CODE M Magazine - Summer 2020

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF MEN

WHY YOUR WEEKENDS NEED TO GET BETTER POLICE CHIEF DANIEL HAHN

HAS ONE OF THE

HARDEST

JOBS

IN AMERICA

SHOULD BLACKS FINALLY GET REPARATIONS? 2020 AUGUST ISSUE

THE DATING QUESTION: COMPATIBILITY VS. CHEMISTRY HOW

4

BROTHERS CHANGED THE GAME FOREVER

[HEALTH]

2 SPRING ISSUE / CODE M

INSIDE

14

THE DATING QUESTION:

COMPATIBILITY

VS. CHEMISTRY We examine what attracts couples to each other by asking which trait is more necessary for a relationship to have success. You decide!

ON THE COVER

22

7 REVIEWS

18 MAN CODES:

POLICE CHIEF DANIEL HAHN HAS ONE OF THE HARDEST JOBS IN AMERICA

CODE M Readers sound off on their thoughts about past issues and how they feel about the topics discussed in past issues.

Read incredible quotes delivered by some of the most influential men of color around the world.

Policing America as a black man today takes patience and understanding.

16 SHOULD BLACKS FINALLY GET REPARATIONS? The debate has never been easy to discuss, but we address the issue of whether blacks deserve to be compensated.

21 LOVE LETTER TO MEN We celebrate men of color as they take on the establishment and shout, “Black Lives Matter!”

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[INSIDE]

11

WHY YOUR WEEKENDS NEED TO GET BETTER Turn your weekend into an adventure with new options for social distancing.

31 HOW 4 BROTHERS CHANGED THE GAME FOREVER The game of baseball was forever changed because of how 4 brothers decided to referee the game.

38 THE SWEET TASTE OF ELEGANCE

Dominic Lewis had a dream of creating his own wine business. So he did just that, he created his own wine business!

34

THE 3 SOME CHOCOLATE COMPANY HE WAS FIRED FROM HIS JOB, BUT NOT HIS DREAM OF STARTING HIS OWN CHOCOLATE BUSINESS.

41 RELIGIOUS LEADERS STEP UP We praise our religious leaders for providing leadership and guidance during these incredibly challenging times in America.

46 BOOK REVIEW: WAKING UP TO WHITE PRIVELEGE Debby Irving explores her own white privilege and finding herself in the story of race and racism in America with her new book Waking Up White.

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[HEALTH]

REVIEWS [HEALTH]

WOW!!! I loved the article on Steve Capers and the idea of offering profanity-free comedy to the public.

This is exactly what I was looking for.

John C. ( Denver, CO) Please be advised that I have received and read four issues (12019, 2022) of your publication CODE M Magazine. The subject documents were providers of highly enjoyable reading. The graphics (color, fonts), etc. were most appropriate and page weight impressive. Being somewhat familiar with print media I reviewed each copy for such items as well as content/text. CODE M presents an impression of a three-four year old publication as opposed to a one year old publication. I realize that presenting a new magazine publication to media/ communication and wish to compliment you on producing a fresh, professional and

important topical product.

Your current masthead indicates CODE M's developing framework for growth and a developing topical coverage.

Raymond B. W. (Philadelphia, PA)

Letter to the Editor, Highly Impressive! What you have is a New Age Edutainment outlet. I read your latest issue of CODE M and was captivated, it really held my attention, one article after another. You went in-depth on the Coronavirus health topic that is something that is a worldwide concern, and during a time when we want to know everything that’s available on it.

This issue also advised on how to date and stay safe in this new normal. I understand

CODE M is geared towards the male but I shared it with some of my female friends and they too were impressed, You gave us Health, Politics, Business and Entertainment, I am all in, keep it coming, you are off to an ELITE start.

Franklin S. ( Washington D.C)

“Write the Vision; make it plain; and, run with it, for the vision is for an appointed time.” It is with excitement and pleasure that I write this letter to applaud the vision of Bilal S. Akram and team.

In this present culture, the timing of CODE M could not be better.

Cinthia C (Houston, TX)

To Brad Bowling , I wanted to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the last issue of CODE M Magazine. The changes that were made in the last issue were impressive. The use of white space with the new design and layout really caught my attention. I wanted to personally says congratulations to you and your staff for working so hard to deliver us a professional and aesthetically eye-pleasing publication.

CODE M MAGAZINE PRESIDENT, BRAD J. BOWLING

Ed H. (Washington D.C.)

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[OPINION]

5 SPRING ISSUE / CODE M

A BLESSING IN DISGUISE?! NOT IF YOU’VE LOST A LOVED ONE AND ARE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY BECAUSE YOU LOST YOUR JOB.

By David Christel

The obvious question is: Why? The answer is two-fold: health and history.

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said that black Americans were more likely to have heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The Heart Foundation reports that “nearly 48% of African American women and 44%

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LIFE

WHY YOUR WEEKENDS NEED TO GET BETTER

by BRAD J. BOWLING

I Our weekdays have become boring working and living in the same space.

Life should revolve around a fantastic weekend!

f COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that our lives are extremely different today than they were in March of 2020. Our homes have changed from a soft place to fall to becoming a multi -layered palace of home, work, sleep, and get up and do it all over again. And now that home has become our workplace, we all crave something away from home.

But where can we go? Sports are back but only on TV. Movie theaters may never be a safe

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[LI FE]

The 2020 Jayco Class C RV.

place again. Concerts and music festival feel like walking into a death sentence and society is definitely not ready to rub elbows with each other in a crowed winery or bar.

This only leaves one valuable option for us to charge our batteries. Our weekends must get better!

Before COVID-19, the weekend consisted of some cleaning, maybe grocery shopping, and ending the day with some take-out and a Redbox movie. If you are more tech savvy then you told your remote to pull up Netflix to the latest release. We were OK with that weekend.

Now that we have been isolated to our own homes people are starting to feel the walls closing in on them. They need a break from the work all day, and then get up and move 10 paces over to the couch. Walking the dog, washing the car, or jogging at the nearby track is not satisfying enough. We need a better weekend.

