New York Beacon

Transcription

New York Beacon

New York
Beacon
website:
NewYorkBeacon.com
Vol. 16 No. 24
Showing the Way to Truth and Justice
June 18, 2009 - June 24, 2009
E-Mail
newyorkbeacon@yahoo.com
75 Cents
BRAZEN FRAUD
Bklyn man poses as his dead mother
to steal her social security benefits
DARING SCAM — Thomas Prusik-Parkin (right) posed for six years as his dead mother in a brazen and daring scam to steal her government
benefits. Mhilton Rimolo (right) is accused of helping out with the scam.
(See Story On Page 3)
New York State Senate feud is deadlocked
(See Story On Page 3)
Activists are seeking unity and
a new definition of Black Power
NEW YORK BEACON, June 18, 2009 - June 24, 2009 newyorkbeacon.com
2
By. Ashahed M. Muhammad
Special to the NNPA from the
Final Call
Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Rev. Jeremiah Wright:
Obama’s ‘Like my child’
Special to the NNPA from the Church said he will always love
the president and joked that
Afro-American Newspapers
Obama told him not to say any(NNPA) - The Rev. Jeremiah thing that would upset Iowa farmWright spoke out about Presi- ers during his presidential bid.
dent Barack Obama at the MethThe June 6 award ceremony beodist Federation for Social Ac- fore about 400 guests honored
tion awards in Ames, Iowa. He those who helped migrants or
said the president was “like my fought for the legalization of gay
child” despite his mistakes.
marriage in Iowa. According to
According to the Associated Wright, the award winners were
Press, the former pastor of proof that not all Americans were
Chicago’s Trinity United “stuck on stupid.”
Botswana: One of world’s
most peaceful countries
(GIN) - The newly released 2009
Global Peace Index (GPI) has
ranked Botswana as one of the
world’s most peaceful countries,
as well as the most peaceful
country in Africa.
Botswana’s worldwide ranking
in the Index was 34 out of the
144 countries measured in the
survey, up six places from last
year placing it just ahead of the
United Kingdom.
Botswana’s high rating was “a
result of minimal militarization, an
absence of external or internal
conflicts and relatively low
scores for most measures of
safety and security’’, although
they further note that the homicide rate remains relatively high.
Botswana’s high and improved
position stands in sharp contrast
that of neighboring states, South
Africa and Zimbabwe, which were
both singled out as numbering
among the world’s least peaceful
societies.
Botswana’s standing is also consistent with recent Afrobarometer
findings, which showed 72 percent
of Batswana expressing trust in
both the courts and police service
and 76 percent agreeing that
people were rarely or never treated
unequally under the law.
The Global Peace Index is maintained by the Institute for Economics and Peace and developed in
consultation with an international
panel of experts with data collected
and analyzed by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
MARIETTA, Ga. (NNPA) - The
South became the nexus of Black
liberation and political thought
at the 2009 National Black Power
Conference late last month,
which was headquartered at the
Roberts Crowne Plaza, a Blackowned hotel just outside
Atlanta’s city limits.
Organizational representatives
from across the United States
and those concerned with the
future of the Black nation participated in the meeting.
The conference was co-convened by longtime scholar Dr.
Leonard Jeffries and Atty. Malik
Zulu Shabazz, of the New Black
Panther Party.
Dr. Jeffries said historic Black
Power Conferences are places
where ideas are discussed and
strategies are discovered.
“We need to come together on
a regular basis to do an assessment and an analysis to see how
successful our plan has been and
what mistakes we have made that
require that we readjust the plan.
It needs to be a think tank process, it is not an event,” said the
elder and scholar, who was a
technical advisor for the landmark 1970s film series “Roots.”
Much has happened and been
learned since the late 1960s when
the Black Power movement
emerged out of the Student NonViolence Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the South, he said.
The first Black Power Conference was in 1967 in Newark, N.J.,
his hometown. In 1968 there was
another meeting in Philadelphia,
which, according to Dr. Jeffries,
became the Congress of African
Peoples in the 1970s.
Black psychologists and Black
political scientists began to organize to “take control of our
minds” and groups like the Black
Panther Party, the African Heritage Studies Association and the
National Council of Black Studies were formed.
Though many conferences under different names have been
convened, all had similar goals—
laying out a Black Agenda. Soon
many will travel to Dakar,
Senegal to discuss plans for a
United States of Africa. Dr.
Jeffries recalled several meetings
Dr. Leonard Jeffries
Malik Zulu Shabazz
and discussion throughout the
years with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan—most recently at Saviours’ Day 2009—
and especially for the 1995 Million Man March. Many of those
discussions about joint action
gave rise to this conference, he
said.
According to Dr. Jeffries, such
gatherings go back to 1945 and
the 6th Pan African Conference
in England. Present were great
minds like W.E.B. DuBois, Paul
Robeson, Kwame Nkrumah, who
became the first president of
Ghana, Jomo Kenyatta who became president of Kenya, George
Padmore, who contributed to
Ghana’s struggle for independence, and other outstanding
thinkers. The power of their ideas
helped throw off the chains of colonialism, he said.
According to organizers, the 2009
conference sought to bridge some
apparent contradictions between
various organizations and strategies for Black liberation. The election of President Barack H. Obama
has brought significant discussions among activists.
While a majority of Blacks support him, some are troubled by his
not speaking out for reparations,
and were angered when he boycotted the Durban Review Conference in Switzerland in April.
Progress in dealing with racism and
xenophobia and reparations for the
TransAtlantic slave trade were high
on the agenda for activists, who
took their battle against U.S. wrongdoing to a global stage.
Atty. Shabazz, who has called for
giving Obama time, has been criticized within the Black nationalist
movement. He argues Black nationalists must see the larger picture.
“The burden is shifting,” Atty.
Shabazz told The Final Call. “It’s not
only about demonstrating, or protesting or rebelling or attacking
what we are against. Yes, police brutality, racism, overt White imperialism, capitalism and colonialism still
exist and must be fought against
vehemently, but Black people are
expecting us to be able to deliver to
them a movement—Black power in
economics, Black power in education, a structure of unity of Black
organizations that can do something for them.”
Atty. Shabazz said wanting to see
Obama do well doesn’t mean not critiquing his policies.
“We must develop the strength
and organization of our movement
so that the president of the United
States can respect what we are asking and demanding. Simply sitting
back and throwing stones at Barack
Obama will not change anything.
We have to put ourselves in a position to influence, to request, ask and
demand of our brother to do what I
believe is in his heart to do,” said
Atty. Shabazz.
At this conference, there was a full
embrace between a self-professed
capitalist with an abundance of financial resources, and activists with
an abundance of energy.
Michael Roberts, owner of the
convention hotel, told The Final Call
he received a call from the mayor of
Marietta “expressing his concern”
about the conference. The mayor
(Continued on page 22)
Rangel unveils $25B bond program to stimulate recovery
Cong. Charles Rangel has announced that $25 billion in bond
authority will be immediately
available for state and local governments under the Recovery
Zone Bonds program, including
more than $200 million that will
benefit hard-hit communities in
New York.
Recovery Zone Bonds, created
under the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
are targeted to areas particularly
affected by significant job loss
and will help state and local governments obtain capital for much
needed economic development
projects.
“I am pleased that the Ways and
Means Committee in working with
President Obama on the stimulus
package was able to include the
bond authority targeting communities hit hard by unemployment
and economic distress,” said Cong.
Rangel, who chairs the Committee.
The congressman said he is looking forward to working with Mayor
Bloomberg to make certain of a partnership between the local and federal governments. “The local government will play a pivotal role in
Cong. Charlie Rangel
administering the program in New
York City,” Cong. Rangel said.
“My vision is that the Recovery
Bond Program will have a synergistic effect by energizing all the
other programs already in place in
other federal agencies,” Cong.
Rangel said.
“Recovery Zone Bonds are an
essential step towards revitalizing
the economic health of our communities,” Cong. Rangel said.
“These bonds will help finance
improvements in infrastructure,
job training and education that
will continue our economic recov-
ery and help families in hard-hit communities gain the tools necessary to
get back on their feet and build a
brighter future. Secretary Geithner
and the Treasury Department
should be commended for their
quick implementation of this economic recovery program.”
The Ways and Means Committee
developed the Recovery Zone Bond
program under the leadership of
Chairman Rangel and coordinated
with Congressional leadership and
President Obama to ensure its inclu-
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Sen. John Sampson
Sen. Sampson emerges
as State Senate leader
By Zamgba J. Brown
Brooklyn’s State Sen. John
Sampson has emerged as the
new Democratic Conference
Leader in Albany. He replaces
dethroned Sen. Malcolm A.
Smith. But it’s not clear how
much power Sampson will wield
amid the chaos that has rocked
the senate over the past several days
Sen. Sampson was selected
after Sens. Hiram Monserrate
and Pedro Espada jumped
ship from the Democrats to the
Republicans, giving the Republicans a two vote advantage. But Sen. Monserrate later
decided to rejoin the Democrats.
However, despite Sen.
Monserrate’s return, the Senate remains evenly split 31 to
31. Sen. Sampson has been
given the task of running the
day-to-day operation of the
Democratic Conference.
Sen. Sampson was elected to
the Senate in 1996. He represents Brooklyn’s 19th Senatorial District which encompasses
Canarsie, East Flatbush, parts
of Brownsville, Crown Heights,
East New York, portions of Old
Mill Basin, Spring Creek Towers, and parts of Midwood and
Kensington.
Following his graduation from
Brooklyn College, Sen. Sampson
worked for Proskauer, Rose,
Goetz & Mendelsohn as a litigation assistant. In 1988, he enrolled at Albany Law School.
During his studies there, he
worked with the Department of
Environmental Conservation until his graduation in 1991.
In April 1992, Sampson was admitted to the New York Bar, and
became a staff attorney for the
Legal Aid Society of New York,
representing clients in administrative and housing court proceedings. In 1993, he joined the
Law Firm of Alter and Barbaro,
where he currently represents
clients in Real Estate, Criminal
and Election matters.
As an active participant in
community affairs, Sen.
Sampson frequently conducts
free legal clinics and represents
candidates in election matters
before the New York Supreme
Court
Meanwhile, with the 31 to 31
split between Democrats and
Republicans there is no clear
leadership in the Senate. State
Supreme Court Judge Thomas
McNamara left the task to the
parties to decide, but at deadline Tuesday they had not re-
Kings County District Attorney
Charles J. Hynes announced a
47-count indictment against two
Brooklyn men charged in an
elaborate fraud, which included
the theft of a Park Slope
townhouse, social security benefits, and social service payments, and involved one of the
men, Thomas Parkin, dressing up
as his deceased, 77-year-old
mother to further the scam.
Charges against Parkin, 49, and
Mhilton Rimolo, 47, include grand
larceny in the first degree, two
counts of grand larceny in the
second degree, conspiracy in the
fourth degree, multiple counts of
forgery in the second degree, perjury in the first degree, and criminal impersonation in the second
degree.
“These defendants ran a multiyear campaign of fraud that was
unparalleled in its scope and brazenness,” said District Attorney
Hynes. “I’d like to thank the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and
the Human Resource Administration for their assistance in this
case. I’d also like to acknowledge
the work of the prosecutors and
Detective Investigators in my
Rackets Division.”
“The type of fraud alleged in
this complaint can only be properly addressed through the cooperative efforts of a joint crimi-
Thomas Parkin
nal investigation, as demonstrated by this effort,” said John
F. Grasso, Assistant Special Agent
in Charge of the Social Security
Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. “Our Office looks
forward to continuing the successful partnership that has been
developed over the past several
years with the Brooklyn District
Attorney’s Office. Our Office is
not only committed to the pursuit
of those who defraud SSA programs, but also those who misuse
Social Security Numbers to commit financial crimes against other
agencies.”
In the 1990s, Irene Prusik
deeded her home, 492 6th Avenue,
Park Slope, to her son, Thomas
Parkin. At the time, Prusik, Parkin
and Prusik’s other son lived in the
building. Parkin was unable to
maintain ownership, and in January 2003, the building was sold at
foreclosure auction.
However, according to the indictment, after Prusik died, in September 2003, the two defendants began filing lawsuits against the new
owner, Samir Chopra, in the now
deceased Prusik’s name, alleging
real estate fraud. They claimed that
the deed Chopra had bought at
auction was invalid and had actually been forged by Parkin, in the
1990s. The real owner, they claimed,
was Irene Prusik.
The defendants received Prusik’s
Social Security benefits every
month for six years, totaling approximately $52,000, according to
the indictment. They are also
charged with receiving $65,000 in
rental assistance from the city Human Resource Agency, claiming
the deceased Irene Prusik was
Parkin’s landlord and that he and
his brother were unable to pay the
rent because of a disability. Rimolo
was listed as the property manager.
To initiate the crime, Parkin and
Rimolo doctored Prusik’s death certificate, providing a false Social Security Number and date of birth,
Slain Holocaust Museum guard
cited as hero, gunman charged
By. Dorothy Rowley and Miriam
Thoss
Special to the NNPA from the
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - As
the nation comes to grips with
the horrifying tragedy that
struck the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in the
District of Columbia this week,
its lone victim, 39-year-old security guard Stephen Tyrone
Johns, is being remembered as a
gentle giant.
Johns, an African-American,
lived in Temple Hills, Md., and
was a graduate of Crossland
High School. He had worked at
the Museum for six years and
was also described as a caring
family man.
“He was a pretty great guy,’’ said
his 11-year-old son, Stephen Jr.,
who lauded his father as a hero.
The boy added that his dad was
someone who was always there for
him.
Johns’ grief-stricken co-workers
also voiced similar sentiments.
“He was a warm man who loved
all of us and he greeted us every
day with a wonderful smile,’’ said
Museum Director Sara Bloomfield.
“We express great shock at the
events that took place and have
great sadness at the loss of our
dear friend and colleague.’’
Stephen Tyron Johns
Councilman Barron ‘ashamed of hustlers’ in Albany
By Vinette K. Pryce
While senior legislators remain
mum on last week’s coup d’etat
in Albany, at least one City
Councilman is speaking out on
the stalemate of a 31-31 split in
the New York State senate.
“Senator Monserrate disgracefully, shamefully, and foolishly
gave power to the right for a majority,” Brooklyn Councilmember
Charles Barron said.
“He had an opportunistic
agenda. It was about a personal
agenda, not the people’s
agenda,” Councilman Barron
said.
“He was my progressive comrade in city hall but now I am
embarrassed.”
Councilman Barron took the
Reversing his position from the
lead from senior legislators who
radical vote he made last week
have remained silent about the
when he defected from his party
radical decision taken by two
to align with Republicans, the undemocrats — Bronx Sen. Pedro
predictable senator said he
Espada and Queens Sen. Hiram
wanted to return the Democratic
Monserrate – who joined ranks
fold.
with Republicans in order to seize
Sen. Monserrate further excontrol from Majority Leader
plained his position describing
Malcolm Smith last week.
himself the way decisive ConNeither Sen. Charles Schumer,
gresswoman Shirley Chisholm did
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswhen she emerged the first of her
man Charles B. Rangel nor Conrace and gender to represent New
gresswoman Nydia Velasquez inYork.
tervened to quash the disruptive
Monserrate said he was “unaction which has left state busibought and un-bossed,” — a govnesses unresolved after a full
ernment reformer.
week’s bickering for power.
Councilman Barron had a differ“We need to take back the Senent definition — “These are husate,” flip-flopper Sen. Monserrate Council Member Charles tlers hustling hustlers.”
of Queens stated Monday.
He said the senator’s defection
Barron
had larger implications.
“It’s about pork, it’s about more
stuff, it’s about chairs of committees.”
Monserrate contends his defection had more to do with duty than
disloyalty.
“The voters in my district sent
this ex-Marine, this ex-beat cop, to
come up here and shake things up,
and I’m not walking away from
that.”
The 31-member Democrat group
hoped the court would invalidate
the vote by the mostly Republican
coalition to take power of the chamber. But a court decision proved
fruitless when New York Supreme
Justice Thomas McNamara dis-
3
Con artist poses as his dead mom
to steal her government benefits
New jobless claims drop
to 601K; retail sales rise
4
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Local 12 endorses Mayor
Bloomberg’s candidacy
Local Twelve, the New York
City Heat and Frost Insulators
union with over 1,000 active
and retired members, announced that it is endorsing
Mike Bloomberg for re-election. Local Twelve is known as
the “Green Jobs” union.
“Mike Bloomberg is a leader
in every sense of the word,”
said Dennis Ippolito, the
union’s president. “Whether
i t ’s through PlaNYC, the
Mayor’s vision for creating a
sustainable city, or the Five
Borough Economic Opportunity Plan, Mike is doing everything he can to bring quality
jobs to our city. Our members
are proud to endorse him and
we will do everything we can
to help his re-election.”
“Local Twelve represents
1,000 members who help insulate nearly every type of residential and commercial building in the city,” said Mayor
Bloomberg. “Properly insulated buildings reduce energy
consumption by keeping heat
in during the winter and out during the summer, all of which
helps to reduce costs. I look forward to working with Local 12
on projects in all five boroughs
and I am proud to have their endorsement today.”
Mayor Bloomberg’s Five Borough Economic Opportunity
Plan will create or save 400,000
jobs for New Yorkers. Under the
Mayor ’s leadership, the city
has invested $10.4 billion in
capital this fiscal year, leading
to the creation of approximately
25,000 construction-related
jobs.
PlaNYC, the Mayor’s innovative sustainability project, will
create 19,000 “green” jobs, while
at the same time creating new
parks and substantially lowering our city’s carbon footprint.
These initiatives build on the
Mayor’s responsible financial
stewardship, which has cut
nearly $2 billion in wasteful
spending, and saved close to
$3.2 billion dollars in excess debt
expenditures.
The number of newly laid-off
Americans filing jobless claims
fell more than expected last
week and retail sales grew in
May for the first time in three
months. But a rise in the number of people continuing to receive jobless aid signaled that
an economic recovery is still far
off.
The Labor Department said
Thursday that initial claims for
unemployment benefits fell last
week by 24,000 to a seasonally
adjusted 601,000. That’s below
analysts’ estimates of 615,000.
Still, the number of people
claiming benefits for more than a
week rose by 59,000 to more than
6.8 million, the highest on
records dating to 1967. The department also revised last week’s
data on continuing claims, replacing what had been a drop of
15,000 with an increase of 6,000.
That means continuing claims
have set records for 19 straight
weeks. The data lag initial claims
by a week.
Retail sales rose for the first
time in three months in May, as
a rebound in demand at auto
dealerships and gas stations
helped offset weakness at department stores. The Commerce
Department said retail sales increased by 0.5 percent last
month, in line with economists’
expectations. It was the largest
increase since sales rose 1.7
percent in January following six
straight declines.
Excluding autos, retail sales
also grew 0.5 percent in May,
better than the 0.2 percent gain
that economists had expected.
Wall Street welcomed the drop
in new jobless claims and
growth in retail sales. The Dow
Jones industrial average added
about 55 points in afternoon
trading, and broader indices
also rose.
Consumers may be spending
a bit more and layoffs may be
slowing, but companies are reluctant to hire amid the longest
recession since World War II.
That makes it harder for the unemployed to find work.
Jobless claims are a measure
of the pace of layoffs and are
seen as a timely, if volatile, indicator of the economy’s health.
The four-week average of
claims, which smooths out fluctuations, fell to 621,750, down
from a high of about 658,000 in
early April. Many economists
see the decline as a sign that
layoffs have peaked and the recession is bottoming out.
Still, the levels are far above
what is customary in a healthy
economy. Initial claims stood at
388,000 a year ago.
The department said last week
that companies eliminated a net
total of 345,000 jobs in May.
While steep, that’s about half
the monthly average of jobs lost
in the first quarter.
Yet the unemployment rate
jumped to 9.4 percent in May, a
25-year high, as hundreds of
thousands of people entered
the labor market and began
looking for work but couldn’t
find it, the department said.
As college graduates and
other new entrants start searching for a dwindling number of
jobs, economists expect the unemployment rate to rise even as
layoffs subside.
Some economists project the
rate could near 11 percent by the
middle of next year. And many
families are saving more as they
deal with layoff fears, as well as
shrunken home equity and retirement accounts.
Because rising gasoline prices
aided last month’s retail sales
gain, “a meaningful consumer recovery remains some way off,”
Paul Dales, U.S. economist at
Capital Economics in Toronto,
wrote in a research note. “It usually takes a few months for
households to curtail their discretionary spending in response
to the higher cost of gas.”
On the housing front, foreclosure filings fell 6 percent in May
from April, RealtyTrac Inc. said
Thursday. More than 321,000
households received at least one
foreclosure-related notice last
month — 18 percent more than a
year earlier — but the smallest annual gain since June 2006.
Despite the drop from April, it
was the third-highest monthly
rate since the Irvine, Calif.-based
foreclosure listing firm began its
report in January 2005. And as
layoffs, rather than risky mortgages, become the main reason
that borrowers default on their
home loans, foreclosures likely
will remain elevated this year and
into 2010.
Also Thursday, the Commerce
Department said businesses cut
inventories 1.1 percent in April as
they struggle to get stockpiles
more in line with falling sales. Inventories have fallen for eight
straight months, the longest
stretch since there were 15 consecutive declines in 2001-2002, a
period that covered the last recession.
Troubles in the automotive sector could cause unexpected fluctuations in jobless claims. General
Motors Corp. filed for bankruptcy
protection June 1, joining
Chrysler LLC, which filed April 30.
GM said it will close about a
dozen plants as part of its restructuring. The closings, which will
take place through the end of
2010, will cost up to 20,000 workers their jobs.
In addition, the company said
Monday that it plans to cut a production shift at a plant in
Wentzville, Mo., in August, resulting in up to 900 layoffs.
Among the states, Connecticut
had the largest increase in claims
of 816, followed by Louisiana,
Tennessee, Arizona and Nebraska. The state data lag initial
claims by a week.
Florida had the largest drop in
claims of 6,655, which it attributed
to fewer layoffs in the construction, service and manufacturing
industries. The next largest decreases were in Illinois, Michigan,
California, and Texas.
NAACP continues campaign to ‘save man’ from execution
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - The
NAACP is launching a campaign called “I AM TROY” to
save the life of Troy Davis, an
African-American man on
death row believed by civil
rights leaders to be innocent of
the charges against him.
Davis will be executed unless
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue or
the Savannah District Attorney
Larry Chisolm intervene. The
NAACP has asked the general
public to contact Perdue or
Chisolm ,urging them to “not allow the execution of an innocent man,” according to a statement released last week.
A new website, www.IAM
TROY.com allows people to
send an email directly to the
Governor and Chisolm.
Davis has been on Georgia’s
death row for nearly 18 years,
convicted of the murder of police officer Mark Allen MacPhail
in Savannah. The NAACP
points out that there is no physical evidence linking Davis to the
crime and seven of the nine witnesses who testified in the case
have recanted or contradicted
their original testimonies, several
saying they were coerced.
The NAACP release states that
one of the witnesses who has not
recanted is the prime alternative
suspect in the case and has been
in and out of jail numerous times.
“Beyond a shadow of a doubt,
this man is innocent,” says
NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, who recently met with Davis
for two hours on death row.
According to an NAACP investigation, Davis had no prior criminal record and since he has been
in prison has been a model prisoner and a valuable mentor to his
young nephew, whose mother
has breast cancer.
Courts have denied Davis an
evidentiary hearing, which would
allow the evidence to be reexam-
ined. The Supreme Court will hear
the case on June 25 but Davis is
not expected to prevail. His execution could come within weeks after that decision.
The NAACP has filed an amicus
brief in the case, urging Gov. Perdue to intervene.
Chisolm, an African-American,
could also reopen the case, possibly saving Davis’ life.
Davis is also being denied the
right to speak in person to the media, including 60 Minutes, Dateline, and other television programs, which have requested interviews with him. Davis is only
allowed to speak on the phone to
reporters.
“The denial of his right to speak
to television is a flagrant abuse of
his First Amendment rights,” says
Jealous. “It not only is morally
wrong to put an innocent man to
death, it does not bring justice to
Troy Davis
5
6
On Father’s Day: The Black man – An American hero
By. Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief
He built America from the
ground up with a few tools, his
bare hands and by the sweat of
his brow. While doing so, he was
repeatedly whipped, lynched,
falsely accused and castrated.
Even now, he braves
America’s streets despite the
fact that he is more often
stopped, brutalized or shot by
police, blamed for crimes he did
not commit, and incarcerated at
astronomical rates. He even dies
earlier of natural causes than any
other racial group in America –
a statistic that some doctors
speculate is partially due to the
every day stresses of his race.
Whether he’s wearing a necktie, a uniform, coveralls, or jeans,
he braves the streets of America
when he goes to work – or even
to look for work. Most of the
time, he makes it home. But, all
too often he falls victim to this
historic, undeclared war on
Black males.
Still, he dares to believe in a
nation where his unemployment
rate exceeds all others – not just
because of the economic downturn – but because of a history
of race discrimination that has
pressed him to rock bottom.
His post traumatic stress is not
from Iraq or Afghanistan, but
from a lifetime of scaling the dangerous mine fields of American
society. This is about Joe Blow
and John Qshon Citizen. One
might call him “the average Black
man”. But, given the list of daily
atrocities he faces in this nation,
there is actually no “average”
Black man.
Rather, this is about “The
Black Man – An American
Hero”. Despite the odds against
him, he has exceeded every bar
that has ever been set.
What is an “American hero”?
Traditionally, the American
hero is deemed as a Super Man
type, someone with exceptional
courage who performs a onetime gallant deed or a long term
public service that warrants celebrity and perhaps even a
medal. But, for the Black man,
he is a quiet American hero, unsung, even unsuspecting, deserving of respect simply for the
risks he takes every day.
The family of 25-year-old
Black police officer Omar
Edwards is familiar with this gallantry as they grieve their husband and father of 18-month-old
and 7-month old children. Struck
down in a hail of bullets from a
White police officer who mistakenly thought him to be a criminal, Omar is an American hero.
The family of 38-year-old
Stephen T. Johns also knows.
When this husband and father
of an 11-year-old son was felled
by the bullet of a hate-crazed
White supremacist at the Holocaust Museum, it was yet another shot that was “heard
around the world”. “Big John”
– as they called him - is indeed
an American Hero.
From coast to coast they have
fallen. Among them, Sean Bell,
23, of New York; Oscar Grant III,
22, of San Francisco; DeAuntae
“Tae Tae” Farrow, 12, of West
Memphis, Ark.; and Martin Lee
Anderson, 14, of Bay Country,
Fla. They are among the sons
Omar Edwards, shot by a fellow police officer who mis- Sean Bell, shot by police while unarmed on his wedding
took him for a criminal.
day.
Stephens T. Johns, shot by a white racist as he worked
as a security officer at the U.S. Holocaust Museum.
Oscar Grant lll, shot in the back while lying face down on a
San Francisco subway platform.
Martin Lee Anderson, suffocated by guards at a boot DeAuntae Farrow, shot by police, who claim he pointed a
camp.
toy pistol at them. Police had mistaken him for a suspect.
and fathers who were all too early
struck down amidst injustice.
Not to mention the thousands of
Black men who have died at the
hands of other Black men – a
dubious “friendly fire” if you will.
Unlike other wars, there is no
flag-draped casket or playing of
“Taps”. Yet, the grieving hearts
of loved ones are no less painful; the tears are no less real. And
moreover the fortitude he displayed in having fought against
the odds is no less worthy of
honor.
The Black man – an American
hero, we all know one as he refuses to cower. His swagger is
emboldened as he defies statistics that constantly predict his
demise. He daily swims upstream
in the murky, unpredictable waters,
daring to believe in himself and in
the power of his God. Despite the
memories of his fallen brothers, he
presses on for respect. And on
Father’s Day, we salute him for his
raw courage.
7
8
Editorial
Bottoming out?
New York
Beacon
By. Julianne Malveaux
Walter Smith: Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Miatta Haj Smith: Co-Publisher & Executive Editor
William Egyir: Managing Editor
Fixing a sick health care system
By. George E Curry
The debate over universal
health care heats up this week
amid false charges that President Obama wants to institute
“socialized medicine” and health
reform hurts those already covered by private insurers. One of
the most important facts to keep
in mind is that although the
United States spends twice as
much as other industrialized nations on healthcare ($7,129 per
capita), it is at or near the bottom when it comes to such indicators as infant mortality and
life expectancy.
If providing free, universal
health care to all citizens is such
a bad idea, why has it been
adopted in England, Canada,
Brazil, Israel, Germany, Australia and Scotland? In fact, the
United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that
does not provide universal
health care for its citizens. Consequently, at least 43 million
Americans are without health
insurance and that figure is certain to grow with rising unemployment.
