B-CU student named MEAC’s top bowler SEE PAGE 7
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DR. SINCLAR GREY, III: Challenging our youth to read, write and think critically SEE PAGE 4
B-CU PRESIDENT APPLAUDS WOMEN’S ADVISORY BOARD FOR GENEROSITY SEE PAGE 2
East Central Florida’s Black Voice FEBRUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 18, 2015
YEAR 40 NO. 7
www.daytonatimes.com
Plenty of complaints about Volusia schools Teachers, support staff ask for higher pay, cleaner schools, less testing
over outside with an estimated 500 teachers and supporters gathered. “What’s with 1 percent? We give a hundred percent!” educators chanted outside.
BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
Survey results
Filthy classrooms, no soap or toilet tissue in bathrooms, roaches on the windowsills, long hours and that pesky pay issue were among the concerns brought by teachers to Tuesday’s meeting of the Volusia County School Board. Monitoring the entrance and exit for fire code standards, the packed-to-capacity room spilled
Andrew Spar, president of the Volusia Teachers Organization, provided the Daytona Times with the results of a survey recently given to Volusia County public school teachers. One question, “Do you feel valued by our district and school board?” was answered by 1,600 respondents. Thirty respondents, or less than 2 percent, answered yes; 299 respondents answered
“The top prescriptions in the district are anti-anxiety drugs,” he added. “These are real issues that we are dealing with.”
sort of, and the remainder 1,237 said no. Asked if the teachers are doing custodial work in their classroom/office, nearly 83 percent or 1,310 respondents said yes and 256 said no. Spar also provided several emails from area teachers complaining about paper towels being out in the bathrooms and computer labs being inaccessible. “It’s not good for kids to come into a class that is infested with bugs and aren’t clean,” Spar told the board. “It’s not good for kids when teachers and support staff in this district work 6 to 6 go home, have dinner, work until 10 to 12 that night and do it again the next day.”
Complaints against Aramark The school board decided in 2013 to outsource custodial services to Aramark Services, reducing the county’s expenses by about $6 million annually. Emails, photos and those speaking to the board tried to indicate that Aramark is not holding up its end of the contract. Ida Wright, vice chair of the school board, spoke with the Daytona Times during one of the two breaks taken during the
Tuesday night meeting. She assured that the schools would be cleaned. “The board is moving forward and enacting their rights that if something happens with Aramark, if they don’t fulfill their contract then we go out and have a company to clean the schools, get it to where we need and we charge them for it,” she asserted. No vote is necessary for this to happen. “This is in our contract (with Aramark Services),” she added. “So now they are responsible for just paying us back to get the schools clean and back up to date.” Please see SCHOOLS, Page 2
Daytona officials to weigh ‘Ban the Box’ on Feb. 18
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2015
BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES
Shyrika Morris (center) sells candy as a fundraiser with with her group PEACE ARTS (Project Education and Creative Expression, Always Ready to Serve) during the Black Heritage Festival at Pettis Park in New Smynra Beach.
Local observances focus on the past and the future BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
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estivals, ceremonies and workshops celebrating and recollecting the accomplishments of Blacks in Volusia County are at the helm of this year’s Black History Month. The national celebration was started by historian, author and journalist Carter G. Woodson as Negro History Week in February 1926, later transitioning to the entire month in 1969. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), an organization which mission is to “promote, research, preserve, interpret and
disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community’ sets a theme for Black History Month each year. This year’s theme is “A Century of Black Life, History and Culture.” Events scheduled across Volusia County encompass that resolve. Here is a recap of some local Black History Month observances held thus far.
Service and the arts Hope Fellowship Church is hosting events through March focused on Black history and present-day urban Daytona Beach. Last week, historic Black civic organizations from the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) as well as service-
oriented fraternities and sororities met with community members at the church to discuss the history of their organizations. Civil rights organizations such as the NAACP and Central Florida Urban League also were present. A music and arts Black history presentation was held on Feb. 11 along with a soul food “Taste of Hope’’ and video presentation on jazz interpretation of gospel music. Bishop Derek Triplett, pastor of Hope Fellowship Church, recently hosted a leadership forum titled “Focus: 2015: Where are Our Leaders Taking Us?’’ At the Jan. 5 forum, he explained the church’s Please see OBSERVANCES, Page 5
Taylor’s run for chair may lead to historic council BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
Florida State Rep. Dwayne Taylor has filed with the Volusia Department of Elections to run for Volusia County chair in 2016. The District 26 representative is the first person to file for the seat. If Taylor is elected, he would accompany At-Large Council Member Joyce Cusack, making it the first time two Blacks sat on
ALSO INSIDE
the county’s most powerful dais simultaneously. Cusack was elected last November and won’t face re-election until 2018. Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2008 and re-elected subsequently in 2010, 2012 and 2014, Taylor has reached a term limit in the House and is barred from running again in 2016. He has been involved in local government for over a decade serving as a Daytona Beach city
commissioner from 2003-2008.
More Blacks needed At a recent forum of city and county leaders, Cusack beseeched the audience saying, “We have to have a workplace that is more diverse. I’ve been on the council now for four years and prior to that I worked for 13 years for Volusia County. There are not many folk of color that work for Volusia County. “We need to get somebody to
work for Volusia County that looks like me. Every time I go into a session and we have our department Dwayne heads come in, Taylor there are no folk of color as department heads.” The current council has seven members and is chaired by Jason Davis. Taylor was not available for comment.
The Daytona Beach City Commission will be hearing a presentation on Feb. 18 on the social and economic benefits of passing an anti-workplace discrimination policy known as “Ban the Box.’’ The measure would remove the question: “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” from city job applications and allow all job seekers an equal opportunity during the interview process. Forms of this legislation were Paul passed in num- Heroux ber of Florida cities, including St. Petersburg and Tallahassee. Passing the measure in Daytona will be a step toward statewide implementation. “While the legislation being considered only applies to applicants seeking positions with the city, it will help set the standard for private employers,” Paul Heroux, a semi-retired small business owner and member of the Main Street Alliance of Florida, told the Daytona Times. “To fully eliminate discriminatory hiring practices, small business owners like me have joined the discussion and we will present our ideas to the city commission.
