E N T E R TA I N S ,
Volume 9 – Number 24 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 $3.50 onyxmagazine.com
I N S P I R E S
A N D
I N F O R M S
MAKING A DIFFERENCE STARTS WITH
»YOU! REGISTER TO VOTE
ADULT VACCINES CAN PREVENT PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA
LAVONTE
DAVID Premier Leading NFL Linebacker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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JACK AND JILL OF AMERICA, INC., ADDRESSES YOUTH LITERACY
contents 8 The 2016 ONYX Awards 9 Don’t Boo, Vote 13 Tips on Following a Safety Protocol if Pulled Over 14 Tom Joyner is Back on the Radio Airwaves 16 Anita L. Henri, United Negro College Fund New Regional Development Director for Orlando 19 Educate by Example 20 Laws Needed to Address the Proliferation of High-Capacity Weapons
LAVONTE DAVID COVER STORY
Football Linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL
26 Pulse Tribute Crosses Presented to the Orange County History Center 28 Youth Literacy Starts at Home 30 The Best Doctor you ever had 32 Are you ready for some football?! 33 Bronner Bros. Beauty Show 34 The Best Way to Store Left Over Wine 36 Florida Frontiers “Ax Handle Saturday” 40 What You Need to Know About Adult Vaccines and Pneumococcal Pneumonia 43 Majestic International Pageant 2017 45 Fashion 46 94.5 Annual Block Party
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Photo by Give Alicia Johnson
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ONYX MAGAZINE 5
FROM THE PUBLISHER PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard E. ‘Rich’ Black MANAGING EDITOR Towanna Hogue ASSOCIATE EDITOR Gwen Belton DESIGN DIRECTOR Vernon Greene DESIGN EDITOR Jason Jones ADVERTISING DIRECTOR David Williams BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Matt deJager
RICHARD E. “RICH” BLACK SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Dear ONYX Readers, It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the September/October issue of ONYX Magazine. First, I would like to thank our sponsors, entertainers and each of you for making this year’s ONYX Awards an exceptional event. If you have a moment, please logon to ONYXAWARDS. com to view our photo gallery and catch up as to who ruled the red carpet. On the cover, we are proud to introduce to you Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mr. Lavonte David, a gifted and talented athlete with the ability and desire to make an impact on and off the field. He strongly believes in giving back to his community through the support of underprivileged youth. In this issue we will also catch up with Tom Joyner, the hardest working man in show business and ONYX’s 2016 Lifetime Achievement Honoree as he returns to the air in Central Florida. You will also meet a Women on the Move, Ms. Anita Henri, Florida’s United Negro College Fund (UNCF) regional development director, and three amazing doctors; Dr. Regina Benjamin, the former Surgeon General of the United States; Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, Pfizer Pharmaceutical’s Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Jorge Rodriguez as they continue their efforts to educate our communities concerning the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine, which can save the lives of youth, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. Once again, thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to celebrating the lives of people and organizations that are making a difference in our communities. Enjoy!
Rich
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Cynthia Slaughter COMMUNITY RELATIONS COORDINATOR Maria Barnes CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ben Brotemarkle Zelda Jones Steven King Tammy King
Tonyaa Weathersbee Roniece Weaver Bishop Allen Wiggins
CIRCULATION DIRECTORS Eugene Leach and Alice Leach CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Billy Jones Jason Jones Alicia Johnson Ed Olen Cynthia Slaughter ONYX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Michelle Tatom, Chairperson Johnny Rivers, Chairman Emeritus Bob Berryhill Dr. Lavon Bracy Byron Brooks Mable Butler Dr. Cynthia Chesnut James Clark John Crossman
Alma C. Horne Rodney Hurst Larry Lee, Jr. Eric Knowles Zita Steglich-Ross Margaret J. Thompson Alan Williams Dr. Samuel Lamar Wright
FOUNDERS
Lester and Lillian Seay ONYX is published by RBlack and Associates, LLC, Address: P.O. Box 555672, Orlando, Florida 32855-5872 Phone (407) 4512891, or (407) 298-0544. Subscription rate is $19.95 for six issues. For subscriptions and notification of address change, contact ONYX Magazine at the above address or e-mail us at info@onyxmagazine.com. Letters to the editor are encouraged. Copyright 2015 by ONYX Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writer or interviewee and not necessarily those of the publisher. Manuscripts, photos and art should be submitted with a self-addressed stamped envelope. The publisher does not assume responsibility for any materials not submitted in manner advised. Unsolicited materials are not subject to payment from ONYX Magazine.
THE ONYX AWARDS Publisher’s Award
Community Service Award
Terry Prather, First African-American Theme Park President, President of SeaWorld
The Alachua County Branch of the NAACP
Lifetime Achievement in Sports Awards
The University of Central Florida, America’s Second Largest University
Derrick Brooks—NFL Hall of Famer
Humanitarian Award Attorney Mark NeJame, Co-founder of Runway to Hope, Florida’s largest charity organization supporting cancer research for children
Performing Arts Award
Cultural Diversity Award
ONYX Spot Light Award Ribault Girls Basketball Team, Florida’s State Champions and Dick’s Sporting Goods National Champions. First team to hold both titles simultaneously.
Gino Nicolas Mentoring Award
Maurice Starr, Producer of Back Street Boys, New Kids on the Block, and New Edition
Orlando Magic, Magic of Mentoring Male Youth Summit
Communication Award
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, First and only African-American owned Coca-Cola bottler
Gayle Andrews, Broke the color barrier in broadcast journalism, media relations and lobbying and heading the state’s oldest corporate and political media consulting firm.
Business Award
The ONYX Awards was supported by partners and event sponsors: Bright House Network, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando Health, Florida Lottery, A1 Audio Visual LLC, IDT Integrated DNA Technologies, NCF Diagnostics & DNA Technologies, City of Orlando (The City Beautiful), Access Florida Finance Corporation. Orlando Police Department, Mears Transportation, Clear Channel, ONYX Magazine, African-American Chambers, Chestnut Funeral Home, Access Florida Finance Corporation, Greenlight Ventures, Inc., University of Central Florida, Orlando Magic, SKANSKA Construction, IHW consulting, OLEY’s, Parker Reality, Batts Daniels Law Firm, Camping World Stadium, Central Care Mission and Coca-Cola Beverages Florida. For additional information or to be a part of the 2017 ONYX Awards please contact us at 407-451-2891 or visit our website at onyxawards.com.
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Photos by Cynthia Slaughter
The ONYX Awards were held at Orlando’s beautiful Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, on Saturday, June 25, at 7:00 p.m. The Headliner for the 12th Annual ONYX Awards was media icon Tom Joyner. Joyner was also the recipient of the 2016 ONYX Lifetime Achievement Award. The ONYX Awards paid a special tribute to the 49 victims of the Pulse Nightclub Massacre and to the memory of Orlando’s youth activist Gino Nicolas. Special Guest Host comedian Shawn Banks from BET and Laugh Out Loud brought his larger than life personality to the show. Bank’s is a comedian who can connect with and energize an audience the moment he sets foot onto the stage. Live performances included American Idol’s energetic young artist, Tyanna Jones, and the show was topped-off with musical Superstar, Angela Winbush. Winbush rose to stardom with a string of musical hits, and continues to dazzle audiences worldwide. “I am very pleased with the outcome of this year’s awards program. ONYX continued to embrace those who are influencing our world. We wanted to celebrate the contributions of these extraordinary African Americans because they help shape the future. We look forward to the 2017 ONYX Awards on Saturday, April 1, 2017,” said Richard Black, ONYX Publisher.
, O O B T ’ N DO
E T O V
DEADLINE TO REGISTER OCTOBER 11th As President Barrack Obama said, “Don’t boo, vote”. Please get out and vote on Election Day, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8TH. In Florida, you must register at least 29 days before an election to be able to vote. The deadline date for the General Election is October 11th. You can register to vote either in person or by mail. The deadline to register to vote by mail is September 24th. You will need to mail or take a completed Florida Voter Registration Application (Form DS-DE 39) to your local county Supervisor of Elections. If it is your first time registering, you will need to provide proof of your identity. Review the application form for acceptable documents.
