1.4.23 NPC

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

By now, the entire nation has heard about or seen the devastating event that occurred on the Cincinnati Bengals’ home football field the night of Monday, Jan. 2. But for us in the Pittsburgh area, it affects us differently, because he’s one of ours.

Damar Hamlin, the pride and joy of McKees Rocks, whom so many remember playing football around McKees Rocks, around Pittsburgh, and of course at the University of Pittsburgh, is in everyone around here’s prayers, hoping for a recovery.

Hamlin, 24, made a tackle for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football against a Cincinnati Bengals player, midway through the first quarter. As Hamlin stood up after the tackle, he suddenly collapsed, sending the country into stunned silence. As football players cried on the field, first responders were seen giving Hamlin CPR and a defibrillator, as other players watched helpless.

Eventually, an ambulance was driven onto the field and Hamlin was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical

Center, about 10 minutes from the Downtown Cincinnati stadium.

The NFL postponed the game.

For about five hours, the entire country did not know what to think. Just before 2 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, the Bills released a statement saying that Hamlin had gone into cardiac arrest. However, EMTs were able to restore Hamlin’s heartbeat while on the field, which, to many, signaled positive news. As of Tuesday evening, Jan. 3, Hamlin is still in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati hospital, family by his side.

In high school, Hamlin played for Central Catholic, in Oakland. He graduated from Central in 2016.

“Central Catholic High School is praying for the well-being and swift recovery of Damar Hamlin,” the school tweeted late Monday night, Jan. 2. “May the Lord be with him and his family during this most difficult time.”

Pitt football head coach Pat Narduzzi released a statement Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 3: “Damar Hamlin is far more than

by Amelia Winger PublicSource

A column of nine cursive names is taped to a pale wall in the Youth Enrichment Services office in East Liberty.

These are the teens the organization has lost to gun violence in recent years, including its own members and their friends and relatives.

The wall was designed by Matthew Steffy-Ross, a 17-year-old who joined Youth Enrichment Services [YES] in 2015 and, over the years, became a mentor to his peers. He had only just finished the wall when he was fatally shot in April during a party at an Airbnb, where another teen was killed and at least eight others were wounded.

“I do not want to go to another one of my kids’ funerals,” said YES Executive Director Dennis Jones. “I don’t. I just don’t. I can’t.”

The students at YES are acutely aware of gun violence’s toll on Allegheny

County—they’re grieving the losses of family, friends, classmates and neighbors who were caught in the crosshairs of shootings. This month, the organization released the “Reducing Gun Violence in Our Community: Teen Voices and Visions” report, which includes teens’ ideas for reducing gunfire across the county. The report is a culmination of the organization’s yearlong effort to train teens to heal from the trauma of gun violence and become activists promoting solutions to the crisis.

“Nothing will get done if you don’t take action,” said Takara Pack, a 15-yearold YES member. “You can’t just sit back and just watch it all happen. You have to actually step up and do something.”

From January through November, there were 23 homicide victims ages 18 or younger in Allegheny County, accounting for about 19 percent of overall victims.

CANDID CONVERSATION—Takara Pack, left, and Sarah Nervais

DAMAR HAMLIN, shown here as he signed with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in 2021.

just a football player. He’s a loving son, brother and friend. Damar is a hero to thousands of Pittsburgh kids. Damar, we love you. We are praying for you. Pittsburgh’s always had your back. And now it’s obvious the entire country has your back, too.”

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, at his usual Tuesday press conference, told reporters he has known Hamlin since Hamlin was about 12. “Got a lot of respect and love for him as a human being, his commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what it is he’s doing right now, which is playing in the NFL,” Tomlin said. “It’s just an honor to get to know young people like that.” As the country scoured social media Monday

night and Tuesday morning learning more about Hamlin, people found that Hamlin had started a toy drive for kids in the McKees Rocks area back in 2020, during the prime of the COVID pandemic. He was still a player at Pitt at the time, and his goal, according to the Go Fund Me online account, was $2,500.

“As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me,” Hamlin wrote online at the time.

Well, as of Tuesday evening, more than $5 million had been raised —in less than 24 hours.

On Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 3, the Hamlin fam -

• JANUARY 4

1777—Prince Hall, founder of the first Black Masonic lodge in America, petitions the Massachusetts legislature for funds to allow free Blacks to return to Africa. The petition was rejected and Hall went on to become a major leader in Boston’s Black community, as well as develop a nationwide influence by helping develop Black Masonic temples around the country.

1901—C.L.R. James is born on the West Indian island-nation of Trinidad. James is one of those not well known figures who greatly influenced radical Black intellectual thought from the 1930s to the 1970s. He was a Marxist who traveled the world advocating socialism and influencing developments in the Caribbean, the United States and England. James died in 1989.

1920—The legendary National Negro Baseball League is organized in Kansas City, Kan., by the “father of Black baseball,” Rube Foster. It is not widely known that under the 6’4” Foster’s leadership, not only did more than 4,000 Blacks get a chance to play professional baseball during the days when they were not allowed to play in the White-controlled major leagues but the Negro Baseball League became one of the largest Black-owned businesses in America. The teams represented Black communities and had major followings. They had names like the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the New York Black Yankees, the Birmingham Black Barons, the Chicago American Giants and the Atlanta Black Crackers. One of the unfortunate side effects of integration was the destruction of many Black businesses. Thus, when the White leagues broke the color barrier and hired Jackie Robinson in 1947, the Negro Baseball League gradually began to decline. Most of the teams were gone by 1960.

• JANUARY 5

1911—Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity is formed at Indiana University. It goes on to become one of the nation’s leading Black Greek-letter organizations.

1931—World famous choreographer Alvin Ailey is born in Rogers, Texas. During his life Ailey created more than 70 ballets. He died in 1989.

1943—Agricultural scientist George Washington Carver dies. Carver was renowned for his ability to develop new uses from everyday products. Indeed, he developed more than 300 products from the peanut and the sweet potato. He spent his professional career at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and was nicknamed the “Wizard of Tuskegee.” Carver is credited with helping to revolutionize American agriculture.

• JANUARY 6

1820—The first organized return of a group of U.S. Blacks to Africa takes place. Records indicate that between 85 and 90 free Blacks boarded a ship in New York Harbor on this day for return to the “Motherland.” Ironically, the ship was named the “Mayflower to Liberia.” However, the Blacks actually went to British controlled Sierra Leone and, along with former British slaves. helped to found that nation. 1968—Movie director and screenwriter John Singleton is born in Los Angeles,

Calif. Singleton is perhaps best known for his directing of the controversial movie “Boyz N The Hood.” For the film, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, becoming the first African American and youngest person to have ever been nominated for the award.

1993—Famed Jazz musician John Birks “Dizzy” Gilespie dies. He was an outstanding trumpeter and band director who also helped to create Bebop Jazz. 2003—Mamie Till Mobley dies at 81. She was the mother of Emmet Till, whose lynching at age 14 became one of the events which gave life and angry energy to the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. Till was tortured and killed for allegedly whistling at a White woman while on a trip to Mississippi. Amazingly the men who killed Till were found not guilty by an all-White jury, but the two would later brag to Look magazine that they had actually murdered Till.

• JANUARY 7

From 4th Century AD—Ethiopian Christmas—known as Ganna—is celebrated on Jan. 7. Ethiopian Christianity was much closer to the Christian Coptic Church of Egypt and as a result never incorporated many of the dictates of the early Roman Catholic Church. Thus, a plausible argument can be made that Ethiopian Christianity is more pure (or less corrupted) than that which emerged from the early Christian Church in Europe. Regardless, the best scientific speculation is that Jesus was born neither on Dec. 25 nor Jan. 7. The most probable month of his birth is April.

1891—Zora Neale Hurston is born in Eatonville, Fla. She became one of the central figures in that great African American cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. She excelled as a writer, folklorist and anthropologist.

1955—Marian Anderson debuts on this day at the New York Metropolitan Opera House as Alrica in Verdi’s operate “Mask Ball.” She was the first African American to perform such an opera at a major opera house.

• JANUARY 8

1866—Fisk University is founded in Nashville, Tenn., for recently freed slaves by the American Missionary Association. The college grows to become one of the leading Black institutions of higher learning in America by graduating several figures that played major roles in Black cultural, political and entertainment life.

1961—Calvin Smith, hall of fame track and field athlete, was born in Bolton, Miss. Smith ran track at the University of Alabama and in 1983 broke the 15-year-old world record in the 100 meter race. He went on to win a Gold medal as part of the United States 4 x 100 meter relay team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and a Bronze medal in the 100 meter race at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

• JANUARY 9

1906—Poet and novelist Paul Lawrence Dunbar dies. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Dunbar rapidly gained national recognition as a poet. Although he only lived to be 33, he was prolific—writing short stories, novels, plays and songs. In Dayton, he was a classmate of the Wright brothers of aviation fame. In fact, the Wright brothers helped Dunbar finance his newspaper—the Dayton Tattler.

1935—Black Enterprise magazine founder and publisher Earl Graves is born on this day in Brooklyn, N.Y.

1946—Poet Countee Cullen dies at age 42 in New York City. Cullen was one of Black America’s greatest poets and novelists. One of his most controversial works was “The Black Christ & Other Poems.” He was born in 1903. But some mystery surrounds exactly where he was born with both Baltimore and New York City being given as his place of birth. Cullen also taught high school. One of his best known students was the great writer James Baldwin.

1967—The Georgia legislature finally seats Representative Julian Bond. In an amazing anti-democracy display of arrogance, Georgia legislators had refused to allow Bond to take the seat he had duly won because of his opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam. But a 1966 U.S. Supreme Court ruling declared their action unconstitutional. Bond later became chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors.

• JANUARY 10

1924—Legendary Jazz drummer and composer Max Roach is born in New York City. He was perhaps the greatest drummer-composer of the Jazz era performing with some of America’s best known Jazz musicians and singers. He formed Debut Records in 1952 with bassist Charles Mingus.

1957—The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is founded in New Orleans, La., by a group of Black ministers led by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The SCLC goes on to become one of the premier leadership organizations of the Civil Rights Movement. Among the original founders were Ralph Abernathy, Joseph Lowery, Fred Shuttlesworth and C.K. Steel. Washington, D.C., Min. Walter Fauntroy was chairman of the board of directors and one of the leading women of the Civil Rights Movement, Ella Baker, became executive director. In 2009, King’s daughter Bernice was elected to head the organization.

