News

March is Women’s History Month. First, we will ask why this commemoration exists. Why do we need to inform ourselves about women’s history? What is unique about the experiences of women? Well, there are more than a few answers to that question.

We know that for the past hundreds of years, in many different cultures including the Western world, women have experienced the oppression of a patriarchy. Women were considered the weaker sex, and our lives were lived as men saw fit. The question of why comes to mind… and we’re not sure how to answer that. Perhaps in a world where survival depended on physical strength it could be understandable. Women also were accused of succumbing to that snake in the garden, which paints us as morally weak and detrimental to a virtuous man. And… we experienced being killed as witches. We won’t cover the ‘witches’ story here, but it is worth a mention – it happened. It’s needless to say… we are grateful for the evolution of consciousness.

Readers are well aware that in the US women had to fight for the right to vote and to own property. We will cover the Suffrage Movement in this first blog in our women’s history series. We will also cover the Women’s Movement of the sixties and seventies, where we saw women begin to be accepted as professionals – doctors, lawyers, accountants, business owners and so forth. In the final blog we will feature some amazing women that readers may not know about, including a mathematician named Creola Katherine Johnson. Without her, the astronauts would not have stepped foot on the moon.

Meet the Suffragettes

Suffrage is defined as, “The right to vote in political elections.” From the History website [LINK] we read this overview: “The women’s suffrage movement was a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the United States. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right, and the campaign was not easy: Disagreements over strategy threatened to cripple the movement more than once. But on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified, enfranchising all American women and declaring for the first time that they, like men, deserve all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.”

When the Government of the United States was first created, only white men who were landowners could vote. In 1820 the vote was gradually extended by the various states to white men who were not landowners or wealthy. The battle that women undertook to obtain voting rights began at this time, before the civil war.

“In 1848, a group of abolitionist activists—mostly women, but some men—gathered in Seneca Falls, New York to discuss the problem of women’s rights. They were invited there by the reformers Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Most of the delegates to the Seneca Falls Convention agreed: American women were autonomous individuals who deserved their own political identities. What this meant, among other things, was that they believed women should have the right to vote.”

The Civil War and its Outcome

The women’s rights movement continued strong until the Civil War, when it lost momentum. After the war the 14^th Amendment (1868) defined “Citizens” as male, and the 15^th Amendment (1870) granted Black men the right to vote. Some women activists, believing this was their time to push forward, refused to support the 15^th Amendment, calling instead for universal suffrage.

“In 1869, a new group called the National Woman Suffrage Association was founded by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. They began to fight for a universal-suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Others argued that it was unfair to endanger Black enfranchisement by tying it to the markedly less popular campaign for female suffrage. This pro-15th-Amendment faction formed a group called the American Woman Suffrage Association and fought for the franchise on a state-by-state basis.”

By 1890 these two groups (pro universal suffrage and pro Black men’s suffrage), merged together and formed the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the organization’s first president. They changed their argument from “all people created equal” to women deserving the right to vote because they are different from men.

“This argument served many political agendas: Temperance advocates, for instance, wanted women to have the vote because they thought it would mobilize an enormous voting bloc on behalf of their cause, and many middle-class white people were swayed once again by the argument that the enfranchisement of white women would ‘ensure immediate and durable white supremacy, honestly attained.’”

Women Win the Vote

The states of Idaho and Utah gave women the right to vote at the end of the 19^th century. More states in the West started granting the right to vote to women starting in 1910. Southern and Eastern states resisted, and women’s organizations campaigned hard, using hunger strikes and White House picketing aimed at dramatic publicity. World War I slowed the campaigns but helped women advance their arguments as many women went to work in support of the war effort.

“Finally, on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified. And on November 2 of that year, more than 8 million women across the United States voted in elections for the first time.”

Women in 2024

We have attempted to cover 100 years in a few short paragraphs, and of course there is much more to this story. In a way it is difficult to look into women’s history and analyze where we are today as advances in the US may not have been achieved, as yet, for women around the world. Nonetheless humanity is evolving, and we are beginning to understand that there needs to be balance and equality, with no one dominating because of gender, ethnicity, birth, wealth and so forth.

Today women are enjoying equality in many professions, and in many businesses women hold leadership positions, including at Fortune 500 companies. Here at AMS Fulfillment, women serve in more than half (52%) of our leadership positions, and we are very well served.

In every human being the left brain is considered the masculine mind, utilizing reason, logic – the thinking mind. The right brain is considered the feminine mind, which excels in intuition, feeling and instinctive knowing. When the pillars of masculine and feminine are equal and in balance within society, we see great benefits to our culture and in our workplaces as well.

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, committed to put people and planet before profit. We work to B the Change we want to see in the world. 

March 1st is Employee Appreciation Day, and of course we will join in this recognition of employees! Thing is, at AMS Fulfillment, every day is Employee Appreciation Day. We know that we are successful because of our employees, so appreciation is something we do every day – it’s a Must!! Our employees are the reason we shine!

We will talk about how we appreciate, but first a little info from Google on the day:

“National Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Friday of March every year, and provides an opportunity to recognize employee achievements and contributions in all industries.

“U.S. Launched in 1995 by Workman Publishing, National Employee Appreciation Day, on March 1, reminds managers that strong employer-employee relations are at the core of any truly successful business.”

How do we show Appreciation?

Well, first and foremost we hire an underserved workforce with open arms, where people would have otherwise had a hard time finding work elsewhere, find it with us. We start all of our operations associate employees at the California minimum wage, which is a 17% minimum wage increase for DE employees and a 55% minimum wage increase for PA employees; quite a lot more than the East Coast basic minimums. We offer great benefits to employees, including free health insurance, employee assistance program, onsite professional and personal development training during work hours, including ESL, Excel, Leadership, Customer Service, Communication, Forklift Certification and Safety.

AMS has a strong focus on warehouse safety. All employees are involved in safety training, from the start of employment and throughout their tenure, learning to spot potential risks across the warehouse, reporting anything they see that might be worrisome, and identifying ergonomic inefficiencies to improve workflow. Every employee participates in a Safety Incentive Program, and every month employees are rewarded a safety financial bonus, including a company sponsored lunch. Because of our inclusive training programs, AMS has a top tier safety record where lost time injuries are well below industry benchmarks.

Additionally, our employees can join the “Green Team” and the “Volunteer Committee” to work together on causes they believe in, cleaning up the environment and donating to local non-profits within our communities.

And there is more!!

On the AMS website readers will find the Employee Bulletin Board. Here readers will see pages and pages with photos of our employees, talking about their successes and inspirations at work, families, and their favorite things to do in their free time. We try to post one story every week. We started the page in 2021 so there are quite a few featured employees! We hope you will visit [HERE] and meet the employees and their families. And of course, we invite employees to contact Samantha Hicks, AMS “B Keeper” if they would like to be featured.

