The Resource for Black Americans
Issues In Black America
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Publisher’s Viewpoint Bernard Garrett Publisher and CEO
Publisher and CEO
Bernard Garrett Editorial Director
Deric Gilliard, VP Production Director
Brian Woods, VP Associate Editor
Moving to the next level
Linda Turnipseed Contributing Editors
Jacqueline Crenshaw, RD Dietitian and Nutrition
Bettye Dozier-Woods
Moving into the new year of 2010, many members of the African American community contend that this is the year of redemption and turn-around in their lives. They are, as a result of their recent years experiences, now prepared to interact fully with the challenges that continue to demand attention in their day-to-day lives. While the country still wrestles with the problems of unemployment, healthcare, housing and other major issues, it has been stated that, “When America has these type of problems, bordering on, or being in a recession, the African American community is deemed as being in or near a depression stage.” Furthermore, these problems serve to exacerbate or make worse the many other issues that confront the African American community on a daily basis, leading to many other unfavorable consequences. It is believed by many in our community that because for the first time in our country’s history, we have an African American president leading our nation, as well as other African American politicians in decision making positions, it provides us with an inside reach to addressing the many issues that adversely impact our community. In spite of the gains, successes and inroads that we have made, along with all of the African American leadership working on the community’s behalf, we must remain vigilant and assertive in ensuring that we sustain our focus in addressing the problems and issues we have in our community. We must always seek and share the sources and resources that are available to solve, minimize, and make manageable the many issues the black community faces. With healthcare being such a vital part of our lives, and with the heated dialog currently being
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debated about healthcare reform, for your reading pleasure, we are pleased to feature President Barack Obama’s selection for the new Surgeon General of the United States, Dr Regina Benjamin. Dr. Benjamin is not only a great doctor, but she is also an extraordinary humanitarian. She is a remarkable person. In addition to her outstanding attributes, she is also a product of Xavier University and Morehouse School of Medicine, both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU.) You are in for a treat as well as a mental makeover, as you learn more about the life of Dr. Benjamin. You will be amazed at how she has worked to give back and serve a community in which she is a part. Her service is not limited to her profession, but she has exhilarated such a passion in the treatment of her patients, at times tending to the sick without compensation. During the post hurricane George and Katrina era, Dr. Benjamin played an essential role in the restoration of her community. In this edition of the Issues in Black America, we will commence addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS in our community. This disease continues to plague our people with deadly consequences. While African Americans are a small percentage of the overall population in America, we are proportionately the highest percentage of the population that is afflicted by the disease, with females being the group that is most affected. We launch our initiative on HIV/ AIDS with the first of a two-part series, with the coordinator of this program, Dr. Mary Bellinger, a twenty year victim and survivor of the disease. Dr. Bellinger has so graciously agreed to share her story (which should capture your attention), and assist IBA in subsequent editions beyond this series to inform, educate, and assist our community in addressing this disease directly.
Senior Affairs Richard Pitts Finance and Investment Dr. Willie Claiborne Small Business Dr. Jeri Dyson Medical and Health Shawn Mannix Youth and Identity Madie J. Locke, M.Div./MACE Religion Shay Williams-Garrett Relationships, Romance and Dating Kathy Taylor – Exploritas, Inc. Educational Tours & Vacations Research Librarian
James Beasley Design and Art
Jim Canada
Print, Marketing, and Advertising Consultant
Todd Nollner
Web Master and Tech Editor
Kelly Wright
Advertising Director
Jerry S. Dyson, VP Circulation Director
Lithangia Murray, VP Distribution Manager
L. David Garrett Distribution Assistant
J. Chambers
Subscription Manager
B.J. Nelson
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www.ibamagazine.com IBA Magazine is published bi-monthly by IBA Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 44821, Atlanta, Georgia 30336. Manuscripts, drawings and other materials submitted must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelop. IBA Magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited material. All rights reserved and no part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher. www.IBAPublications.com
In this edition we will also feature Mr. George Grandy, Jr., the Southeast Regional Director of the U.S. Census Bureau. With 2010 being the 10 year interval period required by law for counting the number of people in the United States, Mr. Grandy sheds keen insight about/into the Census Bureau, and why it is so vital and important. He reflects on the perceptions of the Census Bureau and being counted in the African American communities in past years. Mr. Grandy informs and educates us on the optimism of being counted in our communities and the tremendous benefits and services that we are entitled to as a result of being accurately included in the census. IBA is appreciative and indebted to Mr. Grandy and the census bureau for all of their support, assistance and service. This volume of IBA, will introduce to you, Mr. Jack Johnson, Executive Director of Prince George’s County in Maryland. This feature chronicles the desires and beliefs of an outstanding person that has escalated up the ladder of life, geared toward service and the improvement of the community. A graduate of HBCU Benedict College in South Carolina, Mr. Johnson has gone on to a successful career that required him to overcome prejudices, racism, pessimism, and other obstacles. As a result of him overcoming all of these impediments, thousands of citizens in his county are employed, the school system and its children have benefited, the county has achieved an AAA bond rating, and it is the wealthiest county in America with a predominantly African American population. The Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) section will feature the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). UAPB, with its history dating back to 1873, provides us with an in-depth look at the magnitude of this historical institution. It showcases its commitment to the students and the various opportunities offered to them. Finally, it affords us the opportunity to know the service and assistance that is provided to the local communities through it’s out reach programs. In keeping with our quest to continue to move ahead, with this edition we will be taking it to the next level with the Issues in Black America, HBCU initiative – through our presentation of news and information from many of the HBCU’s in our newly created section, “HBCU Roll Call” – serving as a conduit for internal and external communications for the universities. Also included in this issue of IBA, we are happy to present and to establish a continuing working relationship with The 105 Voices of History (VOH). They are a concert choir comprised of The Resource for Black Americans
105 members, representing a student from each of the 105 Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs.) The mass choir performs annually at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The 105 VOH was founded by Ms. Toni Roy and supporters, to provide tremendous opportunities to the HBCUs, and its choir members, as well as the overall Arts. Enjoy this feature as we attempt to bring you information through entertainment. IBA Magazine, in keeping with our tradition of being the premier resource information and reference guide, constantly seek ways and means to address issues and concerns in our community. This allows us the opportunity to move to the next level of cutting edge information and resources that address the issues and concerns we have. With many of us in our community having to, or wanting to travel, having access to people who are professionals in this area that can provide us the travel information we seek should allow us to address these specific needs. We are ecstatic to announce and present Ms. Kathy Taylor, of Exploritas, Inc.Travel Service, who beginning with this issue, will be writing on educational tours and vacations that are offered, (over 8,000 destinations throughout the USA and 90 other Countries) which will serve and assist our community in its business and personal travels; in this country, as well as abroad. Finally, IBA Magazine is happy to announce that Ms. Linda Turnipseed has joined our team as an Associate Editor. Ms. Turnipseed brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the publication. In the past she has worked as an editor for the HBCU that she attended and graduated from, Alabama A&M University. She has also served as a journalist and associate editor of a local newspaper in her hometown of Mobile, Alabama. She is a published author of some poetry and has written some forewords for other authors. She is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Please join us in welcoming Linda to IBA Magazine. With the many features that we present in this edition, along with our CORE organizations and featured professionals in each edition of IBA, we are moving to the next level of addressing the numerous issues that we have in the African American community. With the assistance of our readers, we are destined to make it.
IBA Magazine’s Community Heroes Giving Back Program The IBA Community Hero’s Giving Back program is a new initiative by Issues in Black America Magazine designed to provide positive exposure, awareness and recognition of the many outstanding individuals and programs that are working hard in the interest of African-Americans and their communities. The initiative is consistent with Issues in Black America Magazine goal of being a conduit for the sources and resources that provides our readers the knowledge of and access to the possible creative solutions for many of the issues that affect the AfricanAmerican community. Furthermore, it is the program’s deep desire to provide exposure, recognition and gratitude to the African-American professional athletes, entertainers, movie stars, etc., which have provided their invaluable time and resources into the quest to improve our communities. So often, these professionals, are stereotyped or perceived as “having made it,” being successful and financially sound, but are not being overly concerned about the plight of the African-American community. But most notably, not contributing or giving back to the African American community. Issues in Black America Magazine Community Hero’s Giving Back initiative proposes to dispel the negativism and beliefs so often attached to these professionals, by recognizing in each edition, luminaries who are contributing to the betterment of our community through their financial contributions, service and support. The Community Hero’s Giving Back initiative will, highlight programs that the professionals have started and in many instances continue to sustain through their financial contributions and gifts that aim to make our communities better. In most programs, the financial contributions and gifts are facilitated through foundations and non-profit organizations whose mission is to serve and assist our communities in their areas of operations. These foundations and organizations provide critical service and assistance in the areas of health, education, finance, address social ills and other areas that are important issues in our community. More importantly, however, is the fact that these programs themselves serve as invaluable resources that provide help and assistance to the African American community. In each edition of Issues in Black America Magazine we will present information about the programs and assistance available in our community through these foundations and non-profit organizations, which are the fruits, in many cases, of the hero or “she-roes” precious contributions. For questions, please contact bernardgarrett@ibapublications.com.
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Table of Contents Feature Articles 8 Dr. Regina Benjamin, Surgeon General of the United States by Brian Woods
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World AIDS Day 2009
16 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
20 Roll Call!
26 Library Resources
27 Morris Brown College
29 Maynard Jackson Youth Foundatiion
30 Exploritas, Inc.
32 Living with HIV Infection as a Woman of Faith
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47 Champ is Poised to Lead The Biggest Regional Census Effort
by Dr. Jeri Dyson
Classified as an HBCU and as an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is the second oldest public university in Arkansas. Historically Black Colleges and Universities by James L. Beasley
Page 37
A Status Report on Recovery
Page 16
The Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation and Morehouse College Announce Partnership to Train Youth for Ethical Leadership
Page 8
More Than Your Ordinary Vacation by Rev. Dr. Mary Anne Allen Bellinger
105 Voices of History
The Nation’s HBCU National Concert Choir
in the United States
by Deric Gilliard
50 The Links, Incorporated
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Setting Up Your Own Business
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Prince George’s County Executive Jack B. Johnson’s Administration
Linked in Friendship, Connected in Service by Dr. Willie Claiborne
Page 32
by Timothy W. Maier
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CUSH Real Talk, The “I AM” Identity by Shawn Mannix 69
Smart Investment Moves for 2010 by Richard Pitts
70
Developing Youth and Golf
79
Why Children’s Health Coverage matters
81 Help for Entrepreneurs
86 H1N1 Update
by Edward Oden, Jr.
by The Children’s Defense Fund by The National Urban League
by Clara H. Cobb, MSN, RN, CFNP
Departments and Contributing Organizations 58 Aging Together by Bettye Doier-Woods 67 Nutrition by Jacqueline T. Crenshaw 76 Careers By Lithangia Robinson Murray 78 Overcoming Fear of Foreclosure
Page 50
by The Consumer Credit Counseling Service 82 Crossword Puzzle by Brian Woods
84 NMA and The Forum
from The National Medical Association
85
Strengthening Our Roots
from The National Dental Association
Page 70
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Why You Should Never Get Married While Feeling “In Love”
Page 64
by Shay Williams-Garrett
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The Resource for Black Americans
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From The National Education Association
Helping Your Child Learn to Read Every parent wants his or her child to be a successful reader. Reading, after all, provides the foundation for a great education as well as a lifelong skill that brings not only knowledge, but pleasure. Building on what we know about learning to read
• Help children make connections among words readers will have a hard time understanding or concepts such as “winter–cold, Snow-holiwhat they read if they have no experiences to days;” or “dinner–food, family-evening.” which they can connect the words. For example, it is difficult for a child who has never Ways to talk with your child seen snow to understand a story about the about books hazards of traveling in a blizzard. • Ask your child to predict what might happen • Showing the relationship between writing next while reading a story. Be sure to ask your and reading is another way to build reading child to give reasons for the prediction. skills. Helping children learn to write their • Ask your child why a character might have name, compose notes to friends and family taken a specific action. Again, ask for the reamembers, and copy favorite words are all ways sons behind the answer. that parents can help children develop under• Ask your child to compare a book to another standing and skills in writing that transfer to familiar book. How are the characters alike or reading. different? Do the stories take place in similar places? How are the illustrations similar or Simple ways to build a reading different? foundation for your child • Ask what part of the story the child liked best • Label things in the home such as table, reand why. frigerator, doors, etc. Collect the labels and • Ask whether the child liked the ending of the have your child put them back on the correct story and why or why not. objects. • While in the car, walking, or riding the bus, Ways to help your child have the child look for and read familiar connect reading and writing signs. • Encourage your child to draw pictures about • Talk to children about what they like to do— books or experiences. Drawing is a preparatheir favorite games, pastimes, and books. tion for writing because it develops both the • Listen to your child’s stories, accounts of muscles needed for writing and children’s abilevents, and ideas. ity to represent their ideas. • Make plans for the day with your child. As • Show your child how to write his or her children get older, plans can be written in a name. short schedule. The schedule can be used to • Help your child to compose a note to a relasearch for familiar words and to learn new tive or friend. Have your child dictate as you words. write. Read the note back to the child point• Encourage your child to ask questions. Show ing to the words as you read them. Older chilhow some questions can be answered by lookdren can look for familiar words in the note. ing for information in books.
Research on reading and learning to read shows that there are things that can be done at home from an early age that help children become successful as readers. The following suggestions, which are backed up by research, should be especially helpful to parents and caregivers of young children. • Teaching young children to recognize the letters of the alphabet is a big boost to reading readiness. Recognizing alphabet letters is one of the single strongest predictors of reading success for young children entering school. Alphabet recognition lays a critical foundation for learning to read and write. • Reading to children helps them to understand the connection between books and print. Children need to understand that print carries a meaningful message and that stories have a structure. By hearing many stories read to them, and by discussing those stories, children learn that a story has a beginning, middle, and an end; it has characters, a setting, and a plot. Children who have had exposure to many children’s books can usually indicate when a story does not “make sense” even if they can’t say that it has no plot. Through reading to children, parents can help them understand that there is a connection between the words on the page and what they hear. • Talking with your child about a book or story helps them to develop their vocabulary. As a Ways to help your child develop child learns to speak; they will also learn how vocabulary and concepts • Talk about new words the child hears and conto listen. They begin to understand how words nect them to words the child already knows. are strung together to make sense, the patterns • Look for letters of the alphabet in signs on of language, and the ways language change a trip. when used for different purposes such as giv• Play the game; I see something…, where one ing directions, explaining, or entertaining. person describes an object in view and the • Reading about the familiar helps children reother(s) must guess what it is. late to what is being read to them. Beginning
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Resources
Reading is Fundamental www.rif.org U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov/parents/read/resources Reading Rockets www.readingrockets.org International Reading Association www.reading.org www.IBAPublications.com
From The National Association For The Advancement of Colored People
African American Voting Fact Sheet
African American voting disenfranchisement has a long and sordid history. Although the U.S. Congress ratified the 15th Amendment in 1870, guaranteeing the right to vote to African American men, literacy tests and poll taxes systematically de-
nied African American people their constitutional rights. Nearly 100 years later, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 allowed African Americans to step forward and participate in the American political process. Although the act did not eliminate all of the evils
of racist opposition to blacks’ participation in the process, it represented a large step forward.1 The election of Barack Obama in 2008 marked monumental gains for African Americans and demonstrated the power of the black vote.
Registered and Voter Turnout, 2000–2008
Year Total Citizen Total Registered Voter Turnout % Voted Population (Citizen 18+) 2008 206,072,000 146,311,000 131,144,000 63.6% 2006 201,703,000 135,847,000 96,119,000 47.8% 2004 197,005,000 142,070,000 125,736,000 58.3% 2002 192,656,000 128,154,000 88,903,000 42.3% 2000 186,366,000 129,549,000 110,826,000 54.7% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration (2000–2008).2
U.S. Voter Turnout, 2008
Approximately 131 million people voted in the 2008 U.S. presidential election (a record high in U.S. history).3 Approximately five million more people voted in 2008 than in 2004, which included two million more African American voters, two million more Latino voters, and about 600,000 more Asian voters.4 Reported Voting and Registration (in thousands), 2008
U.S Citizen Total Population Race of Total Total Reported Reported 18 Years Population Citizen Reported Registered Reported Voted Registered Voted and over Population Number Percent Number Percent Percent Percent Total U.S. Population 225,499 206,072 146,311 71.0 131,144 63.6 64.9 58.2 White 183,169 169,438 122,020 72.0 109,100 64.4 66.6 59.6 African American 26,528 24,930 17,375 69.7 16,133 64.7 65.5 60.8 Latino 30,852 19,537 11,608 59.4 9,745 49.9 37.6 31.6 Asian 10,455 7,059 3,901 55.3 3,357 47.6 37.3 32.1 Source: U.S. Census Bureau: Voting and Registration, 2008 Election.5
Youth Voter Turnout in the 2008 Election
The 2008 presidential election marked the second largest youth voter turnout in American history, the largest being the 1972 election, the first year 18-year-olds could vote in a presidential election.6 Between 22 and 24 million young Americans ages 18–29 voted in 2008, resulting in an estimated youth voter turnout of between 49.3 and 54.5 percent.7 Overall, 18-to-24-year-old turnout saw a 2 percent increase over 2004, reaching 49 percent. However, African Americans had the highest turnout rate among 18-to-24-year-old voters, 55 percent, an 8 percent increase from 2004.8 1 Andrew L. Shapiro, “Challenging Criminal Disenfranchisement under the Voting Rights Act: A New Strategy,” Yale Law Journal 103 (November 1993): 537–66. 2 U.S. Census Bureau. Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008. Table 4a. Reported Voting and Registration of the Total Voting-Age Population, by Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin, for States: November 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008. Available at: www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html (accessed, August 26, 2009).
The Resource for Black Americans
3 Ibid. 4 U.S. Census Bureau. “Voter Turnout Increases by 5 Million in 2008 Presidential Election, U.S. Census Bureau Reports,” July 20, 2009, Available at: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/013995. html (accessed, August 21, 2009). 5 U.S. Census Bureau. “Voting and Registration, 2008.” Available at: www. census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html (accessed, August 21, 2009).
6 Project Vote Smart. “Voting Records.” Available at: http://www.votesmart. org/official_five_categories.php?dist=voting_category.php (accessed August 28, 2009). 7 U.S. Census Bureau, “Voter Turnout Increases by 5 Million.” 8 Ibid.
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www.IBAPublications.com
To the readers of Issues in Black America, I bring you greetings! Each volume that is published is designed to keep you abreast of the issues facing black America. We take pride and solace in being the only magazine that provides its readers with the knowledge to stimulate, educate, and elevate our people to live their best life. We revel in the fact that each issue of our magazine is filled from cover to cover with information that is not only essential for our day to day living, but is also a vital component of our survival. There are so many things that propel us, including people who are instrumental in helping to raise the standards in black America. Often times we base success on the amount of money that one may possess, or the popularity associated with that person. Rarely, do we realize that success cannot be measured in dollars, and prosperity equated in cents. Dr. Martin Luther King shares, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” A person who will give a hand to extend a life, or one who is willing to sacrifice fame and fortune to help others, is indeed a person who is worthy of accolades and qualifies as highly successful. The person we are honoring is certainly no stranger to challenges and controversy in our community. The person that has been chosen to grace the cover of Issues in Black America is a person who has at times put the needs of others ahead of her own. She is a person that emulates what is good and righteous. In the face of adversity, she can be found moving forward with as much tenacity as needed to achieve the purpose at hand. Dr. King once stated, “Press on and keep pressing. If you can’t fly, run; if you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, CRAWL.” Our cover person has been, and continues to be a catalyst for change, and a vehicle for opportunity. I present to you, a person of distinction,
Dr. Regina Benjamin
Surgeon General of the United States of America
The Resource for Black Americans
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Dr. Regina Benjamin Surgeon General of the United States by Brian Woods
The slogan, “Yes We Can” was coined by the Obama for President campaign. It was a slogan that channeled confidence and courage into a nation that had lost its faith in a government that had failed its people time and time again. “Yes We Can” gave birth to a belief that change on any level is possible and even critical if we as a people are to rise up in this land and commit to the creed that all men are created equal; that all men and women are afforded the same rights to the same liberties, that the doctrine which governs us, the constitution of the United States, provides. Dr. Benjamin is a part of the “Yes We Can” generation. She is an advocate for change. Dr. Regina Benjamin has worked her entire life trying to generate a change in our community. She is known for her outstanding work in rural and indigent health care, and for being one of the top family practice physicians in the United States. Dr. Regina Benjamin was born October 26, 1956, in Mobile, Alabama. She graduated high school from Fairhope High School, in Fairhope, Alabama. She received her undergraduate degree from Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1979. In her quest to achieve excellence in order to promote service, she continued her education at Morehouse School of Medicine, from 1980 until 1982, where she is a member of its second class. Dr. Benjamin didn’t slow up there, she went on to receive her doctor of medicine degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham in 1984, and she completed her residency in family practice at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in 1987. While still trying to satisfy an insatiable urge, she continued her education, realizing that the more knowledge she acquired the more service she could render. As a result of her hunger to help others, seven years later she received her MBA from the
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Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. By pursuing with diligence, and performing with fortitude, Dr. Benjamin was able to better position herself to provide assistance to those who were in dire need of medical attention. The Surgeon General’s path was not paved without calamity. I’m often told that true stories generally bear tragedy. Where a hero or heroine emerges, there is often mitigating and motivating factors that contribute largely to their personal success. The story of Dr. Regina Benjamin is no different. As she toiled and labored to accomplish strides in medicine that would help to prevent the unnecessary loss of life, she was powerless as she watched her only sibling, and elder brother’s death from complications as a result of being infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. In the face of adversity, she would also endure the death of her father, who suffered from hypertension and diabetes. Several years ago, she lost her mother, whom she often referred to as her “mentor,” to lung cancer. In spite of the many hurdles that she has had to clear, the Surgeon General persevered, and proved that trouble doesn’t last always, and tribulations can be triumphed. Upon completing her education, Dr. Benjamin could have very well used the fuel that was a driving force in her life to pursue lofty positions with generous benefits. Because she housed an aspiration to create better situations for the less fortunate, she chose to return to the rural area of her own humble beginnings. She settled in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, where she worked in emergency rooms and nursing homes in order to finance the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Care Clinic, a nonprofit clinic, in which she is the founder and CEO. She once told CNN, “My priority has always been the needs of my patients.” And she has continued throughout the years to support that quote, often
times rendering services to those with little financial capability, or no money at all. She has been described by many as “a selfless person who always puts her patients first even when they can’t afford to pay.” President Barack Obama commended Dr. Benjamin for opening the Alabama Clinic, he said, “Even though she could have left the state to make more money as a specialist or a doctor in a wealthier community, she chose to return to Alabama.” He further stated, “When people couldn’t pay, she didn’t charge them. When the clinic wasn’t making money, she didn’t take a salary for herself.” The rural clinic which has been a saving grace to the community in which it serves, has had its share of catastrophes. In the face of all of its disasters, it still stands; like a lighthouse, it is positioned in the community to restore, refurbish, and reinstate the brokenhearted and wounded spirits. In 1998, when the clinic was destroyed by hurricane George, Dr. Benjamin continued to serve her constituents by making house calls to all of her patients, while the building was being reconstructed. After hurricane Katrina left most of the area desolate and deserted, she mortgaged her house and maxed out her credit cards to rebuild the clinic for a second time. She provided medical attention to those who had been injured during the storm. When people needed medicine, she instructed the pharmacist to send the bill to her. When the clinic was rebuilt, and about to open for the third time, a fire burned it to the ground, before it could even open its doors. The Surgeon General, though discouraged, disheartened, and perhaps even dispirited, resolved yet again to rebuild the clinic. This time the outpour from the community was heartfelt. One disabled patient brought her an envelope with a $7 donation to help. Dr. Benjamin said “If she can find $7, I can figure out the rest.” President www.IBAPublications.com
Dr. Regina Benjamin at her Change of the Command Ceremony
Obama praised Dr. Benjamin for being resourceful and resilient. Dr. Regina Benjamin is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where she was initiated at Xavier University. She is the former associate dean for rural health at the University of South Alabama’s College of Medicine in Mobile, where she administers the Alabama AHEC program and previously directed its Telemedicine Program. She served as the president of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama in 2002. In 1995, she was elected to the American Medical Association’s board of trustees, making her the first physician under the age of 40, and the first African-American woman to be elected. She also served on the Florida A & M University Board of Trustees after being appointed by Florida Governor Jeb Bush. From 2008-2009, she served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Federation of State Medical Boards, a national non-profit organization representing the 70 medical boards of the United States and its territories. Dr. Benjamin was named by Time Magazine as one of the Nations 50 Future leaders, age 40 and under. The Resource for Black Americans
She was named person of the week by ABC World News Tonight, Woman of the year by CBS This Morning, Woman of the year by People Magazine and the Catholic Church. Dr. Benjamin received the 2000 National Caring Award, which was inspired by Mother Teresa. In 2006 she received the papal cross Pro Ecclesia ET Pontifice by Pope Benedict XVI, one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon by the Catholic Church. In 1998, she received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, and a decade ago, the New York Times called her “Angel in a white coat.” On July 13, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Dr. Regina Benjamin as the next Surgeon General. In a ceremony to introduce her, he stated, “Through floods and fire and severe want, Dr. Regina Benjamin has refused to give up. Her patients have refused to give up.” He continued, “For all the tremendous obstacles that she has overcome, Regina Benjamin also represents what’s best about health care in America, doctors and nurses who give and care and sacrifice for the sake of their patients.” Dr. Benjamin assumed office as the Surgeon General on November 3,
2009. She is only the second African American Woman to be seated in the position. She is hard at work, helping to make things better for rural communities and indigent populations nationwide. She is involved in developing new policies and procedures to bring greater access and quality of health care to all Americans. She understands health care cost, both the physical aspect, as well as economically. Her background has prepared her for this position and her individual work ethic will ensure that she is a success. Dr. Benjamin, Issues in Black America Magazine applauds your efforts and your accomplishments. We are proud to make you the face of this issue’s cover and we support your endeavors to make tomorrow a healthier America for all of our citizens, no matter the color or creed. We embrace the concepts and ideas that you bring to office, and stand behind you as you continue to, “Make a difference one person at a time.” Thank you for your contributions to our community and your commitment to making this country a healthier place to live. We salute you and we implore your continued success.