SEE HAMLIN A3

DAMAR HAMLIN

McKees Rocks’ own Damar Hamlin

ily released an official statement: “On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to

Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans around the country. We also want to acknowl -

edge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Dam -

ar. We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything

they’ve done. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us.”

DAMAR HAMLIN, with his mother, Nina, during his senior season at Pitt.

DAMAR HAMLIN, center, with family.

HAMLIN FROM

A YOUNG DAMAR HAMLIN...

DAMAR HAMLIN chooses Pitt on KDKA-TV, over Ohio State and Penn State...

Teens leading conversation about gun violence solutions

City officials believe that shootings are often catalyzed by tensions between cliques of teenagers and young adults, whose social media fights escalate to gunfire.

In a Dec. 2 press conference, Mayor Ed Gainey said young people citywide are inheriting the “culture of violence” created by previous generations, which— coupled with the availability of firearms—perpetuates the cycle of gun violence. “If a kid can get a gun like they can get potato chips, then we understand what the end result is.”

Taking up the mantle

Tya Carter, 16, is tired of seeing headlines about people losing family members to gun violence. “At this point for me, I’m just over it.”

These headlines are a reminder of what she could’ve lost. One of her younger brothers has been shot twice, and she’s “surprised he’s alive” today.

She and her fellow teens at YES believe their advocacy isn’t an opportunity, but a necessity. For the county to move the needle toward reducing gun violence, youth voices must be heard.

“It’s something we have to do because no one else is doing it,” Pack added.

In November, nearly 40 of the group’s teens came together for a three-day retreat at Sev -

en Springs, where they worked together to identify root causes of youth gun violence, including poverty, unresolved trauma, cultural influences, neighborhood conflicts, limited social opportunities, limited conflict mediation training and barriers to sustainable employment.

They then proposed actionable ideas that gov -

ernment departments, educational institutions, businesses and nonprofit organizations can implement for prevention. The organization synthesized the teens’ recommendations in the report, including: Creating programs for teens to build skills in mentoring, conflict mediation, listening and empathy; Increasing teens’ col -

laboration with police departments, along with initiating a gun buyback program specifically targeted to teens; Generating opportunities for local business owners to network with their communities and help teens strengthen their employable skills.

Teens especially wanted to create more safe spaces in their commu -

nities where they can engage in after-school activities. They feel that few of these spaces exist today because many recreation centers have limited their operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and low staffing.

Teens also want to see more programs helping them and their families heal from the trauma of

gun violence, including grief counseling programs. Carter especially wants to create a program to help teens navigate depression. “It’s basically a safe place or area where people can come and do their things to just help them to feel healthy again.”

Jones said the report’s

TEA CARTER, right, shares her thoughts about the root causes of gun violence and ways to prevent shootings while sitting at Youth Enrichment Services’ office in East Liberty on Dec. 7, 2022. (Photo by Benjamin Brady/PublicSource)

findings are “not abnormal.”

“These kids want to be kids,” he continued. “They want to have enough food. They want to have the ability to walk through the neighborhood without getting shot, and want to have the ability to get treatment for the trauma and the pain that they carry with them.”

He said he hopes the report will provide gun violence prevention stakeholders with the necessary building blocks to prioritize youth perspectives as they pursue solutions to the crisis. “We want people to look at it and see areas that they can take it and work with it,” he added. “Nobody can say, ‘We don’t know what the kids want.’”

Jones began pushing to create the report in July after YES hosted its Teen Violence Prevention Summit, which brought teens together with researchers, law enforcement officials and community leaders. In the coming months, the organization will begin seeking partners at the local, state and national levels to begin implementing the report’s proposals.

Collaboration, he said, could help them overcome the greatest challenge of implementing the prevention initiatives: securing funding.

“This is the crux of the matter: Are we willing as a city, as a community, as a region, as a state, to invest the level and the magnitude of the resources that it’s going to take to address the problem?” Jones said.

‘Someone believes in you’

The YES report is a culmination of the organization’s mission to amplify teen advocacy throughout what the organization has dubbed the “Year of Peace and Nonviolence in our Neighborhoods.”

Since its formation in 1994, YES has worked with teens impacted by gun violence. Jones recognized the need to turn violence prevention advocacy into their flagship project after a friend of one of the organization’s members was shot in September 2021.

Shortly after announcing the decision, two other teens—friends of YES members—were shot, which Jones said only validated their decision.

“We have such a 100 percent saturation of gun violence upon our kids, there’s this constant trauma,” Jones said.

Jones wanted their approach to gun violence prevention to be proactive, providing teens with opportunities to engage with positive role models and activities.

Throughout the year, the organization created educational opportunities for teens to research solutions to gun violence, and connected teens with mentors who have helped them develop the tools to care for their minds, bodies and emotional well-being.

They’ve also linked teens to jobs that have helped them gain technical and leadership skills. This opportunity is what brought 15-year-old Sar-

ah Nervais to the organization, and she’s stayed because of the friends she’s made. “I came into the office, and everyone here was so loving,” Nervais said. “They’re like a second family.”

At their November retreat, teens attended healing circle discussions and workshops about music therapy, meditation and peer mentorship. Since then, Pack has begun incorporating breathing exercises into her daily routine and tries to meditate every day.

“I struggle with both depression and PTSD, I also have very bad anxiety,” said Pack, whose brother was severely wounded from gunfire and whose uncle was fatally shot. “When I was told about the breathing circles and the meditation, it really helps me relax and just find myself again.”

Jones said he hopes he’s teaching teens the most critical skill for protecting them from gun violence: resilience. A combination of information, preparation and community “allows them to reach their peers, allows them to feel they have some agency.”

The trust that YES vests each member with is what gives them the confidence to pursue their goal of reducing gun violence while working with YES and in their everyday lives.

“It felt good knowing that someone believes in you,” said Will Sheffield, a 16-year-old member. “And they can in other places if you just allow it.”

As the organization looks to 2023, Jones hopes the training they’ve provided teens to become informed, responsible and empathetic leaders will amplify their activism and empower them to bring their ideas for solutions to fruition.

“We’re going to give it our best shot.”

WILL SHEFFIELD, right, sits at Youth Enrichment Services’ office in East Liberty on Dec. 7, 2022. (Photo by Benjamin Brady/PublicSource)

‘Tree of Hope Christmas’ at Eastminster Presbyterian Church

PERFORMANCES WERE ABUNDANT IN THE ANNUAL EASTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION, DEC. 16, 2022, IN EAST LIBERTY. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

Praise & Worship

ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH

91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141

Sunday Mass 11 AM www.sbtmparishpgh.com

Rev. Thomas J. Burke- Pastor Rev. C. Matthew HawkinsParochial Vicar Rev. David H. TaylorSenior Parochial Vicar.

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Patrice Fowler-Searcy and Rev. Heather Schoenewolf Pastors 412-441-3800

Worship in person or Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church

Summer Worship.......10:00 a.m. Taize -Wednesdays.........7:00 p.m.

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

For rate information, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We want to feature positive youth from our Pittsburgh church community. Please mail their bio and photo to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or email us: religion@newpittsburghcourier.com

PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY JOINED IN ON THE FUN AT EASTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, DEC. 16. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

ADRIENNE YOUNG, FOUNDER OF TREE OF HOPE

HATERS GALORE

Tomlin doing another formidable job, but the haters still hate

On December 23, 1972, the late Franco Harris made a catch that transformed the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise from garbage pickers to gold miners. Harris died just a few days from the ultimate honorarium that was planned for him as part of the 50th celebration honoring that most unlikely feat. On Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, the Pittsburgh Steelers visited M&T Bank Stadium to take on the Baltimore Ravens in a game that many people expected would be the final meaningful game of the Steelers’ 2022 season even though Lamar Jackson, Baltimore’s franchise starting QB, would not play because of injury. I can’t prove it, but I have a gut feeling that the spirit of Franco Harris locked arms with the spirit of destiny and caught the last Southwest Airlines flight that wasn’t canceled and landed in Baltimore in possession of the gold and diamond encrusted “football of forever.” After trailing for most of the game, the Steelers trotted out both of their resident magicians, QB Kenny Pickett and running back Najee Harris

onto the field for the last time. With a mere 56 seconds remaining in regulation, the “dynamic duo” went on to score the final TD that clipped the wings of the Ravens by the final score of 16-13. The Steelers’ rookie starting QB Kenny Pickett performed an “immaculate escape” just to avoid a sack. That play had the signature of the late Franco Harris written all over it. Later in this column, I’m going to address the “manufactured criticism” of Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin offered up by a few biased and subjective politicians masquerading as so-called sportswriters, but let’s tackle a few other issues first.

Shortly before the end of the first half, two Steelers, defensive lineman Cam Heyward and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, held a soul-cleansing “prayer meeting” and kumbaya moment on the sidelines after a questionable “keep the visitors in check” penalty was called on Heyward awarding the Ravens a first down. That penalty led to a touchdown and gave Baltimore the lead going into the locker room. It appeared as if the kum-

baya hymn worked well for the Steelers. However, when Baltimore began singing the well-respected hymn in the fourth quarter with just seconds left on the play clock, conductor Minkah Fitzpatrick informed the Ravens that they were singing the timeless hymn just a bit out of tune, so he promptly intercepted the pass of Ravens QB Tyler Huntley providing the Steelers with another week to pursue their 2022 postseason hopes.

After the Steelers defeated the Ravens, this celebratory bag of fertilizer was posted on the Trib Live website Monday, Jan. 2, by their star ultraright-wing sports idealist Mark “Mad Dog” Madden. Madden had this “positive” reaction saying this: “At best, if dominos continue falling, it gets them (the Steelers) slaughtered in the first round of the playoffs for a second con-

secutive season. If they beat or tie visiting Cleveland next Sunday (Jan. 8), coach Mike Tomlin maintains his record of never having a losing season. His other failures thus continue to hide in plain sight.”

These people are paid, honest to God, given a platform for no cost, and compensated hourly, daily, and weekly to fill space for these outlets with self-concocted and imaginary b-lls—t. Here is another nugget of cow chips that I discovered on the barrettsportsmedia.com website that was posted on Oct. 14, 2022, by the Barrett Sports Media staff. The article featured Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan. The article quotes Fillipponi as saying: “For a long time for the national media, Mike Tomlin has been off-limits. There have been very, very, very faint criticisms of Tomlin even after things like the Jaguars playoff loss. The Browns playoff loss. Three playoff wins in the last 11 years. He generally has avoided the harshest criticism. That’s been reserved for Ben (Roethlisberger). Well now that Ben’s gone,

there’s no more cover.”

