Another record for B-CU hoops star SEE PAGE 7
EE FR
LECONTE DILL: A different standard for Black girls SEE PAGE 4
PLENTY OF JAZZ ON THE MENU AT PALM COAST BREAKFAST SEE PAGE 3
East Central Florida’s Black Voice FEBRUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 25, 2015
YEAR 40 NO. 8
www.daytonatimes.com
Making a strong case for ‘Ban the Box’ Daytona officials get earful on why question should be banned from applications BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
The Daytona Beach City Commission chambers were filled to capacity at Wednesday night’s commission meeting. Over a dozen people addressed the commission requesting that a controversial box be removed from city applications. As reported in last week’s issue of the Daytona Times, pro-
ponents of the initiative are referring to the box job applicants are to check if they have been convicted of a crime, regardless of the nature of the crime, when it occurred, and at times, what (if any) relevance it has to the job for which they are applying. Mykal Tairu, Florida program coordinator of the Vincentian Reentry Organizing Project (VROP), gave a short presentation. VROP is heading the local cause, along with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. “Morally there is a need for the box to be banned,” Tairu said, addressing the commission. “America is the most incarcerated country on the planet.”
“Not everyone is doing a life sentence,” Tairu continued. “Most are there for non-violent crimes – those that would not put those in our workforce in danger.”
Ex-offender speaks out Discussion from speakers also brought to light the problems those who have come home from jail or prison experience. “I believe that if you give a man or woman no option, you leave them no choice,” one speaker told the commission. Zachary Edwards stood before the podium asking the commission if they knew his criminal background.
“I’m an ex-offender,” he said. “I want to go beyond the box. I had to fight! I had to fight for my CDLs. I had to fight for my hazmat. I had to fight for my taxi license. I had to fight!” “My crimes were over 20 years ago. When I took a photo with you at the Scarlett Golden Center backpack giveaway, did you know I was an ex-offender?” he asked, addressing Mayor Derrick Henry. “When you looked down from the fire engine during the Christmas parade and I was behind the camera, did you know I was an ex-offender?” he motioned to Commissioner Patrick Henry. “No, you did not!” he concluded. “Ban the box.”
Edwards shared that he is not just a box on an application and that an employer can’t tell that from just that one piece of paper.
Lower recidivism According to the Florida Department of Corrections, as of June 30, 2014, there were 100,942 inmates in its 56 state prisons (including seven private prisons), and almost 144,000 active offenders on community supervision at over 150 probation offices throughout the state. Additionally, the department reports that one of every four inmates released from a Florida prison return to prison within Please see BOX, Page 2
More avenues for students: B-CU and EPA become official partners BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
JOHN REEVES/ B-CU
Student barbers from Daytona State College’s Cosmetology School give free haircuts to Bethune-Cookman students.
Local colleges partner, give free haircuts to Black males BY ASHLEY D.THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
#GetSharpe #BeSharpe #StaySharpe is more than just a catchy slogan. For Bauldy Sharpe Jr., the reigning Mr. B-CU, it’s a way of life. Sharpe was the brainchild of an initiative held Tuesday that brought 15 barbers from Daytona State College’s School of Cosmetology to the campus of B-CU to provide haircuts for about 125 students. “This effort was to help young B-CU men to propel themselves into what Bauldy a Bethune-Cookman UniSharpe Jr. versity man should look like,” Sharpe said. “Well groomed and professional.” Lorraine Gerrity, chair of Daytona State’s School of Cosmetology, said she was pleased with the turnout. “Mr. Sharpe reached out to me and told me it was his dream vision to help men to groom and ready themselves for the business world,” Gerrity told the Daytona Times. “So I thought what a great way to bridge college to college.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Bethune-Cookman University (BCU) became official partners on Wednesday during a memorandum of understanding signing. The partnership will incorporate programs in environmental science, research, education and workforce development. “The EPA is a part of everything you do,” Heather McTeer Toney, Regional Administrator for EPA’s Southeast Region. “If you take a walk or run, if you wake up, if you drink water, the EPA is involved.” According to B-CU President Dr. Edison O. Jackson, the partnership will prepare more minorities for careers in environmental science. “As B-CU continues to progress and grow, the administrators could not overlook the need to offer avenues within environmental science and research, which is underrepresented by minorities,” Jackson said.
A top priority
Matthew Johnson had 10 inches chopped off on Tuesday. Sharpe says after he got the go-ahead, he put together a flier, advertised on Instagram and also relied on word of mouth, stopping young men on campus to tell them about the initiative.
Dose of wisdom Each haircut was given free of charge. Students also received a hairbrush, shampoo and hair grease. Five grooming kits also were raffled. Two teachers – April Wenkel and Charlotte Loper – both of Daytona State, were there to supervise the entire event. “Some of our barbers are beginners and some are ready to graduate,” Gerrity added. “We even had some of our barber
students who have graduated come back and they gave haircuts as well. We only had about 15 students giving all of the haircuts in a timeframe of four hours.”
