AAUW members get lesson about hospice SEE PAGE 3
EE FR
JINEEA BUTLER: Time to reform the ‘thug’ image of hip-hop SEE PAGE 4 SIMS TAKES OVER AS B-CU’S HEAD FOOTBALL COACH SEE PAGE 7
East Central Florida’s Black Voice DECEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 31, 2014
YEAR 39 NO. 52
www.daytonatimes.com
Times publisher featured at F.R.E.S.H. Book Fest Fourth annual book fair kicks off next week FROM STAFF REPORTS
Daytona Times and Florida Courier Publisher Charles W. Cherry II is one of four book authors who will keynote the two-day Fourth Annual F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival, a local literary gathering of approximately 30 published authors and hundreds of book lovers and readers. All events will be at the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center, 925 George Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach.
Friday start
Saturday events
The festival starts Friday, Jan. 2, when guests can eat and sip drinks at the “Meet and Greet” from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The occasion will showcase jazz by Saxman and poetry hosted by Milton McCulloch. Poet Devery Broox II will perform and there will be an open mic for poets to participate. Laurence “Blinky” Walden also will unveil a masterpiece made in memory of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman University. Authors will be selling and signing books. Edward Tucker Catering will provide food. The entry fee is $25.
Doors will open 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3. The festival’s special guest author Eve Wright Taylor and other featured authors, including Janis F. Kearney, Kentrell Martin, Sheryl Gormley, and Cherry will speak. The entry fee is $3. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Longtime writer Cherry is the author of “Excellence Without Excuse: The Black Student’s Guide to Academic Excellence,” a book originally written in 1993, as a result of his experience as a crim-
inal prosecutor. It is considered to be one of the best books ever written on improving academic performance for Black students. It is still used as a textbook in college-preparation classes and seminars. The original “Excellence Without Excuse” was republished with a new Introduction as a “Classic Edition” in 2013. A Daytona Beach native, Cherry is a graduate of Morehouse College (B.A., Journalism with honors, 1978). As a college sophomore, Cherry wrote and produced the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekend sportscasts for WAGA-TV 5, then AtPlease see FEST, Page 5
Charles W. Cherry II, author of “Excellence Without Excuse: The Black Student’s Guide to Academic Excellence,” will speak on Jan. 3 at the festival.
CHRISTMAS 2014
Creating lots of smiles at Christmastime
Jan. 3 event to celebrate local icon Jimmy Huger’s 100th birthday BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
PHOTOS BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES
A volunteer sorts through hundreds of toys inside the Mainland High School gymnasium Saturday morning.
Toys for Tots brings joy to Daytona families; distributes about 10,000 gifts to local kids BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
First Black elected official
M
ore than 150,000 toys have been given away since the inception of the Toys for Tots program in Daytona Beach over a decade ago. Looking at the smiles on the faces of the parents, children and volunteers this past Saturday, it was easy to see why. “You just don’t know how much this means to our family,” Amanda R., a 31-year-old mother of three told the Daytona Times. “Times are hard this year and I was up at night just worrying how I was going to pull off Christmas for my kids. I knew that they would have something under the tree, but would that mean asking for another extension on the electric bill or taking out a
Civil rights pioneer, Congressional Gold Medal recipient and local icon Jimmy Huger will be celebrating his centennial on Jan. 3 at the Daytona International Speedway 500 Club and helping local students at the same time. The celebration, with about 500 guests, also will be a fundraiser for college scholarships in the name of Huger and his late wife, Phannye, whom he was married to for 67 years. Born Jan. 4 1914, Huger graduated from Bethune-Cookman College in 1937 (then a junior college) and continued his education at West Virginia State earning a bachelor’s degree in busi- Jimmy ness administra- Huger tion and a graduate degree from the University of Michigan. He wanted to go to the University of Florida, but at the time Blacks were not allowed to attend the state school. Huger marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and attended his trial in Montgomery along with other members of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. where both were members. Huger signed King’s certificate when he became a member of the fraternity.
Donna Victory, center, is flanked by Marines at the Toys for Tots event on Dec. 20. Henry L. Butts, who started the local project, is fourth from left. payday loan that I couldn’t afford?”
