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August 2011 ● urbancny.com

Lady with a mouth and a heart Helen Hudson celebrates a decade of Mothers Against Gun Violence

... page 3

City

The Hall Monitor

Removing Salt p. 5

By Me’Shae Brooks-Rolling

Financial Stewardship within the Body of Christ p. 6

Mayor Accepts Corporation Counsel’s Resignation p. 8 What’s Up With That?

Headline news that matters to you. p. 7

Scuffle

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City Scuffle

August 2011

By Walt Shepperd we’re coming with love. That’s what we’re selling: love.

with a

mouth heart and a

Helen Hudson celebrates a decade of Mothers Against Gun Violence President and co-founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence, Helen Hudson has always been one to fight for the underdog. “I’ve always had a mouth,” she says simply. Born outside Jackson, Mississippi, she remembers intense racial conflict. “With my mouth,” she reflects, “if I had stayed in Mississippi and had to grow up in that era, I probably wouldn’t have made it.”

She came to town when she was two, grew up on South Beech Street, went through Sumner, Levy and Nottingham, then traveled the country knocking on doors selling magazines. “I found people all over the country,” she observes, “that actually card about other people. It gave me insight to see things on a bigger scale.” She came back to Syracuse to be close to her mother.

She is currently AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison to the United Way of Central New York. In November, she will running for Common Councilor at-Large as a Democrat.

How did Mothers Against Gun Violence start, and why?

Because in 2002, that was the year we had the highest homicide in the City of Syracuse, it bothered me that every day you would wake up and you would hear that someone’s child had been murdered in the street. And there was no outcry. There was not any outrage from the minority commu-

nity, or from any community. I went to one of the pastors and I asked him if there was a way that we could go out into the streets and do outreach with these young people.

He in turn informed me that if I did that, I was setting a bunch of mothers up to get killed. That kind of threw me for a loop, and it set me back, but I went to Rev. Ellis, and that particular night he was having his prayer patrol. He invited me to come down and tell the group what we were doing, trying to start, and why we were doing it. We worked with them for that summer.

From there I started gathering women, because my family is very woman oriented.

They said, “If that’s what you want to do, let’s make it happen.” We started making signs: “We love our children,” “One life lost is one too many,” and we started going on the street corners.

Now, after each homicide, we make a home visit to the victim’s mother. The following Sunday we hold a vigil. People say vigils won’t stop the violence. We know that, but it’s an important symbol.

Have we as a nation become dulled to the violence?

I think we have. We’ve become so insensitive to this that we don’t pay attention any more. But for me these are children, and there’s no way that as a community we should be comfortable with murder.

How did we get that way?

I don’t know. I think everybody is locked away into their own little world, saying, “It’s not my problem,” or “It’s not me.” But I found soon it was touching everyone. It was crossing social and economic lines. It’s crossing race.

Do you think TV has a lot to do with it?

I think TV has a lot to do with it, but it think a lot of it has to do with—I don’t want to place a blame—but I think it was from the interactions a lot of young people saw from the older people in the community, so they started emulating that, because they thought that’s what made them a man. And in reality, what makes you a man is going to school, getting an education, getting a good job and taking care of your family.

We have to get back to that mind set now, because our babies are not in that mind set of being productive. They think that blocks are territory, and they don’t own any blocks, and they don’t even pay taxes.

Did you encounter turf issues with the women you gathered?

No, because we gathered women from all over the city. I think as women, you have that nurturing part of you. So regardless of where that child comes from, we’re going to love on him because that’s what we are: we’re mothers. That’s what helps us. These young folks know that when we come,

Is the nurturing also present among the young women, or is there violence with young women, too?

I see the violence rising with the young women, amongst themselves, but again, these children, when we reach out to them, they’re very respectful, they’re very receptive, and I think they really just want to know someone cares. When we had that hostage situation on South Avenue, when I showed up, the young lady looked at me and said, “I knew you would be here, because you’re our constant.”

So these young folks—and when I say, “kids,” I means anyone up to 35, 40 are kids to me—they need a constant. They need to know that they’re cared about. They need to know that if one life is taken, it affects everyone, not just that family. Since 1996 we’ve had 285 homicides. When you have one homicide, that affects seven people in your family. That’s just immediate. When you start counting aunts and uncles and cousins, you’re probably talking over 20,000 people.

Since 1996, those 285 deaths have affected 6,354 family members.

What does it do to the families?

It destroys these families. You’re talking something they’re never going to get over.

You have a mother trying to wrap her head around the loss of a baby she brought into this world, because that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Children are supposed to bury their parents. Now parents are burying their children. That’s backwards. Then you have the siblings, let’s say they don’t get involved with the street violence—some do because of retaliation, some don’t—but then you have all of these mental health issues coming behind you.

We go into the schools to work with 3rd, 4th and 5th graders on one level, and then we go into the high schools. What is remarkable to me is going into the elementary schools, with 200 babies in the cafeteria.

The first thing we ask them is, “How many of you have been affected by violence?”

Every hand went up. The principals say, “We didn’t know.”

Babies are being sent to in-school suspension because they’re being disruptive.

See Hudson, next page

August 2011

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Hudson

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From previous page

But that child may have seen his father, his cousin or whoever murdered, and it’s never been addressed.

Think of what it takes to sell drugs. If you flipped that, did that in a legal manner, you’d be an entrepreneur.

Do you preach forgiveness?

Yes I do. I found that if you walk around with hatred in your heart, that doesn’t do anything but fester. I do believe in the power of people. I do believe that humans are good. You know, and I know that you have a bad apple or two at some point. But if we just keep loving each other, love goes a long way. Love opens a lot of doors. And that’s what we’re trying to get these young folks to understand. I may not know you, but I love you.

Can we do that without jobs?

We have to create jobs. It’s not going to happen overnight. But we first have to get our babies to understand that when you first go to a job, guess what, honey? You’ve got to pull your pants up.

When you go to a job you can’t stroll in there at 8:05 when you have to be in there at 8 o’clock. There’s the preparation piece. A lot of our babies don’t even have a GED.

Is it frustrating? Do you ever want to quit?

Yes. Sometimes the grief is overwhelming.

What keeps you going?

The things mothers say when we’ve been able to help them.

Do you think that an element of this generation of teenagers is being written off?

I think that people do have in their mind that after a certain age, that you can’t get through, but I don’t believe that. We do have to work with the young babies, start working with them in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. But my 16 to 25 year olds, I’m not going to write them off because they are brilliant. We just have to turn their mind set around. We just have to get them to understand just how brilliant they are.

What’s up with August 14th?

