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Volume 88 • Issue 26
Rape at AUC: Campus problem or Atlanta’s problem ?
The Home Depot HBCU grant program P.9 February 4-10, 2016
February 4-10, 2016
COVER STORY
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Putting an end to college campus rapes and other violence
Clark Atlanta hosts forum to esteemed leaders to address rise in rape, robberies on college campuses.
Judge Penny Brown Reynolds is all too familiar with on-campus violence and sexual assault. She is the very product of it. Fifty years ago, her own mother was walking home from her college class when she became the victim of a violent rape. She later gave birth Penny Brown, who would later become the nationally-renowned and highly-esteemed Judge Penny Brown Reynolds. Widely respected for her candid commentary, Brown Reynolds admits that the experience ruined her mother’s life. The first misstep was that her mother stayed silent about the rape. And secondly, she feared that she would never find anyone who could love her because she was wracked with guilt and shame, and her self-esteem was shattered as a result of that horrific encounter. Therefore, it was apropos that Brown would lead an illustrious panel of distinguished individuals from the fields of law enforcement, politics, business, the civic arena and student government leaders at Clark Atlanta University to ways to reduce on-campus violence. The panel of experts and students discussed sexual misconduct and deviancy, including rape, in the town hall meeting called “Community Conversation on Campus Safety.” “What is this issue? Blacks don’t come om campus with guns. We don’t have that here on the AUC,” Brown Reynolds said, noting that gun-related robberies and violence have occurred at Georgia Tech and Georgia State. “So why are we discussing this? What are those challenges? How do we create a safer environment for our students, and how do we hold those accountable who are in high office [to create safer campuses] and remind them that they are there because of us?” Unlike the University of Georgia, which is situated in a quaint, small college town, the campuses of Georgia Tech, Georgia State and the colleges on the Atlanta University Center (Morehouse and Spelman colleges and Clark Atlanta University) are inextricably intertwined within a big city’s fabric. Furthermore, many parts of these campuses are buttressed by lower-income and dilapidated neighborhoods where the criminal elements are often on the prowl for victims, whether for robbery or to perpetrate sexual assault. The issue of sexual assault, in particular, came to a head when Kimberly Canter, a Spelman College
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student, said she was raped on campus by three men, which she described in a quivering voice to Vice President Joe Biden at Morehouse College late last year during a three-college tour called “It’s On Us” to mobilize students to take action to prevent sexual assault on campuses in Atlanta. In response, business mogul Thomas W. Dortch, president emeritus of 100 Black Men of America, assembled an august body of community members to provide a diagnosis and prognosis of on-campus violence at the AUC and other campuses in front of a packed house at Clark Atlanta University’s Henderson Student Center.
Clark Atlanta University and The Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, were joined by a host of local and national leaders to discuss the issue and provide viable solutions to the problem, including: CAU President Ronald A. Johnson; Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, J.D.; Atlanta Police Department Chief George Turner; Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard; Fulton County Commission Chief of Staff Derrick A. Pope, J.D.; Centers for Disease Control/Division of Violence Prevention expert Dawn Fowler, Ph.D.; Campus Police Chiefs from Clark Atlanta, Emory, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Spelman, Morehouse and Morehouse School of Medicine; Student Government Presidents from Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse
College and Spelman College and Ryan Cameron, V-103 Radio Personality. CAU president Ronald Johnson addressed students in a letter pledging that his administration is working to obliterate this deplorable problem, which is a primary reason he collaborated with Dortch to host this forum. “Our goal in staging this conversation is two‐ fold,” Johnson says. “First, we understand that the issue of campus safety is national in scope and cannot be resolved in a vacuum. It requires community collaboration … Atlanta’s colleges, universities are a key constituent group, an important voting block and a major economic driver in the region,” he said. “Our ability to safeguard their interests is tantamount to safeguarding our area’s economic viability and progress.” Dr. Dawn Fowler, who leads a teen rape prevention initiative at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said sexual assault has become a pervasive problem on college campuses nationwide. “It’s happening across the board. I thought about, in a general sense, our role at CDC, is to frame sexual assault as a public health problem. We know that 1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted during college matriculation. We know survivors often know their perpetrators.” However, Fowler said, one of the biggest roadblocks to lowering the cases of sexual violence and locking up the perpetrator is the unwillingness of the victims to come forward. “One of the main problems is the silence, and holding the perpetrators accountable.” Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a counselor at Clark Atlanta University, concurred with Fowler’s assessments about the victim’s penchant to remain silent. But she added that young people generally lack the understanding of what is and what is not acceptable. “I talk to all first-year students, and they lack understanding of what consent means for men and women. We have to talk about rape culture,” she said, adding that we must stop blaming and interrogating the victims, which discourages them from coming forward to report rape and sexual deviancy. “Too often, it is about what she was wearing. It doesn’t matter what she’s wearing or what she drinks.” Thomas Treyak, chief of police at CAU, said he sympathizes with victims who are often traumatized twice when reporting such crimes. “There is a shame in reporting, or the fear to have to relive it,” he added. “And I want my students to know if they run into trouble, they can always come to me. Secondly, I tell them they did not create the environment [to be raped]. Victims blame themselves.” Students told the esteemed panel that females, particularly, are often scared to walk from class to their dormitories because the AUC is not well lit and offers potential perpetrators of crimes ample hiding places to ambush their victims. They would also like to see increased patrolling by the three campus police departments. Dortch said it was fruitful to host a meeting for this segment of the region’s demographic. “I believe that by connecting emerging leaders with those presently on the front lines, we engender an important conversation that ultimately results in workable, progressive, out‐of‐the box solutions that benefit everyone in the community.”
