District Chronicles V15 Issue 11 by District Chronicles

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Babyface to get honored at National council of Negro Women gala event Page 12 November 5 - November 11, 2015

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Volume 15 Issue 11

Robert Eunbanks/District Chronicles

Editorial

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GOP Bengazi tactics make Clinton look better

Republican’s obvious attempt to bring down Clinton’s poll numbers backfired, making her appear stronger.

By George E. Curry

he House Republicans’ Benghazi hearing was a barely-concealed attempt to further lower Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers. However, their strategy backfired as the televised hearing became an 11-hour infomercial in her favor. Instead of becoming a weakened opponent, Clinton emerged stronger than ever after the announcement that Vice President Joe Biden will not make a third run for the White House. Time after time, she demonstrated her mastery of foreign policy and proved that she could remain calm under constant badgering and inane questioning by Republicans on the panel. Instead of seeking answers to questions, more often than not the GOP panel members would divulge what they thought the former Secretary of State was thinking, or share their far-fetched “theory” about what was transpiring. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking member of the panel, said the special committee had one goal: damage the presidential candidacy of Clinton. “As we all know, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Speaker [John] Boehner’s second in command and the chairman’s close friend, admitted that they established the select committee to drive down Secretary Clinton’s poll numbers. Demo-

crats didn’t say that. The second in command in the House said that, a Republican,” said Cummings. “Republican Congressman Richard Hanna said the Select Committee was, quote, ‘designed – designed to go after Secretary Clinton.’ And one of the chairman’s own, hand-picked investigators, a self- proclaimed conservative Republican, charged that he was fired in part for not going along with these plans to, quote, ‘hyper-focus on Hillary Clinton,’” he continued. GOP panel members were so focused on trying to discredit Clinton that they appeared to rely heavily on theory and personal opinion because there were no new facts to add. In fact, they went over many of the same questions Clinton had answered when she testified before the committee earlier. “For instance, Clinton had already answered questions about who handled requests for increased security at Benghazi prior to the 2012 attacks,” reported Media Matters for America. “She had already answered questions about why, in the days following the attacks, she had – like the intelligence community and eyewitnesses on the ground – discussed the antiMuslim video that sparked worldwide protests and which the alleged terrorists themselves cited as a motivation. And she had already

explained that the compound in Benghazi was a ‘temporary’ facility, and thus not under the normal regulations for more typical consulates and embassies.” The media ultimately denounced the hearing as being fruitless. “The pointless grilling of Mrs. Clinton, who fielded a barrage of questions that have long been answered and settled, served only to embarrass the Republican lawmakers who have spent millions of dollars on a political crusade,” stated The New York Times. “The House Select Committee on Benghazi further discredited itself on Thursday as its Republican members attempted to fuel largely insubstantial suspicions about Hillary Clinton’s role in the 2012 Benghazi attacks. Grilling Ms. Clinton all day, they elicited little new information and offered little hope that their inquiry would find anything significant that seven previous investigations didn’t,” said a Washington Post editorial. By the time the hearing wrapped up, the only new thing to be learned was that there are no limits on how low Republicans will sink to score political points – at a cost of nearly $5 million and counting. George E. Curry is President and CEO of George Curry Media, LLC. He can be reached at georgecurry.com.

Finance

Bank ordered to correct its racial redlining

From the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, the battle for equality in America marches on.

Trice Edney News Wire/Target Market News (TriceEdneyWire.com) – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Justice Department announced a joint action against Hudson City Savings Bank for racially discriminatory redlining practices that denied residents in majority-Black-and-Hispanic neighborhoods fair access to mortgage loans. The complaint, filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Justice Department, alleges that Hudson City illegally provided unequal access to credit to neighborhoods in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The bank located branches and loan officers, selected mortgage brokers, and marketed products to avoid and discourage prospective borrowers in predominantly Black and Hispanic communities. If the proposed consent order is approved by the court, Hudson City will pay $25 million in direct loan subsidies to qualified borrowers in the affected communities, $2.25 million in community programs and outreach, and a $5.5 million penalty. This represents the largest redlining settlement in history to provide such direct subsidies. “We allege that Hudson City’s redlining practices illegally cut off opportunities for consumers in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods to get a mortgage and achieve the dream of hom-

eownership,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “Without access to affordable credit, neighborhoods deteriorate in the long shadow cast by unfair lending. Today’s action seeks to remove the redline by bringing more than $27 million in mortgage subsidies and outreach programs, along with new bank branches to the communities who should have had access from the beginning.” CFPD and DOJ charged that Hudson City excluded majorityBlack-and-Hispanic communities from its marketing strategy. Hudson City chose Suffolk County, New York, for its strategic marketing initiative. Suffolk County has a lower proportion of majority-Black-and-Hispanic neighborhoods than any other county in New York City and Long Island. The consent order requires Hudson City to spend $200,000 during a five-year term [a total of $1 million] on a targeted advertising and outreach campaign to generate mortgage applications residents in the affected majorityBlack-and-Hispanic neighborhoods. The bank will be required to display promotional materials in branch offices and advertise via print media, radio in English and Spanish. The consent order also requires Hudson City Savings to spend $750,000 to partner with community-based or governmental organizations that provide assistance to residents in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. The bank will also spend