August 14th actually is going to be a milestone for us. That is going to be our 10th annual Mothers Against Gun Violence Community Vigil. I am so proud of these ladies, all volunteer, donations but no funding.

The line-up at Clinton Square from 7 to 9 p.m. will be Chief Fowler will be speaking, Mayor Miner will be speaking, I’ll be doing my welcome and introductions, and, of course, Media Unit {a performance of Angels with Broken Wings: Taking the First Step, an original music theater exploration of alternatives to street violence, with scripting assistance from residents of the Justice Center} and Desmond Sampson singing.

I’m trying to get a Syracusan who plays professional basketball to be the keynote speaker. I think his story is going to resonate very well with these young folks, because he’s been in the same position.

Published monthly by: URBAN CNY Kenneth Jackson Editor and Publisher Doug Campbell Designer Walt Shepperd Senior Editor Send mail c/o Eagle Media 2501 James St., Suite 100 Syracuse, NY 13206 For advertising and editorial: (315) 422-7778 (315) 434-8883 -- Fax kjackson@urbancny.com Printed by: Community Media Group LLC 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206 No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission.

The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the opinions of Community Media Group LLC or Eagle Newspapers.

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August 2011

10: Things to do in and around Syracuse when it feels like 100 degrees

By Ken Jackson

10. Go to Gannon’s or Arctic island

at Seneca Turnpike (or any local Ice Cream stand) Take your credit card because a small cone anywhere but McDonald’s will cost you, but you can’t beat the atmosphere of an old fashion neighborhood ice cream stand.

9. Walk the shores of Onondaga Lake

at Onondaga Lake Park on the long trail that will eventually circle the lake. The cool breezes from the lake are soothing and the sunset will make you long for another hot day.

8.

Thornden Park Pool and the rest of the Syracuse Parks and Recreation Pools.

(You don’t have to sit at home in front of a fan blowing hot air. Oh, that’s not weather its Rupert Murdock defending Newscorp

for the alleged shady deals where phones messages were gathered from unsuspecting victims including a kidnap victim whose messages had been hacked by one of his reporters.) Murdock and company are sweating like kids denied entry to the Clinton Square fountain.

7.

Purchase a $99 Air Conditioner and be held hostage in one room of your house or apartment.

6. Go to Carousel Mall pretend you

have money and walk around the cool empty corridors.

5.

Movies: In the olden days people went to the movies, grand signs advertising the arrival of Air Conditioning. Most future units most likely were produced in the now

demolished Carrier Corporation building that once said the “largest air conditioning company in the world” or something like that.

4.

Take out and use that old “Martin Luther King, Jr. hand held fan” with the wooden handle you took from church 10 years ago. (Don’t lie you got it hidden somewhere! )

3.

Attend the New York State Fair where you can spend tens of dollars on lemonade and beer when the mercury soars.

Don’t forget that oversized carafe of wine…. then get on the ship ride that goes back and forth and around and around. (you’ll be too sick to remember the heat)

ban on wadding in the water. If I recall those old historic photos of the Erie Canal there were people swimming at the square and I’m sure the salient green mosquito infested waters were inviting. For many who grew up here in the area remember Onondaga Park Pool which was adjacent to Hiawatha Lake? There were fish swimming among the swimmers the water was nasty and you couldn’t see the bottom. “There’s no filter in the fountain” oh, please.

1.

2. Go to Clinton Square and defy the

On a hot day go to the Carrier Dome sit in the sweltering heat of the first Football game of the season and wonder why the name and no “Carrier Air Conditioning”?

Perhaps they knew a long time ago that they’d be absent just like Air Conditioning in the prominent building that bears their name.

eaten regularly since high school. As I was about to make a quick business call, diners from the booth in front of me started speaking loudly.

As the bleach-blond revelers’ conversation escalated, becoming too loud to be ignored, those in close proximity could hear: “(expletive) this and (expletive) that” I mentioned the incident to the restaurant manager and he went over and made a mealy-mouthed appeal to the young ladies.

I was then treated to a ghetto-ese language display, which included, “we got jobs,” and “you should mind yo’ own bizness.”

After venting to management and getting into the car I realized something, all of their soups are quite salty and, as an African- American, I must be careful about the use of salt.

And maybe it’s good time to start reducing my salt intake by not going back to this restaurant.

Removing Salt …

On occasion, when I’m out on the road, I’ll stop and grab lunch at a local restaurant. Many times it has been a local deli, famous for their sandwiches and homemade soups. Having them right around the corner was quite convenient when you wanted something quick and tasty.

I’ve been on job interviews and con-

ducted business while having a sandwich or cup of soup Jackson there. As I’ve become increasingly mobile thanks to my various gadgets I can work on a beach in South Carolina and still respond as quickly as if I were right next door.

So, on a particular Wednesday afternoon following a Monday holiday, I settled in for a cup of Spanish rice, which I hadn’t

Ken

The Hall Monitor

August 2011

urbanCNY

VILLAGE OF BALDWINSVILLE ADVERTISEMENT NOTICE TO BIDDERS

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1. Owner’s Name The Village of Baldwinsville Clerk invites bids for general construction, and plumbing work connection with the following: Construction of a Public Restroom at Community Park in the Village of Baldwinsville, New York.

2. Receipt of Bids: Bids will be received by the office of the Village of Baldwinsville Clerk, 16 West Genesee Street, Baldwinsville, New York, 13027 at 2:00 pm local time, Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at which time they will be opened and read aloud. Packages containing the Bids must be sealed, marked and addressed to the Village Clerk, Village of Baldwinsville, 16 West Genesee Street, Baldwinsville, New York 13027 and marked with the words “Bid for Construction of Public Restroom at Community Park, Contract No. 2011-1.”

3. Modification or Withdrawal of Bid: A bid many not be modified, withdrawn or cancelled by the Bidder for a period of 45 days following the time and date designated for receipt of bids.

4. Examination of Bidding Documents: Bidding Documents may be examined free of charge at the following locations: Community Development Office 421 Montgomery Syracuse, NY 13202 Office of the Village Clerk 16 West Genesee Street Baldwinsville, NY 13027 Syracuse Builders Exchange 6563 Ridings Road Syracuse, NY 13206 Syracuse Dodge Reports 4 Adler Drive East Syracuse, NY 13057 5. Obtaining Bid Documents: Copies of the Bid Documents may be obtained upon payment of a non-refundable $20.00 fee by Bidders and Sub-bidders from the following: Maureen Butler, Village Clerk 16 West Genesee Street Baldwinsville, NY 13027 Phone: 315-635-3521 6. Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting: August 10, 2011 at 10:00 am local time @ Village Hall, 16 West Genesee Street, Baldwinsville, NY 13027 7. Bid Security: Bid Security in the amount of 5% of the Base Bid plus all Add Alternates must accompany each Bid in accordance with the instruction to Bidders.

