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Hunger Hotline
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Volume 88 • Issue 50
SisterCare talks talc and tumors in black women
Black stars for justice
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July 21-27, 2016
July 21-27, 2016
COVER STORY
SisterCare raises awareness of talc powder cancer connection for black women
By Terry Shropshire No one within the halls of the Davis Bozeman Law Firm in suburban Atlanta was prepared for the heart-wrenching tragedy that would visit them until a mother of a deceased woman helped put new awareness on talc powder and the rise of ovarian cancer within the African American female community. The mother explained that her daughter was a healthy, health conscious 33-year-old woman who was a vegetarian. But the daughter was now dead due to ovarian cancer that the medical practitioners said was caused by the repeated use of ovarian cancer. When Anana Harris Parris learned of this and other cases, it was like she was punched in the gut. She was in a state of arrested breathing because until she was handed a stack of papers by the Davis Bozeman Firm, Parris was unaware of the dangers of talc powder that she and millions of other black women used for feminine hygiene purposes.
Mawuli Mel Davis of Davis Bozeman Firm After she recovered from her shock, Parris founded SisterCARE Alliance and SisterCare Coalition— which includes scientists, gynecologists, civic and civil rights activists — to put the connection of talc power and ovarian cancer on black women’s radar with all deliberate speed and purposes. Paris and the law firm discovered that there were over 20 years of research that connected ovarian cancer and talc powder that was deliberately hidden from black women by respected multinational
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corporations. “I did see a couple of cases about talc powder,” Parris admitted. “But I really didn’t understand the gravity of the situation until [I received] the short stack of papers supplied by the Davis Bozeman Law Firm. The … papers outlined some things to me that made me gasp. It disgusted me. And I took it personally that me, as a woman of color who supported companies … find out they were sneaking ingredients that can harm you. To say that I took it personally would be an understatement.” Mawuli Mel Davis, the more vocal and visible of the two partners in the Davis Bozeman Firm, said “as we did our research, we discovered that juries in St. Louis had made the connection between talc powder and ovarian cancer. And not only that, but they discovered that the companies failed to warn, and that angered the jurors more than anything else, for the failure of Johnson & Johnson to warn the consumer which has been predominantly women of color.” What infuriated Parris even more was the fact that they found out that Johnson & Johnson and other corporations were losing customers after white women were made aware of the dangers — therefore they purposely started marketing the products to black women, knowing they were unaware of the dangers and risks. That was about the time Parris discovered an idea for making black women aware of talc and its potentially dangerous properties. “If every product in this country showed us the picture and made the warning clear of what could happen if you used this product. Then the healthcare decisions that you make are your own,” she explains. “But what we’re dealing with right now is that we’re not making self-care decisions fully informed. “So what we’re doing is starting a campaign to shift the self-care behavior of an entire mass of people who are targeted by companies.” Noreen ‘The Science Queen’ Raines, scientist and founder of Big Thinkers Science Exploration, said “we black female scientists have been wanting something like this for a long time. We read the labels, we understand the labels, but we know there are large groups of women of color who do not. And we wished we had a way to launch an initiative to women of color to do this,” she said. “We should know what’s in (the products). We shouldn’t have
to worry about our safety and our health when it comes to the things that we use. And this campaign is designed to let us know what we’re using and what the risks are.” Parris created a powerful coalition of professional women in Atlanta to make black woman more aware of talc powder and ovarian cancer. The coalition includes: Noreen ‘The Science Queen’ Raines, Scientist and Founder of Big Thinkers Science Exploration; Monica Simpson, Executive Director of Sister Song; Anne Collins Smith, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art; Charity Jordan, Artistic Director Media; Leah Jones, Sister Song; Valerie Randolph, The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter; Vanessa Saez, R3b3l M3dia, Kareena Cumberbatch, R.N. & Doula; Veleda Cofield, Jack & Jill of Greater Atlanta; Malika Redmond, Women Engaged; Dr. Zenobia L. Day, Heartbeat Markets & Joe Beasley Foundation; Dr. Haiba Sonyika, Exclusive Women’s Healthcare Obstetrics and Gynecology; Natasha Allrich, Vision Manifest; Lovette Kargbo-Thompson, National Domestic Workers Association; Attorney Roodgine Bray; Deborah Woods, Nia Walker and Marlie Mahogany, Revolutionary Moms Club and many more.
Atlanta Daily World
Founded August 5 1928; Became Daily, March 12, 1932 W.A. Scott, II, Founder/Publisher August 5, 1928 to February 7, 1934 Published weekly at 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway Suite 500 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Periodicals Postage Paid at Atlanta Mailing Offices. Publication Number 017255 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Atlanta Daily World, 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway Suite 500 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Subscriptions: One Year: $52 Two Years: $85 Forms of Payment: Check, Money Order, VISA American Express, MasterCard MEMBER: Associated Press Atlanta Business League Central Atlanta Progress Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce National Newspaper Publishers Website: www.AtlantaDailyWorld.com Lorraine Cochran General Manager lcochran@realtimesmedia.com
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Terry Shropshire
Managing Editor / Web Editor tshropshire@realtimesmedia
Juan Sifuentes
SisterCARE Alliance and SisterCare Coalition founder Anana Harris Parris According to Parris, the campaign has three parts: “First there is the behavioral change … ‘ReadTheLabelSis.’ The second thing we’re asking you to do is ‘TossTheTalc.’ Third thing is that everyone within the sound of my voice, go home and into your bathroom and look at the labels of the products. And we want you to post that you are reading the labels, and if you find talc, then show that you ‘tossing the talc.’ That’s how you become self-care advocate for others,” Parris said. Dr. Haiba Sonyika of Exclusive Women’s Healthcare Obstetrics and Gynecology, said “studies have shown that talc can be a causing factor in ovarian cancer. Talc can go in as far as the ovaries. And when it reaches there, it can cause inflammation. This is really a healthcare crises and something that women need to empower ourselves.” “It is a shame that we in the African American community are just hearing about this,” Parris said. “So, please, all of us spread the word.”
