Urban Voice 2016 June

UrbanVoice CNE CEO ACCUSED OF SEXUAL & RACIAL HARASSMENT IN $5 MILLION LAWSUIT

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CULTURE NEWS POLITICS

13 January • 2016 Edition

Muhammad

“Affair of the Heart Ball” Oak Ridge Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Ali

‘The Greatest of All Time’ Dies at 74.

Athlete, Civil Rights Activist and Philanthropist

STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 2016?

National Urban League Reports ANNUAL REPORT REVEALS STAGGERING INEQUALITIES

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Build TN Haslam launches Go Build Tennessee

CLINTON SECURES DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION

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UrbanVoice News

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 3

NATIONAL NEWS brief

The Cost of School-to-Prison Pipeline: Racially Biased School Suspensions Cost Taxpayers $35 Billion Each Year

In Tennessee: 44,498 Black Students were Suspended from Tennessee k-12 public schools in one Year

Hamilton County: 57.3% (1.8% Disproportionate Impact) & Knox County 33.1% (2.3% Disproportionate Impact) ll African-American students are

nearly four times as likely as their white classmates to be suspended from school, new federal data show, a stark reminder that more than 60 years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, public school is a different place for many minority students than it is for white students.

From gifted-and-talented programs to teacher experience to advanced science and math courses, the data show, the schools that enroll large numbers of minority students are unequal in nearly every way.

U.S. Education Secretary John King said the findings lay bare the USA’s “systemic failure” to educate all students equally.

“These data show that we still fall far short of that ideal,” he said, noting that students of color, those whose first language is not English and those with disabilities are “not getting same opportunities to learn” as other classmates.

“When we deny some students access to a high-quality education,

we all lose out in multiple ways,” he said.

The new data, out Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Education and required by Congress, show that African-American K-12 students are 3.8 times as likely to receive one or more out-of-school suspensions as white students. While 6% of all students received one or more outof-school suspensions in the 20132014 school year, the percentage was 18% for African-American boys and 10% for AfricanAmerican girls.

By contrast, among white students, only 5% of boys and 2% of girls were suspended at least once, according to the data, released biannually by the department’s Office of Civil Rights.

The findings come less than a week after researchers with the Civil Rights Project at the University of California, Los Angeles, released a study suggesting that suspensions in 10th grade alone probably result in more than 67,000 high school dropouts. Over the course of a lifetime, each dropout is responsible

for $163,000 in lost tax revenue and $364,000 in other social costs, such as health care and criminal justice expenses, the researchers estimated.

Cumulatively, they estimated, the total cost of 10th-grade dropouts exceeds $35 billion. The high cost underscores the importance of finding other ways to discipline unruly students, said Russell Rumberger, one of the study’s co-authors and a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz Graduate School of Education.

“Schools can do things to reduce the rate at which they suspend kids,” he said. “Some schools have figured out a way to deal with this problem without suspending kids.”

The new federal data show that suspension is only a small part of the problem facing minority students — they’re also badly underrepresented in nearly every type of advanced academic program in K-12 schools.

At schools that offer gifted education programs, African-

American and Latino young people comprise 42% of students. Yet only 28% of them were actually enrolled in such programs in 20132014, the data show. The same goes for English language learners, who comprise 11% of students in such schools, but fewer than 3% of „gifted” students.

Other findings: »» 48% of high schools offer calculus, but only 33% of high schools with high AfricanAmerican and Latino enrollment offer calculus; »» 60% offer physics, but only 48% with high African-American and Latino student enrollment offer physics; »» 72% offer chemistry, but only 65% with high African-American and Latino student enrollment offer chemistry; »» 78% offer Algebra II, but only 71% with high African-American and Latino student enrollment offer Algebra II. Minority students are also more likely to have inexperienced teachers, the data show: 11% of

African-American students and 9% of Latino students attend schools where more than one in five teachers is in his or her first year on the job, compared to just 5% of white students and 4% of Asian students in such schools.

The findings also included startling new evidence on “chronically absent” students, who miss 15 or more school days per due to illness, suspension or the need to care for a family member, among other reasons. Nationwide, more than 6.5 million students, or about 13%, are chronically absent, including more than 3 million high school students more than 3.5 million elementary school students.

King called the statistics “distressing.”

“It’s very worrisome that we have 13% of our students who are chronically absent,” he told reporters . “Even the best teacher can’t be successful if students aren’t in class, and so we’ve got work to do as a country on this issue.”

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The Region’s Largest African American Newspaper

Pas

JUNE 2016

letter from the

Moving Beyond, Fired Up & Ready to Go. We Need the Numbers to Move CHAIRMAN/PUBLISHER

When we talk politics, we like to use fancy phrases. A particular phrase that is often used is “quid pro quo”. “Quid pro quo” is derived from the Latin term meaning “This for that.” In other words, you give me something and I will give you something back. Sounds fair, right? But what about if I give you something and you don’t give me back anything? Or you do give, but what you give is nothing of substance or value, and it has no hint of any intent on your part of making any long term and sustainable commitment to my interest? We would call this scenario “quid pro NO quo”. In other words there is no “that” in exchange for “this”. Still sound fair?

Before you answer that question, let me explain. “Quid pro No quo” is not benevolence. This is NOT a scenario where I decide to give you something out of the kindness of my heart or the overflow of my resources. “Quid pro No quo” happens when my desire to give is induced by your promise of something in exchange. You initiated the exchange and coaxed me into giving with your promise of what you would do for me.

Politicians do this all the time when they ask for our vote. This is specifically true when it comes to blacks being courted by the Democratic Party. Every election cycle, Democrats court the Black community for their votes and they have been doing so while dodging any real commitment to our issues for the last fifty years. Instead we get extreme racial inequalities that appear to be the natural outcome of innocent private choices or free-market forces rather than intentional public policies like housing covenants, federal mortgage redlining, public housing segregation, and school zoning.

And these policies are drafted, presented, approved, and implemented by the very 4 | URBAN VOICE NeWSMAGAZINE 2016

leaders that we put in office! One would think that Blacks would see at least some “wins” with Democrats in office. However, our voting power that has continued to put democrats in office has resulted in very little political power and minimal equity when it comes to quality of life issues.

