FC
EE FR
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTONA BEACH, FL PERMIT #189
www.flcourier.com
NOW UPDATED DAILY! Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/ flcourier
Courier writer’s next assignment is in Senegal See Page B1
Follow us on Twitter@flcourier
www.flcourier.com
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
VOLUME 27 NO. 14
CHICAGO MAKES HISTORY Lori Lightfoot is elected Chicago mayor, making her the first AfricanAmerican and openly gay woman to lead America’s third mostpopulous city. BY BILL RUTHHART CHICAGO TRIBUNE / TNS
CHICAGO – Lori Lightfoot won a resounding victory Tuesday night to become both the first African-American woman and openly gay person elected mayor of Chicago, dealing
a stinging defeat to a political establishment that has reigned over City Hall for decades. After waging a campaign focused on upending the vaunted Chicago political machine, Lightfoot dismantled one of its major cogs by dispatching Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, whose candidacy had been hobbled in part by an anti-incumbent mood among voters and an ongoing federal corruption investigation at City Hall.
Surprising victory Lightfoot’s campaign, which started last May as a long-shot bid to replace the city’s clouted politics with inclusive change, took
No homegrown med weed Court says regulations necessary
the former federal prosecutor and first-time candidate from toiling in relative political obscurity to toppling the head of the Cook County Democratic Party. “Today, you did more than make history,” Lightfoot told hundreds of supporters at the Hilton Chicago. “You created a movement for change.” With roughly 97 percent of the city’s precincts reporting, Lightfoot had swept all 50 of Chicago’s wards, winning 74 percent of the unofficial vote to 26 percent for Preckwinkle, a 28-year officeholder who prior to her eight years as the county’s chief executive served 19 years as a Hyde Park alderman. See LIGHTFOOT, Page A2
ARMANDO L. SANCHEZ/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS
Lori Lightfoot appears at an election night party at the Hilton Chicago hotel on Tuesday.
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. / 1929 – 1968
‘I may not get there with you’
TALLAHASSEE – Prominent Tampa strip-club owner Joe Redner doesn’t have the legal right to grow his own medical marijuana to combat lung cancer, an appeals court ruled Wednesday. The decision by the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned a ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers, who last year gave Redner the go-ahead to grow marijuana for juicing purposes.
A right to grow? Redner’s lawsuit rested on a voterapproved constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in Florida in 2016. Redner’s lawyers argued that, because he is a qualified patient, the constitutional amendment gave him the right to possess and use the whole growing plant and process his own marijuana. Redner’s doctor ordered a juicing treatment that uses live marijuana plants to prevent a relapse of stage 4 lung cancer, according to court documents. Emulsification, or juicing, of the “biomass of the marijuana plant” was determined to be “the most effective way” for Redner “to get the benefit of medical marijuana,” Gievers decided.
‘Not supported’ But a three-judge panel of the appellate court found that Redner’s interpretation of the amendment “is not supported by the plain language of the Constitution and renders portions of the Constitution meaningless.” The amendment allows qualified patients to “acquire, possess, use, deliver, transfer, and administer marijuana in amounts that do not conflict” with Florida Department of Health rules, Judges T. Kent Wetherell and Scott Ma-
JAY JONES/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS
In a museum exhibit detailing the 1968 strike by Memphis, Tenn., garbagemen, models of the sanitation workers hold placards that read “I Am a Man,” the battle cry of their successful effort to organize a union. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered 51 years ago on April 4, 1968 in Memphis.
See WEED, Page A2
SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3
A push for free feminine products for inmates
B-CU faculty raises cash for school’s operations BY THE FLORIDA COURIER STAFF
NATION | A6
Rapper killed in place he fought to save
ALSO INSIDE
DAYTONA BEACH – On March 29, a group of 85 Bethune-Cookman University faculty and staff employees – including on forced unpaid vacations due to the school’s financial distress – presented a check for more than
$26,000 to be used for the institution’s general operations. This officially kicks off the second phase of their “We Are Our Answer” fundraising initiative, which has a $1.5-million fundraising goal. “Phase One of our two-part campaign was to raise $15,000 from the Campus Alumni Cohort, and then lead the effort in Phase Two to raise $1.5 million from alumni and friends nationwide. To date, we have exceeded our initial goal, raising $26,633,” said Dr. Camesha Whittaker-Manzueta, Cohort leader and director of B-CU’s B.J. Moore Center for Faculty Innovation.
Alumni support The Cohort rolled the campaign out to nearly 100 people during the Ninth Annual Alumni Day of Service hosted on the B-CU campus. They’ve also received support from alumni nationwide, including the 28 chapters of the B-CU National Alumni Association. “I believe the We Are Our Answer Initiative will resonate with people who see the value of first giving to what you believe in before asking others to do the same. The B-CU campus alumni believe in the vision and legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and the mission of this university and are
COMMENTARY: J.L. CARTER SR.: ‘GAMU’ PLAN HAS FLAWS BUT WORTH HBCU CONSIDERATION | A2 COMMENTARY: ANTHONY L. HALL: DID GOD SEND PRESIDENT TRUMP TO SAVE THE JEWS? | A4
See B-CU, Page A2
A2
FOCUS
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
‘GAMU’ plan has flaws, but is worth HBCU consideration Lawmakers in Georgia are going to rescind a bill filed last week in state legislature to create a new “Georgia A&M University System” that would grant more fiscal autonomy over Albany State University, Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University. The bill was introduced with zero public notice and generated national reaction, mostly from students and alumni who want no parts of a merger or consolidation plan which changes school names, and possibly changes missions. But they can’t see what the lawmakers see. Georgia has pioneered mergers and consolidations of public
J. L. CARTER, SR. HBCU DIGEST
colleges and universities dating back more than eight years, and the planning for such consolidations going back more than a decade.
A threat Many of their consolidations have created larger, fast-growing predominantly White campuses near the public HBCUs, and have spurred the growth of Georgia State University as the nation’s
top destination for Black students – a direct threat even to the private Atlanta University Center schools. Georgia has sent a clear sign that it will not shut down HBCUs outright, but will close them down by directing Black students to increasingly diverse PWIs like Middle Georgia State University and Georgia Southern University. Black Democrats have been fully aware of this effort, and their bill, apparently filed inadvertently, gives away just how urgent the situation is for the HBCUs and their communities.
Consolidate or close? In truth, the lawmakers may have developed an idea for Georgia that could save public HBCUs in the state and serve as a blueprint for Black colleges nationwide. If HBCUs facing falling enrollment, budget cuts and increasing competition from PWIs do not consider consolidation, they will suffer quickly and dramatically. Albany State, Fort Valley State
STOJ
and Savannah State have all contended with falling enrollment, leadership instability and financial strife for the better part of a decade. Their situations are not improving; they are getting worse. Elected officials know that these schools and these communities have to be saved, but also know that a plan such as the one now available to the public, could cost them their seats.
Proposal has gaps First, BET’s “The Quad” doesn’t deserve to live on through the creation of an HBCU system. Second, more direction is needed on how the three HBCUs would function with athletic and marketing programming, how the schools will determine academic programs and for which communities, and what to do with Fort Valley State’s land-grant status. Legislators developed this plan without reaching out to each of the HBCU communities. That makes sense, because every president working at these schools, as former system officials, are likely
VOTING kar and Associate Judge Monica Brasington wrote in Wednesday’s eight-page order. “The term ‘use’ is not defined by the amendment. However, it is clear, when one examines the entire amendment, that ‘use’ does not mean ‘grow’ or ‘process,’ as Mr. Redner argues,” the ruling said.
No specific language
LIGHTFOOT from A1 Lost badly at home Lightfoot will be sworn in as Chicago’s 56th mayor on May 20 while Preckwinkle will return to her third term running the county after a humiliating defeat that included losing her home 4th Ward by 20 points. “This may not be the outcome we wanted, but while I may be disappointed, I’m not disheartened,” Preckwinkle told supporters. “For one thing, this is clearly a historic night. Not long ago, two African-American women vying for this position would have been unthinkable. And while it may be true we took different paths to get here, tonight is about the path forward.”
