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Blacks Must Control Their Own Community
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VOLUME LXXIII NUMBER 26—SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
PUBLISHED SINCE 1940
25 Cents and worth more
Grieving parents seek tougher gun laws By Wendell Hutson A group of Black parents who lost their children to gun violence joined Mayor Rahm Emanuel at a recent news conference to urge state lawmakers to pass tougher gun laws. The parents of slain teenager Hadiya Pendleton and Chicago police officer Thomas Wortham IV said until tougher penalties, such as lengthy prison sentences, are put in place gun violence would continue. “Every day I wake up with the reminder that I’m in a world without her, without her love (and) laughter,” Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton said of her 15-year-old daughter Hadiya, who was killed in January. Pendleton, along with Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, are urging lawmakers in Springfield to pass House Bill 2265, which would increase the mandatory minimum sentence for illegally having a gun. Michael Ward, 18, is one of two men charged with shooting Hadiya in a park and was on probation for a gun offense the day she was shot. Not everyone however, is convinced man- datory prison time is the solution to
reducing gun violence. The Illinois Office of Management and Budget expects that if passed, the law would add 3,860 inmates to state prisons and cost nearly $1 billion
in combined operating and construction expenses over a 10-year period. “Mandatory minimums undermine the integrity of the justice system by weaken-
ing the role of judges in determining proper punishments, increasing the powers of (Continued on page 17)
CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT Garry McCarthy joined a group of Black parents at a recent City Hall news conference to urge lawmakers to get tough on gun laws.
Senate Leaders Reach Deal to End Shutdown By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Despite their well-known animus for each other, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) reached a last-minute deal Wednesday that will end the federal government shutdown and raise the debt limit through Feb. 7. The House and Senate were expected to vote on the compromise measure late Wednesday, just hours before the U.S. Treasury Department was scheduled to run out of borrowing power. “There are no winners here,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said at his daily briefing Wednesday. “We said CRUSADERNEWSPAPERGROUP
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floor. “After weeks spent facing off across a partisan divide that often seemed too wide to cross, our country came to the brink of disaster,” Reid said. “What we’ve done is send
a message to Americans…and in addition to that, to the citizens of every country in the world, that the United States lives up to its obligations.” (Continued on page 3)
Shutdown deal could have been better
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid that from the beginning, and we’re going to say it right up to the end because it’s true. The American people have paid a price for this.” After numerous meetings at the White House and repeated efforts by House Republicans to use the threat of a government shutdown to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s signature health legislation that is loosely referred to as Obamacare, Reid and McConnell announced their agreement on the Senate
Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-7) said he obviously was pleased with the agreement that will end the shutdown of the federal government and raise the nation’s debt ceiling temporarily; the deal would have been better if the debt ceiling increase was openended. The agreement lifted the debt ceiling until Feb. 7, 2014. Davis explained, “When you have debt you don’t necessarily know what the future will bring so you want to be in a position to address those future needs. We will be back at the table and we will continue to negotiate and we have the reprieve of being able to do it without our head being in the barrel of the gun.” Davis, who has represented his West Side district since 1996, is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, as well as the Committee on Oversight and Congressman Government Reform. Danny K. Davis “This shutdown has not done anybody any good.” He added, “If we look for winners and losers, the winners are the citizens of the United States, and the losers have been the citizens of the United States because this (the shutdown) was unnecessary.” Initially, the impasse between President Barack Obama and Republicans focused on repealing the Affordable Care Act. Davis described the Act as “an idea whose time has come.” He explained that its passage and confirmation by the United States Supreme Court means millions of Americans, who previously could not get health care will now be covered.
NEWS
Mental health problems cuts promising career and life short By Glenn Reedus Joshua Marks, known affectionately as the “gentle giant” is being remembered as a loving son with a winning smile, and a funny and loyal friend, but also someone whom the system failed. Mr. Marks, 26, was found dead in a South Side alley October 11 of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide. Mr. Marks had distinguished himself professionally as a chef having finished in the runner-up slot a year ago on the nationally telecasted cooking show “Master Chef.” Yvette Moyo, co-founder of Real Men Cook (RMC), a national Fathers Day event designed to bring families together, said Mr. Marks also was a spokesman for RMC from November 2012 to February 2013. Moyo said she helped negotiate a contract with the General Mills Co., makers of Hamburger Helper for Mr. Marks to have an official role representing that brand this year with RMC. Sam Lee, a high school classmate of Mr. Marks remembered him as humble and a faithful Christian. He also said during their days at Dunbar High School, where they graduated in 2005, Mr. Marks was “funny, yet reserved.” He recalled that several years later he saw Mr. Marks at a RMC event and Mr. Marks was encouraging and told him “God has bigger plans for our lives.” It was Mr. Marks’ mother, Paulette Mitchell, who found her son dead in that alley. She recalled that she received a call from her brother who had told him Mr. Marks was seen with a gun walking in the alley near
his grandfather’s house. “I only left for a couple of hours to pick up my daughter from school Friday afternoon.” She was referring to the time immediately following the phone call. “I rushed back to the South Side to get to the neighborhood, and just started driving through the alleys near my dad’s house looking for him,” Mrs. Mitchell said. “All I could think was I have to get to him in time.” She said she frantically drove through alleys searching. “I saw Joshua laying there in the second alley that I turned down,” his mother said. “I screamed for help and held him. I just didn’t get to my boy on time. I didn’t get to my boy.” Mrs. Mitchell said Mr. Marks was diagnosed as being bipolar about one year ago. Last week a doctor determined he also suffered from schizophrenia. “He was very distraught by this new diagnosis,” she said. “He was just coming to terms with having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but he just couldn’t handle this new diagnosis. “Joshua was so kind, so gentle. He loved life. He loved people. He would never hurt anyone. He was just a gentle sweet soul, but he hurt himself. That breaks my heart, that he hurt himself.” She said she hadn’t noticed anything wrong with her son until after he competed on the television show. She noted that taping the show seemed to be extremely stressful for Mr. Marks. His stepfather, Gabriel Mitchell, said reality shows take a toll on individuals. “Josh had a following of fans and was put on a celebrity type pedestal, with the expectation from others that there was money and
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES are being identified as the reasons that led 26-year-old Chef Josh Marks to take his own life. Mr. Marks had been a runner-up in the Master Chef national competition last year. fame; but his personal realty was he him in jail with no treatment?” He attempt. A stoic Mitchell also said was struggling mentally and finan- said his stepson was not given any her son’s death will be the catalyst to form an organization in Mr. Marks’ cially,” he said. “I think people ex- medication for his disease. Mrs. Mitchell said after she posted name that will help those with menpect that you come away from a reality show and have it made. That’s bail for Mr. Marks she sought a full- tal illness address the same issues time mental health program for that tormented her son. not necessarily the case.” “I am not done. This is not over. I The October 11 incident was the him. She eventually enrolled Mr. second time this year Mr. Marks Marks into an outpatient program am going to make sure that Josh’s shot himself. In July, Chicago police described as “the best available voice and dream live on by fighting for mental healthcare treatment,” responded to a call involving Mr. through insurance.” Last February, Mr. Marks recorded Mrs. Mitchell said. Marks and when they arrived he Services for Mr. Marks will be wrestled with them and was charged a public service video for the Make a with aggravated battery. The call Sound Project – a nonprofit suicide Monday, October 21 at Apostolic noted that Mr. Marks had a self-in- awareness project. In the video, Mr. Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchflicted gunshot wound to the face at Marks spoke about his bipolar dis- ester. The wake begins at 10 a.m. ease and how he used music and and the funeral service is at 11 a.m. the time. Editor’s note: Visit www.chicagoHe was taken into custody but got lyrics to relax.” Although Mrs. Mitchell said she crusaders.com/videos to view a no mental health treatment, according to Mrs. Mitchell. “They knew of believed the July incident was more video where Mr. Marks discusses his his mental illness, yet they threw of a call for help rather than a suicide love for cooking.
Cook County Officials Honor U.S. Military Members During Ceremony By J. Coyden Palmer More than 300 U.S. military personnel, reservists and veterans along with their families joined national and local leaders in a ceremony on Oct. 15 at the Doubletree Hotel in suburban Alsip honoring the soldiers’ courage and dedication. Sponsored by Cook County Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy, the event saluted the military members and discussed key issues affecting veterans today. The guest speaker for the event was Col. Jill Morgenthaler (Ret.), who during her 30-year career served in Korea, Berlin, Bosnia, and Iraq. She also handled disaster recovery during the San Francisco earthquake of 1989. In 2004, she held press duties for the Army, including addressing the Abu Ghraib scandal. Morgenthaler, who currently resides in suburban Des Plaines, told the audience the military has changed since she entered in the 1970’s. She said though there were 2
many struggles, women have made huge strides in gaining opportunities and the respect from their male counterparts. Morgenthaler told the story of her encounter with former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, as he was about to go on trial for committing crimes against humanity. “I was responsible for handling the press corps that day,” she began. “With all of the press inside, I stayed outside and when Hussien was brought in by the guards, what was not reported is how he was shackled and trembling with fear that he was going to be sentenced and executed that same day as he had done to many others. Once inside the courtroom he became ornery and started threatening the judge and everyone else once he realized this was a Western democracy trial not an Iraqi one. As he exited court, relieved, he stared me down. I stared back at him. He said something to his guards and they laughed at him. I asked what he
Saturday, October 19, 2013
RETIRED U. S. ARMY Col. Jill Morgenthaler (left) takes time to pose for a photo with Lt. Col. Arthurine Jones during a celebration for those who serve in the military past and present at the Doubletree Hotel in suburban Alsip recently. The event was sponsored by Cook County Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy. said and they told me, ‘he told us to kill you, he still thinks he is in power.’” Morgenthaler said it was then that she fully realized the person
they were dealing with. She said while it is okay for Americans to have debated the legitimacy of the Iraq War, what could not be debated was the evil of Saddam Hussien.
