11/03/2018
ON MARCH 10, 2018, I AWOKE AT 6 AM IN THE MORNING AND DECIDED TO BRING MYSELF UP TO DATE BY WATCHING THE SUNDAY MORNING NEWS PROGRAMS FOR AN HOUR OR SO. BIG MISTAKE!
AFTER A HOUR OR SO, I BEGAN TO GET A FEELING OF DESPAIR. THE NEW ANNOUNCERS SPENT HALF THEIR TIME DEFENDING THE NEWS MEDIA AND THE OTHER HALF ATTACKING THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATURE, EQUALLY REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.
FORTUNATELY, I HAVE A BUILT-IN SURVIVAL BUTTON THAT WENT OFF! AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT TELLS ME IT’S TIME TO MOVE INTO POSITIVE ACTION.
I DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO RESOLVE OUR CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS. IT IS FAIR BEYOND MY ABILITY. HOWEVER, IT IS WITHIN MY GRASP TO CLEAN MY OWN PARKING LOT AND ONE CAN TELL BY THE MULTITUDE OF MOVEMENTS AROUND THE WORLD SOMETHING GOOD IS TRYING TO HAPPEN. I AM NOT OFFICIALLY PART OF ANY ORGANIZED SOCIAL MOVEMENT, BUT I SALUTE AND PRAISE THOSE WHO ARE MAKING THE EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE HUMAN CONDITION ON ALL FRONTS.
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I WROTE A POST ANNOUNCING MY ENDEAVOR TO CREATE A BLACK-OWNED AND OPERATED TOURING COMPANY (“BUDDY & FRIENDS”) IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, MOTIVATED BY MY NEED TO SHARE WITH OTHERS THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BUDDY'S CONTRACTING SERVICE IN THE NATIONAL PARKS. IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING THIS ENDEAVOR, I DISCOVERED THERE ARE MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE WITH FASCINATING STORIES YET UNTOLD.THESE STORIES, LIKE BUDDY’S CONTRACTING WORK IN THE NATIONAL PARKS WITH THE MOST INTEGRATED STAFF IN PARK SERVICE HISTORY, SHOULD BE TOLD.
THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT ALL HUMAN STORIES THAT MAKE OTHERS WANT TO LISTEN AND DISCOVER THE COMMON THREAD THAT IS WOVEN THROUGH ALL OF US. WITH THAT INSIGHT, I AM COMMITTING MYSELF TO INTEGRATING A STORY-TELLING COMPONENT INTO “BUDDY & FRIENDS.” THE STORY PORTION WILL BE CALLED “STORIES ON WHEELS” AND WILL BE A GROUP OF TRAVELLING MULTICULTURAL STORYTELLERS SHARING STORIES FROM CULTURE AND HISTORY AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE. THIS STORYTELLING IS DESPERATELY NEEDED IN OUR POLARIZED WORLD.
THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA IS THE BREAD BASKET OF THE WORLD. THIS BASKET HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE DIVERSITY OF THE VALLEY’S PEOPLE. MUCH IS WRITTEN ABOUT THE MIGRANT FARM WORKERS AND THEIR STRUGGLE. AND THESE STORIES MUST BE TOLD BECAUSE THE WORK OF THE MIGRANT LABORERS, ONCE POOR WHITES AND NOW MOSTLY POOR HISPANICS, HAS UNDERGIRDED THE AGRICULTURE AND ECONOMY OF CALIFORNIA FOR GENERATIONS.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY. THE TECHNOLOGIES AND WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE FROM MANY CULTURES HAS CREATED THE DIVERSE AGRICULTURE OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY. CATTLE RANCHERS FROM MEXICO. DAIRY FARMERS FROM PORTUGAL. ALMOND AND DAIRY FARMERS FROM HOLLAND. CITRUS GROWERS FROM SPAIN AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. OLIVE GROWERS FROM ITALY AND GREECE.
TRULY THE MULTITUDE OF STORIES IN ALL FACETS OF LIFE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY ARE NEARLY INFINITE.
I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE GATHERED A GROUP OF PEOPLE AROUND ME TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT BUDDY & FRIENDS. THERE ARE SEVEN OF US CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE STRUCTURE, MISSION STATEMENT, AND PROGRAMS. WE RANGE IN AGE FROM 19-78 YEARS OLD, ACROSS ETHNICITIES, AND FROM DIVERSE PROFESSIONS. WE ARE UNIFIED BY OUR TOTAL COMMITMENT TO CREATE A TOURING PROGRAM THAT REACHES ALL THE CORNERS OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND FEATURES ITS GREAT DIVERSITY OF GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, AND PEOPLES. WE WILL ASLO CREATE A NEUTRAL CORNER AND SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM FOR ALL TO TELL OUR STORIES.
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE PLAN TO POST THE DETAILS OF OUR WORK AND HOPE TO HEAR FROM OTHERS.