Future plans
The U.S. EPA says it is well aware of the disproportionate numbers and makes partnerships like this one a top priority. Toney says that B-CU was the 61st institution to partner. “This is a great accomplishment for B-CU. We will now be able to efficiently compete for relative research grants and take advantage of other great environmental opportunities. Most importantly, we will open up many avenues for our students, faculty and surrounding communities, Please see B-CU, Page 2
Both Sharpe and Gerrity say they would like to see the institutions come together again to provide cuts for students. “It was such a pleasure working with them. All of my students kept saying this is the best ever,” Gerrity said. Sharpe received feedback via a questionnaire and social media. “The turnout was great. Everyone walked away happy,” he concluded. ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES
Be a writer for The Daytona Times The Daytona Times is looking for experienced writers to cover stories of interest to Black residents of Volusia and Flagler counties. Compensation to be paid per published story. Send three writing samples and résumé to Senior Editor Jenise Morgan at news@daytonatimes.com. Equal opportunity employer.
ALSO INSIDE
Heather McTeer Toney of the Environmental Protection Agency and Dr. Edison O. Jackson, president of Bethune-Cookman University, sign a memorandum of understanding for a partnership between the two organizations.
COMMENTARY: KIM M. KEENAN: HIGH-TECH MUST GIVE HIGHER PRIORITY TO DIVERSITY | PAGE 4 TECHNOLOGY: HUD CHIEF SEEKING BROADBAND ACCESS FOR THE POOR | PAGE 8
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FEBRUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 25, 2015
BOX
the chance to advocate for themselves in a personal interview as a potential employee is crucial. Creating a sustainable work relationship between a worker and employer is about the future and not the past.”
from Page 1 three years. “The premise of our campaign is anything that makes it harder for an ex offender to have employment raises their chance at recidivism,” Tairu added. “I believe that banning the box is a step into progress and true forgiveness. It shows confidence in our justice and penal system,” Chadwick Leonard told the commission. “One thing we want to do is give people an opportunity to not go back in. Not just come out and you’ve served time inside and you still have to serve time outside of those walls.” “When a prisoner is released into a society that won’t allow them a fair chance at employment, it is like they were never set free. They paid their debt to society, they served their time, now they deserve a chance to provide for their families and better their lives. Denying employment opportunities is a life-long sentence that the judge or jury never ordered,” says Ricardo McQueen, owner of Food Health and Environmental Safety in Pine Hills.
More than Daytona Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, Tampa and Tallahassee have all moved to remove the box from their city applications. The ‘Ban the Box’ initiative is sweeping the nation with 50 cities adopting ordinances to remove it. Removing the box would not disallow background checks from being conducted – only that it would be conducted at a time after the employer has decided to move forward in the application department. Commissioner Ruth Trager asked Tairu when the background check
Skills and talents
ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES
The chambers were packed at Wednesday night’s Daytona Beach commission meeting. Some supporters of the “ban the box’’ initiative wore T-shirts urging its removal. would be given. Tairu noted Tampa’s ordinance, which gives a conditional offer of employment, pending a successful background check. “If a red flag comes back, the person has an opportunity to explain,” he added. ‘A second chance’ Stephen Rouzer, state organizer for the Main Street Alliance of Florida, addressing the commission said his organization, a coalition of small business owners, “seek the most talented and hardest working applicants to fill our positions, regardless of criminal background.” He added, “We are committed to giving all applicants a fair shot at employment and allowing them to interview for open positions without discrimination or pre-judgment.’’ Mary Rice, owner of The Braids and Weave Factory in Ocoee, said, “We all
make mistakes for different reasons. “It is impossible to know why a job applicant made a mistake, or what they learned from their mistake without calling them for an interview.’’ “Felony record or not, I am sure most of us have had a second chance in life. Sometimes all some-
B-CU
from Page 1 as well,” Jackson added. B-CU and the EPA will focus their efforts in seven areas: faculty research participation; student internships and employment; technical assistance; staff/faculty appointments; seminars/mini courses; out-
one needs is a second chance, and I hope that being hired for a position with my salon will be the second chance someone needs.”
‘About the future’ Fred Barr, owner of Barr Creative Services, an Orlando-based design firm
reach programs; and infrastructure. The implementation of these initiatives will happen over a three year period. Jackson reiterated his stance on the university. “Bethune-Cookman University is a researchbased institution that happens to be an HBCU,” he said. Jackson says he does not want the school to be “pigeonholed” into fitting one mold.
said, “As someone with decades of experience dealing with finding, interviewing and hiring people, I can tell you that creating arbitrary limits on applicants isn’t good for anybody, including companies seeking motivated employees. “My experience has been that giving somebody
Patricia Heard told the commission, “We have people sitting out here with many skills and talents that can be used in and around this community. “I’m asking you to think about your family sons, daughters, nieces and nephews and others who need your yes vote to ban the box. Please give all human beings a second chance.” Noted Commissioner Henry, “It’s obvious there is a lot of interest in this. This is one of the things from day one that I thought it was worth discussing, and at some point I want it to come to the commission for a vote.’’ Mayor Henry added, “This has been an intense night and that is an intense topic. It’s important to me because it certainly affects a portion of our community that we have to respond to. Oftentimes you miss out on people who are very talented. It’s no better way for a man or woman to redeem themselves besides having work that is worthwhile.”
