Daytona Times - September 24, 2015

Praises go up at Palm Coast Gospelfest SEE PAGE 3

EE FR

JULIANNE MALVEAUX: No due process for ‘standing while Black’ SEE PAGE 4

East Central Florida’s Black Voice SEPTEMBER 24 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

YEAR 40 NO. 39

HISTORYMAKERS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES AT SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTRY SEE PAGE 8

www.daytonatimes.com

Fire department hit with EEOC complaint Daytona Lt. Larry Stoney says he was racially discriminated against in city’s 2013 selection of chief

Lt. Larry Stoney said he has been denied three “chief officer’’ positions with the Daytona Beach Fire Department.

BY PENNY DICKERSON DAYTONA TIMES news@daytonatimes.com

Daytona Beach Fire Department Lt. Larry Stoney said he has filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claim against the city, citing that he was racially discrimi-

nated against when he was denied the appointment of fire chief. A White candidate was selected whom Stoney believes was less qualified.

Stoney said his claim was filed with the EEOC district office in Miami.

In a letter dated April 10, Stoney shared the applica-

tion’s grievance letter with the Daytona Times, which included egregious allegations.

“I have applied and been denied three ‘chief officer’ positions with the city of Daytona Beach. Two of those positions were filled by less qualified persons,” Stoney’s letter stated.

“The last position I applied for was the Battalion Chief of Administration and Battalion Chief of B Battalion in the operations division, but were

given to less qualified Caucasian Males that were either drinking and hanging friends with Chief Driscoll or worked with him and had both professional and private relationships,” the letter continued.

Where are the Blacks?

Currently, Whites fill almost 80 percent of the available jobs at the fire department. There are 14 AfPlease see EEOC, Page 2

REMEMBERING TIMESHA AND DIONA

B-CU pays tribute to two slain students during campus memorial

BY JAHSON LEWIS DAYTONA TIMES

T

he Bethune-Cookman University family paid tribute to Timesha “Lisa” Carswell and Diona McDonald Wednesday during a moving memorial service held on campus.

Carswell, 21, and McDonald, 19, died on Sept. 17 after being fatally shot by 27-year-old York Zed Bodden, a convicted felon from Miami during a rental dispute at the Carolina Club Apartments. Micah Parham, 19, was critically injured and remains hospitalized. Sidney Washington tried to take the gun from Bodden, then jumped through a window and escaped being shot.

Bodden, who was alleged to be in a relationship with Carswell, was arrested on Sept. 18 in Miami and allegedly hanged himself the next day in his cell at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

McDonald was from Detroit; Carswell and Parham from Inkster, Mich., a neighboring suburb. The young women were both music majors and sang in B-CU’s Concert Chorale.

Wednesday’s ceremony was opened by the chorale with upbeat gospel, which transitioned to more solemn music as people began filing into the school’s Performing Arts Center.

The slain students were members of the choral. Purple ribbons were distributed to all who entered the center in their remembrance.

Words of comfort In her opening prayer, Kierra Benton, president of Alpha Nu Omega Sorority, told the crowd gathered that “today we won’t mourn but rather celebrate the lives of these two women.”

B-CU Student Government Association President Chad Powell challenged the Please see REMEMBERING, Page 2

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

B-CU’s Concert Chorale performs during the memorial service at the Performing Arts Center. On easels in front of the singers are photographs of Timesha “Lisa” Carswell, left, and Diona McDonald.

Conference connects students at HBCUs to White House

BY GRACE TOOHEY TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON — Shaw University senior Bryann Guyton spent the first half of her week in the nation’s capital as an “all-star,” but it had nothing to do with sports.

Guyton, a business administration major and student-athlete at the historically Black school in Raleigh, N.C., instead was among the 83 White Houseselected student leaders and scholars involved in an Obama administration ini-

ALSO INSIDE

tiative to promote and advance historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

(Landon Wright of Orlando, a senior accounting major at Bethune-Cookman, was one of four AfricanAmerican students at Florida schools chosen.)

The conference, “HBCUs: Innovators for Future Success,” also brought together university presidents, various government officials and corporate leaders to develop opportunities for collaborations, primarily on the STEM sub-

jects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “(HBCUs) are the backbone of the nation,” said Sedika Franklin, with the White House Initiative on HBCUs. “We educate so many young minds — and we are looking to them as the future inventors and entrepreneurs.”

Renowned speakers The conference shares the administration’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in

the world by 2020 and to lead the field in the STEM subjects, she said.

Guyton was one of 12 “all-stars” — student ambassadors chosen to promote the program — from North Carolina, who joined others from around the country for the threeday event that began Sunday. They will serve for the school year.

“It’s definitely fun,” she said Tuesday. “There’s a lot of personalities.”

Guyton said that she enPlease see STUDENTS, Page 2

COMMENTARY: HARRY C. ALFORD: BRUTALITY ISN’T AMERICA’S ONLY POLICE PROBLEM | PAGE 5 NATION: NNPA HONORS JOURNALIST, OTHERS DURING 75TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT | PAGE 7

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice was one of the speakers at this week’s conference.

7 FOCUS

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SEPTEMBER 24 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

REMEMBERING from Page 1

mourners to intensify their sense of faith and family on campus.

Jennifer Adams, president of B-CU’s National Alumni Association, shared with the students that “we all deeply care about you and want to protect you.’’

Daytona Mayor Derrick Henry also offered condolences to the university and the slain students’ families on behalf of himself, his wife and the City of Daytona Beach.

“Despite this terrible and senseless tragedy, there should never be a rift between you and the city,” he said. We are one.”

He continued, “It is very difficult to have faith, but this institution was founded on faith.”

He concluded by adding, “This city embraces you and loves you.”

Recruited by choral director Damon Dandridge, director of B-CU’s Choral Studies, said the chorus season would be dedicated to Carswell and McDonald.

He shared how he had personally recruited the two from Michigan. He also mentioned the chorale would wear the purple ribbons distributed to all upon entering for the entire season in honor of the slain students.

Dandridge called Carswell “an amazing person who was always full of joy. She had a smile that could fill a room with full bliss.” He added that Carswell, a transfer student this fall, was excited to attend B-CU and sing in the chorale.

“She had a carefree spirit who cared for and got along with everyone.

I am thankful she meant so much to so many and will truly be missed,’’ he added.

Several friends of McDonald spoke. One told the audience that “Diona wouldn’t want us to be sad for long.’’

They told how she was always happy and smiling. One added that McDonald had given “her heart to Christ three weeks ago.’’

‘Wake up’ B-CU President Dr. Edison Jackson spoke as the university’s leader and a parent.

“As a parent, I could only imagine the pain of losing a child. As a friend, I am all too familiar. My heart was grieved when I heard the tragic news last week,” he said Wednesday.

He also acknowledged Parham and Washington, whom he said “showed great courage” and was proud of them.

He mentioned that all too often senseless acts of violence penetrates communities and tries to destroy them.

He called for each person gathered to view this as an opportunity to “wake up and make a difference.” The president concluded by saying, “There is a war. If you let love rule, maybe we won’t have to go this way again. Pray for yourselves and others, who may not see the way.”