$100,000 annually to provide 12 financial education events covering credit counseling, financial literacy, and other topics to help identify and develop qualified loan applicants from the affected Black and Hispanic communities. “This case should send a message to lenders throughout the country that the Justice Department will not tolerate racial discrimination in the extension of credit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “A lending institution must treat all potential borrowers equally, regardless of their race or the racial composition of their neighborhood, when deciding to offer its loan services.” Hudson City is a federallychartered savings association with 135 branches and assets of $35.4 billion. Hudson City focuses its lending on the origination and purchase of mortgage loans secured by single-family properties. Hudson City generates the vast majority of its mortgage loan applications for properties within three metropolitan statistical areas. The first area includes New York City, Long Island, and northern New Jersey. The second area includes Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington. The third area includes Bridgeport, Stamford, and Norwalk in Connecticut. In 2012, Hudson City generated over 90 percent of its mortgage loan applications for properties within these three areas.

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Soloman Howard as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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Hudson City Savings Bank will spend $1 million in ads for redlining practices denying mortgage loans to minorities.

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aris Jones was an energetic four year old who just wanted to be active and dance with her friends. Now at 22, the Howard University senior is still dancing, this time sharing the stage with other students and professionals from the distinguished Washington Ballet. Jones was one of 12 members from Howard University’s Dance Ensemble to perform two works at The Washington Ballet in their studio company performance titled, theNEWmovement: Balachine and Beyond last week at the England Studio Theater in northwest Washington. The performance examined how George Balachine, one of the most respected choreographers of the 20th century, influenced generations of other choreographers. Jones, from Richmond, Virginia, said she was very excited to be on the stage with The Washington Ballet. “When I heard we were dancing with The Washington Ballet, I was surprised, thinking ‘We are dancing in the same show with these professionals,’” she said. “A lot times when we are in this institutional setting, we think we aren’t on the same level as them, but we are in the field just like they are.” Tre’vis Lanier, 23, also a senior, was also excited about the performance. Lanier began dancing at the age of 15, which is usually a late start in the field. He said the experience is one that he will always remember. “I’m happy that Howard has prepared us to be able to come here and show others about our people, our culture, and show what we can do,” he said. “I want to inspire everyone around me to be passionate about dance. We need to put our hearts, bodies, everything into this.” Jones and fellow dancer Sydnee Carroll performed a duet titled “Keuchen.” The other students performed “SHOOK,” a combination of ballet and modern dance that was voiced by a recording of rapper Tupac Shakur Howard had performed the

Paris Jones, front, and Sydnee Carroll perform “Keuchen,” which translates “to gasp,” at The Washington Ballet.

dances previously at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Howard’s performance was part of the ballet company’s newly launched effort to create more diversity in its program and to expose “rising stars.” The ballet company has launched a dance series to give more exposure to the young and culturally diverse group of aspiring dancers from the ballet as part of “Let’s Dance Together,” the company’s diversity initiative for the this season. In April, for example, , the ballet company debuted Swan Lake with famous African-American dancer Misty Copeland, the principle dancer for American Ballet Theater, the nation’s premiere dance company. Performing opposite Copeland was Brooklyn Mack, also African American, a member of The Washington Ballet Company. Royce Zackery, head coordinator of dance arts at Howard, and Tiffany Quinn, the dance program’s co-coordinator, said they were very eager to reach out to The Washington Ballet to participate in the series. “I really want to dive into the diversity initiative on all spectrums of diversity,” said Zachery, a dancer for 20 years and the choreographer for his original piece, “Keuchen.” He also said the exposure to broader arenas is an integral part of the Howard’s dance instruction. “We want them to be more exposed and prepared for what is out there when they get to their professional career,” he said. “I’m just trying to get them to be profi-

cient technicians. When they leave here, they will have who we are in their back pocket. Whether they stay in the U.S. or go somewhere in Europe … their instrument is ready for the world.” Howard’s weekend performance was the first of four collaborations with The Washington Ballet Company over the next three years, said Zachery. Howard will also perform with the company March and April of 2016. Mary Day, the co-founder of the Washington Ballet School in 1944 and the founder of the current company, said promoting diversity was a focus for her and Septime Webre, the company’s artistic directed. Since1999, the two have worked tirelessly to make sure that everyone is represented, she said. “When I arrived in 1999, I knew that our organization needed to reflect more thoroughly the culture and complexion of our city,” said Webre, who is Cuban American. As part of his effort, in 2005 he created DanceDC, a seven-week program for 2nd and 3rd graders that combines learning ballet with required core subjects in the District of Columbia Public Schools’ curriculum. Of the 700 students who attend each year, 66 percent are African American, 21 percent are Hispanic, 10 percent are Caucasian, with Asians and other racial groups making up the last 3 percent. In 2005, the company opened another program that provides ballet lessons for 4- to18 year olds as well as adults. The program is located in Anacostia, one of the lowest income neighborhoods in the District.

