L
EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
WEDNESDAYS • March 21, 2018
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INSIDE Charlottesville’s Nazi chronicles- 2 Defending NOI’s Louis Farrakhan - 8 Who wants more of Wakanda? - 10 Notable women memorialized - 13
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Should guns be in schools to protect students? STAFF AND WIRE
When it comes to the issue of gun violence in the United States, it is safe to say that bullets don’t discriminate. While there does tend to be a double standard related to the media attention and societal support certain groups receive versus others when it comes to ‘dealing with’ the issue of gun violence in America, the pain that all parents, families and friends experience due to these traumatic experiences is the same – heartbreaking. America has found itself once again experiencing a tragic act of domestic terrorism, where young people and adults have been tragically gunned down because the assailant had easy access to obtain guns. This access eventually led to the loss of multiple lives as a result of them carrying out a mass shooting. For example, the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that happened last month in Parkland, Florida, has sparked an outcry from many people in the country, particularly many of the students who were impacted by the shooting and are now demanding changes in the gun laws in this country. It also sparked nationwide school walkouts in protest of gun access where schools allowed students to voice their opinions of the matter by walking out to a designated area of their schools to stand in protest before returning to classes. Students also branched out independently throughout the nation to protest this demising issue that won’t go away. Nineteen-year-old domestic terrorist suspect Nikolas Cruz is the latest reason for this most recent tragedy. He legally purchased a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle in February 2017, a year prior to killing 17 people. According to various reports, Cruz caught an Uber to Marjory Stoneman
This photo of a gun-totting Israeli teacher has been making rounds lately to enhance the need for such a measure. Douglas High School, and then proceeded to walk inside the school carrying a black duffel bag and a backpack. Cruz hid loaded magazines in his backpack, until the very moment he decided to pull out his newly acquired AR-15 rifle and start blasting away at people. As the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass school shooting has been added to the list as one of the deadliest school shootings and acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history, it has now also been added to the list of tragic mass shooting incidents that have seemingly and sadly become the norm in this country. Again, the world sat in terror watching in horror as politicians and lawmakers, who are entrusted to
lead and serve, offered the victims and their families little more than their thoughts and prayers via social media, sound bites and scripted press releases. Many people remember the tragedy that took place on December 14, 2012, when 20-year-old domestic terrorist Adam Lanza killed 20 1st graders between the ages of six and seven years of age and six adults with an assault rifle at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Since the Sandy Hook shooting, there have been roughly 240 other school shootings that have taken place in the U.S. with at least 438 people being shot and 138 people being killed.
Many have argued that this continued loss of life reinforces the recurring narrative that America is strongly encouraging a culture of gun violence, particularly because of the flat out refusal of lawmakers to take action and pass any sensible bipartisan gun control legislation. Over the years, the relationship between gun lobbyists and those who make policy has seemingly produced an unwillingness to advance responsible gun safety legislation, and it has caused a major divide amongst many people in this country. Now, instead of clearly addressing the unrestricted access to high-powered, military-style
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The LEGACY
2 • March 21, 2018
News
Man beaten at Cville Nazi rally acquitted of assault COLIN DWYER FROM WIRE REPORTS DeAndre Harris, a black man brutally beaten after a white nationalist rally last August in Charlottesville was found not guilty of misdemeanor assault for his role in the incident. The city’s General District Court handed down the ruling Friday. Harold Crews, 48, an attorney and chairman of the North Carolina League of the South, had pressed charges against Harris on Oct. 12 — two months to the day after hundreds of white nationalists across the U.S. descended on Charlottesville for the Unite the Right rally. Deadly violence followed that demonstration, including the beating Harris sustained at the hands of several white men, which was caught on camera and later went viral. Harris, 20, suffered serious injuries during the attack, saying later that because of the beating, he had “eight staples in my head, a broken wrist and a chipped tooth.” But Crews argued that it was he who had been unlawfully wounded by Harris. The original charge, a felony punishable by up to five years
in prison, was later amended to misdemeanor assault and battery. A published report explains Crews” argument: “In one piece of YouTube footage, Crews is clasping a large flagpole in front of a black protester, who is tugging on the other end. As the two of them tussle over the pole, Harris swings a flashlight at Crews, appearing to strike him on the head or shoulder. “Moments later, several white nationalists — one of them dressed in military tactical gear and holding a plastic shield — storm into the garage, chasing Harris and forcing him to the ground, where he was brutally pummeled.” Harris maintained that he had been swinging at Crews’ flagpole, and ultimately, it was this argument Judge Robert Downer sided with, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove that Harris intended harm to Crews. As for the crowd that stormed Harris immediately after that confrontation, beating him to the ground with poles in a parking garage, four men have been charged with felony assault or malicious wounding: Daniel Patrick Borden
DeAndre Harris, seen balled on the ground, suffers a beating in a parking garage near the Charlottesville police station last August. PHOTO: Zach D. Roberts of Ohio, Jacob Scott Goodwin of Arkansas, Alex Michael Ramos of Georgia, and Tyler Watkins Davis of Florida. None of the men has had his trial yet. Demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse in Charlottesville on Friday, showing their support for Harris. “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” the protesters shouted. “If we can’t get it, shut it down.” These cases represent just a
fraction of the rally’s legal fallout. An independent review published in December found fault with Charlottesville police and other city authorities, as NPR’s Laurel Wamsley reported. The violence revealed “a failure of one of government's core functions — the protection of fundamental rights,” the report asserted. “Law enforcement also failed to maintain order and protect citizens from harm, injury, and death.” And one of those fundamental rights, free speech, is the subject of a lawsuit filed recently against the organizers of the rally. “We want to send a message that you can’t do this,” attorney Roberta Kaplan, who is representing the plaintiffs, said on Friday. “People are entitled to have their First Amendment beliefs in this country and to speak those beliefs,” Kaplan continued, “but what they’re not allowed to do in this country is to plan, commit and then celebrate violence motivated by those beliefs.” A large show of support was outside Charlottesville General Distruct Court, where DeAndre Harris was found not guilty of assault. Activist groups insist charges are dropped against Corey Long and Donald Blakney, two other black men charged with crimes allegedly committed on 8/12.
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March 21, 2018 • 3
College enrollment for low-income students is now at an all-time high The National Center for Education Statistics released the latest statistics regarding the college enrollment pattern of recent high school graduates. Since record keeping began in 1975, it is usual to see that the probability of a high school student to enroll in college rise dependably with his family’s income. However, the most recent data have shown a great increase in college enrollment from the low-income sector--even higher than the middleincome sector. In the recent data, around 70 percent of recent high school graduates enroll in either a four-year or two-year college. Not surprisingly,
83 percent in the top quintile are from the wealthy students, which comprise the highest rate of recent high school graduates who enroll in college. What’s exceptional is the rate among low-income and middleincome students. The collegeenrollment rate for low-income is 67 percent while the rate for middleincome is 64 percent. Though the difference is still within the margin of error, it indicates a remarkable change in the historical standard. The recent data also showed the narrowed “enrollment gap” between wealthy and low-income students. In
1986, the wealthy comprise the 73 percent of college enrollees while the low-income comprise only 37 percent, which demonstrated an enrollment gap of 36 percentage points between rich and poor students. But as of 2016, the enrollment gap narrowed to only 16 percentage points. Though the above statistics seem noteworthy, it is important to remember that college enrollment
is just the start. For it to be really beneficial, students must finish their college degree. Further data shows only 57 percent do so in a span of six years. For low-income students, getting into college might seem to be harder. However, recent statistics show that low-income students now actually enroll in college at a higher rate than their middle-income peers.