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Get In The KNow by Dr. Jeri Dyson
Medical and Health Editor
World AIDS Day 2009 In the latest reports Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published higher rates of HIV/ AIDS among African Americans than expected. During World AIDS Day Dr. Dyson stopped by Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) 106 & Park to talk about HIV/AIDS. During the live broadcast, the viewing audience had an opportunity to send in their questions for Dr. Dyson to address on the show. If you missed the show, here are the top 5 questions Dr. Dyson answered including Dyson with 106 & Park hosts Terrence and Rocsi. ways to prevent the Dr. Photo courtesy of Ronnie Wright Photography spread of HIV within secondary to a blood transfusion is extremely low. our communities. Body Fluids: This includes semen and vaginal How is HIV transmitted? secretions. Body fluids like saliva, sweat and tears I often have people ask about the modes of do not present a great risk for HIV transmission. transmission and one day I was naming the modes There have been no reported cases to date of a perof transmission and realized they all started with a son being infected with HIV secondary to tears, “b.” This is what I call the “5 B’s of HIV transmissweat or saliva. However, if a person is engaging in sion”: deep kissing with someone who has open sores in Blood: This includes blood from contaminated the mouth or bleeding gums, that person is at risk needles and blood exchanged during sexual interfor acquiring HIV. course. Since 1984 all donated blood products are Breast Milk: Mothers known to be infected with screened for HIV so the risk of HIV transmission
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HIV who have infants are discouraged from breastfeeding, since HIV can be transmitted through breast milk. Birthing: If a pregnant woman is HIV positive and is not taking medications to treat the virus, transmission of HIV to her unborn baby is possible during anytime in her pregnancy. Banging: (common vernacular for sexual intercourse) Sex acts of any kind (oral, anal or vaginal sex) will place one at risk for acquiring HIV. Condoms will only reduce the likelihood of HIV transmission. Condoms do not guarantee 100% protection from HIV. What are the different types of HIV tests available? The test most people are familiar with is the one requiring a blood draw. Once your blood is collected, it is sent to the laboratory for testing. The results are returned to your provider within 1-2 weeks depending on the medical facility. This test is usually performed at your health care providers office, or in a hospital setting. There is a screening test, and then a confirmatory test if someone tests positive. www.IBAPublications.com
The two oral swab tests available to the public are: OraSure and OraQuick. Both tests look for antibodies found on the gums in your mouth. To find out your results, take the test swab and rub it along your gums above your top teeth and your bottom teeth. (This is not a saliva test, so if you place the test swab on your tongue, the roof of the mouth, or rub it along the inside of your cheeks you will not get accurate test results.) The swab is then placed in the test solution. The OraSure is then sent to the lab for results and takes a few days to determine the results. The OraQuick is performed right there in the office and the provider can give you the test results within 20 to 40 minutes. These two tests have a 99% accuracy when compared to the traditional blood tests. With the newer tests it’s so easy, why don’t people want to get tested? There is still stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. Many people are under the impression that a positive HIV test result is an instant death sentence. There are many people with a diagnosis of HIV who lead very productive full lives. The sooner a person finds out their results, the sooner they can receive proper medical care. Receiving medical care early on in the disease process means a better outcome. Ignoring the facts will not turn a positive diagnosis into a negative one. What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is a virus that attacks CD4 cells, part of the body’s immune system. Your immune system is your body’s defense against common bacteria and viruses. Once the HIV virus attacks an immune system it usually takes 5 to 10 years to completely destroy the immune system. Once a person’s body is no longer able to fight off common infections, they become susceptible to opportunistic infections like simple bacteria and fungal infections. After a person has these infections or a CD4 cell count of 200 or less, they have a diagnosis of AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. People with AIDS usually die from opportunistic infections rather than AIDS itself. How often should a person be tested for HIV? Everyone should be tested at least once a year even if you are in a monogamous relationship. If you have multiple sex partners, it is recommended that you wear condoms with ALL sex partners and get tested at least every 3 to 6 months. To find a free HIV testing center in your area, log on to www.hivtest.org and plug in your zip code. This site features HIV testing centers near you. Many of these centers will also perform tests for other sexually transmitted infections. The Resource for Black Americans
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University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Classified as a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and as an 1890 Land-Grant Institution, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is the second oldest public university in Arkansas. Known as the ‘Flagship of the Delta’, UAPB has more than 100 years of experience in solving problems for Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and the nation. The Resource for Black Americans
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Lions on Guard
History
Committed to Students
UAPB began in 1873 as Branch Normal College for the convenience and well-being of the poorer classes. A second statutory act in 1890 designated the institution as Land Grant. This charges the College to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, as well as scientific and classical studies, and help solve economic, agricultural and other problems in the community, state and region.
With a population of more than 3,500 students, UAPB faculty, staff and administrators work diligently to develop well-rounded, marketable individuals in the workplace. Students are given opportunities for excellence through academic enrichment programs such as the LIONS program, to ease the high school to college transition for incoming freshmen; the STEM program, to develop minority students in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; and Honors College, Committed to Outreach Though UAPB’s campus is in Pine Bluff, to encourage students of high ability to accept the Arkansas, our impact is statewide. UAPB has an extended campus in North Little Rock and offers courses in Gould and Marianna. UAPB also has Research and Extension offices in Lonoke, Newport and Lake Village and collaborations with University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, University of Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas State University, Southeast Arkansas College, Pulaski Technical College and Philander Smith College through its NSF funded STEM Academy. The UAPB Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office (MISGRO) works with community-based organizations to educate Arkansans about the dangers of tobacco products. Since its inception in 2002, MISRGO has funded more than 50 organizations and placed more than $5 million in minority communities in Arkansas.
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challenges and responsibilities of a committed pursuit of academic excellence. The 18:1 student-faculty ratio makes it possible to maintain a learning environment with close interaction between students and faculty. Challenging academic curricula encourage UAPB students to seek and fulfill their potential. In addition to coursework, UAPB students take advantage of internships, co-ops and fellowships in the U.S. and abroad. Athletics and involvement in Performing Arts give students valuable out-of-class experience and develop leadership skills. The athletics (ad) department has one of the highest graduation rates in the state. A majority of UAPB’s student-athletes maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better. The department has recently completed and dedicated its newest structure, the J.Thomas May Field House, a state of the art complex that houses administrative offices, weight rooms, training rooms, home and visitor locker rooms and study hall. The Torii Hunter Baseball and Softball Complex is scheduled to begin construction of the first phase with a completion date for March 2010. The UAPB Cheerleaders received national television exposure for their appearance on “RAH! Paula Abdul’s Cheerleading Bowl” in New York City. The Vesper Choir has travelled to Rome, Italy and performed at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The marching band made history this year after receiving an invitation to march in the Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. and raising more than $250,000 in two weeks to finance the trip. UAPB Marching Band
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Committed to Community
UAPB’s commitment to community is shown through its contributions to research, the economy and culture of Arkansas and the Delta. UAPB has on-going research in the areas of nanotechnology, biomedicine, pharmaceutical chemistry, agriculture, aquaculture, biotechnology, and water and farm management. Research is being done on the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) in an effort to improve the brain’s ability to receive pharmaceutical compounds, directly affecting research development for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer treatment and other brain disorders. On-going Aquaculture/Fisheries research covers all aspects of aquaculture from the chemistry of water through fish nutrition, fish health, marketing and economics to studies on the management of the states’ importance in recreational fisheries. Agricultural Biotechnology research has resulted in the transformation of the Southern pea to increase insect resistance, the introduction of an isoflavone gene complex in rice, and the development of a new micro propagation technique for pecan trees. UAPB is one of the top ten employers in Jefferson County* with a direct and indirect economic impact of over $113 Million. An example of our multifaceted contribution is exhibited in the UAPB Business Support Incubator and Office Complex and the UAPB Business Building Plaza, a 17,000 sq. ft. strip plaza career fairs to attract agencies and interested comthat is an anchor in the University Park Commu- panies to interview students. Internship and coopnity. The Business Incubator provides technical erative education programs provide other opporassistance and outreach to budding entrepreneurs, tunities for Arkansas companies to recruit UAPB many of whom are rural and/or minorities. Busi- graduates. ness Incubator participants have expanded services, Homecoming festivities, athletic events, the created jobs and been accepted in national training Clark Terry Jazz Festival, Founder’s Weekend, Rucertification programs in their particular field. ral Life Conference and the Educational Access UAPB also supports initiatives designed to in- Conference provide entertainment, culture and crease employment opportunities for graduates in information to the communities of Pine Bluff and Arkansas. The office of Career Services organizes the Delta Region. UAPB also responds to the need The Resource for Black Americans
for preserving the heritage of UAPB and of African Americans of Arkansas with the UAPB AfricanAmerican Museum and Cultural Center. UAPB offers programs designed to prepare students to excel in their chosen field of study through a curricula of more than forty-three Undergraduate programs and 11 Master’s degree programs. These programs and services are aligned with the economic, health, social service and community development needs of the Delta, Arkansas and the nation.
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Historically Black Colleges and Universities We at IBA are abuzz with the prospect of bringing you news about innovative programs, features on movers and shakers, ground-breaking initiatives, partnerships and other updates from the nation’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). In each edition, we will feature several institutions, as well as key leaders from those institutions. We will focus on everything from the bands, to the Rhodes Scholars, to the corporate CEOs and the sterling programs they produce. We proudly present the HBCU…
“Roll Call”!
A&T Instructor and Newspaper Advisor Named Fellow Emily Burch Harris, faculty adviser to the North Carolina A&T State University’s campus newspaper, The A&T Register, and lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JOMC), was among 12 journalism professors world-wide to be named fellows by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism. A total of 24 fellows attended the “Strictly Financial Seminar” and the Business Journalism Professor for Seminar” conducted by the center on Jan. 5-8 in Phoenix, Arizona. Course topics included creating a business journalism class, creating a syllabus, understanding financial statements, finding stories in SEC filings, preparing students for business journalism’s future and what you need to know about using social media in business journalism. The seminars took place at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. The fellowships are valued at $2,000 and cover seminar expenses.
men and women in positions of influence throughout the country, with roles ranging from city planners to mayors. Douglas Tate and Dawson I. Horn partnered to write a proposal to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address a dire need. On the receiving end, Samuel C. Jackson, former Assistant Secretary of HUD, awarded the initial grant to fund 10 students, part-time faculty and administrative personnel. Thus, with the fire of a Lionel Crump, CPUS was born. “AAMU’s Department of Community Planning and Urban Studies is one of about 13 such departments in the U.S. and Canada that offers degrees under the Planning Accreditation Board,” commented Donald Outland, a CPUS professor, former department head and an organizer of the 40th anniversary activities. Activities for the 40th celebration included the 28th Annual Benjamin Banneker Scholarship and Awards Banquet which was held in the last week of February, in the Ernest L. Knight Reception Center on the AAMU campus. Dr. Raphael Bostic, current assistant secretary of HUD, delivered the address. Noted entrepreneur Michael V. Roberts of St. Louis, Mo., was among the event’s honorees. Roberts also addressed the annual Future of the City Symposium in the Dawson Building Auditorium.
HSSU Sponsors St. Louis African-American History & Genealogy Society’s Conference
Nation’s Planners Will Help AAMU Department Observe Fortieth! When Alabama A&M University employees wrote a grant proposal to start a pilot program in 1970 to increase the number of trained minority planners in the U.S., the two men probably had no idea that their effort would lead to the boastful rarity of a nationally accredited Department of Community Planning and Urban Studies (CPUS). Now, fast forward 40 years, and that program has placed hundreds of young
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Harris-Stowe State University is sponsoring the St. Louis African-American History & Genealogy Society’s (AAHGS) first-ever African-American History & Genealogy Society Conference. At the conference, both beginning and experienced researchers will receive valuable information and training, and some of the conference workshops will be presented by Harris-Stowe faculty and staff. Director of HSSU’s AT&T Library and Technology Resource Center Barbara Noble, Coordinator of Special Services Linda Orzel, Serials Librarian Shirley McCullough, and Reference/Interlibrary Loan Librarian Bettye Brown will present together, “The Internet: Power Tool for Family History Research.” Dr. Eugene Royster, chair of the Department of Urban Specializations, will present “Genealogy and Sociology: Combining Approaches to Better Understand Race, Family and www.IBAPublications.com
Society.” Lastly, Dr. Diane Smoot, assistant professor of Arts & Sciences, and Kimberly Curtis, Urban Specializations adjunct instructor, will present, “Develop Family Newsletters.” Themed “Tracing African-American Roots: A Bridge to the Future,” the conference was held in February at the Harris-Stowe’s Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Administration Building. Harris-Stowe State University, located in midtown St. Louis, is a four-year institution that offers 12 degree programs in the areas of Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Health Care Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Information Sciences and Computer Technology, Middle School Education, Professional Interdisciplinary Studies, Secondary Education and Urban Education. Ranked by U.S. News as one of America’s Best Colleges in the Midwest, the University, which has been in existence for more than 150 years, offers the most affordable bachelor’s degree in the metropolitan area.
Georgia; Larry Cooper, Retired Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, Irving, Texas and Antonio Moore, Sales Representative and Clinical Consultant, Medtronic, Little Rock, Arkansas. The other BEEPers were Wanda Ashley, Affirmative Action Officer, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, Little Rock, Arkansas; David Brickley, Corporate Department Manager, UPS, Atlanta, Georgia; Harry Coker, Program Director, CIA, Clinton, Maryland and Ann Williams, Executive Director, Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce, Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Students served as escorts for the representatives and introduced them during the classroom visits and to students when the opportunity presented itself. The student escorts were: Julius Bayone, Ashanti Brown, Brandon Charles, Stephanie Forte, Brittany Henry, Shandrea Middlebrook, Brian Mixon, Joseph Rayfus, Terrel Sharp and Reneka Toler.
Savannah State receives $4 million grant award to strengthen health disparity research collaborations
University of Arkansas BEEP Seminar a Success “Accentuating the Positive and Empowering Success” was the theme for the recent Career Awareness and Planning Seminar presented by the Office of Career Services at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The seminar began with a warm welcome and brief history of the Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP) at UAPB by Chancellor Lawrence A. Davis, Jr. Following his presentation, an orientation was held to acquaint the representatives with expectations and to provide other information about the university. Representatives of BEEP, a program of the National Urban League, spent a day on campus talking with students about what it takes to be successful in the real world of work. The BEEPers met with students in designated classrooms to convey their messages and address concerns that students had about making the transition from school to a successful career. The executives were exceptionally qualified practitioners who could: * Serve as credible role models who have achieved differing measures of success in their own career fields; * Provide students and faculty with an opportunity to learn more about new and developing career opportunities; * Provide insight on what skills are needed to succeed in everyday work life; * Establish and maintain a free-flowing channel of communication between industry and the University; * Attract support from the public and private sector for faculty and student development, educational programs and financial endeavors. This year, the focus was on having more alumni participation as BEEPers and panelists. Eight of the thirteen executives participating in this year’s program were alumni. They were: Joe Blanks, Vice President-Consumer Lending, Pine Bluff National Bank, Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Hannibal Bolton, Assistant Director, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, Washington, D. C.; Calvin Booker, Vice President of Public Affairs, Waste Management, Atlanta, The Resource for Black Americans
NIH award is university’s largest research grant in history Savannah State University was awarded a $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a five-year project that will strengthen the university’s research capacity and infrastructure to promote minority health and eliminate health disparities. The grant was awarded through NIH’s National Center for Minority Health Disparities (NCMHD) through the Research Infrastructure for Minority Institutions (RIMI) program, which provides resources to strengthen faculty-initiated research programs while improving the potential for future research scientists. “This is the largest research grant received in the history of SSU,” said Chellu Chetty, Ph.D., associate vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs who will oversee implementation of the grant project. “The competition for these funds was very high and our proposal was rated as excellent by the review panel.” RIMI support will build the research capacity of SSU’s junior faculty, enhance the biomedical research program by establishing a Health Disparities Shared Research Resources Laboratory, enhance academic and experiential opportunities for students and sustain community partnerships and effective community outreach to link SSU public health research to Savannah area health needs and policy. Ultimately, Savannah State will be better prepared to meet the requirements for more advanced NCMHD research grants to engage in ongoing health disparity research and education. All of this will form a solid foundation for a dedicated SSU Center for Health Disparities Research, which is a long-term goal of the project. “This money’s going to do a whole lot of good for folks right here in Savannah, and not just here but everywhere that health care disparities exist. Savannah State is a top notch institution, and with grants like this one it will keep getting better,” said U.S. Congressman John Barrow of Georgia’s 12th District, who attended a campus reception on Jan. 28 to celebrate receipt of continued on page 28
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the funds. The program will be implemented by a team of faculty members from various academic disciplines in collaboration with Mercer University School of Medicine at its Savannah campus. Other collaborating partners include Chatham Orthopedic Associates, City of Savannah Recreation Services, Chatham County Anderson/Cohen Weight Lifting Center Harvard Medical School, Georgetown University Medical Center, Clemson University and Auburn University. “As an HBCU and a community leader in a region with large representation by underrepresented minorities, both African American and Hispanic, Savannah State is committed to engaging in meaningful research programs that address relevant public issues,” said SSU President Earl G. Yarbrough Sr., Ph.D. “Reducing and ultimately eliminating health disparities is a significant public health issue that has social and economic implications.” For Chetty, the $4 NIH grant award was a major achievement professionally and personally. “When I joined the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs 10 years ago, my goal was to increase external funding from $4 million to $10 million annually within 10 years,” he said. During the 20092010 academic year, Savannah State will receive approximately $10 million in annual funds for 37 research grants. In the first half of this academic year, the College of Sciences and Technology has received $14 million for the next five years. Established in 1890, Savannah State University is on the move to become the best value-added university in the nation. The university’s approximately 3,800 students are enrolled in 23 undergraduate degree majors and five graduate programs in three colleges: Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Business Administration and Sciences and Technology.
Xavier University and NYU Receive $3 Million NSF Grant to Enhance Diversity Among Materials Scientists New York University and Xavier University of Louisiana have received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to bolster diversity among materials scientists through collaborative research and curriculum development. The award was one of eight awarded this year under NSF’s Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) program, and funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Under its PREM grant, Xavier and the NYU Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) – one of 31 NSF-backed centers that perform interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary materials research – will develop a materials science research core at Xavier and an undergraduate materials science educational program that will introduce a materials science track within the chemistry program at the New Orleans institution. The research core will consist of several Xavier-NYU collaborative research
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projects that will enhance Xavier’s research infrastructure and lead to advances in nanotechnology that impact society and the commercial sector, including new materials for energy storage, smart magnetic assemblies for advanced medical imaging, unique diagnostics tools for detection of cancer cells based on measurements of their mechanical properties at the nanoscale. The PREM also will employ tools that probe the nanoscale properties of crystalline materials relevant to the pharmaceutical and biomedical sectors. Under the education component, undergraduate students will be exposed, through PREM fellowships, to research laboratories at Xavier as early as their freshman year in order to stimulate their interest in materials science. During summers, Xavier undergraduates and accompanying faculty members will conduct research as teams with NYU MRSEC research groups. NYU graduate students will be paired with these teams, integrating both undergraduate and graduate students into a common and sustainable professional network. The Faculty Resource Network at NYU, a professional development initiative that sponsors programs for faculty members from a consortium of over 50 colleges and universities, will assist in the coordination of several components of the Xavier-NYU PREM, ranging from student exchanges to symposia involving research scientists from the national PREM network. The combination of the research core and the creation of the materials science educational program (MSEP) is intended to ensure that Xavier’s undergraduate students receive the necessary research and educational skills to be successful in a materials science graduate program at any research-oriented university while creating a pipeline of underrepresented undergraduates prepared for careers in science disciplines. The objective of the PREM program is to broaden participation of underrepresented groups and enhance diversity in materials research and education by encouraging long-term, multi-investigator, collaborative research and education partnerships between women- and minority-serving colleges and universities, colleges and universities dedicated to educating a majority of students with disabilities, and NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR)supported centers and facilities. The program was launched in 2004. In 2008, New York University received a $7.2 million, six-year grant from NSF to create a Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), to develop new materials through the exploration and manipulation of molecular particles. For more, go to http://www.nyu.edu/as/mrsec.
President Barack Obama to Deliver Commencement Address at Hampton University Hampton University is pleased to announce that President Barack Obama will serve as the University’s 140th commencement speaker on May 9, 2010. We are honored that President Obama has accepted Hampton’s invitation to speak to our 2010 graduates during our commencement exercises,” said HU President William R Harvey. “His commitment to leadership, education and service is parallel to Hampton’s mission from our beginning in 1868. He is an inspiration for our students to make the world a better place by becoming the very best leaders, educators, doctors, lawyers, financial analysts and scientists that they can be.” www.IBAPublications.com
love for children. “They bring something special out of me,” she said. “I want to show them that they can enjoy school, further their education and become something very special.” Dawn Custalow, a junior, approached Rev. Douglas with the idea after riding past the elementary school one day. “I love kids and I wanted to make a difference in a young child’s life. This project means a lot to me because there are a lot of kids who think there is no one who want to see them succeed in VSU Students Help Shape Young Minds school,” Custalow said. “With the help of other VSU students, I know we can at Local Elementary School help them succeed in anything they set their hearts on.” After Virginia State University student Lauren Ross finished reading the P. O. Box 9085, Petersburg, VA 23806 children’s book Franklin Can Stay Up to a class of third graders at Ettrick www.vsu.edu Elementary School, hands flew up into the air as their teacher quizzed them on the characters, plot and point of the book. For nearly ten minutes, nearly two-dozen students had glued their eyes to Bethune-Cookman UNIVERSITY the pages and listened intently to Ross as she alternated between high and low pitched voices, switching from one book character to another. Now, they were Bethune-Cookman Hospitality Management ready to dissect what they had just learned. Program Granted Reaccreditation Ross is one of several VSU students who visit Ettrick Elementary School Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) recently announced that its hospithroughout the school year to read to students there during and after school tality management program has been granted reaccreditation by the Accrediin an effort to promote learning and literacy within their surrounding com- tation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA). munity. She is part of the United Campus Ministries at VSU, led by direc- Along with University of Central Florida and Florida State College at Jacksontor Rev. Delano Douglas, which has recently become an integral part of the ville, B-CU’s program is one of only three hospitality management programs elementary school’s road to reading. in the state of Florida accredited by ACPHA. Ettrick Elementary School serves 582 students, most of them African Amer“We are very excited that B-CU’s hospitality management program has icans and Latinos. The majority of students operate at a grade level below the been granted reaccreditation for another seven years. As one of only three national average, said Kimberly Reynolds, of Ettrick Elementary School. accredited programs in Florida, B-CU takes pride in maintaining high stanThe lagging statistic, she said, is due to a lack of exposure the students have dards of academic excellence in this field. Congratulations to our dedicated to reading activities outside of school. The more the students are read to, she faculty and talented students,” noted B-CU President Trudie Kibbe Reed. said, the more likely it is that the students will begin to think critically and “Achieving reaccreditation is a testament to the quality of instruction and supwant to learn how to read themselves. port that the B-CU hospitality management program provides our students. With the help of VSU students who volunteer their time to read to Ettrick This program is a great source of pride for the School of Business and the Elementary students, the school’s overall reading score has jumped several entire university community. You can find our graduates pursuing successful points, said Reynolds. careers throughout the hospitality industry,” said Dr. Aubrey Long, dean of “Working with VSU students and people like Rev. Douglas is making such the B-CU School of Business. a huge impact here,” Reynolds said. The Bethune-Cookman University hospitality management program opRev. Douglas drives the United Campus Ministries van filled with VSU erates as a department within B-CU’s School of Business and offers a destudents to Ettrick Elementary five days a week, two times a day for 45 and gree program leading to the Bachelor of Science in hospitality management. 30 minute reading sessions, respectively. His goal is not solely to pull up the Through their coursework and required internships, students develop a solid community through outreach, but to also promote social responsibility and grounding in the fundamentals of business administration as well as the speexpose VSU students to the joy of helping others. cific skills needed to successfully manage hotels, restaurants, and travel/tour“This project is a mutually beneficial experience for all students involved. It ism operations. is beneficial for the Ettrick students because it reinforces the need to prioritize Highlights of the hospitality management program include: literacy and introduces them to VSU representatives. It is likewise for VSU Dedicated faculty of certified and seasoned hospitality managers with students because it allows them to see influence that they have on the youth impressive records of industry association leadership of the community and gives them the chance to represent VSU to the public,” Low student-teacher ratio that provides students with many opportusaid Douglas, who joined the University in summer 2009 and plans on addnities to work with professors on projects that provide hands-on experiing more service opportunities for students such as Fellowship Friday Night, ence which allows VSU students to participate in a creative, fun and positive felSuccessful integration of technology and education through comlowship experience with their peers every Friday. puter labs, multi-media lecture halls, and a state-of-the-art customized “As a ministry, this project is important theologically because students training facility get the opportunity to embody their faith in a tangible way. The Trojans of Two required internships that give students real world experiences, Ettrick Elementary are our neighbors. As the VSU Trojans, we get to love help test their career goals, and increase their competitive position with our neighbors in ways that hopefully will assist them in their academics and employers; Walt Disney World, Marriott, Starwood, Hilton, and Soexpose them to the possibility of higher education at an early age.” Megan Johnson, a VSU junior, said she volunteers at Ettrick because of her continued on page 28
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dexho are just a few of the companies that offer internships to B-CU’s hospitality management students. B-CU hospitality management alumni have gone on to work in management positions for such companies as Marriott Hotels and Resorts, the Walt Disney World Resort, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Darden Restaurants, McDonald’s, and many more. Most graduates of the program receive multiple employment offers during their senior year. Founded in 1904 by Mary McLeod Bethune, Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) today sustains her legacy of faith, scholarship and service through its relationship with the United Methodist Church and its commitment to academic excellence and civic engagement. B-CU offers baccalaureate degrees in 37 majors through six academic schools – Arts & Humanities; Business; Education; Nursing; Science, Engineering and Mathematics; and Social Sciences – and maintains intercollegiate athletic programs and instrumental and choral groups that have achieved national recognition. Under the direction of President Trudie Kibbe Reed, the school achieved University status in 2007with the launch of a master’s degree program in transformative leadership. Located in Daytona Beach, B-CU is one of three private historically black colleges in the state of Florida. The institution boasts a diverse and international faculty and student body of more than 3,400.
SC State’s Environmental Policy Institute Receives $1.7 Million Grant for Nuclear Research The Environmental Policy Institute (EPI) at SC State’s James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center recently received a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The grant enhances SC State’s applied research, policy analysis, education and community outreach efforts while assisting the NNSA to meet its mission and strategic goals. The mission and goals include: detecting the movement of nuclear sources directly related to Defense Nuclear Proliferation; increasing the number of students from minority serving institutions entering the area of science, math and engineering; and developing emergency response plans in rural communities near the Savannah River Site. “This grant provides many opportunities for SC State University to continue its work in the areas of science, math, and engineering and to provide programs and activities relating to the environment,” said Dr. Reinhart Brown, interim executive director of the James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center and principle investigator of the grant. “This is the fifth grant award, totaling $7.7 million since 2005, granted to the Environmental Policy Insti-
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NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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tute. The activities of the grant bring the community, business and governmental sectors closer to the University,” continued Brown. The grant supports five targeted components: Research - Conducting research on the safe and secure transport of radiological sources to South Carolina. Curriculum Development - Enhancing the University’s curriculum offerings in science, mathematics and engineering, and to assist with the purchasing of new equipment for SC State’s nuclear engineering program. Student Development - Supporting the continuation of the science, math and engineering Recruitment and Retention program at SC State and to provide scholarships for students enrolled in the nuclear engineering program. Also, assisting with the development of student summer internship programs with NNSA throughout the United States. Outreach and Training - Enhancing the awareness of first responders and community leaders of their role in natural and/or man-made disasters resulting from a radiological source or hazardous waste incident. Additionally, to provide leadership and technical institutes surrounding the Savannah River Site. Faculty Development - Increasing the number of SC State faculty members submitting proposals and conducting research congruent with the mission and strategic plan of NNSA and the U.S. Department of Energy.
In December 2008, Prairie View A & M University officials announced the successful completion of the university’s first-ever capital campaign, EXTEND THE VIEW: Shape Tomorrow Today. The campaign raised more than $32.2 million for the university’s endowment, exceeding its goal of $30 million. Started in 2003, the campaign received generous contributions from alumni, faculty, staff and supporters of the university. Corporations, foundations and prominent members of the national, state, local business and philanthropic communities also donated to the historic campaign. PVAMF Board of Trustees
Roy G. Perry, Chairman/President Nathelyne Archie Kennedy, Vice Chairman/Vice President Marvin D. Brailsford, Treasurer Phyllis C. Tidwell, Secretary Fred Newhouse, Assistant Treasurer Don Clark, Assistant Secretary Terrence Gee - Trustee Ernest Collins - Trustee Kenneth Houston - Trustee Jerry LeVias - Trustee Lawrence Sampleton- Trustee About Prairie View A & M Foundation
The mission of the Prairie View A & M Foundation is to maximize the effectiveness of contributions to support future excellence in education, research, service and athletics at Prairie View A & M University. To learn more, please visit www.pvamf.org. About Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View A & M University Announces Partnership with Newly Created Foundation Prairie View A & M University is pleased to announce a partnership with the newly created the Prairie View A & M Foundation. The 501C3 charitable foundation will partner with the University to support a continuing legacy of giving to PVAMU. The PVAMF, in conjunction with the university’s Office of Development, will solicit financial support for the university’s fundraising priorities. These projects could include professorships, faculty support, student scholarships, facility improvements, new equipment, athletic support, program enhancements and new university buildings. “As an independent, public non-profit organization, the PVAMU Foundation will have a greater opportunity to raise funds for projects and programs that ensure or excellence in teaching, research, service and athletics,” said PVAMU President George C. Wright. “It is this group of supporters that will serve as an inspiration to philanthropists and others who choose to support our great institution.” The foundation’s vision is to work directly with the university’s goals to increase enrollment and attract excellent faculty. Additionally, the foundation, will solicit, receive and administer funds, property and other gifts to the 132year-old land grant institution. The organization has already embarked on its first major capital project. Funds are currently being collected to support the development of a multipurpose athletic complex that will compliment the university’s burgeoning athletic programs and support the increased student population through educational, social and cultural events. The Resource for Black Americans
Prairie View A & M University was founded in 1876 and is the secondoldest public institution of higher education in Texas. With an established reputation for producing engineers, business leaders, nurses and educators, PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees and doctoral degree programs through eight colleges and schools. The university recently named its College of Engineering in honor of PVAMU alumnus Roy G. Perry and the University’s marching band, The Marching Storm, was featured as the lead band in the 2009 Rose Parade. A member of The Texas A & M University System, the university is dedicated to fulfilling its land-grant mission of achieving excellence in teaching, research and service. During the university’s 132-year history, more than 53,500 academic degrees have been awarded. For more information regarding PVAMU, visit www.pvamu.edu.
