Denver Urban Spectrum - September 2019

Volume 33 Number 6 September 2019

September: Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Melissa Martinez with daughters Katie and Olivia Photo by Bernard Grant

Martinez Family Still seeking solace after tragedy...4

Friday September 20 10 AM to 4 PM

Cleo Parker Robinson Theater 119 Park Avenue West Denver, Colorado

Educator’s Forum on Social Media’s Impact on our Students It’s time to address our youth’s online drama.

Speakers and Panelists Whitney C. Traylor, Esq., Rico Munn Allegra “Happy” Haynes Rev. Quincy Shannon Susan Greene Jice Johnson Towanna Henderson Dr. Jasmine Crane Dr. Wil Miles Rev. Majorie B. Lewis Special Guest Speakers: The “Bella’ Martinez Family

Community Partners 100 Men Who Cook African Leadership Group Beyond the Classroom, LLC Center for African American Health Colorado Black Health Collaborative Colorado Black Roundtable Mayor’s Office of Children’s Affairs MSU Journalism School The Weekly Issue/El Semanario

Is your child a victim of cyber bullying, online hate speech, internet and gaming addictions, online predators, inappropriate pictures/sexting, imposed suicidal ideation, fake online friends and more…and do you know the signs?

Join us for one of the most critical conversations of today at this FREE community event.

Educators, health professionals, parents and students are invited to participate.

For more information, call 303-292-6446 Complimentary lunch will be provided when you RSVP.

Space is limited. Reservations are requested.

Call 303-292-6446 - email editor@urbanspectrum.net

MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Social Media – In The Name of Love, and Hate Volume 33 Number 6

September 2019

PUBLISHER Rosalind J. Harris GENERAL MANAGER Lawrence A. James EDITOR-IN- CHIEF Alfonzo Porter PUBLISHER ASSISTANT Melovy Melvin COPY EDITOR/PROOFREADER Lori Collier COLUMNISTS Kim Farmer FILM CRITIC BlackFlix.Com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jamil Shabazz Alfonzo Porter ART DIRECTOR Bee Harris GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jody Gilbert - Kolor Graphix PHOTOGRAPHERS Lens of Ansar Bernard Grant

A few weeks ago, while getting my nails done, my stand-in nail technician said Tony my regular nail tech had went home to visit his “love” out of the country and would not return for a month or so. During the conversation she talked about how technology and social media provides an opportunity for loved ones to communicate and visually see one another instantaneously on their cell phones, laptop and tablets. And not having any biological family members in another country – it was a light bulb moment for me as I thought about it, and visually pictured seeing my “adopted” African granddaughter, Blessing, who lives in Ghana. “It’s so much easier now when you talk to family and see them – they seem closer, not so far away” she said with excitement. What a wonderful consequence.

But what about the unintended consequences of social media that are prevalent and running rampant with our students and our children, and sometimes in the name of hate? Social media is everywhere. It’s unavoidable, it’s powerful, and it’s here to stay. Since 2004, social media has been growing exponentially and it hasn’t reached the peak of its popularity yet. School has started and students will be immersed more than ever with social media, unaware of the unfortunate affects it can have on their lives, and their families.

This issue focuses on “Saving Our Students” and the impact of social media – the good, the bad and most importantly, the ugly. DUS Editor-In-Chief and journalism professor Alfonzo Porter talks about our upcoming forum, “Educator’s Forum on Social Media’s Impact on our Students,” on September 20 and what the community can expect to learn at this very powerful event. The forum is designed to focus on addressing the unintended consequences for the mental, emotional, social and psychological well-being of students as they engage in their everyday cyber realities. And DUS contributor Jamil Shabazz talks about “The Battle Against Digital Brutality.”

Social media – in the name of love! Twenty years ago, I was blessed to meet and become friends with Naa (Princess) Asie Ocansey, a member of the Ocansey Royal Family of Ada, Ghana while travelling with former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb during his mission to West Africa. A couple of weeks ago I was perusing Facebook and saw that she was promoting the “Year of Return 2019” as part of the 400 Year African American History Commemoration which will include the Royal Return Ghana: Wedding 400 Extravaganza. Thinking about my love for the Motherland, my simple post to her, “How I wish I could be there!” resulted in her reply “U will be by Divine grace!” and she then appointed me as the Ambassador of Colorado for this momentous occasion. I was blessed in moment’s notice from social media by the grace of God! Take a moment and check out the ad on the back cover and let me know if you want to join me and be a member of my “Royal” delegation in December.

So social media can have its good points, but here in America, it is also wreaking havoc on the lives of our children – and for some to the point of taking their own lives. Do you know the signs?

Our cover story also features the Martinez family – a mother and sisters who lost a loved one two years ago to suicide. This month, we dedicate this issue to the memory of 13-year-old Isabella Martinez.

Rosalind J. Harris DUS Publisher

DISTRIBUTION Ed Lynch Lawrence A. James - Manager

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR fight with a kid my age that worked out favorably for me, but to be safe I normally stayed away from the bullies.

One day the bullies had me cornered and it looked like I might have to confront several of them all by myself. My friend, a sister named Millie, was stout, powerful and unafraid of anyone. She stood in front of me and said, “No you ain’t” and a few more choice words, and that crowd of bullies left me alone at Smiley.

I learned something from my savior Millie – people of like mind and like principles have to stick together. I learned the value of friendship, and gratitude. I learned that when one person stands up for another, the element of bullying is diminished.

At East High School there was a lovely girl, short and vul-

No Room For Bullying

The Denver Urban Spectrum is a monthly publication dedicated to spreading the news about people of color. Contents of the Denver Urban Spectrum are copyright 2019 by Bizzy Bee Enterprise. No portion may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

The Denver Urban Spectrum circulates 25,000 copies throughout Colorado. The Denver Urban Spectrum welcomes all letters, but reserves the right to edit for space, libelous material, grammar, and length. All letters must include name, address, and phone number. We will withhold author’s name on request. Unsolicited articles are accepted without guarantee of publication or payment.

Write to the Denver Urban Spectrum at P.O. Box 31001, Aurora, CO 80041.

For advertising, subscriptions, or other information, call 303-292-6446 or fax 303292-6543 or visit the Web site at www.denverurbanspectrum.com.

Editor: I am short and thin. I’ve always been that way. My dad took me to judo so that I could learn something about selfdefense, but that did not serve to protect me totally from bullies. Usually it was best to just let them go, since a fight would have probably not worked out so well. At Smith Elementary School, in Park Hill, I remember one fight, but for the most part I just stayed away from the bullies. Fortunately, we had Mrs. Davis as our principal, and she being stout and always mindful, would not have tolerated much bullying.

Smiley on the other hand, was much more of a free-for-all.

There were often fights in the halls, in the courtyard, on the grounds and nearby. I had one

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nerable like I was, repeatedly harassed by boys that I knew to be my friends. One day after they started harassing her, who was also my friend, I let them know in no uncertain terms that the bullying and harassment had to stop, NOW! And it did stop. She was grateful to me and told me some years later how much it had meant to her.

We who are of principles and values, who understand that everyone, short, fat, beautiful, ugly, Black, white, Asian, indigenous, whole bodied, disabled, gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, or whatever, deserve to have a place free of harassment.

This is true also of those who have no immigration documents, and even folks who disagree with us in our politics and our religions. We are part Continued on page 29

The day started like any other for the Martinez family. It was a typical September afternoon, two years ago this month.

Plans for a birthday party for a family member was in full swing as family matriarch, Melissa Martinez, began to prepare the evening’s meal with assistance from her daughter Isabella.

Bella, as the family affectionately called her, was described as a vibrant, bubbly, well-loved 13 year old attending Silver Hills Middle School, in Westminster. She loved to sing, dance and would light up a room when she walked in, according to her mom.

So the family thought it odd when they learned that Bella was being cyber bullied by a group of girls she hung out with and considered her friends. Melissa recalls hearing a message indicating that one of the girls was threatening to beat up Bella and pull her hair out.

“We were in the kitchen making fajitas and guacamole,” she remembered.

“Bella was singing along Melissa Martinez to music and appeared to be texting on her iphone when her mood suddenly changed.”

Melissa says she asked Bella what was wrong and Bella didn’t respond. She decided not to press the issue and brushed it off as just normal teenage girl behavior.

“I told her that if she wanted to talk about it I was there for her,” she said. “Bella said nothing and went upstairs alone. It was just prior to people beginning to arrive for the party.

Even though it was a normal day, there seemed to be something a bit off. I remember becoming ill and blacking out.

“She Made Being Broken Look Beautiful!”

-Melissa Martinez

The Legacy of Isabella Martinez

By Alfonzo Porter - Photos by Bernard Grant

in and Bella was sitting on the bed, her hair covering her face. I sat on the bed and pulled her hair back and that is when I discovered that she had placed a belt around her neck, hanging herself. I didn’t know what to do and just kept holding her. I just started screaming,” she said.

Katie, 27 at the time, says she heard her mother screaming and knew that something was terribly wrong. Her mind immediately went to a television series Bella would watch called “13 Reasons Why.” In one episode a young girl had taken her life by slitting her wrist while in the bath tub.

“For some reason my mind went there and I just knew that it would be a similarly graphic scene,” she remembered. “I

My daughter Erika told me to go upstairs and rest but I decided to just sit still and let it pass.”

According to Bella’s older sister, Katie, there was no indication of anything out of the ordinary.

“The week before we took Bella shopping and I recall her telling me that she wanted to apply for a job at Water World,” Katie said. “If there was even a hint of depression we would have noticed it. My sisters and I have been bullied in the past and would recognize the signs.”

After a while Melissa decided to go upstairs to check on Bella.

“I went upstairs and found the door locked. I called to her to open the door and there was no answer. We were able to get

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immediately began to perform CPR until the fire department arrived. Bella threw up and so I thought she would be Katie Martinez fine. However, once we arrived at the hospital we were told that Bella had lost too much oxygen and there was nothing more they could do.”

The irony, and perhaps the most perplexing part, is that Bella was very much against suicide. She would reportedly tell her family that she could not understand how people could hurt their loved ones by taking their own lives.

“For Bella to take such a desperate step meant that those girls really hurt her deeply,” Melissa said. “We knew that it affected her to not be liked because she was such a lovable person. Bella made being broken look beautiful because she really hid it well.”

According to the Megan Meier Foundation, more than one-third of all U.S. students report having been cyber bullied. Of those, 60 percent say that it has had a profound impact on their feeling of safety and ability to focus and concentrate in school – and 90 percent believe that it is a major social issue for their generation.

Additionally, the foundation reports that students who are cyber bullied are more than twice as likely to commit suicide. This makes suicide the 2nd leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 to 34. Suicidal ideation has more than doubled in the past 10 years.

Add to this, the experience of cyber bullying is also associated with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, academic problems in school, family difficulties and school violence.

