07_05_african - African American Voice

Transcription

The Voice of African Americans in Colorado
20% off
pedicures
May 2007
“Keeping the community informed SINCE 1991”
Psychiatric/Drug
Industry Cover Up
Cho Seung Hui is Potential
19th School Shooter Taking
Violence-Inducing Psychiatric
Drugs—While Pushing for
Brave New World of Mandatory
“Treatment”
While the families of the victims
of the Virginia Tech (VT) massacre
begin the process of grieving and
recovering from their tragic loss and
the nation searches for answers to
yet another senseless school shooting, the psychiatric-pharmaceutical
cartel is working at a frenzied pace,
deflecting media and government
attention away from the facts: Cho
Seung Hui was reported to have
been prescribed “depression” drugs.
If so, Hui is the 19th school shooter
reported to have been taking psychiatric drugs since 1988, when
Prozac, the first in the new class
of antidepressants linked to suicide
and violent behavior hit the market.
During a 1991 Food and
Drug Administration hearing, the
Citizens Commission on Human
Rights (CCHR), a psychiatric
watchdog group, was first to raise
awareness about the serious risk
of suicide and violent behavior
linked to antidepressants.
CCHR says that mental health
professionals today are continuing to
protect their multi-billion dollar drug
industry at the expense of the VT victims and their families. While unconscionable, it is predictable, as the
same scenario unfolded following the
Columbine school shooting, netting
the mental health industry untold millions of dollars in government funding and more “rights” to scrutinize
schoolchildren—all aimed at preventing another Columbine, all of which
have failed. CCHR says that mental
health “experts” are using this latest
tragedy to push for mandatory mental health screening, psychiatric drug
treatment and tougher commitment
laws in a frightening 'Brave New
World' agenda which, if accepted, will
only make matters worse and lead to
further senseless massacres.
continued on page 13
Juneteenth Festival
African American Voice Hosts 3-day Juneteenth Festival
Honoring Our Ancestors:
of Africa, and the Iota Eta Chapter of Chi
Keeping It Real!
Eta Phi Sorority, Inc.
On June 1, 9, and 15 the first ever
Festivities get underway June 1 at
Juneteenth Festival will be held in 5:30 pm with the VIP kickoff reception,
Colorado Springs at Colorado Technical honoring Colorado African American
University and The Academy-Best artists and festival sponsors and partWestern Hotel.
ners. The celebration continues on June
The festival is presented by the 9, from 11 am to 8 pm with an outdoor
African American Voice, in partnership festival featuring food, entertainment
with Colorado Technical University, and exhibits. Finally, on June 15, events
Memorial Hospital, Pepsi, SQV conclude with the Juneteenth Freedom
Technologies, Conunto Folklorico Aires Awards Dinner from 6 to 8 pm.
De Panama, Howard Bar B-Q, Bernie’s
Cakes and Catering, English Dockside, June 1-VIP Kickoff Reception
Jamaican Flavor, Wild Bill's Buffalo
A reception honoring African
Wings, Colorado Springs Cinco de Mayo American artists starts at 5:30 pm at
Inc, School District 11, Veteran Hip Hop Colorado Technical University. Festival
BJ Cameron-Whatever It Takes, Denver participants will be treated to a taste of
Weekly News, Warm Spirit Independent African American and Caribbean food
Consultant, Classy's Salon De' Cheveux,
Sankofa Arts Alliance, Omo’s Essence continued on page 7
May 2007
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Coach Eddie
Robinson Brought
People Together in
Life and Death
Nearly 6,000 Attended Funeral on
April 11, 2007
Grambling, LA - Nearly sixthousand people packed into the
new Grambling Assembly Center
last month to honor the late Eddie
Robinson. A Who’s Who list of NFL
players, former players, elected officials, Grambling State University
students, staff, faculty, administrators and alumni, and community
members paid tribute to Robinson’s
influence on and off the field.
Colorado Takes Nation's Toughest
Action Against Genocide in Sudan
Bipartisan targeted divestment bill
gets signed into law
Denver–Colorado recently became
the nation’s leader in the crusade
against the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
House Bill 1184, sponsored by
House Speaker Andrew Romanoff
(D-Denver), Senator Peter Groff
(D-Denver), State Representative
Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood), and State
Representative Rob Witwer (RJefferson County) was signed into law
by Governor Bill Ritter.
“This is the toughest targeted
divestment legislation ever passed
in the United States,” said Speaker
Romanoff. “The time for warning is
over. The time for action is now. I
call on other states and Congress to
take strong action and ensure that we
don’t tolerate the mass murder, rape,
and torture of the people in Darfur.”
In what has been characterized as
the first genocide of the 21st century,
Sudan has seen more than 400,000
innocent civilians massacred, countless numbers of women and children
May Newsline
Community
National
Auto
Along the Colorline
Education
Healthy Living
Calendar
Hints for Homeowners
Pointers for Parents
Free
Worrill's Corner
To Be Equal
Celebrate Mom
Community Network
Blackonomic$
Financial
Special Supplement
Juneteenth Festival
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S1-S4
raped and assaulted, and well over 2
million citizens displaced.
Many of the revenue sources for
the Sudanese government in Khartoum
have been identified as coming from
multinational oil companies that have
active business operations in Sudan. The
overwhelming majority of Khartoum’s
budget is spent on military operations,
many of them against its own civilians.
HB 1184 requires public pension funds in Colorado to disengage and divest from companies that
have been identified as having such
active business operations with the
Khartoum government. Companies
that pull out of Sudan or provide
humanitarian work are exempted.
“This legislation is the ultimate
human rights bill. It cuts funding to
the atrocities in Darfur and allows
members of our public pension funds
to maintain secure investments,” said
Sen. Groff. “We’re not going to let any
of our dollars pay for genocide.” The
bill takes into effect immediately.
www.africanamericanvoice.net
Robinson’s funeral was the inaugural event held in the newly constructed basketball arena, opened
early for that purpose. In his
remarks, Grambling State University
President Horace Judson noted the
significance of holding the funeral
in the new facility. “Because we’re
celebrating his home going, this
facility will be forever a special
place, a consecrated place.”
The Reverend Jesse Jackson spoke
of the national and international
acclaim Robinson brought to GSU.
“From Grambling to Yankee Stadium
to Hawaii to Japan, he made the world
come to Grambling.”
“Coach Rob” began his career
at Grambling State University in
1941, retiring in 1997. During those
57 years, he led the Grambling
Tigers to great heights and influenced countless lives.
Robinson’s athletic legacy included sending more than 200 players
to the NFL, four to the Hall of
Fame, and achieving more than 400
wins and 17 Southwestern Athletic
Conference (SWAC) championships.
Because of his outstanding record, he
was dubbed the “winningest” coach
in the history of college football.
continued on page 6
Page COmmunity
City Council Seeks
Health System Trustee Candidates
Memorial Health System Board of Trustees has an opening
for a trustee.
The Board is responsible for the governance of the hospital
system. The growing and diverse system has an annual budget of
$619 million, consists of 4,500 employees and operates 15 sites,
including Memorial Hospital Central, Memorial Hospital North
and the Printer’s Park Surgery Center. The Board, following the
legal guidelines of the City’s Code of Ethics and the City Charter,
is empowered and authorized for the operation, maintenance
and development of the Memorial Health System, except for
legislative matters that must come before City Council.
Individuals interested in serving on the Memorial Health System
Board of Trustees should submit a letter of interest along with a
resumé to one of the following addresses:
Board Development Committee
Attn: Michele Keyes-Runels
Memorial Health System
1400 E. Boulder Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Michele.keyes-runels@memorialhealthsystem.com
The deadline for submittals is May 27, 2007.
For more information, call 365-5116.
Ad sponsored by:
1400 East Boulder
(719) 444-CARE
REACH
the peak
RECRUITING
May is National Foster Care Month
(BLACK PR WIRE) Over 513,000
American children are in foster care
because their own families are in crisis
and unable to provide for their essential
wellbeing. Of these children, 32 percent
are African American. These numbers
are quite disproportionate when you
look at the fact that African-American
children make up only 15 percent of
the total United States population.
Research indicates that children of
color are not at greater risk for abuse
and neglect than Caucasian children;
however, they are more likely to enter
and stay in foster care for longer
periods of time and are less likely to
be either returned home or adopted.
Like all young people, youth in foster
care, regardless of color, deserve and
benefit from enduring, positive relationships with caring adults. Now is
the time to get involved.
This May, National Foster Care
Month (www.fostercaremonth.org)
will serve as a platform for connecting more of these vulnerable children to concerned, nurturing adults.
Join America’s leading child welfare
agencies, advocates, experts and more
than 12 million foster care alumni as
they come together to address the
needs of young people in foster care.
Their message is simple: No matter
how much time you have to give, you
have the power to do something positive that will “Change a Lifetime” for
a young person in foster care.
Across the nation, caring individuals are helping foster children build
brighter futures by serving as their
foster parents, relative caregivers,
mentors, advocates, social workers
and volunteers. But much more help
is needed.
If nothing changes by the year 2020:
• Nearly 14 million confirmed cases of
child abuse and neglect will be reported;
• 22,500 children will die of abuse or
•
•
neglect, most before their fifth birthday;
More than 9,000,000 children will experience the foster care system;
More than 300,000 children will age
out of the foster care system, in poor
health and ill-prepared for success in
world class talent
•
higher education, technical college or
the workforce; and,
99,000 former foster youth, who aged out
of the system, can expect to experience
homelessness.
"African Americans have long
exemplified the meaning of family
and have held true to the African
proverb that it takes a village to
raise a child,” said Virginia Pryor of
Casey Family Programs and chair
of National Foster Care Month.
“Unfortunately, so many of our children today are growing up without a
permanent place to call home, without a caring adult in their life, and
with no ‘village’ to help rear them."
Each year, more than 20,000 young
Americans “age-out” of foster care,
most at the age of 18 and without
the appropriate resources, skills or
options they will need to live on their
own. Without lasting connections
to supportive adults, foster children
are far more likely than their peers
in the general population to endure
homelessness, poverty, compromised
health, unemployment, incarceration
and other adversities after they leave
the foster care system.
The National Foster Care Month
campaign is presented by 14 of
the nation’s foremost child welfare
organizations and is led by Casey
Family Programs. “Many children
in foster care require secure, stable
places to call home until they can
either safely reunite with their parents or establish other lifelong family relationships. We hope to inspire
and engage many more individuals
to take action in support of these
children and their families. There
are so many ways a person can
positively affect the life of a child in
foster care,” added Pryor.
For more information about National
Foster Care Month, planned community
events and activities, and the many ways
in which you can make a lasting difference
for America’s children and youth in foster
care, please visit, www.fostercaremonth.
org or call 888-799-KIDS (5437).
HOME PURCHASES
HOME REFINANCES
CHFA, FHA/VA, CONV. LOANS
FIRST TIME BUYER PROGRAMS
We invite you to discover career growth and personal fulﬁllment at Memorial
Health System. Memorial Hospital Central is expanding and our new
hospital, Memorial Hospital North, will debut in April 2007.
We are seeking talent in the following areas:
Administrative, Clerical, Financial
Clinical Support
Information Systems
Management, Executive
Nursing, Staff & Management
Service Support
Technicians, Therapists, Professional Medical
Downtown
79-632-027
N. Academy
79-3-77
Monument
79--907
Share the excitement of providing patient centered care at a top health care
system. We’re ranked 1st in Colorado for heart surgery and operate the
busiest Level II Trauma Center in the state!
PLEASE APPLY ONLINE AT www.memorialhealthsystem.com
Phone: (719) 528-1954
Fax: (719) 218-9500
info@africanamericanvoice.net
Memorial Health System
P.O. Box 25340
Where Excellence and Caring Converge
MEM 175260 2-23 5x7.5 AAV.indd 1
Page 2/23/07 1:23:01 PM
May 2007
COmmunity
May 2007
pus; other sessions will take place
throughout El Paso County. Please
check the web site, www.csec914.org
for weekly updates.
Because it is a public high school,
any student can attend. Students from
all of El Paso County will be served.
The enrollment interest is quite high
– So don’t waste time. If your student
is behind, average or accelerated, the
individualized instructional program
of the school is designed to challenge
every student. Why not check it out?
Please contact Keith King at (719) 528-6062
or keith.king@csec914.org.
Seats are filling up fast!
A Lesson on Basic
Human Rights at
Shivers Academy
Colorado Springs – In March, the
students of Shivers Academy of Colorado
Springs gathered around the large screen
TV and watched the theme song/video,
UNITED, of Youth for Human Rights
International, an organization whose
purpose is to educate youth their basic
human rights as afforded them per the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights was written by Eleanor Roosevelt
in 1948 and adopted by resolution by the
United Nations and Youth for Human
Rights International has taken these 30
rights and made them truly understandable for youth,” stated Susan Gaut of the
Church of Scientology of Colorado. With
the showing of a short Public Service
announcement (one of 30) entitled, We
Are All Free and Equal, and a lesson from
the Youth for Human Rights, Human
Rights Handbook, the students shared
their ideas of what they could do to make
sure everyone has basic human rights in
their part of the world.
The adult leader for Rocky Mountain
Youth for Human Rights Club, Devyn
Isaacson, stated, “These students of
Shivers Academy can form the first Youth
for Human Rights Club in Colorado
who might not be able to afford a
college degree. The Early College
High School model has a good track
record with helping minority students
succeed.” It is unfortunate that in
one large school district in Colorado
Springs, of the high school graduates
who had chosen to go on to college,
63 percent were required to take
remedial math in college.
The school will be located at
the Colorado Technical University,
Garden of the Gods and I-25 at 4435
North Chestnut, 80907. Informational
meetings will be held approximately every two weeks on that cam-
Contact us today for more information.
www.csec914.org
Colorado Springs Early Colleges • 4435 North Chestnut • Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Wanda Cousar, Executive Director, Shivers
Academy, Devyn Isaacson, Adult Leader, Rocky
Mountain Youth for Human Rights of Colorado
and Wayne Houston, teacher, Shivers Academy,
accepting Youth for Human Rights materials.
Springs,” as he listened to conversations that the lesson had ignited with the
students of food drives and play ground
clean up just to name a few. Teacher
Wayne Houston, said, “Martin Luther
King, Jr. said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a
threat to justice everywhere’ and knowing your basic human rights is a part of
ensuring justice everywhere.”
Adult Leader, Devyn Isaacson, presented the Human Rights Handbook,
Youth for Human Rights Club Starter
Pack and the UNITED music DVD and
all 30 Public Service Announcements to
Shivers Academy Executive Director,
Wanda Cousar and teacher, Wayne
Houston, after the presentation.
The Youth for Human Rights International
website is www.youthforhumanrights.org.
"Worshipping God in Spirit & in Truth"
us Sundays
Join us Join
Sundays
at 8:00, at
9:30
8 am, 10 am, and 12 pm and
and 11:30 am and
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm with
Wednesdays
pm
Al Pittman, at
Sr.6:30
Pastor
Fontanero/Fillmore
Listen to Pastor Al Pittman
on the Dwelling Place Radio Program
Monday - Friday
at 5:45 am and on Sunday's at
8:00am and 10:00 pm
on 100.7 FM!
I-25
For more information about Imagination
Celebration and its year-round programming throughout the Pikes Peak region
call the Imagination Celebration office at
597-3344. The office is located at 1515 N.
Academy Blvd., Suite 200, 80909. Or visit
the Imagination Celebration website at
www.imaginationcelebration.org.
On April 12, Keith King met with
the Hillside Neighborhood Association
about Colorado Springs Early Colleges,
a new high school coming to Colorado
Springs that offers its students an opportunity to earn a high school diploma
and a college degree at the same time.
The Colorado Springs Early
Colleges is a
new charter
high school
opening fall
2007.
Any
student can
apply, regardless of skill,
background,
or neighborhood – from
those behind
grade level to
Keith King
those gifted
students who
want to accelerate their learning.
Home schooled students, charter
schooled students, public schooled
students, or private schooled students
– it doesn’t matter; any student can
enroll. The curriculum is designed
to take any student and make him or
her college ready by junior year. And
then, using the power of dual-enrollment, it will offer students the opportunity to take college level classes
and earn up to an Associates Degree
while still in high school.
Two years of college, while in high
school, for free? That would be like
winning an $8,800 scholarship for your
student! It can be yours if you enroll
your student in the new high school
beginning in the fall of 2007. There
are no qualifying exams, no minimum
grade level your son or daughter must
have attained. In fact, there are simply
no excuses for leaving your son or
daughter in a failing situation.
Fred Bland, President of the
Hillside Neighborhood Association,
stated at the meeting, “This is a
promising alternative for students
Castle
In honor of the Pikes Peak Library
District’s 2006 All Pikes Peak Reads
selection of “Alice’s Adventures in
Wonderland,” Imagination Celebration
of Colorado Springs will present
“ALICE” on Monday, May 7, 2007
at 7:00 pm at the Pikes Peak Center
(190 S. Cascade). The lobby will open
at 6:00 pm for hands-on art activities
related to the show. Tickets are $8
- $15. Call 520-SHOW (7469) and
reserve your tickets today!