HBCU music departments benefit from NEA grants Uniquely positioned as possibly the first and only nationwide Master Class Series, a program featuring African American classical music masters and designed to partner with HBCUs, is on the move with National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) federal funding. Now underway, the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA)’s national Master Class Series funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) presented the first session at Hampton University last week. Facilitated by soprano Angela Renee Simpson, the MasterClass Series, which is at no cost to the institutions, is part of the NEA’s $25 million in grants, the first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018, approved by NEA Chairman Jane Chu. CAAPA received $10,000 of the Art Works category budget, the NEA’s largest funding category supporting projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts. So far, additional confirmed CAAPA MasterClass 2018 sessions include Howard University on Wednesday, April 11; Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark-Atlanta University on Thursday, April 12 with Morgan State University, Bowie State University, Livingstone College, and Virginia State
University pending final dates. MusicMasters scheduled to facilitate the sessions include bass/ baritone Kevin Short and tenor and NEA Award recipient George Shirley, with Simpson who also serves as the program coordinator conducting the Master Class at Southern University. “It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States. These NEAsupported projects, such as this one with CAAPA, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve wellbeing, prepare our children to succeed, and increase the quality of our lives,” said NEA’s Chu. “We believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities and connections the arts bring.” CAAPA Board Chair/Co-Founder Pamela Simonson and Simpson agree with Chairman Chu that the MasterClass Series focuses on the creation of art that meets the highest standard of excellence by partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to help bring classical MusicMasters to a diverse group of college students. The two opera singers describe the program, which coordinates MasterClasses throughout the nation as an opportunity for black music students to gain exposure from what CAAPA describes as “informances” (informational performances) are designed to enhance classically trained voices in acting, diction, repertoire, and movement for aspiring singers.
(from page 1) this cycle of violence must include semiautomatic rifles, like the ones used in the Florida and Las Vegas mass shootings, Donald Trump and many of his supporters have focused on pushing for arming teachers with guns in the classroom. In addition to that, Trump has also sought to excuse the actions of these domestic terrorists as a mental illness issue rather than a focus on the relatively easy way these individuals can acquire deadly weapons with no real vetting process. Many have found the mental illness narrative to be a confusing conslusion to find credible, especially considering the fact that Trump’s latest budget proposes dramatically slashing Medicaid, which is the primary source of mental health funding for 70 percent of low-income Americans. Why acknowledge that mental illness is the issue with gun violence and then turnaround and cut the funding for many low-income Americans who need it, and who suffer from incidents of sustained gun violence in their respective communities? The issue of mental illness related to coping with tragedy and trauma is important, but it does not deal with the real issue of gun violence in the nation. Most experts believe that any serious plan to stem the tide of
common-sense gun laws. A survey by the Pew Research Center concludes that while Americans say they want to protect the right to bear arms, “they’re very much supportive of many gun policy proposals, including more background checks on private and gun show sales and banning semi-automatic and assault-style weapons.” One would think that protecting local neighborhoods, schools, students and families would be a bipartisan priority and that elected officials would not be bought and sold to the highest bidder. However, it appears there are many lawmakers that have little to no conviction as it relates to doing what it takes to help reduce the risk that all American citizens face regarding this national epidemic of mass shootings due to gun violence that continues to plague our nation. –Jeffrey Boney
The LEGACY
4 • March 21, 2018
DJJ contracts with Boys & Girls Clubs to help keep low-level offenders out of jail With savings from the closure of Beaumont Juvenile Correctional Center, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), working with Regional Service Coordinators AMIkids and Evidence-Based Associates (EBA), has contracted with three Boys and Girls Clubs (B&GC) in Virginia to provide pro-social engagement and programming for youth being diverted from the juvenile court. AMIkids is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping troubled youth develop into responsible and productive citizens. Evidence-Based Associates is a national behavioral health care management and technical assistance provider that provides programmatic, operational and
administrative support related to the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). The B&GC will provide services for DJJ-referred youth between the ages of 10 and 18 as part of a diversion initiative in communities affected by violence.The B&GC program will provide an option for DJJ staff to screen referrals and divert youth with low-level offenses away from the juvenile court and instead connect them to pro-social adults and activities. DJJ notes that if it becomes aware of younger siblings living in the same household, they would also be included in the referral to the B&GC as a preventative measure. “Because of our ability to reinvest savings from closing Beaumont, we The Virginia Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs is comprised of 17 Boys & Girls Clubs organizations serving more than 32,000 youth between the ages of 5-18 at 73 sites in 43 cities across Virginia. are now in a position to invest in diversion programs like this one, particularly in communities where young people are at higher risk of criminal activity or victimization,” said DJJ Director Andy Block. “The Boys and Girls Club has a long history of being a safe haven and providing programming and prosocial activities for youth. We are excited to be adding the Boys and Girls Club as a service provider for services for diverted youth. ”“Not all young people who come to DJJ’s intake units have the same level of offending or risk to reoffend,” said Valerie Boykin, DJJ deputy director for community programs. “Bringing youth with low levels of offending into the juvenile justice system can inadvertently do more harm than good. “This is an opportunity for us to help youthwith less serious behavioral issues get needed services in their community without bringing them unnecessarily into the juvenile justice system.” When a youth is referred to the B&GC, staff will assess the youth’s service needs, establish academic and other goals, and develop a
service plan. All DJJ youth referred will beassigned a case coordinator and will receive the B&GC’s targeted outreach services, but will also have club membership and access to the all daily club activities. They also will have theopportunity to participate in other club programming designed to teach conflict management,gang resistance strategies and problem-solving techniques. B&GC programs include Street Smart, Career Launch, Money Matters, Smart Moves, Smart Girls and Passport to Manhood. “We welcome the opportunity to work with DJJ in helping to direct the futures of young people,” said Hugh Jones, executive director of the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Richmond. “Our experience has been transformational for many, and we are excited to welcome the same benefits of what the Club offers in this new initiative.” The pilot program with B&GC includes four jurisdictions -Richmond, Newport News, Hampton and Danville. They were selected based on trend data that suggested increases in violent crime in those areas, noted DJJ.