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NEWS
July 21-27, 2016
AHA announces redevelopment project for Trump doubles down with most extreme VP pick Herndon Homes ADW staff reports Hunt Companies, Inc. announced today that the Atlanta Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has chosen Hunt affiliate, Hunt Development Group along with its partner, Atlanta-based Oakwood Development Group to redevelop the former Herndon Homes site. The Herndon Homes site consists of more than 12 acres along Northside Dr., approximately one mile north of the Atlanta Falcons’ new Mercedes Benz Stadium. The selection serves as the Atlanta Housing Authority’s first new master developer procurement in more than 10 years. “Hunt Companies is excited to have been chosen by the Atlanta Housing Authority as its partner in this extremely important project,” stated Chris Hunt, Hunt Companies CEO. “This project will allow Hunt to continue its commitment to developing projects that help improve community connections, help offer more jobs for the local area and offer quality of homes for all.” The Hunt/Oakwood team was chosen after a four-step process that included a Request for Qualifications issued in March 2015, followed by a Request for Proposals. The $150 million masterplan calls for a development of a mixed-use, mixed-income urban community that includes a variety of housing types, commercial facilities, retail, and community spaces, with approximately 700 units built, a new fitness center and retail spaces throughout. “I’m excited to work on this project given my long history of having ties to the Atlanta area,” stated Kelly King, President of Oakwood Development. “Having the ability to partner with an industry leader of Hunt’s stature is an incredible opportunity. I look forward to being part of a development designed to benefit the people of my hometown with community services, affordable housing and jobs.”
Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs presents ELEVATE: Summer Edition
ADW staff reports Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs announced this week the launch of ELEVATE: Summer, a one-day event featuring artists, public art installations and local performances on Friday, July 22 from 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. The event will be held at Broad Street, SW, between Martin Luther King Jr.
Drive and Mitchell Street. ELEVATE: Summer will feature performances ranging from local poetry slam groups including Art Amok, Java Monkey, Fountain City (Brave New Voices team) and Just N Thyme to classical Indian dance by Uma Palam Pulendran. Additional performances will include artist and costume designer Ajmal Millar and local Atlanta talent, Mausiki Scales and the Common Ground, an Afrobeat, funk, hip hop, soul and New Orleans jazz 9-piece collective who will provide tunes in the afternoon. Speakerfoxxx and Bosco will close out the event in the evening with a performance of their new EP,Girls In The Yard. Priscilla Smith, former Executive Director of Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery, will serve as the emcee. “We are proud to launch ELEVATE: Summer, an event which aims to provide free public art and community engagement experiences for residents and visitors to enjoy, while increasing the cultural and economic vitality of the downtown area,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “Through workshops, panel discussions, partnerships, collaborations and public art, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs seeks to create events through ELEVATE that promote the creative community of Atlanta, impact the Atlanta economy, increase the quality of life for residents and gain global attention for our city as a creative and culturally engaging contemporary city.” For the past five years, ELEVATE has been held in downtown Atlanta in October. The theme and curator for October’s ELEVATE program will be announced at ELEVATE: Summer. In addition, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs will announce plans to have year-round ELEVATE programming.
“By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families,” said John Podesta, chair of Hillary for America. “Pence is the most extreme pick in a generation and was one of the earliest advocates for the Tea Party. He was the first of GOP leadership to join Michele Bachmann’s Tea Party Caucus. As governor, Pence personally spearheaded an anti-LGBT law that legalized discrimination against the LGBT community, alienated businesses, caused boycotts, lost investments and embarrassed Hoosiers-- a law he was later forced to revise. Pence also personally led the fight to defund Planned Parenthood while serving in the House and fought to pass Indiana’s 2016 anti-abortion law, with some of the most outrageous restrictions in the country that threatened women’s privacy and limited their choice. And just like Trump, he’s been a long-time opponent of comprehensive immigration reform. “Pence has been no economic leader or friend to the American worker. In fact, he wants to get rid of the very wages that make the middle class possible. Pence opposes raising the federal minimum wage and signed a law allowing skilled workers in Indiana to be paid less. Under his failed leadership, the incomes of Hoosiers have stalled at 38th in the nation. “Voters deserve better than more of their divisive policies and ‘me-first’ economic proposals. This new Trump-Pence ticket stands in dramatic contrast to Hillary Clinton’s vision of our future - one where we are stronger together, where unity prevails over division and the economy works for all Americans, not just those at the top.”
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July 21-27, 2016
COMMUNITY
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Fulton County’s Oak Hill Family Center offers WIC nutritional program Free nutritional counseling, breastfeeding support and food vouchers among services for families with babies and young kids The Women, Infants and Children’s nutrition program, known as WIC, has opened a new office and is now offering FREE nutritional support to low a n d moderate income families at the Fulton County Oak Hill Child, Adolescent and Family Center in southwest Atlanta. Beginning Tuesday, July 19 women and guardians with children under age five can apply to receive WIC services. The WIC program provides breastfeeding support, nutritional counseling and free vouchers for healthy food. These are three proven services that lead to improved health of infants and children. WIC services are available to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers (up to one year) and for postpartum women (up to six months). The Oak Hill Family Center is located at 2805 Metropolitan Parkway SW, and open 8:30 a.m.-5:00 pm Monday through Friday. To determine eligibility, mothers and guardians must make an appointment by calling the WIC Office at 404-612-3942. Interested WIC participants will need to complete the WIC application, provide identification and
proof of address and income. For details on income eligibility requirements and to fill out an online intake form, visit www. dph.ga.gov/WIC. “Although WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children, we also welcome fathers, foster parents and other guardians to bring their infants and children for services,” explains Fulton County’s WIC Director Danica Carswell, M.S., R.D. WIC is a federally-funded program that has been helping families prevent nutritional deficiencies in children and improving the health, growth, and development of children for more than 30 years. Fulton County’s Oak Hill Child, Adolescent and Family Center’s Teen Program specializes in serving adolescent youth ages 10 years to 21 years old. The Oak Hill Teen Center offers back-to-school immunizations, physical examinations for school and college, sports physical exams, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STD/ STI), abstinence training and contraceptive options. Teen services are provided at a minimum charge and Medicaid insurance is welcome. For more information, call the Oak Hill Teen Center at 404-6120626.
