Urban Voice August Edition

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UrbanV ice CULTURE NEWS POLITICS

EDITION #003 ▪ SEPTEMBER 2011

Community

Business

Health Politics Lifestyle

AUGUST 2015

CHATTANOOGA | CLEVELAND | KNOXVILLE

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John Merritt Football Classic September 6th HBCU: John Merritt Football Classic Tennessee State vs Alabama State SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6:00PM NISSAN STADIUM

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URBAN VOICE | NewsMagazine |AUGUST 2015.

New Poll Reveals Ferguson, Black“The greatest glory in living Lives Matterlies not in never falling, but Changing Nationalin rising every time we fall.”

Views on Race Six-in-ten Americans (59 percent) say the country needs to continue making changes to achieve racial equality.

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Box-Office Preview: AF‘Straight Outta Celebrating 50 Compton’ a HIT

Years Celebrating 50 with the BarYears Kays ! Barwith the Kays !

The group N.W.A. emerges from the streets of Compton, Calif., in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes pop culture with their brutally honest lyrics and stories about life in the hood.

”ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL” „ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL”

NATIONAL

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NAACP NEWS

On ‘Journey for Justice’: NAACP President Aims to Influence Congress and White House ll (TriceEdneyWire.com) NAACP President Cornell William Brooks, currently leading an 860-mile march from Selma, Ala. to Washington, DC, has described the march, “America’s Journey for Justice”, as “building a movement” that he hopes will influence Congress and the presidency.

“This is not a one-time episodic kind of thing. We’re building a movement so that once we leave Washington, you have people continuing to press. You will have people going back to their home states having met with their legislators in Washington. So they go back to their home states and they continue to press the case,” Brooks said in an interview with the Trice Edney News Wire. “This is not a ceremonial march, this

is not a nostalgic march; it is not a commemorative march. It’s a march for reform and a march to catalyze and build a movement.”

The march, from Aug. 1-Sept. 16, comes during a season of major civil rights anniversaries. They are the one year anniversary of the police killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Aug. 9; the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act, Aug. 6, and the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, which was March 7, “all coming together in this year,” Brooks described.

Since the killing of Michael Brown and the protests that followed in Ferguson and across the country, Brooks says a fiery momentum pertaining to a list of key issues has been established that must not be lost. In that regard, the underlying theme of the march is “Our Lives, Our Jobs, and Our Schools Matter.”

MILLION steps towards justice.”

Brooks says the intent is not only to influence Congressional legislation, but the current and future White House as dozens of candidates line up with hopes to succeed President Obama and the debate season has begun.

New Poll Reveals Ferguson, Black Lives Matter Changing National Views on Race

by Manny Otiko

ll A new poll by the Pew Research Center shows a year of high-profile police killings and intense activism by groups like Black Lives Matter, may be changing the nation’s views on race.

According to an article on the Pew website, roughly six-inten Americans (59 percent) say the country needs to continue making changes to achieve racial equality, while 32 percent say the country has made the changes needed to give Blacks equal rights with whites. The article states that a year ago, public opinion was much more closely divided on the question of race.

The Pew Research Poll interviewed 2,002 Americans over the phone last month. More than half of the interviews were conducted via cell phone.

The rest of the calls were to landlines. More than half of the people polled (1,375) where white, 212 were Black and 239 were Hispanic.

The poll also revealed there is still a racial divide on how much work the nation needs to do to improve opportunities for racial minorities. About half of white people polled said more needs to be done to achieve racial equality, while more than two thirds of Black people said the same.

“Though a substantial racial divide in these views remains, [53 percent of whites] now say more needs to be done,” according to Pew. “Last year, just 39 percent of whites said this. And although large majorities of African Americans have consistently said that changes must continue to be made to achieve racial equality, the share saying this now (86 percent) is greater than in the past.”

The poll data also revealed half of the people surveyed thought racism was still a problem, which was up from five years ago, when only 33

percent of people surveyed said racism was a problem.

But again, there was a racial divide in opinion.

The majority of Blacks and Latinos polled said racism was a problem, while less than half of whites agreed.

“Nearly three-quarters of African Americans (73 percent) now characterize racism as a big problem, along with 58 percent of Hispanics. Although whites are far less likely to say racism is a big problem (44 percent), the share of whites expressing this view has risen 17 points since 2010,” reported Pew. The poll findings came as a pleasant surprise to activists protesting police killings, according to The Los Angeles Times. “‘Man, that’s good, that’s huge,” said Tony Rice, a prominent Ferguson activist.

The LA Times reports that Rice has spent considerable time over the last year on a campaign to persuade white and Black voters to recall

Ferguson’s mayor. He also said that white residents have often told him that the news during the last 12 months has caused them to rethink racial issues.

The protests against police violence in Ferguson became an international story and made race issues a top priority that even the presidential candidates had to address.

“Race appears to be more front and center than it has for a while,” said Carroll Doherty, director of political research at Pew. However, it remains to be seen if the renewed focus on race will lead to policy changes. “‘It’s one thing to say more needs to be done about racial equality in general terms and another to support specific policies,” Doherty told the LA Times.

Media analysts attribute much of the change to increased use of new

communication platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

“Social media have taken conversations that in the past would have taken place in ‘private spaces’ and made them visible to a wider community,” Meredith Clark, an assistant professor at the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas who is conducting a research project on the Black Lives Matter movement, told the LA Times. “That has made it possible for people to encounter views they might have been too uncomfortable to ask directly about.”

Rice, the Ferguson activist, said new technology such as social media and cell phones makes it difficult for white Americans to ignore the problems Black people have been dealing with for a long time.

“They said, ‘We had no idea what you guys were being treated like,” Rice told the LA Times. “My thing was, ‘Hey, we tried to tell you, you just

Achievement Gaps Exist As Early As When Children Begin Kindergarten Economic Policy Institute

ll As early as when children enter kindergarten, there are already significant achievement gaps as a result of socioeconomic status. In fact, socioeconomic status is the single largest factor influencing children’s school readiness, according to Inequalities at the Starting Gate: Cognitive

and Noncognitive Skills Gaps between 2010–2011 Kindergarten Classmates.