8. Performance Bond and Payment Bond: Guaranty bonds in the form of a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond, each in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract Sum, will be required.

9. Other Requirements: A) This project is funded (in part) by a grant from the Onondaga County Community Development Division.

Approximately $50,000.00 will be financed with federal money.

B) Bidders will be required to commit themselves to a goal for minority business participation in the contracts.

C) Pursuant to State Law, the Village of Baldwinsville is exempt from payment of sales and compensating use taxes of the State of New York on all materials, equipment and supplies sole to the Village under this Contract. Also exempt form such taxes are purchases by the contractor and his subcontractors on materials, equipment and supplies sold to the Village under this Contract, including tangible personal property to be incorporated in any structure, building or real property forming part of their project. These taxes are not to be included in the Bid. D) This contract is subject to compliance with Article 8 of the New York State Labor Law regarding prevailing Wage Rates and Federal Prevailing Wage Rates.

Village of Baldwinsville, Maureen Butler, Village Clerk Date: July 22, 2011

Church News

Financial Stewardship within the Body of Christ I believe most Christians want to give more to the church in order to help meet the needs of those in need around them and to advance God’s kingdom. However, it is usually a difficult test for the giver to present more in the church’s offering basket when they have to pay MasterCard, Visa, daycare expenses, National Grid aka NiMo, the gas pump, et cetera first thing Monday morning. But most challenging of all, God’s people—and society at large—have not been taught fundamental principles of financial literacy, nor has financial stewardship been fostered and cultivated within the Body of Christ.

Consider the following: According to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Public Debt, our nation’s debt is over 14 trillion dollars at press time (Believe it or not, there’s even an address to send money to help ease the government’s debt load). If every American citizen carried an equal portion of this debt load, it would far exceed $30,000. Each U.S. household carries an average of $8,000 in consumer debt.

According to Christianity Today, “There is little difference between the amounts that Christians and non-Christians earn, spend, save, charge, or donate to charities.” The stress and strains finances can have on a marriage affect those within the Body of Christ and in non-Christian households alike.

Finances is such a problem that even within the Christian community we have had to increasingly rely on the teachings of contemporary financial experts such as Suze Orman. Christian financial experts such as Dave Ramsey enjoy tremendous crossover appeal even in the secular community. But the most recognized trailblazer in teaching the Biblical principles of sound financial stewardship continues to be the late Larry Burkett . My favorites include nationally syndicated Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary, Bishop T.D. Jakes, and author Randy Alcorn.

Financial Stewardship is not about how to take on vows of severe poverty to show God how holy we are (asceticism). Nor is the purpose to focus on manufacturing

God’s material blessings to present a façade of prosperity as evidence of the effectiveness of our faith. The cornerstone spiritual provisions of our loving God are salvation, redemption, deliverance, and the blood of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, these provisions are our prosperity; they’ve been given to us freely. We don’t have to earn them—they are a function of our Father’s grace. What we are responsible for is the practice of financial stewardship, the careful care and cultivation of the prosperity we have been given as citizens of the richest nation on the planet. The aim is to highlight Biblical financial stewardship principles in concert with the teaching of practical, real-life applications (e.g., how to keep a sensible budget).

There is a particular pastor of national prominence that I claim as my role model in matters of financial stewardship. I am purposely not citing his name because I do not want readers to focus on anything (e.g., denomination) other than this particular point that I am making. This pastor uses book profits from his enormously successful books to fund mission projects in Rwanda. He does the inverse of what we are usually taught, tithing 90% of his Pastor’s salary and living on only the remaining 10%. He understands that his family’s basic material needs have been met as a foregone conclusion of God’s grace; and as a faithful steward has chosen to reinvest his surplus back into God’s kingdom “…where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves cannot break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).

Does this mean that we’re all going to become spiritual philanthropists tomorrow?

No, of course not. Not until we’ve overcome the burdens of our own personal debts.

How do we reconcile dependency on currency as Christians, while not allowing ourselves to be consumed by consumerism? And is it possible to give of our time, talents, energy, and financial resources even while climbing out of debt? How can prayer and discipline aid us in arriving at our goal of becoming debt-free? How do we as individuals become lenders to many

nations and borrowers from none by reallocating our surpluses to the building fund, for the

By Me’Shae support of missionaries, to charities and Brooks-Rolling those around us who are in need? How can we achieve freedom from financial bondage so that MasterCard, Visa, and the retailer of that 48-inch plasma TV cannot lay claim to our income before it’s even wired from our employer to our bank account?

These are ten basic topics that I think anyone -- both in and out of the church -- should be taught: Being Organized. . .period Becoming Financially Organized Saving More and Spending Less Managing and Eliminating Credit Card and Consumer Debt Accessing Your Credit Reports and Boosting Your Credit Score Preventing Identity and Cyber Theft Purchasing a Vehicle Anti-Poverty, and Asset Development & Accumulation Tools and Resources Entrepreneurship & Self-Employment Creating a legacy for your children and learning how to engage in Spiritual, Individual and Community Philanthropy If the Body of Christ is taught Biblical principles of financial stewardship, we then have great potential to become spiritual philanthropists, re-directing our surplus to meet the greatest needs in our nation and around the world.

Me’Shae Brooks-Rolling is the author of “How To Save Money & Organize Your Finances: Tales of an Urban Consumer”, is an FDIC Money Smart Certified Trainer, has received Bridges Out of Poverty trainer certification, and is regularly invited to speak at local and national conferences. She is President of Just The Basics Financial Literacy, a division of Rolling Enterprises, Inc. which conducts training centered around financial literacy education. For further information, visit www.justthebasicsfinancialliteracy. com or call (315) 908-BOOK (2665). Copyright (c) 2011. All rights reserved.

Diving in Q&A August 2011

with fourtime Section III diving champion Imani Williams Technology

No more notebooks?

Pros and cons to learning in a digital age

nygearup.syr.edu

2/ NY GEARUP, AUGUst 2011

STAFF Marissa Joy Mims Director

Jennifer Wing

Eagle Newspapers Editor

Rebecca Saxon

NY GEARUP Media Coordinator

Malea Perkins

NY GEARUP Office Coordinator

Contact us: NYGEARUP@syr.edu Phone 443.7848 Twitter: NYGEARUP Facebook: NYGEARUP@ Syracuse University Radio: StepIt UP! on Power620 AM, Hot 107.9 The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is the state agency that has been designated by the Governor’s office to administer the NY GEARUP Program. Funding for NY GEARUP is provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

NY GEARUP at Syracuse University receives $567,000 in funding that is matched 100 percent by in-kind services for a total funding of $1,340,000.