SERVICE PROVIDERS NEEDED Local company starting a new 6-person group home for developmentally disabled residents needs experienced full-time service providers. Must have at least two years experience working with disabled people and pass a Level 2 criminal background check. Cooking skills a plus. Send résumé to SeniorLifeDB@gmail.com. Equal opportunity employer.
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FEBRUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 25, 2015 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
M A YNEWS OR
Plenty of jazz on the menu at fundraising breakfast The 13th Annual Jazz Breakfast triumphed again, giving rise to Rob’s JazzExpress rockin’ the house, and staying connected with the precious gift of love celebrating Valentine’s Day. Rob’s JazzExpress blazed a trail, diminishing none of its fire for interpreting the love songs. The breakfast supported the cultural programs sponsored by the African American Cultural Society (AACS) and the Omni Committee staging the affair and taking in a sold-out ticket sale. A sign blasting the sold-out performance glared on the social media of Facebook and on the door of the African American Cultural Society. Cultural programs funded by the revenues pulled in, and combined with the intense love of jazz, enhanced the late Bill Dabney’s brainchild of presenting a jazz breakfast. Dabney was the founding chairman of the Omni Committee. “We were happy to attend on such a wonderful morning and fellowship with everyone. The food was delicious and the music superb, which everyone enjoyed,” said Ruthie Saunders. “It was good,” said Ronald Smith. “As a matter of fact, the jazz ensemble was great! Good fellowship and good camaraderie.”
Eggs, grits, love songs Rob’s JazzExpress celebrated those adored through the performance of love songs and bringing delight to “My Funny Valentine,” “One Hundred Ways,” “At Last,” and other classics. Ron’s JazzExpress headed out on its own about eight years ago. The trio takes in Robert Whiting from the District of Columbia on guitar, Jack LaForte from New York on bass guitar and Robert Banks from Pittsburgh on drums. The audience stayed in the groove, yet connected with a good breakfast of sausage, ham, eggs, grits and pancakes. The cuisine was prepared by chef J.C. Curry. The Omni Committee, staging the breakfast that achieved
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
the unreachable chords in song while echoing their promises and possibilities, was made up of John Reid, chairman; Lynda Baten, Jean Tanner, Sondra Henderson, Carolyn Hawkins, Joe Matthews, Shirley Hinds, Janice Williams, Erma Brooks and Alfreda Brown.
City’s photography contest underway A release from Palm Coast Communications & Marketing Manager Cindi Lane takes in that The City of Palm Coast will hold the Find Your Florida 2015 Photography Contest through May 31. Prizes will be awarded and photographs submitted for the contest will be used by the city for marketing, promotional and public relations purposes. The theme of the contest is ‘Find Your Florida in Palm Coast.’ Winning photos will illustrate what makes Palm Coast special. Examples of what the city is looking for include: family fun at our festivals, sports activities, cultural clubs and organizations, and on our parks and rails; active lifestyles, such as walking/running/ bicycling, sports, swimming, fishing and boating; and nature, such as beautiful landscapes, wildlife and waterways. The city wants to share what’s special about Palm Coast! First, second and third place will be awarded. Gift certificates to local businesses will be awarded in the following amounts: First prize, $200; second prize, $100; and third prize, $50. Gift certificates will be offered to a variety of businesses and winners will be able to select from the list. In addition, honorable mentions will be awarded as determined by the judges. Winning photographs will be displayed on the city’s website and at city facili-
Taking a moment for a photo shoot while seated at the Jazz Breakfast are Gloria and Roy Benjamin. Standing are Louis McCarthy, Randolph Speller, Ruthie Saunders, Edwina “Pat” Smith and Ronald Smith.
Performing as Rob’s JazzExpress are Jack LaForte, Robert Banks and Robert Whiting. ties. Winning photographers will be recognized at a meeting of the Palm Coast City Council. Photographers may submit up to 20 entries. It is free to enter. Entries must be submitted no lat-
er than midnight May 31, 2015. Photographs submitted for the contest must be taken in the City of Palm Coast. The photographs will be used by the city for marketing, promotional and public
relations purposes such as publications, videos and websites to promote the City of Palm Coast. All submissions will become the property of the City of Palm Coast. For complete guidelines and an online entry form, visit www. palmcoastgov.com/photocontest. For more information, contact Cindi Lane, Palm Coast Communications & Marketing Manager at 386-986-3708. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to the Rev. Gillard S. Glover, Feb. 20; Shauntice Shephard, Feb. 25. Happy anniversary to James and Ruby Sims, Feb. 20; Roy and Gloria Benjamin, Feb. 25.
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FEBRUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Must-have foods and moves for a better sex life Valentine’s Day has passed but if you want to keep the romantic fires burning, don’t fret. In the words of Kerry Washington who plays Olivia Pope in ABC’s Scandal, “It’s handled!” As your nutrition coach, I’m here-to rescue you with tips that will pay off big – for you and your sweetie. Whether it’s for Black Love Day, or everyday, it is going to take food and a few good moves to do it. So here are a few of my favorite picks for aphrodisiac foods and moves that are supported by science.
