Daytona Times - January 01, 2015 by Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC

‘Selma’ a bridge between past and present SEE PAGE 5

East Central Florida’s Black Voice

OUR TOP 10 STORIES The Daytona Times staff chose the top 10 of the hundreds of stories our newspaper staff reviewed, covered or wrote this year. Factors considered include newsworthiness, local relevance, uniqueness, and emotional impact. Protests, prayers, die-in

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Local residents joined the nationwide protests surrounding the deaths of Ferguson Mo. teen Michael Brown and New York resident Eric Garner. Protesters were stunned and outraged about the decision to not indict police officers in the shooting death of unarmed Brown, 18, and choking death of Garner, a 43-year-old husband and father. Bethune-Cookman University students led a prayer vigil on campus in November and forums were held at churches in Flagler and Volusia. In December, teens Tatiana Otis and Katarina Figueroa spearheaded a die-in at the Volusia Mall to bring awareness to race relations in the county. The group held signs that read: “Breathe Together, Choke the System,” “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe.”

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DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX: Innocent Blacks and White cops - all lives are valuable SEE PAGE 4

A peaceful protest at the Volusia Mall was one of many signs of solidarity and awareness held in Daytona Beach. PHOTO BY BRANDON KRAMPERT/SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES

DBPD sought more bodycams

The shooting death of Michael Brown, which was captured on vidJoyce eo, showed the importance of videotaped evidence during police interacCusack tion with the public. The Daytona Beach celebrates Police Department requested 50 more with Marisa Dain September from the City of Daytovis, daughter of na Beach. As of September, 50 officers DeLand Commiswere assigned with the 2.5-inch cameras. Approval would bring the number to sioner Jessica and 100 – almost half of the 231 sworn offihusband Mario cers on the force. “Eventually the chief at Cafe Da Vinci would like to have every police officer while election rewith the Daytona Beach Police Departturns come in on ment equipped with a body camera, said spokesman Jimmy Flynt. “Now is that Nov. 4 in DeLand. going to happen? We don’t know, but we DUANE C. FERNANDEZ would love to have that.’’ In August, there SR./HARDNOTTS were 212 sworn active officers on the PHOTOGRAPHY force. The breakdown: One Asian male, 24 Black males, 10 Hispanic males, 133 White males, four Black females, three Hispanic females, one two or more races million dollar Orange Avenue reconfemale, and 36 White females. struction and upgrading streetscape project from Nova Road to Beach Street. The project will include six-foot sideStrong November finish walks, improved lighting, the installafor Black candidates tion of new traffic lights and new underThe city, county and state held ground utilities including water, sewer onto their Black representatives in Volu- and storm water. However, business owners were upsia County. Daytona Beach Commissioner Patrick Henry, Volusia County At- set with the project’s impact on busiLarge Member Joyce Cusack and Flori- ness. In November, a critical commerda Rep. Dwayne Taylor all were re-elect- cial section of Orange Avenue from Noed to their posts in November’s general va Road to Caroline Street had reopened election. Henry won the Zone Five com- 30 days ahead of schedule thanks to an mission seat handily against 24-year- expedited construction plan. The openold political newcomer Stanley B. Pan- ing allowed direct access via Nova Road dy II with 72.14 percent of the vote. Cu- to several small businesses fronting Orsack held off opposition by Pat Northey, ange Avenue. a county council member seeking the at large post. Taylor defeated Republican Michael Candu. Jenkins leaves B-CU;

new coach named

Bethune-Cookman introduced Terry Sims as its new head football coach on Dec. 22. Sims had spent the past five Daytona Beach city officials moved years as an assistant football coach, priforward with the long-awaited $17.6 marily responsible for safeties and spe-

Orange Avenue project hurts businesses

Focus 2015: Where are our leaders taking us? Organizer hopes to answer question at Jan. 5 forum BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com

Daytona Beach residents are being encouraged to attend the “Focus 2015” forum to be held at Hope Fellowship Church on Jan. 5. The forum seeks to answer the

ALSO INSIDE

question: “Where are our leaders taking us in 2015?” Invited guests include U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, State Rep. Dwayne Taylor, Volusia County Councilwoman Joyce Cusack and Councilman Joshua Wagner, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry, Daytona Beach Commissioner Patrick Henry, Volusia School Board Member Ida Wright, Volusia Sheriff Ben Johnson and Daytona Beach Police Department Chief Mike Chitwood.

Community members and elected officials stand with construction equipment at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Orange Avenue Reconstruction Project held in July.

ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES

cial teams. He also was the assistant head coach, handling some of the day-to-day duties of the program. The native of Jesup, Ga was named B-CU’s 11th head coach. The announcement came just five days after the resignation of Brian Jenkins, who accepted the head coach job at Alabama State University. B-CU Director of Athletics Lynn Thompson said the selection of Sims was a swift process and that “five outstanding candidates’’ had been interviewed for the job.

First Black woman elected in DeLand

Jessica Davis, a career counselor for at-risk teenagers, was sworn in as the first African-American female to the DeLand City Commission’s District 3 seat on Nov. 18. Davis was elected during the Aug. 26 primaries, beating opponent Krystal Brown – also a Black woman – 73 to 26 percent. “Thank you to everyone that came out tonight to show me support at my swearing in. Being the first

“We want to give elected officials an opportunity to engage the public and the public an opportunity to engage our elected officials,” Bishop Bishop Derek Triplett, Derrick pastor of Hope Triplett Fellowship Church told the Daytona Times. “I have this crazy dream that urban Daytona can be very civically engaged and we want to start the steps to doing that.” Triplett hopes the forum will give the community an opportunity to talk with and hear from

elected African-American female to the DeLand City Commission is a humbling and rewarding experience. I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to serving the City of DeLand,’’ Davis shared after winning the seat she will hold for the next four years.

Black pioneer teachers honored

The Bethune-Cookman University Women’s Advisory Board paid tribute to 74 living Black educators on Dec. 12 as a fundraiser for its endowed scholarship fund. Thirty-eight of the honorees were present. The theme was “Honoring Our Unsung Heroes: The Black Teachers of Volusia County – Our Guiding Lights through Segregation. The event followed major reunions in 2014 of early students and educators at Campbell Elementary and Turie T. Small Elementary.

their elected officials and build or strengthen existing relationships.

