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District’s own B. Steady gets Filmaker of the Month award Page 4
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May 8 - May 14, 2014
Why Black-owned media are key to our diversity Page 3 www.districtchronicles.com
Volume 13 Issue 38
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Editorial A ‘Sterling’ example of Black confusion By Ron Busby Sr. President, U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce
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Talk about misplaced anger. This is not to diminish the obvious -- that Sterling’s perspective is unacceptable, is deserving of any fine, penalty, compensatory payment and public shaming available under law. But Congress makes the laws that limit our ability to have equitable access in the marketplace and the courts interpret and uphold those laws, even in the face of glaring inequity. Doesn’t that make you mad, too? So, if we’re going to be mad about something ... okay, okay, Sterling is as good a place as any to start, but his despicable record in denying housing opportunities to Black families has had more direct impact on Black folks than anything he may have said to his “side piece” in a recorded phone conversation. So, maybe Sterling is a pretty good place to start showing just how angry we are today. In the meantime, if we truly want to demonstrate our displeasure, let’s go cold turkey! Turn off the NBA playoffs. Don’t buy another jersey. Don’t watch NFL games this fall. Stop buying that profanity-laced, misogynistic crap that is being foisted upon us as cultural expression. If it’s our money that is financing the exploitation of Black talent, we can do something
Craig Dietrich/creative commons
et me get my disclaimer out of the way first: The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) is a business organization. Our sole purpose is to improve the lives of Black people by actively working to change the market environment. We advocate for improvements in capital access, increased opportunity and the transfer of the skills necessary to successfully, and profitably compete in America’s economy. Despite this clarity of purpose, we are often called upon to weigh in on issues that typically are addressed by civil rights or social justice organizations. For certain, we are Black in America, so we do have opinions about continued evidence of inequality, racism, bigotry, discrimination and hatred being directed against Black people. But, as I said, we are a business organization, so our perspective is always going to be a business perspective. Donald Sterling is a businessman who owns, among other interests, a National Basketball Association franchise. He said some insulting remarks that prove his disdain for Black people, presumably including the men whose
athletic ability make his franchise valuable. And Sterling, through his twisted thinking, has hijacked all of Black America’s communications channels. Facebook, Twitter, radio, newspaper ... all on fire with commentary about Sterling and what must be done to make him pay. Excuse me, but there’s real life going on here. Black America, even after the furor over Sterling’s telephonic rant has dissipated, will still suffer from gross inequality. The $2.5 million fine levied by the NBA for his “transgression” is a pittance for someone whose fortune is reported to be over a billion dollars. His franchise, the Los Angeles Clippers, will still receive millions of dollars in television royalty payments, even if he is not allowed to attend games or go to his office. And all the while, Black businesses are still not able to qualify for a loan guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Black businesses are still failing to net their federally mandated share of contracts awarded by that same government. As a result, Black unemployment figures -- as reported by the same federal government -- are still spiraling skyward, with no apparent ceiling.
A crowd gathers outside the Staples center in L.A. to protest the racist rants of Clippers owner Donald Sterling. But is the anger over this misplaced?
about that. If the empires built on exploitation can no longer rely on our complicity (in ticket sales, athletic attire, and viewers/consumers, etc.) they will quickly lose their value. If we truly want to demonstrate our displeasure, let our money do our talking. Do something different -- support Black-owned businesses. Here at the USBC, we’ve grown fond of pointing out that if each of America’s Black-owned businesses earned enough money to hire just
one new employee, we’d wipe out Black unemployment overnight. So, we have a real opportunity here to prove that we really have taught our dollars some sense. Racism, bigotry, discrimination and personal animus seem to be -- after all these years -- beyond our control. Unfortunately for us, those behaviors are also apparently beyond the control of federal laws designed to stamp them out. You can take that to the bank! (A Black-owned bank, please!)
