Florida Courier - April 29, 2016

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PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTONA BEACH, FL PERMIT #189

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CELEBRATING OUR 10TH YEAR STATEWIDE!

PRINCE: HIS LIFE, CHURCH, MUSIC AND LEGACY See pages B4 and B5 www.flcourier.com

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

VOLUME 24 NO. 18

THEIR JOURNEY TOWARD JUSTICE BEGINS The case of plainclothes police officer Nouman Raja, who killed church musician Corey Jones, will go to a grand jury.

BY ANDY REID, KATE JACOBSON AND RAFAEL OLMEDA SUN SENTINEL / TNS

WEST PALM BEACH – Prosecutors announced Wednesday that the police shooting of Corey Jones beside his disabled SUV along Interstate 95 last October will go to a grand jury.

Jones, 31, a Delray Beach housing inspector and drummer who lived in Boynton Beach, was shot and killed by plainclothes Palm Beach Gardens police officer Nouman Raja.

The shooting was among the cases of young Black men killed

Corrine Brown appeals to U.S. Supreme Court

BY BRANDON LARRABEE THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

No details Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg on Wednesday did not offer many details about his office’s decision to send the case to the grand jury, except to say that he was following a protocol for the handling of police shootings.

A close-out memorandum would have been written and released if a decision had been made not to prosecute, Aronberg

said. But unresolved issues remain that need to be decided by the grand jury, which will determine whether to hand up an indictment for Raja.

Family disappointed Some members of Jones’ family, including his grandfather and uncle, said Wednesday they are disappointed Aronberg opted to send the case to a grand jury instead of pushing an indictment forward himself. Jones’ relatives spoke to the news media Wednesday outside Palm Beach Gardens City Hall.

See JOURNEY, Page A2

MIKE STOCKER/SUN SENTINEL/TNS

Clinton Jones Sr., and his wife, Kattie Jones, walked up to the casket of their son, Corey Jones, at his homegoing service in October 2015.

FLORIDA COURIER / 10TH STATEWIDE ANNIVERSARY

Parole and ‘partying with a purpose’ PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL

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TALLAHASSEE – When the Florida Supreme Court considered a dramatic change to the shape of Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown’s district last year, she promised to “go all the way to the United States Supreme Court” if necessary to preserve her electoral territory.

Brown has made good on her promise. On Monday, the 12-term congresswoman appealed to the nation’s highest court in an effort to unwind a plan to rotate her district from a northsouth orientation Corrine that includes her Brown power bases of Jacksonville and Orlando to an east-west seat that stretches from Jacksonville to Gadsden County, carving up Tallahassee along the way.

by officers that have sparked a public outcry, helping thrust the incident into the national spotlight.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTONA BEACH, FL PERMIT #189

Lena Horne refused to be ‘imitation of a White woman’ B1

Poll shows young adults have trouble achieving independence A6

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MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2010

VOLUME 18 NO. 21

‘CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT’

District upheld Brown’s move came about a week after a three-judge panel based in Tallahassee upheld the new redistricting plan, ordered by the Florida Supreme Court last year in a landmark decision about a voter-approved ban on congressional gerrymandering. Brown has contended that the new map will not give African-American voters a chance to elect a candidate of their choice – something denied by supporters of the plan.

The brief notice of appeal does not include reasons for the decision to go the U.S. Supreme Court. Brown has so far been coy about her legal strategy, saying only that she was considering See BROWN, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

From homeless to motivational speakers OBITUARY | B4

Soul singer Billy Paul dies at 81 NATION | A6

A split U.S. Supreme Court decision may give new life to young Black men who were sentenced, as boys, to life without parole.

BY CHARLES W. CHERRY II FLORIDA COURIER

I

f most Floridians were asked to name the criminal justice system that has the highest rate of incarcerating children, many would name former President George W. Bush’s “axis of evil”: North Korea, Iran, or Iraq.

Some would probably name Afghanistan or maybe even China. A few might designate so-called “failed states” like Somalia and Sudan.

Only a few would name the United States; probably no one would name Florida.

Worldwide exception

Mostly Black males

According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, the United States is the only country in the world that currently sentences youth to life without parole for committing crimes.

More than 135 countries have abolished the life without parole sentence for children, even when they commit homicides.

There are more than 2,500 youthful offenders serving life without parole in the United States – most for committing a homicide.

In the rest of the world, there are none. Zero.

There are 129 people in America who are serving life without parole for a nonhomicide crime they committed as a child. Seventy-seven of them were sentenced in and are incarcerated in Florida. The other 52 are imprisoned among 10 other states and in the federal system.

Of the 77 locked up here in the Sunshine State, a review of records submitted to the Florida Courier from the Florida Department of Corrections indicates that 76 are Black males.

‘TOM JOYNER MORNING SHOW’/FANTASTIC VOYAGE 2010

‘Coming to America’ on the high seas On “Nubian Night,” J. Anthony Brown, left, was Arsenio Hall’s character “Semmi” while Tom Joyner was Eddie Murphy’s “Prince Akeem,” from the 1988 movie.

Read Florida Courier coverage of the cruise on Pages B4 and B5.

Terrance Graham of Jacksonville was 16 when he committed armed burglary

Please see CRUEL, Page A2

Kendrick Meek’s Senate race is now a dogfight Palm Beach billionaire is main opponent

BY ANTHONY MAN SUN SENTINEL/MCT

SNAPSHOTS

EDITORIALS | A5

Commentators weigh in on Kagan nomination

FINEST | B5

FLORIDA | A3

Meet Natalie Giddens

Graham’s story

and another crime. Graham had a horrific upbringing as the son of crack cocaine addicts. Under a plea agreement, a Jacksonville-area judge gave him a break. Graham was sentenced to probation and the judge withheld adjudication of guilt, meaning Graham did not have a criminal conviction.

Graham later took part in an armed burglary of a home. The same judge found that Graham had violated the terms of his probation, adjudicated Graham guilty of the earlier charges, revoked his probation, criticized Graham for choosing a life of crime, and sentenced him to life in prison for the

Governor has 45 bills awaiting his signature

READ IT ONLINE www.flcourier.com

For months, Kendrick Meek was sailing toward an all-but-certain victory in Florida’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate while the Republican candidates chewed each other up.

Now it’s the Democrats’ turn for turmoil.

Meek, a Miami congressman, is no longer seen as the sure winner of the Aug. 24 primary. Palm Beach billionaire Jeff Greene jumped into the race just before the April 30 qualifying deadline, jolting Meek and the party’s political establishment.

Spending his own money With the ability to vastly outspend Meek, Greene has the ability to quickly build up his own profile and tear down his opponent. This week, Greene launched a

ROBERT MAYER/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL/MCT

Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton applauded U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and his mother, former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek, in Miami in 2007. statewide TV advertising campaign – including ads in the expensive MiamiFort Lauderdale television market – in which he tars Meek with what may be the 2010 kiss of political death: “career politician.”

“In Democratic primaries, I never assume anything. We’ve learned that a long time ago, haven’t we?

We all assumed Hillary Clinton was ahead by 40 points at one point,” said Palm Beach County Commission

Chairman Burt Aaronson, who sees Greene and Meek as “formidable.”

The names of former sixterm Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre and Naples resident Glenn Burkett will also be on the Democratic primary ballot, but they’re hardly seen as real contenders.

The real fight is between Meek and Greene – and they’re already slugging, issuing statements See MEEK, Page A2

EDITORIAL | CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4

ALSO INSIDE HEALTH | TASK FORCE PUSHING TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE CHILDHOOD OBESITY BY 2030 | B3

Understanding the chase for delegates ENTERTAINMENT | B1

Ross wows crowd at Tom Joyner Foundation cruise party

ALSO INSIDE

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

‘Disproportionate Minority Contact’ – Of the 77 juvenile offenders serving life without parole for a non-homicide offense in Florida, 76 are Black males.

Six years ago, the Florida Courier covered the “Tom Joyner Morning Show’s” annual Fantastic Voyage – which set sail from Miami again last week – as well as a U.S. Supreme Court case that gave hope to juvenile offender who were serving life sentences without parole.

Black newspapers say ‘no’ Few making presidential endorsements

BY ERICK JOHNSON THE CHICAGO CRUSADER VIA GEORGE CURRY MEDIA

Forget it, Hillary. Sorry, Bernie.

When the time came for the Florida Courier to endorse either candidate, the edgy Black newspaper dropped a bombshell with a large headline just five days before the crucial primary elections in the Sunshine State.

“NONE OF THE ABOVE,” the headline read in caps.

It was a much different response nearly 1,000 miles away at the historic New York Amsterdam News. The newspaper’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton drew numerous praises and racked up nearly 47,000 likes on Facebook as of April 11.

It’s a testament to the enduring power of the Black Press, particularly, Black newspapers. But in the past decade, their influence has been challenged by other mediums, changing times, and attitudes among a new generation of voters.

For Clinton, the endorsement was her latest coup d’état to win Black voters in New York, where they helped her seal her Democratic nomination for president. On Tuesday, April 19, she deflated the momentum of her opponent Bernie Sanders, who in previous weeks swept the primaries in Wisconsin, Wyoming, Washington and Hawaii.

Despite Sanders’ momentum, the 107-year old New York Amsterdam News stood behind the former first lady and secretary of state.

Not playing favorites In light of escalating racial problems around the nation, many of the nation’s major Black newspapers are not endorsing any presidential candidate this election season, according to a survey by The Chicago Crusader. Many are also not endorsing candidates running for local, state and congressional offices.

Some cite longstanding editorial polices that prohibit endorsements during primary elections. Other Black newspapers are cutting their support to express their disappointment with the political establishment.

Out of 26 major Black newspapers surveyed by the Crusader, 19 publications are not endorsing any candidate this year. Only seven have blessed Clinton or any candidate with an endorsement. In addition to the New York Amsterdam News, they include the Jacksonville Advocate, the Michigan Chronicle, and the St. Louis American. All of the papers endorsed Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Three in Chicago In Chicago, Clinton bagged enSee PAPERS, Page A2

COMMENTARY: BRUCE A. DIXON: WILL BERNIE’S BURNOUT LEAD TO A NEW MOVEMENT? | A4 COMMENTARY: RAYNARD JACKSON: TRADITIONAL VALUES POPULAR IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY | A5

FOCUS

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APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

‘Beast’ bankers are still beastly The Gantt Report “Cat Columns” are probably the most read, most remembered, and most copied and forwarded editorial columns that I have written.

However, I take more pride in the fact that, long before it was popular in the so-called “major media,” I talked about and wrote about how modern-day moneychangers and their greed would devastate the world’s economy in my “Beast Bankers” columns!

Focused on ‘redlining’ My early focus, years and years ago, concerned “redlining” by financial institutions. Redlining is the practice of denying services, either directly or through selectively raising prices, to residents of certain areas based on the racial or ethnic makeups of those areas.

The term was coined in the late 1960s by John McKnight, a sociologist and community activist. It refers to the practice of marking a

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

red line on a map to delineate the area where banks would not invest. Later, the term was applied to discrimination against a particular group of people (usually by race or sex), irrespective of geography.

Some of the most famous examples of redlining include denying financial services such as banking or insurance, or other services such as health care or even supermarkets.

Still suffering Today, almost 70 years later, redlining not only continues to exist. It has expanded!

