Florida Courier - December 18, 2015

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DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

VOLUME 23 NO. 51

LEFT BEHIND

As the Florida Supreme Court wrestles with whether the state’s workers compensation law is constitutional, the Florida Courier begins a series of stories on how the law has devastated one family of a worker who was allegedly killed by his employer’s negligence.

BY THE FLORIDA COURIER STAFF

FORT LAUDERDALE – It was just another construction accident, little-noticed by any media other than the Florida Courier, where it made the front page.

From the Sept. 20, 2013 issue: “Clayton Bailey, a native of Jamaica who emigrated here, became an American citizen, and started a new life, died Monday after being allegedly crushed by construction materials as he worked on an infrastructure project in Miami-Dade County. He was 38.

PART 1 “Bailey was employed

by Ric-Man Construction Florida, Inc., a heavy construction company located in Deerfield Beach, where he had worked as a pipelayer for almost nine years.

According to the company website, Ric-Man “excels in heavy underground and tunnel construction and delivers nothing but quality and expertise.

“Bailey’s death set off a number of investigations that are still running their

course, thus leaving his grieving family in the dark as to the exact circumstances of his death…Meanwhile, Bailey’s family continues to wonder exactly what happened. Ric-Man Construction has little to say.”

Saying goodbye After a grief-filled homegoing service at the small Dania Beach church in which the Bailey family worshipped, Patdrica Bailey, a secretary at McNicol Middle School in Broward County, put her grief aside

FRANK CORNELIUS, JR.

Patdrica Bailey suddenly became a widow when her 38-year old husband was killed in a construction accident more than two years ago. With her worker’s compensation benefits running out, she and her daughter Trinity, age 8, are facSee BEHIND, Page A2 ing a bleak Christmas.

CHRISTMAS 2015

The reason for the season

Leander J. Shaw Jr. dies State’s first Black chief justice was 85 COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

TALLAHASSEE – When Leander J. Shaw Jr. took the Florida Bar exam in 1960, he and a Howard University Law schoolmate, future Florida Supreme Court Justice Joseph Hatchett, were not allowed to stay or eat at the Whites-only DuPont Plaza in Miami where the exam was administered.

Three decades later, Shaw became the first Black chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court – following Hatchett, who was Florida’s first Black Supreme Court justice.

Shaw, whose career included working as a public defender, prosecutor, and appeals-court judge before serving on the Supreme Court, died at the Tallahassee home of his daughter, Sherri Shaw Luke, Monday following complications from a stroke. He was 85.

Important ‘first’ CHAYLA C. CHERRY / FLORIDA COURIER

St. Ruth Missionary Baptist Church in Dania Beach (Broward County) continued its “Hope for the Holidays” tradition this year. As do many Black churches statewide, St. Ruth gave away free toys, food and clothing.

Old SunPass transponders going bye-bye BYJIM TURNER THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE –Time is running out for about 100,000 SunPass customers to convert, for free, to new transponders. Older, batteryoperated transponders used for Florida toll roads and some bridges become obsolete with the New Year.

“It is important that anybody with that type of unit contact us now so that their service continues uninterrupted,” Chad Huff, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Turnpike, said in an email.

Huff said motorists whose transponders expire Jan.1 without being replaced would be handled on a case-by-case basis by SunPass customer-service representatives.

Works in other states The state has been working since 2013 on

ALSO INSIDE

its “tagswap” program to get the approximately 1.7 million customers that had been using battery-operated transponders – first introduced in 1999 – to newer devices as a way to streamline toll technology while expanding use to other states.

Florida has already linked its toll collection system with Georgia and North Carolina and is working on other reciprocal deals to meet the requirements of a 2012 federal law known as the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.” The act requires all states with toll agencies to set up “interoperability” deals

by October 2016.

The “tagswap” program allows customers to choose from two types of transponders.

There is no cost for customers swapping out older transponders, with the program funded at about $9 million a year through toll revenues.

One of the types of new transponders, known as the mini, is affixed to windshields

“Justice Shaw served Florida with dedication and distinction, first as a lawyer and then as a member of Florida’s highest court for two decades,” Chief Justice Jorge Labarga said in the statement. “As Florida’s first AfricanAmerican chief justice, his service also marked an important step forward for diversity in our state.”

Then-Gov. Bob Graham apSee SHAW, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

Nurseries challenge pot licenses COURTESY OF FDOT

NATION | A6

Battery-operated SunPass transponders like this won’t work in Florida after Jan. 1, 2016.

Rape victims speak out

and costs $4.99 for customers buying their first SunPasses. The other type, known as the portable, includes suction cups so it can be transferred from vehicle to vehicle similar to the older transponder, and costs $19.99 for new customers. Both require a $10 minimum initial balance to activate.

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 GUEST COMMENTARY: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: ‘FREEDOM FOR YOU AND ME’ | A5

FOOD | B4

The perfect ham for your holiday meal

A2

FOCUS

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

SHAW

“I see in this victory the determination of a people not to let the law – under which we all must live and raise our children – be shackled to the politics of some special-interest group,’’ the ABA Journal quoted Shaw as saying after the merit-retention vote.

“I hope judges and justices will continue to render decisions according to their conscience and their best understanding of the law, not on their reading of the latest opinion polls.”

In his later years on the court, Shaw became an outspoken critic of Florida’s use of the electric chair in executions. During a 1999 hearing, for example, Shaw likened the electric chair to the guillotine. The state ultimately stopped using electrocution and shifted to lethal injection.

from A1

pointed Shaw to the Supreme Court in 1983, after a four-year stint on the 1st District Court of Appeal. Shaw remained until his retirement in January 2003.

Hatchett, who later served as a judge on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals – one step below the U.S. Supreme Court – told the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper that he met Shaw at Howard University. They became close friends and continued that friendship when they both practiced in Florida.

‘Very deliberate’ Hatchett, now a partner in the Tallahassee office of the Akerman law firm, said he and Shaw studied together for two weeks before taking the bar exam.

“We had a friendship of over 50 years and he will be sorely missed,” Hatchett said. “He made great contributions to the state of Florida. He was very deliberate; he didn’t rush to conclusions. He served the people well.”

Dr. Walter Smith, former president of Florida A&M University, was chairman of the Florida Supreme Court Nominating Committee when Shaw was selected as a justice.

‘Smooth-tempered’ Smith said he was the only Black on that nominating committee and he didn’t know Shaw at the time. They became friends later.

“He served the state of Florida well. As a matter of fact, I think he served the nation well because of how he presided over the court,” Smith said, adding that “if something was presented to him that he needed to step aside and speak to it, he wasn’t afraid to do it.’’

Virginia native

COURTESY OF FLORIDA SUPREME COURT

Shaw was born Sept. 6, 1930, in Salem, Va. to Leander J. Shaw, formerly a dean of the Florida A&M University Graduate School, and Margaret Shaw, a teacher. After serving in the Korean War, Shaw earned his law degree in 1957 from Howard.

Shaw moved to Tallahassee in 1957 as an assistant professor of law at Florida A&M and was admitted to The Florida Bar in 1960.

At the time, he was one of only about 25 Black attorneys practicing in the state, according to the Supreme Court statement Monday.

Former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Leander J. Shaw

Moved to Jacksonville

Smith also told the Florida Courier, “He was a gentleman. He was respectful, and I don’t know of anybody who didn’t have a great deal of respect for Leander Shaw. Really, I don’t. When you really give thought to the kind of person, he was, he was smoothtempered.

“He really knew how to work with people and he did it very well and that’s one of the things

He worked in private practice in Jacksonville and served as a public defender and prosecutor before getting appointed in 1974 by then-Gov. Reubin Askew to the Florida Industrial Relations Commission. Graham named Shaw to the 1st District Court of Appeal in 1979. Shaw served as the Supreme Court’s chief justice from 1990 to 1992.

Labarga noted in the statement Monday that Shaw joined

that made him very successful.”

Perhaps Shaw’s most controversial decision was a 1989 opinion that he wrote striking down a law requiring minors to get permission from their parents before having abortions. That decision, based on a right to privacy in the Florida Constitution, led to an unsuccessful effort to unseat Shaw when he came up for merit retention in 1990.

BEHIND and took action.

She and Bailey had been married for more than eight years.

The couple has five children – two each from previous relationships and a daughter, Trinity, that they had together.

Trinity was six and just starting first grade at the time her father was killed. For some time after his death, she kept trying to text messages to him. There was never a response.

When told that her father had “gone to heaven,” she asked, “Why did he leave me here?”

Getting help

Moving forward The law firm tracked investigations by the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Homicide Division, the Fort Lauderdale office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Department, while hiring its own consultants and investigators to get to the cause of Bailey’s death.

Almost a year after Bailey was killed, Pettis filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Darryl David – the foreman on the jobsite on the day Bailey was killed – on behalf of Bailey’s surviving wife Patdrica and his three children.

It was then that the Bailey family’s fortunes and wellbeing collided with the harsh reality of Florida’s workers compensation scheme. They learned: • Workers compensation benefits are capped in Florida at a low $150,000 in cases where a worker is killed on the job. The

Restored public faith “Leander Shaw was one of a handful of judges who helped restore the public’s faith in the Supreme Court and who transformed it into one of the most respected courts in the nation,’’ Labarga said. “This was no small feat after the scandals of the 1970s.”