Hard-working parents Tuesday night’s results marked the culmination of an improbable journey for Lightfoot, from the diminutive daughter of poor parents who worked multiple low-wage jobs in the segregated steel town of Massillon, Ohio, to graduate of University of Michigan and the University of Chicago law school, to federal prosecutor, major law firm partner and now mayor of America’s third-largest city. “My parents didn’t have much money, but they had their dignity and their dreams, dreams for their children, dreams for me,” Lightfoot said. “They taught me the value of honesty, decency, hard work and education, and they gave me faith, the faith that put me where I am today.” Lightfoot becomes the third African-American to serve as mayor. Harold Washington was elected in 1983 as the city’s first Black mayor and won re-election in 1987 before dying in office later that year. Eugene Sawyer, the city’s second Black mayor, was appointed to serve out Washing-
Jarrett L. Carter, Sr. is publisher of HBCU Digest (www. hbcudigest.com). Click on this commentary at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.
pealing to the Florida Supreme Court. “Certainly, they, as the accomplished jurists that they are, are duty-bound to correct this error, and to conclude that the Constitution actually says what it says,” he said. Gievers’ ruling was put on hold when the state filed an appeal last April. Redner’s lawyers asked the Florida Supreme Court to lift the stay, but the high court refused to jump into the dispute. The home-grow case is one of a series of legal and administrative challenges that have faced the state after the passage of the constitutional amendment.
from A1
While the amendment outlines specific permission given to medical marijuana treatment centers that are licensed by the state to operate pot businesses, there “is no explicit language authorizing qualified patients to grow, cultivate, or process marijuana,” the judges found. “Had the drafters intended for qualified patients to be able to cultivate or process medical marijuana, that language would have been included in the definition of medical use; it was not,” they wrote. The amendment also gives state health officials the duty to regulate medical marijuana operators’ cultivation practices, the judges noted. “Without the ability to regulate the cultivation practices of qualified patients, the department would not be able to ensure that
to have run back to the system to alert them of the pending plans. Understandably, this apprehension caught key stakeholders off guard once it was publicized. These issues aside, this is not a bad plan for Georgia’s public HBCUs. In fact, it may be the best plan to ensure their survival, and likely to attract support from a largely conservative legislative body. Black lawmakers shouldn’t rush to appease students and alumni who do not have access to the data they have, and the urgent story the data tells. No matter how hard it may be or how much it may cost politically, lawmakers should consider what the future will look like without a plan of shared action, and how long it would take for the lack of a plan to decimate their communities.
State fought ruling
DREAMSTIME/TNS
Tampa strip-club owner Joe Redner plans to appeal his medical marijuana case to the Florida Supreme Court. qualified patients are safely using marijuana,” the decision said.
Client ‘denied’ Luke Lirot, an attorney for Redner, told The News Service of Florida the appellate court “parsed through (the language
ton’s term until a 1989 special election. She is just the second woman elected as mayor, following Jane Byrne, who served one term from 1979 to 1983, and the first person elected Chicago mayor not born in the city since Anton Cermak took office in 1931.
‘A little bit different’ While she didn’t mention it frequently on the campaign trail, Lightfoot’s win also makes Chicago the largest U.S. city ever to elect an openly gay mayor. “A lot of little boys and girls are out there watching us tonight, and they’re seeing the beginning of something, well, a little bit different,” Lightfoot said with a smile. “They’re seeing a city reborn, a city where it doesn’t matter what color you are, where it surely doesn’t matter how tall you are and where it doesn’t matter who you love, just as long as you love with all your heart.” Both self-styled progressives, Preckwinkle and Lightfoot didn’t disagree much on the issues, from advocating for more affordable housing to driving more city resources to economically starved neighborhoods on the city’s South and West sides. As a result, the race largely boiled down to change versus experience.
No ‘entry-level’ Preckwinkle repeatedly argued mayor “is not an entry level position” and cast her opponent as unprepared for the job while Lightfoot stressed her independence and attacked the County Board president’s deep ties to what she often described as the “corrupt, broken Democratic machine.” In the end, Lightfoot’s message prevailed in a landslide. “Together we can and we will remake Chicago – thriving, prosperous, better, stronger, fairer for everyone,” Lightfoot said in her victory speech. At the outset, the 2019 race centered on whether polarizing Mayor Rahm Emanuel could win
of the amendment) to come up with a way that would deny Mr. Redner and others that are similarly situated this important constitutional right.” Health officials were “obligated” to allow Redner and others to grow their own medical marijuana “since the Constitution said
you can possess a growing plant,” Lirot said. Instead, the appeals court “did some linguistic calisthenics just to try to say no,” the lawyer added.
a third term after a tumultuous eight years in office headlined by the Laquan McDonald police shooting scandal. By late summer, Emanuel had raised $10 million toward his reelection campaign but faced a field of 12 challengers, including Lightfoot.
enough money to air a late TV ad in which she flipped on a light switch in a shadowy backroom, promising an independent City Hall and debuting her campaign slogan, “Bring in the Light.” Remarkably, she won the February race with 17 percent of the vote with a small grassroots campaign organization and far less money than the bigger-name candidates.
Previous mayor criticized The mayor had appointed the attorney to two oversight positions, but Lightfoot frequently criticized the mayor for not doing enough to reform a police department tainted with misconduct amid the fallout of the McDonald shooting that ultimately led to former Officer Jason Van Dyke being convicted of seconddegree murder. In September, Emanuel decided he didn’t want to go through with a bruising campaign against a large field of challengers and made the stunning announcement that he would not seek a third term. Four bigger-name establishment candidates quickly jumped into the race, including Preckwinkle, who was in the midst of running for her third term as County Board president. With Emanuel out, Lightfoot worked to recalibrate her campaign, but she struggled to raise money and get her message through a crowded field.
FBI raid Lightfoot, however, caught her break on Nov. 29, when FBI agents raided the City Hall and ward offices of the longest-serving alderman in Chicago’s history, Edward Burke. About a month later, federal authorities charged the 50-year incumbent with attempted extortion. Suddenly, the former federal prosecutor’s campaign for change drew renewed attention and her message of ushering the status quo out of City Hall gained traction. Just before the Feb. 26 firstround election, Lightfoot raised
Appeal planned Lirot said he hoped to have a more successful outcome by ap-
Damaged by scandal Preckwinkle moved on, too, but her political brand had been badly damaged by the Burke scandal. When federal authorities charged the alderman, they revealed Burke’s alleged shakedown included illegally soliciting a $10,000 campaign contribution that the Chicago Tribune reported had been intended for Preckwinkle. Preckwinkle faced further questions about her cozy relationship with Burke after the Tribune reported she hired the alderman’s son to a six-figure county job while he faced sexual harassment allegations at the sheriff’s office.
Coalition of supporters Lightfoot’s message of reform coupled with Preckwinkle’s political baggage helped the former federal prosecutor quickly expand her political base. Lightfoot’s February victory came thanks to wins in predominantly White liberal wards, but she quickly won the support of seven former opponents in that race who themselves had won diverse swaths of the city. Lightfoot also won the support of the city’s firefighters union, several influential trade unions and some downtown business leaders, helping turn her fundraising disadvantage in the first round into an edge over Preckwinkle in the runoff. In March, Lightfoot raised $3.8 million to Preckwinkle’s $1.6 million, allowing her to air a sustained TV campaign while the County Board president large-
In a separate case, Gievers ruled that patients should be allowed to smoke marijuana as a treatment, finding that a state ban on smoking medical marijuana ran afoul of the Constitution. The state, under former Gov. Rick Scott, appealed that decision. Shortly after he took office in January, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an ultimatum to lawmakers. He threatened to drop the appeal if lawmakers, who are in session until May 3, did not repeal the smoking ban by midMarch. The Legislature complied, and several of the state’s medical marijuana operators are now selling whole-flower cannabis to patients.
ly remained absent from the airwaves in the campaign’s final two weeks. For her part, Lightftoot never wavered from her message of changing City Hall, but campaigning and governing are two different enterprises. As Preckwinkle frequently reminded her opponent during the campaign, “Change is not easy.”
‘We’ll see’ Lightfoot seemed eager for the brewing fight. “The machine was built to last. … There are a lot of people who are very, very happy with the status quo, who have profited in every conceivable way, so they’re not going to give up power easily,” Lightfoot said Tuesday afternoon. “I’ve heard lots of rumblings of, ‘We’re going to teach her if she gets elected.’ “We’ll see.”
B-CU from A1 committed to playing their part in ensuring its preservation,” Whittaker-Manzueta added. Mail checks to Bethune-Cookman University, ATTN: Institutional Advancement, 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. Make checks payable to Bethune-Cookman University. In the memo line, write “We Are Our Answer.” For online donations, log on to https://www.cookman.edu/weareouranswer For more information, contact Dr. Camesha Whittaker-Manzueta at 386481-2718, or email her at bcucampusalumni@cookman.edu.
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
STOJ
FLORIDA Gunder, a former inmate who’s now a lobbyist for the group Dignity Florida, is pushing a proposal that would require state prisons and county jails to make tampons and napkins more readily available to female prisoners. “We are not asking for a luxury, state of Florida. We are asking for bare necessities. Women should not have to use extra pairs of socks as pads. Women should not have to use all of their tissues. Women should not have to be embarrassed to ask for extra sanitary napkins and tampons,” Gunder told reporters during a recent press conference in the Capitol.