Divine Intervention Episcopalian’s first Black Bishop turns up heat By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service

anglicannews.org

After knocking loudly three times on the door of the Washington National Cathedral, Bishop Michael Curry was installed as the new presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church Sunday, the first African American to lead the 2.5 millionmember denomination. Curry preached on how his father was moved to become an Episcopalian after watching a church welcome his then-fiancee to drink from the common Communion cup in the often-segregated 1940s. “The Holy Spirit has done evangelism and racial reconciliation before in the Episcopal Church,” he told a congregation of almost 2,500. But he added: “God is not finished with this church. God has work for us to do. Jesus has shown us the way and we are the Jesus movement, so my brothers and sisters, walk together, children, don’t you get weary.” The service of almost three hours encompassed the traditions of the church and the diversity Curry, 62, is encouraging it to embrace. He was elected during an unprecedented first ballot at the church’s General Convention this summer after serving 15 years as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. When church leaders, including his predecessor, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, welcomed him into the door of the cathedral, Curry declared himself a “child of God, baptized in St. Simon of Cyrene Church,” the Maywood, Illinois, congregation where his father served as a priest. He then used boxwood fronds to sprinkle the worshippers with holy water to remind them of their baptism. Instrumentalists later played Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.” A dashiki-clad gospel choir from a Philadelphia Episcopal church sang its rocking rendition of Bill Gaither’s “He Touched Me.” Piscataway Indians drummed and chanted as 150 bishops processed into the cathedral and Scriptures were later read in Spanish and Lakota. Catholic, Jewish and Muslim

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry urges Episcopalians to join ‘Jesus movement’.

faith leaders took turns offering prayers of blessing for Curry. In his sermon, in which he quoted Charles Dickens, Bobby McFerrin (“Don’t worry, be happy”), and Jesus, Curry gave a new interpretation of the Good Samaritan story. He noted that a Muslim might be the one to care for a person in need. “Or change it even more: A police officer was beaten and wounded and it was an African-American young man or a Latino young man or woman who brought healing,” he said. At the same convention where Curry was elected, the Episcopal Church voted to make marriage liturgies available to same-sex couples across the church while protecting the conscience of clergy who oppose such ceremonies. A supporter of LGBT rights, Curry has said he nevertheless intends to keep his denomination open to those who may not share his perspective. “I really do believe that when Jesus said ‘go make disciples of all nations,’ ‘all’ really meant all,” he told Religion News Service in a recent interview. “That means traditionalists and progressives.” The Rev. Todd R. Dill, rector of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Waxhaw, North Carolina, was

among the theologically conservative Episcopalians who attested to Curry’s inclusive nature. Though he and Curry differ on the issue of marriage, he said they agree on feeding the hungry, caring for the marginalized and preaching the gospel. “I believe that Bishop Curry’s fervor for the Lord has shaped his faith and his leadership and has uniquely positioned him as a unifying and reconciling voice during these deeply divided times,” said Dill. “He has done that in North Carolina and it is my prayer that he can help bring this sense of unity to our national church and our international communion.” Members of the Union of Black Episcopalians, who have called Curry’s election their “Obama moment,” hosted a vigil Saturday at the D.C. Armory, allowing more people to celebrate his installation. That group also provided a livestream of the installation on large screens at the same location as dozens of churches held viewing parties across the country. “The Episcopal Church has never been cold but I think that Bishop Curry turns up the heat,” said Bishop Anne Hodges-Copple, suffragan bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina. “He takes the fear factor out of evangelism.”

