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DECEMBER 23-29, 2020

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African Americans making power moves in corporate world Will only increase thanks to $1 million grant to The Advanced Leadership Initiative

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Andrea Stanford was already going places, even before The Advanced Leadership Initiative’s “Executive Leadership Academy” came to fruition in 2018.

The Westchester County, N.Y., native, who came to Pittsburgh and graduated from the university that bears the city’s name, has been lauded for her professional and community service efforts in the 13 years she’s been in the Steel City.

In recent years, she progressed from a Digital Experience Product Manager at PNC to Assistant County Manager for Allegheny County.

Then came word of a new program specifically targeting African Americans to help propel them into executive-level positions in Pittsburgh-area companies—the Executive Leadership Academy. The first cohort of 23 members graduated in late 2019 after weekend sessions totaling seven months, taught at Carnegie Mellon Uni-

versity’s renowned Tepper School of Business.

The next cohort of 28 members was announced in January 2020, and included in that cohort was— you guessed it—Stanford.

Today, Stanford is the vice president and Pittsburgh regional manager for BNY Mellon.

Stanford’s tireless drive, combined with the connec-

burgh Courier. “I’m quite sure, if you ask her, she will let you know that TALI was very instrumental in building relationships and giving her visibility that allowed her to get promoted in that way.”

The Richard King Mellon Foundation loves the program, too—so much so that the foundation on Dec. 17 provided TALI with a $1

“Supporting Black leadership has been an ongoing focus for us.”

SAM REIMAN R.K. Mellon Foundation Director tions, coaching, mentoring and instruction supplied at TALI’s Executive Leadership Academy, is precisely what Evan Frazier hoped for when he created the idea of the Academy— getting more Blacks into C-Suite level positions in the region’s companies.

“Andrea’s amazing,” Frazier told the New Pitts-

million grant to continue and expand its programs.

“Supporting Black leadership has been an ongoing focus for us,” said Richard King Mellon Foundation Director Sam Reiman, in a statement. “That’s why we seeded TALI with its first six-figure grant in 2018.

And now, we are making an even larger grant...in

ANDREA STANFORD recently became the vice president and Pittsburgh regional manager for BNY Mellon. She was part of the most recent graduating cohort of the Executive Leadership Academy, a program that aims to prepare African Americans for executive-level positions. (Photo courtesy Next Pittsburgh/Becky Thurner Photography) hopes that TALI can seize this remarkable societal moment to generate even greater private-sector enthusiasm for its important work. TALI has enjoyed noteworthy support already, from corporate leaders such as BNY Mellon, Highmark, PNC and

A ‘Church of the

Holy Cross’ Christmas

UPMC. But even more private-sector partners are essential for this ambitious initiative to achieve its full potential.”

“It has always been our vision, from day one, to create a self-sustaining institute that will provide longevity for TALI and its

mission,” Frazier said in a statement. “This grant will be transformational, enabling TALI to build on early local success while expanding reach and impact through expanded areas of focus and a new SEE CORPORATE WORLD A2

Edmonds named Chief Equity/Inclusion Officer for Allegheny County

LISA EDMONDS

CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS, in Homewood, on Dec. 11 brought Christmas presents to kids in Homewood and nearby areas, to the delight of the youth. It’s been a Christmas season unlike any other, and organizations throughout Pittsburgh have tried their best to bring joy to families. Pictured above are Marquis Dennis, Jayson Crew, Elijah Lane, Emari White and Kayla Humphrey. For more photos of the event, see Page A5. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

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Kids ‘Fill The Trunk’ with gifts for others this Christmas season.

See Page A4

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Lisa L. Edmonds has been named Allegheny County’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer and will lead the Department of Equity and Inclusion.

“Equity and inclusion is a big part of what our administration has strived for, and why the decision was made to rename the department and expand its mission,” said Rich Fitzgerald, the county’s chief executive, in a release. “Lisa has been in the department and brings a lot of good experience and ideas to

the table. I’m excited to see what she does there to ensure that we have a government, society, and business community open to all.”

County Manager William D. McKain voiced that he was “looking forward to working with Lisa and the department staff to support an environment at the county that is inclusive and equitable.”

“I am excited to continue leading the department’s efforts to ensure that MWDBEs have SEE EDMONDS A3

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African Americans making power moves in Pittsburgh’s corporate world CORPORATE WORLD FROM A1

national footprint. We are truly grateful to the Richard King Mellon Foundation for this grant and their strategic investments in TALI at critical times over the years.”

Frazier, who’s also the senior vice president of community affairs at Highmark Health, said that the coronavirus couldn’t stop the instruction for the second cohort.

Much of the instruction was done online, and the graduation was held in November, also virtually.

So far, 51 African Americans have graduated from the Executive Leadership Academy. The third cohort of 28 African Americans has already been selected and will be announced in January 2021. Most of the members of the Academy are financially sponsored by the company in which the individual is employed, as Frazier said

notion of lifelong support and learning and engagement” with the alumni for years to come; creating an “Emerging Leadership Program” featuring African Americans who want to be in the Executive Leadership Academy, but may not have enough years of professional work experience or aren’t at the desired managerial level in their present employment; and wanting to impact African American executive leadership development at the national level.

TALI’s future ambitions can’t be achieved by having just one full-time staff member, Frazier said. The grant will help to add staff, as TALI currently has Robert Young, managing director, as its lone full-time staffer.

Frazier said TALI, which currently uses the POISE Foundation as its fiscal sponsor, will offi-

dent, real estate.

And don’t forget about Jeff Davis, a member of the second cohort this year, who recently became a senior vice president in corporate communications at PNC. “Each year, we’re just really pleased that there’s been interest from candidates and companies that want to invest in their talent,” Frazier said.

About 60 people apply for each cohort, Frazier added. “It’s a competitive program.”

But in the Academy’s infancy, Frazier admitted he wasn’t certain it would be a yearly success. He said he was questioned early on if Pittsburgh had enough African Americans in mid-level positions to keep the program going. “But you started to break it down, and you said, ‘How many companies are there in Pittsburgh? There’s hundreds and thousands,” Frazier told the Courier. “Even if you took the big companies, top 100, you mean to tell me a third of them, or a quarter of them, don’t have one Black person they can invest in, in an annual basis?”

That’s when Frazier and MICHAEL D. THOMAS, a member of the Executive Leadership Academy’s first cohort, recently became his supporters realized, PNC’s executive vice president, real estate. “there’s plenty of people here” in Pittsburgh.

And the $1 million commitment from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Frazier said, gives TALI the financial backing it needs to have an everlasting imprint on Pittsburgh’s African American community, primarily by diversifying the region’s executive-level members.

“This has the seeds that can grow into a strong institution that supports the advancement of African Americans in ways that few have done in the past,” said Greg Spencer, founding board co-chair of The Advanced Leadership Initiative and president and CEO of Randall Industries, in a statement.

“The future of TALI and all that it stands for has been strengthened, with this sizable grant,” said Marsha Jones, TALI advisory board co-chair and executive vice president and chief diversity officer at PNC, in a statement.

“We are very encouraged by the support that we are receiving from R. K. Mellon, as we move forward toward securing our long-range mission.”

KENNETH FRAZIER, MERCK & CO.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are just three African American CEOs among the country’s Fortune 500 companies.

JEFF DAVIS, a member of the Executive Leadership Academy’s second cohort, recently became PNC’s senior vice president in corporate communications.

it’s important that local companies, especially the larger ones, are committed to investing in its African American talent.

The $1 million grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation will be primarily used to turn The Advanced Leadership Initiative into The Advanced Leadership “Institute,” Frazier told the Courier. He said now’s the time to cement TALI into the Pittsburgh community: building up and formalizing the Academy’s alumni structure, which will “create the

cially become an independent nonprofit organization by the summer of 2021 and use the name, The Advanced Leadership Institute, Inc. For Frazier, hearing about African Americans advancing to high positions in local companies is music to his ears.

During an interview with the Courier, Dec. 17, he gloated not only about Stanford’s success, but the success of Michael D. Thomas, a member of the first cohort in 2019.