Over 1,000 families helped “Of course Christmas isn’t just about getting presents and my children and I understand that,” she contin-
ued. “But that doesn’t make me feel any better when I can’t provide for them. They go back to school and all the kids will talk about what they got for Christmas and then they have to make up some excuse. I’m just so appreciative for whatever we get from
the Marines.” Amanda’s family, along with over 1,000 other families, received bikes, dolls, stuffed animals and educational items for children in need this Christmas. Upwards of 10,000 toys were distributed at the Please see TOYS, Page 2
In an exclusive interview with the Daytona Times in 2012, he reflected on Daytona Beach and the segregation in the 1950s and 1960s. “I was born and raised in the South. I knew about lynching and I knew about being called a nigger,” he said. Dr. Richard V. Moore, who was the first Black appointed to a cityrun committee – the Planning Board – came to Huger in 1965 and asked him to run for the Daytona Beach City Commission. Before he made any major decisions, Huger said he always talked to his wife. When he was asked to run for city commission, he was hesitant to do so. “I told her why I wasn’t running. How could I get elected Please see HUGER, Page 2
ALSO INSIDE
COMMENTARY: LEE A. DANIELS: REP. STEVE KING’S RACIST IMMIGRATION FORMULA | PAGE 4 SPORTS: EMBRY-RIDDLE TREATS CHILDREN TO EVENING OF BASKETBALL | PAGE 7
7 FOCUS
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DECEMBER 25 – DECEMBER 31, 2014
Watoto children’s choir travels from Africa to inspire thousands in Florida The Watoto Children’s Choir kicked off its four-month U.S. tour in Palm Beach Gardens and will continue through the southeast through March of 2015. The group will visit the Tomoka Christian Church, 1450 Hand Ave. in Ormond Beach, on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. The performances are titled Beautiful Africa: A New Generation and are free and open to the public. The Watoto Children’s Choir acts as Watoto ambassadors to raise awareness about the plight of the orphaned and vulnerable children of Africa. Watoto is a holistic child-care solution initiated to serve the dire needs of Africa and her people. Each of the children in the choir has suffered the loss of one or both parents. They live in Watoto Children’s Villages where they receive the care and nurture they need to grow up as productive citizens of their own country. With vibrant, original African
music; dance routines; life-transforming stories, the tours is indicative of the new generation of leaders emerging out of Watoto. “Through the choir’s Concert of Hope, we share a message of transformation by telling the story of Africa’s rescued orphans and women. We hope to reach out to audiences with the message of Christ’s healing power,” says Gary Skinner Watoto Founder. Ambassadors for two decades With its genuine appeal, accompanied by music and dance – an energetic fusion of contemporary gospel and traditional African rhythm – the globally acclaimed Watoto Children’s Choirs has traveled internationally since 1994 as ambassadors for the millions of children in Africa, orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS, war and poverty. Since its inception, 64 choirs have traveled globally, providing the children with a bigger worldview, an unusual opportunity
PHOTO COURTESY AMBER SAKIS
The Watoto Children’s Choir will perform at Tomoka Christian Church. they would otherwise never get. The choirs have been to Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, France and the U.S, among others. Their
TOYS
from Page 1 event at Mainland High School. According to Henry L. Butts, founder of the project in Daytona Beach, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program started in 1937.
A soft spot for kids
FILE PHOTOS
Jimmy Huger was one of the country’s first Black Marines.
“It’s all about the children when it comes to Marines and Toys for Tots,” Butts, a staff sergeant in the Marines said. “It’s not about the parents but more about the kids. They know that someone loves them. We are letting the public see there is another side to their Marine. We are tough, we are hardcore, but at the same time
audiences have included royalty, presidents, ministers, and the ordinary person, capturing many hearts wherever they go. To preview a performance of
we also care about things that touch the heart. Every year all the Marines at I&I sites (reserve centers) around the country have been mandated by the Commonwealth of the Marine Corps to continue to carry out this project. “ “After we take care of the families who went through the process of registration, we move on to families who did not,” he shared. “Our plan is to not take any of these toys back.” Another Marine on site, Peter Carelli, shared his thoughts on the generosity of local businesses in the giving process. “It is my responsibility to get a Marine out to each business that has agreed to participate,” Carelli explained. “You see the community stepping up. You see corporations or even small companies and
the choir visit: www.watoto.com/ the-choir For the full choir schedule in the U.S. go to https://www.watoto. com/the-choir/see-the-choir
some think, ‘Oh they are all about money,’ and you see no, they really care. We are here to help one another. If we can’t help the world, we help our country. That’s what our country is about.”
