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JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

VOLUME 23 NO. 4

NOTHING TO LOSE

President Obama comes out Rich to poor He drew a broad portrait of a liberal ecoswinging, taunts the nomic program that would take billions GOP-dominated Congress from the wealthiest Americans and use it finance a long list of programs for the and challenges them to help to working and middle classes. the middle class in his State “Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well?” Obama of the Union address. asked a joint session of Congress gathered COMPILED FROM WIRE AND STAFF REPORTS

WASHINGTON – President Obama worked to frame his final years in office Tuesday as a time of national recovery from unpopular wars and deep recession, striving now to help a middle class left behind by an otherwise growing economy. “It has been, and still is, a hard time for OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/TNS many,” he said in his second-to-last State President Obama delivered his seventh annual State of The Union address on of the Union address. “But tonight, we turn the page.” Tuesday in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

in the Capitol where he took office exactly six years earlier. “Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?” Speaking for the first time to a Congress that is now entirely Republican-led, Obama suggested ways he could work with the House of Representatives and the Senate, including on tax reform and trade. But he also reminded the GOP that he had nothing to lose. See OBAMA, Page A2

Black males ‘targeted’

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY 2015

Last ride on the ‘Freedom Train’

Cops use mugshots for sniper practice COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

NORTH MIAMI BEACH – Dozens of angry residents – some carrying poster-size photos of North Miami Beach Police Chief J. Scott Dennis riddled with bullet holes – descended on North Miami Beach City Hall Tuesday night to decry the police department’s practice of using police mugshots of Black men as targets for sniper shooting training. Residents demanded the chief’s resignation and called for the city to apologize for the practice.

Her brother’s picture The practice came to light after Florida Army National Guard Sgt. Valerie Deant, who was at the Medley shooting range last month for training, spotted a photo of her brother laced with bullet holes in a garbage can at the range. Deant brought the photo lineup of African-American men to the department’s attention. Woody Deant’s photo was from 15 years ago. Deant said he spent four years in prison, but now he’s working, a husband and a father.

Mostly Black KARL MONDON/BAY AREA NEWS GROUP/TNS

Passengers debark from the Freedom Train in San Francisco after its final run on Monday, Jan. 19. The Freedom Train has been an annual tradition on MLK Day for the past 30 years, but dwindling support led organizers to discontinue the ride.

Florida Courier writer gets Guggenheim Fellowship FROM STAFF REPORTS

Florida Courier writer Penny Dickerson was selected as one of 20 U.S. journalists from print, online and broadcast outlets to receive an H.F. Guggenheim reporting fellowship organized by the New York City-based John Jay Center on Media, Crime and Penny Justice housed at Dickerson the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City

ALSO INSIDE

University of New York. Over the next year, the Florida Courier will publish a series of stories titled, “Race, Justice, Community: Can We All Get Along?” written by Dickerson, a veteran journalist based in Jacksonville. Dickerson is the third Florida Courier writer to receive a journalism fellowship. Senior Editor Jenise Griffin Morgan was awarded a 2013-2014 Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Publisher Charles W. Cherry II is a 2009 Guggenheim Fellow.

Diverse experience Dickerson, a longtime contributor to the Florida Courier, has been a freelance reporter since 2001, advancing from local to more regional and national affiliates. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Temple University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Lesley University. Her literary approach to news produces engaging narratives across a broad spectrum. However, underrepresented populations are the cornerstone of her pursuits.

She is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville, the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute’s Minority Writers Editorial Conference, and recipient of the Four Freedoms Fund Immigration Fellowship. “I owe much of my editorial advancement to diverse reporting opportunities that the Florida Courier has offered,” said Dickerson. “The guidance and support from my senior editor Jenise Griffin Morgan has been immeasurable.” See WRITER, Page A2

The shooters’ targets, a row of Black men that the snipers left behind, was one of 22 images. There are also groups of White males, Hispanic males and White womSee TARGETED, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS NATION | A3

The GOP image: Still older, wealthy and White Conference to focus on reparations FLORIDA | A6

Cornel West fires up crowd at St. Pete church

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: CHARLENE CROWELL: A BOOST FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM | A5

FOCUS

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

Here’s the real ‘Selma’ lesson I went to see the movie “Selma.” I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the fact and the fiction shown in the cinematic picture. I enjoyed it because I lived it. My grandmother, Carrie Gantt, lived a few houses up from the home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. (known as “Daddy” King), and a couple of blocks from his Ebenezer Church on Auburn Avenue. I didn’t know Martin Luther King, Jr. as a child. However, as a teen, I did attend Grady High School in Atlanta with King’s daughter Yolanda.

I’m different If you’re a regular reader of The Gantt Report, you probably know that my economic, political and social philosophy is a little different than Dr. King’s. OK, OK! My philosophy is a LOT different than the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King truly believed in nonviolence. I believe in using whatever strategies will work when fighting for freedom, justice and equality!

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

Viewers of “Selma” know about Dr. King, but they don’t know about Dr. King. All most of the moviegoers know is what the ancestors of Dr. King’s enemies want you to know. America’s devils only want you to know that King prayed, sang and marched! But Dr. King was a scholar. To perfect his change strategy, he studied civil rights and liberation struggles around the world. However, he was most influenced, some say, by the struggle for independence in India led by a small, frail man who preached and practiced nonviolent civil disobedience. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi inspired Dr. King. Gandhi was the preeminent leader of the independence movement in British-ruled India and inspired

movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. There was a huge difference in the nonviolent movements by the two men. Most people in India supported Gandhi because most of the Indian people were being exploited and oppressed by the British. King had just as many haters as supporters and thousands of more enemies than Gandhi, in my opinion.

Will they remember? I hope most of the moviegoers got a message from “Selma.” They will remember the beatings that were depicted in the movie. However, will they remember the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that can help you in your life today? For me, the main things that I learned from the life of Dr. King were about fear and sacrifice. King taught me that a true freedom fighter, a true soldier for equal rights and justice, has no fear whatsoever of his enemies! King wasn’t scared to stand up and speak out. King wasn’t even afraid to go to jail for what he be-

lieved in. Also, to be a true community leader, you have to be willing to sacrifice. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. didn’t do what he did for monetary gain. He didn’t live in a White House or a mansion. King had a house in the hood like the people in his flock had. His children, Yolanda anyway, went to public schools, not private schools with Secret Service bodyguards! King’s children want money but their parents did not! Martin and Coretta wanted progress.

Don’t settle We have to understand that we can’t expect to see movies made about Nat Turner or Denmark Vesey. We won’t see streets named, buildings named or high schools named after some Black freedom fighters. We have to study and cultivate our own history, make our own movies, and not settle for what devilish movie moguls want to produce and distribute. I encourage you to see the movie “Selma.” You won’t impress me until you study the true

life of Dr. King and other Black freedom fighters from America and from other countries around the world. Anybody can go to Google Images, copy a picture of Dr. King, and post it on Facebook or Instagram. That doesn’t show any love for King. Certain actions this time of year remind me of people who will burn a cross in your front yard one night and the next morning put a cross around their neck, attend your MLK rally, and tell you how much they loved Martin. It is all just misdirected symbolism! Just eating popcorn and nachos and crying crocodile tears when activists get beaten on screen is not enough! If you love the real Dr. Martin Luther King, stop being so damn scared to stand up for what you believe in!

His new book “The Light is The Truth” is scheduled for a 2015 release. Contact Lucius at www.allworldconsultants.net. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

TARGETED

WRITER

en, including a White man holding a gun to a White woman’s head and one of deceased al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Dennis says he became aware of the family’s concerns in late December 2014 and ordered an investigation that revealed no violations of law or department policy. “The same target inventory has been used for more than a decade,” Dennis said in a previous statement. The mugshots were of people the department arrested 10 to 15 years ago – including Woody Deant. He said that the department’s idea was to have pictures with similar-looking faces so that snipers could practice picking out the right target and avoid killing the wrong person in a real-life situations. A South Florida-area TV station, NBC 6, checked with several departments across the state, and with state and federal agencies. The station reported that it could find no agency that uses photos for weapons training.

Focus on Black males

from A1

Practice banned After nearly two hours of public comment Tuesday, the North Miami Beach City Council passed a law to permanently ban the practice by a 5-1 vote and review the police department’s policies. Dennis came into the chambers about an hour into the

from A1

COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Mugshots such as these have been used for target practice by the North Miami Beach Police Department for more than 10 years. comments, but did not address the crowd. “We need to make a statement at this level, as the elected representatives of this city, that that practice is unacceptable,” said Mayor George Vallejo. City Manager Ana Garcia asked for everyone’s forgiveness. “We have made a mistake,” she said. “This is an apology from the bottom of our hearts.” Among those who spoke was Lisa Kelly, whose son Tyquan Kelly’s picture was used for target practice. The photo was from nine years ago, she said.

‘Black lives matter’ Before the meeting, people

protested outside the police department in a rally organized by Miami-based Power U. The group spoke about racial profiling, inequality and justice. “Black lives matter,” said 18-year-old Schanetta Scroggins, who said she had been followed by a police officer on her way to Target driving a Mercedes Benz. The officer questioned whether the car belonged to her, said the North Miami Beach Senior High student, who said she planned to attend medical school. “I am outraged.” Dennis, speaking after the meeting, said: “I feel very, very badly. I sincerely apologized for what my department has done.

This was a training program that had been going on long before I was here and when I found out about it, I ceased it. The resolution memorializes it in law…We realize how important this issue is during today’s climate.” Snipers will no longer use mugshots, but instead will buy practice pictures from commercial vendors. The targets will be destroyed after they are used.

Miami Herald/TNS writers Carli Teproff and Patricia Sagastume contributed to this report. Information from CNN and NBC 6 was also used.

Along with Dickerson, selected Guggenheim Fellows from publications such as Newsweek, the Boston Globe and the Las Vegas ReviewJournal will report on issues such as biases in jury selection, the treatment of mental health issues in jails, campus sex assaults, and the implications of the growing commercial marijuana industry. Dickerson’s research topics are an extension of her 2013, six-part investigative series on “The Life and Death of Jimmy Jackson,’’ which explored the unsolved shooting death of a young Black man outside of a Jacksonville nightclub. Her upcoming Florida Courier series will explore the continual rise of Black male homicides in Florida in addition to gun laws, “Stand Your Ground,” and 10-20-Life legislation. The Jacksonvillearea African-American community’s relationship with controversial State Attorney Angela Corey will also be examined. Dickerson will also explore the current racial climate debate around the country as related to the shooting deaths in Florida of Black male teenagers Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis.

