11.16.22 NPC

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

by Renee P. Aldrich

For New Pittsburgh Courier

“My truthful intention with ‘OPTIC VOICES: Mama’s Boys’ is to hug the very core of a mother’s heart through the cathar tic vessel of art.”

This statement made by Emmai Alaquiva is a perfect description of the project currently housed at the August Wilson Af rican American Cultural Center, Downtown. It res onates through every pho to, scene and visual one experiences during a walk through the display. The installation is an interac tive, multimedia exhibit that addresses the trauma and healing of mothers who have lost their sons to systemic violence and aims to highlight their legacies and cement it in history.

It was while he was work ing on two projects during COVID that Alaquiva saw through “OPTIC VOIC ES,” a way that the arts

could shift the narrative when it comes to human izing victims of systemic violence.

“As artists, we have an obligation to be truthful in our approach to history,” Alaquiva said.

Having received the in augural “B.U.I.L.D. Resi dency” through the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, support ed by the Richard King Mellon Foundation along with other support re sources, it allowed Alaqui va to breathe life into the project. Alaquiva told the New Pittsburgh Courier he was “very appreciative” of those organizations for their support.

While it was truly a lights, camera, action opening night of the art installation on Friday, Oct. 21, and then the re ception on Saturday, Oct. 22, attendees had the dis tinct opportunity to hear

November 8, 2022, is a date that will never be for gotten, especially in Pitts burgh’s Black community.

While John Fetterman made a lot of national headlines on Election Night, Summer Lee and Austin Davis made histo ry. The convincing victories

for Lee and Davis mean that Lee will become Pennsylvania’s first Black Congresswoman, and Da vis will become Pennsyl vania’s first Black Lieu tenant Governor.

Not too bad for two peo ple who came from mod est beginnings in the Mon Valley. But if you let Lee and Davis tell it, they’re quick to remind everyone that

while there were no sil ver spoons in the families, high-achieving was the expectation, no matter what.

“My family’s been there through everything,” Lee,

technically still a state representative in Pa., said at her election watch party in Downtown Pitts burgh, Nov. 8.

SUMMER LEE DEFEATED MIKE DOYLE TO WIN THE CONGRESSIONAL SEAT FOR PENNSYLVANIA’S 12TH DISTRICT...AND THE TICKET OF JOSH SHAPIRO/AUSTIN DAVIS EASILY WON FOR GOVERNOR AND LT. GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA. (PHOTO GRAPHIC BY WARREN KING)

Roberta Flack diagnosed with ALS, can no longer sing, reps say

by Black Information Network

Grammy award-winning musician Roberta Flack has ALS, a progressive nervous system disease also known as Lou Geh rig’s disease, leaving her unable to sing, her reps announced Monday (No vember 14) per the Associ ated Press.

The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis “has made it impossible to sing and not easy to speak,” Flack’s manager Suzanne Koga said in a release. “But it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon.”

The announcement comes ahead of the Thurs day (November 17) pre miere of Roberta, a docu

mentary debuting at the DOCNYC film festival.

Some of Flack’s most no table hits include “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face,” which was used as a soundtrack for a love scene in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 movie Play Misty for Me.

According to Monday’s press release, Flack, now 85, “plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits” through her eponymous foundation and other avenues as she battles ALS.

The Grammy winner is also set to publish chil dren’s book “The Green Pi ano: How Little Me Found Music,” which she cowrote with Tonya Bolden. Flack’s book is inspired by

her upbringing in a family of pianists and becoming classically trained herself.

“I have long dreamed of telling my story to chil dren about that first green piano that my father got for me from the junkyard in the hope that they would be inspired to reach for their dreams,” Flack said, per the release. “I want them to know that dreams can come true with persistence, encour agement from family and friends, and most of all be lief in yourself.”

The book is scheduled to be published in Janu ary 2023, the same month that the documentary will make its television debut on PBS.

Black women demand action to free Griner

Black women call on Biden administration to step up efforts to free Brittney Gri ner. Last week, WNBA star Brittney Griner’s attorneys announced that she is be ing moved to a Russian pe nal colony. Griner, who was convicted for possession of cannabis oil, reportedly will face inhumane conditions and forced labor. In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda President and CEO Marcela Howell issued the following state ment in response:

“We demand Brittney Gri ner’s release and we call on the Biden administration to take swift and decisive ac tion to secure her immediate return to the United States. As a Black, queer woman and an American, Brittney Griner is at heightened risk for abuse in a Russian penal system that operates under the cloak of darkness and is notorious for its human rights violations.

“We also urge human rights advocates around

the world to pressure both the Biden administration and Russian officials to ne gotiate her immediate re lease. Finally, we encourage all who stand for freedom to send a message of sup port to Brittney Griner—so that both she and the Rus sians know that we have her back and we’re fighting to free her.”

In Our Own Voice: Nation al Black Women’s Repro ductive Justice Agenda is a national Reproductive Jus tice organization focused

on lifting up the voices of Black women leaders at the national, regional, and state levels in our ongoing fight to secure Reproductive Justice for Black women, femmes, girls, and gender-expan sive people. Our strategic partners include Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Impera tive, New Voices for Repro ductive Justice, SisterLove, Inc., SisterReach, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, The Afiya Center and Wom en With A Vision

This Week In Black History A Courier Staple

• NOVEMBER 16

1780—Paul Cuffee or ganizes a demonstration by free Blacks protesting the fact that they were being taxed but were not allowed to vote. Cuffee was a prominent whaling captain and businessman who organized the first integrated school in Mas sachusetts. In his later years he became frustrat ed with American racism and advocated the estab lishment of a free Black colony in the West African nation of Sierra Leone which was then controlled by the British.

1873—W.C. Handy is born in Florence, Ala. The prolific composer and publisher would become known as “The Father of The Blues.” Handy helped move the blues from just a musical genre among low income Blacks to na tional status. His works became so popular that his 84th birthday was cel ebrated at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and drew a crowd of more than 800 blues enthusi asts. Handy’s full name was William Christopher Handy.

1963—Zina Garrison is born in Houston, Texas. She would go on to win 37 professional tennis titles, an Olympic gold medal and finish runner-up at Wimbledon in 1990.

1967—Lisa Bonet is born to a Jewish mother and a Black father in San Francisco, Calif. She be comes a major actress but is perhaps best known for her role in the 1980s tele vision series “The Cosby Show.” Her given name was Liliquois Moon.

2001—Agbani Darego is crowned Miss World becoming the first Black African to win the coveted beauty pageant. She was from the oil-rich West Afri can nation of Nigeria.

•

and most influential Black Greek-letter organiza tions.

1972—Despite massive Black voter support for the Democrat George McGovern, Republican Richard M. Nixon is elect ed president carrying all states except Massa chusetts and the District of Columbia. The Black view of Nixon would lat er be vindicated when he is forced from office because of the Water gate scandal. Nixon was referred to as “tricky dick.”

• NOVEMBER 18

1797—Abolitionist and orator Sojourner Truth is born Isabella Baumfree in Ulster County, N.Y. She struggled for an end to slavery and for a woman’s right to vote. She became so well known that she even consulted with Pres ident Abraham Lincoln.

1977—White suprema cist and terrorist Robert Edward Chambliss is convicted of first degree murder in connection with the 1963 bombing of Bir mingham, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. The bombing killed four little Black girls, shocked the nation and helped mobi lize the civil rights move ment.

1993—Black majority rule comes to South Africa as Black and White lead ers reach agreement on a democratic constitution that gave Blacks the right to vote and ended Apart heid—the system of laws and regulations which had maintained White mi nority rule.

• NOVEMBER 19

his t-shaped traffic sig nal—the basis of modern traffic lights. Morgan later sold the rights to the Gen eral Electric Corporation for $40,000. Shortly be fore his death in 1963, the U.S. government awarded Morgan a citation for his invention. He also invent ed the gas mask.

1939—The state of Maryland purchases Mor gan State College in Balti more. The predominantly Black educational institu tion was originally found ed in 1867 by the Meth odist Episcopal Church as the Centenary Bible Institute. It was renamed Morgan College in 1890. It currently has 6,000 stu dents and is one of the leading Black universities in the nation.

1962—President John F. Kennedy issues an exec utive order barring racial discrimination in all fed erally financed housing. It was one of several acts which led to the Kenne dy name being highly revered by many Black voters.

1976—Gold medal win ning Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes is born in Silver Spring, Md. 1977—Chicago Bear great Walter Payton sets an NFL record by run ning for 275 yards in one game.

• NOVEMBER 21

1865—Shaw University is founded in Raleigh, N.C. While virtually all historically Black colleges and universities were established after the Civil War, Shaw can rightfully claim to be the first estab lished in the South.

NOVEMBER 17

1842—Fugitive slave George Latimer is arrest ed in Boston, setting in motion a legal battle be tween North and South over the degree to which free states were required to aid slave states in cap turing escaped slaves.

The Latimer incident was resolved when at least 100 Black men surround ed the jail where Latimer was being held. Fearing for his safety if he tried to take Latimer back South, the slave owner decided to “sell” Latimer and left with a small amount of money and no slave.

1911—The Omega Psi Phi fraternity is founded on the campus of How ard University in Wash ington, D.C. It goes on to become one of the largest

1985—Stepin Fetchit the first major Black mov ie star, dies of pneumonia in Woodlawn Hills, Calif., at the age of 83. Fetchit (real name Lincoln Perry) was harshly criticized by most major Black organi zations because he made his money playing a lazy, shiftless, easily frightened Black character during the 1940s and 1950s. However, the role, which appealed to many Whites and some Blacks, made him a millionaire.

• NOVEMBER 20

1867—Howard Univer sity is founded in Wash ington, D.C., as a result of a Congressional order. The school goes on to be come an incubator of Af rican Americans who play major roles in civil rights as well as Black intellec tual and cultural develop ment. It has approximate ly 12,000 students and is thus one of the largest predominantly Black uni versities in the nation.

1923—Prolific Black in ventor Garrett T. Morgan is awarded a patent for

• NOVEMBER 22

1865—The Mississippi legislature enacts the first “Black Codes” aimed at controlling the former slaves. These laws, many of which other Southern states adopted, were so restrictive that they amounted to the re-en slavement of Blacks. In line with the view that much of racism has an economic basis, Blacks were specifically banned from owning farmland. Some of the “Black Codes” were eliminated during Reconstruction, but many actually re mained on the law books until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

1884—Militant Black journalist and rights advo cate T. Thomas Fortune starts the New York Free man, which later became the New York Age. He was born in Mariana, Fla., in 1856 and died in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1928. Fortune was easily one of the most driven and influ ential Black journalists in American history.

1884—The Philadelphia Tribune is founded by Christopher J. Perry.

1930—The Nation of Is lam is founded in Detroit, Mich. A lot of controversy surrounds the founding. But the general view is that the NOI was founded by Wallace Fard Muham mad and Elijah Muham mad was his immediate successor. The Nation of Islam reached its height during the days of Min. Malcolm X advocating self-respect and eco nomic development. It is currently headed by Min. Louis Farrakhan.

1963—The 35th president of the United States John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas, sending shock waves throughout the nation and the world.

Black Americans were especially hard hit be cause many had come to view Kennedy as the first modern anti-racist, proBlack president. Conspir acy theories still abound which reject the official version of who killed him and why.