A ‘dignity’ issue The state Department of Corrections already has a rule requiring female inmates to have access to “adequate” feminine hygiene products. The agency “is committed to ensuring the dignity and fair treatment of all incarcerated individuals in Florida,” spokeswoman Michelle Glady said. “Our current policy and practices provides feminine hygiene products at no cost to inmates, necessary health and comfort items, and has search policies in place that are committed to ensuring inmates privacy in respect to their gender,” Glady said.
Bipartisan support
VALENCIAGUNDER.COM
Valencia Gunder, the criminal justice program manager at the group New Florida Majority, said she first spoke about her negative experience as an inmate with her period while at a national conference two years ago.
Feminine products for inmates in jails, prisons get attention Bill would require state to make items free, easier to access for all women
TALLAHASSEE – It’s something most women rarely chat about with strangers. But Valencia Gunder is walking the halls of the Capitol talking about menstruation.
Specifically, Gunder’s leading a discussion about the struggles incarcerated women in Florida face because they don’t have adequate feminine products like tampons and sanitary napkins.
But Gunder and other advocates say guards sometimes deny requests for pads – state prisons don’t give female inmates tampons – as a way of punishing or humiliating women behind bars. “It’s just humiliating, in general, (to be denied) things that you need,” Gunder, 34, said in a recent interview. Female inmates also say the napkins given away by jails and prisons often don’t do the job. The proposal (HB 49 and SB 332), called the “Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act,” has received bipartisan, unanimous approval from three subcommittees and committees in the House and Senate. It was scheduled to be heard Tuesday in the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.
A no-cost push The proposal would require prisons and jails to make “health care products” – including tampons, moisturizing soap that is not lye-based, toothbrushes and toothpaste – available to female inmates “at no cost to the woman in a quantity that is appropriate to the needs of the woman.” The products must be available “in common housing areas,” so that women don’t have to request them from guards. Tampons and pads are available at some prison or jail can-
TOJ
A3
teens, but not all women can afford to purchase the products, Rep. Shevrin Jones, a West Park Democrat who is sponsoring the House measure, told a committee recently.
All-female pat downs Incarcerated women are being “forced to make the impossible decision of constructing your own menstrual products, using anything from clothing or notebook paper, in place of a tampon,” Jones said, before the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee unanimously signed off on the bill. “Without adequate access to clean, hygienic menstrual products, you may face serious health consequences. This happens every single month, and for some with irregular cycles, more frequently,” he added. The proposal also would require that pat downs and strip searches of inmates be done by female guards and would ban male corrections officers from entering showers, restrooms or other places where incarcerated women may be undressed, policies that are already in place in some facilities. But the legislation goes further, by requiring male guards to announce their presence after entering women’s housing units.
‘Embarrassing’ experience Gunder, who’s the criminal justice program manager at the group New Florida Majority, said she first spoke about her negative experience as an inmate with her period while at a national conference two years ago. “It was one of the hardest stories I ever had to share. It was extremely embarrassing. It’s something I don’t necessarily like to talk about a lot, but we can help the thousands of women who are incarcerated. But it is extremely hard because it’s something that people don’t talk about, outside of to a mother,” Gunder said. After her remarks, Gunder said she met Topeka K. Sam, who’s a leader in the national “Dignity for Incarcerated Women” movement and discovered that women throughout the country were already working to make sure incarcerated females had access to adequate feminine products. “It was a freeing moment for me and what was so amazing was that this group of women who all were incarcerated and they were, like, we know exactly what you’re talking about, and this is what we’re doing to fix it,” Gunder said. Sen. Jason Pizzo, a MiamiDade County Democrat s sponsoring the Senate version of the bill.
Protesters ‘shed light’ on center for migrant kids BY MONIQUE O. MADAN MIAMI HERALD/TNS
Binoculars in hand, Joshua Rubin stood atop a concrete barricade just a few feet away from the Homestead migrant shelter’s property line. It’s the only vantage point that could give the protester any glimpse into the life of the thousands of unaccompanied minors detained there after crossing the Southern border without their biological parents. For weeks, Rubin, along with dozens of other immigration advocates, put together large signs and wedged them between tree branches in a nearby wooded area—signs big enough for the children to see. According to a police report, protesters say their signs were taken down from outside the shelter.
A light show Written on two of the banners: “Estamos luchando por ustedes,” and “No estan solos” — “We are fighting for you” and “You are not alone.” But earlier last week, according to a police report, protesters say their signs were taken down, fueling a desire to make an even “bigger statement.” “So we decided that we’d project our message on the buildings instead,” Rubin said. “There’s no shutting us up. Children belong in homes, not a child prison. So, we’re shining light on it.” On Friday night, immigration groups from across the country rallied outside the shelter. Their form of a protest was a light show. Projected on the buildings were messages that read “Shut it down”
DANIEL A. VERELA/MIAMI HERALD/TNS
Left to right: Wendy Wall, Mary Breeding, Nancy Sittig, Denyse Noyer, Martha Ardren, Artie and Susan Leichner, and Cari Casanas stand with an illuminated sign saying “SHUT IT DOWN” at the detention facility for unaccompanied minors in Homestead on March 29. and “Homes Instead.”
Called ‘child abuse’ Alessandra Mondolfi, the artist who coordinated the light demonstration said she wants people to wake up and know that this place exists.” “The moment they step out into
the yard they scan the horizon for our signs,” Mondolfi said. “Someone took them down but I will make bigger and bolder ones, like the ones tonight that shed light.”
Deportation efforts In a letter to Congress on March 28, Department of Homeland Se-
curity Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the agency wants to deport migrant children to their home countries, citing a “system-wide meltdown.” In the letter, Nielsen called on Congress to allocate money to add thousands of beds at existing immigrant detention centers, and
to expand the number of temporary shelters. “We need additional temporary facilities as soon as possible in order to process arriving aliens, especially those entering illegally between ports of entry,” Nielsen wrote.
EDITORIAL
TOJ
A4
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
STOJ
Celebrating a woman I knew Have you ever experienced a sunken feeling, a feeling of despair, of hopelessness? You know the feeling you have or the moment you find yourself feeling regret after something has happened and you’re thinking, “If I coulda, woulda, shoulda?” Well, you have to seize every moment! If you want to tell someone you love them, you need to do it. Don’t hesitate and don’t let anyone else make or take away your decision to express your feelings.
We are accountable If you want to tell someone you don’t like them, think again. Ask yourself, “What do I hope to accomplish? What is the end game?” We have to understand that there are consequences and repercussions for our actions and our inactions. We have to be accountable and also hold others accountable. Years ago, I went to a funeral. A young man stood up and said that he wished his loved one could hear all the accolades that were being shared that day, because his relative took his last breaths thinking that he was unloved. What a tragedy. Which brings me to my truth. I really like caller ID. This feature has kept me free from telemarketers, bill collectors, exes, and folks who only call when they
CHERYL SMITH GUEST COMMENTARY
want something. Recently, an unfamiliar number appeared on the caller ID. I felt compelled to answer, and I’m glad I did. The caller informed me that they had come across my number and wanted to alert me of the passing of someone who was very special to me. When the call was completed, I sat deep in thought.
A close friend I met Juanita Benson when I moved to Dallas and attended my first Florida A&M University alumni chapter meeting. Over the years, we became close and at one point she served in my cabinet as my vice president. We had long talks about life, our love for FAMU and our common interests. Juanita finished FAMU in the early 1960s, and me in 1980. What a difference time makes, but we bridged the gap and shared so many special moments. When we were really active with the alumni chapter, we had active members from the 1940s to the 1980s. We had events that appealed to all ages so everyone felt
The anti-Trump coup d’état is failing History tells us that the conspiracies that are being concocted against our 45th president resemble the shenanigans that were being played against Abraham Lincoln during the prosecution of the Civil War and during the Cuban/Soviet tensions during President Kennedy’s tenure. The hatred of Donald Trump by his rivals exceeds their love of our great country. They seem to care less about the serious damage they are causing.
Made-up story One of the most hideous preoccupations has been the Russian collusion hype. This outlandish story created by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party was clearly false from the beginning. They have tried to manufacture a criminal case against Trump’s successful 2016 election. Their surprise and disbelief in
HARRY & KAY ALFORD GUEST COLUMNISTS
Hillary’s defeat is now legendary. It was like a mass mental collapse of the supporters of Shady Hillary. They just couldn’t believe this political novice could organize such a strong national campaign that would brilliantly engineer the Electoral College system on to decisive victory. Their excuse was that Russian evildoers were behind political shenanigans and that the election was stolen. Who were some of the powerful major players in this ‘conspiracy’ who misused their authority? There was apparent involvement by U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch who ‘secretly’ met with former president Bill Clin-
Efforts to sabotage 2020 census must be defeated The principle of “one person, one vote” is enshrined in the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. It means that one person’s voting power should be equivalent to another person’s. While the Electoral College and the U.S. Senate give far more voting power to the citizens of sparsely-populated states than densely-populated ones, the one place where “one person, one vote” comes closest to being true is in the U.S. House of Representatives. But we can’t achieve equal representation without a fair census.
