before I Forget, by Leonard Pitts on March 27, 2010. Come join our lively discussion about this great book.


Do you already belong to a book club?  We would like to support your club, check with a librarian and get information on our "Book Club in a Bag" program.  Or check with us for a comfortable meeting location.

Children Focus on the 2010 Census

Strategic Builders Inc. under the leadership of  Ms. Laura Goodspeed has been granted a Census canvassing mini-grant to host several census awarness activities. These activities will begin their focus on the youth. They will be guided in making placards and signs sending the messages to their parents and other community adults to be mindful of the significance of the Census. The culminating activity will take place at the Redford Library "I Count Party and Demonstration" Youth will pass out information, March with their placards around the library and celebrate (refreshments) afterward. A visually recorded PSA will be made and aired at the library for the following weeks leading up to the census mail in deadline April 1, 2010. The signage will be posted on the front lawn of the library for as long as they hold up in the elements.

This project is funded by the US Census Bureau, collaborators are Strategic Builders, Sada's House and the Redford Branch Library.

City News
MAYOR DAVE BINGS 1ST STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
Mayor Bing's 1st State of the City Address will be on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Max Fisher Music Center.

MOTOR CITY MAKEOVER 2010 - SAVE THE DATES!
This year's annual beautification and clean-up initiative will take place on the first four Saturdays in May. MCM is still a bagged litter campaign and individuals and community groups will be able to register online at the City of Detroit's website: www.detroitmi.gov, at your local Neighborhood City Hall Office or by calling the Mayor's Special Project Office at 313/ 224-4415. Be on the look out for more information in upcoming Community Updates.

311 CALL CENTER CAN NOW HANDLE REQUESTS BY E-MAIL
Residents can now contact the 311 Call Center for information, to make a comment, or to request a City service whenever it’s most convenient. Citizens can also attach an image, provide a map of the area, or e-mail any documentation they feel will assist the 311 Call Center with locating or understanding their concerns.
The email address is 311@detroitmi.gov.

Romulus High Student Puts Emphasis on Reading to Children
Here is a senior Nakia Hampton of Romulus High School Romulus, Mi on Tuesday February 23, 2010. She called and asked if she could complete her senior project @ the Redford Branch. Her project targeted illiteracy and strategized against it by suggesting that we read to our students, children and grandchildren every opportunity that we have. As you can see from the pictures it was quiet a success. She is also interested in heading a book drive.

Computer Classes @ the Library

Saturday, March 6:  11 - 1 pm  "Basic Computer Skills"
Saturday, March 20:  11 - 1 pm  "Introduction to Email"

Pre-registration is not necessary - arrive 5-10 minutes before class begins

Driving Without Distractions

Think you can drive and text or talk at the same time? Science shows your brain just can't keep up. University of Utah researcher David Strayer has been studying distracted drivers for 10 years. "The brain just doesn't work the way we'd like it to work," he says. "We can't multitask the way that a lot of people think they can."


David's research found that talking on a cell phone quadruples your risk of an accident. "For comparison purposes, someone who's drunk at a 0.08 blood alcohol level has a four-time crash increase. So talking on a cell phone is about the same as driving drunk," he says. "When you're text messaging, the crash risk goes up to eight times."

Be safe rather than sorry, click the link below and take Oprah's No Phone Zone Pledge today!

Oprah's No Phone Zone Pledge - Oprah.com