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
Lt. Col. Arthurine Jones, originally from Memphis, Tennessee, joined the Indiana National Guard in 1989. She said when she entered the military she basically sat in the back and let others lead. But she said now she and other African American females are in leadership positions throughout the military structure. “My last service was with the 101st Airborne with Gen. David Petraeus. It didn’t matter if I was female or African American because I had the skills to lead military operations,” Jones said. “I helped reform the curriculum of the Iraqi law while I was there.” Later this year she will travel to Hawaii to give a presentation on female veterans and the challenges they face. Jones said those issues include military sexual assault, homelessness and domestic violence. Jones said she also understands her role as a mentor and role model for young African Americans who are (Continued on page 3) www.chicagocrusader.com
NEWS
The Modern Slavery and Apartheid
Pass laws used against two African Americans for practicing Pan Africanism By Shaka Barak, President Part One of a three-part series At the Federal building September 3, 2013, the modern slave plantation owners, brought before the court, the two men, Prince Asiel Ben Israel and Gregory Turner, who would have literally been lynched 50 years ago. The charges were read against them, which were three counts of conspiracy for one and four counts of conspiracy for the other, surrounding their years of being audacious enough to speak with Africans from the Republic of Zimbabwe, headed by the recently democratically elected President, Robert Mugabe. They were read the complaints against them, as well as how much time in prison they could face and how much money they could be fined. Three counts carried five years each with a $250,000 fine each, and the fourth count carried 20 years, and a fine of $1 million. The United States has put sanctions against Zimbabweans, yet America has hundreds of businesses in Zimbabwe and Africa that President Mugabe and the Zimbabwean people have treated with kindness and respect. America walked out of the United Nations meeting in September, after President Mugabe spoke, because they were too embarrassed to face their peers after President Mugabe exposed the U.S. hypocrisy, regarding these illegal sanctions that are allegedly because of unfair elections. Fifteen nations in the southern region of Africa have asked the U.S. to remove these sanctions. The U.S. is trying to stay loyal to a dying Europe that has lost its colonies, is in debt to China and Japan, and can’t stand the fact that it is no longer and never will be an Empire again. Neither the U.S. nor all of Europe put together can bully China, so they would rather bully President Robert Mugabe, because they think 41 million Africans in America will remain silent. Once the truth is told, 400 million Africans in the Diaspora including the 41 million in the United States will express their opposition to these sanctions. The facts are that Britain promised to compensate those white farmers in
Zimbabwe who had to return that land to the rightful owners, and they reneged on that promise. Then the United States backed up that lying government, rather than tell Britain to live up to its promises. Instead, the United States is placing sanctions on Zimbabweans and causing shortages of medicine, equipment and supplies in Zimbabwean hospitals, that has never done anything against the interests of America. The African in America has a love for Africa and her people and will not stand by idly and let harm be done by this government because we are our brother’s keeper.” Very often the tactic of the court is that, although there may be only one count, they add several others or even dozens just in case they can’t convict you on the one they want. For example, about 90 years ago the same thing was done to the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who was also innocent, pleaded not guilty, but was charged with 21 counts including using the mail to defraud. Garvey, who was the founder and first President of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, had millions of members all over the world, a shipping company, printing press, newspaper, and several paramilitary men and women auxiliaries, and children auxiliaries. He held annual conventions, with massive parades to demonstrate to the race what could be accomplished if Blacks worldwide worked together. Garveyism, threatened the colonial powers that had carved up Africa and parceled it out to the Europeans, so Garvey had to be framed, assassinated, indicted, tried, convicted and imprisoned. The judge in Garvey’s case, had a juror walk up and whisper to him, and shout out they were going to do what the judge told them to do. The judge did not allow anyone in the courtroom that was sympathetic to Garvey so that his enemies could impact the jury and the court by making remarks loud enough for the jury to hear as they passed by them. The only government witness said he was told to say what he testified to in court but the judge never called it perjury. Garvey was prevented from pre-
Cook County Officials. . . (Continued from page 2) considering a military career but are not all grunt work. We are looking fearful of many untruths. for leaders. You can become an ac“The military is so diverse right countant, a journalist, an attorney or now in terms of career opportunities a medic. You must respect authority and people don’t often realize the mil- because you will follow directions. itary is on the frontline in terms of Following directions and respecting new technologies that come out,” authority saves lives.” Jones said. “My advice to young peoThis was the third year for the event ple is to educate yourself as much as sponsored by Murphy’s office. She possible before you join any branch said every day is a day to honor those because it will give you a better op- who put their lives on the line for all portunity to advance. The military is of us. www.chicagocrusader.com
Marcus Garvey senting testimony. The judge, was also an active supporter of the rival NAACP, and was a guest at a banquet in honor of W.E.B. Dubois, held by the NAACP, after the trial. The judge advised the jury after being out for 11 hours, that if they didn’t convict Garvey, they would have to retry him all over again and that would be costly; the judge wanted to go on vacation soon; and lastly, that they did not have
to convict him on every count, just one. After the advice from the judge, the jury came back in half an hour with the verdict of guilty on one count, of using the mail to defraud, which there was absolutely no evidence for. For that one count, in the second indictment, Garvey was given the maximum of five years, cost of the court (about $5,000) and a $1,000 fine. Paying the cost of court never applied to this type of case, so the judge just through that in there. In the court room, a dozen supporters witnessed Prince Asiel Ben Israel and Gregory Turner stand before the judge, with their lawyers, and after signifying that they understood the charges and the punishment, they both bravely stated their pleases of “Not Guilty.” We supported them because with this case, all PanAfricanist are on trial, with the charge of being Africans, and fulfilling the dreams of the great Pan Africanist who said, “Africa For The Africans.” Over 40 years ago, under the leader-
ship of Rabi Ben Ami, 300 men women and children of the African Hebrew Israelite community left America for Liberia, West Africa, and some retell how Garveyites were there to help them settle in. Africans had set up Liberia that had primarily left from America, under the auspicious of the American Colonization Society around the year 1822. After only 25 years of earnest effort, Liberia, in 1947, had become an independent Nation among the nations of the world, while the 4 million Africans who remained in America, along with 400,000 freedmen, would not be freed by the United States Constitutional 13th Amendment for another 18 years. Africans in America still suffered another 90 years of semi slavery, called the system of “Jim Crow.” Garvey and his UNIA still have remnants in Liberia today. The Marcus Garvey Institute P.O. Box 1723 Oak, Park, Il. 60304 Phone: 708-613-5132
Senate Leaders Reach Deal to End. . . (Continued from page 1) Standing next to Reid in the Senate, McConnell indicated that the nation hasn’t seen the last of GOP efforts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. “Republicans remain determined to repeal this terrible law,” he said. “But for today – for today –the relief we hope is to reopen the government, avoid default and protect the historic cuts we have achieved under the Budget Control Act.” Although the Affordable Care Act was passed by the House and Senate, signed into law by President Obama, and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, House Republicans have made more than 40 attempts to repeal the landmark legislation – all without success. Political observers said that because Obama has often caved in to Republicans demands in the past, they thought the threat of a government shutdown would cause him to yield to their demand that law be repealed. However, that threat backfired when Obama stood firm, refusing to give in to what he and his aides called ransom demands to extremist Tea Party wing of the GOP. In one statement, White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage said, “The president has said repeatedly that members of Congress don’t get to demand ransom for fulfilling their basic responsibilities to pass a budget and pay the nation’s bills.” In the end, even Ted Cruz (RTexas), who staged a 21-hour Senate filibuster against the law, said he would not filibuster the deal reached Wednesday between the two Senate
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell leaders. He told reporters after the deal was announced, “Delaying this vote would not accomplish anything.” The agreement lifts the $16.7 trillion debt limit, allowing the U.S. to pay its bills. Standard & Poor’s dropped the U.S. credit rating from AAA to AA+ after the 2011 debt ceiling crisis. Another credit rating agency, Fitch, said earlier this week that it might follow suit if the U.S. defaulted on its obligations. A third credit rating agency, Moody’s, still has the U.S. rated AAA. The White House made a minor concession by agreeing to require verification of the income of those qualifying for health insurance subsidies. After Republicans lost their bid to repeal national health legislation, they suffered a series of other setbacks, including a last-ditch proposal that would have eliminated employer contributions for lawmakers and forced the president, vice president and political appointees to participate in health care exchanges adminis-
tered by states without a tax subsidy. “We took some bread crumbs and left an entire meal on the table,” Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said after the deal was announced. “This has been a really bad two weeks for the Republican Party.” Indeed, at least one national poll that more than two-thirds of Americans mostly blamed Republicans for the government shutdown, which began October 1. Senators Reid and McConnell agreed as part of their deal to set up a budget conference committee assigned to put the country on a longterm path to fiscal stability. The panel, to be chaired by Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), chairman of the House Budget Committee. But there were no immediate indications if this committee will be any more successful than past committees assigned to streamline federal spending. Many Republicans are surveying the damage the shutdown has had on their party. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said, “If we learn nothing else, I hope we learn we shouldn’t get behind a strategy that has no endgame.” Reid, speaking for Democrats, said: “This is not a time for pointing fingers and blame. This is a time of reconciliation. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of this great Capitol to pass this remarkable agreement that will protect the long term health of our economy and avert a default on our nation’s debt, and allow us to set a foundation for economic expansion.” Saturday, October 19, 2013
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EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL CRISIS IN BLACK The government is currently in a partial shutdown mode, which is causing a hardship among many American citizens. It is undoubtedly true, therefore, that many Black Americans are also suffering. This is because Blacks are at the bottom of almost every socioeconomic indicator in America. The gap in earnings between whites and Blacks is widening, with some reports saying that this distance has quadrupled in the last several years. Blacks are at the bottom of the educational achievement lists behind Hispanics, whites and Asians, and Black people suffer disproportionately from a number of common diseases. One question is this: Why? If it is actually true that we create our own destiny by the actions that we take, then it stands to reason that we should take a look at how we are behaving to get an understanding of how to alter our circumstances. If we don’t take a serious look at causes, then we will just keep creating the same, or similar effects. Racism is one cause, to be sure, but it is by far not the only one. If racism was the only cause, there wouldn’t be any successful African Americans; we know that many have succeeded in spite of all kinds of obstacles! Let’s take a look at one common thread of events that has an adverse impact on Black achievement. For one, Black people have access to public education, but very often, the schools are underfunded and underperforming. It is not a secret that many of them are without the amenities that are standard in wealthy jurisdictions. Now, with poor schools, students become unmotivated. This is especially true of African American males who are one of the largest dropout groups. Once they drop out, they are bound to be low-skilled in educational basics. This is compounded by an allegiance that develops to street culture wherein the acquisition of a job is not necessarily one of the greatest priorities, especially among those who opt for criminal enterprises. While many are dropping out, the world is coming to depend more and more upon complex skill sets. The future world, therefore, will require that people become academically adept. Even General Education Development (GED) tests are reflecting this trend by becoming more rigorous. In essence, too many of our youth are dropping out of school in a world that is careening in the opposite direction at a very fast pace! In many sectors of the employment arena, computers are actually replacing human workers. Because of these facets of a complex job market, job prospects for African American youth will continue to get worse, if something substantive isn’t done about it. And this does not mean just a cry for “jobs.” What must be addressed is the development of job tracks that will target unskilled workers. In other words, create industries that will hire people who are not ready for a traditional workplace and who, more often than not, don’t possess workplace ethics. And this is easier said than done. Even if this is able to be instituted, there is no doubt that the jobs that will be created will be minimum wage jobs at the very least. Those employed will become neo-slaves; they will be at the bottom rung of what has become known as the working poor. Some skeptics scoff at the notion that things are this bad among certain segments of the Black population in America. All you have to do to get a clearer perspective, however, is to do some research on standardized test gaps between Blacks and other groups. Work needs to be done, and quickly. As long as there are anti-academic sentiments among Blacks, especially among Black males who think that academic achievement is “acting white,” things can only get worse. The Black community needs to rearrange priorities so that educational achievement can help lift those at the very bottom. A luta continua. 4
Saturday, October 19, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The cost of racist talk is steep Dear Editor: The racist ways of a former City of Chicago Department of Transportation employee means the city is a half-a-million dollars poorer. And it is a good thing. What makes it good is city officials now must realize it is not OK for supervisors to call Black employees “Magilla Gorilla” or use the N-word or wear a tablecloth over their head claiming to be a KKK grand wizard. No one should be surprised that this kind of racist behavior exists in these days that somebody called post-racial. The behavior is inexcusable. The $560,000 to the women who sued is not enough for what they had to endure if the news stories are accurate. I am amazed that this man, Joseph Annunzio, got to keep his job even after hearings proved he had done the things he was accused of. I truly believe if a Black man had been calling white folks names on the job, he wouldn’t have lasted until the end of his shift. Maybe this guy thought he could get away with anything because his uncle is a former congressman. But one of the women he directed his racist language toward is close to former County Commissioner William Beavers. So she may have had as much clout as he did (or thought he did). That sort of thing makes me
wonder if Chicago will ever get away from its racist ways. Ever since I can remember the city has been a feeding ground for racism. It doesn’t matter how many Black-owned businesses we have, how many Black aldermen and Black county commissioners we have; the racism will survive. Maybe it wouldn’t help in the Annunzio situation but Black folks have to begin to exercise and flex our economic and political muscle. We especially need to start electing people who won’t let scum like Annunzio keep a job. We also need to further develop our own businesses, large and small; as well as some manufacturing enterprises. We might not be able to eradicate racism but we blunt its impact by having our own. Cyril Spencer
Governor must re-examine priorities Dear Editor:
patients even though the office was shuttered. Bell plainly understood the need for continuous cohesive treatment for those with mental health issues. Recently one of the tragic realities of Quinn’s cuts hit home in the worst way. A young, promising chef and activist, Josh Marks, reportedly took his own life. News stories documented that this popular 27-year-old suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These are mental conditions that millions are being (Continued on page 17)
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VOL. LXXIII NO. 26 OCT. 19, 2013 _______________________________________________________________________________________
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The sad state of Illinois’ finances is no secret in any part of the country. Governor Pat Quinn made cuts to several areas that he thought as non-essential. Unfortunately one of those areas was mental health. Many of us undoubtedly remember the photos of Dr. Carl Bell sitting in a lawn chair outside of his South Side mental health clinic after it was closed. Bell saw the need to stay in touch with his
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COMMENTARY
Stomping on Sacred Ground By Harry C. Alford NNPA Columnist Throughout history every civilization owes its existence to its military. They exist because they are adequately protected against outside sources by the strength of their soldiers and strategy of their military leaders – field officers. The Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians because they had no comparable military to defend themselves. King David was respected by all because of his military acumen. England built a massive empire because their military was superior to all other nations. A very strong military brings peace while a weak one will invite invasion and oppression. That’s the way of the world. The United States is no exception. We were created through a successful war. We have sustained our liberty via going to war. We have expanded our nation from 13 states to 50 plus various territories all of which have come through war. Today, we are obviously the strongest nation in the world because of the efficiency of our military. I am proud of many things. Besides my immediate family, I am most proud of hav-
Harry C. Alford ing served in the United States Army as a 1st Lieutenant. There is no distinction of a person more noteworthy than that of a veteran. Many have fallen in defense of our nation. When I visit my family’s cemetery plot in Louisiana, I note that the most distinctive headstones are those of our veterans. In Indianapolis on my father-in-law’s plot, Kay and I proudly put on his headstone “Veteran of World War II – Tuskegee Airman.” It stands out
among the thousands of headstones in that cemetery. The United States honors its military in an admirable way. We have Veteran’s Day each year and Memorial Day which honors those who fell in battle and is one of our biggest holidays. Our veterans are sacred. We have special mortgage financing for them. There is college funding for those who served honorably. There is adequate disability for those who were wounded or hurt during their service. Also, we have hospitals dedicated to those who have served during peace time or war. Once again, in America veterans are sacred. Convinced of the above, I am totally shocked and saddened by the low regard our current president, Barack Obama, has for our veterans. During this current government shutdown he has made it clear. He has instructed his minions to put pain on Americans and point the finger at political foes. Silly guy, he doesn’t realize that the “buck” stops with him. He is the Commander-inChief and holds the highest authority in our great nation. He has ordered his minions to spare no pain with anyone. To our shock and dismay we now see
him denying death benefits to the survivors of our fallen soldiers. Each soldier going into combat is given a life insurance policy of $100,000 (it was $15,000 when I served). Since October 1, 2013 every family whose military member has been killed in action has been denied that insurance payment. There are no military ceremonial funerals given and no funding for the widow/widower or nearest family member to come to meet the casket when it arrives back in America. I have made it known to all that I don’t really like Barack Obama. However, he is our elected president and I will respect that position. As I was instructed in the Army, “Salute the uniform not the person.” Never mind that he doesn’t go to church when the church is located across the street from his residence. I will not shout about the very low performance his administrations have done in procurement and business loans to Black entrepreneurs. Yes, he has laid off over 800,000 government employees over a matter of “principal” – they will get through that somehow. The whole world is changing its view of America from
“strong but nice” to “strong but stupid.” We will have another president in 2016 and, hopefully, we can recover from what has been lost. But now, when you bring financial and emotional harm to the families of our fallen soldiers – I DRAW THE LINE! This is indeed disgraceful, anti-American and treasonous. Our House of Representatives should start considering Impeachment. That’s right, to offend those who serve and put their lives on the line to protect our land and way of life is a heinous act. He is doing it with a smile and that is evil by any other name. I cried when I heard the news. I have never been so hurt by an elected official in my lifetime. I haven’t been this depressed since the assassinations of Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy. Who is this in our White House a White House that no longer allows the public to tour through it? Mr. President don’t mess with our vets! Mr. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org. Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.