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Library Resources by James L. Beasley
The library was once considered a service agency concerned primarily with the acquisition and use of books and other printed materials. This concept has been rapidly changing. Libraries today continue to house and maintain large collections of books. However, they also now have a wide collection of other resources that educate, communicate, and entertain. Libraries provide access to information in a wide variety of formats such as; books, magazines, manuscripts, newspapers, pamphlets, and computer systems. Libraries also provide access to audio and visual materials such as compact discs, DVD’s, film, maps, paintings and photographs. There are additional resource materials that are provided, including; large type books, Braille books, the recording of books, recreational materials, and others. The expansion of library resources greatly increases the library’s ability to communicate and educate. For example, a person interested in jazz music can listen to compact discs and read books about famous composers. After reading a biography about President Barack Obama, a person may check out a DVD and learn additional information about the president and his family. Libraries today, in an attempt to serve and assist their patrons in the fast paced society in which we live, have moved in the direction of being a multimedia resource center, a one-stop facility that houses and provides the information needed and desired by the user’s of the library. Library professionals have developed various types of libraries to serve the needs of specific groups of people. The resources in the libraries are specifically selected and organized to meet the needs of each group: College, universities, and research libraries: Maintain large collections of detailed research materials, and are primarily designed to serve advanced students and scholars. Elementary and High School Libraries: are
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generally designed to provide material and information pertinent to the students in that particular range or level. Public Libraries: tailor their collection to the general public and the multimedia resources and services they provide to the public. Government library collections: are geared toward serving the needs of government officials or patrons seeking government related information.
The expansion of library resources greatly increases the library’s ability to communicate and educate. The Librarian
A major resource that is available for library users is the Librarian, (often called information professionals). With the changing landscape of libraries evolving into multi media centers, librarians are able to effectively assist patrons by combining traditional methods with the quickly changing technology that is available. Librarians also help patrons find information and use it effectively for personal and professional purposes. They must have a vast knowledge of a wide variety of scholarly and public information sources and must follow trends related to publishing, computers, and the media, in order to oversee the selection and organization of library materials.
Librarians manage staff and develop and direct information programs and systems for the public, and ensure that information is organized in a manner that meets the users’ needs. Librarians typically possess good interpersonal and communication skills. Their job necessitates that they are able to effectively guide the patron through the use of the many resources in the library. The librarian must have substantial knowledge of how to operate computers and other machines and equipment if he/she is to be an efficient librarian. They must be able to demonstrate and supply answers to the questions that the patrons may have. If the library does not have the information on hand that the user is searching for, the librarian should be skilled and proficient enough to guide the individual to a resource where the information may be found, or they may enlighten them on the interlibrary loan request, which allows them to borrow the material from another library. Overall, Librarians use the latest information and technology to perform research, classify materials, and help students and library patrons gather information. A master’s degree in library science is generally the main qualification for most librarian positions. School librarians often need experience as teachers to meet state licensing requirements. James L. Beasley is a Certified Librarian, Teacher, Media Specialist and Reference Librarian for Issues in Black America Magazine. Beasley is a retired public school’s librarian, and has served many years as a Librarian in the public library system. He is a graduate of Fort Valley State University, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University. His degrees includes: B.S., M.S., EDS., and has an Honorary PH.D. He may be reached at Jamesbeasely@ ibapublications.com www.IBAPublications.com
Morris Brown College A Status Report on Recovery Alumni, AME Church, and Community Support Still Carrying the Load “There has been no silver bullet that has come to the aid of Morris Brown College. But the words of Langston Hughes in his Mother to Son poem are so apropos: ‘I’s been climbing on, and reaching landin’s, and turning corners… so don’t you sit down on the steps ‘cause you find it’s kinder hard…’ Morris Brown College remains in the struggle for recovery,” said Dr. Stanley Pritchett, acting president of Morris Brown. continued on page 28
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Morris Brown College
way of their successes,” said Dr. Pritchett. While financial stability remains the issue in the turnaround of the college, the good news is that the current operational budget can be realized with a consistent flow of revenue. Projected income includes the necessity for a minimum of $250,000 in monthly contributions, and, therefore, the college’s development team, coupled with an aggressive special committee appointed by the Board of Trustees, is always in a fundraising mode. Morris Brown is also chipping away at the more than thirty million dollars in overall debt. “Even though bankruptcy has been suggested by some, this is not an option because it would set the re-accreditation process
ris Brown, and we are prayerful that we will find that philanthropic soul who will come forward with significant funding capabilities,” says Dr. Walker. “It is painful and disheartening, however, when addressing those who question the validity It has been almost one year ago since all eyes and of the institution and tell us that they don’t want ears focused on Morris Brown as it labored to pay to waste their donations on Morris Brown because the Atlanta Watershed Department a $380,000 they fear the college will soon close. We think we water bill. Reverend C. T. Vivian issued the “Yes have proven that the leadership of Morris Brown We Care” call to action and provided the energy is at work every day to search for funds to satisfy and enthusiasm that stimulated monetary gifts to financial emergencies, to alleviate the more formithe college in excess of $500,000. The accreditadable long term issues of financial stability and to tion woes and constant financial challenges have operate a college that is providing an excellent edubeen open to public scrutiny since 2002 when the cation for its students,” he added. college lost its accreditation from the Southern AsEarlier this year, Atlanta sociation of Colleges and City Councilpersons Ivory Schools (SACS). Through Lee Young and C.T. Marit all, for almost seven tin participated in a Morris years, Morris Brown has Brown press conference, not closed its doors. Inalong with Representative come streams have come Tryone Brooks and other through the leasing of elected officials. Councilbuildings on the campus, man Young called for Atand innovative programs lantans to “Get out of your such as the Hope Scholarcomfort zone; take the ship, Upward Bound, and time to learn what is going the Georgia Tuition Equalon at Morris Brown and ization Grant, which have let’s give Morris Brown a provided additional restimulus.” sources. The AME Church “It was 128 years ago has been more than generwhen African Americans ous; the Executive Comfrom the AME Church mittee of the Board of Dr. Stanley Pritchett, acting president of Morris Brown and Bishop William DeVeaux, founded Morris Brown,” Trustees has given their said Bishop William Deshare. Concerned alumni Chair of the Board of Trustees. Veaux, Chairman of the Morris Brown College have been consistent donors, students and faculty back for ten years,” said Dr. Pritchett. The recent item in the Atlanta Journal and Con- Board of Trustees. “We can assure the public that have dug deep and made contributions, professors have volunteered, and faculty members have stitution calling attention to the perilous condition every dollar received since the sitting Board of of the historic buildings at Morris Brown College Trustees has been responsible for the College can worked without pay. Today, Morris Brown College is still open and in points out the value of the historic structures on the be accounted for and has been put to good use.” Morris Brown College has an aggressive business the business of educating students who want to go campus. President Mark McDonald of the Georgia to college. There are 104 students currently taking Trust for Historic Preservation is quoted as saying plan put together with the assistance of the busiclasses at Morris Brown, with 20 students enrolled “the civil rights museum, instead of going into a ness department at Howard University. With this in the new online Organizational Management and new building, could go there (Morris Brown Col- plan, the president and faculty of Morris Brown Leadership program that was initiated in the fall of lege).” “We applaud Mr. McDonald’s foresight and are working on a new direction for the college with 2009. Recent graduates of Morris Brown are gain- encourage him and other preservationists to help a new mission – the online program is just one of fully employed, and several Morris Brown gradu- provide leadership in our efforts to locate funding the initiatives undertaken to reach a global community. The Board of Trustees is working with a ates have successfully enrolled in graduate schools for such a cause,” said Dr. Pritchett. Dr. Sonny Walker, chair of the board’s special team of lawyers, bankers and financial advisors to and law schools. Dr. Pritchett reports many success stories including that of Class of 2004 graduate committee, meets weekly with the college presi- find solutions to current financial problems and Stacy Barrett, who is working on her Ph.D. and dent and various chairs of board committees in an address long term financial stability. “It is critical also teaching at Morris Brown. “Our graduates are attempt to carefully examine all of the ideas and that the greater community realize the progress achievers and have not let the fact that their degree proposals that come before the Board of Trustees. Morris Brown College has made toward recovery,” comes from a non-accredited school stand in the “We are grateful for those who bring ideas to Mor- said Dr. Pritchett. continued from page 27
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Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation The Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation and Morehouse College Announce Partnership to Train Youth for Ethical Leadership The Maynard Jackson Youth Foun2009, the MJYF Leadership Academy dation and Morehouse College have will begin its 18th Leadership Academy announced their partnership to mount class of 11th grade high school students a campaign to unite ethics and leaderfrom Atlanta Public Schools and the ship and to train young people to befirst class from high schools located in come leaders with a conscience. Bound South Fulton County. Students are setogether through the legacy of the Atlected by their high school counselors to lanta’s first African American Mayor participate in the academy for one year. Maynard Jackson, a Morehouse alumCurrently, there are two sessions of the nus, these two organizations recognize Leadership Academy that meet on Sattheir mutual benefits in the fields of urday mornings. education, training, and leadership de“The Youth Foundation seeks to envelopment and will work together to hance self esteem and pride in accomcreate an aggressive ethical leadership plishment, to support a positive value curriculum and to disseminate such system and to instill a commitment to L to R – Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, executive director, Morehouse knowledge, on a long term basis, focus- College Leadership Center; Dr. Melvinia Turner King, LSM ethical public service for the youth we ing on the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Coordinator Morehouse College Leadership Center; Valeria work with,” said Ms. Edmond. “These Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, executive Richardson Jackson, chairperson of the board of directors of are the principles my father taught those the Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation and the widow of the director of the Leadership Center at late Mayor Maynard Jackson; Dr. Robert Franklin, president around him to live by and these are the Morehouse, and Brooke Jackson Ed- of Morehouse College; Brooke Jackson Edmond, CEO of the values that we remain committed to pass mond, CEO and a member of the Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation and daughter of the late on to the students of today. We hope to Maynard Jackson; and John Holly, president of the Board of Directors of the Maynard Mayor broaden the reach of MJYF and bring Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation. Jackson Youth Foundation and Mayor meaningful programs to the metro AtJackson’s daughter, have been catalysts lanta community as a part of my father’s and Morehouse will consist of an assessment of for this partnership. “My father was a Morehouse needs and the design of the requisite curriculum. legacy,” Ms. Edmond added. man from his heart. He was dedicated to this insti- This phase will further define the participation For more information about the Maynard Jacktution as well as to the principals of ethical leader- of students, faculty, and administrators at each son Youth Foundation, please call 404-523-5744 ship. The abiding desire to carry on his legacy led partner institution, and will identify the requisite or visit us on the web at www.mjyf.org. me to Dr. Fluker’s door a few months ago. Our training and funding requirevision for the MJYF is to edify fundamental values ments for a pilot program and and life skills, encourage moral commitments and subsequent implementations of develop the ability to engage in ethical reasoning – the MJYF program. The deliva mission already articulated by Dr. Robert Frank- erable from Phase I will be the lin, the president of Morehouse College,” said Ms. pilot program. Edmond. The Maynard Jackson Youth “The forces of money, power, and technology Foundation, a Georgia nonare on a collision course with the fragile traditions profit organization, was founded of character, civility and community. This is dan- by Mayor Maynard Jackson in gerous territory,” says Dr. Fluker. “Who will train a 1992 to teach leadership skills to new generation of courageous, globally connected, young people. John Holley, the ethically centered leaders. Enter the Leadership foundation president and ValerCenter at Morehouse,” he added. Dr. Fluker has ie Jackson, Mayor Jackson’s widlead the efforts at the Leadership Center at More- ow and the Chair of the Board house since … and had worked closely with May- of the Foundation, have been nard Jackson during the early life of The Leader- responsible for many compo- Marques Harris, graduate of the 2009 Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation Leadership Academy, and Brooke Jackship Center. nents of the programs including son Edmond, CEO of the Maynard Jackson Youth FoundaPhase I of the partnership between the MJYF leadership training. In October, tion and daughter of the late Mayor Maynard Jackson. The Resource for Black Americans
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n a h T e r o M n – . o i c t n a I c , a s V a t y i r a Lifetime! r a o n l i p d x r E tries ife for n O L u t o u C o r You Traveling to Learn Aobughout the USA and 90 s nation i t s e D 00
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If going on an adventure to an out-of-the ordinary place across the world or rambling down the Mississippi River is your life-long fantasy, you might be interested to know that the adventure has already been planned for you. Your curiosity might encompass the street markets in Israel or exploring historic Richmond, Va. – Exploritas (formally Elderhostel/Road Scholar) has planned your itinerary. There are so many places to go and so many things to see. How does one develop their own special “bucket list” for seeing and doing things? More importantly, how do you get started and what do you look for when you want more than a fancy hotel, a night club and a bargain shopping spree. There is the wonderful and amazing internet with lots and lots of information. And that’s just the problem – wading through so many travel sites is a most frustrating task. Let us try to point you in the right direction for a special kind of travel – travel for life long learning experiences. Kimmie Jackson, of Boston, MA went on a trip to Paris this past summer with a group of 20 black women. Ms. Jackson commented, “It was my first time to Paris and the program I selected was a wonderful introduction. Our group was pri-
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marily professional Black women — we met on Saturday afternoon and by Sunday afternoon we felt like we had known each other for years. We truly explored Paris — we walked (a lot), exploring the neighborhoods of Richard Wright and James Baldwin, the Avenue des Champs Elysées, the Luxembourg Garden and the Latin Quarter. I can’t forget the night we watched the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. It was a learning adventure and what a fun way to experience Paris and get to know the history of the famous African Americans who lived there. My next stop – Italy!!!!” So how does one discover trips like the adventures in Paris that Ms. Jackson found so exciting? She heard from a friend about programs from Kathy Taylor, associate vice president of Exploritas, whose mission is to build awareness of travel opportunities designed to highlight the African American experiences and to reach far beyond travel that is just for the fun of it. Ms. Taylor notes that, “Travel can be a learning and transforming experience. We have developed special programs such as the Many Colors of Paris, a fusion of the African American and Parisian experience, highlighting the lives of Richard Wright, Josephine Baker and other African American expatriates; and a special upcoming
journey to the Holy Land, following in the footsteps of Christ - there is a new generation of travelers out there who want this kind of authenticity in their experiences,” Taylor added. Whether you want to go overseas or closer to home, it’s time to think about planning some of those travel experiences that for many promise to be “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunities. Here are some destinations to keep uppermost in your mind. Memphis, Tennessee
Did you know Memphis is where the first blues music was ever written, where B.B. King cut his teeth and where Otis Redding and Al Green made their magic? Visit the National Civil Rights Museum. Inside, you can walk through a remarkable timeline of the world’s most crucial human rights movements and the achievements gained through the efforts and sacrifices of courageous individuals who stood by their convictions. New Orleans, Louisiana
News Orleans – vibrant, diverse, and irreplaceable – beckons with 300 years of history and culwww.IBAPublications.com
ture. Experience this rich heritage as expert instructors lead your dynamic exploration of architecture, literary figures, politics, music and food in this home to America’s most vibrant mix of hospitable people, living cultures and historic heritage.
Nubian Desert, Sudan
Did you know the Eastern region of the Sahara Desert in Sudan is home to more pyramids than Egypt? For 75 years the great Nubian kings ruled over all of ancient Egypt, and today Sudan’s seldom-visited pyramids at El Kurru, Nuri and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Meroë stand as glorious artifacts of the Nubian The city famous for its cheese steaks and hoa- golden age. gies has a remarkable wealth of free black history of Philadelphia’s Colonial period. Begin at Mother Venice, Italy When you think of Venice you can’t help but Bethel A.M.E. Church and learn the remarkable story of its founder, Richard Allen. See the quaint think of romantic gondolas and canals, but few home of the great contralto Marian Anderson, people experience the authentic city, the culture right across the street from the Union Baptist and cuisine, people and traditions, born of centuries of isolation and innovation — the Venice of Church where she sang as a child. the Venetians. Washington, D.C. Join in on the daily routines of Venetians with a The first city to pass an Emancipation Act, taste of the traditional appetizers ombra i cicchetti, Washington, D.C. is truly one of the great reposi- and an afternoon spent perusing produce in a local tories of African-American heritage. The Anacostia market or people watching in Piazza San Marco. Museum and Center for African American History and Culture, the African American Civil War Me- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The land of Carnival and Copacabana is much, morial, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site and of course the Lincoln Memorial — to much more than just a party. Character-filled neighborhoods, cutting-edge architecture, surprisingly name just a few. diverse wildlife and nature, a wide array of cuisine, The Resource for Black Americans
nightspots, bookshops, cafes and museums. In addition to the world-famous beaches, the icon most associated with Rio is the giant statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor), which stands arms outstretched atop Corcovado Mountain and which was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Exploritas is known worldwide for its 8,000 exceptional learning adventures held throughout the United States and Canada, and in more than 90 countries. With more than 30 years of experience, this not-for-profit organization specializes in providing lifelong learning opportunities for adults. We hope these destinations have whetted your appetite for travel adventures. So get set, get ready and go. For more information on how to reach Kathy Taylor at Exploritas, please visit www.exploritas.org or call her at 800-322-5315.
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by Rev. Dr. Mary Anne Allen Bellinger
I would claim to be an intelligent, accomplished woman; a person of faith who has responded to the claims of God on my life. It is from this perspective that I wish to share reflections on my condition and trust that others might discover for themselves how faith can sustain them as it has sustained me to live with this reality of being HIV positive.
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Some years ago, in the 1980s, at the age of 50, I was surprised, when on a routine visit to my doctor, an unsolicited test was done that came back positive for HIV. I have continued to live with this reality for many years, sometimes unbelieving because I was not aware of any significant changes in my health. As I reflect on my life journey, I recall the unwanted (I was abused in my childhood) and subsequent desired experiences of my sexual behavior and realize that they may or have indeed contributed to my present condition. I would claim to be an intelligent, accomplished woman; a person of faith who has responded to the claims of God on my life. It is from this perspective that I wish to share reflections on my condition and trust that others might discover for themselves how faith can sustain them as it has sustained me to live with this reality of being HIV positive. The greatest lessons we learn usually come through the adventures that shape and change our lives. This adventure, of which I write in this reflection, came upon me as a great surprise. Usually, when we think of adventure, it is with excitement and anticipation. This was an unusual experience… this adventure… this occurrence… this happening in the life of the Reverend Doctor Mary Anne Allen Bellinger; preacher, teacher, mother, friend… this adventure was a shocking surprise.
The Resource for Black Americans
The Beginning?
My father loved me. He talked about me so much and so proudly that I thought my sisters resented me. He always wanted me with him and I loved it. I was like his favorite “son.” But in spite of that love and our close relationship, as a child, my father sexually abused me. A grown man, father of ten children and he chose me to be the first one of his five daughters to perform fellatio for him which he ostensibly believed would help reduce the pain of his migraine headaches. The abuse began before I was 12 years old. For years I did not remember the incidents. At the time, as a child, I was proud that I was the only one of the kids allowed to be in Daddy’s room. While still in elementary school I was thrown out of the house by my stepmother. In later years I surmised that she had discovered what he had been doing in their bedroom. Of course she hated me. I believe, having been so sexually misused introduced me much too early to an awareness of my sexual self. I am not sure if it was an introduction to my sense of sexuality. As a young child, I didn’t know what sexuality was but I knew I wanted to be touched and loved and as a result, that is what I looked for. Having been misused as a child, I swore I would be on point with my children. I always swore continued on page 34
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Living with HIV continued from page 33
I would kill any man who messed with or was inappropriate with my daughters, and I failed. I failed my girls because each of them confesses to some incident of sexually inappropriate action during their childhoods. Because of those early experiences I find I do not trust men around girl children. I don’t care who they say they are. I feel it is always possible for a man to sexually abuse a child. It happens too often for me to pretend otherwise. So many women are living lives of pain and shame because of something that happened to them in their childhood. Some have decided not to acknowledge the abuse they experienced rather than have to confront the pain of facing the perpetrator. Praying for and seeking relief from despair, we must continue to trust God even when God does not answer us immediately. Psalm 13 laments, with words and anger I was not able to express on my own. This Psalm asks: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for you God, have been good to me.” Life is challenging and sometimes difficult. And I have discovered that when we can face and overcome those challenges we can excel and live lives of peace and harmony. It is up to each of us to decide how we will work with our challenges. If we have to cry out in anger to God, it is alright. God can take our anger and our frustration. Sometimes, the right words can help us express what we are living through. Each of us has the power to determine how we live our lives. Our living is not determined by finances but by our individual spirit, that is what living is about. It is about how we each have decided to free ourselves to be! We have the choice to be free or to be bound.
to do within the means of my own time-space continuum. I personally feel free. What helps me to feel this freedom is that although I am HIV positive, there is no sense of mistrust and fear around me from friends and acquaintances, and that helps me to remain feeling healthy and a part of the family, the school, and the church. I have not been subjected to isolation, fear or suspicion. My situation is probably uniquely different from many sufferers of HIV/AIDS because I have not had to deal at the same time with drug or alcohol addiction. I
…I graduated high school, I had the first of my four children …out of wedlock. In 1964 I married. In 1969 my husband got a job at Harvard University after the SDS staged a lock-in.