Why it’s important Census data also guide the allocation of more than $800 billion in federal funding to programs that are crucial to families and communities. A skewed census means inequitable distribution of resources.
MARÅC H. MORIAL TRICE EDNEY WIRE
April 1 marked the one-year countdown to the 2020 Census. Elected officials and communities across the country are holding special events to mark this important occasion and raise awareness about the 2020 Census. African-American children and Black men are undercounted in great numbers, disproportionate to their numbers in the overall population. The National Urban League has formed a 2020 Census Black Roundtable to address these concerns. At the same time organizations like ours are working toward a fair count, sinister forces are trying to sabotage a full and com-
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: DONALD TRUMP AND OBAMACARE
included. Juanita’s love for FAMU was genuine and never-ending. Sometimes Juanita and I talked just twice a year, for my birthday and for hers. But they were good talks and I valued that time. In all of our conversations, Juanita never dwelled on her cancer diagnosis. She was always being supportive of others and especially her son Bill, whom she was very proud of.
Couldn’t attend I am so glad that Bill reached out to me. Unfortunately, he was unable to contact me in time to share in the celebration of life for his mom and that saddens me because just one more moment with my friend, just one more... The thought of her passing brings back so many fond memories of her living. I am grateful for the time we shared together because there was no pretentiousness. Instead there was a sincerity and compassion that made Juanita so special. Juanita didn’t have to guess about the relationship we had. When I ask myself if I preferred being in attendance at Juanita’s celebration of life to tell others how much I cared for her, or sharing those expressions with her while she could hear me, I feel better. And while I didn’t get the opportunity to say farewell, I
NATE BEELER, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, OHIO
take solace in knowing that every conversation ended with expressions of love, respect and appreciation, strengthened by prayers.
Juanita’s obituary Juanita Benson (July 1, 1939 – December 30, 2018): Juanita was born to Samuel and Viola Nicholson Jackson in Dallas, Texas. She was a graduate of Booker T. Washington Technical High School for the Visual and Performing Arts in Dallas. She was also a proud graduate of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, and did postgraduate studies at several area universities. Juanita was employed by the Dallas Independent School District for over 35 years as a psychological counselor. She was also a
ton, who was apparently acting on behalf of his wife. How about FBI Director James Comey? Former CIA Director John Brennan was on the ‘team,’ as well as the former director of the National Intelligence Agency James Clapper. Key principals of the FBI such as Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page were also knee-deep in this masquerade.
“As you remember, the media outlets didn’t report on the dossier at first. They reported that Comey had briefed Trump on the dossier. News outlets knew that the dossier was fake news. That is why they sat on it for a year. It was only after Comey started treating it as legitimate by briefing Trump and Obama that the news media was able to start covering it.”
One goal
Fortunately, a formal investigation was formed to resolve this Russian collusion delusion. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller was assigned the task of finding out if this matter had substance or was it a concoction. After two years and $25 million, the report concluded that there was no Russian collusion or obstruction of justice. This drama and trauma will go down as the greatest “witch hunt” ever performed against a political rival. They believed they were going to take the president down by hook or crook.
This formidable force was assembled for one mission: to take down the Trump presidency. This will go down as one of the biggest anti-American conspiracies ever assembled. They concocted a fake dossier that would show guilty action from Trump. According to Conservative Daily, “We know from released text messages that Andrew McCabe and Lisa Page set up a White House briefing when they were launching their coup d’état ‘insurance policy.’ We also know that Brennan, Clapper, and Comey conspired to make sure that the fake news dossier got added into the intelligence report and the President’s Daily Briefs. plete count of the total American population – as required by the Constitution – by planning to add a controversial “citizenship question” to the 2020 Census questionnaire. The question is intended to deter immigrants of all races, ethnicities and legal status from participating in the census, leading to a severe undercount of vulnerable population and diminishing their voice in public life.
Case to be heard Federal courts in New York and California struck down the citizenship question in February and March. The case has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will hear the case on April 23. The National Urban League joined other civil rights groups in filing a “friend of the court” brief opposing the citizenship question. As stated in the brief: “Given its foundational importance to American government and society, the census must be above partisan politics. The misguided decision to reverse seventy years of consistent census
Years and millions later
The real crisis Let’s look at the situation on our southern border. The forced
CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members
Harry C. Alford is the cofounder and president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC). Kay DeBow is the NBCC co-founder. Contact them via www.nationalbcc.org.
census and fighting back against any attempts to deter minority participation. practice and insert an untested citizenship question undermines the integrity of the count, damages our communities, and violates the Census Bureau’s constitutional and statutory duties to conduct a full enumeration of the U.S. population.” Furthermore, deterring minority populations from participating in the census would undermine enforcement of the Voting Rights Act because it would undercount the minority populations who rely on that data to bring VRA claims.
Dirty politics coming The 2020 Census will take place at the height of the U.S. presidential campaign. Dirty politics, racist messaging and campaign theatrics will detract from 2020 Cen-
Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources
Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder
immigration activity is a crisis indeed! Over 100,000 persons a month are forcing their way across the borders of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. This year we will have more than one million strangers from wherever, and we have no clue as to their ilk. How many are career criminals? How many are terrorists such as ISIS? We don’t know and the infections to our society that will be caused by their invasions will have long-lasting national security threats to all of us. There are other conspiracies being enacted by the enemies of our president. They must realize that they are, in effect, becoming enemies of America. May the Lord give us the strength and courage to win this war.
ing awareness about the importance of a fair
Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Sales Manager
W W W.FLCOURIER.COM
Cheryl Smith is publisher of the Texas Metro News.
We’re committed to spending the next year rais-
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.
part-time employee of American Airlines for over 10 years. Juanita was a faithful member of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, and previously Epiphany Episcopal Church, both in South Dallas, where she served as a member of the Episcopal Church Women and in the choir. She loved to sing, dance, and travel. Juanita was married to the late William Taylor, Sr., and subsequently to the late Charles Benson. She is survived by her son, William “Bill” Taylor, Jr., seven nieces and nephews and a host of other beloved family members, friends, and caregivers. Farewell, dear Rattler…
Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Angela van Emmerik, Creative Director Chicago Jones, Eugene Leach, Louis Muhammad, Lisa Rogers-Cherry, Circulation Penny Dickerson, Staff Writer Duane Fernandez Sr., Kim Gibson, Photojournalists
MEMBER
Florida Press Association
National Newspaper Publishers Association
Society of Professional Journalists
National Newspaper Association
Associated Press
sus messaging encouraging the public to be counted. Similar to what we saw in the 2016 presidential campaign, “bad actors” on social media platforms will try to deter communities of color from participating in the Census to suppress redistricting efforts and the allocation of seats in Congress. Conducting a fair count is a constitutional obligation that must not be subject to partisan sabotage. We’re committed to spending the next year raising awareness about the importance of a fair census and fighting back against any attempts to deter minority participation.
Marc Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League.
Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, publishes the Florida Courier on Fridays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@flcourier.com. Subscriptions to the print version are $69 per year. Mail check to P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, or log on to www.flcourier.com; click on ‘Subscribe’.
SUBMISSIONS POLICY SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TO NEWS@FLCOURIER.COM. Deadline for submitting news and pictures is 5 p.m. the Monday before the Friday publication date. You may submit articles at any time. However, current events received prior to deadline will be considered before any information that is submitted, without the Publisher’s prior approval, after the deadline. Press releases, letters to the editor, and guest commentaries must be e-mailed to be considered for publication. The Florida Courier reserves the right to edit any submission, and crop any photograph, for style and clarity. Materials will not be returned.
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
STOJ
Did God send Trump to save the Jews? Evidently, America’s evangelical Christians think so. What’s more, one of their deacons induced Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to say as much, according to CNN: In an interview in Jerusalem, the Christian Broadcast Network’s Chris Mitchell asked Pompeo, ‘Could it be that President Trump right now has been sort of raised for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from the Iranian menace?’ Esther is the main heroine of the Jewish holiday of Purim, which was celebrated this week. ‘As a Christian, I certainly believe that’s possible,’ Pompeo said.