Dr. Ben Carson: ‘Gifted Hands,’ Foot in Mouth By George E. Curry NNPA Columnist Dr. Ben Carson became the darling of conservatives earlier this year by stridently attacking the Affordable Care Act with President Obama sitting just a few feet away. Carson, who was serving as the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast at the White House, said, “Here’s my solution: When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record, and a health savings account to which money can be contributed – pretax – from the time you’re born ’til the time you die. When you die, you can pass it on to your family members, so that when you’re 85 years old and you got six diseases, you’re not trying to spend up everything. You’re happy to pass it on and there’s nobody talking about death panels. “Number one. And also, for the people who were indigent who don’t have any money we can make contributions to their HSA [Health Savings Account] each month because we already have this huge pot of money. Instead of sending it to some bureaucracy, let’s put it in their HSAs. Now they have some control over their own health care.” www.chicagocrusader.com
Predictably, the Right wing rushed to embrace him. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and the crew at Fox News were ecstatic that a prominent Black neurosurgeon shared their world view. Jonah Goldberg, a columnist for the Right-wing National Review, compared Carson to racial apologist Booker T. Washington. David Graham, writing in The Atlantic, called him Herman Cain without the “personal skeletons.” And the conservative Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed under the headline, “Ben Carson for President.” Carson became a paid contributor to Fox News, was hired to write a weekly column for the Rightwing Washington Times, and became in demand as a speaker at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and any national event that attracts more than three conservatives. Professionally, Carson is no dumb man. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his M.D. from the University of Michigan. At the age of 33, he became director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the youngest major division director in the school’s history. In 1987, he led a 70-member surgical team that separated twins who had been joined at the back of
George E. Curry the head. After the successful 22hour surgery, Carson gained national recognition. His autobiography, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, was published in 1992. The book recounts how his mother, Sonya, reared him and his older brother, Curtis, after she and her husband, Robert, divorced when Ben was 8 years old. In 2009, TNT released a television movie with the same title as his book, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Ben Carson. In 2008, George W. Bush presented Carson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Carson has made several contro-
versial remarks after his appearance at the White House. In March, he said on Fox TV: “Marriage is between a man and a woman. No group, be they gays, be they NAMBLA [North American Man/Boy Love Association], be they people who believe in bestiality, it doesn’t matter what they are. They don’t get to change the definition.” Under pressure, Carson withdrew as commencement speaker for the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He also apologized for “not the best choice of words,” called his critics racist, and then apologized again. Of all of his outrageous comments, his latest one ranks among the most egregious. Speaking at a Voter Values Summit, Carson said, “I have to tell you that Obamacare is, really, I think, the worst thing that’s happened to this nation since slavery. It was never about healthcare, it was about control.” First, the Affordable Care Act does what its proper title implies – it makes health care affordable to millions of people, including the uninsured. If making insurance more affordable, not allowing insurance companies to reject people with pre-existing conditions and allowing children to remain on their parents’ insurance policies until they are 26 years old isn’t
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
about healthcare, the esteemed neurosurgeon doesn’t know the definition of healthcare. Second, any idiot knows that having access to healthcare is not worse than slavery. Enslaved Africans had no rights, as the Supreme Court ruled in its 1857 Dred Scott decision, “which the white man was bound to respect.” They were brutalized, degraded, whipped, killed, and raped at the whim of the slave master. Marriage was not recognized and the slave codes in various states made it illegal to teach Blacks to read or write. The Affordable Health Care Act is worse than that? It’s a ridiculous comparison. At the rate he is going, Carson’s photograph will be slapped on boxes of rice. Dr. Ben will be more appropriately known as Uncle Ben. George E. Curry, former editorin-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook. Saturday, October 19, 20
5
COMMENTARY
A BOOK WE SHOULD READ: INTELLECTUAL WARFARE Dr. Conrad Worrill, Director/Professor, Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS) located at 700 East Oakwood Blvd, Chicago, Illinois, 60653, 773268-7500, Fax: 773-268-3835 E-mail: c-worrill@neiu.edu, Web site: www.ccics-chicago.org, Twitter: @CCICS_Chicago
Dr. Conrad Worrill
It is a very important for African people in America to educate and reeducate ourselves about our history and its relationship to the important ideas that shape how we see the world.
We are still challenged today to create an educational climate that inspires African youth in America to understand that the purpose of education is to develop the skills and historical understanding of the past as it relates to the present and future in preparation for working for self and the liberation of African people. This is the challenge of the twentyfirst-century to defeat the one hundred year tradition established by white educational leaders who created curriculums for Africans in America designed to prepare them to work for white folks. Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who founded in February of 1926, what at the time was called “Negro History Week,” would indeed be inspired by the ongoing discussion and debate over the contributions of African people to the history of the world. The movement led by Dr. Woodson helped lay the foundation for the current African Centered Education Movement that has become the catalyst for the intense study of Africa and the history of African people throughout the world 365 days a year. We should all read or reread the late Dr. Jacob H. Carruthers’ profound book, Intellectual Warfare. It is very important for African people in America to continue to put forth the effort to educate and reeducate
ourselves about our history and its relationship to the important ideas that shape how we see the world. We must continue this effort to educate and reeducate ourselves everyday to improve the quality of life for ourselves and our children. For over thirty-five-years, Dr. Carruthers played a leading role as a scholar and intellectual activist in the development of the African Centered Education Movement. Dr. Carruthers was a tenured professor in the College of Education’s Inner City Studies Education undergraduate and graduate programs at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, Illinois and retired as Professor Emeritus. Along with Dr. Anderson Thompson, Dr. Carruthers helped shape both the undergraduate and graduate curricula that have become known throughout the country for providing a theoretical and practical understanding of the impact of the political, economic, social, and cultural forces on people who live in the inner cities throughout the world. Of course, one of the largest groups to live in the inner cities is African people. Therefore, a great deal of Dr. Carruthers’ writings and lectures concentrated on the white supremacy intellectual assault on African people and the world. Dr. Carruthers has been magnificent in exposing the European intellectual tyranny and
its impact on the education of African people. It was through his association with the late, great Senegalese scholar, Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop and the late, great scholar/teacher, Dr. John Henrik Clarke that helped propel the genius of Dr. Carruthers’ insight into the “Deep Well” of the African Worldview. As the founding President of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations (ASCAC), Dr. Carruthers helped shape an organizational format for African Centered scholars, teachers, students, and the overall African Community to have a collective vehicle in which to pursue the building of the African Centered Education Movement. His leadership, in this regard, has been monumental and inspiring to hundreds of scholars, teachers, and students throughout the African World Community. In this connection, Dr. Carruthers’ book, Intellectual Warfare, prepares us to function in the twenty-firstcentury with a sharper understanding of our challenges as an African people. The book is organized into five sections. Part I: The Nature of the War; Part II: Defenders of Western Civilization; Part III: Intellectual Civil War; Part IV: The Champions of African Centered Thought; and Part V: Toward the Restoration of
African Civilizations. In the preface of Intellectual Warfare, Dr. Carruthers explains, “These essays reflect the thought of the ‘Chicago group’ and the ‘African Community of Chicago.’ I was simply a vehicle through whom ideas flowed. Even the mistakes are our mistakes rather than mine alone. The conceptualization of our work as Intellectual Warfare emerged out of the actual battles in which we were engaged.” In the first chapter, Dr. Carruthers instructs us by pointing out, “Thus, those who have been waging the long war to liberate African history and culture have been fighting the following two battles: (1) an international war against the European intellectuals and (2) a civil war against the colonized African spokespersons who are trained by Europeans to undermine African independence. The war is truly, as Dr. Anderson Thompson says, “a battle for the African mind,” or as the late Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, III and the First World Alliance put it, “a battle to free the African mind.” Those who believe in the just cause of the long war to liberate African history and culture must read and reread and study Dr. Carruthers’ most insightful observations, wisdom, and his “Deep Well” of understanding that is shared in Intellectual Warfare.
There were alternatives to bankruptcy in Detroit By Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist You don’t have to be from Detroit to be angry at what is happening there. And you don’t have to be from Detroit to lend your voice to an injustice that not only affects Detroit, but also the rest of the nation. If you agree with the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition on this matter, please go to change.org, search for Detroit Bankruptcy, and sign the Rainbow/PUSH-sponsored petition. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has pulled a fast one on the citizens of Detroit. When he appointed Emergency Manager Kevin Orr, he fasttracked the bankruptcy process with just 90 days elapsing between Orr’s appointment and the beginning of bankruptcy proceedings. Had Orr moved in a more deliberate manner, the citizens of Detroit may have had some input in the process. Instead, the people of Detroit have had neither voice nor vote in a process that circumvents democracy. The 23,000 pensioners who retired from government service, those who use open space and recreational facili6
ties such as Belle Isle (now leased to the state) or the Detroit Museum, those who depend on already-eroding city services, including garbage pickup, public lighting, and other services are allowed no say in the status of their city. Why is the Emergency Manager rushing bankruptcy? There are alternatives, including restructuring. Raising taxes on water supplied to suburban cities is another way to raise revenue. Instead of moving in this direction the Emergency Manager seems to favor selling valuable assets. Is this what the state had in mind when they voided a law that required the city’s police and firefighters to live in Detroit? That move eroded the revenue base, and it also left the city less safe because protective service workers are not readily available. Instead of bankruptcy, an option for Detroit might be federal and state assistance. Five years ago, Chrysler and General Motors said they would fail if they couldn’t get help from the federal government. More than $80 billion was spent to help them and some of their suppliers. Congress and the auto companies justified
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Dr. Julianne Malveaux their request for help by saying that the failure of these large companies would cut employment by at least 1 million workers at a time when the unemployment rate was plummeting. If Detroit-based companies deserve federal assistance, loans, and grants, why doesn’t the city of Detroit? In 1975, New York City was about to go bankrupt when federal and state authorities put together a Mu-
nicipal Assistance Corporation to bring the city back to life. While disaster relief hardly constitutes a bailout, we spent $110 billion in disaster relief in New Orleans. When Superstorm Sandy destroyed homes and businesses in New York and New Jersey last year, Congress spent $51 billion in relief. One might argue that the fiscal state of Detroit is a disaster, a disaster manufactured by political forces pandering to the mostlywhite suburbs in favor of a city that is 80 percent Black. In response to this manufactured disaster, it is not unreasonable for the federal and state governments to provide assistance to rebuild Detroit. Just as the automakers argued that their bankruptcy would eliminate jobs, so might Detroit argue that its bankruptcy will not only disrupt Michigan’s economy, but also the nation’s. The effort to cut pensions, and thus spending, has a negative effect on the overall economy. Restructuring health care obligations to the public sector (Obamacare, Medicare) represents a federal subsidy. While it may be unavoidable that future pensioners face a different set restructur-
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
ing of benefits and healthcare, it breaks a covenant when current retirees find the conditions of their retirement packages altered. From a distance, many will look askance at Detroit; it’s alleged “mismanagement” and a series of scandals that have tarnished the city’s image. Tarnished image or not, pension cuts hurts the most vulnerable. In Detroit, the average pensioner receives just $1,900 a month, and current pension costs represent just 4 percent of total revenues. No one who retired from service to the city of Detroit is eligible for Social Security, so pensions and savings represent the sole source for their support. This isn’t just happening in Detroit. As many as 100 cities are looking to see if Detroit’s possible pension-busting is something they can replicate in their states. Gov. Snyder will argue that he appointed an Emergency Manager because the city wouldn’t manage itself. He won’t disclose that the state of Michigan owes Detroit money, and that his Emergency Manager, with unlimited (Continued on page 17) www.chicagocrusader.com
GOSSIPTARY
By Ima Gontellit EDITOR'S NOTE: This column is published as political satire, street gossip and humor, and therefore should not be considered as fact but rather as matter of opinion. None of the items therein are collected by the news gathering staff of the Crusader Newspaper Group. Items forwarded to The Chatterbox are kept confidential unless otherwise requested by the author in writing. For submissions please forward to: AChicagoCrusader@aol.com. Original photography and artwork are permitted. Thank you for reading!