The impact of working from home has led to an explosion in RV sales, side-by-side sales, 4-wheeler sales, camper sales, and home pool sales. Not to mention all of the outdoor activities that people enjoy have increased. Kayaking, fishing, water sports, 12 AUGUST ISSUE / CODE M

and camping have all seen dramatic increases in since the Coronavirus invaded our lives.

These better weekends give us a release from our merged home/offices that dominate our current existence. People all over America are reconnecting with their new sense of being outdoors by exploring things that they only used to think about.

RVS AND CAMPERS RV sales skyrocketed since Coronavirus hit.

People are snatching up everything the dealer has to offer from Class A, Class C, and Class B vehicles. Whether you decide to pull your camper or buy an RV, camping sites all over the US are seeing triple-digit growth. One of the most popular campers on the market is the Airstream. Starting at $149,900, the Classic sleeps up to five with a length of 30-33 feet depending on which floor plan you choose. The GVWR for the Classic is 10,000, which includes a heat pump and a two-way nine-cubic-foot fridge.

SIDE-BY-SIDES Side-by-side, all-terrain vehicles exploded on the scene in 2008 with the Polaris RZR.

Today, with Honda, Kawasaki and Can-Am producing the dirt crawlers, people are enjoying life in the dirty lane and taking hills on dirt paths all over America. Owning a side -by-side can be expensive. The Polaris RZR XP 1000 can cost north of $16,000 and up to $30,000 with all the bells and whistles. It didn’t not stop scores and scores of people who invest in adult toys from recently setting sales records in May that were surpassed in June. The Fall Fest 2020 Gregory Lake taking place September 25-27 is one example of thousands of people living their best life while social distancing. The weekend if filled with riding trails, fellowship people from all over the country and enjoying time away from home.

4 WHEELERS There has always been a love affair with 4 wheelers. That passion has only grown more since COVID-19. 4 Wheelers offer families the ability to enjoy trails, mud, and the great outdoors without breaking the bank. While these devices can be expensive, depending on the features, these vehicles offer a great entry into weekend fun if you start off with a used machine. They are relatively safe if driven responsibility and they offer tons of

[LI FE]

fun in almost any setting.

DIRT BIKES For those who are working on a budget, you can still enjoy an amazing weekend by either renting or buying a dirt bike.

Although they can be expensive when new, there are many options for getting a used dirt bike for around $1,000, which allows you to enjoy the great outdoors without breaking the bank. Honda is one of bestselling brands on the market and offers a wide variety of options when it comes to getting the right dirt bike.

If none of these are good options, then you can always go for a swim in a lake, kayak along a river, or fish in a local stream.

There is no arguing that life is different. We are all making adjustments and need to figure out the new normal. Whatever you determine your new normal is, it must include a better weekend so you can survive the home desk that keeps you busy way longer than it used to.

With Coronavirus not going away anytime soon, families are discovering camping as a way to have fun.

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[LIFE]

The Dating

Question:

COMPATIBILITY VS. CHEMISTRY

By BRIAN K. BOWLING

F

or single people, dating was hard. Now with social distancing, dating has become more like finding gold than love. Gone are the brief encounters at the wine bar, the quick introductions at the house party.

Single people have been relegated to the confines of online dating where the photos may not be real, the profiles read like novels, and the chance of finding love seems impossible.

So, what should single people look for when they venture online?

Obviously, we are all attracted to kindness, cuteness, and great conversation. But what are the secrets to finding that special person to exchange phone numbers with? There is a fine line between ghosting someone and finally deciding to meet in person.

Facebook to a random group of men and women, married and single. The answers were very interesting: “Compatibility always comes first. I don't care how much chemistry there is if I can't live with or want to be around you,” said Mal. “There are a few guys I've had PLENTY of chemistry with... but we still were not compatible to be in a relationship together. I would rather be able to have fun and have the same values with my partner than just the spark.. if I could only choose one! But I WANT BOTH,” commented Lisa.

Dating during Coronavirus had led to some very interesting conversations among single people in America.

The question of would you rather have compatibility or chemistry was asked on 14 AUGUST ISSUE / CODE M

“You probably need chemistry at the beginning or ‘maybe’ one may not pursue the relationship.

Compatibility is long term! So, chemistry to get it kickstarted then compatibility to have a lasting relationship,” commented Jimmy.

[LIFE]

“I would rather have compatibility because chemistry won’t matter if you don’t get along with your mate. The relationship won’t last,” said Sharon.

“I’d have to say... chemistry because if you do not have that, it is hard. And with compatibility it’s not necessary because being different is what attracts the two together and teaching each other. Opposites attract, as they say. Just my thought,” said Sally.

“Having been married to the same woman for 56 years, I think compatibility is the strong one.

You develop that over time, the chemistry starts at the git go, the compatibility to me is the glue,” said George.

The results of this unscientific experiment were very interesting. Women overwhelmingly favored chemistry over compatibility. The women who responded felt like they needed the spark to be there to have any interest in dating the person they were with. Women also felt that if there was no chemistry then how could they have anything in common.

The men’s comments were in favor of compatibility over chemistry. The men often

Self Isolation is always better when you have someone to share the time with. Singles are turning to dating apps to find love.

discussed the fact that they needed compatibility to maintain a long relationship. The men also felt that if they could have both, that would be the ideal partner.

There is no doubt about it that men and women think and want different things when it comes to finding love. But they both agree on the fact that Coronavirus has made it harder to capture that special someone. From my perspective, I would rather have compatibility over chemistry. I have dated women where we were sexually attracted to each other but had very little in common. That lack of common interest eventually killed the relationship.

While I desire both, I find that meeting someone who enjoys the same things I do is often the relationship that leads to a long, healthy, and fun connection that often turns to love.

So happy hunting to all the singles out there looking for love during COVID-19.

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R

RACE SHOULD BLACKS FINALLY GET

T

hese are elegant and stirring words that quicken one’s pulse as they speak to the heart of an American citizen’s desire for justice, peace, equali ty, and a life of meaning and fulfillment. Unfortunately, our country has subverted and even dispensed with the above, mostly to ensure the establishment of a class system based on money, position, power, size — oh, and yes, color.

