Daytonan celebrates 100th birthday SEE PAGE 2
EE FR
CHARLENE CROWELL: Drop in Black homeownership rate double that of Whites SEE PAGE 4
PALM COAST RESIDENT SHARES EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR FARMERS’ RIGHTS SEE PAGE 3
East Central Florida’s Black Voice JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2014
YEAR 39 NO. 29
www.daytonatimes.com
Community to celebrate Campbell Elementary Committee searches for memorabilia, pictures BY THE DAYTONA TIMES STAFF
A local organizing committee of Campbell Elementary alumni who attended the school from 1962 to 1969 will celebrate the school’s legacy with a banquet recognizing and memorializing the school’s faculty and staff. The banquet, set for Saturday, Aug. 23 at 2 p.m., will be at the John H. Dickerson Community Center, 308 South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd,. Daytona Beach. The theme: “Campbell Elementary: A Passion for Preparation.” Admission is $10.
The committee, led by former Campbell Elementary student Dr. Pamela JacksonSmith, will meet every Monday at 6 p.m. at the Midtown Cultural and Dr. Pamela Educational CenJacksonter, 925 George Smith W. Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach. from now until the Aug. 23 event to keep things on track.
Help needed Committee members are looking for class and individual pictures, letters, report cards, home-
work assignments, textbooks, or any other Campbell Elementary memorabilia. All such materials will be duplicated if possible and returned after the banquet. They are also searching for contact information for family members of deceased Campbell Elementary employees so those surviving family members can be invited to the event.
Coming together “The former students of Campbell Elementary School have come together to celebrate the legacy of the all Black educators and staff that made a profound lifelong impact on their students during our formative years,” Jack-
son-Smith said. “We commemorate their passion for providing a stellar educational experience in spite of the turbulence of the civil rights movement. They gave us the confidence to stand and be proud of who we were in the face of the resistance we encountered when we entered Volusia’s desegregated secondary schools. “Our educational experience at Campbell Elementary made us critical thinkers and academic achievers. I am forever grateful for the motivation, inspiration and exposure to academic excellence that I received as a student there. I can only wish that my grandchildren could receive the educational experience that we
Former Vince Carter chef buys Midtown restaurant
received at Campbell.”
Limited history The committee is compiling a list of everyone who worked at Campbell Elementary. Once the list is compiled, the committee will make a public records request to review the personnel files for Campbell employees who have already died. Even that is a problem. State law allows school districts to destroy personnel records 25 years after an employee leaves the district, either by resignation, reassignment, or retirement. Therefore, no personnel records are available for any Campbell emPlease see CAMPBELL, Page 2
Daytona group visits Kenya; returns home with mission on their mind FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Daytona Beach Chapter of the Links, Inc. and Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church are partnering to undertake a project to help empower women and girls, and, ultimately, the economies in their communities and in Kenya, Africa. The journey for this “serviceto-others” project began when Jessie Childs, a former elementary school principal in Volusia County, was visiting her mother. Childs explained that while visiting her family in Alachua, Fla., she observed her young cousin, Joanie Perkins, diligently sewing reusable feminine items for girls and women in the Sudan. Joanie’s Girl Scout Troop had committed to making 200 “comfort kits’’ that included reusable products and other hygiene products to send to the Sudan. Childs immediately had the “I can help too” attitude. Upon returning to Daytona Beach, she shared the sewing project information with some members of Stewart Memorial and The Links. The general thought was that this actually was something the groups could do to impact the lives of others.
Met Kenya’s governor PHOTOS BY ASHLEY THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES
Nathaniel Anthony stands in front of his restaurant, Busy Bee Too Cafe, located on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Owner of soul food spot in Daytona plans to open chain of restaurants BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
The Busy Bee Too Cafe, known for soul food and Georgia sweet tea, has been taken over by Nathaniel Anthony, who formally was a manager at Vince Carter’s restaurant in Daytona Beach. Anthony purchased the restaurant and brand in April after the building sat vacant for several months. He and wife Tijuana have plans on franchising within the next 18 months into a chain known throughout Central Florida. Busy Bee Too Cafe is located at 456 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. in Daytona Beach. “Everything is contingent on the blessing of God,” Anthony told the Daytona Times.
“If we are blessed with an overwhelming success in the near future, then that will afford us the opportunity to look at developing more.” Anthony graduated from the Bethune-Cookman’s School of Hospitality in 2010 specializing in culinary arts and has been in the restaurant business for years, most recently as a manager for four years at NBA player Vince Carter’s namesake restaurant in Daytona Beach.
Vast clientele The Busy Bee Too Cafe caters to a broad spectrum of customers to include the surrounding Orange Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard community, students and faculty of Bethune-Cookman University, executives seeking after-hour meetings and a fully staffed catering service. “We’re modern, businesscasual,” Tijuana Anthony explained. Patrons can order what is
A side of fries accompanies your choice of mild, hot, salt vinegar, honey, teriyaki or barbecue wings. on the menu or ask for special dishes, which can be cooked to order whether on the menu or not. Everything from the busy bee burger, sunrise burger or queen bee burger can be found on the menu as well as turkey wraps, fried chicken,
seafood, pork chops and plenty of veggies. “Our slogan is ‘Food that’s good for the soul,’” Tijuana told the Daytona Times. “Believe it or not, liver and onions Please see BUSY BEE, Page 2
As fate would have it, a mission/tourist team from Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church, led by their minister, Dr. Silas M’Mworia and his wife, Dr. Damaris M’Mworia, traveled to Kenya in May. While there, they visited with Gov. Samuel Mbae and his wife, Lucy Njeri Mbae. Mr. Mbae, the brother of Dr. Damaris M’Mworia, is the governor of Tharaka Nithi in Kenya. During the visit, Mrs. Mbae informed the delegation from Stewart Memorial that her initiative as first lady of Tharaka Niti is to remove an obstacle that makes it difficult for the female children from poor homes in Kenya to excel in school. Many girls in Kenya are being deprived of their education when they reach puberty, simply because they do not have the necessary feminine products that allow them to sit in a classroom. Some girls miss one to two weeks of school each month. Thus, they fall behind in their studies and have poor school performance. Not only is their education interrupted, many of these young girls become ill from poor hygiene practices, and others marry at a very early age, become pregPlease see MISSION, Page 2
ALSO INSIDE
PERSONAL FINANCE: BLACK GROUPS PARTNERING TO IMPACT TRAVEL AND TOURISM | PAGE 5 HEALTH: NATION’S ONLY BLACK HOSPITAL COULD SHUT DOWN IN WEEKS | PAGE 7
7 FOCUS
R2
JULY 17 – JULY 23, 2014
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./ HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPY
Mrs. Beatrice Richie, left, lives in Daytona Beach with her niece, Pamela Reed.
Beatrice Ritchie turns 100 Born July 4, 1914 in Culpepper, Virginia to Archie and Ardeemer West, Beatrice Ritchie celebrated her 100th birthday at Allen Chapel A.M.E Church on July 11. Fondly called Bea, she went to high school during the Great Depression, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights era, and worked for the federal government including the Army, Air Force and Navy, then retired after more than 20 years. After a second retirement, she moved to Florida at the age of 83 in 2010 to live with her niece, Daytona Beach resident Pamela Reed.