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Cover

‘Shape up King’ brings barbershop to your door

By Janelle Berry Howard University News Service

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

hen people walk past the black cargo truck with the huge storefront window and “SHAPE-UP KING” printed on the front and sides, they stop and stare. They even take pictures. What has their attention is the man inside, Emmanuel “E-Man” Azoro, also known as the “ShapeUp King” – the charismatic, partsalesman, full-time barber and the man behind what is apparently the first mobile barbershop in the nation’s capital. Azoro, 37, travels the streets of Washington in his customized vehicle setting up shop and taking on customers wherever he can. Today, Azoro, who also owns a brick and mortar shop in Prince George’s County, is set up on the campus of Howard University and passersby are watching him through his display windows. His first customer on this particular day is Marvin Uzoho, 21, a Howard senior from Bowie, Maryland, who heard about the “ShapeUp King” from a fellow student and decided to give the barber a

try. He asked for a $25 haircut and beard shape-up, sat in the chair wearing an all-black sweat suit and a colorful pair of Nike Roshe Runs, and let the King get to work. As Azoro began work on Uzoho’s hair, he chatted up his first two clients of the day about music and school, while the curious complimented him on the vehicle’s interior. One gawker pulled out his phone, called up a friend and raved about the amazing mobile barbershop. After Uzoho, Richard Ryles of West Palm Beach, Florida, took a seat in the chair. Ryles, 19, had seen the truck before. “I saw him outside one day cutting,” he said. “I saw his pictures when he gave me his card. I saw his pictures on Instagram, and it was hot. So I came in here and got one myself.” After Azoro finished, Ryles checked out his new cut in a hand mirror and gave his approval. Azoro said that is the reaction that makes being a barber enjoyable. Azoro said he has been a barber for 20 years and two years ago opened a shop Prince George’s County Plaza Mall. When Azoro was young, his

Azoro cuts a client’s hair in his mobile barbershop at Howard University. The truck comes fully equipped including storefront windows.

parents couldn’t afford getting their children haircuts to the point where he and his brother got teased in school. So, he began cutting his younger brother’s hair and eventually began cutting other kids hair, charging them $3. Soon, the school football team and even teachers were coming to him, he said. He began working at 15 in a barber shop in Hyattsville, and continued at various locations until he could get his own store. “Having a store, you have to pretty much ride for this one location,” said Azoro, sitting in his barber chair and for the next client.

“As a barber, waiting on customers, you miss out on a lot of life. “With this truck, you can go to fun events; do things; meet new people; go to all kinds of things like homecomings, and you’re enjoying your life while you’re making money and building your clientele and promoting where you work. You can do it as you want, when you want. There’s no real schedule.” Azoro’s truck is equipped with one barber chair, mirrored ceilings, spinning barber poles, a tiny sunroof, tile flooring and magazines. Hip-hop music blared through the

truck while two customers waited for their turn in the chair. Pedestrians – young and old – walked by, snappin pictures and taking fliers and business cards. Azoro said he added the storefront window so his potential customers can see him in action. “With heavy foot traffic, you need to be exposed and displayed,” he said. “A lot of people like the art of how a barber looks cutting hair.” “Even though I have over 2,000 clients right now,” he continued, “I’m still hungry and try to go out and get more clients.”

Jalen Rose helps students shoot for high goals By Kevin Chavous Urban News Service Top athletes are retiring from sports arenas and excelling as educational entrepreneurs. In 1991, Detroit native Jalen Rose achieved instant fame as a member of the “Fab Five,” the University of Michigan’s collection of the most highly recruited basketball players in the country. Four of the five were prestigious McDonald’s High School All-Americans, and by the time they were midway through their first year at Michigan, all five were starting on the school’s varsity basketball team. After leading the young Michigan phenoms to consecutive NCAA basketball championship games in 1992 and 1993, Rose began a successful, 13-year NBA career and a prominent run as a top ESPN sports analyst. As a testament to his popular-

ity, Rose’s new book, “Got to Give the People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court,” quickly became a bestseller when it was released early in October. One of the most outspoken and original voices in sports, Rose will always be recognized as a sports hero and legend. But his biggest contribution may ultimately be his commitment to providing equaleducational opportunities to kids, like the ones with whom he grew up in Detroit. “Jalen is the real deal,” said Lisa Leslie, a recent Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who has worked closely with Rose in advocating for school choice around the country. “He not only talks about giving kids better educational choices, but he is actually doing it.” Leslie refers to the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy Charter School (JRLA) that Rose started in his old northwest Detroit neigh-

6 | Nov. 5 - Nov. 11, 2015 | District Chronicles

borhood in 2011. JRLA is designed to offer a leadership-focused education that engages and inspires inner-city youth to achieve at the rigorous level necessary to complete college. In other words, JRLA does not cut corners. Rose makes sure that each of the 400 high school students at JRLA understands the importance of discipline, responsibility and hard work. “I started this school because I knew so many talented kids who grew up with me in this same neighborhood, but they never had a chance at college or a real future,” Rose said. “They were never channeled in that direction. Through basketball, I learned the value of hard work, goal setting and being exposed to new things. I am determined to bring the same experience to those kids who, otherwise, would not have the opportunity. Scholars at JRLA build both the skill set and

