The Black Republican Club of Rochester

📢 Strong families are the foundation of strong communities. While every family faces challenges, decades of research continue to show that children, on average, achieve better educational, economic, and social outcomes when they are raised in stable two-parent homes with active involvement from both parents. In 2022, 70% of American children lived with two parents, while children in single-parent households faced higher rates of poverty and educational challenges.

Family Court and Child Protective Services should prioritize the best interests of children by encouraging safe and meaningful involvement from both parents whenever possible. Too often, parents feel the system creates conflict rather than cooperation. Children benefit when mothers and fathers are treated fairly, parental rights are respected, and family preservation is pursued before government intervention becomes the default response.

The goal should not be to weaken families but to strengthen them. A balanced system should protect children from genuine harm while also recognizing that strong families, responsible fathers, engaged mothers, and stable homes remain some of the most effective safeguards against poverty, crime, and social dysfunction. Policies that support family stability and parental accountability are investments in the next generation.

💡 Juneteenth should remind us of the importance of literacy, civic engagement, and understanding our full history.

Long before Juneteenth became a federal holiday, Black Americans celebrated Emancipation Day, recognizing the laws and constitutional amendments that abolished slavery. The focus was on freedom under the law, not simply when the news arrived.

Today, too many politicians use history to divide Americans rather than unite them. Instead of celebrating the progress made through citizenship, education, faith, family, and hard work, the focus is often on keeping people separated into groups based on grievance and victimhood.

This mirrors a Marxist-style worldview that divides society into oppressors and oppressed rather than emphasizing individual opportunity, personal responsibility, and equal justice under the law.

The lesson of emancipation should not be division. It should be that knowledge, literacy, and civic engagement are essential to securing and preserving freedom.

🇺🇸 Flag Day is more than a celebration of a symbol. It is a recognition of the ideals, sacrifices, and shared history that unite Americans under one nation.

Observed each year on June 14th, Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by the Continental Congress in 1777. The 50 stars represent the states of our Union, while the 13 stripes honor the original colonies that fought for independence and laid the foundation for the constitutional republic we enjoy today.

At the Black Republican Club of Rochester, we believe the American flag should remain the highest symbol of our national identity in government spaces. While individuals have the freedom to express themselves through various causes and organizations, official local, state, and federal government institutions should display the flags that represent all Americans equally: the American flag, state flags, and local municipal flags.

Government buildings belong to every citizen, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, or ideology. Their purpose is to serve the public, not endorse specific movements or causes. Establishing federal standards for which flags may be flown on government property would help preserve unity, reinforce the principle of equal representation, and ensure that public institutions remain focused on their core mission.

This Flag Day, let us remember that our flag has endured through war and peace, triumph and tragedy. It represents the promise of liberty, the responsibility of citizenship, and the enduring pursuit of a more perfect Union.

Happy Flag Day. May we always honor, respect, and protect the flag that unites us as Americans.

Booker T. Washington believed that economic independence, education, and entrepreneurship were essential for Black Americans to build strong and prosperous communities after slavery. He also cautioned against those who used racial division for personal influence without providing meaningful solutions.

More than a century later, many Americans continue to question whether some political leaders focus more on exploiting racial grievances to gain support than on advancing policies that strengthen families, improve education, expand economic opportunity, and create safer communities.

Whether one agrees with Washington or not, his challenge to focus on results over rhetoric remains relevant today.

Quote from Booker T Washington autobiography 'Up From Slavery' 1901

🚩 Is the AMERICAN DREAM on life support in NYS?

🤔 The affordable housing debate has moved into full swing as we continue to move towards the 2026 election.

Previous posts from our page have focused on defining what "affordable housing" actually means for our community. However, New York residents should also remember that taxpayers ultimately help fund many of these developments through a combination of state grants, tax credits, subsidies, and other public financing mechanisms.

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced additional state investments in housing projects in Rochester, adding to the millions of taxpayer dollars that have already flowed into affordable housing initiatives throughout our region. Many of these same development companies also benefit from tax incentives and favorable financing opportunities through government programs and private lending institutions, while many local families continue struggling to achieve the American Dream of homeownership.

At the same time, Rochester and Monroe County continue to face a housing supply challenge. Limited inventory and strong buyer demand have contributed to rising home prices, making it increasingly difficult for first-time homebuyers to enter the market. Families searching for their first home are now routinely encountering prices approaching or exceeding $300,000 in many areas of Monroe County.