“The reason we spend more
and get less than the rest of the
world is because we have a
patchwork system of for-profit
payers,” Physicians for a National Health Program noted on
its Web site. “Private insurers
necessarily waste health dollars
on things that have nothing do
with care: overhead, underwriting, billing, sale and marketing
departments as well as huge
profits and exorbitant executive
pay. Doctors and hospitals must
maintain costly administrative
staffs to deal with the bureaucracy. Combined, this needless
administration consumes onethird (31 percent) of Americans’
health dollars.”
By switching to a singlepayer
system that covers all medical
necessities, it is estimated that
savings will amount to more than
$350 billion per year.
Obama has made health reform
one of his top priorities. Not unexpectedly, some leading Republicans are accusing him of favoring socialized medicine and urging the government to not
meddle in affairs that should be
handled by the private sector.
A group calling itself Conservatives for Patients’ Rights has
already begun running spots on
CNN designed to scare the public.
Narrator: There are hundreds of
choices in health care plans today. But imagine this is the massive, government-run insurance
plan some in Congress want.
This government-run plan could
crush all of your other choices,
driving them out of existence,
resulting in 119 million off their
current insurance coverage, leaving no choices in health insurance and government in control
of your health care.
CPR Chairman Rick Scott: It’s
not too late. Protect your health
care choice. Tell Congress to say
no to a government-run plan.
Factcheck.org notes, “That’s
not the type of public plan President Obama has proposed. Nor
is such a plan gaining acceptance on Capitol Hill.”
A House summary of the United
States National Health Care Act
(H.R. 676) introduced by Rep.
John Conyers and making its
way through Congress states,
“The bill would create a publicly
financed, privately delivered
healthcare system that uses the
already existing Medicare program by expanding and improving it to all U.S. residents and
all residents living in U.S. territories.
“The goal of this legislation is
to ensure that all Americans will
have access, guaranteed by law,
to the highest quality and most
cost effective healthcare services regardless of their employment, income, or healthcare
status. With over 45-75 million
uninsured Americans, and another 50 million under-insured,
the time has come to change our
inefficient and costly fragmented non-healthcare system.”
The summary continues, “The
program will cover all medically
necessary services, including
primary care, inpatient care,
outpatient care, emergency care,
prescription drugs, durable
medical equipment, long term
care, mental health services,
dentistry, eye care, chiropratic,
and substance abuse treatment.
Patients have their choice of
physicians, providers, hospitals, clinics, and practices. No
co-pays or deductibles are permissible under this act.”
A recent poll by the New York
Times and CBS News found that
57 percent of Americans would
be willing to pay higher taxes if
it meant universal coverage for
all Americans. Thirty-eight percent opposed the idea.
It has been a scant nine months
since former Treasury Secretary
Henry Polson took three handwritten pages to Congress demanding a $700 billion bailout for
the financial sector.
A scant five months since President Obama has taken office and
put a $787 billion stimulus package out there. While some money
has been disbursed, mayors are
still asking for direct appropriations to beleaguered cities, and
at least 36 states are talking of
education cuts for the next academic year.
Yet there are also those who
say the recession is bottoming
out, and the Chamber of Commerce is organizing to oppose
government intervention in the
economy with an “Enough is
Enough” campaign. Because
stock indicators look decent (so
far), up more than a third since
mid-March, there are those who
think it is time to celebrate, or at
least pause, on recovery efforts.
This is not the time to hold a
party. Even as stocks gain momentum, not a day goes by without an announcement of another
bankruptcy.
Furthermore, while Wall Street is
finding its lot improved, there are
still hard times on Main Street, especially among those homeowners
who are struggling with underwater mortgages (mortgage worth
more than the house).
That’s not even mentioning the
labor market, where unemployment rates will get to ten percent
(if not more) before they begin
to head downward and where unemployment rates in the AfricanAmerican community exceed depression-level rates of 25 percent. The job creation aspects of
recovery have yet to be realized,
yet this is the most essential part
of recovery. It does us no good
to look at stocks that are doing
well if we cannot look at people
that are doing well. This recovery has to trickle down!
It may also be time to talk
frankly about targeting some as-
pects of recovery on communities
most in need. The African-American community, in particular, has
been extremely hard hit, but please
don’t say “African American” in a
crowded room – you’ll be accused
of racism, or worse. Numbers don’t
lie and neither does drive by public policy analysis. Drive through
an inner city neighborhood and
then tell me that you see the same
thing that you see in gentrified areas or in suburbs!
What about targeting young
people? The unemployment rates
among youth are staggering, with
new college graduates entering
the worse job market that we have
seen in at least 20 years. While everyone else is the world is lined
up for a subsidy, we have yet to
offer our students as good a deal
as we are offering new car purchasers. Students pay interest
rates no lower than 5 percent, and
often as high as 12 percent.
New car purchasers get away
with zero. It would be great to see
an economic stimulus for young
people.
This recession has caused
enough angst for people to eagerly
anticipate its end, but it is way too
soon to talk about bottoming out,
and it seems especially insensitive
to those who continue to suffer for
a few to talk about how much better they are doing. The members of
the bottom out team ought to be
talking about targeting those who
are suffering disproportionately –
big cities, African-Americans, and
young people. The macroeconomic
indicators and undercut by the
microeconomic angst that too many
Americans are experiencing.
If the current economy is bottoming out, what about economic
restructuring? The fact is that economic fundamentals were weak,
and that weakness led us to recession. Until we are able to restructure aspects of our economy, we
will continue to have some economic weakness.
President Obama and his team
have talked about new financial
regulations. This is something
Healthcare reform important to Blacks
By. Brian D. Smedley
NNPA Guest Commentary
Health inequities are deep, persistent, and not new. From the
cradle to the grave, racial and
ethnic minorities suffer from
shorter life spans, higher rates
of disease and disability, and
higher mortality relative to national averages.
These problems have plagued
generations of African-Americans and other people of color
in the United States. Yet these
issues have historically received
scant attention in Washington
— until now.
Both Congress and the Obama
Administration are ramping up
efforts to improve health and
health care for racial and ethnic
minorities and others who face
barriers to good health.
On Tuesday, June 9, the Congressional Tri-Caucus (composed of the Congressional
Black, Hispanic, and Asian and
Pacific Islander Caucuses) introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2009, a
sweeping bill that would address
an array of issues ranging from
the poor distribution of primary
care services in communities of
color to the lack of diversity
among health professionals. And
on the same day, the White
House, led by U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius,
convened an historic meeting of
health equity activists, scholars,
and health care providers to discuss strategies to reduce health
inequities and improve the
health of all racial and ethnic
groups.
Why the focus on health inequality? One, the new political
landscape—driven by a president who clearly understands
how and why racial inequality
has been a difficult conversation in the United States—favors tackling these challenges
in the context of major health
care reform legislation being considered by Congress.
Second, persistent leadership
from some members of Congress,
such as CBC Health Braintrust
Chair Congresswoman Donna
Christensen, is beginning to pay
off as more members of Congress
recognize the importance of eliminating health inequality.
Christensen, a physician representing the Virgin Islands, seeks
to ensure that any health legislation emerging from Congress addresses the needs of communities of color.
Third, it is becoming clear that
any serious effort to expand
health insurance coverage, im-
prove the quality of health care,
and contain health care costs—
Congress’ stated goals for health
reform—must address health inequities.
This is because these problems
are often exacerbated among racial
and ethnic minorities: people of
color not only are disproportionately uninsured and underinsured
(despite the presence of full-time
workers in the vast majority of their
families), they are also more likely
than whites to suffer from poor
quality care and face high health
care expenses.
People of color are therefore the
Opinion
9
By. Harry C. Alford
Beyond the Rhetoric
The following is an open letter to the Secretary of U.S Department of Transportation
and the Secretary of the US Department of Labor:
On behalf of the National
Black Chamber of Commerce,
Inc. (100,000+ Black owned
businesses) and with the encouragement of Johnny Ford,
General Secretary of the World
Conference of Mayors (700+
Black mayors) and Calvin
Smyre, President of the National Black Caucus of State
Legislators (624 Black state
legislators), I write this letter
to protest the festering and
damaging state of affairs at the
Federal Highway Administration in regards to Executive
Order 11246 and Title VI and
Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964.
These very precious laws are
not being adequately monitored nor enforced by your departments and many thousands of Black firms and millions of Black citizens are being denied equal opportunity.
Enclosed is a copy of the official cancellation of Executive
Order 11246 by the Federal Highway Administration dated February 1, 1999. The U.S. Department
of Labor has not filled that void.
Since that date and at a progressive rate prime contractors
of highway funds (state departments of transportation) such as
Caltrans, Illinois DOT, Missouri
DOT, Oklahoma DOT, and practically all other state entities
have hired less and less Black
employees to the point of almost
nonexistence.
Likewise, contractors participating in the procurement of
federal monies being let by the
state entities have also decreased hiring of Blacks and
have ignored Executive Order
11246 without any recourse from
either the Federal Highway Administration or the US Department of Labor.
States with 8 percent, 12 percent, 15 percent, etc. Black populations have state transportation
departments with less than 5
percent Black employment. In
many cases, the number is 3 percent or less.
This is not America! You can
take a drive on Interstate 80
starting in San Francisco and
drive all the way to New Jersey
and there is a good chance you
will not see one Black working on a freeway construction
project.
This significant lack of jobs
attributes to the higher than
average unemployment rate of
Blacks. It hurts Black households and encourages hopelessness, crime, poor health
and all other indicators of lost
value of life. What we have is
wholesale discrimination under the official management of
the Federal Government.
Since the change from 49
CFR Part 23 to 49 CFR Part 26
(during the Clinton Administration), state departments of
transportation have been allowed to “dumb down” their
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goals from the
standard 10 percent to whatever they want which is usually in the 5 percent area.
As a result of the laissez
faire approach, Black construction companies, architectural and engineering firms, do
about 1 percent of the business involving USDOT funds
(Federal Highway Administration). One percent of the contracting done by 13 percent of
the population is indeed a severe disparate impact and also
promotes even more unemployment as Black firms are most
likely to hire Black employees.
In essence, there is no compliance with Executive Order
11246, Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 and Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964. We
demand that this sad state of
affairs be corrected immediately.
It has been a long fight but in
light of the Stimulus Bill money
that is coming down through the
above racist channels we must
see change and see it now.
To monitor any improvements
that might be made in the near
future please provide this office with the following:
1. By state, the percentage of
the total dollar amount of contracts let to Black firms (prime
and subcontracts) by individual state departments of
transportation for fiscal year
ending September 30, 2008.
2. By state, the amount of
Blacks working at each state
department of transportation
(general staff, management and
executive) per the latest Executive Order 11246 audit.
3. By state, the latest Executive Order 11246 audit performed
for each of the top 10 contractors (annual sales) working on
state highway projects.
We know that we are opening
up a “can of worms” but it is the
Truth that will set us free. Also,
if the Stimulus money is to include the Black population of
the nation which is, indeed, the
intention of the 111th Congress
and our President, then we must
address this major hurdle – Jim
Crow use of federal monies.
It has been 47 years since the
issuance of Executive Order
11246 and 45 years since the Civil
Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson after 400
years of slavery and 100 years
of apartheid costing millions of
lives and terrible suffering.
Enclosed you will find an example of a typical state, California, and its dismal record. Also
enclosed is the justification for
Executive Order 11246. The time
to act is now and I trust that you
will meet this obligation. Thanks
for your immediate attention and
proactive follow up. Forty million plus Americans will appreciate it.
Harry Alford is the co-founder,
president/CEO of the National
Black Chamber of Commerce,
I n c . We b s i t e : w w w. n a t i o n a l
bcc.org. Email: halford@ nat
ionalbcc.org.
Are racist ‘lone wolves’ really alone?
By. Ron Walters
On Wednesday evening June
10, I was supposed to have attended the preview of a play by
Janet Cohen, an African- American writer and wife of Jewish
former Secretary of the Army,
Steve Cohen at the Holocaust
Museum.
But that day it was attacked by
James von Brunn, long time
avowed White racist. At the entrance to the Museum von Brunn
shot and killed Stephen Johns, a
beloved African-American security guard who had worked there
for six years.
This was a supreme irony because Janet’s play, Anne and
Emmett was about introducing
more Americans to the lives of
Anne Frank and Emmett Till, two
(Jewish and African-American)
icons of the human rights movement whose lives have been used
to repudiate racist violence.
Needless to say, the preview
was cancelled and I awoke the
next day to find the American
media cutting the foundation of
American racism out of the story
by emphasizing that von Brunn
was a “lone wolf.”
But was he really? We make two
points. So-called “lone wolves”
are part of a larger official community which gives them substantial legitimacy and two, when
that legitimacy falters they are
most likely to show their violent
fangs.
With the upsurge of the conservative movement, racist vio-
lence and hate speech became
staples used to mobilize people, not
necessarily into racist groups, but
also into campaigns and voters for
elected officials.
When Ronald Reagan ran for
President in 1980, not only did he
open his campaign in Philadelphia,
Miss., where civil rights martyrs
Schwerner Goodman and Chaney
were killed by the Klan, but Klan
members took off their sheets and
staged “Vote for Ronald Reagan”
rallies at events on the campaign
trail.
And even though Reagan mildly
repudiated their support, the new
road to the legitimacy of the radical
right had been forged.
In the 1990s, as one publication
put it, “a feeling of rage is building
across the country,” an expression
of which became the militias that
were forming in many states, ostensibly to protect citizens from all
sorts of government conspiracies.
Many of these had ties to racist,
neo-Nazi and Ayran supremacy
movements and most militia members were also card carrying members of the National Rifle Association, which gave them political protection. So serious was this movement regarded that in return for
grass roots assistance, some members of Congress included them in
campaign operations and gave
them access to government resources.
In March of 1995, the paranoid rumor of a federal plan to raid them
prompted inquiries to Attorney General Janet Reno’s office from mostly
Republican members of Congress,
such as: Robert Dornan (CA), Mac
Collins (GA), James Hansen (UT),
Larry Craig, (ID), Lauch Faircloth
(NC), and Steve Stockman (TX).
Next month on April 19, when
“lone wolf” Timothy McVeigh
bombed an Oklahoma City federal building, because he had ties
to the Michigan Militia, members
of Congress with ties to such
groups, such as Rep. Helen
Chenoweth (ID) who had associations with the Commander of
the United Militia Assn. and others were pressured to explain the
nature of these ties.
Bill Clinton tried to de-legitimize
the hate-filled atmosphere with
speeches addressing directly the
need for stronger hate crimes legislation. Official statistics indicate that most such crimes are oriented toward race and most of
these involve African Americans.
But although the Clinton ad-
ministration wanted to expand it
to include crimes against gays and
provision related to the burning
of churches, in his last days in office, he publicly regretted the fact
that Republicans had prevented
the passage of any hate crimes
legislation.
Indeed, Republicans made such
moves extremely difficult. When in
1999, Democrat, Rep. Robert Wexler
(CA) attempted to pass a resolution condemning the Council of
Conservative Citizens, a new version of the supremacist group,
White Citizens Council, Republicans blocked it. Politicians who had
associations with the Council included Senators Trent Lott, Jesse
Helms, Bob Barr, Mississippi Gov.
Kirk Fordice and others.
This led Wexler to ask why the
Congress could pass a resolution
denouncing Black hate speech by
Khalid Muhammad, then of the
Nation of Islam by 97-0, but did
nothing in this case.
That same year, Congress also refused to denounce the speech of
Republican Sen. Ernest Hollings
who called Black people “darkies”
and Hispanics “wetbacks” and said
that African heads of state came to
International conferences to “get a
square meal instead of eating each
other.”
With the latest change of administrations it may appear that legitimacy for racism has weakened, and
so the “lone wolves” may come out
once more.
Dr. Ron Walters is the Distinguished Leadership Scholar, Director of the African American Leadership Center and Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland College Park.
Among his books is: White Nationalism, Black Interests (Wayne State
University Press)
Egocentrism hindering progress
in New York State senate
By. Rev. Al Sharpton
Last year, the people witnessed the benefits of their involvement in politics as they
went to the polls in historic
numbers, stood in line for hours
in many cases and voiced their
desire for change.
President Barack Obama has
urged for a shift in self–aggran-
dizing politics and an elevation
beyond racial barriers that impede the advancement of our
nation. And most recently, we
observed both Black and Brown
standing in unison as they supported the President’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor
as the first Latina on the U.S. Supreme Court.
But on June 8, the New York
State Senate diminished any notion of progress in our political
process as Republicans - and a few
Democrats - staged an all- out
coup in an attempt to oust the first
African-American Majority
Leader and regain control.
In a move that can be described
as egocentric at best, two Demo-
Let’s fight for the stimulus money
10
African Scene
Sarkozy jeered at Bongo’s funeral
Ken Saro-Wiwa
Shell to pay for activists’
deaths, but denies complicity
“(GIN) – A landmark civil rights
case that charged oil company
Royal Dutch Shell with collusion
in the capture, conviction and execution of Nigerian activist Ken
Saro-Wiwa for his defense of impoverished villagers in the Niger
Delta was settled this week with a
$15.5 million payout to his family
and to other relatives of those
killed in a multiple government
execution.
While agreeing to the settlement,
Royal Dutch Shell insisted it
played no part in the death of charismatic leader Saro-Wiwa, and
was providing the money as a
“humanitarian gesture.”
A spokesman for the Movement
for the Survival of the Ogoni
People, founded by Saro-Wiwa,
Bariara Kpalap, cautioned that
money would not heal the wounds
created by years of toxic oil fumes
and leaks. “Shell has inflicted
much sufferings on the Ogoni
people through its operations. As
farmers and fishermen we have
been deprived of our means of
livelihood through the pollution
of our lands,’’ Kpalap said.
“We are still aggrieved with
Shell,” said Veronica Kobani,
Mourners at Bongo's funeral
Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the
Republic of Congo and Teodoro
Obiang Nguema of Equatorial
Guinea, were due to attend
Tuesday’s funeral in Libreville.
Gabonese reporter Linel Kwatsi,
in the capital, told the BBC there
had been anger among Mr
Bongo’s supporters in Gabon at
the time over the Paris corruption
inquiry and French media coverage.
The presidents of Benin, Burkina
Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the
Central African Republic, Chad,
Democratic Republic of Congo,
Mali, Senegal, Sao Tome and Togo
were also on the guest list.
Foreign dignitaries passed in
front of Mr Bongo’s coffin at the
presidential palace, where it was
taken last Thursday to lie in state.
Thousands of Gabonese lined up
at the palace over last few days to
pay their respects.
The late president’s 50-year-old
son Ali-Ben Bongo, who is
Gabon’s defense minister and a fa-
whose husband was killed in the
unrest.
Shell’s $5 million trust fund for
the Ogoni people was described
as grossly inadequate by critics,
considering the level of toxic pollution and environmental destruction left by the oil giant.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs expressed satisfaction with the
settlement. “It was certainty and
an end. It’s been a very long and
very difficult path for the plaintiffs themselves,” remarked
Judith Brown Chomsky, one of
the lead attorneys cooperating
with the NY-based Center for
Constitutional Rights on the
case.
In an interview with Democracy
Now’s Amy Goodman, Chomsky
said lawyers would now turn their
attention to the apartheid cases,
cases against companies that supported the apartheid regime in
South Africa. “And that will be
here in New York. We have individual cases against individual
people who were involved in huPrincess Caroline of Monaco’s Island with a metal object in Januman rights abuses…there’s a lot
husband
has launched an appeal ary 2000 after becoming angry at
of work for human rights lawyers,
so there’s no shortage of things against his conviction for as- noise from a disco.
Kenyan authorities did not arsaulting a hotel-owner in Kenya
to do.
rest him, but the case was purin a drunken rage.
Prince Ernst August of Hanover sued in Germany.
was found guilty in 2004 of caus- The 55-year-old - a distant relaing serious bodily harm and tive of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth
II and great-grandson of the last
fined.
The court ruled he had repeat- German emperor, Wilhelm II, was
edly hit Josef Brunlehner on Lamu fined $620,000 when convicted
have to communicate through web
site postings.”
Elaborate ceremonies had been
planned to celebrate the first direct flight to Kenya from the U.S.
Writing in Uganda’s New Vision
newspaper, columnist Jerry
Okungu said:
“The Delta fiasco is a blow not
only to Kenya but the rest of Africa. This flight would have made
travel between East Africa and
North America a mere 12-hour
flight as opposed to the current
20-hour journey with between four
and 10-hour layovers in Europe.”
The Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) has called
the current threat to civil aviation
in east Africa too significant to allow the new international service.
TSA did however approve an accompanying request to fly into Ernst August maintains he only slapped the hotel-owner
Abuja, Nigeria.
twice.
Homeland Security nixes
Delta Airlines Africa flights
(GIN) – New direct flights from
Atlanta, Georgia to Nairobi,
Kenya have been cancelled by
order of the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, taking local officials
by surprise.
Delta Airlines had planned to
launch flights from Atlanta to both
Nairobi and Monrovia, Liberia but
was forced to postpone the inaugural flights after Homeland Security denied approval, citing security concerns in Kenya and infrastructure problems at
Monrovia’s airport.
Kenyan officials reacted angrily
to the news posted online even
before the government was informed.
Foreign minister Moses
Wetang’ula at a press conference
said: “Things can be done in a
much better manner. Great friends
like Kenya and America do not
French President Nicolas
Sarkozy was jeered as he joined
heads of state in the capital of
Gabon, Libreville, for the funeral
of President Omar Bongo.
A crowd booed the French leader
as he visited the presidential palace to lay a wreath at the late
leader’s coffin.
Under Mr Bongo, oil-rich Gabon
kept close ties to France, but he
became the subject of a corruption inquiry in May.
Mr Bongo, who ruled Gabon for
more than four decades, died last
week after a long illness in a Spanish clinic.
Africa’s longest-serving leader,
will be buried in Franceville, his
hometown in the south-east on
Thursday.
As Mr Sarkozy emerged from a
stretch limousine outside the
presidential palace in the oceanside capital, cheers turned to jeers.
Joining him, the French
president’s predecessor, Jacques
Chirac, was also booed, according to AP news agency.
Dozens of onlookers yelled: “We
don’t want you - leave” and “No
to France”.
But the two men were reportedly
applauded inside the palace as
they laid wreaths at the foot of Mr
Bongo’s coffin, which was draped
in Gabon’s national flag.
The former colonial power has
close economic and political links
to Gabon, with around 1,000
troops stationed in Libreville,
where French energy firm Total is
an investor.
In his last months, Mr Bongo’s
relations with Paris were soured
by a French investigation into allegations of embezzlement.
Two other African leaders who
are the focus of the same inquiry,
vorite to succeed his father, said in
a eulogy: “For more than 40 years
you were our light,” reported AP.
“We, your children, your family,
we take a solemn vow to keep the
flame alive.”
After the prayer service the coffin
was moved outside for a two-hour
military parade in the capital’s Independence Square.
Also present for the ceremony
is African Union Commission
President Jean Ping, a Gabonese
who some analysts have speculated could be a contender in the
forthcoming presidential election.
Rose Francine Rogombe took over
as interim head of state last week
and has 45 days to organize polls in
the West African nation.
It emerged last month Mr Bongo
was being treated in a Barcelona
clinic, amid unconfirmed reports he
had cancer.
The government said on Monday
of last week that the 73-year-old had
died of a heart attack.
Prince appeals over Kenya brawl
five years ago.
During the trial, hotel-owner Mr
Brunlehner, like the prince, a German national, testified that the
royal shouted abuse and struck him
several times with a metal ring,
causing multiple injuries that required emergency-room treatment.
The prince’s lawyer at the time
told the court his client regretted
the incident, but was not fully accountable because he had been
drinking and was a person “who
flares up under the influence of alcohol and loses control of his actions”.
Ernst August, who maintains he
only slapped Mr Brunlehner twice,
appeared at the district court in the
German city of Hildesheim on Monday to challenge the conviction.
The prince and his wife had been
in the Indian Ocean coastal resort
for the millennium celebrations,
and left Kenya immediately after
the incident.
It was not the first time Ernst August had courted controversy.
In 1998 he was fined after breaking the nose of a TV cameraman.
And in 2000, he was photographed urinating outside the Turkish pavilion at the World’s Fair in
Hanover.
Microsoft gets Judge Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award
On the 45th anniversary of the
historic Civil Rights Act of 1964,
the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil
Rights Under Law has honored
Microsoft Corporation for excellence in diversity at its 10th annual A. Leon Higginbotham
Award Dinner in New York June
3.
“Microsoft is receiving the
Higginbotham award for its
commitment to diversity and inclusion as part of the daily business function within every area
of the company,” says Barbara
Arnwine, executive director of
the Lawyers’ Committee. The
Lawyers’ Committee is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that strives to obtain equal
opportunity for racial and ethnic minorities.
Arnwine added, “They are also
being honored for their stellar
commitment to pro bono legal
work.”
One such pro bono project
recognized by the Lawyers’
Committee includes the “pay for
performance” approach, which
was launched by Microsoft to
enhance diversity in the legal
profession.
The Higginbotham award is
named in memory of Chief Judge
A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., a
civil rights advocate, author and
federal appeals court judge. The
award recognizes exemplary
corporate leadership with respect to advancing equal opportunity, particularly leadership in
recruiting, retaining and promoting minorities.
Past honorees include Earl
Graves Sr., founder and publisher of Black Enterprise magazine; The New York Times Company and its CEO Arthur
Aulzberger, Jr.; and Ronald A.
Williams, chairman and CEO of
Aetna Inc.
According to Arnwine,
Microsoft is distinguished from
past honorees because of their internationally renowned corporate
diversity mission and for inspiring law firms to demonstrate the
same commitment. They were also
the first and largest technology
company honored.
“This award is particularly important as Microsoft strives to be
the global leader in attracting diverse talent to careers in technology,” said Gwen Houston, director of global diversity and inclusion for Microsoft. “We hope to
provide an inclusive work environment where they can succeed.”
Microsoft’s aspiration to attract
a diverse and talented company
network among under-represented groups, youth and women
involves partnering with several
organizations including the National Urban League, the Women’s
Business Enterprise National
Council, the Minority Business
Development Agency, the National Society of Black Engineers
and the National Black MBA Association.
“We invest hundreds of millions
of dollars in dedicated outreach
to attract minorities and women to
high-tech careers,” said Houston.
She explained that this includes
grants, scholarships, event sponsorships and partnerships with
universities, such as Howard and
Xavier Universities, and organizations that serve minorities and
women, such as the United Negro
College Fund.
Besides attracting diverse talent
to careers in technology,
Microsoft focuses on distributing
investments into underserved
communities through the minority investment program, which
was launched in 2000.
The company conducted research with the Urban League that
revealed minority-owned busi-
Microsoft Corporate Vice President and Deputy General
Counsel Nancy Anderson (left) and Maria Melendez,
partner with Sidley Austin LLP and chair of the awards
dinner held by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights,
pose with the A. Leon Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award, presented to Microsoft for work fostering
diversity in the legal community. New York, June 4, 2009
nesses have a lack of resources
to adopt and implement information technologies for business functions. Therefore, the
diversity investment program
focuses on increasing funding
options for businesses historically limited by lack of capital.
According to Microsoft’s
website, the corporation has $50
million of unsecured deposits in
minority-owned banks and direct
more than $1 billion of investment business volume to minority-owned brokers and asset
managers.
“This award just confirms that
[anyone] can benefit from Judge
Higginbotham’s vision of a more
fair and just legal system,” said
Professor Charles J. Olgetree, Jr.,
of Harvard Law School. “I think
he would be smiling down with
great joy to see that a corporate
giant is seeing the importance of
delivering racial equality.”
Higginbotham dedicated his
life’s work to racial and social justice, all while breaking racial barriers on a national and international
scale. His work in the legal profession centered on voting rights,
civil rights and employee discrimination.
He was the first African-American appointed in 1962 to serve on
the federal trade commission. In
1964 at the age of 36,
Higginbotham was appointed to
the United States District Judge
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, making him the youngest person ever appointed to the
federal bench. He was appointed
to the U.S. Court of Appeals in
1979, where he remained until his
retirement in 1993.
His commitment for equal opportunity led him to advocate for
democratic elections in South Africa post- apartheid.
Higginbotham was awarded with
the Presidential Medal of Freedom
in 1995 by former President
Clinton, and received more than
sixty honoree degrees by the time
of his death at the age of 70 in
December 1998. Higginbotham
was renowned for his 1991 “Open
Letter to Clarence Thomas,” in
which he criticized Thomas and his
role in reversing “racial
progress…”
Higginbotham was known as a
mentor for many up-and-coming
lawyers, including Olgetree, who
has worked with Higginbotham’s
wife to continue his legacy.
Ogletree says, “The fact that a
major corporate entity has time to
pause and recognize Judge
Higginbotham is not only a tribute to him but more so a tribute to
the lasting impact of his legacy
more than a decade after his
death.”