HESC helps people pay for college by providing a comprehensive range of financial aid services, including the Tuition Assistance Program, guaranteeing student loans, and administering the nationally recognized New York’s College Savings Plan.

New York State is a leader in the national financial aid community, providing more grant money to college students than any other state.

Henninger graduation 2011: a first-hand perspective

By Janelle E. Kraus All the usual flower vendors were outside begging my mom to buy flowers.

She and my sister bought two big bunches of pink and yellow roses for me. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best on an overcast Saturday at the War Memorial in downtown Syracuse for the Henninger High School 2011 graduation.

My friends were all smiles and the electric chatter buzzing around me was nonstop. Alton Knight III, a comedian, was next to me and said, “I feel like we’re walking into the Super Bowl.” I felt it too: We were celebrities for a day.

No one was saying it, but we were all thinking the same thing. Even though we didn’t get along perfectly throughout the year, on this day we were all friends.

I hugged my longtime best friend Christian Ascenzo as I exited the stage with my diploma and we said “I love you,” to each other. My-Kellia McShan was one of the top 25 seniors who I was especially proud of and blew me away with her confidence all year.

For me the real excitement came when my family realized that I had won the Senior Department Award for Language and the cheers from my family could be heard among all the other screaming. Ms.

Suslovic, everyone’s favorite teacher, was telling all the students how proud she was of them. She arrived at many of my dance competitions and dance recitals over the three years I’ve known her. She came with a gift and a bouquet of flowers every time.

Ms. Suslovic deserves an award for all her time and effort she has given to the class of 2011.

I know the senior class is so thankful for the Mr. Fiello’s motivation all year, trying to get us to work up to our potential and with his gentle reminders: “Dude, get to class.” Mr. Fiello helped me one-onone with college applications, my college resume and my college essay. You name it, he guided me.

The hats flew in the air and relief had its own sound of freedom as people started to exit the room to go outside. After everyone exited the building, I found the crowd really profound because everyone was waiting for their most important person, the “graduate.” The parents went crazy taking pictures of their graduates with the classic mortar board hats shaped like a diploma.

All the hugs, kisses and congratulations echoed from corner to corner.

It’s an event I will always remember and am looking forward to being a graduate again.

What is NY GEARUP? NY GEARUP is based out of Syracuse University’s School of Education.

NY GEARUP works in the Syracuse City School District with the class of 2011 at Corcoran, Fowler, Henninger, ITC and Nottingham high schools.

GEARUP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. It’s a national initiative to create innovative programs with the goal of increasing college awareness for students and their families. GEARUP also helps students develop the skills necessary to pursue education after high school.

To achieve its mission, NY GEARUP organizes college visits, tutoring and mentoring, college awareness and exploration activites, and educational planning and workshops.

Interested in Writing?

For those students in the NY GEARUP program interested in writing for Eagle Newspaper’s NY GEARUP edition, please contact Jennifer Wing at jwing@ eaglenewsonline.com.

A champion, times four

NY GEARUP, AUGUst 2011 /3

Profile

Imani Williams talks about her plans after a successful high school diving career Imani Williams is a four-time Section III diving champion, who has dominated the local diving scene since becoming involved in seventh grade.

A graduate of Corcoran High School, Imani will attend the University of Binghamton in the fall, where she intends to participate on the Division I diving team.

As a senior, Imani set the overall Section III diving record, with a score of 493, and she placed third in the New York State diving championships.

We recently had the opportunity to ask Imani some questions about her high school career and her plans for college:

What are you going to miss the most about high school?

I’m really gonna miss the friends that I made and the support from the teachers that I’ve had throughout these four years.

What are you going to miss the least?

Well the things I’ll miss the least are any science classes.

I am really terrible at science and I really hope that I won’t have to take many, if any, science classes in college.

Also, high school drama is extremely petty

and annoying. I hope people are much more mature in college. Ha ha.

What are you looking forward to most about university?

I’m looking forward to getting more intense with my diving and music. I know my diving coach had a lot of success during his diving career and he also is a young coach which means he was in my position not too long ago and knows what I’m going through so he’ll be able to relate to me.

What are you nervous about, if anything, regarding competing in sports in university and the general change in scenery / academics?

Well I’m nervous about balancing having meets and other competitions and having to make up work. Also, I’m worried about staying up and studying all night long and then having to get up and do an intense workout.

How do your parents feel about your scholarship / university? Are they beyond excited and proud?

My mom was actually the one who had me look into Binghamton because she knew

I wanted to look at schools that had music and Division I diving and that were close. So when I decided, after my recruiting trip, that I wanted to go to Binghamton, she was glad she had played a large role in my decision. My dad was really happy for me because he wanted me to go to a school that I liked. He said the location didn’t matter but it would be nice if I got some help financially, which I did! So he was happy. They’ve told me repeatedly that they were proud of me and they’re excited to see me do well at Binghamton.

Are you originally from Syracuse?

Yes.

What do you plan to study in college?

I plan on studying music and maybe some kind of sports management type of field.

COLLEGE OF THE MONTH

Bryant & Stratton College: Not too big, not too small

If you graduated from high school last spring, the question uppermost in your mind is probably, “What do I do now?”

If you think going to college is the right decision for you, there’s good news: you still have time to enroll for fall classes. So that leaves just one question: where should you go? There are a lot of very important reasons you should consider Bryant & Stratton College. Here are just a few. For years, Bryant & Stratton College has been helping recent high school graduates successfully transition to the next phase of their lives, and ultimately to successful careers.

Bryant & Stratton College offers a wide range of Associate degree programs in healthcare, technology, business, criminal justice and other growing fields that you can complete in under two years.

Bryant & Stratton College developed their degree programs in part by reaching out to Syracuse-area employers and discovering

what skills they wanted their employees to have. Then the college incorporated those skills into their degree programs. The result? When you earn your degree from Bryant & Stratton College, you will be uniquely qualified to enter the local job market armed with precisely the training local employers expect their employees to have. Bryant & Stratton College’s commitment to real world education even applies to their faculty. Their instructors are real world pros, who bring their on-the-job experience into the classroom.

At Bryant & Stratton College, a great education is just the beginning of what you’ll receive.