Just as Vernon Jordan, former director of the Urban League and former advisor to Bill Clinton stated when Jimmy Carter was President, “We have no solutions to the grinding problems of poverty and discrimination.” But don’t take my word or Jordan’s for that matter.

Here are some facts: While the number of children living in poverty declined to 20 percent, or 14.7 million in 2013, for black children, the number remained a staggering 38 percent.

Nearly half of all black children in the U.S. are still born into poverty.

The black family has been all but decimated, and the economic recovery has been weakest for black families.

Black unemployment rates remain the highest of any group at 9 percent, with the average median income of a black household at $34,598 compared with $58,270 of the average white household.

Despite being the most party-loyal voters in history, and receiving the least for that loyalty (No quo for our quid), AfricanAmericans continue to lose ground in every economic category. Even when we elect Democrats.

We should not have to beg, march, demonstrate, or fight for our quo; if reciprocity is the name of the game Black voters should be sitting pretty right now. But for all of our quid election after election, we have little quo to show for it.

Politically speaking, Black people are being played. The sad part about it is that we don’t seem to care. The lower we sink, politically and economically, the more we

are available “to get off the couch and put on our marching shoes” to demonstrate our dissatisfaction about the political system, as though our anger will change it.

The mis-leaders keep telling us how powerful our vote is, but in spite of turning out in greater proportionate numbers that Whites in 2012, we still suffer from a lack of reciprocity. Despite our undying loyalty we are still an all quid and no quo-voting block.

Why do we accept such a one-sided deal, especially from those to whom our loyalty is pledged and given? Politically we are taken for granted, obviously because of our staunch loyalty; and economically we suffer the same result because we do not command and demand a reasonable return on our dollars. One example that captures both the economics and politics of this issue is the $1 billion in President Obama’s 2012 campaign war chest contrasted by the measly $985,000 spent with the Black press. In exchange for our 93%-95% quid, our quo was one-tenth of one percent, or 0.1% in media buys, and that was up from the planned spend of $650,000, which was raised due to ”pressure” on the campaign managers.

Taken for granted is putting it mildly.

How long will we settle for a position on a task force, an appointment on a board or someone showing up at an event and taking a picture with us? Miss me with the photo-opt. Instead show me money, where are the resources to rebuild and revitalize our neighborhoods? Where are the resources to help strengthen our schools?

We must learn to leverage our vote. Vote as a bloc. And demand a fair exchange for our political patronage. The focus should be the RETURN ON OUR VOTE, not the power of the vote. Voting is simply the first step, not the final. The African-American vote has aided women, Hispanics, the

LGBT community, Veterans and seniors.

Errrrbody get hooked up but us!

So, with our political predicament in mind, here are my thoughts: if we are unwillingly to vote as independent thinkers, we should not engage. If we are not inclined, on a local and national level to leverage our votes, then all we have is the power to vote. And no power. If we vote and get nothing in return all we are master voters.

Am I saying we shouldn’t vote? Of course not. We have to move beyond treating elections like popularity contest and giving folks a job whether they produce or not. We have abused and misused our vote. Far too many of us are uninformed on issues and don’t have a clue what candidates stand for.

We vote while we live and we die BROKE! The Urban Voice had the distinct pleasure of conducting the last interview with James R. Mapp, longtime president of the Chattanooga-Hamilton county branch of the NAACP. In fact, we talked to Mr. Mapp for over 3hours. A great man! A great public servant! He sacrificed and paved the way for many. But guess what, he told me about the $85,000 or so he still owed on a house in Brainerd. He was nearly upside down in his mortgage. He had to take out second mortgages to survive.

That just ain’t right.

As I always say, learn the lesson or repeat it. Your choice.

We must demand access. We must no longer be excited about the seat at the table. We been sitting at the table and leaving the room with empty promises and a seat at the next table.

At the end of the day, the numbers need to move.

Until Next Month,

- JD Harper

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 5

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Here we go Again: Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise CEO accused of Sexual, Racial harrassment in $5 million lawsuit

must read in this issue

tor daryl arnold, Overcoming believers church

Column:

CHATTANOOGAHAMILTON COUNTY NAACP HOST 9TH CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEMINAR

‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali Dies at 74- He Indeed Shook up the World~

GUEST COMMENTARY: America must renew its infrastructure or face decline

< < < < < < VOICES

22State of Black America Report 2016 < < < < < <

Chief Creative Officer

Jermaine D. Harper, MBA Email: jd.urbanvoice@gmail.com

African Stylist Fight Licensing Laws in the U.S.

12

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CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Archie Lynn Cole James Clingman Sharetta T. Smith Jermaine D. Harper DaVette Jones Kevin Muhammad Khristy Wilkinson Shanelle Smith Avis Thomas-Lester

ADVERTISING Email: ads.urbanvoice@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY BA Photography, Brian Archie Look Within Photography, Shakeesha Semone 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.

URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE No. 21-JUNE 2016 · 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.theurbanvoice.org 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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East Tennessee Largest African American Newspaper

CHURCHNews Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church Honors Pastor Samuel R. Jackson

City of Knoxville to host Business Breakfast- June 14th: Register Today! business is too small to compete for a piece of the $55 million in contracts that the City will be entering into this year?

Union Hill Missionary Baptist Church has been blessed by God with its shepherd, Pastor Samuel R. Jackson and organizers are preparing to honor him for his faithful service and guidance to this flock for 11 years. In addition, he and his bride of 30 years, First Lady Vivian Evans Jackson will renew their wedding vows.

The Union Hill Church family cordially invites each of you to join us in the 11th Pastoral Anniversary/Renewal of Vows Celebration to be held on Saturday, June 11, at 4 p. m. at Kingdom Center 740 East Martin Luther King Boulevard Chattanooga, Tn. 37403.

The cost of the event is $25.

For ticket information, please contact Minnie Blanks, 423 894-7229, Anita Jones, 423 240-5214 or church office, 423 698-0337 no later than June 4.

Mark Wednesday, June 14th, on your calendar.

Learn about upcoming City of Knoxville business opportunities planned for the next 12 – 18 months.

City of Knoxville

Looking to bid on a contract with the City of Knoxville but don’t exactly know how to get started? Think your

Time: 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Cost: Free Admission Location: Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Ave.

