Adw april 21 by Atlanta Daily World

Volume 88 • Issue 37

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Fulton County seeks youth commissioners P. 3

Equifax brings 650 jobs to Midtown P.5

CAU’s Jazz Under the Stars Concert P.6 April 21-27, 2016

‘Selling it: In the ATL’ casts spotlight on mental health issues

April 21-27, 2016

COVER STORY

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Gwen Boyd Moss of ‘Selling It: In the ATL’ wrote books, started foundation to combat mental illness

By Terry Shropshire Gwen Boyd Moss was allergic to reality TV. She once viewed the genre like a contagious virus that she never wanted to get near. In her own words, Boyd Moss is a very private person. But the mother of three decided to step outside of herself and address what is becoming a growing epidemic in America, particularly in the black community: mental illness. Moss’ eldest child, Justin – or Jo Jo – was diagnosed with autism at age 3 and schizophrenia at 14. The causes of autism still stumps the national and international community, who are grappling with why it is quickly becoming a growing national problem. When Justin was first diagnosed, only 1 of every 1900 kids was being diagnosed. Today, that number is closer to 1 of every 68. Boyd Moss had already turned down several offers to do reality TV because of the unfavorable themes surrounding them. But when WeTV came calling to be a part of a reality show about real estate, “Selling It: In the ATL,” Boyd Moss saw it as a perfect opportunity to combine her love for what she does and couple it with her mission to spread the message of her very private battles with mental illness in her son, who is now 21. “I went into it for two platforms — to expand my real estate business and to bring more awareness about mental health. “It really was the reason I wanted to be on the show. I’ve been asked to be on shows in the past, but I thought that WeTV has created a really good show, “Selling It: In the ATL” by depicting women in a more professional light,” Boyd Moss continued. “So the two came together.” “Selling It: In the ATL” offers a foray into the lives of seven female real estate agents in the Atlanta area and the interesting interactions born from competition in a glamorous city. Boyd Moss was quickly given the sobriquet “The Comeback Queen,” a nickname that she embraces because of what she had to endure and overcome.

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“I’ve been a licensed real estate agent in Georgia for 16 years, but I stopped for a while because of some personal issues and a tragedy,” she said. “Then I came back to the industry,” once those issues were resolved. Boyd Moss, who has two other healthy sons, also wanted to chronicle and document the

emotional rollercoaster ride that having a child with two debilitating mental illnesses can put a parent through. But, first, Boyd Moss had to come to grips with her own emotional wellbeing. “He was my first child. You just want a healthy baby. And you want them to succeed and do many things and go to college, and suddenly you have the doctor telling you what they will not do,” she said.

“So at first I went through depression, and then I went through denial trying to justify everything.” When she came to grips with the situation, Boyd Moss relaunched her book, My Big Brother Jo Jo and his Friend Schizophrenia, with the new exposure on “Selling It in the ATL.” “It’s a children’s book and it’s too teach young kids about mental illness. After years of my son not having interaction with other children or them not choosing to interact with him, I decided to develop something that could be used as a teachable tool — something that was descriptive and fun, and that parents could sit down and use at schools or churches and introduce mental illness issues to [others]. This is the first book in the series My Special FriendZ. The others are Mr. Autism: Can Andrew Come Play, the Bipolar Bandit has Captured Ben and Angelina and the ADHD Fairy, which will be coming out soon.” Boyd Moss’ books will hopefully help to combat yet another growing national epidemic: bullying at schools on people who are different in any way. “What I was seeing is what is prevelant in the schools today,” Boyd Moss said. “Bullying is a very real thing. But when you have a child that is different, it’s just that lack of understanding. When you see a kid throw a chair across the room, it can be pretty scary for the other kids. So I thought this book would be a good way for parents and teachers to start talking about it.” Violent outbursts and extreme behavior aside, Boyd Moss was moved to tears when, after years of complete silence, her son Jo Jo suddenly began speaking in complete sentences out of nowhere. “At first he would just gesture. He didn’t say anything for years. And then all of a sudden, he was speaking in full sentences. He said ‘I want to go to the movies and get some popcorn’ and I dropped everything, grabbed my purse, and we went to the movies. I remember the exact day it happened. I dropped everything I was doing that day.” She also worked diligently to get Jo Jo acclimated to the outside world, taking him to malls and playgrounds and sports complexes, so that he would get used to being around people and noises, things that used to set off meltdowns in the past. “I’m the kind of parent where, I tell other parents all the time, you may have a child that may be handicapped, but you don’t’ want to handicap them as well. You want to try to push the envelope and see what they can do.” she advises. “Are there times where it can be draining and you say, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore?’ Yes. But you have to keep going. Because they just might get it. And when they do, that moment is priceless. It really is. Just like when he spoke for the first time. Money cannot buy that type of joy.”

