ONYX Magazine March / April 2007 by Onyx Webmaster

JERRY HENDRIX: His Role as VP of Regulatory and External Affairs for the State of Florida

PRSRT STD U S POSTAGE PAID ORLANDO FL PERMIT # 678

Motown Experience in Jacksonville Help Is on the Way 2007 Onyx Awards Nominees support our sponsors: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida & UFShands Jacksonville

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H O W C A N B L U E H E L P YO U ? 2

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Onyx Magazine

CONTENTS Volume 10, Number 2 March / April 2007

Motown Experience

28 C&C Pharmacy: Personal Touch

COVER STORY

Jerry Hendrix, talks about his role as Vice President of Regulatory and External Affairs for the State of Florida and of the concern for adequate service in an industry that continues to rapidly become more sophisticated day by day.

DEPARTMENTS

26 FEATURES

By Lucia Reid

FLORIDA SCOPE

ETIQUETTE–– the Etiquette Exam

MAKE-UP: “Spring into a Fresh New Look”

HAIR TIPS

MOVIE REVIEW: Diving into Documentaries

PHOTO GALLERY: the 2007 Onyx Community Awards

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Safe Driving for Seniors Baby Teeth Not a Baby Matter Teen Bound for Success

Help Is on the Way Deltaʼs Celebrate Foundersʼ Day Husband & Wife Pharmacy Bring Personal Touch to a SW Orlando Community

Motown Experience March / April 2007

FEEDBACK comments: “ I was reading the November/December 2006 issue, and thoroughly enjoyed every page. From the ads to the articles. The information is quite informative, and with pride, I see the work of our commitment to the mission we strive for. I was especially proud to read the article on the CFBNA / Health needs in Florida. I know we strive to spread the word on the Health needs in Central Florida. Thank you Onyx for your support. I have shared the articles with many of my friends. I would also like to request a copy of the same issue mailed to me. Thanking you in advance.” Hortencia Owens comments: “This is my first time ever hearing of and reading your magazine. I must say that I am very impressed, it’s not too busy with advertisements but just enough, not too busy with the “glitz and glam stuff”; but just enough. Your focus on the communities and what’s going on in those communities is wonderful. I am seriously, seriously considering subscribing to your magazine. I do have a couple of questions, first question, How does the editor feel about having articles/features on local Christian Leaders and their ministries? Question 2, how does the editor feel about featuring a monthly column with inspirational readings or poetry/poems? I think your magazine has the potential to be one of the greatest magazines for African Americans out there. The name alone is priceless. Keep doing such wonderful and professional work. Victoria Zanders

To Order, Go to www.DYMBeauty.com

FROM THE EDITORS CELEBRATING 10 YEARS Twelve years ago, we, the editors of Onyx Magazine approached our pastor, Dr. Randolph Bracy, concerning a dream that had been placed in our spirit. We wanted to launch a wedding magazine geared toward African Americans. However, it turned out to be more of an undertaking that either of us anticipated. The publication was geared toward a national audience, but most of our support came from Atlanta, Georgia. After a year and a half, we were convinced that it wasn’t working. So we discontinued the wedding magazine and took a survey to find out what was missing, as it related to African Americans, in the world of communication. We didn’t have to look far for the answer. It was hard to find a local or regional magazine that directly addressed the concerns and interests of African American’s in the State of Florida, and harder still to find a consistent flow of positive stories coming out of the Black community. We knew they were there, they just needed to be printed. Having been a media specialist in the Orange County public schools for 27 years, this was a concern that had plagued me throughout my career, and now, with both of us retired, we decided to collaborate and make a difference for our people. We discussed the idea with our daughter, Cheryll, and asked her to suggest a name that was simple and relevant. Without hesitation, she suggested the name “Onyx”. We sought advice from our pastor, Rev. Randolph Bracy, who gave us the names of a couple of his friends in Jacksonville, where the magazine actually got its start. They were, Sheriff Nathaniel Glover and Dr. Richard Danford, President of the Jacksonville, Urban League. Not only did he suggest these people, but he got on the phone and called them. He told them that we were his members and he wanted them to take care of us. You see, we knew no one in Jacksonville except a few college classmates with whom we had lost contact.

to the prospect of being our first sales executive. Representative Corrine Brown, to whom we will always be grateful, allowed us to use her office to introduce the magazine to a few invited guests. Those present included Chief Spates, whom Sheriff Glover sent, because he couldn’t attend. For us, it was the best move he ever made. Others in attendance were Reginald Bythewood, Dr. William Simmons, David Williams and a few others. When the first magazine was printed, Lewis Siplin, Church’s Chicken franchise owner and presidents of the East Coast African American Chamber opened their building for the kick-off. He was our first cover story, and he vowed, that night, that he would always be supportive of the magazine, and he was. He remained in the magazine as an advertiser until he sold his Florida franchises. Soon after the kickoff, Chief Spates invited us to a Shands Jacksonville Board meeting. At that meeting, he introduced the magazine and announced that Shands would be supportive by advertising on the sponsor level. At that point, Elizabeth Means picked up the ball and has remained faithful to this day. About two years later, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida came on board as a result of a meeting with Tony Jenkins and Margaret Johnson and a subsequent interview with Cyrus Jollivette, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs. Although it has been a struggle, because of Shands and BCBSFL, Onyx has been able to keep its commitment to meeting the needs of African Americans around the state. We have proven ourselves with longevity and an increasing readership. Thank you all for your support. We ask that you continue to read Onyx. We hope you will enjoy the stories in this issue.

Meanwhile, one day the phone rang. It was Reginald Bythewood, a friend from whom we hadn’t heard or seen for quite sometime. He told us that he was in Jacksonville and was open

With warm regards,

Lillian & Lester Seays

Correction: In the January/February 2007 issue of Onyx Magazine, the article, “Rev. Rudolph Mckissick, Sr. to Receive the Lifetime Achievement Award” It was erroneously stated that he had retired. He has not retired. 6

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HE’S GIVING HIGHER EDUCATION

A WHOLE NEW MEANING

Florida Medallion Scholars seeking an Associate Degree may receive 100% tuition and fees at community colleges.

Meet Bright Futures Scholar Barrington Irving He’s always dreamed of flying. And with the support of a Bright Futures Scholarship, he’s surpassed even his own expectations. Because beyond becoming a commercial pilot, he also aspires to be the first African-American to fly solo around the world. Barrington Irving is just one of the 262,000 Bright Futures Scholars who’ve soared to new heights because you play the games of the Florida Lottery. To learn more about Barrington and his upcoming historic journey, visit www.experienceaviation.org. flalottery.com © 2007 Florida Lottery

When you play, we all win.

Seniors should follow a basic checklist to ensure they remain

“road-worthy:”

SAFE DRIVING FOR SENIORS Article provided by BCBS of Florida

It’s your spunky grandmother still driving the family sedan at the ripe old age of 90, or that older gentleman you see getting behind the wheel in the parking lot of your neighborhood Publix, Florida residents have long been accustomed to sharing the road with older drivers. After all, the Sunshine State boasts one of the highest percentages of residents over the age of 65 – nearly 17% of the state’s population is eligible to join AARP. And seniors, more active and fit than ever before, are pushing back against the notion that they must reduce or even curtail driving completely as they get older. While physical changes that could infringe on the safety of others may indeed be cause to hand over the car keys, medical professionals emphasize that there’s plenty seniors can do these days to keep driving safely. “People expect certain changes as they get older and they feel they have to stop doing things, not because they should, but because they don’t take care of themselves well enough,” says Janet Crozier, Senior Educator for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. Crozier wants to remind seniors to take full advantage of their health benefits, and to be proactive. “Keeping up with your health is so important. That way, you can continue your daily activities, whether it’s driving, or shopping, or anything that gives a person pleasure and independence,” she says. Declining or dimming vision, decreased strength and stiff joints, slowed reaction times, hearing loss, and the other realities of aging can all take their toll on driving ability. According to the American Association of Retired Persons, about 20% of people 55 and over have impaired hearing; 30% of seniors 65 and older do. So both Crozier and AARP say seniors should follow a basic checklist to ensure they remain “road-worthy:” • Have hearing and vision checked regularly. Peripheral vision and depth perception tend to decline over the years.

