Challenger Community News January 10, 2018 by Challenger Community News

SERVING BUFFALO, ROCHESTER, NIAGARA FALLS AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Julia Bottoms portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. for The Freedom Wall, 2017. Photograph by Tom Loonan

January 10, 2018 | FREE |

TRANSITION

Thapelo Imani Hill: “Let The Village Say Amen!“ Page 10

IMAGES

Realism vs. Symbolism: Petition to Replace MLK “Head” Launched Page 3

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968 Local Celebrations To Honor the Legacy of Dr. King Page 4

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INSIDE ROCHESTER

Mayor Warren Evokes the Words of Dr. King Page 2

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID BUFFALO, N.Y. PERMIT NO. 164

INSIDE ROCHESTER

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

"Dr. King And The Media" is Theme of First Community Institute's 47th Annual MLK Celebration

Mayor Lovely A. Warren

Mayor Warren Evokes The Words of Dr. King During Inaugural Address

On New Year's Day Mayor Lovey A. Warren pledged to dedicate her second term to bringing economic equality to Rochester as envisioned by such leaders as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rochester’s own Joseph C. Wilson, the founder of the Xerox Corp. “With God’s grace and His mercy, we will pick up where Dr. King and Mr. Wilson left off and try to bring true economic equality to Rochester,” Mayor Warren said. “Togeth-

er, we will work to create in Rochester a living example of the powerful, but unfinished, legacy of these great men.” Mayor Warren was sworn in during a ceremony at Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music to begin her second term as mayor. In her inauguration speech, Mayor Warren borrowed a refrain from one of Dr. King’s final addresses and implored the audience “Let us be dissatisfied together.” She noted

Transition

Hortense Diane Radney, Mother of Challenger Rochester Rep George Radney

ortense Diane Radney was born in Buffalo New York on January 11, 1935 to Alex and Minnie Jones. Diane attended Fosdick High School. While she was in school she gave birth to her son Clifton Jones and along with her parents raised him to a to be a wonderful man. In 1961 she married George Radney and to that union another son George V. Radney was born. Diane was a homemaker Hortense and actively volunteered at George’s schools. She was a very active parent volunteer at St. Diane Radney Mary’s of Sorrow and Canisius High school. Diane made sure that her sons were well educated because education was vitally important to her. She sacrificed a lot to send George to Catholic school all of his academic life. The piano that she bought for her sons sits in the Radney home today. Both Clifton and George are college graduates. Diane was preceded in death by her beloved son Clifton Jones and her husband George. She leaves to cherish her memory a wonderful family; son George, who is The Challenger Rochester Representative, and beloved daughter in-law Delores; grandchildren Nicole Jones, Julian Omar and Michael Radney; and two great grandchildren Ayden and Andrea Jade and a special daughter in Law Debbie Jones. The love shown Diane from her family at Monroe County Hospital (MCH) where she spent the last nine years of her life kept her happy! The Radney family wishes to send special love and heartfelt thanks to the MCH staff who took such loving care of our mother Diane Radney.

that at the end of his life, Dr. King was beginning to take on the challenge of economic inequality. Meanwhile, she said, Joseph Wilson, the founder of Xerox and the namesake of her high school, was taking a deep interest in the civil unrest that had prompted race riots in Rochester and other cities. “Dr. King started to articulate that civil rights alone do not guarantee freedom,” Mayor Warren said. “He said: For we know now that it isn’t enough to integrate lunch counters. What does it profit a man to be able to eat at an integrated lunch counter if he doesn’t have enough money to buy a hamburger and a cup of coffee?’ ” Mr. Wilson responded to the race riots by meeting with members of Rochester’s African American community, including the Rev. Franklin Florence Sr. and members of the FIGHT organization, to learn more about conditions of their lives. Soon after, his company launched an aggressive effort to hire more minority workers and managers, and went on to become the first Fortune 500 Company to appoint a Black woman as its Chief Executive Officer and President. She also noted that the legacy of Mr. Wilson traced to her election, as her father was a Xerox employee. “And I hope Dr. King and Mr. Wilson would be proud to know that line will not end with me,” she said. “It will continue right on through my office to future generations.”

irst Community Interfaith Institute Inc. will hold its 47th annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on January 15 at 6 p.m. at its headquarters, 219 Hamilton Street, Rochester, NY. In Montgomery, Alabama, May 1958, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his book Stride Toward Freedom, the following: "...The majority of Negroes (sic) who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence of the Montgomery Movement." Minister Lawrance Lee Evans Sr. , the National Minister of First Community Interfaith Institute Inc., will address the question "Did the media really understand Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement?" in his presentation on January 15, 2018 at First Community Interfaith Institute Inc. He will present to his students and supporters "Dr. King and the Media." Minister Lawrance Lee Evans Sr. has been involved in the human rights struggle for many years. His attendance at

Crozer Theological Seminary was influenced directly by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His knowledge of our struggle is based on his involvement and action.

Minister Lawrance Lee Evans Sr. is the founder of First Community Interfaith Institute Inc. All faiths are welcome to the presentation .

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

AREA BRIEFS Demetrius T. Johnson Sr. to be Awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism Demetrius T. Johnson Sr., 24, the brave young father who died after he rushed back into his family’s burning apartment on Humber Avenue last February 19 to save his 3-year-old son, will be honored posthumously with an award for heroism by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. Firefighters found them both in the living room and removed them. His son, little Demetrius Jr. , survived. Demetrius Sr. also helped carry Treasure Brighon, the 8-year- Demetrius T. Johnson Sr. with old daughter of his fiancee son Demetrius T. Johnson Jr. Tempest Thomas, out of the burning home. Treasure, who was burned over 90 percent of her body, later died at Shriners Hospital for children in Cincinnati. Johnson’s family will receive the medal along with a monetary award. He was one of 20 people honored for heroism in 2016.

Baskin to Host Community Swearing In Ceremony! Newly elected Erie County Legislator and Majority Leader April Baskin Invites supporters to attend a community swearing in ceremony and ribbon cutting on Sunday, January 14 at 2 p.m. at 2637 Main Street corner of Fillmore Avenue, Hon. E. Jeanette Ogden presiding. Ms. Baskin, 34, was elected in November to serve in the 2nd District Legislative seat previously held by Betty Jean Grant. She Legislator Baskin was voted in as the Democratic majority leader last Thursday during her first Legislature meeting. At one time former legislator Betty Jean Grant also held that coveted leadership position. Parking for Sunday’s event is available behind the building’s Main Street location, which is also accessible by NFTA Metro busses #8, #32, #33 and the Amherst Train Station.

Free Social Media, Email Workshop for Block Club Leaders The Community Action Organization of Western New York, Inc., will be hosting a training at the Masten Resource Center (1423 Fillmore Ave) on January 10, at 6 p.m. This training will be led by Duncan Kirkwood and the intention of this training is to help block club leaders to better navigate social media and email messaging. The workshop will be free and open to any block club leader in Western NY. Please bring Duncan Kirkwood your own laptop, tablet, or cell phone as there are a limited amount at the Masten Resource Center. And Please RSVP by calling 716-308-0506. This is the first of a series of trainings the CAO is looking to provide for block club leaders over the next year. If you cannot attend, please call to RSVP for the next training.

IMAGES: The King bust in MLK Park in Buffalo (left) and the Stone Of Hope 2011 King memorial in D.C.