States’ refusal to expand Medicaid: attack on the poor By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. (TriceEdneyWire.com) -We pledge allegiance to “One nation, under God.” When terrorists attack us, we unite as one to defend our nation and our countrymen and women. Yet, we allow the doctrine of the Confederacy -- states’ rights -- to divide us, even to the point of costing Americans their lives. Charlene Dill, a resident of Florida, was a 32-year-old mother of three. She worked three jobs to try to support those children, despite having a serious heart condition. She earned too much -- $11,000 a year -- to be eligible for Medicaid under Florida law. She would have been able to get expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. But the conservative justices on the Supreme Court ruled that states have the right to
refuse to expand Medicaid, even though the federal government will pay 100 percent of the costs for the first three years, and 90 percent thereafter. This states’ rights decision would cost Charlene Dill her life. Every member of the Florida state legislature has health insurance. Yet, as zealous opponents of Obamacare, they voted not to expand Medicaid, turning their noses up on billions in federal support. That decision cost Dill her life. According to a Harvard study, an estimated 8 million Americans will remain uninsured because of the decision of 25 states to refuse to expand Medicaid. They estimate that will result in about 7,000 deaths per year, or 19 a day. The victims are working people, who earn too much to get Medicaid and too little to afford health insurance. Conservatives, one would think, would want to
2 | May 8 - May 14, 2014 | District Chronicles
help those who get the early bus, who clean our streets, take care of our children, work the midnight shift. But they hate Obama far more than they care for low-wage workers. They choose partisan politics over the common good. Not surprisingly, the states that have refused to expand Medicaid include almost the entire South, the states of the former Confederacy, as well as the Republican bastions in the Midwest and West (from Kansas to Idaho). These are among the poorest states in the union, with the most residents who have no health insurance, and the worst health care indices. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) spent 20 hours in a fake filibuster against Obamacare, while his state ranks among the worst in the country with more than one in five of its residents without health insurance. Georgia State Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens brags that
the state is doing “everything in its power to be an obstructionist,” while 18.4 percent of Georgians go without health insurance. Mississippi residents, not surprisingly, are most likely to lack access to basic necessities. One fourth report that they didn’t have money for food at some point in the last 12 months. Mississippi residents have the lowest life expectancy, the highest obesity rates (over 35 percent), the lowest household income, and nearly one in four reports they lack the money to purchase health care. Yet the governor of Mississippi refuses millions in federal aid to expand Medicaid. People of color -- primarily African Americans in Mississippi and the former confederate states, Latinos in Texas and elsewhere -are disproportionately the victims of this cruelty. From John C. Calhoun’s South Carolina Ordinance
of Nullification to secession, the Civil War to segregation, states’ rights has always been a doctrine wielded to oppress minorities, even at the cost of depriving poor working people of all races. These governors and legislators assume that poor people do not register and do not vote (and they are passing laws to make it harder for them to do so). They assume that most Americans won’t care if thousands die needlessly. They assume that states’ rights can allow America to move from one nation to two nations, separate and unequal. Dill is neither the first nor the last to be lost to this callous calculation. But I believe we are a better country than that. Working and poor people have an insult level that is being violated. People of conscience will not turn their eyes forever. This is a moral disgrace that cannot be simply ignored.
Finance
Black-owned media better reflect Black experience By Raynard Jackson
forwardtimesonlie.com
(NNPA) – With the continued consolidation going on within the media, there is continuous debate over the issue of ownership and diversity. But how does one define ownership? Is ownership the issue, or is it editorial control? Could it be both? According to the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Black media is Blackowned and operated by definition. The NNPA is composed of approximately 200 Black newspapers in the United States and the Virgin Islands, and have a combined readership of nearly 20 million. They have digital presence on BlackPressUSA.com, a newswire that allows newspapers to provide real time news and information to their readers. The newspapers associated with the NNPA are wholly owned and operated by Blacks, unlike many popular media outlets. Many of the popular sources are merely White corporations masquerading as Black-owned. The Grio is owned by NBC, The Root is owned by the Washington Post, Essence is owned by Time, Inc., and BET is owned by Viacom. Each of these outlets is run by Black people who serve as the public face of White-owned companies. These outlets’ owners are mostly liberals and that seems to carry over into the work they produce. With corporate owners and their designated staffers at these Black outlets being politically liberal, there seems to be no thought or interest in diversifying views. For the most part, Blacks crave inclusion and then turn around and exclude those who do not agree with them politically. These Black operators falsely claim to represent the views of the Black community as a whole. Nothing could be further from the truth. They represent the views of some of the Black community. If you are part of the Republican National Committee (RNC), it makes more sense to cultivate strong relationships and spend money with Black newspapers versus those with an identity crisis. Black newspapers are not obli-
Black owned and operated media reflect the full spectrum of Black experience
gated to white, corporate masters. Black newspaper owners are a better reflection of the views within the black community, and their newspapers better reflect the full range of thinking. The corporate owned black media outlets are under obligation to enforce the agendas of these corporations. You do not see issues pushed within Black-owned newspapers. Some individual owners may support these issues on a personal level, but it is rarely reflected in their newspapers. These corporations have invested in Black media outlets not to promote issues of relevance to the Black community, but to push an ideology and promote their own causes. In the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) report it states, “As of 2011, Whites owned 69.4 percent of the nation’s 1,348 television stations. That’s up from 63.4 percent in 2009, when there were 1,187 stations.” “While white ownership increased, most minority ownership decreased. Blacks went from owning 1 percent of all commercial TV stations in 2009 to just 0.7 percent in 2011. Asian ownership slipped from 0.8 percent in 2009 to 0.5 percent last year. Latino ownership increased slightly from 2.5 percent to 2.9. Females owned 6.8 percent of all commercial TV stations in 2011, compared to 5.6 percent in 2009.”
