Young poets mentoring program in the works SEE PAGE 2
EE FR
JULIANNE MALVEAUX: WHAT DOES ‘MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN’ REALLY MEAN? SEE PAGE 4
ACCOLADES FOR HOPE HOUSE RESIDENT SEE PAGE 3
East Central Florida’s Black Voice AUGUST 25 - AUGUST 31, 2016
YEAR 41 NO. 34
www.daytonatimes.com
Huger sues city, alleges discrimination BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
When Thomas Huger applied for a job as the City of Daytona Beach’s deputy Public Works director last year, he was armed with a master of business administration graduate degree, numerous certifications and excellent performance evaluations and reviews. The current facilities construction and maintenance manager, who has a 10-year work history
with the city, was turned down for the job. At the time, Huger, a former U.S. Marine, was 63. The position went to David Waller, a 39-yearold White male a lawsuit states was less qualified, had less work experiThomas ence than Huger, Huger and has less education. Waller has a bachelor’s degree
and worked for the city of Oviedo as an operations manager before being hired by the city of Daytona Beach.
Suit cites pattern After he was turned down for the job last year, Huger filed a claim against the city with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) citing racial and age bias. This month, Huger filed a lawsuit against the city in Volusia County Circuit Court.
According to the lawsuit, the city has “actual and constructive knowledge of discrimination within its ranks and workforce that has been permitted to ensue’’ and “has engaged in a pattern of discrimination with its hiring practices.’’ The lawsuit further states the city has retaliated against Huger “by isolating him, giving him a poor evaluation, subjecting him to ridicule publicly, humiliating him, harassing him, undermining his supervisory author-
ity rightfully entitled to him by his job title and position and attempting to create a work overload for performance evaluation.’’ He is demanding a jury trial.
Diversity report After EEOC complaints were filed against the city and question were raised by Daytona Beach-Volusia County branch of the NAACP about Daytona Beach’s hiring and promotions See HUGER, Page 2
Early voting ‘going good’ in Volusia BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
Thousands in Volusia County decided to take advantage of early voting for the Aug. 30 primary. The Volusia County Supervisor of Elections website shows that 6,022 registered voters had participated in early voting as of Daytona Times’ Wednesday presstime, including 1,364 at City Island Library in Daytona Beach. That’s an increase from the first four days of early voting during the 2014 election that saw 3,795.
Supervisor pleased “It’s going good. I think that turnout is great. I am excited that people are voting. I believe with four countywide races that being for judge, a county council seat, two school board seats, judicial races and municipal races on the ballot, it brings a lot of attention to the primary this year,” said Volusia County Supervisor of Elections Lisa Lewis. Early voting sites were filled with scenes of candidates from all races along with their supporters campaigning. There also were signs and banners along with brief debates between rival candidates and their supporters. No major problems or complaints were reported.
Varied opinions Voters said they took to the polls for various reasons. “I think it’s important to vote especially for youngsters and Black people if you want to make an impact or difference in your community. I thought that early voting was great. There were some passionate supporters for their candidates and causes outside of the building though,” commented Phebe Fuqua. Iraq War veteran Steve
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Men from Allen Chapel AME Church and students from Bethune-Cookman University were among the men encouraging students at Turie T. Elementary School on Monday.
Rooting for academic success Students get handshakes and encouragement from local men during Million Father March BY DAYTONA STAFF
W
hen Turie T. Elementary School students and their parents stepped on campus Monday morning, they received warm greetings from a group of male leaders from Bethune-Cookman University and the community. The event was a continuation of the Million Father March, a national program that provides an opportunity for men to
show their commitment to the educational success and social development of their children on the first day of school and throughout the school year. The local youngsters were greeted with signs like “Welcome Back to School, “Science is Out of This World’’ and “Men Standing for Children.’’
Westside first On Aug. 14, the first day of school, BCU President Dr. Edison Jackson, Volusia County Public School Superintendent Tom Russell, fathers of students and men in other organizations led hundreds of students onto Daytona Beach’s Westside Elementary School. The men also greeted students with in-
spirational signs and encouraged them to have a great first day and remaining academic school year. B-CU and other local leaders have been participating in the program at local schools for several years. B-CU Student Government Association President Jacari Harris participated in the march. “The Million Father March was an impeccable platform to embrace the youth of today to prepare them for the world on tomorrow, B-CU Student Government Association President Jacari Harris said in a statement. “This initiative that our esteemed President Dr. Edison O. Jackson has indulged within us to execute; children will have betSee SUCCESS, Page 2
See VOTING, Page 2
Local officials not too worried about Zika’s impact on tourism BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
The Florida Department of Health confirmed 15 new travelrelated cases of the Zika virus on Wednesday, which included one in Volusia County. The report included three each in Pinellas, Orange and Seminole counties, two in Broward and one each in Broward, Manatee and Pasco. Local officials are being cautious but don’t seem to be overly concerned about the impact on tourism.
ALSO INSIDE
Daytona Beach Visitors Bureau Communications Director Kate Holcomb stated in an email to the Daytona Times, “Currently there is just that one case in our area. The health and safety of all our visitors is very important to us. We want our industry partners and visitors to be informed. We hope that everyone will access the most accurate and up-to-date sources of information available.”
Skeptical worker On the other hand, those who
work outside like construction worker John Ross, are skeptical. “I’m not really concerned about it. I just hope that they are doing things to keep it from spreading. I hope that they come up with a vaccine,” said Ross. “You know it’s strange that this disease came from nowhere. Just like swine flu. You heard of it, and then it went away. I think some of these diseases aren’t natural and possibly manmade.” Zika is a fever-like illness caused by a mosquito-borne virus. It’s similar to what causes
dengue and West Nile virus infections. The disease can cause birth defects in children of pregnant women and Guillan-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which is a disease that causes nervous system damage and leads to paralysis. There is no current Zika vaccine but free testing is being made available.