Fillipponi also said that: “ESPN: (is a) ‘Propaganda Place’ for Mike Tomlin.”

Seriously folks, I can’t make this stuff up. Is he crazy? Mike Tomlin has never been off-limits! If anything the vitriol reserved for Tomlin from the moment that his tenure began to the present has never ceased but has steadily increased. Ben Roethlisberger has always only covered his own rear end and was always ready and willing to throw Mike Tomlin or any other teammate under the bus and run them over. I am not a bleeding-heart liberal or a gun-toting right winger. My name is Aubrey “Cosell” Bruce, just telling it like it is. The New England Patriots’ headmaster Bill Belichick has had hundreds of positive articles written about him with the press more often not singing his unearned praises. However, in many cases over the last 20 years, the Patriots have been accused of manipulating, breaking, and making up their own rules. Regarding the debacle named “Spygate,” it was pretty cut and dried that they broke the rules.

In other cases, like “Deflategate,” the violation couldn’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. There is a propaganda machine in place fueled by many sports media outlets. However, this propaganda machine’s purpose is to protect the New England Patriots ownership, their head coach Bill “Belicheat” and his eternal co-cheater, ex-Patriots, and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady. I wonder what the won-loss record of the Patriots would be if they had followed the rules. The G.O.A.T, yeah right, you mean the greatest of all-time cheaters. I am afraid because I have viewed photographs of a few of these “media folks” with their bald heads and goatees and they seem to project images of organizations that are, “ethnically insensitive.”

Mike Tomlin and his young team have earned the right to bask in the glow of this one victory. However, many of these hacks can’t resist stabbing them in the back when they lose and stabbing them in the heart when they win.

Legacies, and the moments they are built on

:10—The game clock stands at 1:01 left in the game. Sixty-one slim seconds. The ball is hiked and immediately pressure up the middle flushes you to your left away from the pocket. You look toward the sideline and spy Najee Harris streaking toward the goal line. Across your body you throw a rocket to a spot where no one is yet, relying on all the football knowledge you’ve acquired in your years of playing quarterback. At the crucial last second Najee Harris thrusts his hands above his helmet and grabs the ball from the air and scores the touchdown. The scoreboard reads “Steelers 16 Ravens 13.” Your team is still in the hunt for a playoff spot after starting the season 2-6. Kenny Pickett has moved the needle steadily upward. Legacies.

:09—Najee Harris—22 carries for 111 yards, a 5.0 average and, of course, the game-winning touchdown catch. Jaylen Warren—12 carries for 76 yards and a 6.3 yards-per-carry average, seemingly chewing up vital yards and getting first downs at will. As a team the Steelers pounded the #3 ranked Ravens rush defense for 198 yards. The O-line at times seemed to bludgeon the Ravens’ vaunted D-line like the Steelers of old. I earnestly believe a little Franco magic was in the

air as he looked down on the field with a big smile. Legacies.

:08—Over the last six games the Steelers defense has not given up more than 17 points. The Steelers are 5-1 in those six games and at times it feels like there’s three of Cam Heyward on the field and at least five of Minkah Fitzpatrick. Also Minkah’s sixth interception ties him for the NFL lead in interceptions. Anyone still think we gave up too much to acquire this All-Pro safety? No, didn’t think so. And one big shoutout to Robert Spillane who led the Steelers with nine tackles and is becoming a formidable presence in the middle of the field. He seems to be some sort of throwback to linebackers like Mike Lucci and Chris Hanburger, hard-nosed, tough SOB’s that did their job, got dirty and gave a runner a tremendous whack upside the head every now and again. Legacies.

:07—People looking for Kenny Pickett to come out guns a-blazing, throw 59 passes for 394 yards and 4 touchdowns have not been paying attention to Coach Mike Tomlin’s approach to the offense all season. It’s about putting Kenny in a position to succeed late in a close game where the defense has held the opposing team under 20 points. Coach Tomlin has

tightened the reigns a bit since all the early interceptions and Pickett has responded in kind. The stats aren’t gaudy but the ball has not been turned over much lately and as the O-line has begun to be a road paving crew, the running game has also increased production. The Steelers are 8-8 and still have an outside chance at the playoffs as we enter the final game against the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 8. With it realistically being a transition season from a Hall of Fame QB to a rookie QB, I truly can’t complain. Coach Tomlin kept this team together after the abysmal start and they at least have a shot at the playoffs. Maybe the guy actually knows what he’s doing and is building a tough, sleek team that will be playoff ready in the coming seasons. Legacies.

:06—T.J. Watt—The Steelers are 7-2 with T.J. Watt in the lineup, 1-6 without him. T.J. has played banged-up all season with aches and pains that would easily fell the

average man. Yet each and every Sunday since he returned to the lineup, T.J. has been bandaged and taken some aspirin and willed himself onto the football field. 7-2. Legacies.

:05—Special shoutout to the Pitt Panthers men’s basketball team and especially Head Coach Jeff Capel for turning a 3-3 start into a 10-4 record so far and a stellar win against No. 23 North Carolina on Dec. 30, 2022. With 22 points and 13 rebounds from Armando Bacot for the Tar Heels, Pitt held together and North Carolina tight, down-tothe-wire victory that has our Panthers atop the ACC at the moment. Go Panthers. Legacies.

:04—We would be remiss if we didn’t also shout out to the Pitt Panthers football team and their comeback victory against the No. 18 UCLA Bruins, 3735. With a lineup devoid of the starting D-line and superstar running back Israel Abanikanda, Head Coach Pat Narduzzi devised a game plan that relied on every single player that played a snap and those players responded in kind. There were no eye-popping stats on the Panthers side but there was discipline, heart and sticking to the game plan. It all spelled out victory for the Panthers and showed the tenacity of a

program that was once thought dead in the water. A tip of the hat to Coach Narduzzi. Legacies.

:03—I had to laugh when I saw a commercial about the upcoming Pittsburgh Pirates and the team they are building for this year and beyond. Bryan Reynolds, run for your life. These aren’t your 1960, ‘71 or ‘79 Pirates who were truly legacies. It’s the opposite direction with this disgraceful ownership.

:02—Pele was, is and will always be the greatest soccer player of alltime, the only man to win 3 World Cups, and will be remembered for all the work he did to promote soccer worldwide and help make it the global phenomenon it is today. Pele was never too busy to stop and chat up a group of kids and show them a few things with a soccer ball and his unbridled enthusiasm for all things soccer made him the perfect ambassador to bring soccer more into the limelight here in the United States. A great, great man who will truly be missed. Legacies.

:01—Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, was the 50th anniversary of the death of Roberto Clemente, the greatest Pirate, the greatest right fielder in the game with his 12 Gold Gloves and the most phenomenal throwing arm MLB

has ever seen. Roberto, as we all know, got his 3,000th hit on his final at-bat against the Mets’ Jon Matlack, sealing his Hall of Fame induction, was the 1971 World Series MVP in defeating the Baltimore Orioles and their four 20-game winning pitchers, hit safely in all 14 World Series games he played, a record that still stands, and won 1 MVP, 4 batting titles and left us with a lifetime .317 batting average, truly a superstar on the field. What also sets apart the first Puerto Rican legend was his incredible charity work he did over the entirety of his career. Roberto never said no when it came to acquiring and delivering goods, sports equipment, food, whatever was needed across the entire Latin American and Caribbean countries so close to his heart.

He died in a plane crash delivering much needed supplies to an earthquake ravaged Nicaragua on December 31st, 1972, his humanity never more on display then when he made the ultimate sacrifice to help those most in need.

He will never be forgotten for his athletic prowess and for his unwavering commitment to help others. Legacies.

:00—GAME OVER.

PROPERTY IS POWER

Paperwork required for a mortgage pre-approval

Even though many mortgage brokers are still quoting quick 10-minute pre-qualification over the phone or online, a true mortgage approval that holds any weight is one that has been issued by an underwriter who has had an opportunity to review all of the necessary documents.

With a constant stream of new lending guidelines, volatile mortgage rates and tightening regulation very few real estate agents will show new homes to a Firsttime–buyer without at least a pre-qualification letter.

Prep-Approval Letter will help you in three ways:

• It lets you know how much mortgage you can qualify for

• It gives you an estimate of what your total housing payment would be

• Submitting a strong “Pre-Approval” letter with a purchase offer will give the seller more confidence about your ability to complete your end of the agreement.

Get Pre-approved for a mortgage

It’s obviously a good idea to get your paperwork prepared ahead of time so that the pre-approval process is as thorough as possible. In order to get a pre=approval letter, you’ll start by filling out a loan application and submitting a few documents for the loan officer and / or underwriter to review.

Common loan pre-approval documents:

• Last two year W2s and Tax Returns

• 2 most recent pay stubs

• 2 most recent bank statements, 401(k), Liquid assets, investment accounts

Income/assets for self-employed:

• Last 2-year Tax Re-

Most borrowers also want an opportunity to learn more about the loan officer before giving up all of these personal documents. Spend 15 minutes on the phone asking the loan officer to explain how mortgage rates work, quizzing them on some basic industry vocab or just to see if they know what to prepare your agent for ahead of time. The Q&A session can be more than just a mortgage broker qualifying you, as long as you’re prepared to ask the right questions.

‘Negotiating While Black’

by Sherri Kolade Fr New Pittsburgh Courier

That lucrative job offer does not always fall into one’s lap without effort paving the way.

It takes intentionality, grit and, many times, irreplaceable soft skills that go a long way in the developing the art of negotiation.

Whether negotiating a new salary, job duties, buying or selling or attempting to reduce the price of a new car, knowing how to maneuver to get the best bang for one’s buck is worth the formal haggling process.

Proper negotiating also can mean the difference between earning a living and scraping by for some pockets of people disadvantaged right out of the gate.

Data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (2014) shows that Black households have fewer than seven cents on the dollar compared to White households. The White household living near the poverty line typically has about $18,000 in wealth, while Black households in similar economic situations typically have a median wealth near zero, meaning that many Black families have a negative net worth.

On the other side of the financial coin, Black households make up less than 2 percent of those in the top one percent of the nation’s wealth distribution. Meanwhile, White households make up more than 96 percent of the wealthiest Americans and are among the nation’s wealthiest households.

