Youth Black History Reality Show scholarships awarded SEE PAGE 3
EE FR
BEN CHAVIS: The Black Press still the voice of Black America SEE PAGE 4
AUTHOR SHARES STORIES ABOUT MLK’S FRIENDS SEE PAGE 8
East Central Florida’s Black Voice JULY 3 - JULY 9, 2014
YEAR 39 NO. 27
www.daytonatimes.com
Possible Black majority at Daytona City Hall Election of Miller and Moore would create another historic commission for Daytona Beach BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
A previous commissioner and a longtime political insider are vying for two open seats on the Daytona Beach City Commission. Steve Miller, who served on the commission from 1993-1995 in Zone 5, is seeking to unseat Kel-
ly White, current commissioner for Zone 3. Andrew Moore, who has been involved in government from one aspect or another his entire life, is eyeing the Zone 1 commission seat currently held by Carl Lentz, IV. Both of Moore’s parents have served as city commissioners. If elected, Miller and Moore, who are Black, will join the two other Black commissioners – Paula Reed and Patrick Henry – as well as Mayor Derrick Henry, which would create a minority majority on the commission with five Blacks. Robert Gilliland and Pam Woods would be left as the only White commissioners.
Majority in 2003 The racial makeup of Daytona Beach’s 62,316 people is 57.8 percent White and 35.4 percent Black. “We’ve had that situation before and I don’t know whether that is a good or bad thing,” Miller said, referring to the only time in history to date that Daytona Beach had a majority-Black commission. State Rep. Dwayne Taylor Gwen Azama-Edwards, the late Charles W. Cherry, Sr. and the late Yvonne Scarlett-Golden, who became the city’s first Black mayor, served on the commission from 2003-2005. “I perceive my job to serve the
city at large, however I can’t deny the color of my skin. There are some concerns that are innate to me,” Moore told the Daytona Times. “How do I feel about it? As long as we do the job that needs to be done and serve the community than everything will be fine.’’
Youth and the future Miller is running on a platform focused on the youth of Daytona Beach. “We have issues. I am advocating that we create a parks and recreation board. We pay so much to law enforcement to lock these kids up, but nothing on the
front end to prevent it,” Miller remarked. Miller also wants more accountability within the city budgeting process. “We spend 64 percent of our budget in public safety and around 5 percent on our children in leisure services and that shows you our focus is on locking them up. We can’t afford a whole lot of things, but we must take care of our children. The Bible tells you charity begins at home, if you don’t take care of your family you’re worse than an infidel. “We have too many of our young males going to jail, going Please see ELECTION, Page 2
No repeat of 2009 on Orange Avenue Above: Community members and city officials gathered outside the Dickerson Center with hard hats and shovels for the ceremony.
Major investment
BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
“It’s a great day in Daytona Beach and a great day in Zone 6,” Paula Reed, Daytona Beach City Commissioner said last week at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Orange Avenue Reconstruction Project held at James Huger Park on Orange Avenue. The project is more than 20 years in the making and has probably been the single top priority of the commission over the last 10 years and most certainly since 2009, according to Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry. In 2009 the area suffered devastating flooding due to massive rainfall and inadequate sewer systems. Flooding caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage citywide and made national headlines.
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./ HARDNOTTS UNIVERSITY
Right: Water rose to three feet in some Daytona Beach neighborhoods in 2009. FILE PHOTO/ DAYTONA TIMES
“Five years ago, the Orange Avenue area had significant flooding and significant rain that were described as hundred-year rains. They damaged the community greatly. At that point in time I think that the political will of the commission became such that it was the number one priority,” Henry continued. “Historically this part of the community has felt, rightfully so at times, underserved,” Henry told the crowd. “This is a major, major investment. In my mind it is the right thing to do and the right time to do it, but it also speaks to the progress we have made as a city as it relates to our priorities. Our priorities are to do our best for all citizens of Daytona Beach in all areas and I think this
Beaten, branded and abused: Black girls disproportionately victims of trafficking Editor’s note: This is part one of a three-part series on sexual slavery and Black America. It follows a special edition last year that explored the subject. Sex trafficking plagues young Black girls and a growing legion of advocates is working to help rescue children who’ve been pimped out and to prevent others from being snatched off buses and streets. They are trying to raise awareness about this tragedy disproportionately affecting Black girls. This report gives an overview of the problem and accounts from advocates and law enforcement.
ALSO INSIDE
BY CHARLENE MUHAMMAD SPECIAL TO THE NNPA
Pimping, or sex trafficking, is a multi-billion dollar industry: Some say $64 billion worldwide and approximately $10 billion inside America. But at this moment, somewhere in your community, perhaps near your home, a predator is likely working to make $150,000 to $300,000 a year by selling the bodies of Black teenage girls. The average pimp has four to six girls, according to statistics from the U.S. Justice Department and Nation-
al Center for Missing and Exploited Children. While many 13- to 14-year-old girls are being groomed for academic decathlons, recruited for middle and high school sports or drama clubs, others that age are being groomed for sex work. Girls are raped, beaten, branded, indoctrinated and sold day in and day out in a lucrative sex trade.
The victims Lt.
Andre
Dawson,
officer-in-
Please see VICTIMS, Page 2
HEALTH: STROKES RISING AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS | PAGE 5 TECHNOLOGY: HOW THE GOVERNMENT CAN GET YOUR DIGITAL DATA | PAGE 7
Please see ORANGE, Page 2
Lisa’s pimp branded her with a tattoo on the inside of her lip. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SHAREE SANDERS GORDON/ LOS ANGELES DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL SAFETY ATTORNEY