ROBERTA FLACK: GETTY IMAGES

BRITTNEY GRINER

SUMMER LEE MAKES HISTORY

SUMMER LEE AND MAYOR ED GAINEY (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

SUMMER LEE WITH FAMILY

SUMMER LEE AND SARA INNAMORATO

SUMMER LEE AND LA’TASHA D. MAYES. MAYES IS THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE

Soweto Gospel Choir returns to inspire, uplift Pittsburgh

by Genea L. Webb

For New Pittsburgh Courier

The Civil Rights Movement and An ti-Apartheid are some of the themes on the long-awaited album, “Hope,” by the Sowe to Gospel Choir. The 13-track offering was released in September.

The 22-member choir is currently embarking on a North American tour encompassing more than 50 cities to promote the project.

The Soweto Gospel Choir will be making a one-night-only stop at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater on Nov. 22. The group’s last show in Pittsburgh was in 2014. What can the audience expect? “A high-ener gy show, with beautiful costumes on stage and a strong choir that comes from Soweto, South Af rica, and a very beauti ful and emotional show,” said the director and founding member, Shim my Jiyane, in an inter view with the New Pitts burgh Courier. “A show that allows people to learn, that teaches peo ple about South Africa and the freedom songs we sing in South Afri ca and that also speaks about the Civil Rights in America.

“Hope,” the choir’s lat est musical offering which was released on Sept. 23, honors South Africa’s Freedom Move

ment and the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. “Hope” opens with a rousing program of South Afri can freedom songs that inspired their Rainbow Nation. Then the choir’s uplifting performance moves to the United States with renditions of the music of the Civ il Rights Movement, including works by leg endary artists James Brown, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin.

“These songs are the songs that we grew up listening to,” Jiyane said. “At the same time, you must remember that generations have changed. We shouldn’t not let our youth know about their history. We should let youth know about their history. We should make sure they know who they are and where they come from.

It was important for us to show that and to say to everybody, we know what happened, but we didn’t forget. We might have forgiven, but we didn’t forget. Also, the youth must know about the hope and what hap pened to their people.

The youth must know about Dr. Martin Lu ther King and the iconic Nelson Mandela. They need to understand that music played a very im portant part in our lives as Black people to be where we are today. We kept on singing. We kept

on praying. Why we kept on singing, why we kept on praying is because we had the faith and we had the hope that one day we will be free.”

The Soweto Gospel Choir was formed in 2002 in Soweto, South Africa. In December of that year, the group’s inaugural album, “Voic es from Heaven,” was recorded and earned the top spot of the World Music Charts—within three weeks of its U.S. release.

“The youth are the fu ture. Our grandparents, our mothers and fathers, they fought the battles

so it’s our time now that the youth fight those battles,” said Jiyane, who proudly hails from Soweto and began sing ing as a child. He was originally brought into the Soweto Gospel Choir as a dancer; soon he be came a singing member of the group and after four years as a singer, the tenor was moved to director.

Jiyane choreographs many of the group’s live performances. “Nelson Mandela came through and he was in jail for 27 years. He came back and he said, ‘I’m not going to hit back but I’m going

to build this nation up, I’m going to build South Africa up.’ And look at South Africa today. The racism is still there, but we need to work as Black people and we need to work together so that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel because the youth are coming up and they need to see that. This whole show is about that; this whole album is about that.”

“It’s a show that en courages people to be positive in life. It brings hope to people that it’s not all forgotten. Peo ple died from COVID.

People lost hope. People lost jobs,” Jiyane said. “We need to go back into the archives and look at where we went from as Black people and bring back the freedom that you always sing about. People must come and see and witness the pow erful show that Soweto Gospel Choir is bringing to Pittsburgh.”

THREE-TIME GRAMMY-WINNING SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR WILL BE PLAYING AT THE BYHAM THEATER, NOV. 22.

THERE IS NO LOVE LIKE

from each “mama;” their voices, perspectives, and individual reflections of their pain. But more importantly, there was the opportunity to hear the honest narratives about these young men who lost their lives too soon, about who they were as people, their in teractions within their environment, the plans they had for their lives, and the dynamic of the relationships between mothers and sons.

The mothers partic ipated in a panel con versation unpacking the dynamics of their losses. There was Rev. Wan da Johnson, mother of 22-year-old Oscar Grant III, killed in 2009 by Bay Area Rapid Tran

sit police; they had been called after a report that a fight was taking place at the Fruitvale Station. Gwen Carr, mother of 44-year-old Eric Garner, who lost his life at the hands of New York City police in 2014 after he was held in an choke hold and strangled to death. None of the of ficers served time for this killing, as Carr still fights for justice. Lez ley McSpadden, moth er of 18-year-old Mike Brown, who was shot and killed by police of ficer Darren Wilson in 2014 in Ferguson, Mis souri. The shooting was subsequently deemed justifiable though there were witnesses who claimed Brown was sur rendering when he was

shot. Michelle Kenney, mother of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II, who was killed in East Pitts burgh in 2018 by Officer Michael Rosfeld. Rose was unarmed, and run ning away from Rosfeld at the time and was shot in the back. Ros feld went to trial for the killing, and was subse quently acquitted on all counts. And Valerie Cas tile, mother of 32-yearold Philando Castile, who was killed during a traffic stop by police officer Jeronimo Yanez in Minneapolis. Castile was shot multiple times in the chest as he was attempting to tell the officer that he was li censed to carry a gun. Riding in the car with him was his girlfriend

and 4-year-old daugh ter. Officer Yanez was cleared of manslaughter charges.

The panel was facili tated by Celeste Smith, senior program officer, arts and culture, with the Pittsburgh Founda tion. In a most delicate manner, she prepared the audience for what was to be a powerful discussion with the po tential to “trigger” at tendees. She urged the audience to “take a col lective breath, as we prepare for a look into the hearts of these wom en who still fight for justice for their sons.”

Erica Givner, LCSW, was on hand to offer information on what it means to be triggered. She shared with the au

dience that triggering is usually a physical, emotional or mental response to a traumat ic experience—often a deeply disturbing ex perience. Givner went on to suggest that each person define for them selves their particular trauma, what the trig ger feels like and if at any point the person feels that they need to “leave this space, you should do so.”

Smith led the ladies into the importance of sharing the truthful narrative, and posed the query to the moms: “Can you just talk a bit about the importance of tak ing control of the narra tive?”

Reverend Johnson re sponded by saying, “Be cause our children who have lost their lives end up being demonized by the media as soon as it happens, with the in tention of trying to find something that will make people begin to believe that the victim got what was coming to him, that somehow they deserved to be mur dered. What we instruct mothers and families of young men/women is to tell your story the way it happened. Make sure you not only tell the sto ry of what happened, but tell what your chil dren did right. People need to hear the other side, instead of the neg ative aspects that are depicted in the media.”

McSpadden interject ed: “It is also import

ant because tragically, the sons end up being double-slandered, first in the court system, and then in the media. It is our narrative that brings back the human ism of our child—the humanism that was snatched from them once in the court system and then through the media.”

While narratives were a key element of the dia logue, the moms contin ued to engage and talk about their experience, bringing the audience into their emotional ism, sharing some of the places of their deepest pain and frustrations. Smith posed the ques tion which addressed some of that.

“Can you just share with us, how do you have the strength to keep returning to this conversation and keep fighting?”

Carr responded, “I am determined to keep up the fight, and that’s even though I’ve been told by legislatures in New York that no matter how hard I fight, they aren’t going to indict any of the other officers, but in 2019 Officer (Daniel) Pantaleo, the one who actually choked my son to death, I did get him fired. But the fact that there were other offi cers involved and there was no criminal charges filed against them...and this is why I keep on fighting.”

GWEN CARR, MOTHER OF ERIC GARNER

SEE MOTHERS

VALERIE CASTILE SPEAKS DURING A PANEL DISCUSSION AT THE AUGUST WILSON AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER. SHE IS THE MOTHER OF PHILANDO CASTILE.

THAT OF A MOTHER.

Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, continued: “Though they tell me it’s a lost cause, I don’t be lieve in that. I believe in not giving up, continuing to fight and keeping the faith. I believe that if I do this long enough, that something will come out of it, whether I am here to see it or not, God sits high and looks low. My fight is not just for Eric but for those that come after him.”

“I know most of us have mental issues, but I am certain that the man who murdered my son had to have something

wrong with him,” voiced Kenney, mother of Ant won Rose II. “Because no one in their right, sane mind would shoot someone in the back like that.”

The mothers continue to seek justice for their murdered sons. They’ve established foundations in their sons’ name. They’ve stepped up and become change agents within a system that, in many people’s eyes, is set up to devastate Black families by the senseless killings of Black men and boys.

After a 15-minute break, there was one last

question from Smith: “What is one question you’d like to answer that no one has asked you?”

Carr answered. “No one asked me about my relationship with my son, and I’ll just say that we were very close, and talked every day.”

Then it was McSpad den’s turn. “Really, I don’t want more talk, I am so tired of talk and answering questions, I’d like some positive action to take place, for justice to be served and for no other mother to be up here on this stage talking about her mur dered son.”

A MAN LOOKS AT A PHOTO OF MICHELLE KENNEY ON THE WALL. LEZLEY MCSPADDEN, MOTHER OF MIKE BROWN

MOTHERS FROM

REESE RANDALL, FIRST LADY MICHELLE GAINEY, JANIS BURLEY WILSON

For rate informa tion, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We want to feature pos itive 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

“For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Who died for us, that whether we be awake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also you do.”

- 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

REV. WALKER SAYS: Let’s agree that only by our Lord Jesus Christ, do we have Salvation Eternal Life. Many think that they are going to Heaven on their good works...NO!!! It is only by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior that our SIN DEPARTMENT IS PAID IN FULL. Jesus’ Death, Burial and Risen from the dead. AMEN.

THE HISTORYMAKERS

Representative Lee told her supporters the story of how, about five years ago, someone told Rep. Lee that she should run for state represen tative.

“Definitely. Duh,” Rep. Lee’s mom replied.

It was the matter-offact manner in which her mother answered Rep. Lee. Representa tive Lee had heard that affirmative tone before from her mother.

It was all she needed to end up running for the House District 34 seat, which she’s held for two terms, and was elected to a third term on Elec tion Night, though she’ll obviously give that up for a seat in Washing ton, D.C., as the Con gresswoman from Penn sylvania’s 12th District.

“That was the begin ning of my journey,” Rep. Lee told the crowd. “Basically my mom say ing ‘duh’ to me...”

Representative Lee won with 60 percent of the vote as the Demo cratic candidate for the 12th District, while “the other” Mike Doyle had 39 percent. For weeks, there was an increased confusion as to if the longtime Democratic representative in the District, Mike Doyle, was running against Rep. Lee. But “the Dem ocrat” Mike Doyle an nounced his retirement early in 2022, and it turned out to be a coin cidence that the Repub lican challenger was a person also named Mike Doyle.

Turned out, though, that the people “believed in Summer Lee.” That’s what Pittsburgh’s may or, Ed Gainey, loves to say during her rallies.

Mayor Gainey led the “I believe in Summer Lee” chant at the watch par ty prior to Rep. Lee’s ad dress to the crowd.

“Let’s wake up D.C.,” the mayor added, refer ring to Rep. Lee’s soon-

dark money and outside folks come into Western Pennsylvania and tell us what type of repre sentation that we de serve...This is a victory not just for me, this is a victory for each and ev ery one of us.”

During the Primary Election in May, Rep. Lee was met with a host of attack ads, more than $3 million spent on de grading her and her ac complishments. But she still won the Primary over her Democratic op ponent, Steve Irwin. In the past weeks, differ ent attack ads splashed across local television, though not as severe. Still, it was never a shoo-in that Rep. Lee would win over “the Re

AUSTIN DAVIS— FROM MCKEESPORT TO HARRISBURG

Austin Davis admitted that his grandparents probably would nev er have imagined that he would hold the sec ond-highest office in the state of Pennsylvania.