Thomas attained a new job this year with PNC as its executive vice presi-

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Edmonds named Chief Equity/Inclusion Officer for Allegheny County

LISA EDMONDS, fourth from left, was part of the MWDBE Governmental Committee’s 2017 inductees into its Hall of Fame. The other inductees were, from left: Judy McNeil, Duvall Aiken, Ruth Byrd Smith, Chandler D. Wolf and Diane I. Daniels. (Photo by Michael Anthony) EDMONDS FROM A1

maximum opportunity to participate on county contracts,” Edmonds said in the release provided to the Courier. “I am also looking forward to collaborating with current partners and developing new partnerships to share and implement best practices for equity and inclusion which are vital for regional success. We have to listen, look inward, be open to addressing hard questions, and make change.”

Edmonds is no stranger to Pittsburgh or the Allegheny County Department of Equity and Inclusion. The Steel City native was the deputy director of the department from 20052019. She most recently served as acting director of the department, and in that time, she’s expanded collaborative efforts, built key external relationships, educated and created additional opportunities for Minority Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms, and continued to manage the certification program.

The press release also noted that Edmonds served in the Pittsburgh

Mayor’s Office from 19931999 as an Minority Business Enterprise/Women Business Enterprise Technical Assistance Specialist.

Edmonds is also involved with various organizations such as the Southwestern Pennsylvania Engineering Outreach (SPEO) and the MWDBE Governmental Committee that also assist minority and women businesses. She is also a Certified Compliance Administrator (CCA) and received her Master Compliance Administrator (MCA) certifications from the American Contract Compliance Association (ACCA). An electrical engineer, Edmonds earned her degree from Hampton University in Virginia.

The county said that Edmonds was selected as the new Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer even after a rigorous nationwide search was conducted. The release said that Edmonds’ “experience and commitment to the mission of the department stood out.”

Support the publication that is ALWAYS focused on Pittsburgh’s African American community.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS — FROM THE NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

‘Fill the Trunk’ Toy Drive RAENIYAH THOMAS, 6, places toys into the trunk, as part of the Steel City Beauties’ Fill The Trunk Toy Drive, in Wilkinsburg, Dec. 13.

(Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

THE STEEL CITY BEAUTIES—Candece Jacobs, Michelle Gilmore, Millicent Harvey

Presented by the ‘Steel City Beauties’ organization

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RELIGION

DECEMBER 23-29, 2020 A5

MERRY CHRISTMAS — FROM THE NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

A ‘Church of the Holy Cross’ Christmas

Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH 91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 10:30 A.M. www.sbtmparishpgh.com

Church of the Holy Cross in Homewood provides presents to youth in the community

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 Worship Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church Journey Worship...........8:45 a.m.

Sanctuary Worship...........11 a.m.

Taize -Wednesdays.........7 p.m.

Curious about Quakerism?

You Are Welcome at our Meetings for Worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Pittsburgh Friends Meeting 4836 Ellsworth Avenue www.quaker.org/pghpamm/

TYANNE BINION, 13, ZANIAH BINION, 15, AND CAYDENTE BINION, 8, receive Christmas presents from the Church of the Holy Cross in Homewood, Dec. 11. Pictured at right is Christina Harper. The church is located at 7507 Kelly St. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!

For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext.

128.

LIYAH SIMONE 17, ROBIN SEARS, H’EVEN MCBRIDE, 8

AMBER TOWNSEND

MICHAEL MAZUR, 10, SARA MAZUR, OLIVIA MAZUR, 2 MONICA WALLACE, NATHANIEL WALLACE, 10

CARL FOX of Church of the Holy Cross handing Monica Wallace a gift bag.

JAMES P. TRENT, (COACH TRENT) James P. Trent, (Coach Trent) resident of Monroeville, PA went to be with his Eternal Father on Friday, December 18, 2020, surrounded by his family and loved ones at home. He is survived by his wife Helen M. (Palmer) of 18 years. Fondly called “Trent” by his family and friends. Jim was a member of Bidwell Presbyterian Church and joined Covenant Church of Pittsburgh. Jim grew up in the community of Beltzhoover, was a South Hills graduate, received a Bachelor’s Degree from Penn State University, played football for the Nittany Lions and remained a passionate fan. He was also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Jim also received a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. He worked for the Board of Education as a physical education teacher and a respected football coach. After 35 years, Jim retired from Schenley High School and devoted his time to his family. He received numerous awards and acknowledgements for his contributions to the fields of football, basketball, and track. He will be sadly missed by a host of family, friends, coaches and athletes. Jim enjoyed golfing, classic movies, listening to jazz and reading mysteries. In addition, he had a passion for cooking and always enjoyed a hearty meal.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visitation and service will be private. However, family and friends are invited to view his funeral service virtually on Wednesday, December 23rd, at 11:30 a.m. Simply access this link to view: https://www.facebook.com/jared.palmer.9461/ In lieu of flowers, your thoughts and prayers are appreciated. Please send condolences to www.rosefuneralhomeinc.com and comfort cards to the Trent family, 396 Glenwood Drive, Monroeville, PA 15146. A memorial service will be announced to celebrate his life at a later date.

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Police reform: Between the baton and the bullet

J. Pharoah Doss B4

BUSINESS DECEMBER 23-29, 2020

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SHOP LOCAL—From now through the end of December, Wells Fargo is encouraging consumers to “shop local” to support those at the heart of local business communities, online and on social media.

(Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

Wells Fargo launches holiday campaign: ‘Many Hearts. One Community.’

NNPA NEWSWIRE—From local food banks stepping up to meet the steep increase of people seeking assistance, to small businesses adapting to rapidly changing environments, to military service members and front-line workers committed to keeping our communities safe, Wells Fargo said it salutes those working together to support each other year-round, and especially during the holidays.

The perseverance of communities continues to be a shining light during these trying times, and Wells Fargo is celebrating the optimism and determination of our community anchors.

From local food banks stepping up to meet the steep increase of people seeking assistance, to small businesses adapting to rapidly changing environments, to military service members and front-line workers committed to keeping our communities safe, Wells Fargo said it salutes those working together to support each other year-round, and especially during

the holidays.

For small businesses specifically, there are some disturbing statistics that arrived with Small Business Saturday last month, including: • More than 100,000 small businesses have closed since the start of the pandemic • Forty-one percent of Black-owned businesses have closed during the pandemic.

• According to a Small Business Saturday Survey: • Small Business Saturday was more critical than ever this year – many local shops were hoping that the day would provide much needed income boost amid the pandemic • 46 percent of small business owners are counting on above average holiday sales to stay in business in 2021 From now through December, Wells Fargo is encouraging consumers to “shop local” to support those at the heart of our local business communities online and on

social media.

The company also pledged to deploy more than $50 million from its Open for Business Fund to help small businesses during the holidays.

You can read more here: https://stories. wf.com/small-business-holidays-2020.

Wells Fargo is featuring small business owners from across the country in an effort to draw attention to their resiliency during the current economic crisis and their unique stories of perseverance.

Among the Black-owned businesses are: You Go Natural – Dallas, TX Before this year, Monique Little said her business decisions essentially had to do with making a profit for You Go Natural in Dallas.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic began, Little used some of the remnant fabric from her products to make masks to donate to the community, hiring seamstresses in need of work to help with the effort from their homes.

“This year has really highlighted how much our actions as business owners affect lives in our communities, we have a responsibility to add value and give back whenever possible,” Little said.

At first, Little said she didn’t have access to new materials, but her customers were excited about the masks and continued support of her business.

“Once I decided I would make the best of a difficult situation, so many people from the community stood in support,” Little said.

“The best thing we have all done is give one another grace during times of so much uncertainty.”

Dija’s Touch Designs in Maricopa, AZ, also counts among the Black-owned small businesses featured by Wells Fargo.

In addition to running her business, Dija’s Touch Designs, which specializes in African print designs, this year KadiSEE WELLS FARGO B2

Social Security benefits increase in 2021

by Tom Winschel

these costs.

January 2021 marks other changes For New Pittsburgh Courier that will happen based on the increase Nearly 70 million Americans will see a in the national average wage index. For 1.3 percent increase in their Social Secu- example, the maximum amount of earnrity benefits and SSI payments in 2021. ings subject to Social Security payroll tax Federal benefit rates increase when the in 2021 will be higher. The retirement cost-of-living rises, as measured by the earnings test exempt amount will also Department of Labor’s Consumer Price change in 2021. You can read our press release for more information at www.ssa.