your ability to drive. Some drug combinations can impair driving ability. • Begin an exercise program to improve flexibility and maintain strength. Staying fit can help your ability to safely maneuver your automobile. • Take a driver refresher course to keep on top of your driving skills. • Think ahead before you get behind the wheel. Make sure your trip is mapped out in advance and try not to drive during rush hour or bad weather. • Be cautious. Use day/night settings on the rearview mirror to cut down on headlight glare, and turn on the headlights in rain or poor weather. • Minimize left turns. Many seniors report they keep driving safely well into their 80’s and 90’s simply by allowing more time for a journey by reducing or even eliminating left turns along their route. Another tip: if you feel your driving has become uncertain, occupational therapists with specialized education in driver rehabilitation can give comprehensive driving evaluations, and develop a specialized program to improve driver safety through retraining, exercises, compensation strategies, even adaptive equipment. Seniors should also be alert to any major vision changes, unexplained dizziness or fainting spells, and frequent, chronic or severe pain, as all can impact their ability to drive safely. But with a little proactive health maintenance, growing older doesn’t mean you have to give up driving. Remember, no one loses his or her driver’s license simply because of age, and staying mobile is a vital component of many seniors’ overall life satisfaction. “The key is to just be aware of maintaining your health, while being realistic about physical changes,” says Crozier, “so you can be as independent as possible.”

• Check with your doctor to make sure current and new medications don’t impact 8

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Baby Teeth––

By Talena R. Mathis,

Not a Baby Matter Next to hearing the words “ma-ma” and “da-da”, one of the most exciting events that parents can witness is the eruption of their baby’s new primary teeth. For some new moms and dads, it marks one more reason to break out the digital camera. The sad reality is that oral care in young children is a disparity among our population and it’s no laughing matter. Facts provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) show the severity of this growing health issue: • Although dental caries (tooth decay) is largely preventable, it remains the most common chronic disease of children aged 5 to 17 years—4 times more common than asthma (42% versus 9.5%). • Once established, the disease requires treatment. A cavity only grows larger and more expensive to repair the longer it remains untreated. • Fewer than 1 in 5 Medicaid-covered children received at least one preventive dental service in a recent year; many states provide only emergency dental services to Medicaid-eligible adults. • Poor children have nearly 12 times more restricted-activity days because of dental-related illness than children from higher-income families. Pain and suffering due to untreated tooth decay can lead to problems in eating, speaking, and attending to learning. For this reason, the community and schools have taken a proactive approach in educating and empowering parents to take control of this life affecting disease in children - tooth decay. Tooth decay is the name given to a dis10

Special Projects Coordinator, Shands Jacksonville Community Affairs

ease which is characterized by severe cavities and rotting of the teeth as a result of poor oral hygiene. Many parents feel that it is not necessary to start brushing until a full set of teeth have come in. However, moms and dads can begin cleaning their child’s primary teeth with a soft damp washcloth as soon as they begin to erupt. It is not necessary to use toothpaste until after age three as the baby gets more teeth and understands how to spit out any excess toothpaste. Excess use of fluoride containing toothpaste can lead to permanent white or brown discoloration of a child’s tooth enamel, also known fluorosis of the teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests scheduling your child’s first dental office visit once the first tooth appears, to take preventative measures against tooth decay. Community based programs designed to decrease the risk of children getting cavities, do so through fluoride treatments and sealants. Fluoride can be obtained simply by drinking tap water. Children in communities with water fluoridation experienced 29% fewer cavities. In fact fluoridated water has been one of the greatest dental health achievements. Unfortunately, as abundant as water is, as of August 2005, only 67% of individuals on public water systems received the benefits that fluoride provides. The other available source of fluoride can be rendered at routine dental visits. Sealants are thin layers of plastic coatings which are applied and become hardened under UV light. Once bonded, sealants form a tooth colored barrier which prevent decay from forming. By preventing decay, they help preserve tooth structure

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and save money associated with treatment procedures in the long run. Because they can only be applied to the chewing surfaces of molar teeth, they should not be used as an alternative to fluoride. Parents also need to monitor bottle sucking and facilitate age appropriate weaning. A baby should never be put to bed without cleaning traces of milk and other liquids from the teeth. Also, never put a baby to bed while sucking on a bottle unless it contains plain water. Doing so can cause bottle mouth tooth decay - a condition where the child’s teeth are severely pitted and/or discolored. It is strongly recommended that babies be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months. Other habits that a parent needs to monitor are thumb and pacifier sucking. At age one, have your child become acquainted with the phrase, “my mouth is made for food”, and fingers, objects, crayons, money, bottles and pacifiers do not belong there. By doing so, you will be protecting your baby from harming himself and her dentition. At the same time, you will be taking preventative measures against these habits which necessitate corrective treatment in the form of orthodontic appliances such as braces. Diet also plays a part in your child’s dental health. Foods and drinks high in sugars, carbohydrates and fructose should be minimized in children’s diets. Not only are these foods the primary contributors to dental disease and decay, they also lack nutritional value. While they should not be eliminated altogether, moderation and March / April 2007

balance is the key. Replace kool-aids with natural fruit juices or water. When smart food choices and nutritional snacks are introduced by parents early in a baby’s life, a child simply can not miss what they’ve never had. If you feel that you need more guidance and recommendation for your child’s dental health there are many resources and options available to you and your baby. UF & Shands Jacksonville provides Pediatric services at both the Eastside Family Practice and Soutel Family Practice and Pediatric Center locations. Walk-ins are welcome at Eastside Family Practice. Adolescent services are also available at the Sickle Cell Clinic location. You can set up an appointment to see Dr. Rohan Dial, who can give you a referral for dental healthcare. Making an appointment is easy. As with any disease, prevention is the key to remember in keeping your child from getting cavities. March / April 2007

So now that baby’s got new teeth, moms and dads can look forward to helping their child maintain good dental hygiene. New babies can’t take care of them on their own, so parents it’s up to you to determine the dental health of your child’s future. Make it a “healthy-wise” choice today.

For more information on how to contact one of our clinic locations, contact one of our clinics: Eastside Family Practice (904359-9696), Soutel Family Practice and Pediatric Center (904-633-0500) or C. B. McIntosh Adolescent Services, Sickle Cell Program at 555 W. 11th Street (904-244-4472

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Onyx Magazine

TEEN BOUND FOR SUCCESS

When Lo’Real Butler saw Erica Dunlap, win the 2004 “Miss America” title, she became her role model and the inspiration needed to pursue her own dreams. She knew she had what it took, an aggressive spirit, fortitude, leadership and talent. For those reasons, this young lady is headed for success. Traveling the same path, as Erica Dunlap, the 13 year-old seventh grader at the LaVilla School of the Arts entered the local teen pageant, a preliminary step in the direction of her ultimate goal. Lo’Real is the daughter of LeRoy and Rhodesia Butler. She has two younger sisters, Gabrielle and Danielle. She is academically successful having acquired a GPA of 3.3, and she’s no stranger to “winning.” She is the National Dance Competition Solo winner. Other enriching activities include her involvement as a teen counselor for River Region of Jacksonville, Greater Jacksonville Pop Warner Cheerleader and dancer, also a past Jacksonville Jaguar Jr. Roar and a member at New Life Evangelistic Center where she ia a part of the Youth Choir, Step Team and Dance Ministry. The title, “Miss River City Jacksonville’s Outstanding Teen” is a stepping stone and learning experience for Lo’Real, because it offers young teen girls the opportunity to gain additional life experience, work on issues of importance to society, enhance personal and professional skills and develop performancerelated and other talents. Lo’Real’s title is a preliminary title in the Miss Florida and Miss America Teen System. She now has the awesome opportunity, to be the youngest and the first African American Teen winner to repre sent Jacksonville, April 13-15, competing for the title of Miss Florida’s Out standing Teen. Says this young achiever, “To me education and community involvement are important. I do not feel Miss River City Jacksonville Out standing Teen should only be a pretty face, but should have the poise and intelligence to represent the city of Jacksonville. I have all of these qualities and much more.”