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March 21, 2018 • 5
Henrico’s $1.3 billion budget plan retains 87-cent tax rate, GRTC expansion Henrico County Manager John A. Vithoulkas last week presented to the Board of Supervisors a proposed budget for the next fiscal year that retains an 87-cent real estate tax rate while supporting schools and other core services, expanding GRTC Transit System service and enhancing tax-relief programs for businesses and older residents. The proposed budget for fiscal 2018-19 totals $1.3 billion across all operating funds, an increase of 3.6 percent from the current year’s plan. The proposed general fund, which supports most governmental operations, totals $871.9 million, an increase of 3.8 percent. “The proposed budget moves Henrico forward in every way,” Vithoulkas said. “It fully funds the School Board’s request and supports our employees with a well-earned salary increase. It also supports public safety operations and expands the ability of residents to move throughout our borders with a strategic expansion of GRTC transit service. “Further, it makes Henrico more attractive to businesses by increasing the exemption from BPOL taxes, and it establishes a new tool to revitalize distressed areas within our community. Lastly, the budget allows Henrico to continue offering an exceptional quality of life along with the lowest tax burden of any large locality in Virginia.” Highlights of the proposed budget include:
GRTC’s 91 Laburnum Connector is among routes to be expanded. •No change to the real estate tax rate of 87 cents per $100 of assessed value. Henrico’s real estate tax rate has not increased during the past 40 years; •A $485.1 million operating budget for Henrico County Public Schools, as requested by the School Board. It also would support the addition of 60 positions to provide planning periods for elementary teachers; the continuation of the Achievable Dream Academy and the CodeRVA regional high school; a new young scholars program at Wilder Middle School and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) integration at all middle schools; an additional assistant
county attorney position for special education cases; and the ongoing school bus replacement program; •Funding for increased police operations, a five-year replacement program for body-worn cameras and Tasers, three additional firefighters as part of a multiyear plan to ease staffing pressures and reduce overtime costs, and the development of a new response model for nonurgent calls for emergency medical services; •An expansion of GRTC Transit
System service by extending hours for the 7 Seven Pines, 91 Laburnum Connector and 19 Pemberton routes and by extending the 19 Pemberton route to West Broad Marketplace in Short Pump. The changes represent an additional investment of $1.2 million, the largest locally-funded expansion of transit service in Henrico in the past 25 years; •Increasing the exemption from BPOL (Business, Professional and Occupational License) taxes to $300,000 in gross receipts. Currently, businesses do not pay BPOL taxes on the first $100,000 in gross receipts. With a $300,000 exemption, more than 13,000 businesses would not pay BPOL taxes; •An expansion of eligibility for the Real Estate Tax Advantage Program (REAP), which provides tax relief to residents who are at least 65 years old or totally and permanently disabled. To qualify, residents would be able to have a maximum income of $75,000, an increase from $67,000; and a maximum net worth of $400,000, an increase from $350,000; •A merit-based raise of 2.4 percent for all employees of Henrico general
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6 • March 21, 2018
Op/Ed & Letters
The LEGACY
The Power Rising Conference featured the best & brightest in black women leadership JULIANNE MALVEAUX All too often, our “history” month turns into a tribute to the past. And while the past is an important place to lift up it is, indeed, a tributary, a stream that flows into the larger stream of an unbounded future. The future must always be greater than the present, or there has been no progress. And, in the words of Frederick Douglas, “progress concedes nothing without a demand.” I spend much of Women’s History Month thinking of those who have come before me; I stand on their shoulders. I claim Women’s History Month for black women and love to call our roll of luminaries that, for me, includes Dr. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, the first black woman to get a Ph.D. in economics, Dr. Phyllis Ann Wallace, the first black woman to get a Ph.D. in economics from Yale, and the first to attain tenure at MIT. There are more, but I also want to speculate about the future role of luminaries and reflect on that fact that many Black women have made it possible for us to bask in a new generation of leadership. The past has laid a foundation, but the future is far more important than the past. Thus, Leah Daughtry (who managed the 2016 Democratic National Convention), Minyon Moore (who had a key role in the Clinton campaign), and Yolanda Caraway (an amazing political operative who has worked for Rev. Jesse Jackson,
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President Bill Clinton, and candidate Hillary Clinton), put a footprint in the sand for future leadership with their Power Rising conference in Atlanta, last month. They gathered more than a thousand black women from around the country to develop a “Black Women’s Agenda,” deliberately mixing up the seasoned with the sassy, established leaders with those who are eager to make their mark. Symone Sanders, the CNN commentator who made her mark supporting Bernie Sanders, and who does not back down from a fight around principles and issues, led a panel of young women who spoke of the challenges in their work. Amanda Brown Lierman, a new mom and the political director of the Democratic National Committee, was among those on another panel The LEGACY welcomes all signed letters and all respectful opinions. Letter writers and columnists opinions are their own and endorsements of their views by The LEGACY should be inferred. The LEGACY assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Annual Subscription Rates Virginia - $50 U.S. states - $75 Outside U.S.- $100 The Virginia Legacy © 2016
about life in politics. Others on that panel included LaDavia Drane, who led black outreach for Hillary Clinton and is now chief of staff for Congresswoman Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.) and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, who is now running for Congress. These young women aren’t playing! They are calling out their elders, but also calling out the rules. They aren’t trying to toe a line, they are trying to make a difference. Ayanna Pressley, as an example, is challenging an incumbent Democrat in a Congressional primary. Tired of being told to “wait her turn”, she has decided that now is her time. Even though she has always garnered support from Emily’s List, the fact that she is challenging a pro-choice Democratic man in Boston has not won her support from the political establishment. Yet the 42-year-old sister says she will not be constrained by tradition. The Power Rising conference represented an example of that unfettered and passionate energy. One of the most promising young leaders is Tamika Mallory, one of the four co-leaders of the Women’s March. Tamika is a protégé of Rev. Al Sharpton (her parents were among the founders of the National Action Network, and she served as its executive director for several years). Because of her amazing work, Mallory earned a Phoenix Award from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in 2017. With appropriate humility, she accepted her award “for the people,” and the most important thing that one
gets from Mallory is that she loves humanity, loves black people, and especially black women. She, like the others mentioned, is a leader for our future. She is the future of Black Women’s History. We all know that because she is a leader, she will attract negative energy and still, she rises, walking through life with her shoulders back, head held high, an unapologetic lover of her people. The Akan (Ghanaian) word SANKOFA translates as “go back and get it”. It is associated with the proverb “Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi,” which means “It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” The Adinkra symbol for Sankofa is either that of a bird with its head turned backward carrying a precious egg in its mouth, or a stylized heart shape. The precious egg is the history of our leadership, the women like Mary McLeod Bethune and Dorothy Height and Sadie Alexander and Phyllis Wallace. Even while looking backward, though, the Sankofa bird is moving forward, just like Mallory, LaDavia Drane, Amanda Brown Lierman, and so many others. In the paraphrased words of the poet Mari Evans, “Look on them and be renewed.” Malveaux is an author, economist and founder of Economic Education. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available to order at Amazon.com and at www.juliannemalveaux.com. Follow Dr. Malveaux on Twitter @ drjlastword.
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March 21, 2018 • 7
P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.
Harkening back I have found myself increasingly wondering whether social media, particularly Twitter and Facebook, constitutes a vehicle for civil dialogue. The number of attacks that I have either witnessed or experienced has been astounding. It has gotten to the point that I rarely respond to comments on either Twitter or Facebook, unless I have concluded that the original writer/ author was interested in a response. The situation has gotten way out of control. The insults that are thrown around; the demeaning language; the condescension; I could go on and on. About a year ago, I awakened to a Twitter storm attacking me for my support of the Palestinian people. It was not just one tweet; it was one tweet after another, accusing me of being everything, but a child of God. There seemed to be no way to stop it. Just recently, a good friend of mine came under a vicious Twitter attack by someone whose sanity I have been forced to question. My friend could not figure out a way to stop it, so it continued until the attacker ran out of steam. Social media makes it easy to be obnoxious. Among other things, there are few, if any, penalties. In the old days, if you read something with which you were in disagreement in
the paper; magazine; or even saw something on television, you would write a letter to the editor. To write such a letter you had to do some thinking prior to composing it. You then had to mail the letter. This entire process gave you at least a moment to contemplate your reaction and whether it was worth responding to something and, if so, how to respond. In today’s social media world, filters seemed to be reserved for photos and videos. When it comes to dialogue, people read something online and react! You can react immediately by sending an email, tweeting, posting on Facebook, or Instagram, etc. You don’t have to really stop and think. You just hit “Send.” And if you are really angry and want to be nasty, there are no penalties! You can, in effect, curse someone out, because what are they going to do? You can literally say whatever you want to anyone and the worst that they can do is “block” you from future exchanges. But that need not stop you, because you can post around them or even create another account and continue the verbal onslaught. The result is that, rather than a medium for rational exchanges and debates, social media is more about “trolling” or making assertions. In a Facebook, exchange I had with someone a few months ago, after I refuted their argument they simply dismissed me by saying: Well, that’s what I believe and I have a right to believe what I believe. Really? So, when it comes to social media, should we really just say to hell with the facts? Each day, when I turn to social
media I feel that I must dress in psychological battle armor, preparing for yet one more poison dart to come flying. Bill Fletcher, Jr.
and playing us for fools and suckers, both his supporters as well as his critics. Stewart B. Epstein
What’s real?
