Daytona Times - May 19, 2016

Jessica Rogers to perform in Palm Coast SEE PAGE 3

East Central Florida’s Black Voice

EE FR

KIM M. KEENAN: Fist-raising Black women didn’t deserve punishment anyway SEE PAGE 4

TENNIS, ANYONE? COURTS REOPEN AT DERBYSHIRE PARK SEE PAGE 7

MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2016

YEAR 41 NO. 20

www.daytonatimes.com

More dialogue about crime, police and trust Judge, officers discuss issues and initiatives with Daytona residents

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES

Organizers of a law enforcement and community relations forum held May 14 at the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center were pleased with the turnout but want to see more residents engaged in dialogue about crime in the area.

The forum focused on a variety of issues, including crime, racism, community relations, community in-

volvement and trust issues between law enforcement.

It included an opportunity for residents to ask questions of the panelists.

The panel consisted of Seventh Judicial Circuit Judge Pam Fields, Daytona Beach Police Department Captain Jakari Young and Chief Mike Chitwood, as well as Dr. Randy Nelson, Bethune-Cookman University’s program coordinator for the criminal justice administration graduate program.

About 70 people attended the forum. This was the second law enforcement and community relations forum held in the past year; plans are to hold another one in July.

It was sponsored by the

City of Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Police Department, community activist Johnnie Ponder, Midtown Association Neighborhood Watch, Save Our Neighborhoods, Islamic Center of Daytona Beach, VITAS Healthcare, and Daytona Express.

“We want to create dialogue between the community, law enforcement and the judicial system. We want to open up communication to better understand each other. It’s not an us against you thing. We are all fighting for a better society,” said Fields.

Distrust continues The distrust between the community and law enSee DIALOGUE, Page 2

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Judge Pam Fields addresses the crowd while Daytona Beach Police Department Captain Jakari Young looks on.

Homeless advocates stress need for Hope Place

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES

PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Mickel A Brown Sr.’s family members pose in front of his image at the renovated activity building.

Major honor for faithful employee City dedicates building in honor of Mickel Brown

14 acres, hundreds served

BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF

Community leaders, elected officials and Daytona Beach employees joined the family of Mickel A. Brown Sr. on May 14 to witness the dedication of an activity center in his name.

The newly renovated Dickerson Activity Building at 308 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. – adjacent to the John H. Dickerson Center – was renamed the Mickel A. Brown Sr. Activity Building during the ceremony.

Brown, the city’s special projects manager, died in October 2014 at age 52. He had a 31-year career as a city employee. His job duties included handling maintenance for the entire Leisure Services Department, including recreation centers, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark and Municipal Stadium.

“He was one of the hardest working and most giving people you would ever meet. It wasn’t anything that he wouldn’t do for you,” Percy Williamson, the city’s Leisure Services director, said, which was reported in last week’s Daytona Times.

A proposed homeless shelter in Holly Hill has angered some residents but local advocates told the Daytona Times this week just how much the facility is needed in the area.

Halifax Urban Ministries (HUM) wants to build a homeless sanctuary at an abandoned school. The plan is to turn Walter A. Hurst Elementary School in to Hope Place.

The school is located at 1340 Wright St., just off Derbyshire Road.

The school has been closed for seven years and is currently being used by the Volusia County school district for maintenance, storage and some training.

“We need this to help homeless families. Over the last year, we have had around 150 families that have either refused our help or couldn’t get it. Either our current facility didn’t meet their standards or we just didn’t have enough room. I believe the new facility could help many of these families,” said Mark Geallis, executive director of Halifax Urban Ministries.

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry, Commissioner Patrick Henry and City Manager James Chisholm were among the guests at the May 14 ceremony.

The activity building had been under renovation for the past six months.

It has been upgraded with new tile floors, a studio in the back, new counters, new restrooms, and upgraded energy efficient lighting. The city paid $120,000 for the renovations to the activity building.

Brown was an alumnus of Bethune-Cookman and a graduate of Jones High School in Orlando.

In addition to being a longtime city employee, he was a successful businessman; he owned the Picture This Pressure Cleaning and Painting company.

HUM operates a homeless family center located at the corner of North Street and Seagrave Avenue. The facility currently shelters 94 people and provides daily hot meals for homeless and residents in need.

Most of its funding is from public donations. The total cost is $3.5 million with funding is to come from different public and private sources.

The new Hope Place would be erected on 14 acres of land. The plan is to build a 55,000-square foot facility that would house up to 200 people to begin with, and possibly 300.

It calls for 26 units of family emergency housing, 10 transitional apartments for families waiting on permanent housing, and 32 beds in an unaccompanied student wing.

The hope is to have the facility open between late 2016 and the spring of 2017.

Pastore approves

Daytona Beach Commissioner Paula Reed addresses the crowd.

Mike Pastore, a homeless advocate, also is pushing for Hope Place.

Pastore operates a website called www.daytonahomeless.com.

“It is absolutely important that we get this place or some place.

See HOPE, Page 2

ALSO INSIDE

COMMUNITY NEWS: CAREGIVER ADVOCATE SHARES TESTIMONY AT ‘MISSING OUR MOMS’ EVENT | PAGE 3 SPORTS: EIGHT BETHUNE-COOKMAN BASEBALL PLAYERS NAMED TO MEAC ALL-STAR TEAMS | PAGE 7

7 FOCUS

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Plans underway for Daytona’s 16th Juneteenth celebration

BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF

The local Juneteenth Festival Committee Inc. is gearing up for its 16th celebration.

It took two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, that the word that slaves had been freed was issued through Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas.

Folklore reports that the mes-

MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2016

senger was killed or that plantation owners withheld the news in order to retail slave labor and reap a final cotton harvest.

Slaves in America’s Midwest learned on June 19 that the war was over, the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed, and they were free. A celebration took place and since, Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.

Banquet, festival Plans for a Juneteenth banquet, scheduled for Wednesday, June 15, in Daytona Beach, are in the works.

The Juneteenth Family Festival will take place on Saturday, June 18. The outdoor festival will be

held at Cypress Park, 925 George Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach.

The festival will include a day of music, educational displays, recreational activities, fashion shows, and activities for children.

