Blacks Must Control Their Own Community
CRUSADERIL@AOL.COM
To The Unconquerable Host of Africans Who Are Laying Their Sacrifices Upon The Editorial Altar For Their Race
Gangs blamed for crime in urban neighborhoods •C•P•V•S• AUDITED BY
VOLUME LXXI NUMBER 43—SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012
PUBLISHED SINCE 1940
25 Cents and worth more
By Wendell Hutson
Crime in urban communities like Englewood on the South Side and Austin on the West Side are committed largely because of street gangs, law enforcement officials cited at a recent forum. “It’s the small percentage of the community that commits the vast majority of crimes,” Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said at the February 10 forum. “We have a gang issue here in Chicago.” The police chief was among a group of panelists who participated in the forum, “Reducing Urban Crime and Violence,” which was sponsored by the University of Chicago Crime Lab and held at the downtown law firm Perkins Coie LLP. Other panelists were U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald; Cook County Criminal Courts Judge Paul Biebel; Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Jean-Claude Brizard; and Evelyn Diaz, commissioner for the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. According to Biebel, “50 percent of murders in Chicago are committed by gangs,” he said. “Defendants in 85 percent of cases that come before criminal court judges plead guilty. And 85 percent of those locked up at Cook County Jail have some kind of drug problem.” McCarthy said Chicago police plan to integrate more social services agencies in its fight against crime. “I don’t think we use them enough. A lot of crimes are committed by people who are in need of these services whether it’s drug addiction, unemployment or anger management,” he explained. “Violence in our communities transcends neighborhood boundaries and must be confronted with every available resource.” But McCarthy admitted that stopping crime in urban communities is hindered, in part, because of the history Blacks and Hispanics have with Chicago police. “Blacks have an issue with us in their communities. For too long the police have enforced laws that did not work and only created distrust between us,” he added. “The trust that is needed between the police and residents living in minority communities is not there (yet).” At one point during the forum, McCarthy struggled with what word to use to describe Blacks. “I don’t know which one is politically correct. Is it Black or African American,” McCarthy asked. And Fitzgerald said while he agrees that gangs are a big problem more resources are (Continued on page 2)
URBAN CRIME FIGHTERS recently met to discuss how to combat crime in minority communities across Chicago. Panelists at a Feb. 10 urban crime forum were (from left to right) Cook County Criminal Courts Judge Paul Biebel, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald and Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
SPIKE LEE TALKS to students and community members about the process of filmmaking, as well as how he was able to enlist the financial support of several Black celebrities to help him finish the acclaimed Malcolm X movie.
(See Pullout Section)
NEWS
Effort to bring grocery store to Robbins picking up steam By J. Coyden Palmer
Two men in suburban Robbins are closer to bringing a grocery store and other much-needed resources to a tiny village that too often is in the news for negativity. Darrell Mitchell CEO of Omega Tax & Accounting along with resident Eric Rhodes are planning on opening the village’s first grocery store in 30 years sometime in 2012. Land donated by the village will also become home to an Urban Garden and there are additional plans for a professional center that will house small business offices. With some of the financing already secured, the duo is excited by the thought that in only a few weeks they could be breaking ground on the first phase of the project. “Our main focus is addressing the food desert issue that we have out here in the village and the south suburbs in general,” said Rhodes, Operation Manager of DM Group Associates, which will oversee the project. “In these areas people don’t have access to healthy foods. They have to travel two and three miles to get these products. Right now we have just a lot of little mom and pop stores. We need fresh food options.” Mitchell has gotten a $615,000 grant from Cook County of which $100,000 will be used for demolition of the abandoned building that currently sits on the property at Claire Avenue. The remaining funds will go towards the construction of the new Green Building that will house the grocery store. He will also be working with ComEd Smart Ideas for Your Business New Construction program. The incentive program encourages building design and choices that will result in reduced energy requirements. To be eligible, all projects must be new construction (including expansion), built in ComEd’s territory, and comply with Illinois Energy Code. “I think it’s also very important for the African American community to get on board with the new energy technology,” Walker said. “Not only is it good for the environment, but there are a lot of business related opportunities in this industry that we just have not looked at in terms of being able to provide employment in our communities.” “We’re creating over 200 jobs with this project once all three phases are finished,” added Rhodes, a graduate of Southern Illinois. “We’re trying to change the mindset of the community as well because Robbins can be kind of a rough area. So giving people the ability to improve their job skills will help in that area as well.” Walker started working on the project in 2006. He started with just the basic concept of a grocery 2
store but after a trip to Las Vegas to pitch his idea, he quickly learned he was thinking too small. So he has added two additional phases to the plan. The second phase is a renaissance center that will have a variety of retail stores along with an Urban Garden. The garden will be part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” health initiative. He wants to be able to teach people how to grow healthy foods and work with schools in the area to teach urban youth how to garden. Working in conjunction with the University of Illinois-Extension program, Southern Illinois University, Illinois State University and the Chicago High School for Agriculture Sciences, the plan is to research and develop the Urban Garden for use when the climate will allow. Also, they are seeking to create long-lasting partnerships with these facilities in order to implement training, internship, volunteer and postgraduate employment opportunities. With five high schools and several elementary schools in the area of the project, Walker sees it as not only a business opportunity, but a neighborhood venture that can help build the entire community. “I see these projects as being the first steps of many to follow to help improve Robbins,” Walker said. “That’s why we have 27 investors so far and half of them live in Robbins. The people here want to change their own plight.” Rhodes said raising the necessary capital to finance the project has been challenging at times but they are confident they can pull it off. He said right now they are about $350,000 away from getting enough money to secure a bank loan. They have raised $160,000 from the 27 investors. Anyone can become an investors with the minimum required being $500. He said several residents are investing in the project not to make a lot of money off the deal, but so they can say they contributed to the rebuilding of the village and so they can have something to pass onto their family down the line. “Residents see the value of what this project can bring because we know how much money…$17 to $20 million leaves the community every year just off retail shopping because they have to go to neighboring Blue Island, Midlothian or Crestwood for things they need,” Rhodes said. “The entire village is excited about this project. They know this is something that is going to impact the future generations.” Mitchell said he is also currently working on getting Tax Increment Financing dollars for the project. Those looking to invest can go to the website www.dmgroup1.com or contact Eric Rhodes at 708597-8900 ext. 104.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Gangs blamed for crime in urban neighborhoods
Eric Rhodes stands in front of a sign announcing a new grocery store and shopping plaza will be coming to South Suburban Robbins soon. (Photo by J. Coyden Palmer)