One down! The first legislative session under new Gov. Ralph Northam just ended with the governor leading the commonwealth to significant bipartisan progress on investing in a clean energy future, long overdue criminal justice reforms, and historic dedicated funding for the Metro to support Northern Virginia’s public transportation system. We’re thrilled to see these bipartisan, commonsense successes, but we can’t stop now—not when there is still work to do. As a doctor, the governor is serious about the need to expand Medicaid. Passing this legislation would allow as many as 400,000 uninsured Virginians to get lifesaving healthcare coverage. We made momentous bipartisan progress toward expanding Medicaid over the past 60 days—but we haven’t gotten it done yet. Virginia will hold a special session to keep working on Medicaid expansion—but before that begins, Ralph needs your help. Expanding Medicaid is not only common sense, it also makes budget sense. Bringing home more federal dollars that we send to D.C. in the first place allows us to expand healthcare, raise teacher and law enforcement pay, and make critical investments in education and job training. This is a win-win for Virginia families and our budget.. The Way Ahead Team
The biggest ‘faker’ of all is none other than President Donald Trump. He is posing as a conservative, but he is actually a ‘fake conservative’. What is my evidence? You can look this up for yourself. In 1999, he proposed that the Congress pass a new “National Wealth-Tax” (not income) of 14.25 percent on all individuals who have a “net-worth/net-wealth” of $10 million and higher. Taxing the very-rich is a very liberal idea. He wanted the money generated by it to be spent on two items: 1. Totally eliminating the national debt (that sounds conservative). 2. Spending the remainder on adding it to the Social Security Trust Fund to make it more fully solvent for additional years (that does not sound conservative). I am assuming that most of us know that the research shows that it is presently 100 percent fully solvent through the year 2034, meaning that there is absolutely no reason to cut benefits right now (which the less than totally-truthful conservatives in the Congress and in the right-wing media propoganda-machine do not want the public to know). Most of these conservatives love to suggest to the public that Social Security is going to go broke and bankrupt any day now. That is a lie. This man has been posing as a conservative. He has been masterfully manipulating all of us
The Way Ahead
8 • March 21, 2018
Faith & Religion
The LEGACY
Defending Farrakhan against ‘Zionist pressure’ STAFF & WIRE Nation of Islam (NOI) contends that the “Jewish stranglehold” on black political leaders was recently manifested when some Congressional Black Caucus members “caved in” to demands by the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) that they denounce Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan. This came after Farrakhan, the NOI leader, recently gave a heavilycondemned speech laden with invectives, including references to the devil as “that Satanic Jew,” and the proclamation that “the powerful Jews are my enemy”. NOI analysts and activists, including Richard B. Muhammad and Charlene Muhammad called the denunciations “signs of the weakness of black politicians amid Jewish efforts to isolate” Farrakhan. They predicted the efforts would fail. “A flood of half-truths” followed Min. Farrakhan’s late February address closing the NOI’s Saviours' Day convention in Chicago, they note. The RJC called on Congress members, Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.); Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Al Green (D-Texas) to resign. The congressmen should step down for meeting with or dialoguing with Min. Farrakhan, the RJC said. This led to Davis, Lee and Meeks disavowing Farrakhan, they note. “It’s a lack of power. It’s fear! A lack of discipline, a lack of self-respect, which leads to no respect,” said social and political commentator Dr. Boyce Watkins, who is also an author and economist. “What's interesting to me is that they will condemn the words of Minister Farrakhan and say we condemn hate speech of any kind, so you’re going out of your way to attack another black person on behalf of white people ... but in your quest to allegedly condemn hate speech of any kind, you never once condemn the Jewish community for running
Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan delivers the 2018 Saviours Day address in Chicago in late February. The content of the speech drew an attack from many. PHOTO: Michael Muhammad/Final Call these record labels where every other rapper is calling black people the N-word, and every other rapper is promoting black genocide, which has been more insidious, more effective, longer lasting than the genocide imposed on the Jews during the reign of Adolf Hitler,” argued Watkins. “What the Jewish community is going to have to confront is the fact that you have been our Hitler. You have mass-promoted, through media, the extermination of black people through black-on-black crime, the complete disrespect of black women and black families in your music, and not once have you ever condemned that as hate speech,” Watkins said. “So, you condemn us. Well, we condemn you.” Leonard Pitts, a Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist, and also an author and social commentator, sees it differently. “African Americans who support Farrakhan for his good deeds while ignoring or downplaying his antisemitism and homophobia are like the white people who claimed to support Donald Trump for his promise of economic miracles while
forgetting to care that he is a racist and a misogynist” he noted Saturday “It’s a sobering thought.” Pitts, notes that the question of how black should (or should not) engage with Farrakhan is “thornier” than an outsider may appreciate. “Many of us are genuinely impressed by the NOI’s philosophy of self reliance and its record of turning black lives around,” noted Pitts. “And when Farrakhan gets ranting on his pet hates, some of us tend to write it off, to tolerate him as you would a dotty uncle.” Farrakhan, notes Pitts, requires a “difficult balancing act” such as that by Anthony Clark, a teacher who is challenging Davis in the upcoming Democratic primary. While making clear his respect for Farrakhan’s record of black empowerment, Clark has also made clear, as he put it on Twitter, that “Farrakhan or anyone who shares anti-Semitic or homophobic viewpoints should be called out. I don’t care who they are.” Still, many support Farrakhan for his contribution to the black community.
Charles Steele, SCLC national president, for example, has recounted how Farrakhan gave money to keep SCLC doors open when the group was broke. Farrakhan didn’t ask questions and wrote a check to support work in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, said Steele. Philadelphia activist Pam Africa said the Jewish influence on black life shows blacks have gotten nowhere in the black-Jewish relationship. “Blacks have been relegated to kissups and suck-ups to what is wrong as indicated by the lawmakers’ denunciation of Minister Farrakhan,” she said. “They’re the Judas that Jesus Christ dealt with,” she said. With discontent over President Trump and controversies that could turn off female voters, pressure on Democrats, activists like Tamika Mallory and the Farrakhan controversy are designed to weaken Democrats, anti-Trump activists and
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March 21, 2018 • 9
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10 • March 21, 2018
The LEGACY
Want more Nakia and Princess Shuri of Wakanda?
Ask Alma
Read Jesse Holland’s new ‘Black Panther’ novel
Help my wife & I settle this before we die!
FREDDIE ALLEN BP-USA - In the first novel commissioned by Marvel about the Wakandan superhero, awardwinning journalist and author Jesse Holland takes a deep dive into the mythology of the Black Panther and the lives of the characters depicted in the groundbreaking feature film. Marvel’s “Black Panther” has earned $922 million worldwide and $512.6 million domestically. The film is on its way to becoming, “the second-biggest comic book superhero flick in North America behind “The Avengers” ($623m in 2012),” according to Forbes.com. Before “Black Panther” smashed box office records, Holland had written a nonfiction book titled “The Invisibles: The Untold Story about Slaves in the White House.” A description of the “The Invisibles” on Amazon.com says, that the book chronicles “the African American presence inside the White House from its beginnings in 1782 until 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that granted slaves their freedom.”
