Urban Voice March 2016

CHATTANOOGA | KNOXVILLE

NATIONAL NEWS brief African Americans, Hispanics face greater risk of heart failure

ll /PRNewswireUSNewswire/ -- More than 915,000 Americans will be diagnosed with heart failure this year, according to the recently published American Heart Association 2016 Statistical Update.

Heart failure, a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart can’t pump blood efficiently to meet the body’s needs, is one of the most common heart diseases in the United States. In the next 15 years, the number of people living with the condition is expected to increase substantially – from 5.7 million to nearly 8 million by 2030 – and treatment costs will nearly double.

The statistics for minorities are even more startling.

Studies show heart failure disproportionately affects

African Americans, with incidences roughly double that of whites. This population is also at greater risk of developing the condition at younger ages and dying from it.

Hispanics have the second-highest risk of developing heart failure and are more likely to be younger, have diabetes or high blood pressure and be overweight/obese. Studies also show Hispanics with heart failure have higher rates of hospitalizations and readmissions for heart failure.

Numerous studies point to higher rates of modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity as the reason these groups are more likely to have heart failure.

Education is crucial because people of all races aren’t aware of heart failure symptoms or risk factors.

And those who suffer from

the condition, may not realize they have it. „These statistics highlight the need for all Americans to get an annual checkup, and especially for minority populations—who are at higher risk—to start in early adulthood to check blood pressure,” said Mariell Jessup, M.D., a former president of the American Heart Association and a cardiologist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. „Heart failure is preventable and treatable.

Data shows that if we can control blood pressure, we may prevent heart failure.

This specifically has the potential to reduce the incidence of heart failure in minority populations.”

Jessup’s advice resonates with twins Kimberly Ketter and Shaun Rivers, of Richmond, Va. The sisters, both nurses and African American, ignored early warning signs and got

their heart failure diagnoses one week apart at the age of 40 in 2009. The diagnosis was particularly surprising, because they did not have the typical risk factors. While their heart failure stemmed from a genetic condition, they now understand the importance of tuning into the body’s warning signals, living a healthy lifestyle and seeing a doctor regularly.

They join a newly established team of American Heart Association Heart Failure Patient Ambassadors through the Rise Above Heart Failure initiative. The group works to increase awareness and understanding of heart failure, sharing personal experiences and helpful resources.

Additionally, Kim and Shaun share their story in hopes of saving the lives of fellow parishioners at The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church, leading the American Heart Association’s EmPowered To Serve™ initiative

Hillary Clinton is the Dominant Choice for Sixty-Four Percent of African American Voters Who Are Likely to Vote in the Democratic Primary or Caucus

llBETHESDA, Md., PRNewswire/ -- The RLJ Companies today announced the results of a nationwide African American survey conducted by Zogby Analytics. One thousand randomly selected African American adults nationwide were polled by telephone and online survey. The survey reveals current African American sentiment on a range of issues that include the 2016 Presidential Election, opinions about national and current affairs, the Obama Presidency, race relations, and social issues.

Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies stated, „The RLJ

Companies released its second survey in follow up to our 2013 survey as part of our ongoing efforts to ascertain the opinions and views of African Americans. The survey focused on issues most important to the African American community, as well as their attitudes and opinions towards a range of national issues. We hope the results will be informative to people and organizations who are concerned about the views and opinions of over 38 million African Americans represented by this statistically valid survey.”

with 64% of African American voters who will vote for her and 20% of responders chose Bernie Sanders.

AFRICAN AMERICAN OPINION SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Clinton (81%) v. Rubio (6%) with 13% not sure Clinton (81%) v. Cruz (6%) with 13% not sure

2016 Presidential Election • 87% of African Americans surveyed are registered to vote and 69% believe they will definitely vote in November.

Hillary Clinton dominates the race among Democrats

• Six-in-ten African Americans, or 59%, believe Hillary Clinton will be as good a President for African Americans as President Barack Obama.

If the General Election were held today and Hillary Clinton was the Democratic nominee, the matchup against the following Republican candidates show: Clinton (83%) v. Trump (7%) with 10% not sure

National Issues • 80% believe that eliminating illegal police shootings of young Black men is the most important issue and an important factor in deciding whom to vote for in the Presidential Election. Other issues

they’ve established there.

EmPowered To Serve is a national strategic initiative partnering with faith-based and other organizations serving minority populations to improve health outcomes in underserved communities „It all boils down to access to care and education,” said Rivers, Advanced Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist. „We need to go out and educate in schools and churches — where the people are.

It’s going to take a whole lot of effort from a whole lot of people to create change on a larger scale.”

Another simple piece of advice they offer: Don’t ignore signals from your body — or from your lineage. „Many people don’t talk about their health concerns, but knowing your family history is key,” said Ketter, a nurse practitioner. „I tell people to do a family tree. You could be genetically predisposed to high blood pressure, diabetes

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African Americans are divided when it comes to gay marriage.

One third (33%) strongly agree with the U.S. Supreme Court decision to rule it legal, while 26% strongly disagree.

Two-thirds (66%) of respondents believe that getting an education is an important factor for what African Americans can do for themselves to achieve progress.

The American Heart Association launched the Rise Above Heart Failure initiative last year to increase the dialogue about the condition, empower patients to take a more active role in their care, and encourage small changes that can lead to healthier lifestyles and better disease management to help keep patients out of the hospital. Rise Above Heart Failure is nationally supported by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp.

According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the most common signs of heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in feet, ankles, legs, and abdomen.

Fifth Third Bancorp Makes $27.5 Billion Community Commitment revitalization, historic preservation and small businesses.

include ensuring voting rights (69%), affordable college tuition (68%), income inequality (68%), and terrorism/ISIS (68%) also received a high percentages.

A significant majority of respondents (58%) feel that Black Lives Matter should spend more time both calling for an end to Black on Black murders and drawing attention to police shootings.

or heart disease. Education is a huge first step. If people know they are at risk, they can start tackling the problem early.”

The Company also is committing to $77 million of additional investments, service and marketing:

ll CINCINNATI-(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) today made a $27.5 billion commitment to the communities it serves.

The five-year commitment in lending, investments and services is designed to help the company fulfill its purpose to improve lives and be a force for positive change within its geographic footprint.

Here’s a snapshot of he committment.

• $10 billion in small business loans and investments, including Small Business Administration (SBA) Express loans.

• $1 billion in CRA-related investments through the Fifth Third Community Development Corporation (CDC) to support affordable housing,

• $20 million in housingrelated investments, including down payment assistance and homebuyer education.

• $7 million in small business-related investments, including $5 million in Public Investment Programs and Loan Pools and $2 million to support technical assistance providers for small business owners.