Realism vs. Symbolism: Petition to Replace Local Martin Luther King Monument Launched

By Nanette D. Massey

he East Side park was renamed in 1977 to honor the slain Black civil rights titan, and deemed Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. To further honor him, a committee was assembled in the early 80's to nurse through to fruition, a memorial sculpture. Community activist Sam Herbert believes the statue unveiled in October of 1983 was not the dream the community bought into. He has announced a press conference on the MLK holiday, January 15th, at 10 a.m. to launch a petition drive for the removal and replacement of the statue. It will take place in the park at the site of the sculpture at Fillmore and Best Streets. Although the 8 foot metal bust is not an image of Dr. King that most are familiar with, former City Council member Clifford Bell, a driving force behind the monument, insists the statue was a thoughtful effort by all involved and serves its purpose more broadly nonetheless. To Samuel A. Herbert, symbolism is not enough. Herbert is currently chair of the Coalition to Save MLK Park, a group that was instrumental in bringing back the park's children's water splash. The coalition is down to five members all together, and it is on their behalf that he speaks. Herbert says the disappointment among the crowd was palpable at that 1983 unveiling. "I personally contributed $100 for a statue to look like Dr. King. That statue is a shame, and Black folks were in charge of this project," he said. Herbert believes "racism stepped in and demanded these so-called Black leaders and said 'this is what we want.’ Those White people who control many of our elected officials" he charged, made them defer to a more symbolic representation. When asked what White people and White interests stood to gain, Herbert answered "I don't know. I'm speaking of the mentality." Herbert says he was directly inspired by God with the words "correct this wrong." To him, it’s not about symbolism. "MLK was one of America's great contributors to social science. We should be able to honor him with pride, just like White people with Columbus, George Washington, and the Lincoln Memorial," he noted, referring to Lincoln’s 11 foot statue at D.C.'s National Mall. The Buffalo park's statue was created by Boston artist John Woodrow Wilson, who also added to his credits a bust of Dr. King under the gold dome of the Capitol Building in Washington before his passing in early 2015. Wilson spent some time in Mexico and was inspired by the colossal head sculptures of the ancient Olmec people. Carvings up to 11 feet high themselves, and weighing as much as 50 tons, depict what are believed to be significant rulers of their time. Wilson, who addressed the crowd at the '83 unveiling, was looking to convey something more expansive than just the memory of one man. That prospect engaged Clifford Bell, current Senior Advisor at Buffalo State's Small Business Development Center. In '83 he was a Buffalo Common Council member and chair of the MLK Celebration Committee, working under Col. Craven Givens, chair of the MLK Trust Fund. Says Bell, "we wanted the kind of atmosphere showing that wherever Black men are, there is struggle. King was about so much more than his 'I have a dream' speech. We thought hopefully this statue would challenge people to do more research about him" and come to appreciate the grandness of his intellect and the universal scope of his ideas." Bell and Givens were presented with a model for their pre-approval and invited then mayor Jimmy Griffin, who was also responsible for a sizeable chunk of the funding. Though the model demonstrated no exact likeness to King, the committee agreed "symbolism is still worthwhile. It creates conversa-

tion, interest and appeal." Given how the modern Black Lives Matter movement has morphed into its own, he sees a static representation of King as less useful today. The park's monument is about "attention, fair play, justice, equality. It's about Black men." Bell heard of Herbert's proposed petition after reading about it in a December issue of The Challenger. Herbert confirmed that he has not contacted anyone associated with the statue, either during its planning stage or since incubating the idea to dismantle it. "If he'd come to me," Bell says, "I'd have met him for breakfast. He didn't talk to me or anybody that had anything to do with it." Continued Page 11

1964 - Time Magazine honored Dr. King as "Man of the Year"

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1929 •Born Michael King (later known a Martin Luther king) on Jan. 15 to the Rev. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Sr. of 501 Auburn Ave. N.E. in Atlanta. 1944 • Entered Atlanta's Morehouse College program for advanced placement at 15 years of age. Receives BA Degree at age 19. 1951 •Enters Boston University for graduate studies. 1953 •Dr. King married Coretta Scott, June 18, 1953. 1955 •Receives doctoral degree in systematic theology from Boston University on June 5. •Joins bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested Dec. 1. •On Dec. 5, elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, making him the official spokesman for the boycott. 1956 • Nov. 13, U.S. Supreme Court rules bus segregation is illegal, victory for the boycott. • Dr. King's home was bombed January 30. No one was hurt. 1957 •King forms the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to fight segregation and achieve civil rights. 1958 •The U.S. Congress passes the first Civil Rights Act since reconstruction. •King’s first book, “Stride Toward Freedom,” is published. Continued Page 11

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

Local Celebrations to Honor The Legacy of Dr. King “Breaking The Chains of Injustice” is Theme of Citywide Martin Luther King Celebration Program: Dr. Cash is Keynote Speaker Deadline extended for high school juniors and seniors to enter Dr. Martin Luther King Oratorical contest.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Contest Announced for High School Juniors and Seniors The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Contest for high school juniors and seniors will be held on January 20 from 3-5p.m. at the St. John Baptist Church Family Life Center, 833 Michigan Avenue. Participating students will address the following topic: “What would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Say About The NFL Players and Others Protesting During the National Anthem?” The first place winner will receive $250; 2nd place, $100 and 3rd place, $50. Persons interested in taking part in the contest should contact Duncan Kirkwood for more information at (716) 308-0506. The event is being sponsored in part by Humanities New York, Alpha Phi Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter, the Buffalo Chapter NCCCP and The Challenger Community News.

Afro American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier to Host 13th Annual MLK Program The 13th Annual Afro American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Program will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the Buffalo History Museum, 1 Museum Court. From 2:20 to 4:00 p.m. there will be a Jazz Concert followed by a reception with light refreshments. At 4:30 p.m. a Lecture by Ricky L. Fleming, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Buffalo State College will be featured. For further information, go to web site: h t t p : / / b u f f a l o h i s t o r y. o rg / Vi s i t / E v e n t - D e t a i l s . aspx?id=1240&type=events

he Concerned Citizens Following the Dream Committee will present its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Program on Sunday January 14 at Kleinhans Music Hall at 6 p.m. Kleinhans will come alive as the community celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. King with great music, speeches and various performing arts. This year’s theme is “Breaking The Chains Of Injustice.” The keynote speaker will be Buffalo School Superintendent, Dr. Kriner Cash. Other participants will include a musical tribute by the “BELLS” with St. Vincent De Paul Youth Choir, Miss Barbara’s School of Dance, the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, the African Cultural Center Dancers, the Citywide Choir (under the direction of Bessie Patterson), the Varsons Community Choir and others. Since there are so many negative and unpleasant events happening in our world today, the committee wanted to end the program with laughter, so by popular demand Christian Comedian/Ventriloquist, Minister Willie Brown of Atlanta Ga. will return. This year's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. awardees include: Mary Kapsiak, Woman of Distinction Award; Luis Rodriguez, Business Award; Denise Cobbs, Education Award; LaVonne E. Ansari, Community Service Award; and First Responders Award to firemen from Engine 21, Ramon J. Suarez Jr., Shawn P. Duffy, Robert Ingram and William O’Neal. The admission is free and is sponsored in part by: M&T Bank, Wegmans Food, Senator Tim Kennedy, Lombardo Funeral Home, Legislator Barbara Miller-Williams, UNYTS, ECMC Medical Center, Thomas T. Edwards Funeral Home, Buffalo Teacher’s Federation Inc., The African Cultural Center & more. Bessie Patterson is the Chairperson/Coordinator.