IMA’S MAIL BAG: Dear Lurlean: I must declare, the smell from those chitlin’s you cooked last week still is permeating my wig. Next time can you please soak them in vinegar for two days before setting them to boil. Oh and the last time you cut them with a potato and onion. And, it helps if you don’t get them off the street from the flim flam man. Don’t nobody know where his hands been. But regarding yo’ letter de other day. I must say I was absolutely stunned to watch that portly, cheesin’, media drunk preacher named Corey standing behind that young woman who had a grin on her face as she allowed the media to film her toddler who
Preacher Corey Brooks had been shot in the face. I spit all my Milk Of Magnesia on de TV screen. Not only did this come off as totally crazy, it made “us people,” once again look dumb and nearly subhuman. Here you have a baby shot all in the head, and the mama on TV grinning, like she on American Idol, talking about how he just up and bouncing back from that. It’s like even www.chicagocrusader.com
little Negroes get shot in this City and it don’t even bother ‘em— just look, they pops right back up lak nothing happened. Now we know this child ain’t mean for it to come off lak dat. She was really trying to show how she and her baby was keeping her spirits up despite this devastating event. However, because she was being guided by Preacher Corey, who came off the roof long enough, to brush his teeth, this came off as crass, silly, unholy and dumb. It was even more crazy to let them show this po’ child with his head all swole’ up lak dat having suffered a severe injry that will haunt him the rest of his life. Instead of poppin’ up on TV grinning and carrying on, Preacher Corey should have held prayer vigils for the baby, asked for donations for medical bills, gave the baby and his mama some of that $100,000 Tyler Perry sent him and moved them out of the hood. They could have used this incident to set up funds for young victims of gun violence, or even said they would raise money to help pay for this baby’s mental and physical healing going forward. Instead, Preacher Corey, who seems to have a lot of folk in his church that wind up being shot, stood there as this media violated this child’s privacy and health and showed the world that “Look, you can shoot them in the head and they gets right back up laughing, and grinning lak ain’t nothing funny.” Dat mama should have been shown with tears in her eyes, holding her son, shielding his face from the glare of those bright lights, praying for peace and thanking people for their support. While, I’d lak to think it was that gal’s idea, we know that Preacher Corey has been angling to “be somebody” for some time. He run up on a roof and held his pee while he begged for money; he said he would run for congress; he been running all up behind the tiny Emperor (on floor five) and his people said he might wind up running “for mayor,” because the community “needs him.” Oh please. This preacher is using every trick in the book to get his name up there with Jesse Jackson, Bishop Brazier, Clay Evans, Johnnie Coleman, Henry Hardy and the other Chicago greats—-doing everything except lead. Shame on him for exploiting this mother and her child. So Lurlean, I’m with you about all you said in yo’ letter. I thank you ought to walk on down to Preacher Corey’s perch and give him a bowl of your famous
chitlins—and they ain’t famous cause they taste good either.
pants, she dropped her price?!” -Ima-
-Ima-
WE WANT HAROLDO!
HOMEWORK
There be a coalition gathering in the town that’s all hush hush right now. They believe they can recapture what happened in 1983 if they can get some “organizational unity” and put a lot of new bad blood behind them. They believe their “new Harold Washington,” is out there and could be hidden in the Latino community. This “rainbow” group of people
A fourth grader in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood turned in the following essay to his teacher and it was called: “What I’m going to be if I grow up.” -ImaMAYOR WATCH
Patricia Van Pelt Watkins
Okay, the usual suspects names are floating around as potential mayoral candidates—all of who will be fake candidates, should they run. Those include elected officials Dorothy Brown, Toni Preckwinkle, Danny Davis, Pat Watkins and Karen Yarborough. Despite these names being thrown around the tavern, church, community hall and back room, others are saying they might try to talk one of Jesse’s smarter chillun to do what he can
will do all it can to destroy Jonathan should he even think about taking on de power. In the meantime, folks on the West Side, are saying “not so fast,” there are “three people” over there who are being talked up right now. None of them want their name out there because they know their water bills will suddenly go up. Keep your eyes open. -ImaMinister Farrakhan
TWO FRIENDS STAND ON MARQUETTE RD Two buddies, sharing a bottle of Cisco were laffin’ it up about all the good luck they’ve been having lately when one says to the other, “Man, you think you got luck. Dat ain’t nothin! I got with this streetwalker the other night. Do you know when I dropped my
say they are not living in the past but are trying to figure out how they can wrestle power from the tiny Emperor who has terrorized the Negro in this town since he took office in 2011. At least one member of this so-called coalition has told somebody who told somebody who told somebody (Continued on page 17)
Danny Davis to save Negro Chicago. Yes, people are whispering that Jonathan Jackson, who holds court on WVON and at Chicago State University, is the “last hope,” to take on Rahm Emanuel. The only issue is, the good reverend may not want to sacrifice yet another son to this crooked system, that
Toni Preckwinkle BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
Saturday, October 19, 2013
7
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
MARQUETTE BANK EVENTS: Free Family Fall Fest – On Saturday, October 19, Marquette Bank will host a family fall fest at the Marquette Bank located at 7560 W. 159th Street in Orland Park. Enjoy family fun, games, prizes and refreshments between 11 am and 2 pm. The event is open to the public. For more information, call 708-614-4721. Switch to Neighborhood Banking Day – On Saturday, October 19, Marquette Bank will host a Switch to Neighborhood Banking Day at all bank locations. Neighbors are encouraged to join the movement and help strengthen the local economy by switching to a local bank. Stop by any Marquette Bank location for new customer specials and free credit history reports. For more information, visit www.emarquettebank.com or call 1-888254-9500. BROOKFIELD ZOO HOSTING ANNUAL BOO! AT THE ZOO HOWLOWEEN CELEBRATION: Guests of all ages are sure to have a howlin’ good time—even the scaredy (big) cats—at Brookfield Zoo’s annual Boo! at the Zoo. The fun-filled Halloween celebration, featuring a corn maze, special Zoo Chats, haunted hayrides, pumpkin-carving demonstrations, and a costume parade and contest, takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, October 19-20 and October 26-27, from 11 am to 4 pm. each day. A Halloween event would not be complete without creepy critters. Staff will be sharing interesting facts about some of the animals during special Zoo Chats throughout each weekend. Guests can flap over to Australia House to learn about the Rodrigues fruit bats at 11:30 am, scuttle to The Swamp at 12:30 pm to learn about spiders, and then have a hoot of a time at Hamill Family Play Zoo for an owl Zoo Chat at 1 pm. (weather permitting). Afterwards, creep over to Feathers and Scales at 2 pm to learn about scorpions, slither to Reptiles and Birds for a snake Zoo Chat at 2:30 pm., and howl at the Zoo Chat about the Mexican gray wolves at 3 pm at Great Bear Wilderness. There will also be members of “Danceassociation” Dance Class performing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Joining in the Halloween festivities will be several local groups that will be leading the costume parade, including members of the S.T.A.T. of Illinois Baton/Dance Team on October 19, cheerleaders from Evergreen Park Community High School on October 20, the Riverside-Brookfield High School Poms on October 26, and members of the Silver Knights Baton Corps and DLD Dance Center on October 27. Admission to Brookfield Zoo is $15 for adults and $10.50 for children ages 3-11 and seniors 65 and older. Parking is $10. For further information about Boo! at the Zoo activities, visit www.8
CZS.org/Events or call 708-6888000. DR. PEGGY ANN GRIFFIN BOOKSIGNING AT WOODSON REGIONAL LIBRARY: Dr. Peggy Ann Griffin will be sharing some elder wisdom with community residents on Sunday, October 20, at a book signing to be held at Carter G. Woodson Regional Library, 9525 South Halsted Street, Chicago, IL. The event will be held from 2 pm to 4 pm. Dr. Peggy will be expounding the Gifts of Women / Creating Order in the Midst of Chaos, a devotional guide, based on Biblical principles, portraying the strength of women. The author’s premise is that some brave women have throughout the ages assumed roles that brought healing to their communities. Femininity has not changed, even in the modern age. Women still do possess gifts that can be useful in restoring peace to local neighborhoods. This guide points to ways in which women can positively use these gifts to be problem solvers and peacemakers. The booklet is a power packed, thought intriguing, soul wrestling bundle of wisdom and love to empower families and communities. Dr. Peggy A. Griffin is an author, educator, and community activist. She is the Editorial Director of Global Outlook Educational Services, which publishes wholesome resources for families, schools, churches, and organizations. Dr. Peggy will also sign copies of “Talking Treasures,” a book of folk stories, depicting the lives of AfricanAmericans in Appalachia and conveying moral concepts. She will present guest speakers who will affirm the gift of women and probe solutions to the problem of violence in local neighborhoods. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 773-334-6388 or send e-mail to drpeggy@globaloutlookedservices.com. LESSONS FROM THE 1963 BOYCOTT-CHICAGO STRUGGLES FOR QUALITY EDUCATION THEN AND NOW: This film and discussion is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22 from 6 pm - 8 pm at The DuSable Museum of African American History,740 East 56th Place, Chicago. It is the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Boycott of Chicago Public Schools, when over 200,000 students protested segregationist policies. The evening features a sneak peek of Kartemquin’s documentary work-inprogress ‘63 Boycott and a panel discussion with activists from then and now. Admission is FREE and light refreshments will be served. This event is co- sponsored by Kart- emquin Films, the DuSable Museum of African American History, the Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture at the University of Chicago, and Culture, Crossroads Fund, Young Chicago Authors, Grass-
Saturday, October 19, 2013
LESTER L. BARCLAY, discusses his recent book The African American Guide to Divorce & Drama: Breaking Up Without Breaking Down at a small gathering. He will speak about the book Oct. 26 at 1:30 p.m. at the Woodson Regional Library’s Auditorium, 9525 S. Halsted. roots Curriculum Taskforce, Human Rights Program at University of Chicago. For more information call: 773 9470600 ext 255. AUTHOR ISABEL ALLENDE AT HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY CENTER: On Tuesday,
October 22 at 6 pm, in the Winter Garden, 9th Fl. of the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street, join Isabel Allende as she reads from her recent work and discusses her life and career. Ms. Allende is the internationally celebrated author of such works as The House of the Spir-
its, Aphrodite, Maya’s Notebook, Ripper and many more. Allende is a recipient of the 2013 Carl Sandburg Literary Award by the Chicago Public Library Foundation and the Chicago Public Library. For more information, please call 312-747-4050 or visit chicagopubliclibrary.org.
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*** Protect your income with disability coverage tailored to your needs. See us at Community Insurance Center, Inc., 526 E. 87th Street, your insurance headquarters. We have been serving the community since 1962. For more information about the services we provide, call (773) 651-6200. You can also reach us via email at: sales@communityinsurance.com or visit the website at www.communityins.- com.
*** Social Security disability benefits? Small, and there’s a long wait to get them. Your employer’s coverage? Helpful, but usually inadequate—and those benefits are taxable, too. *** Protect your earning power with your own coverage. Look for a “guaranteed renewable” policy that BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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BUSINESS
What’s in our Shopping Carts know, more often than others, but hey, there is no judgment here. I am sure our busy schedules and multiple mouths to feed at home, make hitting those drive-thrus a lot easier. So we took a look at our pref-
By Cheryl Pearson-McNeil NNPA Columnist With a current buying power of $1 trillion, manufacturers and marketers should be paying careful attention to the shopping patterns of African-American consumers. The latest report on Black consumers, Resilient, Receptive and Relevant: The African-American Consumer 2013 Report, illustrates how much of that spending breaks down: Our annual retail spending makes up 87% of the total market retail spending, while retail spending for the Total Market accounts for 70%. This is a narrow gap in retail spending between Blacks and the Total Market which indicates our importance as Black consumers. We shell out 30% more of our annual income than the Total Market as well. So now that you have a glimpse as to where the bulk of our household incomes are spent, let’s take a look at where that spending occurs. Annually, African-Americans, make 154 shopping trips, which is eight trips more than other groups. We average, 20 trips to dollar stores, seven trips more; 15 trips to convenience/gas stores, which is two more than any other group and 15 trips to drug stores, which is one more to drug stores than any other group. Less time is spent at grocery stores, with three fewer trips. The exception to grocery store shopping, though, is with Blacks who earn upwards of $100K annually. We also make three fewer trips to warehouse stores and two fewer trips to mass merchandisers than the Total Market. However, more upper-income Blacks (73%) shop at warehouse clubs than non-Blacks annually. The Center for Disease Control has identified a phenomenon specific to some of our communities known as “food deserts” or “retail deserts.” We all know you won’t find some large chains in some urban areas. And, some existing grocery stores simply don’t carry the freshest, most nutritious foods. This might explain the occurrences and store preferences of food shopping trips in the African-American community. As the data also shows that African-Americans tend to frequent retail stores located in our communities, there is an opportunity for expansion of both affordable, quality product variety and actual stores in our neighborhoods. In an effort to try to attack this “Food desert” trend, the Whole Foods chain, plans to build a store in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. Earlier this year, the chain announced that a new store would be open in 2016. Another retail area that’s big for us is ethnic health and beauty care www.chicagocrusader.com
erences for fast food or Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) over the last three months. These are the top five Black household QSRs in comparison to other U.S. households:
1. McDonald’s (65% vs. 60%) 2. Burger King (44% vs. 36%) 3. Subway (43% vs. 40%) 4. KFC (37% vs. 26%) (Continued on page 17)
Cheryl Pearson-McNeil products – I know, no shocker there, right? We spend more than nine times more than any other demographic on Ethnic Hair and Beauty Aids. Sure, of course there are other hair care products on the shelves, but those products are not identified as ethnic, but they can lead to tremendous market growth opportunities, as Blacks’ hair care spending within traditional CPG retailers is underdeveloped compared to the total market. In fact, 46% of Black households shop at Beauty Supply Stores and have an average annual total spend of $94 on products at these stores. Among other edible and non-edible products, the report shows that on average, African-Americans also purchase more unprepared meat and frozen seafood, dry vegetables and grains, refrigerated juices & drinks (in addition to those that non-perishable and can have an extended shelf life), feminine hygiene products, fresheners and deodorizers. And, that’s just a few of the categories that we tend to over-index. On the other hand, the insights show that we spend less money on the range of dairy products (milk, yogurt, etc.) on the edible side and this could be because many of us are lactose-intolerant; and categories like hair care (not to be confused with Ethnic HABA), some magazines with selected titles plus lawn and garden products round out the non-edible list. African-Americans are brand loyal consumers, but like other consumer groups; we enjoy value (e.g. better per-item pricing) and spend 18% of our retail dollars on private label brands. You know – the store brands. I am always fascinated by how varied different groups’ preferences tend to be. For instance, in the private label category, disposable diapers rank as the most popular item for us; but they rank fifth on the store brand list of White non-Hispanics. Again, this is an opportunity for marketers who are paying attention. And here’s one of the new areas that we explored for this year’s report. All of us make fast food runs from time to time – some of you I BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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EDUCATION
Parent University – Back-to-School & Moving Forward Education Stakeholders on the South Side come together at Parent University to Support Student Success. Parents got a chance to learn about strategies that ensure success for their children during Parent University: Back-To-School & Moving Forward on September 28, at Kennedy-King College, 740 W. 63rd St. in Chicago. Parent University was funded through a collaboration between the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority (IVPA) and Chicago Area Project’s Bridges to the Future/Special Projects grant program. The event was sponsored by the Bronzeville, Englewood and South Shore Community Action Councils and facilitated by CAP Affiliate Partner, Institute for Positive Living. Funding for Bridges to the Future was secured through the efforts of State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-3). Participants were welcomed by Arshele Stevens, Interim President of Kennedy-King College. The keynote address was by Dr. Byron T. Brazier, an advocate for
The Power of Social Media, Welcoming Schools Updates, Peace Circles, Skin School Seminar, Minds in Motion, IEPs and Your Child, Social & Emotional Learning at Home and School, Safe Passage Updates, Quit Cheating on Your Health, Gradecracker/Ipad Tutoring and Playtime! Parent University also featured a resource fair that gave parents an opportunity to network and learn about local organizations and partners that can provide them with services such as healthcare, GED courses, and tutoring. About 25 community-based organizations participated in the resource fair including Bridgescape Alternative High School, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, iPad Tutoring, Metropolitan Family Services, Parents United For Healthy Schools and the Regional Parent Teacher Association. Free bus transportation and childcare was provided as well, with children participating in arts activities, board games, and story-telling. Breakfast and lunch were prepared by students from
solutions that address the underlying causes of violence in 12 targeted Chicago neighborhoods.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
members include the following: parents, elected officials, faith(Continued on page 17)
ADRIAN G. WILLIS, Chief of Elementary Schools, Englewood-Gresham Network, Cheryl Francis, Associate Executive Director, Chicago Area Project, and Marrice Coverson, President of the Institute for Positive Living are pictured with Keynote Speaker Dr. Byron T. Brazier (second from right) during Parent University: Back-To-School & Moving Forward recently at Kennedy-King College. The event was sponsored by the Bronzeville, Englewood and South Shore Community Action Councils and facilitated by CAP Affiliate Partner Institute for Positive Living.