I don’t care where Black people live. The cities, towns, villages and neighborhoods where Af-

rican-Americans live, the bank lends less and the people are poorer!

It’s not just in Flint Mich., or Baltimore, Md. If you’re Black and live in a Black community anywhere, it will be very difficult for you to access capital or get a loan to finance a business, finance your children’s educations, or buy a home, for instance.

There are loans being made to develop or redevelop Overtown in Miami, Bankhead in Atlanta, Chicago’s Southside, or the Edgewood community in Jacksonville. But those loans are not going to the residents of those areas. They are going to urban neo-colonialists!

Not residents The people getting money to finance projects in predominately Black communities are not Black; nor do they live in those neighborhoods!

Banks don’t have to ask you if you are Black these days. African-Americans are so addicted to smart phones and social media that banks and other companies know more about you than you know about yourself.

Through the use or “cookies, “apps,” and other digital tools, banks know how much money

you have, where you spend it, and how you spend it. They use that information to target you – or shy away from you!

Yes, beast bankers are much bigger, more lucrative and, some say, too big to fail. The reason why they can get away with money murder is because they have an accomplice, a partner in crime, so to speak: the government that you love, and the politicians that you love, that do more to help beast bankers than they do to help the constituents and voters that they represent!

I could go on and on. But I won’t.

Only the truth The talk show hosts and opinion writers that win “awards,” and get paid huge sums to speak at colleges and professional associations, seldom, (if ever) talk or write about beast bankers, because the moneychangers wouldn’t like it – just like they didn’t like it in biblical days when Jesus threw them out of the temples.

But you know The Gantt Report will write the truth, whether the money changers like TGR or not!

Check this out. The world’s largest banks also run fairly secret operations where they make

PAPERS dorsements from the city’s three major Black newspapers, the Crusader, the Defender and the Citizen. The Chicago Crusader sister paper, the Gary Crusader, also endorses Clinton as that city prepares to hold their primary May 3.

Unlike other newspapers, the Chicago Crusader did not endorse Rahm Emanuel in his reelection campaign in 2014.

None of the Black newspapers surveyed endorsed Sanders, a candidate who has been supported by a host of Black celebrities, including Spike Lee, Kanye West, scholar Cornel West and former NAACP president Benjamin Jealous.

from A1

“People know what’s right.

People know what’s wrong,” said Jones’ grandfather, Sylvester Banks. “You know what happened to my grandson. It doesn’t take six months to figure out what’s wrong or right.”

Other relatives of Jones issued a statement through family attorney Benjamin Crump shortly after Aronberg’s announcement.

“While we are pleased to learn that the officer who senselessly killed our Corey will face a grand jury for his reckless act, we understand that nothing can bring back our son, brother and friend,” the statement read. “Our goal now as a family is to ensure that this never happens to another innocent citizen.”

Waiting for a tow Jones, who was driving home from a performance when his car broke down, was waiting for a tow truck just after 3 a.m. Oct. 18

Don’t worry about the new proposed Harriet Tubman $20 bill. Banks make far more money with “paper trades.”

Keep reading The Gantt Report and buying my books to learn all about the secrets of beast bankers!

Banks are not only “too big to fail.” They are big enough to do almost anything they want to do – especially to you!

Excerpts from Gantt columns are now posted every week on The Gantt Report’s Facebook page; become a fan.

Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. “Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook. Contact Lucius at www. allworldconsultants.net.

High Black turnout

Sending a message

JOURNEY

Secret cash

papers, which for the first time in their history, endorsed a Democratic candidate for the White House, including the 169-year old Chicago Tribune. Other conservative mainstream papers that traditionally support Republican candidates, declined to give any endorsements in 2008.

from A1

Among the Black newspapers that are not endorsing any candidates in this year’s primaries are the Philadelphia Tribune, the New Pittsburgh Courier, the Florida Courier, the Tri-State Defender, the Washington Informer, the Atlanta Voice, the Los Angeles Sentinel, the Indianapolis Recorder, the Carolina Peacemaker, the Charlotte Post, the Cleveland Call and Post, the Final Call, the Houston Forward Times, the LA Wave and the Richmond Free Press.

With racial and social issues boiling over in the Black community, Black newspapers editors are making tougher decisions about granting political endorsements. Many Black publishers and editors aim to send a message to candidates whose platforms do not offer any sound solutions to longstanding problems in the Black community.

One Black newspaper that’s not giving out presidential endorsements, the Tri-State Defender, made the evening newscast in Memphis when it decided not to support two opposing Black candidates for mayor last October. One failed to show up for an interview with the newspaper’s editorial board, while the

a hell of a lot more money than the eight or nine percent interest you think they are making on your savings accounts.

Those top banks make money “trades” that make them billions, billions and billions of dollars. They make these staggering profits even when no money – not even one penny – leaves the banks!

The Florida Courier’s decision not to recommend or endorse a presidential candidate in Florida’s recent primary election got national attention. other candidate did not impress the staff with his platform.

The Atlanta Voice said that it does not endorse political candidates, because of their editorial policy. The city’s mainstream daily newspaper, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, ended its practice of giving political endorsements in 2010 after complaints from its readers who didn’t want to be told how to vote.

Focus on local issues On its website, The Charlotte Post explained its decision to hold back on its endorsements.

“In a presidential election cycle, local elections are often overlooked. However, the people who earn out votes in the March 15 primary are the people who are the most responsible to local interests,” the statement reads.

In an unusual twist, rather than endorsing one Democratic presidential candidate, The Richmond Free Press in Virginia encouraged its readers to vote for either Clinton or Sanders.

when Raja approached, according to police.

Raja, 38, was not wearing a police uniform and was driving an unmarked police van when he stopped to investigate a potentially abandoned car, officials said.

Police say that as Raja approached, Jones pulled out a gun that he was licensed to carry and then Raja fired six shots, hitting Jones three times. Jones’ gun had not been fired, according to the State Attorney’s Office.

Attorneys for Jones’ family have maintained that Jones likely didn’t know that Raja was a police officer.

“Shouldn’t have happened” Also present at the Jones’ family news conference were community leaders and members of the Banks’ Boynton Beach church. Palm Beach Gardens Police Chief Stephen Stepp also spoke at the news conference, saying that while the department has not been involved in any of the investigations into Jones’ death, they support his family.

‘No more’ On March 10, The Florida Courier explained why the newspapers refused to back any political candidate this year.

“Too often, we as Black people allow ourselves and our services to be devalued because we have become so used to working with little, and making something out of nothing. No more,” the editorial read. “Effective immediately, we will not consider... candidates for endorsements who do not use Black-owned media outlets to seriously solicit votes from Florida’s Black communities.”

This wasn’t the first time The Florida Courier withheld its endorsement. The newspaper also made headlines when it decided not to endorse the Democratic candidate Charlie Crist or incumbent Florida governor and eventual winner, Republican Rick Scott.

Clinton meets with board The New York Amsterdam

“The death of Corey Jones shouldn’t have happened that night,” he said. “While we await the facts of the investigation, we are not sitting idle.”

He pointed to new policies put in place late last year banning all undercover officers from engaging in traffic stops without a backup marked car. The department also started using body cameras as a result of Jones’ death.

“We cannot bring Corey back,” Stepp said. “But we can use his death as a catalyst for positive change.”

Officer fired Raja, who had been working for the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department for less than a year, was fired in November while he was still in his probationary period for a new hire.

The State Attorney’s Office, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and FBI have all been involved in the investigation into Jones’ death.

More than 230 potential witnesses from 30 states and three countries were interviewed during the inquiry, Aronberg said.

News also takes its endorsements seriously. Weeks before making its decision to endorse Clinton, an editorial staff member told a Crusader reporter, “We are not endorsing Hillary or anyone until they come in and meet with our editorial board.”

Though many Black newspapers are not making any endorsements, most publications are maintaining their traditional advocacy roles as Black journalists.

Many are providing favorable and expanded coverage of Clinton’s campaign promises to help Blacks gain more economic opportunities and boost funding to historically Black colleges. Black newspapers are also providing much ink to denounce Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

During Barack Obama’s campaign for president against John McCain in 2008, many Black newspapers threw their weight behind him to help become the nation’s first Black president. This support also came from some mainstream conservative news-

BROWN from A1

her options and would run in the 5th Congressional District regardless of the ultimate outcome of the case.

Redistricting cases like Brown’s go directly to the U.S. Supreme Court on appeal.

Brown has said she was “disappointed” with the decision by the three-judge panel, but her reaction has been muted compared to her previous statements whenever the district’s future was called into question.

Margin doesn’t matter Last week, the federal court rejected the argument by Brown and some of her constituents that the redrawn district – which President Obama won by more than 28 points in 2012 – would not give African-American voters an opportunity to decide the congressional election. That opportunity is a requirement of federal civil rights

In fueling Obama’s rise to the White House, Black voter turnout was the highest in U.S. history, surpassing White participation for the first time.

Historically, the Black Press has played a significant role in deciding presidential and political elections.

The once-mighty Pittsburgh Courier fueled President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s re-election bids after he made promises to desegregate the military prior to World War II. In Florida in 1984, The Miami Times pushed Black voters to the polls to oust then-Mayor Maurice Ferre, who fired the city’s first and only Black city manager, Howard Gary.

That was decades ago. Today, the influence of Black newspapers has been challenged as more Blacks use mainstream newspapers and other sources to examine and choose their political candidates.

Still sought Despite the competition, endorsements and editorial coverage from Black newspapers are still being sought out. During the campaign for the Illinois primary, Hilary Clinton, along with a handful of congressional, state and judicial candidates sought endorsements from Chicago ‘s Black newspapers.

To beef up her exposure, Clinton hired Delmarie Cobb, a Black seasoned public relations guru with strong ties to the city’s Black newspapers. As it turned out, Clinton swept Chicago’s heavy Black electorate along with a handful of White candidates who received endorsements from the city’s Black newspapers.

law and the anti-gerrymandering “Fair Districts” amendment backed by voters in 2010.

“Although the victory percentages may drop slightly from those in the north-south configuration, the evidence demonstrates that black-preferred candidates should generally continue to win east-west District 5 with about 60 percent of the vote,” said the opinion, signed by judges Robin Rosenbaum, Robert Hinkle and Mark Walker.

“And a win is a win, regardless of the margin of victory.”

The fallout of the decision has already been felt. Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Graham, whose neighboring 2nd Congressional District would become far more Republican under the redistricting plan, announced she will give up her seat to consider a run for governor in 2018. Al Lawson, a former Democratic leader in the state Senate from Tallahassee, has launched a primary challenge against Brown.

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

FLORIDA

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From homeless to motivational speakers Toastmasters club helping men with confidence and job-finding skills

BY KATE SANTICH ORLANDO SENTINEL TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

ORLANDO – It’s a Tuesday night at a chapel in Parramore, and 20-some men from a local homeless shelter file in for a meeting.

It opens with a prayer, a joke and a Word of the Day. “Onerous.” Use it in a sentence, and you get extra points.

One man is designated timekeeper, others will critique, and yet another will count the number of times a speaker uses the words “uh,” “er” or “um,” which are frowned upon.

This is not the world’s most nitpicky Bible study.

It’s a rare Toastmasters club, run out of the Orlando Union Rescue Mission in Orlando and filled with men who have faced poverty, addiction, prison time, abuse and just plain rotten luck.