To add insult to the ultimate injury, there were no disciplinary actions taken against the

girls who engaged in cyber bullying Bella. Furthermore, one of the parents of the girls even blamed Melissa for Bella’s death.

“She claimed that whenever Bella visited her house, she would cry when it was time to go home. I’m a strict home mom but I love my girls unconditionally. Unlike the parent in question, I don’t attempt to buy my children’s friends or allow them to engage in questionable activities,” Melissa said. “Bella did not kill herself because of me, she was deeply hurt by the betrayal of people she trusted as her friends. I understand the mother was just trying to protect her daughter in this case.”

The family feels as though there should be consequences for the actions that lead to a child committing suicide.

“Prior to Bella’s death, the school system was aware that she was being harassed and assured us that they had spoken to the students involved and the situation had been handled,” Melissa says. “I would like to see more control over what social media access is allowed in school and better scrutiny of the apps that students download – particularly if this behavior occurs on school grounds.”

But for Katie, it goes even further. She would like for parents to reconsider placing smart phones in the hands of children who may not be mature enough to handle having the whole world presented to them in such an unobstructed manner.

Apparently, Bella had downloaded an app called Sarahah from a Saudi Arabian networking service designed to provide constructive, anonymous feedback in the workplace among co-workers and their supervisors without the threat of being fired. It launched in 2016 and by 2017 it was a huge hit with American teenagers. It was later expanded to allow friends and acquaintances to send anonymous texts which would ulti-

app could be used in negative ways. They never responded to her.

Attempting to work with the school system also proved to be a dead end. According to Bella’s sister Olivia, 21, the Adams 12 School District indicated that advocacy against suicide would be useless.

“They told us that by talking about suicide would only encourage students to take their Continued on page 6

mately be posted publicly.

However, in 2018 parent concerns forced both Google and Apple to remove the app from both the Apple Play Store and the iOS App Store.

After Bella’s death, her sister Erika attempted to contact the company with no success. She was hoping for some explanation as to why the firm set up the app without considering the unintended consequences to young people – the fact that the

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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The Legacy of Isabella Martinez

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Continued from page 5 own lives,” she said. “I really don’t believe that supporting students would lead to them committing suicide. As a matter of fact, I think the opposite is true.

They seem to be terrified of even the word suicide. They desperately need to help in working with students in this area.”

In 2015, Rep. Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora) introduced a bill in the State of Colorado called Kiana Arellano’s Law that would prompt a misdemeanor harassment charge to cyber bully and it would be punishable by a fine and up to six months in jail.

“I love the idea that people could be held accountable for cyber bullying,” Melissa expressed. “I would also be in favor of holding parents accountable as well.”

The State of Colorado has also adopted the Claire Davis School Safety Act (C.R.S. 24-10106.3). This measure imposes a limited waiver of sovereign immunity for schools if the schools fail to exercise “reasonable care” to protect all students from acts of violence.

Also the state passed House Bill 1254 (C.R.S. 22-32-109.1 (a)(X)(B) to define bullying that reads: Any written or verbal expression, or physical or electronic act or gesture, or pattern thereof, that is intended to coerce, intimidate, or cause any physical, mental or emotional harm to any

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student. Bullying is prohibited against any student through any means and any reason.

But laws are not enough to save our children. While some Martinez family members submitted themselves for therapy in the wake of Bella’s death, they admit that they continue to mourn.

Olivia Martinez

“I still cry a lot,” Olivia admitted. “Sometimes I felt as though the therapy made it worse because we were asked to continually relive it. I was being asked to forget and behave in ways that I could not completely understand. I just didn’t know how to act.”

But for Melissa, her church has been the key to being able to cope with Bella’s loss. “I still see my deacon at least a couple times a month and it has been very helpful for me. But it is still day by day.”

She also has advice for parents of teenagers who may be vulnerable to the influences of those on social media.

“Please do not assume that when kids have disagreements

that it is just a teenage fight and that they will get over it,” she warns. “As parents we must get past feeling as though we are invading our children’s privacy.

Monitor their activities closely. It could be a matter of life and death.”

Bella’s funeral drew as many as 600 people according to her mom. It was a testament to the fact that she touched the lives of nearly everyone she met.

“I have continually been approached by people who have confided that Bella was an inspiration to them and helped them is some small way,” Melissa says. “In the end that is how I want her to be remembered. I want that to be her legacy.”.

Editor’s note: Melissa Martinez and family members will be special guest speakers at the “Educator’s Forum on Social Media’s Impact on our Students” on Friday, September 20.

For more information about the forum, call 303-292-6446.

Educator’s Forum – Day 2

“Black Minds Matter” Saturday, Sept. 21- 9 AM Hiawatha Rec Center - 3334 Holly St. Colorado Black Roundtable (CBRT) in conjunction with Denver Urban Spectrum (DUS) will host a 2nd day of critial discussions involving the education of African American Students.

This event will feature some of the region’s best minds who will delve into issues central to ensuring that Black students receive a world class education, are provided with culturally responsive teachers in the classroom, receive all the tools to make adequate progress towards academic excellence, are provided with mentorship and role models to guide them forward, and address the academic achievement gap that continues to hamper the future of too many of best and brightest prospects.

Essential issues such as strategies for closing the achievement gap, raising graduation rates, improving college readiness, increasing diversity and cultural competence among classroom teachers and ensuring the equitable distribution of resources are provided for black students will be among our discussions.

In addition, at noon, a DPS School Board candidate forum will be held for the upcoming November election.

For more information call 303-745-9649 or email cbrt2014@gmail.com

through a screen instead of with another person face-to-face.

This has resulted in their missing out on the building of fundamental social skills. By being constantly tethered to their mobile devices or glaring into a screen they are perhaps developing a nonverbal learning disability. This condition is defined by Psychology Today as a lack of ability to recognize such observable traits as facial expressions, body language and vocal inflexions.

Therefore, while our kids are finding a sense of community, their mental health is simultaneously being negatively affected by this online culture of constantly being compared to others. We are faced with the negatives far outweighing the positives of social media and what to do about it?

The larger questions become do our children need to make hard break or detox from social media? Is going off the grid warranted? Is it even remotely possible? Have their devices become intractable?

Here are just some of the behaviors produced by too much social media usage and what parents should look for: Too Much Focus on Likes: The need for others to like their posts may cause our children to behave in ways they normally might reject. Watch for sudden changes in appearance, mood, attitude and willingness to engage in risky behaviors or accepting online challenges.

Cyber Bullying: Most of us are familiar with bullying behaviors. Today, children are being bullied in a virtual context. The cyber bully will regularly say and do things that they would never say or do face-to-face. Constant exposure could result in depression, anxiety or suicidal ideation.

Making Comparisons: Social media places children under a microscope where they begin to compare themselves more critically in such areas as physical appearance, fashion sense, pop-

The Real Costs of Free Social Media

By Alfonzo Porter

W

e are all familiar with the proverb, “all that glitters is not gold,” or the idiom, “if it sounds too good to be true, it is.” Years ago when online social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter were first introduced, billions around the world could not sign up fast enough. The thought of being able to connect and share in new ways with friends and family was too good to resist – and it was all free; or so we thought.

Now, 15 years later, we are faced with the reality that all that free access has come at an extreme price – and for many, a price far too steep to pay. The costs associated with social media are becoming more apparent each day as our children grapple with the hidden consequences of constant connectivity.

Teachers, parents and mental health professionals have grown ever more alarmed with the down sides of social media and its influence on young people.

Instances of low self esteem, increased depression, anxiety and loneliness are just a few of the challenges our young people face in their daily cyber realities.

Today’s teenagers have become adept at keeping themselves busy for hours on end, often far past bedtime, scrolling, trolling, sharing and texting.

The vast majority of their time is spent communicating

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ularity and others. Positive self reflection and actualization become more difficult to achieve.

Fake Friends: Those thousands of friends are not friends and they have likely never met.

The term friends have become loosely associated with profiles rather than people. The idea of sharing personal information with strangers, who present themselves as friends, has proven dangerous.

Facebook Depression: This is depression associated with over use of social media where children begin to feel less than their online “friends.” They suffer from an inability to fit in, be accepted or stand out.

Sleep Deprivation: It is estimated that 2 in 5 students wake up in the middle of the night simply to check social media.

The probability of a loss of sleep is increased or disturbed.

A lack of sleep, from the findings of countless studies, have been linked a number of conditions including not being able to focus and concentrate during the school day.

Social Isolation: Seeing photos of parties or events to which they were not invited produces feelings of anxiety and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Social media causes children to exist outside of their present reality even though they believe that they are connected.

Poor Concentration: Academic success requires the ability to focus on school work.

Children believe that they can multi-task while in school or class while simultaneously using social media. This consistent interruption has a harmful effect on learning and school performance.

Internet Addiction: This is the inability to control social media usage. The more exposure to social media leads to habitual inclinations that if not addressed can result in internet addiction.

Continued on page 8

Free Social Media Continued from page 7 FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): This is a form of anxiety that arises when children are afraid of missing out on activities, events or information shared within their peer group. They begin to believe that others are having more fun, have more friends and are better connected.

Negative Body Image: Constantly seeing beautiful people with the ideal body draped in designer clothing causes children to compare their body and personal reflections to those images. This makes them more conscious of their flaws and imperfections. The continuous, daily exposure to these images only reinforces how short they fall from the ideal.

Distraction from Real Life: Trivialities such as what someone ate at a restaurant might be amusing and fun but is completely insignificant. The time

inadequacy. Children begin to measure themselves against these over-hyped representations.

So what are parents do?

First, take inventory of your own social media and technology habits. Be mindful to limit your usage of your mobile and digital devices.

Second, begin to set a good example of what healthy usage might look like. Consider whether you are engaging in the very same behaviors as your child. Does you child see your face or your head constantly hovering over a computer or phone?

Third, establish technologyfree hours within the home where tech usage becomes off limits. For many adults, we are guilty of the very same behavior of our children. We constantly check email messages, texts, voice mail and social media such as LinkedIn for our professional life. Our feeling of not being con-

spent on social media distracts from what is really happening in real time. Children become accustomed to exiting in a virtual, rather than actual existence.

Social Phobias: Connecting with friends outside of social media can have a positive impact on brain chemistry.

Making a phone call or inviting a friend to grab a bite or meet at the mall in order to catch up has a better effect than simply texting happy birthday.

Logging in and posting 100 happy birthday messages can lead to exhaustion of keeping up with so-called “friends” and their activities. The sub-conscious withdrawal from real life, in–person contact creates an inability to engage socially.

Feelings of Inadequacy: Logging onto social media only to be bombarded with everyone else’s “good news,” which is often over exaggerated, produces feelings of inferiority and

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nected to work and the expectations of our bosses or clients has created an overwhelming urge to remain plugged in. We should consider the question, how is this different from what my child’s experiences in his/her own reality?