For questions, contact: Sherry Bennett Small Business Specialist sbennett@knoxvilletn. gov 865-215-2293

Knox: Fashion designer Hall sentenced to 33 months Knoxville fashion designer Marcus Hall

is nothing more than a garden-variety criminal who must pay for his misdeeds with a federal prison term, “He is, in fact, no different than any other defendant,” U.S. District Judge Pamela Reeves said in rejecting a sentencing break for Hall in a $20 million gambling racket.

Reeves ordered Hall to serve 33 months in prison — just shy of three years — for operating an illegal gambling operation and conspiracy to commit money laundering for

his role in a yearslong numbers racket in which gamblers placed daily bets on the winning numbers in the Illinois state lottery.

Marcus Hall is famed in the fashion world for his novel raw-denim designs and has been lauded locally by the Knoxville Chamber, including being awarded the 2015 Minority-Owned Business Excellence Award.

Tell Your Beneficiaries About Your Accounts and Policies See if your children have a chance to qualify for need-based financial aid. Impossible, you say? You may be surprised. You can have one million dollars in your IRA or your workplace retirement plan and not impact your child’s potential for needbased financial aid one iota.

That is because those retirement accounts are not considered parental assets in the calculation of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that factors into determining a student’s need.2

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church to Hold New Pastor Installation Service Antioch Missionary Baptist Church will be installing its new pastor, Reverend Todd Lansden, Senior, on Sunday, June 12 at 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend this special service. The church is located at 901 G.W. Davis Dr., Chattanooga, 37411.

Parking: Free parking will be available in Parking Garage C on Historic Preservation Drive - one block south of Howard Baker Jr. Avenue, across from the Knoxville Marriott.

Saving for retirement is a must.

Saving for college is certainly a priority. How do you do both at once?

Saving for retirement should always come first. After all, retirees cannot apply for financial aid; college students can. That said, there are ways to try and accomplish both objectives within the big picture of your financial strategy.

As a first step, whittle down household debt. True, some debts are not easily reduced, and some are worth assuming, but many are byproducts of our wants rather than our needs.

NerdWallet, a personal finance website, notes that the average U.S. household now carries credit card debt of more than $15,000.

Less revolving consumer debt means more money available to potentially direct toward a retirement fund and a college fund.1

That “need” is determined through a basic equation: the cost to attend the school minus the EFC equals the financial need of the student. So, in theory, the lower you can keep your EFC, the more need-based financial assistance your student deserves.2 The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and College Board CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE use slightly different calculation methods to determine the EFC. Both student and parental assets factor into the calculation. What usually counts most is the income of the parent(s), minus some taxes, tax deductions, and allowances.

Capital gains from investment accounts can qualify as “parent income,” and so can Roth and traditional IRA distributions.2,3 Money held inside a qualified retirement plan, though, is not included in need analysis formulas. Life insurance cash values rarely count. Most Coverdell ESAs and UGMA and UTMA accounts represent assets

owned by the child, and child assets receive 20% weighting in EFC calculations (parental income receives up to 47% weighting). Parental assets, as opposed to parental income, are weighted at no more than 5.64% yearly. Cash and brokerage accounts are considered parental assets; so are student-owned 529 plans. Even real estate investments can be defined as parental assets.3,4 The CSS PROFILE form does inquire about retirement account values and life insurance cash values, but they are not factored into the EFC calculation. They may be considered if a college financial aid officer needs to make an assessment of the overall financial health of a household pursuant to a financial aid decision.2 What if your kids have little or no chance to receive financial aid?

Then scholarships and grants represent the primary routes to easing the tuition burden. So save for retirement as well as you can and save for college in a way that promotes the best after-tax return on your investment.

Feel free to max out your workplace retirement plan contribution (and get the match from your employer). If you do so, the impact on your child’s eligibility for college aid would be negligible. If you have a Roth IRA or permanent life insurance policy, think about the ways they can be used in college planning as well as retirement and estate planning. You may be able to tap a life insurance policy’s cash

value to pay some college costs, and distributions from a Roth IRA occurring before age 59½ are exempt from the standard 10% early withdrawal penalty if they are used for qualified educational expenses.5 Even if your household is highincome, look at the American Opportunity Tax Credit. The AOTC is a federal tax credit of up to $2,500 per year that can be applied toward qualified higher education expenses. It is better than a federal tax deduction, as it lowers your federal income tax dollar-for-dollar. If you are married and you and your spouse file jointly, you are eligible to claim the AOTC if your modified adjusted gross incomes total $180,000 or less. If you are a single filer, you are eligible if your modified adjusted gross income is $90,000 or less. Phase-out ranges do kick in at $160,000 for joint filers and $80,000 for single filers.6 DaVett Jones may be reached at 865-325-2631 or davett@ p3financialgroup.com. www.p3financialgroup.com This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services.

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East Tennessee Largest African American Newspaper

Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise CEO accused of Sexual, Racial harrassment in $5 million lawsuit Mr. Comacho, who is an Hispanic from Bolivia, says Ms. Guilfoil “made offensive, racially insensitive, and insensitive remarks.”

It was claimed that she would insult non-white employees and mock his accent.

The suit was filed by attorney Robin Flores.

A $5 million lawsuit filed by the former chief financial officer Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise says the president mismanaged funds and made disparaging remarks about him and other non-whites.

Carlos Comacho filed the 20-page Circuit Court lawsuit against CNE and president Martina Guilfoil.

The suit says Mr. Comacho was hired as CFO in 2011 to help straighten out problems discovered by an external audit.

He first worked under president David Johnson, then interim Ric Ebersol, and then Ms. Guilfoil.

Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, a nonprofit Chattanooga agency that in 2012 was rocked by accusations against its then-leader David Johnson by ex-employees who accused him of sexual harassment, mishandled funds and racist remarks.

Guilfoil was hired, the lawsuit alleges, and when he refused, she told Camacho he was not “man enough” for her.

Guilfoil constantly mocked the accent of Camacho, who’s from Bolivia, the lawsuit alleges.

And when Camacho and two African American employees won a laser tag competition during the CNE’s 2014 Christmas party at Pin Strikes bowling alley, the suit says Guilfoil told Camacho it was only “because everyone on your team is dark and we could not see you.”

The woman hired in 2013 to replace Johnson after a nationwide search, CNE President and CEO Martina Guilfoil, now faces those allegations in a $5 million lawsuit filed by CNE’s former Chief Financial Officer Carlos Camacho, who was fired in June of last year.