About 6,000 people are expected to participate in the festival.

For more information about the Juneteenth committee’s plans, call 386-569-3347.

County hosting free hurricane expo on May 21 Volusia County’s Emergency Management Division will sponsor a free hurricane expo from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at Lowe’s Home

Improvement Store, 901 Saxon Blvd., Orange City.

Scott Spratt, a National Weather Service warning coordinator meteorologist, will be on site to offer tips and answer questions.

Activities will include: •Fingerprinting of children by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office •Special Needs Registration and Emergency Alerts sign up.

•Displays of equipment used to prepare, during and in recovery from a disaster •Weather radio raffle and other prizes •Workshops on preparedness ideas Agencies also will provide information about personal and family

preparedness and caring for animals in a disaster.

Participating agencies include the National Weather Service Melbourne, Volusia County Fire Rescue, Volusia County Animal Control, Volusia County Emergency Management, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Votran, Orange City Fire Department, Deltona Fire Department, Florida Department of Health Medical Reserve Corps, United Way, American Red Cross, First United Methodist Church, 511 Traveler Information, Duke Energy and Florida Power & Light.

For more information visit www.volusia.org.

are asking for a $1 milliondollar federal grant to help with that,” added Chitwood.

Human trafficking is another issue that residents brought to authorities’ attention during the forum.

Authorities are aware of human trafficking and are on alert during sporting events and special events in the city. Police often conduct prostitution stings during this time.

Black men and police

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Captain Jakari Young of the Daytona Beach Police Department addresses the crowd during the May 14 forum at the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center.

DIALOGUE from Page 1

forcement was a key topic of discussion.

“I think for a lot of people it has to do with the lack of diversity in the justice system. When you go to court, you see lawyers, judges, law enforcement, etc. People want to see if they look like them. Pay attention who you vote for.

Take personal responsibility in voting in your local, state and national elections,” Fields commented.

Chitwood remarked, “There are those in the Black community that say we don’t treat people on the beachside like we do them. On the beachside, Whites ask us why we always bother them. We arrest more Whites in this city. Our stops and ar-

HOPE

from Page 1 This will assist those homeless single mothers and single dads with children. The current facility at North Street in Daytona is at capacity and families are being turned away daily,” he stated.

Place for families But during a recent meeting at the site, residents protested.

“People are fearful that they will see the problems with the chronic homeless, who are mostly single, homeless people. This is for families.

Homeless families and the single chronic homeless have different needs,” commented Geallis.

Pastore echoed, “Residents are fearful about problems with single homeless people – the crime, drugs, alcohol and

rests reflect the community we are in. In Daytona, it is about 60 to 40 percent White to Black. Our arrests reflect that. Our job is to go get criminals.’’

The Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) does provide sensitive and fair treatment training, Chitwood noted.

“There is no police academy in the world that teaches profiling or treat people certain ways in certain neighborhoods. The problem is you can teach and train officers but if they want to be rogue in the streets you have two choices. You either have to discipline them or fire them,” he stated.

Violent crimes initiative Daytona Beach had 40 shootings reported in last year but none so far this year.

DBPD attributes the

etc. This won’t be the case. These will be families. This is a good situation for everyone.”

Hurdles ahead County officials are working on addressing the homeless situation as well.

“As for Hope Place, I think that once the info gets out and there is some clarity, people may change their minds. People don’t like the aspect of an emergency walk-up homeless shelter in their neighborhood, but this particular one at Hurst Elementary will be more of a housing issue for families,” explained Volusia County Councilman Josh Wagner.

Obstacles do remain before the land can be officially turned into a shelter.

“The county still has to vote on both the funding and rezoning aspects.

There are still a few hurdles ahead. The vote will

decline to its new violent crimes initiative/task force. It is comprised of some of the top officers, detectives and command personnel on the force. It has also decreased shootings in the Midtown area.

Theft, domestic violence Law enforcement officers noted that burglary, larceny and property theft are on the rise.

These crimes are also being affected by auto-related thefts.

“Most go back to car issues. The average criminal has changed. We are making it easy. We leave our keys in the car at the gas station and allow them to steal our cars, property, money, cell phones, laptops and even firearms. It baffles me that people with firearm permits will leave their concealed weapon which is licensed in an

come soon. We wanted it on the next meeting agenda, but there is still information to be obtained,” Wagner added.

Help for children Geallis explained how local children are being impacted.

“Volusia County says that it has around 3,200 students that are homeless with around 400 unsheltered. That is a big need for homeless assistance. We are hoping that this plan helps alleviate the problem,” he noted.

Wagner commented, “The bad thing with this particular situation is that you have kids. These are families. As an elected official, you must pay attention. Many of these kids are in our schools. They are sleeping on couches, in cars, in shelters and the streets. It is hard for them to succeed in the classroom without a stable and secure home.”

unlocked car,” Young remarked.

Domestic violence, aggravated battery and aggravated assaults also are up. Domestic violence is up 28 percent citywide.

“The matter is so private in homes between couples and families. They are the only ones who know what is happening. Many times victims don’t want to cooperate once they get to first appearance in court,” the officer added.

Daytona Beach police make arrests on 90 percent of domestic violence instances.

It is also becoming a generational crime.

“The cycle that we are seeing is that kids who have been in domestic violence homes are now growing up and being arrested for it in their relationships with their significant others,’’ Chitwood stated.

Steps by DBPD Young stated, “Our community is constantly changing and evolving just like our police department.

We have new officers that don’t know the community as well. We can’t be effective without community engagement. The people in the community see everything and know what needs to be done.”

DBPD representatives at the forum highlighted steps it is taking to address crime, which includes using DNA and fingerprint, computer statistics reports to focus on hot-spot crime areas, tag readers to identify vehicles committing crimes.

The police plan to obtain a new shot spotter system, which is an acoustic gun shot track system.

“We have all types of technology out there. The shot spotter will help us with shooting crimes. We

Nelson, who runs the criminal justice department at Bethune-Cookman, helps the city train police officers.

He also is aware of problems Black men experience with law enforcement.

“My greatest fear for me as a Black man is when law enforcement sees my son in the streets. They don’t know who I am or how he is nor how he is raised.

