Fight to end senior hunger
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August 11-17, 2016
Lawsuit charges Gwinnett County excludes minorities from public office
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August 11-17, 2016
COVER STORY
Despite being half of the population, minorities have never held countywide office The group claims that Gwinnett’s current Board of Education district map packs 74.4 percent of the county’s African American, Latino and Asian American voters into one district — District 5 — while spreading the remainder among four other districts. “We believe that the lack of diversity on these boards is attributable to the current district maps, which dilute minority voting strength by packing and fragmenting the minority population,” says Clarke. Today, the population of Gwinnett includes the largest Latino community in the entire Southeast. Latinos went from 3 percent of the county’s population in 1990 to 20 percent in 2010. Yet, not a single Latino sits on any county seat. “Gwinnett County government does not care about Latinos and has done very little about reaching out to the Latino community,” said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the state’s Association of Latino Elected Officials. “Until it’s an inclusive government, it’s a fraudulent government,” Gonzalez added. According to the coalition, a total of 12 minority candidates — eight African Americans, three Latinos and an Asian — have run for the Board of no minority candidate has ever won election to Commissioners or the Board of Education since By Terry Shropshire the County Board of Commissioners or Board 2012. All lost to white candidates. of Education,” said Kristen Clarke, Before the population explosion The collective minority voting and political president and executive director of the frustrations can be summarized by Jennah Esin metro Atlanta, Gwinnett County Lawyers’ Committee. used to be a wide open, sleepy and Sudan, a tax accountant who is black and ran for the “We found it remarkable and school board as a Democrat in 2012, according to rural bedroom community — and it startling that in an area with such the Los Angeles Times. was almost completely homogeneous. tremendous racial diversity, you had Sightings of blacks or Hispanics She told the paper that she was excited to run the outright exclusion of African a winnable campaign — “until her district was residents in these suburban cities Americans and Latinos from the redrawn in 2011 to include more Republicans.” north of Atlanta were rare back in the political life of the county,” Clarke day. “I felt I had been kind of railroaded,” Es-Sudan added. “This is a long-standing and However, beginning in the midsaid of her eventual loss to the Republican. “I’d had historical problem that we seek to 1980s, Gwinnett grew exponentially a Democratic district, and I had no doubt I could uproot.” to not only become the fastest growing win in that district.” On Aug. 8, the Georgia NAACP, the county in the nation, it would also “The board is lily white now,” she said. “It has Georgia Association of Latino Elected become the most ethnically diverse always been and it always will be.” Officials and Lawyers’ Committee for county in the entire Southeastern Es-Sudan’s exasperation and Civil Rights Under Law United States. Minorities now make Kristen Clarke extreme frustration with the filed a federal lawsuit up nearly half of the 900,000 residents redistricting led her to uproot and in Gwinnett County. Yet the elected offices in in the Northern District Court of move to neighboring Dekalb County, Georgia’s second largest county remains all white. Georgia alleging a violation of the a more racially diverse county in Voting Rights Act of 1965 by Gwinnett And residents and civic activists are outraged. suburban Atlanta. “I kind of felt that More than 50 years after Selma and “Bloody County. with my level of interest in politics This case is particularly important and government, as long as I was “Gwinnett County is the most because polls show that Georgia is in Gwinnett, it was never going to now a battleground state, meaning racially diverse county in the happen,” she said. Democratic presidential candidate A Gwinnett county representative southeastern United States. Yet Hillary Clinton could win the red said officials refuse to comment on state because of Republican defections no minority candidate has ever the lawsuit, only offering that they are from GOP candidate Donald Trump reviewing the case and will comment due to his many foibles, gaffes and won election to the County Board after being advised by legal counsel. divisive rhetoric. Jerry Gonzalez of Commissioners or Board of One activist makes it clear just how “This case is illustrious of the important this lawsuit is to minorities in Gwinnett. Education” that freedom is a constant struggle,” said -Kristen Clarke fact “The decisions of these Boards impact the Francys Johnson, Statesboro civil rights attorney and Georgia NAACP state president. “In Georgia’s day-to-day lives of Gwinnett County residents in Sunday” led President Lyndon B. Johnson to rural town and counties to large cities, there has a myriad of ways, yet because of the packing and enact the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Gwinnett’s been a steady chipping away of the gains achieved splitting of minority voters in the current district powerbrokers are deliberately depriving minority under the Voting Rights Act and the National Voter plans, minority candidates have been repeatedly voters of the ability to elect local candidates of Registration Act, and the redistricting process has defeated in Gwinnett County elections,” said their choosing. A coalition of civil rights groups is been a major tool of retrogression. The NAACP Gonzales. “District lines must be fairly drawn for reportedly accusing the county in a federal lawsuit will mortgage every asset we have to defend the minority communities to elect the representatives filed this past week. unfettered access to the ballot. It was paid for with of their choice, to engage meaningfully with “Gwinnett County is the most racially diverse the blood, sweat and tears of our ancestors — it’s decision makers, and to make sure that their needs are addressed.” county in the southeastern United States. Yet sacred.”