Four children survive Shaw: daughters Sherrie Shaw Luke, Tallahassee, and Dione King and Dawn Sims, Jacksonville; and a son, Sean Shaw, of Tampa. Another son, Leander Jerry Shaw III, is deceased.

Shaw’s body will lie in state from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday in the rotunda of the Supreme Court Building in Tallahassee.

A homegoing service is set for Tuesday in Tallahassee at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church at noon. The date and time of a separate memorial service to be held in Jacksonville is pending.

Shaw will be buried at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery.

Tillman Funeral Home of Tallahassee is handling arrangements.

Material from the Tallahassee Democrat and by Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida was used for this report.

outside of the decades-old workers compensation legal system – the same system that caps wrongful death benefits at $150,000.

As an indication of the potential high stakes, some of the state’s most influential business groups and organizations on both sides of the issue will file friend-of-the-court briefs with the state Supreme Court.

The Florida League of Cities, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Retail Federation, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Florida United Businesses Association and the Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association all want the law to remain intact.

Florida Workers Advocates and the Florida Justice Reform Institute, among others, want the law declared unconstitutional.

from A1

Patdrica retained the legal services of Eugene K. Pettis, a partner in the well-regarded personal injury firm of Haliczer Pettis and Schwamm of Fort Lauderdale.

At the time, Pettis was just finishing his term as the first AfricanAmerican president of the Florida Bar, the organization that regEugene K. ulates more than Pettis 100,000 lawyers who are licensed to practice in Florida.

Over the next two years, Pettis’s firm got worker’s compensation payments flowing to Patdrica and Trinity, and worked with the attorney for Clayton’s two other minor children to get benefits due them. Patdrica and Trinity began to get regular grief counseling.

the Supreme Court after it had been rocked by scandals in the 1970s.

In the wake of the scandal, Florida voters eliminated contested judicial elections at all of the state’s appeals courts. A new system was created by which the governor, guided by a nominating commission, vetted candidates and filled vacancies on the state’s high court.

Shaw was the first AfricanAmerican chosen under this new system.

Change the law

COURTESY OF MIAMI-DADE PD

Clayton Bailey’s body was covered by a yellow sheet after he was killed when an improperly positioned 18,000-pound pipe valve assembly crushed him on this Miami-Dade jobsite. money is then split among the surviving spouse, if any, and all minor children.

• Workers compensation benefits are mandatory. In exchange for taking the benefits, the worker’s family can file a wrongful death action against an employer only under extremely limited circumstances – even if the benefits received are not enough to support the deceased worker’s family.

• There’s never been a case in the state of Florida in which an injured worker or a deceased worker’s family has ever successfully sued an employer covered by workers compensation insurance. Lawmakers passed a major overhaul of the system in 2003 that sought to reduce costs amid what business groups described as an insurance crisis.

Over the years, the Florida Legislature has made the legal standard of proof so high that it’s akin to proving the employee was killed as a consequence of firstdegree murder.

Under current Florida law, the employee must prove, “with clear and convincing evidence,” that the employer “deliberately intended to injury the employee” or “engaged in conduct that it knew, based upon explicit warnings specifically identifying a known danger, was virtually certain to result in death or injury to

the employee, and the employee was not aware of the risk because the danger was not apparent, and the employer deliberately concealed or misrepresented the danger so as to prevent the employee from exercising an informed judgment, and the conduct was a legal cause of the employees’ injury or death.”

In the case of Bailey’s death, his family learned: • Ric-Man Construction was the only contractor on the job.

This was important because if subcontractors worked on the jobsite, they could have been sued, allowing the Bailey family to possibly access additional compensation.

• The family might not receive more than $150,000 – despite the fact that Ric-Man admitted to federal investigators that the equipment that killed Bailey was improperly secured.

Ric-Man cut a deal with federal regulators, paid a modest fine, and went on to bid and complete more construction jobs – including an infrastructure project on the street on which the Bailey family lives – without missing a beat. For weeks, Patdrica and Trinity silently watched Ric-Man employees work in front of their home.

• The family might not receive more than $150,000 – despite the fact that Clayton Bai-

ley made $90,000 a year and, at age 38 and in good health, had decades of probable net earnings for his family had he lived.

Florida’s workers compensation doesn’t take into account the age, health, number of survivors, or yearly salary of employees who are killed on the job.

Justices weigh in Patdrica Bailey isn’t the only Floridian who has been decimated by how Florida’s workers compensation scheme operates. The Florida Supreme Court has decided to wade into a case that potentially has major implications for the entire system.

Last month, the state’s highest court agreed to review the system after more than a decade of legal wrangling. The case, which stems from injuries suffered in 2003 by Hialeah Hospital nurse Daniel Stahl, challenges the constitutionality of the workerscompensation law.

Critics argue that the law went too far in reducing benefits for injured workers. Stahl’s filings with the court contend that changes lawmakers made in 2003 to the system “decimated and eviscerated” benefits for injured workers. It also contends that injured workers have been deprived of rights because they are blocked from pursing claims in civil trials

That’s where Patdrica Bailey stands. She’s fervently praying that Florida’s current workers compensation law gets dumped or drastically changed so she can go after Ric-Man Construction, or get more than just approximately one year of her 38-yearold husband’s salary after the benefits are split among his children.

“Ric-Man was not committed to Clayton,” she said. “He was the best worker they had…As the owner of a company…you are responsible for all your workers.

Construction is dangerous. Everybody on a jobsite should have everybody’s back.

“Just saying, ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ is not enough. And the little workman’s comp we got was a slap in the face. He meant everything to us…it’s as if you (RicMan) are laughing in our faces.

This will last with us forever. He had a full life ahead of him.

“I’m looking for justice in my husband’s death and a change in the law. Not just for me, but for people who will come after me and who have to deal with the same issues.

“We now have to struggle to make ends meet. We shouldn’t have to depend on the government (for support), when we weren’t depending on them in the beginning,” she explained.

“The world needs to know what’s happening here. Ric-Man Construction left one man behind.”

Next in the series: Did Ric-Man Construction get away with murder?

To view a slideshow of Clayton Bailey’s 2013 memorial service on YouTube, search for “Clayton Bailey Homegoing” or click on https://youtu.be/ QDDiTPjS6uw

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

FLORIDA

A3

Nurseries file complaints over medical-marijuana licenses

BY DARA KAM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – Nurseries have filed more than a dozen challenges to the medical-marijuana licenses granted by Florida health officials, with some asking that the licensing process be put on hold until their petitions are heard in court.

As of Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline to challenge the licenses, the Department of Health had received 13 petitions, according to agency spokeswoman Mara Gambineri.

Loop’s Nursery, Plants of Ruskin, Tornello Landscape, Redlands Nursery, Alpha Foliage, Dewar’s, and McCrory’s Sunny Hill Nursery on Monday joined three other nurseries that filed petitions late last week challenging the award of the five licenses.

Some of the nurseries filed multiple challenges.

Scoring criticized A three-member panel – comprised of the health department’s Office of Compassionate Use Executive Director Christian Bax; his predecessor, Patricia Nelson; and agency accountant Ellyn Hutson – late last month named the winners of the licenses, one in each of five regions of the state. The winners were chosen from more than two-dozen applications.

But the challenges question the panel’s scoring and also accuse the department of failing to

give due process by not allowing the competitors to defend their presentations before the licenses were awarded.

The challenges are likely to inject yet another delay into the drawn-out attempt to get non-euphoric marijuana products, authorized by lawmakers last year, to families of children with rare forms of epilepsy. Under the law, pushed by those families, doctors can order the treatment for individuals with severe muscle spasms or cancer.

Committee chose five Gambineri said the department “will review each challenge and determine the best path forward to get this product to children with intractable epilepsy and people with advanced cancer. We remain focused on moving forward.”

The law authorized five dispensing organizations to grow, process and distribute marijuana that is low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and high in cannabadiol, or CBD. Nurseries that have been in business for at least 30 continuous years in Florida and grow a minimum of 400,000 plants were eligible to apply for one of the five coveted licenses.

Objectivity questioned Four of the five applicants chosen to receive a “dispensing organization” license were represent-

TOM BENITEZ/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS

Families like Michael Budzynski’s will have to wait longer for medical marijuana. Budzynski is shown with his mother, Marilyn in Sept. 6, 2013. He suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a devastating form of epilepsy. His parents have stated that his pain and suffering would greatly improve with the use of medical marijuana. ed on the committee, several of the challenges point out.

“It appears that the entities that were chosen to serve on the committee were disproportionately scored higher than other applicants based on non-objective, undisclosed and unsupported factors,” lawyers for Tornello, also known as Tornello/3 Boys Farm, argued.

Tornello is one of four growers

Federal appeals court upholds ‘docs vs. glocks’ law THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Rejecting constitutional arguments, a federal appeals court Monday again upheld a controversial Florida law that restricts doctors from asking questions and recording information about patients’ gun ownership.

The 82-page ruling by a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was the third time the court has upheld what became known as the “docs vs. glocks” law.

