Linda's Blogspot

Dr. Iesha Sekou  Dr. Iesha Sekou is a prominent New York City activist, community organizer, and violence interrupter who serves as the Founder and CEO of Street Corner Resources (SCR) . Below are 30 notable quotes and statements by Dr. Iesha Sekou, reflecting her work in violence intervention, youth advocacy, and community empowerment: ​On the Root Causes of Violence ​"I always say the trigger is pulled long before the trigger is pulled. There are a whole series of possibilities of things that happen that leads a kid to feel like it's okay to pull the trigger. And the consequences don't even matter. And so those things have to do with housing, poor nutrition, mental health issues, lack of education."   ​"We need to make gun violence an important issue and we need to have real conversations... People don't want to feel this, like 'Oh, she gonna come in talk about the dead kids.' Damn right, I'm gonna come in and talk about the dead kids... Becaus...

  Searching for Anta Madjiguène Ndiaye: The Visual Record and Physical Memory of Anna Kingsley ​Anta Madjiguène Ndiaye—later known as Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley —remains one of the most remarkable figures in early American and Florida history. Born in 1793 in the Wolof Kingdom of Jolof (present-day Senegal), she was captured, enslaved, and eventually brought to Spanish Florida. She grew to become an influential landowner, planter, and slaveholder in her own right, navigating complex racial and legal landscapes during a tumultuous era of political transition. ​However, despite her prominent stature and lasting legacy, historians and visitors to the Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island often arrive at a single compelling question: Do any authentic visual images of her exist? ​1. The Visual Absence: Historical Context ​ No confirmed, authentic visual portrait, photograph, or life sketch of Anta Madjiguène Ndiaye exists. ​Her residence at the Kingsley Plantation in Florida o...

  Oyster Shell Building Long ago, along the sunny coast of West Africa, near the gentle blue waters of Senegal, lived a clever girl named Anta. ​Anta loved the ocean. But more than that, she loved what the ocean left behind. Deep in the river deltas, generations of families had gathered oysters for centuries, leaving behind shimmering hills of white shells. ​Anta's uncle was a master builder, and he taught her a secret: those old shells held a hidden power. ​"Look closely, Little Builder," her uncle would say, tossing a white shell into a crackling bonfire. "When you bake these shells in high heat, they change. They turn into soft, white powder called lime. Mix that powder with sand, water, and whole shells, and you can build walls strong enough to stand up to the wildest ocean storms!" ​Anta watched in awe as the hot, bubbly mixture was poured into simple wooden frames. When it dried, it hardened into solid stone. Her people called it a technology of earth ...

  The Hidden Roots of Tabby Architecture: How West African Expertise Built the Coastal South ​Along the low country coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, historic ruins stand out with a distinct, rustic texture. Exposed oyster shells peek through thick, concrete-like walls—a traditional building material known as tabby (or tapia ). ​For generations, popular history credited Spanish or British colonizers with inventing this coastal masonry. However, architectural historians and anthropologists have revealed a much richer story: tabby is a creole technology, heavily reliant on the deep, pre-existing knowledge of West African masons, particularly from regions like coastal Senegal and the Senegambia. ​What Is Tabby? ​In the low-lying coastal American South, natural rock and lime quarries were non-existent. Early builders turned to a clever local alternative: ​ Oyster Shells: Sourced from ancient Indigenous shell mounds ( middens ), providing both lime and bulk aggrega...

  The Queen of Fort George Island: The Story of Anta Madjiguène Ndiaye ​ An Educational Story for Young Readers (Ages 8–12) ​Introduction ​If you visit Fort George Island in Florida today, you will step under the shade of massive oak trees draped in silvery Spanish moss. Listen closely to the rustle of the leaves, and you might feel the living memory of a brave woman who walked these shores more than two hundred years ago: Anta Madjiguène Ndiaye . ​Chapter 1: A Crown in Jolof ​Long ago, in 1793, Anta was born in the West African Kingdom of Jolof (in modern-day Senegal). She grew up as a princess of Wolof heritage. In her village, elders shared wisdom under giant baobab trees, and young Anta learned to stand tall, listen carefully, and carry herself with dignity. ​When she was only thirteen, tragedy struck. Anta was captured and taken far across the Atlantic Ocean on a long voyage to a distant land called Florida. Though her world had changed completely, Anta held tight to her...