Atlanta Daily World

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NEWS

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Councilmember Felicia Moore requests security cameras in District 9

By Terry Shropshire Atlanta City Councilmember Felicia Moore introduced an ordinance at the April 18 Atlanta City Council meeting authorizing payment of $125,000 in funds from her District 9 budget to be forwarded to the Atlanta Police Foundation for the installation, maintenance, and operation of security cameras in the city’s right-of-way within District 9. The police foundation started installing cameras and license

plate readers throughout the city with plans of having as many as 12,000 devices at various locations. “District 9 continues to support initiatives designed to protect and increase the safety of the residents of the City of Atlanta,” said Moore. The devices will be integrated into the city’s Operation Shield Video Integration Center where police can monitor images from more than 5,700 high-tech cameras throughout the city. The legislation was referred to the Finance/Executive Committee. Security Camera/License Plate Reader Locations: Zone 1 Harwell Road at Skipper Drive – PTZ cam Harwell Road at Donald Lee Holloway Parkway – southbound LPR Harwell Road at Sandy Creek (D9/D10 border) – northbound LPR Donald Lee Holloway Parkway at Church Street – PTZ cam Hightower Road at 6th Street – PTZ cam Zone 2 Huff Road at Howell Mill Road – westbound LPR Huff Road at Marietta Boulevard – eastbound LPR Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard at Chattahoochee Avenue – southbound LPR Chattahoochee Boulevard at Collier Road – PTZ cam Bolton Road at Main Street – PTZ cam For more information, please call Councilmember Moore’s office at (404) 330-6044.

Councilman Bond announces textile recycling locations at schools and MARTA stations By Terry Shropshire Atlanta City Councilmember Michael Julian Bond and partners from the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM), Atlanta Public Schools and MARTA this week announced a citywide recycling outreach program. In addition, recycling bins have been placed at seven prime locations throughout the City of Atlanta until Saturday, May 7. Atlanta City Councilmember Michael Julian Bond and partners of a citywide recycling outreach will hold a 10:00 a.m. press conference Monday, April 18 at Atlanta City Hall to discuss the recycling program partnership and the benefits of recycling. Councilman Bond recently visited area middle schools to encourage students to recycle. He says recycling efforts are increasing and support from the community makes a significant difference. Recycling programs keep millions of pounds of unwanted items out of landfills by re-using them or transforming them into other usable products. These efforts save countless gallons of water and fuel as well as stop the release of millions of pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Recycling bins are located at:

Herb Joseph of Atlanta Public Schools, Peggy Whitlow- Radcliffe of CHaRM, Councilman Michael Julian Bond, John Bayalis of MARTA announced a recycling partnership at Atlanta City Hall. Antioch Baptist Church North: 540 Cameron M. Alexander Blvd. Brown Middle School: 225 James P. Brawley Drive, NW Bunche Middle School: 1925 Niskey Lake Road, S.W. Harper-Archer Middle School: 3399 Collier Drive, N.W. Sutton Middle School: 2875 Northside Drive, N.W Edgewood/Candler Park MARTA Station (east side of station):

1475 DeKalb Avenue Hamilton E. Holmes MARTA Station: 70 Hamilton E Holmes Drive, N.W. Items residents are encouraged to recycle include: • old/worn or used fabrics/clothing • pillows and other bedding material • curtains • towels For more information, please call Councilman Bond’s office at (404) 330-6770.

April 21-27, 2016

Fulton County seeks future leaders for Youth Commission

ADW Staff Reports Fulton County wants young people in search of leadership roles to apply to serve as Youth Commissioners. The Aging and Youth Services Department, Office of Children and Youth is seeking high school students between 9th and 11th grades. The Fulton County Youth Commission gets tomorrow’s leaders involved immediately. Youth Commissioners address the many issues presently facing youth through government mandates, policies and legislation. Youth Commissioners become familiar with how local government resolves youth issues. They suggest solutions for issues facing youth, but most importantly, they help facilitate change. Youth Commissioners who are accepted into the program will be expected to carry out the following responsibilities: * Impact policies and legislation * Interact with politicians on the local and state level * Speak out on behalf of ALL Fulton County youth * Help local government better understand the issues facing youth * Plan community events and participate in volunteer projects For consideration, students must meet the following criteria: * Must be a resident of Fulton County * Must attend a school within Fulton County (City of Atlanta Public Schools, Private or Charter) * Must be in the 9th -11th grade during the 2016-2017 academic year * Must submit a completed application and a two-page essay Applications are due by May 20 at 5:30 p.m. For more information and to obtain an application, contact Reginald Crossley at (404) 612-7386, email Reginald. Crossley@fultoncountyga.gov, or visit the Fulton County website at www.fultoncountyga.gov

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COMMUNITY

April 21-27, 2016

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Rainbow PUSH Coalition appoints Calvin Vismale Peachtree Street project executive director After engaging in a three-month search, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Citizen Education Fund Board of Directors have appointed Calvin F. Vismale, Jr. as the new Executive Director of its Southern Region Peachtree Street Project. “Calvin Vismale has the passion for justice, the intellectual acumen and the background of economic development and economic justice,” Rev. Jackson said. “He has a working knowledge of the South where so much of our challenges remain. We are blessed to have him and I look forward to working with him in his new position.” Calvin Vismale is an innovative entrepreneur and independent capital market professional who has earned a BA in Banking and Finance from Morehouse College and is not new to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Chief Operating Officer Mark Ellis says, “For many years, Calvin has been a key member of the Peachtree Street Project Advisory Board. We look forward to Calvin’s leadership and to supporting him as he steps into this new role.” Vismale will report directly to Ellis. “Setting an agenda for the new South will be high among the

list of priorities for Vismale as he takes the reigns of the Atlanta office of PUSH,” said Jackson. “We are concerned that our people have surrendered their vote; and, with the help of Atlanta’s diverse and formidable leadership, and the experience that PUSH brings to the table, we want to get the vote back into the hands of our citizens who vote in spite of the rain,” added Jackson. Prior to joining the civil rights organization, Vismale worked for Merrill Lynch, Morehouse College, Calvert Group and Goodworks International. He has also provided consulting services to Lehman Brothers, A.G. Edwards, Paine Weber, Criterion, Williams Capital and Towers Perrin. He is a registered municipal advisor and held a Series 7 plus 63 securities licenses for 28 years. “I am excited to be afforded the opportunity to provide servant leadership in the Southern Region for Rainbow PUSHCEF Coalition as Executive Director of the Peachtree Street Project,” Vismale said. “It is a high honor to be selected by Reverend Jackson and the CEF Board of Directors to continue the work toward economic equity that