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Founded August 5 1928; Became Daily, March 12, 1932 W.A. Scott, II, Founder/Publisher August 5, 1928 to February 7, 1934 Published weekly at 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway Suite 500 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Periodicals Postage Paid at Atlanta Mailing Offices. Publication Number 017255 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Atlanta Daily World, 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway Suite 500 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Subscriptions: One Year: $52 Two Years: $85 Forms of Payment: Check, Money Order, VISA American Express, MasterCard MEMBER: Associated Press Atlanta Business League Central Atlanta Progress Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce National Newspaper Publishers Website: www.AtlantaDailyWorld.com Lorraine Cochran General Manager lcochran@realtimesmedia.com
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RNC announces new additions to African American Engagement Initiative The Republican National Committee recently announced three new additions to its Strategic Initiatives team who will help fulfill the RNC’s goal of growing the Party and communicating the Republican message to every American. Ashley Bell will serve as Senior Strategist and National Director of African American Political Engagement, Shannon Reeves will serve as Senior Advisor to the RNC’s Political Department, and Elroy Sailor will serve as a Senior Advisor to the Chairman. Leah Le’Vell will serve as the African American Initiatives and Urban Media Fellow. “With these new additions to our Strategic Initiatives team, we are growing our long-term commitment to engaging with Black voters and being the Party that promotes new models to solve old problems,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “One of the RNC’s key goals has been to take our message to the Black community and make the case why we are the only party capable of delivering prosperity, security, and freedom for every neighborhood in America; Leah Le’Vell’s engagement with college students and Telly Lovelace with the media has been key to this effort. Ashley Bell, Shannon Reeves, and Elroy Sailor, will play an integral role in communicating why all Americans should benefit from Republican policies that grow our economy, and make our communities and families stronger and safer.” Bell is a former Commissioner of Hall County, Georgia and is a Chair of the African American criminal justice reform advocacy organization the 2020 Leaders of America. In that role Bell has partnered with Facebook, Google, Fusion Network, the National Association of Black Officers, and many other civil rights groups to advocate for reforming America’s criminal justice system. Bell was also a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention and was recently named one of the American Bar Association’s Top 40 Young Lawyers in the nation.
Bell is a regular cable news political commentator and former Fox News radio host in the Atlanta area. Shannon Reeves, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Alabama A & M University, will advise the RNC on statistical data analysis and African American voter identification for the Party. He is a prolific fundraiser, civic leader and grassroots organizer who formerly served as National Director of State and Local Development for the RNC. Previously, he was elected Secretary of the California Republican Party, as well as President and Executive Director of the Oakland, California chapter of the NAACP. Elroy Sailor, founder and CEO of the J.C Watts Companies, will provide strategic and political counsel to the RNC. He brings over 25 years of political, policy and business experience. Sailor served as Senior Advisor and Director of Strategic Programs for Rand Paul for President, 2016; national surrogate for George W. Bush’s presidential campaign, 2000 and 2004; and as a national strategist for several U.S. House midterm elections. His senior roles at the federal and state level have included serving under House Republican Conference Chairman J.C. Watts, U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham, and Governor John Engler of Michigan. Sailor led the team that built the largest African American owned corporate and political affairs firm in Washington D.C. He also managed the historic acquisition of the first African American owned John Deere dealership in United States. Le’Vell is a rising senior at Georgia State University. She has interned in the United States House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. She has been involved in numerous campaigns in her home state of Georgia. Most recently she serves as a board member of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump. Her work will focus on GOP engagement strategies for African American millennials and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
August 11-17, 2016
City of Atlanta announces Proctor Creek Community Workforce Program ADW staff reports The City of Atlanta announced on Tuesday, Aug. 9. the launch of the Proctor Creek Trash Free Waters Community Workforce Program. This communitydriven job creation and environmental cleanup program is designed to promote the long-term redevelopment of the Vine City and English Avenue communities. During a launch event last week, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency, the Community Improvement Association Inc. and other partners identified plans to hire 20 residents from the local community to help clean the Proctor Creek watershed and stream corridor of litter, debris and illegal dumping. A 12-week pilot program, the Proctor Creek Trash Free Waters Community Workforce Program will also focus on removing litter from the Northwest Atlanta and Atlanta University Center communities. Residents will be paid $12 an hour. “We are proud to work with our partners today to launch this program,” said Stephanie Stuckey Benfield, the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “The program is based on a simple idea: hire workers from the local community to help clean up Proctor Creek and the surrounding communities. We are certain that the City of Atlanta will establish best practices that communities nationwide can adapt for cleaning waterways and promoting job creation
opportunities with this program.” The program is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency, the Keep Atlanta Beautiful Commission, the Community Improvement Association’s Proctor Creek Stewardship Council, Georgia Stand-Up/Trade-UP/ Build-Up Program and EPA Region IV’s Trash Free Waters Program. “EPA’s Trash-Free Waters program is a wonderful tool to help the Proctor Creek community reduce trash in their waterways,” said EPA Regional Water Division Director Jim Giattina. “EPA is proud to be able to assist local efforts to transform degraded, forgotten waterways into community centerpieces that revitalize the surrounding neighborhoods.” The Proctor Creek Trash Free Waters Community Workforce Program represents another step in Mayor Kasim Reed’s commitment to Proctor Creek. The City of Atlanta is one of 11 communities selected for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Urban Waters Project, a designation being used to foster a number of remediation and restoration projects along the creek. Plans include adding 400 acres of new greenspace and a trail that connects the Atlanta BeltLine to the Chattahoochee River. In total, the City will restore nine miles of natural waterway to reduce flooding, create trails for recreation and spur economic development.
City awarded $10 Million grant for Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Innovation Corridor Project ADW staff reports Mayor Kasim Reed today announced that the City of Atlanta has been awarded a $10 million TIGER grant for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Innovation Corridor Project. The TIGER grant will fund mobility, safety and aesthetic improvements on the seven-mile road from downtown Atlanta to the western limits of the city, enhancing access for the thousands of people who live, work and travel along the corridor. “I am pleased to announce that the City of Atlanta has received $10 million in funding from the 2016 TIGER grants to support the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Corridor Improvement Project. With this major grant, the City is able to make significant progress toward completing this vital project,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “I offer my thanks to both Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and President Barack Obama for their continued support of the City of Atlanta as we work to expand and update our transportation systems to support economic opportunity for all our residents. As the birthplace of Dr. King, the street bearing his name should and will be one of the most attractive and important streets in our city.” The Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Innovation Corridor Project is the first of its kind in the U.S. The improvements to the seven-mile street will include synchronized traffic lights, new sidewalks and a multi-use trail with new landscaping, historic signage, street furniture, upgraded crosswalks, distinctive paving with ADA ramps, public art displays at
major intersections, improved medians, new street lighting and a pocket park in the median of the road. The project will provide new mobility options and increase access to transit, employment centers and services along the length of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and will improve safety for all users of the corridor. Additionally, the project promotes a range of affordable, accessible mobility options connecting residents of the corridor to rail stations, bus routes, trails, schools and more. The City of Atlanta Department of Public Works held multiple public meetings and incorporated residents’ input into the streetscape improvement plan.