Dr. Arnold Culbreath, assistant pastor of Life at Heirs Covenant Church of Cincinnati, Ohio, also offered powerful words of prayer, faith, hope and wisdom.

“Life is short. We need to make the time to let the people we love and appreciate know. One moment they are here, and the next they’re not,” he said, warning the students to “be on the lookout for the enemies of life.”

He added, “This was a senseless, untimely, catastrophic occurrence.

Even in the midst of this tragedy, God is in control and he has a plan.”

1 1. Dr. Edison Jackson, president of B-CU, recites Scripture and offers words of comfort at Wednesday’s memorial.

2. Students sign photo cards of the slain young women.

3. Roses and carnations were presented in memory of the students.

4: The tragedy occurred at the Carolina Club Apartments in Daytona Beach.

2

Jahson Lewis, a Daytona Times intern, is a senior Mass Communications major at Bethune-Cookman University.

EEOC

from Page 1 rican-Americans employed, three Hispanic/Latinos, and a single American Indian/Native Alaskan works as a driver engineer.

Stoney’s complaint echoes allegations that a litany of AfricanAmericans in Daytona Beach administrative leadership have resigned, retired or been fired since the appointment of City Manager Jim Chisholm.

Among those gone are Ricardo Kisner, finance director; Cheryl Harrison-Lee, Development Services director; Dwayne Murray, the city’s first Black fire chief; James Benderson, planner; and Etienne Seales, records manager.

While the municipality is led by Mayor Derrick Henry, an African-American, racial disparity in appointment and promotion appears to be rampant in high-level positions of authority.

Qualified but dismissed Stoney joined the fire department in 2002 and later obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from BethuneCookman in 2006. He worked as a fire department driver engineer and has since served in numerous leadership and public service capacities, including public information officer (PIO), public safety coordinator (PSC) and chaplain.

A Port Orange resident since 2008, Stoney said he has applied and been denied numerous high-level leadership positions. But in 2013, he felt qualified and applied for the position of fire chief.

“There was a job posting with the minimum qualifications of a bachelor’s degree, and one of the things I’ve been fighting with the city over since

3

Stoney’s complaint echoes allegations that a litany of African-Americans, Daytona Beach administrative leadership have resigned, retired or been fired since the appointment of city manager Jim Chisholm.

2008, is that they did not want to accept my degree because it was not in fire science,” Stoney explained.

“But the job posting’s language has changed over the past few years. My master’s degree is in business administration and the fire department is a business. If anybody has a master’s degree in business or public administration, then it’s a no-brainer that you would at least consider their résumé,” he added.

Changes by Driscoll When Stoney applied for the department chief position, the city’s current chief, Dru Driscoll, was also an applicant and the interim chief.

Stoney dually served as the department’s public information office and public service coordinator but Driscoll “civilianized” both positions and moved Stoney back to his lieutenant’s role in the fire station.

“Driscoll moved Stoney back into a station position because that was one of the issues with him not getting promoted. He had never run a station,” said Jim Sexton, human resources director for the City of Daytona Beach.

“If I remember correctly, Driscoll sent him a letter thanking him for his service as PIO and said he was moving him back into a station to take on ‘next level stuff’ which arguably would be battalion chief, deputy chief, and potentially chief,” Sexton added.

Stoney’s stance and per-

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

spective significantly contrasts. In a formal letter to Driscoll dated July 15, 2014, Stoney addressed rumors about the move back to his lieutenant’s role at the station.

He said he added the allegations in his EEOC claim.

Alleged are that subordinate city workers and staff were informed by the city manager’s office of his removal prior to him being told. Stoney further states that Driscoll’s appointment simultaneously coincided with his own “public roles being diminished.” Lastly, Driscoll sent him a cellular “text message” informing him of the transition instead of a formal correspondence.

City unaware of claim Stoney began documenting his internal observations and grievance in letters that date back to July 2014. Filing a federal EEOC claim was not his preferred route to an amicable resolution. To Stoney, it was his last resort.

According to the EEOC, if you believe you have been discriminated against by an employer, labor union or employment agency when applying for a job or while on the job because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information, you may file a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

“When we get a complaint,

we receive it from the Miami office, but I have not received anything from EEOC,” said Sexton.

“When I do, it will usually say what we are required to disclose, require that we state our policies and request that we submit all the applications and résumés of everybody who applied and what was the process used to hire.”

The EEOC process Upon final review of the aforementioned, which will include the city’s “position statement,” the EEOC will make a determination and issue either a “finding of cause” validating that the employer did discriminate or enter into a conciliation process on Stoney’s behalf.

If the EEOC enters a “no cause determination,” the office would then send a letter to Stoney (and the city) stating that their findings does not mean nothing happened, but rather it is their position that there is no cause. Stoney would then have 90 days to sue his employer and will be issued a “right to sue letter” by the EEOC. “Stoney could have filed a complaint against the city with our EEOC coordinator, who is Betty Goodman, assistant city manager. She would have taken his complaint and probably either delegated the investigation to me in Human Resources or probably been a co-investigator to investigate his claim of discrimination and retaliation,” Sexton explained.

“At that point, the city would have investigated that made a determination. If at that point he was still unhappy with the determination, he could pursue an EEOC complaint.

Arguably, he had every right to still file an EEOC federal complaint.”

4

STUDENTS from Page 1

joyed hearing speakers like Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, president and dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine, the first AfricanAmerican woman to lead a medical school, and actor Lamman Rucker.

Often forgotten Shaw University President Dr. Tashni-Ann Dubroy said the conference was a valuable opportunity for Guyton, but also for their “little old school in the South,” which she said can sometimes feel forgotten.

“I want to ensure that I’m opening opportunities for our students to work in D.C., to be employed in government and to bring an additional revenue stream to the university,” Dubroy said.

The conference came at a critical time for HBCUs, Dubroy said, as falling revenue and declining enrollments have triggered questions about their continued relevance. After a federal change in loan criteria in 2011, HBCU enrollment dropped by 14 percent, according to the PostSecondary National Policy Institutes report on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Dubroy said Shaw faces the same challenges, as well as low attrition rates and little access to capital. Graduation rates at HBCUs are around 30 percent — though they are 22 percent higher when compared to the national average for African-Americans, according to the Post-Secondary National Policy Institute.

But Dubroy insisted that schools like Shaw continue to serve a valuable purpose.

“We provide a very nurturing space where classroom sizes are generally smaller, where students can see role models that look like them, where they can have a dream and the audacity to achieve it,” she said. “We also provide access to a diverse workforce.”

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SEPTEMBER 24 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

M A YNEWS OR

Plenty of new and old favorites at Gospelfest Enthusiasts poured in from the rain for a Gospelfest, attesting to “having church,” and showering a number of vocalists. The performers cast their talents, getting their praises on for the Gospelfest and dinner recently held by the Women’s Day Committee of First Church.