‘Gives people a chance’ Commissioner Patrick Henry has stated his support of the initiative. “I want people to understand that ‘Ban the Box’ doesn’t mean we aren’t doing a background search. It just means that we won’t eliminate you from the start,” he explained. “It gives people a chance. As it stands, people with convictions on their record will find that once they check that box, in the public or private sector, their application goes straight into the garbage.” “They don’t have a chance. It’s used as an easy way to sort applications,” he continued. “But that is talent being thrown away that may be a mistake from 10 or 20 years ago.”
A felony record Added Heroux, “When I became a person with a felony record, it became difficult to find a good paying job, or any job for Please see BAN, Page 2
COMMENTARY: BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS: EACH GENERATION HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER | PAGE 4 NATION: WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHILD OF RAPE | PAGE 8
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FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2015
B-CU president applauds Women’s Advisory Board for generosity The Bethune-Cookman University Women’s Advisory Board held its annual fiesta luncheon on Monday. The board recently presented $15,000 to the endowed scholarship fund of B-CU. B-CU President Dr. Edison O. Jackson thanked the women and their continued commitment to the university, also noting that three board members recently gave $1 million each from either their personal wealth or company. “There is no reason we can’t be the greatest of greats,” Jackson stated. “Mediocrity is an outlaw on our campus.” Jackson also told the gathering that the school is not just a great HBCU. “We are a small, research-based institution
that happens to be an HBCU,” he said to applause. “Our graduates can compete in a global society.”
Need for funds “Sometimes it’s just a book, a meal that our students need. It may be that they were in a good situation that has turned and now they are sleeping in their car. Our students share with us their journey,” Jackson related. He cited a scriptural reference to the money among other factors that are given to the students. ”Psalms 37 says ‘Fret Not!’” he began. “It is our responsibility to plant seeds,” he added. “Don’t worry about growing the seeds, just plant them. God will do the growing.”
Sorority seeks men for annual cook-off event The Gamma Mu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will present its third annual Male CookOff event on March 22 at the Daytona Beach Resort and Conference Center, 2700 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach. The culinary competition will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. The event will feature appetizers, entrees and desserts prepared by men of the community who range from culinary hobbyists to professionals. Proceeds from the event will go towards scholarship for Volusia County students who desire to attend college. The event will also feature music, door prizes and a silent auction. For more information on how to participate, contact Patricia James at 386-299-8331 or send email to pjames21578@bellsouth.net.
Deltas, Omegas partner to provide preventative care health fair “Your Body, Your Temple,’’ a one-day preventive health fair, will take place Feb. 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bethune-Cookman University’s Civic Engagement Center, 740 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach. The event is a partnership in community service between the Daytona Beach Alumnae and Delta Alpha chap-
SCHOOLS from Page 1
‘Board of opportunity’ April Martin, an Orange City teacher who addressed the board while choking through tears said, “We have heard this will be the board of opportunity. I need my kids to be a priority and they’re not and we’re not.” Christine Allen, another teacher addressed the board, saying that “I would like to speak about the materials in my classroom or lack thereof. I have spent $2,000 on my own classroom this year. My job is more difficult now than in my 30 years of teaching. I felt spat upon with an offer of 1 percent. On a positive note, I don’t quit. I tell my students I won’t quit on you so don’t you quit on me.” Allen also explained to the board that teachers are not privy to textbooks that prepare students for tests. Other teachers shared those same sentiments with comments ranging from textbooks not covering information on standardized tests to scouring the Internet as an added tool, to giving students mass amounts of information with the hope of teaching something that is actually on the test.
‘We want it now’ “We want more pay and we want it now,” a teacher
JOHN REEVES/B-CU
Members of B-CU’s Women’s Advisory Board enjoy a luncheon on Monday.
ters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Omicron Omicron Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Volusia County Health Department, Get Covered Healthcare, and Victory Magazine. The day’s events will be held in a series of concurrent sessions. The event is open to the public; there is no admission charge. Free parking will be available on the east side of the building.
Presenters and topics • Daytona Sate College Massage Therapy Program, Tassa Davis • Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida, Dr. Kenice Morehouse • Preventing Cardiovascular Disease-Cardiologist, Dr. Hanscy Seide • Herbal Life (supplements), Toni Cabral • Diabetes Prevention/Reversal, Dr. Delicia Haynes • Prostate Cancer, Dr. Irving Robinson • Asthma Adult Onset, JoJo (Star 94.5 FM) • Kale Cafe and Juice Bar, Camille Brown • Bethune-Cookman University Nursing Program-Vital Signs, Christine Robinson • Glaucoma and Diabetic Retinopathy, Dr. Anne Marie Etienne • Forgiveness, Rev. Kay Dawson • Depression/Anxiety and Suicide Prevention, Tom Newman For more information, visit daytonabeachdeltas.com or call, Dr. Sadie McConner at 386-214-9745.
at Starke Elementary in DeLand, who asked her name not be revealed, told the Times. The last proposal from the district was a 1 percent one-time bonus for teachers and a 2 percent onetime bonus for support staff. The proposal was rejected by all three represented unions: the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Volusia Teachers Organization (VTO) and the Volusia Educational Support Association (VESA). “We are here for fair pay, professionalism, clean schools and we want our kids to not just be seen as data. Also the testing is awful. Everything is data driven with our kids. Testing this, testing that. So when do we have time for teaching? When do we have time for planning?” the Starke Elementary teacher continued. “We’re constantly in meetings and when we’re in the meetings, it’s about testing the kids,” she added. “We don’t have time to meet with our team. Our kids are not data. We are treated as the lowest of the low on the totem pole. They need to listen to us. Don’t be on that panel and say, ‘oh, this will work.’ “You haven’t been in that classroom. Many of those on the board have never been a teacher. I personally don’t even think they care. Everything is all good on black and white, but when
it comes to implementation, it’s a disconnect.” The district and unions return to the bargaining table on Feb. 18.
Trust ranks low
AACS seeking scholarship applicants The African American Cultural Society will award four $500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and community service.