Earlier this year, the Atlanta City Council passed legislation authorizing the City to partner with the Georgia Department of Transportation to begin resurfacing along the seven-mile corridor, allowing the City to further extend its resources. The total cost for the full Innovation Corridor Project is $22.9 million; TIGER grant will cover just under half of the full cost. “For the eighth year running, TIGER will inject critical infrastructure dollars into communities across the country,” said Secretary Foxx. “This unique program rewards innovative thinking and collaborative solutions to difficult and sometimes dangerous transportation problems. A great TIGER program doesn’t just improve transportation; it expands economic opportunity and transforms a community.” The highly competitive TIGER grant program supports innovative projects, including multi-modal and multijurisdictional projects, which are difficult to fund through traditional federal programs. This year’s awards focus on capital projects that generate economic development and improve access to reliable, safe and affordable transportation for communities, both urban and rural. This is the third TIGER grant the City of Atlanta has received during Mayor Reed’s administration; the City received a $47.7 million in TIGER II grant to build the Atlanta Streetcar and an $18 million TIGER V grant to support construction of the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside trail, for a total of $75.7 million in TIGER funds to support innovative transportation projects in the City of Atlanta.
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August 11-17, 2016
COMMUNITY
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Atlanta BeltLine creator Ryan Gravel to receive prestigious Judy Turner Prize Ryan Gravel, who created the concept for Atlanta’s BeltLine when he was a graduate student at Georgia Tech, will be the inaugural recipient of the Judy Turner Prize at the 2016 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival Presented by DeKalb Medical (DBF). Gravel will receive the prize during a ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 3:45 p.m. at the Decatur Marriott Conference Center before he presents his book, Where We Want to Live: Reclaiming Infrastructure for a New Generation of Cities. The prize is named in honor of the DBF founding board member who has continued to serve as the president of what is now the largest independent book festival in the country. Turner retired earlier this year from Private Bank of Decatur after a 51-year career in banking. In recognition of her stellar community service resume, Private Bank of Buckhead, which includes Private Bank of Decatur, contributed $10,000 in seed money to establish the prize. There are no specific criteria for the prize other than the focus of the book must be on community and published in the current year. The festival’s programming team determined the winner. “I can think of no better choice for the inaugural winner of the Judy Turner Prize than Ryan Gravel,” DBF Founding Executive Director Daren Wang said. “Judy has dedicated her
career and volunteerism to the communities in which she has lived and worked and the BeltLine is helping to redefine community in Atlanta, bringing a vibrancy to the urban core. That would not be possible without Ryan’s vision.” Gravel is the founding principal of Sixpitch, a consulting firm, and a designer, planner and writer. The BeltLine is a 22mile circle of railroads around Atlanta that will provide a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit that will connect many neighborhoods directly to each other. It is the most comprehensive transportation and economic development project undertaken in the City of Atlanta’s history and one of the most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in progress in the United States. Increasingly, Gravel has been called to speak to international audiences on topics as wide-ranging as brownfield remediation, transportation, public health, affordable housing and urban regeneration. “The Atlanta BeltLine is truly a story about community — it’s about people pulling together and working hard to improve the physical, economic and cultural conditions of this region,” Gravel said, “so it’s really special to receive this prize in honor of a fellow change-maker like Judy Turner, whose commitment to Decatur has been a powerful catalyst that is improving the life of our communities.”
Fulton County kicks off program to end senior hunger By Felecia Church Fulton County Aging and Youth Services Department and the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger kicked off Wednesday, August 10 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sandy Springs Neighborhood Senior Center, 6500 Vernon Woods Drive, Sandy Springs, GA. “What A Waste” seeks to improve nutrition among seniors while reducing food waste Fulton County Aging & Youth and the NFESH will kick off “What A Waste: Reducing Hunger and Improving Health among Fulton County Seniors” to enhance the health and wellbeing of vulnerable seniors in Fulton County. The program is designed to directly improve the health and well-being of vulnerable seniors living in Fulton County by assisting select senior centers and other, similar senior meal providers in improving the nutrition services that they currently furnish to seniors who are now receiving meals and in expanding their services to reach other vulnerable older persons who are in need but excluded from services due to budgetary and other resource constraints. The funding for “What a Waste” is being provided through the Community Services Program. Through “What A Waste,” NFESH will work with the Sandy Springs Neighborhood Senior Center and the Roswell Neighborhood Senior Center to evaluate the program and make recommendations for operational and policy changes. Based on the organization’s track record with other jurisdictions, their recommendations have assisted senior meal programs in: lowering their food costs; improving their menus; and refining the nutrient content of meals to ensure that seniors have regular access to the much-needed nutritious foods. For more information, contact Darrell Jackson, Deputy Director, Aging and Youth Services Department at 404-613-7944.
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BUSINESS
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The NBMBAA Entrepreneurial Institute offers business leaders a chance at $10,000
Georgia’s movie industry surpasses $7 billion dollars The Georgia movie industry generated an economic impact of more than $7 billion in latest fiscal year, Gov. Deal stated. Just more than $2 billion of that represented direct spending from 245 feature films and TV productions shot in Georgia during fiscal 2016. “The film industry has created a home in Georgia ... employing thousands of Georgians while developing infrastructure and boosting small businesses,” Deal said. “I am committed to retaining this relationship by constructing a strong, film-ready workforce that will continue to help the industry thrive.”