Toll-free hunger hotline enables struggling Georgians to access help
Hunger Free America has launched new campaigns to make it easier for hungry Americans to obtain food and for anyone to volunteer in the most effective ways to end hunger. Nearly one in six of Georgia State residents, and one in four children live in households that can’t always afford enough food. The United States Department of Agriculture funds a toll-free hotline to make it easier for them to access food from both private and governmental resources. The hotline can be reached at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (for Spanish) from Monday through Friday (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST). Hunger Free America, formerly known as the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, has just launched a coast-to-coast outreach campaign to increase the use of the hotline. Hunger Free America is operating the hotline nationwide as part of a USDA National Hunger Clearinghouse contract. The National Hunger Hotline staff connects callers with
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emergency food providers in their community, government assistance, nutritional assistance programs, and various services that promote self-sufficiency. During summer months, the hotline provides information about meal sites where children 18 years old and under can get free, nutritious meals through the USDA Summer Food Service Program. Free summer meals are offered in all 50 states at participating schools, libraries, pools, and other local sites, funded by the federal government. In 2015, a total of 164 million meals and snacks were served to typically low-income children. Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon highlights the importance of the hotline in the fight against hunger. “USDA’s nutrition assistance programs provide a nutrition safety net, helping to put food on the table in households across America. And the toll-free hotline is there for those in need to access this assistance, as well as help provided by private resources.” Hunger Free America also just launched, www. hungervolunteer.org, a state-of-the art volunteer matching portal to make it easier to mobilize the unique talents and skills of each individual volunteer in order to take the biggest bite out of hunger. Hunger Free America’s CEO Joel Berg said, “Now everyone can get — or give — help. If you’re hungry or at risk of hunger, it can be a daunting task to obtain food and benefits. The hunger hotline can immediately help connect families with food providers in their area. We are starting a national awareness campaign and want to make sure that people who need help can get it quickly and easily. We also want to make sure that all Americans can give back, by volunteering in ways that move beyond soup kitchen work to attack hunger at its root causes. ”
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BUSINESS
www.AtlantaDailyWorld.com
July 21-27, 2016
Atlanta Mac’s Beer and Wine goes high tech for Age ID ADW staff reports Mac’s Beer & Wine is using a sophisticated technology solution to help prevent the illegal sale of alcohol to minors. The midtown Atlanta, Georgia retailer is using Intellicheck’s Age ID® to scan bar codes on driver licenses and other forms of identification to spot altered and fake IDs. Midtown Atlanta’s residents include some 32,000 students attending a number of nearby colleges. Store owner Arthur “Mac” Thurston has been on the frontlines of the fight to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors since he went into business 29 years ago. The veteran beverage alcohol retailer called Age ID a powerful tool. “Since we began using Age ID, we’ve confiscated nearly 100 fake IDs. I’m using Age ID on our registers and smartphones to make sure we stop minors from purchasing alcohol. I’m a father and this is my community, too. I care about our young people and I take my responsibilities, including my legal responsibility to remain compliant with legal purchase age laws, very seriously.” The most recent available statistics show the cost of underage drinking to Georgia is more than $1 billion per year in addition to the needless tragedies from the loss of life and the dramatic health implications that can result from underage drinking. Dr. William Roof, CEO of Intellicheck, underscored the importance of Age ID as an effective deterrent. “Age ID can be
deployed anywhere age-restricted products such as alcoholic beverages and tobacco are sold. It’s an easy-to-use, affordable solution to the problem of spotting minors using fake credentials to make illegal alcohol purchases.” Dr. Roof noted that the Company expects to make more announcements in the coming months as Age ID is rolled out in establishments selling alcoholic beverages across the country. Intellicheck industry leading Age ID identity authentication and validation solution reads the barcode data encoded on driver licenses and government issued IDs, instantly verifying the authenticity of the ID and age information via a mobile
device or with an integrated point of sale tool. Age ID draws on a comprehensive database, updated on an ongoing basis, to ensure information is timely and accurate. It provides the most up-to-date solution to the problem of spotting fake and altered IDs with its ability to read more than 200 unique DMV barcode formats from every U.S. state and Canadian province. Intellicheck holds 20 patents pertaining to identification technology. Its real-time identity authentication and validation solutions support customers in the retail, hospitality, national defense, law enforcement, and financial markets. The Company’s products scan, authenticate and analyze components of identity documents including driver licenses, military identification cards and other government forms of identification containing magnetic stripe, barcode and smart chip information. Once extracted from the identity card, the information can be used to provide safety, security and efficiencies throughout these markets.
OneUnited Bank launches the National #BankBlack Challenge OneUnited Bank, the largest Black owned bank in America and the first Black internet bank, is launching the national #BankBlack Challenge, designed to harness the economic power of the Black community focused on one clear financial message that #BlackMoneyMatters. Participate in the #BankBlack Challenge by opening a OneUnited Bank $100 UNITY Savings account online from anywhere in America at www.oneunited.com/ bankblackchallenge and challenging 20 friends to the same. In recent weeks America’s Black community has galvanized via social media, Black media and word of mouth, answering the call for a show of economic force by moving their money from traditional banks to black owned banks, like OneUnited Bank. The #BankBlack movement intensified on July 8th, 2016 when Rapper Killer Mike implored the Black community to deploy “a portion” of its financial resources to make a tangible difference during a town hall meeting on BET and MTV. Other celebrities such as Solange, Jessie Williams, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Queen Latifah, and more have joined the conversation urging Black Americans to move their money to Black owned banks. Since then, OneUnited has seen a sharp influx in web traffic and new accounts, with over $3 million deposited since this call to action. “If 1 million people opened a $100 savings account
in a Black owned bank, we would move $100 million! That’s real economic power”, states Teri Williams, President & COO of OneUnited Bank. “It is critical for the Black community to utilize our $1.2 trillion in annual spending power to create jobs and build wealth in our community.” OneUnited is uniquely positioned to lead this Black financial empowerment movement to intelligently invest in the Black community and create generational wealth. Banking with black owned banks results in better circulation of Black dollars, creates more jobs for the Black community, provides mortgage and small business loans for Black borrowers, educates the urban community on financial literacy, and harnesses the power of the black dollar. For over two decades, OneUnited Bank, with locations in Los Angeles, Miami and Boston and its ability to open accounts online nationwide, has been steeped in the financial literacy movement. Studies show black dollars leave the Black community after 6 hours as compared to 28 days in the Asian American community. OneUnited Bank is encouraging the Black community to move their money and extend the life of the black dollar. To participate in the #BankBlack Challenge from anywhere in America go to www.oneunited.com/ bankblackchallenge, open a $100 new savings account and challenge 20 friends to do the same.