Haitian singer receivesWorld Hunger Year Chapin Award
Eighty-two year-old JamaicanAmerican recording star, actor
and humanitarian, Harry
Belafonte, believes he could not
pass on the torch in the struggle
for peace and human dignity to
a better person than Haitian musical adventurer Wyclef Jean —
the 2009 ASCAP-Harry Chapin
Humanitarian Award recipient.
Presenting the award to Wyclef
Jean this week at the 2009 WHY
(World Hunger Year) — Chapin
Awards at the Lighthouse at
Chelsea Piers in New York City,
Belafonte — himself a previous
ASCAP Humanitarian Award
winner whose contributions to
the civil rights, anti-war and antiapartheid movements are as legendary as his music — saluted
the 36 year-old Haitian and fellow Caribbean musician for leveraging the celebrity and activism of himself and his friends for
the humanitarian work he does.
“Wyclef’s greatest contribution can’t easily be measured because Wyclef himself has said
the greatest accomplishment is
giving hope to young kids,”
noted Belafonte as he educated
the audience about the fouryear-old Yéle Haiti nonprofit
foundation Wyclef established
to bring back hope to his native
country. “Yéle Haiti allows kids
to dream - they have not dreamt
often, and most of the time their
dreams have been nightmares.
That’s what got me here - dreaming,” he concluded.
Yéle Haiti helps the poor and underprivileged in Haiti through food
distribution, aid for hurricane victims and job creation efforts.
Changing the lives of hundreds of
thousands of poverty-stricken
Haitians through its sustainable
development programs, Yéle Haiti
partners with established community-based groups where they exist, and if they don’t exist it helps
start them. Either way, the focus is
to feed the hungry, to fight HIV and
AIDS while providing soul sustaining nourishment through the arts
and sports programs.
Trinidadian Simon Khan, chief
executive officer of Antilia, a New
York-based Caribbean special
events company and entertainment brand that helped promote
and produce the Awards, said he
was delighted to see Harry
Belafonte from Jamaica, Wyclef
Jean from Haiti and Slinger “The
Mighty Sparrow” Francisco from
Trinidad and Tobago/ Grenada
tithe their time last week to put
the spotlight on world hunger
and the challenges facing the
Caribbean nation of Haiti. “This
once again goes to show the
Wyclef Jean with WHY award (Photo by Stuart Ramson)
power of the Caribbean-American
Diaspora and what can be done
on an international stage when we
leverage our talents for good,” he
said.
The Haitian-born Jean, who was
heralded throughout the evening
for his unselfish, energetic activism in the service of causes that
matter, said he was honored to receive the award as he reminisced
about his own battle with poverty
and struggle to make ends meet
while growing up in Haiti.
He encouraged humanitarian
groups to focus on sustainability
when helping the poor: “When you
are going to feed a child, remember
it’s about sustainability — the reality is that you have to give them
the (fishing) rod and the boat and
they won’t come back to you no
more.”
Also honored at the event were
Growing Power (Milwaukee, WI),
a national non-profit organization
and land trust, WFAN Sports Radio 66, the flagship station for the
New York Mets, New York Giants,
New Jersey Devils and New Jersey
Nets, as well as several 2008 Harry
Chapin Self-Reliance Award winners, representing grassroots organizations in the United States
that have moved beyond charity
to create change in their communities. (AJB)
By Brittany Hutson
NNPA Special Correspondent
11
12
Opinion:
Make change to make money
By. Farrah Gray
The field of self-employment
and entrepreneurship is a viable career option if you have
become an economic downturn
casualty to keep their chin up.
The basic difference between
self-employment and entrepreneurship is that, self-employment is usually a one person
venture operating from home,
like consultants, programmers,
graphic designers, freelance
content writers, web designers
and copywriters.
Enterprising men and women
have done quite well for themselves, working right from their
home. Though self-employment might sound appealing it
requires tremendous discipline,
confidence, and effective time
management.
First and foremost you will have
to inquire about any required business permits. Then buy or lease
and set up the equipment you need
for the venture. Most importantly
since you are working from home
you have to establish a very good
networking system to get in touch
with people who may offer you assignments.
Can anybody start a small business?
Yes, provided you know what
you are getting into and provided
you feel comfortable with your
state of knowledge about the business you have chosen.
A logical first step for the unde-
cided is to list potential areas of
personal background, special
training, educational and job experience, and special interests
that could be developed into a
business.
You should also have a strong
drive to succeed even when the
hours get long and the decisions
difficult. All types of people
make it in small businesses and
all types sometimes fail. It is a
choice that should be made only
after serious study, self- examination, and counseling. Detailed
preparation and a long term planning is your key to success.
Self-employment Basics:
The perfect idea
Often the simplest of ideas
which when realistically devel-
Bridget’s battle
By. Marian Wright Edelman
Child Watch
Desni and Bob Crock want
their 2-year-old daughter
Bridget to have everything she
needs to fight the rare cancer
that’s attacking her lung, but
they find themselves fighting a
second battle at the same time
— a battle to survive financially
because of soaring health care
costs.
The Marietta, Ohio, couple
knew Bridget was very sick
when they took her to the doctor one morning in March 2007.
Her temperature was high and
her breathing had become labored. Still, colds and infections
were common for Bridget, and
the Crocks expected to be back
home in an hour or two armed
with an antibiotic and a doctor’s
assurance she would be fine in
a few days.
But a quick x-ray showed
trouble, and the local hospital
recommended she be transferred immediately to a children’s center in
West Virginia. There, the Crocks’
concern turned to panic when a cyst
was discovered in Bridget’s lung.
Bridget was eventually diagnosed
with pleuropulmonary blastoma, a
form of cancer so rare it affects only
10 to 20 children in all of North
America each year.
The Crocks were devastated, but
they found solace in two pieces of
good news. First, the cancer hadn’t
had time to spread to other parts of
her body.
Second, by what seemed to be a
miraculous coincidence, one of the
few oncologists in the country to
have successfully treated other children with this type of cancer was
on staff at that children’s center.
Bridget’s parents took great comfort
in knowing that she was in the hands
of one of the most experienced physicians available.
But that care is coming at a high
price ¯ in just the first two months
of treatment, bills exceeded $35,000.
Bob has insurance through his
employer, but it is only covering
60 percent of Bridget’s expenses.
That’s because the children’s
center is not in the insurance
company’s “network,’’ the group
of hospitals with which it has negotiated to provide services at a
set price. The Crocks could have
chosen an “in-network’’ hospital
in Columbus or Cleveland, but
those facilities are much further
away—two and a half to three and
a half hours by car. Even more importantly to the Crocks, they
don’t have physicians who have
the same level of expertise with
Bridget’s rare cancer. The Crocks
feel they don’t have any choice
but to have Bridget continue treatment with her current doctor.
But to the insurance carrier, the
Crocks do have a choice. The circumstance doesn’t meet the
company’s definition of a “forced
care provider,’’ which applies only
oped can be converted into profits. From gourmet popcorn and
designer T-shirts to a bar-b-que
sauce recipe to software programming, it all depends on the
ingeniousness of the entrepreneur. Consider service- oriented
ventures ranging from providing
house-help, gardening services,
and pet care are fields that have
not yet been fully explored.
Finances
You will need to maintain two
different capitals. One to pay for
the things you need just to get
your new business started the
other to pay your operating
costs until your business breaks
even. Make an estimate of all the
things you will need to just get
started.
Writing the business plan
The business plan is nothing
but organizing your dream
scheme into a blueprint for easy
execution.
The finished written plan is an
operational tool which, when
properly used, will help you manage your business and work toward its success.
Firm eye on competition
No business, big or small operates in a vacuum. Get to know
and respect the competition.
Target your marketing plans.
Identify direct competitors (both
in terms of geography and product lines), and those who are
similar or marginally comparative.
Market analysis
For a small business to be successful the owner must know the
market. Analyzing the market is
a way to gather facts about potential customers and to determine the demand for your product or service. The more information you gather the greater
your chances of capturing a segment of the market.
Execution
After writing the business plan
then follows the stage of execu-
tion. Detailed planning can sometimes be severely upset by practical problems, which can plague
the project. A day to day schedule, listing the tasks to be completed and pending jobs, which
need follow-ups, will help in completing the process for accounts
payables and receivables.
Time management
During the first year of operation, continue to chart post and
check off tasks on a daily, weekly
and monthly basis. It is important
to keep both a planning and an operating log. These tools will help
avoid oversights and provide vital information when memory fails.
Promotion and Advertising
With the marketing strategy and
clear objectives outlined, use advertising to get the message out
to customers. Try to reach the largest number of people with the
money allocated to advertising
and promotion via the Internet or
several different methods of advertising. Remember to be creative
and implement ideas.
A razor sharp mind, a visionary
outlook, and a knack to weather
stormy situations go a long way
in making any business venture a
resounding success.
Self-employment is a career alternative for people who are mentally and physically strong, who
can effectively implement the
same skills and talents on their last
job to become budding pink slip
millionaires.
Farrah Gray is the author of The
Truth Shall Make You Rich: The
New Road Map to Radical Prosperity, Get Real, Get Rich: Conquer the 7 Lies Blocking You from
Success and the international
best-seller Reallionaire: Nine
Steps to Becoming Rich from the
Inside Out. He is chairman of the
Farrah Gray Foundation. Dr.
Gray can be reached via email at
fg@drfarrahgray.com or his web
site at http://www.drfarrah
gray.com.
Celebrating an unlikely victory
By. Nicole Lee
My time spent doing legal
work in the international human
rights community has, without
a doubt, been filled with challenges. I am keenly aware of
the domestic and international
obstacles to ensuring justice
and accountability through legal policies.
I have seen first-hand the
power and influence of multinational corporations on these
efforts and their related political limitations.
On June 8, a settlement was
reached in human rights cases
against Royal Dutch/Shell operations in Nigeria. The settlement requires Shell to pay $15.5
million to the families of non-
violent Nigerian activists who
were executed in 1995, including
Ogoni leader Ken Saro-Wiwa, and
represents a huge accomplishment
for human rights activists in the
Niger Delta and throughout the
world. Saro-Wiwa came to embody
the greater fight for democracy in
Nigeria through his actions as a
writer and environmental activist.
African-Americans have been involved with struggles for justice
in Nigeria for a long time. In the
mid-nineties, TransAfrica Forum,
along with environmental, human
rights, labor and congressional
leaders, led the push to demand
justice for the death of Saro-Wiwa.
Mr. Saro-Wiwa’s conviction was
only the tip of the iceberg of antidemocratic actions by Nigeria’s
military dictatorship. At the same
time, information about collaboration between the military and
multi-national corporations including Shell was slowly becoming more public.
Lawyers for the activists’ families, as well as family members
of Ken Saro-Wiwa, have been
hesitant to say if such a ruling
will usher in any larger change
with regards to Shell operations.
The case charged Shell parent
companies, Shell operations in
Nigeria and Brian Anderson, the
head of the Nigerian Shell company with complicity in extrajudicial killings, crimes against humanity, torture and other human
rights claims. Shell continues to
maintain their innocence and
claims their willingness to go to
court was based upon their need
to clear their name.
The Center for Constitutional
Rights praises the victory as an
illustration that multinational
corporations can no longer act
with impunity. Such a finding is
particularly exciting for solidarity organizations who have long
sought effective and practical
ways to enforce international
human rights.
The case demonstrates a first
win through the use of the Alien
Tort Claim Act and should be upheld as a victory of truly fair and
accountable international human
rights law. The Act, originally
passed in 1789, allows foreigners to file cases against individuals, and multi-national corporations, for crimes committed outside the U.S.
In light of this historic victory,
where do we go from here? The
Shell case re-affirms the need to
be continuously vigilant in making corporations accountable for
environmental and human rights
abuses.
As if by divine providence, the
June 8 settlement took place just
days after the United Nation’s
World Environment Day on June
5. World Environment Day 2009
and the Shell-Ogoni Settlement
remind us of the strong connection between human rights and environment rights—whether it’s in
the Niger Delta or the Mississippi
Delta.
Ken Saro-Wiwa was very much
aware of the human rights and en-
D.C. attorney and campaign contributor Howard Gutman
was among several donors that were awarded ambassadorships by President Obama.
(Credit: Courtesy Photo)
Big-time Obama donors
land ambassadorships
Obama also named Vinai
By. Sean Yoes
Special to the NNPA from the Thummalapally—a long-time
friend and a classmate of the
president’s when they were at
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Occidental College in Los AngeDuring his first 150 days in of- les—U.S. ambassador to Belize.
fice, President Barack Obama Thummalapally was a member of
has spent plenty of time over- Obama’s National Finance Comseas. But now, he’s dispatching mittee, the organization largely reseveral of the biggest financial sponsible for raising record-shatdonors from his presidential tering amounts during the camcampaign around the globe to paign, himself raised between
highly coveted, plum ambassa- $100,000 and $200,000 and persondorships in Africa, Europe, the ally donated $4,500.
Thummalapally attended OcciMideast, Latin America and the
dental with Obama from 1979 to
Pacific.
Last week, Obama nominated 1980 before the future president
high-powered D.C. attorney transferred to Columbia University.
President Obama named former
Howard Gutman to be the next
U.S. envoy to Belgium, accord- Virginia Lt. Gov. Donald Beyer aming to the White House. bassador to Switzerland and LuxGutman, named a “Washington, embourg. Beyer, who is now a car
D.C. Super Lawyer” in 2007, 2008 dealer and businessman in Northand 2009, raised more than ern Virginia, was one of Obama’s
$500,000 for Obama’s campaign earliest and most active advocates
and personally gave him the in the state, raising more than
$500,000 for him.
maximum of $4,600.
Beyer, who served two terms as
The president named another
D.C. lawyer, Mark Gitenstein to lieutenant governor beginning in
be ambassador to Romania. 1989, lost the 1997 governor’s race
Gitenstein, a partner with the law to Republican Jim Gilmore.
The White House also anfirm Mayer-Brown personally
contributed more than $19,000 nounced Pamela Slutz as ambasto numerous campaigns during sador to Burundi, Richard
the 2008 election cycle, includ- Schmierer as ambassador to Oman
ing Joe Biden, Mary Landrieu, and Gordon Gray as ambassador
John Conyers and Chris Dodd. to Tunisia.
Special to the NNPA from the per 100,000 residents;
Louisiana Weekly
7. Baton Rouge, La. - 30 murders per 100,000 residents;
NEW ORLEANS (NNPA) 8. Oakland, Calif. - 29 murders
Although New Orleans was per 100,000 residents;
identified as the deadliest city
9. Flint, Mich. - 28 murders per
in the U.S. by recently released 100,000 residents;
FBI statistics, the Crescent
10. Richmond, Calif. - 27 murCity didn’t even crack the Top ders per 100,000 residents.
10 in a recent Forbes magazine
The new numbers, released
article titled “America’s Most June 8, are unsettling news for
Dangerous Cities.’’
many New Orleans residents,
The local daily paper has re- who say they do not feel any
ported that New Orleans is safer despite the drop in the
again the nation’s murder capi- city’s murder rate.
tal, based on numbers released
“I don’t go out at night and I
by the Federal Bureau of Inves- don’t go out by myself,’’ Donna
tigation. New Orleans remained Johnson, a 67-year-old resident
the nation’s deadliest city de- who lives in Central City, one
spite a drop in homicides in of New Orleans’ most violent
2008, according to the article. and crime-riddled neighborWith 64 killings per 100,000 hoods, told The Associated
people in 2008, the city had the Press. “We had the police over
highest per capita murder rate there last year for a man shot in
in the nation, a rate that is con- his car. I tell everyone, don’t
siderably higher than second- walk around here after dark.’’
place St. Louis, which had 47
New Orleans’ population,
murders per 100,000 people, ac- which dropped sharply after
cording to calculations done Hurricane Katrina in 2005, has
by the newspaper.
grown since then, but the offiBaton Rouge, which experi- cial number is still being deenced a population boom bated.
thanks to Hurricane Katrina
The FBI report lists a populaevacuees who relocated to the tion of 281,440 as of July 1, 2008.
state capitol after the 2005 The Greater New Orleans Comstorm, was listed as seventh on munity Data Center put the
the list, with 30 murders per city’s population at 324,357 for
100,000 residents.
the first half of 2008, but even
Despite a nearly 15 percent using that figure, there were 55
drop in murders from 210 in 2007 murders per 100,000 residents,
to 179 in 2008, New Orleans re- still high enough to top the list
mains at the top of the list, FBI of the nation’s deadliest cities.
statistics show. New Orleans
As in most cities, drug activPolice Superintendent Warren ity fuels much of the violence,
Riley attributed to drop in mur- Rafael Goyeneche, executive diders during that period in part rector of the Metropolitan Crime
to an overall decline in violent Commission of Greater New Orcrime in New Orleans. FBI offi- leans, a nonprofit crime watchcials reported an overall drop dog group, told The Associated
in murders in America’s largest Press. That makes the poorer
cities while homicides rose in sections more violent than prossmaller U.S. towns.
perous areas.
The Top 10 deadly U.S. cities
In the affluent Garden District, which beefs up protection
are as follows:
1. New Orleans, La. - 64 mur- with a private patrol service,
three women from Seattle
ders per 100,000 residents;
2. St. Louis, Mo. - 47 murders strolled slowly down the street
Tuesday, admiring the mansions
per 100,000 residents;
3. Baltimore, Md. - 37 murders and grounds that gave the area
its name.
4. Birmingham, Ala. - 36 mur- “Somebody at work asked why
I was coming here,’’ said Pat
ders per 100,000 residents;
5. Jackson, Miss. - 36 murders Cecchini, 66. “They said they
heard the city was dangerous.
6. Detroit, Mich. - 34 murders But we aren’t worried. It’s no
more dangerous than any other
city.’’
The drop in murders last year
was not enough to reassure many
residents, and a recent string of
killings recently pushed the number of murders to 81, compared
to 82 last year at the same time.
“I don’t see where it’s down,’’
said resident Ruby Magee, 48,
told The Associated Press. “It’s
always on television, someone
shot here, someone shot there. It
goes on all the time.’’
John Penny, a criminologist at
Southern University of New Orleans, said steamy weather in the
city adds to other promoters of
violence, some universal, like
drugs and a lack of education
and opportunity, and some specific, like the lingering effects of
Hurricane Katrina.
“That plays a great part in
where we are now, still not in permanent places, not making
enough money, family and social
turmoil all continue,’’ Penny said.
“When you add the heat, the kids
out of school, all the things that
summer brings, it all contributes
to potential for violence.’’
Conversely, the April 23 article
in Forbes magazine listed Detroit,
Memphis, and Miami as the
country’s most dangerous cities.
“The three were the only large cities in America with more than 950
violent crimes committed per
100,000 people,’’ the article said.
The Forbes article utilized the
2008 FBI uniform crime report,
whose violent crime category is
comprised of four offenses: Murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery
and aggravated assault.
“Though nationwide crime was
down 3.5 percent year over year
in the first six months of 2008, the
cities atop our list illustrate a disturbing trend: All 10 of the most
dangerous cities were among
those identified by the Department of Justice as transit points
for Mexican drug cartels,’’ the
Forbes article reported.
According to the Forbes article,
America’s 15 most dangerous cities are as follows:
1. Detroit, Mich. - 1,220 violent
crimes per 100,000 residents;
2. Memphis, Tenn. -1,218 vio-
Study: Ex-mayor pro-tem may have been racially profiled
By. Gordon Jackson
son, managing partner of JackSpecial to the NNPA from the son Law Firm, who is defending
Dallas Weekly
Don Hill.
“[Ms. Hill] has pled ‘not
DALLAS (NNPA) Deputy guilty’ and is prepared for trial,”
Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill’s fed- said Victor Vital, a trial partner
eral indictment case, set for at Baker Botts L.L.P., who is detrial on June 22, is one that has fending Mrs. Hill.
been included in a study by
“We are so honored to have
t w o p r o f e s s o r s s u g g e s t i n g Ray and Victor representing us,”
that he possibly could have said Hill. “We could not have
been racially and politically found two better people to put
profiled.
our trust and fate with.”
He and his wife Sheila have
Hill, a former Deputy Mayor
maintained their innocence, Pro-Tem, had his City Hall office
according to a released state- and his home raided by FBI
ment.
agents in June 2005. He and
“Mr. Hill has entered a ‘not Sheila were formerly indicted in
guilty’ plea and looks forward October 2007 on charges of bribto defending himself against ery and extortion, involving althese charges,” said Ray Jack- leged dealings with the South-
west Housing Development affordable housing company.
The study, The Political Profiling of Elected Democratic
Officials: When Rhetorical Vision Participation Runs Amok,
was completed by Professors
Donald Shields and John
Cragan of the University of
Missouri at St. Louis and Illinois State University, respectively, in 2007 and cited that a
high disproportionate number
of Democratic elected officials
were subjected to federal investigations during much of
the George Bush administration.
“Data indicate that the offices
of the U.S. Attorneys across
the nation investigate seven (7)
times as many Democratic officials as they investigate Republican officials, a number that exceeds even the racial profiling
of African Americans in traffic
stops,” Shields and Cragan said
in their study.
The two authors of the study
found that, of the 375 cases they
identified between January 2001
and December 2006, 298, or 80
percent, involved Democrats, 67
involved Republicans and 10 Independents. The study further
stated of a 1 in 10,000 chance
that the overrepresentation of
Democrats were just chance.
“The current Bush Republican Administration appears to
be the first to have engaged in
political profiling. Our paper
calls for new federal laws that
would create a national registry
of federal investigations of
elected officials by party affiliation,” the study reported.
Shields and Cragan also alluded to the scandal that erupted
at the U.S. Attorney General’s office. Alberto Gonzales resigned
in August 2007 after several
members of Congress called for
him to quit, following an investigation charging that seven U.S.
attorneys were dismissed in December 2007 strictly for political
reasons.
The Hills’ trial will be at the Earle
Cabell Federal Building in downtown Dallas. The Dallas Weekly
will have continuing close coverage of the trial.
13
Two different lists of ‘deadly’
cities give contrasting views
14
Caribbean American HeritageMonth celebrated at City Hall
By Donna Lamb
The City Council’s June 9
celebration of Caribbean
American Heritage Month was
a truly outstanding event,
complete with music, dance,
literature and the recognition
of some of the Caribbean
community’s finest members.
Presiding over it was none
other than the fabulous E.
Wayne McDonald from the
Caribbean Cultural Theatre,
who pointed out that New York
City has the largest concentration of Caribbean nationals
outside the Caribbean. “This
evening’s program is put together to remind us that
Caribbeans were in these lands
before Columbus, that we have
all been contributing to this
city’s development since before the founding of the Republic, and that we continue
to be an integral part of this
melting pot we have come to
call America,” he stated.
Council Member Kendall
Stewart welcomed everyone to
City Hall, and, with his usual
humor on these festive occasions, immediately pronounced all audience members
not from the West Indies honorary Caribbeans for the night.
Council Member Mathieu Eugene highlighted the fittingness of celebrating together as
one big Caribbean family recognizing its diverse heritage,
while Council Member
Melinda Katz noted that the
contributions of the Caribbean
community to the city are so
enormous they should never
be underestimated or taken for
granted by any New Yorker.
The evening’s program got
off to a great start with “Caribbean Rhymes,” featuring
readings by Caribbean American writers and spoken word
artists Anthony “Wendell”
DeRiggs (Grenada), Yolaine St.
Fort (Haiti), James Richmond
(Guyana), Tiphanie Yanique
(US Virgin Islands) and Anton
Nimblett (Trinidad). Their
original pieces ran the gamut
from the requests of a father
on his deathbed to the hilarious confessions of a (supposed) slut.
The second part of the program was the presentation of
awards to the following Caribbean Americans:
* Vaughn Toney, a national of
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
who has, for more than two decades, combined a career in
public service with a commitment to child care advocacy
and community activism
*
Barbadian
Beverley
Brathwaite, the owner of Brath
Day Care who is also affiliated
with the Bedford Family Day
Care Network
* Francis Gonzague, who hails
from St. Lucia and is the sexton of St. Gabriel’s Episcopal
Church, serving with kindness, generosity and utter
dedication for more than a decade
* Edmund “Tony” Sadio, a native of St Kitts/Nevis, who has
used his entrepreneurial success to realize his humanitar-
ian and philanthropic aspirations both in Brooklyn and his
homeland
* Jean Joseph, who immigrated
from Dominica and is an accountant and expert in tax planning with her own firm, Joseph
Tax and Consulting Services
LLC, and
* Valentine “Val” Adams, the
Grenadian composer of the hit
“Bumsy” who is also responsible for the first float representing Grenada on Eastern
Parkway.
Then it was on to the third
section of the program entitled
“Caribbean Rhythms,” which
featured New York City-based
Caribbean American traditional
music and dance ensembles.
First up were the very appealing Antillean Dancers (Aruba),
joined by the effervescent
Myrena Sint Jago from Liberata
Dance Theatre (Curacao and
Bonaire) who captivated the audience with her radiant smile
and vivacious persona. They
performed a harvest celebration
and a satirical piece.
Taking the stage next to sing
several beloved Caribbean standards were members of the
Guyana Cultural Association
with a solo by Winston Hoppie,
the URBONY Ensemble (Barbados), and the Caribbean Cult u r a l T h e a t r e . T h e l a t t e r ’s
Dianne Dixon brought down the
house with her performance in
Patois.
A couple from the Latin Fever Dance Studio then burned
up the floor with a sizzling salsa.
The evening culminated with
a very special performance by
the Wanakan Cultural Center of
the Taino Nation of the Antilles,
which, emcee McDonald noted
when he introduced them as the
last performance of the night,
“They are, in the truest sense,
our first cultural item.”
As the Cultural Center’s Dir e c t o r To m a s Wa r i b o n e x
Gonzalez further elaborated,
“We have the distinction of being the first indigenous people
to come in contact with the European by the name of Christopher Columbus who was looking for the New World but instead found our homeland. I am
glad that you have invited us
here. It took you 517 years.”
The audience erupted in prolonged cheers, laughter and
applause.
Gonzalez finished, “We come
here to honor the ancestors of
our brothers and sisters from
Africa who escaped from slavery into the mountains and
joined the Taino people in rebelling against our oppressors,
the Spaniards.” This statement,
too, elicited an extended enthusiastic audience response.
After performing a moving
Taino prayer and a dance depicting battle, the performers
brought audience members up
to join them in a social dance.
Council Member Stewart
concluded the event by thanking all the performers, including two members of CASM who
played the national anthem. The
festivities then moved to the
rotunda where delicious food
was enjoyed by all.
Backed by members of Guyana Cultural Association and URBONY Ensemble, Dianne
Dixon performs in Patois.
Dancers from Wanakan Cultural Center of the Taino Nation of the Antilles.
Novelist Yolaine St. Fort reads from origi- Member of Wanakan Cultural Center dances
nal work.
to summon spirits.
Proclamation awardees left to right: Francis Gonzague, Vaughn Toney, Jean Joseph,
Edmund “Tony” Sadio, Valentine “Val” Adams and Beverley Brathwaite. Joining them
are Consul General of Guyana Brentnold Evans and Council Members Kendall Stewart
and Mathieu Eugene.
(Photos by Donna Lamb)
15
WHO: Swine flu pandemic
has begun, first in 41 years
American Heart Association
Health symposium encourages
Blacks to strive for total health
The American Heart Associat
ion’s and American Stroke
Association’s recent Power
New York City: Health & Empowerment Symposium –
brought together an impressive roster of experts who covered topics ranging from
healthy eating and stress management to mental health, cardiovascular health and skin
and hair health.
More than 100 people were
in attendance at this innovative day of education, inspiration and empowerment, held at
Columbia University’s Alfred
Lerner Hall.
Community partners included the Central Harlem
Health Revival and the Greater
Harlem Chamber of Commerce’s
Harlem Healthy Living Initiative. “In the struggle to achieve
health equity, the American
Heart Association / American
Stroke Association seeks to be
the collaborator of choice for
our partners; regarding eliminating cardiovascular health
disparities. We also recognize
that this health crisis is not
about a single disease. We
need system-level change,”
said Francys Johnson, vice
president of Cultural Health
Initiatives for the American
Heart Association Founder’s Affiliate.
The event was hosted by Terri
Kennedy, Ph.D., president of
Power Living Enterprises and
national spokesperson for The
Power To End Stroke, “I love
working on behalf of the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association as their
power advocate because their
mission is one of empowerment
– and that is the work I do with
my own company, Power Living.
When we decided to collaborate
on this event, it was a perfect
marriage,” said Dr. Kennedy, an
internationally-known health
advocate who runs programs in
Harlem.
According to the National
Center for Health Statistics,
people of color suffer disproportionately from lifestyle-related diseases. For example,
studies show that 79 percent of
non-Hispanic black women
and 67 percent of non-Hispanic
black men who are age 20 or
older are overweight or obese.
If you have too much fat — especially in your waist area —
you’re at higher risk for heart
The World Health Organization told its member nations it
was declaring a swine flu pandemic Thursday — the first global flu epidemic in 41 years — as
infections climbed in the United
States, Europe, Australia, South
America and elsewhere.