The governor said the establishment of the Georgia Film Academy last year as a key component of the state’s effort to grow the industry. By the end of this year, 610 students are expected to have completed Course One at eight university and technical college campuses, and 274 will complete onset production internships leading to workforce certification. The growth of the film and TV production industry also has spurred the relocation or expansion of 130 businesses in Georgia.
Capping credit card fees would save merchants $15 billion per year
Credit card fees would save US retailers $15 billion annually if rules like those now regulating debit card charges were quickly introduced, according to a new report from CMS Payments Intelligence, an independent consultancy. US credit card charges are among the highest in the world. CMSpi is calling on regulators to cap those fees in the same way as debit cards following the recent decision of a federal appeals court to dismiss the $7.25-billion proposed settlement between millions of retailers and Visa and MasterCard. That ruling was hailed as a significant victory for merchants, establishing that Visa and MasterCard had not offered an adequate solution to the issue of excessive interchange fees. Interchange fees add significantly to merchant transaction costs, eat into their margins and reduce value to consumers. The CMSpi report, Regulating Credit Card Interchange Fees, addresses the challenges of developing an adequate methodology for regulating swipe fees and uncovers the extent of the cost relief new regulation would afford merchants. The report concludes that the new credit card interchange
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cap should be set at 22 cents per transaction plus 30.5 basis points for covered issuers; this calculation uses as its framework the 2011 Durbin Amendment, the incumbent regulation currently covering debit cards. As a result, US merchants would save over $15 billion of yearly fees paid for processing credit card payments. CMSpi CEO Brendan Doyle said: “While the federal appeals court ruling was positive, the uncomfortable fact remains that US merchants large and small are still paying excessive credit card interchange fees. Many other jurisdictions have regulated credit card interchange fees but the US has yet to do so, meaning that credit card interchange fees in the US average close to 2% of the transaction value and are currently among the highest in the world.” Doyle added: “What regulators now need to do is to go a step further and regulate these fees too. Contrary to what card industry representatives believe, our analysis shows that this regulation framework would not threaten the existence of credit card issuers but would provide $15 billion of annual savings for merchants and consumers.” For more information, contact: Matthew Shaw at 404-942-5900
Innovative entrepreneurs with cutting-edge ideas and superb pitching skills will have the opportunity to win $10,000 in business funding by participating in the National Black MBA Association Innovation Whiteboard Challenge. The Challenge will take place on Friday, October 14 in New Orleans at the 38th Annual National Conference & Exposition as a featured component of The Entrepreneurial Institute. Three finalists will present their business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists, academicians and successful business owners with the hopes of winning the grand prize. Based in Atlanta, GA, The National Black MBA Association® is the largest premiere business organization in the country, serving more than 9,800 members across 45 professional chapters. The organization’s programs, events and partnerships are designed to increase awareness and facilitate access to graduate management education programs and career opportunities in the field of business. NBMBAA will present its 38th Annual National Conference & Exposition themed “The Q Factor: Quality, A Leadership Paradigm,” in New Orleans, October 11 – 15, 2016 at the New Orleans Convention Center. The Conference will feature a career expo with close to 300 corporations, government entities, and universities delivering quality programs carefully designed to empower business professionals at every career level, and opportunities for entrepreneurs interested in starting a new venture or growing their existing one. Applications for the Innovation Whiteboard Challenge® will be accepted through 6:00 P.M. ET, Aug. 12. All applicants for the Whiteboard Challenge must be NBMBAA® members.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Ava DuVernay becomes first Omega Psi Phi hosts P-3 Experience: Pinot, paintings and black woman to direct $100M film poetry
By Terry Shropshire The men of the Delta Mu Mu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. are preparing for the summer’s hottest event. The same chapter that brought the nation’s favorite spring event “Sundresses & Seersuckers®,” presents another captivating affair, “The 2nd Annual P-3 Experience: Pinot, Paintings, and Poetry,” on Aug. 13, 2016 at the Heritage in Sandy Springs, Ga., from 4 to 7 p.m. This event will feature the finest of wines from Napa Valley wineries that produce vinos proven to stand proudly alongside the top wines of the world. Delta Mu Mu has built on their merits from previous events and will present an elegant afternoon of Chardonnay and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon, along with many other world renowned grapes that call the NAPA valley home and indeed thrive in their fertile soils. In addition to providing Atlanta’s latest
premier wine tasting event for the distinguished palette, Delta Mu Mu will bring for your listening ear some of Atlanta’s outstanding poetry and spoken word talent to perform in an open mic setting, comparable to some of the best sets in the nation. Finally, to encircle the cultural experience, the brothers will present some of Atlanta’s best artwork for your visual sensation. Truly touching all of your senses with sight, sound, and taste, the Men of Delta Mu Mu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated are indeed “Leaders Amongst Leaders” in the promoting of signature events that will make your next Atlanta Societal Experience that much more memorable! Advance tickets can be purchased through eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/the-2nd-annual-p-3-pinotp a i nt i n g s - p o e t r y - e x p e r i e n c e - t i c k e t s 25882271571?aff=erelexpmlt. For more information, see www.dmmomegas.org
There seems to be no stopping the phenomenon that is Ava DuVernay. Almost daily, there is news about her doing something amazing while continuing to break down the iron-clad barriers of Hollywood. Her latest round of success involves her making history as the newest director of the $100 million movie club. With Ava DuVernay set to direct the Disney film adaptation of the beloved novel “A Wrinkle in Time,” starring Oprah Winfrey, the expectations for such an epic collaboration are very high and now the details of such a massive budget for the film is enough to propel her to the top of the Hollywood A-list. DuVernay not only joins an exclusive club for film directors, but she is also the first African American woman to do so. The Disney production will receive $18 million in tax credits with a budget of more than $100 million. The film blog ‘Women and Hollywood’ confirms that she is the first Black woman to direct a film with a budget this huge. Ava DuVernay will be the first African
American woman to helm a live-action feature with a budget over $100 million. Only two other women have directed live-action films with a budget in this range. Kathryn Bigelow was the first in 2002 with “K-19: The Widowmaker.” Patty Jenkins will be the second with next year’s “Wonder Woman.” And now Ava DuVernay will be the third. And she’ll be the first woman of color. The good news for DuVernay continues to roll on, as it was just announced that her OWN network drama Queen Sugar, which premieres in September, has already been renewed for a second season before a single episode of the series has even aired. The second season of the series will receive a 16-episode order, three more episodes than the first season. Ava DuVernay is the personification of #Bl ackGirlMag ic and it is absolutely wonderful to see her making major and historical moves in Hollywood. It’s practically guaranteed at this point that everything she touches will make us proud.