• $35 million in CRA donations that support initiatives that would qualify for credit under the federal Community Reinvestment Act. • $15 million in additional investments that support diverse hiring, supplier programs, retail accessibility enhancements and Fifth Third’s L.I.F.E. (Lives Improved through Financial Empowerment®) programs, which today

include the Fifth Third Bank Young Bankers Club®, Financial Empowerment Mobiles (eBuses) and delivery of Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance® curriculum in high schools.

“Fifth Third is proud to be able to formalize our commitment to the community and do so publicly,” said Greg D. Carmichael, president & CEO. “It’s a part of our promise to serve our communities and customers—to keep them at the center of everything we do and to live out our corporate social responsibility in a way that helps create and sustain healthy, vibrant communities. We look forward to working with our community and business leaders to accomplish great things where we all live and work.”

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 3

MARCH

4

EAST TENNESSEE EDITION

MARCH 2015

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education matters

“The road out of poverty runs by the schooIhouse”.

In terms of education it’s the best of times and the worst of times in Chattanooga. We have the best private schools and the worst public schools in the state of Tennessee.

Without a doubt, education is the key to progress and prosperity in the United States.

“Education starts at home.” Yeah. But what in community where even the schoolhouse is not equipped to give a child the proper start? At that point, the schoolhouse becomes the building block for educational development. But, what happens in a community where the schoolhouse isn’t equipped to give a child the proper start?

Less than half of children entering Kindergarten are “ready to learn.”

Where do we go from here?

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A black child in Hamilton County is 33 times more likely than a white child to attend one of the lowest performing schools in the state.

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Nearly 60 percent of all 3rd graders do not read on grade level.

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Hamilton County schools have fallen further behind the state and other metro areas in every single high school test and on average ACT scores.

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15,000 existing jobs in Hamilton County are not filled by Hamilton County residents due to lack of training, skills and education.

Four out of ten students in Hamilton County live in poverty, which presents major barriers for academic success.

Here are a few highlights from the report:

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In closing, the report revealed that over 80 percent of jobs paying a living wage ($35,000) in our area will require a postsecondary certificate or degree, but currently, just 35 percent of students in Hamilton County are likely to obtain this required level of education.

The “Chattanooga 2.0: Building the Smartest Community in the South” report was released Dec. 13 to reveal the challenges confronting education and work readiness.

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six years.

On the recent state report card, Hamilton County schools trailed the state’s other major metro areas in academic growth.

Only 24 percent of Chattanooga State students and 51 percent of UTC students graduate with a degree within

4 | URBAN VOICE NeWSMAGAZINE 2016

The report is far from perfect, but it does outline a few key priorities that we agree with.

To that end, we must also: •

Understand that the same folks who were responsbile for Chattanooga 1.0 should not be in lead Chattanooga 2.0!

We need new leadership.

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Reduce the number of outside agencies and individuals making money off poor educational outcomes . (i.e reading officers, web-based reading programs).

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Overpaid consultants to tell us what our problems are as opposed to putting that money directly back into the schools

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Adopt new, more rigorous standards for

college and career readiness.

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Hold the Hamilton County school board and area educators accountable.

Meaningful accountability must be coupled with new standards; rich curriculum; effective, well-supported teachers and leaders; and extra supports for out-of-school challenges Get rid of bad teachers and identify the source of the bad teachers. A bad teacher covers only 50% of the assigned curriculum. Good Teachers Create the Future.

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There are too many outside agencies and individuals making money off poor performing schools.

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Schools have become the entry point to our criminal justice system.

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Finally, the kids that are graduating are showing up at the community colleges for 13th and 14th grade.

Lastly, we must address rising economic inequality, increasing gentrification, as well as continued unequal opportunities within schools.

It’s beyond time to fix our public school system. Every policy, practice, partnership and every dollar spent must be evaluated through a single lens: What is right for students?

In the meantime, we ought to stop and say thanks to the teachers and principals whose work hard everyday, and whose continued efforts will be essential to taking us the remaining distance.

Until Next Month,

- J.D. Harper

urbanV ice Publisher Jermaine D. Harper, MBA Email: jd.urbanvoice@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS Brian Archie Darryl Arnold Charles E. “Chuck” Hobbs II Tasha Robinson Lynn Cole Sharetta T. Smith, JD/MBA Marc Morial Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. Reginald Jenkins ADVERTISING Email: ads.urbanvoice@gmail.com PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Archie, Chief Photographer Rick Crank, Rick Crank Photography, Raleigh, NC (919) 961-6082- Cover WEBSITE: www.theurbanvoice.org 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.

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MARCH • NUMBER 18 • GET YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TODAY! • EAST TENNESSEE EDITION

#18

featured must read in this issue

Column: Columnist: Charles E. “Chuck” Hobbs II shares his thoughts in Hillary Clinton’s Quest for the Souls of Black Folk

Alicia Garza is an activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Movement

“HEAD OVER HEELS” Stageplay Coming to KnoxvilleMarch 17th

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survey: HILLARY CLINTON IS the Dominant Choice for Sixty-Four Percent of African American Voters Who Are Likely to Vote in the Democratic Primary or Caucus

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CHECK OUT THE HEADLINERS FOR THE JAZZANOOGA FESTIVAL 2016

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PATRICK HAMPTON SPEAKS

Straight, no chaser – patrict Hampton talks about the beyonce boycott and why he became a Republican

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URBAN VOICE NEWSMAGAZINE No. 18-MARCH 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

Get Ready To Laugh, Love & Let The Spirit Move You! Kenny Lattimore and Tamika Scott Star in the Hilarious R&B/Gospel Comedy Stage Play Head Over Heels!

KCDC to break ground April 2016 on Five Points’ Development Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) held a public meeting to present final renderings of a new affordable senior housing development to Five Points’ residents and community stakeholders on Monday, Feb. 29, at 5:30 p.m. at the Walter P. Taylor Boys & Girls Club, 317 McConnell St. The development will be the first units to be built back onto the footprint of Walter P. Taylor Homes and Dr. Lee L. Williams Senior Complex. Construction of The Residences at Five Points is expected to cost approximately $10 million and KCDC plans to break ground on the senior housing development in April 2016.

“This 90-unit senior housing development will put into action the first phase of the Master Plan,” KCDC Executive Director and CEO Art Cate said. “Communicating with stakeholders and residents throughout this process is a top priority, and the community’s input and approval are critical to the project’s success. We are excited to present the final renderings for Phase I of the Master Plan to the community.”

Get ready to laugh out loud, and sing out of your seats to some old & new school jams in „Lolita Snipes’ Head Over Heels!” Don’t miss this hilariously funny and truly inspirational play Thursday, March 17 @ 8pm at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium.

