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South Florida
Broward & Palm Beach
"Providing News/Information and Connecting Florida’s Black Affuencers and Infuencers"
Black History Month
President Barack Obama | The Exhibition The legacy of Black fraternities and sororities Black History Month Calendar Introducing US Senate Candidate Pam Keith And more...
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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN
MIRAMAR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA | THE EXHIBITION
JANUARY 14 - FEBRUARY 28, 2016 Mon & Fri 10am - 4pm Tue & Thu 10am - 6pm
City of Miramar Celebrates Black History Month Presented by FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Noon - 4pm
FREE EVENT
MIRAMAR CULTURAL CENTER ARTSPARK 2400 Civic Center Place | Miramar, FL 33025 954.602.4500 | MiramarCulturalCenter.org
TOWN CENTER PLAZA 2300 Civic Center Place | Miramar, FL 33025 954.602.HELP | www.MiramarFL.gov
Miramar Cultural Center presents The Tortoise & The Hare January 30, 2016 | 2PM Miramar Cultural Center 2400 Civic Center Place
Miramar Cultural Center presents Carmen February 9, 2016 | 7:30PM
Miramar Cultural Center presents A Valentine’s Day Concert: Performances by
TOUR DE BROWARD February 28, 2016 6AM - 12PM www.tourdebroward.com Miramar Regional Park 16801 Miramar Parkway
FEBRUARY 3 -15, 2016 Celebrating 22 years under the Big top, UniverSoul Circus features music, theatrical performances, incredible circus acts and loads of fun.
www.universoulcircus.com
MIRAMAR REGIONAL PARK 16801 Miramar Pkwy | Miramar, FL 33027
Miramar Cultural Center 2400 Civic Center Place
Howard Hewett & Richard Elliot
February 13, 2016 | 8PM Miramar Cultural Center City of Miramar SPRING BREAK CAMP Ages 6-12 Mar. 18 - 25, 2016 | 7AM - 6PM Register Now!
4 Camp Locations!
UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS
Annual Senior Valentine’s Day Dance February 11, 2016 6PM - 8PM Miramar Multi-Service Complex
6700 Miramar Parkway A SIP OF WINE... A TASTE OF HEAVEN March 12, 2016 | 7PM - 9PM
Town Center Plaza 2300 Civic Center Place
City of Miramar presents PEE-WEE Basketball Youth Leagues | Ages 4-7 Register Now! Miramar Youth Enrichment Ctr. Sunset Lakes Community Ctr.
For more information, please call (954) 602-4357
2300 Civic Center Place | Miramar, Florida 33025
www.MiramarFL.gov
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The Leaders of Broward and Palm Beach Counties Black Fraternal Service Organizations
Lillian Carter Order of the Eastern Star, PHA Grand Associate Matron, Jerusalem Grand Chapter
Rigo M. Garcia Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated Fort Lauderdale Alumni Chapter
Alfreda D. Coward, Esq. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated Broward County Alumnae Chapter
Kirphton Fray Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated Gamma Gamma Sigma Chapter
La'Netta Henry Annette Johnson-Hurry Kathy S. Jones Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Kappa Kappa Omega Chapter Zeta Rho Omega Chapter Upsilon Xi Omega Chapter
Barri McMillon, MHA Venetta McCullough Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated Pompano Beach Alumnae Chapter Chi Psi Omega Chapter
Damita R. Salters The Links Incorporated Fort Lauderdale Chapter
Kervin L. Clenance Group Publisher, Legacy Magazine Erica V. Knowles-Nelson Editor-in-Chief, Legacy Magazine Denise St. Patrick-Bell PhD Copy Editor Toni Harrigan Intern Crystal Downer Intern
Georgette Daniels Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated Delta Upsilon Sigma Chapter
Jarvis Peters Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated Alpha Lambda Omega Chapte
Douglas M. Seaton Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity / The Boule Alpha Rho Chapter
Juacane Reynolds Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated Zeta Alpha Lambda Chapter
LaMargo Sweezer-Fischer, MBA The Links, Incorporated West Palm Beach Chapter
Cassandra E. Joseph Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated South Broward Alumnae Chapter
Pierre E. Rutledge The Prince Hall Freemasons Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden Most Worshipful Union Grand Lodge of Florida, Belize, Central America and Jurisdiction, Inc. PHA
Lawonda Warren, Esq. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated Gamma Gamma Sigma Chapter
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Jonathan Gaines Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated Zeta Chi Chapter
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By Dr. Denise St. Patrick-Bell Civil rights in African-American history have primarily been promulgated and achieved by activism within the Black churches, Black social service organizations and Black fraternal organizations. The purpose of this article is to give recognition to some of those fraternal organizations and to celebrate their longevity, social consciousness, and commitment to building social capital and upholding the strong ideals of education, integrity, public service and activism. Black Greek fraternal organizations began as a direct defiance against two societal views. First and foremost, they were excluded from White Greek-letter groups. Second, many initiated them during a time in history when a societal view of academic education for African Americans seemed impractical. Furthermore, sororities were birthed at a time in history when the traditional roles of women were being challenged. The formation of African American Greek-letter societies challenged the view that Blacks were incapable of understanding Greek life. There are nine historically Black Greek letter organizations also known as the Divine 9 that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council (founded in 1930 at Howard University, Washington, DC.) All have projects that mirror each other in the areas of political action\voter registration, education and cultural awareness, and physical\mental health programs. • Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Founded 1906, Cornell University • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Founded 1908, Howard University • Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, Founded 1911, Indiana University • Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, Founded 1911, Howard University • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Founded 1913, Howard University • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated, Founded 1914, Howard University • Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Founded 1920, Howard University • Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, Founded 1922, Butler University • Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated, Founded 1963, Morgan State University
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A Legacy of Service However, NOT ALL fraternal organizations are college-based. By definition the word fraternal means “of or denoting an organization for people that have common interests or beliefs: Six of these of fraternal organizations are listed here: • The Prince Hall Freemasons, Founded 1784, Boston, Massachusetts • The Order of the Eastern Stars, PHA, Founded 1874, Washington, DC • The Boule, Founded 1904, Philadelphia • The Links Incorporated, Founded, 1946, Philadelphia • The Charmettes, Incorporated, Founded 1951, West Palm Beach, Florida • The 100 Black Men, Inc., Founded 1963, New York City Furthermore, all of these organizations have created strong bonds of Black brother and sisterhood that stretch across time and continents.
