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A cultural museum celebrating Mardi Gras Indians, Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs & Skull and Bone Gangs. by Ronald W. Lewis

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The Backstreet Cultural Museum - "A Powerhouse of Knowledge" - is happy to remind everyone that it will again host a party for the Krewe of Red Beans following its annual Lundi Gras parade. The celebration will take place on Monday, February 20, 2023, across the street from the museum, 1531 St. Philip Street, at Tuba Fats Square.

The unique second line, with members of the krewe donning artistically designed apparel created from red beans, is led by drummer Benny Jones and the Treme Brass Band and augmented by a second division fronted by his nephew trombonist Corey Henry. It takes off from the Marigny Opera House, 725 Ferdinand St. at 2 pm. It comes up Royal St. takes a zag towards the river to zig back to Frenchmen St. to then return to Royal. It turns right on Esplanade Ave. and makes a stop at Buffa's bar and then heads to the Treme. From Esplanade it turns left on N. Robertson St. to ultimately land at Tuba Fats Square.

The Backstreet will be open on Monday though it will be closed on Tuesday, Mardi Gras day as well as Wednesday, February 22, 2023. Big Chief Victor Harris the Spirit of Fi Yi Yi and the Mandingo Warriors will make their entrance on the street from the Backstreet Cultural Museum on Carnival Day at approximately 11 am. (Timing is not exact.)

Thank you for your continued support. Come by soon as the exhibit has added new items that have been donated or taken out of storage.

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The Backstreet Cultural Museum - "A Powerhouse of Knowledge" - is happy to remind everyone that it will again host a party for the Krewe of Red Beans following its annual Lundi Gras parade. The celebration will take place on Monday, February 20, 2023, across the street from the museum, 1531 St.

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Store photos and docs online. Access them from any PC, Mac or phone. Create and work together on Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents.

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I stand up for children of all dispositions, and react with compassion; seeing and listening to connections and strengths in each child and their expressions. I will center Black Lives Matter through pedagogy and actions/relationships/listening/making.

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I stand up for children of all dispositions, and react with compassion; seeing and listening to connections and strengths in each child and their expressions. I will center Black Lives Matter through pedagogy and actions/relationships/listening/making.

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Black Joy as Resistance

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We have been your lifeline during the pandemic, economic fallout, wildfires, protests and the election. Support us with a tax-deductible donation .

Since 1976, the month of February has been recognized in the United States as Black History Month to observe and celebrate the Black diaspora. Forty-five years later in the middle of a pandemic, Black History Month returns with the activism of the Black Lives Matter movement and a newfound urgency for social change.

Amid the civil unrest, ignited by multiple Black deaths related to police brutality and racial discrimination, is a sense of loss and a need for joy. The idea of "Black joy" as a movement and a form of rebellion has been taking root. Cal State Fullerton African American studies professor Mei-Ling Malone explains: "Black joy is an act of resistance. The whole idea of oppression is to keep people down. So when people continue to shine and live fully, it is resistance in the context of our white supremacist world."

Black people are able and allowed to find happiness and comfort despite their tribulations. In the 1600s, slaves used to go swimming for pleasure after their day's work, according to Malone. This idea that Black people can be happy, despite their trauma and history of oppression, is Black joy.

"Like other communities, Black folks, of course, feel tremendous pain, outrage, sorrow and depression, and we struggle with our mental health. But there is also a necessary longing and practice of joy," Malone said. "As long as there has been racial oppression, there has also been resistance and Black joy."

Malone went on to say that the Black community faces enough challenges due to the preventable issue of racism alone. But that even in the darkest times in a white supremist society, Black people still find a way to laugh and love.

Rather than romanticize the struggles of the Black diaspora, Black joy reveals Black folks' humanity and their simplest need to feel free and safe in their pursuit of happiness. One way of doing this is in allyship and solidarity against a future where joy has to be defined in a trauma-inflicted context.

"Black joy is a beautiful thing but what would be even more beautiful is if all of us band together in solidarity to destroy and dismantle our system of white supremacy so that all joy is just human joy and Black folks can live freely in the world and strive," Malone said.

Bringing Black Joy to the Protests

Upset Homegirls of Fullerton is an activist organization that emerged last summer amid the plethora of Black Lives Matter protests in Orange County and nationwide. While most protesters will walk around the block and hold up a few signs, these girls asked the attendees at their protests to dance.

