Electoral Tsunami and the Bill Johnson You See What Happened Was.... Factor... INSIDE ROCHESTER
Tom Richards was elected our mayor, if you didn’t hear. After all the fighting and the questionable campaign commercials, he won. Mr. Richards won a close race 50 % to 41%. The Green Party showed a strong standing and all the controversy surrounding the election hasn’t gone away. Only 20% of the eligible city voters voted. I won’t even discuss the number of black people who voted. Former Mayor Bill Johnson didn’t even win the Third Ward. He was criticized by observers about where he took his message, his image and frankly, his temperment. His choice to use Brother Wease to get his platform out to radio listeners was a bad move. Not the best place to go considering Wease no longer carries the clout he did five years ago. Brother Wease is so 2001. These types of choices make him seem “old”. This coming MARSHA from the man who said “being mayor was ruining his JONES personal life.” Why was he running? That message never seemed to come true. I appreciate him running to give us a choice, but I never felt his enthusiasm. Besides Rochhesterians could not let go of the whole Fast Ferry mess. Seems everyone in the Black community is talking about is the coverage The Minority Reporter gave the election.The Minority Reporter not only congratulated Mayor-elect Richards, but seemed almost a little too happy that he won. They obviously backed him, but it’s the way they did it that rubbed people the wrong way. In the world of journalism, you are supposed to present balanced coverage: they failed to do that. The former RG&E executive made out well again. First time was with his selling shares in a company that hurts in citizens with a monopoly. Now, he’s the Mayor-elect and following the wants and desires of former Mayor Bob Duffy. Remember him? The Mayor who said he was commited to staying in Rochester to fix our schools and to make our community great again. You see how that turned out, huh? I just wonder how much more Rochester is going to put up with?
Kids’ Club Ministry Begins April 18-22 St. Mark’s & St. John’s will host its Kids Club program April 18-22, at 1210 Culver Road. The theme for our spring session is “Charlotte’s Web”. Registration is open to children in Kindergarten through Grade 6; the fee is $50 for the first child in a family and $35 for each sibling. If you register on, or before Friday, April 15th five dollars will be deducted for each child registered.
AROUND TOWN *Dreamgirls! Back by Popular Demand! Rapa presents a return production of the hit Broadway Musical “Dreamgirls” to the Stage at East End Theatre, 727 E. Main St in Rochester on April 15,16 (Friday and Saturday) at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday April 17 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22 and are available at the door. Call (585) 325-3366 for more information. *August Wilson’s “Radio Golf” on Stage, at the GEVA Theatre Center, now thru April l7; (585) 232-GEVA or gevatheatre.org
*Faith Temple Apostolic Child Care, 6 a.m. – 7 p.m., now accepting applications for before and after school child care, 141 Arnett Blvd.; 585-235-5437. *Men’s Ministry: Join our Men’s Ministry of Memorial for a Breakfast Round Table. Randy Henderson, CEO of Henderson Ford will be the facility ator, Ale Saturday, April 16 from 9 to 11 a.m. All male teens (ages 13 and up). Men RSVP to Bro. Bert at 484-0983
ON STAGE NOW!
(585) 232-Geva gevatheatre.org
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It seems the political observers have mitigated the mayoral election results to have and have nots, creating a divide which is disconcerting to many because the 25th and 27th districts, which are represented by African American politicians who supported Tom Richards for Mayor, was won by Bill Johnson. Those districts represent a strong ROBERT L. cross section of DIXIE wealth, power and ethnicity, indicating Bill Johnson had much more than an African American base. However, what’s over looked or ignored by the Democratic party and its elected officials is that they are facing an internal tsunami of discontent, frustration and resentment by people who feel that they have been disenfranchised by them. The tsunami continued to rise when it became obvious the election winner did not have a mandate in numbers; yet the combined BILL JOHNSON opposition on minority party lines had more votes. Mandate or not, Tom Richards is the Mayor of Rochester and that was confirmed by Bill Johnson in his congratulatory speech. He also encouraged everyone to move on. Yet, after the election, disingenuous criticism by elected officials was carelessly and arrogantly made public with claims that division and problems within the party were being caused by Johnson, who himself was recruited to run. These charges insulted the intelligence of city residents that suggested that they could not make their own decisions or respond to a seemingly esoteric election process that appeared at first, without Bill Johnson’s involvement, exclusionary. Just as important, the tsunami momentum garnered for the mayoral race can now easily shift toward other political offices for the election year, particularly where Bill Johnson did well. Minor parties may play a significant role in the electoral process of Rochester City Government if those who feel left out again want and demand change. (Mr. Dixie is President of the Urban Interest )
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Area B ri efs Free Grant Writing Workshop The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will host a free grant writing and capacity building workshop on April 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Buffalo Museum of Science, 1020 Humboldt Parkway. The one-day workshop, hosted by Masten Councilmember Demone A. Smith, will include grant proposal writing techniques, how to access government funds, funding resources available to nonprofits and working with local government. Space is limited. Register today. For more information contact Tiffany Lewis at (716) 882-0602 or email triewis@city-buffalo.com SIGN OF THE TIMES: a protester on Elmwood Ave.@ Bidwell Parkway does his part to promote peace.
Family Friendly Spring Break Skating Party Are your children looking for something exciting to do during their spring recess? Well how about bringing them out to a fun, family friendly event April 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. at New Skateland Arena, 33 E. Ferry. Tickets are $7 in advance and $8 at the door. Skate and locker rental, $ 1.50, feel free to bring your own skates. There will be Easter Basket raffles during the party and a special Easter Basket raffle for 18 years and over. For advance ticket sales call Tamica 830-1052, Velinda velindaellis@yahoo.com or Barbara bbaker803@yahoo.com.
“This Far by Faith: God is a Negro” is topic of Documentary, Discussion The topic of the next documentary series at The Golden Cup, 883 Jefferson Avenue, is “This Far by Faith: God is a Negro,” on April 22, from 5-7 p.m. The event is free. This PBS documentary explores the period after Emancipation, as AME Bishop Henry McNeal Turner uses the Black church to engage newly freed Blacks in the political realm. Bishop Turner helped organize the Republican Party in Georgia, only to find himself denies access to institutions as discrimination reigned. Turner encouraged his followers to find God from within. His emphasis on a Black nationalist philosophy alienated him from the mainstream, but led to a greater role for the Black church in African American culture. Discussion will follow with H.B. Cosby and Amon Ra P. Hotep.
Buffalo Track & Field Skating Tell Me A Story ll: “Stories Party For Peace” The Buffalo Track & Field Classic will host its 13th annual Track & Field Fundraising Skating Party at New Skateland Arena, 33 E Ferry St. on Friday, April 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets $5. Skate rental $1and locker rental .50 For more information call 837-4980.
APRIL 13, 2011
Join Western New York storytellers from Tradition Keepers, Black Storytellers of WNY, and Spin-AStorytellersNetwork of Biblical Storytellers on Saturday, April 16 from 10:30 a.m. to12:30 p.m. at the Frank E. Merriweather Branch Library 1324 Jefferson Avenue for a free storytelling concert
NEW SUDAN GOVERNMENT WELCOMES AFRICAN AMERICANS: Africano Mande, a Lt. Col. In the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army, visited Buffalo last week where he spoke to several community members about the creation of a New African country – The Republic of South Sudan (July 9, 2011) – and the many opportunities for African Americans there. Mr. Mande recently completed studies at the Navel Post Graduate School in California. He was hosted in Buffalo by Ras Jomo. Said Mr. Mande: “The Constitution has passed duel citizenship for Africans here in America – come home!” Stay tuned to Ras Jomo’s show on WUFO 1080 AM every Sunday from 3-6 for more details. Pictured above (l-r) Patricia Elliott, Mr. Mande, Bro. Tim, Ras Jomo and Ras Muwata. PHOTO ABUBAKAR
Ashlee Thomas Miss Howard University 2011
A Town Hall Meeting: When Disaster Strikes Buffalo Beauty Crowned Miss Howard University! - Will Buffalo Be Prepared? A town hail meeting will take place on Friday, April 15, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Church Of Scientology, 836 Main Street to discuss the need for disaster preparedness by the citizens of the City of Buffalo in the event of a natural disaster in our area the first part of a three day event, it will be followed by a two day training seminar entitled “Damage Assessment After A Disaster and Organizing a Search and Rescue Team.” This important event is being presented by the Millions More Movement’s Disaster Management Training Program‘s Community Disaster Awareness Team (CDAT) and will feature the International Emergency Management Instructor/Coordinator, Ms. Arealia Denby. The Town Hall meeting is free and open to the public and will provide vital information that all citizens will find useful in the event a disaster should strike our area. It will be followed by on Saturday April 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the “Damage Assessment After a Disaster” work shop which will include class materials and lunch. On Sunday, April 17, the event will conclude with the second workshop, entitled Organizing a Search & Rescues Team from 2 9 p.m. including dinner. The total cost for the two day seminar is $120 and will cover all course materials and meals. The Town Hall Meeting and two day seminar will provide vital information to all members of the public and everyone is encouraged to attend. It will prove to be most valuable to public officials, seniors, disabled persons, students, health care workers prior disaster victims and immigrants as well. Space is limited; the public is encouraged to call 748-9393 for more information as to how they can secure attendance at this vital community event. Or visit the organizations’ official website at www.mmmdisastermanagement. com. Children under the age of 10 will be admitted free with paying adult.