THE DIVINE 9
Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Incorporated is the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men. The fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice at Cornell but soon recognized the need to help correct the educational, economic, political and social injustices faced by African Americans. Their mission is to develop leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities. Through members such as W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Edward Brooke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, and many others, Alpha Phi Alpha has long stood at the forefront of the fight for civil rights. Since its founding, the fraternity has supplied voice and vision to the struggle of African Americans and people of color around the world. The Fraternity and the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation began collaboratively implementing Project Alpha in 1980. This collaborative project is designed to provide education, motivation and skill-building on issues of responsibility, relationships, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases for young males ages 12-15 years.
Mark S. Tillman is the General President. Famous members today include Roland Martin, Hill Harper, and Omari Harwick, and Lionel Richey. Notable members in South Florida include Miramar Mayor, The Honorable Wayne Messam; Albert Dotson, Shareholder and Chairman Emirates of One Hundred Black Men of America; Jason Jenkins, Senior Vice President of Communications the Miami Dolphins; Jim Berry Sports, Anchor WFOR - CBS; and Jaffus Hardwick, Vice Provost Florida International University.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is the first Greek-letter organization established in America by Black college women. The sorority has flourished into a globally-impactful organization of over 283,000 college-trained members in 992 chapters. Alpha Kappa Alpha’s mission is to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be of “Service to All Mankind". The current International President of AKA Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson, created their current programming: Launching New Dimensions of Service (LNDS). LNDS is focused in five target areas: Educational Enrichment, Health Promotion, Family Strengthening, Environmental Ownership, and Global Impact. Some nationally known AKA members include Toni Morrison, Phylicia Rashad, and Jada Pinkett-Smith. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt became the first President’s wife to become an honorary member of a black sorority when she accepted the invitation from AKA. Some of the local well-known personalities include U.S Congresswoman Federica Wilson; Dr. Rosalind Osgood, Chair of Broward County School Board; Adora Obi Nweze, President of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, and member of its national executive board; Connie Kinnard, Vice President, Multicultural Tourism & Development, GMCVB; and Florida’s first honorary member the late M. Athalie Range.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated is the first black Greek-letter organization founded west of the Appalachian Mountains. The Fraternity was founded with the motto of “Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor." Today the fraternity has over 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters with a membership of over 150,000 in every state of the United States as well as chapters in the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Japan, the Caribbean, and South Africa. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity supports a variety of community service programs including Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude Research Hospital, and the United Negro College Fund. It also sponsors a number of initiatives designed to encourage scholarship and leadership skills among high school youth. These programs include the Kappa League, which began in 1970 to help high school students develop their leadership skill; and Kappa Kamp, an outdoor educational enrichment program, which allows inner city kids to attend a summer camp in Piney Woods, Mississippi and Hemlock Overlook Park in Virginia. The National President is Thomas L. Battles, Jr. The fraternity has had many notable members including former Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, CBS newscaster Ed Bradley, radio personality Tavis Smiley, Michigan Congressman John Conyers, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. Local Kappas include prominent attorneys Stephen Hunter Johnson, H.T. Smith, and Marlon Hill; Ron Frazier, Architect and community leader; Jawan Strader, Anchor WTVJ - NBC; and The Honorable Oscar Braynon, Florida State Senator; The Honorable Dwight Bullard, Florida State Senator; Former State Representative Ed Bullard.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, (OPP) is the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a historically black college. The brotherhood consists of 750 chapters throughout the world. It’s mission is to bring about union of college men of similar high ideals of
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A Legacy of Service continued... scholarship and manhood in order to stimulate the attainment of ideas and ambitions of its members; occupy a progressive, helpful and constructive place in political life of the community and nation; and foster the humanity, freedom, and dignity of the individual; and aid downtrodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher economic and intellectual status. The guiding principles of the fraternity are Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift. Historically, OPP played a vital role when the United States entered World War I in 1917 by having several brothers in the first class of black soldiers graduate from Fort Des Moines military training facility. OPP continues to be on the front line, leveraging its power, influence and more than 100 years of commitment to the uplift of our people and our communities. Annually, the fraternity has been the national volunteer for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as one of their many community projects. The current Grand Basileus of OPP is Antonio F. Knox. Several Omegas have been in the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement. They include: Grant Reynolds, Roy Wilkins, Jesse Jackson, Vernon Jordan, and Oliver Hill. OPP celebrities include Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson and Steve Harvey. Local OPP personalities include Congressman Kendrick B. Meek; Bill Diggs, CEO and President of the Mourning Family Foundation; and The Honorable Oliver Gilbert Mayor of Miami Gardens.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, is celebrating 103 years. It was founded to provide scholarships, support to the underserved, educate and stimulate participation in public policy and to highlight issues and provide solutions for problems in communities. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority has over 1000 collegiate and alumnae chapters located in the United States, England, Japan, Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Jamaica and the Republic of Korea resulting in a membership of over 200,000. The major programs of the sorority are based upon the organization's Five Point Programmatic Thrust of economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement. The National president is Dr. Paulette C. Walker. Listed amongst their celebrity icons are Shirley Chisholm, Natalie Cole, Soledad
O’Brien, Aretha Franklin, Cecely Tyson, and the late Mary McLeod Bethune. Some of the sorority’s well-known local personalities are Dr. Roslyn Artis, President of Florida Memorial University; Dr. Brenda Snipes, Broward County Supervisor of Elections; Audrey Edmonson, Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners; Maud P. Newbold, Historic Virginia Key Beach Trust Trustee; Petula Burks, Director of Public Affairs, The City of Miami Gardens; and Shirley Gibson, the First Mayor of Miami Gardens.