In a statement sent to health
officials, WHO said it decided to
raise the pandemic warning level
from phase 5 to 6 — its highest
alert — after holding an emergency meeting with its flu experts.
WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan
made the formal announcement
on the pandemic last week
Thursday.
The long-awaited pandemic
decision is scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has
emerged and is quickly circling
the globe. It will trigger
drugmakers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine and
prompt governments to devote
more money toward efforts to
contain the virus.
“At this early stage, the pandemic can be characterized globally as being moderate in severity,” WHO said in the statement, urging nations not to close
borders or restrict travel and
trade.
WHO also told countries it
was in “close dialogue” with flu
vaccine makers and it believed
the firms would work “to ensure
the largest possible supply of
pandemic vaccine in the months
to come.”
Flu vaccine makers like
GlaxoSmithKline PLC and
Sanofi-Aventis have been working since last month on a swine
flu vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline
spokesman Stephen Rea said the
company was ready to start making swine flu vaccine in large
quantities once it finished its
regular flu vaccine production in
July.
On Wednesday, WHO said 74
countries had reported nearly
FACE MASK — A woman wearing a surgical face mask
leaves a hospital in Buenos Aires, Wednesday, June 10,
2009. A flood of requests from Argentines worried about
swine flu has overwhelmed emergency medical services.
Argentina’s Health Ministry says the country’s confirmed
caseload has grown to 256, with another 886 possible cases
being studied in labs.
27,737 cases of swine flu, including 141 deaths. The agency has
stressed that most cases have
been mild and required no treatment, but the fear is that a rash
of new infections could overwhelm hospitals and health authorities — especially in poorer
countries.
Still, about half of the people
who have died from swine flu,
also known by its scientific name
H1N1, were previously young
and healthy — people who are
not usually susceptible to flu.
Swine flu is also continuing to
spread during the start of summer in the northern hemisphere.
Normally, flu viruses disappear
with warm weather, but swine flu
is proving to be resilient.
The last pandemic — the Hong
Kong flu of 1968 — killed about
1 million people. Ordinary flu kills
about 250,000 to 500,000 people
each year.
Many health experts say
WHO’s pandemic declaration
could have come weeks earlier but
the agency became bogged down
by politics. In May, several countries urged WHO not to declare a
pandemic, fearing it would cause
social and economic turmoil.
“This is WHO finally catching
up with the facts,” said Michael
Osterholm, a flu expert at the University of Minnesota who has advised the U.S. government on
pandemic preparations.
Despite WHO’s hopes, raising
the epidemic alert to the highest
level will almost certainly spark
some panic about spread of swine
flu.
Fear has already gripped Argentina, where thousands worried
about swine flu flooded into hos-
AIDS activists not surprised by Washington D.C.’s No. 1 ranking
By. George E Curry
NNPA Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON (NNPA) –
Given the District of Columbia’s
predominantly Black population,
ignoring the AIDS epidemic for
years and its large number of homosexuals, no one should be surprised that the nation’s capital
has the highest AIDS rate in the
United States, a leading AIDS
activist says.
The activist, Ron Simmons,
president of Us Helping Us, a
support group for gays in Washington, made his comments last
week at a HIV/AIDS Media
Roundtable here sponsored by
the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC).
In a question and answer ses-
sion that followed the panelists’
presentations, Simmons reacted to
D.C.’s case rate of 148.1 per
100,000 people, which is by far
higher than any other jurisdiction
in the nation. In a distant second
was the U.S. Virgin Islands with a
rate of 31.4, followed by New York
at 24.9. The national rate was 12.5
per 100,000 people.
Simmons said the numbers tell
only part of the story.
“It could mean that because of
HIV medications, people are living longer with HIV whereas before people would have died five
years after the diagnosis,” he said,
trying to explain the high figures.
“Now, they are living 10 or 15
years. So, there’s going to be an
increasing number of people living with the disease. Also, histori-
cally, the Black community had a
very poor response to HIV in the
early days. So why should we be
surprised that things are getting
out of hand?”
He said other factors are also at
play.
“Another problem here in D.C.
that may be unique, in terms of
Black gay men, is that D.C. is considered the Black San Francisco,”
Simmons stated. “Many Black
gays, such as myself, and lesbians have migrated here from places
like New York City because the
Black gay and lesbian community
here is so vibrant.”
A recent report by the D.C. Health
Department disclosed that 4 percent of the District’s residents are
Ron Simmons
Pat Nalls
Health
16
Rep. Clay applauds
landmark tobacco bill
Special to the NNPA the St. as this very important bill. I want
Louis American
to congratulate our leadership for
advancing this measure in a bipar(NNPA) - Congressman William tisan way and I look forward to
Lacy Clay is applauding over- President Obama’s signing the bill
whelming bipartisan support for soon.”
H.R. 1256, The Family Smoking
The legislation allows the FDA
Prevention & Tobacco Control to develop restrictions on the adAct. It was approved in the U.S. vertising and promotion of toHouse by a vote of 307 – 97.
bacco products. The bill also re“This is a giant step forward quires tobacco companies to disfor protecting public health,” close the ingredients in each
said the Congressman. “Today’s product and gives the FDA the
vote finally puts the federal gov- power to demand changes to
ernment on the side of preven- those ingredients. The bill retion and saving young people quires more specific health warnfrom nicotine addiction. It gives ings and reinstates the 1996 rule
the FDA the power to regulate restricting the marketing of tothe advertising, marketing and bacco products to youth.
manufacturing of tobacco prodThe bipartisan bill is supported
ucts, which is long overdue. No by more than 1,000 organizations,
other legal product harms so including the American Cancer
many Americans. Tobacco-re- Society Cancer Action Network,
lated diseases are the number- American Heart Association,
one cause of preventable death American Lung Association and
in this country, and we need to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free
do a better job of protecting our Kids. Phillip Morris USA, the
children and families,” he added. U.S. Smokeless Tobacco ComI can think of no other public pany as well as six small tobacco
health measure that will save as product manufacturers have also
many lives and improve the qual- come out in support of the legisity of life for so many Americans lation.
Juneteenth block party
scheduled in Brooklyn
In honor of Juneteenth, the
holiday that commemorates the
announcement of AfricanAmerican freedom from enslavement, Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement is throwing a
Juneteenth Block Party. This
event will be a celebration of our
people, culture, and community.
The Juneteenth Block Party
celebration will be on Sunday,
June 21 from 12 p.m.-8 p.m. on
Macdonough Street between
Lewis Avenue and Marcus
Garvey Blvd.in Brooklyn. This
will be a day of musical and artistic performances, family entertainment, and speakers that
will discuss the importance of
this historic day for people of African Descent.
For more information on the
Juneteenth Block Party Celebration contact Marly Pierre-Louis
via email at marly.pierrelouis@
gmail.com or phone at 215.801.
3411.
The Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement is a mass based organization whose mission is to defend the human rights of people
of African Descent and promote
self-determination in our community. We engage in work that addresses a range of issues such
as police brutality, political prisoners, our youth, women’s rights
and access to housing.
FCC chairman hails
digital switch on TV
As all full-power television
stations nationwide switch to
all-digital transmission, Acting
FCC Chairman Michael J.
Copps issued the following
statement:
“Today’s historic transition
to digital TV is an important
step forward in U.S. broadcasting, offering consumers access
to more free over-the-air programming as well as higher
quality pictures and sound.
The transition also frees up
valuable airwaves for emergency communications and
advanced wireless services.
“At the same time, I recognize the great challenge that
today’s switch presents for
many consumers.
Even
though the overwhelming majority of households are DTVready, we are fully committed
to helping those who have yet
to join the digital television age
both today and in the days to
come,” he continued.
Some consumers may experience problems that have simple
solutions, such as adjusting antennas or re-scanning for channels, and we have 4,000 trained
operators standing by on our tollfree helpline, 1-888-CALL-FCC, 24
hours a day, to talk them through
those and any other more serious
problems they may have.
“Along with Commissioners
Adelstein and McDowell, my
staff and I will be monitoring the
transition closely, analyzing the
types of calls our helpline is getting, communicating regularly
with broadcasters and other key
stakeholders, and getting feedback from our FCC staff in the
field. We are ready to respond
quickly and focus resources
wherever they may be needed.”
NO SUMMER SCHOOL — Girls at the Challengers Boys and Girls Club in South Los
Angeles enjoy jump rope. Such facilities may expect more children this summer due to
LAUSD summer school cutbacks.
(Credit: Gary McCarthy/The WAVE)
Summer school cancellation
stirs deep concern in South L.A.
strongly with a member of Inner
By. Leiloni De Gruy
Special to the NNPA from the Los City Crime Prevention, who
asked not to be identified. In an
Angeles WAVE
interview, she predicted that
LOS ANGELES (NNPA) - More more children will “be running
than 225,000 Los Angeles Unified and roaming the streets. They’re
School District families with el- going to be looking to their
ementary and middle school stu- ‘homies’ for attention and we all
dents will be forced to find alter- know an idle mind is the work of
natives to summer school this the devil.”
Childcare experts agree.
year, following an announcement
“You’re going to have a lot of
that the session would be canceled due to declining revenues children who have nothing to
do,” says Frank Proctor, execuand the state budget deficit.
The move, which is expected to tive director of A Bright Beginsave LAUSD roughly $34 million, ning Child Development Center.
will result in the district offering “The potential for violence, the
summer school and intersession potential for just getting in to
at a reduced number of high vicious, mischievous things are
schools, and solely for credit re- going to go up, because they’re
covery — meaning only an esti- not going to have anything to
mated 74,000 students who need do … Either we are going to find
the courses to meet graduation something for them to do, or
they’re going to find something
requirements are eligible.
Reaction by parents, advocacy — and what they find might not
groups and community organiza- be what we want them to find.”
But L.A. Police Department
tions was swift.
“For many families across the Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger
district, canceling summer school believes that concerns about imis a catastrophe,” said Moms minent mayhem are likely overUnite co-founder Victoria Hurley. blown. “To the question of
“They rely on summer school to whether these number of stuhelp their struggling children pre- dents will dramatically affect
pare for the next school year. Oth- crime in the city, I would like to
ers rely on it to keep their kids think not — or if so, to some inout of trouble during the long cremental degree,” he said. “But
I don’t believe that our commusummer months.”
Rev. Eric Lee, president and nity should be led to believe that
CEO of the Southern Christian we will see or experience a wave
Leadership Conference of Greater of violence sparked by seventh
Los Angeles, agreed: “It slows and eighth graders. … It weighs
their progress toward being at against the logic. If we think
grade-level performance,” he about who these young people
said. “And it is already known are, they are kids. … I doubt sethat most African-American chil- riously that they are going to
dren are performing at three to somehow morph into threefour grade levels below their ac- strike candidates.”
In each LAPD division,
tual grade, and so it really hinPaysinger noted, there are a
ders their ability to catch up.”
The economic impact on par- number of low-cost or free proents and children, he added, “will grams available to youth. One
be that they will need to find some alternative for high school stusort of child care, which is a cost dents is the LAPD Explorers,
that is very hard to afford during where people aged 14-20 are
this economic crisis. And if they taught a number of leadership
don’t have that, then the children skills.
are going to be left to their own For those who may be at-risk,
time, and that could contribute Paysinger said, the LAPD’s Juto children getting into situations venile Impact Program and Jeopthat do not contribute to their so- ardy Program are available. For
10 to 16 weeks, youth ages 14
cial growth.”
That last point resonated through 18 engage in a military-
style boot camp. There is also the
Police Activities League, which offers a number of sports — including football, basketball, martial
arts and boxing — to youth ages 6
and up.
In addition, Harvard Recreation
Center, located at 1535 W. 62nd St.,
recently joined Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa’s Summer Night
Lights initiative and will be open
and lit Wednesday through Saturday until midnight, said a representative.
On the site is a picnic area, baseball field, soccer field, basketball
courts, a football field, an indoor
gym, indoor tennis courts and two
pools. Sports programs make use
of these fields and also include
street hockey, softball for girls,
volleyball and flag football for
ages 5 to 15. Other programs include an after-school club, arts &
crafts, dance lessons, piano lessons, reading programs and tutoring.
Henry Doyle, program director
for Culver-Slauson Recreation
Center at 5070 Slauson Ave., said,
“We’re continuing our summer
camp that we’ve had in the past
[and] we’re continuing some of our
other programs. We are aware that
there will be tons of kids, and we
are going to work with them to the
best of our ability … Right now
we are trying to address the issue
as it comes.”
His facility’s summer camp, said
Boyle, gets about 60 -70 youth on
average; but due to budget cuts
and layoffs, those numbers may
drop by half. “We will not be able
to accommodate all of those kids
like we did in the past as far as the
camping situation,” he said, “but
we will have kids.”
Baldwin Hills Recreation Center,
5401 Highlight Place, serves a number of LAUSD students from
Baldwin Hills Elementary School
over the summer, said a representative. On average, they take
roughly 60 youth or more, but “we
already have a lot of kids,” said
the representative, and the center
is not sure how many more they
will be able to accommodate.
The site features barbecue pits,
17
Dr. Edison Jackson officiates final
commencement at Evers College
Joel Klein
Citywide-student artwork
exhibition now on display
Chancellor Joel I. Klein has announced the start of P.S. Art
2009, an exhibition of artwork by
New York City public school
students. Now in its seventh
year, and the second year of its
installation at The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, P.S. Art celebrates the visual arts and
showcases the tremendous talent of public school students
from across the City.
Bank of America has generously underwritten the exhibit
with a grant to The Fund for Public Schools, and Studio in a
School has graciously supported the production of the exhibit. This year’s exhibition includes 58 paintings, prints,
sculptures, collages, and drawings created by students ages
four through 19. The exhibit will
be on display now through Aug.
2, in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris
Center for Education at The
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“P.S. Art is a wonderful way
for the public to get a glimpse
into the outstanding arts education that’s happening in our
classrooms,” Chancellor Klein
said. “We are committed to providing every student with an
outstanding arts education, and
this exhibition showcases the
creative and artistic talents of
our students. I want to thank
The Metropolitan Museum of
Art for hosting this inspiring
exhibition and Bank of America
and Studio in a School for once
again supporting this display of
student work.”
“Art can open doors and create connections for our incredibly diverse public school population,” said Caroline Kennedy,
vice-chair of The Fund for Public Schools. “In a city where
more than 150 languages are
spoken in the homes of our students, art is a universal language, giving all children an
avenue for expression. I would
like to congratulate the students
whose fine artwork is on display
and thank The Metropolitan
Museum of Art for making this
opportunity possible.”
“Today, we are celebrating the
work of some of New York City’s
most extraordinary young artists,
displayed on the walls of one of
the finest arts institutions in the
world,” said Kate Levin, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. “This project is the
result of intense collaboration
among cultural organizations,
teachers, and parents, who are
working together to unlock the
creative potential of our students, day-in and day-out, in
schools and cultural venues
across the five boroughs.”
“Bank of America believes encouraging arts education in the
public schools is critical to the
development of our country’s future leaders,” said Rena
DeSisto, Global Arts and Culture
Executive for Bank of America.
“Our support of P.S. Art is a natural extension of our company’s
partnership with The Fund for
“Today each of you graduates
leaves with the knowledge and
the wisdom to become intentional agents of change,” said
Medgar Evers College President
Edison O. Jackson to the Class
of 2009 at the institution’s ThirtyEighth Commencement exercises
on Saturday, June 6..
Officiating at his final commencement ceremony, Dr. Jackson delivered welcoming remarks to a packed amphitheater
filled with 958 graduates and
their families, faculty and staff,
CUNY Board of Trustee members,
as well as VIP guests and elected
officials that included U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, NYC Councilman Al Vann, NYC Councilman
Charles
Barron,
NYC
Councilmember Tish James, and
Brooklyn Borough President
Marty Markowitz, amongst others.
This year’s theme was “Educated and Empowered to Excel.”
Harkening back to his graduate
school mentor’s advice to him,
President Jackson entreated the
new degree-holders to “make
your world a better place than you
found it.”
“Never could I have imagined
that day when I became leader of
this institution that I would lead
for 20 years,” said Dr. Jackson,
who is the longest serving college president in the 23-institution City University of New York
system. He received a standing
ovation in recognition of his
years of visionary leadership.
Before his own remarks to the
graduates, U.S. Senator Chuck
Schumer led the crowd in chants
of “Thank You” to Dr. Jackson.
“Now that we have Obama as
Edison Jackson of Megar Evers
president , he [Dr. Jackson] can
leave the presidency of Medgar
Evers College,” said the Senator.
Brooklyn Borough President
Marty Markowitz praised Dr.
Jackson as “the very model of
what a college president should
be” before giving him a symbolic
Brooklyn gift of Junior’s restaurant delicacies. One of the
College’s original founders,
Councilman Al Vann heralded Dr.
Jackson for realizing the dreams
and intentions of those individuals who advocated for the
creation of the institution 40
years prior. “The founders are
pleased,” he said.
Mr. Earl G. Graves, Sr., founder
DENZEL AWARDS — The sixth annual Pauletta and Denzel Washington Family Gifted
Scholars in Neuroscience Awards were presented Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at the
Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Middle School in Los Angeles. The awards are given by the
Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and provide support for
neuroscience undergraduates and graduate-level researchers. Established in 2004,
the scholarship program provides promising young scientists with an opportunity to
work side by side with world-renowned researchers, including Keith L. Black, M.D.,
chairman of the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery. Pictured left to right are
award recipients Harold “Wes” Phillips and Marisa Riley, Pauletta Washington, Denzel
Washington and unidenified award recipient.
and publisher of Black Enterprise;
and Hazel Dukes, president of the
New York State Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, received
Honorary Doctorates of Humane
Letters.
“It was Dr. Jackson who spearheaded the successful restoration of
Medgar Evers’ senior college status
and who raised standards for students and educators alike,” said Mr.
Graves in his moving keynote address. “It was Dr. Jackson who made
it his personal mission to transform
Medgar Evers into a 21st century
school that would prepare students
for 21st century challenges. Well, Dr.
Jackson, mission accomplished.”
As an educator, a community advocate and an administrator, President Jackson has contributed
greatly to the edification of the
people of Medgar Evers College,
CUNY and the Central Brooklyn
community that the institution faithfully serves.
Dr. Edison O. Jackson was born in
Heathsville, Virginia. He received the
Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology, the Master of Arts degree in
Counseling from Howard University,
and the Doctorate in Education from
Rutgers University with academic
emphasis on the philosophy, function, role and administration of urban educational institutions.
After serving for four years as a
Senior Counselor/Instructor at Federal City College, in 1969 Dr. Jackson assumed the position of Dean
of Student Affairs at Essex County
College in New Jersey. Promoted to
Vice President for Student Affairs,
he was soon appointed Executive
Vice President and Chief Academic
Officer of Essex County College in
September of 1983. In 1985, Dr. Jackson accepted the challenge to lead
Compton Community College in
Compton, California, assuming the
position of President/Superintendent, remaining there until his assumption of the presidency of
Medgar Evers College of The City
University of New York in 1989.
Education
18
AUDREY'S
SOCIETY
WHIRL
National Call to Action on HIV/AIDS
supporters assemble to launch historic effort
By Audrey J. Bernard
Lifestyles/Society Editor
Some 200 festively dressed
guests attended the National
Black Leadership Commission
on AIDS (NBLCA) annual
Choose Life Awards Benefit Gala
on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at
The Lighthouse at Chelsea
Piers.
This was a special gathering
as it marked NBLCA’s newly
elected president and CEO C.
Virginia Fields first gala since
her appointment by NBLCA’s
board of directors on February
4, 2008. The event also launched
a “National Call to Action”
against HIV/AIDS.
Fields, looking resplendent in
Michelle Obama pink, explained
that proceeds from the black-tie
affair would support programs
to unite leaders working to end
HIV/AIDS, to promote the work
of NBLCA’s 11 affiliate chapters
and to create model programs
for promotion of testing, prevention and treatment that will
be replicated around the country.
“This call to action is meant to
sound the alarm, to awaken the
community that HIV/AIDS still
exists and it requires a much more
aggressive public health response than we’ve had in the
past,” said a passionate Fields.
“All hands must be on deck for
this one.” Fields proudly noted
that she had already received
widespread support for NBLCA’s
latest campaign.
Former President William
Clinton, founder of the William
J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd
(top row) Reginald Van Lee, Michelle Miller, C. Virginia Fields, Rev. Dr. Calvin O.
Butts III, Sandra Bookman and DeMarco Morgan (seated) honoree Andre Leon Tally,
Cheryl Morrison (accepting award on behalf of honoree HSBC Bank USA), Helen Price,
executive director, The Coca-Cola Foundation, (accepting on behalf of honoree Ingrid
Saunders Jones, SVP, The Coca-Cola Company), and honoree A. Cornelius Baker
President of the United States,
served as the national chair of the
gala. And honorary chairs included Dr. Carolyn Barley Britton,
president of the National Medical Association; Rev. Dr. Calvin
O. Butts III, pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New
York; and elected officials from
the local, state and national level
including Members of Congress
Maxine Waters, Charles B.
Rangel, Carolyn Maloney, Donna
Christensen and Yvette Clark.
Rev. Butts, who is also chair of
NBLCA’s board of directors, said
that he is hopeful about the “National Call to Action.” He drew
loud applause when he said,
“With a new president in the
White House who has declared
his intention to make HIV/AIDS
a national priority and with the
help and dedication of all of you,
we can and will end this epidemic.”
In a special message to the
gala, Bill Clinton applauded
NBLCA’s efforts in addressing
the AIDS crisis. “NBLCA truly
C. Virginia Fields, honoree Andre Leon Talley, Rev. Dr.
Calvin O. Butts III, gala chair Reginald Van Lee
understands that, in order to defeat AIDS, all segments of society must work together. I commend NBLCA for engaging government and business leaders,
medical professionals and
clergy, social policy experts and
the media in a concerted effort
to address AIDS in our communities.”
NBLCA’s top priority is passage of H.R. 1964, the National
Black Clergy for the Elimination
of HIV/AIDS Act of 2009. That
bill — introduced by Congressman Charles B. Rangel — lays
out a comprehensive plan for
the federal government to lead
the way in marshaling resources
to support increased HIV testing, prevention and treatment
for African Americans.
Reginald Van Lee, senior vice
president, Booz Allen Hamilton,
served as dinner chair of the
gala that also honored those
who have contributed to the
fight against HIV/AIDS.
In his regal welcoming remarks, Van Lee said “This
crème de la crème of African
American newscasters to present
the awards. This year’s presenters included Sandra Bookman,
WABC7; Michelle Miller, WCBS2;
DeMarco Morgan, WNBC4; Dana
Tyler, WCBS2; and David Ushery,
WNBC4.
Before guests indulged in dessert buffet and dancing, Fields
thanked the generosity of the gala
supporters: Bloomberg, Gristede’s
Food Inc., HSBC Bank, USA,
Reginald Van Lee (Choose to Live
Tables); The Coca-Cola Company,
Gilead Sciences, Inc., Macy’s,
OraSure Technologies, Inc.
(Choose to Fight Tables);
Steinway Child & Family Services, Inc. (Choose to Protect
Table);
And Arkin Kaplan Rice LLP,
BET Networks, Rev. Chauncey
Brown, Rev. James Cherry, Sr. and
Rev. Dr. James A. Lewis, Harlem
Children’s Zone, Inc., JPMorgan
Chase & Co., Michael Lappin,
Milton E. Wilson and WNBC
(Choose to Care Tables).
NBLCA was founded in 1987 to
educate, organize and empower
Black leaders -- including clergy,
elected officials, medical practitioners, business professionals, social policy experts and the media - to meet the challenge of fighting
HIV/AIDS in their communities.
For additional information about
NBLCA visit www.nblca.org.
evening promises to be an inspiring night as we pay tribute to the
passion and commitment of
tonight’s honorees, their ongoing support of NBLCA and the
contributions they have made to
improve the quality of life for
those infected and affected by
HIV/AIDS.”
After a lavish dinner, Van Lee
was joined by Fields who bestowed honors on A. Cornelius
Baker, senior communications
advisor at the Academy for Educational Development and national policy advisor, National
Black Gay Men’s Advocacy Coalition; John A. Catsimatidis,
chairman and CEO, Red Apple
Group; Ingrid Saunders Jones,
senior vice president, Coca Cola
Co.; Congresswoman Barbara
Lee, chair, Congressional Black
Caucus; Andre Leon Tally, editor-at-large, Vogue Magazine;
and HSBC Bank USA.
One of the centerpieces of this
highly touted event is the presentment of the distinguished
awards in which NBLCA uses the Rev. & Mrs. Calvin O. Butts
C. Virginia Fields with presenters Michelle Miller, David
Ushery, Dana Tyler, Sandra Bookman
Former NBLCA president & CEO Debra Frazer-Howze Actress Cicely Tyson, designer Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, honoree John Catsimatidis, C.
& her dinner guests
b michael, Harriet Michel
Virginia Fields
(Photos: Gerald Peart)
National Urban Technology Center honors Hugh B. Price
Master of Ceremonies Maurice DuBois
Under the banner “Cultivating Healthy Minds,” on Wednesday, June 3, 2009, the National Urban Technology Center (NUTC) held its annual gala dinner at Capitale honoring
Princeton professor and civil rights leader, Hugh B. Price. Former Senator Tom Daschle presented Mr. Price with NUTC’s distinguished community leadership award.
Mrs. Patricia Bransford, founder and CEO of NUTC hosted the event. Vernon Jordan and Barbaralee and Carl Spielvogel, served as honorary chairs. Jessica Isaacs and
former New York Knicks star John Starks served as gala chairs. Returning as Master of Ceremonies was Maurice DuBois, co-anchor of the CBS Morning Show.
Former Spin City star Richard Kind ran the evening’s live auction. Other attendees included Keija Minor, editor-in-chief of Uptown Magazine, Alexis Clarke of Town & Country
Magazine; designer Tyrone Whittle, TV & radio personality Shon Gables, Sandy Chaplain and TV personality Mo Rocca.
Proceeds from the evening will expand Urban Tech’s “Adopt a School” program. Urban Tech provides information technology to under-served communities in order to address
the widening gap between the “information haves” and “information have-nots.”
Urban Tech’s primary focus is to promote learning, academic performance, and workforce preparation among disadvantaged young people; and to provide adults with the
resources necessary for long-term employability and economic security.
Keija Minor, Pat Bransford, Alexis Clarke
Tyrone Whittle, John Starks
Sharon Bowen, Peter Sherwood, Pat Bransford
Tom Coughlin, Bradley White, Sandy Chaplain, Mo Rocca, Jenny Bransford
Student Choir
Dr. V. Cobb, Lynn Law, honoree Hugh Price, Annelle Lewis
(Photos by Star Black)
Senator Tom Daschle presented award to Hugh Price
19
20
Beacon On
XM Oprah & Friends, Dr. Maya Angelou
& Gayle King, attend Gracie Awards gala
Niecy Nash, Ruby Gettinger, Kathy Griffin, Suze Orman,
Rachael Ray
AWRT prexy Maria Brennan, Nickelodeon's KeKe
Palmer, MTV Network's chairman & CEO Judy McGrath
and AWRT chair Sylvia Strobel
Amy Phoeler, Kathy O'Brien
Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Gayle King
Mariska Hargitay, Stephanie
March
Poet laureate Dr. Maya
Angelou was one of the stellar
winners of the American Women
in Radio and Television (AWRT)
2009 National Gracie Awards.
The celestial ceremony, hosted
by the Style Network’s Clean
House and Comedy Central
Reno 911’s Niecy Nash, took
place on June 3, 2009 at the
Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times
Square.
The star-studded audience
was entertained by R&B songstress LaShell Griffin, who
captivated the crowd with her
towering voice, singing a track
from her sophomore album,
Dreams Are Possible.
The Gracies gala — which recognizes exemplary programming
created for women, by women,
Dr. Maya Angelou, LaShell Griffin
and about women in all facets of
electronic media, including radio,
television, cable and new media
— attracted the best and brightest in the field, including: XM
Oprah & Friends’ Dr. Maya
Angelou and Gayle King; NBC
Law & Order: SVU’s Mariska
Hargitay and Stephanie March;
Bravo My Life on the D List’s
Kathy Griffin; Bravo Real Housewives of New York City’s LuAnn
de Lesseps, Kelly Bensimon,
Alex McCord; Jill Zarin and CBS
News’ Katie Couric and Bob
Schieffer.
Also NBC News’ Ann Curry;
CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Candy
Crowley and Erica Hill; HBO Big
Love’s Branka Katic; USA
Network’s Traylor Howard of
Monk; CNBC’s Suze Orman;
Jane Pauley; Melissa Rivers;
ABC All My Children’s Debbi
Morgan and Cornelius Smith,
Jr.; Nickelodeon’s Keke Palmer;
ESPN’s Hannah Storm and Lisa
Salters, and many more.