Voter Eligibility in Florida To be able to register to vote in Florida, you must: • Be a U.S. citizen. • Be a Florida resident. • Be at least 18 years old (you can pre-register to vote at 16 years old, but you’ll need to wait until you’re 18 years old to vote). • Have never been convicted of a felony (unless your civil rights have been restored). • Have never been legally judged ineligible to vote, for either mental incapacitation or crime.
You can also take your form in person to: • Any Florida driver’s license or tax assessor office • Your county Supervisor of Elections • A military recruitment office • Any public library • Any office that provides public assistance and/or serves persons with disabilities
Please visit www.dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voter-registration/ if you have any questions and for more detailed information. Making a difference starts with you! VOTE!
ONYX MAGAZINE 9
By Towanna Hogue
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Photo by Give Alicia Johnson
LAVONTE DAVID
Football Linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL
L
avonte David (born on January 23, 1990) is considered to be one of the premier football linebackers in the National Football League (NFL). He was picked in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is a native of Miami, Florida and graduated from Miami Northwestern High School. Lavonte David attended Fort Scott Community College and then transferred to the University of Nebraska. He said, “I wasn’t highly recruited and did not want to miss a year of playing football. I thought it was a great opportunity for me to attend Fort Scott Community College. It’s not over because you don’t go to a Division 1 school. There’s a lot of different opportunities such as going to a junior college or going to a Division 2 or Division 3 school. A lot of guys get opportunities to play in the NFL coming from small schools. As long as you go there and stay on course, do what you are told and handle yourself like an adult, then great things will happen. Stay humbled with or without success and take care of your business. It’s always another chance. You just have to capitalize off of it and that’s the main thing.” On August 9, 2015, Lavonte David signed a 5-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His statistics for 2015 includes 147 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions. He gives this advice to all of the young players wanting to make it to the NFL: “Always stay on the right track. Do not give the NFL teams a reason to give you a question mark. Always do what you are supposed to do in school, meeting rooms and practice because there is always someone watching.
“I take the fundamentals that I learned in youth football and apply them to what I am doing now in the NFL and its working.” These programs do go back and tell the NFL scouts about your behavior. There will be a question mark by your name. Is he coachable? Does he do what he is supposed to do when I’m not around? The NFL off season is very long and so you have a lot of time on your hands. They want to know if they can trust you when you go away to do what you are supposed to do and not disrespect the shield of the NFL. Always stay focused. Have fun but do it in the right way.” Lavonte David started playing football when he was 6 years old. “I take the fundamentals that I learned in youth football and apply them to what I am doing now in the NFL and its working. I’ve been able to prevent serious head injuries by always having my head up because there is a proper way to do it. The coaches are doing a great job teaching and training young athletes.” “When I was younger we didn’t travel often. I just played during the summers into the fall. Now there are leagues
playing all year around. I feel like it takes away from the kid’s childhood. When I was 6 years old I was playing football to have fun. I didn’t realize that I wanted play NFL until I was in middle school playing against high schools. I was just thinking about going to practice, having fun, coming home and having fun again or even playing video games. Now a days, kids are playing year round and traveling all around the world. Times have really changed. I say let kids enjoy their childhood. Don’t pressure them just to focus on 1 sport. Different sports have different seasons. I just feel not allowing them to have fun truly takes away from their childhood.” Lavonte David goes on to say, “I think talent comes naturally. Over time kids learn different things. Every time I played football I learned something new and applied it. I think it helped to develop me into being the player that I am today. A lot of kids may not be gifted in certain areas but if there is that one thing that you
really do great at, maybe focus on that one thing and just be awesome at it. That determination can take you a long way!” LaVonte David strongly believes in giving back to others. He was named BIG Champions for Big Brothers Big Sisters. BIG Champions are Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s celebrity ambassadors who embody a passion for mentorship. They provide a powerful voice that speaks on behalf of the national organization. BIG Champions value the power of mentorship and help support Big Brothers Big Sisters in four key areas including awareness, fundraising, match support, and recruitment. In 2015 he started giving away backpacks and school supplies to students at Miami Northwestern High School. “Fear to Fail” Lavonte David’s mantra, symbolizes his three Ps’ for life: preparation, position and perseverance. In collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, he hopes this giveback will provide underserved, inner-city students an opportunity for a fair start for a new school year. “By preparing them with the necessary school supplies and resources, students will be placed in a position for success through their own perseverance.” Lavonte David is passionate about helping underprivileged youth and created “Lavonte Legends,” where he selects a group of deserving children from the local Tampa area to come cheer him and the Buccaneers on each game at Raymond James Stadium. “It’s something that I always wanted to do. I’m in a situation to where I am blessed to give back. It’s God’s will to be honest. God always wants you to give back when you are in a great situation and that’s what I always try to do.” ONYX MAGAZINE 11
TIPS ON FOLLOWING A SAFETY PROTOCOL IF PULLED OVER Many people get nervous or anxious when pulled over by the police, even when feeling they have done nothing wrong. At the same time police officers possibly have the same feeling when approaching a vehicle and not knowing what to expect. Here are some tips that could possibly help save lives. • Know and understand your rights • Look for a convenient, safe and well-lit place to pull over • If it is dark turn on the interior light • Try to pull over in a timely manner • Stay calm and never act in a threatening or hostile manner • Keep your license, registration and proof of insurance in a small envelop behind the sun visor of your vehicle. • Do not refuse to give an officer any information requested • Try to limit your movements • Keep your hands up and visible such as on the steering wheel • Do not exit the vehicle unless asked to do so These tips will hopefully keep you and the officer safe. This is not legal advice only tips to help save lives. If you believe that an officer profiled you, based on your race and violated your constitutional rights, immediately write down the officer’s name and badge number and consult with an attorney and consider filing a complaint. Know the law and what is legally permissible for both the police officer as well as yourself. Please contact your local police department or consult with an attorney for additional information. It’s sad to say that you can do all these things and still be killed by reasons truly unknown. However, it starts with you to make a change. Black Lives Matter! ONYX MAGAZINE 13
TOM JOYNER
is Back on the Radio Airwaves
T
he Tom Joyner Morning Show returned to Orlando’s hit station for today’s R&B and throwbacks, STAR 94.5 on Monday, July 11th. “We at STAR 94.5 are thrilled to bring Tom Joyner back to Orlando,” stated Michael Saunders, STAR 94.5 Program Director. “The people demanded we bring Tom back to their favorite Central Florida radio station and we did. Tom Joyner and STAR 94.5 are synonymous and we plan to keep it that way for many years to come. Let the Party with A Purpose® Proceed!” The Tom Joyner Morning Show airs weekdays from 6:00am – 10:00am ET. An excited Tom Joyner states, “Everyone who knows me knows I can’t keep a secret, so when I heard that we were coming back on the air in one of my favorite markets, Orlando, on STAR 94.5 FM, it took everything I had to not to spill it. I gained 20 pounds holding that big news inside. Now I can finally celebrate along with the wonderful audience we have missed so much.” Tom Joyner is returning to Orlando with his annual event celebrating family, the Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion. “Thank you STAR 94.5 and all of Orlando for bringing us back just in time for the Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion this Labor Day weekend! You all are invited to listen every morning – AND you are invited to the reunion because we ARE family!” Joyner continues, “Every morning we promise to entertain, inform and empower as we continue our daily Party with a Purpose® in Orlando!” The 2016 Allstate Family Reunion with feature concerts from headliners including Jill Scott, The Bar-Kays, ConFunkShun, Chrisette Michele, El DeBarge, Erica Campbell and many more along with a daily expo that is open to the public with shopping, empowerment, and celebrities. The Tom Joyner Morning Show is distributed by REACH Media Inc., a part of the Radio One family. About the Tom Joyner Morning Show The nation’s #1 syndicated urban morning show has distinguished itself over the years as continuously giving back to its audience with quality programming, highly popular promotions, special events and philanthropy. Since 1999, Joyner has raised more than $60 million to help keep students in historically black colleges and universities with the Tom Joyner Foundation. The Morning Show with co-hosts Sybil Wilkes, J. Anthony Brown also features senior news analyst and Roland Martin, Jacque Reid, CNN Newsroom Anchor Don Lemon and Sherri Shepherd.