Hustle Hard: R&B Star Rotimi unveils the formula By Sean Malcom “What drives me is I want to have a legacy. And people can look at me and say, ‘he did that.’” — Rotimi No matter what your race or gender, there is a genetic makeup that reasons the decisions we make in our individual lives. The proverbial chessboard of one’s existence, or the sum of your parts, if you will. Making strategic moves, one at a time, on the way to personal greatness. For Olurotimi Akinosho, better known as Rotimi, he is fully aware of this school of thought. “My purpose here is to break down all types of barriers,” Rotimi says. “I don’t want to be compartmentalized. I just creatively show myself in different ways. I want to be the best at this and the best at that. That’s why I work really hard.” And for the 25-year-old New Jersey native, his hard work is definitely paying off. The singer-songwriter and actor’s meteoric rise is a fitting testament to his belief in himself and his talents. Growing up in a strict two-parent Nigerian household, Rotimi’s mother saw something in him that gave her the impetus to hone his burgeoning creativity. “That’s not typical in Nigerian households,” he recalls before quipping in his native tongue, “it’s about being a doctor of a lawyer.” At age 6, Rotimi sang at weddings and the New Jersey Children’s Choir, all while learning to play the violin and keyboard. By the time he was 15-years-old, Rotimi
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was a two-time winner of the Apollo Theatre’s famed “Amateur Night.” Yet, while perfecting his craft as a singer was essential, education was priority. Placing on the shelf his dreams of one day becoming the “Prince of Soul,” he focused on attaining a degree in Bachelor of Science in Communications and Business from Northwestern University. “I had to graduate college to get that respect from them,” he remembers. “My dad said whatever I want, he’ll support, as soon as I finished school. As soon as I learn about myself as a man.” Once that accomplishment was achieved, Rotimi pursued another passion, acting. Small screen exposure came in 2011, starring in the short-lived political drama, Boss, on Starz. But he still never extinguished his burning passion for rhythm & blues.
During a brief acting hiatus, and residing in the ATL, Rotimi created two acclaimed mixtapes, The Resume, in 2011 and While You Wait, the following year. “Atlanta gave me a lot of confidence as an artist and as a man,” he admits. “I feel like when I got here I was still trying to figure out everything, and musically it put in perspective for me. I was on my own in the South, so I had to learn a lot on my own. Atlanta made me feel like I could conquer the world.” But, being a thespian was still a part of his world. And the acting bug bit, yet again, in the form of playing “Dre” in Starz uber-popular Power, last year. As fate would have it, Rotimi caught the ear and eye of Power’s executive producer, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, who signed him to his G-Unit imprint. The outcome of this collabo resulted in the single “Lotto,” which peaked at number two on Billboard’s Twitter Emerging Artists chart. There’s a certain art in balancing two successful careers, is there? “What keeps me going is the drive to be one of the best ever, man, I want to be one of the greatest,” he exclaims. “So, I gotta work hard, I gotta multitask, I gotta network, I want to continually progress.” Never resting on his laurels, it’s Rotimi’s progressive dedication and drive that is implemented in his DNA…the DNA of a hustler. The science. While you search to break down your own keys, hit the jump and peep this new renaissance man’s formula…
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ENTERTAINMENT
August 11-17, 2016
Tasha Smith, Krista Campbell at ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ promotion The upcoming film, Kubo and the Two Strings, is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA. Posing with the animated characters “Kubo,” “Beetle” and “Monkey” were celebritites Tasha Smith (“EMPIRE”), singer Algebra, singer and radio host Darlene McCoy (“The Nightly Spirit”), radio host Willie Moore Jr., radio host Griff (“GET UP! Mornings with Erica Campbell”) and Krista Campbell, daughter of Erica Campbell from “Mary Mary”. The storyline: Clever, kindhearted Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson of “Game of Thrones”) ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including Hosato (George Takei), Hashi (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), and Kameyo (Academy Award nominee Brenda Vaccaro). But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey (Academy Awardwinner Charlize Theron) and Beetle
(Academy Awardwinner Matthew McConaughey), and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen – a magical musical instrument – Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King (Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) and the evil twin Sisters (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara), to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family, and fulfill his heroic destiny.
Tyler Perry makes surprise visit to ‘Too Close to Home’ movie junket
By Terry Shrophire On Tuesday, TLC hosted a press luncheon at the W Midtown to preview their first-ever scripted series, “Tyler Perry’s Too Close to Home.” Creator/director/writer Tyler Perry made a surprise appearance at the standing-roomonly event, which was also attended by cast members Danielle Savre (Bring It On: All or Nothing), Brock O’Hurn (Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween), Kelly Sullivan (“The Young and the Restless”) Ashley Love-Mills (“Nashville”), newcomer Annie Thrash and Alpha Everette Trivet (“Drop Dead Diva”). Tyler Perry Studios executives Ozzie Areu, president, Will Areu, senior vice president,
and Mark E. Swinton, producer were also on hand to present the show. The event included lunch with special TLC-branded cupcakes by Georgetown Cupcakes, a full episode screening, Q&A and select 1:1 interviews. Additionally, attendees walked away with show-themed pie plates as a parting gift from TLC. Written, directed and produced by Tyler Perry, “Too Close to Home” is an 8-episode drama that tells the story of a young woman who escaped her working class upbringing to discover unparalleled success in the fastpaced D.C. political circuit. The show debuts Monday, Aug. 22 at 9 PM ET/PT for a twohour premiere.