(Continued from page 1)
needed to help ex-offenders transition back into society once released from prison. “We do not put enough attention on felons coming out of prison,” explained Fitzgerald. “These same ex-offenders, many who came from minority communities, go back to those communities and commit new crimes.” Each year 260 social service agencies receive grants averaging about $35,000 from the city but that is not enough to meet the growing need for social services, Diaz said. “We want to find more programs that help reduce crime but $35,000 a year is not enough for any organization to provide equitable services,” she added. Since taking the helm at the CPD last year McCarthy said he has made it clear to gangs what
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consequences they would face if one of their members commits a crime, such as murder. “We treat them all the same. If one does wrong then heat comes down on the whole gang until that individual is arrested. No more singling out gang members,” McCarthy said. “Most gangbangers are nothing more than low-level thugs and drug dealers.” A lack of education also plays a part in urban crime. Robin Jacob, an assistant research scientist at the University of Michigan’s School of Education, said Black high school dropouts are more likely to commit crimes. “Sixty-eight percent of Black high school dropouts will spend time in prison by age 35,” explained Jacob, who was also a panelist. Truancy is a big problem for CPS, the nation’s third largest school district with more than 400,000 students and 600 schools. “In Chicago, there are about 60,000 kids with an attendance problem. With that many kids not in school every day it creates a challenge for teachers to get them caught up when they do show up,” Brizard noted. “That means when they are not at school they are somewhere else and too often they are somewhere in the wrong place at the wrong time.” On the same day as the forum Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that federal agencies would now assist the CPD in
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
fighting crime in two of the most challenged police districts. Officers working in the Englewood district on the South Side and the Harrison district on the West Side are partnering with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to conduct joint investigations, share information, and stiffen penalties related to federal prosecutions. Emanuel said 437 homicides occurred in 2011 and the Harrison and Englewood districts combined for nearly 25 percent of the murders – 60 in Englewood and 43 in Harrison. Under the new partnership, the U.S. Attorney’s office will partner with the Cook County State’s Attorney office to review all gun cases in the two districts and identify which ones warrant federal prosecution. The FBI will assist Chicago police detectives in investigating shootings the districts, and the DEA will work with the Chicago Police Gang Intelligence and Narcotics to help take down drug markets. The U.S. Marshals Service will go after fugitives, the ATF will assist in shutting down the illegal gun trade in the districts, and the Internal Revenue Service will go after targets in the two districts for proof of their source of questionable income. All of the partnerships are scheduled to begin immediately. The Chicago Crusader
NEWS
Black wards show largest drops in voter registration By Glenn Reedus With Chicago voter registration at a record low, Langdon Neal, Chicago Election Board chairman, issued a “voter registration drill” to bump up the numbers. The city’s Black wards registered the largest drops in registration between the last presidential primary election and the upcoming March 20 election. Neal said “we currently have 1.28 million registered voters in Chicago, which is a records low number, not only for a Presidential Primary Election but any election.” He added the first step in increasing the totals is for individuals to check their own voter registration status, and then tell relatives and friends to check theirs. Anyone who has moved
or changed their name have until Tuesday February 21 to make the changes and update their registration. The changes can be completed in person at the election board office 69 W. Washington or by phoning 312-269-7900. They also check their status at www.chicagoelections.com. First time voters and those updating their names or addresses the mail-in voters registration from the site listed above. The form must be submitted by February 21. In addition to the normal weekday business hours, the board office will be open for updated and new registrations on Saturday and Sunday February 18 and 19 respectively, from 9 a.m. -1 p.m. Although Monday February 20 is President’s Day Holiday, the
board office will be from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and on February 21 until midnight. Voters who miss the February 11 deadline will have a grace period until March 13, but the registration must be in person.
• Sixteenth Ward – 13.6 % • Seventeenth Ward – 12.9 % • Twentieth Ward – 13.4 % • Twenty-first Ward – 7.0 % •Twenty-fourth Ward –16% • Twenty-seventh Ward – 1.9 % • Twenty-eight Ward – 12.8 % • Twenty-ninth Ward – 16.9 %
For the April 11, 1944 Presidential Primary Election, Chicago had 1.8 million registered voters, the number of registered Chicagoans peaked in 1952 with 2.2 million registered voters. For the upcoming March 20 election there are 1.2 million registered voters.
All of the city’s predominantly Black wards experienced voter registration drops with the 18th Ward having the smallest at 0.3 percent, followed by the 34th Ward with a 0.4 percent drop. The other wards with fewer registered voters include: • Third Ward – 9.5 % • Fourth Ward –10.7 % • Fifth Ward – 14.4 % • Sixth Ward – 7.9 % • Seventh Ward – 11.9 % • Eighth Ward – 8.8 % • Ninth Ward – 9.0 % • Fifteenth Ward – 12.0 %
Will report lead to more school turnarounds? By Wendell Hutson
Parents said they are fearful that a recent report by the University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research could lead to more school turnarounds and closures. “I can feel it. A report by one of the top universities in the country is all the ammunition the school board needs to move forward with closing my daughter’s school,” said Pat Bell, 67, whose granddaughter attends Theodore Herzl Elementary School on the West Side. “I don’t know if parents were interviewed for this study but if they were not then the question becomes why?” The school board is set to vote at its Feb. 22 meeting whether to close seven low performing schools and turn around 10 other schools. With a turnaround school up to 80 percent of the staff including the principal, security guards and cafeteria workers are replaced with new staff. The report, “Turning Around Low Performing Schools in Chicago,” was made public Feb. 10 by authors Marisa de la Torre, Elaine Allensworth, Sanja Jagesic, James Sebastian, and Michael Salmonowicz. And in short, the report favored the turnaround method used by the Chicago Public Schools to improve under achieving elementary and high schools. Thirty-six schools were studied and compared to the worst schools in the district that under-
The Chicago Crusader
went no changes to see just how far apart the schools were from district averages. According to the report, students at low performing elementary schools improved in math and reading despite still scoring below district standards. And after four years, sixth graders were three and a half months ahead in reading than other kids at similar low performing schools and four and a half months ahead in math. Chicago Public Schools boss Jean-Claude Brizard defended its turnaround policy. He said while the turnaround approach is not perfect “it is a method that has had some success and we will continue to build from that success.” A copy of the report was given to CPS last month, Allensworth said. However, the Chicago Teachers Union did not get an advance copy and pointed out what it calls some glaring facts the report overlooked. “The record of Chicago schools that have been closed and replaced with new school administrations, one of the four models studied in this report, reveals that these schools end up serving a new, and generally more advantaged pool of students,” CTU, said in a written statement. “In essence, the school closing and turnaround policy - pushed on school communities as so-called reform-only pushed struggling students out of school.”