Zinc and vitamin C Strawberries are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, which is good for the heart because the Vitamin C increases circulation, making the arteries more supple, and in the boudoir, that circulation is key. The heart’s job is to pump blood to all body parts, including female and male genitalia… all the right places to help you get that lovin’ feeling! Oysters. Okay, you may have heard that these mollusks are a potent aphrodisiac and are winners when it comes to increasing libido, and here’s why. Oysters have a high zinc content, a mineral essential to the production of testosterone, the male sex hormone, and the maintenance of healthy sperm. If the idea of throwing back a few of these sexy jewels doesn’t cut the mustard for you, try adding pine nuts to your salads, chicken, fish, or vegetable side dishes. Pine nuts also qualify as they too, contain large
DR. RO NNPA COLUMNIST
sure you opt for raw almonds as salted varieties cause bloating…a factor you Don’t want as you prepare for a sexy night!
Keep it moving
I personally adore most yoamounts of zinc relative to other ga moves because the very practice of yoga gives you a more nuts. supple body that can be moved, bent, folded and eased into alMake it hot most any direction. The fact that Hot peppers. A group of alleged you can achieve yoga moves is aphrodisiacs – cayenne and other bound to make you feel sexy! chili peppers – sometimes sold in But studies show that circulathe form of an extract, but its eftion below-the-belt is directfect on the body may be more discomfort inducing than arousing. ly linked to arousal and this But when ingested, causes an in- move delivers. So here’s my fave: crease in heart rate and breath- The Wide-legged Straddle Pose. ing, sweating, and blood flow – It’s good for low libido because it similar to the body’s response to increases blood flow to the pelvic area, and where blood flows, your sexual arousal. Chocolate. Probably the most energy and vitality goes so — Here goes: famous – and most studied – of all Sit on the floor, legs spread aphrodisiac foods, chocolate contains feel-good brain chemicals, arms length apart (as wide as serotonin, and anandamide, as you can spread them), point toes well as phenylethylamine (PEA), upward, touching the in-sole of which increases endorphins, all your feet, with your head down, of which contribute to feelings of and face almost touching the happiness and euphoria during floor. Hold the position for 30 sex. Eureka! To get the greatest seconds or as along as you can. concentration of chocolate’s anti- Wooo-Sah. oxidant and brain chemical powRovenia Brock, Ph.D., is a er, I recommend dark chocolate medical advisory board memwith 65-80 percent cacao, which has more nutrients than its sug- ber and contributor on the “Dr. Oz Show,” where she helped ary counter parts. Almonds. These nuts are rich more than a half-million Amerin zinc, selenium, (minerals), and icans lose more than 5 million vitamin E. Almonds are chock-full pounds. Visit her site at www. of good heart-healthy omega-3 everythingro.com. Click on this fats as well. Add them to salads, article at www.daytonatimes. eat handfuls for snacks and make com to write your own response.
A different standard for Black girls Nearly 40 years ago, a metaphor or fable, if you will, about “upstream-downstream” was created by healthcare practitioners to better explain and argue for the value of preventative health care measures. The fable describes a group of community members standing near a river who witness someone drowning. Some of the community members jump into the water and pull the person to the shore. As soon as they do so, they try to resuscitate her. Then, another drowning person floats down the river; and as the community recruits more lifesavers, still more drowning people float past them. Eventually, someone thinks to go upstream to find out what was causing so many people to be pulled into the river.
Girls pushed out If we think of those upstream determinants as structural barriers, what happens when girls of color are pushed out of educational systems that are supposed to support them? In New York, for instance, in the 2011-2012 school year, Black girls were disciplined 10 times more often than White girls. In fact, in some settings Black girls were found to face a greater racialized risk of unjust punishment than Black boys. Girls of color are often more
LECONTÉ J. DILL NNPA GUEST COLUMNIST
harshly punished for non-violent offenses that educators have coded as “disruptive” and “disrespectful.” They are sometimes punished for behavior that would be viewed as innocuous for boys. For instance, one girl interviewed for the report explained: “Some of the girls did have this sense of frustration, that there is a different standard for girls’ behavior versus boys. So boys seem to just get more looking the other way, or more tolerance of even the exact same behavior.”
Failure producers Girls of color are also experiencing multiple forms of violence before they even walk through the school doors. They are ingesting trauma for breakfast. It’s embedded in the pressures of serving as quasi-mothers for younger family members, enduring physical, sexual, mental, and emotional abuse at home, and leaving their homes with no safe route to school in neighborhoods that have literally been disinvested in by city and
corporate officials. Once they reach their schools, they often find the buildings and classrooms to be unsafe. Many schools that serve low-income youth and students of color have permanent metal detectors. These schools are coded as “dropout factories,” known for graduating less than 60 percent of the 9th graders who attend them. In Black Girls Matter, the authors found that girls of color reported facing discriminatory and abusive comments from school security officers, and intrusive body searches as they entered the school and in the hallways. Rather than serving to prevent failure down the road it is more likely to produce failure. So, as we travel back upstream to see what is going on in our public schools, let’s do so armed with more data – both qualitative and quantitative – so that we can gain a better understanding of the roots of the problems that girls of color face. Let’s lend a hand before the girls are forced to fend for themselves in treacherous waters.