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ONYX PROFILE
Anita L. Henri United Negro College Fund New Regional Development Director for Orlando
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Anita L. Henri, UNCF’s new regional development director for Orlando, takes these words spoken by her former boss, Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, very seriously. In her new position, Henri is responsible for the fundraising operations in Florida (specifically Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Pensacola and Jacksonville) for the nation’s largest private provider of scholarships and educational support for minority and low-income students. “President Barack Obama once said ‘I truly believe that one scholarship can change the trajectory of an individual’s life, his or her community and, in some cases, a whole nation,’ and I fully agree with him. That is why I am dedicated to not only raising funds for UNCF to support scholarships and our 37-member historically black colleges and universities [HBCUs], but to helping minority students make it to and through college, successfully earning their degrees,” Henri stated. Henri started her tenure with UNCF just one year ago as area development
Photo by Billy Jones
“Education is the single most consistent and powerful instrument for the advancement of an individual and a people.”
“I am dedicated to not only raising funds for UNCF to support scholarships and our 37-member historically black colleges and universities [HBCUs], but to helping minority students make it to and through college, successfully earning their degrees.”
director, responsible for fundraising efforts in central and northern Florida. Prior to her tenure at UNCF, she was associate director for external affairs at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. Before joining the museum, Henri was executive vice president for the Corporate Council on Africa, the largest trade association in the United States dealing with Africa, where she was responsible for fundraising, special events and day-to-day operations. Henri organized the council’s 2003 summit, which, outside of the United Nations —Anita L. Henri General Assembly meetings, still stands as the largest assemblage of African leaders in the United States. students are receiving a high-quality 5. Pensacola Chairmen’s Luncheon – Fundraising is Henri’s second career. K-12 education, to develop internJanuary 18, 2017 She is trained as a lawyer, having earned ship and mentoring programs, to 6. Orlando Black History Month Lunher J.D. from Howard University and her create scholarship forums, and to cheon – February 1, 2017 master of law in international finance from introduce young people to diverse 7. Tampa Black History Month Lunthe London School of Economics. Henri career opportunities. cheon – February 10, 2017 started the Africa practice at the former 3. Diversify its local Leadership 8. Seminole Breakfast – March 2, 2017 Arent, Fox, Kintner & Plotkin law firm Councils, which are groups of and was a senior lawyer at the Export-Imlocally sourced community leaders Henri hopes that Floridians will step port Bank, where she was appointed by in the six regions in Florida that up and assist UNCF in its efforts with President George Bush to serve on the help UNCF in its fundraising and financial support, volunteering, mentorAfrican subcommittee. Henri was also on outreach. ing, and advocating on behalf of UNCF. the Global Summit of Women 2000 Inter4. Organize successful signature fundAs UNCF’s new slogan states, “A mind is national Planning Committee along with raising and outreach events through- a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf out the state. thing to invest in.®” Learn more about and Malawi President Joyce Banda. how you can support UNCF’s efforts in In Henri’s new position as regional UNCF will host the following upcom- northern Florida by visiting www.uncf. development director, her vision for ing events in Florida: org/orlando. UNCF Florida is to: 1. Orlando Walk for Education – UNCF is proud to have Onyx Mag1. Increase fundraising to provide more October 1, 2016 azine as it’s media sponsor for Florida. scholarships to deserving, economi2. Florida Memorial University UNCF We are honored to be associated with a cally challenged students. Masked Ball – October 8,2016 magazine that reaches Africa-Americans 2. Improve UNCF’s footprint in Flori3. Jacksonville Leaders’ Luncheon – throughout Florida, focuses on educada’s minority communities by workDecember 7, 2016 tion and celebrates the accomplishments ing with schools, community groups 4. South Florida Governor’s Luncheon of African-Americans in Florida from all and business communities to ensure – December 9, 2016 walks of life. About UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community, and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF annually awards $100 million in scholarships and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.®” Learn more at UNCF.org, or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter, @UNCF.
ONYX MAGAZINE 17
ONYX EDUCATES
Educate by Example By Zelda Jones
N
ow that children are in school, it is more important than ever to demonstrate how what they are learning in school is an integral part of their everyday lives. Oftentimes, children question the value of what they are learning in school. Many of them rationalize that most of what they are taught in school is irrelevant and that once school is over they will have no need to revisit or use the knowledge they acquired in their classes. Without the help and support of caring parents, grandparents, and other key adult members of the community, some children may become disengaged, bored, and less than enthusiastic about learning. Therefore, it is critical that adults model for children the various skills and techniques employed by most of us to navigate our way through our daily routines that are a direct result of what is taught in school.
For instance, invite your child to assist in preparing a delicious, nutritious meal by having the child follow a family recipe in which certain ingredients require the use of a measuring cup. While assisting the child with the task ask the child about fractions and where they might have learned about fractions. This will allow the child to make a connection with school and a daily ritual in which fractions are relevant to the task at hand. Perhaps cooking a meal on some days may not be feasible, so, an occasional trip to a fast food restaurant can also provide a chance to reinforce some basic math skills. Allow your child to select from your wallet or your hand the appropriate amount of coins that add up to the amount of an order of French fries. You might challenge them to select four coins that will equal $1.00. The child will see that multiplication is a meaningful and powerful skill
and associate a challenging task taught in school with a fast food treat. As children progress from one grade level to the next, provide them with opportunities to see how the skills and lessons taught in the previous grade helps them to learn more challenging, new material in the next grade. One such opportunity might involve the use of percentages when the family decides to eat at a restaurant and the check does not specify the gratuity expected for the waiter. Challenge your child to figure the dollar amount that should be given to the waiter based upon 15% of the total amount of the check. In each of the aforementioned scenarios, the child is the one who is experiencing, by example, that learning in school has realworld relevancy. So, educate them well by providing them with opportunities to see for themselves why school is important. ONYX MAGAZINE 19
URBAN INTROSPECTIVE
Laws Needed to Address the Proliferation of High-Capacity
WEAPONS
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filled with candles, flowers and solemnity. Mothers and children who came to the spot were greeted with hugs, kisses and tearful remembrances. A clutch of red Mylar balloons floated amid an assembly of Puerto Rican flags, banners with expressions of sorrow, and signs with words of hope. “Keep Dancing Orlando.” “Love Conquers Evil Doers.” “No Hate. Know Love. One Pulse.” The scene was sad and ironic. And unnecessary. It was unnecessary because the Pulse massacre happened not only because Mateen decided to act out his angst with deadly force. It happened largely because after nearly 50 mass shootings since 1984, virtually nothing has been done to stop people like him from being able to legally buy assault weapons that can be used to
Love Conquers Evil Doers. kill people on a massive scale and on a sadistic whim. According to various news reports Mateen, who claimed his allegiance to the terrorist group ISIS before he committed the deadliest mass shooting in recent U.S. history, had previously been on two federal watch lists before he was removed from them in 2014. It is unknown whether the firearms dealer who sold him the weapons made the required checks. Yet even so, it is doubtful if that would have done any
Photo by Jason Jones
I
n a city that is home to the “happiest place on earth,” the last thing you expect to see is a monument to sadness. But that’s what was blasted into Orlando – the home of that happy place called Disney World – this past June. That was when Omar Mateen, a twenty-nine (29) year-old man fueled by terroristic leanings and homophobia, used an Sig Sauer MCX .223-caliber rifle and a Glock 17 9mm semi-automatic pistol to kill forty-nine (49) people and maim fifty-three (53) others at Pulse nightclub. This past summer the sidewalks and the streets surrounding the Orange Avenue spot, streets usually lined with cars and people trying to make their way into the immensely popular gay nightclub, was
By Tonyaa Weathersbee
good – because current law doesn’t prohibit people who are on such lists from buying guns. That’s crazy. So crazy that U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon and veteran of the Selma marches, led 170 of his Democratic colleagues in a 24-hour sit-in to get the GOP-dominated House to schedule a vote on gun control legislation. Most specifically, they wanted a law that would have at least prevented people on the terrorist watch list from buying firearms. It went nowhere. As did other proposed gun control legislation. So the Pulse victims have become part of a growing list of people who met their end in America. Not only because of shooters armed with automatic weapons that are far too easy to buy, but because of lawmakers who believe it is more important to protect the National Rifle Association than to protect citizens who may want to enjoy a day at the movies or at school, or even an evening at a club without having to worry about being shot by someone who decides to express his angst and intolerance with bullets. And there’s no real place to hide. When I saw the scene at Pulse this past summer, this scene of a swinging club turned somber memorial, I thought of how badly things have gone; of how, back in the day, all it took was a security guard, a metal wand, a pat down and a peek inside purses to pretty much assure a person’s safety in a club. That was because if someone had a weapon, it was likely to be tucked in a pocket or in a purse, and likely to be used to settle individual beefs.
