Columbus & Dayton
May 2019
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How Do You Move Up When You Can’t Move On?
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The Poor Among Us
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FREE
By Robin Jones, PhD
By William McCoy, MPA
Political Hypocrisy and The Eternal Battle Between The Haves and Have Nots By Eric Johnson, PhD
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PUBLISHER’S PAGE Alright, I’ll admit it. I am a serial reader. I love books, magazines, abstracts, research studies, poetry, and progressive online news sources. I love the serenity and quietude of libraries and archives, and lying on the beach with a book in my hand. I enjoy reading the bible, unraveling its complexities, and reaching my own conclusions. I-love-to-read!
Founder & Publisher Ray Miller
Layout & Design Ray Miller, III
Assistant Editor Ray Miller, III
Media Consultant Rod Harris Distribution Manager Ronald Burke Student Interns Jada Respress Olivia Deslandes
Lead Photographer Steve Harrison
Contributing Writers Rev. Tim Ahrens, Min.D Lisa Benton, MD, MPH Rodney Q. Blount, Jr., MA Benette DeCoux, M.Ed Kevin Dixon, PhD Hazel Trice Edney Billi Ewing Hannah Halbert Layden Hale Elise Jackson Eric Johnson, PhD Robin A. Jones, PhD Cecil Jones, MBA Darren Lundy, MBA Jaqueline Lewis-Lyons, Psy.D William McCoy, MPA Sen. Charleta B. Tavares (Ret.)
The Columbus African American news journal was founded by Ray Miller on January 10, 2011
The Columbus & Dayton African American 503 S. High Street - Suite 102
Now that we’ve established my addiction to reading, let me share with you what book I am engrossed in at the present time and how it ties into the editorial focus of this edition of The Columbus and Dayton African American. Obviously, I love great writers and storytellers. Individuals who can paint a picture with words. That is called Portraiture. Harry Belafonte has written a 469-page memoir with Michael Shnayerson titled, “My Song.” It is an excellent read. The editorial focus of this edition of our news journal is the multi-dimensional issue of poverty. Listen to how Belafonte characterizes this issue and its impact on his life. “I was born into poverty, grew up in poverty, and for a long time, poverty was all I thought I’d know. It defined me; in the depths of my soul, I think it defines me still. I felt not just angry but somewhat afraid, and vulnerable. All of this my mother felt, too, from the moment she stepped off a steamer called the Cananova onto Ellis Island on July 20, 1926. But at first, she also felt hope.” Wow! “But at first, she also felt hope.” That one sentence, for me, encapsulates the yearnings and the unselfish aspirations, not just for one’s self, but hope for generations yet unborn. Hope, will lift you up from defeat to win anyhow. Hope will carry you to higher heights, even when virtually everyone has given up on you. Hope will sustain you when the cupboards are bare, when you have no place to call home, when disappointment is unspeakable, and the doors of opportunity have been shut in your face. So many of the greatest African American leaders in this country were born into poverty. But poverty was not to be their permanent address. Harry Belafonte, one of the most accomplished singers, actors, and civil rights leaders that America has ever known came to this country from Jamaica with virtually nothing. But like his mother, he also felt hope. No one wants to live in poverty. Oftentimes, circumstances and traumatic events occur in one’s life which sends them on a downward spiral that becomes almost insurmountable to overcome. The longer and deeper one’s experience is, living in poverty, the greater the challenge lies in affording them the opportunity to change the trajectory of their life. Too often we blame innocent children, immigrants, people who are functionally illiterate, mentally ill, developmentally disabled, and pregnant mothers, for needing assistance from the government to provide a temporary, and yes, sometimes permanent bridge to a basic quality of life. The United States of America has a $4.746 trillion budget, submitted by Donald J. Trump. The greatest beneficiaries of this gargantuan budget are the rich and the super-rich of this country, not the “poor, the tired, the huddled masses, yearning to be free.” This “lower class” of people become the scapegoats for the irresponsible budget deficits and self-serving greed of those who categorize themselves as the “upper class.” Belafonte said, “poverty defined me.” When you take away someone’s self-esteem; when you take away someone’s dignity and sense of belonging--you destroy their ego and their internalized feeling of somebodiness. And then, in the most Un-American way the “temporarily privileged ones” blame the victim and make them feel less than the scum of the earth. With the wealth of this nation, there should be no poverty! Yes, there will always be an element in our society who have the ability to care for themselves, yet they refuse to do so. Still, we should never adopt an attitude formed from judgmental half-truths, rather than, “there but for the grace of God go I.” Poverty is, in fact, multi-dimensional and interconnected. The “Structural Solutions” must emanate from the provision of education, employment, health, housing, the environment, transportation, safety, and the elimination of racism, prejudice, and discrimination. What I believe must come first in addressing poverty falls in the category of “Behavioral Change.” For the millions of Americans who have been born into poverty, shaped by the ways of the disinherited, denied opportunity, abused mentally, physically, and sexually--violent, hardcore, and suffering from a range of mental illnesses birthed in trauma, biology, and neurology-the needed interventions for this population are far more difficult and necessary than the successful completion of programs, workshops, and policy changes that too often benefit the providers more than the clients. Columbus and all of Franklin County can be the exemplar of the nation in drastically reducing poverty in our community. The key to the success of any and all initiatives in this area resides in the last five letters of the word referenced above, i.e., “unity.” The substantial reduction of poverty in our community will not be achieved through a “We” and “They” mentality. Neither can we retreat to the comfort of a “Us” versus “Them” posture. Only through focused intent and transparent interaction, with clearly stated measurable goals, will we be able to truly lift as we climb in a genuine sense of egalitarian humanity. Let’s get busy! With Appreciation and Respect,
Columbus, Ohio 43215 Office: 614.826.2254 editor@columbusafricanamerican.com www.CAANJ.com
Ray Miller Founder & Publisher 3
The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
In This Issue
Poverty: Causes and Solutions Cover Story – Page 19
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Blessed Are You Who Are Poor, Yours Is The Kingdom of God By: Rev. Tim Ahrens, D.Min
Environmental Racism Grows As Environment Groups Turn Increasingly White By: Hazel Trice Edney
Higher Learning: Kevin (KJ) Boyce, Jr. at Brown University By: Kevin (KJ) Boyce, Jr.
How Do You Move Up When You Can’t Move On?
15 Its Time to Move your Mind and Body to the Other Side of the Tracks 17 Faith Leaders: Taking Care of Themselves While Taking Care of You 18 Environmental Racism Grows As Environment Groups Turn Increasingly White 19 COVER STORY 21 Honoring A National Treasure 22 COSI’s Big Science Bash 24 National Coalition of 100 Black Women - Columbus Chapter Host Annual Award Luncheon 24 Ohio Poor People’s Campaign Arrives in Cincinnati 25 Statehouse Report 29 Book Bags & E-Readers 31 Congresswoman Beatty Joins JEC Colleagues in Examining Persistent Economic Equality 31 Marijuana Reform 32
Understanding the Medicaid Look Back Period
33 From $0 to $100,000 in Three Years: Moving from Jobless to Economic Freedom, Using Technology
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Six of Ohio’s Top 10 Jobs Won’t Support of Family of Three
34 Taking the Fear Out of Starting Your Own Business
Suicide Rates Spike Nationally After “13 Reasons Why” Release
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Creating Your Own Jackpot
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Higher Learning - Kevin Boyce, Jr. at Brown University
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The Poor Among Us
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Political Hypocrisy and the Eternal Battle Between
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the Haves and the Have Nots
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African American Maternal Health: Dying to Live
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Out of Sight, Out of Mind
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Blessed Are You Who Are Poor, Yours Is The Kingdom of God
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Proposed Solution to Ohio’s Healthcare Shortage Gains AARP Support
The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
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Community Events
All contents of this news journal are copyrighted © 2015; all rights reserved. Title registration with the U.S. Patent Office pending. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, and illustrations will not be returned unless accompanied by a properly addresses envelope bearing sufficient postage. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials.
POVERTY
HOW DO YOU MOVE UP WHEN YOU CAN’T MOVE ON? By Robin A. Jones, PhD Is it a Hand UP or is it a Hand DOWN? Some might tell you, “We are entering a crisis of epic proportion; there is little to no support for the Black household.” On the other hand, others share their concerns by saying, “We are working to fix it.” In reality systemic poverty reaches all of us. It is a condition that crosses all boundaries starting with the disparities in family wealth, to overwhelming incarceration rates. We have misrepresentation in politics and the faithbased initiatives that are the could-be’s, and the should be’s, if they would be! Which brings us to the most significant challenges of systemic poverty, which are unfortunately, education and homelessness. A very broad sweep of the brush for this is to consider equal access to resources, reform the criminal justice system, end predatory lending, provide affordable housing, and protect our voting rights. Increase public school funding, and make the disbursement of funds independent from property taxes so the poor and wealthy districts will receive equilateral resources. Systemic poverty is a problem we can all work to resolve. There are plenty of laws on the record books, both in the General Assembly and in Congress. Many have been written, passed by both parties and enacted. (Congress.gov). The questions beg for answers: Why have they not been carried out? Who authored the Bill(s)? What happened to the funds to ensure those who needed the help, received the help? What is the initiative to make this paradigm shift? Poverty – Is it True, Welfare Breeds Welfare? Poverty is a state of deprivation, lacking the usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions, according to the UI (2016). Families who cannot afford the basic amenities of life such as food, clothing and housing are reported as living in poverty with low-income households between $2 and $10 daily. Welfare is a term used to describe the benefits distributed by governmental entities to support low-income Americans, or those identified as living in poverty. The benefits paid to the poor can include cash or in-kind benefits such as food or rent vouchers. Redlining – Is there Evidence of Systemic Poverty? It is almost impossible to believe that decades after the Civil War, Blacks continue to feel the impact of segregated racism through systemic poverty. Oppression is real. During a time when Blacks were given the impression, they were receiving help - many agencies were building maps of the communities in opposition. The maps
divided cities into sections that were either desirable or undesirable for investments, known as “redlining.” In most cases it would segregate the entire black neighborhoods from access to private and public monies and resources. Banks and insurance companies used these maps for decades to deny access to financially capable programs based solely on race. Poor white families were provided a greater benefit from financial institutions than middle to upper income Black families. Poverty and the Racial Wealth Gap – Keeping it Real. Wealth, is defined as total assets (e.g., cash, retirement accounts, property), minus your debt, to equal your net worth. While ‘wealth’ measures your individual net worth, the wealth gap measures the difference between the median wealth of Blacks versus Whites. The NYT (2017) reports for every $100 of wealth in White families, Blacks hold just $5.04. By 2053 the median Black household wealth will hit zero. The EPI (2018), found that more than one in four Black households have zero or negative net worth, compared to less than one in ten white families without wealth. For whites, the basic amenities of life were always there for the next generation because they were passed down. Houses were bought and paid for and passed on to the next generation, and to the next generation. Attending college became a family tradition, an alma mater. The Unbankables – What is the Answer for Breaking a Cycle of Poverty? Approximately 70% of the economic growth comes from consumer spending. In the Black neighborhoods, there is a population known as the “unbankables,” (Mock & Montgomery, 2018). The trend in this category deals with the inability for Blacks to acquire banking products in any capacity. Once there is an ability to acquire banking products, there is an exorbitant cost of banking. For example, overdraft fees are higher when compared to prominent banks, and Blacks are required to have higher opening deposit charges for just a mere basic checking account. By placing the cap on banking, creates a stalemate for wealth in the Black communities, thus an inability to spend. This economic deficit will impact an ability to pay down debt. It is a circle that never ends. So is this Black deprivation in some cases, or a condition of systemic poverty? As a result, corrective actions need to be in place, immediately, to aid the future generations. Implicit bias – Does it Exacerbate Poverty? Segregation only exacerbates the economic downpour. Systemic poverty can also be viewed through the lens of implicit bias, or prejudices that people are not aware of. For example, many do not realize judging a person purely on name recognition is a 5
prejudice of implicit bias, such as Mary versus Laquisha. Stereotypical discrimination based solely on the sound of a person’s name can significantly impact the opportunity for employment. If Mary were to get hired, her buying power is already ahead of the game. While Laquisha continues to search for employment. Discriminating on a person because of their name or the sound of their name is one of the reasons black employment rate is low which impacts buying power. For this, the black unemployment rate is twice the rate of whites. All Things Considered – Is the Cause of Poverty An Inequality of Opportunity? There is evidence of systemic poverty in every area of life. It is as it is stated, systemic. So how and what is the answer to resolve something as complex as poverty? 1. Where is the oversight for programs that will help improve the wealth for Blacks? 2. Who is holding our legislators accountable for laws written and not upheld? Historically the easiest way for an American family to gain wealth is through education and home ownership. Due to segregated practices whites on the other hand were able to take advantage of these resourceful opportunities for future generations in an abundance. Is it a Generational Curse? Today, Blacks are faced with challenges and more hurdles. What about access to quality healthcare? What happened to integrated schools and teacher qualifications? What is going on with the housing in predominantly urban areas and gentrification? What is it that stereotypes Blacks and prohibits progressive movements out of poverty? What…what…what… please share with the AAJ your thoughts on Systemic Poverty. References: Congress.gov (2019). HR4074, HR7010, HR1856 EPI, (2018). The racial wealth gap Govtrack.us, (2018). Track and browse poverty bills Mock, B., & Montgomery, D. (2018). CityLab NYT, (2017). New York Times UI, (2016). Urban Institute Dr. Jones has a commitment to a strong work ethic, education and a passion for entrepreneurship. In her 40+ years of employment, Robin spent 30 of those years gainfully employed with fortune 50 companies such as GE, IBM, Ashland Oil, and the U.S. Department of Energy, and Department of Defense. Robin started her career path as a database developer building her first database for the F14 Aircraft Fighter planes and from there she catapulted her way to the position of Interim CIO. In her most recent employment capacity, Robin is a retired Senior Manager PMO Director of the Computer Center at University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business.