will necessary to be successful in high school and beyond. They are provided with authentic academic experiences and will receive extensive college exposure. We are on a mission. These kids will be successful,” he continued. This past summer, JRLA held its first graduation ceremony. At the commencement, Rose said that 100 percent of the graduating class of 92 students had gained admission to colleges, trade/technical schools or military institutions. This happened in a city in which only 23 percent of the Black boys in high school graduate, according to the Schott Report. But Rose is not resting on his laurels. “We need to get more and more of these students into schools that are dedicated to serving their needs – all over the country,” said Rose. “And we can’t let the status quo stand in the way of us doing what is right for these kids. Tradi-

tional education works for some, but in our cities – cities like Detroit – these kids need more support. They need more individual attention and more encouragement. And I am going to do all I can to give it to them.” Rose is not alone in his efforts. Rapper Pitbull founded the Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) charter school in Miami. Tennis great Andre Agassi started a successful charter school in Las Vegas. Boxer Oscar de la Hoya launched a charter school in his old East Los Angeles neighborhood. Several years ago, former NBA star and current Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is married to education-reform advocate Michelle Rhee, converted his alma mater, Sacramento High, into a charter school. For each, the work began when the ball stopped bouncing, the sweat stopped pouring and the fans stopped cheering.

America nears sweeping criminal justice reform By Nick Chiles Urban News Service

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hen a new inmate steps behind the walls of a prison in Georgia, the entirety of his or her criminal record and mental state is fed into a complex algorithm called the Next Generation Assessment. The NGA just might be the future of America’s criminal justice system. This algorithm considers an inmate’s age at first arrest, the types of crimes he committed, his mental-health and substance-abuse history – in all, more than 300 variables about him. It then generates a score that predicts that inmate’s risk of re-arrest within three years. This algorithm also determines needs – education, employment, and mental-health treatment – to help prison officials decide which programs in which to enroll him during incarceration. Such front-end intervention is intended to make an inmate much less likely to return to crime when he eventually is released from prison. Although Georgia is considered a leader in this new reform movement, the NGA is one of several new tools and reforms designed to make prisons more efficient, with a goal toward reform. After three decades of the most massive incarceration program since slavery, America appears on the precipice of a wholesale transformation of its criminal justice system. President Barack Obama cited the “long history of inequity in the criminal justice system in America” in a July speech to the NAACP’s annual convention in Philadelphia. He said that system was “particularly skewed by race and by wealth.” He also said, “In too many places, Black boys and Black men, Latino boys and Latino men experience being treated differently under the law.” African Americans and Latinos compose 60 percent of the U.S. inmate population, although they make up just 30 percent of the population. Typically, divergent forces across the U.S. political spectrum appear to have agreed that ongo-

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There has been efforts to address America’s mass incarceration problem nationwide.

ing mass incarceration is bad for business and bad for America. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have begun to cosponsor legislation to limit mass imprisonment. Also, Republicancontrolled legislatures in such places as Georgia and Texas have begun to pass laws aimed at curbing prison populations. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R – Texas), a former Lone Star state attorney general and Supreme Court justice, is an original co-sponsor of the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, introduced on Oct. 1. Although the bill would reduce sentences for some non-violent drug offenses and give judges more leeway with lower-level drug crimes, it would also allow reduced sentences for well-behaved prisoners and bolster rehabilitation and jobtraining programs for inmates. “Texas has a reputation for being tough on crime; and it’s well deserved,” said Cornyn when the bill was introduced. “But we also learned it’s important to be smart on crime.” In his speech to the NAACP, Obama said the bipartisan efforts were “truly good news.” This country is “coldly efficient” at locking up Americans, said then-U.S. attorney general Eric Holder. Although this nation represents just 5 percent of Earth’s population, it incarcerates almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners, according to the U.S. Justice Department. In 1980, a half-million

Americans were behind bars. Today, that number is 2.2 million. Another 9 million to 10 million people cycle through America’s local jails annually. Some of these people return to jail after being freed. About 40 percent of former federal prisoners and more than 60 percent of former state inmates are rearrested or have their supervision revoked within three years after release, the Justice Department estimates. “In years gone by, you’d see sentencing reform and they’d tweak sentencing for one or two crimes or one or two types of crime,” said Nick Wachinski, a former criminal defense attorney in Philadelphia. He now is CEO of Lexington National Insurance Corporation, which underwrites bail bonds. “Then, you would see that followed up by somebody bringing a bill that would vilify some other crime – and really undo what was just done. Now I think, at the federal level and a lesser degree at the states, we’re seeing a genuine desire to look at the whole thing.” Two factors seem to be driving this reform movement: a sense that America can no longer afford mass incarceration; and socialscience data proving that people can be rehabilitated and steered toward redemption via education and drug-treatment programs that wind up much cheaper than repeatedly imprisoning the same offenders.