It also pointed out that mostly Black teachers lose their jobs with turnarounds and that is not fair. So the CTU assisted Local School Council members and four, Black teachers in filing a lawsuit Feb. 9 in Cook County circuit court against the school board and Brizard alleging among other things that the school district is in violation of the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. “The Board of Education refuses to involve Local School Councils in the probation process at schools who have a majority Black student population,” explained Thomas Geoghegan, an attorney representing the CTU. “(Basically) the board wants to remove LSCs from controlling neighborhood schools.” No court date has been set yet and Geoghegan said he doubts if the suit will postpone the board voting next week. “We’re seeking injunctive relief from the actions, not the vote,” he added. Geoghegan added that the Illinois School Code requires CPS to work with local school councils to improve learning conditions at struggling schools targeted for closing or for turnaround, a process in which the district replaces school leadership and staff. Some parents said the report did not go far enough in its analysis. “What about students at charter schools that were once neighbor-
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
STATE’S ATTORNEY SWEARS IN NEW CHIEF --Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has named a law enforcement veteran with more than 25 years of police and management experience to lead the State’s Attorney’s Investigative Bureau. Alvarez has appointed Jack Garcia, a veteran of the Illinois State Police Department, to head up the Investigations Bureau, a division of the State’s Attorney’s Office that provides investigative and logistical support to Assistant State’s Attorneys in their preparation and presentation of criminal cases that are prosecuted throughout the Cook County court system. Garcia, a 26-year veteran of ISP, served in every division of the agency and was most recently First Deputy Director, the second in command of the statewide police agency. During his tenure Garcia also commanded ISP’s Division of Forensic Services as well as the Statewide Terrorism Intelligence Center and the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
hood schools? Did students at mostly white schools do better than students at mostly Black or Hispanic schools? said Matthew Johnson, 39, a plaintiff in the suit. Still, Brizard downplayed the lawsuit. “I think the suit is baseless and we will defend our practices in court and not through the media,” Brizard told the Crusader. “Turnaround is one method we are using to improve schools and at no time were certain schools targeted based on ethnicity of the teachers or students.” Community activist and local school council member Jitu Brown disagrees. “What CPS is doing is having a negative impact on schools in
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Black and Hispanic communities,” said Brown, also a plantiff in the suit. “That’s why we filed this lawsuit. After continually trying to improve our schools CPS chooses to ignore us.” Disrupting the way by which students are taught is about all CPS seems to consistently do nowadays, said Janice Beckham, another plaintiff. “It is appalling how every two years or every year our school is disrupted by the idea that they’re going to close our schools,” said Beckham, a school council member at Guggenheim Elementary School on the South Side. “Responsibility starts at the top, not at the bottom. You are responsible, Board of Education, for what is happening in our schools.” 3
EDITORIAL
CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY EVERY DAY
OPINION
Black History Month 2012 is turning out to be a bittersweet period in the African American community. It has afforded us an unexpected opportunity to really reflect on Black history due to the unfortunate passings of several icons. During this month, we are mourning the deaths of iconic singer Whitney Houston, Soul Train founder/producer Don Cornelius, singer David Peaston, piano legend Jodie Christian, and civil rights leader Patricia Stephens Due, among others. These great individuals passed away this month, and before that, the great Etta James left us in late January. With each of these passings, we were afforded an opportunity to review a precious piece of history, albeit by default. Why is it important to commemorate Black history? It is so that we do not lose track of the contributions to society made by people who came before us upon whose shoulders we stand, such as the individuals previously mentioned. Just recently, on a radio program, the talk show host spoke of a young intern, an African American college student, who did not know who John H. Johnson, the late publisher of Ebony and Jet Magazines, was! How could that be? On the same note, a high school student, when discussing with his teacher Dr. King’s legacy, asked if that was the same time period as slavery! Somehow, we are missing the boat in an attempt to connect the dots between the past and what we are experiencing now, because some of our children are just not getting it. No doubt, we will remember the contributions of great Black entertainers, but what about those who are more unsung? What about the contributions made on a daily basis by people who may be unknown, but who are, nevertheless, contributing valuable time and energy to the cause of social justice in America and around the world? One of the greatest criticisms of Black History Month is that it is the shortest month in the year. Those who lament this fact should be reminded that this was not due to conspiratorial design. The great Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week in 1926, which became Black History Month in the 1970s, during the month of February because two of the great contributors to our legacy, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, were born in February. Interestingly, it has been said that February is disproportionately well represented among the world’s geniuses. Though this may or may not be true, we should be thankful to have the opportunity to reflect upon our past, because the past is a springboard to the future. Finally, we should remember that Black History is created every day, and we play an important part in it. What we do or do NOT do will determine the future destiny of us all. Let’s hope that we make the right choices! A luta continua.
There doesn’t seem to be much talk in the Black community or the Black business community about the G-8 and NATO summits that are coming to the city in May. As the name implies there will be visitors from around the world. This can be a great opportunity for Black business owners to show the world what they can do. Just like most tourists, the summit visitors will want to go back home with a lot of souvenirs from their visits. Even businesses owners operating out of their homes or garages should look into trying to do more business during the summits. Probably most items Black businesses are involved with – especially transportation – will be in high demand while both events are taking place. Whether it’s office supplies, office services, printing and signage there should be a place for Black businesses to expand for this period. It is imperative though that local Black business organizations get started now to identify the opportunities that are already available as well as those that will become available. Too often Black businesses and every day citizens wait until the last
4
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
Saturday, February 18, 2012
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Are Black businesses ready for the G-8 and NATO?? To the Editor:
minute to pursue new ventures, and then complain about being shut out. Three months is not a lot of time but it is enough to find out exactly what is required to participate. Hopefully smaller businesses will form coalitions to have larger companies that can bid on work that would be beyond their individual capacities. Now also is the time for Black business owners to lobby Chicago City Council members to make sure there are provisions for minority companies to be included in every request for proposal and request for quotes that comes out in connection with the summits. Besides these ideas, Black businesses also should look for joint ventures with majority companies. The G-8 and NATO summits represent a huge financial pie for the city. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been quoted several times about the economic benefits the city will gain from having the summits here. It is up to us to make sure that he is talking about everyone and not just a few select companies reaping the benefits. Carl Estrada
Does Rahm Emanuel Understand?