The committee accepted the tickets to the fest and for a delicious baked chicken entree, served by young hosts and hostesses to nearly 125 Gospelfest lovers. The committee members were Co-Chairs Barbara Greene and Gloria Singleton, in addition to core members Carolyn Able, Nellie Davis, Wanda Brinson White, and yours truly.

Joy awakened through prayer, praises, testimonies and the genre of gospel, and called by Pastor Gillard S. Glover through prayer, and Jared and Octavia Evans through praise and worship.

Lessons, wrapped in a musical journey, paid tribute to the late Thomas A. Dorsey, who emcee Esther Hamilton named as the father of Christian Gospel.

Hamilton voiced that the gospel music experience was not shortlived, but, moreover, was everchanging, giving and testifying of renewed hope and joy through God’s mercy for an emancipated people.

The hymns, “Precious Lord” and “(There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley,” attributed the wondrous works of gospel legend/songwriter Thomas A. Dorsey.

Powerful singers The endeavor caused audience member Elaine Koonce to internalize and assert that gospel music “is a religious experience, a big part of our experience going back to slavery, and following along with the Spirit.”

“I am glad to be here, accompanied by my mother, who’s a young 94-year-old,” said Marva Jones of Palm Coast United Methodist Church. She sang “He’s An On Time God” with hubby “B.J.” Providing piano accompaniment was Jones’ mom, Blanche London.

The experience reconnected director/organist/singer James Rob-

Organist Jared Evans, left, is one of the accompanists for the FAME Ensemble, whose members are Octavia Evans, left, Francesca Scott, conductor/singer Nathaniel Shropshire III; Drickus Horne, and Jessica Rogers.

PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY

bins, II, with New Destiny, which was founded at First Church. Robbins testified of God’s pouring His strength into him while tenured as music director, and Robbins later taking that strength to other places.

New Destiny sang its signature song, “Oh How Precious,” led by Evangelist Faye Dadzie and Beverly Wright-Brinson, who’s as much a part of Robbins’ entourage from Tampa. Robbins is music director in the Tampa area for the West Conference of the A.M.E. 11th Episcopal District.

Those taking part in New Destiny were: Donna Banks, Marva Jones, Thea Smith, Evangelist

Faye Dadzie, Sonora Jackson and Roslyn Tucker.

The gospel collage brought about the Stillwell Sisters, Diane and Gloria, of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, to sing Amy Grant’s Christian single, “Everywhere I Go.”

More praise and worship The show gravitated a central theme, reflecting that “we worship having church through good music, while rejoicing in good music,” affirmed audience member Alexandria Johnson.

Sixteen-year-old vocalist Alexis Williams, who grew up at First Church, received standing ovations after performing “Take Me To The King” and “I Won’t Complain.” The teen gave both songs emphatic, accented syllables, making the messages come across, and amounting to her living both the pain and joy associated with the lyrics.

The FAME Ensemble, which

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performs each Sunday at First Church, looked at God’s turning a situation around, yet not concerned with how He does it, but trusting that He will.

The FAME Ensemble witnessed the classic hit, “Lord, Do It.” And pouring out their hearts were: conductor/singer Nathaniel Shropshire, III, along with singers Drickus Horne, Francesca Scott, Octavia Evans and Jessica Rogers - and notwithstanding – organist Jared Evans, pianist Ernest Williams and drummer Carlos Felder.

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

•••

Celebrations Birthday wishes to: Rehanna Caldwell, Gina Robinson, Sept.

29; and Horace Eubanks, Sept.

30.

BRIEFS

‘Think Pink’ event in DeLand to honor life and loved ones A “Think Pink!” breast cancer awareness event is 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Volusia County Farmers Market, 3050 E. New York Ave., DeLand.

Vendors and extension agents will explain the importance of Florida-cut foliage in celebrating life and remembering loved ones. Attendees can taste healthy pink snacks, pick up healthy Fresh from Florida recipes, and arrange a “Think Pink” bouquet they can take home.

They also can have their photos taken with Miss Teen Florida United States Breauna Washington and Miss U.S. Virgin IsBreauna Washington lands United States Jessica Thompson.

Washington, 19, lives in Avon Park and is a sophomore at South Florida State College. She plans to become an elementary school teacher with emphasis on special needs children.

Thompson was raised in St. Thomas is an accounting Jessica graduate of Stetson UniverThompson sity. She lives in Orlando, where she is working on a cosmetology degree from the Aveda Institute Orlando.

A representative from Susan G. Komen for the Cure will be on site to distribute information about breast cancer.

The event is sponsored by the University of Florida/Volusia County Extension, Volusia County Farm Bureau, FernTrust Inc., Alpha Fern Co., Florida Department of Agriculture, and Miss Florida United States.

For more information, contact Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent Karen Stauderman at 386-822-5778 or kstauderman@volusia.org.

Deltona residents can share thoughts on strategic plan The City of Deltona is seeking the input

Vocalist Alexis Williams received standing ovations after singing “Take Me To The King” and “I Won’t Complain.”

of residents in defining strategic planning goals significant for our community. Residents are needed to explore needs and opportunities that will enhance Deltona and provide input to the Mayor and Commission and City staff as they develop a strategic plan for Deltona.

The city is working in conjunction with the Florida Institute of Government to provide two community workshops. The first workshop, which is for residents, will be from 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 17, in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 2345 Providence Blvd.

The second workshop is for the mayor and commissioner to review and discuss their goals for the city’s future. There will also be a brief time for public comment at this workshop as well. This second workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nov. 7, also in the Chambers at City Hall.

For more information, call the Planning & Development Services Office at 386-8788600 or e-mail Director Chris Bowley at cbowley@deltonafl.gov.

26th Annual Ice Cream Social- September 27th The Family Renew Community’s annual ice cream social is Sept. 27 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. It’s hosted by St. James Episcopal Church, 38 S. Halifax Drive, Ormond Beach.

There’s a $5 per person entry; children 10 and under with an adult will be admitted for free.

This is an afternoon of games, contests, prizes, auctions, thrift store tables, face painting, balloon animals, and all the cake and ice cream you can eat.

For information, call Claris Mac’Kie at 386-239-0861 ext. 1.

Port Orange streets subject of lecture series Did you ever wonder who Clyde Morris was or how Nova Road got its name?

Scheduled for Friday, Oct. 9, a lecture about Port Orange’s street names begins at 1 p.m. at the Adult Center Annex, 3738 Halifax Drive. The lectures are always held on the second Friday of every month.

For more information, call 386-5065522.

Visit us online at daytonatimes.com East Central Florida’s Black Voice

R4

7 EDITORIAL

SEPTEMBER 24 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

No due process for ‘standing while Black’ An open letter posted on the New York Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) website and printed in the New York Daily News lacks credibility and contributes to the fractured state of police-community relations.

Is PBA President Patrick Lynch obliged to defend his members even when they are wrong?

Lynch has cautioned the media and others about rushing to judgment of James Frascatore, the walking assault machine that tackled former tennis star James Blake, put his knee to Blake’s back, and then handcuffed him.

This was captured by a security camera. The footage is ubiquitous online.