It’s a lie As a Christian, I believe that’s BS. But I fully appreciate why it makes sense to evangelical Christians who also believe Trump was “chosen by God” to “Make America Great Again.” All of these hosannas to Trump would be laughable if so many Christians were not gullible enough to believe them. To be fair, Trump seems to cast a cult-like spell over nearly everyone who works for him. Only this explains an erstwhile intelligent man like Pompeo joining this delusional evangelical chorus. This secretary of state seems as oblivious as those evangelicals to the geopolitical contradiction and danger inherent in America recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel. Far from enhancing Israel’s security and regional stability, Trump is not only upending decades of stability between Israel and Syria; he is also undermining what little remains of America’s role as an honest broker (and guarantor of peace) in the Middle East.
Putin intimidates Trump In this vein, America is now having to compete with Russia for the kind of sphere of influence throughout the region that defined the Cold War. Nothing
ANTHONY L. HALL, ESQ. FLORIDA COURIER COLUMNIST
indicates how much Trump has weakened America’s status as the world’s only superpower quite like Russian President Vladimir Putin daring to do this right in its backyard, according to the BBC: Two Russian military planes landed in Venezuela’s main airport on Saturday, reportedly carrying dozens of troops and large amounts of equipment. …It comes three months after the two nations held joint military exercises. …Russia has also vocally opposed moves from the US to impose sanctions on the government of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Arguably, this is Trump’s version of the Cuban missile crisis. But instead of standing up to Putin the way President John F. Kennedy stood up to the USSR’s Nikita Khrushchev, Trump is appeasing Putin the way British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain infamously appeased Adolf Hitler. Just imagine the outrage among chicken-hawk Republicans if Putin had done this during Obama’s presidency. I digress …
Doesn’t know or care The Middle East has a bonafide reputation for being a hornet’s nest. But Trump has shown time and again that he either has no clue or couldn’t care less about the consequences of his actions. Only this explains why he seemed unbothered about setting the region abuzz when he “formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and setting in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to the fiercely contested Holy City,” as published in The New York Times on December 6, 2017
‘No collusion.’ What’s next for Democrats? The investigation known as “Russiagate” has officially wrapped up. Special counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report to the attorney general, who promptly announced that it contained no proof of Trump campaign collusion with the Russian government. The daily onslaught of misleading and in some cases false assertions will diminish. But Russiagate will never truly go away. The Democrats will milk it for as long as they can.
Two years of lies The faux scandal was kept alive by lies which the misinformed public were exposed to for more than two years. One of those lies was a claim that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange worked with the Russian government to hack Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails in 2016. There is no independent corroboration of a hack taking place
MARGARET KIMBERLEY BLACK AGENDA REPORT
at all. However, there is evidence of a leak coming from a DNC insider. The Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity and other experts who made this case are unknown to all but a few. They have been excluded from the corporate media, and only those with the most dogged desire to find information are aware of their findings. While Russiagate has now lost much of its power, the demonization of Assange has gone on. He is under indictment from a secret grand jury convened in Virginia. Chelsea Manning, the former Army analyst who leaked
Florida’s ‘poll tax’ is a new low Until 2018, Florida – the state vital to the presidential victories of George Bush and Donald Trump – deprived one in 10 voters, and two in 10 African-Americans, of the right to vote with a constitutional provision banning felons from voting, even after they had fulfilled their sentences. Many with nonviolent drug felonies, enforced by a systematically biased criminal justice system, are kept from the polls. The discriminatory effect and intent of this exclusion is obvious.
Floridians took action In a stunning act of decency in 2018, Floridians voted overwhelmingly to amend their constitution and restore the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions “after they complete all terms of their sentence, including parole or probation.”
REV. JESSE L. JACKSON, SR. TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, the “Voting Restoration Amendment” would “grant most of the 1.7 million convicted felons the right to vote and help select their leaders for local, state and federal offices.” Voting rights activists drew up plans to help contact and register them, with the charismatic young leader, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Andrew Gillum committed to leading the effort. Now Republicans in the state legislator are moving to frustrate the will of citizens, adding a new
Much has been made of the way Putin interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to help Trump win. But with his tweet on the Golan Heights, Trump has interfered far more brazenly in the upcoming Israeli prime-ministerial election to help Netanyahu win. It’s an indication of how Trump continually normalizes abnormal presidential behavior that nobody over here or there seems to care. Still, the real shame in this case is the way ostensibly proud Israeli Jews continually invite American crusaders to make a mockery of their faith and “Promised Land” with evangelical presumptions. Israel is clearly willing and able to protect itself. Not only is it the most powerful nation in the Middle East but, despite existential threats from its Muslim neighbors, it is the only one with the nuclear arsenal to wipe any other country off the map.
Condescending Christians This is why I have wondered for years why Israelis subjugate themselves to this Christian condescension, as the following attests in a column I wrote on May 4, 2015: I’ll spare you my sermon on the ‘biblical’ alliance between these two polarizing religious sects. Suffice it to consider the condescension/bigotry inherent in these Christians deeming it an article of their faith – not only to protect Jews (whom they hail as ‘God’s chosen people’), but also to convert them to Christianity to ensure they make it into Heaven. Never mind the contradiction inherent in God needing self-professed evangelicals to convert his chosen people for his rapture. My daddy was himself an evangelical deacon. Therefore, I know all too well the religious presumptions Christian jihadists like those at the Christian Broadcast Network are proselytizing. They’ve been traducing the political alliance between the Unit-
damning proof of war crimes to Wikileaks in 2010 is in jail once again. She refused to testify before the grand jury and place herself at risk of a perjury trap. She languishes in solitary confinement, despite having her original sentence commuted in the last days of the Obama administration.
Still not safe Assange was given sanctuary in the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2012, but he still isn’t safe. A political change in Ecuador puts him at risk. The validity of the Ecuadorean passport given to him is now called into question. President Moreno is undoing many of former president Correa’s policies with the promise of financial aid from the United States if he complies with its demands. While liberals were driven to states of hysteria regarding Russiagate, they show little interest in the plight of Assange and Manning. Manning is a transgender woman, and despite a great deal of discussion about the rights of transgender people, she has been left to her own devices with hardly any protest on
burden to exclude voters, a new form of one of the most loathsome Jim Crow tactics – the poll tax. Republicans in a House committee have voted – contrary to the intent and the text of the referendum passed by voters – to exclude from voting those who haven’t paid their fines (even including those on a court-approved payment plan). Fines are imposed not by judges as part of the sentence, but by administrative clerks. They do not block any other voters from voting.
Blocking Black votes If Republicans have their way – and they have a majority in the House legislature – they will likely use these fines to block a substantial portion of African-Americans from voting. Despite the will of its people, Florida Republicans want to impose a raciallybiased poll tax to strip citizens of the right to vote – and to tilt elections in their favor. Beginning in the 1890s, the poll tax was central to enforcing segregation in the South.
EDITORIAL
TOJ
A5
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: TRUMP AND MIDDLE EAST PEACE
PARESH NATH, THE KHALEEJ TIMES, UAE
ed States and Israel with their eschatological fantasies ever since the latter’s founding in 1948. But this is the first time they have a president of the United States who couldn’t care less.
ther and the Israeli prime minister hails him as a latter-day King Cyrus. Accordingly, the Mideast peace process, as well as America’s geopolitical interests, be damned.
Selfish narcissist
Evangelicals should beware
Trump has shown time and again that all he cares about is doing whatever will get people to sing his praises and fund his family businesses. This preternatural narcissism and self-interest explain his willingness to: • coddle a Saudi Crown prince who butchered an American resident to death; • declare his love for a North Korean dictator who tortured an American student to death; • curry favor with a Zionist Israeli prime minister who marginalized not just Palestinians but non-Jewish citizens of Israel as well; and • strike common cause with a Russian dictator who seems hell-bent on destroying not only the democratic institutions that made America great, but also the Western alliances that gave the world an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. In short, Trump is recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel because evangelical Christians hail him as a latter-day Queen Es-
Evangelicals betraying their Christian values to support Trump should beware that their kids might end up disrespecting and resenting them. They need only look at the parents who were ensnared in “Operation Varsity Blues, the sensational cheating scandal that has tainted many of America’s elite universities. Their kids not only resent and disrespect them now, but are taking to social media to let the world know just how much. This is how one should expect kids to feel about parents who so willfully betray core values that once made them seem so respectable as to be perfect.