BRIEFS
Saturday is sign-up day at Daytona State New and returning students can “sign up for classes, financial aid, etc. in one visit to Daytona State College on Saturday, July 19. Registration for fall semester is as simple as stopping by the Daytona Beach Campus for Enrollment Day to complete everything from admission to registration and have a chance to win a $350 scholarship from the
Daytona State Foundation. Students start by completing a Daytona State application (apply online or download the application from www.DaytonaState. edu), then meet with an Admissions Advisor and Financial Aid Counselor, take an assessment test (if applicable), meet with an Academic Advisor, and then lock in their schedule. Fall classes start Aug. 13 and 25. Enrollment Day is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 19 at the Daytona Beach campus, Wetherell Center, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. The Daytona State Financial Aid Office will be
open to assist with college education financing and to help students complete their financial aid application (FAFSA). The Enrollment Day event will culminate with a free drawing for a $350 scholarship presented by the Daytona State Foundation – only students registering for classes at the event will be eligible for this drawing.
Board to discuss Cassadaga district The Volusia County Historic Preservation Board will meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, in the Frank T.
Bruno Jr. County Council Chambers on the second floor of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. The board will consider a request for designation of a historic district in Cassadaga and receive updates from staff on current projects. The public is invited to attend and participate in the meeting. The Historic Preservation Board is appointed by the Volusia County Council to issue certificates of designation for eligible historic resources such as structures, archaeological sites and historic districts; and certificates of appropriateness for demolition, alteration, relocation and new construction. For more information, contact Historic Preservation Officer Julie Adams Scofield at 386-736-5953, ext. 12008, or jscofield@ volusia.org.
Bachelor’s degree workshop on July 22 A Bachelor’s Degree Workshop is Tuesday, July 22, at 5:30 p.m., in the Hosseini Center, on the college’s Daytona Beach Campus at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. Daytona State offers 11 career-focused baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management (BAS), seven degrees in Education, Engineering Technology, Information Technology, and Nursing. Daytona State faculty, academic advisors and student-services staff will be on hand to answer questions about programs, admissions, financial aid, scholarships and more. For more information,
e-mail Admissions@DaytonaState.edu or call 386506-4471.
Volusia accepting Justice Assistance Grant applications Volusia County anticipates the award of an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in the amount of $163,427, of which the county will retain $16,342 for planning, evaluation and administration. The amount available for countywide distribution is $147,085. Applications are being accepted until noon July 25. Eligible programs include law enforcement programs; prosecution and court programs; prevention and education programs; corrections and community corrections programs; drug treatment programs; crime victim and witness programs; and planning, evaluation and technology improvement programs. The county’s Substance Abuse Policy Advisory Board has established funding priorities in the area of behavioral treatment services for substance abuse and mental health problems to score the applications and make funding recommendations. Final approval for funding will be made by the Volusia County Council. Applications are available online at www.volusia.org/community_assistance/applications or by calling Myra Gaziano at 386-736-5956 in DeLand, 386-254-4648 in Daytona Beach, or 386-423-3375 in New Smyrna Beach extension 12880.
CAMPBELL from Page 1
ployee who died, left the Volusia County school system, or retired before 1989.
Just one book
Gov. Samuel Mbae of Kenya, the Rev. and Dr. M’Mworia, members of Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church, Girl Scout Troop #733 and members of the Daytona Beach Chapter of The Links, Inc., are shown during a July 7 meeting.
MISSION from Page 1
nant, and die in childbirth. Childs was convinced that this project was something that needed to be undertaken. The Rev. and Dr. M’Mworia and the other church members from Stewart Memorial agreed, and offered their support for the project.
Kenyan visit to Daytona In June, Childs presented the plan to the Daytona Beach Chapter of The Links, along with Celestine Hinson, chair of the chapter’s International Trends and Services Program facet. They told of
BUSY BEE from Page 1
is the No. 1 seller at the Busy Bee Too.” Chef Nathaniel says it is due to not only the taste but its appeal as a lean meat, being an old Southern dish and being high in iron, adding that it also holds true to the restaurant slogan. “We are a Christian faithbased business. It’s like cooking at home. It’s personable and it’s not like you are sitting in a restaurant and nobody wants to serve you because of your color.”
their first-hand experience in talking with the girls in Tharaka Nithi and the need for support that they personally observed. Lucy Bell, chapter president, and the chapter members wholeheartedly accepted the proposal. After that, it seemed as if all the pieces to make it a reality began to fall in place. On July 7, Governor Mbae visited Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church to meet with Girl Scout Troop 733, who draws members from Alachua, High Springs and Gainesville.
Take training to Kenya The ultimate goal is to do more than just make and distribute the kits.
Great location Sitting on the MLK thoroughfare with BethuneCookman three blocks away, the Anthonys say they have some prime real estate. “With the community and the churches we are in a great location, we have to gain the confidence of the community though because the location has been turned over so many times and we have been successful at that so far,’’ Tijuana said. Although Nathaniel Anthony talks of expansion, he has a very poignant pro-
Rev. M’Mworia plans to take a small mission delegation to Kenya again. This time the delegation will work with Mbae, churches and other organizations, and the women of the community. They will teach the women of the community how to start their own programs to make and supply comfort kits and training for the women of Kenya. The hope is that this will have a positive economic impact on the community. For more information about this project and how an individual, organization or a sewing group can become involved, contact Jessie Childs at 386-255-1895 or Celestine Hinson at 386615-8108. cess in mind with doing so. He says the whole concept of Busy Bee Too Cafe is to keep it within the inner city. “We could be on ISB (International Speedway Boulevard) or on George Engram (Boulevard) but it is a neighborhood aspect we are trying to get back to. The highest item on our menu is only $12. It affords people to eat in an environment that is conducive to their own people. He asked, “How many kids can get up in the morning and see a Black man go to his own business? We have a $3 breakfast, a $6 breakfast an $8 all you-can-
The main reference for information about education for Black students in Volusia County is found in a book entitled, “The Odyssey of an American School System: Volusia County Schools-1854 to 2000.” The book was written by a group of retired Volusia educators and published in 2000. Some historical facts about Black education in Volusia County: • It’s possible the first school for Blacks was set up in 1869, when the Volusia County school system was set up. • One of Volusia County’s first superintendents, a Northerner named William F. Bucknor, tried to get Black schools funded by the federal Freedmen’s Bureau during the Civil War’s Reconstruction period, but the Bureau was dissolved when racist Southern Democrats took back control of the South before funding came in. • In 1897, Black teachers formed their own teachers’ association separate from White teachers in the county. • In 1902, White teachers were paid from $35 to $120 per month. Black teachers were paid from $32 to $50 per month. The racial disparity in pay was to continue for more than 60 years.