Making excuses Lynch says, “No one should ever jump to an uninformed conclusion based on a few seconds of video.” Lynch makes every excuse that he can for Frascatore, and chides “pundits and editorial writers” because “they have never faced the dangers that police officers routinely do.”

Comments about Blake’s false arrest and further cover-up are “irresponsible, unjust, and unAmerican.” Lynch says Frascatore deserves “due process, not summary professional execution called for by editorial writers.”

Due process is the legal requirement that the state must respect all the legal rights due to a person. When did James Blake get due process?

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

Frascatore tackled Blake with neither provocation nor even conversation. Either Lynch didn’t watch the video, or he doesn’t care that there is a pugilistic police officer that has no regard for due process when he interacts with the public.

Should be gone Frascatore should have been history in the NYPD some time ago. He has only been part of the NYPD for four years, yet five complaints against him have been filed with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB). All of these complaints involve the excessive use of force.

Frascatore is fast with his fists.

He is accused of punching people in the head, the mouth, and in the torso. Tragedy would be compounded if he were using a gun.

For all of Frascatore’s abuse of power, it took his assault of Blake to get him desk duty.

Blake has very reasonably called for Frascatore’s firing. But loudmouth Lynch (consider his comments in the wake of Eric Garner’s murder) has talked himself onto a limb with his passionate but baseless defense of a

police ‘officer.’

If there were due process, Frascatore would have been arrested for assaulting Blake. But police officers accused of wrongdoing hide behind their uniforms and rarely pay for their crimes.

If there were due process, a man with five complaints before the CCRB would have been put on desk duty – if not suspended or fired – some time ago.

Another incident The New York Daily News reported on a 2013 incident where Frascatore and two others followed bicyclist Warren Diggs home. Once there, they demanded identification from him, but proceeded to punch in the head and pummel his body before he could retrieve his ID. Diggs’ significant other, Nafeesah Hines, saw part of the fracas and began recording it. She asked officers for their names and badge numbers; two complied but Frascatore refused.

When Hines went to move Diggs’ bicycle from the sidewalk and into their home, she was told that she was tampering with evidence and was arrested.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board found inconsistencies between Frascatore’s statements and the recording Hines made. It recommended “retraining” Frascatore. Hines also sued the city for false arrest and settled out of court. Warren Diggs still has a federal civil rights lawsuit against

Brutality isn’t the only police problem Citizens of the United States have had enough with incompetence by local police forces. ‘Incompetence’ is a kind word for racism and, above all, corruption.

I don’t believe one person doubts that there is an immediate problem, as we see time and time again on live news footage of the hatred being turned against our police forces.

The most unfortunate part is that not all policemen are racist or corrupt. However, the entire legions of our officers, keepers of safety, are taking the blame – and sometimes the bullets.

Major problem A few years ago, PressTV did an assessment of the problem: “Police corruption is a major problem in the United States, where some police officers turn bad to make money from drug deals, or career advancement, while many more try to cover up their own acts of brutality, murder and torture.

Such is the case in the city of New Orleans…(where) five former po-

HARRY C. ALFORD NNPA COLUMNIST

lice officers were sentenced to prison for the shooting of six unarmed civilians – two of whom died – in the days after Hurricane Katrina back in 2005, (and) about 20 officers staged a cover-up.”

The trial was later overturned because of prosecutorial misconduct – yes, the prosecutors were corrupt, too.

“An attorney for the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department called it the most significant police misconduct since Rodney King, a Black man, was beaten by the Los Angeles police in the early 1990s,” Press TV stated. “And the corruption spreads across the nation, happening in big and small cities from police officers of all races. Many critics say there needs to be more transparency

in law enforcement, while no police departments would comment on this story. U.S. police officers go by the motto ‘to serve and to protect,’ but where corruption exists, the widespread existence of a ‘blue code of silence’ among the police can prevent the corruption from coming to light.”

One of the most corrupt police departments is the Chicago PD (CPD). This city was home to Joseph Miedzianowski, who has been labeled by many as one of the most corrupt policemen in history.

Cop and kingpin This guy was both a police officer and a drug kingpin. He was in charge of the Chicago gang unit.

At the same time, he ran his own drug gang that would shake down rival gangs based on his knowledge through CPD. He did this for 22 years before justice caught up with him in 2001.

John Burge was another member of CPD. He oversaw the torture of hundreds of Black men

Come walk with me on Oct. 1 I was blessed to grow up in a household filled with love. Like many of my generation, we were taught the virtue of Christian charity and an appreciation for those around whom we lived.

It wasn’t uncommon for us to share what we had, however meager it may have been, with those who had less. Our lives were enriched by the treatment we extended to our neighbors.

They appreciated what we did and we learned the value of lovingkindness.

Desire to serve Through the encouragement of my mother, other members of my family, and personal experience, I realized at an early age that the better I was doing on a personal level the more I could do to help others.

I don’t know who first said it,

DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ. TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

but a part of the passion I had for personal achievement was driven by the knowledge that I could do more for others when my personal struggles were not so selfconsuming that they interfered with my understanding of the needs of others. I’ve found that true in every facet of my life.

My thoughts returned to those values when I learned of the surgeon general’s call for everyone to walk, and his assessment of the value of walking.

Dr. Vivek Murthy outlined several of the cooperative efforts between his office and others who seek to increase the daily amount

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: POPE FRANCIS VISITS CUBA

of walking done in communities and which make those communities more “walker friendly.”

Murthy states, “...walking may end up being one of the most powerful tools we have for rolling back the tide on chronic diseases like diabetes and heart diseases.”

I walk Dr. Murthy’s statements rang true for me because I am a walker.

I walk great distances most days. I receive great mental and physical benefit from my walking.

As I walk, I experience tranquility. Walking takes me to a place of internal peace. I also benefit from the low-impact exercise that walking provides. I’m not only prepared to face greater physical challenges than most of my peers, but I’m also capable of greater endurance to face life’s challenges.

PATRICK CHAPPATTE, LE TEMPS, SWITZERLAND

the city.

The Diggs case reveals Frascatore as an accomplished liar who doesn’t mind breaking the rules.

Just as there was an attempt to cover up the Blake arrest, there was also an attempt to justify the brutal assault of Warren Diggs and the false arrest of Nafeesah Hines.

Due process, Patrick Lynch?

Not all bad As Blake has so gracefully said, all police officers are not like Frascatore. He declined to accuse the NYPD, just the out-of-control officer. He accepted the apologies of the police commissioner and the mayor. But he insists that something must be done about excessive force, and he has indicated that he might pursue a lawsuit otherwise.

resulting in false confessions between 1971-1992. He would get a thrill from burning innocent victims with radiators and cigarettes and shocking their testicles with electricity.

I had personal experiences with CPD in the late 1960s. I was attending the University of Wisconsin, playing Big 10 football and felt invincible. We would spend weekends in “Chi-town” with some of my buddies who grew up there.

There were two incidents that stand out.

The first was a survey we were taking for one of the local politicians. They wanted the surveys done in the infamous Robert Taylor Projects. We feared nothing and pursued the task. As we were walking from one project to the other, some of Chicago’s ‘finest’ stopped us. They took our surveys and told us that they had to be approved by the precinct captain. I replied, “Where are we – in Moscow?”

