Keith Russell

Smooth brown skin, mustache, closely cropped hair and outfitted from head to toe in black boots, jeans, shirt and leather jacket, Keith Russell could be any ordinary urban African American male.

But just as Russell’s appearance belies his age – he looks 15 years younger – it also offers no clue to his occupation, which is worthy of stumping even the savviest panelist on the old game show ‘What’s My Line?’

As an ornithologist (a “birder” in the parlance of the profession) his stock and trade are our feathered friends that most of us barely notice, save for a brief listen to a chirp, a song or a passing glance as they fly to and fro.

The oldest of seven siblings, two boys and five girls, Russell has been enamored of birds for as long as he can remember while growing up in Philadelphia. But the spark leading him to his current a job as Science and Outreach coordinator for Audubon Pennsylvania was struck by a third grade book report. “All I remember is going to the library and looking at bird books,” he smiles.

His parents – father, a University of Pennsylvania graduate and USDA research chemist, and a Temple-grad, stay-at-home mother – did their best to encourage their son, supplying Russell with a pair of Sears binoculars, buying him watercolors to paint his obsession, and occasionally ferrying him to locations where he could observe birds in their various habitats.

“Education was extremely important to my parents,” Russell says, rattling off a list of activities punctuating his childhood, including art lessons and music school. “They supplemented what I learned in school with as much education as they could.”

By the sixth grade Russell was a regular visitor at the Academy of Natural Sciences (the nation’s oldest natural history museum), finding a mentor in a member of the exhibits department, and selling his own paintings of birds to his Mt. Airy neighbors.

A man living literally around the corner from his home, “one of the most well known and well-respected birders in Philadelphia,” took Russell on field trips throughout the region and to meetings of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC), America’s oldest organization for birders and bird enthusiasts.

“I burned up his phone,” Russell says, recalling his neighbor’s patience, and how constant reinforcement was instrumental in guiding him towards his career path. “Mentors and parental support, that translates no matter who you are; you connect with a community and that was everything to me.”

At 17, Russell joined the DVOC, the first black member of an organization that at the time had a no-admittance policy for women. Upon high school graduation and fueled by scholarships, he entered Cornell University based on the “tremendous reputation” of its Lab of Ornithology, pursuing a degree in biology and setting the stage for a master’s degree in zoology from Clemson University.

Returning to Philadelphia, for ten years and based on a tip from his museum mentor who suggested that he apply for the position, Russell worked as Collection Manager for Exhibits at the Academy of Natural Sciences, then joined the ornithology department as Assistant Editor for ‘The Birds of North America,’ a publication compiling modern life history information for over 700 species of North American birds.

Russell’s past 11 years have involved conservation activities with the National Audubon Society, first as a biologist in its science office for the Important Bird Area Program and, since 2006, in his current Philadelphia-based position, spreading the gospel of habitat preservation and restoration, in collaboration with other organizations like the city’s zoo.

Most recently he’s been involved in a research project about bird collisions with buildings. (They are fooled by reflections in windows.) For three years Russell has monitored a three-and-a-half square block area of Center City dominated by skyscrapers, documenting numerical and species data on the hundreds of birds killed annually during the spring and fall migration periods.

“If you’re a birder, you’re naturally interested in conservation,” Russell points out, adding that his fellow bird lovers share a simple rationale for devoting their lives to studying their subjects. “There’s something about them that they find fascinating. Birds are beautiful creatures.”

Being engaged in a profession where African Americans are few and far between is nothing new to Russell. “You get used to it, like it’s no big deal,” he says, noting that for high school he and his siblings all attended the private Germantown Friends School, and are grads of Brown, Penn, Princeton, etc. They enjoy careers in teaching, marketing, banking and more. “I didn’t find that funny,” he says of his life’s journey. “My parents had us all understand that all people are equal and there are no ‘special’ children.”

He gives all the credit for his and his siblings’ success to his parents who did not constrain their interests – even if they did not understand their children’s passions. “They allowed each of us to be who we were. They are the most important reason why I am able to do this today,” he says, adding that their experience holds an example for today’s parents, whose children have an array of career choices they can imagine and pursue – if they prepare themselves.