Keep Dancing Orlando. Not to say that was a good thing, but it was a far cry from these times, when an unhinged person can get his hands on a high-capacity weapon and blast away everyone in a club because he hates them because they’re gay, or because they’re Latino, or because he’s trying to prove his allegiance to a terrorist group. Without any legislation to address the proliferation of high-capacity weapons, it will invariably become easier for people like Mateen to add a body count to their homophobia, their racism and their intolerance. It will be easier for people to use violence to act on the idea that people who are different from them don’t have the right to exist; to turn happy places sad. Even if, like the Pulse victims, they’re existing in a space they created for themselves. Tonyaa J. Weathersbee is a multiple award-winning columnist and multimedia journalist in Jacksonville, Fla. To learn more about her and her work, go to www.tonyaajweathersbee. com or www.facebook.com/tonyaajweathersbee. Or follow her @tonyaajw.
No Hate. Know Love. One Pulse. ONYX MAGAZINE 21
STRONGER
Together THAN APART By Bishop Allen Wiggins
T
hrough the old tradition of storytelling, where many times authorship is lost, the fundamental precepts of common sense are preserved, like the story of The Four Oxen and the Lion. Where the adage “United We Stand, divided we Fall,” is so skillfully illustrated. The story reads as follows: A lion would prowl about a field in which Four Oxen dwelled. Many a time he tried to attack them, but whenever he came near they turned their tails to one another, so that whichever way the lion approached the lion was met by horns. At last, however, there fell a-quarreling among themselves, and each ox went off to pasture alone in the separate corner of the field. Then the lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all four. We battle with the ongoing challenge of isolation, separation and division in our culture, whether sourced from within or imposed from external influences, the 22 ONYX MAGAZINE
outcome can be devastating, injury, loss of liberty or even death! In most cases our selfish pursuits and fleshly desire for independence blind us from the obvious advantage we have through the power of unity. Unity is the outcome of all parts fusing and submitting to one another to achieve one presentation. It’s the “buying in” and the “rallying around” a common purpose and a common goal. Unity requires reasoning, negotiations, intellect, understanding and vision. On the surface, unfortunately; it appears that we lack these key essentials, so critical to the success of our agenda. So, we allow our emotions to run the course of wanting one to know ‘how we feel’ hoping that somehow that expression alone will make a difference. The voices of frustration, hurt and oppression should rightfully be expressed, but not at the expense of change and justice, which should be the intentional mission. Unfortunately, emotions left unchecked and without discipline, relegate one to a perception captured by this quote from Dale Carnegie,
“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain… and most of them do.” I’m not implying that we mute our passion, but I am suggesting that we strategically utilize every God given gift to come together around a common goal while insuring our reactions are measured, thoughtful and full of positive purpose. We have an opportunity, to do our part in ushering in justice for all, but we have an even higher calling to become the answer to our savior’s prayer, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” John 17:21-22 KJV. We are much stronger together than we are apart; and we look better too! My Dad told me about the man that only had two teeth, one on the right side and the other on the left. He said that the tooth on the right said to the tooth on the left, “we’d look so much better if we could come together.”
Pulse Tribute Crosses Presented to the Orange County History Center
P
ulse Tribute Crosses Presented to the Orange County History Center The 49 Pulse tribute crosses placed alongside Lake Beauty on the Orlando Health campus were transferred to Orange County’s Regional History Center on July 12, one month after the Pulse nightclub tragedy. Following a ceremony led by Orlando Health President David Strong, City of 26 ONYX MAGAZINE
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other community leaders, the crosses were loaded into a truck and escorted by the Orlando Police Department to Orange County’s Regional History Center. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs was joined by the Manager of the History Center Michael Perkins, Historical Society President Jeff Jakubik, Center of Central Florida Executive Director Terry DeCarlo and Equality Florida Policy and Outreach Coordinator Hannah Willard to
accept the crosses at the History Center, where they were unloaded and ceremonially presented. Mayor Jacobs began the ceremony with 49 seconds of silence to honor the deceased victims. “We are deeply honored to accept these 49 crosses into the permanent collection of Orange County’s History Center,” Mayor Jacobs said during her remarks. “By caring for these crosses, which were made with love and in memory of those
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs accepts 49 Pulse tribute crosses at the Orange County Regional History Center after being transferred from Orlando Regional Medical Center.
who died, we are showing that we will never forget. These crosses will forever stand as silent but powerful reminders that love wins. We are showing the world that Central Florida is a community in which diversity is viewed as a fundamental strength – a source of unity and celebration, not division.” The crosses were designed and built by artist Greg Zanis, who traveled 1,200 miles from his home in Illinois the week following the Pulse nightclub shooting to place the crosses just outside Orlando Regional Medical Center. On each cross is the name of a victim and a red wooden heart. The crosses are covered with heartfelt messages from those who paid tribute to the victims. “Sometimes the history and our story are difficult to tell, but this is an important part of Orange County’s history,” said Perkins. “The glowing tributes to the victims and the unbelievable outpouring of love from the community, the nation and the world are truly amazing. Our staff is honored to be a part of this collection and the preservation of these memorial items.” The transfer and storage of the tribute crosses is part of the One Orlando Collection Initiative, which serves to preserve the history and properly care for the many thousands of tribute items placed in memory of the victims of the tragedy. Working through Orange County’s Regional History Center and in partnership with the City of Orlando, Orange County is collecting and preserving memorial and tribute items for the longterm memory of our community.
