Monthly Archives: May 2013
In Memory
I was looking to see what if anything had I written or posted for Memorial Day about family … an in Memory of and saw something from 2011
… of course the day is full of Memorial Events and some unforgettable programs to see, but as we channel surfed it also included a stop at HGTV who teamed up with Change the World; a collaborative organization that helps Vets renovate existing housing that provides housing and education to Vets in the community; made me think about my brother, a vet who struggled with all that comes from serving and then …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtteWKUIi4I
what a surprise to see my cousin giving up his NFL jersey to Hence, who is doing great things in his community by providing veterans a place to stay, rest, think and move on to better things after coming back from War.
It is a great find from 2011, reminder and an in memory of my bro and ALL those who took an oath to protect and serve since … we thank you
Oh and this disclaimer … I do not know if the organization Change the World still exists or is working with HGTV …
Share this:
Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve
Indigenous Culture
Of the 150 known Hawaiian petroglyph sites, most are on the Big Island.
The majority of these ki’i pohaku (rock carvings) depict events during the 1000 to 1,500 year period before Western culture arrived in the late 1700s. On the periphery of some petroglyph fields there are often also found post-contact images that depict men on horseback, sailing ships, names and Roman letters. One of the most accessible, viewer-friendly fields is the Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve. It is found surrounded by a shopping center and condominium developments at Waikoloa Beach Resort on Hawaii Island’s west coast.
View original post 834 more words
Share this:
Burned to death
Jeep Grand Cherokees have extremely high risk of catching on fire in accidents — I saw a family burn to death that way. I’m asking the US government to issue a recall and get these dangerous cars off the road.
Last fall I was out for a drive with my dad when we hit a sudden traffic jam. A tractor trailer couldn’t stop in time, so it hit a bunch of cars from behind. We spun into a guardrail, but we were okay. We got out of the car to see that another family had survived, but their car, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, was on fire.
My dad tried to help them out of the car, but he was only able to save one of the teenage boys. The other boy and the mom were trapped, and burned to death. It was the most awful thing I have ever seen.
Jeep knows the fuel tank on Grand Cherokees is in the “crush zone,” which means the car is likely to catch on fire in an accident. Only 27 people ever died in Ford Pinto fires, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee number is 287 and rising. So why are these cars still on the road?
After the accident, I spent months grieving. I couldn’t get that family out of my head. Not only watching this mother and teenager burn to death, but watching her 18-year-old son watching it happen. Watching him cry, “Mom, Mom.” I’m a single mom with two teenaged boys, too, so that really hit home. When that boy was crying for his mother, he sounded like my boys.
The scariest part is this doesn’t just affect people who drive Jeeps — if you rear-end a Jeep Grand Cherokee in a collision, your car could catch on fire, too.
I’ve seen lots of Change.org petitions have success before, and I really hope mine will be one of them. The Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are supposed to keep Americans safe. I hope that if enough people sign my petition, they’ll do the right thing and protect our safety over Chrysler’s bottom line.
Click here to sign my petition calling on the Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees, which have killed 287 people so far.
Thank you,
Jenelle Embrey
Linden, Virginia
Share this:
Building Opportunities in Indian Country: Congratulations to the Graduates of Navajo Technical College
By On Friday, I had the honor of addressing a class of graduates at Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint, New Mexico. The Navajo Tech graduating Class of 2013 earned certificates in 34 fields that will provide the tools they need to serve their community as teachers, nurses, engineers, mechanics, bankers, chefs and countless other opportunities all made possible by their commitment and dedication to improving themselves through the pursuit of a higher education.
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) play a key role in President Obama’s educational goal of making the United States home to the best-educated, most competitive workforce in the world. TCUs are critical institutions that build tribal communities, create good jobs across Indian Country, and provide Native Americans with the skills they need to do those jobs.
Dr. Jill Biden walks with the procession of graduates of the Navajo Technical College Class of 2013, Navajo Tech President Elmer Guy, Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly and the Board of trustees on the Navajo Tech campus in Crownpoint, New Mexico. May 17, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
As a community college teacher, I love seeing what a tremendous difference a community like the one I saw at Navajo Tech can make in the lives of its students.
The impressive class of graduates included veterans like Jerrilene Kenneth, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army mechanic, before she became the first college graduate in her family with an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. It also included Navajo Tech Student of the Year Sherwin Becenti, who dropped out of college more than ten years ago but returned to school in order to build a better life for his family and set a good example for his children. Dwight Carlston, who grew up with no running water or electricity, was also among the graduates. Dwight maintained a 3.8 grade point average, ran cross country, served as Student Senate President and was recently elected as the Student Congress president of all 38 tribal colleges.
The Class of 2013 also marked a key milestone for Navajo Tech itself as they celebrated their first student to graduate with a Baccalaureate Degree. Dody Begay received his Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology-Computer Science – a path many other students are now planning to follow.
It is thanks to students like Jerrilene, Sherwin, Dwight, and Dody, and their dedicated faculty and administrators, that for the second year in a row Navajo Tech was recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the top 120 community colleges in the United States. It was the only TCU and the only college in New Mexico to receive this distinction.
During my trip to the Navajo Nation, I also had the privilege of taking part in a traditional blessing by Medicine Man Robert Johnson who shared the traditions and spirituality of the Diné people. Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly and his wife First Lady Martha Shelly also provided a wonderful welcome to their community with an introduction to the leadership of the tribal government. Students from the Diné Bi Olta Language Immersion Elementary School and Miyamura High School performed the traditional basket and ribbon dances at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Arizona.
From a traditional hogan in Window Rock, Arizona, Dr. Jill Biden listens to Medicine Man Robert Johnson along with Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly, First Lady Martha Shelly, Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council Johnny Naize and Barbara Naize. May 17, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
Thank you to the Navajo Nation, and the faculty, staff and students of Navajo Technical College for welcoming me into your community. Your drive to improving yourselves and the generations who will follow you through a continued commitment to education sets an example for not just Indian Country, but for communities all across America. Congratulations to the graduates of 2013. But above all, congratulations to your parents, your grandparents and your ancestors for having the vision and commitment to strengthen their community by building your college and investing in all of our futures.
Ahe’hee!
Dr. Jill Biden is the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, a mother and grandmother, a lifelong educator, a proud Blue Star mom, and an active member of her community.
Stay Connected
Be a Seed for Change 
You must be logged in to post a comment.