Delta Sigma Theta hosts film festival at Morehouse By Diane Larche The Atlanta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated will host The Delta Sigma Theta International Film Festival, “Housed in Strength & Dignity” on Saturday, April 30 at the Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center, Bank of America Auditorium, 830 Westview Drive, S.W. Actress, singer and soror Sheryl Lee Ralph is the 2016 Ambassador and judge for the Festival. The Festival begins at 7 p.m. and tickets are $25. The proceeds benefit the children at the Delta House in Swaziland, Southern Africa and students pursuing an International education at Morehouse College.

“We are excited about presenting the 2016 Festival”, stated Andrea L. Morgan, Chair of the chapter’s International Awareness and Involvement Committee. “The Delta Sigma Theta International Film Festival was created to support Delta’s global initiatives and to promote cross-cultural awareness within the Atlanta community. Another very special component of the event is to give filmmakers interested in cross-cultural stories a forum to exhibit their best work. The evening promises to be enlightening, engaging, and enjoyable!”. Original DREAMGIRL, Sheryl Lee Ralph is starring in the new TV Land series, “Instant Mom” and “Criminal Minds.” Ralph can also be seen in the SHOWTIME series, “Ray Donovan” as Claudette. Her first book, Redefining DIVA debuted to rave reviews. A passionate health advocate and honored AIDS activist, Ms. Ralph is the founding director of the DIVA (Divinely Inspired Victoriously Anointed) Foundation 501(C) 3 which she created in memory of the many friends she ost to HIV/ AIDS. She also created the critically acclaimed Divas Simply Singing!, an evening of song and entertainment that after 25 years is the longest consecutive running musical AIDS benefit in the country. As a producer, she found new success with her production company, Island Girl Productions, writing, directing and producing her award-winning film short Secrets which will be showcased at The Festival. For more information about the International Film Festival, please contact Andrea L. Morgan via text or phone at 404.610.6100, or e-mail at amorgan344@aol.com. Tickets may be purchased at: http://www.atlantaalumnaedst. org/dstfilmfest/

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph David Abernathy Jr. asked him to do 50 years ago with Operation Breadbasket.” As an Atlantan by way of Chicago, Vismale has an extensive history of community involvement. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for People TV Public Access Cable and has served as Chief Financial Officer of First Congregational Church Community Development Corporation (First CDC), Board President of Sevenanda Community Cooperative, Board Member of the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP), founding member of NASP Financial Services Conference and founding Chair of Rainbow Push Peachtree Street Project Advisory Board. Vismale succeeds Janice Mathis who, after 20 years of service to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and affiliates, as Vice President and Executive Director of the Peachtree Street Project, is now the Executive Director of the National Council of Negro Women in Washington, DC. For more information contact www.rainbowpush.org. The Atlanta office may be reached at 404-874-1280.

Atlanta unveils concepts for Turner Field at Atlanta Streets Alive

By Terry Shropshire The Atlanta Braves are currently terrible. Even worse, they are playing out their final season at the “Ted” (Turner Field, named after billionaire businessman Ted Turner), before moving to Cobb County, Ga, creating a giant economic canyon just south of downtown that Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration is looking to adequately fill. It has already been reported that the Georgia State University football team will fill the vacancy at the field, but of course it is not expected to generate the type of revenue the Braves have since taking up occupancy at the spot since changing out from Fulton County Stadium decades ago. The Department of Planning and Community Development, in partnership with Invest Atlanta, the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority and Perkins+Will, shared the latest design concepts and plan recommendations for the Turner Field Stadium Neighborhoods Livable Centers Initiative at the Atlanta Streets Alive event recently. “We have a unique opportunity to develop a shared vision for the Turner Field Stadium neighborhoods and I want to ensure that all residents’ voices are heard throughout the entire planning process,” said Mayor Reed. “The new route for Atlanta Streets Alive, down Georgia Avenue from Grant Park to the West End, crosses through the heart of the LCI study area and presents a terrific opportunity for public engagement.” The LCI tent will be located in front of Turner

Field. At the exhibit, residents can expect to find plan concepts which include three distinct plan alternatives for the 160-acre “core area.” The concepts are a result of community feedback to provide different approaches to re-integrate the Turner Field redevelopment into the stadium neighborhoods. In a nod to Georgia Avenue’s history as a vibrant commercial corridor, the LCI planning team is also staging a retro ice cream parlor featuring the Vintage Frozen Custard truck. Before the stadiums, Georgia Avenue was home to French’s Ice Cream factory from 1921 to 1964. Residents who visit the LCI tent can learn more about the neighborhood’s history, offer their feedback on the LCI plans and enjoy the treats available. The pop-up café is sponsored by the Atlanta Chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism, the City of Atlanta’s Office of Planning, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and City Councilmembers Carla Smith, Joyce Sheperd, and Cleta Winslow. Since the Turner Field Stadium Neighborhood LCI kicked off last fall, more than 1,600 community residents and stakeholders have participated in the planning process. The feedback gathered at the Atlanta Streets Alive open house will be integrated into the final plan recommendations which will be presented to the public at the next community meeting on June 7 at FanPlex. To learn more about Turner Field Stadium Neighborhoods and the LCI study, visitwww. stadiumneighborhoodslci.org.