“SOMETIMES THE HISTORY AND OUR STORY ARE DIFFICULT TO TELL, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ORANGE COUNTY’S HISTORY.” —Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Orange County
The History Center will serve as the repository and caretaker for non-perishable physical items. Flowers and other organic materials were composted for use in gardens throughout the City of Orlando. On July 18, History Center staff completed their Pulse Orlando memorial collection efforts at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts’ Seneff Arts Plaza. All items were catalogued and photographed prior to their long-term preservation as part of the One Orlando Collection. A local uniformed Central Florida Boy Scouts of America troop performed the dignified removal of hundreds of American flags from the site, along with Puerto Rican and other official flags. Once collected, the flags
were properly retired by the American Legion. The One Orlando Collection Initiative will be working collaboratively with all local, regional and impacted individuals, institutions, or agencies toward the goal of expanding our shared understanding of these defining events and their continuing legacies. The History Center will also be collecting other items related to the event, including photographs, stories, social media items, artwork and more, so these memories will be available for future generations. To share a memory or story, please contact the Orange County History Center at oneorlandocollection@ocfl.net. For more information, visit www.ocfl.net/ OneOrlandoCollection. ONYX MAGAZINE 27
Youth Literacy Starts at Home As a mother, career woman and the National President of Jack and Jill, I know firsthand the ups and downs of raising children and preparing them for their future. Making both your career and motherhood work can be a challenge, but as parents it is important we help map out our children’s successes. Jack and Jill of America through our members and our Foundation are making a powerful difference in the lives of young African Americans through literacy grants, scholarships and leadership development programs. One in four children in America grow up without learning how to read. Behind every statistic is a story, and behind every parent is a child who depends on their parents for their future. Reading is a fundamental skill that should be enhanced outside of the classroom. Expanding vocabulary, improving memory and stronger writing skills are only a few benefits of literacy outside the classroom. Daily reading habits center around magazines, newspapers and novels. This is why at Jack and Jill we focus on several literacy initiatives to help not only our children, but children in 28 ONYX MAGAZINE
the community. By building literacy corners in non-profit organizations and donating books across the nation, we are promoting early childhood literacy and hopefully a life-long love of reading. We hope our efforts will help close the gap that exists for African American children who score below their peers of other racial and ethnic groups. The Nation’s Report Card disclosed 50 percent of African American fourth graders scored below the basic reading level. Getting students interested in reading early on can prevent adding to these sobering statistics. Whether your child is in kindergarten or high school, it all starts at home. Below are quick tips to help get your K-12 grade student excited about reading, particularly during the summer months while school is out of session. Kindergarten and Elementary 1. Bedtimes Stories. Research shows reading bedtime stories to children not only expands their imagination, but also gets children interested in reading early on. I recommend reading books about cultural heritage and positive representations of African-Americans to promote self-esteem. For example, One Million Men and Me by Kelly Starling Lyons
Tammy King, courtesy of Jack and Jill of America
By Tammy King, National President, Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
and Beautiful Brown Girl by Jenna Smith are some of the Bedtime Stories Jack and Jill of America features. 2. Utilize Your Child’s Imagination. Pull out the crayons, white sheets of paper and glue. Let your child become the author and write, illustrate and read his or her own bedtime story. Middle School 1. Start or Join a Book Club. Take a trip to the local library or bookstore and see if there are book club meetings near you. Or, take it a step further and start your own book club for youth. First, decide how many participants and the ideal location for your club. Children’s bookstores and schools are great places to source members to join your book club along with personal contacts. 2. Designate Thirty Minutes a Day. Set aside time for your child to read. Exposure to well-written, published work can affect one’s own writing ability. Make sure you allow your child to pick out publications that interest them. High School 1. Encourage Children to Write in a Journal. Writing in a daily or weekly journal will give children the opportunity to improve their writing skills and develop their creativity. 2. Summer Reading. The National Center for American Sociological Review reported the summer learning slide can add up to the equivalent of three years of reading loss by the end of fifth grade. Over the summer, students can either leap ahead or fall behind. If your child’s school doesn’t send home a summer reading list, defer to Barnes & Nobles’ list of age appropriate books. I also have complied
a summer reading list below featuring a range of genres including fiction, non-fiction, autobiography, poetry and self-love books for African American readers. Kindergarten and Elementary 1. Child of The Civil Rights Movement – Paula Young Shelton 2. Penny and The Magic Puffballs – Alonda Williams 3. Seven Days With Carole – Suffolk County Teens 4. Call Me Black Call Me Beautiful – Alicia Henderson 5. Champions of Change – Jeremiah and Joshua West Middle School 1. Bud, Not Buddy – Christopher Paul Curtis 2. The Watsons Go to Birmingham - Christopher Paul Curtis 3. Brown Girl Dreaming - Jacqueline Woodson 4. The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake 5. Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By – Sharon Robinson High School 1. Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston 2. The Bluest Eyes – Zora Neale Hurston 3. I Know Why The Caged Birds Sing – Maya Angelou 4. The Autobiography of Malcolm X – Alex Haley and Malcolm X 5. Narrative of The Life of Fredrick Douglass – Fredrick Douglass There’s a dire need in the African American communities to better prepare our children for the classroom. A child’s ability to read and write can either make or break a child’s future and parents have the power to make all the difference in their child’s education. ONYX MAGAZINE 29
NUTRITION & WELLNESS
The
Best Doctor You Ever Had By Roniece Weaver
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ello readers. Summer is over and the vacations are a thing of the past. As the year winds up its time to take a health check. Many of us have choices and some of us don’t have options as to where we should seek health care. As you approach this decision it’s important to formulate your thoughts before you choose the right doctor or clinic. Get a pen and write some of these thoughts down. Perhaps I can help you find the best doctor you have ever had. Location: How close do you want to be to your doctor’s office? Is distance a concern? Travel time to your doctor can make a difference in your health care choice. About the Doctor: Is it important for you to see a doctor that “connects” with you? Absolutely! What about his bedside manner? Does he make you feel better when you just need someone to listen to you? Do you prefer a man or a woman? Do you want the doctor to be someone older that has years of experience, or a younger doctor that has new experiences and state of the art training? Do you prefer someone who appears to be warm, friendly and show a genuine concern about your health? Do you want a doctor that has been endorsed by his/her peers and the medical community? What about alternative medicine? Do you prefer a doctor that writes
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prescriptions or prefer a more holistic approach to your treatment? Should he/she be board certified or board eligible? That’s important, because the training of a doctor is rigorous and the certifications support and endorse the level of competency.
taking care of you while in the hospital. Nurses interact with the physician all day long, and they can give you a good idea of who is a more favorable doctor when it comes to bedside manner, hospital visits, response times and much more.
Where do you begin: Ask around. Ask friends and family who they use for their medical care? Look up the physician’s ratings, if it is available on the internet. Find out what hospital the physician will visit. That’s a deal breaker sometimes when the doctor only goes to one hospital in your city. In defense of the doctor, if he visits 5 to 6 hospitals, that would stretch a doctor out too thin and the timeliness of your personal physician visit could lengthen. One to two hospitals for one doctor in a large practice is doable. If the physician is in a large group practice it allows their practice to visit 5 or 6 locations with all of their partners. That really works for many of us.
Switching doctors Is it always good to switch? Not all the time. Sometimes you have to switch to a new doctor because of the insurance provider with your employer. If that is not the case, it’s better to stick with the same doctor because you now have a medical history with your doctor and more importantly, your doctor has now become part of your medical home.
Specialist: Doctors talk to each other all the time, believe me. If you are in need of a specialist, seek information from your family practice doctor. The network of physicians allows much interaction between the practitioners and the specialist. They can recommend who you should seek out for cardiology, GI, Infections, Cancer and much more. Those decisions from your family doctor is based on relationships and how well they know how patients are generally taken care of. If you are in the hospital, you can always ask the nurse that is
ALTERNATE HEALTH CARE Neighborhood clinics Clinics in underserved areas serve a great purpose. Health care is all about access. You either have it or you don’t. As our President, Barak Obama ends his last term, let us not forget to thank him for the development of the Affordable Health Care Act. Obama-care has opened up opportunities for the uninsured and underinsured for health care where there was nothing available. Our local clinics are valuable to our communities because they are strategically placed in areas where there are not enough physicians to care for the local population. Health clinics offer a variety of services under one roof. I had an opportunity to visit a local clinic: Orange Blossom Family Health Center which is managed by the CEO Bakari Burns. Community clinics such as his are run and directed by an African American leader that has a stake
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in keeping communities’ healthy. I most certainly want to go to a local clinic that has my health interest as a high priority and its part of their strategic plan of making underserved communities healthy. Additional resources include WIC (Women, Infant and Children) clinics that aim to provide quality nutrition and wellness to moms and children to give them the best start of life. WHO ELSE SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR HEALTH CARE TEAM? Nurses Nurses are vital to the health of our community. They actually become the extended arm of health care that strategically work with our physicians and medical providers on a daily basis. Nurses can help you understand your doctors’ instructions. Yeah, they sometimes don’t communicate that prescription so the nurse is valuable in the translation of what the physician wants you to do with therapy, discharge notices, prescriptions and much more. They are your advocate and should always be part of your medical team. Dentist Dental care is vital to your health. Regular cleanings, and early treatment can prevent gum disease, tooth loss and major dental work that can get costly. Preventive care at home can also help reduce your visits to the dentist such as daily flossing and brushing your teeth up to twice a day. Pharmacist Your local pharmacist is trained in providing you medications that are prescribed by your physician. If you just got a new prescription you will always want to understand how to take the medicine and how often it should be taken. Your local pharmacist can also discuss with you side effects, and allergic reactions associated with medications. Never walk away from your local pharmacy if you don’t understand the best way to take or administer medications. It could save your life!