Last July, the founders of Upset Homegirls invited their community to march with them in solidarity for Black Lives Matter. At the end of their march, they invited everyone to dance while sporting their "BLK JOY" T-shirts in front of Fullerton City Hall, with carefully curated music from Black artists playing in the background.

Drivers going down Commonwealth Avenue honked along to the protesters' display of joy as Cupid's "Cupid Shuffle" commanded their movements "to the right" and "to the left." As if entranced by Cupid's lyrics, the protesters carried on his message as they danced along to "I just let the music come from my soul / So all of my people can stay on the floor."

"It's important, even in all that bad space, to bring all of that goodness," said Brandy Factory, a founding member of Upset Homegirls. "Because you can't fight anything without love and I think there's a lot of love that's rooted in Black joy."

Factory inherited her passion for justice from her parents, both of whom were involved in protests for their communities. In the generation before her parents, Factory's grandfather was simultaneously a member of the Black Panther Party and a proud Los Angeles police officer during the 1980's.

As an officer who lived in the community he served, Factory said her grandfather saw how the police treated civilians who weren't their neighbors, and that it was one of the reasons why police brutality persisted.

"I think that's also why he took on being a Black Panther as well. Because he knew what the history was with police officers and how they don't really need as much funding and armories," Factory said.

Having grown up connected to her family's history of activism, service and an unfaltering dedication to fight for one's people, Factory protests today with the understanding that the police are not going to protect her community, just as they didn't her parents' nor her grandfather's.

Just as her mom took to the streets in 1992 to protest at the Los Angeles Rodney King riots, Factory went to Fullerton City Hall on July 4, 2020 to light candles for the Black lives that were lost rather than fireworks for a country that made them victims.

"You did your part, so now it's time for me to do my part," Factory said in reference to her mom. "Some people don't go out and start activism to be influencers. They just do it because they feel like that's what's in their heart. And that was a big starting point with Upset Homegirls."

Esther Fagbamila, one of the founders of Upset Homegirls, was the catalyst in her organization's formation. According to Factory, it was as simple as gathering the girls and saying "Hey, I'm not happy with what's going on and I want to do something. Can you help me?"

And in her pursuit of the happiness that was lost due to America's current political climate, Fagbamila and her friends created Upset Homegirls to help serve their communities while also teaching, spreading and displaying joy.

"I can't let myself stay in the position of victimhood, or believe that I am in any way, shape or form a victim to my circumstances. I can believe that I can be full of joy, and happy, and still be able to fight against my oppressors," Fagbamila said.

Laryssa Odd, another member of Upset Homegirls, said that Black joy doesn't have to be isolated and that it can stem from the creativity that flows through the Black community.

"If you have a Black business, that's Black joy right there, because you're supporting the community, and you're spreading to other Black folk. If you're a Black musician, you're spreading your creativity. There's so many different ways that Black joy can be spread," Odd said.

While the Label is Trending, the Idea is NotForeign

Throughout all civil rights agendas in history, Black people could be partially, if not fully, credited with integrating music into their protests, according to Cal State Fullerton African American studies professor Natalie Graham.

Graham explained that the influence of activism in art is powerful because it represents the tenacity of Black culture in American society, which is not something that forces of violence and oppression can easily strip away.

Graham referenced Kendrick Lamar's 2015 song "Alright" as an example of powerful art and creative activism. Graham argued his lyric "we gon' be alright" is powerful because it represents hope - hope that they will be OK and hope to experience joy.

"Many Black thinkers talk about the power of hope and the power of joy, the power of Black celebration. It's outside of the white gaze. That's outside the confines of the cultural expectations of white culture," Graham said.

Graham taught "Black Men in America" at Cal State Fullerton and asked her students, "What does it mean to be a Black man?"

In response, nearly all her students' answers included words like "pain," "strife" and "challenge," as opposed to "joy," "peace" and "pleasure." In her students' minds, this is what Blackness looks like, which is representative of the idea that Black laughter and Black joy has been weaponized against Black people.

"When you think of a person as fundamentally angry, or fundamentally aggressive, then it's a lot easier to justify hurting that person, or diminishing that person's rights or even killing that person," Graham said. "So I think there's this really powerful thing that we're saying no, Black people are joyful, they're not angry."