National discussion

OBAMA from A1

‘No more campaigns’ “I have no more campaigns to run,” he said to laughter and relieved applause from Republicans. In response, Obama said, “I know, because I won both of them,” to energetic Democratic laughter and applause. Obama also seized for himself – and presumably for 2016 Democrats – the banner of income inequality, arguing that while the U.S. economy is recovering and Wall Street is booming, the middle class still needs a boost. His speech suggested a framework for the coming campaign for a new president, one where top Republicans already signal they plan to stress the fact that the middle class lost ground in the Obama years while offering conservative alternatives to boost jobs and wages.

Not mentioned Obama did not mention police brutality, the Boko Haram jihadist terrorists in Nigeria, or continually disproportionately high Black unemployment, especially among Black males in inner cities. He made passing references to Ferguson, Mo., Ebola, and criminal justice reforms – without citing any proposed legislation or budget figures. And his proposal for taxpayer funding of two years of free community college does not apply to Historically Black Colleges and Universities – all of which

are four-year educational institutions.

Dead on arrival? Republicans, who took control of both chambers in November on a platform that included vows to cut spending, had rejected many of Obama’s proposals before he began speaking. “The American people aren’t demanding talking-point proposals designed to excite the base but not designed to pass,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday on the Senate floor. “Challenge us with truly serious, realistic reforms that focus on growth and raising middle-class incomes – reforms that don’t just spend more money we don’t have.” Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa delivered the Republican response, offering an alternative vision of governing. “We heard the message you sent in November – loud and clear,” said Ernst, whose November victory helped Republicans take control of the Senate. “Now we’re getting to work to change the direction Washington has been taking our country.”

Increases, loopholes Obama called for $320 billion in tax increases over the next 10 years, including fees on certain Wall Street companies, eliminating a “trust fund loophole” the White House says allows the super rich to pass on estates tax free, and raising the top tax on investment gains for the wealthy. The White House argued that 99 percent of the effect of the tax proposals would be on the top 1 percent in the country, echoing a catchall phrase used to describe

the very wealthy. In return, Obama proposed using the new tax revenues to make two years of community college free for students, tripling the child care tax credit to $3,000 per child, increasing the minimum wage, providing workers with paid leave and creating a secondearner tax credit of up to $500 for families.

Americans to earn up to seven days a year of paid sick time. He said his budget would call for $2 billion in new money to encourage states to develop paid family and medical leave programs. He also called for tax relief for small businesses that begin retirement plans for their employees.

Popularity improving

Global troubles

Obama appeared unchastened by the loss of Democratic control of the Senate. Instead, he seemed bolstered by the rising poll numbers that have come along with a recovering U.S. economy. “At this moment, with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry and booming energy production, we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth,” he said. “It’s now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years and for decades to come.” The economy is now strong enough, he argued, that it needs to invest in the middle class, seeking to answer critics who note that middle-class wages have remained stagnant on his watch even as the overall economy has grown. “At every moment of economic change throughout our history, this country has taken bold action to adapt to new circumstances, and to make sure everyone gets a fair shot,” Obama said. His fair shot included renewing a call for free preschool for every 4-year-old, to be paid for by an increase in tobacco taxes. And he called on Congress to pass the Healthy Families Act, which would allow working

Obama’s speech came amid an uprising in Yemen, which Obama last year pointed to as a model of counterterrorism cooperation as he has resisted pressure to intervene militarily at flashpoints around the globe. Although he used the speech to formally ask Congress to authorize the use of force against the Islamic State, he stressed that the U.S. is not considering ground troops. “Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group,” Obama said. “This effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will succeed.” Obama also followed on his historic decision last month to normalize ties with Cuba by calling on Congress to lift the economic embargo against the island.

Lesley Clark of the McClatchy Washington Bureau /TNS; Emma Dumain, Humberto Sanchez, Niels Lesniewski and Paul Krawzak all contributed to this report.

Guggenheim Fellows were selected from a wide pool of applicants based on editors’ recommendations and on investigative reporting projects currently underway or in the planning stages. Projects must be related to the conference topic for the 10th Annual Harry Frank Guggenheim Symposium on Crime in America entitled, “Race, Justice, Community: Can We All Get Along?” to be held in New York City Feb. 9 and 10. Each awarded fellowship recipient will receive financial assistance or stipends that enable them to attend the conference and related events.

Only national conference The John Jay/Harry Frank Guggenheim Symposium is the only national gathering that brings together journalists, legislators, policymakers, scholars and practitioners for candid on-the-record discussions on emerging issues of U.S. criminal justice. Overall financial support for the fellowships and upcoming conference comes from the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Ford Foundation, Quattrone Center for Fair Administration of Justice, the Pew Center on the States Public Safety Performance Project and the Public Welfare Foundation. The fellowships are aimed at encouraging and promoting top-quality journalism on criminal justice.

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

NATION

GOP image: Still older, wealthy, White Republicans are having hard time shaking perception of the party BY DAVID LIGHTMAN MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU (TNS)

Changing the perception that the Republican Party is the party of older, wealthier, White guys is proving to be tough. Since the 2012 election, when President Barack Obama crushed Mitt Romney among African-Americans, Hispanics and women, Republicans have been engaged in ambitious efforts to be more diverse and minority-friendly. But it’s finding that its past, or at least the perception of that past, hard to escape. In the past month, three separate controversies have reminded voters of an image that party leaders want to bury. “The party really wants to be diverse, but then one person says something stupid and it gets all the press and hurts the message,” said Steve Munisteri, chairman of the Texas Republican Party.

Dousing fires Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called progress incremental but significant. He conceded, though, “We have a message- and candidate-crazy party, to the detriment of mechanics.” The party’s trying hard to stress those mechanics. When the Republican National Committee met last week at a Southern California resort, its leaders moved fast to douse the latest fire. On the meeting’s first day, they censured Dave Agema, a member of the national committee from

Michigan, for what Priebus termed “harmful and offensive rhetoric.” Agema had posted critical comments about gays, African-Americans and Muslims on his Facebook page and recently linked to a racist article. He defended himself in a recent Facebook posting, saying he is not a racist and did not support the article’s views. For the RNC, the Agema controversy was the latest in a rapid-fire series of embarrassments.

Obama compared to Hitler A few days earlier, Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, criticized President Barack Obama for not traveling to Paris for the mass rally against terrorism. “Even Adolph (sic) Hitler thought it more important than Obama to get to Paris (for all the wrong reasons). Obama couldn’t do it for the right reasons,” he wrote on Twitter. Weber apologized, saying he had not intended to compare Hitler to Obama. The post has been deleted. In December, reports surfaced that Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the thirdranking Republican in the House, spoke in 2002 to a White supremacist group in his state. Scalise said he was not aware the group had those views. Scalise remains part of the House leadership. The official Republican response to all this turmoil is to watch the mechanics. This bottom-up push began about two years ago, when a post-2012 state of the party report said people in focus groups found the

MARK CORNELISON/LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER/TNS

Mitt Romney, left, speaks as Senator Mitch McConnell and his wife. Elaine Chao, look on at Donamire Farm in Lexington, Ky., on Oct. 2, 2014. Romney is eyeing a new run for the president of the United States. party “narrow minded” and full of “stuffy old men.” “Young voters are increasingly rolling their eyes at what the party represents, and many minorities wrongly think that Republicans do not like them or want them in the country,” the report said. “When someone rolls their eyes at us, they are not likely to open their ears to us.”

Reaching minorities Priebus said in an interview last week that the party’s challenge nowadays is not one of perception but a “community level, individual personal issue where the party hadn’t been reaching out on a consistent basis in diverse communities, and that’s a problem that we’re trying to ad-

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dress.” The party now has staffers in minority communities, getting to know people while promoting the Republican agenda. Too often, Republican officials found, minority voters saw Republicans as politicians who paid attention to them only in the fall of election years, if then. Republicans are using a three-step process in African-American communities. Party workers first engage the voters, and then try to build trust, finally pushing them to vote. So far party officials say they’ve reached out to hundreds of thousands of minority voters.

2014 successes Henry Barbour, the national committeeman from Mississippi and an author of the study, said “the momentum is real,” though he noted “you’re always going to have somebody doing something not helpful.” Party officials cite some 2014 successes: The new Congress has two African-American Republican representatives and a senator. Physician Ralph Alvara-

do, a Latino, defeated the Democratic minority leader in the Kentucky state Senate. Incoming Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas won 44 percent of the Hispanic vote (though only 7 percent of the Black vote). Maryland voters elected a Black Republican lieutenant governor. But the overall numbers remain dismal. Exit polls found that 90 percent of Blacks voted for Democratic House candidates last year, as did 63 percent of Hispanics. The 2010 vote among Blacks was roughly the same, while Democrats won 66 percent of Hispanics that year. Republican House candidates got 42 percent of the women’s vote, 10 percentage points less than Democrats.

‘Doing better’ Priebus urged viewing numbers differently. “You’ve got to look at the targeted states. Forget about ‘all vote numbers,’” he said. He cited Ohio, where Gov. John Kasich won about one-fourth of the Black

vote, and Texas, where Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, got nearly half the Hispanic vote. They’re both veteran officeholders who ran against weak opposition. “We’re getting killed, but we’re doing better,” Priebus said. Doing even a little better could have a big impact. Doubling African-American support in the presidential election from 2012’s 6 percent could make a big difference. So could marginal improvements over Romney’s 27 percent showing among Hispanics or 44 percent with women. The perception, though, is hard to overcome. At the RNC meeting, only a few of the 168 committee members were African-American. One was Ada Fisher, a member of the national committee from Salisbury, North Carolina. She explained why it’s so difficult to recruit other minorities. “Democrats like to give stuff,” Fisher said. “Republicans don’t. You either believe in our principles or you don’t.” But, she said, “We do have to change some things we do.”

April conference will focus on reparations Caribbean countries sending representatives to New York event TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Growing outrage surrounding homicides of unarmed African-American men by police and the refusal by grand juries to indict the officers has sparked new interest about the reparations movement in the United States, according to Don Rojas, spokesman for the Institute of the Black World 21st Century, which is hosting a reparations conference April 9-12 in New York. The so-called war on drugs in which Black men are serving long terms in prison also has fueled growing anger. Once the men leave prison, they are often unable to get jobs, and they are prohibited from voting. “A lot of young people who are participating in BlackLivesMatter, have never heard of the reparations movement,” Rojas told BlackmansStreet Today and NorthStar News & Analysis. “They are much more progressive and rallies are being held in New York, Los Angeles and other cities.”