am a heterosexual female and therefore don’t have to endure societal displeasure with my choice of sexual identification. To all intents and purposes I am just a tall attractive woman with a great spirit but a deadly disease. I am not worried about how that could change, because I maintain within myself a sense of wholeness, a sense of health. Other than the common complaints of any person who has lived 70 years, I am in good shape. I walk, I run, I can see, and I can hear. So the body is fine and the spirit is fantastic. I did not notice any body changes until I was dressing one day and my granddaughter Mercedes asked me where my butt was. And surely she was right; my hips had sunk so it seemed I had no behind. I am blessed with high cheekbones so my face looked normal, I felt fine. But I was not, I was HIV positive! I believe that the loss of my fatty tissue was caused by the medicines. So for several months, I stopped taking the medications. I was taking a Living; What Is That? For me living means I am able to do what I want 3-pill combo - Viramune, Epivir, and Ziagen (un-
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til they developed Epzicon) then I decided I was healed and did not need to continue taking these drugs. Unfortunately, my T-cell count did not do well when next I was tested. My count went down but was still normal, it ranged from 627 to 980, the viral load (VL) went from <400 to 192,000 in 3 months. I went back on the medications, the Tcells remained normal and the VL went back to <400. I understand why you might ask me how, how have I been able to maintain this sense, this wholeness? I am not one of your great praying people. Although I do talk with God all day and am constantly thankful for those regular things we all take for granted: the roof, the food, the car, and gas for the car, etc. But I realize I have a deep desire to know more of God. I want to feel closer, I want to feel myself full of God’s spirit and power. I want to be a praying woman and be deeply spiritual but I also want to remain comfortable with the fact that there are times when I want to have sex. I may sound conflicted, I am not. I am just speaking the reality of who I am. I am a woman and I appreciate the gift of sexuality that God has given each of us. I am in a place right now, physically and spiritually, where God is enough for me to focus on. I have committee responsibilities at school and church and other activities to keep my mind busy and occupied. I am not saying I do not think about being held lovingly, or of being kissed and appreciated. Busy-ness does not satisfy my physical desires, but at this stage I am able to control my response to them. At different times in our lives we respond differently to seemingly regular day-to-day life circumstances. A doctor’s report, a life situation of childhood sexual abuse or marital violence calls for something different from each of us. How we respond calls forth a different response. Our childhood and life histories play such a crucial role in the person we become. Most of us don’t take the time to find out who we are until we are in trouble. When we are in trouble we begin to ask ourselves why did this happen and how can I fix it? That is the beginning of self discovery. We might have to go deep and it might be unpleasant and painful. But, this self exploration and discovery are necessary… for us. For me part of the change happened because of my ongoing relationship with God. God was www.IBAPublications.com
always there – that still small voice; whispering… for going forward to ordination. I tried to conloving… presence. tact the professors from Harvard Divinity School (HDS) and Andover Newton Theological School God’s Call on My Life (ANTS) to talk about applying for entrance to one God’s call came to me in a dream, three times. of the schools. I could only reach Dr. Eddie O’Neal The first call came when I was about 28 years old from ANTS. After applying I was accepted and had and living in Cincinnati. My Grandmother was faithfully maintaining our storefront church: Glad to prove that I was capable of graduate level work. Tidings Interdenominational Tabernacle, after the It was a struggle but I did it. I was in classes and death of my Grandfather, The Rev. Thomas W. school fulltime, part time and in between time and Jackson. To say I was raised in the church is to put received my Master of Divinity degree in 1982. The seminary experience was enlivening for me. it mildly. This church and the people there had Between my field placement at Wellesley College been a major part of my growing up years. I believe and my adjunct faculty position at ANTS learning if it had not been for my Grandmother, I would was expansive and opened for me avenues, contacts have ended up on the street, either an alcoholic or a prostitute. But she kept me in church and and experiences I would not have been able to have kept me in prayer. As my Grandmother got older with just my Withrow High School diploma. But and unable to maintain the church any longer, it those are stories for another day. In 1983, at the age of 44 and after living with seemed God was preparing me by whispering to me in a dream: “I have a preacher” and two nights my, not yet 30-year-old second husband for a year later: “The preacher is you!” Immediately after that and a half in the Republic of Panama, I came to we—my husband Larry and the children and I— Atlanta to divorce him and to work with a good friend in a program, I thought, we had pretty much moved from Grandma’s house to Boston. As soon as I had graduated high school, I had started together. At least I knew I could get a job the first of my four children who were born out of with her and that was the only reason I didn’t go to wedlock, between1958-64. In 1964 I married and California where my oldest children lived. Once again I became involved in the AME in 1969 my husband got a job at Harvard University after the Students for a Democratic Society church and ended up pastoring two local AME (SDS) staged a lock in. I was very active as a Har- churches for two years each. I discovered that bevard wife and in the local African Methodist Epis- ing a pastor did not fit well with me. I found it copal Church as one of their ministers in training difficult and extremely challenging to offer pasto(MIT). While in Cambridge, at the grand age of ral leadership when there was so little interest in 33 years with a young baby girl, I started college. I and capacity of the congregations for conducting was heavily involved with the Boston Theological ministries for the poor, alcohol and drug abused Institute (BTI), and was then encouraged to an- around us. The church members were equally poor and distressed, physically and financially. swer the call I had received from God. It was a difficult time. I was a new pastor and While in Boston, God’s call came again, this enthusiastic and wanted to “help” change people’s time through I Samuel 3:1-10. In the dream I lives. I wanted to be a good pastor. At the same heard Samuel three times. I flew from the bed to my Bible to find the scripture and when I found time I was HIV positive; serving on the Atlanta those final directions of Eli the priest, “Speak, Board of Education and trying to improve the lives Lord, for your servant is listening.” I immediately of our student population. It was overload, so I burst into the office of Pastor John Bryant and told gave up pastoral responsibilities. It was not an easy decision. I had to decide where I would focus my him I was ready to preach! According to the AME Discipline I was on track time, skills and attention. Since education was my greatest interest I put in the time I needed to try The Resource for Black Americans
to make change there for our children’s successful educational future. A close friend mentioned that I did not seem to be a deeply self-reflective person but as I read this small recitation of my history, I realize that when life is constantly switching you around, when jobs close and children continue to need care, and all is left on just you, (I became a single parent) you do not have time or even think to take the time to reflect. I usually had to keep moving to keep up with the changes that where constantly coming. I think that if I had stopped to think about how I was conducting the confusion of my life I would have lost my mind. These were times of severe stress and I was a firm disciplinarian. That was the only way I knew how to maintain control of the children and probably myself to some extent. Although I had divorced a second husband, and had had a daughter with the first husband, I was now alone with five children. Upon reflection, I found I did marriage well, no messing around on my husband. When I was married, I was married! Marriage seemed to help to control my apparent temptation to be flirtatious and promiscuous. But, I found I did not do alone well either. As busy as I was I still had an unfulfilled place in myself. Like so many women, I felt it needed to be filled by a man. Any man would do. At the big church downtown, where I was the Associate Pastor, we fed the homeless; I was politically active and participated in many local business and church activities. I was encouraged by Bro. Eaustria Sabir to run for political office, and I was elected to the Atlanta school board. I was busy but I was still looking for someone else to fill the emptiness I didn’t want to realize was me. I see myself as a strong woman but wherever there is a weakness you can be sure it will be found. I can see from the perspective of today that I needed to take some time for some introspection and reflection on self. This thoughtful pulling mess out of ourselves is needed, periodically, to pull oneself out of self-pity and the lies we tell ourselves. continued on page 36
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Living with HIV continued from page 35 A Search for Value and Meaning
I think part of my continual search as a young woman, was either I had chosen sex/sexuality or had had it forced on me because of the abuse. Sex seemed to be the vehicle (the way) that I chose to fill the void in myself. I was shy, quiet, and sexy. (Whatever that meant to the male species – it worked for me.) As the child of my educator, religious, Grandmother, I knew there had to be more to me than just my body or sex. It just took me such a long time to come to acknowledge myself as a person of worth, value, gifts and skills. According to one of my unpublished, “Expressions…” at some point in my history I saw myself, “as a pussy, a vagina, a receptacle for the lustful leaving of insincere/insecure men…” (See the attached poem.) Now understand, for me love meant sex, sex meant intercourse and because that had been my introduction; abstinence had never been on my mind. Yes, I was firmly a woman of faith—a person who read the Bible, knew many passages and who was loyal and worked in her church. But if he was handsome and warm with some modicum of charm and some sweet talk, he had a pretty good chance. Well there were too many chances apparently and one of them left me with HIV. He might have been homeless or he might have been a Georgia state legislator. I don’t know. I have never been sick. So I don’t have that as an indicator. Did I get angry? At whom should I have been angry? That would have been a waste of energy. No one forced me to interact with them. In fact, as I think about it, I never experienced any anger or grief over the loss of my health. Although I am a type A personality, which I often see as hyper and impulsive, I seem to have been rather calm about this—once I found out I had HIV, I accepted it and medicated it and kept on going. As you read this article, and understand that I am an HIV positive female, this condition has not been a traumatic or a difficult time for me. However, if you are similarly infected you may feel very differently. I do not know how traumatically it has affected you but I trust as I remind you if you are a believer in God, of God who indwells your life, you are able to receive some hope. Do not rest in your anger. Do not rest in your frustration with the
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system. Step out and up and find what you need to continue to live and live better. Maybe you are so angry with your illness that you think “I’m blowing smoke.” That “I deserve to die, that I am a worthless sex pot?” That “God is punishing me.” But how do those nasty thoughts help you to deal with your own situation? Do they help you feel better, healthy, whole, or peaceful? Probably not, so much negativity just rots our soul. After twenty years to acknowledge that I am HIV positive and non-detectable sounds amazing. But you have to understand, when my new doctor in 1991 asked me if I knew I was HIV positive; I heard it that time and immediately understood the difficulty that my sexual activities had made present in my life. The fact of possible death for me made something go flat in me. I had volunteered in the HIV/AIDS ward at Grady Hospital and I saw men die over a weekend. I saw them lose their sight as brain lesions destroyed them in days. Dead! As Precious Jones says in the novel, PUSH, by R. Lofton, “I have this virus in my body like cloud over sun. Don’t know where, don’t know how, maybe hold it back a long time, but one day it’s gonna rain.” For me, I believe that was my hidden fear. One day, it was going to rain on me and this disease would take my life. Physicians began to try various combinations of drugs on me. Some were too strong for my body. I decided I needed to have my pastor pray for me. I was not going to take this lying down. For once I was not waiting for something outside of me to determine my future. In the combination of trust in God, my faith in the pastor and my belief in healing, I needed Rev. Mark Lomax to pray healing for me. Sunday morning as I sat in the pulpit serving as the liturgist; dizzy from Sustiva, which was my newest drug, I decided to ask Pastor Mark to pray my healing. Not pray for my healing but pray my healing. My language was on purpose. I told him I had been diagnosed as HIV positive and I needed healing. He prayed healing for me and I accepted the healing. That prayer and my faith helped me to come back to life. The flatness and fear left and my smile returned. Yes, I know to say “I believed in the healing” might sound rather naïve. But hear me! I have had a long relationship with God. We have been through thick and thin and I believe in the healing power of prayer and faith. God has never
failed me. It is not speculation, yes, I have HIV, but it is not on God. I had four children out of wedlock, that also was not God’s fault. I chose my lifestyle not God. God’s love helps me to be secure and calm and free! According to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in Death the Final Stage of Growth, there are at least five stages of grief: (1) denial; (2) anger; (3) bargaining; (4) depression and (5) acceptance. I think when I was told the second time in 1991 that I was HIV positive my spirit went flat, that was my denial, rejection and maybe some anger at the person I thought could have been the perpetrator and some anger with myself. I was not pleased with the way I had chosen to live my life. But that is who I found myself to be and then when my pastor prayed healing for me that was my attempt at bargaining with God. And for me I feel I am and have been for most of this time accepting of what I consider a sentence with grace. My greatest anger has always been at my father. Forgiveness is a difficult concept for me especially when the person doesn’t feel they need to be forgiven and where there is no admittance of guilt. The challenge then is in dealing with the anger, to acknowledge it, let it go and move forward. I have had to do that for my own sake. It is freeing. At this point in my life, I have HIV. I accept that. I am doing well and I am healthy. HIV is and I am. I know I speak from what I believe to be a very unusual stance on this experience. I have been fortunate. In the Old Testament book of Job, his friends and even his wife turn against him. They accuse him of having done something wrong – he must have since God was allowing him to be punished, right? But as Job goes through his experience the one thing he did not do was curse God. He did not go there. His relationship with God was so long and so strong that he knew if he just held on, change would come. It is easy to try to blame someone else for our problems. It is the childish behavior to blame, to point the finger, to try to escape the responsibility for our actions. Think how healing it is to be able to accept that you messed up and that as a result you are now dealing with a deadly disease. Twenty years ago you would now be dead, as I too might be, but today we medicate and we live and we work and we testify to the grace and goodness of God in our lives and we reach out to help someone else. www.IBAPublications.com
The Nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Concert Choir Featuring 105 HBCU Students’ Talented Voices
HBCUs Singing As One to Create a National Voice
The Resource for Black Americans
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Dr. Dorothy I. Height, President Emeritus, National Council of Negro Women, Speaking with HBCU Presidents at The Kennedy Center VIP Reception; Kent Amos – 105 Voices Program Champion and Scholarship Sponsor
105 Voices of History continued from page 38
The Second Annual concert of 105 voices representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, (HBCUs) was celebrated at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in August 2009. The sold out performance was hosted by Tom Joyner, nationally syndicated radio host. It featured Take 6, who is an alumnus of HBCU Oakwood College. Noland Williams provided the technical assistance on stage, through Neworks, Inc., and Dr. Roland Carter was the guest conductor. The US Navy Choir and the 105 Voices of History combined to open the concert, by singing the National Anthem. The 105 Voices of History is the nation’s first national collegiate choral group, initiated with the support of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, corporate and federal agency partners. The National HBCU Concert Choir features the strongest talent of 105 students from the community of the 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). This lifetime experi-
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ence is a great enhancement to student and conductor’s professional development and resumes. The 2009 National Honorary Chairs for the Kennedy Center Performance are; Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, President Emeritus, Morehouse School of Medicine; Dr. Dorothy I. Height, President Emeritus, National Council of Negro Women; Ms. Phylicia Rashad, Howard University Graduate and Renowned Actress; Honorable Rodney Slater, Former US Secretary of Transportation and currently employed with Patton Boggs; Mr. Ernest Green, Managing Director of Barclays Capital; Ms. Cathy Hughes, CEO and Chairman TV / Radio One; Mr. Floyd W. Green III, AETNA- Head of Community Relations and Kennedy Center 2008 / 2009 National Premiere Partner. 105 Voices Founder and Executive Director, Renata Roy, Board Chairman; Eugene M. Faison, CEO - Equals Three Communications, and Distinguished National Partners: Aetna Foundation, Delta Air Lines and Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores. The inaugural 105 Voices of History Choir Concert was held in September 2008 at The Kennedy Center, before a sold out audience of 2,400 people. The event was hosted by Phylicia Rashad,
with harpist Jeff Majors as guest artist, and Vernon Ross of New York providing technical assistance. The 2008 choir was trained and directed by nationally renowned HBCU National Conductors; Dr. James Weldon Norris, Howard University, Dr. Carl Haywood, Norfolk State University, and Professor Damon Dandridge, Cheney State University. The 2009 National Concert was “A Salute to Performance Excellence ...singing as one to create a national voice.” Their theme was “Lifting Voices for Leadership, Diversity, Health, and Economic Empowerment.” The National HBCU Concert Choir sang a wide variety of songs with multiple choir conductors. The awesome mass choir brought joy to the audience and received constant ovations for their stupendous choral music. The musical selections, choral classics, African American composers, spiritual and gospels proved to be a tour de force showcasing versatility in arrangement, interpretation and execution. The 2009 Voices of History concert choir was directed by four distinguished conductors, led by: Dr. Carl Smith, Director of Choral Activities, www.IBAPublications.com
Student facilitated workshops with sponsoring corporate and federal agency partners LCDR Robin Lemonsoape, US Navy, Director African America Diversity Initiatives; Danielle Wilson, Xavier University (soloist); Steve Bauman, VP Marriott International – Host Hotel for 105 Voices; Glen Person , Tuskegee University (soloist); Delores Johnson Cooper – Verizon; Lateesha Scott , Ft Valley College (soloist); Dr. Laura Stubbs, US Navy, PhD Engineering.
Kentucky State University – Lead Conductor Dr. Carl H. Smith is the director of the renowned Kentucky State University Concert Choir. His career at Kentucky State University began under Rufus Atwood, and since, he has served under nine presidents. Prior to his tenure at Kentucky State University, he served in the United States Army for two years. Additionally, he also served as Senior Advisor to Interim President, Dr. William H. Turner. Dr. Smith is greatly respected and highly revered for his musicianship, as well as for the professionalism and leadership abilities he has displayed during his tenure at Kentucky State University. He is esteemed for his masterful ability to blend voices into a unique choral sound, which has become the hallmark of his musicianship. During his long, illustrious tenure at Kentucky State University, his diverse repertoire has touched the lives of many. Under Smith’s direction, the Concert Choir reached the pinnacle of its success when they were awarded first place winners, two consecutive years at the Annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Choral Festival, “Extravaganza in Black.” Several members of the Concert Choir were also named first place winners in individual competitions. Smith earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree, specializing in voice from Lincoln UniverThe Resource for Black Americans
sity in Missouri, and the Master of Music degree in vocal performance from Tulsa University in Oklahoma. He further studied at the University of Kentucky, Ohio State University, and the University of Louisville. He earned his Ph.D. degree specializing in Ethnomusicology at the University of Pittsburgh where he also taught Jazz History and directed the Pitt Glee Club. Dr. David Morrow, Associate Professor and Director of the Glee Club, Morehouse College David Morrow is a native of Rochester, New York. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College in 1980. While at Morehouse, he became a member of Phi Beta Kappa, was awarded the Kemper Harreld Award for Excellence in Music, and graduated Valedictorian of his class. He received the Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan in 1981 and was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music in 1995. Dr. Morrow has been a member of the Music faculty at Morehouse College since 1981. He served as Assistant Director of the Morehouse College Glee Club until 1987, when he succeeded Dr. Wendell P. Whalum as Director of the Glee Club. He is also Director of the Wendell P. Whalum Community Chorus, Co-Director of the Morehouse-Spelman Chorus, and Artistic Director and Conductor of
The Atlanta Singers. In December 1991, Dr. Morrow conducted the Glee Club for the Kennedy Center Honors as part of the tribute to Robert Shaw, Conductor Laureate, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. On January 18, 1993, he conducted soprano Jessye Norman and the Spelman-Morehouse Chorus at Atlanta’s Symphony Hall in a concert celebrating the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. In January of 1994, he conducted the combined choruses of the Atlanta University Center and Natalie Cole singing the National Anthem for Super Bowl XXVIII. In April of the same year, he conducted the Morehouse College Glee Club in a concert with the Black Music Repertory Ensemble at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Illinois. In 1996, Dr. Morrow conducted the Morehouse College Glee Club during a tour of Russia and for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games. Dr. Sheila McDonald Harleston, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities Sheila McDonald Harleston is a tenured Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. As an instructor, her students have participated and placed in the Zelpha Wells Piano Competition at Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, Alacontinued on page 40
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(Above) 105 Voices 2009 HBCU Alumni Kennedy Center Alumni 2009 Awardees Dr. Norman Francis - Xavier University, Alumni Admiral Rochon; National Voice of Leadership, Tom Joyner - Alumni Tuskegee - National Voice of Media, Dr. Baker Oakwood College - Alumni Take 6, National Voice for Entertainment and Dr. Melvin Johnson, Tennessee State University-Alumni Thomas Cain, Broadcast Music Inc., Voice of Music Business (Right) Letty Ashworth, Delta Air Lines -Manager, Global Diversity (2009 National Distinguished Partner)
105 Voices of History
Tuskegee University, Mr. Hayes joined the faculty of The LeMoyne-Owen College. Highly regarded for his unique harmonic choral blend and signature sound, his appointment continued to provide contemporary audiences with performances in the great HBCU tradition. Stephen L. Hayes is Visiting Lecturer and Director of Music at Wiley College. Mr. Hayes recently received film and CD soundtrack credit for music research in the true story of Wiley College’s nationally acclaimed debate team of the mid-30’s. The movie, The Great Debaters, is directed by and stars Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker. It captured eight nominations at the 2008 NAACP Image Awards, winning “Best Picture” honors and was a 2008 Golden Globe nominee for “Picture of the Year.” The national training program is a collaborative initiative supported by conductors from the HBCU community with the support of: Dr. Carl W. Haywood; Director of Choral Activities, Norfolk State University – 2009 Coordinator/chairman
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bama and the DeBose National Competition held at Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Under her direction, the University Concert Choir has toured nationally and internationally. Harleston has been the recipient of the Department of Fine Arts’ “Chairman’s Award.” She was selected as the Department of Fine Arts’ Outstanding Faculty Member, the School of the Arts and Professions’ Outstanding Faculty Member and received the University System of Maryland Board of Regents’ 2008 Regents Faculty award for mentoring. Harleston was honored in the seventh, eighth and ninth editions of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. She served as a 2008 Regional Director for the 105 Voices of History. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Music degree from Norfolk State University, and a Doctor of Education from Wilmington University, New Castle, Delaware. Mr. Stephen L. Hayes, Director of Music and Visiting Lecturer, Wiley, College National Choral Director: After distinguished tenures as Assistant ProDr. Royzell L. Dillard, Hampton University fessor and Director of Music at Philander Smith College and Director of University Choirs at National Advisor - 105 Voices of
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History:
Dr. James Weldon Norris, Choral Activities and Professor of Music, Howard University Regional Conductors for the 2009 HBCU National Choir Concert:
Mr. Jeremy Scott Winston, Ray Charles Distinguished Chair, Director of Choral Activities, Wilberforce University, Northern Region Dr. Eric Conway, Director of Choral Activities, Morgan State University, Northern Region Dr. Wayne A. Barr, Director of Choral Activities, Tuskegee University, Southern Region Dr. Grover Wilson, Director of Choral Activities, North Carolina Central University, Southern Region Ms. Valerie Johnson, Director of Choral Activities, Bennett College for Women, Southern Region Dr. Gloria Quinlan, Director of Choral Activiwww.IBAPublications.com
2009 105 VOH scholarship recipients and support partners: (first row, left to right) Mattie Taylor (Van McCoy Music); Brandon Walker (Wiley College, Northrop Grumman Corporation scholarship - $5,000); Myranda Dorsey (North Carolina A & T University, Student Leadership Scholarship - $1,400); Toni Roy, 105 VOH Founder/Executive Director; Dr. Mabel Phifer, 105 VOH Education Director; Mark Overton (Tennessee State University, Van McCoy Music, Inc. Scholarship - $5,000.00); (second row, left to right): Gloria Pualani, Northrop Grumman Corporation; Jamaica Melenu (Savannah State University, Van McCoy Music, Inc. scholarship -$5,000.00); Tyrell Osborne (Cheney State University, 105 Challenge Donors scholarship - $10,000.00); Kyle Jarvis (Ft. Valley State University, Northrop Grumman Corporation scholarship - $5,000.00; Tizoc Loza (Northrop Grumman Corporation).
ties, Huston-Tillotson University, Southwest Region Mr. Willenham Cortez Castilla, Director of Choral Activities, Jackson State University, Southeast Region National Student Advisors
Mr. Damon Dandridge, Director of Choral Activities, Cheyney University Mr. Marcus Rhodes, Director of Choral Activities, Florida A&M University Partners Achieving Success (PAS)
The 105 Voices of History – HBCU National Concert Choir is a Leadership and Culture Development initiative that promotes student leadership, performance excellence, and development of positive lifestyles for participating students. This initiative is designed to heighten diversity/inclusion, representation and access to opportunities for HBCU talented students in America’s most renowned cultural arenas. Through the effort of these students, their talents are displayed and they are able to give recognition and honor to our nation’s 105 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as their legacies, which support student growth, through “Lifting Voices for Leadership, Health and Economic Empowerment”. The PAS mission is to achieve success through collaboration with its partners, by attaining: Support through Partners The Resource for Black Americans
Understanding the Needs Collaboration with Partners to Build Capacity Commitment to Achieve Results Enhancements that will benefit all Stakeholders Services that have Value and Make a Difference Sustainability PAS is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that focuses on fostering partnerships and resource development through the inclusion of a broad and diverse spectrum of people, corporations, and foundations, in the public and private sectors. Their mission is to enhance resources and build capacity to sustain legacy programs through advance training. PAS focuses on diversity/inclusion, leadership, performance excellence, and positive lifestyles in order to promote the legacy of HBCUs and communities. They accomplish their program objectives by utilizing proven success and support through partnerships. PAS links the arts to various educational platforms and training in other vast areas to utilize skills across various industries as well as to enhance career opportunities. Through this mission, they positively impact creative thinking and healthy lifestyles to support a balance life to achieve excellence. Through its programs, PAS impacts recruitment and retention of students of color, as they are drawn into the arts and the performing arts by their participation in their University programs
and the Kennedy Center performance and other programs. Student development through the 105 Voices training and Kennedy Center performance, will impact diversity and enhance student leadership skills as they become advocates for higher education and the arts for all young people in this country. A National Initiative for Program and Leadership Growth for Performance Excellence
In today’s diverse society, it is imperative that leadership development and healthy lifestyles are integrated in all fields of studies to achieve performance excellence. It is vital in elevating diversity /inclusion to showcase the rich musical tradition and legacy of choral singing, writing and performing to be available to all audiences and generations to come. It is our hope that the 105 Voices of History will attract young students and stimulate their desire to pursue a higher education while engaging them in the arts. We recognize the value of the support given in launching this program via our partnership with J.F. Kennedy Center’s “performing Arts for Everyone”, our national partners; AETNA Foundation, Delta Air Lines and Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, Inc., as well as many
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105 Voices of History 2009 Kennedy Center Concert Chairman, Partners and HBCU Presidents Reception. Garth Ross - Director, Performing Arts for Everyone at John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts (105 Voices Program Champion); Eugene M. Faison, Chairman/CEO Equals Three Communications/Board Chairman - 105 Voices of History.
(standing) Diana Wynne, Cracker Barrell, SVP, Cracker Barrel, 2009 Event Host and first contributor to the 105 Voices Program with (seated) Dr. Dorothy Height,105 Voices National Honorary Chair
105 Voices of History continued from page 41
other corporate and individual donors who make this experience a reality each year for 105 HBCU students. The annual concert with new selected voices is held each September at the John F. Kennedy Center. History and Mission of HBCUs
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are those that were founded/established before 1964 as postsecondary academic institutions, whose educational mission has historically been to educate black Americans by strengthen the capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and to provide excellence in education. HBCUs – Federal Government Support
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed Execu tive Order 12232, which established a federal pro gram, “to overcome the effects of discriminatory treatment and to strengthen and expand the capac
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ity of historically black colleges and universities to provide quality education.” In 1981, President Ronald Reagan, under Executive Order 12320, established the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which expanded the previous program and set into motion a government-wide effort to strengthen our nation’s HBCUs. In 1989, President George Bush signed Execu tive Order 12677. This Executive Order established a Presidential Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities to advise the President and the Secretary of Education on methods, pro grams, and strategies to strengthen these valued institutions. In 1993, President William Jefferson Clinton signed Executive Order 12876. This Executive Or der required that a senior level executive in each agency have oversight in implementing the Order; and that the Office of Management and Budget be involved in monitoring implementation of the Order.
On February 12, 2002, President George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13256. This Execu tive Order transferred the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities to the Office of the Secretary within the U.S. Depart ment of Education. Founder
Renata “Toni” Roy is the founder of Partners Achieving Success, (PAS) a non profit/charitable organization. We are committed to strategic planning, outreach and establishing professional partnerships. These important business goals are achieved with the experience from her twentythree years of national marketing and sales experience with the Xerox Corporation. She has also been successful at merging relationships with diverse organizations locally, nationally and internationally, that have led to the implementation of many business and education initiatives and contracts for Universities. Based on the recognized success and track record of building and maintaining partnerships that www.IBAPublications.com
Aetna Foundation – National Premier Partner (2008/2009) Eugene M. Faison, Chairman/ CEO Equals Three Communications /Board Chairman -105 Voices of History Floyd Green W. Green III - Head of Community Relations for Aetna and honorary chair of the Aug. 29 and 30 events Renata ‘Toni’ Roy, Founder / Executive Director -105 Voices of History Rey Thomas, Aetna Regional Director, Mid Atlantic -Community Relations
have created and or added value to client business initiatives and retaining customers, she was afforded the opportunity to serve as an appointee under United States Department of Education Secretary, Rod Paige and the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This appointment, “Special Assistant for Private Sector Partnerships” was the first position of its kind in the White House Executive Order. The purpose of the position was to build a plan to carryout the President’s Executive Order, #13256 to increase private sector support and involvement to increase capacity for our nation’s HBCUs. During the three years as an appointee many partnerships and national initiatives were born and continue to exist today. Ms Roy currently provides partnership support for the White House Initiative on HBCUs. Ms. Roy was the lead strategist and consultant for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, and 1st National Conference for Disadvantage Business Enterprises (DBE) firms. Recently, PPAS was the strategist for the design and implementation for the Boards of Advisors for The Resource for Black Americans
Schools of Business; Bowie State University, Howard University–hospitality, Southern University Boards –MBA Board of Advisor’s and University of the District of Columbia President’s Corporate Partners Board, The Boards’ focus is on increasing capacity, corporate involvement and access to resources and partners for program development/ enhancement. In 2007, Ms. Roy assisted Howard University, Capstone Institute to establish a relationship/partnership to work with the Bahamas Ministry of Education for Whole Reform. She also was the creator and sought the funds for the John H Johnson School of Communication Entrepreneurship Resource Research Center and the $5 million grant for the Center of Excellence in Advertising located at Howard University. She served Xerox Corporation for 23 years, in which most of her tenure was in notational marketing and sales. Ms Roy has two children, both who are HBCU graduates and they both have professions as tennis coaches. The “105 Voices of History”: Ten Key Goals for Success:
1. To increase diversity representation in training opportunities and national performances in America’s fine arts, cultural, and business arenas. 2. To utilize the fine arts students as a campus voice to support pro-social concerns to heighten the awareness of The 105 Voices of History Performance, 2009 Platform:” Lifting Our Voices for Leadership, Health and Economic Empowerment”. 3. To enhance performance opportunities for multiple HBCUs to showcase their institutions/ student’s talents. 4. To attract broader audiences and national and international partners. 5. To build national collaborations and broader development for our HBCUs leaders. 6. To create synergies, partnerships, and learning opportunities for students and leaders; to develop shared training forums and networking platforms; and to utilize the arts to assist students in becoming leaders. continued on page 45
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2009 HBCU Kennedy Center National Conductors Team (left to right) Dr. Carl H. Smith, Kentucky State University - Celebrated 50 Years as the Conductor at KSU; Dr. Sheila McDonald Harleston, University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Dr. David Morrow, Morehouse College and Professor Stephen L. Hayes, Wiley College
(L)Johnny Booker, The Coca Cola Company-Global Director of Supplier Diversity Significant Partner (R) Gloria Pualani – Northrop Grumman Corporation-Corporate Director for Socioeconomic Business Programs (2008/2009 Significant Partner and 1st Corporate HBCU -Kennedy Center Scholarship Award)
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105 Voices of History continued from page 43
7. To create a National Network and Voice, with new strategies and opportunities to sustain the 105 VOH , to create revenue streams, and to continuously build capacity in order to aid programs and institutions. 8. To establish a National fund to provide scholarship aid and support, to attract and retain students. 9. To market national recordings - CDs and DVDs, to provide a revenue stream to support the student’s scholarships, aid, and others needs. 10. To perform national and international tours to heighten awareness of the talents of HBCUs students and provide exposure to open their minds to global opportunities Positive Outcomes of the 105 Voices of History Initiative
The positive outcomes of the 105 Voices of History Initiative are numerous. It is the only platform that affords the HBCU Students the opportunity to have the following: One student from each of the 105 HBCUs (small/ medium/large, private or public) who have talent to build skills in music, literature reading, leadership and creative thinking, enabling them to perform in a national concert choir. One student from each of the 105 HBCUs to have the opportunity to travel to Washington DC for exposure, leadership development and perform on the Kennedy Center Stage. One student from each of the 105 HBCUs to have the opportunity to participate in advanced training beyond their campus. One student from each of the 105 HBCUs to be chosen to work with multiple talented conductors to increase student skills, talent development, exposure and preparation for grad school, as well as other opportunities. The 105 students receive training at The Kennedy Center prior to the annual concert where they will work and train with HBCU national conductors to participate in a performance before an audience of approximately 2400 people. A student from each HBCU has the opportunity to earn a $3,500 performance scholarship (all expense paid trip to Washington DC) to participate in leadership development workshops, and create relationships with corporate leaders. Participating students will partake in health activities linked to arts campus programs and can win up to $5,000 for their chorus program. HBCU conductors collaborate as a team for student development and conduct a National Collegiate Choir. HBCU students and Conductors link with possible supporters / sponsors. Participating students have an opportunity, at the conclusion of the performance, to win scholarships in the amount of $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000. The 105 Voices of History - program is designed and dedicated to linking the Arts to Health for Performance Excellence The 105 Voices of History is the only initiative that provides scholarships dedicated to students participating in the arts and representing the vast fields of studies. Scholarships are provided through the support of Partners such as Northrop-Grumman (the initial and continuing financial donor and to the winners). The Resource for Black Americans
Distinguished National Partners
AETNA* Delta Air Lines* Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.* Significant Partners
Ashley Stewart Foundation Equals Three Communications, Inc.* First Priority Trailways, Inc.* Marriott International* Men’s Warehouse* President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities National Endowment for the Humanities* Northrop Grumman* ODNI/IC Centers of Academic Excellence Outback Steakhouse Corporation (OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC)* Sodexo USA* SunTrust Bank* The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts* The National Endowment for the Arts* The Coca-Cola Company* Thompson Hospitality* U.S. Navy Van McCoy Music, Inc., Mattie Taylor, President and CEO Verizon Xerox Foundation* Supporting Partners Dorothy I. Height Community Academy PCS (Public Charter School) Neworks, Productions Enterprise Rental Car Kraft Foods Les Bonne Amies D.C. HBCU 2nd Mile Walls * Inaugural Partners
q
The National HBCU Concert Choir The annual concert with new selected voices is held each September at the John F. Kennedy Center. The 2010 Concert: Sunday, September 19, 2010
105 Voices of History
3rd Annual HBCU Kennedy Center Concert The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566 105 Selected Students Representing the 105 HBCUs “Celebrating Historically Black Colleges and Universities Legacies and Talents.” European Classicals, Spirituals, Gospel and Jazz. Kennedy Center Concert Ticket Notice and Concert CDs www.hbcuchoirs-105.org Partners Achieving Success 105 Voices of History 12301 Longwater Drive, Bowie, MD 20721 Office: 301-390-8332 • Fax: 301-390-3292 • www. hbcuchoirs-105.org
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U. S. Census Regional Director George Grandy, Jr. proudly displays a photo of Ethel “Mother Grandy,” his mother, who was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by Old Dominion University in May of 2009.