Joint expectations “We can have joint expectations,” he explained. “We will know what to expect from them and we will know what their needs are and how we can help with that. It is a relationship. It has to have agreed upon expectations.” “I don’t want us to expect one thing and they are working on something else and then there is a lack of participation on either side. Also from the perspective of the church, we want to know what to pray for.” Commissioner Henry shares

Please see 2014, Page 2

the same sentiments, “We are a team. Part of my job as commissioner is to know our community, understand the needs of our community and then fight for what is needed to effect change,” he told the Times. “We have a $3.1 million dollar center (the Yvonne-Scarlett Cultural and Educational Center on Vine Street) right in our backyard because our citizens said we deserve to have somewhere safe, available and modernized for our children and our seniors. The commission worked to make that a reality.” “There are exhibits, classes, programs, meetings and sports activities everyone should know

NATION: WILL REPUBLICANS LIKE SENATOR TIM SCOTT HELP OR HURT? | PAGE 3 COMMENTARY: OMAR TYREE: LET’S TOW DITKA, BARKLEY INTO 21ST CENTURY | PAGE 4

Please see FOCUS, Page 2

7 FOCUS

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2015

OUR TOP 10 STORIES

2014

FERNANDEZ SR./ HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

from Page 1

Pastor Monzell Ford speaks on gang prevention and intervention to a group at Bethune-Cookman University. DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./

Proactive approach to gang culture instituted

HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Schools and law enforcement united on Nov. 13 to educate the community on local gang activity and to discuss ways to curb it. Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood told the Daytona Times that there are over 20 known street gangs in the city. The workshop at Bethune-Cookman followed the death of Preston Reed, 22, who was gunned down in DeLand on Nov. 9. The cooperative educational meeting was attended by about 300 people. It was coordinated by Volusia County Schools, BethuneCookman University, the Department of Juvenile Justice, Daytona Beach Police Department and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office at B-CU’s Center for Civic Engagement.

Teachers and students from Turie T. Small Elementary reunite decades later. DUANE C.

Signs like these were banned on the property of City Island Library following a heated debate on code enforcement at a city commission meeting. ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES

Heavy rainfall cripples area

Heavy rainfall caused isolated flooding in coastal areas. According to Volusia County Road and Bridge Director Judy Grim, many canals were at the top of their banks or had overflowed in some areas. This included the LPGA canal in Holly Hill, the Halifax canal in Port Orange, and the Turnbull Bay hammock. This caused drainage backup into streets, primarily in the incorporated cities of Holly Hill, Port Orange and New Smyrna Beach. The John H. Dickerson Heritage Library was one of the sites that temporarily closed because of flooded roads. The City of Daytona Beach reported that dozens of streets flooded and closed throughout the city including the heavily impacted Orange Avenue community where a reconstruction project, was underway.

Signs cause chaos during election cycle

At a special meeting days be-

Head Start slots available Mid Florida Community Services Head Start currently has openings for children 3 and 4 at most of its Volusia locations. Children must have turned 3 or 4 by Sept. 1, 2014 and meet income guidelines. Head Start is a nationwide, federally funded program whose purpose is to promote school readiness by enhancing the social, physical, and cognitive development of children. Head Start is provided at no cost to eligible

FOCUS from Page 1

about just at that one location,” he continued. “Not to mention the countless others the city puts on.” “I’m looking forward to this forum because what I have found, and I’m speaking for myself, but what I’ve found is a communication breakdown,” Henry continued. “There are so many great things happening in Daytona Beach, but the message just isn’t being delivered to enough people. One of my primary goals of the forum is to found out how we can fix that communication lapse.”

Reason for forum At the end of the year, Triplett would like to invite the panelists back to the church for a follow-up forum on plans made and promises kept in an effort to assess how well they did. “We named it ‘Focus 2015’ because in 2015 everyone ought to be trying to achieve something,” Triplett explained. “We do

fore the Nov. 4 election, commissioners voted 4-3 to enforce the city’s Land Development Code, which prohibits signs to be erected on public property. Mayor Derrick Henry along with Commissioners Paula Reed and Patrick Henry voted no, citing a need to relax the rules until the upcoming election is over. “At the end of the day, I’m not going to knowingly go and take a sign and stick it in a public piece of property because it is against our code. I think all of us are up here and we all believe in consistent code enforcement,” said thenCommissioner Carl Lentz, who had a public feud with Ruth Trager about signs placed on public property, specifically at the City Island Library –an early voting location. Trager went on to defeat Lentz in the election with 63 percent of the vote.

Other notable events B-CU wins Florida Classic again. The Wildcats defeated instate rivals Florida A&M University for the fourth year in a row in November. The 18-17 victory happened in front of a crowd of 41,126 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. The 50th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the topic of several events at the Daytona Beach Regional Library, including a The Affordable Care Act entered in its second year. The act mandates that all Americans (with few exceptions) have health care insurance. Bobby Michaels, the North Florida community organizer for Enroll America, told the Times, “There are new options, new benefits and financial aid available.’’ The African American Museum of the Arts in DeLand featured photojournalist Duane Fernan-

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO PASSED ON IN 2014 Mickel A. Brown, a special projects manager for the City of Daytona Beach, died Oct. 9 at age 52. Dr. Russell Mootry Jr., a former Bethune-Cookman University and longtime local political commentator, died July 29. He was 67. Annie Doris Porter Christian, a teacher, died April 8 at age 84. She also was a deliverer of the Daytona Times and wrote opinion pieces. Wilbert Kendrick, a longtime entrepreneur and truck driver who had been living in Georgia for the past few years, died Feb. 8 at age 80. George Jeremiah Hawkins, a standout football player at Seabreeze High School, died on Oct. 21. He was 30 years old.

dez’s exhibit, “The Trayvon Martin Journey: From Sanford, FL, Daytona Beach, FL, Orlando, FL and Washington D.C.” The Westside Elementary School Parent Teacher Associa-

tion sponsored its annual “Neighborhood Watch for Education” block party on Oct. 15 in the Cedar Highlands neighborhood. Over 400 people showed up to the event.

An Hispanic told apartments was available at Design Place Apartments in Miami’s Little Haiti an hour after Black was turned away.

families. For more information, call 888-227-0010.

County to meet with Teamsters Jan. 6 Staff from Volusia County’s Personnel Division will meet with the Teamsters Local 385, which represents sheriff’s deputies, from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6. The negotiations meeting will be in room 204 of the Historic Courthouse, 125 W. New York Ave., DeLand. For more information, call 386-736-5951. a lot of managing the past instead of leading to the future. We just end up marketing yesterday and managing today instead of leading people to tomorrow and moving forward.”

Future plans Triplett has additional events planned for the new year, including a “Youth Speak” event for teens and young adults as well as a “Black Economic Empowerment” event in February. “We won’t have meeting after meeting but want to encourage urban Daytona on how to participate and how to hold themselves accountable,” he said, adding that people are so busy trying to survive but have to also try to be informed. The “Focus 2015’’ forum will be held at Hope Fellowship Church, 869 Derbyshire Road, on Jan. 5. A Black Economic Forum will be held Feb. 18 and the “Youth Speak’’ forum is Feb. 25. Each event begins at 7 p.m. Next Week: Read about the outcome of the forum as well as a sit-down with Mayor Derrick Henry on his first two years in office.

