Warrior Scholar

Many of you have heard by now of my beautiful nephew passing away just two weeks ago. I thank you for your cards and emails sending me love and hope during this devastating time for my family. My heart is heavy with his unexpected death, but I find joy and pride in all that he accomplished. 

Thank you for honoring him, by acknowledging the momentary stop in the earth's spin, as he left us.

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Tomas Garret-Rosas

WarriorScholars

Tomás Garrett-Rosas is a Sociology Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Some of the courses he teaches are Communities of Color, Social Problems and Social Change.  His research focuses on the academic achievement of African American, Latina/o, and mixed race/multiethnic urban high school students.  He received his Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his Ph.D. in Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dr. Garrett-Rosas is also a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Fellow. He participated in the Minority Activist Apprenticeship Program and completed an internship in Oakland, California.  He shared a passion for social change, and was an avid community volunteer and activist. It was through his time spent motivating union workers and at risk youths, that Dr. Garret-Rosas realized the power of organizing: 

"Ever since participating in MAAP my life has been focused on the empowerment of communities of color. I’ve worked on organizing campaigns dealing with various issues such as lead abatement, immigration, police accountability and asset forfeiture. While working with Action for a Better Community in Denver, we were able to get the first free lead tests for children in the state of Colorado. I also initially organized Youth of Oakland United to train teens of color in Oakland to organize against forms of social control.

My experience with MAAP helped to build the foundation for the rest of my life. It inspires and shapes my current research on urban youth of color. I sometimes run my research work past folks at CTWO to get insight and advice.  Finally, my teaching is informed by my experiences in organizing and from the training that I received since initially becoming part of this extraordinary family.  “Always remember the first rule of power tactics; power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.” (Saul Alinsky)

Source: WarriorScholars 

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The depth of one's grief is measured by the depth of one's love, and we have felt that this week. We're struggling through, Tommy, missing the bright star that you were in so many lives.

Did you know that during your visitation Thursday night, the staff at the funeral home had to find additional guest pages for your book from the other rooms because our guest register had used every page after only one hour? Did you know that with the crowd that came to see you that night, there was no room left to even stand? Spilling out into the street, the people that came to see you waited in the rain to say good bye.

I arrived early that afternoon, 3 o'clock, somehow finding my way there, almost unable to read the street signs through the blur of my tears. I came to set up your reception area for your guests, confident that I had brought enough food along with me to last until 7 p.m. By 5:15, I knew I wouldn't have enough. The crowd there to see you, so many -- the only thing I had left to offer your friends was a platter of small dinner rolls.

Did you see the church holding your services Friday morning?

Not a spare seat on the main floor, the balconies filled, and people standing in the church stairwell, one behind the other, because there were no more places to sit.

Did you see it, Tommy? So many people, for you.

Be at rest, my beautiful nephew. I love you.