CARICOM to participate The Institute of the Black World, which is based in Queens, N.Y., will host the conference that will be attended by Sir Hilary McD. Beckles, head of the Caribbean Community Commission or CARICOM, a Georgetown, Guyana-based organization that represents 15 Caribbean countries. Beckles is author of “Britain’s Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide.’’ CARICOM is seeking reparations from European countries as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. CARICOM representatives are expected to attend the conference. The U.S. conference is inspired by CARICOM. Thirteen of the 15 Caribbean countries that have established national reparations

commissions also will send representatives to the New York conference. In addition, South and Central American countries that have established reparations commissions also are sending representatives.

Site of protests The conference is being held at various locations in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan, which have become one of the many battlegrounds for the fight against police killings of unarmed Black men. An opening rally is being held in Harlem, the symbolic capital of Black America and a closing rally will be held in Brooklyn, which boasts the nation’s largest Caribbean population. The goal of the conference is to establish a National African American Reparations Commission to intensify the reparations movement in this country.

Honor for Conyers The National African American Reparations Commission wants to select a 15-member committee that will hold town hall meetings nationwide to decide on a 10-point plan for reparations. After the New York meeting, members of the Institute for the Black World 21st Century will travel to Detroit to meet U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D., Mich.) to honor the Congressman and to revive his legislation calling John for reparations. Institute of Conyers the Black World will honor Conyers’ 50 years of public service. The scheduled New York conference follows a one-day conference held last April in Chicago. For more information about attending the New York conference, preregistration is at http://ibw21.org. This story is special to the Trice Edney News Wire from BlackmansStreet.

EDITORIAL

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

Take a page from gay rights activists When it comes to the issue of gay rights in America, sometimes you can see the tide of a movement change in front of you. There was a time not so long ago when gay advocates were laughed out of the room. Their agenda was stalled during the presidency of George W. Bush and legal and legislative victories were nonexistent the decade before. Now the Supreme Court is five months away from deciding whether state laws against gay marriage are illegal. Many of the victories for gay advocates were won in the courts. But several, such as the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and President Obama’s executive order on ENDA, were won

Over the past few years, the gay lobby “believed they could win” and they did. Contrast that with the 2-year long discussion at the start of the Obama presidency by several Black leaders on whether there even should be a Black agenda. That’s an unthinkable discussion for other advocates in the political arena. As it is the case with so many other winning political activists and advocates, gay advocates rarely marched. They rarely held panel discussions on their issues. They almost never had summits re-repeating their policy concerns. What they did do is target a few issues at a time that they cared about and proceeded to raise money and

LAUREN VICTORIA BURKE NNPA COLUMNIST

legislatively. Victory was realized with the persistent belief by gay activists that they could win. That basic perseverance and lack of apology for what they were fighting for could serve as a model for African American activists.

No summits, no marches “I believe we will win,” Phil Agnew, executive Director of the Dream Defenders, often says. That is no small self-affirmation.

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: NEXT TWO YEARS

vote accordingly.

Register and vote Now think of this: 10 members of the Congressional Black Caucus traveled to Ferguson, Mo. on January 17 and 18, and what was the main goal? To encourage the citizens in Ferguson to register and vote. One would think they wouldn’t have to make a trip with that theme.

Why? Because in 2014, no one should have to encourage voter registration. Though voting isn’t the end all and be all, it’s the first of all. When details of the voter registration numbers in Ferguson hit the press, it was embarrassing. How could a town that’s 67 percent African American have a White mayor and only one Black member of a 6-person city council? Producing systemic change isn’t easy. But it is easy to register and vote.

Only four months after a Ferguson police officer, who would be photographed hours after the incident without a mark on his face, shot at an unarmed teenager 12 or 13 times — hitting him eight times and killing him — getting people to register shouldn’t be a problem. At some point, the activism has to convert into a detailed strategy focused on removing the current “leadership” in Ferguson from power. St. Louis County nonprosecutor of police Bob McCulloch, the poster boy of mechanical bias, is a Democrat. And he ran unopposed. That’s in a county with a significant Black population. There is something wrong with that. In a city like Ferguson, no one should be waiting for someone to return down the mountain with tablets. Ferguson has a City Council race in early April. If that isn’t the next focus

of protest activism what is? In Ferguson last Sunday at Wellspring United Methodist Church, Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana, one of the youngest members of the Congressional Black Caucus, said: “Where do I start? How about undefinable frustration? It seems we can’t even catch breath from our first tragedy before being hit by another gut-punch from a second, third, and fourth. The names Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, John Crawford, Tamir Rice.” Let’s see what happens in April.

Lauren Victoria Burke is freelance writer and creator of the blog Crewof42.com, which covers African American members of Congress. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Honor Dr. King by serving

DAVID FITZSIMMONS, THE ARIZONA STAR

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 242 State of the Union: Black America is happ-EEE that Bro. Prez grew a pair after six years and gave the Republican Party the proverbial middle finger. Yay. Now pay attention. Under an Obama plan, taxpayers would fund two years of free education for anyone attending a two-year community college. Look at two schools in my Daytona Beach hometown: historically Black Bethune-Cookman University and the former Daytona Beach Community College. Years ago as a two-year community college, DBCC duplicated B-CU’s best programs, including nursing and hospitality management. The Florida Legislature then changed the law to allow two-year community colleges to become accredited four-year state institutions, and DBCC became Daytona State College. State-funded DSC’s tuition is $120 per credit hour. B-CU’s tuition is $560 per credit hour. I’m a Black kid interested in owning my own hotel. Whose hospitality management program do I pick, especially if the first two years are free? I’m going to B-CU’s parties and Homecoming. But I’m getting my degree for thousands of dollars cheaper – and NO school debt – from DSC. That’s Obama’s continuing problem: NO advisors in the room to discuss how Black America is impacted when his Ivy

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

League-educated aides come up with these bright-ass ideas. No outside advocacy because Black ‘leadership’ has been bought off or frightened off. It happened with governmental foreclosure relief, which Obama left up to the bailed-out ‘banksters’ to manage. Black America lost BILLIONS in home equity because banks refused to reduce mortgage loans when housing values crashed. That killed the Black middle class as Obama watched. It happened with $700 billion in stimulus tax money; Obama refused to enforce federal small/Black business procurement rules. It’s happening again with a free education plan that doesn’t include HBCUs. NOTHING was said last night about Black unemployment, which is at 50 percent among Black males in any city. Fix that, and you fix some of the violence. This is the prez y’all LOVE?

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.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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“If you want to be important — wonderful. If you want to be recognized — wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness. And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”

‘Drum major instinct’ These well-known words are from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermon “The Drum Major Instinct,” delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church on February 4, 1968. He was explaining that we all start out with the ingrained instinct to be “drum majors” – everyone wants to be important, to be first, to lead the parade. Watch a group of children try to form a line and right away you’ll see this instinct in action. But Dr. King said too many people never outgrow this instinct and by constantly struggling to be the most powerful or famous or wealthiest or best-educated, we forget one of the Gospels’ and life’s largest truths: the real path to greatness is through service. This is one of the key lessons we should teach our children about Dr. King. Many of them have just studied Dr. King in school in the days leading up to his birthday, and many have learned to see him as a history book hero, a larger-than-life, mythical figure. But it’s crucial for them to understand Dr. King wasn’t a superhuman with magical powers. Just as the extraordinary new movie Selma is reminding a new generation of filmgoers, our children need to be reminded that Dr. King was a real person – just like all of the other ministers, par-

MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN NNPA COLUMNIST

‘Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.’ ents, teachers, neighbors, and other familiar adults in their lives today.

Help someone along the way I first heard Dr. King speak in person at a Spelman College chapel service during my senior year in college. Dr. King was just 31 but he had already gained a national reputation during the successful Montgomery Bus Boycott five years earlier. He became a mentor and friend. Although I do remember him as a great leader and a hero, I also remember him as someone able to admit how often he was afraid and unsure about his next step. But faith prevailed over fear, uncertainty, fatigue, and sometimes depression. It was his human vulnerability and ability to rise above it that I most remember. “If I Can Help Somebody Along the Way” was his favorite song. He was an ordinary man who made history because he was willing to stand up and serve and make a difference in extraordinary ways as did the legions of other civil rights warriors in the 1950s and 1960s. We need to teach our children every day that they can and must make a difference too. “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”

Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children’s Defense Fund. Write your own response at www.flcourier. com.

France’s history of violence In the aftermath of the killings of staff at the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris, there has been near universal outrage, and correctly so. The murders were brutal and indefensible, and whether coordinated or not with any terrorist organizations, were acts of terror. Yet, there is something very disturbing about what seems to have been forgotten in this moment. While France would like to present itself as a freedom loving country, its overseas policies are much more complicated and have led to a situation of simmering hostility within large chunks of the planet. France had an overseas empire that it achieved through indisputable acts of violence. It retained its colonial possessions – until it could no longer do so – through open repression. In 1947, in the face of an anti-colonial uprising, France conducted a legendary and ignominious assault on the people of Madagascar, killing upwards of 100,000 people, as well as engaging in other brutal acts, such as rape. In the 1954-1962 Algerian War of Independence, at least 2 million Algerians were killed in their quest for freedom. In both cases France faced no consequences. The lives of the colonial people simply did not amount to much, and outside of the French-speaking world, little attention was focused on either of these massive atrocities.

A larger context Understanding history in no way excuses acts of terror. What it does do, however, is to put it in a much larger context. The demand for a cessation of terror must involve a recognition that terror did not start with the Parisian killings. Whether it was

BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

historic cases, such as the Madagascar massacres or the repression of the Algerians, or more recently the French involvement in the overthrow of Libyan President Qaddafi, violence has been used as an instrument of intimidation by the land of the tri-color flag. While in no uncertain terms condemning the murders of the Charlie Hebdo staff, people of conscience in France – and around the world – must also examine carefully the policies of their own nations. The extent of hypocrisy, whether regarding freedom of the press, freedom of movement, or freedom from terror, that we have seen displayed in the days since the Parisian killings is more than unsettling. Parisians were killed; the French government declared its own war against terror, yet remains silent about terror and repression committed by its allies and by its own forces, thereby reinforcing the cynical view that might makes right. Such a view does not terminate terror. Rather, it gives a potent excuse for even more deadly terror in order to take on the mighty. That is not the 21st century for which we should be fighting.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is the host of The Global African. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

Obama is soft on Islamic extremism President Barack Obama has been catching hell from all sides lately because of his refusal to utter the words “Islamic extremism.” All of the unrest, tyranny, mayhem and atrocities that are being performed by jihadists or Muslim zealots are definitely based on Islamic extremism. Women and children are dying by the thousands and the White House seems to be more worried of the mainstream image of Islam than the health and welfare of innocent people from every continent on this earth. It seems so juvenile how spokespersons for this administration dodge the use of “Islamic extremism” when pressured by the press. Some reporters have shouted at them, “Say it! Say Islamic extremism,” but they maintain their naïve position. This denial strategy is feeding the evil doers and helping them to recruit young and impressionable youth – our youth.