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FLORIDA SCOPE VCHD REDUCES FLU SHOTS TO $12

Thompson’s Service Continues Through Illness

DAYTONA BEACH - The Volusia County Health Department (VCHD) has reduced the price of flu shots from $25.00 to $12.00. The vaccine is no cost to Medicare Part B participants not belonging to an HMO.

ORLANDO - Representative Geraldine F. Thompson announced to her colleagues and House of Representatives leaders that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will begin treatment immediately.

“We are seeing mild to moderate flu activity in Volusia County and as long as there is flu activity in the county people can still benefit from vaccination,” said Andre Ourso, Epidemiologist for the Volusia County Health Department. “The flu season typically peaks in January or February in Florida but can peak as late as March or April.

During a breast self-examination, Rep. Thompson discovered a lump in her breast. After the biopsy returned positive for cancer, her surgeon removed a 1.9 centimeter malignant tumor from Rep. Thompson's right breast at Health Central Hospital in Ocoee, Florida. To continue treatment, Representative Thompson will begin a series of chemotherapy treatments on February 9, 2007.

Influenza is a serious disease with 36,000 deaths reported nationwide each year and 200,000 people hospitalized. Health experts say the best way to reduce chances of getting the flu is with a vaccination. “We see this as a one time opportunity to reduce the price in hopes of ensuring more people take advantage of the flu vaccine this season,” said Thomas R. Coleman, M.D., M.S., Director of the Volusia County Health Department. “It is better to reduce prices now for those who want it, instead of waiting until the end of flu season and throwing away the surplus vaccine.” Flu shots are available at all VCHD clinic locations: · Deland, 1330 S. Woodland Blvd., (386) 822-6215 · New Smyrna Beach, 717 W. Canal Street (386) 424-2065 · Deltona, 1555 Saxon Blvd, Suite 503 (386) 575-0373 Daytona Beach, 1845 Holsonback Drive (386) 274-0635 Pneumococcal shots are $40.00. WHO SHOULD GET VACCINATED People at high risk for complications from the flu should receive vaccinations each year, including: • Healthcare workers, • Children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday, • Pregnant women, • People 50 years of age and older, • People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, and • People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.

Because of early detection, her physician does not expect her ability to serve her constituent's needs in the Florida Legislature will be hindered. Rep. Thompson has met with House Speaker Marco Rubio and Democratic leaders, Rep. Dan Gelber and Rep. Joyce Cusack, who have pledged to work with her to accommodate her cancer therapy. She recalled the uninterrupted service of Former Chief Justice Barbara Pariente who was also diagnosed with cancer, but did not let her treatment interfere with her service to the Florida Supreme Court or the citizenry of Florida. "Serving my constituents and being cured are priorities for me,” says Thompson. “I thank everyone who has pledged and given their support. More importantly, I will follow my doctor’s advice to ensure a positive outcome. I share my plight so women will learn and internalize the importance of early detection by breast self-examination and routine visits to the doctor. It is also important to me that medical services are available to women and men who are ill, but not insured. Neither a woman nor a man should suffer from cancer because of limited access to health care. The earlier cancer is detected, the greater the possibility of a complete cure. I look forward to continuing to serve the people of District 39."

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March / April 2007

Bernard’s Beauty Supply Celebrates 21st Anniversary and Grand Opening with a Charitable Donation and 2-day Celebration JACKSONVILLE - Jacksonville’s largest and first black-owned hair care supply store, Bernard’s Beauty Supply, celebrates its 21st Anniversary as the leading black hair care product supplier on the First Coast and Grand Opening of the new 10,000 square foot plaza, which includes a hair salon and day spa on Saturday, February 24 and Monday, February 26. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, for invited guests only, begins Monday, February 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., at 1525 Edgewood Ave West. This historical ceremony will include special guest speakers, District 8 City Councilwoman Gwendolyn Yates, Congresswoman Corrine Brown and the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce as well as a special donation of quality hair care products to Hubbard House clients. “We chose to support the Hubbard House [clients] because of our continued commitment to serve the community and help brighten up the lives of women with beauty care products,” said Bernard Williams, founder and owner. Immediately following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests andprofessional stylists will tour the state-of-the-art Spa on the Edge and sophisticated hair salon, Precision Kuts and enjoy free samples of various hair care products. On Saturday, February 24, the new-located store will host a Customer Appreciation Sale beginning at 12 p.m. with a WSOL 101.5 live remote and on-air radio personality Jo-Jo. This celebration of fun and sales includes a 15 percent discount on all store items, food and fun games for kids. Bernard’s Beauty Supply is a family-owned and operated company that was founded by Bernard and Ann Williams. As a landmark in the Jacksonville community, Bernard’s Beauty Supply is the oldest African-American owned beauty supply store on the First Coast and serves salons located in the north Florida and south Georgia. Starting in 1986 with a few products in a small leased retail space, Bernard’s Beauty Supply has grown tremendously. Today, the company is headquartered in a 10,000 square foot facility which includes a hair salon and day spa as tenants.

FLORIDA SCOPE Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Announce 2007 Scholarships CBC Spouses Chair Leslie Meek Encourages Students to Apply

WASHINGTON, DC - Leslie Meek, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses, announced that applications for the 2007 scholarships are available online at www.cbcfinc.org and encouraged students living in the 17th Congressional District which includes northern Miami-Dade and southern Broward Counties, and is represented in Congress by her husband, U.S. Rep. Kendrick B. Meek, to submit their applications. "I know that Miami produces some of the most talented and intelligent young people in the country, and I encourage students to apply for these coveted scholarships. If you are a student who is looking to make a significant contribution to help better your community, then I strongly encourage you to consider this program," CBC Spouses Chair Leslie Meek said.

more than $1,000,000 to underwrite this initiative. Last year, 58 Health Initiative Scholarships were awarded to students. Students applying to the CBC Spouses Education Scholarship and CBC Spouses Cheerios Brand Health Initiative Scholarship must submit their completed applications to Shirlee Lafleur, CBCF Scholarships, 1010 SW 86th Avenue, Pembroke Pines, Florida, 33025 by May 1, 2007. Applications will only be accepted if they are sent by mail and postmarked on or before May 1st. Applications mailed after May 1st will be disqualified, as will applications that are hand delivered. Students can also apply for scholarships in the arts.

The Congressional Black Spouses organization is a component of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which is chaired by Congressman Kendrick Meek.

The CBC Spouses Performing Arts Scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a career in the performing arts. Only ten $3,000 scholarships are awarded annually to students who exhibit exceptional skills in this field.

Scholarships are awarded in four different categories to students who intend to pursue fulltime undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees.

The CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship is awarded to students pursing a career in the visual arts. Five students will receive an award of $3,000 each.

The CBC Spouses Education Scholarship is awarded to academically talented and highly motivated students. The Educational Scholarship Fund was established in 1988 and since its inception, has disbursed more than $8 million in education and health scholarships. Last year, 307 Education Scholarships were awarded to students.

Students applying for Performing or Visual Arts Scholarships must submit their completed applications and all supporting materials to the CBC Spouses' Office, 1720 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20036 by May 1, 2007

The CBC Spouses Cheerios Brand Health Initiative Scholarship is awarded to students pursuing careers in a health-related profession and since the inception of the program, General Mills has invested

To find out if you live in Congressman Meek's Congressional District, visit www.house.gov and enter your nine digit zip code on the upper-left side of the Web site. For more information about the CBC Spouses Scholarship Program, call the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Spouses Office at(202) 263-2800.