Like many other companies we honor Employees of the Month. In our report the colleagues dish out the praise and the employees get an intrinsic reward. Here’s the latest Employee of the Month blog [LINK] where the AMS CEO dishes out praise among many others.

We Appreciate You!

This message comes with a Big Thank You to all of our employees, on the warehouse floor, in the offices, in the remote locations… thank you ALL. You are the reason we are successful!!

Thank you for your exemplary performance during the month of January: JENNIFER B., KAHLIEL P., ESTEFANI G., SAMANTHA H., ANALIDA H., MARIA L., TATIANA E., STEVE Y., JUSTINO S., and LORENA D.

In the fulfillment industry, employees directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. At AMS Fulfillment we appreciate and value our employees, and we respect and invest in them. Every month we see our employees working hard with such outstanding dedication and we are continually impressed by the results they produce!

Congratulations to this month’s winners! All Winners will receive an Employee of the Month Certificate, T-Shirt, and Quarterly Celebration Lunch!

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Jennifer B., Operations Associate I (03/02/2022) Boulden

Jennifer comes in every day with a smile on her face and is ready to jump in and get the job done. Jennifer has recently taken the role on as a Team Lead and is doing an amazing job showing us that we picked a #1 Team player. We sometimes get lost in the everyday workflow and forget to tell our employees how amazing and truly grateful we are for them but JEN you ARE AMAZING AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO here at AMS, and it NEVER goes unnoticed! -Meggan S.

Kahliel P., Operations Lead I (12/05/2022) Churchman’s

As the Inventory Lead for CT in Churchman’s, Kahliel is responsible for a number of daily job functions that can change on the fly, from having several different associates approaching him with inventory issues to replens for both buildings to his daily jobs as an Inventory Lead. Kahliel is always willing to adapt his schedule to fit the needs of the client, from staying late to coming in early. Kahliel is always willing to take time to train and help out wherever and whenever, as well as put up with a very demanding ME!!!!! – Paul S.

Estefani G., Operations Associate II (08/16/2021) HQ WH

Estefani works in the Returns Department at HQ. She’s an outstanding employee who makes a positive impact for the returns team. She is a hard worker and a team player who likes to solve issues when they arise to get the job done. You can rely on her, and she always has a smile on her face. She is so fun to work with! – Teresa G.

Samantha H., Corporate Culture Org. Development BP (09/20/2011) HQ Admin

Samantha is someone who epitomizes our giving B-Corporation values every day at work and shows others “the way” with her positive energy, intense determination, uncompromising effort, and push for top tier results in all that she pursues. Sam is our queen of culture at AMS, having fully digested the principles of how a company commits to Doing Good as a B-Corporation… Sam embodies this and helps us all make Doing Good a reality at AMS. This includes helping to employ and advance individuals who face difficult circumstances in life, promoting diversity and fairness at the workplace, educating employees, bettering our communities, and helping our planet through sustainability initiatives and the AMS Green Team.

Some recent over and above efforts on Sam’s part include the Wellness Fair, CDP renewal (environmental authority that Charlotte Tilbury stands by) where we jumped from a D- (my effort in 2023) to a B- in 2024, B-Corp renewal where we will likely jump our score significantly year over year, and a 3-day photo shoot where Sam brought her creative energy and management skills into play in this very important marketing-related project (revamp of the AMS corporate website). I am very thankful to have such an amazing Team of employees at AMS… we are a People business and AMS has the best Team in the business! In this case, I simply want to do a big Shout Out to Samantha for All that she brings to All of us at AMS!  Thank you, Sam, for all that you do to help AMS Do Good as a business!!! – Jay C.

Analida H., Inventory Receiving Supervisor (09/23/2011) Livingston

Analida is our Inventory Supervisor and an Outstanding Employee here at Livingston. It’s Inventory season for many clients this time of the year, and Analida stepped up in every way by doing an Outstanding job with the physical inventory. Her organization, putting in long hours, problem solving, and dedication made inventory processing VERY successful. Analida is a crucial piece to our management team, and she is willing to take on anything that is given to her. Thank you, Analida, for all your hard work, commitment, and dedication!!!! To top it off, she’s a great person.” – Saul M.

Maria L., Logistics Auditor (06/13/2016) Logistics

Maria is an integral part of the AMS Logistics team! Her hard work and attention to detail are key to our success. Logistics and transportation are a huge focus at AMS and getting it right is a challenge that Maria takes seriously! Maria has always been honest, reliable and a team player. Maria is THE BEST auditor we have at AMS! – Gawain W.

Tatiana E., Operations Lead I (09/12/2022) Newark

Tatiana has been with our team for almost two years. She is always learning new things and really implementing them throughout her workday. Tatiana is currently an Operations Lead and owns her position daily. She coaches employees and is always there when someone needs some help…. Always!! Not only does Tatiana really give her best efforts here at work, but her whole energy she gives off in the warehouse is one you’d want to be around. The last few months she has really been motivated to keep our team over here in Newark focused and situated to get the job done. She shows up every day with a positive vibe, and we are grateful to have her here on our team!!! Thanks Tatiana – Amber S.

Steve Y., Operations Associate (11/20/2023) New Holland

Steve joined our TEAM in November and has since performed very well in every area that he’s worked. He always asks great questions, is eager to learn, and strives to do an exceptional job. Thank you, Steve, for all your contributions. – Dave N.

Justino S., Operations Associate II (04/21/2022) Williams

Justino Salgado is a team player. He is always stays on task and is punctual. He is very kind to his coworkers and always helps them. His coworkers believe he is an example of a good employee. He is key for the success of Williams. – Ana R.

Lorena D., Operations Associate II (11/02/2021) Witherspoon

Lorena works in returns and is an outstanding employee. She processes returns efficiently without making any mistakes. When a task is given to her, she completes it in a timely manner and with great attention to detail. She always comes into work with a great attitude and has a very positive impact on our team. She is cross trained in other departments and is always willing to give a helping hand when it is needed. She learns fast and never passes up the opportunity to learn new processes. She has great work ethic, and her hard work never goes unnoticed. – Vanessa H.

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To all of our Honorees, please know that whatever role you play, you are the reason for our success. Congratulations and Thank You!

AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, committed to put People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

This is our fourth in a series of Black History Month offerings. We may think we know enough about Black History, having studied the slave trade and slavery, emancipation, Jim Crow segregation, civil rights, affirmative action, and now DE&I. Do we know enough? As usual, there are many stories we miss, or we fail to look into them and ask… what caused this?