28th Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast Carries on King’s Dream of Educational Equality" Pastor Edward Jackson to Deliver Keynote Address

astor Herschel Chapman, Jr. and the Christian Education Scholarship Committee of New Hope Baptist Church are pleased to announce the 28th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Breakfast. The breakfast will be held on Monday, January 15 at the Buffalo Ni-

agara Convention Center, 153 Franklin Street. The MLK Scholarship Breakfast is a community service project established in 1989 that is committed to honoring the legacy of Dr. King by carrying on his dream of educational equality. Proceeds from the breakfast are used to fund

Special Essay Contest In Honor of Dr. King

Martin Luther King Jr. Free Winter Fun Fest

Students in grades 9 – 12 and first and second year college students are invited to enter special essay contest in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The theme is: “The Education of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” *Students must write a twopage essay describing the educational background of Dr. King. What schools did he attend? Where did he go to college? *Dr. King was the author of several books. Give the names of two of his books and describe in a few words why they are important. *Dr. King was known for many speeches and quotations. Choose two of the following quotes and explain what they mean. How can you use these quotations to become a successful student? “Excellence and character are the true goals of education.” “Whatever you do in life do it with excellence.” “We must use our time creatively.” “Education can help us to tell truth from fiction.” All Essays must be emailed to ewriter52@aol.com by January 19, . Call 847-6010 for more information. This contest is sponsored by Eva M. Doyle.

scholarships for deserving, first semester college students who have recently graduated from a Buffalo Public School. This year’s keynote speaker Pastor Edward Jackson, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Buffalo. Tickets are $35 per person

The Buffalo United Front will host its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Winter Fun Fest on Monday, January 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Como Park. Come out and enjoy tubing and sledding, food and family fun ! No age limit! If there is no snow on January 15 the event will be held on the first Saturday with snow. For more

information call 818-3410.

ROCHESER'S Annual 19th Ward MLK Event The 19th Ward Community Association will celebrate the 13th Annual 19WCA Luminary Evening Jan. 15 from -69 p.m.event by "lighting up the neighborhood” to express our solidarity with the values of Martin Luther King’s Beloved Community and his important campaign against racism and poverty. 19WCA will kick -off the MLK events with a celebration at the Arnett Library featuring performances from the 19th Ward MLK Children’s Choir and guest keynote speaker Judge Maija Dixon. Jan. 13, noon - 1 pm

Niagara Falls 2018 King Celebration Celebrate the spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a FREE performance of the Internationally renowned Nathaniel Dett Chorale on Thursday, January 11th, 6pm at Niagara Falls High School Performing Arts Center. The Nathaniel Dett Chorale is Canada's first professional choral group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues.

Blacks in The Courts present annual MLK Program The Western New York Coalition of Blacks in the Courts will present the 26th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Program at 12:30 p.m. Friday Jan. 12 in Erie County Hall, 92 Franklin St. The Rev. Ron Coleman, pastor of The Victory Tabernacle in Cheektowaga, will be the guest speaker.

or $325 for a table of ten. For additional information call the church at 883-0821 or the program Chair, Retta Billingslea at (716) 835-4737).

“Julia Bottoms portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. for The Freedom Wall, 2017. Photograph by Tom Loonan.”

Downtown Central Library King Celebration The 40th Annual Community Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held at the Downtown Central Library, 1 Lafayette Square from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan.11. The free event will feature The Colored Musicians Club, Differential Flava Crew and Yasmin Young of WBLK. Clifford Bell will serve as MC.

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

Emergency HEAP Outreach Sponsored by Legislator April Baskin When: Tuesday, January Time: 9 AM –4 PM Where: Delavan Grider Community Center 877 East Delavan Avenue HEAP is a federally funded program to assist Erie County Residents with their heating bills. The HEAP outreach will be administered by the Erie County Departments of Social Services and Senior Services and is open to all income eligible households. For more information, contact the HEAP Hotline at 8587644 or visit: www.erie.gov/ depts/socialservices/heap.asp andwww.mybenefits.nygov. Emergency Benefit Heat and Utility Bill Assistance - Now Open •There must be a Shut-off Notice or Low Fuel Supply (oil, propane, wood, etc.). Interviews will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. Emergency Heap Applicants must have a final disconnection notice. SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS!

How Urban Family Practice is Saving Primary Care on Buffalo’s East Side

ast June, 7,000 patients, mainly East Side residents, received a letter stating that their neighborhood primary practice office was closing its doors, leaving these individuals without a convenient, close-to-home, family doctor. After 12 years, UB Family Medicine on Jefferson Avenue and East Utica Street was facing a challenge recruiting physicians to the practice. Closing seemed inevitable. Enter Urban Family Practice and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Raul Vazquez. He saved the clinic by purchasing it and in turn expanding his burgeoning West Side primary practice to the East Side. The new Jefferson Avenue Urban Family Practice will be run by Dr. Chet Fox, a former professor at the State University New York at Buffalo Medical School, and a champion for the East Side practice. “Dr. Vazquez immediately swept in to save (the Jefferson family practice office) because he’s just got a heart for helping people in the community,” said Dr. Dr. Chet Fox Fox. “So he purchased the site, and I was there, so I get to be the clinical leader at my old site – so my new site, is my old site.” The Jefferson Urban Family Practice office is slated to open later this month and will start with two full—time nurse practitioners and Dr. Fox seeing patients. Fox said eventually another fulltime provider will join the staff of the clinic. The opening of Jefferson Family Practice could not come at a better time. Along with the closure of UB Family Medicine’s Jefferson site, Lifetime Health has also shuttered its doors, including its William E. Moser Health Clinic, a large medical center located on the East Side. Dr. Fox said that the closing of the Mosher Clinic means another 5,000 to 7,000 patients are looking for a primary care doctor. Urban Family Practice will absorb as many of those patients as it can. “I’m excited that we can do this for the community, I’m excited that we can restore primary care, and that we can do it in a way that we’re building the care model of the future,” said Dr. Fox. “It’s about value, but it’s about quality at the most efficient cost – it’s about doing the right thing for the right person at the right time.” Jefferson Urban Family Practice is located at 1315 Jefferson Avenue at East Utica. To schedule an appointment, please call (716) 332-3797. For more information about Urban Family Practice, visit www.urbanfamilypractice.com

FAITH & FAMILY “Repositioning the Body of Christ” Zion Missionary Baptist Church Announces January Prayer/Fasting Gathering Dates

NEW ASSISTANT PASTOR

The Historic Bethel A.M.E. Church is pleased to welcome The Reverend Mr. Justin Blakley Anderson, M.Th. as their new Assistant Pastor. Rev. Anderson will be working very closely with Reverend Richard Allen Stenhouse. His most previous assignment was at the Christ Community Church in Lockport,NY as Associate Pastor of Worship, Connections and Christian Growth. He simultaneously serves The Historic First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lockport, New York in the capacity of Guest Minister.

Zion Missionary BaptistChurch is once again hosting the “Repositioning the Body of Christ Through Prayer and Fasting” Monday morning altar prayer for the month of January. Please join us every Monday at 6 a.m.: Monday January 15 Monday January 22 Monday January 29 For more information contact the church office at 8861362. Rev C.M. Jenkins II is Host Pastor.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

Pastor Kinzer M. Pointer Appointed Chair, Board of Managers, Millennium Care Performing Provider System Kinzer M. Pointer, Jr., Pastor of Agape Fellowship Baptist Church, 347 Peckham St., has been appointed Chair, Board of Managers, Millennium Collaborative Care PPS. . “We look forward to Pastor Pointer’s inspired leadership in the year ahead as we strive to provide innovative Population Health services in collaboration with our trusted partners from across Western New York’s eight counties,” said Al Hammonds, CSSBB, Executive Director, Millennium Collaborative Care. “Pastor Pointer is both deeply rooted in the greater Buffalo community and closely in touch with the needs of Medicaid clients across our region Pastor Kinzer Pointer as evidenced by his life-long commitment to pastoral service, community engagement. and the advancement of quality and equitable education for all. “We also extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to Anne Constantino for her outstanding leadership,” Hammonds continued. “We are thrilled Anne will remain on our Board and will continue to serve in a committee leadership capacity.”

Active Shooter Awareness Presentation An Active Shooter Awareness presentation will be held on Saturday, January 13 at 2 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 1525 Michigan Avenue. Learn how to prepare yourself against threats and vulnerabilities by practicing protective measures, including steps to take if ever faced with an active shooter situation. Each attendee will receive a small first aid kit for attending. The event is sponsored by Rev. Richard A. Stenhouse and presented by Border Community Service of Niagara University. We’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the LORD. Trusting in His Holy Word, He never failed me yet!