On Jan. 20, Kamala Harris became the first Black American, Asian American and woman to hold the second-highest office in the U.S. On the same day, 22-year-old Black American poet Amanda Gorman delivered a powerful, joyful composition, and became the youngest inaugural poet in American history.

With so much left for people of color to accomplish and moments to celebrate, Graham affirms that Black people, regardless of circumstance, have the full right to celebrate themselves and feel joyful doing so.

"I think Black joy acknowledges that, alongside whatever else is happening, it acknowledges that we have the full right to feel our emotions," Graham said.

She emphasized that while Black joy is resistance, it is not the full picture.

"It's about honoring our humanity, in the fullness of what it means to be alive and to be human," Graham said.

Malone brings up a similar idea when she said that it's just as important to challenge white supremacy as it is to practice self-love, which leads to joy. She said that embracing our humanities will naturally lead us to reject the status quo that violence and hate are normal.

"Black joy is about affirming one's beautiful life. Black joy rejects the pathology of racism. Black joy is being fully human. Black joy is pride. Black joy is self-love. Black joy is shining bright. Black joy is living your best life despite living in a racist world setup against your very being," Malone said.
Kim Pham is a writing fellow for Voice of OC Arts & Culture. She can be reached at kimhphm@gmail.com.

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Celebrating Black Joy as an Alternative Form of Resistance and Reclaiming of Humanity

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We have been your lifeline during the pandemic, economic fallout, wildfires, protests and the election. Support us with a tax-deductible donation . Since 1976, the month of February has been recognized in the United States as Black History Month to observe and celebrate the Black diaspora.

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Mardi Gras Indians | National Geographic

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"Indian Parade" a Different Side of Mardi Gras

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Jerome "JJ" Carter, J'wan Boudreaux, Floyd Edwards, and Nigel Pleasant of the Golden Eagles; Photograph by Erika Goldring

NEW ORLEANS (press release) - The Louisiana State Museum, working in collaboration with the renowned Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris, is excited to announce the opening of a new exhibition, Mystery in Motion: African American Masking and Spirituality in Mardi Gras. This new exhibition inside the Presbytère on Jackson Square examines the direct influence of multicultural spirituality within the carnival traditions of Black New Orleanians. Due to the pandemic, you will not find many Black masking Indians on the streets this carnival season, but you will see their elaborate suits and learn about their use and inspiration inside the museum's galleries. The exhibit will be on display in time for the Mardi Gras weekend, from February 13, 2021, through November 28, 2021, and will serve as the centerpiece of the museum's planned programming to celebrate the 2021 carnival season.

"Mystery in Motion is a groundbreaking exhibition highlighting the vibrant carnival traditions of the Black community in New Orleans and it offers an excellent way to celebrate Mardi Gras safely during this current pandemic," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.

Mystery in Motion guest curators Kim Vaz-Deville, Ph.D., and Ron Bechet of Xavier University of Louisiana explore spirituality in Mardi Gras through the presentation of more than two dozen Black masking Indian suits, carnival costumes, and masking objects produced in New Orleans, juxtaposed with extraordinary African artifacts that are representative of the cultures, religions, and artistry that influenced their creation. These exceptional African objects will be on loan from the collections of the Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac and Southern University at New Orleans.

"There is so much happening on Mardi Gras day, it is impossible to take in all the sights, sounds, and experiences. The intent of the exhibition is to offer an opportunity to contemplate the spiritual dimensions of African American Mardi Gras masking that are hidden in plain view," said Kim Vaz-Deville, Ph.D.

"Some mysteries can be solved. The Mystery in Motion exhibition reveals to wider audiences the depth of meaning and sources of inspiration for some extraordinary carnival practices," added Ron Bechet, Victor H. Labat Professor of Art at Xavier University.

After the exhibition's run at the Presbytère, it will become part of a larger exhibition, Les Black Indians de la Nouvelle-Orléans, at the Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac, tentatively scheduled for 2022.

Additionally, several virtual events will be held in conjunction with the exhibition that are free and open to the public. On Tuesday, February 9 at 6 p.m., Kim Vaz-Deville, Ph.D., will be part of a virtual conversation about the exhibition, examining how African, Islamic, Native American, and European belief systems have fused to create a set of cultural and artistic practices that are unique to New Orleans and Carnival. Registration is required for the event as part of the Tulane Alumni Association's "Mardi Gras Goes Virtual" series.