They provide all of their students with the direction, support and encouragement they need to succeed—academically, professionally and personally. Do you need help choosing a career path? Are you uncertain about whether

you can handle college-level classes? At Bryant & Stratton College you’ll get the guidance you need to get the career you deserve. Plus, Bryant & Stratton College keeps classes small, so you are assured of getting all the personal attention you need to learn the material. Some colleges have classes with as many as one hundred students in them, so instructors rarely get to know you personally, and if you fall behind, it’s virtually impossible to catch up. In addition to small classes, Bryant & Stratton College will provide you with one-on-one tutoring if you need it, and you’ll have access to their virtual library 24/7. Bryant & Stratton College offers

classes days, evenings and online, so you will be able to arrange a schedule that works for you.

Plus, a wide range of financial aid is available for those who qualify, including their Retraining Opportunity Grants.

If you’d like to find out how Bryant & Stratton College can help you successfully transition to the next stage of your life, stop by or call the Admissions office at the campus nearest you: in Syracuse on James Street (4726603) and in Liverpool off Route 31 (6526500). You can also friend them on facebook at facebook.com/BSCSyracuse or facebook. com/BSCNorth.

4/ NY GEARUP, AUGUst 2011

No more notebooks?

Pros and cons to learning in a digital age The world has quickly become digital, and the younger generations are leading the pack with technology that just may make some other items obsolete. As pre-teens and teenagers routinely turn to digital devices for entertainment and schoolwork, the face of education may change as well.

In the past, students toted notebooks (the paper kind), pencils, pens, and folders to school. Today, students carry digital devices like computer tablets, notebooks (the electronic kind), smart phones, and other digital devices to the classroom. Furthermore, texting and instant messaging have replaced traditional modes of casual conversation.

Another item that may go the way of the dinosaur is the printed book. Students can now carry an entire library worth of reading material on a slim e-reader device or on the many other evolving tablet-type machines.

There may be a day when one no longer browses the aisles of the school library for a book, but only downloads the text instantly when needed. Some textbooks are already offered in digital format, and some school systems and teachers may opt for the convenience of digital devices.

Little data exists as to just how many schools have policies allowing the use of cell phones and other digital devices in class. In the United States, a 2009 U.S. Department of Education survey indicates only 4 percent of public-school teachers say a handheld device is available in the classroom every day. But things can change in a short period of time.

Digital advantages There are many advantages to going digital. Typing tends to go faster for adept keyboard users, which many youngsters have become since they’ve essentially grown up with computers in the household. This makes note-taking easier. When notes and assignments are saved to a computer, there’s less likelihood of them getting lost, especially if important files are routinely backed up. Data saved on a computer can easily be manipulated into a number of different formats, potentially making it easier to study.

Bodies of text can be transformed into charts or pie graphs with many word processing programs. Students can cut and paste important quotes or examples into essays and the like, saving time on homework.

In terms of streamlining backpacks, digital readers and other devices eliminate heavy books and notebooks. This can be seen as a big plus to students who have grown accustomed to carrying around 20+ pounds on their backs from a very young age.

As many teachers turn to online resources, such as e-mailing and posting assignments on a personal Web site, students almost have to keep up with the times with some sort of tool that has Internet access.

Digital disadvantages On the other side of the equation, going digital does have some disadvantages. The decline of penmanship is one of them. In a digital era, people are less likely to write letters by hand or keep up with penmanship in other ways. Some children don’t know what cursive handwriting is and may never learn how to sign their names in “script,” which was a common lesson for other generations.

While digital communication does promote social interactions on some levels, there are some who argue that spending too much time staring at a screen and keyboard compromises the social aspect of going to school and learning in a classroom. Today’s youth are less likely to “talk,” choosing to “LOL”and “TTYL” through texting.

Having a wealth of information available on the Internet opens up students to many disreputable sources of content. Some common online encyclopedias are written and edited by regular people who may not have the accurate details of events. Also, having content that is easily cut and pasted opens up the temptation for plagiarism and blurs the lines of how to attribute information to a source correctly.

Digital devices may be great learning tools, but they also offer a number of distractions to students. When a student is supposed to be taking notes on a laptop in the classroom, he or she might be downloading music, updating social networking sites, streaming video, or checking celebrity gossip.

Classrooms are evolving and so are students. Learning is very different from the way older generations may have learned.

Whether the presence of digitial technology helps or hinders remains open for debate.

Technology

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August 2011

African-Americans in the news

What’s up with that?

Many churches across the country are In the grip of the foreclosure crisis that has affected millions of families. African American-led churches are especially vulnerable, due to the fact that job losses are at an all-time high among their members. Efforts to stem the flow of church foreclosures are being heralded by Rev. Jesse Jackson, among others.

On Sunday, July 17, 2011, according to an article in the St. Petersburg Times, the 105-year-old New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, could lose its historic home and a hoped-for new campus off Interstate 4 after defaulting on a $1.1 million loan.

The church has been under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Henry J. Lyons, the former president of the National Baptist Convention USA. since 2004.

However, church officials confirm that they, not Lyons, made the decisions that led to the current difficulties.”Rev. Lyons is a

hired employee, a contract employee,” said deacon Rufus Spencer. “He does provide leadership. But our church is run by the board.” – Ministry Updates

Race and Beyond: Sounding the Wrong Alarm

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) suggested on the House floor Friday that members of Congress were refusing to raise the debt limit because the president is black.

In the midst of the often contentious congressional debate over raising the debt ceiling, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) lost her cool. She implied during a fiery rant Friday on the House floor that some members of Congress were refusing to fund government because President Barack Obama is an African American.

Jackson Lee, who is black and represents a district that is overwhelmingly African American, wondered if the debate was a case of hidden racism. “I do not understand what I think is the maligning and maliciousness (toward) this president,” she said in her comments, recorded by C-SPAN and before a collection of mostly empty seats.

“Why is he different?”

Most mainstream news outlets ignored Jackson Lee’s outburst, which is a good thing. It was, however, fodder for right-wing bloggers and racist commentary on the few websites that gave attention to her comments, which is a not-so-good thing. Indeed, the congresswoman’s comments feed into the partisan and polarizing atmosphere that poisons Congress’s ability to reach compro-

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Florida Church, Pastored by Rev. Henry J. Lyons, Facing Foreclosure

mise. And they raise a couple of questions.

First, why would an experienced member of the Congressional Black Caucus give the president’s critics ammunition to fire at him?

Her unhelpful comments, coming at a critical stage of the delicate debt deliberations, offered a moment of glee for right-wing bloggers in casting Jackson Lee as a racist.