PARENT UNIVERSITY PARTICIPANTS are pictured with Saundra D. Underwood, principal owner of Lady Alexandra Skincare Systems, who presented the Skin School Seminar Workshop. Her advice: “It’s your duty to keep your beauty.” In addition to beauty tips, Underwood shared tips on strategies that ensure family hygiene. community development and the Washburne Culinary Insti- The solutions that these Alliance public safety. The event recog- tute (through the Chicago City Partners offer include strengthennized that parents are the key to Colleges) and prizes were raffled ing families, providing food and education and need ongoing sup- at the end of the event. other vital services and making port to provide students with the Parent University is one of sev- positive development activities best possible opportunity for suc- eral programs funded through available for children and youth cess. Chicago Area Project’s Bridges to during in-school and out-ofAbout 80 parents and other the Future Program. In collabora- school time. Each of these Alcommunity stakeholders attend- tion with the Illinois Violence liance Partners identifies program ed a series of workshops as part of Prevention Authority (IVPA), outcomes related to promoting the Parent University program to Chicago Area Project’s Bridges to safer communities, increasing gain new insights into ongoing the Future/Special Projects grant jobs and diminishing the effects changes within their schools and program helps to fund H.O.P.E. of poverty for their target populacommunities as well as learn new Tech and 28 grassroots commu- tions. skills and activities to help sup- nity and faith-based organizaCommunity Action Councils, port families for their educational tions. This funding supports a or CACs, consist of 25-30 voting future. The workshops included wide range of community-driven members who are directly in10
volved in developing a strategic plan for educational success within their communities. CAC
HOST OF THE I Love/House Show on Channel 19 and You Tube, April Whitaker seeks advice about tutoring for her child Calypso, an eighth grader at Coles Elementary School, from Ashanti Thurman, 20 and Arin Fadiya, 19, representatives from iPad Tutoring. Their shirts ask a positive question: Got Good Grades? The iPad Tutoring Booth was one of several booths at Parent University: The group stresses the benefits of online tutoring as a supplement to the Chicago Public Schools program.
VANESSA BUSH FORD, Ruth Johnson and Cassandra Eddings from the Regional Parent Teacher Association discuss setting up the PTA at the Montessori School of Englewood with Jasmine Davis whose son James Gillespie, 6, goes to that school.
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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COMMUNITY
BUFI honors five outstanding Chicago business leaders Linda Johnson Rice, John W. Rogers Jr., Dr. Kyra Barnes, Elzie Higginbottom Jr. and Eric Higginbottom The Black United Fund of Illinois honored five extraordinary Chicago entrepreneurs at its 13th Annual “Living Legends/Passing the Torch©” Awards Benefit recently at The DuSable Museum of African American History. With the 2013 theme The Year of the Ancestors, the organization honored posthumously, Cleophas
age the coin laundry business his parents established; Eunice and John H. Johnson and their daughter, Linda Johnson Rice, chairman of Johnson Publishing Co., founded by her parents; and Jewel Lafontant-Mankarious and her son, John W. Rogers Jr., chairman and CEO of Ariel Investments. NBC 5 Chicago news anchor/reporter Marion Brooks did an incredible job emceeing the program. “It was our pleasure to bestow the Passing the Torch Award on these exceptionally worthy entrepreTHE FIVE OUTSTANDING Chicagoans honored by the Black United Fund of Illinois’ 13th Annual “Living Legends/Passing the Torch Awards Benefit held recently at the DuSable Museum of African American History are Eric Higginbottom, Elzie Higginbottom Jr., Dr. Kyra Barnes, Linda Johnson Rice, and John W. Rogers Jr. Benefit proceeds help support youth and adult training programs and services.
HENRY ENGLISH, BUFI president/CEO with Timuel Black at the awards benefit, which began with a reception, silent auction and jazz music.
JOHN ROGERS JR., an honoree and the event’s emcee, NBC5 Chicago news anchor/reporter, Marion Brooks.
community,” added Henry English, BUFI president/CEO. “We hope that others will be inspired to do the same.” Said Linda Johnson Rice: “I am truly honored to receive the Passing the Torch Award from the Black United Fund of Illinois. This honor is especially touching for me because it recognizes the many challenges that my parents overcame to establish Ebony, Jet and Fashion Fair Cosmetics – and my efforts to carry on the work they began.” The festive evening kicked off with a silent auction and lively reception with culinary treats that included chicken gumbo, jerk chicken and plantains against a backdrop of jazz music. DuSable Museum President and CEO, Dr. Carol Adams opened the program with an African libations ceremony to honor ancestors that featured the Ayodele Drums & Dance troupe. In addition to the awards presentation, which featured enthralling videos produced by Chuck O’Bannon, the evening’s program included presentation of the Natalie Puryear Community Leader Scholarships to students Alexandria Boyd (University of Illinois) and Jabari White (Ball State University).
General chairs of the “Living Legends/Passing the Torch©” Awards are Nikki Zollar, president and CEO of Safespeed, LLC, and William A. Von Hoene Jr., Exelon Corporation’s senior executive vice president and chief strategy officer. The benefit co-chairs were Robert T. Starks, Black United Fund of Illinois board chair; Rita Wilson, BUFI board secretary; and Dr. Conrad W. Worrill, BUFI board member. For more than a quarter century, the Black United Fund of Illinois has worked diligently to bring about social and economic change
in Chicago and throughout the state by ensuring that resources, including time, funds, ideas, supplies and skills, are directed to communities that need them most. BUFI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax-exempt organization and is listed in employee charitable payroll deduction programs at both public and private workplaces. The 13th Annual “Living Legends/Passing the Torch©” Awards Benefit helps to raise funds for the Black United Fund of Illinois to support its youth and adult training programs and services for individuals and community-based organizations.
BOTH ELZIE HIGGINBOTTOM JR. (at podium) and his brother Eric Higginbottom (left) received posthumous honors for their parents.
LIKE THE OTHER 2013 honorees Dr. Kyra Barnes, a dentist and member of the State of Illinois Board of Dentistry (left) shown with Elynor Williams, a guest, continued a legacy of entrepreneurship and service to the community. Barnes, for passing the torch to his daughter, Dr. Kyra Barnes, a dentist and member of the State of Illinois Board of Dentistry; Katherine and Elzie Higginbottom Sr. and their sons, Elzie Higginbottom Jr., founder and CEO of East Lake Management & Development Corp., and Eric Higginbottom, who continues to manwww.chicagocrusader.com
neurs,” said Professor Robert T. Starks, chairman of the board of Black United Fund of Illinois. “They are most deserving of this honor.” “Our 2013 honorees have picked up the torch from their parents and carried forward the legacy of entrepreneurship and service to our
ENTHRALLING VIDEOS THAT chronicled the honorees’ lives preceded the award presentations. Standing with the honorees is the benefit’s two general chairs l-r: William A. Von Hoene Jr. (general chair), Eric Higginbottom, Elzie Higginbottom Jr., and Dr. Kyra Barnes, Linda Johnson Rice, John W. Rogers Jr., and Nikki Zollar (general chair).
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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ENTERTAINMENT
By Elaine Hegwood Bowen, MSJ By Raymond Ward SLAYED IN THE SPIRIT!: Who would have thought that a group of Preachers would ever be the subject of a reality show? Well . . . The Oxygen Network has a brand new series entitled, “Preachers of L. A.” that is sparking all kinds of controversy . . . and the “Saints” are in an uproar. This Fall’s hottest new reality show has not a single housewife or an island in sight. No one is voting anyone off . . . and cooking, sewing or dancing is NOT on the agenda. This show follows the lavish lives and booming careers of six mega-ministers. One, the son of an evangelist who was shunned by his church after a divorce; a pastor whose church is “full of celebrities;” a bishop whose weekly broadcast reaches 250 million homes worldwide; a pastor whose greatest obstacle comes from “within his own family;” a bishop who was a gang member and a drug addict before turning to GOD; and a pastor who was a pioneer of competitive skateboarding. They are: Pastor Jay Haizlip; gospel recording artist Pastor Deitrick Haddon (who is one of the show’s producers and seems to be the only real down-to-earth one); Bishop Noel Jones (brother of disco-diva Grace Jones); Bishop Clarence McClendon (in my estimation the “messy one”); Reverend Wayne Chaney and Bishop Ron Gibson (who has a fondness for trying to rehabilitate “Crips and Bloods”). A description on the Oxygen’s website states: “Known for their fiery sermons, community outreach and passionate followings, pastors have become iconic, beloved and sometimes polarizing figures in modern culture. Yet, few people have access to these larger-than-life men away from the pulpit. Until now.” As the trailers reveal, the series shows these men of faith “inside and outside of the church” as they work, shop, vacation, play golf, etc. Bishop Clarence McClendon ( who travels with at least six security guards and aides
Reverend Wayne Chaney
Bishop Ron Gibson
at all times ) said, “The Bible says that I wish above all things that you will prosper and be in health, even as your soul will prosper—-I believe that,” expressing a view that not all of the preachers seem to have in common. Statements like that from some of the “Preachers” have led to a chorus of critics claiming the men are not displaying true Christianity. “P.Diddy, Jay Z—-they’re not the only ones who should be driving Ferraris and living in a large house,” said Bishop Gibson, who is himself the product of a past characterized by struggle and redemption. The show’s website gives a brief overview of Gibson’s background as a former gang member and explains how his life was transformed by the Christian message. “Although he was raised by a Christian mother in the church, Ron succumbed to the pressure of the street, became a ‘Compton Crip’ and led a life of crime and drug addiction. He started Life Church of God in Christ with nine members which has now grown to a congregation of approximately 4,000 members.” Pastor Jay Haizlip, a former pro skateboarder had wealth prior to his career as a preacher, but he longed for something more. He once found himself in (Continued on page 13) 12
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Local film festivals offer eclectic range of movies Columbia College Chicago alum and director known for the movie Soul Food, George Tillman, was honored at the 49th Chicago International Film Festival, just as his latest film, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, was hitting local theaters. Another local church girl made good Jennifer Hudson plays a drug-addicted single mom prostitute in this role, but not as downtrodden as Halle Berry has played in similar roles. Sure, Hudson looks God-awful in the film, and she shoots up in near eyeshot of her kid and does unmentionable things in the bathroom stall of a restaurant with a total stranger. But the darker part of this film, for me, was her son, whose name is Mister, having to survive while she does time in jail for drug dealing. Mister’s friend by default is Pete, a tiny Asian boy whose mom also makes a living on the streets, while living in a Brooklyn, New York, public housing project. The boys, with skeletal frames and crusty lips, try to stay one step ahead of the housing police, lest they are carted off to Riverview—and not the type of place that older Chicagoans remember. The movie brings to mind Spike Lee’s Clockers, as there are peripheral characters—one who sits on the park bench and seems mentally challenged or high, and the usual group of loafers and drug dealers, led by an unrecognizable Anthony Mackie. Jeffrey Wright also has a role as a homeless vet sleeping in squalor, begging for money.