While new housing construction is important, we must ask whether our public policies are creating enough pathways to homeownership. Much of the new development occurring within city limits is either rental-based or tied to restrictions that can limit a homeowner's ability to fully benefit from the appreciation of their property. For generations, homeownership has been one of the primary ways American families built wealth, stability, and stronger communities.

We need our state and local leaders to present a clearer vision for expanding homeownership opportunities alongside affordable housing initiatives. These conversations should include reducing barriers to new single-family construction, increasing access to starter homes, expanding infrastructure where appropriate, and creating policies that allow working families to build equity and generational wealth.

We support free enterprise and the opportunities that capitalism provides for entrepreneurs, developers, and investors alike. However, when government appears to favor a limited number of well-connected organizations through repeated subsidies and preferential treatment, many residents begin to question whether the system is truly creating opportunity for everyone.

Monroe County has the land, the talent, and the resources to build new neighborhoods, expand homeownership opportunities, and help more families achieve the American Dream. The question is whether our elected leaders are willing to prioritize policies that empower private citizens to own a piece of that dream, rather than remain permanent participants in an increasingly subsidized housing system.

Rochester doesn't just need more housing. Rochester needs more homeowners.

🚩 What took the PSC seven years to hold these utility companies accountable for poor infrastructure and skyrocketing utility bills?

The two go hand in hand when Iberdrola, a company that has celebrated record-breaking profits, does so while New York State residents grieve under record-breaking utility bills.

At this point, this should be an all-out bipartisan effort to restore stability to our utility sector. The levees are bound to break, and when customers watch their bank accounts get hit with high energy bills, only to then sit for days without power during a thunderstorm, wind storm or Ice-Storm, it seems criminal.

Did our state government fail to keep this company in check? RGE has never failed to disconnect a customers service for non payment⁉️

The question now is can we get an explanation from the PSC as to what took them so long to enforce their rule against Iberdrola.

Last year, the PSC essentially wrote a blank check for $636 million across the state for infrastructure spending, yet ignored the fact that Iberdrola did not hold up its end of the bargain by improving our power grid. Instead, the company allegedly hid data or failed to report the thousands of customers who suffered through cold winters and hot summers with unreliable utility service.

That's the issue. That's the problem.

High utility bills.
Poor service.
Record profits for Iberdrola.

There's something deeply troubling about this partnership. 🤔

Thank you Jennifer Lewke for covering and following this right to the Public Service Commission and Iberdrola doorstep!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BRZ9akGFm/

Many Black Republican leaders of the late 1800s and early 1900s believed that America's highest ideals were found in equal justice under the law, personal responsibility, educational advancement, and the God-given dignity of every individual.

They fought not for special privileges, but for the full recognition of the rights and opportunities promised to all Americans.

Their message remains relevant today:

Uphold principle over politics, character over grievance, and unity over division.

🚩 Take a look at the pattern on full display from our elected officials.

In representing our community, the message was made loud and clear:

Racism is such a defining issue that we must continually be reminded by successful Democratic officeholders that they alone are uniquely positioned to lead us toward justice and equality. The implication is that social justice begins and ends with them, despite the very success they themselves embody as elected leaders in our community.

Ironically, Monroe County appears to have achieved a significant degree of racial representation in public office. City Hall is led by a predominantly Black administration. County Executive Adam Bello oversees a county government that includes a DEI department. Assemblymember Demond Meeks and Assemblymember Harry Bronson represent communities that have historically fought for inclusion and equal treatment. Sadly, Assemblymember Meeks, who was absent from the ceremony itself, could not resist the photo opportunity, sending members of his office to take photographs.

This raises an important question:

Why are our local officials continuing to use the Frederick Douglass Monument as a platform to advance narratives of systemic racial oppression without providing meaningful evidence that these barriers continue to prevent political participation and advancement in Monroe County today?

Frederick Douglass stood for much more than vague appeals to "social justice." He championed self-improvement, education, individual responsibility, civic engagement, and the pursuit of excellence. He believed that Americans should confront injustice while also recognizing the extraordinary opportunities this nation affords those willing to strive, sacrifice, and persevere.