The same report indicated that whites own almost 80 percent of all AM and FM radio stations, with more than 70 percent owned by men. Ownership and diversity are like Siamese twins; you can’t separate one from the other. Only when Blacks own their own media outlets can they control the messages they send to the readers. When Whites masquerade as Black media, their goal is to push an agenda -- one that is usually contrary to the thinking in the real Black community. Black newspapers provide a variety of issues within the Black community, liberal and conservative. The philosophical diversity of their ownership is more diverse with Black newspapers than in all the other media combined If the RNC is trying to establish a dialogue and relationship with the Black community and are trying to maximize the effort, there is no question that Black newspapers, including their websites, provide the most bang, and authenticity, for the buck. Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm. His website is www.raynardjackson. com. Follow him on Twitter (@raynard1223).
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Steadwell (left) seen here on the set of her latest project “Vow of Silence,” will premiere the short film May 19th.
District of Columbia Howard film student named Filmmaker of the Month
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he District of Columbia Office of Motion Picture and Television Development has named Be Steadwell, emerging filmmaker, songwriter and producer, as May’s 2014 Filmmaker of the Month. Steadwell, a native Washingtonian, discovered her love and talent for filmmaking through her songwriting and learning to shoot and edit her own music videos. She describes herself as being “unapologetic in her filmmaking, telling stories with queer women of color at the center of the narrative.” Her work focuses on re-imagining the lives of her ancestors, the stories of marginalized D.C. residents, and creating futuristic love stories. While a student in Howard University’s MFA film program,
Montgomery County Montgomery College to hold Parent/Student Night
4 | May 8 - May 14, 2014 | District Chronicles
Montgomery College is hosting a parent/student night at its Rockville Campus, 51 Mannakee Street, Rockville, MD 20850 on Monday, May 12 in the Physical Education Building, from 6 to 9 p.m. Doors will open at 5 p.m. High school seniors planning
Steadwell founded fatback films, a D.C.-based film production team comprised of talented women of color. Her production team offers community workshops, events, and affordable services in film, music video, and event production. Using rhythmic pacing, and melody-driven narratives, Steadwell’s work highlights the parallels between music and film. One of her first works, a music-driven short entitled “Bones,” tells the story of an enslaved woman who runs from her captors to find the woman she loves. “Bones” won Howard University’s Paul Robeson award in cinematography in 2011. Her next work, “Red Sky Snow White,” features an interpretation of the Brothers Grimm’s “Little Red Cap.” In 2012, “Red Sky Snow White” was selected for the Black International Cinema Festival in Berlin and the Queer Women of Color Film Festival in San Francisco. Steadwell, who lives in Ward 4, graduates Sunday and is currently facilitating songwriting workshops
and touring internationally. Her thesis, a short film entitled “Vow of Silence,” will have its premiere screening May 19th at Busboys & Poets 5th and K Streets location at 6:30 p.m. “Vow of Silence” tells the story of Jade, a heart broken composer who takes a vow of silence in an attempt to win back her true love. The film fuses characteristics of experimental, narrative and musical film. The Filmmaker of the Month initiative is part of MPTD’s mission to elevate the national and international profile of the city’s most talented filmmakers. Previous filmmakers honored include “Indie Capitol” web series creator Anthony Greene; Emmy award-winning filmmaker and founder of Video/Action Robin Smith; “The Church Lady Cake Diaries” creator Michon Boston; Council on International Nontheatrical Events (CINE) award-winning filmmaker Brad Allgood. For more information, visit: http://film.dc.gov/page/filmmaker-month.
on attending Montgomery College in the fall, and their parents or guardians, are encouraged to attend. Information will be available on the college’s enrollment process and financial aid and scholarships. Breakout sessions will be offered on “Financing a College Education,” “What I did after MC” and an admissions session in Spanish. Student services representatives will be on hand to answer questions. The College’s admissions, financial aid and counseling and ad-
vising offices are open until 7 p.m. if attendees need more detailed service. The normal fee for application to the College will be waived during this event only. To RSVP and for more information, go to www.montgomerycollege.edu/admissions/openhouse. For disability accommodations, send an email to recruit@montgomerycollege.edu. For more information about the Rockville Campus Parent/Student Night, contact dana.baker@montgomerycollege.edu.