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March / April 2007

FLORIDA SCOPE Senator Tony Hill Welcomes the National Prostate Cancer Coalition’s Mobile Unit to the State Capital

TALLAHASSEE - Florida State Senator Anthony "Tony" Hill will be joined by other members in the Florida Legislature in welcoming the Drive Against Prostate Cancer Mobile Unit to the State Capital for a day of free prostate cancer screening and education. Senator Hill and Representative Frank Peterman are sponsoring companion bills (SB 110-HB 345) seeking insurance coverage for Prostate Cancer Screening. The National Prostate Cancer Coalition will be joined locally by The Bond Community Health Center, Florida A&M University Center for Minority Prostate Cancer Training & Research, and Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center. The Event is scheduled be held on Thursday, February 22, 2007 beginning at 9:30a.m. and concluding at 6:00p.m. in the Capitol Courtyard, north of the front steps of the Old Capitol, 404 South Monroe Street.

Orlando Links Launch International Trends and Services Project ORLANDO - The International Trends and Services Facet of The Links, Inc. is committed to providing services to people within the "Black Diaspora," globally.

and Manchester Parishes. It was estimated that these gifts, which were distributed in the community of “Alligator Pond” by local teachers, community staff and other Christian workers, would reach approximately 700 children. During the Spring of 2007, several members of the committee are planning a mission trip to visit the children and their families to ascertain further needs and services. The second phase of the International Trends and Services project will be a Spring International Women's Summit. This one day event promises to bring enrichment to the Orlando Community and will be the first of its kind in Central Florida. It will feature panels and workshops comprised of women who have lived, worked and traveled globally. The focus will be on select significant issues and concerns facing women today. There also will be films on and by women. An international cuisine will be served. The Links, Inc. is a volunteer service organization of women who are primarily concerned with enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the identities, culture and economic survival of African Americans and persons of African descent. Education, cultural enrichment, health, wellness, and civic involvement are among the major foci.

For the club year 2006--2007, the project will be twofold. Initially, the committee in collaboration with A Door of Hope Ministries, a local Christian based organization, provided several hundred Christmas gifts to Jamaican children who live in abject poverty in the St. Elizabeth March / April 2007

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Onyx Magazine

From left to right - Doron Gorshein, CEO The American Channel LLC; Kendal Sinn, Independent Filmmaker; Nicholas Psaltos, CEO The Horror Channel; Stacey Meaders, Program Director Video Access Alliance; Robber Townsend, Actor/Comedian CEO & President of Production - Black Family Channel; Paula Hoisington, Spokesperson Video Access Alliance; Chris McLean, Hispanic Information & Telecommunications Network and Broderick Byers, CEO The Employment & Career Channel

Help Is on the Way The Florida-based Video Access Alliance will carry their nationwide message of lower cable television rates and video franchise reform back to the Florida Legislature. The Alliance plans to work closely with the Florida Legislature to help focus the discussion on how and why video franchise reform will provide extraordinary benefits to minority communities. “We will plead our cause everywhere,” said Paula Hoisington, Spokes Person of the Video Access Alliance. “Floridians are ready for changes in cable costs and in the telecommunications industry in general and we intend to support legislation filed in Florida that will bring economic development to our communities, fairness and competition to video providers and consumers.” The Video Access Alliance (VAA) is a not-for-profit organization designed to serve as an advocacy and advisory group for independent, emerging and minority networks, video programmers, entertainers and other industry participants focused on policies that encourage rapid and ubiquitous deployment and utilization of new and innovative video distribution platforms. The Alliance believes that consumers should have more choices for their TV and entertainment services. As such, the Alliance encourages multiple platforms for delivering programming, and supports emerging and independent networks seeking outlets for programming, and promotes the elimination of regulatory barriers that would hinder competition, innovation and greater consumer 18

choice. Members of the VAA include a variety of network owners, video producers, video content distributors, media professionals and everyday citizens who all agree that opportunities for inclusion and participation are a necessary aspect of video franchise reform.

Central Florida communication entrepreneur Everlena Brown, a member of Video Access Alliance, believes, “The monopoly of video platforms is unconstitutional and conflicting. Everlena believes It infringes upon the first amendment: freedom of speech and freedom of press,” Member Vincent “Mr. Speaker” Edwards, a Minister and radio talk show host in north Florida feels very strongly about the status of the telecommunications industry.

Edwards says, “The importance of removing unnecessary barriers to entry into an industry that generates billions of dollars and has great influence is critical. Images are strong and can produce lasting positive or negative affects on a society, a people, a culture or an organization. This is why it is vital to have the access and the means to tell your version of a story. I have been told that there are

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man and CEO of the Tennis Channel, Nicholas A. Psaltos, Founder and General Manager of The Horror Channel, Broderick Byers, CEO of the Employment and Career Channel and CEO Michael Gerrity’s MultiChannel Ventures Network. As Founder & CEO of MultiChannel Ventures, LLC an Orlando based company which develops, owns and operates a portfolio of emerging IPTV video networks such as the REAL ESTATE CHANNEL™ and the ELECTION CHANNEL™ Michael Gerritty has a great interest in seeing more diverse television programming-one that accurately reflects our diverse American interest.

three sides to a story, yours, theirs, and the truth.” Doron Gorshien, CEO of The America Channel, from Orlando is also a member of Video Access Alliance. The America Channel airs family programming that highlights the best of Americans and the best of the America.

According to Gerrity, “By promoting competitive distribution, independent video networks providers will be able to accelerate innovation through investment funding, thus making diverse programming options economical while meeting the demands of their consumers for a broad array of programming choices”.

Gorshien worked very hard to develop his network and would love the chance to make his programming more available to television and video customers that desire to view his exciting shows. Cable prices and the lack of program variety are major concerns of his.

The telecommunication needs of the African-American community in Florida are extremely important to the VAA. Over the last year, the Alliance has focused on ensuring that the video franchise reform debate is viewed as more than simply a fight between large corporate entities, namely cable and telecommunications companies but that the focus of the debate includes meaningful discussion on the benefits of multiple video distribution platforms to entrepreneurs and independent programmers.

“Cable TV prices have skyrocketed in recent years,” said Doron. In fact, they have doubled in the past ten years. All other telecom services to the home have gone down in price – including broadband, long distance and cellular services. Cable rates continue to skyrocket because of lack of true competition to cable. Cable companies have monopolies in local markets around the country. This has enabled them to raise prices above the rate of inflation every year.”

“Florida has a wealth of imaginative and creative minds that would love to be able to create and operate successful television channels and networks,” said Paula Hoisington, “but they must be given a chance.

Many African-Americans believe that TV has increasingly become too gratuitously violent, sexual, profane, and inappropriate for Black family viewing. Consumers also feel that with so many channels, there is still nothing to watch. And, consumers are forced to pay for 100 channels, when they really want just ten. Other entrepreneurial members of Video Access Alliance and their networks include Jose Rodriquez, CEO of the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network, Ken Solomon, ChairMarch / April 2007

Florida’s legislators should step up to the plate in 2007 and address the issues of expensive cable costs, video franchise reform, video distribution competition and video consumer protections.”