After a July ruling by a threejudge panel, opponents of the 2011 law asked for the full appeals court to take up the issue. Instead, the same three-judge panel issued a revised ruling Monday that unanimously backed the law.

Patient privacy “The act seeks to protect patient privacy by restricting irrelevant inquiry and record-keeping by physicians on the sensitive issue of firearm ownership and by

prohibiting harassment and discrimination on the basis of firearm ownership,’’ said Monday’s ruling, written by Judge Gerald Tjoflat and joined by judges L. Scott Coogler and Charles Wilson.

“The act does not prevent physicians from speaking with patients about firearms generally.

Nor does it prohibit specific inquiry or record-keeping about a patient’s firearm-ownership status when the physician determines in good faith, based on the

– Perkins, Tropiflora and Plants of Ruskin – challenging Alpha Foliage’s license in the Southwest region of the state. Loop’s Nursery and San Felasco are challenging the selection of winner Chestnut Hill Tree Farm in the Northeast region.

Scores changed Alpha Foliage, which also apcircumstances of that patient’s case, that such information is relevant to the patient’s medical care or safety, or the safety of others.”

No ‘legislative revolution’ Wilson wrote a dissent in July that said the law violates the First Amendment rights of physicians.

The ruling Monday left open the possibility of First Amendment challenges that deal with how the law is applied to specific physicians.

“Though the act applies in only a small number of circumstances,

plied in the Northwest region, received a “significantly lower score” on that application than its winning application in the Southwest, noted lawyers for Tornello/3Boys Farm, which came in second.

The nursery also questioned changed scores on Alpha’s and Tornello’s applications.

“There is no indication on the score cards as to the reason why the scores were changed or whether the scores were changed prior to or after the time the score cards were combined for totaling,” lawyer J. Stephen Menton wrote.

Alpha and Redlands Nursery, owned by John and Carolyn DeMott, both applied in two separate regions. Alpha filed a challenge in the Northwest region, and Redlands filed challenges in the Central and Southeast regions on Monday.

More criticism Jacksonville-based Loop’s Nursery, affiliated with the Stanley family whose “Charlotte’s Web” cannabis has become synonymous with low-THC marijuana, accused the selection panel of failing to choose the best applicant for the job.

Loop’s was “the only applications in the Northeast region that satisfies all mandatory statutory and regulatory criteria for approval,” the nursery’s lawyer Jon Moyle argued. when it does apply it plays an extremely important role in protecting patients,’’ the ruling said.

“The act is not a legislative revolution, but it does not need to be.

It narrowly protects patients in a focused manner in order to advance the state’s compelling interest in protecting the Second Amendment’s guarantee to keep and bear arms and patients’ privacy rights in their medical records, exactly the sort of tailoring strict scrutiny requires. Those are rights that must always be protected in ways big and small.”

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EDITORIAL

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DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

Fight against diabetes is far from over Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the rate of new cases of diabetes in the United States declined by about 20 percent from 2008 to 2014. This represents the first sustained decrease in diagnosis since the disease emerged as a major threat to public health over the course of the past two decades.

But the fight is far from over, especially for communities of color.

Still vulnerable While the CDC report is good news regarding an overall decline in diabetes rates, it did not acknowledge a significant change in prevalence among the AfricanAmerican community, which continues to be far more vulnerable to the disease than other racial and ethnic groups.

Consider the data: Black adults are about twice as likely to have diagnosed diabetes as non-Hispanic White adults. They are also twice as likely to die from the disease. What’s more, AfricanAmericans are more than three times as likely to suffer from health complications related to diabetes, such as lower-limb amputation and kidney failure.

It’s clear that the African-American community is shouldering an unequal burden when it

PATRICIA MARYLAND NNPA GUEST COLUMNIST

comes to diabetes treatment, prevention, research and education.

And so the CDC’s announcement – while welcome news – does not signal that the fight against the disease is over. There is more work to do to not only overcome the diabetes epidemic, but also eliminate the healthcare disparities that disproportionately plague our community.

No stigma To do that, we must redouble our efforts to create a culture of health in African-American communities – one that removes the stigma of seeking care and helps our neighbors and family members access the opportunities provided under the Affordable Care Act. Healthcare.gov is now available for the open enrollment period through January 31, 2016, and taking advantage of the options available today is the first step our community can take to reclaim Black health and wellness.

Dyson makes a ‘spokesnegro’ audition tape Michael Eric Dyson’s shamelessly lazy and hazy 6,600 word pro-Hillary Clinton screed titled “Yes She Can” passed without much notice in Black America last week. That’s chiefly because everybody knows Michael isn’t even talking to us.

He has to talk about us at some length of course, but he’s mainly talking to his prospective employers – the folks he wants to be his new bosses.

Why support Hillary?

If Dyson were actually speaking to Black America, a “Yes She Can” piece would bear the insupportable burden of explaining to Black

BRUCE A. DIXON BLACK AGENDA REPORT

folks just what good Hillary can or is likely to do, and why she deserves Black support.

Dyson knows better than to tackle that kind of heavy lifting this early in the game, before his own status is secured, and before the choice is narrowed down to Hillary and some Republican.

“Yes She Can” is the latest in the long-running series of Michael

The Voting Wrong Acts Every time an election comes around, Black voters are told how important it is to vote. They are told that the ancestors of African-Americans shed blood and died so that future generations of Blacks would be able to vote.

People want us to exercise our right to vote. But those same people don’t want to uphold and/or enforce the laws that protect and maintain voting rights!

It’s 2015 It seems like every state in the Union has some prohibition, some clause, some law, or some organized effort to deny and decrease the number of votes cast by Blacks and other minorities.

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

Some people can’t vote if they have been to jail even though they have served their sentences and paid their so-called debt to society. Some people can’t vote because they don’t have a government issued identification card.

Some people can’t vote because their voting place was suddenly and probably secretly changed. Some people can’t vote even if they are registered voters

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 273 QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

James C. Belt, Jr., Esq., 19442015 – I’m traveling to Dallas briefly to memorialize my good “brother at the bar,” Attorney James Belt. We worked together on the national board of the National Newspaper Publishers Association for years along with his wife Mollie, publisher of the Dallas Examiner weekly newspaper.

Hard to believe that this strong Black male voice and vibrant per-

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: PARIS CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT

But coverage alone isn’t enough to guarantee better health outcomes for AfricanAmericans. Healthcare providers have a responsibility to deliver inclusive, quality care that considers the needs of the whole patient. That means providing patients with relevant, reliable information that empowers and engages them to make choices for a healthier life.

No one excluded The truth is that all healthcare providers should strive to provide an environment where no one is excluded – where everyone has access to compassionate, personalized care and the opportunity for better health regardless of their struggles or station in life.

And that’s the right model for all providers. Because we must get to know our patients on an individual, holistic level – not prescribe a one-size-fits-all approach – if we intend to truly improve their health outcomes.

Finally, our policymakers, civic leaders and all who have a stake in the health of our community must address the social determinants that influence and widen the diabetes equity gap.

For years, we’ve known that diabetes can be prevented and managed with healthy lifestyle

BOB ENGLEHART, THE HARTFORD COURANT

changes such as exercise and good nutrition. But it’s difficult to go for a run around the block when you live in a high-crime neighborhood. It’s challenging to find fresh fruits and vegetables when you live in a food desert. We must marshal our communities around the policies that affect our environment’s ability to support a culture of health and wellness.

More to do Diabetes has been – and will continue to be – a major public health issue in the U.S. We’re making progress in the fight against the disease, but we need

Patricia A. Maryland, Dr.PH, is president of healthcare operations and chief operating officer for Ascension Health.

Eric Dyson audition tapes for one of the Official Spokesnegro spots that open up on MSNBC and similar places with every Democratic administration. Michael didn’t make the final cut for the Obama era, but is making a strong bid in what he hopes will be the administration of Hillary Clinton.

In the tradition of lazy employees with lazy bosses, Dyson demonstrates his loyalty by not contradicting or criticizing his prospective boss in any way, and telling the new bosses exactly what Dyson imagines they want to hear.

Thus he begins by pronouncing the Obama presidency one of the most consequential of all time – without the bother of explaining how or why.

problems all in the eyes of beholders, mere perception. After that he affirms the new boss’s outdated wisdom that preachers are after all, the real leaders of Black America, and plays his own preacher card to affirm insider status in that charmed circle.

According to Dyson, Black preachers up to and including Rev. Jesse L. Jackson himself have forgiven Hillary’s offenses, real and imagined, and with her ghetto pass thus properly stamped, she’s good to go.

Finally he has a few noncommittal words to say about #BlackLivesMatter, nothing hostile or dismissive, and praises Hillary’s own rapproachment with its leaders and spokespeople.

body, it tells no new truths, it pretends to be reportage and bigs up the narrator and most importantly of all, it butters up the prospective bosses by telling them what they think they know already as if it’s newly discovered truth.

Bill Clinton, Dyson says, gave Black America “bad policy” and Barack Obama “no policy.” So it stands to reason – or whatever rules Dyson’s world – that Hillary will give Black people “good policy.”

No wonder “Yes She Can” was barely noticed by Black people.

He wouldn’t dare tell us nonsense like that. Everybody knows Michael is talking to his next set of bosses. We wish him good luck on his job interview.