Since 2004, AWRT has
partnered with Dove on the
Campaign for Real Beauty, and
created the Dove Real Beauty
Award to honor an individual
who best embodies and expresses the “substance and
spirit” of real beauty through her
life and career.
This year the 2009 Dove Real
Beauty Award recipient was comedienne Amy Poehler who has
consistently demonstrated her
dedication to empowering
women and girls everywhere
both on and off screen.
MTV Networks’ chairman and
CEO, Judy McGrath, received the
2009 Foundation of AWRT
Achievement Award, to honor
the extraordinary strides and tremendous successes she’s ac-
Katie Couric
Debbi Morgan, Cornelius
Smith, Jr.
complished in the field of electronic media.
Rachael Ray, entertainment
icon, daytime talk show host and
best-selling author, received the
AWRT Tribute Award, which is
given to one who, through their
work, truly makes a difference in
the media and beyond.
“AWRT is proud to honor such
amazing women who not only
make the electronic media industry an exciting, intelligent and informative arena, but also inspires
all of us and women everywhere
to be the best we can be,” emphasized AWRT president Maria
E. Brennan, CAE. “We congratulate and commend all of this
year’s winners.”
The Gracies are presented by
the Foundation of AWRT, the
philanthropic arm of AWRT that
supports educational programs,
charitable activities, public ser-
vice campaigns and scholarships
to benefit the public, the electronic
media and allied fields.
The Gracie Awards, established
in 1975, honors programming and
individuals of the highest caliber
in all facets of radio, television,
cable and web-based media, including news, drama, comedy,
commercials, public service, documentary and sports.
The event is made possible
through the generous support of
the 2009 title sponsor Dove and
The Campaign for Real Beauty and
the following additional sponsors:
Arbitron, CBS News, Clear Channel, CNBC, CNN, Disney-ABC
Television Group, Ford Motor
Company Fund, Katz Media
Group, MTV Networks, National
Public Radio, NBC, NCTA, Oprah
Radio, The Rachael Ray Show, The
Style Network, VCI Solutions, and
WE tv.
(Photos: Larry Busacca/Wireimage)
On June 8, 2009 at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City, World Hunger Year (WHY) paid tribute to their 2009 WHY Chapin Award
honorees. Wyclef Jean, Sports Radio 66 WFAN and Growing Power were recognized for their exemplary work and dedication on issues of hunger
and poverty on a local, national and worldwide level. On behalf of WHY, Harry Belafonte presented, Wyclef with ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award for his dedication to fighting hunger and poverty in his native Haiti. In 2005 he established Yéle Haiti which has changed the lives of tens
of thousands of children and adults in Haiti through programs in education, health, environment and community development while using the power
of music, sports and media to increase their impact. (AJB)
(Photos: Stuart Ramson)
The Scene
21
22
Activists are seeking unity and a new definition
(From page 2)
alongside a session on Black liberation journalism, a session for
women-only, and was an opportunity for the next generation of
activists to connect with one another and learn from their elders.
Divine Allah, national youth
minister of the New Black Panther
Party, said it was important for
youth to see and hear from the
great minds at the conference.
“We have to be able to recognize
greatness and great ones among
us that are not sports players or
entertainers,” he said.
Referring to the Counter Intelligence Program of the FBI, a covert program to disrupt and destroy Black organizations, Dr.
Jeffries said the fight for liberation will continue, and as progress
is made, activists must be mindful
that opponents to the rise of
Blacks will continue to fight, using whatever means available.
“As we speak, they want to
block any unity of African people
and an agenda that speaks to their
needs, so we have to expect that
the system of White supremacy
and the system of domination, de-
was concerned some Black leaders he was in contact with
weren’t a part of the meeting, according to Roberts, a Black man
who is a millionaire. A couple of
days later, Roberts said his hotel
received a visit from a fire marshal. If it was an attempt to dissuade him from embracing the
event, it failed miserably.
Roberts was on hand every day,
participating directly in some of
the discussions, delivering
speeches to attendees about establishing a firm economic base,
and showing a high level of support. He signed copies of his
book “Action Has No Season”
and showed a willingness to
stand up for the principles of
self-determination and self-reliance. For the Million Man March
in 1995, Roberts helped fill six
jumbo jets to take men to Washington, D.C., for the gathering.
He also supported the Millions
More Movement gathering,
which marked the 10th anniversary of the men’s march.
Workshops, plenary sessions,
and town hall meeting themes
covered a variety of subjects,
such as “Reparations and Black
(From page 2)
Economics,” “The Plight of the
Political Prisoner” and “Stopping Police Brutality.” Another sion the ARRA.
According to details released
workshop brought together
by
the Treasury Department tothose working to curb violence
day,
the program includes $25 bilbetween street organizations,
lion for two new types of Recov-
struction and death that we, the
Native Americans, and other
people of color have experienced
will always be at work, no matter
how it is sugar coated, even hiding behind a Black president and
a beautiful Black sister in the
White House. That system is in
place all the time and working for
the interests of the wealthy White
power elite,” said Dr. Jeffries.
Producer and actor Tim Reid,
who has been in show business
for 40 years, talked about the importance of building institutions
and storytelling. Reid is traveling across the globe researching
aspects of the African Diaspora
in Cuba, Brazil, Italy, Asia, and
the United Kingdom. Many conferees were surprised to discover
the man known for his role as
“Venus Flytrap” on TV comedies
“WKRP in Cincinnati” and as a
father on “Sister, Sister,” was
devoted to projects that could
increase awareness about the
slave trade.
A. Akbar Muhammad, who
served as international representative for Min. Farrakhan and the
Nation of Islam, spoke of the importance of institution building,
understanding history, and establishing continuity in the mission to free Black people.
“Do we leave a legacy of disunity and division for our children? They want to find the path
to unity,” Muhammad said. If
Black people continue to exhibit
disunity, Whites supremacy will
win and divide and conquer will
defeat efforts that could lead to
progress, he added.
Muhammad sat on several panels—one dealt with Africa, with
an emphasis on the issues of the
Sudan and Zimbabwe. Also on
the panel was Hodari Abdul-Ali,
chair of the Social Justice Task
Force for the Muslim Alliance in
North America led by Imam Siraj
Wahhaj, who spoke at the conference and raised money for incarcerated Black Power advocate
and spiritual leader, Imam Jamil
Al Amin. The forum focused on
the imam’s integrity and his case,
with an emphasis on his contribution to the Black liberation
struggle as H. Rapp Brown.
On May 24, a closing session
brought together individuals who
had not seen each other in many
years. “A Tribute To The Honorable Elijah Muhammad” brought together members of the Nation of Islam, with remarks from pioneering
Min. Rahman Muhammad, and
members of the Lost Found Nation
of Islam under the leadership of
Silis Muhammad.
The need to organize a Black
united front was a critical theme
that emerged from nearly every
discussion. Participants left the
conference expressing a determination to mobilize and organize
for unity.
Atty. Shabazz announced that
Black Power Conferences will be
held in several places over the next
90 days to further consolidate conference goals and objectives of the
national conference, and then, on
Oct. 7-11, 2009, there are plans for
another National Black Power Conference at City College in New York
City. It is aimed at drawing delegates from all 50 states, the Caribbean Nations, the African continent
and the African Diaspora.
Rangel unveils $25B bond program to stimulate recovery
ery Zone Bonds – $10 billion for
Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds and $15 billion for Recovery Zone Facility
Bonds. Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds are
another type of taxable Build
America Bond that allow State
and local governments to obtain
lower borrowing costs through
a new direct federal payment
subsidy, for 45 percent of the
interest, to finance a broad
range of qualified economic de-
velopment projects, such as job
training and educational programs.
Recovery Zone Facility Bonds are
tax-exempt private activity bonds
that can be utilized by private businesses in designated areas for a
range of projects.
Councilman Barron ‘ashamed of hustlers’ in Albany
(From page 3)
missed the case Tuesday.
Judge McNamara did not decide who should lead the senate.
His reasoning was that it was
“improper for the court to get involved with the legislative
branch of government.” He suggested that the senate should
resolve the issue or face the
wrath of voters who will make the
ultimate decision at the polls on
election date.
“The failure of the senate to resolve this issue in an appropriate manner will make them answerable to the electorate,”
Judge McNamara said.
Barron had another solution,
he said he would have left Sen.
Monserrate and Sen. Espada
“right there with the Republicans.” He said he would use the
Democratic controlled Assembly
and governor’s mansion to push
Democratic legislation through
Albany.
“Now, every senator has veto
power. Any one senator can say
‘I’m going to flip this side or that
side.’ So, you’re rewarding flipflopping. You’re rewarding sellouts?” the councilman asked.
Councilman Barron’s ire stems
from the fact Democrats were not
given a fair amount of time to exercise dominance. Sen. Smith’s
position was voted in January, the
Republicans held control for more
than four decades. Councilman
Barron said “now that Blacks and
Latinos have the opportunity to
lead” the entire senate is in revolt.
“I fault him (Monserrate) because I don’t know Espada. But
Espada did what he did because
he knew Monserrate would make
the majority. They could have
worked it out,” Councilman
Barron said. “I am not a loyal
Democrat but things can be
worked out. He made us all look
bad. He should be ashamed of
himself.”
Meanwhile during a week when
Sen. Sampson emerges
(From page 3)
solve their differences.
Judge McNamara said if they
don’t work things out he would
step in. The judge must also
rule whether the coup staged
by Republicans that ousted the
Democrats is legal. However,
with the leadership vacuum,
there is a virtual standstill with
no work being done in the senate although the parties are being paid their full wages.
Sen. Smith has accepted Sen.
Sampson as the new Democratic
Conference chair, but said his title
as majority leader must remain intact. Sen. Espada and his Republican cohorts have vehemently
objected.
The chaos in Albany started after
Sens. Espanda and Monserrate
teamed up with their Republican
counterparts to stage a surprise
coup that propelled the Republican
into power in the senate. They had
the financial backing of 67-year-old
billionaire Thomas Golisano who
has since moved to Florida.
senators should be busy deciding matters in the interest of New
Yorkers, a stalemate looms in Albany where a 31-31 split finds
New York senators bickering
about who will lead the senate.
Maligned by some members of
his Bronx constituency, Sen.
Espada maintained that he is the
majority leader, because 32 senators voted for him during the takeover a week ago. Even though
Sen. Monserrate has since rejoined Democrats, the party has
only 31 votes, not enough to
overcome what Sen. Espada says
was last week’s legally binding
vote.
Although Sen. Smith is holding fast to his majority leadership, Sen. John Sampson is be-
ing eyed to replace him.
“When Senator Smith calls
session, we will go into session,”
Sen. John Sampson said “We
have to put our egos aside. We
have to understand that the only
people being impacted here are
the people of the state of New
York.”
Sen. Smith said he will not call
another Senate session until the
Republicans recognize the need
for a coalition government.
Pressed to call a session, the
pre-coup majority leader said:
“There’s no reason for us to go
inside and have 31-31 split, meaning nothing will basically pass
because they vote on party
lines,” Sen. Smith said, “we offered them a very simple solu-
tion.”
Last Sunday, Sen. Smith received
cheers and adulation as he walked
the route of the Puerto Rican Day
parade in Manhattan.
Governor David Paterson called
a leaders’ meeting of senators to
work out a power-sharing agreement on Monday. He took the action because he said the senate
needs to convene this last week of
session to pass important bills including funding for New York
City’s budget, the lapsing of mayoral control of New York City
schools, approvals for critical local tax initiatives statewide, a bill
to legalize same-sex marriage and
renewal of a ticket-scalping law that
has also elapsed.
The stalemate remains.
Con artist poses as his dead mom
(From page 3)
which made it appear as though
she were still alive, according to
the indictment. In order to perpetuate the ruse, the defendants
went as far as to dress Parkin up
as his deceased mother, and visit
the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew her driver’s license, where, incidentally, they
were captured on surveillance
video.
In June 2008, believing Prusik
was alive, Chopra came to the
Brooklyn District Attorney’s
Office to report that he believed
Parkin and Prusik had filed false
affidavits, in the course of more
than five years of lawsuits
against him and various bankruptcy filings, to prevent him
from evicting them for failure to
pay rent for six years.
Coincidentally, unaware prosecutors had already begun an investigation into his actions,
Parkin walked into the Brooklyn
District Attorney’s Office in
March of this year, to report to
the new Real Estate Fraud Unit
that he and his mother were victims.
He claimed his mother was the
rightful owner of the property
and that the new owner had
been using illegal forms of coercion and filing false documents
in court filings against them, according to the indictment. Prosecutors also met with Rimolo,
who identified himself as
Prusik’s nephew.
To the investigators’ surprise,
Rimolo and Parkin agreed to arrange a meeting with Prusik at the
home on 6th Avenue. When prosecutors and detective investiga-
tors arrived, they found Parkin
dressed as his 77-year-old mother,
wearing a red cardigan, lipstick,
manicured nails and breathing
through an Oxygen tank.
An indictment is an accusatory
instrument and not proof of a
defendant’s guilt.
The case was investigated by Detective Investigator Third Grade
Thomas Farley, Supervising Detective Investigator Shaun Winter, and
Detective Investigator Second
Grade Michael Seminara. George
Terra is Assistant Chief Investigator.
Joseph Ponzi is Chief Investigator.
The case is being prosecuted by
Rackets Division Deputy Bureau
Chief Dennis Ring and Assistant
District Attorney Wojciech
Jackowski. Financial Investigator
Vincent Verlezza also worked on the
case. Michael Vecchione is Chief
of the Rackets Division.
©
Fashion, Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .& Stuff
By Audrey Adams
Men’s grooming
is back in style!
Audrey Adams
Finally, the well groomed man
is back in style! For far too long,
most men thought that meticulous grooming habits were fussy
and that scruffiness was a part
of manliness. Not anymore.
Thanks to popular men’s
lifestyle, health and fashion
publications; looking good, fit
and ageless is becoming every
man’s mantra. Men are now feeling the pressure that women
have felt since the beginning of
time; to be the perfect specimen
of his species! European men
have frequented spas and spa
treatments for many years and
their American counterparts are
quickly discovering the benefits
of relaxing and rejuvenating in
exclusive men-only spas that
are cropping up to meet the increasing demand for pampering.
That’s right, pampering. If
women can go to all lengths to
look and feel good, then why
shouldn’t men? This isn’t about
basic cleanliness; it’s about the
right of a man to indulge his
senses while maintaining basic
cleanliness! Why does his soap
have to smell like pine tar or
musk to be acceptable? Isn’t a
fragrant emollient cream infused
with lemon zest better than plain
old lotion? How about a gentle
facial exfoliant with soothing essence of lavender? And why oh
why can’t he enjoy a fragrant
bubble bath or shower gel without feeling guilty? Today men
want to look and feel their best
too.
Manufacturers and marketers
have recognized the potential
growth of this rapidly emerging
and underexploited opportunity
to create a plethora of grooming
products that will appeal exclusively to men. Soon you will see
a greater selection of affordable
products in all areas; body
sprays, fragrances, deodorants,
shaving products, skincare and
bath.
Not to be forgotten are those exclusive men’s spas that are cropping up everywhere. They are offering branded products used
during treatments for retail sale inhouse to increase profits and encourage brand loyalty among their
clientele.
The spas aren’t really that new.
The first spa for men was established centuries ago, the only difference is that instead of a spa it
was under the guise of sweat
lodges, baths, clubs and locker
rooms; Roman men gathered in
one room to bathe and relax in
steaming pools of mineralized water to soothe their tired, weary and
sore muscles from the rigors of war
or too much partying the night before. Instinctively they knew that
they would feel much better after
allowing the unknown therapeutic benefits of the minerals, steam
and accompanying hot oil rub to
work their magic.
No doubt a massage with
scented oils and a good swathing
in cool scented linens completed
the ritual and voila! The maidens
flocked to their side! I would be
willing to bet that even Caesar himself knew that no self-respecting
high-ranking woman of Rome
would want to get close if his
beard reeked of swill and his skin
felt like sandpaper or his nails were
jagged enough to cut into her
delicate skin or his breath smelled
like a dead animal! Even the milk
bath is old! Bathing and taking
good care of ones-self had its benefits then as now.
In reality, a body is a body, skin
is skin, hair is hair, nails are nails
and all of the accompanying concerns about maintaining them apply. It doesn’t matter who you are
or how old you are, looking and
feeling good are important.
Women have always known the
secret to looking and feeling their
best involved a long list of grooming products and innovations that
they could count on, creams, potions and the like. Appealing to
the opposite sex has always been
a motivating factor and of course
good old vanity has played a major role in motivating people to
look and feel their best. Men are
no different.
So, what do men want? They
want it all, fade creams, waxes,
depilatories, shea butter,
smooth blemish free skin, for
folks to recognize that they too
are embarrassed by overly
hairy bodies, that hangnails
hurt and would be better addressed by a manicurist and
that to smell too manly is gross!
They want to be pampered and
appreciated.
In the recent past, and in the
name of vanity; men have
flocked to plastic surgeons for
enhanced chests, cheekbones,
derrieres, calf-muscles; brow
lifts, tummy tucks, liposuction
and hair implants. Now in their
own name, men are looking for
products that exfoliate and polish, minimize fine lines and
wrinkles, moisturize and protect, remove hair from unwanted
areas, reduce dark circles and
minimize bags under the eyes,
fresh-smelling breath and
whiter teeth! They also want
manicures and pedicures, massages, aromatherapy and reflexology in the privacy of their
own spa surrounded in comfort.
Of course men care about the
way they look. And it seems
that they are as willing as
women are to do whatever is
necessary to maintain a youthful, virile appearance. The interest in grooming is renewed; it’s
now time for you to rejuvenate
your man’s stockpile of grooming aids and products. Good
grooming is back in style and it
is here to stay. Don’t compete
with him . . . help him out. Think
about it. See you next week. .
Visit my website, TheAdams
Report.com and checkout my
online radio and TV show, Talk!
with Audrey for a series of interviews that will inform, motivate and inspire you.
Audrey Adams, former director
of corporate public relations
and fashion merchandising for
ESSENCE continues to motivate
and inspire women through her
syndicated columns and motivational speaking engagements.
E-mail your fashion, beauty and
lifestyle questions or comments
to her at Audrey@THEADAMS
REPORT.com THE ADAMS
REPORT©
(Real People, Real Advice)
Ask Deanna! Is an advice column
known for it’s fearless approach
to reality-based subjects.
Dear Deanna!
My cousin has betrayed me by getting with my ex-boyfriend. We
had a break-up but I felt there was always hope to get back together.
I’m having a hard time because of the family issue and now they’re
having a baby together. I’m trying to control myself and keep it together because he was seeing her when he was with me... I was doing
fine and moving on until he called wanting to have a fling. I’m torn
between seeing him and telling my cousin. What do I do?
Miserable But Holding On
Denver, CO
Dear Miserable:
If you think things are bad now, go ahead and get with him and
you’ll have a living nightmare on your hands. Whether he’s with
your cousin, a friend or a stranger, you had your chance, it didn’t
work out and now he’s onto someone else. You have enough time to
hold on to your sanity and find a relationship that’s good for you.
Hold your head high and let the past be the past and although your
cousin has him, realize that he’s cheating on her but it’s not with you.
Dear Deanna!
I have to choose who I want to marry. I have a childhood friend that
would love to be with me but I don’t feel any fireworks for him. I
really want to marry my ex-boyfriend but I know he would only marry
me for stability since he has a history of unemployment. I am so
anxious to become a married woman but I’m having a tough time with
this decision. Neither man has expressed this interest so I will be the
one proposing. Who do I choose?
Marriage Confusion
On-Line Reader
Dear Confusion:
You are missing the major dynamics of marriage such as a mutual
agreement and of course, a loving committed relationship. This is a
union from God and not to be taken lightly or as a game. Your childhood friend doesn’t deserve heartbreak and your ex-boyfriend would
use you. You deserve better and should invest time in building a
loving relationship with someone that has love, trust, respect and a
joint decision for commitment and matrimony.
Dear Deanna!
My relationship feels dead. In the beginning things were exciting
but now everything is boring. I’m not motivated to do my hair anymore, I don’t feel like dressing up and sex is the last thing on my
mind. Now that I look my worse, my boyfriend has become active, he
goes out all the time and has really come out of his shell. He doesn’t
pay me any attention and when he does, he seems to be somewhere
else. Are these signs that we need to end this relationship?
Hurting and Confused
Benton Harbor, MI
Dear Hurting:
You’re living the classic case that involves women let themselves
go and then lose their man. You need to wake up and realize you look
a mess and your boyfriend has chosen to keep living. He hasn’t
changed other than the fact he may have another woman because
he’s almost sick of you. If you want this relationship get your act
together fast because he’s on his way out. The clock is ticking but
you can turn things around with effort, and positive thinking.
Ask Deanna is written by Deanna M. Write Ask Deanna!
Email: askdeanna1@yahoo.com or write:
Deanna M, 264 S. La Cienega, Suite 1283, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Website: www.askdeanna.com
Michell Obama launches
White House music series
By J. Zamgba Browne
Special to New York Beacon
A special white House Music
Series featuring artists of all ages
to perform and interact with
young people has been launched
by First Lady Michelle Obama.
The series began Monday
with Jazz Studio to be followed
by country and classical music
for the summer and fall.
On Monday, over 150 young
students participated in classes
SEARCH FOR GOOD HEALTH — Participants in a recent health empowerment sym- led by jazz experts including
posium screen for diabetes and other diseases. Sponsored by Dr. Terri Kennedy, presi- Wynton, Bradford and Ellis
dent of Power Living Enterprises and the American Heart Association, the event signed Marsalis. They attended a concert featuring jazz greats Paquito
up participants to become ambassadors to end stroke. (See story on Page 15).
D’Rivera and child protégés Tony
Madruga with his ensemble.
The First Lady said Jazz at Lincoln Center is pleased to participate in the White House Music
Series. She said the series will
present educational events that
demonstrate the importance or
arts education to reinvigorate the
creativity and innovation that
made America great.
Through the Jazz Studio educational workshops, Mrs. Obama
said young students will come to
the White House to celebrate the
uniquely American art form and
THE ADAMS REPORT Ask Deanna!
23
24
YOU GO, GIRL!
Meet the White House’s fabulous
Socialite-in-Chief, Desirée Rogers
Edited by Audrey J. Bernard
When President Barack Obama
and First Lady Michelle Obama
appointed prominent Chicago
businesswoman Desirée Rogers
to the position of White House
Social Secretary, she became the
first African American to serve in
that position.
The position of social secretary is more influential and farreaching than the title might
suggest. Although the job is associated with working with the
first lady and with entertaining
— and best known for staging
state dinners for heads of countries — the social secretary’s
office is responsible for every
event or ceremony that occurs
in the White House or on the
grounds.
In her enviable position as the
new Socialite-in-Chief, Rogers is
responsible for organizing and
overseeing all White House
functions and ceremonies, from
Easter egg hunts to lavish state
dinners.
In her plum position, the dynamic socialite spends lots of
time working with the First Lady
on White House functions and
ceremonies, and they work in
tandem to bring together world
and cultural leaders for state dinners and other functions.
That makes Rogers one of the
most sought after names in
Washington. She is the decider!
She decides on who gets to
come to White House parties,
State dinners and other social
functions making social functions during this administration
a hot ticket for Washington insiders as well as entertainment
moguls, business tycoons, and
other power players.
Case in point, the R&B band
Earth, Wind and Fire was the entertainment at the Obamas’ first
formal dinner, hosting the
nation’s governors, and soul
legend Stevie Wonder was honored with a White House concert. The black-tie governors’
dinner had a more casual, modern feel with mixed-china place
settings.
It helps that Rogers, 49, is a
friend of the Obamas. She raised
a lot of money for Obama’s campaign, and has long been a fixture on Chicago’s social and notfor-profit scene. Much of her
work in her new job will be hand-
Desiree Rogers
in-glove with Michelle Obama, a
friend of long standing from the
same social circle in Chicago.
“Desirée is a heavy hitter —
she comes with her own range of
contacts from around the country. She’s close to Michelle and
she knows everyone who will be
working in the West Wing, so she
will be able to create a synergy,”
said Valerie Jarrett, White House
senior adviser to President
Obama.
Rogers is one of the highest profile executives in the Midwest and
over the past 16 years has headed
two major corporations. She is
recognized as an innovative leader
with a proven track record. An
over achiever, Rogers earned a
degree in political science from
Wellesley College and her MBA
from Harvard University.
Rogers served as President of
Social Networking for Allstate Financial, a business unit of The
Allstate Corporation. In that role,
she was responsible for building
a social network that connects
middle-market consumers — often alienated and confused by a
myriad of financial products and
services — with other likeminded Americans to share experiences, insights, and wisdom.
Social networks are a new approach to harness the collective
experience of consumers through
interactive communities, affinity
groups and new external relationships.
Prior to joining Allstate,
Rogers was president of Peoples
Gas and North Shore Gas, now
divisions of Integrys Energy
Group. In this role, she launched
a range of strategic initiatives to
improve customer service and
integrate technology into company operations.
Previously, she was director of
the Illinois Lottery, where she led
a reinvention effort that culminated in the launch of the Mega
Millions multi-state game. A
well-known and highly respected
business leader in the Chicago
area community, Rogers was the
first female African American
president of Peoples Gas and
North Shore Gas.
In recent years, Rogers was
named one of the “Top 25 Women
to Watch” by Crain’s Chicago
Business (2007). She was also
named one of the “Top 50 Most
Powerful African American Business Women” (2006) and one of
the “Top 75 Most Powerful
Blacks in Corporate America”
(2005) by Black Enterprise.
“The president-elect and Mrs.
Obama wanted a social secretary with extraordinary accomplishment who would bring vision and a fresh approach to the
White House,” said Stephanie
Cutter, spokeswoman for the
presidential transition.
“Something that we’ve talked
about from early on is making it
the people’s house,” said
Rogers, sitting at a table in her
East Wing office, a view of the
Truman Balcony behind her.
House despite their party’s control of the presidency for the past
eight years. The Super Bowl
party included a children’s play
area featuring Nintendo Wii.
The traditional White House
Easter Egg Roll this year was the
largest ever, with tens of thousands of visitors and tickets distributed to the public online for
the first time. The idea is that an
assured spot will make it easier
for families to come from across
the country to join the egg hunt
on the South Lawn; in the past,
tickets were distributed in Washington the previous Saturday,
making it less likely people
would travel a long distance.
For many, the Obamas evoke
John and Jacqueline Kennedy
and Camelot, a presidency surrounded by an enduring mystique and sense of possibility.
That image was created in part
by an elegant White House social life that included a storied
dinner with Nobel Prize winners
and a performance by classical
cellist Pablo Casals marking his
celebrated return to America.
Even before the election, Vogue
editor-at-large Andre Leon
Talley dubbed the Obama era
“Black Camelot.”
The poised 5-foot, 10-inch
Rogers has a flair for fashion and
designers are lining up to have
“This is not necessarily a presidency that duplicates
or copies,” Rogers told the Chicago Tribune, rejecting comparisons to the Kennedy’s vibrant White
House social life. “The Obamas have their own style”
“How can we salute — encourage the American spirit? That
means many different things to
many different people.”
Her vision includes inviting
ordinary citizens chosen by lottery to join in a social life that
reflects the eclectic interests of
a sophisticated, young First
Couple. Along with glittering
state events and intimate dinners hosting artists and intellectuals, the calendar she plans includes edgy poetry slams and
an egalitarian ball celebrating
everyday American heroes.
Among the first events has
been a Super Bowl party and a
dinner for congressional committee chairmen and their Republican counterparts. It was the
first time even many of the GOP
members of Congress had been
invited to dinner at the White
her adorn their front row at elite
fashion shows. Long before
Rogers was associated with the
White House, she was profiled
in the September 2004 issue of
Vogue, which praised her as
“proving that chic and executive
can co-exist.
“Whatever epithet ultimately
sticks to the Obama White
House, Rogers will be its impresario. And she, for one, rejects
comparisons with Camelot:
“This is not necessarily a presidency that duplicates, or copies.
The Obamas have their own
style,” she said in an interview.
That style is livelier than the
Bushes, more hip than the
Reagans, more multicultural than
the Clintons and more accessible than the Kennedys.
In an office that derives its
greatest power from the oppor-
tunity to forge a direct relationship
with the American people, and
amid a celebrity culture that elevates the details of personal life,
style can be critical.
“She’s a wonderful person to
have in a room. She’s fun and
witty and lovely to look at,” said
Linda Johnson Rice, chairwoman
and CEO of Johnson Publishing,
a longtime friend and frequent
guest at Rogers’ Art Deco duplex
in Chicago’s Gold Coast. “When
you walk into her home, everything is perfect: the candles are
the right scent, the flowers are
perfect and she’s very welcoming.”