‘Mission Possible’ They’ve named their group “Mission Possible.”

Only a handful like it exist across the country.

“Everything about this club runs counter to the perception of what a homeless person is,” says Teresa Loomis, an executive at Orlando Health who launched the group last fall. “A lot of these guys are smarter than your average bear. You just have to give them the chance to reveal

the gem hidden inside.”

Loomis met the men while volunteering at the mission a year ago and was impressed by their work ethic and character.

A former member of a Lake Nona Toastmasters club, she knew the international nonprofit – better known for business networking and honing corporate speaking skills – could bolster their job-interviewing potential and boost self-confidence. It could broaden their vocabularies, refine listening skills, improve time management and nurture intellectual curiosity.

Opened up She asked her employer to pitch in $2,000 for the dues, fees and materials she’d need to form an official club and enlisted a veteran Toastmaster to supervise. At the first meeting last October, 40 men showed up.

Loomis had no idea what to expect.

“I’m told that some of those guys, before they came to Toastmasters, basically sat in a corner and never opened their mouths,” she says. “But I’ve never seen a group so eager to participate, so dedicated to becoming part of something.”

Winning speech In six months, two of the men already have qualified for competition against 23 other Toastmasters clubs in Greater Orlando. And one – 52-year-old Ron Betts – has won his way to the district championships next month, where he’ll compete against

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS

A Toastmasters meeting is held at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission’s Moody Chapel on April 12 in Orlando. clubs from throughout the northern half of Florida, representing a collective 4,000 members.

His speech, “My Mess Has Become My Message,” is the stark, autobiographical journey of a 4-year-old kid whose aunt gave him alcohol and drugs in order to sexually abuse him.

If he wins there, he’ll go to Washington, D.C., to compete in the nationals.

“I only do it because I know there’s someone out there who went through something like I did, and if they can hear that and be inspired by it and motivated by it, I’m all for it,” he says. “My whole speech is about redemption.”

On to law school Betts, a compact, straight-shouldered man with a robust voice, once dabbled in Toastmasters in his former life, but only to boost his networking opportunities as a salesman. He was married then, but his tendency to numb

Ron Betts gives his award-winning speech during a Toastmasters meeting at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission’s Moody Chapel on April 12. himself to painful memories had grown into a rampant addiction to whatever drugs he could get his hands on.

While he managed to stay functional enough to continue working and even earn a bachelor’s degree in business, he unraveled when his wife divorced him.

He ate from garbage cans, smoked crack and lived on the streets. If he didn’t change, he knew, he’d likely die there, too.

Since staring down his personal demons, he has become sober, taken and passed the law-school entry exam and been accepted to the Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando, where he’ll start in August, still living at the mission. Toastmasters has been part of his recovery.

Each time he speaks, he says, he feels empowered.

Finding their voices Though the club mem-

bers give speeches on everything from politics to sports to science to faith, the real gift of Toastmasters is not the subject matter they learn. Nor is it their growing verbal dexterity — although that’s critical — or the chance to have someone genuinely listen to them after, perhaps, years of being ignored.

It’s about finding their own voices.

“I’m a very held-back, shy person,” says Johnny Donaldson, 31, who attended his first club meeting this month, eight weeks after arriving at the mission. “I stay to myself, and I know that has hindered me from getting a job at times.

But I don’t want to feel intimidated anymore.”

Job offers, charter Paul Bird, a 62-yearold Air Force veteran who spent much of his adult life struggling with alcoholism, understands the desire. When he first attend-

ed Toastmasters, he didn’t want to say anything.

“I didn’t recognize him,” says his niece, Elizabeth Lynn, who works at the mission. “I’d always known him as sort of the outgoing party guy. But since being a part of Toastmasters, he has this confidence now that our family hasn’t seen in quite some time. It’s like he has found himself.”

Bird has also gotten two job offers — extended by members of other clubs who heard him speak at a local competition.

Representatives from Toastmasters International joined the Mission Possible meeting on April 12 to award the club its official charter. The men served cake to celebrate the milestone and extended the club’s membership to the public – anyone 18 and older who wants to join.

“I want everybody to know about these guys,” Loomis says. “They could be great employees, great neighbors, great friends.”

California governor’s office mocks Scott’s trip there THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

California Gov. Jerry Brown’s office is sarcastically welcoming Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s upcoming business-recruitment trip to California.

“As one of the millions of tourists flocking to the Golden State this time of year, we’d like to extend a warm welcome to the governor,” Brown spokesman Evan Westrup said in a release Tuesday. “We can understand why he’s coming back – there’s lots to do and plenty to learn. In fact, since his last 2,000-mile cross-country jaunt, California has added twice as many jobs as Florida, while paying down debt, building a robust rainy day fund and taking bold action on issues Gov. Scott continues to ignore, like climate change and poverty.”

Scott, whose trip will start Sunday, visited Los Angeles last May as part of a series of economic-development missions that included trips to Connecticut, New York, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Asked if he was ignoring climate change and poverty by taking such trips, Scott told reporters Tuesday that he got elected on a campaign to get Florida back to work.

“We’re going to continue to recruit companies here, and I look forward to going out there,” Scott said.

Wage deal criticized On Monday, Enterprise Florida, the state’s business-recruitment arm, started running a radio ad in Los Angeles and San Francisco attacking a deal that will increase the minimum wage in California from $10 an hour to $15 an hour by 2022. Scott said

Jerry Brown

Rick Scott

Tuesday the minimum wage hike will hurt California’s economy.

“The way you get a wage increase is you have job openings, where people have a demand for labor,” Scott said. “People are moving here because they know they can get a job.”

Florida’s minimum wage is currently $8.05 an hour. Meanwhile Tuesday, state Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, criticized Enterprise Florida for spending money on the radio ad.

“Earlier this year, Enterprise Florida and Gov. Scott lost their legislative battle for increased funding and reduced oversight of the agency – but don’t appear to have gotten the message about streamlining the operation and ending the inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars,” Rodriguez said in a release. “It is outrageous that the agency would use public funds meant for economic development to run what sound like political ads in another state.”

EDITORIAL

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APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

Are Black people becoming obsolete?

Coalition-building is the best way for Black people to make the kind of progress we need to make in this country, especially when it comes to economic empowerment.

Some have posited that Black people are swiftly becoming obsolete. From the agricultural economy to the industrial and mass production economy, Black folks, in some cases, had it going on. Many individual Blacks did quite well with jobs and businesses in those areas. As we moved through the technology/ information economy and now into the knowledge-based economy, the rules for survival have changed.

Are Black people as a group becoming obsolete? Someone said, “All the shoes have been shined and all the cotton has been picked,” which suggests that Black people are no longer needed by White folks, therefore, if we do not change our ways when it comes to business and job development we will indeed become obsolete.

Time to wake up Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey spoke of a time when we would have to consider the question of Black obsolescence if we did not awaken from our deep sleep and refuse to be dependent upon the largess of others for our sustenance.

The strength we gain from coalescence will bring about this much-needed change, and one major step is to reach out and

JAMES CLINGMAN GEORGE CURRY MEDIA

connect with other likeminded people of African descent. This should be done on a national and an international level, the closest area being just south of our country – the Caribbean.

One of the greatest Africans in modern history was born in Jamaica. That would be Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA).

Look to the islands Look across the Caribbean and you will find other Blacks who knew and followed through on solutions. They took action rather than merely talk about their problems. They stood up against aggression, ignorance, and oppression. They understood and followed through on the value of educating their people, and they subscribed to the lessons their elders left behind.

Haitian history shows us strength and refusal to submit to enslavement; it also shows us resolve and a willingness to help others, as in the case of Haitian soldiers going to Savannah, Ga., to fight against the British in the siege of Savannah on Oct. 9, 1779, during the U.S. Revolutionary War. We also remember the irrepressible Toussaint L’Ouverture,

Will Bernie’s burnout lead to a new movement?

What’s going to happen when Bernie endorses Hillary Clinton?

A springtime blizzard of articles and Internet postings says some big fraction of Bernie’s activists and voters won’t work or vote for Hillary. But we all know what happens after springtime blizzards. The snow stops, the white stuff melts and the landscape changes.

When it does, Bernie will hand over his volunteer lists, fundraising, email and social media assets to Hillary. Most of Bernie’s activists will get out the vote for the Democratic nominee against the greater evil that is President Trump, and most of Bernie’s voters will follow.

But a minority, a significant number, will be disposed to do

BRUCE A. DIXON BLACK AGENDA REPORT

something else on Election Day, or to help build something afterward. What about them?

How to finance?

Most discussions of putting together a force outside and to the left of the Democratic Party dwell on the issues and the demographics, but fail to credibly explain how such a thing could be funded or to whom its leaders would be responsible.

Democrat and Republican

Community control can cure Chicago’s police lawlessness The absolute intransigence of the U.S. mass incarceration regime is most dramatically on display in Chicago, where Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s own special investigative task force has concluded that the “police have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color.”

‘Occupying army’ The report backs up that conclusion with a now-familiar recitation of statistics that show, by the numbers, the raw nature of the police as an occupying army that perceives that its mission is

GLEN FORD BLACK AGENDA REPORT

to stop, humiliate, frame, physically abuse, torture and kill Black and Brown people.

Seventy-four percent of the 404 people shot by the Chicago police last year were Black. Seventytwo percent of those stopped on the street, but who were not arrested, were Black. Three-quar-

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: CRUZ AND KASICH VS. TRUMP

Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and Henri Christophe – Haitians who led the only successful slave revolt in the western hemisphere.

Many Black people came to the United States from the Caribbean and brought with them the same spirit, the same dedication and drive, and the same resolute character that causes men and women to seek for themselves, as Richard Allen taught back in 1767. Our Caribbean brothers and sisters have come with the determination to do for self, to rely on self, to cooperate with one another, and build an economic system within their own ranks.

This article is written in an effort to celebrate our people and establish relationships that will engender cooperation among our people.

‘Organize!’

Marcus Garvey instructed us to do one thing prior to taking on economic empowerment initiatives. He told us to “Organize!”

He shared with us the truth about economic empowerment over political empowerment and how we should seek economics first.

He said, “The most important area for the exercise of independent effort is economic. After a people have established successfully a firm industrial foundation they naturally turn to politics and society, but not first to society and politics, because the two latter cannot exist without the former.”

Lessons from Garvey and others have led a precious few of us to implement strategies that, in

parties, politicians, and all but a tiny number of campaigns are funded by the generous – and more often anonymous –donations of wealthy corporations and individuals.

Take the big easy money and your donors will, directly or indirectly, determine your leadership. Don’t take the money and you’re broke, looking for new models of funding – new maybe leadership, too.

What about the hot new funding model: lots of small donations, reaped over the Internet?

To tell the truth, except for the Internet part this is an old model, not a new one. Religious congregations have long supported ministries and pastors, sometimes in opulent style, off the small donations of mostly poor people. But it’s the leaders and big donors – if they have any – who call the shots in these organizations, not the small donors.

Unaccountable leaders Moveon.org used to bill itself as an example of an outfit supported by tens of thousands of small donations, presumably ters of those singled out for tasering were Black, and the bulk of the remainder were Latino.

The task force was Mayor Emanuel’s response to demonstrations in protest of a massive cover-up of the police killing of Laquan McDonald, whose death in a hail of 16 bullets was caught on video that was hidden from public view for more than a year.