Racism by Design? Suit filed against apartments owners for turning away Blacks BY ERICK JOHNSON NNPA NEWS SERVICE

For the second time, Design Place Apartments in Little Haiti, a neighborhood in Miami, has been sued for racial discrimination by Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence Inc. (HOPE), a housing watchdog group. The latest suit filed last month alleges that Design Place again turned away Blacks seeking apartments at the complex, located at 5175 NE 2nd Court. The complaint, filed in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court, names SPV Realty, the owners of Design Place Apartments, as the sole defendant. HOPE has retained attorney Rachel Goldstein from the Disability Independence Group, an organization that advocates housing rights on behalf of plaintiffs. Design Place had failed HOPE’s random housing test in 2012, was sued and settled a housing discrimi-

nation suit in 2013. In September, HOPE decided to follow up to see whether Design Place Apartments remained in compliance.

None available On Sept. 15, HOPE sent Alexandra Del Rosario, a Hispanic, to Design Place to seek a two-bedroom unit. She was told an apartment was available. But an hour earlier, Zipporah Hayes, a Black applicant, was allegedly told by General Manager Frank Leonor that there were no two-bedroom units available. In another test, Jason Rose visited the Design Place on Oct. 4. He asked about the availability of a two- bedroom apartment that he needed to rent “as soon as possible.” Rose was shown a model two bedroom and told that it cost $1,700 per month but that none were available. When he returned home, Rose called the complex and was told that

he would have to provide two pay stubs to show an annual income of at least $31,000 a year. He also was told that he would have to complete a background and credit check, a process that would take at least one week. Nearly one hour after Rose’s visit, Christopher Marrero, a Hispanic, was told that two bedrooms were currently available for only $1,250 a month, according to the lawsuit. He was also told that there would be a credit check but the application process would take only 24 to 48 hours to complete. HOPE seeks compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of Hayes, Rose and another Black tester, Dietra Young. According to the suit, Young was also allegedly told that there were no twobedroom apartments available. Reyni Salnave, a Hispanic tester, went after Young and was allegedly was told apartments were available. The lawsuit accuses SPV Realty of violating the Fair Housing Act of 1964 by “denying Black persons the opportunity to rent available apartments while at the same time offering White persons the

opportunity to rent available apartments.” The suit also accuses SPV Realty of giving “false and inaccurate information” as Blacks were told a higher rent rate than Whites.

Another discrimination case It also demands the court provide injunctive relief to other Black applicants who were unable to rent because of the alleged discriminatory practices. The suit comes as HOPE settled another discrimination case Nov. 5 against Elite Riverview Apartments in Miami. Hope sued Riverview in May after Black testers were denied tours to view units. In the new lawsuit, HOPE alleges that the defendant’s “discriminatory actions have interfered with the efforts and programs of HOPE which are intended to bring about equality of opportunity for all persons regardless of race and color.” No one from Design Place was available for comment at presstime.

This story is special to the NNPA from The Miami Times.

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cled materials. For more information, contact Carol Mini at 386-986-3722.

Children and Families Advisory Board to meet Jan. 13 The Children and Families Advisory Board will meet at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, in the firstfloor training room of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. Members will discuss summer camp recommendations and review the process and scopes of service for requests for statements of qualifications. The Children and Families Advisory Board assesses and evaluates strategies to meet needs, monitors program compliance, advertises funding availability, recommends appropriations for programs serving children and families, and provides recommendations to the Volusia County Council on children and family issues. For more information, call Brittany Scott, children and community programs coordinator, at 386-736-5955, ext. 12959, or visit www.volusia.org/cfab.

Wildcats on the floor There were plenty of laughs, reminiscing and line dancing on Saturday by members of the Bethune-Cookman University Alumni Association. The association gathered for a holiday dance and fundraiser at the Schnebly Recreation Center & Gym in Daytona Beach.

Library program promotes ‘1,000 Books Before Kindergarten’

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./ HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Palm Coast’s Christmas tree, electronics recycling event set for Jan. 10 Mark your calendars for Palm Coast’s annual Christmas Tree Recycling Event on Saturday, Jan. 10. Recycle your Christmas tree and receive a free three-gallon evergreen tree in exchange at the City’s eighth annual Christmas

Tree Recycling Event. The event will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Palm Coast Fuel Depot, 22 Utility Drive. DVD and CD players, keyboards, old wires, cell phones, Christmas tree lights, Styrofoam and used gift wrap will also be accepted for recycling. No TVs or computer monitors, please. All trees donated for recycling will be ground and used as mulch to beautify the parks and trails across Palm Coast.

“It helps the environment and saves the city and our residents money by us not having to purchase as much mulch for projects,” said Palm Coast Urban Forester Carol Mini. “There are residents who come out year after year for their free tree to plant in their yard.” Residents should remove all decorations, lights, tinsel and ornaments from trees prior to donation. Local Girl Scouts will assist and will accept some recy-

Preschoolers can get a head start on learning and reading skills with the Volusia County Public Library system’s new reading rewards program – “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten.” Parents and children may sign up at any library branch starting Jan. 3. They will receive a bag with a reading log and suggestions for getting started. Children can read 1,000 different books or repeat some of their favorites – they all count. Each time they reach 100 books, they will receive a reward. Library staff will have a celebration for each child who reaches 1,000. “Reading aloud to a child has so many benefits,” said Suzan Howes, a regional librarian for the library system. “Hearing language helps children understand

Former V.P. and Associate General Counsel NBA’s Miami Heat Author: Life at The Speed of Passion

the world around them. Listening to spoken words helps children build their vocabulary. Also, reading and cuddling together build trust and help children feel safe.”

Human Services Advisory Board meeting Jan. 13 Volusia County’s Human Services Advisory Board will meet at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the Emergency Operations Center, 3825 Tiger Bay Road, Daytona Beach. Members will discuss the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) first-quarter report for fiscal year 2014-2015 and review the grant’s organizational standards. Members will also discuss the 2014-2015 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The advisory board assists the Volusia County Council in developing CSBG program goals and objectives, identifying community needs, and evaluating program effectiveness. For more information, contact Myralis Hopgood at mhopgood@volusia.org or 386-7365956, ext. 12985.

‘Ladies Night Out’ debuts at Cinematique The Daytona Beach Regional Library and Cinematique will kick off their new “Masterpiece Classics Ladies Night Out” series at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the Cinematique Theater, 242 S. Beach St. Attendees will watch the current episode of “Downton Abbey” and take part in a discussion of the characters in historical context led by Librarian Deborah Shafer. The series, which focuses on Masterpiece Classics programs, will meet on the second Wednesday of each month. Admission is free and reservations are not required. For more information, call Deborah Shafer at 386-257-6036, ext. 16234.