Some concern Local elected officials weighed in. “I know it’s a big issue from
a health perspective. With the peak of our tourism season just about over, it’s not too much of a worry for tourism. I don’t know if it will affect us this year,” commented Volusia County Councilman Joshua Wagner. Daytona Beach Zone 5 Commissioner Patrick Henry stated, “Officially the city hasn’t addressed it. There is a concern. It has spread to other states like Texas and it has affected people in South Florida. It could spread up this way. I believe it is some-
SPORTS: REGISTRATION DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR SENIOR GAMES IN FLAGLER | PAGE 7 BUSINESS: WHEREU APP HELPS USERS CONNECT WITH BLACK-OWNED COMPANIES | PAGE 8
See ZIKA, Page 2
7 FOCUS
R2
AUGUST 25 – AUGUST 31, 2016
Young poets mentoring program kicks off Sept. 18 SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES
The award-winning documentary film “Louder than a Bomb” will be shown at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, for free at City Island Library to celebrate the start of the Volusia County Young Poets Mentoring Program. The film traces high school poets who prepare and compete in poetry slam competitions. The event will be host-
ed by Volusia County Poet Laureate Dr. David B. Axelrod, who has raised funds to coordinate the program.
Encouraging creativity Students 14 to 20 will be paired with established poets who will help them write, revise and collect together a group of poems. The results will be performance opportunities, anthology publication, and even the chance for the
“Louder Than a Bomb” is about the 2008 Chicago-area slam of the same name. Teams and soloists from 60 high schools competed and the finalists faced off in a city-wide slam that filled a theater usually used for rock concerts. free publication of a first book. “Many people think of poetry as a bit like plain popcorn—bland at best,” said Axelrod. “When people view ‘Louder than a
Bomb,’ poetry is more like the new snack-food craze, Takis—pretty hot.” It’s not that young poets all want to slam, Axelrod explains, but the program will encourage experimen-
tation and individual creativity.
How to sign up There will be an open mic to read poems after
SUCCESS from Page 1
ter self-esteem, be more self-disciplined, and show higher aspirations and motivation toward school by looking up to college students striving for greatness.”
Started in 2004 Other male groups from B-CU attend-
HUGER from Page 1
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Candidates and their representatives were out in full force at precincts during early voting.
VOTING from Page 1
Noselli, who is now homeless, noted, “I am angry with what’s going on in this country. I am not for Democrats or Republicans, but I think Democrats are a little better. They all have it where the people on the top get theirs and ordinary people like you and I struggle to survive on nickels.”
More ‘Souls’ needed Local churches did conduct their annual “Soul to the Polls’’ event on Aug. 20, the start of early voting. “It was a disappointment from a citizen’s view. We needed more souls,” said Daytona resident Hemis Ivey, who did participate. The Black Clergy Alli-
TREATMENT • Get plenty of rest • Drink plenty of fluids • Take medication like Tylenol and/or paracetamol to reduce and prevent fever • Don’t take aspirin or non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs until dengue fever can be ruled out • If taking other medicine, consult with a healthcare provider.
PREVENTION TIPS • Avoid mosquito bites • Use repellents • Wear protective clothing • Drain wet spots and puddles that mosquitos like to use • Wear protective clothing Have protective sex (use condoms)
ance had no comment on early voting but is encouraging votes to take to the polls. The Volusia County/ Daytona Beach branch of the NAACP is working to get voters to the polls. “We have several voter registration drives that are ongoing up until the registration deadline. We hope to see early voting numbers continue to increase. We are also targeting churches each week through our 5x5 initiative, where we pick five churches each week to register voters,” said local president Cynthia Slater.
Stats from cities Early voting will continue through Saturday, Aug. 27. Locations are open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Ormond Beach has had the highest early voting turnout with 1,485 voters
ZIKA
from Page 1 thing that we have to discuss.”
Number of cases The Zika outbreak was first reported and traced to South Florida in a 1.5-mile radius in Miami-Dade County. The Florida Department of Health tested 3,938 people for the Zika virus statewide with the capacity to test up to 6,489 people for active Zika and 3,595 for Zika antibodies. Florida has confirmed 636 statewide cases. There have been 523 cases travel-related cases involving non-pregnant women, 70 in pregnant women and 43 in non-travel related cases throughout Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Active transmission Health officials encourage people to take measures to prevent the spread of the disease and they assure everyone that they are working with authorities and other agencies to stop the spread. The state’s health department still believes ac-
thus far, including a high of 452 on Aug. 22. Daytona Beach’s highest turnout was on Aug. 20 with 427 people taking to the polls. Deltona has had 905 people vote early, New Smyrna 1,234, and the Department of Elections office in DeLand 974. In addition to early voting, more than 30,500 of the 376,670 registered voters in Volusia County had sent in absentee/mail-in ballots. That means that 36,522 voters had already cast their ballots. Aug. 24 was the last day to request absentee ballots. To vote in the Nov. 8 general election, residents must be registered by Oct. 11. Early voting will run from Oct. 24 until Nov. 5. For more information, visit www.volusiaelections. org.
tive transmission is only taking place in the Wynwood and Miami Beach areas of Miami-Dade County, the agency has said. “We have identified where active transmission is occurring. Volusia County has eight travel-related cases of Zika with just one locally acquired case,” said Sarah Revell, marketing and communications director for the Florida Department of Health. “It is very unlikely that we will have large outbreaks of Zika fever in Florida. One major reason is that we have better housing with air conditioning and intact screens that protect us from being bit my mosquitoes in our homes.”
In other states Zika cases have been confirmed in every state except Alaska, Wyoming and South Dakota. Only New York has had more cases than Florida. Other states with more than 50 cases are Texas, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia, according to the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC). It has been identified in countries in Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean since 2015.
practices, the city released a diversity report. The report showed that while Daytona Beach’s Black population was 35.4 percent, only 18.7 percent of the municipality’s workforce was Black. The city’s total minority workforce stood at 25 percent. Over the past two years, just 33 percent of the job applicants were racial minorities. The city employs about 800 workers. The report revealed that 124 employees earned an annual base pay between $60,000 and $100,000. Of that number, 21 percent of those were racial minorities – not limited to African-Americans – and 24 percent were female. The analysis also showed that 25 workers earned an annual base pay greater than $100,000. Of that number, 24 percent were minorities and 24 percent were female.
EEOC complaint In a series of stories last year, the Daytona Times reported on EEOC claims filed against the city that charge racial discrimination. One of those who filed a complaint was Sonja Wiles, a White woman who was part of the team that interviewed Huger for the Public Works job. Wiles, fired on Nov. 14, 2015, said she was terminated after her attorney, Kelly Chanfrau – who also is Huger’s legal counsel – filed discrimination and retaliation complaints with the federal EEOC on her behalf on Nov. 5.