JENNIFER HUDSON AS Gloria in the Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete. I suppose Hudson, who plays ban kids left to fend for themGloria, named her son Mister just selves—to do just to eat and stay in case he couldn’t climb out of alive. Sure, there are bigger names his dire straits, but folks would associated with this film, but still have to call him Mister. He Brooks and Dizon steal the show. and Pete (played by Skylan The movie screened already at the Brooks and Ethan Dizon, respec- 49th CIFF, but it is showing at tively) survive the streets by rum- local theaters throughout the city maging food and hawking pos- and suburbs. Other movies about Black life sessions when they can. They have a friend, a former neighbor or life throughout the continent played by Jordin Sparks, who of Africa will screen under the tries to look out for them during 49th Chicago International Film the two months that Hudson is Festival’s Black Perspectives and gone. Mister aspires to be an ac- African Spotlight sections. One tor and he is good at conning his notable film is H4, a film which way and ‘pretending’ in order to is touted as the first Shakespeare adaptation to deal with contemget what he wants. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister porary African-American issues. and Pete is a gritty, dismal look at The movie stars Harry Lennix of poverty and what it can do to television’s The Blacklist fame families as well as what it can (who also executive produces the force families—particularly ur- film) and re-imagines Henry IV Part I and Part II in the context of modern-day Los Angeles, performed by a top-notch cast of Black actors along with Lennix that includes Keith David and the late Heavy D, among others. As Henry’s unreliable son Hal comes of age, events compel him to increase power and responsibility as he becomes the face of a new nation and prepares to succeed his father. This film will screen on Saturday, October 19, at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 20, at 2:00 p.m. Grigris is another interesting
ISAIAH WASHINGTON STARS in Blue Caprice. BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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ENTERTAINMENT
From Jazz Age to the Hip Hop Era Nikki Finney reads her Depending on whom you ask, hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco’s performance at this year’s Chicago Jazz Festival was either thrilling or underwhelming. Curiously, some wondered “Does this have anything to do with jazz?” Like them or not, hip hop and jazz have become an integral part of our cultural landscape. But what is the relationship between jazz and hip-hop today? What bridges can be made between the two cultural traditions? Even with the apparent creative influence of hip hop on today’s jazz, how does a person from each tradition view the other? The Illinois Humanities Council and the Jazz Institute of Chicago features a free performance by the Corey Wilkes Quartet and an intergenerational panel discussion moderated by WBEZ’s Richard Steele, highlighting the important linkages between jazz and hip hop. The performance runs from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Chicago Cultur-
al Center, 78 E Washington St. (Claudia Cassidy Theater). Registration is required. About Corey Wilkes: Internationally renowned local jazz trumpeter Corey Wilkes is an example of the creative influence of hip hop in today’s jazz. At 32 years
of age, Corey Wilkes has already established a skill set and maturity to approach mainstream repertoire of jazz standards of someone twice his age, while concurrently having the ability to approach contemporary hip-hop from the perspective of an MC. Visit coreywilkes.com for more info on Corey Wilkes. About the Panel: Richard Steele is an award-winning host and correspondent for WBEZ Chicago Public Media, where he contributes interviews and reports to The Morning Shift, The Afternoon Shift, World View, Morning Edition, All Things Considered, wbez.org, vocalo.org and special programming. Since joining WBEZ in 1987, Richard has hosted a number of acclaimed programs over the years including The Richard Steele Show, A Richard
Corey Wilkes
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There’s another local film festival underway, the 3rd Annual Englewood Film Festival, screening at Chatham 14 from Oct. 2427, led by Mark Harris and detailed in the October 5 issue of the Crusader. For more information on this festival, visit www.eiff.org. And finally, the 3rd Annual Gary International Black Film Festival runs October 18 through October 20 in Gary, Indiana. Independent films from emerging and established filmmakers will make their Gary debut at Indiana University Northwest Bergland Auditorium. The Third Annual Gary International Black Film Festival (GIBFF) offers a powerful lineup of drama, documen-
GRIGRIS DANCES UP a storm, despite his disability. www.chicagocrusader.com
Nikki Finney has penned poems that covered topics rooted in African American life ranging from Condoleeza Rice’s career path to Hurricane Katrina to Rosa Parks. A National Book Award honor is one of the many accolades she has accumulated during her career. Finney will share her talent with a Chicago audience when she does readings at Poetry Off the Shelf at the Poetry Foundation, 61 W. Superior St. October 30 beginning at 7 p.m. There is no admission charge. The co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets, Finney holds the John H. Bennett Jr. Chair of Southern Letters and Creative Writing at the University of South Carolina. She is editor of the anthology The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South and the author of a short story collection, Heartwood. Finney’s fourth collection of poetry, Head Off & Split, won the National Book Award in 2011. More information is available at www.poetryfoundation.org/programs/events
Nikki Finney About the Poetry Foundation The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience.
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(Continued from page 12) film from Chad. Despite a paralyzed leg that keeps him on the fringes of society, Grigris comes alive at the local nightclub, tearing up the dance floor every night. When a relative’s hospital bills start piling up, Grigris must turn to the black market for work. After double-crossing his new boss in a desperate attempt at fast money, Grigris finds himself on the run in this sensitive depiction of a desperate, marginalized man by one of Africa’s most celebrated directors. It screens again on Saturday, October 19, at 3:00 p.m. For more information about the 49th Chicago International Film Festival, being held primarily at AMC River East, visit www.chicagofilmfestival.com.
works at Poetry Foundation
tary and short films, opening with Blue Caprice, starring Isaiah Washington in an outstanding return to the big screen. The festival offers a packed three-day event, featuring acclaimed films that were made by filmmakers outside of the Hollywood bubble. Additional films slated for the fest include a Women in the Director’s Chair panel discussion, featuring Chicago’s Barbara Allen, whose film Colorblind has been nominated for two Emmys along with Yelling to the Sky and Mother of George, which is a film that the New York Times calls “Irresistible, vibrant, sensual, downright exhilarating!” Other films include The Magic City, Veterans of Color and hometown favorite Charles Murray with his amazing film, Things Never Said. With no film theaters in the Gary city limits, residents must travel to adjacent cities and towns to see first-run major Hollywood motion pictures, and for independent film lovers the choices are even slimmer. The Gary International Black Film Festival seeks to bring fresh independent films and filmmakers directly to Gary audiences to help build the city’s “cultural collateral.” For schedule information and ticket prices, visit www.garyblackfilmfest.org or call 219-2004243.
the crack houses of Huntington Beach and Long Beach, California, but has used his ministry to reach out to individuals caught in the same hole of despair and addiction that was once his own life. Regardless of their grandiose display or wealth, some of these pastors have been singled out by members of the faith community as hypocrites unworthy of the spotlight they are sharing. “Being a pastor is very dangerous because you have to be perfect at all times,” shared one of the preachers. “The pressure to be a role model for thousands of congregants is significant, and every lapse is sure to welcome controversy.” Pastor Deitrick Haddon preaches that “perfection is not realistic” and that even pastors are fallen people. His hope is that the show will not cause viewers to deify faith leaders, but rather that it allow them to empathize with the struggles they face as religious teachers. Haddon divorced his first wife, and had a child with his girlfriend before his divorce was final. Another example of this is the scandal that surrounded Bishop Noel Jones’ “alleged romance” with Pastor Jay Haizlip former “X-Factor” contestant, Stacy Francis, who came out last year and admitted that Jones is the father of her second child. Pastor Wayne Chaney made it very clear that the show is not an evangelistic crusade. If you are expecting it to be that, you are going to be very disappointed and overly critical. Haddon exclaimed it’s a myth that all preachers are after all of the church’s money. It’s a lot that has distracted the people from the house of God, the Kingdom and God. I think this is a perfect way to reintroduce the Kingdom to the world.” When asked what they want the audience to take away from the show, Pastor Ron Gibson stated “That we learn to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and not be so quick to judge because you really don’t know our stories until you give us an opportunity to share.” You can judge for yourself! “Pastors of L. A.” airs Wednesday nights at 9:00 PM (CST) on The Oxygen Network.
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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ARTS AND CULTURE
Ways of Making: Installation Art at GSU Gallery Brandon Keith Brown to conduct Civic Orchestra’s “Hallowed Haunts” concert Conductor Brown is a member of Chicago Music Association On Saturday, October 26 at 3:00 p.m., young American conductor Brandon Keith Brown will make his Symphony Center debut leading the Civic Orchestra of Chicago (the CSO’s training orchestra) in a concert that focuses on the Mexican tradition El Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead featuring the Latin Grammy-nominated Mexican folkloric group, Sones de México Ensemble. Conductor Brandon Keith Brown is a member of Chicago Music Association, Branch No. 1 of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. (est. 1919) and is quickly garnering international attention. As a laureate of the 2012 Sir Georg Solti Competition for Conductors, his final performance found him “…the stand-out audience favorite…”(Norman Lebrecht, Slipped Disc) leading the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra in performance. In April 2013,
Brandon Keith Brown Brown made a critically acclaimed European debut with the 351-yearold Badische Staatskapelle. One critic remarked, “…the grueling program was brilliantly mastered by the young conductor with flying colors.”(Midou Grossman KLASSIK.- COM) Selected by the Vienna Philharmonic as winner of 2011 Ansbacher Fellowship, he was in residence at The Salzburg Festival, and conducted Vienna Philharmonic members for two summers in the opera camps for youth. In February 2012, he made his New York debut with the Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra. Orchestras conducted in concert include the Frankfurt Radio Sym14
phony Orchestra, Badische Staatskapelle, members of the Vienna Philharmonic, Manhattan School of Music Symphony Orchestra, Yakima Chamber Orchestra, the Macon Sinfonia, the Astoria Symphony and the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia. Other orchestras conducted include the Tonhalle-Orchestra Zurich, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Croatian Radio and Television Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Baltimore Symphony, and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra. Brown conducted at The 2010 Castleton Festival in Virginia. Brown conducted at The 2010 Castleton Festival in Virginia USA under the direction of Lorin Maazel and at the 2009 American Academy of Conducting at Aspen, with David Zinman. Versatile in opera, Brown has been music director for Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutte;” “Suor Angelica;” assistant for Britten’s “Albert Herring” and studied Puccini’s “Il Trittico” with Lorin Maazel. Previously, he served as cover conductor for the Baltimore Symphony, Assistant Conductor at the Peabody Institute and assistant conductor/fellow of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra. Winner of the Peabody Career Grant, Mr. Brown holds a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. In September 2013, Brown became Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of MassachusettsAmherst. Initially trained as a violinist, he is a pupil of Roland and Almita Vamos. Primary conducting mentors and teachers include David Zinman, Lorin Maazel and Gustav Meier. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., an hour and a half before the 3:00 p.m. concert, for children to partake in festive preconcert activties. Hallowed Haunts is recommended for children ages 5 and up. Symphony Center is located at 220 S. Michigan Ave. Tickets are $10-$60. Call the Box Office at 312-294-3000 or visit cso.org.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
The Visual Arts Gallery at Governors State University is presenting “Ways of Making: Installation Art,” featuring the work of artists Barbara Hashimoto and Dana Major and the students from the Theater and Performance Studies program under the direction of Dr. Patrick Santoro, from October 21 – December 2, 2013. An artist’s reception celebrating the exhibition will be held on Wednesday, October 30, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The exhibit and the reception are free and open to the public. The exhibition, the first in the gallery’s 2013-14 “Ways of Making” series, features two professional artists who focus on the connections between performance art and installation art in a gallery setting, as well as student work. The “Ways of Making” series of exhibitions seeks to explore the disciplines and practices taught in the art program at GSU. “Ways of Making: Installation Art” was in-
spired by the recent addition of Theater and Performance Studies program at GSU. GSU Art Gallery curator, Jeff Stevenson said, “I selected artists Barbara Hashimoto and Dana Major because they used installation as their primary form of expression, not just an occasional or one-off installation here and there.” Barbara Hashimoto’s visual and performance work has been exhibited throughout the United States, Japan, Europe, Mexico, and the Middle East. It is in more than 300 collections, including The Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American Art, The Art Institute of Chicago (Joan Flasch Collection), The Museum of Arts and Design, and The National Museum for Women in the Arts. Working in a broad array of media, she is particularly known for both her ceramic- and paperbased work of intimate scale as well as and her large-scale installations and expansive environmental
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
art projects embracing activism and community engagement. Barbara’s work in the exhibit is “underfoot,” has tangible and conceptual aspects to it, and activates the space. Dana Major is a multi-media artist and a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Major has been exhibiting her work since 1997 across the United States, particularly in Kentucky, Philadelphia and Chicago. Her work is informed by the look of the natural world at all scales, and ways of seeing, from microscopy to astronomy. Dana’s work in this exhibit is “overhead,” uses light, shadow and an interplay of real and imagined, which contrasts Hashimoto’s work. The Visual Arts Gallery hours are Monday thru Thursday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., and by appointment. For more information, call (708) 534-4021or visit www. govst.edu/gallery. Governors State University is located at 1 University Parkway in University Park.
