Local Knowledge

Camden’s Mayoral Race is in Unfamiliar Territory

Last night’s Camden Mayoral Debate (which you can watch here) felt strikingly familiar — one candidate, Councilwoman Felisha Reyes-Morton, was largely supportive of many of the changes that have come to Camden while a second, School Board Member Elton Custis, was critical. What made it strange was that the frontrunner and party-selected pick (Councilman Vic … Continue reading Camden’s Mayoral Race is in Unfamiliar Territory…

Posted by Stephen Danley in Local Knowledge.

Doing the Work at Home: Rutgers Racism Reckoning

One of my own organizing principles is to leaven organizing and protesting the big, national things (such as Black Lives Matter) with local issues inside my everyday spaces. In other words, I find it important to focus on “doing the work at home” — in the places I love and care about — alongside pushing … Continue reading Doing the Work at Home: Rutgers Racism Reckoning…

Posted by Stephen Danley in Local Knowledge.

Nikole Hannah-Jones (of the 1619 Project) speaking virtually at Camden

I’ve had some tremendous educational experiences in my life — and some of my favorites happened because a guest speaker came to a university at the exact moment their work felt relevant to the world. That’s exactly what’s happening at Rutgers-Camden this Thursday. Nikole Hannah-Jones, who coordinated and was a lead author on the 1619 … Continue reading Nikole Hannah-Jones (of the 1619 Project) speaking virtually at Camden…

Posted by Stephen Danley in Local Knowledge.

What does “showing up” in the time of Covid-19 look like?

What does it look like to “show up” when we can’t leave our homes? It’s something I’ve been thinking about since reading this great piece* by a colleague and friend of mine, Mary Beth Collins on the nonprofit sector. Because showing up now rarely means gathering together. I’d love to hear what people are doing … Continue reading What does “showing up” in the time of Covid-19 look like?…

Posted by Stephen Danley in Local Knowledge.

A few MLK Day thoughts

Last week, in New Orleans, I attended an Af-Am Hertitage tour with KnowNola (1). Malik, our tour guide, talked about the legacy of MLK as a revolutionary and radical figure. I’m by no means an MLK scholar — in fact, I’m going to take some time to follow Malik’s recommendation and read MLK’s Where Do … Continue reading A few MLK Day thoughts…

Posted by Stephen Danley in Local Knowledge.

The “Silent Majority” in Camden Politics

I’m currently reading Fortner’s controversial Black Silent Majority, which examines the politics of Harlem and support from certain segments of the black community for increased enforcement of the drug trade. It’s a deeply contested book, but it gets at a dynamic I’ve been trying to put my finger on in Camden: the support for policies … Continue reading The “Silent Majority” in Camden Politics…

Posted by Stephen Danley in Local Knowledge.