Mary B. Tabert Civic and Cultural Club to Hold Annual Scholarship Gala The Mary B. Talbert Civic and Cultural Club will hold their Annual Scholarship Gala on Saturday April 30 at 6 p.m. in the Creekside Banquet Facility. This annual event proceeds will benefit the college scholarship fund. A college scholarship will be presented to a graduating high school student who will enter college in the fall of 2011. In addition, the club will honor five outstanding Community Trailblazers and their contributions to our community. This year’s Honorees are the late Evangelist Velma Jones of the Cold Spring Church of God and Christ, Mary Ruth Kapsiak Educator and V.P. Buffalo School Board, Betty Brewster Neighborhood Activist, Annette Morris President of M & J Associates, Nursing Educator, Director of Education, Research and Innovation at Sheehan Health Network and Vivian Lorraine Jennings, Usher Association Member and ECMC staff member. The Club will also Honor a Club Member with the Aviva Merrit Service Award. This Honor is qiuen to a Club Member who provided outstanding service and dedication to the Club throughout the year. For tickets and information, you may contact Priscilla Hill – event chairperson, at 916-9489. Cheryl Olive is club president.
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Ashlee Thomas, a Buffalo native and sophomore at Howard University in Washington, DC was recently crowned Miss Howard University at Cramton Auditorium on Friday, April 8. “It was absolutely surreal. It still is,” said Ashlee, a sophomore natural science and pre-dentistry major. “Words can’t describe how amazing the feeling is.” She currently holds a 3.8 average. Thomas’ platform, “School Daze: Waking Up To Success,” aims to raise awareness on the topic of the mental and physical health of college students and the Black community at large. “You know we, as college students, do get stressed about an array of different things and I just want to make sure that students are taking some time out for themselves,” Thomas said. She plans to implement community and campus wide health fairs and committees to help raise the awareness. To her Howard family, Thomas was greatly appreciative. “From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful to even be put in the position to serve. It is an absolute privilege to serve as your Miss Howard University 2011-2012. Thank you so much,” Thomas said. She will represent Howard University in the National Pageant in Atlanta, Georgia in September. Ashlee is a 2009 graduate of Cleveland Hill High School and a former member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Buffalo Chapter. She is also a member of First Shiloh Baptist Church. Her proud parents are Dr. Edmund and Sandra Thomas. Congratulations Ashlee!
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Ivory Coast’s Former President (Gbagbo) Captured The Wall Street Journal has reported that forces loyal to Ivory Coast’s elected president Alassane Ouattara have seized strongman Laurent Gbagbo from his residence, bringing to a head a protracted conflict between two presidential rivals that had tilted the world’s largest cocoa producer toward civil war.
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46% Of Mississippi Republicans Want Interracial Marriage Banned MISSISSIPPI-According to Public Policy a recent poll determined that 46 percent of Republican voters in Mississippi want to have interracial marriage banned.
Cynthia McKinney: Attack on Libya is War “Against Black People”
“It is interesting” that some selfstyled progressives have decided to support an Obama war “that just happens to be against black people,” says former Georgia congresswoman and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney. “Libya is in Africa, and Libyans are black, too.” McKinney plans to lead a delegation to the besieged North African nation, this week.
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Although Michel “Sweet Mickey” Martelly, the bawdy nightclub entertainer who socialized with death squad members, garnered 67 percent of the vote in Haiti’s recent elections, this did not represent a mandate from the people, says Dan Beeton, of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Turnout was only 25 percent, which means Martelly was supported by less than 16 percent of the electorate. “So, he really doesn’t have a mandate,” says Beeton.
GOP Seeks Privatization of Health Care
If Republicans have their way, Medicaid could be “dumped altogether” by states and Medicare would become a voucher system that would fatten private corporations while covering
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less and less of patients needs, says Dr. Margaret Flowers, of Physicians for a National Health Program. Ultimately, we would “see the end of publicly financed health care in this country.”
U.S. Suffers from “Robin Hood in Reverse” Syndrome
The rich in America are becoming inexorably more wealthy and powerful, and “unless the middle class and the working class fight back, we really have no chance,” says Bill Quigley, legal director of the Center for Constitutional Rights. Quigley authored the recent article, “Robin Hood in Reverse in the U.S. Seven Examples.”
“65 Million Need Not Apply”
Many companies maintain an “outright ban” on hiring people whose background checks reveal criminal records, including arrests that did not result in prosecution, according to a study by the National Employment Law Project. Michelle Natividad Rodriguez, one of the authors of the report, says 65 million people are affected.
Harlem Protest Against Obama’s Wars
“There is no such thing as a ‘humanitarian” intervention, when it comes at the hands of the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” said Dr. Williams Sales, professor of Africana Studies at Seton Hall University, speaking at a rally organized by Harlem Fightback Against War at Home and Abroad. “Do not drink the Kool-Aid” on Obama’s Libya policy.
Farrakhan: Chickens Coming Home
`Speaking at a Chicago Mosque, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan warned that “America can’t win these wars. And if they kill that brother [Gaddafi] and his family, like they did Saddam [Hussein] and his sons, those are chickens, as Bro. Malcolm said, that will come home to roost.”
Digging soon? Dig smart. Before you start digging – call 8-1-1 – the national number to Call Before You Dig. It’s a fast, easy way to protect against unintentionally hitting underground utility lines. If you damage an underground utility line while digging, you run the risk of harming yourself or those around you. Whether you’re a homeowner or a professional excavator, with one call, underground utility lines will be marked for FREE.
Amiri Baraka on Obama, circa 2008
In an October, 2008, radio interview, poet-activist Amiri Baraka accused leftist critics of candidate Barack Obama of being afflicted with “some kind of egotistical self-regard as the perfect radical.” Today, in his latest poem, Baraka calls President Obama a “yapping Negro” who would sell his own folks “into slavery.”
Smart digging means calling 8-1-1 before each project. From small digging projects like planting a tree, to larger ones like installing a new pool, all excavation projects require a call.
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Florida Violates Voting Rights Act
Note: Homeowners and contractors should call 8-1-1 at least two, but no more than 10 business days in advance of the start of their project (does not include the date of the call) to allow time for the request to be processed.
By seeking to roll back the franchise for persons convicted of felonies, Florida is in violation of the Voting Rights Act, says Dale Ho, attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
How to be Happy While Black
“African American people who are higher in racial identity are generally happier with their lives,” says Michigan State University’s Stevie Yap, lead researcher of a new study. Page64732_Fuel_CallBeforeYouDigAd_8x5.indd 4
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APRIL 13, 2011
HEALTH MATTERS
Power Up Your Immunity!