The founders of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated (PBS) wanted to create an organization that viewed itself as “a part of” the general community rather than “apart from” the general community and a mechanism to deliver services and skills to the communities from which they had come. Today, PBS has blossomed into an international organization establishing the PBS National Foundation, the PBS Federal Credit Union and The Sigma Beta Club Foundation. In keeping with its commitment to President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, the fraternity introduced its 10-point agenda to address issues impacting men of color in our communities. The current International President of PBS is Jonathan A. Mason Sr. Famous Sigmas include honorary member former President Bill Clinton, the first president to be inducted into an historically black fraternity, Emmitt Smith, Al Roker, Blair Underwood, Terrence Howard, Harry Belafonte, and J. Anthony Brown. Prominent Sigmas in South Florida include Gerald Grant- Author of “Bold Moves to Creating Financial Wealth”; Reginald Fox- Principal, Kendale Elementary School; Ray Smith- Board Member, Florida Memorial University, Retired UPS Executive; and Alva Royston Sr., President of A. Randall Financial. Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated’s founders believed that sorority elitism and socializing overshadowed the real mission for progressive organizations and failed to address fully the societal mores, ills, prejudices, and poverty affecting humanity in general and the black community in particular. International programs such as “Z-HOPE” (Zetas Helping Other People Excel) through Mind, Body and Spirit serve to empower people from all walks of life. It was the first NPHC organization to centralize its operations in
a national headquarters, first to charter a chapter in Africa, first to form auxiliary groups, and first to be constitutionally bound to a fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Zeta Phi Beta has chartered hundreds of chapters worldwide and has a membership of 100,000+. The International President is Mary Breaux Wright. Famous Zeta’s are Zora Neale Hurston, Gwendolyn Brooks, Dionne Warwick, Minnie Riperton, and Esther Rolle. Local prominent members include Colleen D. Clark, District 26 Director of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) for Miami Dade County Public Schools and Mary Smith, Life member and a Zeta Dove (50+ years as a productive Zeta.
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated is the only Black sorority, which was not founded at Howard University. This 94 year old organization has over 85,000 members serving in 500 chapters in the United States, Thomas, Bermuda, the US Virgin Islands, Canada, Germany and Korea. The mission of SGR is to enhance the quality of life for women and their families in the United States and globally through community service in the areas of education, healthcare, and leadership development. Their national programs and initiatives are under the umbrella of a signature program entitled Project Reassurance through which it seeks to promote responsible living highlighted by the slogan “H3 It’s All About Me Which Focuses On Healthy Living, Healthy Choices and Healthy Generations”. The International President is Bonita M. Herring. Famous SGR members include Kelly Price, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Hattie McDaniel, MC Lyte and Maysa Leak.
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated (IPT) was founded by men who were active in the local civil rights movement and who were 3-5 years older than the average college student and are now referred to as “Non-Traditional Students”. Even more uniquely, many of them were service veterans, married with small children and working full-time jobs while they were full-time students. Based upon their ages, heightened responsibilities, and increased level of maturity, this group had a slightly different perspective than the norm for
college students. It was this perspective from which they established the Fraternity’s purpose, “The development and perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity, and Brotherhood among Men.” Additionally, they conceived the Fraternity’s motto, “Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!” The Foundation has contributed over $250,000 towards grants, aid, and services in high poverty neighborhoods. Today, IPT consists of over 263 chapters with 70,000 members located in 40 States, the District of Columbia, Bahamas, Japan and the Republic of Korea. National Service Initiatives include the National Iota Foundation, the I.O.T.A. Youth Alliance and the INROADS Partnership. Robert Clark is the current Grand Polaris of IPT. Notable members include Terrence Carson, Kendrick Jevon Dean and Spencer Christian. NON-COLLEGIATE SOCIAL/SERVICE ORGINIZATIONS The Prince Hall Freemasons, shortened to Masons, are an international fraternal and charitable organization pledged to brotherly love, faith and charity. On March 2, 1784, Prince Hall, a free Black man, petitioned the Grand Lodge of England, asking for a warrant for a Charter that they had been denied by the white Masons of Massachusetts. The warrant was approved and Hall established the first lodge of African American Masons in North America known as African Lodge No. 459. The Prince Hall Masons are the oldest and largest group of Masons of African origin in the world. During the years of Reconstruction and continuing to 1900, Prince Hall Masonry remained a highly prestigious but small fraternity. Currently, there are over forty Grand Lodges of Prince Hall Freemasonry in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and Liberia. These Grand Lodges preside over more than 5,000 lodges. South Florida is the home of several lodges and is the beneficiary of the many social programs provided by its Brothers. A few prominent Masons in Miami-Dade County include Pierre E. Rutledge, Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden, Lee B. Carter, Past Grand Master and Johnny L. King, Honorary Past Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Union Grand lodges of Florida, Belize, Central America and Jurisdiction, Inc.; Cleveland E. Morley, Jr., Right Eminent Grand Commander and Henry E. Puyol, Past Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Knights
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The members of The Order of the Eastern Stars, PHA, are dedicated women and men who sincerely reflect the spirit of fraternal love and the desire to work together for good. It gives them the opportunity to give a part of their time to many projects that benefit mankind. Their lessons are scriptural, their purposes are beneficent, and their teachings are moral. In 1874, the Prince Hall Order of the Eastern Star was created. This is the oldest sorority-based Black women’s organization in America. Historically, these women were the wives, sisters, daughters and granddaughters of Prince Hall Masons. Membership is open to women of any race. Each Grand Chapter has its own projects. It functions predominantly as an African-American equivalent of the mainstream Order of the Eastern Star. Membership is over 180,000 world-wide. In South Florida one of many projects is to end hunger by providing immediate access to nutritious food. The sisters also collaborate with other organizations to provide volunteers for social action. One of the very active chapters in in south Florida is Seminole Chapter #10 O.E.S.-Prince Hall Affiliated.
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Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, also known as the Boule: At the dawn of the twentieth century black men of distinction had long functioned in various leadership posts, especially in the churches, benevolent association movement and even high government posts. In 1904, a small group in Philadelphia set out to create an organization that would provide a vehicle for men of standing and like tastes to come together to know the best of one another. Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity was established and later became also known as The Boule. It is the first Greek-letter fraternity to be founded by African American men. Significantly, unlike the other African American Greek -letter organizations, its members already had received college and professional degrees at the time of their induction. The Boule now boasts 126 chapters throughout the United States and the Caribbean. James O. Cole, Esq. is the Grand Sire Archon. Other National Boule members include, noted civil rights activist, and former U. S Ambassador, Andrew Young and the first black U.S. Attorney, Eric Holder. Some of the local members are Calvin Hughes, Channel 10 News Anchor; Frank Scruggs, Esq., Partner of Berger Singerman, LLP and Board Member Sun Trust Bank; Colonel Brodes Hartley, CEO of Community Health of South Florida.
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of nearly 14,000 professional women of color in 282 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. The Links, Inc. has attracted many distinguished women who business and civic leaders, role models, mentors, activists and volunteers who work towards a common vision by engaging like-minded organizations and individuals for partnership. Links members contribute more than 500,000 documented hours of community service annually – strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation. The programming of The Links, Incorporated has five facets which include Services to Youth, The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services and Health and Human Services. Glenda Newell-Harris is the 16th National President. Local members include Regina Jollivette Frazier, who was the 9th National President; Dr. Jeanne Jacobs, President, Miami-Dade College; Homestead Campus and Willowstine Lawson, Regional Director, United States Senator Bill Nelson.
