A few years ago, my campaign manager, Nabavi Oliver Esq., and I were having a discussion about jobs and promotions.  The question in particular was, “what is the fastest or most common way to be recognized and promoted on the job?”  Mr. Oliver stated that there are two basic ways to get promoted, but one is positive, and involves good works, while the other is negative, and although it may produce results, it comes at a price and with undesirable accompaniments. The words from that conversation have stuck with me:

1.  Substance (the Positive approach): Doing great work. Having good intentions. Practicing good will. Aiming for the benefit of the whole, for the long term, as opposed to benefit of self (or special group/entity) for the short term.

2.  Subversion (a Negative approach): Trying to show that your coworkers/colleagues/competitors are not doing good work, and thereby making oneself look good.  Not worrying about long term benefit of the whole, but short term gain for self. –This is approach is more harmful to oneself than helpful. As such, we made efforts to steer clear of the very appearance of such behavior, in our campaign.

Here’s a closer look…

Subversion – Throwing Others Under the Proverbial Bus

There are some people who seek to get ahead in life by making those around them look so bad that promotion becomes inevitable.  Personally, I believe that the energy spent in trying to uncover or create fault in others, is energy that could be used on doing great work on the job, at home, or in the community.

Often times, politics involves subversion; negative ads and disparaging comments.  After all, this is a competition, and someone must always lose right?  Well, that all depends.  This is a new era, with new, unprecedented problems.  This is very much a competition.  It’s a competition to see what is stronger; hope or despair, poverty or economic freedom, crime or clean neighborhoods and schools.  This is a fight, not against other candidates, but to make Baltimore the best possible place for ourselves and our children.

Substance – Consistently Working to Better Others

One of the words the dictionary uses to define substance is consistency.  For years, I have been in and out of schools and community organizations, fighting for better education.  I have testified in Annapolis in favor of good policies, and spoken out against bad ones.  I have run groups to encourage fathers to reconnect with their children and helped moms and dads stay connected with each other.  I have spearheaded projects to keep our communities clean through recycling.  I’ve influenced hundreds to be mentors to younger children.  That’s consistency.  I’m proud to say that I’ve been in the trenches well before the political atmosphere of this election called for it.

Election day is less than a week away, and I want my neighbors to know that a vote for Rodney Burris is a vote for substance. I am not running “against” other candidates by attempting to invalidate any of their accomplishments or stated goals.  I am fighting the same fight I have been over the years – I’m fighting for Baltimore City.

We’ve all heard the proverb, “Together we stand.  Divided we fall.”  These words have a special meaning for me today.  We stand at the edge of a new decade, facing new, unprecedented challenges.  However, at times, we often seem to face these new challenges, with an old strategy – a strategy of division, instead of togetherness.  This is an age where, more now than ever, we must work together.  In the past seven days, there have been two incidents that have reminded me our task.

Ending Division

Recently, I was traveling to a neighborhood grocery store and passed a political sign of a fellow candidate in the 43rd District.  Quickly, I noticed something very peculiar.  I’ve seen the sign throughout the community, but this one caught me by surprise.  The candidate’s name had been completely cut out of the political advertisement [with pretty good precision].  I was immediately saddened by this, not just because I have met and still admire the candidate whose name was missing, but mostly because it was an act of division.  This is clearly a time of much needed unity in Baltimore City.  Likewise, our campaign has run into its share of trials from people who seek to divide.

Ending Prejudice

The most recent incident occurred in a fairly affluent neighborhood in the 43rd District.  Two members of my team and I were canvassing the neighborhood one evening, carrying campaign literature. We were ending a successful day and had spoken to a number of concerned and excited community members.  However, one gentleman came out of his home and mentioned that it was not proper for several young black men to be walking in this particular community late at night [although I was carrying a clipboard, and my college interns were wearing our campaign t-shirts].  He mentioned, in an elevated tone, that he had already called the police to remove us from the neighborhood.

As we continued to canvass the neighborhood, a policeman pulled up beside us and turned on his police lights. I explained that I was a political candidate, campaigning with my team.   After our friendly conversation with the officer, we continued our efforts for the day, fairly undaunted.  However, this is yet another example that we have our work cut out for us here in the 43rd District.  We may not all share the same thoughts, political platform, or skin color, but we have to work together to build the best communities this city has to offer.