Finally, try to stop bringing the office home with you. This might prove difficult as the stresses of professional life might require that we spend additional hours beyond the work day to complete tasks, follow up and tie up loose ends.

While we might consider these minor, “quick phone calls,” or “quick text messages,” as unobtrusive, the message being conveyed to our children is that it is never acceptable to be completely logged off.

Therefore, are our children responding to the pressures of their peer groups and societal expectations or are they simply mirroring our adult behavior?.

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Pediatrics documented the effects of racism on minority youth’s overall health and wellness. The research determined a clear link to [lack of positive] health outcomes and the systemic racism and bullying that Black and Brown children experience. The study found an increased risk of depression, obesity, worsened sleep, higher rates of doctor visits and lower self-esteem among children who are exposed to racism. We know racism has an adverse effect on all minorities; we are at a dangerous tipping point, as there is no way to predict how deeply it is destroying our youth.

The Battle Against Digital Brutality

By Jamil Shabazz Built on Brutality America was a nation founded on brutality. From the robbery, rape and pillage of the American Indians to the enslavement and forced free labor of the Africans in America it is unsurprising that a nation founded on brutality has a bullying problem. Poet Audre Lorde told us 40 years ago that, the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.

With the rapid advancement in technology and the permeation of social media, the master doesn’t even need to leave the house to terrorize – a laptop, smartphone or tablet and a strong internet connection will get the job done.

As gluttonous consumption of social media, posting videos and texting have become everyday practices among teens; the prevalence of cyberbullying has become an undesirable byproduct of those technological advancements. Cyberbullying, which can be defined as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, smartphones and other electronic devices” has even been labeled as an epidemic – becoming so widespread that it has grabbed the attention of parents, teachers and lawmakers across the United States.

Traditional bullying and cyberbullying are closely related, but they do have distinct characteristics. For example, cyberbullies can easily hide behind the “dark web” using anonymous identifiers and fictitious online profiles.

Additionally, the harm caused by cyberbullies goes viral

Cyberbullicide:

SAVING OUR STUDENTS immediately and is on display for all to see, share, and comment on. Synonymous with all types of bullying is the fact that many bullies feel as though there are few, if any, consequences for their behavior, this feeling is amplified when it comes to cyberbullies.

Cyberbullying has a significant impact on the emotional, social, psychological, and even physical well-being of all those involved. For teens and young adults, the impact can be extremely detrimental to their growth and development.

Cyberbullying can cause immeasurable damage to an

Ashawnty

Nigel

Stormiyah

individual’s long-term physical, mental, and socio-emotional health. As well as causing adverse repercussions to their school performance; including diminishing grades, GPA, test scores, and participation in school activities.

A significant percentage of adolescents are routinely exposed to interpersonal violence, aggressive behavior, and repetitive harassment while online, especially Black and Brown teenagers; who are often targeted because of their race. A report released by the country’s largest group of pediatricians, The American Academy of

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It was the fall of 2017 and the young, Black girl was tired of being bullied, so she confronted her oppressor – and a physical altercation unfolded. A bystander recorded the confrontation and uploaded it to a social media site.

The fight and the subsequent taunting about the fight became fodder on the Aurora elementary school grounds. The aftermath about the fight, became worse than the incident itself for the young child.

Tormented, the victim of bullying went home and hung herself – dying two weeks later; after being removed from life support. Ashawnty Davis of Aurora, Colorado was only 10 years old and a soul-wrenching casualty of cyberbullicide.

Cyberbullicide can be defined “as suicide indirectly or directly influenced by experiences with online aggression.

Ashawnty Davis’ story is part of a disturbing trend among African American youth. In addition to Ashawnty, Nigel Shelby (age 15) and Stormiyah Denson-Jackson (age 12) committed cyberbullicide between 2017 and 2018. Cyberbullying victims are almost twice as likely to have attempted suicide compared to teenagers who had not experienced cyberbullying.

Continued on page 10

Saving Our Students Continued from page 9 Sticks and stones can break bones; but words are far more dangerous because they can destroy hearts and minds. The senseless deaths of Ashawnty, Nigel, and Stormiyah are proof of that.

Anatomy of Online Hate Speech “Who taught you to hate the texture of your hair? Who taught you to hate the color of your skin? Who taught you to hate the shape of your nose and the shape of your lips? Who taught you to hate yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet? Who taught you to hate your own kind? Who taught you to hate the race that you belong to so much so that you don’t want to be around each other? Ask yourself, who taught you to hate being what God made you.”

— Malcolm X

Hate speech is any discourse that affronts, threatens, or promotes hatred toward groups or

individuals based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national original, disability or other characteristics. Hate speech has always existed in our society. The proliferation and diversification of our methods of communicating with one has exacerbated the impact of hate speech. Online social mediums such as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and 4chan have provided new outlets for hate speech to incubate – especially in the comments section of an online post; it is a cesspool for Internet Trolls and Cyberbullies.

Internet Trolls are people who spend copious amount of time on various forms of social media message boards attempting to sow discord by posting inflammatory, disgusting or insulting commentary with the intent of provoking negative emotional responses. Since young adults are among the most active participants in online environments; their still

developing brain and sense of self is ripe for falling victim to hateful online rhetoric – because hate speech relies, in part on negative stereotypes and implicit bias about insular groups to try to influence hostile behavior towards that group. It can be particularly subversive on a still developing teenage brain.

There was an ad campaign in the 1980’s for King Cobra Malt Liquor with the tagline, “Don’t let the smooth taste fool you.” The inference being that despite the fact that the malt liquor was “smooth tasting,” it did not lack intoxicating potency.

We have a generation of young adults who are intoxicated by the potent glow of 24/7/365 social media connectivity. They are addicted to the dopamine that a “like, “share,” or “retweet” brings. There are social media influencers who lurk on the web, looking for places to feed that addiction and manipulate influence for their own gain, an inroad for hate speech. Teenagers are smart, vulnerable and experienced at tuning out a lot of overt hate speech. However, a social media influencer is a perceptive creature; they seep in and charismatically engage a young mind, subconsciously planting seeds of social toxicity and divisive dialogue, normalizing dysfunctional online behavior in the process.

Hate speech is dependent on the speaker believing that the listener is inferior to him or her allowing the speaker to spew vitriol and inflammatory propaganda without fear of consequence or censorship. One of the benefits of social media is that it makes mass communication easy. With the flick of a thumb, you can communicate an array of information. The anonymity of social media used to primarily provide individuals a place to share detrimental words, thoughts and attitudes with little accountability.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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Recently, as a society we have been trending towards a more blatant hate-filled social media.

Numerous reputable sites are often littered with clips of clowns telling us to “go back to where we came from,” or despicable excuses for human beings, posing with semi-automatic weapons next to a bullet riddled sign, meant to honor a Black teenager that was unjustly and unnecessarily brutalized to death. There was a time when hate speech was reserved for the Backwoods and white robe gatherings. In 2019 they have traded in the sheets (well some of them) for Police uniforms. Instead of sprouting deplorable epithets in privacy, they affix a noose around our neck and parade us through the street while they ride horseback. They ensure that our degradation and humiliation is being recorded or live streamed, so that the whole world can “like” our dehumanization.

Millennial style hate speech is the ultimate act of Gaslighting; a form of psychological manipulation in which a person or entity seeks to inspire doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity.

Our youth are our most valuable natural resource; and the current social political climate is attempting to rapidly gaslight our children. The Forum on Social Media’s Impact on our Students presented by The Denver Urban Spectrum and Vertex Learning on September 20 will put the spotlight on our youth by having a critical conversation about how we can combat the negative impact of social media on our young men and women, and how we as a community can Save Our Students. It is our responsibility to nurture, remain vigilant and educate our youth.

By any means necessary..

Denver East High School Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts Dominique Collier Dominique Collier - 2014 Denver East High School

Denver East Angels 2014 State Championship Team

In his senior year while sparking Denver East to a fouryear record of 90-17, Collier accomplished two feats in the 5A Championship Game – winning the title and receiving the

tournament MVP award. His accomplishments on the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) level include playing internationally on the FIBA Americas 2011 USA Basketball Men’s U16 (under 16) Championship team in Cancun, Mexico and U18 (under 18) 3 on 3 team in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Collier attended the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder where his legacy includes reopening the recruit-

D

ominique (Dom) Collier, a two-way guard who left Denver East as an all-time great, will join 21 other alums at the 2019 Denver East High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October.

From his first in-state game with the Denver East Angels at Palmer in Colorado Springs on Dec. 10, 2010 to his finale game in the 2014 Class 5A championship game in Boulder, Collier was a featured part of the state’s boys’ basketball scene.

After beginning his high school basketball career debuting locally with a 31-point effort against Palmer High School, Collier, a two-time winner of the Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Colorado Basketball by The Denver Post, enjoyed a glorious run. He was a four-year starter who played on four consecutive Denver Prep League title teams and became a fourtime first team Denver Post All Colorado selection.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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ment of basketball players from Denver Public Schools.

He played four years at CU Boulder reaching the NIT, NCAA tournament, and was named Co-PAC 12 6th Man of the Year. He graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Ethnic Studies. .

Editor’s note: The public is invited on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m. at Denver East High School, 1600 City Park Esplanade, Denver.

Celebrating A Decade of

I

Dancing With The Denver Stars

t was a night of celebration as Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD) marked 10 years of Dancing With The Denver Stars (DWTDS) as 13 new stars were nervously backstage ready to step out for the grand entrance at the Denver Hilton City Center Ballroom.

By Patricia B Smith - Photos by Bernard Grant

2019 Event Chair Celia Dietrich and Cleo Parker Robinson

Reverend Quincy Shannon, DSST Dean of Students at Green Valley Ranch with CPRD Ensemble partner Jasmine Francisco

Photos by Bernard Grant

The most popular dance party in town was sold out with 700 guests in attendance along with seven alumni Stars, CPRD’s Junior Youth Ensemble, Youth Ensemble, Cleo II, and the world-renowned Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. By the end of the evening, Denver-born emcee Shedrick Garrett (aka Shed G) had the audience in stitches and

Photo by Bernard Grant

Reggie Rivers’ fundraising finesse garnered more than $328,000. Event funds have benefitted 17,000 CPRD Arts-InEducation (AIE) students in 77 schools around Denver and Front Range communities during the 2018 to 2019 school year.

The program grew by 14

schools from the 2017 to 2018 year. With the renewed support, the team is ready to deliver quality programming to students during the 2019 to 2020 school year benefitting 17,000 students who learn a unique blend of art, movement, and culture.

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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“This evening isn’t a competition, but a celebration of dance. The winners are the thousands of students who have the opportunity to learn dance because of the courage of our community leaders on the dance floor tonight,” said Founder and Artistic Director Cleo Parker Robinson.