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by Deric Gilliard George Grandy, Jr., has been called “Champ” since as long as he can remember. Tall, swarthy, and unassumingly confident, Grandy, the regional director of the Atlanta office of the U.S. Census Department, will need all those attributes and more as he tackles the difficult task of correctly counting roughly 15 percent of the nation’s population, in the largest statistical region in the United States as part of the decennial, otherwise known as the 2010 census. “This is my third census,” says Grandy, whose office includes Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. He expects to document the whereabouts and addresses of roughly 32 million residents; all American citizens, aliens here on visas, undocumented aliens, and those who for one reason or another, would rather live below the radar screen. “A lot of times, we (minorities) don’t understand why it’s important to be counted,” said Grandy. “My momma used to tell me that when the census takers would come around, her parents, her sister, her uncles, and others would say, ‘run and hide.’ They had reason to do that back in the thirties when she was growing up. To hide from someone from the federal government… I mean, we didn’t have a good relationship with the federal government. But surprisingly and interestingly, that mindset still exists in our community today.” Today, Grandy explains – especially on the heels of the election of America’s first black president – minorities should feel more confident than ever in the importance of being counted and exercising their muscle at the ballot box. While many minorities have traditionally viewed the census with distrust, stepping forward to be counted can actually bring tremendous potential benefits to communities and localities which have grown statistically since 2000. “The basic reason for collecting the census is to determine congressional appropriations for the various states,” explained Grandy, a 28-year census veteran who began his career at the U.S. Census headquarters in Suitland, Maryland, noting that there are 435 U.S. congressional house seats, each of which is apportioned based on density of population. “Based on population counts, you can either gain seats in congress, or you lose seats. It’s a thing about power; the more population, the more congressional representation.” continued on page 47 The Resource for Black Americans
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And while it’s nice for us to say we have a congressman in, say, Dekalb County, Georgia, it’s even more important to benefit from the services that go along with increased representation. “They all know we need to get population counts up so we can have more representation, not only at the national level, but also local and community levels, as well,” said Grandy, whose three-state territory includes the nation’s fastest growing county (Flagler, Florida; 67 percent) this decade, in addition to the one with the largest numeric increase (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta at 890,000). “Because of the information we collect, that’s how legislative districts are drawn, that’s how voting districts are drawn, and all that is based on population count.” The population related funding, especially for communities, hospitals, community centers, nursing homes, monies for roads improvements, all that stuff comes from Census-related data. That’s why it’s so important for African-Americans to fully participate and because I am an African-American – though it applies to all minorities – I want to
make sure this message gets out to the AfricanAmerican community.” Ever striving to live on the cutting edge, the U.S. Census Department is utilizing a host of new concepts in order to carve deep inroads into the socalled “hard to reach” communities. Those would include partnership reps, a new wrinkle in the census bureau’s arsenal. “We have a partnership program and this is where we hire people from those communities, basically the hard to count communities, (as) we call those minority communities, our communities, hard to count,” explains Grandy, who says there are Hispanic, Haitian, and Asian American partnership specialists in his region. “So we hire folks from those communities, who have relationships with those communities, who are trusted voices in those communities. The people know them, people trust them, so we have those people go out in their communities. Their role is to go out and educate minority communities on the importance and the benefits of the census.” In addition, the “new and improved” census bureau is holding an array of community events, including sponsoring t-shirt giveaways at key historically black colleges and university (HBCU) games,
such as at a homecoming contest between ClarkAtlanta University and Savannah State College. “We provide free t-shirts. They put them on and advertise the census message. Hopefully those folks will go out into our communities and talk about the census and why it’s beneficial for our folks to participate,” said Grandy. “In addition to promoting at a variety of HBCU football games last fall – including Edward Waters College, Alabama A& M, Fort Valley State, Stilman College, Miles College, Morehouse, Tuskegee, Albany State and Savannah State – Grandy’s office also sponsored a “Be in the Number” Collegiate Summit in Orlando expected to ultimately reach 1.6 million people in Orlando over the Martin Luther King Holiday weekend, which included dozens of black and Hispanic institutions. Other population-specific outreaches also include working with dozens of faith-based organizations, including large multiethnic groups of pastors and community leaders in metro Atlanta. When the U.S. Census Bureau isn’t focused on the massive decennial enumerations, they’re doing surveys for a variety of federal offices. They gather information on national crime and victimization for the Department of Justice; ask questions on
U. S. Census Regional Director George Grandy, Jr., who heads up the three-state Atlanta region, provides instructions to staff person Crystal Boyett at the regional headquarters office, which overlooks the Georgia Dome.
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people’s health for the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the American Communities Survey and a host of other governmental entities. Because of an ongoing strategy to collect that data, this year’s census operation will only use the short form, which includes six questions, as opposed to in the past, when one of every six household had to undergo the dreaded “long form” interview. “Every ten years, you’re going to see improvements in the process,” said Grandy, noting that for the first time ever, the Census Bureau will have access to the latest U.S. Postal Service mailing lists, which will significantly streamline the process. They will also equip their field staff with wireless computers that will relay the information regarding each address in “real time,” thus saving millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours. Grandy’s region will be responsible for staffing and managing 57 offices within the three-state area, with the bulk of them located in Florida, which he’s convinced will provide his biggest hurdle. “Florida, by far, because of the (number of) immigrants, will be our biggest challenge,” said Grandy, whose nearly 600 ongoing regional employees include about 65 who work year-round out of the regional office in Atlanta. “South Florida, in particular, includes many first-generation immigrants and some of the countries they come from (teach them that) census is not a good thing, so they’re afraid. That’s where we have those challenges, anywhere from Ft. Lauderdale on down. We’re going to have 100,000 people working in my region next April and half of those, or maybe a little more, will be in South Florida. We’re going to have a huge challenge with Hispanics, especially some who may be in the country not legally. But we don’t care about that because we’re going to have to count everybody (because) folks are receiving services if they’re in this country, whether they’re here legally or not.” When key leaders in hard-to-count communities realize that being counted helps them receive funding for services, it makes a huge difference, notes Grandy, who notes the fact that security issues since 9/11 and the threat of identity theft make his job tougher, but can’t be allowed to become a deterrent to accomplishing this important task. A product of a strong, two-parent household where education was stressed, Grandy, who has four older sisters and one younger, credits his dad, George Sr., and his mother, Ethel, for instilling both the importance of education and God into each of their children. “I knew all of my older sisters went to college and I remember going to a couple of high school The Resource for Black Americans
Mr. Grandy addressing official guests at the Open House event for the Douglasville, GA Local Census office.
graduations and college graduations, so when I was coming up, I just thought that was something you were supposed to do,” said Grandy, who attended Virginia State on a track scholarship and graduated with honors. His sisters also all graduated from HBCUs (Shaw, Virginia Union, St. Augustine and North Carolina Central.) And while neither of his parents attended a day of college, his mother, who is affectionately known as “Mother Grandy” in the Tidewater region of Virginia, was awarded an honorary doctorate by Old Dominion University in May of 2009 for her tireless work to keep kids off drugs and the streets through her non-profit organization, Families United Against Drugs. Grandy, who thought he wanted to pursue a law degree coming out of undergraduate school, was invited to apply with the census bureau by older sister Ann, who worked there. And while he soon decided he wanted to instead pursue an MBA, Grandy said the checks started looking good to him as he climbed the census ladder while working in the banking division, before tours of duty in Charlotte, North Carolina, Philadelphia, back to Maryland and finally, Atlanta. And though he’s not confident he’ll still be at the
helm ten years from now when another decennial census rolls around because “These censuses get a little more challenging each time, usually because of the outside stuff that we have no control of,” said Grandy, 49, who is quick to credit his parents for his foundation that led to his success. “My parents stressed academics,” said Grandy, nicknamed “Champ” by one of his sisters as a toddler. “Early on we had a Christian foundation and were raised in the church, like much of the African-American community of that day. My mother made sure we stayed grounded. We weren’t rich or anything else, but we were rich in love. I often tell folks that I didn’t realize we were in the lower class when I was in sociology in high school when we were studying the upper class, the middle class and the lower class. And when I looked at the income range for the lower class, I said, “that’s where my parents fall.” But we had what we needed and we never considered ourselves poor and they laid a great foundation for me and my sisters. “If I called my mother right now, she’d give you her foundational ministry, based on the three “W”s: She teaches that you have to know who you are, whose you are, and where you are.”
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In the immediate aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, Dr. Gwendolyn Lee, the National President of The Links, Incorporated responded to the hundreds of members who had contacted her to help mobilize the organization into action. Lee wrote to them “While I know each Link’s thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti, The Links, Inc. is working swiftly and aggressively to parlay our concern into meaningful action and support.” As Chapters received the dispatch from Dr. Lee, members of The Links, Inc. knew just what to do. They rolled up their sleeves and began working to assist with the humanitarian relief effort in Haiti. With a disaster of this magnitude, they knew that the first few days would be critical, as would be the following weeks and months. Long after the headlines disappear and the news cameras leave, there will still be scars from the devastation, but members of The Links, Inc. will still be working to bring comfort, hope and opportunity to those that need it most. This is not the first time The Links, Inc. has responded to a disaster. In the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, there was no health care facility in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Their members came in and sponsored a health fair which offered free physical examinations, vision screenings, immunizations, lead poison testing, and blood pressure and glucose level testing. School supplies, childhood nutrition, health insurance information, educational games, and other donated items were given to children and their families at this event. This was just a small part of their significant efforts
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in responding to the needs of the community resulting from the hurricane and subsequent floods. They also donated medical equipment to serve local residents long after the fair was over. While their record of responding to emergencies is certainly impressive, there is much more that members of The Links, Inc. accomplish. As one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women, they are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. The Links, Inc. is an international, women’s non-profit, social welfare and service organization of over 12,000 members in 271 chapters across the United States, and the Bahamas. From its inception, the organization’s members have been developing and implementing programs that target issues affecting its members and communities. Members must provide a minimum of 48 hours of service per year in order to remain an active member. Members regularly surpass this goal which makes the success of Chapter initiatives sustaining and lasting. Community service has been the cornerstone of the organization’s outreach with members contributing more than two million documented hours of community service over the past three years. For the past 64 years, The Links, Inc. has been internationally known for its programs that are focused on topics such as health, economics and education, youth, and policy efforts. The Links, Inc. is a permanent testimony of those who have dedicated themselves to human
progress. You could highlight any city in the United States and see the impact that Links members have on the people there. They have rented out theaters in Boston so children could see The Princess and the Frog, provided prom dresses in Chicago to young girls that would not otherwise have been able to attend, conducted financial literacy workshops and job fairs in Atlanta and even gave a van to the Kinship Center there to provide transportation for grandparents raising their grand children. Simply put, they do it all and they do it everywhere. Their work is not only community focused but also global in scale. They have built over 60 schools in South Africa and will be providing Uganda’s Ambassador to the United States with $100,000 to make an even more dramatic impact in helping the lives of women and children. Additionally, several members of The Links, Inc. recently traveled to Egypt to launch the “Breaking the Silence in Egypt” campaign which will include vital breast cancer education, treatment and rehabilitation programs. To further support this initiative, they donated $25,000 to the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt to make it possible for more survivors in Egypt to receive their prosthetic devices quicker – helping them to stand confident during their battle against breast cancer. They also have a major initiative underway to help advocate action to end the genocide and violence in Darfur. The Links, Inc. focuses on four program areas continued on page 52 www.IBAPublications.com
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Members of The Links, Inc. visiting the Motsoaledi School in South Africa. Margaret Thompson Johnson, past Southern Area Director (Jacksonville, FL); Bunnie Jackson-Ransom, National PR Chairperson (Atlanta, GA); Joy Peters (Atlanta); Gwendolyn Lee, National President of The Links, Inc.; Juanita Carter (Atlanta); and Eneid Francis, Southern Area Vice Director (New Orleans).
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that include National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, Services to Youth and The Arts. Additionally, they have several Signature Programs that are designed and implemented by members to address current issues, concerns and needs which impact the lives of a target population in a designated community. Their Signature Programs represent world class approaches to problem solving through collaboration, by which members and Chapters are committed and can claim ownership. Corporations, organizations and associations often seek to partner with The Links, Inc. on a variety of causes. Since they have proven time and time again that they get things done and make a difference, their endorsement is a valuable one. When they sink their teeth into a cause, there’s no letting go. Partnership efforts have included working with Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the fight against breast cancer and with the Heart Truth national
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campaign to increase women’s awareness of heart disease and its dangers. They also partner with the National Cares Mentoring Movement to address the critical issues that prevent youth from reaching their full potential. A recently announced alliance with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is making the “Are You Ready” program a reality. This effort will provide tools and resources from a grassroots level to support African American women on critical issues such as health, wellness, and financial stability. The Links, Inc. also puts its money where its mouth is. Since its founding, The Links Foundation, Incorporated, their program philanthropic arm, has provided more than $24 million to various charitable causes. At the upcoming National Assembly in Detroit, MI (June 30-July 4) they will be announcing the grants that they will be providing to deserving charities and organizations, including the next million dollar grantee. Previous winners have included the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee; United Negro College Fund; NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
Last year, The Links, Inc. and Habitat for Humanity International formally announced an alliance which has been designed to substantively assist those living without decent and affordable shelter in the United States and certain regions in Africa and the Caribbean. It is this partnership that is going to make a very big difference in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquakes. Dr. Lee, National President of The Links, Inc., has described their commitment to the people of Haiti by saying, “until the last victim has a place to call home and until the last child is reunited with their family, our efforts will continue.” The leadership and members of The Links, Incorporated work hard every day to make communities better, individuals healthier and prospects for the future brighter. It is a world-class organization where service, friendship and leadership are paramount. Members are newsmakers, role models, mentors, activists and volunteers who work toward the realization of making the name ‘Links’ not only a chain of friendship, but also a chain of purposeful service. These are women of substance and style that are linked in friendship and connected in service. www.IBAPublications.com
National Officers of The Links, Incorporated
Gwendolyn B. Lee, Ph.D. 14th National President South Suburban Chapter (Chicago) Dr. Gwendolyn Byrd Lee was elected the 14th National President of The Links, Incorporated and the Links Foundation on June 30, 2006. Dr. Lee is a charter member of the South Suburban Chicago (IL) Chapter and is a thirty (30) year member of the organization. She held the elected position of Vice President for four years (2002-2006). She possesses a deep institutional knowledge of the organization having served as Member-at-Large, National Nominating Committee Chair, Director of National Trends and Services, and National Recording Secretary. Dr. Lee’s leadership philosophy derives from The Links, Incorporated founding principle of Friendship and Service as the cornerstone of the organization. Her collaborative leadership style will continue to focus on communication that gives voice to membership in the governance of the organization. She asks all to joint her in the theme, “Seizing the Opportunity to Provide World Class Leadership, Friendship and Service.” Professionally, Dr. Lee has a history of strategic and insightful leadership as the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and Professional Development at Thornton Township High Schools in South Holland, Illinois. She has over 32 years, experience in guiding teachers and leaders in innovative strategies for change through teaching, The Resource for Black Americans
writing, and direct consultation to school districts and governmental agencies. In 1998, she received the Principal of the Year Award for the State of Illinois and Administrator of the Year Award in 2003. Dr. Lee is the author of Thornton Township High Schools – Leadership Development Program and Training Manual, Protégés Perception of Mentoring Relationships in Secondary Schools, Dare To Be Great Administrators. Margot James Copeland National Vice President Cleveland Chapter Margot James Copeland has been a member of the Cleveland (OH) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated for 24 years where she has served in leadership positions at the National, Area, and Chapter levels. Prior to her election she was chair of the National Study Committee on Clusters, Central Area Director, and member of the Chapter Establishment, National Trends & Services, Ad hoc Committee on Affirmative Action committees and presenter at National Assemblies. Professionally, Ms. Copeland is the Executive Vice President at KeyBank in Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in high-performance companies in the areas of fund development, strategic planning, leadership development, organizational change management, program development, financial management, community affairs, and public policy development. She currently serves in numerous
leadership positions which extend to Board Memberships and Trusteeships on numerous schools, universities and foundations some of which are the Children’s Defense Fund of Ohio, United Negro College Fund (Cleveland), the President’s Advisory Board, Hampton University, Hawken School and Playhouse Square Foundations and the Thomas White, and Kenneth Scott Foundations. Margot Copeland is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, Hampton University; Black Professional of the Year, Cleveland BPA; Business Person of the Year, National Black MBA; Cleveland Woman of Vision Award; Coalition of 100 Black Women Award, Cleveland, Ohio; and the Leadership and Excellence Award, Negro Business and Professional women’s Clubs. Ms. Copeland was a Delegate to the White House Conference on America’s Future. She is the author of articles to SBN and New Cleveland Woman Magazine. She is an Heir-o-Link, and the mother of a Link. Josephine Dunbar Davis, Ed. D. National Recording Secretary Fort Valley (Georgia) Chapter Dr. Josephine Dunbar Davis has been a member of the Links, Incorporated for 23 years. At the National, level, she has served as the first Dean of the Scott Hawkins Leadership Institute and member of the National Nominating Committee. At the Area continued on page 54
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University, 2005 Giant in Science award, Quality Education for Minorities in Science, Washington, DC, New York’s Citizen’s Ambassador to Korea, level, she has served on the Evaluation Committee and Woman of the Year, Albany GA Chamber of and has organized two Georgia Cluster meetings, Commerce one in Albany and the other in Fort Valley. Dr. Davis’ leadership roles at the Chapter level include Lula L. Lang-Jeter being President and Secretary of the Fort Valley National Treasurer (GA) Chapter and Organizer, President, and Vice Arlington (Virginia) Chapter President of the Albany, GA Chapter. From 2004Lula L. Lang-Jeter has been a member of the Ar2006, Dr. Davis, as Dean of the Scott-Hawkins lington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated Leadership Institute (SHLI), worked with a team for twenty-four (24) years and has served in leadof outstanding Links, Assistant Deans and faculty ership positions at the National, Area, and Chapter members, to broaden the leadership skills of more levels. At the National level, she has served on the than100 Links aged 21 – 45. The SHLI experience Finance, Nominating, Protocol, Journal, Public facilitated participants’ abilities to create promising Relations, and Elections Committees. She has also futures for black women’s organizations. She guid- been Director of The Links Foundations, Inc. She ed participants through a one-on-one mentoring is past Treasurer of the Eastern Area, and Chair of experience, matching each with experienced and the Audit and Public Relations Committees. At accomplished Links and Connecting Links utiliz- the Chapter level she has held offices of Treasurer, ing Anna Julia Cooper’s concept of black woman- President, and Corresponding Secretary of the Arhood. This concept advances the idea that, “When lington Virginia Chapter. and where I enter . . . the whole race enters with Professionally, Ms. Lang-Jeter is a Senior Execume.” tive (Retired) with the Internal Revenue Service, Professionally, Dr. Davis has a distinguished where she advanced with distinction from an audiacademic administrative career as past President of tor through the ranks of field audit manager, secYork College, City University of New York, Act- tion chief and branch chief prior to being selected ing President and Vice President of Academic Af- into the IRS Executive Selection and Development fairs of St. Cloud State University, Vice President Program. She served on numerous advisory and fifor Academic Affairs at Fort Valley State Univer- nancial boards which included several historically sity, and professor of mathematics at Queens Col- Black colleges and universities’ School of Business. lege, New York and Fort Valley State University, She has served as national treasurer for three preGA. She has been a Leadership Fellow, with the dominately Black female organizations. Currently American Council on Education where she served she serves on the Board of Director, Virginia Hosas mentor to the Honorable SME Bengu, Rec- pital Center, Arlington, chaired its Finance Comtor of Fort Hare University, South Africa. She is mittee and National Internal Auditor, Imperial a Group VIII Kellogg Fellow. Currently, she is Court, Daughters of Isis (Masonic affiliated). a Professor of Mathematics at Fort Valley State Among her numerous awards are the IRS-EEO University. Among her honors and awards are the Hall of Fame; Federal Woman’s Award, U. S. Trea2006 Woman of Achievement, Macon, GA Career sury Department; Outstanding Woman of the Women’s Network, 2006 Nominee, John W. Davi- Year, Arlington County Business and Professional son Outstanding Teacher Award, Fort Valley State Women’s Award; Distinguished Alumni Award, continued from page 53
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Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio; Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who Among Black Americans. Ms. Lang-Jeter believes that, “The growth and success of the organization (The Links, Incorporated), as we move through the 21st century, depend on very careful and clearly decisive leadership and how we manage our finances.” Glenda Newell-Harris, M.D. Nominating Committee Chair Alameda-Contra Costa (CA) Chapter Dr. Glenda Newell-Harris is past President and Vice President of the Alameda-Contra Costa Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. She has served on the National Nominating Committee for four years as a representative from the Western Area. Dr. Newell-Harris is past chair of the Health and Wellness Linkage, most noted for her Walk-A Thon slogan of “ Take Charge of Your Health “ and former member of the Disaster Relief Committee. Professionally, Dr. Newell-Harris is an Internist and serves as the Medical Director of Primary Care Services, Planned Parenthood where she has distinguished herself in the areas of innovative health care delivery, staff training, and improved access to care. She has served in a number of medical association leadership positions. She is Secretary of Region VI, National Medical Association; Immediate Past President, Sinkler Miller Medical Society; and past Chair of the Health & Wellness for Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Oakland, California Bay Area Chapter. She has been President of the Northern California Black Women Physicians. She is the recipient of the African American Matriarch Award, awarded by the Black United Fund; 2004 Black Professional of the Year Award (CA) and the “Let it Shine” Community Service Award from the Oakland Bay Area Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.( 2005). She serves in a leadership role on several school and community boards and she is an Heir-O-Link. www.IBAPublications.com
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Setting Up Your Own Business by Dr. Willie Claiborne
Now that you’ve established that you want to start your own business, you have to decide how you will set your foundation. Choosing your business name should be well thought out. Based on the vision that you have, the name of your business should be a well balanced fit. Make sure you have a second and third choice. When choosing a name make sure you consider the formation of your business. The name you choose for your business now will continue to influence the initial impression customers have of your business in the future. The name of your business will determine how easily your customers can find your business and information about you in phone books and other directories. It will also provide a snapshot of your business which your customers will use to develop their very first impression of you. Research the business names of your competitors to determine which names catch your attention and which ones are easy to miss. When you come up with a list of name options, bounce them off of people who know you, as well as people you don’t know. When selecting a business name, you should think about the following issues: 1. Make the name easy to understand, spell, pronounce, remember, and find in the any directory or listing. 2. Project a hidden business image in the name. Include words such as service, speed, quality, skill, low cost, experience, effectiveness, etc., in your slogan depending on what your business will specialize in. The type of product or service you provide, such as cleaning, catering, or consulting, can also be included in the name to help the customer remember who you are. 3. Remember that periods, spaces, and first words such as “an” or “the” will change alphabetical listing of your business in directories. Acronyms or abbreviations can confuse the customer looking for your name in a listing. 4. Terms such as “corporation” or “incorporation” should not be used unless your business is incorporated.
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5. Do not select a name similar or identical to that of another business. It may confuse the customer and anger the other business. It can also cause legal problems for you. When you have an idea for your business name, you will need to make sure no other business is using it. You may even want to make a list of several possibilities in case one is taken. Although it may be a coincidence that you use the same name as another business, one of you will have to go through the expense of changing your name. If the other business registered it, or have been doing business for a certain period of time in that name, you will probably have to bear the burden of making a change. Save yourself the trouble and do your research in the beginning. The burden of proof will be on whoever claims to have been using the name first. I always suggest you check with the Secretary of State’s office first to see if it has been registered. This should be done before you get a EIN number, especially if you are using some parts of your name in your business title. This will save you the headache of changing it later, and it may save you from spending extra money. Remember, just because it is not registered does not mean it is not in use. Remember: the filing of a name with the Corporations Division is not “name protection.” For example, many business names (sole proprietorships and partnerships, among others) are not filed with the Secretary of State. Persons using such names may have rights that would be superior to a name filed with the Secretary of State. For more in-depth information on name protection contact a member of the legal profession.