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Change of Service fee will apply if you cancel the Protection Plan during the first 6 months. DIGITAL HOME ADVANTAGE: EQUIPMENT: All equipment remains the property of DISH at all times and must be returned to DISH within thirty days of account deactivation or you will be charged an unreturned equipment fee ranging from $100 to $400 per receiver. Lease Upgrade fees are not deposits and are non-refundable. Maximum of 6 leased receivers (supporting up to 6 total TVs) per account. You will be charged a monthly equipment rental fee for each receiver beyond the first, based on model of receiver. WHOLE-HOME HD DVR: Monthly fees: Hopper, $12; Joey, $7, Super Joey, $10; second Hopper, $12. First Hopper HD DVR receiver and up to 3 Joey receivers available for a one-time $199 Upgrade fee. $199 Upgrade fee waived at time of service activation with subscription to America’s Top 120 and above or DishLATINO Plus and above. A second Hopper HD DVR receiver is available for a one-time Upgrade fee: $49 for a Hopper, $99 for a Hopper with Sling. With a second Hopper HD DVR receiver, one additional Joey receiver is available for a one-time $99 Upgrade fee. Hopper and Joey receivers cannot be combined with any other receiver models or types. PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop features must be enabled by customer and are subject to availability. With PrimeTime Anytime record ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC plus two channels. With addition of Super Joey record two additional channels. AutoHop feature is available at varying times, starting the day after airing, for select primetime shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC recorded with PrimeTime Anytime. Recording capacity varies; 2000 hours based on SD programming. Equipment comparison based on equipment available from major TV providers as of 12/01/14. Watching live and recorded TV anywhere requires an Internet-connected, Sling-enabled DVR and compatible mobile device. On Demand availability varies based on your programming subscription. Requires Android OS 4.0 or higher to watch on an Android device and iOS 7.0 or higher to watch on iPhone or iPad. Select DVR recordings cannot be transferred. ALL OTHER RECEIVER MODELS: Lease Upgrade fee(s) will apply for select receivers, based on model and number of receivers. Monthly DVR and receiver fees may apply. Digital Home Advantage offer is available from DISH and participating retailers for new and qualified former DISH residential customers in the continental United States. You must provide your Social Security Number and a valid major credit card. Participating retailers may require additional terms and conditions. The first month of DISH service must be paid at time of activation. Number of channels may decline. Local and state sales taxes and state reimbursement charges may apply. Where applicable, monthly equipment rental fees and programming are taxed separately. Standard Professional Installation includes typical installation of one single-dish antenna configuration, typical hook-up of an eligible receiver configuration and equipment testing. More complex installations may require additional fees; other installation restrictions apply. Prices valid at time of activation only; additional fees will apply to upgrade after installation. Any unreturned equipment fees will automatically be charged to your DISH account or credit or debit card provided to DISH. DISH shall determine eligibility for this offer in its sole and absolute discretion. Programming and other services provided are subject to the terms and conditions of the Digital Home Advantage Customer Agreement and Residential Customer Agreement, available at www.dish.com or upon request. Blackout and other restrictions apply to sports programming. All service marks and trademarks belong to their respective owners. ©2015 DISH Network L.L.C. All rights reserved. HBO®, Cinemax® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. HBO On Demand® and Cinemax On Demand® require compatible HD DVR receiver model. HBO GO® and MAX GO® are only accessible in the US and certain US territories where a high-speed connection is available. Minimum connection of 3 Mbps required for HD viewing on laptop. Minimum 3G connection is required for viewing on mobile devices. Some restrictions may apply. SHOWTIME and related marks are registered trademarks of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS Company. STARZ and related channels and service marks are property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. ESPN GamePlan, NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass, ESPN Full Court and MLS Direct Kick automatically continue at a special renewal rate each year provided DISH carries this service, unless you call to cancel prior to the start of the season. ESPN GamePlan, NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass, ESPN Full Court and MLS Direct Kick are nonrefundable, nonproratable and nontransferable once the season begins. NHL, the NHL Shield and Center Ice name and logo are registered trademarks and The Game Lives Where You Do is a trademark of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2015. All Rights Reserved. NBA, the NBA logo and team identifications are the exclusive property of NBA Properties, Inc. © 2015. All rights reserved. © 2015 NFL Enterprises LLC. NFL and the NFL Shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League. MLS Direct Kick is a trademark of MLS. Sling is a registered trademark of Sling Media, Inc. All new customers are subject to a one-time processing fee.