The evening kicked off with a Colorado Governor’s Proclamation of August 10, 2019 as Cleo Parker Robinson Day read by cabinet member Kim Bimestefer, executive director for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and an alumni dancer and former event chair.

Celia Dietrich, founder and CEO of Dietrich & Co., was the 2019 event chair, and together with Gwen Brewer, the driving force of the Broadway-themed dance event led committees to produce the event.

A highlight of the evening including seven alumni dancers dancing to “One” from A Chorus Line including Michael Sawaya, Crisanta Duran, Huy Pham, Bruce Johnson, Amy Parsons, Colleen Faddick, Esq., and Marcia Romero.

Dancing With The Denver Stars pairs a community or business leader with a member of the CPRD Ensemble. The 13 dance partners performed a medley of Broadway show tunes; and together with Cleo Parker Robinson, they developed their performance and costuming during a demanding summer rehearsal schedule.

Darryl Collier and CPRD Ensemble member Ralaya Goshea

Photo by Bernard Grant

Run With Johnny!

CPRD Arts-In-Education Programs •17,000 students in Denver and the Front Range •Students in 52 percent of AIE outreach schools have 60 percent or higher free/reduced lunch •Program fees are a sliding-scale based on student populations and schools which prioritize arts education.

•PreK to 12th grade level curricula Dance, Culture, History, Physical Activity, Music are blended into outreach programs

The 2019 cast included: Karen McNeil-Miller, CEO, Colorado Health Foundation with Cedric Hall (“This Joint is Jumpin” and Ain’t Misbehavin’) Dave Mayhan, Esq., Butler Snow with Theresa Berger Moore (“Conga” and “On Your Feet”) Dr. Janine Davidson, President, Metropolitan State University of Denver with John Roberts (“Who Loves You [Pretty Baby]” and “Jersey Boys”) Nikki Price, Director of Pharmacy Operations, Albertsons/Safeway Denver & Intermountain Division with Tyveze LittleJohn (“Uptown Girl/Movin Out” medley) Ron Klump, CEO, Dietrich & Company with YooJung Hahm (“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and Motown the Musical) Mardi Moore, Esq., The Law Office of Mardi Moore, P.C. with Samiyah Parramore (Duo dance from Chicago “All That Jazz/Razzle Dazzle” and Chicago) Reverend Quincy Shannon Dean of Students, Denver School of Science & Technology (Green Valley Ranch/Middle School) with Jasmine Francisco (“It Takes Two/Got to Give it Up”, and “Pride and Joy,” The Marvin Gaye Musical) Dr. Maude Lofton, CEO, 4-Ever Young Foundation with Alex Gordon (“Emerald City Scene/No Bad News” from The Wiz)

•Outreach is tailored to school needs: one-time, short-term, longterm, full-time or week-long residencies •Shades of Hip Hop, the History of Dance, choreography, and cultural history introduce students to artistic movement in a variety of genres Kynnie Martin, Sr. Foundation Rep., Xcel Energy with Martez McKinzy (“Greased Lightning/Hand Jive” from Grease) Ashley Kilroy, Exec. Dir., City of Denver Excise & Licensing with Chris Page-Sanders (“Get Ready [Cause Here I Come]” and “Ain’t Too Proud”) Dianne Primavera, Lieutenant Governor, State of Colorado with Davry Ratcliffe (“Circle of Life” from The Lion King) Gisela Shanahan, CFO, Denver International Airport with Edgar Aguirre (“Lady Marmalade” Moulin Rouge) Darryl Collier, Associate VP, Empower Retirement with Ralaya Goshea (“Steppin to the Bad Side/ (Disco)” from Dreamgirls) “I’m delighted to announce that one of our dance alumni, Amy Parsons, will serve as the 2020 DWTDS Event Chair during the organization’s 50th Anniversary Year,” said CPRD Executive Director Malik Robinson. “We have an exciting year of growth ahead as we celebrate a half-century of cultural leadership in Denver.”

Aurora Strong!

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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Black Male Physicians Needed Organization Seeks to Reverse the Trend of Declining Numbers of Black Male Doctors

By Alfonzo Porter

The decline in the number of Black male physicians over the past several years has become a disturbing trend that promises to result in long term, deleterious effects within the African American community nationally.

So what do the numbers tell us? Medical schools have been trying to improve diversity among its students for some time now. Yet, they have experienced stagnation for the past four decades. For instance,

in 1978 there were 1,410 African American males applying for admittance to medical schools.

Recent data by Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) suggest that number stood at 1,337.

The data also found that there were 542 Black graduates of MD granting schools in 1978; against 515 in 2017. These numbers do not align with the overall number of Black students entering college in other fields.

With Black men experiencing the shortest life span among all racial, ethnic sub-groups, the need for more physicians that mirror this population could potentially improve health outcomes significantly. As of 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Black men had an average life expectancy of 71.5 years with white males averaging 76.1 years.

As a result of past cruelties, such as the Tuskegee Experiment where Black men where subjected to unspeakable

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medical atrocities and experimentation, African American men remain highly mistrustful of the American health care system, with some clear, historic justification. The sheer presence of a Black male doctor could inspire Black men to engage in much needed preventative health care; thereby extending their life expectancy.

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, African-American men’s uses of preventive health services vary when they had Black and nonBlack doctors. The bureau reported in 2017 that Black doctors could reduce Black men’s deaths from heart disease by 16 deaths per 100,000 every year, for instance. That would reduce the gap between Black and white men by as much as 19 percent.

For many Black men, Black doctors bring a higher level of cultural understanding and reliability resulting from their background in the community.

This is a major factor in the doctor-patient relationship.

Renowned Denver-based physician, Dr. Johnny Johnson agrees adding, “This is a crisis in health care.

The decline in Black male doctors is systematic, structural and complex. There is a racial disparity in the country and the government does not seem to be concerned. Although African Americans represent approximately 13 percent of the population, we make only 4 percent of the nation’s physicians.”

Last month, the National Association of Health Service Executives (NAHSE) hosted its First Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament in order to raise much needed funds for scholarships aimed at encouraging, and helping to finance, a medical education for Black students; with a particular focus on males.

“The lack of Black male doc-

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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tors not only affects African Americans but the health care system as a whole,” Johnson said. “Black males are recognizing many obstacles as well as pursuing other interests. Our recruitment efforts need to begin as early as 3rd grade. We have to initiate our own agenda to ensure that we level the playing field while creating a pipeline for additional financial means to pay for medical school.”

According the organization’s website, “its purpose is to ensure greater participation of minority groups in the health field. Its primary mission is to develop and maintain a strong, viable national presence to more effectively have input in the national health care delivery system. It has provided a vehicle for Blacks to effectively participate in the design, direction, and delivery of quality health care to all people.”

The group’s local president, James Corbett, says the association was founded 50 years ago to aid in providing health care services to African Americans when the American medical system was largely segregated.

“In 1968, the overwhelmingly white American health care system did not provide equal or quality standard care for Black patients,” Corbett said. “Medicare expansion legislation played a large role in tying insurance with civil rights and begun to transform the system, especially for elderly African Americans.”

According to Corbett, Black leaders began to realize the need to build more capacity within health service organizations in order to mitigate lingering discriminatory practices.

“Black people were experiencing a great deal of bias, though some of it unconsciously, by white institutions,” he said. “There needed to be more focus on creating empathy in the health care system and that’s why NAHSE was established.”

Participants at the fundraiser included several high profile past players of the Denver Broncos. They appeared genuinely excited to be involved in the event; and the organization’s goal of helping Black students to become doctors.

According to former Bronco’s wide receiver, Brandon Lloyd, the key to increasing the number of Black male doctors lies in providing Black physicians as mentors for young Black males.

“I’m a believer in mentoring and providing like images and reflections,” Lloyd says. “The issue has multiple, simultaneous moving parts. The most important factor is their ability to afford to go to medical school. Second, are they prepared academically and third, do they see individuals who look like them in the profession who has already blazed the trail—do they have mentors?”

Corbett says that he would encourage school officials to

seek out practicing physicians and other health service professionals to engage with their students.

He says that this year’s event will set the initial fundraising benchmark for their financial goals moving forward.

“We don’t really have a specific financial goal in mind for the first year’s effort. What we raise today will be used to create a benchmark for our future goals. The idea is to hopefully double that amount next year,” Corbett says.

That support cannot come fast enough as four years of medical school is rapidly approaching $200,000; and in many cases much more. The debt reportedly takes decades to repay. It becomes a daunting task for students from poor families—and the draw of other professional career options such as Law or an MBA, that require fewer years of training and a faster path to a professional paycheck also factors into many

Blacks student’s decisions on their choice regarding their college majors.

However, organizations like NAHSE do not exist in a vacuum. Efforts by the medical schools themselves as well as that of other organizations such as the National Medical Association, an organization founded by Black doctors, continue to search for additional strategies for raising the number of African American physicians.

The news is not all bad, however. The Association of American Medical Colleges reported that there has been a good deal of some success. For example, the number of medical students who identified as African-American or Black grew from 3,722 in 1980 to 6,758 in 2016, an 82 percent increase.

Although, the number of Black females continue to significantly outpace that of Black males.

Although the task of increasing the numbers of Black male

doctors is a bit disheartening, it is not impossible. The use of technology is providing a more optimistic viewpoint. Many doctors around the nation are creating social media campaigns to heighten the visibility of Black men in the medical profession. The creation of a campaign entitled #BlackMenInMedicine shows promise in reaching the socalled Generation Z—born after 2004. The campaign has experienced several millions of impressions since it began in 2017. It has also begun to expand to other social media platforms.

There is no one silver bullet to address the crisis of declining participation of Black males in medicine. In the end, it may take a more concerted approach involving schools, churches, hospitals, colleges, parents, and social media to join in the efforts launched by NAHSE to reverse this disturbing trend..

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REST IN PEACE

A Tribute to Lauren Watson February 16, 1940 - August 7, 2019

By Wellington E. and Wilma J. Webb Lauren Watson, a longtime Denver resident and political activist, recently passed and we believe he needs a proper tribute.

Lauren attended Manual High School a grade ahead of me and three grades ahead of Wilma. The Watson family was very accomplished. Sandra, the oldest in the family, was an outstanding reporter for the Denver Post, followed by Lauren and his younger brother Clarke. The 1960s was a time in sociological terms, zeitgeist the spirit of the times. It was a time of people choosing sides between Dr. King and Malcolm X, and locally it was Lauren and Corky Gonzales fighting for the rights of Blacks and Chicanos. We admired Lauren for some of the programs he helped establish, patterned after the Black Panthers in California. Among his good works were breakfast programs for kids and after school reading programs. I agreed with him when he fought against such issues

as police brutality, red lining by banks, low achievement scores in the public schools, and high unemployment rates among Black youth. I was a board member of the Model Cities’ Resident Participation Denver Incorporated program, which I and Ron Daniels always believed was a trading ground for many of a new generation of Black elected officials.