But it was his grand parents’ hard work, their tough-minded at titude, that was passed down to his two parents, who passed down that same mindset to him.

“Anything is possible when you give a child

had mentors who taught me the meaning of ser vice. It was because of a community that loved and cared for one anoth er, a good public school and good public school teachers that a kid from an old steel town often overlooked by the pow erbrokers in Washing ton and Harrisburg, was able to grow up to be the first Black state legis lator outside the City of Pittsburgh, and now Pennsylvania’s first Black Lieutenant Gov ernor.”

That’s right, Rep. Davis will soon be in Harris burg, joining Attorney General Josh Shapiro, as Shapiro was elected to be the next governor of Pennsylvania. Shap iro’s opponent was Re publican Doug Mastri ano, but experts pretty much put this one in Shapiro’s bag weeks be fore Election Day. Mas triano was seen as “too extreme” by many Dem ocrats and even some Republicans. Mastriano could never sway the suburban White voters his way, the more mod erate Republicans.

Shapiro defeated Mas triano by a 56 to 42 per cent margin.

to-be location in the na tion’s capital.

“When we are going to make history, there are always going to be barri ers that come up against us,” Rep. Lee said. “And I’m so proud of the work that everyone in this movement has done,” calling it a “multi-ra cial, multi-generation al” movement.

“We’re not going to be intimidated, we’re not going to be told what we can or cannot do. We’re not going to let

publican” Mike Doyle.

“This was a move ment of what it looks like when we prioritize the most marginalized, when we fight for what a real working-class movement can look like in this country,” Rep. Lee said. “It’s what it looks like when we fight back against all the ra cial fear-mongering.”

Rep. Lee, the Woodland Hills High School grad uate, added: “I just want to thank you for this his

the resources they need, coupled with an envi ronment in which they can thrive,” Rep. Da vis of the 35th House District, said during a victory speech at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Nov. 8. “I was blessed to have two parents who sacrificed so much to give my sis ter and I every oppor tunity to succeed. I had teachers who invested in me and encouraged me to get involved, and I

Just in case any sur prises occurred, Rep. Davis still would have kept his seat in the state House. He was re-elect ed with 66 percent of the vote in his 35th Dis trict. But similar to Rep. Lee, there will soon be new people at the helm in the 34th and 35th House Districts in Pa., because Davis and Lee are “movin’ on up.”

“While I am blessed with this opportunity and responsibility, it was paid for by those who came before me,” Rep. Davis told an en ergized crowd in Philly.

“People like K. Leroy Ir vis and countless activ ists and concerned citi zens whose names may

not show up in print, but were just as important to our Commonwealth. They paved the way for this moment.”

Dressed in his comfort able-fitting navy blue suit, Rep. Davis thanked his family, and especial ly the person “who sees me at my best, my worst and everywhere in be tween, a woman who is accomplished in her own right and challenges me to be a better man each and every day, Penn sylvania’s next Second Lady, Blayre Holmes Davis.”

Blayre Holmes Davis is director of community relations for the Pitts burgh Steelers.

In January 2023, when these new positions be gin, don’t be surprised to see Lee and Davis with numerous national television appearances, etc., fighting for what’s best for Pennsylvanians in Congress and in Har risburg.

And it all started with them right here, born and raised in the Pitts burgh area.

“This is a moment that defines us as a Com monwealth,” Rep. Davis said. It says that “Penn sylvania will always be a place where all are welcomed and where we all have the opportunity to succeed.”

tory-making movement, for trusting me to be the representative of this vast, diverse District in Western Pennsylvania.”

THE NEW PA. GOVERNOR/LT. GOVERNOR COMBO—JOSH SHAPIRO, AUSTIN DAVIS.

HISTORYMAKERS FROM A1

Go west young man, go west

Tomlin should be in the Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done

Hey ladies and gents, I may need your input regarding the Steelers’ acquisition and their re cent trade of wide receiv er Chase Claypool. When Claypool was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he was lauded by many as the second com ing of Christ...well, I may be slightly embellishing the event, but he was at the very most considered by many talking heads and “fogged” in bloggers as the second coming of Jerry Rice. He end ed up becoming at the very least, the Siamese twin of former Steelers and current Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster. Howev er, if folks don’t accept the premise that they were joined at the hip because they were drafted at dif ferent times, we all must

agree based on their most recent opinion of Steelers Head Coach Mike Tom lin that we could at least theoretically assume that they could have surgical ly been joined at the lips.

For the 101st time, I am going to remind everyone of the excellence of Mike Tomlin because if people continue to falsely point out how theoretically bad they think he is, I am go ing to factually point out the fact of how good he is.

Tomlin’s NFL coaching career began when he was hired as the defen sive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001 under head coach Tony Dungy, where he first learned the Tampa 2 defense that he would use in later coaching jobs.

Tomlin was retained un der new head coach Jon Gruden and in 2002 and 2005, the Buccaneers led

the NFL in total defense (fewest yards allowed per game). When he coached with Tampa Bay, the de fense never placed low er than sixth. When the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII in January 2003, the team record ed a Super Bowl-record five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns. Five, five, not one, two or three picks but five, with three returned for touchdowns.

Holy moly!

And by the way, did I neglect to mention that Mike Tomlin has nev

er had a losing record during his 15 seasons as a head coach, which is the longest ever streak in the NFL? Take that, affirma tive action. All I can say is I am thankful that the Rooney Rule was creat ed and that the late Dan Rooney practiced what he preached.

For years a plethora of negative comments have been coming from ex-Steelers players and coaches beginning with, but not ending with, An tonio Brown, James Har rison, Mike Wallace, Ryan Clark and ex-Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.

The following is just a brief sample of the can tankerous and often un justified criticism of the future NFL head coach. “There is no discipline in the locker room of the Black and Gold, Tom lin is too soft. He makes

many wrong decisions. He doesn’t throw the challenge flag enough.

He should have gone for the first down on 4th and 3. He should not have gone for the 1st down on 4th and 3. The eagle flies on Friday, the ea gle doesn’t fly on Friday. Did she go over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house or did she take the parkway or route 28……you dig gg...”

If Bill Cowher could be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, then by all means they should erect a separate room to house the bronze bust of Mike Tomlin.

Remember in the be ginning? Mike Tomlin won because of the play ers that Bill Cowher left behind. Well, what about the players that Chuck Noll left on the shelf for

Bill Cowher? The only one that basi cally had to almost start from scratch was Chuck Noll because the talent reservoir that he was forced to mold and work with was almost bone dry. For all intents and purposes, he rebuilt and retooled the Steelers ma chine. All of the Steelers coaches have left and will continue to leave an in delible mark on the team. I am hitting fast forward now. Of all of the Steel ers’ remaining opponents, only the Bengals and the Ravens have records above .500. Of the games that remain to be played, the Steelers can go 4-2 and their head coach is a defensive guru. By the way, it is possible that they may finish above .500. Go west young man, go west.

‘A win is a win is a win’

Steelers now 3-6 after beating New Orleans; Bengals are next

:10—We’ll take it. Yeah, I gotcha, a home victory after a bye week against a dull, plodding New Or leans Saints team coming off a short week and being led by Steelers’ whipping boy Andy Dalton, he of the 3-14 lifetime record against the Steelers is not a season-making vic tory. However, there were several highlights to the game for the Steelers on Nov. 13, first and foremost taking care of business at home as they should against an injured, de pleted team, our own in jured kicker, Mr. Boswell notwithstanding, and his soon-to-be-waived kicking replacement, Matthew Wright, 2 of 4 field goals and less-than-stellar kickoff length. All things considered, and by that I mean where the Steelers fall in the draft order, 3-6 sounds a heap better than 2-7. I’ll leave it up to you to tell T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward they should hold back a bit to lose so we can get the No. 7 pick instead of the No. 13 pick.

:09—Let’s begin with 217 yards on the ground, bringing back memories of Jerome Bettis and, dare I say it, Le’Veon Bell. Na jee Harris rushed for 99 yards on 20 carries and busted several runs, in cluding a career-high 36-yarder, getting major yardage after first contact and looking every bit like the first-round draft pick we all hope he is. Jaylen Warren had 37 yards on

9 carries and also had 3 catches out of the back field, showing once again how valuable he has be come to this offense. Ken ny Pickett had 51 yards on 8 carries/scrambles including a nifty 1-yard dive for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Unfor tunately he was sacked 6 times again and still does not seem to have enough time to be truly effective in the passing game. Much work is needed in the pass blocking. Kenny was 1830 for 199 yards but had no TD passes and no picks this week, so we’ll call it even.

:08—The defense held New Orleans to 186 total yards, a team with mul tiple threats Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara and Jarvis Landry at wideout. No matter what can be said about Andy Dalton against the Steelers, the defense clamped down and never truly let up, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks from Alex Highsmith and a D-Line that was at times a solid brick wall. Though T.J. Watt played a relatively quiet game for him, not enough can be said by just having his presence on the field and the multiple blockers sent his way. He alone allows everyone else to play a bit looser and free. Yes, I also noticed it seemed at times that Matt Canada was running their offense but the less said about that, the better.

:07—In the NFC, the

Philly Eagles are 8-1, the Minnesota Vikings are 8-1, the NY Giants 7-2 and everyone else seems to be stuck in neutral. In the AFC we have the K.C. Chiefs back on top at 7-2, the Miami Dolphins, wait, who, what,(?) are 7-3, the fading Buffalo Bills, Ten nessee Titans, NY Jets and Baltimore Ravens are 6-3 and everyone else is not worth mentioning. Is there a front-runner in the AFC? As good as the Chiefs record is, they don’t frighten anyone at this juncture of the season.

Who is the premier cor nerback in the NFL now? With all the money that position commands, who’s the standout guy every one mentions as their top or second guy? No idea? Me either. Remember when it was Darrelle Re vis or Darrell Green? Rod Woodson, Deion Sanders, Ty Law or Mike Haynes? Richard Sherman? The greatest of all-time, Mel Blount? Ronnie Lott? Someone just said Jalen Ramsey of the Rams. He’s good but not at “that” lev el yet. Hey, I’m just asking questions here.

Tua Tagovailoa and his 9 TDs with no interceptions over the last 3 games for Miami should frighten ev eryone. A 9-8 team is mak ing the playoffs and I tru ly think any team in the playoffs this season has a legitimate shot at the Su per Bowl. The Cincinnati Bengals are 5-4 and the L.A. Rams are 3-6. What a difference a year makes and yet, if the Bengals make the playoffs, they are dangerous and could tale anyone out. If you like things going down to the wire, this season is one to treasure.

:06—One quick hit—

:05—Did anyone see Coach Bill Cowher on Sunday talking, well, foaming at the mouth about the Indianapolis Colts hiring Jeff Saturday as their new head coach without one second of as sistant coaching experi ence? And I quote, “It’s a disgrace to the coaching profession. And regardless of how this thing plays out, what happened in In dianapolis is a travesty.” Don’t sugarcoat it Coach, tell us how you really feel. Jeff Saturday was a heck uva center in his playing days, a 6-time Pro-Bowler, 2-time First Team All-Pro and generally regarded as a terrific teammate and someone who laid it on the line every play. Good for him. However, and we get it, several times he’s been asked by Colts ownership to come in and be an as sistant and he’s refused, citing his family time

as more important than the incredibly long hours it takes to coach at the NFL level. But then when the head coach job comes along, all that is thrown out the window. And whatever happened to the Rooney Rule? You know, the one where Black as sistants were supposed to be part of the hiring equa tion and at least given lip service and an interview or two to make things at least appear on the up and up. The rule where Eric Bieniemy is always interviewed for the job before being passed over yet again for some retread head coach on his 5th NFL job without much success. Yeah, that rule??? And the beat goes on.