FAITH & FAMILY

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

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PROTECT OUR CHILDRLEN FROM SEXUAL ABUSE: AN OPEN DISCUSSION The Buffalo Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse will host , "Protect Our Children From Sexual Abuse: An Open Discussion" at the CAO, 1423 Fillmore Ave. on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. Participants will strategize and come up with tools to protect the children in the City of Buffalo from predators. Everyone has a role to play in protecting our young! For more information call 716-324-1153 or email bcptcsa@gmail.com

If you need help with your heating bills, let HEAP be part of the solution.

Boys and Young Men of Color Youth Leadership Council Recruiting! The Say Yes Boys and Young Men of Color (BMoC) program (an initiative of the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable) is recruiting

youth ages 12 – 24 years old for the BMoC Youth Leadership Council. The Council will prepare and raise up young males of color -- inschool and out-of-school -scholars or otherwise -- to be leaders in our community. Applications are available, but if you come across a young male who may not want to complete the application process the traditional way please have them TEXT Tommy McClam, Director of BMoC at 716-228-6619 or Daniel Robertson, BMoC Supervisor, at 716-704-9865.

Nate, Consumer Business Manager Buffalo, NY

In addition, if you would like for Tommy or Daniel to come and speak to a group of youth or service providers please let Tommy McClam know.

“Knowing when to stop, you can avoid any danger.” -Tao Te Ching

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The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally-funded program that provides assistance to eligible households by helping to pay a portion of their annual heating costs. National Fuel is here to help customers take advantage of this benefit. Visit us online at HEAPhelps.com or call 1-877-443-2743 to learn more and see if you qualify to apply for these limited funds. Approximate Maximum Annual Gross Income Limit $27,811 $36,368 $44,925 $53,482 $62,039 $70,596 $72,201 $73,805 $75,410 $77,014 $80,790 Add $6,270 per person

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

Celebrated Artist Drea D'Nur to Lead Resistance Revival Chorus

In celebration of the one-year anniversary of the historic Women’s March on Washington, the Burchfield Penney Art Center today announced it is co-organizing a Resistance Revival Chorus directed by Buffalo-based singer, songwriter Drea D’Nur. Under the creativity and leadership of d’Nur, whose work has reached national and international acclaim, the chorus will perform pop-up selections throughout the galleries for the rights of women, people of color, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and anyone who feels left behind by society on Friday, January 12, 5:30 pm – 7:30 p.m. as part of M&T Second Friday. The choDrea D’Nur rus performance is at 6:30 p.m.. The event is free and open to the public. For decades, voices of dissent have penetrated American culture to reform society for the betterment and advancement of this nation. The Women’s March on Washington in January 2017 drew hundreds of thousands of people to the nation’s capital and millions to rallies staged around the world. Over the past year, a movement of diverse women in cities and towns nationwide have been bringing song to life in the collective spirit of resistance and protest.

ON STAGE ON STAGE AT THE HELIUM COMEDY CLUB JESS HILARIOUS Sunday January 14 @ 7 PM & 9:15 PM 30 Mississippi Street•853-1211. Media superstar Jess Hilarious is hitting the road for a standup comedy tour, and Buffalo is in her sights. More than 1.7 million people follow her on Instagram, and millions more have watched her on “Wild N Out.”

Byron Stripling Swings with Duke and Ella Sat. Jan. 20, 8pm

Join us for a swingin’ night inspired by Harlem’s famed musical hot spots when Duke Ellington’s orchestra was the house band, and Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, and Ethel Waters showcased American jazz classics. Vocalist Carmen Bradford and dancer Ted Louis Levy join Stripling to take you back to the golden age of jazz.

CALL (716)885-5000 | bpo.org 183006

Art On View

by leah hamilton

or the first Art Matters Q&A, we focus on Julia Bottoms, one of the four dynamic Buffalo artists selected for the Albright Knox public art project The Freedom Wall, a vivid 28 panel mural with larger than life portraits of local and national Civil Rights leaders/activists that sits at the gateway of the AA Heritage Corridor on East Ferry and Michigan. Julia was the only female artist in the group and she was also the artist Artist/Julia Bottoms who painted the portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. for the Wall. That image graces our front page this week in celebration of the MLK National Holiday. In the Q&A below, Julia shares some of her thoughts and experiences on painting Dr. King. What does Dr. King’s message mean to you? I think as a youth I underestimated the power of MLK’s method and the degree to which he sacrificed to actualize his vision. As an Adult I’ve gained more appreciation for him and realize that nothing is one-size-fits-all for anything including activism. History needed Angela, Malcolm and Martin and each of their differing ideologies and approaches to activism for the progress that has been made then and now. How did you feel when you saw Dr. King on your list of portraits to paint for the wall? I was instantly nervous and felt intimidated by the weight and magnitude of painting him, but he was one of my top choices I’d hoped to get.

What was the most important detail for you when painting the MLK portrait? Public art curator Aaron Ott and I had a conversation about the “Julia Bottoms portrait of Martin MLK portrait because he felt the Luther King, Jr. for The inclusion of the hands was a really Freedom Wall, 2017. Photograph by Tom Loonan.” important detail. I was reluctant at first, but I can’t imagine not having them in it now because they are so key to the composition. What MLK quote Inspires you and how does that relate to your mission as an artist and as a resident of Buffalo where we still struggle for balance between all communities? A quote that really inspires me is “A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.”–MLK This quote Is inspiring, but also challenging in that it requires us to consider the weight of our choices, in this case the seemingly benign choice of “silence.” This quote urges us to see silence in the face of wrongdoing, not as passive, but just as harmful as the injustice itself. I think this quote is incredibly applicable to Buffalo (and everywhere else) in that we have to be aware and vocal not only for the issues that directly affect us, but for those that affect others as well. It’s also relevant to Buffalo’s current growth in that it highlights a need to speak out against issues such as gentrification even if you don’t think it will directly affect you. Follow Julia Bottoms on Facebook @ArtbyJuliaBottoms Read full version of this interview at: thechallengernews.com

Rodney Taylor HOME Fine Artist Rodney Taylor is exhibiting his latest work HOME now through mid January at Nina Freudenheim Gallery located 140 North /Hotel Lenox . Hours Tuesday - Friday 10a.m.5p.m. Thursday & Saturday by Appt. Only. Urban Arts Collective Urban Arts Collective exhibition Images of Us By Us on view now through April 1st at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, located 1300 Elmwood. Hours Tuesday – Saturday 10am -5p.m. Thursday 10a.m.- 8p.m. and Sundays 11a.m.- 4p.m.

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

“Beat The Champ” Returns to Kerns Avenue Bowling Center: Public High School Bowling Season Also Underway “Beat The Champ” returns to Kerns Avenue Bowling Center this month for the third time. Located at 163 Kerns Avenue, it is the only Black owned bowling center in New York State and one of 8 USBC certified in the United States. Beat The Champ Qualifiers will be held at various dates and times this month (see ad this page) and will be televised on WBBZTV during February, Black History Month, at 4pm on Saturdays Daniel Adams Jr., President & CEO of Kerns Avenue and 11pm on Sundays. This Bowlling Center. year’s program will include a special edition, featuring the Women of The National Bowling Association. Sponsored by WBBZTV and the Bowling Proprietor’s Assn. of WNY, the program features some of the best bowlers from various centers in WNY, who will compete for prizes and bragging rights. This competition is open to “ALL” bowlers. Kerns is also hosting Buffalo Public High Schools for the 2017-2018 bowling season. For more information, please go to Beat the Champ on Facebook or call Kerns at 892-3331. Kern’s mission is “To provide a safe, clean environment for recreation within its community.”

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

Thapelo Imani Hill: "Let The Village Say Amen!"