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BUSINESS

April 21-27, 2016

Equifax bringing 650 jobs to Colgate® named ESSENCE Magazine’s Best in Black Beauty Product Atlanta’s Midtown By Terry Shropshire Finance behemoth Equifax has announced it will expand its operations by $17 million, which will also facilitate creating 650 jobs in Atlanta’s Midtown region. The city of Atlanta stated that Equifax will consolidate from it’s Sandy Springs and Alpharetta, Ga. offices, creating 150 jobs in it’s Atlanta headquarters. Equifax will lease 100,000 square-feet — or four floors — at One Atlantic Center, a 50-story skyscraper near its 1550 Peachtree St. headquarters. “I am pleased that Equifax, one of Atlanta’s premier home-grown companies, will deepen its commitment to our city through additional investment and growth. As CEO, Rick Smith has demonstrated his dedication to supporting the success of our city while also building a successful and innovative company,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “Over the past decade, Equifax has transformed itself from a credit bureau to a global data and analytics company, contributing to Atlanta’s strong and growing FinTech sector. Forward-looking, technologydriven companies are choosing Atlanta as the place to expand their businesses and add wellpaying, family-supporting jobs.” Equifax is best known as a credit reporting company, but the 117-year-old firm has evolved into a financial analytics provider that helps businesses understand their customers’ credit behavior and credit-worthiness. Equifax also uses social media and Internet data to identify consumer behavior trends.

“After considering several locations, we decided it was in the best interest of the company, our Atlanta-based employees, and the community to expand in Atlanta and further strengthen our roots that date back 117 years, and position for a great future that includes a growth trajectory of 600-700 jobs over the next several years,” said Andy Bodea, Chief Global Operations Officer for Equifax. “We naturally gravitated to midtown with its terrific access to a prominent engineering school and a growing reputation for innovation and technology hubs that are a magnet for great talent.” Credit reports, which accounted for about 80 percent of Equifax’s revenues in 2005, now account for about half the company’s revenues.

Colgate® Optic White® High Impact White™ won ESSENCE Magazine’s 2016 Best in Black Beauty Award for “Easy Whitening Fix.” The Best in Black Beauty brands will be featured in the May issue of ESSENCE on newsstands April 1 and celebrated at an awards event in New York City on April 21. Top beauty brand winners this year include Chanel, Nars and SKII. The authority on Black women for over 45 years, ESSENCE Magazine instituted the Best in Black Beauty Awards to help readers identify leading beauty products that will help them get professional results for a fraction of the cost. Colgate® Optic White® High Impact White™ is Colgate’s newest whitening toothpaste that promises 4 shades, visibly whiter teeth in 6 weeks, starting in just three days. It’s enamel-safe whitening makes it ideal for daily use. “Colgate is excited about Colgate Optic White High Impact White receiving this year’s Essence Best in Black Beauty Award,” says Carla Kelly, General Manager, Multicultural Marketing, Colgate-Palmolive. “We know the power of the ESSENCE brand and the trust that they have developed with their audience. Colgate Optic White’s recognition as a beauty

Black Enterprise ‘Entrepreneurs Summit’ headed to South Beach By Terry Shropshire In just a couple weeks, Black Enterprise magazine is taking their ultra-successful annual “Entrepreneurs Summit” to South Beach and they are bringing along some heavy hitters to discuss entrepreneurship, the oftvolatile marketplace and business growth at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel from May 4 – 7. BE will be bringing more great content for startups, small, medium, and large businesses and entrepreneurs like yourselves. There will be renowned speakers and superstars of the national and international business world to regale other businesspeople with their tales of how they, in the words of rapper Drake, went from “the bottom to the top,” including: • Janice Bryant Howroyd, the first black woman to ever own a billion-dollar business;

• Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, a prominent minister and businessman in Baltimore; • Gale King, the executive vice president at Nationwide Insurance; • Carol’s Daughter founder Lisa Price; • John Hope Bryant, the founder, chairman and CEO of Operation Hope; and many, many more. As Black Enterprise says, “you can’t miss this opportunity to meet with experts and entrepreneurs to build and expand your business.” BE is extending the following discount offer to interested business persons: When you register with code TM395, you will save $200 and pay only $395 for your registration. This offer is good for a limited time so they encourage you to register sooner than later. For more information, and to register, log ontohttp://www.blackenterprise.com/events/ entrepreneurs-summit/

brand speaks volumes to the brand’s elevation in the beauty category.” Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Speed Stick, Lady Speed Stick, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, elmex, Tom’s of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet, Hill’s Prescription Diet and Hill’s Ideal Balance. Essence Communications Inc. is the number one media company dedicated to African-American women, with a multiplatform presence in publishing, live events and online. The company’s flagship publication, Essence magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for AfricanAmerican women, generating brand extensions, such as the Essence Festival, Essence Black Women in Hollywood and Black Women in Music, Window on Our Women and Smart .