First the mayor pushes for a statewide gun registration program. Some might applaud him for such a broad stance but the reality is the mayor over-stepped his bounds big time. There is no question that gun violence is a super serious problem in the city, along with violence in general. Emanuel and the police chief Garry McCarthy have been playing around with police department deployment (Continued on page 7)
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The Chicago Crusader
BEYOND THE RHETORIC
By Harry C. Alford NNPA Columnist
Africa: A Tale of Two Presidents
Health and economic issues have never been more important to SubSaharan Africa than the last fifteen years. There has been one president who stepped forward and made a positive difference. There is another president, in contrast, that has done virtually little nor shows any concern for this land of over one billion human beings. Ironically, the president with purely European bloodlines and an upbringing from the southern part of the United States has poured his heart into Africa. The president who has direct bloodlines to Africa (Kenya) has displayed a very laissez faire attitude to the tremendous challenges that face this continent. Here is a review of President Bush’s involvement in Africa by the Africa Growth Initiative: “Bush’s most important initiatives focused on alleviating major heath challenges facing the African people. In 2003, President Bush launched the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which was then the largest single effort by any nation targeting a specific disease. The program sought to establish and scale up HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment pro-
Harry C. Alford grams. According to the PEPFAR program website, “during its first phase, PEPFAR supported the provision of treatment to more than two million people, care to more than 10 million people, including more than four million orphans and vulnerable children, and prevention of mother-to-child treatment services.” Under President Bush, this program was criticized for its emphasis on abstinence based prevention, but on the whole this initiative was an unprecedented attack against the AIDS pandemic. Bush then targeted another deadly disease with the launch of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) in 2005. The PMI had the initial goal of reducing malaria-related deaths
by 50 percent in 15 focus countries. Malaria places a huge burden on Africans—causing millions of adult deaths every year and significant reductions in productivity. Results on the PMI website show that the program has major effect in reducing prevalence of malaria, child mortality and related deaths. The Bush administration’s African foreign policy did not stop with health initiatives. Bush led the push for the G-8 nations to demand the multi-lateral debt relief initiative (MDRI), which encouraged the IMF, World Bank and the U.S. to reduce the debt burden of highly indebted poor countries. According to the African Development Bank, as of 2009 the MDRI relieved debt for 21 African countries. In 2004, Bush also successfully passed reforms that converted poor country debt into grants. Additionally, Bush tackled security issues. The president was one of the first world leaders to label the conflict in South Sudan genocide. Although, Bush received criticism for not recognizing the indictment of Omar alBashir by the International Criminal Court, he did put in place sanctions on oil coming from the Republic of Sudan in order to pressure a peace deal. These sanctions
currently remain in place. Bush was also determined to create an Africabased central command for U.S. forces. However, he did not win the support of African leaders to base the command, now called Africom, on the continent, with the base now resting in Germany. Africom, however, is now an implementing partner for the Department of Defense and PEPFAR, supporting training and testing throughout Africa. Following the format of Presidents Carter and Clinton, Bush continues to focus on global health beyond his two presidential terms. His global health cause célèbre is the Pink Ribbon Initiative, an organization formed by the George Bush Presidential Center Institute in partnership with the U.N. and the Susan J. Komen Foundation, to expand access to cervical and breast cancer screening in Africa and Asia. Testing for cervical cancer can be done easily with a drop of vinegar quickly highlighting cancerous tissue; however, screening remains unavailable in many parts of Asia and Africa. Both Laura and George Bush will try to build awareness of this issue during their trip this week. Despite the perception that Bush was only involved in counterterrorism, he built an expansive African
foreign policy base that bears as much recognition as the Clinton administration’s African Growth and Opportunities Act and Global Health Initiative.” On the other hand, President Obama has ignored Africa. He went to Ghana in 2009 and gave a condescending speech to elected African leaders talking about corruption. Other than that he has done very little. Many African presidents voice their disappointment with President Obama. According to Patrick Muboko, a Congolese American who recently protested in front of the White House, “We want to tell him it is over if he does not do the right thing for Congo, for children who are crying and dying if he does not do the right thing for democracy, he can count that he has not only lost my vote, but he has lost a lot of votes,” as told to VOA News.com. Thanks President Bush for all you have done. President Obama, it is not too late. Mr. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (r). Website: www.nationalbcc.org. Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.
Creation of National Slavery Museum in Doubt By George E. Curry NNPA Columnist Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder’s plan to build a United States National Slavery Museum not far from the nation’s capital is almost eight years behind schedule and his group is mired in so much debt that it recently filed for bankruptcy. A story in Sunday’s Washington Post catalogued an array of problems by the group, raising doubt about whether the museum will ever be built. “The U.S. Slavery Museum filed for bankruptcy this fall,” the story stated. “Firms have filed claims totaling more than $7 million. The city of Fredericksburg has threatened to sell the land because of more than $200,000 in unpaid real-estate taxes. Officials have asked the court to either liquidate the organization or appoint a trustee to oversee its finances.” No one expected to receive this kind of news in the middle of Black History Month. Wilder, who became the nation’s first elected African-American governor in 1990, unveiled plans in 1993 for a $100 million museum that would sit on 38 acres of land 49 miles south of Washington, D.C. Wilder, who The Chicago Crusader
George E. Curry continues to serve as chairman of the board of the museum, announced the appointment of a half-dozen high-profile board members, including Bill Cosby, historian John Hope Franklin, and the presidents of Howard and Hampton universities. In a statement, Wilder said: “In response to the current economic conditions, we decided it was in the best interest of the museum to take a pause in collecting money. Once things have sufficiently recovered to the point that we can resume full-fledged fundraising efforts, we, indeed, will. Until that time we are in standby mode.” The problem with Wilder’s statement is that the “current economic conditions” have not existed for the past two decades. And the mu-
seum is not in standby mode – it’s in neutral or reverse. According to various accounts, Wilder, who served as mayor of Richmond from 2005-2009, has been inaccessible. The story in the Washington Post reads: “‘Governor Wilder disappeared,’ said Rev. Lawrence Davies, the former longtime mayor of Fredericksburg who was a member of the board. Davies stopped getting notices about board meetings, and when he tried to reach Wilder, he never heard back. ‘No one could get through to him,’ Davies said. ‘We didn’t know what to think.’” Slavery was an international tragedy that should never be forgotten. According to historian Eric Foner, approximately 10 million Africans were enslaved and forced to make the difficult trip across the Atlantic Ocean between 1500 and 1820 in chains and squalor. Although most Africans ended up in what is now the United States, many elected officials have been unwilling to recognize the horror – and lingering effects – of slavery. Yet Liverpool, England has operated an impressive International Slavery Museum since 2007. “The transatlantic slave trade was the largest forced migration in history,” Museum Director David
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
Fleming says on its website. “And yet the story of the mass enslavement of Africans by Europeans is one of resilience and surviving against the odds, and is a testament to the unquenchable nature of the human spirit.” The museum opened on August 22, which is recognized by the United Nations as International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. The UN provides the following background on the international observation: “In late August, 1791, an uprising began in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) that would have a major effect on abolishing the transatlantic slave trade. The slave rebellion in the area weakened the Caribbean colonial system, sparking an uprising that led to abolishing slavery and giving the island its independence. It marked the beginning of the destruction of the slavery system, the slave trade and colonialism.” It continued, “International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition was first celebrated in many countries, in particular in Haiti, on August 23, 1998, and in Senegal on August 23, 1999. Each year the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNSaturday, February 18, 2012
ESCO) reminds the international community about the importance of commemorating this day. This date also pays tribute to those who worked hard to abolish slave trade and slavery throughout the world. This commitment and the actions used to fight against the system of slavery had an impact on the human rights movement.” The slavery remembrance day is not widely observed in the United States. When plans for the U.S. National Slavery Museum were first announced, it was hoped that it would be on par with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. that “inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.” Today, however, Doug Wilder’s promise of a national slavery museum is as empty as the 38 acres it was supposed to sit on. George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry-.com You can also follow him at www.twitter-.com/currygeorge. 5
COMMENTARY
Worrill’s World By Dr. Conrad W. Worrill
THE CHALLENGE OF BLACK NATIONALISM (Dr. Conrad Worrill is Chairman Emeritus of the National Black United Front (NBUF) located at 1809 East 71st Street, Suite 211, Chicago, Illinois, 60649, 773-493-0900, Fax# 773-493-9819, E-mail: nbufchic@sbcglobal.net, Web site: nbufront.org)
Dr. Conrad Worrill One of the biggest challenges African people face in America is to rejuvenate Black Nationalist thinking as we struggle to determine for ourselves as a people what is in our best collective interests. There are far too many African people in this country who think what is good for other people should be good for us. Nothing could be further from the truth. We can only determine what is good for us by reestablishing Black Nationalist thinking and develop-
ing a Black Nationalist program of action. This is the missing link to the liberation of African people in America. Let us briefly review the development and impact of Black Nationalism in America. Black Nationalism is a tradition that emerged in the early nineteenth-century among those Black leaders who understood the need for African people in America to develop a national entity as the only solution for Black people in North America, Latin America, or the Caribbean. These nineteenth-century Black Nationalist leaders such as Denmark Vessey, Nat Turner, David Walker, Henry Highland Garnet, James T. Holly, Martin R. Delany, Pap Singleton, Edwin McCabe, and Henry McNeal Turner understood that African people in America were a “nation within a nation” and should organize to collectively struggle for the liberation of Black people in this country and throughout the world. During this era there were some Black Nationalist leaders before, and after the Civil War, who led movements for people of African ancestry to leave this country and establish a homeland somewhere else. These proposals included Africa, Canada, and the Caribbean. Other Black Nationalist leaders led movements for Black people to
control the towns where they lived and others who led movements to the western region of this country to establish all Black towns in Kansas and Oklahoma. The core of this Black Nationalist tradition has been to defeat and overthrow the system of white supremacy, seize control of land (somewhere) and to achieve self determination for the oppressed Black masses. The Black Nationalist tradition has always been opposed to integrations, assimilation, and accommodation as a solution to the problems of people of African ancestry in America. In this regard, Black Nationalist tradition has rejected the strategy and tactics of appealing to the morality of white people and their white supremacy system. Black Nationalists have been historically clear that people in power don’t teach powerless people how to get power. And they certainly don’t give power away, even though, when challenged, they may give up some concessions. As Black Nationalism emerged in the twentieth-century, the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and the establishment of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and the African Communicates League (ACL) became the leading spokesman for Black Nationalist ideas and organizing.