Guilfoil wouldn’t comment Monday about any details of the lawsuit, which CNE was served with Friday and hasn’t yet responded to.

“The suit has no merit. That is what I’m allowed to say,” she said. “In regards to the charges of mismanagement, CNE obtained a clean audit for the period in question by an independent auditor as well as an exemplary rating by NeighborWorks America.”

Guilfoil tried to “dance provocatively” with Camacho during a meeting shortly after

Camacho was fired under the pretext of “lack of work,” his lawsuit says, when his termination

was actually “retaliation” after he found that under Guilfoil’s direction, CNE gave false figures to the city, paid expenses from the wrong accounts and mismanaged loans.

The $5 million Camacho seeks in the lawsuit would cover such damages as lost time of work “backward and forward since reinstatement would place Camacho in a hostile environment” and punitive damages to keep CNE from “repeating this wrong.”

Camacho, himself, was the target of complaints, during Johnson’s time at the helm of CNE, according to Times Free Press archives. One employee who said Johnson harassed her from 2008 to 2012, including demands to see her cleavage, “front hugs” and drunken advances at parties, said in a court filing that “Carlos told me to keep it quiet.”

Maynor had been fired because he didn’t follow procedures.

Maynor alleged he was fired in 2011 after the workplace became hostile when he broke off a sexual relationship he had with Dawn Scates, who then was human resources and operations manager for CNE. CNE is a nonprofit housing organization that handles federal funds received by the city whose motto is “dedicated to Building a Better Chattanooga.” CNE says it makes residential loans, provides financial counseling, builds homes and revitalizes neighborhoods “in historically underserved parts of town.”

Documents filed in 2012 in Hamilton County Circuit Court and the Tennessee Human Rights Commission allege Camacho tried to get CNE employees to lie and say Property Manager Richard

Chattanooga NAACP hosted its 9th Criminal Justice Seminar

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County NAACP held its 9th Annual Criminal Justice Seminar, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga University Center. Through public advocacy, workshops, presentations, and forums, the Seminar strives to shed light on how legal issues, social challenges, and advents in the legal system effects the social welfare, upward mobility, and life sustaining options of average everyday citizens. Trust in the law, faith in the legal process, and hope for a better tomorrow

are all key elements of allowing justice to live throughout our community. The necessity of this event is also meant to be a way we can help address many of the legal grievances and complaints we receive on an annual basis as well.

On this year we will highlight the theme: Focus on the Community: Our Struggles!

Our Strategies! Our Solutions!

Featured presenters on this year include: Hon. Nancy Harr U. S. Attorney Eastern District Tennessee, who will discuss the Department of Justice’s: Road map to Reentry: Reducing Recidivism through Criminal Justice Reform.

Mr. Robert Ford President Georgia Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Executives (NOBEL) will highlight Vantage Points Law Enforcement and Public Perspectives. Our featured youth series include: Camilla Bibbs Lee Hamilton County Coalition:Rational decision making and conflict resolution.

One of our longstanding purposes for the seminar is “Know Your Rights” education, and Chattanooga State Community

College Police Chief Curtis Greene, UTC professor Gail Isles, Juvenile Court Judge Rob Philyaw and other featured panelists will provide an analysis and overview on how schools, students and parents can become more aware of these rights in our schools and in the community. The keynote speaker was Mr. Craig Hargrow of the Tennessee Commission of Children and Youth.

The organiztion presented the 6th Annual Thurgood Marshall Award to Chattanooga Assistant Police Chief Mr. Tracy Arnold.

Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement Announces First Grantees The Sankofa fund for Civic Engagement, a Chattanoogabased philanthropic fund started by a group of twenty communityminded African-American young professional, announced last month the recipients of their first three grants. Each organization will receive $1,000 to assist them in doing great work.

Spring/Summer 2016 Recipients Journey Educational Services: The mission of Journey Educational Services, Inc. is to embrace, enrich, and elevate school-aged students who experience academic, behavioral, and life challenges, by providing educational support through supplemental services that will assist with obtaining a more confident, efficient, and productive way of life. http://jeschatt.org/ Splash Youth Arts Workshop: Splash is a year-round free youth arts workshop founded by professional artists: Charlie and Iantha Newton, two working artists who have a consuming passion to see young lives changed and are committed to working with some of Tennessee’s poorest kids from underserved high-crime areas to mitigate some of the “at-risk” factors that negatively impact their lives. http:// splashyouthartsworkshop.org/ 22:6 Teen Moms: 22:6 Teen Moms is dedicated to promoting education and empowerment while facilitating the development

of healthy parenting skills and personal development. http:// twentytwosixmoms.org/ The Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement is a membershipdriven giving circle committed to funding and supporting organizations, projects and efforts which improve Chattanooga’s communities of color. Sankofa literally means to go back and get what was taken. After the term made its way to the United States, African-American scholars coined the term to mean remembering our past, to protect our future.

The fund is housed at the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga. Members commit to making an annual gift to the fund, volunteering for various organizations, and collectively making funding decisions.

To make a contribution to the Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement, visit www.cfgc.org.

events Atlanta, GA JUNE 11 Tank, El Debarge, Lyfe Jennings and Donnel Jones Wolf Creek Amphitheater | 6:30pm JUNE 16-18 Atlanta Fest - Christian Music Festival Strong Rock Christian School, Locust Grove, GA http://atlantafest.com/ JUNE 18 3rd Annual BBQ & Blues Festival featuring Betty Wright, Clarence Carter, Bobby Rush, and more Wolf Creek Amphitheater | 6:30pm JULY 2 Dru Hill, En Vogue, Tony Toni Tone, and Troop Wolf Creek Amphitheater | 6:30pm

JULY 9 Doug E. Fresh, Juvenile, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Whodini, and Rob Base Wolf Creek Amphitheater | 6:30pm JULY 16 Sheila E, Confunkshun, Lakeside, and The Mary Jane Girls, hosted by Marvin Dixon Wolf Creek Amphitheater | 6:30pm JULY 23 A Night of Classic R&B featuring Keith Sweat, K Ci & Jojo, After 7, and Al B. Sure Wolf Creek Amphitheater | 6:30pm JULY 30 A Night of Classic Soul with The Isley Brothers Wolf Creek