Not that she or her constituents care a whit what nameless, faceless bloggers write or think. And that’s part of why she took to the floor to vent her frustrations and to lift up the anger she was hearing in her district. “And in my community, that is the question that we raise,” she said in her speech. “Why is this president being treated so disrespectfully? Why has the debt limit been raised 60 times? ... read between the lines. What is different about this president

that should put him in a position that he should not receive the same kind of respectful treatment of when it is necessary to raise the debt limit in order to pay our bills, something required by both statute and the 14th Amendment?”

It’s politics, congresswoman, not bean bag. Only the most naïve Washington watcher would’ve expected the president’s opponents to behave in any other fashion.

Those conservative politicians, puffed up by antigovernment Tea Party activists in their ranks, will do and say almost anything to cripple this president and his policies. But that’s no excuse for a progressive defender of the president and his policies to sink down to their level and play their hater’s game. - Center for American Progress

August 2011

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Community Mayor Accepts Corporation Counsel’s Resignation (Syracuse, NY July 25, 2011) Mayor Stephanie A. Miner today announced that she has accepted the resignation of City of Syracuse Corporation Counsel Juanita Perez Williams.

“In accepting Juanita’s resignation, I want to acknowledge her service to the City during the first 18 months of my administration,” Mayor Miner said. “She has been a key member of our team in many areas and I wish her the best as she pursues any number of career options currently available to her.”

The Department of Law, headed by the Corporation Counsel, supervises and directs the legal affairs of the City of Syracuse. The Corporation Counsel provides legal advice to the Mayor, City Departments, and the Common Council, as well as representing City agencies, such as the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals.

First Assistant Corporation Counsel Joseph Barry will serve as Interim Corporation Counsel until Perez Williams’ replacement is named.

Seniors: Stay safe in the heat!

County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney is making the following recommendations provided by the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth concerning heat safety tips for older adults.

Summer’s hot weather can lead to serious heat-related illness, especially for older people and those with chronic illnesses. Hot, humid weather causes the body’s temperature to rise, which puts a strain on the heart and blood vessels. Heat stroke or heat exhaustion can result.

County Executive Mahoney encourages everyone in our community to be aware of seniors in their neighborhood and look for signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, or that the person may be in need of assistance. In the case of a medical emergency call 911 directly. If you are concerned about the general well being of an older person contact the Department of Aging and Youth and an Aging Services staff person will assess the older person’s needs and recommend appropriate services and programs.

Catholic Charities is working with the New York State Homes and Community Renewal Energy Cooling Program to provide air conditioning for people of all ages who are HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) eligible and have a verifiable medical need for air conditioning. Help with installation is also available through Project Fix, a program funded by the Department of Aging and Youth. For more information call 424-1810.

During this hot weather it is important for everyone, but especially seniors, to follow the following safety tips: Stay indoors or in an air-conditioned place such as a local senior center, mall or library; Keep draperies and window shades closed; Try to do household chores early in the morning, before it gets too hot; Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not feeling thirsty; Limit intake of alcoholic beverages; Dress in loose-fitting clothing that covers as much skin as possible; Protect face and head by wearing a widebrimmed hat; Avoid too much sunshine and use a sunscreen lotion with a high SPF rating.

For more information, including a list of air conditioned senior centers and hours of operation, please call the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth at 435-2362 or visit our website.

Governor Cuomo announces closure of seven state prison facilities Action fulfills Governor’s pledge to make appropriate changes based on declining inmate population and provides $184 million in savings to state taxpayers over next two years Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced he will close seven New York state prisons, fulfilling his pledge to consolidate the state’s correctional facilities based on a declining inmate population and providing significant savings to New York state taxpayers.

Communities affected by the closures will be able to request economic development assistance from the state, which includes money from a $50 million fund as well as additional tax credits available to help end the reliance on prisons as a major source of employment and economic sustainability.

The state’s closure plan includes four male minimum security facilities: Buffalo Work Release (Erie County), Camp Georgetown (Madison County), Summit Shock (Schoharie County) and Fulton Work Release (Bronx County); and three male medium security facilities: Arthur Kill (Richmond County), Mid-Orange (Orange County) and Oneida (Oneida County).

Approximately 3,800 unneeded and unused beds will be eliminated, saving taxpayers $72 million in 2011-12 and $112 million in 2012-13. The offenders in these facilities will be moved to other prisons that have available space with no interruption. No maximum security facilities will close under this plan.

“The state’s prison system has been too inefficient and too costly with far more capacity than what is needed to secure the state’s inmate population and ensure the public’s safety,” Governor Cuomo said.

“This plan is the result of very careful and detailed analysis and deliberation. It succeeds in targeting facilities for closure without compromising public safety and will save taxpayers $184 million. We will work closely to ensure impacted areas are given substantial state aid to help them create jobs and transform their local economies. New York will continue to keep the highest standard of public safety and maintain one of the safest correctional systems in the country.”

“The plan for prison closures in New York state reflects the state’s changing and declining inmate population, while recognizing the benefit of programs that provide alternatives to incarceration and supervised re-entry into society,” DOCCS Commissioner Brian Fischer said. “By closing facilities, removing excess capacity and focusing on the core

programs that will continue to rehabilitate offenders, DOCCS will provide the highest level of security to protect the public with greater efficiency and cost effectiveness.”

Since 1999, New York’s prison population has declined by 22 percent, from a high of 71,600 offenders incarcerated 12 years ago to approximately 56,000 today. The continuing downward trend of the state’s prison population is largely attributed to the simultaneous drop in crime across the state. Over the past ten years, the overall rate of crime in New York has declined by 25 percent and the number of major crimes (e.g., homicide; assault) has declined by 23 percent.

From 2001 to 2010, the number of inmates housed at maximum security prisons declined by 2 percent (from 25,331 in 2001, to 24,822 in 2010), the number of inmates at medium security prisons decreased by 19.5 percent (from 35,763 in 2001, to 28,795 in 2010) and the number at minimum security facilities dropped by 57.2 percent (from 6,301 in 2001, to 2,698 in 2010).

Since the late 1980s, the State Legislature enacted several laws that offer mostly non-violent offenders early release as an incentive for good behavior and program achievements, including the Shock Incarceration, Work Release, Comprehensive Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment (CASAT), Willard Drug Treatment Campus, Merit Time and Limited Credit Time Allowance programs.

The 1973 Rockefeller Drug Laws have been reformed three times to allow many drug offenders to apply to have their sentences reduced, to allow some to earn extra time off their fixed minimum period of indeterminate sentences for good behavior and achievement of milestones involving treatment, educational, training and work programs, and, last year, to divert more new offenders into alternatives to incarceration.