7 EDITORIAL

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2015

Let’s tow Mike Ditka and Charles Barkley into the 21st century In the middle of an American turmoil between the police force and African-American men, what I would like in 2014 is more social awareness, logic and sensitivity from the Mike Ditkas and Charles Barkleys of the world. Both high-profile Hall of Fame athletes and outspoken commentators came from poor, hardworking families. Dikta, born Michael Dyczko to a Ukrainian family in Carnegie, Penn., excelled in football to escape working in the Pennsylvania steel mills and factories of the 1950s and 60s. Likewise, Barkley excelled in basketball to escape generations of poverty and racism in Leeds, Ala. in the 1970s and 80s.

Getting away with it The pair of hard-nosed and tenacious athletes played their respective sports like gladiators with swords and shields in hand. They were manly and proud of it. They had no problem expressing themselves either, saying the type of things that other men would only think about. Ditka and Barkley were able to get away with it, too. That’s why hardened, oldschool men love these guys. They allowed Joe Blow and Sammy Washington to validate their own unfiltered and uncompromised opinions. Now we have a nation full of no-named Ditkas and Bar-

OMAR TYREE NNPA COLUMNIST

kleys all over the Internet on Twitter and Facebook, saying whatever the hell they want without enough thought behind it. What does this have to do with Black America’s issues with the police? Well, if you haven’t heard, Mike Ditka, who calls himself an “ultra conservative,” recently made comments that the citizens of Ferguson, Mo. used the police killing of teenager Michael Brown as “a reason to protest and go out and loot.” He confessed that he didn’t understand the uproar, and that he doubted the St. Louis Rams football players who flashed a “hands up, don’t shoot” symbol during their introductions in a recent game against the Oakland Raiders “care about Michael Brown or anything else.” Ditka says that there are a lot of different things in society that athletes can complain or protest about. Why choose Michael Brown? Well, Tavon Austin, Steadman Bailey, Jared Cook, Kenny Britt and Chris Givens – who all happen to be Black and play professional football for the St. Louis

Rams – consider the loss of Black life, coupled with injustice from the local police force, important enough to talk about. And why shouldn’t they? The last time I checked a human life was more important than anything, including football and basketball. Barkley has now aggravated his own family members by commenting on the same Missouri issue as Ditka, calling the Ferguson looters “scumbags.” He then went on to explain himself by adding more kerosene to the fire. “In all fairness, there are some people out there who are crooks. We, as Black people, got a lot of crooks.” Yes, Barkley said it and he’s not backing down from it. Well, thanks a lot, Charles Barkley. That comment sure helps America to deal with its police issue with African-Americans. I’m sure thousands of hardcore police will just love that one. But the truth is: every race, culture and class has crooks, particularly when they are challenged by economic imbalances. That’s the problem with Mike Ditka and Charles Barkley.

Omar Tyree is a New York Times bestselling author, an NAACP Image Award and a professional journalist. Write your own response at www. daytonatimes.com.

Innocent Blacks and White cops – All lives are valuable Rafael Ramos had been a school security guard before he joined the New York City Police Department two years ago. Ramos, 40, was married and had two children. The youngest child, Jaden, 13, fondly remembered his dad on Facebook and Twitter, describing his dad as “the best father I could ask for.” Already, many in the Ramos family say they have forgiven Ismaayl Brisley, the man who executed Rafael Ramos and his colleague, Wenjian Liu, on December 20. Liu, 32, attended the College of Staten Island and Kingsborough Community College. He was a dedicated police officer who, according to news reports, chose his career out of a sense of duty and obligation. He had been married for just two months.

Medical indifference Eric Garner, 43, was also married and had six children; the youngest, Legacy, was born just three months before his father died. Garner’s death was ruled a homicide, probably because he was placed in a chokehold, a forbidden police maneuver. A cursory view of the last moments

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

of his life show excessive police force and medical indifference to a man whose dying utterance, “I can’t breathe,” has become the mantra for a movement. Tamir Rice never lived long enough to reach the legal age for marriage. He was just 12 years old when Timothy Loeman shot him to death. Loeman was described as “unfit” for police duty in Independence, Ohio but he somehow made it onto the larger, Cleveland police force. It took him all of two seconds to decide the precious little boy had a dangerous weapon, although the 911 caller who alerted the police said the gun was probably not real. Michael Brown, described as a “gentle giant” by his friends, also had his life cut short. He was killed by a remorseless Darren Wilson, who pumped 12 rounds into the young, Black man who was looking forward to attending community college. His words,

“hands up, don’t shoot” have been printed on signs and T-shirts all over the world, as a symbol of police brutality and active resistance. A grand jury failed to indict Darren Wilson, whose testimony seems to have been coached by Robert McCulloch, a prosecutor whose actions were, at best, questionable. His killing, linked with those of Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, has sparked an international movement against police brutality and excessive police force.

Revenge and tragedy What links the deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu? Some would say that one set of deaths was revenge for the other. Actually, all of the deaths represent a tragic loss of life. They represent losses for families and friends, tragedies for communities. The connection between Brown, Rice, Garner, Ramos and Liu is that all of these lives should be mourned.

Julianne Malveaux is an economist and author based in Washington D.C. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes.com.

Blacks should support normalizing relations with Cuba President Obama’s historic announcement that the U.S. is restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba, after more than five decades of strategic political and military opposition, is today resonating positively throughout Black America. It is in the economic, cultural and political interests of 42.7 million Black Americans across the United States to focus on the new emerging opportunities to strengthen relationships with the people and government of the Republic of Cuba. President Obama stated, “In the most significant changes in our policy in more than 50 years, we will end an outdated approach that, for decades, has failed to advance our interests…Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas.”

International perspectives A key question that needs to be asked is: How the changes that President Obama highlighted about Cuba will afford Black Americans in particular more opportunities to establish joint ventures and other business relationships with the people of Cuba? Too often some of us limit ourselves to lengthy debates about our changing world, but miss out on a chance to participate

DR. BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

in helping to actually shape and build new world realities. Our worldview has always included international perspectives. Our consciousness is informed not just by what might be popular domestically at any given moment in time, but also how we see the international struggle for freedom, justice and equality. In Black American education, literature, music, sports, business, religion and other cultural realms we have witnessed the benefits of defining and securing the interests of African people throughout the world. I vividly remember James Baldwin encouraging me to understand better what it meant by the slogan “Viva Cuba!” Baldwin helped me to see the relationship between the Cuban Revolution and the African Liberation Movement against imperialism, colonization and the sufferings of neo-colonialism in the 1960s and 1970s. “Viva Cuba” became synonymous Viva Africa!” Angola and Namibia, as well the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, all benefited from the enormous sacrifice and support

that Cuba rendered to southern Africa during the 1970s and 1980s.