We will leave that question unanswered, for readers to ponder as they read, and in this writing we will focus on those who rejected slavery and stood strongly to bring an end to it.

We will feature William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and Angelina Grimké. These are most likely familiar names, and a part of the Black History we have learned about. Let’s begin with a quote about abolitionists from the History website [LINK].

Abolishing Slavery

“An abolitionist, as the name implies, is a person who sought to abolish slavery during the 19th century. More specifically, these individuals sought the immediate and full emancipation of all enslaved people.

“Most early abolitionists were white, religious Americans, but some of the most prominent leaders of the movement were also Black men and women who had escaped from bondage.

“The abolitionists saw slavery as an abomination and an affliction on the United States, making it their goal to eradicate slave ownership. They sent petitions to Congress, ran for political office and inundated people of the South with anti-slavery literature.

“These staunch activists wanted to abolish slavery completely, which differed from the ideas of other groups like the Free Soil Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery into U.S. territories and newly formed states such as Kansas.”

Before we talk about the abolitionists, we will mention a law, passed by the US Congress, and a judicial decision of the Supreme Court. The Fugitive Slave Act required American citizens to return escaped enslaved people to their ‘owners’. The Supreme Court ruled, in the Dred Scott decision that Black people, enslaved or free, did not have citizenship rights. This is the world in which the Abolitionists fought their battles.

William Lloyd Garrison fought his battle for a just world with publishing, founding an anti-slavery newspaper called The Liberator. The city was Boston, and the year was 1831. He had the support of the Black abolitionist community. From the History website we read the following:

“Through the paper, which would become one of the most influential publications of the movement, Garrison propagated his view that “moral suasion” and nonviolence would be effective methods to promote abolition. He was one of the founding members of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833. Recognizing Frederick Douglass’ gifts as a speaker, he urged him to join the cause.”

Garrison was deeply shaken when, in 1835, he was nearly lynched by an angry mob in Boston. Over time he came to believe the Constitution itself was corrupt. Despite the hatred of the pro-slavery forces he continued the abolitionist fight through the Civil War, even giving up his dedication to nonviolence in support of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion.

“When President Lincoln invited Garrison to Fort Sumter to celebrate the end of the Civil War, Garrison was greeted by thousands of joyous and grateful freedmen, who expressed their gratitude for his life’s work. The printer published the final issue of The Liberator in December 1865 after the 13th Amendment was added to the Constitution. He continued to work toward civil rights and women’s rights until his death in 1879.”

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland in 1818. He was fortunately able to learn to read, and he considered reading his pathway to freedom. In 1838 he escaped to the North, going to New Bedford, Massachusetts, which was an abolitionist stronghold.

“After reading William Lloyd Garrison’s newspaper The Liberator, and hearing him speak at an anti-slavery meeting, Douglass joined forces with Garrison, traveling across the North to tell his story and advocate for the eradication of slavery. In 1845, he published the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which won him national fame — and brought him to the attention of his former owners. To avoid recapture, Douglass fled to the United Kingdom, where he spent two years lecturing.”

Douglass returned to the U.S. in 1847 and settled in Rochester, New York, which was a final stop for northbound fugitive slaves on the Underground Railroad. He established his own newspaper, The North Star. He began to question the nonviolence philosophy of his friend, Garrison. The Civil War began, and Douglass hoped the goal of the war would be to end slavery, but Lincoln announced his primary goal was to save the Union.

“Douglass was therefore overjoyed when Lincoln announced the following month that he would emancipate the slaves in rebel-held territory. After Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, Douglass helped recruit black soldiers to fight in the Union Army. In the post-war years, Douglass continued his relentless campaign for civil rights, working to help freedmen in the South. He died in 1895 after serving in a number of government posts, including as a consul general and minister to Haiti.”

Angelina Grimké was a daughter of a wealthy slave-owning family in Charleston. She was deeply convinced that slavery was a sin against God, and she could not tolerate being a part of it. She left Charleston and moved to Philadelphia in 1829 where she became actively involved in the abolitionist and women’s rights movements. Her position as a member of slaveholding aristocracy gave her voice strength and credibility, despite the shame it brought her family.

“In 1836, Grimké authored An Appeal to the Christian Women of the South, a 36-page essay published by the American Anti-Slavery Society. Though Charleston residents publicly burned copies of the Appeal in protest, Grimké remained committed to the abolitionist cause. She also began to link the rights of enslaved people to the rights of women as she received more resistance to her increasing public visibility.”

Grimké married a fellow abolitionist, Theodore Dwight Weld, and together the couple published a book made up of first-hand accounts of slavery. The book, entitled American Slavery As It Is, was a best-seller. It covered handbills for runaway slaves, court records, and the words of slave owners themselves. Grimké also fought for equal rights of women, which many abolitionists did during the time period. The source of our biographies is the PBS website [LINK].

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We hope our readers have enjoyed the Black History Month offerings. Returning to our question… what caused this… of course we must look at what business is willing to do for ‘profit’. Thankfully there are Americans who have been fighting the good fight all along. We have watched America change and evolve, and the progress continues.

The abolitionists stood upon a moral foundation and fought to bring an end to slavery. The moral argument won the day and it continued to win the battles that followed. Women won their battle for equality. The Civil Rights battles brought their changes to America. We continue still, to recognize that doing ‘right’ by each other is always the way forward.

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to people and planet before profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

February 20^th is recognized internationally as the World Day of Social Justice. Social Justice concerns include poverty, exclusion, gender inequality, unemployment, and human rights. These are concerns of employers such as AMS, as we are a certified B Corporation, committed to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion – JEDI.

An overview at National Today [LINK] states the following: “The World Social Justice Day is observed on 20 February to commemorate and urge all efforts to combat unemployment, social exclusion, and poverty. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes that social development and social justice are indispensable for the achievement and maintenance of peace and security within and among nations and that, in turn, social development and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace and security, or in the absence of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

The history of this commemoration takes us to 1995 and Copenhagen, Denmark, where Denmark hosted the first World Summit for Social Development. The Copenhagen Declaration and Program of Action came out of this meeting, where over 100 leaders pledged to alleviate poverty, create just societies, and work toward full employment.

Quoting again from National Today, “In 2005 in New York, the U.N.’s member states reviewed the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action at a session of the Commission for Social Development. They agreed to commit to advancing social development. Two years later on November 26, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared that starting from the sixty-third session of the General Assembly, February 20 will be celebrated annually as the World Day of Social Justice. On June 10, 2008, The International Labour Organization adopted the I.L.O. Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization.”  