Since then, the killer cops have been gunning down Black folks like clockwork, including last week’s shooting of 16 year-old Pierre Loury after he ran away from a police stop. Witnesses say the cops high-fived each other over the dead boy’s body.

New chief picked Mayor Emanuel was forced to fire his police superintendent in the wake of the Laquan McDonald cover-up. This month, he passed over three candidates recommended by a police oversight board to pick Eddie Johnson, a

STEVE SACK, THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE

fact, will lead to economic empowerment. We need many more.

One such effort is the One Million Conscious Black Voters and Contributors (OMCBV&C), which was established on Garvey’s words, “The greatest weapon used against the Black man is disorganization.”

The OMCBV&C movement is underway, actively recruiting that critical mass of Black people who will take action rather than merely talk about problems. The One Million will leverage dollars and votes to obtain reciprocity in the marketplace as well as in the public policy arena.

Mutual support In the tradition of Marcus Garvey, the One Million is organized, cooperative, and supportive of one another. It is entrepreneurial in its philosophy regarding ownership and control of income producing assets.

The One Million is molded in the

Member-selected

Black 28-year veteran of the force, as the new superintendent.

Emanuel made it clear that Eddie Johnson’s first job is to restore the “morale” of his fellow officers, as if the main task is to keep the cops happy – instead of confronting the fact that they “have no regard for the sanctity” of Black lives.

The mayor thinks he can hide behind Eddie Johnson’s Black face – but those days are over.

Johnson’s record of service to the Chicago Police Department is a badge of shame, not honor.

He served as chief of patrol, commanding 8,000 of the very same officers that have compiled an unbroken record of lawlessness and contempt for civilian authority. Eddie Johnson would not have climbed so high in such a department if he were not himself a protector and champion of killer cops.

the issue of police terror to the forefront vow that they won’t settle for anything less than community control of police. They say democracy demands that “the people must be empowered to hold the police accountable for their crimes and misconduct,” the power to tell the police how they want their communities to be made safe and secure.

The present reality, in Chicago and throughout the United States, is that the police are an occupation army in the Black community. If there is to be peace, that army must be dismantled and disbanded.

Confrontational youth The young people that forced

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Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members

James E. Clingman is the nation’s most prolific writer on economic empowerment for Black people. His latest book, “Black Dollars Matter! Teach Your Dollars How To Make More Sense,” is available on his website, Blackonomics.com.

Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

from people of modest means.

But MoveOn’s leadership, like that of many organizations sustained by small donors, are a self-selected and self-perpetuating crew. Its thousands of small donors cannot choose or unchoose the leaders, cannot determine or change its policies – any more than small donors to the NAACP or the Sierra Club, both examples of places happy to take both large and small contributions.

When people discuss the formation of political movements outside the Democratic Party in this or any other season, they like to talk about ideas and policies, but not so much about how to guarantee some semblance of small “D” democratic leadership of these movements, with leadership responsible to members.

The answer pretty much suggests itself. If your funders will inevitably choose your movement’s leadership, and you need your leadership to be responsible to your rank and file members, then you need to have dues-paying members as your principal funders.

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.

very practical notion of using our own resources to help ourselves and our children. We are committed, dedicated, sacrificial in our giving, and unapologetically Black as we pursue our ultimate goals of economic and political strength – in that order.

Black people, no matter where we were born or where we live, must appreciate the fact that we started out in the same place and our differences emanate from our experiences in the nations where our ships docked in the Western Hemisphere.

Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Angela van Emmerik, Creative Director Chicago Jones, Eugene Leach, Louis Muhammad, Lisa Rogers-Cherry, Circulation Penny Dickerson, Staff Writer Duane Fernandez Sr., Kim Gibson, Photojournalists

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Membership funding, with an organization structured so that leaders are directly accountable, is the model we should be exploring. This is the way genuine left and socialist parties and movements for the last hundred years have funded their operations all over world – a fact not much taught to so-called community organizers here.

Until these old lessons about choosing internal democracy and membership funding over big donors and self-perpetuating leaders are re-learned, it’s hard to see how a new political movement left of the Democratic Party will ever take hold and grow.

Bruce Dixon is managing editor of BlackAgendaReport. com. Contact him at bruce. dixon@blackagendareport. com. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

Glen Ford is executive editor of BlackAgendaReport.com. Email him at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.

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APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

Traditional values are popular in the Black community What do these four people all have in common: Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry, II, better known as Steph Curry; Ayesha Alexander Curry; Carvin Haggins; and BriaMarie?

Yes, they are all involved in entertainment at the highest levels.

Yes, they all have achieved some measure of success within the industry. Yes, they are all Black. Yes, they are all Christians and yes, they are all Americans.

But I think the other things they have in common are infinitely more important.

All ignored They have never received a congratulatory phone call from President Obama for their courage to come out of the closet about their Christian faith. They have never been interviewed on MSNBC. They have never been cited

by Sen. Harry Reid or Rep. Nancy Pelosi for speaking up for those who don’t have a voice. They have never been invited by Michelle Obama to sit in her box during the State of the Union.

While these snubs should be worn as a badge of honor, it also points to the fact that Blacks who have committed to living a “values-based” life are quite often and intentionally ignored.

These four individuals are each in the public eye and are not hesitant to talk about their Christian faith as the key to them enjoying the level of success each of them has attained. By any standard, they have all proven to be model citizens, both publically and privately. They all live “PG” lifestyles.

But the real reason people like these are so often ignored in and by the media is because they are Black, heterosexual, American cit-

RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST

izens who are God-fearing Christians.

Met, married Stephen and Ayesha met at a church youth group in North Carolina. They were 15 and 14 respectively. They both attended Davidson College, and there they began dating. They married in July of 2011.

They asked their friends to forego getting them wedding presents, but instead to make a contribution to ThanksUSA, a charitable organization that provides college scholarships for the children of those serving in the military. Curry serves as their national spokesman.

Curry’s team, the Golden State Warriors, won the NBA championship this past June and Curry was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the NBA for 2015.

During his acceptance speech, Curry said, “First and foremost I have to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for blessing me with the talent to play this game…I do a little sign on the court every time I make a score or make a good pass, I pound on my chest and point to the sky; that symbolizes that I have a heart for God…and as a reminder of who I am playing for…People should know who I represent and why I am who I am and that’s because of my Lord and Savior.”

Even Curry’s line of basketball shoes with UnderArmour comes with a Bible verse on each pair for

#BringBackOurGirls lost in public consciousness Last week marked the second anniversary of the kidnapping of nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigeria, by the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram.

This kidnapping incited universal outrage that manifested in people – most notably celebrities like Rihanna, Madonna, and Michelle Obama – posting #BringBackOurGirls on their social media pages.

Yet you’d be hard-pressed to find any mention of these girls on those pages since then. Which is why it’s hardly surprising that this tragic anniversary passed for so many as if “the Chibok girls” never entered public consciousness.

Terrorist rampage Boko Haram has kidnapped many more schoolchildren (i.e. girls and boys) with nary a mention in mainstream or social media. In fact, having killed 20,000 and displaced 2.8 million across five regional countries, its unrelenting reign of terror is now preventing over 1 million Nigerian children from going to school.

On the one hand, parents are too afraid Boko Haram might kid-

ANTHONY L. HALL, ESQ. FLORIDA COURIER COLUMNIST

nap them. On the other hand, the Nigerian military has commandeered their schools to repurpose for the fight against these Islamic terrorists. Hence illiterate, traumatized kids now lie in wait to continue Nigeria’s never-ending conflicts for another generation.

That this anniversary garnered so little media coverage reflects not only the fecklessness of this fight, but also the disinterest in the schoolgirls’ plight.

Indeed, it speaks volumes that the media marked it primarily by sharing the forlorn pleas of Chibok mothers who are still wailing and wondering about the fate of their daughters. Sadly, we now know they were doomed from the night they were kidnapped.

According to a London Independent report, “Boko Haram is forcing and duping young women

Payday lending is ‘an abomination in plain sight’ Every once in a while, a congressional committee hearing can almost seem like a time to grab your popcorn and a seat to hear the exchanges and varying opinions.

On April 5, a U.S. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on consumer finance regulations became one such occasion. The session was convened to publicly “assess the effects of consumer finance regulations.”

Good or bad?

In plain English, it was a time to publicly debate whether the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) had been good or bad for the country, since opening operations in July 2011. The forum also hearkened back to many of the former supporters and opponents of proposals to reform Wall Street in the aftermath of the worst economic crisis since that of the 1930s.

CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER

Alabama’s Sen. Richard Shelby, chair of Senate Banking has consistently opposed the idea of creating an independent bureau with a director instead of a commission and a budget that would not be subject to the annual budgetary appropriations process.

“Because of the Bureau’s structure and the means by which it is financed, it remains one of the least accountable agencies in the federal government,” said Sen. Shelby in his opening remarks.

Conversely, Ohio’s Sen. Sherrod Brown, the committee’s ranking member, has just as vociferously supported financial reforms to shield consumers from further harms.

EDITORIAL

A5

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: PRINCE, 1958-2016

which he has come under some criticism a la former NFLer Tim Tebow. Curry’s wife is a successful actress, model, and a mom.

Writer, producer Carvin Haggins is a multiGrammy Award-winning songwriter/producer who has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Algebra, Justin Timberlake, Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Chris Brown, BriaMarie and Jazmine Sullivan, to name a few.

Haggins, who is also an ordained minister, has the audacity to think that he could write positive, uplifting songs and still have his music at the top of all the music charts. His record label, Ethical Music Entertainment, will only work with artists who are committed to living a “values-based” life.

BriaMarie is the first artist signed to Haggins label. Her inaugural CD, “Freshman,” was just released last year. She is a native of Columbia, Md., and a graduate of Temple University (with a 3.8 GPA). She has what I call “brains, beauty, and values (BBV).” She sings, writes, and plays several instruments, but most importantly, she is a Christian woman of virtue.

Her CD takes you on her journey through her metamorphosis from a caterpillar into a beautiful black butterfly. She was bullied most of her life; therefore, she has taken up this issue as one of her charitable initiatives. She travels across the country sharing with students her personal story of how she overcame the effects of bullying in her life.

DARIO CASTILLEJOS, EL IMPARCIAL DE MÉXICO

on the mainstream media to promote and highlight those of us who have chosen to live a values based life. The values-based community must do a much better job of highlighting those who are living examples of a values-based lifestyle.

The four people in this column are not exceptions to the rule, but rather they are the norm. The liberal media would have you believe that people like Beyoncé, Bruce Jenner, Michael Sam and Miley Cyrus are the norm. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In the Black community especially, these four people are our Not recognized norm. They represent our tradiPeople of faith cannot count tions and they live our values.

Politically, no one reaches out to this group and the liberal media wants to continue to perpetuate the myth that there are no valuesbased celebrities who are Black.

If you share the above values, I strongly encourage you to support all the projects these individuals are involved in. Only then can we take back our country.

into suicide missions for refusing find a single person who tweetto ‘marry’ members of the West ed #BringBackOurGirls, who can African Islamist militant group.” show that her concern for them extended beyond that tweet.

There’s clearly no vindication in ‘Fleeting’ outrage being so right about hashtag proI waited to mark this second anniversary to see if those in the van- tests in this case. It’s just that I was guard of the #BringBackOurGirls informed enough to know they campaign would belie my cyni- would do nothing to help.