Outbreaks also have been reported in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Local transmission has been reported in Puerto Rico. Other cases of Zika fever have been reported in travelers returning to the
the film. Mentoring will be done online—at the convenience of the students and mentors. There are no set times though it is also hoped that students and mentors can meet for workshops as well. The event will provide details about the mentoring program as well as a chance to sign up. Young poets can fill in a form to apply and asked to bring copies of three poems to submit that will help place them with a mentor. City Island Library is located at 105 E. Magnolia Ave., Daytona Beach. For more details, go to www.volusiapoetlaureate.com, email axelrod@ volusiapoetlaureate.com, or call Axelrod at 386-3374567.
ed the march to cheer on the students. The Million Father March is a national movement established by Black Star Project in 2004. The annual event takes place in various cities around the country. According to the creators of the march, “Research shows that children whose fathers take active roles in their educational lives earn better grades, score higher on tests, enjoy school and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college.”
The termination also allegedly occurred after Wiles testified in Huger’s age and race discrimination case, and while Wiles was on a doctor-approved leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Wiles also claims her First Amendment right to freedom of speech had been violated. In her EEOC claim, Wiles, who had been a city employee for 23 years, charged her former employer with discrimination on basis of age, sex, religion, retaliation and disability.
Fired worker speaks up Wiles has also alleged that a White male supervisor and panel member had made racist comments. In stating that racism was a reason Huger didn’t get the job, Huger’s lawsuit cited that the panel member had stated that “he was involved in the Ku Klux Klan when he was a young man,’’ “that he was scared of all the blacks around Bethune-Cookman College, “that he would never bring his family to live in the City of Daytona Beach’’ and that he has been overheard using the word “nigger.’’ The lawsuit includes that Wiles was fired after she objected that there were “racist motivations’’ for failing to promote Huger. Huger would not comment to the Daytona Times for this story, referring a reporter to Chanfrau. As of the Daytona Times’ Wednesday night deadline, Chanfrau hadn’t responded to a request for comment. Susan Cerbone, the city’s spokesperson, also declined to comment.
United States. Symptoms can include rash, fever, muscle pain, headache and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Most people won’t have symptoms and won’t get sick. Symptoms are often mild and last for several days. Testing is do-
ne through blood, urine and semen. For more information on Zika, visit www.cdc.gov or www.floridahealth.gov; Call the Zika information hotline at 855- 622-6735. For traveling information, go to www.visitflorida.com.
3 7
M A YNEWS OR
AUGUST 25 – AUGUST 31, 2016 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
Hope House residents Bryanna Anderson, Da’Janique Joseph and Enrique Hernandez enjoy a dinner with Judi Winch, Food Brings Hope Executive Director Judi Winch, Hope House Manager Beverly Vaughn and Food Brings Hope Founder and Chair Forough B. Hosseini.
Hope House resident’s accomplishments celebrated SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES
Food Brings Hope celebrates and congratulates residents of the Eric Christopher DeVriese, Jr. Hope House for reaching personal and academic goals during their stay at the residence for unaccompanied and homeless youth. The doors to the Hope House opened in January 2014 and has provided for and benefited 12 unaccompanied youth over the last few years. “I would like to credit the Food Brings Hope team,
Mrs. Hosseini, my Excellerate family, and Daytona State College for helping me accomplish my goals thus far,” said Bryanna Anderson, 18, resident of the Hope House. “Education is very important to me because where I am from education is not a priority, but it is something you need to survive.”
College next Anderson of Daytona Beach is a recent Mainland High School graduate as well as a graduate of the Certified Nursing Assistant Program at Daytona State
College. She will start the prerequisite classes this fall needed to enter the Licensed Practical Nurse program. Upon receiving their high school diploma, 2016 Hope House graduates were given a new laptop on behalf of Food Brings Hope to help them with their school work and research. “Life, before moving into Hope House, was really frustrating and unstable. I really didn’t know where I would lay my head at night, but once I moved into Hope House I found stability,” said Anderson.
“I just want to send a special thank you to Mrs. Hosseini, Mrs. Winch, Mrs. Booth, Mrs. Woods, my Excellerate family, the Food Brings Hope team, and all others that have helped me pursue my goals and continue my education.”
Entrance requirements Students who are selected to reside at Hope House come recommended by their social workers and homeless liaison. Their entry into the home is based upon require-
ments such as behavioral issues, good attendance in school, and approval by the Food Brings Hope executive board. Pam Woods, Volusia County School homeless liaison, and Louis Booth, Volusia County Schools social worker, work closely with Food Brings Hope to ensure that the best candidates gain entry to the house and access to its benefits. “Bryanna has truly matured into one of the most focused young women I’ve known. Once she sets her sights on a goal, she gets there,” said Booth. “Hope House has provided her with the stability she has needed to get her needs met.”
Range of services The Eric Christopher DeVriese, Jr. Hope House is
Love Fest set for Aug. 27 The Third Annual Love Fest is scheduled for Aug. 27 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 849 Derbyshire Road in Daytona Beach. This is a free community event, which is about restoring unity in the community through community partnership awareness. Free food, haircuts and health screenings will be available. There also will be a zone with activities for children. The entertainment will be Christian, urban, rap and pop music, along with spoken word and dancing. Local artists and others from around the state as well as St. Louis, Missouri, will participate. This event is sponsored by the Mind of Christ Ministries. For more information, visit www.lovefestdaytona.org.
Children and Families Advisory Board to meet Aug. 29
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The Children and Families Advisory Board will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29, at the Volusia Literacy Council, 826 White St., Daytona Beach. Members will discuss, evaluate and make recommendations for requests provided by lead agencies for the “services for
a Food Brings Hope initiative. The Hope House provides unaccompanied and homeless youth enrolled in Volusia County high schools with a safe and stable living environment, ensuring that its residents become productive members of our community. In addition to providing shelter, other services provided to help the residents prosper include mentoring, transportation, nutritional training, higher education counseling and medical services. “Bryanna is a prime example of how students can overcome most obstacles and challenges with the help of a network of mentors and proper guidance, as well as, a stable living environment,” said Forough B. Hosseini, Food Brings Hope founder and chair. “The students we’ve been able to serve through our Hope House initiative have been through challenges that no child their age should face alone. Food Brings Hope is honored to be able to nurture and mentor these young ladies and gentlemen who trust us with their care. Even after they graduate high school, we continue to provide guidance and support to all students who show dedication to achieving their set goals.” Food Brings Hope is a 501(c)(3) charity that provides collaborative solutions for families with children who experience hunger due to homelessness, poverty, or unfamiliarity with community resources. Its mission is to nurture the mind, body and spirit of underprivileged children.
persons with disabilities” service category. The advisory board assesses and evaluates strategies to meet needs, monitors program compliance, advertises funding availability, recommends appropriations for programs serving children and families, and provides recommendations to the Volusia County Council on children and family issues. For more information, visit www.volusia.org/cfab or call Brittany Scott at 386736-5955, ext. 12959.
