Own Tamala Edwards sat down with the two authors of tasting freedom. A book about the life of Octavious Catto a little known philadelphia civil rights activist from the 1800s. Take a look. Authors murray dubin and Daniel Bittle published tasting freedom in 2010, a biography about forgotten philadelphia hero octavius catto. He was a civil rights hero at a time in this countrys history when African American civil rights heroes were just not very well known. Catto was born in South Carolina in 1839 and moved to philadelphia at nine years old. Explain during his lifetime what it was like in philadelphia in general when it comes to race. You were unable to vote until 1870. You couldnt sit in a, in a jury. You could not go to the academy of music. You couldnt go to a Public School where white students went. Your job choices were very, very limited. It was a difficult life and your life was in danger on the street both from whites and from people who would want to kidnap you and send you south and sell you into slavery. Cattos fight for equal rights and opportunities for African Americans spread far and wide. He fought for that he fought for that in the school house, in the literary societies which were a huge force in 19th century america. In politics, in efforts to open up the union army to me of color. His fight was cut short after he was gunned down on election day in 1871, while on his way to vote. The democrats are running the city then and if blacks get a chance to vote, theyre going to vote for the party of lincoln and those are republicans and theyre going to lose power. This past september the city dedicated a memorial to catto, making this once forgotten hero a name that will go down in history. It took sculptor branly cadet 3 years to create the catto monument erected at city hall. Its quite captivating. Another interesting fact, this abolitionist was laid to rest at eden cemetery. A historic African American cemetery in collingdale, delaware county, pennsylvania. Dating back to 1902, many famous black americans were buried there, including world famous philadelphia vocalist Marian Anderson. I recently got a chance to tour her childhood home in south philadelphia. 20th century and performer and humanitarian Marian Anderson was groundbreaking in her career, and the national Marian AndersonMuseum Highlights the singers legacy. Talk about the genesis of the museum and how it all came together. Its quite significant, it was her home where she lived for over 75 years. Her protege, lady blanche burton lyles purchased the south philly home in 1995 and turned it into a museum. Women and men and children from all over the world could come and understand marian, who she was. Currently on view is marian and the philadelphia story, a tale that begins at the start of her birth in 1897. We see marians birth certificate, so rare, most births for African Americans were at home with midwives. The centerpiece of the room was one her most prized possessions. She played this very piano for music legends like Louis Armstrong and ella fitzgerald. This room sheds a great light on marian and the wonderful relationships that she had with philadelphians that also made a difference. The room also highlights marians contributions to chop and the mann and dell music centers. And you dont realize how philanthropic she was until you really come into this room and see just how many people she touched. So many wonderful cultural and humanitarianistic aspects of why we have the things we have today. The museum also has a Scholar Artist Program and they host concerts throughout the year. And it would be a and it would be a wonderful tribute to marian to support her living musical legacy and the museum and the Scholar Artist Program. The museum could sure use your help to keep the Marian Anderson legacy alive. Please visit 6abc dot com slash black history to find out about how you can support the museum. And you can also hear more about Octavious Catto. We go from celebrating our history to featuring someone right now making history. Vern odom has the story of Temple Universitys first Rhodes Scholar. This is where i used to hang out. Hazim hardeman grew up just 8 blocks from the Temple University campus. We take pride in being from 23rd and diamond. This is our neighborhood. This is our block. Because that means something to us. Its the same neighborhood basketball stars dawn staley and hank gathers called home. This community is filled with a rich history, a vibrant culture. Now the neighborhood has a scholar to call their own. Congratulations. Thank you. Hazim hardeman is Temple Universitys first Rhodes Scholar. Hes also the first Rhodes Scholar rom 23rd and diamond. It means a lot. At a point in my life it seemed like having access to the university was almost impossible. The prestigious scholarship rewards students who show leadership, ambition for action and a commitment to making a difference for good. Being able to learn from people, to encounter different perspectives, thats one of the really rewarding and enriching parts about the scholarship. And hazims perspective will be equally important to the other Rhodes Scholars he will live