In the report, EPI economist Emma García uses national data from a group of students who entered kindergarten in 2010 to show the link between children’s school readiness and children’s race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The report expands on existing evidence linking parents’

economic resources to children’s school readiness by showing that, in addition to gaps in cognitive skills such as math and reading, gaps in noncognitive skills like persistence, selfcontrol, and social skills exist between socioeconomically disadvantaged and advantaged children.

Gaps between the reading and math skills of white

and minority children living with one parent (as shrink when adjusting for 65 percent of black children socioeconomic status. do) and lacking access to While one-fourth of the preschool (as 53 percent of entire studied cohort lived in Hispanic children do). This poverty, almost half of black confirms that poverty and and Hispanic children (46 other conditions associated percent) and almost twowith being a minority thirds of Hispanic English child, not race in and of language learners (63 itself, are responsible for percent) lived in poverty. In disadvantages in school. addition to living in poverty, minority children face disadvantages that include URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2015 | 3

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AUGUST

EAST TENNESSEE EDITION

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NATIONAL HEALTH CENTER WEEK AUGUST 9-15

#ALLTHINGSMATTER! Jermaine D. Harper, MBA

A

few weeks ago I had a deep conversation with a loved one about how we often put ourselves last, especially when it comes to our health. We spend our days busy being businessmen, fathers, lovers, friends, husbands, and sons that many times we forget to just be human and take necessary care of ourselves. We don’t exercise. We don’t eat the right foods. We don’t nurture healthy relationships with other men. We wake up each morning and start our days on auto-pilot without any direction from our Source.

We don’t see our health care providers like we should. The following statistics do more than suggest that we are paying for it:

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PASTOR DARYL ARNOLD, OVERCOMING BELIEVERS CHURCH

letter from the

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African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial and ethnic group for all cancers combined

In this month’s issue, we talk about health... and for most major cancers whites (United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans).

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37.9 % of African American men and 57.6% of African American women over the age of 20 are obese (Center for Disease Control).

39.9 % of African American men and 44.5% of African American women over age 20 suffer hypertension (Center for Disease Control).

>>>>>>> MIND YOUR HEALTH? <<<<<<<<<

Death rates for all major causes of death are higher for African Americans than for whites (United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans) In 2011, African Americans were 8.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection, as compared to the White population (United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans).

The death rate from suicide for African American men was almost four times that for African American women, in 2009 (United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans).

Many of us don’t get the wakeup call until our discomforts lead to the onset of disease or we are rushed to the emergency room.

Why do so many of us wait until there is a problem before we take action?

We are quick to raise our

swords in protest of injustice and inequality. We force the public conversation that Black Lives Matter – because they do. We force the political conversation that Blacks should start rethinking political party affiliations and demand more for our votes– because we should. We force the community conversation that equal access to social and economic opportunities is good for business and just makes sense – because it is and it does. But we will not be having any of these conversations if we are DEAD.

We cannot save our worlds, until we first save ourselves. Even the Bible talks about being a ruler of your own spirit before trying to take over a city. We must become proactive about our health NOW - not when we find ourselves on the other side of a health crisis.

And the reality is that we are dying way too often and way too soon. The reality is we live with or right next door to poverty. We live in zip codes where access to fresh food and/or vegetables is scarce, where quality health care providers aren’t located, where schools with the majority of its students performing on grade level are nonexistent, and where a young person is more likely to be arrested than hired for a job.

2. Eat healthy

Yes. One can argue that my previous rants are social, political, and economic maladies that have nothing to do with health. Believe that if you want. Better yet, use your energy to take a more holistic approach with your life and stop thinking about each of these issues in isolation.

Why? Because #blacklives; #blackchurches; #blackbusinesses; #blackleadership and dammit #blackhealth MATTERS!

And so this month, take inventory of your personal health and like Red would say, get busy living by committing to these steps (compliments of lifestyleupdated.com): 1. Exercise.

3. Get your checkups, and take a friend with you 4. Get enough rest 5. Manage your time wisely 6. Find a habit and enjoy it. Develop healthy relationships Cultivate your curiosity 7. Smile and be positive 8. Feed your brain.

Until Next Month,

- J.D. Harper

URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE No. 11-AUGUST 2015 · Year 1 · PUBLISHER Everything Urban GRAPHIC DESIGN BROOKY MEDIA GROUP SUBSCRIPTIONS $24.00/YR. Mail Subscription Cards and Payment to 300 Ben Hur, Knoxville, Tn 37915. WEBSITE www.urbanvoiceonline.com ADVERTISING Email Ads.urbanvoice@gmail.com SUBMISSIONS Email submissions.urbanvoice@gmail.com PRESS RELEASES Email PR.urbanvoice@gmail.com. EVENTS Email events. urbanvoice@gmail.com

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UrbanV ice News + Politics + Business + Entertainment + Culture

PUBLISHER Jermaine D. Harper, MBA Email: jd.urbanvoice@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS Brian Archie Darryl Arnold Lauren Victoria Burke Prince Charles Lynn Cole Sharetta T. Smith, JD/MBA Kayretta Stokes Clark White Jamal Eric Watson ADVERTISING Email: ads.urbanvoice@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY BA Photography, Brian Archie Rebecca Love, RLove Photography Llewleyn Barrow- Omega Psi Phi Photo WEBSITE: www.urbanvoiceonline. com COPYRIGHT All material appearing in Urban Voice Newsmagazine is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. Urban Voice Newsmagazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or editor.

AUGUST • NUMBER 10 • GET YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TODAY! • EAST TENNESSEE EDITION <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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I AM Sandra Bland!

featured must read in this issue

By: Dr. Julianne Malveaux Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist.She can be reached via www. juliannemalveaux.com

what’s going on?

PASTOR DARRYL ARNOLD TALKS REMINDS US OF THE GOLDEN RULE

<<<<<<

black collegetour 2015.