They just see the Black kids they see in the justice system and in the streets. The world doesn’t see him versus how I see,” he told the Daytona Times.

B-CU criminal justice students also run a Situations Environmental Circumstances (SEC) mentoring program. The SEC program partners with Turie T. Elementary School in Daytona Beach. The students work with children in grades three through five with mentoring, helping with homework and other issues.

Fields believes that legal authorities and the people they serve could all get along with just personal responsibility.

“You have a responsibility to conduct yourself like a law-abiding citizen. Don’t blame everyone for your hard times or where you are in life. When you those in who work for our justice system, be respectful and decent,” Fields added.

“They are all human and want to be treated with respect just as you do. You should open your mind.

Just come to court sometimes to look, see and feel.

Not everything happens because of your skin color, height, and race. Most things happen because of people’s attitude.”

3 7

MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2016 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

M A YNEWS OR

Dixon delivers message on loss, healing during ‘Missing Our Mothers’ breakfast Dr. Alma Yearwood Dixon navigated the realm that started the healing, taking nine years following the death of her mother.

During the time, she said, “I was angry, and who do you think I was angry at?

“God,” she replied, and Dr. Dixon’s mother loved her God. Her mother, also Alma Yearwood, migrated to the U.S. from Barbados – not loving it, but seeing it as an opportunity to seize. Her mother instilled a sense of loyalty and desire for education.

Dr. Dixon recounted the day that her mother passed away.

She had worked so hard to graduate from nursing school with honors in psychiatric nursing. Excited, Dr. Dixon ran up to her college room, but only to be confronted by a call to go home. She still recalls the panic in her stomach in the cab on the way home.

When she walked through the door, her teary-eyed sister met her. And laying on top of a shopping cart was the hat that her mother always wore. Right then, she knew that her mother had died.

Questions and answers Telling the story prompted Dr. Alma Yearwood Dixon’s talk as keynote speaker for VITAS Healthcare’s breakfast. Our mothers shape us, making an impact on the foundation of our lives. The talks allow such loved ones to live on.

The “Missing Our Mothers, Daughters Remember” Breakfast had hit Palm Coast, gaining access to the Grand Haven Golf Club.

Dr. Dixon grappled with the emotional effects of losing a mother, one who saw a doctor only a week prior when everything was fine.

She didn’t turn away from the church because the church was instilled in her.

Moreover, she went around telling anyone who listened all the reasons she was angry.

Until she happened upon New York’s Riverside Church and the opportunity of meetingthe famous theologian, the Rev. Dr. William Sloane Coffin Jr. And, she asked him, “Why, why, why?”

He looked at her and said, “Young lady, tell me something? Why when you needed God the most, would you turn your back on Him?”

PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY

“All of a sudden, it flipped the switch that God was there, but I was the one that had turned my back,” she said, “and that started the process of the reconciliation of healing.”

Caregiver advocate A pioneer and leader in the hospice movement since 1978, VITAS Healthcare supports the whole family during the last months of someone’s life. They are committed to help the community with bereavement and grief support.

Dr. Dixon is caregiver advocate for VITAS Healthcare and former director of Community Engagement at BethuneCookman University. She earned her doctorate from Teachers College at Columbia University, a master’s in adult nursing from Pace University, and a second master’s in public health from Hunter College of the City University of New York.

The breakfast crowd equally extended a warm welcome to mistress of ceremonies Bernice Gordon, retired corporate manager of Woodward & Lothrop in Washington, D.C. Gordon, an Ormond Beach resident, is Taraji P. Henson’s mother – Hollywood royalty’s award-winning actress, starring as Cookie Lyon in the drama series, “Empire.’’

Taraji visits mom Gordon appreciated the support from her daughter’s fans. She was surprised by Taraji’s arrival in Palm Coast to celebrate Mother’s Day with her and her husband. It also was Taraji’s son Marcel’s 22nd birthday.

Thanking everyone for attending the breakfast, Shanda Nobles-Milton, RN, senior general manager of VITAS Healthcare Volusia/Flagler, said, “I hope that this becomes an experience that is beneficial to you, empowering to you, and more impor-

Dr. Alma Yearwood Dixon

Bernice Gordon

Jessica Rogers

tantly healing to you.”

The VITAS office – located at 4 Old Kings Road North, Suite B, Palm Coast – can be reached for services at 386-366-6100.

‘A Game’ Camp meeting is May 19 Parents, give your child the right tools.

Take an active stand in developing your child’s path to success. Learn about the free summer program, “Bring Your ‘A Game’ Camp,” a motivational program for a successful middle to high school transition.

Because it takes a village, “the village” will provide free courses in empowerment learning for middle school boys and girls.

Special attention will focus on “Understanding Who You Are,’’ “I Am Responsible, Respectful,” “Where Am I Going?,” “Bringing Your ‘A Game,’ ” “It Takes A Village,’’ and “School Success.”

The village will take in I.O.Y. (Inspiring Our Youth), a community action team, backed by the African American Cultural Society, Flagler County NAACP, Department of Children and Families (DCF), Flagler County Schools, C.A.T.A.L.Y.S.T. (Children and Adults Together Achieving Leadership, Inspiration, Success and Trust), and other agencies.

This is an open house, free dinner meeting, on May 19, 6 p.m., in the cafeteria of Buddy Taylor Middle School, 4500 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast.

Parents, please make your reservations at 386-446-7822.

Rogers to perform at Gospel Café Celebrate a soulful, jazzy blend of music at the “Gospel Café,” located at 91 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast.

The art form of jazz, birthed in America, will be on display every Friday night, beginning May 20 at 7 p.m.

Jessica Rogers will showcase her vocals on May 20. She will be followed by

the FAME Ensemble, the Doug Carne Trio, and Rob’s Jazz Express on each successive Friday.

Rogers, who has been endowed with the gift of song, has made her stage appearance in musical theater and has performed back-up vocals for Ray Charles, Stephanie Mills, Isaac Hayes, Dionne Warwick and gospel artist Douglas Miller.

Come enjoy “mocktails” and experience traditional and contemporary gospel and soulful jazz, each Friday for a small donation of $15.