The U.S. has a history of white people enslaving non-whites physically, educationally, and economically. They’ve gone to great lengths to maintain and defend the denial of civil and human rights via governmental policies, social programs of entrapment, institutionalized racism, and performative hatred and fear at all levels of society. Stereotyping and profiling have become endemic and perpetuated by fear, ignorance, avoidance, denial, purposeful miseducation, unconscious entitlement or privilege, conscious elitism and discrimination, and blatant segregation and racism. In short, white supremacy.

The good news is that our country is once again dragging one of our most pernicious skeletons out of the closet: racism. As painful as the process of self-examination is, karma is asserting itself and forcing us to confront ourselves, our failings, our egos.

The thing about karma is that it’s going to put our fears front and center. We’re going 16 AUGUST ISSUE / CODE M

i

P

E a R aT

By DAVID CHRISTEL

to have to look in the mirror. How we deal with what we see is the test.

Karma dredges up so much suppressed and hidden emotions that it can be overwhelming, frightening, and offputting. No one wants to go through the meatgrinder of life lessons. But if we truly want “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” we’ve no other choice. What we’re seeing now in America is that exact meatgrinder process—on all sides.

One of the challenges of resolving racism is something called reparations. First levied against offending nations as a means of recouping the costs and damages of war, reparations are a means of compensation to the descendants of kidnapped and enslaved African Americans for their merciless toil and free labor for American enterprises.

As we’re all very aware, the system of enslaved labor in the U.S. was brutal, heartless, abusive, demeaning, destructive, and deadly. Even though slaves were emancipated in 1863, it’s not as if equality and civil rights were handed to them on a silver platter.

Purposely kept uneducated by their masters, African Americans struggled to find employment, to attain an education, to find

acceptance, shelter, and a place in their communities. Without money and education, creating a “free” life enjoying the fruits of the American constitution and the mystical “American Dream” was and still is today out of reach for many African Americans.

Support for the concept of reparations has had a fitful history due to one fact: white supremacy that, consciously or unconsciously acknowledged and expressed, still resides deep within the hearts and minds of many people. Even within the African American community, there are dissenting voices against reparations.

O

[ V[ RI DA EC OE ]]

ONS

?

An episode from the television series The Good Fight highlighted the pros and cons of reparations from “the country owes us,” through “it’s the responsible thing to do to atone for how we were treated,” through “reparations will only deepen the resentment whites already have towards us,” through “reparations has to be more than about giving us money,” through “you can’t put a price on what our ancestors experienced,” to “this will only perpetuate the ongoing cycle of bitterness and hurt.”

All are valid points. It really begs the question as to just what reparations would actually do.

The payout of money certainly can infuse

families and communities with needed financial assistance. What it doesn’t do, though, is assuage the painful emotions from our past. It doesn’t fully reconcile and heal, it doesn’t undo the damage that’s been wreaked, and it most certainly doesn’t shift the minds of those most in need of shifting.

Rashawn Ray and Andre M. Perry in their article for the Brookings Institution’s Policy 2020, “Why we need reparations for Black America,” write that to truly invigorate reparations, we need to invest in the African American community by providing: •

College tuition to 4-year or 2-year colleges and universities for descendants of enslaved Black Americans.

•

Student loan forgiveness for descendants of enslaved Black Americans.

•

Down payment grants and housing revitalization grants for descendants of enslaved Black Americans.

•

Business grants for business startups, business expansion to hire more employees, or purchasing property for descendants of enslaved Black Americans.

It will also take the re-education of society’s perceptions of AfricanAmericans. There is a mountain of injustice and inhumanity to be scaled in every facet of American life. Like the show, The Good Fight, the struggle is real and unending. It must continue just as Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice … And this will be a great America! We will be the participants in making it so.”

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

That, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

The U.S. Declaration of Independence

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[VIDEO]

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[RACE]

Love Letter To Men:

BLACK LIVES MATTER

By Rev. Dr. Leah C.K. Lewis, J.D. Dear Brother:

I

see you! I see you out there stepping up for our community. I see you out there marching and advocating within our resurgent Black Lives Matter movement. Thank you. Thank you for forging the movement ignited in 2013 by three African American women, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, and Opal Tometi, with a simple hashtag—#BlackLivesMatter.

Without question, our quest for justice, equity, unfettered liberty, and reparations requires that we all step up. No matter our skill set, this is an all-hands-on-deck scenario. Our demand to access the full rights and privileges of citizenship has always called for every man, woman, and child to lend a hand, and frankly, always will.

This is why we as a community must embrace the sanctity of the lives of our sisters and brothers in the transgender community. Their lives also fall under the banner of Black Lives Matter. At the time of this writing, twenty-one transgender women have been murdered in the United States and Puerto Rico. This travesty must cease.

As a people, we are under a heightened attack from Karens and Chads who are completely unhinged. Social media is replete with outrageous and painful videos. One, in particular, touched my heart.

In this video, a white man attacked an African American woman. In

short order, an African American man came to her defense and subdued her attacker with a flurry of blows. Kudos to that brother. As a community, we must protect each other. We are all we have.

It is difficult to defend against the enemy when we are battling internally.

Clearly, intra-ethnic violence is a reality of life for every ethnic group. We African Americans bear the burden of Post-Traumatic Hostage Syndrome due to our ancestors being kidnapped from the Great Continent and our enduring four-hundred years of brutality and injustice on these stolen lands, making our experiences deeply complex, burdensome, and at times, toxic. (Dr. Joy DeGruy named it “Post-traumatic Slave Syndrome,” but I recently learned that describing our ancestors as hostages is more fitting.)

We need to continue to shower love, respect, care, and compassion upon one another to overcome the seemingly non-stop onslaught against us.

May we continue to be vigilant against the myth of white supremacy and its equally mythical correspondent, African inferiority. May we continue to demonstrate our joy and genius. May we continue to expand the circle of whose lives matter within our community. Young, old, middle-aged, female, male, gay, straight, or trans—All Black Lives Matter. Let’s love and celebrate one another unceasingly and robustly. Thank you for loving us and protecting us.

Godspeed

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE 21

COVER

POLICE CHIEF DANIEL HAHN

HAS ONE OF THE

HARDEST

JOBS

IN AMERICA

22 AUGUST ISSUE / CODE M

[COVER]

Police Chief Daniel Hahn displays support for the community with his actions.