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The Charmettes, Incorporated is a civic organization that had its beginnings in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1951 when 2 friends, Gwendolyn Baker Rodgers and Frankie Drayton Thomas recognized the need for an organization that would bring together women with similar ideas, principles and backgrounds to organize themselves to utilize their skills, talents and resources for community impact. Today, The Charmettes, Incorporated is a nationally recognized women’s community service organization with 18 chapters throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Their mission is to improve the quality of life within our communities through advocacy, education, service and support for cancer research. In 1981, the organization adopted a national thrust to eradicate cancer in our lifetime. In addition to cancer awareness and education programs, they have contributed more than $500,000 to the Howard University Cancer Center in Washington, D.C. In 2006, the chemotherapy infusion center was named, “The Charmettes, Inc. Gwendolyn B. Rogers Chemotherapy Infusion Suite”, in honor of the long term support provided. Barbara J. Morton is the National President. The organization has chapters in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Article continued on page 10.
Black History Month in Miramar
Black History Month is celebrated each February around our great nation and The City of Miramar leads the way in kicking off our Black History Month Celebration on Saturday, February 6th from 12pm-4pm at Miramar Town Center, 2300 Civic Center Place. Come join us for an afternoon of
special guest performers including Freestyle Queen Trinere, along with Jus Hip Hop Dance Group, Sil o et, Malcolm Hawkins, The Woods gospel group, Miramar Senior High School Marching Band, Miami Carol City Senior High School Jazz Band, Miami Northwestern Senior High School Marching Band and guest speaker Patricia Garrett Harper of the Red Hatters Society of South Florida. For all you poets out there, the Poetry Slam is also happening at the Black History Celebration, hosted by Rebecca “Butterfly” Vaughns, starting at 12:15pm. Register on-site and the top three winners will perform on the main stage! The entire day is hosted by Rodney Baltimore of HOT 105 and Shelby Rushin from 99 Jamz, so we look forward to seeing you there! If you’re a fan of the circus (and really, who isn’t?), then Miramar Regional Park is the place to be from February 3-15 for The UniverSoul Circus! It’s a great family fun
event and there’s something for the entire family! Did you know that UniverSoul Circus has performers from China, Russia, Cuba, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, South Africa, France and the good ole USA?? They represent the diversity that lives and breathes in Miramar EVERY day! This year, we have even more to celebrate with the exclusive acquisition of President Barack Obama | The Exhibition at the Miramar Cultural Center | ArtsPark in the Ansin Family Art Gallery. Since being installed on January 14th, more than 1,000 people have seen the exhibit which showcases the photos of Pete Souza, the official White House photographer. Souza shoots more than 2,000 pictures a day of President Obama. As the City’s first African-American mayor in its 60 year history, the exhibit also highlights some of the achievements of Mayor Wayne M. Messam during his first year as mayor of the City of Beauty and Progress! The
exhibition was secured in part because of the parallel paths of accomplishments recognized with President Obama being elected the first African-American President of the United States of America and Mayor Messam being the first African-American mayor in the City of Miramar. The Art Gallery is located at 2400 Civic Center Place and the hours are Monday and Friday 10am-4pm; Tuesday through Thursday 10am-6pm and Saturdays 10am-1pm. We are a city that has contributed significant achievements to Black History such as electing Miramar’s first African-American mayor and the first black Haitian-American, Darline B. Riggs, on the Miramar Commission. We look forward to creating even MORE history in the years to come! Find out why It’s Right Here In Miramar—visit www.ItsRightHereInMiramar.com today!
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PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP
Pam Keith: U.S. Senate Candidate, Navy Veteran, Attorney, and Servant By Zach Rinkins
Pam Keith, U.S. Senate Candidate Veteran, Attorney, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. One conversation with Palm Beach attorney Pam Keith, and the listener would be correct in perceiving that Keith is focused, qualified and determined. The former naval litigator is running for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat now occupied by Marco Rubio, the current senator and presidential candidate.
“I am not running for the U.S. Senate to seek self-validation or the spotlight. I want to be the candidate I would vote for; a woman with integrity, decency, intelligence and a desire to make America a better place for all its citizens,” revealed Keith, a 1987-1988 initiate of the Mu Kappa (University of California-Davis) chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Keith is a trilingual, second generation Navy veteran armed with sterling credentials and pedigree that feature a Boston College law degree. She has two decades of military and civilian legal experience in the U.S. Navy, Washington, D.C., Chicago and South Florida. Keith honed her global perspective as the daughter of a U.S. Foreign Services officer living in various countries including Brazil, Turkey, Morocco and Syria. Experiencing gender and racial inequalities abroad birthed in Keith a truth that continues to ground her commitment to working toward a more effective and inclusive nation, “I’m glad to be an American.” Keith asserts: “I am qualified to serve in
the U.S. Senate on behalf of the people of Florida. Beyond my qualifications, I have a voice and all of our voices have merit!” Eschewing politicians seeking other offices, the burgeoning candidate takes exception to the recent behavior of the incumbent. “It is concerning that we have a senator who is too busy running for president to serve his constituents,” she shared. “As Florida’s senator, I will work to help create solutions to move us forward.” She continued: “We need someone talking about the plight of black people shot by police and judges who throw the book at minorities and poor. Beyond protest, we need proposals and I have a few proposals to impact those issues.” Keith shared a brief overview of her platform with Legacy. Please Note: These responses have been edited for brevity and clarity ADDRESS CHRONIC UNEMPLOYMENT “I propose a fairly simple idea for a pilot program: rather than paying benefits to unemployed individuals, the government could pay private businesses to train and employ these individuals. For a period of
three years, the government would subsidize the employees’ compensation, and would waive employee payroll taxes.” CLOSE INCOME GAP “I favor an across-the-board reduction in corporate taxes, I also suggest a much greater reduction for companies that make significant increases to overall non-executive employee compensation. This will have the dual benefit of reducing corporate taxes and increasing the buying power of millions of Americans, and will have the added benefit of increasing revenue to the government through income tax revenue without actually increasing tax rates.” RESPECT PRIVACY & INDIVIDUAL CHOICES “First, I believe in the right of Americans to marry whom they love and to be treated as full and equal citizens under the law. Second, I will resolutely defend a woman’s right to choose what to do with her own body.” Keith defines service as motivation to advance the public good. Explore her platform at www.PamKeith.com
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Gerald Grant, Jr.: ‘Giving Back to Your Community… Everyone Can Do Something’ By Olisa Adger, olisa@ayondela.com
Gerald Grant, Jr., AXA Advisor’s Branch Director of Financial Planning, Southern Division “If we want to see our community improve, we all as professionals have to give back to our communities. If we’re not part of the solution then we’re part of the problem.”
