we MEET THE CITY OF LOVEJOY`S DREAM TEAM

Transcription

Chef Walker Serves
Up Eventful Memories
Georgia Cares,
Saving Sarah
The Reluctant Hero
Sharkley Buford
we
are
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
HEART of our COMMUNITY
MEET THE CITY OF LOVEJOY’S
DREAM TEAM
DEPUTY CHIEF GINA HAWKINS on the Georgia
International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE)
TWO COMPETING FREEDOMS:
Is Religious Liberty Simply
Code for Discrimination?
We Are Clayton Magazine • www.weareclayton.com • SEPT | OCT
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MOVERS & SHAPERS 2015 We Are Clayton Magazine
3
Publisher’s Note
e zAi rneeC l a y t o n M a g a z i n e
We Are Clayton MaW
ga
CONTENTS
06
Georgia Cares,
Saving Sarah
Chef Walker Serves
Up Eventful Memories
The Reluctant Hero
Sharkley Buford
we
are
A u g u s t / S e p t e mM
b oevr e 2r s0 &1 1S h a p e r s 2 0 1 5
HEART of our COMMUNITY
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
MEET THE CITY OF LOVEJOY’S
DREAM TEAM
DEPUTY CHIEF GINA HAWKINS on the Georgia
International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE)
5, Issue 5
V o l u m e 1 , VIos lsuumee 4
TWO COMPETING FREEDOMS:
Is Religious Liberty Simply
Code for Discrimination?
21
36
CIIVIC RESPONSIBILITY
Meet Lovejoy’s Dream Team
Supporting Lovejoy’s Veterans 12
Investing in Lovejoy’s Youth 13
Moving Lovejoy into the 21st Century 14
Building Lovejoy’s Downtown District 15
Lovejoy’s Mayor 16
Invisioning Forest Park’s Bight Future 18
Homegrown From Forest Park 19
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FEATURES
Clayton County’s S.W.A.T 21
The Reluctant Hero 24
Deputy Chief Gina Hawks Goes to Israel 28
SPORTS
The Gospel of Recreation 33
Atlanta Falcon 2015 Season Preview 34
53
EDUCATION
Clayton State Arbor Day Celebraion 36
Rex Middle School Celebrates STEM Certification and Award Nomination 39
BE INSPIRED
Living a Hope Filled Life 41
Saving Sarah: Addressing Georgia’s Human Trafficking Problem 42
UM UM GOOD
Bon Appetit, Chef Walker Serves Up Eventful Memories and Mouth Watering Cuisine 47
Out & About 53
PUBLISHER/EDITOR -IN- CHIEF
GERRIAN HAWES
Phone: 678.479.3040
gerrian@weareclayton.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Kimberly Allen
kimberly.allen@weareclayton.com
CONTRIBUTORS/WRITERS
Kelley Walker - Sr. Writer
Carrie Blackaby - Writer
Donnell Suggs - Features Writer
Michael Booth - Features Writer
DESIGN
Oliver Imprints, LLC.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Michie Turpin Photography
MAKE UP ARTIST
Tiffiny Grooms
GENERAL INQUIRIES
7179 Jonesboro Road, Ste. 200,
Morrow, GA 30260
Phone: 678.479.3040
Fax: 678.489.7129
Email: editor@weareclayton.com
Website: www.weareclayton.com
COPYRIGHT
All material appearing in We Are Clayton is
copyright unless otherwise stated, or it may rest
with the provider of the supplied material. We
Are Clayton takes all care to ensure information
is correct at time of printing, but the publisher
accepts no responsibility or liability for the
accuracy of any information contained in the
text or advertisements. Views expressed are not
necessarily endorsed by the publisher, editor, or
Oliver Imprints, LLC.
HEART
of our
COMMUNITY
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5
P
U
B
L
I
S
H
E
R
’
S
N
O T
E
S even S oc i al S i n s :
Politics (from Greek: πο politikos, definition “of, for, or relating to citizens”) is the
practice and theory of influencing other people. More narrowly, it refers to achieving
and exercising positions of governance — organized control over a human community,
particularly a state. Furthermore, politics is the study or practice of the distribution
of power and resources within a given community (a usually hierarchically organized
population) as well as the interrelationship(s) between communities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
Weal th w i th ou t work.
P l eas u re w i th ou t c on s c i en c e .
Kn ow l ed g e w i th ou t c h aract e r.
C om m erc e w i th ou t m oralit y.
S c i en c e w i th ou t h u m an i ty.
Wors h i p w i th ou t s ac ri f i c e .
Pol i ti c s w i th ou t p ri n c i p l e .
— Fred erick Lewis Donaldson
Choosing Politics...The Hero’s Journey
I love politics because it is the closest example of the Hero’s Journey
Approach: Setbacks occur, sometimes causing the hero to try a new
that I can relate to (plus, politcs is MY favorite SPORT). Outside of
approach or adopt new ideas. religion (the practice of getting to know yourself), politics for me, is
Ordeal: The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, such as a
one of life’s greatest adventures.
life or death crisis. I believe that life is about politicking. For me, politicking is creating
Reward: After surviving death, the hero earns his reward or
policy for how I want to live. Politics is the ever evolving gift of creating
accomplishes his goal. and and solving life’s problems. An essential gift that we pass on
The Road Back: The hero begins his journey back to his ordinary life.
to our children is that of creating a life which far exceeds anything
Resurrection Hero: The hero faces a final test where everything is
we as parents can imagine. And with that gift comes that practice
at stake and he must use everything he has learned. of negotiating (learning to give and take) what we percieve as the
Return with Elixir: The hero brings his knowledge or the “elixir” back
absolute necessities of life, while abiding by the laws that govern us.
to the ordinary world, where he applies it to help all who remain there.
According to author Joseph Campbell, who made the famous
My heart smiles when I consider these 12 steps while thinking
claim that nearly all myths have similar ideas and that the heroes’
about politics. Call me crazy but you have to admit it’s true. Not only
adventures are almost identical in their format. The different
for politicians but for humanity. We are all on a “Hero’s Journey”
stages of adventure identified have come to be called the “hero’s
because we all havethe sense of a call that is greater than life. We all
journey.” For me, this stands true for politics and the politician.
yearn to serve! We all want to become someone’s hero!
CONSIDER THE STAGES/STEPS OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY:
serve us well. They are giving their best to create policy that will
Ordinary World: This step refers to the hero’s normal life at the start
ensure the growth and success of our county.
In this issue you will meet a few of our community leader’s who
of the story, before the adventure begins. I hope that you enjoy this installment of Movers and Shapers. Also,
Call to Adventure: The hero is faced with something that makes
as we enter into 2016 there is a call for you to become engaged,
him begin his adventure. This might be a problem or a challenge he
informed and educated regarding the people who serve us and who
needs to overcome. want to serve us as policy makers. You have an obligation to VOTE. If
Refusal of the Call: The hero attempts to refuse the adventure
you want our community to become the jewel of Metro Atlanta, you
because he is afraid. have the power. VOTE!
Meeting with the Mentor: The hero encounters someone who can
Joy and blessings to you,
give him advice and ready him for the journey ahead. Crossing the First Threshold: The hero leaves his ordinary world for
the first time and crosses the threshold into adventure. Tests, Allies, Enemies: The hero learns the rules of his new world.
Gerrian S. Hawes
Publisher/Editon In Chief
During this time, he endures tests of strength of will, meets friends,
and comes face to face with foes.
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CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY
“True equality means
holding everyone
accountable in the
same way, regardless
of race, gender, faith,
ethnicity - or political
ideology.
– MONICA CROWLEY
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A
D
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T
O
R
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L
Jason Green is seeking the office of
District Attorney because our neighbors
and friends, the hard working families in
MEET LOVEJOY’S DREAMTEAM, FOREST PARK’S TOMMY GREEN AND DABOUZE ANTOINE
our community, deserve better. We need
a District Attorney who is committed to
our safety and to upholding justice — not
settling scores and political vendettas.
Jason has spent almost two decades in
our courtrooms, protecting the rights of
our community members and ensuring
justice for the victims of senseless crimes.
As your District Attorney, he will continue
his commitment to seek justice for
you—friends, neighbors, and fellow
residents of Clayton County.
Our county is currently confronted with
a diversity of issues where justice has
not been fairly served. The time has
come for change in the Clayton
County District Attorney’s Office. Will
you too reflect on some of the current
issues we face and become engaged
in this process for change?
Jason’s Vision
Restore the public’s trust,
confidence and perception of the
office and to ensure fairness and
justice for all.
Jason’s Call for Change
Enact progressive reforms to
modernize the District Attorney’s
office and restore faith as “The
People’s DA.”
by KIMBERLY ALLEN
photos by MICHIE TURPIN
MEET LOVEJOY’S DREAMTEAM
You don’t have to actually live in Lovejoy to recognize that it is one of the most well-rounded areas of Clayton County. But if you are lucky enough to reside there,
you know firsthand that the primary reason most of us leave is only to earn a paycheck.
Leading this city into the future are Mayor Bobby Cartwright and Councilpersons Tommy Green, III (Post I), Marci Fluellyn (Post II), Rebekah Holland Wright
(Post III), and Mary Ann Carp (Post IV). As Lovejoy’s own version of the Dream Team, this group works as a unit to make Lovejoy great, while bringing his or her
own unique initiatives to the table in order to satisfy each corner of the area’s diverse population.
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To learn more about Jason’s campaign please
visit www.electjasongreen.com
or follow him on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/JasonGreenClaytonDA
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GOVERNING LOVEJOY
COUNCILWOMAN MARY ANN CARP
Supporting
Lovejoy’s Vets
COUNCILWOMAN CARP NEVER HAD A
desire to run for office. But after thinking that maybe
she could help some people, she changed her mind.
This turned out to be good news for local veterans,
many of whom need help getting connected with services and life in general.
“I have a brother and two sons in the military,
and also some nephews. When we lived in Riverdale we worked with recycling, and some of [those
proceeds] went towards a veterans monument that I
helped have erected there,” she explains. Expressing
the need for there to be “some recognition of veterans [in Lovejoy],” she made the initiative part of her
campaign and was elected in 2012. During her first
year in office, her peers on the Council supported
her efforts, and during the summer of 2013 her plans
quickly came to fruition. Thanks to Mary Ann, the
city’s Veteran’s Monument is now located in Mayor’s
Park next to the Lovejoy Community Center.