Produced by the Kennedy Center
on Tour from Washington, D.C., this
delightful world-premiere adaptation of Whoopi Goldberg's children's
book puts a new spin on Lewis
Carroll’s beloved classic.
So you think being rich will get you
a giant house, fun times, and lots of
great friends? Smart and sassy urban
kid Alice believes it will, so when she
wins a mysterious BIG BUCKS sweepstakes in the mail, there's no time to lose
to claim her prize! With her two best
friends in tow-Sal De Rabbit, a white
rabbit who's, well, kind of invisible, and
Robin, a card-playing misfit who has a
thing for big floppy top hats-Alice takes
off into the city in a dizzying race against
the clock. Armed only with zany directions from a mysterious person on the
street, the group discovers a labyrinth of
adventures, with a surprise around every
corner. Along the way, they cross paths
with a multitude of colorful characters,
each as unique as the city itself.
But that's just the beginning to all the
outrageous adventures in store in this fastpaced 60-minute musical show in which
Alice ultimately discovers the best jackpot
in life isn't money or fame at all, but simply the friendships she had all along.
New High School Offers a College Degree – for FREE
30th Street
"Alice"
King Street
Calvary
Worship Center
N
Uintah
Calvary Worship Center is located at 505 Castle Road, just east of the
corner of 30th and King Street. Phone (719) 632-3311
You can visit our website at www.cwccs.org
Page National
Russell Simmons' New Book Offers
12 Laws to Access the Power in You to
Achieve Happiness & Success
(BLACK PR WIRE) Russell
Simmons’ new book “Do You! 12
Laws To Access The Power In You
To Achieve Happiness And Success”
teaches a very simple lesson – by tapping into the power inside you, you
can not only get all the things you
want in life, but most important, you
can enjoy them too.
Entrepreneur Russell Simmons has
brought hip-hop to every facet of business and media, not only as co-founder
of Def Jam records, but also through
his involvement with urban clothing
company Phat Fashions. Through his
efforts he has launched the careers of
numerous rappers, along with wellknown comedians through HBOs Def
Comedy Jam, and even poets through
Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry
and the Tony Award-winning show
Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry
Jam on Broadway.
Through a message of Access and
Empowerment for everyone he has
inspired urban youth to vote via his
Hip-Hop Summits, fostered financial
literacy in underserved communities
via his Hip-Hop Summits on Financial
Empowerment, and launched numerous companies to empower consumers in the areas of financial services
through the Prepaid Visa RushCard,
mobile communications, and entertainment. He’s even taken on the
diamond industry and encouraged
best practices to support the development of Africa through his Diamond
Empowerment Fund (DEF).
“When people ask me what business I’m currently in, the first thing I
tell them is that I am in the business
of Giving Back,” said Simmons. “In
fact one of the laws in my new book
is that You Can Never Get Before
You Give. You can imagine that I’ve
either met or personally know many
of the richest people in the world,
many of whom simply aren’t happy.
So it's important for people to understand not only how to achieve success, but how to enjoy it, which is
what my new book is all about.”
Simmons breaks down his message in a series of 12 Laws, including: See Your Vision And Stick With
It; Always Do You; Get Your Mind
Right; Stop Frontin’ And Start Today;
Never Less Than Your Best; Surround
Yourself With The Right People;
There Are No Failures Only Quitters;
Science Of Success, Plant The Good
Seeds; You Can Never Get Before You
Give; Successful People Stay Open To
Change; Be Powerful, Be Heard; and
Spit Truth To Power.
These 12 Laws comprise the core of
Simmons’ own message that looks at
entrepreneurship and his own proven
strategies for tapping the power within
to find and achieve success. According
to Simmons along with Giving Back,
the practice that contributes the most
to his own success and happiness is his
commitment to daily Yoga, which he
has been practicing for over ten years.
“I have been fortunate to have a
number of experiences which have
changed my life for the better, and
one of the biggest has been Yoga,”
said Simmons. “Respecting the power
of diversity and being open to new
experiences even if they seem different
enables you to stay open to new opportunities. The 12 Laws in my book may
seem different to most people, but if
you’re open to them, I believe they can
change your life.”
“Do You!: 12 Laws To Access
Power In You To Achieve Happiness
And Success” includes a special forward by Donald Trump, real estate
tycoon and star of the hit TV show
“The Apprentice,” with rapper Nas
offering a back cover testimonial.
Published by Gotham Books, a division of Penguin Group, Russell
Simmons’ new book is available in
stores and online starting April 24th.
SUNDAYSUITS.COM
4391 ARGONNE ST
DENVER, CO 80249
303 373-1516
Women and Men Fine Clothing.
A website designed with you in mind!
We also sell Hand Fans for Church , Business Events, Reunions or Weddings
Page African American Lives 2
(BLACK PR WIRE) New York–In
February 2006, the acclaimed PBS
series African American Lives brought
to the forefront of national consciousness the powerful process of discovering one's family history. A Roots for
the 21st century, the series made a deep
cultural impact through its riveting use
of DNA analysis, genealogical research
and family oral tradition to trace the lineages of highly accomplished African
Americans down through U.S. history
and back to Africa.
One year later, Oprah's Roots further
crystallized and propelled America's
interest in family tree research through
the powerful stories of Oprah Winfrey's
ancestors and their accomplishments.
Now, you too are invited to participate in the newest African American
Lives project. The producers of
African American Lives 2 are seeking
an African American to join Harvard
professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and
an all-new group of distinguished
African Americans on an extraordinary journey of discovery. The series
is tentatively scheduled to air on PBS
in February 2008.
"What we find in doing this
research is that even a regular person
has extraordinary stories within his
or her family," says Professor Gates.
"In African American Lives 2, we'll
work with one such person to show
that the technology and resources for
discovering these stories are available to all Americans, especially
those of African descent."
Under the supervision of Professor
Gates, the series' research will be conducted by the eminent genealogists
Tony Burroughs, Johni Cerny, Jane
Ailes and Megan Smolenyak together
with Ancestry.com, one of the world's
leading online resources for family
history information. They'll research
the selected individual's family history,
while a DNA testing service will provide a genetic analysis.
The results of both will be revealed,
along with that of the other series participants, by Professor Gates on the PBS
broadcast of African American Lives 2.
How to enter
Beginning April 18th, interested individuals must apply online at
www.pbs.org/aalives. Online applications must be received by 6:00 pm
on Friday, May 4, 2007. Any applications submitted after this date and
time will not be considered. Finalists
will receive a one-year subscription to
Ancestry.com. The winning applicant
will be notified and announced the
week of May 28, 2007. Please note
that the following are not eligible
to participate: employees, and their
relatives, of PBS, the series' producers (Thirteen/WNET, Kunhardt
Productions, and Inkwell Films) and
corporate sponsors (The Coca-Cola
Company, Johnson & Johnson and
General Motors).
In addition to their name, age, gender, and contact information, applicants
will be asked to tell the judges about
themselves and their family, and why
they would make the ideal candidate
for the series.
Upon submitting the online application, individuals will receive an
e-mail confirmation with a unique
identification number. Applicants
must attach this number along
with their name to a photograph of
themselves and mail it to: African
American Lives 2, 305 West
Broadway, Suite 144, New York, NY
10013. Photographs must be postmarked no later than Monday, May
7. Applications are not complete
until the production team receives an
individual's photograph.
Major corporate funding for African
American Lives 2 is provided by The
Coca-Cola Company and Johnson &
Johnson. Additional funding is provided by General Motors.
African American Lives 2 is a coproduction of Thirteen/WNET New
York, Kunhardt Productions and
Inkwell Films. Graham Judd is series
producer; Dyllan McGee is senior producer for Kunhardt Productions.
Executive producers are Henry
Louis Gates Jr., William R. Grant and
Peter W. Kunhardt.
May 2007
auto
Use Your Five Senses for Vehicle Maintenance
(NAPSA)-Mothers teach their
children that the five senses-hearing, sight, smell, taste and touchare important for learning about
the world around them. These
same senses can also help momsand women in general-with vehicle
maintenance.
According to the National
Institute for Automotive Service
Excellence (ASE), women now represent 65 percent of the customers
who take their vehicles in for service
and repair. Women also influence
more than 89 percent of vehicle-service purchase decisions, and oversee
the spending of more than $300 billion annually on used vehicles, maintenance, service and repair.
Because more women than ever
are not only buying their own cars but
taking care of their families' vehicles
as well, what can women do to make
more-informed choices regarding their
vehicle service?
Horsepower
Secrets From
Professionals
(NAPSA)-Want more horsepower without paying much to get it?
Here are three ways today's top racers get more power from their race
cars-and their personal cars-without
spending a lot of money to do it.
• Upgrade your lubricants. Friction and
heat from engine components and the
drivetrain rob horsepower and performance. Minimizing this power loss
can be as easy as upgrading to one
of the newer high-performance lubricants that are available. For instance,
in a test by Horsepower TV, upgrading to Royal Purple high-performance
motor oil freed up nine horsepower in
a V-8 engine. More information on its
lubricants can be found at
www.royalpurpleinfo.com.
• Replace and/or upgrade your air filter.
•
During the life of your engine, thousands of cubic feet of air will pass
through the engine cylinders. Dust
and other material in the engine can
cause excessive wear and operating
problems. It's imperative that you
keep air filters clean by regularly
replacing them. To further enhance
performance, upgrade to a performance air filter, which can free up an
additional two to three horsepower.
While not a tremendous power gain,
the relatively low cost of a filter and
ease of installation (about five minutes) more than make up for it.
Use higher-octane gas or an octane
booster. Go for the good stuff the next
time you're at the pump. Depending
on your vehicle, high-octane gasoline
can provide an increase in horsepower. Even a marginal gain in switching from the lowest-octane gasoline
to the highest octane is worth a few
extra pennies at the pump. For those
who want to see a more measurable
increase in power, a racing blend of
gasoline will work well for those
willing to put the time and effort into
finding and purchasing it.
Upgrading your gas, lubricants
and air filter are cheap and easy
ways to increase horsepower. These
simple steps will also help extend
the life of your engine and potentially prevent expensive repairs.
May 2007
Lea George, marketing analyst for
ACDelco, a global leader in automotive replacement parts and services,
urges women to use their various
senses to help detect problems with
their vehicles. This includes feeling
or sensing any vibrations, lurching or
shimmying while driving; smelling
gasoline or coolant; looking at the
floor of the garage for any fluid leaks
emanating from the vehicle; and listening for squeaks, clunks, hisses and
other abnormal sounds and noting
from where they are coming.
"The more knowledgeable the
customer, the more accurately she
can describe what is wrong with the
vehicle," George says. "That helps
the service writer draft a more specific work order, which enables the
technician to zero in on that problem
and increases the chances he/she will
fix the vehicle right the first time."
Five Questions To
Save You Money
On Car Insurance
(NAPSA)-When it comes to car
insurance, there are a number of ways
to reduce your insurance premium, and
an independent agent or broker can
give you the inside scoop on savings.
Here are a few questions to ask an
independent insurance agent.
Can I save by shopping around?
Insurance rates can vary by hundreds
of dollars among companies. Because
of this, checking the rates of several companies may be the single most
important thing you can do to get the
best possible price. An independent
agent or broker can compare rates for
you quickly and easily.
Am I carrying excess coverage?
Depending on vehicle age, optional
comprehensive and collision coverages, also called physical damage coverages, may not be worth keeping. Your
independent agent or broker can give
you advice on whether it makes sense
to buy these coverages.
Should I raise my deductible?
Raising your deductible from $250 to
$500 could reduce your collision and
comprehensive premium by 20 percent.
And, because the average driver files a
collision claim only once every 10 years,
odds are that over the
lifetime of your car, a
higher deductible will
save you money. Your
independent agent or
broker can show you
how raising your deductible can help
lower your premium.
Do I qualify for any discounts?
Many insurance companies offer
reduced premiums related to driver
lifestyle or car features. Discounts
can be available for homeowners,
students with good grades, senior citizens who take an approved defensive
driving course and others. Other discounts are tied to cars equipped with
anti-lock brakes, anti-theft devices,
air bags and other safety features.
You also might save money simply
by paying your premium in full. Take
the time to investigate these options
and discuss them with your agent.
Should I split my policies between
carriers? Don't assume having your car
and home insured by the same company is the best money-saving option.
Because car insurance rates vary from
company to company, it may make
sense for you to have your car and
home insured by separate companies.
Your agent or broker can review your
options and help you decide.
To learn more or to find an independent agent
or broker, visit Progressive online at drive
insurance.com.
George adds the following tips for
vehicle owners to further assist service
consultants and technicians and to help
better their service center experience:
• Write down the symptoms. Take detailed
•
•
•
•
notes on any problems and include if
the condition is weather related or if the
engine was warm or cold. These written
clues will help allow the technician to
understand intermittent problems.
Describe, don't diagnose. Similar to
going to the doctor, you want to relate
the symptoms but you wouldn't prescribe treatment.
Tape notes to the steering wheel. The
service writer to whom you describe
the problems may not be the technician
who actually works on your vehicle, but
whoever does will likely sit in the driver's
seat at some point.
Understand the service performed. After
the diagnosis, expect to receive an explanation of the maintenance or repairs performed on your vehicle. Ask for a signed
estimate for parts and labor so there are
no surprises at vehicle pickup time.
Look into purchasing a vehicle service
contract. It can provide coverage for your
vehicle in the event of mechanical failure
beyond the manufacturer's warranty.
ACDelco recommends that motorists get
their vehicles serviced at a service center
that has ASE-certified technicians. To find
an ACDelco parts retailer nearby, log on to
acdelco.com or call (800) ACDelco.
3235 E. Platte Avenue Suite B
(719) 622-3080
Monday–Friday 9–5, Saturday 9:30–Noon
Page Along the COlorLine
Coach Eddie
Robinson Brought
People Together in
Life and Death
continued from front page
Former GSU player and NFL
great, James “Shack” Harris, spoke of
Robinson’s strong will and competitiveness, yet gentleness and compassion when
dealing with his players. “He always said
he wanted a piece of us. We’re all better
because we had a piece of Coach.”
Robison was a true American
United States Senator Mary
Landrieu presented a resolution passed
by the senate and an American flag
that flew over the Nation’s Capitol to
Robinson’s widow, Doris.
“Never before and never again
was there a man, husband, coach,
and American like Eddie Robinson,”
said Richard Lapchick, author of
"Never Before, Never Again: The
Autobiography of Eddie Robinson."
The ceremony was energetic with
several eruptions of applause and
cheers throughout its three hours. More
than 15 people shared their experiences
and gratitude to the Robinson family
for sharing Coach Rob with them.
“Today’s service was inspiring and
dignified. I was particularly touched
by James Davidson’s memory of
Robinson’s last words to him, ‘What
can I do for you?’ That demonstrated his
dedication to others, leaving an example
for all,” said University of Louisiana
System President Sally Clausen.
Former Grambling president Joseph
Johnson said Robinson’s legacy was
threefold. He left a “thirst for love, a
thirst for education, and a dedication to
duty with acceptance of responsibility.“
“Ex-Felon Disenfranchisement and
the Struggle for Voting Rights”
Dr. Manning Marable
At the height of the Civil Rights
Movement, lawmakers who opposed
African American voting rights desperately considered ways to remove
large numbers of blacks from their
state’s electorates without appearing
to violate their constitutional rights.
In the 1960s, many southern and some
western states figured out how to
accomplish this: by passing state constitutional provisions, or state laws,
barring individuals convicted of a felony from voting for the remainder of
their lives. Since African Americans
were disproportionately prosecuted
and convicted of felonies in most state
courts, the loss of voting rights would
hit blacks hardest.
This racist scheme – using the criminal justice system not to “rehabilitate”
prisoners, but to strip them of their
democratic voting rights for life – was
successful. In 1968, Florida barred exoffenders from voting for life. By 2000,
approximately 818,000 Florida residents who had prior felony convictions,
but who were no longer incarcerated,
were disenfranchised. The vast majority
of this disenfranchised population was
African-American. None of these citizens were permitted to vote in Florida’s
contested 2000 presidential election,
which George W. Bush narrowly “won”
by only hundreds of votes.
In the past decade, social justice,
prisoners’ rights and civil rights organizations have campaigned extensively
for the repeal of these repressive disenfranchisement laws. From a criminology standpoint, they are counterproductive, because they retard the
re-entry and reintegration of ex-prisoners back into civil society. Hundreds
of judges and even district attorneys
have publicly criticized “mandatoryminimum” sentencing laws, that have
been responsible for sending hundreds
of thousands of mostly non-violent
offenders to long prison sentences, and
to disenfranchisement. As a result, a
number of states that had disenfranchised ex-felons for life, such as Texas
and Alabama, in recent years reformed
their laws to restore voting rights to
former prisoners.