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
POVERTY
THE POOR AMONG US
By William McCoy, MPA What comes to mind, when you think of poverty? People generally equate poverty with not having enough money, food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines poverty as “the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions; scarcity, dearth.” According to PovertyFacts.org, one in eight (12.7%) Americans lived in poverty during 2016. These 40.6 million people included one in six (16.3%) women and one in five (21.2%) children. Nearly nine in ten (87.6%) of the poor were people of color- including roughly one in four African-Americans (26.2%), Hispanics (23.4%), and NativeAmericans (27.6%). Scholars and professionals frequently cite a lack of education, individual and institutional barriers, alcohol and drug addiction, racism, sexism, and lack of opportunity as reasons why people are poor. Other people dismiss these explanations as “excuses.” In fact, one Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation survey found religion “is a significant predictor of how Americans perceive poverty. Christians, especially White evangelical Christians, are (twice as) likely than non-Christians to view poverty as the result of individual failings (like laziness or a lack of effort),” (Zaurzman, 2017). So, is the solution to lifting people out of poverty simply to give them money? Reversal of Fortune was a 2005 Showtime documentary that asked, “What would a homeless person do if he or she were given $100,000?” A real-life experiment was conducted to find out. The headline of a 2017 follow-up article by Alan Yu provided the answer: “Homeless man loses $100,000 in six months” (see https://www.al6400.com/blog/a-homelessman-loses-one-hundred-thousand-dollars-insix-months-reversal-of-fortune/). The subject of the experiment was given $100,00 and told he could do what he wanted with it. The man refused to find a job and get free financial planning help. Instead, he gave money to his
friends, bought cars for himself and a friend, got married to a new-found “friend,” and lived a life of leisure- i.e. smoking, drinking, and playing video games- while the money lasted. Six months later, his money, friends, and wife were all gone. Unfortunately, this rags-to-riches-to-rags story has been repeated countless times. There are numerous examples of people that won millions of dollars in a lottery and lost it all. An article by Mandi Woodruff and Michael Kelley, entitled “19 Lottery winners who blew it all,” provides case studies about the rise and fall of such people (see https://www.businessinsider.com/17-lotterywinners-who-blew-it-all-2013-5). Drea Knufken wrote an article on “25 Rich athletes who went broke” (see http:// www.businesspundit.com/25-rich-athleteswho-went-broke/). Knufken said, “More than (three-quarters, 78%) of former NFL players are broke or financially stressed after retirement, and 60% (three in five) of former NBA players go broke five years after retiring.” Kenny Anderson, Evander Holyfield, Latrell Sprewell, Sheryl Swoopes, Lawrence Taylor all earned more than $50 million as professional athletes and ended up broke. Scottie Pippen and Michael Vick earned more than $120 million and went broke. The list of entertainers, business people, and others who suffered similar fates includes many familiar names- including Donald Trump, who filed for bankruptcy multiple times. Simply putting more money in people’s hands is not always the answer to lifting them out of poverty. The real solution lies, in part, in changing people’s attitudes and actions. If you put an airplane on automatic pilot, it will stay on a predetermined route or path. You can override the automatic pilot and change course by taking the wheel and steering it manually. However, when you let the wheel go, the airplane will return to its original course. The same is often true for people. It has been said: “Money doesn’t change people; it makes them more of what they already are.” What can or should be done to reduce poverty? During his “pound cake” tour, Bill Cosby offered one solution. Cosby said Black
The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
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(and all) folks could dramatically reduce the odds they would be poor if they: (1) graduate from high school; (2) avoid having children out of wedlock; (3) wait to get married until he/she is 21 years old or older; and (4) have a job, when they do get married. When these conditions are met, Cosby said, poverty among African-Americans is reduced by over 80%. This anti-poverty strategy does not require government programs, funding, or intervention. It does require disciplined, strategic thinking and action. Many efforts have been made to reduce poverty. Most of these strategies- like the “War on Poverty” of the late 1960s- involve a focus on education, employment, financial literacy and management, removal of structural and institutional barriers, and other measures. Former songwriter Dean Francis, once said, “To change your luck you have to change your mind.” Overcoming poverty and other life challenges begin with changing your mindset, your outlook. Reverend Ike glibly said, “The best thing you can do for poor people is not be one of them.” This oft-repeated remark misses the point: Ending poverty is not merely an economic, social, and political challenge; it is a moral imperative. Jesus said, “the poor will be with us always” (John 12:8, Holy Bible). Yet, time and time again, he commanded us to help the poor and fight poverty- as individuals and a society. Franklin D. Roosevelt aid, “The test of our progress is . . . whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” “William McCoy is founder and president of The McCoy Company- a world-class, personal services consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, economic development, and training that helps its clients articulate and achieve their visions, solve problems, and capitalize on their opportunities. He has worked with national think tanks, held two White House appointments, and consulted with every level of government, foundations, and the private sector. Mr. McCoy holds a BA in economics and a MPA in finance, and is profiled in Who’s Who in the World and elsewhere. You can reach William McCoy at (614) 785-8497 or via e-mail wmccoy2@ themccoycompany.com. His website can be found at www.themccoycompany.com.
POVERTY
POLITICAL HYPOCRISY AND THE ETERNAL BATTLE BETWEEN THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS By Eric Johnson, PhD W.E.B. DuBois, a noted sociologist, civil rights activist, and scholar once famously said “A system cannot fail those who it was never meant to protect.” The prophecy of those words is both uncomfortable and illuminating. Uncomfortable in the sense that factors such as race, class, ethnicity, and gender still have an enormous impact on the lived experiences of too many people. Illuminating in the sense that the words themselves are in many ways instructive. They not only identify inequality but they also plainly provide an explanation. In other words, the bottom and top of a social, economic, and political system is not and never has been solely determined by the deeds of the people in question. Moreover, the bottom of the economic rung has traditionally been over populated by racial and ethnic minorities and that trend continues today. Systematic outcomes become far more predicable when we examine who mostly benefits and who is mostly harmed. This examination oftentimes comes down to one question: How are the people at the top social structure affected compared to the folks at the bottom? The outcome of that question makes many people uncomfortable but when it is applied to systemic effects it forthrightly reveals who was meant to be protected and who was not. Current political and economic trends unfortunately serve as evidence for the systemic analysis provided by the Dr. DuBois. While the President and many of his supporters tout an economic boom, it is not shared evenly across the American public. Black unemployment during the Trump presidency has consistently doubled the rates in the White community. Furthermore, there continues to be disparities in wages between the Black and White communities. Black unemployment over the last year has actually been on the rise, while it appears to be 6.8 percent currently, it has been as high as 7 percent in 2018 more than doubling the rates in the White community. Wage disparities for the year 2018 were pervasive at every level of wage distribution. In 2018 White people who had high school diplomas earned 21% on average more than Black folks with the same qualifications. The wage disparity for people with advanced degree was 18%. While the wage disparities cannot be explained by differences in education levels because even when Black and White people have similar education levels there are still unemployment and wage disparities that tend to advantage people in the White community. As we look at current trends in education there is no reason to be optimistic for any significant systemic change in the near future.
There is an intimate relationship between politics, education and economics. As we apply this metric to any number of contemporary relevant social tensions and conflicts, we can see a pattern that is in no way refutable. The current college admissions scandal that has recently revealed the undue influence of money, privilege, and race on university admissions is in some ways not surprising, but it does disclose a deliberate attempt to maintain the status quo. It seems that the already disproportionate advantage that White students have in college admissions was not enough for some privileged families. Black and Hispanic students with 3.5 or higher G.P.A.s are nearly three times more likely to attend community colleges than white students with similar academic profiles. In addition, Black and Hispanic students tend to be clustered in less selective universities while selective top tiered universities are mostly composed of White and Asian students. Enrollment in the top 468 best funded universities are 77% percent white, while enrollment at the 3, 250 lowest funded community colleges and universities are nearly 50% Black and Hispanic. Black and Hispanic students take on more debt to finish college and this is further complicated by the fact that white students tend to finish college nearly two years sooner, which not only contributes to less college debt but often translates to more years in work force. However, these advantages apparently were not enough for some privileged White families. It raises the stakes for the punishment that these accused privilege white families face or does it? While people at the bottom of the economic rung are disproportionately Black and Brown, they are nonetheless compelled to support and participate in a system that appears to have no interest in equality or justice for all. The politics surrounding police violence is not irrelevant to the discussion given the power of
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police officers to impact the lives of citizens based on their ability to arrest and detain. However, who holds them accountable. A recent study that included 85,000 officers from over 700 police departments found that officers were investigated or disciplined for nearly 200,000 offenses. It is important to point out that this study represented a small sample given that there are 750,000 officers in the country from over 18,000 departments, but the results of this study are still relevant. While most incidents were relatively minor, many did include allegations of Rape, Excessive force, and abuse. In fact, there were more 2,200 cases of evidence tampering or falsifying reports and 32 people became Police Chiefs or Sheriffs despite serious misconduct allegations. These facts seem to validate DuBois’s analysis and frame the tenuous political and legal reality confronted by many Black and Brown folks and in many ways all people who feel marginalized and disenfranchised systemically. The political and economic hypocrisy evidenced in these facts demonstrate a warranted suspicion of uneven systemic outcomes. Access to an educational process and system that supports a tide that raises all boats is little more than economic fantasy. It is difficult to call it a systemic failure when one can make the argument that the social and economic outcomes are by design. While nothing excuses each of us from the results of our decisions and personal responsibility, it is difficult to ignore the stubborn and persistent manifestation of inequality. Any change in our long-term economic forecast requires a complete reset of a process that benefits some at the expense of many. While there are no easy answers, our road to recovery includes an honest assessment of the challenges we face. The legacy of economic inequality and political hypocrisy is not an accident, it is the result of deliberate forces that serve a function. Our path to empowerment is a realization that there are those who benefit from the exploitation of others. As a result, there are some difficult questions we have to confront. How long will we allow ourselves to pitted against one another for crumbs that fall from a table where we not welcome to dine? Is real collective progress possible in a system that requires exploitation? Is it possible that the people who require our uninformed complicity will supply the resources for our empowerment and their decline? These questions require serious collective soul searching because chances are, we and our children will spend the rest of the lives in system not designed to protect us. And as a result, we find our selves in an eternal struggle between the haves and the have nots. The hypocrisy is that we are both and neither. Dr. Eric L. Johnson currently serves as the Chief Consultant with Strategies to Succeed and is on the faculty at Virginia International University. He is the former Chief of Research Publications for the United States Air Force Academy.
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
POVERTY
OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
By Marian Wright Edelman Baby dolls, tiny trucks, toy food and dress-up capes. Scattered about the ballroom of a motel in Northeast Washington, D.C., and captured in a Washington Post column by Petula Dvorak, these hallmarks of child’s play are not merely a sign of productive imaginations—they’re evidence of a larger child and family poverty crisis that must end in our affluent nation. Twenty minutes outside the city’s downtown, a stretch of budget motels along a major highway serve as overflow shelters for homeless families in the nation’s capital. They have strict rules about where children are seen and heard. Signs dotting the hallways announce “No Playing on the Hotel Premises” and children are forbidden from gathering in common spaces. The Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, a local nonprofit, reserves event spaces to carve out areas where children can be children. However, the lack of space and high cost of reserving ballrooms and conference halls means pop-up playtimes are much too limited. Away from the hustle and bustle of Capitol Hill where big deals are made and bills become laws, the motels—and the 1,000
homeless children within them—are largely out of sight and out of mind. Other shelters are similarly isolated. Until it closed in October 2018, the city’s largest family shelter was D.C. General, a former abandoned public hospital whose neighboring buildings included a jail and a morgue. Out of direct view and tucked into the nooks and crannies of a dense, bustling city, it is too easy to overlook out-of-sight homeless children. Until tragedy strikes. Eight-year-old Relisha Rudd was abducted from the D.C. General homeless shelter in March 2014. Relisha loved art and baby dolls and would exuberantly spell V-I-C-T-OR-Y on her school’s cheer team. For months, Relisha’s disappearance dominated the news cycle and brought the glare of national attention to D.C. General. City officials, pundits, locals and anonymous online commenters heaped blame on Relisha’s family, her teachers and her social workers. But assigning blame did nothing to bring Relisha home. Five years have passed and Relisha is still missing. Why do we fail to see our poor children until their faces stare at us from a Missing Child poster? Why do we blame parents rather than blame our broken, unjust system that fails to provide affordable housing for families? Thousands of Relishas live everywhere
The Columbus African & Dayton American African American News Journal • May• February 2019 2015
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among us, without safe places to live and grow up. They are homeless because housing is too expensive and their parents’ jobs pay too little; unaccounted for because affordable quality child care is out of reach; finding pockets of playtime in motel ballrooms because play is otherwise forbidden; hurting because poverty hurts. It’s time to stop assigning blame and start taking action. In May, the Children’s Defense Fund will release a new edition of our report Ending Child Poverty Now with an urgent call to action. We must make poor children’s struggles visible to our political leaders and policymakers at all levels of government and in every state and community. We must lift up child poverty solutions that work including a higher minimum wage, housing assistance vouchers for struggling parents, transitional jobs programs and child care assistance. We must keep children front and center, invisible no longer. Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www. childrensdefense.org.
POVERTY
BLESSED ARE YOU WHO ARE POOR, YOURS IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD By Rev. Tim Ahrens, D.Min When Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, he was speaking to those caught in poverty in his times. While there may have been a sprinkling of wealthy elites in the crowd, the vast majority of people present were poor. Crushed by a cruel system of Roman taxation that had hit the fishing community around the Sea of Galilee particularly hard, people were living off the land, clustered in tiny hamlets, with little food, no health care and little to no opportunities to get ahead. They were barely eking out a living. As Susan Thistlethwaite says in her book Occupy the Bible, “Why do you think there were so many people standing around to hear him instead of out on the lake fishing? Their boats were grounded with holes in them and their nets were old and torn!” To this crowd, Jesus proclaims in the opening Beatitude of Luke’s Gospel, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (6:20). Matthew’s Gospel leads with “poor in spirit.” In both gospels, the Greek word for “poor” is “ptochoi,” which means they were low in funds, but also miserable, oppressed and humiliated. Matthew, in speaking to a mostly Jewish crowd in his gospel, would have known the Hebrew understanding of the human person does not separate body and spirit. The Hebrews saw the totality of the human condition. The Hebrew mentality neither spiritualized nor materialized poverty or the person in poverty – there would always be a unity of the two. Poverty was awful in Jesus’ time and it is awful today. So, the question seems clear: What is “blessed” about poverty and being poor – body, mind or spirit? Poverty is not a blessing if you are the one who is poor. We cannot idealize the poor and poverty as a condition for salvation. Someone caught in poverty’s net does not eat well, does not sleep well, often cannot find a place to call home or is on the edge of losing the place she does call home. She can’t find work for the day let alone longer than a day, and certainly doesn’t have access to a medical home where daily needs for health care can be addressed and disease can be prevented. Resources for daily living are slim to none. On the surface and below the surface, there is nothing beautiful and blessed about poverty. In his book, The Sacred Journey, Frederick Buechner speaks of his childhood. Growing up in the aftermath of his father’s suicide was hard for Frederick and his family– mentally and often economically. Poverty was never far from them. He writes that our attempt to flee the grip of poverty can often barricade us from receiving the grace of God. “We live our lives like a big clenched fist. The clenched fist can do many things: it can work, hang on to things, impress, even fight. But the
one thing a clenched fist cannot do is accept, even from the good God himself, a helping hand.” (F. Buechner, The Sacred Journey, Harper and Row, NY, NY, 1982, p. 46). If we are not in poverty, with open hands, we must approach those who have clenched fists. If we are in poverty, we must open our clenched fists and allow our sisters and brothers who seek to walk with us and assist us on the sacred journey called “LIFE.” All of us – with open hands - must always be about the work of relieving the conditions of the poor and fighting for justice for the poor. The New Great Depression in America is devastating and real. We must do everything in our power to alleviate the pain and devastation of these times. We must not get caught up in the words of this beatitude, but rather in its spirit! So, let’s return to the “poor” or “poor in spirit.” In his book, The Sermon on the Mount, Clarence Jordan, farmer and founder of Koinonia Farms preaching on the question of whether Jesus meant spiritual poverty or monetary poverty proclaimed: “If you have a lot of money you will say, spiritual poverty. If you have little or no money you will say physical poverty. The rich will thank God for Matthew. The poor will thank God for Luke. Who’s right? Chances are neither one, for it is exactly this attitude of self-praise and self-justification and selfsatisfaction that robs people of their sense of great need for the Kingdom and its blessings. When one says, ‘I don’t need to be poor in things; I’m poor in spirit,’ and another says, ‘I don’t need to be poor in spirit I am poor in things’ both are justifying themselves as they saying in unison, ‘I don’t need.’ With that cry on his lips, no man can repent.” (C. Jordan, The Sermon on the Mount, Judson Press, Philadelphia, PA, 1952, p. 20). Every single one of us – no matter what our lot in life – has some poverty in our spirits. We may be struggling with anger at God or others – with clenched fists toward God or others. We may be struggling with drug and alcohol addictions or co-dependency in relation to an addicted loved one. We may be struggling to get out of vicious cycles of violence or neglect. We may be drowning in narcissism where we only see ourselves and no one else. As Jordan says, it is these attitudes of self-praise and self-justification and self-satisfaction that rob us of openness to others and our acknowledgment of our great need for the Kingdom of God and its blessings. And God’s kingdom is not far off. What is the kingdom of heaven? The answer is unfolded in the Beatitudes themselves and in the rest of Jesus’ teachings and life. All of the Beatitudes define the Kingdom. Leonhard Goppelt puts it this way: “As a single ray of light passing through a prism is broken into the colorful spectrum of the rainbow, so too what the Kingdom brings finds colorful development in the promises of the Beatitudes.” (Leonhard Goppelt, Theology of the New Testament, Volume
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1, Eerdmanns Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 1981, p. 68). The Kingdom of God is where the poor in spirit are. The kingdom is evidenced in those who are mourning, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, acting mercifully, and working for peace with justice. In a nutshell, The Kingdom of God is wherever Jesus is. Again, Frederick Buechner, reflecting now on the Kingdom of God, writes: “If we only had eyes to see and ears to hear and wits to understand, we would know that the Kingdom of God in the sense of holiness, goodness, beauty is as close as breathing and crying out to be born both within ourselves and our world; we would know that the Kingdom of God is what we all of us hunger for above all other things even when we don’t know its name or realize that it’s what we’re starving to death for.” “The Kingdom of God is where our best dreams come from and our truest prayers. We glimpse it at the moments when we find ourselves being better than we are and wiser than we know. We catch sight of it when at some moment of crisis; a strength seems to come to us that is greater than our own strength. The Kingdom of God is where we belong. It is home, and whether we realize it or not, I think we are all of us homesick for it.” (F. Buechner, The Clowns in the Belfry: Writings on Faith and Fiction, Harper and Row, San Francisco, CA., 1992, p. 152). Are you homesick? Is there something missing in your spirit and your spirituality that is hungering for God? Is there a sadness in your spirit which most certainly is poor? In all of this and the unnamed realities of our lives that are secretly veiled on these our “sacred journeys,” God is watching and waiting, God is seeking to bless us. God wants us to be happy. God wants God’s kingdom to be ours. But we have to meet God halfway on the journey to happiness. As Seneca writes in the heart of his wisdom: “There are but two ways to make people happy: you add to their possessions or you subtract from their desires and adding to possessions, will in the long run, not make you happy.” Whether you are “poor” or “poor in spirit,” open your clenched fist. Open your heart. Open your eyes to see and your ears to hear and your wits to understand. The Kingdom of God will be found in your open hands and heart. As Matthew 5:3 puts it: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” Yours can also be the Kingdom of God as you open yourself to the poverty found in your own spirit. Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens is the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in downtown Columbus. A church known for its witness to social justice since its birth as an abolitionist congregation in 1852. Rev. Ahrens is the fifth consecutive senior minister from Yale Divinity School and is a lifelong member of the United Church of Christ.