Board Chairman Milton Jones, Jr. & President & CEO Leona Barr-Davenport

Celebrating 83 Years of Service in the Metro Atlanta Community

Cordially Invite You to the

A Annual CEO Appreciation Luncheon A Tuesday Tues sday | M May 10, 2016 | 11:30 AM

Networking Begins at 11:00 AM | Luncheon Begins at 11:30 AM

38th Annual CEO Awards Luncheon Honorees Herman J. Russell CEO of the Year Award

Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Visions of Excellence Award

Miguel Southwell

Dr. Thomas Boston

John Hope Bryant

Aviation General Manager Hartsﬁeld-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

CEO of Euquant

Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE

Catalyst Award

Cassius Butts

Regional Administrator, Region IV, U.S. SBA

League Leadership Distinguished Service Award Award

Tiffany Callaway Ferrell Director, Regional Operations, Metro Atlanta AGL Resources Inc.

Laura Turner Seydel

Chairperson, Captain Planet Foundation

For 38 years, the Atlanta Business League (ABL) has recognized local CEOs for outstanding support of minority vendor development and community activities. Included are individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the quality of life in Atlanta, the U.S. and the world. Please join us as we recognize this year’s honorees. SPONSORS

BIG VISION for Growing Enterprises 1933-2016 For more details, visit our site at www.AtlantaBusinessLeague.org

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April 21-27, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT

CAU holds Jazz Under the Stars Scholarship Benefit Concert

Anthony Hamilton and Fantasia bring Spring Tour to Fox Theatre Grammy Award winning recording artists Anthony Hamilton and Fantasia are excited to announce their spring 2016 co-headlining tour. Kicking off April 21 at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre in Buffalo, NY, the four-week tour will hit major cities including Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C, Los Angeles and more. Tickets will go on sale in Atlanta, Friday April 22 at 10:00 am at the Fox Theatre Box Office or online at Foxtheatre.org Fans can expect to hear all of their hits plus new music as each is set to release new albums this spring. Hamilton recently released his fifth studio album, What I’m Feelin’ via RCA Records, which includes the hit single, “Amen.” Fantasia will release her fifth studio album this spring on 19 Entertainment/RCA Records which will include her empowering first single “No Time for It.”

‘Shondaland’ The Clark Atlanta University Guild presents its 23rd Annual Jazz Under the Stars Scholarship Benefit Concert Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. as Grammy-nominated, Soul Train Awardwinning jazz vocalist Maysa Leak performs on the open-air stage in the University’s Harkness Quadrangle. Admission to the annual event, held rain or shine, commences at 6 p.m. Proceeds from the concert benefit deserving performing arts students at the University. The CAU Guild, comprising many of metro-Atlanta area’s most prominent female civic and professional leaders, has raised more than $2 million to support aspiring young artists since 1992. This year’s presenting sponsor is UPS. Platinum sponsors are Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Delta Air Lines and Jazz 91.9FM WCLK, Atlanta’s Jazz Station. Born and raised in Baltimore, Md., jazz-soul singer and songwriter Maysa Leak embarked on a singing career at an early age and spent her elementary and high school days performing in choir and musical theater productions. She majored in classical voice performance at Morgan State University where she began writing and recording original material. Leak placed second in Baltimore’s first annual Billie Holiday Vocal Jazz Contest and in 1990 auditioned for Stevie Wonder’s vocal group Wonderlove. She was accepted into the group, but joined only after she had earned her college degree in 1991. Upon graduating, Maysa moved to North Hollywood to perform with Wonderlove on the Jungle Fever soundtrack and appeared in live and televised performances to promote the film. To pay her rent, she also recorded jingles. In December 1991, the song stylist auditioned over the phone and became the lead singer of British funk-jazz group Incognito. She has recorded over 11 albums with the group. In 1994, while performing with the band at The North Sea Jazz Festival, Maysa was offered her first solo career with GRP records. She has recorded 12 solo albums and this year celebrates 25 years in the music industry. Individual tickets to the concert are $70 and tables are available for $700. Corporate tables also are available. To purchase tickets to Jazz Under the Stars call 404-880-8219. For corporate tables, contact twana@therigsbygroup.com.

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By Steve Holsey The O’Jays had a hit song titled “Give the People What They Want.” Shonda Rhimes has that down to a science. She is, in fact, the strongest — and hottest — force in television today. The producer-writer has millions of viewers enthralled with her blockbuster shows “Scandal,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and the new kid on the block, “The Catch.” Collectively, the shows have been dubbed “Shondaland,” which is also the name of her production company (but with a capital “L”). Time magazine even went so far as to include Rhimes among the “100 People Who Help Shape the World.” The shows are huge cash blessings for ABC. She also wrote a book titled “Year of Yes” which promises to show the reader “how to dance it out, stand in the sun and be your own person.” There are those, of course, who are critical of Rhimes’ shows, saying the sexual liaisons, the betrayals, the blackmailing, the life terminations, the conflicts, the relationships gone sour, etc. have an adverse effect on society which in many ways has long been on a moral slide. But others — and there are a lot of them — say it’s just entertainment and should be acknowledged as such. However, it is far from pure fantasy, and as Rhimes has said, “The world of TV should look like the world outside of TV.” Rhimes does not appreciate it when people tell her that watching a show like “Scandal” is a “guilty pleasure.” That, she says, “is like saying ‘I’m embarrassed to say I watch it, but I can’t stop.’ That’s not a compliment.”