Indeed, I am all too mindful that cism about the fleeting nature of other terrorist groups (like Al Shatheir viral outrage. They did not.

In fact, there is nothing new baab and Lords Resistance Army) about the lack of interest. For it are terrorizing just as many innowas already such that I marked the cent children across Africa. Milfirst anniversary by pooh-poohing lions of others seem fated to lives the self-flattering, self-serving and of chronic strife in war-plagued self-delusional hashtag posts it countries like Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. generated.

According to the NGO War I shan’t bore you with the sectarian and geopolitical reasons Child, 5.4 million people died, inNigerian authorities have failed to cluding 2.7 million children. This rescue them; or with the dispirit- explains why the New York Times ing fact that Boko Haram terrorists described the conflict in the DR have kidnapped hundreds more Congo as “The World’s Worst since then; or that they have kid- War.” The government and rebel forces signed a truce in mid-2013, napped almost as many boys.

The point now is that these but vast areas are still veritable rampaging Islamic terrorists are war zones.

The point is that media reports brazenly defying all boots-on-theground efforts to stop them, mak- or mentions about the killing of ing a mockery of patently feckless so many children in the DR Congo were few and far between. Alas, protests on social-media. civil conflicts, including “rape as a weapon of war,” have become so Accurate and cynical commonplace in Africa they don’t I am often accused of being too even incite viral outrage. cynical. But my accusers can never cite a single case where my cynAfrican solutions icism proved unwarranted.

Moreover, as I found with my necessary friends, you’d be hard-pressed to That said, decades of futility

and fecklessness have demonstrated that Western intervention would prove no more helpful than hashtag protests. In fact, the record of America’s intervention in the Middle East over the past decade is such that intervening in Africa would be tantamount to jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Therefore, no matter how heartrending this latest scourge, former Western patrons would do well to leave Nigeria and the other countries affected to their own devices.

“African Solutions to African Problems” is gaining currency as the new motto for African selfreliance. Cynics argue that this is just a Madison Avenue ploy to solicit more Western aid for the money pit Africa has become.

But if ever there were a cause to prove the cynics wrong, bringing back the Chibok girls is it. And given the growing number of “lost” girls and boys Boko Haram is leaving in its wake, it behooves Africans to do so – as soon as possible.

‘A success’

Raynard Jackson is founder and chairman of Black Americans for a Better Future (BAFBF), a federally registered Super PAC established to get more Blacks, especially entrepreneurs, involved in the Republican Party. For more information, visit www.bafbf.org.

Anthony L. Hall is a Bahamian native with an international law practice in Washington, D.C. Read his columns and daily weblog at www.theipinionsjournal.com.

lion. Lives turned upside down. ‘An insult’ “The CFPB has been a success,” Life savings washed away. $2.2 “Please allow me to be clear: stated Sen. Brown. “The agency trillion in lost property value, over The notion that struggling Amerihas taken strong actions in a num- half from communities of color.” cans need access to products like ber of consumer finance markets those the Bureau has been workthat previously had no federal Millions devastated ing so hard to address is an inAs this column has earlier re- sult to the basic dignity of every oversight, including credit reporting, debt collection, payday loans, ported, the families who lost their vulnerable person,” concluded student loan servicing, and auto homes to foreclosure since 2004 Rev. Gable. “The predatory pracfinance. The benefits of the CFPB were not the only victims of the tices CFPB is addressing siphon crisis.

Untold millions who lived are clear: its actions have resulted in $11.2 billion being returned to nearby foreclosed homes may off what little resources targethave kept theirs, but became up- ed persons have and leave them over 25 million consumers.”

The only hearing witness that side down on their mortgages, worse off. . . Uncontrolled predspoke in support of all that CF- owing more than the devalued atory lending practices will relegate some communities to a state PB has accomplished was Rev- homes are now worth.

The rippling effects of foreclo- of perpetual poverty.” erend Dr. Willie Gable, Jr., pastor “Now, when more than a milof New Orleans’ Progressive Bap- sures nationwide led to multitist Church and chair of the Hous- ple losses – jobs, businesses, in- lion families remain seriously being and Economic Development comes, and even local property hind on their mortgage payments Commission of the National Bap- taxes that support vital services and just under half a million more like police, fire and emergency are in some stage of foreclosure, it tist Convention, USA. He brought to the forum a bit of medical assistance. is not a time to move backwards “But other abuses continue to into the same failed and reckless Baptist cadence and truth-telling to the Capitol Hill committee, un- run rampant,” continued Rev. Ga- lending practices,” continued Calderscoring the damage that pred- ble. “Some may be more obscure houn. “Instead, we must continue atory lending continues to inflict. than mortgage lending, but they His perspective was also a signif- are ever powerful, ever destruc- to move forward to a more susicant one, representing the Na- tive...Payday lending is an abom- tained housing recovery that bentional Baptist Convention USA ination in plain sight. A debt trap efits consumers, lenders and investors alike.” with its 7,500,000 Baptist congre- by design.”

In his allotted five minutes, Rev. gants. It is the oldest and largest Charlene Crowell is the Comreligious convention in the na- Gable cited a litany of other lending ills: bank overdraft fees, dis- munications Manager for State tion.

“Twelve million families lost criminatory auto lending, law- Policy & Outreach with the Centheir homes as a result of the fi- breaking debt collectors, student ter for Responsible Lending. nancial crisis,” stated Rev. Gable’s debt and those who prey upon Contact her at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org. written testimony. “Twelve mil- the elderly.

NATION

TOJ A6

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

Understanding the chase for delegates Here’s a breakdown of the math and vocabulary of the presidential campaign.

BY MELANIE MASON LOS ANGELES TIMES TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

As the presidential primary race slogs on for both major parties, one thing has become increasingly clear: It’s not (just) about the voters.

Of course, candidates are chasing wins in the popular vote tallied in primary elections and caucuses. Just as crucially, though, they are seeking to rack up delegates to their party conventions, a related task that will determine the presidential nominees.

Understanding the delegate chase requires both vocabulary and math lessons.

Delegates are the party stalwarts, elected officials and grassroots activists who represent their respective states at the national conventions this summer and vote for a nominee.

Though the Republican race has garnered more attention, the Democrats’ process is a more straightforward place to start.

2,383 for Dems When Democrats convene in Philadelphia in July, 4,765 delegates will be present. The threshold for a majority is 2,383 delegates.

Democratic delegates are awarded proportionally in every state contest. For example, in the New York primary, Hillary Clinton won just short of 60 percent of the popular vote and received a corresponding 139 of the state’s 245 pledged delegates.

The former secretary of state and rival Bernie Sanders, a senator from Vermont, are vying for two types of delegates: pledged and superdelegates. Pledged delegates cast their vote according to how their state voted. Superdelegates – a collection of 712 party leaders, elected officials and other high-profile Democrats – are allowed to vote for whomever they like.

Superdelegates have been viewed with skepticism by some Democratic primary voters, particularly Sanders supporters, who fear the party establishment could tilt the nomination in Clinton’s favor and thwart the will of voters.

But some in the Sanders campaign have slowly come around on trying to use superdelegates to its advantage.

STACIE SCOTT/COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE/TNS

Clinton ahead

Delegates of the Colorado State Republican Assembly are shown at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., on April 9.

Campaign manager Jeff Weaver recently said on MSNBC that his team would “absolutely” focus on flipping superdelegates who back Clinton to capture the nomination.

Overall, Sanders trails Clinton with 1,189 pledged delegates and committed superdelegates, compared with her total of 1,930, according to projections by the Associated Press.

It’s a misconception that “superdelegates are some nefarious group that don’t pay attention to the voters,” said Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Since superdelegates were first used in 1984, “they have never yet turned aside the person who won the most votes in the primary,” said Kamarck, author of “Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know About How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates.”

is uniform, the Republican system is anything but.

“The Republican Party practices a fierce federalism, which basically means that every state can do whatever it wants and no two do the same thing,” said Ben Ginsberg, a Republican elections attorney.

At the GOP convention in Cleveland in mid-July, 2,472 delegates will attend; a nominee needs 1,237 delegates to clinch the majority.

The result is a patchwork of rules governing the relationship between delegate allocation and voting results; some states are winner-take-all while others award delegates based on results by congressional district.

Donald Trump leads with 845 delegates, and he insists he can reach 1,237 by the time of the final primary contests in June.

1,237 for GOP

Contested convention?

While the Democratic system

But the businessman’s rivals,

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich — who have 559 and 148 delegates, respectively — insist no one will clinch a majority before Cleveland.

“We’re heading to a contested convention,” Cruz said the day after losing the New York primary. “Nobody is able to reach 1,237 (delegates).”

Most delegates must vote according to the results of their state’s primary or caucus on the first round of voting at the national convention.

But if no candidate secures a majority on that first ballot, some delegates are no longer bound to their state’s popular vote on subsequent ballots.

Those delegates can then vote for whomever they choose.

That has put an intense focus on the individuals selected to serve as delegates — often through a separate process from the primary elections.

Switching’s possible Campaigns are seeking to secure delegate slots for their supporters, should the convention require multiple ballots, and courting other delegates who are not yet committed to a candidate.

“Seventy-three percent of delegates will be chosen on local level — conventions or state executive and central committees,” Ginsberg said. “That puts an incredible organizational burden on each campaign to be able to keep track of individual delegates.”

Cruz’s campaign has stood out for its sophisticated delegatetracking operation. In Georgia, for example, where Trump handily won the primary, Cruz loyalists have won delegate slots; while they must vote for Trump on the first ballot, they’re free to switch to Cruz after that.

FRI, APR. 29-SUN, MAY 1

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Moms-daughters graduating together from Edward Waters See page B2

SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

How to have a sweet Cinco de Mayo See page B6

|

WWW.FLCOURIER.COM

SECTION

B

S

Party

WITH A PURPOSE

LISA ROGERS-CHERRY/FLORIDA COURIER

The legendary Diana Ross performs aboard the Carnival Breeze on April 23 during the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage’s pre-cruise party at the Port of Miami. In the background, Joyner and other cruisers look on.

Diana Ross wows cruisers prior to Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage hadn’t set sail yet but the party had started almost as soon as the cruisers boarded the Carnival Breeze at the Port of Miami the afternoon of April 23.

The annual “Party with a Purpose,’’ hosted by the renowned radio personality and philanthropist, was set to sail for eight days with stops to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Grand Turk.

But not before a party at the port featuring the incomparable Diana Ross.

In a bright, flowy dress, the legendary performer wowed the crowd with some of her familiar songs such as “I’m Coming Out,’’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and “Touch Me in the Morning.’’

Eight-day cruise The music themed and empowerment cruise, which is presented by Ford, helps to support students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) – hence the theme “Party with a Purpose.’’

The Fantastic Voyage, which departed from Miami the evening of April 23 for an eight-day cruise, was to include plenty of concerts, empowering seminars, day parties and themed nights.

More than 3,000 passengers – cruisers and celebrities – were on board.

LaBelle among artists Artists scheduled to perform during the cruise included Patti LaBelle, Charlie Wilson, New Edition, Johnny Gill, An-

gie Stone, Jazmine Sullivan, Faith Evans, The BarKays, Con Funk Shun, Tony Terry, Glenn Jones, Michael Cooper, Jon B. Case, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, DJ Quick, Big Daddy Kane, Rob Base, Black Sheep, Dana Dane, Kwame, DJ Kool, Whodini, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Blue Magic featuring Ted Mills and Russell Thomkins Jr., and The New Stylistics.