Jameelah Ali
Local volunteer travels to DC to lobby for American Heart Association Each year, hundreds of the American Heart Association’s You’re the Cure advocates descend on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC to share their stories of how heart disease and stroke has impacted their lives. Young and old, these survivors, researchers, caregivers, doctors and advocates meet with their legislators, urging them to pass heart saving legislation. This year’s event, held April 11 & 12, focused on policies that promote treatment and prevention. Local RN and AHA volunteer, Jameelah Ali, was been chosen to lobby on behalf of the American Heart Association (AHA). Ali has been involved with the AHA since relocating back to Buffalo from New York City in 2003 and this was her fourth year as an advocate on Capitol Hill. “It is an honor to be able to advocate for funding for cardiovascular care, treatment and prevention,” says Ali. “I have seen the devastating effects of heart disease and stroke in my profession and more can be done. It begins with early intervention.” Ali has been an RN for 30 years working in the cardiovascular and neurovascular fields for both adults and children. For two days, AHA advocates spent time in interactive trainings, learning how to effectively communicate with their legislators, and then a day on Capitol Hill, discussing the need for prevention. Make sure lawmakers understand the seriousness of heart disease and stroke, and the necessity to do everything possible to prevent it. Visit www.yourethecure.org to see how you can help.
EAT TO LIVE APRIL 13, 2011
Help your body help you. Building your immune system and keeping it strong is a surefire strategy living a long, healthy life. Get a big immune boost with one simple habit: eat 5 to 9 antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetable servings a day. Here’s why: By now, you have probably heard that the new USDA recommendation for optimal health is to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables of all colors. Countless studies show that the fiber helps keep weight down, and also that the different pigments in the skins of produce are powerful antioxidants that help the immune system function properly and prevent life-shortening diseases. The countries with the highest amount of centenarians eat very large portions of vegetables and consume almost none of our modern packaged foods. These centenarians live to a ripe old age in basically good health, suffering from very little heart and liver disease and showing very slight rates of cancer and degenerative diseases. Research supports this: compared with people who eat very small amounts of produce, those who eat larger amounts as part of a healthful diet are more likely to have reduced risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, and many chronic conditions. A few tips: Eat foods of all colors-red, yellow, green, white, and dark colored--to get a variety of vitamins and nutrients that will optimize your body’s immunity. For some colorful examples, look at my recent Yahoo blog “Color Your Plate with a Rainbow of Food”. Also, go organic when possible and clean your vegetables well when not possible. Buy what’s in season for the best taste, best nutrition, and usually the best price. Top immunity food picks: broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, dark leafy greens, cauliflower, cabbage, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, bell peppers, mushrooms, chives, garlic, leeks, daikon radishes, citrus fruits, and berries.
Father’s Night Out Fathers, Grandfathers, Uncles and
Brothers we need you! Join Community School 53 as we strive to encourage fathers, grandfathers, brothers and other male figures that are involved in student’s growth and development on Thursday April 14 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Community School 53, 329 Roehrer Ave. The theme is “Fathers Lead the Children to Greatness.” Evening events include a spaghetti dinner, theme basket raffle and performance by Community School 53 step & drill teams, activities and workshops.J ames Payne is master of ceremony George Alexander is guest speaker.
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AIM: Auxiliaries in Ministry at Prince of Peace Temple Aim 2011 Auxiliaries in Ministry will be held April 18-21 Prince of Peace Temple 669 Kensington Ave. Our mission is to empower youth to excel academically and develop professionally, to successfully and positively impact their faith, family, and future and present opportunities to reach one’s highest potential. Competitions include: Math, Computer, Jump Rope, Spelling, Oratorical Bible bowl, 3 on 3 Basketball Non-Competitions: Creative Writing; Financial Literacy, Job Fair, Health Literacy Nightly Services will take place at 7 p.m. with Special Guest Speakers. Monday Night: Worship Concert with Special Guest Artist Durward Davis (Sunday Best Competitor) Tuesday Night: Evangelist Joyce Rodgers of Dallas, Tx.; International Youth Dept Chairlady of COGJC Wednesday Night: Elder Nathaniel Green of Newport, News, Va.; International Youth Church Facilitator of COGIC. Email : empowerclinic.yahoo@. com
Do You Love to Sing? Join A.W.I.R. Community Singers. If you are 21 years and older we want you! Do you just love to sing? Come and join this group of women. Call 444-2046 and ask for Awilla, I’ll tell where and when we meet. Old gospel and some new. It’s free.
Spring Revival at Mt. Olive Baptist
Mt. Olive Baptist Church will conduct its Annual Spring Revival on April 18-22, at 7 p.m. each evening. The guest speaker for the week is Reverend Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr., Senior Pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church, Omaha, Nebraska. All are invited to come and be blessed. Mt. Olive Baptist Church is located at 701 E. Delavan Avenue. Rev. Dr. William Gillison, Pastor.
BISHOP MORTON continued America - The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. As an apostle, he has birthed many churches out of Greater Saint Stephen, New Orleans. Bishop Morton is also an international television preacher who, for over twenty-five years, reaches thousands of souls for the Lord on a weekly basis. Morton is also a gifted author and an anointed singer, having received five Stellar Awards. His life in Christ is evidenced by his love and compassion for his family, the brethren and those who are lost. Many esteem him as a Pastors Pastor; a Leaders Leader; His wife and children revere him as a loving husband and role model father.Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. who strives to exemplify the heart of God, is truly Gods Man! For more information call 895-8222. Page 6
Spring Revival The Humboldt Parkway Baptist Church Annual Spring Revival will take place from Monday through Thursday, April 18-21 nightly at 7 p.m. The evangelist will be the Rev. Dr. James L. Cherry Sr. Pastor of the Aenon Baptist Church, Rochester. The public is invited to attend.
7 Last Words Greater Apostolic House of Prayer, 1455 Fillmore Avenue, will be featuring Seven Last Words with Seven of Buffalo’s Great First Ladies and Women of the Local City! You are invited to attend this Good Friday Service, April 22, 2011, at 12 Noon. Pastor and Founder: Bishop-elect Jacqueline Foye. Contact person: Evangelist/Mother Gloria Mayes
“Glory Train” at Antioch Baptist
Holy Week Christian Institute The Annual Holy Week-Christian Institute at St. John Baptist Church, 184 Goodell Street, presented by the Board of Christian Education will feature classes and workshops for adults, teens and children. Families are Welcome. The dates are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 18, 19 and 20 from 6 to 8:30 pm. Call 852-4504 for more information. Donation $1. Children free. Refreshments served.
CALL: 881-1051
“Glory Train,” a play written, produced and directed by Sister Bessie Patterson, will be performed on Saturday, April 16 at 4 p.m. at Antioch Baptist Church, 1327 Fillmore Avenue.
Free Community Breakfast Calvary CME Church, 1007 Ellicott Street, will feature a free community breakfast every Sunday from 8 to 9 a.m. The breakfast is sponsored by the Lay Ministry of Calvary. Rev. Dr. Wayne Williams is pastor.
Diabetes initiative Training Diabetes Initiative Training is available for Buffalo area churches. Call Dr. Stan Bratton, 1272 Delaware Ave at 882-4793 ext. 201 Stipend available for churches. The next session begins April 30, 1011.
