Talk Title: Why Tommie Smith and John Carlos Represent the Best of San Jose and America

Talk Description:  Brent Musberger called Tommie Smith and John Carlos's action in Mexico a "bizarre protest", and that they "looked like a couple of black-skinned stormtroopers". I will argue the opposite. Tommie and John's action on the Olympic podium in Mexico City represents the best of America, literally standing for your convictions, in a non-violent manner, in the face of withering criticism, and not willing to bend.

Bio:

Dr. Scott Myers-Lipton was a professor of sociology at San Jose State University from 1999 to 2023. He is now Professor Emeritus of Sociology at San José State University and the author of five books, including:

• CHANGE! A Student Guide to Social Action  (2023, Routledge, 2nd edition);

Please join us on Tuesday, June 2nd at 4:30pm at Joseph George Fine Wines (1559 Meridian Avenue in San Jose) for an informative meeting regarding future Rotaplast trips that will be sponsored by San Jose Rotary.  Rotaplast International is a non-profit that was started by the San Francisco Rotary Club in 1992 to eliminate the burden of cleft lip, cleft palate, burn scarring and other deformities.  Rotaplast sends teams of medical professionals (surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, pediatricians) and non-medical personnel abroad for two weeks to perform these surgeries.  San Jose Rotary has a long history of supporting Rotaplast International by sponsoring trips and sending Rotarians on missions.  To date our Rotarians have been on over 20 missions!
 
You don’t need to be a medical professional to go.  There are many non-medical people who go on each mission and perform duties like transporting patients in wheelchairs, playing with children before their surgeries to reduce their anxiety, assisting in the post-anesthesia care unit, inputting medical records, taking photos and posting info on our blog and so much more!  What you do need is enthusiasm, flexibility, and a can-do attitude!
 
We would love to have you join us to learn more about the opportunities available.  Please RSVP so we know how many people to expect. For more information and/or to RSVP, please contact our Rotaplast Committee co-chair Terri Chapman (terrichapman3@gmail.com).  Please note Terri will be on a Rotaplast mission May 9-23 so it may take a bit for her to respond to you.
 

On Wednesday, the Foundation provided an update on the Syd Hardt Legacy Society and the important role planned giving plays in sustaining Rotary’s impact for generations to come.

The Society was created following a transformational bequest from longtime Rotarian Syd Hardt and today includes 36 members representing more than $2 million in future commitments to the Foundation.

Members interested in learning more about including the Rotary Club of San Jose Foundation in their estate plans can find additional information, including the confidential Statement of Intent form, on the Club website here.

If you have already included — or intend to include — the Foundation in your estate plans, please submit a Statement of Intent form to Leslee Hamilton. Please feel free to contact Jason Stein or Leslee Hamilton with any questions or for additional information.
 

*Host Family Basics*
Provide a safe, stable, and welcoming home environment. Offer a bedroom (not shared with opposite gender) and a place to study. Include the student as part of the family (meals, activities, daily life). Provide transportation guidance (not necessarily all rides). Support school attendance and engagement. Maintain regular communication with Rotary counselor and program leaders.

Student will go to Overfelt High School, so please think about this logistic.

*What Hosting Looks Like*
Typically 4–5 months at the start of 2027.
Students have their own spending money and insurance. Host families are volunteers—not paid—but the experience is highly rewarding. Rotary provides ongoing support and a counselor for both the student and the host family.

Reach out to Randy Zechman for questions or to help. 408.590.7350 or conciergeservices@usa.net  
 

Sponsored by Arthur Weissbrodt

I was born in New York City, and lived for a few years in the North Bronx with my parents, and my Mom’s Italian family.  My Mother worked for Universal Studios at Rockefeller Center.  My Dad was in the Merchant Marines, bringing supplies to the Allies.  His ship was torpedoed in the North Atlantic in February 1943;  he survived 3 weeks on a life-raft (cold & snowy) before being picked up by a Canadian ship.   I’m lucky to be here.
We moved to a farm in North-West Ohio near Lake Erie.  We grew all our food & preserved it.  We had cows, chickens and geese.  I gathered the eggs; the geese chased me!
We went back to New York every year and I got to see Broadway shows and museums and go fishing & clamming off southern Long Island.  The food was great!  
I went to a two-room Catholic school house and went to Mass every day.   We sang in Latin; Gregorian Chant.  I read a lot and practiced piano as a child, as we had no television or other distractions.  I went to a small public high school; not many people went to college. The school counselor recommended I study music at Oberlin (too expensive).
At The Ohio State University, I studied music for 2 years, and then decided against teaching.  I got a degree in Computer Science, as I was always good in math and the jobs paid well.  
I worked as a programmer for a while and then decided to get a profession so I could live near my husband in Ohio.  
Then we moved to Northern California, and I went to The University of the Pacific School of Dentistry.  Later, I studied Oral Facial Pain and Sleep at Tufts and UCLA Dental Schools.  I continued my piano studies and have accompanied singers.  My husband and I have 2 children; our son is a dentist in Washington State and our daughter was in the Peace Corps in The Dominican Republic and just completed her Nurse Practitioner Doctorate at Johns Hopkins University. 
Since retirement, I play piano in a restaurant in Los Altos and walk my dog in our local Sunnyvale park helping to clean up the park.  I am in 3 book clubs…always liked to read. We have planted lots of fruit trees in our yard…still back on the farm!