Support our brothers Now that Cuba is once again the subject of solidarity for some and renewed ridicule from others, I believe it is important for Black Americans to actively support for our brothers and sisters in the island nation of Cuba. More than 11 million people live in Cuba. The 2002 Cuban census puts the Black population at 10 percent, mulatto 23.8 percent, Asian 1 percent and Whites at 65 percent. Most estimates place the people of color figure at 40 to 60 percent of the population. Predictably, some conservatives have already announced plans to have Congress block Obama’s plan to designation a U.S. ambassador to Cuba. The economic blockade of Cuba is a matter that only the U.S. Congress can end through legislation. But the will of the people can force Congress to do the right thing regarding Cuba. Let’s continue to stand up and speak about Cuba and the rest of the world. This not a time for Black America to be silent.

Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes. com.

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: CYBER-HACKING

DAVID FITZSIMMONS, THE ARIZONA STAR

Medical debt is confusing and often inaccurate Anyone who has been to an emergency room, out-patient clinic or undergone a series of medical tests knows how it feels to receive confusing bills from providers you never knew were treating you. The effects of so many bills and their high costs can almost make a person sick a second time – just from learning how much their medical care costs. Each year, 43 million Americans have unpaid medical debt that adversely affects their credit, says the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Nationwide, one out of every five credit reports show overdue medical debt and accounted for 52 percent of all debt appearing on credit reports. Over the past year, the number of debt collection complaints CFPB received surpassed those of both mortgages and credit cards.

Deliberate failures Beyond confusing bills, CFPB learned through investigating these complaints that two frequently-cited concerns were the lack of standard practices and deliberate failure to notify consumers that detrimental entries were added to the personal credit reports. The varying amount of time that medical providers allot before turning accounts over to collections agencies can be as short as 30 days after billing to as long as 180 days. In other cases, some debt collectors bypass directly informing consumers of an alleged delinquency and instead file derogatory comments with credit bureaus. The CFPB also found that almost one in four consumers filing medical debt complaints claimed that the debts were not their own. These consumers were more than twice as likely to allege that the “debt was paid” compared to other types of debt collection concerns. A second widely claimed position of complainants was that the collector was seeking the wrong amount.

Negative implications These two types of complaints – the wrong amount owed and the debt being owed by someone else – together illustrate how the lack of uniform standards in medical collection negatively impacts consumers. These and other related reasons prompted CFPB to con-

CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER

vene a public hearing on medical debt on December 11. Held at Oklahoma City University’s Kerr-McGee Auditorium, CFPB Director Richard Cordray opened the session saying, “It’s hard for consumers to navigate the medical debt maze and come out with a clean credit report on the other side. Getting medical care should not make your credit report sick.”

More concerns Lisa Stifler, a policy counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending, testified at the hearing, citing even more concerns. “Debts are often sold with limited and inaccurate or incomplete information about the consumers and the debts,” said Stifler. “This, along with the collection tactics used, results in people being harassed and wrongly pursued for debts they do not owe, have already paid, or are too old to be the subject of a lawsuit.

Accuracy reports requested To effectively remedy the growing medical debt issue, CFPB announced a series of steps it will take to ensure accuracy of data in credit reports. Both creditors and credit bureaus will be required to regularly provide CFPB with accuracy reports. Some of the key metrics will include: The volume of information and total number of disputes on the top industries reported; Identification of the creditors furnishing the largest number of consumer disputes; and A record of the efforts taken by reporting agencies to investigate problems and relevant actions For consumers, CFPB released tips on how to deal with medical debt both before and after it reaches credit reports.

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes. com.

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5 7

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2015 DECEMBER ENTERTAINMENT 14 - 20, 2006

MAYOR

‘Selma’ a bridge between past and present First major motion picture with MLK as center of story debuts on Jan. 9 BY JENNIFER BRETT ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION (TNS)

The day the Ferguson grand jury’s decision was announced, actor David Oyelowo was in Atlanta to discuss his portrayal of and a spasm of violence that gave way to more peaceful demonstrations around the country following the decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. “Selma,” filmed largely in metro Atlanta with key scenes shot in the Alabama town made infamous when hundreds of peaceful civil rights marchers bound for Montgomery were attacked by state and local police officers in 1965, opened on Christmas Day in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles and Atlanta. It will be released nationwide on Jan. 9. A powerful work already nominated for a best picture Golden Globe and highly expected to pick up an Academy Award nod, it tells the story of the Selma-to-Montgomery march and the movement that ultimately led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In addition to Martin and Coretta King, the movie prominently includes characters such as U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Andrew Young and the late Hosea Williams.

Approached with prayer Oyelowo prepared to march in Martin Luther King Jr.’s shoes with prayer. “When I first read the script in 2007 I literally felt God telling me I was going to play this role,” he said. “I wrote it down in my prayer diary. I took a gamble and said, ‘Dear God, I pray that something will come through me that is not of me.’” Shortly before filming began at locations including the Georgia State Capitol and the MariettaCobb Museum of Art, Oyelowo visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and met with the Rev. Bernice King, the center’s CEO and daughter of the civil rights icon. “She said, ‘That’s no joke, what you’re about to take on here. Let me pray for you,’” he recalled.

Emotional for Lewis Since King’s speeches — which are property of the King family estate — had already been licensed several years ago for a biopic to be produced by Steven Spielberg, “Selma” director Ava DuVernay had to figure out how to rewrite many of King’s speeches and words.

OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/TNS

Actor David Oyelowo, right, greets John Lewis, the Democratic Congressman from Georgia and civil rights icon at the Washington, D.C., premiere of “Selma” on Dec. 11, 2014, at the Newseum. “There’s never been a major motion picture with King at the center, at least in theaters, and a lot of it was because of the intellectual property,” DuVernay said in an interview with Yahoo Movies. “So I just unanchored myself from the words and went not even line-by-line, but word for word, to try to really understand what he was trying to say and then just say it in a different way.” The film has received an emotional endorsement from John Lewis, who as a young man was badly beaten by Alabama state troopers on the “Bloody Sunday” march across Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge. “I was very moved by the film ‘Selma,’” he said. “It just took me back. I cried at several places in the film. It just made it so real.”

Still hopeful He remembers having to sit in the balcony during movies while growing up in Pike County, Ala. “The little White children would sit downstairs,” Lewis said, recalling being told, “That’s just the way it is,” and “Don’t make trouble,” when he questioned the disparity. “To go from that to having someone play me in a movie, it says something about America and the progress that has been made,” Lewis said. “It’s almost too much to believe to see yourself in the theater.”