My friends begged me to be quiet, as these guys were capable of anything. We stood there for 30 minutes until they returned and said, “The chief said it is OK. Go ahead and proceed.” I was terribly

My good friend and health/fitness mentor Dick Gregory has been instrumental in encouraging me to do things that are good for my health. He is a source of leadership in my quest to find as many ways as possible to improve my quality of life through a healthy lifestyle.

I lead a very hectic daily pace and I can attest to the benefits of drinking water, breathing properly, taking the time to de-stress on a regular basis, and walking or some other form of exercise.

As leader of the National Congress of Black Women, I’m obligated to share the potential, as I understand it, for better health and vitality with others. In their own ways, each of our members lives a life committed to the betterment of their communities.

We cannot optimally reach those objectives unless we’re capable of enduring the mental and physical stress associated with the work it will take to get there.

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.

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The NYPD says they have spent millions on training and retraining. Did Frascatore ever get the training the CCRB recommended? Why not monitor those officers who have been “retrained” to see if they have changed their ways? Why not prioritize investigation of those with repeat complaints so that bad apples like Frascatore are terminated before they do more damage?

Patrick Lynch does his members a disservice when he excuses the behavior of officers like James Frascatore, whose only due process should move him out of the NYPD. Due process means arresting Frascatore for assaulting James Blake.

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist based in Washington, D.C. Contact her at www.juliannemalveaux.com.

stunned as an American who was supposed to be enjoying liberty.

Gun while gardening The next experience is even more sobering. I visited my first cousin, a Chicago policeman. I saw “Bobby” (not his real name) working in his garden with a gun on his hip. I asked him why the gun while gardening. He said that his fellow officers had put out a “contract’ on him.

“Why?” I asked. He said that while his boss was on vacation, he collected the routine bribe money from local businesses. The boss returned and claimed he stole some of it. So the hit went out.

They hired some Blackstone Rangers (street gang) to take him out. He got the drop on them and shot and killed all three of them in self-defense. He got out of this mess by retiring and returning home down South.

He was one of the lucky ones.

This is typical life of a big-city policeman.

Harry C. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®.

New project Therefore, on October 1, 2015, I’m starting a “Come Walk with Me” project in response to the Surgeon General’s request. I challenge everyone not currently walking to start this program by walking just 15 minutes at least 5 days per week until they walk at least 150 minutes per week.

The work of merely surviving is challenging enough and can take every bit of energy the average person has. Until we’ve helped ourselves reach a level of endurance that will sustain us through the challenges of life, we cannot lead or help others.

Only with fitness will we be able to reach our goals, have the health and prosperity to enjoy them, and the strength to lead others to their goals.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw.org.

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5 7

M ANATION YOR

SEPTEMBER DECEMBER 24 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 14 - 20, 2006

PHOTOS BY JAZELLE HUNT/NNPA NEWS SERVICE

Sam (left) and Jane (center) carry a banner they carried over the Arlington Bridge and into Washington in honor of Middle Passage.

NAACP ends march with thoughts of Middle Passage A dedicated veteran who adopted the name in memory of enslaved Africans died of a heart attack during the Journey for Justice trip from Selma to Washington.

BY JAZELLE HUNT NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – At the end of July, a man named Middle Passage boarded a bus from his home in La Jara, Colo., to travel more than 1,300 miles to Alabama. After 20 hours, the Vietnam and Korean War Navy veteran arrived in Selma with the goal of walking the full distance of the NAACP’s Journey for Justice March to Washington, D.C., despite five open-heart surgeries and being 68 years old.

He did just that. But on Sept.

12, just four days before the finish, he suffered a fatal heart attack while leading the marchers through Spotslyvania County, Va. “He showed up in Selma before the stage was even set up, before most people even arrived,” NAACP President and CEO Cornell Brooks said in an interview with the NNPA News Service.

“We shaved together, ate three meals a day together. You really get to know people when you spend hundreds of miles walking, talking about your families, where you come from, what you believe, and what you’re willing to sacrifice.”

‘He made it 922 miles’’ In a press release, Brooks described the call to Passage’s family as the most difficult responsibility of his term. Passage had arrived with a lively voice and high spirit and asked to be the flag bearer and pacesetter, but quickly became much more to those around him.

“I was his little sister. We walked together and pushed each other. The first couple days, he was struggling and I held his hand,” said Sheila J. Bell, of Detroit, Mich. From then on, she served as his back-up flag bearer if ever he felt tired.

“Walking up the parkway [approaching D.C.], I felt peaceful. We made it. He made it 922 miles.”

When the marchers arrived in each town, Passage put his best foot forward, greeting residents and especially law enforcement officers with a hearty, “Show me some love!” and pulling them into a firm hug.

At night when the marchers settled down in donated spaces, he put together cots, and shared with his friends the extra attention and gifts he would receive

NAACP member and marcher Tee White shows a photo of her and Middle Passage. from enamored hosts.

Many tributes

Carried the Constitution Staring off into the distance, Bell said, “The other day, after he passed, I didn’t have anyone to put my cot down, break down my cot. I left it. I didn’t even know how.”

Passage was kind, but also fired up about justice. Earlier in life, he had adopted the name Middle Passage to lift up the memory of enslaved Africans. He was particularly concerned with restoring the Voting Rights Act. A copy of the Constitution was on his person anytime he was on the road – he told everyone that he was marching to preserve it.

“As one of the leaders of the march, to have a volunteer – somebody who’s not getting paid to come here – and work just as hard as somebody who’s getting paid, was a blessing in itself.

He became one of the generals,” said Jonathan McKinney, NAACP Midwest region III field organizer. Survival and discipline were two things Passage impressed upon him, and others.

“Everybody knew it was time to go when Middle lined up with the flag in the front, and they knew the day was done when Middle lined up to take a picture in front of whatever landmark.

He ended up becoming the face of the march.”

‘Like a big brother’ To a core, handful of people who elected to march the entire journey, Passage was an elder-figure, brother, or friend. He dubbed a small faction of that core, about eight men in their 50s and 60s, the “Wrecking Crew.”

They were among his closest

sage on the first day in Selma, and sat next to him on the bus. Each morning thereafter, he asked her to look online and track how much ground they’d covered.

“He was so inviting, it felt like I had known him forever,” she said.

“There’s still so much shock. He was the most important person here.”

Though he had respect and affection for just about anyone he met, it was clear that his partner, “Trish,” was the love of his life.

Every evening he’d call and share the day’s events with her, no matter the time difference, and he’d put her on speakerphone so his new friends could come to know her. They also came to know about his brothers, particularly his late older brother, whose hat he wore every day for motivation.

“He impressed me as a very strong and serious brother, with a great amount of wit as well. I’d never in my life put together a cot. He said, ‘Young bro, let me show you how to do that,’” said Jesse Frierson, of Richmond, Va., NAACP member and executive director of the Virginia Alliance Against Mass Incarceration.