Index (CPI-W).

The CPI-W rises when inflation in- gov/news/press/factsheets/colafacts2021. creases, leading to a higher cost-of-living. pdf.

We will mail COLA notices throughout This change means prices for goods and services, on average, are a little more the month of December to retirement, expensive, so the COLA helps to offset survivors, and disability beneficiaries,

SSI recipients, and representative payees. Want to know your new benefit amount sooner? You can securely view and save the Social Security COLA notice online via the Message Center inside my Social Security in early December without waiting for the mailed notice.

If you don’t have an account yet, you will have to create your account by November 18, 2020 to receive the COLA notice online this year. my Social Security account holders can opt out of receiving a mailed COLA notice and other paper notices that are available online. You can choose text or email alerts when there is

a notice in Message Center by updating your Preferences at www.ssa.gov/myaccount/opt-out.htmlso you always know when we have something important for you.

Be the first to know! Sign up for or log in to your personal account today at www. ssa.gov/myaccount. Choose email or text under “Message Center Preferences” to receive courtesy notifications. This way you won’t miss your online COLA notice!

You can find more information about the 2021 COLA at www.ssa.gov/cola.

(Tom Winschel is Social Security District Manager in Pittsburgh, Pa.)

LOVE—The gift that keeps on giving The Holidays are upon us. This is the season to be jolly. First Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and last, the celebration of a New Year. Christmas represents the highest celebration of the big three holidays. As documented by historians, this is a celebration of the birthday of the noblest being to walk the earth. A person of Jesus’ stature is certainly worthy of a day of honor and respect. The sad reality as we approach his day is the fact that we hear less mention of Jesus and more and more mention of Santa Claus. From my perspective, this was a plot by the marketing geniuses of this world to turn a day of celebration into a day of commercialization. Retailers account for 50 percent or more of their profit during this time of the year.

Despite the fact that Christmas has become more commercial over the years, it is one of the few times throughout the year that families come together and enjoy each other’s company. It is one of the few times throughout the year that people attempt to extend a hand to those who are less fortunate. It is one of the few times throughout the year that churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship are filled to capacity. Even though Christmas has become more commercial, there are many great things that happen during this time of the year that we should enjoy and appreciate.

As a financial writer I wanted to write about a gift that keeps on giving. As I began to reflect on this gift, I put my financial mind to the test. This gift had to be something that all can afford, simple, free of taxes, and offered a guaranteed return on investment unmatched by any other investment.

Treasury bonds are simple, free of federal taxes and in some cases free of state taxes. They have the full faith of the U.S. government. Therefore a return should be realized. However, the initial minimum investment cannot be afforded by all. Also, the rate of return on treasury bonds is low when compared to other investments. I want to ensure the return on investment on this particular gift was unmatched by any other investment. As a result I have to rule out treasury bonds.

In the world of finance, as you began to seek out investments with better than average returns, the risk on such investments tends to be great. For a gift to keep on giving, this gift had to be a safe investment. This gift has to have 100 percent certainty that you’ll never lose your initial investment. As a result, I could not consider risky investments

such as individual stocks, futures, commodities and hedge funds.

I want this gift to transcend racial, educational, and social backgrounds.

Mutual funds are known for being diversified. Mutual funds require a relatively small initial investment, thus allowing many to afford them. However, mutual funds are not free of taxes. A well-diversified portfolio of mutual funds should generate a positive rate of return over an extended period of time. The gift that I’m seeking has to produce more than a positive return. It has to produce a return that’s unmatched by other investment. As a result, I have to exclude mutual funds.

I want this gift to be stable enough to withstand the test of time. Real estate has a good track record of withstanding the test of time. Real estate is less volatile than other investments. In most cases it appreciates over time. Both stability and appreciation will allow this gift the ability to keep on giving. The initial investment for real estate, including down payment, closing costs and moving expenses, may be too expensive for everyone to afford. Plus, the ongoing maintenance cost coupled with other

risk factors associated with investing in real estate may create a negative return on investment. Furthermore, it will take three months or more to find a decent property at a bargain price. Christmas is right around the corner. I have to rule real estate out.

I want this gift to be so special that the recipient of the gift will be filled with joy, hope and inspiration. This gift had to be something that the man of the hour (Jesus) would endorse. This gift had to be so valuable that when you receive it, you will want to protect and preserve it.

As I continue to reflect on this gift, I’ve come to realize that no matter how much financial brilliance I can muster, I will never be able to come up with a monetary-based gift that will meet the terms and conditions that I was looking for.

I was blessed to identify the gift that keeps on giving. This gift is something that all can afford. It’s simple, free of taxes, and offers a guaranteed return on investment that’s unmatched by any other investment. This Christmas, may we all give and receive the gift that keeps on giving. The gift I am referring to is LOVE. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

(Money Coach Damon Carr can be reached @ 412-216-1013 or visit his website @ www.damonmoneycoach.com.)

B2 DECEMBER 23-29, 2020

Wells Fargo launches its holiday campaign WELLS FARGO FROM B1

jatu Ahene has made personal protection equipment for first responders and coordinated a fundraiser to provide meals to those in need.

Wells Fargo’s Open for Business grant to a collaboration between LISC and Kiva trustee International Rescue Committee was a lifeline and helped her elevate her business during hard times.

“I’ve been given the opportunity to share the story of my business with the local news and work to provide a platform for other entrepreneurs to do the same as a part of the planning team for African Fest, a collaboration focused on the advancement of African culture in Arizona,” Ahene said.

She said she’s been grateful to her community this year, with customers traveling over an hour to purchase masks and people from all over the world supporting her business.

“Community has meant everything to me,” Ahene said.

“The challenges we’re dealing with have brought us closer. Whether its friends and neighbors checking on me and my girls, delivering food, and more, COVID has reminded us that we’re all in this together and that we need each other to move forward in unity.”

Wells Fargo also has a social media campaign that targets raising $1 million for the American Red Cross.

For decades, Wells Fargo and its employees have helped the American Red Cross prepare for critical needs ranging from blood drives and financial education to responding to disasters domestically and abroad.

During the month of December, Wells Fargo will build upon this relationship by encouraging customers and employees to come together on social media in support of the American Red Cross.

Wells Fargo will donate $5 to the American Red Cross for every post using the hashtag #WFGivesThanks, for a total donation of up to $1 million.

Social posts can thank front-line workers, teachers, military service members, and others who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic, as a collective demonstration of gratitude for their efforts in providing hope and comfort at a time when our communities need it most.

Additionally, Wells Fargo will work with the American Red Cross and the Armed Forces program to unite military families this holiday season and in emergency situations all year-long.

Support of veterans and military service members is at the core of Wells Fargo’s values, and the company is committed to empowering military communities to effectively navigate life’s transitions, achieve ongoing career and financial success, and positively affect their community.

The company also is helping to provide more food for holiday tables Wells Fargo said it has a deep commitment to support people facing hunger through its long-standing relationship with Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States.

Earlier this year, Wells Fargo launched a Drive-Up Food Bank program, in which the company helped reach families facing hunger due to the COVID-19 pandemic by working with local Feeding America member food banks to distribute food at some of the company’s branches and corporate locations.

To extend this effort during the holidays, Wells Fargo will host “surprise and delight” events by directing grants to Feeding America food banks around the country — ensuring there is food on the tables for people who need it most — and fulfilling upon the company’s commitment to help provide 82 million meals to families in need.

Wells Fargo will also contribute $250,000 to nonprofits feeding families in need in countries across our global footprint.

Additionally, Wells Fargo will deploy approximately $50 million through its Open for Business Fund to nonprofits that help small businesses stay open and to provide relief for small businesses during this time of need.

“For many, this will be a challenging holiday season, and at Wells Fargo, we’re working to make the holidays a bit brighter,” said Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf.

“From providing food for people in need, to supporting Main Street businesses, to reuniting military service members with their families, the holidays are about hope, gratitude, and family.