By 2007, Florida had disenfranchised 950,000 citizens who had
felony convictions – the vast majority of whom were black, Latino and
low-income people. In an unexpected
move, Florida Republican Governor
Charlie Crist changed his anti-felon
position, to declare that the time had
come for his state to leave the “offensive minority of states that uniformly
denied ex-prisoners voting rights.” On
April 5, 2007, Governor Crist persuaded Florida’s clemency board to restore
voting rights to about 800,000 former
prisoners. Crist’s action was vigorously
opposed by Florida Attorney General
Bill McCollum, as well as by former
governor Jeb Bush. Under the new
rules, about 80 percent of the disenfranchised whose crimes were not classified
as “violent” will automatically have heir
voting rights restored, so long as they
have paid any restitution to victims and
have no pending criminal charges.
This measure will largely exclude
about two hundred thousand people
defined as “violent career criminals,”
murderers and sexual offenders, who
must submit to an investigation of their
cases and a hearing before a clemency board. In practical terms, the
vast majority of these former prisoners will never vote again. This raises
a basic question about the “limits” of
American democracy, and the danger
in restricting the electoral franchise.
In every democracy throughout the
world, except for most of the United
States, everyone who is defined as a
“citizen” has a right to vote. A “citizen”
who has been convicted of any crime,
including murder, remains a citizen,
and thus retains his or her voting rights.
In Maine and Vermont, for example,
all prisoners behind bars do vote. The
other 48 states are not as democratic. In
only a small number of states, includ-
How to Have
a Good Heart
(NAPSA)-Here's heartening news:
You can help yourself to a healthier
heart. That is, you can recover and
gain emotional well-being following
a diagnosis of heart disease, a heart
attack or a cardiac procedure or surgery, which may reduce your risk of
a second cardiac event.
A free Web site has been created to
help you:
• Recover your emotional well-being;
• Modify negative thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors;
• Reduce unhealthy responses associ-
ated with anger, depression, anxiety
and impatience;
Page www.africanamericanvoice.net
Dr. Manning Marable
ing Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Oregon,
and Utah, felons regain the right to vote
after leaving prison. In states like New
York and Colorado, former prisoners
who are on parole and still under the
jurisdiction of criminal justice authorities can’t vote. In a host of states, mostly in the south and far west, ex-felons
who successfully complete years of
parole are no longer excluded from
voting. And in Virginia and Kentucky,
ex-prisoners are still barred from voting for life. Conservatively, there are
now five million Americans who are
out of prison, and who have “repaid
their debt to society,” but who temporarily or permanently cannot vote.
Recent developments in Florida represent a major, although partial, victory
for the forces of democracy. In practical political terms, Governor Crist’s
decision adds pressure on states like
Virginia and Kentucky that still refuse
to reform their ex-felon voting restrictions. Civil rights and prisoners’ rights
advocates need to redouble their efforts
now to overturn these legal remnants of
the racist, Jim Crow segregation era.
Dr. Manning Marable is Professor of Public
Affairs, History and African-American Studies,
and Director of the Center for Contemporary
Black History at Columbia University. “Along
the Color Line” appears in over 400 publications internationally, and is available at
www.manningmarable.net.
• Develop more adaptive, less damaging,
reactions to stress;
• See the value in positive emotions for the
life of your heart.
Every week, TheGoodheart.com
offers new tips on topics ranging from
hypertension and cholesterol to optimism
and hope, helping you get a handle on
your heart's health. There is an opportunity to sign up for a free subscription so
that you can receive these useful tips by
e-mail every week. The site also features
a wide array of articles and resources,
and its message board enables you to
submit questions to health care experts
who can address your concerns.
May 2007
Education
Whether by Dance,
March or Dive,
Educational Films
Can be Fun for All
(NAPSA)-When it comes to
moviegoing, more and more families
are seeking alternative entertainment
experiences that contain a healthy
dose of good old-fashioned family
fun-and have educational value.
A terrific example is the recent
roster of feature films with educational elements-no longer banished
to the classroom or small art-house
theater. This is exemplified by a trio
of spring DVD releases that are not
only informative and fun, but also
critically acclaimed. From dancing,
singing and marching penguins to
jaw-dropping ocean life, these films
prove that a learning experience can
be wildly entertaining.
Warner Bros.' animated smash
hit "Happy Feet" taps onto DVD,
while the similarly penguin-filled
and aptly named documentary
"March of the Penguins" releases on Blu-ray and HD-DVD.
Rounding out these "wild" releases
is "IMAX Deep Sea," the visually
stunning underwater documentary
that has wowed the crowds at
IMAX theaters since early 2006.
All three films are notable for their
success of capturing the essence
of the three "E's": education, environment and entertainment.
"Happy Feet" and "March of the
Penguins" both focus on the lives of
emperor penguins, albeit in a very
different manner. While the animated "Happy Feet" follows young
Mumble (Elijah Wood), a tap-dancing penguin looking for acceptance in a community of singing
peers, "March of the Penguins" is
a captivating documentary that follows penguins through migration,
mating and the perils of survival.
"Happy Feet" presents a significant
environmental message and demonstrates the importance of wildlife
preservation, while "March" gives
an impossibly intimate look into
the annual struggle of an Antarctic
penguin community.
A similarly fascinating look at
the wonders of nature, "IMAX
Deep Sea" combs the ocean floor,
revealing an amazing array of littleknown sea life that is mesmerizing
from start to finish. Worried about
watching this IMAX-released film
in the comfort of your own home?
Don't be: The enchanting aquatic
visuals are captivating on anysize screen and the DVD's deleted
scenes treat the viewers to previously unseen extras.
How can you characterize films
that are educational, environmentally conscious and captivating
for all ages? How about Oscar
worthy? In 2006, "March of the
Penguins" took home the golden statue for Best Documentary
Feature, while "Happy Feet" won
for Best Animated Feature during the 2007 Academy Awards.
"IMAX Deep Sea, has also garnered wide praise as a highly
superior IMAX experience from
acclaimed aquatic documentarian Howard Hall. It's clear that
a "thumbs up" from Hollywood
puts these edu-taining films in a
class by themselves.
May 2007
Juneteenth Festival
African American Voice Hosts 3-day Juneteenth Festival
and can view original art by many
of Colorado’s most renowned African
American artists. Special recognition
will be given to both the female and
male Artists of the Year. Art will be
on display from June 1-June 30 at
Colorado Technical University.
• Reception reservations required
• 719.598.0200 (CTU Carey Williams)
June 9-Juneteenth Concert and
Outdoor Festival
Talented Colorado musical artists
will perform from 11 am-8 pm, featuring a variety of musical styles ranging
from Hip Hop to Old School. Local
entertainment icon Ron Ivory will wrap
up the musical event from 6 pm-8 pm.
In addition to entertainment, there
will be food, drinks, crafts, educational
and health displays, activities for adults
and children, along with other surprises.
• For vendor space call
719.388.3474 or 719.528.1954.
• Free-Open to the public.
June 15-Annual Juneteenth
Awards Dinner
This year the African American
Voice will present the first Newsmaker
of the Year Award. This historic occasion coincides with the 180th anniversary of the Black Press. Other honorees
will be recognized in the spirit of our
Vendors Wanted
for Papalooza:
A Celebration
of Fathers and
Children
ancestors for their impact on our struggle for justice, freedom and equality.
Plan to celebrate this historic occasion
as we honor men and women whose
impact will never be forgotten.
• Advance registration required
• 719.528.1954 or 719.388.3474
Juneteenth History
Juneteenth began its long, unsteady journey
into history on January 1, 1863, when President
Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation
Proclamation. In theory, it freed all the slaves. In
actuality, it was simply a piece of paper whose
full import was yet to be recognized. Its background was one of the bloodiest confrontations
on U.S. soil—the American Civil War. Until the
final battle of that war was fought on Palmito
Hill in Texas in May 1865, the full might of
Lincoln’s signature languished in the embattled
South. On June 19, 1865, one month after the
battle ended and more than two months after the
formal surrender of the Confederacy, General
Gordon Granger marched into Galveston and
proclaimed the authority of the United States
over Texas. In so doing, Granger declared all acts
of the Confederacy null and void and declared
that slaves were henceforth free.
For over one hundred thirty-eight years, African
Americans have commemorated Granger’s
arrival in Galveston as “Juneteenth” or
“Emancipation Day.” The Voice and its partners
proudly continue this tradition, considering
June 19 not only a festive occasion, but also an
important venue for learning and networking.
The African American Voice
Keeping the community informed
• Making it happen
• Preserving our history and culture
• Supporting our community
• Promoting diversity
• Bring our community together
• Keeping it real
Colorado Springs is a city
often considered intolerant.
We at the African American
Voice are proud to offer the
Juneteenth Festival as a means
of bridging the gap between
ethnic and cultural groups
by sharing the rich cultural
history of African Americans
in a fun, family-oriented setting. In addition the festival
will help mainstream organizations and Institutions gain
access to many of the unique
products and services provided by African Americans
and other ethnic groups.
As Juneteenth state director
James Tucker said, "Colorado
Springs is a diverse city, and
the African American Voice is
proud to be able to contribute
to making our community a
better place for all citizens."
The “Destiny”
Scholarship
Receive $3,000 toward
your CTU education
(for students who qualify)
DENVER- Traylor Enterprises
is seeking vendors to display and/
or sell their work at ‘PapaPalooza:
A Celebration of Fathers and
Children’ being held Saturday June
16th at the Blair Caldwell Library
located at 2401 Welton Street in
Denver from 2-5pm.
PapaPalooza is a celebration
of affirmation honoring Father’s
Day. Designed to promote quality time among family members
and affordable family entertainment, the event offers participation in the Niarah 3D Art Center,
Ansar’s Picture Palace, The
Kidz Koncert Kafe, Cat Daddies
Catwalk, prizes and more!
Colorado Technical University oěers:
Vendors are invited -- preferably those with art work, services or product appealing to
men, fathers, mothers, parenting,
children or family in general.
• Degree programs in the fields of: Accounting, Business, Computer Science,
Criminal Justice, Engineering, Information Technology, Visual Communication
and more...
• Small class sizes
• Supportive network of professors and staff
• Career services assistance
• Financial Aid is available for those who qualify
Those with informational booths
may also participate.
Booth space is $20; tables and chairs will
be provided. Deadline is May 25th. Don’t
delay; space is limited! To request a vendor registration form or literature about
PapaPalooza contact Traylor Enterprises
at 303.321.1862 or e.mail: traylorlawgroup@gmail.com .
Love what you do for a living!
C O L O R A D O S P R I N G S, C O C A M P U S
719.598.0200
P U E B L O, C O C A M P U S
E N R O L L O N L I N E AT
C O L O R A D OT E C H . E D U
719.595.0200
Contact the school for full scholarship details • Program availability differs by location.
Colorado Technical University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602. 312-263-0456 - www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org
Page HealtHy Living
Stroke: Act FAST
(NAPSA)-Each year, many of the more
than 600,000 Americans who suffer the
most common type of stroke, known as
an ischemic stroke, receive the only Food
and Drug Administration-approved medication known to improve their chances of
recovery with little or no disability. More
should be getting the drug.
Ischemic stroke occurs when an
obstruction, such as a blood clot, blocks
blood flow to the brain. When this happens, part of the brain becomes deprived
of the blood and oxygen it needs and
nerve cells in the affected area die within minutes. Stroke is the leading cause
of disability, and third-leading cause of
death in the United States.
Symptoms include impaired speech,
blurred vision, numbness on one side of
the body, or sudden, severe headaches.
The medication helps restore blood flow
to the brain by breaking up the clot.
Patients can receive Activase (alteplase,
also known as tissue plasminogen activator or tPA), only if they begin treatment
within three hours after their stroke symptoms start and only after they have had a
scan to rule out bleeding in the brain.
For example, Ken Hockridge, a
paramedic, was on duty when he felt a
pressure in the back of his head. "My
speech was slurred and the right side
of my body was weak," he reported. He
knew he was having a stroke. "I told
my colleagues to get me to the hospital
fast and that I needed Activase." He
urges patients to call 911 and get to the
nearest stroke center or, if there isn't
one nearby, an emergency room, immediately at the first signs of stroke.
Because the medication is a clot
buster, the most common side effect
is bleeding, including bleeding in the
brain, this is called intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Not all patients with acute
ischemic stroke will be able to use
Activase, including patients with recent
or ongoing bleeding; recent (within three
months) surgery or trauma or previous
stroke; uncontrolled high blood pressure; or problems with blood clotting.
For more information, talk to your doctor and go
to www.acti vase.com or phone (800) 821-8590.
To find out where stroke centers are found, visit
www.jointcommis sion.org/CertificationPrograms/
Disease-SpecificCare/DSCOrgs.
Diabetes Patients Encouraged to
Take Control of their Own Care
(NAPSA)-There are 21 million people with diabetes in the United States,
says The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. A new program may
give these people the confidence to
treat and manage the disease.
According to a recent survey of
people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who inject insulin, conducted
by TideWatch Market Research and
Consulting, the majority of people
with the disease regularly adjust
their insulin injections based on what
they are planning to eat, as well as
their blood glucose readings. The
survey also found that the balancing
act of eating right remains difficult,
regardless of age, years using insulin
or the number of times per day a person has to inject insulin. Although
exercising is viewed more favorably
than eating right, respondents admit
it's hard to remain motivated and
know if exercise is working.
Key Statistics
The survey found that only one
of eight persons with diabetes is currently involved with any program,
either through a health care provider
or insurer, for help actively managing
diabetes. As well, only 4.7 percent are
currently involved in a support group
for diabetes and 65.4 percent had never
attended such a group.
Diabetes Management Tips
To help some people with the condition improve their diabetes management, a demonstration project has
been developed called the BD Diabetes
Makeover program. It has some of the
leading clinical, diabetes education,
nutrition, fitness and lifestyle organization experts, dubbed the BD Diabetes
Dream Team.
The team offers these diabetes management tips:
• Prepare a daily schedule of exercise, diet,
•
•
•
•
•
Page medication and monitoring and keep a
diary, giving structure to activities.
Find a partner or a buddy (not necessarily someone with diabetes) and
report to that person on a weekly basis
about blood glucose level, exercise
and other activities, as a way to feel
responsible and to get positive feedback for ongoing successes.
Do your homework and ask your doctor
and nurses questions about your care.
Watch what you eat. Talk to your dietitian or diabetes educator about what's
best for you and to create a meal plan
that fits your lifestyle. The benefits
include: weight control; meeting nutritional needs; control of blood glucose
levels; lowering high blood pressure;
and reducing cholesterol levels.
Exercise. You'll not only control your
weight and lower your blood sugar
level, you'll also feel better about yourself, with more energy and less stress
and cholesterol, as well as a feeling
of control. Before starting an exercise
program, talk to your doctor about
what kinds of activities are right for
you. Most doctors recommend aerobic
exercise. Choose activities you enjoy:
walking, jogging, bicycling, aerobic
dancing, swimming or rowing.
Try for a healthier lifestyle. Plan active
weekends; skip the elevator and take the
stairs; park at the far end of the parking lot and walk to the office or store,
or walk a few blocks before getting on
•
your bus and get off a few blocks before
your stop; rake your leaves; wash your
car or push a lawn mower.
Drink lots of water. Have at least 15
ounces of water 30 to 60 minutes before
you exercise and then continue to drink
12 to 15 ounces every 15 minutes during
exercise-even if you're not thirsty.
Team Approach
The BD Diabetes Makeover team
creates individualized fitness plans
for participants, adjusts their medication regimens where applicable, recommends how dietary habits could
be positively changed, encourages
improved lifestyle management skills
and provides ongoing support, education and problem-solving through a
case manager and conference calls.
"People with diabetes want to take
care of themselves," says Dr. Valentine
Burroughs, Chief Medical Officer and
Chairman of Medicine at East Harlem
New York's North General Hospital
and Dream Team Endocrinologist.
"But new patients often are overwhelmed by the prospect and longer-term patients become discouraged
by poor results and lack of positive
feedback. The demonstration program
helps patients pull together the information and support they need."
Learn More
For information about the program, visit
www.bd.com/dm. For more information about
managing diabetes, visit www.bddiabetes. com/us.
Call for
WW2 Vets
Rocky Mountain PBS,
KRMA-TV, Channel SIX
is producing a documentary
about the personal recollections of Colorado's African
Americans, Native Americans,
Latinos and women during
WW2, both in theater and
in the home front, called
"Colorado War Stories."
We would love to hear
your story! contact Lisa at
(303) 620.5646 or email her
at lisaolken@rmpbs.org
May 2007
Healthy Living
Take Small Steps To Lower Your
Risk For Type 2 Diabetes
By Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., M.A.C.P.