with. If im gained access to these spaces then i can make sure the voice of my community are heard. Hazim will use the scholarship for a masters degree in philosphy of Political Science with hopes to bring change to underserved communities like the one he grew up in. Whats going on man . Its the larger structures that shape black life in this country. Students languishing under under resourced school. People who live in below standard housing, so all of those things that undercut the aspirations that you have. As hazim looks ahead to his Bright Future, studying abroad, his sights remain fixed on a return home and fighting for a Bright Future in the nieghborhood where he grew up. Ultimately, ill bring that back to philly. Ill bring that back to my community in a broader sense. Congratulations. I understand what im doing is special but i honestly dont see myself as any different than anyone who lives here. This is where im from. This is me. Alright. Ill see ya. Hazim is headed to Oxford University in the fall. How exciting. Next up, these two local nonprofits are on a mission to educate and inspire teens. Our own gray hall reports. This is the sweet tooth trail mix. Zhoei travis is just 14 years old and already the author of a cookbook she calls recipe remix. All of americas favorite treats without putting all of the calories. The 9th grader is a member of the mood girls organization. It stands for it stands for molding our outstanding daughters. A non profit started by her mother. I had an adolescent daughter kind of transitioning into the teenage years. Start the conversation around community service, scholarship opportunities. Last year, zhoei won a 500 summer of Service Grant from disney to fund her cooking demos. Its just healthy, quick, easy. And her mission to fight hunger among her fellow teens. Everything zhoei does, she does it 110 . If you do good things, great things will happen. High five. Welcome to the banksgiving company. Chris banks created the banksgiving company, last spring, to teach middle and High School Students financial literacy. Looking at my own life, i just noticed theres a lot of this that we dont learn about. How many of you have already opened up your bank account. The 30 year old holds four free seminars a year covering everything from banking and Money Management to investing and entrepreneurship. These kids and depositing the initial 50. A philly native and graduate of Temple University, banks holds the seminars at his alma mater. I think that its a lot of power in getting these kids, one out of their neighborhood, to see what a university looks like. Whether they know it or not, their mind is getting geared for that next level. At the most recent seminar, the teens learned about the business of fashion from tiffany reed. Im the senior fashion editor at cosmopolitan magazine and Sebastian Mccall and Sebastian Mccall who launched his own brand of blue jeans in 2010. My mother really showed us like you wake up in the morning and you go get it. Ultimately my goal is to create the next generation of entrepreneurs in a more diverse way. Understand your worth. City councilman alan domb will be the featured speaker at the next banksgiving event on march 10th. Hell be schooling the kids on real estate. Coming up on visions 2018, a space to clear your mind and meditate. And the sixers serve the community in camden. Welcome back to visions 2018, celebrating black history month. Were in germantown at uncle bobbies coffee and books, designed to create a sense of community for people of all ages. Nowadays, it seems like our daily lives get busier and more hectic, but Christie Ileto found a business that could help take us in the opposite direction. Its a new Meditation Center on frankford avenue where achieving mindfulness is their main mission. Allow yourself to breathe naturally. Vitality meditation will teach you how to free your mind. We hold Group Meditations here and theyre all guided meditations. Feel the weight of your arms. Think of it as yoga for the mind. Our days are run like fast, fast, fast, become aware of your face. Creating a calmness that will carry you through the day. Im Walking Around and a stressful thought kind of comes in. And then im able to breathe it out and let it go. The studio is run by jasmine and anastasia bailey, sisters who grew up in mount airy. We always knew we wanted to start a business together they they both started practicing mindfulness in college. Meditation was like our center, like our soul. That was like the thing that kind of kept us meshed together. But they were taking classes in new york city. We have a huge Yoga Community in philadelphia but not meditation. We wanted to bring that back to philadelphia. The business is a true family affair, mom helps out behind the desk. Dad built that desk and pretty much Everything Else in the place. Anything that goes wrong in here, hes the man to call. Cheers they promote locally made products and want the studio to help strengthen the sense of community. This type of breath will actually help you lower your heart rate. And help their fellow citizens find peace of mind. It just creates a calmness in life jasmine