“We recognize that giving is not just needed one month out of the year — it’s something we’re committed to year-round — and we’re heartened by the resilience and strength of the communities in which we live and operate.”

More details about Wells Fargo’s “Many Hearts. One Community.” holiday campaign can be found on the company’s social media channels and Wells Fargo Stories.

BUSINESS

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A Black woman, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, developed the scientific approach to the coronavirus vaccine

by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier

(NNPA)—Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading infectious disease doctor and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, addressed the African American community’s fears of accepting the new coronavirus vaccine.

“To my African American brothers and sisters ... this vaccine that you’re gonna be taking was developed by an African American woman.

And that is just a fact,” Dr. Fauci proclaimed during a recent National Urban League event.

Dr. Fauci noted that Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, a Black woman, has been at the forefront of the vaccine process.

He added that it is vital to recognize the U.S.’s history of racism that’s led to great mistrust from the Black community.

Dr. Fauci exclaimed that the vaccine is safe.

“The very vaccine that’s one of the two that has absolutely exquisite levels – 94 to 95 percent efficacy against clinical disease and almost 100 percent efficacy against serious disease that are shown to be clearly safe – that vaccine was actually developed in my institute’s vaccine research center by a team of scientists led by Dr. Barney Graham and his close colleague, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett,” Dr. Fauci stated.

Dr. Corbett, 34, is an accomplished research fellow and the scientific lead for the Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis Team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Vaccine Research Center (VRC).

According to her biography, Dr. Corbett received a B.S. in Biological Sciences, with a secondary

DR. KIZZMEKIA CORBETT major in Sociology, in 2008 from the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar and an NIH undergraduate scholar.

She then enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology in 2014.

A viral immunologist by training, Dr. Corbett is known for using her expertise to propel novel vaccine development for pandemic preparedness.

Appointed to the VRC in 2014, her work focuses on developing novel coronavirus vaccines.

Dr. Corbett has 15 years of expertise studying dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, and coronaviruses.

Along with her research activities, Dr. Corbett is an active member of the NIH Fellows Committee and an avid advocator

of STEM education and vaccine awareness in the community.

“History books will celebrate the name and achievements of Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, the Black Woman who was the leader in developing the COVID-19 Vaccine,” Barbara Arnwine, president and founder of Transformative Justice Coalition, wrote on Twitter.

“She developed the specific scientific approach to mitigating the coronavirus.”

COVID-19 has disproportionately affected African Americans, who make up a large percentage of the more than 290,000 U.S. residents to die from the virus.

One study released by the COVID Collaborative, the NAACP and UnidosUS revealed that 14 percent of Black Americans trust a vaccine will be safe, and 18 percent trust it will be effective.

Much of the concern stems from pervasive racism in medical research and healthcare, notably the 1932 Tuskegee experiment.

“I would say to people who are vaccine-hesitant that you’ve earned the right to ask the questions that you have around these vaccines and this vaccine development process,” Dr. Corbett told CNN. “Trust, especially when it has been stripped from people, has to be rebuilt in a brick-by-brick fashion. And so, what I say to people first is that I empathize, and then secondly is that I’m going to do my part in laying those bricks. And I think that if everyone on our side, as physicians and scientists, went about it that way, then the trust would start to be rebuilt.”

(By Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent.)

OneTen vows to hire 1 million African Americans in high-paying jobs

by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier

OneTen, a coalition of leading executives, said it would work to hire 1 million African Americans into family-sustaining jobs with advancement opportunities over the next decade.

The coalition joined forces to upskill, employ, and advance the hires as a method to chip away at the economic barriers plaguing African Americans.

“This is a moment in time for Americans to move past our divisions to come together and reach our full potential as a nation,” Ken Frazier, the chairman and CEO of Merck and a OneTen founder stated.

“Our country’s workforce of the future will be an increasingly diverse one,” Frazier proclaimed.

“Through the creation of one million jobs for Black Americans over the next ten years, OneTen has the potential to address persistent inter-generational gaps in opportunity and wealth,” Frazier remarked further.

In addition to Frazier, other OneTen founders include Ken Chenault, chairman and managing director of General Catalyst and former chairman and CEO of American Express; Charles Phillips, the managing partner of Recognize and chairman of the Black Economic Alliance; Ginni Rometty, executive chairman and former CEO of IBM; Kevin Sharer, a former chairman and CEO of Amgen and former faculty member at Harvard Business School.

Each of the founders serves on

the Board of OneTen – Frazier and Rometty serve as co-chairs.

“In this moment when all Americans share an aspiration for greater economic opportunity, leading executives and employers across industries are taking action to make a meaningful, measurable and lasting systemic impact on racial and economic justice and to create a more equitable society,” the founders noted in a news release.

OneTen connects employers with talent partners, leading non-profits, and other skill-credentialing organizations that support diverse talent development.

“OneTen links our companies with the critical work we know we need to do to improve racial equity in America,” Rometty added.

“This will not only help our individual companies, but by removing structural barriers that have disproportionately hindered Black Americans from joining the middle-class, it will also help lift all Americans,” Rometty continued.

OneTen members include Accenture, ADP, Allstate, American Express, Amgen, Aon, AT&T, Bain & Company, Bank of America, Cargill, Caterpillar, Cisco, Cleveland Clinic, Comcast, Deloitte, Delta Air Lines, Eli Lilly, General Motors, HP Inc., Humana, IBM, Illinois Tool Works, Intermountain Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Lowe’s, Medtronic, Merck, Nike, Nordstrom, PepsiCo, Roper Technologies, Stryker, Target, Trane Technologies, Verizon, Walmart and Whirlpool Corporation.

The organization noted that it’s looking forward to welcoming ad-

ditional members, including small and medium-sized businesses, which power the majority of the U.S. economy.

In a statement, the founders pledged that OneTen would work with employers, education partners, and upskilling partners to design educational and employment solutions.

Together, these partners will better develop, retain, and advance diverse and underrepresented talent, more broadly, but with an explicit commitment to hire or promote Black Americans without four-year degrees, the founders added.

OneTen’s role in the talent ecosystem will be local, reflecting the workforce development landscape, and focus on reducing exclusionary hiring practices, identifying robust and new talent sources, and ensuring that adequate and equitable career pathways for advancement exist.

In January 2021, the organization will begin working with partner employers to improve workplace inclusivity practices and will connect talent providers to partner employers shortly after that, the founders continued.

“By bringing together a coalition of key leaders and asking them to make long-term commitments, we have the ability to change employment practices and help break down systemic barriers opening the door to full participation in our economy,” Rometty said.

(Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent.)

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

DECEMBER 23-29, 2020

B3

COVID-19: Keeping safe for the holidays

Guest Editorial

Let’s slow the virus in Pennsylvania A day after revealing his own COVID-19 diagnosis Gov. Tom Wolf announced new restrictions including a temporary halt on school sports and other extracurricular activities, closing gyms, theaters and casinos, and banning indoor dining at restaurants.

“We all hoped it would not come to this,” Wolf said at a virtual news conference last Thursday. “The current state of the surge in Pennsylvania, though, will not allow us to wait.

We need to slow the spread right now in order to save lives. If we don’t, we’re going to be in big trouble.”

The restrictions took effect Saturday and will remain until Jan. 4.

They include an indoor gathering limit of 10, an outdoor gathering limit of 50 and capacity restrictions at retail stores.

The temporary ban on sports includes K-12 public schools, nonpublic schools, private schools and sports at the club, travel, recreational and intramural levels. Wolf said professional and collegiate sports may continue without spectators.

The clampdown is going to hurt many Pennsylvanians, especially small businesses owners and their employees.

Republican lawmakers accused Wolf of abusing his powers. Business groups also oppose the restrictions, with Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President Gene Barr predicting they’ll result in “economic devastation” and a longer road to recovery for businesses already reeling from the pandemic.

But the news restrictions appear to be unavoidable as state officials seek to respond to the worsening pandemic.

The state is now averaging 10,000 new confirmed cases a day and has a record number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Some hospitals are running out of intensive-care unit beds, and more than a third of hospitals in southern Pennsylvania anticipate staffing shortages, according to the state Department of Health.