‘Insider status’

No new truths

Next Dyson absolves Hillary from any racial sin, deeming her

All in all “Yes She Can” is a classic performance. It insults no-

Bruce Dixon is managing editor of BlackAgendaReport.com.

Contact him at bruce.dixon@ blackagendareport.com.

because of a devilish trick called “partisanship” that, for instance, won’t let independents and Democrats vote in a primary election if all of the candidates are Republican.

ered to be the most effective piece of civil rights legislation ever enacted in the country, is little more than a political joke!

Even when Black people think they are voting for somebody, they are voting for nobody! Political parties are nothing but political players – playing like they care about your political interests, playing like they care about the needs of your community, and playing like they want Black people to improve, progress, grow and thrive!

Yes, you love the Voting Rights Act. You love the fact that it is a law; therefore, in your mind, it is your pathway to personal and communal paradise.

Support their own enemies Malcolm X said it many years ago and I’ll say it today. The people you love, the candidates that you love, and the political party that you identify with, give money to, and throw all of your votes behind – will love and support your political enemies more than they will love and support you!

Forty years ago, you put politicians first and they put you last.

It is still that way at this very moment! In addition, the so-called Voting Rights Act 1865, considsonality has been silenced on this plane of existence. Deepest condolences to the Belt and Examiner families from their Black newspaper counterparts here at the Florida Courier and the Daytona Times as well as all the Cherrys…

I’ll be a Republican…temporarily – Regular readers know I’m a registered No Party Affiliated (NPA) voter here in Florida. That means I have no party. I’m a truly independent ‘swing’ voter who changes parties to vote in primary elections as necessary. This year, the GOP is where the action is.

(Does anyone really believe Bernie Sanders or Martin O’Malley will beat Hillary Clinton?)

Enforce the law Well, one political law that MalI’ve sent my voter registration change card and am waiting for confirmation. I’m still evaluating Republican candidates and I’ve ruled NOBODY – including Donald Trump – out.

I know summa y’all think I’m nuts, first for registering as a Republican, and second for not immediately and completely ruling out a nutcase like Trump (who I believe is the unfiltered, stereotypically paranoid White middleaged American male who masks deep-seated insecurities with war-mongering, bravado and egocentricity.)

What do I like about Trump?

He doesn’t give a damn. And, as

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

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

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to do more to address the disparities felt by the African-American population.

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colm X pointed out was the law that calls for the removal of any official elected in a city or state when voters were denied voting rights and protections. If that one law was respected and enforced, there wouldn’t be a Klansman, a skinhead, a neo-Nazi, a devil, or a beast in office anywhere in America!

If you love your right to vote, you should take voting seriously.

Embrace voting rights and put an end to your misled, distorted, irrational and inappropriate Voting Wrong Acts!

Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. Contact Lucius at www.allworldconsultants.net. he told a largely Jewish audience, “I’M RICH, DAMMIT! I don’t need your cash!” (I paraphrase.)

Trump also is a dealmaker and high-level negotiator – in direct contrast to Bro. Prez, who I’ve often said is one of the worst negotiators I’ve ever seen.

Yeah, the fact that White supremacists and the KKK love Trump does give me pause. But as Lucius Gantt says, Black folks have voted for closeted racist skinhead Democrats, too…More candidate evaluation next week.

Hit me up at ccherry2@ gmail.com.

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DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

‘Freedom for you and for me’ Editor’s note – President Obama delivered these remarks at the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the 13th Amendment on Dec. 9 at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. “In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free.”

That’s what President Lincoln once wrote. “Honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth.”

We gather here to commemorate a century and a half of freedom – not simply for former slaves, but for all of us.

Obviously wrong Today, the issue of chattel slavery seems so simple, so obvious – it is wrong in every sense. Stealing men, women, and children from their homelands.

Tearing husband from wife, parent from child; stripped and sold to the highest bidder; shackled in chains and bloodied with the whip.

It’s antithetical not only to our conception of human rights and dignity, but to our conception of ourselves – a people founded on the premise that all are created equal.

And, to many at the time, that judgment was clear as well.

Preachers, Black and White, railed against this moral outrage from the pulpit. Former slaves rattled the conscience of Americans in books, in pamphlets, and speeches.

Men and women organized anti-slavery conventions and fundraising drives. Farmers and shopkeepers opened their barns, their homes, their cellars as waystations on an Underground Railroad, where African-Americans often risked their own freedom to ensure the freedom of others.

And enslaved Americans, with no rights of their own, they ran north and kept the flame of freedom burning, passing it from one generation to the next, with their

Other factors The University of Texas considers seven factors in its affirmative action program: demonstrated leadership qualities, extracurricular activities, honors and awards, essays, work experience, community service and special circumstances such as applicant’s socioeconomic status, family composition, special family responsibilities, socioeconomic status of applicant’s high school and race.

Fisher sued over race, claiming

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA faith, and their dignity, and their song.

Nation at war The reformers’ passion only drove the protectors of the status quo to dig in harder. And for decades, America wrestled with the issue of slavery in a way that we have with no other, before or since. It shaped our politics, and it nearly tore us asunder. Tensions ran so high, so personal, that at one point, a lawmaker was beaten unconscious on the Senate floor.

Eventually, war broke out – brother against brother, North against South.

At its heart, the question of slavery was never simply about civil rights. It was about the meaning of America, the kind of country we wanted to be – whether this nation might fulfill the call of its birth: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” that among those are life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

President Lincoln understood that if we were ever to fully realize that founding promise, it meant not just signing an Emancipation Proclamation, not just winning a war. It meant making the most powerful collective statement we can in our democracy: etching our values into our Constitution.

He called it “a King’s cure for all the evils.” A hundred and fifty years proved the cure to be necessary –but not sufficient. Progress proved halting, too often deferred. Newly freed slaves may have been liberated by the letter of the law, but their daily lives told another tale. They couldn’t vote. They couldn’t fill most occupations. They couldn’t protect themselves or their families from

GEORGE E. CURRY GEORGE CURRY MEDIA

that considering race, even with other factors, violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

She sued even though the university said she was unqualified and would not have been admitted even if there had been no affirmative action program.

She sued even though the 14th Amendment took effect in 1868 to protect newly-freed slaves, not unqualified Whites.

Her attorneys conveniently ignored that universities – except in percentage plan cases where students are admitted based solely on their class rankings – look at a variety of factors when admitting an incoming class.

In fact, 168 African-American and Hispanic applicants with

Will Donald Trump destroy the GOP? If the Republican Party nominates Donald Trump as their nominee for the president of these United States of America, he will not become the 45th president.

He does not have the experience, the temperament, the respect for all people, the knowledge of domestic and foreign policies, the power of truth-telling, the fairness, nor the vision to “make America great again.” This man will further divide America; fight everybody who disagrees with him; and bully this country into Armageddon.

Tells ‘Big Lies’ It is sad to know that Mr. Trump can actually become the Republican Party nominee. To elect a man who clearly and purposefully tells “Big Lies,” that he saw “thousands of Muslims cheering when the Twin Towers buildings were fall-

A5

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

indignity or from violence.

Don’t be fooled by ‘Silent Clarence’ Thomas In arguably the most important civil rights case the U.S. Supreme Court will hear this term – a case that could ban or limit the consideration of race in public employment, government contracting and higher education – Clarence Thomas, the lone Black justice, was silent.

Of the justices hearing the case, only Thomas did not utter a single syllable last week during one hour and 35 minutes of oral arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas-Austin.

EDITORIAL

Kept fighting And so abolitionists and freedmen and women and radical Republicans kept cajoling and kept rabble-rousing, and within a few years of the war’s end at Appomattox, we passed two more amendments guaranteeing voting rights, birthright citizenship, equal protection under the law.

And still, it wasn’t enough. For another century, we saw segregation and Jim Crow make a mockery of these amendments. And we saw justice turn a blind eye to mobs with nooses slung over trees. We saw bullets and bombs terrorize generations.

And yet, through all this, the call to freedom survived. “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” And eventually, a new generation rose up to march and organize, and to stand up and to sit in with the moral force of nonviolence and the sweet sound of those same freedom songs that slaves had sung so long ago – crying out not for special treatment, but for equal rights. Calling out for basic justice promised to them almost a century before.

else’s shoes.

Freedom for you and for me.

Freedom for all of us.

And that’s what we celebrate today. The long arc of progress. Progress that is never assured, never guaranteed, but always possible, always there to be earned – no matter how stuck we might seem sometimes. No matter how divided or despairing we may appear. No matter what ugliFaith in America ness may bubble up. Progress, so Like their abolitionist prede- long as we’re willing to push for cessors, they were plain, humble, it; so long as we’re willing to reach ordinary people, armed with little for each other. but faith: Faith in the Almighty.