HARRY C. ALFORD NNPA COLUMNIST

ic terrorism? Why didn’t he go to Paris for the leadership summit? I believe this is the result of a long process. President Obama has a strong affinity to Islam that started forming almost from his birth. His father was a multi-generational Muslim. His step-father was a life-long Muslim. He spent years in Indonesia living as an Indonesian. His formative years had three prongs of influence: One, Islam from Kenya Two, Islam from Indonesia and Three, no emphasis on any particular religion. Islam is in his “bones.” His brothers, sisters and step-siblings are all Muslims. In his early adulthood he took voluntary vacations to Pakistan and India to visit his Muslim buddies. His most trusted But why? adviser, Valerie Jarrett, was born Why is the president of the in the Shite Islamic nation of Iran United States so soft on Islam- and spoke Farsi as a child. Her

RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST

We have a growing and fearsome enemy right now. It is Islamic extremism. A strong leader must first recognize the enemy. A great example of strong leadership is General Colin Powell. As we were about to invade Iraq for the first time, he gave a full blown press conference. “The enemy is called the Iraqi Republican Guards. We will move them to the northeast. After we have them cut off – we will kill it!” That is just what he did – all 80,000 of them. The rest of the Iraqi military turned around and started running away. That is how you handle physical conflict. You don’t try to ignore it or explain it away. You don’t call a murderous army such as ISIS a JV team and expect them to get their feelings hurt and turn around. We control the strongest military on earth and he is acting like some silly boy trying psychology on the school yard bully.

fore, their being in violation of the immigration laws of a given country should not apply because their intent was pure.” This media obsession over who uses what words to describe what happened in Paris misses the point. A sovereign country has the sole discretion and the right to determine who enters and stays in their country. Countries need not apologize for the criteria they use to determine their immigration policies. If you don’t like their rules, then stay out of their country. It’s that simple.

A boost for the American dream

Dream of homeownership In his address, the president connected the financial concerns of everyday people to his new initiative designed to spur broader housing recovery. “It’s not just the economy turning around,” said President Obama. “It’s turning around the lives of hardworking people. . . . Buying a home has always been about more than owning a roof and four walls. It’s about investing savings, and building a family.” The move is also likely to benefit consumers of color who tend to secure FHAbacked mortgages far more than private, conventional ones. In 2013, the most recent mortgage data available from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, although conventional mortgage originations rose slightly from the previous year, 2012, Black consumers nationwide received only 2.3 percent or 36,903 loans. In 2012, the same data point was even smaller, with only 26,500 such loans.

Less cost long-term

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: OBAMA BRANDISHES VETO PEN AT STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

A fearless enemy

makes absolutely no sense. And that was before today’s terrorism. These liberals believe that the world has a “constitutional right” to be in their countries, whether they came legally or not. Remember, in liberalism, “intent” always supersedes action. Pure intents The thinking goes like this: Liberals, whether in Europe or “They only came to our coun- Who is assimilating? But what was on display in Par1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, have try to make a better life for thema worldview on immigration that selves and their children. There- is, and coming soon to America,

About 800,000 homeowners whose mortgages were backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) could save $900 annually on mortgage costs, due to a small reduction in mortgage insurance (MI) premiums. President Barack Obama made the announcement in a recent speech in Phoenix, one of the cities hardest hit by the nation’s housing crisis. By reducing the MI rate by only a halfpercent, the move is also expected to enable 250,000 new homebuyers to afford an FHA mortgage. Administration officials predict that in coming years, the fee reduction will save borrowers with similarly-financed mortgages billions of dollars and also boost the housing market’s long-term recovery.

parents were committed to service in this Islamic nation. The affinity is there – “cut and dried” – documented.

An international war of words With the recent terrorist attacks in Paris over a largely unknown satirical newspaper that poked fun at Islam and Mohammed, there has been a global debate over whether the world is at war with “radical” Islam. The debate has centered on whether one actually uses the word “act of terror” when describing what happened in Paris. I find the very notion of this being debated too ridiculous to dignify. So let’s move on to the real issue of what happened in Paris.

EDITORIAL

CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER

these government-backed loans is to charge a mortgage insurance premium. Housing and consumer advocates were swift to praise the president’s announcement. Mike Calhoun, Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) president said, “This decision is financially sound, socially responsible, and good policy all at once. Homebuyers, homeowners and taxpayers will all benefit.” Similarly, Julia Gordon, Director of Housing Finance and Policy at the Center for American Progress, noted, “The president correctly observes that owning a house is about far more than putting a roof over your head. It’s also about stability and community for you and your kids – creating a place to call home. What’s more, for many families, homeownership builds wealth that can be passed down for generations.”

Some detraction Yet, not all housing stakeholders were in agreement. In a prepared statement issued on the heels of the president’s address, the U.S. Mortgage Insurers issued a statement that, in part, said, “Mortgage insurers putting their own capital at risk should be preferred to government risk taking, consistent with the principles put forward by the Administration for housing reform. The MI industry has the capacity and capability to further reduce taxpayer risk and lower costs for many home buyers while expanding access to mortgage credit.” While this segment of the housing industry may have the capacity to lower costs for many prospective homebuyers, the post-recession consumer experience did not translate into more mortgage access. The combination of higher pricing for lower-wealth borrowers, along with historically-tight credit standards dramatically limited access to homeownership for low to moderate-income borrowers and continued to pose a serious challenge to the mortgage market as a whole.

To add some context to this low number of private, conventional mortgages, the Chicago suburb of Calumet City with a population of 37,240 is larger than the number of loans made to the nation’s Black homebuyers last year. Typically, 30-year conventional mortgages are free from mortgage insurance premiums when home down payments are 20 percent or larger. Over the course of the loan, these are the mortgages that wind up costing borrowers less money. By contrast, borrowers who can afCharlene Crowell is a communicaford a monthly mortgage payment but tions manager with the Center for Reonly have a low down payment have sponsible Lending. Write your own refrequently turned to FHA. One term on sponse at www.flcourier.com.

R. J. MATSON, ROLL CALL

That is cruising for a bruising. There is a growing problem very lethal to the well-being of everyone on this earth. We can’t get along with the head chopping, blood dripping Islamic extremists. The only option is to kill enough of them until they stop their evil ways. In some places it will take “boots on the ground.” Other venues may just need a good dose of carpet bombing. Whatever the need, it will be

deadly and must be permanent. Mr. President, the longer you wait the more innocents will be murdered. Also, the more Islamic extremists you will have to kill. Happy Hunting!

are foreigners who want to dictate the conditions under which they will “allow” a country to let them in and once in legally, they want to force their host country to assimilate to their culture and values. The two brothers that committed the murders in Paris were first generation Frenchmen with Algerian parents (Algeria was a former French colony). Though Frenchmen by birth, they never accepted their French citizenship as their own. That is the issue with a liberal approach to immigration policy. Liberals feel it is “racist” to expect an invited guest in one’s country to conform to the values of the host country. Citizenship is more than just a legal status. Citizenship is just as much cultural as it is legal. Though the two brothers in Paris were French-

men by birth, they had nothing in common with France. They were more at home speaking Arabic, not French, their native language. They recognized Sharia law, not French law. America is the only major power that will subjugate the interests of its own people under the false illusion of “free trade.” There is no such thing as “free trade.” There is fair trade, but not free trade. As opposed to focusing on the war on terror, it seems to me that too much time is being spent on the war of words.

Harry C. Alford is the cofounder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce. Website: www.nationalbcc.org Email: halford@ nationalbcc.org

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

More credit and more challenges on jobs for Obama “The good news is that in 2014 people were increasingly finding jobs. The bad news MARC H. is that we are still digging our way out of the recession, and MORIAL wage growth remains stagTRICE EDNEY WIRE nant and untouched by recovery.” – Elise Gould, Econom- politically expedient, but ic Policy Institute, Senior as it adds to good political Economist theater, it also lacks fair acknowledgment of the acThe country’s most pop- tions and policies that have ular monthly economic helped contribute to the scorecard was released last recovery. With less than a week with promising results week of legislating under the collective belts of the - and mixed messages. On Friday, January 9, the new Republican majority in Department of Labor re- Congress, and the track released the latest jobs report, cord of its predecessors as which showed that the U.S. the second least productive economy added 252,000 Congress in modern history, jobs in December. This sur- who can take credit for this passed analyst projections “glimmer of hope”? of 240,000 and brought the nation’s unemployment rate Celebrate down to 5.6 percent - now at progression its lowest level since 2008 afJason Furman, Chairman ter 11 straight months of job of the White House Council growth. of Economic Advisers, highlighted the Obama AdminBest shape istration’s achievements in since ‘09 the wake of the report’s reOverall, the nation’s lease, including increasing economy is in its best shape access to community col- with consumer confidence lege, supporting recovery at a high - since the 2009 in housing and investing in recession, and December U.S. manufacturing. I would marked the best year for also point to the President’s the U.S. labor market since economic stimulus plan, 1999. Expectedly, politicians known as the American Rehave been quick to take note covery and Reinvestment - and to also attempt to take Act, which leading econocredit. Before the release of mists agree helped boost the jobs report, in a pitch for the economy; bail-out of the the influence of the new Re- finance and automobile inpublican majority in Con- dustries; and passing of the gress on the nation’s im- Affordable Care Act, which proving economy, Republi- increased health coverage can Senate Majority Leader for millions of Americans Mitch McConnell said, “Af- as well as thousands of jobs ter so many years of sluggish in the health care industry. growth, we’re finally starting While we absolutely know to see some economic da- that there are many facta that can provide a glim- tors impacting the nation’s mer of hope. The uptick ap- economy, we cannot deny pears to coincide with the the role the current Adminbiggest political change of istration has had in its resurthe Obama Administration’s gence. long tenure in Washington: Still, while the Nationthe expectation of a new Re- al Urban League celebrates publican Congress.” the progress that has been This correlation may be made in our nation’s steady

climb to economic recovery, we also remain committed to narrowing the job and opportunity gap that finds the African-American and Latino communities benefiting from the recovery at disproportionately lower rates than their White counterparts. Perhaps most concerning is that when we look at unemployment for AfricanAmericans and Latinos, it remains high at 10.4% and 6.5% respectively, compared to 4.8% White unemployment. As a nation, we can help remedy high joblessness within all of our communities with bipartisan policies focused on job creation, such as a transportation infrastructure initiative. Our country is riddled with broken bridges, roads and railways. We can put people to work fixing our deteriorating infrastructure and then keep them working by maintaining it. We can pass a jobs bill and an infrastructure bill that includes education and job-training components that target the needs of millions who are unemployed or under-employed and face multiple barriers to employment. The problem of joblessness and the pervasiveness of the opportunity gap and its disparities are not dilemmas that conclude at the borders of Black and Brown communities. These disparities hold back the whole economy. When we invest in our most vulnerable communities, we invest in strengthening our entire economy and nation.