Health system executives and front-line medical workers alike said that the COVID situation was increasingly dire and required the state to act.

“As soon as a bed opens, it’s filled again,” Mitchell Davis, a Pittsburgh nurse, said in a statement distributed by the state’s largest union of health care workers. “We need support from the community, support from the government, and support from our employers to be able to fight this and win.”

Pennsylvanians like most other Americans seek to return to normal but tight restrictions are still necessary after weeks of exploding case numbers and sharply rising hospitalizations and deaths.

As the nation awaits the delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine, we can all help slow the spread of the coronavirus by continuing to follow the guidelines outlined by public health officials: Practice social distancing. Wash your hands. And stay home as much as possible.

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm

Rob Taylor Jr.

Jeff Marion

Office Manager

Managing Editor

Circulation Consultant

John. H. Sengstacke

Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—After almost eight months of quarantine, face masks, and hand sanitizer, we are now in the middle of two unprecedented events: the COVID-19 pandemic and the first holiday season under measures that have changed how we carry out our family traditions. The reality is clear; according to a Kaiser Family Foundation’s health tracking poll, twothirds of the public are worried they or their family will get sick from the coronavirus. These disruptions brought with them some very difficult emotional and mental challenges. Sadly, they are the result of the demands we have all been put under in adapting to the danger of this coronavirus.

You don’t have to be a genius to have known that the mental and emotional toll of this pandemic wasn’t going to be pretty; and it’s not. Think about how it is affecting each of us on a personal level: illness or fear of illness, social isolation, economic insecurity, disruption of routine and loss of loved ones.

The impact is real, and we can’t kid ourselves, many of us living with some degree of depression and/or anxiety.

On top of that, we have a generation or two of children and young people who are looking to us to guide them through. Our lives have been turned upside-down, but we must remember that our children and young people are impacted by the stress of their parents and other adults around them.

So, if we are struggling with our own mental health during the holidays, you can believe that our young people are impacted as well.

Throughout the history of Blacks in this country, family and community have sustained us, even in the darkest moments of the racial inequities that have always existed. What’s being asked of us now is to do something that is unlike anything we’ve ever thought possible—celebrate the holidays and honor family traditions without being together.

Let’s not make the mistake of thinking that just because the holidays are here, we can just immerse ourselves

Glenn Ellis

Commentary into them, oblivious to the “wear and tear” of having spent the entire past year in the grips of one of the deadliest pandemics in history. This is especially true if you had a preexisting mental health issue, are a low-income individual, person of color, or close to someone who suffered or died from COVID-19.

Enough time has passed for researchers to look at just how bad has this pandemic affected our mental and emotional health. A Boston University study found that the rates were higher than what we saw after 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina. Yet, unlike 9/11 or Katrina, COVID-19 isn’t something bad that happens, and then we get back to “normal”. It’s not going to work like that, and many of us are hopeful for a way to contain or control the virus; not hoping to return to “normal”.

The many ramifications of this virus have made it clear; things can never be like they were before.

The consequences for mental and behavioral health are clear; spikes in interpersonal violence, suicide, and substance abuse. Homicide rates are already upwards of 50 percent than the previous year, prior to the pandemic. Hospitals aren’t seeing a measurable rise in domestic child abuse, but the severity of the injuries that children coming to the emergency room with are far worse and violent than anything seen in the past. The economic impact on many families has led to feelings of frustration and uncertainty in relation to the inadequate basic supplies of food, water, clothes etc.

It’s tough, but we are all going to have to try our best to manage the

stress and anxiety of this very different holiday season, under these unimaginable circumstances. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reminds us that the safest way to celebrate the winter holidays is to celebrate at home with people who live with you.

Gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu.

We must remain vigilant in our understanding and respect for the deadly nature of COVID-19, and keep in mind the things that contribute to the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 at small in-person gatherings. The CDC provides some factors in how this pandemic is spreading to inform your decision and acceptance of how things have to be this holiday season: Community levels of COVID-19; Exposure during travel; Location of the gathering; Duration of the gathering; Number and crowding of people at the gathering; Behaviors of attendees prior to the gathering; Behaviors of attendees during the gathering. These are too many things on the list that are out of our control for us to be a responsible decision and determine to maintain our past holiday traditions.

As we all do our best to go through this unusual holiday season— Thanksgiving, Christmas, Diwali, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year’s, or whatever (or however) you and your family celebrated in the past—I’d like to “preach what I practice”: I may not be able to spend this holiday with my loved ones this year, but I’m willing to spend this time apart so we can be with them next year and the year after that.”

(The information included in this column is for educational purposes only. I do not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a replacement form of treatment for physical, mental or medical problems by your doctor either directly or indirectly. Glenn Ellis, MPH is a Visiting Scholar at The National Bioethics Center at Tuskegee University and a Harvard Medical School Fellow in Research Bioethics and Writing.)

Foreign policy reset under Biden?

(NNPA)—Among the subjects that have been the source of speculation regarding the incoming Biden/Harris administration is the matter of foreign policy. Trump went much further than previous presidents, including George W. Bush, in advancing a unilateralist approach towards the role of the United States overseas. What should we expect under Biden/Harris?

The first thing to be clear on is, ironically, the essence of Trump’s foreign policy. Trump has been repeatedly called an isolationist, leading many people to believe that he wanted the USA to withdraw from the world.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. What he wanted was for the USA to not be constrained by any international agreements such that it could do whatever it wanted, whenever it wanted. This, by the way, is the essence of “isolationism” in the USA. Biden is cut from a different cloth.

Much like Obama, he has been very consistent in supporting the expansion of global capitalism and particularly what came to be known as economic neo-liberalism. But his approach prioritized a working relationship with other major capitalist powers, though with the operating assumption that the USA would serve as ‘chairperson of the board’ among the global powers. This approach certainly did not advance peace; in fact, various wars were either

Bill Fletcher Jr.

Commentary initiated or continued under this banner. But it was more predictable.

Biden ran for the Presidency under the banner of restoring sanity and respectability within the USA. While most of us are in favor of both, the Biden/Harris tendency will be to see sanity and respectability as a return to past foreign policies. This will, more than likely, include uncritical support of Israel (and, in this case, politely ignoring the Palestinians); continued contention with China and Russia; a possible restoration of US participation in the Iran nuclear accord; an insistence on US as the gate keeper of the Western Hemisphere; and more reliable international agreements. It may, also, involve a renewal of free trade agreements.

In other words, a very mixed bag and, overall, not one that, on its own, will strengthen a tendency towards justice, even where there are positive elements.

There is much more, of course, but the long and the short of it is that a

peaceful and just future cannot be found in the past. It cannot be found in more subtle and ‘rational’ attempts at US global dominance, nor with the US being part of the global oligarchy dominating the planet. A radical reshaping of US foreign policy must be undertaken not only for the future of the USA, but the future of the planet. We live in a world where the slightest mistake can set off regional conflicts, not to mention thermo-nuclear war.

For these reasons, not only can we not afford to remain passive about matters of foreign policy. We must take an active approach in pressing the Biden/Harris for something dramatically different.

We need, in a nutshell, a foreign policy that de-militarizes; that abandons spheres of influence; that repudiates free trade agreements that undermine the ability of countries in the global South to economically develop; and that emphasizes international cooperation in order to address the environmental catastrophe.

I realize that many of us think that discussions of foreign policy are a luxury. I think that is dead wrong: it is a necessity if humanity wishes to survive the 21st century.

(Bill Fletcher Jr. is the executive editor of globalafricanworker.com and a past president of TransAfrica Forum.)

Dangerous rhetoric + false claims = violence and havoc in American cities (NNPA)—President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election and his and the Republican Party’s dangerous actions and rhetoric are now causing damage that might not easily be undone.

Led by the Proud Boys, whom Trump infamously asked to “stand back and stand by,” Pro-Trump demonstrators wreaked havoc on the nation’s capital over the weekend, clashing with counterdemonstrators at Black Lives Matter Plaza.

The result was several stabbings, at least 23 arrests, and the vandalizing of historic Black churches in Washington, D.C. Two police officers were reportedly injured and transported to a local hospital.