Oji Singletary directs the “Braxton’s Family Values’’ and other shows featuring Braxton family members.

Singletary: Successful director behind some of the top reality shows EURWEB.COM

Who is the man behind the scenes directing some of the most successful reality shows on television for VH1, BET, Bravo and even Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network? That would be Oji Singletary, a passionate and talented director-at- heart that jet sets across the world to shoot reality shows. Spending his days managing cast and crews, creating story elements, conducting interviews with cast and directing multicam scenes, Singletary is one busy man. “I love reality television, and I love what I do,” said Singletary. Currently, he di-

rects “The Braxton’s Family Values,’’ the “Tamar & Vince” show and “The Real.’’ In addition to directing, Singletary spends his time balancing personalities. “All the sisters bring something unique and special. They are definitely a talented bunch,” says Singletary. “They all have their lives. They all have opportunities and have their own opportunities.” Singletary manages his time and splits it between the shows.

Plenty of reality shows When managing guests for “The Real’’ show, he says, “We have to strategically pick and

Despite the progress yet to be made, Lewis is hopeful. “We will lay down the burden of racism,” he said. “Sometimes I feel like we should be doing better. But I feel like we should be grateful for the distances we have come. We will get there. (‘Selma’) should speak to people today. We must be committed to the way of peace, love and nonviolence.”

‘A rhythm to us’ While “Selma” is a period piece, complete with vintage cars and clothing and historical artifacts like phone booths, it feels timely, given the strife our nation has experienced in recent months, including the recent shooting deaths of two New York police officers. “The notion that we are in a post-racial society is a complete fallacy,” said Oyelowo, who has been nominated for a best actor Golden Globes award and is a sure bet to pick up an Oscar nod. “You only have to juxtapose the images we see (in the film) with those coming out of Ferguson.” The movie’s ballad “Glory,” by John Legend with Common, who plays activist James Bevel in the movie, also links the struggles of the civil rights era to current protest movements. “The movement is a rhythm to us. Freedom is like religion to us. ... That’s why Rosa sat on the bus.

choose our moments so we can get the most bang for our buck.” He also directed BET’s “College Hill,’’ “College Hill: Interns’’ and VH1’s “Basketball Wives,’’ “Welcome to Sweeties Pie’s,’’ “ Shahs of Sunset,’’ “Lisa Raye: The Real McCoy,’’ “Bridezillas, “Son of a Gun’’ and others. At the time of this interview with EUR’s Lee Bailey, Singletary was finishing Season 4 for “Braxton’s Family Values,’’ He talked about the ends and out of reality television. “Momma Braxton calls the shots. Contractually, she doesn’t have editorial control, but she has control of her daughters,” he explained. If Momma Braxton says something, they listen. The executive producers have the power to change something they don’t like and they can make things the way they want.”

Lots of drama When asked how long he thinks the “Braxton’s Family Values’’ show could go on, he says, “I think they could go on and on. The Kardashians are in 14 years. It is a commitment, and they have a whole lot of opportunities,” Singletary noted. Singletary’s family is no stranger to the entertainment industry. His father, Tony Singletary, was also a successful director. He directed “Sanford & Son,’’ “Martin’’ and “The Bill Cosby Show.’’ Singletary’s father helped him on his forthcoming documentary, “Misguided Altruism,’’ but his father says it is a young man’s world. Singletary says

That’s why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up.” “Glory” is up for a best original song Golden Globe.

Remembering Coretta Carmen Ejogo, who plays Coretta Scott King, hopes “Selma” can inspire unity and progress. “There’s a real chance that the reaction to it will be specific and strategized, that it might have a chance at becoming something substantial in terms of change,” she said. “I’m excited that ‘Selma’ may in some way be a useful tool.” “Selma” is the second movie starring Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, who died in 2006. The two met after Ejogo’s performance in the 2001 HBO project “Boycott.” “I really wasn’t prepared for the regalness and the stoic stillness of the woman,” Ejogo said. “When I went in the room to finally meet her I literally burst into tears and had to walk back out. I had to compose myself and try again.” The two became friends easily. “At the end of the evening we were singing arm-in-arm ‘We Shall Overcome,’” Ejogo said. “I really felt excited by the chance to play her a second time.”

Golden Globe nods Oprah Winfrey, who served

Tracy Edmonds gave him a chance to direct and the rest is history. Although, he loves reality television, he says after awhile, the drama starts becoming embarrassing. “Well to be honest, the shows I do, I try to avoid shows with just drama. I was attracted to the Braxton’s show – love, comedy, feelgood shows. I try to balance,” he says. When directing “Basketball Wives,’’ he says, “I was literally separating the “Basketball Wives from each other in Italy and it wasn’t a good feeling.”

Passionate about film “I also have my own Oji products, my passion projects. One is a documentary, “Misguided Altruism,’’ about a man (Dr. Ozel Clifford Brazil) helping kids go to school. I am one of his products. He helps students go to college. Overall, he helped over 20,000 students,” related Singletary. Dr. Brazil went to jail for taking a stand and helping students. “I’m very excited and passionate about the project.’’ His project can be seen at various film festivals across the country, including the Pan African Film Festival. “My father executive produced it and gave us the financial help to help us tell the story,” Singletary said. “My brother, Travis, helped and it was a very small crew of passionate students who were all students of Dr. Brazil’s and thought it was important to get the story out there.”

as a “Selma” producer and also played the role of Annie Lee Cooper, a nurse determined to register to vote, was a source of guidance and inspiration during the filming. “She was more of a mother to me,” Oyelowo said. “I remember her calling me saying, ‘Why are you up? You need to go to bed!’ She was there for support and encouragement.” DuVernay, the first Black woman to earn best director honors at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival for “Middle of Nowhere,” also starring Oyelowo, is up for a best director Golden Globe. “Our approach was to illuminate something about Dr. King,” she said. “The deep history of the movement is not taught in schools in the way we would like. I think the film speaks to what is going on in the country right now.” Could “Selma” be the healing moment our country needs after being so riven by racial discord? “As a storyteller I don’t ask any intention of what people will do. My desire is for it not to be disposable entertainment,” she said. “I don’t feel like a film is a healing moment. A healing moment is people taking to the streets. If it triggers conversation, that would be a beautiful thing.”