Though Rogers approaches
planning events with an eye toward imagery that will reinforce
Obama’s vision of the presidency
and help him build relationships
with the capital’s other political
players, she said her job ultimately
is about “creating environments
where people can kind of relax a
little bit and experience a tiny slice
of what America has to offer.” Like
the conga line at the governor’s
ball.
“In the course of the evening, I
looked up and they were doing a
conga line,” said Jarrett. “That’s
the perfect example of how comfortable people were able to get
very quickly. And, you know,
when you’ve done the conga line
with somebody, it’s very hard to
have a heated dispute with them
the next day.”
Some of New York’s hottest “invitational only guests” will hobnob with Rogers at The Creative
Coalition Annual Membership
Meeting on Thursday, June 18,
2009 at the HBO Terrace hosted by
actors and The Creative Coalition
co-presidents Tim Daly and Tony
Goldwyn.
The annual gathering — which
brings together leaders from all
facets of the entertainment industry including actors, writers, producers and directors, as well as
executives from cable, network studios, and independent film — will
be moderated by actress Dana
Delany.
The Creative Coalition is the premiere 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan social and public advocacy organizations of the arts and entertainment community. Founded in
1989 by prominent members of the
creative community, The Creative
Coalition is dedicated to educating
its members on issues of public importance.
Desiree Rogers and White
House Deputy Social Secretary Ebs Burnough at
Desiree Rogers with Michelle Obama in the Diplomatic ABT ball at Lincoln Center
Room of the White House
(Photo by Andrew H. Walker- Desiree Rogers, Valerie Jarrett and Linda Johnson Rice
(Photo by Alex Wong-Getty Images North America) Gerry Images)
at the Ravinia Festival's 2008 Gala
BOOKIN’ IT with Fashion & Beauty Editor Audrey J. Bernard
Coreen Simpson
Coreen Simpson was dressed
from head to toe in her signature Black Cameo design at a
very special and intimate book
bash hosted by Cameo Designs,
Ltd. with Arude Publications in
honor of her fabulous first book
fittingly titled The Black
Cameo® Book at the prestigious June Kelly Gallery.
For years Simpson’s fans and
longtime customers have urged
her to write a book about her
glamorous jewelry and merchandise line containing an embossed silhouette of a black
woman.
Simpson has always listened
to her successful clientele and
finally put an end to their
friendly persistence for her to
write a book! She not only shut
them up with the release of The Charline Kravison & Keena
Black Cameo® Book, but also Kravison from Philly
realized a lifelong dream come
true by penning the book.
The Black Cameo® is worn
by Black women of distinction
worldwide as a symbol of unity,
pride and equality. The powerful pin has provided them with
something that they can identify with and be proud of. You
don’t have to be black to wear
The Black Cameo® — but it
helps.
With her model looks,
Simpson greeted guests with
her signature smile as she
autographed the hardcover
book (13” tall x 9 ½” wide; 20
hard pages; $29.95 plus $6.00
shipping and handling charge)
for her guests.
With the release of this beautiful book, Simpson is adding
more glitz and glamour to her
line. The Black Cameo® Book
makes a lovely addition to Ruth Hunt, Veronica Jones
anyone’s library and coffee
table. For additional information, visit info@theblackcameo
collection.com
Eleanor Kennedy
June Kelly, husband
June Kelly's assistant Bianca
Dorsey
Janice Combs
(Photo by Leroy Henderson)
Coreen Simpson autographs book for Gail Marquis
June Kelly, Coreen Simpson
Joie Lee (Photo by Leroy Henderson)
Ruth Clark, Cynthia Holiday-Moore
(Photos: Audrey J. Bernard)
Yes she can! Yes she did! The Black Cameo®
designer Coreen Simpson pens book
25
26
WHAT’S GOING ON
By Victoria Horsford
GOVERNOR DAVID PATERSON
It boggles the mind reading
continuous mainstream media
reports and questionable poll
figures, which continuously
malign Governor David Paterson. It seems like a concerted
effort to marginalize him and
his office. Moreover, I am surprised by intelligent, critically
thinking Black people who say
that it is over for Paterson.
When asked why, they reply.
“He’s got a lot of problems.”
So does 49 other U.S. governors.
NYS like the USA is navigating an economic crisis. Agreed,
no one’s perfect, especially an
elected official. I think that Governor Paterson’s performance
since March 17, 2008 when he
took the oath of office and became the fourth Black governor
in the nation’s history, has been
commendable.
Examine his gubernatorial
record He balanced the most
difficult budget in the state’s
history. He named AfricanAmericans and Latinos judges
to higher courts, including NYS
highest, the Court of Appeals.
He increased state business, a
stat that had fallen into an
abyss, to women and minority
vendors. He initiated dramatic
Rockefeller Drug Law reforms,
which may restore some normalcy to Black family life. He
reformed health care with a its
new emphasis on health care.
He has used some Federal
Stimulus funds, to increase
Welfare allowance grants for
the first time in two decades
and has extended unemployment benefits. Those actions
are directly responsible for his
poll numbers and perception
problem. His actions are pragmatic and progressive, not
glamorous, scandalous nor
sexy. New Yorkers only remember his gay marriage initiative
and his handling of the Kirsten
Gillibrand/Caroline Kennedy
US Senate selection.
A talk with Governor David
Paterson was revealing. When
asked about his life during the
last 15 months, he laughed saying, “Stormy and exciting. I
didn’t know how much you
need transition in the executive
branch.” Ostensibly warrior
like, he seems to enjoys the
job and its multiple challenges.
Asked to grade himself as governor, he replied
“I’d give myself a B+ bordering on an incomplete. My criticism is that I didn’t build a team
fast enough. When I warned
about a looming financial crisis, I was called an alarmist.”
The Black United Fund (BUF),
its real estate portfolio and assets topped my list of questions. Governor Paterson said.
“The Attorney General’s Office has jurisdiction of the BUF
and that it was improper and
disturbing for AG Elliot Spitzer
to remove an organization’s executives and Board members
on the basis of his guarantee
that there was wrongdoing.
There was never any trial nor
conviction!” To be continued.
Gov. David Paterson
PEOPLE STUFF
America’s most sought-after
white collar criminal defense attorney, Theodore (Ted) Wells,
whose client roster lists, ahem,
former NYS Governor Elliot
Spitzer of call girl infamy, Scooter
Libby, Cheney’s former chief of
staff, and junk-bond czar
Michael Milken, has been retained by A.I.G. in its court battle
with former AIG CEO Maurice
Greenberg, 84.
Economist and pre-eminent
Black conservative Thomas
Sowell’s new book “The Housing
Boom and Bust,” an explanation
of the economics and politics that
accompanied the phenom, debuted at #15 on Sunday NYT
Book Review’s best seller list. I
believe that this is Sowell’s first
book since his 2003 “Black
Rednecks And White Liberals ….
Philanthropist Sherry Bronfman recently became a grandmother…. Attorney Regina
Darby suffered related to an auto
accident on June 4 and had to
undergo two surgical procedures, one on her right shoulder
and the other on her right wrist,
which required the insertion of a
plate. She is in rehab at her Yonkers home and reachable at
914.410.4924…
CUNY’s Medgar Evers College
hosted a $250 retirement celebration honoring its president Dr.
Edison O. Jackson on Wednesday, June 17 at Stage 6, Steiner
Studios, Brooklyln Navy Yard.
CULTURE STUFF
PAN JAZZ 2009: New York
based Abstract Entertainment
presents its sixth annual Pan Jazz
concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center,
Broadway at 60 Street, Manhattan, on Saturday, June 20 at 7 pm.
The concert will feature panists
virtuosos from the Caribbean and
South America such as Ray
Holman, Othello Molineaux,
Etienne Charles, Arturo Tappin,
Pedro Martinez, Maucha Adnete,
Nicholas Brancker, and Buddy
Williams. Tickets are scaled from
$50-$80. For reservations and
more info, call 516.802.4129 or visit
www. panjazz.com
JAZZMOBILE celebrates its
45 th Anniversary this summer,
launches its 2009 season with
three concerts in as many NYC
boroughs – Manhattan, Bronx,
and Queens – on Sunday June 21.
The official Jazzmobile season be-
gins on July 7. Jazzmobile June
21
Lineup includes marquee jazz
pianist Randy Weston who will
perform in front of the Jazz Gallery in Soho, Manhattan, at 3:30
pm, in a tribute to the late Ghanaian drummer Kofi Ghanaba;
The Jose Obando Trio plays at
3 pm at the Bronx Museum of
Art; and saxophonist Lily White
plays in the Flushing Town Hall
Gardens, in Queens at 4 pm.
RE…RE-CYCLE, RE-CREATE, RE-IMAGINE, a new exhibit at the Museum of Biblical
Art, Mobia at 1865 Broadway
at 61 Street in Manhattan
through 9/27 www.mobia. Inspired by the African practice
of creating art objects from recycled material, the exhibit
showcases the works of
Cameroon-born, fine artist
Vickie Fremont, who employs
used, valuable objects and
then re-fashions them into creations of new beauty. The
RE…RE-CYCLE Exhibition
opens on June 19 and includes
a cadre of human and bird form
finely-crafted puppets.
HOMO HARLEM is a film
retrospective and festival,
curated by Michael Henry
Adams, co-sponsored by Men
of Colors Together, which will
be held at the Maysles Institute at 343 Lenox Avenue (127/
128 Streets), from June 19 to
June 27.
HOMO HARLEM honors the
40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion and the subsequent birth of the Gay rights
movement. Adams says. “We
celebrate the cinematic representation of Gay life and culture in Black America’s fabled
homeland.”
The films feature stories
about iconic gay community
denizens like James Baldwin,
musician Billy Strayhorn, civil
rights architect Bayard Rustin,
poetess Audrey Lorde and
Storme of the Jewel Box Revue
et.al. Festival includes films,
panel discussions, Harlem
walking tours and dinner at
Norma Jean Darden’s eatery,
Miss Maude’s. For reservations and full HOMO HARLEM
schedule, visit homoharlem
tours@aol.com.
CARIBBEAN AMERICAN
MONTH SHOUTOUTS
To NYS Governor David
Paterson’s Sr. Advisor for Government and Intergovernmental Affairs Errol Cockfield; NYC
College of Technology Director of Alumni Relations Helen
Covington; Retired union official Lorraine Gobern; Real Estate Broker Mitchell Grey; Moet
Hennessy SVP Noel Hankin;
Real Estate executive Ramona
Grey Harris; Bronx DA Robert
Johnson.
Additionally, NY Daily News
Columnist/Editorial Board member Errol Louis; Fine artist/academician Peter Lewis; Mitchell/
Titus Accounting CEO Bert
Mitchell; Former NY1 anchorman Gary Anthony Ramsay;
Enrique Riggs, DDS; Tenor Saxophonist Sonny Rollins; Real Estate broker Aden Seraile; Jazz Piano master Randy Weston and
Flutist Sherry Winston.
The Interchurch Center
Gospel Choir to perform
By Marc Rasbury
For the past 25 years, the Interchurch Center Gospel Choir
has entertained and inspired
New Yorkers with their noontime concerts at the Center. To
celebrate the Center’s Silver
Anniversary, the acclaimed
choir will conduct their first
primetime concert on Wednesday, June 24, at the Chapel of
The Interchurch Center, located
at 475 Riverside Drive. The concert will start at 6 pm.
Founded in 1960, The Interchurch Center serves the
Morningside and Harlem communities as an epicenter for cultural
exchange and ideas. The choir,
which is comprised of a segment
of the Center’s 2000 employees,
is an integral part of the Center’s
portfolio allowing it to achieve its
mission.
Please come out and support
the Choir and the Center with an
evening of spectacular gospel
music and light refreshments.
Tickets are available to the public for a suggested donation of
$10 at the door. Tickets must be
ordered in advance, as they will
not be available at the door.
AIDS activists not surprised
(From page 35)
men who were HIV positive, they
know about HIV,” Simmons explained. “They know about survival, they know the therapy,
they know latex condoms are better than other condoms. They
know all of that, but they are not
changing their behavior.”
With his voice breaking, an
emotional Simmons continued,
“The reason they’re not changing their behavior is that they’re
traumatized. Basically, the bottom
line: They know how to save their
life but they don’t feel their life is
worth saving.”
He said other issues, such as
poverty, lack of access to health
care, homophobia, sexism and poor
education must be addressed as
part of any strategy to effectively
combat HIV/AIDS.
He said, “What we need is a multiprong approach that deals with the
issues that each of these subgroups are facing.”
Michell Obama launches...
(From page 23)
learn from and interact with some
of the world’s most renowned
jazz musicians.
Musicians and educators leading the Jazz at Lincoln Center
produced workshops include:
Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis,
Bradford Marsalis, Delfeayo
Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Jason
Marsalis, Sean Jones, Stephen
C. Massey, Todd Williams, Eli
Yamin and others.
The White House said it has
brought together a number or or-
ganizations to participate and Jazz
at Lincoln Center said it is proud
to collaborate with the following:
Duke Ellington School for the
Performing Arts; Duke Ellington
Jazz Festival; Levin School of Music; New Orleans Center for the
Creative Arts; SITAR Arts;
Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz;
and WPAS Capitol Jazz Project.
The White House said the Jazz
Studio workshop themes include
exploration of the core elements of
jazz; American History and Jazz;
The Syntax of Jazz; Improvisation;
The Blues Experience and Jazz;
Duke Ellington and Swing.
Slain Holocaust Museum guard
(From page 3)
The museum is dedicated to
honoring victims of the holocaust victims and Bloomfield
said Johns’ murder should serve
as a reminder of the fact that it
needs to be in existence.
In honor of Johns, its flags
were lowered to half staff and the
facility was closed on Thursday,
June 11.
President Obama, who, only a
week before, visited a memorial
for holocaust victims at the site
of a concentration camp in Germany, also expressed his regret,
adding the attack should serve
as a reminder to remain vigilant
against prejudice.
“We have lost a courageous
security guard who stood watch
at this place of solemn remembrance,’’ Obama said in a statement. “My thoughts and prayers
are with his family and friends in
this painful time.’’
Johns was on duty June 10
when an old man wearing a brown
coat, entered the main entrance.
Police said Johns opened the
door for the man, but had no time
to react before 88-year-old James
W. von Brunn, a notorious racist
and anti-Semitic, whipped out a
rifle from under his coat and shot
him.
Johns was taken to a Washington hospital where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
The incident occurred just before 1 p.m. while the museum, located at 14th St. and Independence
Ave., was crowded with thousands of visitors.
Moti Shair, who was in the building seconds before, said he received a call on his cell phone and
went outside. “Seconds later, I
could hear up to six gunshots 10
feet away,” Shair told the AFRO.
A World War II veteran, von
Brunn was critically injured after
two other security officers at the
museum returned fire.
“The gunman was lying motionless on the ground,” Florida natives, Susie and Charles Towater,
who were also visiting the museum at the time, told the AFRO.
A SWAT team was deployed
along with U.S. Park officers after
the shooting, but a spokesman for
the Washington field office of the
FBI said there was no evidence of
a conspiracy and that they believe
NNPA Award Winner
27
By Don Thomas
Jazz-Chat
Celebrating 30 years of Jazz Forum
By Deardra Shuler
Contributing Scribe
The Frederick Pete Rose Hall
will open its Rose Theatre to
Mark Morganelli, Jon Hendricks
and a host of other jazz artists
to celebrate the 30th anniversary
wine out of my refrigerator for a
dollar,” chuckled Mark.
“The Jazz Forum was down at
50 Cooper Square on the northern part of the Bowery near Joseph Papp’s Public Theater and
between an Alcohol Rehabilitation Clinic and a Methadone Pro-
Jon Hendricks
of Jazz Forum.
This musical festival comprised of nearly 20 artists will be
held within Jazz at Lincoln Center complex. Musicians such
as Lou Donaldson, Cedar
Walton, Buster Williams, Joe
Lovano, George Mraz, Paquito
D’Rivera, Barry Harris, Louis
Hayes, Jimmy Cobb, Claudio
Roditi, John Scofield, George
Coleman, Rufus Reid, Al Foster,
Leroy Williams, Ray Drummond,
Mark Morganelli and Jon
Hendricks will be on board to
make Monday, June 22nd at 8pm
a sterling night.
Mark Morganelli established
Jazz Forum in the East Village in
1979 when he was 24 years old.
“I graduated in 1977 and immediately went on the road. Coming from a big band tradition, I
hired a couple of guys from the
Berkley School of Music who
taught me bebop. I moved to
New York City and began working with Bob January’s Original
Swing Era Orchestra at the Village Gate, playing all the stock
Big Band charts.
“Before I knew it, me and a
few musician buddies joined
forces and bought a loft. We
built bedrooms, sanded the
floors and on June 17, 1979,
opened the doors to the public
with the great trumpeter Dizzy
Reese and the house rhythm
section. We did the same the
following weekend opening with
Clifford Jordan. The loft became
a club or at least I called it that
since I started selling beer and
gram,” continued the trumpeter
and flugelhorn player.
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross
started out in 1958/1959. Their
first album, “Sing A Song with
Basie” revolutionized Jazz singing and changed it forever via
creating a style that became
known as vocalese. “Vocalese
became the name that repre-
sented putting words to jazz
instrumentals and now vocalese
is a recognized bona fide jazz
culture art form,” explained
Hendricks whose style inspired
the Manhattan Transfer and New
York Voices.
One of 17 children, Hendricks
began singing at 7 years of age in
his hometown of Toledo, Ohio.
Living 5 houses down from Art
Tatum, he started working with
Art at age 9. When he was 12,
Art got Jon a job at the Waiters
and Bellman’s Club, an after
hours club where Art accompanied him on piano for 2 years.
“All the music I learned, I
learned from Art even though I
never learned to read music,” remarked Jon who formed a collaboration with vocalist Dave
Lambert wherein they re-recorded the song “Four Brothers,” in 1957, later joining up with
Annie Ross giving birth to Lambert, Hendricks and Ross as a
full-time act.
“What we are going to do at
the June 22 concert is debut the
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross
redo. That same week Annie
Ross and I are being honored by
ASCAP. We debuted our redo
at Milan, Italy at the Blue Note
where we got a standing ovation.
Everyone loves the sound of
vocalese which is a potent
force,” said Hendricks.
“We are starting the June 22nd
show with Barry Harris, the great
Detroit Bebop professor, who will
be playing in a trio format with
Ray Drummond on bass and
drummer Leroy Williams. They
will ultimately be joined by the
great Lou Donaldson. Jon will
then come on with the Lambert,
Hendricks, and Ross Redo debut,
followed by Cedar Walton, Louis
Rawlins and the late John
Coltrane who did these cordless
trio performances at the Village
Vanguard whereby Joe Lovano,
George Mraz and Al Foster perform as a trio. Joe will go off stage
and John Scofield will come out
and perform with the trio. We will
Mark Morganelli (Photo: John Abbott)
Hayes and Buster Williams who
will perform as a trio. Afterwards,
they will form a quartet with the
great tenor player George
Coleman who played with the
great Miles Davis in the 1960s,”
said Mark.
“We will take a break and then
return with a second set, opening up with a nod to Sonny
The day after Barry Harris broke his left thumb, he was giving a concert in NYC. Because of the accident he had to reinvent the way he would use his left hand. A musician
will tell here he’s playing a C minor chord with a C and an Eb in the left hand. That ain’t
bad for a pianist with a broken thumb, is it? And, when he plays, even if he’s playing the
most freakin’ fast devilish blues, it looks like he’s just taking a relaxed walk. Harris
has a way of achieving the best result with the less effort. But you just can’t really
understand what I mean until you have been standing right behind him while he’s playing. And, it’s too bad photography can’t let you hear the music because you’re missing
the best part of the experience.
then add the New Orleans musician Donald Harrison who played
the Jazz Forum with Art Blakey.
Lastly, the final group will feature
Kenny Barron, Rufus Reed and
Jimmy Cobb who will ultimately
be joined by Claudio Roditi and
Paquito D’Rivera,” asserted
Morganelli.
“I have been teaching for 8
years at the University of Toledo
as a distinguished professor of
Jazz Studies,” said Jon who believes that anyone involved with
the medium of jazz programming
should treat the jazz art form like
the culture that it is.
“For example, Bach, Brahms,
and Beethoven have been dead
400 years, so why should the fact
that Dizzy is not here, Duke
Ellington is not here, Miles is not
here, keep them off the air,” remarked Jon. “Seems to me that is
motivation to keep their music on
the air. You cannot treat art forms
like they are contemporary only.
“People are going to get old
and leave here and if they have
done something of any merit,
those who remain, have to play
those people’s music to keep
them alive. Jazz is the most vital
art form on the planet and should
be shown respect. It’s America’s
art form, white or Black,” said
Hendricks with great emotion
while encouraging all to come out
on June 22 to help celebrate Jazz
Forum’s 30th Anniversary. For affordable tickets see www.jalc.org
or visit the Jazz at Lincoln Center
Box Office, on the ground floor,
at 60th Street and Broadway.
CELEBRATE ‘BLACK MUSIC MONTH 2009’
Enter tainment
28
Introducing
Soraya Burrell brings creative ideas to the table
“I don’t believe in changing artists but enhancing them.
True talent should not be manufactured but nurtured. I
believe that A&R and Marketing go hand in hand. My
desire to guide an artist onto a pathway that ensures success stems from the satisfaction and enjoyment of being
involved in the overall growth of an individual artist,”
says Soraya Burrell
Compiled By Don Thomas
Confident, poised and ready
for success, Soraya Burrell
brings to the table ambition,
dedication and creative ideas.
Burrell began her career at CBS
Records, which later became Columbia Records/Sony Music Entertainment. Her ten year plus
at Columbia Records (starting as
the receptionist in the A&R department at Columbia in 1990),
innovative ideas and instrumen-
tal efforts led Columbia to the
continued success of multiplatinum artists, including
Mariah Carey, Maxwell, The
Fugees, Lauryn Hill, Will Smith,
Destiny’s Child, Jermaine Dupri,
DaBrat, Wyclef Jean and Xscape
to mention a few.
Burrell stepped down from
the high-paced A&R managerial
position in 2001 where she coordinated assigned projects,
compilations, soundtracks, reviewed and evaluated submitted
material, compiled and submitted credit and sampling information per album project.
Soraya was also responsible
for A&R coordination of the following soundtracks: “Love
Jones,” “Men In Black,” “In Too
Deep” and “Best Man,” which
she would like to further pursue
in the near future.
A veteran of the Sony Music
Entertainment Empire, Soraya is
very passionate about music
and works hard, resourceful,
and determined to succeed even
faced with obstacles. She will
definitely be a great asset to any
company.
Succeeding in the entertainment industry, Soraya is continuing a family tradition. She
comes from a musical family, all
her sisters and both parents
sing. Her two oldest sisters,
Terry and Debye Burrell, as African American women, were
trailblazers on Broadway, performing in Broadway’s various
unforgettable hit shows including: “The WIZ,” “Eubie” (with
Gregory and Maurice Hines),
and the original cast of
“Dreamgirls.”
Soraya studied theatrical dance
at Alvin Ailey, The Broadway
dance center, Rockaway dance
center and attended classes at
Bernice Johnson in Jamaica,
Queens, where she grew up.
Spreading her wings from
youth to date, Burrell has appeared in numerous music videos with Whitney Houston,
Boys II Men, and Kid Capri,
which positioned her to highlight her skills as a choreographer. She has worked with
Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J.
Blige, as her stage show choreographer in her developmental
stages, Burrell also accompanied
former profile recording artist,
Special Ed whom she went on
tour with as well as former EMI
recording artist, Jeff Redd.
Her known endless efforts
and leadership qualities mended
her Redd’s personal manager.
She was also very instrumental
in the discovery of former
In celebration of Black
Music Month, “First Lady
of the Flute,” Bobbi
Humphrey, grooves the borough of Queens in a rare
club appearance at the elegant Thomasina nightclub,
205-35 Linden Boulevard,
St. Albans, New York, for one
show on Friday, June 26th .
Doors open at 8 p.m. The
celebrated and beloved
community artist/activist
has been performing globally since 1971, after becoming the first female
signed to Blue Note
Records. “This is definitely
a Black Music Month,
must-see! performance”
says Don Thomas, entertainment editor.
Motown recording artist, Horace
Brown. Soraya was also the liaison for former EPIC recording artist, Groove Theory signed to Columbia Records.
Soraya developed a small company called, EpiphanyJames (EJ)
in 2001 which was established to
develop inspiring artists who are
pursuing careers in the entertainment business.
EJ also teaches artists about the
business of music as well as nurturing their talents. While EJ still
holds a special place in her heart,
she is looking for a new home to
plant her seeds.
Burrell was offered a position
in 2005 at Tomato Records/Navarre
Entertainment Media ( Navarre is
one of the largest independent
distributors) as their Marketing/
A&R Director which was a blues
re-issue label whose catalog included: Nina Simone, Johnny Lee
Hooker, Townes Van Zandt, The
Meters, Louis Armstrong and
Muddy Waters just to name a few.
Soraya enjoyed learning that
genre of music where it all began
but unfortunately the company
folded the same year. She is currently an administrative coordinator for a cultural booking entertainment company where she is no
stranger to being hands on.
Bill and Camille Cosby strike a beautiful pose before entering the Apollo Theater’s 75th anniversary gala where they
received the Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis Arts and Humanitarian Award presented by Tony Award-winning actress
Phylicia Rashad
(Photo: Marc Rasbury)
A Father’s Day Story
29
Compiled By Don Thomas
The Nation’s largest Father’s
Day Celebration is Back! Real
Men Cook celebrates its 20th anniversary this year in New York
City and around the country on
Father’s Day, June 21 st. This
year’s family affair will take place
for the first time at The Adam
Clayton Powell Jr. State Office
Building at 125 th Street and
Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.
from 2 – 6pm in the Village of
Harlem.
The annual event honors fathers and the positive accomplishments of men in the community, past and present. It also
provides a broad look at “real
men” even beyond fathers to
coaches, teachers and others
with or without children, who
care. Men of varying ages and
backgrounds will put on their
aprons and voluntarily share
their culinary skills with the common goal of showing positive
examples of real men who are
responsible in their community,
responsible for their family, who
love and care and on this day
demonstrate that by cooking for
thousands.
“Real men cook has been a
great example of the celebration
of fatherhood and it has been
very successful at its prior home
at Minisink Townhouse which
has a great legacy within the
Harlem community, says Marko
Nobles, event manager.
“This year with the event taking place at the Adam Clayton
Powell Jr. State Office Building
on 125th Street, we really believe
that the event can grow to a new
level and give the Harlem community and throughout New
York City a chance to come to a
central point, which many view
as the main thoroughfare for
Urban America. We celebrate
our fathers and real men who
stand up not only for their family but their community as well,”
he added.
The event is a fun filled food
tasting celebration of fatherhood, family, community and
real men not to be missed! In
Real Men Cook Chef Group
addition to the food, there’s live
entertainment with artists such as
Paul Rivers Bailey, Chandlar and
the day’s featured entertainer,
Soul Singer Jaguar Wright.
There’s a children’s pavilion
with a number of activities for the
youth, a health pavilion sponsored by Affinity Health Plan with
health information, screenings
and there will be giveaways and
prizes throughout the day.
Other personalities scheduled
to participate in this festive day
include New York State Assemblyman Keith Wright, Manhattan
Borough President Scott Stringer,
New York State Senator Bill
Perkins (serving as a celebrity
chef), Creator/Producer/Host of
the television show “Video Music
Box” Ralph McDaniels, Hip Hop Harlem. Sponsors and support- fice of General Services, TD Bank,
pioneer Afrika Bambaataa and ers include New York State Of- Macy’s, and Affinity Health Plan.
many others.
Tickets are $20 for adults and
$10 for children under 12. Proceeds benefit New York City Mission Society, which has been
serving children and families for
nearly 200 years, and Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement to support the computer clubhouse serving Harlem
youth ages 10 -18. Tickets are
available at www.Ticketweb.com.