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Mayor Kasim Reed announces agreement with Atlanta Board of Education finalized ADW StaffMayor Kasim Reed announced today that the agreement between the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Board of Education has been finalized, following votes of the Atlanta Board of Education, the Atlanta City Council, and the boards of Invest Atlanta and the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. “A healthy BeltLine means a healthier, stronger Atlanta Public School system and a stronger City of Atlanta,” said Mayor Reed. “I offer my congratulations to Chairman English, to the Atlanta City Council and to the BeltLine for reaching this important milestone. This agreement guarantees revenues for the Atlanta Public Schools while also removing a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the BeltLine. The promise of our young people is equally exciting as the potential to connect 45 neighborhoods and 22 schools through the most comprehensive community and economic development project ever undertaken in our city. We are all winners today.” The Atlanta Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the agreement in a special-called meeting held on Friday, January 29, after Mayor Reed and Board Chairman Courtney English announced the agreement. During today’s
meeting of the Atlanta City Council, legislation sponsored by Councilmembers Kwanza Hall, Andre Dickens and Alex Wan passed 13-2. The boards of Invest Atlanta and the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. also met today and each voted unanimously. The Atlanta Public Schools receives more than fifty cents of over dollar of property taxes paid in the City of Atlanta. The Atlanta BeltLine has been one of the primary and largest drivers of increasing property tax values in the City of Atlanta in the last decade, and with approximately $400 million in public investment, has driven $2.4 billion in private investment. As the BeltLine increases property values and boosts the tax digest, the Atlanta Public Schools benefit from increased revenues. The Eastside Trail, completed in 2012, sees more than one million visitors each year, and has contributed to the economic and cultural resurgence of its surrounding neighborhoods. The $43 million Southwest Trail is currently under construction, and represents the single-largest expansion of the BeltLine in its history. Once complete, the BeltLine will connect 45 neighborhoods and 22 schools and learning institutions across the city.
3 senior multipurpose facilities to offer tax preparation assistance AARP Foundation Tax-Aide assistance will be offered free Harriett G. Darnell Senior Multipurpose Facility Monday, February 15 and Monday, February 29 Monday, March 7, March 21 and April 11 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Appointments Only 677 Fairburn Road, NW Atlanta, GA 30331 404-613-8580
The Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Facility, the H.J.C. Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility and Harriett G. Darnell Senior Multipurpose Facility will offer free AARP Tax-Aide tax preparation assistance to seniors in February. Dates and times for tax preparation assistance include: Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Facility Mondays and Wednesdays through April 13, 2016 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Walk-ins Accepted 6500 Vernon Woods Drive, Building B Sandy Springs, GA 30328 404-613-4900
Volunteers are provided by AARP. For more information about AARP Tax-Aide services or required documentation for seniors to bring with them to an appointment, citizens can call the facility of their choice. Citizens in need of reasonable accommodations due to a disability, including communications in an alternative format, should contact the Disability Liaison at 404-613-7944. For Georgia Relay Access, dial 711.
HJC Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility Thursday, February 4, 2016 (each Thursday through April 14) 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Appointments only 2885 Church Street East Point, GA 30344 404-762-4821
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Benson Senior Facility hosts technology workshops The Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Facility will host two free hands-on AARP TEK workshops to help seniors make the most of their mobile devices for work or play. The workshops will be held on the following dates: February 11, 2016 – 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. February 18, 2016 – 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Each class will be 1 ½ hours. The Smartphone Training Workshops with AARP help seniors to learn to text, use maps, download apps, share photos and videos and much more. Participants don’t have to be AARP members to expand their TECH knowledge. Participants must bring their personal Smartphones or Androids to receive hands-on instruction on how to use their devices. Instructional devices will not be provided. The Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Facility is located at 6500 Vernon Woods Drive, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. The Aging and Youth Services Department, Office of Aging manages the Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex. For more information, contact Lila Womack at (404) 612-2303. Citizens in need of reasonable accommodations due to a disability including communications in an alternative format should contact the Disability Liaison in the Aging and Youth Services Department at (404) 613-7944. For Georgia Relay Access, dial 711.
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This week in Black history mer slave owners as well as some public lands to guarantee each adult former slave “40 acres and a mule.” However, even after the Civil
Feb. 3 1908—Jack Johnson becomes the first Black heavyweight boxing champion by defeating Tommy Burns in Australia. Although he was not officially given the title until 1910 after he defeated the American Jim Jeffries in Las Vegas. Many Whites reacted violently to his defeat of Jeffries sparking riots in several cities. In Johnson’s home state of Texas, films of Johnson defeating White opponents were banned. Johnson reigned as heavyweight champion for 7 years. But he had two “faults”—he believed in speaking his mind and he liked White women. Those two tendencies landed him in jail in 1920 on trumped up charges of violating the Mann Act—a law that made it illegal to transport White women across state lines for “immoral purposes.” Johnson, who is arguably the greatest boxer who ever lived, died in an automobile accident near Raleigh, N.C., on June 10, 1946.