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EDUCATION
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Wells Fargo sends students back to school in style By Crystal Drake On Saturday, August 6, Wells Fargo and other local organizations joined the City of College Park Councilman Tracey Wyatt for the councilman’s annual back-to-school book bag giveaway. The event will offer free school supplies for local students, along with giveaways and panel discussions on safe communities and healthy living for College Park residents. This is the second year Wells Fargo District Manager Kevin Parrish and his team have joined Councilman Wyatt on this annual effort. Parrish and his fellow Wells Fargo team members collected more than 2,700 school supplies, including notebooks, pencils, glue sticks and binders for College Park students. The supplies were collected in local Wells Fargo stores over the course of three weeks and at Wells Fargo’s annual Ballin’ for Books Basketball Tournament. The tournament, held on July 24 at the Tracey Wyatt Recreation Center, was open to Wells Fargo team members, friends and family who came together over a shared passion for basketball and the community. School supplies served as the entry fee to the
tournament and attendees were entered in a raffle to receive book bags filled with supplies. “Being a business leader is about more than what you do in the office, it’s about how you give back and get your community involved around what matters most,” said Parrish.
“We know that Councilman Wyatt is passionate about helping the youth in College Park and we felt that collecting school supplies during the tournament would be a great way to make an impact in the lives of students.” Last year, more than 200 Wells Fargo team members, family, friends, city officials and customers supported the basketball tournament and supply drive. With the help from Wells Fargo and other community supporters, Councilman Wyatt collected enough materials to gift 500 College Park elementary, middle and high school students with book bags filled with school supplies.
Verizon STEM Program sends middle schoolers to HBCUs around the country By Diane Larche’ Eleven-year-old Myles Dudley will be a sixth grader at North Gwinnett Middle School this year and he’s already had a taste of college life. That’s because he was enrolled for five weeks in Verizon’s technology summer camp at Clark Atlanta University. The program is one of 11 held at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and one Hispanic school across the country for middle school African American and Latino boys. The Verizon Innovative Learning Program launched in 2015 at four HBCU schools and one Hispanic university. It expanded the program in 2016 to an additional seven schools, making CAU the first and only school in Atlanta to host it. The students learn valuable Science, Technology, Engineering and Math skills. like coding software and Apps and 3D printer usage. It will continue through the school year on Saturdays at CAU. Verizon put close to $400,000 into the CAU two-year program. There is no charge to the student. Myles got up early to make the nearly hour-long commute each weekday morning from Gwinnett County to CAU in Southwest Atlanta with his mom Pascha Shephard who dropped him off and then headed to her job as a paralegal. His older sister Madisyn, a sophomore with a dual degree major in computer engineering and computer science, is one of nine CAU students paired as mentors for the middle school boys. “I’m learning how to use apps and how to use an SD card and 3D printer so that I can make my own robots, and that’s fun,” says Myles who adds he hopes to one day be a software engineer. He and his two team members used a robot and a 3D printer to collect electronic waste as their student project. Student presentations were made at the closing luncheon held at the CAU Bishop L. Cornelius Student Center and attended by faculty, students, staff and parents.
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The 40 boys participating in the VLP program are from middle schools across the metro area including Atlanta Public Schools and charter schools. They attend Sandtown, Crayton, Inman, Sutton, Colonial Hills, Austin, Fayette County, Woodland, Rex Mill, Charles Drew, Young, Chapel Hill, SAE, Ron Clark Academy, Brown, Imhotep Academy, North Gwinnett, Bunch, Stephenson, Dawla, The Museum School.and Price. Aswann Peters, Director Human Resources and Administration Verizon Southeast Market, attended the luncheon and shared his story with the boys about his rough upbringing as an African American male in Chicago, Iand told them “you can do whatever you want to do. I am an example of that.” “As a mother of two sons, I am well aware of the challenges that African American males struggle with today,” Justina Nixon Satil, director of Education programs at Verizon said in a statement. We created this Verizon Innovative Learning program to provide these young men with STEM skills because I have seen first-hand how exposure to technology can open their eyes to a brighter future they thought was out of their reach. We’re already seen amazing results and we can’t wait to see how they’ll change the world.” Veda Chandler J.D. CAU VILP Coordinator said the program added an English and Health curriculum to further support the students. “ We used a lot of hands-on lab work. This age group is not easy, you have to keep their attention. Next year she said there will be two camps; one for beginners and an advanced camp for this summer’s participants. She anticipates enrolling 60 students next summer. Information to apply will be on the CAU website at www.cau.edu. All inquiries should be made to the attention of Program Director Veda L. Chandler.