D

aniel Hahn, the Chief of Police of the City of Sacramento, is a product of his family, his neighborhood, and his city. He and his wife have two daughters. He stated that “My mom and dad gave me all the hope. I know that together, we build for a future.”

By Richard McDonough Daniel Hahn was born at Mercy Hospital in Sacramento in 1968. His biological parents were an unmarried, interracial couple. His birth mother was a white woman from Humboldt County in northern California. His birth father was a Black man from Shreveport, Louisiana, who had moved

to West Oakland, California, as a teenager. The two met while students at Humboldt State University.

Daniel was put up for adoption, and at the age of three months, he was adopted by Kenneth and Mary Jean Hahn, a white couple with two children of their own in Sacramento. Kenneth Hahn had

grown up in Hamlet, Nebraska. Mary Jean (Behr) Hahn was born in Willmar, Minnesota, and was raised on a farm in Paynesville, Minnesota. Kenneth Hahn died when Daniel was about five years old. Mary Jean Hahn later remarried. Her new husband, Glenn Castle, Jr., Daniel’s stepdad, died when Daniel was about sixteen years old. Mary Jean Hahn died at almost 79 years old in 2018.

The birth of Lawrence Warmsley, the little boy that grew up as Daniel Hahn, possibly created a problem for the family of his birth mother.

“Years after my birth, my mom (Mary Jean) attempted to talk with my biological grandparents on my biological mother’s side of the family,” explained Chief Hahn. “While there’s no way to know for sure, my mom explained that the family of my biological mother wanted nothing to do with a colored child – me. My mom told me that the parents of my mother closed the door in her face when she attempted to meet with them at their home.”

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[[ CP O O VL IETRI]C S ]

“My relationship with my biological father, Lawrence Warmsley, and his family has been good through the years,” noted Chief Hahn. “The family has been very welcoming to me.” Lawrence Warmsley died in 2006.

Daniel Hahn and his biological father, Lawrence Warmsley, in 1999. He pinned the badge on his son upon Daniel Hahn’s promotion to Sergeant in the Sacramento Police Department.

The Hahn family moved into the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento when Daniel was three years old. “My mom, in particular, wanted me to grow up in a diverse neighborhood,” explained Chief Hahn. “Oak Park had its share of problems.

Drug deals were a common sight. The prostitution stroll was obvious. I witnessed a murder outside of our home when I was ten years old.”

“While there may have been trauma outside, the inside of our home was very stable, very supportive,” Chief Hahn continued. “My childhood was awesome.”

Hahn grew up with four siblings: Timothy Hahn, Martha Hahn, Chris Castle, and Rene Castle. “There were many opportunities for children in Oak Park,” stated Chief Hahn. “All the neighbors knew each other and looked out for one another.” He noted basketball games at the local park, playing football in the street, and riding his bike through the neighborhood.

There were times, though, when things were not so wonderful in the Hahn home. On one occasion, Daniel was acting up; he got angry. His mom told

him to settle down, or she would call the police.

He didn’t, so she called the police. Daniel ended up getting arrested by the police for allegedly assaulting a police officer. The charges were dropped, but the impact helped him put life into perspective.

As a teenager, he initially wanted to be an auto mechanic. Then a construction worker. By high school graduation, Hahn had decided he wanted to be a business owner and a school teacher.

“It’s all right to tell a man to lift himself by his own bootstraps, but it is cruel just to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr. In his effort to get the necessary education, Hahn enrolled in Sacramento City College. While there, a friend talked him into taking a criminal justice course. “I needed an elective course,” stated Chief Hahn. “I was taking a heavy load of other classes, and I wanted an elective course that I thought would be easy to pass.” The criminal justice class fit the bill.

“Recruiters would come to the class to encourage us to apply to become police

officers,” stated Chief Hahn. “I returned the paperwork, uncompleted, at least three times.

I was not interested in being a cop at that time.”

But then he considered the possibilities. He was earning $3 something per hour stocking shelves at a local store. “The police department was paying $8.14 per hour,” according to Chief Hahn. “I decided joining the police department made financial sense.”

He was eighteen years old at the time. He graduated the police academy at the age of nineteen but couldn’t be a police officer until he was twenty-one years old; he would then earn $14 per hour as a full-fledged cop. In the interim, he worked as a Community Services Officer.

After two years at Sacramento City College, Hahn enrolled at the California State University, Sacramento – known locally as ‘Sacramento State University.’ “I’d take classes from about 7:30 am to 11:00 am each day,” detailed Chief Hahn. “I’d then work out at the gym before working the swing-shift as a Community Services Officer from 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm.”

At about the time he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Sacramento State University in 1995, Hahn had decided that he wanted law enforcement to be his career. “I realized that I could reach some of my aspirations as a police

The Hahn Family in a relaxing moment in 2019. Katrina and Daniel Hahn are proud parents of Faith and Francesca Hahn.

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[COVER]

officer,” Chief Hahn stated. “I could teach. I could do long-term problem-solving.”

As a police officer, he’d see his share of joys and difficulties. One of the most tragic situations he faced occurred one night when he heard a call over the police radio. With a heavy heart, he headed to the location. His fears were confirmed.

One of his brothers, Chris Castle, had been murdered. Hahn provided the identification to the responding police officers.

He was able to teach criminal justice to students at Grant High School. Throughout his career, he participated in many community functions. He continued his own education, earning a Master’s degree in Public Administration from National University in 2001.

Initially, Hahn was comfortable being a police officer. Some others in the department, though, saw potential in the young man. They encouraged him to take the promotional tests to advance in the ranks. “To get them off my back, I took the first test,” Chief Hahn stated. “I studied a lot because I didn’t want to be last on the list and disrespect my last name. I wanted to succeed.”

He succeeded and got successive promotions.

Until he hit a brick wall. “In 2011, I was told that I would no longer get promoted within the Sacramento Police Department,” Chief Hahn stated. “I was angry.”

There’s an old saying that when one door closes, another opens. Within a week of being told that, in essence, there was no future for Hahn at the Sacramento Police Department, a nearby community called. The City of Roseville, located in neighboring Placer County, was looking for a police chief. The leadership in Roseville wanted that police chief to be Daniel Hahn.