Faith in each other. And faith in Continue the fight America. Hope in the face so ofWe would do a disservice to ten of all evidence to the contrary, those warriors of justice – Tubthat something better lay around man, and Douglass, and Lincoln, the bend. and King – were we to deny that Because of them – maids and the scars of our nation’s original porters and students and farm- sin are still with us today. We coners and priests and housewives – demn ourselves to shackles once because of them, a civil rights law more if we fail to answer those was passed, and the voting rights who wonder if they’re truly equals law was signed. And doors of op- in their communities, or in their portunity swung open, not just for justice systems, or in a job interthe Black porter, but also for the view. We betray the efforts of the White chambermaid, and the im- past if we fail to push back against migrant dishwasher, so that their bigotry in all its forms. daughters and their sons might fiBut we betray our most nonally imagine a life for themselves ble past as well if we were to debeyond washing somebody else’s ny the possibility of movement, laundry or shining somebody the possibility of progress; if we

were to let cynicism consume us and fear overwhelm us. If we lost hope. For however slow, however incomplete, however harshly, loudly, rudely challenged at each point along our journey, in America, we can create the change that we seek.

All it requires is that our generation be willing to do what those who came before us have done: To rise above the cynicism and rise above the fear, to hold fast to our values, to see ourselves in each other, to cherish dignity and opportunity not just for our own children but for somebody else’s child.

To remember that our freedom is bound up with the freedom of others – regardless of what they look like or where they come from or what their last name is or what faith they practice.

To be honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve.

To nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of Earth. To nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of Earth.

That is our choice. Today, we affirm hope.

Thank you. God bless you. May God bless the United States of America.

scores identical to or higher than Fisher were denied admission to the summer program, according to a university brief.

Yet, one of Fisher’s staunchest backers is “Silent Clarence” Thomas, who is quiet on the bench, but has been a wrecking ball against affirmative action.

School under affirmative action.

In at least one respect, Thomas is worse than Scalia – he is the only justice who volunteered that Grutter should be overturned – even though Fisher isn’t seeking that resolution in her petition.

While he wants to exclude consideration of race in almost all instances, he feels it is okay for universities to use alumni preference or legacy programs that favor privileged applicants whose parents have attended a certain university.

poused by Thomas in 2003 when the court upheld the University of Michigan Law School affirmative action program.

In his dissent, Thomas said, “...

Nowhere in any of the filings in this Court is any evidence that the purported ‘beneficiaries’ of this racial discrimination prove themselves by performing at (or even near) the same level as those stu‘A central fact’ In their book, “Supreme Dis- dents who receive no preferences. comfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas,” Kevin Merida Black students and Michael A. Fletcher, two col- ‘mismatched’ leagues at the Washington Post, “.... The Law School tantalizwrote: “Every Thomas employer, es unprepared students with the from [former Missouri Sen. John] promise of a University of MichiDanforth, who gave him his first gan degree and all of the opporjob, to President George H.W. tunities that it offers. These overBush, who nominated him to the matched students take the bait, Supreme Court, chose Thomas at only to find that they cannot sucleast partly because he is Black. ceed in the cauldron of competiRace is a central fact of his mete- tion. And this mismatch crisis is oric rise, and Thomas has alter- not restricted to elite institutions.” nately denied it and resented it – Thomas wrote, “While these all the way to the top.” students may graduate with law In every court case involving degrees, there is no evidence that affirmative action, “Silent Clar- they have received a qualitatively ence” has voted against it, includ- better legal education (or become ing Texas v. Hopwood, Adarand v. better lawyers) than if they had Pena and Grutter v. Bollinger. gone to a less ‘elite’ law school Although Justice Antonin Scal- for which they were better preia is being roundly criticized over pared...” his recent remarks about Blacks That’s quite a comment from needing to attend “lesser” col- someone who attended both Holeges, it was the same position es- ly Cross College and Yale Law

George E. Curry is president and CEO of George Curry Media, LLC. Contact him via georgecurry.com.

McCarthy, David Duke,

matter what he says or does! He probably can call folks “niggers” and continue to rise in the polls.

Any other person who made these outrageous, atrocious, and disgraceful comments would have been long gone from the political process. But not Mr. Trump! The more shameful, pitiful, notorious and inglorious his comments are, the higher he advances in the polls. Mr. Trump’s candidacy really is a dark, sad and grave indication of where this country is headed in race relations and how low our civility has fallen.

our freedom, but “Trump speech” should be a part of our past. It is a catastrophe that many of my friends in the Republican Party perhaps have laryngitis, and will allow Trump to destroy the party.

Let me be very clear: Donald Trump will not become the next president of this country! You cannot make fun of the disabled and handicapped. You cannot demean women, immigrants, minorities, the frail, the weak and play on people’s fears. You cannot bully your way to the White House!

etc.! “The Donald”

Time to pray

Donald Trump’s personality, his appeal and his divisive policies have reincarnated the

REV. R.B. HOLMES GUEST COMMENTARY

ing and on fire” after the horrific 9-11 attack, would be a travesty.

He tells these lies with no proof, after reputable news outlets and reporters have said this is not true.

How can the Republican Party nominate a man who consistently insults women? How can the Republican electorate nominate a man to lead this country who lambasts Hispanics, Latinos, African-Americans, refugees, a military hero, and who led the “birther” movement against President Obama?

Donald Trump’s personality, his appeal and his divisive poli-

BILL DAY, CAGLE CARTOONS

likes of George Wallace, Bull Conner, Joe

appeals to the worst side of us! cies have reincarnated the likes of George Wallace, Bull Conner, Joe McCarthy, David Duke, etc.! “The Donald” appeals to the worst side of us!

Unfortunately, 25 to 30 percent of the Republican electorate can and will stay with Mr. Trump, no

December 1 was the 60th anniversary of the courageous act of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat to a White man. December 6 was the 150th anniversary of the 13th amendment that abolished Black slavery. Mr. Trump is the leader in the Republican presidential primary aspiring to become the leader of this country and the world. America, it is praying time!

This is a terrible day in our country. Free speech is a part of

No surprise It’s not surprising that Thomas is known as the court’s cruelest justice.

The late U.S. Appeals Court Judge Leon Higginbotham observed, “I have often pondered how is it that Justice Thomas… could be so insensitive to the plight of the powerless…I can only think of one Supreme Court justice during the century who was worse than Justice Clarence Thomas: James McReynolds, a White supremacist who referred to Blacks as ‘niggers.’”

Losing in November He may win the Republican nomination, but he will not get enough votes to win in the general election. To the Donald ‘s surprise, most people in this great America are not dumb, ignorant nor stupid.

If Trump wins the Republican nomination, let me be the first to say, “Congratulations, President Hillary Clinton!”

Dr. R. B. Holmes is publisher of the Capital Outlook newspaper in Tallahassee.

NATION

TOJ A6

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

Victims of rape speak out after officer’s conviction

Red Lobster responds to Asian slave labor allegations

BY KYLE ARNOLD ORLANDO SENTINEL (TNS)

EURWEB

Less than a day after former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw was convicted of abusing his authority to target, pull over and sexually assault at least 13 Black women while on duty, some of the victims in the case decided to speak publicly about the trial and the jury’s decision.

After hearing testimony from 13 women and deliberating for four days, 12 White (and mostly male) jurors on Dec. 10 found Holtzclaw guilty of sex Daniel crimes against eight of Holdsclaw the women – 18 of 36 counts, including first degree rape, sexual battery and indecent exposure. The jury recommended a sentence of 263 years in prison.

“We are pleased with the 18 counts we received, but we are not pleased with the 18 counts we didn’t. The tendency is not to believe Black women,” said Grace Franklin, co-founder of OKC Artists for Justice, at a press conference on Dec. 11. Franklin added that although eight women did receive justice, five others did not.

Feared for her life Franklin appeared with attorney Benjamin Crump, leaders of the National Bar Association, attorneys Damario Solomon-Simmons and Melvin Hall, and two of Holtzclaw’s victims, Jannie Liggons and Shaudae Harris.

Liggons, whose report against Holtzclaw launched the police investigation, said she feared for her life when the officer pulled her over for no reason and forced her to perform oral sex on him.

“In my mind, all I could think of was he was going to shoot me, he was going to kill me,” Liggons told reporters.

“I kept pleading, ‘Don’t make me do this, sir.’”

“All I could see was my life flashing

ORLANDO – Olive Garden and Red Lobster are pushing for changes in the seafood industry after the two restaurant chains, along with dozens of others, were connected to slave labor in Southeast Asian shrimp factories as part of an Associated Press investigation.

An Associated Press report published Monday said factories in Thailand are using slave labor to peel and process shrimp for some of the world’s largest seafood suppliers, including those that sell to Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods and others.

Those factories supplied shrimp to Thai Union, a noted supplier to most of the country’s major seafood retailers and restaurant chains.

“We take allegations of human rights and labor abuses in the seafood industry broadly and our supply chain specifically very seriously, and we are proactively working with our suppliers to reduce and ultimately eliminate these activities,” said a Red Lobster spokesperson in a statement.

COURTESY OF EURWEB

Attorney Benjamin Crump is flanked by victims of Daniel Holtzclaw – Jannie Liggons and Shaudae Harris. before my eyes and the holster on his side,” she said.

Liggons said she felt that her life was in danger and thought that if she knew his name, he was going to kill her. “I was so afraid and helpless,” she said. “I was a victim, I was traumatized, I went to therapy…I still live with this day after day.”

But in the end, Liggons told reporters, “He picked the wrong lady to stop that night.”

Assaulted at hospital A second victim, Shaudae Harris, was sexually assaulted by Holtzclaw while handcuffed to a bed at an Oklahoma City hospital.