“We as black folks need to have a broader range of interests if each one of us is going to find a niche in life that allows us to utilize and be appreciated for the unique talents we all possess as individuals. Not everybody can rap, play basketball or cut hair.”

Link: http://mobi.phillyburbs.com/phillyburbs/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=pBTrIBr3&full=true#display

“Mayor Michael Nutter and the City of Philadelphia are embracing poetry as a powerful means of communication and artistic expression by creating a citywide position for poet laureate.

And West Philadelphia resident Sonia Sanchez will be the first artist named to the post.

According to this article from the Associated Press, the activist and poet was appointed to the newly created position Thursday. Mayor Nutter called Sanchez “the longtime conscience of the city.”

The 77-year-old poet has had a long career and played a very active part in the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Arts Movement. She has held teaching positions at eight universities and she is currently the poet in residence at Temple University.

At the induction ceremony, Mayor Nutter said, “Poetry is an extraordinary and powerful art form. Ms. Sanchez exemplifies the role a poet can play in helping to define a city and helping its citizens discover beauty.”

Some of the roles of the poet laureate will include mentoring a youth poet laureate and appearing at spoken word and poetry events as well as other public appearances at City Hall and the Free Library of Philadelphia.

It is exciting that Philadelphia is recognizing the importance of poetry and the impact it can have on citizens. We’re thrilled that Sonia Sanchez has been named to the post and excited to see what this new position does for the city.”

-Deidre Wengen, www.phillyburbs.com

Penn Medicine is one of the leading healthcare institutions in the country. Penn’s commitment to the West Philadelphia Community is the foundation of the development of this year long apprenticeship program with UCD. This program provides:

 Paid technical skills training
 Paid professional development training
 One-on-one job training with IT professionals
 Career development and job coaching services
 Real job opportunities

To learn more about the program attend one of our 1 hour Orientation sessions.
Orientation sessions will be held at 10am on January 6 and 6pm on January 9 at 1500 Market Street, 9th floor.

The application deadline for this program is January 9, 2012.
Visit www.westphiladelphiaskills.org to fill out an on-line application or to download a copy. Applications may also be obtained at the Front Desk at University City District
(3940 Chestnut Street, M-F, 8:30am–5pm).

The best posts on the style blog Street Etiquette find its principals, Travis Gumbs and Joshua Kissi, in motion. As opposed to the fascistically frozen street-style snaps of The Sartorialist and others, these pictures are styled and plotted fictions but also affecting ones, depicting a pair of young black men taking ownership not just of the body and what goes on it, but also of the environment it moves in. No one ever smiles on Street Etiquette: there’s business to attend to.

Read more here

WHAT: A discussion of the state of African-American dance in Philadelphia, tied to the publication of the new book  ”Joan Myers Brown & the Audacious Hope of the Black Ballerina: A Biohistory of American Performance” by Brenda Dixon Gottschild

WHERE: Moonstone Arts Center, 110A South 13th Street, Philadelphia

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at 1 p.m.

Join us on January 14 for a conversation on African-Americans in dance led by Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO!) founder Joan Myers Brown, part of the release party for the new book “Joan Myers Brown & the Audacious Hope of the Black Ballerina: A Biohistory of American Performance” by Brenda Dixon Gottschild. In this book, Gottschild uses Brown’s life and career as a fulcrum to leverage an investigation of the interface between performance, cultural formation, and race politics as evidenced by the development of a dance community in Black Philadelphia and the rise and spread of its influence beyond community and regional borders to national and international distinction.

Joining Brown in the conversation will be Philadanco dancer Justin S.M. Bryant, who will discuss the growth and development of a community of black male dancers in Philadelphia.

Our January book discussion will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m. at the Moonstone Arts Center, 110A South 13th Street, Philadelphia. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and autographing at Moonstone.

WHAT: Two special events tied to the Philadelphia Theatre Company production of “The Scottsboro Boys,” the final collaboration of Broadway musical legends John Kander and Fred Ebb:

A discussion of the musical, the event on which it is based, and the issues raised by both, inaugurating the VOICES series of community discussions

The Brothers’ Network’s special evening of theater, including a post-performance conversation with members of the cast

WHERE: Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia

WHEN: Discussion: Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at 1 p.m. Performance: Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, at 8 p.m.