BAN
from Page 1 that matter. I began working as a subcontractor in jobs where the skill I had was needed, regardless of background and, ultimately, I started my own handyman business. “The National Employment Law Project estimates that each year over 700,000 people return to our communities from incarceration and many aren’t fortunate enough to have the skills and support from friends and family that I had.” Heroux also is the founder of Organization for Florida Felons (O.F.F.). “Before going into business for myself, I tried to find work in sales or an industrial field that could use my expertise,” he related. “But companies have applications, and applications ask, ‘Do you have a felony record?’ And those applications are read by company owners or human resource employees who don’t care about why I might answer ‘yes’ to that question. They only know that life might be simpler with an applicant who answered ‘no’.”
Award applications have a May 1 deadline for consideration and may be requested via email to aacspalmcoast@ aol.com. Donations for the scholarship fund may be made online at www.aacspc. eventbrite.com or sent to AACS, P.O. Box 350607, Palm Coast, FL 32135-0607. For more information contact Jeanette Wheeler at 386-447-3218.
way back from Tallahassee. He spoke with two Florida legislators on the topic Tuesday. “As we deal with a talentbased economy, we are missing out on talent from people who have made mistakes earlier in their lives. There are talents in our community and that talent doesn’t always have a squeaky clean record.’’ Using Wal-Mart and Target as examples, Triplett says there are some corporations that already have adopted the practice of removing the question of conviction history from their application process. “It has to be leveraged for the good of society,” he continued. “They should be able to go and get certifications in order to take advantage of some of the opportunities out there. They should not be denied that.”
‘Hide our records’ Heroux explained that during his job search he may have been better qualified for a position than the other candidates. “My felony record could have had absolutely no effect on my ability to do the job,” he shared. “My experience and background may have made me a perfect fit for the company and the people working there. But I marked ‘yes’ in that box about arrest and felony record, and they pushed my application to the side so we’ll never know. “I have heard people say that ‘Ban the Box’ legislation is an attempt by people like me to ‘hide’ our records and ‘sneak into a job’. So I ask them, If Pope Fran-
cis applied to a Burger King for a job here in America, do you think he’d be given a background check? Of course he would. So would Mother Theresa, Taylor Swift, or anyone else for that matter. “Background checks are standard, and they make it impossible to hide your background,” Heroux continued. “I want ‘Ban the Box’ so that applicants can share their background with potential employers personally. They deserve to say who they are, what they’ve done, and what they’ve done about what they’ve done. If the employer is going to say ‘no’ to the applicant, I want the employer to know who and what he or she is saying ‘no’ to.”
‘Pave the way’ Heroux added that he believes many employers miss out on the best employees because of ‘arrest/ felon’ questions on employment applications. “I’m not looking to avoid that conversation. If an application engenders enough interest for an interview, the employer shouldn’t avoid that conversation either. I urge the city commission to vote in favor of ‘Ban the Box’ legislation and pave the way for cities and private businesses across Florida.” Heroux concluded, “If you or a loved one have been affected by this type of workplace discrimination, I invite you to come out to tell your story and help Daytona lead the way on ‘Ban the Box.’ ”
The current school board is relatively new. The most senior member has2/6/08 been 8:34 AM Page 1 ADC7K47627d1_c.qxd on the board for just over Missing out two years . And at the last board meeting, Jan. 27, Dr. on talent Margaret Smith, the thenBishop Derek Triplett, Volusia County School Su- pastor of Hope Fellowperintendent of 12 years, ship Church, also is urging resigned. community members to Kim Short, another attend the Feb. 18 commisteacher, told the board, sion meeting. “Newsflash: The people in “I wholeheartedly supVolusia County don’t trust port it,” Triplett said in a the district. How can you phone interview on his change the public’s perception?” Dr. John Hill, a DeLand physician and school board member, compared the board to a doctor’s practice. ‘It’s up to the board to listen to them,” Hill said after the public comment period ended, adding the board will need time to ‘diagnose the problem.’ “I often have patients come to me and I prescribe a treatment,” he added. “We have been told by our patients that being teachers, that being the community, what’s wrong. Tonight I am challenging myself to listen to these people and Who would have thought? William Purvis did in 1897. The Fountain Pen, developed by William Purvis, I challenge the rest of my is just one of the many life-changing innovations that came from the mind of an African American. board to do the same.” We must do all we can to support minority education today, so we don’t miss out on the next big idea tomorrow. To find out more about African American innovators and to support the United “Challenge accepted, Dr. Negro College Fund, visit us at uncf.org or call 1-800-332-UNCF. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Hill,” Linda Costello, chair replied after three hours of meeting, two breaks and ©2008 UNCF about two-dozen public comments from residents.
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FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2015 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
M A YNEWS OR
Flagler AKAs help homeless through generous donations Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Chi Delta Omega Chapter, celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., by delivering and donating packaged toiletries to the Sheltering Tree, a proven oasis for the homeless in Flagler County. Bunnell’s First United Methodist Church converts to the Sheltering Tree, Flagler’s homeless shelter, as temperatures dip below 40 degrees. The shelter welcomed the 490 items that included washcloths, toothbrushes, shampoo, bars of soap, lotion, antiperspirant, and a host of other personal products. The items will aid the shelter in its ongoing support to the Flagler County homeless population. Shelter founder Carla Traister, clothing/donation coordinator Pamela Andrews, and volunteer Dolores Ellis-Jones expressed sincere appreciation for the efforts of the sorority. Under the leadership of Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter president, the Rev. Theresa Waters, the sorority continues to exemplify the purpose of “service to all mankind.”
Lawrence Green’s artwork at library Lawrence Green’s artwork is on display this month at the Ormond Beach Regional Library, 30 South Beach Street. Green’s interest in art began in Savannah, Ga., when he was 4 years old, his dad recognizing his talent and encouraging him. By the time Green was 12, he had sold his first painting, a picture of Christ taken from the Bible. At the time, he could not afford paint so instead he used crayons. Among his favorite works are portraits of Muhammad Ali and Johnny Cash; both portraits were autographed by the subjects.