Oldest in Daytona • Campbell Elementary began as Daytona Colored School in 1884 on Second Street. That’s the same location on which the Dickerson Center is now located. It originally educated Black students of all ages. Thus, Campbell is the oldest school for Black students in Daytona Beach. • All-Black Daytona High School (later named Campbell Street High School) moved next to the Campbell Elementary site in 1909. • From 1929 to 1931, Daytona Colored School was known as “Second Street Elementary.” eat breakfast. When we look at all the other businesses in our neighborhood, there are the car washes - and I’m not saying that is a bad business and you have the beauty salons. This is the only other real business in the area.” “This used to be the hub of the Black businesses,” he added. “As economics allowed us the change to move out to Derbyshire, to Port Orange to L.P.G.A, we have removed ourselves from the community. We don’t mind going to church here, but we don’t spend our money here. We want people to know that it is
Police department seeking community input The Daytona Beach Police Department, in effort to provide more professional and efficient services to the community, and having met the strictest standards of professionalism as set forth by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, became a Florida Accredited Law Enforcement Agency on Feb. 10, 1999. As part of maintaining accreditation the agency must be re-evaluated every three years by an on-site team of law enforcement professionals. The Daytona Beach Police Department has continued the commitment of maintaining accreditation and in order to do so, an on-site assessment and evaluation will take place July 23-25. To meet one of the accreditation elements, the department has established a Community Comments Line for the public to call in and voice opinions on the performance and professionalism of the Daytona Beach Police Department, regarding the agency’s ability to comply with CFA standards. Assessment team members will staff the phone and are prepared to answer questions and discuss issues related to the Police Department and Community. The telephone number for the comments line is 386-671-5764 or 386-6715129 and will be in service on July 23 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Written comments may be sent to the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation Inc., 2331 Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Fla. 32308.
• “Second Street” was renamed “Campbell Street” in 1931, after British race car driver Malcolm Campbell, who set land speed records while racing on the Daytona Beach shoreline. Second Street Elementary and Daytona High School were both renamed “Campbell” soon thereafter. (Campbell Street was renamed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in 1989.) • Cypress Street Elementary (now Bonner Elementary) opened in 1926. South Street Elementary (now Turie T. Small Elementary) opened in 1943. Both came into existence due to overcrowding at Campbell Elementary. • Turie T. Small was principal at Campbell Elementary before moving to South Street Elementary, which was later named after her. Evelyn Bonner taught at Campbell Elementary before moving to Cypress Street Elementary, which was later named after her. • Campbell Street Elementary and Campbell Street High were housed in separate buildings on the same property. In 1948, Campbell High was split into a junior high and senior high and then was moved to South and Keech Streets. Campbell Elementary moved into the Campbell High building, where it remained until it was shut down as a consequence of school desegregation in 1969. • The Dickerson Center is named after former Campbell Elementary Principal John H. Dickerson. “Campbell Elementary is a vital part of the history of the Volusia County school system. We will honor that history by recognizing the teachers, administrators and staff members from Campbell Elementary. We would love to have the entire community to join us as we continue to make history,” exclaimed Jackson-Smith. For more info, or if you have memorabilia or contact information for surviving families, contact Dr. Pamela Jackson-Smith at 386-447-8997; email jacksmith01@bellsouth.net.
safe enough to drive up and down the street and safe enough to eat here. “We want to keep you in the neighborhood,” he continued. “If you have a restaurant in your community why not support it and make sure it’s successful. We are clean, professional and worth the effort, if it is an effort to come here.”
Customers agree While speaking with the Anthonys, Charmaine Green, an Ormond Beach resident and first-time visitor stopped by Busy Bee Too. She said that she had
heard there was a real soul food restaurant on MLK and drove down to try it out. “I try to promote Black businesspeople, whether it is food I eat or if I can get a Black person to cut my grass or to buy a product. We should uplift one another. Don’t be jealous and envious of others,” she said. “When opportunity knocks for you, don’t let it slip you by. The Chinese open restaurants when opportunity knocks and so should you.” While looking over the food choices Green remarked, “You can’t go wrong with a menu like this.”
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JULY 17 – JULY 23, 2014 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
M A YNEWS OR
Former government manager tells of experience working for farmers’ rights The full impact of a demonstration by Black farmers called on President Bill Clinton to assure fair treatment on behalf of the farmers in agricultural lending programs. The public display had opened an examination of all fronts within the USDA. That was 1996 and a suit was filed in court against Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, asking the end to foreclosures and beginning restitution for financial ruin that the farmers claimed was brought about by discrimination. It was cause for Pearlie S. Reed, associate chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service, to put together a 14-member Civil Rights Action Team (CRAT), which stirred up motivation in Robert Whiting, Chief, Information Management Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer. The team made up the senior managers in the federal government. Whiting felt compassion and helped through his experience in government, and – rallying to the call of unfairness in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – said, “My undergraduate degree was in business administration, and so I understood organizations and how they worked. “My MBA was basically icing on the cake, in terms of understanding how organizations work, how to get things done, how to develop effective strategies to get things done, but even more importantly,” Whiting said, “the psychology of people – how they react in organizations and how that can impede or, in some cases, enhance your chances of getting results.” Whiting, who is now retired in Palm Coast with his lovely wife, Harriett, is moreover a scholar on Nile Valley Civilizations, director of the African American Cultural Society, and widely acclaimed playing jazz guitar with his band, Rob’s JazzExpress. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of the District of Columbia and an MBA with an emphasis in finance and investments from George Washington University. He has done over 40 years of research on ancient Africa.
‘The last plantation’ The Civil Rights Action Team prepared to unlock the unfair practices posed on Black farmers and other minorities. From the team’s report in 1997 titled: “Civil Rights at the United States Department of Agriculture,” the introduction reads: “There are some who call the USDA ‘the last plantation.’ An ‘old line’ department, the USDA was one of the last federal agencies to integrate and perhaps the last to include women and minorities in leadership positions.” Beginning in 1965, there has been this dark side in report after report documenting the same conclusions. The USDA, a huge decentralized bureaucracy, “administers several hundred federally assisted and federally conducted programs with more than 90,000 federal and nearly 20,000 nonfederal employees throughout the world.” The Civil Rights Action Team maintained 12 “listening” sessions attended by 2,000 customers and 900 employees through-
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
out the United States. The sessions were held in Albany, Ga.; New Orleans; Memphis; Halifax, N.C.; Tulsa, Okla.; Brownsville, Texas; Window Rock, Ariz.; Salinas, Calif.; Woodland, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; and in Belzoni, Miss.
History of discrimination The team moved to hear painstaking testimonies, all pointing to USDA agencies as a major part of discrimination. The listening sessions provided for the claimant to bring charges against their accusers who stood in close proximity of the claimant. It was an intimidating situation and bravery on the part of the Black farmers, who spoke in front of government and state officials who were doing the gross injustices. The stories became redundant, and were heard over again from Hispanic and women farmers. The worries that eroded the spirit also involved minority and socially disadvantaged customers who spoke of discrimination and mistreatment by county-level employees and advisory boards that provided access to USDA Farm Service Agency programs. Other employees discussed discrimination by USDA managers in addition to cronyism and nepotism in making personnel and management decisions. Edging on the same path, minority and the socially disadvantaged - including women farmers – charged that the USDA had participated in a conspiracy to acquire land belonging to them and transferring the land to wealthy landowners. They also charged that favoritism and reprisals were prevalent.