:04—Your Pitt Panthers, with a 6-4 record, are now bowl-eligible again and could end up with an 8-4 record and a decent bowl game to attend. I’ll always say an extra game to de velop younger players for the next season is a plus and though it’s not going to be a top-tier game, the pride and fun of visiting another city for a week is nothing to sneeze at. If they end up 9-4 after the bowl game and in the top 25 of the final polls, is the season still considered a loss? I say no, the players gave all, competed against a very good Tennessee team and, hopefully won out. Go Panthers!!!

:03—Penn State has crept back to No. 11 in the polls and with a bit of luck

could be back in the Top 10 by next Sunday. With losses to No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan their season has been anoth er in a series of seasons where they just didn’t have the complete team to get into the Top 5 or even the Top 4 at the end of it all. It’s disappointing be cause every year we think, “Is this finally the year they take the next step and get past one of both of those teams?” and once again the answer is, “No.” If you’re a Penn State fan you must be pulling out your hair but Top Ten is pretty darn good.

:02—Remember, “Soul Take/Champions Live” every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at http://www. pghdsn.com.

:01—And last but not least, the 9th Annual Pittsburgh City League High School All-Sports Hall of Fame Inductions —coming Saturday, Dec. 17 at the DoubleTree Ho tel, 101 Mall Boulevard in Monroeville. There’s a Meet & Greet at 12 noon followed by a Call To Meal at 1 p.m. and the induc tion ceremony beginning at 2 p.m. Tickets are $65 for adults and $45 for youth 12 and under, tick ets sold in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door. For information call Achieving Greatness Inc. at 412-628-4856. This show is proudly presented by Soul Take/Champions Live Sports Talk Show.

:00—GAME OVER.

Reginald F. Lewis: A Wall Street Titan

by Tamara Shiloh

For New Pittsburgh Courier

In 1965, a select group of Black students partici pated in a summer school program funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and held at Harvard Law School. Each student lob bied for acceptance in the program, which in troduced them to legal studies. One student’s confidence and leadership skills made him stand out: Reginald F. Lewis (1942–1993).

Lewis made such an impression that Harvard Law welcomed him as

a student that fall. This acceptance made him the only person in the law school’s 148-year history to be admitted before ap plying.

In 1968, Lewis began his career with the New York City firm Paul, Weiss, Rif kind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, where he practiced corporate law. He served as counsel to the New York–based Commission for Racial Justice and represented The Wilm ington 10, a group of civil rights activists who had been unjustly convicted of an arson fire in 1971. He successfully forced North Carolina to pay interest on

the Wilmington 10 bond.

In 1970, after networking with colleagues, he opened Wall Street’s first African American law firm.

By 1983, Lewis’ dream was to “do the deals him self,” thereby establishing the venture capital firm TLC Group, LP. The firm purchased the failing Mc Call Pattern Company for a reported $22.5 million.

After successfully reviving McCall, Lewis sold it for $90 million. He later out bid Citicorp and purchased TLC Beatrice Internation al for $985 million. It was the largest offshore buyout in American history at the time.

Looking back, in 1960, Lewis told a friend, “I know that what I’d like is to be the richest Black man in America.” He was on his way. TLC became the first Black-owned company to pass the billion-dollar mark with its annual sales of $1.8 billion.

Lewis had strong influ ences in his life from child hood. Growing up in East Baltimore, his parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts always encouraged him to “be the best that you can be.”

Young Reginald’s grand mother instilled in him the importance of saving, “even cutting and peeling

strips from the bottom of a tin can and nailing it to the floor of a closet to pro tect his savings,” according to his website.

He set up a delivery route at age 10, selling the Afro American newspaper. What began with 10 cus tomers grew to more than 100 over two years. Even then young Reginald had the business savvy to sell his route at a profit.

About Lewis, for mer-president Barack Obama commented: “[He] had the work ethic, the skills, and the know-how. Beyond that, he had the temperament, the self-as surance, and the confi

dence that he belonged there. Being the first of anything requires a cer tain mindset. Reginald Lewis had it.”

Lewis’ life was cut short by his untimely death af ter a short illness in Janu ary 1993. He was 50 years old.

Learn more about young Reginald Lewis and the challenges he overcame as he transformed himself from ordinary to extraor dinary in Lin Hart’s “Reg inald F. Lewis Before TLC Beatrice: The Young Man Before the Billion-Dollar Empire.”

(This article originally ap peared in Post News Group.)

Leaders can come from all places, backgrounds

by Sherri Kolade

For New Pittsburgh Courier

In 2021, 7 percent of companies were led by female CEOs, and about 15 percent had female CFOs. Also, Black CFOs nearly doubled from 2020

to 2021, according to in vestopedia.com. The path that it takes to become a boss or leader in a company is not always easy or paved with gold, especially for women and minorities—not to men tion double minority em

ployees.

Steps to becoming an ef fective leader in an orga nization can be even more challenging—if one is up to the task. An effective leader harnesses their own power and bolsters the power of others in the

form of excellent commu nication and interperson al skills, and the ability to inspire others, according to smallbusiness.chron. com.

Jacqueline M. Baker, a podcast producer, author, and speaker, “occupies

spaces” to help others em brace the same character istics that make them an inner leader, while confi dently advancing to their next level.

Baker, the founder of Scarlet Communications, a global leadership con

Called to Serve

On the week of this writing, we ob served Veterans Day. Veterans Day is a National Holiday in the United States where we honor veterans of the Armed Forces and military personnel who paid the ultimate price of death while fight ing for our country in an effort to pro tect our freedom and liberty.

On Veterans Day, those of us who are civilians tend to echo the words “Happy Veterans Day” and “Thank you for your service” similar to how we say “God Bless You” when someone sneezes. It’s a matter of expression we heard others say. So we say it too, not fully knowing and understanding why.

I wanted to get a deeper understand ing of what it’s like to be enlisted into the Armed Forces. What are some of the benefits, challenges and sacrifices one endures when committing to the mili tary? I decided to enlist the help of my cousin, Chief Master Sergeant Angela Sanders. Angela recently retired from the Air Force at the tender age of 47. As a financial planner, I’m often asked for ideas and strategies on how to retire early. When we say retire early, the typi cal age people are referring to is 55. An gela did it before 50. Impressive! When speaking to young people I now incor porate Angela’s story, sharing ideas on how to get a free college education and retire young.

The story that follows is a story of a Veteran whom I’m very proud of. You’ll read in her own words how she applied the Air Force slogan, “Aim High” into her decision and fulfillment to serve our country:

“Growing up in Youngstown, Ohio in a low to middle income area there was so much going through my mind on what I would do after high school. Looking at my surrounding neighborhood and

seeing limited opportunities I knew I had to eventually leave the area. Grad uating at the top of my class the expec tation was for me to go to college and get a degree and find a good paying job. Although I had worked extremely hard to position myself for college as well as scholarships, I did not have the de sire to go to college. I was looking for something a little more challenging and adventurous while still having the op portunity to grow and develop. I initial ly went to Youngstown State on a full scholarship. During my second year of college my home was broken into and my brother was near ly killed. This experi ence devastated me. The next day I made an appointment to see an Air Force recruiter. Six months later I was leaving for San Anto nio, Texas, to enter ba sic training and I never looked back.”

Benefits: “I always had a desire to serve in the military as my uncle who re tired from the United States Marines inspired me at a young age. My desire increased as I began to do my own re search on everything the military had to offer. I figured that if I joined the military I wouldn’t have to worry about housing, food or medical insurance. Be ing an athlete in high school, I thought about fitness and health and how this type of career would encourage me to stay on track with maintaining those goals. Lastly, it would give me the op portunity to continue going to college and leave my hometown while seeing other parts of the world. It just made sense to me then. It makes sense to me

now. The biggest reward on my deci sion to join the military is being able to retire young and able after 27 years of service.”

Challenges: “My goal has always been to strive for excellence and take advantage of any opportunity that came my way. As I strived to make it through the ranks there were many barriers and challenges that I had to push through in this male-dominated field. As a young Airman, I didn’t experience much adver sity. As I began to move up in rank, the more challenging the struggle became. I experienced both racism and sexism. I was questioned about my efforts provided on a team award. I had a leader fight to have the only two Black women on the team’s names removed. I expe rienced having complaints being submitted about me not knowing how to read or write. How is that possi ble when I graduated from high school as the valedictorian and I sat as the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force? In addition, many of us go through men tal and psychological issues due to the many things we experience down range as well as abroad.”

Sacrifices: “Although I don’t regret my overall decision of joining the mili tary and making it a career, this career path definitely requires sacrifices that you may regret. My number one regret and major sacrifice was having to leave my son and deploy and then making a long-term decision for him to remain with my mother. I am so thankful that

sultancy, consults thou sands of students, Fortune 500s, and community or ganizations across the globe learn about leader ship content creation and delivery.

my mother was available to take my son and provide him with a stable home while I continued my military career. As I look back, I don’t believe this was the best decision for him long-term. I real ly needed to be in his life physically to provide the mental, spiritual and social stability he needed during this time. As he has grown older, I have realized how this decision adversely impacted him. Many people do not realize the negative effect on the family members that sup port those who serve. They deserve to be celebrated just as much as military members due to the sacrifices that they have to make along the way.

Overall I am very pleased with my career! I’m overly thankful that I was able to serve and survive. Many of my fellow service members have given the ultimate sacrifice. I salute them and their families! They will always remain in my prayers.

As I began my Air Force journey 27 years ago, my goal was to serve four years, separate and utilize my Mont gomery GI Bill to finish my college de gree. My plans changed when I hit my three-year mark and I decided to reen list. Today, I am proud to say while serv ing my country I was able to obtain my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees. I’m equally proud to say that I sit among the top one percent as a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force.”

Happy Veterans Day to those who served! We appreciate your service!! To the families who endured all that goes along with having a relative enlisted in the Armed Forces, we appreciate sacri fice!

(Damon Carr, Money Coach be reached @ 412216-1013 or visit his website @ www.damon moneycoach.com)

How to take control of your credit

by OAKLAND POST Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Improving your credit score starts with under standing how all of the pieces work together and continues with building a plan to improve your credit.

Simply, a credit score is an indicator of how responsibly you handle your credit. Several fac tors impact your credit score, and you might be surprised what financial behaviors and informa tion actually make a dif ference.

First, it’s important to know the difference be tween your credit score and your credit report. Your credit score is based on the items found on your credit report, sim ilar to how grades are based on homework and class assignments. Here are four things that you might think matter—but don’t—and five that real ly do.

What traditionally doesn’t matter

1. Employment history: Credit agencies might track your employment, but that information does not affect your cred it score. Whether or not you have a job may af fect your ability to obtain credit (such as a loan or credit card), but it’s not part of what determines

the number.

2. Savings account bal ance: Your credit score is based solely on your credit history. Your bank account balance is not a part of your credit histo ry.

3. Age: Your date of birth might be on your credit report, but it does not factor into the cal culation of your credit score.

4. Where you live: Your location doesn’t affect your credit score. Your payment history does.

What traditionally matters

1. Paying on time: “Pay all your bills on time. Every time.” This is the golden rule of credit. Unfortunately, one late payment can significant ly impact your score. Even high-income people struggle with this one!