Acting Director of the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NAPSA)-As the number of
Americans who are overweight has
risen, so too has the number of people
with or at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Nearly 21 million adults currently have
diabetes, and one-third of them are
not yet diagnosed. Another 54 million
adults have pre-diabetes, which puts
them at an increased risk for developing
type 2 diabetes. The serious, disabling
complications of diabetes include heart
attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and lower limb amputations.
Two of the most common risk factors for type 2 diabetes are being overweight, as defined by a body mass
index (BMI) of 25 or higher, and being
age 45 or older. Having a family history of diabetes also increases your
risk. If you had gestational diabetes
when you were pregnant, you and your
child have a lifelong risk of developing
diabetes. Diabetes more often occurs
among African Americans, Hispanics
and Latinos, American Indians and
Alaska Natives, and Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders.
Every day, over 4,000 people are
diagnosed with diabetes. The good news
is that the onset of type 2 diabetes can
be delayed or prevented. The National
Diabetes Education Program (NDEP)
promotes the findings of a major
National Institutes of Health study-the
Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)which found that modest weight loss
can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by
more than half through gradual lifestyle
changes in diet and physical activity.
Making healthy food choices that are
lower in fat and calories and being
physically active most days of the week
can be keys to weight loss, and in turn,
preventing type 2 diabetes.
The Health
Benefits of
Wine
by Peggy Fleming
(NAPSA)-A glass of
wine can offer much more
than a relaxing drink
at the end of a stressful
day. It may also ensure a
healthier heart, a reduced
risk of cancer and many
other health benefits scientists continue
to discover.
Those who drink one glass of wine
per day have a 30 to 40 percent lower
rate of death from cardiovascular disease
than nondrinkers. In fact, a daily glass of
wine also significantly reduces the risk of
stroke and can help assist in recovery.
A good point to remember is that
wine's health benefits outweigh alcohol's risks only when experienced in
moderation: no more than one glass
of wine per day for women and two
per day for men.
You don't have to be a wine
connoisseur to enjoy this age-old
remedy. You can learn as much or
as little as you'd like. Pop the cork
because a healthier you calls for a
special occasion.
May 2007
To reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, work with your health care team to
set an achievable weight loss goal, and
then create a weight loss plan together.
Make a commitment and write down
your goals in small, realistic steps
and time frames. For example, a good
weight loss goal is to lose at least 5 to 7
percent of your current weight-that's 10
to 14 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds.
Keep track of your daily food intake
and physical activity in a log book and
review it every day.
Make healthy food choices such as
fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats,
dry beans, whole grains, and low-fat or
skim milk and cheese. Eat small portions, and choose water to drink.
To become more physically active:
• Start off slowly. If you are not active,
•
•
start off with a physical activity for a
few minutes on most days of the week.
Slowly add more time until you reach at
least 30 minutes of moderate intensity
physical activity five days a week.
Build physical activity into your day.
Take a brisk walk during lunchtime. Take
the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away from stores or your office.
Keep at it and invite your family to join
you. Healthy eating and physical activity
help keep the whole family healthy. The
longer you keep at it, the better you will
feel. Celebrate small successes together.
As more Americans take these small
steps to lower their risk for diabetes,
we can reduce the devastating effects
of this disease.
To get your free copy of NDEP's Your
GAME PLAN to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
and more tips on how to lose weight to
lower your risk of diabetes, contact NDEP
at 1-800-438-5383 or www.ndep.nih.gov
and click on the Small Steps. Big Rewards.
Prevent type 2 Diabetes. campaign.
Here are some facts that may want to
make you trust your heart to the vine:
• Over half a million Americans are
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diagnosed with heart failure each year.
Moderate wine drinkers have a lower
risk of heart attack due to wine's ability to reduce blood clotting.
Anti-oxidants in grapes' skin and
seeds lead to red wine's heart- healthy
nature. This substance helps reduce
"bad" cholesterol while increasing
"good" cholesterol, a process that also
reduces the risk of a heart attack.
Johns Hopkins University scientists found
that red wine may help protect you from
the brain damage associated with strokes.
A diabetic presents the same risk of
coronary heart disease as someone who
has already suffered a heart attack. A
glass of wine may help prevent this
leading cause of death in the U.S.
Wine also helps fight cancer by preventing cancer cells from receiving the protein they need to survive. In addition:
A glass of red wine per day appears to
cut the risk of prostate cancer in half
for men. Moderate red wine drinkers
also reduce their risk of colon cancer.
While wine can help prevent some
cancers, the American Medical
Association warns that women who
drink more than the recommended one
drink per day actually increase their
rate of breast cancer.
To learn more, visit www.healthsaver.com.
Building Strong Bones With Dried Plums:
(NAPSA)-Conversations about osteoporosis and the measures that prevent
and treat this bone-weakening disease
typically focus on it as a women's issue.
Although we often think of men having
larger, stronger bones than women, that's
not always the case-men are also at risk
for developing osteoporosis. In fact, 2
million men have the disease and another
12 million are at risk for developing it.
Not only are men at a significant
risk, but surprisingly, it is for many of
the same reasons as women. Low and
decreasing levels of hormones can cause
an imbalance in the bone-remodeling
process, with more old bone dissolving
than new bone reforming. Although it is
the decrease in estrogen production that
occurs with menopause that increases
women's vulnerability to the effects of
osteoporosis, men experience a decrease
in testosterone and insulin-like growth
factor (IGF-I) as they age. Heredity and
lifestyle habits such as smoking, excessive alcohol use and inadequate exercise
can also lead to poor bone health in both
men and women.
"Men should take many of the same
steps as women to protect their bones,
including getting enough calcium and
vitamin D in their diet, engaging in weightbearing exercise and changing unhealthy
lifestyle habits," says Brenda J. Smith,
Ph.D., Associate Professor & Assistant
Director of Research in the department
of surgery at the University of Oklahoma
Health Sciences Center. "Dairy productsrich in bone-building calcium-are the
foods we associate most readily with bone
health. But plant-based foods, like fruits
and vegetables, may also play an important role in increasing bone mass."
Studies indicate that men and women
who consume diets rich in fruits and vegetables have higher bone density and suggest that phytonutrients-health-protective
compounds in plant-based foods-may be
the reason for the positive effects of fruits
and vegetables on bone metabolism.
California Dried Plums offer a convenient option for men looking to add
more fruit to their diets. Dried plums
are a rich source of several micronutrients involved in bone metabolism,
including potassium, vitamin K and
boron. In fact, a recently published
animal study conducted by researchers at the University of Oklahoma
Health Sciences Center indicated that
dried plums prevented hormone-related deterioration of the bones of male
subjects, preserving bone mass.
Currently, a study is under way at
Florida State University examining the
bone health benefits of dried plums
in women in a year-long clinical trial.
"Dried Plums completely reverse loss
of bone density and structural properties, observations unique to dried plums
among the many foods we have examined in our laboratory," says Dr. Bahram
H. Arjmandi, principal investigator of
the Florida State University study.
Dried plums can easily be incorporated
daily into meals or snacks at any time of
the day. "I like to add dried plums to hot
or cold cereals, on turkey or chicken salad
sandwiches or as an afternoon snack,"
says Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., director
of sports nutrition at the University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center and spokesperson for the California Dried Plum Board.
"Not only do they add nutritional value,
but they're an easy way to boost flavor."
kick
off
your new habit!
Some habits are good for you.
This one could save your life.
All women over the age of 40,
regardless of family history, need
to get screened for breast and cervical
cancer annually.
Early detection is every woman’s best defense
against both of these cancers. If caught early,
treatments have a high success rate.
What are you waiting for?
kick off
your new good habit!
Call
719.578.3111
to see if you qualify.
This program is brought to you by the El Paso County Department of Health
and Environment and is funded by the Colorado Women’s Cancer Control Initiative.
Page CALENDAR
Cool Jazz,
Hot Night:
Colorado Springs
Chorale Auditions
Singers, an opportunity you
don’t want to miss! Sing with the
Award-Winning Colorado Springs
Chorale this coming exciting season, which begins in September
with a performance of Beethoven’s
Ninth Symphony and Brahms’
Schicksalslied with the Colorado
Springs Philharmonic Orchestra.
December offers the Chorale’s
award winning Christmas pops concert, Deck the Hall; and Christmas
Classics and Carols; once again
as guests of the Colorado Springs
Philharmonic. April brings the 7th
annual Great Works concert, featuring Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast.
The season concludes in May with
the always packed house appearance
with the Air Force Academy Band,
the Colorado Springs Chamber of
Commerce salute to the military,
Stars and Stripes, Forever! All performances are in the acoustically
wonderful Pikes Peak Center.
Auditions for membership in the
Chorale will be held Tuesday evening, May 22 from 6:30 to 10:00
pm, at First Christian Church, 16 E.
Platte Ave. Auditions are by appointment only.
live jazz, elegant
setting and superb
food and drink
Event will help raise funds to
restore 100-year-old Trianon, the
Springs’ architectural palace
For further information, call Jackie at
the Chorale Office, 634-3737. Additional
material is also available on the Chorale
web page, www.cschorale.org.
27th Annual
Pueblo Family
Juneteenth
Celebration
May 26, 6–8 pm
Fahion Show Pageant
• 4-H Building - State Fair
June 15, 5–8 pm
3 on 3 Basketball
• North Elizabeth Slabs
June 15–17
Co-ed Softball Tournament
• Bessemer Park
Spread the News - Unity Serves Our Community
7th Annual 2007
Cycle for SET and Healthy Lifestyles Fair
Family Bike Ride • Bike Decorating Contest • Bike Parade
June 9th, 2007
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Monument Valley Park
Annual 2007
Ser
ves Our Com
ni
ty
mu
776-8850 or visit www.setofcs.org
Photo courtesy of the Pikes Peak Library District Special Collections Photo Archives
Page 10
other fun activities
• Enjoy some of southern Colorado best food
• Network with vendors - Art and craft booths
• Desert contest at 1 pm
For more information contact Al Neal at
(719) 584–3714. Minnequa/Bessemer Park
(Corner of Orman & Northern Avenue)
Soli Deo Gloria
Choir Concert
Free and open to the public
Un
ity
7th
June 16, Noon–9 pm
Juneteenth Celebration
1st annual Bessemer Blues Blast
• Meet local politicians and business owners
• Come and enjoy games blowup rides and
Soli Deo Gloria Choir will present a free concert, Beautiful Savior,
at 7:30 pm, Saturday, May 12, 2007,
at Sunrise United Methodist Church,
2655 Briargate Blvd., Colorado
It’s the perfect party…jazz, history, architecture, food and drink
will coalesce to create an unforgettable evening Saturday, May 5 at
Cool Jazz, Hot Night, a benefit for
the historic Trianon at The Colorado
Springs School. Nationally-renowned
and Springs-based jazz pianist Steve
Draper will be joined by a few of his
esteemed friends to produce a delightful musical experience; Cravings
Catering is laying out a luxurious culinary spread; and the Trianon provides
the atmosphere as its grand rooms
are transformed into a mid-century
jazz nightclub. Feast on an elegant
hors d’oeuvres buffet and open bar
while you swing, dance and sway to
the music and mingle with the guests
just as you would have done at the
Trianon during its second owner’s
heyday nearly 60 years ago. As it was
at that time, the Trianon is again the
place to see and be seen.
This event is part of the Trianon
Centenary Celebration to commemorate the 100th birthday of the historic building. Tickets to the event
are $75, a portion of which will be
designated for the Trianon’s restoration fund. Seating is limited.
At 100 years old, the building is
in need of repairs to its stately doors
and windows. The historic Trianon
is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. The Trianon
Centenary sponsors are The Gazette,
Cravings Catering, PILLAR, and
Pianos New and Used.
Schedule of Events
• June 22-23: The Colorado Springs
School Family Polo Classic
• July 15: Concert on the Quad, The
•
•
•
Broadmoor Pops Orchestra with
Ken Miller
August 4 & 5: Southern Colorado
Antique Automobile Showcase
October: Mystery Dinners
December: Holiday Tea with the
Baldwins
The Colorado Springs School is a
Preschool through 12th Grade day school
that combines a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with experience-based
teaching to create a passion for learning
in students. Small classes and excellent
teachers create learning opportunities that
engage, challenge, and excite students.
Springs. Featured on the program will
be Haydn’s Te Deum for the Empress
Marie Therese and Christiansen’s
famous “Beautiful Savior”, as well
as choral works by Scarlatti, Martini,
Schütz, Stroope, and others. Please
bring a non-perishable food item for
Care and Share.
For more information contact Brad
Peterson at (719) 262-0614.
May 2007
Control
Moisture,
Avoid Mold
(NAPSA)-A common misperception among homeowners and
builders is that water intrusion
is inevitable
and therefore
mold-resistant
products are the
answer. While
mold-resistant
products can play
an
important role, dry
buildings and homes are the result
of careful design, construction
and maintenance.
Homeowners and builders
looking for simple, understandable advice on mold control can
turn to the Responsible Solutions
to Mold Coalition's (RSMC)
top 10 sources of information.
The Coalition is a consortium
of building industry associations,
academic and governmental bodies and companies, including
USG Corporation and National
Gypsum Company.
In evaluating the best sources of
information on moisture/mold control, RSMC identified some of the
most common errors that lead to
water intrusion and mold growth:
• Water or waste pipes installed in
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•
exterior walls: As temperatures vary,
condensation can form on pipes that
are normally surrounded by insulation, making drainage impossible.
Failure to place water-handling
appliances such as dishwashers and
washing machines in large pans that
drain away from the house. These
pans are commonly available at home
improvement centers.
Failure to replace washing machine
hoses. This is the leading insurance
claim for water damage.
Failure to replace water heaters every
10 to 12 years. Most homeowners
wait until their water heater fails (and
usually leaks). Deferred replacement
is more costly in the long run.
Lack of flashing around doors, windows, roofs and chimneys that safely
channel water away from the house
and allow walls to dry out.
Wet building materials: Building
materials are often improperly stored
at the job site. They should not be
delivered until it's time to install
them, and while they're being stored,
they should be off the ground and
covered tightly with a tarp.
Rushed building schedules that do
not allow enough time for joint compound, tile grout, paint and sprayed
foam insulation to dry adequately.
Roofs that are designed in a manner
that does not provide a clear pathway
for water to move off of the roof and
into gutters and downspouts.
Blocked gutters and downspouts that
are improperly installed in a manner
that directs water toward the house.
Improper grading around the house
that directs water into the basement.
More information on mold prevention and
a newly updated brochure are available at
www. responsiblemoldsolutions.org.
May 2007
New Lawn Fertilizers
Helping Families,
Pet Owners 'Green
Responsibly'
(NAPSA)-There should be nothing
scary about watching your child or
pet rolling around on the back lawn.
Unfortunately, many conventional,
chemical-based lawn fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides contain toxins
that could put you, your children and
the family pet at risk.
Concerns about potential health
effects of chemical fertilizers and
other lawn and garden products have
spurred the development of innovative
natural, organic and organic-based
alternatives that enable concerned
homeowners to "Green Responsibly."
These products are now appearing at
leading national retailers such as WalMart and Meijer as well as local lawn
and garden stores.
"Homeowners used to be skeptical
about organic and organic-based fertilizers because they didn't believe they
could produce the same lush, green lawn
they enjoyed with chemical products,"
said Jeff Jerousek, director of sales for
Garden Way LLC. "Today, when used
as directed, many of these new products
actually offer better overall performance
than chemicals and last longer."
One of these products, Nature's Touch
Natural Organic-Based Lawn & Garden
Fertilizer, is formulated to "green" the
average lawn in just seven to 10 days
and continue nurturing the treated area
over a longer period. Nature's Touch
also is available with a "power package"
of 300 enzymes that work in harmony
with the environment to produce a deeper grass root structure and thicker lawn,
according to the manufacturer. More
important, the fertilizer contains no hazardous insecticides or herbicides.
The benefits of natural, organic and
organic-based fertilizers are also important to operators of outdoor youth sports
programs, public parks and pet recreation areas, hundreds of whom are being
offered promotional Nature's Touch fertilizer kits for the 2007 season.
"Many pet recreation areas don't
have much grass because the operators
are concerned, rightly so, about using
chemical fertilizers and pesticides,"
Jerousek said. "The development of
fertilizers and other products to alleviate those concerns will help create a
better, cleaner, more enjoyable experience for the pets and their owners."
Protecting
Your Lawn
From Unseen
Enemies
(NAPSA)-There's good news for
homeowners who want to prevent
grubs from taking over their lawns
from the roots up.
White grubs are the larval stage of
beetles. The grubs hatch from eggs
deposited by beetles on lawns in summertime. They look like small, white,
C-shaped worms and feed on the roots
of most types of lawn grasses.