“Through Virginia, I followed him step by step. As he shared with me his history and background, some of the things that he has gone through in his life, I developed and still have mad respect for this brother. We can’t let him go like that. I’m not going to.”

J. ADAMS/NAACP

The NAACP mourns the loss of Middle Passage, 68, who died while participating in the Journey for Justice march. buddies on the journey.

In Spotsylvania County, the day of his death brought rain.

Passage rolled up his flag to protect it as the marchers continued through the downpour. It stopped after a little while, and he unfurled the flag again. He collapsed a few minutes later.

They could not revive him.

To say he was beloved would be an understatement.

“We were all family – I looked

up to him like a big brother,” said Tee White, an NAACP member out of Fayetteville, N.C. She was behind him the moment he fell.

“As we marched, he was a trooper. You’d see people slow down on a hill, but he would speed up.

I did cry. I cried because it hurt.”

Followed step by step Genni Augustine from Prince George’s County, Md. met Pas-

The remainder of the Journey for Justice March and associated activities were full of Middle Passage tributes.

The goal of the Journey for Justice March was to bring attention to the NAACP’s accompanying policy agenda of criminal justice reform, voting rights protections, economic equality, and education reform. It began on Aug. 1, and culminated on Sept. 16 with a day of meetings with Congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.

At the Lincoln Memorial conclusion, the Rev. Theresa Dear’s opening benediction honored Passage’s impact on the march.

Brooks also dedicated a significant portion of his remarks to the veteran, lifting up his name and emphasizing that he “marched for freedom, justice, and righteousness.”

With assistance from Virginia Senator Mark Warner, Passage’s flag will be flown at the Capitol before being returned to his family. Brooks and several of the marchers plan to attend his funeral in Colorado, and organize an additional memorial there.

Frierson wants to start an annual 10-mile march and accompanying empowerment program for Black youth in his memory.

“Middle Passage died doing what he was passionate about.

His last breath was taken giving his all for what he believed in,” said McKinney. “After fighting in two wars – he’d have night terrors from PTSD – and five open heart surgeries, he survived all of that and ended up leaving doing exactly what he wanted to do.

And that’s a blessing. And it was a blessing to know him.”

R6

7 SPORTS & CLASSIFIEDS

SEPTEMBER 24 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

Wildcats defeat Lane, face Savannah State next In a low-scoring game, the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats were able to pull off another victory in their home opener Saturday against Lane College of Jackson, Tenn.

With a final score of 7-3, B-CU quarterback Quentin Williams totaled 168 passing yards on 14-of-19 passing as well as rushing for 63 yards on 15 atQuentin tempts, including Williams a breaking run for 30 yards.

His performance earned him the Homewood Suites Player of the Week and marks the second consecutive week passing for over 150 yards for the 5’11’’ redshirt senior from Tampa. Due to great blocking, he was not sacked for the first time this season.

According to Meacsports.com, other notable performances included Robert Way the 6’1’’ linebacker from Belle Glade, who racked up a team-high nine tackles, with six coming solo and 2.5

for a loss of 10 yards. Way also recorded one pass break up in the victory.

After putting up only seven points in the victory over Lane College coach Terry Sims said “A win is a win, We’ll take the win but we have to play more disciplined, more detailed football.”

He also added that even though their defense held Lane to only a field goal their team has nine new guys on defense and they are making headway after giving up 53 points the previous week in a win over Grambling State.

Trenton Bridges, an outside linebacker from DeLand, remarked: “We came in focused, we had a bend, not break attitude.” Although the defense ended up giving up just three points, he said the Wildcats “wanted a shutout.”

Anthony Jordan, senior running back from Atlanta, added, “It feels good to take this win, but we just got to get better as an offensive unit. When everything clicks, we gonna go.”

The Wildcats will kick off conference play for the season this

THE CITY OF DAYTONA BEACH OFFICE OF THE PURCHASING AGENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS INVITATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed proposals will be received in the office of the Purchasing Agent, Daytona Beach City Hall, Room 146, 301 South Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114, until SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 OCTOBER 8, 2015 at 2:00 PM, at which time they will be publicly opened for the following: CITY OF DAYTONA BEACH REAL ESTATE SALES 2015 AWARD OF CONTRACT subject to the Purchasing Code of the City of Daytona Beach.

THE RFP MAY BE OBTAINED on-line at http://purchasing. codb.us by clicking on the link to “Public Solicitations” or as a hard copy at the office of the Purchasing Agent City Hall, 301 South Ridgewood Avenue, Room 146, Daytona Beach, FL 32114.

SCOPE OF WORK: The City of Daytona Beach invites proposals by persons interested in the purchase of surplus lots owned by the City of Daytona Beach or its Community Redevelopment Agency located in a City of Daytona Beach Community Redevelopment Area.

The following lots are offered for sale: Full Parcel # 38153236070080 38153382000190 39153204190101 39153337020050 39153340000061 04153301140121 09153313020430 38153227000100 38153227000180 38153366000160 38153369140172 38153366000240 38153370000450 38153376020110 39153303710062

Street Address 228 Adams St. N. Jefferson St. 128 Caroline St. S. Wallace St. 439 Colt Place 41 S. Oleander Ave. S. 412 Grandview Ave. S. 310 Caroline St. N. 324 Caroline St. N. 348 Fulton St. Jefferson St. 340 Fulton St. 311 Fulton St. 350 Walnut St. 532 Bellevue Ave.

39153303710063 39153337010020 39153337010070 39153347020060 39153349000010 39153349000040 39153349000050 39153349000190 39153349000280 39153350020070 39153350020190 39153350030030 39153350030050 39153350030070 39153350030080 39153351010030 39153351020060 39153390110040 38153366000320 38153366000330 39153346050110 39153346050111 39153350010140

Saturday at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach against Savannah State University. The Tigers are 0-2 thus far this season.

Volleyball’s Neely named Player of the Week In a 3-1 loss to Florida International last week, Rakaya Neely registered 14 kills and six blocks also earning her the Homewood Suites Player of the Week award this past week.

The sophomore recorded a team best .392 hitting percentage on 27 kills She also recorded 10 blocks (8 assisted) and averaged 3.00 points per set. In the home opener against Florida Gulf Coast, she had seven kills on 17 attacks, and three blocks (two assisted).

Picking up where they left off in a rematch against Stetson at home Tuesday night, it was all Bethune-Cookman in sets two through four after a slow starting set.

The Wildcats cruised to a 3-1 (24-26, 25-11, 25-18, 25-18) victory over Volusia County foe, Stetson Tuesday in Moore Gymnasium.

Set one saw eight ties and three

Whitehall St. 536 Wallace St. 558 Wallace St. Cedar St. Cedar St. Cedar St. 519 Cedar St. South St. 627 Marion St. 615 Division St. Whitehall St. 529 Cedar St. Whitehall St. Whitehall St. Whitehall St. Whitehall St. Whitehall St. 925 Sycamore St. 362 Lane St. 360 Lane St. 550 Cedar St. 552 Cedar St. MLK Blvd. S.