The poetry was by Don L. Lee and Imamu Amiri Baraka, and the music was by the impressions telling the story.

Lauren’s mother, Ruth, was also a board member always fighting against Mayor Bill McNichols’ administration. She would come to meetings with her pen and pad taking notes of whatever was said in the meetings – even though she was not the secretary.

Lauren became deputy director of RPDI and he was a leader and our Malcolm. While the younger generation embraced Lauren, he scared the hell out of the older generations.

During that time period, I wore the radial garb: black leather jacket, turtle necks and blue jeans while teaching Black Studies at the University of Colorado-Denver (UCD). Lauren had the same mindset but went a step further when he took on longtime Denver City Councilman Elvin Caldwell. My grandmother was a big Caldwell supporter, and Caldwell was part of the McNichols’ machine.

Lauren had the grassroots support when he ran against Caldwell. I remember he waited for the vote results from 4 to 7 p.m., but he never had the numbers. Elvin had won the election by noon with a strong turnout by seniors and mainstream voters. But Lauren continued to fight for the disenfranchised, and he often was investigated by the FBI. Newspapers reported one FBI informant was also reporting on me, Congresswoman Pat Schroeder and others. Lauren supported me throughout my political career. When

I opened my legislative office on 26th Avenue between Vine and Race Streets, Lauren was my most consistent adviser and visitor. We agreed on most issues but differed on tactics.

Lauren also supported Wilma throughout her political career. His wife, Mary Lou, who was always at his side, wore her hair natural like Wilma. Many people thought they were sisters. There were even times people mistook Mary Lou for Wilma or Wilma for Mary Lou. As we say goodbye to our friend, Lauren Watson must be remembered as an icon of the ‘60s; an intellectually bright man; and a leader who pushed the envelope to good.

While not perfect (what man is), Lauren was a true change agent.

Lauren is survived by three sons, Hasira, Sheps and Tejon; a daughter, China; and a sister, Sandra DillardScott.

Walter J. Wedgeworth, Sr. April 8, 1928 - August 10, 2019

Denver’s well-known photographer Wedgeworth, Walter J. Wedgeworth, Sr. passed away on Saturday, August 10 at the age of 91.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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From the 1960’s to the early 2000’s, Denver’s African American community had their history photographed by Walter J. Wedgeworth Sr., who was known as “Denver’s Black Photographer.”

Wedgeworth started his interest in photography as a hobby to record the various sporting activities his six children were involved in. He then expanded that hobby into a thriving business taking photographs at numerous social celebrations, weddings and other events in the African American community.

He followed in the footsteps of photographer Burnis McCloud, who created the largest visual record of Denver’s African American history with photos of everything from daily events to visits by leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Wedgeworth worked during the day as a civilian worker at Lowry Air Force Base. In the evening, he would have three to four different events and then go home to his photography studio in the basement to develop the pictures at night.

After he retired from Lowry he opened his novelty business along East Colfax Avenue selling his photographs along with t-shirts and Black sorority and fraternity items. “It was amazing to me that my father took thousands of pictures and he could always remember the date, who the people were in the photo and where the photos were taken” said daughter Debra Kelly. “He was also known for his professionalism by always being present at an event when asked.”

Born April 8, 1928, Walter J. Wedgeworth, Sr. relocated to Denver from Fort Worth, Texas with his mother as a young child and later attended Manual High School where he was a stand-out multi talented athlete in track, football and tennis.

An unknown historic fact about Wedgeworth is that he helped to break the color barrier at Denver City

REST IN PEACE

Lost Your Joy?

Park Tennis Court by becoming one of the first African Americans to play there in the 1950’s.

Wedgeworth married Castella Ellen Price (who passed away in August 2012). They had six children, one of them being former Denver City Council President Hon. Elbra M. Wedgeworth who was responsible for bringing the historic 2008 Democratic National Convention to Denver. She has a City Municipal Building named in her honor in the Five Points Neighborhood.

Walter Wedgeworth is survived by his six children Timothy Wedgeworth, Danny Wedgeworth (Brenda), Clifford Wedgeworth, Debra Kelly (James), Walter Wedgeworth, Jr, (Gwen) and the Honorable Elbra Wedgeworth. Six grandchildren (one deceased) and five great grandchildren.

University and went to graduate school at Cornell University. She later taught English at Howard University. In the late 1960s, she became the first black female editor in fiction at Random House in New York City. Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993.

In 1996, the National Endowment for the Humanities selected her for the Jefferson Lecture, the U.S. federal government’s highest honor for achievement in the humanities. Also that year, she was honored with the National Book Foundation’s Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. On May 29, 2012, President Barack Obama presented Morrison with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2016, she received the PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction.

Chloe Anthony Wofford “Toni�

MorrisonÂ

Below are several quotes from our “Beloved� Toni Morrison:

February 18, 1931Â - August 5, 2019

“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.�

American novelist, essayist, editor, teacher and professor emeritus at Princeton University Toni Morrison’s first novel, The Bluest Eye, was published in 1970.

The critically acclaimed Song of Solomon (1977) brought her national attention and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 1988, she won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award for Beloved (1987).

Beloved was made into a film in 1998.

Born and raised in Lorain, Ohio, Morrison graduated from Howard

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

17

The Truth About America’s Racist Presidents

By Legrand H. Clegg II, Esq. (BlackNews.com) “From the beginning the American presidency has been stained by racial prejudice, often a reflection of broader sentiment among white citizens. Such views have persisted well into modern times.” So wrote Sarah Mervosh and Niraj Chokshi in the New York Times on August 1st, 2019. What triggered the article was a newly released audio recording which revealed that, in 1971, and then Governor Ronald Reagan of California called African people monkeys in a telephone conversation with President Richard Nixon.

To laughter from Nixon, Reagan also stated that Africans are still uncomfortable wearing shoes. Revelation of this audio recording comes on the heels of President Donald Trump demanding that four Democratic Congresswomen of color go back to their home countries, echoing sentiments that racist whites have often hurled at African-Americans.

Furthermore, just over a week ago the president attacked a predominantly Black Baltimore-based congressional district as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess,” where “no human being would want to live.” In the past, the president has also questioned the intelligence of prominent African Americans.

Many if not most American presidents appear to have had racist proclivities. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves.

Theodore Roosevelt dismissed “Negroes” as a “perfectly stupid race”; while Woodrow Wilson was a staunch segregaDenver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

18

tionist and Dwight D. Eisenhower expressed prejudiced sentiments and told racist jokes. Even civil rights advocate Lyndon B. Johnson espoused racist views and used slurs to describe Black people.

While I have addressed white allegations of Black inferiority and incompetence before, it appears that during this dangerous time when our current president appears determined to promote blatant white supremacy, repetition is most certainly in order to briefly set the record straight.

Commenting on the perennial white obsession with Black intelligence, Dr. Frances CressWelsing, a distinguished African American psychiatrist and author of The Isis Papers: Keys To The Colors, wrote the following in the July, 1975 issue of Ebony magazine: “White people who cannot cease talking and writing in a negative manner about the genetics of Black people...are victims not only of the genetic recessive deficiency state of skin albinism but also its component psychological disease state of racism (white supremacy).”

By and large we as African Americans have long chosen to ignore white claims of our inferiority, and striven as a group to prove ourselves equal to all other people. But this noble approach has not resulted in a cessation of White supremacist propaganda emanating from either the White masses or the White House. At this juncture, then, we must address these insults head-on whenever and wherever they appear; lest we lose another generation of Black youths to the forces of racism that have instilled in too many of them a sense of hopelessness and inferiority.

First, we should insist that Black people do not resemble apes. Apes have thin lips, straight hair, hairy bodies and flat behinds. When shaven, apes have pink skin. Black people generally have thick lips, wooly,

curly or wavy hair, smooth bodies and protruding behinds.

Our skin color ranges from black to brown, red and yellow – not pink.

Second, when African Americans experience educational parity with whites, Black performance on standardized I.Q. tests such as SAT, ACT, GRE, etc. is virtually equivalent to their white counterparts.

Furthermore, since scientists have determined that Black people are the genetically dominant parents of the human family, and whites insist that one drop of Black blood determines that one is Black, how, then, does genetic dominance equate to genetic inferiority?

Third, several studies of Black newborns in Africa and the United States show that, prior to acculturation, Black babies are the most advanced in the world. Commenting on the discoveries of white specialist Marcelle Geber, author Joseph C. Pearce has written: “She found [in Uganda] the most precocious, brilliant and advanced infants and children ever observed anywhere ...

Sensor motor learning and general development were phenomenal. Indeed miraculous.

These Ugandan infants were months ahead of American or European children. A superior intellectual development held for the first four years of life.”

The racial comparisons, published by Geber and other scientists, are truly staggering.

Fourth, when Donald Trump orders Black people to return home, what does he mean? In his book, The First Americans Were Africans: Documented Evidence, David Imhotep demonstrates that American Indians are actually descended from Black Africans who reached the Americas at least 50,000 years ago – long before Columbus, slavery and the Trump family!

Finally, authors Robert Bauval and Thomas Brophy have written that “scientists in the field of genetics have been pointing out that it may actually be correct to say that the world was created by Black people.” This is borne out by the fact that Blacks appear to have laid the foundation of civilization. In other words,

Africans pioneered in the fields of architecture, art, athletics, government, law, mathematics, medicine, navigation, religion, science, writing, etc.

Furthermore, these Black people invented and wore shoes long before Reagan’s ancestors emerged from caves!

The astonishing achievements of ancient Africans included not only building of the pyramids of Egypt, but also constructing neighboring temples, some of which contain blocks of stone weighing between 200 and 400 tons each, that were arranged and set up with remarkable precision.

Black dominance in antiquity has led white author Flora Lugard to write that, during that era,” ... The leading race of the Western World was a Black race.” Historian Richard Poe has also observed that, among ancient people, there was the “presumption that dark skin connoted higher intelligence.”

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The racism emanating from the White House and spreading across the country today is nothing new. Many presidents in the past questioned Black intelligence, used racial slurs, incited racist violence and scoffed at Black demands for equality. Nevertheless, we have a long history of resistance to White supremacy and racism.

In honor of our ancestors, and for the future of our children, we must continue our struggle, especially against Donald Trump whose hateful message – embraced by a naive and gullible base – threatens to incite a race war. .

Editor’s note: Legrand H. Clegg II is the city attorney emeritus for Compton, CA, president of the Western Region of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations and producer of the documentary, “When Black Men Ruled The World”. For more info, email legrandclegg44@ gmail.com. call 562-624-2857, or follow him on Instagram @legrandclegg

September is Childhood Obesity Month

By Kim Farmer

F

or the past few decades,

the percentage of obese children in the US has been slowly creeping up and today nearly 20 percent of children between the ages 6 to 9 are obese.