To purchase tickets, call First Church at 386-446-5759, where the Rev. Gillard S. Glover serves as pastor. First Church is located at 91 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast.

Flagler Dems hosting spaghetti dinner The Flagler Democratic Executive Committee has been inspired to open an office and needs your help.

The committee has planned a spaghetti dinner on May 25, 6-9 p.m., at Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway Northeast.

Grab a seat or a takeout box for a spaghetti dinner, which will include garlic bread and a salad.

Loyce Nottage Allen says in an email, “Call your friends, neighbors and family, and ask them to support as well.” She says that this is “a great opportunity for us to meet the candidates, and prepare for VICTORY!” Allen, as you may recall, is founder of the Florida Friends for Obama, which hosted the inaugural ball for the president’s re-election and other presidential initiatives.

A dessert auction and 50/50 raffle will be available, in addition to vote by mail enrollment.

For advance tickets, call Allen at 609412-3049.

••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.

Celebrations Birthday wishes to Joy Eurie, May 19; Donna Banks, Hubert Henry, Ernest “Toney the Barber” Robinson, May 21; Victor Jordan and Betty White, May 22.

Happy anniversary to Arthur and Loretta Pete, Stanley and Phyllis Henderson, May 19; and Sidney and Violet Honeyghan, May 20.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR BLACK STUDENTS. NO EXCUSES. The classic guide from Florida Courier publisher, lawyer and broadcaster CHARLES W. CHERRY II PRAISE FOR ‘EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE’: “This guide for African-American college-bound students is packed with practical and insightful information for achieving academic success...The primary focus here is to equip students with the savvy and networking skills to maneuver themselves through the academic maze of higher education.”

– Book review, School Library Journal • How low expectations of Black students’ achievements can get them higher grades; • Want a great grade? Prepare to cheat!

• How Black students can program their minds for success; • Setting goals – When to tell everybody, and when to keep your mouth shut; • Black English, and why Black students must be ‘bilingual.’ …AND MUCH MORE!

www.excellencewithoutexcuse.com Download immediately as an eBook or a pdf Order softcover online, from Amazon, or your local bookstore ISBN#978-1-56385-500-9 Published by International Scholastic Press, LLC Contact Charles at ccherry2@gmail.com

Facebook ccherry2 excellencewithoutexcuse

for info on speeches, workshops, seminars, book signings, panel discussions.

Twitter @ccherry2

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOOD BRINGS HOPE

Uncle Nowruz, played by Mahyar Okhovatian, gives candy and treats to FBHonors students in celebration of the Persian New Year, Nowruz.

Food Brings Hope students gain life skills at Nowruz Festival

mee Shank, Westside Elementary teacher and FBHonors sponsor. “The students enjoyed meeting Amu Nowruz “Uncle Nowruz”, trying Persian cuisine, and watching the cultural dancers wearing their authentic Persian clothing.”

SPEICAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES

Lesson on culture and finances

Food Brings Hope’s after-school STEM program, FBHonors, raised funds at the Iranian American Society’s Persian Nowruz Festival in Ormond Beach. This is the second year the students of the honors program have raised funds at the annual festival celebrating the Persian New Year.

Students participating in FBHonors were invited again, by the Iranian American Society, to host a tent and sell candy, chips, and drinks to guests in attendance. The 19 students and their chaperones worked with the goal in mind to raise enough funds for an educational trip to Epcot at the end of the school year.

“The Persian Festival offered the FBHonors students the opportunity to learn more about the Persian culture,” said Ai-

The Westside FBHonors program consists of 24 students fourth and fifth grade who meet for three hours every day after school. This program is specifically designed for Food Brings Hope’s highest achieving pupils and provides educational opportunities in STEM fields and organized activities to further enrich and challenge students.

“Our FBHonors students have dedicated each day to striving for excellence,” said Food Brings Hope Executive Director, Judi Winch. “It was exciting to watch the children interacting at the festival as they gained a new respect for the Persian culture and were able to further their knowledge of business and money management through this fundraising project.”

National poet coming to Daytona library

three volumes of poems, is a well-known critic and editor, and has received the Marlboro Prize in Poetry.

Author Maggie Nelson has called her “one of the most riveting, rewarding, challenging, and important poets writing today.”

After the reading, Richard will sign books.

Reservations are not required for this free program, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Daytona Beach Library.

For more information, call Deborah Shafer at 386-257-6036, ext. 16264.

Nationally acclaimed poet Frances Richard will read some of her works from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, at the Daytona Beach Regional Library at City Island, 105 E. Magnolia Ave., Daytona Beach.

Richard, who teaches at the California College of the Arts, is taking part in the Atlantic Center for the Arts’ Master Artistin-Residence Program. She has published

R4

7 EDITORIAL

MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2016

Fist-raising Black women don’t deserve punishment I remember the first time I saw a Black raised fist. I was watching the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and two Black athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, raised their black-gloved fists and bowed their heads on the medal ceremony stand during the playing of the “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Smith and Carlos, who were later inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, angered many Whites back home.

They were vilified and were subjected to death threats.

‘Just human beings’ In an HBO documentary years later, Smith said: “We were just human beings who saw a need to bring attention to the inequality in our country. I don’t like the idea of people looking at it as negative. There was nothing but a raised fist in the air and a bowed head, acknowledging the American flag – not symbolizing a hatred for it.”

Nearly a half of a century later, 16 Black female West Point cadets, posed in their traditional gray dress military uniforms, just weeks before their graduation. In the group photo, each raised a clenched fist, touching off another firestorm. Officials of the United States Military Academy opened an investigation into whether the women violated Army rules that prohibit political activities while in uniform.

At West Point, these young

KIM M. KEENAN GEORGE CURRY MEDIA GUEST COLUMNIST

women are poised to lead us into a future where military leaders look like Black women and experience life as Black women, and where they are being vilified for a harmless photograph. This is not a photograph where they are scantily clad or displaying signs, flags, or symbols of disrespect to anyone. Each woman simply has her arms raised culminating in a fist. One wonders how West Point could even consider such an action a threat.

Bigger threat A more tangible threat is the paucity of African-Americans at the military academy. West Point is 70 percent White, most of them males. The 16 cadets in the photo represent all but one of the Black women graduating on May 21 in a class of 1,000 – 1.7 percent.