But she has made it clear that under no circumstances should any of the characters be set up as “role models.” She says the characters are all “flawed” and prone to sometimes do bad things. That sounds like the average person! The difference is that everything is magnified and often exaggerated on television and in the movies. Very often when the stars of Rhimes’ shows see the script for the first time during the first read-through, they are shocked by what they see, exclaiming, “My character is going to do what?” Predictability is not something Rhimes strives for in any of her shows. There is no such thing as “always knowing what’s going to happen.” The elements of surprise are crucial. Rhimes has always had a vivid imagination, and her mother put few, if any, restrictions on what she had permission to read. “I probably started storytelling when I was about three,” Rhimes recalled in one interview. “We had a little kitchen pantry and it was filled with canned goods. I have vivid memories of my mother in the kitchen, the television on airing the Watergate hearings, and me inside the pantry playing my own little version of the Watergate hearings, with the cans.” Shonda Rhimes, 46, was born in Chicago. She attended Marian Catholic High School followed by enrollment at Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire. She majored in English and film studies, earning a bachelor’s degree. During her college years she decided to join the Black Underground Theater Association, sometimes directing, other times acting. She also wrote for the college’s newspaper. After graduation, she moved to Los Angeles where she joined the ranks of scriptwriters in Hollywood who had the talent but not the employment. With eyes on the prize, Rhimes pressed on, working a series of day jobs. Things picked up when she landed a job as research director for the award winning “Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream” documentary. That was in 1995. Three years later she made a short film, as director, titled “Blossoms and Veils.” In the lead roles were Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jeffrey Wright. Later, she co-wrote the movie “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” that aired on HBO and starred Halle Berry. When asked about the pressure of being a black woman directing and writing for television, Rhimes explained to “Fresh Air,” a program that airs on National Public Radio (NPR): “Now I’m in a place where I feel like it’s not a thing that’s pressing on me anymore. I don’t look at it that way, but when it first started, it made me a workaholic. It made it impossible for me to feel like I could let up on myself ever. “Everything really did have to be perfect, because if it wasn’t perfect and we failed, then I could point to a reason why we failed and it would’ve been my fault. “I really didn’t want any of the shows to fail and I didn’t want to be responsible for that. I didn’t want to feel like somebody was going to say, ‘We had a show with an African American lead, but it failed” and have it be my fault. That did not seem tenable to me.”

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ATLANTA DAILY WORLD

April 21-27, 2016

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 www.thetitansexperience.com

A New Paradigm of African American Power & Influence A powerful panel of business and thought leaders will participate in an interactive discussion about creating and maintaining wealth in the black community. Moderated by Ed Gordon Emmy Award Winning Journalist

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April 21-27, 2016

LIFESTYLE

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Joyce Reed hosts ‘Speechless No More’ fashion event to combat rampant sexual assault By Terry Shropshire Remarkable woman and author Joyce Reed has gone from victim to victor by flipping the script on her living hell. Unlike many other victims of sexual crimes, Reed put meaning behind her searing and tortuous pain of multiple rapes (including by her own father) that turned her life into one continuous car crash. She has turned tragedy into triumph by penning a powerful and poignant book, Hurt Used to Live Here, created the Hurt 2 Heal foundation, invented a line of unique defense weapons and has become a major spokesperson against the crimes of incest, rape and other forms sexual violence. This past week, Reed and her team also facilitated a spectacular “Speechless No More” fashion show that helps illuminate and put a voice on the national shame that America fails to put enough emphasis on: stopping

people, particularly young girls and boys, from becoming victims of sexual crimes that destroy innocent lives, sometimes forever. It is more than apropos that the event was held now as April is Sexual Assault Awareness month. Kathy Taylor’s Tell All Inc. coordinated the “Speechless No More” gala at, most appropriately, former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Dwight Eubanks’ Purple Door Salon near downtown Atlanta. The fashion show was handled by renowned artistic director Jocynthia Mason, while Taylor and host Shay McCray flossed with dresses created by Nate Hutson designs. Marie Williams belted out a riveting song, “God has His hands on Me,” that brought Reed to tears, while Pumpkin Harris Byrd’s performance punctuated a powerful evening. Quincy Bonds (“House of Payne”) served as the DJ. The prestigious proceedings were also sponsored by Nigel V Walwyn’s delicious adult beverage Ou Oui.

Reed urged everyone, victims and non-victims to join the fight the silent American epidemic called sexual assault. Folks who want to get involved by purchasing a copy of her book, Hurt Used to Live Here, donating to her Hurt 2 Heal Foundation, and supporting her nail polish lines and patronizing her self defense weapons line. For more information, log onto www. iamurvoice.com or click on her Twitter page @iamurvoice.

ITC galvanizes Atlantans with historic E-Racism Run, Walk ADW Staff Reports At a time when segregation was the norm, Atlanta’s city leadership underwent a transformation and Atlanta adopted the slogan that it was “The city too busy to hate.” Joining the efforts of clergy, civil rights leaders and citizens during the Civil Rights era, the leaders of the city took giant steps to erase structures of racism and segregation in city government, business and social life. While these early efforts placed the City of Atlanta on a course to eliminate racism, current conditions in the nation suggest that the journey is far from complete. In an effort to re-invigorate the city in the seemingly endless task of eradicating racism, Atlanta’s Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) will host the first-ever, city-wide “E-Racism 5K Run/Walk” on June 4, 2016. Participants will embark on the 5K run/ walk to make the symbolic statement that the entire metro-Atlanta community remains committed to the mission of completely eliminating racism in all aspects of Atlanta life. “The E-Racism 5K Run/Walk” is an opportunity for people throughout the city to demonstrate the power of solidarity, as together we take steps that move us closer to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of a ‘Beloved Community,’” said ITC President Edward L. Wheeler. This historic run/walk is a cross-cultural event which invites all elements of the community that have either experienced

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or who reject racism’s legitimacy to join the walk. The run/walk will begin at the gates of ITC and start with participants taking the one-year “E-Racism Pledge.” To reflect full community involvement in the symbolic statement against racism, leaders from almost every cross-section of the city have agreed to serve as ambassadors for the event. Individuals and organizations are invited to join ITC in Atlanta’s first “E-Racism 5K Run/ Walk” by registering at www.itc.edu or by calling 404-527-7767.