PROPOSAL FOR: PROPOSAL NO:

COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY REAL ESTATE SALES 2015 0215-2720 THE CITY OF DAYTONA BEACH

South Carolina State (Sept. 27).

11 tournaments for bowling team The Bethune-Cookman bowling team will participate in 11 tournaments this season. The schedule was announced Monday evening by head coach Charles Thomas.

According to Meacsposrts. com, B-CU will see four letter winners return from last season with three of those being starters.

The Wildcats will kick off their 2015-16 campaign on Oct. 16 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Invitational hosted by Tulane. The weekend event will kick off on Oct. 16 and end on Oct. 19 in Kenner, La. That will be followed by the Fairleigh Dickinson (New Jersey) Jamboree the weekend of Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Elmwood, N.J. Last year, the team finished with a record of 61-53, going 159 in the MEAC.

Jahson Lewis, a Daytona Times intern, is a senior Mass Communications major at Bethune-Cookman University.

This is personal.

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

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

THE CITY RESERVES THE RIGHT to reject any or all proposals or parts thereof, or to accept the proposals or parts thereof, or to accept the proposal(s) or parts thereof, when considered by it to be in the best interest of the City. Any proposal received after the time and date specified will not be considered. No proposer may withdraw their proposal for a period of sixty (60) days after the date of the opening of proposals. This time period is reserved for the purpose of reviewing proposals and investigating the qualifications of the proposers.

PROPOSALS SHALL BE ADDRESSED to the City of Daytona Beach, Purchasing Agent, 301 South Ridgewood Avenue, Room 146, Daytona Beach, Florida, 32114, and all proposals shall have the following plainly marked on the outside of the envelope:

lead changes ending in 26-24 victory taking the 1-0 advantage.

The second game ended with a score of B-CU over Stetson 2511 heading into the intermission.

A 4-1 run opened the third set concluding in a 25-18 win, which gave the Wildcats the 2-0 match advantage.

It was all Wildcats for the remainder of the set as B-CU earned the 25-18 victory and 3-1 match win.

According to Bcuathletics. com, Alexis Thomas’ six service aces during the match was a career-best for the junior and ranks fourth in the NCAA during the 2015 season for best during a match.

Three Lady Wildcats finished with double-figure kills as Delica Pierre led the game with 14.

Rhea Simon added 11 kills while Phylecia Armstrong earned 10 kills on 15 attempts and no errors (.667).

Hazel Ortiz Rosado ran the BCU offense with a team-best 33 assists, while Normarie Rolon collected a match-best 13 digs.

The women open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action this weekend with a weekend swing at Savannah State (Sept. 25) and

Photo: Andrew Macpherson

B-CU ROUNDUP

COMPILED BY JAHSON LEWIS DAYTONA TIMES

Terrence Howard, actor/musician

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

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

T:7” U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

BY: JOANNE FLICK, CPPO, CPPB, PURCHASING AGENT ISSUED: AUGUST 27, 2015

INSTEAD OF JUST HANGING OUT ON SATURDAYS

IBECAUSE HELP KIDS HANG IN THERE AT SCHOOL I DON’T JUST WEAR THE SHIRT, I LIVE IT. GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. LIVE UNITED

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Michael Cleveland is part of United Way’s ongoing work to improve the education, income, and health of our communities. To find out how you can help create opportunities for a better life for all, visit LIVEUNITED.ORG.

M ANATION YOR

SEPTEMBER 24 – SEPTEMBER DECEMBER 14 - 20, 30, 20062015

PHOTOS BY ROY LEWIS/WASHINGTON INFORMER

NNPA president and CEO Benjamin F. Chavis (left) and NNPA chair Denise Rolark Barnes (right) present Roland Martin with a 2015 NNPA Leadership Award.

NNPA honors dancer, journalist at 75th anniversary dinner

BY JAZELLE HUNT NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – At a reception during the 45th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference last week, the National Newspaper Publishers Association honored five Black luminaries with its Leadership Awards.

The awards are given to those who have demonstrated leadership in the Black community and support of the Black Press.

Held at the Washington Marriott Marquis, which is partially Black-owned, the reception drew a large crowd of conference attendees and Black Press supporters.

Misty Copeland, Roland Martin, Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards (D-

Md.), Rahiel Tesfamariam, and A. Shuanise Washington were the awardees for 2015, the NNPA’s 75th anniversary year. Denise Rolark Barnes, chair of the NNPA and publisher of The Washington Informer, along with Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA, emceed the event.

Thanks from Martin Roland Martin was recognized for his work in broadcast media and dedication to Black news, and was the first honoree of the night to address the audience.

“For folks who don’t know, I’ve actually run three Black papers. I’ve always made it clear that the first dollar I earned in media was from a Black news-

At the 2015 NNPA Leadership Awards reception, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake thanks the Black Press for its fair coverage of the Baltimore protests. paper. My first television dollar was from a company that was Black-owned,” he said. “When I’m sitting in the White House with the president, I’m sitting representing Black media, not

mainstream media. I have never allowed White media to validate my skill set.”

Role of Black Press Each of the honorees thanked the NNPA for its

mer New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani questioned how much President Barack Obama loved America, Pearson defended him with a YouTube video.

Conservative news websites jumped on it and applauded the teenager who stood up to the president.

What followed was 2 million YouTube views, 36,000 Twitter followers, Fox News interviews and plenty of angry feedback.

Started much younger

C.J. PEARSON/FACEBOOK

C.J. Pearson, 13, is the chairman of Teens for Ted. He’s shown above with Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz.

Georgia teen determined to help Ted Cruz become president

BY SYLVAN LANE DALLAS MORNING NEWS/TNS

WASHINGTON — It’s the start of a new school year, and C.J. Pearson is a busy guy.

The conservative social media star from Georgia is enlisting fellow teenagers across the country to help Texas Sen. Ted Cruz win the Republican presiden-

tial nomination.

He’s also running for reelection as student council president and just started eighth grade.

Coreco JaQuan Pearson, 13, is the chairman of Teens for Ted. His mission: persuade high schoolers to spread the gospel of Cruz to eligible voters who care about them — and in some cases, take care of them.

“The Internet allows really anyone to have a voice and build a following, and C.J. is a great example,” said Cruz campaign spokesman Rick Tyler. “He can make a real difference.

He’s kind of the model that we want others to follow.”

At Pearson’s fingertips is an immense social media following he attracted in February. When for-

Pearson, an only child, lives in Grovetown, Ga., with his grandparents, Willie, 51, a contractor for the state energy department, and Robin, 54, who stays at home.

Pearson said politics first piqued his interest in 2008, when his first-grade class held a mock presidential election. He was awed by Sen. John McCain’s military service and started following political news.

He decided in early 2014 that he wanted to be a political strategist, but he didn’t become a Republican until he started learning about the party’s principles.

“Government that governs least governs best,” Pearson said. “Conservatism resonates with me because I’ve seen firsthand the damaging effects big government can have on our America and to be quite frank, I don’t like it one bit,” citing his experience with Common Core education standards.

Family support Pearson said he plans to join the local school board as soon as he graduates

support and its dedication to keeping Black communities empowered and informed.

