Houston’s Leading Black Information Source
Volume 80 Number 6
DECEMBER 2-8, 2010
www.defendernetwork.com
Number 47
Obama Could C tackles Prevail in mployment 2012
September 16 – 22, 2010 | FREE
www.defendernetwork.com
By Odochi Ibe
NNPA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Yale Professor Predicts Landslide
| FREE
HIV/AIDS Facts
Congress reviews farmers’ claims
Today, 152 people will become infected with HIV. Half of them will be Black. n 2/3 of the new HIV cases By Dorothy Rowley Special to the NNPA from among women will be Black the AFRO-American n 70 percent of the new HIV Newspapers cases among youth will be Black. The victory scored by n More than 1 million Ameri Black farmers with the U.S. Senate’s unanimous cans have HIV/AIDS (about approval of funds due to 800,000 men; 200,000 them in the 1980’s Pigford women; 10,000 children discrimination lawsuit has been mired by allegations under 13). of fraud. n About 1 out of 5 are unaware The U.S. Senate apthey are infected. proved the dispersal of as n About 60,000 Americans are much as $50,000 to each farmer involved. But, infected each year, half in gay By ReShonda Tate Billingsley while John Boyd, presiand bisexual men.DEFENDER dent of the Virginia-based n More than 14,000 people National Black Farmers exas Southern University’s president has come up with AIDS die every year. Association, stated to with a plan he hopes will put an end to a contron Blacksurrounding men and women versy the are painting overthe of U.S. someHouse his- Judiciary Committee that, according toric murals on the campus of the historically Black uniinfected seven times more to his assessments, there versity. But some students and community members often than whites. 18,000 Black farmwonder if his contribution of $50,000 for awere Preservation
ON (NNPA) - The Congressional Black Caucus is ent debilitating joblessness in the Black community veral sessions on the connection between education at its 40th By Annual Legislative Dorothy Rowley Conference (ALC). will be September 15-18 at thefrom Walter E. Washington Special to the NNPA er. the AFRO-American W. Burris (D- Ill) recently hosted a panel on “Exploring Newspapers ss Opportunities with the Federal Government.” Sen. advocate of looking thesucfuture when it comes Despite toward marginal believes Americans should devote time into learning cess with his foreign policy s and becoming aware of new jobs in the emerging and attempts to reduce unemployment, and the recent ★CBC Page 3 loss of Democratic control of the House of Representatives, President Obama still seems to www.tsu.edu/giving be on the or contact Wendy Adair path for a University Advancement successAdair@tsu.edu ful 2012 campaign EWS SERVICE tions against his relative, who’s older bid, thanac-the age of 65. cording ers dueofficials compensation with CDCto undo the damage. University plan isSource: enough of financial Harrison faces charges of False to a remore than 90,000 claims say they know it’s not enough, but it’s a first step. rris County has Statement to Obtain Credit, Barack Obama cent New with “We know $50,000 isn’t enough for the whole project. have been filed for a for theft and Tampering a York It’s just enough to bring in a conservator to analyze share of thethe $1.25 billion tments recently Governmental Record, Theft, report written Misapplication by Jeff against Times Edwin and of payout. ★MURALS, Page 7 from Somner. allega- Fiduciary Property. Three of As a result, a group In addition, economists le from an eld- the charges are first degree of Republicans led by like Yale University ecile Harrison felonies profesthat expose Harrison Steve King, of Iowa, and defendernetwork.com sor Ray Fair sponsible for a uppredict to 99 that years or life in prison. Michele Bachmann, of by 2011, economy elated issues in theThe fourthmay is a state jail felony Let us know what you think adout the Mural Preservation Minnesota, claim that the have rebounded, and that his indictments on Friday @ defendernetwork.com. We want to settlement, hear from you! orientation, age, class, level of education or region of the country, By ReShonda Tate Billingsley which has the om the Obama allega-will likely face a Black people bear the brunt of the AIDS epidemic in America today. Defender ★INDICTED, Page 3 support of the Obama adweak opponent. Those are the facts,” said Phil Wilson, president and CEO of the ministration, is rife with In the Times article, Black AISS Institute. Next June