Meet Wanda Dorn - One of the First Black Flight Attendants

Wanda Dorn

I was the first Black Flight Attendant for the airline I worked for ... So it is with great honor, I join in the observance of the 40th anniversary of the creation of the "Black Flight Attendants of America (BFAA)".  The organization recently honored the first Black Flight Attendant, Léopoldine Doualla-Bell Smith ... God Bless my comrade.

 

Back then, we had diverse and diversity challenges that only made us stronger.   We were called Stewardesses then, not Flight Attendants.  That title came later as men became Attendants. 

I'd like to mention another pioneering comrade, and a BFF or as I called her, a"running buddy" friend of mine at the time, who became the first Black Flight Attendant  for another airline, Carole DiPasalene.  She was also hired by Mrs. Johnson, owner of Ebony Magazine, as their first commentator host for the famed Ebony Fashion Fair.

Carole DiPasalene on cover of Jet
after becoming first Commentator
Host for Ebony Fashion Fair

Wanda at home after her airline's
Stewardess Training Graduation Day...
Now Wanda can spread her wings and fly

JESSE JACKSON, JR. RELEASED FROM JAIL TODAY

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-83158102/ Blog by  +Wanda Dorn                   #wandascafe                                                 "I've made mistakes, and I'm prayerful and hopeful that we're a country of second chances, that the American people and the people of the city of Chicago will consider me for a second chance," Jesse Jr. said Thursday.   Your family’s contribution goes back to the founding of the Civil Rights Movement.  We must all remember that Rev. Jackson was one of the one’s who worked long and hard with Dr. King throughout the struggle, and remember - Reverend Jackson was one of the hard workers who comforted Dr. King when he was assissinated, and he was one of the ones who was "pointing" at thee window where the shots came from --- and not Rev. Sharpton, a person I respect also. Talking about assignations, WE tend to buy into the media assassinations when it comes to our Black Brothers.   Often times it's deliberate, but sometimes not intentional ... just stereotypes and ignorance ... and we tend to fall into place.  We need to remember the adage: “Believe none (very little) of what you hear (from the media), and only half of what you see.” ― Benjamin Franklin “. Lest we forget – that’s Rev. Jackson second from left.  Right photo is that day the world will never forget.  Pictured here are the Jackson sons, and Rev. Jackson presenting myself and ninty nine other women, “Dollars and Sense magazine’s - ‘Top 100 Business and Professional Women in America” award. Seated at dinner table, an excited Wanda after receiving my award, with fellow award winners, with trophies on the table. Visit my Facebook page for the blog honoring Dr. Dorothy Height, and photos where  I was honored to be among those who accompanied Rev. Dr. Jackson when he received his Doctorate at Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.  http://wandadorn.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/wanda.dorn https://plus.google.com/+WandaDorn/

EMMETT TILL - THE CATALYST FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Blog by +Wanda Dorn      #wandascafe

I grew up just doors down the street from Emmett Till in this affluent Black community on the South Side of Chicago they talked about in the video.  I vividly remember Emmett's photo that remained in front of his home while I lived there.  Thusly, of course, this history is very stirring to me.  My Stepfather was from a town adjacent to the store the murderers owned.  We visited that town after they were acquitted, and they didn't serve Blacks in their store.  The comments of others that I have read here echoes one of my favorite adages that "If we don't learn from history, we're bound to repeat it".  I commend the young people of today who are studying their history so that those who would, by commission or omission, will not be able to use their ignorance to cause history to repeat itself.  I'm confident today's young people won't dismiss history and say "I don't need to know this"; that they will continue to work toward continued change, write our history as they have earned it, and not let others write our history or allow this ugly form of history to repeat itself. 
                  
https://www.facebook.com/wanda.dorn
https://plus.google.com/+WandaDorn/

DR. DOROTHY HEIGHT - Honored on 2017 U.S. Postage Stamp

Congratulations!
Dr. Dorothy Height being honored on 2017 "Black Heritage" US postage stamps

