Blog archive
October 2024
Happiness by Priscilla Leonard
10/11/2024
Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
10/11/2024
Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck
10/11/2024
In the Evening by Billy Collins
10/10/2024
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
10/10/2024
Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024
Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024
Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024
September 2024
Connecting with Village Connections
09/30/2024
Betty Kilby, A Family History
09/27/2024
Reflection on Life
09/20/2024
Expanding the Possibilities
09/19/2024
Need a Ride? No Problem!
09/17/2024
Security When Aging (Especially If You Are Single)
09/17/2024
The Bridge Begins at Thanksgiving
09/17/2024
The Power of Collective Service: Putting the Village First
09/17/2024
Tino Melchor - A Mentor for Young Teens in the Making
09/17/2024
Village Party Bus Delivers FUN
09/17/2024
We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know: That’s Why We Have Educational Programs
09/17/2024
On Rereading Tolle by Ed Rinderle
09/10/2024
Autumn Leaves
09/09/2024
August 2024
1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024
1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024
First Anniversary
08/19/2024
Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024
Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024
The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024
Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024
Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024
Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024
Future Housing Options
08/15/2024
Message from the President
08/15/2024
There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024
Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024
A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024
Haikus
08/13/2024
One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024
Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024
Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024
Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024
July 2024
Alma Stokes, The Struggle in Pasadena
07/25/2024
A Poetry Gathering: Liberating Experiences Available
07/19/2024
Civil Rights Movement Series
07/19/2024
Happy Hours in Pasadena: A Villager’s Perspective
07/19/2024
Pasadena Village and the National Dialogue on Villages and Healthy Aging Research
07/19/2024
President's Message
07/19/2024
The Kern River Rafting Caper
07/19/2024
The Village Artists Group creates creative camaraderie
07/19/2024
An Example of Inherent Racism
07/14/2024
Current, Upcoming Events
07/04/2024
June 2024
No Real Recourse For Discrimination
06/30/2024
A Personal Statement of Strength and Well-Being
06/25/2024
Juneteenth Reflections
06/24/2024
Reflections on 2023-2025
06/21/2024
Reactions and Reflections Re: Juneteenth
06/19/2024
As Our Organization Grows, Villagers Recall Personal Highlights
06/17/2024
From the Outgoing President
06/17/2024
Letter from the Incoming President: Beginning Our ‘Lagniappe’ Year
06/17/2024
The Editorial Team Looks Back: Creating the Voice of the Village
06/17/2024
This Year's Resource Fair was the Most Successful Ever
06/17/2024
Telling the Whole Story
06/12/2024
Nashville
06/10/2024
May 2024
Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024
Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024
Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024
Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024
Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024
Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024
Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024
Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024
Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024
Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024
Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024
Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024
Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024
Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024
No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024
An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024
Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024
Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024
The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024
Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024
April 2024
Rumor of Humor #2410
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2411
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2412
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2413
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2414
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2415
04/28/2024
Rumor of Humor #2416
04/28/2024
Stimulated by "Caste"
04/22/2024
Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024
March 2024
Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
The Warwick Will, and a Slaveholder's Heritage
By Blog MasterPosted: 02/25/2022
Notes by Sharon Jarrett
The group had a presentation by Malissa Daniel an author of a yet to be published novel. The novel with the working title, The Warwick Will, is based on her family.
Ms. Daniel is a descendant of the Daniel and Warwick families originally from England who migrated to the Virginia colony in the 1600s.
She began her presentation saying "There is no room for guilt, guilt inhibits discussion". She then reviewed the history of the Virginia Company and the commercial endeavor that began in 1607 in Jamestown.
The original colonists were entitled British businessman who did not see themselves doing the work needed to establish the colony. Workers were initially recruited from Poland and these individuals stabilized the colony. Following the establishment of the House of Burgesses, the "need" for slavery to build the commercial aspects of the colony was established. In the beginning slaves were white and often criminals or debtors. This did not provide enough labor for the expansion of the commercial endeavors envisioned and this led to chattel slavery being adopted as a practice in 1619.
After this explanation, Ms. Daniel briefly discussed coming to terms with the knowledge that she is a descendant of Earl of Warwick , who operated some of the ships that transported these slaves and the profit center motivation that underlay the endeavor.
As Ms Daniel was proceeding with her research she learned of family members who were abolitionists. But also learned of other family members who were slave owners well into the 1800s. In the course of this research she learned of John Warwick who fathered a son with an enslaved woman, Frederick Warwick. This is the basis of her novel. Ms Daniel met a descendant of Frederick Warwick, who helped her build her knowledge of this part of the family history which included the freeing of Frederick Warwick and the transfer of land and money to allow him to begin an independent life.
Ms Daniel then discussed current tasks that emerged from slavery. This included mechanisms to manage the harm of slavery. She indicated she believes everyone in the current day has benefited from slavery in some way. The primary benefit being the creation of wealth.
She then discussed reparations. She urged participants to see reparations very broadly not just as monetary. She suggested considering education, societal benefits, policy changes and social supports for epigenetic trauma. She suggested the use of discussion mechanisms such as Truth and Reconciliation Committees and lauded Coming to the Table as a organizational structure for facilitating this.
A question and answer period followed. A recording of the presentation, "Warwick Will," can be viewed
The next meeting will be March 4th at 10:00 PST. It appears the consideration of the nomination of Kentaji Brown Jackson will be an important and ongoing topic for discussion. We will hold an open discussion on this topic, or other news, as it evolves.
On March 18th at 12 noon, the 1619 Project Discussion group will feature an introduction to Coming to the Table, a national organization founded in the 1980’s, with the purpose to bring together Black and White Americans who wish to acknowledge and heal the wounds from racism that is rooted in the United States founding in slavery.Wilson Bell and Allison Thomas, leaders of the local CTTT chapter will tell us about the organization and a little about their personal histories and involvement in the group.
Wilson Bell is a Technical Project Manager in Information technology at Tapcheck, Inc He has worked in several Fortune 100 companies in several different managerial positions and as a consultant in IT. He has also worked as an actor and singer on stage and in film and television. Additionally, he is a Life Coach supporting people to recognize their purpose and value so that they can make their mark on the planet before they leave.
Wilson has served on the boards of the Hollywood West and Sylmar Neighborhood Councils. He was also on the board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Project Management Institute. He currently serves on the Southern California Pasadena Coming To The Table steering committee. He is currently working on a book based on Facebook posts over the last 5 years.
Allison Thomas is a film/theatre producer and writer. Currently, she is lead producer, with Warner Bros. Theatrical Ventures, of a new Broadway musical based on the movie “Dave,” and, with Universal, a musical adaptation of “The Tale of Despereaux.” Allison worked as a producer on the movies “The Tale of Despereaux,” “Seabiscuit,” and “Pleasantville.”
Allison descends from enslavers in colonial Virginia back to the early 1600s. She is currently writing about her journey to uncover the truth about her enslaver family history. She researched and created a website for the Black descendants of the men, women and children run off Gwynn’s Island, Virginia in 1916, to connect them with their ancestors, many of whom were enslaved by Allison’s family.
She serves on the steering committee for the Pasadena Chapter of Coming to the Table, in addition to managing the BitterSweet blog, and Linked Descendants Writing Pod program.