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LIFESTYLE
August 11-17, 2016
Poll: Young Americans overwhelmingly New video highlights Georgia commute favor LGBT rights Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press Writer Young people in America overwhelmingly support LGBT rights when it comes to policies on employment, health care and adoption, according to a new survey. The GenForward survey of Americans ages 18-30 found that support for those policies has increased over the past two years, especially among young Whites. But relatively few of these young adults consider rights for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender to be among the top issues facing the United States. According to the findings, 92 percent of young adults support HIV and AIDs prevention, 90 percent support equal employment, and 80 percent support LGBT adoption. Across racial and ethnic groups, broad majorities support training police on transgender issues, government support for organizations for LGBT youth and insurance coverage for transgender health issues. Graphic shows results of GenForward poll on younger Americans’ attitudes toward LGBT policies; 2c x 4 inches; 96.3 mm x 101 mm; Graphic shows results of GenForward poll on younger Americans’ attitudes toward LGBT policies GenForward is a survey by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The first-of-its-kind poll pays special attention to the voices of young adults of color, highlighting how race and ethnicity shape the opinions of the country’s most diverse generation. In the past two years, support has increased from 69 percent to 84 percent among young Whites for policies such as allowing gays and lesbians to legally adopt children. Support among this group for employment equality for LGBT individuals rose from 84 percent to 92 percent. The poll also suggests support for allowing adoption by gays and lesbians has increased among Hispanics over the past two years, from 65 percent to 75 percent. Christie Cocklin, 27, a self-identified multiracial American from Providence, Rhode Island, says that LGBT rights are just common sense.
“People who don’t identify as heterosexual are human like we are, and should be entitled to the same kind of rights,” she said. “I have friends who are LGBT and I feel that it’s discrimination to not allow them adoption or employment or whatever.” Young Asian-Americans, African-Americans and Latinos are more likely to support insurance coverage for transgender health issues in general than when certain specifics are mentioned. Eighty-three percent of Asian-Americans support insurance coverage for transgender health issues, but only 63 percent say so when gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments are specifically mentioned. Similarly, support for insurance coverage drops from 69 percent to 57 percent among African-Americans, and from 74 percent to 57 percent among Latinos. Sixty-two percent of young whites favored insurance coverage of transgender health issues regardless of whether that specifically included gender reassignment surgery and hormone treatments. While young Americans favored LGBT rights on every issue in the poll, only 6 percent, including fewer than 1 in 10 across racial and ethnic backgrounds, consider the LGBT rights one of the top issues facing the country. Among those who self-identified as LGBT, 17 percent said it is one of the country’s top issues. The poll of 1,940 adults age 18-30 was conducted July 9-20 using a sample drawn from the probability-based GenForward panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. young adult population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The survey was paid for by the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago using grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Respondents were first selected randomly using addressbased sampling methods, and later interviewed online or by phone.
options
By Maya Fizer Georgia Commute Options recently released “World’s Best Boss,” a light-hearted video highlighting the benefits of “clean commute” employer programs and incentives. Georgia Commute Options’ workplace programs, currently utilized by over 2,000 metro Atlanta employers, include assistance in setting up telework and ridematching programs, along with transit trip planning for employees and consultation for office moves. In addition, Georgia Commute Options provides guidance on the federal Commuter Choice tax benefit program, which allows employers to offer pre-tax financial incentives to employees who use alternative commute modes, as much as $255 per month. Clean commute programs have multiple benefits for employers and their employees, including reduced parking costs, reduced facility costs, and the ability to recruit and retain talent. Fewer cars at a workplace can save metro Atlanta employers $360 to $2,000 on parking per year (Source: TDM Encyclopedia). Workplaces that allow employees to telework can spend less on facilities costs — the average real estate savings for full-time teleworkers is $10,000 per employee per year. Telework is also useful in recruiting and retaining top talent: 46% of companies that allow telework report that it has reduced attrition (Source: Global Workplace Analytics). “Metro Atlanta businesses are our biggest ally in promoting clean commuting across the region,” said Phil Peevy, Georgia DOT Air Quality and Technical Resource Branch Chief. “When employers offer programs and benefits company-wide, they have the power to affect real behavior change among large groups of employees.” The “World’s Best Boss” video features a humorous take on how an employer implements commute programs for his employees. View the video at GaCommuteOptions.com/ BestBoss. Employers interested in more information or signing up for any of Georgia Commute Options’ 12 free services are encouraged to visit www.Ga.CommuteOptions.com.
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August 11-17, 2016
GUEST COMMENTARY
GUEST COMMENTARY
by Freddie Allen
by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.
Can the National Diversity Coalition for Trump sway black voters? It’s official. Donald J. Trump is the Republican presidential nominee. The Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio was a rough and raucous ride for the reality star, real estate developer turned political neophyte. After charges of plagiarism over Melania Trump’s speech, a non-endorsement from Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and an apocalyptic speech that promised to restore safety on January 20, 2017 if Trump is elected, Trump supporters are gearing up for the next phase of the campaign: a head-to-head match up against former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Friday before the convention, Trump named Indiana Governor Mike Pence his running mate for 2016 presidential election. Last month, the National Diversity Coalition for Donald Trump met with RNC leaders at the RNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. to discuss how the groups can work together to get Donald Trump elected. The National Diversity Coalition for Trump is a volunteer organization of religious, business and political leaders from minority communities. The executive board includes Bruce LeVell (executive director), Pastor Darrell Scott (CEO), special counsel Michael Cohen (cochairman) and Reverend Omarosa Manigault (co-chairman). The group also includes advisors from groups like “Hispanic Patriots for Trump,” “Sikh Americans for Trump,” and “Minorities for Trump.” LeVell said that his volunteer status is important, because he still has access to the candidate, but in a role where he can speak candidly with Trump. “When someone works for you, you really don’t get the truth. If you’re my boss I’m very limited to how transparent I can be with you,” said LeVell, the executive director of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump. “I don’t want to work in D.C. and Trump knows that, too.” LeVell wants his group to bolster the efforts of Jennifer Sevilla Korn, the RNC’s deputy political director. LeVell added that reports of tension between Trump and the RNC were overblown. “The campaign and Mr. Trump understand the value of the RNC,” LeVell said. Telly Lovelace, the national director of African-American Initiatives and Media for the RNC said that the RNC and the coalition have a great working relationship. “We feel their energy and we want to work with them,” said Lovelace. “We want to be a resource to the coalition. The great thing about this group is that every one brings their personal life experience to the table and they can take that and get their message out to help get Mr. Trump elected.” LeVell scoffed at recent polling conducted before the convention that suggested that more than half of Republican voters still favored a mystery candidate over Trump, even though he has outlasted every single one of his political opponents. He credits Trump’s unique stance in