Starring an All-Star Cast: Grammy Nominated R&B Balladeer Kenny

Lattimore, Singing Diva Tamika Scott from the R&B Group Xscape, UniverSoul Circus and HBO Comedian Tony Tone, Broadway Actress Jennifer Nesbitt, “Head Over Heels”, follows the story of a beautiful, young woman that falls for a smooth, talking bad boy who learns that there is more to being in love than just chemistry.

“Head over Heels” comes from the creative genius of playwright Lolita Snipes, an ordained minister and graduate of Georgia State University.

Snipes has been called a 21st Century writer, producer, and director, and has graced the covers of Booking Matters Magazine and New Day Christian Magazine.

“I am a visionary who

dreams many of my creative works from story concepts to music beats,” says Snipes. “I thank God for this gift and the ability to bring it to life in the earth for your entertainment enjoyment.

I am dedicated to using my gifts to uplift and inspire the human spirit through the medium of conscious works that tickle the funny bone

and touches the heart.

I am surrounded by a wonderful team of people who help to bring it all together and I am grateful to them and for them.”

Tickets can be purchased by visiting www. lolitasnipesproductions. com or calling 877.995.9961 to charge by phone.

New Data Shows African-Americans Disproportionately Affected

by Hunger, Poverty WASHINGTON-(BUSINESS WIRE)-African-Americans continue to suffer disproportionately high rates of hunger and poverty compared to other Americans, according to a new analysis released today by Bread for the World. Unemployment and low wages, lack of access to healthy and affordable food, and higher incarceration rates are just a few of the factors that contribute to this problem. “AfricanAmericans continue to suffer from some of the highest rates of hunger

and poverty in the U.S.,” said Eric Mitchell, director of government relations, Bread for the World.

“Unemployment and the lack of good-paying jobs are primary causes.

But we also have to look at issues like mass incarceration and access to healthier food options to get a complete picture of why this persists.”

DATA HIGHLIGHTS: African-Americans are more likely to be unemployed, and to hold low-wage jobs

with few or no benefits.

The median income for African-Americans in 2014 (latest data) was $35,398, which is $20,000 less than the median income for other households. Almost 50 percent of black children younger than 6 live in poverty.

Only 8 percent of them live in areas with a supermarket, and almost 94 percent of the nation’s majority AfricanAmerican counties are food- insecure. Foodinsecure means that a person or household

does not have regular, reliable access to foods needed for good health.

The lack of nutritious food causes serious medical conditions, including obesity and diabetes.

The problem is worsened by mass incarceration. AfricanAmericans are more likely than others charged with similar offenses to be incarcerated. Soaring incarceration rates deplete family resources though court fees and lost work hours. Many states deny returning citizens

access to such programs as SNAP, even while they look for work. For those who are lucky to land a job, their yearly earnings are reduced by as much as 40 percent.

“The best way to reduce hunger and poverty is with a good-paying job,” added Mitchell. “But we also need to support strong safety net programs, as well as policies that end mass incarceration and offer individuals returning home a second chance.”

KCDC and its Master Plan team led by Johnson Architecture gathered input from the community over multiple public meetings and interviews for more than year to incorporate into the plan, which was presented to the community in 2014. The Master Plan details the next planned phases of redevelopment on the footprint of two current KCDC properties, Walter P. Taylor Homes and Dr. Lee L. Williams Senior Complex. At the Feb. 29 public meeting, KCDC and the Master Plan team gave residents an update on plans for the next phase of redevelopment in the community.

“Our goal is to meet the community need for affordable housing and to ensure the architectural style of new construction fits with the existing neighborhood,” said Cate.

“The Master Plan will improve connectivity to the surrounding community in Five Points with decreased density of units, new sidewalks and upgraded infrastructure to increase walkability. The new developments also will feature attractive green spaces and connection to the City of Knoxville greenway system.”

The 90-unit development, which will be exclusively for elderly and disabled residents, will be located at the Bethel Avenue and McConnell Street. The three-story building will include 84 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units. The property will have two elevators and community space, including a meeting room, computer stations and laundry facilities. The site will also offer a green space with a picnic pavilion and dog park.

REGIONAL NEWS brief

City Council Update

Chattanooga Citizen Groups Challenge Walnut Commons Tax Breaks

CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, ARTURO O’FARRILL, JULIAN LAGE, CHANTAE CANN AND JULIE DEXTER HEADLINE JAZZANOOGA FESTIVAL 2016 Chattanooga, TN) — Jazzanooga announced last month that multiGrammy winning artists Christian McBride and Arturo O’Farrill along with Chantae Cann, Julian Lage and Julie Dexter will headline the annual music festival, scheduled for April, 2016. Held during Jazz Appreciation Month, April, Jazzanooga Music Festival draws fans from all across the region for a month of great, intimate performances, educational opportunities and good times.

Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Octet, April 22, The Camp House. ARTURO O’FARRILL, pianist, composer, educator, and founder and Artistic Director of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. His debut album with the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Una Noche Inolvidable, earned a first GRAMMY Award nomination in 2006. His next album Song for Chico, earned a GRAMMY Award for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2009. The 2015 release of The Offense of the Drum was yet another Grammy Award winner. Arturo was, in addition, the winner of the Latin Jazz USA Outstanding Achievement Award, and a Cubadisco Award for The Offense of the Drum in 2015. His newest album release (August 21, 2015) is Cuba: The Conversation Continues recently won a 2016 Grammy. Visit www.jazzanooga.org for ticketing information.

Christian McBride Trio and Chantae Cann, April 23, The Choo Choo Convention Center. Five-time GRAMMY -winning jazz bassist Christian McBride can be likened to a force of nature, fusing the fire and

fury of a virtuoso with the depth and grounding of a seasoned journeyman.

Powered by a relentless energy and a boundless love of swing, McBride’s path has described a continuous positive arc since his arrival on the scene. With a career now blazing into its third decade, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today.

Chantae Cann’s voice is the perfect combination of a warm Spring day, the fragrance just before it rains, and a sunset so breathtaking you can’t seem to capture it just right on camera. Her vocal delivery is soothing, sultry and more than just soulful, it’s soul fulfilling. Whether you find yourself listening to her live at a show or turning her up in your headphones, chances are you will have peace in your mind and a smile on your face. Chantae’s music blends the exploratory sounds of JAZZ with the feel good vibes of SOUL which makes for a mixture that is quite delicious. For ticket information visit www.jazzanooga.org.

Julian Lage and Julie Dexter,April 24, The Revelry Room. Jazz guitarist Julian Lage is somewhat of a child prodigy -- playing his instrument at the age of five and performing in public a year later. Shortly thereafter, Lage began playing with such renowned artists as Carlos Santana (when he was only eight years old!), Pat Metheny, Kenny Werner, Toots Thielemans, Martin Taylor, and David Grisman, among others, resulting in Lage being the subject of the 1997 Academy Award-nominated documentary film Jules at Eight.