Decline of Black ownership Obstacles were also placed so that Black farmers would not succeed through the participation of conspiracies to take over their land. USDA agencies that were responsible for helping farmers - at the state level and, in some cases, the national level - were really impeding and delaying the paperwork of the Black farmers as well as setting lower prices for selling cattle and increasing the costs of buying fertilizers. The Farmers Home Administration was identified as one of the key causes of the decline in Black farm ownership. “It reminds me of the role of the Federal Housing Administration in the 1940s and 1950s when they wouldn’t give Black folks loans,” said Whiting. “So Black folks had to go and get these contracts where they were exploited by private investors. And then, if a Black person moved into a White neighborhood, the Federal Housing Administration would start devaluing the property and lowering the prices of the homes.” According to the USDA census at the time of the CRAT report, “in the year of 1910, Black people
CHUCK KENNEDY/MCT
Black farmers attend a rally to in front of the Agriculture Department in Washington on May 7, 2000 to “protest decades of ongoing discrimination” by the USDA and to “demand support America’s small family farms.” Robert Whiting conducts a lecture at the African American Cultural Society. Whiting was part of the Civil Rights Action Team (CRAT) investigating malfeasance in 1996 on the part of the USDA. JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY/ DAYTONA TIMES
owned approximately 16 million acres of land in this country. According to the same statistics today (1997), African-Americans own less than approximately 4 million acres.” This was the result of federal policy, which was racist. It was the systemic takeover of land from Black farmers. “The tragedy is the fact that Black folks are basically a landless people,” asserted Whiting. “Land is more valuable than money...So over the long term, land is the key to prosperity and economic wellness - having 20 acres of land where you can plant corn and soybeans, or raise cattle, and provide food for your family and community, and over the long term, that becomes more valuable. “It is so important for people to understand that riding around in a Lexus or BMW and living in a fancy home and wearing fancy clothes are nothing, just an illusion,” affirmed Whiting. “There’s no wealth; it’s nothing. In the long term, it actually does not amount to much. It’s stuff.”
The testimonies The going was rough and Black farmers shared their experience at the listening sessions. One transcript from J.F. of Brooks County, Ga., attests:
“I see people losing their farms. I have a son that has to go to college. I want to see my son go to college also. I want to see him go to college and possibly come back and take over my farm. I want to be able to leave him a legacy. “But through the government, when they asked me to go and help fight in Vietnam, I did. We’re asking them to help us save our homes, and it’s not being done ‘through’ discrimination. Then they can put any kind of label on it they want, but it’s just truly discrimination when you can’t go and get a few dollars to help you along. “And once you get this loan, they require you to pay it all back under disasters and everything else. And once you can’t pay it all back, then they won’t give you a loan again. From what I understand, the reason it was set up was to help the people who were in – you know, who were unable to go and get a loan.” “I’m J.M. from Leslie Ga., in Lee County. And my concern, I’ve had all those problems with the Farmers Home Administration. You apply for a loan in October, you get it in May the following year. And, as a result of that, you finally go out of business.” “My name is A.S. I’m from Tal-
lahatchie County. My complaint is at the FHA office in Charleston. I went in to apply for a loan, a cattle (ph) loan, land and cattle purchase, and I was told that they did not have any money to do this. “So I waited about a year, and I go back in to ask for an application, and the man give me an application for a construction loan, and I want to apply for a land and cattle loan. That was my complaint. “On behalf of my brother, L.S., when he moved back from Memphis to Charleston, he wanted to apply for a loan, and he was told by the FHA that he was not making enough money to apply for a loan. So about a year later, he got a job at NS South (ph) in Grenada (ph), and he goes back in to reapply for a loan. And this time, he was told that he was making too much money. So on both occasions, it was either/or: he was making too much or not making enough.” “The recommendations in the report allowed the department to make fundamental changes, which dramatically improve the USDA’s ability to serve all customers and to fully use the potential of every USDA employee.” In addition, “a finding of systemic discrimination against the USDA was determined and included in the report that went to President Bill Clinton. The CRAT report laid the foundation for the $1.03 billion in cash relief, tax relief, and debt relief to successful claimants over the last 14 years. In 2008, another $100 million was included in the Farm Bill.” ••• I wish each of my readers a great summer and look forward to returning from my vacation in the fall to pen my column. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to Jason Major and Sidney Honeyghan, July 17; Phyllis Henderson, July 21; Robert Alleyne, July 24. Happy anniversary to Ivor and Loida Dehaney, July 20; my husband, Louie, on our anniversary, July 22.
Human Services Advisory Board to meet Tuesday Volusia County’s Human Services Advisory Board will meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, at the United Way office, 3747 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach. Members will discuss upcoming community meetings, review the Community Services Block Grant third-quarter reports, discuss the status of the grant application for fiscal year 2015, approve a new board member, and appoint a Planning and Development Committee. The advisory board assists the Volusia County Council in developing Community Services Block Grant program goals and objectives, identifying community needs, and evaluating program effectiveness. For more information, call Myralis Hopgood at mhopgood@volusia.org or 386-736-5956, ext. 12985.
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7 EDITORIAL
JULY 17 – JULY 23, 2014
A humanitarian effort Last week the United States was confronted with a serious problem with immigrant children in deciding on whether to send them back to their country plagued with danger or to keep them in the United States. With so many different opinions about this issue, a rational person can’t help but raise concerns on many levels. The first level of concern is the need to address the danger and/ or threats of danger these children face. Those with a heart full of love and compassion can’t sit back idly and do nothing. Idle thinking and idle action does nothing but contribute to the problem. The United States, throughout its history has never looked the other way when it comes to humanitarian need. Yes, other countries may not get the attention they need and deserve (that’s another topic for a later discussion) but the truth of the matter is that the U.S. will extend its hand out to aid when possible.
Take care of home The second level of concern is the problem that happens within neighborhoods of Chicago, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Atlanta, just to name a few. With so much talk about humanitarian aid for those fleeing from their countries racked with violence, it seems as though nothing is being done about what’s happening here in our own backyard. Every day, we hear news about brothers and sisters being gunned down and do nothing but say the streets are
Show some compassion DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST
tough. Sadly, there’s a numbing effect to the news of young brothers and sisters losing their life over violence. However, the news of international violence and turmoil seemingly makes national news and Sunday morning talk shows. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way saying that we should not care about the welfare of our international brothers and sisters, but whatever happened to caring for the welfare of our next-door neighbor (literally)? The third level of concern is the lack of an outcry from many church leaders. I think it’s time to call out some of our mega church pastors to speak a prophetic word instead of concentrating on tinkling the ears of their congregants with money, money, and more money. Church leaders and the church (in general) should concentrate on establishing programs that will clean up neighborhoods, teach entrepreneurship skills, enhance educational opportunities, and provide a safe haven for individuals who are struggling. The plethora of concerts isn’t doing anything to relieve violence. Seminars and conferences that don’t focus on self-love and community improvement are useless.
It’s clear that a humanitarian effort must be made to the many displaced children coming from all over the world. As the world reaches out to them with loving arms, perhaps, just perhaps if the same care and concern were done to those within our own community, we would not be experiencing so much turmoil here at home. I’m challenging you to call your local leaders and ask them what are they doing about the problems at home. Tell them they need to get involved in ridding the streets of their district of homelessness, economic apartheid, and social unrest. If they are so concerned about what’s happening elsewhere, ask them where is their concern locally if it’s not election time? All of us have a call to be humanitarian. The dictionary defines humanitarian as ‘having concern for or helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people.’ In addition, it is ‘pertaining to the saving of human lives or to the alleviation of suffering.’ With that said, let’s be humanitarian at HOME and then abroad.
Dr. Sinclair Grey III is an inspirational speaker, motivator, radio personality, author, life coach, and committed advocate for change. Contact him at drgrey@sinclairgrey.org or on Twitter @drsinclairgrey. Write your own response at www. daytonatimes.com.