Garvey used his varied skills to become one of our true twentiethcentury freedom fighters. Garvey arrived in Harlem, New York on March 16, 1916. By 1919, Garvey was well established as the President General of the UNIA/ACL that had membership of over three million people with more than three hundred branches in the United States. Perhaps Garvey’s greatest contribution to the upliftment of our people, through Black Nationalism, was his ability to find a formula for organizing African people around the African principle: the greatest good for the greatest number. This was reflected in the First International Convention of the Negro Peoples of the World, in Madison Square Garden, in 1920. Over twenty thousand Black people from all over the world witnessed the choosing of Red, Black, and Green as the colors of the Provisional Government. In this context, Garvey and the UNIA/ACL had established an economic arm, the Negro Factories Corporation, with cooperative stores, restaurants, steam laundry ships, tailor shops, dressmaking shops, millinery stores, a doll factory to manufacture Black dolls and a publishing house. Also, Garvey formed a Steamship Corporation.
The Black Nationalist tradition was continued in the twentiethcentury through the Nation of Islam and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who utilized many of the Garvey and UNIA/ACL organizing tactics and strategies. It was during the 1960s Black Power explosion that the Black Nationalist tradition reemerged through the influence of Malcolm X who adopted Black Nationalism as the political philosophy, economic and social philosophy of the organization of Afro American Unity in 1964 after he left the Nation of Islam. Finally, the Black Nationalist tradition, today, is spearheaded through the African Centered Education Movement. The mass acceptance of Kwanzaa, African Liberation Day, Buy Black Campaigns, the Reparations Movement, and Controlling Our Own Communities Campaigns are all part of the ongoing Black Nationalist tradition. Without vigorous Black Nationalist thinking and an aggressive Black Nationalist program of action, we will continue to chase false dreams created by our oppressors. We must put an end to this! Once Black Nationalism is understood by all Black people, it will be the foundation upon which the true liberation of people of African ancestry in America will take place.
BLACK WOMEN AND ORGANIZATIONS BY JULIANNE MALVEAUX NNPA COLUMNIST During Black History Month, the focus is often on individuals. The founder of the month (once Negro History Week) was Dr. Carter G. Woodson, and he chose the week that encompassed both the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. When other luminaries are mentioned, they are mostly men, but this year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has declared that women will anchor the month. It is great to lift up the many black women luminaries, including Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, Elizabeth Keckley, Cathy Hughes, and so many others. Yet the real untold story of Black History Month is the story of the organizations that have made a real difference in the advancement of African American people. The NAACP, founded in 6
Dr. Julianne Malveaux 1909, and the National Urban League, founded in 1910 are the most visible organizations, but in 1935 both the National Council of Negro Women (led by Dr. Height from 1957 to her death in 2010) and the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs were
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founded. Even earlier, in 1896, the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs was established. Mary Church Terrell was the organization’s first president and this group, still operating, is the oldest organization that works for the benefit of Black women and families. Until 1960, most African American women worked as maids, domestics, or private household workers. The National Domestic Workers Union was founded in 1968 by Dorothy Lee Bolden who started working at age 12 for about $1.50 a week. The organization was dedicated to professionalize domestic work, providing training and advocating for fair working conditions. This was yet another example of African American women coming together to improve their lives and those of their families. There is a rich history of African American sororities and fraternities. Among the sororities, Alpha
Kappa Alpha was founded at Howard University in 1908. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated was also founded at Howard in 1913 by women who broke off from AKA to emphasize their commitment to scholarship, service, and sisterhood. Delta women marched in the women’s sufferage march in 1913, despite discouragement from white women who did not want to mix race matters with suffrage issues. (Full disclosure – I’m a Delta). Two other Black women’s sororities, Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Gamma Rho, are organizations that also focus on service. All of the Black women’s sororities are committed to uplifting the community and to providing scholarship assistance to students. In so many ways, the history of organization is a tribute to the human spirit that transcends stories of individual accomplishment. Organizational development reminds us of the ways and
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
the reasons that people come together for uplift and for good, to improve lives, to pay it forward, to pass good things on. Black history month is often the story of accomplished individuals but the story of organizations is equally compelling. As a nation and a world, we are better off for the efforts of the National Council of Negro Women, now led by Dr. Avis Jones DeWeever, for Delta Sigma Theta, led by Cynthia M. A. Butler-McIntyre, by the Children’s Defense Fund, led by Marian Wright Edelman, and by the National Mentoring Cares Movement, led by former Essence editor Susan Taylor. As we cheer on individuals, we must also cheer on the enduring legacy of organizations founded and led by African American women. Julianne Malveaux is President of Bennett College for Women and author of Surviving and Thriving: 365 Facts in Black Economic History. The Chicago Crusader
By Ima Gontellit
CHATTERBOX
Whitney made me sick to my stomach. Now he may not be responsible for how Whitney ended up, but he sho’ was a bad influence on her. She said she was no saint and maybe not, but Ima can’t help but think what if she had never met that creep . . . oh well, Rev. Hands told me not to be bitter while he played games on my body . . . Ima’s gonna get that creep, as soon as I stop grievin’. Goodbye Whitney . . .
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!