An editor from Lucas Films read “The Invisibles” and loved it, Holland said, and reached out to him to write a history for Finn, the African American character in “Stars Wars: The Force Awakens.” Those conversations led to Holland’s novel “Star Wars: The Force AwakensFinn’s Story.” Holland said that “Finn’s Story” landed him on Marvel’s radar. “[Marvel Studios] was making a movie about the Black Panther and wanted to know if I would be interested in writing the first novel about the iconic Marvel character,” said Holland. The author said, “Yes,” immediately. Holland said that there was just one catch: The novel had to be completed in six months. Luckily, Holland had been a Black Panther fan since he was a child. When Marvel offered to send him some Black Panther comic books for background material, he told them, “You don’t have to, because I already own them.” Holland went back and read Black Panther comic books written by
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Dear Alma, We have a situation in my house that we have not been able to resolve. I served our country and retired after 30 years in the military. My wife and I are up in age and have all of our affairs in order. We have one daughter, who is our life’s joy and she has been instructed on what to do at every turn, except when it comes to our burials. My wife has requested that she be cremated and have her ashes tossed over the waves off the island of Hawaii. I, on the other hand, would like for my wife to be buried by my side at Arlington National Cemetery. What advice do you have for us? Signed: Staying Together in the Afterlife Dear Staying Together, What an honor to receive a letter from you. Thank you for your service. I must say, rarely, if ever, am I stumped, but you’ve got me on this one. I mean it’s one thing when a couple is looking to purchase a house and one wants modern, clean lines and the other wants a colorful Victorian. I’ve even encountered couples not agreeing on the purchase of a car, one wants a sporty two-seater and the other an eight-passenger Mommy van. But this, this dilemma, my friend has me at a lost for words. How do you dance with the wind at the end and find a compromise? As you mentioned, your wife wants to be cremated and have her ashes poured to dance with the wind off the island of Hawaii. And you, my dear soldier, want to be buried, with your wife, at Arlington National Cemetery—and rightly so. That’s
not just any honor, but one you’ve earned and fought the good fight for. The decision One of you has got to give. I’ve prayed and made my decision. I think your wife should make her final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery. It’s not, because you’re the husband, dressed in blue, large and in charge. I think she should reconsider, because of where the two of you will be laid to rest, being buried at Arlington is a national honor. As you know, the grounds of the Arlington National Cemetery honor those who have served our nation. Sprawling hills provide an amazing sense of peace and tranquility. I’ve been there, and it’s aptly described as, “rolling green hills… dotted with trees that are hundreds of years in age and complement the gardens found throughout the 624 acres of the cemetery. This impressive landscape serves as a tribute to the service and sacrifice of every individual laid to rest within the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.” A compromise Arlington National Cemetery is a sacred dwelling, your final salute. It is my wish that you two read my answer together, while you lovingly ask your wife to reconsider. Remind her that you just can’t imagine not having her by your side, especially at your final resting place. How about this? Maybe your daughter can go to Hawaii and release beautiful lanterns in your wife’s memory and that will allow her to at least have a part of her, even if only in spirit, released over the beautiful waves off one of the magnificent island of Hawaii, sort of like the opening episode of Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married Too.” If you didn’t see it, ask your daughter to show it to you. Let’s not forget. Your wife has dutifully served with you over your 30-year career, and she may feel very strongly about her final resting place. If that is the case, please figure out another way to bind the connection that you two have so graciously sewn over the many years. Do what you’ve done in the past to make it last. Let’s not leave your daughter a long list of complicated instructions, but a legacy of commitment, togetherness and a devotion of love. Continue that example of good, strong love in Heaven as it was on Earth, together at Arlington National Cemetery.
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March 21, 2018 • 11
Craig Mack dead at age 47
(from page 8) lessen possible GOP losses in 2018 mid-term elections, said the NOI analysts. The analysts note that Donald Trump, Jr. attacked Farrakhan via Twitter. Ari Fleischer, a RJC board member and former spokesman for President George W. Bush, joined the anti-Farrakhan Twitter attacks supported by Sean Hannity, his other Fox News colleagues and Alan Dershowitz. Jewish billionaire Sheldon G. Adelson, RJC board chairman, gave multi-million dollar donations to the Trump campaign and inauguration.
Leonard Pitts Jr The Executive Council of the Nation of Islam March 9 expressed via an open letter “deep disappointment” in Black Caucus members who bowed to Jewish pressure. Congressmen Lee, Davis and Meeks joined Ellison, who had been the lone CBC member to publicly denounce Farrakhan. Rep. Carson told an Indianapolis TV station: “That organization (the RJC) doesn't have any credibility with me. I know they have a political agenda. The Congressional Black Caucus is asking that organization to condemn (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu and the (Israeli) government for discriminating against Africans who are migrating, who are fleeing dictatorships, who are fleeing oppression. There’s a great deal of bigotry and racism happening right now they fail to condemn.” Farrakhan called his detractors to a public debate. Similarly in a 2010 open letter, Farrakhan urged black leaders to review the book, “The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews, Part 2” which documented how Jews gallegedly ained control of the black economy and benefitted from their paternal relationship with blacks.
Dr Boyce Watkins “I am asking you to stand down and let them come out to me to defend their record and history of their relationship with us that we compiled from that which was written by their own scholars, historians, and Rabbis,” he wrote. The Anti-Defamation League, along with Jewish, right-wing and mainstream media have denounced Farrakhan Activist Mallory has also been denounced for attending the Farrakhan speech in Chicago. In an op-ed published on newsone.com, the Women’s March co-chair said, “I am the same woman who helped to build an intersectional movement that fights for the rights of all people and stands against hatred and discrimination of all forms. I am the same person today that I was before Saviours’ Day.” On Twitter, Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL chief executive officer, falsely charged Farrakhan with scapegoating Jews and attacked Mallory, notes NOI. “If you’re black and you’re a powerful person, elected, corporate, whatever, if you are doing the bidding of white people, you are a super slave, that you have power and you’re exercising that power against your own people,” said Professor Raymond Winbush of Morgan State University in Baltimore. “It’s a tragedy that blacks have elected leaders whose constituents strongly support Minister Farrakhan but politicians don’t because of influential lobbying groups,” he said. Dr. Tony Monteiro, former Temple University professor, said Farrakhan attracts black and poor people “as a voice of black America and its struggle against the forces of right-wing authoritarianism and racism, as well as a consistent voice against Israeli oppression of the Palestinians.”
Craig Mack, one of the artists who laid the foundation for Bad Boy Records, recently passed away from heart failure according to various reports. He was 47. His death came days after hip hop fans memorialized the 21st anniversary of the death of his label mate Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace.
Mack’s 1994 song “Flava in Ya Ear” was the first single off of Sean “Puffy” Comb’s Bad Boy label and also had a remix featuring artists Biggie and LL Cool J. The single became one of the defining songs of 1990s hip hop and launched the Bad Boy label headed by Combs. Love poured out for Mack on social media from fans and fellow artists upon learning of his death. “Rest in power Craig. May the almighty embrace your soul & lift up your family and friends,” rapper LL tweeted. “It was a pleasure to know you & rock with you. You $tepped away from the game & did it your way. I always respected that.”
UR Spring Writers Series brings acclaimed author Mohsin Hamid to discuss refugees, global topics
University of Richmond will host celebrated author Mohsin Hamid for its annual Writers Series March 28. Hamid will offer readings from his novels, which touch on issues of globalism. Named The New York Times’ Best Book of 2017, Hamid’s most recent novel, “Exit West,” mixes the real and surreal as it follows the lives of a young couple fleeing their unnamed city after the onset of war. NPR described the book as “the best writing of Hamid’s career,” and The Atlantic called it a “remarkable accomplishment…not putting a human face on refugees so much as putting a refugee face on all of humankind.” “‘Exit West’ recasts what we typically see as ‘the refugee problem’ as a permanent feature of the contemporary world and reminds us that global migrations have always taken place in human history,” English professor Monika Siebert
said. “Hamid provides a much needed perspective in the current public conversation about refugees, which has been drastically stilted by lack of historical perspective and lack of generous spirit towards the whole of humanity.” Hamid’s 2007 novel, “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize and made into a film by Mira Nair in 2013. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Hamid began his career as a management consultant before his first novel, “Moth Smoke,” was named a finalist for the 2000 PEN/ Hemingway Award The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Weinstein Hall, Brown Alley Room at 7 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Hamid and participate in a Q & A and book signing following the event.