These are the words spoken by a man with a true passion for serving his community. Miami-based Gerald Grant, Jr. is AXA Advisor’s Branch Director of Financial Planning, Southern Division. He’s climbed the corporate ladder to become very successful, but he has always made giving back a priority. Grant currently sits on the Board of Trustees for Florida International University (FIU), the Board of Directors for the Orange Bowl Committee, the Executive Committee of the United Way of Miami-Dade, and the Board of Directors for the Adrienne Arsht Center. He’s also served in various other leadership positions for the organizations during his years of service. The reasons Grant chose these particular organizations were close to heart. “When I first started out I was a struggling student, and with mentoring and tutoring I was able to overcome the objections, and as a result of that, became very successful today,” he says about his choice to align himself with FIU. The Orange Bowl Committee’s impact on the community drew him into that
organization. Grant was particularly drawn to working with the youth, chairing the youth football committee. It was an easy connection, given the impact a mentor had on leading Grant down the career path he’s on today. “I had a mentor that changed my life and I can see the impact of what one person can do, and these are the things that some of the senior executives in South Florida are trying to do with our youth,” Grant says of Orange Bowl Leadership Academy. Mr. Grant prides himself on making giving back a family affair. His wife, Jennifer Adger Grant, and daughter, Jasmin Grant, are both very active in charitable organizations as well. He feels strongly that giving back is something that everyone can do, regardless of age or position in life. “Whether a recent graduate or a senior citizen, we can all find a way to give of our time, talent or financial resource”, Grant says, pointing out that if everyone gave just 1% of their time or as little as $50 each, we could have a substantial collective impact on this world.
Taking into account the limitations he has as a busy professional, Grant found the United Way an ideal organization for impacting all areas of the community with a limited amount of time. Each of the organizations Grant works with gives back to the local community at large, but he notes that they specifically serve crucial needs of the Black communities by encouraging and supporting higher education, financial literacy and job opportunities, all important in helping the Black community, according to Grant. Grant praises last August’s minority supplier meeting held by FIU as a great way for minorities to learn how they can do business in South Florida. He also sits on the Board of Directors at the Adrienne Arsht Center, which supports diverse performing arts. Grant is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Franternity, Incorporated. The bottom line: There are limitless ways to give back to your community. “Everybody can give back. You can give your time,” encourages Grant.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
PINNACLE By Darrell Canty
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL
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“Michael McCullough— The Brand Architect”
Michael McCullough, Exec. VP Chief Marketing Officer Miami Heart Michael McCullough, the Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer with the Miami Heat is a “Brand Architect.” His 27 years in the field of marketing has blazed a trail of innovative best practices in a competitive arena where the bottom line is increasing awareness to consumers about a product, service or brand. And as a “Brand Architect”—McCullough shares with Legacy some tips for success. I asked McCullough, what is marketing to
him? He said “it’s trying to find ways to engage your fans and your customers and your products.” What tips can you share as it relates to marketing in today’s environment? “People in marketing positions need to be the most knowledgeable about their products. They have to hire subject matter experts of different disciplines (social media, internet, advertising, community affairs or retail) that make up marketing in order to effectively communicate the message you are trying to send or the product you are trying to sell or the program you are trying to push.” What is the role of a Brand Architect? “I’m the person responsible for whatever the identity of the brand is supposed to be. And once that identity has been created, it falls on my shoulder to create the vision as to how that brand is going to come to life, and how we are going to best communicate the attributes of the brand.” Which social media platforms have the most impact as it pertains marketing? “I won’t single it out because it really depends on what you’re trying to
communicate. Twitter is great but there’s only 140 characters. Facebook is great but it takes a little bit more time. Instagram is great but its visual and they're not saying anything. And now we have a new mobile AP which is another way is another way to engage. They're all clearly effective. But you have to use them all effectively.” What do you consider to be your greatest achievements as Chief Marketing Officer of the Heat? “ We’ve been able to establish a real connection between our team and our fans. Our fans feel like that have a relationship with us (Front Office) and our players. It’s not about whether we win or lose a game. People have developed a passion for the Miami Heat and that passion transcends wins or losses. And from a marketing standpoint we have a lot to do with that in how we engage with them (fanbase). What advice would impart to a college student seeking a career in Sports Marketing? “I would tell him or her to get as much experience as possible while they’re young
or in school, by volunteering—by actually doing the various things that we have to do in this business. What sets people apart is the level of experience you have. The experience of doing the types of things that we do so that you can be an immediate contributor when you get here.” How do businesses connect with the Heat for partnering opportunities? We have a great partnership with Miami Dade County. We have a Small Business Development opportunity for jobs and projects that involve improvements, or work with the arena. We’re actively engaged in that process where we have a requirement to offer opportunities—and we’re happy to do so to small businesses in particular.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Legacy’s 2016 Black History Month Calendar Nova Southeastern University Opening Reception: ASCENT: Black Women’s Expressions African Presence 2016, 13th Annual Art Exhibition Opening Reception begins February 4, 6:30 PM and exhibition will run until March 4th, 2016 Don Taft University Center 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796 Details: 954-262-5357 or email: serioux@nova.edu UniverSoul Circus February 4- 15, 2016, Miramar Cultural Center, 16801 Miramar Parkway, Miramar Florida, 33027 Ankara Miami, Inc. Ankara Miami Fashion Week - Florida's First African Fashion Week & Black History Month Celebration February 5 – February 21, Various locations & event times (see website for details) Details: www.AnkaraMiamiFashionWeek.com and Info@AnkaraMiami.com Trayvon Martin Foundation Peace Walk February 6, 2016, 9:00 AM Walk starts at Carol City Park 3201 NW 185th Street Miami, Florida 33054 Details: 786-504-4235 and www.Trayvonmartinfoundation.org City of Lauderdale Remembering Our Roots February 6, 3:00 PM Riverland Park, 950 SW 27th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Details: 954-828-5320 Trayvon Martin Foundation Remembrance Dinner - Honoring the legendary Harry Belafonte with the “2016 Champion of the Year Award” February 6, Auction & Reception 6:30 PM/Dinner 7:30 PM Double Tree by Hilton at Miami Airport Details: 786-504-4235 or www.Trayvonmartinfoundation.org Chi Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Pink Goes Red February 6, 10 AM – 12 PM YouFit Fitness Club, 2101 North University Drive Sunrise, Florida 33322 Cost: $10.00 ($5.00 for Zumba registration and $5.00 donation American Heart Association) Chi Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Family Strengthening Financial Fitness February 6, 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Tyrone Bryant Branch Library, 2230 NW 21 Ave Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 Cost: Free Trayvon Martin Foundation and God’s Amazing Grace Outreach Ministries National Black HIV/AIDS Day February 6, 8 AM Details: 786-504-4235 and www.Trayvonmartinfoundation.org The City of Lauderhill and The MLK Taskforce 16th Annual Black History & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration February 6, 4 PM Lauderhill Performing Arts Center