Unfortunately, the childhood obesity epidemic is not only an American phenomenon but it is also a global problem. Just like in adults, obesity is not a benign disorder in children.

Obesity in childhood has both immediate and long term impact on social, physical and emotional health. Obese children are at a very high risk for chronic health disorders that have a direct impact on health factors like sleep apnea, asthma, type 2 Diabetes, joint problems and also increased risk of heart disease. Further, obese children are more likely to be bullied/teased and more likely to suffer from depression, social isolation, and low self-esteem.

The best defense against childhood obesity is to make changes in life at an early stage.

Bad habits are most difficult to break after they are already established as adults.

So if you want your child to have healthy habits, here are some tips:

Role Model: We are role models for our children so it’s important that we practice these good habits as well. For example, if you smoke cigarettes and/or drink alcohol then your child is also more likely to develop these habits. While you do not have to be perfect all the time, at least adopt good eating habits and remain physically active. If you do this regularly your kids will notice your effort. Remember that they do what we do, not necessarily what we say.

Make it a Family Event: If you plan any activities make it a family affair. When you do things together, everyone will participate and have fun. When you eat together as a family, chances are that everyone will eat the right type of healthy food. To encourage eating healthy foods, get the child involved in planning and cooking the meal. When you go shopping, teach your children how to read labels and what foods to avoid.

Have a Positive Outlook: In general, if you have a negative outlook or attitude towards life, then your kid will also sense it.

So keep a positive attitude and do not discourage your child if he or she does not do something right or makes an error.

Celebrate both success and failures with a positive tone.

Remember, when you make you make the activity fun, the child is more likely to be compliant and have a positive self-image.

Set Realistic Goals: Even though you want your child to be healthy, it is important that they be children and have fun.

Of course their entire childhood should not be devoted to eating fruit and veggies and working hard. Introduce small changes in the child’s life and over time this will make a big difference.

You are not trying to make the child healthy for one day or one month; the goal is to teach good habits that last a lifetime.

Limit Screen Time: One of the

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major causes of an unhealthy lifestyle in children is spending way too much time on the computer and/or the smartphone.

These habits not only lead to a sedentary lifestyle but also encourage consumption of junk foods. A sedentary lifestyle is known to increase the risk of heart disease and other serious illnesses.

Physically Active: One of the best ways to improve the health of your child is to encourage some type of physical activity; it really doesn’t matter which one.

Let the child do something he or she likes and that way they will continue doing the activity long term. Almost any outdoor activity not only helps with physical development but it also improves social skills like playing together, learning to

lose and still have fun, and getting fresh air.

Limit Rewards: Do not reward the child for everything that he or she does. Reward the child for good behavior and a positive lifestyle by helping them set small, manageable goals. A good example is eating five servings of fruits and veggies every day, or getting at least 30 minutes of consistent exercise daily.

Encourage Veggies and Fruits: Most children have a hard time eating enough veggies and fruits so it can be difficult to get them to like them. Gradually introduce them and let the child explore the taste of the fruits/veggies and let them decide which ones they like.

There is no rule that we must always eat the same fruits and veggies in the same way. There are plenty of ways to eat (and sneak!) them into your child’s meals by adding them to sandwiches, soups, pasta dishes and of course salads.

Cut Down on Sugar: One of the worst foods that a child can eat is too much sugar. Extra sugar has been linked to childhood obesity, behavior problems, and many chronic disorders. So cut the sugar down to a minimum by allowing sugary snacks only on occasion.

Add variety to the foods. To get your child interested in healthy eating, serve a variety of foods that include poultry, seafood, eggs, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Schedule Meal Times: It is important to get your child to eat at scheduled meal times and not continuously graze on snacks all day. Only allow snacks at a certain time and limit the amount. In addition, make sure the snack doesn’t contain a lot of added sugar.

Fruits and veggies make great snacks and you can pair them with a protein source (i.e. apples or celery and peanut butter, whole grain crackers with cheese, strawberries dipped in yogurt).

Limit Fast Foods: Kids loves fast foods because they taste good and they are quick, but eating such foods regularly only leads to obesity. So limit the number of times your child can eat fast foods. Make it a treat and make sure you do not stock your home and fridge with a lot of processed foods.

Drink Ample Water: While there are many cola beverages and hundreds of juices on the market, there is no beverage

better than water. This natural beverage quenches thirst, is free of artificial chemicals and has no calories. So encourage your child to drink plenty of water throughout the day, and even more if he or she plays sports.

One of the best ways to ensure that your child remains healthy is to stay on top of their lifestyles. Encouraging healthy eating habits takes time but the rewards last a lifetime. And the biggest advantage is that the

child will need to have fewer visits to the doctor which means less time away from school, and the healthy habits will become second nature for them..

Editor’s note: Kim Farmer of Mile High Fitness & Wellness offers inhome personal training and corporate wellness solutions. For more information, visit www.milehighfitness.com or email inquiries@milehighfitness.com.

Save The Date…

Remembering and Honoring:

1619­2019 Slavery and the Making of America

Produced by Dante J. James In recognition of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans to be sold into bondage in North America: in 1619 at Jamestown, the Coalition Against Global Genocide will present a special screening of SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA by award winning filmmaker Dante J. James.

This documentary series on the history of American slavery from its beginnings in the British colonies through the years of post­Civil War Reconstruction is narrated by Oscar­winner Morgan Freeman.

SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA examines the integral role slavery played in shaping the new country and challenges the long held notion that it was exclusively a Southern enterprise .

The screening will be followed with a panel discussion on “How do we proceed today to reach the ideals of equality, respect and freedom?”

Moderator: Alfonzo Porter Panelists: Dante J. James, Dr. Rachel Harding, Rev. Quincy Shannon, Joel Odonkor

Sunday, November 3, 2019 ­ 2 to 5 PM McNichols Civic Center Building ­144 W. Colfax Ave., Denver Tickets on sale in October For more information, call 303­856­7334 Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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How to Win in the Real Estate Market

By Barry Overton

Denver’s housing market

Making transmissions well since 1983.

is beginning to stabilize, but it is still a bit of a mystery. Over the past few months, inventory has sky rocketed. We are reaching historic highs, and houses are staying on the market longer — big indicators of a market shifting in favor of buyers — but at the same time, the average sale price of a single-family home hit record highs for two consecutive months, which makes sellers happy.

As a result, less houses have been selling as inventory continues to grow due to more sellers wanting to sell at, what they feel, is the top of the market. It’s a metric to keep an eye on in the second half of the year and heading into the slower winter season.

Inventory across 11 counties in metro Denver in June rose seven percent to 9,520 active listings. That is a six year high for houses on the market. Yet and still there is only about two months of inventory available right now in metro Denver.

Denver is also very much a “micro-neighborhood” market meaning similar houses can have significant price differences depending on location. In some neighborhoods, agents may have to go back nine months to find enough comps, which also typically lead to price adjustments.

Essentially these changes in real estate can benefit you as a buyer or a seller, as long as you know the proper strategies to take when buying or selling property.

As a buyer, there are a couple of cues you want to look for to identify a good real estate deal. When working with your

agent, advise them that you are interested in looking at houses that have been on the market between 10-30 days, 30-60 days and 60 plus days. These should be set up on three separate searches. The reasoning behind this is you are looking for those listings that are sitting on the market for longer periods of time; because of our fast-paced Seller’s Market of the last four years have been very profitable for the seller. With that being the case, many sellers nowadays are listing their homes at the top of the market; because buyers have more inventory to choose from, some listings will tend to sit on the market a bit longer. The key for a buyer is to watch the listings that are staying on the market longer.

Pay close attention to the price reductions on the properties you are interested in. You will see some listings that have significant price drops or frequent reductions. This gives you some insight into the sellers that are motivated to sell there homes fast. When you identify those sellers in many cases not only can you make an offer below the seller’s asking, you can likely ask for the seller to pay some of your closing cost.

This is a technique that has been highly effective for my clients over the last 12 months.

For Sellers there is still a way to ensure you get the most for your property and still go under contract in less than five days. Once you sit down with your realtor. Be sure to ask for

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a comprehensive comparable market analysis. Take note of those properties that are most similar to your home, and how long they were on the market.

Examine the properties that were on the market for the shortest period. View the pictures of those properties and ensure that your home can show just as well if not better than those properties. If it can’t, you must make up the short coming with a lower price. If your property does match the recent sold properties, you want to list yours at the same list price that those properties started at. This will create a bidding war in most cases and cause your profits to increase. The marketing and exposure for your property is very important. It is important to hire a real estate professional that is proficient in social media, online, and print marketing, and also, having an agent familiar with video advertising.

Purchasing or selling a home can be scary, but when armed with the right information you have the edge. While we are in for some changing times in the real estate market, these strategies will give you the advantage to be on the winning side of your transaction. .

Editor’s note: Barry Overton is a licensed Real Estate Agent with New Era Group at Your Castle Real Estate. He has been an agent since 2001, and started investing in real estate in 1996. For more information, email barrysellsdenver@ msn.com.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Bob Kendrick To Speak In Lone Tree Traveling Exhibit “They Were All Stars” In the LTAC Lobby To Accompany Presentation

When Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick joined us for a preshow talk during LTAC’s theatrical run of August Wilson’s Fences, he wowed the audience with his multimedia presentation about the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues—how players got their start, how they were treated in the league, and how they integrated into major league baseball.

Kendrick returns on Friday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. with more stories of how the Negro Leagues changed the game of baseball, and America. In The DogHouse Food Truck will be at the Arts Center at 5:30 p.m. to add to the baseball experience.

Kendrick was named president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in March 2011. Founded in 1990, the NLBM is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America. His appointment as president marked a celebrated return to the NLBM after a 13month departure. He became the museum’s first director of marketing in 1998 and was

named vice president of marketing in 2009 before accepting the post as executive director of the National Sports Center for the Disabled-Kansas City in 2010. Kendrick is responsible for the museum’s day-to-day operations and the development and implementation of strategies to advance the mission of the not-for-profit organization.

Since rejoining the NLBM in 2011, he has helped orchestrate a nearly $10 million turnaround that has helped the NLBM regain its vitality and financial stability.

Kendrick began his association with the NLBM as a volunteer during his 10-year newspaper career with The Kansas City Star. As senior copywriter for The Star’s Promotions Department, he won, or was part of a creative team that won, numerous local and regional advertising and marketing awards. He developed the advertising concept and campaign that helped attract more 10,000 people (in less than 30 days) to see the debut of the Museum’s first traveling exhibit in the summer of 1993. That success led to an appointment to the museum’s board of directors in the fall of ‘93.