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The LEGACY
Students get close look at county, school govts Students from Henrico County’s high schools got a firsthand look at their local government and public schools administrations Thursday as part of the 61st annual Student Government Day. The program matched 121 students from all nine high schools and The Academy at Virginia Randolph with elected and appointed officials, including members of the Board of Supervisors and School Board, the county manager, superintendent, judges and department directors. Students spent the day learning how Henrico general government and Henrico County Public Schools work on behalf of residents and others to provide services and to address needs of the community. “Student Government Day provides an outstanding learning opportunity for some of Henrico’s brightest high school students and a great chance for officials to interact with and learn from these important members of the community,” County Manager John A. Vithoulkas said. “For more than
six decades, this vibrant program has reflected Henrico’s commitment to its youth and demonstrated the strong partnership that exists between the county government and school system.” Student Government Day began Wednesday with a ceremony at Hermitage High School in which 32 students swore the oaths required for their assigned positions. All students spent Thursday with their designated departments and agencies. Some also toured Henrico’s Jail West and registered to vote. For students who worked at the Henrico Government Center, the day included a student-run, simulated work session and meeting of the Board of Supervisors. The students received updates on the All Henrico Reads program, the Henrico Heroin Task Force’s activities and the county’s internship program. The Kiwanis clubs of North Richmond, Tuckahoe and Greater Richmond are sponsors of Student Government Day.
(from page 5) Dorey Park; government and Henrico County Public Schools. Employees with at least six years of tenure would receive an additional 0.6 percent, or 3 percent overall; • Creation of a community revitalization fund to assist in the redevelopment of older neighborhoods; • Continued support for Henrico’s sports tourism initiative, with funding for operations at the new Greenwood Park and $9.3 million toward synthetic turf fields at all county high schools; • $53 million for projects promised with the 2016 bond referendum, specifically renovations at Tucker High School, work toward a new Brookland area elementary school, a new Fairfield Area Library; Greenwood Park’s second phase of development; a Staples Mill area fire station; and improvements at
•A capital budget that sets aside $4.9 million for an extension of Woodman Road from Greenwood Road to Brook Road, $2.5 million for sidewalk improvements and $2.3 million for stormwater pollution reduction; and •An average increase in water and sewer rates totaling $6.91 every two months for residential customers to continue to meet service demands. The Board of Supervisors began its review of the proposed budget during legislative work sessions that end March 22. The board will hold a public hearing on the budget at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 10 in the Board Room at the Henrico Government Center. A vote to adopt the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24. Once approved, the budget will guide operating and capital spending for the year beginning July 1.
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March 14, 2018 • 13
Notable Virginia women to be memorialized at state Capitol Join the Black History Museum and Cultural Center on March 24 at 2 p.m. for “Monuments of Virtue, Pillars of Grace”, a multimedia presentation celebrating the lives of Dr. Sarah G. Jones, MD, Elizabeth Keckly, Virginia Estelle Randolph, and Maggie L. Walker who are four of the 12 women slated to be memorialized in bronze at the state Capitol as a part of the Virginia Women’s Monument. Jones was the first Virginia-born woman to pass the Virginia Medical Boards to become a physician. She, along with her husband and others, would found what became the forerunner of Richmond Community Hospital in 1902. Dinwiddie native Keckly was born enslaved and later purchased her freedom. She would become a
Sex Offender Helpline The helpline provides support to communities on issues related to accessing sex offender registration information; responsible use of information; sexual abuse prevention resources; and accessing crime victim support services. The tips program provides the public an opportunity to report registrants who are failing to comply with registration requirements. Tips can also be provided at parentsformeganslaw.org. This program is not intended to be used to report police emergencies.
premier dress designer and confidant to Mary Lincoln and later founded along with others, the Contraband Relief Association. Virginia E. Randolph was a visionary educator whose integration of vocational education with academic subjects would be adopted throughout the South. She would be appointed the first county-wide
Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher. Maggie L. Walker was an extraordinary civic and organizational leader who would become the first known woman in Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia to found and become president of a chartered bank. She is also recognized as the first known
black woman to found and become president of a chartered bank in America. Elvatrice Belsches, public historian, author, and lecturer will lead the presentation at the free admission event at 00 Clay St. in Richmond Registration is requested online at: WomensHistory.org.
NOTICE OF PRIMARY ELECTION CITY OF RICHMOND The State Board of Elections ordered a Democratic Party and Republican Party primary election to be held in the City of Richmond on:
TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2018 The purpose of these elections is to nominate candidates for the office of U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, Fourth Congressional District that will be on the ballot
www.richmondgov.com/Registrar/Upcomi ngElections. Information about participating in a primary election as a candidate or in the general election as a non-party candidate can be found at www.elections.virginia.gov. NOTE: A primary election will not be held for any office in which only one candidate qualifies to have their name appear on the ballot.
THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION IS MONDAY, MAY 21, 2018
Qualified residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia may apply for, or change, their voter registration online at www.elections.virginia.gov, or in person at the Office of the General Registrar, Room 105, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, except holidays. Applications are also available at all City libraries, post offices and DMVs. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot through the mail for his election is Tuesday June 5, 2018. The deadline to apply for and vote an absentee ballot in person is 5:00 PM, Saturday, June 9, 2018, except in the case of certain emergencies. The Office of the General Registrar will be open for absentee voting during regular business hours, and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, June 9, 2018. Persons with a VA DMV issued ID can also apply online for an absentee ballot through the mail at www.elections.virginia.gov. PHOTO ID IS NOW REQUIRED TO VOTE IN PERSON. See www.elections.virginia.gov for more information.
Call (804) 646-5950 for more information.