LeConte Dill is an assistant professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate School of Public Health. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
High-tech must give higher priority to diversity This revolution will definitely not be televised. When Intel announced that it would spend $300 million over the next five years to create a workforce that actually looks like America, the coverage of the announcement was scant. Here, we have a real game changer, and the faint praise of Intel CEO Brian Krzanich’s decision to establish a $300 million dollar “Diversity in Tech” initiative – or Jesse Jackson’s efforts at prodding the industry – is almost as bad as the conditions that created the need for the fund in the first place. Almost. By stepping up and leading tech companies out of the same old thinking about how to create a diverse workforce, Intel is opening the door for others in the tech world to ensure that the age of innovation looks like all of America.
Minority-owned firms Last month, Apple included two established minority-owned firms in its $6.5 billion debt offering, which was the largest high-grade corporate bond sale this year – until Microsoft followed with a $10.75 billion debt offering that included four minority-owned firms. This is the kind of action befitting the companies in the vanguard of changing the world we live in.
KIM M. KEENAN NNPA GUEST COLUMNIST
The business case is clear. People of color and women are among the highest consumers of all things tech. And there are too many of us to be ignored. The Census Bureau figures tell the story. “The non-Hispanic White population is projected to peak in 2024, at 199.6 million, up from 197.8 million in 2012. Unlike other race or ethnic groups, however, its population is projected to slowly decrease, falling by nearly 20.6 million from 2024 to 2060,” the Census Bureau reported. “Meanwhile, the Hispanic population would more than double, from 53.3 million in 2012 to 128.8 million in 2060. Consequently, by the end of the period, nearly one in three U.S. residents would be Hispanic, up from about one in six today. “The Black population is expected to increase from 41.2 million to 61.8 million over the same period. Its share of the total population would rise slightly, from 13.1 percent in 2012 to 14.7 per-
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: REPUBS ON A ROLL
cent in 2060. “The U.S. is projected to become a majority-minority nation for the first time in 2043…”
STEVE SACK, THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
From Malcolm X to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz There is perhaps no American civil rights leader who generated as many divergent opinions as Malcolm X. As we near the 50th anniversary of his assassination of February 21, 1965, our nation will inevitably scrutinize his life, his work and his lasting impact on our country and our continuous struggle to address racial inequality and its heinous consequences.
Malcom who? Depending on one’s perspective or politics, Malcolm X was a hatemonger filled with a blind, race-based rage. Another view paints him as an inspiring figure, pulling himself up from a life of crime to become a leading human rights figure. I would put forth the view that Malcolm X was much more than any onedimensional interpretation of his life or its seminal moments and that he was a man who literally and figuratively journeyed far in his short 39 years – reinventing himself countless times along the way. Born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 to a Grenadian mother and African-American father – also a well-known activist – Malcolm became accustomed to the cruelties of racism at an early age, losing his father in a suspected attack by White supremacists. His early life was a blur of broken homes, petty crime and incarceration. Introduced to the teachings of the Nation of Islam during his time in jail, Malcolm X traded prison for a pursuit of racial justice and equality for Blacks in America.
‘Any means’ While his initial approach may not have always been championed by or aligned with other civil rights leaders of the time, Malcolm X’s later life transition and his embrace of multiculturalism is an important story to be acknowledged and retold. But often, supporters and critics alike attempt to isolate the “by any means necessary” civil rights leader to one part of his journey. For example, and ironically, many gun advocates invoke Malcolm X’s own words as they seek to reinforce their arguments and support for their professed right to almost unfettered access to firearms. In his famous “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech, Malcolm X said, “I must say this concerning the great controversy over rifles
MARC H. MORIAL TRICE EDNEY WIRE
and shotguns. The only thing that I’ve ever said is that in areas where the government has proven itself either unwilling or unable to defend the lives and the property of Negroes, it’s time for Negroes to defend themselves. Article number two of the constitutional amendments provides you and me the right to own a rifle or a shotgun.” However, Malcolm X’s call to bear arms was no call to forego background checks. It was no call to sell guns anonymously on the Internet. It was no call to supply ordinary citizens with military-style weaponry. It was, and remains, a clear-cut indictment of race-based, systemic inequality and violence.
An unwavering fight Ten days after that speech, Malcolm X left the United States on April 13, 1964 for a life-altering trip through the Middle East and Africa, including a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the holiest city in Islam.. In letters from his trip, he described scenes of unimagined interracial harmony among “tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans.” As he began to see that unity and brotherhood were not impossible realities between “the White and the non-White,” his fight for equality never changed. It only became more inclusive. In a letter to then Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) President James Farmer, Malcolm, now El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, wrote, “I am still traveling, trying to broaden my mind, for I’ve seen too much of the damage narrow-mindedness can make of things, and when I return home to America, I will devote what energies I have to repairing the damage.”
Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, is president and CEO of the National Urban League. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes. com to write your own response.
A solid future This is not a handout by any means. The actions taken by Intel, Apple, and Microsoft demonstrate that they recognize that good business requires action to get us on track. We cannot wait for a perfect pipeline of engineers before we diversify the tech industry. We already have marketing reps, lawyers, engineers, and executives in all colors, so we can start right where we are now while working to expand the pipeline for the future. At stake is an America that can provide jobs for all, and not just for a chosen few. The Intel, Apple, and Microsoft announcements are signs that we have the technology, we have the will, and we can create an innovation age with a workforce that truly looks like America. We should accept nothing less.
Kim M. Keenan is the president and CEO of Minority Media and Telecommunications Council (MMTC). Click on this article at www.daytonatimes. com to write your own response.
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– FEBRUARY 25, R 2015 M AYO
How faith leaders further victimize rape victims Black women tell of assaults and condemnation by their pastors Editor’s note: This is the third in a series on rape written by Jazelle Hunt, a Washington correspondent for the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). BY JAZELLE HUNT NNPA NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON – Simone Oliver had always been called, as they say in the religious community. She was active in the Baptist church throughout her youth, playing piano for the youth choir and even ghostwriting sermons for several pastors as a teen. She loved Scripture, loved preaching, and loved God. For her, church was heaven-on-earth. But it was also hell. At 15 years old, Oliver’s then-pastor called her into his church office, grabbed her, put his tongue in her mouth, and fondled her until she broke away. It was the third time in her life she had been sexually assaulted, already a rape survivor at 12 years old at the hands of her sister’s first husband, and again at 13 by a family friend staying in her home. Still, her faith did not waver. In fact, it grew stronger as Oliver transitioned from being a public school teacher to a minister.
No church support In the mid-2000s, she took on an associate pastor’s role at a nondenominational church in New Jersey. The founding pastor tried to court her for years until she finally acquiesced and the two began a secret relationship. However, a year later, he decided to marry someone else. Still, the affair continued. “I couldn’t get out. It was almost like sinking into an abyss,” she remembered. “I had gone to someone in the church to let them know this was going on. And they pretty much turned on me.” And no group leans on the church more than Blacks.
Simone Oliver
Sharon Davis
“While the U.S. is generally considered a highly religious nation, African-Americans are markedly more religious on a variety of measures than the U.S. population as a whole, including level of affiliation with religion, attendance at religious services, frequency of prayer and religion’s importance in life,” according to a report titled, “A Religious Portrait of African-Americans” by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
Fully committed And among the most religiously committed, no segment is more committed than African-American women. The report found that 84 percent of Black women say religion is very important to them and 59 percent say they attend religious services at least once a week. As committed as she was, Oliver eventually left that church, broke off the affair with the pastor, began dating the man who would become her husband, and was ac-
cepted into Princeton Theological Seminary. As her life got better, her former co-pastor’s behavior grew worse. He sent threats to her regularly, and began stalking her and her then-fiancé. She recalled, “He said to me – not of himself – but he said, ‘A man can commit murder, do his time, put on a suit, and still be a man. But when a woman’s reputation is ruined, she is ruined.’ Those were his threats to me.”
Stabbed 30 times In 2011, five days before her wedding, the pastor’s behavior moved beyond idle threats. “It’s a miracle story I’m here and alive because this man stabbed me 30 times. I was paralyzed from the waist down,” Oliver recounted. Years later, she still remembers his final threat, prior to the day of the attack: “‘When I’m finished with you, you will not get married, you will not have a ministry, and Princeton will never have you.’ That was the last thing he said to me.” Oliver was stabbed mostly in her abdomen and back, damaging her spinal cord and liver. Her former co-pastor was arrested walking down the street covered in her blood, still holding his hunting knife.
More than prayer Sharon Ellis Davis, a former
criminalist in the Chicago Police Department and retired pastor, knows a bit about crime from more than one perspective. She said, “I was married to a police officer, and there was a domestic abuse issue and sexual abuse. It was dismissed all the time. It was a matter of, ‘You all stop,’ or ‘Don’t be so bad,’ or ‘It’ll be okay.’ But never ‘I hear you, I understand you, I believe you.’ Even if [the department] knew the abuser was guilty, there was that code where you don’t rat on other police officers.” So Davis channeled her frustration into something useful. She successfully lobbied for an internal domestic violence advocate, a civilian who would support and speak for domestic violence victims in police officers’ homes and became a full-time police chaplain. But in Davis’ own church experience – first in the Pentecostal church as a child, then in the United Church of Christ as an adult – she saw parallels to the way she was treated by the police department. “The church was nice to me, but they didn’t know what to do with me,” she said. “I need more than prayer, I need more than a hug. In fact, sometimes [survivors] don’t even want to be touched. I need more than a deliverance service, I need more than a Band-Aid on what forgiveness might look like. “The two very important institutions that I was involved with – the church and the criminal justice system – both in the time that I needed them, failed me. Now they didn’t know they did, because they were not conscious of it.”