Every Wednesday, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on February 24 through March 31, teaching artist Ausettua AmorAmenkum will lead a dance course called African Dance in New Orleans: Online Course at the Louisiana State Museum. The six-week course will explore African traditions and influences on New Orleans culture and dance. To register visit the course's event page.

On Thursday, February 25 at 6 p.m., you can join A Virtual Evening with the Curators: Mystery in Motion: African American Masking and Spirituality in Mardi Gras via Zoom as the guest curators share highlights from the exhibition and insights into the curatorial process with Louisiana State Museum historian Karen Leathem. Registration is available on the event page.

Finally, a special virtual blessing of the exhibition on opening day will be posted on the museum's Instagram and Facebook pages. Be sure to "Like" and follow both pages to for details as they become available.

For more information on Mystery in Motion: African American Masking and Spirituality in Mardi Gras or guest curators Kim Vaz-Deville, Ph.D., and Ron Bechet, visit the Louisiana State Museum's exhibit webpage.

This exhibition is generously supported by the Friends of the Cabildo, the Louisiana Museum Foundation, Xavier University of Louisiana, the New Orleans Center for the Gulf South, the Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition and its companion website do not necessarily represent those of either the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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New Exhibit Showcases African American Masking and Spirituality in Mardi Gras - My New Orleans

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Jerome "JJ" Carter, J'wan Boudreaux, Floyd Edwards, and Nigel Pleasant of the Golden Eagles; Photograph by Erika Goldring NEW ORLEANS (press release) - The Louisiana State Museum, working in collaboration with the renowned Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris, is excited to announce the opening of a new exhibition, Mystery in Motion: African American Masking and Spirituality in Mardi...

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Current, permanent and exhibitions that are coming soon to a Louisiana State Museum

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Native Curator of Louisiana heritage

Presentations, Tours, Events

Native Curator of Louisiana heritage

Presentations, Tours, Events

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The beautiful colors, the amount of time for each suit, comradery amongst the participants, the pride in the culture and work, connection to it is origins, share parts with the world but not in the entirety.

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Beauty in the people and for their resilience around keeping culture alive.
Costumes are beautiful but the feeling and expression of togetherness; opportunities to learn about the culture and its impact on the community.

Representing culture and its togetherness as well as the ARTS mingling together.  Music meets art meets dancing.

Living museum of art and everyone is apart of the art exhibit.

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The colors. The feathers. The diversity of colors and materials. Ownership of cultures and traditions.
Time spent for this quest. An economic engine that had an additional purpose. Purpose of expression and aid.
The beauty of seeing cultures and traditions that are shared from various different places.

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Music was beauty- sound and meaning related to culture, it makes people move and can be freeing, it draws out emotion
Time and energy put into costumes, what meaning is behind how they look, symbols/traditions of the materials and colors
Community coming together

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The costumes, the purpose...paying homage to the native community for helping enslaved people free themselves, helping the local economy, giving a voice to the voicless, and cooperative community economics (for us by us).

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True expression of togetherness through the development of community.

The individuals in the video bring to light the power of the black working class to create the concept of Mardi Gras and sharing the tradition with the rest of the country.

Mardi Gras is a consistent celebrated event on the same date and in New Orleans.

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Hidden in plain sight - what we don't know in our own areas (cities, neighborhoods, etc.) Unearthing hidden histories and identities. Vulnerability to wear suits that are not recognized as "manly", rebellion --- how communities worked together (indigenous people and people who were enslaved)

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The culture and experience of Mardi Gras brings to life or rather awareness the connections and origins of Mardi Gras to navigate and dismantle segregation.

Second Lines:  The concept of moving commerce throughout communities regardless of socioeconomic status.

Raising awareness through the development of beautiful costumes but in order to address the inequalities that a community could feel and expressing the greatness a culture or body of people have to offer to a country.

Culture doesn't belong to You! It belongs to the people and community.

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Revealing the truth that an outside wouldn't know about.
Thanking the ancestors and the unity of the cultures.
The truth that the struggles and needs of many cultures and groups need to be brought to light in a way that people would notice.