Black press: The voice of Black America – Part III Former U.S. Rep. Parren Mitchell (D-Md.) once told me, “It is long overdue for Black Americans to understand the urgent and ongoing necessity to defend and to support Black-owned businesses in the United States.” Mitchell was an outstanding freedom fighter and one of the original founders of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) more than 40 years ago. Mitchell was also probably one of the strongest advocates for development of strong businesses in Black America. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) is the premier national trade association of nearly 200 Black-owned businesses that regularly print vital news and information that serve to inform and empower Black America and its supporters. The NNPA is the “Voice of Black America.” During the past 74 years, it was well known in our communities that the NNPA had the audacity and courage to print the facts and news that other socalled “mainstream” publications traditionally ignored or intentionally distorted.
Still essential Today, a healthy Black Press is essential to the socioeconomic, political, cultural and spiritual liberation and empowerment of Black America. The Black Press not only uplifts Black America, it also helps to bring a more bal-
DR. BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST
ance to all Americans who affirm the value of diversity in a multiracial, multicultural democracy that continues to evolve. Cloves C. Campbell Jr., chairman of the NNPA, and I recently attended the annual convention of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) in Washington, D.C. at the newly-opened five-star Blackowned Marriott Marque Hotel across the street from the Water E. Washington Convention Center. It was a great “intergenerational” gathering of Black American and African business leaders. We take note of the emerging “strategic alliance” between the NNPA and the USBC. We will work together. We will plan together. We will build together. Challenges for the community As the NNPA, there are some challenges we must take up on behalf of our community, including the hostile takeover of one of the largest Black-led banks in America headquartered in South Carolina. Unfortunately, most Black Americans are not even aware of the plight of CertusBank based in Greenville. The three top original found-
ers and executives of CertusBank were Black Americans: Executive Chairman Milton H. Jones, Jr., CEO Walter L. Davis, and President Angela Webb. It has been reported that the assets of CertusBank in the first quarter of 2014 were approximately $1.6 billion. Blacks in Greenville and surrounding communities were very proud of CertusBank since its founding in 2010. But in April, without justification, the civil rights of Jones, Davis and Webb were systematically violated as they were unfairly removed from their board and executive position at CertusBank. We stand with the Greenville NAACP and Branch President J.M. Flemming in opposing this blatant act of racial injustice. Rev. Flemming, in a recent letter to the new primarily non-Black officials now in control of CertusBank, stated, “But now with the swift termination of the 3 AfricanAmerican executives ‘without cause,’ and aggressive removal of more African-American Certus employees, we see a new direction which promotes a climate of bigotry in our community.”
Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the Interim President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). Write your own response at www.daytonatimes.com.
Nothing essential about Essence I wrote a column three years ago titled, “Black Women No Longer Have Their Essence.” My point was that Essence, the pre-eminent magazine for Black women, had become irrelevant and an embarrassment to the Black community. Unfortunately, Essence has continued its descent into irrelevancy. For 20 years, Essence has sponsored an annual party during the July 4th holiday known as the Essence Music Festival (EMF). According to their website, the EMF, “known as the party with a purpose, is an annual music festival which started in 1995 as a onetime event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence, a magazine aimed primarily towards African-American women. It is the largest event celebrating AfricanAmerican culture and music in the United States.” According to media accounts, “…In 2008, for the first time since its 1995 inception, the festival was not produced by the original producer team. Instead, Essence Communications, owner of the festival and the Essence magazine, contracted Rehage Entertainment Inc. A new main stage
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: HOUSE SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER IN GOAL
RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST
facelift was designed by production designer Stefan Beese.” Essence Communications and Essence Magazine are no longer Black-owned, they are owned by Time Inc.
No capable Blacks? Maybe this would explain why EMF contracted with Rehage Entertainment Inc. and Stefan Beese to produce the event and to build a new stage. They couldn’t find a Black firm capable of taking on these contracts? If they need some referrals, I would be glad to send them a list of Black people who could do the job, if they are truly interested in the “empowerment” of the Black community as they claim. There was also no diversity in the programming. Of their 86 “empowerment” speakers during their various daytime panels, all were media personalities,
journalists, or liberal politicians. There were maybe three people who one could argue were businessmen, but that’s a stretch. As far as I can tell, there were no Republicans invited to participate, as though Essence has no Black female Republican readers? One panel was about the hair texture of Jay Z and Beyoncé’s baby. Yes, you heard me right; Essence had a whole panel to discuss a child’s nappy hair. One news account said, “Essence Magazine recently hosted an Empowerment Beauty of Confidence panel to comment on the backlash [over the child’s hair]. Essence asked Cynthia Bailey, Kim Kimble, Chenoa Maxwell, Tomiko Frasier Hines, Soledad O’Brien and Wendy Raquel Robinson to comment on the backlash.” You have such accomplished women – Democrats and Republicans – yet Essence is talking about the texture of a child’s hair.
Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes.com.
R.J. MATSON
Drop in Black homeownership rate double that of Whites Each year the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University assesses the nation’s housing outlook. They recently-released The State of the Nation’s Housing in 2014 reveals that troubled housing areas remain in the midst of rising prices, higher interest rates and low inventories. According to the report, “Millions of homeowners, particularly in minority and high-poverty neighborhoods, are still underwater on their mortgages, while millions more renters have been forced to live in housing they cannot afford or is structurally inadequate. And with the ongoing growth in lowincome households, housing assistance reaches a shrinking share of those in need.” A few more data points from the 2014 report reveal: • Homeownership rates have fallen six percentage points among Black households — double that among White households; • In 2011-12, Black applications for conventional mortgages were denied 40 percent of the time; among Hispanics, the denial rate was 25 percent – nearly two to three times that for whites; and • More than 25 percent of mortgage homeowners in both high-poverty and minority neighborhoods were underwater – owing more than their homes are now worth – in 2013. This rate is nearly twice the shares in either White or lowpoverty neighborhoods.
Generational loss For Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending, these homeownership disparities reflect a devastating generational loss of wealth. Participating in a panel discussion with the Joint Center and other housing policy experts, Calhoun noted that the loss of homeownership in Black communities really reflected a one in six reduction, as Black homeownership peaked at 49 percent before the housing crisis. “With promising increases in home construction, sales, and prices, the housing market gained steam in early 2013,, states the report. “But when interest rates notched up at midyear, momentum slowed. . . . This moderation is likely to persist until job growth manages to lift household incomes.
CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER
Even amid a broader recovery, though, many hard-hit communities still struggle and millions of households continue to pay excessive shares of income for housing.” The combined effects of student loan burdens and lower median incomes for younger and middle-aged adults are also cited as key factors in the nation’s housing recovery. Median incomes are at their lowest levels in records dating back to 1970, according to the report.
More are renting “Between 2001 and 2010, the share of households aged 25-34 with student loan debt soared from 26 percent to 39 percent, with the median amount rising from $10,000 to $15,000 in real terms. Within this group, the share with at least $50,000 in student debt more than tripled from five percent to 16 percent. For these borrowers, the need to pay off these outsized loans will likely delay any move to homeownership.” For the ninth consecutive year, the rate of homeownership continues to decline. According to the Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS), it is the lowest level since 1995. Housing rentals, by contrast, show growth doubling the average pace in any decade since the 1960s. Whether owning a home or renting, however, nearly 41 million households are now paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing – 1 million more than last year and 9 million more than a decade earlier. Looking to the future, the report observed, “If mortgage markets cannot accommodate the limited financial resources of this new generation of households, there is a real possibility that fewer Americans will be able to enjoy the benefits of homeownership in the future,” states the report.
Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. Write your own response at www.dayotnatimes. com.
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JULY 17 – JULY 23, 2014
PERSONALMFINANCE AYOR
DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
5 7 Fred Wallace, an Encore fellow, works with District Director Jamie McCall, left, as they go over a new brochure with workers which will be used to market services for Aspiranet, a non-profit agency, on May 20 in San Bernardino, Calif. Wallace had a successful career in the private sector prior to working with the non-profit. GINA FERAZZI/ LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT
Many workers taking ‘encore’ jobs to help make ends meet BY WALTER HAMILTON LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)
After Fred Wallace was laid off from a high-paying job in 2011, the 56-year-old knew the odds of landing a comparable position were slim. He polished his LinkedIn profile and networked like crazy. But his yearlong job search yielded only a handful of interviews and no offers. So he shifted gears, embarking on an “encore” career by working part time at a child and family services organization in San Bernardino. Wallace is among millions of older Americans launching professional second acts revolving around some form of public service. In the aftermath of the recession, encore careers have caught on among baby boomers, some of whom recoil at the notion of conventional re-
tirement, or aren’t financially prepared. Wallace uses the marketing skills he honed during 28 years at HBO to raise funds for a program helping young people smooth the transition out of foster care. It’s high-level work that brings personal fulfillment and a paycheck — albeit a significantly smaller one. “It’s terrific to know you can help an organization be better at what they do, you can give back, and you can earn a modest stipend,” Wallace said.
Need to work Roughly 9 million Americans ages 44 to 70, or 9 percent of the 100 million people in that age range, work in encore jobs, according to a 2011 survey by Encore. org, a nonprofit organization, and the MetLife foundation. An additional 31 million would like to.
“People are going to live longer, and people of modest means are going to work much longer,” said Marc Freedman, the group’s founder. “How do we make that something people genuinely look forward to, and that could be important to society?” The share of older Americans in the workforce has risen sharply since the mid1990s, and polls show millions of people plan to work in years that once were classified as retirement. Among those 55 and older, 40 percent have jobs or are looking for work, according to the Labor Department. That’s hovering around the highest level since the early 1960s.
Low-paying positions A survey last month by Merrill Lynch and research firm Age Wave found that 72 percent of people 50
and older plan to work in their “retirement” years. “In the near future, it will become increasingly unusual for retirees not to work,” the report said. The encore dynamic is far from a cure-all for the professional and financial challenges facing older workers. Many jobs in encore fields such as education and social services are relatively low-paying. That limits their viability for people with pressing financial needs, such as insufficient retirement savings or children’s college bills. Wallace was accepted into an Encore.org fellowship program that places experienced professionals, often moving from the corporate world, into oneyear, part-time internships with social-service organizations. Most of the 270 fellows earn $20,000 a year. Those
in the higher-cost Los Angeles area get $25,000. Wallace had a big 401(k), a pension from HBO and a generous severance package. Without those, he said, he wouldn’t have taken the lower-paying job. “The fact that I’ve been able to save up money allows me the flexibility to work in the nonprofit world at a fraction of what I used to,” he said. “It’s something I can afford to do.”
Changing perceptions Leslye Louie, the national director of the fellowship program, said many people who want to can land higher-paying, full-time jobs at the end of their internships. Advocates say the encore dynamic is an initial step toward solving a critical social problem — how to change perceptions about a steadily aging population. “We have not created natural pathways for people to transition into new jobs that enable them to do something meaningful that takes advantage of their skills and enables them to earn a living,” said
Black groups partnering to impact travel, tourism
Black-owned hotels
National chamber, hotel owners unite Marriott’s diversity to boost spending of African-Americans efforts BY JAZELLE HUNT NNPA NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Black Chambers (USBC) and the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators, and Developers (NABHOOD) are formally partnering to make sure that a significant portion of the $40 billion African-Americans spend each year on travel and tourism remains in Black hands. The partnership was launched last week at the start of USBC’s professional development conference, held at the Marriott Marquis in the District of Columbia. The newly opened, four-star hotel, next to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, was jointly financed by Capstone Development, a private, Black-owned development firm. “Today is about more investment in the hotel and travel industry,” Ron Busby Jr., USBC president, said at a press conference. “As African-Americans, we have conferences, events, weddings, and vacations, always with White-owned
establishments. I think we can bring some that money back to us.”
Travel spending A Nielsen study conducted in cooperation with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) found that African-Americans spent $40 billion each year on the travel and tourism industries last year. But Andy Ingraham, president and CEO of NABHOOD, few of those dollars turn over in the Black community. “I’d rate [concerted Black patronization] as pretty nonexistent,” he said. “We have to create awareness because most people who come in contact with this idea think it’s a damn good idea.” Interestingly, Nielsen finds that Black Americans are 28 percent more likely than other groups to read financial magazines such as Forbes and Fortune, yet have low levels of participation with mainstream financial products such as purchasing stock or mutual funds.
Although Black Americans have yet to truly wield their power as consumers, prominent brands have taken notice, including. Marriott International. “We see the power of the African-American wallet, spending, and economic value,” said Apoorva Gandhi, vice president of Multicultural Markets and Alliances for Marriott. “It’s really important to us that we are consistently authentic in how we employ – through recruitment and developing executive professionals – and also how we market to, and do business with this segment.” The hotel brand has been named one of Black Enterprise’s top 40 companies for diversity for eight consecutive years. Marriott has also maintained decades-long partnerships with m major Black organizations such as the National Urban League, NAACP, the National Black MBA Association. “One way we try to reach the African-American segment is through our multicultural and diversity partners,” Gandhi said. “One, because these are great organizations doing great
Paul Irving, president of the Milken Institute and a board member of Encore. org. “That’s clearly something we have to focus on as a society, and it is a challenge for many, many people.” Despite the moderate pay, encore workers say they get a lot from their jobs. Wallace, who lives in Playa del Rey, wanted no part of mundane or perfunctory volunteer work. “You go to the food bank and put cereals into crates and you think, ‘OK, this is not really using your mind,’” Wallace said. He was brought in by Aspiranet, a South San Francisco nonprofit, to develop a fundraising effort for a program that helps children who have grown up in foster homes transition to adulthood. He created a donor database and software before moving to a bigger role helping the organization develop broader strategy. “To have meaningful work part time and flexibility in terms of your work hours, when you’re in your late 50s or early 60s, those opportunities are hard to find,” Wallace said.
Apoorva Gandhi is the vice president of Multicultural Markets and Alliances for Marriott. things. But also, they are gateway groups to their demographic. We work to support their goals because, frankly, they’re our goals too.”
Diversity and inclusion Marriott says it was the first hospitality company to establish a diversity and inclusion program. Today, it is also one of a handful of big-name hotels working to cultivate Black executives and owners. Interestingly, Norman Jenkins, NABHOOD treasurer, and founder of Capstone Development, the company that co-financed the Marriott Marquis in D.C., is also a former Marriott executive. Under
his leadership, the brand boasted of at least 500 minority-owned or minority-franchised Marriotts around the world in just three years under its Diversity Ownership Initiative. Jenkins represents the other angle of Black economic power: gatekeeping and ownership. By owning a business, African Americans can solve many of their own community problems. “Black businesses still struggle to find funding, either through equity or debt, to let them grow to what they could be,” Busby said. “But we know Black business is the key to the unemployment that is wreaking havoc on our communities.”