Anthony L. Hall is a native of The Bahamas with an international law practice in Washington, D.C. Read his columns and daily weblog at www.theipinionsjournal.com. Click on this commentary at www.flcourier. com to write your own response.
her behalf. Manning and Assange reveal the hypocrisy and hollowness of liberal America. Their disputes with Donald Trump are more about style than substance. Trump’s tweets against the media will engender outrage, but the continued persecution of Julian Assange raises few eyebrows. The true evil of Russiagate goes further than the exposure of a compliant corporate media or cynical politicians. Russiagate has been used to further the interests of the surveillance state, neoliberalism and imperialism. The new attack on Assange should be understood as the most dangerous aspect of Russiagate.
ceptable opinion by the political duopoly. His claim to want better relations with Russia and void the trade deals beloved by neoliberals created panic. Some of Trump’s enemies are not our friends. The people who ginned up this 21st-Century McCarthyism also put Black Agenda Report on a list of media outlets alleged to be under Russian government influence. Facebook admits to taking orders from the right-wing Atlantic Council when deciding who should be allowed on the platform. Twitter bans Julian Assange’s mother at a critical moment. These threats are all Russiagate creations. Those of us who were skeptics all along have a moment to gloat. But we must not forget what Russiagate spawned. Its creators None speaking up want to get Assange, Manning The Democratic Party wants and anyone else who they see as to stifle dissent and make certain a danger to their system. that there will be no Wikileaks in the future. That is why this dead Margaret Kimberley is a coissue will be kept on life support founder of BlackAgendaRefor as long as possible and why port.com, and writes a weekly very few people will speak up for column there. Contact her at Assange and Manning. Margaret.Kimberley@BlackDonald Trump’s election pre- AgendaReport.com. Click on sented a very real shock to the this commentary at www.flsystem. Trump expressed views courier.com to write your own outside of what is considered ac- response.
Most of the laws had a “grandfather clause” that exempted those whose parents or grandparents had the right to vote prior to the Civil War. In 1964, this foul measure was outlawed for federal elections in the 24th Amendment to the Constitution. In 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional even in state elections. So states like Florida found other tricks and traps to limit the vote. Now, after the citizens of Florida have thrown out felony exclusion, Republicans threaten to impose a new Jim Crow poll tax.
No reason for this There is no justification – except partisan zealotry built upon race-based politics. Republicans, from Trump on down, have chosen to make themselves the party of racial division. African-Americans, not surprisingly, tend to vote overwhelmingly against them. So Republicans use various tricks to suppress the AfricanAmerican vote – gerrymandering, restrictive voter ID laws, cuts
in early voter hours and opposition to same-day voter registration – all to make it harder for the poor and minorities to vote. But imposing the modern-day version of a poll tax is a new low. If Republicans do succeed in passing this injustice, it will be challenged in the courts or in another referendum. But none of this should be necessary.
Immoral act The real question is to the Republican congressional majority in Florida: Have you no decency? Are you so blinded by partisan self-interest that you would maliciously deprive a million Floridians of the right to vote? Are you so arrogant as to ignore the 65 percent of the voters who voted to erase this injustice from Florida’s constitution? Have you no shame?
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is president and CEO of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Click on this commentary at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.
TOJ
A6
NATION
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
STOJ
Rapper killed in place he fought to save Nipsey Hustle helped to fix up South L.A. neighborhood; fought gang violence BY LAURA NEWBERRY RICHARD WINTON AND ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
LOS ANGELES – To those who knew him, Nipsey Hussle was a pillar in his native South L.A. community. He once gave a pair of shoes to every student at an elementary school in Hyde Park, where he owned a burger joint, a fish market and a barbershop. He helped fund upgrades to the campus playground and offered jobs to his struggling neighbors. If someone lost a loved one to gun violence, he would sometimes chip in for the funeral. Those roles reversed the afternoon of March 31 when the Grammy-nominated rapper was gunned down outside one of his shops, the Marathon Clothing store, in the same neighborhood where he was known as much for his civic work as he was for his hip-hop music. He was 33. “He did so much for our neighborhood,” said Hyde Park resident Glenn Taylor, 54. “That’s why I’m here today. This has to stop.”
Fought gentrification Taylor was among hundreds of fans and friends who poured into the street to pay their respects as the sun fell. Some blasted Hussle’s music from their car stereos. Others left blue and white candles from a nearby liquor store. A little girl held a poster of his debut album cover with a message: “RIP NIPSEY.” Crowds chanted “We love you Nipsey” up and down Slauson Avenue. “The man was instrumental in a lot of stuff,” said community activist Malik Spellman. “Fighting gentrification, trying to stop gang violence.” The shooting came a day before Hussle was scheduled to meet with LAPD Chief Michel Moore and Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff “to talk about ways he could help stop gang violence and help us help kids,” the commissioner said.
Influential artist He had two children, a son with his girlfriend, Lauren London, and a daughter from a prior relationship. Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, was a popular hip-hop artist who, after releasing his highly anticipated debut album “Victory Lap” in 2018, was nominated for a Grammy for best rap album. He developed a deep love of both music and technology while growing up.
GENARO MOLINA/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
Nipsey Hussle performs on Feb. 15 at the Palladium in Hollywood, Calif. Hussle was shot multiple times on March 31. Aspiring rapper Eric Holder was arrested Tuesday in his death. “In our culture, there’s a narrative that says, ‘Follow the athletes, follow the entertainers,’” he told The Times in 2018. “And that’s cool, but there should be something that says, ‘Follow Elon Musk, follow (Mark) Zuckerberg.’ “I think that with me being influential as an artist and young and coming from the inner city, it makes sense for me to be one of the people that’s waving that flag.”
Popular entrepreneur Hussle combined his interests in several entrepreneurial pursuits, including the store outside which he was shot. He called it a “smart store” because visitors could use an app to enhance their experience while shopping for his fashion brand. As a teenager, Hussle would staple fliers advertising his new music onto telephone poles, Spellman said. Another resident recalled him selling incense and CDs out of the trunk of his car. But when his career took off, Spellman said, he never forgot where he came from. Seeing Hussle’s success over the years was an inspiration to Ruben Martinez Jr., who is just a year older than Hussle and also from the neighborhood. Hussle could’ve opened his
businesses in Beverly Hills, Martinez said, but he chose Hyde Park. “We shouldn’t be here right now,” Martinez said. “It’s a sad day in L.A.”
Invested in South L.A. On the eve of the release of his debut album last year, Hussle unveiled Vector 90, a shared workspace in South L.A. to help connect young talent in impoverished communities with opportunities in Silicon Valley and beyond. He was involved in the new Destination Crenshaw arts project. Hussle also invested in bringing back World on Wheels, the Mid-City roller rink popular in the ‘80s and ‘90s as neutral turf for kids near gang-scarred South L.A. It reopened in 2017. “In L.A., you have to grow up fast, and this was one place kids could go to have a party and be safe,” Hussle told The Times that year.
A role model L.A. City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson released a statement Sunday, saying, “Hussle had a vision of a neighborhood built for and by the sons and daughters of South L.A. Dur-
ing his life, he moved from shadows into the bright hope of freedom and community revitalization.” Anita Hardine, a family friend of Hussle’s, said the rapper was a role model for countless kids in the community, especially young Black men. He “poured positivity into the streets,” she said. “Black kids don’t get love, or they’re trying to get love from the wrong places,” said Hardine, an educator who’s lived in Hyde Park for 24 years. “He was trying to give them the right love at the right time.”
Two others wounded On the other side of the yellow police tape, investigators worked to piece together what had happened hours earlier, canvassing for witnesses and security video. About 3:20 p.m., Hussle was shot outside his clothing store in what was probably a gang-related attack, according to a source familiar with the investigation. A young man opened fire at close range before bolting to a getaway car. Paramedics took Hussle to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two others were wounded. Los Angeles County Supervi-
sor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who represents the area, called Hussle an “inspiration to many” and offered an urgent plea for the violence to stop. “Violent retaliation for this event will not be tolerated,” he said in a statement. “Our communities have lost too many young men and bright futures to the scourge of gun violence. For healing to occur, even from this terrible incident, justice must be sought through legal means.”
Former Crips member Hussle made no secret of his early life in a street gang, saying in a 2014 interview with YouTube channel Vlad TV that he had joined the Rollin’ 60s, a notorious Crips gang clique, as a teenager. “We dealt with death, with murder,” he told The Times in 2018. “It was like living in a war zone, where people die on these blocks and everybody is a little bit immune to it. “I guess they call it post-traumatic stress, when you have people that have been at war for such a long time. I think L.A. suffers from that because it’s not normal yet we embrace it like it is after a while.”
Family of girl killed in school fight seeks answers BY NOAH FEIT THE STATE/TNS
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The family of the 10-year-old girl who was killed after a fight in her South Carolina elementary school is looking for information from investigators, their attorneys say. Fifth-grader RaNiya Wright was airlifted to a hospital March 25 after a fight with another student in a Forest Hills Elementary School classroom, according to school officials. She died two days later at a hospital in Charleston, The State reported. Attorneys representing both RaNiya’s mother and father say their clients want information from the school and law enforcement investigators.
Transparency urged The Pizarro Law Firm is representing Ashley Wright, the girl’s mother, according to a Facebook post. It released a statement saying it wants to know what happened during the deadly confrontation, whether there was a teacher or adult supervision in the class, and what was done to break up the fight, WCIV reported. “The family joins the community in its calls for transparency and accountability from the school district and all other individuals involved,” the law firm
said, according to the TV station.