Julie Dexter, a world renowned, award winning, British singer, songwriter and producer considered by many to be one of the most influential female vocalists of our generation. Having shared the spotlight with a host of cutting-edge artists, including Mint Condition, Caron Wheeler, Jill Scott, Lalah Hathaway, Omar, Ledisi, Third World and Maxi Priest to name a few, Julie not only holds up her own with them but has been praised and respected by them too. Influenced by legends such as Nancy Wilson, Abbey Lincoln, and Bob Marley, as well as popular icons Omar and Sade, Julie takes classic soul to the heart of Artistry. Fans and critics across the globe have followed her journey through the circles of Jazz, BrokenBeat, Bossa-Nova, Reggae, AfroBeat and Soul and she was recently honored at the Black Women in Jazz Awards with the Afro Caribbean Soul of Jazz Award. For ticket information visit www.jazzanooga.org.

The 2016 Jazzanooga Festival includes an exhibit on Chattanooga’s jazz history, a performance for youth and families, a week of jazz and blues at various MLK Boulevard venues and opportunities to mingle with regional jazz fanatics. More than 5,000 people of all ages came out to Jazzanooga events last year. A limited number of $100 Jazzanooga

VIP Passes, which offer patrons, VIP access to all headliner shows and priority seating to all festival events and headline concerts, are available at www.jazzanooga.org.

Chattanooga citizens voiced their concern over the Walnut Commons PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) at Wednesday’s Health, Education, and Housing Facilities Board (HEB) meeting.

has Walnut Commons, LLC, provided as to the occupancy of its facility by low and/or moderate income persons and compliance with requirements of the Pilot Agreement?”

The new owners, recipients of a generous PILOT arrangement for the downtown apartments, are seeking to buy the land the apartment complex sits on.

Joe Rowe, chairman of the Unity Group Redistricting Committee, said he was in opposition of the Walnut Commons agreement because he said it aided in gentrifying Chattanooga by pushing the minorities outside the inner city.

The owners currently pay no property taxes for the units at 212 Walnut St. The tax breaks are scheduled to last until 2025.

The HEB approved the Walnut Commons LLC PILOT agreement in 2010.

The board took no action on modifying the original tax abatement agreement.

According to an extensive report

by Helen Burns Sharp, founder of Accountability for Taxpayer Money (ATM) – Chattanooga, “(The PILOT) would result in property tax breaks of $2.4 million over a 14-year period.

The city and county forgave more than $200,000 in taxes for Walnut Commons in 2015 alone, including all school taxes.”

Because the City Council passed a Downtown Housing PILOT resolution in 2002, the HEB must review each project upon completion to confirm it was completed as stated in the application, the report says.

It also reads, “The term of this PILOT should be reduced and the property placed back on the tax rolls. This project was not completed substantially in conformance with representations set forth regarding low and moderate-income beneficiaries (per state law).”

During the meeting, John Konvalinka, the attorney representing ATM, brought a number of questions before the board.

Because the apartments were designed to house low to moderate-income persons, he asked: “What assurance, if any,

“It’s a huge problem for those of us who live in these communities,” he said.

Mr. Rowe said it was becoming “virtually impossible” for poor people to live downtown, and he believed this PILOT only fueled such problems in the city. He advised the board to suspend the program until an audit could be conducted to ensure it met all legal qualifications.

“We need to stand back and look at the direction the city of Chattanooga is going,” he said.

Michael Gilliland, board chairman of Chattanooga Organized for Action, wanted to guarantee the apartments were going as affordable units as originally intended.

Ms. Sharp, concerned over the PILOT tax breaks, said to the board, “Your role started in 2010, when only two of the current six members were on the board.

Now, in 2016, you have been asked by someone to pass a resolution that would seal the tax break deal for future years by exercising an option to purchase.”

She went on to say, “For reasons involving tax equity, social justice, and government transparency, please do what you can to get Walnut Commons on the tax rolls.

The public is counting on you.”

Ms. Sharp said authorities have taken the tool to provide affordable housing, ignored the affordable housing aspect, and twisted it for the owners to get tax breaks.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 7

events ATLANTA MARCH 4 Future, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Donald The Tabernacle | 8pm

BIRMINGHAM MARCH 11-13 Rickey Smiley Stardome Comedy Club

MARCH 12 Natural Hair & Health Expo BJCC North Exhibition Hall | 10am to 6pm Featuring live performance from Vivian Green

NASHVILLE

MAY 8 The Isley Brothers Schermerhorn Symphony Center | 7:30pm

2016 Headlining this year’s event will be the R&B Funk Band, ConFunkShun with special guests, Midnight Star.

The show begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, at the Chattanooga Convention and Trade Center. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Mary’s Lounge, by phone at 266-8658 and online at www. anighttoremember.org. A limited number of tickets will be available for $35. Other tickets will be available for $50, $75 and $100 per seat.

Corporate sponsorships are available by calling 4630687.

JUNE 2-4 Music City Jazz Festival http://musiccityjazzfest.com

CHATTANOOGA April 9th A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

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 1211 Doods Ave (423) 629-5831 8 | URBAN VOICE NeWSMAGAZINE 2016

KNOXVILLE THE GALLERY 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

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.

Black Lives Matter by: Lynn Cole Alicia Garza is an activist and writer who lives in Oakland, California. She has organized around the issues of gaining rights for domestic workers, ending police brutality, anti-racism, and violence against trans* and gender non-conforming people of color. She is the Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance as well as a cofounder of the Black Lives Matter movement.

She spoke with the Urban Voice. approached Garza about starting a social media campaign around the theme. Quickly, the two pulled in Opal Tometi, also a community organizer who grew up the daughter of Nigerian immigrants in Phoenix. It was in this vein that a moment became a movement, a hashtag jumped from social media to the streets and #BLACKLIVESMATTER was born.

HOW A MOMENT BECAME A MOVEMENT February 26, 2012. George Zimmerman, a white Latino neighborhood watchman, murdered Trayvon Martin, a black unarmed teenager accused of being suspicious for walking through Zimmerman’s white - suburban neighborhood wearing a hoodie. June 10, 2013, after months of protests from the community and political posturing from the state of Florida, Zimmerman was put on trial.