Daytona Deliverance to host men’s conference A free Man Up Men’s Conference and Health Fair 2016 will be held on Aug. 27 and 28 at Daytona Deliverance Church of God, 600 W. Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach. On Aug. 27, the health fair will take place from 9 a.m. to noon. It will include a free lunch, seminars, a blood drive and a CPR class (10 spaces for $10). Registration is urged for the seminars and blood drive. A worship service is scheduled on Aug. 28 at 10:45 a.m. with Bishop William A. Lee Jr., senior pastor of Daytona Deliverance Church of God, as the speaker. For more information, call 386-253-2612 or visit www.ddcog.com.
R4
7 EDITORIAL
AUGUST 25 – AUGUST 31, 2016
The shame of Milwaukee Last week, a car with two African-American men was stopped for “suspicion.” The men fled, the policeman pursued, and the driver – reportedly armed – was shot and killed. And Milwaukee exploded. Angry crowds confronted police, set fires, threw rocks. At least a halfdozen businesses – including a grocery store, a gas station and an auto parts shop – were robbed or destroyed. The shooting was part of a weekend filled with violence in Milwaukee. Five people were shot and killed overnight the night before.
Deeper issues Milwaukee law mandates an investigation of any police shooting. Immediately, focus goes on the harsh relations between police and the community. But to understand the reaction to the shooting, it is necessary to go much deeper. This city is “a powder keg,” Alderman Khalif Rainey told The Washington Post. “This entire community has sat back and witnessed how Milwaukee, Wis., has become the worst place to live for African-Americans in the entire country. Now this is a warning cry…Do we continue – continue with the inequities, the injustice, the unemployment, the undereducation? The Black people of Milwaukee are tired. They’re tired of living under this oppression. This is their existence. This is their life. This is the life of their children.” An exaggeration? An excuse for rioters? Inflated rhetoric? Consider Milwaukee’s stark realities.
Worst in U.S. Milwaukee is the most segre-
REV. JESSE L. JACKSON, SR. TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM
Milwaukee is the most segregated city in the United States. Black household income is the third-lowest in the U.S. Its Black poverty rate is the highest in the U.S. These are figures presented in a haunting and damning 2015 report, “The Shame of Milwaukee: Race, Segregation and Inequality,” by Marc V. Levine of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. gated city in the United States. Black household income is the third-lowest in the U.S. Its Black poverty rate is the highest in the U.S. These are figures presented
When was America great? We are the biggest and the baddest. We are the best armed and the most influential. We win the most Olympic medals and we have the most nuclear weapons. America! We are so great that we wave our flags and shout, “USA!” In some ways it is an imperialist chant, a chant of dominance that ignores the fact that we have the luxury, as a nation, of an uneven playing field, especially in terms of resources.
Chasing greatness While there is a great difference between the athlete who comes from a highly subsidized Russian or Chinese context, to one who comes from an urban area combining grit and corporate sponsorship, as in the United States, to those who either
DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM
make it on their own or cobble together possibilities, all of these athletes are chasing greatness and perfection. Their “props” may be a metaphor for what we all face in life. Some will be subsidized; some will scrap; and sometimes the cream rises to the top, regardless of barriers.
What was lost? Republican candidate Donald Trump has a campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
Really think about it! I’m often amused by interviews aired on late-night TV questioning the average citizen’s knowledge of a particular subject. I’m appalled and saddened by individuals who cannot correctly name the current U.S. vice president or answer equally simple questions. I’m convinced that this level of ignorance is rooted in a complete disconnect from the concerns of citizenship. As a case in point, how many readers could give the correct answer to the question, “What event will be observed on August 26, 2016?” The answer is Women’s Equality Day! My deepest hope is that no one questions the significance of that event or attempts to rationalize the observance away.
Discrimination eliminated Although many are de-sensi-
DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ. TRICE EDNEY WIRE
tized to the importance of our cultural observances, with greater thought and consideration, it’s expected that behaviors that discriminate against women as a class can be eliminated. Few consider the fact that normative pronouns in the English language are exclusively male. Most don’t think it’s strange that they’ll never read the words “she,” “her” or “hers” in the Constitution or other founding documents. All but a few will realize that the full measure of true citizenship, the right to vote, was not bestowed upon women until August 26, 1920. Since that time,
in a haunting and damning 2015 report, “The Shame of Milwaukee: Race, Segregation and Inequality,” by Marc V. Levine of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The data show a Black population segregated into neighborhoods of concentrated poverty with declining prospects. Real Black household income in 1979 was $39,105; in 2013, it was $27,438, a foul decline of nearly 30 percent. Household income for all races in Milwaukee has declined over the course of this century, but far worse for Blacks and Hispanics than Whites. Nearly 40 percent of AfricanAmericans are in poverty, up from 27 percent in 1969. Nearly 40 percent of African-Americans in the core working age (25-54) are unemployed. This is in stunning contrast to the 15.2 percent Black unemployment rate in 1970. For males aged 20-24, the beginning of a work life, over two-thirds of Blacks are unemployed – 68.4 percent – a staggering increase from 25.3 percent in 1970. Schools are doubly segregated by race and by poverty. Seventyone percent of Black students attend “hyper-segregated schools” – those in which at least 9 of 10 students are minority. Nearly half of all Black students go to schools with 90 percent poverty rates.