14 • March 21, 2018
The LEGACY
HU students rebuild, mentor in Puerto Rico for Alternative Spring Break TATYANA HOPKINS ARECIBO, Puerto Rico—When Howard University student Jasmine Stevens fled New Orleans in 2005 to avoid Hurricane Katrina, she left with just enough clothes for two days. The Category 3 storm would cover her family’s neighborhood in eight-feet of water, destroy their belongings and force them to abandon their home and flee to Port Arthur, Texas, where they remained for three years. “We lost everything,” Stevens, 20, said. “It didn’t hit me until I watched the news and saw my city underwater.” Now, Stevens, a junior biology major, finds herself in a familiar spot, but this time hundreds of miles away in Puerto Rico, where another hurricane has wreaked havoc on the lives of millions of Americans. Stevens is here with fellow Howard
(from page 10) Reginald Hudlin and Christopher Priest; he even went back to the very beginning with Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Marvel’s Black Panther character has existed since the 1960s and preceded the launch of the Black Panther political party, by just a few months. According to History.com, in a 1990 interview with “The Comics Journal,” co-creator Jack Kirby said that he came up with the Black Panther when he realized that he didn’t have any black characters in his growing Marvel Universe. “I had a lot of black readers. My first friend was…black,” Kirby said in the interview. “And here I was ignoring them, because I was associating with everybody else.” Holland said that Marvel asked him to develop a mythology around the character that would be relatable to modern audiences. Holland started with the classic Black Panther origin story written by Reginald Hudlin and fleshed it out. “I had to go from a six-issue comic book to 90,000 words,” said Holland. “So, I had to flesh out the story a little bit and add a few more themes
students to help the people still recovering from Hurricane Maria, which six months ago destroyed thousands of homes, wiped out the island’s already out-of-date electric grid, and limited access to clean drinking water for millions. Most of the island now has
to it.” “Themes of family, the connection between the T’Challa and his mother and his sister…the themes of honor and duty, you can see those themes with T’Challa trying to figure out how he is going to fit in as the new monarch of Wakanda,” said Holland. “You can see the same themes in his relationships with his bodyguards, the Dora Milaje, and how they fit into this new society.” Holland continued: “So, if you really want to know who W’Kabi is—the Black Panther’s adviser—he has a major story line in the novel. If you want to know more about Shuri, the Panther’s sister…she has a whole story line in my book, too. If you want to know about the history of the Panther and his mother, Ramonda… if you want to know the motivations behind what the screenwriters wrote in the movie, my novel goes through all of that.” Holland said that in addition to the record-breaking movie, his novel is the very first time a major piece of literature was written about the Black Panther. The fact that Marvel not only created a comic book for the Black Panther character, but also a movie and a major novel shows how
electricity and water, but the restoration of destroyed homes, businesses and churches continues. Stevens and six other Howard students spent Monday rebuilding La Hermosa Church in downtown Arecibo, a town of 96,000 on the island’s northern coast. Stevens,
who is participating in Howard University’s Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program, traveled to Puerto Rico during her spring break to assist in recovery efforts. The students in Puerto Rico
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Nakia and Princess Shuri important and groundbreaking this character is, Holland said. “The success of the Black Panther and the cultural phenomenon that the film has become shows Hollywood that if you can tell a good story, the black community will support these ventures and everyone else will, too,” Holland added. Holland said that his “Black Panther” novel is the perfect stepping
stone for people who want to know more about the Wakandan superhero and his family depicted on screen. “The novel tells the story that people can relate to: about fathers and sons, about mothers and daughters, about honor, duty and sacrifice,” said Holland. “It tells the story that helps reflect not only who the Black Panther is, but who we are, as the African American community.”
March 21, 2018 • 15
www.LEGACYnewspaper.com “I lost my whole roof, and I have a blue tarp on top of my house to prevent it from leaking [when it rains],” said Roberto Valez, 68, a Puerto Rican native who retired here after 30 years working construction in New London, Conn. “In the first month, rain would get in and damage everything.” While Stevens’ team worked on the church, other Howard students helped restore a building in nearby Dorado. A third group visited the local Boys and Girls Club in Las Magaritas, a neighborhood in San Juan. While there, they tutored older students and danced and played hideand-seek with the younger ones. They taught the kids the “Cha Cha Slide” and the students taught them salsa. Pastor Humberto Pizarro of Connected Life, a ministry in San Juan, helped Howard’s ASB program connect with those most in need. Pizarro’s church organization, Shining Bright International, is a missionary and outreach ministry that has helped more than 40 teams from the United States and the Caribbean work more than 240,000
(from page 14 and more than 700 other Howard students have given up their vacation week, the parties and trips home to help people in various distressed areas, including Haiti, Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Thomas, Flint, Mich., New Orleans, Chicago, Texas and Florida. “I believe that, as a global citizen, it’s important to help those in need,” said Ngodoo Iye, 21, a senior on her third ASB trip. Stevens echoed those sentiments. “For me, this trip is a way to give back to those who helped my family when we were victims of Hurricane Katrina,” Stevens said. Once a place of worship for a congregation of about 40 people, La Hermosa Church remains without power and running water. After the storm, the 12,000-square foot, onestory building church was submerged in at least eight-feet of water, said La Hermosa’s pastor, Miguel Asegarra. “I was outside watching the hurricane, and it never touched my home,” Asegarra said, “but it destroyed our church.” Asegarra has led the church for two years. He lives 15-minutes away in a residential neighborhood.
La Hermosa rests in the city’s downtown, which was flooded by the Rio Grande Arecibo, a river just blocks away. “This is one of the oldest churches in this city and we lost everything,” Asegarra said. “But, God has blessed us, because many people have come to help us.” The Howard students picked up restoration of the church where several other groups left off. The church, once covered in mud and debris, had been cleaned and gutted by previous groups. The ASB team was tasked with repainting the church’s walls. The church was one of dozens of buildings—businesses, homes, schools, government offices—that were severely damaged in Arecibo, which lies about an hour and a half west of the capital city of San Juan. Irma Sierra Cordova, owner of a downtown pharmacy, said she used her savings to re-open her business, which closed for two months. “I lost all of my inventory,” Cordova said, “but homes should be the priority.” Others are still repairing homes ripped apart by the fierce winds of the storm.
volunteer hours to restore the island. “God has trained us for this, and we hit the ground running,” Pizarro said. Within two days after the hurricane, his church began delivering meals, fuel and water to residents, and by the end of the week, they had flown in their first group of helpers from the U.S. mainland. “Everyone in our church is trained to respond to these [types] of disasters,” Pizarro said. “The church is a temple to worship, but [the church’s mission] happens outside of its four walls. We focus on outreach.” Howard student Audre’ana Ellis said she was impressed with the work Pizarro’s church had done to move recovery efforts along. “I’m excited to help and serve,” Ellis, 18, said. “I’m surprised to see that everyone here is so strong and has come together to get through this.”
PSA As a person who is passionate about Alzheimer’s disease, and, as an Alzheimer’s Association volunteer, I have started a campaign for an revenue sharing ALZHEIMER’S LICENSE PLATE through DMV. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, anyone with a brain should be concerned about Alzheimer’s and, the license plate is a great way to raise funding for awareness and support. Since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased by 89 percent. Alzheimer’s is the only cause of death in the top 10 that cannot be prevented or treated and has no cure. This must change. Today, 130,000 Virginians are living with Alzheimer’s, and 400,000 are caregiving for someone who has it. We must effectively prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease soon and support those impacted by it until researchers achieve this goal. We need your help! Together all Virginians can help us get the required 450 prepaid applications needed to be able to get DMV to produce the ALZHEIMER'S LICENSE PLATE. Amanda Chase, Senator, has agreed to present this license plate bill to General Assembly in January 2018 once 450 applications are collected. Once 1000 license plates are in circulation in the state of Virginia, $15 of the annual $25 cost for the ALZHEIMER’S LICENSE PLATE will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association. *REGISTER TODAY* Online registration available at www.vaendalz.com! Email: vaendalz@gmail.com for information about the license plate. Katy Reed, Louisa, VA - 540-967-7098
16 • March 21, 2018
Calendar 3.22, 6 p.m.
Participants in a free seminar offered by Virginia Credit Union will learn how credit scores are determined and practical steps they can take to build and maintain a
The LEGACY
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
good credit score. The seminar will be held at Virginia Credit Union, 7500 Boulder View Drive in the Boulders Office Park. To register, call 804-323-6800 or visit www.vacu.org/seminars
3.27 1 p.m.
Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services (MH/DS) will present a free class on how to administer naloxone to potentially save the life of someone who has
overdosed on opioids. The Revive! Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education for Virginia class will be offered at the Varina Area Library, 1875 New Market Road. The session is open to the public, but registration is required at surveymonkey.com/r/Q8HM7CZ . Naloxone, which is available in Virginia from pharmacists without a prescription, can temporarily reverse the toxic effects of an opioid or heroin overdose.