At the time, State v. Zimmerman was the most followed, racially charged criminal case since 1995 when O.J. Simpson, a Black, Heisman Trophy winning, record – setting, retired NFL player was put on trial for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown –Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman who were both White. In much of the same way that Black America was watching O.J., Black America was watching for Trayvon. Black America watched week after week as Trayvon, not Zimmerman was put on trial. Media accounts, witness testimony, social media posts, and commentary from talking heads depicted Trayvon as a weed-smoking, gun toting, disrespectful, fearful thug that somehow deserved to die, as opposed to what he really was – a seventeen-year old child just trying to get home. July 13, 2013. After deliberating for sixteen hours over a two day period, the jury delivered a not guilty verdict. Black America had been holding her breath for Zimmerman’s conviction, but expecting that once again, a white man would get away with murdering an unarmed black child, expecting that once again the criminal justice system would not work for us. Our expectations did not let us down. It was in this mental

and emotional space that the news of Zimmerman’s acquittal was widely met with an “I told you so, what did you expect?” response from the Black Community.

But, a thirty-something social activists and community organizer, who self identifies herself as a Queer, Black woman, was also watching, and she did not see it that way. That woman, Alicia Garza, was pissed because she expected a conviction for manslaughter at the very least.

That woman, Alicia Garza, was angry because she felt like it was wrong for Black people to have to live in a world where the value placed on their lives was so very low.

Garza would later recount in an interview that she was sitting in a bar drinking tequila, scrolling Facebook when she received the news of Zimmerman’s acquittal and that it “felt like a gut punch”. Garza read the comments from the Black community and posted a Facebook status that she described as a “love letter to black folks”. In that status she wrote to Black people that their murder should always come as a shock, and she would not let the state numb that for her. She ended the post with these words: “Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter.”

Patrisse Cullors, also a social activists and community organizer who had known Garza for ten years, was also watching Facebook for the news of Zimmerman’s verdict. After reading Garza’s post, Cullors was moved

by Garza’s words and wrote the hashtag #BLACKLIVESMATTER. #BLACKLIVESMATTER quickly gained momentum, and Cullors

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Today, #BLACKLIVESMATTER defines itself as a chapter-based national organization working for the validity of Black life and to (re)build the Black liberation movement. Still growing and now having 28 chapters in the United States and Canada, #BLACKLIVESMATTER is poised to take a place in history books as the Civil Rights Movement of our time.

Q&A WITH ALICIA GARZA The Urban Voice, recently caught up with Mrs. Garza and engaged in a candid conversation about why Black lives matter.

UV: What is your response to critics that say #alllivesmatter?

AG: fundamentally, we live in a world where all lives do matter, but unfortunately we don’t actually live in a world where all lives matter. We live in a world where some lives matter more than others. So, if we want to get to a world where all lives actually do matter, then we would fight like hell for Black lives now.

UV: What is the relationship between the #BLACKLIVESMATTER movement and other traditional, civil rights organizations such as the Urban League and the NAACP? AG: The relationship depends. With the NAACP, for example, there are chapters that have some level of autonomy and then there is a national organization. We have varying relationships with traditional civil rights organizations depending on two things – (1) their political agenda and (2) their willingness to have a relationship with us. One great example, where there is a strong relationship

between BLACKLIVESMATTER and traditional civil rights organizations is in Minneapolis. There is a big fight happening right now that involves Jamar Clark who was murdered by the Minneapolis police and there is a BLACKLIVESMATTER chapter there that has been demanding justice and have been working very closely with the NAACP chapter there. In the end it, is really about politics and there is tremendous opportunity for #BLACKLIVESMATTER and traditional civil rights organizations to work together, but we would have to agree on what the outcomes of working together would be.

UV: #BLACKLIVESMATTER came about during the height of the shooting deaths of unarmed African American men in this country – what do you say to people that falsely believe that #BLACKLIVESMATTER is just about criminal justice?

AG: When we say Black Lives Matter, we are broadening the conversation around state violence to include all of the ways in which Black people are intentionally left powerless at the hands of the state. We are talking about the ways in which Black lives are deprived of our basic human rights and dignity.

UV: Historically, majority communities have developed a pattern that is sometimes successful in picking leaders for the black community. How do we deal with this?

AG: Laughter. This is a great question.

Number one, we have to actually focus on cultivating those leaders that we want. I think that you are right, that there’s lots of tokenism that happens when it comes to black communities.

I think there is a two part strategy to dealing with that. Number one, we have to make it uncomfortable for people who accept that role to accept it. The other is, I think we have to be ready with our own bench of leaders who we trust and who feel accountable and who see their work as doing the work of the people. If we don’t have both of those things then that kind of

tokenism is able to continue. There has to be a real intentional effort to develop many leaders and to really shift the understanding of leadership so that people can’t be handpicked and used and props, and then we also have to make it really, really uncomfortable for people who choose accept those roles that are at the detriment of their own people.

UV: What are some ways that we, as a community, can make those types of leaders uncomfortable?

AG: One, I think there is something about when you have a bench of leaders, that you are able to demonstrate that that person doesn’t speak for people. The other way, quite frankly, is by calling it out. Lots of time there’s lots of whispering behind the scenes, but there is not a very cogent message to our community about what is the impact of tokenism on our ability to actually build political power, social power, and economic power that allows us to determine our own future and every time people take action in that way [allow themselves to become token leaders] it’s a detriment to our actual progress as a people. We do that in a way that will help people understand what is at stake, rather than attacking a person.

UV: #BLACKLIVESMATTER. The movement has gained national, and international attention, it has been a subject for the 2016 presidential debates. Now What? What is the agenda for pushing the movement forward? How do we go from declaring that #BLACKLIVESMATTER to living in a world where they really do?

AG: The first thing is making sure that you are not giving away your vote to someone that is not representing your interest. Black people, we have a lot of power that we give away. Don’t give your vote to someone that doesn’t represent your interests and refuses to even talk about your interests.

Second, we have been working for a few months now to really develop what we think is a

comprehensive Black agenda and what that should look like. We have been doing this work in consultation with our communities and we plan to continue to do this. The message that we want to send is that - this is what candidates should be doing.

That is the whole point in being a representative of the people, right – is to engage with people, not just when you want to get elected, but all the time? That platform is bigger than criminal justice. It also includes concrete ideas about how to make black lives matter in our economy and how to forge a democracy where black lives matter.

UV: Compare and contrast the so called respectability of our grandparent’s Civil Rights Movement to the characterization of the #BLACKLIVESMATTER movement as being violent, unstructured, and disruptive.