2. Your credit utiliza tion: The balance of your accounts relative to your credit limits makes a dif ference in your credit re port. The closer you are to maxing out, the worse

the effect. Ideally, you’d keep this ratio to 30 percent or less, so if you have a $1,000 credit lim it, a balance higher than $300 will start to drag your score down.

3. How long you’ve had credit: It’s called a cred it history for a reason. The further back you can demonstrate that you regularly pay your debts back, the better your score. The advice about keeping a zero-balance card open comes into play here—just to show

how long you’ve had it. Ideally, you’d have at least one account that is at least ten years old.

4. New accounts and credit checks: Opening a slew of new accounts (or attempting to) in a short period is a red flag to a lender. It can indicate that you’re planning a spending spree or ex pecting to lose your job.

If you’re planning to ap ply for a mortgage or other loan where your credit score determines your interest rate, try to

avoid applying for any new credit cards within 3-6 months.

5. The number and type of accounts: There are such things as “good debts” and “bad debts.” Having a mortgage, stu dent loan, or car loan looks better (as long as you don’t have late payments on your re cord) because it implies that you’re responsible enough to maintain a home, go to school, and take care of a car. Plus, the things that credit bought tend to last lon ger than the loan, mak ing it good debt. Credit card debt isn’t as flatter ing—especially a bunch of maxed out store cards.

Becoming creditworthy takes diligence and ded ication.

And, whether you’re a Chase customer or not, you can use Chase Credit Journey to monitor your credit score for free as often as you like with out impacting it. Simply sign up online at no cost and start receiving alerts when there are changes to your credit report, or when your personal in formation is exposed in a data breach.

(For more information about taking control of your credit, go to http://www.chase.com/ personal/credit-cards/educa tion/build-credit.)

(This article originally ap peared in Post News Group.)

$400 million Ballmer investment in Black-owned ventures comes at a critical time

by Alan Hughes

For New Pittsburgh Courier

Access to capital— whether through bank ing or investment—is a longstanding challenge for Black entrepreneurs looking to scale their enterprises. But some much-needed capital is entering the marketplace following a $400 million commitment from billion aire investor, L.A. Clip pers owner and Detroit native Steve Ballmer.

The former Microsoft CEO, who according to net worth Fortune magazine has a net worth of $76.9 billion, announced that he would allocate $400 mil lion to investment firms Goldman Sachs, Fairview Capital, JPMorgan Chase, Ariel Investment and GCM Grosvenor. These firms would, in turn, in vest much of that capital with Black entrepreneurs. Hartford, Connecti cut-based Fairview Cap ital, and Chicago’s Ariel Investment rank among

the largest Black-owned investment management firms in the U.S.

The capital comes at a critical time. As econom ic and inflation concerns rise, investment capital tends to dry up—partic ularly in communities of color. Case in point, ven ture capital invested with Black-owned businesses totaled $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2022 and plummeted to $324 mil lion in the second quarter, according to Crunchbase data. When compared

with the second quarter of 2021, during which $866 million was invested, capi tal investments continued to decline significantly. Crunchbase is a market research and business in formation provider.

And this lack of capital isn’t only a Black problem —it’s an American prob lem. Citi Global Perspec tives & Solutions pub lished a report in 2020 that concluded the GDP losses due to systemic and societal racism and discrimination faced by

Blacks over the last 20 years totaled $16 trillion (about $49,000 per per son in the US). The report, titled Closing the Racial Inequality Gaps: The Eco nomic Cost of Black In equality in the U.S., cited gaps in wages, access to housing and higher edu cation and investment in Black-owned businesses as key contributors.

On the heels of the so cial unrest in 2020, the Ballmer Family Office, a private firm that handles investment and wealth management for fami lies, decided to find a way to invest in Black entre preneurs. Through the office’s research, the team determined that Fairview Capital, which has invest ed with Black investment firms for some 30 years, should help determine how best to put some of that capital to work in a manner that is both im pactful and generates healthy returns on that investment.

A fund of mixed financ ing, Fairview Capital in

vests with diverse asset managers who would take that capital and invest in those entrepreneurs whose ventures fit their respective investment strategies. “We’ve devel oped a skill set, knowl edge-based experience, expertise ... to find the best of the best funds that then, in turn, invest in the best entrepreneurs,” ex plains Kola Olofinboba, a managing partner at Fair view Capital. “We’re very optimistic about what this will engender on the backside in terms of form ing businesses, but also generating returns that make this something that perpetuates as opposed to a one-and-done type of event.”

Olofinboba, a medical doctor who earned an MBA in Financial Man agement from the MIT Sloan School of Manage ment is quick to point out that the capital is an investment with an expec tation of healthy returns as opposed to a grant. “It’s very, very important for us

that everything we invest in is for economic gains— for returns that are accre tive to the portfolios of our investors,” he explained.

“And that’s why we have investors [who] have cho sen to partner with us over the years, and this is no different.”

The hope is that Ballmer, who has earned a reputa tion as a shrewd investor, creates a snowball effect and other institutions and high-net-worth indi viduals understand that there are strong invest ment opportunities with in communities of color.

“I believe if people take a serious look at this space, they will realize that it’s very undercapitalized, but it is chocked-full of opportunity,” Olofinboba asserts. “Again, if done properly, [it is possible] to generate returns that are as good as anything else they might otherwise put their capital into in other markets.”

Leaders can come from all places, backgrounds

The author’s first book, “Leader by Mistake: Be coming a Leader One Mis take at a Time,” showed readers how to find their “inner leader” by learning from mistakes and develop ing skills that they already possess to lead confidently.

Her new book, “The Unex pected Leader: Discovering the Leader Within You,” released this fall, is about learning that effective lead ership isn’t constricted to individual silos. It includes:

Examples of how exem plary leadership can show up anywhere

New strategies for imple menting the latest leader ship techniques

Modern lessons on unique and authentic leadership from people unexpectedly thrust into positions where great leadership was essen tial.

Baker said that people hire her company to help their own organization’s leaders be “better leaders.”

Baker said that she gave herself “permission” to thrive as a native Detroiter who grew up on the east side and didn’t come from money or resources.

Baker said that her desire for the book is to help peo

ple to allow the content to redefine them and the lead er within, not box leaders at work.

“Our minds gravitate to the corporate workplace and hierarch, and we’re asking people to think a little differently,” she said,

adding that leadership comes in four styles:

Self-leaders (self-driven, self-advocating)

Leaders of others (par ents, bosses, etc.)

Leaders of a community (mayors, city council, etc.)

Leader of movements (in

dividuals over political, re ligious, movements and the like)

“All of the things I’ve done in my life personally that is a key leadership quality,” she said of delegating tasks to children, organizing par

ties, and more, which trans late well as skillsets. “But why do I forget that when I walk in workspaces?”

“It’s very simple because we spend a lot of time wait ing for permission,” she said, adding that the book is a wakeup call and a calling card.” “Here is a template of tools (for you to) see yourself differently. … The world’s issues are waiting on us to manifest the answer to them.”

“The Unexpected Leader provides a unique perspec tive on what it means to be a leader, whether at work, at home, or in the commu nity, and provides a com pelling case for why we are all everyday leaders in life. Jacqueline M. Baker mas terfully outlines how each of us can strengthen our lead ership skills through tools, frameworks, and real-life examples. In an increasing ly complex world, The Un expected Leader is what we need now more than ever.”

(Sherri Kolade is a Michigan Chronicle reporter)

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASU

Pennsylvania voters won

Pennsylvania voters got it right in last Tuesday’s midterms when they elected Dem ocrat Josh Shapiro as governor and Demo crat John Fetterman to the U.S. Senate.

While votes are still being counted in races across the state and country, Pennsylvania voters may have helped Democrats retain control of the U.S. Senate by electing Fetter man over his Republican opponent Mehmet Oz.

Even if Republicans take control of Con gress, it would not be by the margin predict ed by media and in the polls.

Thanks to Pennsylvania voters, the much-anticipated red tsunami and red wave did not happen.

Pennsylvania voters were not fooled by Oz’s slick debate performance and campaign ads and strongly rejected State Sen. Doug Mas triano, the Republican candidate for gover nor with extreme positions on the issues.

At press time, Democrats appear to be within striking distance of flipping the state House.

“Real freedom won tonight,” said Shap iro after soundly beating Mastriano in the governor’s race by a wide margin. Shapiro pledged to resist Republican extremists who threatened to roll back rights for voting, ac cess to abortion and gay marriage.

Mastriano opposed access to abortion un der any circumstances including rape or in cest. The Franklin County state senator was also an election denialist who continues to deny that Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

Polls showed access to abortion and main taining democracy to be among the top con cerns among Pennsylvania voters.

In Tuesday’s midterm, Pennsylvania voters showed they were opposed to Mastriano’s extremist positions on abortion and on the 2020 election results.

When presented with the choice between Shapiro, who vowed to veto any attempts to curtail abortion rights or voting access, and Mastriano, who would sign those moves into law, voters chose freedom.

The same was true in the race for the U.S. Senate. Oz failed in portraying himself as a moderate and Fetterman as a left-wing ex tremist.

Fetterman actually did better than Biden did in 2020 in White rural towns and consid erably better than Oz in Philadelphia and in the suburbs.

In electing Fetterman, Pennsylvania vot ers chose someone who will protect voting rights, access to abortion, and health care. Lastly it should be noted that both Shapiro and Fetterman were significantly helped by an impressive turnout in Philadelphia. The voters did their job.

(Reprinted from The Philadelphia Tribune)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—To let the pollsters tell it, Democrats were going to get a “drubbing” or a “shellacking” just like the one President Barack Obama experienced in 2010 when Dems lost 63 Congressional seats and 6 Senate seats. In contrast, Democrats seem to have gained one Senate seat, and the Georgia runoff may push the number up to two. There was no “red wave,” hardly even a red puddle. De spite President Biden’s tepid ratings and economic uncertainty, Democrats did not do badly. As of this writing, the partisan makeup of the House of Rep resentatives is up in the air, but even if Republicans take the House, they’ll hold onto it only narrowly. Republican control of Congress will, of course, be a blow to the African American commu nity as key committees are chaired by members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Rep. Bobby Scott (VA) in Education, Rep. Maxine Waters (CA) in Banking, and Finance, Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS) in Home land Security, among others. The 2022 midterm elections remind us that pollsters spew nonsense and raise questions about the very nature of polling. It makes me wonder if the corporate media collaborates with pollsters to maintain the status quo. The pollsters take to the airwaves predicting, among other things, a red wave. Does it encourage people to stay home or to get out to challenge the polls? When the drip drip drip of negative polls is reported as “break ing news” almost every hour on the hour, what impact does it have on the electorate? Who are these pollsters talking to anyway? How many people? What demographic? What methodolo gy? Are they doing internet polls? Are

Julianne

Malveaux

Commentary

they properly sampling Black people? Are they stuck in the dark ages of landline phones (many people don’t have landlines)? Polling methodology is replete with possible errors, and the voters highlighted those. No red wave, just a red puddle. The whole polling enterprise needs to be re-examined. The Democratic Party also needs to be examined. It relies on African American people as its base, yet it is expert in ignoring Black people when distributing resources. Orga nizations like the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, Black Voters Matter, and other independent organization get less support for the Democratic Party than they should. Further, Democratic indifference or belated focus on Black candidates has impacted the outcome of the midterm elections.