3800 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill, FL 33311 Details: Michael Tipton at mtipton@pfmcorp.com
3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr Blvd Davie FL 33314 Details 954-262-4593 or libdev@nova.edu
The Genealogical Society of Broward County African American Genealogy. February 7, 2016 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM Alvin Sherman Library, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd Fort Lauderdale – Davie, FL 33314 Details: 954-262-5477 Cost: Free
The City of Fort Lauderdale Kijiji Moja February 20, 1-4 PM Carter Park, 1450 W. Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Details: 954-828-5411
The City of Lauderdale Lakes 8th Annual Black History Parade & Carnival February 13, Parade: 9:00AM – 10:00 AM, Community Carnival: 10:00 AM Parade starting location: Willie Webb Senior Park, 3601 NW 21st St., Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33311 Ending location: Bella Vista, 3559 NW 29th Court, Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33311 Details: Call 954-535-2835 Second Annual Black Tech Week February 15- February 20 Details: 305- 482-1832 or www.blacktechweek.com Omega Psi Phi- Eta Nu Chapter and the City of Pompano Beach 3rd Annual Black History Festival February 18-21 E. Pat Larkins Community Center 520 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Pompano Beach, FL 2/18 6PM-9PM | 2/19 9AM-6PM | 2/20 11AM -6PM | 2/21 1PM-5PM Nova Southeastern University Alvin Sherman Library Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Comes To Life February 17, 6:30 PM
A Legacy of Service continued...
The 100 Black Men, Inc.: The concept of the 100 began in New York in 1963 when a group of concerned African American men began to meet to explore ways of improving conditions in their community. These men envisioned an organization that would implement programs designed to improve the quality of life for African
Americans and other minorities, and ensure the future of their communities through youth development. The "100 Black Men, Inc." has grown to over 116 chapters with more than 10,000 successful black men from various walks of life, mentoring more than 100,000 youth participants annually. Curley Dossman, Jr. is the Chairman of the National Board of Directors. Founded June 24, 1989, the founding members of the South Florida100 believed that they needed to take a leadership role toward effecting such
improvement by combating the plagues of illiteracy, professional stagnation, and political and economic disenfranchisement which infect South Florida community. The Founding Members were: Steve Bullock, William E. Diggs, John E. Dixon, Jr., Albert E. Dotson, Jr., Antonio Junior, Dewey W. Knight, III, Joseph L. Moore, Baron D. Thrower, Mark A. Valentine, and Lynn C. Washington. During their 27 years of existence, 100BMSF has positively affected thousands of lives in South Florida.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Gamma Zeta Omega Chapter Denim & Pearls Day Party February 20, 2 PM - 7 PM Fate Night Club at Gulf Stream, 601 Silks Run, Hallandale Beach, FL Details: https://www.facebook.com/ GammaZetaOmega/ Cost: $30 HBCU Black History Celebration February 20, 9 PM Krave Restaurant & Lounge 4519 Pine Island Rd, Sunrise, FL Cost: $20 Urban League of Broward County Black History Month Showcase February 26, 7:30- 9:30 PM 560 NW 27th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Details: 954-584-0777 Sistrunk Parade & Festival February 27 Parade starts at 9:00 AM Starting location: Lincoln Park Ending location: NW 9 Avenue Festival starts immediately after Parade at NW 9 Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Details: 754-779-4376 Please see page 2 for the City of Miramar events.
All of these organizations have created strong bonds of Black brother and sisterhood that stretch across time and continents.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
MONEY MANAGEMENT
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL
Black and White
Credentials aren’t all to consider when choosing a financial advisor By Lynda V. Harris
Lynda V. Harris, Vice President of the Henderson Financial Group, Inc. Let me ask you two questions: Would you let a black financial professional handle your life’s savings? Do you think a black financial advisor has the same skills, experience, and knowledge that a white person has? According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 40% of black Americans would not turn their financial future over to a black financial advisor. Now, before we vilify those individuals, let’s think this through and ask why they made that decision. What if when you were growing up every black person in the media and around you were associated with something bad or unproductive. Even if you did not grow up in a black neighborhood, the negative images of blacks were all around you. What if you had seen black people, including your family, struggle with money all their lives? And what if all you ever heard your parents say was how tough life was, how white people have all the money and power and how blacks will never get ahead? In contrast, everything associated with white people conveyed success and prosperity. In many of our neighborhoods and in the media, whites were the only ones who owned successful neighborhood businesses and had all the material things
associated with wealth. All of this has a way of getting in your head and creating a negative image of blacks, especially if you don’t have a strong family foundation to counteract those images. So if your only images of blacks were negative, would you turn over your life’s savings to a black financial advisor? If you are honest, the answer would probably be no. Based on that experience, perhaps you would think a black person does not have the same credentials or experience that a white person has. However, nothing could be further from the truth. A black financial advisor with the same credentials and education also brings his or her unique life experiences to the table. A black financial advisor would more likely relate to a black investor because that advisor knows the cultural myths and fears that many black people have about money and investing. For many of us, we realize it is not enough to just be as good as our white counterparts, we must be better. There are things we must do to change the public perception when it comes to black financial advisors. We must let the public know we are here, we are qualified, and we are here to help. We can do this by getting out in our communities and volunteering. So, the next time a black financial advisor wants to meet with you, don’t push him or her away. At the very least, interview that individual. If nothing else, a black financial advisor is under more pressure to not only meet your expectations, but exceed them. Lynda V. Harris is the Vice President of the Henderson Financial Group, Inc. and co-host of the financial radio show “Understanding Money” heard Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. on WZAB 880 AM. She can be reached at 305-825-1444
A black financial advisor would more likely relate to a black investor because that advisor knows the cultural myths and fears that many black people have about money and investing.
