Part 4: New Hampshire Stories of Race and Culture

MONICA: WELCOME BACK TO OUR PROJECT COMMITTEE SPECIAL. NEW HAMPSHIRE STORIES OF RACE AND CULTURE. I AM MONICA HERNANDEZ. MIKE: I AND MIKE CHERRY. WHAT CAREGIVERS TEACH CHILDREN CAN HAVE A LASTING IMPACT. HOW DO TALK WITH CHILDREN ABOUT RACE AND JUSTICE? MONICA: ONE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR SPEAKS FOR HER OWN EXPERIENCE. >> RACE COMES UP QUITE A BIT IN OUR FAMILY AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE HONOR. MONICA: NICOLE IS A MOTHER OF THREE. >> I AM ALSO INTERRACIAL. I AM IN A INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE SO THERE A LOT OF RICH HERITAGE AND DIVERSITY. MONICA: SHE IS TEACHING HER KIDS TO CELEBRA DIVERSITY AND RESPECT EVERYONE EQUALLY. >> HOW DO WE TREAT SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN US? HAVING THE CONVERSATIO OF EVERYONE IS EQUAL. MONICA: SHE DOES NOT JUST TALK WITH HER OWN KIDS ABOUT RACE. SHE IS A LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR IN CONCORD WHOSE SPECIALTIES INCLUDE MULTICULTURAL ISSUE PARENTING, AND FAMILY THERAPY. >> PROFESSIONALLY, KIDS TODAY ARE ULTRA-AWARE. WE ENGAGE IN A DIALOGU ABOUT WHAT IS THEIR PERCEPTION OF WHAT IS GOING ON? HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THEM? MONICA: SHE RECOMMENDS TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT RACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. >> TYPICALLY 0 TO 3 KIDS ARE SPONGES. AT THREE OR FOUR THEY ARE STARTING TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICALITY. MONICA: HAVE YOU START THE CONVERSATION? KIDS MAY BRING IT UP THEMSELVES. >> THEY MIGHT ASK QUESTIONS LIKE, WHAT IS MY FRIEND HAVE MORE BROWN SKIN THAN I DO? WHY AM I LIGHTER SKINNED? IT COMES UP NATURALLY. MONICA: YOU CAN KEEP THE DIALOGUE GOING OR GET STARTED WITH BOOKS, MOVIES, TV SHOWS AND ART. DEPENDING ON YOUR CHILD’S AGENT DEVELOPMENT. >> IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT WE RECOGNIZE SYSTEMS OF INEQUALITY DO EXIST AND THAT THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. IT IS NOT SOMETHING MADE UP. MONICA: NICOLE KNOWS ALL TOO WELL THE IMPACT OF NOT TALKING ABOUT RACE. WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD HER DAD, WHO IS AFRICAN-AMERICAN, LIVED OUT OF STATE. SHE LIVED IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH HER MOM, WHO IS WHITE. THEY DID NOT TALK ABOUT RACE THEN BUT THEY DO NOW. TALK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES AND SHE’S KIND OF SHOCKED AND HORRIFIED BECAUSE I DID NOT SHARE WITH HER. AS A KID I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS AND I KNEW THAT SHE WAS DIFFERENT. MONICA: THEIR CONVERSATIO ARE WHAT SHE’S HAVING WITH HER OWN KIDS. >> THEY MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE ARE IN A STATE THAT IS LESS DIVERSE. MONICA: THE MOTHER OF A MIXED RACE SON, NICOLE SPOKE CANDIDLY ABOUT WHAT SHE MAY HAVE TO PREPARE HIM FOR. >> I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT TALK. HE MIGHT NOT BE IDENTIFIED IN THE STREET, BUT WHEN HE IS WITH ME HE MIGHT FACE DISCRIMINATION. MONICA: BUT SHE IS HOPEFUL. >> NOT NECESSARILY THAT ALL SYSTEMS WILL HAVE CHANGED, BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND MAYBE HIS EXPERIENCE WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN MY OWN. THAT IS MY HOPE FOR HIM. MONICA: ABOVE ALL. >> I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP IN MIND OUR MUTUAL AND COMMO HUMANITY. HOW CAN WE CREATE AN EQUITABLE PLACE FOR ALL OF US? MONICA: FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, TOO. MIKE: WE WANT TO REMEMBER AN INFLUENTIAL ADVOCATE FOR EQUALITY WHO PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK. ROGERS JOHNSON WAS T PRESIDENT OF THE SEACOAST NAACP AS WELL AS THE CHAIR OF THE GOVERNOR’S ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. HE ATTENDED EXETER ACADEMY AND RECEIVED HIS MASTERS IN 1999. HE WENT ON TO RECEIVE BLACK AMERICA’S POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE LEADERS OF TOMORROW AWARD AND SERVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. IN A STATEMENT ON HIS LIFE, THE GOVERNOR SAYING, "ROGERS WAS A GREAT FRIEND. HE WAS ALWAYS A LASER FOCUSED ON MAKING N HAMPSHIRE A MORE DIVERSE AND EQUITABLE STATE, AND THANKS TO HIS TIRELESS LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY OVER THESE LAST FEW YEARS, NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES." "WE WILL CARRY ON HIS WORK AND ALL NEW HAMPSHIRE MOURNS HIS PASSING." HE WAS 62 YEARS OLD. THE SEACOAST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IS CELEBRATING THE 20TH YEAR. MONICA: THAT IS TWO DECADES OF CONCERTS, PROGRAMS, BOOK CLUBS AND EXHIBITS. TIM TAKES US TO PORTSMOUTH FOR A LOOK AT THE HISTORY. >> WHEN VERNICE JACKSON ARRIVED IN PORTSMOUTH FROM SAVANNAH, GEORGIA SHE NOTICED THERE WAS A LACK OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE CITY. THAT CREATED A DESIRE TO FORM AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON BLACK AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE THAT EXISTS NOT JUST IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND. >> WHEN I FIRST CAME TO PORTSMOUTH IN 1963 THERE WAS NOTHING. ZERO. JACKSON GATHERED TOGETHER A COALITION OF PEOPLE FROM AROUND PORTSMOUTH. YEARS LATER THE GROUP FORMED THE SEACOAST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER. SANDY CLARK KATIE SERVES AS PRESIDENT. >> ONE OF OUR MAIN FOCUS IS IS ON THE YOUTH A LOT OF BLACK HISTORY IS LOST AND WE ARE STARTING TO DIG IT UP. I THINK ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS IS TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ON. LET THEM GET EXCITED ABOUT HISTORY. >> THE CENTER’S CURRENT DISPLAY HIGHLIGHTS THE ADMINISTRATION OF FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. DONNING THE WALLS OR PHOTOS TAKEN BY PETE SOUZA, HIS CHIEF OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER. >> AS YOU ARE HANGING TH UP YOU ARE LOOKING AT TOGETHERNESS, SUPPORT FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. YOU ARE LOOKING AT A MAN WHO HAS DONE SOME GREAT THINGS FOR AMERICA. NOT JUST FOR BLACK PEOPLE, BUT AMERICA. >> OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES THE CENTER IS ALSO FEATURED COUNTLESS OTHER EXHIBITS AND SPEAKER SERIES, BOOK SIGNINGS AND SCHOLARSHIPS. EACH ONE A DIFFERENT AVENUE TO EDUCATE NEW HAMPSHIRE ABOUT ITS AFRICAN-AMERICAN ROOTS. >> TO SEE WHAT WE CAME FROM, W CAME FROM NOTHING AND WE CAME TO THIS. IT IS JUST OVERWHELMING. I AM SO HAPPY. >> TIM CALLERY, WMUR NEWS 9. MIKE: THE WORK OF A RENOWNED ARTIST ON THE SEACOAST HESTER THE TEST OF TIME. RICHARD HAINES WAS RAISED IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEW YORK, BUT HAS CALLED PORTSMOUTH HOME FOR OVER 30 YEARS. JENNIFER CROMPTON BRINGS HIS MESSAGE OF HOPE AND UNITY. >> RICHARD HAYNES IS A VISUAL STORYTELLER. THE ARTIST’S WORK IS FULL OF COMPASSION AND HOPE. >> I THINK THE GREATEST MESSAGE I HAVE LEARNED IN THE LAST 70 YEARS IS THAT WE ALL BRING VALUE TO THIS UNIVERSE. >> HAYNES’ SPIRIT INFECTS ALL ASPECT OF HIS LIFE. HE HAS BEEN ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR DIVERSIT RECRUITING ON THE ADMISSIONS TEAM FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT UNH. FO DECADES, HE SHARED THE STORY OF HIS AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMITTEE THROUGH HIS ART. FACELESS SUBJECTS, THE INVISIBLE IN SOCIETY, BROUGHT TO LIFE IN BOLD COLORS, FOIL AND CRAYON ON PAPER. ONE OF HIS MANY SERIES IS NOW AN EXHIBIT AT THE COURIER. >> WHEN I GOT THE BOOK "HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW" IT SAYS SLAVES ARE LITERALLY USED TO STITCH MESSAGES TO ESCAPE TO FREEDOM. >> EACH PIECE DEPICTING A SECTION OF QUILT WEAVING A STORY REIMAGINED FROM SLAVE ACCOUNTS WHEN ENSLAVED FAMILIES JOURNEYED ALONG THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. >> IT IS A STORY ABOUT STRUGGLES, STRENGTH, AND GAINING FREEDOM, BUT A CONTEMPORARY STORY TODAY. >> FROM SPOTLIGHTING JAZZ TO THE REALITY OF SEGREGATION, HIS MANY SERIES DEPICT THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE. >> I CALL IT A MINISTRY. IT IS MY MINISTRY. TH MINISTRY THAT I PAINTED THE LAST 30 YEARS WAS TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE TRULY UNDERSTAND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. NOW THE MINISTRY HAS A DIFFERENT MESSAGE. HOW DO WE ALL COME TOGETHER AS ONE? >> HIS SPIRIT OF UNITY, LIKE HIS ART, TIMELESS AND POTENT. JENNIFER CROMPTON, WMUR NEWS 9. MONICA: TAKING CARE OF BLACK HAIR. >> THEY SAVE IS TIME-CONSUMING OR THEY ARE INTIMIDATED BY OUR HAIR, BUT HERE IS HAIR. MONICA: HOW TO WOMEN USING THEIR SALONS TO BRIDGE THE RACIAL DIVIDE AND BRING H