Humble beginnings Although the Toys for Tots program has been around for 87 years, Bishop Samuel L. Butts explained how Henry was instrumental in bringing the program to Daytona Beach. “9/11 happened and my brother Henry decided to enroll in the Marine Corps. He came home during Christmas one year and saw that nothing was being done in our community. That’s how the Daytona Beach Toys for Tots started. Counting
this year we’ve given away 150,000 toys.” “It’s because of the generosity of people’s heart that we are able to do what we do for our community,” he continued. “These toys go to people that live in Daytona Beach. They don’t go outside of Daytona Beach. That’s what makes the Daytona Beach campaign so special.” The Butts brothers aren’t the only ones with a far-reaching heart. Their sister, Donna Victory, is the head coordinator, putting in hundreds of hours each year organizing the big day. She started working on the program in July. To volunteer, be a family recipient, community or agency partner for 2015, visit DaytonaBeachToysForTots.com for more information.
A young Jimmy Huger is pictured with Martin Luther King Jr. The civil rights pioneer will turn 100 on Jan. 4, 2015.
HUGER from Page 1
with all these Whites (voting)?” Huger said. “I give her credit. She said go ahead and try it,” Huger continued.
City, county leader Huger would end up winning, becoming the city’s first Black elected official when commissioners were elected by citywide voting instead of zone voting as they do now. He represented the City of Daytona Beach as a commissioner from 1965 to 1971. He was the first Black to serve on the Volusia County Council, holding office from 1973 to 1978 and serving as chairman in 1975 and 1978. Huger also served as the city’s community development director from 1976 to 1994. A former Marine, Huger also worked closely alongside Dr. Mary McLeod Bet-
hune and former President Jimmy Carter.
Parents wait outside Mainland High School for the Toys for Tots distribution.
Medal of Honor In 2012, Huger was among the six area residents who received the Congressional Medal of Honor as members of the Montford Point Marines. Huger served and trained at Montford Point Camp, a segregated training facility for Blacks from 1942 to 1949. The Montford Point Marines were the first Black Marine unit that served in the Pacific in World War II. The Congressional Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest civilian honor. The honor is bestowed by the president in the name of Congress. The scholarship event and birthday celebration for Huger will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 3 at the Daytona International Speedway 500 Club, 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd. For more information and tickets, call 760-5306502.
Graduate School of Business with both Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees, respectively, in 1982. He is a former Fort Lauderdale city and South Florida state prosecutor, and practiced law for 21 years before returning to journalism and newspaper publishing as his primary occupation upon the death of his father Charles, Sr. in 2004.
FEST
from Page 1 lanta’s CBS affiliate. He left the television industry for the law and business, graduating from the University of Florida’s Holland Law Center (now Levin College of Law) and
Media owner Cherry was a founding shareholder and former general counsel of Tama Broadcasting, formerly one of America’s largest Black-owned media groups. For the past 25 years, he has written commentaries, editorials, and stories for the Daytona Times. His 30-minute radio commentary, Free Your Mind, aired
on WPUL-AM 1590 from 2000 to 2013. His awardwinning weekly column, Straight, No Chaser, has appeared in the Florida Courier since 2006. He was elected to the board of directors of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the trade association representing more than 200 Black newspapers, in 2009. He also serves on the Government Affairs committee of the Florida Newspaper Association, the trade association representing Florida’s newspaper industry. Cherry is the father of two children: daughter Chayla, 14, and son Charles III, 10.
Afternoon event As a bonus, at 2 p.m., Kearney and Martin will be presenting writers’ workshops and holding
book signings at the Daytona Beach Regional Library on City Island. That program is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by The Friends of the Daytona Beach Library. Refreshments will be provided. The F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival sponsors include the City of Daytona Beach; Vitas Innovative Hospice Care; Pepsi; and Homewood Suites. Other festival sponsors include Best Western; Carolyn Hawkins of Realty Exchange; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; LasDiamonds II; Commissioner Paula Reed, Daytona Beach Zone 6; and Volusia County, Florida. For tickets or information, call 386-627-4353, or email Freshbookfestivals@ gmail.com.