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SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING
A Moment to Super Size Your Thinking By Effie Rolfe Everyday is October—is the soon to be released docu-series featuring breast cancer survivors. I decided to write about this because the premise of the series is to bring awareness and celebrate the new look of Breast Cancer. Previous weeks, the attempt of this column has been to encourage you to take time for God and yourself. This week it’s about rationing some time for others namely your friends and family. Too often we take life for granted. Forgetting that we’re only here for a season and nothing or no one will be around forever. This is why I want to share about Everyday is October, because 1 in every 4 women is affected and many of us know someone who is gripped by this challenge. I first heard about the show, when I attended an event for the Tatisa Joiner Foundation. I noticed most of the ladies adorning pink were all smiles with an incredible zest for life. This piqued my curiosity and interest in learning about the show. “It got started when Joanne—my mentor and business partner— and I developed Pillow Talk,” said Joiner. “This is when once a month— the survivors would fellowship and talk about life, not breast cancer—we know that everyone has been affected by it, so we don’t talk about it. We take two hours once a month for women to get away from life and eat, get a massage, kick off your shoes, take off your wig—let your hair down and get away from your
living, but I am surviving. Everyday I think about what if cancer comes back. Someone who has a pain in their stomach may think it’s indigestion or gas, but when I have a pain—my first thought is, what if. Everyday I think that cancer may come back. October is breast cancer awareness month but we (survivors) don’t think about it for just 30 days—we think about it every day,” she said. I took notice that these survivors are called butterflies and according to Joiner, “Butterflies go through a transformation, and
Effie Rolfe husbands, kids, work and distress,” said the founder. “We saw the overwhelming response of survivors coming and decided that we needed to do a talk show. Partnering with Columbia College, we filmed Pillow Talk and when they edited it, we saw that it was amazing and decided to do a docu-tary.” Joiner attributes radio personality, Dana Divine who joined the group last November for bringing Eric Miller to the team and both are responsible for taking the show to where it is today. Divine will not only serve as host, but also wrote the show’s theme song—Everyday is October. The founder of Tatisa C. Joiner Foundation shared an emotional moment, “I tell people—you are
Rev. Paul L. Jakes, Jr.
Faith United’s Family and Friends day set The theme for the Faith United Methodist Church’s Family and Friends day is “Lean on Me.” This annual event begins at 10 a.m. on October 27 at the church, 335 W. 75th St. The Bill Withers-inspired theme is urging “all of God’s children to find comfort in leaning on Him for www.chicagocrusader.com
gin to embrace the fullness of life and the people that God has given to encourage us along the way. For these survivors, it’s not about October, but it’s about celebrating life everyday with others. Have you checked on someone that you love today…? ©Effie Rolfe is the author of “Supersize Your Thinking,” a Media Personality and Motivational Speaker. You can visit my website: effierolfe.com or follow me at twitter.com/effiedrolfe.
The Crusader Gospel Corner
Rev. Jakes makes debut as author The Rev. Paul L. Jakes, Jr. celebrates his new book “Breakfast With God!” with a book signing November 2 at 10 a.m. at Belmont Cragin Senior Suites, 6045 W. Grand Ave. This is the first book penned by Jakes, pastor of New Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church, 531 N. Kedzie. The cost of the book is $10. The cost of breakfast is a donation. Those who are unable to attend the breakfast may order the book via email – pljministries@ gmail.com. More information is available by phoning 773-265-0909.
we too go through a metamorphosis—we go in our shell or cocoon to cry and when the caterpillar breaks out of the cocoon, it’s free. When we are done crying—we are free…it’s a transformation.” In addition to Joiner and Divine, about 45 women from all walks of life including lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, bus drivers, school teachers and mothers come together to support and bless each other on this journey. My prayer is that we look to these women as examples and be-
love, guidance and protection.” Guests from throughout the area are invited. Refreshments will be available following the fellowship. The Rev. Audrey F. Nanabray is pastor. More information is available by calling 773-783-4202.
Souls of Salvation (S.O.S.) from Chicago’s West Side took home the title for Midwest Regional competition for Verizon’s How Sweet the Sound Competition. For the past six years the annual event has celebrated the music of church and community choirs under the spotlight and center stage. The sold out event was held at the Arie Crown Theater hosted by Donald Lawrence and Yolanda Adams. The star-studded panel of judges for the highly anticipated event was Stellar Award Winners Ricky Dillard, Tamela Mann, VaShawn Mitchell and Bishop Hezekiah Walker. Local talent for the evening included William Smith, Jr. and RVC, Jamaris Kennedy and Reflections of Christ, Bernard McKenzie and Anchored Ministries and Souls of Salvation were among the six choirs during the evening. Each choir gave an outstanding performance, but as in any competition, only one could be crowned the winner. “The choir has been singing for 23 years—they were the graduating class of 1990 at Westinghouse High School called Vocal Jubilee. After graduation the choir was called Souls of Salvation. I was in the class of 1991 and was still in high school, but also sang with S.O.S. I took over as director in 1991, because the guy that started the choir was a musician and left and the choir fell in my lap,” shared Harrison Spates, III. Not too keen on competition and sensitive to the choir, he was slow to enter the contest. “Actually when it started, it was for church choirs and we were a community choir. I was not keen on competitions—we had bad vibes and disappointments from people who lose and I didn’t want to experience that with the choir. Some members came last year and I said No, No, No. I told them that I would get the choir ready for the competition but I wouldn’t go, but they didn’t like that arrangement,” said Spates. Not quick to give up, they contin-
ued to ask, “Alex Miller, one of our choir members stayed on me and was very persistent. I didn’t’ want to go with him through that again this year so I said go ahead submit the clip and if they choose us, we’ll go ahead and do the competition,” Spates explained. “He came back and said they chose us and I said “Oh Lord” and that’s how we ended up in the competition.” S.O.S. came out the big winner for the evening, picking up the People’s Choice, Hopeline Award as well as the Regional Awards for Best Choir in America and cash prizes of nearly $20,000. “What I didn’t tell you is that we actually retired in 2010— we had been singing since high school and were grown, some had gotten married and instead of damaging the reputation, let’s just retire unless something greater comes along. So I told them if we’re in How Sweet the Sound, we’re gonna’ have to go and sing again. Well, three years later something greater came along,” said the Regional winner. S.O.S. will head for the nationals November in L.A. *** This past Thursday, October 10th Chicago fans experienced a blast from the past as PBS aired a special to commemorate the 50th anniversary of “Jubilee Showcase.” Actor, singer and songwriter, Clifton Davis hosted the show and legendary Stellar Award winner and former Caravan, Dorothy Norwood made a cameo appearance to talk about the show and the gospel and inspirational music that was a regular part of the show. Sid Ordower hosted the popular show from 1963 to 1984 that featured gospel greats including the Soul Stirrers, Barrett Sisters, Albertina Walker, Caravans, The Norfleet Brothers and more on the weekly show. Once again, get ready to hear “Hello, I’m Sid Ordower and welcome to ‘Jubilee Showcase,’ the program presenting songs truly American: gospel, spiritual and jubilee songs - the great inspirational music of the past and present.” Highlights
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
of Jubilee Showcase aired on WTTW Channel 11. The pledge break will also air nationally on PBS stations throughout the United States in December. *** Join “The Anointed Harvesters” for a classy and creative fundraiser featuring an intimate conversation
Christian Keyes with their special celebrity guest; actor/writer/ singer, Christian Keyes, best known from his roles in stage productions by Tyler Perry, such as, “Madea Goes To Jail,” and BET’s “Let’s Stay Together.” Christian is an experienced actor and singer and was labeled by Tyler Perry as, “One of the most consistent male actors I have worked with.”
Cheryl Pepsi Riley Christian has done more than 40 stage productions and more than 1,200 theatrical shows and has performed live in front of more than 4 million people. He has acted and has sung opposite of Brian McKnight, Johnny Gill, Vivica Fox, (Continued on page 17)
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HEALTH
Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Diabetes and Pain The numbers are staggering — 25.8 million people, representing 8.3 percent of the U.S. population, have diabetes, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s one in every 12 people, and the numbers may have soared even higher since these statistics were gathered. For those living with the disease, preventing and treating complications associated with diabetes is critical. One serious complication is diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), which affects 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes. Since those with DPN don’t generally experience symptoms at first, it often goes undiagnosed until the condition worsens. “If left untreated, diabetic neuropathies can cause disabling chronic pain, increase the risk of falling in the elderly and trigger foot ulcers that may even require amputation,” warns Shai Gozani, CEO of NeuroMetrix, a medical device company that develops home use and point-of-care devices for the treatment and management of diabetic neuropathies. The American Diabetes Association recommends getting an annual screening to detect DPN be-
fore it leads to Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (PDN). Ask your doctor about a new fast and accurate test, DPNCheck, which may aid in the early detection and confirmation of DPN. “With proper, early clinical intervention, more positive outcomes are possible,” says Gozani. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, many people with diabetes will develop PDN and require additional therapy. “Staying on top of symptoms and their causes is important for early diagnosis and prompt treatment of PDN,” says Gozani. Gozani advises those living with diabetes who are wondering if they have PDN to ask themselves if they have any of these symptoms: • Burning, stabbing or shooting pain in your feet or legs. • Pain when you walk, as though you are walking barefoot on marbles or hot sand. • A persistent achy feeling in your feet. • Pain in your feet or legs that makes falling asleep and waking up difficult. • Pain in your feet or legs that
makes you depressed or anxious. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, make an appointment with your health care provider to get a proper diagnosis. Your doctor may prescribe medications that can help control the pain. Be sure to ask your health care provider about emerging chronic pain relief options, which provide non-narcotic, non-addictive complements to pain medications. These include the SENSUS Pain Management System, an electrical nerve stimulator that is lightweight, wearable under clothing and the first of its kind to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to be used during sleep. Since many patients with PDN report trouble falling and staying asleep, a fast acting treatment that can be worn during sleep is a much needed solution. More information about early detection of DPN and safely treating PDN can be found at www.NeuroMetrix.com. Don’t ignore the potential complications of diabetes and don’t wait until you’re experiencing symptoms. Early detection and subsequent treatment can help you manage conditions that can be debilitating and painful. (StatePoint)
QUESTIONS TO ASK your doctor if you are uncertain whether you have diabetes include anything to do with pains in the legs and feet, as well as pain that causes depression or anxiety.
When It Comes to Health, Place Matters By Brian Smedley America’s Wire Writers Group WASHINGTON - The implementation of the Affordable Care Act is an achievement Americans can be proud of. Making sure that all our brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren, have proper health insurance makes us a stronger, more prosperous nation. Amid this important change, however, we cannot ignore the work that remains to be done, especially in communities of color. Insurance cards are not enough. To become a society with better health—not just better health coverage—we must also look at the role “place” plays in the lives of minority communities. Where we live, work and play is surprisingly predictive of lifespan. Within the city of Boston, for instance, people in some census tracts live 33 years less than those in nearby tracts. In Bernalillo County, N.M., the difference is 22 years. Researchers released “Community Health Equity Reports” at the Place Matters 2013 National Health Equity Conference on Oct. 2 in Washington, D.C. Data from Baltimore, Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, New Orleans and other cities demonstrates that where you live is a powerful determinant for 16
how long you’ll live. “Health equity” may sound like a jargon term, but it’s really a simple and just concept: all people should have equal opportunities for good health. Unfortunately, in conversations, people often reduce health issues to questions of access to health care or to behavior; in other words, if people only ate right, exercised, or saw a doctor regularly, health inequities could be eliminated. Now, to be sure, access to highquality health care is important, particularly for those who face health risks. And individuals should strive for active lifestyles and healthy diets. But a large and growing body of research demonstrates that the spaces and places where people live, work, study and play powerfully shape the opportunities they have to achieve good health. People of color—who are still subject to persistent social, if not legal, segregation—are disproportionately located in unhealthy spaces. This is a major factor that helps explain the poorer health of many minority groups. Consider the numbers: One in four African Americans, one in six Hispanics, and one in eight American Indians in metropolitan America lives in a census tract in which 30 percent or more of the population is in
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Dr. Brian Medley poverty. But only an estimated one in 25 non-Hispanic whites live in one of these tracts. Neighborhood conditions can overwhelm even the most persistent and determined efforts of individuals to take steps to improve their health. Neighborhoods with high rates of poverty are subject to significant health risks, from the presence of polluting industries to the absence of a grocery offering fresh fruits and vegetables. These same communities typically have poorer quality housing and transportation options, and are hit hardest by the home-mortgage lending crisis, which crushed wealth op-
portunities and disproportionately affected communities of color. Many of these neighborhoods also experience high rates of crime and violence, which affect even those who are not directly victimized, as a result of stress and an inability to exercise or play outside. Even healthcare providers, hospitals, and clinics are harder to find in these neighborhoods. It’s no wonder life-spans vary so greatly among neighborhoods, even those close to each other. Some policymakers are working to address these place-based disparities. Federal programs that stimulate investment in the nation’s hardest-hit communities are working to attract businesses, create jobs, and reduce the concentration of health risks. The Healthy Food Financing Initiative creates financial incentives for grocery stores or farmers’ markets to open in “food deserts.” And the Obama Administration’s “Promise Zones” initiative will streamline a host of federal “place-based” projects and offer technical assistance to jurisdictions that seek to stimulate economic activity and build ladders of opportunity. Investments in vulnerable communities may be among the most costeffective strategies to close the health gap and improve the overall health of the nation. A study commissioned by
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found that the direct medical costs associated with health inequities—in other words, additional costs of health care incurred because of the higher burden of disease and illness experienced by minorities—was nearly $230 billion between 2003 and 2006. Add the indirect costs, such as lost wages and productivity and lost tax revenue, and the total cost of health inequities for the nation was $1.24 trillion. Our nation’s poorest need health insurance. But we cannot afford to stop there. Only by recognizing and then erasing the deep divides that create communities with fewer health opportunities can we create a nation of individuals with the chance to reach their full potentials. (Dr. Brian D. Smedley is vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, DC. America’s Wire is an independent, nonprofit news service run by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. Our stories can be republished free of charge by newspapers, websites and other media sources. For more information, visit www.americaswire.org or contact Michael K. Frisby at mike@frisbyassociates.com.) www.chicagocrusader.com
NEWS
Grieving parents seek tougher gun laws (Continued from page 1) prosecutors beyond their proper roles, and driving record-high prison populations, which have had a devastatingly dispropor-
tionate impact on minorities and the communities that are experiencing the most violence,” contends John Maki, executive director of the John Howard Associat-
ion, a prison watchdog group. McCarthy said Chicago has to start somewhere when it comes to combating gun violence and new laws are one way to approach it.