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nother week, another communications controversy for Pope Francis? That’s how it was looking after a three-word tweet from Pope Francis -- in Latin -- about inequality left some conservatives dazed and confused over Catholic teachings on economics. They were still digesting last week’s news about the pontiff’s call to an Argentine woman that left them wondering whether Rome was going wobbly on the sanctity of marriage. The latest dust-up began routinely enough, with an early morning post to Francis’ Twitter feed late last month that said: “Iniquitas radix malorum.” “Inequality is the root of social evil,” is how the English translation ran, and that tracked closely with other language versions. It’s the 21st century equivalent of the New Testament admonition that “the love of money is the root of all evil” in an age when critics say the globalized capitalist system is rigged against the poor. In the American context, however, Francis’ statement was like tossing a match onto a field of dry hay. Religious conservatives in the U.S. were already anxious over the pope’s efforts to reorient the Catholic agenda toward a priority on social justice for the poor. And political conservatives are especially worried that Francis’ frequent blasts at income inequality are playing into the hands of President Obama and the Democrats, who have also made the wealth gap a major talking point. Add in the current agita on the right over the notoriety of French economist Thomas Piketty’s bestselling book on the income divide, “Capital in the 21st Century,” and whoosh, instant social media wildfire. “Seriously, though, what was up with that tweet by @Pontifex? Has he traded the writings of Peter and Paul for Piketty?” tweeted Joe Carter of the Acton Institute, a Catholic-run, libertarian think tank. “Hate and apathy are the roots of social evil,” he added as
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Conservatives squawk over pope’s tweet on inequality
Pope Francis’ tweet on April 28 on inequality caused a stir among conservatives, liberals.
a counterpoint. “Piketty gets a blurb,” tweeted Matthew Schmitz, deputy editor of the conservative journal First Things. At Catholic Culture, a conservative news site, editor Phil Lawler called the pope’s tweet “a fairly radical statement” and as “a piece of economic analysis a very simplistic one.” He added that Francis probably doesn’t know what’s going onto his Twitter feed anyway, and the pope definitely does not speak English. “So we can be sure those aren’t his exact words,” said Lawler, echoing previous conservative efforts to downplay or explain away some of Francis’ more provocative statements. Yet Vatican officials have said that in fact Francis personally approves all of his tweets, and did so in this case as well. Moreover, they noted that the tweet is taken directly from Francis’ blockbuster exhortation from last year, The Joy of the Gospel (see paragraph No. 202). So what explains the high anxiety? One reason is that Catholic conservatives were already on edge after trying to sort out what exactly Francis said to an Argentine woman he called to discuss her irregular marital situation and whether she could receive communion. It seemed the pope told her she could, and many worried that this sent the wrong signal,
and that Francis should stop communicating so casually via cold calls and social media. “Another unnecessarily ambiguous, therefore controversial papal statement,” Dreher tweeted following the Francis’ post. “Twitter bad for clear papal communication.” A second factor is that many Christian conservatives, especially non-Catholics, are not intimately familiar with Catholic social teaching, which is what Francis was expounding. “We are more accustomed to hearing popes talk about personal virtues and vices as the root of all evil and not to hear someone talk so clearly about structural sins,” said Dionne, who is also a scholar at the Brookings Institution, which just produced a report on social justice and the future of religious progressives in U.S. politics. “Although his tweet in consistent with Catholic social thought, I think it struck people because of the forceful stress on inequality, as opposed to a more general critique of social injustice that they often hear from religious leaders,” he said. “Who among us can presume to be free of sin?” the pope wrote in under 140 characters. “No one. Let us ask God to forgive our sins.” So far, Christians don’t seem to be questioning the pontiff on that score.