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DECEMBER 25 – DECEMBER 31, 2014 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
M A YNEWS OR
JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY/DAYTONA TIMES
The Youth Choir sings Sunday at First Church. Right: Several Youth Choir members and others from First Church attended a concert at Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church.
AAUW members get lesson about hospice Members were on the inside track of learning about “Sharing the Hospice Journey” for the November meeting at the Flagler County American Association of University Women (AAUW). Diane Adams, Community Relations coordinator of Halifax Health-Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, discussed the history of hospice, addressed the services rendered, dispelled the myths and provided a question-and-answer session. Adams’ presentation was informative and the questions resolved. The branch is intent on the involvement with educational, social, economic and political matters. Carmenda Laymon is the Flagler County president. AAUW member Shirley Jacob is the chairman of Ways & Means for the African American Cultural Society. The retired administrative assistant for the medical field says, “We stand up for equal pay and give scholarships to children in Flagler County for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) research. We S.T.U.F.F. (supplying things you find fundamental) the bus for underpriv-
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
ileged children” and to date have donated sweatshirts, sneakers, toiletries, and school supplies. The Flagler County branch has donated items each month to the Education Foundation. Founded in 1881, AAUW, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, has over 150,000 members and supporters, including 1,000 local branches, and 700 college-and-university partners. AAUW empowers women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.
A joyful noise from youth at First Church The Youth Choir of First Church of Palm Coast is attuned to singing before various audiences. They are fresh off a tour with the Edward Waters College Concert Choir. They traveled
COURTESY OF FLAGLER COUNTY AAUW
Diane Adams is thanked by American Association of University Women member Ellie Bozzone (right) for her informative presentation. along with the Liturgical Dancers of First Church. The Rev. Gillard S. Glover is their pastor. The choir performed in the “Peace on Earth and Goodwill Toward Men” concert, under director Nathaniel Shropshire III and accompanied on piano by Jared Evans for tour stops at Edward Waters College, Jacksonville; Bethel A.M.E. Church, Lakeland; and St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Ocala. Shropshire, an alumnus of the Edward Waters College Concert
Choir, recently returned as assistant director. As reported in the Tiger Gazette – a news release by the Mass Communications students – Shropshire said, “My want is to bring (the students) to a higher level of (astute) musicianship so they understand how to be expressive in music through (technique).”
Jan. 24 performance The Youth Choir also will perform at the sixth Flagler Ecu-
Former V.P. and Associate General Counsel NBA’s Miami Heat Author: Life at The Speed of Passion
menical Celebration of Unity in Prayer and Song. The celebration will take place Jan. 24, 1 p.m., at Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church, 915 North Central Avenue, Flagler Beach. The occasion during the week of prayer - Jan. 18 - Jan. 25 - will perpetuate Christian unity. Several youth choir members and others from First Church are no strangers to the Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church. They recently attended a concert of wonderful “Songs for the Season of Advent,” performed by soprano Sarah Wilson MacMillan, pianist Bonita Sonsini Wyke, and violinist, the Rev. Alberto G. Esposito, pastor of Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church. The choir will perform in conjunction with the First United Methodist Church of Bunnell, Flagler Beach United Methodist Church, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church of Palm Coast. Other churches taking part are: St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church of Palm Coast, St. Thomas Episcopal Church of Palm Coast, and Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to: Kate Solomon and Mark Green, Dec. 25; Henry “Smitty” Smith, Dec. 28; Sis. Mary Lee, Dec. 29; John Foti, Jr., Dec. 30; Charlotte Walls Prince and Vivian Rowe, Dec. 31.