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Every year in the United States, 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the flu, more than 200,000 people have to be hospitalized from flurelated complications, and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. While seasonal flu outbreaks can happen as early as October, influenza activity typically peaks in January or later. During the past 26 flu seasons, months with the heaviest flu activity were: November for one season December for four seasons January for five seasons February for 12 seasons March for four seasons Older people, young children and people with health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease are at higher risk for serious flu complications. Flu viruses are thought to spread mainly through people with the illness coughing or sneezing, but touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching the mouth or nose can also be infectious. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others only one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick. That means they may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before knowing they’re sick, as well as while they’re sick. The term “stomach flu” is sometimes used to describe illnesses with nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, symptoms that can be caused by

many different viruses, bacteria or even parasites. While vomiting, diarrhea, and being nauseous or can be flu-related, these problems are rarely the main symptoms of influenza. The flu is a respiratory disease, not a stomach or intestinal disease. Nobody wants to get the flu. But many people are wary about getting a shot that might be unnecessary or ineffective. Many experts worry about a 1918-like flu pandemic and warn of the risks of getting the virus, from being sneezed on at work or from living with a toddler. Despite this, only a third of us actually get a flu shot. Nevertheless, health officials encourage the vaccine. So, just how effective is the flu shot? Only as good as the educated guesses of a group of vaccine researchers across the globe. Every February, they try to predict which flu viruses will work their evil the next fall and winter. Their three top choices are put into the vaccine. How well the shot works depends on the match between the vaccine and the types of viruses circulating that year. In years when the vaccine strains and the virus strains are well matched, the vaccine can reduce the chances of getting the flu by 70 to 90 percent in healthy adults. It may be somewhat less effective in the elderly and very young children, but vaccinations can still prevent serious complications. Some people might get flu-like symptoms even after they have been vaccinated.

There are several reasons why: People may be exposed to an influenza virus shortly before getting vaccinated, or during the two-week period that it takes the body to gain protection after getting vaccinated. This exposure may result in a person becoming ill with flu before the vaccine begins to protect them. People may become ill from other viruses that circulate during flu season, such as rhinovirus, which can cause flu-like symptoms. A person may be exposed to an influenza virus that is not included in the vaccine. Some people can remain unprotected from flu despite getting the vaccine. This is more likely to occur among people that have weakened immune systems. However, the flu vaccine can still help prevent influenza complications. Antibiotics only work against infections caused by bacteria. They do not work against any infections caused by viruses. If you have a viral infection, antibiotics will not cure it, help you feel better or prevent you from spreading it to someone else. Flu season is rapidly approaching, so let’s get prepared. Glenn Ellis, is a regular media contributor on Health Equity and Medical Ethics. For more health information, visit www.glennellis.com.

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In the Neighborhood

Delta Sigma Theta sorority’s first and only film effort is reborn By Lorraine M. Blackwell Contributing writer

moviepostershop.com

n 1973, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. set out on an unprecedented mission to make a Hollywood style motion picture. “Countdown at Kusini,” was released in April 1976 at the end of the Blaxploitation Era – a time when Black action films often criticized for negative depictions of Black women were extremely popular. It was during this time that the international sorority, with a membership of 100,000 predominately Black women, wanted to see themselves portrayed in more favorable on-screen roles. Lillian P. Benbow, the president at the time, led the effort to make a film with a positive female lead. In the film, well-known actress and Delta member Ruby Dee portrays an African freedom fighter that lures an American jazz musician into the struggle for the liberation of her people. It was shot in Lagos, Nigeria, and also stars Greg Morris, of “Mission Impossible,” as the musician, and veteran actor Ossie Davis, as the rebel leader. “This was a bold move as a sorority, African American at that, deciding to be an executive producer or producer of a film. It had never been done before,” said Bishetta Merritt, Delta member and retired Howard University film professor. “THE KUSINI CONCEPT: The Pride & Sabotage,” will be screened Saturday at Sankofa Books & Videos, located at 2714 Georgia Ave NW at 7:30 p.m. Produced by Howard film professor S. Torriano Berry, the documentary examines how the film’s built-in formula for success was undermined by the distributor and blocked from becoming the financial triumph the Delta’s envisioned. “The film was not in theaters long enough to be supported,” said Berry. “It was only in general release for a week or two before the distributor pulled it, shelved it and sold the rights to the cable network HBO.” The sorority had planned to screen the film in each of its chapter cities. “The big plan for distribution was to use the resources of the soror-

Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis starred in the 1976 Delta Sigma Theta film.

ity to support the distribution of the movie,” said Betty Smith Williams, former national treasurer of Delta Sigma Theta, in the documentary. “When chapters were preparing to release the film in the cities and get the theaters full of people, the persons with the distribution responsibilities made a plan and just released the film within the cities without the coordination that would have been important to make it successfully four-walled.” The making of “Countdown at Kusini,” once a source of tremendous pride for the Deltas, quickly became a failure and an embarrassment that many younger members are unaware of and some older members refuse to discuss, according to Berry. In 1999, he interviewed Davis and Delta Sigma Theta’s Jean Noble for his book, “The 50th Most Influential Black Films.” No one even knew what had happened to the film. “I tracked down a 16 mm print housed in a private collection,” said