AG: One thing about this country is that we have a lot of amnesia. When Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks were doing their thing, and Claudette Colvin and Ella Baker were doing their thing - you know people did not like what they were doing and said the exact same things about them that we get talked about for now. But in the rewriting of history there is a focus on this question of nonviolent resistance which often gets talked about as being passive – loving your enemy. Not only is that not anywhere in the doctrine of nonviolence, it also serves to, in some ways, to discourage people from seeking a world where they can expect to see adulthood and seeking a world where they don’t expect to see the inside of a jail cell. Those messages get used to distract people from what is actually going on. To be

quite honest, no change in our nation’s history or any other nation’s history has ever come about by people just going about business as usual and pleading for things to change. People had to interrupt business as usual, they had to disrupt what was going on at that moment, and they had to make people uncomfortable, right? I also thing that there are some tactics that are palatable to some people and there are some that are not palatable to others, but what is a falsehood is to say “I’m not down with the movement because of its tactics”. You are either down with the movement or you are not. There are different roles for different people to play. Not everyone during the Civil Rights Movement was involved with direct action or civil disobedience – Harry Bellefonte and others supported the movement financially. The big message here is to stop rewriting history in way that makes black people docile, and actually if it were not for black businesses, many people, Black and White, would not have the rights that they have now.

UV: Baby boomers are historically seen as the benefactors of the Civil Rights Movement and are sometimes accused of gaining access to doors of certain spaces – politically, academically, and socially – and then shutting those doors to generations behind them. Should Baby Boomers have done a better job protecting the gains that we made as Black people during the Civil Rights Movement?

AG: I think that that characterization of the baby boomer generation is also a misread of history. The reality is that the civil rights generation which came before the baby boomers left work undone. Each generation inherits

the world given to it by the generation before it. And so this characterization of the baby boomers of being more or less selfish than other generations and unwilling to make sacrifices is unfair and, I think, an ahistorical narrative.

What I think is real is that society and the economy changed drastically for baby boomers in a way that is not true for the generation before it and that had a whole lot of implications and consequences and made it a lot more difficult to find the terrain in which we could actually advance the struggle.

Furthermore, one reflection that I hear from a lot of people who were involved in the Civil Rights Movement and a critique they have of their own generation is one for mistaking access for power. I also think that, that is a question that faces every generation and it is facing ours too. I think this is something that we have to be very careful of. For people who have been denied power for so long it actually makes a lot of sense that a very few in reaction to that denial of power would try to consolidate power in the same ways that were done to keep us out in the first place. But this is actually an opportunity for us to change the game and hopefully we will fulfill that mission, but until we fulfill that mission we are not going to get to where we need to be.

UV: What should Black people do to assert in our own actions and internal policies that Black lives actually do matter?

AG: One thing I think we have to do is stop shaming other black people.

Deep down for all of us what we really want is a different world. In identifying what is actually keeping us from getting there, we tend to point fingers at each other and I think that

that is a detriment. So, the first thing is we have to love on Black people a lot, unconditionally. We have been through a lot and we are also very resilient. However, we are also carrying a lot. The second thing that I think is also very important is to begin to exercise what we exercised before – taking control of our communities and governing ourselves. I think that is a really important principle and it is something that in a lot of ways, at times, that has seemed unattainable, but we have been forced to do that throughout history, and we have, right?

The third thing is to continue to look for common causes within other social movements, always keeping an eye towards how we can align with other oppressed people, other marginalized people, and other disenfranchised people so that we can actually change the rules of the game itself.

ALICIA SPEAKS Last month, Alicia Garza was the featured speaker at an event sponsored by Chattanooga based Concerned Citizens for Justice. Here are her thoughts on some of the most pressing issues of our times.

On Black History Month …. We spend 28 days telling ahistorical narratives about black resistance and black freedom, which is why we have dubbed it “Black Futures Month”. No disrespect to Dr. Woodson [Carter G.] it is important to understand how we got here, but it is more important to chart a course for where you are going On defining BLACKLIVESMATTER …. It is more than a hashtag.

BLACKLIVESMATTER is a network comprised of black people who have come together to eliminate structural racism and state sanctioned violence

on sight. We do this because for far too long black lives have not mattered in this country and around the world. It is about much more than fighting police violence, but about our fundamental, human right as black people to live in dignity.

On how we know that black lives don’t matter in this country …..

Although the confederate flag came down in South Carolina, it is alive and well in Mississippi as the flag and state symbol. The average life expectancy of black transgendered women is 35 years old. Black women are the fastest growing segment of the prison population.

On voting as the focal point of black liberation … We should vote as part of a larger strategy, not because someone plays the saxophone, or does the nae nae, or says the word socialism for that matter.

On ALLLIVESMATTER …. We’ve been saying all lives matter since we were brought here in chains and on boats. When we are saying that black lives matter, we are raising the demand that all lives matters. THIS IS A DEMAND TO BE SEEN, TO BE VALUED, TO BE RESPECTED, TO LIVE IN A JUST WORLD. All lives actually don’t matter. If they did, we wouldn’t be talking about black lives matter.

On state sanctioned violence …

State sanctioned violence is not just police violence. It is poverty and unequal distribution of resources. It is gentrification and taking the soul out of black communities. It is not having any resources to get fresh food for three and four miles. It is dirty water.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 11

COMMunity briefs

Area High School Students to Compete in Omega Psi Phi Talent Hunt

The Kappa Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc. will host its annual Talent Hunt at 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, at Hurst Memorial United Methodist Church at 4 p.m.

“The Talent Hunt is open to area high school students”, said Gary James, Program Chair. “We bill it as our showcase of talent and the competition is very steep”.

James said that area students will have the opportunity to compete for cash prizes. The first place winner will go on to compete in the district Talent Hunt to be held in Nashville in April.

The district winner will receive a $1000 scholarship and all-expense paid trip to compete at the Omega Psi Phi, Fraternity, Inc. Conclave to be held in Las Vegas in July.

Each year roughly five to seven students compete from high schools throughout the Chattanooga area, and most have been perfecting their crafts for years.

“The word is out that competition is tough”, said James. “Some of the local talent that are past winners include

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Roland Hayes and Booker Scruggs.”

The Talent Hunt program of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is one of several national programs designed to support youth. While the idea was conceived in 1945, the first District Talent Hunt program was held in the Sixth District in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 19, 1946. The need for such a program was born out of the unequal opportunity afforded to some American youth to develop and give full expression to their talents.

The original statement of the Talent Hunt idea included this expression: Creative and outstanding capacities in any honorable activity should be eligible for consideration. During public presentations, all original displays were limited to the field of music. Since that time, the Talent Hunt program has been expanded to include other forms of the expressive arts.

The Talent Hunt Program of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity has touched thousands of students, many of whom have gone on to make outstanding contributions to their communities and the world.

Many have earned scholarships, awards, and recognition through

exposure from this program.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Gary James, Program Chair at 423-899-7911.

LAUNCH To Hold 5th Annual Youth Entrepreneurship Competition In March Local nonprofit LAUNCH will hold its annual Youth Entrepreneurship Competition on Sunday, March 6, at UTC’s University Center. This competition is the finale of LAUNCH’s 2015-16 High School Entrepreneurship Program.