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7 EDITORIAL
DECEMBER 25 – DECEMBER 31, 2014
Janay Rice’s journey I wrote a sports column earlier about domestic violence, triggered by the NFL case of Baltimore Ravens star running back Ray Rice and his wife, Janay. At the time, we had all witnessed the first video of Rice dragging his unconscious fiancée out of a New Jersey casino elevator in February after an argument and scuffle between them. By the second week of September, we were overwhelmed with a second video of what went on before and during the elevator ride, and everything changed… for the worse. Based on Ray Rice’s summer meetings with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Baltimore Ravens team and staff, and his agreements made with law enforcement officials, which included Janay’s admission of participating in their spousal incident, Rice was prepared to serve only a two-game suspension and undergoing counseling with his wife. But after the second video was released, Rice was quickly terminated from the team, forced to serve an indefinite suspension from the NFL, all while the national media presented his wife Janay as the new face of domestic violence. Ray Rice appealed his indefinite suspension from the league, claiming that he was charged twice for the same offense. The league agreed with him and reinstated Rice immediately, allowing him to play NFL football again for any team with tough enough skin to sign him.
Not the victim
OMAR TYREE NNPA COLUMNIST
the Today show, reinforcing her consistent statements that she and her husband have never engaged in the kind of physical disputes that would properly categorize her as a “victim” of domestic violence. Janay went so far as to have her mother, Candy Palmer, join her on interviews to clarify any and all assumptions about a family history with domestic abuse and violence. Palmer said that it was the hardest thing she’s ever had to go through in her life to see her daughter publicly victimized on national television. “Everyone was talking about her, making statements, and they know nothing about her,” she said. Janay refused to even look at the second video, because she did not want the obvious shock and embarrassment of being caught on camera to change who she is and what she stands for. From the beginning, she admitted that she and Ray had been very intoxicated on the evening of their quarrel in New Jersey, which led to both of them acting out of character, and that the reality of being caught on camera made the altercation impossible for them to explain.
Presumptuous public
I agree with Janay and her Janay Rice has since come for- mother wholeheartedly after ward with several major network reading and hearing plenty of interviews, including ESPN and assumptions being made about
them and their family. Janay was supposedly “in denial” and “in need of help” to get away from “that abusive monster” before “he beats her again” and possibly “kills her the next time.” I can’t speak for the rest of America, but the more the media played that second video inside the elevator, the more I thought about Janay, the history of Black women, and of Black America as a whole. Why would anyone want to see herself in such an embarrassing and compromised circumstance, repeatedly, while millions of people, who have never known you and cared about you or your family, now want you to become the face and voice of their issue? How presumptuous and disrespectful of thousands of Americans to automatically believe or to assume that Janay would want or should be a part of the national conversation on domestic violence, merely because she happened to be married to a popular football player and they were unceremoniously caught on camera. Let’s be perfectly clear: domestic violence is wrong and the issue needs a recognizable spokesperson. But I can’t help but wonder if mainstream America would have allowed the face of a White woman and of her family to be so repetitively aired and tarnished in the cause of domestic-violence prevention.
Omar Tyree is a New York Times bestselling author, an NAACP Image Award winner for Outstanding Fiction and professional journalist. Write your own response at www. daytonatimes.com.
Rep. Steve King’s racist immigration formula One of the many questions that hover over President Obama’s historic breakthrough in ending the U.S. government’s half-centurylong Cold War standoff with Cuba is this: How will it affect the rollout of the president’s executive action granting some 4 million undocumented immigrants within America’s borders temporary legal status? The two controversial actions are deeply related: by the history of Hispanic peoples in the United States; by the United States’ past and present relations with the Western Hemisphere’s Spanishspeaking countries; by the wealth and political influence of the fiercely anti-Castro Cuban émigré community here; and by the Republican Party’s trying to avoid taking up immigration reform until they – they hope – can install a Republican in the White House in 2016.
Pass a bill President Obama has continually challenged the Congressional Republicans to just “pass a bill” whenever they criticize his immigration-related actions. Of course, he knows they don’t want to. For one thing, they’re not interested in opening citizenship to a group likely to remember the GOP’s anti-Latino record when they reach voting age. For another, they’d rather berate him for not deporting “enough” undocument-
LEE A. DANIELS NNPA COLUMNIST
ed immigrants—while not mentioning that the funds Congress has allocated for immigration enforcement ensures a relatively low number of undocumented immigrants will be deported. There’s no Republican who stoops lower in doing that than Rep. Steve King of Iowa. Ensconced in a safely gerrymandered district, King’s history on the national scene is littered with racist, homophobic, and sexist remarks. One of the most vile – and particularly worth remembering – he made in July 2013 in an interview with the Newsmax outlet denigrating the so-called DREAMERS proposal that in some ways significantly influenced the Obama plan.