CELEBRATION OF LIFE . The tragic shooting death of drummer/performer Thapelo Imani Hill on Dec. 14 sent shock waves throughout Buffalo’s cultural community. On Saturday, January 6, an amazing display of love took place when over 300 people gathered at Ashbury Hall/Babeville on Delaware Avenue for a final tribute in his honor. Speaker after speaker spoke of Thapelo’s “light,” his energy, his beautiful smile, his bravery and his zest for life. Throughout the 4- hour gathering the spirit remained high and the energy non-stop from the electrifying African drums and beautiful African dance performance directed by Robin Hibbert to the powerful KRUMP dancers who took the celebration to its zenith. The tributes also included a musical offering by Drea D’Nur who brought the house down; a riveting/emotional poetic offering by Queen Halima Osi; a loving guest presentation by his talented sister Zoe Scruggs and a beautiful tribute by the cast of Free Fred Brown. There were profound words of reality from Pastor George Nicholas, Amilar Hill, Darryl Butts, his father Michael and others. A proclamation from Mayor Brown declaring January 6, 2018 Thapelo Imani Hill Day in the City of Buffalo was warmly received, At the close Ujima Theatre founder Lorna Hill shared rare footage of a 3-year-old Thapelo performing with the company. Holding her soul mate's hand (Bob Ball), she reminded all who gathered there of their deep, loving, nuturing and supportive bond with Thapelo. The celebration crossed religious, cultural and ethnic lines.Thapelo was truly a village son. On Saturday, we collectively and lovingly proclaimed, Amen!

hapelo was born, Thursday, January 19, 1995 in Buffalo, N.Y. He made his transition from this life on December 19, 2017. We give thanks for the 22 years of Love that we were able to share with him. The Life-force energy he gave off, his brightness of smile, and happy appreciation, he caused others to feel, affected so many people of all ages and backgrounds. He is loved and respected. Son of an African Mom, Kefilwe Hill, (Gaberone, Botswana) and an African American Father, Michael Hill (Buffalo, N.Y.); Thapelo was born in Love. A beautiful 9 lb. baby boy with sparkling eyes, quick to smile and quick to the tit with an unending appetite, he truly was a joy to behold. Thapelo grew into a 6’1” man of strength and passion. He was inspired by the love he felt from his aunt, uncles, and cousins in Botswana. He shared ideas, dreams and hope for what could be done for the well-being of family in Buffalo, throughout the U.S. and Southern Africa. By his presence, works and spirit, Thapelo distinguished himself as a Lover of Life with purpose, passion and power. He is survived by his parents, and grandmother, Dorothy Hill. Thapelo remains in the loving memory of Siblings: Amilcar Hill, Vivian Zola, Lucy Zola and Tshenolo Hill; Aunts: Ponatshego Senwamadi, Kebarange Modisane, Gomolemo Rebagamang, Khutsafalo Dickson, Kathy (Kevin) Wood, and Michelle (Darryl) Butts; Uncles: Ofentse Moradu, David and Joseph Hill.

A talented and inspired traditional African percussionist and dancer, Thapelo began to develop his drumming skills at 4 years old. He attended classes and sessions with Umbopha Emile Lattimer, and became part of the youth drummers taught by Jomo Akono, BaBa Issa, and Marlowe Wright; as well as studying with Senegalese Drummers: Mor Thiam (principal drummer for Katherine Dunham), Raymone Sylla, and Mbaye N’Diaye, and Alessane Sar. A child performer at age 6, adults often marveled at his consistent focus and discipline on and off stage as a musician and dancer when participating in arts and cultural presentations, workshops and festivals. With many of his activities associated with the Langston Hughes Center where his father was Director, Thapelo was a close observer and assistant to the business of operating a community based arts and cultural center. He saw first-hand what it means to serve as a sponsor of multi-cultural events and activities, First Night Kwaanza, and JuneTeenth Festival. As a member of The Ujima Company Youth Theater Workshop, under the direction of Lorna Hill, Thapelo began to hone performance art skills. He brought energy, style and focus to performance which made him one of the highlights of the play “And Bid Him Sing,” an annual spring production showcasing the many talented youth and adult company members. Maturing to adulthood, becoming “legal,” Thapelo maintained

a self-discipline that served him well as an emerging musical artists and producer. Collaborations with Zoe Scruggs, his “sister by another mother” set in motion a broadening of his artistic creativity and networking. A Momma’s boy, he loved African and Caribbean foods and was a budding chef. Introduced to studies of classical African civilizations and the wisdom of his forefathers, Thapelo was inspired to create, produce and help build community. He emerged as a leader and organizer among his peers, as well as making himself accessible to be of service to his elders. Thapelo, referred to as “sun-son” by his mother, was nurtured from the womb, strengthened on the breast milk and motivated by the rhythm of Momma Africa. His Tswana heritage was a gateway to dreams of a future bridging the past, present and future. Whether creating music with a crew of friends and brothers, or doing the dirty work, cleanup work needed to support a community event Thapelo had a loyalty and trustworthiness that represented hope and encouraged others. He was a village son, let the village say - Amen. -By Michael Hill

My Hope for 2018: The Creation of a Better Buffalo for Black People

BY PASTOR GEORGE NICHOLAS

s I reflect on the tragic loss of one of our young warriors Thapelo Hill, to needless violence on our streets. I am convicted on how I can and should do more to keep young brothers and sisters from losing their precious lives long before they are able to fulfill their potential. His murder was not an isolated incident, but it is a reflection of a community that has lost its way. His death reflects the failure of our community to come together and have a real conversation on how to stop this cycle of violence that has been plaguing our community for generations. His death reflects the lack of vision of community leaders to put forth an agenda that would inform and inspire the people to work together to make our neighborhoods safe for everyone.

again the next time one of your sons or daughters loses their lives to violence. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of this and do not want to bring that spirit into 2018. We cannot celebrate the economic renaissance of this region while brothers like Thapelo are vulnerable to sudden death just by enjoying some pizza with his friends. What kind of city is that? How can anyone be proud of that?

In 2018, I am once again begging our community to come together so we can prevent these tragedies from happening again. It is ironic that Thapelo is the grandson of one of the community Mothers, Dorothy Hill. Mother Hill has tirelessly sacrificed so much for her people only to have to grieve like the countless others mothers over the premature loss of someone that was part of her being. Our community will mourn. We will light candles at vigils. Politicians will write resolutions. Musicians will sing songs. Preachers will deliver soaring eulogies. We will cry, laugh, shout and follow the casket to the cemetery. We will enjoy fellowship and food at the repast. Then we will retire back to our lives and prepare our hearts to do it

Black Buffalo has a deep bench of community assets. We have a Black mayor, Black Superintendent of Schools, Black NYS Assembly member, Black Council President, three Black City Council members, two Black County Legislators, four Black School Board Members, and Black judges at every level of the judiciary. We have over 200 churches with many distinguished influential pastors. We have a Black president at Buffalo State College. We have vibrant organizations like the CAO, Urban League and the NAACP. We have Blacks on several key boards like ECIDA, the Community Foundation, the Millennium Collaborative, ECMC as well as countless others. We have Black doctors, lawyers, educa-

So this year I will continue to work with my fellow clergy to make a positive difference in the community. However, I am calling on all community assets to come together to create a better Buffalo for Black people.

tors and business owners. We have Blacks in key positions in the Labor Movement. All these people are doing righteous work in their respectful places. However, what we do not have is a space where these leaders meet on a regular basis to plan and implement a strategy that will advance the interest of Black people in this region. In our quest for professional achievement and social mobility, we have failed to recognize the power of using our collective influence to better Black people. We have chosen to labor in our own lanes and do the best we can in the spaces that we are in. However that is not good enough, we must recognize one of the responsibilities of leadership is to invest time and energy to connecting with all community assets to make the entire community better. If White folks can elect a complete idiot as president don’t tell me we cannot come together to develop a plan to advance our people in Buffalo. I am asking for all people of conscious to pray for a much needed gathering of community assets to come together this year. I believe it is the responsibility of the clergy to make the call and I intent to work with them to make this happen this year. This is the way we can honor those like Thapelo by creating the beloved community he had hoped to live in until he became an elder.

