Farewell Kermit
By Gloria Dulan-Wilson
Hello All:
Nearly a week ago I said goodbye to a longtime friend and ally, Brother Kermit Eady, founder of the BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW YORK.
Kermit's Homegoing service was held on Tuesday, February 9, 2019 at St Mark AME Church in Jackson Heights, Queens - on perhaps the worst night of the week - snow and plummeting temperatures. Yet, many of Kermit's family members and close friends gathered in his honor.
I had the privilege of speaking at his services as well as two of his nieces and the Hon. Charles and Inez Barron - New York's premiere political power couple.
I'm sharing a copy of my speech, along with that of his compatriot, Larry Barton who currently resides in Florida and was not able to attend.
There is also a video graciously provided by cinematographer Winston Gilchrist, a long time friend of Kermit's.
Saying Goodbye to Kermit - and Thanks From Gloria Dulan-Wilson
How do you say goodbye to a legend - a force of nature - a man who used his will, love, might, integrity, tenacity and courage to take institutions head on and blazed trails for BLACK PEOPLE in real time?
First of all, I have to credit my home girl Goldie Watkins Bryant with meeting and getting to know Kermit Eady - Goldie resonated to my complaint that the New York Transit Authority did not have any specific deductions for Black organizations and Black causes - this was in 1985.
I celebrate over 30 years of friendship with this remarkable force and source of nature - and was proud to have worked with him in the most remarkable organization for and about Black people - ever. He touched so many lives in indelible ways - people who thought there was no hope for them found a true champion for them inKermit Eady. He delberately surrounded himself with likeminded people - and if they weren't when they started, they were by the time he got through with them.
In 1992 I began working for BUFNY as an account executive - and really had the honor of becoming an integral part of of that magnificent operation. It was the first time I had ever worked for a Black organization that called its own shots, set its own pace, had its own boss, and had Black people as its only focus. Working for THE BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW YORK was one of my most cherished experiences.
I would show up at the site with all my BUFNY PARAPHENALIA - my video tape, VCR, brochure, pledge cards, BUFNY HANDSHAKE PINS, and set up 6 to 10 presentations a day - GRAND COUNCIL OF GUARDIANS - who are now 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement who care; the VULCAN SOCIETY - the Black Fire Fighters, HHC - the HEALTH AND HOSPITAL CORPORATION - Goldwater Hospital, Harlem Hospital, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Bellvue Hospital, Downstate Medical Center were my regular beats - I made so many friends as a result of these presentations.
There was a video I played at the beginning that was produced by Kermit and Jacquie Durant - I was so proud to speak after Patti's song completed playing, because there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house. The video was produced inhouse - I was trying to find a copy of the original and the pins. They are classics.
Apparently Patti finally made an updated version of the video, which you can check out on the YouTube link below:
Kermit Eady was a dynamo - He was a CAPRICORN - who are known to be task oriented workaholics; who never stop til they get the job done; practically fearless - at least on the surface. He didn't back down from a challenge - as long as it was for and about Black people, he took it on and saw it through. He could talk forever - practically without taking a breath, and almost always thinking about what the next great thing he could come up with to do for Black people.
And I, who had grown up in the Civil Rights era, and participated in all kinds of movements from the age of 10, was, for the first time, proud to see tangible results from our efforts - We were not just sitting in, or marching, or kneeling, or praying, or begging - Kermit was a modern day MARCUS GARVEY - Kermitwas renovating and building homes, underwriting businesses, providing educational programs, saving his home town of Orangeburg, South Carolina from egregious tax assessments.
He was totally politically incorrect - long before Bill Maher - because the politically correct - politically expedient minons weren't getting the job done!
He took on the giants of industry - rather than being conciliatory - and made them dance to his tune - Instead of lip service - he put Black people in charge of their own destiny by collectively consolidating their contributions and making sure they were allocated where they would do the most good. Not huge $1000 contributions that broke the bank, but $1.50 to $5.00 at a time - through payroll deductions - so that even people on welfare or social security could afford to participate.
He took a rundown corner of Adam Clayton Powell an 134th Street and transformed it into the heart nerve and sinew of the BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW YORK - a/k/a BUFNY.
He sued the United Way because they tried to Block BUFNY FROM HAVING PAYROLL DEDUCTION OPTIONS - AND WON!!!
The United Way only shared 3% of their contributions to Black Causes nationwide. BUFNY allocated 85% to Black Causes, with 15% being used for administrative costs.
I was so proud to be a part of a Black organization with real balls. I could point to a building, a home, people - and say this is who we are, this is what we do, and this is what you can do - and have so many people sign up that we ended up averaging $111 million a year. I don't know one Black organization that can show that as their list of accomplishments.