used to be a School Teacher her sister is still a nurse at chop and so theyre hoping to start a Meditation Program for children as well. For last 25 years the philadelphia 76ers have been making a difference for kids in camden, new jersey. Now the organization calls that city home with their brand new practice facility and corporate headquarters. And as the saying goes home is where the heart is. Ducis rodgers shows us how the 76ers are showing love for kids in the community with their annual basketball clinic. It was an orchestra of dribbling basketballs at the kroc center in camden, new jersey. I want to welcome you to the 3rd annual Camden Community basketball clinic. The 76ers teamed up with virtua welcoming more than 1,000 kids to learn skills from their role models. I want to hear you say yeah . Yeah were part of the community and we want to be involved. Coming out here is like a little oasis for some of these kids. These Young Athletes learn basic skills. Training for basketball. How to pass the ball. Mostly the fundamentals of the game. And they learn about wellness. Dj drop that beat music we came to just have fun today. It makes me feel good you know people doing stuff for the community. It goes beyond the game of basketballits hard work and effort that get you to where you want to be. The players are there to reinforce the message with hopes it will last a lifetime. It makes me feel happy because you know you look up to them. And each participant and each participant walks away with a brand new pair of sneakers. It is like Christmas Morning when they open up their new pair of nikes. The clinic is one stitch as the 76ers weave themselves into the fabric of their new home in the city of camden. I feel great. I feel like camden can make it now. 3, 2, 1. Stay tuned more of visions 2018 coming up welcome back to visions 2018. Were here at uncle bobbies coffee and books owned by dr. Marc lamont hill. Im sipping on a cafe cortado. And ive got the mochochino and speaking of business. Heres the inspiring story of a local philadelphia barber whose generosity serving the Homeless Population helped him open his own business. Brennon jones outlook on life changed in january 2017 life changed in january 2017. For help. I gave him what i could, and he was on my mind the whole entire day. But i felt like i missed out on an opportunity to, do something a little different. He decided to take his 10 Years Experience cutting hair and combine that with his passion for people to make a difference by giving free haircuts to the homeless. I would drive around and i would frequent places where i know that they would be at. He calls the initiative haircuts for homeless. When you, look good, you feel good. Its bigger than a haircut, in an effort to continue to shed light on homelessness he formed a team of volunteers called the compassion crew and took his mission on the road. We did an eight city tour. Started where we cut over 860 individuals. Since brennon began his haircuts for homeless, word spread. He gained national attention, with an appearance on the racheal ray show and mayor kenny gave him a spot to work in the city hall courtyard. It just makes me feel good. Happiness, love, is some of the things money cant buy. He also caught the eye of sean johnson, owner of tapers barbershop in ogontz. One of the questions he asked me, what are you gonna do in the winter . And i really couldnt answer that question. So, in october, sean presented brennon with his very own barbershop. He said if you like this place, its yours, because of what youve been doing for others, i wanna do something for you. And he handed me, a key. Every monday in his shop, which he calls phenomenon professional barber lounge, he holds makeover mondays. I partner with some shelters in the area and they come and they drop off about ten to fifteen guys and they get a full blown makeover. Guest stylists come from all around the tristate area to volunteer their time on. Makeover mondays and the homeless receive food and toiletries. Mondays are for those to come in and take their mind off their current situation, when they walk out they walk out feeling a little empowered. Even though brennan has a shop now. Hell still head downtown once again when the weather gets warm to give free haircuts. A wonderful mission. Now we check out a local organic skincare line with roots in west africa. Heres Jeannette Reyes with the story. Skin by ame is a small batch organic skincare line founded by christina nimeley. All products are hand made in ghana west africa. My mother lives there now and she kinda governs over the making of these products. The line is composed of african black soap. Is a mixture of shea nuts and tree bark and a lot of different oils. Best seller sweet almond oil. It improves the skin it improves the skin elasticity and just gives it gorgeous shine. And raw shea butter, this one infused with rose hip oil. You can find these in other stores but theyre filled with preservatives. Its great for all genders, races, and skin types and doesnt clog your pores. The almond oil the black soap and shea butter can all be used on your body face and hair. You can