The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
POVERTY
SIX OF OHIO’S TOP 10 JOBS WON’T SUPPORT A FAMILY OF THREE By Hannah Halbert, J.D. New data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in 2018, six of Ohio’s 10 most common jobs paid wages so low that a family of three would need to use food assistance to make ends meet. Today, on the anniversary of organized labor’s first demand for an eight-hour work day, Policy Matters Ohio releases a 10-point policy plan to protect and support working people. The urgent need for these reforms is made clear through the new data, detailed by Policy Matters in metro area fact sheets. The data shows that across the state, people are working, but they aren’t earning enough to support themselves and their families. Ohio’s 2018 unemployment rate was 4.8 percent. The national average was 3.9 percent. While Ohio has recovered all the jobs lost during the 2007 recession, 185,000 people have left the workforce. Those who continue to work and look for work, are finding it harder to support themselves and their families. Many of the most common jobs pay less than they did in 2000, when wages did more to lift working people out of poverty. In 2000, four of Ohio’s most common occupations paid so low that a family of three would need help to afford food. On May 1, 1886, more than 300,000 workers walked off their jobs to demand just that:
“Eight hours for labor, eight hours for rest, and eight hours for what we will.” Today many Ohioans are patching together multiple jobs just to get by. “Ohioans who work full-time should be able to support themselves and their families,” said Policy Matters Project Director Hannah Halbert. “Job growth alone will not fix poverty or eliminate the need for assistance. This data should help Ohio leaders develop the political will to pass policies that improve job quality, make education and training affordable and fund transit and childcare to help people work.” Policy Matters 10-point plan for working people: - Protect working people’s right to organize by opposing so-called “right to work” laws.
- Instead of tax cuts for the wealthy, invest in training, education, child care and transit. - Empower local governments to protect working people in their communities. - Fix Ohio’s unemployment compensation system by having employers pay their share. - Protect workers on the job with strong workers’ compensation benefits. - Increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2023 to give 2 million Ohio workers a raise. - Restore overtime protections so Ohioans get paid for the hours they work. - Enact legislation to provide workers the opportunity to earn paid leave. - Enforce rules that protect workers from wage theft. - Improve job quality and training and avoid work requirements for food and health care. Hannah Halbert is a project director at Policy Matters Ohio. Hannah has both a master’s in nonprofit management and a law degree from Hamline University. Her undergraduate degree is from Transylvania University. Policy Matters Ohio is a non-profit policy research institute. They create a more vibrant, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Ohio through research, strategic communications, coalition building and policy advocacy. They create an economy that works…for everyone.
HEALTH
SUICIDE RATES SPIKE NATIONALLY AMONG YOUTH AFTER “13 REASONS WHY” RELEASE A recent study revealed approximately 195 more youth suicide deaths than expected were associated with the television series “13 Reasons Why” in the nine months immediately following the series release. The study, led by Nationwide Children’s Hospital with collaborators, demonstrated that following the series release on March 31, 2017, the month of April 2017 had the highest suicide rate during the five-year study period among 10- to 17-year-olds. However, there was no significant association between the series’ release and suicide in individuals 18 and older. “Youth may be particularly susceptible to suicide contagion, which can be fostered by stories that sensationalize or promote simplistic explanations of suicidal behavior, glorify or romanticize the decedent, present suicide as a means of accomplishing a goal, or offer potential prescriptions of how-to die by suicide,” said Jeff Bridge, PhD, first author of the publication, director of the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s and a professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “Portrayals of suicide in entertainment media should avoid graphic detail of the suicide —
which the series did not — and adhere to best practice guidelines to reduce risk of subsequent suicide.” The study authors used interrupted time series and forecasting models to analyze monthly rates of suicide between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017 — the time period before and after the release of “13 Reasons Why.” The researchers examined immediate effects and subsequent trends and adjusted for potential effects of seasonality and underlying trends on suicide rates. Data were obtained for cases in which suicide was listed as the underlying cause of death from the Webbased Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Following the “13 Reasons Why” release, national experts raised concerns about the series and a month later, Netflix strengthened the graphic content advisories and added a warning about the whole series which appeared before the initial episode. They also had a website that contained resources and referral information. “It is possible to portray suicide in a way that cultivates hope by increasing awareness of available support for those who struggle with
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suicidal thoughts or behaviors,” said John Ackerman, PhD, a co-author on the study and suicide prevention coordinator of the Center for Suicide Prevention and Research at Nationwide Children’s, who also has written a blog for parents about “13 Reasons Why.” “However, this study demonstrates parents should be cautious about exposing youth to this series. With a third season of the series expected to air soon, continued surveillance is needed to monitor potential consequences on suicide rates in association with viewing the series.” If you’re feeling suicidal, please talk to somebody or go here to find help. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text “START” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Because kids don’t wear their thoughts on their sleeves, we don’t know what they might be going through. That’s why Nationwide Children’s Hospital launched On Our Sleeves to build a community of support for children living with mental illness through advocacy, education and fundraising for much-needed research. For more information about children’s mental health and to help break the silence and stigma around mental illness, visit OnOurSleeves.org.
HEALTH
AFRICAN AMERICAN MATERNAL HEALTH: DYING TO LIVE By Charleta B. Tavares According to the Journal of Perinatal Education Spring 2000 publication, black women in the United States are 2 to 6 times more likely to die from complications of pregnancy than white women, depending on where they live (American Medical Association, 1999). Total maternal mortality rates ranged from 1.9 deaths per 100,000 in New Hampshire to 22.8 in the District of Columbia. When data from 1979 to 1992 were analyzed, the overall pregnancy-related mortality ratio was 25.1 deaths per 100,000 for black women, 10.3 for Hispanic women and 6.0 for non-Hispanic white women (Hopkins et al., 1999). These rates have not improved between 1987 and 1996 (American Medical Association, 1999). The leading causes of maternal death are hemorrhage, pregnancyinduced hypertension, and embolism (Berg, Atrash, Koonin, & Tucker, 1996). Black and nonwhite women have almost 3 times the risk of death from hemorrhage than white women (Chichakli, Atrash, Mackay, Musani, & Berg, 1999). One of the major issues necessary to prevent maternal death is childbirth education. An article penned by Cristina Novoa and Jamila Taylor on February 1, 2018 for the Center for Urban Progress titled, “Exploring African Americans’ High Maternal and Infant Death Rates”, sheds light on a horrific problem: “African American mothers are dying at three to four times the rate of non-Hispanic/Latino Caucasian mothers.” The article further illustrated the rates of maternal mortality in America versus the industrialized wealthy
countries of the world and found that the U.S. had African American maternal mortality rates that were more on par with lessdeveloped and poor countries. There are many factors including social and environmental risk factors that have been shown to affect mortality rates among African American women. Some of the risk factors studied include substandard housing and instability, concentrated poverty, safety, air quality and environmental stresses, unequal educational opportunities, etc.
Comprehensive.
These factors are life circumstances that contribute to maternal and infant death rates however; studies have shown that healthcare institutions and practitioners often exacerbate the inequities/disparities. Many studies have indicated that African American women and infants receive lower quality health care compared to non-Hispanic/Latino Caucasian women within the same institutions. Continued on Page 16
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The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
HEALTH
PROPOSED SOLUTION TO OHIO’S HEALTHCARE SHORTAGE GAINS AARP SUPPORT House Bill 177 improves healthcare access for underserved areas; Brings Ohio law in line with 22 states and the Veteran’s Administration COLUMBUS, OHIO – AARP State Director Barbara A. Sykes announced AARP’s support of House Bill 177, designed to remove restrictive and outdated barriers that prevent Ohioans from accessing the full range of care provided by Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). “It’s time that Ohioans have access to the full range of skills that APRNs, clinicians with advanced degrees, are certified to provide,“ said Sykes. “The Buckeye state has the opportunity to join 22 other states, the District of Columbia, and the Veteran’s Administration, that have already revised outdated and overregulated rules.” Nurse practitioners, who typically practice primary care, can provide flexibility by serving in a wide variety of settings, including community health centers, medical offices and in the home. HB 177 would help meet a provider need in the state by removing the need for unnecessary and expensive physician contracts for Advanced Practice Nurses providing routine care. These contracts can delay access to care, especially in areas where there is a lack of available primary care physicians with whom the nurse can contract. Delays in care make it harder for older residents and people with physical disabilities to age in place. Currently, 81 of 88 Ohio counties face a shortage of primary care providers, especially in underserved or rural areas. According to the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration and the Kaiser Family Foundation: • Ohio has 153 primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas. • All but 7 of Ohio’s 88 counties have partial or full designation as primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas. • The primary care health professional shortage areas include approximately 1,396,882 patients in our state. “The shortage of primary care physicians in rural and underserved communities is hitting older consumers hard,” said Sykes. “Older adults frequently lack the ability and resources to get to their appointments because of mobility issues, long travel distances to a provider and wait times for appointments. This puts their health at risk and adds stress to family caregivers. We believe Ohio’s nearly 6,000 nurse practitioners can be part of the solution to our provider shortage,” said Sykes. “We also believe that giving consumers the choice to directly access APRNs will help older adults and support family caregivers.
SUPPORT PATIENTS AND FAMILY CAREGIVERS The Ohio legislature has the opportunity to cut the red tape that prevents nurse practitioners—and all advanced practice registered nurses—from providing the quality care patients and their family caregivers depend on. AARP recently surveyed Ohio voters age 40-plus about this issue. Here’s what we learned:
This support is strong across party lines. 100 80
87%
Support allowing Nurse Practitioners with advanced training to serve as the primary or acute care provider of record for a patient.
83%
89% 89%
60 40
Republicans Democrats Independents
20 0
Nurse practitioners— and Increasing Access to Care other advanced practice According to another study, America’s healthcare shortage is hitting Ohio registered nurses—are a hard—especially in rural areas. 1.4 million vital resource for Ohioans. 81 out of 88 counties in Ohioans do not They are registered nurses Ohio are designated as have access to having a shortage of who have masters or primary care primary health care doctoral level education services professionals that prepares them to provide advanced health Nurse Practitioners are well trained in areas like primary and preventative care. Cutting the red tape could help eliminate barriers care services, including prevent nurse practitioners from filling gaps caused by the primaprimary and preventative that ry care provider shortage.This is particularly important in rural and care. other underserved areas.
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In 22 states and D.C. nurse practitioners have full authority to heal.
Supporting Family Caregivers More than 1.4 million Ohioans care for parents, spouses, children and adults with disabilities, as well as other loved ones to help them live independently at home – and stay out of costly, taxpayer-funded nursing homes. If you’re not a family caregiver now, you will likely be one in the future. Today, Ohio family caregivers overwhelmingly support (87%) giving nurse practitioners – who often visit older patients in their homes – full authority to heal as one commonsense solution to help make their big responsibilities a little bit easier.
AARP Ohio urges the Ohio Legislature to cut through the red tape and give nurses full authority to heal. Sources: June 2018 survey of 1,005 Ohio Registered Voters Aged 40-plus. Margin of sample error is ±3.1%; Health Resources & Services Administration. https://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/topics/shortageareas.aspx; Kaiser Family Foundation, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) (2017), available at: https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/primary-care-health-professional-shortage-areas-hpsas/?state=OH
Nurse practitioners can practice to the full extent of their training
Family caregivers too often bear the brunt of providing and overseeing the care of a loved one,” said Sykes. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services.A trusted source for lifestyle tips,
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news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world’s largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanishlanguage website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity of AARP that is working to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the most serious issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.
2ND ANNUAL
AARP Fit & Fun Health Challenge MAY 1 – JUNE 30
Let’s get happier, get healthier and get walking together! It’s time to grab a buddy for AARP’s second annual walking challenge and sweepstakes! WALK 30 Minutes a Day
The challenge? Starting May 1, walk for 30 minutes a day, every day for eight weeks. Then visit AARP’s Fit & Fun site daily to track your progress, stay inspired by AARP Wellness Ambassador Denise Austin, and share photos with other walkers across the country. Just by entering, you will earn a chance to win a spa getaway for two! No purchase necessary. Enter anytime between May 1 and June 30.
INVITE a Friend to Join You
Whether you are just getting started, a fitness fanatic, or anywhere in between, this challenge is designed to be fun and rewarding. We’ll be here every step of the way, sharing fresh videos and inspiration each week to help you build a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime. Your health is a journey that we can all take together, one step at a time. Take on the Fit & Fun Health Challenge Today! To get started, join the challenge at www.aarp.org/challenge. Then spread the word to family and friends! #fitfunchallenge
ENTER to Win 13
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
TEYAH M. DECEMBER ‘ 94 – AUGUST ‘ 14
Life didn’t end for Teyah. It got better. At ADAMH – and the 30+ not-for-profit agencies we partner with – our mission is to change lives in our community for the better. By helping people recovering from addiction and mental illness get the help they need to start living happier, healthier, fuller lives. So, they can get better. ADAMH – Where better begins.
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adamhf ranklin.org
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
HEALTH
ITS TIME TO MOVE YOUR MIND AND BODY TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS One approach is to do as several motivation I’ve heard say “grab hold of the movie of your life and write a better story with a better ending” because it really makes sense. Put another way, as one of my favorite pastors, Paul Shepard preaches, your life is the dash between your birth and your death, it’s up to you to live to your fullest in the dash in between.
By Lisa Benton, MD, MPH It’s intuitive. It’s that gut knowledge that you have when you drive into any neighborhood anywhere and you can tell if it’s a better part of town or not. What you first see, hear and the number of potholes you drive into gives it away. These neighborhoods have more homes that are boarded up and in disrepair with uncut grass. They have fewer street lights and more liquor stores. There may be more old factories and electrical towers nearby. Sometimes you can tell if a subway or bus stop is present or absent. If you notice a park or school, if it were up to you, you would not let your kids anywhere near those locations. Chances are, without the mapping and geospatial technology, you’ve correctly identified the zip codes where the residents have worse health outcomes and less access to services. These communities and neighborhoods usually have poorer residents, with greater challenges to have what you consider the basics or a foundation for living well and thriving. When it’s shortage or disparity in health care, it’s called a health care desert. When it’s supermarkets, farmer markets and fresh foods, it’s a food desert. You get the idea. It can be a shortage of banking, access to ATMs, affordable homes, clean safe drinking water, schools with heat, safe places for children to play or whatever community needs the experts tell you is missing. Aren’t you tired of hearing of the African American geniuses are gone too soon? Whether it is John Singleton and Luther Vandross dying from hypertension and a stroke, Nipsey Hussle being tragically gunned down, (or substitute Tupac or Biggie Smalls depending on your age), Bernie Mac or Whitney Houston--they are all victim of how your zip code can kill you. Several researchers have shown that your zip code and where you live matters as much if not more than your DNA and genetics. Access to a swimming pool and programs in a community center may ultimately matter for your health more than what’s in your gene
As real examples consider that everything from the Head Start programs to Black Girl Magic, Dress for Success and my Brothers’ Keeper just to name a few, are part of the mix of giving you the positive life messages and tools. They will help you to keep your life in a forward and upward motion.
pool. Even when what are considered major neighborhood inequities and barriers in addition to income levels were made comparable, African American still had worse health outcomes than whites, but better health outcomes than Blacks living outside of that higher-class Black neighborhood. This finding was also true for the military setting where access to medical care isn’t usually considered a barrier. In this study, although African American women had better outcomes with breast cancer, their results were still not as good as those seen for white women. While these stars had money, access to best material things life can offer and were living a life we may only dream of, you wonder what was missing. Were they in some place in their life on the “wrong side of the tracks” either physically or in their minds that kept them of balance or in some way played role in shortening their lives? For them, was there lack of access to something that didn’t let them live at a better level?