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Dietitians Dietitians Rock! They pull it all together to help you understand the relationship between health and wellness through eating healthy diets or prescribing a healthy living plan that involves food and supplements. A visit to a dietitian once a year could be the prescription you really need to help reduce that blood pressure or excess weight you have longed to decrease. Nutrition and healthy eating is a critical component to longevity and weight management. A registered dietitian is an expert in the field of food and nutrition and is vital to the translation of how it impacts your health. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney failure, ulcer-
ative colitis, weight management, weight gain, heart disease can be managed much better with a visit to your local dietitian. Come by and see me at Hebni Nutrition Consultants at 2009 West Central Blvd and join our wellness class. You will gain much information and enjoy your visit with our team. Your Health Plan Lastly, it’s important for YOU to create your health journey. It involves wellness, exercise, healthy eating and a team of people to help you get there. You can’t do it alone, but you should make yourself an informed consumer and be pro-active in your wellness journey. Stay well, Stay Healthy! Roniece
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DR. THOMAS
Are you ready for some football?! By Dr. Delvena Thomas
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he best time of year for some of us is the fall. Whether it’s the delight of seeing the leaves turn their rainbow of colors, the smell in the air of cooler days, fall is a beloved season. It is also the time of year for football and soccer, two highly watched sports. If you’re a fan or someone who follows the news, you’ve heard about the lawsuits and concerns surrounding the highly debated disease of the brain, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, CTE. CTE is a very serious brain injury that occurs due to repetitive blows to the head or actions that can cause shaking of the head. CTE was originally identified in boxers but now associated with any contact sport - soccer, wrestling, ice hockey, football, any sport that could cause repetitive blows to the head. It is a diagnosis that can be made only postmortem. It is important to note that not every person exposed to repetitive brain injuries will develop CTE. Most people are familiar with the term, concussion, a brain injury caused by a blow or impact to the head. It can also result from violent shaking of the head. It is also called a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI. Symptoms of a concussion may not be obvious, so considered sub-concussive. Common symptoms can include headaches, confusion, loss of memory, nausea, vomiting, ringing in the ears, seeing stars, and slurred speech. Some symptoms are immediate and some are delayed. A concussion is NOT CTE. CTE can be the result of concussions or sub-concussions (so no symptoms) and includes clinical symptoms of sadness or depression, anger, memory difficulties, confusion, problems with walking and/or balance. CTE is not specific to athletes but can occur in anyone with head injuries, including soldiers in the military and victims of domestic violence.
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Most pediatric head trauma occurs secondary to motor vehicle accidents, falls, assaults, recreational activities, and child abuse. If you are uncertain of the risks associated with your child playing a contact sport, you should confer with a medical professional. Some medical experts consider contact sports to be safer than riding a bicycle. Regardless, parents should be mindful of certain signs of a head injury whether sustained during a game or from a fall at home. A hit with loss of consciousness, confusion, forgetfulness, appearing dazed, a headache and/or ringing in the ears are reasons to seek medical care and if during a game, remove the child from the game. If your child sustains a head injury, it’s not worth the risks of placing them back in the game. Steps can be taken to protect your child. Children who play football should learn how to hit and tackle properly, such as not hitting with their head but hitting with their shoulder instead to help decrease the risk of shaking the brain. Wearing the proper protective equipment while riding a bike, riding in a car or playing a sport can also decrease the risk of sustaining a brain injury.
THE 69TH ANNUAL SUMMER BRONNER BROS. BEAUTY SHOW RETURNS WITH LIVE TAPING OF THE LEGENDARY HAIR BATTLE The 69th annual Bronner Bros. International Beauty Show (BB) returned to the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on August 20-22, 2016. Themed “Where Beauty Reigns,” the three-day event granted over 300 manufacturers, distributors and retailers an opportunity to showcase their latest products and services in front of more than 30,000 multicultural cosmetology professionals. Show attendees witnessed the industry’s best and brightest compete during a live taping of the legendary “Hair Battle” BET’s Centric TV. “Every Bronner Bros. show is driven by a spirit of excellence and a commitment to continually improve the overall experience. The show delivered our most exciting mix of innovative classes, trendsetting exhibitors and worldclass entertainment to date,” said James Bronner, Director of trade show operations. “If you’re a manufacturer, a licensed professional or a student who has never attended, we invite you to come and enjoy the world’s largest multicultural beauty show next year!” In addition to the Hair Battle, other show highlights include: • Education — For students and licensed professionals, the summer show offered more than 100 classes on topics such as advanced cut, color and weaves techniques. • Exhibitors — From hair and make-up to barbering and men’s grooming, the summer show gave
attendees access to more than 300 well-known multicultural brands across every major sector. Avlon, Design Essentials, Nairobi Professional, Sebastian, and Wahl was amongst the companies representing the next generation of multicultural beauty. • Entertainment — The summer evening events featured a combined comedy and celebrity fashion show. Bovanti Cosmetics and Upscale Magazine partnered with Bronner Bros. to present “Fashion Edge & Celebrity Style,” the nation’s largest professional fashion tour. The runway included celebrities in the film and music industry, as well as designs by Lisa Nicole and Bramer Leon. Grammy Award-winning artist and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member Kandi Burruss, presented fashion-forward apparel from her retail boutiques, T.A.G.S. and T.A.G.S.II. Since its founding in 1947, Bronner Bros. has consistently served the multicultural beauty market, which includes hair stylists, barbers, estheticians, make-up artists, nail techs and students. According to the research firm Mintel, the estimated value of the multicultural beauty market is now approximately $500 billion and growing. Bronner Bros.’ summer show meets the increased demand to reach professional cosmetologists who cre-
ate new styles, drive trends and influence the adoption of products among multicultural consumers. “From the very beginning, my father Dr. Nathaniel H. Bronner Sr. instilled a vision that positioned the show as the highest platform for celebrating diverse representations of beauty,” Bronner added. “This longstanding reputation is a testament to our history of supporting and empowering multicultural stylists and barbers – many of whom are now household names. We look forward to continuing this tradition at the August show.” ABOUT BRONNER BROS. Bronner Bros. is a privately held, family owned company. Dr. Nathaniel H. Bronner Sr. and his brother Arthur E. Bronner Sr. founded the Atlanta-based company in 1947. Today, Bronner Bros. is headed by the second generation with Bernard Bronner serving as the company’s president and CEO. The Bronner Bros. Enterprise consists of Bronner Bros. Beauty Products, which include BB, African Royale and NuExpressions product lines, UPSCALE Magazine, Bronner Bros. International Beauty and Trade Shows, The Word of Faith Family Worship Center and The Ark of Salvation Worship Center. Bronner Bros. employs over 100 full time and part time staff members; operates one manufacturing plant, one shipping facility and the corporate headquarters located in Marietta, GA. Facebook/ Twitter/Instagram: @Bronnerbros.