“Enough is Enough” City-Wide Prayer Second Temple Missionary Baptist Church (Masten District Block Clubs) 812 East Delavan Ave. Milton French - Pastor Monday April 11-Friday April 15 Beginning nightly from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
No Prayer - Monday April 18 – Friday April 22, due to this week being Holy week and many of the churches are having special services this week, we ask that you pray during the 6-7 pm hour, and we will resume at St. John’s Baptist Church 184 Goodell Rev. Michael Chapman - Pastor Monday April 25 Friday April 29 Beginning nightly from 6 – 7 pm For More Information call Elder Wiggins @ (716) 954-3330 CHALLENGERCN.COM • (P) 716 881-1051 (F) 716 881-1053
APRIL 13, 2011
Bishop Paul S. Morton to Keynote Full Gospel Baptist Church Northeast Central Regional Summit at True Bethel Baptist Church International Presiding Bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist Church , Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. will be the keynote speaker at the Northeast Central Regional Conference at True Bethel Baptist Church, 1112 South Ave., Niagara Falls, NY on Friday, April 15 at 7 p.m. Bishop Kenneth L. Robinson, Northeast Central Regional & Council Bishop, will be the main speaker on Friday at noon. The summit, which is being held at the church April 14 – 16 will also feature 2nd Presiding Bishop Neil C. Ellis; 3rd Presiding Bishop Clarence McClendon; and Northeast Central Regional & Council Bishop Kenneth L. Robinson. This is a regional conference for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. The region is made up of Overseer Tyrone Sellers Metro NY State; Overseer Rudy V Carlton New Jersey State; Overseer Janice Byers New England Tri State; and Host, Overseer Darius G. Pridgen New York State West. The Host Church is True Bethel Baptist , Overseer Darius G. Pridgen, Senior Pastor & Overseer and Elder Craig D. Pridgen, Pastor. -Bishop MortonBishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. was born in Windsor Ontario, Canada
APRIL 13, 2011
but in 1972, he moved Pastor of the mother church to New Orleans, Louiin New Orleans. Bishop siana. Not long after, he Morton now serves as became the Senior Pastor Senior Pastor of the “baby” of the Greater Saint Stechurch, G.S.S. Changing phen Missionary Baptist A Generation, in Atlanta, Church. He served faithGeorgia which was birthed fully there for thirty-three out of the mother church. years. Under his leaderBishop Paul S. Morton and ship, it became a “Full Pastor Debra Morton now Gospel” Baptist Church, serve as each others Coexpanding to three areas Pastor. Now “One Church in of the city, maximizing Two States”, their slogan at seven services per is “Changing The Way We Sunday. Bishop Paul S. Morton Do Church!” Bishop Paul However, after the devS. Morton, Sr. is also the astating storm, Katrina, God reposi- founding Presiding Bishop of one tioned him. At Gods command, he of the fastest growing movements in passed the mantle to his wife, Debra Continued Page 6 B. Morton, who now serves as Senior
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entertaiment WUFO’S SOLAR RETURNS!
Jazz Appreciation Month
Homecoming Celebration of Buffalo’s Own Nasar Abadey and Supernova
Janate Solar Ingram has returned to Buffalo to WUFO in the capacity of Promotions Director/WUFO Personality...and it’s always great to come home, especially when its for such a celebration as 50 years in WNY! “I look forward to being apart of the turning point at WUFO as we are embarking upon, several new national syndications, the Hall of Fame Party, and of course Festival Season,” said Solar. “We look forward to seeing everyone and even more so, we would like to invite everyone to celebrate 50 years with WUFO 1080 AM!”
The 10th Annual JAZZ APPRECIA- and master classes. But now Abadey TION MONTH (JAM) will feature and SUPERNOVA will appear in Bufthe homecoming Celfalo with his current ebration of Buffalo’s configuration of Joe own Nasar Abadey Ford, (native Buffaloand Supernova in nian) Alto and Soprano concert on Saturday, Saxophones; James April 30 at 8 p.m. at B. King Jr., Bass; and The Tralf. An LGL Allyn Johnson, Piano. Production, tickets With them, their “proare $15 advance and foundly spiritual, post$20 at the door. Coltrane jazz,” will Nasar is coming be put on display in home in concert to a spectacular perforpresent his latest CD mance at The Tralf Nasar Abadey “DIAMOND IN THE . The proverbial ROUGH,” in celebration of National “triumphant homecoming” and CD Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM)! .Just Release celebration of Abadey’s curunder a year ago, the imaginative vir- rent recording , which had its recent tuoso drummer (who calls his music world premiere at the DC Jazz Festival “Multi-D”) was accepted for a State (Washington, DC), will be available for Department Rhythm Road, American sale at the SUPERNOVA Homecoming Music abroad cultural tour, which took Concert. him and his SUPERNOVA quartet to Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Mozambique for a series of concerts
Smooth Steppers Change Class Schedule Buffalo’s Own Smooth Steppers (B.O.S.S.) class schedule has changed. Tuesdays Urban Ballroom & Swing classes @ the Gateway Family Resource Center 347 E. Ferry St. from 6pm8pm (The Old YMCA across the street from St. Luke’s church) in the gym rubber sole shoes, please. Fridays Chicago Steppin & Urban Ballroom @ the Pratt Willard Community Center 422 Pratt St. from 7pm-9pm Saturdays Urban Ballroom @ 313 Fougeron St. corner of Urban, from 10am12noon. Location: Off Genesee or Moselle St. (The Old Wonder Bread Building). Entrance on Urban. Join Us!
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APRIL 13, 2011
ON STAGE Dreamgirls Back by Popular Demand! Rapa presents a return production of the hit Broadway Musical “Dreamgirls” to the Stage at East End Theatre, 727 E. Main St in Rochester on April 15,16 (Friday and Saturday) at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday April 17 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22 and are available at the door. Call (585) 325-3366 for more information. *Boney James @ Buffalo State College Performing Arts Center: Friday April 15 8 p.m.; Rockwell Hall, 1300 Elmwood Ave. for tickets call 878-3005. *Jazz Jam Sunday 6:30 to 10pm, Cafe @ Masten & Eaton 230 Masten Ave., Buffalo, NY 14209, 716-8832311. Karaoke Tuesdays 8pm with Gordy.
APRIL 13, 2011
*August Wilson’s play, “Radio Golf,” Geva Theatre Center,75 Woodbury Blvd., Rochester; featuring Richard Brooks, March 22-April 17; (585) 232-1366 ext. 3057 “The Harriet Tubman Foundation” PRESENTS its Annual Evening of Jazz ,Rhythm @ Blues friday May 6th at Tralf, Featuring joyce carolyn, lonnie harrell, cynthia maxwell, rhythm tackies, sandra gillian@tommy smith trio and shorty long band. tickets are $30.00 Doors open at 7:00pm Showtime 8:00pm tickets on sale at tralf box office and doris records for info contact Renee’ at 936-4506or go to c.reneemc@hotmail.com On Stage Listings are Free.
*JAR THE Floor” on stage, Paul Robeson Theatre, April 29 –May 22 (Mother’s Day Dinner Theatre May 8); 350 Masten Ave. 884-2013. *Oscar Alston Plays the Music of Barry White: Sunday, May 8, Mother’s Day, The New Golden Nugget, Fillmore Ave., showtime 6 p.m.; oscaralston.com *Aretha Franklin Seneca Niagara Events Center - Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 8 p.m. Tickets starting at $55 On sale now. All ages welcome, but under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Write: The Challenger, On Stage, PO Box 474,, Bflo., NY 14208; or email:
editor@thechallengernews.com
*The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts,The Riveria Theatre, Sat. April. 30, 7:30 pm, 67 Webster St., N. Tonawanda ; tickets $25 at the Box Office or on line at www.rivieratheatre.org
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Speak Out! BlackAgendaReport
Lynch Law and Summary Executions in Rebel-Held Libya By Glen Ford The African nation of Chad has called on Libya’s Euro-American “humanitarian” overseers to protect Chadian citizens from lynching at the hands of rebels backed by the West. The government in N’Djamena, which certainly has no interest in antagonizing the Euro-American juggernaut that has assumed a “responsibility to protect” whomever it designates as “civilians” in the territory of its northern neighbor, issued a formal request for “international coalition forces involved in Libya and international human rights organizations to stop these abuses against Chadians and other migrant Africa workers.” Dozens of Chadians have been “singled out” and “executed,” falsely accused of acting as mercenaries for Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, according to Chad, 300,000 of whose citizens were among the 1.5 million black African migrant laborers in Libya at the time of the February revolt. Numerous reports from migrant workers who escaped from rebel-held areas indicate hundreds of black Africans have been lynched, including black Libyan citizens. A Turkish oil worker related an especially horrific account to NPR: “We left behind our friends from Chad. We left behind their bodies,” he said. “We had 70 or 80 people from Chad working for our company. They cut them dead with pruning shears and axes, attacking them, saying you’re providing troops for Gadhafi. The Sudanese, the Chadians were massacred. We saw it ourselves.” Although many western journalists have been all but embedded with the rebels for many weeks, until recently there has been precious little high profile corporate media reporting on the political complexion of Gaddafi’s armed opposition, atrocities against black Africans, or summary executions of prisoners, which are war crimes under international law. Western media have lent sympathetic ears to rebel claims that assaults by Gaddafi’s black “mercenaries” drove “the people” to commit “excesses.” As usual, it is only after the U.S. government