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

MAJOR KING EVENTS CHRONOLOGY: 1929-1968 continued from page 3

1957 ;•In Harlem for a speaking engagement, King is nearly killed when stabbed by an assailant. •Meets with President Eisenhower along with Roy Wilkins, A. Philip Randolph and Lester Grange to discuss problems affecting Black Americans. 1959 •Visits India to study Mohandas Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. •Resigns from his role as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery to concentrate on civil rights full time. •Moves to Atlanta to direct the activities of the SCLC. 1963 •On Good Friday, April 12, King is arrested with Ralph Abernathy by Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor for

demonstrating without a permit. The following day, the Birmingham campaign is launched. This would prove to be the turning point in the war to end segregation in the South. •During the 11 days he spent in jail, King writes his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” •King delivers the eulogy at the funerals of Addie Mae Collins, Carol Denise McNair, and Cynthia Dianne Wesley, three of the four children that were killed during the September 15 bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Carole Robertson, the fourth victim, was buried in a separate ceremony. •U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy authorizes the FBI to wiretap King’s home phone. •The March on Washington, held Aug. 28, is the largest civil rights demonstration in history,

MLK MONUMENT: REALISM VS. SYMBOLISM continued from page 3 "I can understand that reasonable people might be disappointed," Bell added. Still, he says he can't imagine eliminating the $200,000 statue that has stood as the culmination of his committee's dedication and efforts for 34 years. He proposes the idea of perhaps a second statue in the park, and suggested he might even be willing to participate in that effort. Herbert wants no less than the melting down of the current bust and a complete redesign using artist Lei Yixing, creator of the Stone Of Hope 2011 King memorial in D.C. "Even Stevie Wonder will be able to look at it and recognize that is Dr. King," is his goal. Ironically, a 2008 Jet Magazine article reveals that the all White, seven member panel of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts rejected Yixing's original proposal deeming it too "confrontational", and sent him back to present something more "sympathetic." Eva Doyle, retired school teacher and columnist for Buffalo Criterion, shares Herbert's lack of luster for the current statue and was present at its unveiling. "I can recall there was a collective sigh of disappointment," she recalled. She said she gets the symbolic nature "but if you're not an artist, you don't get it." There needs to be meetings and community input into the next project, she continued, "because whatever is built there, we will all have to live with it." Buffalo resident Juliette Norton was there too. She wasn't disappointed because she had no particular expectation. "There were some people grumbling, but I liked it.,” she recalled. “I saw a statue of a strong Black man, the way a Black man should look. Strong nose, full lips, and Dr. King was on top of it." To those wanting to dismantle the statue, she says "leave him alone and find something else to do."

“We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us.” - John Russwurm, Freedom’s Journal. 1827 America’s 1st Black Newspaper

with nearly 250,000 people in attendance. At the march, King makes his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. •On Nov. 22, President Kennedy is assassinated. 1964 •On Jan. 3, King appears on the cover of Time magazine as its Man of the Year. •King attends the signing ceremony of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 at the White House on July 2. •During the summer, King experiences his first hurtful rejection by Black people when he is stoned by Black Muslims in Harlem. •King is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Dec. 10. At age 35, he is the youngest person to receive the award. •King meets Malcolm X in Washington, D.C. for the first and only time. 1966 •In Chicago, On Feb. 23, King meets Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. 1967 •In January, King writes his book, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” while in Jamaica. •On July 26, Black leaders King, Randolph, Wilkins and Whitney Young appeal for an end to the Detroit riots, which they say “have proved ineffective and damaging to the civil rights cause and the entire nation.” •On Oct. 30, the Supreme Court upholds the contempt-of-court convictions of King and seven other Black leaders who led the 1963 marches in Birmingham. King and his aides enter jail to serve four-day sentences. •On Nov. 27, King announces the formation by Southern Christian Leadership Conference of a Poor People’s Campaign, with the aim of representing the problems of both poor Blacks and Whites. 1968 •King announces that the Poor People’s Campaign will culminate in a March on Washington, demanding a $12 billion Economic Bill of Rights that guarantees employment to the able-

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bodied, incomes to those unable to work, and an end to housing discrimination. •On March 28, King leads a march of 6,000 protestors in support of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tenn. that turns violent, the first time this has happened during one of his events •On April 3, King delivers the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech at Mason Temple in Memphis. •At sunset on April 4, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is fatally shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. There are riots and disturbances in 130 American cities that culminate in 20,000 arrests. •King’s April 9 funeral is an international event. •Within a week of King’s assassination, Congrs passes the federal Fair Housing Act. 1986 On Nov. 2, a national holiday is proclaimed in King’s honor.

"quote"

A Reflection of Dreams, For Dr. King by Annette Daniels Taylor We are from tears falling from the universe. Rainfall, flooding earth with jewel-eye, Human beings. We are from poison, Toxic casseroles stewed from, Deviled fairy breath and monster blood. We are from dreams of angelic ghosts. Dancing while evening dawns, over faces of family members, buried, taken, lost, consumed. We are from yesterday’s despair We are from tomorrow’s dream We are from here, a nomadic flavor train. We have no today, to live without in. We are from all we are and nothing we have. A mother’s love cannot hold all that we feel. Trying, arms bearing weight, Cracking, shifting, bowing.

"...Does not every single White person on this Martin Luther King Day have a shared DUTY to get up, stand up, march, resist, oppose, obstruct and make your voice heard so that no more harm comes to those who aren't born White and straight and Christian? This isn't a choice. This isn't something you get to think about. This is the only way to redeem ourselves, to answer the cry from Dr, King from his grave to not let all that he did and all that those good people who came before us did go to waste. Our silence right now will end his dream for good, and end the dreams of those who struggle day to day and week to week to simply survive. White America gave the world Donald J. Trump. But if the 40%+ of White people who didn't vote for him are willing to join with the 90%+ of Black America and the majority of other people of color who also didn't vote for him, then that makes us the majority. Right now. We hold the true power. Stop reading this. Use it!" -Michael Moore, Filmmaker author, political activist, actor

We are from memory the scent of corn bread, roasted peanuts, red velvet cake. Ending a famine ripe with river refugee’s mourning’s. Funeral pyres, blessed eulogies, heroic ashes ride winds waves, awaiting descendants to do, right things. Speak right words, activating actions. We are from I love you like cloudy sweet sugar water. Sharecropper DNA, tryna make gold on, a dollar and a dream. We are from pass it on, Hold on tight, and let it go. Bless their heart and mercy, mercy me. We are from tears, falling from Gods eyes. Humans raining bodies, beings fleshed of blood living storms flooding life, the dreamers most durable, flesh covered seeds. annettedanielstaylor@gmail.com annettedanielstaylor.com

• Published every Wednesday • News Deadline: Friday 5 p.m. • Ad Deadline: Friday 5 p.m. • Classified Deadline: Thursday 5 p.m. We respectfully submit that the opinions expressed on the editorial pages of this newspaper

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Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

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LEGAL NOTICE BID REQUEST FOR BID Mark Cerrone, Inc. is requesting proposals for the Bridge Replacement on Niagara Rd over Bergholtz Creek in Niagara Falls, NY for all scopes of work detailed in contract documents. Optional MWBE Pre-bid meeting will be held 1/10/18 at 3:30pm at Mark Cerrone Office. Documents can be obtained by contacting ttibbs@markcerrone.com, Phone 716-282-5244, Fax 716-282-5245 or iSqFt®. Bids due electronically or in person at 2368 Maryland Ave., Niagara Falls, NY 14305 by 1/22/18 @ 10:00am. Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation is strongly encouraged.

