Honored now posthumously by Ice Skating organizations, young black women

Mabel Fairbanks

Mabel Fairbanks was born in Jacksonville, Florida in the early 1920s. Life there was subjugated by abject poverty, bigotry, and Jim Crow laws. In the early 1930s, there was a great migration north in which Fairbanks’ brothers and sisters moved to New York City. She herself followed along. There, at an early age, she was drawn to the sport of figure skating. During the cold winters of the city, she would curiously watch from afar the twirling and gliding skaters in Central Park. But it was after seeing Sonja Henie’s movie “One In A Million” that she was determined to learn to skate. She took herself to the north end of Harlem with a pair of used, oversize skates, and on small frozen ponds and rivulets, she started to teach herself to skate. In her continued desire to practice her skills on ice, she ventured out into the city to find a proper ice rink facility. Time after time she was denied entrance to skate at many of the city’s coveted rinks because of her color, but she did not let that deter her. The manager of the Gay Blades Ice Rink on West 52nd St. noted her persistence and finally let her in, only to request that she could only skate the last 30 minutes of the evening session. As a result, with her enthusiasm and dazzling spirit she caught the eye of the legendary 9 time U.S. Ladies Champion, Maribel Vinson Owen, who helped refine Fairbanks’ skating technique with tips and pointers. Fairbanks was finally shattering the race barrier in the city. Because she was not allowed to compete due to race and bigotry of the skating community in the city, Owen encouraged her to create her own shows and events. Taking that suggestion to heart, she soon was producing her own shows at the Gay Blades Ice Rink after their closing hours, as well shows in the Supper Clubs, the Apollo Theatre, and other social venues in and around Harlem. In the late 40s Fairbanks left the east coast for California. She quickly gained fame and respect first becoming the coach of the children of Hollywood’s elite — Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Ozzie and Harriet’s Ricky Nelson, and Otto Preminger. She made guest appearances on the popular KTLA TV show “Frosty Frolics.” But eventually her deep desire was to become the coach of young competitive skaters of all races with her primary focus in helping nurture and support African American figure skaters. The list of some of those talented students includes: Atoy Wilson, Richard Ewell and Michelle McCladdie, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Bobby Beauchamp, Leslie Robinson, and many others. Along with inspiring, mentoring, and knowing champions — Peggy Fleming, Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Rudy Galindo and Debi Thomas — her coaching style helped her students to become not only great champions but also upstanding individuals. Even though she herself never stood on a podium as a champion, she took great pride and satisfaction in her students who did. And with that, her vision and goals were accomplished and fulfilled. Fairbanks coached until she was 79 years young. In 1997, Fairbanks was the first African American to be inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. In October of 2001 she was posthumously inducted into the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame. Mabel Fairbanks quietly passed in Sept of 2001 in Burbank, California, leaving a bright legacy as a trailblazer and the Grand Dame of African American figure skaters.

Celebrate the life and accomplishments of Mabel Fairbanks at the 2021 Champions in Life Virtual Benefit Gala!

The orchestra, with a name that means ‘light and hope’ in Arabic, is a chamber ensemble of 44 women, established in 1971.

by BWW News Desk Mar. 5, 2021      

The Al Nour Wal Amal orchestra in Egypt, only for blind and visually-impaired women, is captivating audiences, Classic FM reports.

The orchestra, with a name that means ‘light and hope’ in Arabic, is a chamber ensemble of 44 women, established in 1971. The group plays Western classical music, as well as Eastern melodies.

The women have learned to play the music without reading or seeing the conductor, through special memorising techniques and hours of practice.

“With this orchestra, I’ve been able to change the Egyptian and world view towards the physically challenged,” said Shaymaa Hussein, who leads the orchestra. “I told the world that despite losing my sight, I’m a distinguished musician.”

The orchestra is part of an NGO (non-government organisation) set up by a group of volunteers to give blind women educational opportunities and professional training.

The women perform monthly concerts in Cairo, as well as once a year outside Egypt, in countries from Austria and Spain to the UK and Kuwait

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My note: My youngest son is blind. I love to learn of individuals and organizations with purpose.

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The cure for ills in human nature is found in nature, says a top inspirational analyst and New Thought spiritual teacher. Rev. Dr. Vanzant also lends her time and talents to inspire Atlanta’s Hillside International Truth Center’s members and friends each month during the 2nd Sunday morning worship inspiration.

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“Be a tree and know that your roots have been divinely planted and deeply anchored,” Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant told the listeners and viewers via the virtual platform of “Hillside International Truth Center https://hillsideinternational.org/.

In her iconic style of blending life’s metaphors inside of truth-telling, Rev. Dr. Vanzant linked cures for the pandemic’s disruptions to the perennial plant, the tree. She cast a spotlight on the tree, which represents “powerful symbols of growth and resurrection.

There are more than 60,000 different species of trees, Rev. Dr. Vanzant correlated the variety of trees to the cultural differences around the world. Representing life, wisdom, power and prosperity, trees are considered nature’s “Holy observers” by philosophers in certain cultures. She

She “dared” her viewers to adopt the characteristics of a tree, which are found in its grand composition listed as:

• Root
• Trunk
• Leaves
• Fruit

By coming “alive season after season,” Rev. Dr. Vanzant speaks to the tree as the backbone of humankind. That is, the tree as the example to men, women and children, demonstrates how to withstand the cold winds of winter and the tenacity to ‘hang in there’ to welcome the spring. Spring is where optimism blooms.

As an avid reader, listener, learner and doer of Rev. Dr. Vanzant’s realistic and dramatic depictions, she is known for speaking so deep that it takes more than a moment to catch up to what she is telling us. In this spirit, I offer my “Tree table” to explain her powerful, divinely metaphoric message:

When Rev. Dr. Says …	Rev. Dr. Translated …
Peace Lambs	The Book of Psalm (text from 1:1-2)
Be a Tree	Powerful symbols of growth and resurrection. Help reduce negative climate change.
Be a Tree	Life, wisdom, life, prosperity. Embody strength. Do not wilt and wither every time a “bird” leaves one’s branches.
Root	Women and men with deep roots who have been through some things and still they meditate on the Word. They know that God has a plan and purpose that shall be revealed in due season.
Trunk	Life is much bigger than our present moment.
Leaves	Look up, reach up … beyond our human limitation. Move toward the light.
Fruit	Produce and think long-term. Our lives much produce meaningful fruit. We are known by the fruit we produce. We must produce inward and outward fruit. They remember if you were kind, generous, had an encouraging word and forgiveness when necessary.
Soil	Enriched by what we go through.
A Tree Planted by the Water …	… Shall not be moved.

Rev. Dr. Vanzant related with every virtual listener and viewer as being a part of coronavirus pandemic global environment. Her production studio shut down on Feb. 26, 2020 and everyone — including her — was sent home. Since acknowledged the upheaval caused in many lives due in economic, social and physical areas. To that, Rev. Dr. Vanzant says the pandemic highlights the importance of having good roots laid down by individuals.

In her special way, Rev. Dr. Vanzant also expanded the meaning of the words in the Book of Psalm or what she calls the Book of “Peace Lambs” in Chapter 1, Verses 2-3 :

What is read …	What it means …
They	Us
Delight	Derive great pleasure and joy
Lord	Consciousness of dominion, “I am”
It	Presence of God within
Prosper	Flourish physically

Stop holding onto things that hold you down. dim your light and confuse you.

From Rev. Dr. Vanzant to the Hillside International Truth Center family and others joining the exclusive virtual service: “Happy Love Day to You.”

Be a tree.

info@hillsidechapel.org