has embarked irrevocably on the warpath that corporate media reveal the flaws in the rationale. In the April 3 New York Times Sunday Magazine, reporter Robert F. Worth passes on the rebel’s version of one of their first confrontations with “mercenaries” in Benghazi: “The next day, the protests resumed and grew more violent as the first groups of mercenaries appeared, in yellow construction hats, to fight the protesters. Some were Africans; some appeared to be foreign workers, including Bangladeshis and Chinese. Many were not mercenaries at all, but dark-skinned men from southern Libya or hapless African migrants in search of work. Some of the ones I talked to, in makeshift rebel prisons, said they had been tricked with promises of jobs and never paid at all.” What is obvious from the account, is that the anti-Gaddafi crowd (mob) encountered polyglot groups of yellow-hatted foreign construction laborers (total foreign workers in Libya numbered over 3 million) in their march through Benghazi, and assaulted them, with black Africans receiving especially brutal attention. The April 1 edition of Britain’s Globe and Mail reports on a “bitter struggle” among the rebels on “how to contain the anger unleashed after decades of oppression.” Translation: How to stop the summary executions of captured, or reputed, Gaddafi supporters – especially the black ones. “Rebels have frequently treated dark-skinned prisoners more harshly than men of Arab ancestry,” Graeme Smith reported: “That distinction was made brutally obvious to doctors at the intensive care unit of Al Bayda’s main hospital on Feb. 17 when they admitted two men – one black, the other with the local olive-skinned complexion – who stood accused of fighting the rebels. A crowd gathered outside the hospital, calling for blood. Some armed rebels pushed their way into the ward. “’They had guns and knives,’ said Mahmoud Anass, 27, a resident on duty that night. ‘It was really scary. They wanted to kill the black soldier.’ “Doctors managed to hold off the enraged youths until a few hours after midnight, when the rebels dragged the two patients into the street. “’An old man tried to stop them,’ said Faraj Khalifa, a doctor. ‘He said our Page 10
religion does not permit the killing of unarmed men. But the youths were very, very angry. They hanged the Black man in front of the hospital.’ “The patient with lighter skin was beaten, shot, and returned to the emergency room, Dr. Khalifa said.” Here we have both a war crime and a racial hate crime – a microcosm of the mob rule that has swept regions of rebel control. As the Globe and Mail wrote: “Paranoia about mercenaries remains strong among the rebels, despite assurances from human-rights groups that most of the fighters among the proGadhafi forces are Libyan citizens.” More accurately, racism against black Africans, including black Libyans, appears endemic in eastern Libya. The same article shows convincingly that rebels executed more than a dozen captured government soldiers at the town of Darna early in the rebellion, then buried their bodies at a crossroads next to a wall on which it is written, “killed by Gadhafi.” It is likely that scores of soldiers whose bodies were found in a Benghazi barracks, burned beyond recognition, met the same fate. Rebels initially claimed the men were killed by Gaddafi officers for refusing to fight their own people. The Super-Powered ‘Revolution’ The world’s most imperial-dependent, ill-disciplined and whining “liberation movement” is still blaming black “mercenaries” and soldiers from Chad for its failures in the field – that is, when they aren’t crying about not having a 24/7 umbrella of full-spectrum American dominance of the skies. On March 31, the Interim Transitional National Council (ITNC) – half of whose members remain “secret” and many of whom may now be mere fronts – claimed that a unit of 3,600 Chadian troops have killed and wounded thousands of rebels since hostilities began. This phantom Chadian army, fighting more than a thousand miles from its impoverished homeland and supply lines, was supposedly to blame for the rebels’ military setbacks around the city of Brega, according to ITNC spokesman Ahmed Bani – evidence that “paranoia” about black enemies of the Libyan “revolution” is not limited to the mob. The rebels are in fact stymied by the Americans, who show their Libyan dependents who is boss by periodically withdrawing the protection of U.S. airborne kill-at-will systems. President Obama signaled loud and clear that the council in Benghazi will not rule the country, when he intoned, from Chile, that “forty years of tyranny has left Libya fractured and without strong civil institutions. The transition to a legitimate government that is responsive to the Libyan people will be a difficult task.” That’s U.S. Imperial-Speak for: We will run the country for you, until you are ready to stand on your own, traumatized feet. Like Haiti. Continued Page 11
Words Can Inspire or Destroy… At the April 6th meeting of the We Are Women Warriors Community and Family group meeting, one of our guest speakers, Mr. Benjamin Willis, Assistant Principal of East High School, had this to say: “When I was a second grade student, I was picked on a lot and some kids made fun of me because of the color of my skin. I felt really bad until my teacher told me that I had beautiful skin and that I was as important as everybody else and that I should be proud of my skin color. That teacher was Mrs. Eva Doyle and I want her to know that what she told me has stayed with me all of my life. She played a big part of what and who I am today.” My goodness, what a great testimony and outstanding tribute to one of Buffalo’s greatest teacher inside and now, outside of the classrooms. It has been said by many that if we had an ‘Eva Doyle’ in every Buffalo Public School classroom, over the past thirty years, we would not be dealing with a 25% graduation rate among young, Black boys who have not been told how valuable, smart, wonderful and beautiful they truly are. We would not large numbers of these same young men believing that black skin automatically dooms them to a life of hopelessness, crime, poverty and failure. An ‘Eva Doyle’, teaching in every classroom, would have graduated strong, intelligent and proud young men who knew that they are the descendents of Kings; and the kinfolks of men who laid out the city of Washington, D.C.; developed insulin; made blood transfusions possible and designed the electric light bulb that made Thomas Edison rich and famous! Mr. Benjamin Willis is an outstanding role model to our young male students at East High School. Unfortunately, for our community, there is not enough of our young men attending school on a regular basis to learn the lessons on integrity, honesty and personal responsibility he is trying to instill in them. That is why it is such a great idea that Mr. Willis is partnering with Mr. Robert Harris, founder and CEO of the Youth Prison Prevention Project and Chris Reynolds, WBLK’s radio personality and the lead promoter of the radio’s ‘Know Thyself’ initiative. These three fine, outstanding African American males are taking their message of help and hope to youths in all parts of the community. With teachers such as Mrs. Eva Doyle and former students like Robert Harris, Chris Reynolds and Benjamin Willis, we can most certainly ‘counter the conspiracy to destroy Black boys’. And that note; Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, the author of the book and video: ‘Countering The Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys’, will be in Buffalo on Jeneteenth’s Sankofa Day, Monday, June 13, 2011 at the Frank E. Merriweather Library. Dr. Kunjufu will be speaking from 5:30- 7:45 p.m. The event is free but donations are needed to help defray the cost of Dr. Kunjufu’s transportation and hotel accommodation. Donations a of any amount may be sent to: Mrs. Eva M. Doyle, 425 Emslie St., Buffalo, N.Y. 14212. Community, please remember that the right words can inspire a little boy with dark skin and low self esteem, to work hard and become the assistant principal of a prominent Buffalo high school. Also remember that certain ‘wrong words’ can also destroy other similar young boys, who are told constantly, that they are “no good like your daddy”, are “too dumb to teach,” or are ugly because, “your skin is too Black!” Continued Page 11 The Meaning of The above image/logo, part of the Challenger flag, corresponds to one of the 81 chapters in Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching. This particular tetragram corresponds to number 27, defined as “The Skillful Exchange of Information.” (From R.L Wing’s book, The Tao of Power.) “The truth, always the truth--at all costs”
“What is planted cannot be uprooted.What is well embraced cannot slip away.” I CHING
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APRIL 13, 2011
HUA HU CHING -13-
Seventy-Seven Humanity grows more and more intelligent, yet there is clearly more trouble and less happiness daily. How can this be so? It is because intelligence is not the same thing as wisdom. When a society misuses partial intelligence and ignores holistic wisdom, its people forget the benefits of a plain and natural life. Seduced by their desires, emotions, and egos, they become slaves to bodily demands, to luxuries, to power and unbalanced religion and psychological excuses. Then the reign of calamity and confusion begins. Nonetheless, superior people can awaken during times of turmoil to lead others out of the mire. But how can the one liberate the many? By first liberating his own being. He does this nor by elevating himself, but by lowering himself. He lowers himself to that which is simple, modest, true; integrating it into himself, he becomes a master of simplicity, modesty, truth. Completely emancipated from his former false life, he discovers his original pure nature, which is the pure nature of the universe.