The firestorm highlights what it means to be a Black woman in an America that has no collective consciousness of what that means.

When Beyoncé and her dancers included a raised fist in her “Formation” performance during the Super Bowl this year, her usual spectacular performance was tinged with a bit of controversy.

Donald Trump and the spectacle of lying During his march to the Republican Party nomination, Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded that all Muslims should be barred from entering the U.S., making it a cornerstone of his campaign. Last week, he declared that idea was “just a suggestion.” Which statement was the lie?

Throughout his campaign, Trump displayed a firm allegiance to the Republican orthodoxy against raising the federal minimum wage. Until this month, when he said he favors raising the federal minimum wage. Which declaration was the lie?

Lied again Trump promised to follow political tradition and release his tax returns as other candidates have done since the early 1970s.

Last week, he said he wouldn’t do so before the November election because a federal audit of his taxes wouldn’t be finished that

LEE A. DANIELS GEORGE CURRY MEDIA COLUMNIST

Trump’s propensity for lying likely stems from his own overweening insecurity and vanity.

But there are broader forces at work. soon. Which of those statements is a lie?

Get the picture? The Republican presidential nominee has only one standard: Lie continually about anything and everything.

Earlier this month, the “Fact

Tubman’s face on the $20 bill is priceless When Donald Trump calls Harriet Tubman’s selection as the face on the $20 bill “politically correct,” it is just another flagwrapped slur. His record shows he befriends Blacks, but he cannot accept Black achievement on merit. Nor can he accept a shift of power and image that results in a historic African-American replacing the legacy of a tarnished figure of the past or present.

Affirmative action/politically correct/grievance politics are labels of blame that imply bias trumps merit. Its underlying principle appears in curious places. In the decision of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney regarding Dred Scott; in a floor speech by South Carolina

Some critics charged that the women were participating in a Black Power gesture or aligning themselves with the Black Lives Matter.

However, Mary Tobin, a 2003 graduate of West Point and an Iraq veteran who is a mentor to some of the seniors, told the New York Times: “These ladies weren’t raising their fist to say Black Panthers. They were raising it to say, “Beyoncé.” For them it’s not a sign of allegiance to a movement; it’s a sign that means unity and pride and sisterhood.

That fist to them meant you and your sisters did what only a few people, male or female, have ever done in this country.”

‘Invisible man’ Even Black males who predated them at West Point were ostracized. Henry O. Flipper, who became the first Black graduate from West Point in 1877, endured four years in Annapolis without a fellow cadet ever speaking to him. A half-century later, nothing had changed.

As Associated Press story noted, “Benjamin O. Davis Jr. entered West Point in 1932 as its only Black cadet and spent the next four years shunned. He roomed alone, and no one befriended him. The future Tuskegee Airman and trailblazing Air Force general later said he was ‘an invisible man.’”

Are we really saying that the unspeakable slights and insults

Checker” columnist of the Washington Post noted that 26 separate times thus far during his campaign, the column has given Trump “Four Pinocchios” for statements he’s made – meaning that Trump was brazenly lying when he made them.

The article said that “most politicians will drop a talking point if it gets labeled with ‘Four Pinocchios’ by the Fact Checker or ‘Pants on Fire’ by PolitiFact (another widely-respected journalistic fact-checking operation).

No one wants to be tagged a liar or misinformed, and we’ve found most politicians are interested in getting the facts straight ....”

Lies over and over “But,” the passage continues, “... Trump makes Four-Pinocchio statements over and over again, even though fact checkers have demonstrated them to be false.

He appears to care little about the facts; his staff does not even bother to respond to fact-checking inquiries.”

Trump’s propensity for lying likely stems from his own overweening insecurity and vanity.

But there are broader forces at work.

Political scholar Norman Orn-

freedom are mutually exclusive in this old American formula.

Equality is really a battle about winners and losers – losers who want to mar and taint our history.

Not politically correct WALTER RHETT NNPA GUEST COLUMNIST

Senator Ben Tillman; in editorials by respected journalist James J. Kilpatrick after the Brown school desegregation decision.

It says opportunity by merit for some is un-American and dangerous.

The flag-wrapped principle of the new racism is the same as the old: opportunity has a freedom cost; it denies someone else a fair choice. Opportunity and

Few people in history understood this battle better than Harriet Tubman, on whose life the system and its stakeholders once put a $40,000 bounty. Her entire life was anything but politically correct.

Another tactic of the new racism employs equality to challenge Black merit: its deflection offers alternatives. Why not Susan B. Anthony? Why not create a new denomination – the new racism’s version of separate but equal.

Because before Anthony, a woman who couldn’t rest without freedom slept on the cold, damp ground, hidden from the

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: THE INNER TRUMP

ADAM ZYGLIS, THE BUFFALO NEWS

that Cadets Flipper and Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. endured are still the standard for the treatment of Black cadets at West Point? Or worse, perhaps the message to these young women is that they should endure and remain quiet, rather than express their feelings in this bastion of White maleness.

In fact, in 1976, the year before women were first admitted, male cadets described themselves as “the last class with balls,” according to the New York Times. Some seniors posed for a photo holding basketballs, footballs and baseballs – yet were never threatened with punishment.

feel.” I know the feeling of climbing a mountain with everyone looking, watching, and perhaps waiting for me to fall. There is the feeling of having someone moving barriers in front of my path or misunderstanding that I want the same things that they want on the same terms.

West Point’s decision not to punish the women was the correct one. Their biggest sin was sharing their personal triumph over the Internet against the background of a military that until recently refused to allow them to serve in the same positions as men.

I know

Kim M. Keenan is the president and CEO of the Multicultural Media and Telecommunications Council.

A voice keeps bubbling up in me and it just keeps saying, “I know how these Black women

stein of the conservative American Enterprise Institute told PolitiFact that among them are the public’s desensitization to inflammatory rhetoric; the rightwing’s assault on science and expertise; and the increasing influence of partisan media in American society during the last three decades. Those negative forces have intensified during the last eight years, as the conservative movement encouraged a politicized race war against Barack Obama.