They continue eating the lawn's
roots into the fall, stop for the winter
months, and feast again until May or
June, when they transform into adults
as dreaded beetles.
"Grubs like healthy turf in full sunlight that is well watered and fertilized-all the things you're supposed to
do," says Bayer Advanced(tm) lawn
expert Lance Walheim, who co-wrote
the book "Lawn Care for Dummies."
"Grub damage is most severe in late
summer, but problems can begin as early
as mid to late spring. Grubs are easiest
to control when they are young, so prevention by taking action in May through
early summer is key," says Walheim.
Identifying grub damage can be
tricky. Look for:
• A general thinning and weakening of the lawn
• A wilted or dried-out look to your grass,
ing the white, C-shaped grubs
• Raccoons, opossums, skunks or moles
frequently digging into your lawn.
Now science has an answer for
protecting your lawn from grubs.
Bayer Advanced(tm) Season-Long
Grub Control prevents grub damage
all season long with one application.
Its exclusive dual-action formula kills
all common types of grubs, plus it's the
only product that helps revitalize the
lawn all in one easy step. It contains
Merit insecticide, the insecticide of
choice for many turf professionals.
If your lawn is already heavily infested with grubs, here's another solution to
consider: Bayer Advanced(tm) 24-Hour
Grub Killer Plus contains the proprietary active ingredient Dylox, which is
said to work faster than any other grub
killer on the market. Grubs usually stop
feeding and start to die within 24 hours.
It also kills ants, sod webworms, mole
crickets, ticks and cutworms.
even when soil is moist
Bayer Advanced products are available in
major garden retailers and independent garden
shops across the United States. To learn more,
1253
RR3Girl
5x7a piece
4/11/07
2:30
PM Page
be pulled
up like
of carpet,
revealvisit1www.bayeradvanced. com.
• Large, irregular, brown patches of grass
• Large patches of dead turf that can easily
to treat your family
like our family
We promise
The commitments we make are commitments we intend to
keep. That’s why you can trust our promise to treat your
family like our family. To help keep your policies up to date
with regular insurance reviews. And to give you honest,
straightforward answers. For the name of an agent near
you, visit amfam.com.
American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries
Home Office - Madison, WI 53783
© 2007
002689 - 3/07
Page 11
Return to
Elegance by
Transforming
Concrete Surfaces
(NAPSA)-Homeowners on the
lookout for creative ways to add
beauty and value to their home need
only to look beneath their feet. As
seen at upscale shops, restaurants
and model homes, decorative finishes lend interest and sophistication to
otherwise dull concrete floors.
Etching stains applied to interior floors and exterior surfaces can
create a multitoned finish to compare with natural stone, weathered
marble or tile. The color tone is
permanently imprinted into the concrete as the etching stain chemically
reacts with the concrete, resulting in
a finish that will last.
Transform any exterior concrete
surface with Quikrete Etching Stain,
available in rich earth tones (Coffee,
Tan and Olive), and Quikrete Etching
Stain High Gloss Sealer. Delivering
a clear, high-gloss topcoat, the sealer
enhances the durability and color depth
of the permanently etched concrete.
For this project, homeowners
also will need a 3Ú8-inch premium
roller with extension handle, roller
tray, 3-inch premium brush, garden sprayer, stiff-bristled brush,
wet/dry vacuum or string mop,
painter's tape and plastic to cover
areas not being stained.
• Careful preparation of the concrete sur-
•
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•
face is essential to ensure the etching
stain can properly react. Therefore, the
surface must be cleared of all debris,
grease, oil stains, sealers and paints.
While cleaning, be sure to check that the
concrete is porous and will accept the
etching stain. If water beads on the surface, then further cleaning is necessary.
Prior to staining, protect all areas not
being stained with tape and plastic,
and test the pressure and spray pattern
of the garden sprayer with water.
Dampen the entire surface to be
stained but avoid standing water.
Spray the stain in a back-and-forth
pattern to fully saturate the concrete
until entire surface is covered; allow
4 hours to dry.
Remove etching residue on surface by
saturating with water and scrubbing
vigorously with a stiff-bristled brush.
Follow scrubbing by removing residue
with a wet/dry vacuum or string mop.
After surface is completely dry (18 to
24 hours), start applying the protective topcoat by trimming all edges and
hard to reach areas with a brush.
Roll the sealer in 2-by-6-foot areas
across the etched concrete surface. If
the first coat sinks in rapidly, apply a
second coat after 2 hours.
Allow the surface to dry for 18 to 24
hours before light foot traffic and 72
hours before heavy use.
For additional project ideas, visit
www.quikrete.com.
Page 12
A Dream Backyard
Giveaway Every Month
(NAPSA)-A new backyard at the
old address. That's the idea behind
a sweepstakes that gives homeowners a chance every month to win a
dream backyard.
Organic Gardening 101
(NAPSA)-How "green" is your garden? You may be able to make it even
greener with organic gardening methods.
Organic gardening is being embraced
by a new generation of gardeners who
are concerned about the environment
and their personal health.
The gardener who commits to
organic gardening does not simply
boycott artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides. He or she uses
techniques that build healthy soil.
Healthy soil, not chemicals, becomes
the engine of plant growth. Good
harvests, along with plants that resist
disease and pests, are the byproducts
of building healthy soil.
A gardener can adopt simple organic gardening techniques such as using
Scotts Organic Choice Lawn Food or
purchasing a vegetable from the Earth
Friendly Naturals line made of biodegradable pots. These products and
other organic and natural fertilizers are
available at The Home Depot.
Glass Opens Up Small Bathroom Spaces
So what's in your dream backyard?
A hot tub where you can relax to the
max? A basketball hoop for a quick
pickup game? Or a three-cup putting
green to help lower your golf handicap?
If you have kids with lots of energy,
maybe your dream backyard includes
a deluxe wooden play set, enclosed
trampoline and other fun items that will
keep them busy for hours.
Whatever your dream backyard,
starting now through September, you
could win it. There are five themed
backyards to choose from: Backyard
Athlete, Green Thumb, Relaxation,
Party Time and Kids' Zone.
Here's how it works:
Briggs & Stratton, the largest
maker of gasoline engines for a
variety of outdoor power equipment, has partnered with ChildLife,
Hot Spring Spas, Allen Brothers,
AvonleaGardens.com, Broilmaster
Premium Gas Grills, BackyardPutting-Greens.com and other companies to assemble a prize backyard
for every taste. Each prize category
includes the winner's choice of a
Briggs & Stratton-powered Snapper
lawn mower, Sarlo string trimmer or
Snapper tiller to help maintain your
dream backyard.
Entrants simply select one of the
five backyard categories, then make
choices within the category to create
their dream space.
The Kids' Zone includes a sophisticated Woodplay playset that features swings, a wave slide, sandbox
and a fort. Items in the Relaxation
backyard include a choice of two
hot tubs and an outdoor waterfall,
Malibu landscape lighting, a Twin
Oaks hammock and an outdoor patio
heater. For those who want a great
Party Time backyard, selections
include an above-ground pool and a
stainless steel gas grill. The Green
Thumb backyard includes a lawn
tractor and other items to create a
gardener's paradise. The Backyard
Athlete selections include a putting
green, premium basketball hoop from
BasketballHoops Unlimited.com and
a horseshoe set.
Companies that are participating in the dream backyard include
American Meadows, Fiskars, All
StarToys.com,
JumpSport.com,
Kraftware, nationalpoolwhole salers.com and Tailgate Town.
(NAPSA)-Creativity makes a big difference when coping with small spaces.
Whether in urban areas where space is at
a premium or in older homes where the
emphasis is purely on the functional use of
space, people want to improve appearance
and style without knocking down walls.
Have no fear: What you lack in square
footage can be made up in ingenuity.
If home renovation is on your to-do
list, a bathroom remodel is one of the
smartest investments you can make.
According to the 2006 Cost vs. Value
report from Remodeling magazine, the
average return on investment for a
mid-range bathroom remodel is nearly
85 percent, second only to kitchens
when it comes to room remodels. One
way to enhance a cramped bathroom is
to open the space visually by creating
an "invisible wall" with a clear glass
shower enclosure. Removing visual
barriers, such as opaque shower enclosures and bulky shower curtains, can
open the space dramatically and add
depth. Clear glass enclosures will also
showcase rich materials such as granite, marble and travertine selected for
the shower surround.
Custom shower enclosure shops
report that unless homeowners have
had clear glass enclosures before, they
don't know they can face a challenge in
keeping up the appearance of their new
investment. In a shower's high-heat,
high-humidity environment, cleaning
chemicals, soap and shampoo can cause
corrosion and staining of the glass over
time. Some homeowners will attempt
to protect the glass by applying sprayon or wipe-on treatments, but these
coatings eventually wear off.
A permanent solution to the problem of keeping your shower glass
looking like new is now available.
ShowerGuard(tm) glass from Guardian
Industries is sealed through a patented
ion beam process during manufacturing. ShowerGuard glass resists the corrosion that makes enclosures impossible to clean-making it an excellent
option for any bathroom remodel.
To learn more about glass shower enclosures
and to locate a dealer in your area, visit www.
ShowerGuardGlass.com.
For complete sweepstakes rules and to enter
online, visit www.mydream backyard.com.
May 2007
POINTERS FOR PARENTS
Relying on the
Strength of a Mother
(NAPSA)-A mother's strength seems to
defy the laws of physics, with some moms
supporting and fighting for their children
for longer than might seem humanly possible. One mother's battle for her children
can serve as an inspiration for anyone who
wants to make a difference.
Jessica Pasley knows what strength
means. Nine years ago, Jessica and her
husband, Irvin, were blessed with twin
girls, Jillian and Jade. Amidst the joy
that new babies bring, the Pasley family could not foresee that in a year their
strength would be tested and a fight for
life would begin. Several months after
her birth, Jade developed an ear infection that would not heal. After several
trips to the doctor, a blood test revealed
that 1-year-old Jade had acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).
Jade's only option for survival was to
have a marrow transplant. Jessica, Irvin,
their 5-year-old son Myles, and baby
Jillian were all tested to see if they could
be a potential marrow donor for Jade.
Instead of a miracle, the Pasley family was faced with more tragic news. Not
only was there not a match for Jade in
their family, but Jillian's blood test showed
that she too might develop leukemia. A
few months later, both Pasley girls were
in the hospital holding on to life.
Throughout this ordeal, Jessica
remained strong and decided to do everything she could to help save her daughters.
She started a search for a marrow donor
on the National Marrow Donor Program
(NMDP) Registry.
The NMDP makes lifesaving marrow
and cord blood transplants possible for
individuals who do not have a matched
donor in their family. According to the
NMDP, only 30 percent of patients find
a matched donor in their family. The
other 70 percent can turn to the NMDP to
search for an unrelated donor.
Marrow transplants require matching certain tissue traits of the donor and
patient. Because these traits are inherited,
a patient's most likely match is someone
of the same heritage. Despite a lack of
minority donors on the NMDP Registry,
donors were found for both girls.
Unfortunately, Jade died a few months
after transplantation. Jillian, now 9 years
old, has had two transplants from the same
donor. Jillian calls him "hero."
Experiencing cancer with two children
has been overwhelming to the family.
Jessica and Irvin found strength from their
children to endure the transplant journey.
Jessica's story of strength does
not end here. Jessica is fiercely committed to encouraging more African
Americans to join the NMDP Registry.
"Hello! Wake up! Are we killing off our
own by not stepping up? Are we turning our heads, expecting someone else
to do the job?" asks Jessica. Joining the
registry is painless and requires only a
swab of cheek cells. Due to genetics,
individuals in need of a transplant will
most likely find a match within their
own ethnic group. "Get educated. Tell
others. Get registered," urges Jessica.
The NMDP make it easy for people
wanting to save lives to join the registry.
Attending a marrow donor drive is one
way to register. The largest of these drives
is the Thanks Mom! Marrow Donor Drive
that is held from May 7-May 21 and corresponds with Mother's Day.
For more information about the National Marrow
Donor Program and how you can save a life, visit
marrow.org or call (800) MARROW-2.
May 2007
Psychiatric/Drug Industry Cover Up
may become violent or the potential for
deterioration in the individual's mental
status without treatment because such
assessment is rooted only in speculation.
The idea that psychiatrists can predict or prevent a school shooting by
screening students or treating them is
a lie, CCHR says. There is no scientific means by which to predict violent
behavior and the psychiatric community acknowledges that there is an 84%
chance of incorrectly diagnosing a student as suicidal. The idea that the “risk”
of school violence can be minimized
by drugging individuals, against their
will, while committed to an institution,
is also false. The truth is that neither the
absence of such drugs, or the failure to
take them, is the problem.
CCHR’s policy statement in
response to these moves for mandated
screening and treatment, warns:
The Case Against Enforced
“Treatment”
• Self-determined decisions about one’s
•
treatment is an interest long protected by
the common law and encompassed within
the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and
Fourteenth Amendments. Violation of this
fails to recognize that forcing treatment
counters any potential therapeutic benefits and can cause substantial injury to
the individual.
On June 30, 2006, the Alaska Supreme
Court recognized that psychiatric drugs
should not be easily forced on someone,
stating: “Psychotropic drugs ‘affect
the mind, behavior, intellectual functions, perception, moods, and emotion’
and are known to cause a number of
potentially devastating side effects….”
Further, “Given the nature and potentially devastating impact of psychotropic medications…we now similarly
hold that the right to refuse to take psychotropic drugs is fundamental.”
CCHR was established in 1969 by the Church
of Scientology and eminent psychiatrist and
author, Professor Thomas Szasz.
For more information, contact CCHR at
800-869-2247 or humanrights@cchr.org.
Psychotropic Drugs and Violence
• Of the 1.5 million children and adolescents
•
•
•
in the U.S. currently taking antidepressants,
4% could potentially become manic and
violent—potentially 60,000 potential time
bombs driven to senseless acts of violence.
Mandatory toxicology tests for psychotropic drug intake are needed in all cases of
violent crime and suicide. Congressional
Hearings are needed into the link between
psychiatric drugs and school violence.
Harvard Medical School psychiatrist,
Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, author of Prozac
Backlash, says antidepressants could
explain the rash of school shootings and
mass-suicides over the last decade. Those
taking antidepressants, he said, could
“become very distraught….They feel like
jumping out of their skin. The irritability
and impulsivity can make people suicidal
or homicidal.”
In September 2006, Dr. David Healy,
director of the North Wales Department of
Psychological Medicine, and colleagues
published the findings of their study of the
antidepressant, Paxil, in the journal Public
Library of Science Medicine stating:
"We've got good evidence that the drugs
can make people violent and you'd have to
reason from that that there may be more
episodes of violence."
In August 2006, The Archives of General
Psychiatry published a study by Mark
Olfson, MD, MPH stating that in children and adolescents, “the risk of suicide
attempts was nearly two times higher
after antidepressant drug treatment compared with no antidepressant drug treatment.” In 2005, Norwegian researchers
found that Paxil was seven times more
likely to induce suicide in people taking
it than those taking placebo.
Screening/Predicting Violent Behavior
It is not possible for psychiatrists to
determine with any accuracy violent or
criminal behavior and they should not
be given any increased powers to vent
their lack of science.
• Terrence Campbell writing in the Michigan
•
•
Bar Journal, said, “The accuracy with
which clinical judgment predicts future
events is often little better than random
chance” and the rate of “errors in predicting
dangerousness” average “about 85%.”
The Supreme Court rendered the opinion
that “the professional literature uniformly
establishes that such predictions [of criminal behavior] are fundamentally of very
low reliability…psychiatric testimony on
the issue of future criminal behavior only
distorts the fact-finding process.”
Legal experts say that involuntary commitment is especially problematic when
based on a prediction that an individual
Page 13
worrill's corner
African People and Repairing the Damages
By Dr. Conrad W. Worrill
The current crisis in America and
the world requires that we as African
people take a deep reflective look at our
condition as we build the Reparations
Movement. As we reflect we must continue the struggle to repair the damages
inflicted upon African people through
centuries of brutal oppression under the
yoke of white supremacy.
Day in and day out we can observe
the increased number of African people killing each other, mentally and
physically abusing each other, stealing from each other, being dishonest with each other, and the list
goes on and on. These negative incidents occur, in part, because segments of the African community in
the United States are disconnected
from the moral and ethical traditions
that have characterized relationships
among African people in the past. It
is critical that we repair ourselves as
we build the Reparations Movement.
The problem with segments of
African people in this country being
disconnected from the great contributions of African people to the civilizations of the world has resulted in
far too many of us believing that the
current situation we find ourselves
in cannot be changed. Many African
people believe that the condition
of African people in America is
permanent and there is nothing we
can do to change our circumstances.
Therefore, this disconnected group
of African people has chosen the
easy road. They travel on the road
of cooperating and collaborating
with the forces of white supremacy
who continue to demonstrate they
will do any and everything in their
power to keep African people in this
country, and the rest of the world
on the bottom. This has resulted in
many African people in America
(and the world community), developing a “bottom mentality.” In other
words, many of our people buy
into whatever the white supremacy
forces feed us through the media,
(mis)educational institutions, and
religious institutions.