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: HILLARY CLINTON
YAAKOV KIRSCHEN / DRY BONES
United States. I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.” Well, the injustice is worse in modern Milwaukee than it was in segregated Birmingham. Black poverty, unemployment and impoverished neighborhoods are all worse. The percentage of Blacks attending hyper-segregated schools in today’s Milwaukee is far worse than the Jim Crow schools of Birmingham (71 percent to 56 percent). This is, as Alderman Rainey stated, a powder keg. Police are tasked with “keeping order.” That is like trying to stop a seething volcano from exploding by suppressing the gases coming out the top. Even doing that skillfully won’t work. Milwaukee is not the worst. Black income has plummeted more in Cleveland and Detroit. School segregation is worse in New York and Chicago. Violence stalks the mean streets of impoverished urban neighborhoods across the country. And
this obscene injustice gets worse with no action and little notice.
The word “again” suggests that we were great once upon a time, and that we have to regain something that we lost. When were we “great”? What have we lost? What does it take to make us great again? Trump said he views the 1980s as the time when things were good for the nation, though he also hearkened back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. The basis of the Industrial Revolution was a credit system that relied on using enslaved people as collateral to lend and spend for economic expansion. The North and South were always connected, even in war, with economics often trumping ideology. The era that Trump touts includes legislation to penalize those who dared educate enslaved people in the early nineteenth century, and the oppression of Black Codes in the postReconstruction era. Mr. Trump wants to make America great, but for whom? Whenever anyone does that throwback stuff, I wonder what he or she is nostalgic for.
What do they miss?
order to stop the rampant use of a distorted statement called the Pledge of Allegiance. He wrote that federal office and contractors should not force employees to swear to “one nation under God,” and that’s a good thing.
the nation has been wrestling with the goal of achieving “full” equality for women. Most Americans can’t tell you that the first Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was introduced to Congress in 1923. Many who were of an age of awareness in 1972 when it was again introduced, passed by both houses of Congress, and sent to the states for ratification, ignored the fact that it was not ratified by the requisite 38 states within the March 22, 1979 deadline or the extended June 30, 1982 time. I can only surmise that the ERA was ignored into oblivion.
mans were snatched from Africa and psychologically conditioned to be slaves, the historical construct between males and females has conditioned many women to accept and embrace the second-class citizenship that is the norm. For reasons not understood by me, many women are willing to accept disparate treatment for themselves and for like-minded sisters and me who are willing to accept only than full equality. By telling the truth about some of my sisters, I do not excuse the reasoning or behavior of my brothers. I understand the male-dominant core values that many men protect and defend, and the manner of relationship they wish to establish with their significant others.
Worse than Birmingham In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. launched the modern civil rights movement in Birmingham, Ala., saying, “Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the
Women accept inequality I once thought that for the message of equality to be heard, understood and effectual, it should be preached exclusively to males. Time and experience have taught me that opposition to women’s equality isn’t just a male problem. Just as “free” hu-
Do they wish they were in the land of cotton? Are they hankering for segregationist signs? Or are they simply pining for the days when, though it was unstated, White was right and everybody else had to step back? This is manifested by the assumption of deference, the assumption that African-Americans would step aside, allow a White person behind them in line step ahead, and shrug off microagressions because they “aren’t that deep.” Many have touted our “Greatest Generation,” the World War II contributors, as people who made America great. Yeah? These folks had to elbow their way into our nation’s service, fighting for the right to fight, struggling for the right to contribute. Is this what you call greatness, Donald Trump? Are we all supposed to put blinders onto the cracks in our collective national armor? Thus, it is exciting that President Obama signed an executive
Of no concern However, I do not understand or accept their obsession and compulsion with demanding that all male-female relation-
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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Barely mentioned The poor, the New York Times reports, are barely mentioned by either presidential candidate. And they are largely ignored by the media. When riots occurred in Milwaukee – a major American city – that didn’t make front page of the New York Times, which led with stories above the fold about a Trump adviser, liberal worries about Hillary Clinton and malaria in Venezuela. In Birmingham, Dr. King’s cry against the injustice of segregation touched the conscience of concerned citizens across the country. Will anyone hear the cry of the north side of Milwaukee, or the south side of Chicago? Or will our cities have to explode before action replaces neglect?
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is president and CEO of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
One nation? With a Black unemployment rate twice that of Whites? One nation, with such significant economic differences? And how do I pledge allegiance to a flag “and to the republic for which it stands?” President Obama tickled me by reminding us of the flaws in the Pledge of Allegiance. How do we transcend the flaws when Trump’s “great again” suggests “slave again” to me?
Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist and writer. Her latest book, “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy,” is available at www.juliannemalveaux.com.
ships conform to their own individual core values. Within limits, what is done in one’s home is of no concern to others. But the demands of civility and citizenship require one to treat their counterparts with dignity and respect outside of the home. I find it inconceivable that any parent, child or loved one could support anything less than full gender equality. How can a father or mother accept lesser social opportunities and outcomes for a daughter than for a son? What reasoning supports less pay for comparable work? What logic defines a society that permits the talents of anyone to be squandered merely because of gender? Supporting equal rights is simple. All we’ve got to do is really think about it!
Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw.org.
Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, publishes the Florida Courier on Fridays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@flcourier.com. Subscriptions to the print version are $69 per year. Mail check to P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, Fl 33646, or log on to www.daytona.com; click on ‘Subscribe’.
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MAYOR
AUGUST 25 – DECEMBER AUGUST 31,142016 - 20, 2006 EDUCATION
CONTENT FROM COMMON SENSE MEDIA COMMONSENSEMEDIA.ORG | AND NEWDAY NEWSDAY.COM
Common Sense Media There is no shortage of apps geared for pre-K kids heading into their first year of school. The trick is finding high-quality educational programs that help build important literacy, math, and concentration skills and using them with your kid to model engaged thinking and lifelong learning. Here are a few to consider:
Reading Rainbow Based on the famed PBS show, this app exposes your child to a robust vocabulary. Discuss the text before, during, and after reading to help build comprehension and prediction skills.
Letter School Pencils, crayons, and markers are always good for developing the fine motor skills needed to write, but this app is a great way to encourage correct letter and number formation.
Q: Should students and teachers be Facebook friends or follow each other on social networks?
Common Sense Media
Q: What should students know about sending email to a teacher?