Black soldiers waged wars on two fronts
They had to fight Southerners for freedom and Northerners for respect The American Civil War began as a limited war to preserve the Union and ended in total war to free the slaves. At the start, the Lincoln administration had no use for Black soldiers. At the end, What does it mean that success is as it unleashed them as liberators. dangerous as failure? The military climax of their halting march Whether you go up the ladder or toward freedom would come in the final down it, months of the war in two Confederate citayour position is shaky. dels. When you stand with your two feet When Charleston, S.C., fell in February on the ground, 1865, the first Federals to enter this seat you will always keep your balance. of secession were the 21st U.S. Colored Infantry. They were followed by the 54th What does it mean that hope is as Massachusetts, the first Black regiment hollow as fear? raised in the North. Hope and fear are both phantoms When Richmond, Va., fell in April, among that arise from thinking of the self. the first units entering the Confederate capital was the Massachusetts 5th When we don’t see the self as self, Cavalry, a Black regiment. what do we have to fear? In what must have seemed to contemporary Blacks as a sign of cosmic justice, Black soldiers were in the vanguard of a conquering army that helped See the world as yourself. end 250 years of American slavery, argued the late John Hope Franklin, author Have faith in the way things are. of From Slavery to Freedom. Love the world as yourself To achieve recognition, Black soldiers waged a two-front war against then you can care for all things. hostile Southerners and cynical Northerners. As the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter, S.C., opened the fighting in 1861, Lincoln was certain that Union forces could quickly crush the rebellion without BETTY GRANT continued enlisting the thousands of eager free Black volunteers in the North. But a bloody succession of defeats and a drift into a long dispiriting war When I was young, I was taught to say, “Sticks and stones may break my slowed overall enlistment to a trickle and triggered desertions. bones but words will never hurt me.” I know now that statement is not entirely Flagging public support forced Lincoln and congressional leaders to expand true. Sticks and stones can indeed break the bones but the wrong words uttered, the war’s scope beyond just restoring the Union. Lincoln began to mull the can and do- break the spirit of too many of our most vulnerable youths. idea of wartime emancipation and Black enlistment, and on Jan. 1, 1863, he The We Are Women Warriors Community and Family Empowerment issued the Emancipation Proclamation. group meets every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month at the Merriweather His decision to recruit Blacks into the fight revolutionized the war. Viewing Library, from 6- 7:45 p.m. On Wednesday, April 20th, the group’s keynote the war as a crusade, nearly 180,000 Blacks flocked to the colors — 30,000 speaker will be Dr. William Small, a Buffalo Police Officer and the author from Northern states, the rest former slaves from the South. An estimated of the book: Strengthening The Family. The event is free and the public is 30,000 served in the Navy. invited to attend. Reflecting the deep-rooted racism of the time, Northern conservative For more information or to join the We Are Women Warriors group, groups such as the Order of the Sons of Liberty argued that Blacks lacked the please call Betty Jean Grant @ (716) 532-7323. intelligence to execute tactical maneuvers in the field and that their African antecedents made them susceptible to battlefield barbarism. Even liberals doubted the legality of emancipation and the timeliness of enlistment. LYNCH LAW LIBYA continued Still, recruitment proceeded at a breakneck pace. As Northern armies marched South, a relentless tide of escaped slaves created a constant pool “The Americans show their Libyan dependents who is boss by periodically of fresh recruits for the War Department. An estimated 500,000 to 700,000 self-emancipated slaves reached Yankee camps. withdrawing the protection of U.S. airborne kill-at-will systems.” To handle the flood of recruits, the War Department created the Bureau of The U.S. is attempting to regain its regional balance as the winds of the Reawakening whip the Arab world. Washington has seized the opportunity Colored Troops, which systematized the process of raising black regiments in Libya to appear as an uber-protector of emerging forces for change, while and vetting their white officers. Instead of state designations for regiments, positioning itself to quash any substantive threat to imperial interests. As added they became United States Colored Troops. Only certain Massachusetts and bonuses, the largest oil reserves in Africa are to be pillaged by multinationals, Connecticut regiments retained their original state designations. and the U.S. military can envision a huge new arena for AFRICOM, much Once in uniform, black recruits faced a range of prejudicial treatment, including low pay, inferior weapons, inadequate medical care and relegation to fatigue larger than the U.S. facility in tiny Djibouti, on eastern coast. The militant Islamist presence among the rebels will be worked to U.S. duty. With Blacks in camp, White soldiers were spared from degrading manual advantage, an embedded rationale to bring Libya wholly and permanently into tasks such as digging ditches for latrines. Black soldiers understood that only on the battlefield could they earn the the War on Terror theater of operations. Should an “insurgency” erupt with the fall of Gaddafi, all the better for a U.S. war machine that runs on bogeymen. respect of Whites. Although black regiments participated in 39 major battles But, don’t be overly shocked and awed by the ferocity of the Euro-American and 449 minor engagements, it was their remarkable valor in several battles counter-offensive. Arab nationalism, in its many manifestations, represents an in 1863 and 1864 that assuaged Northern prejudices, impressing naysayers existential threat to imperial survival. After generations of suppression of the Left enough to give serious consideration to the widespread use of Black solin Arab lands, nationalism (and anti-imperialism) now often finds its expression diers. Learning that the North was arming slaves, the Davis administration threatfrom the Right, in religious form and language. Nevertheless, all nationalisms ened to re-enslave captured Blacks and execute White officers for aiding servile among subject peoples are ultimately antithetical to imperial rule. Racism is often a strong component of particular nationalisms. (White insurrection. When Lincoln vowed to retaliate by executing Rebel officers American nationalism is a dramatic example.) Arab Muslim identity in the taken prisoner, Davis backed down. But the Confederate president could do North African Maghreb, for some, is defined in opposition to darker, “Africans,” little to slake the racial animosity of many rebel commands, which adopted whether they are Muslim or not. Without doubt, this strain of racism is a huge a no-prisoners policy signified by carrying the “black flag” into battle. When Blacks responded with terror tactics of their own, the war descended barrier to South-North Pan-Africanism, and useful to the Euro-Americans. But, even nationalists who are afflicted with racism will fight to control their own into a vicious cycle of atrocity and reprisal that has somehow faded from the land and resources – which is U.S. imperialism’s fundamental – and insoluble American memory. The war may have been a chivalrous contest for some combatants, but not for the Rebels who shot surrendering Blacks at Fort -- problem. BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgen- Pillow, Tenn., or the Blacks who murdered wounded Confederates at Jenkins’ Ferry, Ark.-US Today daReport.com. Success is as dangerous as failure. Hope is as hollow as fear.
APRIL 13, 2011
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POETRY CORNER A Note to Black (Kemite) Dads By James Reid
There was a time when we were young and drank cheap wine. We listen to mom, dad and preachers dressed in Christ like robes. All while trying to be a credit to our race, in other words good Negros. Now we sit in the back of the bar, with our fat butts covering our AARP cards. Thinking about back in the day a time before being black was the way. A time when colored girls and boys had white faces on all their toys. A time when being black could get you killed. A time when black folk were killed just for the thrill. We remember taking pride in Sammy Davis before he became a national joke. We remember all of us wanting to be Jackie Wilson before he died broke. We remember hot days and cold nights in small beds. We remember when all black folk wanted to be red. We remember processed hair and fair skin. We can still see the pain of dark men. We remember a time before James Brown and Marvin Gaye. A time when Sam Cook ruled the day. A time when Negro music was still spiritual and the chance to meet the white Jesus was still a miracle. We remember laughing at Mickey Mouse, while Ricky Rat had all the fun in our house. We remember mama crying and fear on Daddy’s face. We remember the day when we lost our first place. We remember praying for our own bed, own room, own clothes, own life. We remember our first job, first drink, first smoke, first wife. But now sitting in the dark in the back of the bar talking about how we lost our grandsons to a new world that has taken things just a little too far. We look at each other and wonder who turned out the best. All the while hoping that our grandson won’t be killed next. God help us to help our sons. God help us help our children live righteously before our days are done. Page 11
Help Bring Jawanza Kunjufu to Buffalo !