“I just couldn’t even believe it. I was speechless, I was scared, when everything was going down…I felt like I was in survival mode and I had to do what he was making me do,” Harris said.

Crump told reporters, “It just left a hollow pit in your stomach as you lis-

tened to them tell similar story after similar story. And these women didn’t know each other.”

Crump says he tried to get the national media to pay closer attention to the case, which he referred to as the “biggest rape case America hadn’t heard about.” He said he couldn’t believe the national media wouldn’t cover the story of a “serial rapist with a badge.”

“Their lives matter, their experiences matter,” he said.

However, he said that does not take away from the victims’ strength to come forward.

“We’re celebrating their courage for telling their story,” Crump said.

Crump says there will be a civil case in an attempt to get justice for all the women.

Holtzclaw’s official sentencing will be held Jan. 21, 2016. Late last week, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office said he was on suicide watch at the Oklahoma County Jail.

Didn’t know Thai Union said it had no knowledge of forced labor at the supplier. It is also cutting ties with that supplier and bringing all of its pre-processing work inhouse, according to a statement from the company.

“In order to successfully combat labor issues in the seafood industry, it is crucial that all stakeholders — including public, private and social sectors — work together as one team,” said Darden spokesman Rich Jeffers in an email statement. “That’s why we partner with leading industry organizations, here in the U.S. and Thailand, who are helping lead the seafood community to ensure the industry and government of Thailand act to address this issue.”

Hundreds implicated Red Lobster said it is engaging in efforts and encouraging laws in Thailand and elsewhere to discourage the use of slave and forced labor in factories in that region.

The investigation implicated hundreds of retailers that sold shrimp and pet food products in all 50 states nationwide.

Darden Restaurants was also named in a previous investigation that accused Thai Union of using contractors that enslaved humans on fishing vessels. At the time Darden officials said they were satisfied that Thai Union had made changes to end any human rights abuses.

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DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

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At left are members of the 50th Season All Time Team. The franchise’s 50 best players were honored at the Miami Dolphins’ Fifty Seasons Gala Presented

by Allegiance Crane & Equipment on Dec. 11 in Hollywood. The first game of the Dolphins was in 1966.

COURTESY OF MIAMI DOLPHINS

OUT & ABOUT WITH

LEGENDARY FINS Miami Dolphins celebrate 50th anniversary with gala featuring the team’s greatest players.

BY FLORIDA COURIER STAFF

T

he Miami Dolphins celebrated its 50th anniversary this month in grand style.

On Dec. 11, the Fins hosted a star-studded gala at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, which honored the team’s top 50 players. Forty-one of the legendary 50 players attended. Donning aqua jackets, the honorees included Larry Little, Mercury Morris and Dan Marino, Nat Moore, Jason Taylor and Paul Warfield.

At halftime of Monday night’s game against the New York Giants, the 50th Season All time Team was presented.

The Miami team got its start in August 1965 when the American Football League (AFL), awarded its first expansion franchise to Joe Robbie and actor Danny Thomas for $7.5 million.

George Wilson, who was with the Detroit Lions, is named the first head football coach, in January 1966.

The first regular season game was played at the Orange Bowl in Sept. 2, 1966. The Fins lose to Oakland 23-14.

On Oct. 16, the Dolphins win their first game defeating Denver 24-7 in front of 22,191 at the Orange Bowl.

Larry Little was one of the key players in the 1970s. His wife is Rosie.

Paul Warfield was a major factor in the Dolphins’ championships in the early 1970s. His wife is Beverly.

Nat Moore was a key player for the Dolphins for 13 seasons from 1974 to 1986.

His wife is Pat.

Mark Clayton, above, paired with Mark Duper to form the popular “Marks Brothers” from 1983-92. His wife is Brigette.

Dan Marino was the Dolphins’ legendary quarterback of the 1980s.

Jason Taylor had three stints with the Dolphins (1997–2007, 2009, 2011).

PHOTOS BY KIM GIBSON/FLORIDA COURIER

MIAMI DOLPHINS’ 50TH SEASON ALL TIME TEAM Dick Anderson Bob Baumhower Doug Betters Glenn Blackwood Kim Bokamper Tim Bowens Bob Brudzinski Nick Buoniconti Mark Clayton Bryan Cox Larry Csonka A.J. Duhe Bruce Hardy Vern Den Herder Mark Duper Norm Evans Manny Fernandez Bob Griese Brent Grimes Keith Jackson Jim Jensen Jim Kiick Bob Kuechenberg Jim Langer Larry Little

Sam Madison Jim Mandich Dan Marino O.J. McDuffie Nat Moore Earl Morrall Mercury Morris Tony Nathan Ed Newman John Offerdahl Louis Oliver Mike Pouncey Reggie Roby Jake Scott Keith Sims Bill Stanfill Dwight Stephenson Patrick Surtain Jason Taylor Zach Thomas Cameron Wake Paul Warfield Richmond Webb Ricky Williams Garo Yepremian

CALENDAR

B2

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Tampa: Tickets are on sale for a concert by the Black Violin on Feb. 3 at the Straz Center.

Clearwater: Catch the Four Tops and the Temptations on Jan. 20 at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Hollywood: Kevin Hart’s What Now Tour makes a Dec. 26 stop at Hard Rock Live Hollywood. The show begins at 8 p.m.

Miami: The Weeknd’s Madness Fall Tour stops at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Dec. 19.

Miami: Tickets are on sale for Katt Williams’ “Conspiracy Theory’’ show at the James L. Knight Center on Jan. 17, the USF Sun Dole in Tampa on Feb. 6 and the CFE Arena in Orlando on Feb. 19.

Jacksonville: Tickets are on sale to see Patti LaBelle on

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

STOJ

Jan. 28 at the Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, Feb. 5 in Miami, Feb. 6 in Fort Pierce, Feb. 20 in Orlando, Feb. 21 in Tampa and Feb. 23 in Sarasota.

St. Petersburg: “The Family Blessing,’’ a play featuring local performers, will be at the Mahaffey Theater on Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 20 at 2 p.m.

Jacksonville: The D.I.P. Foundation’s annual Heal A Heart food clothing and toy giveaway is Dec. 20 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Maceo Elk’s Lodge, 712 West Duval St. Donations are still needed.

Visit www.Dipfoundation.org or call 904 438-4347.

TROMBONE SHORTY

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will be at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall on Jan. 15 Shows also are Jan. 16 at The Vinoy in St. Petersburg and Jan. 17 at the Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton.

RIHANNA

Tickets are on sale now for Rihanna: Anti World Tour 2016.

The singer will make stops in March in Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa.

Daytona Beach: An Evening with Tamela Mann takes place Feb. 6 at the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center.

Tampa: Candy Lowe hosts Tea & Conversation every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at 3911 N. 34th St., Suite B. More information: 813-3946363.

KOOL AND THE GANG

Jazz in the Gardens tickets are on sale. The lineup for the March 18-20 event include Usher, Kool and the Gang along with the Average White Band.

Florida State Fair to honor former FAMU president

BY FLORIDA COURIER STAFF

When Dr. Walter Smith learned that he had been chosen as a 2016 Florida State Fair Diversity Community Leaders Wall of Fame, honoree he was stunned.

The 80-yearold past president of Florida A&M University who Dr. Walter resides in TamSmith pa, was selected for the African American Wall of Fame, through an online voting process. Smith

will be honored on Feb. 10 at the Florida State Fair in Tampa along with Priscilla Clark, who garnered the most votes to be on the Hispanic Wall of Fame, and Hung Mai for the Asian-Pacific Wall of Fame.

“I was flabbergasted when I saw the result of it,’’ Smith told the Florida Courier, adding that he didn’t even know he had been nominated for the honor.

All nominations were reviewed by the Fair State Fair Authority Diversity Committee members who chose five candidates for the African-American nomination, three candidates for the Hispanic nomination and two candidates

for the Asian-Pacific nomination.

The public voted online for their favorite nominee to determine those selected for the honor.

The 2016 Historical Honorees selected by the committee are Doug Jamerson, a former Florida Commissioner of Education and Victoriano Manteiga, founder of La Gaceta Newspaper.

Shaw also nominated Smith said he was told that his local, national and global experiences were reasons the committee chose him as a nominee.

For decades, Smith worked for racial and educational equality

in the United States and around the world.

Before becoming Florida A&M University’s seventh president in 1977, Smith was a former provost of Hillsborough Community College and former president of Roxbury Community College in New York.

His global achievements include appointment to the International Team Leader for Higher Education in the Republic of South Africa by the United States Agency for International Development. He also built South Africa’s first American-based community college, Funda Community College.

He also is the author of “The Magnificent Twelve: Florida’s Black Junior Colleges.’’

His Dr. Walter L. Smith Library, housed in a predominantly Black Tampa neighborhood, includes a treasure trove of artifacts, books and other memorabilia collected during his global travels.

Also nominated for the African-American honor was Florida’s first Black Supreme Court Chief Justice Leander Shaw Jr., who died on Monday at age 85.

Smith called Shaw “a smoothtempered man’’ who served the state well.