Not just surviving but thriving is the nature of African Americans ever since the middle passage and before. It’s in the traditions our ancestors taught so they would be repeated through the generations. Yes, while it’s in our DNA, we need to remember that legacy is so much more. It is indeed what it takes to grow, move to greener, richer and more fulfilling pastures on the other side of any tracks. Learn a little more… Zip code better predictor of health than genetic code. Retrieved from: https://www. hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/zip-codebetter-predictor-of-health-than-genetic-code/ Understanding Differences in Survival Rates for Black and White Breast Cancer Patients. Retrieved from: https://www.healthcentral.com/article/ understanding-differences-in-survival-ratesfor-black-and-white-breast-cancer-patients
UNC Researchers Dramatically Reduce Racial Disparities in Early-Stage Lung Cancer Treatment Retrieved from: news. unchealthcare.org/news/2019/february/ unc-researchers-solve-racial-disparitiesHowever, you can be encouraged because in-treatment-for-early-stage-lung-canceryou can access influencing factors to your patients health and wellness to change that outcome Pastor Paul Sheppard and the Destined For or endgame. Victory broadcast. Retrieved from: https:// It’s moving to another level after you assess pastorpaul.net/ your current surroundings and decide that you don’t want your life’s journey to end up there. Lisa D. Benton, MD, MPH (The Doctor is You deserve to can change in your life and In) breastsurgeonlb@gmail.com, Twitter:@ DctrLisa (415) 746-0627 environment for the better.
Words from My Mother By Lisa Benton, MD, MPH
My Mom, Vera Brown, has a very high IQ, so all her life she gets to a conclusion, sees a solution or solves a problem faster than her peers. I often took, and occasionally, still take her quick thought and common sense for granted. As a mom raising 4 children all with 4 years of each other, I was often amazed at how practical she was and how she seemed to have her eyes on everything we were doing all at the same time. She’s an original “tiger mom” that did her job. Throughout my life I’ve had her voice running in my head saying, “that’s only a “B”. But that is what her dad always said to her too, and she turned out great. Thank you, Mom for everything. I love you. The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
HEALTH Continued from Page 11
Another contributing factor as noted in multiple journals, publications and studies in the lack of cultural and linguistic competency and bias training among clinicians and staff within healthcare organizations. Many stories collected by NPR and ProPublica from African American mothers indicated that they felt de-valued and disrespected by medical/ healthcare providers. They also felt that their pain was not taken seriously. What Is Being Done to Address Maternal Mortality? There are advocacy efforts to raise awareness, provide education and policy recommendations at the local, state and federal levels. In the state of Ohio, the women of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus have formed the Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus. The purpose of the Caucus is to improve Black Maternal health outcomes across the state and expand access to healthcare. The Ohio maternal mortality rates are two to three time greater for Black women compared to their White counterparts. Based on information shared by the United Health Foundation, Ohio’s rate of 20.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 births was slightly lower than the 20.7 national average. However, Black maternal mortality rates in Ohio were 46 per 100,000, roughly three times the 15.6 rate for White women. Cleveland State Representatives Janine Boyd and Stephanie Howse, who serves as the President of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, announced their formation of the Caucus on April 11, 2019. Founding members of the Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus are: House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron), state Reps. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland), Erica Crawley (D-Columbus), Tavia Galonski (D-Akron), Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland), Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati), Michele LeporeHagan (D-Youngstown), and state Sens. Tina Maharath (D-Columbus) and Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland). PrimaryOne Health will be working with the Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus
to provide information, trends, promising practices and clinical experts including Dr. Jeffrey Marable, OB/GYN and Director of Women’s Health who has worked with the CEO on reducing infant mortality rates. For additional information on the Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus, contact Rep. Boyd’s office at 614.644.5079 or Rep. Stephanie Howse’s office at 614.466.1414. PrimaryOne Health Community Health Forum The next Quarterly Community Health Forum will be held on May 18, 2019 from 9:30 – 11:30am at PrimaryOne Health, 1905 Parsons Ave. in the John Maloney Health Building. “Our goal is to inform, educate and empower our residents to
advocate for the healthcare needs of our community,” stated Charleta B. Tavares, CEO, PrimaryOne Health. For more information visit www.primaryonehealth.org , Facebook @primaryonehealth or Twitter @ primary1health. Charleta B. Tavares is the Chief Executive Officer at PrimaryOne Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) system providing comprehensive primary care, OB-GYN, pediatric, vision, dental, behavioral health and specialty care at 10 locations in Central Ohio. The mission is to provide access to services that improve the health status of families including people experiencing financial, social, or cultural barriers to health care. www. primaryonehealth.org.
Words from My Mother By Alethea E. Gaddis
Vivian A. Thompson Gaddis Mommy shared with us, her love of music. She deposited a tremendous gift in us. Though we have file cabinets and boxes full, it’s not just the sheet music, videos, and cassettes. She permeated our home with a variety of genres. I am astounded daily, whether at home, church, in my car or, any given moment, I sense her presence in a chorus, a tune, in a beat, in rhythm with me, still.
Words from My Mother By Benette D Waugh DeCoux
Growing up my mom, Julia Miller Waugh, often said, “to thine own self be true.” As an elementary age child this message didn’t sink in.As a middle and high school student I still didn’t get the message. Going to college, I heard my mom’s words clearly as I made many decisions to earn grades and even graduate early. Even today as a grandparent I repeat that message of wisdom from my mom, “to thine own self be true.”
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HEALTH
FAITH LEADERS: TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES WHILE TAKING CARE OF YOU By Kevin Dixon, PhD For many of us, faith leaders play multiple roles in our lives. They act as spiritual mentors guiding us on our own faith journeys. They also serve as teachers and counselors especially when it comes to our relationships and our own health and well-being. They are very good at what they do – listening, guiding, advising, and counseling. However, in working with Franklin County faith leaders, we at ADAMH (the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County) have learned there is something they could improve upon – taking care of themselves. The Duke Clergy Health Initiative has studied the mental and physical health of clergy since 2007. They have consistently found that clergy have higher than average rates of many physical diseases (i.e., obesity, diabetes, asthma, hypertension) and they have a 10.5 percent likelihood of exhibiting symptoms of depression. This is nearly double the 5.5 percent national average. That’s why ADAMH has focused on the self-care of senior faith leaders in Franklin County for the past three years. Each year we work with a host committee of leaders representing myriad of different faiths in our community. They help to develop the focus, agenda and presenters for the event. Our 2019 Host Committee included Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens (First Congregational Church), Rev. Amy Aspey (Short North Church), Bishop H. Eugene Bellinger (Cathedral of the Covenant Church) and Rabbi Jessica K. Shimberg (The Little Minyan Kehilah). We held our 2019 Faith Leaders’ Symposium at The Columbus Foundation on March 21 in partnership with NAMI Franklin County. Eighty faith leaders came together to learn how practicing self-care can help them take even better care of their communities. Rev. Jerry Revish, 10TV news anchor and senior pastor of Unity Temple Church of God in Christ, emceed the event and facilitated discussions. Participants heard from presenters such as Rev. Dr. Emlyn A. Ott from the Bexley Seabury Seminary in Chicago, Bishop Joey Johnson from The House of the Lord in Akron, and Rev. Dr. Brenda Buckwell from Living Streams Flowing Water. This focus on faith leaders helps us to achieve our mission, which is to improve the wellbeing of our community by reducing the incidence of mental health problems and eliminating the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. We work to ensure that everyone in Franklin County has access to mental health and addiction treatment. We know people can live healthy, happy and productive lives living in recovery from mental illness or addiction. By raising awareness about mental
health and addiction issues, we can encourage people to get help before an issue becomes a crisis. Many people rely on their faith leaders before, during and after a crisis. We know that faith leaders are first responders. They get urgent phone calls in the middle of the night when someone needs help. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), clergy engage more people than psychologists and psychiatrists combined each year. When faith leaders understand that mental illness and addiction are diseases that need treatment just like high blood pressure and diabetes, they can help to break down the stigma that prevents many from asking for help. We are lucky to have faith leaders in our community who are already working to break down that stigma. Last fall, Rev. Dr. C. Dexter Wise, shared an eight-week series on mental health at Faith Ministries that took place during and after Sunday services. The series focused on finding mental and spiritual health in God and included a resource fair. Rev. Dr. Tim Ahrens of First Congregational Church shared a five-week series of sermons in 2016 about mental illness with his congregation and coordinated a discussion group focused on the book, “Blessed Are the Crazy: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness” by Rev. Sarah Lund. Our partner, NAMI Franklin County, worked with both Rev. Dr. Ahrens and Rev. Dr. Wise to share information and resources about mental illness and now connects with at least one church each month. NAMI Franklin can provide a presenter for a Sunday service or other church event and provide resources to parishioners. They also host support groups
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at churches in Franklin County for people living in recovery from mental illness and their families and would like to add more locations. Rachelle Martin, executive director of NAMI Franklin County, is very passionate about her work with the Franklin County faith community and shares our belief that churches are a critical missing piece in reaching community members who may be struggling with a mental illness and their families. When we help faith leaders learn to take better care of their own physical and mental health, they can model that behavior for all of the people in our community who call them mentors, teachers, counselors. I’m sharing this with you because it’s important for us all to know that there are few professions that demand all of a person – mind, body and soul. Being a faith leader is one of those professions. Our hope is that the faith leaders who have participated in these programs will learn to prioritize their own physical and mental health as well as learn that it is okay to ask for help – even if they are the one usually providing it. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness or addiction, call Netcare at 614-276-CARE (614-276-2273) or go to netcareaccess.org and click on the CHAT Now button. A licensed clinician will be available to help you find the right resources. You can find more information about ADAMH at adamhfranklin.org and NAMI Franklin County at namifranklincounty.org. Dr. Kevin Dixon is the Vice President of Community and Cultural Engagement for ADAMH of Franklin County.
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ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM GROWS AS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS TURN INCREASINGLY WHITE to bear experience and perspective on both problems and pathways to power building. As an organization, we plan to take a more aggressive approach to calling out the environmental movement for their lack of diversity.”
By Hazel Trice Edney Clean drinking water. Lead paint abatement programs. Affordable energy bills. These are the dayto-day environmental justice issues that are vital to the health and financial well-being of communities - especially low-income families. But as environmental battles rage across the country, thousands of African-American children and adults are paying a heavy price with their health as elite environmental organizations are overwhelmingly managed by White leaders who appear to ignore key issues that disproportionately impact low-income communities, where AfricanAmericans and other people of color reside. As the diminishing African-American voices for environmental justice becomes more prevalent, attention appears to be turning away from environmental hazards disparately plaguing urban areas dominated by Black people across the country such as the following: Cockroach allergens are detected in 85 percent of inner-city homes across the U. S. and 60 to 80 percent “of inner-city children with asthma are sensitized to cockroach based on the skin prick testing,” according to the U.S. Institute of Health. Approximately 11.2 percent of AfricanAmerican children who live in urban areas are at risk for lead poisoning caused by leadbased paint, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Center for American Progress report found that water contamination disparately “plagues low-income areas and communities of color across the nation” and that studies have “documented limited access to clean water in low-income communities of color.” These atrocities are being shoved aside by misaligned priorities. Instead of making a meaningful impact to health and pocketbooks, some environmental organizations focus on apparent vanity projects that garner media attention and money from well-heeled donors. Among the best examples is an issue playing out in Minnesota, where national environmental groups – including Greenpeace, 350.org and the Natural Resources Defense Council - are waging a major battle described as “resistance against the oil pipelines.” They also are running major fundraising campaigns off of pipeline protests – even though the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration notes that pipelines are “one of the safest and least costly ways to transport energy products.” Meanwhile, these organizations are all but ignoring the real issues facing Minnesotans.
She continued, “For the past five years, we’ve been working to ensure that the environmental movement and its leaders reflect the current U.S. workforce demographics.” These racial and economic disparities are happening around the country. For example, Louisiana ranks second-worst among U.S. states when examining a wide range of environmental indicators, including water and air quality, energy use and recycling, according to a recent analysis. While some environmental groups in the area have used their presence to fight issues that impact everyone, such as air quality or safe drinking water, other organizations, with the backing of Greenpeace, are instead focusing on anti-pipeline and anti-energy activism in the state.
Photo by Paul Sancya
A report indicated that the state’s urban areas have unsuitable and outdated infrastructure, allowing storm water drainage to become a crisis. Yet another report found that the Twin Cities air pollution kills nearly 2,000 people a year taking its greatest toll on those in The singular focus on one environmental poverty, who also disproportionately shoulder issue while appearing to ignore others implies the burdens of asthma, unclean drinking the presence of environmental racism, a longwater, and lead poisoning. used description of the practice of allowing toxics to exist in communities of color. While the environmental groups are shoving environmental health issues aside, they also Meanwhile African-American led are promoting an agenda that will drive organizations are pushing environmental energy bills even higher for Minnesotans justice agendas, underscoring the importance who are already spending far too much of of such issues in communities of color. their hard-earned money on energy costs. Families in Clearwater County spend 45.9 “Clean water is a basic human right,” percent of their income on energy bills, while National Medical Association President Roseau County families spend 44.5 percent Niva Lubin-Johnson, wrote in a commentary – and virtually every county across the state posted on Seattlemedium.com last fall. “At sees energy bills eating away at more than 30 the National Medical Association (NMA), percent of income. we see firsthand how this crisis in clean water creates a variety of healthcare problems for The story is the same across the country, as black patients and their families.” Alabama families spend nearly 50 percent of their income on energy and Michigan Instead of seeking ways to make energy families spend 30 percent and above. more elusive and expensive for communities of color, activist groups could use their Some believe that these skewed priorities initiative to aid in the abating of these most may be happening in part because of the lack fundamental challenges that continue to push of diversity in the environmental movement. headwinds against many Black families and A study by Green 2.0 recently found that the other families of color. movement is only “getting more white,” as it continues to leave out people of color. “This is just the beginning,” says Tome of Green 2.0. “Environmental groups are now The report indicated that nearly 70 percent on notice.” of the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) staff was White. It also concluded that “the Hazel Trice Edney is president & CEO of top 40 environmental foundations have gotten Trice Edney Communications and editor-inmore White across full time staff, senior staff, chief of Trice Edney News Wire. She is former and board members.” Editor-in-Chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service and Green 2.0 is pressing to deal with the Blackpressusa.com and former interim racial inclusion issue in order to infuse executive director of the NNPA Foundation. greater sensitivity into the environmental Edney is also an adjunct professor of j u s t i c e m o v e m e n t . W h i t n e y T o m e , journalism at Howard University where she executive director of Green 2.0, said in a teaches Reporting & Writing, and Writing for statement, “Communities of color bring the Media.