Movie based on ‘The Vow’ book will air this month on Lifetime Regina Hall, Jill Scott and Eve play three women tired of being bridesmaids and ready to settle down and have their own weddings as soon as possible. They attend a wedding of another friend on New Year’s Eve. Their desperation pushes them to be married within the next year, but it’s a struggle making it to the altar within the next 12 months. The movie is based on the novel “The Vow’’ by Mitzi Miller, Angela Burt Murray Eve and Denene Millner. Nzingha Stewart of “The Game’’ writes and directs the film version. Also, Gabrielle Union co-stars as well as produces the film with Tracey Edmonds.

Jan. 24 premiere Burt-Murray is not only ex- Regina Hall cited the novel was made into a film, but she’s excited about the actresses who are starring in the film — calling the upcoming film three times dope. “Super excited to share the news that my first novel I wrote with Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller is being Jill Scott made into a movie! Starring Jill Scott, Eve and Regina Hall, the movie [is] based on our book, “The Vow,” will air on Lifetime this year. #thenow #threetimesdope #dropsmic,” Burt-Murray wrote. The film was shot in Cleveland during August and was originally slated for a 2014 release. Nevertheless, it’s set to premiere on Lifetime on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m.

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JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2015 DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

Will elected Black Republicans help or hurt? Scott, Hurd, Love not expected to be a plus for community BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – Black Republicans made history during the midterm elections in November by winning in Texas, South Carolina and Texas, but political analysts wonder if the victories will have any longterm impact on the future of the GOP in the Black community. Traditionally, Black candidates running for elected offices not only need a large Black turnout but also a majority of the Black vote to win statewide and national races. Senator Tim Scott made history by becoming the first Black Republican elected to serve in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. He won with just 10 percent of the Black vote and 82 percent of the White vote, according to exit polls.

History for Hurd, Love Representative-elect Will Hurd beat his Democratic challenger Pete Gallego in Texas by a narrow 2.1 percent margin in a predominately Hispanic congressional district (House District 23) to become the first Black Republican from Texas elected to the United States Congress since Reconstruction. When the next congressional term begins, Mia Love, a Black Mormon and daughter of Haitian immigrants, will represent Utah’s 4th House district in a state where Blacks account for just 1.3 percent of the total population. Lorenzo Morris, a political science professor at Howard University, said the Black community shouldn’t expect much from the Black Republicans during the next legislative session, because they won largely without Black voters. In addition, he said, their rank as freshmen lawmakers will limit their influence within the party. “Their collective impact, if they are really outspoken, will just be on the plus side of zero, barely zero,” said Morris. “The obvious impact for Republicans is positive only to the extent that it shows visually, if not substantively, an outreach to minorities.”

KIM FOSTER-TOBIN/THE STATE MCT

Joined by his mother Frances Scott, newly elected U.S. Sen. Tim Scott receives a congratulatory call from President Obama at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center, on Nov. 4, 2014.

Mia Love

Will Hurd

‘F’ grade for Scott Scott earned an “F” on the NAACP’s legislative report card during the first session of the 113th Congress from January 2013 – Dec. 26, 2013. ThinkProgress.org reported that Scott proposed a bill in 2011 to block families from receiving food stamp benefits if one of the adults in the home joined a strike, and as a state legislature Scott supported cuts to South Carolina’s HIV/AIDS budget. In a 2012 speech, Love accused President Barack Obama of “pitting us against each other based on our income level, gender, and social status” and said that, “His policies

have failed.” Love has also pledged to take the Congressional Black Caucus “apart from the inside out.” If they continue to express views counter to those held by the Black electorate that overwhelmingly supported President Obama with more than 90 percent of their votes in back-to-back elections, Morris said, that their presence could actually hurt that visual image of minority outreach, because it will further distance the GOP from the politics that are overwhelmingly characteristic of Black voters.

Republicans respond Raynard Jackson, a Republican strategist and the president and CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, called Love, “the embodiment of the American Dream” and said that her journey as a first generation Haitian immigrant to become the first Black Republican female ever elected to the U.S. House of Rep-

resentatives is amazing. “It doesn’t matter what her politics are or what her party affiliation is, if Love’s story doesn’t inspire you, then there is something wrong with you as an American citizen,” said Jackson. Former congressman Allen West (R-Fla.) said that the Republican Party has to remind Black voters that the conservative principles and values of the GOP are quite consistent with the history of the Black community. “When you go back and read Booker T. Washington’s writings at the turn of the century, his remedy for the Black community under the stress and strain of segregation and Jim Crow laws were three points: education, entrepreneurship and self-reliance,” said West. “When you look at each one of those individuals Senator Tim Scott, Representatives-elect Mia Love and Will Hurd, that’s what they represent, and those are the three things we must have conversations

about in the Black community.”

A liberal Republican? West compared the overwhelming loyalty that Black voters have for the Democratic Party to an investor that puts all of his eggs in one basket. Just like an investor shouldn’t put all of his money in one fund or one venture, West said, Black voters should also diversify their political capital. “The people in these majority-minority districts are going to have to look up and say, ‘Why are we still in this situation? Why do we continue to elect the same person and nothing is getting any better?’” said West. Morris said that if a Black Republican wanted to sway Black voters in any significant way, the candidate would have to talk about social policies and programs in ways that are open and address issues such as income inequality similar to the way a mod-

erate Democrat would. In short: the candidate would have to be a liberal Republican. “It would take a miracle for a Black Republican to win a majority Black district,” said Morris.

A Black strategy Still Raynard Jackson said that the additions of Scott, Hurd and Love will help the party, if they are properly utilized. Jackson used a basketball analogy to describe how the Republican Party can continue to win with candidates like Tim Scott, Mia Love and Will Hurd. “You have to understand the strengths and the weaknesses of each player and you have to know when to put them in the game and when to sit them down,” said Jackson. “You have to understand when to bring a Tim Scott, a Mia Love, a Will Hurd in to speak. You can’t send them everywhere. You have to understand what their message is to best utilize them. That’s what has to be done.”

New student exchange program launched between China and HBCUs BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON– In an effort to develop the next generation of global leaders, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, joined, Perfect World, the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) and domestic groups focused on building ties between the United States and China to embark on a new student exchange program.

The Zhi-Xing China – Perfect World U.S.-China Young Leaders Fellowship program will offer students and mid-career professionals the opportunity to travel across China, strengthening business and personal networks, and sharing inspirational cross-cultural experiences with their Chinese peers. Perfect World, an online gaming company, will assist in funding the fellowship initiative, which is open to all educational

disciplines and industries, through 2025.

Open to mid-tier professionals Johnny Taylor, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, a group that advocates for nearly 300,000 students through a network that includes publicly supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), said that after meeting with world leaders in the public

and private sector, he found Perfect World to be the perfect partner because not only were they interested in entry-level opportunities for HBCU students, they were looking for mid-tier professionals as well. Taylor said the exchange isn’t just about numbercrunchers and programmers, but it also about graphic designers and artists. He noted that people limit science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)

professions very much, but in reality everyone interacts with STEM every day. “Everything that we do is about STEM,” said Taylor.