There were other demonstrations and unrest in cities around the nation as organizers of “Stop the Steal,” which reportedly is linked to pro-Trump operative Roger Stone, and church groups urged people to gather for “Jericho Marches.”

Protests also occurred in Georgia, a state where Trump’s campaign has sought to overturn President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory, and Mobile, Alabama.

In the Washington state capital of Olympia, local media reported that one person was shot and three arrested after clashes between pro-and an-

ti-Trump protest groups.

The Proud Boys clashed in all-out brawls near the White House, the Supreme Court, and Black Lives Matter Plaza, with D.C. Police using pepper spray to break up several melees.

Reuters reported that about 200 members of the Proud Boys, wearing combat fatigues and ballistic vests, flashed white nationalist hand signals while carrying helmets as they menaced people in the nation’s capital.

While flying to a college football game in New York, Trump directed the Marine One helicopter to fly over the protestors, where he basked in the cheers they heaped upon him.

“This is all because Donald Trump can’t accept defeat,” said Carol Gray, a Washington, D.C., resident who said she and her boyfriend were “heartbroken” to see Black Lives Matter banners ripped from churches and other sites by the Proud Boys.

“This is so dangerous for a United States President. It’s the bloodiest of all stains America has seen since Jim Crow and slavery for [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell and all of those Republicans who are backing Trump in his plot to overthrow the government and in his plot to destroy democracy,” Gray remarked.

Her boyfriend, Rashawn Hilton,

agreed.

“As bad as 2020 has been, I don’t think anyone in this country, or around the world, would have ever thought they’d see an American President instigate what might eventually be a civil war,” Hilton offered.

At least 50 federal and state court rulings have upheld Biden’s victory. Most recently, the U.S. Supreme Court— which includes three Trump appointees —rejected a lawsuit filed by Texas and backed by Trump seeking to throw out voting results in four states.

That hasn’t stopped Trump and many in the GOP from falsely claiming the election was rigged or stolen. Many believe if Trump or GOP leaders would take a stand by refuting the false claims about the election and denounce the Proud Boys and other violent groups, America could return to some political normalcy.

“Notice how quiet Senate GOPers are about their Proud Boys White supremacist terrorists trashing D.C. last night and causing chaos with fights, stabbings, and bare [bottoms] on display?”

Singer Ricky Davila tweeted. “It’s who they are and who they represent.”

(Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent.)

B4 DECEMBER 23-29, 2020

Black voters should see themselves in congressional staff (NNPA)—As the new Congress prepares to take office and members of the U.S. House and Senate make key staff hires, it’s time for careful scrutiny of the diversity reflected within the ranks of congressional staff. This is particularly true following an election in which Black voters were critical to its outcome.

More than 70 civil rights groups, including African American Mayors Association, Black Futures Lab, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), have formally called on new members of Congress to increase the numbers of staff of color within the mid-level and senior ranks of congressional offices. Our advocacy is particularly important right now, in the period between Election Day and the formal start of the new Congress when most key staff are hired.

While we saw marginal improvement in senior staff diversity after the election in 2018, the lack of diversity among senior congressional staff of both parties is longstanding.

The data is sobering, if not surprising.

People of color account for nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population.

Yet, Joint Center research found that people of color account for just 11 percent of Washington, D.C.-based senior staff in Senate personal offices. These

Dr. LaShonda Brenson

Commentary include positions like chief of staff, legislative director, and communications director – the most influential staff positions in Congress.

Unfortunately, our 2018 report also found that the House was only narrowly more representative with staffers of color comprising just 13.7 percent of senior roles.

And this inequity remains true for Republicans who represent large numbers of Black voters and for Democratic members who often depend on Black voters as a critical component of their electorate.

There’s not a single Black senior staff member in the personal offices of the Republican Senators who represent Mississippi and Louisiana, despite the fact that African Americans account for a third or more of the population in these states.

Similarly, though Black voters made up 37 percent of Democratic voters in Virginia in 2016, and 47 percent of Democratic voters in Maryland, there’s not a single Black person holding a senior staff position within the offices of the Democratic Senators who represent these states.

Meanwhile, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is leading by example among congressional Democrats, with Black staff representing just over 53 percent of CBC top staff—compared to just 2.1 percent of the senior staff of White Democratic members of the U.S. House. Only 35 percent of African Americans in the United States live in districts represented by CBC Members, but 78.5 percent of the Black top staff in the U.S. House are employed by CBC Members.

This data is particularly troubling at a time when we desperately need more, not fewer, Black staff who can advise Members of Congress in better understanding and responding robustly to structural inequality, racism, and anti-Blackness.

Yet, there is an opportunity for change.

There will soon be at least 60 new members of the U.S. House and there could be as many as nine new Senators. With each appointing a chief of staff, legislative director, and communications director, that amounts to 207 senior positions. Far more of them should be filled by talented African Americans.

Continued progress will require that congressional leadership bring real resources to bear. More Congressional offices should formalize diversity and inclusion plans and measure progress.

And all offices should focus on diversifying mid-level positions like press secretary and legislative assistant to further bolster the pool of talent that can eventually step into top positions.

Without question, some members can rightfully point to Black staff serving as state or district directors, or to improvements in the diversity of non-senior staff.

But at a time when the pandemic and economic turmoil has fallen disproportionally on Black people, robust representation of Black Americans in senior roles matters now more than ever.

Real progress is possible, but it will require that Members of Congress choose action over the status quo. And it demands that we hold them accountable for doing so.

(Dr. LaShonda Brenson is the Senior Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.)

FORUM

Police reform: Between the baton and the bullet Recently, former However, since nothJ. Pharoah Doss President Barack ing looked worse on Obama said, “I video than footage of guess you can use a police officer hitting a snappy slogan someone with a club, like defund the tasers were recompolice, but you lost mended to replace a big audience the them. minute you say it Three years ago, …If you instead Reuters reported say let’s reform there have been the police department so that every1,005 incidents in the United States in body’s being treated fairly …Suddenly which people died after police stunned a whole bunch of folks who might not them with tasers since 2000. Many of otherwise listen to you are listening to the casualties were among society’s you.” most vulnerable. A quarter of the Obama’s comments didn’t discourage people that died were suffering from proponents of defunding the police; it a mental health breakdown or neudisappointed them. rological disorders. In 9 of every 10 Proponents of defunding the police incidents, the deceased was unarmed. know police departments have underMore than 100 of the fatal encounters gone reform for decades, but unarmed began with a 911 call for help during Black people are still being killed by a medical emergency. Most indepenthe police at disproportional rates. The dent researchers agree deaths are rare demand to defund the police comes when tasers are used properly, but the from activists abandoning “police probability of dying from a taser shock reform” for punitive measures against in a police encounter may be incalcupolice departments. lable due to a lack of official data. No Decades ago, police reformers wanted government agency tracks fatalities in to reduce baton beatings like the Rodpolice incidents where tasers are used. ney King incident. Today, proponents of A former police officer turned crimdefunding the police want to stop police inal justice professor and advocate shootings. (If you’re thinking George for abolishing prisons wrote a book Floyd wasn’t shot by the police, maybe called: “In Defense of Flogging.” The you didn’t notice activists were shoutex-cop wrote, “The problem—and our ing “defund the police” since Michael shame—is that prisons, though never Brown.) However, in between reformdesigned for this purpose, have become ing the baton and reducing the bullet, the only way we punish. In an ironic there’s been an extreme problem that twist we designed the prison system to barely gets attention. replace flogging. The penitentiary was A decade ago, a writer for Police Mag- supposed to be a kinder and gentler azine explained, experts felt the use of sentence.” batons contributed to them becoming Image-conscious police reformers exobsolete. “If you asked most Americans pected tasers to be a “kinder and gento draw a portrait of ‘police brutality,’ tler” weapon that would rid the public odds are it would show a cop with a mind of police brutality preformed with baton or some other club.” a baton.

Defenders of the baton claimed the But, in an ironic twist, the replaceweapon filled a necessary use-of-force ment has become worse than its predegap between “fisticuffs and firearms.” cessor.

Check It Out

Health care, voting rights and pandemic recovery at stake in Georgia’s runoff election (TriceEdneyWire.