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Cover ‘Diddy’ to speak at Howard commencement By Jailyn Anderson Contributing writer
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a degree in radio, television and film. Like other graduating seniors, Legette admires Diddy’s success as a creative entrepreneur. “We all can gain advice from his speech. He had another opportunity that he felt he needed to take to get him where he wanted to be,” Legette said. “Just because you don’t finish college doesn’t mean you aren’t a great speaker. After four years of college, I want to hear a speech about how to make it in the world and not how to make it through college.” Like the graduating seniors, many alumni are anxious to hear Diddy’s speech. Alicia ShermanAnderson graduated over 20 years ago. She said she couldn’t even recall her commencement speaker. Sherman-Anderson is excited to hear that the commencement speaker will be someone who previously walked “The Yard” as a student. “When I graduated I don’t even remember my commence speaker. She may have been some black congressman,” Sherman-Anderson said. “I think he will do an amazing job speaking to our graduates. He will be able to deliver a powerful
instagram.com/iamdidy
t’s Saturday morning, commencement time at Howard University. As always, graduating seniors will be beaming with joy. Cameras will be flashing and friends and relatives will be rejoicing as about 1,800 graduates toss their academic caps high into the air. Howard University has tapped the popular hop hop entertainment mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs to be the 146th commencement speaker. He will also be one of several achievers the University plans to hand honorary doctoral degrees. Diddy attended howard many years ago, but he dropped out to pursue his budding entertainment career. “In selecting the individuals who will be awarded honorary degrees, Howard University continues the tradition of identifying leaders whose work has clearly contributed to the advancement of their fields and the world,” said Howard University Interim President Wayne A.I. Frederick in a press release. “We are honored to have Mr. Combs serve
as our speaker. He sat in classrooms where our students sit, walked ‘The Yard,’ and like many students, his entrepreneurial spirit was sparked at Howard. We know he will inspire our class to work hard and to always strive for excellence.” Howard alumni and students are excited to hear what the former student has written for his speech. “I hope he tells his success story,” said Tashira Merritt, who is graduating with a degree in broadcast journalism. “I want him to make clear about why he decided to drop out of college and how he got to where he is today. I know there is a lot that we can take from his experience in the “real world.” Jasmine Felder who is graduating with a degree in psychology agrees. “Diddy brings a different perspective seeing that he left Howard but he is very successful,” Felder gushed. “He is an entrepreneur and a lot of people want to be like him. He would be good, especially like boosting the spirit of graduating seniors, letting them know they can do anything.” Todd Legette is graduation with
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs put this photo out on Instagram and reached out to the Howard University community for input in his upcoming commencement speech.
message about persistence, never giving up on your dreams, and going after what you want.” Combs himself has made instragram videos and twitter tweets encouraging former Howard alums to contact him with advise they feel he
should tell the graduates. “I would like y’all to help me write my speech. What better way than to go to family. So if you have any ways and advice hit me at Diddy speech HU #DiddySpeechHU. HU bison for life.”
Struggles of African-American girls go under radar
By Jazelle Hunt NNPA Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON – March 1, was the last time eight-year-old Relisha Rudd was seen, leaving a local hotel here with Kahlil Tatum, a 51-yearold custodian who had been tasked to babysit her. Exactly a month later, Tatum was found dead; Rudd remains missing and the trail has gone cold. The same week Tatum’s death was announced, the body of 30year-old, first-year medical resident Teleka Patrick was pulled from a lake in Indiana. In the days leading up to her December disappearance, she and others expressed concern over her mental health. The circumstances of her death remain unclear. One week after Patrick’s body was found, 22-year-old Karyn Washington, founder of For Brown Girls, a well-known blog dedicated to combatting colorism and promoting self-love for Black women, was found dead in an apparent suicide.