Courier on board Lisa Rogers-Cherry attended the pre-party cruise on behalf of the Florida Courier.

She has years of experience as a Fantastic Voyage cruiser, and referred to it as a great time to enjoy incredible music in a relaxing environment.

It also was a busy time for her as she spent much of her time on board snapping hundreds of photographs for the Florida Courier and interviewing the celebs as well as numerous cruisers from all over the country.

“Even though we were only on board the Carnival Breeze for several hours, we met so many friendly and excited cruisers,’’ shared Lisa Cherry about the April 23 party at the Port of Miami.

“We met people from New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and Charlotte. Everybody seemed totally prepared for the most exhilarating, power-packed ‘Party with a Purpose.’

“The legendary singer-songwriter Diana Ross looked gorgeous and still sounds absolutely amazing.

Jaheim also made a special guest appearance,” Lisa added. “If you haven’t gone, I highly recommend going on the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage. You will not be disappointed.’’

For a glance at what’s happening on board, visit BlackAmericaWeb.com.

CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

R&B crooner Jaheim made a surprise appearance at the pre-cruise party.

Above: TV One and Radio One Founder Cathy Hughes strikes a pose with Lisa Rogers-Cherry.

Left: Actress and comedienne Kim Witley (white dress) was one of the celebs spotted on the cruise ship.

PHOTOS BY CHARLES W. CHERRY II/FLORIDA COURIER

CALENDAR

B2

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

STOJ

Pair of mom, daughters to graduate at same time from Edward Waters College SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Mother’s Day weekend will be extra special for four Edward Waters College students. After decades of putting higher education off, two separate mother-daughter pairs will be graduating together in the Class of 2016 with their Bachelors of Business Administration degrees.

The commencement ceremony will be held May 7 at 10 a.m. in the college’s Adams-Jenkins Sports and Music Complex.

Terrilyn Smith, Tarayla Slaughter, Joyce Truett and Tiffany Nealy are all enrolled in the CLIMB (Credentials for Leadership in Management and Business) program.

Accelerated program The accelerated Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Orga-

nizational Management is an 18-month program aimed at helping students who already have some college credits to earn their degrees.

Class is held once a week for three-four hours providing a flexible schedule for students who are already juggling work and families.

‘Never too late’ “I wanted to set an example for my daughter and let her know that it is never too late,” said Joyce Truett. Her daughter, Tiffany Nealy, will be receiving her college degree after 10 years of trying. Truett will finally get to walk across the stage after more than 30 years of first enrolling into college.

Tarayla Slaughter stated, “My favorite quote is

by Confucius, ‘It doesn’t matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

I know this will be an accomplishment that will improve both of our lives.”

Tarayla Slaughter, Terrilyn Smith, Joyce Truett and Tiffany Nealy will receive bachelor’s degrees on May 7 from Edward Waters College.

RICK ROSS

Catch the rapper on May 7 at Whiskey North in Tampa. The show starts at 9 p.m.

REGINA BELLE

The Women of Praise Mother’s Day Concert is May 8 at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables.

Performers will include Shirley Caesar, Vickie Winans, Regina Belle and Dorinda Clark-Cole.

FANTASIA

Anthony Hamilton and Fantasia will perform June 16 at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa. BET

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Miami: A Mother’s Day Experience with Kem and Kelly Price is May 8 at the James L. Knight Center.

Pompano Beach: The Eta Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity will present its annual Talent Hunt Competition at 3:30 p.m. May 1 at E. Pat Larkins Community Center, 520 NW Third St. Details: 954520-8691 or JWque6@aol.com.

Jacksonville: Catch Brian McKnight at the Florida Theatre Jacksonville on May 24.

Miami: The Ninth Annual Memorial Weekend Comedy Festival is May 29 at the James L. Knight Center featuring John Witherspoon, Earth-

quake and Kim Whitley.

Boca Raton: The Legends of the Old School concert takes place May 20 at the Mizner Park Amphitheater.

Performers include Bel Biv Devoe, Rob Base, Lisa Lisa, Tone Loc and Kid N Play.

Hollywood: Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan is scheduled May 21 at Hard Rock Live.

St. Augustine: Salt N Pepa performs May 21 at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. The show is at 7 p.m.

Hollywood: A May 10 concert will feature George Benson and Boney James at Hard Rock Live.

West Palm Beach: The Blind Boys of Alabama and Mavis Staples will be in concert May 4 at the Au-Rene

Theater at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale and the Kravis Center.

Orlando: Catch Floetry at the House of Blues Orlando on May 8.

Naples: The Collier County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will present a Red Shoe Fashion Show and Luncheon at noon May 21 at The Colosseum, 2059 E. Tamiami Trail. Tickets are $50. More information: Kimcartis@ gmail.com.

Longwood: The Central Florida Community Arts’ Community Choir and Symphony Orchestra will perform “A Night On the Red Carpet’’ May 12 and 13 at Northland Church, 530 Dog Track Road.

Tickets: http://cfcarts.com/events or call 407-937-1800 ext. 710.

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STOJ

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

HEALTH

B3

Cities exploring scars of childhood trauma A pioneering study of more than 17,000 people in the 1990s found 1 in 4 had been physically abused; 1 in 5, sexually abused; and 1 in 4 grew up in households with substance abuse.

BY SARAH VARNEY KAISER HEALTH NEWS TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

LOS ANGELES — Kimberly Cervantes has spent much of her young life learning to outwit the perils of Compton. At 19, she’s street smart and savvy, but Cervantes’ maturity was born out of a violent childhood.

In high school, she was assaulted on a public bus. In middle school, she witnessed the deaths of two students. Her mother and younger brother were once robbed at gunpoint at a convenience store. The steady exposure to violence has led Cervantes to some dark places — including crippling anxiety and thoughts of suicide.

“There’s so many people out there acting out,” she said. “Drug abusers on almost every corner.

It’s hard to maintain the whole happy-go lifestyle.”

Alters brain development In an unprecedented move, Cervantes and four other students are suing the Compton Unified School District, arguing that the trauma they have faced makes it difficult to learn and demanding that the district offer them additional support, in much the same way schools must accommodate students with autism, dyslexia and other disabilities.

Students who’ve suffered multiple traumatic incidents are six times more likely to have behavioral problems; five times more likely to skip school; and 2 ½ times more likely to repeat a grade.

Kathryn Eidmann, a staff attorney at Public Counsel in Los Angeles who is on the legal team representing the students, says researchers have shown that sustained stress alters brain development and, if ignored, trauma can derail academic achievement.

“Under federal anti-discrimination laws, schools have an obligation to take kids as they find them, to provide them the accommodations necessary, so that they have equal access to education,” Eidmann said.

“The children who have been

Can aspirin a day really keep heart attacks at bay?

BY ALLIE SHAH STAR TRIBUNE/TNS

The new federal health guidelines — which spells out by age and risk who is likely to benefit from taking an 81 milligram-pill a day — is clear and helpful, many doctors say.

“We’ve had a lot of patients who decided for whatever reason on their own to start taking aspirin,” said Dr. Rae Ann Williams, who specializes in internal medicine at HealthPartners’ Como Clinic in St. Paul. “This recommendation really helps us tailor that recommendation and have a much better conversation with patients about whether or not they are at high risk, and help guide them in their decisionmaking.”

Numerous studies have shown that taking a low-dose aspirin a day can prevent a heart attack or stroke, leading causes of death and disability in the United States.

But for some people, the risks associated with following a daily aspirin regimen — including stomach bleeding and allergic reactions to aspirin — may outweigh the benefits.

So how can you tell if you are a good candidate for daily aspirin use?

Federal advice Here’s what the new guidelines, developed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, ad-

IRFAN KHAN/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

A family on their way to school walk by the residence where a 1-year-old girl died in a shooting in Compton, Calif., on Feb. 10. injured, through no fault of their own, by these types of adverse experiences, need intervention and support from the schools in order to be able to learn.”

Plenty of ACEs In Los Angeles last October, Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled that the case could move ahead in federal court and signaled that the physical and mental consequences of trauma could trigger similar protections as other disabilities.

A shocking number of Americans experience abuse, neglect and violence during childhood.

A pioneering study of more than 17,000 people in the 1990s found 1 in 4 had been physically abused; 1 in 5, sexually abused; and 1 in 4 grew up in households with substance abuse.

Others witnessed domestic violence or had a parent die or go to prison.

These “adverse childhood experiences” — or “ACEs” — were found to predict a raft of health and social problems from adolescent pregnancy to depression and heart disease in adulthood.

And ACEs appeared to have a dose response: the more traumatic incidents a child experienced, the greater the risk of poor outcomes.

High in Memphis While cities across the country have begun to measure the prevalence of childhood trauma, local leaders in Memphis, Tennessee — a city marked by violence and racial strife — were stunned at the results of their own survey: 37 percent of adults in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis, during their youth had witnessed someone being shot or stabbed; 23 percent reported being emotionally abused; and 25 percent grew up amid drug addicts or alcoholics.

For Barbara Holden Nixon, a longtime social worker in Memphis and Shelby County, the solution for reducing childhood trauma needed to center on the next generation of Memphians.

“People say, ‘Where do we start?’” Nixon said. “And it’s an easy answer. We start at the beginning.”

‘What happened?’

While other groups focused on reducing gun violence in Memphis, Nixon decided to focus primarily on parenting to try to prevent trauma from the earliest ages. She founded the ACE Center Task Force of Shelby County, a who’s who of state and local government and community leaders.

Nixon turned to Robin KarrMorse, a Portland, Ore.-based national expert on childhood trauma who argues that parents who themselves suffered wrenching childhoods need help learning better ways to raise their children.

“We’re putting no blame on the parents. The whole idea is just the opposite,” Karr-Morse said.

“It’s not ‘What’s wrong with you?’

It’s ‘What happened to you?’

And, then, giving them tools to help offset whatever that is.”

Parental counseling Memphis has started by opening free drop-in centers called “Universal Parenting Places” that offer arts therapy, music classes and individual counseling for parents.

Kimberly Lawston sought help after a bitter divorce to explain the breakup to her children, but the counseling sessions led Lawston to reflect on her own childhood.

“My mother was a holler-er, and I didn’t want to be that way where you were afraid to come to me,” she said. She didn’t want her children to feel like they were “dumb or stupid. Your behavior may have been a bad at that point in time, but that doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.”

At the parenting center in Memphis, Lawston is learning alternative ways to parent and talk with her children. But she says her family has resisted the new approaches, often responding, “No, that’s not how we do it. We do it this way. There’s nothing wrong with us the way we raised you. You have to do what I say!”

Broken early Patrice Bibbs has been learning about how to use timeouts when her 2-year-old daughter is upset “instead of trying to spank them.” But her family, too, has been critical of her efforts.

“I’ve heard that I’m bourgeois, that I think I’m uppity because I’m trying to teach her something different and it’s not the norm for us,” Bibbs said. “But I just want something different for her that I didn’t have.”

Alicia Norman, principal of Perea Preschool in North Memphis, which is opening a new Universal Parenting Place later this year, says as the number of preschoolers being expelled shows interventions are urgently needed: “They’re angry. They are out of control, 3- and 4-year-olds.