Also, even if one is adept at negotiating, the skill could be put to the test in surprising, sometimes detri-

mental ways.

According to a report, Bargaining While Black: The Role of Race in Salary Negotiations, the negotiation waters are a bit muddied when race enters the picture, which is a topic not often explored. The report notes that in three studies it was discovered that Black job seekers (when bargaining with someone who tends to be more racially biased) are seemingly punished with lower compensation outcomes since they are unfairly thought to negotiate less than their White counterparts.

“We predicted that Black negotiators who behave in counter-stereotypical ways encounter greater resistance and more unfavorable outcomes from more biased evaluators,” according to the report, which adds that when Black negotiators “violate those expectations” they receive lower compensation. “Collectively, our findings demon-

strate that racially biased perceptual distortions can be used to justify the provision of smaller monetary awards for Black job seekers in negotiations.”

Despite some monumental stepping stones making negotiating seemingly impossible for some Black job seekers facing biases, it can be done.

Forbes reported that in order to negotiate to get what you want, it’s time to think about what you need and press forward regardless of who is on the other side of the table.   International investment leader and entrepreneur Codie Sanchez noted that investing is about asking for what you want all the time.

“You will hands down never get what you don’t ask for,” she said. “When you remove the fear from your ask, you are more thoughtful, you consider how to make it a winwin and you become less emotional.”

Solopreneur, business coach and wealth-building guru Pamela Owens agrees. She told the Michigan Chronicle that negotiating is more than a notion—and for Owens, who has etched out a lucrative path for herself, said it’s about standing one’s ground.

“Whether you are going for a salary or what you are negotiating for …know what your boundaries are,” she said, adding that in her professional life clients and customers have told her that her fees are too much. Her response was, get somebody else to do it. “I’ve had people say I can’t afford that…. I came to the realization that not everyone can afford me and that is fine [be-

Mom canceled Christmas! Was she wrong?

I recently received this question in my inbox:

I’ve been repeatedly talking to my 16-year-old child about being disrespectful, poor grades, and just an overall attitude of “whatever.” On her last report card there were 3 D’s. I stated then, if this wasn’t rectified, among other things Christmas would be canceled. It wasn’t rectified—so I canceled Christmas. Do you think this was extreme or just the right amount of “The more you mess around, the more you’re gonna find out?”

- Marie

Damon here: I corresponded with Marie to get more detail. Here’s a summary.

Her daughter goes to a private school. She’s been doing well up until now. She’s currently a junior in high school. Lately, she’s been wilding out. She’s been wanting to do things her way. Her focus has been on being cute and popular instead of focusing on school and chores - so mom canceled Christmas. Didn’t buy her one gift - not-a-one! Her daughter is furious. Mom stood her ground although she feels guilty for taking such a stance. Was mom wrong here? I put the question before my Facebook group for them to weigh in. Below are some of their comments:

I see myself doing the same thing plus more. I can’t stand disrespectful kids. - Choice Not extreme at all. ESPECIALLY for a

16-year-old!

Yeah—she messed around and found out momma wasn’t playing! Shoot for birthday gifts, young lady!

- Tonya Mom wasn’t wrong. Mom should be more involved with keeping up with her grades. And she should have gotten that attitude in check years ago.

- Vonetta

Did she make threats or try to find out what the problem is? Kids act out for a reason. The thing I hate more than disrespectful kids is a dismissive parent. Material things aren’t the backbones of life. If the girl didn’t “act right” for Christmas, Mom needs to find out what will help her behavior.

- Rhonda It’s said that she’s repeatedly talked to her child. Sometimes there aren’t any underlying issues on why some of these kids act out. They’re growing up in a totally different world than we did at their age. It’s ALLLLLLLLLL about image. The behavior didn’t change and Christmas was canceled. I agree with mom.

- Lee Lah Mom isn’t wrong. Gifts are a privilege not a right. We don’t reward poor grades and poor behavior.

- Autumn Nah, I don’t think so. It sounds like boundaries were not set in the beginning however you have to start setting them at some point. The world is not as forgiving as you are and the world is not going to take the time to ask what their issue is.

- Steve

Tough love is completely appropriate when teenagers aren’t acting right.

- Neefesa Mom is probably correct. How involved is mom in her daughter’s studies? I ask because if she’s involved maybe she would have seen this disaster coming and handle it differently. On the other hand, most kids today have this sense of entitlement. They want the rewards but do not want to do the work to earn them.

- Rosalind

I have questions: How involved is she with her child’s schoolwork? Why is she just finding out about it on a report card? As far as whatever attitude and disrespectful talk; I would hope I would have a relationship where I could actually sit down and talk to my child. I would ask questions and look for answers.

- Angelique

I’m definitely on mom’s side here. I have a 17-year-old daughter. Trust and believe, I would’ve done the same in that

situation. As a parent, I’m sitting down to help you with homework from pre-K through middle school. Towards the end of middle school, that’s when I make it known that I’m still here to help but high school is coming up and it’s time to start getting work done independently so you’ll be prepared for college. My daughter is a junior in high school and I don’t need to follow her schoolwork as closely as I did when she was younger because she’s learning to be an adult.

-Danielle

I have canceled Christmas for less for one of my daughters so no I don’t think she is wrong. It was a hard thing to do but I did it and it worked out.

- Tosha

Mom was right. She shouldn’t feel guilty about setting the standard and adhering to it.

- Elisa

It’s the consequences of her actions. I had to pull out some old school parenting on my grandson. I told him time and time again when you leave let me know and when you come back let me know. He left one day running out to whom was picking him up for youth church. I went behind him and asked, “What did I tell you about leaving without saying something?” He responded with that funky, nasty, dirty, ugly tone “Bye” as if I was bothering him. I should have done a M-A-D-E-A and snatched him up. However, since he was going to church I

ANTHONY O. KELLUM

SOLOPRENEUR, BUSINESS COACH and wealth-building guru Pamela Owens says it’s time to play chess when negotiating.

PAMELA OWENS

A look ‘Black’ on 2022 and how Black excellence still prevails

by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

(NNPA)—The Black Press of America entered its 195th year in 2022, highly engaged in the continued fight for freedom, justice, equity, and equality.

Just one year after the Jan. 6 insurrection not only threatened America’s democracy but freedom for people of color, the United States and the hundreds of millions of news consumers demonstrated a need for the Black Press like never before.

Fake News and the growing number of overt racists who dispensed misinformation and false reports had taken over social media and mainstream headlines.

But like in 2020, when the Black Press was the first to reveal that the coronavirus was airborne, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) issued facts on which African Americans and others could be certain.

The NNPA is the trade association representing the more than 230 African American-owned newspapers and media companies that comprise the Black Press of America.

Reeling from the deaths of American icon Sidney Poitier, Civil Rights leader and legal scholar Lani Guinier, Helen Chavis Othow, the beloved sister of NNPA President and C.E.O. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., and many others, the Black Press challenged Congress.

Many urged lawmakers to eliminate the racist filibuster that suppressed needed laws like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) responded, calling for a vote to change the filibuster on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The vote failed, but America heard the clarion call from the Black Press.

When the Black Press noted President Joe Biden’s declining approval ratings among African Americans, the commander-in-chief responded on several fronts.

First, the Biden-Harris administration took a historical approach to advancing racial equity, including directing every agency across the federal government to address the lasting impacts of systemic racism on Black communities.

Maya Angelou became the first Black woman on the U.S. quarter, and Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black woman appointed and confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

With the help of federal authorities, the killers of Ahmaud Arbery received

life in prison.

Black Press U.S.A. ran the headline, “Will Commission Conclude that Trump was Negligent in Jan. 6 Insurrection?”

In December, the Jan. 6 Commission referred criminal charges to the Department of Justice, emphatically stating that the former president should face a judge and jury for inciting the insurrection.

Having already spearheaded a lawsuit against prison officials in Mississippi over conditions there, hip-hop superstar Jay-Z and his team publicly demanded that authorities investigate racism and corruption in the Kansas City Police Department.

In February, the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) began facing bomb threats, while Howard University’s Lacrosse team met racial slurs during a game in South Carolina.

As critical race theory proved all the rage, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton called on Congress for $30 million to combat implicit bias in schools.

In a year of Black achievement, Snoop Dogg purchased Death Row Records, the label that made him, Dr. Dre, and many others famous.

The three officers involved in the murder of George Floyd finally received the justice many had sought, each pleading guilty for their role in killing the Black Minneapolis man.

As Russia invaded Ukraine, the Black Press reminded the world why Black lives should matter in Ukraine.

Russia responded to America’s assistance to Ukraine by taking WNBA star Brittney Griner hostage, charging her with possessing a small amount of cannabis oil.

A Russian court found her guilty, and the basketball player received a more than 9-year sentence. However, in a December pris-

oner

The P.G.A.

HBCUs and other initiatives to people of color.

Meanwhile, an emotional Tiger Woods opened up for the first time.

During his induction into the Pro Golf Hall of Fame, Woods spoke candidly about the racism and discrimination he faced as a child.

As African American homeowners continued to face bias in real estate, Vice President Kamala Harris released a plan to stop appraisers from putting an unfair low value on the homes of Black people.

Congress also passed the Crown Act, which ends discrimination against natural Black hairstyles.

In Entertainment, despite the controversial Will Smith slap of Chris Rock, Florida A&M graduate Will Packer led an all-Black production team for the 94th annual Academy Awards.

Deion Sanders, who survived life-saving surgery that resulted in the amputation of his toes, led Jackson State University’s football team to another successful season.

Sanders then signed a multi-million-dollar contract to lead Colorado State in 2023.

The Black Press made news with outstanding accomplishments within its ranks.

William Garth Sr., a philanthropist, community leader, activist, political influencer, and freedom fighter, earned posthumous enshrinement into the Black Press Archives and Gallery of Distinguished Black Publishers at Howard University’s historic Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.

The guiding force behind the Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group, Garth joined a host of others enshrined, including Lenora “Doll”

Carter, Marcus Garvey, Frances Murphy, Dr. Mary Ellen Strong, Charles Tisdale, and M. Paul Redd.

Dr. Toni Draper, the publisher of the AFRO, earned NNPA Publisher of the Year honors, and won selection as one of “25 over 50” by Editor & Publisher Magazine.

Texas Metro News Publisher and IMessenger Media boss, Cheryl Smith, also earned the same distinction.