Marc Morial com)—“Support for the majority-vote plan reinforced the moderate segregationist position. It did not remove anyone’s right to cast a ballot, but it was commonly regarded as hampering African Americans— the stigmatized bloc voters—from making their votes count more effectively at the polls. In similar fashion, especially following passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, southern white politicians devised electoral techniques to offset the rising power of Black ballots.”— Civil Rights in America: Racial Voting Rights, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2007 In most states, the winner of an election is determined by a plurality—the candidate with the highest number of votes wins, regardless of whether that number is a majority of votes.

In Georgia, however, if no candidate wins a majority, the top two vote-getters face one another in a runoff. In 1962, the Supreme Court struck down Georgia’s old “county-unit system, a “kind of a poor man’s Electoral College” that had been created 45 years prior to amplify rural voters’ power while disadvantaging Black voters.

The runoff was instituted to undermine the influence of Black voters. The segregationist state representative who proposed it, Denmark Groover, had been defeated in an earlier race and blamed his loss on “Negro bloc voting.” In 1990, the Department of Justice sued to overturn the runoff system, saying it has had “a demonstrably chilling effect on the ability of Blacks to become candidates for public office,” and calling it “an electoral steroid for White candidates.” The Department cited elections in more than 20 Georgia counties “where at least 35 Black candidates won the most votes in their initial primaries, but then lost in runoffs as voters coalesced around a White opponent.”

Now, almost 60 years later, a voting system that was designed to dilute the Black vote could result in the election state’s first Black U.S. Senator.

On Jan. 5, two runoff elections for Senate will take place in Georgia. Neither candidate in either race earned more than 50 percent of the vote in the November 3 General Election.

Voters there will choose between incumbent Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat by Governor Brian Kemp last year, and challenger Rev. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Martin Luther King

Commentary

Jr.’s former congregation.

They will also choose between incumbent David Purdue, a businessman first elected to the seat in 2014, and challenger Jon Ossoff.

The results will determine which party controls the Senate for the next two years. If the challengers win, the Senate will be split 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris able to cast a tie-breaking vote.

In other words, the election will determine whether the Biden agenda will receive a fair hearing, or face a level of obstructionism unprecedented until Barack Obama’s presidency.

The outcome of these elections will determine whether Congress passes a coronavirus stimulus bill that provide more aid for struggling businesses, jobless workers or cities and states facing massive layoffs of frontline workers like police, firefighters, healthcare workers and teachers.

President-elect Biden’s proposed COVID-19 response plan calls for expanding coronavirus testing resources and increasing the country’s capacity to make personal protective equipment by leveraging the Defense Production Act. He has also backed legislation that would create a separate COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Disparities Task Force.

The outcome of these elections will determine the future of the Affordable Care Act. At risk is the insurance coverage for 20 million Americans who have gained coverage either through the exchanges or through the expansion of Medicaid. Millions more are facing the loss of coverage because of preexisting conditions—including, possibly, the more than 13 million who have been infected with coronavirus.

These elections could determine the future of the Voting Rights Act. It has been almost a year since the House passed the Voting Rights Restoration Act, which would reinstate the parts of the act that were stripped out by the Supreme Court in 2013. The bill has been stranded in the Senate.

Also stranded in the Senate has been the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a plan to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve by addressing systemic racism and bias.

For more information about the Georgia runoff election, including key dates, visit www.ReclaimYourVote.org.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Commentary Why Harris’ Senate seat is so important The instant that Joe Biden tapped California Senator Kamala Harris as his VP running mate, the murmur was: Who will fill her seat if Biden wins? Should it be a Black woman because Harris is a Black woman?

Should it be a Latino because California has never had a Latino senator? Or should it be a bonafide progressive no matter the color or gender? The murmur is no longer a murmur. There’s now fierce jockeying for her replacement. Advocacy groups of one stripe or another demand that one of theirs fill her seat.

The fight over Harris’s replacement is a high stakes battle for a lot of reasons. Start with California. It’s the biggest, most populous, richest, most politically trend setting state. It’s also the nation’s most ethnically diverse state. This gives it clout and a cachet far greater than any other state. But there are also the towering problems that come with being a big, prosperous, non-stop growth state. Land, water use, development issues, business growth, taxation and revenue flow, transportation and infrastructure improvements are contentious issues that always spark furious fights between political, industry, and watchdog activist groups.

That’s just the start. California is the poster state for an America which in the next couple decades will be a majority-minority nation.

Hispanics, Asians, and Blacks will outnumber Whites. This will have even more stark implications for racial, social, and political change in the country. The nation’s ethnic growth pain has been felt in California for a long time on an array of heated issues from gentrification to affirmative action battles.

There is also the great worry over California’s other senator, Dianne Feinstein.

She took much heat from many Democrats for what they called her listless, aimless non-challenge at the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing of hard right SCOTUS nominee Amy Coney Barrett.

Many openly question whether Feinstein is operating at full power. There are calls for her resignation. Feinstein almost certainly won’t resign, at least any time soon.

So, getting the right occupant in the junior senator seat is even more crucial. He or she will have to carry a lot of political water for the state going forward. The senate is simply to vital to not have the right person in the post.

It not the House, or even the White House, is the real name of the game in American politics. A GOP controlled senate in which its majority leadership can repeatedly delay, dither, obstruct, gut and torpedo initiatives and legislation of a Democratic president from the budget to appointments at nearly all levels.

The senate is the ultimate in an elite, upper crust gentleman’s political body. Senators get six-year terms. In the early years they were the landed and propertied gentry. The senate is loaded with a labyrinth of arcane procedures and rules. This ensures that only the most moderate, finely honed, and compromised legislation is passed. The senate’s dominance doesn’t end with fine-tuned legislation, but appointments and confirmations.

It is the sole determiner of who sits on the high court, the lower court benches and who bags key spots in federal agencies. These are all top-grade posts that initiate, make, and implement crucial policy decisions after many congresspersons are long gone. The Senate Majority Leader has virtually dictatorial control over which of the president’s nominees are put to a confirmation vote.

The devastating result of that power was on full brute and naked display with the dozens of judicial and agency posts that were endlessly delayed, or outright sabotaged by the GOP controlled senate.

With Biden in the Oval Office, California’s two Democratic senators are poised to play an even bigger role in the coming legislative battles. A major part of the battle will be over federal revenue and spending. Much depends on California getting as much of the fed budget pie as possible.

Reapportionment almost certainly will increase California’s political standing and clout. Since it’s based on population growth, the state will get more representatives. This will bring increased pressure on the two senators to be strong advocates for progressive policies. Harris began to fill the role of a strong, vocal advocate for progressive causes. This served her well, brought her to the attention of Biden, and eventually made her the top candidate to be his running mate.

Biden needed Harris in part because of her progressive bluntness and in part because of her California senator pedigree.

Her replacement then must have the requisite blend of being a progressive, with legislative acumen, the ability to work across the aisle, and the know how to work the levers of congressional lawmaking. It’s not a position for OJT. They’ll have to hit the ground running to deal with the crushing needs and demands of the state and its constituents.

The names of seasoned politicos have been bandied about as Harris’s likely replacement.

They all bring something to the political table. But the one who is the complete package is Congresswoman Karen Bass. She has the political and legislative savvy, and bipartisan respect needed for the tough task ahead.

She can hit the ground running. California Governor Gavin Newsom will make the pick.

It should be Bass.

(Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst.)

New Pittsburgh Courier

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DECEMBER 23-29, 2020

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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Help Wanted

Legal Notices

SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a High School Biology Substitute Teacher: Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Deadline 4:00 PM January 4, 2021 EOE SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT CLASSROOM PARAEDUCATOR Complete job description is available at: www.southfayette.org Please e-mail your application to SFAPPLY@Southfayette.org Place in the subject line Last name, first name, position Deadline: 4:00 P.M., January 8, 2021, or until position is filled EOE CHIEF OF EMS Our client, a leading 24-hour emergency medical services organization based in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, PA is seeking a Chief of EMS to provide daily coordination and supervision of Lieutenants, EMTs, and Paramedics. The chief acts as the HIPPA Compliance Officer and ensures a safe working environment. Provide leadership at all levels of the organization. Establish and maintain an effective management team. Oversee field operations and act as the decision maker for day-to-day operational issues, including, but not limited to crew assignments, maintenance, etc.

