Author Archives: Valerie Fraling

“Though the colored man is no longer subject to barter and sale, he is surrounded by an adverse settlement which fetters all his movements. In his downward course, he meets with no resistance, but his course upward is resented and resisted at every step of his progress. If he comes in ignorance, rags and wretchedness […]

“Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today […]

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle … […]

“God’s signs are not always the ones we look for. We learn in tragedy that his purposes are not always our own. Yet the prayers of private suffering, whether in our homes or in this great cathedral, are known and heard, and understood.” George W. Bush September 2001 “God willing and the Creek don’t rise” […]

“Summer, summer, summertime; time to sit back and unwind. Put your car on cruise and lay back cause this is summertime” Fresh Prince “Summertime and the living is easy” Summertime by Gershwin or the Fresh Prince both romanticize a way of “easy living.” What better place to enjoy the summer than Baltimore and its summer […]

“Nobody on Earth is a star … I can admire human beings who are great talents in every field, but I think there are some other words that we can use – genius or super talented … stupendous or above average. Why do you want to call people ‘star’? That’s Hollywood and that drives everybody […]

“There’s a time of the day when the sun’s going down, that’s the golden time of day. People let me tell you that the time in your life, when you find who you are, that’s the golden time of day” Frankie Beverly The crowd under Pier 6’s tent swelled to over 5,000 “happy people.” The […]

“Art and culture are the base upon which communities heal, unite and become strong. Art and culture connect people to their past, their present and their souls, and give communities something that can never be taken away.” — Carlton Turner “Summertime in the city” vigorously started with party after party, food, music, and a chance […]

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” T.E. Lawrence Family and friends […]

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”- spiritual leader Peace Pilgrim It was standing room only as family and friends eulogized Edna Scroggins Wright, our friend and mother of Willard and Ralph Wright. “Her children rise up and call her blessed.” Many of […]

“Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little boy at play? I don’t remember growing older when did they. When did she get to be a beauty? When did he grow to be so tall? Wasn’t it yesterday when they were small? Sunrise, sunset sunrise, sunset swiftly flow the days. “I can […]