In his nearly five years on the Museum’s board, Kendrick served as secretary/treasurer and chaired the membership and event planning committees.

He was co-chairman of the Museum’s grand-opening gala celebration that attracted nearly 2,000 people to Bartle Hall in November of 1997. The event raised more than $500,000 in support of the NLBM. Kendrick has been responsible for the creation of several

signature museum educational programs and events including the Legacy Awards, a national baseball awards ceremony that annually recognizes the best Major League baseball players, managers, and executives with awards in the name and spirit of Negro League legends such as Buck O’Neil, “Cool Papa” Bell, Bullet Rogan, and Josh Gibson. And, most recently, the museum’s new Hall of Game.

And while he doesn’t fashion himself to be a historian, Kendrick has become one of the leading authorities on the topic of Negro Leagues Baseball history and its connection to issues relating to sports, race, and diversity..

About the Negro Leagues African-Americans began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams. They eventually found their way to professional teams with white players. Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler were among the first to participate. However, racism and “Jim Crow” laws would force them from these teams by 1900. Thus, Black players formed their own units, “barnstorming” around the country to play anyone who would challenge them.

In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew “Rube” Foster—a former player, manager, and owner for the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Mo., Foster and a few other Midwestern team owners joined to form the Negro National League. Soon, rival leagues formed in Eastern and Southern states,

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bringing the thrills and innovative play of black baseball to major urban centers and rural country sides in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. The Leagues maintained a high level of professional skill and became centerpieces for economic development in many black communities.

Related Free Exhibit: They Were All Stars, LTAC Lobby September 3 – September 16 Developed by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in conjunction with Kansas City’s hosting of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in 2012, this exhibit chronicles players from the Negro Leagues who became Major League All-Stars. From Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, until 1959 when the Boston Red Sox became the last team to integrate, 20 players from the Negro Leagues transitioned into the Majors and became AllStars. Today, only three of that illustrious group of 20 is still alive: Hank Aaron (Indianapolis Clowns), Willie Mays (Birmingham Black Barons), and George Altman (Kansas City Monarchs). The exhibit showcases rare photos, biographical sketches, and other interesting factoids designed to give fans a greater understanding of the immediate impact that the Negro Leagues had on Major League Baseball.

Editor’s note: The History of the Negro Baseball Leagues with Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will be Friday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 adults and $12 for students and may be purchased by calling 720-509-1000 or at www.LoneTreeArtsCenter.org.

REEL ACTION - WWW.BLACKFLIX.COM

Director Julius Onah Tackles White Privilege

By Samantha Ofole-Prince “For the first decade of my life I was an African and then I was an African American” Julius Onah

H

is latest project is a riveting adaptation of the 2013 play

by J.C. Lee called Luce, which tackles racial identity and white privilege. A film, which stars Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer, it follows an adopted Eritrean former child soldier called Luce (played by Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) who is struggling to find his footing in Arlington, Virginia. It’s a perfectly crafted flick which tackles themes of parenting, privilege, prejudice. Samantha OfolePrince caught up with director Julius Onah (The Girl Is In Trouble, Cloverfield Paradox) to talk about the movie’s message and impact.

What was it about the play Luce that sparked your interest to have it adapted for the big screen?

One of the things that impressed me about the play was the dialogue it created

around blackness and black identity and how it played out between a woman who is African American — who was born and raised in this country — and a kid who was an immigrant from Africa. It was something I related to on a deep level because I was born in Nigeria and spent the first 10 years of my life traveling around the world. The notion of being an outsider is something I’ve lived in many ways and really drew me to Luce. Not to mention that for the first decade of my life, I was an African and then I was an African American. I had this whole history thrust on me that wasn’t something entirely organic to who I was other than the color of my skin.

Luce, the film’s character, is a former child soldier who is adopted by white parents, Amy (Naomi Watts) and Peter (Tim Roth). Both are liberal, well intentioned people whose values become tested. How did you make them original and unique?

I knew a lot of people like Amy and Peter in Arlington.

People, who are educated, smart, privileged and profess certain “liberal” values. What I found interesting about the story was what happens when people who look good on paper discover tension between the values they profess and having to actually live those values. For the film to work Amy and Peter had to be relatable — they are people who believe in the kinds of things we generally want to say we believe in, but when placed in a difficult situation we find they might not have the vocabulary or experience to deal with tension in sophisticated ways. They have a degree of obliviousness as well — their good intentions become a path to a destructive place without it necessarily being rooted in some malevolent impulse.

There’s an interesting dynamic between Luce and his teacher

Harriet (Octavia Spencer); can you talk a little more about that relationship?

I wanted to focus on the generational schism between Luce and Harriet in this movie. She’s a product of the sixties, and civil rights, the liberal movement that was about erasing the differences between people and focusing on a language of uplift — you can see the direct line of this from Martin Luther King to Barack Obama. Hers is a colorblind, non-confrontational ethos of how we address issues of race, power and privilege in this country. Luce is a product of something completely different — he’s saying to Harriet that if the point of that movement, and of revolution in general, was to give us the freedom to be who we want to be, then he should have the freedom to define himself entirely on his own terms.

Questions of power and privilege are clearly central to the film; what was your approach to raising those questions?

One of my key concerns with Luce and intertwined with exploring identity, is exploring power – who has it, who doesn’t, and how our institutions uphold the rigid systems of power that disadvantage certain demographics. So much of the dialogue in our culture right now is about confronting systems of power that disenfranchise women, the LGBTQIA community, people of color, people with disabilities and a

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myriad of other marginalized groups. This movie explores how life can be experienced by those on the receiving end of exploitative and unfair power dynamics.

How was your own upbringing similar to Luce’s?

I grew up in a very strict Catholic immigrant Nigerian family where it was all about academics. When I dyed my hair as a kid, it was simply not accepted at home. Like Luce, I wanted to push at boundaries and challenge the preconceived notions of my Nigerian identity with my parents and also the preconceived notions of a community like Arlington. I pushed in different ways and at different times though.

What made you cast Kelvin Harrison, Jr. as Luce?

I was always confident that we’d be able to get great actors for the parents and teachers, and I was glad to cast Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Octavia Spencer in major roles. But I had no idea where we would find somebody to play Luce. I had seen nothing of Kelvin’s work. We did an open call and saw a ton of actors; people submitted tapes from as far away as Australia and England. I honestly expected we would find someone in England — where the John Boyegas of the world are coming from, all these theater-trained actors of African descent who grow up abroad. But I never imagined we would find someone in our

own backyard. Kelvin submitted a tape and it blew us away.

How did you help Kelvin think about and develop Luce’s very complicated character?

There were two models I gave Kelvin for the character during preparation: Barack Obama and Will Smith. To me, they’re the apotheosis of a cool, but non-threatening Black masculinity. They have immense power and popularity, not to mention charisma and charm. I don’t think there would be a Barack Obama without Will Smith. Not long-ago characters like John Prentice (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner) and Phil Huxtable gave America a vision of this non-threatening and respectable sense of Black masculinity, but it was quite oldfashioned and sort of defiantly un-cool. What Will did, and what Obama was able to do in his shadow, was much different. They allowed Black masculinity to stay non-threatening but also be cool and youthful and particularly with Obama, be highly intelligent. This became a counterpoint to the recent image of Black masculinity that emerged with 90s hiphop, with rappers like Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg or Dr. Dre, who were seen as oversexualized and criminal. Will Smith and Barack Obama came along and provided something new that lived between those poles and was widely embraced. So, it was an ideal template for Luce.

What about casting some of the more experienced actors?

Timing was fortuitous because JC has a really solid career as a TV writer, to say nothing about the reputation of Luce as a play. When we started going out to actors, JC had already met with Octavia to discuss an unrelated TV project.

We knew we wanted to go out to her first, so I sent her the script and we had a brief phone call. She told me she felt she knew Harriet Wilson as a person, which was a relief to me.

With this role, Octavia really goes above and beyond. Naomi was dream casting as she was someone I envisioned when writing the script. Miraculously as the project started to pick up some buzz, we were lucky enough to bring Naomi on board, and Tim soon followed.

They both blew me away and between them they gave life to the vital roles – and audience surrogates – of Amy and Peter.

What do you hope audiences

take away from this movie?

Luce represents the best and worst of Black identity. He’s got this effortless brilliance and charm, is a great speaker, and a talented athlete. But at the same time, he has a history of violence as a child soldier. His story is very complicated. I hope it gives people an opportunity to reflect and ask questions. Whatever they feel about the movie is theirs to feel — for me, it’s more about the oppor-

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tunity to reflect upon and engage with ideas.

I hope people embrace its ambiguity, and I hope it gets under their skin, leaving viewers to question where they fit into all of this. I hope it challenges them to stand outside of their own experience and POV and forces them to ask how they are participating in the way privilege and power operates in this country and in our world. .

HATS OFF TO

Denver Public Schools Foundation Announces Addition of Three New Board of Directors Members The Denver Public Schools (DPS) Foundation announced the election of three leading community leaders to the board of directors: Honorable Kimberly Allegretti, attorney, McCollum Crowley, Moschet, Miller & Laak, Ltd.; Russell Hedman, senior associate, Hogan Lovells; and Sarah McCarthy, Ambassador Engagement, Project C.U.R.E. New board chair Priya Burkett, Burkett Family Foundation, who will join president and CEO Veronica Figoli, are making history for the foundation as the first time two women of color will lead the DPS Foundation.

“We are honored to have Kim, Russell and Sarah joining our very talented and dedicated team of board of directors.

These new members add to the broad depth of experiences and assets of the already existing DPS Foundation board. Each member accepted this opportunity because they are passionate about helping to ensure all students graduate ready to lead a successful life. The board encompasses a unique mix of business, nonprofit and community leaders and is anchored by our shared belief that when our students thrive, our city thrives, always focusing on our students as our true north,” said Verónica Figoli.

Honorable Kimberly Allegretti was appointed to the Office of Administrative Courts in 2010 and now works as an attorney. Allegretti heads the Fred & Jean Allegretti Foundation. With Allegretti’s experience in the management

of grant making at the foundation level, the Foundation is excited to utilize her expertise to help grow as a grant making organization. Allegretti also currently serves as a member of the DPS Foundation Development Committee.

Russell Hedman leads and negotiates complex mergers and acquisitions and investment transactions around the world.

Hedman brings a wealth of experience to the board and the Foundation looks forward to tapping into his vast wisdom in the legal and financial sector.

Hedman graduated from Harvard Law School in 2011, where he served on the academic affairs committee of the Harvard Black Law Students Association.

He also co-founded the Harvard Caribbean Law Association.

Hedman is also a proud DPS alum, having graduated from East High School.

Sarah McCarthy leads Ambassador Engagement for Project C.U.R.E., Colorado’s largest international development organization. Sarah brings a wide range of skillsets including planning, organizing and directing fundraising efforts, major gifts programs, special events and community outreach.