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COVER STORY
THE HONORABLE CHARLETA B. TAVARES - FRANKLIN COUNTY’S FIRST BLACK FEMALE LEGISLATOR By Rodney Blount, Jr., MA A servant leader is ambitious, altruistic, honest and most importantly, a person who serves. When I think about a servant leader, I think about a person who is a communicator, active in their communities, a champion of the less fortunate, and a person of action. Charleta Tavares is the true definition of a servant leader. She has been active in the central Ohio community for over 30 years. She has demonstrated her service through years of service in public office, nonprofit organizations and through invaluable legislation that has had a lasting impact on the City and State. Charleta B. Tavares was born in Steubenville, Ohio to Edward and Charlotte Bell. She is one of four siblings. They grew up in a loving home and were active members of Oakley Baptist Church. Tavares attended Eastmoor High School, Spelman College, and the Ohio State University. Charleta Tavares’ extensive public service career began as a Legislative Assistant in the Ohio House of Representatives to the Hon. Ray Miller. Thereafter, she served as Associate Director of the Public Children’s Services Association of Ohio, Chief of the Child Protection Unit of the Attorney General’s Office, an elected Member of the Ohio House of Representatives, a statewide candidate for Secretary of State, an elected Member of the Columbus City Council, a statewide candidate for Lieutenant Governor, an elected Member of the Ohio Senate, Executive Director of the Multi Ethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence, and President & CEO of PrimaryOne Health. Below, I have included my interview that uncovers how her life has been directed-experientially, circumstantially, and spiritually. 1) Please expound upon what you mean by your powerful quotation--”Out of my pain, I found my passion, and through my passion, I found my purpose.” “What it means is, I have experienced a lot of pain in my life from a young person on. Most of those experiences have centered around health and health care. Through all of those challenges I found something I was really passionate about, health care and health care policy. More specifically, understanding the challenges that marginalized populations, particularly African Americans and people of color, go through when they have issues within the health community accessing services so that they could get the best healthcare possible. That is what I found as my passion. Through that passion I found
“Out of my pain, I found my passion, and through my passion, I found my purpose.” Charleta B. Tavares
what I believe God’s purpose is for me is on this earth and that is to address those issues.” 2) Now, with greater specificity, what pain have you experienced? What is your passion? And, what is your purpose? “The pain was from my young childhood. My parents had four children. We were stair steps. We were all behind each other. My sister was born hydrocephalic, that means water on the brain. The hospital and doctors thought she would only live to three years old. They told my parents it would be best if she be put in an institution, but my parents disagreed. I truly believe she was a blessing to our family. She taught my brothers and I to learn to be empathetic, compassionate, and to look out for those who are differently abled. God brings us through those challenges with many lessons. Renee lived until she was 11 and died on my 12th birthday. My dad, at age 38, suffered a severe stroke in a cartioid artery. He smoked at that time. When he had his stroke, his cardiologist said to him ‘I am going to do my best to see that you live long enough to see your children grow up, but if you don’t give up the cigarettes, I am not going to be your cardiologist.’My dad never smoked a cigarette again. He fully recovered from his stroke, went back to work and died ten years later. He was 48 when he died of a massive heart attack. We know he lived another ten years because he gave up his cigarettes, but the damage had already been done. This was traumatic as well, and it was definately traumatic for my mom who then became a widow at age 40. Shortly after my father passed away, my younger brother, Jeff who was 17, started acting a little strange. He was diagnosed 19
originally with schizophrenia, but he was misdiagnosed. Like Jeff, many African Americans, particularly African American males, are misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, but it actually was bipolar disorder. My brother struggled off and on. When he was suffering one of his bouts he would experience severe depression or extreme highs. He was very popular in high school and met no strangers. He was a dancer, actor, singer and very artistic. He was in and out of public and private facilities for 20 years. During this time, I started working as a legislative aide with state representative Ray Miller and I began to learn more about mental health. I worked with Representative Miller on public policy, particularly the Mental Health Reform Act of 1988, and learned more about what was going on with my brother. I focused public policy on the loved ones of those who were experiencing mental health disorders. Representative Miller and I had talked and I said one day I wanted to replace him in the General Assembly. He started grooming and mentoring me. I was appointed as a state representative in 1993. Being prepared is critically necessary because you never know when opportunities are going to open up. I ran for election in 1994 and two days after my first election my younger brother completed suicide. My mother and I were instrumental in creating the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. I was the foundation’s first board chair and became chair emerita of the foundation board. Those are the heath care issues that have really shaped who I am and why I do what I do. Continued on Page 20
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3) How have the traumatic events in your life shaped you as a person? I truly believe that pain was God’s way of having me find my purpose. I am very fortunate. I believe those experiences have made me passionate and committed about these issues because I know what other people are going through. I do not want others to have to suffer the same way me, my mom and family suffered going through some of those challenges. All of those issues have strengthened me as a person and ensured that I could not walk away from those policies and issues that are impacting so many people’s lives, disproportionately and very negatively African Americans specifically. 4) Even with those challenges, you have been able to break many barriers and achieve at a very high level. Can you discuss your legislative accomplishments? Also, what are you most proud of during your service as an elected official? I am proud that I have been able to open up some doors for other African American women, to become elected officials. Having served as the first female Democrat State Representative and first female Democrat State Senator from central Ohio, it is sad that it did not happen until 1993 for a woman Democrat to serve in the state legislature. I was glad I was able to open the door, but sad that it took so long. It is not just about being the first, but it is making sure that you open up the door so it’s not shut and others are coming through, succeeding or surpassing where and what you accomplished. I am proud of a number of the bills that I have been able to sponsor and policy issues that I have been able to address. When I was a member of the city council, sponsoring and passing the Clean Indoor Air Ordinance helped to be the catalyst for statewide policy to address smoking indoors and was one of
my proudest moments. I did that for my dad. If we could just stop people from smoking indoors, those of us that don’t smoke won’t have to breathe the second hand smoke. We were able to pass a living donor bill in the city of Columbus so that people who wanted to donate organs as a living donor could donate and still be paid. In the state legislature, I focused on healthcare, mental health and health disparities among racial and ethnic populations. I was glad we passed mental health parity legislation and outpatient commitments. I was proud to work on issues addressing infant mortality so that our children can live past one year of age. Our goals are to make sure there aren’t disparities/ inequities in health conditions for children. 5) What were the key skills and attributes which allowed you to be appointed or elected to such influential positions? I think it is really important to be committed to whatever the position is. Doing it for the right reasons! Certainly if you are in public office, you should be there to serve. It’s about serving the people you say you want to represent. They are expecting you to lift up the issues and champion the legislation, policies and funding to address their needs. Be committed to being a servant of the people and not just talking about the issues. It’s not just about holding the seat, but about understanding how to get things done. You get that from building relationships with other legislators and administrators and having a reputation of being committed and being prepared. You should be prepared and know how to get things done in both the private and personal sphere. You have to have communication and interpersonal skills. They want leaders who are serious, prepared and that know their craft/industry. You want the respect of your colleagues. You can disagree without being disagreeable.
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6) Do you believe that it is important for elected officials (who are not prohibited from doing so) to have a profession other than politics? Why? When I was first appointed to office, I only did one job. I was a public official. I served in the Ohio House only. I am a firm believer that unless there is a conflict, it should be a part time job. After I was appointed to city council in 1999, I decided I needed another job. I needed to keep my feet in the real world. If those in public office only know public office and only know how to address issues through legislation or ordinances, you’re not really in the real world. Certainly in state legislatures, these positions were never intended to be full time positions. They wanted people from all walks of life to be elected to office to represent that perspective so that you would truly have a representative government. When I went to the City Council, I started my own business in consulting. Later, I became the Executive Director of the Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence and that kept me grounded on what was going on in the nonprofit world. It helped me to help others become more culturally and linguistically competent in their service delivery, ensuring that services provided to African Americans and people of color were appropriate, appreciated and valued. You cannot teach what you do not know. I believe I was a better state legislator because of my experience. 7) If you could create the model Black elected official what characteristics and competencies would they possess? They would have experience and be accomplished in their profession, educated and competent in their craft. They would know the level of government they were Continued on Page 23
COMMUNITY HONORING A NATIONAL TREASURE COLUMBUS, OHIO It is often said that we stand on the shoulders of the giants who have gone before us. There are rare occasions in life, where the opportunity presents itself to stand in the presence of those giants. One such opportunity came on April 23 rd when the Ohio Memorial Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter honored Colonel Charles E. McGee at the King Arts Complex in Columbus. Colonel Charles E McGee, born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 7, 1919, was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen who served in the United States Air Force for 30 years and flew 409 combat missions in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. McGee achieved the rank of Colonel, a major accomplishment for an African-American in the mid-20th century. The Ohio Memorial Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen honored Charles McGee for his service to our country. Colonel McGee, however, is also a longtime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Bro. McGee joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in 1942, becoming an initiate of Tau Chapter at the
University of Illinois. For over 77 years, Bro. McGee has dedicated himself to developing leaders, promoting brotherhood and academic excellence, all while serving and advocating for the various communities in which he has lived. Brothers from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Rho Lambda Chapter (Columbus, Ohio) presented Colonel McGee with a plaque recognizing his service to the Country, through the Tuskegee Airmen, and his service to the community, through his membership in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Colonel McGee is truly a living legend who was recognized for his military service with numerous military awards and honors. McGee, along with other surviving and deceased Tuskegee Airmen, were honored in 2007 by President George W. Bush and the US Congress with the Congressional Gold Medal – the nation’s highest civilian award. In 2011, McGee was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. Colonel Charles E. McGee truly is a living legend worthy of our collective recognition.
Words from My Mother By Ray Miller
My mother, Inez Miller Emerson, was a fighter and she believed in winning any fight which she or her children were involved. I recall, in one of my many fights, being blasted in the eye by a young man who was about three years older than I was. He had just gotten out of the detention center on the Hilltop and he was a pretty tough fellow. After he gave me the black eye, I went home and my mother asked me what happened. I said, nothing, and her response simply was, Did you win? She then said, in a predictable way, “Get back out there and win the fight.” That was Inez. She was a fighter and she didn’t believe in losing. I went back out, plotted and schemed all day, and won the fight.
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
COMMUNITY
COSI’S BIG SCIENCE BASH On April 13, 2019 COSI guests enjoyed a night out at COSI Blast: The Big Science Bash. Thanks to all who came out to support COSI’s mission. Below are photos from the event.
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COVER STORY
elected to. They would serve first before becoming elected. They would serve on a non-profit, such as their church, girl scouts, so that they could show some involvement in the community. They would be able to demonstrate to their community that they have already been committed. How you spend your time, money or not, in addressing the needs of your fellow humans, tells a lot about you. 8) How have you used your talents, knowledge, and life experiences to help the next generation of leaders? I have done my very best and I continue to do that. I have had a lot of interns, fellows and volunteers. I am very proud of the young people that have come through. Many have done extremely well and many check back in with me. I volunteer as much as I can with the former Ray Miller Institute for Change and Leadership and with the Progressive Leadership Academy and will continue to do that. I think it is very important, that we, particularly those of African descent and other people of color, make sure there are people replacing us. I believe we need people who are committed to their people serving in office. 9) How do you define mentoring? Who have you mentored? And, what recommendations do you have for young adults who want to make a difference in their community? I believe mentoring is a shared experience where the mentee has either approached the mentor to let them know they want to learn from them. It has to be a shared experience. It is not someone you admire and look at from afar. It is someone who you are spending time with and giving them life lessons. You are helping to shape that person so that they can be prepared. Most of the mentees I have had are people I work directly with. I take the time to tell them why and get their input on why they think something is good or suggestions on doing things a different way. You should
be free and open with your time so that you are providing as much guidance as possible and you’re helping them see things from a different perspective. Young adults who want to make a difference should find someone who you believe is doing it the right way. Understand how they prepared themselves and how they made their decisions. Discuss what to look out for and what to avoid. They should continue to prepare themselves and just do it. You cannot wait for someone to tap you on the shoulder. I would caution you to be prepared. Surround yourself with positive people who are uplifting and not tearing you down. Surround yourself with supportive people. 10) Most people who know you are well aware that you and your mother shared a special bond. What did you learn from your Mom? What do you miss most about her? I learned from mom that when you are in pain you continue to help others. No matter how much you have been through, there is someone that has been through worse than you. My mom and I were very involved with suicide prevention and instrumental in founding the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. She founded the Columbus Urban Lupus Support Group to help African American women experiencing lupus. My mother showed me, even when you are hurting, you cannot wallow in pity and pain. You have to use that to help others go through the challenges you have gone through. She shared that it is important to make the world better than what we found it. She was my shero. I miss her love and support for me. Family, spirituality, church, and the love of her people were very important. 11) What role does God occupy in your life? He is very important to me. Even as a child, I remember thinking he was always looking in on our family. We had the church looking after the family. My dad was one of
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the deacons in the church. They helped us through my sister’s passing, dad’s death and my brother’s mental illness. I was a member of Oakley Baptist Church. Rev. Ashburn and his family were a huge part of our life. I was grounded in the church as a young person and continue throughout my life. 12) Are you a Member of a church? If so, why and which one? I currently am a member of Christ Memorial Baptist Church where Rev. Shedrick Fowler is the senior pastor. Church not only helps me understand the Bible and the historical context of Christ, but it is also important to have a pastor who can bring it to today’s life lessons and can compare and contrast the scripture to make it real. The size and comfort level of the church is important. Christ Memorial is a medium sized church. We have been to several churches and Christ Memorial was just right. Christ Memorial sings older spirituals of the traditional Baptist church and more contemporary music. The missionary work is important. They feed the hungry in the community. 13) The word is you like to travel. What’s on your bucket list? I would like to go Ghana. I have been to South Africa. I would like to visit West Africa. I would like to go to Rio. I would like to visit the East coast of Africa. I would like to go to Egypt. Part of my passion is cultural and diversity training. We are not in this world by ourselves. We do not know everything. Travel is about recreation, reenergizing myself, and going places to better understand other people and other ways of doing things. 14) Will we ever see your name on an election ballot again? I don’t know. I am a firm believer, if it is for me, I will know. If it is something that my skills and talents could serve the people in a better way, I’ll step up, but I don’t know at this time. I still enjoy service and addressing nee d s in min o r ity an d marg in alized communities. It depends on when and if my skills and talents are needed. 15) When you hang up your running shoes how do you want to be remembered? I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference. I want to be remembered as someone who showed her love for her people. I want to be remembered as someone who valued and was not ashamed to speak up for people who need us most, especially African American people. If we don’t stand up for ourselves and our people, no one else will. I believe you have to love yourself in order to love your people. If you love your people you will do best by all people. I can show my love to my people by doing the best for them. Rodney Blount is an Educator and Historian. He received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Ball State University and a Masters of Arts degree from The Ohio State University. His work has been featured in several publications. Rodney is a native of Columbus, Ohio and is a member of several organizations.
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
COMMUNITY
NATIONAL COALITION OF 100 BLACK WOMEN CENTRAL OHIO CHAPTER HOSTS 6TH ANNUAL TRAILBLAZER AWARD (Columbus) The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Central Ohio Chapter (NCBWCOC) will host its Annual Trailblazer Award & Scholarship event at 6:00 PM on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at the Hilton Easton, 3900 Chagrin Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43219. The Trailblazer Award is presented to women whose work has opened doors and blazed trails locally and nationally for Black women and girls. The 2019 Trailblazers honored at this year’s event will be the Honorable Jennette Bradley, recipient of the Trailblazer Award; the Honorable Terri B. Jamison will receive the Truth and Justice Award; and the Honorable Emilia Sykes, 34th District of the Ohio House of Representatives will receive the Champion Award. The Annual Trailblazer Award event benefits the programs of health, education, economic empowerment and the NCBWCOC Scholarship Fund. One of the highlights of the Trailblazer Award and Scholarship event is the awarding of scholarships to Black female, graduating seniors from school districts throughout the four counties served by NCBWCOC and the new 2019 Columbus State Scholarship funded by our chapter, which will also be announced and presented
to a Black girl or woman entering or returning to college as an adult. The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Central Ohio Chapter is a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of Black women and girls through national and local initiatives to empowerment in Delaware, Franklin, Fairfield and Licking Counties. For tickets and additional information please visit www.ncbwcentralohio.org.