As Ingraham explained, more business at Blackowned hotels results in more hires and more corporate promotions of other African-Americans working within the establishment, who can eventually become executives or owners. More business also means that hotels have to buy more goods from suppliers, and can choose to patronize other Black-owned businesses in the process. NABHOOD counts more than 500 Black-owned hotels and hospitality venues in the United States, and nine abroad, mostly in the Caribbean, with the exception of one in Ghana and another in Liberia. The organization has a listing of these Black-owned properties on its website, www. nabhood.net. The two organizations will continue their partnership for the long run, with the next collaboration at the 18th Annual International Multicultural and Heritage Tourism Summit and Trade Show this weekend in Miami. “We’re trying to sign as many agreements as possible for people to give us a chance to provide the level of service they are accustomed to,” Ingraham explained. “The opportunity exists for each of us to play a role in change the economic tapestry. If we could just revise our conscience level and agree to do business with each other, we can all benefit.”
R6
7 CLASSIFIEDS
JULY 17 – JULY 23, 2014
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
7
HEALTH MA YOR
JULY 17 –14JULY 2014 DECEMBER - 20,23, 2006
VERNON BRYANT/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT
Marcia Lopez, left, works on giving Ruth Ann Cameron, of Dallas, a pedicure at Cooper Spa in Dallas, on June 9.
Take steps to protect your feet from summer hazards, heat BY LESLIE BARKER DALLAS MORNING NEWS (MCT)
Even after nine summers in Dallas, podiatrist Dr. Matthew Babich has yet to adjust to so many bare feet. “Any time of day,” he says, “I see someone walking with their shoes off. I shake my head at it. “When I first moved here, a neighbor mowed his lawn barefoot. C’mon, really? It’s not that a shoe will save a foot if it goes under a mower, but not to have anything on it blew my mind.” Summer is a harsh season on feet. Bared toes mean stubbing opportunities abound, to say nothing of pebbles, ants, sun, griddle-hot sidewalks. And those are just the natural villains. Other problems are self-inflicted. Which is why Babich and fellow experts say summer is a prime season to take a stand in the name of foot health. With a little care, most summer foot problems can be stamped out, they say.
No fan of flip-flops Start with being careful about what you wear. “Improperly fitting shoes, flipflops, sandals — obviously there’s a risk to all that because your toes are exposed,” Babich says. “On a Friday or Saturday night in Up-
town, you see those Egyptianstyle sandals. You see the wedges. Let’s add alcohol and no support. You’re asking for a big problem.” When summer ends, podiatrist Dr. Allan Sherman sees an abundance of arch and heel strains. The cause: flip-flops and other shoes with little to no support. But in the heat, closed shoes are not necessarily a cure-all. Dustin Stein, women’s soccer coach at Eastfield College, remembers his team playing on turf in Louisiana one summer. Their cleats melted. “Obviously if it’s melting,” says Stein, an athletic trainer, “you’re baking your feet inside your shoes.”
Diabetic problems Summer foot problems are magnified for diabetics, who often suffer from neuropathy, or numbness, in their feet. “I tell them not to go outside barefoot,” Babich says. “One patient went out to get the mail on a 112-degree day on hot asphalt. They walk out slowly, stand at the mailbox, walk on back. They might as well have walked on an iron.” Some diabetics know what to do, he says; others haven’t a clue. “I’ve pulled out of red, swollen feet a gold clasp from a necklace. That’s on top of needles, staples,
wood, glass.” A blister between the toes of a healthy person tends to heal; not necessarily so for a diabetic, he says. He’s had some tell him, “I can’t believe I got a blister from flip-flops and am now in the hospital on IV antibiotics.”
General advice For all those problems, there are solutions. Our experts say you should: • Wear sunblock. Put it on the tops of feet as well as bottoms, which are exposed when you sit in a lounge chair, Sherman notes. • Limit time in flip-flops. You need them by the pool and in public showers, Sherman says that because you can pick up plantarwart virus by walking barefoot around the pool. Plus, who knows what bacteria the showers hold? But “on the town for the night?” Babich asks. “No.” • Wear wicking socks when exercising outdoors. Unlike cotton, Sherman says, wicking socks “take moisture away from skin and help our skin breathe easier. They allow better health, a better environment.” • Remove athletic shoes and socks after working out. Take out the shoe’s removable liner; otherwise, Sherman said the shoe will stay wet between it and the sole.
Put the liner outside to dry. “Make sure you open up the shoes really well. Crumple newspaper into the shoe, which will help absorb moisture and keep the shoes spread.” • Stretch your feet to prevent strains. Roll a ball around your arch to stretch your muscles. Also, sit down, bring the soles of your feet together and intertwine your toes. • Pay attention if your foot hurts. Anything that happens to your feet affects the rest of your body, Stein adds. “If one is injured, you’ll overcompensate. You’ll put more pressure on the opposite foot, which can cause a break or stress injury in the leg, knee, hip.” • Employ basic hygiene. “Some of the football players and soccer plays have the most disgusting feet,” Stein says. “Make sure you’re washing your feet. Don’t let your toenails grow out.” • Be careful about pedicures. People without medical issues are at risk for ingrown toenails and infection, Babich remarked. “Put that with someone who is compromised from circulation or immune system problems and the likelihood of increased risk during a pedicure goes up.”
The mindful pedicure
Marcia Lopez, a lead nail technician at Cooper Spa Dallas, says she not only wants feet to be pretty: Her goal is to keep them healthy, too. Which is why she pays careful attention to her workspace. “You’re scrubbing the feet. You’re scrubbing skin,” she says. “Bacteria is always on the skin. If everything isn’t cleansed properly after each client, you can crosscontaminate.” Adds Lopez, who has worked at Cooper for seven years: “You don’t want to get a pedicure where it could cost your life.” To that end, she offers tips on making sure that painted toenails and smooth heels are all you’re bring home from a pedicure. • Observe how equipment is cleaned. Make sure the salon’s foot tubs are cleaned and sanitized after each use. • Observe whether files are clean before they touch your feet. • Double-check orangewood sticks. Because these cuticlepushing sticks are porous and hold bacteria, only one per client should be used. • Ask questions. The salon “should pull everything apart after each client, clean it and start over again.” • Tell the technician your health issues. If you’re diabetic or have thin skin, don’t let the technician use a metal file. Remember that a technician cannot remove an ingrown toenail or give a pedicure to someone with athlete’s foot or another fungus. A good one will notice if your ankles are swollen, and might suggest you follow up with your physician.
Nation’s only Black hospital in jeopardy of closing in weeks deemable to stores operated by Riverside, in order to entice them to enroll in their programs.
BY JEFFREY L. BONEY NNPA NEWS SERVICE
Community leaders and activists are in an uproar and are calling on the Obama administration to release much needed funding they say is being withheld from the nation’s only functional Black hospital, Riverside General Hospital in Houston, as punishment for the proven rogue actions of one executive back in 2012. Supporters say that if Riverside does not receive the payments that are being withheld by the federal government, the hospital may have to close its doors within six weeks. Riverside General Hospital, originally known as the Houston Negro Hospital, was founded in 1927 in Houston, Texas. The hospital has become a major contributor to the local communities of Greater Houston, most notably the underserved populations, for more than 87 years. Back in February 2012, Mohammad Khan was arrested and charged in a $116 million Medicare scheme that paid kickbacks to patient recruiters
Hurt hospital’s reputation
Riverside General Hospital was founded in 1927 as the Houston Negro Hospital. and personal care homeowners in exchange for directing residents to Riverside’s mental health clinics.