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July 21-27, 2016
ENTERTAINMENT
Georgia Aquarium shamed as No. 4 Worst Aquarium
ADW staff reports International animal protection organization, In Defense of Animals, recently released its list of the Ten Worst Tanks for Dolphins and Whales in North America, with the #4 spot shaming Georgia Aquarium as the “dying pool”. The Ten Worst Tanks list exposes and represents the misery and suffering of the oceans’ most intelligent and complex mammals in captivity. Whales and dolphins are subject to astonishing rates of premature death, captivity-related injuries, forced removal of babies from mothers, and solitary isolation. Many are confined to swimming endless circles in cramped tanks, deprived of healthy social groups, and forced to endure invasive reproduction techniques, polluted water, dangerous transport, and brutal exploitation of their sociable natures through “swim” and “petting” programs. The list was selected from over 60 facilities from southern Canada to Mexico where almost 1,000 whales and dolphins are held captive for public display. “Georgia Aquarium and its dying pool plumbs the depths in exploitation of intelligent and sensitive animals,” said In Defense of Animals President, Dr. Marilyn Kroplick. “Even with the most modern technology, veterinary care, and infrastructure, cetaceans still suffer intensely in captivity and exhibit surprisingly high mortality rates. Please help protect dolphins and whales in the wild where they belong, by pledging to never visit facilities that imprison them.” The Georgia Aquarium is one of the most active players in the cetacean exploitation captivity industry. Its string of sins includes attempting to import wild-caught beluga whales from Russia, hosting swim-with-dolphin programs, holding belugas inside an enclosed building, and shipping belugas across the country with no apparent regard for their social, psychological, and physical well-being. We call Georgia Aquarium the “dying pool” owing to three beluga whale deaths at the facility between 2012 and 2015. Maris, a captive-born beluga, lost her first-born calf only a few days after giving birth. Her second calf died after 26 days. Five months later, Maris herself died at just 20 years old, falling well short of her potential 70-year maximum lifespan. Despite
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these major failures, the Georgia Aquarium put additional beluga lives at risk by leading an attempt to import 18 wild-caught belugas from the Russian Far East in 2012. The National Marine Fisheries Service denied the import permit, citing the negative impact on declining wild populations, and that five of the beluga whales in question were so young they were likely still nursing from their mothers. Ignoring the welfare and conservation concerns, Georgia Aquarium unsuccessfully took the National Marine Fisheries Service to court in its attempts to override the ruling. Georgia Aquarium ships beluga whales and dolphins between facilities with disregard for their close social needs. On a single day in February 2016, they were involved in transporting four belugas to and from marine park facilities across the country. Beyond belugas, thirteen dolphins are held captive at the Georgia Aquarium. The company also owns Marineland Dolphin Adventure in St. Augustine, Florida, where 14 dolphins are regularly subjected to “hands-on dolphins” programs for the public. Five dolphins have died there within a span of four years from 2012 to 2015. Despite being denied import permits for the Russian belugas, Georgia Aquarium unsuccessfully appealed the agency decision. But that didn’t stop the company from “restocking” belugas from other aquariums in the very same dying pools in which Maris and her two babies lost their short, sad lives. 10 WORST TANKS: 1. SeaWorld, San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California; Orlando, Florida 2. Marineland, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada 3. Puerto Aventuras Dolphin Discovery, Mayan Riviera, Quinta Roo, Mexico 4. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia 5. Miami Seaquarium, Miami, Florida 6. Six Flags Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico 7. Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi and Unnamed new facility planned by same owner also in Gulfport, Mississippi 8. Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada 9. Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 10. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois
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Marching Music’s Major League coming to the Georgia Dome
™
Drum Corps International’s Marching Music’s Major League™ will return to Atlanta for the 2016 Southeastern Championship on July 30. Hosted at The Georgia Dome, the Southeastern Championship is one in a series of more than 110 competitive events during Drum Corps International’s 54day nationwide tour on the road to World Championship Finals in Indianapolis August 11-13. This year’s line-up will feature tightscoring, head-to-head competition among the World Class corps with new, revolutionary show concepts. Joining the World Class corps will be many Open Class corps, also vying for position in the overall standings for the remainder of the season. The result will be an action-packed event with music, color, and pageantry at the highest level of competition. Twenty-seven groups from across 20 states will be performing including Alliance of Atlanta, Ga.; Atlanta CV of Atlanta, Ga., The Academy of Tempe, Ariz.; Blue Devils of Concord, Calif.; Bluecoats of Canton, Ohio.; Blue Knights of Denver, Colo.; Blue Stars of La Crosse, Wisc; Boston Crusaders of Boston, Mass; The Cadets of Allentown, Penn.; Carolina Crown of Ft. Mill, S.C.; Carolina Gold of Raleigh, N.C.; The Cavaliers of Rosemont, Ill.; Colts of Dubuque, Iowa; Crossmen of San Antonio, Texas; Heat Wave of Inverness, Fla.; Jersey Surf of Camden County, N.J.; Madison Scouts of Madison, Wisc.; Mandarins of Sacramento, Calif; Oregon Crusaders of Portland, Ore.; Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar, Calif; Phantom Regiment of Rockford, Ill.; Pioneer of Milwaukee, Wisc.; Santa Clara Vangaurd of Santa Clara, Calif; Seattle Cascades of Seattle, Wash.; Southwind of Mobile, Ala.; Spirit of At l a n t a of Atlanta, Ga.; and Troopers of Casper, Wyo. Each group features musical ensembles of up to 150 brass musicians, percussionists, and dance performers ranging in age f rom
14 to 22. Staged on the football field, these corps’ performances feature spellbinding visual formations and stunning choreography set to musical arrangements in a diverse array of classical, jazz, pop and rock music. During the summer touring season, many of these elite groups will travel more than 10,000 miles and rehearse an average of 10 hours a day to compete at the highest levels of musical and performance excellence. The DCI Southeastern Championship event will also feature performances by seven SoundSport™ teams from several states and Canada. Now in its fourth year, the SoundSport™ program provides more musicians more venues in more countries with the opportunity to participate in sanctioned performance events to showcase their talents. Stadium gates will open at 10:30 a.m. on July 30, with SoundSport™ beginning at 11:00 and the main competition kicking off at 1:50 p.m. Ticket prices range from $30-$60 and are available at www.dci.org/tickets or by calling 800-745-3000.
