Rosa Parks Day in California 2009

California State Capitol ~ Rosa Parks Day 2009

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born February 4, 1913 in the rural community of Tuskegee, Alabama. Her full life legacy speaks to us today in this season of positive change. Rosa Parks Day in California featured recognition from our California Lt. Governor, John Garamendi, Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass. The red clay, blood stained sacred soil of Alabama provides a special character to embrace faith, courage and action. The Black Food and Agriculture Network, hosted a wonderful holiday celebration.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced Civil Rights as a central focus in the Obama administration, New Foundation in the People’s Department. In a seamless transition within the USDA, Office Assistant Secretary Civil Rights, Outreach Director, Dr. Gladys Gary Vaughn and Charles Smith, Outreach Specialist provide strong leadership providing equal opportunity and access to USDA programs long denied, toward rebuilding Black Agriculture throughout the State of California.

2009 Rosa Parks Day in California 2009 provided a personal introduction and physical fact to our USDA/CBO Partnership in our California State Capitol during a special Black History Month event honoring the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” President Barack Obama and leadership of the United States Department of Agriculture will help calibrate the proposed California Ag 2030 Vision to include equal opportunity for Black Agriculture in California’s #1 Agricultural Industry.

During Black History Month 2009 we reflect upon extremely negative history in the early years of the State of California. First Governor Peter Burnett in his inaugural address proposed to export all people of African ancestry out of the new State of California. His neighbor, Daniel Blue and friends, prayed about this proposal while creating the St. Andrew AME Church.

Today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is invited to embrace inclusion of Black Agriculture in the California Agriculture 2030 Vision. We continue to propose an official study of the State of Black Food and Agriculture to facilitate public policy solutions to epidemic levels of diet related adverse health impacts that provide significant cost savings and enhanced quality of life for millions of Black residents of the State of California.

In the spirit of Rosa Parks, we collectively praise the bridges that have brought us thus far along our collective journey to “form a more perfect union” and provide a stronger connection to our past, present and future.

This 2009 Vernal Equinox through California Ag Day we will again focus on sharing new opportunity and positive solutions that impact small, socially disadvantaged, limited resource farmers, ranchers, landowners and consumers.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights has responded in a positive way that will be heard throughout the State of California.

The systemic institutional racism practiced by employees of out of compliant offices of California USDA and CDFA Districts will begin to believe in the change offered by the new administration of President Barack Obama, standing upon the broad shoulders of Rosa Parks whom lead the Inauguration Parade for our new commander in chief.

The new community garden across from the USDA Washington D.C. Office is a clear indicator of our New Foundation for of the People’s Department to begin Black History Month 2009.