A Clarion Call to Action

I’m on the street and in the community everyday.  I can truly say that there is more positive than negative, more promise than despair, more love than hate, and more dreams than broken spirits.  Let’s use every “seemingly” negative situation and turn them into a positive.  Recent issues surrounding racial prejudice and division, both local and national, serve as a reminder that we must send out a clarion call for unity.  Divided we fall.  Working Together, We Stand!

Let’s imagine that your child came home from school with a letter from his principal that read on these lines:

Dear Concerned Parent, 

To make our children’s lives better, we have decided to reallocate our school funds.  We would like to hire several hundred security guards and build a huge facility to separately house more troubled students. This will cost us $100,000,000.  We will only be adding $750,000 to our budget for new text books and teachers.  This will help make our communities, children, and schools a safer and better place.

Sincerely,

Your Principal

Absurd right?  Why spend so much money on punishment, when we can use funds in different ways to make the school better?  This is exactly the debate over proposed funding for a new juvenile detention center.  $100 million dollars has been proposed to build a new juvenile facility, while some officials say only $750 thousand is needed to keep city pools and recreation centers open longer during the summer.  Is this really how we want to spend money during a period where we are trying to make our schools a better and safer learning environment?

It hasn’t been long since a juvenile detention center was built here in Baltimore.  To curb youth crime, our answer can not simply be to use 100 million dollars to build another “house of punishment”.  Often times, our teachers see our children more each school day than we parents.  Instead of spending money on “quarantining” our youth, let’s invest in those things that will help build and rehabilitate them; more teachers, individual tutors, better schools, and more recreation centers. 

Let’s build a truly family friendly Baltimore.

• After graduation from John Hopkins, I had the opportunity to travel the country for years, engaging high school and college students on applying for college and financial aid, etc. It was here that I began to see the huge disparity between Baltimore City Schools other school systems around the country.
• So, I started going to school board meetings, just to learn about the process.   Not only did I get to learn about the process, I became involved in task forces and focus groups. I had the opportunity to work with programs that offered Supplemental Educational Services (SES), familiarizing myself with the No Child Left Behind provision.  I also became involved with the Baltimore Education Network.
• It was through this involvement, that I felt I could make a bigger change – have a bigger impact.  To this end, I submitted testimony to the Baltimore City School Board, and sat at the table with our school board, as a respected peer, when the tough decisions about our schools were being made.
• I was also a new parent and knew that the work I had been doing in our city schools had become real, as my own daughter was quickly approaching the age where decisions by the school board would effect her.
• But after doing a ton of research, I couldn’t find how to get on the ballot, or how to submit an application.  There was no information on how a concerned parent or citizen could be involved on the school board.
• So I dug deeper. How do you get on our city school board?  It is by appointment only – appointment by either the governor or mayor.  I guess the old saying is true, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.”
• Our schools are just reaching the road to recovery from years of suffering and mismanagement. The recovery process is new and could use some fresh ideas, positive energy and revitalization.  But how can the school board benefit from new help, when we still use an old system of bureaucracy

Elected vs. Non-elected Board

There are proponents and opponents of an elected school board.  Some people feel that an elected school board will result in board members with little to no skills relevant for the job.  “Why trust such an important job to people who have not been rigorously tested and proven”, they ask.  I’m glad you asked.  If we adopt that philosophy, we would need to do away with our entire system of democracy.  If Baltimoreans are smart enough to choose mayors and senators, we are smart enough to choose who will lead our schools and make dec. 

Let’s give power back to the people. Let’s add new energy. Let’s elect Rodney Burris to the House of Delegates.

Dollars and Sense

The voice of tradition says that   “good politicians raise good money - great politicians raise great money.”  — Campaign funds pay for big, beautiful signs, media attention, endorsements, amongst other things.

Meanwhile, the nation, our city, and our state are in a period of economic downturn. With this recession causing many families to tighten their belts, our campaign has decided to follow suit. Under the direction of my handpicked campaign manager, Nabavi Oliver, Esq., we have focused on being frugal, on building grassroots relationships in the community, and on relying on good old common sense and hard work, rather than exorbitant dollars, to fuel our campaign; this was our goal from the outset.

*** And we’re doing it! ***

We have successfully met with many of you; building relationships and making friends. You have seen our blogs, our videos and our websites. You have met us in the streets outside of your homes. Greeted us at your door, and welcomed us into your hearts. For that, we say Thank you!