And it breaks my heart to see that a child has been broken so early in life.”

vise: A daily low-dose aspirin is recommended for those adults 5059 whose life expectancy is at least a decade and who have a 10 percent or higher chance of a heart attack or other cardiovascular event. They also must have only an average risk for stomach bleeding.

Adults 60-69 with a similar risk profile are advised to consult their doctor about possible daily aspirin use.

Taking an aspirin daily was not recommended for adults younger than 50 or older than 69.

Public health campaign The new guidelines are precise, said Dr. Alan Hirsch, a cardiologist and University of Minnesota professor who is helping spearhead a statewide public health campaign called “Ask About Aspirin.”

“This is somewhat clearer and more data-driven than the previous ones,” he said referring to earlier recommendations. “This guideline creates a simple middle-age [50-59] range for which the green light and red light are clear.”

It also reinforces a central message of the campaign: Know your risk and talk to your doctor.

The campaign’s goal over the next five years is to support the state’s heart disease and stroke prevention plan by making sure federal recommendations on aspirin are easy to use, for patients and doctors alike.

“Just like immunization for kids and air bags, it’s easy to get lost in complexities of recommendations,” Hirsch said. “Prevention needs to be made easy.”

The Star Tribune is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

FOTOLIA/TNS

A nutritionist says lemon and water is a morning health boost.

Why drinking water with lemon is good for you

BY ALISON BOWEN CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS

If you’re looking for a morning health boost and can’t stand the taste of apple cider vinegar, try hot water with lemon.

Health experts say the acidity of the lemons improves digestion.

Lemons contain potent antioxidants, which can also protect against disease, says Dr. Jonny Bowden, a nutritionist and health author.

“It’s very alkalizing for the system,” said the Californiabased Bowden, whose books include “Smart Fat” and “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.”

Having a healthy alkaline balance helps fight germs.

Bowden calls himself a “nutrition myth buster” but said this is one myth he’s not busting, adding that “no one ever was harmed by drinking more water, especially first thing in the morning.”

Hot or cold?

This health tip doesn’t take much time to incorporate into your morning routine. Bowden recommends squeezing about half of a lemon into a cup of hot water, but you can decide on the amount of fresh lemon juice depending on your taste buds, he said.

As for hot versus cold water?

Both have the same health benefits, but hot water warms up the vocal cords and soothes the throat, says Bowden.

For an added boost, Bowden infuses his lemon water with small pieces of fresh ginger. He puts it in the fridge overnight and drinks it the next morning.

Drinking it in the morning helps get the digestive juices flowing, he said.

Acidic drinks can be hard on tooth enamel, so make sure to rinse with plain water right after drinking the lemon water.

Also, the Mayo Clinic recommends waiting 30 minutes before brushing your teeth after consuming an acidic drink.

B4

OBITUARIES

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

STOJ

At church, Prince was simply Brother Nelson The megastar embraced the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith and even proselytized his neighbors around his Paisley Park estate in the Minneapolis suburbs, who were sometimes shocked to find the star on their doorsteps.

TIMELINE OF PRINCE’S LIFE AND CAREER

BY MATT PEARCE LOS ANGELES TIMES TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

MINNETONKA, Minn. — This may have been the plainest room Prince spent time in as an adult.

Auditorium A in the Kingdom Hall of the St. Louis Park Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses doesn’t have a dance club or a recording studio.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses who meet in this small complex outside Minneapolis don’t even have any musical instruments except for a piano hidden in a closet that no one uses. The walls are various shades of beige. Nothing shines, and nothing is purple.

Nothing about it says “Prince.”

That’s because in Auditorium A, Prince Rogers Nelson was not known as Prince, the music megastar, but as Brother Nelson, the Jehovah’s Witness. Here, one of America’s greatest sex symbols didn’t arrive in spandex and stilettos but in conservative suits and ties. He was often hard to spot among the congregation of dozens unless you were looking right at him. And that wasn’t the only way he blended in.

RICHARD HARTOG/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Prince performs “Purple Rain” as the opening act during the Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2004 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. His adherence to the conservative Jehovah’s Witnesses faith — which opposes same-sex marriage and premarital sex —seemed paradoxical given his history as a gender-bending sex icon.

Bible and told the New Yorker, “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’”

No contradiction seemed to exist for the Jehovah’s Witnesses at the Kingdom Hall in Minnetonka last Sunday. Steve Smedberg, 63, said in an interview, “He believed the same thing the rest of us believed. I guess he was willing to let the Bible be his authority.”

‘Our brother’ Over the final decade of his life, Prince worshiped here because he was a fellow believer in the Jehovah’s Witness tenets: that Jesus was a savior but was lesser to God, that these are the final days of civilization, that the dead will be resurrected, and that the world will live under a global government lead by Jehovah, a Hebrew name for God. Among the St. Louis Park congregation, Prince wasn’t a celebrity but an equal in faith.

“He was accepted as our brother,” said congregant Josephine Parker, 74, on April 24 as the congregation gathered for its first meeting since Prince’s death.

“He wasn’t treated as maybe the world would treat him.”

Parker fondly remembered Prince as a gentle soul and a “mild spirit,” and his death on April 21 at age 57 broke her heart.

But, Parker said, “I look forward to the time we can welcome him back on the Earth.”

2001 conversion Prince was one of America’s most notoriously private celebrities, and few facts about his life were more beguiling than his conversion in 2001 to Jehovah’s Witnesses, a faith not recognized as Christian by Catholics and Protestants largely because Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe in the Holy Trinity.

Jehovah’s Witnesses call themselves Christians, and they admire Jesus, but they don’t venerate the cross and don’t celebrate Christmas or Easter — or birthdays. They don’t gather in churches but in Kingdom Halls.

They avoid political involvement and refuse to fight in wars.

‘A normal person’

Prince Rogers Nelson was a member of the Kingdom Hall of the St. Louis Park Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Minnesota.

Over the last week, some fans and acquaintances have wondered whether Prince’s religious beliefs may have even contributed to his death, because Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe in taking blood transfusions for scriptural reasons.

They do accept other medical treatments, however, and officials and people close to Prince have not released enough information about the singer’s health to substantiate any of those suspicions.

Knocked on doors Prince, who was raised as a Seventh-day Adventist, was converted — or at least helped along — by Larry Graham, the former bass player for Sly and the Family Stone.

“I don’t see it really as a conversion,” Prince told the New Yorker magazine in 2008. “More, you know, it’s a realization. It’s like Morpheus and Neo in ‘The Matrix.’ ” Prince embraced the faith and even proselytized his neighbors around his Paisley Park estate in the Minneapolis suburbs, who were sometimes shocked to find the star on their doorsteps.

‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ singer Billy Paul dies at 81 FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Renowned singer Billy Paul, whose “Me and Mrs. Jones, was one of the classic songs of the 1970s, died April 24 at age 81.

Paul’s manager Beverly Gay told NBC 10 Philadelphia that Paul, born Paul Williams, was diagnosed with panBilly creatic cancer Paul and had been hospitalized last week at Temple University Hospital. He passed away Sunday morning at his home in Blackwood, New Jersey, according to Gay.

“We would like to extend our most sincere condolences to his wife Blanche and family for their loss, as they and the world grieves the loss of another musical icon that helped pioneered today’s R&B music. Billy will be truly missed,’’ Gay added.

Performed with legends Paul was born Paul Williams on Dec. 1, 1934 and raised in North Philadelphia. As a boy, he was influenced by legendary female jazz singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and Billie Holiday. His singing career began when he was 11 years of age, and he joined several vocal groups in and around Philadelphia.

On the afternoon of Yom Kippur in 2003, a Jewish couple in Eden Prairie opened their door to discover the 5-foot-2 singer standing in front of them. Even though a Vikings football game was on, they invited him in.

“My first thought is, ‘Cool, cool, cool. He wants to use my house as a set. I’m glad! Demolish the whole thing! Start over!’” a woman who only gave her name as Rochelle told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

But Prince was there to proselytize them to become Jehovah’s Witnesses. “I said, ‘You know what? You’ve walked into a Jewish household, and this is not something I’m interested in,’” Rochelle told the newspaper.

Prince reportedly replied to her, “Can I finish?” He stayed for 25 minutes and left a pamphlet.

Biblical views Prince’s adherence to the particularly conservative faith — which opposes same-sex marriage and premarital sex — also seemed paradoxical given his history as a gender-bending sex icon.

When asked about his views on same-sex marriage and abortion in 2008, Prince tapped his

He then had opportunities to perform with some of his vocal heroes like Dinah Washington, and performed Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr., and Roberta Flack among several other notables.

In the early 1950s, Paul’s career was beginning to soar but he was drafted into the military in 1957.

During his tour in Germany, he was stationed with Elvis Presley and the son of actor Bing Crosby, Gary Crosby. Paul unsuccessfully tried to form a group with Presley and Crosby to get out of tough military tasks.

No dance routines After his discharge in 1959, Paul resumed his career and began crossing paths with rising groups of the time such as The Moonglows, featuring crooner Marvin Gaye.

The pair forged a long friendship after their initial encounter, although Paul regretted nev-

And in Auditorium A, Prince also seemed to have found a space in America where he might not be treated as some kind of deity. He arrived and left without fanfare at the group’s gatherings, which are called “meetings.”

He contributed to discussion but never put himself at the center of attention. He never performed for the congregation, but he sang along with the prerecorded religious hymns like everyone else.

“Jehovah’s Witnesses want to be average, normal people. That’s my goal in life, to be normal,” Smedberg said. “He seemed to want to be a normal person.”

March 23 appearance Prince often vanished from the congregation for long periods, apparently while he was traveling, and his fellow congregants didn’t seem to begrudge him, acknowledging the effect his musical gifts had on the broader world. They also said he apparently visited other Kingdom Halls when he was on the road.

The last time Prince was seen in Auditorium A was on the evening of March 23 for an annual memorial held to mark Jesus’ death.

Prince was wearing a suit and tie and had his Bible and songbook like everyone else, but he looked “pale and tired,” said Brian Steffen, a 69-year-old ministerial servant, the title given to selected men who undertake various operational duties in a Kingdom Hall.

er working on tunes with Gaye.

During this period, Paul also briefly starred with The Flamingos and was a stand-in for Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes but was fired because he didn’t want to do dance routines.

1972 fame His debut album, “Feelin’ Good At The Cadillac Club,’’ paid homage to one of North Philly’s famous performance venues.

The record wasn’t a success and was followed by two other releases with Philadelphia International Records honchos Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

It wasn’t until 1972’s “360 Degrees of Billy Paul’’ that the singer become a household name.

With the lead single “Me and Mrs. Jones,” Paul won a Grammy and sold two million copies. The song was the No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles chart and received a Grammy Award.

1958: Prince Rogers Nelson is born on June 7 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Mattie Shaw and John L. Nelson.

1976: He graduated from Minneapolis Central High School.

1977: At 18, he records the first of his 39 studio albums.

He released it a year later.

1982: He releases album “1999.”

1984: Prince releases “Purple Rain,” a soundtrack for a movie of the same name in which he starred. It sold 22 million copies and featured the No. 1 hit “When Doves Cry.” He recorded the album with his band, the Revolution, and won three Grammy Awards.