3.31, 10 a.m. Dominion Energy Family Easter, a favorite Easter event at Maymont will allow guests to celebrate Easter on the Carriage House Lawn with games and activities, food trucks, live entertainment, and more – all while soaking in the sunshine and spring blooms. The event showcases activities for the whole family, from visits with the Easter Bunny and storytelling under the Bunny Tree, to bonnet parades and an interactive chalk zone. Kids can get crafty making Easter baskets and bonnets, express themselves with face painting and temporary tattoos, grow their green thumbs at a planting station, or partake in life-sized board games and an egg-on-spoon hopstacle course. Guests can also sit back and watch live entertainment by Jonathan Austin, Maymont environmental educators, local performance troupes, and more! Food will be available for purchase. Tickets, $2 each, are required for most activities. For each ticket redeemed, participants will receive an Easter egg filled with a prize. For more information, call 804-358-7166.
Submit your calendar events by email to: editor @legacynewspaper.com. Include the who, what, where, when & contact information that can be printed. Submission deadline is Friday.
March 21, 2018 • 17
www.LEGACYnewspaper.com
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18 • March 21, 2018
409 E. Main St. #4 (mailing) • 105 1/2 E. Clay St. (office) The LEGACY ads@legacynewspaper.com Richmond, VA 23219 804-644-1550 (office) - 1-800-782-8062 (fax) ads@legacynewspaper.com
Classifieds
Ad Size 3.4 inches - 1 column(s) X 1.7 inches) LEGAL, EMPLOYMENT, ANNOUNCEMENTS, FOR SALE, SERVICES 1 Issue - $37.40
Ad Size: 10.66 inches (2 columns X 5.33 inches)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF RICHMOND BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
BEGINNING AT 1:00 P.M. 03-18 (CONTINUED FROM FEBRUARY 7, 2018 MEETING): An application of Watchtower Homes & Construction for a building permit to construct a new single-family detached dwelling at 921 NORTH 33RD STREET. 07-18 (CONTINUED FROM MARCH 7, 2018 MEETING): An application of Amin Satish and Mitesh S for a building permit to construct a new building (1,507 sq. ft.) for restaurant use at 812 WEST MARSHALL STREET. 12-18: An application of Cynthia Blanton for a building permit to construct a one-story detached garage accessory to a single-family dwelling at 4703 MONUMENT AVENUE. 13-18: An application of Kirk and Kelly Tattersall for a building permit to construct a two-story detached garage accessory to a single-family dwelling at 6111 THREE CHOPT ROAD. Copies of all cases are available for inspection between 8 AM and 5 PM in Room 110, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Support or opposition may be offered at or before the hearing. Roy W. Benbow, Secretary Phone: (804) 240-2124 Fax: (804) 646-5789 E-mail: Roy.Benbow@richmondgov.com
HEALTH/PERSONALS/MISCELLANEOUS IF YOU HAD HIP OR KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY AND SUFFERED AN INFECTION between 2010 and the present time, you may be entitled to compensation.
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2 Issues, March 21 & 28 - ($117.26 per run) $234.52 total Rate: $11 per column inch
Includes Internet placement
Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fax FARM EQUIPMENT
If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be i Thank you for yourIncludes interest in applying Internet placementfor GOT LAND? Our Hunters will Pay Top $$$ to hunt your land. opportunities with The City of Richmond. Call for a Ok FREE info packet & Quote. 1-866-309-1507 www. X_________________________________________ the proof, make any changes and return by faxBaseCampLeasing.com or e-mail. To seePlease whatreview opportunities areneeded available, please If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted. refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com. HELP WANTED / SALES Ok with changes X _____________________________ EOE M/F/D/V Ok X_________________________________________ EARN $500 A DAY: Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Wants Insurance Agents * Leads, No Cold Calls * Commissions Paid REMINDER: is FridaysCall @ 51-888-713p.m. Daily * Agency Training * Life Deadline License Required. Ok with changes X _____________________________ 6020.
ResourceREMINDER: Information Help Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m. for the Disadvantaged and Disenfranchised (RIHD) P.O. Box 55 Highland Springs, Virginia 23075 (804) 426-4426 NEW Email: rihd23075@gmail.com Website: http://www.rihd.org/ Twitter: @rihd
PRINT & DIGITAL AD SALES EXECUTIVE
Will hold a Public Hearing in the 5th Floor Conference Room, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA on April 4, 2018, to consider the following under Chapter 30 of the Zoning Code:
Rate: $11 per column inch
The LEGACY is looking for a reliable, highly-motivated, goal-driven sales professional to join our team selling print and digital advertising in the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas. Duties include: Building and maintaining relationships with new/existing clients Meeting and exceeding monthly sales goals Cold calling new prospects over the phone to promote print and online advertising space
Qualifications: Proven experience with print (newspaper) and/or digital (website) advertising sales; Phone and one-on-one sales experience; Effective verbal and written communication skills, professional image and; Familiarity with Richmond and/or Hampton Roads areas. Compensation depends on experience and includes a base pay as well as commission. The LEGACY is an African-American-oriented weekly newspaper, circulation 25,000, with a website
featuring local and national news and advertising. E-mail resume and letter of interest to ads@ legacynewspaper.com detailing your past sales experience. No phone calls please.
HELP WANTED / TRUCK DRIVERS CDL TRAINING FOR LOCAL/OTR DRIVERS! $700-$1200 a week! 4-wks or 10 Weekends for CDL. Veterans in Demand! Richmond/Fredericksburg 877-CDS-4CDL; Lynchburg/Roanoke 855-CDS-4CDL; Front Royal/Winchester 844-CDS-4CDL MEDICAL SUPPLIES SAY GOODBYE TO OXYGEN TANKS AND HELLO TO EASYPULSE PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS. 3 UNITS TO CHOOSE FROM. LIGHT WEIGHT/SETTINGS 1-5. RICHMOND RESPIRATORY & MEDICAL SUPPY 804-7459677/800-831-4620 MISCELLANEOUS SAWMILLS from only $4397.00‐ MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill‐ Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship! FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 800 567-0404 Ext.300N SERVICES DIVORCE–Uncontested, $395+$86 court cost. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Telephone inquiries welcome-no obligation. Hilton Oliver, Attorney. 757-490-0126. Se Habla Español. BBB Member.
DENTAL INSURANCE Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for 350 procedures. 844-709-6890 or http://www.dental50plus. com/28 Ad# 6118
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ads@legacynewspaper.com
Ad Size:12.8inches (2 columns X 6.40 inches) PROC 01-156-002-03600/0316 HAMPTON SOLICITATION The Director of Finance or his designated representative will accept written responses in the Procurement Office, 1 Franklin Street, Suite 345, Hampton, VA 23669 on behalf of the Entity listed below until the date and local time specified. HAMPTON CITY Thursday, April 19, 2018 1:30 p.m. ET – ITB 18-51/CLP Repair Details for Bridge on East Mellen Street Over Mill Creek. VDOT Prequalified Contractors and/or Subcontractors are required for this project. There will be a non-mandatory attendance pre-bid meeting on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 9:00AM. Public Works Engineering conference room, 4th floor Hampton City Hall located at 22 Lincoln Street. Thursday, April 19, 2018 2:00 p.m. ET – ITB 18-41/TM Grounds Maintenance for the City’s Pump Stations, Non Mandatory Prebid Conference March 29, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. ET in the Public Works Training Room located at 550 N. Back River Rd. Hampton VA For additional information, see our web page at http://www.hampton.gov/bids-contracts. A withdrawal of bid due to error shall be in accordance with Section 2.24330 of the Code of Virginia. All forms relating to these solicitations may be obtained from the above listed address or for further information call (757) 727-2200. The City of Hampton reserves the right to reject any and all responses, to make awards in whole or in part, and to waive any informality in submittals. Minority-Owned, Woman-Owned and Veteran Businesses are encouraged to participate. Karl Daughtrey, Director of Finance
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1 Issue (March 21) - $140.80 Rate: $11 per column inch
Includes Internet placement Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fax or e-mail. If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted. REMINDER: Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m.
March 21, 2018 • 19