DIVERSITY Times Aug 2011

Aug 2011 FREE Volume 1, Edition 7 DIVERSITY TIMES AUG 2011 1

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Contents Volume 1, Edition 7 AUG 2011

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Redistricting Virgina

Challenges

By Amanda aIcon Virginia Statehouse News Richmond, VA — Virginia’s Capitol is beginning to feel a bit like Capitol Hill, as Republican and Democratic legislators remain at an impasse over how to draw new congressional voting districts with no compromise in sight.

Legislative leaders appointed six lawmakers to cobble together a deal in June. But the full conference committee has yet to meet, and conferees can’t find a path to move forward. At issue is how to apportion Black voters who live in a sprawling area that stretches from Richmond to Norfolk. Under federal law, district lines must preserve the strength of Black voters. U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott’s 3rd Congressional District comprises the only majority-minority district in the state.

Democrats want to increase the percentage of Black voters in the nearby 4th Congressional District represented by U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, to be a majority- minority district, but the move would shrink the percentage of black voters in Scott’s district to less than half of voters.

Republicans say Democrats are trying to rewrite federal law and that the Republican plan complies with the Voting Right Act and would increase the percentage of Black voters in Scott’s district by giving Forbes less Black voters. But Democrats say Republicans are merely protecting incumbents, because existing lines would change little.

Under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, Virginia is required to create districts with a majority of minority voters, so they can elect the candidate of their choice. State Sen. Mamie Locke, DHampton, who drafted the Democratic plan, said Republicans are unwilling to compromise, nor will they meet with the full conference committee. “The rest of the members of the conference committee haven’t had an opportunity to voice their opinions,” said Locke.

But Delegate Bill Janis, R-Henrico, said a conference committee meeting is not necessary, because his bill, which increases the percentage of Black voters in Scott’s 3rd District and makes few other changes to district lines, would pass the full Senate with bipartisan support.Senate Democrats command a slim majority and a tie vote would sway in Republicans’ 4 DIVERSITY TIMES AUG 2011

favor because Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who would cast the tie- breaking vote, is a Republican.

The full Senate has never voted on Janis’ plan, which has the support of Virginia’s 11- member congressional delegation — Republicans and Democrats alike. “I have no intention of moving one inch off the House’s position as it’s currently configured, until I get a vote in the full Senate of Virginia,” Janis said. “The Senate leadership is going to have to decide when and where they want to move. Right now the ball is squarely in the Senate’s court.”

Janis argues that the Democratic Plan actually erodes the strength of Black voters in Scott’s district, which is contrary to the Voting Rights Act. The percentage of Black voters would drop from 56 percent to 40 percent, Janis said. The Republicans plan slightly decreases Black voters from today’s 34 percent to just 32 percent in Forbes’ district.

About 20 percent of Virginians are black, and Scott is Virginia’s only Black Congressman. State Sen. Don McEachin, D-Richmond, said Locke’s map complies with federal law.

“They want to continue to promote and protect incumbents. What Locke’s plan does is that it’s more competitive, more contiguous and more compact than Bill Janis’ plan,” McEachin said.

But he said it takes two to compromise and Janis’ “our way or nothing” approach is not conducive for negotiations.

Unlike the congressional stalemate over raising the

debt ceiling, delays over redistricting will not disrupt the economy. But the redistricting impasse, however, has stopped the governor from filling a handful of vacant Circuit Court judge positions scattered across the state.

The redistricting delays could prevent would- be candidates from entering congressional races because candidates don’t know what district they would run in or whom they would challenge, said Kyle Kondik, a political analyst with the University of Virginia Center for Politics in Charlottesville. Kondik said that as time passes, it’s less likely the two sides will come up with a plan, and the courts could end up drawing new congressional district lines. Then, what the map would like look would be a gamble for both parties.

Judges typically don’t like to get involved in redistricting, because it is an inherently political process and a duty to be performed by the Legislature. Hesitant judges could choose the path of least resistance, which would be the House plan that most closely mirrors today’s voting districts, Kondik said. But state Sen Jill Vogel R-Fauquier, said the Legislature will pass a redistricting bill. She said negotiations are progressing and an agreement is in sight.

“We’ve got to vote on something. Everybody understands that at a minimum we need to conclude the process,” Vogel said.

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Interpreting Richard Hunts

“Build A Dream” Sculpture

By Dr. Margaret Bernice Smith Bristol

For those who have not seen high art in the Southeast Community at 31st in Jefferson, you need to get up.

Yes! Get off the cell phone, log out of the computer, and go now to see it! Unveiled early August, this 3,000 pound behemoth, proudly presented by Newport News Mayor McKinley Price and members of the Newport News Public Arts Foundation, stands like some post modern adinkra symbol, seen in art and textiles from Ghana (West Africa), which I visited July 2009.