OHIO POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN ARRIVES IN CINCINNATI On April 26, 2019 – The Ohio Poor People’s Campaign held their third Ohio event in Cincinnati with an examination of how Cincinnati area residents struggle with poverty wages, transportation issues, gentrification, healthcare and the criminal justice system. Starting at Incline Missional Community Church, the bus tour will visit Winton Hills and Washington Park while being narrated by local citizens whose experiences exemplify how poverty is crippling Cincinnati residents. The tour will return to Incline Missional Community Church for more testimonies and an opportunity to discuss ways to rectify the situations. This event is part of the Real National Emergency Truth and Poverty Tours taking place in at least 28 States. Stops on the tours are highlighting true emergencies facing the nation’s 140 million poor and low-income people. Members of the media are invited to join tours to see exactly what is facing Ohioans locally and poor people everywhere nationally. Ohio Poor People’s Campaign events are highlighting issues of ecological devastation, poverty, racism, and militarism. Speaking about her community’s air quality in the Winton Terrace neighborhood in Cincinnati,
Moneaca Collins said, “The air? It stinks. It’s the smell. You can go out of the community, but you always know when you are coming back in because that smell is there. What’s making that smell? Why is it OK here and not in the more wealthy communities? And whatever is stinking up the air - what’s it doing to us?” In announcing the tours to highlight the local struggles of Americans living in poverty in more than 28 states, the Revs. William Barber II and Liz Theoharis, co-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, said, “We have real socio-political and moral emergencies--they are the ongoing realities of systemic racism, systemic poverty, ecological devastation the war economy/militarism and the false moral narrative of religious nationalism,” said the Rev. Barber. “These are not are not left or right, but moral issues that must be addressed. Democrats haven’t done enough to make things better and Republicans do too much to make things worse.” The national announcement of the bus tours came shortly after President Trump declared a state of emergency along the southern border in an attempt to divert $8 billion of funding away from other government projects and toward his border wall proposal.
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“Instead of tackling real and urgent problems, the President is focused on an emergency predicated around building a monument to callous and immoral white nationalism,” said the Rev. Theoharis. “Instead, we should be talking about the real emergencies facing the nation today. Right now, there are 140 million people who are poor or living paycheck to paycheck, just one emergency away from poverty. Thirty-seven million people live without health care and 62 million are paid less than $15 an hour. Fourteen million families cannot afford water and millions are living without access to clean water and sanitation services.” Ohio’s Poor People’s Campaign is among over 28 state-level efforts creating regional bus tours and events to shine a light on examples of the five interlocking injustices that the campaign has set out to dismantle: systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, the war economy and the distorted moral narrative of Christian and religious nationalism. The bus tours launched nationally at the end of March and continue through the month of April. In addition to raising awareness of the true emergencies facing the nation’s poor, the nationwide tour kicks off an organizing effort to mobilize poor and impacted people, clergy, and activists for a National Poor People’s Moral Action Congress set for June in Washington, DC.
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
POLITICS STATEHOUSE REPORT By Senator Charleta B. Tavares (Ret.)
3. Universal background checks; State of Ohio’s 2-year Operating Budget 4. Red Flag bill - allowing a judge to temporarily order the seizure of weapons House Bill 166 – the State from a gun owner suspected of being a Operating Budget Bill unveiled by the threat to themselves or others; Governor on March 15, 2019 to the public is scheduled to have a substitute bill introduced 5. Bail bond reform; in the House Finance Committee the week of May 1. Substitute House Bill 166 will 6. Raising the minimum wage; incorporate many of the more than 2000 amendments offered by members of the 7. Ending the unconditional juvenile Ohio General Assembly. While as of this sentencing of life without parole; date we do not have a clear picture of the direction the members of the Ohio House of 8. Reclassifying all low level non-violent Representatives will take on major public 4th and 5th degree felonies to 1st degree policy and funding initiatives, the House misdemeanors; and Finance Committee will adopt a Substitute bill on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. 9. Revise /repeal pass-through business The Committee has scheduled public testimony on Thursday and will continue work on the bill including a possible Omnibus Amendment for adoption. The House Finance Committee will then vote out Amended Substitute HB 166 next week. The bill will then be forwarded for discussion and vote on the floor of the Ohio House of Representatives the week of May 7 – 10, 2019.
Legislative Priorities: 1. Restoring the Local Government Fund to 2010 level;
1. Kinship Caregiver Navigator Program
• A statewide, regionalized, resource and referral program to assist Kinship Caregivers in accessing services, programs and other essentials necessary to caring for young children and adolescent family members in crisis, who are now in their care. 2. Aisha’s Law
3. Paid Family and Medical Leave
2. Economic Development
Ohio Legislative Black Caucus: Members Legislation: Priorities
Senator Cecil Thomas (D – Cinc.) 614.466.5980
Legislative Priorities:
• To create a continuum of protections for victims of intimate partner violence, by updating and modernizing Ohio’s domestic violence laws; implementing a standardized income tax reductions/exemptions. and valid lethality assessment screening tool; Senator Sandra Williams immediately connecting law enforcement and victims with community resources (D-Cleve.) 614.466.4857 that support families in crisis/victims of violence; and providing improved recourse Legislative Priorities: in the courts. Much of the work can be 1. Criminal Justice Reform regionalized.
3. Workforce Development Funding The Ohio Senate is also concurrently hearing testimony on the HB 166 prior to receiving 4. Renewing the “Clean Ohio Fund” for the bill from the House. Brownfield Restoration
In an effort to bring the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus’ priorities and legislative agenda to the Columbus/Dayton African American news journals’ readers, we are highlighting each of the members* over the next several months. We will keep you informed on the progress of these and other bills sponsored and passed by the members of OLBC over the next two years of the 133rd General Assembly that specifically speak to the needs, opportunities and challenges facing Ohio’s African American and communities of color.
Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleve.) 614.644.5079
2. Closing Gun Show loopholes regarding transfer of ownership;
1. Senate Bill 16 (SB16) “Civilian Interaction Training” • Requires peace officers to take a training course on proper interactions with civilians during traffic stops and other in-person encounters, within the 2 years of the effective date. • Requires the State board of education in collaboration with director of public safety to develop a curriculum for high schoolers on proper interactions with police officers. • Requires the Ohio Department of Public Safety to update their Motor Vehicle Laws to include a section on “What to do when stopped by the police.”
• A state administered insurance program that is employee driven by assessing premiums from employees’ wages on a “sliding scale” formula (as determined by ODJFS). The program will be mandatory to all businesses, with little to no overhead because it’s employee driven. Employers who have a robust program already in place can opt out. Employees can choose not to participate, and if they do participate, the program can follow them to different jobs. The program will be available to new moms and dads of biological, foster care and adopted children, Kinship caregivers, people caring for aging or ill loved ones, and those caring for their own healthcare needs. Rep. Paula HicksHudson (D – Toledo) 614.466.1401 Legislative Priorities: 1. Provide for tax revenue sharing;
2. Banning the box on criminal convictions/ 2. Constitutional funding for public education; charges on private sector applications
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
POLITICS
3. Develop and adopt health wellness policies;
3. Committee on 400th Anniversary of African American in U.S. and Contributions – create a committee to review the contributions and achievements of the Black 4. Develop strategies for restoring Lake community in Ohio, while looking at the Erie; and issues such as a housing, transportation, health, education, employment, 5. Preventing insurance companies from denying or charging higher premiums for environment and business development and offer recommendations for addressing person who are organ donors. persistent challenges. Rep. Stephanie 4. Removing Collateral Sanctions – remove Howse (D – Cleve.) the collateral sanctions of Ohioans that 614.466.1414 have served their time and are permanently prevented from being fully restored Legislative Priorities: citizens and contributing members of their 1. Ohio Equal Pay Act – community due to the employment barriers strengthen Ohio’s policies created because of having criminal/civil to reduce the wage gap that persists between convictions. working men and women in Ohio. *There are currently nineteen (19) members including one Asian American member 2. Memory Care Unit Standards – participating in OLBC. For additional establishes a definition of what a memory care unit is in addressing the memory health information on the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, contact Chris Scott, of Ohioans, creating standards of care for health practitioners working in memory care Executive Director OLBC at cscott@ ohiolegislativeblackcaucus.org units and providing patients and caregivers of patients within memory care units of their If you are interested in testifying on any rights when receiving care within memory of the bills introduced in either the House care units.
or Senate, please contact the chair of the committee who can be found at www. ohiosenate.gov or www.ohr.gov. If you would like to receive updated information on the Ohio General Assembly and policy initiatives introduced, call or email your state Representative or Senator. The committee schedules, full membership rosters and contact information for the Ohio House and Senate can be found at: www.ohiohouse.gov and www.ohiosenate. gov respectively. Former Senator Charleta B. Tavares will continue to host Quarterly Leadership Forums and send out the Tavares Times News monthly newsletter. To receive information on the Quarterly Leadership Forums and/or to receive the Tavares Time News, email tavarescrossfire2015@gmail. com. Former Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, D-Columbus, is the 1st Democrat and African American woman to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate from Franklin County. She is also the first African American woman to serve in leadership in the history of Ohio and the 1st Democrat woman to serve in leadership in both the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate (House Minority Whip and Senate Assistant Minority Leader)
Words from My Mother By Fmr. Senator Charleta B. Tavares
My mother, Charlotte A. Bell provided sage advice and life lessons. She demonstrated with actions to reinforce her words necessary to make a difference. She reminded my brothers, Eddie, Jeff, and me “it is important to leave the world in a better place from which you found it.” Her advocacy created state funding for Lupus in the Ohio Commission on Minority Health’s budget, established Ohio’s first People of Color/Survivors of Suicide Support Group and the Urban Lupus Support Group.
The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
By Ray Miller When Helping Hurts - How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself
The Price of Inequality - How Today’s Divided Society Endangers Our Future By Joseph E. Stiglitz
By Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
America currently has the most inequality, and the least equality of opportunity, among the advanced countries. While market forces play a role in this stark picture, politics has shaped those market forces. In this best-selling book, Nobel Prize–winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz exposes the efforts of well-heeled interests to compound their wealth in ways that have stifled true, dynamic capitalism. Along the way he examines the effect of inequality on our economy, our democracy, and our system of justice. Stiglitz explains how inequality affects and is affected by every aspect of national policy, and with characteristic insight he offers a vision for a more just and prosperous future, supported by a concrete program to achieve that vision.
When Helping Hurts is a paradigmforming contemporary classic about poverty alleviation. Poverty is much more than simply a lack of material resources, and it takes much more than donations and handouts to solve it. When Helping Hurts shows how some alleviation efforts, failing to consider the complexities of poverty, have (and unintentionally) done more harm than good. It encourages us to see the dignity in everyone, to empower the materially poor, and to know that we are all uniquely needy—and that God in the gospel is reconciling all things to Himself. Focusing on both North American and Majority World contexts, When Helping Hurts provides proven strategies for effective poverty alleviation, catalyzing the idea that sustainable change comes not from the outside in, but from the inside out.
Walk In Their Shoes - Can One Person Change the World? By Jim Ziolkowski
So Rich, So Poor - Why It’s So Hard to End Poverty in America By Peter Edelman Income disparities in our wealthy nation are wider than at any point since the Great Depression. The structure of today’s economy has stultified wage growth for half of America’s workers—with even worse results at the bottom and for people of color—while bestowing billions on those at the top. Lifelong anti¬–poverty advocate Peter Edelman assesses how the United States can have such an outsized number of unemployed and working poor despite important policy gains. He delves into what is happening to the people behind the statistics and takes a particular look at young people of color for whom the possibility of productive lives is too often lost on the way to adulthood. In a timely new introduction, So Rich, So Poor is crucial reading for anyone who wants to understand the most critical American dilemma of the twenty-first century.
Walk in Their Shoes is the powerful, personal story of Jim Ziolkowski’s inspiring mission to change the world one community at a time, hailed by the Dalai Lama as “an inspiring tribute to the power of compassion and education: the keys to leading a meaningful life.” At age twenty-five, Jim Ziolkowski gave up his career in corporate finance to create a not-forprofit organization that turns innercity youths into community leaders at home and abroad. Under Jim’s leadership, high school students from the South Bronx to San Francisco have contributed more than 1.2 million hours of direct community service, and over the past twenty years, the organization has also constructed more than 550 schools in the world’s economically poorest countries, from Haiti to Nepal. Jim’s tale of far-flung adventures in the most remote corners of the world and America’s toughest inner-cities is a moving testament to the power of faith and teamwork, and shows that when we give, we also help—and heal—ourselves.
Bridges Out Of Poverty Strategies for Professionals and Communities By Ruby K. Payne, PhD, Philip E. DeVol, Terie Dreussi Smith
Falter - Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out? By Bill McKibben Bill McKibben previously warned us about the global warming but even as climate change shrinks the space where we can exist, new technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics are threatening the variety of human experience. Falter tells the story of these converging trends and of the ideological fervor that keeps us from bringing them under control. And then, drawing on McKibben’s experience in building 350.org, the first truly global citizens movement to combat climate change, it offers some possible ways out of the trap. We’re at a bleak moment in human history -- and we’ll either confront that bleakness or watch the civilization our forebears built slip away. Falter is a powerful and sobering call to arms, to save not only our planet but also our humanity.
Bridges Out of Poverty is a unique and powerful tool designed specifically for social, health, and legal services professionals. Based in part on Dr. Ruby K. Payne’s myth shattering A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Bridges reaches out to the millions of service providers and businesses whose daily work connects them with the lives of people in poverty. In a highly readable format you’ll find case studies, detailed analysis, helpful charts and exercises, and specific solutions to implement now to: redesign programs to better serve people in poverty; build skill sets for management to help guide employees; upgrade training for front-line staff like receptionists, case workers, and managers; improve treatment outcomes in health care and behavioral health care; and increase the likelihood of moving from welfare to work. 29
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
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POLITICS
CONGRESSWOMAN BEATTY JOINS JEC COLLEAGUES IN EXAMINING PERSISTENT ECONOMIC EQUALITY WASHINGTON, D.C. – On May 1, 2019, the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) held a bipartisan, bicameral hearing, “Expanding Opportunity by Strengthening Families, Communities, and Civil Society,” to focus on how family relationships and community networks can impact poverty and financial instability in America. Witnesses included: Dr. Nathaniel Hendren, Professor of Economics and Founding Co-Director of Opportunity Insights, Harvard University; Dr. Ryan Streeter, Director of Domestic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute; Mr. Jose A. Quinonez, Founder and CEO, Mission Asset Fund; and Dr. Patrick Sharkey, Professor and Chair of the Sociology Department, New York University. U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) questioned the expert panel on the growing
household wealth gap, as well as the lack of economic mobility and opportunity for children in low-income households. She concluded by asking panelists, “Do you believe that the income and opportunity gap is a national emergency?” Each answered in the affirmative. Currently, numerous studies show that the percentage of children in low- to moderateincome households earning more than their parents is shrinking. In fact, a recent study found that the odds of moving from the bottom quintile of wealth to the middle quintile or higher dropped from 23 percent in 1990 to 14 percent as of 2011. “Every day, more and more Americans are losing hope, faced with the stark reality that no matter how hard they work and try to scrimp and save they will never get ahead—
much less get by. Even worse, their children will likely face a similar fate,” Beatty said. “This cannot become the ‘new normal,’ and I will continue working with my colleagues on and off the Joint Economic Committee to shrink the wealth gap so that more hardworking families have the opportunity to build a financially brighter tomorrow.” One of four standing committees in the United States Congress, JEC was created following passage of the Employment Act of 1946. The Committee is comprised of 10 Members of Congress and 10 Senators, equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, and chairmanship alternates between the Senate and House every Congress. During the 116th Congress, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) serves as JEC chair and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-26) is Democratic ViceChair.