Technology and art Robert Xiao, the CEO of Perfect World, said through conversations with Taylor, he discovered that they shared a similar vision and a grand goal of changing people in the United States and in China. “We know a lot of young professionals need to not only grasp the technology part and the art part but also the culture part,” said Xiao. “You gotta go abroad, you gotta be able talk to different people, you have to understand other nations and other cultures deeper.” Xiao added that not only will Perfect World benefit from these types of exchanges, but the industry will benefit as well. The Perfect World CEO said that he wants to expose Black college students to the “the beautiful business from China” while giving Chinese students a modern piece of America and a deeper understanding of the community. According to the International Monetary Fund, China recently surpassed the United States as the world’s largest economy. Taylor

said that it would be senseless not to have relationships with the Chinese, especially with what he called a “Chinese American company.’’ Perfect World is publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange.

July 2015 start David Wilson, president of Morgan State University in Baltimore, led a delegation of HBCU officials on the trip to Beijing where the memorandum of understanding was signed between the schools and the Chinese government last July. The Beijing delegation included school administrators from the following HBCUs: Tougaloo College, Hampton University, Bowie State University, Spelman College, Howard University, Morehouse College, Xavier University and Morgan State University. Even though the eligibility requirements and selection process for the ZhiXing China—Perfect World U.S.-China Young Leaders Fellowships still needs to be finalized, officials with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund said that students will begin traveling to China for the exchange program in July 2015.

7TECHNOLOGY

JANUARY 1 – JANUARY 7, 2015 lifestyle habits, she said, because it can reinforce medical advice after a patient leaves the doctor’s office.

At risk for attacks

FRANCINE ORR/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Qiana Sago, 32, of Inglewood, Calif., took part in a UCLA heart health study that used cell phones to improve participants’ eating and exercise habits. She lost weight during the study and reduced her high blood pressure medicine by half.

Fitness app helps keep at-risk dieters on track BY ERYN BROWN LOS ANGELES TIMES (TNS)

Qiana Sago knew she had a problem. Three years ago, at age 30, she weighed 269 pounds. She was taking pills for high blood pressure. Her triglycerides were “the highest you can have,” she said. Working as an LAX airport custodian, she was surrounded by fast food, which became a daily staple. “You ate (it) when you got to work, you ate it again midday,” she said. “Then I’d get off work and eat more.” But, partly because she was provided access to unique fitness technology, the Inglewood, Calif., resident has turned things around — losing more than 40 pounds and working toward the day she can stop taking blood pressure medication. Sago and 39 other young African-American women at Faith-

ful Central Bible Church recently participated in a clinical trial that used a smart phone app to track their eating and activity and teach them healthful diet and exercise habits.

Low-cost access Many such mobile health, or “m-health,” programs are in their infancy. But researchers and advocates for underserved, hardto-reach patient groups hope they soon will contribute to major advances in the treatment of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions. Cell phones provide unprecedented, low-cost access to patients, experts say, because the technology is so widely used and the socioeconomic digital divide is shrinking. The Pew Research Internet Project reported earlier this year that 84 percent of U.S. adults with incomes below

$30,000 a year had cell phones; 47 percent had smart phones. Increasingly, phones — not home-based broadband connections — are the gateway to the Internet for all Americans. “Anything that you’re doing online, that you want to extend to a low-income population, the way they’re most likely to access it is through mobile,” said Margaret Laws of the California Health Care Foundation in Oakland. Laws runs a program that hopes to use technology to help at-risk groups. “Everyone has a phone, even if it’s a throwaway,” added UCLA psychologist and researcher Vickie Mays. Mays, who leads a center that focuses on addressing health disparities, collaborates with the university’s Wireless Health Institute, which backed the Inglewood study. Mobile technology offers a powerful tool to assist people seeking to change bad eating and

Heart disease among young Black women — a long-recognized problem — appeared to be an ideal condition to target with m-health programs, said Jo-Ann Eastwood, a nurse practitioner and associate professor at UCLA’s School of Nursing who ran the church group study. “I was tired of seeing women come in at 55 years old and they’ve already had a heart attack,” she said. “Their illness hadn’t been picked up early enough. That’s what drew me to this population: Where could I do the most good?” Sago and the other women selected for the study all were between 25 and 45 at the time and had at least two risk factors for heart disease. They knew that they needed to eat well and exercise. But many said they were too busy caring for their children and parents — and working long hours — to find time to care for themselves. They also needed help understanding nutrition labels.

Daily, weekly reminders Eastwood taught the women about healthy-heart lifestyles and stress reduction in four diet-andexercise classes before handing out custom-configured Android phones. The devices were disabled for voice calls but could be used to text others in the study group. The phones were loaded with an app, developed at UCLA, that interacted with the women, sending daily and weekly questions — “Did you eat five to six servings of fruit today?” — and tracking how much exercise they got via built-in accelerometers. Study participants were supposed to wear the smart phones whenever they were awake. They also had to measure their blood pressure on Sunday nights, using Bluetooth-equipped blood-pressure cuffs that sent readings to the phones, which then streamed the data to the researchers.

Logged movement data It took time to make the sys-

tem work as planned, said Nabil Alshurafa, a Ph.D. candidate who spent many days at Faithful Central tweaking the phone app. One challenge was figuring out a comfortable way for the women to wear the phones during waking hours. He and Eastwood ultimately opted for passport pouches worn around the waist. Eventually most of the women got used to lugging around the phones, which logged movement data several times a second. Blood-pressure readings spiked after the Fourth of July, the researchers noticed — a holiday when the women had loaded up on salty foods. Due to signal and data variations, Alshurafa could also tell when one participant faked her workouts by shaking the phone in her hand instead of taking walks. When unusual patterns of data were spotted, a nurse would give the subject a call, which at wavering moments reinforced the idea that someone was watching and that the diet and exercise goals were important, Alshurafa said.

Promising results Preliminary results from the study have been promising. Compared with a control group, the churchwomen had significant improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lower levels of anxiety and stress and improved eating and exercise habits. The UCLA team reported their findings last month at an American Heart Association scientific meeting in Chicago. “They changed things that are very important for heart disease,” Eastwood said, adding that many participants said the program had made them and their families healthier. Sago, now 33 and a full-time student, cut red meat out of her diet and loaded up on vegetables. In addition to losing weight, she significantly improved her blood pressure and triglycerides. The smart phone helped keep her honest. “Everybody lies to themselves,” she said. “But when you use the phone, you can’t really lie. You can’t cheat. The phone showed that you did the work. It kept track every time you moved.”