The Democracy Fund held its annual grantee convening in Detroit on May 6-8, 2024. The convening serves to connect leaders across fields in a collaborative and inclusive environment to build a vision for the future. On the second day of the convening, the Maynard Institute’s Co-Executive Director Martin G. Reynolds was surprised to be honored with a speech by Paul Waters, Director of the Digital Democracy Initiative.
Each year, Waters surprises someone in attendance whose commitment to upholding democracy through the advancement of journalism makes them a lynchpin of the community. Previous honorees have included Tracie Powell of the Pivot Fund, Geneva Overholser, former editor of the Des Moines Register, and Maynard Institute Co-Executive Director Evelyn Hsu.
On the convening’s second day at the historic Gem Theater, Waters honored Reynolds, saying, “I would like to recognize someone who has lived out the command to love your enemies. Someone who recognizes that forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. Rather, forgiveness means that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship.”
Waters related Reynolds’ accomplishments as Editor-In-Chief of the Oakland Tribune, Co-Founder of Oakland Voices, and Co-Executive Director of the Maynard Institute. His many years of experience, infectiously positive attitude, and tireless dedication to building community place him firmly in the path of his Oakland Tribune predecessors, Bob, Nancy, and Dori Maynard and the intrepid Chauncey Bailey.
Waters continued, calling Reynolds “an emissary for an America that does not yet exist,” in reference to his work implementing the Maynard Institute’s Fault Lines training program.
“Instead of sowing hate and division, Martin has taught and trained newsrooms to span the Fault Lines of race, gender, sexual orientation, generation, geography, and class, as they apply to journalists, newsroom collaboration, and coverage,” Waters said.
Read the full remarks by Waters below.
“Loving your Enemies - Strength to Love”
Speech by Paul Waters honoring Martin G. Reynolds
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Ye have heard it said of old that thou shall love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.
Good Morning and welcome to day two of our stakeholder gathering.
Starting all the way back in the Spring of 2017, I have been lucky to be able to lift up some of the values and practices required to successfully push for reform in spite of overwhelming odds and challenging circumstances. Given the exceptional group of folks Angelica has assembled, I could pick almost anyone as a role model for demonstrating what Martin Luther King called the Strength to Love.
In our very first meeting in Washington, DC, we honored Tracie Powell as a transformed nonconformist, someone fighting to improve journalism in ways that are always costly and never altogether comfortable, but with an enduring humble and loving spirit. Even while recognizing that change will not come overnight, Tracie continues to work with the faith that it is on the horizon.
In our second gathering, we saluted Geneva Overholser as a leader who had taken the desire to be first in recognition and importance - that drum major instinct - and recast it to be first in love, first in moral excellence, and first in generosity.
In our 2018 gathering in St. Petersburg, Florida, we recognized Evelyn Hsu…A leader who for over a quarter century has dedicated her personal and professional life to creating opportunities for journalists and communities of color. Since that time, I have come to revere Evelyn’s work to further the legacy and piece together the dreams of Robert and particularly Dori Maynard, following her tragic and sudden death.
In Austin, TX, we commended Dr. Michelle Ferrier as someone who has truly hewn a stone of hope out of a mountain of despair. Neither glamor nor glory await a canary in a coal mine and few have emerged from their mountain so dedicated to lifting up others.
In our last gathering in 2019, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, (shout out Lea!) we celebrated Dr. Jessica Mahone and Estizer Smith, Esq. Their lives are a testament to Justice Sonya Sotomayor’s declaration that there are uses to adversity, that don’t reveal themselves until tested. Whether it’s serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unsuspected strengths.
From the Chocolate City, to the Sunshine City, to the Motor City, turn to your neighbor and say: We’ve been at this for a minute.
And so now, with the very brief time I have remaining I would like to recognize someone who has lived out the command to love your enemies. Someone who recognizes that forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. Rather, forgiveness means that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship.
All Gop: 1:08 - 2:08
Who’s that knocking on your door?
Who’s that peering through your window?
Who’s that got you on the floor?
Bop City baby, Bop City baby
This is Bop City’s version of hip hop / neo soul
I’m the mad hatter in control
My zodiac sign Leo
Occupation - journalist, lyrical pro
Some say son you need to grow up
You can’t rely on the fact that one day you might blow up
I could hunker down pull my bootstraps up
Become Johnny journalism make my way on up through the ladder
And all the bad dress writers scatter
Sitting in endless meetings having to relieve my bladder
I could do it - run a newspaper or few, but putting down the mic ain’t the thing Ima’ bout to do
Huah
Win a Grammy and a Pulitzer
Wanna be the lyrical CNN Wolf Blitzer
Sittin’ in the Bay Wolf drinking a spritzer with Bu and D sippen in the town baby rippen
Who’s that knocking on your door?
Who’s that peering through your window?
Who’s that got you on the floor?
Bop City baby, Bop City baby
Who’s that? Our soul brother, Martin Reynolds aka MC Hoflow, is thankfully not the sole brother at this gathering.
Martin grew up in Berkeley and worked his way up the ladder at the Oakland Tribune from a 1995 Chips Quinn Scholarship to Editor-in-Chief from 2008 to 2011. A journalist, lyricist, and father, Martin is the co-founder of Oakland Voices and the co-Executive Director of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.
Martin has engaged newsrooms across the country as an emissary for an America that does not yet exist. Instead of sowing hate and division, Martin has taught and trained newsrooms to span the faultiness of race, gender, sexual orientation, generation, geography, and class, as they apply to journalists, newsroom collaboration, and coverage.
Martin, continue to work with the faith that one day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. Your work to appeal to the heart and conscious will win our enemies in the process, and our victory will be a double victory.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for being a part of this community.
About the Democracy Fund
Democracy Fund is an independent foundation that works to ensure the American political system operates with equity, adapting to new challenges in the 21st century and safeguarding democracy for all Americans. “Committed to building an inclusive and multiracial democracy in the United States,” the Digital Democracy Initiative is grounded in creating “equitable digital civic infrastructure” to guarantee that civil and human rights protections extend to the digital realm.
The work of the Maynard Institute would not be possible without generous support from the Democracy Fund and our additional funders.
Our blog readers are invited to check out the track with lyrics by Reynolds referenced in the speech above. Listen to All Gop by Bop City Pacific on Spotify.