More fraudulent claims Khan, 65, was charged and pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks and five other counts of paying and offering to pay kickbacks for his role in the scheme after appearing before U.S. Dis-
trict Judge Sim Lake. After his guilty plea, an additional $42 million in fraudulent Medicare claims were discovered, bringing the total to $158 million. According to Khan’s plea agreement, he admitted to steering patients to Riverside from assisted living facilities and personal care homes by paying cash kickbacks to the homeowners and patient recruiters in record numbers between January 2008 and February 2012. He also admitted to paying Medicare recipients with cash, cigarettes and coupons re-
During his initial court appearance, a federal health care investigator testified that records revealed Khan opened one of two personal bank accounts using the Social Security number of one of his former female neighbors who died in 1992; the same year he was hired by Riverside. The investigator also testified that Khan’s takehome pay from Riverside was $423,809, over a five-year period and they were able to trace all but $215,473 of the money. Approximately $31.3 million of the $116 million in Medicare claims were actually paid out before the federal government started looking into the Medicare claims with more scrutiny. Although Khan pled guilty and admitted to being the criminal mastermind behind this entire debacle, it has been Riverside General Hospital that
has been treated as the criminal. Riverside General Hospital has a very rich history in the Greater Houston area and is equally rich in assets also. Riverside is a community-based nonprofit acute care facility that owns at least six Houston area clinics and one in Dallas, with assets totaling approximately $100 million.
Others indicted In addition to Khan being indicted, six other people were also arrested by the FBI, including longtime hospital administrator and chief executive officer Ernest Gibson III and his son Ernest Gibson IV. The elder Gibson had been at Riverside for over 42 years and was primarily responsible for the growth and success of Riverside achieving the distinction as the highest-rated hospital in Houston. He also helped increase the level of program success and helped the organization acquire much of their current assets over the past several decades. Gibson III, who did not
receive the same treatment as Khan or any of the other people arrested, is facing a trial date in September and adamantly maintains his innocence.
Hospital’s origins The origins of Riverside stretch as far back as 1918. In the early 1900s, a group of Black doctors solicited support for a new hospital to be established in Houston’s historic Third Ward with the purpose of serving patients who would otherwise never been treated elsewhere due to financial hardships or racial reasons. Houston Negro Hospital had the distinction of being the first non-profit hospital for African-American patients in the city of Houston. The hospital was staffed with all Black physicians, had an all-Black board of directors and many of the first doctors employed at the hospital were exemplary leaders in medicine and in overcoming racial discrimination.
This story is special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward-Times.
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7BUSINESS
JULY 17 – JULY 23, 2014
UNCF President Michael Lomax was criticized for accepting a $25 million gift from billionaires Charles (center) and David Koch. The Koch brothers have longtime connections with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the driving force behind voter identification laws in the U.S.
Labor group withdraws UNCF support over $25 million by Koch brothers BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON – Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, has discontinued supplying scholarships to the United Negro College Fund because it accepted a $25 million donation from ultraconservative billionaires Charles and David Koch and UNCF President Michael Lomax apparent support for the brothers’ rightwing ideology. Saunders, an African-American, said in a stinging letter to Lomax that he was “deeply troubled” when the UNCF accepted the donation from Koch Industries, Inc. and the Charles Koch Foundation in June, but was even more shocked when Lomax later attended the Koch brothers’ event in California. “This was a betrayal of everything the UNCF stands for. The avowed purpose of this private event was to build support — financial and political — for the Koch brothers’ causes. Your appearance at the summit can only be interpreted as a sign of your
personal support and the UNCF’s organizational support of the Koch brothers’ ideological program,” Saunders wrote. He explained, “The Koch brothers and the organizations they fund have devoted themselves for more than a decade to attacking the voting rights of African-Americans. They support voter identification laws. They seek to restrict early voting and voter registration. They support laws that threaten organizations that register voters in the AfricanAmerican community.”
Ties to ALEC For nearly a dozen years, AFSCME provided annual scholarships and aid packages worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to UNCF, according to officials with the labor group. When Koch Industries acquired Georgia-Pacific in 2005, they continued a long-standing relationship between the manufacturing giant and UNCF that spanned decades. Since then, according to UNCF’s website, both GeorgiaPacific and Koch, have continued to support UNCF programs.
Charles and David Koch have been criticized for also supporting the American Legislative Exchange Council, the driving force behind voter identification laws in the United States. ALEC also worked with the National Rifle Association on “Stand Your Ground” legislation that gained notoriety worldwide following the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teen in Sanford.
UNCF responds In response to Saunders letter, Lomax and UNCF issued a statement touting UNCF’s successful efforts in sending underprivileged students to college, while recognizing the incredible need for resources that often goes unmet. “This year alone, UNCF awarded $100 million in scholarships to more than 12,000 students at 900 schools across the country, yet had to deny nine out of every 10 qualified applicants due to lack of resources,” the statement read. Lomax wrote that although he was “saddened by AFSCME’s de-
cision, it will not distract us from our mission of helping thousands of African-American students achieve their dream of a college degree and the economic benefits that come with it.” Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh accused AFSCME of operating similar to a plantation with UNCF as its slave. Lezli Baskerville, the president and CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), an umbrella group that represents both public and private Black colleges, said that Lomax, as the head of UNCF, carries a heavy burden. “He has to raise scholarship money for all of these institutions and figure out how to get our kids to and through college,” said Baskerville. “I certainly stay up at night trying to figure that out as well.”
Defense by HBCUs Advocates for HBCUs and Black students defended Lomax for accepting money from the Kochs, but said that UNCF should have managed the pub-
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lic relations around the partnership better. “For all of those people in our community who were upset with the Koch brothers or anyone else who takes a tough position against the administration and our Black president, the reality is that our schools were compromised by a decision that was made by this administration, and our Black president was leading it,” said Johnny Taylor, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, an organization representing public HBCUs. “And if someone else came up and offered money to help offset the losses that our schools experienced I say, ‘Good for them.’”
Koch summit Taylor said he understood why people didn’t approve of the partnership, but he wasn’t as troubled by it, until he found out that Lomax had attended the Koch summit also featured Charles Murray, co-author of “The Bell Curve,’’ a book that asserted that Blacks were intellectually inferior to other races, partly because of genetics. “There is no person in America whose work is more opposed to the fundamental mission of the UNCF than Charles Murray,” Saunders pointed out in his letter to UNCF. “For decades, he has dedicated himself to promoting the notion that the over-representation of African-Americans among America’s poor and in America’s prisons is the consequence not of our history or of the types of public policies the Koch brothers promote, but rather is a consequence of our genetic inferiority.” UNCF officials said that Lomax was at the Koch-sponsored event “simply to discuss the new Koch Scholars Program and the importance of a diverse and divided nation coming together in pursuit of equity in education for all.” “For all the people that are screaming bloody murder about this gift, the question is: How much have you given to an HBCU?” asked Taylor. “If you haven’t, I’m not so sure you have the right to have an opinion about this gift.”