A: Kids are pretty savvy when it comes to how to talk to teachers (and how talking to teachers is different from talking to friends). But when it comes to email, some kids could use reminders about proper etiquette. Here are some guidelines: • Use a proper salutation, correct grammar, and full sentences. • Clearly state the purpose of the email (didn’t understand the homework, forgot the field trip form). • Save problems, complaints, and other issues for face-to-face discussion — that avoids a lot of drama. • Avoid anything that might be considered rude (check the message over to make sure nothing could be misconstrued). • Don’t overuse emoticons. • Avoid attaching long, elaborate email signatures with images, song quotes, and so on. • Don’t reply all and send superfluous messages to everybody in the class or community.
A: Check with your school. Some have strict rules against teachers and students being Facebook friends on a teacher’s personal page (and we’ve heard from many teachers who frown upon the practice). But student-teacher social networking isn’t always out of line. If the teacher creates a classwide Facebook page or dedicated Facebook group, then he or she most likely is using it as a teaching tool. Some teachers prefer Twitter to send assignments, share links relevant to schoolwork, and stay in touch with their students because the communication is pretty one-sided (a teacher tweets; the students are notified). In some schools, it’s not uncommon for students and teachers to follow each other on Instagram, Pinterest, or Tumblr. Still, ask the school or the teacher what the policy is. You have the right to investigate further to make sure it’s all legit. Some educators are making use of sociallearning networks such as Edmodo, Schoology, and Collaborize Classroom for their students to discuss issues and collaborate on projects or for teachers to assign and receive homework. Any teacher who requires students to join a social network should send home clear guidelines on how it should be used.
Endless Alphabet With a charming cast of creatures and an ever-growing collection of regularly updated vocabulary words, Endless Alphabet helps foster letter recognition and phonics.
Memory Train Practice with this fast-paced memory game can help your child build focus — a great skill to have when they’re surrounded by the commotion commonly found in the classroom.
TallyTots
With a focus on counting and number recognition, TallyTots is a great way to encourage strong early math skills. You can help develop math sense by working alongside your child and talking through the process.
Common Sense Media
Kids of all ages can reap the benefits of meditation and mindfulness using technology.
Meditating even only a few minutes a day has proven to reduce stress, boost immunity, aid memory and concentration, decrease depression and anxiety, and even make you more compassionate — tools that can help kids sail through the school year ahead. Don’t know where to start? Check out some of Common Sense Media’s favorite meditation apps for kids. Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame Adorable monster de-stresses kids with Sesame Street style. Recommended for ages 4 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
By Ronnie Gill & Daniel Bubbeo - Newsday Preschoolers to post-grads are gearing up for the school season, and no matter what age a student is, there are gadgets, gizmos, elec- tronics and tech products to help ease the way. LG GizmoGadget Sends and receives text messages to or from designated caregivers. $149.99 | (with a two-year contract); verizonwireless.com Kinkoo Six Port USB Charger 40-watt desktop charger that has six high-speed ports. $39.90 | ikinkoo.com Asus Chromebook C202 Lightweight, durable, keyboard is spill-proof and repels liquid. starting at $199 | asus.com Wearsafe Personal Safety System Use as a panic button to send live audio from the scene to designated family or friends. Monthly subscription fee is $5 | wearsafe.com Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-a-pillar Teaches preschoolers coding basics. $50 | fisher-price.com LeapFrog LeapStart Interactive Activity Book Systems A library of 16 replayable activity books for ages 2-7 teaches 50 learning skills from ABCs to coding. $39.99 | leapfrog.com
Settle Your Glitter Simple yet beautiful emotionalregulation tool for kids. Recommended for ages 4 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Super Stretch Yoga HD Get kids moving and relaxing with warm video intro to yoga. Recommended for ages 4 and older Available on: iPad
Breathing Bubbles Release worries and embrace joys with anxiety-fighting tool. Recommended for ages 5 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Mandala Memory Card-flipping memory game with beautiful patterns. Recommended for ages 5 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, IPad Stop, Breathe & Think Appealing tool guides meditation and promotes compassion. Recommended for ages 10 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
Ameka Love©™ Journey To Crystal Mountain©™ Problem-solving and meditation story has few features. Recommended for ages 6 and older Available on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Wellbeyond Meditation for Kids Stop, breathe, reflect with easy intro to guided meditation. Recommended for ages 7 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad IF... The Emotional IQ Game Fantasy game promotes real-life social and emotional skills. Recommended for ages 8 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Scape Music app offers original, endless listening experiences. Recommended for ages 8 and older Available on: iPad
Drift Away Guide bubble through nature obstacles in soothing app. Recommended for ages 9 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Zen Bound 2 Universal Gorgeous and wholly original rope-wrapping puzzle. Recommended for ages 9 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Bejeweled Spiffy update breathes new life into match-3 puzzle classic. Recommended for ages 8 and older Available on: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad Edited by Johnnie Miller-Cleaves; page design by Erik Rodriguez
COMMON SENSE MEDIA IS AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OFFERING UNBIASED RATINGS AND TRUSTED ADVICE TO HELP FAMILIES MAKE SMART MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY CHOICES. CHECK OUT OUR RATINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ONLINE AT WWW.COMMONSENSE.ORG. © 2016 COMMON SENSE MEDIA
Compiled by Angela Zimmerman and edited by Johnnie Miller-Cleaves
7 CLASSIFIEDS
AUGUST 25 – AUGUST 31, 2016
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M ASPORTS YOR
AUGUST 25 – AUGUST DECEMBER 14 - 20, 31, 20062016
can women’s pro soccer leagues — the Women’s United Soccer Association and Women’s Professional Soccer collapsed after three seasons each. Six NWSL games were broadcast on Fox Sports 1 last year, attracting 89,000 viewers on average. After the Olympics — with just a third of the NWSL 2016 season left — Fox Sports will televise another six games. David Nathanson, head of Fox Sports business operations, said this balances his company’s production costs with efforts to “take the pinnacle of each [NWSL] season and expose it to the broadest number of fans.”
Rise of tennis, golf
MARK REIS/COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE/TNS
The U.S. women’s basketball team clowns around for a photo after defeating Spain 101-72 on Aug. 20 in the Gold Medal basketball game at the Rio Games.
Women’s leagues hope to see postOlympics bounce BY RENEE GRIFFIN LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
Of the 558 American athletes at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, a record 294 were women. Among the most dominant were the 12 women basketball players who on Aug. 20 won an unprecedented sixth consecutive gold medal for the U.S. in the sport. Another high-profile group: the 18 players on the U.S. women’s soccer team, the defending World Cup champs, who unexpectedly lost in the quarterfinals in Rio. Post-Olympics, those 30 elite female athletes will return to their professional leagues, the WNBA and the National Women’s Soccer League. And millions of viewers who watched them on TV at the Olympics will largely forget and move on.