These changes have already led to the early release of many offenders, virtually all of them non-violent drug offenders, on average eight months earlier than had the laws remain unchanged, resulting in the need for fewer prison beds.

Earlier this year, Governor Cuomo achieved the merger of the former Department of Correctional Services and Division of Parole into the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). It is estimated that newly merged state agency will save state taxpayers $17 million in the current 2011-12 fiscal year.

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August 2011

New York State Fair Entertainment 2011 Pan African Village and Gospel Sunday There’s entertainment throughout the Fair, check out numerous stages including Pan-African Village which offers entertainment from the diaspora of Africa. In addition to entertainment “the Village “ offers unique cultural items and ethnic foods for all to enjoy. Located between the Center of progress building and the Art and Home Buildings Pan-African Village has become a “must see” venue at the New York State Fair.

Gospel Weekend this year features the Mighty Clouds of Joy, they’ll perform at 4 and 8 P.M. at the Talent Showcase Stage.

Grandstand Entertainment Tickets for all State Fair Grandstand shows/events will be available at The New York State Fair Box Office, Ticketmaster retail outlet locations which includes the Oncenter Box Office in Syracuse, online at Ticketmaster.com and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone sales at 1-800-745-3000 or 1-866-448-7849. The New York State Fair Box Office, which charges no service fees, is open Monday-Friday from 10:00am4:30pm. There are no grandstand shows/ events being held on the following days: August 29, August 31 and September 1 Ne-Yo and Cee Lo Green - Friday, August 26, 2011 at 7:30pm Chevy Court 12 Days of free entertainment is scheduled for the Stan Colella Stage at Chevy Court for the 2011 New York State Fair.

Two shows a day will be featured, all free to Fairgoers with your Fair admission. The lineup provides a wide-ranging mix of musical talent from country to nostalgia to today’s popular music.

The Pointer Sisters Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:00pm KC and the Sunshine Band Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 8:00pm The Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 2:00pm Charlie Wilson Friday, September 2, 2011 at 8:00pm The Food Network’s Pat & Gina Neely Sunday, September 4, 2011 at 2:00pm The Pointer Sisters

- The Pointer Sisters were just too funky to ignore, and by the time the Pointers’ sang their sixth number, a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools,” sections of the crowd at the Alys Stephens Center were dancing like they were at the world’s coolest prom.

This incarnation of the Pointers consists of sisters Anita and Ruth, along with Ruth’s granddaughter Sadako Johnson.

Anita and Ruth provide smoothness and ease that come with decades of touring and hit-producing, and Johnson provides an energy boost, and equally smooth, confident vocals. Never mind that Johnson, 27, is younger than some of the songs she sings.

She has the stage presence and beauty of a bona fide Pointer.

Perhaps because of the Alabama location, the Pointers included two of their country music hits, “Fairytale” and “Slow Hand,” both twang-filled anthems worthy of any honkytonk. But the trio got the biggest reactions, including widespread dancing in the aisles, from the danceable numbers they’re famous for, like “Automatic,” “Jump (For My Love),” “Fire,” “Neutron Dance” and “I’m So Excited.”

-Review the Birmingham News KC & The Sunshine Band Whose music has been featured at EVERY major sporting event in the world including the Super Bowl, World Series, Conference Championships, The NBA, Collegiate Bowl Games National Championship Games, the NASCAR racing Circuit and Championships, The World Cup, The Indianapolis 500, The Kentucky Derby, EVERY Holiday Parade include the famous Macys Thanksgiving Day parade, and the Tournament of Roses Parade, Political Party Conventions, Presidential Campaigns and nearly EVERY wedding, confirmation, and bar mitzvah in the world?

Whose music has been featured on more than 200 motion picture film soundtracks?

He has been called the “Founder of the Dance Revolution.”

He is Harry Wayne Casey, better known as the founder and leader of KC and The Sunshine Band.

The music that got people out of their

seats and onto the dance floor originated with humble beginnings in Hialeah, Florida. KC has never moved farther than 10 miles away from his birthplace and the birthplace of his legendary music underlines the fact that he is proud that his “Sunshine Sound” has flourished continuously for over 37 years.

“I remember that I always wanted to do something that would make people forget about their problems and be happy,” recalls KC. “I always loved music and I was fortunate enough to grow up in a multi-ethnic area that exposed me to a lot of different cultures and music...from Pop to Reggae to Latin. I experimented at trying to put

all three types of music together and the Sunshine Sound was born. Why move from an area that not only do I love, but owe so much to?’

Let’s “rewind” back to 1973. The price of an average home was $32,500. The price of an average automobile was $2,900. The price of a gallon of gasoline was 40 cents a gallon. The United Stales was still involved in the Vietnam conflict, Richard Nixon was the target of the Watergate investigation, University Students were protesting and rioting, and there was discontent all over the world with rising unemployment and inflation. People were looking for someSee NYS Fair, next page

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From previous page

thing that would divert their attention from the negative aspects of everyday life surrounding them.

During this time, young Harry Casey did anything and everything that he could do to further his passion for music. He worked at a local record store, opened boxes at Tone Record Distributors and hung around a local recording studio just hoping that somebody would give him a chance to fulfill his biggest dream...to record a record.

That “dream” was answered by a man named Henry Stone who owned both Tone Distributors and TK Recording Studios. KC recalls the early days of TK Records: “It was like a big family and Henry was our Dad.” Stone had recorded Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker and James Brown at the TK Recording Studios and took a liking to the energetic and optimistic Harry Casey and decided to give him a chance to make his dream come true...a chance to record.

Nobody would have thought that Henry Stone’s insight and Harry Casey’s talent and enthusiasm would make history and make Miami, Florida the hottest music city on the planet. The “birth” of KC and the Sunshine band was about to happen and nobody knew that its birth would not only bring the world legendary music, but influence a whole generation. From clothing to hairstyles to dance styles to new acceptable words in the English language, KC and the Sunshine Band had arrived! And what an arrival! Four Number one Records in a row, Grammy Awards, Peoples Choice Awards, American Music Awards, and the focus of the music world became Miami, Florida.

Things have changed drastically since 1973. One thing hasn’t changed, though. The infectious, feel good happy music of KC and the Sunshine Band. What started out as

The Neely’s

a “dream” is now “legend.”

Harry Wayne Casey, a true icon of so many generations, gets people up and dancing, making everyone happy, his place at the top in the music world is secure and that is as it should be.

KC and the Sunshine Band have been entertaining audiences around the world for over 37 years, and have sold in excess of 100 million records and “That’s The Way They Like It” uh-huh uh-huh!