But Councilwoman Carp didn’t stop there, as she
continued looking for new ways to support Lovejoy’s
veterans. “On Veterans Day in 2014, we (the Council
and myself ) hosted a dinner for the city veterans,” she
says. “And since then we have made arrangements to
have meetings twice a month for veterans to come to
the Lovejoy Community Center and talk with Mr.
Bob Van Dunk, an advisor for the military who can
help with any problems or issues they are having,
such as medical or physical items, or anything like
that.” The group currently consists of about 17 vets,
but Mary Ann hopes that number will soon increase.
“Some veterans have emailed me and said, ‘I have no
issues at this time, but thank you, I will keep this in
mind,’” she adds. “We’d like to get more of them interested in coming in, discussing their problems with
us, and seeing if we can help. But I do want to keep
honoring them.”
These services operate out of Lovejoy, but are not
exclusive to city residents. If you are a veteran in need
of assistance or know someone who is, feel free to
contact Councilwoman Carp at m_carp@thecityoflovejoy.com.
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COUNCILMAN TOMMY GREEN
Investing in Lovejoy’s Youth – and It’s Paying Off!
IF YOU ARE HEADING SOUTH ON
Tara Boulevard, turn right onto Lovejoy Road.
From there, take a ride or stroll about one-quarter mile down and you can’t miss Green Park
on the left. But don’t think it was named for
vanity reasons–it was selected by fellow Lovejoy Council members after Tommy fiercely led
the charge to develop a recreational park to give
our youth a safe place to play. Since the park is
filled to capacity practically year round, a need
was obviously met and appreciated.
Encouraging smart residential and commercial development while supporting and creating youth programs were two of the primary
reasons Tommy Green ran for councilman of
Post 1 back in 2008. And after serving Lovejoy
for two terms, this transplant from the Midatlantic region is just getting started.
“We’ve seen an increase in the numbers of
youth participating each year and positive
recognition of our efforts from the Clayton
County community. And due to our frequent
collaboration with our local schools, the parents regard Lovejoy as an equal partner in the
development of our youth,” Green explains.
“In the future, I would like to develop a youth
council to encourage their input in Lovejoy’s
development.”
Green’s other youth development initiatives
include developing the Safe School-Safe Community initiative to educate students and citizens on gang affiliation issues, working to
sponsor summer basketball camps, developing
summer day camps in partnership with Lovejoy High School, and sponsoring a five month
mentoring program targeting male youth in
the Lovejoy community.
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GOVERNING LOVEJOY
COUNCILWOMAN REBEKAH HOLLAND WRIGHT
Moving Lovejoy
into the 21st Century
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WHEN REBEKAH WAS FIRST ELECTED AS POST II councilwoman, the city of Lovejoy did not even have a website. But thanks
to her technology based background, Rebekah was able to bring the
city up to speed. “I proposed the importance of being a city that was
technologically savvy. As a result, we invested in emails, computers in
the Lovejoy Community Center, a website, and Wi-Fi,” she explains.
“We are not finished; we have much more coming for the future.”
Additionally, throughout her two terms Rebekah has helped implement a wide range of programs that have not only helped us in the
here and now but set things up for future generations. “As an adult
I began to understand the importance of saving our planet. I shared
this idea with the Mayor and Council and it was supported and as a
result, we started a city-wide recycling program,” she explains of her
effort to reduce the city’s environmental footprint.
Rebekah also picked up on the fact that there were no activities
available to Lovejoy’s large senior community, and took those concerns to her fellow councilmembers as well. “Mayor (pro tem at the
time) Bobby expressed his desire to start the senior citizen breakfast,
which is every second Saturday of the month. We have been doing
this now for eight years with more than 100 senior citizens being
served every month,” she says. “We also hired two sisters, Ms. Eleanor
Stuart and Ms. Thelma Williams as our Senior Citizen Coordinators. They coordinate all the senior activities, which includes arts and
crafts, bingo, and quarterly senior trips.” The idea of a neighborhood
watch program was also shared and implemented, and currently falls
under the jurisdiction of the Lovejoy Police Department.
Recalling Lovejoy’s 2014 Comp Plan Open House where residents
shared what they imagined for the future of their city (almost 18%
requested investments be made toward youth services), she took the
idea and is running with it–literally and figuratively.
Rebekah’s latest platform is “Wellness (Health, Nutrition, & Fitness) “Being the Best You!” Lovejoy did not have any programs for
the age group 8-17, so we joined (First Lady Michelle Obama’s) Let’s
Move challenge this year,” she says. The city has collaborated with
Kim Riley, Director of the UGA Extension Office who will provide
the nutrition piece and Antwune Gray, Sr. (Coach Gray) of Fit Kidz
Group, LLC, who will provide the fitness piece. “Since this is our
first year, the Let’s Move sessions will be held once a quarter from
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Coach Gray will hold a Summer Fit Camp
every Saturday in June from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Also in June,
we are starting a Cooking School at the Lovejoy Community Center through the Extension Office.” Students will use fresh vegetables
from the Lovejoy community garden for their recipes.
COUNCILWOMAN MARCI FLUELLYN
Building Up Lovejoy’s
Downtown District
“When I joined the [City Council in 2007], we didn’t have
community events to give back to our citizens. This was a great
concern for me as I believe cities are at their best when serving
their citizens with free programs, events, and social outings that
the entire family can enjoy,” explains Post II’s Marci Fluellyn. “After sharing my concerns with the Mayor and Council we had our
first Festival in 2009, starting with less than five vendors. This
event has grown by leaps and bounds into the great Fall Festival
we hold today every second Saturday of September, hosting more
than 20 vendors and thousands of citizens.” I can personally attest
to the fun that Lovejoy’s Fall Festival brings, as my hubby and I
have not missed one since first attending in 2010. As a matter of
fact, we have friends on the North side (yes you read that right)
who drive for over an hour to attend every year because their neck
of the woods offers no events quite like this one.
“I also noticed we didn’t have a defined downtown area/district that the citizens were fully aware of, [so we] went to work
to develop the Lovejoy Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA)
[which] implemented ordinances and regulations for the Downtown area,” adds Marci. The first order of business was to install
signage so that travelers knew they had just entered the great City
of Lovejoy. And ever since the URA was established, the area has
continued to thrive with the addition of the Mayor’s Park, an
Open Air Market, and became the official site for the Fall Festival,
as well as playing host to spring/summer block parties, the annual
Easter Egg Hunt, and the latest successful addition in December
2014–the Mistletoe Market at Christmastime.
“The URA’s mission is to bring our citizens back into Downtown Lovejoy one event at a time with events the entire family
can enjoy, [and] our staff has done a great job implementing a
variety of free programs, activities, and events for our citizens,”
Fluellyn notes, detailing that the next phase of the URA’s redevelopment plan include enhancing Mayor’s Park, providing additional downtown parking, adding more outdoor activities for
our youth, and installing streetlights and park benches, along
with providing more entertainment opportunities for families in
general.
“Individually and collectively [the Mayor and City Council]
share a passion for serving our citizens and making this a great city
in which to grow and prosper,” Marci says. “Our goal is to provide
event opportunities and enhancements within the Downtown
District year round that the citizens of Lovejoy will be proud to
call ‘our town,’”
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The City of Lovejoy is a great place to grow and prosper. Secluded in Georgia’s natural beauty with old town
historical values, Lovejoy is only minutes away from a burgeoning business community. The City of Lovejoy
offers town atmosphere with innovative and progressive leadership.
www.facebook.com/lovejoyga
www.twitter.com/lovejoy_ga
For more information contact us at 770-471-2304 or online at www.cityoflovejoy.com.
MAYOR Bobby Car twright | POST 1 Tommy Green | POST 2 Marci Fluellyn | POST 3 Rebek ah Holland- Wright | POST 4 Mar y-Ann Carp
MAYOR BOBBY CARTWRIGHT
Despite having recently received an Environmental Sustainability Award for Lovejoy’s garden from the Atlanta Regional Commission, and being
selected as Mayor of the Year by the Clayton County Municipal Association, Bobby Cartwright, while appreciative, doesn’t want to get caught up in
receiving awards. But he does enjoy receiving smiles and chatting with neighbors around town.
“My family and I will go to WalMart and I’ll bet you we won’t walk four aisles before somebody doesn’t say, ‘Hey Mayor, how are you doing?’” he
says. “That’s what makes Lovejoy different.”
It is hard to believe Bobby has only lived here for fifteen years. His first foray into politics began as an appointment to the Lovejoy City Council
in 2002. By 2003, he was elected to serve Post 4 and two years later became mayor pro tem. He was elected as Mayor in 2012 and thanks to the
leadership of Cartwright and the Council, Lovejoy is thriving.
“Clayton is a very diversified county and even sometimes a strange county,” he muses. “The politics are tough here at times. I have been so lucky
that I’ve been on the right side of arguments and had sense enough when I got through to come on home to Lovejoy. Go back to tending to my own
business, running my city, running my business, and running my family.”
After business hours, Mayor Cartwright’s hobbies include hunting and fishing, which enables him to look out for some of his favorite constituents–
Lovejoy’s senior community. “Right now they know its fishing season so there’s people at the Lovejoy community center that leave their name
because they know that Bobby always comes back with some fish,” he brags. “I’m able to bring back fresh deer meat or fresh fish and give it to them.
Or even sharing the vegetables in Lovejoy’s garden. It’s amazing.”
All of this would be incomplete without the support of his “very sweet girlfriend,” his son, Jason, daughter-in-law, and his four grandsons. “My
family chose Lovejoy,” he confirms. “I’m very vested in this county and have no sense of retirement. I can’t think of anywhere else in this county I
would want to live.”
Thanks to Lovejoy’s version of the Dream Team . . . there is nowhere else for this city to go but up!
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Dabouze Antoine Envisions
a Bright Future
by KELLEY WALKER
photo by MICHIE TURPIN
Dabouze Antoine chose to live in Forest Park originally because it was closer to his job, but the longer he stayed the more
he treasured the city. He says, “I have fell in love with the people that reside here. I always want to make a difference where
I live, and the community here makes that desire burn even
hotter.”