EARVIN “MAGIC” JOHNSON’S ASPIRE, TRACY MCGRADY AND 2 CHAINZ CONNECT TO LAUNCH NEW BLACK COLLEGE TOUR

Chattanooga: Kappa Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Award Scholarships

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Knoxville 100 Black Women Fundraising Event: Diamonds & Denim

John Merritt Football Classic: Tennessee State vs. Alabama State

06 23

Knoxville Urban League Young Professionals hosts 5th Annual Cork Savvy

Vice President Joe Bidden to visit Chattanooga to Honor Fallen Military Personnel August 15th.

Cornell Williams Brooks is the National President of the NAACP.

upcoming events

“Robbing Peter to Pay Paul”

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‘Journey for Justice’: NAACP President Aims to Influence Congress

Box-Office Preview: ‘Straight Outta Compton’ to Dominate Weekend

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07 28

Hyskos Temple #123 to host John P. Franklin, Sr. Golf Classic- Aug 24th at Windstone.

ShopTalk : 5 Things Black Folks Are Talking About!

<<<<<<ANNUAL

MINORITY HEALTH FAIR SATURDAY, AUGUST 20th at Eastgate Town Center in Chattanooga, TN 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Call (423) 778-5465 to REGISTER

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2015 Minority Health Fair at Eastgate Town Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Noma Anderson, Dean of the College of Health Professions at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, To Receive Honors of the Association Award.

EDITORIAL

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EAST TENNESSEE EDITION

KnoxvilleNews SPECIAL THANKS TO WWW.THEVILLAGEOFKNOXVILLE.COM

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Public Meeting Aug. 25 on Fountain City Lake Improvements : Mayor Madeline Rogero will join City Council representatives and City staff to present a public update on plans for long-term improvements to Fountain City Lake. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Lions Club Building located at Fountain City Park, 5345 N. Broadway.

Trending....Newsbriefs The Knoxville Chapter of 100 Black Women presents Denim & Diamonds- August 14, 2015 HIV/ AIDS Fundraiser & Fashion Show. $50 Tickets Knoxville Urban League Young Professionals hosts 5th Annual Cork Savvy Event – August 13th at Ruth Chris Steak House

Civil Rights Leader Joanne Bland Speaks at voting rights celebration at the Beck Cultural Exchange

Rollins was born and raised in Knoxville and is known throughout the country for his involvement in fighting for equality for all races, including working closely with Martin Luther King, Jr. and taking part in the March on Washington.

“It’s always great to have somebody recognize the things that you tried to do. I’ve been beat, shot at, gone to jail 30

Association for Computing Machinery, the event will provide fun, food, and information for new and returning students alike.

“The purpose of this event is to help foster a community in our department and to provide students with resources before the school year begins,” said Jessica Boles, a senior in electrical engineering and president of Systers at UT.

ll Civil Rights leader, Joanne Bland, shared her experiences from Selma’s „Bloody Sunday” with a packed house at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. Bland discussed how she witnessed the brutal beatings by Alabama police that included her sister.

Bland spoke as part of the City of Knoxville’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

ll One of the keys to the increasing number of women in the College of Engineering at UT is providing a welcoming environment to them on campus.

To that end, a “Welcome Back Celebration” is being Hosted by Systers: Women in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the

Knoxville overpass dedicated to Civil Rights leader Avon Rollins Sr.

ll People in Knoxville recently honored a famous figure in the Civil Rights Movement, Avon Rollins, Sr. by dedicating an overpass to him at Cherry Street near Interstate 40.

Systers Aims for Continued Growth in UTK’s College of Engineering’s Diversity

times, to try to make America a better place to live,” Rollins said.

State lawmakers Joe Armstrong and Becky Massey have been working for the last year to make this dedication possible.

“He’s just an icon and legend in this community. He has continuously fought for human and civil rights in Knoxville and what better way than to put something in place that will go on and remind people of the legacy that this great man has left here in Knoxville,” Armstrong said.

Rollins says he hopes younger generations are inspired to continue the fight for social and economic equality.

6 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2015

The mission of Systers is to “recruit, retain, and mentor women in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department” at the University of Tennessee.

For the fall semester, UT’s College of Engineering will be 22 percent female, up sharply from just a decade ago and even higher than the national average of 21 percent.

Having said that, the quest for diversity and inclusion is a

never-ending one, and Boles said events like the welcome event and organizations like Systers, the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers—all groups that are active at UT—help make that goal more attainable. held when students begin classes August 19. “While we’re proud of our mentoring of young women entering the department and the outreach we do for younger students in the community, it’s key to make sure that talented students have access to resources and opportunities, regardless of their gender,” said Boles.

The event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. at the Min H. Kao Engineering Building, and concludes at 5:00 p.m.

David Goddard (865-974-0683, david.goddard@utk.edu)

Keeping East Tennessee

CONNECTED

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REGIONAL NEWS

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EAST TENNESSEE EDITION

ChattanoogaNews

Olivet Baptist Hosts A.R.I.S.E. Women’s Conference Sept. 10-12. Lady Cynthia Adams and the ladies of Olivet Baptist Church will host the A.R.I.S.E. Women’s Conference 2015 Thursday, Sept. 10, through Saturday, Sept. 12, with the theme: “We are God’s masterpiece.” The evening worship services are open to everyone and begin nightly at 6:45 p.m. at the church sanctuary at 740 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The inspirational speaker for Thursday evening will be Pastor Sheryl Randolph of Destiny Church and the speaker for Friday’s service will be, author of the book “Hiding behind the Lipstick”, motivational speaker, Myesha Chaney of Antioch Church, Long Beach, Ca.

Kappa Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Awards Scholarships to Local Students

Hyskos Temple #123 to host John P. Franklin, Sr. Golf Classic- Aug 24th at WindStone #123 will host their inagural Annual John P. Franklin Sr. scholarship Golf Classic, Monday August 24 at the WindStone Golf Club. The event begins with lunch at 11:30 am and Shot Gun Start at 1:00pm.

The Cost 4125 per player or $500 per team (includes lunch and dinner).

Format: 4 Person Team- Select Shot.

Golf Classic: Hyksos Temple

PICTURED: Erskine Oglesby- Fred Maston, Devin Pope, Terry Sales and Daaron Maston ll The Chattanooga Alumnae Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Kappa Iota) and the Pearl Group, a 501 (C) 3 Foundation, awarded scholarships to local deserving students. The recipients are local high school graduates who will be

attending a college/university in the fall. The funds from the 2015 Sundresses at Sunset scholarship fundraisermade this possible.