While there was just a short distance between Sacramento and Roseville, the two municipalities were worlds apart. “I asked how many Black police officers worked for the Roseville Police Department,” explained Chief Hahn. “I was told that I would be the first. Not just the first Black police chief, but the first Black police officer.”

He declined the job offer a few times, but others encouraged him to take the opportunity. He eventually agreed with that sentiment, that Roseville would be a great place to work. One door had been slammed shut. Another door opened with a “Welcome” sign. He served as the Police Chief of Roseville for six years from 2011 to 2017.

Daniel Han and his biological father, Lawrence Warmsley, in 1999. Lawrence pinned the badge on his son upon Daniel’s promotion to Sergeant in the Sacramento Police Department.

Daniel quickly rose up the ranks and excelled at every level.

In 2017, the leadership of Sacramento asked him to return to serve the citizens of California’s state capital. This time, though, not as a police officer or as a Captain. Sacramento wanted Daniel Hahn to be its Chief of Police.

“My goal with this search has always been to appoint an experienced, dynamic, and energetic professional to lead our organization,” said City Manager Howard Chan in a news release issued by the City of Sacramento announcing the decision to hire Hahn as its new Chief of Police in 2017. “Not only does Daniel Hahn have a breadth of experience in law enforcement, he is well respected within the Sacramento Police Department and the community. I’m thrilled to be welcoming him back to lead one of the nation’s finest departments.”

On August 11, 2017, Hahn was sworn in as the 45th police chief of the City of Sacramento.

And, yes, he happened to be the first Black police chief in this city as well.

With that leadership mantle has come the responsibilities to help enhance life for all in Sacramento. He has strived to educate people about the realities of being Black in an age when information can travel through social media quicker than it can be verified for accuracy and in a time when some believe body cameras by themselves are an answer to stopping violent encounters.

For Hahn, the answers to some of our most intractable problems as a nation–problems that revolve around race –will require education and policy changes that, thus far, our nation has not implemented. “When I see protests today, I’m reminded that these are the same protests that have occurred many times in years past,” stated Chief Hahn. “We just never seem to find permanent resolutions to our problems.”

Chief Hahn noted that as a student, he

CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE 25

[COVER ]

learned much about the Nazis and what they did in Germany and throughout Europe. The discrimination. The diminishment of liberty. The mass murders. He, like most Americans, was never taught the full history of our own country. “When I tell people that there were sundown cities here in northern California in the 1960s, they are astonished,” Chief Hahn stated. “They cannot imagine that such places existed so recently in our state.”

Sundown cities were communities that mandated Black people, and others deemed to be “less than,” be out of their communities by dusk each night.

Some of these regulations were actual laws; others were “tradition.” Whether actual law or tradition, the implementation of these rules was generally administered by law enforcement officials.

Sometimes, the concept was not simply to keep the “less than” out at night. In some communities, the goal was to keep the “less than” out completely.

Bigots don’t discriminate.

An example: In Humboldt County, in northern California, Chinese and Chinese-American individuals and families were the targets of expulsion. According to the United States National Park Service (NPS), on February 6, 1885, the white residents of Eureka and other communities in Humboldt County forcibly removed the residents

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with Chinese ancestry – 310 people – from their county. These residents had 48 hours to gather any of their possessions they could and were put on two ships and sent to San Francisco. When the people expelled from Humboldt County attempted to use the legal system to get compensation for their losses, they were denied justice. No compensation was provided to these individuals and families.

The expulsions were not limited to one county in California; other communities did the same.

Beyond direct, forcible expulsions, other techniques were used to “encourage” people to leave their homes. Suspicious fires hit properties owned

by Chinese-Americans in Chico, Fresno, San Jose, and other communities in California, according to

“Oak Park had its share of problems. Drug deals were a common sight. The prostitution stroll was obvious.

I witnessed a murder outside of our home when I was ten years old.”

the NPS. Chief Hahn noted that African Americans have been dealing with similar types of activities for 400 years in the United States.

“Power is most intoxicating,” stated Chief Hahn. “Relinquishing power will be fought.

While I don’t agree with all of the changes proposed by today’s protesters, I do believe we need to have conversations about important issues.”

“We shouldn’t hide from our history as a nation,” said Chief Hahn. He gave as an example someone needing help for a medical condition, “You would not go to a doctor for help if they didn’t know about the disease that you had.”

Chief Hahn indicated that you need to understand the underlying aspects of life.

“Many people are raised with the idea that if you work hard, you’ll be successful.

Unfortunately, that does not apply to everyone in our society. Reality does not always match one’s goal. People can work very hard and yet not be able to succeed.”

He referenced the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On March 31, 1968, Rev. King delivered the following words at the National

[COVER]

Left photo: (left to right) wife Katrina Hahn, daughter Faith Hahn, Daniel Hahn, and mother Mary Jean Hahn as Hahn was sworn in as the 45th Chief of Police of Sacramento on August 11, 2017.

Right: Daughter Francesca Hahn pins the badge on Chief Hahn.

Cathedral in Washington, DC,: “It’s all right to tell a man to lift himself by his own bootstraps, but it is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he

You cannot fake your personality. I was raised by my mom to treat everyone well. I try to honor her name every time I work with people.”

Chief Hahn has encouraged people–including Black men and women–to consider law enforce-

ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.”

“If we don’t solve problems in our society, we’ll continue to have problems,” stated Chief Hahn.

“Our political leaders throughout the country look for quick fixes, but it takes time to make the changes necessary. Few are willing to invest that time.”

Chief Hahn noted that one of the key reasons why a police-involved death is different from any other loss of life is that such deaths involve the rights and responsibilities accorded to law enforcement in the United States. “Police officers and other law enforcement officials are different from almost everyone else in our nation,” explained Chief Hahn.

“Police officers can take your freedom. Police officers can use deadly force in certain circumstances and kill you. People in no other occupation are able to do such things.”

ment as a career opportunity. “Many see police officers as just the people who arrest their neighbors or write tickets,” explained Chief Hahn. “But we have upwards of thirty types of jobs within our

police department. Many of these jobs involve skills in technology. External forces have their roles,” Chief Hahn noted. “But you can also change systems from within.”

