Blog archive
May 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
Resource Fair Preview
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
Racism 1966 in Pasadena
By Lora Harrington-PridePosted: 10/05/2023
Racism 1966
I never believed my husband’s stories about the things policemen did to Black people because they were so outrageous. I thought he was exaggerating and blowing out of proportion isolated things that he had heard or read about, way back when, as something that happened in the deep south where there was known to be racism. Those things didn’t happen up here, in the north. Then, I experienced it.
My life had been sheltered. My mother was a teacher. My father was a parole officer while I was in high school. I knew policemen on a social level.
My husband grew up on the streets and he was a blue collar worker. I learned what he knew, at my age of 26.
My husband and his friend and I were going to our home in Pasadena after having visited a friend in Altadena. It was about 11 p.m.
We were going South on Raymond Avenue when a police car pulled us over with a quick siren blast.
Two officers approached the car. One came to the driver’s side, while the other, holding a shotgun, finger on the trigger went to the passenger side.
My husband, the driver, and his friend, each, rolled down their windows. I was sitting between them in the front seat.
The officer without the drawn gun, started questioning my husband as to where we were going and where we had come from. The other officer stood with his shotgun aimed at us through the passenger side-finger on the trigger.
I leaned forward trying to see the officer’s face. When I made that move the shotgun came up, in line with my head. I wanted to see what kind of an expression a person wore on his face as he pointed a loaded weapon at another human being – unprovoked.
After all licenses and ID’s had been checked and cleared, we were sent on our way.
When we got home, my husband exploded on me. He said, “Don’t you ever move, when a police officer is pointing a weapon at you!” I told him why I had moved, and he said I could have gotten my head blown off, and the officer would have been justified because he didn’t know whether or not I was reaching for a weapon to use on him. He felt his life was in danger
There had been no infraction of any kind, and there was no explanation or apology given for having stopped us. I, along with my husband and his friend, knew why we were stopped, and questioned at gunpoint; “we were Black,” and that was reason enough.
Lora Harrington-Pride – 9/5/23