The Brothers’ Network’s partnership with the Philadelphia Theatre Company begins its fifth year with a discussion of a singular theatrical and historical event – a musical that revisits one of the most notorious miscarriages of justice in American history.

The musical is “The Scottsboro Boys,” the last work by Broadway legends John Kander and Fred Ebb. The duo chose a 19th-century musical form associated with negative stereotypes of blacks – the minstrel show – to highlight the issues that made the Scottsboro Boys trial an international outrage.

The story of the Scottsboro Boys is one of the most shameful examples of injustice in our nation’s history. It makes clear that in the Deep South of the 1930’s, jurors were not willing to accord a black charged with raping a white woman the usual presumption of innocence. In fact, one may argue that the presumption seemed reversed: a black was presumed guilty unless he could establish his innocence beyond a reasonable doubt. The cases show that to jurors, black lives didn’t count for much. The jurors that in April, 1933 had just voted to sentence Haywood Patterson to death were seen laughing as they emerged from the juryroom. Hannah Arendt wrote of “the banality of evil.” Evil rarely comes in the form of monsters, but rather in the form of relatively normal people who, for reasons of careers, ideology, or a desire for society’s approval, are indifferent to the human consequences of their actions. Because of indifferent jurors and career-motivated prosecutors, the self-serving and groundless accusations of a single woman were allowed to change forever the lives of nine black teenagers who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

We chose to partner with PTC on the launch of its “Voices” series of community discussions because “The Scottsboro Boys” uniquely addresses issues of race, justice, crime and stereotyping in an attention-grabbing manner.

Our discussion on Sunday, Jan. 8, will be led by two Ph.D. candidates in Temple University’s African American Studies program, Andrew D. Brown and Brandon Stanford. Our discussion will focus on a number of issues, including

• the dynamics that lead some disenfranchised people to use other, more disenfranchised people as a means of gaining status and security
• how stereotypes of blacks have more power than stereotypes of whites
• how African Americans absorb portrayals of their own history and why comedic treatments of it are better received than dramatic ones

The Brothers’ Network is sponsoring this discussion in order to advance the dialogue on racial justice issues and broaden and deepen our engagement with history and ideas that can be used to better understand the American racial dynamic.

The discussion will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Jan. 8, at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia. Please RSVP for this event by email to comments@thebrothersnetwork.org.

Then join us on Feb. 10 for our special evening of theater, with a performance of “The Scottsboro Boys” and a post-performance discussion featuring members of the cast.

Dear BME Brother,

Lend Your VOICES to Our Discussion of “The Scottsboro Boys”

The Brothers’ Network’s partnership with the Philadelphia Theatre
Company begins its fifth year with a discussion of a singular
theatrical and historical event – a musical that revisits one of the
most notorious miscarriages of justice in American history.

The musical is “The Scottsboro Boys,” the last work by Broadway
legends John Kander and Fred Ebb. The duo chose a 19th-century musical
form associated with negative stereotypes of blacks – the minstrel
show – to highlight the issues that made the Scottsboro Boys trial an
international outrage.

We chose to partner with PTC on the launch of its “Voices” series of
community discussions because “The Scottsboro Boys” uniquely addresses
issues of race, justice, crime and stereotyping in an
attention-grabbing manner.

Our discussion on Sunday, Jan. 8, will be led by two Ph.D. candidates
in Temple University’s African American Studies program, Andrew D.
Brown and Brandon Stanford. Our discussion will focus on a number of
issues, including:

• the dynamics that lead some disenfranchised people to use other, more
• disenfranchised people as a means of gaining status and security,
• how stereotypes of blacks have more power than stereotypes of whites,
• how African Americans absorb portrayals of their own history and why,
• comedic treatments of it are better received than dramatic ones

The Brothers’ Network is sponsoring this FREE discussion in order to
advance the dialogue on racial justice issues and broaden and deepen
our engagement with history and ideas that can be used to better
understand the American racial dynamic.
The discussion will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Jan. 8, at the
Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia. PLEASE
RSVP at comments@thebrothersnetwork.org
Then join us on February 10. 2012 for our special evening of theater,
with a performance of “The Scottsboro Boys” and a post-performance
discussion featuring members of the cast.