the race as a non-politician for the opposition. LeVell, a businessman from Georgia, said that Trump is a candidate that doesn’t owe anything to special interests groups and that there are no backdoor or side deals to be made. “You can’t control this candidate,” said LeVell. “This is why there is a lot of pushback in all different aspects of the GOP, because they can’t make a play.” LeVell noted that Trump received more votes than any other Republican presidential candidate in the history of the primary elections. The Georgia businessman said that Trump found out what Americans were really thinking about (illegal immigration, national security and foreign trade) and then carefully crafted a message that resonated with those voters. “Look at the ones who are complaining,” said the Georgia businessman. “It’s not the 16 million people.” Even though his surrogates have promised that more deals and more targeted policy proposals are coming down the pike for the Black community following the Republican National Convention, Trump has steep hill to climb. Nearly 90 percent of black voters and 75 percent of Latino voters hold an unfavorable view of Trump, according to an NBC News/ SurveyMonkey poll. LeVell said that Trump’s meeting with the pastors last November was less about an endorsement and more about taking the pulse of the Black community. Trump and his surrogates have often touted his ability to create jobs, his business credentials and his long-standing relationship with the Black community as the candidate looks to make inroads with Black voters in November, but his record is mixed. The New York Times reported that the Justice Department sued Trump and his father for housing discrimination in New York in the early 70s. The Justice Department, “also charged that the company had required different rental terms and conditions because of race and that it had misrepresented to blacks that apartments were not available.” The Trumps settled with the Justice Department, admitting no guilt, and promised to reform their rental practices, according to The New York Times. Trump’s track record for filing for bankruptcy under the federal codes has also drawn criticism. Still, LeVell said that Trump’s business record and his ability to grow jobs will resonate in the Black community and that his unique message of economic empowerment will start picking up more momentum after the convention. “A poor man really doesn’t want to listen to a poor man,” said LeVell. “A poor man will listen to a rich man, if it relates to how you can lift yourself up.” The Georgia businessman said that he hasn’t felt this energized for a candidate since he was 18 years-old working on Ronald Reagan’s campaign licking envelopes.
The continuing fight for the right to vote A panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rebuked the North Carolina legislature for acting with “discriminatory intent” in passing restrictions on the right to vote that “target African Americans with almost surgical precision.” The decision came as we approach the 51st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act on August 6. Reinforced by similar rulings in the appellate court in Texas and a district court in Wisconsin, the decision is a victory for our democracy and our Constitution. The voting impediments were passed by North Carolina in 2013 in the wake of the Supreme decision in Shelby v. Holder which struck down the central provision of the Voting Rights Act: the requirement that areas with a history of discrimination gain prior approval from the Justice Department before changing voting regulations. Chief Justice John Roberts, the activist Republican judge, decided to rewrite the law that was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, arguing that since we now live in a “post-racial society,” requiring prior approval for voting law changes was no longer justified. The flood of legislation that followed — all erecting barriers to make voting harder for African Americans in particular — proved the chief justice’s fantasy was a lie. In North Carolina, the legislature acted immediately after the Supreme Court decision came down. Its motivation, the Fourth Circuit panel found, was clear. African-American turnout had surged in 2008 and 2012 (with Barack Obama at the head of the Democratic ticket), nearing parity with the turnout of white voters for the first time. Obama had taken the state in 2008 and lost it closely in 2012. But in 2010, conservative Republicans had taken control of the legislature and the statehouse. The new majority acted aggressively to fend off the threat posed by growing African-American turnout. As Judge Diana Motz, writing for the unanimous panel, summarized, the legislators “requested data on the use, by race, of a number of voting practices. Upon receipt of the race data, the General Assembly enacted legislation that restricted voting and registration in five different ways, all of which disproportionately affected African Americans.” The three-judge panel in Richmond, Virginia, unanimously concluded that the law was racially discriminatory, overturning
a requirement that voters show photo identification to vote and restoring sameday voter registration, a week of early voting, pre-registration for teenagers, and out-ofprecinct voting. As Ari Berman, the voting rights expert who reports for The Nation magazine noted, the decision comes after North Carolina’s presidential primary in March provided a troubling indication of what might be expected in the general election — students waiting in three-hour lines, foreign-born U.S. citizens asked to spell their names to poll workers for no reason, and elderly voters born during Jim Crow turned away from the polls for not meeting the new ID requirements. “The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals exposed for the world to see the racist intent of the extremist element of our government in North Carolina,” said the Rev. William Barber II, president of the North Carolina NAACP, on a press call Friday afternoon. “The ruling is a people’s victory, and it is a victory that sends a message to the nation.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the movement that culminated in the Voting Rights Act over a half-century ago. He understood that voting was the foundational right of citizenship. To strip someone of the right to vote is to strip them of their place in a self-governing community. In a 1957 speech titled “Give Us the Ballot,” King argued, “So long as I do not firmly and irrevocably possess the right to vote I do not possess myself. I cannot make up my mind — it is made up for me. I cannot live as a democratic citizen observing the laws I have helped to enact — I can only submit to the edict of others.” King understood that discriminatory election laws not only hurt minorities or the working poor, they also undermined the legitimacy of our elections and thus of our government. The North Carolina decision and similar decisions in Texas and Wisconsin offer the hope that the courts will act to frustrate at least the most blatant versions of new Jim Crow laws. Those decisions will remove barriers for literally millions of voters. But the courts can only reaffirm the right to vote. That right is not effective if it is not used. The courts have lowered the barriers in North Carolina and other states. Now the citizens must mobilize and vote in large numbers to exercise the power that they have.
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