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DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

FOOD

QUINOA SALAD WITH AJI AMARILLO DRESSING Servings: 10 1 cup quinoa 2 cups vegetable broth Dressing: 1/4 cup canola oil 1 tablespoon aji amarillo (or mild chili) paste 1 cup whole cilantro leaves 1/4 cup lime juice 1 teaspoon salt Salad: 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen) 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup celery, chopped 1/2 cup red onion, diced Rinse quinoa well under cool water in fine sieve for several changes of water. Drain well.

In large pot, boil vegetable broth and quinoa over medium heat. Reduce to simmer and cook quinoa until tender but still firm to bite, about 15 minutes. It’s done when germ separates, making it look like a curly Q. Drain well and return quinoa to pot off heat. Cover with tea towel and replace lid, allowing it to steam and fluff as it cools.

For dressing, add all ingredi-ents to food processor and blend until smooth.

For salad, if using fresh peas, bring mediumsize pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add peas and cook about 5 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water to cool. If using frozen, skip this step.

In large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, peas, beans, celery, red onion and dressing. Mix until dressing is distributed evenly and serve.

Note: May be prepared one day ahead.

Spice up the holidays with

Latin sides FROM FAMILY FEATURES

Prepare a fiesta this holiday season with side dishes inspired by the Latin kitch­en for a lively alternative to your typical celebra­tion. Recipes that draw on regional ingredients, such as chili peppers, cilantro, yuca and quinoa, are a deli­cious way to amp up flavor and bring Latin American style to holiday spreads.

“These recipes are a change of pace to more traditional holiday menus and are also good for you with an average of only 125 calories per serv­ing,” said Manuel Villacorta, an award-winning registered dietitian who developed CanolaInfo’s recipe collection. “The dishes have all the Latin flavors I love plus an extra measure of nutrition thanks to canola oil, which has a neutral taste to let other ingredients shine, and also contains the least saturated fat of all common vegetable oils.”

For more recipes and facts about cooking with canola oil, visit canolainfo.org.

FIESTA RICE Servings: 16 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth 2 cups wild rice 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 medium white onion, chopped 1 cup diced red bell peppers 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2cup golden raisins 1/4 cup finely diced parsley In large saucepan, bring broth to boil, then stir in wild rice and salt. Reduce heat and simmer covered 40-45 minutes, or just until kernels puff open. Uncover and fluff with fork and simmer additional 5 minutes. Drain excess liquid.

Place cooked rice in large serving bowl and set aside to cool.

In large saute pan, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 1-2 minutes or until translucent.

Add peppers, walnuts and raisins. Cook until lightly browned and fragrant. Add sauteed mixture and parsley to wild rice. Stir to combine and serve warm.

GREEN BEAN SALTADO Servings: 4 2 tablespoons canola oil 8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed 2 medium red onions, cut into strips 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon aji amarillo (or mild chili) paste 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons cumin 2 tomatoes, seeded, sliced into narrow strips 1/2 cup chopped cilantro In large saute pan or wok, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add green beans and cook 5 minutes.

Add onion, garlic, paste, vinegar, soy sauce and cumin. Stir to combine. Cook 3-5 minutes or until onions are fragrant but still hold their shape.

Add tomatoes and cook 1-2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and add cilantro. Stir to combine. Serve warm.

B3

ROASTED WINTER VEGGIES AND TRI-COLOR POTATOES Servings: 10 1 1/2 pounds tri-color potatoes, quartered 1 pound Brussels sprouts, cut in half 1 large red bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced 2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 cup chopped rosemary 1/3 cup canola oil 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder Heat oven to 400 F. In large roasting pan, place vege­tables. Add rosemary, canola oil, salt and garlic powder, and stir to combine. Cook about 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

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B4

FOOD

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

STOJ

PREPPING THE PERFECT HAM A baked ham is the perfect centerpiece to any holiday celebration. Follow these tips to ensure your seasonal meal’s main course is a sensation with your guests: • Never thaw meat on the kitchen counter as the external temperature can rise above 40 F while the inside remains frozen.

Thaw in either the refrigerator or in cold water.

• Plan ahead to clean up; line your pan with alumi­num foil.

• To avoid dried out ham, cook at 325 F, allowing 20-30 minutes per pound.

• Place fat side up. The melting fat will baste your ham. Turn over halfway through baking to avoid uneven salting.

• Do not use sharp utensils when turning the ham. Valu­able juices may escape if the ham is pierced.

• Use proper cooking times and temperatures. Cooking to at least 145 F will result in juicy, tender meat.

• Let ham stand for 15 minutes after roasting before slicing.

• Completely cook ham until done.

Avoid partial cooking and storing in refrigerator for later use, which can contaminate the meat.

Kid-favorite holiday cookies It isn’t hard to convince kids to join in the fun of making holiday cookies. These cookies pack a great chocolate flavor thanks to a surprise ingredient – Cocoa Pebbles. For more kid-favorite recipe ideas, visit PostFoods.com.

HOT CHOCOLATE CRUNCH COOKIES Prep time: 30 minutes Total time: 3 hours Servings: 52 cookies 1 cup Cocoa Pebbles, divided 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided 2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional) Heat oven to 350 F. In food processor, crush cereal to yield 1/2 cup. In medium bowl, com­bine 1/4 cup ground cereal, flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

In large bowl, using electric mixer, cream butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat to combine.

With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined.

Chill dough 1-2 hours.

In small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup ground cereal, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and chili powder (optional – for a delicious spicy twist).

Using a tablespoon, form balls of dough. Roll in cinnamon-sugarcereal mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press down lightly with a glass. Bake 8-10 minutes.

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

From savory centerpieces to rich, flavorful sides to cookies and candies aplenty, the holiday season is a time to appre­ciate a bounty of good food while surrounded by your loved ones. Make this year’s celebration extra special with cooking tips and recipes that make a festive feast to remember as easy as can be. Start with a main dish carved just right, add an exciting twist on traditional staples and learn how unexpected ingredients make delicious seasonal sweets.

Holiday side with a twist It’s easy to get caught up in the same holiday recipes year after year.

They’re classics for a reason, right? Add a different twist to a holiday menu mainstay – mashed potatoes – this year with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and parsnips.

Visit AboutOliveOil.org to learn more about the benefits of olive oil and to find more holiday recipes.

GARLIC EVOO SMASHED POTATOES AND PARSNIPS Serves: 6 3 medium to large russet potatoes, peeled and large diced 3 large parsnips, peeled and large diced garlic olive oil, to taste (see recipe) 3 tablespoons parsley, thinly shredded salt and pepper

Combine potatoes and parsnips in water, boil until tender. Drain well.

In large roasting pan, smash drained potatoes and parsnips with fork.

Season hot potatoes and parsnips with garlic olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

GARLIC OLIVE OIL FOR POTATOES AND PARSNIPS 1 head of garlic, washed, dried and halved 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil In small loaf pan, cover garlic with extra virgin olive oil.

Place foil over pan, place in 250-300 F oven until garlic is fully cooked and soft. Remove garlic and pop out cloves.

Strain extra virgin olive oil to remove any skins.

Puree cooked cloves with strained oil.

Celebrate with a sweetly salty snack Sweet treats are a staple of every holiday party, and you can add your own crowd-pleasing recipe with a favorite from your own pantry: peanut butter. It pairs perfectly with other sweet and salty flavors in this easy candy recipe. Find more ideas for cooking with peanut butter this holiday season at peanutbutterlovers.com.

PEANUT BUTTER SALTINE BRITTLE Makes: 45 pieces Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray 1/2 cup butter 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 sleeve (4 ounces) regular saltine crackers 2 cups milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup peanut butter chips 1/2 cup roughly chopped, dry-roasted, salted peanuts

Heat oven to 400 F. Line a 10-by-15-by-1inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In heavy duty, 1-quart saucepan heat butter, peanut butter and sugar over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter and sugar are melted.

Bring ingredients to boil; stir frequently for 3 minutes.

While mixture cooks, lay saltines flat in single layer on prepared pan. Pour cooked mixture evenly over saltines. Place in oven and cook 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let cool for 3 minutes, then spread chocolate completely over top of saltines.

Sprinkle peanut butter chips evenly over top of chocolate. Return pan to oven 1 minute to soften chips. Pull tines of fork through softened peanut butter chips to partially cover chocolate. Sprinkle peanuts over top and gently press down.

Let cool on rack about 15 minutes; place in freezer for 3 minutes. Remove from freezer and break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

STOJ

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

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.

These masqueraders participated in the Seventh Annual Miami Broward One Carnival’s Parade of the Bands at the Dade County Fairgrounds recently.

The Florida Courier staff selected them as this week’s Florida’s Finest – for obvious reasons.

PHOTOS BY CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

British actor discusses role in new ‘Star Wars’

BY NY MAGEE EURWEB

The hotly anticipated film is set 30 years after “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” and finds Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his allies facing a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and his army of Stormtroopers.

Boyega, a British actor best known for playing Moses in his 2011 film debut “Attack the Block,” was the subject of harsh criticism from racist fans who just can’t wrap their heads around a young, handsome, Black man donning the sacred white battle armor.

The actor said he was not surprised by the reaction, but added that “We need to fixate on the real ‘Star Wars’ fans and not ruin the face of the fandom.”