LAUNCH’s High School Entrepreneurship Program trains students in the necessary steps to start a small business, as skills that can be utilized at any point of their life.

Last fall, LAUNCH began working with a select group of sophomores, juniors and seniors at The Howard School, Brainerd High School, Tyner Academy, Chattanooga Girls Leadership

Academy, and The STEM School.

During the competition, 12 groups will pitch their business plans to a panel of judges. Three groups will walk away with a prize package that can be spent on startup costs or college.

“The winners will walk away with a cash prize that can be used to start the business or go towards college expenses,” said Gina Soltau, LAUNCH program director. “If they do decide to start their business, we will also include other support services from LAUNCH, just as we do with graduates of our Business Entrepreneurship Academy.”

The competition will start at 4 p.m. on March 6, and will be held at UTC’s University Center auditorium.

The event is open to the public and family friendly. It is suggested you reserve your free ticket at LAUNCHyouthcompetition. eventbrite.com.

Patrick Hampton Straight, no chaser ± Patrict Hampton talks about the Beyonce boycott and why he became a Republican UV: What were your initial thoughts after watching Beyoncé’s halftime performance?

PH: The release of her Formation video caught my attention due to the imagery of standing on top of a police car, and standing in front of police officers with lyrics over the image calling for elimination. I thought the Super Bowl performance was used to show support for #BlackLivesMatter and celebrate the Black Panther Party. That was inappropriate for a Super Bowl halftime show where families come together to escape politics and activism.

UV: Why did you create the Boycott Beyoncé page?

COMMENTARY ll From Clarence Thomas’s seat on the Supreme Court to Mia Love’s, Tim Scott’s, and Will Hurd’s election to Congress, and most recently Herman Cain’s and Ben Carson’s run for President, the complicated case of the Black Republican has become more visible in recent years.

Why a complicated case? Perhaps it is because 95 percent of AfricanAmerican voters are aligned with the Democratic Party. Perhaps it is because the Republican Party has a perception of being indifferent to the particular experience of blacks in America.

However, perhaps the most compelling reason that makes black republicans a complicated case is the criticism of the GOP for abandoning its legacy of civil rights activism over the last 50 years, despite the party’s historical ties to the liberation of black people. Each of these explanations could lead one to question why any black person would openly call themselves a Republican. For answers, the Urban Voice turned to former Hamilton County School Board Candidate and self-proclaimed black republican, Patrick Hampton.

Hampton, a PK (Preacher’s Kid) that

grew up in Chattanooga’s inner city recently came under the national spotlight for creating a “Boycott Beyoncé” Facebook page says he made the decision to become a Republican after the 2012 Democratic Convention, when, according to Hampton, the Democratic Party removed God and Jerusalem from its platform. Read below as Hampton explains his decision, “Straight Shot. No Chaser”.

UV: As the saying goes, politics is personal. How did you arrive at the decision to become a Republican?

PH: I haven’t always been a Republican, but I’ve always been conservative because of my faith. I studied Frederick Douglass and the abolitionists. I discovered the history of the Republican Party, and was shocked to find out that the sole purpose of the founding of the Republican Party was to abolish slavery. I also discovered that nearly all of the HBCU’s were founded by Republicans, and it was the Democratic Party that created Jim Crow Laws, the KKK and openly opposed the Civil Rights Movement.

PH: I created the page out of my frustration of having to tell my sons to close their eyes due to the immodesty and lewdness of the performance and its narrative of celebrating the Black Panther Party. I had to explain to my boys that the Black Panther Party was shut down by the FBI for criminal activity and that they had become violent against the police.

UV: You were the subject of some disturbing comments as a result of that page, what were some of those?

PH: I was attacked by Beyoncé fans on social media. I was used to being attacked on a local level due to my political affiliation, but after appearance on some national news outlets I started receiving death threats to the point where I had to file police reports.

UV: Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown.

Tamir Rice. Sandra Bland. The deliberate tactics of Congress to halt the Obama Administration. Disrespect of the office.

Labeling young black men as gang members. What is your response to those that look at all these occurrences and more and come away with the perception that Black peoples are under attack? In your opinion, is there some validity to this perception?

PH: All of those deaths were tragic and my heart goes out to the families who lost their love ones to violence. With that being said, we have a black president and a judicial system that is led by a black attorney general. Obama appointed attorney generals (Holder and Lynch) looked into these cases and found no evidence of civil rights violations. The jury found George Zimmerman not guilty.

I have to accept that. As for halting Obama’s agenda, our founding fathers designed a system of government that balances power. This form of government forces both parties to work together.

When Obama passed “Obamacare” he told Republicans that if they wanted to change it they should go win an election.

They did. Now, Obama has no desire to work with Congress and Congress has no desire to work with Obama. We are gridlocked and if we want to change it, we have to send the right people to Washington.

UV: Do you believe that America has a race problem?

PH: There are Americans that have race problems. I don’t believe that America is inherently racist.

UV: Giving the historical alliance that African Americans have to the Democratic Party, what criticism have you received from other African American in general for your decision?

PH: I am called an Uncle Tom ,a coon, a turncoat, and a sellout by those who don’t know history [of the Republican Pary].

There seems to be an unspoken rule that blacks have to vote Democrat.

URBAN VOICE MAGAZINE 2016 | 13

COMMENTARY

Hillary Clinton’s Quest for the Souls of Black Folk adore the Clinton family, despite the fact that they showed their true “Bubba” colors during the 90s and even during Hillary Clinton’s loss to Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary.

Indeed, many Black folks have short memories— but I sure do not.

COMMENTARY ll As much as I respect Toni Morrison’s work, I truly hated it back in the 90s when she called Bill Clinton America’s “First Black President.” Don’t get me wrong, I respected some aspects of Clinton’s presidency, but his legacy with respect to race included not only advocating causes that gutted high paying blue collar jobs in the Midwest (NAFTA) and others that imprisoned more Black men than ever. He and his wife also joined in lock step with Newt Gingrich in promulgating “welfare reform” that made black mothers who were already catching hell to raise their kids catch even more hell. I was a member of the GOP during those days, and I was more strongly opposed to that tenet of Gingrich’s overall plans than the Clintons.

I raise this issue because many Black folks still worship and

Hillary Clinton has many prominent Black leaders working hard to gloss over her and her husband’s two-faced history on issues that impact many Blacks.

Secretary Clinton said last year that she doesn’t “take a back seat to anyone when it comes to progressive experience and progressive commitment,” further adding during a debate last fall. ‘You know, when I left law school, my first job was with the Children’s Defense Fund, and for all the years since, I have been focused on how we’re going to un-stack the deck, and how we’re gonna make it possible for more people to have the experience I had.”