Additionally, Smith earned induction into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame.

She was also named Distinguished Alumni by Florida A&M University School of Journalism and Graphic Communications.

Additionally, Houston Forward Times Associate Editor Jeffrey L. Boney, who serves as Mayor Pro Tem in Missouri City, has received appointments to two crucial national posts.

The award-winning journalist, author, and two-term councilmember earned an appointment to the National League of Cities (N.L.C.) 2022 Community and Economic Development Federal Advocacy Committee (C.E.D.) and the 2022 Race, Equity, And Leadership Council—or REAL.

Dr. Chavis continued to bring the Black Press and NNPA to a global audience with his PBS TV and PBS World show, The Chavis Chronicles.

Meanwhile, the NNPA’s live morning show, Let It Be Known, continued to attract mainstream viewers and celebrity guests like Gabrielle Union, LisaRaye McCoy, and Skip Marley.

With its vision, legacy, culture, and story on full display, the AFRO celebrated its 130th anniversary in style Saturday night with a gala at Martins Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Maryland.

During the signing of anti-lynching legislation, Vice President Harris sang the praises of the Black Press.

“Ida B. Wells,” Harris stated midway through her speech. “The courageous

‘Negotiating While Black’

NEGOTIATING FROM B1

cause] I’d still be doing the same amount of work but for less money.”

From standing your ground and knowing your worth to even staying silent—the details within negotiation is all about

not playing games, Owens said, adding that, however, nothing’s wrong with playing chess.

“When you’re in the negotiations position and both of you on either side have stated their cause the next person who speaks loses,”

she said.

The trick to maintaining one’s cool?

Don’t get nervous, let the other person speak first and even if the negotiation deal falls through, walk away knowing that rejection doesn’t define some-

one.

“Not only know your worth but your value,” Hilliard said.

nature of that incredible American who used her skill, her profession, her calling, as a journalist to help open the eyes of our nation to the terror of lynching which speaks to the role—going off-script—and the importance of the Black Press and making sure that we have storytellers in our community, who will tell the story when no one else is willing to tell it.”

In releasing the 2022 State of Black America report, National Urban League President and C.E.O. Marc Morial said factions of state and federal lawmakers, working in concert with shady political operatives and violent extremists, are dangerously close to dismantling American democracy and establishing autocratic rule.

The report outlined “the conspiracy and the urgent case for a national mobilization to protect and defend our most sacred constitutional right,” Morial noted in the report titled “Under Siege: The Plot to Destroy Democracy.”

Karine Jean-Pierre became the first Black woman to hold the White House press secretary job, while colleague Erica Loewe continued to open doors for Black media at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

White Supremacy again reared its racist head with the massacre at Tops Supermarket in Buffalo.

An 18-year-old White male, Payton Gendron, killed ten people and injured three others on Saturday, May 14, in a venue where Blacks make up the most significant percentage of shoppers and count as the majority of those who died.

This time, the dead include grandmothers, fathers, sons, and sisters whose only “crime” would be picking up essential groceries for their families.

Federal and state governments, including in California, failed to protect Black artists, culture-makers, and media-makers from discrimination and simultaneously promoted discriminatory narratives, according to a report done by a task

force investigating reparations for citizens in the Golden State.

State governments memorialized the Confederacy as just and heroic through monument building while suppressing the nation’s history of racism and slavery, said researchers for the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans.

When the U.S. Supreme Court abolished Roe V. Wade, individuals like the Rev. William Barber held a “Moral March on Washington,” helping to push the Biden administration and local governments into action to protect women.

In June, the NNPA wrapped its 2022 convention in New Orleans with a cruise aboard the Creole Queen Riverboat along the Mississippi River.

But the convention, which celebrated the 195th anniversary of the Black Press in America and featured a live concert by Stephanie Mills, wasn’t about smooth sailing—especially given the issues facing African Americans and other marginalized communities.

The year of Black Excellence continued despite repeated attacks on Blackness.

In 2021, Rihanna achieved billionaire status.

In 2022, Forbes acknowledged that the Barbadian beauty is now the youngest self-made billionaire in America.

The 34-year-old, who recently gave birth to her first child, ranked 21st in the latest Forbes list of billionaires.

For the first time in its 246-year history, the Marines have a Black four-star general. In addition, lt. Gen. Michael Langley was confirmed to lead all U.S. military forces in Africa as chief of U.S. Africa Command. Democrats elected New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as the party’s leader, making him the first Black ever to head a major political party in Congress.

Incumbent Raphael Warnock, who won a runoff in January 2021 against Republican Kelly Loeffler, defeated G.O.P. nominee Herschel Walker on Tuesday in a close contest that saw both candidates earn nearly 2 million votes.

Harvard University has announced Claudine Gay as its new president.

The dean of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Gay, becomes the first African American to serve as the university’s leader and the second woman president in the institution’s illustrious history.

Founded in 1636, the university has graduated Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, W.E.B Du Bois, and other famous individuals and leaders.

Paperwork required

MORTGAGE FROM B1

Either way, you’ll definitely want to have the above list of approval documents ready once

you’ve decided on the right loan officer that you trust till meet your expectations.

Mom canceled Christmas! Was she wrong?

CANCELED CHRISTMAS FROM B1

had another trick for him. When he came back, guess who couldn’t get in. It was freezing outside. He was only wearing a hoodie. He called, screamed through the door, and banged on the door. I didn’t bother to answer or open the door for 45 minutes. He was heated emotionally but freezing physically. Guess who lets me know when they leave and return? He learned his lesson as her daughter

will learn her lesson.

- Renee Good for you. I’m glad you stuck to your guns. You can show her better than you can tell. Hopefully, lessons learned.

- Melvin If more parents did this there wouldn’t have so many “UNGRATEFUL TEENS/ YOUNG ADULTS” REFUSING TO WORK but want expensive items.

- Jacqueline She did the right thing. These days some

kids are just too disrespectful. They have the audacity to be disrespectful than ask and expect you to buy them something or take them somewhere. “She gon learn today!”

- Mika Kids need to understand in life there are consequences for their actions. She learned today.

- Mario Damon here: Unanimously people agreed that mom was right and within rea-

son. I too agree with the mother’s decision to demonstrate tough love. What children fail to realize is that parents want to reward their children for a job well done. Raising successful, law-abiding children that are positive contributors to society is the biggest accomplishment for all parents. Punishing them when they do wrong hurts the parents just as much as it hurts the child, for we as parents are disappointed to see that you, the child, isn’t living up to your full potential.

swap, Griner finally returned home in exchange for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Tour reiterated its commitment to the Black Press and continued offering scholarships and grants to

Guest Editorial

Looking forward to positive change in the New Year

Whewww… 2022 has been a doozy, and a lot of people are looking forward to its end. The year 2022 saw the proliferation of a triple pandemic with new strains of COVID, a rise in incidences of the flu, and the spread of RSV.

Many individuals made their transitions, and the war in the Ukraine, which began in 2022, continues to rage. Climate change is wreaking havoc, and it has been said that it’s only a matter of time before it will be too late for us to offset the problems generated by it.

On another note, at press time, there were 611 mass shootings during 2022, revealing that the extreme dysfunction of domestic terrorism has come to America.

There were also some positive things that happened during 2022.

Democrats were successful in putting the kibosh on a widely anticipated “Red wave,” thus staving off a takeover of Congress by Republicans. There was also progress made by the January 6 Commission, which came to a verdict regarding the culpability of former President Donald Trump in the insurrection. It remains to be seen what happens next, and the Commission’s recommendations regarding Trump have been forwarded to law enforcement authorities.

WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from a Russian prison camp after being caught with a small amount of cannabis oil.

One thing is certain; for those of us who are alive, there is always an opportunity for positive change. Being alive allows us to see the consequences of our errors and makes it possible for us to correct them. Because of this, positive change is possible.

One of the things that leading thinkers have discovered is that the world is created by its inhabitants. In other words, it is the collective thoughts, actions and deeds of us all that determine the direction that the world takes.

The latter point is the main reason why it is important to get a proper education and to learn to discern truth from falsehood. Those people who want to control what happens on this planet from an economic standpoint know that if they are able to control the thinking patterns of the population, they can control the world.

What are some of the changes that we should consider as we emerge into a brave new year?

In the Black community it is clear what is needed: unity and self-love! Regarding this, there is a schism between the sexes that has split the community in a very toxic manner due to a very surprising event; a celebrity rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, was shot in her foot, allegedly by rapper Tory Lanez.

For some reason, a lot of people, particularly Black men, have developed a very deep hatred of Megan, and a lot of people thought that Tory would win against her, even though it was obvious that she had been shot. People opposed Megan, partially due to the fact that she allegedly lied about a couple of things related to the incident, but it was certain that she didn’t lie about being shot.

The fallout was so bad against her that you would have thought that she was the one on trial. Most people predicted that Megan would lose her case. As it turned out, Lanez was found guilty on all three charges. But even before the trial, Megan had garnered a lot of animosity. So, this incident has revealed a great rift in the Black community, and this rift is between Black men and Black women.

As we move into a new year, we must realize that we have new opportunities to make things better. The rift must be healed. The Black community has been damaged a great deal by social media via gangsta rap, misogyny, and Black-on-Black crime. It is time that we realize that we will not be successful as a people unless we make a greater effort to work together and to love one another.

Nonetheless, there is light at the end of the tunnel; there is some pushback against the toxic rap music that has spent years infusing the community with negative, self-destructive ideas. People are starting to connect the dots between popular culture and community violence.

We now know that life does imitate art, which imitates life. We have a new year with new opportunities for success, and it is up to us to forge a new positive course for our lives and the life of the community. One of the best tools we have to help make our success a reality is the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles that are highlighted during Kwanzaa.

Let’s do this; let’s change our circumstances and, in so doing, change the world. With this said, The we wish you and yours a very Happy New Year! A Luta Continua.

Chicago Crusader)

(Reprinted from the

Founded 1910

Rod Doss

Editor & Publisher

Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher

Allison Palm Office Manager Ashley Johnson Sales Director Rob Taylor Jr. Managing Editor John. H. Sengstacke Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

Happy New Year

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, my personal tradition is spending well-deserved time in the quiet, contemplative reflection of the past year.  As always, this year has had its difficulties, triumphs and disasters, and a never-ending list of events to manage.

My health has not been perfect this year, but God has blessed me with relatively good health. He has allowed me to witness the daily cycling of nearly 365 suns.  I have also been given the strength and fortitude to work for improvements in the quality of life for underserved members of my community.