The recipients are: Devin Pope - Middle Tennessee University studying Economic

Terry Sales - University of Tennessee @ Knoxville studying Engineering Daaron Maston - Lemoyne Owen studying Computer Science

For more information contact Duke Franklin at duke.franklin.2233@gmail.com.

Wilcox Tunnel to close 6 months for repairs Repairs on the Wilcox Boulevard Tunnel will begin Aug. 17 and end February 2016, City Hall announced.

The Chattanooga-owned tunnel is slated for $2 million in repairs that include safety improvements, lighting upgrades

and a new liner intended to prevent leaks.

The repairs are the first major renovations for the tunnel in decades.

The city has posted detours online for the northbound and southbound routes.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2015 | 7

STUFF TO DO!

Chastain Park Amphitheatre 8pm

AUGUST 6-9 Neighborhood Awards Show and Expo Weekend Georgia World Congress Center www.neighborhoodawards.com AUGUST 15 Brian Culbertson, Eric Benet, Robert Glasper Experiment Chastain Park Amphitheatre 6pm AUGUST 15 J. Cole, Big Sean, YG, Jeremih Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood 7pm AUGUST 28 Boyz II Men, Bell Biv Devoe Chastain Park Amphitheatre 8pm SEPTEMBER 19 Charlie Wilson

EAST TENNESSEE EDITION

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

events Atlanta

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www.jazzescape.com

OCTOBER 15 Iggy Azalea Philips Arena 7:30pm

SEPTEMBER 6 Labor Day Golden Classic Miles College vs. Univ or North Alabama Legion Field | 6pm

OCTOBER 24 Clark-Atlanta University Homecoming vs. Albany State Panther Stadium | 2pm

OCTOBER 17 Miles College Homecoming vs.

Kentucky State 4pm

OCTOBER 24 Morehouse College Homecoming vs. Benedict B.T. Harvey Stadium | 2pm

OCTOBER 31 Magic City Football Classic Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State Legion Field | 2:30pm

MONTGOMERY

DECEMBER 19 Celebration Bowl SWAC vs. MEAC Georgia Dome

Tuskegee University Homecoming vs. Miles 1pm

Birmingham

SEPTEMBER 4-6 Eric Essix Jazz Escape Weekend Renaissance Ross Bridge

NOVEMBER 14 SIAC Championship Game Cramton Bowl | 1pm

NOVEMBER 21 Alabama State University Homecoming vs. Miles ASU Hornet Stadium | 2pm MOBILE

Nashville

AUGUST 5 Jill Scott Ascend Amphitheater 7:30pm SEPTEMBER 6 John Merritt Football Classic Tennessee State vs. Alabama State Nissan Stadium (LP Field) | 6pm OCTOBER 17 Tennessee State University Homecoming vs.

Eastern Illinois | 6pm

Memphis

Jackson State Liberty Bowl Stadium | 6pm

CINCINNATI

August 11 J.Cole, Big Sean, YG, Jeremih 6:30PM/ Riverbend Music Center August 13 -14 Booney James & Brian McKnight 7PM / The Rose Music Center at the Heights August 25 Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire Heart & Soul Tour 2015 7:30PM / Riverbend Music Center August 29 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony 7PM / The Foundry

SEPTEMBER 12 Southern Heritage Football Classic. Tennessee State vs.

MINORITY HEALTH FAIR-AUG. 22ND hit us up 9:30-1:30 pm at Eastgate Town Center to advertise! Brought to you by Omega Psi Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternities, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the ads.urbanvoice@ gmail.com

28th Legislative District, the Minority Health Fair offers over 100 vendors providing health information, health screens, give-a-ways, and hands-on activities. Registration for the fair and prostate and/or cholesterol screenings is required. Call Erlanger’s HealthLink at 423-778-LINK (5465) to register.

The Going Out Guide in East Tennessee UPGRADE YOUR SOCIAL CALENDAR Tis the season for…laughs, music and everything in between. Keeping you

in-the-know about the essentials for the good life.

CHATTANOOGA Christy’s Sports Bar 3469 Brainerd Road (423) 702-8137 Mary's Lounge 2125 McCallie Ave (423) 493-0246 Glass Street Lounge 2208 Glass Street (423) 622-3579 T Roy’s 2300 Glass Street (423) 629-8908 Chocolate City Lounge 27 W 19th Street (423) 534-4411 Jay's Bar 1914 Wilder Street (423) 710-2045 The Elks Lodge 1211 Doods Ave (423) 629-5831 KNOXVILLE Whispers Banquet Hall & Social Lounge 2658 E. Magnolia Ave (865) 964-9294 The Elks Lodge #160 3919 Holston Drive (865) 522-6611 Jarmans BBQ & Lounge 3229 E. Maganolia Ave (865) 973-2000 URBAN VOICE | Tennessee Newsmagazine | August 2015. | Everything Urban URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2015 | 9

”ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL” A’HUSTLIN’.

- GOOD TI’-KEEPIN’ YOUR ’IMES HEAD ABOVE AIN’T WE LUCKY WE WATER GOT ‚EM MAKIN’ A - GOOD TIMES. WAVE WHEN - Good Times TV Theme YOU CAN ll Growing up as a child TEMPORARY in the seventies and watching the sitcom Good Times, you LAY OFFS. always came away from the show wondering if GOOD TIMES. television James, Florida, JJ, Thelma EASY CREDIT and Michael would ever get out of the projects. In the RIP OFFS. Evans household it was always something – the rent GOOD TIMES. man was coming by, the needed shoes, and HANGIN’ IN A children damn, damn, damn “they” turned off the lights. One CHOW LINE. - just thing after another, each of these financial crisis left the GOOD TIMES Evans household under a perpetual cloud of “Robbing SCRATCHIN’ Peter to pay Paul”.