North Carolina’s senatorial can didate Cheri Beasley came within 3 percent of winning the election. Beasley got some Democratic Party support, but it was too late. In Wis consin, Mandela Barnes came within 30,000 of winning, but a low turnout in heavily Black Milwaukee condemned Barnes to a loss. Could the Democratic Party have funded a ground game in Milwaukee? Did Mandela Barnes pay enough attention to his natural base? It’s easy to do the Monday-morning quarterbacking about the midterm election. The process of making the

Democratic Party more responsive to Black people is more challenging. Many of us got tens of emails daily from Democrats asking for funds. It was always urgent, accompanied by the promise of a 2 or 3 or 4 times match. How much money goes to candidates, and how much to pollsters and campaign consultants? How many of these consultants work for the Democratic Party, not the candidate directly? I prefer to give my money directly to candidate websites and to support independent voter participa tion activities, especially those that target Black voters.

Neither Democrats nor Republi cans have a majority among voters. Independent voters are unwilling to declare party allegiance, and often willing to split tickets, responding to their assessments of individual candidates, not party affiliation.   This increasing independence, especially among young voters, poses a challenge to both parties. Both democrats and re publicans are experiencing intra-party conflict, which, when combined with gerrymandering, has caused some Democratic losses in usually Dem ocratic New York state. Ideological puritans say they won’t vote for flawed candidates unless they get their way. They need to consider what happens when they fail to vote at all.

The 2022 midterm election will be discussed until 2024. However, I hope the 2022 elections taught lessons. The Democratic Party must invest in its African American base. And all of us must ignore the pollsters.

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

Seven takeaways from 2022 Midterms

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—As the dust settles on the midterm elections and the warnings of a “Red Wave” evap orate, it’s time to take a deep breath and take stock of what we’ve learned. There are many takeaways from the elections this year—and here are a few that top the list for me.

If there’s one thing that’s crystal clear by now, it’s that elections don’t end on Election Night. With more mail-in ballots to count and plenty of close races, it’s normal to wait a few days for final results. So don’t listen to folks who say there’s something suspicious about vote counts that take a while. There isn’t. We have to be patient and make sure every vote is counted.

Another development is that early voting is here to stay. One day before the election, nearly 41 million Amer icans had cast early ballots. Georgia broke its all-time record for early votes. Again, there have been some fearmongers out there throwing shade on early voting, as if it’s somehow not the norm. Ignore them too. Early voting is totally legitimate and a great idea. Do it if you can.

By now we’ve all seen the attempts by far-right activists in Arizona to scare people away from early voting, by camping out fully armed near drop boxes. We have to recognize that the Right may become more aggressive in its efforts to suppress the vote. The Justice Department stepped in this time to protect the vote and it will have a role to play in protecting it in the future; we should expect and welcome that.

Ben Jealous Commentary

These are all aspects of the new normal in our election process. But what about the issues? What are the takeaways there? There’s no question that Americans came out in force to support reproduc tive freedom. In state after state where measures on abortion rights were on the ballot, people voted to uphold those rights. In California, Michigan, Vermont, Montana, and even deepred Kentucky, voters came out for the freedom to control their own bodies. Abortion rights were also among the top issues motivating voters to go to the polls. Exit polls show inflation topped the list with abortion second— and way ahead of crime, which the Far Right had hoped to use as a winning issue against progressives. Of course, the Right’s spin—that progressives’ only answer is to “defund” police— was never accurate anyway, and we shouldn’t ever let that argument about public safety stand. Progressives have plenty of alternatives to offer when it comes to public safety and ending po lice violence. We need to be more clear and more forceful in making that case. As for election deniers on the ballot, it comes as a relief that some of the loudest and potentially most danger ous ones were defeated. Yes, it’s true

that a significant number of them won or kept seats in Congress and lower offices, and that’s deeply disturbing. But Doug Mastriano will not be governor of Pennsylvania, Tim Michels will not be governor of Wisconsin, and Tudor Dixon will not be governor of Michigan. Lee Zeldin will not govern New York, and Derek Schmidt will not govern Kansas. Election-denying can didates lost secretary of state races in Michigan, New Mexico and Minnesota. I’ll go out on a limb and say I hope the Right is learning that election denial ism is not a ticket to victory.

I’ve saved one of the biggest take aways for last, and it’s one that’s close to my heart. It’s the importance of down-ballot races like sheriff, state representative, or city council per son. These candidates don’t get all the attention and the big rallies like folks at the top of the ticket. But these are critical positions where a small amount of support can make a huge difference. They’re also the races where you’ll find rising stars: people like Malcolm Kenyatta in the Pennsyl vania House, Anna Eskamani in the Florida House, and Darrin Camilleri and Sarah Anthony in the Michigan Senate—part of a wave that flipped the state’s senate this year. We need to pay attention to these races, and we need to support these young people who are our future.

Thanks for voting—this time and every time.

(Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and Professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.)

‘Give light and people will find the way’

by Marion Wright Edelman

Allison Palm Office Manager

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher

Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher

Ashley Johnson Sales Director Rob Taylor Jr. Managing Editor

John. H. Sengstacke Editor & Publisher Emeritus

Earlier this year, members of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools team and other colleagues had opportunity to attend a training session near the plantation on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where Harriet Tubman was enslaved and where she returned again and again after her own escape to lead others to freedom. The retreat’s theme was “Give Light and People Will Find the Way,” the title indomitable civil rights movement justice warrior Ella Baker used for one of her training workshops at the Highlander Folk School in Ten nessee. This message is relevant to the CDF Freedom Schools program’s work today teaching young people they can make a difference in themselves, their families, their communities, their country, and their world with hope, education, and action, and the same message could also describe some of the inspiration the team drew from Harriet Tubman’s legacy.

During the retreat, they visited the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Church Creek, Maryland and sites important in her life, including the plantation where her family was en slaved and the dry goods store where she was assaulted and suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child. She was standing inside that store when an enslaved boy ran in being chased by an overseer who ordered Harriet to help grab the boy. When she stood between the boy and the White man and did not move, the overseer hurled

a lead weight at her head, leaving her bloody and unconscious. She suffered seizures, sleeping spells, and debilitat ing headaches the rest of her life, but also began experiencing vivid dreams about God and visions and premoni tions about escaping slavery. Seeing these places and the land where she had to travel and hide reinforced how difficult her mission was and how much courage and determination she needed to possess in order to survive. Now, through the National Historical Park, a state park and visitor center, the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center, and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway, a 125-mile trail that includes waterways and safe houses she and others used as they fled towards freedom, these sites are preserved as a piece of American history that can teach and inspire young people today.

The importance and inspiration of teaching history was also central in the message the CDF Freedom Schools team heard when acclaimed author Carole Boston Weatherford joined the retreat for a conversation. Her books for children and young adults often revisit key moments and people in African American history, and one of her most loved is the lyrical, beautiful Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning book “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom,” illustrated by Kadir Nelson. During the meeting, she asked her listeners to consider how Black history is often taught through a lens of enslavement and oppression. She then challenged them to consider

this question: “Who taught us to be free?”

She continued, “You can’t teach what you don’t know, and you don’t know what you weren’t taught.” She said as she wrote “Moses,” she was inspired by the parallels between Harriet Tubman and the biblical Moses, who both took it upon themselves to free themselves and their people, and she challenged CDF Freedom Schools leaders with a charge to take up that call—teaching the next generation how to be free. These are crucial lessons. Teaching all children about our shared history by exposing them to books by excellent authors like Carole Boston Weather ford and others who are part of the CDF Freedom Schools curriculum, and by taking them to visit import ant historical and cultural sites like the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, are ways of giving children the light they will need to be prepared to plot their own futures. But this midterm election season reminds us yet again that many adults are fighting this idea today, and many are on ballots right now from school boards to statewide offices across the country. Educate yourself about the candidates seeking to represent you and make sure you are prepared with a plan to vote. Once again, we can never take any office or any election for granted. Children cannot vote, but they desperately need parents, teachers, and leaders who will be lanterns, not adults who seek to dim the light.

(Marion Wright Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.)

Wes Moore becomes the first Black governor of Maryland

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Maryland is unique in many ways. While it is one of the smallest states in the nation, it is also the wealthiest state in America for 2022. It has the highest median household income in the country at $86,738. While Maryland is the second state with the highest percentage of millionaires per capita, the state’s wealth is not just exclusive to White communities. For decades, Prince George’s County has carried the unique distinction of being the coun try’s wealthiest majority Black county. Data shows that the title of affluence now belongs to neighboring Charles County. Many people may disagree totally with Republican Gov. Larry Hogan on policy, but there is a sense of relief that Hogan has shielded the state from the full impact of the MAGA movement and spared Maryland from the type of toxic and racially divisive politics usually associated with the current state executives in Florida and Texas. During a speech earlier this year, Hogan, who has always been a critic of for mer President Donald Trump, said he thinks Trump’s potency would wane if candidates backed by the former president start losing in primaries and the midterms in November. We are now in November, and that is exact ly what we are seeing. Hogan argued that voters want someone who offers “a hopeful, positive vision” because they are “completely disgusted with the toxic politics and they’re sick and tired of all the lies and excuses.”

The tale of Amazon and two Black documentaries

By June 2020, there were protests and riots nationwide over the police killings of Black Americans like Breon na Taylor and George Floyd. Amazon, the biggest retailer in the world, placed a “Black Lives Matter” banner at the top of its website to “stand in solidarity with the Black community”.

Amazon received complaints, custom ers felt that the “Black Lives Matter” banner was divisive and were offended.

Amazon’s founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, dismissed the complaints. Bezos said the phrase “Black Lives Matter” doesn’t mean other lives don’t matter, it speaks to racism and the dispro portional risk Black people face when encountering law enforcement.

Amazon stood its ground and re mained in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, but not with the entire Black community.

Months later, Amazon Prime Vid eo refused to stream a documentary called What Killed Michael Brown? because the title didn’t meet content quality expectations and the film was not eligible for publishing. Amazon Prime also told the film’s creators, “We will not be accepting resubmission of this title, and this decision may not be appealed.”

J.

Pharoah Doss

Check It Out

find offensive and accuse Amazon of being on the “wrong side of history”.

So, the documentary What Killed Michael Brown? was “canceled”.

Curious customers that wanted to watch the film, along with right-wing media outlets, complained about cen sorship and accused Amazon of being opposed to ideological diversity and inclusion.

Eventually, Amazon Prime Video streamed the film.

customers or anyone else in over half a decade.

Suddenly, in 2022, there’s a con troversy involving the film Hebrews to Negroes, because NBA star Kyrie Irving shared a link to the film on Twitter. In 2021, Irving became a villain to some and a hero to others by refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine mandated by his employer.

During that time of intense scrutiny, Irving said, “I am doing what’s best for me. I know the consequences, and if it means that I’m judged and demonized, that’s just what it is.”

Rolling Stone magazine decided to demonize him. The magazine said that Irving’s “anti-vax” stance emboldened the far right and that Irving believed in dangerous COVID-19 vaccine con spiracy theories.

From then on, the media thought of Irving as a conspiracy theorist.

When he posted a link to a film that makes claims based on conspiracy theories, the media automatically assumed he agreed with the film’s premise and was trying to promote an antisemitic film to his 4.6 million Twitter followers.

David W. Marshall

Commentary

Unlike Florida and Texas, Maryland is a deep blue state with a 2-to-1 margin of Dem ocrats. For Hogan to have won the election in 2014 and then re-election in 2018, the mod erate Republican was able to put together a coalition of Republicans, independent voters, suburban women, and crossover Democrats. Many of those crossover Democrats were Asian, Latino, and Black voters. Hogan, who is term-limited, refused to support the Repub lican candidate in this year’s governor’s race to succeed him. He described the Trump-en dorsed Republican gubernatorial nominee as “a QAnon whack job” unfit for office. Many Maryland voters agreed, instead electing Democrat Wes Moore, who became the state’s first Black governor. The governor-elect had a resounding victory by winning 60 percent of the vote. He is also the third Black person ever elected governor of a U.S. state since Reconstruction. Doug Wilder of Virginia and Deval Patrick of Massachusetts were the first two. As a Democrat, Moore assembled a sim ilar Hogan-type coalition, this time with Re publican crossover voters.