There’s plenty of evidence that Trump’s supporters are thrilled by his inconsistent and incoherent policy positions, and his outright lies. On the one hand, they regard his outwitting the media and both parties as their revenge against the “elite.” And they cheer his win-by-any-means-necessary attitude because they, like him, want to dominate everyone else and they don’t care how they get to do that.

Conservative desperate Trump has shown the world how willing a segment of White conservatives is to shed all the “values” they’ve been pretending they exalt if it’ll restore the one thing they hold most dear: White

tracking hounds, outwitting her pursuers by risking her life for the simple action of bringing America’s freedom to others – worth every penny the price put on her head.

In the arc of her life, she drew strength from grief and pain. Denied her full pension after her Civil War Army service, a healer during her work with Union soldiers in Port Royal, S.C., she taught many of the camp’s ‘contraband’ (the enslaved in Union camps who were without status during the war) how to earn their first income by cooking and working for the soldiers.

Wartime leader She was the first woman to lead U.S. troops in wartime. Appointed to lead the sweep of mines from the local rivers, she accepted the assignment and its dangers, and asked to handpick

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

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.

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.

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conservative rule. That’s why more and more overt White racist groups and individuals have openly endorsed Trump (endorsements that he ‘disavows’).

There hasn’t been such a prominent, openly racist candidate running for president since Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace in 1968 and1972. Trump is using the same strategy – bigotry and the Big Lie – that enabled legalized racism to operate so brazenly in the South and less so in the North for nearly a century after the Civil War. Ironically, Trump’s supporters are so blinded by their bigotry they can’t see they’re being suckered by Trump, the “elite” demagogue, in the same way the Southern segregationist politicians fooled that region’s White populace about the racial realities of America’s future – and the now-hated GOP establishment fooled White conservatives these last eight years by promising to defeat Obama.

You can fool some of the people all of the time.

Lee A. Daniels is a former editor of The National Urban League’s The State of Black America. Contact him at leedanielsjournalist@gmail.com.

her men. Doing that mission, she freed 900 slaves – the largest single emancipation event of the Civil War. In her fight for freedom during the war, in her service as a scout, spy, and nurse, she never fired a shot! But she knew violence. At age 13, her skull was “broken,” smashed when a twopound scale weight thrown by the property holder left her in a coma for months and with a lifetime of pain, hypersomnolence, dizziness, and severe migraines.

In February 1899, after more than 40 years of fighting the bureaucracy and politicians for compensation for her service, the Senate’s Committee on Pensions approved a widow’s pension for her of $20 a month.

She who had a $40,000 bounty on her head, now has her portrait on money her status once denied. And yet that banner still waves.

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M AHEALTH YOR

MAY 19 14 – MAY DECEMBER - 20, 25, 20062016

5 7

Stroke happens regardless of age, race or gender MAYO CLINIC NEWS NETWORK (TNS)

May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke.

Often called a brain attack, a stroke occurs when a blockage stops the flow of blood to the brain or when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts.

Although many people think of stroke as a condition that affects only older adults, strokes occur in people of all ages.

“Your stroke risk does increase as you age, but stroke can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender or race,” says Dr. David Miller, medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center on Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus.

New treatments

ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ/PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS/TNS

Patty Jackson, radio personality on WDAS FM, speaks on the air on Feb. 19, 2016 in the studio during live show in Bala Cynwyd, Pa. She had a stroke at age 52.

While death rates for stroke are falling, it remains the leading cause of disability in the U.S., according to the 2015 update from the American Heart Association, which estimates issues such as paralysis, speech difficulties, memory issues and emotional problems are

significant in stroke patients.

“Recognizing the signs and symptoms of stroke, and getting emergent medical attention is critical, since some of the treatments are time sensitive,” Dr. Miller says.

“Thanks to advances in technology and medicine, we now have new treatments and therapies to treat stroke and reduce one’s risk of permanent damage — or death. But, the faster we can accurately diagnose a stroke and begin treatment, the better possible outcome.”

Signs and symptoms Stroke symptoms typically occur suddenly and affect one side of the body.

The most common signs of stroke include: • Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs • Difficulty speaking or understanding • Facial drooping • Loss of balance or coordination • Double or blurry vision, or sudden blindness in one eye • Severe or unusual headache If you recognize one or any of these signs and symptoms, call 911. Stroke is a medical emergency.

Halifax Health showcases renovated neonatal unit with virtual tour SPEICAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES

Halifax Health Medical Center of Daytona Beach is celebrating the completion of renovations to its Betty Jane France Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The $1-million construction project, which expanded the NICU from nine to 14 beds, is showcased via a virtual tour available online at www.halifaxhealth.org/NICU. “We are excited to be able to offer the

youngest members of our community the highest quality of care. We hope families will not need the expert neonatal services we provide, but if they do, we are ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take care of them,” says Betty Jane Ann Martorano, executive France vice president and chief operating officer for Halifax Health.

If you think you can can spot a person with HIV, consider this: Did you even spot the error in the first six words of this headline?

ANYBODY CAN HAVE HIV. USE PROTECTION. Right now, AIDS is the leading cause of death among African - Americans aged 25 to 44. If you’re having unprotected sex, you’re at risk.

Be smart: Use protection, and get tested. For a testing site near you, text your zip code to 477493.

Services about 200 newborns a year The NICU features an open-concept design that allows the medical center’s experienced clinicians to care for babies utilizing a team approach. Amenities include a certified infant massage specialist, an isolation room, state-of-the-art flooring and lighting, and a breast milk storage area.

Halifax Health operates Volusia and Flagler counties’ only 24-hour Level II NICU. Opened in April 1975 and located in the

Center for Women and Infant Health at Halifax Health Medical Center of Daytona Beach, the NICU provides services for approximately 200 newborns each year who require intensive care due to prematurity or illness diagnosed around the time of delivery The tour is led by Halifax Health NICU and Pediatrics Nurse Manager Amy Christie and includes a greeting from Betty Jane France, a longtime supporter of women and children’s initiatives at Halifax Health.