will mark 30 years since the first known AIDS case fraud. Fair forecasts a landslide So why are Black Americans so disproportionately affected by made its way into America. And now, three decades later, the battle to Republicans, who victory for the first term AIDS in America and how do Black Americans themselves view the combat the disease continues. will soon take charge commander-in chief based epidemic? And what is being done to limit the number of new cases To date, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), on progress in the economy, in the House after this of AIDS being identified in clinics across the country? over 230,000 African Americans have died of AIDS - nearly 40 the same strategy employed month’s mid-term elecHealth-care specialists say Black women in particular are conpercent of total deaths - and of the more than one million people livin 1992 by James Carville, tions, are now promising tracting HIV at twice the rate they were in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s ing with HIV in the United States of America today, around half are which propelled Bill Clinto do a thorough invesBlack. And yet, as a racial group, African Americans represent just 12 because of several crucial factors: poverty, intravenous drug use, a The Houston community is remembering ton to the White House. tigation on disparities lack of adequate health care and a steadfast refusal by women to insist percent of the US population. The estimated lifetime risk of becomImani Evans dation by city staff to extend included significant capital a longtime political Fair also claims the surrounding who applied on condom use during sex. ing infected with HIV is one in 16 for Black males, and one in 30 for L TO THE NNPA FROM the contracts of Star investments, during a periactivist who died Sept. 11, state of the economy has a “I’m very concerned about the statistics of Blacks, Black Black females, a far higher risk than for white males (1 in 104) and for the money and who DALLAS EXAMINER Concessions and Hudson od of uncertainty following 2010. Beulah Shepard, dominant influence on nawomen and HIV,” said Dr. Lorraine Cole, president & CEO of the white females (1 in 588). Health officials estimate that 1 in 22 Black is actually eligible to the 9/11 terror attacks ultiRetail Sales - two firms with 89, made her mark both tional elections. “In recent Black Women’s Health Imperative, a leading Black health-education, Americans will be diagnosed with the AIDS virus in their lifetime — receive it. NPA) - The arcane world of ties to prominent mately failed to carry the locally and nationally as a columns I’ve explored how research, and advocacy organization founded in 1983. “Despite all the more than twice the risk for Hispanics and eight times that of whites. ons contracts has been laid Democrats, including State argument. According to estitireless fighter for civil elections – and Wall Street’s advances, thisthree is still viewed some as a white gay disease.” A CDC report saysand the lifetime risk is 1 in 52 for Hispanics, and 1 in Rep. Helen Giddings In the yearsbysince me, what they see isn’t pretty. mates by the U.S. Departrights andthepolitical jusbeliefs about them – affect is the first number-one killer of Black women between 170 for whites. Asian-Americans had the lowest lifetime risk, at about the AIDS council embarked sometimes heated discussion, U.S. Congresswoman Eddie ment of Agriculture and tice. the markets and the econoand 34,Field and Black women are the fastest-growing group 1 in 222. - without a ed city council voted 8-7 Bernice Johnson on of its25Love modernHelen Eddie Bernice ages the FBI, 50 percent to 95 Funeral services will be my, Sommer wrote. new AIDSplan, cases, representing 67 percent of all AIDS cases in “No matter how you lookGiddings at it, through the lens of Johnson gender, sexual ofization l that would have given more competitive bid. the concespercent of the claims subheld at 10am at Galilee Beaulah oncession space in aHrenovatessence of the city sions contracts have H AIDS, PageD.S. 7 Bailey OBAMA, Page The 7 MBC, 6616 mitted may be fraudulent. Shepard rminal to the airport’s current staff recommendation that the no-bid contracts emerged as by far the most contentious issue, Lane. Pastor Edwin ut a competitive bid - for a would be appropriate given the incumbents’ and have led to accusations of political Davis, officiating. Interment: Houston years. experience, the desirability of minimizing dis- favoritism on both sides. e of some long-time council ruptions during the renovation and the busi★SHEPARD, Page 4 uncil overruled a recommen- ness risks taken by the incumbents, which ★AIRPORT CONTRACTS, Page 4
