EASTER SUNDAY
A TIME OF RENEWAL

For those who know me well, my 10 mile walks are legendary. Today was one of those perfectly crisp spring days, with nothing but blue sky above. I was in “the zone,” thinking, reflecting, renewing my spirit. It was a wonderful “two bridge” kind of day.

My usual trek takes me from my home in Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn through a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood, over the Williamsburgh Bridge, through the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Lower Manhattan, over the Brooklyn Bridge, through Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan/Brooklyn Overpass, through Brooklyn Heights and back home through Fort Green and Clinton Hill.

In the span of an afternoon, I hear laughter and several languages. Each and every time, I consider myself very lucky and fortunate to be living here.

If I walk non-stop, I can go door to door in three hours. But why rush? I use the time to reflect, listen, and of course shop. Today’s trip netted groceries and spring shoes, complete with good vibes from several shopkeepers who will keep me coming back to their establishments; yes, manners are still fashionable!

What struck me today was the number of storefronts for rent; some of my favorite haunts had gone out of business. Yes, friends … the recession is real. It’s been more than a year since I’ve made this trek, and today provided valuable, street-level perspective on what the city faces in the months ahead.

What I love most about Sunday afternoons is the quiet. While major arteries usually hustle and bustle, people are just calmer on Sunday. Horns honk less, people are less frenzied. Less is just more. The city is simply more peaceful and pleasant, allowing us all a brief moment to just revel in the pleasure of a long, reflective walk.

Keep your cholesterol low and your heart rate in check; let your feet give your entire body a wonderful treat!

G2GPR: OBAMA IN BED-STUY

Neighborhood Update

The Obama’08 Campaign has deployed excellent Grassroots to Global Public Relations (G2GPR) techniques to get the word out.

Nearly every store in my Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood (Brooklyn USA) prominently displays an Obama’08 poster. The election was a hot topic this week at Community Business Services, our neighborhood FedExKinkos; Foodtown and the hardware store, nicknamed “Fulton (Home) Depot.”

Hillary, get ready for the campaign fight of your life here in New York and New Jersey. Word is spreading like wildfire. Recently, my colleague Kevin Derricotte spoke about how proud his 79 year-old mother Margaret is of Obama; she’s already looking forward to the day she can vote for him in the primary. Mrs. Derricotte isn’t alone. Others are patiently waiting to make their voices heard.
Change is contagious!

Over the past decade, my Bed-Stuy neighborhood has changed tremendously. Previously primarily African American and West Indian, Bed-Stuy now boasts people of all races, including an influx of young artsy types, including young European families of blended cultures. Many are proud Obama supporters!

The result: new perspectives and ways of looking at the world, multiple flavors of soy milk and organic foods at the grocery and pedestrians joined by young Anglos who skateboard to the Chinese restaurant or “A” train express stop on Nostrand Avenue. Previously known as the “African Express” (linking black neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Harlem), the “A” is now demographically reflective of the city’s ethnic makeup. New name: “All Races” transportation system.

Times are a changin’ and change is a great thing ... on the job and at home!

Ah, “There’s no place like home.” As the world’s biggest Judy Garland/”Wizard of Oz” fan, I totally agree with this classic quote that keeps me grounded.

Unlike the Wizard, there’s substance behind the curtain and Obama’s campaign is no fairy tale. It’s rigorous, righteous and gaining momentum here on the home front.

Obama’s Presidential bid is a real American success story that already has a happy ending. More people are talking about politics and examining issues. More citizens are registering to vote. More people are believing they can make change happen.

Choose change. Voice your opinion. Vote!