Whether you prefer whole, low-fat or fat-free milk, all milk can fit into a nutritious and balanced diet.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

The nutritional benefits of drinking milk FAMILY FEATURES

Ninety-six percent of Americans have milk in their refrigerators, and for good reason – it’s one of the most naturally nutrient-rich beverages available.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three daily servings of low-fat or fatfree milk or milk products as part of a balanced diet. They also focus on the variety of ways to follow a healthy eating plan to help you enjoy the foods you love while still getting nutrients you need.

The good news for whole milk fans is that it has the same nine essential nutrients as low-fat and fat-free milk, and a growing body of research suggests there may be benefits to drinking whole milk too. So whether you prefer whole, low-fat or fat-free milk, all milk can fit into a nutritious and balanced diet.

Here are six things about milk that may surprise you: Whole milk has less fat than you may think.

Whole milk is actually 3.25 percent milkfat by weight.

Each 8-ounce glass of whole milk contains 150 calories and eight grams of fat (12 percent of the recommended daily value).

Research suggests dairy fat is unique. A growing body of evidence

suggests that not all saturated fats are the same and the health effects of saturated fat may vary depending on the food you get it from. While more research is needed on the potential benefits of dairy fats, many experts agree on milk’s important role in a healthy diet – in the overall context of the total diet, nutrients and calories.

Milk has a place in a heart-healthy diet. Studies show consuming milk and milk products – regardless of fat content – can be part of a heart-healthy diet, and in some cases may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Additionally, a recent study found the DASH diet, which is linked to lowering blood pressure and typically rich in fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy, was as effective at lowering blood pressure when both full fat milk and milk products were included..

Milk and a healthy weight. Drinking more reduced-fat milk – and getting more milk protein, in particular – is linked to lower body fat and a healthy weight, according to recent research. And while it’s important to pay attention to overall calorie intake, all milk, including whole milk, can fit into a healthy diet. In fact, one study of more than 18,000 healthy weight women, found those who ate more

full fat dairy (1.3 servings daily) were less likely to become overweight or obese over about a decade compared to women who didn’t consume any full fat dairy products.

Skim milk packs the same nutrient-rich punch as all milk. There is a misperception that fat free (or skim) milk contains water or has been “skimmed” of nutrients to reduce the fat content – but that is not the case. The nine essential nutrients, including 8 grams of high-quality protein, remain intact.

White milk has no added sugar. The fact is regular white milk has no added sugar. The sugar in milk comes from naturally occurring lactose. Skim or fat-free milk has less calories and fat than higher fat options, but all white milk has the same amount of naturally occurring sugars, with no sugar added.

So, no matter which type of dairy milk you choose, from whole to low-fat, know that you are selecting a safe, wholesome and naturally nutrient-rich food.

With nine essential nutrients, including high-quality protein, milk is actually the top food source for three out of the four nutrients most Americans fall short on – calcium, potassium and vitamin D. For more information, visit milklife.com.

R6

7 CLASSIFIEDS

MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2016

East Central Florida’s Black Voice

This is personal.

Colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading cancer killer in the U.S., but screening helps prevent this disease.

Terrence Howard, actor/musician

Photo: Andrew Macpherson

She was the cornerstone of our family. But my mother died of colon cancer when she was only 56. Let my heartbreak be your wake-up call.

The LATCH system makes it easier to be sure your child’s car seat is installed correctly every time. Just clip it to the lower anchors, attach the top tether, and pull the straps tight. To find out more, visit safercar.gov.

If you’re 50 or older, please get screened. Screening saves lives.

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) • www.cdc.gov/screenforlife

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Real kids are curious about alcohol.

40% will try it by the time they reach 8th grade.

UNDERAGEdrinking.SAMHSA.gov or Text TALK to 30364 Message and data rates may apply.

7

M ASPORTS YOR

MAY 1914– -MAY 25, 2016 DECEMBER 20, 2006

PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Tennis enthusiasts of all ages participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Daytona Beach’s Derbyshire Park on May 14.

Tennis courts reopen at Derbyshire Park DAYTONA TIMES STAFF

The Derbyshire Community Tennis, Inc. in conjunction with the City of Daytona and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) celebrated the reopening of the Derbyshire Park tennis courts on May 14. The park is located at 849 Derbyshire Road.

According to the Saturday’s program, contributors included the USTA Florida Selection Foundation, Race and Recreation Facilities Grant, Youth Tennis Foundation of Florida, Clarence Childs, Bethune-Cookman University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University tennis camp, tennis team, and the John Hudson Tennis Academy.

The ceremony included court demonstrations by students from the tennis academy and tennis play for all ages.

Johnny Van Session, who first brought tennis to the area, was honored, as well as others who have supported the sport of tennis in the African-American community.

Kathy Palumbo accepted an award on behalf of Frank Palumbo, who was a dedicated coach and volunteer at the park.

Area residents join in the celebration of the renovated tennis courts.

Johnny Van Session, left, is honored during the program.

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry addresses the crowd.

Eight Wildcats named MEAC all-conference baseball team members SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES

Bethune-Cookman first baseman Danny Rodriguez was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Rookie of the Year, the MEAC announced Tuesday.

Including Rodriguez, a total of eight Wildcats were selected first-, second- or third team all-conference team members.

All awards are voted on by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors.

60 hits for Rodriquez Rodriguez, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound freshman from Pembroke Pines, became

the first MEAC Rookie of the Year from BethuneCookman since Scott Garner received the award in 2011. Rodriguez a twotime MEAC Rookie of the Week honoree, led the Wildcats in RBIs (40).

He recorded 60 hits, including nine doubles and seven home runs, with 29 runs scored. Defensively, he notched a .988 fielding percentage. Additionally, Rodriguez was selected to the All-MEAC second team as a first baseman.

First team Landing on the first team All-MEAC squad from B-CU was Nathan Bond (Orlando), Michael Cruz (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico) and Clay Middleton (Oviedo).

Bond earned the position in the outfield; Cruz as a utility player; and Middleton as a catcher.

Bond, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, is making his second appearance on the all-conference team, after being selected to the team a season ago after transferring from Daytona State. He finished the year atop the BCU squad in batting average (.367), while plating 26 RBIs on 54 hits throughout the campaign.

Cruz, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior, is earning his first appearance on the all-conference team after leading the MEAC and spending much of the season in the top seven of the NCAA in home runs (16).