Marc Morial is an American political and civic leader and current president of the National Urban League. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

FLORIDA

TOJ A6

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

West preaches, teaches to fired-up AME church Renowned intellectual tackles police violence, conservative media, president during St. Petersburg lecture BY SAMUEL JOHNSON SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Dr. Cornel West, an insightful and riveting Black intellectual, who at times has proven to be polarizing, gave an electrifying speech at an overflowing church on Jan. 14 in St. Petersburg. West was invited to speak as part of the Heritage Lecture Series organized by St. Petersburg College and Anvil Human Services, a community nonprofit run by Greater Mt. Zion American Methodist Episcopal Church. West is currently a professor of philosophy and Christian practice at New York City’s Union Theological Seminary. He also is professor emeritus at Princeton University as the Class of 1943 University Professor in the Center for African American Studies. In the past, he has taught at Yale, Harvard and the University of Paris. Perhaps best known for, what scholars consider his magnum opus, “Race Matters,’’ his list of writings is impressively long. He has penned 19 books himself and edited another 13. Part sermon, part lecture At around 7 p.m. on Jan. 14, West took to the pulpit of the AME church and made full use of his seminary training in a hybrid mix of sermon and lecture. It wasn’t long before the Baptist raised, but not ordained West settled into a powerful sermon-like lecture lasting just over an hour. West touched on a broad swath of topics ranging from law enforcement violence to conservative media.

The thread running through his entire presentation was humanity. As a blueprint for his presentation, he used the thoughtprovoking questions raised by the iconic Black activist W.E.B. Du Bois, of which West is a scholar. Those rhetorical questions, West said are “How shall integrity face oppression? What shall honesty do in the face of deception, decency in the face of insult?” and “What shall virtue do to meet brute force?” Although he has given a comparable speech elsewhere, using the same Du Bois’ questions, the way he incorporated the narrative in Saint Petersburg was unique.

From slavery to Ferguson Throughout his presentation, West referred to Black performing arts, often as metaphor and primarily music, as one of the great achievements of Black people in the last 400 years. This despite what he called “...years of being terrorized and traumatized, stigmatized through White supremacy and slavery as well as American terrorism called Jim Crow and now Jim Crow Jr.” West, an Ivy League-educated professor, doesn’t shy away from putting his money where is mouth is. Last year in October he was arrested after joining protests in Ferguson, Mo. West sees what happened in Ferguson as a paradigm shift. Moreover, he sees the youth at the forefront of a “...great awaking...in the face of oppression of arbitrary police power...mas-

SAMUEL JOHNSON/SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURER

Dr. Cornel West speaks as part of the Heritage Lecture Series organized by St. Petersburg College and Anvil Human Services. sive unemployment that is depression- like....” He went further, claiming that the media coverage skews the data about job recovery and a booming economy in a positive light as he posed the question to the media. “...What part of town are you talking about?”

Critical of Sharpton, Fox News Holding the media accountable for reporting the news is high on West’s list. He is critical of both liberal and conservative media. He was especially critical of the Rev. Al Sharpton as well as Fox News. He prefaced his remarks on Sharpton by saying that he “loves the brother” but he

is skeptical of his motives. West cited Sharpton’s march, stating that he avoided leveling critique on President Barack Obama’s ineffective handling of systemic racism. His words were less kind to Fox News. West scoffed at the accusation that if he critiqued Sharpton, it would play into the hands of conservative commentary on Fox News. West jibed, to thunderous cheers from the audience, that it wouldn’t make a difference because Fox News “is going to lie no matter what. … If you’re somehow trying to convince and persuade Fox News, then all of us are on the way to the crack house.”

On Blacks and Obama West views the upward mobility of people of color as positive achievement. But, according to West, the Black community should not be content with a few people of color overcoming stereotypes. Glass ceilings are great when they’re broken by Black and Brown folks but those are just the highly visible CEOs, entertainers, politicians and other professionals, he said. He worries that the narrative within and outside the Black community has forgotten about those who find themselves, “in the basement.” He also took aim at Obama and some of his Cabinet for what he calls

shirking their moral obligation to the Black community. He listed the Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, Attorney General Eric Holder and Obama as three of America’s most powerful positions within law and the law’s enforcement. Yet, he said, statistics bare out that people of color, who are shot by law enforcement, haven’t seen any federal prosecutions of these crimes. To that point West said, “If (under) Bush it were a vanilla brother, there would be a major discourse about it.”

Samuel Johnson is a journalist based in the Tampa area. He wrote this article for the Florida Courier.

Court backs prosecutors on Michael Dunn’s jailhouse recordings BY JIM SAUNDERS THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – An appeals court Tuesday backed prosecutors in a public-records fight with Jacksonville news organizations about access to recordings of jailhouse phone calls in the high-profile murder case of Michael Dunn. The 1st District Court of Appeal upheld the process used by the Duval County State Attorney’s Office in reviewing Dunn’s phone calls before releasing recordings to news organizations – but also asked the Florida Supreme Court to take up the issue. The Florida TimesUnion and television stations WTLV, WJXX and WJXT argued, at least in part, that the review process improperly delayed access to the recordings. The Dunn case, which drew national media attention, stemmed from the 2012 shooting death of 17-year-old Jordan Davis at a Jacksonville gas station after a dispute about loud music coming from a vehicle in which Davis was a passenger. During an initial trial, a jury found Dunn guilty of attempted murder charges for shooting at other occupants of the vehicle but deadlocked on a murder charge.

Hundreds of recordings A jury in a second trial last year found the Brevard County man guilty of firstdegree murder. Tuesday’s public-records ruling dealt with attempts by media organizations to get what the appeals court described as hundreds of recordings of phone conversations from the time when Dunn was in jail awaiting the first trial. The State Attorney’s Of-

Michael Dunn

Jordan Davis

fice used a process that involved an administrative assistant and an attorney reviewing the recordings to redact material exempt from public-records law and also estimated the media organizations would need to pay more than $6,000 in costs, including a $3,000 deposit. The ruling focused on questions about whether the review process unnecessarily duplicated a review of the recordings that prosecutors conducted as they prepared for the trial. While siding with the State Attorney’s Office, a threejudge panel of the appeals court cited “the unusual facts of this case and the novel legal issue presented” in calling for a Supreme Court to take up the fight.

‘No clear answer’ “No one disputes that the phone recordings are public records or that they must be made available in as immediate a manner as is practicable,’’ said the ruling by judges Brad Thomas, Stephanie Ray and Scott Makar. “And, as a general matter, the media does not disagree that advance payment of some amount may be required. “Instead, the crux of the legal issue is to what extent, if any, was the SAO (State Attorney’s Office) as a records custodian legally required to coordinate its review of phone recordings for discovery purposes and for use at trial, with its public records request review under (the state’s public re-

cords law). We find no clear answer.” Nevertheless, the court found no “legal duty exists” for prosecutors to combine the two review processes. “(The) ultimate question here is whether the application of the SAO’s public records policy is unreasonable because it failed to take steps to avoid repetition and duplication with its review of the recordings for use at trial,’’ the ruling said. “Coordinating trial review efforts with pending public records requests (and perhaps even anticipated requests in the highest profile cases) makes sense, but in the absence of clear legislative intent requiring it, we are unable to conclude that the SAO is legally required to do so.”

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‘Antipathy’ noted The ruling also noted “antipathy” between the media organizations and the state attorney’s office. “(The) media's primary point is that the SAO’s public records review policy is combative, inefficient, unduly expensive, and prolonged, which made it virtually impossible to get access to Mr. Dunn’s phone recordings prior to trial,’’ the ruling said. “They further contend that the SAO overstated its estimated special service charges and increased delays by failing to disclose summaries of the phone calls and failing to take any steps to coordinate or combine its ongoing review of Mr. Dunn's phone recordings.”

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REMEMBERING KING, BROWN, GARNER AND RICE

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

n many U.S. cities this year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was a day of observance as well as another day of protests over shootings involving police officers. At the 47th annual King commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Monday, King’s daughter, Bernice King, opened the service by remembering Michael Brown, Eric Garner and 12-year-old Tamir Rice — each African-American males who died during encounters with police in 2014. Their deaths have spurred nationwide protests to call attention to policing tactics in minority communities. “In 2015, the beauty of the sacrifice and courage of those in the ’50s and ’60s is that they opened up a way for us to act, to have our voices heard, to speak up against injustice,” Bernice King said. “And so as we celebrate today, we praise God for a new generation of activists who have dared to remind America that black lives matter.”

‘ReclaimMLK’ Across Atlanta and the country, MLK Day was celebrated with marches and acts of service. And in several U.S. cities, thousands spurred by a social media campaign dubbed “Reclaim MLK” held protests against police brutality. Beyond reforms aimed at diffusing tension between minority communities and law enforcement, America must urgently push forward on less publicized issues, from voter ID laws to high prison rates for African-American men, said Alabama State University President Gwendolyn Boyd. “When we look at the yellow crime scene tape that is wrapped around America right now, we know we still have a lot of

work to do,” she said. “This is our wake-up call, church,” Boyd said, invoking a growing social media hashtag when she declared: “It’s time for us to say #black lives matter.”

‘Selma’ star speaks The holiday comes just days after “Selma,” the film depicting King’s 1965 voting rights marches, received an Academy Award nomination for best picture. Actor David Oyelowo, who spoke to the packed crowd at Ebenezer, was moved to tears as he spoke of the dangers King faced in his work. “I cannot imagine walking through life every day knowing there were people on earth who wanted to take my … children’s lives and my wife’s life. And then to leave and go and do it anyway,” Oyelowo told the crowd gathered at Ebenezer Baptist Church. “The question I asked myself constantly was: ‘How did he do it?’” Oyelowo said though Hollywood commonly casts minorities in subservient roles, instead of leaders, “I stand before you today as a man who has played a king.”

Honor for Lewis U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with King in Selma, received a standing ovation led by U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson. Lewis later spoke of his first meeting King when he was 17 years old, after King invited him to join the civil rights movement. “You gave us something to live for and a cause we were willing to die for,” Lewis said. “You taught us that standing up for what you believe would connect us to the eternal power of the truth and universal love.”