1985: Prince announces he would discontinue live performances and music videos after the release of “Around the World in a Day.” 1988: He releases “Lovesexy.”

1991: Prince starts the New Power Generation band.

1993: The singer changes his name to a symbol and records an album.

1994: Prince has a dispute about artistic control with Warner Bros., recording company.

1996: He marries 22-year-old Mayte Garcia on Valentine’s Day. They divorced in 2000.

2001: He marries 29-year-old Manuela Testolini. They divorce in 2006.

2004: Prince is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

2007: He performs at Super Bowl 46 at Miami. He is inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

2016: He dies on April 21 at his recording studio, Paisley Park in Chanhassen at age 57.

Usual meeting Eighty-two congregants, plus a few journalists, attended Sunday’s meeting after Prince’s death, where the primary topic of discussion was forgiveness and love. The group sang prerecorded songs with titles including “Loyally Submitting to Theocratic Order.”

They also took turns reading from and discussing “The Watchtower,” the faith’s official magazine.

Although Prince’s death had sent shock waves around the world, he was only briefly mentioned once at a gathering of people who actually knew him.

“Our brother, Prince Rogers Nelson, fell asleep in death last Thursday,” said an elder, Sean Barry. And that was it.

He was just another faithful congregant, said Karla Mack, 54.

“If he was here, he would be talking to you about the Bible and talking about Jehovah.”

But after the gathering broke up, Steffen, the ministerial servant, acknowledged the loss.

“I knew he was a genius at what he did,” Steffen said. “One time somebody came up to me after a meeting and said, ‘Brian, now you can say you sang with Prince.’”

Black Power song However, Paul lost momentum with the follow-up single, “Am I Black Enough For You?” which he didn’t think was a smart single to issue.

However, the song, full of Black Power pride and themes, stands today as one of the strongest records in Paul’s catalog. His career continued and he charted singles on the R&B and soul charts here and there before fading into relative obscurity. But years later, interest in Paul’s music was revived, and he enjoyed long tours around the world while his health permitted.

Along with his lone Grammy win, Paul has also won an American Music Award, an NAACP Image Award and several other honors across the nation.

Articles from BlackAmericaWeb.com and EURWEB were used in this report.

STOJ

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

submitted for your approval

B5

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.

Above: Beyonce’s “Lemonade’’ is being called an ode to Black womanhood. Featured are strong Black women, including tennis legend Serena Williams. The new album is billed as “a conceptual project based on every woman’s journey of self knowledge and healing.’’

COURTESY OF BEYONCE/INSTAGRAM

Right: It was surely a grand finale for Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant earlier this month. On April 13, Kobe’s last game before retirement, he scored 60 points in a 101-96 victory against the Utah Jazz.

WALLY SKALIJ/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Why the movie ‘Purple Rain’ matters

BY STEVEN REA PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Prince made one great rock movie, the semi-autobiographical star-is-born psychodrama “Purple Rain,” released in 1984 in tandem with the album.

Sure, the plot is corny, and sure, Prince is not exactly Laurence Olivier. But in the same way that the Beatles (and director Richard Lester) made “A Hard Day’s Night” into a rollicking film experience with an energy and urgency all its own, “Purple Rain” transcends its marketing mission.

The movie rocks, and not just because the music does.

In a weird way, “Purple Rain” (directed by Albert Magnoli, would go on to become Prince’s manager) defined its times — not just in the fashions, the music, the makeup, the hair, but in the hurt that Prince’s hero wears on his (puffy) sleeve, and in the sexual energy that drives the narrative.

“The Very Best of Prince’’ is the top-selling album this week on Billboard.

Prince music flies off shelves in the days after his death

BY ANGELA BRONNER HELM THE ROOT

Days after the tragic death of Prince at age 57, the pop legend’s music is predictably swelling in sales.

USA Today reported that on April 21, the day he was pronounced dead, Prince sold a total of 231,800 albums — a staggering jump from the 4,300 sold during the week preceding it.

His greatest-hits album, “The Very Best of Prince,’’ led the pack with a whopping 94,600 copies sold followed by “Purple Rain’’ (55,300), “The Hits / The BSides’’ (22,400), “1999’’ (11,600) and “Ultimate Prince’’ (9,000). ““The Very Best of Prince’’ took the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the Billboard 200 album chart this

week. It earned 179,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 21, up 10,872 percent compared to the previous week).

1.1 million songs sold Moreover, Prince reportedly sold 1.1 million songs on April 21, jumping from the 18,800 sold between April 15 and April 20, according to Buzzangle Music, a music sales tracking service.

The top of these songs include “Purple Rain” (125,800), “Little Red Corvette” (90,000), “Kiss” (86,400), “Let’s Go Crazy” (77,800) and “When Doves Cry” (66,500).

At the time of publication, Prince had 18 of the 20 top albums in Amazon’s digital music

store and 45 of the 50 best-selling songs. On iTunes, his royal badness holds 13 of the top 20 album slots and 17 of the 20 highestselling songs.

The Kid Prince would go on to star in and assume the directing duties on two more features – “Under the Cherry Moon” (1986) and

“Graffiti Bridge” (1990), a “Purple Rain” sequel of sorts — but it’s “Purple Rain” that matters most.

In it, Prince is the Kid, frontman for a Minneapolis band called The Revolution. He rides a big Honda bike, wears frilly blouses, dramatic scarves and toreador pants, his black hair in a giant pouf.

His family life is a mess: His father (Clarence Williams III) is an abusive tyrant, his mother (Olga Karlatos) a drunk, too afraid to leave. The Kid finds salvation on the stage, and thinks he’s found another kind of salvation in the arms of the beautiful Apollonia (Apollonia Kotero). He takes her for a ride into the country where she goes skinny dipping, and where he watches, happy and clothed.

Back on stage But the Kid and Apollonia’s romance is short-lived: A fellow musician, Morris Day of the band The Time (played by the real-life singer and band), lures Apollonia away for his new girl group, and when the Kid hears she’s leaving, he slaps her around. It’s a disturbing echo of the behavior the Kid’s father meted out back home.

Roaring, self-searching motorcycle rides are in order, and brooding pit stops in his dressing room, and then some thrashing, spinning, mesmerizing music back onstage. Which is where the Kid, and Prince, truly belonged.

Only on Tidal Because Prince reportedly owned all of his masters, this incredible surge in sales will add considerably to his estate. In life, he was a vehement activist when it came to artists’ rights and being fairly compensated. Presently, his catalog of albums is only available for streaming on Tidal.

USA Today reports that he withdrew his music from all streaming services (except for Tidal) last summer, and spoke out against Spotify, saying it was “co-owned by record labels.”

His 39th and final album, “HITnRUN Phase Two,’’ was released as a Tidal exclusive last December, before it went to iTunes in January.

Singer Apollonia Kotero starred with Prince in “Purple Rain.’’

B6

FOOD

APRIL 29 – MAY 5, 2016

S

Six global spreads for sweet corn 1. North America: Maple Bourbon Butter — Combine one stick butter, 4 teaspoons bourbon, 2 teaspoons maple syrup and pinch of salt.

2. South America: LimeAvocado Crema — In a blend­ er, combine one avocado, 1/4 cup lime juice, one garlic clove, 1/2 bunch cilantro, 1/2 cup sour cream and pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Add water if necessary.

3. Europe: Combine 2 ounces goat cheese, 2 table­ spoons butter, 1 table­spoon fresh thyme, and pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until smooth.

4. Asia: Sriracha Butter —

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

Cinco de Mayo is, officially, a holiday celebrating Mexico’s victory over France in the 1862 Battle of Puebla. In the U.S., where it is actually celebrated with more gusto than in its na­ tive country, the holiday has be­ come a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture.

The holiday also provides a great excuse to make irresist­ ible Mexican-inspired recipes for entertaining and, of course, a big batch of margaritas to wash it all down. Fresh sweet corn is an essential component of many Mexican dishes and a cultural staple.

Luckily, Cinco de Mayo falls right in the middle of Florida’s Sunshine Sweet Corn season, meaning that the sweetest corn, available all year, arrives just in time to be a part of your Cinco de Mayo celebration. These nat­ urally-bred varieties are grown by a group of family farmers who are committed to produc­ ing the finest sweet corn.

No matter what you serve at your Cinco de Mayo celebration, make sure to incorporate the sweet and wholesome flavor of fresh spring sweet corn.

Discover more mouth-watering recipes for Cinco de Mayo and every time of year at www. sunshinesweetcorn.com.

MEXICAN STYLE CORN Serves: 4 4 ears fresh Sunshine Sweet Corn, husked 1/4 cup mayonnaise 4 ounces Cotija or feta cheese 1 teaspoon chili powder 4 lime slices Preheat grill or broiler.

Grill or broil corn, turning occasionally until hot and

How can

make your

some kernels turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using knife, coat each ear of corn with about 1 tablespoon of mayon­naise.

Crumble cheese on one side of each corn ear.

Sprinkle with chili powder, dividing evenly.

Broil until cheese starts to melt, approxi­ mately 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with lime.

Combine 1/3 cup butter with 3 tablespoons Sriracha.

5. Africa: Harissa-Yogurt Spread — Whisk together 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1 table­ spoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 table­spoons Harissa sauce, one crushed garlic clove and pinch of salt.

6. Australia: Honey-Gin­ ger BBQ Sauce — In sauce­ pan combine 1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 1/2 table­ spoons hot sauce, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons minced ginger and 1 tea­ spoon salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened and reduced to about 1 1/4 cup, 20 to 25 minutes.

FIRE ROASTED CORN AND CHORIZO DIP Serves: 8 to 12 3 to 4 ears Sunshine Sweet Corn 1 small onion, peeled and sliced into rings 1 small red bell pepper 1 cup cooked chorizo 3 cloves garlic, minced 1(8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 pound spicy pepper cheese, like pepper-jack or habanero cheddar 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 400°F and preheat grill to high heat. Remove cornhusks and corn silk, and place fresh Florida Sweet Corn, onion slices and red bell pepper on grill. Grill corn and bell pepper for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes until all sides are slightly charred. Grill onion slices for approximately 3 minutes per side. When veggies are cool enough to handle, cut corn off cob. Then chop onions and pepper, removing pepper seeds. In 8-by-8-inch baking dish or one-quart souffle dish, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until edges are bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

CHARRED CORN TACOS WITH RADISH ZUCCHINI SLAW Serves: 4 4 ears Sunshine Sweet Corn Extra virgin olive oil, as needed Salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed 1/2 cup torn cilantro, parsley and mint leaves 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon maple syrup 1 cup radishes, cut into matchsticks 1 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks 1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) crumbled Cotija or feta cheese 10 to 12 small (6-inch) soft corn tortillas

Brush corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Over hot grill or open gas stove flame, char ears of corn until well blackened but not completely burnt. Remove from heat; cool. With large knife, shave off kernels into bowl.

Add cilantro, parsley and mint; reserve.

In small bowl, combine onion and lime juice; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in maple syrup, radishes, zucchini, jalapeno and 2 tablespoons of oil.

Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat your tortillas one of two ways: Wrap whole stack in foil and place in warm 250°F oven for 15 min­utes, or coat cast-iron skillet with thin layer of oil and heat over high heat; warm each tortilla 30 seconds to 1 minute each side, until lightly blistered.

To make tacos, fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup corn. Top with cheese and radish-zucchini slaw. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.