The plight of Black boys garners well-deserved attention, even from the White House – but Black girls are fighting epic wars of their own, too. “Black girls are under the radar,” said Monique Morris author and president of the National Black Women’s Justice Institute. “At this point, all of the conversations are geared toward men and boys, and now at least a billion dollars annually will be invested in ensuring that men and boys of color have services that are uniquely responsive to their condition. And we don’t see that similar investment in girls.” This lack of investment may be because Black girls seem to be winning their wars, especially when compared to their male counterparts. On standardized math and reading tests, they outscore their male counterparts. They report lower levels of tobacco and alcohol use than their White counterparts, according to the Center for Disease Control’s youth surveillance survey. And 2012 National Education Statistics reports of gains in higher
6 | May 8 - May 14, 2014 | District Chronicles
education, with African-American women and girls coming from behind to outpace everyone in the rate of college enrollment. At the same time, four in 10 Black girls don’t graduate from high school. Starting as early as preschool, they are more likely to be suspended than all other girls, and most other boys. Social justice organization Black Women’s Blueprint finds that nearly 60 percent of Black women have been sexually assaulted by age 18. And in 2009, University of Southern California researchers found that Black girls are actually 50 percent more likely than White girls to be bulimic. In short, Black girls live in a state of limbo, where their race, their gender, or a combination of both can work against them. “It’s important to have conversations with girls about patriarchy and about racism, so they understand the structures they’re living in and can develop the language and analysis on how to navigate these systems,” said Morris. Saving Our Lives, Hearing
Our Truths is one program helping to foster that understanding and sense of self-examination. Based in Illinois’ Champaign-Urbana metro area, SOLHOT creates safe spaces for Black girls through art, storytelling, camaraderie, and the support of the eight Black women (called “Homegirls”) who shepherd them. “Black girlhood is rather complex,” said Claudine “Candy” Taaffe, a SOLHOT Homegirl and doctoral student in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Education. “Because it doesn’t exist in a vacuum, Black girls are not asking to be saved, and I’d argue that Black boys are saying the exact same thing.” The National CARES Mentoring Movement brings this idea to life with a blend of education programs, community partnerships, mentor recruitment and training programs, and both one-to-one and group-mentoring programs. “What I have found, in listening to girls, is a profound loneliness. More than anything I would say that Black girls are saying that
they need to speak,” said Founder and CEO Susan Taylor. “I see a cry for guidance, and for the wings of more mature women to cover them. And to hear them.” The National Council of Negro Women has also prioritized such work for nearly 80 years, through components such its Bethune Program Development Center in Los Angeles with empowerment and mentoring programs. Maura Hackett, teen program director at Science Club for Girls, offers free hands-on workshops, mentorship, competitions, and field trips to foster interest in STEM fields. “It’s hard to find Black women mentors for our girls, and it’s something we’re working toward [correcting],” she said. “The girls get really into [STEM forums] when they find and can talk to people who look like them; you see them open up a lot quicker. You can see the hesitation when we enter all-male rooms. One girl actually told me, ‘I can be that because there’s someone in there who looks like me.’”
Politics
ACLU challenges Ohio’s latest attack on early voting
AMG | PHOTOGRAPHY sos.state.oh.us
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s directive is the latest in a series of voter suppression attacks targeting early voting.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) last week filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to strike down a new state law and a directive from Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted that have slashed early voting opportunities in Ohio in advance of the 2014 election. The ACLU and the ACLU of Ohio brought the complaint on behalf of the Ohio Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the League of Women Voters of Ohio, and several AfricanAmerican churches. “Ohio has again taken center stage in the battle over voting rights,” said Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “Politicians who tamper with people’s fundamental right to vote are being put on notice that they are not going to get away with it.” The lawsuit names Husted and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine as defendants. It seeks to strike down Ohio Senate Bill 238, a 2014 law that eliminated the first week of early voting in Ohio. This period, often referred to as “Golden Week,” enables voters to register and cast a ballot on the same day. The suit is also challenging a 2014 Husted directive that further slashed the early voting period by eliminating all Sundays, the Monday before Election Day and all evening voting hours. “Together these cuts will impact
tens of thousands of low-income voters, elderly voters, student voters and African-American voters who turn to early, in-person voting as their best option for casting a ballot,” said Sybil Edwards-McNabb, president of the Ohio Conference of the NAACP. In the 2012 election, more than 157,000 Ohioans voted on the days that have now been cut. A disproportionately high percentage of those are low-income voters, many of whom are also African American. Lower-income voters tend to rely on evening and Sunday voting because they cannot take paid time
lumbus. In Ohio, targeting early voting has become a pattern. In 2011, the Ohio General Assembly passed a law eliminating both “Golden Week” and the last three days of early voting before Election Day. Voters responded by organizing a ballot referendum to strike down the law, prompting legislators to repeal it on their own. In 2012, Husted continued the pattern by issuing a directive that cut the same three days of early voting for all non-military voters. The Obama campaign responded with a federal lawsuit and the court forced Husted to restore the early voting days, allowing an additional 67,000 voters to cast – ACLU an in-person ballot before the election. “The people of Ohio organized a referendum expressly to stop these kinds of attacks on early voting and a federal judge has already intervened once for the same purpose,” said Carrie Davis, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio. “Now the same politicians are back with the same bad ideas. Meanwhile, good ideas like online voter registration languish in political limbo. These are the ideas we need to be working on.” The complaint, NAACP v. Husted, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. To view a copy of the complaint, visit aclu. org/voting-rights/naacp-v-husted-0.