A report by Katie Leslie/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/Tribune News Service was used in this report.

GENARO MOLINA/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Sequoyah Madison, 23, and her mother Kimberly Madison shield their eyes from the sun while watching participants in the 30th Annual Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles on Monday.

DUANE FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Youngsters join marchers in Daytona Beach on Monday. Malik Curtis chants “Hands up, don’t shoot” during the Reclaim MLK march in St. Paul, Minn., on Jan. 19. LEILA NAVIDI/ MINNEAPOLI STAR TRIBUNE/TNS

U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and NAACP president Cornell William Brooks lead the King Day at the Dome march on Jan. 19 they head toward the State House in Columbia, S.C. GERRY MELENDEZ/ THE STATE/TNS

CALENDAR & ENTERTAINMENT

JANUARY 23 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JANUARY 29, 2015

STOJ

Delta Sigma Theta expels five on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sorority Sistersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; THEROOT.COM

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all fun and games until your ratchetness gets you expelled from the sorority you fought so hard to be in. Such is the case for five cast members of VH1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newly canceled realityTVÂ show â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sorority Sisters.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; On the heels of the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cancellation because of the combined efforts of members of the Divine NineÂ and others who were fed up with the negative images of Black women on television, Priyanka Banks, Lydia Mitch-

ell, Metoya Monroe, Adrene Ashford and Shanna McCormick were expelled from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority on Jan. 13. The five join April McRae and Joy Hammond, who were suspended from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Expelled on Deltaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anniversary According to Delta Sigma Thetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national website, an expulsion means that expelled members cannot wear any parapher-

nalia or merchandise with references to the sorority. Also, expelled members are prohibited from participating in activities that indicate membership in the sorority. If expelled members are found doing any of the above, they can be subjected to legal action. (Jan. 13 also is the date of the sororityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anniversary. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded on Jan. 13, 1913 by 22 collegiate women at Howard University. The expulsion date also coincided with the day VH1 changed its

Shown above is the cast of the canceled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sorority Sisters.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The show faced harsh criticism for its depiction of Black sorority members. schedule and dumped the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final three episodes. Banks and Mitchell were members of the Beta Eta Chapter at Alabama State

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Eatonville: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly returns to the Zora Neale Hurston Â Festival of Arts and HumanitiesÂ on Jan. 31. Saxophonist Najee will entertain the crowd on Feb. 1. Visit zorafestival.org for festival details.

THE RANCE ALLEN GROUP

The legendary Grammy-nominated gospel group will perform free along with the Miami Mass Choir on Feb. 22 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of MiamiDade County.

RAMSEY LEWIS

The Ramsey Lewis Quintet with special guest Philip Bailey will perform Feb. 24 at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg.

Miami Gardens: Men of Soul (Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson and Freddie Jackson) will perform at the 2015 Jazz in the Gardens. It takes place March 21-22 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. Sunrise: T.I., 2 Chainz, Rico Love and Meek Mill will be in concert on Jan. 24 at the BB&T Center. Daytona Beach: Â BethuneCookman University will host its first seminar on community violence at 10:20 a.m. in Heyn Memorial Chapel on Jan. 28. It will feature Lucille Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal, a graduate of B-CU and mom of Shaquille Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal.

University. Monroe used to be a member of the Kappa Delta Chapter at the State University of West Georgia, Ashford was with the

More information: Keisha Pickett at keisha@pickettpr. com. Orlando: On Feb. 6, Earthquake, Arnaz J and Corey Holcomb will be at the CFE Arena for the Orlando Comedy Jam. Fort Lauderdale: Aaron Neville performs at the Parker Playhouse on Feb. 12. Tampa: The Black and Brown Comedy Get Down featuring Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps and Eddie Griffin is Jan. 23 at the Amalie Arena and at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on Jan. 24. Miami: The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County will present a program of culture, dance, drumming and more by DeLou Africa on Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m. Â Sunrise: The Between the Sheets Tour with Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Tyga takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.

Marietta-Roswell Alumnae Chapter, and McCormick was with the Nashville Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter.

Fort Lauderdale: Aaron Neville is scheduled for an 8 p.m. show Feb. 12 at the Parker Playhouse. Tampa: Waleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Simple Mobile Simple Nothing Tour makes a stop on Feb. 10 at the Ritz in Tampaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ybor City and Feb. 11 at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale. Boca Raton: Catch the Four Tops, Supremes, Temptations, Miracles and Marvelettes at Florida Atlantic Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carole & Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium on Feb. 14. Tampa: Candy Lowe hosts Tea & Conversation every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at 3911 N. 34th St., Suite B. Details: 813-394-6363. St. Petersburg: Tickets are on sale for a show with Smokey Robinson at The Mahaffey Theater in on April 12. Tampa: The Nephew Tommy Comedy Tour makes a stop at the University of South Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sun Dome on April 18.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Driving the Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; explores movement circa 1955 BY CHRIS FORAN MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL (TNS)

Birmingham, Ala., November 1945: One of Alabamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite sons, rising music star Nat King Cole, returns for a rare hometown performance. Well, not everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite, as it turns out. As the show gets underway, Cole â&#x20AC;&#x201D; beginning with a number helping an old friend propose to his gal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is attacked onstage by a half-dozen white men. But before they can do any serious damage to Cole, that old friend â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a returning soldier named Nat Weary â&#x20AC;&#x201D; leaps from the balcony to rescue him, pummeling one of Coleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attackers. End of show, beginning of Wearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey, and Birminghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Driving the King,â&#x20AC;? Ravi Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new novel exploring the edges of the civil rights battle in midcentury America. In an easygoing style, with Weary as his guide, Howard pokes into under-viewed corners of the fight while never losing sight of the humanity of both the cause and its effects.

Wearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next move After the fracas, Weary gets 10 years in prison, losing his girl and his sense of self. But he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lose his old friend: As Wearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s release nears, Cole sends an emissary to offer him a job as his driver and bodyguard out in Los Angeles, where Cole â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by 1955, one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest-selling pop stars â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is about to be the first AfricanAmerican to host his own national television show. A year later, both men return to Birmingham, to stage the concert that Cole never got to finish and give Weary some closure, as the city begins to boil over amid the bus boycott that followed the arrest of Rosa Parks. In â&#x20AC;&#x153;Driving,â&#x20AC;? Howard jumps between Wearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time in Birmingham â&#x20AC;&#x201D; when he first gets out of prison and when he returns for the concert â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and his time in Los Angeles working for Cole. The two cities are worlds apart but tightly linked.

Broader perspective In L.A., Weary becomes friends with a woman editing an African-American newspaper who taps his ties to report on the Birmingham boycott, whose organizers include members of Wearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, his ex-

fiancĂŠe and a young preacher from Atlanta named Martin Luther King Jr. In California, Cole and his family have had their windows shot out, and his latest venture â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a prime-time show on NBC â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is on life support because he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find a company willing to sponsor a program hosted by a Black man. Howard, a former producer with NFL Films with an award-winning first novel (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like Trees, Walkingâ&#x20AC;?), doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mention it in the acknowledgments, but he likely was inspired by a real-life event in which Cole was battered onstage during a concert in Birmingham, albeit in different circumstances and in a different time frame. But Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rewrite allows for a broader perspective on the battles being fought by African-Americans famous and anonymous as the lines are finally being drawn.

Cameo by King The world Weary returns to after leaving prison is one in which people of color have decided to take matters into their own hands, aware that they face long odds when they do so. In fact, Wearyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impulsive act to defend Cole has served a call to arms; even King has heard the story of his sacrifice, and congratulates him on doing the right thing, regardless of the consequences. King, in his brief cameo, is depicted on a human scale in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Drivingâ&#x20AC;? similar to the flesh-and-blood way heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s depicted in the movie â&#x20AC;&#x153;Selma,â&#x20AC;? Cole, on the other hand, gets a far more sympathetic treatment than he did in real life, when some leaders of the civil rights movement accused him of being an Uncle Tom. In the novel, Cole is a smart, determined professional who wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surrender his dignity by giving in to racists, but is all too aware that his popularity would be at risk if he was any bolder. In Howardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands, Cole taking the stage in the city where he was nearly killed by hate is as much a blow for equal rights as refusing to give up your seat on the bus just because of your skin color.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS A BLUMHOUSE/SMART ENTERTAINMENT/NUYORICMUSICAN PRODUCTION A FILM BY ROB COHEN JENNIFEREXECUTIVELOPEZ â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE BOY NEXT DOORâ&#x20AC;? RYAN GUZMAN JOHN CORBETT IAN NELSONPRODUCEDAND KRISTIN CHENOWETH BY RANDY EDELMAN NATHAN BARR PRODUCERS COUPER SAMUELSON BLUM p.g.a. JOHN JACOBS p.g.a. ELAINE GOLDSMITH-THOMAS BENNY MEDINA JENNIFER LOPEZ JEANETTE VOLTURNO-BRILL ZAC UNTERMAN BY JASON WRITTEN DIRECTED BY BARBARA CURRY BY ROB COHEN A UNIVERSAL RELEASE Â? <50=,9:(3 :;<+06:

STARTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 23

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HEALTH

MARSHA HALPER/MIAMI HERALD/TNS

Instructor Myriam Charleston, left, trains Andrea Benedetti in the Miami Herald’s on-site fitness center.

Coming to grips with a health wake-up call Get honest about what’s holding up the wellness process BY ANNE STEIN CHICAGO TRIBNE (TNS)

It’s a scenario that plays out each January. Health clubs are packed, diet books are devoured, then within a month or two, our new year’s resolutions lose steam. The crowds diminish, diets fade into memory, and good intentions are saved for another time. The beginning of the year is always popular for taking a good look at our health, so what does it take to make things last? The wellness process should start with honest answers to tough questions, said Dr. Pamela Peeke, national spokeswoman for the American College of Sports Medicine, author of “The Hunger Fix” and assistant professor of medicine at University of Maryland. “There has to be a real

wake-up call,” Peeke said. “Just waking up and saying ‘I want to be healthy’ won’t get you anywhere. You need an awakening, a real fire in the belly to get you going. You have to ask yourself, ‘Why do I want to change, and what’s been stopping me?’ Then be brutally honest when you answer.”