Still lagging Women’s professional sports continue to garner only a tiny fraction of the attention, TV ratings, advertising and salaries that men’s sports generate in the U.S. The Olympics aren’t the only competition in which the audience exhibits sudden-onset gender blindness. The 2015 Women’s World Cup final between the U.S. and Japan was viewed by nearly 27 million Americans, the mostwatched soccer match in U.S. history. But a domestic women’s professional league has yet to convert some peak moments of visibility into a sustained, profitable success. “I never really thought about
Registration deadline is Sept. 1 for Senior Games in Flagler Thousands of senior adults across the nation gather with their neighbors and friends each fall to compete in the Senior Games. The third Palm Coast & the Flagler Beaches Senior Games, presented by Cora Health Services Inc., will be held Sept. 10 to 18. The registration deadline is Thursday, Sept. 1.
Much lower purses
the vulnerability of the [WNBA] until I saw the Sparks almost go under in 2014,” former Sparks star Lisa Leslie wrote for The Players’ Tribune website in May. “You don’t ever imagine what you worked so hard to build could disappear overnight.”
‘Need to grow’ Since the WNBA’s first season in 1997, six teams have folded, four have relocated due to financial strain and the Sparks, one of only three franchises left from the original eight, lost $12 million over seven years before Magic Johnson and his investment group bought the team in 2014. “We need to grow — not just scrape by — for the next 20 years,” Leslie wrote about the WNBA. The WNBA’s average attendance hit a record low of 7,318 fans last year. Lisa Borders, in her first year as league president, said one of her long-term goals is to fill every arena for every game. Attendance is up 2.7 percent so far in 2016, she said. “It’s a cultural perception that … whatever game we’re talking about, women don’t play it as well as men,” Borders said. “People’s perception becomes reality when they’re not informed and have never seen a game. It’s like having an opinion on a restaurant without ever having eaten there.”
TV contracts On the TV front there is some good news. ESPN is paying the WNBA $12 million this season for broadcast rights, according to Sports Business Daily, and
The Senior Games offer competition in 14 sports and are open to men and women ages 50 and up competing against other athletes of the same gender and age group. The Palm Coast & the Flagler Beaches Senior Games are sanctioned by the Florida Sports Foundation and serve as a local qualifying event for the Florida Senior Games State Championships.
This year’s events Archery: 9 a.m. Sept. 10; at Indian Trails Middle School fields, 5505 Belle Terre Pkwy., Palm Coast Golf Croquet: 8:30 a.m. Sept. 10; at Palm Harbor Golf Club, 100 Cooper Lane, Palm Coast Cycling: 8:30 a.m. Sept. 11; start will be at Intracoastal Park under the Hammock Bridge,
The 10-team NWSL receives a big financial subsidy from U.S. Soccer, plus soccer federations in Canada and Mexico. A player on the U.S. women’s team who also plays in the NWSL gets about $128,000 a year in base salary and supplements, while the average NWSL salary for players not paid by a national federation is closer to $25,000. Two women’s sports organizations that have survived numerous financial challenges are the 43-year-old Women’s Tennis Association and the 66-year-old Ladies Professional Golf Association; both are increasingly international, playing and airing tournaments around the world. After the 2008 recession hit, the LPGA quickly lost sponsors and was forced to shrink from 37 tournaments that year to 24 in 2010. When Michael Whan became LPGA commissioner in 2010, he took advantage of the tour’s growing number of international stars and aggressively targeted new sponsors overseas. This year 15 of 34 LPGA tournaments are played overseas and eight of the top 10 female golfers in the world rankings are foreigners, including No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko from New Zealand.
WALLY SKALIJ/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
USA’s Carli Lloyd jumps into the arms of teammate Heath Tobin after scoring a goal against France in the second half during Summer Olympics action in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on Aug. 6. The U.S. women’s soccer team won that game, 1-0. The women, however, returned home without a medal in the Olympics. that jumps to $25 million next year. The first eight WNBA games broadcast on ESPN channels this year averaged a modest 208,000 viewers. All this starkly contrasts with the NBA’s nine-year TV contract with ABC, ESPN and TNT worth $2.7 billion annually, starting with the 2016-17 season. Value is tied to popularity — and the Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals in June averaged 20.1 million viewers for ABC, the highest for a Finals since 1998. TV contracts have ripple effects on profits and salaries. LeBron James will be the NBA’s highest-paid player this season, earning nearly $31 million, while the average NBA salary hits a record
$6.2 million. By comparison, the WNBA’s maximum salary is $111,500, which is what two-time MVP Candace Parker makes with the Sparks — a fraction of the $1 million she’s made playing for a Russian team in the WNBA offseason.