AND

by Lynn Cole--

10 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2015

That was over forty years ago, but still today there are many families living just like the Evans. As late as the year 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 46.5 million people, or 15% of the nation’s population, lived below the official poverty level. For that same year data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that 10.6 million individuals were among the “working poor” - people who spent at least 27 weeks in the labor force (that is, working or looking for work) but whose incomes still fell below the official poverty level.

The “working poor” are people who either have a job or are looking for a job. They are trying, but for some reason or another they have trouble making their proverbial ends meet.

So what do these people do when they have more month than cash? What do they do when their bills are due and they can’t qualify for a traditional loan nor have

access to an emergency fund or credit cards? Do the Florida Evanses of today rob from Peter to pay Paul ?

If the Good Times script were streaming across the television today, we might find Florida Evans standing in line and filling out forms to qualify for a cash advance at one of the twenty-two thousand payday lenders across the United States looking for a loan, getting just enough money to stop the financial bleed and hold the Evans family over until next pay day. Upon leaving, Florida would have every intention of paying back the loan, but by the next payday, there would be another financial crisis that would make paying back that money plus whatever interest next to near impossible.

Payday Loans: How Does It Work?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau defines a payday loan or cash advance as a short-term loan, generally for $500 or less, that is typically due on

the next payday. These loans generally have three features – (1) they are for a small amount, (2) they are due the next payday, and (3) the borrower must give the lender electronic access to the borrowers checking account or write a check for the full balance due giving the lender the option of depositing the check when the loan comes due. Typical loan fees range from $15 to $20 per $100 borrowed. With short long terms of less than one month, payday loans typically charge an annual percentage rate (APR) between 390% and 550%. These triple digit interest rates along with a business model that encourages repeat borrowing make payday loans one of the most expensive forms of consumer credit available.

Payday Loans: Who Uses Them & What For? Payday loan customers are predominately lower or moderate income. According to the Center for responsible lending, African American or

Latino customers make up a disproportionate number of payday loan users. While the industry denies targeting people of color, the reality is that payday loan stores are highly concentrated in African American and Latino neighborhoods.

In 2012 the Pew Charitable Trust released a report chronicling payday loan use among Americans. The report showed that twelve million people use payday loans every year, borrowing an average of $520 in interest and spending approximately $7.4 billion annually. The report also uncovered other key findings: - 5.5 percent of adults nationwide have used a payday loan in the past five years, with 75% of borrowers going into a store and almost 25% borrowing online.

FEATURE

- There are five groups that have higher odds of having used a payday loan: those without a four-year college degree; home renters; African Americans; those earning below $40,000 annually; and those who are separated or divorced.

- Low-income homeowners are less prone to usage than higher-income renters: - 8 percent of renters earning $40,000 to $100,000 have used payday loans, compared with 6 percent of homeowners earning $15,000 up to $40,000.

The report also found that most borrowers use payday loans to cover day to day living expenses such as groceries, gas, rent, and utility payments, not luxurious, elaborate consumer items.

Payday Loans: How Did It All Start?

About 20 years ago, a new retail financial product, the payday loan, began to spread across the United States.

It allowed a customer who wanted a small amount of cash quickly to borrow money and pledge a check dated for the next payday as collateral.

Cleveland, Tennessee native, Allen Jones, is considered the grandfather of the modern payday loan industry. While he didn’t coin the term “payday loan,” he was the first to spot the vast moneymaking potential in making these smalldenomination loans and opened his first payday store in 1993 – Check Into Cash.

In just a few short years Check Into Cash’s 52 stores made $3.7 million in fees and generated nearly $1 million in profits.

Payday Loans: A Growing Industry Nationwide, there are twice as many payday lenders as Starbucks locations, according to the Center for Responsible Lending. And, while a number of states have banned payday lending,

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a 2006 study from California State University Northridge showed that in Tennessee the industry is running rampant.

According to the report, there are nearly five times more payday lenders in Tennessee than McDonald’s locations.

If you had to pick a poster child to exemplify the rapid growth of the payday lending industry, that child would be Nashville based Advance Financial. According to the company’s website Advance Financial runs a 24/7 operations and offers check cashing services, wire transfer, bill payment, free money orders; and of course payday loans. Since 1996, Advance Financial has grown from one to more than 60 locations throughout Tennessee; including 15 locations in Nashville, 5 in Chattanooga, and 3 in Knoxville. According to an article published by The Tennessean in 2012, Advance Financial made $37 million in revenue that year with just 33 locations across the state.

Payday Loans: Who is Backing the Industry?

Let’s face it, the $46 billion dollar pay day loan industry is big business. It is a lucrative.

It is controversial. It takes money and political influence to stay lucrative. Like in every other industry, pay day loan business owners have to have access to credit to not just keep their business running, but also leverage the business to maximize profits.

As such, the major payday lenders have continued access to hundreds of millions of dollars in credit lines from the nation’s big bank. Just five years ago, the National People’s Action and Public Accountability Initiative released a report showing that virtually all of the major payday lenders receive credit to run their business from the nation’s largest banks, particularly Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, US Bank and Bank of America. Overall, the report showed that major banks finance approximately 42%

EAST TENNESSEE EDITION

Health Center Week Events of the entire payday loan industry nationwide.

Industry friendly legislation resulting in less stringent regulation and oversight also leads to increase profits.

Profits that the payday lending industry isn’t afraid to pay for. In the state of Tennessee alone, a scan of state financial disclosures revealed at least $66,750 in political donations from the payday lending industry in recent years, either given directly to candidates or funneled through political action committees. The biggest player is Advance PAC, the political-money arm of Advance Financial, which was founded in Franklin, Tennessee. Advance PAC spent $31,000 in the month of June, handing out contributions of $1,000 or more to 14 legislators, including a $1,000 check to House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick. State records also show that Advance America and Cash America are major political contributors. Advance America has made major contributions to Tennessee First PAC, a committee started by lobbyists David McMahan and Beth Winstead, whose firm is among the largest and most influential in the state.

Tennessee First gave more than $100,000 to candidates in 2012 and 2013. Another player is Cash America, which spends on politics at all levels of government across the country, spending over $10,000 in election cycle.