Feb. 4 ROSA PARKS AFTER ARREST 1913—Civil rights heroine Rosa Parks is born on this day in Tuskegee, Ala. It was her refusal in December 1955 to give up her seat to a White man on a Montgomery, Ala., bus that sparked the modern Civil Rights Movement. For refusing to obey the laws of segregation, she was arrested and convicted. Montgomery Blacks responded with a boycott of city buses. A young minister named Martin Luther King Jr. was called upon to lead the boycott, which would last for nearly 13 months. The drama and accompanying legal challenge all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court captivated the nation and propelled Dr. King into the national international spotlight as the nation’s premier civil rights leader. Mrs. Parks died in 2005 at 92. Feb. 5 THADDEUS STEVENS 1866—Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, one of the great White heroes of Black history, offers his famous amendment to the Freedman’s Bureau bill to use land confiscated from for-
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poverished and the oppressed. Marley died from complications due to cancer in Miami in May 1981.
to “I’m Just Wild about Harry” to “Shuffle Along.” Blake died when he was 100 years old on Feb. 12, 1983.
Feb. 6 1820—The first organized emigration of Blacks from the U.S. back to Africa occurs. Eighty-six free Blacks leave New York Harbor on a ship named the “Mayflower of Liberia.” The group lands on the West African coast on March 9 and joins with ex-slaves freed by Britain to help form what would eventually become the West African nation of Sierra Leone.
1967—Comedian-actor Chris Rock is born on this day in Andrews, S.C. He is the oldest of seven children.
War there was enough anti-Black and proSouth sentiment in Congress to defeat the measure 126 to 37. If the Stevens measure had passed, it may have changed the entire course of Black history in America because the former slaves would have had a solid economic foundation upon which to build their new lives and the poverty which plagued African-Americans for the next 100 years could have been prevented. ARTHUR ASHE 1993—Tennis star Arthur Ashe dies on this day after contracting AIDS from a 1988 blood transfusion. Ashe was the first African-American to win at Wimbledon defeating Jimmy Connors in the finals in 1975. Born and raised in Richmond, Va., Ashe was also known for his activism in various social causes. Once asked what type of attitude was required of a champion, Ashe responded, “The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.”
HANK AARON 1934—Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron was born on this day in Mobile, Ala. The baseball great and eventual home run king (until Barry Bonds) began his career with the old Negro Baseball League playing for the Indianapolis Clowns before joining the Atlanta Braves in 1954.
Feb. 7 1871—Alcorn A&M College (later “University”) opens in Mississippi. The great Black legislator Hiram Revels resigns his seat in Congress to become the first president of the institution, which would grow to become one of the leading Black colleges in the nation. At first it was only open to men but began admitting women in 1895.
Feb. 8 1894—Congress repeals the Enforcement Act and thus made it easier for states, especially in the South, to take away Black voting rights. Originally passed in 1870, the Act had established criminal penalties for interfering with a person’s right to vote. After its repeal, Southern states passed a host of measures including poll taxes, literacy tests and so-called vouchers of “good character”—all designed to block or limit the number of Blacks who could vote. 1925—Marcus Mosiah Garvey, the “Black Moses,” enters federal prison in Atlanta, Ga., after being convicted of what many Blacks felt were trumped up mail fraud charges. Garvey, a master of grandeur and showmanship, had built the largest Black mass movement in African-American history by emphasizing racial pride, economic empowerment and the building of a Black empire in Africa. Born in Jamaica and having traveled throughout South America, Garvey had become distressed with the plights of Blacks throughout the world and organized the Universal Negro Improvement Association—UNIA—in 1914. He brought the UNIA to America in 1915 and its growth exploded. At its height, the UNIA had several hundred thousand members and owned businesses ranging from bakeries to shipping lines. Garvey’s rapid growth and increasing power on masses of Blacks are what attracted negative attention from the federal government. After his imprisonment, the organization never recovered. He died in London, England in 1940. 1968—In what became known as “The Orangeburg Massacre” police opened fire on protesting Black students on the campus of South Carolina State University. The officers responded to rock-throwing with a volley of shots, which left three students dead and 27 wounded. The students were protesting a segregated bowling alley near the school’s campus in Orangeburg, S.C. The students killed were Samuel Hammond, Delano Middleton and Henry Smith. 1978—Leon Spinks defeats Muhammad Ali and captures the heavyweight boxing championship. Ali regains the title in September of the same year becoming the first person to win the title three times.
BOB MARLEY 1945—Jamaican Reggae legend Bob Marley, is born on this day as Robert Nesta Marley in Nine Miles, Saint Ann, Jamaica. He used his music not only to entertain but to tirelessly spread Reggae and the Rastafarian religion from Africa to Europe and the U.S. Much of his music deals with the struggles of the im-
EUBIE BLAKE 1883—Eubie Blake is born James Hubert Blake in Baltimore, Md. Along with Noble Sissle, he popularizes Ragtime music. The genre had its birth in Black bars and whore houses in Southern and Midwestern cities. But Sissle and Blake took it mainstream with hits ranging from the “Charleston Rag”
Feb. 9 1944—Award winning novelist Alice Walker is born in Eatonton, Ga. She is known for “telling the Black woman’s story.” Perhaps her most famous novel was “The Color Purple.” 1995 —Dr. Bernard Harris becomes the first African-American to walk in space as part of a joint Russian and American mission. However, Harris was far from being the first Black person in space. That honor goes to a Black Cuban pilot who flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz 38 in 1980. His name was Arnaldo Tamayo-Mendez.