Crisis point Maybe your cholesterol has hit the ceiling, or you caught a glimpse in the mirror and finally admitted you don’t look great. Or you know someone who transformed himself and you’re inspired. Or you’ve hit a crisis point in your health you simply can’t ignore. Kindergarten teacher Sandie Leonard had that moment a few months ago. At age 45, she’d spent a lifetime trying to be the perfect daughter, wife, employee and mom. With a warm smile and kind voice, she’s the type of friend you’d call in a heartbeat, the teacher (with a master’s degree)

you’d trust your child to in a classroom. A few years ago, however, the pressure to please grew to be too much, and Leonard began using sugar to soothe her anxiety and deal with ongoing depression. The Blountville, Tenn., resident stocked her desk with M&M’s and candy bars. She celebrated every milestone with homemade cakes and pies. And her weight ballooned. “My favorite thing was Little Debbie Snack Cakes,” said Leonard, who once jogged three miles a day four days a week. Over a few years, her weight rocketed to 334 pounds. “I tried every weight plan out there and had a little success, then I’d go right back to the sugary stuff.”

Took action Finally she reached the breaking point; her anxiety was so consuming she couldn’t teach any longer, and last fall she checked herself into Malibu Vista treatment center, in Malibu, Calif. It was there — as

far from Tennessee as she could get, she joked — that she met Peeke, who put her on a healthy nutrition program and got her to realize that sugar wasn’t solving her problems. Intense therapy helped Leonard deal with anxiety and stress. Today Leonard is back home in Tennessee. She’s dropped 34 pounds since October thanks to a new diet and walking program (she started at 20 minutes a day and has increased to 80 minutes daily). She’s gotten into yoga and practices mindful eating, which means paying attention to each bite rather than gobbling things down. Her kitchen’s restocked with quinoa, tofu and other healthy foods, and she avoids “the Little Debbie aisle” at the grocery store. “My mind is so much clearer with the good nutrition and exercise,” Leonard said. “I had a feeling of complete despair before with my weight and the anxiety, and now it’s gone.” She regularly checks in

with Peeke and the nutrition/medical staff at Malibu Vista, who guide her with recipes and encouragement. And she’s going back to work this January.

Wellness checklist Most people know that exercise, appropriate diet and sleep, and managing stress are what’s best for them, said certified athletic trainer Kathy Dieringer, co-owner of D&D Sports Medicine in Denton, Tex., and a board member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. “But how to get started and stay motivated to do all that is the age-old question.” First, go through a wellness checklist: Are you getting the recommended 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity? Lack of exercise, explained Dr. Carol Ewing Garber, president of the American College of Sports Medicine and professor of movement science at Teachers College, Columbia University, increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic diseases. Of course, the part more people will notice is how lack of activity affects the proportion of body fat and muscle.

Are you flexible? Flexibility and strength also are critical to health

and wellness. Are you having trouble lifting grocery bags or getting up and out of a chair? “Grocery shopping is a great test because you’re walking around and lifting and loading,” Garber said. “If that’s difficult, you need some work on strength.” Can you touch your toes (with slightly bent knees?) Are you flexible enough to reach your back as if zipping a dress? Lack of flexibility makes daily activities tougher to do. Stress goes hand in hand with exercise and diet when it comes to overall wellness. Are you clenching your jaw or walking around with tight shoulders and back? Are you obsessed with a bad job situation or family difficulties? Stress can interfere with sleep, attention span, memory, relationships. And, Peeke said, it stokes your appetite for self-soothing comfort — like food, drugs or alcohol. “And if you have rotten sleep, the last thing you’ll do is pop out of bed and exercise,” she said.

It’s doable How is your weight and BMI? If you’re serious about fixing food issues, call an expert. Let somebody give it to you straight. “There are so many fads out there that may work for a limited period of time, but it all goes back to appropriate nutrition, and that needs to be determined by a nutritionist,” Dieringer said. A health professional can evaluate your weight and diet, give an assessment of body composition and develop a healthy eating plan. While the journey toward wellness can be daunting, it’s doable by following sensible advice. And there are numerous success stories; one of Dieringer’s clients came to her clinic for shoulder rehab, then continued with an individual fitness plan to stay in shape. She joined group fitness classes, met with a registered dietitian and within a year, stopped taking her high blood pressure and heart medication, all because she started moving and eating right. “We find a lot of our older patients love that group dynamic of getting together and exercising. I think it (the social aspect) increases compliance in every age group,” Dieringer said.

High school has a doctor on duty ‘Wellness Cottage’ provides health care for students and community BY LAUREN ROTH ORLANDO SENTINEL (TNS)

ORLANDO — Nathaniel Coley, 19, first visited his school’s doctor when he had a cold earlier this year. Now she attends his plays and talks with him about life. “Usually, you don’t see doctors who do that,” Coley said of Amelia SmithDixon, the resident physician at Evans High School. “It makes you more comfortable to have her as your medical doctor,” he said. Smith-Dixon works out of the Evans Wellness Cottage, a clinic at the back of the school that is also home to a dentist and other providers. They also see patients from the community — no connection to the school required.

Variety of services The clinic, which opened in late last year, is part of the Evans Community School which since 2012 has provided a support system for students and residents of the Pine Hills community (a low-income unincorporated subdivision of Orlando) that

includes mentoring, afterschool programs, continuing education and health services. Other Central Florida schools also are working to increase the availability of medical care on campus. The most recent calculation by the Association of School Nurses ranked Florida’s student-to-nurse ratio 48th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Ten Orange County schools now have nurse practitioners in clinics funded through partnerships. Some schools also offer preventive dental care. And Orange schools have been adding nurses, many with funds from outside donors.

Fitting in In other counties, RNs train non-medical personnel in schools to provide health care and also supervise non-medical staff who dispense medicine and bandages. But only Evans High has a doctor. Smith-Dixon has become part of the Evans community, attending games, interacting with parents and visiting the student Bible study group. “Teenagers in general tend to not want to talk to adults,” she said. “If they see you as a person, not as a doctor, you can talk to them and help them that way.”

JOSHUA C. CRUEY/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS

Michelle Aliotti, DMD, and Amelia Dixon, MD, pose for a portrait in front of the Evans Wellness Cottage on Dec. 17, 2014 in Orlando. Smith-Dixon has been on campus for nearly a year, but now the clinic has its own space.

No one turned away Located in a doublewide portable classroom, the cottage houses exam rooms for Smith-Dixon as well as a licensed practical nurse, a medical assistant, a dentist, two dental assistants and clerical staff. A mental-health counselor is expected to move in soon. “We don’t turn anyone away,” said Tasha Casaccio, marketing manager with Central Florida Fam-

ily Health Center, which provides the medical personnel. Community members, including those from beyond Pine Hills, enter the facility from the public entrance. Students come in through a door that’s inside the school gates. The clinic takes Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance, and offers care on a sliding scale for those without insurance. Dental care is available for community members up to age 20, Evans students and staff. Jarvis Wheeler, director of the Evans Communi-

ty School, was the first patient in dentist Michelle Aliotti’s chair recently. “I was one of those students who didn’t go to the dentist till high school,” said Wheeler, who attended Evans and graduated from Dr. Phillips High. He had let his dental health take a back seat recently, and Aliotti taught him how to brush more effectively.

Concentrates better Evans principal Jenny Gibson-Linkh said some of the students who have made appointments to see Smith-Dixon had never

been to a doctor before. Theresa Civil, an Evans junior, said having a doctor on campus makes it easier to get prompt health care. “Since my mother works morning to night, she would have to take time off to take me,” said Theresa, 17. With a clinic on campus, “I can come during school or after school,” she said. And Coley said having a doctor on campus helps his academics, too. “I can get that issue done, as far as health, and concentrate better in school,” he said.

PERSONAL FINANCE

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

KEYS TO CREDIT SUCCESS The American Financial Services Association Education Foundation offers this advice to help ensure that your interests are protected when you borrow money: Budget your money. Provide your monthly spending plan when you meet with creditors. It will help them make a responsible decision about the amount of credit you can afford. Shop, shop, shop. Compare the costs of credit from different creditors. Shop for credit like you would shop for anything else. Beware of “now or never” offers. If it’s a good deal, it will probably still be there after you’ve had time to think about it. Don’t be pressured into mak ing a quick decision. Ask questions. Don’t sign on the line until all your questions have been

THE LOWDOWN ON

LOANS FAMILY FEATURES

Borrowing money can help you manage your way out of a tight spot, but do ing so without knowing all the facts can make your finances even tighter in the long run. “When faced with a fi nancial emergency, most people don’t think through how borrowing money might affect them down the line,” said Susie Irvine, president and CEO, Ameri can Financial Services As sociation Education Foun dation. “With so many op tions available, it’s relative ly easy to get a loan, but the impact on your credit and what it actually costs you over time can vary a great deal.” Two common forms of

small-dollar borrowing are traditional installment loans (TIL) and payday loans. Understanding how each loan works can help you make the right deci sion for your financial situ ation. Traditional installment loans are used for various purposes, such as meet ing family emergencies, purchasing home furnish ings or consolidating oth er debts. These loans are generally short-term. Most traditional installment loans range from $500 to $3,500, with the borrower paying equal installments at regular intervals over a determined number of weeks, months or years. A typical monthly payment is around $125. With regular, manageable payments of

principal and interest, the borrower has a clear road map out of debt. Payday loans are repaid in a single balloon payment at the end of the loan peri od. This payment is usually due in less than 30 days, most commonly 14 days. Payday lenders do not as sess ability to repay, rely ing instead on a postdated check or on similar access to a borrower’s bank ac count as their assurance that the loan will be repaid. Although payday loans may appear to provide a quick and easy solution, a traditional installment loan is a more financially sound choice for most people. For more resources to help you better manage your money, visit www.afsaef.org.