What was the defining moment when you truly felt the dynamic of your presence in “The Force Awakens”?

Boyega: I think it was having the ability to be free with Finn

as a character within a scene. It’s hard to get me on my mark (and) to get me to focus because Finn is just all over the place, and that’s an element in Finn that JJ definitely encouraged, even made me go, “I feel like I’m in a ‘Star Wars’ movie!’ I feel like I have a presence here.’ And that made things significant.

What can you tell us about the film that will not only satisfy hardcore fans, but also leave newcomers in awe and wanting more?

Boyega: I think it’s definitely a good balance between reference to the old, and enough new information to make a continuous story. So I feel like fans will be able to watch “The Force Awakens’’ for the first time but also be intrigued enough to go back because there are some really cool references that if you have been a “Star Wars’’ fan before, you’re gonna be like, ‘I heard that. I got that.’

With all the CGI and fantastical characters the film re-

COURTESY OF LUCASFILM/TNS

John Boyega portrays Finn in The Force Awakens,” which debuts nationwide on Dec. 18. lies on, what did you find most challenging about preparing for your performance?

Boyega: The preparation itself. Most of the preparation happened during auditions, forming the character from scratch without much to go on, cause they didn’t give us a full script, and the sides gave the actors the ability to show the tones and depths of the characters, but were not specific to the story for spoilery reasons. So it was a challenge trying to gauge what was right and what didn’t quite work but JJ helped

Television becoming truer reflection of who we are, where we’re going

BY ROBERT LLOYD LOS ANGELES TIMES (TNS)

We are not, by any means, living in a post-racial world — a phrase that will of course have no meaning in the actual post-racial world. But on television, at least, we’ve entered a noticeably less homogeneous (if still a largely homogenized) one.

2015, the year of Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore and #BlackLivesMatter, was also the year of “Empire,” the rare network television show in which White people were mostly at the margins. The drama was also the year’s big hit, one that cut across demographic lines to a degree that surely registered some small cries of surprise in executive offices across the industry.

Stir in the continuing success of “Jane the Virgin,” a show that speaks Spanish when it wants to; network sitcoms like “black-ish”

ANALYSIS and the Asian American-themed “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Dr. Ken”; African-American cable dramas “Power” and “Survivor’s Remorse” (50 Cent and LeBron James, respectively, among their producers), whose numbers have steadily improved; the highperforming freshman procedural “Rosewood,” with its Black and Latina leads.

Add, to make more inclusive the theme of inclusiveness, one scripted and one reality series about an older man transitioning to another gender. And, for that matter, a “Star Wars”-themed Campbell’s soup commercial featuring two gay dads.

Some exceptions I don’t want to get ahead of things. Arab American actors must find their opportunities

KELSEY MCNEAL/ABC

Jenifer Lewis and Laurence Fishburne star as Anthony Anderson’s parents on “black-ish.’’ limited, to say the least. It’s been eight years since “Aliens in America,” a fine comedy about a Muslim Pakistani exchange student in the Midwest, and no network has shown itself in a hurry to fill that void, or any remotely resembling it. Recent real-world events don’t make that seem any more likely in the foreseeable future.

Indian American Aziz Ansari may have scored his own series (“Master of None,” on Netflix),

me through that process.

Your character has been immortalized in a video game.

Did you ever imagine your career merging with the gaming world?

Boyega: I promised myself I won’t lie throughout my whole career, yes I did! (laughs). I’ve always wanted to say that. After “Attack the Block’’ and actively coming to the States, you’re aware of what types of opportunities, not specifically “Star Wars,’’ but aware that you have studio movies, and classic films and dramas but he makes the point within it that opportunities for Indian actors are still circumscribed by stereotype, the progressiveness of his show and Mindy Kaling’s “The Mindy Project” (dropped

by NBC, embraced by Hulu), not withstanding. Changes in front of the camera have certainly outpaced changes behind and above them.

There have been false dawns.

Progress is slow. In a way, television is slowly crawling its way back to the 1970s, when “Good Times,” “The Jeffersons,” “Sanford and Son” and ethnic variety packs like “Barney Miller” and “Welcome Back, Kotter” were on the air. Nearly 40 years on, “Roots” is getting a remake.

Economic strategy Still, something is happening, a subtle rearrangement of the medium’s DNA that better represents both who we are now, collectively and variously, and where we are hopefully headed. The popular arts have always been a harbinger and an agent of

that I wanted to be involved in.

So in the future, I did see myself going on to do these epic movies, and it’s always been a dream. To be immortalized, not that I wanted that, but that naturally comes with a big picture. So that’s definitely something I hoped for.

Tell us about your wildest fan reaction.

Boyega: I went to the Met gala, and then went to an after party and as I stood there, I turned around and bumped into a young man. He looked at me and was like, ‘Oh my gosh! The Black stormtrooper!’ And it was Will. I. Am. (laughs) We embraced, and he was like ‘You’re really here!’’’

When you watch films, what angers you? Are there common themes that you find archaic that must be nixed?

Boyega: In terms of character, especially what we define as heroes, this element of perfection is the thing that just makes me go, “No – we can’t relate to that.’’

We watch the news, or we hear about someone who saves someone – they look normal, and they are not ripped to the nines, and I get the brand, but it’s also cool to have someone that captures the different physical attributes of the entire planet. They could also be heroes. change, positing the world that the world grows into.

It’s true that the businesses that fund, present and promote them often have had to be dragged kicking and whining into a better future, but the changing complexion of the country is bringing us to the point when inclusiveness becomes less a political gesture and more an economic strategy.

If these changes have been powered less by righteousness than by public shaming and financial calculation, progress has often been a matter of good things done for less than altruistic reasons. Whatever figuring led NBC finally to squeeze in a pair of African-American sitcoms late this summer — the disappointing “Mr. Robinson” and the excellent (and renewed) “The Carmichael Show” — or made “The Wiz” the third of its “live” musical revivals, it happened.

If “Friends” were cast today, it would look different. Six White people in a room would just seem off.

HEALTH

B6

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24, 2015

STOJ

Tips for coping in a troubled world MAYO CLINIC NEWS NETWORK (TNS)

COURTESY OF FOTOLIA/TNS

Access to troubling and violent information and world events can test our resilience, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

News of traumatic events such as the recent mass shooting in California can be extremely unsettling. In this digital age, we have access to national crises as they unfold, and when that information is troubling and violent, the Department of Health and Human Services says it tests our resilience. Some people are left feeling sad, scared and even helpless.

Mayo Clinic oncologist Dr. Edward Creagan cares for patients with advanced cancer and specializes in helping people cope with tragedy and tough news. He says there are ways to help people deal with the onslaught of negative information.

“The first step is to recognize the power of relationships and the power of being connected,” he said.

“This means you should pick up that phone and talk to people, take them out to coffee, because when we get isolated we start to ruminate and may begin to exaggerate the risks and fears we face every day.”

Creagan offers these tips on what you can do to make it through difficult times: • Talk about it • Exercise: stretching, cardiovascular activities and strength training • Eat healthy foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, healthy fats • Get adequate sleep Turn it off: take a break from watching, listening to or reading about bad news • Do activities you enjoy • Seek professional help: talk to your health care provider if sadness or depression lasts for more than 10 days or it negatively impacts quality of life • Care for a pet

Give your family the gift of good health FROM FAMILY FEATURES

As colder months approach, many families enjoy spending time together on the couch watching football, indulging in delicious family recipes and preparing for the holiday season.

Many of us look forward to this time of year when we can spend quality time with loved ones, relax, reflect on the year and look forward to the new year ahead.

This can also be a challenging time to stay healthy as people tend to stay bundled up indoors and the food seems to pile up on the dinner table.

“Poor nutrition poses a challenge to America’s health, especially for vulnerable populations whose access to healthy food is often limited,” said Dr. Garth Graham, president of the Aetna Foundation. “We’re excited to support programs that help make healthy food and exercise programs more affordable and accessible to people nationwide.”

Providing healthy choices There is a great need to increase access to nutritious foods in vulnerable communities and to make healthy food available, accessible and affordable for more people across the country.

Millions living in underserved communities struggle to maintain healthy habits during the holiday season without the help of school-provided meals and activities. That is why the Aetna Foundation is working with nonprofit organizations across the country to provide healthy foods and exercise options and tools to more people year-round.

• These tips from the Aetna Foundation are designed to help people stay active and healthy during the holiday season.

• Eat well. When grocery shopping for large (or small) family meals, choose fresh, seasonal, nutritious foods as often as possible. When fresh is not pos-

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sible, keep in mind that frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are still healthy alternatives.

To guard against nutrient loss, be sure to eat frozen fruits and veggies soon after purchase and steam or microwave them rather than boiling to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.

• Cook together. As you plan and cook meals for your friends and family over the holidays, inviting your children to cook with you is a great way to teach them about nutrition and better food choices.

• Get off the couch. It can be tempting to curl up on the couch to stay warm and dry during the cold winter months, but find ways to stay active with your family – such as interactive dancing video games, an indoor game of hide-and-seek or dancing during commercials while you watch your favorite TV show.

• Find more healthy living tips for your family at aetna-foundation.org.

COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Making healthy choices can help loved ones throughout the winter season.