-ImaYOU BETTER HELP YO’ SON
GOODBYE WHITNEY Ima is mighty sad these days since the death of Whitney Houston. I was getting ready to take the Greyhound bus to New Jersey for her services when I received word that her final services will be by invitation only. While I can understand the need for reflection and privacy at a time like this, dey got to understand that there are a lots of us folks who loved Whitney also. Over the last few years I was pained to see the once glamorous Whitney reduced to the low level of being a part of the reality show with Bobby Brown. It also hurt when she tried a comeback in Europe to be booed and had to cancel the tour. It also pained me to see the replay of some of the film that showed an obviously unsophisticated and not-so-sweet Whitney we first fell in love with. My heart overflows with grief for her mother Cissy Houston, who had fought so hard to reclaim her little girl from the evil arms of drugs. She prayed, she asked for everyone to pray for Whitney, but the plan was not to be a fully recovered and restored Whitney. My heart also goes out to her daughter Bobbi Kristina,
Whitney Houston who Ima heard had to become an adult to take care of her Mom and Dad, who were acting like kids. I was so tore up that I called on Rev. Healing Hands Jones to help me through my own grief. Before I tol’ him off I finally understood why dey be calling him “Healing Hands.” I also understands why dey can shorten that title and just call him “Hands.” Before I realized what was happening Ol’ Hands was all over me and he was caught up in taking libities with me that I had not expected. Well, when he gets out of the hospital you can ask him how Ima feels ‘bout his stanky hands. But back to Whitney, I heard that Rev. Marvin Winans is going to preach her service and thank you so much ‘cause it cut off the competition between Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson to showboat. By the way Jesse won the Don Cornelius battle and Rev. Al did the one for Etta James. You know Ima got to thinking that the old folks says that deaths comes in threes and Whitney makes three I think (Etta, Don and now Whitney). I
sure hopes so, cause I am downright tired of crying for my favorite folks. Now what I was waiting for was what Kevin Costner had to say and boy oh boy I was not disappointed. I always thought that dem scenes in “The Bodyguard” was looking too real. But what I didn’t understand if he was breathing on Valentine’s Day after his wife heard about what he said. You know that Whitney was “his one and only true love.” Something like that. But one truth that came out of the tragic deaths of Don Cornelius and Whitney Houston was the obvious pain they both were enduring and how each sought to cope with it. Don took his own life, while in a way Whitney did the same with dem drugs that destroyed her looks, her voice and obviously her sanity. Etta James may have suffered similarly, but in the end a health issue took her life. It is so sad . . . and I can’t write no more about it, it makes me cry . . . But one more thang, that scum bag Bobby Brown breaking down and talking about how he loved
Now I know Jesse Junior don’ spoke unkindly to his father and tol’ him to mind his own business, but he better kiss his father’s ring, ‘cause he is sinking fast in the 2nd Congressional District race. Overheard in the Barber Shop, yep I know I said Barber not Beauty, but if ’n your whiskers are tough like Ima’s you gotta go where dey got the equipment to deal wid dem. Er, back to what Ima heard. Folks are talking about dey ain’t got no love for that Caucasian woman Debbie Halv, er Halvorson, but dey is tired of being played by that little arrogant you-know-what. Even the old folks were wondering who the hell he was when he showed up dere at the nursing home on Valentine’s Day. And quiet as it’s kept where is Mrs. Al-
Cong. Jesse Jackson, Jr. derman Jackson? Ima been waiting to hear from her about her husband’s re-election. Maybe, I just missed it, I guess. But I do remember that boy calling his dad a ho when it came out about Senior’s Love Chile, but what is the name for himself when he was seen and admitted that he had some kind of acquaintance with that white woman who worked in a Washington, D.C. bar? But lik Ima said, his daddy better help that boy and stop running all over the country chasing funerals (he officiated at Don Cornelius’ and low and behold he was in New Jersey at Whitney’s church on Sunday). If he can be helped!!!
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (Continued from page 4) and assignments. One month McCarthy is saying that crime is dropping and the next he is in a panic. Then without fail, the mayor comes to his rescue. But Emanuel’s latest request simply defies logic. What besides his emperor complex makes Emanuel think he can push for statewide legislation? From the reaction, it is obvious he didn’t confer with lawmakers beyond Chicago because when news of the suggestion made its way informally to Springfield, it got slapped down in a hurry. The downstate legislators rightfully noted the issue is a Chicago prob-
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lem and they are not interested in strapping their constituents with additional fees or paperwork. Hopefully we heard the last of this. In another imperial move, the mayor sends a letter for the council members telling them what are the priorities for what has been a discretionary fund for ward improvements. Although the mayor claims he wants to ensure that the city avoids repeating work on projects, such as paving and other infrastructure work, he is out of bounds on this one. Council members, especially those who are truly engaged in
their wards, know exactly what needs to be done and in many instances when the last time an improvement was made. The mayor clearly is missing the separation of legislative and executive branches. At this pace, Emanuel will soon be sending notes to council members to tell them how to vote on key issues (if he isn’t doing that already). The mayor would serve himself well to review his oath of office and the city charter to get a grasp on what he is supposed to do compared to what he wants to do. Cleophus Hall
Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
Send $20.00 (postage included) to: THE CHICAGO CRUSADER 6429 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois 60637 and we will send you your copy of “The Best of the Chatterbox” (a book of over 50 items from Ima’s best columns) by US Mail or call (773) 752-2500 for more info YOU’LL LAUGH YOUR HEAD OFF!!! An ideal present for family and friends
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FREE MARQUETTE BANK EVENTS: On Saturday, February 18, Marquette Bank will host a Free Marquette Club Fashion Show at the Marquette Bank located at 5700 W. 159th Street in Oak Forest. Learn how to be the life of the party with the Marquette Club and become a fashionista! Nancy Kirner from Coldwater Creek and Barbara Atwater from Heger Travel will demonstrate the latest fashions and you will be sure to make an entrance wherever you go. Marquette Club is a social club for Marquette Bank customers age 50 or better. This event is open to the public and begins at 10 am. For more information or to register, please call Carol Wagge at 1-708-342-8404. February 19 – 26, Marquette Bank will be celebrating America Saves Week, a national campaign to promote good savings behavior. The Bank will celebrate with their own “Chicago Saves with Marquette Bank” theme from February 19 through February 26 by offering new incentives to start saving. Throughout the week, the bank will offer a 0.70% APY promotional rate for 60 days on all new savings accounts and a $25 savings match on all new minor savings accounts. Also, all savings accounts opened throughout the month will automatically be entered into the “Chicago Saves with Marquette Bank” Prize Drawing for a chance to win a $150 gift card. For more information, please call 1-888-2549500 or visit www.emarquettebank.com. ANNUAL TRIBUTE TO BLACK HERITAGE CONCERT: The Chicago Park District commemorates Black History Month in February 2012 with various interdisciplinary events. Most programs are admission free or charge nominal fees. Many activities are geared toward the entire family. The Annual Tribute to Black Heritage Concert will be held Sunday, February 19, from 4 pm-6 pm at the South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive, 773-2560149. Admission is free for all ages. The Chicago Music Association performs a concert. FREE HOWARD MORGAN: Howard Morgan, a former Chicago Police Officer before spending 13 years as a Railroad Police Officer for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, pulled over on his way home the morning of February 21, 2005, because he saw a police car behind him and was letting it pass. To Mr. Morgan’s surprise, he discovered that the police had stopped him for an alleged traffic violation. Though identifying 8
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
himself as a police officer, Howard Morgan was forced from his vehicle and shot 28 times by four white police officers. 21 of those shots were administered to the back of Howard Morgan’s body. An independent eye witness testified that Mr. Morgan never fired a weapon. A jury acquitted Mr. Morgan of the charge of aggravated discharge of a firearm. How then, could Howard Morgan, by any stretch of the imagination, be guilty of four counts of attempted 1st degree murder of the police officers who shot him? Because of a hung jury in a subsequent trial, he is being tried a second time, double jeopardy! On February 21, 2012, Howard Morgan is scheduled to be sentenced for crimes he did not commit. Let’s pack the courtroom that day and stand for justice at the Criminal Court Building, 2650 South California Avenue, Courtroom 600, Chicago, IL 60608, at 9 am. For further information, and to join on to the Free Howard Morgan Campaign, visitwww.freehowardmorgan.com, or call the Campaign Hot-line: 877- 6441107.
CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT 20TH ANNUAL ASHAKI CELEBRATION: The Chicago Park District-South Region invites you to the 20th Annual ASHAKI Celebration, an authentic Black History Month cultural experience highlighting five countries of the African Diaspora. This memorable evening will take place at Washington Park Field House, 5531 South King Drive, on Friday, February 24, from 6 pm - 9 pm. Right before your eyes, the Washington Park field house will be transformed into the countries of Ghana, Ethiopia, Senegal, Nigeria, and Somalia. Eye-catching live musical performances, amazing African artifacts and displays, and great culinary delights will immerse your imagination into the vivid cultures of these countries and illustrate the important roles each country has played in the lives of African Americans - past and present. Don’t miss this wonderful family event for all ages. The fee for this celebratory occasion is $3.00 per person. ONE BOOK MANY INTERPRETATION AT THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY: Looking for thought-provoking exhibits in Chicago? There are always some engaging exhibits at the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street. Throughout the year, the Special Collections Division features a variety of free exhibitions for public viewing throughout the build-
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ing. Previous CPL exhibits have acknowledged President Abraham Lincoln, Chicago’s Riverview Amusement Park, Theater in Chicago, Millennium Park, Chicago Bridges, Golden Books, The Chicago River and more. One Book Many Interpretations: Second Edition, is ONGOING through April 15, 2012 in the Special Collections Exhibit Hall, 9th Floor. The Chicago Public Library’s Special Collections and Preservation Division commemorates the 10-year anniversary of One Book, One Chicago with a juried exhibition in which fine bookbinders
and book artists were invited to interpret the 10 most recent One Book, One Chicago selections through the art of bookbinding. The exhibit catalog is online. NEW IMMERSIVE SPACE EXPERIENCE AT THE ADLER PLANETARIUM: Deep Space Adventure is a new, ONGOING, immersive space experience like no other in the world! Deep Space Adventure takes you aboard the observation deck of a futuristic starship where you will be surrounded by the larger-thanlife phenomena of our dynamic
Universe. The centerpiece of Deep Space Adventure is the Grainger Sky Theater, which offers audiences the most immersive, technologically enhanced theater experience ever developed - with space imagery in the highest resolution and quality possible. Audiences will encounter the Universe at a level of realism that can only be surpassed by actual space travel. The Adler Planetarium is located at 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605. For more details, visit www.adlerplanetarium.org.
ON FEBRUARY 22ND the Urban Health Initiative of the University of Chicago Medicine presents a special invitation only media screening of "It Shoudda Been Me" a play written by physician, Doriane Miller at eta Theater. The production highlights youth resilience in the face of community violence and promotes a theme of triumph over tragedy. For information on the Urban Health Initiative visit uhi.uchospitals.edu.
Extended Coverage
According to the FBI and the Department of Justice, some 1.4 million homes are broken into each year. What are you doing to protect your home?
*** Start by making sure you’re using strong, solid-core or metal doors and heavy-duty deadbolt locks with 1-inch throw bolts. Prevent kick-ins by using 3-inch screws for strike plates and hinges; they’ll penetrate into the wooden door frame. Secure sliding doors with a broomstick or other wood stopper in the track. Trim shrubbery that could hide a burglar; install lights with motion sensors. Better yet, install an alarm system.
Milton E. Moses and lighting. *** Once you have an alarm system
in place, put decals advertising that fact in prominent windows and sliding doors. The decals alone will help deter a burglar, who is always looking for the easiest possible access. *** Another smart way to protect your home: with adequate homeowners’ coverage. See the insurance people at 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@ community insurance.com or visit the website at www.communityins. com.
*** Investigate one of the “smarter” alarm systems that communicate via computer. They allow you to access the system from afar. One plus: you can turn on the alarm if you neglected to do so before you left. (Some features can be add-ons to your existing system.) *** They can notify you—and the police, if you wish—if someone or something has moved past a sensor. Some packages even include video, with pictures of any burglars available as court evidence. Some systems even let you adjust heat Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
The Chicago Crusader
BUSINESS
$25 billion mortgage settlement seen as one step towards fairness Negotiations continue with other lenders By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist The recent mortgage agreement reached with the nation’s five largest mortgage services brings the first major consumer victory after a nearly year-long effort. State attorneys general, working with the Departments of Justice and HUD together announced a $25 billion settlement for con-
Fund to provide cash payments to eligible borrowers whose homes were sold or taken in foreclosure between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011. This specific initiative is in addition to restitution already administered by federal banking regulators. The value of the settlement also will increase if negotiations with nine other lenders reach a successful agreement. Commenting on the agreement second in size only to the 1998 tobacco settlement, President Obama said, “No action, no mat-
ments for each family affected by robo-signing could receive $2,000. Even if a payment is accepted, homeowners who have already lost their homes to foreclosure could still sue the bank for damages.