Whether it will be a for-profit or a non-profit is another decision you have to make. If you decide that you are in business solely to make money, whether you are providing a product or a service, you may want to consider taking the for-profit route. This will help you decide whether to form a C Corp, S Corp, LLC, LLP, FLP etc. You will definitely want to do your research to see which one best fits your future goals. If you are considering starting a business with a partner, or a joint venture, it is vitally important that you put everything in writing and each person sign the agreement and have it notarized. There are two types of partnerships: general partnerships and limited partnerships. 1) A general partnership is created when two or more individuals agree to create a business and to jointly own the assets, profits and losses. 2) A limited partnership may be created only by following certain steps set out in each particular state’s statutes. The primary advantage of partnerships is that they can have more than one owner; the most important disadvantage is that the general partners are personally responsible for the losses
Dr. Claiborne is the President / CEO of Faith Business Center, located in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also the President/founder of New Direction World Outreach Ministries, Inc. and serves as a Georgia State Ambassador of District 2 - Ambassador For Christ Convention of Churches. She may be reached at: www.faithbusinesscenter.org www.IBAPublications.com
and other obligations of the business. It doesn’t matter if you are family members, or if you have been friends for ages. As time moves forward and people grow, changes take place in life that can cause even the best of friends, family and partners to act out in ways that can cause a strain on the relationships, especially when it comes to money. If all the rules are discussed in the beginning and put on paper, you have guidelines to govern you by should anyone’s behavior change in the future. In consulting, I have given this advice to many people that have been close friends for years and watched it unfold many times on both sides. The outcome has always been the same. The ones that took the advice has thanked me and been most grateful that they followed it. The ones that didn’t listen have without fail come back with regret, seeking a way they can rectify the situation. Sadly to say, the only advice I had at that point was to forgive and start over. So remember, everything in writing, in the beginning, regardless of who your partner is. If you decide to gear your business towards providing community service, you should consider a non-profit organization. That does not mean that you can’t have products to sell, because you can. Your research will help you determine the types of products and merchandise you can provide. Keep in mind there are 27 different types of non-profits. Based on the type of service you will provide, you have to choose which one best fits your business. Again, research will help you make this decision. Now that you’ve decided on the type of business, a name and legal structure, it’s time to get legal. Contact your Secretary of State’s office to check on the availability of the name you have selected. This is where your second and third name selection will be helpful if your first choice is not available. Make sure you run the intend to incorporate ad in the local newspaper for 2 weeks, so that anyone using that name can come forward, or intending to use it may opt out. Remember, do thorough research on the name so that you don’t have to pay the Corporation fees more than once. Check with the county in which the business will be located. If you are doing a home-based business, then apply where you reside. The people at the county office will be helpful in the process. The clerk may direct you to the zoning office to make sure the location is properly zoned and the county tax office to make sure there are no county taxes due under the name in which you will be conducting business. If so, you have to prove you are not the previous business owner and that this is The Resource for Black Americans
a new business. That may be as simple as completing a form. You may want to consider using another name if this is the case. It may save you from having future issues. It’s your decision, but if taxes are due there, you may have other issues later. That’s why it’s important to research the business name before you pay out any money. Once you have found that your name selection is available, you can proceed in one of these avenues: 1) you may reserve the name you have choosen for the allotted time based on your state’s guidelines; 2) you may take a chance that it will be available when you decide to come back and register it; or 3) you may register it at that moment. Let’s go with option 3. You register the name of your business. Complete the necessary form and pay the State Corporation fees. At this point you need to continue to the IRS website and get your Employer Identification Number (EIN). This number is very important and will be used in many ways to help with your business establishment in areas of credit, loans, tax credits, tax write-off, donations, etc. It is equivalent to your business having a social security number. It is the business identifier, so protect it. Now you can legally start making money while your website is being developed. Get your domain name registered and print your business cards. While your website is in the preparation process, you should have decided whether you want a home-based business or an office location. You may want to put the address on your website. If you are working from home be sure to open a P.O. Box. You may not want clients coming to your home. We’ll discuss other alternatives in our next issue. I usually suggest you get your business cards after all the other steps because: 1) It keeps you from skipping all the other steps and handing out cards thinking you are in business, and removes the temptation of lying. 2) You save the money from reprints, once you get your website; you want your website and email address on your cards, 3) Handwriting your website or email on your card looks unprofessional. You are establishing your business on Godly principles, so you do want to represent Him in Excellence. Taking action and following through are very important keys to starting and succeeding. Remember, these are only some basic steps for getting started. Make sure you do extensive research and know your business inside out. This is just the beginning. See you at the Top.
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Aging Together by Bettye Doier-Woods Senior Affairs Editor
David Alan Harvey / Magnum Photos
The Middle Children (The Sandwich Generation)
1 in 8 Americans is struggling with hunger. Including people like your neighbor’s child playing outside, the parking attendant at your job, or the coffee shop employee around the corner. Who’s the 1 in 8 in your life that needs help? Go to feedingamerica.org to see how your support can help those in need.
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Let’s start off with a question, and perhaps a quick answer. The question; “Are you a member of the middle or sandwich generation”? Scores of you may be in this very situation right now; you may have parents, uncles, aunts, and even a friend that is older, or elderly. Additionally, you yourselves may also have children, grandchildren, or even great grandchildren. As a young adult (maybe between forty or fifty), it may have crossed your mind, “What if one day my parents are very old and my children are adults; where does that put me”? Obviously that would place you in the middle, sandwiched between the two generations. You are now faced with adults on both sides of your age spectrum. As a young adult it is possible that you may have convinced yourself that as these generations age you would be ready, willing and able to take care of and handle any and everything that comes your way. Now that the day has arrived, you find yourself wondering what should be done first. A matter of prioritizing affairs for yourself and for those involved and that are depending on you for mental and physical support is of the utmost importance. If you would, revisit your childhood, and try and recall the children’s game, “Tag you are it”. The idea of this game was based on the element of surprise, no one knew ahead of the game just who the “It” would be. Therefore it was imperative for all participants to be ready, and to be able to jump directly into action. This is an illustration of how life has been and is today—accepting the responsibilities of doing the best and most positive things that can be done for all those who rely and depend on us, in whose daily lives we affect.
If I attempted to define Middle Generation Children, I would say “Persons that have aging parents, relatives, friends, children, grandchildren and even great grand- children”. This could be a 60 year old person that has a 40 year old daughter, who has two children; it could be a 75 year old healthy mother and an 85 year old not so healthy father. This is a true example of the sandwich or middle person, a person trying to meet the needs at both ends of the family age spectrum; maybe babysitting the great grandchildren, or running errands for the maturing mother, uncle or aunt. There are times when the aging individual may not be a family member, but rather an integral part of numerous lives and has held the position of keeping the family on task by making sure the wheels are turning in the family and the community. He or she has been instrumental in keeping the family on track and moving forward smoothly. In many instances”The sandwich person” is holding down a full or perhaps even a part time job. The lifespan of seniors has experienced upward mobility, and has thrust the older person into several categories; “The young old” (50-65), “The middle old” (66-75), and the “Old, old” (75-and up). Responsibility
Many times the responsibility of caring for the aged person is not a true responsibility because the elderly person is able to take pretty good care of themselves. They can and do drive themselves to the doctor and other places. They can still prepare their own meals, and even be timely with their medication. They may even be in a position to www.IBAPublications.com
help other seniors throughout the community. This is an ideal situation, the self-sufficient senior. The self- sufficient senior would rather stay in their home, care for themselves and continue life as they have always known it to be. Unfortunately, this is not always feasible, and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sandwichâ&#x20AC;? person or (middle person) must assume the responsibility of keeping the senior person as independent as possible. What Happens When Independency Is No Longer Possible?
The things that seniors were once able to do with ease will at some point become a struggle, and eventually they will lose the ability to achieve them at all. Who then will step in to assist these icons of our families and communities to continue with their day-to-day operations, and to remain as independent as possible? Whatever their responsibilities are, they are in a better position to be attained when they are shared by all concerned, with each person being held accountable for a particular job or situation. This is the ideal and less stressful way for the primary caregiver. I use the term primary caregiver because it seems that there has to be someone who is ultimately responsible for making the plans, and ensuring that the plans materialize properly, and without fail. The sharing of these plans can be disseminated by the primary caregiver to various family members, which would include the younger members, extended family, volunteers, neighbors and community resources. The community resources are the assortment of services that are offered by agencies in each city, county, or state, (Check AAA - Area Agency on Aging in the local The Resource for Black Americans
telephone book). Most often the primary caregiver is female. If she is the only child, the responsibility as primary caregiver can become a bit overwhelming and tend over power her. Even where there are families with more than one adult child, there is usually only one that acts as the caregiver, he or she takes on the primary responsibility while the others tend to play a more passive role, talking and waiting to be told what needs to be done. Sometimes they simply sit back and will not assist in any capacity.
Look, a tall purple rectangle!
Independence
Most often family members would like for the seniors in their family to continue to live in their own homes and to continue as independently as they always have. This may or may not be the best situation for the senior. A determination such as this can only be made when all resource are considered such as; who will provide their meals, is there a meals on wheels available to them in their area? Who will see to it that they are transported to the places that they need to go, is there a respite care transportation services their area? These are only a few of the issues that must be addressed when entertaining the suggestion of a senior living on their own. When making these and other decisions that concerns the senior, if at all possible, and probably most important, try to include the senior in all decisions that are being made if that person is mentally capable of assisting in this decision making process. Find and use all available resources, as often as possible, include the younger family members and friends in this process.Until we dialogue again, Peace and Togetherness.
When you talk to your child, you build vocabulary, so everyday moments become learning moments. For more tips, visit bornlearning.org
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Prince George’s County Executive Jack B. Johnson’s Administration – an Historic Record of Success by Timothy W. Maier
County Executive Jack B. Johnson praises the police department for achieving the lowest crime rate in three decades.
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www.IBAPublications.com
County Executive celebrates with others after achieving AAA bond rating again, which has saved taxpayers millions of dollars.
The son of hard-working blue-collar parents, Jack B. Johnson took his mother’s advice to heart: Education opens the doors to dreams and aspirations. He embraced his father’s rule of standing up for what is right and wrong. Together his parents instilled in him a set of core values that Mr. Johnson honors to this day: Live in faith, do good deeds, and make a difference in the community. He has devoted more than two decades of his life to public service. After serving his country in the United States Army, he earned a degree in Business Administration from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina and a Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. He worked as a former tax professor at North Carolina Central University School of Law and as a former Senior Attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel with the Internal Revenue Service before entering into politics. Holding political office was never one of his long-range plans, he fell into it. He volunteered to become a treasurer for Alexander D. Williams, who was running for Prince George’s County State’s Attorney. Mr. Johnson became the unofThe Resource for Black Americans
ficial “campaign manager” who helped Mr. Williams become the first African-American State’s Attorney in the county. Mr. Williams appointed
While Congress decided to bail out the “fat cats,” Mr. Johnson bailed out the unemployed. He helped create more than 300,000 jobs… Mr. Johnson to Deputy State’s Attorney. When President Clinton later appointed Mr. Williams to a federal judgeship, Mr. Johnson campaigned for State’s Attorney. His landslide victory stunned
critics who said he couldn’t win. As State’s Attorney Mr. Johnson inherited a police force faced with a series of excessive force allegations. Mr. Johnson faced tremendous pressure to look the other way, he didn’t. He charged officers who broke the law and fired attorneys who refused to prosecute officers. The message was loud and clear - no one was above the law. Under Johnsons’ two terms his highly-skilled prosecutors secured convictions in hard fought cases. Many became federal prosecutors, judges, held senior government positions and joined top law firms in the state. He could be State’s Attorney’s for life, one of his toughest critics told him in effort to convince him not to run for County Executive. Not enough people knew him, he was told. No hesitation, he campaigned. In 2002, the voters overwhelming elected Mr. Johnson to become the sixth County Executive for Prince George’s County to represent more than 800,000 residents living in the wealthiest continued on page 62
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African-American county in the nation. Four years later they elected him again. Mr. Johnson has transformed Prince George’s County into Gorgeous Prince George’s. He has increased the budget by more than $1 billion by building a strong economic base and vibrant job market. He fully funded the school board’s budget for two consecutive years; built 11 new schools; installed air conditioning in every single school. Since 2003, the Johnson administration put more than $100 million into additional education and another $126 million into school repairs and more than $60 million into teacher’s salaries. For parents, he reduced the class-size of every grade so students can get more individual attention and learn in a comfortable environment. Under the Johnson administration home values have increased despite a flattening in the market region-wide. Test scores improved five years in a row and more and more businesses were eager to call Prince George’s County home. He rebuilt the police force into the largest in the county’s history; and helped make Prince George’s County become the gateway for the entire state by paving the way for the Gaylord International Hotel and Convention Center and National Harbor, a $2 billion 300-acre mixed-use development project that created more than 3,000 jobs. He didn’t stop there. In addition, four new hotels joined the county, including Walt Disney, which is constructing a resort on a 15-acre parcel of land at the National Harbor. Instead of waiting for businesses to come calling, Mr. Johnson travelled abroad to Africa to recruit business opportunities. He helped create the County’s Foreign Trade Zone and was there to break ground for the historic Steeplechase 95 International Business Park. He successfully convinced international retail associations to hold conferences here and soon more and more upscale businesses found a new home. While Congress decided to bail out the “fat cats” on Wall Street, Mr. Johnson bailed out the unemployed. He helped create more than 300,000 jobs and attracted more than 15,000 businesses to
the county during his tenure in his office as Prince George’s jumped from the fifth wealthiest jurisdiction in Maryland to the second wealthiest. He has become a trouble-shooter who builds bridges that bring people together to solve complex problems. The Johnson administration has become a pro-active voice for the community. While others wondered how to react to Sept. 11, Mr. Johnson immediately created a Homeland Security Office to coordinate agencies in times of emergencies –
with new fleets, new facilities and an $80 million 800 megahertz radio system that connects all the agencies together. He successfully worked with the federal government to settle a justice investigation, saving taxpayers millions of dollars and helped transform a department rocked with excessive force complaints to one of the finest in the nation. The result? In 2009, Prince George’s County had achieved the lowest crime rate in 35 years. The NAACP gave him the “Presidential Award” and the Army presented him with the “Patriot Award.” The Washington Annual Conference of the Second Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church presented him with the “National Foundation For Black Public Administrator’s Leadership Award” and the “Man of The Year for Community Service.” To his neighbors, he is simply “Jack,” a regular guy who cuts his own grass, shovels the snow and listens and sings to the Spinners, especially on those long trips to visit his relatives out-of-state. He is a devoted husband to the First Lady Leslie Johnson, who is the Co-Founder/ Co-Chair of the Sisters to Sisters program, which helps incarcerated women get on the right road. He beams about his most treasured accomplishments – three successful adult children, Nia, Jack Jr., Zachary and his first grandson, Christian Jones. The road was never easy for Mr. Johnson. He grew up in a small segregated town in South Carolina at time when African-Americans attended one school and whites another. Jobs were scarce for people of color who couldn’t be lawyers, hold government positions or even drive a bus. But like the fighter who bears his name, Mr. Johnson never bought into what others said he couldn’t do. He has been blessed with a tremendous support system, from his parents and his uncles who never let him doubt himself. On the night of President Obama’s historic election, Mr. Johnson received a telephone call from his brother, “Can you believe it?” Mr. Johnson kept telling his brother, “Four-and-half years ago no one knew him. Today everybody knows Barack.” His brother smiled at the irony, recalling the days when critics said Mr. Johnson can’t win. To put it bluntly, those critics don’t know “Jack.” But Maryland does now.
…the African Methodist Episcopal Church presented him with the “National Foundation For Black Public Administrator’s Leadership Award” and the “Man of The Year for Community Service.”
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the first such office in the state. Before the Wall Street bonus scandal, Mr. Johnson stood up against Prince George’s Hospital Center executives who were reaping bonuses while the hospital faltered. He stabilized the hospital, pumping more than $85 million into the facility and will provide the state another $75 million to the new owners. He brought respectability back to its operations. Call it an image makeover. For the first time in its history, Prince George’s County obtained a “AAA” bond rating, making it easier for county officials to borrow money. The Wall Street rating already has saved taxpayers millions of dollars in interest. Mr. Johnson programs mirror his philosophy of putting people first. The highly successful Livable Communities Initiative created a new sense of citizen pride. He razed unsightly apartment complexes that became a haven for drug dealers and took on slum lords that put profits ahead of people. He increased funding for public safety by more than $200 million, bringing the police, fire, and emergency departments into the 21st Century
www.IBAPublications.com
County Executive Jack Johnson talks to high school students, noting county schools have consistently improved under his leadership for several years.
County Executive Jack. B. Johnson helps to plant trees on Gorgeous Prince Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, which is part of the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly successful Livable Communities Initiative.
The Resource for Black Americans
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CUSH Real Talk The “I AM” Identity by Shawn Mannix
Our Stories Within My Story I lay down on the black and orange convertible in our sunny room looking at my favorite superheroes on our new color television, as I wonder how great it must be to have someone to care for you, protect you, and keep you safe. I fantasize about my superheroes hanging out and comforting me to let me know everything will be alright. From time to time, I call on them to make sure they respond when I need them because I see signs of danger in
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the air. In retrospect they fill a great void, always there when I need them, and give me the attention, companionship, and protection that I need in my early childhood stage. Why did you leave me here; it’s not safe, I’m scared, and I don’t know if the square would protect me or you. The square seems like a stranger, although they say he’s not. Don’t you realize that there’s more to me not talking than just being shy?
I see that you have to fight to protect yourself and I can’t do anything at this point. What is going to happen to me if the square hurts you? The triangle does not like me and constantly beats on me when you’re not here; I think it is because he can’t get at you. I can’t say anything to anyone about this because no one will believe me; you know one of the rules here is “children should be seen and not heard.” The triangle always echoes a good sound www.IBAPublications.com
for everyone to hear but I know different. They hear the echo, I hear the unpleasant tone. Johnny walks on ice, when Mr. Jim Beams, floats an aromatic cloud, a euphoric smoke screen. Tired of seeking, buried treasure within, the triangle’s screams, from painful sin. When opportunity knocks, in this horrid regime, I think I’m alone, is this part of the dream? Justification of the actions, invokes an evil spell, commences the march, to a cadence of hell. Why take cover? When every thing is so well? Habit chooses life and death, but no one I dare tell. Review of this contract, leaves not only the triangle in breach, Will the end of the drum roll announce the prisoner’s release? Walls of the Tutor quietly apprehends, leans the Japanese maple, raises me up in defense. What do they mean, when they say to go within? Go quickly inside, meet and treasure your best friend. I don’t know how to come out and say it, and I tried to tell you in different ways, but you’re not hearing me. I think I should be able to tell the square, but I don’t think he cares, and plus I think he likes the triangle much more than me; I hear them plotting against you so I have to be careful also. Don’t you notice how the triangle treats me? Don’t you notice the change in me when the triangle is around? Twiggy knows what’s going on, and she is very quiet, because she knows he will hurt her. Why do you think I cried so much when you told me that you were going to work at night? I am scared of the dark; don’t you know what happens to people in the dark? Can’t you see that they don’t LOVE me the way that you do and everyone else does? Why are you allowing these things to happen to me? Do you really love me? Are you covering up for them along with everyone else? Are you allowing this because you’re benefiting from it in some way? Will my loved ones become angry and stop loving me if I speak up? Are they in charge here; do we have to be here? Is this just the way it is? Is this the way of life The Resource for Black Americans
that I have to look forward to, learn, and need to adjust to for my future? You see, I have to take into consideration that it was you and him before it was you and me, and you’re a grownup like him. Now I know my bottom line is; it’s only me. I don’t think at this point that I can fully trust you; I’m pretty sure that you love me, and I need LOVE, but I have to weigh the situation. I do not trust. “Who” or “What” does not matter; “Why” may help me to work it out, the point is — I do not trust. You tell me you love me! You hold and comfort me! You feed me well! You take me to a lot of fun places! You spend time with me! But, you’re not there when I need you to protect me! Can’t you see I’m being threatened?
At this point, I feel that my life is in danger, and I just better shut up until I get big enough to protect myself or run. I am now beginning to hate him. Who and what— does it matter? Again, I’m scared, I fear, and I hate. I’m five years old; what do I do? Where are my superheroes? I know they’re here; I keep calling them. Maybe I need to look elsewhere. At this point I know Red is here again, and I like him a lot. I hope he will like me, or just notice that I’m here. He treats me special, talks to me, and buys me toys. I hope this works out and he will rescue us from the tutor. I’ve been told about resources for help, but let’s face facts—I’m five and you’re my only resource that I’ve had up until now, and the only one I really know and want. In the meantime I need to survive, so using the resources that I know are available to me, I am going to find ways to help me get through this. There’s got to be someone out there like my superhero. The triangle rings louder and beatings are getting worse. I’m being called degrading names, which is truly making me feel like the names that I’m being called, so most likely I am everything those names signify. I told Twiggy what the triangle is doing when she is not here, and she
told me he doesn’t mean it, “just go along with it, do what he says, and stay out of his way.” When I looked in her eyes, they said to me, “I hope what I’m saying is true. I hope he doesn’t hurt you. I guess I have to make sure you’re alright.” I know now that the square never really cared because he replaced us. I made it to eighth grade and I keep saying to myself, when are you coming back, why aren’t you here any more like you were before, why did you have to leave? As I get older, I realize that I’m not the only one in fear. Abusive uncontrolled outbursts, physical and verbal, are some of the reactions of others who are not dealing with their fears, resulting from the “mess.” As a result, I’ve become the new bull’s-eye, a target for practice. This creates a feeling of danger in my life. At this point I have to be on guard, and I’m sure if I tell anyone, the triangle might try to kill me this time. At this point, I can’t trust anyone; it doesn’t matter who or why, the point is that I cannot and will not trust anymore. Why did you leave me here? Why can’t you get yourself together and find yourself here with me? I got to do what I got to do with what I know and have. The only one I have when you’re gone is Twiggy. If she leaves, I don’t know what I am going to do. Twiggy says she doesn’t want any children, and she is going to be a pediatrician when she grows up. I say she’s going to be the best mother in the world. After you, she is my second choice. I just want to feel alright so I can be alright, but is this really going to make it right? I need real LOVE, or what I think real love is at this point from what I have experienced, so everything will be right. Remember, as far as I know everything being right depends on attention, and feeling right, and that ultimate euphoric feeling any way I can get it—through people, places, and things. I need stability and consistency along with that love, no matter what road I have to travel to get it. I am really not sure what love is, but when I get that euphoric feeling, attention, security, and the consistency from someone or something that I’m looking for, that’s when I know I have found LOVE. You see I’ve figured out how to survive and stay alive, and I don’t need you anymore. I… don’t hate you but I am mad. It doesn’t matter who I’m mad with, or what I’m mad about, the fact is that I am continued on page 66
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mad. The longer I stay mad, the deeper it is rooted within me, and the better I get at it—remember, practice makes perfect. The reality is that “mad” is a state of mind; therefore, what I think I am, say I am, and act out—I become it, it becomes me, and it consumes me. I was once that “at-risk” youth who came from a well-to-do upper middle class home; well educated, and well traveled at an early age. I was exposed to the good, bad, better, and ugly, which groomed me for the abuse that I learned to live with, and later on reflected the results of those behaviors that were covered up by the luxuries and privileges of an upper middle class lifestyle. Some of my elders did not yet know who they were, and were victims of Identity Theft and Fraud, combined with “top shelf” and a needed prescription from the private Doc. I was not given the mental nourishment and emotional support at an early age that I needed to shape me into the man I was designed to be. I do not blame my parents, elders, caretakers, or teachers for this; no one is to blame. I am grateful to them for the exposure and all the many experiences that have shaped me into the man I am today. This isn’t just my story… it is many of our stories that lie within my story. Not “to be continued”, but “to be re-created.”
the doctor will hear you now want better health care? start asking more questions. to your doctor. to your pharmacist. to your nurse. what are the test results? what about side effects? don’t fully understand your prescriptions? don’t leave confused. because the most important question is the one you should have asked. go to www.ahrq.gov/questionsaretheanswer or call 1-800-931-AHRQ (2477) for the 10 questions every patient should ask. questions are the answer.
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Let’s inquire: What is ultimately missing from this child’s early life experience? _ _ _ _. What I think “I AM”, what I say “I AM”, is what I begin to believe, and is what I eventually become---remember, practice makes perfect. If I believe that I do not have “it,” how can I experience it, express it, share it, or be it? Who is to blame here? No one! As a result, who might this later effect? Every one!
Today, I am grateful for the many learning experiences delivered through various situations, whether pleasant or unpleasant, that took place in my life. I am grateful for every person and the part they played in my life in order to help deliver the most valuable lessons needed for my personal development. A wise man once said to me, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.” A wise woman said to me “Wherever you place your focus, that’s where you will have your experience.” Today in my life, I have made a conscious decision to be proactive in my personal development. I am positively changing my mind set each moment of every day. I look for the good in my situations in-order to identify and learn the lessons needed that the situation presents, to pilot me through to the next level in my life. I now understand that I gain wisdom through understanding; the understanding of that which I truly am, my conscious the “I AM Identity.” I understand, believe and “know” that I AM the Unique Creative Opulent Idea of that I hold for myself. I may have taken the long road, but it was not the wrong road. This was the road that I consciously or unconsciously chose because it was the road that I needed to experience in order to prepare, and properly equip, and lead me to create “CUSH Real Talk Volume #1.” “CUSH Real Talk Volume #1” is a Self-Developmental Workbook strategically designed to help us sift through, sort out, and identify our “mess” in order to clean it up. We define the “mess” as the mental, emotional and social struggles that result in academic deficiencies and/or the daily progression of “at-risk” behaviors. CUSH Real Talk is strategically designed to assist its participants in the development of their basic life-building skills. CUSH Real Talk focuses on self-exploration leading to self-awareness, enhancement of critical thinking skills, and manifestation of proactive behaviors and outcomes.
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Nutrition by Jacqueline T. Crenshaw, Nutritionist/RD
Dietitian and Nutrition Editor
Nutrition On The Minds of The HIV/AIDS Man or Woman Healthy eating may not be the first thing on the mind of someone just diagnosed with the HIV virus. Although you may not have an interest in eating correctly, it is very important that you nourish your body well. As with fighting any infection, your body requires more energy and you will need to eat more than you normally would. Extra muscle weight will help you fight HIV, therefore, exercise will serve as a good implement. It is very important to understand this principle whether you are over or under weight. Losing weight can be dangerous or harmful to the body with HIV. Always talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian to help you maintain proper weight. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reports that more than one million people in the United States are currently living with HIV/ AIDS. In 2006 there were approximately 53,000 new HIV infections with the highest proportion being among African Americans, despite the fact they make up only 12 percent of the population. This is a good reason why IBA Magazine is taking an interest in addressing this issue. The American Dietetic Association advocates that people with HIV follow the same eating habits for health principles as recommended for everyone else in society with an increase in calories. Why? Because eating well can minimize the symptoms associated with the virus. Good nutrition is essential for one to get proper nourishment to help fight any infection or disease. We will discuss later in this article diet tips on healthy eating and how to increase calories. Being infected with HIV/AIDS may put you at greater risk for developing other diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and even some cancers. Side effects can be caused by medications and therapies necessary to help control the problem of HIV/ AIDS. Eating healthy will certainly help protect you from developing conditions that may come to The Resource for Black Americans
a weaken immune system. Upon acquiring HIV, the immune system will strike back with killer T cells and B cell produced antibodies, two to four weeks after exposure to the virus. So a latency period may allow an infected person to remain free from symptoms of HIV for months or years. However, the immune system eventually deteriorates to a point that the human body is unable to fight off other opportunistic infections such as pneumonia. Therefore, HIV/ AIDS infected persons need to be well aware of how to keep his/her body built up or even stronger with good and proper nutrition. Why Is Good Nutrition Important for People with HIV/AIDS?
Good nutrition provides one with enough macro and micro nutrients to maintain a healthy body. Macro nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) provide calories (energy) to help maintain body weight. A history of the virus dictates that you might lose fat or muscle when losing weight. This is called wasting. Protein is needed to help keep you from losing as much lean body mass (muscles). If you lose too much lean weight, over 5% of your body weight, your body chemistry changes. If your mouth or throat is possibly affected by taking some medications, you will find it difficult to eat; therefore affecting your food intake. If diarrhea develops, your body actually will use less of what you eat. Fat and carbohydrate foods will provide extra calories without using all the calories from proteins. Guidelines for Good and Proper Nutrition for People with HIV/AIDS
Carbohydrate foods, simple and complex both provide a source of energy. They come from whole grain breads, rice, cereals, pasta, fruits and some vegetables like beans, corn, and other starchy foods. Quick energy will come from sugars, jelly, jams, honey, syrup, and dried fruits. Sweets should
be used in moderate amounts only to avoid being an appetite suppressant. Adequate proteins are a necessary part of good nutrition, they help to build and maintain your muscles. They include food like meats, fish, poultry, beans, peanut butter or nuts and eggs. Milk, cheese and yogurt can also be used as protein foods as well as carbohydrate foods. Fat, the other macro nutrient will give extra energy (calories.) You will need a small amount of the “good” fats. They are found in soft margarines, olive oil, canola oil, salmon and tuna, and nuts and seeds. The “bad” fats come from snack foods, such as butter and fatty animal sources. Eating a balanced diet will give you all the vitamins and minerals needed, and with the increased calories, help one with HIV/AIDS live healthier and possibly longer lives without the ill effects of the disease. Drinking enough liquids is very important when you have HIV. Extra water and juice may reduce the side effects of the medication. It will help with dry mouth and constipation. Keep in mind that tea, colas, coffee, and alcohol can actually make you lose body fluids. Practice food safety when you have AIDS. It is very important to protect yourself against infections that can be carried by food or water. Wash your hands before preparing meals, keep all kitchen equipment, and work areas clean. Wash fruits and vegetables carefully. Do not eat raw eggs or rare meats. Keep leftovers refrigerated and eaten within three days if not frozen. Always check expiration dates on food to avoid eating spoiled foods. Remember your body is compromised by having an infectious virus. Go to www.Fsis.usda.gov/factsheets for food safety. Each person should have individualized nutricontinued on page 68
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Nutrition continued from page 67
IF YOU’RE NOT AT YOUR LAST JOB,
YOUR 401(k)
SHOULDN’T BE EITHER.
tion attention at this time in their life, and take it serious. Check with your nutritionist, nurse or doctor for further guidelines on eating to maintain a healthier body and weight. Diet Tips: Follow the basic MY Pyramid
Add more calories through protein fat and carbohydrate foods. Increase good fats at each meal. Eat sandwiches with added mayonnaise. Use canned or cooked fruits and vegetables to avoid contamination from raw vegetables if you develop diarrhea. Watch sweets during diarrhea episodes. Increase meals to six or more small meals. Drink plenty of liquids and use bottled water if you have reservations about your public water being totally pure. Use supplemental nutrition when you find it difficult to go shopping or cook. Add more calories without eating more solid foods by using high caloric foods. Sample High Calorie recipes:
Leaving a 401(k) with a previous employer could mean leaving it alone with no one to watch over it. At Edward Jones, we can explain options for your 401(k) and help you select the one that’s best for you. If you’d like to roll it over into an Edward Jones IRA, we can help you do it without paying taxes or penalties. So you can feel confident someone is looking out for you and your 401(k). To find out why it makes sense to talk with Edward Jones about your 401(k) options, call or visit your local financial advisor today. Richard S Pitts
Financial Advisor .