Persons interested in joining the Video Access Alliance and helping with the VAA legislative efforts and those seeking more information about telecommunications and video franchise reform can contact the VAA via their website at www.videoaccesalliance.org

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Onyx Magazine

Delta Legends: Left to Right, front row: Ella Gilmore, Mercerdese Clark, Martha S. Lue, Jeanette Tyson, Norma Bynes, Shirley Baker and Joyce Henry Back row: Kitty Ellison, Leah Gipson, Elnora Holt, Gloria Moody, Barbara Johnson, Dienita Shelton, Willie F. Thomas, Sandra Brown and Paulette Morgan. Nominated, but not pictured: Shirley Allen, Sylvia Stallworth, Lenora Mobley, Luella Peniston, Anne Felder and Edith Brooks

Deltas Celebrate Founders’ Day The four Orlando Metropolitan area chapters: Orlando Alumnae, Orange County Alumnae, Sanford Alumnae and Mu Iota Collegiate Chapter (UCF) celebrate the 22 Founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. On January 13, 1913 22 courageous women founded Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. on the campus of Howard University. Today, 94 years later and 250,000 plus women Photo captions: strong, the organization Left to right: Sharon Riggins, Mercerdese Clark, Valerie B. Hobbs, Willie C. Means, Myrtle Randall, Marcontinues to celebrate the ionette Leonard, Shirley Baker, Barbara Johnson and Ella Robinson ideals and principles upon which the sorority was founded. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a public service organization founded on Christian principles, committed to community service. The sorority’s goals and programs are set according to their “Five-Point Thrust,” which includes educational development, economic development, mental and physical health, political awareness and involvement and international awareness and involvement. Each of the local chapter’s programs is geared at implementing the thrust within the metropolitan community. On January 13, 2007, the four chapters the 94th Founders’ Day by participating in the City of Orland Martin Luther King Day Parade, ritualistic ceremony and a formal banquet honoring twenty-two Delta Founders. The event was called the “Crimson Legends Tour”. One Friday, January 12, the event was called the “Delta Explosion (meet and greet.) Culminating the weekend of events, more than 200 sorors decked out in red, worshiped together at Macedonia Baptist Church in Eatonville, FL. 20

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Onyx Magazine

Jerry Hendrix:

By Lucia Reid

His Role as VP of Regulatory and External Affairs for the State of Florida

Bible verse Ecclesiastes 11:14 states, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Not bad words to live by and also the passage that guides and focuses Jerry Hendrix, BellSouth’s, now AT&T’s Vice President of Regulatory and External Affairs for the State of Florida. “One never knows where life will take them,” says Hendrix, “so how one begins is not always a determinant of where one will end.” Born in Ahoskie, North Carolina, African-American Jerry Hendrix is among those who are charged with navigating through the ever-changing world of telecommunications in the United States. Speaking with ONYX magazine, he fondly reflects on his crucial formative years. “I’m the sixth of ten children...I have five brothers and four sisters. We grew up poor but didn’t know it. I thought sharing a room with five brothers was just fine...four of us shared a full sized bed, the other two a twin, and the four girls were also on a full bed. Of course, we learned not to move a lot while we slept! Now if you think sleeping was a challenge, going to church was really wild. Did you know you can get twelve people in one vehicle? We did so on most Sundays. My mother was the strongest woman I’d ever seen. She was totally committed to caring for her family. Even though she worked sometimes at the hospital as a dietician, she ensured that our tee shirts, jeans, and khakis were clean, starched, and pressed with creases. Breakfast and dinner were always filling, available, and regular. My mother was extremely creative and resourceful—how else do you feed a family of twelve?

that eventually paid off. Given his intellect and strong work ethic, Jerry entered Morehouse College as an early admissions student in what would have been his senior year of high school. Imbued with the love and perseverance that surrounded him as he grew up without many of the frills available to young men in more affluent families, Jerry served as a dorm counselor, secured employment with a major retail department store, performed statistician duties for the football and baseball teams while in college and was graduated from Morehouse in 1975. After a few years in an important retail management position, Jerry began his career in telecommunications when he was recruited for a job with Southern Bell and worked in the Hollywood, Florida installation and maintenance office as crew manager. From there, he was promoted to various positions that gave him a unique perspective on the workings of the information and communications industry. This exposure to numerous internal organizations, complete with increased responsibilities, prepared him for his current assignment. Jerry Hendrix has been employed with BellSouth for more than 27 years. “It has really been exciting,” Hendrix explains. “My responsibilities include the management of BellSouth’s Regulatory Division for the state of Florida. I’m responsible for the advocacy of BellSouth’s policies and business objectives before the Florida Public Service Commission and other key external stakeholders.”

“Jerry’s technical expertise, coupled with his keen understanding of the consumers we serve, make him an extraordinary leader on the BellSouth team...”

My dad was also hard-working. He was a self-employed mechanic, and known as the very best in our little town of Ahoskie. Somehow, he and my mom always ‘made ends meet.’ All of us, girls and boys alike, worked as soon as we were old enough. I’m sure we violated many labor laws, but we didn’t know about them. It really would not have mattered. Working in the cotton, tobacco, and peanut fields from sunup to sundown, even after school during the harvest, has helped me even today. I’ve learned the value of work, commitment, responsibility, saving money, and planning. At the age of twelve, I became a shoe salesman. I learned how to sell shoes to men and women alike. In fact, I became very good and was asked to consider taking over as manager of the Fashion Shoe Store after graduating from college. I know now that I learned a lot more than just how to sell shoes. I learned how to negotiate, communicate, and to read people—you know, understanding social clues. I call upon those early years mostly every day, and I can truly say now that the Lord was preparing me for my future.” Growing up with this sort of rigor led to the job survival skills March / April 2007

Based in Tallahassee, Florida, Hendrix succeeded Marshall Criser III, who currently holds the position of President of BellSouth Florida. When questioned about Hendrix’s leadership, Criser commented, “Jerry’s technical expertise, coupled with his keen understanding of the consumers we serve, make him an extraordinary leader on the BellSouth team. His vision and his experience in telecommunications is truly an asset” Jerry Hendrix grew to genuinely appreciate his position in telecommunications. “The technology, deregulation, and market demands have transformed and continue to transform telecommunications into a fast paced and rapidly growing industry,” says Hendrix, “and that is what makes my career in telecommunications particularly satisfying.” “The technological advance and convergence taking place in the telecommunications industry is amazing,” Hendrix continues. “Thirty years ago, what we now call telecommunications and video services was very limited—by technology and scope of use—to telephone service: people connecting with each other voice-to-voice. Initially, the challenge was to make and maintain those connections locally, across state lines, and internationally. As new uses for the telephone signal, such as image transmission (facsimiles) and later data/computer transmission, were intro-

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Onyx Magazine

duced and became common, technological improvements made to streamline functionality, increase speed, and reduce overall costs transformed “plain old telephone service” into a ubiquitous commodity. Furthermore, the translation of voice, music, and video from analog to digital format lent to the consolidation of previously unrelated business, entertainment, and service applications into a single, streamlined delivery system.” Now, added to this equation was the issue of deregulation which allowed anyone to provide telephone service, not just traditional telephone service providers. Jerry Hendrix says, “For the everyday man-on-the-street, it was just so much hoo-hah; all he wanted was for his telephone to work when he needed it.” This presented the traditional service companies with “a very sticky conundrum.” “Not only were they required to self-dismantle,” Hendrix says, “they had to help those who were now their competition compete against them! Finally, all of this had to be done with as little customer disturbance and service interruption as possible. Of course, once others were ready to enter the telecommunications arena, users of the service had to make new choices: Who will transmit their local service? Who will carry their other service? What does ‘other service’ mean? It was not easy. We had to educate ourselves and all of our customers, but the definition of ‘customer’ had changed: some of them were within our company, and others were our competitors.” Of course, it did not hurt that the market “kicked in.” Jerry goes on to say that “research and development led to further delivery methods and uses for what, at the core, began as communication of information via an electronic signal. Originally, the manner of transmission used copper wire. Copper was the primary, if not the only way to get that information-laden signal to anyone needing it, regardless of the end-purpose of the signal. Later, fiber optic strand development — science looking for an application—found it with the advent and eventual widespread usage of the World Wide Web: a new conduit for the signal and the information it carried. Folks started

searching for various means to simultaneously deliver information signals—with the multiple services they carried—sometimes quality, sometimes not—by circumventing the copper-transmitted signal used by traditional providers. “Further innovations that have lead to PDAs, wireless communications, multi-use devices (phone, music player, internet access, camera, etc.) along with bypass technologies such as Kazaa, Skype, and now Joost promise to make the future look like one spectacular ride.” On the business side, Jerry Hendrix believes that broadband competition continues to lower prices while increasing the speed and quality of Internet access. “This is expected to continue in information-providing services. Although new products and services tend to be more costly at the outset, technological improvements, consumer demand for more services that can be accessed easily, quickly, and on the same device (i.e,. voice, music, video, wireless, and data), and provider competition also promise the best in services and price.” “Our own continuing transition from a fully regulated entity to one that is fully deregulated remains a challenge as we seek to encourage legislators and regulators to reevaluate old assumptions that relied on distinctive networks for different services. Telecommunications regulation for now and the future must consider the dynamics of competition that has emerged beyond the traditional wireline sector toward a market that is completely intermodal. To compete in a manner that keeps pace with rapid technological development requires equally rapid and robust maneuverability for all providers. And for consumers to reap the full benefit of constant improvements, all players need equal access to the power to compete in an equitable fashion--a level playing field in other words.” Jerry believes there are many entrepreneurial opportunities for African-American professionals seeking to enter the telecommunications industry. Hendrix reveals, “The scope of these opportunities is very broad (from content providers to network ownership and beyond). But to take