Advancing Social Justice

What does social justice look like? According to the UN it is decent work and a fair globalization agenda focused on employment opportunities, fundamental rights, social dialogue between governments, employers and workers.

Quoting from UN.org, “Advocates point out the persisting grave injustices, widespread labor insecurity, high inequality, and unraveling social contracts exacerbated by global crises. These harsh realities threaten progress made on social issues. Reinforcing institutions and policies that truly advance social justice is seen as an urgent priority.

“Proposals to advance social justice include improving inclusive and effective governance of work, ensuring employment opportunities and lifelong learning, reforming institutions for fairer labor market outcomes, and extending social protections across peoples’ lifetimes. An integrated approach across all these areas is touted.”  [LINK to UN.org]

B Corporations and JEDI

The B Corporation is a global movement for social justice. From B Corporation.net we can see how JEDI is described. [LINK]

“B Lab recognizes that we cannot credibly build an inclusive economic system without addressing the fundamental injustice, inequity, and violence that disproportionately impact people of color and women. It is not enough to be quietly non-racist and non-sexist. We have a responsibility to build a community of vocal, visible, anti-racist, and feminist business leaders. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) is central to all of B Lab’s operations.

Justice dismantles barriers to resources and opportunities in society so that all individuals and communities can live a full and dignified life. At B Lab, we strive to embed justice into our work to catalyze equitable outcomes for all.

Equity is critical to attracting and attaining the best results in business. At B Lab, we are committed to holding ourselves accountable for policies, processes, and programs that appreciate differences and create a fair, safe, and just working environment for staff.

Diversity in age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, neurocognition, and lived experience is proven to make organizations more effective. At B Lab, we celebrate varied points of view and approaches to our work. 

Inclusion accelerates culture shifts by ensuring all voices are included in the conversation. At B Lab, we strive to build a culture where everyone feels their perspectives are valued. 

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are not just words. They are the framework for how we build teams, cultivate leaders, and make business a force for good.”

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AMS Fulfillment is a certified B Corporation, committed to people and planet before profit. We work to B the Change we want to see in the world.

For Black History Series #3 we’re going to talk about the Black Power movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s. We will introduce some leaders who spoke to the time. To begin, we will bring to mind an iconic image from the Summer Olympics. From Wikipedia [LINK]:

“During their medal ceremony in the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City on October 16, 1968, two African-American athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, each raised a black-gloved fist during the playing of the US national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”. While on the podium, Smith and Carlos, who had won gold and bronze medals respectively in the 200-meter running event of the 1968 Summer Olympics, turned to face the US flag and then kept their hands raised until the anthem had finished. In addition, Smith, Carlos, and Australian silver medalist Peter Norman all wore human-rights badges on their jackets.”

Black Power and Civil Rights

The Black Power movement took place parallel to the Civil Rights Movement. It formed under the concept of human rights – not one’s right as a citizen (civil rights) but rather one’s right as a human being. From the National Archives [LINK] we read the following:

“Black Power began as revolutionary movement in the 1960s and 1970s. It emphasized racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of political and cultural institutions. During this era, there was a rise in the demand for Black history courses, a greater embrace of African culture, and a spread of raw artistic expression displaying the realities of African Americans.

“The term “Black Power” has various origins. Its roots can be traced to author Richard Wright’s non-fiction work Black Power, published in 1954. In 1965, the Lowndes County [Alabama] Freedom Organization (LCFO) used the slogan “Black Power for Black People” for its political candidates. The next year saw Black Power enter the mainstream. During the Meredith March against Fear in Mississippi, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Chairman Stokely Carmichael rallied marchers by chanting ‘we want Black Power.’”

When the gloved fist was raised at the Olympics, Black Power certainly entered mainstream conversation. This global ‘raised fist’ demonstration had been preceded by the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which brought about a mass outpouring of grief and anger, with rioting taking place in cities across the country. It was a world-changing time in Black History.

A Revolutionary Time

The story of the Black Power movement is the story of a revolutionary time that brought about COINTELPRO (a US Government counterintelligence program) as well as a number of very strong and articulate Black leaders. We encourage readers to visit the History website [HERE] for an interesting writing entitled “How the Black Power Movement Influenced the Civil Rights Movement.”

Rather than generalize on what was an inspiring movement of two decades, we will introduce three leaders from the time, Stokley Carmichael, Shirley Chisholm and Fred Hampton, and we’ll speak on their work. A glimpse into their experience tells the story of the time. The information is gleaned primarily from Wikipedia.

Stokely Carmichael

Stokely Carmichael was known by his given name, and some years later, by his chosen name, Kwame Ture. He was a prominent organizer both with regard to the civil rights movement and the pan-African movement. He was born in Trinidad and came to the US around the age of 11, attending Bronx High School of Science where he became an activist. He was a key leader in the development of the Black Power movement; leader of the SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), Honorary Prime Minister in the Black Panther Party and then leader of the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party. He was one of the original SNCC 1961 Freedom Riders who took busses into the South to do ‘sit ins’ and challenge segregation.

He was a strong voting rights advocate, but the 1964 Democratic National Convention’s failure to recognize the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegates caused him to discard the two-party system. Carmichael eventually decided to develop the national Black Panther Party. He popularized Black Power in his speeches and writings, and became one of the most popular and controversial Black leaders of the late 1960s.

J. Edgar Hoover identified Carmichael as the man most likely to succeed Malcolm X and the FBI targeted him for counterintelligence activity through its COINTELPRO program. In 1968 Carmichael moved to Africa and was established in Guinea by 1969. He adopted the name Kwame Ture and campaigned for the revolutionary socialist pan-African movement until his death in 1998.

Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Anita Chisholm was an American politician who, in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the US Congress, representing New York’s district centered in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She served for seven terms, from 1969 to 1983. In 1972, she became the first black candidate for a major-party nomination for President running for the Democratic party’s nomination. Throughout her career, she was known for her stand against economic, social, and political injustice and for black civil rights and women’s rights.

She became involved in local Democratic Party politics in the 1950s. In 1964 she was elected to the New York State Assembly and four years later, she was elected to Congress. She rose to party leadership and expanded food and nutrition programs for the poor. She retired from Congress in 1983 and taught at Mount Holyoke College while continuing her political organizing. In 2015, Chisholm was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Fred Hampton

Fredrick “Chairman Fred” Hampton came to prominence in his late teens and early 20s in Chicago as deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party. He founded the anti-racist, anti-classist Rainbow Coalition, a multicultural political organization that included the Black Panthers, Young Patriots, an activist organization of white youths, the Young Lords made up of Hispanic activists, and an alliance of street gangs. This helped them end infighting and work for social change. Hampton considered fascism the greatest threat, saying “fascism will stop us all.”