One out of 101 The passage is worth quoting in full: “There are kids that were brought into this country by their parents unknowing they were breaking the law. And they will say to me and others who defend the rule of law, ‘We have to do something about the 11 million. [the total estimated number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.] Some of them are valedictorians.’
Well, my answer to that is…it’s true in some cases, but they aren’t all valedictorians. They weren’t all brought in by their parents. For every one who’s a valedictorian, there’s another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. Those people would be legalized with the same act.” King’s bizarre rant was no slip of the tongue or assertion made in haste. A few days later, amid a torrent of criticism, he repeated them on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’ Even more important is that King used that ratio – 100 “bad” ones for every one “good” one – to implicitly declare that virtually all Latino undocumented children and youth are criminals, and thus undeserving of our compassion and of our envisioning them as part of America’s future. In a column earlier this year, I wrote that those demonstrations recalled for me the mobs of White adults who gathered to scream their hatred of Black children at the battlegrounds of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. When it comes to bigotry, some things never change.
Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City. His latest book is Last Chance: The Political Threat to Black America. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes.com.
This is why we march “It’s just so overwhelming to see all who have come to stand with us. Look at the masses – Black, White, all races, all religions…We need to stand like this at all times.” – Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner at the “Justice for All” March in Washington on Dec. 13 Few times in a nation’s history is the conscience of its citizens shocked and awakened – across racial, economic, generational and even ideological – lines. Times when the collective consciousness of a people screams – and demands without apology – that it’s time for a change, that things must be different and that it must start today. So, when people ask, “Why do we march?,” I tell them we march because of the views expressed, concerns shared, and pain felt by all the people who took to the stage to speak and the tens of thousands who marched and chanted for “Justice for All” in Washington, D.C. We march for the millions more across America who know that what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared in his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” more than 50 years
MARC H. MORIAL NNPA COLUMNIST
ago is still true today: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Nothing new In this catalytic moment driven by cataclysmic circumstances, what we have witnessed across America since the non-indictments of officers in the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner may be new to a generation, but it is not new to a nation. Catalytic moments birthed by cataclysmic circumstances – the horrific beating and murder of Emmett Till, the killing of four little Black girls in the 1963 Birmingham church bombing and the murders of civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney. These events shocked our nation into more than
awareness. They shocked us into action – action that resulted in the passing of the most comprehensive and sweeping civil rights laws our nation has seen in its history. That is why we march – because Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, John Crawford and others did not deserve to die; because Marlene Pinnock did not deserve to be viciously beaten and Levar Jones did not deserve to be shot for complying with a trooper’s request; because the excessive use of force – deadly force – by law enforcement against unarmed African-Americans has no place in the land of the free and the home of the brave; because police should not fear the communities they have sworn to protect and communities should not fear those who serve to protect them; and because we – as a nation – must and can be better.
Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, is president and CEO of the National Urban League. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes. com.
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: CYBER-HACKING
MILT PRIGGEE, WWW.MILTPRIGGEE.COM
Time to reform the ‘thug’ image of hip-hop One of my mentors asked me why I was so quiet and not making my voice heard in the streets protesting for justice. First, because, I Can’t Breathe. I am still in mourning over all these babies being gunned down by the people who are supposed to protect us. It goes back to what I have been saying all along is the Hip Hop’s Dilemma – the common distasteful physical, emotional and/or mental trauma people are experiencing when coming in contact with members of the Hip Hop community. I am beginning to think that the Hip Hop Dilemma may need to be classified as a psychological disorder. This is a testament to the power of Hip Hop and its ability to generate transformative energy through the music and lifestyle so much so people could kill us.