As a city council member, Antoine has a vision for the area:
“Forest Park should be a city that embraces everyone who
wants to live in it. I want Forest Park to be place where families can live, work, and relax with a real sense of community pride. I have a vision of Forest Park being a place where
businesses want to come and be a part of a community that
cares.” Antoine uses his influence to unify the people of Forest
Park by actively participating in city affairs. He says, “I am an
active member of a church located in Forest Park. Last year,
I conducted four community citizen forums…to keep the citizens informed. This year, I plan to develop committees that
will have input in our community. These committees will be
made up of business leaders, citizens, the church community,
and those who are affiliated with the schools and government.”
With such an inclusive community relationship, Forest Park
is pulling together for the betterment of the city. Moreover,
Dabouze believes in the power of community service; he encourages others to get involved. “Community service is the
lifeline of community…it allows people to come together and
collectively address the needs of the community.”
In addition, Antoine is excited for the Gillem Enclave. He believes it will bring substantial economic growth to Forest Park,
particularly if city residents work in the businesses coming to
the former fort. He explains, “We have people and businesses
in Forest Park with talent that should get an opportunity and
need to be included. We must bring as many people that live
in Forest Park to the Fort Gillem table. We have to look hard
at directing the dollars that come from Fort Gillem to our city
and county before we allow companies and others from outside our area to get advantages. No matter what happens, by all
means, the people driving Fort Gillem have a responsibility to
spend here [and] invest here.” Antoine believes in the greatness
of Forest Park, and he works diligently to help the city shine.
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Homegrown from Forest Park,
Tommy Smith loves this City
by KELLEY WALKER
Forest Park native Tommy Smith finds his position as a
city council member rewarding because he gives back to the
community he loves—a community where his family legacy
started and continues; his mother’s family, The Burks, were “a
part of the founding of Forest Park,” and Tommy also chose
to raise his family here. Smith says his vision for the city is
“a Forest Park in which all of the citizens’ basic needs are
fulfilled. We have such a rich and diverse population, and I
would like to see an all-inclusive society.”
In order to unite the citizens and promote Forest Park,
Tommy participates in projects around the city with his family in tow. “My family and I participate in the neighborhood
clean-ups initiated by Keep Forest Park Beautiful. I nominate citizens within my ward for “Yard of the Month” awards
to encourage the good property owners and support Code
Enforcement,” says Smith. In addition, Tommy encourages people across Forest Park to celebrate how we are alike:
“The best way to promote unity within a city is for people
to stop allowing controversial topics to divide them. We all
know our differences, but it should be how we are alike that
brings us together. By going to the neighborhood watches,
community events, and volunteering within the community,
I feel I can show that we are not that different, and we all have
the same basic needs.”
With the redevelopment of Fort Gillem, Smith says “The
sky is the limit” for Forest Park’s economic growth. “Kroger
inside Fort Gillem is just the tip of the iceberg. With job
creation comes more money to spend within the city. More
money spent in the city will spur more business development
and thus grow our economy,” he says. He also hopes to see
new education opportunities come with the redevelopment.
Education, he continues, helps our society minimize conflict
and creates harmony because “education helps [us] understand both sides of the story to anything. This also encourages tolerance, which can be helpful in achieving this ideal
society we all seek. When we encourage the businesses that
choose to come into the redevelopment of Fort Gillem, they
will, in turn, have the need for well-trained people and [will]
offer educational opportunities to obtain that goal.” To Tommy Smith, the horizon looks bright for the citizens of Forest
Park.
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A D V E R T O R I A L
CLAYTON COUNTY’S SWAT
One of Jeanell Bridges’ proudest moments came when she
was elected as the first African American councilmember
for the City of Morrow. After being appointed and sworn
in by the Mayor and Council of Morrow on May 24, 2011
to complete an unexpired term, Bridges ran unopposed
the following November. “I am proud that I have gained
the trust and respect of my colleagues, the City staff, and
the citizens of Morrow,” she states. “I’ve spent my time
learning the job, attending training seminars, and going
to conferences in order to equip myself to do the job I’ve
been entrusted with.”
“There are many great things about Clayton County,
A Day in the Life
of Clayton County’s
SWAT Team
such as delicious food with international origins, proximity
to the airport and downtown Atlanta, and people who
appreciate heritage,” shares the 18-year Morrow resident.
“However, what I like about this county in particular is the
collective desire among its citizens to make things better,
to improve systems and organizations, and a genuine
commitment to make progress in a way that influences
positive change.”
Since retiring from The Coca-Cola Company, Bridges
has devoted herself to volunteering with many groups
within the community. She is President of the Kiwanis
of Southlake, a member of the Board of Directors of the
Clayton County Library, and a volunteer at the Good
Shepherd Clinic. Jeanell was also honored with an award
by KELLEY WALKER
from the Association of Christian Ministers of Clayton
County for Political and Civil Service. “Tomorrow affords
us another opportunity to be a blessing to someone,” she
adds.
As a member of the Travelers Rest Missionary Baptist
Church, Jeanell lets her faith guide the decisions she
makes each and every day. “My favorite quote is from
Jeremiah 29:11: ‘For I know the plan I have for you,’
declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ This explains
my overwhelming desire to serve. I know that every day
is a gift from God, and I am simply walking in His plan for
my life,” Bridges concludes.
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UPON A CHRISTMAS NIGHT NOT LONG AGO,
while gifts were under the Christmas tree and families were fast
asleep, the Clayton County Police Department SWAT team
received a high priority call at 2:30 in the morning. Two gunmen broke into a pawn shop in Forest Park. As the bitter wind
whipped the 20-degree air, the team members moved into positions surrounding the building. The officers believed the two
gunmen were still inside. After commanding the burglars to
surrender, to which there was no response, officers released gas
inside the shop to smoke out the gunman, but this was also to
no avail. As tense minutes passed into frigid hours, the team
sent in a robot. While scanning the store, the robot made no
contact with the men, but the team saw two high-powered
weapons missing from the shelf. The time had come—the scariest moment of some officers’ careers; the team had to go in
after the men. Lieutenant Steven Palmer remembers chills running up his spine as he listened to his heart beat heavily. Will I
see my family again? God, keep me safe.
During highly stressful, life-threatening situations like this,
SWAT officers rely on their training, courage, and intellect
to meet the high expectations and uphold the responsibilities
of the CCPD SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team in
order to keep Clayton County communities and families safe
from dangerous criminals, including active shooters, armed
robbers, murderers, and barricaded gunmen. The team is responsible for other special tasks also; for instance, these officers respond to protection details for visiting politicians and
serve high-risk search and high-risk arrest warrants. Because of
the risk involved during SWAT operations, these officers must
meet high expectations. Palmer says team members must exercise excellent teamwork and precise attention to detail. He emphasizes that these officers must be detail-oriented because “if
one of these guys makes a mistake, it could cost someone’s life.
So in a high-stress area, attention to detail is the most important.” Only highly motivated and focused officers are accepted
to the SWAT team.
21
On the day of our interview, Palmer and the SWAT team members
conducted try-outs for prospective members. An officer is only chosen
for the team if he passes a grueling set of tests over two days. In the morning, the recruits shoot firearms to qualify for the team; SWAT officers
must shoot a minimum of 90 percent accuracy, which is above the 80
percent departmental standard. In the afternoon, recruits run through
physical tests, including a mile run, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and special tasks under pressurized settings. But beyond superior shooting and
physical strength, a SWAT officer must be smart: “What we look for is
an even mix [of intelligence and physical abilities], but we don’t need
just a guy who’s physical. We want the total package, and that’s what we
look for. These try-outs are geared toward being able to identify that this
guy is in great shape, but can he think? Because a lot of stuff that we do
is high pressure, we try to put as much pressure on these guys as possible
to see how they respond and how they react to it.” Recruits who excel
during try-outs are given a coveted position on the team.
Presently, the SWAT team is not a full-time unit, so the officers serve
on different units within the department when SWAT is not active;
however, this diversity creates a team with members specializing in a
wide range of skills. For example, SWAT has detectives, narcotics officers, and uniformed patrolmen. When there is a high priority call,
SWAT members are called from their regular units to respond as one to
end the threat and restore peace. Despite risking their lives in some of
the most dangerous policing situations, these men do not receive extra
pay for their service on SWAT; they joined this team because, as Palm-
22
er explains, “we have a drive to do this. We have a passion for it.” As
a result, the SWAT team’s commitment to civil service contributes to
the betterment of Clayton communities. The major goal of the SWAT
team is to create a safe environment in Clayton, which sometimes calls
for these officers to face violent criminals. “We are fighting, sometimes
with one hand tied behind our back, but it’s for the good. You look at
the kids that have come up in this community. You want them to be able
to go outside and play in a safe environment, and we have gun play going
on in this neighborhood in an apartment complex. I look at what we’re
doing as a necessary evil for the good of the county overall. A lot of people look at the SWAT team as having to come in with a lot of force, but
sometimes, you have to do that to get things back to where the county
used to be.” This noble mission motivates CCPD SWAT officers.
With this in mind, SWAT Commander Palmer leads with a calm
demeanor because the situations that the team encounters are highly
stressful. “Even as a team leader, when going into a house to execute
search warrants with everybody else, there’s a lot of chaos, but regardless,
I have the same tone that I have in the house with the flash-bang going
off as I do here—the same demeanor. [He is accommodating and calm
throughout our interview]. My demeanor keeps those guys calm when
dealing with situations. If you go into a house screaming and yelling at
folks, these guys are going to feed off of what you’re doing as a leader,
so this is the way I am,” says Palmer. This leadership style encourages
officers to remain level-headed, which leads to clear and quick problem-solving.
Although the benefits of having a SWAT team are invaluable, recent
headlines in the media have scandalized the policing profession, focusing especially on use of force, which has stigmatized officers across the
nation. As a result, citizens may wonder how to interact with police
officers wisely. To this, Palmer explains the most important action for a
citizen to take is basic compliance: “Listen to the officer. Obey his commands. And everything will sort itself out after that. There’s been a lot
of push-back towards the police officers because of different things that
have gone on [in the media] in other areas. But, I can’t say it enough.
It’s just basic compliance because we’re here to help.” Moreover, I ask
him if courtesy to the officer makes a difference, and he immediately
responds yes. During an officer-citizen interaction, Palmer says, “The
citizen sets the tone. We [police] have to constantly be on guard of people hurting us, so when a citizen starts giving us push-back, it heightens
our alert and security, so we pay attention to our environment. If you’re
pushing back and offering some resistance, now I have to run up your
resistance.” Moreover, when citizens show aggression toward Palmer as
an officer, he knows there is a chance he could be harmed: “My ultimate goal is to make it home, and if somebody’s offering that resistance
then they’re willing to hurt me.” So when communicating with a police
officer, the best resolutions come through basic compliance and calm
behavior.