Like the Ghanian symbol which reminds us that in our journey in life, we have to make some unexpected twists and turns, stumbling over jagged edges in stepping to our goads, so does this stainless steel masterpiece by Chicagoan sculptor Richard Hunt. In my recent visit last week to an exhibit by renown Black collagist Romare Bearden at the Schomberg Museum in Harlem, Bearden alluded to this artist, praising him for continuing the tradition of aesthetically pleasing Black art.

Upon observation, we notice three sets of reality based stairs. Each stairway--one to the west, one to the east, and one to the south has seven steps. Seven in numerology and mythology always notes completion, opposites coming together. This seven appears in the Seven Wonders of the World and many other world folktales.

However, there is no fourth set of stairs, reminding us that sometimes our goals do no lead to a clear path.

We have to sometimes create those steps, cut down that forest of indecision and drought stricken lack of confidence, and re-conceptualize and reseed our trajectory.

Now once we climb those steps to our dream, our goal, our raison d’etre, we will meet with some questions. (See top to west side of steps.) We will meet with some exclamations. (See top to the east side of steps.) And we will meet some commas. (See top to south side of the steps) We may question ourselves. We may exclaim loudly noting, this goal involves more than what we anticipated. And we may have to, like the function of the comma, slow down and reassess our purpose, our time line, even success that we have made or thought we had made.

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Note the sharp, jagged edges which represent those peaks and valleys of our climbs. But in the midst of it all, there is a line jutting straight to the stars, reminding us we can reach our goals. In paraphrasing, Benjamin Mays, he cogently admonishes us, it is no crime not to reach the stars (goals), but the crime is in having no stars (goals) to reach.

Take time to visit the sculpture at night and see it take on the ghost- like shimmer of ice, of waves in the moonlight. This is to remind us dreams, goals, missions are always in flux. We are always in the process of finding them, refining them, reassessing them, realigning them-- sort of what our erudite President Barack Obama did in presenting his national healthcare plan and most recently his plan to lessen the national debt.

So relax. Our $100,000 was well spent! We have art to which we can view, take our young to view, impress outside tourists to ponder, to delight in that which is not always easy to categorize, easy to strategize. We call it life--stepping into life’s challenges, life’s dreams.

Kudos to Richard Hunt for reminding us of this in such a poignant, creative way, complex yet ironically simple way. So soothing are his arcs and curves which, come to think of it, reminds us of those in tai chi which if we stick with those movements will repel, attract, pel and then relax us, like all good art with its intensity, complexity and irony!

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Fostering Accountability The African American community is seemingly presented with an impossible “choice” either safe neighborhoods or their civil rights. In the face of persistent unavailability of alternative, preventive responses to crime-equal and adequate education, job creation, economic development - the African American community is often resigned to ask for, or simply accept, more police presence and aggressive policing. However, that is a false choice. We do not have to sacrifice rights and dignity to achieve public safety; we can and should except police to both protect and serve the African American community.

Policing should not be something done to any community. It should be done with- and accountable tothe community.

HRHA Hires New

Exective Director The Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority (HRHA) recently hired Ronald Jackson as their new executive director. Jackson fills the position vacated by Frank Lofurno, who retired in March 2011 after 37 years with HRHA. Jackson has worked in the housing industry for over 18 years. His vast knowledge and background includes redevelopment, finance, public housing, Section 8 and general administration. Prior to joining HRHA, he served as deputy executive director for the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority in Toledo, Ohio. He has

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worked locally for the Chesapeake and Suffolk housing authorities, as well as the Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation.

Jackson served four years in the United States Army. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Old Dominion University.

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HU Pharmacy School Lauded For Partnership The Hampton University School of Pharmacy was recently recognized, by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, for its educational partnership with the Norfolk Technical Center (NTC).

Norfolk Technical Center houses the only Virginia Board approved pharmacy technician program in a public high school system in Hampton Roads. The goal of the partnership is to build a pipeline of students, who want to further their education and pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Hampton University.

HU School of Pharmacy Assistant Dean of Academic and Student Affairs Corinne Ramaley, has served on the advisory board for the pharmacy technician program at NTC, within Norfolk Public Schools, 2010.

Crystal Stokes received the VDOE Career and Technical Education “Creating Excellence Award,” in the individual teacher category, for the Hampton University/Norfolk Technical Center Pharmacy Technician

Partnership. Stokes is the pharmacy instructor in the School of Health Occupations at NTC. The partnership with Norfolk Technical Center is a component of the HU School of Pharmacy’s strategic plan to enhance recruitment of high school students to HU’s pre-professional pharmacy program. Students in this high school program are eligible for Virginia Pharmacy Technician State Licensure and national certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). McDonnell and the VDOE acknowledged three exemplary career and technical programs, and outstanding work of private sector and

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