“The technology, deregulation, and market demands have transformed and continue to transform telecommunications into a fast paced and rapidly growing industry,” says Hendrix, “and that is what makes my career in telecommunications particularly satisfying.” laying fiber optic cable like it was going out of style. Ironically, it did because another scientific development used for something else had been considered to carry that same information: the satellite. Traditional telephone service had evolved into something out of sciencefiction. And even more rapidly, non-traditional providers were 24

advantage of them requires that those interested in this field educate themselves. We must impress upon others the advantages of education, in all the forms that the word implies, as well as serve as exemplary role models for all people.”

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Normally, one in Jerry Hendrix’s position would accept praise March / April 2007

“Over the past couple of years we have had the opportunity to share our thoughts, discuss our lives and enjoy a friendship, which ha been inspiration for me. I feel he is truly one of the finest gentlemen I know. Jerry’s family keeps him occupied. Adrienne, his wife of over 31 years, with two bachelor’s degrees and a Masters of Education in Curriculum & Instruction, keeps busy with converting storage space in their home into a multiple purpose art studio, writing lesson plans from her teaching experiences while researching new ones, taking care of “normal” household duties, and engaging in various creative activities. She also advocates for art education in the form of membership in the Florida Art Education Association, and membership with a board position in the Georgia Art Education Association. They also support their 20-year-old daughter, Danielle, a graphic design student at the Savannah College of Art & Design in Savannah, with frequent visits. Jerry Hendrix is on the board for the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, and has an active church leadership position. He strives to live by those values with which he was reared. These activities, along with family and a busy work schedule, leave very

Jack Shreve and Jerry Hendrix

Jerry Hendrix exemplifies the successful businessman who carries out his professional and personal life with consideration and the utmost integrity. Over the past couple of years we have had the opportunity to share our thoughts, discuss our lives and enjoy a friendship which has been inspirational for me. I feel he is truly one of the finest gentlemen I know. for his level of corporate achievement. But Jerry does not follow the norm here. Not bashful about his personal beliefs, Hendrix insists, “I do not segment my life into a work compartment and a spiritual compartment. Instead it is all one, and I wouldn’t want it to be any other way. I cannot do this job without the Lord’s leading. Each day, and often throughout the day, I pray about the issues and concerns I’m charged to address. The Lord has always proven faithful, and has consistently provided comfort, wisdom, assurance, and direction in my work and daily walk.” In fact, he credits the Lord with giving him an edge. “Going through hardships, whether one knows it or not, builds a sort of resilient endurance; a discipline that at first is not pleasant. But with time, it provides the stability to take one through anything life can bring. Furthermore, not having many material things left me to rely on my own thoughts, my imagination, and my sense of self. I learned how to relate to people.” Jerry’s friend, Jack Shreve, former Public Counsel, State of Florida and former Senior General Counsel, Office of the Attorney General states, “Jerry Hendrix exemplifies the successful businessman who caries out his professional and personal life with consideration and the utmost integrity. March / April 2007

little time for much else. When questioned about his future in politics, Jerry indicates that involvement is a possibility. “There aren’t many statesmen left. There should be many, many more. I desire to fulfill the meaning of that term—free from selfish bias or self interest and partiality— if led to seek a political office.” One can be sure that politics is nothing he will approach lightly. “My desire is to be totally committed to what the Lord would have me do, and in doing so, to be the best husband, father, and person possible.” Jerry Hendrix considers himself to be an ordinary man who finds himself called to meet an extraordinary opportunity in a rapidly changing industry. He hopes that others, however, see him as a man of faith, totally trusting in the Almighty, the Object of his faith. At any rate, residents of the Sunshine State can rejoice that they have been blessed to have a man in their midst like Jerry Hendrix!

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Onyx Magazine

Husband and Wife Pharmacists Bring Personal Touch to a Southwest Orlando Community Geographically, Cheryl and Christopher “Chris” Rouse were born miles apart, but each made one important decision in life that brought them together as partners in marriage and in business. While Cheryl Harris was growing up in Orlando, Chris Rouse was growing up in the panhandle in a small town called Wewahitka, Florida. Strangely, they were both exposed to the same teachings and influences from their parents. Both of Cheryl’s parents were in business. Her father was a mechanic and her mother was a florist. Her parents always warned her that one should be in charge of his or her own fate. She was taught that when one works for someone else, that person can dictate the advancement of those who work for them and can control the amount of money that person makes. Says Cheryl, “I didn’t think I was listening, but I guess I was. Upon graduating from Oak Ridge High School, Cheryl went to FAMU and majored in biology. After she graduated in 1983, she decided that although she did not want to go to medical school, she did want to work in the health field; therefore, she enrolled in a sixyear program at Florida A & M’s School of Pharmacy. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy in 1989. After graduating in Pharmacy, Cheryl was employed for a while at West Orange Hospital AMI as a Clinical Pharmacist, and later at Brookwood AMI on Mercy Drive. She was also hired as Director of Pharmacy at South Seminole Hospital. She and her husband were involved in a number of things before opening C&C Community Pharmacy. Cheryl wanted to open the pharmacy in the Washington Shores area, because after having grown up there, she knew there were not many Black owned businesses in that location; therefore, her inten26

tion was to come back and make an impact. She said, “I had so many role models here, Mr. Rufus Brooks and Patricia Wilkins at Eccleston Elementary, Mrs. Lee Bryan at Memorial and Mr. Salters at Oakridge. They all had some influence in my life and guided me along the way. “Had I not decided to go to school for pharmacy, I would not have met Chris. He was a gentleman, a very nice guy. We had the same goals and same aspirations, and were raised pretty much the same. We became very good friends, that’s how we ended up being joined at the hip –– we got together and we’re still here.” Chris recalls his father having many jobs: physical education and science teacher, a pulp wood worker, cutting down trees that are used to make paper. He was also a barber and taught night school. His grandfather, Jonathan Rouse, owned his own convenience store. Said Chris, “He would extend credit to the people, but when they had money, they would go to his White counterpart, yet he was always willing to help them out when they needed credit. Chris said that when he graduated from Wewahitka High School with honors, he didn’t get any kind of a scholarship, because they gave those to the White students. His father went to FAMU where he got both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Says Chris, “He was an inspiration to me because he taught science and I always wanted to be in the science area. I wanted to go to medical school, but ended up in pharmacy school. “My sisters were also an inspiration. Janie was always there for me and influenced me to try pharmacy, she said, ‘Just try it.’” At FAMU, Carlton Davis was inspirational, as was Robert Scarborough, Marvin Holder and Vernon Parker. While in pharmacy

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March / April 2007

The Motown Experience, part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Pops Series was presented presented January 18th at the Jacoby Symphony Hall-Times Union Center for the Performing Arts. The event, featuring Spectrum with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra was for the benefit of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Program at Shands Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is one of the leading arts ensembles in the Southeast, performing approximately 130 concerts annually, from September thought May. The Jacksonville Symphony Association is sponsored in part b the City of Jacksonville, the Cultural Council of Greater jacksonville, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Photos compliments of Paul Witkowski, Director of Public Relations, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.