In addition, does the media’s frenzy change the way SWAT officers respond to calls? Palmer says no. Even when citizens video-record officers
at work, Palmer feels unintimidated by the scrutiny. “We will still continue to do our jobs. We have video cameras and cell phones, so people
are constantly recording. I don’t have a problem with that because we
are doing the right thing. And we shouldn’t have a problem doing our
jobs while someone is recording because we are doing our job, and we
can articulate what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, and we’re going
to do things by the book. I always say if a guy wants to pull a camera
out, let him. I don’t have a problem with that because what I am doing
I can justify why I’m doing it.” Palmer also explains, “A lot of times, we
don’t get a positive spin on what actually happened or the full story of
what happened, and people are quick to judge based on the initial story without finding out the facts and the details of situations going on.
Some look at all police officers as bad apples because of what happened
in Los Angeles and [other places] where [one officer] did [wrong], [so
they believe that this police officer] in Georgia is going to do the same
thing.” In truth, an argument that judges an entire group based on a
small percentage of individuals is a logical fallacy because this creates a
hasty generalization that does not apply to all individuals in said group.
Thus, passing judgment upon all police officers in the nation, based on
the actions of, say, 10 unjust police officers, is foolish. As a community, we need to support our police officers, who risk their lives daily to
maintain peace and safety in our communities.
Upon the frigid wind that Christmas night not long ago, a chilling
energy enveloped the members of the CCPD SWAT team. A Forest
Park pawn shop was thought to have two armed gunmen inside. Negotiations, gas, and a robot did not bring the criminals outside, so it was
time for the team to move.
“Alright, we have to make entry. There are two long-arms missing
from the shelf, but this is what we signed up for. Let’s move!” a commanding officer encouraged the SWAT team.
The team entered the dark building slowly and methodically, clearing
each room as a unit. The shop was deathly silent except for the officers
shouting clear with each safe room. One room was left, and the team
assembled before the door, ready to enter. One officer kicked open the
door as others quickly rushed in with guns drawn. The gunmen had left
the door to the roof ajar, and the team realized they fled. The danger
was over. Though the burglars escaped immediate capture, the officers
on Clayton County SWAT all returned home safe that night.
23
Hero
The Reluctant
“Sharkley Buford Makes History Quietly”
by MICHAEL BOOTH
In the early 1970s, when the major battles for
Civil Rights were coming to an end and the
transition from a hopelessly segregated America
to a hopeful integrated society was underway, a
process that is still continuing today, Sharkley
Buford was Clayton County’s reluctant AfricanAmerican pioneer.
Buford served as the first African-American
sheriff’s officer in Clayton County, then he was the
first African-American police officer in Jonesboro,
followed by another first as the Clayton County
police department’s original African-American
officer, and, finally, he served as Clayton County’s
first African-American department head, running
the Health & Safety department until his
retirement 10 years ago.
24
25
Y
FEATURE
The Reluctant Hero
Yet Buford deflects any suggestions that he is a
groundbreaking hero who blazed a path for African-Americans to follow.
“It is the best transition I have ever experienced,”
Buford said recently. “People treated me real
good. Never heard anything negative. Of course,
body movement can be harder than words. Sometimes you could feel it. I saw a lot of stone faces.”
The reason he chose to come to work in Clayton County in the first place is a very simple human yearning, not for freedom and equality but
for love.
“I was dating a girl down here and got tired of the driving,” said
Buford. “I made an application to the sheriff ’s department and within
two or three weeks I got the job.”
The girl, Delores, later become his wife. Together they had four children and will celebrate their 44th wedding anniversary this June. To
show how important Buford feels about his trailblazing career and his
long-time marriage ask him when they occurred. “Well, let’s see,” he
said, rubbing his forehead. “It was sometime in the 70s, can’t really
remember the date when I joined the Sheriff ’s Department. But now
my anniversary is June 10, 1971. My wife would
kill me if I didn’t get that right.”
Sharkley Buford got his unusual name from
his mother, who delighted in giving her children
memorable if offbeat names. He thinks she found
the name in one of her beloved crossword puzzles. Growing up in Bainbridge, Georgia, Buford
learned the virtues of hard work from his father,
a machinist Buford said could fix anything. As
a youngster he raked the yard of Georgia’s infamous segregationist governor, Marvin Griffin, a
man he described as “nice.”
As early as the fifth grade Buford decided that he did not want to
become a blue-collar worker. He yearned to be his own man and run
his own business. He set his goal to attend college and get his degree
in business. First he had to earn the money for his higher education so
he took to working in the fields around Bainbridge, tending to everything from cotton and tobacco to watermelons. His hard work caught
the eye of the man responsible for hiring and managing the workers
at the Miller Plantation Farm. Buford was in the 12th grade when the
man came to him with an amazing offer: if Buford would take over
supervising the field laborers he would build his family a house.
His name was Pete Miller. When the time came for Buford to leave for
college, Miller tried to keep him around with offers of more money.
But Buford’s heart was set on college and Miller reluctantly let him go.
“When I left he gave me five hundred dollars,” said Buford, the excitement of that long-ago day still lingering in his mind. “Here was
this white man – a white man - giving me money to go to school.” It
was almost enough to pay for his entire college expenses.
Upon graduating from Fort Valley State, Buford was hired by Owens-Illinois. Soon he decided to enter the military and after basic
training he was assigned to a JAG ( Judge Advocate General) unit.
He did mostly paperwork but came under the influence of a colonel
and major who would influence his life to this very day. The major
was named Dick Hand, later to become the Public Safety Director in
DeKalb County for many years. Hand unsuccessfully tried to recruit
Buford to DeKalb at the same time Buford was applying to Clayton
County.
“They are my idols. I learned so much from them. Because of them I
almost went to Law School but I went into law enforcement instead,”
he said. “When I was hired in Clayton County they sent me to Banner
Uniforms in downtown Atlanta to get my sheriff ’s uniform. I’ll never
forget that day.”
Usually a new sheriff ’s officer has to put in at least a year working
in the county jail before they get better assignments. Buford spent six
months taking pictures and lifting fingerprints of inmates. But Sheriff
Robert Deyton called him in after six months to announce that Buford as going “on the road.” He worked in crime prevention and later
was promoted to the Fugitive Squad, a plain-clothes unit still active
today.
It was not too long afterwards
that Buford was summoned to the
office of Jonesboro mayor Hugh
Dixon. “He told me he wanted me
to work part-time with the Jonesboro Police Department. He said
they needed someone with my expertise,” said Buford.
Buford said he would try to accommodate both departments and
proceeded to put in unbelievable
hours. “Assistant Chief of Police Ronnie Thornton said if I didn’t like
it we would change it. I said I would attempt to do it.”
In the early 1980s Buford was conscripted to join the Clayton
County Police Department by Howard Smith, who served as Clayton County Police Chief for two decades. Several years later he was
asked to go see county commission chairman Charlie Griswold. “I was
wondering, ‘what did I do wrong?’” said Buford. He had done nothing wrong, of course. The Chairman merely wanted him to become a
Commission Aide, a sort of trouble-shooter position that included
the responsibility of managing all the school crossing guards.
When a new commission was voted in Buford was once again
shocked. He was beckoned into the chairman’s office and offered the
position of heading the Health and Safety Department in Clayton
County, yet another first for the modest kid from south Georgia.
“I say don’t
grandstand for
people; grandstand
for The Lord”
26
“My job was to assure that Clayton County was
in compliance with OSHA regulations. And I ran
the Accident Review Board that would investigate
accident claims,” he said. “It kept me pretty busy but,
to tell you the truth, I’ve been busier since my retirement.”
Upon retirement Buford started the HOPE Shelter,
Inc., a non-profit organization that today helps women and children move from poverty and homelessness
to affordable housing and permanent employment.
He started out just trying to feed some hungry folk
at Thanksgiving. HOPE stands for Helping Other
People Eat.
“This was not as big as Hosea Williams’ Thanksgiving program,” said Buford. HOPE has grown over
the last decade from just feeding people to changing
lives. “I try to give them what I eat,” said Buford, patting his stomach. “We want to get families in and get
them stabilized. The first thing we do is get the kids
in day care so the parent can get employed and start
saving some money. Once that happens we try to
help get them into affordable housing. As long as the
kids are happy, I’m happy.”
The HOPE Shelter has many success stories; none
better than the two kids who came into the program
a few years back and eventually won scholarships to
Spelman College and the University of West Georgia. “Many of our participants have gone from living
in a shelter to a few years later coming back to donate
time and money to HOPE,” said Buford.
Buford said he did his charitable work because he
has always been Biblically inclined. He claims he has
never been drunk and when some school kids asked
him if he ever did drugs he said he had: prescription
drugs. “I’ve never used vulgarity or profanity. I try to
use word power,” he said.
Buford adamantly denies he has ever done anything
in his life to show off or make him envied. “I say don’t
grandstand for people; grandstand for The Lord,” he
said.
His advice to anyone is to “have a dialog with God
because when you do that everything else will follow.
“The path is a long way. Try to do it a step at a time,”
Buford said. “What I would want to pass on to the
next generation is pursue your education, stay out of
trouble, and get closer to God.” WRC
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27
FEATURE
CLAYTON COUNTY
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Deputy Chief
GINA HAWKINS
Goes to Israel
with the GILEE
By Donnell Suggs
28
29
W
MOVERS & SHAPERS
FEATURE
With college football season fast approaching
there is no disguising Clayton County Police Department Deputy Chief in charge of the Field Operations Command Gina V. Hawkins’ allegiance
to the Ohio State University. Upon entering her
office at the Clayton County Police Headquarters Building in Jonesboro you immediately notice
the only sports memorabilia belongs to the Buckeyes. The Columbus, Ohio native was even born
in Ohio State University Hospital (now known as
the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center). Hawkins has spent her entire 27 year law
enforcement career as a loyal and staunch team
player and continues to serve the public as such.
Ever the student-Hawkins holds a Bachelor’s of
Science degree from Georgia State University and
a Master of Science in Management degree from
John Hopkins University’s Public Safety Leadership Program-there was always a next level, a new
journey for her to take throughout her career. Starting in 1988 as a rookie Atlanta Police Department
through numerous promotions, retirement from
the A.P.D. as Assistant Zone Commander of Zone
Three Precinct on to the newly assembled Sandy
Springs Police Department in 2006 where she held
the rank of Lieutenant before joining the Clayton
County Police Department. Already having graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.)