Berry. “It’s in good condition, with some color fading, but overall it’s a good print.” He hopes to generate renewed interest in the film among the sorority’s members. April 2016 will mark the 40th Anniversary of the film’s release. “It’s time to regroup and recoup. The Deltas now have the two things they were denied in 1976; the time and the control they need to make the four-wall process work,” said Berry. “For the 40th anniversary, each chapter can sponsor screenings that will finally allow its membership, family and friends to support this historic effort. And, now that the organization’s numbers have doubled to over 200,000, they can not only recoup their initial investment, but turn an even bigger profit today.” Admission for the screening is free, but donations will be accepted. For more information, contact 202234-4755 or 202-243-9779 or sberry@ howard.edu.

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In the Neighborhood

Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington District of Columbia

Black-tie event will honor R&B’s Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds

ife hasn’t been a “crystal stair” for 11-time Grammy award-winning producer, songwriter and vocalist, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds; however, he has ascended to unparalleled heights in the music industry and giving back to causes he cherishes most. The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) will honor Edmonds for his achievements at its 14th annual Uncommon Height Gala in Washington, D.C., Friday, November 13. The Uncommon Height Gala black-tie event will celebrate 80 years of visionary work in fostering the growth and development of women, children and families throughout the world. Held at the Washington Hilton Hotel, 6:30 p.m., the event will be emceed by the nationally recognized radio personality Donnie Simpson and feature entertainment by comedian Jonathan Slocumb and the dynam-

ic Valerie Simpson, from the legendary duo, Ashford & Simpson. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company are this year’s corporate sponsors. “We are pleased to honor Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds with the 14th Uncommon Height Award,” said the Honorable Alexis M. Herman, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and co-chair of this year’s Uncommon Height Gala. “He is a more than a producer, songwriter and singer. He is a trailblazer, advocate and role model for the African American community and beyond.” Holding more than 125 top 10 R&B and pop hits, Edmonds will receive the NCNW Uncommon Height Crystal Stair Award, which recognizes leaders from various industries who demonstrate a commitment to community service and excellence as exemplified in the spirit and tradition of Dr. Height. Past honorees of the award have included Congressman John Lewis, Dr. Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey and Quincy Jones. “In the vein of our past honorees, Babyface has used his opportunities and blessings to uplift many others,” said Ingrid Saunders Jones, NCNW chair. “His life’s

work outside the music industry exemplifies his heart for helping humankind, which is what the Crystal Stair Award is all about.” “The late Dr. Dorothy Height, former chair of NCNW, was one of Edmonds’ greatest champions,” said Dr. Thelma Daley, Gala cochair. She was proud of the work he contributed to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Border Babies. She also helped him raise funds for the Washington, D.C.based transitional home, The Little Blue House.” In addition, Edmonds is a huge supporter of organizations that work in the areas of brain disorders, organ transplants, prostate cancer and childhood diabetes. Tickets to the Uncommon Height Gala may be purchased individually or as a table of 10 online at HYPERLINK “http://www. ncnwgala.org” www.ncnwgala. org. It is one of Washington, D.C.’s premiere events where many of the most notable African American politicians, business leaders, entertainers and media personalities attend. Proceeds from the event will strengthen NCNW’s capacity to meet critical needs, empower

women and forge new programs and partnerships for future generations. For more information on the organization, visit “http://www. ncnw.org”

Prince George’s Health insurance enrollment under Obama Care opens Open enrollment for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) began Sunday and is open until January 31, 2016. Under the ACA, adults age 18 to 64 years of age must have health coverage or will pay a tax penalty. The Maryland Health Connection is the state’s insurance online insurance marketplace and eligible Montgomery and Prince George’s County residents in need of health coverage have three easy ways to enroll: Sign up is simple and available online at www.marylandhealthconnection.gov (24 hours/7 days a week).

Sign up by telephone at 1.855.642.8572 (toll free) or 1.855.8573 (TTY). Meet in person with a health navigator to complete enrollment. Find out where sign up locations are at www.capitalhealthconnection. org/sign-up-locations. When getting ready to sign up, be sure to have these items ready: Social security numbers (or document numbers for any legal immigrants who need insurance); Birth dates and general information about you and family members applying; Employer and income information for you and family members (such as pay stubs or W-2 wage and tax statements); and Policy numbers for any current health insurance; information about job-related insurance available to your family members. There are a variety of health plans available and individuals and families may qualify for Medicaid (no cost) or for help paying for health coverage. Enroll by December 15, in order to have coverage that begins January 1.

Howard University Gospel Choir performs at OWN Belief series premier in DC last month

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

12 | Nov. 5 - Nov. 11, 2015 | District Chronicles