Payday Loans: How do We Fix It? Legislation & Policy Recommendations Nick Clements, a former bank executive who founded MagnifyMoney, an online financial education site for consumers thinks that the payday loan industry makes it too easy for people to get trapped in a cycle of debt.

„Payday loans have been designed as the perfect trap,” Clements said, adding that people often feel relieved to have a quick fix. „But the way payday loans are structured, it almost guarantees that you’ll extend the loan.”

Recognizing that these predatory lending practices that take advantage of people that are many times one payday loan away from homelessness, all levels of government have enacted some policies aimed at protecting consumers.

Nationally, the Obama Administration recently expanded legislation that protects military families.

Under the Military Lending Act of 2006, interest rates for loans under $2000 were capped at 36%. The 2015 amendment covers a wider range of products and eliminates other predatory practices such as requiring service members to submit to arbitration. In Tennessee, the city of Chattanooga recently passed legislation that bars payday loan businesses from opening within 500 feet of residential areas or within a quarter-mile of other similar lenders.

Other research based policy recommendations coming out of national think tanks such as the Pew research group and National People’s Action, an industry watchdog, include lobbying governmental entities to enforce interest rate caps of 36% or less, banning banks from investing in payday lending companies, and disallowing the use of Disability, Social Security or unemployment insurance checks as loan collateral.

Perhaps following these policies will keep the Florida Evanes of the world from “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul”.

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OPEN HOUSE/TOUR AUGUST 10TH 12N -2:00PM WEDNESDAY

HEALTH FAIR Tuesday, August 11th at Dodson Avenue and Wednesday, August 12th at Southside from 9 am - 2 pm.

THURSDAY

PATIENT APPRECIATION DAY Thursday, August 13th at both sites, Dodson Avenue and Southside from 9 am - 2 pm

FRIDAY

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY LUNCHEON- AUG 14TH 12N-4PM Friday, August 14th from 12 noon – 4:00pm

SATURDAY, August 15th

HEALTH SYMPOSIUM & RECEPTION AT ORCHARD KNOB ELEMENTARY 11:00AM – 1:30PM Keynote speaker: Tené Franklin

Director Office of Minority Health and Disparities Elimination Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville, TN Master of Ceremonies: Chris Ramsey Presenters: Bill Ulmer – Director, Community Health Services, Health Department Katherlyn Geter – Manager, SS/DA Affordable Care Act Dr. Kelly Arnold, MD – Executive Director, Clinica Medicos Dr. Elenora Woods, DDS – Family Dentistry of TN, NAACP President Dr. Robert McKoy, MD – Cardiologist, Chattanooga, TN

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2015 | 11

12

OUR VOICES

Noma Anderson, Dean of the College of Health Professions at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, To Receive Honors of the Association Award from The American Speech-LanguageHearing Association ll Memphis, TN — Noma Anderson, PhD, dean of the College of Health Professions at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), will receive the Honors of the Association Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) during its convention in Denver, Colorado. She will be presented with the honor during an awards ceremony in November.

The Honors of the Association is the highest award given by the ASHA and is a public recognition of distinguished and exceptional contributions to the field of speech, language and hearing.

Prior to her appointment at UTHSC in 2010, Dean Anderson was the immediate past chair and a professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami.

She was also dean of the School of Health Sciences at FIU for five years. Prior to that, Dean Anderson was a chair for 10 years and on the faculty for 16 years in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Named a Fellow of ASHA in 1992, Dean Anderson was on the board of directors for ASHA from 1998-2000 as vice president for academic affairs, and again from 2006-2008, and served as president in 2007.

urbanvoiceonline.com

WHAT’S GOING ON? WHAT’S GOING ON? The lyrics of the song started out something like this. !

“Mother, mother There’s too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There’s far too many of you dying You know we’ve got to find a way To bring some lovin’ here today” !

ll It was the Legendary lyrical giant and iconic song writer Marvin Gaye who in the mid 60’s literally changed the very tapestry and musical fabric of American culture. With his enticing voice, his unique sound and even his controversial expressions he displayed a since of urban musicality that has not been matched in over 50 years. In my own personal opinion Marvin was the Picasso of R & B, the Mozart of entertainment and the Michael Jordan of Motown. His music had the ability to make you cry on one song and then make you fall deeper in love with your significant other on the next. However, the song that he wrote that crossed every age, cultural and ethnic barrier was a hit song entitle,

When Marvin penned those words it was on May 21, 1971. I was still in diapers and had just advanced from a quick crawl to a slow walk. Almost half of a century has passed since that album was released and in the year of 2015 we are still asking the same question; What’s Going On? Racial tensions and ethnic divides are greater than they have been since the days of Martin, Malcolm and Jim Crow. What’s going on? There are riots in Baltimore, frustrations in

Confederate Flag. What’s going on? There are bodies falling dead by gang banging kids, reckless police officers, stand your own ground citizens, Neo-Nazi church shooters, and Islamic extremist motivated

by ISIS. What’s going on? !

Well, I think that the answer to that question is extremely simple. People have slowly deviated from the Golden Rule that has knitted all of humanity together as one. Love your neighbor as yourself.

From the Christian Bible to the Jewish Torah, from the Muslim Quran to the Buddhist Tibetan. Love has always been the common theme that run through most religious practices. Until we realize that the creator has ordained us to be social beings who are designed to be dependent upon one another we will remain stuck in our moral decline. Remember, when God created Adam in the garden it was God who said, it is not good for man to be alone. God’s original purpose for us all is for us to walk together in unconditional love and harmony. Harmony does not mean that we all sing the same parts, but it does mean that we all sing the same song. God has intentionally created us differently because every song sounds better when it’s sang in harmony and not as a solo. So whether you are black or white, Christian or Muslim, gay or straight, a multi-millionaire or on governmental assistance, remember that God has created us all in His own image and likeness and that image looks like LOVE.

Ferguson, church fires all over the south, and the Klan is protesting in South

Darryl Arnold, Sr. Pastor, Overcoming Believers Church, Knoxville, TN.