find them online or exclusively at vitality meditation in fishtown. Atianwaka. You look beautiful. Next, they are developing a lavender shea butter. Now its time to add a little spice to your life yes i got a chance to visit a new Chestnut Hill store thats all about adding a variety of flavor to your food less than one year ago in the neighborhood of Chestnut Hill this couple opened a specialty shop called the spice rack. This was basically just a hobby of ours that we now created into a business. They say variety is the spice of life, and when it comes to andrea and aishas product line, that is an understatement. We have over two hundred and fifty different spices and blends. Wow. They also carry seasalts, extracts, sauces and spreads, and gourmet cooking oils like truffle oil. This is your pantry. If you came in and you wanted to cook something tonight. We have everything you need, other than the groceries. They place a high value on quality and healthfulness. Nothing is massproduced, this is not big business, these are all small batches. Most of its nongmo, we do have a lot of glutenfree options. Do you guys make the blends . What we do is get whole, bulk spices, so everything that you see has been jarred by these hands. Starting their own business was also a way. To allow for more family time. With a two year old at home, and looking at. The option of having something where. We have better hours and more flexibility. We thought, hey why not . Becoming new proprietors in a longstanding business district. Was a decision that seems to be off to a great start. Youre in a new neighborhood, its nice to have a business that you own and be received positively. The Business Association and the local businesses. We all patronize each other. Ts a really really Great Community to be a part of. They have sage advice for people looking to take leap of entrepreneurship. Be the best at what you have and dont worry about, if its a black thing, white thing, indian thing, let your product do the speaking for you. Coming up on visions 2018. 6abc is welcome back to visions 2018 celebrating black history month. Were thrilled to announce that 6abc will be the Media Broadcast sponsor of the 2018 juneteenth parade and festival this upcoming june. This parade was created by philly music legend kenny gamble and the Philadelphia Community of leaders to celebrate an important holiday in the africanamerican community. Heres mr. Gamble with more. Juneteenth is a celebration. The freedom of the African People who were captured and brought here to america. This historical holiday commemorates june 19th, 1865, the day when the last enslaved africans were notified of the end of slavery in texas, a full two years after the emancipation proclamation went into effect. So just like they have puerto rican day parade, st patricks day parade, and all these different parades to celebrate culture and history. We decided to develop the annual juneteenth parade and festival. Hopefully well have some good entertainment for you. In addition to that, were going to be working with abc. Were going to be on tv. So were really really thankful. We are certainly excited about that new partnership and youll hear more about it in the coming months. And every year for black history month, 6abc takes time out to celebrate Community Leaders making a difference. This year we honored independent black Media Companies in print, talk radio, film and the digital sphere. Heres Sharrie Williams with a recap of the awards dinner. Mr. Bogle, youve been i this business and survived for 48 years now. Youve been through the highs and lows and youre still doing it. We have 300 years of history books about non African Americans. They know very little about us. You dont even know there is a Philadelphia Tribune for most people. Yet weve been here for 134 years. But we know who you are. Its time we learn a little bit more about each other. First of all welcome. Wurd is the only African American owned talk Radio Station in pennsylvania. Were only one of three in the nation. Its tremendous opportunity to give voice to the community. Especially a city like philadelphia thats almost 45 African American. Theres a real need for an outlet to talk about the issues that are most critical to our community. And thats what word provides. You all are beautiful. Give yourselves a round of applause. My new philly has now become this incubator. So half of what we do is content creation and the other half is incubating philly talent and giving them a place to be creative. I think when youre doing the right thing, the universe conspires to put the right people in your path. Its just a fabulous honor. Weve been going at it for 7 years. We basically celebrate films from people of color from all around the world. We take pride in our work and our work in the community. To deny any of us is to deny all of us. We all have a roll we can play that can allude to a greatness of this nation. What a lovely uplifting evening absolutely we thank you for watching visions 2018. A special thanks to dr. Marc lamont hill and uncle bobbies coffee and books for hosting us. Im melissa magee. And im rick williams. Good night