CHATTANOOGA Christy’s Sports Bar 3469 Brainerd Road (423) 702-8137 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 #440 1211 Doods Ave (423) 903-8255

KNOXVILLE THE GALLERY (Knoxville) 2658 E. Magnolia Ave (865) 964-9294 Jarmans BBQ & Lounge 3229 E. Maganolia Ave (865) 227-5326

Shanklin & Son’s CARPET+ HARDWOODS + LAMINATES

2640 E. Magnolia, Knoxville, TN. 9 A.M to5P.M (423) 522-6161 Fax- (865) 525-7881

John P. Franklin, Sr. Scholarship 2016 Recipients ll The John P. Franklin, Sr. Achievement Scholarship Fund was established in 2011, by the Kappa Foundation of Chattanooga, „to honor his extraordinary life and achievements.” „Mr. Franklin, Sr., was the first African-American elected official and has been a true leader in the Chattanooga community for over 60 years. His legacy has touched and molded the lives of many as an educator, entrepreneur,

philanthropist, elected government official, civic and community leader and devoted family man and Christian,” officials said.

This year three $1,000 scholarships were awarded, which brings the total of JPF Scholarships awarded to 15.

The John P. Franklin, Sr. Scholarship Fund is administered through the Community Foundation of Chattanooga.

Below are the awardees for the 5th Class of JPF Scholars: - Mr. Edward Ellis, IV – McCallie (Columbia University, Major Economics and Jazz Studies) - Mr. Jonathan Martinez – CCA (Elon University, Pre-Med- Biology and Exercise Science) - Mr. Alphonso Richard, Jr. – Ooltewah (Clemson University, Elementary Education)

BET Networks Announces Official Nominees for the 2016 “BET Awards” ll NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-BET Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), today announced the nominations for the 2016 „BET Awards,” taking place at Microsoft Theater on Sunday, June 26. This year’s broadcast marks 16 years of spectacular performances, must-see moments, outstanding talent, and exquisite music: from Alicia Keys performing during the Prince Lifetime Achievement Award tribute and Michael Jackson taking the stage with James Brown to Beyoncé catering to Terrence Howard and the reuniting of The Fugees, the “BET Awards” has set the standard for can’t miss specials.

special appearances by some of the biggest names in dance including China Taylor, Taylor Hatala, and even a cameo from “Black-ish” star Miles Brown.

Drake leads the list of entertainers with an impressive nine nominations including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘Best Collaboration’ for his hit “Where Ya At” with fellow hip hop artist Future. Beyoncé and Rihanna follow with five nods each.

Beyoncé is nominated for top nods of the night including ‘Best Female R&B/Pop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘Best Collaboration’ for “Feeling Myself” with Nicki Minaj. Rihanna is in the running for awards including ‘Best Female R&B/Pop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘Best Collaboration,’ for “Work” featuring Drake. Other nominees include newcomer Bryson Tiller who is up for four awards including ‘Best Male R&B/Pop Artist.’ Chris Brown is nominated for the same number including ‘Best Male R&B/Pop Artist’ and ‘Video Director of the Year.’ Future could also walk away with four awards including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist’ and the ‘Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award.’

“These nominees represent depth and

For the first time ever, BET has enlisted renowned choreographer Will “WilldaBeast” Adams to create an exclusive, high energy video exclusively announcing three of the categories. Alongside his choreography partner Janelle Ginestra, a special compilation has been produced with clips of songs honoring artists nominated for ‘Best Collaboration,’ ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ and ‘Best Female Hip Hop Artist.’ Dancers and friends from WilldaBeast’s ImmaBEAST dance company are featured in the video which can be viewed here. The video has over sixteen pieces of choreography including

BET Networks recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across over 20 categories with the 2016 „BET Awards” nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and the creative arts.

diversity in achievement over the past year and we look forward to recognizing them next month,” said Stephen Hill, BET’s

President of Programming. “This show will be innovative and special; in addition to celebrating the best in entertainment, we’ll also spend time throughout the show remembering Prince as only BET can. You can count on memorable performances and moments in honor of a true legend.”

The complete list of nominees for the 2016 „BET Awards” are: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist ADELE ANDRA DAY BEYONCÉ K. MICHELLE RIHANNA Best Male R&B/Pop Artist BRYSON TILLER CHRIS BROWN JEREMIH THE WEEKND TYRESE Best Group 2 CHAINZ & LIL WAYNE DRAKE & FUTURE PUFF DADDY & THE FAMILY RAE SREMMURD THE INTERNET Best Collaboration

BIG SEAN FT. CHRIS BROWN & TY DOLLA $IGN - PLAY NO GAMES BIG SEAN FT. KANYE WEST & JOHN LEGEND - ONE MAN CAN CHANGE THE WORLD FUTURE FT. DRAKE - WHERE YA AT NICKI MINAJ FT. BEYONCÉ - FEELING MYSELF RIHANNA FT. DRAKE - WORK Best Male Hip Hop Artist DRAKE FETTY WAP FUTURE J. COLE KANYE WEST KENDRICK LAMAR Best Female Hip Hop Artist DEJ LOAF LIL KIM MISSY ELLIOTT NICKI MINAJ REMY MA Video of the Year BEYONCÉ - FORMATION BRYSON TILLER - DON’T DRAKE - HOTLINE BLING KENDRICK LAMAR - ALRIGHT RIHANNA FT. DRAKE - WORK Video Director of the Year BENNY BOOM CHRIS BROWN COLIN TILLEY & THE LITTLE HOMIES DIRECTOR X HYPE WILLIAMS Best New Artist ALESSIA CARA ANDRA DAY BRYSON TILLER KEHLANI TORY LANEZ Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award ANTHONY BROWN & GROUP THERAPY ERICA CAMPBELL KIRK FRANKLIN LECRAE TAMELA MANN