Taboo subject Sex and sexuality remain taboo in many faith communities. “How is it that the church is going to really be advocates for victims of rape in the Black church when even having normal conversations of sexuality can’t happen? How can we talk about patho-sexuality if we haven’t talked about normal sexuality?” she asked. “We’re still stuck in many
way on the thou-shalt-nots. We spend more time judging the behavior than helping someone understand this was not their fault.” Even worse than a lack of knowledge among leadership is that perpetrators often exist within the church, their violence and damage unchecked and even covered up. Oliver said, “I had a woman call me – I thought she was calling to check on me and see how I was – but she called to tell me her own story, about a pastor. Someone [else] told me a story. She was invited out to another church to preach and was raped by the pastor who had invited her. When the third person, and fourth person, and the fifth time you hear these stories…. I’m like okay. Something is going on here.”
Reaching out After more than three months of physical rehab, Oliver overcame her paralysis and learned to walk again. She testified in court against her attacker, who was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Oliver is now a full-time seminary student. For all their silences and inadequacies, many Black faith centers are adept at serving their communities and fostering communal solutions and cooperation. Both Davis and Oliver assert that Black faith centers have also made great strides toward addressing domestic violence, with permanent ministries and pastor trainings becoming more common. “We’re better in the Black church at caring for people,” Davis explained. “But we’re not as good at having a model of pastoral care for people who have been sexually abused. We’re not having clergy exposed to the education that they need to understand these dynamics.”
This project was made possible by a grant from the National Health Journalism Fellowship, a program of the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
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FEBRUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 25, 2015
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7
M SPORTS AYOR
FEBRUARYDECEMBER 19 – FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 25, 20062015
her and for our team as well.” Early Monday, Williams was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Defensive Player of the Week, the third time this season.
A slow start
Kailyn Williams, right, is shown with her coach, Vanessa Blair-Lewis.
Lady Wildcat makes school history for blocked shots FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Bethune-Cookman University fans and spectators witnessed history as Kailyn Williams became B-CU’s
all-time leader for careerblocked shots. The Lady Wildcats suffered a 52-46 loss to the North Carolina A&T Aggies during the historic night in Moore Gymnasium Mon-
day night. “It’s a tremendous honor,” said head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis. “She (Williams) has worked for every bit of that. Size you can’t teach,”
B-CU men defeat Aggies 78-56 Brandon Stewart’s 21 points led five Bethune-Cookman players in double figures as the Wildcats finally took a home win with a 78-56 decision over North Carolina A&T Monday night. The Wildcats (9-17 overall, 5-6 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) had dropped their last six
games in Moore Gym, the thirdlongest home losing streak in the nation entering the game. The win also gave them their first home conference victory. Stewart, a senior, hit his first three attempts from threepoint range and was 8-9 for the line for the Wildcats, who got
Blair-Lewis added. “Heart you can’t teach and her defensive ability with timing, you really can’t teach that. That is something that she has put into her game and it has paid dividends for
a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double from Quintin Brewer, 12 points from Mikel Trapp, 11 points and seven assists from Ricky Johnson and 10 from Denzel Dulin. Bethune-Cookman missed its first six shots from the field, but recovered and hit eight of its next 10 as its opened up a 2410 lead on a Brewer lay-up with 8:53 left in the first half. The
Come explore the rich heritage of
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At the 16:55 mark in the first half, the 6-5 center swatted her second block of the contest, moving her ahead of former Wildcat, Scherrie Jackson (19931997), with 199. Williams finished the game with five total blocks, setting the new B-CU record at 202. “It always feels good,” Williams said. “To know that I am altering shots for my teammates.” A slow start to the game plagued Wildcats who saw their largest lead of the contest at the 13:28 mark when Terrenisha Hollis of Birmingham, Ala., put BCU on top, 5-3. It was all Aggies for the remainder of the half as the Wildcats went cold from the field, not scoring for over six minutes, and allowing the North Carolina team to pull ahead 12 (20-8) with 4:40 left in the frame. At the break, the Aggies led 24-13 and shot 32.1 percent from the field during the first 20, compared to the Wildcats 13.8.
Not enough Although things looked up during second half action, the 33-28 B-CU scoring advantage during the
Wildcats stretched their lead to 18 on two occasions before taking a 42-27 halftime lead.
Kept the lead Brewer was 5-5 from the field in the opening half to key a 55.6 percent (15-27) shooting effort for the Wildcats in the first 20 minutes. North Carolina A&T (6-21, 3-9) got as close as 46-36 on a
final frame was not enough to close the first half gap, as the Wildcats suffered their fifth league loss, 52-46. Sophomore Kendra Copper (Spring, Texas) and redshirt junior Jasmine Knowles (Romulus, Mich.) led the B-CU offensive effort, scoring 17 and 11 respectively, while 23 of their 28 combined points came during the second half. In addition to her five blocks, Kailyn Williams pulled down a team-best eight boards, while Hollis collected a game-high four steals. A balanced scoring effort routed the Aggies as six players scored fivepoints or more, led by Dana Brown’s 10, as Eboni Ross led the contest with 12 boards.