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February 2016 Join us this February as we salute rising icons of African American culture at
MACY’S LENOX SQUARE 2ND FLOOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 AT 7PM Join us “In Conversation” with JURNEE SMOLLETT-BELL, TAYE DIGGS, G. GARVIN and SHANE EVANS for an entertaining look at the next wave of African American cultural luminaries and taste makers! Then enjoy a special reception following the discussion. Plus, make any $75 purchase during an event and meet all our panelists, snap a photo with them and take home a signed copy of Taye’s new book, Chocolate Me!* RSVP and check out our exclusive content at
February 4-10, 2016
Jurnee Smollett-Bell Best known for her award-winning performance in The Great Debaters, and for her role on the critically acclaimed series, Friday Night Lights. Jurnee has appeared in numerous films and television shows, and her newest project, Underground, debuts on WGN America this spring!
Taye Diggs Well known for his roles in How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Chicago, Taye has also starred in numerous television and stage productions. He lives in New York and Los Angeles.
G. Garvin Acclaimed chef, author, television host and James Beard nominee, Chef Gerry Garvin is also a noted philanthropist based in Atlanta.
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Event subject to change or cancellation. *Qualifying purchase must be made during the event. While supplies last. 50759_N6010345A.indd 1
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BUSINESS Opening of Switchyards Downtown Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act board meeting at Adamsville Rec Club brings out the best
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February 4-10, 2016
ADW Staff Mayor Kasim Reed joined co-founders Michael Tavani and Dave Payne, Invest Atlanta President and CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich, and more than 100 entrepreneurs yesterday for the opening of Switchyards Downtown Club, Atlanta’s newest startup hub and the only business-to-consumer startup hub in the Southeast. “Atlanta has long been a city that welcomes and nurtures talent, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and I am proud to support Switchyards,” said Mayor Reed. “It’s exciting news that more than 150 innovative startups will work at Switchyards Downtown Club, building the next great tech companies in the heart of Downtown Atlanta.” Switchyards is based in a renovated 19,000 square-foot building in Downtown Atlanta and will host more than 150 businessmembers. Invest Atlanta’s Business Expansion and Retention team was a key partner in supporting Switchyards, providing assistance
with building permits for the renovation and construction and guidance with Opportunity Zone Certification to assist with job creation. “Innovation and entrepreneurship are about serendipitous collisions,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, CDcE. “Offering startups a community like Switchyards facilitates the growth of the next generation of business and supports Atlanta as we compete within the 21st century economy.” “Switchyards is creating an entire building in the middle of Downtown Atlanta focused on programming and content to produce more successful business to consumer startups,” said Michael Tavani. “Atlanta’s startup scene has grown nicely over the last 10 years but is dominated by the city’s strong business to business companies. We hope to change that.” Switchyard will also be a coffee shop, a location for industry events and an incubator. Visit www.switchyards.com to learn more.
ADW Staff The Fulton County Workforce Preparation and Employment System – Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act Board (FCWPESWIOA) will meet Thursday Feb. 18, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Adamsville Career Center located within the Adamsville Regional Health Center, 3700 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, SW, Atlanta, Georgia. The focus of the agenda will be strategic planning. The FCWPES-WIOA Board oversees activities related to providing an environment that supports a skilled and trained workforce and to creating innovative programs that serve the changing needs of employers and the business community. WIOA helps Georgia move toward a comprehensive, customer-focused workforce investment system where Job Seeker and Employer customers alike can access a wide range of workforce-related tools and information needed to manage their work activities. Services are provided through a network of One-Stop Centers statewide.
Through the WIOA, unemployed and underemployed adults, young people, dislocated workers and displaced homemakers can “Jump Start Their Future” by obtaining career training, skill upgrades or retraining in new careers after losing employment resulting from business closings or downsizing. Additionally, WIOA allows businesses to provide leadership and information towards re-training and skills upgrades and works to ensure that Workforce Development prepares residents for current and future jobs. For more information, call the Housing and Community Development Department, Workforce Development Division at 404-6136381. Citizens in need of reasonable accommodations due to a disability including communications in an alternative format should contact the Disability Liaison in the Housing and Community Development Department at (404) 6137944. For Georgia Relay Access, dial 711.
Marcus Graham Project promotes creativity in advertising “Initially [the project] was formed around helping young men, because as many black faces as you might see in advertising, the majority of them weren’t African American men. Black men were under represented,” explained Buie. But the value added or collateral benefit has been the culture-toculture exposure and exchanging of ideas for creative insights that eventually end up in the public realm. And what transpired over the next couple of years is nothing short of amazing. The Marcus Graham Project grew from a group of four or five friends trying to help each other out, to an organization of 1,400 to 1,500 creative professionals. And to develop the professional and creative capacity of its members, the Marcus Graham project hosts every summer an annual 14-week intensive training boot camp for highly talented professionals. “In the iCR8 boot camp [participants] basically create a pop-up advertising agency, which solicits briefs from clients, executes against those briefs,
By Roz Edward “Now check this out man, I’ve been working here about nine days, you know, been on time, most of the time, even when it rains. Don’t you think it’s time we talk promotion?” – Bony T from the movie Boomerang. If only the rise to being a Madison Avenue ad exec at the top of the industry heap was that simple. But as advertising executives of color can attest, the climb can be an arduous one that leaves many would-be advertising rock stars somewhere in the middle of the pack. Enter the Marcus Graham Project, a national network of diverse professionals “coach up and bring up other diverse professionals in advertising and marketing,” says Marcus Graham Project cofounder and content and development director, Jamil Buie. “What we see as our goal is to bring as many interesting, smart, creative minds into the field of
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marketing and advertising as [possible].” The Marcus Graham Project is the brainchild of a group of savvy advertising professionals working around the country who weren’t seeing diversity in the field, which compromised the creative processes for people of color to express different points. “A group of us, Lincoln Stephens, Larry Yarrell, Jeff Tate, Kenji Summers and myself weren’t seeing people who looked like ourselves and we didn’t have resources or points of reference to bounce ideas off or get coaching on how to navigate a very insular ole’ boy — and for all intents and purposes — white industry. So we came together for the mutual helpfulness of one another.” The decision to establish the Marcus Graham Project to benefit minorities in advertising has well, boomeranged and is fast becoming a major change agent as well as a mentoring organization. (Marcus Graham was the super successful ad exec played by Eddie Murphy in Boomerang.