In 1967, the FBI identified Hampton as a radical threat, trying to subvert his activities in Chicago and placing a counterintelligence operative in the local Panthers organization. In December 1969, Hampton was drugged, then shot and killed in his bed during a predawn raid at his Chicago apartment by the Chicago Police Department and the FBI. Law enforcement sprayed more than 100 gunshots throughout the apartment; the occupants fired once. Panther Mark Clark was also killed and several others were seriously wounded. In 1970 the Cook County Coroner’s inquest concluded that Hampton’s and Clark’s deaths were justifiable homicides. But a lawsuit in 1982 lead to a monetary settlement from the US Government, Cook County and the City of Chicago. Many scholars now consider Hampton’s death at age 21, a deliberate murder, or an assassination at the FBI’s initiative.

A Glimpse of the Time

We hope that these stories have increased your knowledge of Black History and the Black Power movement. The efforts for racial pride, development of Black business, self-support and self-determination continue to this day within a human rights movement embracing the entire Afrodescendant family, located in the USA and Americas Region and Caribbean, in countries where the slave trade brought their ancestors.

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Our Black History Series #4 will be on the abolitionists and their work to end slavery.

AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, committed to put people before profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

Everybody tunes in to Valentine’s Day!! February 14^th definitely can’t be ignored – it’s about love! We need a gift for the sweetheart, some flowers for the beloved wife, something special for the hero husband, cool stuff for the grandchildren – it’s time to show love.

What does Google tell us it’s about? “The 8th-century Gelasian Sacramentary recorded the celebration of the Feast of Saint Valentine on February 14. The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the “lovebirds” of early spring.”

A Little Bit of History

Where did the Valentine name and the February 14 date come from? Here’s what the History website says: “While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial—which probably occurred around A.D. 270—others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.”

Here’s a little more about this interesting and colorful holiday. “The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.

Although Valentine’s Day is clearly about romantic love, people do give gifts to a wider list of loved ones, such as Mom and the kids and grandkids, sons, daughters, folks at the office or workplace and basically whoever touches their heart. Here at AMS our employees who wish to, can purchase $1 valentine fortune cookies for their co-workers with the funds going to an organization AMS is supporting in honor of Black History Month.

The Very Best Love Poems

Because we do love romantic love, we went looking for the best love poems we could find. Here below are our favorites.

She Walks in Beauty

By Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!


How Do I Love Thee

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven

By W.B. Yeats

Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

I Wish I Could Remember that First Day

By Christina Rossetti

I wish I could remember that first day,
First hour, first moment of your meeting me,
If bright or dim the season, it might be
Summer or Winter for aught I can say;
So unrecorded did it slip away,
So blind was I to see and to foresee,
So dull to mark the budding of my tree
That would not blossom yet for many a May.
If only I could recollect it, such
A day of days! I let it come and go
As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;
It seemed to mean so little, meant so much;
If only now I could recall that touch,
First touch of hand in hand – Did one but know!

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Happy Valentine’s Day to all of our employees, clients and friends. For your enjoyment, at this [LINK] is a beautiful love song from the Temptations… “A Song for You.” We promise… it’s worth a teardrop or two.

AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, committed to put people and planet before profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

The Lunar New Year begins in China on February 10th this year. We’re hearing the buzz… it’s the Year of the Dragon!! Of course we want to know what is predicted to happen in the Dragon year! Let’s find out about the celebrations and the Chinese Zodiac predictions!

The Lunar New Year, called the Spring Festival, is celebrated in many Asian countries. The celebration kicks off on February 10th this year and lasts for up to 16 days, with the first seven days considered a public holiday. The Lantern Festival is the peak of the season.

The following is from People magazine [LINK]: “Originating in multiple countries in east Asia, the holiday is filled with rich culture and tradition that centers around the hope for good fortune and prosperity. Each year, the exact date differs as it’s based on the cycle of the moon, though it usually falls between Jan. 20 and Feb. 21 on the Gregorian calendar. Each year also has a corresponding animal from the Chinese zodiac, based on ancient Chinese mythology, and 2024 marks the Year of the Dragon.”

The Lunar New Year Traditions

The first tradition is to thoroughly clean the house. This is done to drive away any bad luck from the previous year. Another preparation is to pay off any debts so to start the new year fresh. Families also might buy new clothes and put Spring Festival decorations on the doors and windows.

On the evening of the first day, people go to the tombs of their ancestors and sweep the tomb, then return home for a family reunion dinner. This dinner is the most important of the year and several generations will come together. From USA Today [LINK] we read the following: “In China, the foods served at these dinners vary from north to south. Northern Chinese cuisine tends to have dumplings and noodles; southern Chinese meals rely heavily on rice cakes. Traditionally, people give out red envelopes with money and light fireworks after dinner.”

The small red envelopes containing money are given to children and family members, friends and employees as well. The color red is associated with energy, happiness and good luck. There may also be fireworks. Here’s an interesting tidbit from USA Today.

“Traditionally fireworks are set off to mark the new year and ward off monsters. According to legend, the origin of the practice goes back to a story about a monster called Nian, who is believed to have been causing great harm to some villages. In response, the villagers are said to have set off explosions to scare off the monster. Since then, it has become a tradition for Chinese New Year.”

The Festival of Lanterns comes on the final day. All types of lanterns are lit throughout the streets and they fill the sky, making the night into colorful, beautiful light. The celebration reaches its peak with the Lantern Festival.

The Year of the Dragon

From China Highlights [LINK] we read: “Wood Dragon. The Chinese zodiac gives each year an animal sign. Chinese New Year 2024 is a Year of the Dragon, more specifically, Wood Dragon, starting from February 10th, 2024, and lasting until January 28th, 2025. Recent/upcoming years of the Dragon are 2024, 2012, 2000, and 1988.”

In answer to the question… was I born in a Dragon year? Years of the Dragon go back to 1988, 1976, 1964, and 1952. People born in Dragon years are said to possess courage, tenacity, intelligence, enthusiasm and confidence.

Once again from China Highlights, we read: “In Chinese culture, the Dragon holds a significant place as an auspicious and extraordinary creature, unparalleled in talent and excellence. It symbolizes power, nobility, honor, luck, and success. 2024 is forecasted to bring about opportunities, changes, and challenges. If you’re seeking a shift in your current lives, this year might offer a favorable chance.”

The animals of the Chinese zodiac have fixed elements and variable elements, and wood is the fixed element of this year’s Dragon. The wood element is said to add a layer of creativity, growth and compassion, and the ability to be persuasive and communicative.