“When I came into Congress, I said we were going to do something different. I

high school, and then work behind the scenes in politics after college before he runs for office. Though his relatives are Democrats and want Vice President Joe Biden to run in 2016, Pearson said they support his work with Cruz, even if they won’t vote for him.

Before his ascent to stardom, Pearson volunteered for local Republicans Sen. David Perdue, Rep. Rick Allen and Gov. Nathan Deal in 2014. He then founded Young Georgians in Government, and convinced state legislators to introduce a bill to lower election ages for the state house.

Now, Pearson is tapping into his fan base for Cruz, seeking out other politically minded youngsters to build a national network.

They’ll use Twitter and Instagram to sell their contemporaries on the senator.

And those teens can then lean on the eligible voters they interact with every day.

Endorsed by Cruz Pearson said Cruz has a natural appeal to teens — he drives elders crazy.

“He’s a bold person. He’s really someone who’s led on issues and stood up to everyone,” said Pearson, comparing Cruz to current Republican front-runner Donald Trump. “That’s something a lot of young teenagers are looking for.”

Cruz said as much recently when he announced Pearson’s role as chairman of Teens for Ted. “Young people are looking for someone who does more than just talk a good game. They want someone who has walked the walk,” said Cruz, recounting his 2013 fight against

7 said that we were going to make our paper of record our Black newspapers,” said Edwards. “When we reach out in my office… we reach out to our papers of record. When I decided I was going to embark on this journey to the U.S. Senate, our paper of record on that decision was The Afro and The Washington Informer.”

Rahiel Tesfamariam, writer, activist, speaker and founder of digital media platform, Urban Cusp, spoke on the Black press’ role in social justice movements.

“The Black Press is a tool of liberation, is it not?” she asked the audience after accepting her award. “Before I sit down, I want to ensure that we understand the power that we hold as Black press. Because at the end of the day, the power of words is the power of life and death, and that is the power of the Black Press.”

Washington, president and CEO of the CBCF and ballet dancer Copeland were unable to attend the reception.

Several notables were also in attendance, including Congressmen Al Green (D-Texas) and Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Newport News, Va. Mayor McKinley Price, Sir Hillary McDonald Beckles, vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica; Diane Watson former U.S. ambassador and former Congressional representative, and many more. Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake were also present and took a few moments to address and thank the crowd.

“I am here really to echo the comments that Roland [Martin] made, and to thank Black media for how you treated Baltimore during the unrest,” Rawlings-Blake said. “I can say that Black media was particularly supportive in so many ways to make sure that…the riots wasn’t the whole story of Baltimore.

Thank you for making sure the whole story continues to be told in our communities.”

increasing the federal government’s borrowing limit, which he ultimately lost. “They’re looking for a fighter. But most importantly, they’re looking for someone who cares.”

Influencing parents Pearson said he also appreciates Cruz’s willingness to get a little silly, like when he twirled for freedom for BuzzFeed and cooked bacon on the barrel of a machine gun for a site called IJ Review.

After meeting Cruz at a state party convention, Pearson contacted David Sawyer, a regional director for the Cruz campaign, about getting involved.

The campaign made sure Pearson and his family were comfortable with the role and then welcomed him on board, Tyler said.

Pearson’s network can help Cruz stand out to voters in a crowded Republican field, the spokesman said. If stump speeches and ads don’t resonate with voters, their children or younger siblings might.

“The message is, ‘I am the future and the future is your hands, and I’m really encouraging you to vote for Ted Cruz,’” Tyler said.

Pearson predicted that 17-year-olds soon eligible to vote could be more reliable than college students in Iowa, who might be more concerned with exams than absentee ballots.

“If we’re able to reach these teenagers, on caucus night, they’ll be right there along with their parents,” he said.

R8

7EDUCATION

SEPTEMBER 24 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 hear ‘Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer,’ as if no other Black people existed.”

In 16th year

COURTESY OF THE HISTORYMAKERS

HistoryMaker Nikki Giovanni, a renowned writer, activist and educator, poses for photos with students as part of Back to School Day.

HistoryMakers taking their stories to schools around the country

BY JAZELLE HUNT NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – This Friday, more than 400 Black role models will visit students at schools in 67 cities across 32 states as part of The HistoryMakers Back to School Day. The annual day of service brings Black leaders from as many industries as possible to speak with middle and high school students about their lives and career paths.

This year’s Back to School Day HistoryMakers include Tom Burrell, founder of the largest Black-owned marketing firm in the country, actor Lou Gossett Jr., Ernest Green of Little Rock Nine

fame, author and chair of the Foundation for the National Archives, A’lelia Bundles, and many more.

“What we’re really wanting to do is…to start bringing this into schools. Kids are still struggling with role models, who to look up to, finding a path,” said Julieanne Richardson, founder and executive director of The HistoJulieanna ryMakers. “The Richardson program is way more impactful than I could have imagined, because what I didn’t

understand at the time was that the schools could not reach out and touch the people that we were bringing in on their own.

And they’re looking for things to motivate their students.”

Online resource The HistoryMakers bills itself as the largest African-American video oral history collection. For the first time, thanks to a $1.6 million grant, its digital archive will be donated to any Chicago public school that wants access, plus teacher training to make the most of the resource.

The archive will be complete in 2017; but it is currently available

and includes hundreds of interviews, adding up to more than 2,000 hours of firsthand accounts from people such as President Barack Obama, Julian Bond, and Diahann Carroll. Access to the archive usually requires a $30-permonth membership with The HistoryMakers.

“Our digital archive is just ground breaking, because at the click of fingertips, we’ll be able to put all this information in an online resource that the world has yet to see,” said Richardson. “We really want our digital archives in every school in the United States because there’s so little known about the Black experience. We are in a time now where we still

According to Richardson, the schools they work with that already use the database find it to be a great supplement to their classrooms.

“The digital archive is good for language arts, social studies, STEM – we have 211 of the nation’s top scientists on the digital archive,” she said. “One of the schools was using it to teach vocabulary in context. At another school, a drama teacher was using it to teach accents.”

Now in its 16th year, The HistoryMakers conducts research on accomplished Black professionals and records interviews for posterity. This is the sixth year for The HistoryMakers Back to School Day. The visits often extend beyond this annual event, and relationships develop between The HistoryMakers and the schools they visit. “[Journalist] John X. Miller in North Carolina has been going back to the school every month,” Richardson said. “Our HistoryMakers have actually helped fund schools or students. One of our scientists took one of the kids under mentorship, and now that young man is going to be going to college.”

Richardson’s group is based in Chicago, but collaborates with hundreds of schools across the country. She hopes to continue to grow both the archive and Back to School Day, and offer guidance to as many Black youth as possible.

“We all need role models, we all need to see people who stood for something. I’m an integration and affirmative action child, and I benefited from that,” she said.

“But for me to be seeing young people who are doing worse than I could’ve ever imagined – there’s something terribly wrong. I really believe that the Black community needs to get back involved with itself in this way, for our kids.”

For more information on the Sept. 25 Back to School with the HistoryMakers program, visit www.thehistorymakers.com.