TASHA COBBS Best Actress GABRIELLE UNION KERRY WASHINGTON TARAJI P. HENSON TRACEE ELLIS ROSS VIOLA DAVIS Best Actor ANTHONY ANDERSON COURTNEY B. VANCE IDRIS ELBA MICHAEL B. JORDAN O’SHEA JACKSON JR. YoungStars Award AMANDLA STENBERG QUVENZHANÉ WALLIS SILENTÓ WILLOW SMITH YARA SHAHIDI Best Movie BEASTS OF NO NATION CONCUSSION CREED DOPE STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON Sportswoman of the Year CHEYENNE WOODS GABRIELLE DOUGLAS SERENA WILLIAMS SKYLAR DIGGINS VENUS WILLIAMS Sportsman of the Year CAM NEWTON KOBE BRYANT LEBRON JAMES ODELL BECKHAM JR. STEPHEN CURRY Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award BEYONCÉ – FORMATION BRYSON TILLER – DON’T CHRIS BROWN – BACK TO SLEEP DRAKE – HOTLINE BLING FUTURE FT. DRAKE – WHERE YA AT RIHANNA FT. DRAKE – WORK

Centric Award

UrbanVoice 10 | URBAN VOICE NeWSMAGAZINE 2016

Are African-Americans Locked Out? State of Black America Report

Staff Report

ll The

National Urban League’s 2016 State of Black America Report, „Locked Out: Education, Jobs, & Justice,” which was released last month, offers a sobering reminder of the deep racial disparities in housing, employment, and education that still divides blacks and whites across America.

Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, said the report mirrors the past. „The similarities of the United States of 1976 and the United States of 2016 are profoundly striking,” Morial said during the release of the report in Washington, D.C. „We are now, as we were then, a nation struggling to overcome the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. All gears have been thrown into reverse.” „We are now, as we were then, facing growing

pressure to slash human needs programs for the poor, who are demonized and characterized as lazy slackers trying to cheat the system,” Morial said.

He added that unemployment and joblessness is just one of the many injustices that keep our cities locked out. „Behind these statistics are real people,” he said.

Highlights of the report reveal that black rates of unemployment have consistently remained about twice that of the white rates across time, regardless of education.

The household income gap remains at about 60 cents for every dollar. African Americans are only slightly less likely today to live in poverty than they were in 1976.

The report found that the black unemployment rate has consistently remained about twice the rate of whites

at every level of education.

Compared to 40 years ago, according to the report, the income gap has remained basically unchanged — now at 60% — and the homeownership rate gap has actually grown six percentage points, now at 59%.

In another startling statistic, the foreclosure crisis, according to the report, has left black homeownership rates at approximately the same point they were in 1976, while the white homeownership rates are now five percentage points higher. „While aggregate improvements can be noted across the board for blacks and whites, unfortunately the findings tell a clear story that significant disparities remain and have not been resolved by any gains, particularly in income and employment,” according to the report.

The study also asks questions about racial progress in America under President Barack Obama’s two-term stewardship.

While Morial did say there has been some progress with respect to African Americans receiving adequate health care, he questioned whether there has been substantial advancements between blacks and whites since President Barack Obama took office. „As President Obama wraps up his final months as the nation’s first AfricanAmerican commander in chief, we begin to assess the progress Black America has made under his administration,” he said. „How well has the nation recovered from the worst economic crisis it has seen in generations? How much closer has the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) gotten us to reaching the important goal of universal healthcare coverage?”

Morial concluded that the 2016 National Urban League Equality Index „tells an story of persistent racial disparities in American life,” and that „ the historic Obama presidency has not been a panacea for

America’s long-standing race problem. „ The study also calls for a bold and strategic investment” in America’s urban communities that requires $1 trillion over the next 5 years. Other recommendations include investments in universal early childhood education; a federal living wage of $15 per hour; a financing plan focusing on minority-and-women-owned businesses; expansion of summer youth employment programs; expanded homeownership strategies; and doubling the Pell Grant program to make college more affordable. „Vernon Jordan realized in 1976 that it was incumbent upon the National Urban League to confront the problems that Washington refused to acknowledge,” Morial wrote. „Forty years later, we continue on that path to progress - with a clear purpose and an even clearer plan.”

‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali Dies at 74- He Indeed Shook up the World~ Staff Report

ll On Friday, June 3, after a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease ,boxing legend and civil rights icon Muhammad Ali passed away surrounded by family.

He was 74.

The three-time World Heavyweight Champion was laid to rest in his hometown of Louisville, KY in a public service followed by a procession throughout Louisville that allowed all topay their last respects to the „Greatest of All Time”.

The champion „shook up the world” and wound up fighting -- and beating -- a system set against him as hard as he fought any contender and became one of the world’s most beloved athletes He was „The Greatest.” He was „The Prettiest.” He was so fast he once „turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.”

He was given the name Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. when he was born, but Muhammad Ali is who he had always been. Funny, witty, athletic, powerful. So great even, that nearly three years banned from the sport he dominated was not enough to stop him from coming back and becoming champion.

The Urban Voice Reflects—My Personal Reflections The Urban Voice mourns the passing of Muhammad Ali. He was the greatest.

We recognize him for his great skill as a boxer, but he was far more than that.

He was a social force who challenged and forever changed the way Americans think about race, religion, war and peace.

To be honest, we all knew this day was coming, that he would die someday, but when it finally happened a deep sadness came over me.

We all had heroes and legends as a child. I am grateful for the man and the athlete who warned me that being a consciouintenous black man in America can be down right lonely.

We asked a few of our readers to reflect on the Champ and here’s what they had to to say:

----Johnathon Etchison: For me, Ali is on the same status as a Dr King, a Huey P Newton, a Thurgood Marshall. I have more respect for him for taking stands on human, civil, and equal rights moreso than I do his extraordinary boxing career. Ali was brilliant and spoke with fire and passion for all people. He too, was a powerful figure in uplifting black people mentally from the strongholds of poverty and oppression. To be loved by all people around the world, even some racist, says alot about the man. „Scott Lindsey: One of the greatest Americans to every live. A statue on the national mall is not out of question for him.

Latanya Robinson Louisville Ky: legacy...honorable man

Frank Shanklin Jr: Muhammad Ali had different stages of his life, 1st he was a great athlete who used his talent to the fullest 2nd a promoter he alone took boxing to a new level because he self promoted , 3rd self taught , ppl don’t realize that he didn’t finish school but he learned quickly, began to love to read which in turn gave him a great vocabulary then he became a religious man a brave enough to defend his choice of religion, advocate /humanitarium. He believed in people . All this rolled into 1 person . The bravery it took to be all this and as a blk man during rough times. This is y he will always and forever be THE GOAT. What a MAN to follow.