National Associates Academy (Class #252) and
from the Senior Management Institute for Police
in Boston, the mother of two daughters decided to
apply for the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE). The best leaders are always
looking to expand on their craft through training.
“I have been in law enforcement since 1988 and
have become wise enough to understand I can always learn something new from someone else’s
experience and challenges,” said Hawkins. Those
new lessons would come from the Israeli Police.
The GILEE was established in 1992 for the initial purpose of protecting the patrons of the 1996
Olympic Games which were set to be held in Atlanta. Following the 9-11 atrocities the program
took on another mission entirely; to exchange pub-
30
lic safety information and training between Georgia local, state and federal law enforcement entities
and international law agencies. The program’s director Dr. Robert Friedman, Professor Emeritus
of Criminal Justice at Georgia State University,
believes the program has an even greater mission.
“The idea is to have peer to peer on-site training”,
said Friedman who along with his other duties is as
an author of five books on criminal justice and policing including Community Policing: Comparative Perspectives and Prospects (1992, St. Martin’s
Press) was readily available to speak to this reporter about the program. “We are trying to develop
the next generation of law enforcement leadership.
We hope that some of this training filters
down to our guests,” said Dr. Friedman.
One of the key benefits of being selected to
the GILEE, now in its 23rd year of existence,
is the annual two-week trip to Israel. Deputy Chief Hawkins and the other applicants
from law enforcement agencies all over Georgia have more than just some paperwork to
fill out in order to get the process under way.
“The application for GILEE was not an easy
fill in the blank submission form,” said Hawkins. The GILEE only accepts 20 percent of
the submitted applications and only supervisorial level applicants need apply. With her reputation as good
as any out there, Deputy Chief Hawkins was “sincerely hoping to be chosen to be a part of the delegation.
“I received a personal phone call from Dr. Robert Friedman to congratulate me on being chosen to be a part of the 23rd GILEE delegation,”
said Hawkins. “I was at work at the time and did
everything possible to contain my excitement.”
The program’s founder and director Dr. Friedman
was familiar with Hawkins “from her time with the
Atlanta Police Department and when she was with
the Sandy Springs Police Department” and figured
her application might cross his desk. “She was accepted in a very competitive process and to her credit behaved as expected; professionally,” said Friedman. “She was just a pleasure to have on the trip.”
The best
leaders
are always
looking to
expand on
their craft
through
training.
Policing in the United States of America, a democratic country, is a
“The main difference between the Israeli Police force and Amerworld away from the militaristic style the Israeli Police but the ultimate ican law enforcement is the constant state of war readiness,” said
goals are the same for both departments: Public security, maintaining Hawkins. “Although as a nation we have become trained and prelaw and order and fighting crime. There was plenty Hawkins and her pared for homeland security issues, comparatively there are many
classmates could learn from their host. Hawkins was on a mission to communities in the United States in which we are not in a constant
do that and much, much more and she came to Middle East prepared. state of actual war readiness. The Israeli Police leaders demonstrated
“Prior to the trip I wanted to focus on the ability of the Israeli Police to their professional dedication to serve and protect their communieffectively communicate its safety and security mission to 35,000 total ty under very tough conditions and affirmed our commonalities of
employees and the country as a whole,” said Hawkins. I learned the law providing the quality public service expected from our community.”
enforcement community in the State of Israel have the same challenges
Due to that constant state of war readiness the GILEE contingent
as we have in the United States and are under more stressful conditions.” rarely wore their law enforcement uniforms on their trips through
Ultimately Deputy Chief Hawkins and her constituents are over- the many cities they visited during the two weeks in country. The
seas exchanging ideas with their foreign counterparts. Relationships better to not draw attention from someone looking to make a name
are formed and techniques are learned that will be potentially imple- for themselves by targeting an American high ranking law enforcemented into the law enforcement agencies here in the states. In keep- ment officer. “We were transported by Israeli Police everywhere we
ing up with the times and recent police/community debate topics, went,” said Hawkins. “We have the privilege of freedom in the United
Hawkins believes there is definitely one tactic that needs to looked States in our mindset and in what we do in comparison to Israel.”
into. “[They] use less lethal weapons and more hand to hand techDespite the high intensity environment there was a little time to tour
niques to diffuse and it’s something we should do more research on.” the country and visit some of the world’s oldest tourist sites such as the
She continued, “there were many other highlights I learned Old City of Jerusalem, the Sea of Galilee and Mount Tabor, respectively.
during this time period which I will be able to reflect on
Israel remains on Hawkins’ list of her favorite places to visit. This
throughout my remaining professional law enforcement career.” opportunity was her first time but won’t be her last. “[We] travThe world’s only Jewish-majority state, Israel has a population eled the entire country during our two weeks there,” said Hawkins.
of a little over 8 million people and a unified police force. Imag- “I definitely consider Israel a bucket list destination for everyone.”
ine the entire state of Georgia have one police department instead
Deputy Chief Hawkins looks to take all she learned overseas and
of unique law enforcement agencies based in separate communi- feels it will better serve her in her capacity here in Clayton County.
ties. The training the members of the 23rd GILEE class got while She’ll need all the patience and skill she can muster for the big day
in Israel will stay with them forever. The differences between the coming this fall. What big day you ask? Well November 28 of course.
two countries law enforcement systems don’t stop at the uniforms That’s when the Ohio State Buckeyes reigning National Champion
however. The environment in the State of Israel immediately put football team travels up to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. Ever the
the blessing that is democracy in proper perspective for Hawkins. team player we all know who she’ll be pulling for.
31
SPORTS
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The Gospel
of Recreation;
I
Knauls Family Finds Victory
On the Fields of Clayton
by MICHAEL BOOTH
IF YOU DON’T FIND THE KNAULS FAMILY AT SCHOOL OR
in church, they can be found on the fields of the Clayton County
Parks & Recreation Department, fine tuning their athletic skills
to match their spiritual development and educational pursuits.
Head of the family, Lester Knauls, Jr., has had his two sons and
one daughter participating in Clayton County youth sports since
they could walk. Though his daughter, a past recreation league
basketball player, is away at nursing school, Knauls can be found
putting oldest son Lester III through a series of intense physical
exercises almost every morning in Morrow’s Maddox Park.
“This is an integral part of our life because it makes us strong,”
said Knauls one sunny morning after setting up a series of orange
cones for his son to maneuver through. “Playing sports has taught
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us how to work as a team. It is never ‘I.’ I tell him if you think that
you are fooling yourself.”
Knauls, a former high school all-state running back in his native Oklahoma, as well as a college running back at Central State
University before he blew his knee out, works the graveyard shift
at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta as an engineer before
coming home to rouse his two boys out of bed for their three to
four-hour workouts every morning.
Lester III was on track to become a highly recruited running
back coming out of Drew High School before breaking his ankle after his junior year. He was told he might never walk again,
much less play football at the college level. After six months “even
with the cast on I was trying to run,” said Lester III. “I learned
how not to quit when things get tough.”
With the help of his dad and the trainer at Morehouse College,
Lester III has rehabilitated his ankle to the point he doesn’t think
about it unless asked. He works hard every morning to get his
body in football playing shape in the hopes of getting a college
scholarship offer. (Check out YouTube for his 2013 highlight
tape. Go to https://youtu.be/B7tpC5sq9hc)
Overcoming a serious injury is not even his greatest feat. When
he was 11 years old and in the 5th grade at Thurgood Marshall
elementary school, he saved his teacher’s life. In the lunchroom
Shirley Hines got something caught in her throat and could not
breath. Lester III rushed over and applied the Heimlich maneuver, though he had never been taught the move and didn’t even
know its name until much later.
“I thought a fifth-grade child was going to scream or lose control,
but he never did,” Hines was quoted at the time. “He remained in
control through the whole ordeal.”
Ask Josiah what he has learned from his older brother and he
doesn’t hesitate. “Maturity. He keeps his composure,” said Josiah.
Then ask him about the relationship he has with his father. “He is
always on us,” he said with a smile. “But a lot of people don’t have
a dad. It is a blessing.”
When not working out at Maddox Park, Knauls takes the two
boys to Tara Stadium where they run on the nearby hills and over
the stadium steps. “There is something around 650 steps at Tara,”
said Josiah, who has personally done the count as he makes his
rounds.
Knauls gives a tremendous amount of credit to the youth recreation leagues for keeping his kids completely out of trouble
during their growing years. He also believes the recreation leagues
play a big part in bringing families closer together so they can find
success.
“Want to get your kids to be successful, you need to get in there
with them,” said Knauls, directing his sons to continue their
morning training sessions. “If you don’t get active with them that
is why kids are having problems. Being out here is a part of our life
just like church is.” WRC
33
MOVERS & SHAPERS
SPORTS
ATLANTA
FALCONS
2015 SEASON
PREVIEW
By Donnell Suggs
34
THE ATLANTA FALCONS WILL OPEN THE 2015
N.F.L. SEASON following a disappointing 6-10 finish
during the 2014 season. The 2012 NFC Championship
game lose to San Francisco seems like a thousand years ago
compared to last season. The Falcons lost four games by a
touchdown or less last season all while being able to go 5-1
in the division. They were a two-faced microcosm of the
team that was only a few yards away from making the second
Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. The same team
that finished the 2014 season 5th in the league in passing
yards and in total passing was 12th in points per game and
24th in rushing. This was the NFL off-Broadway version of
Jekyll and Hyde.
The new season begins with the Falcons having addressed
some serious offensive and defensive issues via the draft with
the selections of Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley (8th
overall pick), Tevin Coleman, a running back out of Indiana
(selected 73rd overall) and wide receiver Justin Hardy out of
Eastern Carolina University who was selected in the fourth
round (107th overall) but according to early camp reports
has first round caliber talent. Cornerback Jalen Collins
(42nd overall), defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (137th), offensive tackle Jake Rodgers (225th) and Akeem King (249th) a
safety out of San Jose State round out what was a strong draft
class for Atlanta. Hardy is expected to receive some third
string receiver snaps in place of the now departed Harry
Douglas who has matriculated to Tennessee to play for the
Titans. The Jonesboro High school alum started six games
for the Falcons last season catching 51 balls for 556 yards
and scored two touchdowns. Beasley is expected to move
to the outside linebacker position to better take advantage
of his speed. Coleman is also in line to make an immediate
impact while splitting carries with last years 4th round pick
at the same position Devonta Freeman. Freeman made good
of the opportunities he received as Stephen Jackson’s backup
by compiling 248 rushing yards on 65 carries while also
catching 30 passes for 225 yards.