“It’s difficult being a cop as a person of color,” stated Chief Hahn. “Some say they want diversity within the police department, yet at many protests where we have a skirmish line, protesters will specifically target our officers of color. Our Black officers will be called coon, Uncle Tom, and sell-out directly to their faces.”

“Some in the Black community say you cannot be both a Black person and, at the same time, a police officer,” stated Chief Hahn. He’s been both praised and criticized as a member of law enforcement. He relayed a personal experience. “At one protest, a woman in her forties, a Black woman who was visibly very angry, came up

Darrell Steinberg, Mayor of Sacramento (left, foreground) and Daniel Hahn (right, foreground) were among the participants in the Solidarity March on June 3, 2020. Both were among a number of people kneeling during the March at the Oak Park Community Center. “The march was coordinated by myself and five other community leaders,” explained Chief Hahn. “The march went from the Oak Park Community Center to Shiloh Baptist Church. This was to bring all people together to say we must move forward together.”

His philosophy as a police chief is that “You’ve got to be what you are when interacting with people.

Police Chief Hahn has always maintained a good relationship with the community.

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to me and told me that I don’t know what it’s like to be a Black man. I looked at my arms, I was in a short-sleeved shirt, and looked back at the woman. She just walked off, seemingly embarrassed.”

had mental health professionals make those decisions. Mental health professionals have much more training in this area and often would be more effective. While some mental One policy that Chief Hahn would like to see health professionals are also able to place a person on a 72-hour mental health hold, it The woman only saw the uniform; she is usually a police officer who has to make didn’t see the person wearing the that decision. We may arrive first. A mental uniform. It also works in the reverse “At one protest, a woman in her forties, a Black health professional may not choose or be when some police officers only see the woman who was visibly very angry, came up to me able to place holds on their clients or color of skin and don’t see a person as and told me that I don’t know what it’s like to be a people they know. We could consider an individual. In the personal changes in procedures. For example, experiences of Chief Hahn. “There Black man. I looked at my arms, I was in a short- having multiple mental health have been times, when I’m not in sleeved shirt, and looked back at the woman. She professionals available to make these uniform, where I’ve had interactions decisions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. just walked off, seemingly embarrassed.” with other police officers. The Working with others to help individuals interaction or the tone changed when with mental health needs may be a better they found out I was an officer or use of law enforcement.” police chief.” changed involves how individuals with mental health issues are treated. “Today, a police Chief Hahn sees great promise as he strives to While there are problems in law officer just graduating from the police serve the people of Sacramento. To see each enforcement, Chief Hahn does not agree academy has the legal right to place a person other as human beings, each worthy of with the concept of defunding the police. “If on a 72-hour mental health hold,” explained respect and dignity. In his own words, there are [fewer] police officers, Chief Hahn. “I believe it would be best if we “Together We Build.”

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communities will be less safe,” he said. “This is especially true in communities in need. This would not be acceptable.”

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SPORTS

youngest brother, Joey, playing in a Roy Hobbs baseball game. A friend of Big Cat was umpiring the game, and they were talking between half-innings. “He told me how much fun it is to work a game, and he thought that I had the temperament to be a great umpire.”

Big Cat was nervous when he officiated his first game, because he was thrown into the fire; he called balls and strikes as the plate umpire. After the game was over, Big Cat stated that he took a deep breath, “… and I was hooked.”

Larnie (a.k.a. “Big Cat”), Johnny and Ray Williams, and the youngest brother, Joey Martin.

4

HOW

brothers CHANGED THE GAME FOREVER

America’s favorite pastime was impacted by four incredible brothers. Take a journey with us as we explore the past and the people who made a difference back then. By Melvin Jones

E

ven though COVID-19 put a halt to everything in the world, including professional sports seasons, society is slowly starting to work its way back to a sense of normalcy. Pardon the pun, but one of those things is getting “back into the swing” of youth baseball.

There are teams that come from all over the Buckeye State and cities in the states bordering Ohio ready to play in tournaments throughout Northeastern Ohio. At these games, you will see the umpires regulating and officiating. If you look closer, a lot of those umpires will have the letters “GHZ” emblazoned on their shirts or hats. GHZ is the logo of the Game Hogz, an officiating association based out of Akron, Ohio.

Yes, there are scores of officiating associations throughout the area, but the

Game Hogz are unique because of their inception and how they give opportunities to minorities and women. “Calling it Right” for a long time, the Game Hogz were established in 2005 by four African American brothers (that’s not a misnomer, they are brothers); Larnie (a.k.a. “Big Cat”), Johnny and Ray Williams, and the youngest brother, Joey Martin.

The family moved to Akron from Toledo, Ohio, in 1993. At that time, they were working numerous odd jobs to make ends meet for the family. Big Cat, the eldest of the brothers, had an entrepreneurial vision. He had developed businesses, such as a security and bodyguard company and a carpet and flooring company.

Game Hogz was founded by happenstance.

One day, Big Cat went to watch his

After getting his certification, he began working Roy Hobbs games, as well as games for the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). As he began to hone his skills, he realized that some of his fellow “blues” were not up to par, and he was looking for someone who he could trust.

So, he encouraged Johnny, the second oldest brother, to come and work a game with him.

“He didn’t like it at first, but when Johnny got good with his strike zone … he was a natural!” Soon after that, Ray and Joey came along, and the Game Hogz were formed. They started small by doing small tournaments and community recreational league games, but the word got around about how well the Game Hogz called the balls and strikes.

Since those humble beginnings in 1995, the Game Hogz name has been synonymous with officiating and umpiring excellence.

The Game Hogz have been a staple at the Roy Hobbs World Series in Ft. Meyers, Florida, and the Cooperstown Dreams Park 12U Tournament in Cooperstown, New York, where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located.

Two Game Hogz umpires were recently honored for their achievements. Marc Landals was inducted into the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame for his umpiring excellence, and Kelly Elliot Dine was only the sixth female to umpire in the CODE M / AUGUST ISSUE 31

[SPORTS]

did it in a way that was sports related and enjoyable. The brothers are happy with their success; however, they are always looking to expand the brand.

First, they are looking to get that next generation of officials by offering to encourage and mentor young people about the benefits and opportunities in officiating. Second, Big Cat and his brothers are always looking to venture out to different locations to show that the Game Hogz are a very well-run officiating crew in any sport that they work.