Kermit introduced me to the philosophy and works of WALTER BREMOND and THE BROTHERHOOD CRUSADE; and Danny Bakewell, who kept the legacy alive - I later had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bakewell at the 100th Anniversary of the NNPA. Thanks toKermit, I had to study King E Davis' book on Black Philanthropy. I learned how to present to a diverse audience of people from rank and file employees, to high ranking executives - guess who pledged the most money? And if you said the high ranking execs, you'd be totally wrong. Kermit understood the psychology of the oppressed coming together to help each other.
I learned about incentives and rewards and how to motivate people to participate in their own well being.
My clientele was The Grand Council of Guardians, The Vulcan Society, HHC, the Combined Municipal Campaign, Combined State Campaign - as well as individual donors in general.
We took no federal dollars, and set the criteria for contribution on our own standards and basis of need as opposed to some arbitrary criteria set by the feds that had no bearing on our needs.
Kermit set up incubator programs to help Black businesses get off the ground; intern programs to help youth learn self management and mutual giving at young ages.
Kermit actively participated in the auction process to save Black homes and neighborhoods from having the homes go on the auction block and into the hands of predatory developers who would subsequently push Black families out, while overly developing their neighborhoods for white replacements.
When he renovated the properties, he exceeded the standards so the homes were not only updated, but state of the art, wired for cable and computers, long before it became the thing to do in the general market. He did this 400 times - all over New York - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens - He set the bar - no one has come close - without selling out or selling his soul.
On the fun side -Kermit had a rapier wit - he forgot nothing, loved people, became a scuba diver in his late 50s; bought a sports car convertible at a time when most people were buying over sized trophy vehicles. And it was red!!
Kermit found religion long before it became a thing and had spiritual music piped throughout the entire office. You always knew when Kermit was in the room - he had a booming voice that could be heard almost across a football field - "DULAN-WILSON! What's going on? How'd the presentation go!" He called me "Dulan-Wilson" so much, most people in the office didn't know I had a first name. LOL
Kermit introduced me to the great Les Brown - at a time when I thought he was talking about the white guitar player - and opened my whole world to motivational speaking. More importantly, to the phenom that is Les Brown.
I was so privileged to work with so many dedicated people - Larry Barton, Nicki (Sheniqua); Jackie Durant, Israel, Hassan, Graham Weatherspoon, Eric Adams, Noel Leader, Sidique Wai, etc. People who have since become lifelong friends.
When I played the video tape that showed the key people of BUFNY, with Patti LaBelle singing in the background and different vignettes of how BUFNY helps the homeless, community organizations, and activist groups. Every contributor received a gold pin of two hands clasping each other with the statement - THE HELPING HAND THAT IS YOUR OWN.
Just as there were those of us who loved Kermit, there were many people who feared Kermit as well - and suffice it to say, Kermit had a list of people he didn't like a mile long - and for good reason. In Kermit's world, you were ether for Black people or you were not. And the worst kind of person was a Black person who didn't stand up for Black people, and who became a shill for whites. I have a list of those people - but I don't need to recount them here. He feels that white people were being who they were, but it was up to us to not be the dust under their feet.
However, if I was going to put anyone on the the top of the list of Kermit's dislikes it was Elliott Spitzer - who destroyed the organization, and the negroes who helped him, coupled by those negroes who didn't stand with him. Even more crushing were the people who did not protest the destruction of BUFNY and all it stood for. It broke his heart - but not the man.
He tried to continue his good work under another entity, but was not able to sustain it. He was doing blog radio shows, and interviewing people who were key He eventually left the environs of NYC for Florida.
Kermit tried to persuade me to move to Florida - but, I have an abiding dislike for the deep south - However I was happy to see him get to a place where he could relax in his own skin.
I spoke to Kermit recently just after his Birthday - we have been collaborating on a book - he wanted me to do it for free - LOL
He and I were also collaborating on a multilevel marketing opportunity for CBD, and putting together a payroll deduction training program for an organization - our last conversation was on January 22 - when I tried to reach him back on the 24th - he did not respond - it usually takes a day for him to get back to me, so I wasn't concerned. I tried calling him again on the 25th and 26th - by that time his voice mail was full.
My last text to him was on January 27, asking him to give me a call - and clear his voice mail.
Later that night I found out via Facebook that he had passed
I was blown away - devastated - crushed - heartbroken.
As were we all.
My entire family knew how much I lovedKermit as a brother/friend -and have been sending me condolences.
Dear Kermit:
Thank you for so many wonderful years of friendship - for craziness and times of genius; for insight and words of wisdom.
I want to thank you for being all that you can be while others were trying to stop you, and for walking around them as if they didn't exist.
Thanks for showing that Black people could do whatever they put their hearts and minds to by unifying their minds, their hearts and their finances.
I am going to miss you. We are going to miss you - but I hope we have enough love, intelligence and information to not let what you did die - it's time for resurrection.
Stay Blessed
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