Starting quarterback and multiple time Pro Bowl selection
Matt Ryan is coming off throwing 14 interceptions (his second highest career total-he threw 17 in 2013) and is looking
to get back on track in terms of winning. The 30 year old
Ryan did throw for 4,694 and 28 touchdowns good for a
top five finish in the league in terms of passing offense. Key
targets Julio Jones, Roddy White and Devin Hester will all
have to make up for Douglas’ absence. Jones had 104 receptions for 1,593 yards last season both good for third in the
league. White had 80 receptions for 921 yards and a team
high seven touchdowns ( Jones scored six touchdowns) and
Hester caught 38 passes for 504 yards and two touchdowns,
respectively. Third year tight end Levine Toilolo had a career
year with 31 catches for 238 yards and two scores of his own.
The San Diego native and former Stanford player looks to
become a key red zone target for Ryan.
The preseason opens up with the Falcons at the Georgia Dome
playing host to the Tennessee Titans on August 14 before going on the
road to face the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, respectively, on
August 21 and 29. Atlanta returns home to finish the preseason schedule with Baltimore on September 3. With season ticket prices set to rise
upon the Falcons opening their new stadium in 2017 most of Clayton
County’s residents that enjoy Atlanta Falcons football may have the
best financial opportunity during the preseason schedule.
Atlanta’s regular season opens at home on Monday, September 14 versus the Philadelphia Eagles (10-6 during the 2014 campaign) before the
Falcons go on the road for back to back games against the New York
Giants (6-10) and the Dallas Cowboys (12-4) on September 20 and 27.
The Falcons then return home for a two game homestand against the
Houston Texans (9-7) and the Washington (4-12) professional football
team (NOTE: This reporter refuses to use the derogatory and racist
nickname of the NFL franchise in our nation’s capital) on October 4
and 11. The following game will open the Falcons NFC South schedule
on Thursday, October 15 (week 6 of the league wide schedule) in New
Orleans against the rival Saints (7-9). Atlanta swept their two games
against the Saints last season opening that campaign with an exciting
37-34 overtime victory at the Georgia Dome and by a 16 point margin
at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans during week 16. The
Saints will be without their Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham, a Falcon problem ever since he came into the league in 2010 with New Orleans. Graham was traded to the Seattle Seahawks on March 10, 2015.
Week seven will take the Falcons to Tennessee to face the Titans (2-14)
for a second time (the first being during the preseason) on October 25.
The Falcons return home to play their second conference game
against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14) on November 1. The Falcons
swept the Buccaneers last season having won both games by 10 or more
points, 56-14 and 27-17. Atlanta goes back on the road this time to San
Francisco to face the 49ers (8-8) before getting some time off during
the week 10 bye week.
The Falcons return from their bye with consecutive home games
against nonconference foes Indianapolis Colts (11-5, lost to New
England in the AFC championship game) and the Minnesota Vikings
(7-9) on November 22 and 29. Last season the Falcons lost in Minnesota 41-28. Nonconference games gave Atlanta all sorts of trouble last
season with the Falcons losing nine of their 10 interleague games only
defeating Arizona 29-18.
The month of December opens with three consecutive games against
conference foes Tampa Bay, Carolina and out of conference Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13) on December 6, 13 and 20.
The 2015 season ends in 2016 with home games against Carolina on
December 27 and New Orleans on January 3. Hopefully a playoff date
will follow those games and there will not be a repeat of last season.
Only time will tell.
My Prediction: As I mentioned earlier in the season preview the
Falcons lost four games by seven points or less so last season could have
easily been a 10-6 division winning accomplishment instead of the
reason why former coach Mike Smith was fired. new Falcon head coach
Dan Quinn-formerly the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks-will need to duplicate the Falcons dominance over their NFC
South foes-Atlanta was 5-1 against Carolina, Tampa Bay and New Orleans-while doing better than going 1-8 during nonconference teams.
I believe the Falcons will win the division by a few games over second
place Carolina and will make the playoffs only to lose in the first round
to a Wild Card entry. Coach Quinn and his staff will need a season of
hard knocks before they are successful in the postseason.
Enjoy the season Clayton County residents/Falcons fans, I hope to
see you all at the Georgia Dome.
35
EDUCATION
MOVERS & SHAPERS
Left to right; Justin Brooks, Harun Biswas, Jere Boudell and Corlis Cummings plant the official Swamp Chestnut Oak
Clayton State Arbor
Day Celebration
Underscores a Tree
Campus Transition
By John Shiffert
photos By Erin Fender
The Clayton State University campus has been famous for its natural setting – notably its many loblolly pine trees – since it opened 45 years ago.
However, change is in the air, as well on the grounds, at Clayton State, as the
University’s recent Third Annual Arbor Day Celebration emphasized.
As Vice President for Business and Operations Corlis Cummings
noted as the Arbor Day keynote speaker, “Clayton State has a beautiful and unique campus that we are committed to preserving. We are
ensuring that, for future generations, we will have trees.
“This is tangible proof of our commitment to the environment and
trees.”
Part of those preservation efforts is Clayton State’s designation by
the Arbor Day Foundation and the Georgia Forestry Commission as
a “Tree Campus USA.”
36
Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation and sponsored by Toyota to honor colleges and
universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging
staff and students in conservation goals. Clayton State achieved the
title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include
maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day
observance and student service-learning project.
“Tree Campus is a yearly award, we have to reclaim it every year
through our due diligence,” said Assistant Vice President for Facilities
Management Harun Biswas. “How we plant these trees will shape the
landscape of this campus for years.”
Still, even a Tree Campus will change over time, often as a means of
preserving that honor. And that’s what is happening at Clayton State
this spring, as the University’s Landscape Management Department,
headed up by Assistant Director of Landscape Management Justin
Brooks, is involved in a major effort to ultimately replace many of the
campuses’ softwood loblolly pines with hardwood oaks.
What’s that? Replace Clayton State’s pines with oaks? Yes indeed,
and there’s a good reason, as Brooks explained in the woods to the
west of the Clayton State Athletics Center, where the 2015 Arbor Day
celebration took place.
“We’ve grown 100 oak seedlings over the past year, and we’re planting 60 of them today,” he said. “We’re planting oaks in place of the pine
trees, because pines don’t last that long.”
The Clayton State Tree Committee; left to right; Maia Kuhnen, Cindy Knight, Harun Biswas,
Darren Thomas, Corlis Cummings. Jere Boudell, Justin Brooks, Kelly Free, Valeria Lancaster
A horticulturist by profession, Brooks knows trees. In fact, in keeping with Clayton State’s
persona for “Dreams Made Real,” it could be said that Brooks’ mandate on campus is “Trees
Made Real.” Brooks points out that the Clayton State campus was built on the site of an
old dairy farm, starting almost 50 years ago, and that most of the pine trees in the Athletic
Center woods were there when construction started. As a result, he notes that most of the
current pines are in the range of at least 80 years old, and that loblolly pines typically live
only 90 to 110 years. Thus, the need to replenish the University’s tree base with new wood,
an effort that has included planting some 200 other trees on campus in the past year.
The 2015 Arbor Day ceremony included an official tree planting on the day’s featured tree,
Quercus michauxii, or the Swamp Chestnut Oak, in the woods by the Athletics Center. Also
referred to as the Basket Oak, the Swamp Chestnut Oak is native to the U.S. and typically
grows 40’ to 60’ tall. The leaves turn a dark red in the fall – which will make the Clayton
State campus even more striking – and the acorns, unlike most oak trees, can be eaten right
off the tree.
The day also included guided tours by Professor of Biology Dr. Jere Boudell of the
University’s “Plants of the Piedmont” trail, located behind Spivey Hall, the Music Education
Building and the Harry S. Downs Center, and a visit by the Clayton Stet mascot, Loch. Local
children, a key part of the celebration, also had the opportunity to paint small terracotta
pots. Following the ceremony, the 60 additional seedlings, now small trees, both Swamp
Chestnut Oak and Sawtooth Oak, were planted at various locations throughout the woods.
Boudell’s Plants of the Piedmont Tour drew a lot of interest, in keeping with Clayton
State’s high-tech image. The tour is an interactive, multi-media affair, thanks to a special app
that Boudell has created.
“It’s important for us to interact with our environment,” she said. “We appreciate our
connection to the environment.”
37
EDUCATION
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38 MOVERS & SHAPERS VITAS.jobs
T
Rex Middle School Celebrates
STEM Certification and Award
Nomination!
By Kimberly Allen
THERE ARE CERTAIN COURSES OF STUDY THAT
state and national level by advising other educational leaders and
HAVE NEVER been considered exciting to absorb for most
partnering with other middle school program directors to help
students. And on the surface, these subjects may not seem relethem achieve certification. Simultaneously, RMMS’s educators
vant in their day-to-day lives. But thanks to an innovative Georwere shifting from the isolated classes of CTAE, math, and
gia Department of Education (GADoE) curriculum dubbed the science to the integrated curriculum available today. Health care
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
science courses specifically will provide students with skills that
Academy Magnet Program, our students are being exposed to
can lead to various employment opportunities. STEM has even
specialized lessons designed to provide them with the necessary
managed to influence students who are not in the program, thus
tools to face their generation’s challenges. And one of Clayton
motivating more young people to pursue these fields of study
County’s own has been handpicked to lead the way.
and potential careers.