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ENTERTAINMENT
July 21-27, 2016
Black Stars for Justice: Celebrity response to recent police killings is nothing new homage to the Black Panthers, a previously unknown group, Proud of the Blues, called a protest in New York that reportedly no one attended. Also, the Coalition for Police and Sheriffs (C.O.P.S.) staged a small demonstration when Beyoncé’s tour stopped in her native Houston. Opposition on social media, however, has been more pronounced. Jesse Williams’ passionate, anti-racism BET Awards speech, which also touched on police killings, sparked a petition to boot him from the cast of “Grey’s Anatomy.” Potential backlash has not silenced some stars. Compton rapper The Game used social media to report a secret meeting he organized with 100 black celebrities. Comedian Rickey Smiley hosted a more traditional town hall on July 12 — dubbed #StrategyForChange — at the House of Hope Church near Atlanta.
By Ronda Racha Penrice Urban News Service Young people in Dr. King’s native Atlanta responded to the recent police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile with consecutive nights of marches. Celebrities spotted in the protests included rapper T.I. and actress Zendaya Coleman. Other stars have spoken up about these and similar incidents, mainly through social media. The New York Knicks’s Carmelo Anthony issued a one-page challenge in the July 9 New York Daily News for his “ fellow athletes to step up and take charge.” He took an even higherprofile stance on July 13. “ The urgency for change is definitely at an all-time high,” Anthony said, as he, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James opened the ESPYs, the Oscars of sports. These pleas for social justice are not unique to today’s celebrities. Former collegiate athlete, singer and actor Paul Robeson became politically active in the 1930s. He paid a heavy price for such activism in the ’40s and ’50s, as he largely lost his livelihood. Robeson’s difficulties didn’t deter other performers. In Stars for Freedom: Hollywood, Black Celebrities, and the Civil Rights Movement, author Emilie E. Raymond focuses on six celebrities — Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dick Gregory — who struggled for social change. Gregory was an early and leading critic of police brutality. “ He was the one that was in the South,” says the Virginia Commonwealth University professor. “ He was arrested in Greenwood, Mississippi; Pine Bluff, Arkansas and in Birmingham and, in those places, he talked about the horrible conditions of the jails and how he was beaten by the police.” Gil Scott-Heron blasted the police killings of popular Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in Chicago and the more obscure Michael Harris on “ No Knock” from his 1972 Free Will album. Langston Hughes’s 1949 poem, “Third Degree,” about a policeman coercing a confession, begins “ Hit Me! Jab Me!/Make me say I did it.” Audre Lorde’s “Power” — a 1978 poem about the police
Hundreds attended a passionate discussion that included rappers/singers 2 Chainz, Jeezy, David Banner, Lyfe Jennings and Tyrese, Dr. King’s daughter Bernice King, and his comrade Rev. C.T. Vivian. Speaking out is deeply personal for Smiley. As a young man, the Birmingham native marched to protest white police officer George Sand’s killing of Benita Carter. Sand fatally shot Carter, a friend of Smiley’s mother, in her back as she sat in her car. Carter is one reason why Smiley sees risking his fame as an obligation. “I can’t sit here and live off of folks, live off of my people, who listen to “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show’ and watch ‘Rickey Smiley For Real’ and come out and see me perform every weekend and not stand for them when they need something.”
killing of a 10-year-old boy and the cop’s subsequent acquittal — minces few words. “Today the 37-year-old white man/with 13 years of police forcing/was set free,” it reads. Hip-hop artists have long addressed police brutality and killings. “ In the ’80s and ’90s, you had artists who were political or conscious,” says Bakari Kitwana, a former editor with The Source and author of HipHop Activism in the Obama Era. Although many cite N.W.A.’s aggressivelytitled 1988 hit “ F*** Tha Police” as the prime example of this activism, the West Coast group also stood alongside more politically grounded hip-hop artists such as Public Enemy (“ Fight the Power,” 1989). “ [Young people] are finding out about some of these cases because of social media,” says Kitwana. “ Hip-hop was that communicator before social media.” Hip-hop artists, even some
unexpected ones, still get political about police misconduct. In her verse on rapper French Montana’s “New York Minute” (2010), Nicki Minaj cites the 2006 killing of Sean Bell, whom NYPD officers shot on his wedding day. Other artists, like relative newcomer Vic Mensa, opt to be more overtly political. His “16 Shots” focuses on a Chicago cop’s fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. Mainstream artists perceived as anti-police have faced genuine backlash. Following Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance paying
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July 21-27, 2016
LIFESTYLE
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Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week returns for annual culinary event
Ready your taste buds and Instagrams for the ultimate foodie event to kickoff this summer in the heart of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta’s highly anticipated Restaurant Week
returns for its fourteenth year Saturday, July 23, through Sunday, July 31. The nine-day culinary event features dozens of restaurants throughout the neighborhood that are new to Downtown Atlanta, as well as the return of many classic Atlanta eateries. Presented by Central Atlanta Progress (CAP), this weeklong dining adventure gives Atlantans the opportunity to indulge in Downtown’s finest dining hot spots. With more than 35 participating restaurants this year, gourmet prix-fixe menus will range from $15, $25 or $35 for brunch, lunch and dinner options. Prices
are per person and exclude alcohol, tax and gratuity. “In addition to many of our renowned Restaurant Week veterans, we are excited to welcome quite a few recently-opened Downtown restaurants to this year’s event,” said Wilma Sothern, Central Atlanta Progress’ vice president of marketing. “Downtown Restaurant Week gives Atlantans and visitors the unique opportunity to explore Downtown’s walkable streets, exciting events and new attractions, all while enjoying culinary creations from some the city’s most talented chefs.”