According to China Highlights: “The Dragon is known for its ambition, courage, and enthusiasm, while the Wood element adds a layer of creativity, growth, and compassion. Together, they suggest a year and people characterized by dynamic growth, innovation, and the ability to inspire and lead others.”

Find out Your Sign in the Zodiac

We will link you to the China Embassy website for a chart that tells you which animal you are according to your birth year:

“The Chinese zodiac, or shengxiao, refers to the circle of 12 animals that measure the cycles of time. Signs or animals are determined by the lunar year in which you were born.

“Legend has it that a god beckoned all animals to bid him farewell before his departure from Earth. Only 12 of them, namely the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig arrived, with each given a place of honor in a year based on the order of arrival.”

You can determine your animal sign by referring to the year you were born. There is also a listing of the attributes and personalities of each animal and some advice on which sign you might want to partner with. [Click HERE for the chart.]

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation. It is our goal to put people and the planet before profit, and B the Change we all wish to see in the world.

We promised four stories of Black history during the month of February. Our first story was of the Gullah Geechee – a unique culture that has developed with some memory of home woven in. This week our story is going to be a painful and tragic look into what racism, envy, jealousy, and white supremacy caused to happen in Oklahoma. Looking back, we are very grateful that hearts and minds have awakened since that time.

Our first Google description is as follows: “On May 31 and June 1, 1921, mobs of white residents attacked Black residents, homes, and businesses, as well as cultural and public institutions in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, OK, an oil boom city. Greenwood was also known as “Black Wall Street,” one of the wealthiest Black communities in the United States.”

More from Google: “Although racial segregation was the norm in post-Civil War America, Black Wall Street turned the tables on the system, as budding Black entrepreneurs were able to offer goods and services to their own neighbors since many white-owned businesses wouldn’t serve Black communities or customers.”

A Wealthy Black Community

In 1921, the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma was a very prosperous Black community. From the Daily [LINK] we read the following: “This modern, majestic, sophisticated, and unapologetically black community boasted of banks, hotels, cafés, clothiers, movie theaters, and contemporary homes. Not to mention luxuries, such as indoor plumbing and a remarkable school system that superiorly educated black children. Undoubtedly, less fortunate white neighbors resented their upper-class lifestyle. As a result of a jealous desire to put progressive, high-achieving African-Americans in their place, a wave of domestic white terrorism caused black dispossession.”

As was the case with so much racial violence and lynching in the American South, a Black man was accused of attempting to rape a white woman in the elevator of the Drexel Building. Rather than investigate to see whether such a crime had occurred, there began a torrent of racial violence. Thirty-five city blocks were burned to the ground, at least 300 died and 800 were injured. All of this in defense of white female virtue.

Homes and Lives Lost in Violence

Continuing from the Daily, we see the following: “Accounts vary on what happened. Yet as a result of the Tulsa Tribune’s racially inflammatory report, black and white armed mobs arrived at the courthouse. Scuffles broke out, and shots were fired. Since the blacks were outnumbered, they headed back to Greenwood. But the enraged whites were not far behind, looting and burning businesses and homes along the way.” As we can see, according to the quote, the media is accused of inflaming the situation.

Estimates are that between nine and ten thousand people became homeless. According to the Library of Congress, “No insurance claims were honored for African Americans in the Greenwood District, and according to the Red Cross reporting, by July 1921, there were lawsuits filed by African Americans with claims over $4 million, which would be worth nearly $60 million today.” The article goes on to say that the Red Cross set up a hospital to care for the injured and it provided temporary tent housing with sides and floors of lumber.

“The Red Cross documented the violence in reports, which are available through the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum. The Association surveyed 1,765 families and found that 1,115 homes were burned and 314 homes were looted but not burned. Victims were relocated to a variety of areas, from Chicago to Houston, with approximately 300, mostly women and children, leaving to stay with relatives.

“In the preface of the 1921 report, Mr. Willows wrote: ‘The story of the tragedy enacted on the night of May 31st, 1921, and the morning of June 1st, 1921 has been told and retold, with all sorts of variations in the press of the country. Whatever people choose to call it a “race riot”; “massacre”; a “negro uprising;” or whatnot, the word has not yet been coined which can correctly describe the affair. This report attempts to picture the situation as representatives of the Red Cross found it, and to record the activities of the organization to bringing order out of chaos and administering relief to the innocents.’” Read the full article [HERE].

What We Can Learn

When we look into Black history, we see the sad reality of slavery and the international and domestic slave trade. We have the history as well of the Civil War, and the emancipation from slavery. Tragedies like the destruction of Black Wall Street are part of a decades-long story that includes a number of assaults on Black communities, and of course, we have seen many men killed by lynching.

Fear of the ‘other’ or the ‘unalike’ is found throughout human history. What better thing can we do now than learn about the human families and cultures until it dawns on us – we are all wonderful, unique human beings, far more alike than unalike. Today, the imbalance still exists in some of the judicial and prison systems and perhaps in other systems as well. Remnants of racism or discrimination in the structure are dismantled in the corporate world by JEDI and DE&I. As we can see, human beings have an inspiring capacity to change and evolve.

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation. We work to put people before profit, and B the Change we wish to see in the world.

It’s coming up soon – Fat Tuesday – the Mardi Gras Party! There will be a parade, a whole lot of costumes, great food and a ton of fun taking place in New Orleans. What else is Mardi Gras? It is cultural and religious and interesting for all of us who enjoy learning about our culture – the who, the what and the why of human beings! The more we know about each other, the more we understand, appreciate and respect each other.

Let’s get into it. From Google we see that Mardi Gras 2024 falls on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. That’s because the date of Easter is tied to the moon (it’s always the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the spring equinox) and Mardi Gras is tied to Easter.

Mardi Gras and Easter

For the millions of people celebrating Easter, there is a Lenten season that precedes the three-day Easter celebration. The Lenten season is a 40 day season when the people fast and pray and give alms to the poor. It begins on Ash Wednesday, which is February 14th this year. The Mardi Gras celebrations take place on the Tuesday before fasting begins, which is the 13th.

Fat Tuesday is the final day of partying prior to the Lenten fast. It’s also called Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday and Carnival Tuesday depending on the location. On this day we’ll see the parades and parties and indulgence in food. The words ‘mardi gras’ actually is French for Fat Tuesday. So, in essence, we are going to talk about the party that comes before the period of fasting for people who practice the Christian religion, especially the Roman Catholic practices.