Fit the stereotype The common factor in most of these situations is the victims are all young Black males who resemble a stereotype. In most cases, a Hip Hop stereotype. Hip Hop is not the cause but it’s the stimulus that is triggering these reactions. The images that are created around who and what a ‘thug” in the Black community looks like is drawn from the images usually associated with Hip Hop. The old expression that “We all look alike” still applies today. How can someone who is ill- informed about the culture differentiate between someone who is doing crime and someone who is just dressing to make a statement? Let’s admit we both need to make some changes in how we roll. We can clearly see when someone in our community is up to no good vs. someone who is getting jiggy with it. But can everybody else? If no one was doing any crime, and no one looked like and carried out criminal activities, then we couldn’t lose. But I think the part we don’t want to acknowledge is
JINEEA BUTLER NNPA COLUMNIST
the element in our community that is giving these people the impression that their lives are in danger. And that is the common denominator on how they are winning these cases.
Black-on-Black crime The misunderstanding is White America thinks we are ignoring the crime that is going on in the streets and then raising hell about the officers who work to protect the community and ‘accidentally’ kill one of our children. They don’t understand why we don’t protest all Black lives lost with the same vigor we are protesting police killings. Their question to us is: Why aren’t you raising hell about the 50 people who got killed by their own people between the Eric Garner and Michael Brown verdicts? Their lives matters, too. The argument from much of White America is yes we need to fix the police problem, but we also need to fix this Black-onBlack crime problem. And they are right. People have lost respect for who we are as a people; they know our bark is bigger than our bite. People are not always reacting to our children out of pure racist behavior. Rather, they are reacting because of what they are being trained to think about us. Let’s use this momentum as a spring board for resurrection. Let’s plan new goals for our community.
Jineea Butler is a hip-hop analyst who investigates the trends and behaviors of the community. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes. com.
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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10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Hoppin’ John!
Enjoying black-eyed peas and rice for luck in the coming year is a tradition passed down through generations. When making your plans to ring in the New Year, you’ll find everything you need to prepare the dishes that have a special meaning to you, your family, and your community at Publix.
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Sims takes over as B-CU’s head coach Assistant coach replaces Jenkins who accepted position at Alabama State
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Bethune-Cookman introduced Terry Sims as its new head football coach on Monday at a press conference on campus at the Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center. Sims had spent the past five years as an assistant football coach, primarily responsible for safeties and special teams. He also was the assistant head coach, handling some of the day-to-day duties of the program. A 43-year old native of Jesup, Ga., Sims was named B-CU’s 11th head coach by Director of Athletics Lynn W. Thompson. The announcement came just five days after the resignation of Brian Jenkins, who accepted a similar position at Alabama State University. “I am grateful for this opportunity afforded to me by Lynn Brian Thompson,” Sims Jenkins said. “Brian Jenkins left a great legacy to try and follow here at BCU. I am honored to accept this position, and I hope to continue the winning tradition of Wildcats football.”
‘Not a cattle call’ Thompson stated, “Throughout the entire process of searching for a head coach, the name Terry Sims kept coming up – not only from coaches, but from the majority of our players. I said all along that this was not a cattle call. It was a swift process and we reviewed five outstanding candidates for the job. “However, Terry Sims came out of it with the pedigree we felt would continue what we already have in place here at BethuneCookman University – a winning football program. Four MEAC titles in the last five years speaks for itself in that regard.” Before arriving in Daytona Beach, Sims spent four years as recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at Howard University. Prior to moving into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), he coached cornerbacks at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for two seasons, working to improve passing coverage, and aiding the Ragin’ Ca-
COURTESY OF B-CU ATHLETICS
Director of Athletics Lynn Thompson, left, congratulates Terry Sims on the new position. juns in attaining top 25 national pass defense rankings.
Coached at Prairie View An experienced coach with ties to Texas and the Mid-Atlantic region, Sims previously served in the secondary at Prairie View A&M. While working with the Panthers, Sims coached the defensive backs, in addition to kick returners. He also was in charge of breaking down film and preparing opponent scouting reports. Additionally, he was active in the planning of recruiting weekends, organizing on-and-off campus recruiting, while serving the role of academic and compliance liaison. Prior to joining the Prairie View staff in 2004, Sims was the defensive backs coach at Texas Southern University in Houston, also serving as the assistant head coach for three seasons and was recruiting and video coordinator.