Church Production Magazine announces sponsors for first live showcase event Church Production Magazine is pleased to announce that Chauvet Professional, Jands and dB Audio and Video are sponsors of the Church Production Live Showcase event at Tabernacle of Praise in greater Atlanta on Aug. 2. Chauvet Professional will serve as Platinum Sponsor, Jands as Gold Sponsor, and dB Audio and Video as Silver Sponsor. Church Production Live Showcase Events are one-day educational opportunities for church tech, creative and worship teams to experience the new technologies at a nearby church that has recently completed an A/V system upgrade or new build. Attendees will see and hear the host church’s new audio, video and lighting gear, learn about its system designs, and experience its workflows. Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Brian Blackmore says this of the August event: “We’re excited to see the commitment and vision of our Church Production Live Showcase event sponsors. And we’re fortunate to have the opportunity to stand alongside them as we learn about the transformative process Tabernacle of Praise is going through to deliver its message in a new, highly engaging way.” Highlights of educational sessions for church technical experts and teams attending the Aug. 2 event include:
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• Texture Through Lighting • DMX Demystified • Critical Elements for Live Streaming • Audio System Design Fundamentals • and more Interested church technical artists and teams can learn more about the Atlanta-area event and register at:www.churchproduction.com/ live.
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July 21-27, 2016
HRSA Awards $4,631,602 to expand Grow Tax-free weekend for clothing, school supplies Georgia’s health workforce primary care advanced practice nursing students to provide safe, quality care. • Graduate Psychology Education ($7.7 million) supports 31 grants to prepare psychologists to use an integrated and interprofessional approach to specifically address the behavioral health needs of underserved and/or rural populations, and to integrate behavioral health into primary care practice.
and computers
Simply Mac, an Apple Premier Partner, offers affordable computer items and accessories
• Academic Units for Primary Care Training and Enhancement ($4.4 million) provides 6 grants to improve clinical teaching and research in primary care training in order to strengthen the primary care workforce. The Health Resources and Services Administration recently announced $4,631,602 in new awards to 12 organizations in Georgia. The awards were part of $149 million given nationally through 12 workforce programs to prepare the next generation of skilled, diverse primary care providers to serve communities in need across the country. “These awards will help increase access to quality health care for all Americans by educating and training culturally competent providers who are prepared to practice in highneed areas,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Jim Macrae. “By encouraging partnerships among academic institutions, clinicians, health care sites and public health entities, we can improve health outcomes in underserved communities.” HRSA’s education and training grants support the development of a workforce that can meet 21st century needs through an emphasis on diversity, distribution of clinicians, and quality services that encourage innovative team-based and interprofessional approaches. “Our vision is to positively impact every aspect of the health professional’s career, from education and training to service,” said Macrae. “These awards will increase the number of health professionals providing quality care to the nation’s most vulnerable populations.” The new grants were awarded through the following programs: • Primary Care Training and Enhancement ($14.5 million) funds 33 grants to hospitals, medical schools, academically affiliated physician assistant training programs and other entities to improve the quality, quantity, distribution, and diversity of the primary care workforce through curriculum enhancement and training program expansion. • Advance Education Nursing Traineeship ($22.9 million) provides grants to 69 advanced nursing programs that support the training of advanced practice nurses, emphasizing the critically important role nurses play in delivering primary health care services, particularly in rural and underserved communities. • Advanced Nursing Education ($11.3 million) funds 19 projects that develop and test innovative academic-practice partnership models for clinical training and prepare
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• Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship ($2.3 million) funds 80 nurse anesthetist education programs to provide traineeships to licensed registered nurses enrolled as fulltime students in a master’s or doctoral nurse anesthesia program. • Nurse Education Practice Quality and Retention - Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Practicums in Community Settings ($3.1 million) provides 9 grants to increase experiential training opportunities for senior-level BSN students in primary care community-based settings by establishing and expanding upon academic-practice partnerships between schools of nursing and communitybased clinical sites and providing students with training in medically underserved and rural communities. • Nurse Education Practice Quality and Retention Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Behavioral Health Integration ($4.3 million) provides 9 grants to integrate interprofessional and collaborative models of behavioral health services into routine nurse-led primary care delivered to vulnerable and underserved populations. • Nurse Faculty Loan Program ($24.4 million) provides grants to 89 nursing schools to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty in the United States. Support from this program allows nursing schools to offer eligible students partial loan forgiveness when they graduate and serve as full-time nursing faculty. • Nursing Workforce Diversity ($4.5 million) provides 13 grants to increase nursing education opportunities for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented among registered nurses, by providing student scholarships or stipends for various levels of nursing degree programs. • Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award ($7.4 million) provides 20 grants to train postdoctoral health care professionals in primary care research. • Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students ($42.3 million) enables 78 health professions schools to provide scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have financial need in order to increases diversity in the health workforce.