What we are constantly being fed
is that we are on the bottom and we
will remain on the bottom. What the
white supremacy forces offer individual African people in America, is
that as an individual you can get off
Colorado Guide to Diversity 1
Dr. Justina L. Ford
$5.95
Page 14
the bottom if you join us, if you “pull
yourself up by your bootstraps.” Never
mind your group, your family and your
cultural ties, “there is nothing that can
be done with those people. Join us and
everything will be alright.” If you join
us, “you can obtain a good job, buy a
nice house in a good neighborhood,
buy a nice car, take nice vacations,
and some of you, whom we chose, can
even live with us.”
We were not always like this as
a people. We did not have a “dog
eat dog” mentality and this is what
we must examine as we continue to
struggle to overthrow the system of
white supremacy and its impact on
us as a people.
The Creative Force of the universe
has endowed us with the capacity to
make great contributions to the world.
A simple inspection of the ancient Nile
Valley civilization of Kemet (Egypt)
should inspire all African people to
respect their history and to hold themselves in high esteem. Kemet and the
Kemetic people, our ancestors, were
the creators of math, science, architecture, writing, governance, astronomy, astrology, medicine, art, and
so much more. The Kemetic people
amassed great wisdom that was left as
instructions written in Medew Netcher
(Divine Speech) or what Europeans
call hieroglyphs.
One place we can examine this
ancient Kemetic wisdom is in a book
entitled, Selection From the Husia:
Sacred Wisdom of Ancient Egypt.
The Husia gives insight into how
our ancestors viewed life, death,
human relations, marriage, parenting, use of power, God, family, and
the standards of moral and ethical conduct. Reading these spiritual texts elicits strong feelings in
and for African people in a most
profound and spiritual way. Peruse
these words from The Husia: The
Book of Ptah Hotep:
“Do not terrorize people for if you
do, God will punish you accordingly.
If anyone lives by such means, God
will take bread from his or her mouth.
If one says I shall be rich by such
means, [he] she will eventually have
to say my means entrapped me.”
This passage continues:
“If one says I will rob another, he
will end up being robbed himself.
The plans of men and women do not
always come to pass, for in the end
it is the will of God, which prevails.
Therefore, one should live in peace
with others and they will come and
willingly give gifts, which another
would take from them through fear.”
Written about five thousand years
ago, the wisdom of these words of
instruction should cause African people to reflect on their significance as
we struggle to create a greater good
for our race. The wisdom of our
ancestors should give us the inspiration to rededicate ourselves to the
continued struggle for the liberation
of African people worldwide.
As a race of people our survival
and development is dependent upon
each other. A greater responsibility is placed upon those of us who
proclaim the African Way after the
ravaging of African civilizations,
African culture, African minds, and
African lands.
As I have repeated many times in
Dr. Conrad W. Worrill
previous columns, we have a responsibility and a duty to our brothers and
sisters to build institutions based on
African spirituality, ethics, and morals,
and give back that which the Creator
has given us, “All Life, Power, and
Health, like the Sun Forever.”
I urge all African people to take a
meditative moment and look deeply
inside of ourselves as a people. Let us
restore what the ancient Black people
of Kemet called Maat: Divine Order,
Harmony, Balance, Truth, Justice,
Righteousness, and Reciprocity.
We had, and lived by Maat before
the coming of Europeans. We must
return to the ways of Maat so we can
survive the white supremacy genocidal onslaught. We must look deep
into ourselves! And as our respected
ancestor Dr. John Henrik Clarke
often said, “If we did it once, we can
do it again!” In view of what is happening in the world, we must never
lose sight of who we are and our
condition. We say, “REPARATIONS
NOW! THEY OWE US!
Dr. Conrad Worrill is the National Chairman of
the National Black United Front (NBUF) located
at 1809 East 71st Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60649,
773-493-9923, Fax# 773-493-9819, E-mail:
nbufchi@sbcglobal.net, Web site: nbufront.org
Skin Cancer Screening
The Memorial Health System
Cancer Center is taking appointments for a Free community skin
cancer screening, Sat., May 5, from
8 am-noon. Don't be a statistic, make
your appointment now. Skin cancer
can be easily treated if detected early,
but the American Cancer Society
estimates 60,000 new melanomas
will be detected this year. Colorado
Springs area dermatologists donate
their time for the annual screening,
but the slots fill fast.
Appointments must be made in advance by
calling Memorial HealthLink, 444-CARE.
Baby Fair
Having a baby can be an exciting but scary time for new parents.
Memorial Health System is helping
take the anxiety away with a Free
Birth, Baby and Beyond Fair, Sat.
May 5 from 10 am to 2 pm at the
new Memorial North Hospital on
Briargate Parkway. Parents-to-be
can meet health experts, tour the
Hospital's new Birth Center and
prepare for their new arrival.
For more information call (719) 365-8899 or
visit www.memorialhealthsystem.com.
May 2007
to be equal
State of Black America 2007:
Bringing the Invisible Man to Light
By Marc H. Morial
Prominent African-American scholar and author Ralph Ellison once depicted the black man as socially invisible in
his watershed novel Invisible Man. His
hard-hitting portrayal of life in 1940s
black America suggested that it’ll take
more than a major Civil Rights movement to bring the nation out of its racist
past. That was in 1953.
Since then, much progress has been
made in terms of black men gaining greater visibility in the United
States. At the anecdotal level, AfricanAmerican men have broken down color
barriers in a wide array of arenas–from
sports to medicine to the arts to law to
higher education to finance -- and have
risen to great prominence, giving their
white brethren a run for their money.
From Barack Obama to Tony Dungy
to Thurgood Marshall to Colin Powell
to Tiger Woods to Russell Simmons
to Spike Lee, there are a multitude of
male African-American role models
who have proven that they can compete
and excel on the same level as whites
to choose from.
But for all the outstanding examples
of black men defying a culture of low
expectations dating back to the slavery
era that was created and placed upon
them by mainstream America via the
media and other outlets, there are many
more who are light years away from
fulfilling their true potential. They represent the greatest source of untapped
potential in the United States.
In many ways, two different worlds
exist for African-American men. In one
world, the number of black males who
have earned college degrees has quadrupled since the passage of the 1964
Civil Rights Act. In the other, more
black men are earning GEDs in prison
than graduating from institutions of
higher learning.
In one world, young black males
grow up in two-parent households
with annual median incomes rivaling
those of white families. In the other
world, more than half the nation’s 5.6
million black boys grow up in fatherless families, 40 percent of them
impoverished. The existence of these
two worlds serves as an example
of what is possible and a warning
about the consequences of racism,
inequality and marginalization. For
the countless outstanding AfricanAmerican males who have defied the
odds and achieved the national spotlight, there are countless more who
are languishing in the shadows.
There is definitely a crisis afoot
among black African-American men
that we must stop complaining about
and taking action to resolve–if not
for them, their families and our society as a whole.
Since 1976, the National Urban
League has released its State of Black
America, a yearly assessment of conditions affecting the African-American
community. This year’s report, which
focused on the black male crisis, showed
little improvement in terms of narrowing the overall equality gap between
blacks and whites in the United States,
as measured by its Equality Index,
a statistical measurement of disparities or “equality gaps” between blacks
and whites across five different categories–economics, education, health,
May 2007
civic engagement and social justice.
It also showed that AfricanAmerican males lag behind their white
counterparts on many major levels.
They are more than twice as likely to
be unemployed. Seven times as likely
to be incarcerated, with jail sentences
that are on average 10 months longer.
Nearly eight times as likely to suffer
from AIDs and for those between the
ages of 15 and 34 years, nine times
more likely to be killed by firearms.
But instead of concentrating on the
downside, let us look at the upside.
There is some promise for blacks,
especially young males ones, in what
the report found. A higher percentage
of young black children are enrolled
in early childhood education programs
such as Head Start than young white
children–66 percent compared to 64
percent. And the youngest blacks have
made strong improvements in school
readiness–scoring at 94 percent of
that of whites, up from 81 percent in
2006. They have even surpassed or
nearly matched young white children
in terms of some home-literacy activities: 81 percent were taught words or
numbers three times a week, compared to 76 percent of whites, and 54
percent were read a story once a week,
compared to 56 percent of whites.
A major disconnect, however, occurs
after elementary school as blacks begin to
fall behind whites. Disparities in writing
proficiency scores widen as black students
grow older: At 4th grade, they perform at
a level of 87 percent of whites.
By the time they reach 12th
grade, their scores are at 74 percent
of whites. By the time they reached
adulthood, they’re the most likely to
have dropped out–15 percent compared to 12 percent of whites. For
black males, that percentage rises to
18 percent compared to 14 percent
of white males.
A reason behind the widening
achievement between black and
white students as they get to high
school is likely explained by differences in teacher quality and educational spending. According to this
year’s Equality Index, 21 percent of
teachers in majority black districts
had less than three-years experience,
compared 10 percent in majority
white districts. Also, 49 percent in
the middle grades taught in subjects
outside their college major or minor,
compared to 41 percent of middle
grade teachers in white districts. On
top of that, dollars spent per black
student was only 82 percent of what
was spent per white student.
On the economic front, the unemployment numbers overall aren’t
great: blacks are twice as likely to
be unemployed. However, as their
education levels rise, so does their
employment–enough to surpass
whites in some cases.
For example, for blacks over 25
who have less than a high school education, only 40 percent are part of the
workforce, compared to 47 percent of
whites. That rate rises to 82.1 percent
when they have college degrees, which
is five percentage points above the 77.5
percent participation rate of their white
counterparts.
But instead of dwelling on the statistics, let me propose some recom-
Marc H. Morial
President and Chief Executive
National Urban League
www.nul.org
mendations to not only help black
males but all Americans:
1. Universal Early Childhood Education
2.
All children in this nation should have a
right to comprehensive early childhood
education, which, as Head Start proves,
is very effective in giving them a leg-up
when they start school.
Greater Experimentation with AllMale Schools, Longer School Days
and Mentoring
All-male schools such as the Eagle
Academy and Enterprise School in the
New York City area combined with
mentoring and longer days help keep
young boys focused on education and
away from the distractions that could
lead them down the wrong paths.
Pet and Kid
Safety Fair
What's better than kids and
pets? The combined "Ruff and
Ready Pet and Kid Safety Fair,"
Sat. May 12, from 10 am- 3
pm at Palmer Park (corner of
Maizeland and Academy). This
is a FREE public event.
There will be a pet fair with
demonstrations from police and
military dog units, dog training workshops, contests and pet
adoption and supply resources.
The child safety fair will
include dog bite prevention,
helmet safety and helmet giveaways, the Safe Kids home safety house and car seat checks.
The Memorial Star Transport
helicopter is scheduled to land
at the event at 10 am
For more information call 268-1594 or
visit www.memorialhealthsystem.com.
Do You know any Black
Males who are Seniors in
high school who want to go to
college out of state for Free?
The black Colleges are looking
for future black male teachers
and will send them to universities/college for 4 years FREE.
This is for African-American
MALES ONLY.
http://www.callmemister.
clemson.edu/index.htm
FREE
Kindergarten
Grade One
Grade Two
Affordable
Child
Care
Sliding
Scale
Fee
Part Day/Full Day
PRE-SCHOOL
PRE-KINDERGARTEN
KINDERGARTEN
GRADE ONE
GRADE TW0
Kindergarten through Grade 6
After School Program
Certified by the State of Colorado
Thirty-eight Years Educating Our Children
Accredited by the National Association
for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Credentialed Teachers
USDA Food Program
Multicultural
Headstart Classroom
Developmental Playground
Computer Lab
Your Urban League Child Development Center
471-1930
ENROLLING FOR THE FALL NOW
Page 15
Celebrate Mom
Share Everyday Moments
with Mom this Mother's Day
(NAPSA)-Mom is the heart of the
family, so it is important to show her
how special she is throughout the year.
This Mother's Day, give mom the gift
of sharing everyday moments, like
photos of the kids, invitations, and the
latest family news that she otherwise
might miss. Sending an email may
be a convenient option for staying in
touch, but what if mom doesn't have a
computer or is not online?
According to a recent Pew Internet
& American Life survey, nearly 65 million American adults are not online, and
only 26 percent of Americans age 65 and
older go online. Many of these adults are
mothers and grandmothers. A simple, new
technology that enables users to receive
email and photos without the need for a
computer or Internet connection could
make the ideal Mother's Day gift.
Most grandmothers cannot get enough
of their grandchildren, and are always
asking for more stories and pictures. The
Presto Service and HP Printing Mailbox
(www.presto.com) enables tech-savvy
family and friends to keep regular, close
contact with grandma-through the convenience of using their own email accounts.
Presto makes it easy for grandma to
receive notes from the grandkids and
photos of Saturday's soccer game, or
baby's first steps. Only those on the
Presto Friends List can send to her, eliminating spam. The Presto Service converts
regular email and photo attachments into
Presto Mail-beautiful, easy-to-read color
printouts that are automatically delivered
to the HP Printing Mailbox on a daily
schedule, just like letters.
"My grandmother doesn't have email
and is hard of hearing, so communicating with her used to be difficult. But now,
Presto keeps my grandmother in the
Police Officer
Career Opportunities
* Diversity
* Community
* Responsibility
* Challenges
* Safety
What Mom
Really Wants for
Mother's Day
loop and she enjoys hearing about all
of the little things, like when it snowed
at our house or what we had for dinner.
We even use it to plan get-togethers and
shopping days-and she is tickled pink,"
said Annette Isaac, granddaughter of 93year- old Marjorie.
Mom always appreciates flowers
and candy, but maybe it's time for
something new this Mother's Day. A
simple way to show her how much her
family loves her every day may just be
the perfect gift.
"Everyone except my mother was
getting email, and that made her feel left
out," said Pam Stuebgen, mother and
caretaker. "Now she can get email and
photos from her children, grandchildren,
nieces and nephews, and she brags to her
friends about it-she says it's like magic!"
Smart Fish Choices May
Mean Smarter Children
(NAPSA)-Recent studies suggest that women who eat seafood
while pregnant may be increasing
their children's IQ. According to the
National Institutes of Health, infants
born to mothers with higher levels
of omega-3 fatty acid found in fish
were found to have an advantage in
terms of early development and levels of attention.
Seafood is one of the planet's most
abundant sources of omega-3 fatty
acids, essential to brain development.
Women who eat at least 12 ounces
of fish each week are able to provide their developing child with many
essential nutrients. But don't stop after
pregnancy. Instilling healthy, fishfriendly habits in children at an early
age is a great way to lessen the risk for
cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Salmon is one of the best choices
for moms-to-be. It is rich in omega-3
fatty acids and is known for having a
low risk of mercury contamination.
Best fish to consume while pregnant:
Most popular, low-mercury seafood includes shrimp, canned light
tuna, salmon and pollack.
www.denvergov.jobs
Contact the Recruitment Office today. (720)
913-3390 EOE.
Fish to avoid while pregnant:
Seafood such as shark, swordfish,
king mackerel or tilefish contain
high levels of mercury and should
be avoided.
Other good news about fish:
Eating species high in omega-3
fatty acids may improve your mood,
increase heart health and reduce
dementia in the elderly.
Red Lobster has recently introduced an expanded fresh fish program to give people, pregnant or not,
healthy options when they go out to
eat. Each day, all 683 Red Lobster
locations across North America feature up to eight species of fresh fish
flown in from around the world.
Choices vary each day based on
availability and include omega-3rich salmon, trout, red snapper, arctic char, haddock and grouper.
To learn more, visit www.redlobster.com.
Page 16
(NAPSA)-It may come as a surprise to some, but the fastest-growing segment of the online games
market is "casual games," those nonviolent, easy-to-learn games that can
be enjoyed in quick spurts. Women,
many of them moms between the
ages of 25 and 54, make up nearly
two-thirds of players.
Why Do Moms Love Online
Games?
Game designers have gotten
the message: Women want different games than men. Most women
don't want shoot-'em-ups. Catering
to women, game designers create
games that emphasize construction over destruction and creating
order out of chaos. Casual games
include word, puzzle, matching and
classic card games. Many of these
games-such as solitaire, hearts,
hangman, backgammon and chesshave been enjoyed in the offline
world for decades, making them
instant favorites online.
And, perhaps
most important,
they
don't demand
hours
of
playing time.
Fast FunMoms are busy people. Casual
games are designed to be played in
short 10- to 15-minute bites or even
less. Many popular, casual games
are typically two to four minutes in
length, so moms looking to enjoy
their "me" time after they put their
kids to bed or during a coffee break
can play repeatedly without wasting
an entire afternoon or evening.
Guilty Pleasure-Ask a group of
online playing moms if they are "gamers" and they'll most likely tell you no.