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
Green has gotten together with world-renowned artists – among whom are Salvador Dali, Leroy Neiman, and Tony Bennett – who have shared valuable advice and insight on Green’s continuing to paint and cultivating his style. During Green’s employment at the Port Authority, his enthusiasm began to wane, but his coworkers encouraged him to continue. Green’s artwork was exhibited at the World Trade Center opening, the Port Authority Employees’ Art Exhibit, which displayed for three years. In addition, Green debuted a one-man exhibit at the International Arrivals Building at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as well as the Rochdale Village Community Festival.
AACS is the scene for Saturday jazz breakfast The audience will be caught up with Rob’s Jazz Express at the top of their game while performing the smash hits in jazz at the 13th Annual Jazz Breakfast. That’s Feb. 14, 8:45 a.m. – noon at the African American Cultural Society (AACS), 4422 U.S. 1 North, Palm Coast. The breakfast is sponsored by the AACS Omni Committee. Seating is limited and breakfast will be served until 10:45 a.m. The ticket price is $20. To purchase tickets, call Omni Chairman John Reid at 386-4476098, Jean Tanner at 386-4458403 or purchase tickets online at www.aacspc.eventbrite.com.
COURTESY OF CHI DELTA OMEGA CHAPTER OF AKA
Pictured are Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members along with the founder and staff of the ShelteringTree, a homeless shelter in Flagler County.
Youth to present Black history at AACS Youth from local churches, sororities and the community at large will adapt scenarios featuring standouts such as Dr. Maya Angelou, Shirley Chisholm and President Barack Obama at the 12th Annual Youth Black History Reality Show on Feb. 15, 4-6 p.m. The celebration, which is free, will take place at the African American Cultural Society, 4422 U.S. 1 North, near Whiteview Parkway, Palm Coast. Donations will be accepted for a college scholarship program to support the post-secondary, educational goals of the youth participating in the show. Call Chairman Jeanette Wheeler at 386-447-3218 for participation and scholarship award information.
Edward Waters choir to perform at First AME First AME Church of Palm Coast is pleased to announce that it will host the nationally renowned Edward Waters College Choir in concert on Feb. 20, 6 p.m. The choir has toured Florida, the United States, Canada and the Bahamas, and has participated annually in the UNCF’s “An Evening of Stars.” Moreover, the choir has shared the stage with such notables as Stephanie Mills, Nancy Wilson, Isaac Hayes, Di-
onne Warwick, Ray Charles, Dottie Peoples and Al Jarreau. Come and experience the choir’s artful and skillful performance, which transcends generations and delights the soul. The ticket price is $20. Call 386446-5759 to reserve your tickets. First AME Church, at 91 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast, is pastored by the Rev. Gillard S. Glover.
Black Heritage Day Festival coming Feb. 21 With the entire family in mind, the public is invited to enjoy entertainment, savory food, vendors galore, and other enjoyment. The Afro-American Caribbean Heritage Organization (AACHO) will host its Annual Black Heritage Day Festival on Feb. 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The venue will take place at the African American Cultural Society, 4422 U. S. 1 North, Palm Coast. Since the AACHO members are the “Keepers of the Culture,” participants in the field of music, art and dance will be sharing their talents. This promises to be an exciting, outstanding celebration! “With all that is going on in America and around the world,” said AACHO President Vivian Richardson, “we welcome an opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate our African-American heritage in an en-
couraging, upbeat way. “After an afternoon at the Black Heritage Day Festival, folks will be able to return home with a little more faith in themselves and their fellow man...and appreciate the vastness of our culture and contributions,” reiterates Richardson. A warm invitation is extended for securing vendor space. The rate is $25 per space, and for food vendors, the cost is $35. The City of Palm Coast requires proper licensing of all food vendors. Any financial support through advertising in the journal will be appreciated. The donations will enable AACHO to award scholarships to deserving students. A quarter page is $35, a half page, $60; full page, $100; business card, $15; and a booster, $10. Please make checks payable to the Afro-American Caribbean Heritage Organization (AACHO), and mailed to the Journal Ad Coordinator, 79 Bruning Lane, Palm Coast, FL 32137. For further details, call 386446-6935. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to Lillian Gaddis, Feb. 12; Frank Quarterman, III, Candace Price, Feb. 14; “BJ” Jones, Lilieth Vaz, Feb. 18.
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FEBRUARY 12 – FEBRUARY 18, 2015
Challenging our youth to read, write and think critically I have to admit that I like using social media. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, I find myself using them to encourage, inspire, and promote ideas and concepts. Without a doubt, social media has taken over the lives of many people. They can’t live without it. Let’s face it - so many people are addicted to social media that it’s the first thing they check in the morning and the last thing done at night. Social media can be addictive, if one is unable to manage it properly. Because of the popularity of social media, many people are turning to Instagram because it allows one to post pictures. Other sites allow you to do the same, however, many people are so quick to post pictures and look at pictures that the concept of reading, writing, and thinking critically is slipping away. It’s sad to say but anyone who is unable to read, write, and think critically will find themselves struggling in this global society. No matter how great it is to look at pictures, we must never forget the importance of reading and writing. Without having the skills to read, write, and think intelligently, an individual will face a harsh reality.
Reading report In a report that was published on PBS.org, the following was concluded: • On average, African-American twelfth-grade students read at the same level as White eighth-grade students. • The twelfth-grade reading scores of African-American males
DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST
If we truly care about our youth, we must make them competent, complete, and marketable in this global economy. were significantly lower than those for men and women across every other racial and ethnic group. • Only 14% of African-American eighth graders score at or above the proficient level. These results reveal that millions of young people cannot understand or evaluate text, provide relevant details, or support inferences about the written documents they read. • The majority of the 2.3 million people incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails are people of color, people with mental health issues and drug addiction, people with low levels of educational attainment, and people with a history of unemployment or underemployment.” Anyone who cares about the progress of African-Americans should be outraged.
can change the statistics: We must begin reading to our children at an early age. Through reading, children will gain an appreciation for knowledge. Challenge our youth to think critically. No longer can we have them regurgitate what they memorize. We have to get them to ask questions and come up with solutions. Encourage our youth to expand their mindset outside of school books. Have them read books, newspapers, and magazines from different fields of study. Unless people move from their comfort zone, they will never grow. In addition to this, we have to have them write out their thoughts. Become involved in educational institutions through volunteering (e.g. mentoring and outreach programs). Every teacher and school administrator must be held accountable for what they teach our children. Simply passing a child by shouldn’t be acceptable. The concept of restoring reading, writing, and critical thinking must be done. Is it going to be easy? No, however, if we truly care about our youth (the next generation), we must do what it necessary to make them competent, complete, and marketable in this global economy.