The issue, however, is not whether that was Hillary Clinton’s first job—it was. No, the problem is that her husband Bill Clinton promised back in 1992 to “end welfare as we know it,” and in conjunction with the aforementioned Speaker Gingrich, he did his level best to do just that by signing the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (PRWORA).

The liberal wing of the Democratic Party opposed PRWORA, but not Hill-Bill, nope, and this signature Clinton legislation destroyed the “Aid to Families with Dependent Children” (AFDC) federal assistance program that had been the law since the Franklin Roosevelt administration and replaced it with a much diluted “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families” (TANF) program.

The Clintons dear Black friend, Marian Wright Edelman, head of the Children’s Defense Fund, who was and remains one of the leading children’s rights advocates in America, said that President Clinton’s “signature on this pernicious bill makes a mockery of his pledge not to hurt children.”

Edelman was not done, adding that “Hillary Clinton is an old friend, but they (Clintons) are not friends in politics.”

Indeed…nor are they Black politicians in any way, shape or form. Period!

Hillary Clinton just may win the 2016 Democratic nomination, and if she goes on to face Donald Trump or Ted Cruz, she clearly poses the lesser of two evils option. But I ask my Black brothers and sisters to not be fooled by the despicable Black dialect change that she and her husband prefer when they visit our churches and schools, or the

rib eating and saxophone playing that Bubba does that looks like “swag.” Because when you peep beneath the surface, the Clintons are politicians, period, concerned about their self interests first and foremost and if that means selling Black folks down the river, well, so be it.

Lest we forget how dismissive Clinton was when Blacks abandoned her for Obama in 2008, and when ‪#‎BlackLivesMatter‬ protesters challenged her viewpoints last year. That is who she is and who they are, friends when it is convenient. Should she become president, we will have to stay on her to do the right thing.

Because from being a Goldwater girl in the 60s to the increase in policing, incarcerations and her approval of her hubby’s decision to eviscerate welfare funds for the neediest Americans in the 90s, her resume is suspect as far as Black people are concerned.

Indeed, actions, not words, matter the most…

Charles E. “Chuck” Hobbs II is a trial lawyer based in Tallahassee, Florida. During the past decade he has appeared on Court TV twice, first ascharles-hobbs cocounsel in the 2003 gambling case of former Florida State University quarterback Adrian McPherson, and in 2006 as lead attorney for four of the five young men charged in the Kappa Hazing case, the

nation’s first ever felony hazing trial. Hobbs has provided legal commentary on CNN, Fox News and “E” network on a number of topics including hazing on college campuses, the Martin Lee Anderson boot camp case as well as the Duke Lacrosse scandal. In 2011, Hobbs served as lead counsel for Dr. Julian E. White, the legendary band director for the Florida A&M University Marching 100, following the hazing death of Drum Major Robert Champion.

In 2014, Hobbs was invited by the United States Department of Defense to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he was a legal observer of the court proceedings for Khalid Sheikh Mohammad and the 9/11 terror co-conspirators.

An active member of Bethel AME Church, he also holds memberships in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, Valentine Lodge #147 PHA F&AM; 100 Black Men of America, The Federalist Society and the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society.

A Tallahassee native, Hobbs earned a B.A. in history from Morehouse College in 1994 and a M.A.S.S. with a concentration in history from Florida A&M University in 1995. In 1998, Hobbs earned a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

As Battle Looms, Civil Rights Leaders Back Obama in Appointing Scalia’s Successor ll (TriceEdneyWire.com) – As flags fly at half-staff over the White House and U. S. Supreme Court building this week after the sudden death of U. S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the debate has already turned to who should replace the ultra-conservative justice and moreover, who should appoint his replacement.

While giving condolences to his family, President Barack Obama has quickly pointed to the U. S. Constitution, which, in Article II Section 2, gives the President the power to nominate Supreme Court justices with a Senate vote on that appointment.

“For almost 30 years, Justice Antonin “Nino” Scalia was a larger-than-life presence on the bench - a brilliant legal mind with an energetic style, incisive wit, and colorful opinions. He influenced a generation of judges, lawyers, and students, and profoundly shaped the legal landscape. He will no doubt be remembered as one of the

most consequential judges and thinkers to serve on the Supreme Court,” Obama said in an initial statement released Feb. 13, shortly after the announcement that Scalia had died in his sleep of a heart attack.

Giving honor to Scalia for his service, the President then announced, “I plan to fulfill my constitutional responsibilities to nominate a successor in due time. There will be plenty of time for me to do so, and for the Senate to fulfill its responsibility to give that person a fair hearing and a timely vote.”

The President’s announcement of his intent to nominate was immediately met with scorn from Republican leaders who contend that he should hold off and allow the winner of the presidential election to make the appointment, a suggestion that has been answered with strong calls from Democrats and civil rights leaders for Obama to move forward.

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Only hours after the death was announced, lines were drawn

by Republicans saying Scalia’s replacement should be named by the next president, who they hope will be a Republican. „The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement. „Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”

Presidential candidates have also taken sides along party lines, some even contending that Scalia’s appointment should be of the same philosophy. But the Congressional Black Caucus is not having it.

“McConnell is reinforcing the Republican political agenda to disrupt governmental functions when the circumstances do not line up with their philosophy.

It is imperative that we have nine members of the United States Supreme Court deciding

constitutional issues that are important to the American people,” wrote CBC Chairman G.K. Butterfield in a statement.

“It is absurd to suggest that President Obama should be denied the opportunity to nominate a qualified jurist to replace Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court. The American people should clearly understand that Senate Republicans have a political agenda to pack the Court with conservative justices who would reverse years of progressive jurisprudence.”

He continued, “The Congressional Black Caucus urges President Obama to expeditiously nominate a replacement for Justice Scalia who has the scholarship, values and temperament to sit on the highest court of our country and decide cases based on established law rather than a political agenda. We will vigorously confront Senate Republicans at every turn should they dismiss President Obama’s nomination.”

Benjamin L. Crump, president of the National Bar Association, the premier organization of Black lawyers and judges, was the first to issue a statement.

“One of the primary missions of the National Bar Association has always been to maintain the integrity of the judiciary by ensuring it is a diverse representation of all Americans, it is our hope that President Barack Obama will quickly nominate and the Senate timely confirm a nominee to fill the vacancy in the U.S. Supreme Court created by the death of Justice Scalia.”

Scalia is highly respected given his longevity on the court.

He had served 30 years. But his brash opinions and even racially insensitive statements have given him a reputation of disrespect toward Black people. His recent implication that African-American students should attend “slower” colleges underscored that reputation.

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