Georgia state government will temporarily suspend the collection of sales tax on various retail items July 29-31, for a Sales Tax Holiday. According to Georgia’s Department of Revenue, the community will not have to pay taxes on items such as clothing, school supplies and computers. Restrictions do apply and not all items are exempt. “School is right around the corner and students, whether they are starting elementary school, high school, or going to college, have supplies they need before starting the year,” said Tommy Aoki, Vice President of Sales & Operations for Simply Mac. “Tax free weekend allows parents to purchase items for their kids at a lower price.” Simply Mac is a full service Apple Premier Partner that offers new and certified pre-owned MacBooks, iPads, product financing, keyboards and other accessories. According to the Department of Revenue, computers and electronic accessories with a sales price of $1000 or less are exempt. “Each Simply Mac location offers affordable Apple products, and with the addition of tax free exemptions, now is the perfect time to select a product at a price you can afford,” said Aoki. “We can help customers find the perfect product within their price range.” Simply Mac also offers AT&T iPhone activations, personalized training classes and certified Apple product services and repairs. Simply Mac specializes in finding the right product for customers, offers opportunities to trade in Apple products and provides one-on-one assistance without having to make an appointment. Simply Mac also offers Apple certified preowned MacBooks, iPads, product financing, keyboards and other accessories.
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ANNOUNCEMENT C. W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc will be accepting quotations from subcontractors, including GDOT certified DBE Subcontractors, for City of East Point, GA Project Bid # 2016-1590 Contract for the Roadway Resurfacing Project. This project is bidding on August 23, 2016 @ 3 PM. Items of work include (but are not limited to): Hauling, Erosion Control, Milling, Concrete Flatwork, Traffic Signals and Pavement Marking. Subcontractor quotations will be accepted by C. W. Matthews’ Estimating Department in person, by e-mail: cmartin@cwmatthews.com and/or mikek@cwmatthews.com or Fax: #770-422-9361 until 12:00 Noon on Friday, August 19, 2016. All bidding documentation will be available at the C. W. Matthews Contracting website (www.cwmatthews.com) as well as the City of East Point, GA website (www.eastpointcity.org). If you have any questions regarding the project, please contact Chad Martin (CWM estimator) at (770) 422-7520 X1183. You must register a User ID and Password to access the CWM website. For additional website information, contact C. W. Matthews’ Estimating Department at 770-422-7520.
LEGAL NOTICE IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN RC ST. THOMAS, LLC, Plaintiff vs. PAULA DARLENE BRAMLETT, ERIC SMITH, Robert B. SMITH, SR., KETRIN SMITH LANO, TODD SMITH, Heirs at Law of ROBERT B. SMITH Jr., deceased, and his unknown heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees, or other claimants; and all parties having a claim, right, title or interest in the property herein, Defendents. CASE NO.: ST-15-CV -____ ACTION FOR DEBT AND FORECLOSURE OF REAL PROPERTY MORTGAGE TO: Paula Darlene Bramlett, c/o Michael Rosenauer, Esq., 510 W. Plumb Ln., Ste. A, Reno, NV 89509 Within the time limited by law (see note below) you are hereby required to appear before this Court and answer to a claim filed against you in this action. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the Complaint for ACTION FOR DEBT AND FORECLOSURE OF REAL PROPERTY MORTGAGE. Witness my hand and the Seal of the Court this ___ day of_______, 2015. ESTRELLA GEORGE, Acting Clerk of the Court Richard P. Farrelly, Esq., Birch, de Jongh & Hindels, PLLC, Poinsettia House at Bluebeard’s Castle,1330 Estate Taarnebjerg, St. Thomas, USVI 00802, Telephone: (340)774-1100, Telecopier: (340)774-7300. NOTE: The defendant, if served personally, is required to file his/her answer or other defense with the Clerk of this Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after service of this summons, excluding the date of service. If served by publication or by personal service outside of the jurisdiction, the defendant is required to file his/her answer or other defense with the Clerk of this Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the attorney for the plaintiff within thirty (30) days after the completion of the period of publication or personal service outside of the jurisdiction.
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GUEST COMMENTARY
GUEST COMMENTARY
by Kai Roland
by Raynard Jackson
Drawing a line: When liberal becomes lethal
I consider myself a pretty liberal person, especially for being only 15 years old; it gives me maturity points. I see people wearing their religious garments and I smile, admiring their dedication of faith. Men and/ or women wearing clothes society may deem too feminine or too masculine, I see it as an avenue of expression for them. My friends ask me to reference them with pronouns that may not “go with” how they appear and I respect that, calling them whatever is preferred. Yet there is a time when a line must be drawn. That line comes with the latest new movement of the nation Black Lives Matter. I am a junior at a performing arts boarding school where there is a community of people just like me, those unopposed to vast individuality, a place where your art speaks for you. I’m now wondering if that was a blessing or a curse. At times the art didn’t speak for the person, it shouted over them. People used the very old excuse of “I don’t see color” or my personal favorite, “I’m colorblind” to validate making pieces of art so one-sided or too optimistic to be believable. Though my classmates’ intentions may have been pure and while they may be indifferent to color, daily news reports show that is not the way of the world. Time after time law enforcement officers have shown just how blinded they are by color/race. While I’ve never encountered a blatantly racist person, I did encounter those who, by the sheer privilege of being born a non-minority, have never had to protect their very existence. These were the same people who very quickly (and very audaciously I might add) used the simple-minded rebuttal of “All Lives Matter” as an affront to the Black Lives Matter movement. When dealing with these individuals, I realized I had two roads to take — the high road where I walk away and charge their comments to their ignorance of the situation or the road of action where I sit them down and ask them to have a conversation in hopes that we can reach some level of mutual understanding. The argument is often the same where an opposing (non-minority) person says that any person unjustly killed deserves justice. My rebuttal? Show me instances where where a person is killed and no justice is served. Then tell me the race, then tell me the circumstance, the perpetrator, their excuse, etc. Every time they are left speechless. I never took their silence as a victory, I took it as a reminder of how the very people getting