Dr. Sinclair Grey III is an activist, speaker, writer, author, life coach, and host of The Sinclair Grey Show heard on Mondays at 2 p.m. on WAEC Love 860am (iHeart Radio and Tune In). Click on this article at www. Bring about change daytonatimes.com to write your Here are a few ways in which we own response.
Time to invest in children The president’s budget released this week proposes billions in critical new federal investments for 2016 and beyond to improve the life chances of millions of poor children. It also would prevent more harmful budget cuts in cost effective child investments while providing essential new investments to decrease the morally indefensible number of poor children (14.7 million, 6.5 million of them extremely poor) desperately in need of hope and help.
opment Block Grant to help ensure states implement the quality improvements that legislation requires and enable more children to benefit.
Education and poverty
More good news
The president’s budget proposal includes major increased investments in the critical early childhood years of rapid brain development that help prevent poverty. The most significant of the president’s new child investments would add $80 billion over 10 years for the Child Care and Development Fund to guarantee child care assistance to all low-income working parents with children under 4. Currently, only 1 in 4 eligible children under 5 receives this crucial assistance. It is hard to find a better investment. Society reaps an $8 return for each dollar invested in high-quality early childhood programs and we cannot afford not to help children and decrease current and future costs. Members of Congress should put politics aside and build on the important 2014 bipartisan reauthorization of the Child Care and Devel-
MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN NNPA COLUMNIST
There’s much other good news for children in the president’s budget that all Americans and all members of Congress should strongly support: • Four more years of funding for the successful bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to ensure 8 million children in working families will continue to have access to high-quality, affordable, and effective child health coverage. If Congress takes no action, CHIP funding will run out this fall; • A $1 billion boost for Title I education funding for poor children – a critical program children living in areas of concentrated poverty desperately need. Title I must include strong accountability measures to make sure poor and vulnerable children truly benefit; • Funding to make permanent key improvements in the Earned
Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) scheduled to expire at the end of 2017. These two tax credits lifted 5 million children out of poverty in 2013. Making these improvements permanent would prevent one million children falling into poverty and 6.7 million falling deeper into poverty; • New help for abused and neglected children and children in foster care including $1.4 billion over 10 years in new guaranteed funding for preventive services to help keep children safely in families and out of costlier foster care, promote family-based care for children with behavioral and mental health needs, and help American Indian children removed from families remain in their communities and • An additional $1.8 billion for rental assistance for low-income families and youths aging out of foster care, including $512 million for restoring 67,000 housing choice vouchers lost from sequestration. Children really do have only one childhood and it is right now. Protecting precious child lives and America’s future demands that we act immediately and move forward, not backwards.
Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children’s Defense Fund. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
Endless plastic bags smother planet earth Maybe it has always been like this. If so, I am not sure precisely what triggered my new concern. But in either case, there seems to be an exceptional amount of plastic on highways, streets, in bushes, etc. It is mainly in the form of used plastic bags. I became aware that it was entering my consciousness a few weeks ago. I was driving and noticed that there was a lot of trash along a major road in my neighborhood. I noticed that, day after day would pass and it would still be there. But it was not only in my neighborhood. I started wondering whether it was just a matter of the wind, that all of this plastic was around. That there were wind-tunnels created and the plastic bags were accumulating. I have not been able to figure it out, exactly, but I have come to a few conclusions.
Not eco-friendly The most obvious is that, as individuals, many of us simply do not care about the planet. When we are finished with something, such as a plastic bag, we are content to let it drop and float away.
BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST
The second conclusion is that we are increasingly witnessing the impact of the destruction of the public sector. There are fewer city, county and state workers to take care of our streets and roads. More often than not, I see groups of prisoners dressed in their bright, orange attire, doing cleanup. Other times I see no one. A third conclusion is that we live in a society that creates so much waste and really does not know what to do with it. So, these plastic bags fly around, after we have used them, and start to wrap themselves around trees. I am sure that you have seen this. And they smother the trees over time. Or, they fly into the rivers, ponds, and lakes, eventually making it into the ocean, to be consumed by sea life that can never digest them and, therefore, die. Yet, most of us act more as if it is nothing more
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: SNOW TRILLION
LARRY WRIGHT, CAGLECARTOONS.COM
Each generation has something to offer Whether it is in an inner city neighborhood across America, the Caribbean, in Europe or in a sprawling mass of people in an African or Brazilian urban area, millions of Black youth throughout the world are crying out for a better quality of life. They should always have a better life than their parents. I always try to keep my eyes and ears open to see and hear what our youth are saying and doing. The axiom that the future is in the hands of the young is certainly true today. I admire and support young people who stand up and speak out for freedom and equal justice. Despite what you may have heard, I have been impressed by the new generation of young activists, freedom fighters and community mobilizers who are emerging from Ferguson, Mo. to New York City, Rio, Soweto, Cape Town, Kingston, Havana, Luanda, and Lagos to Kinshasa and Lubumbashi in the Congo.
‘Rise to the challenge’ Over the past several years, we have witnessed Black youth in the United States and throughout the Pan African world rise to challenge the lingering vestiges of racial oppression, neo-colonialism and economic inequity. There is a hunger and thirst for new movements for social, political and economic change by a generation of youth who appear to be ready to move forward. Unfortunately, there are many young activists and leaders who are not receiving the kind of encouragement that they deserve and need to be successful. That’s especially true in the case of those of us who have learned the contours and dynamics of power, institution building and what it means to sustain an effective movement for change. We need to show our youth more love, concern and support, even when we have a different opinion about how they should approach a particular task. We cannot afford a generation gap at the leadership level. We cannot afford a cultural gap on the issues revolving around the poetry, music and art forms of our young artists who have always evolved out of the crucibles
DR. BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST
of our long struggle for freedom, justice and equality. Wisdom must be transmitted from one generation to the other. But more than anything else, our young today need to be encouraged to withstand harsh contradictions of a society and world that still attempts to deny our humanity.