Mardi Gras History

We’re not going to go way back through the centuries. That is a long and interesting story and we will give readers the [LINK] to the full article. Here’s just a little taste: “The earliest reference to Mardi Gras “Carnival” appears in a 1781 report to the Spanish colonial governing body. That year, the Perseverance Benevolent & Mutual Aid Association was the first of hundreds of clubs and carnival organizations formed in New Orleans. By the late 1830s, New Orleans held street processions of maskers with carriages and horseback riders to celebrate Mardi Gras. Dazzling gaslight torches, or “flambeaux,” lit the way for the krewe’s members and lent each event an exciting air of romance and festivity.”

What to do at Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is a big holiday in New Orleans, full of excitement. People who come to celebrate wear costumes or at least they dress in purple, green and gold, and they wear the long necklaces (beads) that are tossed to them from the celebrants on the floats. Mardi Gras is people having fun together: crazy costumes, lots of families, locals and visitors sitting on the ground, playing music, eating great food, watching the amazing parade performances. On Mardi Gras day, the majority of non-essential businesses are shut down because of the celebration.

What Google says: “The South unequivocally owns Mardi Gras. Between our over-the-top festivities in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, everyone knows that if you want to properly celebrate Fat Tuesday, it’s got to be in the South.”

Something unique to this celebration is the King Cake, which is a colorful pound cake, with gold, green and purple frosting, in which a little trinket is placed. Here’s a bit from Google: “The colors of the icing (and the royal colors of Mardi Gras) have a deeper meaning. Gold represents power, green is associated with faith, and purple illustrates justice.”

Who gets the slice of cake with the trinket? “The common denominator between all of these cakes is that they all have a small trinket or figurine — such as a bean, a coin, a nut, or a tiny baby figurine — hidden inside. Whoever finds the trinket in their slice of cake gets to be “king” for a day and is also said to have good luck.”

What Else? Mardi Gras Indians

We like to give our readers information they might not find elsewhere because there is much to learn when it comes to culture and identity. The more we learn, the more we appreciate everyone’s journey. In that spirit we’re going to offer a few paragraphs about the Mardi Gras Indians, and then offer a link to the full, and very interesting article.

“Mardi Gras is full of secrets, and the Mardi Gras Indians are as much a part of that secrecy as any other carnival organization. Their parade dates, times and routes are never published in advance, although they do tend to gather in the same areas every year.

“The Mardi Gras Indians are comprised, in large part, of the African-American communities of New Orleans’s inner city. While these Indians have paraded for well over a century, their parade is perhaps the least recognized Mardi Gras tradition.

“’Mardi Gras Indians–the parade most white people don’t see. The ceremonial procession is loose, the parade is not scheduled for a particular time or route…that is up to the Big Chief.” – Larry Bannock

“Traditional Mardi Gras organizations form a “krewe.” A krewe often names their parade after a particular Roman or Greek mythological hero or god. The ranking structure of a Mardi Gras Krewe is a parody of royalty: King, Queen, Dukes, Knights, and Captains, or some variation of that theme. Many of the more established krewes allow membership by invitation only.

“Few in the ghetto felt they could ever participate in the typical New Orleans parade. Historically, slavery and racism were at the root of this cultural separation. The black neighborhoods in New Orleans gradually developed their own style of celebrating Mardi Gras. Their krewes are named for imaginary Indian tribes according to the streets of their ward or gang.

“The Mardi Gras Indians named themselves after native Indians to pay them respect for their assistance in escaping the tyranny of slavery. It was often local Indians who accepted slaves into their society when they made a break for freedom. They have never forgotten this support.” [LINK] to the full article.

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We hope you have enjoyed this brief look into Mardi Gras. Be sure and tune in to the news on Tuesday the 13th to see the parade! There is much to learn about each other and learning history is always a good thing.

AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

Every year, during the month of February, the American Heart Association steps forward to lead activities during American Heart Month. The focus of the American Heart Association this year is on the value of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.

President Lyndon Johnson issued the first proclamation regarding American Heart Month sixty years ago, in 1964. But the American Heart Association is actually 100 years old this year. The organization is marking their 100 years of service by suggesting that our focus should be on CPR in order to give people the experience and training they need to respond to a cardiac emergency.

The American Heart Association conducted a survey [LINK] in the fall of 2023 regarding people’s familiarity with CPR. The survey showed the following:

“The survey, conducted in fall 2023, indicates that although 35% of respondents have the confidence to perform CPR when needed, an increase from 30% in 2021, only 39% of those surveyed are familiar with conventional CPR and only 23% with Hands-Only CPR. According to the American Heart Association, fewer than half of people suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive the immediate CPR they need before professional help arrives.”

The need for CPR training within a business such as AMS, with hundreds of employees, is evident, and AMS does provide CPR training. The American Heart Association, in its news article, suggests four ways to learn CPR with the fourth being training at the place of work. We definitely have that covered. In 2023, 35 AMS employees (east/west) were trained in first aid and CPR by a certified instructor. This year we are launching mental health first aid for the first time ever.

Employee safety and security has a very strong focus at AMS, and the CPR training has been done for some years. Thankfully there are persons in the warehouses and offices of AMS who can step in and save a life. In the case of a medical emergency, the AMS Safety and Security team is well trained to deal with it following established procedures. We care, and we show it by training in saving lives.

Ways of Learning CPR

“CPR – or cardiopulmonary resuscitation – is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. During American Heart Month, the Association is offering four ways to learn CPR and join the Nation of Lifesavers, as an individual, family, organization or community at heart.org/nation.”

The other ways of learning, suggested by the American Heart Association are as follows:

“Watch online. Learn the basics of Hands-Only CPR with this instructional video and share it on social media with #NationofLifesavers. Hands-Only CPR has just two simple steps, performed in this order: 1) Call 911 if you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse; and 2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of a familiar song that has 100 to 120 beats per minute.

“Learn at home. Learn basic lifesaving skills in about 20 minutes from the comfort and privacy of home with the CPR Anytime® kits. The Infant CPR Anytime program is for new parents, grandparents, babysitters, nannies and anyone who wants to learn lifesaving infant CPR and choking relief skills.

“Take a course. Get a group together and find a nearby class to learn the lifesaving skills of CPR, first aid, and AED. Encourage others by sharing on social media with #NationofLifesavers.

“Turn employees into lifesavers. Help make your workplace and community safer one step at a time by forming a Heart Walk team and committing to CPR training for your employees.”

Please go to the AHA website [LINK] for full information and links to their recommendations.

An Example for All

Many of us will remember the shock and horror felt when seeing Damar Hamlin collapse on the football field with cardiac arrest. It was awful to see, and millions of us saw it in the media. Thankfully Mr. Hamlin has fully recovered and has stepped in to be an ambassador. Here are the details:                                         

“One of the people helping turn a nation of bystanders into a nation of lifesavers is Buffalo Bills safety and cardiac arrest survivor, Damar Hamlin. Since June 2023, Hamlin has served as the national ambassador for the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers. Following his cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football on Jan. 2, 2023, millions of people worldwide have engaged with American Heart Association educational content about CPR.