Ask them if they love to play games
on their computer and they'll admit
yes. Many moms feel guilty about the
precious minutes they spend playing
games online, but the mental escape
far outweighs any guilt.
With two children, two cats, two
gerbils and a husband, Cheryl C.
rarely gets time to herself. For the
past five years, the Seattle-based
mom has turned to World Winner.
com when she needs an escape.
"When I play word games, the
worries of the world just seem to
melt away," Cheryl explains.
Game On-If you thought Mom
was competitive about throwing
the best dinner party or having
the prettiest flower garden on
the block, online game competitions may be just what she needs.
While casual games are undeniably fun, some games sites, such
as WorldWinner.com, keep players
engaged by offering tournaments
in popular online games, including Solitaire, SCRABBLE(r)
Cubes and Bejeweled 2. For a
minimal entry fee, Mom can compete against other players in the
game of her choice to win cash
and merchandise prizes.
WorldWinner will host a series of special
Mother's Day tournaments. For more information, visit www.worldwinner.com.
May 2007
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Page 17
Blackonomic$
The Chinese Connection
Let me get this straight. We have a
Chinese furniture company labeling one
of its sofas “[N-Word] Brown.” We have a
Chinese Sculptor being awarded the rights
to carve the proposed $100 million Martin
Luther King Memorial. And while Master
Lei Yixin is carving the MLK stone, his
Chinese brethren will continue carving
out a large piece of Africa by developing
the land, purchasing the oil, and selling
Africans everything they want and need.
What’s wrong with this picture? To most
Black folks in America, it seems the
answer is obvious: Nothing.
The sofa issue could be mitigated by
the possibility that in the Chinese city
of Guangzhou, from where the sofa was
shipped, the N-Word could be just an
effort on their part to emulate a colloquial
U.S. expression. The Chinese are capitalists; they want the money. I can’t believe
they would intentionally do something to
alienate what might be the largest consumer group in the world in terms of disposable income. I don’t know; they may
have thought the N-Word was a term of
endearment; some Black folks do.
Nonetheless, the “N-Word Brown”
sofa fiasco will have a brief shelf life and
will soon fade into the annals of “shock
news” stories. Purchases from China will
go on and we will be back to business
as usual in a month or so. Whatever the
case, I can give the Chinese furniture
label a free ghetto pass this time. Now if
the color of the MLK memorial is done
in lush tones of N-Word Brown, I will
definitely have a problem.
Nice segue. Let’s talk about this MLK
memorial. I don’t know if you saw the
article written by one of the country’s
most renowned artists, Gilbert Young.
The article, titled, "A Chinese Martin
Luther King?!” (http://www.kingisours.
com) expresses Young’s outrage at the
lack of a Black designer (The Roma
Group, http://www.roma.com, was
selected for that) and a Black sculptor
to complete the project (Lei Yixin was
elected for that $10 million honor).
As a result, Gilbert Young says,
“So let’s see—that leaves the digging
and hauling, which in some folks’ eyes
may be appropriate because this nation
was built on the backs of Blacks. I, for
one, am not willing to bob my head and
grin over the fact that some Black subcontractor will be employed to move
the dirt. Nor am I willing to allow my
children’s children to visit a memorial
that will not reflect African American
art and culture and artistry.”
Black people are always busy trying
to be “inclusive” with our projects while,
at the same time, we are being “excluded”
from projects controlled by others. I don’t
know what’s up with those in charge of
the MLK Memorial, but I gotta go with
Gilbert Young on this one. He questioned
the, “…travesty of justice in having the
‘national treasure of China,’ Lei Yixin—
that’s Communist China—sculpt the center piece of the most important African
American monument, in recognition of
the most important African American
movement in the history of the United
States. A movement that never could have
taken place in China.” Maybe they should
put the memorial in China, especially
since some of the quotes to be inscribed
on it speak directly to the oppression in
that country.
I must be missing something here,
because it just does not make sense. Uh
oh, I thought of something Booker T.
said, “Beneath everything lies economics.” Could this be about the money?
Of course, it could.
Another nice segue. China boasts
the world's second-largest cache of
foreign exchange behind only Japan;
it is on pace to see its reserves soon
climb past $1 trillion. China virtually
controls the U.S. and has made significant economic headway in Africa
especially during the past 25 years.
Consider the trade deficit with China,
the rise of the Euro and the fall of
the Dollar, the manipulation of the
Yuan by the Chinese, the escalating
oil consumption by China, and the
sheer power ensconced in China’s 1.3
billion consumers. They tell me even
the stone for the MLK Memorial will
be imported from China!
Since China loves Black folks,
according to Yang Zhou, a hotel manager in Sierra Leone, who said, “'Africa is
a good environment for Chinese investment, because it's not too competitive,”
and when you consider the economic
impact of doing deals with China, especially among the heavy-hitters who have
already donated millions to the MLK
Memorial, the dots get connected.
But let’s get back to Black folks. If we
want to make a Chinese Connection, then
let’s do it, but let’s do it with some leverage. To simply channel profits to them
at the expense of Black artists, designers, all in the name of inclusion and the
flimsy rationale of Dr. King being “international” in his reach and in his message,
will not give us the leverage we need to
build our own Chinese connection – one
that will benefit our children prior to benefiting everyone else’s.
When I saw Andrew Young and Jesse
Jackson crying alligator tears at the
groundbreaking of the MLK Memorial I
thought it was in remembrance of MLK
and what he did for us. Maybe I was
wrong; could their tears have been in
response to the most of the funds being
collected for the memorial going to
China rather than to Black folks?
As usual Black folks get to participate in the emotional side of things,
putting shovels in the ground, making
speeches, and crying, while other folks
stay in the background waiting for
the money to start rolling out. We get
excited about the sizzle, and they dine
sumptuously on the steak.
Take Steps Early to Share Your Last Wishes
(NAPSA)-The death of loved ones
brings more than just grief; it creates
a long list of questions about that person that can no longer be answered.
Drawing up a will is one of the important steps in making sure your final
wishes are carried out and end-of-life
planning helps to ease the burden of
death for your family.
It's never too early to plan and
share your last wishes:
• Create a will and a living will that includes
financial, medical and custodial directives.
• Make a list of important personal infor-
•
•
•
mation, such as the location of important
legal and financial documents, wishes for
personal belongings, as well as special
pet care instructions.
Determine the type of funeral or cremation
you want, including wishes regarding songs,
poems or prayers, charities and flowers.
Write personal messages and life lessons to
be shared with loved ones after you part.
Entrust someone to be responsible for the
information.
Tom and Candace Goldman
recently lost loved ones and didn't
know their last wishes. As the
Goldmans guessed what their loved
ones would have wanted, they talked
about all the details they wish they
had known before it was too late.
Candace's mother had told her that
her will was in her hatbox-no one
Page 18
would have
found it if
she hadn't
mentioned
it ahead of
time.
"Dealing
with loss
is difficult
enough, but not knowing what our
loved ones would have wanted made
it even worse," said Tom Goldman.
"We created InRepose.com to make it
easier to ensure last wishes are known
by those left behind. It's a free resource
that helps families deal with the chaos,
grieving and non-legal issues that arise
after a loved one's passing. It's a place
to learn about death, store final wishes
and personal messages, and memorialize loved ones."
Death is an uncomfortable subject
that is so often avoided, but ignoring the
topic and its responsibilities often results
in guess- work for a loved one's funeral,
finances, estate and belongings.
"When people die, they often leave
conflicting details, loose ends and mysteries for their friends and families to figure out," says Reverend Ashleea Nielsen,
author of the blog The Art of Living and
Dying. "Preparing for death helps mitigate pain during one of the most difficult
times in our lives. I recommend people
use InRepose.com, or other similar site,
now-do it for your family."
Please, stop the madness and Bring
Back Black! (bringbackblack.org)
Start Your
Business on the
Path to Success
with SCORE
According to the U.S. Small
Business Administration, there are
nearly 26 million small businesses
in the United States. “Two-thirds of
new businesses survive at least two
years, while 44 percent survive at
least four,” states Ric Denton, Chair
of the Colorado Springs SCORE
chapter. “Consulting with SCORE
greatly increases your chance for
success right from the start.”
SCORE "Counselors to
America's Small Business" offers
five tips to start you on your
journey:
• Clearly define your business idea. Be
•
•
•
•
sure you can state the purpose of your
business in clear and simple language.
Set your overall goals.
Examine your motives. Make sure
you have a passion for owning a
business, and for this type of business in particular.
Be willing to commit. A new venture
can be very rewarding, but it involves
time, discipline, learning and frustration. You may want to work for someone else in the same line of business
first to get an idea of what's involved.
Conduct a competitive analysis. Make
a serious analysis of any products,
prices, promotions, advertising, distribution, quality and service involved
in your business. Objectively measure
your skills and training against potential competition.
Don't go it alone. Seek help from current business owners, professionals,
financial institutions, vendors, government agencies and trade associations.
SCORE counselors are a great source
for free, professional advice on starting
your own business.
These tips are designed to get
you started down the right path
toward success. For long-term
assistance in navigating the bumps,
potholes and challenges, contact the
local SCORE Chapter for free and
confidential counseling. To set up
a face-to-face counseling session,
go to www.coloradospringsscore.
org or call 636-3074.
May 2007
Financial
Feeling Taxed? Give Yourself More Credit Life And Long-Term
(NAPSA)-Tax credits are available
to homeowners who purchase high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment
this year. The Energy Policy Act contains
tax incentives that allow consumers to
reduce their tax bills on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to the amount allowed under
the law. The home energy efficiency tax
credit is in effect for consumers who
purchased qualifying equipment and had
it installed in 2006 or 2007.
The Energy Policy
Act offers homeowners as much as $300
in tax credits with
the purchase of qualified high-efficiency
heating, cooling and
water-heating equipment. The legislation defines the type
of equipment and the amount of the
credit in this way:
High-efficiency gas, oil and propane
furnaces and boilers: $150
• High-efficiency central air- conditioning
•
•
•
units, including air-source and groundsource heat pumps: $300
High-efficiency fans for heating and cooling systems: $50
High-efficiency water heaters, including
heat pump water heaters: $300
Manufacturers and retailers should be
able to tell homeowners if a product
qualifies for a tax credit.
Qualifying efficiencies identified in
the bill include:
• Furnaces and boilers: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) of 95 or higher
• Central air-conditioning units: Seasonal
•
Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 15 and
an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of 12.5
Air-source heat pumps: Heating Seasonal
Performance Factor (HSPF) of 9 or
greater, SEER of 15 or higher and EER
of 13 or higher
In addition to providing tax savings, these high-efficiency products
will make it easier for homeowners
to reduce energy consumption and
lower their energy bills. To qualify
for the tax credits, homeowners
need to verify the efficiency of
the equipment and the date it was
placed into service.
To learn more about which products meet the
specifications set forth in the Energy Policy
Act, such as the York(r) Affinity(tm) Series of
air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces from
Johnson Controls, talk to a heating, ventilation
and air-conditioning contractor. To learn more
about the energy-efficient York Affinity Series,
visit www.yorkupg.com.
401(k) Plans: Not Just for Big Businesses
(NAPSA)-This year celebrates the
25th anniversary of the 401(k) plan,
now the most widespread retirement
savings plan in the U.S., with more
active participants than all other private
pension plans.
What many Americans may not know,
however, is that you don't have to be a
big company to set up a 401(k) plan.
In 2006, Congress passed the Pension
Protection Act to make it easier for
employers to automatically enroll workers, increase their contributions and
invest them to meet retirement needs.
While some businesses may feel
they need more than 100 employees to start a 401(k) plan, that's not
necessarily true. Setting up a 401(k)
plan can be simple and inexpensive
for companies of any size, with big
potential benefits for small businesses
and their employees. If you work at a
business that doesn't offer a 401(k),
you may want to ask your employer
to consider setting one up.
Companies can set up a 401(k)
plan for less than $10 per employee
per month and get a tax credit of up to
$500 per year for each of the first three
years they implement the plan.
There's no minimum number of
employees-in fact, many self-employed
individuals set up "owner only" 401(k)
plans for themselves.
Although many employers offer to
match employee contributions, a match
is not required-employees still get the
tax benefits.
This is important information for the
63 percent of small businesses that still
don't offer employee retirement benefits.
If you think your business is too
small to offer a 401(k) plan, think
again. Even a small business can reap
the tax benefits and help employees
save money.
"Why shouldn't small businesses have
the same benefits as big businesses?"
said Tony Tortorella, vice president of
sales for the Human Resource Services
division of Paychex. "We make it easy
May 2007
for small businesses to participate, so
hundreds of thousands of employees
across the U.S. are growing their retirement money in 401(k) plans."
According to Paychex-a leading
payroll and human resource services
provider that sells more 401(k) plans
than any supplier in the nation, according to PLANSPONSOR magazine-here
are a few of the advantages 401(k)
plans offer small-business owners:
• Employee incentives: Attract employees
•
•
•
•
•
and motivate them to stay with the organization. Key employees can be rewarded
through profit-sharing plans.
Flexibility: Seasonal businesses can
choose options that don't require them to
pay into the plan all year long.
Growth: A 401(k) plan can grow right
along with your business, with features
that can be modified to meet your ongoing employee benefits needs.
Tax breaks: All employer and employee
contributions to the plan are tax deductible.
Reasonable cost: The 401(k) is not an
expensive benefit. Almost any small business can afford it.
No headaches: Small-business owners
can enroll one or more employees in a
401(k) plan with little effort.
Benefits for employees:
• Contribute comfortably: It allows partici•
•
•
•
pants to decide how much to contribute
to their accounts on a before-tax basis.
Plans can include any employee: A
401(k) plan can benefit employees at all
levels of the organization.
Many investment choices: The money
contributed may grow through investments in stocks, mutual funds, money
market funds, savings accounts and other
investment vehicles.
Tax breaks: Contributions and earnings
generally are not taxed by the federal
government or by most state governments
until they are distributed.
Take it with you: A 401(k) plan may
allow participants to take their benefits
with them when they leave the company.
Visit www.paychex.com or call (800)
322-7292 for more information.
Care Insurance: How
Much Is Enough?
where from seven to 10 times the amount of
your annual salary, especially if you have a
lot of debt or children.
Long-Term Care Insurance 101
By John Addison
(NAPSA)-The right amount and the
right type of insurance can help keep
your nest egg from cracking. Here
are some answers to frequently asked
questions about two important insurance products: life insurance and longterm care insurance:
Life Insurance Basics
Q: Should I rely on my company-provided
life insurance plan?
A: While most workplace life insurance policies cover one or two times your annual salary, financial experts generally recommend
buying enough insurance to replace seven to
10 times what you earn. Plus, what happens
if you change jobs or lose your job? Not all
policies are portable.
Q: Do I need to review my coverage?
A: If you're like most people, odds are you'll
need to rethink your coverage as your family
grows. You have two choices: term or permanent. If your goal is to support your children
until they're old enough to support themselves, then term is likely all you'll need.
Q: How much life insurance do I need?
great rate CO springs 5.68x10.5 4/19/07
A: Some financial experts recommend any-
Q: When do I need long-term care insurance?
A: The longer you wait, the higher the premium you'll pay. For example, the average
annual long-term care premium for people in
their 50s is $1,900. If you wait until your 70s,
it can be as much as $16,000 annually. It can
pay to sign up for care sooner rather than later.
Q: How much do I need?
A: Long-term care insurance gives you a
daily benefit. The higher your benefit, the
higher your policy price tag. Since nursing
home prices vary greatly based on location,
try to match your coverage to the area you
think you will retire in.
Q: How long do I need the insurance?
A: Each individual must assess his or her
own needs. Long-term care should be given
the same consideration as other long-range
planning objectives.
The guidance of a financial professional can often
be helpful when determining insurance needs. For
example, the financial professionals at Primerica
have created a guide that shows you how to take
control of your financial life. To get a copy of
"How Money Works," write to Primerica, 3120
Breckinridge Blvd., Duluth, GA 30099, ATTN:
9:31 AM Page 1
Corporate Relations, or call (770) 564-6329.
Welcome to the
Great Rate of Colorado.
6.49
%
APR*
Five Year
Fixed Rate Option
Get the convenience of a Line of Credit
with the security of a fixed rate.
• No closing costs • No points • Fast Turnaround
No wonder Colorado’s bank is U.S. Bank.
Call 888-444-BANK (2265),
stop by a local branch, or visit usbank.com
*The 6.49% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is available for terms up to 5 years, loan to value (LTV) of 80% or less and with any new or existing U.S. Bank checking
account. This loan is a Fixed Rate Option (FRO) within a new U.S. Bank Equiline Home Equity Line of Credit. FRO must be set up within 2 weeks of Equiline closing date.