An impossible task Yet, I know from first-hand experience that it is difficult, if not impossible, to give to others what you do not have in your own mind, pocket or spirit. In order to encourage our young lions to become strong freedom fighters, we have to be encouraged ourselves. If our spirit is broken, how are we going to inspire someone else? W.E.B. DuBois, John Oliver Killens, James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston, Angela Davis, Sonia Sanchez, Nelson Mandela and many other of our freedom-fighting writers and scholars all were once encouraged by elders who pointed the way forward in the global struggle for freedom and empowerment. Now more than ever before, our youth need the encouragement and guidance of the elders who are sober with informative and inspiring wisdom of the past and present. This is no time for us to engage in hopelessness in Africa, nor in America. The miseries of the past do not have to be our future. We must learn from the past. Our future should not be determine by what others do to us, but by what we will do for ourselves, and in particular what we will do to help our youth excel, triumph and push for a better quality of life.
Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.
THE CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
than a nuisance rather than a sign of collapse.
‘What comes next’ The solution goes far beyond recycling, as important as that step actually is. It is really about priorities. What sorts of packaging should we use? Yes, maybe some packaging will cost a little more, but so what? Yes, when we get tired of something, we should restrain ourselves from just dropping it where we want, whether it is a plastic bag or a toxic waste dump. So, when you are driving down the road and see those plastic bags smothering the trees or when they get stuck to the bottom of your car so that you are forever smelling burnt plastic, remember that this is a symptom of a society that has said, in so many words, we do not care what comes next.
Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the host of The Global African on TelesurEnglish. He is a racial justice, labor and global justice activist and writer. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
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OBSERVANCES from Page 1
resolve to remain a channel bringing relevant information to local residents. “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. “We as a people can be great.” The church has rescheduled two of those events to March 26 at 7 p.m.: “Black Economics in Daytona Beach,” a community forum; and “The Black Youth Speak,” a town hall meeting. The two were rescheduled so residents can attend the next meeting of the Daytona Beach City Commission. Triplett and the Hope Fellowship congregation is asking for the public to show support for the “Ban the Box” initiative, which will be discussed Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. in the commission chambers at 301 S. Ridgewood Ave.
Freemanville Day Since February 2002, the City of Port Orange has honored its African-American heritage, hosting a ceremony in partnership with Mt. Moriah Baptist Church and the Port Orange Historical Trust. This year’s 12th Annual Freemanville Day Ceremony took place on Feb. 10 at Mt. Moriah, where Alberta McCloud, one of Freemanville’s few remaining residents shared memories of Freemanville. In 1866, 500 former slaves settled near the shores of the Halifax River on public lands secured with the help of the U.S. Freedman Bureau. They came to Port Orange to work for the Florida Land & Lumber Company, which Dr. John Milton Hawks, a Union Army surgeon and his partners
formed. Hawks and his fellow Union Army officers had established Port Orange after the Civil War on April 26, 1867. An additional 1,000 freed slaves made Port Orange their home six months later. Falling on hard times, the settlement, the company and the integrated school disbanded in 1869. A majority of the settlers returned to their home states or headed for area citrus groves looking for work. Over time, the few families and individuals who stayed made up the pioneering African-American neighborhood of Port Orange known as Freemanville.
New Smyrna festival The annual Black Heritage Festival held in New Smyrna Beach brought out hundreds for music, storytelling, live music, arts, crafts and vendors. The heart of the threeday festival – Feb. 6-8 – was at Pettis Park located at the corner of Mary Avenue and Duss Street. Next to the park stands the Heritage House and the Heritage Museum. Both buildings contain numerous relics and artifacts depicting the town’s Black history. They both were open for free tours and were featured during the festival. Jimmy Harrell, director of the Black Heritage Museum, says that the museum is open year round and welcomes residents and visitors to visit the site for a free tour. “We have tours every day. The best way is to call and set up an appointment to tour the museum.’’ The museum does not have any paid employees,
KENT DONAHUE/CITY OF PORT ORANGE
Alberta McCloud shares memories of Freemanville at the annual Freemanville ceremony held in Port Orange. but Harrell says that the volunteers will be happy to help. “We are open regular hours Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 9-1, and Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays, 1-4. There is no standing fee, but we do accept donations,’’ he noted. In reference to the festival, Harrell says he was pleased with the turnout. His wife, Mary, founded the festival 24 years ago. Mary died in August 2014. “We really missed her, but we went ahead with it. We feel very good about it,” he added. “This was our 24th year. Next year, we really intend to outdo ourselves.” Tours can be scheduled by calling 386478-1934 or 386-416-9699.
SUE CARLTON/ HOPE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH
The NAACP was among several civic organizations present during a Black History Month program at Hope Fellowship Church.
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M SPORTS AYOR
FEBRUARYDECEMBER 12 – FEBRUARY 14 - 20, 18, 20062015
B-CU student named MEAC’s Bowler of the Week NORFOLK, Va. – Bethune-Cookman University sophomore Krysta Coleman has been selected as this week’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Bowler of the Week, announced Tuesday afternoon from the MEAC office. Coleman, a native of Trotwood, Ohio, earned tournament MVP honors at the Wildcat Invitational over the weekend in DeLand. In claiming the top prize during individual play, she became the firstever B-CU student-athlete to earn tournament MVP honors in the fourth annual event hosted by Bethune-Cookman. Coleman collected 973 total pins in Saturday’s traditional play format, including a 257 season-high performance in a win over Southern. For the weekend, she averaged a 194.6 total pinfall. B-CU returns to action when the Wildcats travel to the third MEAC Southern Division event of the year, this time hosted by Florida A&M in Tallahassee. The
at 9 a.m. Other field events on Friday’s slate includes the women’s pentathlon, men’s and women’s high jump, and men’s and women’s weight throw. The student-athletes return to the track for the semifinals in the men’s and women’s 60m hurdles, 60m dash and 400m dash. The day closes out with the men’s and women’s distance medleys.