EDUCATION

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CAU receives STEM support for deserving scholars Clark Atlanta University President Ronald A. Johnson, Ph.D., announced the establishment of the Bernadene Coleman-Pope Endowed Book Fund for students in the mathematics and natural science disciplines. The fund was created with the gift of $50,000 from its namesake, a poet and author who resides in Culver City, California. Bernadene High Coleman-Pope is a long-time supporter of the United Negro College Fund who, with this gift, desired to provide support directly to an institution and its students. “Although poor growing up, my parents instilled the importance of education, hard work, thriftiness and investing wisely. This has allowed me to support causes that uplift others and assist deserving young scholars who need financial help. “I chose to support Clark Atlanta,” she says, “because I am impressed with the institution’s paradigm shifting efforts toward mobilizing for the future [and] their intensified focus on integrating the arts into traditional STEM fields. I am excited and encouraged by the new energy and vibrancy emanating from CAU.” Born in rural Louisiana, Bernadene High Coleman-Pope grew up in Los Angeles and studied at Loyola Marymount and California State Los Angeles. A passionate

reader, she chronicled events gleaned during her youth in her first published novel, Mama Rose, which has sold thousands of copies. Her first collection of poems, Listen My Children, was succeeded by a second novel, I Leave You My Dreams. Her fourth work, a novel, is entitled Beyond Color. Coleman-Pope is the mother of three sons and a grandmother to eight. “Mrs. Coleman-Pope’s generosity is the kind of focused, personal philanthropy that has sustained and propelled HBCUs over the past century,” CAU President Ronald A. Johnson, Ph.D., said. “Her example today elevates this tradition of ‘giving forward’ and investing in the future of our community and our nation. It also represents another vote of confidence in Clark Atlanta University’s focus on becoming a global forum for IDEAS that matter.” At Clark Atlanta University, the acronym IDEAS represents the University’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, design and systems thinking, environmental sustainability, the arts and humanities and the sciences and technology. “Certainly, we see each of these important tracks illuminated in Mrs. Coleman-Pope’s largesse and we are very proud to now include her as a member of the CAU Family,” added President Johnson.

April 21-27, 2016

Celebration of Leadership Awards announced

Photo by: Jaudon Photography

The Atlanta Metropolitan State College Foundation, Inc. on behalf of Atlanta Metropolitan State College hosted the Foundations 5th annual Celebration of Leadership Awards on April 16. The program honored outstanding individuals whose incredible record of service and generosity have made a lasting difference in Metropolitan Atlanta. Shirley Strawberry, co -host of the “Steve Harvey Morning Show” was the Mistress of Ceremonies. This year’s honorees included: Michael K. Anderson Senior Vice President, Georgia Power Company President & CEO, Georgia Power Foundation, Inc. & Southern Company Charitable Foundation

Hala Moddelmog President & CEO Metro Atlanta Chamber Pastor P. L. Redmond, Jr. Founder and Pastor New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church The Honorable Judge Penny Brown Reynolds President and CEO Divine Destiny Productions, LLC Gil West Sr. Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Delta Air Lines. Congratulations to all of the 2016 Honorees.

CeeLo Green’s GreenHouse Foundation kicks off science fair and farmers market ADW Staff Reports The GreenHouse Foundation presents fun for the entire family at the inaugural science fair and kids farmers market featuring schools from the Metro Atlanta area on Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at the Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy 3911 Campellton Rd. SW. Students will present what they have learned through education in their school gardens. They will demonstrate sustainability through hydroponics, aquaponics gardening, plant based arts, farm to table cooking demonstrations and soil exploration. There will be something for everyone in the community from preschool age to seniors including entertainment, food, vendors and more. The GreenHouse Foundation first Science Fair & Farmers Market, which will be held annually, is sponsored by Habesha Inc., which provides gardening residency services to the schools participating and Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, host of the event. GreenHouse Foundation is a 501(c)

nonprofit organization created to educate, inspire and empower children to adopt a green lifestyle so they can positively impact the sustainability of our resources. It was founded by entertainer CeeLo Green and his sister Shedonna Alexander. Honoring a family tradition of community service and philanthropy, the organization was created to continue the legacy started by their grandmother, Ruby Callaway Robinson, Executive Director of CASCADE, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the issues of drug use and abuse amongst our nation’s youth, and their late mother.

