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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Rosa Parks second refusal inspries me to walk again


Below is a link to a story from my 2010 walk. The song remains the same...I reject the notion that testing and standards are replacements for equity in our public schools. 

http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/9304637/article-Walking-the-walk-Jersey-City-native-treks-from-Connecticut-to-DC-to-raise-awareness-of-education-crisis-?instance=search_results



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Rosa Parks in her autobiography we find Rosa had a prior encounter with James Blake, the bus driver who demanded she vacate her seat.
In 1943, Blake had ejected Parks from his bus after she refused to re-enter the vehicle through the back door after paying her fare at the front. She wrote “I never wanted to be on that man’s bus again,” in her autobiography, but Rosa got back on James Blake's bus in 1955, and he had her arrested, but her act of civic disobedience launch the movement that changed America. With Rosa's spirit I am putting these walking shoes back on. Rosa inspires me, drives, me, and lifts me up. This story is from my 2010 walk. Trust me in 2015 this second walk is going to crash through those Ed Deformer walls. Can't wait until June
One man walking to DC in the name of love,
Jesse

Sunday, March 22, 2015

We can speak up, stand up and act. We have Ethan's shinning north star to guide parents and teachers


We can speak up, stand up, and act, or we can be silent, apathetic, and miserable. I chose to act.  
Marinanne Williamson wrote in A Return To Love: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do”
A year ago Andrea Pratt Rediske opened her mother's heart to the world. She shared the power of god's light by sharing Ethan's story. The State of Florida insisted on testing Ethan even in Hospice care. It was act of pure evil, but Andrea's response was a mother's act of pure love. She not only spoke up, stood up, and advocated for Ethan, but for all children with special needs. She share Ethan's talents,they were giant, beyond anything that any test could ever measure. Most of all she shared his brilliant, gorgeous, fabulous love of life. 
Ethan's life inspired parents and chidden all over America. I dream of 50 Ethan laws in 50 states. Ethan pointed the way for us dreamers. Ethan life was anything, but inadequate. His life was powerful, meaningful, and beautiful. Far too big to fit within their tiny testing bubble. 
Ethan's life is God's reminder that all children are gifts, all children are love, and should be loved. I find my walking to DC again in the name of love. Although I never meet Ethan or Andrea Pratt Rediske I have felt their love, and love wins people not numbers, not data, no proficiency levels.
Thank you Ethan for blessing our lives.
I am one man walking in the name of love to DC with a picture of one extraordinary Ethan Pratt Rediske in my wallet. You Ethan are my north start shinning brightly. 
Jesse  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…/parent-of-dying-boy-has-to…/

If you like to know what the Walking listened to on his walk this cold morning? It's Demi Lovato's Skyscraper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_8ydghbGSg#t=25