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REAL ESTATE By Barron Channer @BarronChanner
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Plan the Party, if You Want an Invitation
Barron Channer As the saying goes, the three most important things in real estate are location, location and location. There are certainly other factors but the basic point is obvious. Twitter: This important truism is often under @BarronChanner appreciated by those in the best position to capitalize on the power of location – local
residents and organizations. For this Black History Month edition, I want to share my perspective of some useful steps that neighborhood residents and organizations can take to understand and utilize the real estate potential of their neighborhood for their benefit. Recognize that real estate planning and development requires technical expertise. Get experienced professionals, who care about your community, involved in the process from the start. Their guidance will help to minimize common mistakes made by untrained people and maximize your access to the resources needed to put the plan into action. Think of your experiences with having to fix your car. Finding someone with skill and compassion made a world of difference in your experience. Inexpensive ways of recruiting talent include extending invitations to join the board of community-based organizations and extending ability to profit on the plan when it is being put place. It is always good to keep in mind that professionals use their skills primarily to feed their families. Develop a collective understanding of the neighborhood’s potential. Shared
understanding among a large group of residents is critical for any effort to truly benefit the neighborhood. First, recognize that different areas of the neighborhood will serve different purposes – live, work and play. Second, understand what residents believe the neighborhood should offer to locals and visitors. Third, evaluate how the neighborhood is and can be positioned within the larger community given location, state of the economy and current perceptions. Knowledge is power. Collective understanding will form a strong base for making good decisions that can legitimately benefit neighborhood residents. Develop a real estate plan for the community. The plan should give consideration to current residents, desired future residents and visitors. Establish specific intent about where and whether you want to encourage work and play within the neighborhood. Vibrant communities generally offer the convenience of being able to live, work and play within close proximity to each other. Give thought to how much is enough when it comes to people, traffic and development
in the neighborhood. Address quality of life considerations – sidewalks, parks, trees and car lanes. Finally, establish priorities for short-, mid- and long-term. Begin the process of implementing the plan. Be patient but persistent. Rome was not built in a day. Acknowledge that the plan is a neighborhood wish list. You will need support and involvement from community and political leaders in the broader community. Go back to my early comment about involving experienced professionals early. It is at this point that their value becomes evident. You do not need a perfect score to pass the test. If you can’t have everything you want, then use the priority items as your guide for what is necessary versus nice to have. If there is a plan for your neighborhood that you did not craft, then there is risk that this plan doesn’t fit your needs and desires. You know what happens then. Communities that take collective efforts to understand and utilize their real estate potential have nothing to fear from a revitalization process. If you plan the party, then you usually get invited to enjoy it. The same goes for neighborhood revitalization.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
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National Pan-Hellenic Council
By Toni Harrigan
Broward Divine 9 after being recognized by the School Board of Broward County in honor of National Mentoring Month South Florida is no stranger to promoting efforts of unity throughout the community. With the endless amount of diversity that can be found here, it doesn’t stop at only race and gender or even age but also flows over into Greek life. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is an organization that consists of the nine historically African-American Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The NPHC was formed May 10, 1930 on the campus of Howard University, in Washington DC. Eighty-six years later, the Council still promotes interaction between all organizations through forums, meetings and other mediums for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through
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various activities and functions across the country. Each active member organization is responsible for its own strategic direction and program agenda under the national by-laws. The primary purpose and focus of member organizations remains camaraderie and academic excellence for its members and service to their communities. Each prides itself on promoting community awareness and action through educational, economic, and cultural service activities. The board of the NPHC consists of members from all of the “Divine Nine” organizations who volunteer their time and money to make these efforts successful. The NPHC provides great opportunity for Greek organization
members to stay active not only in their chapter but abroad. The Miami-Dade County National Pan-Hellenic Council was founded in 1941, by Ethel Grithe a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Gamma Zeta Omega Chapter. Since its inception they have awarded annual scholarships to various youth across South Florida. Members also volunteer in numerous community efforts including feeding the homeless, rebuilding neighborhoods in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity and Rebuild Miami and passing toys out to less fortunate children during the holidays with their annual Toy Drive. These are all in addition to what each organization does for community outreach within their individual chapters throughout the year. This year the Miami-Dade Chapter 75th anniversary will be celebrated at their scholarship dinner on Saturday, June 11. “All the events that we host are not exclusive to Greek organization members. We encourage the public to come out and fellowship with us and support our fundraising efforts for the youth.” said Pierrela Jeanbaptiste President, Miami-Dade Chapter National
Lottery is Big Business for Florida Retailers — Florida Lottery Partnerships Net $4.7 Billion For State Retailers The Florida Lottery was created for the sole purpose of raising additional funding to benefit public education in the state. No less significant, however, is the multibillion-dollar impact the Lottery has had on businesses throughout the state. More than 13,000 retail outlets that sell Lottery products generate billions of dollars in revenue from commissions, redemption and incentive bonuses, as well as enhanced merchandise sales. Business owners looking for new and exciting products, and seeking ways to bring more customers into their stores as a new revenue source, should consider becoming a Florida Lottery retailer. Interested in Becoming a Florida Lottery Retailer? Contact the Florida Lottery Retailer Contracting Office at 850-487-7714 or visit our website at flalottery.com and click on the For Retailers button. WHY PARTNER WITH US? • Florida Lottery retailers average $1,547 gross margin per square foot! • Florida Lottery retailers attract high-frequency customers that boost traffic and sales by an average of 11 percent! • The average customer who comes to buy a lottery ticket spends $10.35 in the store, compared to $6.29 for non-lottery customers. • Florida ranked third in the nation for bonuses and commissions paid to Lottery retailers last year. Must be 18 or older to play. Play responsibly. © 2016 Florida Lottery
Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc., and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Gamma Zeta Omega Chapter. “Our main purpose is to serve the community at large and we want to continue doing so for another 75 years.” The Broward County Chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council began with Annette Robinson, Delta Upsilon Sigma Chapter member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in 1996. On October 11, 1997, the Broward County Council received its official charter and was recognized nationally. This year they will celebrate 19 years of service to the Broward community. While currently under the leadership of Luwando Wright-Hines, they pride themselves on providing voter education and increasing voter registration throughout Broward County, which has been one of the chapter’s greatest accomplishments. Both chapters continue to make a difference, not only during Black History Month, but year round creating an everlasting impact in their respective communities. Every moment of fellowship is always a celebration with the community in mind.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
LEGACY BRIEFS
The City of Miramar Presents:
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: THE EXHIBITION January 14, 2016 through February 29, 2016 The City of Miramar is proud to present an exclusive photographic collective featuring President Barack Obama, which has been specially selected by Chief White House Photographer and Director of the White House Photo Office, Pete Souza. Photos from the January 20th Community Program held in celebration of the exhibition:
Ansin Family Art Gallery Miramar Cultural Center 2400 Civic Center Place Miramar, FL 33025 (954) 602-4500 www.miramarculturalcenter.org
WELLNESS By Nzingah Oniwosan @yesbabyilikeitraw
Nzingah Oniwosan “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” –Marcus Garvey For some the celebration of Black History is antiquated and irrelevant in the 21st Century. However Edmund Burke puts it best, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” The Akan people of Ghana have a term called “Sankofa” , in its simplest understanding it speaks to the idea that by understanding the past you have a better perspective to build for the future.