Running events Saturday
COURTESY OF B-CU ATHLETICS
Krysta Coleman of Ohio earned MVP honors last weekend. two-day event begins Saturday, Feb. 28.
Track and field championships The MEAC is hosting
the 2015 Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships, Feb. 1214 at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Md. Competition was to be-
gin on Thursday at 3 p.m. with the men’s heptathlon followed by the women’s 5,000m and women’s long jump at 3:15 p.m. The day continued with the men’s 5,000m and semifinals of
the men’s and women’s 200m races. Day one concludes with the men’s long jump final. The championships continue Friday, Feb. 13, with the men’s heptathlon
The competition concludes on Saturday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with the women’s shot put, men’s and women’s pole vault, and the men’s and women’s triple jump. Running events begin at 1 p.m. with the women’s mile run. Rounding out the afternoon’s events will be the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay race at 3:25 p.m. A complete schedule of events and live statistics can be found at www. MEACsports.com.
B-CU baseball players make media outlet’s preseason team
COURTESY OF B-CU ATHLETICS
Chosen to College Sports Madness’ (CSM) Preseason Second Team, Jordan Robinson returns for a big senior season.
With the 2015 season coming up quickly, College Sports Madness (CMS) has released its preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball picks for all-conference recognition and several Wildcats made the cut for the media outlet. Most notably of the preseason selections is Jason Beverlin as CSM’s Preseason Coach of the Year. Entering his fourth year at the helm, Beverlin has accumulated 95 wins with the Wildcats and led his squad to the first NCAA post-season victory in 12 years, in addition to earning his second MEAC title as coach in the 2014 season. Redshirt senior righthander Keith Zuniga joins Beverlin in the media outlet’s top honors, selected as CSM’s Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Zuniga returns after being drafted in the 35th round of the MLB
Draft by Miami, registering an 8-4 record and 2.70 ERA after pitching 100 innings with 57 strikeouts. Zuniga earned the identical honor in the official preseason MEAC honors as selected by the league’s coaches and sports information directors.
Top freshman Rounding out the biggest preseason titles, Mijon Cumming was chosen as Preseason Freshman of the Year. A 5-11, 190-pound infielder from Lutz, near Tampa, Cummings earned all-conference second team honors and led Steinbrenner High School to a district championship in his junior season, while hitting .397 with 12 extra base hits. He is the son of Midre Cummings, who played 11 seasons in the MLB as an
outfielder and pinch hitter.
Second-team honors Zuniga is the only B-CU representative on the media outlet’s preseason first team. However, incoming right-handed pitcher German Hernandez (6-3, 204, Jr. Cleburne, Texas), third baseman Jordan Robinson (6-2, 193, r-Sr., Fort Pierce) and infielder/designated hitter Austin Garcia (6-0, 230, So., LaBelle) were all chosen for preseason second-team honors. The Wildcats open the 2015 campaign on Friday, Feb. 13 at defending Southern Conference Champion Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Ga. Due to weather concerns, the teams are set for a 4 p.m. first pitch.
This story is courtesy of B-CU Athletics.
Summer lifeguard tryouts in Volusia begin Feb. 28 Volusia County’s Beach Safety Division plans to hire 150 parttime lifeguards to help keep beachgoers safe this summer. Swim tryouts will be on these dates: • Feb. 28: 8 to 10 a.m. at the DeLand YMCA, 761 E. International Speedway Blvd., DeLand; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Holly Hill YMCA, 1046 Daytona Ave., Daytona Beach; and 2 to 4 p.m. at the Port Orange YMCA, 4701 City Center Parkway, Port Orange • March 7, 14 and 21: 8 to 10 a.m. at Aqua Park, 600 Eaton Road, Edgewater; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Port Orange YMCA; and 2 to 4 p.m. at the Holly Hill YMCA • March 23 and April 11: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Daytona State College, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach • March 25: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Daytona State College
Swimming requirements Applicants must be at least 16 on or before June 1 and be able to swim 500 meters in under 10 minutes, swim 50 yards in under 30 seconds, and run a half-mile in under 3 minutes, 15 seconds. Candidates considered for hiring will undergo a background check, physical and drug screening. Starting pay is $9.77 an hour with EMT certification and $9.37 an hourwithout certification. Those who meet the requirements must attend training classes in March or April and complete a 40-hour first responder/ CPR course. For more information, visit volusia.org/beach or call 386547-0246 or386-239-6414.
STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) beats Denny Hamlin (11) to the finish line to win the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 23, 2014. The 2015 Daytona 500 is Feb. 22.
SportsData seals data services deal with NASCAR BY ADAM BELZ STAR TRIBUNE (TNS)
MINNEAPOLIS — SportsData, a Minneapolis firm that collects and sells sports statistics, on Monday announced a new deal to handle real-time race data for NASCAR. The company will tap into NASCAR’s system of sensors and become the motorsports governing body’s official stats provider. “We get the data directly from each of the tracks, and then we package it up in a way that’s easier to consume, and sell it as official NASCAR data,” said Dave Abbott, founder and chief operating officer of
SportsData. SportsData has 55 full-time employees and about 100 part-time workers. The business got its start by hiring people to watch games on television, score them and then use software to repackage the data and sell it to fantasy sports leagues.
Other clients The company’s clients also include Google, Bleacher Report, Facebook and the Pac-12 Conference. The firm was acquired in 2013 by Sportradar, a Switzerland-based supplier of real-time sports solutions. Abbott said the company is hiring de-
velopers and data entry workers to score games. The firm relies on the fact that a broadcast sports event’s stats become public domain. The firm’s data entry analysts cover more than 40 sports, more than 800 leagues and more than 200,000 sports events each year. With the NASCAR deal, however, the company will tap directly into the racing body’s data and use its technology to repackage it. “It’s great exposure. I think it really validates us, and I think it’s going to be a great sales opportunity,” Abbott said. “NASCAR is a big-deal brand, and this is our first governing body.”