10455 Old Olive Street Road St Louis, MO 63141 314-991-0269
www.edwardjones.com
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Member SIPC
Banana Smoothie 1 cup - Vanilla Yogurt 1 cup - milk (2% preferably) 1 - medium banana 2 tbsp - wheat germ or ground flaxseed 2 tbsp - Protein Powder Combine all ingredients in blender Cheesy Pasta and Vegetable Casserole 4 tbsp - Margarine (1/4 cup soft margarine) 1 lb - Macaroni product 8-oz each - 3 Cheeses, shred and Cream Cheese ½ cup - evaporated milk 2 tbsp - condensed milk 3 - large eggs 1 cup - green bean, peas, or broccoli Salt and pepper and sugar to taste Combine all ingredients in blender Cook pasta according to package instruction, Rinse and drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease casserole dish or place in chafing dish one ingredient at a time. Make the cheese sauce with cheeses and margarine. Add beaten eggs, vegetables, and season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Slightly stir in cheese sauce. Bake for 45 minutes or cook or low heat. Sprinkle with cheese. Brown and serve. www.IBAPublications.com
Smart Investment Moves for 2010 by Richard Pitts
As an investor, you might wonder what the new year has in store for you. While economic and market forces are, as always, somewhat unpredictable, the overall outlook is generally favorable — and by making the right moves, you can further improve your chances of making 2010 a good year for your portfolio. One of the best moves you can make is to stay invested. If you jumped out of the market during the long downturn from late 2007 through March 2009, you would have missed quite a rally. In fact, the Dow Jones Industrial Average staged a considerable comeback from its March lows, climbing 61.1 percent in 2009. The S&P 500 rose 66.7 percent off of its low. Still, it’s unlikely that we’ll experience returns in this neighborhood for 2010. Although we may see reasonably strong growth in corporate earnings — a key driver of stock prices — stocks are no longer as undervalued as they were when the rally began. However, we still face some significant issues, such as high unemployment and tight credit, most experts predict that the economic recovery will continue in 2010, though not at a sizzling pace. And a growing economy is usually good news for investors. Of course, despite the potentially favorable The Resource for Black Americans
investment environment, there’s always the possibility of bumps in the road. To protect yourself, consider taking these steps: • Stick with “buy and hold.” Despite some claims that “buy-and-hold” is no longer a viable investment strategy given today’s volatile markets, it worked pretty well for those investors who were patient enough to ride out the bear market. Continue looking for quality investments and holding them until they no longer meet your needs or until the fundamentals of the investments themselves change. • Own some short-term investments. During the long bear market, short-term investments, particularly cash, held up better than most other assets. Yet many investors had too little cash in their portfolios. Don’t make that mistake. Keep an appropriate amount of cash for your age, income level, risk tolerance and long-term goals. • Consider adding fixed-income investments. By owning some fixed-income vehicles, such as bonds, you can help reduce the effects of volatility on your portfolio. And if you hold your bonds until maturity, which is often a wise move, you can rely on them for a source of steady income. As always, make sure you understand the risks before investing.
• Watch for changes in investment taxes. In the coming year, the tax rate may increase for longterm capital gains and stock dividends. If that happens, you may need to review your investment mix. However, even if the long-term capital gains rate rises, you’ll still likely be better off holding quality investments for many years, thereby giving them the time to potentially overcome short-term price volatility. Even if taxes rise on dividends, dividend-paying stocks, with their ability to provide both income and growth potential, can be a valuable part of your portfolio. (Keep in mind, that companies may reduce or eliminate dividends at any time.) No one can say for sure what 2010 will bring to the investment world. But by preparing your investment strategy for a range of possibilities, and by making changes as needed, you can make this a year of progress toward your important financial goals. Richard Pitts is a registered Account representative for Edward Jones investments and is located at its headquarters in St. Louis, MO. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by Richard Pitts, Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
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(left to right) Coach Roderick Turner gives instruction to Nigel Williams, Gregory Calhoun II, Chelsea Bowman (CobbWorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Intern) and Grecia Flores, at the Legacy Links golf course in Smyrna, GA.
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I remember growing up as a child in Alliance, Ohio, during the mid 1950s. I was a mama’s boy – quiet, and I didn’t have many friends. However, my parents made my life meaningful and it was because of their love that I felt a need to share love and to give back by helping others. I wanted to promote a desire to help others to understand one of the primary truths in life, “Our children are the future, and we as a world should simply, wakeup!” The Resource for Black Americans
By middle school I was having difficulties with homework, and reading in class – this was mainly due to the very uncomfortable struggle I had sounding out words. As classmates reacted with laughter, I found that this made it more difficult to build friendships. I didn’t know why I was having these difficulties, until receiving confirmation at the age of 25 that I was dyslexic. This is an imcontinued on page 72
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Developing Youth and Golf continued from page 71
pairment of the ability to read and interpret words and sentences that the average child would have no problem with. Playing team sports was one of my biggest challenges because of the difficulty required in memorizing the multiple assignments that were necessary in order to participate in sports such as; baseball, football, and basketball. Therefore I preferred individual sports where I could learn at my own pace, sports such as bowling, tennis, and golf; sports that I excelled in. This helped me to begin to develop my self-confidence. My uncle, Tommy A. Goosby, played professional football for the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins. After his career as a player, he worked as a talent scout for the Dallas Cowboys. During his early retirement stage, he became involved in golf and encouraged me to learn the game as well. I was fortunate because it allowed me the ability to spend more time with him, which made me feel like his favorite nephew. As a result of the time we would spend together, I developed a very close relationship with his three daughters. I always thought that he wished that he had a son, and as a result, he treated me like the son that he didn’t have. I remember an occasion, which saddens me today, where one of my friends invited me to play golf at his father’s private club. Unfortunately, because I was black, it was a forbidden act. My friend found it difficult to explain to me that because of my race, I was not welcomed at the club, and could not play on the course. After this experience I wanted to change things, I didn’t want to be passive aggressive, I wanted to make a difference. A Passion for Change
Golf has taught me so much about life and living with Dyslexia. It has improved my overall personal development and it has given me the means to introduce, and to acquaint young black children into this lifetime sport, one which has been denied them for far too long. By training them as young children, they will be able to close the gap by not having to wait until they reach adulthood to begin learning and playing this awesome game, a game which has so much to offer. I have strived over the years to approach and invite affluent individuals, whom I know to have a passion for this game, as well as a desire to positively impact the lives of our children. I have considered individuals such as; Steve Harvey (TV &
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radio personality), Dr. Julius Erving (NBA), Andre 3000 (Outkast), Alonzo Mourning (NBA), Brad Daugherty (NBA), Dwayne Wade (NBA), Tim Hardaway (NBA), John Carter (entrepreneur), Jason Terry (NBA), Joseph Profit (NFL), and others. I have attempted to network and uncover the necessary funds that would allow The African American Golf Foundation (AAGF) the resources to provide these children with the rare occasion to participate in a sport in which they have very little knowledge. The efforts of AAGF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that I founded in 1987 – along with our, “On the Right Course,” after school and enrichment programs, introduces the game of golf to children who have been excluded due to race or economics. We combine golf with academics, leadership and character development activities to help youth succeed both on and off the course – at no cost! This affords AAGF the opportunity to promote “golf diversity,” by creating quality opportunities for minority and underprivileged children to learn to play and enjoy the game. AAGF was a success from its inception by having some of its first student participants reach top state and national rankings. It has since been heralded as a model program. Now that many of the students have moved on in life and are now adults, they are reaping all of the benefits that they learned from the program. A few have even gone on to become professional golfers, while others enjoy it on a recreational level. I continue to look at the many opportunities that the underprivileged children are deprived of simply because of their economic standing. These opportunities may include, but are not limited to things such as developing new friendships, business networking, attending fundraisers, corporate outings, and so much more. Getting kids acclimated to this type of exposure starting when they are adolescents will help to alleviate intimidating elements, that being a part of playing and succeeding in sports will initiate and cultivate. At AAGF, our goal has always been, first and foremost, to extend our program in order to help underprivileged youth adapt to mainstream junior activities. We have found that support from our own culture, families, and the golfing establishment has been misleading and has not been as forthcoming as it should be. We have enjoyed coverage by local, national, and international news sources; yet, nothing has taken place within the U.S. golf media. AAGF is one of a handful of independent organizations which seeks to accomplish its goals in a landscape that currently shows resistance to
change, basically attributed to our own ignorance, and by allowing the same traditional bodies to continue its systematic control over who is allowed in. AAGF provides its students five basic components in its full year of programming. Our activities are at no cost to participants. These components consist of (1) Golf w/character and player development, (2) mentoring, (3) entrepreneurial development, (4) physical fitness and nutrition, and (5) academics/tutoring with limited parental activities. We are proud to mention that recently in our 23-year history AAFG was awarded its first funding by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). AAGF will receive $200,000 annually, for three years to conduct its golf/mentoring program. The faith in our program and its future success shown by the DOE is indicative of our commitment. Philosophy
AAGF’s philosophy is to address sensitive issues by providing structure and teaching life skills for students in grades 4 to 9. We are focusing on building a feeder program through Osborne High School in Marietta, GA. We will select 4 elementary schools, and 2 middle schools, all of which will feed into Osborne High School. We would like to develop a partnership with local schools, in order to make school visits that will create opportunities with colleges such as Chattahoochee Technical, Kennesaw St. University, Life University, and Southern Polytechnic St. University. AAGF is in its second year of constructing a junior golf development program in Marietta, GA where the school population is approximately 50% black and 30% Hispanic. Our twenty plus years of being in the trenches will help us with our success rate geared towards this program. We are currently seeking funds to assist our efforts, so as to continue to develop a program that is designed to impact the community, as well as the high schools. For more than a decade we have witnessed an influx of African American spectators and participants in the game of golf, due to the exposure of Tiger Woods; yet there has continued to be some reluctance in providing data showing the membership of private clubs because of the lack of involvement from African Americans. Television has proven to be the biggest difference maker in promoting change as it relates to increasing the knowledge behind the scenes of golf. There are now programs such as the 24-hour golf channel, which provides ongoing coverage of golf, as well as other major networks adding coverage, which includes more black celebrities and executives being seen than www.IBAPublications.com
ever before. As enlightening as this has been, these events can insinuate that diversity in the golfing industry is on the rise, when in actuality, these programs are motivated by money and ratings. Blacks are the most recent underprivileged group that has been allowed into golf’s private gates. Legal actions, although forced, are slowly producing change in the golfing world. It is believed that the lack of any particular body, which governs the sport of golf, has attributed directly to its destabilizing growth. What efforts are being put forth in order to promote change? Do we have any way in knowing whether there is a 25% or 100% effort? Are we to believe since being a nascent group that all actions are being fully enacted upon in the most honest approach? By not having knowledgeable representation in place to interact with the governing bodies that appoint minorities to represent communities, we have no way of knowing how the 1995 antidiscrimination policy has been enforced, or if the individuals are truly qualified to serve. Thanks to the Tiger Woods phenomenon, and because his dominance in golf as a black athlete outweighed what the major topic should have been, private clubs and the governing bodies of golf are now actively completing its reformed racerelations efforts. During this period of time I have attended forums and symposiums, sponsored by golf’s governing bodies, in which I was disappointed because there was no representation of appointed blacks chosen by the governing bodies to direct youth development. I find that African Americans are as vulnerable today as we were 15 years ago. The change that we seek and expect is relied upon by those who carry out policies and look to reform situations in which they are not directly affected. Being aware of the early studies that African Americans have faced in golf, when Tiger Woods made his debut in 1996, it was difficult for AAGF to fundraise as a non-profit organization. Without having any resources to perform this search, I have attempted to come up with my own theory, which is based on the experiences that I encountered in golf as a black man, in which race played a major role. Based on the marketing data that was collected, the average age for blacks to have first exposure to golf is age 28. 882,000 Americans or 3.3% of the 26.2 million golfers in the US are black. Given these figures and understanding golf’s landscape, it makes it highly difficult for companies to attract black consumers who are being discriminated against. If the company relies only on selling golf products, then philanthropic giving could be impacted as well. AAGF has written hundreds of proposals to priThe Resource for Black Americans
Edward Oden, Jr., Founder and Executive Director
vate and public companies that seem to match up well in its philanthropic giving. However, we have not received any awards. With only a few nonprofits willing to identify itself by race, AAGF has opened another door that benefits those African Americans and other underrepresented groups that are interested in the golfing industry. AAGF serves all races with its emphasis focused on the underprivileged. Most people who frequent the office are ones who are interested in the history of golf, and interested in my opinion on current issues relating to the way blacks accept the game of golf. The time has come for us to join together and help our community and to encourage our children to become more productive young citizens. We must identify the people who are doing great work in our communities and support them. It is unsettling that there still exist funding organizations that choose to ignore requests for assistance from black and other cultural diverse groups and they do so because there are no repercussions. Since we have been involved at the grassroot
level, AAGF has been able to better understand golf’s landscape and the functions of the governing body, as it relates to supporting diversity in golf. We are looking at ways to assure that these bodies and collaborative efforts from outside sources such as AAGF will be used to help minorities become more active. AAGF has been one of the rare African American golf organizations that continue to exist and has a proven track record. Since our inception, AAGF has seen the 3 most systematic factors that have been influential in preventing minorities from associating with this game. They are (1) turf protection, controlled by the governing body and the foundations that collect corporate America’s donations to support diversity programming which primarily supports its own and have little to do with independent groups, (2) private club membership, having a stringent process initiating members, and (3) past discrimination, which has a negative impact on blacks, by continued on page 74
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AAGF students receiving awards for outstanding entrepreneur projects, sponsored by AAGF, Kennesaw State University-Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) program, and Chef Donyele Fitzgerald-DuBose (Back row, second from left).
Developing Youth and Golf continued from page 73
not seeing them reach the hierarchy roles to have more of a direct impact relating to the growth of the game for minorities. To date, the governing body has played a much too passive role and only does what is necessary. Without a watchdog group to monitor its work, it is permitted to continue. The federal tax law provides tax exemptions for qualified social clubs, such as private golf clubs. The Internal Revenue Service established guidelines which allow private clubs to willingly discriminate as long as it is an unwritten rule. With only a few organizations willing to take a stand, such as AAGF, exposing the ills of these powerful monopolies, the unjust laws will favor the majority, and they will rarely face opposition and continue these practices. AAGF was founded to help bring awareness to some of the more prevalent issues that deter certain groups from this game. We have in
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place one of the best fundamental approaches to expose and develop young entrepreneurs to learn early on about this multi-billion dollar industry, and to provide encouragement to venture into this market. We are continuing to tweak our programs to be more innovative and solution driven. To date, the AAGF program has been fully funded by the U.S. Department of Education with the placement of a three-year award, ending March 2011. AAGF is currently developing a strategic plan in its efforts to continue our 7-year goal to build a community feeder project which will be the first of its kind. This is a three-tier development project with phase 1 beginning at the elementary level, with students in the fourth and fifth grade in 2010. Phase 2 will begin in 2011, in which our phase 1 students will enter into their respected middle schools. Phase 3 will continue with all middle school students feeding into one high school in Cobb County, GA. This has been a very successful and cost efficient (free) program, which is conducted year-round,
including both after school and summer school programs. This is the most comprehensive program available for the underprivileged, and has shown its success by elevating its students to top state, regional, and national levels of competitions. AAGF had accomplished these goals before receiving any grants, and now with the assistance of the DOE, we hope to build a model program, prior to starting our regional and national efforts, which can only be successful if we can gain the support of the individuals in our community. If we are not a part of the solution, then we assist the problem. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time Black America to stand up and be counted, not only in the census, but in the better development of our children. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: The story of the African American Golf Foundation will be continued in the next edition of IBA Magazine. Visit www.aagf.org for more information.
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Readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Survey The publishers of IBA Magazine (IBA) would like to receive your input. We would like you to tell us what topics are of interest to you. We would like to know if you like our new format and if you like the way we present our resource information. Below are a few questions that we would like to ask. You may answer them via the internet (www.ibamagazine.com) or mail this page to IBA Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 44821, Atlanta, Georgia 30336. 1. Did you find Issues In Black America enlightening? Yes No (circle one) 2. Were the topics of interest to you? Yes No (circle one) 3. Would you be willing to subscribe to Issues In Black America? Yes No (circle one) 4. What article did you like most? _____________________________________________________________ (include page number if possible) 5. Which article did you like least? ____________________________________________________________ (include page number if possible) 6. On average how many magazines do you read per month? _ __________________________________________________________________ 7. What are your favorite magazines? _____________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Have you visited the IBA website (www.ibamagazine.com)? Yes No (circle one) 9. If you have visited the IBA website, was it (there can be more than one answer): a) Easy to use b) Difficult to use c) It was average d) I did not like it e) I thought it was well done.
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CAREERS In furthering our mission to be the premier resource information magazine, IBA Magazine presents information about the various jobs and careers in the world of work. Through the presentation of this information, the readers of IBA Magazine will acquire an in-depth knowledge and awareness in their chosen career or profession that may be of interest to them. Information will be provided for careers ranging from the post secondary level to the doctorial level. In this edition, we present pertinent information on the important field of work as Surveyors, Cartographers, Photogrammetrists, as well as Surveying and Mapping Technicians Nature of the Work
Surveyors,
Cartographers,
Photogrammetrists, and Surveying and Mapping Technicians
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Surveyors, cartographers, and photogrammetrists are responsible for measuring and mapping the earth’s surface. Surveyors establish official land, airspace, and water boundaries. They write descriptions of land for deeds, leases, and other legal documents; define airspace for airports, and take measurements of construction and mineral sites. Cartographers and photogrammetrists collect, analyze, interpret, and map geographic information from surveys and from data and photographs collected using airplanes and satellites. Surveying technicians assist these professionals by collecting data in the field, making calculations, and helping with computer-aided drafting. Collectively, these occupations play key roles in the field of geospatial information. Surveyors measure distances, directions, and angles between points and elevations of points, lines and contours on, above, and below the earth’s surface. In the field, they select known survey reference points and determine the precise location of important features in the survey area, using specialized equipment. Surveyors also research legal records, look for evidence of previous boundaries, and analyze data to determine the location of boundary lines. Surveyors use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate reference points with a high degree of precision. Photogrammetrists and cartographers measure maps and chart the earth’s surface. Their work involves everything from performing geographical research and compiling data to producing maps. They collect, analyze, and interpret both spatial data – such as latitude, longitude, elevation, and distance – and nonspatial data - for example, population density, land-use patterns, annual precipitation levels, and demographic characteristics. www.IBAPublications.com
By Lithangia Robinson Murray Work Environment
Surveyors and surveying technicians usually work an eight-hour day, five days a week, and may spend a lot of time outdoors. Sometimes they work longer hours during the summer, when weather and light conditions are most suitable for fieldwork. Surveyors and technicians engage in active, sometimes strenuous work. They often stand for long periods of time, walk considerable distances, and climb hills with heavy packs of instruments and other equipment. They may also be exposed to various types of weather; traveling is sometimes part of the job, and requires that land surveyors and technicians commute long distances, stay away from home overnight, or temporarily relocate near a survey site. Surveyors also work indoors while planning surveys, searching court records for deed information, analyzing data, and preparing reports and maps. Cartographers and photogrammetrists spend most of their time in offices using computers. However, certain jobs may require extensive field work to verify results and acquire data.
Members of a survey party must be in good physical condition because they work outdoors and often carry equipment over difficult terrain. They need good eyesight, coordination, and hearing in order to communicate verbally and use effective hand signals. Surveying is a cooperative operation, therefore good interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team is important. Good office skills are essential because surveyors must be able to research old deeds and other legal papers as well as prepare reports that document their work. Certification and advancement
High school graduates without formal training in surveying usually start as apprentices. Beginners with postsecondary school training in surveying usually can start as technicians or assistants. With on the job training in surveying - either in an institutional program or correspondence school – workers may advance to senior survey technician and then to party chief. The National Society of Professional Surveyors, a member organization of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, has a voluntary certification program for surveying Training, Other Qualifications, technicians. Technicians are certified at four levels and Advancement that require progressive amounts of experience and Most surveyors, cartographers, and photogramthe passing of written examinations. metrists have a bachelor’s degree in surveying or a related field. Every state requires that surveyors be Employment Surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists, licensed. and surveying technicians held about 148,000 jobs Education and training. In the past, many people without extensive for- in 2006. The architectural, engineering, and related mal training started as members of survey crews services industry-including firms that provided surand worked their way up to become licensed sur- veying and mapping services to other industries on veyors, but this has become increasingly difficult to a contract basis-provided 7 out of 10 jobs for these do. Now, most surveyors need a bachelor’s degree. workers. Federal, state, and local governmental agenA number of colleges and universities began to of- cies provided about 14% of these jobs. Most surveyfer bachelor’s degree programs in surveying. Many ors in state and local government work for highway community colleges, technical institutes, and voca- departments or urban planning and redevelopment tional schools have started to offer one-, two-, and agencies. Construction, mining, and utility compathree-year programs in surveying and surveying nies also employ surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists, and surveying technicians. technology. High school students interested in surveying and Job Outlook Surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists, cartography should take courses in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, drafting, mechanical drawing, and surveying and mapping technician technicians should have favorable job prospects. These occupaand computer science. tions should experience employment growth that is Other qualifications Surveyors, cartographers and photogrammetrists much faster than the average. should be able to visualize objects, distances, sizes, Employment change Overall employment of surveyors, cartographers, and abstract forms. They must work with precision photogrammetrists, and surveying and mapping and accuracy because mistakes can be costly. The Resource for Black Americans
technicians is expected to increase by 21% from 2006 to 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Increasing demand for fast, accurate, and complete geographic information will be the main source of growth for these occupations. Earnings
Median annual earning of cartographers and photogrammetrists were $48,240 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $37, 480 and $65,240. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,910 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $80, 520. Median annual earnings of surveyors were $48,290 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $35,720 and $63,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,690, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,710. Median annual earnings of surveyors employed in architectural, engineering, and related services were $47,570 in May 2006. Median annual earning of surveying and mapping technicians were $32,340 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between$25,070 and $42,230. The lowest 10 percent earned les than $20,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,310. Median annual earnings of surveying and mapping technicians employed in architectural, engineering, and related services were $30,670 in May 2006. While those employed by local governments had median annual earnings of $37,550. Sources of Additional Information
For career information on surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists, and surveying technicians, contact: American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, Suite403, 6 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20879. Internet: http//www.acsm.net ASPRS: Imaging and Geospatial Information Society, 5410 Grosvenor Ln, Suite 210, Bethesda, MD 20814. Internet: http//asprs.org MAPPS: Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors, 1760 Reston, VA 20190. Internet:http//www.mapps.org Source: Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009.
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Foreclosure numbers continue to rise and many homeowners are at an increased risk of losing their home. While foreclosure can be prevented, many homeowners remain confused or afraid to confront their mortgage problems and take action to help save their home. “Fear often prevents many consumers from seeking help,” said Michelle Jones, senior vice president of counseling for the Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS), Inc. “Overcoming these fears can mean the difference between staying in your home and losing it.” CCCS counselors can address some of the common fears homeowners have about seeking help: Fear: Homeowners are afraid to let the mortgage company know they are having a problem because they think it will speed up the foreclosure process. Contacting your lender is an important first step if you want to save your home from foreclosure. It provides you with an opportunity to explain why you have fallen behind on your payments and what steps you are taking to get back on track. Lenders have a financial interest in keeping you in your home and may be willing to alter the terms of your loan or devise a repayment plan. Fear: Homeowners believe that if their mortgage company has already turned them down for a loan modification, there is no point in contacting a counseling agency.
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Many homeowners are turned down for a loan modification because the information they provide to their lender indicates that their expenses exceed their income or that they have not provided accurate documentation and information about their loan. In other cases, the lender may have made a processing error or the investor who owns the loan will not modify loans in accordance with the Making Home Affordable program. A housing counselor may be able to suggest alternatives that better suit your current financial situation or help you make adjustments that make you a better candidate for a loan modification with your lender. Fear: Homeowners fear being judged by others for seeking help. These are challenging financial times. While it may feel like you are the only one struggling, the reality is that many of your friends and neighbors are also finding it difficult to stay afloat. By seeking help, you will not only increase your chances of avoiding foreclosure, you may also serve as an inspiration to others. Fear: Homeowners think it is better to use all of their financial resources before seeking help. Many homeowners try to ride out the financial storm, using their savings and depleting their retirement accounts before seeking help. By the time they do seek help, they are in an even more
desperate financial situation and they have spent the resources that may given them more options in dealing with their mortgage crisis. Fear: Homeowners facing foreclosure fear that their situation is hopeless. For homeowners facing foreclosure, the feelings of hopelessness and despair can be overwhelming. While for some, seeking help may mean saving their home, it is inevitable that some homeowners will end up in foreclosure. A certified housing counselor can help homeowners work through the foreclosure and build a new path for long term financial success. Fear: Companies claiming they can save your home, charge large up-front fees. You can receive counseling from a reputable, nonprofit housing counseling agency at no charge. While there are unscrupulous businesses looking to take advantage of homeowners, there are also many HUD-approved housing counseling agencies that offer help for struggling consumers. CCCS provides free counseling for homeowners and helps them explore alternatives to foreclosure. Counselors will review their current financial situation, explain options that may be available through their lender, and in some cases, contact the lender on behalf of the homeowner. www.IBAPublications.com
Why Children’s Health Coverage Matters by The Children’s Defense Fund
Children’s health coverage is a major determinant of access to health care. Health affects every aspect of a child’s life, including the ability to grow, learn, play, and succeed. Good health is optimized when a child has an ongoing relationship with health providers, during times of sickness and health. There are more than 8 million uninsured children in the United States. Millions more are underinsured. As a result, millions of children lack timely access to comprehensive health and mental health services, and must delay or forgo preventive care and treatment due to cost or other barriers. Uninsured children are 10 times more likely than insured children to have unmet medical needs, such as untreated asthma, diabetes or obesity, and are 5 times as likely as an insured child to go more than 2 years without seeing a doctor. Regular health screenings help doctors identify and treat problems preventively and are crucial to a child’s healthy development. An estimated two-thirds of children and youth with mental health needs are not getting the help they need. In fact, unmet need is as high today as it was 20 years ago. Uninsured children are more than 4 times as likely as an insured child to have an unmet dental health need. In 2000, children missed more than 51 million hours of school because of dental-reThe Resource for Black Americans
lated illness. Uninsured children are more likely than insured children to perform poorly in school; in contrast, enrolling children in health coverage has been associated with greatly improved school performance. Uninsurance disproportionately affects minority children. While 1 in 14 White children is uninsured, the statistic jumps to nearly 1 in 9 for Black children and 1 in 5 for Latino children. Racial and Ethnic Disparities
have any form of health coverage. Racial and ethnic disparities among those uninsured children are dramatic. Most recent data has found that one in 13 White children is uninsured compared to: 1 in 5 American Indian children 1 in 6 Latino children 1 in 9 Black children 1 in 9 Asian/Pacific Islander children Children who lack insurance have been found to be less likely to have a regular doctor and to receive preventive care, and more likely to delay care, use less care, get poorer care, have unmet medical needs, and have poorer health. As disparities in child health coverage by race and ethnicity persist, these outcomes have had an unduly negative impact on the health of minority children compared to White children. Although studies have found that only a small percentage of all children in America are in fair or poor health, Black children are more than twice as likely as white children to be in only fair or poor health, and Latino children are 50 percent more likely.