Alfonzo Allen Sr.: He was the best at being outspoken and he’s one I’ve always looked up to. GOAT Victor Montgomery: Wanna know why I’m so outspoken on issues, confident in myself, stand up for my beliefs, and sometimes brash?

I’m from Louisville, KY and that’s just the way it is.

I had the BEST example one could hope for...

He loved the cameras and was quick with a quote. His picture was everywhere. His words were often like poetry: „Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” He was an American original who was beloved by many in his country and known around the world to millions. He was the Champ:

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 11

Here is a list of some of his best quotes (in no particular order): 1. „Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see. Now you see me, now you don’t.

George thinks he will, but I know he won’t.

2. „Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

3. „I’m young; I’m handsome; I’m fast. I can’t possibly be beat.”

4. „Don’t count the days; make the days count.”

5. “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it.” Jesse Jackson said this as early as 1983, according to the Associated Press, and Ali used it in his 2004 book.

“It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am.”

7. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

Impossible is nothing.”

15. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

16. „A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”

8. “If you even dream of beating me you’d better wake up and apologize.”

17. “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.”

9. “Braggin’ is when a person says something and can’t do it. I do what I say.”

18. „I shook up the world. Me! Whee!”

10. „I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”

19. „He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” -

11. „Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” „I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.”

13. „I should be a postage stamp.

That’s the only way I’ll ever get licked.”

14. “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.

12 | URBAN VOICE NeWSMAGAZINE 2016

AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDERS FIGHT FOR “ECONOMIC LIBERTY” Years later, Gueye moved into a shop. She was married and had three children by then and wanted to expand.

She was working in her salon — Kine Hair Braiding — one day when an inspector knocked.

“She told me she was from the state Board of Cosmetology…and that I was not allowed to do hair without a license,” Gueye said. “I told her I had been braiding for years, and I did not know you had to have a license.”

Gueye and other braiders in Kentucky won the right to braid without a license when Republican Governor Matt Bevin signed a law in April to exempt them from the cosmetology school and license requirement. Nebraska’s legislature passed a similar measure in March.

African-Style Hair Braiders Fighting Licensing Regulations in the Unsited States .

Urban News • Avis ThomasLester

Kune Gueye came from Senegal to Nashville for a better life, but she had to overcome yards of red tape to earn her American dream. ll

To make a living, she turned to a skill she had honed over years of practice in her homeland – braiding hair. With a strong back and a talent for creating beautiful styles, combs and hair oils, Gueye began braiding at her Louisville, Kentucky, home — frequently working 12-hour days. Within weeks, she was able to pay her bills and send money to her family back home.

These victories aside, braiders in several states still battle regulations that require them to undergo up to 2,100 hours of instruction at cosmetology schools. These can cost more than $12,000, even though few such programs teach braiding.

Seventeen states regulate braiding the same way they do traditional cosmetology, and 16 states require a special braiding license. Eighteen do not regulate braiding, said Paul Avelar, senior attorney for the Institute for Justice, a self-described libertarian law firm in Arlington, Virginia.

It has helped braiders fight such rules in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Washington, D.C., since its founding 25 years ago.

The institute’s first case, in 1992,

was Taalib-Din Abdul Uqdah v. District of Columbia, in which Uqdah and his wife, Pamela Ferrell, the nationallyrecognized owners of Cornrows & Co., successfully challenged Washington, D.C.’s cosmetology code, which was adopted in 1938. They claimed that they should have been exempt because they used no chemicals, dyes, sharp objects or other items that alter hair structure, as traditional stylists often do.

“This issue is about race, control, power and politics,” Uqdah said.

“You and I wouldn’t be having this discussion, but for the fact that Africanstyle braiders are making money hand over fist.”

A Kentucky cosmetologists’ trade association complained that the exemption legislation allows braiders to style hair without learning about disorders of the skin and scalp that can result from improper styling, according to news accounts.

Nina Stribling, 38, of Louisville, said she has been going to Gueye for 18 years for micro braids. Her daughter, 23, is also a long-time client. When the family moved to Kansas for four years because of her husband’s military service, Stribling drove 11 hours back to Louisville every six months to get her hair done.

She said she’s never had a problem with her hair or scalp and credited Gueye with taking special care after her hair grew fragile from the medicine she takes for lupus.

Stribling said she has become close with Gueye’s family, including Gueye’s mother, who moved to Louisville and started braiding a few years before her daughter did.

“She’s very good,” said Stribling.

“There has never been an issue with my scalp being red or my hair being braided too tight. She knows what she’s doing and is very professional.”

Avelar said few states set out to regulate hair braiding, but problems occur, when officials try to apply “broadly worded” codes penned decades ago, to braiding.

“Then they gave the power to enforce this law to a regulatory board and required that the regulatory board be made up of members of the regulated industry,” Avelar said, adding a “financial incentive” to the enforcement of these laws.

Uqdah called licensing an infringement on the “economic liberty” of braiders, many of whom are black or African-born female immigrants whose opportunities for gainful employment would be limited but for braiding.

Avelar said there is a “consensus forming” among liberals, libertarians and conservatives that licensing requirements for workers need to be “pared back.”

Gueye, who testified before the legislature on the exemption, never wanted to speak for a cause.

She just wanted to disentangle braiders from impediments to their work.

“We are free now,” she said. “That’s what we wanted – to be free to just braid hair and help our families.”

Miss USA 2016 Crown Goes To D.C. Army Reserve Officer Deshauna Barber ll Miss District of Columbia USA Deshauna Barber was crowned Miss USA 2016 at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada this evening.

The telecast aired live on FOX. Deshauna is 26 years old and was born in Columbus, Georgia. The daughter of an Army Master Sergeant (now retired), she relocated multiple times growing up to states including North Carolina, 12 | URBAN VOICE NeWSMAGAZINE 2016

Nebraska, Minnesota, Virginia and Washington, D.C. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Virginia State University, Deshauna returned to Washington, D.C. where she is currently working as an IT Analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2011, Deshauna commissioned as a Quartermaster Officer in the Army and is currently a Logistics Commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit at Fort

Meade, Maryland. Deshauna is passionate about serving the men and women in the U.S. military, specifically focusing her efforts on PTSD treatment for soldiers returning from deployments and suicide prevention in the Armed Forces. Deshauna loves to dance, hike and enjoy quality time with her family.