(Click here for my blog on the first black female to design a US postage stamp)

http://wdorn.blogspot.com/2015/04/higgins-bond-first-black-female-to.html

On Dias with Dr. Height,
Mrs. Mubarak, Jesse Jackson 

(I wrote the blog inserted here for Black History Month 2015)

Celebrating Dr. Dorothy Height Women's History month

The illustrious Dr. Dorothy Height, President Emerita of The National Council of Negro women, was one of my mentors.  I am a former Chapter President of  a NCNW.  Dr. Height became National NCNW President upon the passing of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.  She lead "Prayer Breakfasts" for several Presidents. She took us to Egypt to form an affiliate Egyptian women's chapter - I could go on. She left her legacy wish behind; coining the phrase "Leave No Child Behind".

Wanda,  Jesse Jackson Jr. in Cairo

Top photo:  Jesse Jackson, Mrs. Hosini Mubarak (wife of former President of Egypt 1981–2011), and Dr. Height on the dais enjoying a fashion show we presented while we were there.  Our                    models were American, and first-time Egyptian models because fashion modeling had been a taboo field. The women we networked with were the female Doctors and Professors, etc., who were focused on their careers, their children and their struggle for equality.

Jesse Jackson receives a
Doctorate Degree at Ciro University

I was honored to be one of the people to witness the presentation of Mr. Jackson receiving a Doctorate Degree from Cairo University.

‪#‎WomensHistoryMonth‬ honoring Dr. Dorothy Irene Height (March 24, 1912 – April 20, 2010) on her birthday.  Dr. Height an American administrator and educator, was a civil rights and women's rights activist specifically focused on the issues of African-American women, including unemployment, illiteracy, and voter awareness.

Blog by  +Wanda Dorn            #wandascafe   
https://www.facebook.com/wanda.dorn
https://plus.google.com/+WandaDorn/

IS RACISM OVER

Racism Is Over, Says A$AP Ferg, Because of the Internet, Interracial Dating

    IS RACISM OVER?

"Racism is Over Says A$AP Ferg  Because of the Internet and Interracial Dating"

I understand his ideology.... but,  I work with many young people and have heard the same remarks. Perhaps we may not want to refer everything to "racism", perhaps we might use a term such as "inclusion for all".  As long as this world have people that are different in looks, ethnicity, gender and beliefs, and until those children of varying ethnic backgrounds change the face of the world, we will have to continue due diligence to protect everyone, including "reverse racism".  Please note that even in countries where the ethnicity is the same, they discriminate -- some even go so far as to put different color dots on their foreheads to discriminate -- so discrimination or class positioning will "never" be over as long as man (generic) exists because man has to have someone he feels superior to whether its someone in another group or in his own group ... it's human nature.

https://www.facebook.com/wanda.dorn
https://plus.google.com/+WandaDorn/ 
#wandascafe

COURT DOCUMENTS - WISCONSIN SHOOTING VICTIM WAS IMPULSIVE

 

 Court Documents Show  Madison, Wisconsin

 Police Officer Shooting was Impulsive

 “Madison police officer Matt Kenny shot Robinson late Friday while investigating a call that the young man was jumping in and out of traffic and had assaulted someone. The officer heard a disturbance and forced his way into an apartment where Robinson had gone. Authorities said Kenny fired after Robinson assaulted him. The shooting is the latest in a series of incident involving white police officers killing unarmed black men over the past year, including in Ferguson, Missouri, where officer Darren Wilson shot unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in August. That shooting sparked weeks of unrest.”  

... This report according to the Aspen Times, 3/10/15 

I have a lot to say about the above issue, but right now, I will address two other related paragraphs contained within this article:

“The file connected to 19-year-old Tony Robinson’s conviction last year for armed robbery shows he was diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder and anxiety and depression. The documents were contained in a report by a state Department of Corrections agent.”