History and Wellness
Accepting and owning our history plays a tremendous role into our wellness mind, body and spirit. It allows us to have a clear perspective on how we arrived to our current condition, as well as how we can become the best version of ourselves. In terms of trends, people of African descent are statistically off the charts when it comes to our overall health. We have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and whether we want to admit it or not poor mental health. So you may ask how does understanding our history play a role and reversing some of these conditions. Below I will address one myth and analyze it from historical scientific perspective: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND DIABETES RUN IN MY FAMILY FALSE. This can be viewed as a question of nature versus nurture. It may be possible that you have a genetic predisposition for some of these things. However, in terms of inheritance what we definitely have inherited is bad eating habits. What we call “Soul Food” is really “Slave food.” African slaves were given the “leftover” and “undesirable” cuts of meat
from their masters and created meals from them. Even after slavery, many of our ancestors were poor and could only afford off-cut meats. Consequently we made do with the food choices we had to work with. So essentially we were eating in survival mode, but survival mode is supposed to be a temporary condition. In the beginning our bodies may have compensated for lack nutritionally dense meals, but overtime we started to see the consequences of the slave diet. As people of African descent we are genetically designed to consume certain things. As a collective we tend to be lactose intolerant; we also have higher rates of sickled cells. If we were eating like our ancestors, prior to slavery, many of the ailments we have from just these two conditions would be alleviated. Yams and cassava are consumed a lot in West Africa. Research has shown that yams and cassava are high in a compound called thiocyanate. Thiocyanate has been shown to buffer against the effects of sickle-cell anemia in environments where sickling provided protection from malaria. When we begin to eat foods closer to our African ancestry we make great leaps and bounds
in taking control of our health. If you are looking for a resource for ideas on how to transition your diet closer to your accessorial diet you can look up the Dr. Sebi diet. In conclusion, when we embrace our history and start to look at our narrative as Africans brought to America to be slaves instead of slaves brought to America, we can begin truly start to heal our body, mind and spirit. It will shift how we see ourselves and allow us to own our future. For more information follow Nzingah on instagram @yesbabyilikeitraw and visit her website www.yesbabyilikeitraw.com.
The Akan people of Ghana have a term called “Sankofa” , in its simplest understanding it speaks to the idea that by understanding the past you have a better perspective to build for the future.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
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ARTS & CULTURE By Darrell Canty
“Alvin Ailey Holds that Mirror to Society—Through Art”
Alvin Ailey Artistic Director Robert Battle. Photo by Andrew Eccles The Alvin Ailey Dance Theater continues to globally expand its diverse brand of breathtaking per-formances under the strategic artistic direction of Robert Battle.
Battle, was raised here in Liberty City, Miami. In 2011, the great Judith Jamison personally selected him, to become the next Artistic Director. Battle, whom I interviewed for Legacy shortly after his appointment, has seamlessly im-plemented his vision of community unification through art while utilizing a vessel made up of mul-tiple races in the process. Legacy: You’ve now made some changes to the “Ailey” experience since we last spoke. What was that process like for you? Battle: “It was tough. It was trying to trust my own instincts—trust why Judith Jamison chose me. And then make decisions that I knew would be unexpected and that would push the audience in a different direction. So it was trying to balance that out—to the sense of daring and embracing the history of the company in terms of the repertory. I didn't want to alienate people, but I didn't want it to remain the same”. Legacy: Your new book is entitled “My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle’s Journey to
Alvin Ailey”. Why do you think it’s important for young children to read about your experience? Battle: “Young people need to be encouraged to use their imagination. I was picked on as a child, had physical challenges, raised by my Great Aunt and Uncle. I was the outsider kid. But some-how, because I had a vision for myself— I was able to tap into that. But I think its important for kids to see those images from people who may look like them and how to use that story for en-couragement as they go through their lives.” Legacy: Will you use your artistic vision to combat the societal ills of today? And how aggressive will you be in your direction? Battle: “Very!—I think though there’s also a need to entertain, that’s part of what we do as well. But, I definitely want to do work that has to do with social justice—something to do with ‘holding that mirror to society,’ as Mr. Ailey would say. Those kind of works are the backbone of
this com-pany. And it was “Revelations” that made me want to dance seriously. Dance is one of our most primal forms of expression. So using that expression to shine a light on some of the issues of the day is something that is very important to me—and to the future of this company.” Legacy: If you were going to choreograph a performance based on your Miami experience how would you stage it? Battle: “Wow—that’s interesting. I think it would be some of everything. Especially, when I think of my own life growing up in Liberty City. The work would express everything from classical music to hip hop and gospel. And I think the negative aspects of what was happening in the neighborhoods all over this country. The work would underscore perils such as drug dealing and domestic issues. Also, there would have to be a sense of hope. It would have to be the end part of the work— because there was always hope. There were always people doing great things and people taking care of each other. And sometimes those stories don’t get told.”
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
ASCENT: Black Women's Expressions
The Black Fantastic (2013) by J.C. Legagneur
NOVA SOUTHE A S TER N UN IVER SIT Y | AFR I C AN PR ESENCE 2016 | TH I R TEENTH AN NUAL AR T E XH I B ITI ON FEB RUARY 4 – MARCH 4 , 2016 | ALVI N SHER MAN LI B R ARY | ADOLFO AND MAR I SEL A COTILL A GALLERY SPONSORED BY NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF ADVANCEMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS C EL EB R ATI N G
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
nova.edu/blackhistory