For those who are fans of independent films that make waves in the Sundance Film Festival, there’s a new kid on the block titled “Pariah”. Director Dee Rees does a fantastic job and its sure to be a hit! Check out the full synopsis here:

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/28/144328186/in-pariah-high-stakes-of-embracing-gay-identity

Summary:

Responsible for marketing and leasing assigned property, as well as providing resident services. Develops and implements policies and procedures to effectively manage property under the direction of the Property Manager and Regional Property Manager.

Duties:

Executes marketing and advertising campaigns for apartment leasing, and assists Property
Manager with coordinating leasing events such as open houses, realtor tours, and resident
promotional activities
Assists with the development and implementation of residential programming, including special events and ongoing instructional and recreational activities
Maintains knowledge and awareness of corporate in/out migration, property competition, and other market conditions affecting leasing and operations
Manages property’s answering service, ensuring superlative customer service, up-to-date calling sequences, and accurate contact information
Notifies residents of all issues affecting their tenancy
Files court documents for eviction and attends scheduled court hearings as Landlord’s representative
Oversees security deposit administration including inspecting units to determine resident’s balance or refund, preparing disposition letters, and processing security deposit returns
Assists Property Manager with maintaining building security measures, documenting incidents, and sending proper notification to management, owners, and insurance carriers
Maintains familiarity with all procedures and requirements of accounts payable and accounts receivable
Processes all property expenditures for Property Manager’s approval
Maintains journal of administrative, facility-related, and market-driven property issues and concerns
Leads tours of property, showing vacant units and marketing property amenities
Tracks and follows up with all referrals, walk-ins, and phone inquiries
Develops and maintains reference book detailing property’s unique features, amenities, size, vacancies, rental rates, and current leasing promotions
Prepares leasing checklist and package which includes all required forms, deposits, schedules, and information
Reviews and screens all applications for Property Manager’s approval
Maintains property’s filing system including tenant, applicant, accounting, and vendor and contract files
Maintains deposit and rental collections
Monitors landlord-tenant relations and mediates disputes when necessary
Responds to resident concerns and complaints. Counsels residents and provides referrals to appropriate agencies
Utilizes maintenance software program to enter in and track work orders
Inspects apartments for move-in/out condition and turnover status
Assists Property Manager with conducting and documenting annual unit inspections and annual recertification of residents
Assists Property Manager with reassessing property and completing competitive marketing analysis
Remains current on and compliant with policies and laws affecting the marketing and leasing of the property, including the Company’s leasing agreement, Landlord Tenant code, Fair Housing laws, and other applicable laws
Orders office supplies
Maintains regular daily office hours ensuring adequate coverage on weekends and holidays

Required Skills
High School diploma or equivalent
Bachelor’s degree preferred
Degree in a related field preferred
2 or more years experience in multi-family property management
Experience with Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program and/or Hope 6 preferred
Knowledge of HUD programs including but not limited to HOPE 6 and Project-Based Section 8
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook
Proficiency in Yardi preferred
Excellent customer service skills
Ability to perform in a busy, multi-tasking work environment
Requires ability to physically inspect property (or properties) and individual units
Requires ability to read, speak, and comprehend the English language
Requires the ability to travel (between properties, training, errands, etc.)
Valid driver’s license preferred. This requirement could change depending on the staffing and needs of the property

Job Location
Norristown, PA, US. (Must live within 30minutes drive of Norristown)

Position Type
Full-Time/Hourly

“When I conjour the sole Black Supreme Court Justice’s name I’m often distracted by his personal shortcomings (see: Anita Hill), purported Uncle Tom-esque character (see also: Affirmative Action), and the fact that its widely believed that Thomas has failed to further Thurgood Marshall’s mastery of the court. Most Black Americans accept the charges I’ve levied against Justice Thomas as fact, but in the recently decided case of McDonald v. Chicago the Georgia native wakes from his slumber and strikes a chord that Black Americans should heed and respect.”

Read more here