NJ Discover TV Show: Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King; An Evening with Diversity, Equal Justice and Environmental Justice with Special Guests, Edina Brown, Ronald Pierce and Kevin Moore. Hosts Tara-Jean and Calvin. Tune In Wednesday February 6th 8 PM and archived at njdiscover.com
Tara-Jean & Calvin in Asbury Park
Tara-Jean & Calvin on set
Sometimes TV show ideas are on your mind for a long time. Like this show. It was 13 months ago, when we thought to do a show remembering Dr. King. Sometimes you wait patiently, intently, for the moment, the proper alignment of all the working parts. Cut to just three weeks ago, when on Linked In (I LOVE social media) I stumbled upon (a long story) Edina Brown with her background and life in diversity. Then, minutes later, there was Ronald Pierce, with his life in equal justice, prison reform; all so much in the news today with Governors Murphy and Cuomo proactively addressing the cause. As if staged by a higher authority called synchronicity, a few minutes later, on Linked In, Kevin Moore appeared with his resume of environmental justice. It was an “oh wow.” Somebody up there was directing the confluence of these important personalities and myself. Long ago and far away, I’ve pondered, meditated, dreamt, acted, hoped about all these issues. Another long story. A few messages and texts later, and in three days, we had this TV show conceived.
Now meet (bios) our three guests. See you all on February 6th. TUNE IN njdiscover.com (archived also) Wednesday February 6th 8 PM
Calvin Schwartz 1-27-19 
EDINA BROWN
EDINA BROWN
Edina Brown has lived in Old Bridge, New Jersey for seven years with her husband and two children. For over 14 years, she has been a hard-working advocate for young people and those with lived experiences (mental health consumers).
As an active advisory board member for AACT-NOW, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Edina has helped expand access to resources providing care and support programs for people who struggle to achieve mental health, along with their families.
Her passion for helping people of all backgrounds achieve a better quality of life, inspired her to start IHP Global – a leadership and diversity training company – in 2018.
Edina is the vice chair of the Middlesex County Democratic Black Caucus, and the Rent Stabilization board in her town. She serves on the Middlesex County Mental Health Board, and the Executive Board for Middlesex County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). She also volunteers with Jobs for America’s Graduates and Dress for Success, where she helps underserved youth and women, gain the skills and resources they need to start their careers.
TUNE IN njdiscover.com (archived also) Wednesday February 6th 8 PM
RONALD PIERCE
RONALD PIERCE
I was raised in the Housing Projects of Bayonne New Jersey during a period when corporal punishment was the societal norm. Events early in my life caused me have issues with authority figures and to led me to make decisions based on toughness. Resulting decisions guided my path to joining the United States Marines. I loved the Marines, however my issues with authority brought constant trouble. In 1977, the military offered and I accepted an early discharge, a General Under Honorable Conditions. Shortly after this I joined a motorcycle club, rising in the ranks to Enforcer, finally to the Vice President. A fight in a bar led me into prison and I served the next thirty plus years incarcerated. During Prison I came to the realization of how choices direct pathways and started changing the way that I made choices. This led me to many rehabilitative programs to further my understanding and ultimately led me to the NJ Step Program. Through NJ Step, I earned my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts and began my Bachelor’s Degree in Justice Studies. Upon my parole, the Mountainview Community provided many avenues of support in assisting me in my being accepted into Rutgers University and ensure I have the structure and support necessary to transition back into society and the academic community. I graduated Summa Cum Laude—3.9—majoring in Justice Studies. I have written a seven article series titles Going Home published on Truthdig.com. Worked as a team of writers to create a play, “Caged,” I have written two chapters concerning prisonization and leaving prison for V.B. Worley and R.M. Worley (Eds), American Prisons and Jails: An Encyclopedia of Controversies and Trends. The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice employs me as the Democracy and Justice Fellow. I have a passion to help lower the recidivism rate by working to change policies that create barriers formally incarcerated individuals encounter while trying to reenter society. I have also done numerus speaking engagements. I volunteered as a Mentor for The Parole to College Program, am on the advisory board for the Next 2nd Chance Program, and was a student member of the advisory board of the Mountainview Community.
TUNE IN njdiscover.com (archived also) Wednesday February 6th 8 PM
KEVIN D. MOORE
KEVIN MOORE
Kevin Moore is the Founder of the Urban Environmental Group and has over 20 years of experience in urban environmental issues, advocacy and project management, all through a lens of environmental justice. Formerly the Climate Coordinator for the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance and in addition to consulting, was the project director for the Weequahic Park Association’s, Weequahic Lake Restoration Project, which to date is Newark’s largest community-driven park and ecological restoration program. Previously as the director of public affairs, for Bluefield Holdings, Inc., he worked on developing industrial scale rainharvesting projects designed to monetize and offset environmental liability. He has consulted for the Hudson County’s Department of Planning, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, for the advocacy, education and funding of urban open space, food security and minority participation in “green” and “geo-science” careers. He is committed to giving voice to underserved communities, who suffer the disproportionate burden of environmental degradation, enhancing their capacity and educating the next generation of “urban environmental voices.”
Kevin has served as a member and Parliamentarian for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council and recently, Chair of the Livability and Environment Committee for the Together North Jersey Regional Sustainability Plan. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees for; Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), National Association for Olmsted Parks (NAOP) and one of the founding trustees for the City Parks Alliance (CPA), both national urban park advocacy organizations. He is a Leadership Newark Fellow (Class of 2003) and Founding Chair of the Watershed Management Area 7 Steering Committee. Kevin studied Architecture at Hampton University, Construction Management at New York University and Policy and Watershed Management at Rutgers University, Cook College.
TUNE IN njdiscover.com (archived also) Wednesday February 6th 8 PM