What was particularly distasteful was Mayor Evans' decision to use this solemn occasion to dismiss criticism by proclaiming that he "doesn't give a damn" about concerns raised by "so-called podcasters." The tone was divisive, dismissive, and entirely out of place. It left many of us in the Black Republican Club questioning whether this event was meant to be a commemoration of Frederick Douglass and the leaders who expanded opportunities for Black Americans, or simply another political rally.

The legacy of Frederick Douglass deserves better than partisan talking points. The contributions of John W. Thompson, Booker T. Washington, and countless other Black leaders who emphasized education, entrepreneurship, family, faith, and self-determination should not be overshadowed by modern political agendas.

If we truly wish to honor Douglass, then let us have the courage to confront today's crises with the same honesty he demonstrated in his own time. Black literacy rates, educational outcomes, family instability, violence in our neighborhoods, and economic dependency deserve at least as much attention as abstract rhetoric about oppression.

Frederick Douglass did not spend his life teaching Black Americans that they were powerless. He taught that we were capable. He challenged America to live up to its founding principles while also challenging Black Americans to rise to their fullest potential.

The question is whether today's leaders are preserving that message or manipulating history to serve present-day political interests.

The Black Republican Club of Rochester believes that Frederick Douglass' legacy belongs to all Americans, not to any one political party. His story should inspire unity through truth, not division through selective remembrance.

Frederick Douglass understood that the greatest threat to the future of Black Americans was not fate, but the quality of education and the values passed from one generation to the next. While America has made tremendous progress, Douglass believed that literacy, critical thinking, self-discipline, and access to educational opportunity were essential to achieving true equality and lasting success.

This quote reminds us that the path forward is not found in hopelessness or victimhood, but in empowering our children with knowledge, strong families, high expectations, and the tools to compete and excel. Education remains one of the most powerful instruments of freedom and advancement.

"The doom of the negro lies not in the stars, but in the schools." — Frederick Douglass

Whether we agree on every policy solution or not, Douglass challenged Americans to invest in the minds and character of the next generation. His message remains relevant today: the future of our communities will largely be shaped by what happens in our homes, our schools, and our commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

🎉 127 years ago today, John W. Thompson and the members of the Frederick Douglass Monument Committee raised the funds to erect the first monument of its kind in the United States on June 9, 1899 here in Rochester, NY.

His leadership, along with the committee's commitment to honoring the great orator and leader Frederick Douglass, laid the foundation for ensuring that we never forget the many sacrifices Mr. Douglass made to secure a seat at the table for Black Americans politically, socially, and spiritually..

The monument unveiling was recognized world wide, however today's monument ceremony was a very eye-opening experience for me personally.

As the great-great-grandson of John W. Thompson, I attended with a profound sense of responsibility to honor the legacy of a man whose contributions to Rochester deserve to be remembered fully and honestly. John W. Thompson was not only a respected civic leader in his own right, but also a contemporary and friend of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington, President Theodore Roosevelt and many others. His life reflected a commitment to education, entrepreneurship, civic involvement, and uplifting the Black community through self-determination and leadership.

As I listened to the remarks throughout the ceremony, I could not help but reflect on what was said—and what was left unsaid.

Frederick Douglass understood that education was the foundation of freedom. He risked his life to become literate because he knew knowledge empowered individuals to think independently and shape their own destinies. I believe Douglass would be deeply concerned by the educational challenges we face today and the literacy struggles affecting too many of our children. Yet there was little discussion about education, economic advancement, or the personal responsibility that many Black leaders of that era championed.

I also found it disappointing that a day intended to honor the legacy of great historical figures appeared, at times, to include political undertones and remarks that I perceived as indirect criticisms of those who hold differing views about Black history and civic engagement. Rather than elevating division, these moments overshadowed an opportunity to engage in a more complete and honest conversation about the complexity of leaders like Douglass and Thompson.

Despite that, I remain grateful to the BRC club members, friends and supporters who stood beside me today. Many witnessed the same things I did, and their encouragement reinforced the importance of continuing to preserve our history with integrity.

The legacy of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and John W. Thompson is too important to be filtered through modern political lenses alone. They were men of conviction who believed in the power of education, faith, enterprise, strong communities, and active citizenship.

The best way we can honor them is not simply through monuments and ceremonies, but by telling their stories truthfully, embracing the fullness of their ideas, and ensuring that future generations understand both their sacrifices and their principles.

History deserves honesty. Our ancestors deserve remembrance. And the truth deserves to be preserved.

Lavelle Lewis
President
The Black Republican Club of Rochester