Eva Doyle Announces Program Set To Raise Funds for a Visit by Dr. Kunjufu Retired teacher Eva M. Doyle is in the process of raising funds to bring noted scholar, historian, and educator Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu to Buffalo. The fundraiser will be held on Saturday, April 30 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Frank E. Merriweather library located at 1324 Jefferson avenue. Dr. Kunjufu has confirmed that he will be in Buffalo on Monday, June 13 to speak at the Merriweather library beginning at 5 p.m. His appearance will be part of the Sankofa Days held and organized each year by Brother Ras Jomo prior to Juneteeth. Dr. Kunjufu is from Chicago and he is the author of such books as: Countering the Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys, Keeping Black Boys out of Special Education, Black Students, Middle Class Teachers, and Lessons from History for both Elementary and Secondary Students. He will address the education of Black students, especially the high drop out rate of Black male students, the causes and solutions. Parents, teachers, principals, district administrators, school board members and the general community are encouraged to come and hear Dr. Kunjufu. Funds are needed to bring Dr. Kunjufu here and Mrs. Doyle is calling on the community to support the
fundraiser. The program for the fundraiser will include poetry presentations by vonetta t. rhodes, D a v i d Blackburn, and Taharqa Dr. Kunjufu Odinga. A video featuring Dr. Kunjufu will be shown entitled:" From Pyramids, to Dungeons, to Liberation." Mrs. Doyle states that this video is a dynamic presentation of African history and a call to teach our youth the truth. There will also be a video featuring words of wisdom from Dr. Julius Garvey, the son of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. A panel discussion will follow featuring L. Nathan Hare, author and historian, Sam Radford, Chair of the Buffalo Local Action Committee (BLAC), Karima Amin, noted storyteller and educator, and Debra Johnson, Member of the Harriet Tubman Memorial Library Project. The panel discussion will be followed by audience participation. Admission to the program is $15 and it can be paid at the door. Refreshments will be served. For more information or to make a donation if you cannot attend please call 847-6010 or 5339547.
Just Buffalo Literary Center: Babel Series To Conclude Season With Nigerian Author Chris Abani Just Buffalo Literary Center is pleased to announce the lecture which concludes the 2010-2011 season, featuring international award-winning author Chris Abani (Nigeria) on Friday, April 15 at 8:00 p.m. at Kleinhans Music Hall, 3 Symphony Circle. Tickets are still available: $35 general admission, $100 VIP (includes pre-event reception with the author and preferred seating), and only $10 for students. Discounts are available for those using HSBC and/or Buffalo & Erie County Library cards—please visit www.justbuffalo.org to place your order, or call (716) 832-5400 to make your purchase. Copies of Graceland, the Just Buffalo selection for “If All of Buffalo Read the Same Book,” are available at both Talking Leaves Books locations; the readers’ guide may be found at www.justbuffalo.org. In this award-winning 2004 novel, Abani cre¬ates a moving, yet unsentimental version of his troubled journey to adulthood, including the post-war aftermath during the 1970s and 1980s in Nigeria’s capital city, La¬gos, through the eyes of a sensitive, well-educated young boy named Elvis Oke. The book’s autobiographical themes are illustrated by the simple joys and disappoint¬ments of everyday West African life: masculine rites of passage and strict definitions of sexuality, gender power-struggles, familial obligations, and cultural taboos. Larger questions of morality and humanity can be found in the small acts of compassion taking place against a backdrop of unspeakable violence and corruption in Nigeria’s rural towns and urban ghettos. .He currently teaches Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside.Abani’s first novel, Masters of the Board, was about a Neo-Nazi takeover of Nigeria. The Nigerian government, however, believed the book to be a blueprint for an actual coup, and sent the 18-year-old Abani to prison in 1985. After serving six months in jail, he was released, but he went on to perform in a guerrilla theatre group. This action led to his arrest and imprisonment at Kiri Kiri, a notorious prison. His most recent book of poetry, Sanctificum (Copper Canyon Press, 2010), is a book-length sequence of linked poems, bringing together religious ritual, the Igbo language of his Nigerian homeland, and reggae rhythms in a postracial, liturgical love song.
Earth Day Essay and Art Contest
Columnist Eva M. Doyle has announced that the deadline for the Earth Day Essay and Art Contest has been extended to Saturday, April 16. The contest is open to students in grades 4 - 12. Students must write a one page essay describing ways to save our earth and include an 8 1/2 by 11 drawing illustrating their ideas. Markers, crayons or watercolor paints can be used in the drawings. The contest will be judged on neatness, punctuation and spelling. All completed entries must be turned into the Frank E. Merriweather Library prior to closing time on April 16th. The prizes include: $25 first place, $20 second place and $15 third place. Each winner will receive a book on Earth Day. In addition, the first place winners will receive a gift certificate to Princess Photography thanks to owner Dorothy Wagstaff. Winners will also be invited to read their essays on the Eye On History radio show on Tuesday, April 19. This contest is being presented in recognition of the annual Earth Day observance on April 22. For more information please call 8476010. Page 12
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APRIL 13, 2011
EM P LOY M EN T
bidS FOR RENT 2 & 3 BEDROOMS
EAST SIDE APARTMENTS AVAILABLE *Two and Three Bedroom Apartments starting at $395 plus security. Apartments Section 8 Ready. Call 836-8686.
Board of Education Buffalo, New York Division of Purchase 716-816-3585
Board of Education Buffalo, New York Division of Purchase 716-816-3585
**Sealed proposals will be received in Room 816 City Hall
**Sealed proposals will be received in Room 816 City Hall
On: Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 11:00 AM for BID #10-11-062 FIRE ALARM SERVICE & DIGITAL DIALER AGREEMENT Specifications and bid forms are available at www.buffaloschools.org/PurchaseDept.cfm
On: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 2:00 PM for RFP #10-11-063 VIDEO CONFERENCE UNITS On: Friday, April 29, 2011 at 11:00 AM for RFP #10-11-060 TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALISTS Specifications and bid forms are available at www.buffaloschools.org/PurchaseDept.cfm
Craig A. Koeppel Director of Purchase
disco bid S ver allenh u rst
Affordable monthly rent based On 30%of your gross annual Wages and utility allowance Deduction. Updated 2 bedroom Townhomes. Attached garages. Private entrances. Appliances Included. Laundry hookups. Amherst School District. Metro & Bus lines. Convenient location.Sec. 8 affordable housing. 42A Oxford Avenue Amherst, NY 14226 838-5850 or 853-1548 realabrese@mjpeterson.com www.mjpeterson.com
A.C. Ware Manor Apartments A Great Place to Call Home 134 Spring Street Buffalo, NY 14204 (716) 854-0636 Fax 854-0631
IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY For Seniors 62 Yrs. And Older One Bedroom Apartments Include Appliances Wall-to-Wall Carpet Off Street Parking Laundry Facilities Community Room Electronic Door Entry System 24-Hour Surveillance Cameras Located on Major Bus Lines
Give Us A Call For More Apartment Information
(716) 854-0636
Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. APRIL 13, 2011
Board of Education Buffalo, New York Division of Purchase 716-816-3585 **Sealed proposals will be received in Room 816 City Hall On: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 11:00 AM for BID #10-11064 DELIVERY SERVICE FOR SUMMER FOOD & NUTRITION PROGRAM On: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 12:00 PM for BID #10-11-065 MILK & JUICE FOR SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM On: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 11:00 AM for BID #10-11-066 PACKAGING MATERIALS FOR SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM On: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 2:30 PM BID #10-11-067 DELI MEATS, FRUIT CUPS ETC. FOR SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM Specifications and bid forms are available at www.buffaloschools.org/PurchaseDept.cfm Craig A. Koeppel Director of Purchase
Craig A. Koeppel Director of Purchase Request for Qualifications for Unified Communications System The Erie County Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA) is soliciting proposals from interested companies to replace its current phone system with a new unified communications system. Minority and Women Owned companies will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation. Companies that did not receive a request for qualifications and are interested in submitting a proposal may visit http://www.ecidany.com/ requests_for_proposals or contact Brian Krygier, Systems Analyst, by calling (716) 856-6525 ext. 501. The ECIDA reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any informalities in the bidding.