Box-Office Preview: ‘Straight Outta Compton’ to Dominate Weekend Compton — a biopic about N.W.A, the groundbreaking hip-hop group from Compton, California — should have no trouble claiming the box-office crown this weekend in another victory for Universal Pictures. Conservative estimates show the R-rated movie opening in the $25 million to $35 million range domestically, but it could easily climb higher.

Dean Anderson holds a PhD in speechlanguage pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MS in speech pathology from Emerson College in Boston. She received her BA in speech pathology and audiology from Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia.

As Tennessee’s only public, statewide, academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service. ll Director F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta 12 | URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE 2015

The words of this song was birthed out of Marvin’s frustration and sadness concerning the violent, unjust and arduous society that he was living in in the late 60’s and early 70’s. It’s almost like he was easing his internal pain by expressing himself through rhythms, beats and harmonious illustrations. Although this song gained global acknowledgment and universal applause for its musical composition the content of the song was fairly simple. Why do people harbor so much hatred for one another and is love strong enough to reconcile a divisive world? !!

Carolina over the removal of the

The Universal and Legendary release goes up against Guy Ritchie’s period spyaction comedy The

Man from U.N.C.L.E., starring Harry Cavill, Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander. Man from U.N.C.L.E., adapted from the 1960s MGM television series, is tracking to open in the high teens for Warner Bros. and Davis Entertainment. That would be a sobering start, considering its net production cost was north of $80 million.

critically acclaimed film stars O’Shea Jackson Jr. as his real-life father, Ice Cube, Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell as Eazy E, Aldis Hodge as MC Ren and Neil Brown Jr. as DJ Yella. Dr. Dre will release a companion album — his first collection of new music in 16 years — timed to the movie’s opening Friday.

Straight Outta Compton cost $29 million to make. Produced by former N.W.A. members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre (among others), the

Straight Outta Compton, tracking strongest among African-American and Caucasian males, follows the rise and fall of N.W.A. The group

played a seminal role in popularizing gangsta rap; their first album, Straight Outta Compton, sold 3 million copies and went triple platinum after its release in 1988. N.W.A, which stands for „N—az With Attitude,” also sparked controversy with its incendiary lyrics (such as, „a young n—a on the warpath, and when I’m finished, it’s gonna be a bloodbath of cops, dyin’ in L.A.”) and incurred the moral wrath of media crusaders including Tipper Gore.

VOICES

I Am Sandra Bland

by Dr. Julianne Malveaux • TriceEdneyWire.com

Three days later, Sandra Bland was dead. The police call her death a suicide. Her family is disputing the autopsy. Brian Encinia is responsible for what happened, since there was no reason to arrest Sandra Bland and put her in jail.

ll (TriceEdneyWire.com) - Had I ever met Sandra Bland, I am sure I would have liked her. She is described as an advocate for justice who had embraced her purpose to fight racism. She is described as a sister who knew her rights. She was well educated, assertive, and a resource for her people. She was dragged out of her car for a traffic lane signal because police officer Brian Encinia chose to abuse his power and violate her rights.

Because he could.

01

Sandra Bland was an “uppity” Black woman who I not kowtow to Mr. Encinia. Perhaps he preferred a woman who said “yes, sir”, who humbly accepted her ticket. Certainly, while it was not against the law to take a smoke, he preferred that Sandra put her cigarette out. Why? Because he needed to order a woman around who asserted her rights. Because she knew what her rights were.

Sandra Bland. The Prairie View A&M University graduate was stopped in Waller County, Texas for failing to signal at a lane change. She was ordered to put out her cigarette, and she refused to. She was told to get out of her car, and she had the nerve to assert her rights and to ask why. Mr. Encinia was clearly exceedingly and outrageously out of order. His voice escalated to unnecessary shouting as he

Sandra Bland’s You-Tube posts show her as a strong, assertive Black woman who is keenly aware of racial disparities, and committed to social and economic justice. Former police officer Harry Houck, commenting on this case on CNN, has described her as “arrogant” because she would not put out her cigarette. Houck did not know Sandra Bland, so how did he surmise that she was arrogant? Isn’t that how some Whites describe Black people when we fail to grovel in the face of their power?

What did Mr. Encinia see when arresting Sandra Bland? Did he, like Houck, see a woman who was not intimidated, a woman who, though not rude, was not “humble”? Did she scowl when she was stopped?

Probably. Was she unfriendly or

ungracious? Possibly. Was she deferential? Not at all. But there is no law that says that someone who gets a ticket is supposed to be grateful. Most folks who get a ticket are annoyed, and have a bit of an attitude. She did not bow and scrape, or say “yes massa”, so now she is dead, and Encinia is at least partly responsible for her death.

African-American women are often stereotyped as angry Sapphires with chips on their shoulders and a penchant for confrontation. A Black woman doesn’t have to raise her voice or swivel her neck to be considered angry. All she has to do is to express herself, or fail to smile.

Perhaps the officer would have preferred a deferential and obedient Sandra Bland. It didn’t happen. So he retaliated.

I know Sandra Bland, because she is every woman. She does not conform to the majority culture’s stereotype of what a woman should be. We, Black women, rarely conform. As the late Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, President of the National Council of Negro Women, once said,

Shop Talk

“Black women don’t do what we want to do, we do what we have to do.” Forty-six percent of African-American families are female-headed. We do the work.

Black unemployment is higher than White unemployment, and Black wages are lower. We do the work. We work harder for less pay than other women. In the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, we are “sick and tired of being sick and tired”. Sandra Bland accepted her calling to fight for justice. Her posts show a woman who would not yield to racism.

She is not dead because she failed to signal when she changed lanes. She is dead because she knew her rights.

Every woman who is an activist is Sandra Bland, the Christian, the organizer, the advocate for justice. She is dead because she dared talk back to a brutal officer.

Sandra Bland is every assertive Black woman. I am Sandra Bland.

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist.She can be reached via www. juliannemalveaux.com

5 THINGS WE ARE TALKING ABOUTouptatie mod tin voINC

OBAMA COMMUTES 46 SENTENCES. Last month, President Obama commuted the sentences of 46 nonviolent drug offenders in a move that that the administration is calling an effort to reduce the number of people serving time in the federal prison system. The commutations shorten the sentences of those convicted.