Rex Mill Middle School (RMMS) was not only the first in
This program has been so successful that RMMS was recentClayton County to be awarded STEM certification, but the
ly nominated as a finalist in the Certified School Outreach
second middle school in the state to receive this distinction as
category of the 2015 Georgia STEM Education Awards, which
well. Additionally, RMMS
recognizes schools,
is the only school in Georgia “This [nomination] serves as an appropriate recognition for the
programs, and companies
intensive effort of everyone at [RMMS] in earning a program
that can claim health care
for outstanding efforts
certification from the state,” praises Clayton County Public Schools
science as a component of
and achievements in
Superintendent Luvenia Jackson.
their program. RMMS also
supporting and promothappens to be the largest
ing STEM education in
middle school in the county, making it the perfect vehicle to
Georgia. “This [nomination] serves as an appropriate recogniengage its 1100 students in STEM-rich courses and studies.
tion for the intensive effort of everyone at [RMMS] in earning
To earn certification, a school must submit an extensive,
a program certification from the state,” praises Clayton County
evidence-based application displaying teacher collaboration,
Public Schools Superintendent Luvenia Jackson.
business and industry partnerships, high levels of math and
“We are excited for the students and staff at [RMMS],” adds
science instruction, and an integrated, project based STEM
Pam Adamson, Chairman of the Clayton County Board of Edcurriculum. Such partnerships include a grant from Coca-Cola
ucation. “Their great work is a shining example that great things
and Emergency Management Disaster Plans, which produced
are happening throughout our school district.”
a STEM lab where “Team members [could focus] on how stuSTEM certification is an extensive on-going process condents were solving real-world problems,” explains Eboni Chillis,
ducted by the GADoE to verify specific indicators of STEM
coordinator of the District’s Career, Technical and Agricultural
excellence exhibited by the students, staff, and community of a
Education (CTAE) program.
school. The GADoE awards STEM certification at the elemenDuring the three years prior to being awarded certification,
tary, middle, and high school levels.
RMMS helped move the STEM program forward on both the
39
Be INSPIRED
MOVERS & SHAPERS
Living a HOPE
Filled Life
by ROB JONES
MANY IN OUR WORLD TODAY ARE MARKED
by a sense of dread or hopelessness. It has become pandemic to our society. Business owners are hopeless, Dads and Moms are hopeless, even the
young teenager who should be full of dreams has become hopeless. Solomon said in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but
when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy.” When our dreams
are delayed one of two things often happens: we give up or we search for
the answer out of desperation.
Hope defined is to desire with expectation of obtainment, to expect
with confidence. Hope is the fuel to our dreams. It keeps us moving forward even in the face of hardship and uncertainty. When our dreams
seem like a distant, unobtainable fantasy hope keeps faith alive. It will
get you out of bed early in the morning even when you have faced weeks
of denials. Hope keeps the dream alive. Scientists say that a human can
last forty days without food, up to 4 days without water, 8 minutes without oxygen, 18 days without sleep, but only a few seconds without hope.
When we are hopeless we become disoriented and we begin to drift
into despair. We become like a ship without a rudder. Wherever the
waves take us is where we will end up. And most of the time we end up
far from our dreams or hopeful expectations. Many of us think we have
hope when it is really wishful thinking or blind optimism. Neither of
those are true hope. That kind of hope says, “I hope that my favorite
football team wins the Super Bowl this year.” The reality is that you have
no say in the outcome of that request. Unless you are on the field of play
you are wishfully thinking.
True hope must be anchored in something solid if it is going to keep
you steady as you work toward the fulfillment of your dreams. Hebrews
6:19 says, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” An anchor holds a ship that is much bigger than itself in place
during a storm. How is this possible? Because the anchor is attached to
an immovable surface the oceans floor.
When the storms of life come, and they will, you must have placed your
anchor in someone greater than you to keep you from falling apart and
drifting during the storm. For me, that someone is my personal Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. When I can’t see how things are going to get better,
He gives me a peace that surpasses my situation. He keeps me hope filled
and my dreams alive.
Dreams will only survive if we stay in the fight. Dreams die when we
40
give up and quit. Remember that hope is the fuel that keeps dreams alive.
If you don’t believe in your dreams then why should anyone else? God
wants you to dream big. He desires for you to accomplish great things
with your life. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now glory be to God, who by his
mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would
ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers,
desires, thoughts, or hopes.” So dream big and place your hope in God
who wants you to succeed.
I know that some of you may be saying to yourself right now but you
don’t know what I have done in my life. I have failed over and over again.
There is no way that I can overcome the failures of my past. I would remind you that failure is only defeat if you give up and quit. Throughout
history the greatest accomplishments known to man have taken place
through men and women who have failed more times than they have
succeeded.
Someone once said, “Hope
simply means, Hold On until the
Pain Ends!” Romans 15:13 “May
God, the source of hope, fill you
with joy and peace through your
faith in Him. Then you’ll overflow with hope…” Anchor your
Hope and watch your Dreams
come to life.
Pastor Rob Jones
Lead Pastor of Church of
the Harvest International
www.cothi.org
41
BE INSPIRED
SAVING SARAH
SARAH [NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED] HAD A
ROCKY START IN LIFE. By the time she was a pre-
Saving
Sarah
Georgia’s Human Trafficking Problem:
Joining the Fight Against
Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
BY CARRIE CAMP
42
teen the Department of Family and Child Services
removed her from her family home and placed her in
foster care because her biological parents were deemed
unfit to care for her.
But Sarah’s situation did not improve in her new
home. It got worse. The father in the house, as well as
several older foster children, abused her sexually. The
trauma continued for more than two years until, at age
fourteen, she worked up the courage to run away.
With no specific plan, only the hope of a better future,
she hopped on a bus headed to Atlanta. She figured anything had to be better than the horrors she’d left behind.
At least she would be free.
When she got off the bus, she noticed a teenage girl
leaning against a wall. The girl smiled at her and they
struck up a conversation. When Sarah told her she
was new in town, the girl offered to let her crash at a
house nearby with a few of her friends until she found
something permanent. Sarah was amazed by her stroke
of good luck and eagerly followed her new friend to the
home.
As soon as she arrived, a man grabbed her and physically restrained her. She didn’t immediately realize what
was happening, but the reality would sink in all too
soon. Sarah was being trafficked for sex.
From then on, she was forced to sleep with numerous
men every night. If she did not earn enough money, she
was not allowed to eat the next day. If she failed to produce her quota
two nights in a row, she could expect a severe beating. She was living a
nightmare and she couldn’t escape.
SARAH’S STORY IS COMMON.
“The biggest misconception [about sex trafficking] is that people do
not believe that it happens here,” says Heather Stockdale, Executive
Director and Co-Founder of Georgia Cares, the coordinating agency for
all victims of child sex trafficking in Georgia.
BUT IT DOES HAPPEN HERE.
There are currently more than 100,000 children being trafficked for
commercial sex in the United States according to the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children. The US Department of Justice cites
the average age children enter the industry as thirteen years old.
The tragic statistics hit close to home for Georgians. Atlanta is
frequently cited as having the highest rate of minor sex trafficking of
any city in the United States, with hundreds of children being sexually
exploited in metro Atlanta every month. In 2014 alone Georgia Cares
helped 387 victims. Sixty-three were from Clayton County.
“People can believe that it happens elsewhere. They can even believe
that foreign victims are trafficked into the United States. But they cannot believe it happens to our kids. These are Georgia kids who are being
bought and sold in Georgia and around the country,” Stockdale said.
The work that Georgia Cares, Wellspring Living and other nonHow can such atrocities happen right under our noses? Many facprofit organizations are doing to advocate for the girls is important,
tors contribute to a child’s susceptibility and eventual exploitation.
but they cannot fight the battle alone.
“The honest truth is that every child is at risk,” Stockdale ex“There are small things people can do that make a huge differplained. “We have kids that come from gated communities, from
ence,” Stockdale said. “I think the key to ending it is community
loving two-parent homes. One child I know was recruited off of
involvement. Everyone being aware, armed with information and
social media. It’s happening to inner-city kids, but it’s not just the
doing something against it.”
inner-city kids living in poverty who are trafficked.”
Stockdale encourages parents to be aware of what their children
Traffickers are master manipulators. They know where children
are doing online, and to have upfront discussions with them about
are vulnerable and play off those vulnerabilities. Innate human
longings, such as the desire for love and acceptance, are used to trap Internet safety.
“Parents need to explain that once you post something on the
them.
A man poses as a young girl’s boyfriend. He showers her with gifts Internet, you cannot take it back. That includes social media. They
need to explain that it’s not just their friends who will see it. They
and affection while gradually isolating her from friends and family.
need to talk about what’s appropriate to post and what’s not. Those
After a time, he tells her his funds have run out. He says if she loves
things are key.”
him she will sleep with another man for money. Pretty soon she is
Stockdale also encourages the public to watch for warning signs
forced to sell herself to 10 or more men a night in return for cash
indicating a child might be a victim or in danger of being victimshe will never see. If she does not comply, she is severely punished.
ized. Red flags include possession of a new cell phone, frequent
The combination of love and violence creates a trauma bond. This
absences from school, a significantly older boyfriend, regular
is one of many reasons why the girls do not leave their abusers, acsubstance use, and increased anxiety or depression.
cording to Stockdale. When asked why these children remain with
their captors, she likens them to victims of domestic
violence.
Parents need to explain that once you post something
“Why doesn’t the woman being beaten by her
on the Internet, you cannot take it back. That includes
husband just leave? First of all, she has a life with
this person. It’s not that easy to leave. It’s Stockholm social media.
Syndrome and there’s a perceived kindness there.”
Activists agree that awareness of the problem is key. The scourge
In some cases, traffickers use brute force or threats to frighten
their victims into compliance. Many victims feel they have nowhere of human trafficking will never be eliminated until people realize it
exists.
to go even if they could escape.
“The good news is the issue of trafficking is coming more to light
“Traffickers are phenomenal at flipping a victim’s world upin Georgia,” Northcutt said.
side down,” explained Mark Northcutt, an activist who serves as
Activists are optimistic that with increased consciousness and a
Church Relations Coordinator at Wellspring Living, an organizachanging public perception this plague can be reduced, and eventution working to eradicate Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. “Right
ally eliminated. Thousands of children have already been rescued.
seems wrong and wrong seems right. They are in severe trauma and
Sarah attempted to escape three times. Three times she was
it skews who they can trust.”
caught and severely beaten—as an example to the other girls. She
Organizations such as Georgia Cares and Wellspring Living rechad given up hope that she would ever be free from her tormented
ognize the enormity of the problem, and are committed to ending
situation.
sex trafficking of minors—one child at a time.
Then one day she saw blue lights flashing outside the house. Po“If we take one girl out and rescue her and restore her and set her
lice officers stormed through the door and commanded everyone
on the track to be a healthy, happy, successful adult and citizen,
to get down. The authorities recognized that she was a victim of sex
that will make a difference,” Stockdale said. “That will be worth it.”
trafficking. Through the emergency response and coordination of
Georgia Cares assists with all aspects of the recovery, from
Georgia Cares staff, Sarah received immediate medical treatment
tipping off law enforcement to offering physical and psychological
and was enrolled in the recovery program at Wellspring Living. By
treatment to survivors, to providing life skill training and adult
the time she completed the program she was transformed.
mentors.