Campaign finance reports are often misinterpreted to read that a candidate’s political weight and credibility is correlated with the amount of fundraising and spending he/she has done.

But here’s a novel idea: Wouldn’t it be great if a candidate was elected based on his relations with his neighbors and his belief system, as opposed to simply ‘gaining’ the seat through deep pockets (?) …

Hhhmm…

The great thing about our Working Together movement, is that we embody that ideal. Our success thus far, as evidenced by the number of relationships we share with you, has been built upon that belief.
It is this same commitment to the community that I promise to bring to the halls of Annapolis.  Revitalizing our communities and renewing our schools is not about throwing money at a situation. Its more than just dollars and cents, instead, it is about frugal dollars and common sense.

Let’s work together and continue to improve how Baltimore works.

PS:  If you would still like to donate, knowing that your money is going to a safe place, directly in support of our shared beliefs, then click here to find out more! www.electRodneyBurris.com

–
“Working Together”

Every week there seems to be talk on every major television and radio station about when the economy will turn around. The focus is usually on finger-pointing; what isn’t working and which political party or official is most responsible for getting the country back on track. However, there are certain organizations, community groups, and people who are not waiting for economic circumstances to change; they are in the trenches, working to strengthen families from the ground up.

Once a week, for the past three years, I have had the opportunity to help run group sessions for families at the Couples Employment program, a service of the Center for Urban Families (CFUF). CFUF is a local non-profit organization, centered on empowering Baltimore’s most economically challenged fathers and families to live self-sufficient lives. I am privileged to speak on Education and Entrepreneurship, encouraging moms and dads to go back to school for that extra degree or pursue a specialized training. I’m able to talk about financial aid, different types of education initiatives, as well as how to start your own business.

Surprisingly, the most rewarding experience may not be what the families get each week from me, but what I’m able to get from them. I have seen countless families get better employment, go back to college, and accomplish things that statistics – coupled with their life’s circumstances – prove to be impossible. Despite the present state of the economy, with education, hard work, and most importantly, people who believe in them, families are able transcend statistics, poverty, and insurmountable barriers. By staying connected to programs like Couples Employment, I’m able to see that All Things Are Possible. By building strength, knowledge and faith, there is no negative statistic that is strong enough to break the human spirit.

So in joining an organization, becoming a part of a religious group, or supporting a political candidate, we need to ask, “What part have they played in building strength, knowledge and faith in our community?” Most importantly, we need to ask that question of ourselves. Let’s not wait on government to change things for us. Working Together, we can change our own circumstance. Working Together, we can change Baltimore.

Through various professional and civic opportunities, I have the honor to speak in front of crowds–a lot. These crowds can range in size from small groups to as large as 800+ individuals. I have engaged at least three (if not more) of these groups/audiences per week for the past five years. As such, I understand that as a person in a position of visibility and influence, I must to be careful that my words don’t cause someone else to stumble.

Where did I get this idea from? Two places; one was from a radio station manager, and the other was from a father-figure.

Words from a Station Manager

In 2005, I hosted my own radio show here in Baltimore on 1590AM, during one of the busiest times of the day (5pm-7pm). I had many memorable experiences during my stint there, yet I’ll never forget the words of the station manager one particular evening. He said, “Rodney, this microphone [pointing to the studio mic] is power, and not everyone knows how to handle it. Many people get behind it, and get punch drunk. Not everyone can be humble enough to avoid that…” 

Those words rang true with me and stuck to my thoughts, much the same way good food is said to “stick to your ribs”. Those words were simple, yet powerful. But probably the most important reason I remember them is because I have heard them as a child.

Words from a Father-figure

Since my dad was not around during my childhood, my strongest male influence was my Pastor. He had children my age and treated me as one of his own. One day during one of our many talks, he said to me, “Chris (my middle name), I have to be careful what I say to people, because they take my word as gold. Wisdom and humility are the only things that can keep a person from speaking harm to others. …In everything you do, STAY HUMBLE.”

Staying Humble and Doing Good Deeds

As a young professional, I constantly have a microphone in my hand far more than I could ever personally count. And like a nagging-thorn, or a well-placed pebble in one’s shoe, I can’t seem to dislodge those two precautionary words of wisdom from the station radio manager and my pastor.

Therefore, before I engage crowds, whether large or small, I find myself whispering the words, “Give me humility. Help me stay humble.” Yet, I hope in my humility, something will be said that will transform and uplift someone’s heart, and remind them that we have all been placed on this earth to do good to others.