nty financial ctor indicted
Save the TSU Murals
AIDS
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Black community @ HIV fights against ★
rport contracts divide Dallas City Council in Race debate
REMEMBERING
Beulah Shepard
Kerry talks about films and family INTERVIEW
She will soon be seen opposite Eddie KW: Very well, thanks. My son said he Murphy in A Thousand Words and then came to see your lecture at Princeton Univerin We the Peeples, an ensemble comedy sity last semester. He’s a junior there now. inner of the 2005 NAACP Imfeaturing Craig Robinson, David Alan Kerry: Cool! Congratulations! That’s age Award as the “Outstanding Grier, Tyler James Williams and S. Epatha exciting. Actress in a Motion Picture” Merkerson. She currently has two filmsby the likesKW: Thanks. Marley, I told my Mos readers I’dChali be interfor Ray, Kerry Washington is a versatile, butions of Damian Def, Bybuilt Kam Williams in theaters, For Colored Girls and Night viewing you, so I think we should get right to talented and fearless actress who has 2na, Kirk Hammett of Metallica and Adam Levine of CONTRIBUTING WRITER00 Catches Us. their many questions. What attracted you to an impressive list of credits over the course Maroon 5. Kerry is an active member onDuring the Board the role of Kelly in For Colored Girls? of her relatively brief career. She has also his early childhood, the Western music, which Somalia. name alone up images of Directors for TheofCreative Coalition, Kerry: really just wanted to to be “Bob a part garnered critical acclaim for The recent roles in conjures reached K’naan’s ears wasI pretty much limited unbridled merciless warlords and ruthless a group dedicated to raising awareness of of the production. I had heard a rumor Mother and Child, The Lastdestruction, King of ScotMarley and Tracy Chapman,” until at 10, he became A Lakeview place where nobody First is safe from the atrocities Amendment Rights and tofascinated the support that Tyler [Perry] was directing I socar I land, The Dead terror. Girl and Terrace. by the hip-hop being emitting from ait,tiny of war, and where eight year olds handle AK-47s like of the arts in education. Plus, she’s a memapproached him at one of these industry Kerry made her feature film debut speaker. “I had heard a rap verse, but I had no idea what toys. When Forbes magazine recently unveiled their ber of the V-Counsel, a group of advisors parties, and said, “If it’s true, I want in, in Our Song in 2000, and has since coit was backtothen,” he recalls. “Most Dangerous Destinations,” Somalia, above Iraq V-Day, the global movement to end At vio14, K’naanbecause and hisit’s three best were attacked such an friends important piece of starred in Fantastic Four and its sequel and Afghanistan, topped the list. But it’s also “The warlords, justliterature.” one of countless indelible images for (www.vday. Rise of the Silver Surfer, I Think I Love lence against women and girls by Nation of Poets,” where a poem can both inspire peace impressionable teenager. Having them time org). As for endorsement deals,the Kerry is a KW: This play was chased written some My Wife, Little Man, Mr. and Mrs. and end wars. through the streets of Mogadishu, eventually cornering forthat both L’Oreal Paris and ago. Do you think it is still relevant to today’s Smith, She HateGrowing Me, Against Ropes, up, itthe was both of spokesperson these Somalias the boys in an alley, the men began shooting. K’naan Movado. black woman? The Human Stain, and Save the Last informed musician/emcee K’naan Warsame, who is three friends Hi, Kerry, nice speak avoided with you injury, but his Kerry: I do. I do. Iwere thinkbrutally the play is still Dance for which she received Teen path via KW: forging his own amusical a unique blend of to reggunned down. again. relevant to all human beings, not just black Choice Awardgae, for Best Breakout Perforfunk, pop, soul and, above all, hip-hop. Recorded Certain that it was only a matter of time before her Kerry: Hey, Kam, how are you? mance. primarily in Kingston, Jamaica at Bob Marley’s home H KERRY, Page 2 Kerry Washingtonstudio, his second album, “Troubadour,” includes contri★K’NAAN, Page 2 By Kam Williams
W Kickin’ back with K’Naan
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