Early coaching career Before coaching at Texas Southern, Sims worked with running backs at Austin Peay for three years. Sims began his coaching career as a student assistant in 1994, working with the linebackers at Knoxville College. His next stop was at the University of Louisville, where he assisted the defensive backs as a graduate assistant in 1995. Sims is a 1994 graduate of Knoxville College, where he was a team captain as a defensive back on the gridiron, while also patrolling center field in baseball. He would go on to earn his master’s degree from Louisville in 1997. At the press conference, he added, “There is really only one thing left to do now that the announcement is over with,” continued Sims. “It’s time to get down to work molding young
men’s lives in a positive way, and win some football games along the way. It’s time to get to work.” Sims and his wife, Joyce, have two children.
Jenkins’ resignation Jenkins resigned on Dec. 16, taking the head coach job at Alabama State University in Montgomery. He replaced Alvin “Shine’’ Wyatt who was fired in 2009, two days after the Wildcats suffered a 42-6 defeat to Florida A&M University in the Florida Classic. Jenkins was introduced as the new head coach of Alabama State on Dec. 17 during a press conference at the school’s new stadium. The 43-year-old said it was part of God’s plan for him. “When God speaks, you don’t question it.’’ Jenkins served five seasons as head coach at Bethune-Cookman (2010-2014), winning more
than 76 percent of their games (46-14), winning or tying for four MEAC titles, earning three FCS playoff berths and two HBCU national titles. B-CU won at least eight games each season, including a pair of 10-win seasons, and never finished below second place in the conference standings in posting a 34-6 record in MEAC contests, including a perfect 8-0 mark in 2012. The Wildcats also won 18 straight conference games between 2011-13, the second-longest streak in league history. A three-time conference coach of the year, Jenkins’ teams also defeated archrival Florida A&M University four straight seasons (2011-2014) for the first time in school history.
A report from BCUAthletics. com was used in this story.
Embry-Riddle treats kid to evening of basketball SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
About 426 students from Food Brings Hope’s KidsZone and TeenZone after-school programs received the star treatment on Dec. 12. They were treated to pizza, desserts and music before watching Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) men’s basketball team defeat Alice Lloyd College 97 to 70. “What an exciting way to spend an evening,” said Dan Lucas, Campbell Middle School teacher. “I got to start my weekend watching a great basketball game with some of the best children.” Food Brings Hope is a local organization that focuses on breaking the poverty cycle for homeless and disadvantaged children enrolled in Volusia County schools. The night kicked off with a motivational speech by ERAU men’s head basketball coach and special assistant to the president, Steve Ridder, about being a good teammate. Ridder along with Daniel Kiesling, team captain, and Hudson Cadet, senior forward, added that it takes setting a good example, giving 100 percent, and cheering on your teammates as qualities of a good teammate.
Fired up “The kids were so excited about being there and fired up throughout the game, Ridder said. “Prior to the game we were able to help send the message of the importance of being a special teammate in life and how grateful we need to continue to be to those who continue to reach out and help all of us.
“It is always a privilege to be part of this special program and enjoy working to help make a difference in young people’s lives.’’ Afterward, a dinner of pizza and sweets were served to the children by the ERAU men and women’s track team followed by the exciting game. “Thank you Food Brings Hope for giving our students an opportunity to have this experience at an ERAU basketball game,” said Turie T. Small Elementary Principal Dr. Earl Johnson. “We are blessed to have Food Brings Hope as a partner providing opportunities for our students and giving them the college experience.”
Participating schools Of the 12 Volusia County schools that Food Brings Hope operates in, all were in attendance. Those schools include Osceola, Pierson, Starke, Turie T. Small, and Westside elementary schools; Campbell, Holly Hill, New Smyrna Beach, and Southwestern middle schools; and Mainland, Spruce Creek, and Taylor Middle high schools. Also in attendance were honor students from Hinson Elementary. “We are very thankful for this partnership with ERAU’s Athletic Association,” said Forough B. Hosseini, Food Brings Hope founder and chair. “This annual event is one that our students look forward to attending. Each year, Coach Ridder and his athletes aid our mission of nurturing the body, mind and spirit of underprivileged children in our community.”
Above: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Coach Steve Ridder and others talk to students about the qualities of a good teammate. Left: Students get a kick out of seeing the university’s mascot.
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