Though we’re gearing up for a local election, I’ve still been speaking to students nationwide, preparing them to succeed in grade school and instilling hope for the future.  It is always a source strength and encouragement when someone lets me know that the work I do is making a difference. 

I recently received the following letter from a teacher from Central Bucks High School West, in Pennsylvania:

—

Hi Rodney,

I enjoyed meeting you and hope that you are able to share your message with many more young people.

—

 This campaign is not just about an election.  It is about people – changing people in the 43^rd District and beyond.    Thanks for your encouragement and support.

Have you ever noticed the large amount of liquor stores in our Baltimore communities?  Many times there are so many bars on windows, posters covering doors, and low lighting that they are sometimes missed. 

Studies show a correlation between high crime and a concentration of liquor stores. Liquor establishments operating under a BD-7 license can be open for business 20 hours per day (6 a.m. – 2 p.m.).  The York Road corridor is home to about 10 liquor stores, all roughly within about a mile (walking distance) of a nearby methadone clinic. Subsequently, children en route to school, walk past these establishments, which are frequented by many of the criminals and addicts who visit these stores.  Do we really want such a high amount of liquor stores in our business district and residential areas?

Every year, liquor licenses must re-apply for approval to operate. Licenses are approved if they meet local and state qualifications, including being in good standing with the community in which they operate. The York Road Partnership (YRP) is an organization taking a lead on liquor licensing. YRP has taken the step to implement a Standard Memorandum of Understang (MOU) that outlines the basics of what the community wants in an upstanding liquor establishment.

Even with legislation in place, it’s up to us as residents to monitor these establishments, and report if we find any incongruence. A renewal of a liquor license cannot be challenged by the community if there is no record of community involvement, or complaints with that organization prior to the renewal time. The city number 311 offers the best, most consistent way to report and record such violations. They also have an easy-to-use online interface, which can be found here https://baltimore.customerservicerequest.org/web_intake_balt/Controller.

Please become a part of the movement to beautify our neighborhoods!  Help us regulate liquor licensing.

–

Rodney C. Burris
Candidate
State Delegate, 43^rd District
Working Together Campaign
PO Box 39456
Baltimore MD 21212
www.electRodneyBurris.com
443.478.3418

Baltimore has experienced some recent successes in our school system that are indicative of school systems and communities that are hard at work;

1. Dropout Rate Reduced. Last year, the dropout rate was reduced by nearly 1,000 more students than in previous years. Dropout rates in Baltimore have historically been a major concern, and we are now making inroads here.
2. Students Scoring Higher on National Tests. In 2009, first and second graders in Baltimore City scored above the national average on the Stanford Achievement Test. And for the second year straight, test scores improved for 3rd through 8th graders.

This is awesome news!

Our next biggest goal must be to increase parental involvement in schools, as well as their awareness of such things as Parents-choice and Free SES services. To accomplish these goals, there are several things that must be done.

• Inform the Parents of Resources. We need to bring on board school commissioners who have a proven record for marketing and who could lead a marketing effort for our City Schools. Parents need to know what is available to them, what is happening in our schools, and the accomplishments that are being made city-wide. This builds morale and helps us see the bigger picture about our families, schools and students.
• Incentivize Parental Involvement. We also need to incentivize our parents to be more involved. Many times there are barriers that keep parents from being involved in their children’s lives. Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, some parents have lost the value of both a Baltimore City Public School education, as well as their own involvement in their child’s learning process. I once learned that Value = Raised Benefit & Decreased Risk (V =B/R). Whenever we can both raise a person’s perceived benefit of education, while at the same time minimizing their perceived risk, value will increase. Many parents may have a low perceived value in our City Schools. But that perception can be changed; that value can be increased. By actively engaging parents, we can help reverse the trend and increase the perceived and actual value of our schools.

***The question we must answer is, “how do we get more parents engaged & involved?” ***

All comments are welcome. All I ask is that you think outside the box. Present some reformative, groundbreaking initiatives that you feel may pragmatically work in our city. Email your thoughts to rodneyburris@mail.com or call: 443.478.3418

–

Rodney C. Burris
Candidate
State Delegate, 43^rd District
Working Together Campaign
PO Box 39456
Baltimore MD 21212
www.electRodneyBurris.com
443.478.3418