The same politicians are back with same bad ideas off of work to vote during regular business hours. Single parents need these hours because it’s the only time they can find friends or family who can provide child care. People experiencing homelessness or severe transience rely on the opportunity to register and vote at the same time during the first week of early voting. And among many within the African-American church community, Sunday voting has become an important cultural tradition. “These cuts will destroy the ‘Souls to the Polls’ programs many churches have created to transport parishioners to the polls on the Sunday before Election Day,” said the Rev. Dale Snyder of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Co-
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Technology
Simple ways to recycle electronics, reduce e-waste
Cell phones and mobile devices
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8 | May 8 - May 14, 2014 | District Chronicles
You probably have a few sitting in a drawer at your house – cellphones you no longer use but aren’t really sure what to do with. According to Bamboo Mobile, it is expected that there will be roughly 396 million idle or inactive mobile devices in the U.S. by the end of 2014, and of those, only about 80 million will be recycled. Recycling small electronic devices is easier than ever, and you might even get some money in the process. Just find the nearest ecoATM at a mall or retailer nearby. The kiosks pay you for recycling phones, MP3 players and tablets that are broken or no longer being used. Just place your device in the kiosk and the machine examines it and determines a bid. If you agree to sell it, you get cash immediately. Approximately 75 percent of ecoATM devices purchased find a second life – old or broken phones are responsibly recycled. Visit www.ecoatm.com for more information. If you don’t have an ecoATM near you, most cellphone providers offer recycling programs within stores. While you won’t earn cash, you’ll still have the opportunity to properly recycle your mobile devices and keep toxic materials out of the waste stream. Keep in mind, for every million cellphones recycled, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772
wptv.com
(BPT) - Reduce, reuse, recycle – it’s a mantra we’ve known for decades. While Americans understand the benefits of recycling bottles, cans and paper, they aren’t as savvy when it comes to recycling electronics. Between cellphones, tablets, computers and other consumer electronic devices, the average U.S. house has 24 electronic devices – making for a lot of e-waste when that technology becomes dated. While it may be tempting to put electronic devices and batteries in the trash, it’s critical to understand how to properly dispose of and recycle electronics because each contains contaminants that are harmful to the environment. Here are three big e-waste offenders – cellphones, batteries and computers – and how each can be properly recycled.
EcoATMs take your used mobile devices in exchange for cash, but with Maryland lawmakers pushing back over mobile device theft, your best bet to recycle is a mobile provider’s store where recycling programs exist.
pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
and community centers where batteries can be placed for recycling. Additionally, consumer electronics stores often have recycling kiosks available to consumers.
Batteries
Computers and laptops
From your electric toothbrush to your TV remote or your children’s animated toys – each day your family uses a lot of batteries. In fact, every year Americans throw out almost 180,000 tons of batteries, according to Earth911, and the majority of these are the single-use type (not rechargeable). Dry-cell batteries are used in most consumer electronics, and these include alkaline and carbon zinc batteries (including some D, C, AA, AAA and 9-volt) and lithium batteries (including some 9-volt, C, AA and rechargeables). Another type to be aware of are wet-cell batteries that are found in cars, boats and motorcycles. Both dry and wet-cell batteries must be properly recycled. Recycling all types of batteries help to prevent pollution and reuse valuable metals. Start by checking with your local government or recycling center to learn how to properly dispose of batteries. Automotive stores will often collect and recycle wet-cell batteries. For drycell batteries, many municipalities offer boxes in city halls, libraries
Computers are part of most people’s daily lives, but when it comes time to upgrade, don’t put your legacy electronics in the trash. Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by more than 3,500 U.S. homes in a year, according to the EPA. For old laptops and computers, research donation possibilities in your area. While the technology might be dated for your purposes, it could still be put to good use at a local school, library or retirement center. If there isn’t a place where your computer can find a second life, recycle it through a reputable organization. Start by researching your computer manufacturer’s recycling programs. From simple recycling drop-off programs to mail-in recycling options, most manufacturers make it easy to reduce e-waste. In addition, most counties offer waste drop-off sites where you can bring your computer – as well as any other electronics – to be properly disposed of and recycled. Call your city or county to learn about available options.