“According to a criminal complaint in the armed robbery, Robinson was among a group of five people who staged a home-invasion robbery in Madison in April 2014 looking for marijuana and money.”

As an Officer of the Court, having worked with police officers indirectly daily for almost twenty years, I have no disparaging remarks to say about police persons, because we all know “who-you-gonna-call” when you’re in trouble.  Officers are to be commended for the dangerous work that they do for us citizens, but sometimes the human element such as stereotypes come into play even with the best of us.  So my comments are strictly for clarification to those who say that “Black” men are all criminals  - stay tuned for my in-depth Blog on this issue.

The tenant of the law is "not guilty" until "proven guilty".  When a criminal case is being tried, the defendant’s criminality:  criminal record, convictions or previous charges are not allowed into evidence barring some extenuating circumstances.   The jury is to consider only the evidence presented before them in the case at hand.  The defendant is not tried for his or her previous conduct, propensities, or criminal history.  That evidence is not allowed to be presented because it is prejudicial and can sway the jury into finding the defendant guilty even though the evidence proves that the person did not commit the crime he or she is currently being tried for. 

So why is this young man, and the other cases I have read about previously, being tried for previous "suspected" activity.  The media is mistakenly using that evidence to sway the jury of public opinion.  If previous conduct is not admissible in court, why do the authors of articles, and/or the police department suggestively lead us to believe it’s okay so shoot someone dead because he or she was "suspected" of a previous, a while ago, crime and not convicted of anything yet?  This seems to be the premise regardless of any suspect wrongful human element that may or may not exist within the officer's motive.

It is also common practice, I belief, that after the use of deadly force, the officer is ”desked" immediately until an Internal Affairs investigation is completed.  Were any of these officers in the  above mentioned  cases subjected to that?




 #wandascafe

ARE WE BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN

Blog by  +Wanda Dorn              #wandascafe

I agree with Raven-Symone and other commenters, most Black people are partially a member of another ethnic group down the line.  I have Jewish, Irish, Native American and other ancestry.  During the 60's, we fought for the title "Black", and that is why such organizations as "The National Council of Negro Women" had difficulty deciding whether or not to change the name of their organization to "BlackNCNW", but each time it was considered, we decided that we as a people had worked too hard to go from "Colored" to "Negro".  In honor of that struggle way back then, we voted to retain the name "Negro".

Then in the early days of the name "African American", when Blacks were finding their voice, we were reaching out by studying Black history and to find our origin - our roots.  We had to identify that we were African and that our history didn't begin in slavery; that we had a history that is older than any other and richer than any other so we adopted the title African American.  Discovering our rich history has made us strong - ask any Black History Professor.

Now people use it interchangeably and that's good that our identity has encompassed the American side, but remembering the rich African contribution.  *Remember, "Afro" is a hairdo, "African" is an ethnicity, therefore it's African American, not Afro American.

The Black vs African American title has been a sample of how Black people are not monolithic in our knowledge, beliefs, and views as others purport us to be. It's wonderful that Black people often disagree without it being divisive. It's amazing how I agree with all the comments indicating that perhaps we are now strong enough in our position that we can be Black with African ancestry (not advocating either title), but very importantly, we can claim our other heritages without it being said that we don't want to be Black.

Being of other heritages does not altogether mean raped in slavery. Before the Jim Crow days and the laws changed, many of our fore parents married other ethnic groups, as well as during slavery, many of us fled to Native American shelters and were married. I believe there are statistics that show that a large percentage of Blacks have Native American ancestry for that reason.  Also, before we landed on the shores of America, Africans were of multiracial.  There were visitors from all over the world living with and marrying each other.  A great example of that is the Bush People who appear Asian because they have mongoloid ancestry.  The Ethiopians have Jewish and some Italian ancestry, I'm told.

http://uptownmagazine.com/2015/03/raven-symone-further-explains-why-shes-not-african-american/
https://www.facebook.com/wanda.dorn