Tickets can also be purchased at New York City Mission Society, 105 East 22nd Street,
6th Floor or Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, 2854 Frederick Douglass
Blvd , bet. 152nd and 153rd Street,
Real Men Cook serving community
A stand-alone image of an Audio-Animatronics likeness of
President Barack Obama, is the newest addition to the Hall
of Presidents attraction at Walt Disney World Resort in
Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
(Photo/Gary Krueger)
Men donning aprons to share culinary skills
30
Interview
Jada Pinkett Smith on the Radar
By Kam Williams
vorite? JPS: Oh, man, I don’t for that.
ally not one for a lot of physical
think I’ve made it yet, to be
KW: Does it mean anything gore like that, which is why my
Maryland Native Jada
honest with you. I don’t think to you that other than Jill Scott, mother is very surprised about
Pinkett Smith studied dance
I’ve made my favorite film yet. you’re now the only black female that I’m playing nurse. But on
and acting at the Baltimore
But I loved Bamboozled. Bam- lead on a drama on television this show, we really are dealing
School for the Arts and the
boozled to me is off the chain. right now? JPS: I hadn’t really more with how people are being
North Carolina School of the
It’s definitely in the ranking. I thought about that. I’m really affected by their ailment s verArts before getting her big
loved Bamboozled.
grateful for the opportunity– sus focusing on the ailments
break when she landed a role
KW: What interested you but I just want to make a great themselves.
on the long-running NBC-sein returning to TV to do show. I’m hoping that people
KW: Diahann Carroll, as Julia,
“HawthoRNe?” JPS: I was not can just see a great show, played the first Black nurse in a
looking to do television at all. I whether it’s an African-Ameri- title role on TV back in the Sixgot a phone call from my man- can, an Asian, or a Native Ameri- ties. Do you feel any type of conager, Miguel Melendez, and he can that’s standing at the fore- nection to that history? Jada
says, “Listen, I really – I want front. History-wise, there was Pinkett-Smith: I do, I do feel conyou to read this script. I would probably a point in time when I nection to that history, absolutely
never send this to you if I didn’t wouldn’t have had this oppor- – because she’s the only promithink it was fantastic.” I read it tunity. So, to have this oppor- nent black female nurse that I can
and then I let my husband read tunity is a big deal for me. I’m think of who’s been on televiit. I was really interested in the very grateful for it.
sion. I feel both for that characproject, and after a bit of backKW: Are there any plans for ter and for Diahann Carroll as an
and-forth I decided, you know any of your children to appear actress, and I appreciate the road
what, I’m just going to go for on the series? JPS: As of right that she and paved for me to even
it. I had vowed I’d never do now, no. KW: Judging by your have the possibility of being an
television again. But I decided mother-in-law on the show, actress in Hollywood.
to take it because I needed Joanna Cassidy, I assume that
KW: I know your mother’s a
something different.
your late husband was white or nurse. What does your dad do
KW: Was the fact that at least half-white. Will your for a living? JPS: My father has
you’d be going to TNT impor- daughter ’s character being been in construction for pretty
tant? JPS: Well, I would say mixed be explored at all on the much all his working years. KW:
going to TNT was what closed show?
How old were you when you
the deal for me. Once I met evJPS: There definitely prob- knew you wanted to be an acerybody there, I really loved ably will be some exploring of it tress? JPS: I was about three
the group at TNT, and I liked later on in the season.
when I wanted to be an actress. I
what their expectations were for KW: Given Will’s success with knew that I would definitely be
the show. So, I just felt this re- the Fresh Prince, has he given participating in Hollywood in
ally could be a beautiful mar- you any tips on doing a series? some way. I didn’t know the
riage.
JPS: Sure, my husband has a amount of success I would enKW: Since you started play- plethora of information to share. joy, but I knew I would be here at
ing a nurse, has your family He is here with me, and he has some capacity.
started expecting you to cure really offered me an extraordiKW: Tell me a little about
their ailments? JPS: Well, my nary amount of help on this par- your friendship with Tupac while
mother is a nurse. So she is ticular project. I’m grateful for in performing arts school. JPS:
pretty much the nurse of the him.
Tupac and I were just close
family. She has gotten that
KW: How have you been friends because we had such an
kind of locked down. So no, I’d handling all the blood in the insatiable drive and passion for
have to say my family pretty medical scenes? JPS: There acting and entertainment. It was
much knows that in real life any won’t be much gore on the inevitable as far as we were both
Jada Pinkett Smith
type of physical traumas like show. There was one scene concerned. KW: Thanks again
cuts and bruises and anything where somebody had an open for the interview, Jada, and best
ries, “A Different World.” The recently-widowed, single-mom like that, you’ve got to call – gash on their leg and that kind of luck to you with the new show.
multi-talented actress, pro- who works as the compassion- that you’ve got to call gammy of caught me off-guard. I’m re- JPS: Thank you.
ducer, director and philanthro- ate chief nurse at mythical Richpist continually challenges mond Trinity Hospital. This new
dramatic series premiered on
herself in a variety of ways.
Now, not only is she play- TNT on Tuesday, June 16 at 9:00
ing her first lead role in a TV- PM (ET/PT).
KW: Hi, Jada. Thanks for the
series on “HawthoRNe”, but
she is also the show’s execu- time. JPS: Thank you. KW: Betive producer. Pinkett Smith’s fore we start, I hope you could
recent work includes lending answer this trivia question. I reher voice to the role of Gloria cently interviewed Rashida
in “Madagascar: Escape 2 Af- Jones and I was asking her about
rica.” She previously co- the opening sequence of every
starred in the remake of “The episode of “The Fresh Prince of
Women,” and is perhaps best Bel-Air.” Towards the end of the
known for her portrayal of theme song, when Will gets out
Niobe in the “The Matrix: Re- of the taxi, I always assumed that
loaded” and “The Matrix: Revo- the cabdriver was Quincy Jones.
Looks just like him.
lutions.”
“When I asked Rashida, she
Choosing her roles carefully, Jada appeared opposite said had never heard that rumor
Adam Sandler and Don before, and that she didn’t know
Cheadle in “Reign Over Me” for for sure, but she didn’t think it
Columbia Pictures, as well as was her father. Can you settle
playing a pivotal role opposite the mystery once and for all and
Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in tell us whether that’s Quincy
Collateral. Some of her other behind the wheel?
JPS: Yes I can. That cabcredits include Menace II Society, Jason’s Lyric, A Low driver was not Quincy Jones. If
Down Dirty Shame, The Nutty I remember correctly, Will said he
Professor, Set It Off and Scream was actually somebody from
2, as well as voice work for Prin- Philly. And it’s a cabdriver for
sure. I just can’t remember what
cess Mononoke.
Just as she does in front of the story is. But it absolutely is
Suleka Mathew, Michael Vartan, Jada Pinkett Smith, Christina Moore, David Julian
the camera, Jada continually not Quincy Jones.
KW: Thanks for clearing that Hirsh
challenges herself offscreen
with new and exciting projects. up. My favorite film of yours is
For example, her eye for excel- Bamboozled. Which is your falence helped her, as executive
producer, to turn the best-selling novel The Secret Life of
Bees into a hit movie that earned
itself the NAACP Image Award
for Outstanding Motion Picture
earlier this year. Here, she shares
her thoughts about her new
show, HawthoRNe, where she’ll
be playing the title character, a
KICKIN’ IT
31
performer Tony Bennett who was
also honored for his lifetime of
community service including his
Sexalicious Kristin Davis of support of St. Jude, one of the
“Sex and the City” fame served world’s premier pediatric cancer
as honorary chair of the first time research centers.
and 30-year-old Michael
“Mike” Swart (acute lymphoblastic leukemia). In their poignant remarks, both Jake and
Mike credited St. Jude with helping them to puruse their dreams.
Executive Board Members Fabio & Jasmin Franchini, GH Michael Imperiolo and
& Roze Salazar,Richard Estevez
Tony Siricio
ever presentation of “Chocolat
au Vin,” a black-tie gala benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital® at Capitale. Executive chairs of the elegant event
Thouroughly delightful Davis
was joined by a bevy of VIPs –
including Lizzie Grubman who
handled the media for the event
— at the celebrity filled cocktail
Richard Estevez, Molly Birkenes and Kristin Davis
were Richard Estevez, CEO,
Trusted Translations, Inc., and
Molly Birkenes, partner of
high-end dog hotel Chateau
Poochie.
party where guests enjoyed deliciously decadent hors d’oeuvres
prepared by Daniel Boulud, renowned chef of New York’s fourstar Restaurant Daniel, with spar-
Guests dined on supreme
steak selections from Roberts
Steakhouse coupled with breads
from Brick City Bakery and gourmet cheeses from Artisanal followed by delectable desserts including Godiva chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate
truffles and over flowing chocolate fountains. Superior wines
were provided by Napa Valley
Vintners. During eats and
sweets, guests enjoyed the fabulous big band sound of the
Michael Hashim Orchestra.
VIPs in attendance included
Gossip Girl’s Connor Paolo,
Jamie Lunar (of the old Melrose
Place), Soprano’s Michael
Imperioli and Tony Siricio,
Sports Illustrated swimsuit
model Jessica Hart, Eric Trump,
Cuba Gooding Sr., and more. Everyone was happy to greet and
welcome back Grubman who
looks great being happily married and the proud mother of two.
The inaugural event was very
successful with a silent auction
raising more funds to further se-
with the support of Garden Design Magazine, Godiva, Napa
Valley vintners, L’Olivier Floral
Atelier, Daniel Boulud,
Artisanal, Brick City Bakery,
Robert’s Steakhouse, JTE Spir-
the first and only pediatric cancer
center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the
National Cancer Institute.
Founded by late entertainer
Danny Thomas and based in
Cuba Gooding Sr., Tony Bennett, Charles Wallert
its and Capitale.
Other special contributors of
the chocholate fantasy included
Cuba Gooding, Sr., Eunice
Mazloom, Mazdack Rassi,
Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely
shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities
around the world. St. Jude is the
only pediatric cancer research cen-
St. Jude patients Michael Swart and Jacob Marshall with
Kristin Davis
Gerardo Salazar, Mike
Marburg, Josh Neuman, Hal
Ornstein, Wes Wang, Steve
Rifkind and Andrei Savchenko.
St. Jude Children’s Research
ter where families never pay for
treatment not covered by insurance.
No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s in-
Lizzie Grubman
Jamie Lunar
Connor Paolo
Tony Bennett
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
model Jessica Hart
The enchanting evening was
filled with socializing, dancing,
desserts and dreams topped off
with a sensational concert worthy performance by legendary
kling wines from Napa Valley.
The instant classic evening
also featured two of St. Jude’s star
patients – 11-year-old Jacob
“Jake” Marshall (ependymoma)
cure St. Jude’s important mission
of fighting cancer. Co-chairs
Estevez and Birkenes extended
robust thanks to premiere event
producer Andrew Freesmeier
Hospital® is internationally recognized for its pioneering work
in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is
ability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its
fundraising organization. For more
information,
please
visit
www.stjude.org.
(Photos: JP Pullos)
Inaugural ‘Chocolat au Vin’ benefits
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
32
Flick-Chat
Washington and Travolta still
at the top of their game in ‘123’
By Kam Williams
Movie Critic
John Godey’s best-selling
novel, The Taking of Pelham
123, revolves around a quartet
of armed crooks who hijack a
New York City subway train and
threaten to start killing passengers one-by-one if their ransom
demands are not met in an hour.
Beyond that basic outline however, each director who takes
on the project seems inclined
to alter the terrifying tale of
suspense however he sees fit.
Back in 1974, the first screen
adaptation starred the late
Walter Matthau as Police Lieutenant Zachary Garber. When
Garber cracked the case, the
gang’s ringleader, Bernard
“Blue” Ryder, promptly committed suicide. The 1998, madefor-TV version had a different
ending, and the hero had a another name and was demoted
to detective. Plus, Blue and his
cohorts were now seeking $5 instead of $1 million in return for
the release of their prisoners.
By 2009, the protagonist has his
original surname again, but he’s
now black and is no longer a cop
at all. Instead, Walter Garber
(Denzel Washington) is a disgraced subway dispatcher with a
checkered past who could use a
serious shot at redemption. His
mission is to match wits with Ryder
(John Travolta), a diabolical misanthrope who wants $10 million
and hates Italians but who conveniently takes a liking to Garber and
won’t deal with anyone else.
To prove that he’ll have no
part of the official police negotiator (John Turturro), he blows
away the train’s engineer (Gary
Basaraba) at the sign of the
slightest hesitation to put his pal
Walter back on the phone.
As for the support teams on
the respective scorecards, Ryder’s
partners in crime include Messrs.
Green (Luis Guzman), Brown (Robert Vataj) and Grey (Vicytor
Gojcaj). In the other corner, the
Good Guys are led by the outgoing Mayor (James Gandolfini) and
the Police Commissioner (Frank
Oscar winner Denzel Wash- Wood).
Where the villain in the book
ington
was crafty and calculating,
Travolta has reinterpreted the role
as an unpredictable maniac likely
to go off at any moment. That
scary intensity matches the tone
being set by director Tony Scott
(Déjà Vu) who seems far more in-
clined to cattle-prod his audience
via a pounding soundtrack and dizzying cinematic tricks rather than to
weave a credible cat-and-mouse caper.
Overall, this makes for a frenetic
experience more akin to watching a
music video or playing a computer
game than to attempting to unravel
a cerebral psychological thriller.
Nonetheless, Washington and
Travolta are both still at the top of
their games, and prove to be worthy adversaries.
So, the roller coaster ride they
take you on is as riveting as it is
ridiculous upon closer inspection.
A high-octane, attention-deficit
adventure you’ll forget by the
time you’ve walked up the aisle!
Very Good (3 stars). Rated R for
violence, ethnic slurs and pervasive profanity. Running time: 106
minutes. Studio: Columbia Pictures. To see a trailer for The
Taking of Pelham 123, visit:
h t t p : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m /
Oscar winner John Travolta watch?v=IkQJQchgFgc
Theater/Review
‘Shafrika,’ an exciting, energetic musical
By Ernece B. Kelly
Theater Critic
Midway through the exciting, energetic musical,
“Shafrika, The White Girl”, the
star Anika, storms off the stage
in a huff! It’s an excellent
segue— she’s sick and tired of
having her “solo” show highjacked by others in the cast—
and it provides a reason for the
ten minute intermission in the
almost 2 hour show.
This is just one of many
clever moments in this well written, often comic play about Dad
and Mom Larsen who meet in
1967 on a ski sloop—an encounter humorously described
in their duet, “You’re Just Like
Me”, a song begun by Anika
singing both parts, wearing a
boot of her father’s and one of
her mother’s. (But cast members nudge her aside, so a female and male can sing the
parts). They move to Cambridge, Massachusetts where
they raise ten children, most of
them adopted from other countries. Locally, they’re called the
Rainbow Family.
Anika’s efforts to tell her
family’s story are interrupted
again and again. One person
corrects her romantic version.
Another insists she’s not telling an accurate version. Periodically, home movies are
flashed at the back of the stage
to back up what really happened—we watch little girls
dressed in pretty dresses correcting one another and see
Dad on ice skates push his kids
The cast of “Shafrika, The White Girl”
on an icy pond.
Eventually, audiences do get
a more balanced picture of what
it was like to grow up in this
sometimes chaotic household
with its “fixer” mother and a father whose mantra was “Walk it
off”! Anika, —rejected by Black
groups and marginalized by Jason, her African American boyfriend— struggles to understand
where she belongs with her
white skin and her multiracial
sensibilities. These concerns el-
bow the musical into an examination of racial identities.
And the young cast of 17
members, with its talented Black,
brown, and white actors reflects
the “rainbow family” with each
of them dancing, singing, and
acting, sometimes in multiple
parts. Their work is brilliantly supported by a five-piece band and
Herrick Goldman’s clever light designs. “Shafrika The White Girl”
is at the Vineyard Theatre, off
Astor Place, until June 28th.
(From page 4)
the victim’s family and allows a
dangerous criminal to go free.
We have witnessed scores of
people wrongfully sentenced to
death in our nation. Justice requires we not turn a blind eye
to killing another innocent man
– a travesty that can never be
rectified.”
Prominent politicians and
leaders, including President
Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict
XVI, Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Presidential candidate Bob Barr and
former FBI Director and Judge
William S. Sessions have all
called for Davis to be given a
new trial or evidentiary hearing,
the NAACP reports.
The death penalty has long
been a racially charged issue.
More than 60 percent of the
people in prison are people of
color and African-Americans
make up more than 40 percent
of those on death row.
The NAACP will unveil a national campaign at its Centennial Convention July 11-16 in
New York aimed toward reversing those trends. The
campaign’s overarching goals
are to make communities safer,
improve police performance,
save money and end the mass incarceration that characterizes
our country’s criminal justice
system.
The campaign will include
ongoing efforts to save the
lives of potentially innocent
men such as, Davis and
Reggie Clemons, another Af-
rican-American man from St.
Louis, sentenced to death for
the murder of two White girls.
According to an NAACP investigation, in that case, there
was no physical evidence link-
ing Reggie to the crime: no fingerprints, no DNA, no hair or fiber samples; nonetheless,
Clemons was convicted and is
scheduled to be executed on
June 17.
Two different lists of ‘deadly’ cities
(From page 13)
lent crimes per 100,000 residents
3. Miami, Fla. - 988 violent
4. Las Vegas, Nev. - 887 violent
5. Stockton, Calif. - 885 violent
6. Orlando, Fla. - 845 violent
7. Little Rock, Ariz. - 831 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
8. Charleston, S.C. - 824 violent
9. Nashville, Tenn. - 817 violent
10. Baltimore, Md. - 791 violent
11. New Orleans, La. - 773 violent crimes per 100,000 residents;
12. Baton Rouge, La. - 728 violent crimes per 100,000 residents;
13. West Palm Beach, Fla. 726 violent crimes per 100,000
residents;
14. Charlotte, N.C. - 721 violent crimes per 100,000 residents;
15. Philadelphia, Pa. - 709 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.
“Making matters more difficult, as municipal budgets
shrink during this recession,
crime-fighting funds are often
among the first casualties,’’ the
Forbes magazine article said.
“There’s less public spending during downturns,’’ Megan
Wolfram, an analyst at iJet Intelligent Risk Systems, a Maryland-based risk-assessment
firm, told Forbes magazine. “Police departments and incarcerations systems are tough to
fund.’’
Metropolitan Crime Commission
President
Rafael
Goyeneche recommended last
week that the New Orleans Police Department spend more time
going after serious, repeat offenders.
“The only people that you can
really remove from the community if you obtain a conviction
are the violent felony perpetrators and weapon felony perpetrators,’’ Goyeneche told WWLTV. “We see that those are some
of the lowest arrest to conviction ratios that are out there.’’
According to a recent report
compiled by the commission, 46
percent of the arrests in the city
in 2008 were for municipal or
traffic offense, compared to 49
percent the previous year.
Goyeneche said the NOPD
should devote more of its manpower and other resources to
building solid cases against
more dangerous offenders. According to the report, less than
25 percent of all the felony arrests in 2007 resulted in a conviction.
The commission reported that
39 percent of the cases were refused by the D.A.’s office, 18 percent of the charges were reduced,
eight percent dismissed and one
percent were found not guilty.
Ten percent of the cases are still
pending.
The commission also recommended that police and prosecutors find ways to better coordinate their efforts to increase the
arrest-to-conviction rate for
felony crimes.
Egocentrism hindering progress in New York State senate
(From page 9)
cratic leaders, Senator Hiram
Monserrate of Queens and
Bronx Senator Pedro Espada Jr.,
betrayed their Party loyalty as
they joined 30 Republican Senators on the floor, demanded new
leadership and vied to shift the
majority in the 62-member chamber.
Just days before the Senate
breaks for summer recess, these
NY elected officials have taken it
upon themselves to lose sight of
their responsibilities, improperly
attempting to seize control and put
the business of the people on
hold.
At a time when jobs are diminishing, the economy is in the tank,
we’re engaged in two wars and
there is social unrest around the
world, legislators somehow get
distracted from the dire needs
of their constituencies.
With pertinent issues like
same-sex marriage, mayoral
controlled schools, property
taxes and more on the table,
NY’s Senators have chosen to
focus instead on partisan bickering, forcing citizens to wait
until both sides battle it out in
the courts and finalize a clearcut majority.
Democratic Sen. Malcolm
Smith won control of the chamber after a due political process
and has served as the first African-American Majority
Leader since January. After
payments will certainly be a burden both Latinos and Africanon this young family’s budget.
But they’re determined to go on
as best they can, knowing they can’t
be concerned about finances for the
sake of their daughter.
Bridget is an Irish name which
(From page 12)
means “strength,’’ and the Crocks
say their daughter has shown a lot vironment rights connection to
of it as she’s battled her illness. poor communities. Mr. SaroHer parents just want to do their Wiwa described it best during
part. The children’s health care his unjust “trial” in 1995: “I have
system in the United States should no doubt of the ultimate success
not force families onto the brink of of my cause…I repeat that we
financial ruin when they are faced all stand before history. I and
with a child’s life threatening ill- my colleagues are not the only
ness.
ones on trial.
The public health insurance option currently being considered by
Congress is what this family needs.
The Crocks should have comprehensive, affordable coverage for
(From page 8)
their child that will allow them access to specialized treatments when
Not only is universal health
they are needed.
A strong public health insurance care sound public policy, it can
option would do just that. Then provide an economic advantage
families like the Crocks could focus as well.
their energy on the fight that really Writing in Canada’s Financial
Post, Diane Francis said:
matters.
Marian Wright Edelman, whose “Universal health care is a cornew book is The Sea Is So Wide And nerstone of smart economic
My Boat Is So Small: Charting a policy.
“Take, for example, the effect
Course for the Next Generation, is
president of the Children’s Defense of guaranteed health care on
Fund. For more information about economic activity, business exthe Children’s Defense Fund, go to pansion or the public’s sense
http://www.childrensdefense.org/. of wellbeing.
Bridget’s battle
(From page 12)
when a patient receives emergency treatment. As a result, the
company is paying a lower percentage of the bills, and for the
first round of treatment the
Crocks’ share was $14,000.
Desni said they would pay whatever it takes to save Bridget’s life,
but she can’t help but feel the insurance company should make an
exception in how it reimburses
costs in these types of cases, especially when they involve a
child. “With children, there
shouldn’t be a limit to which doctor you could go,’’ she says.
Desni has had to give up her
job as a real estate agent to care
for Bridget, who regularly must
undergo chemotherapy and often
has to stay in the hospital when
she isn’t feeling well, and also
needs to avoid the common cold
and infections that might come
with group child care.
Bob, a salesperson and a parttime musician, has had to work
extra hours evenings and weekends trying to make up for the loss
of income. But there are only so
many hours in a day—especially
on the days that also require the
long commute back and forth to
Bridget’s hospital, which is about
an hour and a half from their
home. Years of monthly medical
Americans endorsed their support for Judge Sonia Sotomayor,
it defies reason that Espada and
Monserrate would unseat Smith
and use race baiting to justify a
maneuver that is nothing more
than politics at its worst. If the
Republican coup is upheld,
Espada will serve as the new
Senate president, meanwhile
pending legislation, precedent
and procedure will all be kicked
to the curb.
This loosely termed ‘bipartisan’ move is nothing more than
political upheaval that defies the
voters’ wishes who made their
vision clear on election day. It
denounces our entire political
process and throws us into the
same chaotic undemocratic mechanisms that we shun elsewhere in
the world. It’s New York today, and
it could be any other city, town or
state tomorrow.
The debacle in Albany must be
resolved, and must be resolved immediately. Our elected officials
must be held accountable to the
people, and the people have serious issues that must be addressed
without delay.
I echo Governor David
Paterson’s extremely grave concerns, and ask when do we actually get around to the business of
governing? The people are waiting.
Celebrating an unlikely victory
Shell is here on trial…The
company has, indeed, ducked
this particular trial, but its day
will surely come and lessons
learnt here may prove useful to
it, for there is no doubt in my
mind that the ecological war the
Company has waged in the Delta
will be called to question sooner
than later and the crimes of that
war be duly punished.
The crime of the Company’s
dirty war against the Ogoni people
will also be punished.” Well, that
day has come. And it is my hope
that the ruling against Shell signals the beginning of greater corporate and governmental respect
for human, land, labor and economic rights.
Nicole C. Lee is the executive
director of TransAfrica Forum.
Fixing a sick health care system
“If a worker in Canada or Europe or Japan loses his or her job
this recession, it’s a psychological and financial blow.
“But if an American loses his or
her job, the family faces financial
ruin if sickness strikes any member because they are without
healthcare coverage. Bridge coverage is available but unaffordable
for anyone but the wealthy. Worse
yet, if a major illness is diagnosed
during unemployment, a worker
becomes unemployable, bringing
about a life sentence of poverty.
“Little wonder, then, that con-
sumer spending has ground to a
halt in the United States, which
makes the economic meltdown
that much harder to combat or
ever solve.”
It’s time for the United States to
catch up with the rest of the
industralized world by providing
universal health care.
George E. Curry, former editorin-chief of Emerge magazine and
the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached
through his Web site, www.george
curry.com. .
33
NAACP continues campaign to ‘save man’
34
Enter tainment Special
Happy Father’s Day
Ed Gordon creates ‘Daddy’s Promise’
just for fathers and daughters
Bounty Brand Manager Eric Higgs with Journalist Ed Gordon pictured with Bounty’s Promise father-daughter contest winners and New York
winner Brian Hall holding his precious daughter Peyton Hall.
More than 400 beautiful Black
dolls from across the country
took Manhattan by storm accompanied by their proud fathers. The daughters and their
fathers were in New York for the
launch of “Daddy’s Promise:
Father Daughter Dance” that
took place in the Trianon room
of The New York Hilton Hotel &
Towers in New York City on Saturday, June 13, from 2-5 p.m.
The fabulous dance was held
in conjunction with the annual
conference of 100 Black Men of
America who also played a role
in the success of the event as a
community partner along with
Ford Motor Company.
The marvelous “Daddy’s
Promise: Father Daughter
Dance” idea is the brainchild of
journalist Ed Gordon who
partnered with Bounty to salute
the special relationship between
fathers and their precious daughters. The initiative encourages
fathers to be active in their
daughter’s lives.
As the proud title sponsor,
Bounty is committed to helping
families clean up the little messes
and spills in life so they can focus
on the quality time that makes the
father/daughter relationship
strong, loving, fun and enduring.
“This is the culmination of a
great first year for our initiative.
We have had an overwhelming
response to our website, and the
events we’ve held around the
country have been standing room
only,” said Gordon. “This dance
is no exception. We sold out in
two hours!!” exclaimed Gordon.
“It’s been a great year and I look
forward to continuing to shine the
spotlight on the father-daughter
relationship in years to come.”
This experience was multiplied
100 times over for ten lucky winners of the “Bounty’s Promise”
contest that was part of Bounty’s
title sponsorship of Gordon’s
“Daddy’s Promise” initiative.
“Bounty is proud to honor the
winners of the ‘Bounty’s Promise’
contest and to support ‘Daddy’s
Promise’ in creating a national
conversation celebrating the
unique role fathers and father figures play in the journey girls take
to womanhood,” stated Eric
Higgs, Bounty Brand Manager.
“Bounty understands the importance of supporting initiatives
aimed at celebrating and strengthening families within the African
American community.”
The lucky winners received an
all-expense paid trip to New York
City and a prize package that included VIP tickets to the “Daddy’s
Promise: Father Daughter Dance”;
a dining experience and a Bounty
cooking demonstration at B.
Smith’s restaurant in New York’s
theater district; a father & daughter salon visit; afternoon tea at
the American Girl Boutique and
Bistro; a shopping spree at
Macy’s Herald Square; air and
ground transportation; and hotel accommodations in Manhattan.
“Bounty’s Promise” winners
were selected by a panel of
judges, for best answering the
question “How do you spend
quality time with one another to
strengthen your father-daughter
bond?”
Celebrity fathers and daughters, including actress Vivica A.
Fox, comedienne and The View
co-host Sherri Shepherd (together with their fathers) enjoyed
the funtastic festivities. Singer
Will Downing, who lovingly serenaded the daughters with a
song he wrote for his daughter
that also serves as the theme song
for “Daddy’s Promise” called
“Beautiful to Me,” had fathers wiping away tears from their eyes.
Entertainment was also provided
by Beverly Bond, one of the hottest celebrity DJs in the country,
and rapper Cupid who had everyone bumpin’ on the dance floor as
he performed The Cupid Shuffle –
the youngsters’ Electric Slide!
In addition to the New York
winning father/daughter team —
father: Brian Hall, daughter:
Peyton Hall — the other nine father/daughter winners were:
Alonzo Towner/Korie Towner;
Adeboyega Adeleye/Abiola
Adeleye; Lawrence Chretien/
Kameron Chretien; Lawanza
Crutcher/Rickell Crutcher;
Don Cox/Braelyn Cox; Herbert
Lemon/Chloe Lemon; Clinton
Browning/Celia Browning; Anthony Jackson/Kaitlyn Jackson;
and Khalid Scott/Anayah Scott.
Singer Will Downing, Rapper Cupid, Ed Gordon, Sherri
Shepherd & Dad Lawrence, and Vivica A. Fox & Dad Ed Gordon with his daugh- Daughters getting down on the dance floor to rapper CuWilliam
ter Taylor
pid
(Photos: Monica A. Morgan)
(From page 8)
“canaries in the coal mine” of
health reform, offering a clear
signal of how distressed U.S.
health care systems are.
Finally, to the extent that
some groups, such as racial and
ethnic minorities, face a greater
burden of illness and disability, the U.S. economy will suffer.
Given the tremendous economic challenges facing the
nation, many in Congress and
the Administration understand
that we cannot afford to allow African-Americans and other
people of color—currently onethird of the population—to suffer from the kind of poor health
that contributes to their economic
marginalization.