pitch the work and hopefully when it gets sold [to the client] they have the opportunity to interview with those companies for a job to continue working on the projects that they have initiated.” Marcus Graham boot camp clients in the past have included; AT&T, Rock the Vote, the John Legend Foundation, Beats by Dre, Apple and Pepsico. After the 2015 summer boot camp, an inspired Buie returned to Detroit to establish the Detroit office for the Marcus Graham project. In early January 2016, Buie and the Detroit organization collaborated with Team Detroit, an agency representing Ford Motor Company and other top tier corporations on publicity and marketing initiatives for the City of Detroit. The Marcus Gram Project is housed in Junction 440 in Detroit’s TechTown. For interested professionals or more information visit the marcusgrahamproject.com
My advice to young blacks going into the profession, don’t stifle yourself and don’t be afraid to be different,” Jamil Buie
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February 4-10, 2016
Rick Ross celebrates 40th at Atlanta mansion with Joseline, Ludacris, Monica, others By Terry Shropshire The Maybach Music mogul brought in his fourth decade on earth in serious style by hosting the event at his own mansion, the one that was once owned by boxing legend Evander Holyfield. The high profile affair was attended by the crème de la crème of Atlanta’s entertainment scene. Rick Ross celebrated his 40th birthday and he made his grand entrance to the affair with ex-girlfriend, Shateria Moragne-El, amid a phalanx of photographers, friends and celebs. Among the celebrity friends who rolled down to the upscale southern Atlanta suburb for the shindig included; rapper Ludacris, Monica Brown, Shannon Brown, Yo Gotti, Keri Hilson, Young Thug, Joseline Hernandez, Lyon Cohen, Michael Kaiser, Jermaine Dupri, Chad ‘Ocho Cinco’ Johnson, Anthony Hamilton and Marlo Hampton.
‘Preachers of Atlanta’ private premiere in Atlanta Comments
Atlanta Dream Re-signs Tiffany Hayes ADW Staff
By Terry Shropshire The “Preachers of Atlanta” private screening in Atlanta unveiled a cast that can be best characterized as a potpourri of provocative personalities and interesting idiosyncrasies: one is a Grammy-winning artist, another is a police officer, a third is a certified life coach, the fourth a Cajo Records president, and the last operates freely under the moniker “White Chocolate.” The cast of the new reality show ‘Preacher’s of Atlanta,’ all convened for a special advanced screening last night “Preacher’s of Atlanta,” whose hodgepodge cast was assembled by executive producer Lemuel Plummer and others, premieres Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 10/9c. Pictured above are cast members Canton Jones, Judah Swilley, Le’Andria Johnson, Corey Hambrick and Kim Jones-Pothier posing with the host for the evening, Willie
Moore, Jr. of Atlanta’s Praise 102.5. Urban sophisticates came out for the purple carpet at 595 North, and guest were treated to an extended sneak peek and exclusive clips of the show. At the premiere, Oxygen and NBC Universal honored Elite Sisterhood, a local non-profit peer mentoring program for women, with a donation of $10,000 for their commitment to the Atlanta community. Attendees also enjoyed specialty mocktails, hor’ dourves and riveting live performances from cast members Le’Andria, Canton and Judah to celebrate Oxygen’s new Preachers of Atlanta series. Notable attendees included: Jonetta Patton (Entertainment Manager and Usher’s Mother), Ben Tankard (Bravo’s “Thicker Than Water”), Bishop Corletta Vaughn (“Preachers of Detroit”), Egypt Sherrod (HGTV’s “Property Virgins”), Shay Johnson (“Love & Hip Hop Atlanta”) and more.
The Atlanta Dream has announced the resigning of restricted free agent Tiffany Hayes to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, terms of the contracts are not disclosed. It is terrific to be back with the team that believed in me from the start,” Hayes said. “I am honored and looking forward to joining the rest of my teammates again this summer for a successful season.” Hayes ranked second on the Atlanta roster in scoring with a 12.9 ppg average in 2015. She was third on the squad with 31 threepoint field goals and tallied double-figure points in 22 games last season. Hayes started 27 of the 28 contests in which she saw action during her fourth WNBA season. Hayes was selected by Atlanta with the No. 14 pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft after a collegiate career at the University of Connecticut where she was a member of two NCAA National Championship teams (2009/2010). “We are thrilled to have Tiffany back in Atlanta this season and moving forward,” Dream head coach Michael Cooper said. “She brings a unique skill set and her athleticism is a challenge for opponents on both ends of the floor. We are excited to see her continue to develop into one of the top players in the WNBA.” The Dream will open the 2016 regular season at the San Antonio Stars on Saturday, May 14. Atlanta’s home opener at Philips Arena will take place on Sunday, May 22 vs. the Chicago Sky in a 3 p.m. ET tip. The three-time Eastern Conference
Champion Atlanta Dream is entering its ninth season in the Women’s National Basketball Association. The Dream plays their home games at Philips Arena. Atlanta has qualified for the playoffs six times, winning conference titles in 2013, 2011 and 2010.