IS AN INSTALLMENT LOAN RIGHT FOR ME? When deciding whether to obtain an installment loan, consider the benefits and responsibilities. According to the American Financial Services Associa tion Education Foundation, an install ment loan: • Obligates future income. You’ll be required to set aside a certain amount of future income for loan payments. • Requires discipline. Borrowing wisely means not borrowing more

TERMS TO KNOW When you take out a loan, it’s impor tant to understand the complete cost of repaying the amount you’ve borrowed. It’s a good idea to compare offers from multiple creditors, and understanding these terms will help you calculate the real cost of borrowing to get the best deal. Here is a list of common terms from the American Financial Services Association Education Foundation. • Amount Financed: The total dol lar amount of the credit that is provided to you. • Annual Percentage Rate or “APR”: A measure of the cost of credit ex pressed as a yearly rate. • Credit Insurance: Optional insur

answered. Read the contract. Don’t sign a con tract that you don’t understand or has any blanks. A signed contract with blanks can be completed as anyone wishes and it will be legally binding. Keep your contract in a safe place. It’s important to keep all paperwork relating to your credit obligations. If questions come up later, you’ll have your agreement in writing. Make your payments on time and in full. This is one of the best ways to build a good credit history. Repeated late payments will trigger late payment fees, and hurt your credit report, which will make it difficult to obtain future credit. Additional products are not required to get a consumer loan. Op tional products that may be offered for purchase with your loan include motor club membership, term insurance or warranties.

than you can handle. Don’t let the thrill of buying or having a sum of cash obligate you to more than you can af ford. • Makes it possible to meet unexpected expenses. The ability to bor row and make affordable payments can be helpful if an emergency arises that requires extra money. • Allows you to obtain products and services now and pay for them later. A loan can provide an oppor tunity to purchase bigger-ticket items and use them right away.

ance that is designed to repay the debt if the borrower dies or becomes dis abled. • Finance Charge: The dollar amount you pay to use credit. • Fixed Rate Financing: The interest rate and the payment remains the same over the life of the loan. Equal monthly payments of principal and interest are made until the debt is paid in full. • Length of Payment: The total num ber of months you have to pay the cred it obligation. • Late Payment Fee: A fee that is charged when payment is made after its due date. • Monthly Payment Amount: The dollar amount due each month to repay the credit agreement.

STOJ

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

Adam Griffith was born in Brooklyn, NY. He likes to watch and play sports, play poker, attend concerts, sporting events, go out to eat, and just chill. He studied sports management at the University of Tampa. Follow him on Twitter @AdamG_ AEveryday.

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adam

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.

drea

Andrea “Drea’’ Hernandez of North Florida has lived and traveled all across the United States, Europe and Africa. She is retired from the Air Force and has studied graphic design and photography. Drea also was voted the Diamond Diva for Hoodz Hottest Magazine (Bay County Magazine).

Students can see ‘Selma’ for free in select cities Black leaders raise funds for admissions to ‘Selma’ BY ZENITHA PRINCE TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Black business leaders across an increasing number of U.S. cities are joining the burgeoning campaign to bring “Selma” to students for free. “This initiative is unprecedented in AfricanAmerican history. Never before has a group of Black leaders donated the funds to enable students across the country to view a film created by a Black director for free,” said Henry Louis Gates, professor of African American Studies at Harvard, in a statement. About 25 cities are on the list with more expected to be announced this week. (As of earlier this week, Miami, Orlando and Sarasota were the Florida cities on the list.) The efforts are being fueled by the success of a program in New York City, in which 27 African-Amer-

Only ID needed

ican business leaders created a fund for 27,000 of the city’s seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students to gain free admission to the movie. Due to the overwhelming demand, the New York City initiative sold out in the very first weekend and was expanded to 75,000 tickets.

Tumultuous period Leaders of the movement said they felt compelled to share the inspiring, historical movie with the younger generation. “Selma” chronicles a critical moment in the Civil Rights Movement – the tumultuous three-month period in 1965 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led other activists in a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights for AfricanAmericans. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., during which demonstrators risked their lives, culminated in President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the monumental Voting Rights Act of 1965.

ATSUSHI NISHIJIMA/PARAMOUNT PICTURES

From left, Colman Domingo plays Ralph Abernathy, David Oyelowo is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Andre Holland plays Andrew Young, and Stephan James stars as John Lewis in “Selma.’’

Educational opportunity “The chance to share a film, which has so poignantly captured a pivotal moment in our history has struck a deep chord within the African-American business community and resonated so profoundly across the country that

a simple idea has become a national movement,” said Tony Coles, former CEO of Onyx Pharmaceuticals in a statement. “We are gratified that generous donors across the country see the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our youth.” Added Frederick O. Terrell, vice chairman of Cred-

it Suisse, “I think the overwhelming response to our ‘Selma’ initiative across the country has been a reminder to all of us of the power of a simple idea and the collective power of communities. Buying tickets for our children to see this wonderful film is an opportunity for greater awareness and education.”

Lifetime’s ‘Whitney’ garners 11.8 million viewers Houston’s estate blasts Bassett and network EURWEB.COM

The evening of Jan. 17 was a good night for Lifetime as the network’s Whitney Houston biopic garnered very strong ratings. According to Nielsen Fast Cable Ratings, 11.8 million total viewers tuned in to “Whitney” as well as the two hour-long specials that followed its premiere, “Bobby Brown: Remembering Whitney” and “Whitney Houston Live:

Her Greatest Performances.” Regarding “Whitney,” 4.5 million total viewers were attracted to the film, giving Lifetime its most-watched telecast across all key demographics since “Flowers in the Attic” last January. In addition, theYBF.com noted that reaction on social media was present as “Whitney” became the most tweeted-about program for the day and Lifetime’s second most tweeted-about program ever. The film’s star Yaya DaCosta took to Twitter to thank fans and critics for their support of “Whitney.”

Pat Houston responds While DaCosta’s appreciation was noticeable, so was the Whitney Houston estate’s reaction. Prior to the film’s airing, the estate’s president, Pat Houston, slammed Lifetime and “Whitney” director Angela Bassett. “I say this to all Whitney’s family, friends and fan base: If you watch this movie, watch it knowing that Lifetime is notorious for making bad biopics of deceased celebrities and brace yourself for the worst. You should not be surprised that some-

one decided to do a made for TV biopic. And, I might add, without the family’s blessing and despite her mother’s request to not do this movie. It happens every day,” Houston stated. “But misrepresenting the term friendship to advance an agenda is not only disrespectful and dishonest but a slap in the face to her true and loyal friends. You should expect people will always rise to the occasion for prominence and profit – not love, respect or honor. I question the morality of the making of this because of the lack of experience knowing Whit-

In most of the cities, seventh-, eighth- and ninthgrade students need only present a current student ID or report card at the box office of any participating theater to receive free admission while tickets last. Toni Cook Bush and DeDe Lea, executives at News Corp. and Viacom, respectively, are leading the fundraising efforts in Washington, D.C. “It’s an honor to contribute to such a worthwhile cause,” said Bush. “I am certain that our students in Washington will find hope and encouragement in [this] film and will leave the theater better for it.” To help get the word out about the program, tweet using the hashtag: #SelmaForStudents. For a list of theaters in select cities offering free admission to students during this program and for information on group sales, visit www.SelmaMovie.com/ studenttickets.

This story is special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper.

Yaya Dacosta stars as Whitney Houston and Arlen Escarpeta is Bobby Brown in the Lifetime film. ney’s life. “Never would Whitney allow her story to be told by an inexperienced team and how naive of anyone to think otherwise, unless you’re caught up in illu-

sions of grandeur that you can just do anything and people will accept it. This made for TV movie is certainly not a trailer to Whitney’s life story.’’

FOOD

FAMILY FEATURES

As your winter schedule is sure to be packed with gatherings that bring family and friends closer, have plenty of treats that are gentle on the waist and wallet. Sweet, spicy, salty or with an Asian twist — any way you pop it — popcorn is a satisfying snack suitable for every chilly weather occasion. Whether you’re hosting a game-day party or simply enjoying a family movie night, popcorn’s wholesome taste can take on a variety of flavors to please every guest. Plus, popcorn snacks are healthy and whole grain, which means they’re a more nutritious alternative to traditional party nibbles and noshes. Cuddle up to these recipes and more by visiting www.popcorn.org. SWEET AND SALTY POPCORN PARTY MIX Yield: 14 cups 10 cups popped popcorn 2 cups miniature pretzel twists (or another small pretzel shape) 1 cup pecans 1 cup peanuts 2 cups rice, wheat or corn cereal squares 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Preheat oven to 300°F. Place popcorn, pretzels, pecans, peanuts and cereal in very large bowl; set aside. Heat butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in medium saucepan. Stir mixture over medium heat until it begins to boil. Boil 3 minutes without stirring. Remove

JANUARY 23 – JANUARY 29, 2015

from heat and stir in baking soda (mixture will foam). Pour syrup over popcorn mixture in bowl and stir until evenly coated. Pour mixture onto large, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Bake 30 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. Stir mixture a few times as it cools on baking sheet. Store in airtight container. ASIAN POPCORN MEDLEY Yield: 8 cups 6 cups popped popcorn 2 cups Oriental rice cracker mix 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2–1 teaspoon ground ginger (may vary to taste) 1/4–1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (may vary to taste) Preheat oven to 300°F. Mix popcorn and rice cracker mix together in large bowl. In small microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter on high until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in soy sauce, ginger and oil. Drizzle over popcorn mixture; toss. Spread mixture on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once. Allow to cool, serve or store in airtight container. CINNAMON CHOCOLATE POPCORN Yield: 3 quarts 3 quarts popped popcorn Butter-flavored cooking spray 9 tablespoons powdered cocoa mix (cocoa sweetened with sugar or sugar substitute) 3 teaspoons cinnamon Put popcorn in large bowl and lightly spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle cocoa mix and cinnamon on popcorn. Toss to coat evenly. Spray and toss again until mixture is well coated. Serve immediately.

Sweet and Salty Popcorn Party Mix BLAZING BUFFALO RANCH POPCORN Yield: 6 quarts, plus leftover seasoning mix 1 tablespoon ranch dressing or dip mix (from 1-ounce package) 1 tablespoon seafood spice mix (or celery salt) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon powdered sugar (or sugar) 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil 6 quarts popped popcorn Cooking spray, optional In small bowl, blend ranch dressing mix, spice mix, garlic powder, powdered sugar and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle with vegetable oil and blend until well incorporated. Place popcorn in serving bowl and spray lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle seasoning mix over popcorn to taste and

toss. Store leftover seasoning mix in airtight container for future use. COCONUT-GINGER POPCORN TRUFFLES Yield: 3 dozen truffles 5 cups air-popped popcorn 2 cups miniature marshmallows 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter 1/2 cup shredded coconut 3 tablespoons candied ginger, minced Cooking spray 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate 1 teaspoon coconut oil or butter Place popcorn in large bowl. Place marshmallows and 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until melted; remove from heat. Stir in shredded coconut and candied ginger. Mix well.

Spray hands with cooking spray, then scoop up 1 tablespoon of popcorn mixture. Roll mixture with hands to form ball. Place ball on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Repeat to make 36 balls. Place chocolate in small, microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high for one minute, until melted. If not completely melted, microwave for another 15 seconds and stir again. Stir 1 teaspoon coconut oil into melted chocolate. Place chocolate in zipper-style plastic bag and seal. Snip off tiny corner of bag. Pipe chocolate on popcorn balls in decorative pattern. Garnish with extra shredded coconut and extra minced candied ginger, if desired. Place truffles in cool place until chocolate is set.

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