Emmy® Award winner Julianne Hough and threetime Emmy® Award nominee Terrence “J” Jenkins cohosted the three-hour event,

for which they both served as creative producers. Model, entrepreneur and body activist Ashley Graham took viewers behind-the-scenes as backstage host. Bestselling artists Backstreet Boys, Grammy®-nominated country music star Chris Young, and international music sensation Nervo took the MISS USA® stage to perform throughout the night.

Judges Nigel Barker, Laura Brown, Ali Landry, Crystle

Stewart and Joe Zee selected Deshauna Barber from an incredible group of 52 women from 50 states and District of Columbia, as well as Miss 52 USA, Alexandra Miller, who was selected via #FindingMiss52, a nationwide search for a 52nd contestant to compete in this year’s event.

Please Join us for breakfast Learn about upcoming City of Knoxville business opportunities planned for the next 12 – 18 months.

There will be enhanced opportunities to meet the department directors in small group settings.

tuesday, June 14, 2016 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Free aDMiSSion Knoxville Civic Coliseum 500 Howard Baker Jr. Avenue Knoxville, TN 37915 Free ParKing

Parking garage c – historic Preservation Drive

(One block south of Howard Baker Jr. Avenue, across from the Knoxville Marriott)

PreSentationS in SMaLL grouP SettingS FroM: ● ● ● ● ● ●

Community Development Engineering Fire Fleet Knoxville Area Transit Knoxville Utilities Board

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Parks and Recreation Police Public Building Authority Public Service Redevelopment

register online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2016business-breakfast

14 | URBAN VOICE NeWSMAGAZINE 2016

JUNE 2016

opinion America must renew its infrastructure or face decline Commentary • Jesse L. Jackson eternal flame may burn forever, but the bridge is on its last legs.

The American Society of Civil Engineers released a report last week once more warning the country of a massive investment deficit — an estimated $1.4 trillion shortfall over the next ten years — coming on top of years of underfunding and neglect.

urban voice l America is literally falling apart. In Flint, children were poisoned by the lead contamination of the water. In Washington, the subway system is plagued by fires and delays.

Arlington Memorial Bridge — which connects the North to the South, the Capitol to Arlington National Cemetery — may have to be closed soon. Kennedy’s

This isn’t a matter of money.

The Obama administration has announced it plans to spend over $1 trillion to build a new generation of nuclear weapons and the planes, missiles and submarines that deliver them.

These are weapons that can never be used. We have spent over $2 trillion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to date, with the final costs estimated at $4 to $6 trillion. The war in Afghanistan — an impoverished country where we have no strategic interest — is already the longest in our history and continuing.

We have the money. U.S. corporations stash trillions

abroad to avoid paying taxes.

If they paid what they owe — now estimated to be $700 billion — it would provide a down payment on rebuilding America. The federal tax on gasoline — dedicated to paying for infrastructure — has not been raised since 1993, even though gas prices have plummeted.

Interest rates on U.S. bonds are now so low that the Treasury could issue Rebuild America bonds, put people to work to rebuild the country — and the growth and increased productivity that results would generate revenues to repay the bonds. Even establishment economists like Lawrence Summers argue that the program would literally pay for itself. And it would respond to the pleas of the bastion of economic conservatism — the International Monetary Fund — that is pleading with the U.S. and other advanced countries to expand public investment to forestall a return to recession.

The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that the

GuestCommentary

East Tennessee Largest African American Newspaper

U.S. will suffer a stunning $4 trillion in lost GDP by 2025 from the costs of decaying tunnels, railways, waterways and other basic infrastructure. It will cost us more to decay than it would to rebuild.

But Washington is frozen. The Republican Congress rejects President Obama’s modest plans for infrastructure investment, though they are supported by a massive coalition that includes the conservative Chamber of Commerce as well as the AFL-CIO. All three presidential candidates call for expanding investment in infrastructure (although only Bernie Sanders comes close to meeting the shortfall that the civil engineers warn about). But it will require a wave election — a sweeping rebuke to the obstructionist Republican Congress — for anything to happen.

clean water systems — are neglected. Money is squandered on foreign adventures or lost to the tax evasions of corporations and the rich. Private speculators profit from privatizing public services. We build the most modern and powerful military in the world but are ever more crippled by decaying services that we depend on every day.

Politics as usual won’t change this. It will change only if people rise up and hold their politicians accountable. How many bridges must collapse or children must be poisoned or businesses must be shuttered before that happens?

Follow Jesse Jackson on Twitter: Follow @revjjackson

This is how great nations decline. Investments that are essential to any modern civilized nation — from schools and bridges to electric grids and

Haslam signs ‚Go Build Tennessee’ bill AROUND THE STATE

ll A bill that aims to get more young people interested in a career in the construction industry has been signed into law by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.

Tennessee House Bill 24 was signed on May 20, enacting the Go Build Tennessee Act, which amends Title 4 and Title 62, Chapter 6 of the Tennessee Code, to create the Go Build Tennessee program.

The program is funded by excess revenue collected by the Board of Licensing Contractors

from fees for applications, renewals and fines.

The program will be run by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation made up of members from Associated General Contractors of Tennessee, Associated Builders and Contractors, Home Builders of Tennessee and the Tennessee Road Builders Association.

Representatives from these organizations are meeting currently to establish the corporation, which will soon receive more than $2 million to

fund the efforts spelled out in the legislation from the Licensing Board.

replaces them, according to the Associated General Contractors of Tennessee.

Duties include “to promote and foster the development of a comprehensive statewide program designed to attract and increase career opportunities for secondary and postsecondary students in the construction industry.”

“Younger people just do not see construction as a career, nor do guidance counselors steer them to construction,” the association said in a news release.

The average age of the current Tennessee construction worker is over 50 years old, and for every five workers who leave the industry, only one

The program will be administered through multimedia advertising, promotional materials, media campaigns and website/database development and maintenance.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 15

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At the City of Chattanooga, diversity is

FRONT & CENTER Through the Office of Multicultural Affairs, we are constantly increasing our commitment to minority and women-owned businesses.

To find out what opportunities are available for your business, visit: chattanooga.gov/multicultural-affairs.

Or give us a call at 423-643-6701.