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Legal Notice SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131
Melrose A. Lewis Name of decedent
Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs Robert J. Lewis II, whose address is 5342 Central Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Melrose A. Lewis who died on September 5, 2013, with a will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington D.C. 20001, on or before 11.1.2014. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 11.1.2014, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.
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In the Neighborhood
Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington District of Columbia Parent engagement partnership to expand to six new DC schools
T
he District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the Flamboyan Foundation will expand their family engagement work to six new elementary schools during the 2014-2015 school year. Already in place at 15 other schools, the Family Engagement Partnership builds school leader and teacher capacity to engage families in ways that accelerate student learning. Schools taking part in this partnership have seen significant academic growth, along with more active and engaged school communities. “The Flamboyan Family Engagement Partnership is one of our most successful partnerships to date,” said DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson. “The work to empower families and teachers and build real relationships truly makes a difference. The progress we have seen in these schools with this model has been tremendous and I’m so excited that more schools will get to benefit from this partnership.” The partnership teaches school leaders and teachers how to implement strategies, including home visits, where teachers and parents form trusting relationships which can be used as the foundation for collaboration to support student learning. The partnership also supports a new style of parent-teacher conferences called Academic Parent Teacher Teams (APTT) that equips families with the information and strategies they need to support student achievement at home. School staffs also learn how to build relationships with families and enable them to set high expectations around academics, monitor their child’s progress, and support learning at home. Participating schools receive training, resources and support in effective family engagement strategies. Schools were selected through a competitive process: interested principals attended an informational session, submitted a paper application, and participated in an in-person interview. The schools selected for the upcoming school year are Burrville,
J.O. Wilson, Kimball, Ketcham, Maury Elementary School and Langley Elementary Schools. In the 2011-2012 school year, the four pilot schools engaged in the partnership, Garfield and Stanton Elementary Schools, Wheatley Education Campus and Oyster- Adams Bilingual School, improved on the DC CAS by more than seven percentage points, compared with a two percentage point increase for non-participating schools. Attendance also improved at double the DCPS average. In the 2012-2013 school year, six new schools implemented the program. Seven new schools were added during the most recent school year. In the current school year, 86 percent of all partner schools’ teachers have voluntarily conducted at least one home visit, and 3,202 families have received a home visit from their child’s teacher. Through Academic Parent Teacher Team Meetings 2,220 parents across participating schools attended the first data sharing conference in the 2013-2014 school year.
Arlington County Parents organize to stop cuts to model autism program Parents of children with autism are joining together to demand that the Arlington Public Schools School Board reject a proposed budget cut that would seriously damage a successful program that makes it possible for 58 middle and high school students with autism to learn in regular education classrooms. The School Board is proposing to cut seven of the twelve trained aides who work with students to help them participate in mainstream classrooms. The proposal would make $271,000 in cuts to the program at a time when the number of children diagnosed with autism is rising. A 2013 study by the Arlington School District called the middle and high school autism program one of the top four special education programs in the District. “Middle school is tough enough for regular kids with its workload and social pressures, but it can drown an Asperger’s child,” said Peter Nissen,
father of a 7th grader in the program. “My daughter just couldn’t make it without these assistants in her classes, helping her, guiding her, giving her skills she’ll need throughout life. It’s a spectacular program - why destroy what’s working?” Parents, teachers and administrators created the program in 2009 to make it possible for children with high-functioning autism to learn alongside their peers who are not in special education. The key to the program is that it provides students with education in social skills from a teacher trained in autism, and then provides assistants who support students as they learn English, History, Math, Science, and other major subjects in regular education classes. “Ultimately this is about priorities. The School Board is increasing spending on central office expenses, and proposing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on public relations and parent engagement. Our message is to prioritize spending that goes directly to engaging our students,” said Gordon Whitman, who also has a 7th grade son in the program. “The choices that the School Board is making this month will have lifelong consequences for our children.” Parents want the board to restore the $271,000 in funding, to retain all 12 assistant positions, and begin working with parents and teachers to expand the program for the growing number of children who need it. April was Autism Awareness Month, but Arlington parents have vowed to continue it into May to raise awareness of the unique needs of children with autism. Parents have begun a petition drive and have received support from school PTA groups and the Arlington Special Education Advisory Committee, which also oppose the cuts. The parents group will be holding a press conference and turning out in force for a School Board budget forum today at 7pm at the Arlington School Board, 1426 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA. The Arlington Public Schools School Board will approve the final budget on May 22nd, so parents have just under a month to finish making their case.
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