Distraught dad RaNiya’s father, Jermaine Van Dyke, is “distraught and frustrated,” over the lack of information provided by investigators, according to a statement from his attorney, David Aylor Law Offices. “To date, Jermaine Van Dyke has been provided no pertinent information from school officials or local law enforcement regarding the death of his daughter while in the custody and care of the school district,” Aylor said in a news release. “Rightfully so, he is distraught and frustrated by their lack of communication and refusal to allow him access to any videos or investigative findings related to this matter.” “Mr. Van Dyke … vows to fight for the answers his family and this community deserves,” Aylor said. Van Dyke will take his frustrations to the community Monday morning, when he holds a news conference in front of his daughter’s elementary school, according to Aylor.
Autopsy on Friday Despite the family’s frustrations, answers and information might not be coming soon. “We do not have a timetable
RaNiya Wright is pictured with her mother, Ashley, on a GoFundMe page for the 10-year-old’s funeral costs. for the conclusion of this investigation. We expect some aspects to take several weeks,” Colleton County Sheriff R.A. Strickland said, the Associated Press reported. “We will do whatever is necessary and take as much time as necessary to ensure a thorough investigation.” An autopsy was performed on the 10-year-old on Friday, March 29 at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, The State reported. Those results are not expected
to be made available for weeks, Strickland and 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone said.
Student suspended The school district said the other student in the fight has been suspended. Criminal charges might not be filed, the solicitor said. “At this time it is premature to assume whether there will be any criminal charges,” Stone said during the news conference.
In addition to information, Wright’s attorney said the family is demanding changes be made. “Change that addresses the reasons that a child would openly express anxiety about attending school. Change that addresses legitimate fears that a child has while in the school building. Change that addresses bullying and teasing and the collateral damage when those behaviors go unchecked,” the Pizarro Law Firm said, according to WCBD.
HEALTH | FOOD | TRAVEL | SCIENCE | BOOKS | MOVIES | TV | AUTOS COURIER Marleys to
IFE/FAITH
perform at Kaya Fest See page B2
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE
How to go big on brunch See page B4
SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA
WWW.FLCOURIER.COM
|
SECTION
B
S
PHOTO BY DEB LOUDAN
Mercy Ships volunteer nurse Meggin Tallman is shown with one of her patients in the maxillofacial ward aboard the Africa Mercy.
Reporter’s next assignment is in
To support Penny Dickerson’s mission, visit www.gofundme. com/address-africai039m-moving-tosenegal.
SENEGAL
Florida Courier writer Penny Dickerson “must pay to serve” aboard Mercy Ships, an established model followed by volunteer missions. PHOTO BY GREGORY MCKINNON
Global traveler
Florida Courier’s Penny Dickerson will be writing aboard the Africa Mercy, a hospital ship. FLORIDA COURIER STAFF
F
lorida Courier writer Penny Dickerson has been selected to join the communications team of Mercy Ships, a global faith-based charity operating the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world. Following four weeks of training at the nonprofit organization’s International Support Center in Lindale, Texas, and two weeks of field practice in Senegal, Dickerson will join the Africa Mercy vessel in August while it is docked in Dakar, Senegal. Joining the Africa Mercy team will be a missions-centered endeavor for Dickerson as the organization follows the model of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor. Mercy Ships has provided free lifesaving surgeries and medical care to developing nations for 40 years. As stated in her job description, writers for the communications team take a journalistic approach in building relationships with both crew and patients in order to capture their stories. She will additionally provide content to the Mercy Ships’ 16 global offices.
Personal mission Dickerson, a Jacksonville native who now lives in Tallahassee, will be the first U.S. citizen of African-American descent to serve in this role. “The impetus for my service aboard Mercy Ships is my own healing and cancer survival coupled with a thirst for spiri-
PHOTO COURTESY OF MERCY SHIPS
The Africa Mercy is an integral vessel among the Mercy Ships fleet. Florida Courier writer Penny Dickerson will live and work among the 1,200 volunteer crew from 50 nations when it docks in Dakar, Senegal on Aug. 1. tual development and growth,” explained Dickerson, who is a member of Tallahassee’s Family Praise and Worship Center. “I am proud to be a trailblazer and want this experience to encourage more African- Americans to serve God beyond church and pursue volunteer missions.”
Trailblazing president Dickerson joins a fellow trailblazer with a passion for mission and Africa — Rosa Whitaker, who has served as the president of Mercy Ships International since 2018. An AfricanAmerican, Whitaker was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as the first Rosa assistant U.S. Whitaker trade representative for Africa and continued in this position under
PHOTO BY SHAWN THOMPSON
“Ulrich” is shown before and after a surgery to straighten his legs. Mercy Ships has offered world-class health care to the forgotten poor for more than 40 years President George W. Bush. She is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on Africa trade and investment and holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees
from American University in Washington, D.C. and studied in the United Kingdom and Italy as well as the Foreign Service Institute.
Selected crew for Mercy Ships endure in-depth screening. Dickerson’s fourth-month process began with a long-form application, portfolio submittal, Skype interviews, emotional intelligence analysis, health assessment and a final chaplain(s) review. Travel abroad is not daunting as her first overseas trip was to Germany as a military brat and later ventured into remote areas such as the Honduras, Cuba, and Panama while serving the United Services Organization (USO). Dickerson also is a former TWA flight attendant who wants potential funders to her oneyear mission to know she’s not seeking a free trip to Africa.
‘No glamour involved’ Dickerson is required to fund her Mercy Ships service, which includes tuition/board for training in Texas, airfare to Dakar, monthly crew fees and most important immunizations, foreign health care premiums, and personal expenses. A detailed budget can be viewed on her GoFundMe page at at www.gofundme.com/address-africa-i039m-moving-tosenegal. “I’ve had plenty of free adventures,” stated Dickerson. “This is a sacrificial service following intense training. I’ll be living on a ship and rotating the same 25 items of clothing for one year. There’s no glamour involved.”
African-Americans needed Despite recruitment efforts by Mercy Ships, the number of African-American applicants to join the 1,200 volunteer crew from 50 nations who serve annually has remained below desired levels. See SENEGAL, Page B2
EVENTS & FINEST
B2
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
MACY GRAY
She performs May 5 at Fort Lauderdale’s Parker Playhouse.
SENEGAL from B1 According to Goshen International’s African-American Missionary Fact Sheet, “22 million African Americans identify themselves as Christian, but of that number, only 300 serve as cross-cultural missionaries – a number that is not even statistically significant.” Goshen further states that missionaries “must pay to serve instead of being paid, so historically African-American missionaries have been seriously impaired by the lack, for whatever reasons, of consistent financial support from African-American churches. Some have had to abandon their work entirely in the latter half of the 19th century.”
Important role
ZIGGY MARLEY
The Kaya Fest is April 20 at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in Miami: Featuring the Marley Brothers, Busta Rhymes and Sean Paul.
FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Orlando: “The Groveland Four: Where Do We Go from Here?’’ will be discussed at 6 p.m. April 16 at St. Mark A.M.E. Church, 1968 Bruton Blvd. Speakers will include retired Justice James Perry, author Gilbert King and Dr. Randolph Bracy Jr. Clearwater: Patti LaBelle is scheduled April 25 at Ruth Eckerd Hall for an 8 p.m. show. Daytona Beach: The Florida African American Student Association’s state convention is April 11-14 in Daytona Beach: Details: faasaweb. org Orlando: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly will be at Hard Rock Live Orlando on April 20. Clearwater: Catch the Temptations and the Four Tops on April 27 at Ruth Eckerd Hall or April 28 at the
KEM
Catch him on May 4 at the Jacksonville TimesUnion Center for the Performing Arts.
Florida Theatre Jacksonville. Boca Raton: Saxophonist Eric Darius performs April 20 at The Funky Biscuit. Orlando: On Wednesdays in April, the Florida Department of Health or Orange County will conduct free STD testing from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. The clinic is at 832 W. Central Blvd. More info: 407-858-1445 Tampa: LifeLink of Florida and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity will host a free gospel concert, “Praise For Life,’’ at 4 p.m. April 6 at First Baptist Church of Progress Village. Performers include Bethune-Cookman University’s gospel choir. More info: 813-253-2640. Miramar: A Better You Health Conference for Seniors and Caregivers is April 6 at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the Miramar Cultural Center. RSVP at 305-624-8170, ext. 0028 or email LBennett@antiochmg.com St. Petersburg: Santana performs April 18, April 19 in Hollywood and
FLORIDA’S
finest
April 20 in St. Augustine. Tampa: Bishop T.D. Jakes’ International Pastors and Leadership Conference is April 25-27 at the Tampa Convention Center. Details: Pastorsandleaders.org Jacksonville: Catch India.Arie on April 30 at the Florida Theatre Jacksonville. Miami Gardens: The Ninth Annual Easter Family Fun Day and Sky Egg Drop is April 20 at Rolling Oaks Park. Tampa: An educational forum for teens and their parents is 6 p.m. April 10 at Barksdale Adult Activity Center in Macfarlane Park. More info: 813-274-5909 or molly. biebel@tampagov.net. Orlando: The Temptations will perform April 30 at the Dr. Phillips Center. Tampa: DMX is scheduled April 11 at The Ritz Theater in Ybor City.