The former Rhodes Scholar, combat veter an, best-selling author, Wall Street money manager, and former CEO of one of the na tion’s largest anti-poverty organizations is a newcomer to politics. His internal polling last fall showed that he was the choice of only sev en percent of Maryland Democrats. Despite never holding an elected office, Moore was not completely unknown in political circles. He was encouraged to run for office in the past— for mayor of Baltimore and for Congress after the death of longtime U.S. Rep. Elijah Cum mings. “When you meet Wes, you remem ber Wes,” said former Maryland Secretary of State John Willis. Receiving the political endorsement of U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer never hurts. Nor does a celebrity endorsement from Oprah Winfrey. His patriotism resonated with voters re gardless of their political ideology. Wes Moore loves his country, and it became an obvious fact to specific voters who are accustomed to Republicans being the party promoting pa triotism and love of country. He believes it is critical for the next leader of Maryland to articulate that no one political party or move ment holds a monopoly over service to the country. He made it known that you can be both a proud Democrat and a proud patriot. Moore reminded voters that it is the Demo crats who are fighting to safeguard free and fair elections. Compared to MAGA election deniers, the Democrats are true patriots. As a former Army captain, he ran his campaign on the military slogan of “Leave No One Be hind.“ Moore served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2005. “There was something that they taught us on our first day of military training, whether you were Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard…it was simple. Leave no one behind, ever,” said Moore to a campaign crowd. “If you get one of my people, I will send a battalion to go get them if I have to. We leave no one behind.”

When we compare the overall wealth of Maryland to the despair, abandonment, and blight of crime-ridden areas within Balti more City, the poorest residents are undoubt edly left behind. Only time will tell if last ing progress will be made in this area. As a Maryland resident, it is refreshing that the governor-elect understands the plight of the poor and the need to strategically provide state resources to localities in addressing the root causes of crime and public safety. The ex pectations for Moore will be high as the first Black governor. It is not easy being the first Black in any endeavor. But with the help of a Democratic-controlled general assembly, one can see Gov. Wes Moore sending the battalion to Baltimore.

(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.)

Shelby Steele, a well-known Black conservative, wrote the script. The documentary told the story of the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, from the point of view of Ferguson residents who didn’t agree with how the media covered the story and didn’t want Black Lives Matter activists coming into their town.

In other words, the film lambasted the narrative Amazon wholeheartedly embraced a few months earlier. More importantly, the protests and riots, were revered as “America’s racial reckoning,” and Amazon didn’t want to offend a host of “woke” customers by streaming a documentary they would

Meanwhile, Amazon has sold a book called Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America since 2015, and in 2018, the author of Hebrews to Negroes pro duced a 3-hour documentary under the same title. The book and documentary claim that Black Americans are the actual descendants of the biblical Isra elites, modern Jews took their religious heritage from Black people, and mod ern Jews have conspired to cover-up those facts to prevent Black people from knowing their “true” identity.

There’s nothing new about this premise.  It was first espoused in Chat tanooga, Tennessee, by the founders of the Church of the Living God, the Pillar Ground of Truth for All Nations, in 1886. Historians say that this group referred to White Jews as “interlopers” and denigrated them for denying the divinity of Christ.

The title of the book and documenta ry, along with its century old premise, passed Amazon’s content quality stan dards, and it hasn’t offended Amazon

A few very important facts

When Irving refused to apologize for what the media labeled an “antisemit ic tweet,” the NBA suspended Irving for five games, and Nike ended their endorsement deal with the NBA star.

Rolling Stone explained that what makes Irving “so dangerous and ma lignant” is that there are thousands of young Black boys who hear him and believe him.

If indirect influence is the danger, then Amazon is more dangerous than Irving for selling an antisemitic title for over half a decade.

Everyone who was offended by Irving should wonder why Amazon did not censor Hebrews to Negroes: Wake up Black America the same way it cen sored What Killed Michael Brown?.

and questions

from the 2022 Midterm Election to remember

Two million, two hundred and twen ty-four thousand, four hundred and six people, according to one late count, voted for GOP candidate Doug Mastri ano in the recent election for Pennsyl vania governor. He lost but that is still a whole lot of people in Pennsylvania voting for an open, bragging, January 6, reactionary, right-wing zealot. For our information, the 2020 US Census recorded just 13,011,844 Pennsylvania residents.

Josh Shapiro beat Mastriano by the margin of 779,027 votes. Let’s go fur ther. How many Black people, Asians, Latinos and other non-European Amer icans in the state voted for Shapiro? Did the majority of European Americans vote for Mastriano? That is a very, very important question to ask.

Nationwide the pollsters were wrong again. Why, because White folks are in flux swinging from left to right and from right to left, over and over. In that context, and very important, as a friend recently impressed on me, a whole bunch of White folks know their politics are vile and reactionary and they lie to poll-takers

This time around college-educated Philadelphia suburban White women are praised for voted against Trumpism. After apparently weeks of agonizing, praying, and fasting they went to the polls and voted against open right-wing reactionary. What about Black women with similar education and residential characteristics?

Fred Logan

Commentary

And compare the vote, for example, of non-college educated Black and White men. It does not take a college educa tion to reject Trump and Mastriano. If you want empirical evidence go to the intersection of Frankstown and Home wood Avenues in Pittsburgh’s majori ty-Black Homewood neighborhood and poll the non-college Black men you find there on Trump. Also, What parentage supported Mastriano?

A lot of strong valid criticism and condemnations can be and should be hurled at Trump and his fellow travel ers. But they are not hypocrites in one important area. They are open, self-con fessed rabid, right-wing reactionaries. And the White people who voted for Mastriano knew exactly who and what they are voting for. They are not being misled as many White “liberals” and “progressive” apologists for White rac ism still, at this late date, argue.

The Black community is by no means exempt from criticism. But here is a mandatory question to ask USA Euro pean Americans who asked veiled or outright questions about Black politics. Ask them to compare and contrast the

politics of their own particular USA European American ethnic group with the Black community.

You of course have noticed—it’s ob vious—the USA establishment media and pundits never look at how specific White ethnic groups vote on Trump. This is hidden behind a blanket “White” vote.

What was the European American, say German American or Polish American, break down in the November 8 mid term? Many White liberals, moderates, and self-proclaimed progressives will get raging mad if you ask this question. But White rightwing reactionaries will gladly reply, although there is a very good chance that whatever they do reply will be a lie.

The national Black vote is in the van guard against right wing reaction, and The GOP’s open racism guarantees this will continue and grow. The current in ternal grumbling in the national GOP is a power struggle over leadership. Most All GOP factions apparently support the party’s current racist, right wing, reactionary policies, and practices.

But where is the national Black community, this includes Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, and Pittsburgh, in the growing local and national power struggles between “moderate and pro gressive” factions within the Democratic Party? This is another very important question moving on from mid-term 2022.

Cutting the deadly threads is difficult

Pittsburgh, consistent with urban centers across the nation, is enduring persistent gun murder among African American youth. Gun violence is epidemic in our neighborhoods, including attempted mass murder on the doorsteps of a church.

From coast to coast, murderous threads knot around the necks of Black children and chokes them into a lifeless eternity. One end of the choking thread is regretta bly in the hands of Black children. The oth er end is held by White gun manufactur ers and politicians who boldly incentivize firearms production and expansion. The linked threads of economic deprivation, ed ucational failure and social destabilization snakes through the streets, avenues, and alleys of our neighborhoods, strangling vul nerable youth with life ending suddenness.

Cutting the deadly threads is hellishly difficult. The NRA and their acolytes score billions of dollars by making and selling guns. There is an expansive and illegal secondary market for guns and there is no evidence the trajectory that has more guns than people in the United States is going to slow down.

A perverse economic circle exists. Most guns are made in locations far from U.S. urban centers and initially sold legally.

Ron Porter

Commentary

Gun sales produce huge profits which are decidedly not benefiting urban communi ties. The National Rifle Association (NRA) spends millions supporting politicians who hype their belief that urban gun violence will spread to their (reasonably) safe ha vens. In turn, more people buy guns, and the circle keeps spinning.

The perversity of the circular economics that creates a pathway for guns to end up in the hands of poor children is mind-bend ingly obvious. Guns are not being manu factured in Homewood, Northside, or the Hill District. Yet, guns are trafficked along a smooth, paved highway with drive-in effi ciency akin to McDonald’s. Many children are choosing to “have it their way,” with shallow understanding of how they are be ing exploited. The “drive-in” precedes the “drive-by”.

There is no quick fix for urban gun vio lence. Sadly, many Black kids move toward adulthood attending far more funerals than birthday parties. As mentioned above, even funerals are not immune to retribu tive (and indiscriminate) gun violence.

As an African American senior male, I am flooded with fear, anxiety, anger, and frus tration as I face the reality my two sons, six grandchildren and two great-grandchil dren may live for decades in communities where gun profits supersede safety.

Second amendment dogmatists will not be swayed by arguments that disrupt the profitable supply chain that endlessly bloodies our streets. But, if our kids know where the McDonald’s style gun purchase can be made, we can block the driveways.

Children are the future, and they hold the keys to a better tomorrow. Adults must guide them to recognizing the sickness they are being encouraged to virulently spread. The benefits of Black children murdering one another do not lie within our commu nities. There are smiling faces counting dollars, and it ain’t us!

(Ron Porter is a consultant, writer and speaker based in Pittsburgh, PA. Contact at porter@consul trdp.com)

THE PREVENTABLE STUDY

The University of Pittsburgh is studying if taking a statin might help to prevent dementia, disability, & heart disease. Who may qualify:

• Age 75 or older.

• NOT taking a statin.

• No history of heart disease or dementia.

Compensation provided. All study visits can be completed from your home. If interested, call 412-841-1415 or email PATHCDRN@pitt.edu.

OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER

The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania is accepting applications for the position of an Official Court Reporter with an official duty station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Our Court Reporters maintain the courtroom record and produce transcripts of court proceedings according to strict standards. Highly accurate records and transcripts of court proceedings are critical to the administration of justice. Preference will be given to those applicants that are certified realtime. Visit the court’s website at https://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/ employment for complete employment information and how to apply through the court’s online application tracking system. Open until filled. Preference will be given to those applications received by November 29, 2022. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The United States District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania, is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in the workplace.

FIREFIGHTER/LIEUTENANT EXAMINATION NOTICE

The Borough of Bellevue is seeking candidates for the position of fulltime Firefighter/Lieutenant; applications are available at the Borough Administrative Offices, 537 Bayne Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202 between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:30 pm Mondays through Fridays, holidays excepted.

Completed applications will be accepted at the Borough Administrative Offices from November 14, 2022 through 4:30 pm December 16, 2022. No late applications will be accepted.

Qualified applicants will be notified by USPS of the date, time, and location for the written examination.

Elmer Nemeth, Chair Bellevue Civil Service Commission

CHEMICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN PROGRAM INSTRUCTOR

BIDWELL TRAINING CENTER

Instructs adult students of Chemical Laboratory Technician Diploma Program in accordance with PA department of education licensing regulations, accreditation standards, industry regulations and job market demands. Bachelor of Science in related field with at least three years’ experience in said field required. Prior experience teaching, or training adults preferred. Must be proficient in preparing and presenting instruction.