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March / April 2007

“Where the Personal Touch Means Everything”

2000 Bruton Boulevard • Orlando, FL 32805

(407) 295-6201 (We make deliveries)

So just how difficult is it to practice etiquette everyday? The answer is it’s only as difficult as we want to make it. It is a choice we make to do what’s appropriate and unfortunately, it is often confused for weakness. The truth be known, etiquette clarifies priorities and who practice it stand apart from those who fear or refrain from correct behavior. It helps us deal with challenging situations and offers opportunity for us to “ shine” above the rest. It’s a behavior that shows we know how to respond (versus react). Take a few minutes to complete a short Everyday Etiquette Exam to see how close you are to being ready for the months to come. If have a perfect score of 12 you’re ready. Score of 8-11, you can use a few courses. Below 8, well...you have much work to do! 1.You drop a package and someone offers to pick it up for you. Do you: a. yell “thief” to attract attention b. allow the person to pick it up, hand it to you, and then thank him/her c. keep walking and ignore the offer d. refuse the offer and pick it up yourself 2. Every seat in the family room is occupied. An elderly or disabled person enters and you: a. tell them to sit in another room b. greet and engage in conversation with them while you remain seated c. stand and offer your seat d. ignore their entrance and continue conversation with others 3. What two things should a lady never touch? a. a chair c. a door b. dirty dishes d. none of the above

By Melva Akens

4. It’s a busy shopping day and you are waiting for the elevator door to open. Do you: a. stand directly in front of the doors waiting for it to open b. stand off to the right or left of doors c. see that others are standing off to the side so you go and stand directly in front of the doors d. get upset because you aren’t first to enter with the elevator doors open 5. The honored guest who happens to be female, has a spot on the back of her dress. Do you: a. tell your friend to tell her friend to tell the guest that she has a spot on her dress b. whisper to other guests about the stain c. don’t bring it anyone’s attention because you’re sure someone will tell her d. discreetly bring the spot to the honoree’s attention and offer to help her with the stain 6. You can’t find anything to wear to the 7:00pm festivities. What last minute decision do you make? a. denim is fashionable so you wear a pair of jeans and nice expensive shirt (or blouse) b. stop by the mall on the way and arrive an hour late in a new outfit c. throw on the same black dress or black suit that you wore to work yesterday d. stay at home and miss the celebration 7. You are hosting a family gathering and everyone is arriving. As they enter your home, you: a. tell everyone to help themselves to the food and beverage b. go change into something more comfortable c. greet everyone at the door d. sit and watch television with other guests 8. You’ve waited until the very last minute to purchase a card and gift. The time has come for you to arrive at the celebration and greet the honoree. What is the appropriate thing to do? a. ignore that you don’t have a card or gift b. admit that you were delinquent and will present something special at another time c. blame your unfortunate situation on someone else d. none of the above 9. You are at the home of an associate and notice a spill on the kitchen floor. Acting on your thoughts, you: a. let the man of the house clean it up b. take initiative and clean it up c. bring the spill to the attention of your associate’s children d. watch the family dog and cat clean the floor 10. When a lady and gentleman approach a revolving door and the door is standing still, the lady should: a. proceed to enter before the gentleman and push the door b. avoid entering the building c. allow the gentleman to enter before you and push the door ANSWERS IN THE NEXT ISSUE

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March / April 2007

SPRING Into A Fresh New Look! As the sun shines and the flowers bloom allow that inner beauty to give your skin a healthy glow. Be inspired by your natural environment. Are there certain colors that you absolutely enjoy? Get creative and look for those similar shades as you shop for items this Spring Season. When I worked with Lindsay, the model in this photo, I used the flower palette in her hair as a blueprint for the colors and shades that I used in the photo shoot. Spring is the time of year when the earth gives birth to new creation. Allow that same revival to take place within you. Perhaps you want to make a few changes in your life. Do you want a holistic makeover? Here are a few tips to keep in mind: select a blush based on the color your skin turns when you pinch your cheeks. Choose a creamy one for all skin types (except those prone to acne) then a powder version works best. When applying a powder blush, swirl it on in circular motions with a medium-size brush, pat the highlighter sparingly along the tops of the cheekbones, where the light would hit. Choose colors that motivate and empower you! Spring into a fresh look today! Lee Felicia Williams is the founder of The Renaissance Experience, which specializes in life coaching, mentoring, and empowering women. She is also a radio personality, speaker, and Christian abstinence advocate. Lee discovered her love for makeup as a hobby, but has since added the trade to her professional lifestyle. She is based out of Tallahassee, Florida. 32

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March / April 2007

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by Cathy Howse

GIMMEAHEADWITHHAIR

Hair Tips

I currently have a sewn in weave in my hair and I just noticed that my sides are breaking. I don’t wear weaves very often, but noticing this definitely convinced me to wear them even less. Is there someway you can teach me how to choose a good relaxer? There unfortunately is no such thing as a “good” relaxer. They all will make you bald if they are misapplied. I gave them up for natural hair almost 3 years ago because I was afraid of losing my hair. My hair is now longer than it has ever been in my 35 years of relaxing and I don’t anticipate ever using relaxers again. Should you decide to continue to relax your hair, ensure you understand how to do a relaxer properly so it is not pushed onto you scalp as this is what causes balding and thinning or breaking edges. It has nothing to do with the brand you choose. I usually use a “kiddy perm” on my hair, which I think works great. This last time, the stylist used an adult relaxer, now my hair is breaking tremendously. What will happen if I were to switch back to using the “kiddy perm” for good? I feel they grow my hair better. Can you give me some tips on when it is time for me to switch back to the “kiddy perm?” There are no success tips for switching relaxer chemicals. The next change of a different chemical could render you baldheaded. Also you have fallen victim to the marketing ploy by the industry of thinking that “kiddy relaxers” are different than “adult relaxers.” Be advised that the chemicals in “kiddy relaxers” are EXACTLY the same chemicals in “adult relaxers.” I suggest you go to a beauty supply store and find a “kiddy relaxer” and “adult relaxer” made by the same manufacturer. Turn the boxes to the ingredients list. You will notice that the ingredients in the “kiddy relaxer” are exactly the same as the “adult relaxer.” The only difference in these two chemical relaxer products is who the advertisers target the marketing! My hair is shedding around the edges and my scalp is very itchy. What shampoo and conditioner would you suggest to fix my problems? Neither shampoo nor conditioner will fix your breaking hair around the edges! If you are using relaxers, I suggest you stop using them because that is probably the problem. Your itchy scalp may be remedied by changing to a shampoo that does not contain Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate products as they are known skin irritants that are found in most shampoo products. Choose a shampoo from the health food store that does not contain these ingredients. For some reason in winter time, my hair in the back of my head falls out. Can you tell me why? We are always looking for things on which to blame our hair breaking. The winter hair fall out and excess breaking is a myth. I tell people don't blame the environment. If the environment was the cause, every one in the same environment would be experiencing the problems of breaking hair in the winter. Use proper hair care techniques and good hair care products to avoid your hair breaking in any season.

Cathy Howse is a Black hair care expert and the founder of Ultra Black Hair Products/UBH Publications Inc., a 17-year old company that teaches the truth about Black hair care and growth. Her book, Ultra Black Hair Growth II, is classified as the only proven black hair growth system in the world. Notoriety for her method has been included in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who of American Women, and Who’s Who in the World. Visit her website at www.ultrablackhair.com or send your hair care questions to her via email at ubhpublications1@covad.net. „ 2006

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March / April 2007

The Official Dealer of Luxury For Less

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Outstanding Citizens to Receive Onyx Award

The 2007 Nominees Category of Business

Twenty three individuals and two organizations will be honored at the fifth annual Statewide Onyx Awards this year at the Rosen Centre Hotel on International Drive. In an event sponsored by Onyx Magazine on behalf of LBS Foundation, some of Florida’s finest will be honored on March 10th. The proceeds from this event will go the Foundation to benefit Sickle Cell Disease and education.