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Culture belongs to community.
Knowledge that people have because they are FROM New Orleans, the facts behind the "why"

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the untold history, things that are left out of the pages of history, and taking care of each other.

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Complexity of the suit and complexity of identity, fighting for existence and to retain and remain cultural community. War games shows competition rather than violence -- winning and losing doesn't harm people. The suits show unity across different combinations of peoples.

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Exhibited beauty. The practice of celebrating that beauty for the community and for themselves.
Saying "we're here. We're beautiful. We're powerful. With this beauty we will be recognized."
Some truths still need to be uncovered even within the beauty we can see.

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Joy of tradition and community revealed through costumes and music.
Excitement of a celebration to come bringing people together.
Visually/audibly striking makes you want to know more.
The event shares and reveals what is valued and important to the community.

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Mardi Gras is celebrated all over the world and many individuals are apart of the overall party but don't have an awareness of the rich experience and culture that exist between the culture within New Orleans.

The Beauty of it all carries a message. That message can be conceal blocking out the truth.

That which we see can obscure the true meaning of something; especially in the arts.  There is value in providing space for reflecting and revealing why something happens.

Beauty doesn't necessary mean kindness or that it will align with one's own values. In someways we can conceal something that is not necessarily positive and can in turn conceal the true "ugly" nature of a thing.

Things can be beautiful and conceal the nature of a thing but the truth reveals.

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the costumes...the time and attention spent making them and preparing for the parade reveals so much about the people wearing them and collectively tells the story of a community.

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Mixing of indigenous people and recently freed enslaved people and the suits still comes from the origin of enslavement.

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We don't know the history and we might not know that when we see it.
The beauty we see comes from who we are as an individual audience.
The truth of their daily lives may be concealed by the beauty of the event.

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Celebratory nature of the event might obscure the struggles of the past. The magic and glamour hides the history from outsiders.

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the beauty obsures the reality for the African-American community in New Orleans. The disparity in resources

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I am spreading Love for everyone to feel happy about. I want to let my little light shine.

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My suit represents keeping community and connection as priority values in my life.  As long as I align with this, I know I am taking the next right step.  I stand for togetherness!

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I stand up for children and how to give them voice, choice and kindness. I took some old teacher-generated posters and put on top some posters of past student performances (Magic Flute and Anything Goes), then on top of that I put students' smiley faces and blacked out the posters underneath. We need to give students a lot of agency in their lives as well as kindness so they can thrive and become who they are meant to become. Suit has not been engineered yet to be worn but it will happen :). This year I will try my best to include the ideas of social-emotional learning and student's voice and choice in everything I do and talk about with teachers.

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Being Fired Up to Innovate and Dismantle all While bringing light and joy~

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Being Fired Up to Innovate and Dismantle all While bringing light and joy~

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My "Suit" empowers me and reminds me to always be guided by the light and fire within to build a better world all while being lighthearted and brining joy and happiness to those I come in contact with.

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I believe all kindergarteners have the right to learn through play! I stand for putting play back in kindergarten!

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I believe all kindergarteners have the right to learn through play! I stand for putting play back in kindergarten!

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My suit represents a mosaic. We are all made up of many parts, ideas, talents, struggles, and so much more, and to celebrate this is the best thing we can do for ourselves. I stand for being my authentic self. And, what a gift it is for our students when we encourage and create spaces for them to be authentically all the beautiful pieces of themselves, too. Here's to the incredible mosaics who fill our classrooms each year.

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Ellen Rogers - a core value I have and want to revisit is listening. I tried to incorporate sound waves in various colors and ears into my suit design. I also put the people I want to put as my focus. I added distractions on my shoulders that I will need to brush off as I dance.

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My suit reminds me to nurture heart and mind, give space to build, explore, reflect together, stay rooted in our identity and let our minds soar!

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Inspiring Others To See The Beauty in The Truth by Marci

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Inspiring Others To See The Beauty in The Truth by Marci

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I stand for truth, honesty, and respecting children and adults as learners and thinkers.

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Inspiring All to See the Beauty in the Truth

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Inspiring All to See the Beauty in the Truth

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I stand for truth and honesty. I stand for ensuring that all children and adults are respected as learners and thinkers.