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February 4-10, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT
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‘Race’ red carpet premiere with Kim Fields, Ambassador Young, Stephan James, and more
By Terry Shropshire Ambassador Andrew Young kisses host Kim Field’s hand at the “Race” movie premiere in Midtown Atlanta. Actor Stephan James, right, producer Will Packer, center, and Field’s husband Christopher Morgan, far left, all look on. (Copyrighted photos taken by Terry Shropshire for Atlanta Daily World and Real Times Media). Ambassador Andrew Young is a living link to the late, legendary track megastar Jesse Owens. He regaled the red carpet media prior to movie premiere of Race as he waxed poetic about how Jesse Owens, a pioneer in sports even before the more celebrated Jackie Robinson, helped make him the man that he
would become later as a confidante to Martin Luther King Jr., an ambassador to the U.N. under President Carter and a two-time mayor of Atlanta. “Let me tell you: Jesse Owens’ story made me who I am today,” Young began. “I grew up 50 yards from the headquarters of the Nazi Party. I was born in 1932. Jesse Owens ran this in 1936. And my dad took me to go see this when I was a kid. And he said to me ‘white supremacy is a sickness. And you don’t let sick people get you upset.’ And he used Jesse Owens as an example. He said ‘look, when Hitler walked out [after Owens won his first gold medal in the Olympics, shattering the myth of Aryan supremacy], Jesse didn’t lose his cool. He just went out and broke three
more world records.’ So I knew about Jesse since I was four years old and he’s been my hero ever since.” The movie, which opens Feb 19, set just a few years before Adolf Hitler caused what became World War II, told of an impoverished Owens of Cleveland enduring oppressive racism at The Ohio State University, which prepared him to succeed under similar conditions in Nazi Germany. “This is a film about determination, courage, tolerance and friendship. Tonight we’ll go back in time and see how Jesse’s journey impacted the entire world,” said the evening’s moderator and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kim Fields. Fields and Young was joined at the premiere with the likes Ludacris and wife Eudoxie, prolific producer Will Packer, Kathleen Bertrand of the Bronzelens Film Festival, other celebrities and, of course, Stephan James, who starred as Owens and tried to embody him while telling his story. James, who portrayed another legend, Congressman John Lewis, in the Academy Award-nominated film Selma last year, admitted it was daunting stepping into Owens’ shoes. He often had to step back from the character and not get so emotionally involved in how brutal the treatment of Owens was here in America, living with de facto segregation in Columbus, Ohio; much less how he would be
treated in Berlin. “Jesse is a testament to that [courage and success in the face of near insurmountable odds]. You’re talking about a man in the middle of the Great Depression here in America, and then went over to Berlin in German and defeated all odds at time when Hitler said no black person and no Jew would win anything,” James said. “So it’s really incredible.” (Copyrighted photos taken by Terry Shropshire for Atlanta Daily World and Real Times Media).
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EDUCATION
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February 4-10, 2016
The Home Depot Retool Your School HBCU grant program is underway On Wednesday, Feb. 3, The Home Depot reaffirmed its commitment to HBCUs by announcing its 2016 Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant Program. Now in its seventh year, the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer utilizes the program to offer Historically Black Colleges and Universities the opportunity to apply for grants that provide sustainable renovations to their campuses. This year, the total winnings for the Retool Your School program have increased to $300,000 in grants for nine accredited HBCUs. The schools will be categorized in one of three clusters, based on student population. Each cluster will have three winners vying for one $50,000, one $30,000 and one $20,000 grant. The breakdown will be as follows: Cluster 1 will be based on schools with student enrollment of 4,000 or more; Cluster 2 will be based on schools with student enrollment of 3,999 – 1,251 students; and Cluster 3 will include schools with 1,250 students or less. This year, for the first time, the non-winning qualified schools who submit their applications and receive a minimum of 100 votes, will receive a $1,000 Home Depot gift card. To be considered, the HBCUs must submit a complete application by Feb. 22, 2016. Online voting will take place from Feb. 26 to April 24, 2016 at www.retoolyourschool.com. The winners will be announced on May 18, 2016, in Atlanta. The Home Depot’s Retool Your School Program was established in 2010 to provide support for campus improvement projects to the nation’s HBCUs. Since the program’s inception, over one million dollars in grant money has been awarded. In 2015, the Retool Your School Program was recognized in Washington, D.C., by the White House
Initiative on HBCUs during the National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week. The Home Depot’s Melissa Brown, Senior Marketing Manager, was featured as a guest panelist during the week where other attendees included Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Retool Your School is a valuable program,” said Dr. Ivory Toldson, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. “I know of no other program that focuses on sustaining our colleges by maintaining the physical space. This program provides very important funding that beautifies and enhances the physical needs of our HBCUs.” “Excitement builds each year for The Home Depot Retool Your School program,” says Melissa Brown. “Each year, we continue to find ways to make it exciting for HBCUs to participate. Last year, we launched a new grant structure that
allowed more HBCUs to participate and to feel comfortable competing among their fellow HBCUs within their student population range. This year, not only have we increased the total amount to $300,000, The Home Depot is offering a $1,000 participation award for qualifying entries.” During the online voting period, HBCU supporters can cast one vote per day for their favorite HBCU project. Following the online vote, a panel of distinguished judges will also evaluate each school’s project proposals within the qualifying brackets. Judges will consider the depth of each proposal and the school’s ability to execute the project within the specified budgets. Proposals for all three grants must highlight how each project will make a lasting, positive impact on the HBCU campus. For more information on The Home Depot Retool Your School Grant Program, visit w w w. r e t o o l y o u r s c h o o l . c o m . Online voting will begin Feb. 26.