adjacent to European Village, 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy., Palm Coast Ballroom Dancing (Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Swing, Rumba and Cha Cha): 2 p.m. Sept. 11; at the VFW, 37 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast Tennis: 9 a.m. Sept. 12; at the Palm Coast Tennis Center, 1290 Belle Terre Pkwy., Palm Coast Tennis Mixed Doubles: 9 a.m. Sept. 13; at the Palm Coast Tennis Center, 1290 Belle Terre Pkwy., Palm Coast Golf: Sept. 14, 8:30 a.m. shotgun start; at Palm Harbor Golf Club, at 20 Palm Harbor Drive, Palm Coast Horseshoes: 7:30 a.m. Sept. 14; at Old Dixie Community Park on North Old Dixie Highway, Bunnell Indoor Volleyball: 6 p.m. Sept. 14; location TBA Pickleball: 9 a.m. Sept. 15; at
Belle Terre Park Tennis Center, 339 Parkview Drive, Palm Coast Pickleball Doubles: 9 a.m. Sept. 16; at Belle Terre Park Tennis Center, 339 Parkview Drive, Palm Coast Basketball Shooting: 6 p.m. Sept. 16; location TBA Table Tennis: 6 p.m. Sept. 16; location TBA Swimming: 9 a.m. Sept. 17; at Frieda Zamba Swimming Pool, 339 Parkview Drive, Palm Coast Cora Health Services is partnering with Palm Coast to provide public educational programs and sports medicine services for athletic events in Palm Coast this year. Cora Health Services has two clinics in Palm Coast. The Palm Coast & the Flagler Beaches Senior Games are also sponsored by Humana, Florida Hospital Flagler, Tropical Smoothie Café, and the Palm
Women’s soccer Perhaps Major League Soccer, the domestic men’s league that began play in 1996, is a more apt comparison for nascent women’s leagues. However, MLS’ TV deal with ESPN, Fox and Univision is worth $90 million a year, far eclipsing women’s basketball. Meanwhile, the NWSL is in its fourth year of existence and has outlasted two previous Ameri-
Despite this turnaround, there remains a wide gap in purses on the men’s and women’s golf tours. This season, 99 players on the PGA Tour have won have at least $1 million while only seven LPGA players have reached that plateau. WTA Chief Executive Steve Simon credits much of the tennis tour’s success to the global celebrity of its players, including top-ranked Serena Williams. The WTA in 2014 signed a 10-year, $525-million deal with Perform Group, a British media company, to broadcast its matches internationally. Male and female winners of major tournaments are also paid equally, though men’s No. 1 player Novak Djokovic ignited controversy this year when he questioned whether that was fair. “I think there’s a lot to be learned in the rest of the world with respect to what tennis has done in presenting our products equally,” Simon said. With 38 Olympians on NWSL rosters, including 17 of 18 Team USA players, Plush made the same argument about quality of play. NWSL games averaged just 5,046 fans in 2015, but the Portland Thorns were far ahead with 15,639 per game. It helps that Portland is one of three NWSL teams partnered with an MLS team. “Whether it’s that [MLS] relationship or with U.S. Soccer or whoever, it’s everyone pulling together and knowing that [soccer] needs to take its rightful spot here in the United States,” Plush said.
Coast Observer.
How to register Registration is $15 and includes a T-shirt and participation in one sports event; participation in each additional sports event is $5. Competition is offered in nine different age categories. To register, visit www.palmcoastgov.com/seniorgames for the registration form. Mail the form with payment to Palm Coast Parks & Recreation, attn.: Senior Games Coordinator Alex Boyer, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Palm Coast, FL 32137. Or drop it off Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE, or email it to aboyer@palmcoastgov.com. Checks should be payable to: City of Palm Coast.
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AUGUST 25 – AUGUST 31, 2016 with uprisings after Black lives were taken by police officers,” said Roman Lyles, a WhereU user in Atlanta, “it’s important to protest with where I spend my dollars. “I’m almost ashamed to say I didn’t know there were so many Black-owned businesses here. This app has opened my eyes. And I have spent more money on Black businesses in the last few months than I probably have all my life.”
Black buying power
Dionne Mahaffey said the idea for WhereU came to her last year in a dream.
WhereU app helping users buy Black Search engine and GPS-driven directory helps people find Blackowned businesses in dozens of U.S. cities. BY CURTIS BUNN URBAN NEWS SERVICE
Business runs through Dionne Mahaffey’s veins. Her father was an entrepreneur as she grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. So, it was almost in-
evitable that Mahaffey, a business psychologist and self-described “techie,” would develop WhereU. It’s in her DNA. Mahaffey’s app works as a search engine and GPSdriven directory. Its “near me” function helps users find Black-owned businesses in dozens of U.S. cities. Consumers can search among 17 categories of African-American-owned companies, including business services, arts and entertainment, health care, real estate and automotive.
Supported by Shaq WhereU has been downloaded more than 100,000 times since its February launch, according to Mahaffey. Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal and comedian D.L. Hughley have encouraged their fans to use WhereU to “support black business,” as they said via Twitter. “As a child, I was taught to be intentional about patronizing family, friends and Black-owned businesses,” said Mahaffey, an Auburn University graduate and mother of two daughters. “I grew up
watching my parents support Black doctors, accountants, general contractors, grocery stores, mechanics, banks and more. My first bank account was with a Black-owned bank — and I still bank black.”
Dreamed it The idea for WhereU came to Mahaffey on Dec. 5, 2015, in a dream, she said. Seventy-two days later, she made the app available on Google Play and Apple’s iTunes, during Black History Month. “For me, with everything that has been happening,
Lyles’ story illustrates what WhereU can do. Black buying power is expected to reach $1.2 trillion this year and $1.4 trillion by 2020, according to the University of Georgia’s Selig Center for Economic Growth. Those figures would make “Black America” the world’s 15th largest economy, based on the World Bank’s Gross Domestic Product data. This figure makes “Black America” as wealthy as Mexico. “The app gets dialogue going about how to effect change in the community,” Mahaffey said. “It helps us address the dearth of sustainable Black-owned businesses and route money back into our communities. We’ve heard from several businesses listed on the app that being listed has increased traffic.”
STEM expert Between 500,000 and 1 million jobs could be created if higher-income Black households spent just $1 of every $10 at Black-owned stores and other enterprises, according to research by Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. The NAACP also cites data that suggest that entrepreneurial success is linked to generational economic empowerment. “I agree with the NAACP’s Nicole Kenney who says, ‘If we are serious about improving our
communities, improving our schools, providing jobs (Black businesses are the second highest employer of African-Americans after the government), we must advance and strengthen Black-owned businesses.’ That’s what WhereU is about,’’ Mahaffey noted. Mahaffey said she learned how to code in high school and advanced her software-development knowledge in college. She said “the lion’s share” of her professional career has been spent in the tech world. “The beauty of being engaged in STEM,” she said, “is that you can build what you dream,” through science, technology, engineering and math.
Considering partnerships Mahaffey’s December dream has become a reality that could have a major impact on America’s Black businesses. New York leads the U.S. with 250,890 Blackowned enterprises, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Atlanta is second with 176,245. So far, Mahaffey said, WhereU lists 75,000 such companies. “WhereU is a directory, not a marketplace,” Mahaffey said. “But we do offer a badge for stores that ship globally or have online stores. Consumers can link to their websites from the app.” Mahaffey is “exploring a partnership with Blackowned websites that provide e-commerce and marketplace solutions,” she said. “We are committed to marketing the app to users in a way that encourages them to be intentional about using the app to search for Black businesses . . . I’ve been supporting Black business all my life. WhereU gives everyone a chance to do the same.”
It’s a
to be on your list today.