They changed the game for black referees across America.

Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Furthermore, Kelly had the prestigious honor of being the plate umpire for the World Series final game between the Eastbank Little League from Louisiana and the Pabao Little League from Curaçao.

Despite their success, the Game Hogz have not allowed themselves to be pigeonholed in baseball. They officiate foot-

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ball, basketball, volleyball, and wrestling for all age levels. Game Hogz have worked the OHSAA state playoffs, including state championships in football, baseball, and wrestling.

The Game Hogz started with only the four brothers. Now, they boast a roster of over forty-five officials that span six sports. Not only have they given a lot of minorities a chance to make ends meet but they also

“C’mon Blue!” is a common phrase that is used when a player, coach, or fan does not agree with a call that an official has made. We may not agree with their judgement all of the time, but make no mistake, the Game Hogz have been officiating with integrity and class for a long time, and with their younger generation of officials … the tradition is going to continue.

BUSINESS

Black Chocolatier Creates His O Being Fired & Raises Ove

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[BUSINESS]

Own Chocolate Company After er $230K in Investments

By D'Juan Hopewell

G

etting terminated from a job can be stressful and discouraging, especially when you may not know how you are going to cover your monthly expenses.

As a black man in America dealing with discrimination, inequality and injustice in the work place, you can lose your job for no reason.

Some people decide not to let inequality hold them back and use this time as an opportunity to create a more reliable source of income for themselves by starting their own business.

That’s exactly what Patrick Glanville did when he launched his own chocolate company, which has raised over $230K in investments. Tired of getting fired and being paid less than co-workers, although having years of work experience, he decided to use his talents as a chocolatier to create a new and unique chocolate experience. That’s when he created 3 Some Chocolates, a chocolate brand that combines three flavors into one, offers it in packs of three, and calls it a 3 Some which can be shared with everyone.

Launched in 2017 by Glanville along with his partner Kristin Parker-Glanville, the company has been raising the bar in the chocolate industry by introducing new and enticing flavors never seen before by chocolate lovers. They’ve sold and shipped their products all over the United States and around the world. The concept was created by Glanville, the 3 Some Chocolates Founder, President and CEO, who wanted to utilize his skills as an artist and culinary artist.

Born and raised in Southside Jamaica, Queens, he began working on his craft at age ten with his grandmother, who first taught him how to cook, temper chocolate, and create many other delicacies. One of her favorite treats was her secret family recipe, which she passed down to Glanville; her “Jerk Chocolates.” Glanville eventually perfected his craft by becoming a certified chocolatier. Patrick and Kristin took courses and trained at the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Lebbeke, Belgium, where they learned how to create the finest premium chocolate confections. They knew if they wanted to be the best, they had to learn from the best.

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3 Some Chocolates has sold more than 450,000 units, garnered a plethora of five-star ratings, and accumulated more than 75,000 customers and counting. 3 Some Chocolates is a unique company, and you will only find their trademarked items on their platforms.

chocolate industry. Both agreed that it was important for them to use good judgment and create a company name that creates shock value before jumping into their dream of building a globally renowned, premium chocolate emporium, which will soon be based in major cities across the country.

Kristin Parker-Glanville is the CFO and Co-CEO. Parker-Glanville, who was born and raised in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and has a background in business administration, operations and finance, worked to build and protect the brand and help the brand reach its true potential. It was very important for the certified chocolatiers to properly build their business from its foundation and structure everything properly. Glanville, who has a background in graphic design, management and sales, created the design of the products from bar to packaging, as well as the recipes, website, and marketing material.

The millennial couple understands the importance of building an online presence.

When they first started their company, their customers loved their products so much, they would take a photo holding the chocolate box. The company would place the photos on their social media sites, which are full of satisfied chocolate lovers. You will find exclusive items such as their sweet and spicy Jerk Chocolate Bites, their limited-edition Ruby and White Red Velvet Cookie bar, and an array of delicious truffles such as their Coquito Truffles and Henny Truffles on their website www.3somechocolates.com.

This husband and wife team have combined their talents in order to set up their company to be a disruptor in the

To expand their offerings, Parker and Glanville have launched an investment campaign where they have already obtained many investors who look forward to becoming a part of their chocolate journey. The Equity Raise, on

WeFunder, “3 Some Chocolates Cuisine, Inc.,” will be the parent company. They will manufacture and distribute all products and serve as franchise flagship stores, scaling from their online store to places where all good things come in threes.

To learn how to become an investor, visit www.wefunder.com/3.some.chocolates. visit www.3somechocolates.com to “Get Some 3 Some!”

[BUSINESS]

Dominic likes to build personal relationships with his customers and gives away Lamont Avenue wine glasses more than he sells them. “I’ve always had a great work ethic, and one of the things I learned from working at Target is how to give great customer service.” One of his business idols includes Sean “Diddy” Combs, and a friend gave Dominic the nickname “Dom Diddy” as a result. (His handle on Instagram.)

Lamont Avenue Wines can be purchased from his website, www.lamontavenuewines.com; at his store, 16006 St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland; or from restaurants and liquor stores throughout Greater Cleveland. Lamont Avenue hosts formal black-tie events, and the next one, “The Fall Ball,” will be held September 26, presented by Lamont Avenue, Brent Roach Events, the King Lou Experience, and B. Landrum. "It will be a dry series event to unveil three new wines, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Cabernet,” Dominic says.

Dominic Lewis knew his idea was right for the greater Cleveland area.

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RE L I G I O N

Religious Leaders They Are Front and Center in U.S. Protests – As They Have Been for the Last 200 Years

STEP UP

By Lawrence Burnley

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[OPINION]

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[RELIGION]

Religious Leaders

By Lawrence Burnley

STEP UP

W

hen the Rev. Al Sharpton implored white America to “get your knee off our necks” at the memorial of George Floyd, his words were carried by news outlets across the globe. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Rev. William J. Barber II has been an ever-present voice in the protests, prompting some to place him as the successor to past civil rights greats. That people of the cloth are at the forefront of the current protests over police brutality should not be a surprise.