Higher rates apply for higher loan to values. For example: on a $10,000 Fixed Rate Option for 60 months at 6.49% APR, monthly payments would be $195.61. The Annual
Percentage Rate (APR) on the variable portion of the line will vary with Prime Rate as published in the Wall Street Journal. As of April 18, 2007, variable rate for line of
credit is 8.25% APR to 11.25% APR. Rates vary by LTV. The rate will not exceed 25% APR. The floor rate is 4.99% APR. An annual fee of up to $90 may apply after the
first year. The first Fixed Rate Option is free; each additional one is $50. Offer is subject to normal credit approval. An increase of $10,000 in line size and
$10,000 in balances is required to qualify for this offer. Property insurance is required. Interest on amounts exceeding 100% of the available equity is not tax
deductible. Consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of interest. Rates are subject to change. Some restrictions may apply. Home Equity loans and
lines of credit are offered through U.S. Bank National Association ND. Member FDIC.
Page 19
Renaissance Academy Tuesday
Community Forums for May:
May 1–An Intro to Permaculture
Permaculture is literally described
as permanent culture: designing landscapes and lifestyles that perpetuate
nature while yielding an abundance
of food, fiber and energy for all life
needs. It is sustainable living on
a holistic level. Robin Shankman,
is certified in permaculture design,
advance design and as an instructor.
She will help to bring understanding
to what the term means and the ethical principles it is based on.
• 6:30-8 pm
• Renaissance Academy
2760 Fieldstone Road, 80919
• www.therenaissanceacademy.org
• (719) 475-2510
May 15–Top Tips for Tip-Top Shape!
Join Craig Griffin, Premier
Coach for Carmichael Training
Systems (Lance Armstrong¹s
trainers), as he shares his tips
on bicycle safety, maintenance,
nutrition, health and fitness. Don¹t
miss this chance to hear from the
best, how to get strong for cycling
season!
• 6:30-8 pm
• (719) 475-2510
May 8–Pikes Peak Butterflies
El Paso County boasts more butterfly
species than any other county in the US,
with the exception of a location on Texas/
Mexico border. Over 200 species have
been recorded, and butterfly watching
has never been so good. the short grass
prairie to the alpine slopes of Pikes Peak,
our butterflies illustrate amazing adaptations to their niches. Join Sam Johnson,
learn the common families and make
some lepidopteran friends!
• 6:30-8 pm
May 22–Understanding the
Lunar Phases
Our nearest neighbor in the
solar system, the moon, undergoes
constant change in its appearance as seen from Earth. Find
out why by attending this presentation hosted by Jim Roucis
member of the Colorado Springs
Astronomical Society. Weather
permitting, the presentation will
be followed by telescopic observations of the moon and other
objects in the night sky.
• 6:30-8 pm
• (719) 475-2510.
• (719) 475-2510
University of Colorado
at Colorado Springs
Executive Assistant to the Dean
College of Education
The University of Colorado at
Colorado Springs announces an
opening for the Executive Assistant
to the Dean in the College of
Education. The Executive Assistant
is responsible for the organization and coordination of the internal function of the Dean’s office
at the direction of the Dean. The
Executive Assistant provides immediate supervision of the College of
Education student employees. This
position reports to the Dean of
the College of Education and is a
twelve-month, full-time position.
All finalists for the position must
consent to and pass a background
investigation prior to final appointment. The background check includes
license and educational verification, prior employment verification,
criminal history, driver’s history, sex
offender registry check. A credit history check will be performed on
all positions issued master keys or
involved in cash handling.
For full job description and application requirements, visit our Web
site at: http://www.uccs.edu/~hr/
web/employment_opportunity/professional.shtml
For full consideration, applications and nominations should be
submitted no later than May 31,
2007. The review process will
begin June 1st, 2007 and will continue until the position is filled.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume and contact information for three professional references electronically to
sgrady2@uccs.edu or by mail to:
The University of Colorado at
Colorado Springs
Attention: Stacey Grady
Executive Assistant Search
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
The University of Colorado is
committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.
Experience Healing at Memorial Hospital North
Now Open
Featuring an attractive, rejuvenating environment:
• All private rooms revealing spectacular views
• Relaxing family areas with soothing fireplaces
• A bistro café with gourmet-inspired, healthy cuisine
• Peaceful gardens
•
Northern Colorado Springs first:
• Emergency Department
• Surgery Center
• Birth Center with private, family-friendly suites
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Memorial Health System receives no city tax support.
Page 20
www.memorialhealthsystem.com
444-CARE
May 2007
May 2007special supplement
For information
on participating in
2007 Juneteenth
Festival, please call
(719) 528-1954
Linking Africa to the
Americas & beyond
through Drumming,
Dance, Stories,
Poetry & Song
Juneteenth Festival
Friday June 1, 2007
Colorado Juneteenth VIP Kickoff Reception
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Honoring Colorado African American Artists
Colorado Technical University
4435 N. Chestnut Street
Entertainment by
Black Hands
Drum Ensemble
Juneteenth Concert: From Hip Hop to Old School
Photo by: Mike Golding, MG Studios
Saturday June 9, 2007
Juneteenth Festival
Entertainment by
LOLIFECLIQUE, H.I.G.H.
ENT, HUSTLE TEAM
11 am - 8 pm
Colorado Technical University
4435 N. Chestnut Street
Free admission - Open to the Public
Vendors, Food, Entertainment and more...
Friday June 15, 2007
Juneteenth Freedom Awards Dinner
6 pm - 8:30 pm
The Academy Hotel - Best Western
8110 N. Academy Blvd
May 2007
Entertainment by
Ron Ivory
Page S
Black Art
Vendors Sought
for Juneteenth
Outdoor Festival
Colorado Springs–The African
American Voice is seeking vendors to display and/or sell their
work at the Juneteenth Outdoor
Festival on June 9, from 11
am-8 pm at Colorado Technical
University in Colorado Springs.
Deadline for reserving booth
space is June 5.
The free outdoor festival is part
of a three-day celebration of
African American independence
sponsored by the Voice and a
host of diverse partners and
sponsors. Activities on June 9
include entertainment by some
of Colorado’s most talented
musical artists, featuring a variety of musical styles ranging
from Hip Hop to Old School.
Local entertainment icon Ron
Ivory will wrap up the musical
event from 6 pm-8 pm.
In addition to entertainment,
there will be food, drinks, crafts,
educational and health displays,
activities for adults and children, along with other surprises.
For vendor space call 719.388.3474 or
719.528.1954 before June 5, 2007.
Did You Know?
Juneteenth is now recognized
as a state holiday or state holiday
observance in Texas, Oklahoma,
Florida, Delaware, Idaho, Alaska,
Iowa,
California, Wyoming,
Missouri, Connecticut, Illinois,
Louisiana, New Jersey, New York,
Colorado, Arkansas, Oregon,
Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico,
Virginia and Washington. In 2003,
the District of Columbia passed
legislation to recognize Juneteenth
as a district holiday observance.
Many more states, including South
Dakota, Pennsylvania, Montana,
Wisconsin and Maryland have recognized Juneteenth through state legislative resolutions, Gubernatorial
Proclamations and current state
holiday observance legislation.
Rhythm & Motion
of Africans in the
Diaspora
May 12, 20007
at Hillside Community Center,
925 S. Institute, Colorado Springs, CO
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Family admission fee: $10
Contact: 719-337-6409
Coloradospringskwanzaacelebration.com
Louise Cutler Studio Cordially
Invites You to An Open Studio Event:
An Art, Herb and Garden Party
Louise Cutler Studio cordially
invites you to An open studio event:
An Art, Herb and Garden Party
Saturday, May 26th 12-4 pm 1663
Cragin Rd, Colorado Springs. RSVP
at (719) 213-3115; appetizers and
refreshments will be served.
There will be available for purchase: Fine Art by Louise Cutler and
other artists Herbs, Miniature Peace
Gardens, Flowers, and cactus. Payment
will be accepted in the form of cash or
check. We are no longer accepting
credit cards at this time. Please forgive
us for any inconvenience.
This event is to help raise funds
for the production cost of the musical stage production "Think About
It." This musical stage production
addresses HIV/AIDS in the Africa
American community. As you may
know African Americans only make
up about 12 percent of the American
population, yet it is reported they are
about half the percentage of infected cases dealing with HIV/AIDS
in America every year. Among the
newer population of infections are
women between the ages of 13 -21.
The primary message in the stage
production is prevention along with,
making right choices. It is done in
a way that helps educate the viewer
through dance, drama and music.
The production is scheduled for the
month of October during African
American AIDS Awareness Month
in Colorado Springs Co. and then in
Chicago, IL. the following year. Our
desire is to present this musical production in every state in the US with
the message of prevention.
HIV/AIDS affects everyone in
your life not just your family, but
your friends as well. "Think About
It," musical production is a way to
get the word out about awareness
and prevention. Even with advancements in HIV/AIDS research there
still is no cure and your life is no
longer the same once you have it.
Prevention is the most important
message and we need to get it out
into as many schools and communities as possible. There is no cure for
HIV/AIDS but it can be prevented
with proper education.
Please feel free to contact me with any
questions or if you are unable to make the
party and would still like to make a donation, my e-mail address is lcutlerstudio@
aol.com or I can be reached by phone at
719 213 3115. Donation can be mail to the
address listed below.
Adevertise in the
African American Voice
contact us at
719.528.1954
~BLACK HANDS DRUM ENSEMBLE~
EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE HISTORY AND
CULTURES OF AFRICA
THROUGH
DRUMMING * DANCING * STORY-TELLING
POETRY & SONGS
Women on the Rise present "The Dream Team"
Constitution Ave
N Academy Blvd
Palmer Park Blvd
Page S
Colorado Spring’s
Finest Salon Stylist Team
PERFORMING FOR SCHOOLS,
PRE-SCHOOL thru COLLEGE;
CHURCHES, CORPORATIONS, NURSING HOMES, YOUTH
CENTERS, CULTURAL & COMMUNITY FAIRS & FESTIVALS,
AND OTHER VARIOUS COMMUNITY/OUTREACH EVENTS
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
3926 Palmer Park Blvd
(two doors left of Cowboys)
“GILL; THE DRUMMER MAN”
(303) 450-1245
(719) 638-0172
May 2007
Black Art
Sankofa
Arts Alliance
The Sankofa Arts Alliance had its
genesis in the Sankofa Arts Collective
(SAC), which was organized by arts
activist Marquis Price and a handful
of visual artists in the fall of 2001. The
collective was dedicated to increasing
awareness of the Black experience
as expressed through the visual arts.
Sankofa was the latest in a long line of
Black arts groups in the Denver metropolitan area. Like its predecessors
– Inner City Art Expo, Denver Black
Arts Gathering and ULOZI, Sankofa
served its community by staging original art exhibits, art classes for adults
and children, and ‘the business of art’
educational workshops and seminars.
It provided opportunities for artists to
advance their careers by exhibiting
and selling their artwork year round.
Sankofa members also volunteered their time with other local
arts and community organizations.
Some of these include: Project
Angel Heart, the African American
Leadership Institute’s Expanding the
Vision Conference, the Ghana Fund,
the Opalanga Pugh Fundraiser, the
Denver Kwanzaa Committee and
the Spectrum of Hope Project.
The artists of Sankofa work in a
variety of media, from traditional
oil on canvas and bronze sculpture
to fiber art and digital imaging.
Since 2003, Sankofa has hosted
monthly exhibitions of original
art at the Blair Caldwell African
American Research Library. In
2006, SAC changed its name to
Sankofa Arts Alliance, elected
Sean Gray as its new president,
and changed its corporate structure
to a 501(c)3. The group continues
to focus on giving back to the
community by sharing its African
American heritage through art
education, in addition to providing
opportunities for minority artists
to display and sell their artwork.
Black Art: An Attractive Investment
Talented African Americans are
commanding center stage these days
in the highly competitive, ever shifting world of art. And, perhaps surprisingly, their most avid supporters
are not African American, but members of the white, middle and upper
class.
Yet African art and works of wellknown African American artists were
until recently largely overlooked by
the majority of African Americans.
Gallery owners believe there is one
principal reason for the conspicuous
absence of black art collectors—the
lack of exposure to art in general and
to black art in particular. Of the small
percentage of blacks who do collect
art, most are college educated and
have high incomes, yet these beautiful treasures are priced within the
reach of almost everyone.
Art is one of the strongest investment areas today – and not only the
super rich are buying. The white
middle class is spending its dollars
on original works of art, which are
gaining in value faster than the dollar
falls. Art can be a safer investment
than the precious metal markets,
stocks, bonds or even gemstones.
Original art works today are easier to buy than ever before with
galleries offering layaway plans and
monthly payments.
Many white collectors will tell
you that whites see African art as the
prestige item it is, but most blacks
do not recognize this. African art has
a continuity and history unmatched
by any other, tracing its origins back
nearly 9000 years, far beyond Western
European art, and is now believed by
many to have a great influence on
Egyptian and Greek art. African art’s
influences extend to the present, creating new styles and directions with
artists all over the world.
Pablo Picasso, after seeing some
African masks, altered his painting to
incorporate what he had seen, and set
a new course for Western art.
The most prized African art objects
today – the large masks and statutes
– were not originally meant to be hung
on walls, but were used in rituals only
once or twice a year, then hidden away
until the next ceremony. In addition
there are many other African artifacts worthy of collection including
musical instruments, carved doors and
house posts, clothes, head rests, calabashes and hundred more useful items
considered art in the Western world.
More than a thousand years ago,
the people of Igbo-Ukwu, in what
is now Nigeria, were making intricately designed bronze statues and
ornaments. Such African bronze artisans reached their peak during the
great Benin Empire, and there are no
better bronze statues in the world.
Unfortunately when the British conquered the Benin Empire in 1897,
most of the exquisite bronze statues
of previous centuries were taken out
of the country and sold, effectively
ending traditional Benin art.
Since World War II however, the
Nigerian government has been successful in recovering many antique
bronzes and other Benin art works,
and now has the third largest collection in the world of its own art.
Although bronze making continues
in Nigeria today, most of the current
works are inferior copies of ancient
pieces created for the tourist trade
and offer little of lasting value.
African and African American art
can be found at several locations
in Colorado including the Colorado
Springs Pioneers Museum, The Black
American West Museum and Cultural
Center in Denver, and Great Western
Art Gallery in downtown Denver.
*Source: Jim Parris’ article from African
American Voice archives
Artist’s Profile: Rochelle Johnson
Rochelle Johnson was born and
raised in Denver, Colorado. At an
early age she discovered her passion for drawing. Rochelle attended
the Denver Black Arts Festival in
the 1980s. This experience further
ignited her passion for the arts and
the desire to develop goals in pursuit
of a career in the field of ART.
Rochelle graduated from George
Washington High School in Denver
and continued her education at the
University of Arkansas, where her
major was of all things, Computer
Science. Thinking that she needed
to make a practical living, at the
university she took a class in art and
from that point on she wanted to
continue her education in the arts,
The University of Arkansas was not
providing this opportunity to her
satisfaction; she decided to return to
Denver to follow her dream.
Rochelle enrolled at the Rocky
Mountain College of Art and Design
where she attained a degree in
Illustration. Commercial Art seemed
like the best career path to take at
the time. Rochelle moved to Seattle,
Washington to begin her new career.
In Seattle, jobs were difficult
to obtain, especially in the graphic
design arena. She began working as
a freelance artist making community
theater posters and logo designs for
local businesses. These opportunities paid the bills, but her passion
was to do more of what she loved
while in art school. Creating stories using oils and watercolors was
her calling. Hence, in 1997, she
entered the annual Urban League of
Metropolitan Seattle Minority Art
Exhibition where she sold her first
piece, using these media.
Today, Rochelle Johnson continues
her pursuit of the visual arts, focusing on
developing a unique style. She continues
her education at the Art Students League
of Denver. Rochelle is an active member
of the art group Sankofa Arts Alliance,
providing art exhibits throughout the
Denver Metropolitan area. Rochelle’s
art work may be viewed on the cover of
the novel, “When A Sisrah’s Fed Up,”
currently on Essence’s Top Ten List.
Artist’s Statement
My objective as an artist is to portray
emotion and energy in my work. You can
say I’m a Figurative Artist, but I am not
limited to that concept. To me, art is about
gathering data and recording expressed
events in an original, soulful manner. When
doing this, my preferred media are oils and
watercolors. Instead of focusing on linear
and light/dark separation, I use shapes to
expose the human figure. I graduated from
the Rocky Mountain College of Art and
Design. In addition I continue to study at
the Art Students League of Denver.
CelestialMeditation by Rochelle Johnson
May 2007
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Breaking
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Let’s Talk About It…It is important to talk
to the men in your life about getting
screened for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer rates are significantly higher among African
American men and are a major health concern. Men need to
know the facts so they can make an informed decision about
testing. When detected early, the chances for survival are great.
The American Cancer Society recommends that African
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screening beginning at age 45. For more information, visit the
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