Local representation is an important part of Mercy Ships partnership in African nations. “We recruit and employ close to 250 local citizens in each country we serve who begin as day crew working in technical roles and as translators, offered Pauline Rick, U.S. Public Relations Coordinator at Mercy Ships. “Though 18 African nations are represented on our longterm crew list, stateside diversity remains a priority. Penny’s accomplishment, talent and desire to serve is a testament that our mission appeals to volunteers from a cross-section of ethnic backgrounds,” Rick related.
Journalism fellowships Freelance submissions to the Florida Courier began in 2009 for Dickerson and she has since written her way through the ranks to be awarded five journalism fellowships, including a recent Ethnic Media Fellowship, which funds her attendance at the Association of Healthcare Journalists Conference from May 1-5 in Baltimore, Maryland. Her contributions to the Courier include multiple series on poverty, politics, aging, criminal justice and an array of human interest stemming from special events. Additionally, she has contributed to the publication’s sister paper, the Daytona Times. “My freelance tenure with the Florida Courier has been an awesome experience that fos-
STOJ
tered invaluable growth,” stated Dickerson who offered a wealth of thanks to Senior Editor Jenise Griffin. “While the entire staff embraced me as family, Jenise mentored me personally and professionally for a decade. She is hugely responsible for my editorial presence being nationally elevated and has always encouraged me with an upbeat, ‘I think you should go for it!’”
Temple, Lesley degrees The Tallahassee-based freelance writer earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and a master’s of fine arts in creative writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dickerson's latter formative years were spent in Jacksonville where she attended Nathan B. Forrest High School (now Westside High). She also earned an associate in arts degree from Florida Junior College in Jacksonville. She broke barriers while there as the first African American Miss Florida Junior College. Dickerson, a divorcee, calls herself a doting grandmother to Journey, 7, and Isaiah, 2. Dickerson’s daughter, Kelsey Boyer, and her husband, Donte, and their two kids, also live in Tallahassee.
The next phase With a busy schedule ahead, Dickerson said she is working to perfect her command of French and looks forward to any available opportunities off-ship to pen stories on Senegalese culture. Griffin, the Florida Courier’s editor, says this Senegal assignment will be an ideal opportunity for Dickerson to showcase all of the journalism skills she’s mastered over the years. “I am so proud of Penny and the work she has produced for the Florida Courier and the Daytona Times over the years. Even in the midst of a cancer battle, she churned out well-written, insightful stories for us. She is an awesome storyteller and her body of work shows her attention to detail and how passionate she is about her assignments,” Griffin related. “Penny will do a great job for Mercy Ships, and I’m excited about this next phase of her life,” Griffin added.
Think you’re one of Florida’s Finest? E-mail your high-resolution (200 dpi) digital photo in casual wear or bathing suit taken in front of a plain background with few distractions, to news@flcourier.com with a short biography of yourself and your contact information. (No nude/glamour/ fashion photography, please!) In order to be considered, you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is in the sole and absolute discretion of Florida Courier editors. We reserve the right to retain your photograph even if it is not published. If you are selected, you will be contacted by e-mail and further instructions will be given.
Thousands of Caribbean culture lovers converge on South Florida every year before and during the Columbus Day weekend to attend the annual Miami Broward Carnival, a series of concerts, pageants, parades, and competitions. On Carnival Day, “mas” (masquerade) bands of thousands of revelers dance and march behind 18-wheel tractor-trailer trucks with booming sound systems from morning until nightfall while competing for honors. Here are some of the “Finest” we’ve seen over the years. Click on www.flcourier to see hundreds of pictures from previous Carnivals. Go to www. miamibrowardcarnival. com for more information on Carnival events in South Florida. CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER
S
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
TOJ
B3
FOOD
B4
APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2019
STOJ
Add apples to your brunch buffet As part of a balanced brunch, these Apple Strudel Pancakes feature whole grains rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins to provide energy for you and your guests. With a rich, nutty flavor, buckwheat flour complements the sweet taste of apples and maple syrup for a twist on traditional pancakes. Find more nutritious recipes at aicr.org. APPLE STRUDEL PANCAKES Reprinted with permission from the American Institute for Cancer Research Servings: 8
FROM FAMILY FEATURES
Building out a full menu to please your brunch guests with simple, tasty recipes can help create a fun, flavorful atmosphere when it’s time for a morning bite.
By making a variety of dishes to accommodate an array of personal tastes, you can give friends and family the flavors they desire. With choices like Apple Strudel Pancakes and Mini Hash Brown Casseroles, you can fulfill a multitude of food groups from grains and fruits to dairy and
meat. Allow the adults at your gathering to top off the meal with a spicy take on this Watermelon Bloody Mary, featuring simple preparation and a handful of garnish options. Find more brunch recipes at Culinary.net.
A small brunch bite A full brunch menu calls for small bites on the side to complement the multitude of flavors brought on by a variety of brunch dishes. For a clever option that’s quick to make, these Mini Hash Brown Casseroles provide a morsel bursting with flavor to pair with just about any morning meal. Made with refrigerated Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns, which are preshredded for a faster fridge to fork kitchen experience, you can make a batch of the tasty cups in less than an hour. Find more brunch solutions and recipes at simplypotatoes.com. MINI HASH BROWN CASSEROLES Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 24 1 package refrigerated Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns 1 pound Bob Evans Farms Original Sausage Roll 4 large eggs 1/2 cup milk 3 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup ham, cubed 1 cup red pepper, diced
Apple Strudel Mixture: 1 cup water 1/4 cup raisins 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup thoroughly chopped walnuts 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped Batter: 1 cup buckwheat flour 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 2 cups 1 percent buttermilk 1/4 cup safflower oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract nonstick cooking spray maple syrup To make apple strudel mixture: Boil water; add raisins. Remove from heat and let steep until raisins are plump and reconstituted, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. In shallow pan over medium heat, add butter. Once butter melts and is bubbling, stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook about 3 minutes until sugar starts to dissolve. Add walnuts, apples and raisins. Cook apples until just tender when pierced with fork, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. To make batter: In large bowl, mix flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, beat eggs lightly and mix with buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing as little as possible. Add apple strudel mixture and fold all ingredients together. Set aside. Heat nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. Grease pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Once pan is hot, ladle about 1/4 cup batter per pancake taking care not to overcrowd pan. After 2-3 minutes, flip pancakes once. Serve pancakes warm with syrup.
1/2teaspoon black pepper 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Heat oven to 350 F. Remove hash browns from refrigerator and let rest. In skillet, cook sausage according to package directions. Lightly grease two 12-cup muffin tins. In bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Add hash browns, butter, ham, red pepper, black pepper and cheese; mix. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 27-30 minutes. Serve warm.
Sipping on sweet and spicy Take your brunch the extra mile with a twist on the traditional mid-morning beverage. By adding jalapeno and horseradish to this Watermelon Bloody Mary, you’ll have a spicy, tasty version of a traditional brunch drink ready for your guests. With watermelon balancing out the jalapeno, it’s an ideal balance of spicy and sweet with just the right amount of kick. Find more brunch recipes at watermelon.org.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
WATERMELON BLOODY MARY Recipe courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board Yield: 4 cocktails 2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed 1 medium jalapeno pepper, stem removed, chopped 2limes, juice only 6 ounces low-sodium tomato juice 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon horseradish
hot sauce, to taste 1/3 cup vodka lime wedges chili lime salt ice 4 bamboo skewers (6 inches long) watermelon wedges (optional) prosciutto (optional) cucumber slices (optional) jalapeno slices (optional) green olives (optional) In blender, blend watermelon cubes and jalapeno pepper until completely smooth. Pour mixture through fine sieve set over pitcher. Add lime juice, salt, pepper, fish sauce, horseradish and hot sauce, to taste, to pitcher; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add vodka and stir. Line rims of four glasses with lime juice from lime wedges; dip in chili lime salt poured on plate. Carefully put ice in each glass and divide Watermelon Bloody Mary mixture evenly. Add garnishes, as desired, by skewering watermelon wedges, prosciutto, cucumber, jalapeno and green olives. Place garnishes in glasses and serve.