The last couple of days have been quite wonderful; I am so amazed by the number of comments from my fellow 2000 Bloggers. The experiment has accomplished its goal, not just the link love to totally screw with the folks at Technorati, but it has also shown how people from around the world can connect with, communicate, educate and entertain each other.

I have been lead to some absolutely fabulous blogs via comments received from my fellow 2000 Bloggers neighbors. My visits to those blogs have been further confirmation that people are people. Regardless of the difference in our packaging by gender, ethnicity and religious beliefs, we have so much in common. Prayerfully, the 2000 Bloggers experiment revolution will be the tipping point toward peaceful co-existence of people around the world.

Through Karoli’s blog odd time signatures, I surfed over to media coverage of the case of Julie Amero, a substitute teacher in Connecticut who was found guilty of four counts of risk of injury to a minor and sentenced to 40 years in prison. Now, I won’t re-hash the specifics of the case, click here for that, and then let me know what you think. The Amero Case is another shameful example of miscarriage of justice in the United States. Hmmm...Sometimes I feel as though I live in the Twilight Zone.

The unfortunate case of Julie Amero is also a reminder that situations are not always about race; sometimes there are just whack-@#% people in the world with power over the lives of others. It’s a shame; how can there be any justification for such madness?

There but for the grace of God go I.

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This morning I’m giving a shout out to the alumni association of Miami Central High School in Miami, Florida. Why do they deserve such recognition? Well, let me tell you a little about the school from my perspective and experience. Yes, it’s my alma mater.

When I started at Miami Central as a freshman, Blacks had only recently moved into the neighborhood immediately surrounding the school. Most of the Blacks that attended were bussed in from Opa-Locka, a nearby county municipality.

I was so happy when Kim moved to the neighborhood. She was the only other girl my age in the neighborhood. I’d met Kim a couple of years earlier in junior high school, we fast became friends.

The ethnic and socio-economic demographics of the community were changing and changing rapidly. As a kid, such issues were of no concern. I related the change based on indicators that were relevant and important to me:

When I started Miami Central as a freshman, there were two Black varsity cheerleaders, one Black junior varsity (JV) cheerleader and one Black majorette. By my senior year, there was one white majorette, two white varsity cheerleaders and one white JV cheerleader --- talk about white flight.

In spite of the rapid demographic change, my years at Central were rich and fun-filled; my friends could have been called The Rainbow Coalition. Miami Central prepared me well for life. I remain friends with several of my classmates after all these years.

Unfortunately, Miami Central has digressed when it comes to student achievement on standardized tests. The FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) has been the root of much angst in recent years as it determines whether a student is promoted to the next grade and even if they graduate. The FCAT also determines a school’s grade.

Miami Central has been graded “F”. This blog post is not about the test, but it is about a group of committed individuals, the Miami Central High School Alumni Association, who coalesced to do something to help the current Central students.

My classmate, William “DC” Clark, is the president of the organization. Under his leadership and vision, alumni have bonded, volunteered and presented several activities benefiting Miami Central. This group doesn’t just talk about it; they are doing positive things for students and the community.

Here are photos from our latest project which was a laptop computer for Class of 2007 college-bound graduates.