LEGAL NOTICE Coughlin aka Morgan et.al. NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF ERIE M&T Bank, Plaintiff AGAINST KERI A. COUGHLIN A/K/A KERI A. MORGAN; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated 11-8-2017 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Foreclosure Alcove, Erie County Hall, 92 Franklin St., Buffalo, NY 14202 on 2-08-2018 at 10:00AM, premises known as 4034 Burke Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14219. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hamburg, County of Erie and State of New York, SBL: 160.14-2-4. Approximate amount of judgment $141,775.56 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #805873/2016. Amanda Zafur, Esq., Referee Schiller, Knapp, Lefkowitz & Hertzel, LLP 950 New Loudon Road, Suite 109 Latham, NY 12110 16-3837 50197

After The Holiday Recycling Event The City of Buffalo After The Holiday Recycling Event will take place on Saturday, January 13 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the City of Buffalo Engineering Garage, 1120 Seneca Street. Residents can bring electronics, Christmas trees, holiday lights, styrofoam or donate new or used clothing. For more information call 311 or 851-5014.

To Advertise, Email: advertising@thechallengernews.com

EMPLOYMENT/HELP WANTED Academic Advisor The Academic Commons at Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks candidates for the position of Academic Advisor.. For a full job description and to apply: https://jobs.buffalostate.edu.

Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

Assistant Director of Academic Advising The Academic Commons at Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks candidates for the position of Assistant Director of Academic Advising. For a full job description and to apply: https://jobs.buffalostate.edu.

Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

Network Analyst The Resources for Information, Technology, and Education (RITE) Services at Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks candidates for the position of Network Analyst. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field. Experience with TCP/IP, Internet access, switching, routing, DHCP, VoIP, wireless, and VLANs. A team player that can also work independently with minimal supervision. Self-starter, quick learner, detail oriented, and organized. Preferred Qualifications: CCNA or equivalent network certification, experience with network security and firewall products, ShoreTel VoIP, enterprise network management software, cable plant (both fiber and copper) management, remote access, Cisco wireless technologies, working in a college environment. Qualified applicants may apply online at https://jobs.buffalostate.edu.

Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

The Delavan Grider Community Center Winter Soccer Skills Training Academy The Delavan Grider Community CenterWinter Soccer Skills Training Academy will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7:30 p.m. thru January 18 for ages 6-8 and 9-12 at 877 East Delavan Avenue. There will be fun games and group training focusing on all aspects of the game.REGISTER TODAY @: Email: metrocdc877@yahoo.com or call 986-7021

First Time Homebuyers Orientation The Fillmore Leroy Area Resident Inc. (FLARE Inc.) will host a First Time Homebuyers Orientation on Tuesday January 16 at FLARE, 2495 Main Street at 6 p.m. and Tuesday January 30 at 6 p.m. at Evans Bank, 925 Elmwood Avenue. The sessions are free and open to the public and will deal with such questions as Were do I start? How do I apply for a mortgage? What are the tax benefits of owning a home? Credit repair and financial empowerment and more. To register and reserve your seat contact the City of Buffalo Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Program at 838-6740.

Trump ‘So Happy’ Black Unemployment Is at Record Low, Says Democrats ‘Did Nothing’ for AfricanAmericans President Donald Trump took to Twitter this past weekend to gush over news of the historic drop in the Black unemployment rate. Trump’s celebratory tweet came one day after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the rate fell below 7 percent for the month of December, the lowest it’s ever been for Black Americans since the bureau started tracking the numbers in the early 1970’s, according to NPR. “The African-American unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent, the lowest in 45 years,” the president tweeted Saturday. “I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, ‘Trump’s first year jobs numbers were very, very good.’ ” The bureau’s report, released Friday, Jan. 5, showed that Black unemployment has been on the decline since October of last year.

National Day of Racial Healing

The Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable's 2nd Annual National Day of Racial Healing will be held Tuesday, January 16 at 6 p.m. at Temple Beth Zion, 805 Delaware Avenue Last year, the event attracted more than 500 attendees and was a strong statement about strengthening race relations in our community as faith leaders of different denominations demonstrated how working together looks. This year faith leaders have created a program that will continue to advance the message of Racial Equity. All are welcome and encouraged to attend! The religious leaders on the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable’s Racial Healing Workgroup include:The Right Reverend R. William Franklin, Episcopal Diocese of WNY; Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, Temple Beth Zion; Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, Catholic Diocese of Buffalo ; Rev. George F. Nicholas, Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church; Rev. Darius Pridgen, True Bethel Baptist Church; Rev. Jonathan Staples, First Shiloh Baptist Church; Pastor Eduardo Cupeles, Grace Revolution Church; Pastor Alberto Lanzolot, Primera IMU Jehovah Jireh; and Pastor Thomas Yorty, Westminster Presbyterian Church

City Budget Public Engagement Meeting In anticipation of the Mayor's 2018-2019 Recommended Budget, the Buffalo Common Council is hosting a City Budget Public Engagement Meeting Tuesday, January 16 from 5:30 to7:30 P.M. at City Hall in Council Chambers (13th Floor) .This will be an open forum in which members of the public are invited to attend, learn about the budget process, and have their concerns heard by the Buffalo Common Council. For further information, please call Clayton B. Hoyt at 8516699 or e-mail choyt@citybuffalo.com.

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

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15-20-28-34-38

MID-2-2-5

MID-9-4-3

MID-9-0-0

04-17-27-36-37

MID-3-4-6

FRI 1/5

SAT 1/6

MID-3-0-3

MID-2-4-9

EVE-8-4-6

EVE-2-2-3

07-11-22-28-41-55 #6

LOTTO

HOT TIPS

4018

022

064

648

01-02-04-40-55-59 #27

996

515

140

HAIR SUPPLY MAIN HAIR & BEAUTY SUPPLY 3067 Main St. (716) 862-4247

HOME IMPROVEMENT HOMEOWNER;

Free Roof Check, Lead Test, All Home Repairs, Payment Plans, Everyone Approved 380-3459

TAILORS ANN RHOD’S Tailoring 3185 Bailey Ave. (716) 838-5633

2200 Main St. (716) 200-4122

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES!

MEREA WORLD Transportation Service Specializing in Round Trip & Over Night Trips Text or call 716 939-8892

Zakiyyah’s Rundown (ZR)

Challenger Hits

981-253-679-350-156-847-605-580-470-547-491-165-990-256035-068-475-176-970-370-198-513-522-809-507-647-350-760919-513-891-558-047-060-307-491-507-912-107-047-311-567239-865-791-085-473-165-789-247-567-543-136-705-892-965135-679-510-460-570-153-268-393-803-118-030-637-326-479

9-6-1 Luckie Duckie (box) 7-9-8 ZR (box) 1-3-1 ZR (box) 3-4-6 Ma Ruth (box) Number Book (straight) 3-0-3 ZR (box) 2-4-9 ZR, Quick Money, Sagittarius (box)

MA RUTH SPEAKS THE TRUTH! SURE HITS! 242-000-111-777-989-123125-436-515-600-349-675652-986-568-853-578-168

JANUARY Vibes 523-923-632-145701-653 quick money 189-809-444 886-980-422 322-522-355 800-592-390 394-833-924 127-909-418 927-313-466 124-550511-005/201

“It’s In The Stars”

Aquarius -496-235-165-579 Pisces - 056-362-237-694 Cancer - 482-372-895-718 Aries - 289-946-034-594 Taurus -258-231-026-695 Gemini-495-257-694-508 Leo-345-213-157-201 Virgo 385-291-431-170 Libra -247-723-179-501 Scorpio - 453-253-571-597 Sagittarius - 389-701-234-924 Capricorn:893-275-342-506

THE NUMBER BOOK

GAMMA’S JANUARY PICKS

435-789-085-689-657-989

JANUARY Best Triple - 888 JANUARY Special Doubles 443-588-202-335

333 NUMBER OF THE MONTH

YOU ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED, PROTECTED, LOVED AND GUIDED BY YOURANCESTORS.

