I found my sister in the garden of remembrance for National Substance Abuse Prevention Month

Thank you to those CCSU family members who put this The "Remembrance Quilt Square-Making Event" in Recognition of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month together at CCSU.
I have lost a father, niece, cousins, far too many friends, and a sister to addiction. Yesterday was a busy day, picking up meetings, running out for Literacy Center snacks, and materials for our Spooky Books display. I knew this event was ending at 3:PM. I somehow made it just before 3. I had to make another meeting at 3:15, and then individual confers with four students to discuss their portfolio projects right after that meeting. Squeeze for time I almost did not go to the Remembrance Quilt event.

But love called me to this event. I sat down, filled out the paper required to make my square at one of the three tables thinking I could fill a whole quilt on my own. I remembered them all but decided on my sister Maryellen. I spent some 20-30 minutes making my little square. I have the heart of an artist but have no skills whatsoever. I held it together made my square, went to my meeting, met with my students, and on the way, I cried.

My big sister held my hand going to school, and she holds my heart today. She was nine months sober when she died. At her service, a man came over to me. He said can I talk to you, and show you something. I had no idea who he was, but I said sure. He was from AA, he was her sponsor, and he said your sister wanted you to know she was 9 months sober, and that she never ever gave up. I had no idea she was going to AA.

He showed me pictures of her celebrating those some of those sober days. God sends us these angels to ease our losses. I thanked him, but I did not cry that day. My other sisters, my wife, our daughter, and my nephews and nieces needed an uncle who was strong. I thanked him and locked that memory away.

This hurt from losing loved ones is a heavy burden. Like that man with those pictures that little square healed something in me. I am proud of my Big Sister, and those 9 months. My love for her has not faded, it still grows.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to every single person involved in creating this event,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If you want to hear that song that inspired my morning walk today its OOH Child by the Five Stair Steps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dguz0IsCuKU

Some boys become better human beings

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2019/10/10/hate-crimes-against-transgender-community-newday-pkg-sidner-vpx.cnn?fbclid=IwAR0KRBNmpr-Y61yac8qsoRgZkYEqG5Vz2desfApA6fcF8LB--HcsrsD5_Lc

This story brought back memories of a boy who needed learning.

Dear America,
About this hate that name calls, hits, brutalizes, and even murders. 
Lessons my Mother taught me 101, respect all people.

By the age of 10 years-old,
I had heard every racial slur,
Every sexual slur,
Every hateful word possible,
My Father regularly belted out his hate words every night.

By the age of 10 years-old,
I had heard every racial slur,
Every sexual slur,
Every hateful word possible,
My neighborhood regularly belted out their hate words on the streets every day.

One hot summer evening in that old hood,
I took up those words of hate,
My mother was sitting with some other women,
We kids were playing,
We had no idea our mother's were really watching us,
Then Jennifer a Trans Women walked pass us kids while we were playing.

I don't know if I said it first,
But Francisco and I called Jennifer a Faggot,
We ran after her saying it over and over again,
I don't even think we understood what that word meant,
But, we knew she did,
We knew it was hurtful,
We knew it was wrong.
But, we said just the same,
Hate works that way with children,
Hate works that way with adults,
But, hate did not worked that way with our mothers.

Our mothers took immediate action,
They called Jennifer over,
Invited to sit with them,
They shared a Cigaret together,
Laughed and talked awhile.

Francisco and I watched them sitting, talking and joking together.
We didn't understand why our mothers would be sitting with Jennifer,
Then, they called us over,
Said we like to introduce you our sister and Dear Friend Jennifer,
We love the way she does her hair, and were just complimenting her on her dress and heels,
Then, my mother said Little Jess, what did you say to my sister a few minutes ago,
Francisco's mother added, yes Francisco what were you boys saying to our sister,
We knew we were in trouble, 
Then they said you boys owe our dear friend an apology.

Ms. Jennifer, we are sorry for calling you names,
Jennifer looked at us, and said,
I am glad you two young men have these decent mothers, and are men enough to say apologized,
That word hurts me, and everyone like me,
I hope the next time I pass by you would say hello Ms. Jennifer.

From that night on it was alway hello Ms. Jennifer, how you doing, it's a beautiful night.

I don't know where hate begins in America, but I know where it ends,
It ends with mothers teaching the lessons that need teaching,
With sons, hearing the lessons worth learning.

I'm not perfect, I fight hate every day, it pops up its ugly head in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, houses of worship, and even in the White House.

Dear LGBT sisters and brothers, 
America is still learning,
You are beautiful,
There is nothing wrong with you, 
We are still learning, and
This son, brother, father, uncle, and teacher stands with our Transgender sisters and brothers right to be the beautiful human beings they are.
Some boys grow into better men,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner 
Moral Monday Connecticut Education Ambassador

Calling all Freedom Teachers to the Selma Jubilee Education Summit in 2020

I am an old school teacher, holding on to that prize

Dear Mr. President,
Do you think we old school teachers can be silenced by your hate in the White House?
Got my eyes on that sacred Edmund Pettus Bridge come March,
Got my eyes on Selma Alabama's Education Summit,
Got my walking shoes ready,
Got a freedom fire burning in my heart.


Gonna protect that vote,
Gonna rally teachers to the cause,
Gonna give it my all.

I am still working on becoming the teacher I dream of being,
I know this teaching dream does not end at the classroom door,
That dream teacher defend in me defend his students:
In the classroom,
In the Schoolhouse,
In the community,
In the nation,
In the world.

Yeah, I am going back to 2020 Selma Jubilee Education Summit,
Why, because
I have much to learn,
I have much to do,
I have two good feet for marching.

Imagine the lessons in my classroom about voting rights,
Imagine the lessons in my classroom about civil rights,
Imagine that at 64 that fire still burns in me.

I shall one day be the teacher I have always dreamt of becoming,
Selma stirs that freedom fire,
And that freedom fire,
Gonna keep this flame burning all the days of my life.
Some day I am going to be that teacher,
That teacher my heart has always dream of being,
Selma feeds my teaching dream,
Selma lifts my heart,
Selma gives me hope.

Calling all you freedom teachers to come to Selma this coming March.
We got a freedom flame to light,
Lessons to dream about teaching,
Lessons need learning,
Voting rights need protecting,
Freedom needs protecting,
Hope needs feeding,
Teachers need lifting.

I'm going to feed my teaching soul this March in Selma,
Got my walking shoes on,
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
Moral Monday Connecticut Education Ambassador

If you like to hear the tune that inspired my morning walk its Mavis Staples "Eyes On The Prize"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZWdDI_fkns

Just in case one or two of you Freedom Teachers want to join me on that Edmund Pettus Bridge...here is a link to Jubilee events https://www.selma50.com/complete-schedule