However, unlike a presidential pardon, the commutations don’t erase the convictions themselves or get rid of any of the collateral consequences of those convictions such as losing the right to vote or to possess firearms - a criticism that has led critics to question the President’s low pardon record (64), despite the fact that last month’s move, according to the White House, put Obama at 89 commutations – more than any other President since Lyndon Baines Johnson. Among the 46 were 5 women and individuals from eighteen different states serving sentences ranging from 15 years to life imprisonment, all of whose sentences will commute on November 10, 2015.

02

ordered her out of her car. He physically grabbed her, threw her on the ground, and shoved his knee in her back so sharply that evidence of bruising was visible in her autopsy three days later. He arrested her with the false charge of assault because she did not acquiesce to his brutality.

MURDER IN CINCINNATI. On July 19th Samuel DuBose, a 43 – year-old father of 13, was shot dead by University of Cincinnati police officer, Ray Tensing, after being pulled over for not having a license plate on the front of his car. Tensing, who claimed that a struggle ensued over DuBose’s drivers license and he was was dragged by the car and forced to shoot at DuBose, has been indicted for murder and voluntary manslaughter in what Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters has called a “senseless” and “asinine” act, noting that Tensing “purposely killed’ DuBose and “should never have been a police officer”.

03

ONE YEAR AFTER FERGUSON. On August 9, 2014, teenager, Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson after a brief scuffle in the middle of a small street in Ferguson, Missouri. Eye witnesses reported the shooting was unprovoked and were outraged that Brown’s body lay lifeless in the middle of the hot sun for hours after his death. For 135 days protesters descended on Ferguson under the actual threat of a militarized police force bearing an uncanny resemblance to Birmingham in the 1960s, demanding an indictment against Wilson and repeating over and over that Brown was “killed for no reason”. In the end, Wilson was not indicted, but the events in Ferguson exposed the social unrest and racial tension that had been stewing in Ferguson’s for decades and served as a catalyst for the “Black Lives Matter” movement, which—a year later—is one of the most vibrant protest movements in recent memory.

04

DON’T HAVE HIM AROUND MY CHILD. “At the end of the day, I’m not for the publicity stunts. Leave my son out of the publicity stunts. Just leave him out of your relationship.”- Rapper Future, in a recent interview with The Breakfast Club expressing his anger over his baby momma, Ciara, allowing her new boyfriend Russell Wilson to be around the one year-old son he shares with the R&B artist.

05

POWER. Starring Omari Hardwick as James “Ghost” St. Patrick, a New York City nightclub owner doubling as a drug kingpin looking to get out and go legit, the original Starz series set a record on June 6 with its Season 2 premiere becoming one of the most-watched episodes of an original series in the channel’s history, bringing in 1.43 million viewers. And it doesn’t appear that Power will be running out of juice any time soon as Starz has already announced Season 3 and ordered 10 more episodes.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2015 | 13

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EDUCATION

Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s ASPiRE, Tracy McGrady and 2 Chainz Connect to Launch New Black College Tour

ll Atlanta, GA — HBCU Direct, LLC (HD), a marketing collective specializing in HBCU relations, formed a multi-faceted partnership with ASPiRE, the television network from Magic Johnson Enterprises, former NBA superstar Tracy “T-Mac” McGrady, and hip-hop celebrity 2 Chainz to build awareness of HBCUs and increase overall enrollment.

The first effort of the strategic alliance is the September 2015 launch of a 20-campus Hoops-N-Hip Hop® Tour reaching 100,000 Black college students.

“The partnership provides a huge opportunity to use our voices to support the efforts of the nation’s 105 HBCUs to build awareness and attract talent,” said seven-time NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady.

“HBCUs are a cornerstone of

our community, having graduated some of the most notable African Americans across the spectrum including medicine, technology, the arts, sports and beyond.

With more African Americans entering college today than ever before, it is imperative that we do all that we can to support HBCUs in every way as they continue to provide a high quality education.”

ASPiRE delivers enlightening, entertaining and positive programming to African Americans with a diverse slate, including live and encore HBCU football and basketball games featuring member schools of the CIAA and SIAC conferences.

“Through this unique collaboration, ASPiRE will continue to capture the positive lifestyle on HBCU campuses and present the authentic and aspirational images from the HBCU experience to our viewing audience,” said ASPiRE Senior Director of Business Affairs and Development Melissa Ingram. “Providing positive programming for African Americans is at the core of who we are, and this partnership is an extension of that mission.”

Members of 2 Chainz label imprint, TRU University, will join the Hoops-NHip Hop tour as performers during the tour concert following each event. “2 Chainz is an Alabama State University alum that deeply cares about the HBCU community” stated David Leeks, coowner of 2 Chainz management company Street Execs. 2Chainz played collegiate basketball at ASU. “This partnership perfectly aligns with our

mission of servicing and creating positive awareness of HBCUs,” added Rod Chappell, CEO and Executive Director of HBCU Direct. “Collectively, HBCUs need more support in marketing and awareness to increase revenues through enrollment and fundraising.

“HBCUs are a cornerstone of our community, having graduated some of the most notable African Americans across the spectrum, including medicine, technology, the arts, sports, and beyond.

2Chainz, who also was a great athlete playing basketball at Alabama State, “deeply cares about the HBCU community,” says David Leeks, co-owner of 2Chainz management company, Street Execs. The statistics regarding increased college enrollment for African American students are encouraging, and we have to do all that we can to make sure that HBCUs are strong benefactors of this increase.” The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently reported that among 2014 U.S. high school graduates, 70.9 percent of African American graduating high school seniors had enrolled in college by October, up from 59.3 percent college enrollment rate in 2013.

Through this partnership, the five-yearold HBCU Direct follows its mission of supporting the nation’s 100+ HBCUs through with partnerships to increase revenues and/or reduce expenses. For more information about HBCU Direct, visit www.hbcudirect.com.

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In My Journey with Maya, Smiley recalls a joyful friendship filled to the brim with sparkling conversation--in Angelou’s gardens surrounded by her caged birds, before lectures, sharing meals, and on breaks from it all, they sought each other out for comfort, advice, and above all else, friendship.

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