I am blessed with family and friends who unconditionally love and support me.  Given those blessings, and others not stated, I have had a good year!  Whether I make it to this same time in 2023 is a matter of God’s choice.  If I do, I will thank Him with the same vigor I thank Him today.  If I don’t, it’s His Will and I will accept it.

It’s human nature, but I look to this New Year with many questions I have had for years.  Among the most important, I ask, “Will leaders elected to direct the path of government use that gift with the measured judgment and quality of character necessary to serve all of our citizens fairly?”  Recent news suggests otherwise.

The front-runner for the position of Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, demonstrates personal character as malleable as a rubber band.  We

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

have heard about his obsession to reach the goal of Speaker—so obsessed that he openly courts the votes (for Speaker) of fascists and racists like Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Green, Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, and other Republican miscreants with promises of powerful positions and outsized influence.

We must not forget McCarthy’s major flip-flopping on “The Insurrection” and his embarrassing ring-kissing of Trump for the past six years to gain his favor.  McCarthy’s margin to achieve his obsession is so small that he will accept the support of pathological liar, George Santos, in return for ignoring the fabricated bio and qualifications that Santos used to ‘steal’ a victory in NY Dist-3.  Sadly, if McCarthy achieves his goal of Speaker, he will be two heartbeats away from the Office of the President.

Republicans will (tenuously) control one-half of our legislative branch, but, when combined with the decisions of the radical Republican Supreme Court, 2023 will probably be as turbulent as 2022.  I am sure that: •   Without DOJ intervention, Trump will continue to flaunt his imagined privilege and violate any

number of state and Federal laws.  His current status belies the ideal that no man is above the law.

•   The MAGA base, which is overwhelmingly immersed in racism, sexism, xenophobia, and loathing for the LGBTQ community, will continue efforts to erase the identity of communities they classify as objectionably different.  They will continue efforts to engage in historical revisionism, ban books, and, in the face of what they consider failure, exercise violence to enforce their will.

•   Republicans will go “all out” in their pursuit of power.  Constitutional justice no longer holds importance for them.  They will gerrymander, suppress votes, and seek judicial cooperation to limit the will of voters of color in order to maintain “White power.”  In the face of massive worker shortages, especially in jobs undesirable to native-born Americans, they will attempt to close borders to people of color to assuage their fear of ultimately being outnumbered.

In the sphere of politics, I am sure that 2023 will change little from 2022.  Fortunately, the spirit and strength of our elders run through our bodies.  We have seen adversity and have met it squarely.  We will continue our struggle and welcome the New Year!

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society (thedickgregorysociety. org; drefayewilliams@gmail.com) and President Emeritus of the National Congress of Black Women)

Ready for our ‘Earth Shot’

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—As we greet 2023, I’m feeling more than the typical seasonal optimism. America is primed once again for a historic achievement, call it our “Earth shot.”

In the 1960s and early 1970s, the United States spent the current dollar equivalent of just under $300 billion on “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth” as President Kennedy proposed in 1961. Ever since, that combination of aspiration and expenditure has made us call any well-financed goal that seems improbable, if not impossible, a “moonshot.”

President Biden and Congress committed almost $700 billion in the next 10 years to reducing pollution, particularly in marginalized communities most likely to suffer, and to making the transportation and energy sectors cleaner to preserve the climate. We need to appreciate the investment to save our fragile planet made in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act as our Earth shot.

This is a moment of unprecedented opportunity to combat the climate crisis, lessen the impact of environmental decay in communities that unfairly bear its brunt, and build a cleaner economy. We need to come together to seize it. It’s a moment long awaited by people of color in particular, who always have been strong voices for environmental protection and who have been the most demanding of political leaders on these issues at the ballot box.

What’s behind this optimistic

Ben Jealous Commentary

outlook? First, the landmark investment since 2021 moves us beyond the point of simply imagining what could be done to handing us the tools to build what it will take to avert climate catastrophe and environmental decay. It’s up to us now to take up those tools and get to work. We can accelerate the arrival of a green economy. We can rebuild our manufacturing sector, not just our roads and bridges. We can create good jobs for people who need them and have struggled to find them. And we can do it all at once. In fact, we must do it all at once.

Second, that historic investment comes at a particularly opportune moment for changing the course of our climate and environment. It’s a moment when innovation is matching our resolve to make change. From batteries to LED lights to energy production, we have better, cleaner options across the economy. This intersection of investment and innovation means we can move past the old either-or thinking that has held us back for too long, the mistaken notion that the only way to have a flourishing economy is to force some people in some places to pay the cost of prosperity. The new reality of this

time is that we can have thriving businesses and good jobs without sacrificing the planet. Getting to the moon led to everything from the silicon chip to more PhDs in science and engineering. Our Earth shot can have the same spillover effect.

While the federal government has set the stage for unprecedented progress, the work of implementation will play out in every state and community. There were no corporate lobbyists fighting to keep the Apollo rockets grounded, but we can expect fights everywhere to divert investment in a cleaner environment or to minimize its impact. We need to match those opponents in statehouses and city halls with our people power. Environmental, labor and civil rights advocates need to come together as all our interests align in this cause.

As we close out this holiday season, let’s give ourselves the gift of belief. Let’s believe that we can do this, we can save the planet. Let’s believe that we can figure out tough challenges that our inspiration has yet to crack. And let’s believe we can move beyond old, harmful patterns of division and discrimination to ensure everyone enjoys a livable planet.

Happy New Year.

(Ben Jealous is incoming executive director of the Sierra Club, America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, and professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania.)

FTC creating challenges for 2024 elections

by Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.

(NNPA)—Using geolocation data has changed the way elections are fought and won. This last election cycle, the Democratic Party defied historical trends and a challenging national environment to expand its Senate majority and limit its losses in the House of Representatives.

Democrats spent almost four times the amount of capital compared to Republicans on Facebook and Instagram ads during August and September of this year, and it was well worth it. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent even more money on its grassroots organizing than television advertising for the first time in its history.

Culturally sensitive and respectful targeting in all public campaigns has proven to be effective and efficient across the nation. All modern political organizing is built upon sophisticated data, analytics, and modeling that allows campaigns to target the voters they need to win using geolocation data.

The caliber of geolocation data has improved exponentially, and its use cases are practically endless. Democrats successfully used it to target donors, track voters and follow other political audiences in a way that hasn’t been done before.

Unfortunately, these services might end abruptly as a recent

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit against Idaho-based company, Kochava, brought to light the severe lack of regulations and guidelines surrounding data privacy. There are no set rules or regulations regarding this type of data privacy, so companies are left to their own devices to define what data privacy means and how they will implement measures to protect it.

For example, Kochava implemented Privacy Block, which blocks out location data at sensitive places, including health clinics and churches; but without guidelines or regulations from the government to standardize and/or define what a sensitive location is, this is the best data providers can do to prevent data from being used inappropriately.

I commend the companies taking it upon themselves to protect our data, especially any healthcare-related data, in the wake of the Dobbs decision; but I am disheartened that the government is wasting its time with lawsuits instead of creating real legislation that addresses mobile geolocation data privacy.

Congress must continue to draft appropriate legislative regulations and guidelines for geolocation data sharing and user privacy. The ambiguous lawsuit from the FTC will not provide a clean or clear path forward for data-sharing companies.

Geolocation technology made it possible for huge political gain last month, but if Biden’s FTC is

allowed to bypass the authority of Congress and suppress data companies, Democrats might not have as much success during the 2024 presidential election.

According to a poll done by the Associated Press, voters under 30 went 53 percent for Democratic candidates last month, which is down from the 2020 election at 61 percent. Black voters still overwhelmingly supported Democrats for Congress, but that support fell between four and seven percentage points compared to 2018. Democrats won in Georgia by less than 3 percent of the vote—which is too close for comfort, and certainly too close to lose a tactic as valuable as geolocation technology.

I look to my friends in the Congressional Black Caucus, including Representative James Clyburn, a neighbor of not only Georgia but of my home state of North Carolina, to bring an action to protect this needed technology and create regulations that clearly define proper use.

The next two years will be critical in defining what the future of our country looks like—we need rational leaders who will serve Americans of all backgrounds, especially the minority and underserved communities. Minority voters are the base of the party and elect those who will fight to end inequalities. We cannot have a repeat of 2016, but I worry that an overzealous FTC will end up costing Democrats elections and silencing the voices of so many Americans.

Which Ben Carson legacy should we embrace?

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—On November 18th former President Donald Trump announced his third consecutive presidential campaign making him the first major political figure to declare their candidacy for the 2024 election. He is the first former president in U.S. history to have a criminal referral from the House of Representatives sent to the Department of Justice. While every president takes a sworn oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, Trump is the first former president to call for “termination” of the Constitution. Add to the list the fact that his family’s real estate business, the Trump Organization, was recently found guilty of a tax fraud scheme.

One should easily see how the facts are there to expose and confirm the former president’s corrupt behavior and character. Yet millions of voters will passionately support him in 2024, while others will gladly serve in a second Trump administration. It is a reflection of a politically and morally divided nation where people will reject the personal and political corruption of a leader while others are drawn to it like a magnet. Ethics and moral principles cannot always compete with political power. Therefore, many in the Republican Party may seek to cut ties with Trump not because of ethics, but due to the disappointing election results in the midterms.

Often plagued by controversy, scandal, firings and resignations, the Trump administration experienced one of the highest personnel turnover rates of any presidential administration in recent history. James Mattis, who resigned as Secretary of Defense, cited differences between himself and the president in a letter to Trump stating his inten-

David W. Marshall

Commentary

tions to leave. John Kelly, a retired Marine Crops general, was hired as chief of staff to bring order to the Trump White House but ended up clashing with the president and eventually resigning. The January 6 attack on the Capitol building by a proTrump mob forced a number of Trump officials to question their roles within the administration. The self-reflection by many officials resulted in a wave of resignations by cabinet members, White House staffers, Melania Trump’s chief of staff, FAA appointees, representatives from the National Security Council along with members of the Commerce and State Departments.

Elaine Chao, who served as Transportation Secretary and is the wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, was the first cabinet member to resign in protest. She was followed by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “We should be highlighting and celebrating your administration’s many accomplishments on behalf of the American people. Instead, we are left to clean up the mess caused by violent protestors overrunning the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to undermine the people’s business,” DeVos wrote in her resignation letter addressed to the president. “That behavior was unconscionable for our country,” she continued. “There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me.” Colin Powell never served in the Trump administration, but as a Republican he spoke up and separated himself from Trump and Trumpism.