Georgia Dept. of Ed. top official fired for racist Facebook posts By Terry Shropshire
“If they won’t treat you right, they won’t teach you right,” Malcolm X The aforementioned statement rings loud in urbanites’ ears when they learn about the continuously bigoted blunders from the people who are supposed to educate them and their children. A top Georgia Department of Education official has been terminated following an investigation that revealed he made a series of flagrantly bigoted statements — and even had the intestinal fortitude to post those thoughts on his Facebook page. The most recent post from Jeremy Spencer came on January 1, said, “If I read one more thing about the Finland education system … not everybody in the U.S. public schools are white,” according to 11 Alive. Advocacy group Better Georgia called for Woods to fire Spencer and called the posts, “Vile, racist and bigoted.” “He [Spencer] doesn’t think Georgia students can compete with students in other countries because we have non-white students here. That is a vile and racist thought and he should not be in charge of creating curriculum
in Georgia,” said Better Georgia Executive Director Bryan Long. “What’s important to know is this wasn’t one wrong post. This wasn’t one mistake. This was a toxic stream of racist posts and bigoted posts and anti-Muslim posts and anti-gay posts going back months.” In addition, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) it its Code of Ethics for Educators states: “Unethical conduct includes, but is not limited to, any conduct that impairs and/or diminishes the certificate holder’s ability to function professionally in his or her employment position, or behavior or conduct that is detrimental to the health, welfare, discipline, or morals of students.” In short, don’t post anything on a website that you would not post on the front door of the school.
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VIEWPOINTS
February 4-10, 2016
GUEST COMMENTARY
GUEST COMMENTARY
by Melanie L. Campbell
by Julianne Malveaux
All elections matter Now that the Iowa caucus has passed the New Hampshire caucus is just a few days away, the primary battles move to states with larger Black populations—first in South Carolina where over 27.8 percent of its population is Black. Then it’s on to Super Tuesday with several southern states with large Black populations that are key for presidential candidates to win their party nominations including Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The additional reality is that in less than one year the presidency of Barack Obama, the first African American President, comes to an end. We were reminded of this reality on January 12th, when President Obama delivered his final State of the Union message. I watched the President with bittersweet remembrance of his historic and impactful two-term presidency. The President stressed the need for reforms in our democracy and emphasized the importance of people, not corporations electing their representatives. He also called for bipartisan unity when it comes to the electoral process. As the leader of a non-partisan Black civic engagement organization (NCBCP), that will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of its founding in 2016, it was very moving to hear President Obama deliver a message of hope, optimism and achievement. He also declared he is going full speed with his 4th quarter agenda for the American people that includes continuing to fight for voting rights reform. During the speech, I recalled the images of millions of black Americans standing in long lines for hours and many voting for the first time for President Obama in 2008 and 2012. Still, even with the historic election of President Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States and the many gains made, there is much work to be done that the next president will be responsible for in 2017 and beyond. African Americans and other people of color dominate statistics of the undereducated, unemployed and poor; and millions do not have access to affordable health care in many states with large minority populations, especially in the South where many governors have blocked fully implementing the Affordable Care Act for partisan gain. Further, the Black Lives Matter Movement is a reminder that there is much social justice work to be done—where we dominate the statistics on those likely to be victims of police violence or injustice. Thanks to partisan gridlock nationally and in many state legislatures, middle class wages are stagnant and the Labor Movement– a traditional gateway to middle class for working families-is under attack like never before in states across the country. Also, thanks to the U. S. Supreme Court—our voting rights are not fully protected through the Voting Rights Act! As we all know it’s not just any old ordinary election year. There’s a lot in the mix. The
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seeds of discourse sowed by some are finding their way into the mainstream. Right now 31 states have passed some form of restriction to voter access. So, we have our work cut out for us to ensure the Black vote not only turns out in record numbers in 2016, but, we also must unite to protect our vote. That means we have to work even harder. There is much at stake. In 2016, voters will elect the 45th president, 435 members of the U. S. House of Representatives, 34 U.S. Senators and 12 state governors. Further, history has proven that all politics is local and that local elections matter. In 2016, forty-one of the 100 largest cities are holding municipal elections including mayor and/or city council. Several of those cities holding local elections have large Black populations including Baltimore, Md., Baton Rouge, La., Norfolk, Va., and Washington, D.C. It is time for us to use our skills. Those in leadership positions have to reach people on the grassroots level. It’s great to reach people who are always taking part in the process but we have to figure out how to go deep – that means the beauty shop and the barber shop and the ushers and the cashier at the drug store and the waitress at the diner. Each one, reach one. I’m talking about educating and reinforcing to black people of every stripe about the power and importance of their vote. Lest we forget—in 2012, Black voters surpassed the rate of White voters for the first time in history—-and Black women, we are the “secret sauce” leading the way for the Black vote and young Black women led the way in 2012. To assist voters, the NCBCP Black Women’s Roundtable released our non-partisan 2016 Election Voter Guide. The BWR Voter Guide provides a number of tools that voters can use that includes how to find your precinct, how to become a delegate and other resources. Further the National Coalition has joined with more than 80 organizations to form the National Black Voter Alliance. History has taught us that all elections matter and the Black vote has made the critical difference to improving the lives of generations. Now is the time to unite and come together to leverage the power and influence of the Black vote in 2016 and beyond. Now is the time for action. Melanie L. Campbell is the president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), a non-profit organization that promotes greater social and economic justice to enhance the quality of African American life. NCBCP strives to create an enlightened community by engaging people in all aspects of public life through service/volunteerism, advocacy, leadership
