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"I Heard That" -- C.L.A.E.R. Works to Prevent Violence
by Rochelle Metcalfe‚
Mar. 19‚ 2008
March is the Month of the Woman! Last Friday afternoon San Francisco community activist Sharen Hewitt, an extraordinary woman, called together Sistuhs’ of color - “Women Extraordinaire” to celebrate sisterhood and their accomplishments and contributions to the community, held in the City at the marvelous Canto Do Brazil located on Franklin off Oak (food superb!).
Sistuh’ Hewitt, former San Francisco Housing employee, currently Project Director Community Leadership’s Academy and Emergency Response Project (C.L.A.E.R.) has been doing extraordinary work with young women in the San Francisco community, many mothers who have lost their children to crime in the streets - Black on Black crime!
March 29, C.L.A.E.R. will open the 2008 MANN (Men Affecting Nonviolent Neighborhoods). MANN is a continuum of C.L.A.E.R.’s position of identifying the males as key assets in the transformation of at-risk communities through the strengthening of families.
Hewitt is on the battlefield 24-7 - like one on a hunger strike, fire in her belly!!! She can be coarse in her tone of voice, demanding when she talks about her community; especially Sunnydale Housing Complex, and the plight of Black Brothers and Sistas abused, trying to make it on welfare, need childcare, education. She fights for them! A Sheroe in the trenches!
Each year several women are honored at the luncheon, this year honorees were: Maya Dillard Smith, appointed Violence Prevention Director by Mayor Gavin Newsom in January of this year. In this newly created role, Ms. Smith leads all aspects of violence prevention policy development, planning, coordination, and implementation for the City and County of San Francisco and guides the allocation of $60 million in violence prevention funding;...
Hope Hayes, retired Museum and Library Director. Before her retirement she worked for the San Francisco Public Library as Chief of Branch libraries;.became the first director of the newly established African American Museum and Library at Oakland until retirement in 1998;...
Sheryl Davis, wife of San Francisco Reverend Henry Davis, is the Coordinator for MO-Magic and has been active in issues around the San Francisco Western Addition revolving around services for girls.
Among Sistuhs’ networking were: Dorothy Histakae who gave the welcoming prayer; Winna Davis, Director of Programs and Grants, DCYF; honored in past years dynamic Aileen Hernandez, an urban consultant and great supporter of Hewitt; San Francisco Supervisor Sophie Maxwell; and Darolyn Davis, pretty daughter of Bill and Belva Davis-Moore, dropped the news that she’s putting her name in the ring for San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (SFDCCC) AD13. The election is on June 3, “out of 32 people running for 12 seats I am number 24 on the ballot - not a good placement but that was the roll of the dice!” Her platform “A New Voice for Leadership and Service. “ Go for it!
Darolyn reminded me, when I expressed my surprise over her interest in politics, explained she worked for Mayor George Moscone right after high school, and for Willie L. Brown, then Assemblyman, as his director of communications for 5 years.
Wallace “Wally” Bailey, employed with the San Francisco Park and Recreations Department, Park Director for 40 years, retired in 2006, passed Tuesday, March 4. Noted in the obituary one of Bailey’s greatest accomplishments was coaching “basketball” for the children in the City and County of San Francisco.
An active member of Bayview Providence Baptist Church, Reverend Calvin Jones, Jr. preached his homegoing services last Friday morning. Mr. Bailey leaves his devoted wife Carol Bailey of 36-years, a son Carl Sr; host of grandchildren, family and many friends, that included Nate Thurmond, former Warrior Basketball star, and member of Providence.
Back in the day Wally played in the Black Bar League Softball team during the 60s. A time when a strip of Divisadero Street was jumping with Black businesses that included bars and nightclubs; especially noted - Bunny Simon’s Playpen; Both/An and Halfnote Jazz Clubs. News traveled fast of an old friend passing. Members of the league came that day to the Church; some traveled from out of State. They remembered Wally who was a hellavu’ pitcher.
A reunion of sort, after services, preferred not to attend the Repast at the church but the fellows assembled at The Monte Carlo Restaurant and Bar, located in the Bayview, to rehash old memories over fried chicken and french fries, high five’s capping how well everyone looked. Many had not seen each other for years, and the way Funerals can be!!! It was a man’s thang’!
The Boys of Summer Softball teams remembered good times at The Halfnote in particular, where the club’s players would gather after a game, partied, laughed and cried. A camaraderie between men; now approaching or in their twilight years. I remembered those days and personalities of the Halfnote - moonlighted for a short time as a cocktail waitress.
There was Herman Warren, legendary owner of The Halfnote, who fledged a team and sponsored, also played second baseman. Jesse Wilson, at the time Hunter’s Point Park and Recreation Director, managed. The team comprised of a diverse group of players that included Jazz singer Al Jarreau whom Warren said was an outstanding and most valuable player in the league! Jarreau and George Dukes performed in the spotlight at the club before both hit it big!
In the midst was LeRoy Vernell Jones, Ph.D., retired San Francisco Police Officer. During the 60s Jones was part of the San Francisco Police Community Relations Unit, responsible for inspiring the Bar Leagues formed 1966-1971, and how Softball came to be on the sandlots of The Western Addition (Kimball Park) and Bayview. Involved were Lt. Dante Androtti, Commander...Richard Hongisto and Eugene Brown (later years both became Sheriff). Jones wrote a tell all gossipy book, scandals, recapturing those years as a policeman, hanging out at The Halfnote, entitled “The Good Life” co-authored by his wife Dr. Febe Portillo-Jones, Ph.D.
The Halfnote was frequented by politicians, the working man and woman, hustlers, pimps; a young lawyer on the rise - Willie Brown, Jr., hung out, as did sports stars like The Warrior’s Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Nate Thurmond, Al Attles, Abe Woodson.
As evident last Friday, the spirit live on within the hearts of H. Warren and his posse in 2008 - guys are itching to get together in May at Warren’s pad in Sacramento for a Barbecue party - should be a blast!
HEY, IT’S NICE TO BE NICE AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE...LOOK FOR ME...I’LL BE THERE...
E-mail Rochelle at iheard@earthlink.net
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May 9, 2008