MARIJUANA REFORM By City Council President, Shannon Hardin Equity and equality are two principles used to ensure a fair society. As the President of Columbus City Council, I use these core values to evaluate every piece of legislation that crosses my desk. At Columbus City Council, we are talking marijuana reform. Today, two people in Columbus are treated radically different for the same action. In the eyes of the law, one person could have permission to legally possess medical marijuana, while the other could face a different life trajectory. Some folks are opening marijuana businesses and profiting (as they should legally be allowed to) and others are counting the days, months, especially those impacted by the war on opportunity to lower penalties for low-level and years to their release. drugs. possession cases, level barriers so formerly incarcerated residents can get back into Ohio’s marijuana laws are antiquated and On April 25, 2019, Councilmember Shayla the workforce, and advocate for state-level split our residents into two different worlds. Favor, Chair of the Criminal Justice and One path features a regulated market and the Judiciary Committee, and I convened a reform. legal distribution of a medically necessary hearing to examine the local impact of product to patients. The other tarnishes the marijuana penalties. Furthermore, we Past laws kept the American dream out records of many young people and hurts discussed how these penalties and associated of reach for many of our neighbors. As legislators, we must have the courage to fix families, most of whom look like me. records create barriers to employment the unintended consequence of our criminal and what tools are available to ensure all Marijuana arrests disproportionately harm Columbus residents have access to good- justice system. As I always say, if it’s not for all, then it’s not for us. people of color, especially young black paying jobs. men. For instance, from 2016 to 2019, CPD Marijuana arrests disproportionately harm brought 1,460 marijuana cases to Franklin people of color, especially young black Recognizing the harms of the past, it’s time County Municipal Court. Of the nearly 1,500 men. From 2016 to 2019, CPD brought we advocate for common-sense drug reform cases around 62% of defendants were black 1,460 marijuana cases to Franklin County and help get our brothers and sisters into men and 40% of all defendants were 25 years Municipal Court. Of the nearly 1,500 cases, good-paying jobs. old or younger. approximately 62% of defendants were black men and 40% of all defendants were 25 years Shannon Hardin is the President of Columbus Many states and cities have already taken old or younger. City Council. Born and raised on the south action to address the historic ills created by side of Columbus, Council President Hardin the war on drugs. It is our duty as elected While Columbus City Council lacks the legal is a graduate of Morehouse College and a officials to remove barriers to employment authority to rewrite our state’s drug laws to fit proud member of the Mount Olivet Baptist and higher education for all our residents, the needs of our community, we do have the Church.
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The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
BUSINESS UNDERSTANDING THE MEDICAID LOOK BACK PERIOD By Darren Lundy, MBA Many people do not believe they have a need for estate planning. In fact, nearly everyone does. Your estate is comprised of everything you own— your car, home, other real estate, checking and savings accounts, investments, life insurance, furniture, and personal possessions. No matter how large or how small, everyone has an estate and something in common—you cannot take it with you upon your passing. When the inevitable happens—and it is “when” and not “if”—you probably want to control how your possessions are distributed to the people or organizations you care most about. To ensure your wishes are carried out, you need to provide instructions stating to whom you want your valuables given, specifying what you want them to receive, and when they are to receive it. You will want this to happen with the least amount of taxes, legal fees, and court costs incurred. Therefore, proper estate planning is critical. Healthcare has become one of the biggest unknown factors when planning for a long retirement. It is always the elephant in the room when consulting with clients. Some people do not a have a realistic plan as it relates to the potential of failing health. However, as an advisor, it is my responsibility to discuss all contingencies and failing health has become one of the most financially devastating challenges many seniors are likely to face. What plan do you have in place for your long-term health?
is administered by each state and sometimes by each county within a state – which means the rules and benefits can and do often vary. Generally speaking, Medicaid is designed to pay for long-term care once the individual’s funds and assets are exhausted. In simple terms, if you have $200,000 in savings, you are expected to use those savings to pay for your care – once your savings are depleted Medicaid will kick in. For this reason, many of my clients engage in long-term planning to protect at least some portion of their savings and assets – so that those assets can be used to support a spouse, children, or grandchildren – while still allowing them to qualify for Medicaid under program guidelines.
For example, your wishes might be to leave $10,000 to your daughter when you pass away. If you need to enter a nursing home, you may be required to use that $10,000 to pay for your care before Medicaid steps in. One way to protect those funds is to gift that Medicare is only designed for short-term, money to your daughter now (For 2019 you as many of you may know. Once Medicare can give up to $15,000 to any individual benefits have been exhausted, your long- without paying gift tax). term healthcare cost is out-of-pocket. Failure to account for experiencing poor- That’s great – but beware of the look back health or prolonged health issues can derail period. most financial plans. It has placed many unsuspecting seniors into poverty. When you apply for Medicaid, any gifts or Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities. Medicaid is administered by states, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by states and the federal government. Medicaid is different from Medicare (although many people mistakenly refer to the two programs interchangeably.) Let’s review some of the basics. Medicare is an entitlement program paid for through payroll withholding. Medicaid is a form of social welfare designed to help people in need. It
techniques, you will incur a Medicaid penalty. That’s why Medicaid planning strategies should be put in place long before a potential need arises. While you cannot predict the unforeseen, as life expectancies continue to increase, it is fairly safe to assume most people will eventually require some form of long-term healthcare. Keep in mind, Medicaid planning isn’t the only reason to start planning. In this scenario, instead of $10,000 you have $100,000 you plan to someday leave to your daughter. That’s an admirable goal! However, those funds may be even more useful to her now than they would be years from now. Making gifts of up to $15,000 a year (or whatever the gift tax limit may be in future years) avoids current taxes, avoids the potential of estate taxes, is a smart move where Medicaid planning is concerned, and provides funds your daughter can use to buy a home, pay for her education, save for retirement, etc. Remember, the Medicaid look back period is five years from the date of application for Medicaid benefits and any gifts or transfers made within that five-year period are subject to penalty. There are many strategies available to protect your assets.
transfers of assets made within five years (60 months) of the date of application are G i v e u s a c a l l f o r a c o m p l i m e n t a r y subject to penalties. Any gifts or transfer of consultation. assets made greater than 5 years of the date of Darren is a Columbus, Ohio native who has application are not subject to penalties. earned degrees in Business, Accounting, and an MBA. He has over twenty-five (25) Hence the five-year look back period. years’ experience in financial services. The For example, say you made gifts of $10,000 Ohio Company, First Union Securities, and per year to your daughter in 2014, 2015, and Merrill Lynch were instrumental in his career prior to starting his own Wealth Management 2016. All of those gifts are subject to the Firm, Money Consciousness LLC, (614) look back period and those gifts will result 776-4311. He holds his Series 65 and Life in a penalty where Medicaid is concerned. and Health licenses. Investment advisory You will not be taxed on those gifts, because services are offered through Foundations you met the gift tax guidelines… but Advisors, LLC an SEC registered investment barring relatively involved estate planning advisor.
The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
BUSINESS
FROM $0 to $100,000 IN THREE YEARS: MOVING FROM JOBLESS TO ECONOMIC FREEDOM, USING TECHNOLOGY By Cecil Jones, MBA Are you unemployed? Are you underemployed? Are you in the wrong job? There are many easy to learn technologies where you can go from knowing little about a computer focused technology to earning over $100, 000 per year in three years. Additionally, there are many careers in the technology area that do not require technology skills. We often talk about ways to move out of poverty. One strategy is to 1) obtain some FREE computer training, 2) practice and 3) with that second job (after a couple of years), you have the skills that will command over $100,000 per year in salary. How do I get the technology background to accomplish this? “I am unemployed” or “I was downsized from my previous job” you might say. “Is there free training available?” The answer is “Yes!” Goodwill has a couple of IT certification programs that last about 3 months. You may have seen the advertisements. Both Columbus and Dayton have the Goodwill certification programs. There are organizations, including the IMPACT Community Action organization that offers computer training, particularly the Microsoft Office suite. Reach out online to www.BDPA.org who has chapters in Dayton and Columbus. They have a great network and provide guidance on technology training and education, in addition to providing regular mini-training sessions and speakers. County government has training programs and referrals to training. The libraries are great learning institutions. For example, the Dayton Metropolitan Library offers free access to www.Lynda.com, with many, many free IT courses including web development. There are many good, free websites for learning information technology, including https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learnjava which teaches Java programming. Of course there are free large online courses, like Coursera, Khan Academy, Udemy, edX, iTunesU free courses and on and on and on. Again, organizations like www.BDPA.org and other organizations can assist you with decision making, if you get overwhelmed. Also, please feel free to contact me. “But I don’t like writing software programs” We all hear that there is a critical shortage of people in many information technology careers. That is especially true in many computer software focused fields. Note that I did not say web application development, database base administrators or any of the classic software positions. Yes, those IT positions are in critical demand but so are IT recruiters (Human Resources), Writers (English/Language/Documentation skills), Analysts (People relationship skills) and many other positions, that are not software coding positions. Inside of many ‘hard core’ computer technology departments in many
organizations, there are more non-software development positions (like the analysts, project managers, product owners, recruiters, writers, etc.) than there are classic technology positions, like web developers. Being in/near the technologists and technology services/ products, those individuals that are not coding make great salaries, also. They are just as important to getting the organizational work done as the software developers. You do not need to be a software developer to be an outstanding member in a technology department. Do you want a better financial situation? If you want a better financial situation, get some information technology training. Education and training of any type will require your dedication.
you have done the job for a year or so, that you can move on to even better pay and move faster toward financial freedom. I see this very often: persons that were in very difficult financial situations utilize just a bit of technology training to move them from being financially strained to being able to help others. As mentioned, if ‘hard core’ information technology is not your interest, there are so many other very well paying positions in information technology that do not require coding skills.
After you have performed well for a couple of years, yet another route to financial freedom is starting your own company. There are many contracts available from companies, government and non-profits. I have given contracts to people under 21 years of age. I have seen seniors who had no retirement Certifications funds learn and then earn after a short There are certifications that add to your technology training experience. ability to get a position or getting promoted if you currently have a position. As mentioned From $0 to $100K. Go for it! above, there are organizations that will provide the course and the certification The purpose of this column is to provide examination for free. There are some low cost useful information and knowledge that you online certifications available, also. can use, today. If you have a technology question (how to get something done, what Finally… business, process or software solution might be available for your situation, how to secure O f c o u r s e , y o u m u s t d o y o u r o w n that technology position, etc.), please email investigation to ensure that you are not the question or comment to the email address wasting your time. Go to any browser Admin@Accelerationservices.net for a quick and enter “Reviews of ___” (whatever response. organization is sponsoring the training or whatever course that you are intending to take). Read the reviews. Spend some time People, Process and Technology with the course, whether it is delivered online or in-person, then see how it works for you. Are you looking for a technology networking group to help you get smarter? What new After you have taken the training and technology or process have you learned this are a bit comfortable, apply for positions month? Need advice on how to look for that online, via LinkedIn, and talk with others technology position? Are you considering in-person (network). Many companies are technology education (courses, certificates or moving away from degree requirements for degrees) and need information? Do you have technology departments. They are focusing a business, process, project management, on your training and knowledge. There are personnel or technology question? Please many entry level positions available. Obtain let me know. admin@accelerationservices.net that entry level position, if that is where Cecil Jones MBA, ABD, PMP, CCP, SCPM, you are comfortable, but realize that after FLMI, Lean Professional, 614-726-1925. 33
The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
TAKING THE FEAR OUT OF STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS
By Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons, Psy.d Have you ever thought about working for yourself? Maybe you’ve had a great idea that keeps popping up and you wonder “Could I make a living doing that?” If so, it is likely that you have the heart of an entrepreneur. Unfortunately, most of us have very little information about what it would take to venture out on their own. I know from my own experience that my graduate school training in psychology did not prepare me to open my own business. In my field, most of us who run their own offices, have learned a little by starting off in a group practice, then taking the giant leap into the unknown. There are a multitude of books and programs available which are designed to help budding entrepreneurs get started. However, many people still hesitate taking that leap of faith. Why? Since business development is not my field of expertise, I did what most of us do – I searched the internet. I found several interesting and informative articles on the Entrepreneur Magazine site. I will share some of those points and give suggestions about to put them into action. Maybe that will help push a few of you to take your ideas seriously and think about your options. Ashley Milne-Tyte, host of The Broad Experience, wrote about the issues that hold women back from starting their own businesses, opening with “Women are more likely than men to stick around in jobs that
they have outgrown.” Check out the reasons why – do any of these statements sound like you? 1. “They need me.” Women, in particular, feel responsible for everything. 2. “This place is like family.” Women tend to build more social networks through work and build on the comradery of the workplace. 3. “My job is my identity.” If I don’t do this job, who/what am I? What is my worth? 4. “I owe it to the company.” Loyalty is great but don’t let it become a prison. 5. “What about money and healthcare?” Many fear not being able to make comparable salaries and provide for the families basic necessities. The real issues behind these statements identified by Ms. Milne-Tyte are a lack of self-confidence and fear about putting yourself in the spotlight. After all, when you are in business for yourself, you become the product. Dharmesh Shah, founder and CTO of Hubspot, wrote an article about what millionaires actually do. I truly appreciated his point of view because it fits well with my profession. He suggests that in order to become a millionaire, you must stop obsessing about money. “Money cannot be what you focus on because it will distract you from doing those things which will bring in the desired money. Just do the right thing – serve others.” He goes on to suggest that you focus on tracking how many people you help. By understanding the impact you can have on others, from customers to employees to vendors, and helping them through your
efforts, you will be building a base that will bring in the income. He described millionaires as people who “see money as a way to make more things” such as books, movies, or songs. By focusing on what you are providing and making it the best you can produce, you will make more money. He also stressed that successful business people find that one thing that they do best, and then do it better than anyone else. It takes time but it is not impossible to identify what that one thing may be for you. EHow.com gave a list of ideas to help you start your own business. I found these to be really interesting and useful, especially since they mirror my own process in designing my business over the years. 1. Think about what activities you enjoyed as a child. 2. What interests and hobbies do you have now? 3. What type of person would you like to work with (ideal customer)? 4. Figure out how to make the idea reflect your passion. Starting your own business does not have to scary, but it does require careful thought and planning. Spend some time considering whether the life of an entrepreneur is for you. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis-Lyons’s office is located in north Columbus. Her practice centers on helping clients with depression and anxiety related disorders. In recent years, after discovering a love of running, she expanded her practice to include servces related to Sports Psychology for athletes of all ages and levels. To reach her, call 614-443-7040 or email her at Jacqui@DrLewisLyons.com.
CREATING YOUR OWN JACKPOT No one can predict the future, so you should always set aside money to cover unexpected By Layden Hale expenses. According to a survey from CNN, 40 percent of Americans would have to Christian Wilkins is a famously borrow money to pay for an emergency over frugal Clemson University $400. student-athlete not above bumming rides from teammates, sneaking snacks into the Here are five other good reasons to save: movies or asking for slices of lemon to make his own lemonade when dining out. * College * Down payment for a house Manuel Franco is a 24-year-old Wisconsin * Retirement worker whose primary goal until recently had * Travel been to get his bank account to $1,000. * Financial freedom (to live your life on your own terms). Both have something in common. They each have hit jackpots – one literally. Wilkins Now how much of your income should you became a first-round pro football draft pick be saving? of the Miami Dolphins on April 25; two days earlier, Franco won the $768 million The answer to that question, for a long time, Powerball drawing, the third largest in U.S. was 10 percent. The short answer today is “as history. much possible.” But what if you are not so talented or lucky yet aspire to be comfortable - let alone a Future NFL millionaire Wilkins admires millionaire? It all begins with developing a former pro Ryan Broyles, who lived on financial plan that has savings at its core. $60,000 a year during his wide receiver The Columbus & Dayton African American • May 2019
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playing days for the Detroit Lions. When Broyles three-year injury plagued career ended in 2015, he had saved enough funds that by 2018 he and his wife owned roughly 40 rental properties in Oklahoma and Texas and a property management company. Still, there are some people who buy into the 20-50-30 model: 20 percent to savings, 50 percent for necessities like housing, food, utilities, transportation, and 30 percent for discretionary items or wants like entertainment, holiday spending and travel. Savings plan start-ups vary. For some, it might start with a surge of cash, like an inheritance or a refund from income tax filings. For most folks, savings comes at a grinding, consistent pace. Contact Homeport at 614 221-8889 ext. 134 or visit www. homeportlearning.org to sign up for financial fitness classes or counseling. It could be the start of your jackpot. Homeport Senior Counseling Advisor Layden Hale, layden.hale@homeportohio.org, has been in financial services and counseling for over 20 years.