The Neely’s As co-owners of Neely’s Bar-B-Que, Patrick (Pat) and Gina Neely (http://www.ginaandpat.com/) have turned their family restaurant into one of the most successful barbecue restaurants in the South. Now they share the secrets behind their favorite dishes and their passion for food, family and fun on Food Network’s Down Home with the Neelys Charlie Wilson Timeless. It’s something every artist wants to be, but few earn the distinction. Charlie Wilson’s name is on that short list.

From his breakout as a member of the Gap Band (“You Dropped A Bomb On Me,” “Outstanding”) in the ‘80s to his revered solo recordings (2005’s certified gold Charlie, Last Name Wilson, 2010’s Grammy nominated Uncle Charlie), Wilson has sold millions of albums, inspired a throng of artists who modeled their vocal stylings after his (most notably Aaron Hall and R. Kelly) and cemented his status as a musical icon with accolades from Billboard and BET, among a host of others.

Now, with his third Jive Records solo album Just Charlie, Wilson is on a mission: to teach people how to respect, treat and speak to women. It’s about respect and total commitment, something Wilson puts on full display with the lead single “You Are,” produced by Wilson and P Music Group producer/ songwriter Wirlie Morris.

“The first time I heard the song I knew it was going to be timeless and probably one of the best Charlie had recorded in his career so I immediately thought to add an extra layer of distinction and bring in a live orchestra,” stated Michael Paran, of P Music Group, who has managed and guided Wilson’s successful solo career for the last 13 years.

“So we reached out to Larry Batiste, Musical Director for the Pre-Grammy telecasts who did the orchestral arrangements which took the song over the top.”

Already a radio hit on Billboard’s Urban Adult Contemporary chart (13 weeks at #1), “You Are” features a warm, elegant soundbed that serves as the backdrop for Wilson to showcase the love and admiration he has for his

wife, Mahin. After Wilson’s years of battling drug abuse and homelessness, Mahin was the one who helped guide him back to personal and professional greatness. “I didn’t have a reason to love,” Wilson says. “I didn’t have anybody to trust, to be there for me. To find someone like Mahin is the reason that I can love. She taught me how to live.”

And for millions of people, their dream is to be in love.

That’s why Wilson chose to remake his good friend Roger Troutman’s “I Wanna Be Your Man.” This stellar cover features Fantasia and depicts the type of yearning people have before their love is reciprocated. For others, it’s a love past that makes them realize that maybe they “Never Got Enough” of that person. This cut contains classic funk elements and lively keyboards, sounds that work well with the intensity in which some reflect upon a love lost.

That radiance carries over to “Once And Forever,” an elegant, piano-accented ballad where Wilson describes how his lady inspired him to be a better man. Both “You Are” and “Once And Forever” are likely to be featured at weddings for decades to come, thanks to their lush orchestration and uplifting lyrics.

Elsewhere, Wilson details how his woman is a “Dime” in every way (not just physically) and celebrates his life with his lady (and shows off his impeccable vocals with daring runs and adlibs) on the feel-good “Lotto.” Then, on the breezy, reggae-influenced “Life Of The Party,” Wilson makes a point to treat his lady to a memorable night on the town, where the sole focus is to enjoy themselves. “As adults, when we start getting older, we start losing our youth because of Father Time,” he explains. “I think we should have a good time in life until the clock stops ticking.

I think you should continue to have fun, never stop enjoying yourself, and never stop giving up on your dreams.”

But it’s triumph that truly defines Just Charlie. After navigating through exhilarating highs and unspeakable lows, Wilson found redemption, a journey he documents on the driving, empowering “Where Would I Be.” “I went from rags to riches, riches to rags, rags to the curb and from the curb to being homeless,” he reveals. “Now I’m back to being a No. 1 artist and I couldn’t have done it without my woman. To have a woman who stands by your side no matter what you’re going through, the ups and the downs and the in-betweens, where would I be without her?”

And where would music be without Charlie Wilson?

With The Gap Band, Wilson and brothers Ronnie and Robert helped define and popularize an upbeat form of funk that was equally infectious and lasting. “Outstanding,” “You Dropped a Bomb On Me,” and “I Don’t Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance (Oops Up Side Your Head)” were among their immense catalog of hits and are among the most sampled songs in music history.

Although Wilson struggled with alcohol and drug addiction that consumed him once The Gap Band broke up, his music resonated with generations of musicians and rappers, many of whom clamored to recreate his soaring vocals, to collaborate with him or to just achieve the level of artistic quality Wilson maintained.

In the early 1990s, Wilson (who had already been identified as the blueprint on which Guy’s Aaron Hall and R. Kelly modeled their style) became friends and a regular collaborator See NYS Fair, next page

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with Snoop Dogg. This relationship provided Wilson with access to many of the artists that idolized him, as well as a fresh group of emerging talent who inspired him to continue pushing the limits of his own material.

“I had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest hip-hop artists in this business,” recalls Wilson, who has collaborated with Kanye West, R. Kelly, Jamie Foxx, T-Pain and Justin Timberlake, among others. “It allowed me to open up my horizons and be able to learn about different types of music. Working with these artists allowed me to not be locked in a time capsule. It opened the door for me to be a part of today’s contemporary music scene.”

Beyond music, Wilson remains committed to promoting awareness and testing for prostate cancer. As a survivor of a disease that afflicts one in six American men — and one in three African American men — Wilson in 2008 teamed with the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “When I learned that the PCF had helped to build a global research enterprise of nearly $10 billion and funded more than 1500 programs at nearly 200 research centers in 12 countries,

I knew I wanted to support their efforts,” stated Wilson.

Today he continues to speak at events around the country, encouraging men to get screened for the disease. He also supports the PCF through the sale of his signature fedora hats at his concerts and on his website at www.unclecharliewilson. com/shop.

Wilson is also passionate about supporting American troops. In March, 2011, he made his third trip to Kuwait and Iraq to perform for our troops. “These men and women lay it on the line everyday for us, the least I can do is give them a few hours of entertainment.”

With music and his work to combat prostate cancer, Wilson has been able to sustain the passion and drive that have been hallmarks of his legendary career.

“I’m still living this dream,” Wilson says.

“I’m still going to the stage and I’m still having fun. I’m not there just to pick up the check. It’s about the passion and the respect that I have for the game. It keeps me going.”

No wonder Charlie Wilson is considered timeless. And no wonder Just Charlie will soon earn the same distinction.

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217 South Salina Street, Downtown Syracuse • Monday-Friday 10:00-5:30 • 315.472.6172