Brian Butler, John Demps, Dean O’Brien

Category of Communication

Alvin J. Cowans will receive the Distinguished Citizen Award, Garth Reeves will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Rufus Brooks will receive the Humanitarian Award, the Lifetime Achievement in Sports Award goes to Doug Williams and the Publishers’ Award goes to Eric Darius for his outstanding accomplishment in music. The two organizations are the Southern Area of The Links, Inc. for their outstanding public service and Walt Disney World Resort for Cultural Diversity.

Darryl Barrs, Marva Hawkins, Darryl Owens, Rita Petty

Category of Community Service

Glenn Ball, Atty. Keisha Harris, Dr. Helen Jackson, Charles Martin

Category of Education Rufus Brooks

Vera Cruse, Dr. Robin Elliott, Dr. Doreatha Fields, Dr. Clara Walters

Category of Music & Performing Arts

Alvin J. Cowans 36

Eric Darius

LaRue Steward Howard, Conrad Lewis, Ruka Hatua -Saar White

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March / April 2007

The Orange County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. announces the second annual presentation of Eminence. This competitive scholarship endeavor will be held on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at the Bahia Shrine in Orlando. Says Dr. Janet McDowell-Travis, president of the chapter, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eminence , which is a presentation to society, was created to by our chapter to serve as a venue for high school juniors and seniors students to highlight their noteworthy achievements...it also reflects the Programmatic Thrust of our internationally recognized sorority. Last year, the chapter gave over $6,000 in scholarships as a result of this event.

March / April 2007

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Onyx Magazine

DIVING INTO DOCUMENTARIES BY KARYN L. BEACH

I am a huge fan of documentary films. Documentaries can make you think, feel and even take action. Documentaries and the stories they tell capture the drama of real life. For a while, the documentary film had been the stepchild of the film industry … relegated to classrooms and basic cable channels. But over the past few years, documentaries have experienced a renaissance. From Michael Moore’s controversial films, Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11, to Supersize Me, some documentaries have even made their way into theatrical release. In 2005, March of the Penguins marched away with an Academy Award and over $75 million in ticket sales – a feat unheard of by a documentary. Last year, former vice president, Al Gore became a movie star of sorts with his popular environmental documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. I’ve seen some great documentaries at film festivals. Unfortunately, many of those films never get distributed. So, I’ve come up with a list of some of my favorite documentaries, all of which are available through Netflix or Blockbuster. After Innocence: This powerful, provocative film follows seven men after they have been exonerated for crimes, which DNA evidence proved, they did not commit. We’ve all seen the news stories where the newly-freed man walks triumphantly through the prison doors and back into society, but we don’t see what comes afterwards. After Innocence explores that after. The documentary shows the men struggling with freedom: looking for work, finding a place to live, rebuilding their relationships, getting their records expunged and basically readjusting to life on the outside. This film will make you think twice about the nature of justice, and it will definitely make you think again about the application of the death penalty. Boys of Baraka: This documentary opens with a heartrending statistic, “76% of African American boys in Baltimore public schools fail to graduate from high school.” In that environment, an innovative program was born, The Baraka School. The program picked 20 inner-city preteen boys and sent them away to a boarding school in Kenya for two years (7th and 8th grades). Graduates of the Baraka School often returned to Baltimore public schools with more than just improved grades. They often returned with a new perspective on life. Baraka graduates were accepted into some of the best magnet high schools in the city. Almost all of them went on to get their diplomas. Boys of Baraka follows the last group of boys to participate in the Baraka School program. Their stories will break your heart. Supersize Me: In this country, over half of the population is overweight. The statistics are even more distressing for African-Americans. Sixty percent of AfricanAmerican men and 78% of African-American females are overweight. Of those who are overweight, a quarter of the men and half of the women are characterized as ‘obese’ (over 20% over the ideal weight range). Obesity levels in children have never been higher. With all this in mind, I encourage anyone who hasn’t seen this documentary to see it. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock spent an entire month living on a steady diet of McDonald’s. Supersize Me chronicles the abuse that it did to his system as well as our cultural dependence on fast-food in general. Spurlock shows that while man may not 38

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March / April 2007

be able to live on bread alone, he can definitely live on fast food alone … although he won’t be living well...or long. The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till: As a child, filmmaker Keith Beauchamp came across an article in Jet magazine on the disturbing case of Emmett Till. Till was a 14-year old boy in 1955 whose only crime was whistling at a white woman. He paid for that crime with his life. He was heinously beaten and then shot to death. The image of Till’s disfigured face, staring out of his coffin, stayed with Beauchamp for years to come. As an adult, Beauchamp felt compelled to do something. And he did. He spent nine years researching the case. During that time, he found evidence and witnesses that were overlooked in the original investigation. The two men who were tried and acquitted (and who later confessed) are dead and gone, but Beauchamp found 14 others who played a role in the murder, including five black men who worked for the killers and the woman who Till whistled at. Five of those Beauchamp uncovered are still alive. His research was so thorough that the U.S. Department of Justice has reopened the case. This makes a great companion piece with Spike Lee’s documentary 4 Little Girls, about the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama which claimed the lives of four African-American girls. Unforgivable Blackness: Before there was Joe Louis, before there was Muhammad Ali, before there was Mike Tyson, there was Jack Johnson, the first black Heavyweight Champion of the World. His fight against Jim Jeffries, called “The Great White Hope,” was billed as the Fight of the Century and it ignited a series of race riots across the country when Johnson won. Johnson was an incendiary figure in his time. Not only did he beat his white opponents in the ring, outside of the ring he socialized and married white women which was a scandal on both sides of the color line. Johnson was a man who strived to live by his own rules in an era where everyone wanted to force him to live by theirs.

Annual Celebrity & Community Charity Celebration Saturday, April 14, 2007 HOST HOTEL Shingle Creek Hotel & Resort 9939 Universal Blvd. Orlando, FL 32819 (407) 996-9933 Group Rate: $189.00/night GOLF TOURNAMENT Shingle Creek Golf Course 8:00 AM Shotgun Start Registration Deadline: Monday, April 2, 2007 Field Gold Sponsor (Foursome) $1200.00 Extra Point Sponsor (individual) $175.00

Keep in mind, the documentary medium has evolved. These are not the films that put you to sleep in history class. Documentaries today are as entertaining and evocative as many feature films. They are definitely worth a second look. Karyn L. Beach is the web mistress and principal writer of DivaSoulSista.com – a web site devoted to movie reviews and movie news. March / April 2007

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Onyx Magazine

school he joined Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, the first professional Pharmacy fraternity, which was founded in 1879 and to date remains one of the nation’s oldest and most respected professional fraternities. As a national organization, Kappa Psi boasts over 46,000 members at over 75 collegiate chapters spanning from coast to coast. Chris did his internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital, and in Hialeah. He later moved from Miami to Orlando where he worked at Eckerd’s on John Young Parkway. While there, he developed a relationship with a lot of people who lived in the Washington Shores area (where C&C Pharmacy is located.) Moving on, the worked at Super X and later became a consulting pharmacist with Pharmacy Corporation of America. That’s where he was able to use his clinical skills by working with nursing homes. Says Christ, “It really was a great job and I learned a lot, but always in the back of my mind, I always wanted to open my own pharmacy.”

they wanted to be closer to the people who utilized their services. Knowing their customers was and still is important to them. Cheryl and Chris have two children, Christin, 13 in 9th grade at Olympia High School and Chelsey, 5 in kindergarten at Tri-L Christian Academy in Winter Park. Whenever they manage to get a moment of leisure, they dedicate to their children. Chris loves to play golf, consequently, his daughter, Christin plays golf in Dr. Tommy Dorsey’s program and has won “Player of the Year” for the last three years. The couple is also very dedicated to the church. They are members of Mt. Zion AME Church in Oakland, FL, where the Reverend Dana L. Crawford is pastor. As though she doesn’t have enough responsibilities, Cheryl is a sales director with Mary Kay. While Mary Kay is important to Cheryl, C&C Pharmacy is both hers and Chris’ lifelong dream.

As a result Chris and Cheryl, opened C&C Pharmacy in 1992. They chose this route over succumbing to national chains because 42

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March / April 2007

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