ONYX MAGAZINE 33
FOOD & WINE
The Best Way to Store Left Over Wine By Steven King Fermentation is a natural process that takes place. I want you to realize how basic wine making occurs. We will show you how to taste wine in a way that is fun and non-pretentious. Do not let anyone tell you what wine is good or bad. You are your own wine critic and you alone decide your likes and dislikes. There are thousands of wines in existence and hopefully you will be openminded about them all. A wine that tastes terrible on its own may be fabulous when paired with certain foods. Certainly wine, as a natural phase of grape spoilage, was “discovered” by accident, unlike beer and bread, which are human inventions. It is established that grape cultivation and wine drinking had started by about 4000 BC and possibly as early as 6000 BC. The first developments were around the Caspian Sea and in Mesopotamia, near present-day Iran. Texts from tombs in ancient Egypt prove that wine was in use there around 2700 to 2500 BC. Priests and royalty were using wine, while beer was drunk by the workers. The Egyptians recognized differences in wine quality and developed the first arbors and pruning methods. Archeological excavations have uncovered many sites with sunken jars, so the
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effects of temperature on stored wine were probably known. What is the best way to store the wine that you have left over? You could use one of those fancy bottle stops made for wine bottles. While that would be fine for a few hours of storage, it does you no good for a longer duration. The reason is that the air in the bottle will quickly degrade the elements of wine. Air is a fickle mistress when it comes to wine. When you open a bottle of wine that has been laying down for 20 years, air allows the wine to open up. That is why you want your reds to breathe for a while before drinking. On the other hand, wine exposed to air is not conducive for storage. The solution is simple. Use a small plastic water bottle to store your wine. Fill the water bottle all the way to the top. Leave a centimeter or so of space between the bottle top and the wine. This will reduce air exposure and give you a couple of weeks’ storage in the refrigerator for that wine. If you have questions about food or wine, drop me a line. Steven@askmewine.com
Charlie Griffin, a victim of the violence in Jacksonville on August 27, 1960, is detained by police. Photo courtesy of Rodney L. Hurst.
Florida Frontiers “Ax Handle Saturday” By Ben Brotemarkle
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ore than 200 white people wielding baseball bats and ax handles chased African Americans through the streets of downtown Jacksonville, trying to beat them into submission. It was August 27, 1960, a day that became known as “Ax Handle Saturday.” The violent attack was in response to peaceful lunch counter demonstrations organized by the Jacksonville Youth Council of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The attack began with white people spitting on the protestors and yelling racial slurs at them. When the young demonstrators held their resolve, they were beaten
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with wooden handles that had not yet had metal ax heads attached. While the violence was first aimed at the lunch counter demonstrators, it quickly escalated to include any African American in sight of the white mob. Police stood idly by watching the beatings until members of a black street gang called “The Boomerangs” attempted to protect those being attacked. At that point police night sticks joined the baseball bats and ax handles. Bloodied and battered victims of the vicious beatings fled to a nearby church where they sought refuge and comfort through prayer and song. Eventually the white mob dispersed. Sixteen-year-old Rodney L. Hurst was
president of the Jacksonville Youth Council, leading sit-ins at “whites only” lunch counters in Woolworth’s and W.J. Grant Department Stores to protest racial segregation. Hurst has written about his experiences in the award-winning book “It was Never about a Hot Dog and a Coke.” History teacher Rutledge Pearson inspired Hurst to become involved in the civil rights movement at a very early age. Hurst says that Pearson was an innovative teacher who facilitated interactive classes. “As we talked about American history and as he gave us his insights, he would tell us ‘freedom is not free, and if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.’
Rodney L. Hurst, center, participates in the peaceful lunch counter demonstration that ended in the violence of Ax Handle Saturday. Photo courtesy of Rodney L. Hurst.
He would encourage us to join the Youth Council NAACP, which we did.” Today, Rutledge H. Pearson Elementary School in Jacksonville bears the name of the teacher who influenced many young people to become leaders in the African American community. In 1959, the year before Ax Handle Saturday, Nathan B. Forrest High School opened in Jacksonville, celebrating the memory of the first Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan. As of July 1, 2014, the name has been changed to Westside High School. The violence of Ax Handle Saturday did not occur in a vacuum. Racial segregation and overt racism had been building tension in Jacksonville for decades. In his book, Hurst places his personal story as a young activist into the larger historical context of the civil rights movement. “Jacksonville was a mess, not unlike a lot of other southern cities,” Hurst says. It is believed that the Ku Klux Klan organized the violence of Ax Handle Saturday. “The intent was to scare, intimidate, and bring physical harm,” Hurst says. “Many
“The intent was to scare, intimidate, and bring physical harm.” —Rodney L. Hurst
times you could not draw a line between the Klan and law enforcement, because law enforcement were at least accomplices to a lot of the things the Klan did.” While the events of Ax Handle Saturday were documented in Life Magazine and newspapers from major cities across the country, reporters from the Jacksonville Times-Union and the Jacksonville Journal were not allowed to cover the story. Some people in the city are now more willing to explore its painful past. In 2010, the University of North Florida opened the exhibition “Fifty Years
Later: Revisiting Ax Handle Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.” The photography exhibit begins with an image of four ax handles against a stark white background. The viewer is challenged to think about what it would feel like to be attacked with one of those solid pieces of wood. Historic photos from Hurst’s book are displayed. “What’s exciting about the exhibit for me is that it’s on a university campus, with a lot of young people, a lot of inquiring minds,” Hurst says. “If a university does nothing else, it should develop independent thinkers.” Since 1960, great strides have been made in the fight for racial equality. As contemporary headlines too often remind us, there is still a long way to go. Dr. Ben Brotemarkle is executive director of the Florida Historical Society, and author of the book “Crossing Division Street: An Oral History of the African American Community in Orlando.” He’s also producer and host of the weekly public radio program “Florida Frontiers,” and the public television series “Florida Frontiers.” More information is available at www.myfloridahistory.org.
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What You Need to Know About Adult Vaccines
PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA
O By Towanna Hogue
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Regina Benjamin, MD
Freda Lewis-Hall, MD
As Pfizer’s Chief Medical Officer, Freda Lewis-Hall leads Pfizer Medical, the division of the company responsible for the safe, effective and appropriate use of Pfizer medicines and vaccines around the world. In 2010, she was appointed by the Obama Administration to the inaugural Board of Governors for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). A passionate advocate for empowering patients through knowledge, she speaks frequently in venues from TEDMED to the Essence Music Festival, appears regularly on television shows including The Doctors and Dr. Phil, and shares health and medical information at GetHealthyStayHealthy.com. Dr. Jorge Rodriguez is dubbed the “Marcus Welby for the new millennium”. He made his mark as a key researcher during the HIV epidemic of the 1980s, serving as a principal investigator on more than 90 studies. Today, Dr. Rodriguez focuses his efforts on battling other public health epidemics, and is one of the more sought-after
Jorge Rodriguez, MD
experts for “The Doctors,” “Today,” and “The View,” among other major shows, for his clear and straightforward explanations of many medical topics. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are almost always a topic of discussion in the African American communities. However, there are other health conditions that affect these same communities and unfortunately, often go unaddressed. These include vaccine-preventable, but potentially serious, illnesses like pneumococcal pneumonia. Adults age 65 years of age and older are 13 times more likely to be hospitalized for pneumococcal pneumonia than young adults 18 to 49 years of age. Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Communities of Color • Pneumococcal pneumonia can strike anywhere and anytime. It is a serious, potentially life-threatening lung infection. • Adults over 50 are at eight times greater risk of being hospitalized with pneumo-
Photos by: Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall: Pfizer; Dr. Jorge Rodriguez: Ed Olen
n Friday, August 5, Former 18th U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD, Pfizer Chief Medical Officer Freda Lewis-Hall, MD, and Board-Certified Physician Jorge Rodriguez, MD, was a part of a Pfizer sponsored event to address issues surrounding preventative health disparities in communities of color, examine barriers from use, and offer solutions at the NABJ/NAHJ convention. One of the diseases that was addressed with the panel was pneumococcal pneumonia, a bacterial pneumonia that could be prevented by getting the pneumococcal vaccine. Dr. Regina Benjamin is the former 18th U.S. Surgeon General and is recognized for her service in improving health and human rights. Dr. Benjamin has received a number of awards throughout her career, including the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights in 1998 and the Papal Medal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. She was named by Time magazine as one of the “Nation’s 50 Future Leaders Age 40 and Under.” She was featured in the 1995 New York Times article, “Angel in a White Coat;” the December 1999 cover of Clarity magazine; in the 2002 People magazine’s article, “Always on Call;” and was featured on the January 2003 cover of Reader’s Digest as one of the national publication’s “Everyday Heroes.” She was also named “Person of the Week” on ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, and “Woman of the Year” by CBS This Morning.