Midday

Evening

5-0-6 ZR, Pisces (box) Capricorn (straight) 9-8-9 Luckie Duckie (straight) 9-6-5 ZR (straight) 8-4-6 Hot Tips, Luckie Duckie (box) 2-2-3 Quick Money (box) LUCKIE DUCKIE

133-202- 335 -2015-4444-1871-0978 134-431-143

648*123*104*820

980-422-809-981-989-970-990-080-800515-996-390-196-102-581-752-319-408378-352-126-189-444-886-514- 332-522112-432-421-423

3-Way Winning Numbers Last Year

01/18/2017 Evening 01/18/2017 Midday 01/17/2017 Evening 01/17/2017 Midday 01/16/2017 Evening 01/16/2017 Midday 01/15/2017 Evening 01/15/2017 Midday 01/14/2017 Evening 01/14/2017 Midday 01/13/2017 Evening 01/13/2017 Midday 01/12/2017 Evening 01/12/2017 Midday 01/11/2017 Evening 01/11/2017 Midday 01/10/2017 Evening 01/10/2017 Midday

2016

4-4-3 3-4-7 6-4-3 1-3-5 6-1-0 6-9-9 6-7-0 5-4-8 6-1-7 1-6-9 9-5-4 1-3-1 6-8-5 1-9-7 7-2-4 2-6-0 7-5-7 2-1-7

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

WEDNESDAY JAN. 10

THURSDAY JAN. 11

Free Social Media and Email Workshop for Block Club Leaders: CAO, 1423 Fillmore Ave., 6 p.m., RSVP @ 716308-0506.

Durham Central City Baby Café. Info and support for pregnant and breastfeeding moms 5:30 – 7:30 pm 200 Eagle St (716)427-0566.

Foxie Brown Line Dance Classes: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Schiller Senior Center, 2057 Genesee St. 444-2046.

GIRL SCOUTS TO HOST A ONE DAY JOIN-A-THON!

Urban Line Dance Classes: St. Phillips, 15 Fernhill ; 6-8 p.m.; Cheri & Darel 200-9702.

On January 10th, Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) will hold the Girl Scout Join-a-thon from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. and take onthe-spot registrations over the phone! This event will utilize eight different radio stations throughout GSWNY’s nine county regional service area to direct listeners to call 1.888.837.6410 and register for Girl Scouts.

THURSDAY JAN. 11 Public Forum Regarding Fair Transportation for Buffalo Public School Students: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Merriweather Library, Jefferson @ Utica; public comments & questions. Human Trafficking Awareness Day: 6-9 p.m, Free Film BOUND , Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave. www.projectmonashouse.com or 716-795-MONA.

Durham Central City Baby Café . Info and support for pregnant and breastfeeding moms 5:30 – 7:30 pm 200 Eagle St. (716)427-0566. SEE Martin Luther King Events Page 4 FRIDAY JAN. 12 Chicago Steppin’: Every Friday 7-8:30 p.m. The Pratt Center 422 Pratt St. SEE Martin Luther King Events Page 4 SATURDAY JAN. 13 Protect Our Children From Sexual Abuse: An Open Discussion: CAO, 1423 Fillmore Ave. , 3 p.m. 716-324-1153 or email bcptcsa@gmail.com Active Shooter Awareness Presentation: 2 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 1525 Michigan Avenue.

Odds of getting enough sleep? 1 in yawn.

Odds of winning Take 5? 1 in 9.

Mike’s Smooth Urban Ballroom Dance Classes: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Delavan-Grider Community Center, 877 E. Delavan. 380-5100. $5 SUNDAY JAN. 14 Legislator April Baskin’s Community Swearing In Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting: 2 p.m. sharp, 2637 Main St. corner of Fillmore Avenue. City-Wide Martin Luther King Celebration: Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle, free admission, 6 p.m. The 13th Annual Afro American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Program: 2:30 P.M. Buffalo History Museum, 1 Museum Court. 2:20 to 4:00 P.M SEE Martin Luther King Events Page 4 MONDAY JAN. 15 Contact The BPO For More Information: buffaloptorg@gmail.com

SEE Martin Luther King Events Page 4 TUESDAY JAN. 16 Free First Time Homebuyers Orientation: FLARE, 2495 Main Street at 6 p.m. Hosted by FLARE Inc. and BURA. 8386740. WEDNESDAY JAN. 17 Durham Central City Baby Café . Info and support for pregnant and breastfeeding moms 5:30 – 7:30 pm 200 Eagle St (716)4270566.

Email legals & classifieds to: advertising@thechallengernews.com • Deadline Fridays @ 5pm

Challenger Community News • t hec hallengernews.com •JANUARY 10, 2018

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

Please join us!

https://www.facebook.com/buffalopublicschools/ https:twitter.com/Buffalo_Schools

Community Partner Meeting - January 22, 2018

The Buffalo City School District’s Department of Student Support Services is pleased to invite you to our Community Partner Meeting being held January 22nd at 3:30p.m. at PS #95 Waterfront School, located at 95 Fourth St., Buffalo 14202. This will be an opportunity to update, communicate, collaborate and involve you and your organization on our collective work in support of our neediest students and families. We look forward to your participation. Agenda items include an update of Student Support Services. Please register at: https://ny01913551.schoolwires.net//cms/module/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=126 For questions or concerns please email Nicole C. Bycina, ncbycina@buffaloschools.org

Code of Conduct Public Forums- January, February, March 2018

We also invite parents and concerned community members to join us at one of the below public forums to share your feedback on the Buffalo Public Schools’ Code of Conduct.

•January 13th: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. East High Community School 820 Northampton St., 14211 •January 25th: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Seneca Babcock Community Center 1168 Seneca St., 14210 •February 8th: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The Belle Center 104 Maryland St., 14201 •March 3rd: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Lafayette High Community School 370 Lafayette Ave., 14213 •March 8th: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Northwest Community Center 155 Lawn Ave., 14207

For questions or concerns please email Heath Frisch, hhfrisch@buffaloschools.org

STRONG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AT WORK! Last Spring the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor in partnership with East Community High School, East District School Board Representative Dr. Theresa Harris-Tigg (standing center) , and Say Yes hosted a student and community discussion on the responsibilities a village has in educating youth.

There are Strong Community Schools Near You. Evening and Saturday programs are free and open to EVERYONE! Follow us on Facebook: BPS Community Schools, BPS Parent Centers

BENNETT COMMUNITY CAMPUS Saturday Academy: Jan. 20th, 9am – Noon Parent Center : Mon. and Wed.10am – 7:30pm, Tue. and Thur. 11am—5pm, Fri.10am—2pm EAST COMMUNITY H.S. Saturday Academy: Jan. 20th, 10am – 1pm Parent Center: Mon. and Wed. 10am – 7:30pm, Tue. and Thur. 11am – 5pm, Fri. 10am – 2pm

EAST COMMUNITY H.S. Legal Clinic: Thur., 3:30pm - 5:30pm HAMLIN PARK ACADEMY #74 Saturday Academy: Jan. 20th, 10am – 1pm HIGHGATE HEIGHTS #80 Saturday Academy: Jan. 13th and 27th, 9am – Noon Legal Clinic: Wed. 3:30pm – 5:30pm

LOVEJOY DISCOVERY SCHOOL #43 Saturday Academy: Jan. 20th, 9am – Noon MARVA J. DANIEL FUTURES PREPARATORY SCHOOL #37 Saturday Academy: Jan. 13th and Jan. 27th, 10am– 1pm WESTMINSTER COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL Saturday Academy: Jan. 20th, 9am – Noon