Minority children in the United States — Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and American Indian — are more likely to be uninsured than White Breakdown of Uninsured Children by children. This disproportionate lack of health covRace, erage adversely affects children’s health, growth Ethnicity in 2006 and development from before birth through adoA disproportionate lack of health coverage is one lescence and into adulthood. More than 8 million children in America are uninsured. That means 1 out of every 10 does not continued on page 80
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Children’s Health Coverage
Oral Health
Many children in America, but especially lowincome and minority children, grow up without basic dental care. For dental-related illness alone, of the many disadvantages that can affect a minor- it has been found that children miss more than 51 ity child’s chances of growing up to be a healthy million hours of school a year. adult. While Medicaid, CHIP, and other federally funded programs such as Vaccines for Children (VFC) have made significant strides in narrowing disparities associated with coverage and access to care, our work is far from complete. In order to ensure a healthy start for all children and reduce the glaring health disparities in life expectancy and chronic disease seen in adulthood, pregnant women and children must have access to affordable, seamless, comprehensive health coverage that includes regular health screenings and early identification and treatment of any health problems. However, as shown by statistics on coverage, prenatal care and infant health, oral health, asthma, lead poisoning and obesity, our current systems and policies fall far short of this goal. continued from page 79
Prenatal Care, Low Birthweight, and Infant Mortality
Almost one in every four pregnant Black women and more than one in three pregnant Latina women is uninsured, compared with one in nearly seven pregnant White women. Without coverage, Black and Latina mothers are less likely to access or afford prenatal care, and may not get the advice, examinations and screenings that they need to protect both their health and the health of their babies. Babies born to Black mothers are more than twice as likely to die in the first year of life as White babies. Overall, the U.S. infant mortality rate ranked 25th out of 30 industrialized countries. Despite the fact that the per-capita GDP of the United States is five times that of Chile, seven states and the District of Columbia have higher infant mortality rates than Chile. Black infants are almost twice as likely to be born at a low birthweight as White babies, and this disparity has held true since 1995. The high incidence of Black infants born at low birthweight increases the likelihood of a child having health and learning problems down the road. For instance, a child born at low birthweight is about 50 percent more likely to score below average on measures of both reading and mathematics at age 17.
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Two-thirds of Black children and about 61 percent of Latino children report receiving preventive dental care, compared to three-quarters of White children. Among children ages 2 through 11, about one in five White children reported untreated dental caries, compared to more than one in four Black children and more than one in three MexicanAmerican children. Untreated caries can make it difficult for children to speak, eat and sleep, generally result in a decreased ability to learn and poorer overall quality of life. Asthma
Nationwide, 12.7 percent of Black children were reported as having asthma, compared with 7.8 percent of Latino children and 8 percent of White children. Puerto Rican children reported the highest prevalence of asthma of all groups, at 19.2 percent. Research shows Black children have a higher prevalence of asthma than White children at all
income levels. Even after controlling for numerous factors, research has found that Black children are 20 percent more likely than White children to be diagnosed with asthma and to have had an attack in the prior year. Black children are more than three and a half times as likely as White children to have had an emergency room visit for asthma in the past year (263.7 visits per 10,000 compared to 73) and to be hospitalized for asthma than White children (59.2 hospitalizations per 10,000 compared to 16.9.) While asthma deaths are relatively rare today, Black children are six times as likely to die from asthma as White children (9 deaths compared to 1.5 deaths per million children). Lead Poisoning
Exposure to lead at any level can be harmful to a child’s development and has been shown to cause learning disabilities, lowered I.Q., behavioral problems, stunted growth and hearing problems. Elevated blood-lead levels are four times as common in Black children (3.5 percent) as in White children (0.9 percent). Even when considering all children whose blood levels show at least 5 micrograms of lead, this disparity persists, as 17 percent of Black children have elevated lead levels compared with 4 percent of White children. Childhood Obesity
More than a third (25 million) of American children are overweight or at risk for being overweight. One in four Black children ages 6 to 17 is overweight, compared with one in seven White children. Among Black teenage girls ages 12 to 19, more than 40% are overweight or at risk of overweight. Children who are overweight or obese face a greater risk for cardiovascular disease, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems like stigmatization and poor self-esteem. Additionally, these children are more likely than children of healthy weight to become overweight or obese adults, and thus face a greater risk for health problems in adulthood, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Clinic-based reports and regional data suggest that Black and Latino children are also more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. www.IBAPublications.com
Help For Entrepreneurs by The National Urban League
Alliance Brings Together Two Major Forces Focused on Main Street Small Business Recovery On Deck Capital’s Innovative Lending Solution Partners with National Urban League to Provide Capital to Entrepreneurs On Deck Capital, a leading provider of small business financing solutions, announced an alliance with the National Urban League (NUL), whose mission is dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. The arrangement brings On Deck’s proprietary small business lending solutions to NUL’s local affiliates through their Entrepreneurship Centers around the nation, starting with Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Launching in these two major metropolitan markets, On Deck Capital’s quickly-approved small business loans will now be directly accessible to thousands of entrepreneurs who have historically been unable to secure funding for their businesses. With traditional banks still denying most applicants small business loans, On Deck has emerged as a viable alternative to entrepreneurs needing to sustain and grow their operations. Visitors to NUL’s Entrepreneurship Centers in the Philadelphia and Los Angeles affiliates will learn first-hand how On Deck works, and how they can be approved for a loan up to $100,000 in less than five minutes. “Our primary focus is to help small business owners nationwide improve their overall fiscal health and credit rating, and secure a fast loan that will allow them to continue to focus on building their American dream,” declared Mitch Jacobs, founder and chief executive officer of On Deck Capital. “Through our loans, small businesses can gain a stronger financial footing and ultimately become more bankable, which in effect drives the cornerstone of our economy.” Despite the enormous strength of minorityowned businesses, which generates approximately $660 billion in revenue and employs nearly 5 million workers, this key economic sector remains The Resource for Black Americans
greatly overlooked and underserved by traditional banks. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Owned Business Development Agency, lack of access to capital is one of the main causes for the sizeable gap between annual revenue of minority-owned and non-minority owned firms (Minority firms on average generate about 200% less revenue than their non-minority counterparts.) On Deck hopes to help close this gap by working directly with NUL’s on-the-ground team across key metropolitan urban markets. “We continuously evaluate and identify key economic empowerment drivers for those in the communities in which we operate,” said Marc H. Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League. “On Deck Capital’s lending solution perfectly aligns with our small business community’s needs, and we are confident this will provide a strong resource for their ongoing growth.” On Deck plans to further roll out this small business recovery solution across additional NUL affiliate offices over the next 6 to 12 months. The National Urban League’s Entrepreneurship Centers provide entrepreneurial service and consultation to entrepreneurs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Each launch city has been eagerly awaiting this roll out as it presents a new opportunity to better serve their clients. “Helping minority owned businesses grow in the Philadelphia market will lend itself to creating new jobs, building strategic alliances with major corporations, and providing business opportunities in new and emerging industries,” says Patricia A. Coulter, president and chief executive officer of the
Urban League of Philadelphia. “Through the collaboration with On Deck Capital, we will create a solid community of small businesses that contribute to the growth and sustainability of a stronger regional economy.” About On Deck Capital
On Deck Capital offers fast financing to small businesses that do not meet traditional bank lending criteria. Through the company’s network, millions of small businesses can obtain loans to meet their daily operating and long term goals. The company’s proprietary underwriting and loan processing platform looks deeper into the health of small businesses, focusing on the overall business performance, in addition to personal credit history. On Deck Capital is making financial history by enabling institutional funds to directly reach Main Street for the first time. On Deck Capital is financed by some of the nation’s leading venture capital firms, including Contour Venture Partners, First Round Capital, Khosla Ventures, RRE Ventures and Village Ventures. For more information, please visit: www.ondeckcapital.com. About National Urban League
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide. Visit www.nul.org.
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Crossword Puzzle
IBA African American History Puzzle Across 1. He invented over 30 products from the peanut and the sweet potato; Dr. George __________ Carver. 4. He was one of the original “freedom fighters” in the American Revolution; Mr. Crispus __________. 9. He was an original in the Old West, an African American cowboy, and the innovator of “bull dogging”, the African American rodeo bears his name; Mr. __________ Picket. 10. She was know as the Black “Moses” for helping runaway slaves escape to the north; Ms. Harriett __________. 11. He was Chicken George in ROOTS, actor, singer, dancer; Mr. Ben __________. 12. His autobiography Up From Slavery continues to be read all over the world and taught in English and history classes all over the US; Mr. __________ T. Washington. 13. The first segment of a play; __________ one. 15. Before President Barak Obama was elected to the Senate in 2004, the last African American male to sit in the US Senate, the Honorable Edward M. __________. 16. Former bass player for Sly and the Family Stone, creator of Graham, Central Station, singer, song writer, producer and solo artist, “one in a million”; Mr. __________ Graham. 17. He was know as “The Brown Bomber”, former World Heavy Weight Boxing Champion, Mr. __________. 19. He was the first African American to have his own TV show, singer, actor, song writer; the late great __________. 21. First place in an Olympic event, receives the __________ medal. 23. Author, civil rights activist, formerly known as Leroi Jones; Mr. __________ Baraka. 26. This city is the capital of Alabama and home to the Civil Rights Memorial; __________, Alabama. 29. He has appeared in over 30 movies, including: Lethal Weapon I, II and III, The Color Purple, The Shooter, Saw and Sleeping with Anger, founder of the Robey Theater, civil rights activist and actor; Mr. Danny __________. 30. She was known as the Queen of Disco; Ms. Donna __________. 33. He is currently the worlds fastest human, Jamaican Sprinter, Mr. Usain __________. 34. First and only African American Female elected to the US Senate; Ms. __________ from the state of Illinois. 37. Actor, writer, director, philanthropist, winner of two academy awards, Training Day and Glory, one of our best actors; Mr. __________ Washington. 38. Famous writer of plays depicting the African American experience, winner of Pulitzer Prizes for Fences and The Piano Lesson, Mr. __________ Wilson.
39. Former candidate for president, talk show host, road manager for James Brown, civil rights activist; the Rev. Al __________. 41. Conservative African American political commentator, famous for receiving money from the Bush family to promote “No Child Left Behind;” Mr. __________ Williams. 43. Educator, civil rights activist, advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the founder of Bethune-Cookman University; Ms. Mary McCloud __________. 44. The worlds most famous basketball team; The Harlem __________.
Down 1. He invented the electric traffic light, Mr. Granville T. __________. 2. Back in the day, another name for a car, __________. 3. Runaway slaves were taught to follow the “drinking gord”, so that they would always be traveling __________. 4. The birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., __________, Georgia. 5. He is known as the father of African-American Black History, Mr. __________ G. Woodson. 6. Do the Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, She has Got to Have it, Jungle Fever, actor, writer, and director, Mr. __________. 7. She was the first African American Miss America, she has appeared on Broadway and in a multitude of theatrical movies, including Soul Food, Eraser, Johnson’s Family Vacation, and Shaft, Ms. Vanessa __________. 8. The First African American US Secretary of State, General Colin __________. 14. The First African American US Attorney General, Mr. Eric __________. 15. The first African American General in the United State Army, General __________ O. Davis Sr. 18. The only African American member of the American Idol judges panel, Mr. __________ Jackson. 20. The First African American Woman US Surgeon General, Dr. Jocelyn __________. 22. The first WNBA player to slam dunk a basketball, Ms. __________ Leslie. 24. In the Jim Crow south to prevent African Americans from voting, many southern states instituted a __________ tax. In order to vote African Americans had to pay the tax. 25. Don Cornelius was the host, this television program showcased African American singers and musicians, know as __________. 27. Talk show host on PBS, writer, journalist, commentator and civil rights activist, Mr. __________ Smiley. 28. It is the home of the human race, __________. 31. Co-Founder of LA Face Records, discovered recording artists: Usher, Toni Braxton, Mariah Carey, Outkast, TLC and Ciara. Mr. Antonio “LA” __________. 33. Part of the OJ Simpson “dream team” of lawyers, noted for his fancy suits and flamboyant closing arguments, lawyer, author and civil rights activist, Mr. Johnnie __________. 34. Mississippi NAACP member, civil rights activist, killed for his beliefs in equality for African Americans, Mr. __________ Evers. 35. The most famous South African freedom fighter, past president of the African National Congress and subsequent president of South Africa, Mr. __________ Mandela. 36. Some say he is the greatest basketball player in history, Mr. Michael __________. 40. The only African American serving on the U.S. Supreme court, his honor, Justice Clarence __________. 42. He was a mentor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a past president of Morehouse College, and the author of several books on race relations, Dr. Benjamin E. __________. 43. Founded by Mr. Robert Johnson, it was the first Black owned and operated cable channel, Black Entertainment Television or __________.
45. Another name for the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, they call themselves __________.
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From The National Medical Association
NMA and The Forum Announce Collaboration to Reduce HIV/AIDS and Kidney Disease Disparities
The National Medical Association (NMA) and the National Minority Quality Forum (The Forum), have announced a multi-year strategic collaboration to address HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, and other health care and health status disparities. This cooperation between two leading voices in the national health care arena represents a comprehensive effort to effectively target evidence-based efforts to improve the quality of care, eliminate unnecessary costs, and save lives. Minorities and the underserved are particularly compromised by HIV/AIDS, kidney disease and other chronic illnesses. Factors resulting in these disparities include unequal access to early detection and unequal treatment once in the healthcare system. Furthermore, the majority of new cases of HIV/AIDS and kidney disease occur in a small percentage of ZIP codes in the country – often populated primarily by minorities. The impact of these diseases in minorities is having profound so-
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cietal and economic consequences. “Reducing the rates of HIV/AIDS and kidney disease in minorities and other underserved populations is a priority of the National Medical Association,” said Willarda V. Edwards, MD, MBA, President of the National Medical Association. “Our collaboration with the National Minority Quality Forum will serve as an important catalyst to develop and implement strategies to reduce the disproportionate prevalence of chronic disease.” “We are proud to partner with the National Medical Association on this very important initiative,” said Gary A. Puckrein, PhD, President and CEO of The Forum. “Through our web-based
atlases that map HIV/ AIDS, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, other chronic diseases, as well as clinical trials at the ZIP code level, collectively we can make a difference.” Founded in 1895, the National Medical Association is the nation’s oldest and largest medical association representing the interests of more than 30,000 African American physicians and their patients. The NMA advocates for policies that would assure equitable and quality health care for all people. The National Minority Quality Forum strengthens national and local efforts through the use of evidence-based, data-driven initiatives to guide programs to eliminate the disproportionate burden of premature death and preventable illness for racial and ethnic minorities and other underserved populations. The Forum’s web-based atlases for chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/ AIDS can be viewed at www.z-atlas.com. www.IBAPublications.com
From The National Dental Association
Student National Dental Association Strengthening Our Roots Recruitment Retention Outreach For over two decades, the Student National Dental Association (SNDA) has been fulfilling its purpose of promoting good fellowship and cooperation among its members and aiding in the advancement of minority students in dentistry. It has furthered these purposes through publication of a newsletter, organization of the annual conventions, liaison with other national dental groups such as the American Student Dental Association, and by assisting selected minority dental students financially, and all minority dental students interested in becoming actively involved with other dental students. The Student National Dental Association (SNDA) originated from concerned dental students at Meharry Medical College in 1970. Over fifty years after the inception and creation of the National Dental Association, these students at Meharry organized and put together the foundation of what would become the largest minority student organization in the United States. The lack of a structured mechanism to promote contact between minority dentists and students of dentistry was the major impetus to form the SNDA. In a letter from Reuben Warren, student government Vice President at Meharry, to Dr. James W. Holley, III, President of NDA, the desire to start a â&#x20AC;&#x153;student chapter of the NDAâ&#x20AC;? was communicated. At the NDA Mid-Winter meeting, March 7-8, 1970, the Student National Dental Association was voted into existence. Since this humble beginning, the SNDA has grown to approximately 1,100 minority dental student members who are from African American, Hispanic, and Native backgrounds from among the approximately 21,000 dental students enrolled at the 56 US dental schools. Since 1970, SNDA has become an integral minority students and minority dental health practitioner, with the ultimate goal of improving the health manpower distribuThe Resource for Black Americans
tion among the minority population as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services. SNDA Regional and National meetings are held annually to advance and refine the collective efforts of the organization. Position Statement on Minority Faculty in Dental Schools:
Minority populations in America, namely African American and Hispanic, are growing faster than any other population group. However, this growth has not been witnessed in the number of health professionals in this country, including dental and medical students and faculty. Currently there are 34 million African Americans, approximately twelve percent of the general population, yet they only represent one percent of dentists in this country. With these figures in mind, one can begin to understand the current disparities in the health status of minority populations compared with the general populations. In 1990, minority faculty was 6.9 percent of the total faculty. By 1998, this percentage had increased to 9.1, however; African American full time faculty has averaged 4.7 percent with a peak of 5 percent in 1994. The latest figures in 1998, reported African Americans holding 4.6 percent of full time faculty positions. Hispanic full time faculty has increased from 1.9 percent in 1990 to 4.6 in 1998. This tread indicates that overall minority populations are gaining positions, but African American faculties are not following that trend. According to 1994 data, the number of tenured faculty follows similar trends, African Americans are 4 percent of tenured faculty and Hispanics are 3 percent. African Americans have greater numbers in the non-tenured full time faculty category, where Hispanics maintain the same numbers. The distribution of minority faculty among the United States dental schools is also very uneven. While most schools have no underrepresented mi-
nority basic science faculty, almost all schools have at least one minority clinical faculty member. Seventy-five percent of African American basic science faculties are at Howard and Meharry dental schools and fifty-one percent of the Hispanic faculty are at the University of Puerto Rico. Approximately onethird of all African American and Hispanic clinical faculty are at these three schools. Data about minority faculty in administrative positions are also minimal. Very few associate and assistant deans, department chair or program directors are minorities. It is suggested that the underlying causes for this discrepancy in promotion may discourage minorities from pursing an academic career. Overall, underrepresented minorities hold fewer tenured faculty, administrative, and senior academic ranks than their non-minority colleagues. Minority faculty in dental schools is crucial in the recruitment and retention of minority students. These faculty members must play an active role in the administrative aspects of the university especially admissions. Some sources suggest that admissions committees tend to admit in their own image, therefore, the presence of significant numbers of minorities on the admissions committee is important. The severity of this problem is witnessed by the drop in underrepresented minorities enrolled in dental school from 12.68 percent in 1994 to 10.53 percent in 1999. A similar trend is seen in medical school enrollment. Minority faculty at dental institutions is an integral part of ensuring a positive future for minorities in the dental profession. An optimistic future of minority health care providers is imperative in attempting to decrease the disparities in health experienced by members of minority populations. With these figures in mind, I propose the Student National Dental Association adopt the folcontinued on page 86
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H1N1 Update
National Dental Association continued from page 85
by Clara H. Cobb, MSN, RN, CFNP This month, as you’re working to maintain your new year’s resolutions, make this resolution for your health, your family’s health and the health of your community – get vaccinated against H1N1 influenza. This year’s flu season has been dominated by the H1N1 strain, which appeared last April and caused the first flu pandemic in 40 years. By the middle of November, we had already seen approximately 47 million cases of H1N1 flu; more than 200,000 hospitalizations, and almost 10,000 deaths. And it’s not over yet. Seasonal flu typically peaks in February and March and can last until May. We could still see additional waves of H1N1; we could see seasonal flu strains begin to spread in addition to the pandemic H1N1 strain. Many people convince themselves they don’t need to get vaccinated against the flu, saying: “It’s not worth my time – it’s just the flu.” “How can I be sure these vaccines are safe?” And, “I probably won’t even get the flu.” These excuses don’t stand up to the facts. No flu should ever be dismissed as “just the flu.” It’s a serious disease, and while many cases are mild, some can be deadly. Seasonal flu is responsible for 36,000 deaths every year – mainly people 65 and older. H1N1, however, targets young people. Many of them, who never expected to get sick, actually became very sick. The CDC estimates over 1,000 people under 18 have died. Some of them were perfectly healthy when they caught the flu. For decades, vaccines have been the safest and most effective means of preventing this very serious illness. Every year, millions of American are vaccinated against seasonal flu safely. We make H1N1 vaccine exactly the same way we make seasonal flu vaccines. We have safety monitoring systems that enable physicians and government officials to detect rare side effects quickly. To date, flu vaccine has not been a cause for concern. And we have experience. More than 60 million people have gotten vaccinated against the H1N1 flu so far, so we know the vaccine continues to be safe and effective. Once the flu hits a community, everyone is at risk. But according to a leading expert panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices,
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certain people are at greater risk of serious complications than others. They include: Pregnant women, who can become very ill very quickly. One recent study in California hospitals found that more than 20 percent of expectant moms with H1N1 were in the ICU. Children and teens. When someone in the house has H1N1, kids under 18 are twice as likely to catch the flu as older family members. People with chronic illness. People with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, a neuromuscular disorder, or other chronic condition, can develop serious complications if they catch the flu. Other people who should also go to the head of the vaccination line are people who care for babies less than 6 months (these babies are too young to be vaccinated), as well as health care workers and emergency responders who work with vulnerable people every day. For a child age 10 or older, one flu shot is sufficient; kids 9 and younger need two doses to be completely protected against H1N1 flu. There is enough H1N1 vaccine right now for all who want to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. It comes in two versions: flu shots and nasal spray. So far, more than 130 million doses have been allocated to state and local health departments. While flu cases have been slowing down recently in many areas of the country, the flu is unpredictable and getting the H1N1 vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones. Please take advantage of National Influenza Vaccination Week and get vaccinated. Find out where vaccine is available near you by calling your local health department, or go to www.flu.gov and click on the vaccine locator. Have a happy – and healthy – new year. Clara H. Cobb, MSN, RN, CFNP RADM, U.S. Public Health Service Assistant Surgeon General Regional Health Administrator and Acting Regional Director HHS, Region IV 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 5B95 Atlanta, GA 30303-8909
lowing goal and objectives. Goal: To increase the overall number of underrepresented minority faculty, namely African American, in United States dental schools to levels that more closely reflect its presence in the general population. Objectives: 1. Increase the number of minority faculty that are tenured. 2. Increase the number of minority faculty that hold senior administrative positions. 3. Increase awareness at national dental societies (ADEA, NDA, and ADA) of the situation regarding the lack of minority faculty at dental schools and challenge them to create programs to address these issues. 4. Challenge schools to encourage minorities to enter academics though having competitive salaries and benefits such as loan repayment, faculty practice opportunities, and more opportunities for promotion SNDA – Outreach Initiative Impressions Program
The SNDA Impressions program is designed to expose underrepresented pre-dental students to a career in dentistry and the application and financial aid process. This program allows such predental students to learn about the hosting dental school network and to become a stronger dental school applicant. History: The program was created in 2001 by SNDA members attending Medical College of Georgia. The program goals are established to address: 1. The slow decline of minority applicants in the field of dentistry. 2. Introduce the dental profession as an option in the health field and not as an alternative to medicine. Activities may include: • Introduction to the Admissions process • Introduction to Dentistry • Lectures on how to become a stronger applicant • Free Kaplan prep session (DAT, SAT, ACT) • Practice Interviews • Professional network with dental students • Network with community dentists and establish mentorship www.IBAPublications.com
Relationships, Romance, and Dating Tips by Shay Williams-Garrett
Why You Should Never Get Married While Feeling “In Love” There is no feeling more powerful than the “In Love” feeling. It has been described as a high that feels like walking on Cloud 9. In the eyes of those who feel they are in love, their dearly beloved can do no wrong. Little do most people know that there are many hormones and chemicals released by the brain that are involved with producing this feeling of being in love, and it is for this reason that it is extremely dangerous to make a major commitment to the person you love while being under the influence of the chemical addiction to love. The body is a complex organ whose actions are often fueled by invisible chemical reactions. Most individuals describe being in love as if they are uncontrollably driven to be with and please the person who has their heart. They give to that person with out thinking about it and there is almost nothing they would not do for that person to make them happy. However, it is important to realize what invisible events occur to cause this uncontrollable behavior. According to Donatella Marazziti of the University of Pisa, the early stages of romantic love begin with the release of adrenaline and phenyl ethylamine (or PEA, also present in small amounts of chocolate), two big word hormones that are ignited when two people find themselves increasingly attracted to each other. Marazziti also discovered that the early stages of “being in love” are associated with a low level of serotonin which causes people in the early stages of romantic love to have a euphoria that causes them to obsessively think about, want to be around, and consistently reflect back on the romantic events spent with their beloved. The Resource for Black Americans
More interestingly, in Marazziti’s research, she discovered that in men there was a decrease in the male hormone, testosterone, and in women this hormone increased. Testosterone is linked to aggression and sexual desire and is the hormone that causes men in the uterus to become male instead of remaining female. What all of this means is that our actions are no longer “our” actions once we are under the influence of being “in love,” we are under the influence of the side effect of a chemical process occurring within the body. This chemical process occurs for one reason and one reason only, to maintain the existence of human life. If man and woman did not have this chemical process occurring within them, the human race would soon become extinct because the desire to mate would cease. You may think that your decisions, while being drunk off of the “in love” feeling, are your own, however, they are not and often times these decisions are not the same decision you would have made once the euphoria wears off. According to Marazziti’s study, the “in love” euphoria subsides on average after two years. The good news is that real love does exist, but it is not experienced overnight. The development of true love takes time. It is not until real love enters the relationship, and not its look-alike cousin “infatuation,” that one should make any major decisions with one’s life, especially getting married. For some, the romantic feelings of being in love wears off within 9 months, for others it takes many years. When true love shows up it is a choice that is consciously made and you make a commitment to love
this person in spite of their “unlovable” side. You will know when you have passed the “In love” stage when your beloved is no longer the person you evaluate through rose-colored glasses. They are no longer the person who can do no wrong. True love knocks at your door when you have experienced the moment when you wonder if this is even the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. You may even want to leave that person because of the undesirable things you see in them, but you stay not because you are “addicted” to them, but because over all this person brings out the best in you. They are a great person to start a life with, and in your right mind, you know that you can not imagine spending the rest of your life without them. You would have seen the good and the bad and still you chose to love them, instead of seeing their bad and acting like it doesn’t exist. Only when this happens should you say, “I do,” because at that moment a marriage now has a chance of thriving and withstanding the test of time. Shay Williams-Garrett aka Your Date Diva is the speaker and author of DIVA Don’t Get Played! and Mommy DIVA Don’t Get Played! Both are dating guides for catching the man of your dreams in 30 days! Shay Williams-Garrett is a graduate of Florida State University with a vast background in sales and relationships. Shay is a writer, speaker and relationship coach who is passionate about helping to empower people of all ages to not settle for less than the love experience they deserve. She may be reached for questions at snw4931@hotmail.com
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