TO ADVERTISE CALL 881-1051 FAX 881-1053 EMAIL
advertising@thechallengernews.com
McDonald’s to hire 50,000 workers Tuesday April 19!
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- McDonald’s said Monday that it is planning a one-day hiring spree of 50,000 new workers on April 19 for its U.S. restaurants. McDonald’s (MCD, Fortune 500) said that these new “Mcjobs” will include crew and management positions, part-time and full-time. McDonald’s, which has 14,000 restaurants in the United States, said the hires will occur nationwide. “We’re excited to offer 50,000 new jobs, all across America, all in one day,” said Jan Fields, president of McDonald’s U.S.A. Fields, who started working at a McDonald’s restaurant as a crew member behind the counter in 1978, said the 50,000 new hires will increase the U.S. workforce to 700,000 from its current level of 650,000. She said the average pay for the jobs is $8.30 an hour. That’s compared to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, though in some states the minimum wage is higher. She said that restaurant managers can make $50,000 a year. This announcement from McDonald’s is just the latest sign of an improving job market. On Friday, the U.S. government announced a gain of 216,000 jobs in March, pushing the unemployment rate down to 8.8%, its lowest level in two years.
bidS COUNTY OF ERIE OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
95 FRANKLIN STREET BUFFALO, NY 14202
County of Erie, New York Request for Proposals to Provide Employment, Training, and Worksite Management Services for Recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. The Erie County Department of Social Services (ECDSS) is seeking proposals from qualified agencies to provide Employment, Training, and Worksite Management Services to Recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). The RFP # 1107BC can be found at http://www.erie. gov, or can be obtained by contacting Judie Kolmetz at 716-858-7932. All correspondence, communications, and/or contact with the County in regard to any aspect of this request for proposals shall be with Judie Kolmetz. Prospective proposers, or their representatives, shall not make contact with or communicate with any representatives of the County, including employees and consultants, other than the designated person in regard to any aspect of this request for proposals. Final sealed proposals are due to the Erie County Department of Social Services (ATTN: Judie Kolmetz) located at 95 Franklin Street, ROOM 861, Buffalo, NY 14202 by 4:00 pm (EST) on May 6, 2011. Erie County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and waive any informality. CAROL DANKERT Commissioner, ECDSS
THE CALIFORNIA wwwblackperspective.com HIGHWAY PATROL Job, Career & Business Information For African Americans IS NOW HIRING! The California Highway Patrol is looking for new recruits to fill their ever-increasing demand. Don’t wait; the CHP is accepting applicants right now! For additional information and application forms, contact the CHP at: 1-888-4A CHP JOB (1-888-4224756) TT/TDD 1-800-735-2929 advertising@thechallengernews.com
The Black Perspective is dedicated to promoting diversity and equal-opportunity inclusion in the workplace. For this reason www.blackperspective.com acts as a bridge between companies who are actively recruiting diversities and minorities with potential job-seekers. Every business brand seen on this website and in our free digital magazine is looking to hire you! On our website you’ll find lists of companies dedicated to equal-opportunity and inclusion. With our Job Search Network you’ll find even more possible employment opportunities, making it easy to find the perfect new career for you. Use our Job Fair Calendar to find the career show near you. Our Resource Links contain even more helpful information about other websites and organizations serving to promote diversity in work and education. And finally our online articles will give you insightful stories and helpful advice for becoming your own success in an everdiversifying workplace. ur online digital magazine is completely free, consisting of informative, inspirational, and inspiring articles of diversity in corporate America. Inside you’ll find career and educational opportunities with active hyperlinks that will take you directly to the websites of university and recruiting companies with the click of a button.
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NUMBERS
SUN 4/3
NEW YORK NUMBERS MON 4/4
TUES 4/5
WED 4/6
THURS 4/7
SAT4/9
FRI 4/8
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CHALLENGERCN.COM • (P) 716 881-1051 (F) 716 881-1053
APRIL 13, 2011
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Wednesday April 13
Thursday April 14
Sunday April 17
Free Movie and Lunch for Seniors: Must be 55years or older; 118 E. Utica St. 882-0602
Father’s Night Out: 4:30-7:30 p.m.; School 53, 329 Roehrer.
Aloma D. Jonson Fruitbelt Community Charter School Board Meeting: 6 p.m.; 833 Michigan Ave.; call 856-4390.
4th Anniversary Pastoral Celebration for Rev. Daris Dixon-Clark: 7 p.m.; Friendship Baptist Church, 402 Clinton St.; 847-1020; Speaker Rev. Dr. Fred J. Johnson, Sr., First Genesis Baptist Church, Rochester, NY. Board of Education Regular Board Meeting: 5:30 p.m.; Room 801 City Hall. Erie Community College Spring Open House: 4-7 p.m.; ECC City Campus, Burt Flickinger Athletic Center, 21 Oak St.; ECC South Campus, Cafeteria, Building 5, 4041 Southwestern Blvd. Orchard Park and ECC North Campus, Library, 6205 Main St., Williamsville; call 851-1866. Westminster Community Charter School Meeting: 3 p.m.; M&T Bank, One M&T Plaza 19th Fl; call 842-5342. Erie County Prisoners’ Rights Coalition Holding Center Demonstration: 5-6 p.m.; Strategy Meeting, 14 Allen St. 6-7 p.m. Thursday April 14 4th Anniversary Pastoral Celebration for Rev. Daris Dixion-Clark: 7 p.m.; Friendship Baptist Church, 402 Clinton St.; 847-1020; Speaker Elder Jason Drayton, First Calvary Baptist Church, Buffalo, NY.
Out & Equal Northeast Regional Workplace Summit: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Rochester Riverside Conventions Center, 123 E. Main St., Rochester; registration $90; non-professionals $50; students$40; call 585-265-5904.
Tuesday April 19 Spring Break Skating Party: 5-8 p.m.; New Skateland, 33 E. Ferry St.; $7 advance, $8 at the door; skate rental $1.50; call 830-1052.
Friday April 15 Disaster Preparedness Town Hall Meeting: 6-8:30 p.m., Church of Scientology, 836 Main St.; free and open to the public. 4th Anniversary Pastoral Celebration for Rev. Daris Dixon-Clark: 7 p.m.; Friendship Baptist Church, 402 Clinton St.; 847-1020; Speaker Rev. Timothy Brown, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Niagara Falls, NY. Saturday April 16 Disaster Preparedness Workshop: 1st day of 2-day workshop, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Church of Scientology, 836 Main St.; includes lunch & materials; $120 for two days. 748-9393. Stories for Peace: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson; Free Storytelling Concert. Summit For Nonviolence Youth Retreat: 2-6 p.m., Pratt Willert Center, 362-9688 for more info. Sunday April 17 Disaster Preparedness Workshop Part II: 2nd day of 2-day workshop, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Church of Scientology, 836 Main St.; includes lunch & materials; $120 for two days. 748-9393. 4th Anniversary Pastoral Celebration for Rev. Daris Dixion-Clark: 9:45 a.m..; Friendship Baptist Church, 402 Clinton St.; 847-1020; Speaker Elder Alan R. Core, First Centennial Baptist Church, 4 p.m. Speaker Rev. Quinton Foster, Calvary Baptist Church
The road to College and Career Success Begins in Kindergarten.
Spend a bright summer in Buffalo.
At King Center Charter School, we believe that all children must be college ready and college bound from an early age. Join us as we expand to the middle school years. We are a school community of experienced and expert educators, committed to providing the best academic, social, and emotional skill development to insure your child's future. Please refer to our website to submit an application-www.kccs.org. Due date is April 1, 2011
30 Rich Street, Buffalo, NY 14211 716-891-7912 Fax: 716-895-2058 APRIL 13, 2011
Are you Buffalo bound this summer? Get ahead in your studies by choosing from a huge schedule of credit-bearing courses, lectures and workshops at UBThisSummer. Registration begins March 31.
Find a course or two that’s right for you at www.summer.buffalo.edu.
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WUFO’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 23, Mt. Olive Baptist Church * 701 East Delavan
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APRIL 13, 2011