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I stand for saving and protecting the living and nonliving things of our beautiful planet.

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How Mardi Gras Indians Rebel Against History

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The colors, the culture, the costumes. Seeing people engaged in the culture. The knowledge passed down to be able to sew the suits. The dedication and commitment to something that takes that long to prepare. The homage to ancestry. dancing and music.

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The robes, the head dresses, the details that went into the design.

The colors are also so beautiful. The amount of time dedicated to the projects was evident and very beautiful.

It's beautiful to see the details dedicated to the particular tribes. You can see how the people in the videos research and pull details about the tribe into their designs.

The feeling of community is also so evident and is beautiful to see!

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There is truth in the spoken word of the people in the video and in the way they are telling the series about this wonderful tradition and how proud they are of the Native American History of New Orleans.

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Knowing that there is history behind Mardi Gras, and not just partying. The symbolic meaning. Even though we are all come from different ancestries, we could all be combined. The combination of things. The expression of culture and origin. The fact that there was a famous actor talking about the tradition and being part of that tradition. It helps us connect it with reality. The sense of community building. The tradition is being passed down from generation to generation.

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The beauty and joy of the songs, dances, and Native American clothing is so wonderful to see but it does hide the difficult and hard history that both Native American and African American communities have had to deal with.

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Reminding us that every culture has something beautiful. It is important to know the purpose behind certain things. The beauty of the parades, music costumes reveals a story that was previously untold of peoples who were segregated.. The color, movement, music, culture reveals happy, talkative people full of positivity. People who want to share and want to have their voices shared and heard.

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The beauty of the celebration helps to bring light to the proud history of Native Americans, African Americans, and how their relationship is revealed through this celebration.

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The beauty of the positivity and happiness conceals a history of segregation and colonization. We do not know the struggle they had to go through to be able to celebrate. We cannot see the struggle they had so that the tradition was not lost. The hardships of getting others to see the beauty in their culture.

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Gheran- custom suit  for Kodjo Goddard Summer 2021

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Gheran- custom suit  for Kodjo Goddard Summer 2021

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I’m working on finding ways to create a space for my students that bring a sense of light and safety to their individual and collaborative experiences. The thinking routines I’m learning will provide part of the structure for that.

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I'm standing up for everyone who cannot stand up for themselves.

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Enjoy life, elements of nature that help you set the tone for your day and influence your surroundings!

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I stand up for all cultures, and everybody being able to express themselves and live their lives in their own language and culture. I stand up for especially those that have been and are being oppressed! Let's make all cultures and stories visible in our classrooms!

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Beautiful handmade costumes and music (colours, patterns, sizes)
Time spent designing and creating costumes
Sense of community, be together

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The vibrancy in the coloring of the costumes and jewelry, the beading. The creativity and sense of community were all beautiful. As well as the people themselves, their children, and their stories being handed down through the generations. There were huge costumes and the tradition of remembering the indigenous people who helped the African people.

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Homage to their ancestors
Genuine expression of their appreciation
History of how it all started
People coming together and working as a community (from children to adults
Celebrating outside, in the streets

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The culture belongs to the community and how they were accepted by the natives as they were brought from Africa. Knowing that part of their truth sparked something within us. The longevity of sharing the truth and history and keeping it alive for so long. Native Americans sympathized and empathized with the Africans in the fact that they were rejected by the Europeans.

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Pride in their celebration, their history, the time spent preparing the event
Beauty to be part of it and want to be even more involved
Story of their culture and identity

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Beauty revealed the truth of those whose culture and traditions had deep meaning and this tradition was a testament to that. The truth is so rich. You have to share it with others and have the conversations. We have been prompted to learn even more, to be open minded and willing to have the difficult conversations. The beauty of the costumes and the time and energy it takes to create them is parallel to the time and energy needed to learn about and accept those cultures different from our own.

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It seems that actually they are more revealing their pride and identities through the celebration and costumes
If people have chosen not to reveal their truth, we would not have known the beauty of their culture

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The distraction of the beauty that is there to conceal an ugly truth. Beauty also hides truth by disguising true identity. Where people were able to blend in with a community and culture not their own in order to survive. We wonder and are concerned by the possibility and likelihood that this is continuing today.

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Sharing Christ’s love, light, and peace with my students, teachers, parents, and myself.