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stepped on have to incessantly remind others that we in some shape or form are constantly being used as society’s doormat. It hurts to know that me wearing a T-shirt or mourning the death of a black person who I didn’t have to know to know could make people uncomfortable. Its funny that I can support a foundation that gives to the arts or promotes music programs in schools and no one bats an eye because I am an artist and it is expected, but if I like or share a sympathetic #icantbreathe or #blacklivesmatter post all hell breaks loose. So here’s the thing I am an artist but before that, I am black. I choose to be an artist, I fell in love with it. I didn’t have the option of loving my race, it came automatically. There are already many people who have enough hate in their hearts to last several lifetimes. Why should I join in on the “fun” with any self-hate? If a Muslim man was shot in cold blood by someone who associated every person wearing a turban with Isis, I would rally. If a transgender person were murdered for simply being him or herself, I would rally. If a lesbian were attacked for her personal preferences or orientation, I would rally. Why is the protesting of murdered black men, women and children at the hands of law officers the thing that causes objections? If the protesting isn’t the problem, then why is the name of the movement? My generation are “experts” at preaching self-love and overthrowing the patriarchy but I guess we are opposed to it when they become a part of it (yes this includes females). If all lives matter, then prove it, let’s stand for Trayvon, Reykia, Sandra, Alton, India, Philando, Tamir, Freddie and the 136 black people killed this year alone. People are too busy fighting the hashtag and not the reason behind it. There is blood on the streets, innocent black blood from men and women who were exercising their right to live in a country that claims to be getting “more liberal each day.” If that is true then where is the liberty of life and to whom does it belong and who is going to enforce that liberty if we have to rally against those who are currently responsible for enforcing it? Yes, all life is valid and matters but if you can sit anywhere and say to any black person that their pain and plea for respect does not deserve a hashtag, then how much do all lives matter to you?
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Hip-hop culture is the monster the black community created I am quite confident that what I am about to write will prove to be quite controversial, but I implore my readers to please read carefully what I am about to write. I will preface this column with one of my favorite Bible verses, Proverbs 4:7: “Wisdom is the principle thing, therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding.” Let’s see if we can get some understanding as to why it seems that blacks, especially young black males, have a bullseye on them when it comes to routine encounters with police departments all across the country. Who could not help but be stunned at the shocking death of Alton Sterling last week in Baton Rouge, La.? Who could not help but be in tears at the heart-wrenching death of Philando Castile in Minneapolis, Minn.? Police clearly had Sterling on the ground with two policemen on top of him when one of the policemen shot him point blank in the chest, all under the guise of him having a gun in his pocket. Castile was shot while following orders from a Hispanic American policeman. The policeman was informed by Castile that he had a licensed gun on him along with his permit to carry. Following the policeman’s commands to show the documentation, he reached into his pocket to retrieve them and was shot and killed. Even when blacks follow instructions, somehow, we still end up dead. Many blacks feel like there has been an unofficial war declared on us, especially on young, black males. As tragic as these actions were, they should spark a larger, separate conversation about the images that we have created around black life and black culture. Regardless of these images, there is no justification for killing those young, black men. Let’s be clear about that. For the past 30 years, we have created images of blacks in the most negative of lights. For those who would say it’s just music, it’s just a movie, it’s just a reality TV show, I say now there is just another black body lying in the streets of America. Before you go to war, the first thing that is needed is to create a psychological operations campaign (psy-ops). This is a tactic that the military uses to marginalize its targeted population so that when the troops are sent in to destroy this group, there is little or no public outcry. Just look at how the U.S. military vilified and demonized former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and terrorist Osama bin Laden, before we set out to kill them. Upon their deaths at the hands of the U.S. military, the American people cheered because we had devalued and marginalized them before the American people. I can’t help but ask the black community,
have we unleashed a psy-ops campaign on our own people? In the horror movie “Frankenstein,” Dr. Frankenstein did not set out to create a monster, but rather he was a scientist playing around in his laboratory. As a result of this experimentation, he created a monster that neither he nor society could control. In a similar manner, one could argue that blacks, specifically in hip-hop, have experimented in the laboratory called a recording studio, and by exercising their First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression through music, they have created their own version of Frankenstein. In the beginning, like with Frankenstein, people marveled at this new creation and people were willing to pay to see and hear it. There was “Rapper’s Delight,” there was “The Message,” and there was “Fight the Power.” Then, the imagery and lyrics took a twisted turn under a perverted interpretation of the First Amendment called “keeping it real.” Now, the establishment, especially the police, had become the enemy. Hip-hop was a counterculture movement that turned into a monster that could no longer be controlled. Women became “bitches and hoes,” men became hyper-sexualized thugs who were only out to force themselves on your daughters and to “Get Rich or Die Tryin.’” When rap music started, it was a verbal extension of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s in the spirit of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was about the uplifting of our community and providing a voice to those often without a voice. Then in the 1990s, rap took a more militaristic tone with the creation of “gangsta rap.” This too, was a verbal extension of the Civil Rights Movement, but more in the spirit of Malcolm X on steroids. These artists represented those in the “hood” who felt trapped and abused by the system. They felt like no one cared about them and that life was about the here and now — immediate gratification, so screw the future. They wanted to “get theirs now.” They wanted to live fast, even if it meant dying young. This ultimately led to the “thug” culture, personified by hit movies like “Scarface,” “New Jack City” and “Carlito’s Way,” each glorifying the criminal lifestyle. Then you had the crack epidemic of the 1990s with the violence that it brought into the hood. All these factors combined to create a narrative that black life was worthless and that young black males were a menace to society. It’s too bad the rap world didn’t heed the words of Chuck D, KRS-One, Doug E. Fresh, Heavy D, MC Lyte, Kool Moe Dee, D-Nice, Daddy-O and others on the all-time classic, “Self Destruction,” which had as its chorus, “Self-destruction, ya headed for selfdestruction.”
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