When Powell spotted racism, he took a stand. He was the first Black secretary of State as well as the youngest chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, under former President George H.W. Bush, and the first Black national security advisor, under former President Ronald Reagan. As a Black Republican, he reminded the nation that Black Americans are not monolithic in their thinking. Although there were times members throughout the Black community disagreed with Powell, he remained well respected because he was a man who followed his conscience ahead of political ambitions. Personally, I would have liked to see the former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson follow Chao and DeVos in submitting his resignation. Carson often speaks about his faith and Christian values. Therefore, it would seem appropriate if he followed Colin Powell’s example in taking a moral stand against those in the Republican Party who became enablers of Trump’s corruption and wrong-doing.

As shocking as it may be, the Detroit School Board voted to change the name of the Benjamin Carson High School of Medicine and Science. The move taken by school board members was in response to complaints from the community about its namesake’s connections to the Trump administration. Not all students were in favor of the name change. Ninth grader Kenya Powell didn’t know about Carson’s legacy before attending the school, but said he’s heard from his peers and students at the school about Carson’s medical accomplishments and he opposes the change. Should we embrace Dr. Ben Carson’s legacy as a world-renowned neurosurgeon and role model to Black youth or reject it because of his political legacy as HUD secretary?

Truthfully, the Dr. Ben Carson story is a part of Black history, and is featured in an exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. The story highlights how a young Carson from inner city Detroit rose up to earn a full scholarship to Yale University and eventually became one of the highest-profile surgeons in the world. It is a story about old fashion home training. The inspiring journey of a single mom working multiple jobs and instilling in her two sons the value of hard work, commitment to reading, perseverance and faith highlights the significant role of the family in developing a student of any background. While the community’s disappointment and frustration with Ben Carson the politician is understandable and justified, I have to agree with the ninth grader.

(David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America. He can be reached at www. davidwmarshallauthor.com.)

The biggest display of the bigotry of low expectation

Presidential speech writer Michael Gerson coined the phrase: the soft bigotry of low expectations. Gerson was referring to White progressives who expect less from Black youth because they suffer from the historical effects of racism and poverty.

Gerson’s concept was on full display during the early stages of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Columnists wrote glowing articles about BLM protests and expressed their support for BLM, but at the same time admitted they didn’t know what BLM was actually about. These columnists praised the BLM leaders for standing up for their beliefs, but that’s when they displayed the bigotry of low expectations.

How so?

An adult will praise an adolescent for standing up for their beliefs, but the adult is reinforcing the adolescent’s bravery, not the adolescent’s fleeting beliefs. The adult wants the adolescent to develop the courage of conviction. However, when adults stand up for “social justice,” they aren’t praised for displaying the courage of their convictions; they are evaluated by the validity of their causes, the soundness of their arguments, and the practicality of their solutions.

There was no serious evaluation of BLM’s leadership because there were no high expectations.

When the rioting and looting took place in Ferguson and Baltimore, the columnists quoted Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous line, “a riot is the language of the unheard.” The columnists used MLK’s moral authority to excuse violence. The columnists who admired BLM’s courage didn’t question the validity of BLM’s fleeting protests because they didn’t expect BLM’s leadership

J. Pharoah Doss

Check It Out

to have sound arguments or practical solutions.

In other words, BLM’s leadership was treated like adolescents, but that’s their problem. The bigger problem is when teenagers imitate BLM but don’t realize they are being reinforced by the bigotry of low expectations.

Last month, Atlanta News First reported that hundreds of Decatur High School students staged a walkout to protest a teacher who used the N-word in the classroom. When the story is reported in that manner, it’s assumed that the teacher used the racial slur maliciously. But that’s not what happened. According to the school’s superintendent, the n-word was used in the context of correcting a student that the teacher heard use the word. Neither the student nor the teacher directed the word at anyone, but the teacher repeated the word that the student used in telling the student it was inappropriate language.

It can be argued that the teacher didn’t have to repeat the racial slur to make his point. The teacher apologized for his lapse of judgment. However, the students didn’t accept the teacher’s apology, even though it was obvious the teacher meant no harm. The students told Atlanta News First that the teacher needs more diversity training and should be fired.

The students claimed they were hurt. One student said the school cares more about its reputation than protecting Black students and their safety.

The school principal told parents, “As a person who is growing in my efforts to be an anti-racist leader, I am committed to addressing this issue and holding the teacher who was involved in the incident accountable for their actions.  I also wish to repair the harm caused to our community … As a White woman committed to establishing an anti-racist school, I stand with staff and students as we do the deep work required to keep all students and adults safe.”

The school principal, should encourage the students to stand up for themselves to help them build character and a backbone. Since the students were demanding protection from a harmless misunderstanding, the school principal needed to help the students evaluate the incident in its proper context. But an evaluation would have been expecting too much of the Black students.

By overprotecting the Black students, the White school principal demonstrated one of the biggest displays of the soft bigotry of low expectations.

How so?

Freelance writer Jeff Charles wrote, “Assuming that Blacks are not able to overcome racism in the 21st century is every bit as racist as Richard Spencer arguing that Whites are superior by virtue of their race. The difference is that the bigotry of low expectations is harder to identify because it is concealed behind a facade of political correctness.”

Or, in this case, the façade of antiracism.

The King holiday reflects our resilience

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Just four days after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the inveterate warrior, Congressman John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), introduced legislation to make his birthday a federal holiday. It took fifteen years, hundreds of protests, a song, and a tour to make Dr. King’s birthday a holiday, and Stevie Wonder’s lyrics, first debuted in his 1980 “Hotter Than July,” songs encouraged activists to keep pushing for the holiday after being repeatedly rebuffed. The Conyers legislation passed the House of Representatives 338-90 with much opposition from conservative White Southerners (primarily Republicans), speciously claiming that the holiday cost too much money.

On the Senate side, the legislation, sponsored by Senator Ed Brooke (RMA), passed 78-22. The process was far from smooth, though. Then North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) passed out binders full of scurrilous lies about Dr. King, describing him as a communist and worse. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan was so outraged that he described the information as “filth” and physically stomped on it. Still, then-President Ronald Reagan signed the legislation in 1983. It has been 40 years since the bill was passed, and we ought to celebrate.

This legislation was only passed because of Black people’s resilience and persistence. These might be metaphoric for the struggle we must continue to wage. One of the ways we continue to struggle is to ensure that everyone who sings “the Black Birthday song” realizes that the song is a tribute to Dr. King and was part of the struggle that was waged to make his birthday a national holiday.

Julianne Malveaux

News Analysis

Many states refused to embrace the national King holiday. Indeed, it was not until 2000, 17 years after the federal legislation passed, that all 50 states had some form of a King holiday. Arizona was the last, and they paid for their resistance. The National Football League moved the 1995 Super Bowl from Phoenix to Los Angeles when Arizona refused to recognize the holiday. Several, including Rev. Jesse Jackson, boycotted the state and canceled events scheduled there.

Even today, several Southern states, including Alabama and Mississippi, attempt to weaken the meaning of the King holiday by naming it the King-Lee holiday, forcing those who celebrate the King holiday to also implicitly recognize the Confederate traitor, Jefferson Davis. A Utah described January 15 as Human Rights Day rather than Dr. King’s birthday. It was not until 2000 that Utah became one of the last states to make Dr. King’s birthday a state holiday.

Why the resistance? Ignorance, arrogance, Caucasity, and racial hatred. And before anyone suggest that Caucasity isn’t a word that appears in Webster’s dictionary, you don’t need a dictionary to know that Caucasity is the racist behavior of some Caucasians. In addition to attempting to chip away at the

King’s legacy with their resistance to racial justice, Virginia had the audacity to couple the King birthday with those of Jefferson Davis AND Stonewall Jackson, another Confederate traitor. And Mississippi officially celebrates Confederate Heritage Month in April. Other states recognize the month, but there is no official celebration, although four states celebrate Confederate Memorial Day at the end of April or early May.

Confederates and their descendants spend lots of time and energy propagating lies. They persistently believe they won the Civil War, although an honest history says otherwise. They continue to chip away at the civil rights legacy, not just with words and Confederate holidays, but with the voter suppression that taints too many of our elections. The response to the fiction they continue to spin is our resilience and persistence in the face of their warped fantasies.

We must continue to sing the “Black Birthday Song” joyously because joy is a form of resistance. But we must sign it in its historical context. Whether we are singing for Big Mama or a newborn baby, we must never sing Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” without thinking about speaking about Dr. King. The song is a tribute to our resilience and our history. Thank you, Stevie Wonder, John Conyers, Edward Bush, Coretta Scott King, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Dr. Dorothy Height, and many other activists for persistence in making Dr. King’s birthday a holiday and for gifting us with the Black Birthday song, a constant reminder of Dr. King’s sacrifice and contribution.

(Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author and Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State LA. Juliannemalveaux.com)

All of the Hep Cats are gone

by Fred Logan

Some sixty years ago, when big-time jazz concerts played at Pittsburgh’s old Syria Mosque hall in Oakland, the “show” began on Bigelow Boulevard in front of the Mosque maybe an hour before the concert began on stage inside the Mosque.

On both sides of the steps in front of the Mosque were lines of Hep Cats from the Hill District, old Black Franktown Avenue in East Liberty, and other parts of the city. They ranged in age from teenagers to 50 years and above. The concerts were a Mecca for Pittsburgh’s Black jazz community.

The Bebop cats came “Clean!”—a fashion show in the latest suites, sport coats and shoes from America’s leading men’s fashion magazines Esquire and GQ, by way of Hughes and Hatchers, Lefty’s, John Barkley’s and other men’s clothing stores in Pittsburgh.

They dressed “Sharp” like Hard bop’s reigning artists Miles Davis, Arthur Taylor, Lee Morgan, and Max Roach. They walked and talked in the Bebop idiom. And each one knew that he was, without the shadow of a doubt, Pittsburgh’s

ultimate authority on “The Music.”

They argued jazz in front of the Syria Mosque, and around-the-clock, sevendays-a-week in community restaurants, taverns, and on the street corners much harder and much louder than any of the Pittsburgh Steeler arguments flying around town today.

This was before Black entertainers and athletes became “American” mega-celebrities and were lionized by the news media and had to be protected from their fans by several armed body guards.