“’You never know when it’s going to be your opportunity to step in and save a life. CPR and AEDs are why I’m here today,’ says Hamlin in a newly released video shared on the Association website. ‘The mission of the Nation of Lifesavers is simple…when someone needs CPR, people can be well equipped to save a life. Someone who can save a life, that’s a superpower if you ask me.’”

We encourage readers to seek out CPR training, so that you can be one of those lifesavers. If you are one of our valued employees and you would like to take part in our next CPR classes, please let your Safety and Security Team know of your interest, or email [email protected].

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation. We seek to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

February is a month dedicated to Black History. Why do we appreciate Black History Month at AMS? Because the more we know of each other’s history, the more we appreciate the struggles and lessons and victories. Most of us have learned little of Black history in our schooling and in general, which is the reason a month is dedicated to learning.

In this blog series we will publish several interesting treasures of Black history – stories most of us have never heard, giving us greater understanding of a family of Americans we love and appreciate. In our first blog we will learn about the yearning of the enslaved Africans to remember and retain some of their culture and language. Since the enslavement was trans-generational, for all but a tiny few, the language, culture, religion and family history is gone and cannot be recovered. While tracing the genetic journey is possible, the loss of identity is felt as a great loss.

As we know, African families were torn apart and the people were transported to and enslaved in South, Central and North America and the Islands of the Caribbean. In early 2000, at the request of Black leaders from a number of countries including the US, the United Nations recognized the descendants of these families collectively as Afrodescendants.

Our first Black History story will focus on one of three groups that managed to retain some of their language and culture. There is a group called the Garifuna, who live on the coastline of Honduras, and one called the Maroons who escaped slavery and lived for some time in southern Jamaica. The family we will learn about is called the Gullah Geechee. The Gullah Geechee are living on the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, on the coastal plain and the Beaufort Sea Islands. For more, we will quote from the Gullah Geechee Corridor website. [LINK]

The Gullah Geechee People

The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of Africans who were enslaved on the rice, indigo and Sea Island cotton plantations of the lower Atlantic coast. Many came from the rice-growing region of West Africa. The nature of their enslavement on isolated island and coastal plantations created a unique culture with deep African retentions that are clearly visible in the Gullah Geechee people’s distinctive arts, crafts, foodways, music, and language.

“Gullah Geechee is a unique, creole language spoken in the coastal areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The Gullah Geechee language began as a simplified form of communication among people who spoke many different languages including European slave traders, slave owners and diverse, African ethnic groups. The vocabulary and grammatical roots come from African and European languages.  It is the only distinctly, African creole language in the United States and it has influenced traditional Southern vocabulary and speech patterns.”

The article goes on to say that today’s descendants have continued some traditions, arts, foodways and music that come from their ancestors, such as making cast nets for fishing, basket weaving for agriculture and textile arts for clothing and warmth. The music arose out of the conditions of slavery and its influence and evolution of musical forms can be heard in many musical genres.

The article speaks about the foodways as follows: “The traditional Gullah Geechee diet consisted of items available locally such as vegetables, fruits, game, seafood, livestock; items imported from Europe, items imported from Africa during the slave trade (okra, rice, yams, peas, hot peppers, peanuts, sesame “benne” seeds, sorghum and watermelon), and food introduced by Native Americans such as corn, squash, tomatoes and berries. Rice became a staple crop for both Gullah Geechee people and whites in the southeastern coastal regions. Because plantation cooks were primarily enslaved women, much of the food today referred to as “Southern” comes from the creativity and labor of enslaved cooks.”

The spiritual practices of the Gullah Geechee family are made up of Christian practices incorporated into an African rooted system of beliefs. “These values included belief in a God, community above individuality, respect for elders, kinship bonds and ancestors; respect for nature, and honoring the continuity of life and the afterlife. Lowcountry plantations frequently had a praise house or small structure where slaves could meet for religious services.”

The Loss of Land to Developers

Since the land occupied by the Gullah Geechee people is in a beautiful spot on the beach, sure enough there are developers wanting to build hotels and golf courses. One of the means of obtaining the land has been for the County to claim the land due to delinquent property tax and sell it. An article in The Guardian explains as follows:

“Across the low country, land once owned by formerly enslaved people and their descendants is being lost rapidly to development. With that land loss comes the degradation of Gullah culture, which once flourished in places like Beaufort, Hilton Head and other islands off the eastern coast of the US.”

There is a movement to keep these sales from being done, and the County government is responding. “As a means to help preserve Gullah land from this tide of coastal development, officials in Beaufort county allow heirs, as the descendants are called, to claim their land when it comes up for bid at auction. The hope, in explaining to attendees that the county’s practice is deference to the owners, is that would-be bidders will respect the custom and not make offers on the historic land.

“Of the more than 250 properties featured in the October auction, at least 10 belonged to heirs. When a Gullah heir kept their land, promising to pay the delinquent taxes, the crowd in the gym clapped. Some non-heirs bid anyway, effectively taking the properties out of Gullah hands. “The land loss we are dealing with now is due to predatory development and greed,” said Luana Graves Sellars, a director at the non-profit Lowcountry Gullah Foundation, which helps Gullah families hold on to their land by raising money to pay the outstanding taxes on their behalf.”

The struggle goes on, with property value rising and property tax rising as well. Readers can view the full story at this [LINK].

Gullah Geechee Corridor

There are efforts being made to involve the US National Park Service in protecting the people and their land by making it a National Heritage site. Apparently some land is now being protected. Quoting from the Gullah Geechee Corridor website, we hear this encouraging news:

“The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Area managed by the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission.  The National Heritage Area program is managed by the U.S. National Park Service. National Heritage Areas are designated by Congress as places where natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape. The purpose of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor NHA is to preserve, share and interpret the history, traditional cultural practices, heritage sites, and natural resources associated with Gullah Geechee people of coastal North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.”

People Before Profit

In a world where people are put before profit, the Gullah Geechee heirs would not have to be engaged in such a struggle to remain in their homes. We appreciate the organization helping the heirs pay their property tax in order to retain their homes, the Lowcountry Gullah Foundation [LINK].

Well, there we have it – Black History story #1 in our series. Our next story will be on “Black Wall Street,” and our third will be on “Ebeneezer Creek.” The final blog will be about the abolitionist heroes. We hope you enjoy these glimpses into Black History.

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A B Corporation is a business that does put people before profit in their business practices. AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation. We aim to B the Change we wish to see in the world.