coccal pneumonia compared to young adults, with an average stay among those requiring hospitalization of six days. • Pneumococcal pneumonia risk factors include diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a compromised immune system, among others. • Rates of adult vaccination are far lower among communities of color than experts recommend for every adult-recommended vaccine, including pneumococcal pneumonia. • In 2013, among adults age 65 and older, less than 50 percent of African Americans and less than 40 percent of Hispanics received the pneumococcal vaccination. This rate is low despite the fact that Medicare may cover the vaccine at no cost to eligible recipients. PP-PNA-USA-1580-01 AUGUST 2016
Recommended Adult Vaccinations for Adults (19 years of age and older) • Influenza (Flu) • Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) • Zoster (Shingles) Varicella (Chickenpox) Discussed with doctor/health care provider. If needed, date vaccination was received • Pneumococcal • Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) • Hepatitis A and/or Hepatitis B
Please discuss the benefits of vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) with your doctor or health care provider.
For additional information visit the CDC adult immunization schedule page at http://www.cdc.gov/vacines/schedules/easy-to-read/adult.html. *According to the CDC, the specific vaccinations adults need are determined by factors such as age, lifestyle, high-risk conditions, type and locations of travel and previous vaccinations. Throughout your adult life, it’s important to talk with your doctor or healthcare provider about how to protect yourself from: influenza; tetanus (lockjaw), diphtheria (upper respiratory tract infection), pertussis (whooping cough); pneumococcus; meningococcal disease; zoster (shingles); measles, mumps, rubella (German measles); human papillomavirus (HPV); hepatitis A, hepatitis B; varicella (chickenpox).
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Where the world is your
STAGE FOR SUCCESS! You could be the next Majestic International Pageant 2017
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ajestic International Pageant started as a dream ten years ago from a single mother of two daughters who because of pageantry, were given the opportunity to attend and graduate from private colleges. After over 30 years of pageantry experience this mother had her dream become a reality when she founded Majestic International Pageant in 2012 and became the International Director. The pageant goals include educating young ladies on how to be victorious as they venture into the modern work world. Majestic International Pageant will guide them into their future by showing them how to prepare for and execute a one-on- one interview. Participants will also develop and build self-confidence and poise by engaging in public speaking. Majestic International Pageant strives to bring out each participant’s full potential by guiding them with proper outfit choices to make a statement and command attention. That is what makes MIP different from other beauty pageants. This International Director is doing all that she can do to make her system a positive one. It starts with the small things; for example, “We do not have judges but rather a Selection Committee. The title of ‘judge’ is just not encouraging and to a participant to have a judge determine that you are not a winner is not the message we wish to send. It is the responsibility of the Selection Committee to score each contestant in the required competitions and the highest combine score in each age division will be crowned from an amazing group of ladies. The small difference between being judged and being selected is one that we have found to be a greater benefit to our participant’s self-confidence even after pageant weekend” Explained Majestic International Pageant’s International Director.
Majestic International Pageant has three age divisions: Jr. Teen (ages 12-15), Teen (ages 16-19) and Miss (ages 20-30). There are three areas of competition: Interview, FashionFun wear and Gown. In addition to the three queen titles, there will also be Diplomat and Ambassador Titles available for participants who reach out into their community. Their next annual pageant will take place April 7-9, 2017 at the Rosen Centre Resort Hotel in the city beautiful, Orlando, Florida. The pageant Finale is April 9, 2017 visit our website or Facebook for pageant Finale time. VIP and General admission Tickets is available on our Majestic International Pageant Website: www.majesticinternationalpageant.com Like us on Facebook.com/ MajesticInternationalPageant Contact Us: info@majesticinternationalpageant.com
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AnaChrisshay Jones
Christen Ande Brown
Yvette Colon
Photos by Billy Jones
T I M E L E S S I M AG E S When one thinks of the word “timeless,” thoughts of fine art, vintage cars and of course, high-fashion apparel comes to mind. When it comes to the heritage of “high-fashion” we need look no further than ancient Northeast Africa for the source. The earliest evidence of any high-end fashion apparel dates back to nearly five thousand years ago to the age of the pharaohs in Egypt and one designer presents this history of art and fashion like no other. Lance Stephens, a.k.a. HakatRe is a Central Florida based fashion designer whose roots are in art history, graphic design, multimedia and film. Having studied digital media at Valencia College and University of Central Florida, HakatRe has taken his art history background of 25+ years and his love of fine art and high fashion into uncharted territory. Combining the timeless styles of the ancient past with today’s rich and illustrious fabrics, HakatRe® brings an entirely unique fashion line which defies age and defines elegance. As a designer and historian, HakatRe focuses on ancient Egyptian (Kemetian) culture which he calls “The source, the origin and the influence of all high-fashion.” With this passionate approach to recreating the styling cues from that era, he has produced stunning casual and formal wear, some of which have not been seen or worn
“There is no greater statement than to wear what ’s on yo u r m i n d .” —HakatRe®
in over three thousand years. HakatRe is the only designer who takes a “true to the art” approach for reviving the look of original art from ancient Egypt within a fashion brand. The “Pharaoh of Fashion” as he is called by his contemporaries, HakatRe® apparel embodies the best of both old & new. The HakatRe® brand officially debuted in December, 2014 and has since taken the state of Florida by storm, having opened for some of the most prestigious fashion show events such as Orlando International Fashion Week. Mr. Stephens has also earned the title “Top 10 Designer” in the World famous Park Avenue Fashion Week
contest in November, 2015 - having been selected only 6 months after the HakatRe brand debuted. In 2016, the HakatRe® label introduced its brand new casual line, “Kemetians®” which continues the tradition of offering timeless fashions inspired by ancient Egyptian art. Now based at Billy Jones Pro Studios in Orlando, Florida, as lead fashion consultant and stylist, HakatRe works top photographers, like Billy Jones, other local designers, make up artists and some of the best local fashion models. Look for HakatRe and Kemetians on Facebook, Instagram: @kemetians, and subscribe to HakatRe on YouTube and www.hakatre.com to stay up to date and catch the latest in authentic timeless fashions from these two, unique collections.
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94.5 Annual Block Party Featuring
Featuring Blackstreet and Teddy Riley
The City of Orlando and Star 94.5 held its Annual Block Party on June 11, 2016 in downtown Orlando at the City Commons Plaza, located on 400 South Orange Avenue. Guest had the option to purchase reserved seating tickets which included seating upfront or Platinum VIP tickets that included seating upfront, access to VIP cash bar, food and more. The local artists that performed this year were Andrew Luv and the Franchise Players, Van Chiso, and Tru L3gacy. The head liner for the evening was Blackstreet featuring Teddy Riley. Performing some of their most famous hits, ‘Don’t Leave Me, Before I Let You Go, and No Diggity.’ The crowd, which included fans from Orlando and the surrounding Central Florida area, enjoyed an amazing concert with lots of fun, dancing and entertainment for all to enjoy. This free event was sponsored in part by The Downtown Development Board, Cricket, Fifth Third Bank, Bud Light, Dan Newlin, McDonalds and ONYX Magazine. For additional information and highlights of the event please visit www. star945.com and www.onyxmagazine.com.
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Photos Star 94.5
By Cynthia Slaughter