Standing on sacred ground Three unarmed Black men encountered a group of White men walking down a dirt road in Slocum, Texas on July 29, 1910. Without warning, and with no reason, the White men opened fire on the Black men. And for two days White men simply slaughtered Black people. Eight deaths have been officially acknowledged, but historians who have studied the Slocum Massacre say that it is likely that dozens more were killed, with some saying as many were killed in Slocum as in Tulsa in 1921 (and those numbers range into the hundreds). The New York Times quoted William Black, the sheriff at the time of the massacre: “Men were going about killing Negroes as fast as they could find them, and so far as I was able to ascertain, without any real cause. I don’t know how many were in the mob, but there may have been 200 or 300. … They hunted the Negroes down like sheep.” History mostly swallowed the horror of the Slocum Massacre. Some descendants of those massacred pushed for official acknowledgement of the horror, but there have been efforts to cover up the carnage, with some in Slocum pretending that the Massacre never happened. It took more than a century, until 2011, for the Texas Legislature to formally acknowledge the massacre. A roadside marker commemorating the tragedy was just placed on January 26, 2016. A local member of the Anderson County Historical Commission opposed the marker because, “The citizens of Slocum today had absolutely nothing to do with what happened over a hundred years ago. This is a nice, quiet community with a wonderful school system. It would be a shame to mark them as racist from now until the end of time.” E.R. Bills, author of The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas, says that there are more than 16,000 historical markers in the state of Texas. “The Slocum Massacre historical marker will apparently be the first one to specifically acknowledge racial violence against African Americans.” His book meticulously documents the Slocum facts, and asserts, “Many white folks got away with murder”. Only 11 were arrested for their role in the massacre. Seven were indicted but none were prosecuted for their crimes. The eleven were only the known criminals. According to Bills, many murderers buried
dead bodies on their land to perpetuate the cover up. The Slocum historical marker stands on sacred ground. There is much other sacred ground in these United States, ground that is soaked with the blood of lynched and murdered African Americans. Yet there are few markers of our nation’s historical madness. The Equal Justice Initiative, an Alabama-based organization that has documented the magnitude of our nation’s lynching history, hopes to build markers and memorials on lynching sites, much like the one in Slocum. We need these memorials to remind us of an era of racial terror, and to consider the contemporary consequences of that terror. This year the association for the study of African American life and history (ASALH) has chosen Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories as their Black History Month Theme. While ASALH has not focused specifically on markers and memorials for sites of lynching and massacres, the focus location is important. They mention plantations, historic homes, and historic streets (like Beale Street in Memphis, Sweet Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, and 125 Street in Harlem) as important places to embrace and celebrate. Many of our nation’s major cities have experienced gentrification in the past decade or so. Washington, DC is no longer Chocolate City – more like neapolitan or chocolate chip. The 125 Street of the Harlem Renaissance has diversified, as young whites with deep pockets are pushing the prices of historic brownstones into the seven or eight figure price range. No matter. The places are still sacred ground, and should be recognized as such. It is important to acknowledge these places with statues, markers, and memorials, lest we forget. Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. We assert that Black Lives Matter because so many black lives were obliterated in Slocum, and because for far too long it was convenient and comfortable to forget a heinous massacre. Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist and Founder of Economic Education. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available for pre-order at www.juliannemalveaux.com.
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ATLANTA DAILY WORLD
www.AtlantaDailyWorld.com
February 4-10, 2016
- R e a l Ti m e s M e d i a P r e s e n t s -
WHO’S WHO IN
Foreword Writer Ernest Greer Co-President Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Hosted By Sharon Reed Anchor / CBS 46 News
Stacey Abrams State Representative GA District 89 Eddie Meyers Regional President - Georgia PNC Financial Services Group
Official Networking Reception and Book Unveiling
Tuesday, February 23, 2016 | 6 p.m. Hyatt Regency Atlanta
265 Peachtree Street NE • Atlanta, GA 30303
Mark your calendar for the city’s most highly acclaimed event recognizing Alanta’s most accomplished professionals and game changers
VIP GROUP TABLES AVAILABLE
Contact Lorraine Cochran TODAY For information, advertising opportunities and VIP Group tables at (678) 515-2053 #WWIBA16
Tickets are $50 which includes a copy of the sixteenth edition of Who’s Who In Black Atlanta® ($39.95 Retail Value)
www.whoswhopublishing.com
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February 4-10, 2016
ATLANTA DAILY WORLD
Today ’s family traditions become tomorrow’s family history. Whether you’re passing down recipes and traditions, stories or advice, feeding into future generations is a great way to maintain your family’s legacy. So celebrate this Black History Month by not only remembering African American history makers, but also by passing down your own family’s history. When you add family, tradition, (and a little love) to the ingredients you’ll find at Publix, we think you have the perfect recipe. Thank you for inviting us to the table.
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