FAMU on Saturday The six-point setback, pushed the Aggies (15-10, 8-4 MEAC) on top of B-CU (10-14, 7-5 MEAC) in MidEastern Athletic Conference play as the two were knotted in fourth prior to the match-up. Bethune-Cookman returns to the hardwood on Feb. 21 as the Wildcats welcome cross-state foe Florida A&M (FAMU) to Moore Gymnasium during Senior Day. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m., in Daytona Beach.
Bryan Akinkugbe with 15:51 remaining, but the Wildcats scored nine of the next 12 points to push their lead back up to 16. Bruce Beckford led the Aggies with 21. Bethune-Cookman hosts Florida A&M Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
This story was courtesy of B-CU Athletics.
R8
7NATION
FEBRUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 25, 2015
HUD leader seeks broadband access for the poor Julián Castro also working on making housing more accessible, affordable
same opportunities to evaluate potential homes or rental properties just because of the color of their skin and we want to root that out,” said Castro.
Homeownership rate
BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON – Julián Castro, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, wants to provide broadband access to public housing residents in an effort to increase socioeconomic mobility among poor and low-income families. “We think [broadband access] is important because the world requires a connection to the Internet now,” said Castro. He said that HUD wants to launch the program, which is still in its early planning stages, in 20 major metropolitan areas working with private sector telecommunication companies to wire the communities or provide wireless in a free or very low-cost way. Castro said that in the vast majority of public housing communities, there is no connectivity. According to a 2014 report by the Pew Research Center, most households with incomes below $20,000, “do not have an Internet subscription for a computer, cell phone or other device, though they may have free access at a local library or elsewhere.” Roughly 25 million American households, “have no regular Internet access at all, either at home or elsewhere.”
Major disadvantage Sixty-two percent of Black adults have broadband access at home compared to 74 percent of White adults. A gap of 12 percent. The digital divide between Black and White adults 65 and older leaps to 21 percent (30 percent vs. 51 percent who have broadband at home). A 2010 Pew survey revealed that Americans feel that people who don’t have broadband access at home “are at a major disadvantage when it comes to finding out about job opportuni-
FREDDIE ALLEN/NNPA
Julián Castro, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, talks about the importance of homeownership in the African-American community. ties or learning career skills, or when getting health information, learning new things for personal enrichment, and using government services.” Castro said that a respectable number of people have Internet connection through their cell phone, but it’s not the same as having that access in your home where it’s more stable and you can do homework and other things that people generally don’t do on their phones.
Addressing disparities Castro attended junior high school with a lot of kids that lived in public housing and his father also lived in public housing at different periods in his life. “I know that the folks who live in public housing have the same aspirations and the same potential as anybody else,” said Cas-
tro. “And here at HUD we’re going to do every single thing that we can to make sure that they can be a part of our American success story.” That American success story includes increasing homeownership to build wealth from one generation to the next and to increase upward mobility, and that’s a part of HUD’s long-term mission. The department’s most immediate challenge, however, is addressing disparities in the rental market.
Renters and housing Blacks not only face discrimination in the rental market, but they also are treated differently than Whites when they look to become homeowners. According to a 2013 report by the Department of Housing
and Urban Development, “Black renters who contact agents about recently advertised housing units learn about 11.4 percent fewer available units than equally qualified Whites and are shown 4.2 percent fewer units.” Blacks are also offered shorter leases and told that background checks are required more often than White renters. Blacks faced even greater discrimination when attempting to buy a home. When Blacks contacted agents about recently advertised homes, they were shown roughly 18 percent fewer homes than White homebuyers. During the housing crisis, minorities were often offered subprime loans products, even when they qualified for better loan conditions. “Too many times AfricanAmerican families don’t get the
The United States Census Bureau reported that the homeownership rate for Blacks was 42.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014, the lowest of all racial groups. Whites had the highest homeownership rate at 72.3 percent. The homeownership rates for both groups were down from the same period in 2013. Castro said that the bulk of wealth of African-Americans and Latinos is tied up in their homes. Biniam Gebre, the acting commissioner for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), said that even though homeownership rates have fallen, people are still creating families and having babies and that’s creating pressure on the rental market, which, in turn, is causing the rise in rental costs. “The rental market and the homeownership market are inextricably linked,” said Gebre. “You have to deal with both problems you just can’t deal with one.”
Mortgage help In an effort to make homeownership more affordable, Castro said that the administration is working to reduce mortgage insurance premiums, a fee that skyrocketed 145 percent ($1,600 more annually) since the housing crisis began in 2007. “That has a significant negative impact on the ability of folks with modest means in particular communities of color to be able to afford to buy a home,” said Castro. Castro said that reducing the premium would allow 250,000 more borrowers to afford a home through the FHA and the average borrower will save about $900 every year. “The [Federal Housing Administration] FHA continues to play a vital role in creating a ticket to middle class and wealth creation through homeownership,” said Castro.
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