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GUEST COMMENTARY

by Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

by Brian L. Pauling

Revive U.S. Commission on Civil Rights This country has made remarkable progress on civil rights over our history. We’ve moved from slavery to segregation to equal rights under the law. African Americans have gained the right to vote, the right to equal employment opportunity. Open racism has become increasingly unacceptable. Gays and lesbians have progressed toward equal rights. Same-sex marriage is increasingly accepted in law and in practice. Yet in the past years we’ve been presented with inescapable evidence of continuing systemic discrimination. Ferguson and many other abuses sparked the Black Lives Matter movement that exposed the systemic and too often deadly bias of our criminal justice system. Liberals and conservatives alike have criticized mass incarceration of nonviolent offenders, disproportionately people of color. The wealth gap between the races has increased dramatically, as African Americans and Latinos were disproportionately targeted and victimized by the systemic fraud that led to the financial collapse. Muslim communities have come under brutal assault from political candidates looking to scare up votes. As we’ve already seen in Arizona and Wisconsin, voting rights have come under the worst attack since the days of Jim Crow. Governors across the country have refused to expand Medicaid, passing up on billions in federal money, with people of color disproportionately the victims. We need to revive a powerful, independent Civil Rights Commission to act as an independent watchdog, not partisan, to report on these and other fundamental civil rights concerns and make recommendations to the Congress and the president. The U.S. Civil Rights Commission was created in 1957 under Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower to provide a powerful, independent monitor of civil rights. Ike’s committee that recommended its formation concluded: “In a democratic society, the systematic, critical review of social needs and public policy is a fundamental necessity. This is especially

Flint’s water P. 3

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crisis

Tribute to Maurice White P. 4

5 worst Atlanta suburbs P.9 February 11-17,

2016

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‘peace keepers’

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Volume 88 • Issue 24

true of a field like civil rights, where the problems are enduring and range widely (and where) … a temporary, sporadic approach can never finally solve these problems.” The Civil Rights Commission’s early reports on voting rights and school integration had powerful effect. It played a major role in helping to define what became the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. In 2000, it released a powerful report on police practices and civil rights in America. The commission still exists but it has been weakened dramatically. Under Ronald Reagan, its budget was cut. Under George W. Bush, it became a partisan battleground, with conservatives seeking to turn it into a vehicle against affirmative action. It was stunningly absent from the debate on reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act in 2006. Now it is a shell of its former self. Its recent reports — on police relations, school bullying and immigration detention — have received little attention. Its staff has been cut by more than half from its 1996 level. Its authorization has expired; it exists on annual appropriations that have slowly starved it of funds. Progress on civil rights has always been contested. But leaders of both parties even in the 1950s and 1960s realized that a powerful, respected, objective monitor on civil rights could make a significant contribution in helping the country’s leaders and its people understand the challenges we faced and recommend reforms to address them. Now we are deprived of that powerful voice. Everything seems reduced to partisan argument. Even where there is consensus, there is no authoritative, independent voice able to challenge both Congress and the president when needed. America is a remarkably diverse nation. Diversity can be our strength. Handled badly, it can rip nations apart, as we’ve seen in the impoverished, isolated and resentful immigrant communities in France and Belgium. It is time to revive an authoritative Civil Rights Commission.

DFCS offers retroacti ve food stamps P. 3

Jada Pinkett Smith’s Oscar boycott

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Atlanta Dream presents reading initiative P.9 January 21-27,

KKK

Voting is key to education reform Education — the answer to many of the problems ailing our country — is getting the least amount of attention from the candidates on the presidential campaign trail. According to a November 2015 Gallup Poll, only 4 percent of Americans consider education or education policy to be the most important problem facing our nation. Respondents instead cited the economy, poorly run government, immigration, gun control and health care of most concern. While I agree that these are important issues, we at 100 Black Men of America, Inc. (The 100) believe that without a quality education, many young people, particularly African Americans, will be condemned to lives of poverty, incarceration and despair. As a nonprofit mentoring organization, the education of our youth is one of our top concerns. In our advocacy work, The 100 has sought to raise public awareness about the need to reform our nation’s education system, especially in predominately AfricanAmerican and low-income communities where far too many of the schools are failing our children. We are working to ensure that every child, no matter their zip code, has access to high-performing schools. Schools with caring and nurturing environments, high-performing teachers, rigorous curriculum, and the proper materials and technology are some of the key ingredients to preparing our kids to successfully graduate from high school, handle college-level coursework without requiring remediation, compete in a global marketplace and become productive members of society. How we get there is the real question. One answer is by voting. When we go to the polls in November, we will not only elect the next president, we will use our voting power to also make important decisions about our children’s education. In some states, for example, the electorate will be asked to decide whether to turn the operational and decision-making control of failing schools in their communities over to their state governments. Others will be asked whether more charter public schools should be permitted to open in their communities to provide families with an option to traditional

public schools. Still others will be asked how money raised through state lotteries, property and sales taxes, and state and federal allocations should be earmarked to support educational initiatives from cradle to college. As voters, we are facing some tough choices. Many of our local public schools are struggling and some even failing, but is a state government takeover the answer? There has been a decades-long imbalance in the distribution of educational quality and opportunity due, in part, to how public schools are funded, but will proposed funding formula changes address those inequities and produce successful outcomes? If we allow more charter schools, will that irreversibly damage our traditional public schools or will the competition make both stronger? What happens to the children and schools in our communities will depend largely on the actions we take as voters. Elections at both the federal and local levels — from the school board to the statehouse and from the assembly to the White House — are vitally important. We need to be talking about education in our households and at PTA meetings, in our barbershops and coffeehouses, and in our workplaces and houses of worship. But transformation doesn’t come by talk alone. We also must take decisive action. We can start by increasing our knowledge of the issues, committing to exercise our right to vote, encouraging others in our communities to do the same and then casting ballots for candidates for whom education and the academic success of our children are top priorities. The choice — and the vote — is ours. Brian L. Pauling is national president and CEO of 100 Black Men of America, Inc.

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Georgia’s firefi h t over assault weapogns

Issue 27 Volume 88 •

State official calls

April 21-27, 2016

2016

Entertainment

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April 21-27, 2016

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