Send Resume with cover letter and salary requirements to hr@manchesterbidwell.org

EOE

MEDICAL ASSISTANT TRAINING PROGRAM INSTRUCTOR

BIDWELL TRAINING CENTER

Instructs adult students of the Medical Assistant Diploma training program in accordance with PA department of education licensing regulations, accreditation standards, industry regulations and job market demands. Diploma in related field with at least three years’ practical work experience in said field required. Bachelor of Science preferred. Prior experience teaching, or training adults preferred. Must be proficient in preparing and presenting instruction in all the following subject areas: Human Anatomy and Physiology, Pathology, Electronic Health Record Systems, Medical Software Applications, Coding (HCPCS, ICD-10, CPT-4 and Revenue), and Medical Claims Processing, and MS Office applications

Send Resume with cover letter and salary requirements to hr@manchesterbidwell.org

EOE

SOUTH FAYETTE TWP.

SCHOOL DISTRICT

Has MULTIPLE FOOD SERVICE POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Complete job descriptions and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org

Applications must be received by 4:00 PM November 17, 2022 or until positions are filled

SOUTH FAYETTE TWP.

SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a: CLASSROOM PARAEDUCATOR

Applications must be received by 4:00 PM November 17, 2022

Complete job descriptions and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org

AFTERSCHOOL COORDINATOR

Connect your passion for working with children with your love of the outdoors! Join Venture Outdoors as an Afterschool Coordinator at the Environmental Charter School in Regent Square. This is a temporary, part-time role for 30 hours/week from January-June 2023 working with 3rd-5th grade. Submit your resume before December 9 at ventureoutdoors.org/about/ employment-opportunities/.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of DAVID EDWARD CIMAROLLI Deceased of Bridgeville, County of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, No.02-22-06193 , Justine Cimarolli, Administrator, 632 Bank Street Bridgeville, PA 15017 or to Robin L. Rarie, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC., 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of EUGENE CLAIR COLEMAN Deceased, of Bridgeville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, No. 02-22-06820, Rosanne C. Rodgers, Executor, 305 Rosewood Drive, McDonald, PA 15057 or to EMILY H. HAMMEL, Atty BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of DILLON, WILLIAM DANIEL AKA DILLON, W. DANIEL Deceased, of Ross Township, No. 06795 of 2022, Sean D. Dillon, 2732 Meadowcrest CT. Wexford, PA 15090, Admin., or to Michael J. Saldamarco, ESQ. STE. 100, 908 Perry HWY. Pittsburgh, PA 15229

Estate of JACK H. DRENNING Deceased, Estate No. 02-22-06611 Late of the City of Pittsburgh, County of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Brian Jack Lowery, Executor c/o 3939 West Ridge Road, Suite B-27, Erie, PA 16506, Attorney: James L. Moran, Esquire, 3939 West Ridge Road, Suite B-27, Erie, PA 16506

Estate of MAHMOUD RAHIM, Deceased of Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, No. 02-22-0747, Omar Rahim, Executor, 4993 Adah Drive, Manlius, NY 13104 or to TODD A. FULLER, Atty, BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, PA, Orphans Court Division, Estate of RUFUS D. SMITH SR., deceased Case No. 022206772. Notice is hereby given that on October 18, 2022, a Petition was filed by Rufus D. Smith Jr. to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Rufus D. Smith Sr., deceased in the real estate located at 3610 Centralia St, Pittsburgh (20th Ward), PA, 15204 and to determine that fee simple title be in Rufus D. Smith Jr. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 60 days of the date of this Notice, Rufus D. Smith Jr. will seek an Order adjudging that Decedent’s title is in him.

NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION

In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, PA, Orphans Court Division, Estate of JANET L WILLIAMS, deceased. Case No. 02-22-6479. Notice is hereby given that on October 6, 2022, a Petition was filed by Gordon Williams to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Janet L Williams, deceased in the real estate located at 2701 Brackenridge St, Pittsburgh (5’th Ward), PA, 15219 (County Tax Parcel No. 10-44-00194) and to determine that fee simple title be in Gordon Williams. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days of the date of this Notice, Gordon Williams will seek an Order adjudging that Decedent’s title is in him.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Notice

TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS

PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER

1110

The Wilkins Township Board of Commissioners will consider adoption of the following ordinance at a public meeting to be held on the 12th day of December 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road, Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania. The complete text of the Ordinance is on file and may be inspected in the Office of the Township Secretary at the aforesaid Municipal Building during normal business hours.

The title and a summary of the ordinance is as follows.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE

#1110 TITLE

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, ESTABLISHING THE COMPENSATION OF THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER, CHIEF OF POLICE, PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE PERSONNEL.

SUMMARY

The Ordinance establishes salaries and hourly wages for the Manager, Department Heads and Administrative Office staff for the year 2023.

TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 1109

The Wilkins Township Board of Commissioners will consider adoption of the following ordinance at a public meeting to be held on the 12th day of December 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road, Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania. The complete text of the Ordinance is on file and may be inspected in the Office of the Township Secretary at the aforesaid Municipal Building during normal business hours.

The title and a summary of the ordinance is as follows.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE #1109 TITLE

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA APPROPRIATING OUT OF REVENUES AVAILABLE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 SPECIFIC SUMS REQUIRED AS SHOWN BY THE BUDGET AND FIXING THE REAL ESTATE TAX LEVY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.

SUMMARY

The Ordinance appropriates specific sums required for the 2023 Budget, fixes the real estate tax levy for the 2023 fiscal year and provides for discounts and penalties on taxes paid and unpaid. The Real Estate Tax levy for 2023 is set at 6.174 mills. The total General Fund Budget is set at $6,554,400.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR ROOFING SERVICES

AUTHORITY WIDE

IFB#300-23-22-REBID

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 Rebid IFB#300-23-22-REBID

The documents will be available no later than November 7, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 AM on November 29, 2022 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 November 29, 2022 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 412-643-2915

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on November 17, 2022 at 9:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 894 8356 0082 Passcode: 486983 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

THE WILKINS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PUBLIC HEARING

The Wilkins Township Board of Commissioners shall hold a public hearing beginning at 6:30 PM on Monday, December 12, 2022 at the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road, Turtle Creek, PA 15145 for the purpose of hearing public comments on the proposed condemnation and demolition of the following properties:

Physical Address: Lot/Block No.: 909 Stevendale Drive, Pittsburgh PA 15221 372-R-202 606 Brown Avenue, Turtle Creek, PA 15145 373-D-195

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY D/B/A/ PITTSBURGH REGIONAL TRANSIT (PRT)

Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.rideprt.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on December 13, 2022 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, at Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527) as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing, for the following:

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

Bid Number Bid Name

1 B220980AR Fire Alarm System Testing and Certification Service 2 REV22-10-105A Vending Machine Service

3 B2211106A EGR Coolers

4 B2211109 Oracle e-Performance & Compensation Module

5 B2211110A Remanufactured-Exchanged Fuel Injectors

6 B2211112 Road Ops Laptops/Mounts

7 B2211113 Overhead Line Heating System

8 B2211115 Employee Apparel

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: bit.ly/3sLWOfg

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) Conference ID: 220 898 412#

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 November 29, 2022, as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conference.

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: • bit.ly/3WkVjCr

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) Conference ID: 484 820 987#

Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by Pittsburgh Regional Transit 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/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (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.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit (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 Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a/ Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

IFB#300-24-22-REBID

The documents will be available no later than November 7, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00 AM on November 29, 2022. 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 10:00 AM on November 29, 2022 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 Legal Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2915

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on November 17, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below:

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 6, 2022, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

Pgh. Old Roosevelt PreK-1, Pgh. Roosevelt 2-5, Pgh. Phillips K-5, Pgh. Mifflin Pre-K-8, and Pgh. Concord K-5

Whiteboard Installations

General Prime

Pgh. Student Achievement Center Elevator Construction & Renovations General, Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical, and Asbestos Abatement Primes

Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on November 14, 2022, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700) 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable.

Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

The Office of the County Controller of Allegheny County, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Contract Awards Room; 7th Floor; Commonwealth Keystone Building; 400 North Street; Harrisburg, PA 17120 will receive bids through ECMS until 11:00 A.M. prevailing local time, Thursday, December 15, 2022. Bids will be opened through ECMS at approximately 11:00 A.M. and can be viewed publicly in the Contracts Award Room for the following:

DEPARTMENT

OF PUBLIC WORKS

BULL CREEK BRIDGE NO. 7 AND NO. 8

ALLEGHENY COUNTY COUNTY PROJECT NO: BF07-0313 & BF08-0312 ECMS NO. 57074

THIS PROJECT WILL BE BID THROUGH PENNDOT ECMS

As a prospective bidder please note the following general Project information regarding Pre-Bid Information, Bidding Requirements, and Contract Conditions. See the Project Manual and Drawings (Proposal for detailed information, responsibilities, and instructions.

PRE-BID INFORMATION: View the Project Manual and Drawings (Proposal Report) on the PennDOT ECMS website (http:/www.dot14.state.pa.us/ ECMS) or in Room 504, County Office Building, 542 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

SANITARY AUTHORITY

LEGAL NOTICE

CONTRACT NO. 1777

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority is soliciting Bids for CONTRACT NO. 1777 – Furnish and Deliver Sodium Hypochlorite. Proposals will be received until 11:00 A.M., Prevailing Time, Thursday, January 5, 2023, at the office of the Authority and then shall be publicly opened and read via Microsoft Teams Meeting. Contact Kathleen P. Uniatowski for Invitation to Bid Opening Teams Meeting at Kathleen.Uniatowski@alcosan.org .

ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities and women to submit bids on Authority Proposals or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to the successful bidders. Successful Bidders are to use minority or women’s businesses to the fullest extent possible. Bid Security shall be furnished by providing with the Bid a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of $1,000.00. The Successful Bidder shall be required to furnish a Performance Bond in the amount of $50,000.00.

To Obtain Contract Bidding Documents send request to Kathleen P. Uniatowski via email at contract. clerks@alcosan.org . Any questions regarding the Technical Aspects of the Project should be directed to Benjamin J. Heilman, Contract Supervisor at Benjamin.Heilman@alcosan.org or 412-734-6204.

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

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

SANITARY AUTHORITY

BIDDING REQUIREMENTS: THIS PROJECT REQUIRES PREQUALIFICATION OF BIDDERS, INCLUDING SUBCONTRACTORS, AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 102.01 OF COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SPECIFICATIONS (PUBLICATION 408/2020, CURRENT EDITION) ON THIS PROJECT. ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH ECMS AND IF NEEDED ADDENDA WILL BE ISSUED ELECTRONICALLY, INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE PROPOSAL REPORT WHICH CAN BE VIEWED THROUGH ECMS.

SUBMIT YOUR BID USING ECMS.

The County Manager reserves the right to reject any and all bids. The anticipated Notice to Proceed for this project is March 13, 2023 and the project is to be completed by December 31, 2024.

CONTRACT CONDITIONS: In accordance with the provisions of the “Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act” of August 15, 1961, P.L. 987, as Department of Labor and Industry, the prevailing minimum wage predetermination requirements as set forth in the Attachments apply to this Project.

The County of Allegheny County hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises / women business enterprises [MBE/WBE] will be afforded the full opportunity to submit bids on the grounds of race, sex, color or national origin in consideration for an award. It is a condition of the bidding process/contract that all responsive bidders/contractors shall follow the minority business enterprises/women’s business enterprises [MBE/WBE] procedures set forth in the project manual/contract documents.

Benjamin J. Heilman Contract Supervisor

Corey