Sometimes, the featured performers would come outside before the concert and join in the “stiffin’ and jivin’” with their fans, some of whom they knew from the old Hurricane, Crawford Grill and other jazz clubs in Pittsburgh.

{This was also true of Etta James, Bobby Blues Bland, members of the Five Satins and other Rhythm and Blues stars of that era. Back then, they were “folks.”)

During those concerts, the Hep Cats would stand up and shout—in the tradition of the old-time African American church—“Play A.T.!”, Play Miles!”, Play!”,” Play!” A two-way vibe of music

and spirit between the musicians and the audience saturated the hall. Reports on Black music in earlier decades said the interchange back then was even stronger. Duke Ellington worshiped it.

Today, the audiences at most Pittsburgh jazz concerts are predominately 50 years old and above, White, and female. The audience is not just out for the evening, but it is very familiar with the musicians on stage. The concerts are often superb. But the overall vibe of the Syria Mosque era concerts is not there.

Last year, I attended several mid-day jazz concerts for senior citizens. The music and atmosphere were wonderful. This was in the Hill District, the center of local jazz music in the hey days of jazz. The audiences were predominately African American, and Black women made up well over 50 per cent of the audience. But, all of the Hep Cats are gone.

They are part and parcel of Bebop and Hard Bop and looking into their important role in the Music always tells the world a whole lot about the evolution of Black music and of Black people. That is because, as Amiri Baraka once said, the music and the people are the same.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of a full-time United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania at Pittsburgh. The vacancy will occur as of September 4, 2023 upon the retirement of current United States Magistrate Judge Lisa Pupo Lenihan. The current annual salary is $205,528. The term of the office is eight years.

A full public notice, application form and instructions on how to apply for the position are posted on the court’s website at www.pawd.uscourts.gov/employment and also are available in the Office of the Clerk of Court at each of the United States Courthouses located at the Joseph F. Weis Jr Courthouse, Suite 3110, 700 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 17 South Park Row, Room A-150, Erie, Pennsylvania; and 208 Penn Traffic Building, 319 Washington Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Applications must be personally completed by potential nominees and must be received by 4:00 p.m. on January 20, 2023.

Brandy S. Lonchena Clerk of Court

ENRICHMENT TECHNICIAN:

The Citizen Science Lab (TCSL) is a non-profit hands-on laboratory where inquisitive minds and science enthusiasts can explore the life sciences.

DUTIES: Facilitate science and STEM themed education programming in school and out-of-school-time settings. Part Time, during school yearAdditional hours during summer months. Position will require some weekend and evening work throughout the year.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Relevant experience in youth enrichment and/or STEM education including informal settings such as after school programs or summer camps.

Currently enrolled or completed study in an institute of higher learning in one or more of the following fields: Biology, Chemistry, Robotics, Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical), Biotechnology, Drone Technology, Fabrication (3D printing, CAD design), Physics or Environmental Sustainability

PAY: $15 / HOUR INTERESTED PARTIES MAY FORWARD A RESUME TO rozrfreeman@hotmail.com.

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

The Sports & Exhibition

Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA) will receive proposals for North Shore Riverfront Park Cleaning Services as identified below. The contracts for this work will be with the SEA. The Request for Proposals may be obtained after the date identified below from Bill Williams, email: bwilliams@pgh-sea.com, Telephone: (412) 325-3003.

This Advertisement applies to the following Request for Proposal: Project: North Shore Riverfront Park Cleaning Services

RFP Available: December 29, 2022

Pre-Proposal Meeting: 3:00 pm, January 6, 2023 (non-mandatory)

North Shore Riverfront Park Tribute to Children (TTC) Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Time/Date/Location for Proposal Submittal: 2:00 pm, January 24, 2023

Hand-delivered proposals shall be delivered to the SEA office located at 171 10th Street, Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Electronic copy can be emailed to Bill Williams at bwilliams@pgh-sea.com.

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA) will receive proposals for North Shore Riverfront Park Tribute to Children (TTC), Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial (LEOM), and World War II (WWII) Memorial Landscaping Services as identified below. The contracts for this work will be with the SEA. The Request for Proposals may be obtained after the date identified below from Bill Williams, email: bwilliams@pgh-sea.com, Telephone: (412) 325-3003

This Advertisement applies to the following Request for Proposal:

Project: North Shore Riverfront Park Tribute to Children (TTC), Law Enforcement Officer ’s Memorial (LEOM), and World War II (WWII) Memorial Landscaping Services

RFP Available: December 29, 2022

Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2:00 pm, January 6, 2023 (non-mandatory) North Shore Riverfront Park Tribute to Children (TTC) Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Time/Date/Location for Proposal Submittal: 3:00 pm, January 24, 2023

Hand-delivered proposals shall be delivered to the SEA office located at 171 10th Street, Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Electronic copy can be emailed to Bill Williams at bwilliams@pgh-sea.com.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR ROOFING SERVICES AUTHORITY WIDE IFB#300-02-23

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

Roofing Services Authority Wide IFB#300-02-23

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE

CONTRACT NO. 1780

REPAIR OF ROLL-UP GARAGE DOORS

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY D.B.A. PRT

Electronic Proposals will be received online at PRT’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on January 19, 2023 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing, for the following:

Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org)

Bid Number Bid Name

1 B22-12-120 Underground Power Traction Cable

2 B22-12-123A Janitorial Supplies - Paper Products

3 B22-12-124A Refrigerants

4 B22-12-126 Railroad Cross Ties

5 B22-12-127A Bus Batteries

6 B22-12-128A Contactless Smart Fare Media - Connect Cards

To join the bid opening through Microsoft Teams meeting on your computer, mobile app or room device Meeting ID: 279 920 108 624 Passcode: rPrv4X

Or call in (audio only)

412-927-0245 Phone Conference ID: 767 593 812#

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held via tele-conference on each of the above items at 10:00 AM, January 04, 2023 as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conference.

Estate of CHARLES W. STRUTHERS deceased, of Pittsburgh, No. 8139 of 2022 John Struthers, Executor, 5100 N. Apache Hills Trail, Tucson, AZ 85750 or to c/o Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C. 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219

Estate of ELLEN T. CRAMER, deceased, of South Fayette, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania No. 02-22-08004. Kristine Cramer, Executrix, 10 S. Fayette Street, Cuddy,PA 15031 or to Kimberly Lowder, Executor, 103 Boxwood Drive, Bridgeville, PA 15017, ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC., 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of ANNA M. GRANA A/K/A ANNA B. GRANA, deceased, of 1220 Love Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, Estate No. 02-22-07810 Executrix, Constance Grana, 1400 Smokeywood Drive, Apt. 206, Swissvale, PA 15218. William C. Price, Jr. Price & Associates, P.C., 2005 Noble Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Estate of BARBARA S. MORANELLI, deceased Glassport Borough, Pennsylvania, No. 02-22-07942. Lisa Moranelli, Executrix, or to Ryan W. Brode, Atty, 6 Clairton Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15236

Estate of JUDITH A. MCLAIN, deceased of 1915 LaFayette Street, Swissvale, PA 15218, No. 02-22-07287. Executrix, Sherine A. Aulich, 1604 Lucas Avenue, Wichita Falls, TX 76301. William C. Price, Jr., Price & Associates, P.C. 2005 Noble Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Estate of PATRICIA ANNE O’CONNELL (deceased), of Mt. Lebanon, PA, No. 07873 of 2022. Susan D. O’Connell, Adm., 22 Creighton Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15205

Estate of BLANCHE PLUMMER-JONES deceased, of Pittsburgh, No. 7366 of 2022 . Destiny Cherry-Igizio, appointed Executrix, November 16, 2022. Peter B. Lewis, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Counsel.

The documents will be available no later than January 3, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 AM on January 24, 2023 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on January 24, 2023 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to:

Mr. James Harris

Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on January 12, 2023 at 9:00 AM. Please see meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 871 5280 6796 Passcode: 978547

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director

Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

Sealed Bids for CONTRACT NO. 1780– REPAIR OF ROLL-UP GARAGE DOORS shall be received at the Engineering Department office of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15233, until 11:00 A.M., Prevailing Time, Thursday, February 9, 2023 and then shall be publicly opened and read via Microsoft Teams Video Conference. To obtain the required link to access the Bid Opening contact Kathleen P. Uniatowski via email at kathleen.uniatowski@alcosan.org . ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Contracts or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to successful Bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority and women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible.

Contract Documents will be available via email or may be examined at the Engineering office of the Authority. Contract documents must be obtained directly from ALCOSAN to qualify as an eligible bidder. Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check in the amount of Two hundred Dollars ($200.00) Any questions regarding the Contract Bid Document Technical Specifications should be directed to Benjamin Heilman, Contract Supervisor via email benjamin.heilman@alcosan.org.

Any questions regarding obtaining the Contract Bidding Documents should be directed to Kathleen P. Uniatowski, ALCOSAN, via email at contract.clerks@alcosan.org.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality in any bid and to accept any bid should it be deemed in the interest of the Authority to do so.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY

To join the pre-bid meeting through Microsoft Teams on your computer, mobile app or room device Meeting ID: 235 999 039 896 Passcode: wxiFYe

Or call in (audio only) 412-927-0245 Phone Conference ID: 591 911 109#

Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the PRT within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County d.b.a. PRT and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations. Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Port Authority of Allegheny County d.b.a. PRT hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Board of PRT reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA) will receive proposals for North Shore Riverfront Park Geese Control Services as identified below. The contracts for this work will be with the SEA. The Request for Proposals may be obtained after the date identified below from Bill Williams, email: bwilliams@pgh-sea.com, Telephone: (412) 325-3003.

This Advertisement applies to the following Request for Proposal: Project: North Shore Riverfront Park Geese Control Services RFP Available: December 29, 2022

Pre-Proposal Meeting: 1:00 pm, January 6, 2023 (non-mandatory) North Shore Riverfront Park Great Lawn Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Time/Date/Location for Proposal Submittal: 2:00 pm, January 23, 2023

Hand-delivered proposals shall be delivered to the SEA office located at 171 10th Street, Second Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Electronic copy can be emailed to Bill Williams at bwilliams@pgh-sea.com.

Benjamin J. Heilman Contract Supervisor

SAVE A LIFE TODAY PITTSBURGH HELD ITS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY EVENT, DEC. 18, 2022, AT PPG PAINTS ARENA. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)