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
EDUCATION HIGHER LEARNING - KEVIN BOYCE, JR. AT BROWN UNIVERSITY A interview with Kevin Boyce, Jr., son of Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce and Crystal Boyce. 1) Who are you? My name is Kevin Boyce Jr. I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Columbus Academy in 2017 where I participated in Student Government, served as Youth Speaker of the House for the state of Ohio in 2017, am a 2x Division 3 State Champion and 3x All-Ohio Academic Honoree. After graduating from Academy I chose to enroll at Brown University and continued my track career into the Ivy League. I have also been featured numerous times in the magazine “Who’s Who in Black Columbus” and have been distinguished as For me, Brown University was that school. I one of Columbus’s up and coming young chose to enroll here because of the academic freedom that Brown gives it students through leaders. what they call the “Open Curriculum” which 2) Please expound upon one inspirational bypasses general education requirements message or quotation that both your and allows me to essentially take whatever mother and father shared with you over courses I am passionate about. I also chose Brown because of the friendly and talented the years. student body and knew immediately once I Growing up- my father taught me what he visited that I would be comfortable here as a called the “10 Rules of Manhood”. Each of Black male student athlete. The relationships these has always meant a lot to me and have I have developed here have really changed guided me through my childhood and teenage who I am as a person and this internal growth years. But, the one rule that has always is what really drew me towards this school. stood out the most to me was “Excuses are monuments of nothing and those who use 4) How did Academy prepare you for them are incompetent and seldom masters of successful matriculation to Brown anything”. My father has always emphasized University? being responsible for one’s actions and I believe that this rule has really shaped how I I really do thank the Columbus Academy attack challenges academically, athletically, community for properly preparing me for success at a school like Brown. The rigor and throughout life, without excuses. and intensity of the school is very similar 3) Where are you attending college? When to that of any top university in the country did you start and when is your projected and Academy prepared me well for how to graduation date? How would you present handle my workloads. It also taught me how Brown University to a prospective student to improve my time management skills as I with other Ivy League college choices worked on constantly balancing my intense available to them? Relatedly, why did you schedules. Small classes really helped me developed close relationships with my choose Brown? classmates and teachers that I still hold very I am currently enrolled at Brown University, dearly in my heart and am incredibly thankful an Ivy League institution located in for to this day. I learned how to interact with Providence, Rhode Island and one of the teachers and how to successfully navigate oldest and most historic colleges in the nation. the complexities of school. Being a student I started school at Brown in the fall of 2017 there really helped me grow physically and plan to graduate in the spring of 2021. and emotionally while also intellectually For other prospective Ivy League students, challenging me and honestly, without I would encourage all those considering Academy I am not sure I would be in the looking at the Ivy League to really do their position I am in today. research on each individual institution in the conference. Each of the eight (8) schools in 5) How are you performing academically this conference are extremely prestigious at Brown? What is your major and why did you select this primary area of study/ and provide numerous opportunities for concentration? success for those who are fortunate enough to enroll. However, each school is culturally I am performing excellently at Brown. I and environmentally different from the others actually very recently declared my intention and it’s really important to find the one or two to concentrate (Brown’s unique word for that you can be completely sure you could be “major”) in Business, Entrepreneurship, comfortable and successful. and Organizational Studies as an Engaged
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Scholar. Because I am distinguished as an Engage Scholar, my coursework will be aimed at using my business studies to help create positive social change in the world and will be granted many hands-on, real life opportunities to practice using these skills. I chose this concentration because of the interdisciplinary aspect of it, which allows me to explore business, economics, political science, public policy, and sociology courses. 6) You are also an athlete and member of the Track Team at Brown University. How has that contributed to your success in college and what are the keys to being a successful student-athlete? Being a part of team like Brown’s is something I will never forget and will forever be thankful for. Its contributed to my success because I have been blessed and fortunate enough to be granted the opportunity to surround myself with teammates who are some of the hardest working, intelligent, and genuine people in the entire world. They have seen me at some of my highest highs and lowest lows throughout my college career to date. Their presence in my life has been very stabilizing and made my adjustment to a school that is as academically rigorous as Brown is much easier. To be successful here you have to be a hardworker, must be good at time management, and must also be able to handle setbacks. Luckily through my time at Columbus Academy and due to my parents guidance, I developed these traits at an early age and allowed for me to be able to strive to achieve great heights academically. 7) Are there other extra-curricular activities in which you are involved at the University? Yes! I am very involved in the community here at Brown and love being a part of it in
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The Columbus & DaytonNews African American • May 2019 The Columbus African American Journal • February 2015
EDUCATION
This is such a hard question because there are so many amazing moments. It’s hard to pick just one. I’ll never forget the first day I arrived on campus in the fall of my freshmen year. Walking through the gates with 1000 of my classmates and starting my journey as an Ivy League student is something I will never forget. Two years later, I still find myself walking around campus by myself awestruck over its beauty. I just look around and think to myself “I really cannot believe I am here right now”. But the moments that will stick with me the most are the random late night conversations with friends, the impromptu Providence adventures, the inside jokes created as my team and I warm up for practice, or the moments when I was feeling low or homesick and a friend reached out to check on me to see how I am doing. To me, it’s the little things that have made my Brown experience so special and I am incredibly grateful for each of these little memories.
this way. I have been an E-board member of the Brown University Chapter of the NAACP for almost two years. In my role I have helped handled racial incidents on campus such as last winter, when pamphlets were circulated with racist slurs and propaganda. My fellow e-board members and I took action as we helped worked with the Providence NAACP to plan rallies, press conferences for students and met with the university President to assure that these events were handled accordingly. Since January of 2018, I have worked with several other students to help create ThoughtsPrayersAction (TPA), a Brown student activist group fighting for common sense gun legislation across the state of Rhode Island created in response to the mass murder of innocent youth due to gun violence across this country. I am also an E-Board of Brown’s only black Fraternity on campus. Beta Omega Chi (BOX) is the first Black fraternity recognized by the university and was created because no other fraternity had been able to successfully establish themselves on our campus in the past. Our goal is to create a strong support system and powerful for black men on campus so that they can more successfully navigate an ivy league campus while also participating in transformative community service and acting as role models to black youth in Providence and cities alike. https:// www.betaomegachi.org 8) What is the most memorable event or situation which you have experienced at Brown?
there are so many people that will doubt your ability to succeed or even actively root for your downfall. I think about the amount of people who constantly told me I was setting my sights too high or that I would never be talented enough to run Division 1 Track and Field or attend an Ivy League institution all the time. And if I can be as candid as possible, I cannot say that sometimes these comments didn’t get to my head or that I never believed them because at times I did. But, despite the naysayers, here I am still achieving success on levels that I never dreamed I could be capable of. And it is all because I believed in myself, surrounded myself with people who would uplift and believe in me, and trusted the path that God had laid out for me. And in times when I start to doubt myself again, I continue to think of those moments and remember that the only person who knows what I am capable is me and with God I’m ready for anything.
11) How important are discipline, 9) What are a few of the most significant determination, and God in your life? challenges facing people of African descent It’s funny that you asked because these three in America today? things are probably some of the biggest Well, this is also very very tough question influencers of my life. To be successful as because there are so many issues facing a student athlete at any institution, let alone black Americans today that it is difficult to Brown, you have to be extremely discipline. pinpoint just one single issue that comes to Eating right, getting a good amount of sleep mind. But what I will choose to focus on for each night, or studying when you’re tired this interview is the importance of access or just don’t want to takes a lot of effort, to education. I was fortunate enough to be especially in a collegiate environment when, blessed with an opportunity to attend a elite to be frank, there can be a ton of distractions. college preparatory school that not only But, to be this disciplined you have to have prepared me for college but also prepared the determination to achieve a certain goal. me for how to navigate the complexity of For me, that is to maintain a solid GPA and also to perform everyday to the best the college admissions process. In many of of my ability on the track. I am extremely our public school systems in this country, determined and although I often set my goals especially those primarily serving students of high, I know what I need to do to achieve color, students lack the resources that many success and both discipline and determination other students in neighborhoods that are more help me do just that. But, through all the affluent and oftentimes contain less people ups and downs, successes and failures of of color may take for granted. I find that it is my collegiate career today, I still pray and so important to make sure that students have regularly attend church. God has helped me access to the right materials and textbooks, achieve so much and I am so blessed to be in feel safe in well maintained facilities, and the position that I am in and it’s only right to really have teachers who knowledgeable, thank God for it every day. At the end of the caring, and not overworked and underpaid in day, God has always been there for me and order to ensure the success of this generation knowing that I have that little bit of extra in which a college education is often support has really contributed to my success necessary for future success. Investing in to this date. education prepares us well for the future and I am thankful for the opportunity that i have 12) What do you miss about Columbus, to open doors and inspire other black youth Ohio? to strive for the Ivy League. Well, first and foremost I miss my family. 10) Let’s look into your crystal ball. Rhode Island is pretty far away from The year is 2032. You pause to take a Columbus so I don’t get to see them as much retrospective view of your life. You are as I wish I could, but I always knew that I sharing your journey with a group of needed to go away from home in order to people who are at the onset of advancing grow out of my comfort zone and achieve the most out of my potential. Another thing their professional careers. What will be the I miss is the food! I am of the genuine belief high points of your biography and what that the Columbus food scene is severely words of advice will you share with your underrated and I really took this for granted audience? during my younger years. Finally, I miss Ohio State Football, but as my roommates The biggest piece of advice I can give is to can begrudgingly attest to, I still watch every always believe in yourself. In the world today game closely even from this far away.
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COMMUNITYEVENTS Columbus, Ohio May 4, 2019 Central Ohio Lupus Summit Have you heard of Lupus? Lupus is a long-term autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the human body. There are approximately 16,000 new cases every year. Come learn more about this mysterious disease. There will be community speakers sharing their stories about lupus and health informational booths, handouts and more. Location: Parish Hall at First Congregational Church UUC Address: 444 East Broad St, 43215 Time: 10:00 AM Admission: Free Contact: www.eventbrite.com/e/central-ohio-lupus-summit May 16, 2019 State of Black Mental Health Join the Columbus African Council, Central Ohio Young Black Democrats, and other community leaders for a conversation to discuss the stigma of mental health in Black communities, how we can work to break down these barriers, and develop strategies to make mental health a priority. Location: Columbus State Conference Center Address: 315 Cleveland Ave, 4th Flroor, 43215 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM Admission: Free Contact: www.eventbrite.com/e/state-of-black-mental-health May 18, 2019 King Arts Complex 32nd Annual Gala The King Arts Complex is hosting their annual gala with a VIP dinner and concert featuring The Quan Howell Project and DJ Mix Master Ice. They will also honor Clark Kellogg, Michael Redd and Ron Stokes. For tickets, call 614-6455464. Location: Hilton Columbus Downtown Address: 401 N High Street, 43215 Time: 6:30 PM - 1:00 AM Admission: Free Contact: www.eventbrite.com/e/state-of-black-mental-health May 25, 2019 Gentrification Town Meeting Learn more about gentrification taking place in the central city of Columbus. Join community members as they discuss the issues and develop a plan of action. For more information, call 614-285-7531. This event is sponsored by the Harambee Leadership Academy for Women and is free and open to the public. Location: Main Library - Room 1B Address: 96 S. Grant Ave, 43215 Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Admission: Free Contact: www.thegarveytrade.net
The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015
May 25, 2019 Spring Networking Breakfast & Community Family Day The Shiloh Baptist Church Brotherhood Laymen’s Auxiliary will host a Spring Networking Breakfast and Community Family Day. The breakfast will feature Rev. Dr. Otha Gilyard as the keynote speaker, followed by a youth award ceremony. The community day will feature activities for the family. (Pre-registration is required) Location: Shiloh Baptist Church - Parish Educational Wing Address: 720 Mt. Vernon Ave, 43203 Time: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM Admission: $20 Breakfast, $10 Community Day Contact: Call Lyn Logan Grimes at 614-645-5461 for registration. May 25 - 26, 2019 Asian Festival Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend at the 25th Annual Asian Festival! Enjoy live music, entertainment, food, vendors and activities for the whole family. For a complete list of activities, visit the website below. This event is free and open to the public. Location: Franklin Park Address: 1755 E. Broad St., 43203 Time: Sat. 10:00 AM-8:00 PM, Sun. 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Admission: Free Contact: www.asian-festival.org May 25 - 26, 2019 Harmony Force Singers in Concert The Harmony Force Singers of Trinity Baptist Church will hold their annual conference this year at Second Baptist Church on Saturday, May 25 at 6:00 PM. A special concert feauring a group from Cincinnati will take place on Sunday, May 26 at 3:00 PM. Both events are free and open to the public. Location: Second Baptist Church Address: 186 N 17th Street., 43203 Time: Sat. 6:00 PM, Sun. 6:00 PM Admission: Free Contact: Harold at HVY115@gmail.com June 8, 2019 UNCF Masked Ball Join the UNCF of Columbus as they celebrate their 75th Anniversary with a special Masked Ball. This year’s honorees include Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, and 10TV’s Jerry Revish. Enjoy a special performance by national recording artists, Zapp! For tickets or for more information, visit the website below or call 614-221-5309. Location: Hyatt Regency Columbus Address: 350 N High Street, 43215 Time: 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM Admission: $275.00 Per Ticket Contact: www.UNCF.org/local-offices/columbus
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The Columbus & Dayton African American - May 2019
COMMUNITYEVENTS Dayton, Ohio May 4, 2019 Dance Theatre Presentation The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and the Dayton philharmonic Orchestra join forces as for DCDC Artistic Director Kevin Ward creates a new work for the Company’s 50th Anniversary Celebration! DCDC will also revive a DCDC signature work, Children of the Passage. Location: Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center Address: 1 W. 2nd Street, 45402 Time: 6:30 PM Admission: Varies Contact: 937-228-3630 or go to ticketcenterstage.com May 9, 2019 Community Roundtable Join Rev. Derek for a discussion of this powerful and important story of the first Black First Lady of the United States of America. In the current social and political climate, it is important that those of us seeking to create positive change in our world have opportunities to participate in real and relevant discussions about race, truth and justice. Join us for an intellectual, though-provoking, honest, and real conversation about what we can understand, feel, and learn from this powerful book. Snacks will be provided— feel free to bring your own if you need something more substantial. The donation covers snacks and any materials. Location: St. Peter’s United Church of Christ Address: 6120 Ridge Ave.,45213 Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM Admission: $7 Contact: StPetersCinci@gmail.com May 9, 2019 Community Roundtable Spirituality in Popular Culture: The Spiritual Lesson Behind the Transition of Nipsey Hussle, Chief Obafemi will explore the symbolism behind Nipsey’s life and the impact his transition has made on the world and our community. Location: Cincinnati Federation of Colored Women’s Club Address: 1010 Chapel St., 45206 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Admission: $15 Contact: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spirituality-inpopular-culture-tickets-60684571186?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
May 11, 2019 Tour of Homes: Downtown Dayton With hundreds of new housing units currently under construction, there’s never been a better time to think about living in downtown Dayton! Find out why downtown is still the hottest, most in-demand real estate market in the region during our free Downtown Housing Tour on Saturday, May 11, from 1 to 5 p.m. Check out a variety of homes from renovated warehouse lofts to brand new apartments and townhomes at several tour stops. For tour sites, visit the website below. Location: Downtown Address: Contact Organizer Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Admission: Free Contact: http://www.downtowndayton.org/event/dpl-summerin-the-city-downtown-housing-tour/ May 22, 2019 Mental Health First Aid Class Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This 8-hour training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to appropriate care. For more information visit the website below. Location: Montgomery County ADAMHS Address: 409 E. Monument Ave. 45402 Time: Contact for time Admission: Free Contact: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adult-mental-health-firstaid-may-22-2019-tickets-54926518696?aff=ebdssbdestsearch May 25, 2019 Youth Mental Health Training Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based program designed for adults who regularly interact with youth. Introduces common mental health challenges for youth, such as anxiety, depression, substance use, disruptive behavior disorders, and eating disorders. Will teach you what to do until appropriate professionals and other help can begin. This Is a free 8-hour course taught by certified “Mental Health First Aid USA” instructors (valued at $150 per person), however the cost is paid through funding from SAMSHA. Participants are required to stay for the entire training to be eligible for certification. Lunch will be provided, however if limited to a certain diet, you may want to bring your own food items. Free parking is available. Location: United Missionary Baptist Church Address: 900 Lexington Ave., 45402 Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Admission: Free Contact: 937-554-4808 or email shelica03arnold@gmail.com
Please note: Information for this section is gathered from multiple commnuity sources. The Columbus & Dayton African American is not responsible for the accuracy and content of information. Times, dates and locations are subject to change. If you have an event that you would like to feature in this section, please email us at editor@columbusafricanamerican.com. Submissions are due the last Friday of each month.
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The Columbus African American News Journal • February 2015