Cruz also held a .995 field-

COURTESY OF JASMINE ALSTON

The B-CU baseball players above were named top MEAC players for 2016. ing percentage behind the dish as a catcher, and has played and started in all 50 games on the year.

Middleton, 6-foot, 205-pound redshirt junior, is second on the BCU team in batting average (.359) and holds a fielding percentage of .985, adding a team-high 173 putouts and 27 assists.

Second team On the All-MEAC second team were pitchers Tyler Norris (Coral Springs) and Joseph Calamita (Lake Worth), along with Rodriguez at first base.

Norris, a 6-foot-1, 160-pound sophomore, is making his first all-conference appearance as a starting pitcher after turning in a 5-3 record on the 2016 campaign. He collected a 5.07 earned run average in 55 innings pitched. He also fanned a team-best 55 batters, and added a team second-lowest .276 average against mark.

Calamita, a 6-foot, 175-pound sophomore, was selected as a relief pitcher after the Lake

Worth native appeared in 25 contests out of the bullpen. He turned in a 2.55 ERA, as well as collecting a team-high matching two saves in 24.2 innings worked. Calamita added a .225 average against clip on the mound.

Third team Finally, landing on the All-MEAC third team were shortstop Demetrius Sims (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and senior outfielder Rakeem Quinn (Port St. Joe).

Sims, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound redshirt sophomore, is making his first appearance to the all-conference squad after playing and starting in 49 games for the Wildcats in 2016.

He used a .283 batting average across the year, while picking up 52 hits, knocking in 21 RBIs and crossing to score 35 times.

He was also second on the team with 12 steals and fielded a team-high 164 assists.

As for Quinn, this is also the first all-league award for the senior outfielder. Quinn, a 5-foot-10,

205-pound senior, finished the regular season fourth on the team in batting average (.311), adding 52 hits and 16 RBIs. Quinn fielded at a .937 clip, amassing 58 putouts and an assist.

Maryland championship Florida A&M infielder Dylan Dillard was named MEAC Baseball Player of the Year, while Norfolk State’s Matt Outman earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Florida A&M’s Jamey Shouppe received Coach of the Year accolades.

The 2016 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament got underway May 19 at noon at the Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. A complete tournament bracket can be found on www.

MEACsports.com.

This story is courtesy of B-CU Athletics.

R8

7FAMILY

MAY 19 – MAY 25, 2016

Unwed dads fight for rights to know their children

BY GRANT CLARK URBAN NEWS SERVICE

U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Carlton is passionate about two areas of service in his life: his country and his family.

But when the soldier shipped out for a tour of duty in the Middle East in early 2010, he had no idea his toughest — and most traumatic — battle would play out after he returned from the war.

For the past six years, the 33-year-old veteran from Williamsport, Pennsylvania has been fighting what feels like a losing battle for a father’s rights to his biological child, who was given up for adoption without his knowledge or consent.

A painful lie Today, because of adoption policies that often value the rights of birth mothers above those of unwed fathers, Carlton is left financially and emotionally exhausted, and no closer to learning any details about his daughter, let alone being a part of her life.

“It’s just devastating,” Carlton said of the legal ordeal. “I’m extremely stressed. I’ve probably aged myself eight to 10 years over this.”

For the war vet surviving on disability benefits, the salt in the wound is the fact that it began with a painful lie: his former girlfriend told him the baby had died while she secretly arranged for the infant to be adopted in Utah. Carlton and his girlfriend were living together in Williamsport when she told him she was expecting his baby in September 2009.

He said he intended to raise the child with her.

Baby didn’t die The couple split up a few months later, but Carlton said he continued to support her with cash gifts and other help, such as shoveling snow for her.

“Eight months into her pregnancy, she just up and disap-

peared,” Carlton said. “I was calling her like crazy. I thought she was missing.”

She showed up at his door just six weeks later with news that sickened him: the baby had died.

A full year passed before Carlton discovered, during a court hearing, that his child was alive and living with adoptive parents, following legal proceedings in Utah.

A ruling in the Utah Supreme Court case of Carlton v. Brown, filed in 2014, confirmed that Carlton’s then-girlfriend, unbeknownst to him, traveled to Utah and gave birth. She initially told him the baby was a boy.

She later admitted in a hearing, according to court records, that the baby boy was, in fact, a girl, whom she had given up for adoption.

But despite the evidence that he was misled, a judge denied his petition contesting the adoption.

Won’t overturn it Utah’s adoption policy is that a child is better off with an unfamiliar married couple than with a single biological parent. And a “fraud immunity” statute in state

PHOTOS BY URBAN NEWS SERVICE

U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Carlton is one of a group of dads who launched a 2014 classaction federal lawsuit about Utah’s adoption statute. adoption law means that if someone is found guilty of lying during an adoption, it still cannot be overturned.

State adoption authorities say they have no position on this provision other than to obey the law.

In Utah, mothers unilaterally can offer babies for adoption if their fathers fail to meet a series of criteria within 20 days of an adoption notice.

The Utah Supreme Court ruling confirms Carlton’s statement that he was not approached for his consent to the adoption because he failed to take a littleknown legal step – signing a father’s registry that ensures his right to be notified of any legal proceedings involving the child.

Class-action lawsuit

Some success

Carlton is far from alone. Many unwed fathers across America fight for their rights in states where policies are skewed against them.

He was one of a group of 12 fathers who launched a 2014 classaction federal lawsuit demanding $130 million in damages and challenging the constitutionality of Utah’s adoption statute.

All the plaintiffs, like Carlton, had said under oath that they had seen babies, whom they wanted to help raise, offered for adoption without their permission.

The suit was dismissed last fall, but the fathers’ individual battles continue.

Rob Manzares, a contractor with the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, also has spent six years — and some $330,000 in legal costs — fighting for custody of a daughter who secretly was offered for adoption.

“I’m not going to give up,” Manzares said. “If I have to go to the U.S. Supreme Court, I will.”

Manzares, however, has seen some success.

After taking his fight to the Utah Supreme Court, he was awarded visitation rights to his child.

Carlton, on the other hand, knows virtually nothing about his daughter – where she is, with whom, how she looks, or even her name.