Originally from Sydney, Australia, McCarthy is a new parent in Denver who is passionate about ensuring the school system is the best possible for all the children of Denver.

Along with three new board

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members, new executive committee members, who will be serving us in the 2019-2020 school year include Cedric Buchanon (5Star Bank), treasurer; Adam Donner (Photogra, Inc.), secretary; and Jeanne Saunders (Saunders Financial), Chair-Elect, with Leanna Clark (University of Colorado Denver) serving as the Immediate Past Chair.

“We are at a critical time in our community where we all must join together to support our future leaders of the next generation. I am excited to collaborate further with our board of directors and new executive committee to enable our shared vision where all students graduate ready to thrive and teachers are supported to provide a world class education,” said Priya Burkett..

About the Denver Public Schools Foundation The Denver Public Schools Foundation (DPSF) is the strategic fundraising partner for Denver Public Schools. DPSF believe that Denver is strengthened by every student who graduates ready to lead a successful life. DPSF invests in accelerating progress; connect community to classrooms; and inspire confidence in the promise of public education for DPS’s more than 92,000 students and more than 200 schools. For more information, visit www.dpsfoundation.org.

HATS OFF TO

Read More Hosts Teen Entrepreneur Pitch Competition

the people that need the food.”

However, she and the Bagel Buddies team hope to fix that.

As the winner of the competition, Crowley received a $300 investment reward into Bagel Buddies from program sponsor, Eastern Sky Consulting. Young

Competition winner Reina Crowley and panelists.

Young entrepreneurs from across the Metro Denver area competed to win a $300 investment into their start-up companies.

Read More Co. LLC announced the first winner of the Stay F.R.E.S.H. Entrepreneur Program. Young entrepreneur and eventual pitch competition winner, 13-year old Reina Crowley, impressed a panel of local Denver business leaders with her mission and company, Bagel Buddies.

Bagel Buddies was created when Crowley and her friends noticed the amount of food being wasted by supermarkets and local bakeries. Her solution was to create Bagel Buddies; a company focused on repurposing wasted food to those in need with additional proceeds going towards cutting down food waste on a global level.

Crowley says that right now she is “working to reduce global food waste by first focusing on my community.” She understands that, “there is a lot of food waste and a lot of people who are hungry and right now leftover food is not getting to

720-272-5844

Americans Center for Financial Education’s “YouthBiz” division also partnered to host the program.

In early June, teens from across the metro area started gathering to develop business ideas and concepts within Read More’s Stay F.R.E.S.H. Entrepreneur Program.

Everything from financial literacy, sales, branding, marketing, and cost analysis were taught and discussed leading to the culminating pitch competition on August 1.

The goal of the competition was to allow the participating young entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their creative ideas and plans for their businesses while also providing them the chance to solidify initial startup funding.

Two additional companies, Peyton Castro’s Bound Together Through Pages and Demitrius Peeples’, Peeples’ Choice Seating, received $100 award. .

Editor’s note: For more information on Read More or to sign up the for the fall session in September, visit www.readmoreco.com.

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Tito Jackson Steps Out On Vocals With New Single “One Way Street” Continuing The Jackson Legacy Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) – Legendary guitarist, Tito Jackson, considered the quieter member of perhaps the greatest musical family in the history of music – The Jacksons, has stepped out on vocals with the release of his new single “One Way Street.”

In just one week, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s cut was the second most added song at radio stations across the country.

“One Way Street” features the remix from hot producer Gregg Pagani, who also worked with hit-makers Charlie Wilson

(“Uncle Charlie,” “Just Charlie,” “In It To Win It”) and Johnny Gill (“Game Changer,” “Soul Of A Woman”), and is considered one of the hottest producers today. The track is the tale of a bad romance, with finger pops and a haunting background leading into a memorable hook, and Tito’s lead.

“Performing beside my brothers on stage has been a wonderful blessing for me, for decades. Introducing “One Way Street” at this time, in my career, is an ideal platform for me to share my solo project with our loyal fans, and hopefully gain new ones along the way,” stated Tito.

On working with Gregg Pagani, Tito says, “It was an honor working with Gregg. I thanked him for his magical touch on ‘One Way Street.’ It takes a special talent to take the music of seasoned, veteran artists like me, Charlie and Johnny and make the song relevant and popular to a new generation.”

“One Way Street,” distributed by Beat Root Music, on Tito’s independent label Play It Right Entertainment, is now available on iTunes and all digital music platforms.

“One Way Street” (Gregg Pagani Mix) https://drive.google.com/file/ d/1wJlUk9UUcroLpQrZq1k9Fs VBwcRcJNyn/view

Fresh off the leg of The Jacksons European concert, fans will get the chance to see Tito perform “One Way Street,” along with performances of mega-classics by The Jacksons, as they experience the magic of these legends live on stage during their U.S. shows in Morganton, NC at Municipal Auditorium on September 5, and Atlanta, GA at Wolf Creek Amphitheater on September 7, 2019.

Tito’s initial success with recording masterpieces, “I Want You Back,” “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “I’ll Be There,” and other mega-hits is the genesis of an untiring trek into modern musical immortality. His musical arrow is aimed in the direction of diverse genres, R&B, blues and pop. He has also collaborated with his sons Taj, Taryll, and TJ, of the group 3T. A renown international artist, Tito’s modest and reserved persona, and as an astounding guitarist, has garnered enormous respect from his peers and fans worldwide. His emphasis on fairness and loyalty in the music business community is a hallmark of his cool and selfless style.

Tito’s mark on music history and the rich legacy that he has established is one that has stood the test of time.

The Jacksons are inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, have five #1 albums, 18 #1 hits, 17 top 10 albums, 17 top 40 singles, which include their most notable songs..

DUS 30th Anniversary Theme Song Available on CD Baby Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

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Letters to the Editor Continued from page 3 of a great experiment in this great country that seeks to include everyone and seeks to rectify the horrible wrongs that have been done when we acted maliciously to exclude others.

Slavery was the “worst of the worst” of bullying. The stains of that horrible “institution” live with us strongly to this day more than a century and half after its supposed elimination. We who are of honor, principle and values must stand together to address the continuing evils of it and to seek ways to repay those who have had to live with its detrimental aspects. This is said to be controversial, but it should not be. It should be front and center, always addressed in the subject of inclusion, social responsibility and justice. Let us not shirk from it. Let us honestly and forthrightly state that the evils of exclusion of African-Americans, in whatever distorted or clandestine way, can no longer be tolerated. It may take some time, and it may take changing many minds, but I say let us start now!

Tomorrow is too late. It should have been done long ago.

Long live the great experiment of these United States!

Let’s give everyone a fair chance, education and a decent place to live. Let’s make it greater by giving reparations to the descendants of the slaves in a way that is effective and meaningful. We can do it. Let’s dedicate ourselves to it!

However, I confess that I have serious concerns about the direction that this university has taken in regard to the recruitment and retention of African American students, and so I am reaching out to you, as I previously have done with the Board of Regents, about the present situation.

With a current enrollment of 33,000 students on the Boulder Campus (up from 20,000 when I was a student), it is clear that CU has established itself as a presence on the national stage.

But of that number, only one

percent is African American, accounting for roughly the same number of Black students that attended CU in the 1970s.

Meanwhile, CU’s football team is 70 percent Black, and the basketball team 60 percent Black.

As an attendee at the November 2018 CU Diversity Summit in Boulder, I spoke with an administrator in Strategic Relations, who actually told me that several majority minority high schools around the country have asked that CU not visit/recruit their students who, while qualified,

Mike Sawaya Denver, CO

Open Letter To CU President Editor: Dear Mr. Kennedy, Please accept my congratulations on joining us as president of my alma mater, the University of Colorado. There is much to be accomplished; I wish you well.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

29

lack the financial resources needed to enroll at Boulder. She then asked me if I could identify non-White students who are both academically and financially ready for CU. I found that statement preposterous and insulting. However, in response, I offered, in writing, to identify “suitable schools/high school students” per the Admissions Office’s “Do Not Visit” list. No one has contacted me to follow up, although I have means to identify both schools and students whose academic Continued on page 30

Letters to the Editor

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Continued from page 29 profiles are competitive with the typical CU student. Predictably, there has been no acknowledgement of the existence of a “Do Not Visit” list.

African American enrollment at CU declined from roughly 700 students some 40 years ago to as few as 300 in the 1990s and back to 1970’s numbers on a campus with an otherwise steadily growing general population. So while the overall population increased, the number of Black students saw a net decline. That is not progress.

An April 4, 2018 New York Times article, “Colleges Recruit at Richer, Whiter High Schools,” shed light on the gap between what has been said and what has been done when it comes to college recruiting.

UCLA’s Ozan Jaquette, and the University of Arizona’s Karina Salazar debunked the justifications that colleges present about whom they recruit and why.

The link to their study can be found here: http://emraresearch.org What Jaquette and Salazar found was that colleges like CU sought students from high schools in more affluent and White neighborhoods while ignoring talented students in less affluent, less White areas. They specifically cited CU’s recruiting practices as an example.

Case-in-point: CU representatives recruited students from Boston’s Dover-Sherborn Regional High School, (88 percent White, about 150 students with proficient math scores, according to the U.S. Department of Education). But CU passed over nearby Brockton High School (21 percent white, about 620 students meeting those same math standards). Other examples abound.

The numbers are not any better within the state, where Black and Brown students are typically routed to the CU’s Denver Campus, while wealth-

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – September 2019

30

ier White students are directed to and enrolled in Boulder.

President George Norlin once challenged our university to seek out the talented regardless of where they came from, who their parents were, or how much they could spend. He rejected those who urged discrimination, putting CU’s very existence on the line. That is the kind of moral courage that we need today. He believed that we could be better. So, too, do I. We must do better and that is undergirded by honoring the stated mission of the university.

On May 2, 1977, a group of about two dozen African American, Latino, Native American, Asian, and White CU students carried out a 17-hour takeover of the Hellems Arts and Sciences Building in response to reduced nonwhite enrollment. Back then, faculty members openly stated that dark faces cheapened the Colorado degree.

Those young people did not go to college to protest or occupy buildings. They came to study.

They came to earn degrees and become contributing citizens.

Instead, they were greeted with resistance, as demonstrated by the hostile emotional climate and their decreasing numbers. The same circumstances which generated that protest appear to be true today.

No student should ever be put in that position again.

I look forward to the possibility of future conversations and hearing more on your plans to create an expanded, inclusive student body.

Sincerely, James Michael Brodie

Editor’s note: James Michael Brodie, a University of Colorado graduate in English, is a Baltimore-based writer, journalist, and author. His books include Created Equal: The Lives and Ideas of Black American Innovators and Sweet Words So Brave: The Story of African American Literature. His current work is tentatively titled The CU Black and Gold Project.

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