From the earliest times of the United States’ history, religious leaders have led the struggle for liberation and racial justice for Black Americans. As an ordained minister and a historian, I see it as a common thread running through the history of the United States, from Black resistance in the earliest periods of slavery in the antebellum South, through the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and up to the Black Lives Matter movement today.

As Patrisse Khan-Cullors, one of the founders of Black Lives Matter, says, “The fight to save your life is a spiritual fight.”

Spiritual calling For many Black religious leaders in the United States, civil rights and social justice are central to their spiritual calling.

Informed by their respective faith traditions, they place religion within the Black American experience while also being informed by African culture and the traumatic experience of the transatlantic trade of African people.

We see this in Malcolm X’s 1964 exhortation that Black Americans should form bonds with African nations and “migrate to Africa culturally, philosophically, and spiritually.”

Malcolm X’s desire to internationalize the struggle in the U.S. after his 1964 pilgrimage to Mecca also speaks to the role he saw Islam having in the civil rights movement.

“America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem,” he wrote in a letter during his visit to Saudi Arabia. The struggle of Black Americans informed Malcolm X’s reading of the Quran.

Similarly, the interaction between religious text and real-world struggle informed earlier Black civil rights and anti-slavery leaders.

Slave revolt leader Nat Turner, for example, saw rebellion as the work of God and drew upon Biblical texts to inspire his actions. As the historian and Turner biographer Patrick Breen noted in an article for Smithsonian Magazine, “Turner readily placed his revolt in a biblical context, comparing himself at some times to the Old Testament prophets, at another point to Jesus Christ.” In his Confessions, dictated to a white lawyer after his 1831 arrest, Turner quoted the Gospel of Luke and alluded to numerous other passages from the Bible.

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Visions Turner had visions he interpreted as signs from God encouraging him to revolt. Such prophetic visions were not uncommon to early anti-slavery leaders; Sojourner Truth and Jarena Lee were both spurred to action after God revealed himself to them. Lee’s anti-slavery preaching is also an early example of the important role that black religious female leaders would have in the civil rights struggle.

In arguing for her right to spread God’s message, Lee asked: “If the man may preach, because the Saviour died for him, why not the woman, seeing he died for her also? Is he not a whole Saviour, instead of a half one?”

Sojourner Truth was driven to anti-slavery activism by spiritual visions. These early anti-slavery activists rejected the “otherworld” theology taught to enslaved Africans by their white captors, who sought to deflect attention away from their condition in “this world” with promises of a better afterlife. Instead, they affirmed God’s intention for freedom and

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liberation in both this world and the next, identifying strongly with biblical stories of freedom, such as the exodus of the Hebrew community from Egyptian enslavement and Jesus’s proclamation to “set the oppressed free.”

Incorporating religion into the Black anti-slavery movement sowed the seeds for faith being central to the struggle for racial justice to come.

As the church historian James Washington observed, the “very disorientation of their slavery and the persistent impact of systemic racism and other forms of oppression provided the opportunity – indeed the necessity – of a new religious synthesis.”

At heart, a preacher The synthesis continued into the 20th century, with religious civil rights leaders who clearly felt compelled to make the struggle for justice a central part of the role of a spiritual leader.

“In the quiet recesses of my heart, I am fundamentally a clergyman, a Baptist preacher,” the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in a 1965 article for Ebony Magazine. Racial justice

remains integral to Black Christian leadership in the 21st century. In an interview earlier this year, Rev. Barber said: “There is not some separation between Jesus and justice; to be Christian is to be concerned with what’s going on in the world.”

Recognizing the rich legacy of Black religious leadership in the struggle of racial justice in the United States in no way diminishes the role of historic and contemporary secular leadership. From W.E.B. DuBois to A. Philip Randolph, who helped organize 1963’s March on Washington, and up to the current day, the civil rights movement has also benefited from those who would classify themselves as freethinkers or atheists.

But given the history of religion in the Black protest movement, it should be no surprise that the killing of George Floyd has unleashed an outpouring of activism from Black religious leaders – backed by supporters from different faith traditions.

[LIFE]

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BOOKS WAKING UP TO WHITE PRIVILEGE Debby Irving explores what it really means to be white in America in her new book Waking Up White.

By Brad J. Bowling

C

onversations about race seem to pop up in the strangest places lately. Whether in line at the coffee shop or waiting for a car repair at the dealership, Americans are taking a new interest in trying to understand white privilege, racism, and how they their behavior contributes to the problem.

If there ever was a perfect read for this topic, Debby Irving’s new book, Waking Up White discusses the very difficult topic of dealing with our own positions on race. It also helps the reader to work through the feelings of self-guilt, whether from poor behavior or being apathetic to the issue.

Debby Irving was raised in white Winchester, Massachusetts with very little interaction with blacks. The upper middle class community isolated her from having to deal with race, her own understanding of how race impacted people of color, and how she could effect change.

Debby didn’t become interested in race relations until she took a course in graduate school. The course, “Race and Cultural Identity,” helped her understand how her white privilege allowed her to enjoy her success and her life in general.

But it also gave her incredible insight into the lives of those who are victims of racism and discrimination. That realism ultimately led to her writing her book.

"I see what I am spared day in and day out and I am focused on how easy it is for me to just wake up and go about in a world that was constructed for me," commented Debby.

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tions that we need to have with each other about race, our own strongly held positions concerning it and what we can do about it. Debby talks about her need to communicate with people of color and how hard it was to find black friends to interact with.

Debby writes in the book: “As my white husband said to me recently, ‘It couldn’t have happened to a whiter person.’ And if I, a middle-aged white woman raised in the suburbs, can wake up to my whiteness, any white person can. Waking Up White has been an unexpected journey that’s required me to dig back into childhood memories to recall when, how, and why I developed such distorted ideas about race, racism, and the dominant culture in which I soaked. Like the memoir by the guy who loses two hundred pounds or the woman who overcomes alcohol addiction, my story of transformation is an intimate one. In order to convey racism’s ability to shape beliefs, values, behaviors and ideas, I share personal and often humiliating stories, as well as thoughts I spent decades not admitting, not even to myself.”

The conversation of race has never been more relevant and Debby Irving has captured the essence of how Americans need discuss, behave, and learn from one another.

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