(Continued from page 7) else that “Don’t nobody trust nobody. We gone have to trust one another not to sell each other out for a few crumbs. We got to get strong before we bring in people like Jesse and Farrakhan, because they bring a whole lot of baggage, and the agents assigned to them will do nothing but cause a bunch of mess. We ain’t gone never raise mo’ money than that tyrant, but we can raise mo’ people. We gone have to lock down
IN DE MEANTIME
could regain control of this (curse word) city.
David Orr David Orr and make sure they don’t hijack those machines in 2015. I don’t know nothing ‘bout no ‘hanging chad’ but I know what a good screw driver will do.” -Ima-
When is de people going to call for a federal investigation into the murder of the city’s first Black mayor? Seem lak he been dead long enough and people might be willing to talk. We thank Black Chicago has finally ended its mourning of their leader and may be willing to come to their senses in 2014. Everybody in de ‘hood believe Harold Washington was poisined and did not pass away from too many hamhocks, butter, cheese and no exercise—despite what the cororner said five seconds after he slumped over at his desk on that sad November day? Everybody know it take more than five minutes to do an autopsy on anybody—and the Negro ain’t so stupid to believe that white folks were scared out they mind that we was gone tear the city down if the word has spread for even a second that Harold had been murked. So maybe it’s time to put this rumor to rest. Some Black folk believe it and some don’t—but it’s still out there nonetheless. If they can exhume Emmett Till and Medgar Evers to get to the “truth of the matter,” they can finally put this rumor to rest—that Harold Lee Washington was killed on November 25, 1987 so white folks
-ImaSTONY ISLAND BUS Two women with colorful hair and fancy purses gossiping on de bus about a third girfriend who they were on the way to meet: “I hope her boyfriend ain’t there. Do you know he ain’t worth two dead flies. One of his drug dealing friends kidnapped her mama a few weeks ago and sent back a lock of her hair as evidence they had her as a hostage. Do you know that her no count man sent back a note that said, “I need more proof.”
the circumstances. It is even worse when a death is preventable as is the case here. As a people we lobby and protest for so many things. Now it is time to add mental healthcare to that list. I am not talking about a government handout but a service
What’s in our Shopping Carts (Continued from page 9) 5.Wendy’s (36% vs. 30%) Now, I know with all of these powerful insights, you want more right? Have no fear! Our special four-page copy of the Resilient, Receptive and Relevant: The AfricanConsumer 2013 Report will continue to be included as an insert in your newspaper. If you would like to learn more, I invite you to visit our website at www.nielsen.com for the full report. I would love to hear www.chicagocrusader.com
from you so we can keep the conversation going. So, hit us up on Twitter or Facebook. In the meantime, remember how powerfully relevant you are with every consumer choice you make. Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is senior vice president of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Nielsen. For more information and studies go to www.nielsen.com.
Some think about guns as an accessory, but what they need to know is that it is a crime, a homicide waiting to happen,” she said. “The point here is not to throw more people in jail. The goal is to make it up front to those individuals that carry illegal weapons that jail time is in fact a real consequence. That’s what needs to be clear.” However, locking up gun law offenders could actually save taxpayers money in the long run, according to a study by the University of Chicago Crime Lab. A cost-benefit analysis found that more than 63 percent of those on probation for unlawful use of a weapon are arrested again for the same crime within a year, with 7 percent rearrested for a violent crime. “We estimate the average social cost of crime committed by this population of . . . probationers per year is equal to $115,602, more than five times the estimated cost of incarceration per person per year,” the study stated. The study estimated that the law would avert more than 3,800 crimes, including more than 400 violent crimes.
The Crusader Gospel Corner (Continued from page 15) Shirley Murdock, Cheryl Pepsi Riley, Anthony Hamilton, Lyfe Jennings, Avant, David & Tamela Mann, and Jennifer Holiday. Harold Washington
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (Continued from page 4) treated for with medication and psychiatric care. Mr. Marks being unemployed and thereby uninsured was not able to get the kind of mental healthcare he needed. It is always especially sad when a young person dies, regardless of
“It’s an entire strategy to reduce incarceration rates, but at the same time putting the right people in prison. By putting the right people in prison the deterrence value [shows] that people stopped carrying guns at the level that they used too,” McCarthy said. The mayor agreed. “The weakest link is the fact that they’re not strong enough, which is what this law would deal with and making sure that penalties for illegal gun possession and usage act as the deterrent that they need to be, which they aren’t today,” Emanuel said. When Cowley-Pendleton found out that a man, who already had been convicted of a gun crime, murdered her daughter, she was devastated. “Learning that my daughter’s alleged murderer had been in jail for another gun crime was devastating. It’s like rubbing salt in an open wound. It’s like losing her all over again,” Cowley-Pendleton said. And she added that House Bill 2265 also would show that carrying a gun could have stiff consequences. “In my community carrying an illegal gun is no big deal, but it needs to be a big deal.
that will strengthen the fabric of our community. We don’t know if there is another Josh Marks in the wings, although we do know that without restoring mental health funding, that person has little to no chance of getting the help he or she needs. Blake Mercer
The mother/daughter duo, Shebeta and Maisha Carter, served over the Drama ministry at Living Word Christian Center, under the leadership of Pastor Bill Winston, for over 13 years. In 2003, they co-founded The Anointed Harvesters, and to-
gether they have produced stage plays and mentored aspiring playwrights and actors. They have been heavy supporters of the Englewood Film Festival and served as the Executive Producers of the feature film Of Boys and Men starring Robert Townsend and Oscar Nominee, Angela Bassett. Of Boys and Men was released on DVD in 2011 by Warner Bros and is enjoying a successful run on BET.
Parent University – (Continued from page 10) based institutions, health care and community-based organizations, Local School Council (LSC) members, business leaders,
educators and school administrators, staff members from Chicago’s Sister Agencies, community residents, and students. There are eight CACs across Chicago.
There Were Alternatives to Bankruptcy. . . (Continued from page 6) power, has spent more than $100 million “studying” the Detroit fiscal situation. Detroit did not request an Emergency Manager. The governor imposed him on them. Detroit did not file for bankruptcy, the emergency manager did. The state government takeover of Detroit is not just a Detroit
issue. If Gov. Snyder gets his way, he will set a precedent for any ailing city to be taken over and to have its voting rights, and fiscal discretion, suspended.
move toward bankruptcy is both undemocratic and fiscally imprudent. And it is part of a trend that may hit your financially strapped city.
The people of Detroit have not been allowed to weigh in on the future of their city, and those they elected have been placed at the periphery of negotiations. The
Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist and writer. She is President Emerita of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, N.C.
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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From Jazz Age to . . .
HOUSES FOR SALE
(Continued from page 13) Steele Friday, Page Two, Performance Space and Eight Forty-Eight. Neil Tesser is adjunct lecturer at the UIC Department of Theater and Music. Tesser has written about and broadcast jazz in Chicago for over 40 years, in media such as The Chicago Reader, USA Today, NPR, and The New York Times. He has authored liner notes for more than 300 albums, receiving both a GRAMMY® nomination and the Jazz Journalists Association’s “Willis Conover Award” for excellence in broadcasting. He is known internationally for his work on the Chicago jazz scene, which he currently covers for the web site ChicagoMusic.org. TJ Crawford is a hip hop generation advocate, organizer and social entrepreneur who specializes in civic engagement, youth development and media literacy. Crawford has worked with organizations including the Chicago Hip Hop Civic Engagement Project, the Black Youth Project, Chicago Votes, Atlanta’s Youth Task Force, the Georgia Alliance for Children, and WVON radio. As a card carrying member of the Hip Hop generation, TJ uses hip hop as a tool for community empowerment in the class, in the club, on the block, and in the boardroom. Katie Ernst is a young bassist, vocalist, and jazz educator. Katie manages the Jazz
Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Links Student Council, which gives high school music students opportunities to perform at venues including Millennium Park and the Chicago Jazz Festival. Katie also coordinates the Institute’s NextGenJazz program, which connects new audiences to emerging young jazz artists. Originally from Naper- ville, IL, Katie was one of 24 young artists recently selected to participate in the 2013 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Registration can be made by calling 312-422-5580 or visiting https://goprairie.org/sslpage .aspx?pid=469 See more at: http://www.prairie.org/events/27656/bridging-generations-jazz-age-hiphop-era-corey-wilkes-quartetand-wbez-039-s-richard-s#sthash.k7GwWqDE.dpuf.
HOUSES FOR SALE
LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF INDIANA COUNTY OF JASPER
) ) ) ) SS: )
IN THE MATTER OF THE ) TERMINATION OF THE PARENT-) CHILD RELATIONSHIP OF:) ALYA RICHARD ) And ) TONI RICHARD ) KENNETH HUDSON ) UNKNOWN ALLEGED ) FATHER )
IN THE JASPER CIRCUIT COURT RENSSELAER, INDIANA Cause No.:37C01-1307-JT-126 SUMMONS FOR SERVICE BY PUBLICATION & NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING
) ) )) ) ) TO: Toni Richard and Kenneth Hudson and Any Unknown Alleged Father Notice is hereby given to the above noted parent, whose whereabouts are unknown, and who are the parent of Alya Richard (date of birth November 25, 1999), that a Petition for Involuntary Termination of your Parental Rights in the above named Child, has been filed by the Indiana Department of Child Services, Jasper County Office, in the Jasper County Circuit Court, and YOU HEREBY COMMANDED TO APPEAR before the Judge of said Court at the Courthouse, in Rensselaer, Indiana, (telephone 219-866-4941), on the 16th day of December, 2013 at 10:30 o’clock A.M., to attend an Initial hearing/Termination hearing and to answer the Petition for Termination of your Parental Rights in said Child, and YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that if the allegations in said petition are true, and/or if you fail to appear at the hearing, the Juvenile Court may terminate your parent-child relationship; and if the court terminates your parent-child relationship you will lose all parental rights, powers, privileges, immunities, duties and obligations including any rights to custody, control, visitation, or support in said Child; and if the court terminates your parent-child relationship, it will be permanently terminated, and thereafter you may not contest an adoption or other placement of said child, and YOU ARE ENTITLED TO REPRESENTATION BY AN ATTORNEY, provided by the State if applicable, throughout these proceedings to terminate the parent-child relationship. THE ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SERVICES, is Emily N. Lyons, 105 E Drexel Parkway, Rensselaer, IN 47978; telephone (219)866-4186. Date this 26th day of September, 2013. _______________________ Clerk of Jasper County *Note to Publisher: Publish in the The Chicago Crusader Newspaper once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks, beginning immediately. 10/5, 10/12, 10/19
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BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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SPORTS
More than 200 participants enjoy Chicago’s West Side Bike Night By Shaka Barak, President, The Marcus Garvey Institute, Contributing Writer for The Crusader Newspaper The African American Women of Klutchn Khrome (WKNK) Motorcycle Club (MC) hosted an end of the season ‘Bike Nite,’ that began around 7pm, September 25. It was held just west of the corner of Madison and California, where over 200 people were in attendance. The Mistress of Ceremonies, ‘Sparkle,’ was able to represent her MC, WKNK, and made all the other MC’s, social clubs, and visitors, like this reporter, feel welcome. Motorcyclists, one after another, were clad in helmets, blue jeans, with their regalia printed on leather jackets with the names of their MC’s in bold letters. There were MC’s with the names of Freeway, The Bruhz, Wolf Pack, Soul Rebels, Kotic Ku$tomz, WKNK, Just Friends,Vikings, Phorm Alliance, Steel Twisters, Hittem Hard, Midnight Riders, and Men of Klutchn
Khrome. To show support for WKNK’s Bike Nite, MC’s came from as far away as Calumet City, Harvey, and Waukegan. They slowly drove their bikes, of every color in the rainbow, into the cord sack and parked them along side each other in that block. Non-bikers from the neighborhood also assembled to see the different bikes, and to listen to the entertainment, which included the ‘Jackson Five’ singing group impersonators. The DJ, Diego, a producer/engineer had a team, that had music blasting from A-Z with a surprising amount of “old School” music. Sparkle, the vice president of WKNK said, “they have held Bike Nite on a couple of occasions without any incidents.” She explained that they were holding this fun, food, and prize award filled, entertaining bike show, as the last outdoors Bike Nite, so that during the remainder of the school year it won’t disturb the sleep of the students.
THE WEST SIDE Bike Night drew more than 200 participants recently including the presidents of 11 Chicago area motorcycle clubs. (Photos by Photographer Mr. Kingbo) These MCs, with members from Nite around 9:30 pm. Wild Card, MC Clubhouse is located at 2817 ages 21-65, are positive groups in President of Travelers MC said, W. Harrison. The Women of the community. They ended Bike “Some of their members are Sher- Klutch~N~Khrome MC on Friday, iffs, doctors and they sponsor or- November 1st wlll hold a Meet & phans.” Some of the Presidents of Greet from 9 pm-until, No Cover, these clubs have names like Punky, at 15429 S. Broadway, Harvey IL Man, June, and Guck. The Freeway (Black Soulz MC Clubhouse).
THE WEST SIDE Bike Night was hosted by the Women of Klutchn Khrome Motorcycle Club.
THE WEST SIDE Bike Night had no shortage of elaborately adorned custom motorcycles. www.chicagocrusader.com
THE WEST SIDE Bike night attracted riders from the city and its suburbs.
THE WEST SIDE Bike Night gave riders a last chance to get together during the warm weather.
BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN COMMUNITY
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