  Sixty Sun Ra Quotes Below 60  quotes from composer, bandleader, philosopher, and Afrofuturist pioneer Sun Ra, reflecting his thoughts on music, cosmic myth, reality, and humanity: ​"The possible has been tried and failed. Now it's time to try the impossible. "I do not come to you as a reality, I come to you as the myth because that is what black people are: myths. I came from a dream that the black man dreamed long ago."  ​"The real aim of music is to co-ordinate the minds of the people into an intelligent reach for a better world and an intelligent approach to the living future." "The light of the future casts the shadows of tomorrow." "Music is a plane of wisdom, because music is a universal language... a gift of the Airy Kingdom, music is air, a universal existence common to all the living​" "I think of myself as a complete mystery. To myself."  "The earth cannot move without music. The earth moves in a certain rhythm...

  The Attention Trap: How Mass Media Hijacks the Mind (and How to Take It Back) ​We possess the most sophisticated cognitive hardware on the planet, yet modern life often leaves us feeling like independent thinking is in short supply. Across broadcast news, digital channels, and social media feeds, mass media architecture is explicitly engineered to bypass our analytical mind, encouraging passive reaction over active reasoning. ​While we have the brainpower to think critically, the sheer volume and design of modern media make it easy for our cognitive habits to be hijacked. Understanding how this system operates is the first step toward reclaiming mental autonomy. ​ How Modern Media Bypass Critical Thought ​Media platforms don't just deliver information; they shape how our brains process reality. They rely on specific psychological triggers to capture and keep our attention: ​ Outrage and Fear Loops: The human brain is hardwired to prioritize potential threats for survival. ...

Chelsey Roebuck Chelsey Roebuck is an American engineer, social entrepreneur, and STEM educator. He is the co-founder of Emerging Leaders in Technology and Engineering, Inc. (ELiTE), an organization that uses science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to expand educational and career opportunities for young people from communities underrepresented in STEM fields. Roebuck's work has included STEM education programs in the United States, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, and Mexico. He has also been involved in educational technology initiatives designed to increase access to digital learning in emerging markets. He was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in education in 2016 and was a 2013 Echoing Green Black Male Achievement Fellow. [1][2] Early life and education Roebuck attended Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia, graduating in 2006. He subsequently attended Howard University, where he studied mechanical engineering, before transferring to Columbia University....

Chelsey Roebuck: Engineering, STEM Education, and Building Pathways to Opportunity Chelsey Roebuck is an engineer, educator, entrepreneur, and advocate for greater access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. His career has brought together engineering, youth development, international education, technology, and community empowerment, with important connections between New York City and Africa. From Engineering to Education Roebuck's interest in engineering developed early. He attended Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia, where he became involved in robotics and began developing his interest in technology and engineering. He later studied mechanical engineering at Howard University and Columbia University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia in 2010. His experience at Columbia would have a profound influence on the direction of his career. A Transformative Experience in Ghana In 2009, while a Columbia Engin...

Staying Hydrated in Hot Summers: Watermelon, Coconut Water and Electrolytes When summer temperatures climb, staying hydrated becomes especially important. Hot weather causes the body to work harder to regulate its temperature, and one of the body's primary cooling systems is sweating. But sweat contains more than water. It also carries electrolytes—particularly sodium and chloride, as well as smaller amounts of potassium and magnesium. During prolonged or heavy sweating, replacing fluids while also getting adequate electrolytes can help maintain normal hydration and body function. Why Hydration Becomes More Important in Very Hot Weather In moderate temperatures, drinking water and eating regular meals will generally provide what the body needs. During a heat wave, however, the situation can change. Spending hours outdoors, exercising, gardening, walking, or working in the heat can produce substantial fluid loss through sweat. Dehydration may cause: Thirst Headache Fatigue or weakne...

From News Headline to Wikipedia: The WikiExplorers Mission Earlier that morning at her desk in Harlem, Ms. Rivers had been scrolling through the morning news when a headline caught her eye: a landmark August 2026 ruling regarding reparations for the families displaced from Russell City, California. She immediately knew this would make the perfect real-world research session for the WikiExplorers at the Schomburg Center. Later that afternoon in the research Ms Rivers made a  video call to Mr. Jesse, a former resident whose family had lived in Russell City before the town was cleared in the 1960s. "Greetings, WikiExplorers," Mr. Jesse said, waving to the class. "Ms. Rivers told me you young folks in Harlem are updating the history books today." "Welcome, Mr. Jesse!" Ms. Rivers replied. "We are honored to have you. The floor is yours, Explorers." Questions from Harlem Maya was the first to step up to the microphone, her notepad open. "Mr. Jesse...