The Chief represents the organization to the public and ensures the Authority’s interests are best represented. The ideal candidate is an experienced professional in the EMS system who remains current on the practices and methods of EMS administration, quality assurance and patient care.

Qualifications and experience: •High School diploma or GED equivalent (required) / Bachelor’s Degree (BA/BS) in EMS Administration, Health Care Administration, Public Health, Business Administration, or a related field (preferred).

•Minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience in an emergency medical services entity.

•Must possess a valid Paramedic Certification (PA eligible) and maintain active status based upon current standards and criteria established by the Pennsylvania Department of Health •Minimum of 10 years of EMT-Paramedic experience.

•Possession of National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians – Paramedic license.

•Valid Pennsylvania driver’s license or the ability to obtain a PA license.

•Credentialed by the National EMS Management Association (preferred) as a Supervising Paramedic Officer, Managing Paramedic Officer or Fellow of the American College of Paramedic Executives. Credentialed by the Commission of Public Safety Excellence preferred.

Physical Demands •Works in an office environment, sitting at a desk, using office equipment such as computer, printer, copier, fax, shredder, etc.

•Visual acuity sufficient to view work on a computer screen.

•Ability to travel to various meeting sites for seminars or continuing education courses, and to attend meetings at other locations away from the main office.

•Ability to function as paramedic on calls when necessary.

•Ability to lift and carry patients onto various patient movement devices, bending, stooping, walking on uneven surfaces, etc.

•Ability to safely drive vehicles, including emergency transport vehicles.

Interested Candidates can apply for this position by submitting their resume to: recruiter@bradleypartnerships.com or via our website: https://www.bradleypartnerships. com/careers Equal Opportunity Employer LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of MARSHA GILMORE A/K/A MARSHA A. GILMORE, Deceased of Pittsburgh, PA Estate No. 022006516 of 2020, Sharmar Gilmore Admr., requests all persons having any claims or demands against the named decendent’s Estate to make known the same, and all persons indebted to the Decedent to make payments without delay to Aministrarix Gilmore c/o, Irene M. Clark, Esq., 8908 Upland Ter, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 Estate of BLANCHE DELORES FORCUCCI A/K/A FORCUCCI DELORES BLANCHE , Deceased of 1264 Lakewood St, Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No. 022003952 of 2020, Ryan Forcucci Extr., 1264 Lakewood St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15220 to Louis C. Coles, Esq, 41 Stratford Court, Carnegie, PA 15106

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FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to the provisions of the Fictitious Names Act of Pennsylvania that an application for Registration of a fictitious name (was/will be) filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for the conduct of a business under the fictitious name of BEVERAGE SWAGG DESIGNS AND GIFTS with its principal office or place of business at PITTSBURGH, PA 15204. The names and addresses, including street and number, if any, of all persons who are parties to the registration are: LaShawn Juanell Fields, 3402 Clearfied Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15204

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY The Community College of Allegheny County Board of Trustees will hold a meeting on January 14, 2021. The meeting will be held virtually beginning at 4:00p.m. and streamed on CCAC’s YouTube page. A copy of the Board meeting agenda will be made available for review on the College’s website (www.ccac.edu) Comments regarding items scheduled for action by the Board may be submitted via email to brichardson@ccac.edu by no later than 3:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting. Comments will be read into the record, up to a maximum of three minutes each.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES ADVISORY BOARD 2021 MEETING SCHEDULE The Children, Youth and Families (CYF) Advisory Board Meetings for the calendar year 2021 will be held virtually the first Tuesday of every quarter, from 4 – 5:30 p.m. Check the DHS website for meeting links, changes, and updates.

The CYF Advisory Board 2021 meeting schedule is: March 2 June 1 September 7 December 7 Marc Cherna Director Allegheny County Department of Human Services ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES MENTAL HEALTH/INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY ADVISORY BOARD 2021 MEETING SCHEDULE The Mental Health/Intellectual Disability (MH/ID) Advisory Board Meetings for calendar year 2021 will be held virtually on the second Tuesday of every other month, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Check the DHS website for links, changes, and updates.

The MH/ID Advisory Board Meetings for 2021 are scheduled as follows: January 12 March 9 May 11 (joint meeting with Drug & Alcohol Planning Council) July 13 September 8 (joint meeting with Drug & Alcohol Planning Council) November 9 Marc Cherna Director Allegheny County Department of Human Services ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES DRUG & ALCOHOL PLANNING COUNCIL 2021 MEETING SCHEDULE The Drug & Alcohol Planning Council Meetings for the calendar year 2021 will be held virtually on the second Wednesday of every other month, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Check the DHS website for links, changes and updates.

The D&A Planning Council Meetings for 2021 are scheduled as follows: January 13 March 10 May 11 (Second Tuesday, joint meeting with MH/ID Advisory Board) July 14 September 8 (joint meeting with MH/ID Advisory Board) November 10 Marc Cherna Director Allegheny County Department of Human Services

America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

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LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Public Notice

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY NOTICE TO PUBLIC Pursuant to 55 PA Code 5100.12 and 5100.81, Allegheny County Department of Human Services Administrator of Mental Health Services hereby provides public notice of the approved and designated facilities that are available to provide involuntary emergency examinations, involuntary treatment or voluntary treatment funded in whole or in part

by MH/OID funds. The following are the facilities in Allegheny County to which a person may be taken pursuant to Section 302 of the Mental Health Procedures Act: Allegheny Valley/Alle-Kiski Hospital Forbes Regional Hospital Heritage Valley-Sewickley Hospital (will move to Heritage Valley-Kennedy at a later date) Jefferson Hospital Ohio Valley Hospital St. Clair Memorial Hospital UPMC-McKeesport UPMC-Montefiore UPMC-Presbyterian UPMC-Shadyside UPMC-Western Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) VA Pittsburgh Health System-University Drive Campus (Veterans only) Limited Designated Facilities (authorized and designated for involuntary examination and treatment) East End Behavioral Health Hospital (formerly LifeCare) Southwood Psychiatric Hospital Check Allegheny County DHS website for updates.

Marc Cherna Director Allegheny County Department of Human Services

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 a.m. on January 15, 2021 and will be read at 11:15 a.m., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information for the Bid Opening), for the following: Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority. org)

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Bid Number B201298A B201299 B2012100A B2012101

Bid Name Meritor Drivetrain Parts Direct Fixation Tie Plates EGR Coolers - Cummins Engines Drop Table System Replacement

Paper Proposal - Documents are available for the following item at Port Authority’s Main Offices 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15222-2527

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Bid Number B200975A

Bid Name Off-Site Record Storage & Service

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 a.m. on January 5, 2021. Please contact the respective Contract Specialist for Tele-Conference dial-in information. Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged. Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port Authority 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 and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Port Authority of Allegheny County 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 reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on January 12, 2021, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: Service & Maintenance Contracts at Various Schools, Facilities, Facilities & Properties: -Gas and Oil Burners, Boilers and Furnaces Inspection,Service, and Repairs (REBID) -Fire Extinguisher and Fire Hoses Service and Maintenance (REBID) -Concrete Maintenance (REBID) Various Schools Carbon Monoxide Detectors Phase III Mechanical and Electrical Primes Pgh. Mifflin PreK-8 Various Asphalt and Concrete Repairs General Prime Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on December 7, 2020 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 nonrefundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

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America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

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To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

B6 DECEMBER 23-29, 2020

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

MERRY CHRISTMAS — FROM THE NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

1 Nation Mentoring pays off multiple families’ layaway balances at Walmart

1 Nation Mentoring is an organization in Pittsburgh that empowers positive behavior, promotes healthy life decisions and cultivates leadership qualities in Black youth ages 12-24. Kevin McNair, Lloyd Cheatom and Sam Morant began the organization a few years after they served as Heinz Fellows in Pitttsburgh Public Schools in 2013 and felt that some students’ needs weren’t being met. On Dec. 12 and Dec. 13, they surprised some Pittsburgh families by paying off their layway balances at Walmart in North Versaillles. It was the true meaning of paying it forward.

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