“She arrived angry, eyes down, hardly communicating,” Northcutt
“We know they have experienced trauma. They have been a victim
explained. “At her graduation her smile was absolutely electric. It
of trafficking, so that comes with inherent needs,” Stockdale said.
was phenomenal what took place. She is now in a safe and healthy
“But there are also many other needs for these kids.”
home and doing unbelievably well.”
She explains that most trafficking victims have fallen behind in
school and many of them have gone years without seeing a doctor
**Suspected victimization can be reported at georgia cares’ 24-hour hotlineor a dentist. Some of them have STDs and other illnesses. Georgia
404-602-0068. For a full list of warning signs or for more information on
how you can get involved, visit georgia cares’ website, www.gacares.org.
Cares works to meet these pressing needs and to put victims on the
road to long-term recovery.
43
BE INSPIRED
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
WHERE DOES RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM END AND antidiscrimination
2
COMPETING FREEDOMS:
Is Religious
Liberty Simply
Code for
Discrimination?
Among the most inestimable of our blessings, also, is that . . . of liberty to worship our
Creator in the way we think most agreeable to His will; a liberty deemed in other
countries incompatible with good government and yet proved by our experience to.
Thomas Jefferson
BY KIMBERLY ALLEN
44
laws begin? Technically, businesses are allowed
to refuse service to anyone, albeit with certain
exceptions. The refusal cannot be based on race,
color, religion, and in 22 states plus Washington,
D.C. and Puerto Rico, sexual orientation (19
states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico
outlaw discrimination based on gender identity
or expression). Some believe The Religious
Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) allows
exemptions in anti-discrimination laws, creating
exceptions to the exceptions. But refusing
someone service for who they are is the essence of
discrimination.
Should religious beliefs trump civil rights? The
response depends on who you ask, and where you
ask the question. And like most things these days,
it is a recycled concept.
Dating back to the 1970s, conservative
Christian organizations used their religious
beliefs to demand exemptions to the Civil Rights
Act and similar laws. One of the most famous
was South Carolina’s Bob Jones University, which
was retroactively stripped of its tax-exempt status
due to discriminatory practices. After appealing
to the Supreme Court the IRS’s decision was
upheld, yet the university instead chose to pay
the one million dollars in taxes dating back to
December 1970 and continue on with its racebased admissions and housing policies. It took
a decline in financial contributions, unwanted
media attention, and a change in leadership for
the school to finally catch up with the times. That
didn’t happen until 2008.
Religious freedom is already covered under the
First Amendment and the Georgia Constitution.
Yet some Georgia lawmakers have been trying to
pass their own version of RFRA (State Bill 129)
for at least two years. As currently written, SB
129 boils down to one sentence intended to be
the difference between whether a person can or
cannot legally be discriminated against based on
a business or individual’s religious beliefs. That
sentence reads: “Courts have consistently held
that government has a fundamental, overriding
interest in eradicating discrimination.” Although
the latest attempt stalled during the April
legislative session, some worry that SB 129 will
just be tacked on to another pending bill and
quietly passed anyway.
HISTORY OF RFRA
In Employment Division v. Smith (1990), two American Indians
working as private drug rehab counselors ingested peyote (a hallucinogenic drug used in religious ceremonies performed by the Native
American Church) and were subsequently fired from their jobs. They
appealed, and the Supreme Court upheld that decision in 1993. Back
in the good old days when bipartisanship wasn’t such a foreign concept,
politicians on both sides of the aisle disagreed with that ruling and the
federal version of RFRA was passed almost unanimously (97-3 in the
Senate). Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that the Act
couldn’t be applied to states because Congress couldn’t determine the
way in which states enforced RFRA’s restrictions.
Opponents view RFRA as a veiled attempt to discriminate against
the LGBT community specifically. Photographers, bakers, police
officers, and florists are just some of the business owners and employees
who have used a “religious liberty” defense in order to refuse service to
gay patrons. The legalization of same-sex marriage in some states also
seems to have been a game changer, which fuels the desire for some
states to enact their own versions of RFRA.
But who is to say that those sentiments couldn’t eventually be extended to people of color, women, or any other minority, all while using
religion as a buffer. Thus far, 22 states have created their own versions
of RFRA modeled after the 1993 federal bill, and nine others are
pending. According to aclu.org, 23 states currently have laws barring
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation (some include gender
identity), and Georgia is not one of them.
Religious exemptions are also being sought thanks in part to the
Affordable Health Care Act’s requirement that for-profit companies
provide full health care coverage that includes contraception (churches,
religious hospitals, schools, and nonprofits were already exempt). The
2014 Hobby Lobby Supreme Court decision set the precedent that
corporations can deny employees their legal rights, and then claim
religious freedom as a defense. Similar lawsuits have been popping up
countrywide using this defense ever since.
Additionally, as seen in Indiana, this state’s economic future could
be threatened if SB 129 is passed. “We do not want our future visitors
to Georgia to be worried about being faced with any discriminatory
behavior under the guise of this bill,” wrote the Georgia Association
of Conventions & Visitors Bureaus’ Board of Directors in a letter to
members of the House Judiciary Committee. “This bill is unnecessary,
divisive, and a distraction from the issues needed to advance Georgia.”
So, where will the line be drawn? Is this something we want to see
materialize in Georgia? It could happen since it is believed that the bill
will resurface during the 2016 legislative session, if not sooner.
“This ill-conceived, discriminatory bill threatens not just the LGBT
community, but women, racial minorities, members of minority faiths,
and the economic climate of [Georgia],” said Sarah Warbelow, Legal
Director of the Human Rights Campaign.
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770-681-0031
10459 Tara Blvd, Suite 106
Jonesboro, GA 30236
EXTRA LARGE POTATOES BETWEEN
12 OZ. & 18 OZ.
Family Owned & Operated
Serving Clayton County for over 20 years
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UM UM GOOD
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Che nd Mouth-W
by DOT TOLERSON
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With Chef Roshawn Walker at the helm, Eventful
Memories catering intoxicates its customers with stunningly creative
plating and fascinating flavor combinations. In fact, Walker delivers such
an amazing experience that one would assume that she has wanted to
be a chef all of her life. While this is not true of Walker’s journey, she is
naturally skilled in the art of catering, and it was her destiny to land in
such a rewarding profession.
Chef Walker was born and raised in Pontiac, Michigan. Her father
was a charismatic Pentecostal preacher and her mother a beloved ‘church
mother’ who cooked for parishioners and neighbors for a living. Her
mother began cooking in the kitchen of the family home but then
moved her operation out to a shed that Walker’s father built for her. Her
cooking was so coveted that she had to expand her services and began
cooking for clients around the country. Walker remembers her mother’s
enthusiasm for cooking and recalls the joy that she experienced being
able to prepare food for others. Although Walker helped her mother
with catering events as a child, she had different career aspirations of her
own. She became a first generation college graduate earning a degree
in Accounting from Tuskegee University, and embarked on an upwardly
mobile career with a Fortune 500 company.
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CORPORATE & BUSINESS
3 Private Meetings Rooms
State Of The Art Audio Visuals
Private Dining Lounge
Business Center
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Walker relocated to Georgia with her corporate role and began a parttime catering and event-planning business, Eventful Memories, a few
years later in 1998. In 2008 her corporate career was abruptly interrupted
when her company outsourced her division. In many instances this
unwelcome change could have been paralyzing, but not for Chef Walker.
After consulting with her husband, prayer and the inspiration of her
mother’s legacy, she sought after a diploma in Culinary Arts from Atlanta
Technical College In 2009. In many ways her new trajectory was paying
homage to the passion that her mother shared with her as a child. “When
I do anything concerning food or bringing people together I feel that my
mother is working through me,” she said of her newfound career, “It’s
very personal and therapeutic for me.”
Walker’s Riverdale-based catering business has grown wildly since
its inception. She began working from her home kitchen, just like her
mother, being hands-on with every aspect from preparing food, loading
her transportation vehicle, setting up scullery, serving and washing
dishes—an experience that she considers invaluable and helped her
appreciate all that is involved prior to the glamour of the actual event.
She has since expanded her staff, incorporated a commercial kitchen and
over the last year she added an exclusive event hall to Eventful Memories’
inventory.
The Chef ’s menu consists of what she refers to as a “simple elegant spin on American
cuisine.” From southern comfort meals, to traditional dishes, to upscale plates, Walker personalizes every meal for her clients. In addition to her elegant and affordable menu she is
known for her thoughtful design, planning, and implementation. “I focus on developing
relationships and my goal is to always exceed my customers’ expectations,” Walker said. One
way that she does this is by offering special packages such as her ‘Brides on a Budget” menu
where she prepares a fine dining menu customized to the bride and groom’s taste and budget.
Walker was recently recognized as the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce Small
Business of Year award recipient in 2014. She is the chairperson for the Atlanta Technical
College Culinary Arts Advisory Council and supports the non-profit organization Hearts
to Nourish Hope by providing local youth with summer internships.
Eventful Memories is one of the preferred caterers at the Riverdale Center of the Arts, JS
Venue, and Merle Manders Conference Center. The catering service was also awarded the
opportunity to be on the Morrow Center preferred caterers list and offered the opportunity
to be their in-house caterer as well.
Walker credits God for a large portion of Eventful Memories’ success saying, “…God has
blessed me in all that I have accomplished and I’m thankful that I have a business where I
can acknowledge him.” WRC
WEDDING
& SOCIAL
Separate Stage
Preferred Caterers And Professional Vendors
Culinary Catering Kitchen
Private Bar Options
Complimentary Parking
1180 Southlake Circle - Ste 100 Morrow, Georgia 30260
678.489.5161 tel 678.489.5182 fax
www.MorrowCenter.com
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Out &
About
CLAYTON’S MOST BOASTED EVENTS FROM THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS
We Are Clayton’s Living Legends High Tea, Women in Business Quarterly Luncheon & Lovejoy’s Fall Festival 2015
A Very Special Thank You to Curtis Green for the great photos from the tea and luncheon.
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we MEET THE CITY OF LOVEJOY`S DREAM TEAM

Transcription

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