It’s essential to reap the benefit of the talents, skills, and capacity for hard work of all Americans. To fail to do so would continue to drag the U.S. economy
down.
And given that one in every two
people living in the United States
will be a person of color by the
year 2042, it’s clear that inaction
to address health inequality is inexcusable.
What’s needed now is for Congress and the Administration to
hear—loudly and clearly—that
the American people want health
reform to have a significant focus on the needs of communities
of color. Public policies, even
much-needed ones, are rarely enacted into law without a significant push from the grassroots.
The nation’s health—and
economy—depend on it.
Brian D. Smedley, Ph.D.is vice
Summer school cancellation
stirs deep concern in South L.A.
(From page 16)
a baseball diamond, indoor and
outdoor basketball courts, a
children’s play area, a football
field, indoor gym and a picnic
area. Special features include
classrooms, a gymnasium and
two kitchens. Sport programs
include baseball, basketball and
football. Other programs include an after school club, child
care, and youth camps.
Mark Dantzler, program director of the Challengers Boys and
Girls Club, 5029 S. Vermont Ave.,
said the popular center’s final enrollment date for the summer is
June 15, but “it’s already full, so
you can’t even get in now.”
Over the summer they see between 300-400 kids ages 6-17,
many of whom are LAUSD students. The center only enrolls
approximately 60 families over
the summer. Enrollment cost $75
and is good for one year.
Programs include character
and leadership development,
education and career development, health and life skills, the
arts and sports, fitness and recreation. Special programs include teen technology, nutrition, physical activity, home
economics, “where the kids
learn how to cook and sew and
wash and fold clothes, which is
a life skills program.”
WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun
(From page 15)
pitals the week, bringing emergency health services in Buenos
Aires, the capital, to the brink of
collapse. Last month, a bus arriving in Argentina from Chile was
stoned by people who thought a
passenger on it had swine flu.
Chile has the most swine flu
cases in South America.
In Hong Kong on Thursday,
the government ordered all kindergartens and primary schools
closed for two weeks after a
dozen students tested positive
for swine flu — a move that
some health experts would consider an overreaction.
In the United States, where there
have been more than 13,000 cases
and at least 27 deaths from swine
flu, officials at the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
said the move would not change
how the U.S. tackled swine flu.
“Our actions in the past month
have been as if there was a pandemic in this country,” Glen
Nowak, a CDC spokesman, said
Thursday.
The U.S. government has already taken steps like increasing
availability of flu-fighting medi-
cines and authorizing $1 billion
for the development of a new vaccine against the novel virus. In
addition, new cases seem to be
declining in many parts of the
country, U.S. health officials say,
as North America moves out of
its traditional winter flu season.
Still, Osterholm said
T h u r s d a y ’s d e c i s i o n w a s a
wake-up call for the world. “I
think a lot of people think we’re
done with swine flu, but you
can’t fall asleep at the wheel,”
he said. “We don’t know what’s
going to happen in the next 6 to
12 months.”
AIDS activists not surprised by D.C.
(From page 15)
HIV positive, four times the rate
considered a “generalized and
severe” epidemic. The rate
among African-Americans was 3
percent, followed by Latinos
with 2 percent and Whites at 1.4
percent. That means that HIV/
AIDS among each group was
considered severe.
Although Blacks represent
52.9 percent of the District’s
population, African-Americans
represented 79.4 percent of all
HIV and AIDS cases diagnosed
in 2007. Among Black men, 42.1
percent were infected as a result
of having sex with men, 20 percent got the virus through heterosexual sex and 19.7 percent
through drug injections. Another 5 percent of men were infected through a combination of
having sex with men and drug
use.
Among African-American
women, 58.1 percent of those
living with HIV/AIDS in 2007,
most – 58.1 percent – were infected through heterosexual activity. Injecting drugs was sec-
ond at 27.4 percent.
Among youth aged 13 to 24,
Blacks were 81.4 percent of those
infected. Of the 224 people who
died after being diagnosed in 2006
with AIDS in D.C., 91.5 percent
were Black and 6.3 percent were
White, according to the city’s report.
More than 70 percent of those
surveyed reported not using
condoms. Approximately 7 percent
of Black men and 10 percent of
those aged 40 to 49 and HIV positive.
“If you live in an area that’s
highly-infected like Washington,
D.C. and where there’s a lot of HIV
in the Black community, you have
to be able to recognize your risk
and say that I need to be responsible for what I’m doing,” said
Tifany West-Ojo, bureau chief of
the Strategic Information Unit at
the HIV/AIDS Administration of
the city’s Department of Health.
She said, “HIV is not a disease
of gay people, it’s not a disease
of males or females. It’s not a disease of transgender or the incarcerated or poor people or just
people who are shunned. It’s a
disease that’s severely impacting
the residents of the District of
Columbia.”
And it’s impacting some groups,
such as gays and women, more
than others.
“Women are not getting tested,”
said Patricia Nalls, founder and executive director of The Women’s
Collective, a local AIDS service
organization. “One of the reasons
I believe women are not getting
tested is women have so many
things on their plate, often women
with children,” Nells said.
“It’s about homelessness, hunger, health issues, mental health
issues, violence — lots of violence – lack of quality health care.
They don’t have health care and
if they do, it’s not quality health
care. As they’re dealing with all
of these things on their plate, they
don’t want to deal with another
issue. They believe if they get
tested, ‘This is something else
I’ll have to deal with.’”
Ron Simmons said Black gay
men also pose a special challenge.
“What we found in listening to
president and director of the Joint Center for Political and
Health Policy Institute of the Economic Studies.
Bottoming out?
(From page 8)
to look forward to. These are
also the things that Chambers
of Commerce is protesting.
The missing conversation is a
conversation about economic
distribution. One sector can
lick its chops and talk about
bottoming out and good times,
while others are still wonder-
ing how they can make their
mortgage.
It will be a shame if we miss an
opportunity to look closely at
economic fundamentals because
optimists think good times are
coming soon.
Julianne Malveaux is president of Bennett College for
Women. She can be reached at
presbennett@bennett.edu.
Citywide-student artwork
exhibition now on display
(From page 17)
Public Schools and complements
our ongoing support of major
New York cultural institutions,
including the host of this amazing exhibit, The Metropolitan
Museum of Art.”
“I congratulate the young artists
whose work is displayed in P.S. Art
2009,” said Tom Cahill, Studio in a
School president and CEO. “Your
work is being shared with visitors
from around the world, and reminds
us of the early beginnings of the
great artists whose work is on view
at The Met.”
Visual art teachers across the
City submitted more than 1,000
pieces of student artwork to be
considered for the exhibition. Art
educators and administrators
narrowed the selection to 450
works to be judged by a jury of
acclaimed artists, educators and
distinguished members of the
New York City arts community.
The jury selected the 58 works
to be included in P.S. Art 2009.
These works highlight outstanding artwork from New York City’s
public school students and the
best practices of their teachers as
they relate to the Department of
Education’s Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts, a
curriculum guide which provides
educators with a standardsbased, rigorous approach to
teaching the arts.
Health symposium encourages
(From page 15)
disease and stroke. It raises
blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, and it makes
you more likely to develop diabetes. That’s a triple whammy
that makes your overall risk
even greater, and can lead to
other disorders such as anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal
disorders, kidney disease, and
depression.
The keynote speaker was
Terrie M. Williams, licensed
clinical social worker, founder
of The Terrie Williams Agency
and author of Black Pain: It
Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting. She delivered a powerful
message about the pain of depression and how it is often not
discussed in the African American community. “No one is born
mad, bad or evil,” Ms. Williams
said during the talk.
As founder of the Stay Strong
Foundation, she is committed to
guiding people in deep emotional pain onto a path of healing so that they may live better
lives as healthy and whole individuals.
“We felt it was important for
Terrie Williams to be our keynote to highlight the importance of mental health as it relates to our overall wellbeing.
Mental Health was also a focus for the Harlem Healthy Living Initiative this quarter so we
wanted to integrate our messages within the community,”
said Dr. Kennedy.
Depression is a serious medical illness and can also be
coupled with other diseases
such as stroke and obesity.
Healthy lifestyle habits, such as
eating properly, sleeping adequately, exercising regularly
and learning to relax, can lessen
the chances of depression.
Attendees participated in several workshops, and were
treated to health screenings
provided by Harlem Hospital,
free chair massages, and exercise tips. Dr. Kennedy led the
closing session, prompting participants to “share one action
you will take immediately to
make a difference in your life.”
“I was moved by the outpouring of such raw honesty by individuals who shared their stories,”
said attendee Beverly Facey. “I left
armed and prepared to make the
next step in my journey to optimum health and wellness and
ready to share this information
with family and friends,” said participant Frances Roxanne. Over 30
percent of the participants signed
up to become Power To End Stroke
ambassadors and share information about healthy living within
their own communities.
The event was part of a monthlong series to raise awareness of
health issues during American
Stroke Month in May. Other events
sponsored by the American Heart
Association included the Power
Concert for the Soul hosted by
Bishop Hezekiah Walker at the legendary Apollo Theater and the
Power Ambassador’s Luncheon &
Fashion Review featuring Latino
female group, Promissa and the
fashions of Princess Jenkins and
Christopher Hunte.
Healthcare reform important to Blacks
35
CLASSIFIED
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CLASSIFIED
Notice is hereby given that an
Order entered by the Civil Court,
New York County, on 05/27/2009,
bearing, Index Number NC001116-09/NY, a copy of which
can be examined at the Office of
the Clerk, located at 111 Center
Street New York, NY 10013, grants
Nicole Alexandra Kelly AKA
Nicole Marie Alexandra Fisseler
the right to assume the name of
Nicole Zaray Alexandra Meter.
The place of birth is New York,
NY, the date of birth is Oct. 20,
1968 and the present address is
1735 Caton Ave, Apt 2D, Brooklyn, NY 11226
Street New York, NY 10013, grants
Florence Amerley Otoe-Adu
AKA Florence A. Otoeadu the
right to assume the name of
Floerence Amerley Otoe Adu.
The place of Denver, Colorado,
the date of birth is Aug. 10, 1973
and the present address is 71
Gates Ave, Apt #2 Bklyn, NY 11238
Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, New
York County, on 05/27/2009, bearing, Index Number NC-001220-09/
NY, a copy of which can be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 111 Center Street New
York, NY 10013, grants Timothy
Chauncy Starks AKA Timothy
Chauncy Edwards the right to assume the name of Timothy
Chauncy Edwards. The place of
birth is Brooklyn, NY, the date of
birth is Sept. July 25, 1981 and the
present address is 3210 Avenue H,
Apt 3F Brooklyn, NY 11210
Street New York, NY 10013,
grants Male Hines AKA James
Hines the right to assume the
name of James Hines. The place
of birth is Brooklyn, NY, the date
of birth is Sept. 5, 1969 and the
present address is 1070 East New
York, Ave Apt 4E Brooklyn, NY
11212
HOROSCOPE
ARIES
Who is your spiritual family? Celebrate your life with these people
this week. Offer praise and grace-filled vibrations, and share your
blessings. Things on the mundane level are clearing up and working
out perfectly.
TAURUS
Love gets you back on an even keel, and you feel balance and much
appreciation for all of the blessings in your life. Your creativity is
soaring; let some of your wilder ideas free and watch them fly
GEMINI
Sometimes, a path down the middle is better than taking sides in an
issue that may lead to discomposure of your emotional harmony.
Your challenge this week is to double-check arrangements or tasks
that others say they have done. Be discreet, but if it involves your
schedule or needs, do check twice.
CANCER
Your mind is sending bubbles to the top of your consciousness,
signaling the imminent arrival of a couple of brilliant ideas. These
ideas may even come as you are in your bubble bath or asleep in
your comfy bed, so keep a notepad and pen nearby at all times to
capture those impressions as they make themselves known to you.
LEO
Check the fine print carefully this week. You may find yourself in a
number of positions this week to advance your financial state. Be
sure you have scrutinized the details before signing on any dotted
lines. A partner or relative could seem to be urging you toward one
of these opportunities; examine that one with love and common
sense. Soul Affirmation: What I need to be is fully present inside of
me. Lucky Numbers: 6, 15, 40
VIRGO
Keep your sunny side up and avoid arguments with anyone who
seems to give off any negative vibes in your direction. You know in
your heart that what you do in the world is much needed. Others
know too, they just may have a hard time admitting it this week.
Look for love to give you a lift.
LIBRA
Your philosophical principles are ready for a larger congregation.
Your hard work, patience, and determination to present a positive
outlook will be paying off this week. You’ll be blessed with an intuitive flash of all that you have going for you, and the realization will
make you very happy. You’ll be encouraging many others with your
manner of being in the world.
SCORPIO
Be cautious about when and where you present your ideas this
week. There’s some minor jealousy lurking about, and it wants to
rain on your gorgeous parade. Be calm and keep your faith in yourself high. You’ve earned the respect and admiration of many by
simply acting with complete faith in the rightness of your actions.
Take all criticism, constructive or otherwise, with a grain of salt
SAGITTARIUS
Your charm is unstoppable, and your poise is unflappable, sweeties.
Continue to take advantage of all of your gifts this week and be your
whole, wonderful self. If you take a high road where shared property
is discussed, you may wind up with more than you started with.
Exercise some caution when dealing with negative energy, whether
from people or just a vague intuition.
CAPRICORN
You need to stay in a positive zone to make your magic happen. A
flirtation on the part of a younger person towards you needs to be
gently discouraged. Trust has been placed in you; don’t inadvertently betray it. If in doubt, retire to your home and do some cleaning
and catching up by telephone with the folks back home.
AQUARIUS
A happier mood is in store if you spend some of your emotions on a
mate or family member. Your sensitivity to criticism should be kept in
check as much as possible this week, because you don’t really want
to spend your perfect moments feeling temperamental, do you? Others mean well, they just don’t express themselves perfectly every
time.
PISCES
PISCES
A very pleasant week is in store as peace seems to be the dominant
current. Your experience will tell you how best to proceed with a
close relationship. Right words and actions can restore all to the
previous beauty.
LEGAL NOTICES
37
38
SPORTS
Tweaking interleague benefits Yanks, fans
By Jason Clinkscales
The merits of interleague play
will continue to be debated, as
those who are for and against it
will fight for baseball’s soul each
mid-June for eternity. Yet, the
biggest qualm for those who
accept that interleague play
isn’t going away any time soon
is that not all schedules are created equal.
The Subway Series, for all the
chatter, passion and excitement
among the fans and media, is
an annual nuisance for both the
Yankees and Mets. In the case
of the Bronx Bombers, it’s a
greater nuisance considering
that they returned home from a
fairly lengthy road trip.
These interleague games –
dominating the second half of
June – may be better served if
teams are not facing their main
rivals earlier in the month. The
Yanks might have an easy time
with the Washington Nationals in our nation’s capital, but
facing the Florida Marlins (in
Miami), Atlanta Braves (at
Turner Field) and the Mets
again in Citi Field only makes
the games feel like a forcedfed charade.
Major League Baseball
could probably take a page
from the NFL in regards to
properly scheduling out-ofconference games. After a few
seasons of mixing up opponents in bringing greater ticket
sales in various markets, MLB
returned to the original format
of rotating divisions while
adding the geographic rival of
the opposite league.
Taking on the geographic rival is vital, as you want nearby
fan bases jawing at each other
for a few games. However,
other opponents should be determined by how teams finished
in the previous season, regardless of division.
Players understand that
interleague games are a unique
experience, even if the majority
would prefer to return to the way
things were. Yet, as opposed to
griping about how one team’s
interleague schedule is more
challenging than their division
rivals, a record-based slate could
start to quell those complaints
while keeping the games more
entertaining.
The Yanks aren’t going to have
much of a problem against a Nationals team with the worst pitching staff in all of baseball, but
neither fan base is particularly excited these games. Yet, if the
Yanks travelled to St. Louis a team
with a nearly identical record in
2008, then intrigue would grow
beyond the historical factor of
baseball’s most successful franchises going head-to-head.
Then again, it’s not as if bottom feeding doesn’t happen
within your own league.
Maybe it’ll be a different tune
if the Yanks would have won at
least one game at Fenway Park
last week as they have yet to
beat the Red Sox this season.
The highs and lows – certainly
lows this year – of facing the
longtime rival take a lot of even
the best team in the game, but to
be followed by what seems to be
a few sets against unnatural op- I guarantee you that Yankee fans would prefer to see Albert Pujols than the Washington
ponents seems a bit odd.
Nationals.
(Photo by Marc Rasbury)
Mets leave ‘The New Yankee Stadium’ losers
By Adam Salazar
Luis Costillo
Subway Series’ rarely disappoint
and last weekend was no different… unless you’re a Met fan.
The Mets lost the series to the
Yanks 2-1 but of course the moment no one will soon forget was
Luis Castillo dropping the final
out of Friday night’s game, an error that simultaneously cost the
Mets, blew K-Rod’s perfect season, saddled Rodriguez with his
first loss as a Mets, and sent Met
fans home despondent.
Luis obviously felt terrible afterwards and he didn’t make the
error for lack of hustle – although he should’ve been
catching the ball with 2 hands.
But what basically got lost in
the post-game hysteria was that
he chose to throw to SECOND
BASE (???) as the game-winning
run was rounding third and
heading home!
I can chalk up the drop to a
bizarre, unpredictable muff but,
throwing the ball ANYWHERE
besides home was a panic decision.
Still, this could be a defining
moment for Mets fans: Does the
fan base act like part of the team
and support their player or do
they devolve into wolf-packing
their own starting second
baseman?
Luckily Luis has a few more
games on the road to reestablish himself before coming back
to Queens.
Meanwhile I think Castillo’s
gaffe may turn out to be the best
thing to happen to this team all
year. Snatching defeat from the
jaws of victory like that, on the
biggest stage of the season no
less may very have galvanized
this team.
Something like that can often
create a circle-the-wagons mentality, which is the ideal mindset
for a team.
Meanwhile the most exciting
highlight of the weekend may
have been the video of K-Rod
confronting Brian Bruney after
Bruney said publicly that Friday
night’s debacle “couldn’t have
happened to a better guy” because K-Rod’s antics are “tired”.
Them’s fighting words and
Frankie Rodriguez made a point
to find Bruney in the OF during
BP the very next day
The two men were separated by
teammates after Rodriguez got in
Bruney’s face, which may be another good sign for the Mets.
K-Rod is a cornerstone of this
team so it’s great to see him exhibit leadership by drawing the
line of what this team will accept.
SPORTS
39
By Dr. Ira Warheit
No longer is he “the overage
little leaguer,” the victim of so
many, including his father and
Rolando Paulino, and sometimes his own immaturity.
Danny Almonte has passed all
the tests. Probably, the biggest
of which, was the stigma of being labeled a “cheater.”
To his credit he has never
ever let that stand in his way of
reaching his life-long goal of becoming a major league baseball
player.
Growing up poor in Mica, Dominican Republic, Danny, like
many other Dominicans, idolized
Pedro Martinez. He came to the
Bronx as an innocent 11-year
old, playing in the Rolando
Paulino Little League. Paulino
was a trusted family friend.
Once here the entire Paulino
family embraced him as one of
their own. Danny lived in part
of the living room in the family’s
small apartment.
To him it seemed like a luxury,
although by most standards,
the conditions were barely
middle class. He began playing
little league on the same team
with Rolando’s son.
As league president as well as
a devoted coach, Paulino in organizing The Rolando Paulino
Little League, which provided 500
youngsters the opportunity to
play organized baseball and to get
off the streets.
The next year as the
Rolando Paulino All-Stars began to climb the ladder in the
Little League World Series, attention began to center around
a 12-year old pitching rising superstar, Almonte.
Almonte was special because
of his apparent maturity for his
age and his well above average
command of a fastball, curveball,
and change-up.
A major film producer, Norman
Twain, was enamored with the
developing story, about the hard
working, devoted baseball-man
Paulino and his marvel of a
pitcher Almonte.
Danny, his age being questioned because of his ability,
was proven by Little League
Baseball to be a legitimate 12
year old. But as he continued to
win, jealousy grew, as in Staten
Island, where Almonte handily
beat their best, and the outside
suspicions began to grow.
After winning the World Series on the back of Danny’s perfect game victory, the holier
than thou Sports Illustrated not
satisfied that Little League
Baseball had approved of the
Almonte documents, decided to
look further into the 12 year old’s
past and prove that Little
League was wrong.
They dispensed their top investigative reporter, Luis Lola to
Moca to dig up whatever he
could find on Danny.
Upon his return, a loyal Almonte
advisor asked for Lola to set up
an interview with the Little
Leaguer. It was agreed by all parties to be done in English so the
non-Spanish speaking advisor
could monitor the questions.
That changed quickly as Llosa
began to probe Danny in Spanish and within minutes Sports Illustrated had their story.
Danny had to deal with the
consequences, but was able to
brush the national attention
aside and continue his baseball
career as a student at James
Monroe H.S. whose coach, Mike
Toro ran a very successful program. He embraced Danny immediately and made him part of his
family.
The youngster did everything
asked of him, helping his team to
one P.S.A.L. final and ultimately
a City Championship in his first
two years.
His high school career was interrupted by his “well-meaning’
father, who literally pulled Danny
out of class at the beginning of
his junior year, bringing him to
Florida to now play for another
close friend who was coaching a
new high school program.
Again Danny was being victimized by the duplicity of his dad.
The result was disastrous as
he lost a full year of baseball and
school because the transfer was
illegal.
Returning to Monroe H.S. and
Mike Turo Danny, the youngster
proceeded to “dumped’ both his
father and Paulino. He has not
spoken to either of them again.
The producer, Twain, was now
so fed up with the lies that he
dropped the movie project.
Danny, now a senior, once
again led the team to the championship final, but his stock had
dropped considerably having
gone backwards as a pitcher losing 5 M.P.H. on his heater. For
high school it’s okay, but for a
prospect it’s the kiss of death.
Scouts were no longer interested, but Turo had gotten him a
scholarship to go to New Mexico
Junior College, a JUCO powerhouse. Danny never got there.
A “pseudo-agent” had gotten
to Danny and promised that if he
went to a baseball academy in
Florida a major league team
would sign him.
What he didn’t say was that
he owned the academy and
would benefit financially if he
would get signed.
Although he improved considerably at the academy, he was
not signed and returned to the
Bronx where he played with his
friends on a local team. Now an
ex-Monroe teammate advised
him to sign with an independent
team in Illinois.
He signed and went to pitch
for the Illinois Miners.
This failed too. After two months
in the Bronx and playing at
nights in local leagues, Danny
was out of shape. Pitching well
at first, he began to falter.
Soon he was released so that
he wouldn’t lose his college
eligibility. Back home, yet again,
his long-time trusted advisor
Danny Almonte
gave him the good news that Riverside Junior College, the #1 team
in the country had offered him a
scholarship. Excited and ready to
leave Danny railroaded once
again by a friend winding up not
in California but in Altus, Oklahoma at Western Oklahoma State
College, a relatively unknown
junior college.
But this time fortunately the results were much different.
At W.O.S.C. Almonte was
joined by Juan Carlos Perez, an
overlooked five-tool mini-Beltran
who proceeded to break all conference records for home runs
and ribbies getting signed by the
S.F. Giants where he is now
playing for Augusta in the South
Atlantic League
While at Western Oklahoma,
Mr. Almonte compiled a 16-1
won-lost record, striking out
over a batter an inning, and having a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio.
Also, playing center field when
not pitching he hit .497 to lead
the conference during his two
year stay being recognized for
his accomplished as a JUCO AllAmerican.
The pitcher-outfielder is now a
fully matured athlete whose
fastball tops out at 92 M.P.H. averaging about 89 M.P.H. on a regu-
lar basis. No longer the victim, he is
a bona fide major league prospect
ready to be signed whether as a
draftee or as a free agent. The Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves,
and Pittsburgh Pirates have shown
the most interest. If Omar Minaya
is interested he has been quiet although he has monitored the
Almonte career closely.
A signing should take place sometime before the end of the summer.
Bet on Washigton, Manny Acta
has been an ally and a friend for
several years.
Danny Almonte, your time has
come. You deserve it.
It’s your time to shine.
Danny Almonte will prove scouts wrong
40
BEACON
S
PORTS
Self-inflicted wounds take out the Magic
Marc Rasbury
By Marc Rasbury
Twenty or so years from now,
the 2008-9 Orlando Magic’s organization is going to look back
at this year’s Finals as a lost opportunity at greatness.
Fortunately, for them, they
have a young squad so the odds
that they will have another
chance of sealing the deal are
great, provided that they re-sign
Hedo Turkuglo. Nevertheless,
they definitely let these Finals
slip through their hands. And
they have no one to blame but
themselves for letting the Lakers win the series in five games.
Like Plaxico Burress, these
guys shot themselves on their
way to a golden opportunity.
Going into the deciding Game 5,
Magic had to be kicking themselves, knowing that they
should have been up, 3-1, instead of down, 3-1. This team
has a Sybil-like personality.
I can’t think of a team in NBA
history that has all of the tools,
from top-to-bottom, to flat out
dominate an opponent only to
let games slip through their fingertips due to lack of execution,
momentary brain freezes, or
questionable judgments from
players and coaches alike.
You see, they could get away
with some of those bonehead
mistakes against the Sixers, a
Trevor Ariza
Kobe Bryant
KG-less Celtics squad and Cavaliers, but the Lakers are a different species. The Lakers are led
Kobe Bryant who has a “Bourne
Identity”-type laser focus. His
sidekick, Derek Fischer, who has
been with him for each of Lakers’ last four championships, always seems to rise to the occasion. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom
were on a mission to shed their
“soft” labels. And let’s not forget Trevor Ariza, a player who
wants to show Larry Brown and
the rest of the NBA that he is not
delusional.
In this series, Kobe wanted to
prove that he could lead his
squad to the Promise Land without Shaq and his role players
wanted to exorcise their demons.
Well, as far the Lakers are concerned, they accomplished that
and more. As far as the Magic
are concerned, they will spend
the next six to eight months
thinking about what could have
been.
You cannot insert a player who
has not played since mid February into the heat of the Game 1
and expect him and the team to
perform at peak performance. You
can’t expect a team to win when
you miss a makeable lay-up at
the tail end of a perfectly executed play, with .06 seconds, to
go that would have won Game 2.
You can’t miss eight free
throws in the final minutes of
regulation and expect to beat
Kobe and Company. Finally, you
can’t let a clutch performer like
Fischer step into rhythm and
Rafer Alston
drain an open three pointer when
you had a three point lead with
four seconds left in Game 4.
Now it might be unfair to say
the above-referenced circumstances cost the Magic the series but they did. If they would
have hit a one more foul shot
in Game 2 or 3 (they shot just
over 60% from the charity
stripe), the NBA family would
be making arrangements to return to Los Angeles for Game 6
where this could be anybody’s
series to win. When Turkuglo,
an 85% free throw shooter,
missed both attempts from the
line with less than a minute to
go in Game 4, I felt that was the
final nail in the coffin. Game 4
was over and Game 5 was a
mere formality.
No one player was the goat in
this series and it is a shame that
Stan Van Gundy will be remembered more for his misjudgments
than the brilliant moves he made
during these Finals. If Dwight
Howard and Turkuglo would have
hit those free throws down the
stretch in Game 4, we would not
be questioning why Van Gundy
pressed the Lakers full court in the
closing moments of Game 4.
Pressing the Lakers at that
juncture played right into their
hands. Yes, you want to take the
ball out of Kobe’s hands. But the
Lakers had three other viable
options on the court. They
moved the ball around and
found the open man. It is not like
you were pressing a team whose
pointguard feels he has to
dribble through the entire defense
ala Stephon Marbury.
Let’s not put this loss totally in
the hands of the Magic. The Lakers won this series just as much
as the Magic lost it. Phil Jackson,
who surpassed Red Aurabach as
the coach with the most NBA
championships, pressed all the
right buttons. Bryant plain out refused to let his team lose this series.
Although he averaged over 33
ppg, Kobe’s 8 assists per contest
impressed me even more, especially, the two dimes that he
handed out the in closing moments of Game 4. Now no one can
claim that Gasol is soft after he
spent the whole Finals frustrating Howard on the defensive end
and Odom came through when
the team needed him the most.
All of the Lakers’ big four answered the bell. However, Ariza was
truly the unsung hero these Finals.
His 13-point third quarter explosion
in Game 4 brought the team back
from a double-digit deficit, setting
the stage for Bryant’s and Fisher’s
fourth quarter heroics.
Unlike their Magic counterparts,
the Lakers executed and knew how
to put a team away when they
smelled blood.
Maybe this can serve as a lesson that will propel the Magic to
greatness in the not so distant
future. But no matter what they
do in the future, they will always
look back at these Finals as the
one that got away. Unfortunately,
unlike Sega’s NBA Live, there are
no do over’s or resets.

New York Beacon

Transcription

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