 A children’s story. The Town That Music Built ​Once upon a time, in a sunny valley in California, there was a tiny town called Russell City . It wasn’t a town with huge skyscrapers or giant shopping malls. Instead, it was a special place where people built their own homes, grew gardens, and cared deeply for one another. ​Welcome to Russell City ​In the 1940s, families came to Russell City from all over the world. Black families traveled from southern states to find good jobs in shipyards, while Latino families moved in from Mexico and Puerto Rico. Other neighborhoods nearby didn't allow these families to buy homes, but Russell City opened its arms to everyone. ​Because the big government leaders nearby didn't give Russell City basic things like paved roads, water pipes, or a fire department, the people decided to take care of things themselves! ​ The Firefighters: The neighbors chipped in their own money to buy a shiny fire truck. Almost all the men in town volunteered ...

  The Case of the Missing History: A WikiExplorers Mission ​The afternoon sun streamed through the grand windows of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. Inside, surrounded by rows of tall oak bookshelves and the quiet rustle of old manuscripts, the WikiExplorers gathered around a large wooden table. ​At the head of the table stood Ms. Rivers , holding a brightly glowing tablet and a folder filled with yellowed newspaper clippings. ​The Assignment ​"Explorers," Ms. Rivers said, gathering everyone's attention. "Today we have a very important mission. History isn't just something written in old books long ago—it's happening right now, and it's up to us to make sure the world knows the truth." ​She tapped her screen and brought up a Wikipedia article titled Russell City, California . ​"Who remembers what we learned about Russell City?" Ms. Rivers asked. ​Maya raised her hand immediately. "It was a communit...

  Preserving Knowledge: A Beginner’s Guide to the Wayback Machine on Wikipedia ​Every article on Wikipedia relies on verifiable sources. However, the internet is constantly changing. Web pages move, news sites update their stories, and blogs shut down entirely. This problem is known as link rot . ​To ensure Wikipedia remains a permanent, reliable repository of human knowledge, editors use the Wayback Machine . ​ What is the Wayback Machine? ​Run by the non-profit Internet Archive , the Wayback Machine is a massive digital library that takes "snapshots" of web pages across time. When you enter a web address into the Wayback Machine, it shows you how that exact page looked on a specific day in the past. ​ Why It Matters for Wikipedia ​ Fixing Broken References: If a link in a reference list leads to a "404 Not Found" error, you can swap it with an archived version so readers can still verify the facts. ​ Preventing Source Drift: Websites often change t...

  How Wikipedia Uses Automated Bots to Cure Link Rot When a web page cited as a reference on Wikipedia disappears or changes its address, the encyclopedia faces a serious challenge known as link rot . To keep its massive network of citations reliable, Wikipedia relies on an automated system of specialized bots working alongside web archiving databases. ​Here is how Wikipedia systematically prevents and repairs link rot across its platform. ​Phase 1: Preemptive Archiving ​Rather than waiting for a link to break, Wikipedia attempts to preserve external sources the moment they are cited. ​ Instant Detection: When an editor adds a new web address to an article, an automated program called NoMore404 (operated by the Internet Archive) detects the change in real time via Wikipedia's public event stream. ​ Immediate Snapshot: The program triggers the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine to immediately crawl and save a permanent copy of the source page. ​ Built-in Safety Net: By p...

Find where you want to add or update information into an existing Wikipedia article.  ​Type your sentence, followed immediately by your source code: Source-Editing Rules ​ Placement: Place reference tags immediately after punctuation (like periods or commas) without leaving a space before the opening <ref>. ​ Close Your Tags: Always include the trailing slash in </ref> It is important to know that there are two ways to edit content to Wikipedia articles.  I use source code. Which is a very modified version of HTML which I learned many years ago. I thought it was obsolete till I started doing Wikipedia articles. I don't use the visual editor. . Editing the Source Code (Wikitext vs. VisualEditor) ​To use <ref> tags, you must edit in Edit source mode (wikitext code), not the VisualEditor interface. ​VisualEditor: The default point-and-click editor that works like a standard word processor (Word or Google Docs). In VisualEditor, you add citations using a ...