Ocean Center showcases Stock Car Hall of Fame exhibit The Ocean Center is installing a Stock Car Hall of Fame exhibit and hosting an annual dinner honoring the recipients. The exhibit includes photos and plaques of 58 inductees, who are honored each year at the Stock Lesa France Car Hall of Fame dinner. Kennedy The dinner is Feb. 17 at the Ocean Center. This year’s inductee is Lesa France Kennedy.
The Stock Car Hall of Fame dinner was developed by the Rotary Club of Daytona Beach to honor legendary drivers and personalities in stock car racing. This is the 26th year for the event and the second year at the county-run facility, which also will host it in 2016.
Open Monday-Friday Don Poor, director of the Ocean Center, said the new exhibit complements the area’s rich racing history.
“Volusia County is known for racing, but what many people don’t know is that world speed records were set right here on our beach during the Grand National Race which ran from 1948 until 1958,” said Poor. “We are thrilled to be the new home of the Stock Car Hall of Fame exhibit and encourage people to stop by and see it.” The public can view the exhibit from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit stockcarhalloffame.org.
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What it means to be a child of rape Daughter of assault shares her feelings of inadequacy, guilt Editor’s note: This is the second 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 – The first time Tiffany Perry learned about her conception, she was too innocent to fully understand the gentle explanation her mother was offering, too young to process such a heavy and complicated behavior. What she distinctly remembers is watching “Oprah” with her mom a few years later, as a 10-year-old. It was the television episode in which Oprah Winfrey revealed to the world that she was a rape survivor. “When [Oprah] said herself, and started crying…my mom just fell apart,” the 39-year-old Jersey City, N.J. native recounted. “I tried to console her, but she was inconsolable. It was just so intense.” At 15 years old, Perry’s mother was raped by her foster mother’s 21-year-old married son. His wife had invited Perry’s mother into their home to babysit their child and to escape her foster mother’s wrath.
Mom kept silent Her foster brother raped her repeatedly for two weeks, sometimes at knifepoint. Despite being a virgin at the time and under the care of the state, few people bothered to inquire about the details of the pregnancy. Plus, the fact that he had threatened to kill her, kept Perry’s mother silent. “Maybe, as a Black person, they just saw this as another teenage pregnancy, and nobody really asked any questions,” Per-
ly in that struggle, in that engagement in the world in which Black women exist, and experience.”
Secondary survivors need help
ry said, trying to explain the unexplainable. “I can’t say with certainty…but I’m thinking that if she was White in a foster home and her belly started to grow, then maybe a flag would’ve went up somewhere and somebody would’ve investigated more as to why this foster child is pregnant.” In subsequent years, freed by the “Oprah’’ episode, Perry’s mother became more forthcoming. “As I grew up, she told me more details of the attack. It was like she had been carrying this around the whole time.”
Tried to be ‘perfect’ But opening that door triggered another set of emotions in Perry. “I went through different feelings of inadequacy, feeling like I had to overcompensate because I was a child of a rape. Even now, when I say the word ‘inadequate,’ I get choked up,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “My mom was awesome, she never talked down to me….my mom always praised me, always gave me love,” Perry said. “But I felt like…I owed it to her to be perfect so she doesn’t feel like keeping me was a mistake.” And there was the question of what she would say when asked about her father. Perry chose to say that he was dead, that he had left, or that she didn’t know him, depending on the questioner. But even while denying his existence, there was also a deep craving to know about this man, wherever he was. More than anything else, she did not want her mother to feel badly. “I didn’t rape her, but when I was younger, I used to feel like it was my fault,” she recalled. “The dreams that she probably could have fulfilled – if she had stayed that innocent virgin who wanted to be a lawyer – she wasn’t going to be able to fulfill those because I was here.”
Tiffany Perry, a child of rape, says that there are no services targeted to people conceived through sexual assault.
Unresolved trauma
mind,” Osayande said.
New York-based author, activist and scholar Ewuare Osayande wasn’t born of this violence, but also grew up in its shadow. His mother spent her childhood at the mercy of a sexually abusive stepfather. The oldest of eight children, she was the only one who was not his blood relative. The abuse was the family’s open secret. She grew up to date, marry and divorce abusive men. Justice Department data show that Black women are more likely than their White counterparts to be assaulted, sexually and otherwise by strangers and by family members. “It was never the case where my mother cowered in the face of her abuse. She didn’t hold her tongue, she always spoke her
Help for Black men Today, Osayande is the creator of Project ONUS: Redefining Black Manhood, a series of antisexist workshops for Black men. It took time and life experiences before he was able to connect the dots and realize how his mother’s abuse – some he had witnessed, some he had not – had affected his own development. As the son of a rape and abuse survivor, and as a formerly abusive person, he also realized he had to address his own internal conflicts and beliefs. “It’s been a very real, clear determination on my part to make sense of the life I’ve experienced as a Black man, in a gendered way,” he explained. “It’s been my desire to become an effective al-
In the sea of services for survivors, most resources geared toward family and friends coach them on how to best support the survivor in their life. Although crisis centers and hotlines are equipped to aid and counsel family and friends of survivors, few resources address the challenges these relatives face. The book, I Will Survive: The African American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse, cites a study that draws parallels between the emotions of boyfriends and husbands of women who have been sexually assaulted, and the wives and girlfriends of war veterans. “Not surprisingly, past or recent sexual trauma can present unique challenges for the survivor’s partner,” writes Lori Robinson, author of the book. “You are a victim too. Some experts call you the secondary victim. After all you are experiencing many of the same emotions sexual assault victims feel.” Tiffany Perry’s breaking point came about 20 years ago. A probation officer contacted her out of the blue, looking for her father. He had given her name and birthdate as his next-of-kin. She learned that not only did he know about her, but he knew where she lived. To this day, the two live less than an hour apart. She has never contacted him, but has learned a bit about his life via a cousin and aunt on Facebook. “When I went to go look for support groups for children of rape victims or children conceived out of rape, they’re pretty much nonexistent,” Perry said. “[Rape] is so common we don’t even cringe when we hear about it. Rape is inhumane, and people are not treating it like it’s inhumane. They just treat it like ‘Well, it happens.’”
The 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.