3. Strong enforcement: An independent monitor will regularly assess bank performance against a series of measures related to loan modifications and foreclosure. Any violations found will trigger penalties up to $1 million per vi-
olation or up to $5 million for certain repeat violations. Joseph A. Smith, most recently the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, will oversee implementa(Continued on page 17)
Charlene Crowell sumers in 49 states. Participating banks are Ally Financial, Bank of America, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo. The largest share of the settlement – more than $20 billion -will be dedicated to financial relief for consumers. These funds will be used to assist homeowners with mortgages that are in distress or foreclosure or underwater, now owing more than the home is actually worth. Today, nearly 11 million families with mortgages now owe more than their home is worth. Additionally, mortgage servicers will pay state and federal governments $5 billion in cash. Among these funds, $3.5 billion will be used to repay public funds spent on the investigation and to fund housing counselors and legal aid. This funding for housing counseling and legal aid is critical to ensuring that homeowners obtain the loan modifications and refinances promised in the settlement. In addition, because the settlement does not affect individual lawsuits, the legal aid funding will help homeowners defend themselves against improper foreclosure actions involving mortgage fraud, servicer misconduct or other legal violations. The remaining $1.5 billion will establish a Borrower Payment The Chicago Crusader
ter how meaningful, is going to entirely heal the housing market. But this settlement is a start.” Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) agreed, adding, “Despite its limitations, the settlement requires real reforms in the mortgage servicing industry to stop sloppy business practices and out-and-out fraud. It will also help stabilize housing markets and property values by giving more homeowners a chance to restructure or refinance out of unaffordable loans that are underwater.” For consumers and communities seeking financial relief and fairness, the settlement offers three key takeaways: 1. Bank accountability: The settlement preserves the right to pursue claims of criminal violations. State attorneys general can also initiate cases related to fair lending abuses and securities fraud. 2. A stop to robo-signing and other mortgage servicing abuses: Banks are required to review foreclosure documents individually. Before a foreclosure can lawfully proceed, other options must be exhausted. Settlement payBlacks Must control their own coMMunity
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COMMUNITY
Spike Lee talks movies, education and Black culture at CSU By J. Coyden Palmer
As part of the Revolution, Reels & Rhythms Black History Month lecture series, worldrenowned filmmaker Spike Lee gave a keynote address February 8 in the Jacoby Dickens Center on the campus of Chicago State University. An overflow crowd of 3,000 people listened to the director of hit movies “He Got Game” and “Malcolm X” speak about racism in Hollywood, the need for African Americans to better tell stories about African American culture and education being a key component of moving the community forward. Lee also was given a tour of the South Side campus by CSU President Dr. Wayne Watson. Lee’s appearance at CSU was the buzz of the campus all last week. Students as well as members of the community came out in droves, forcing officials to move the event originally scheduled for an auditorium in the library to the larger Dickens Center. After an hour-long speech, Lee fielded questions from the audience for 30 minutes. School officials are looking to raise the
profile of the University. “The American Dream is alive and well, and Spike embodies everything that dream has to offer,” said Kwesi Ronald Harris, director of CSU’s African-American Male Resource Center and one of the event’s hosts. “Spike’s message of opportunity, historical context, social justice and his commitment to higher education is everything we’re embracing at CSU.” But before he got into the context of his speech, Lee took time to chide Chicago sports fans. Dressed in a blue, Victor Ortiz New York Giants football jersey and matching hat, Lee asked the crowd, “Where were the Bears at?” One of New York’s most visible sports fans, Lee was basking in the glow of the Giants Super Bowl victory just days before. Then Lee quickly turned to more serious topics. He started by telling the audience how in the summer of 1977 he borrowed a friend’s camera and just began filming throughout New York. He was doing so at a time when New Yorkers were dealing with a crime wave being committed by serial killer David Berkowitz, also
known as “Son of Sam.” Lee produced a movie about the topic in 1999 titled “Summer of Sam.” “I tell you it was the most fun I’d ever had during that crazy summer,” Lee said. “It was some-
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Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
SPIKE LEE GETS a tour of a Chicago State University classroom prior to his address before students and community members recently. Lee explained how he got his start as a filmmaker and encouraged the audience members to follow their dreams. thing new and something that I quickly loved. So when you are deciding on a career, choose something you love, not something you think you can make a lot of money at.”
Lee’s films have often been controversial; “Jungle Fever” and “Do the Right Thing” are some examples. He said some of it is intentional and some of it is not. (Continued on page 11)
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Spike Lee talks movies, education and Black culture at CSU (Continued from page 10)
He said getting people to talk about your work, whether it is negative or positive is a good thing, because conversations often lead to solutions. In light of all his controversy, Lee said he managed to overcome many obstacles in the movie industry, most notably in getting the story of Malcolm X told. Based on the book, “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Alex Haley, “X” was a film Warner Brothers gave Lee a budget of $28 million for, but Lee protested
was a little more than three hours. In 2010, “X” was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” “The one thing you’re going to have to do in no matter what field you choose is be prepared to go it alone if it’s something that you truly believe in,” Lee said. “I’ve always had the mentality of being willing to do whatever it takes to get something done if it is something that I believe in.” Lee told CSU students that
SPIKE LEE SPOKE to a packed house recently when he visited Chicago State University. Part of Lee’s presentation involved discussing the obstacles in making the movie Malcolm X. very rich history and there are lieves a much larger emphasis Black women. He said knowing still plenty of stories that have yet needs to be placed on education about where one came from and to be told.” having love for your own people and building self-esteem. Lee also addressed many of the The son of an English teacher is an important component for social issues that have been de- and a third generation graduate building a community. structive to the Black community of Morehouse College in Atlanta, “We’re coming from a time over the years. He said the illegal Lee said the lack of knowledge when it was against the law to drug trade and violence associat- about Black history is what is read and write, and now in 2012, ed with it is taking away poten- leading many young Black men half of Black males don’t even tially some of the brightest minds into the drug trade and commit- graduate high school. We can do in the community. Instead he be- ting disrespectful acts towards better. We have to do better.”
SPIKE LEE TALKS with Chicago State University President Wayne Watson prior to Lee’s presentation at the school. saying he would need at least $30 million. When the budget impasse led to a shutdown during post-production, Lee asked for help from opulent African Americans who believed in Lee’s vision for the film. Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Janet Jackson, Prince and Bill Cosby were just some of the people who donated money to Lee so the film could be completed. In addition, Warner Brothers did not want the movie to go past two hours and 15 minutes. Lee told the CSU crowd that “would have been an injustice to the film.” The final version
there are many stories of the African American Diaspora that have yet to be told and need to be told. He said despite what many think, he does not believe he and John Singleton are the only ones who can produce good films on African American life. “If you make a good film that studios think they can make money off of, trust me they will find you,” Lee said. “While you may not get the recognition that you may deserve from the Academy, getting the film out in mass to the people is the most important thing. Our people have a
SPIKE LEE, who drew a standing room only crowd at Chicago State University, was introduced by CSU President Wayne Watson.
SPIKE LEE’S PRESENTATION appealed to a broad range of Chicagoans whom he told that there are many films about African Americans and the African Diaspora that still need to be made.
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Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
SPIKE LEE’S APPEARANCE at Chicago State University might have been intended for students, but people of all ages showed up to hear the acclaimed filmmaker.
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The NEW Four-One-One
ENTERTAINMENT
By Raymond Ward Entertainment Editor MORE BIG EASY: More superstar entertainers and participants have been added to the line-up for the 2012 New Orleans "ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL: The Power Of Our Voice" which will take place July 6th through July 8th.
ENTERTAINMENT: CHICAGO STYLE Safe House
By Elaine Hegwood Bowen, MSJ
Safe House is a movie where Denzel Washington is an ex-CIA agent on the lam, after having had a successful career, killing those people that got in his way, all with the permission of the U.S. Government. Denzel plays Tobin Frost, who is making waves in Cape Town, South Africa, after having dropped off the government radar. He is in a sticky situation, where he has been selling military intelligence, and a group of mercenaries are after him. After a close call, where they think they have killed him, Frost is forced to walk into the U.S. Embassy, just to save his life.
Mary J. Blige
Scheduled to participate are: Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Steve Harvey, Charlie Wilson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Dru Hill, Eric Roberson, Estelle, Fred Hammond, Fantasia, Goapele, Keyshia Cole, Kris Royal & Dark Matter and Kindred the Family Soul. Also, Ledisi, Luke James, Mary Mary, Representative Maxine Waters, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Raheem DeVaughn, Stephanie Mills, Dr. Steve Perry, The Stooges Brass Band, The Stylistics, SWV, Tank and Vivian Green. Buy your tickets now for the best seats at the best prices. Visit EssenceMusicFestival.com or call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. And....while you're in New Orleans remember: whatever your rhythm you'll always have the right moves in Louisiana. Whatever your style, Louisiana's diverse musical roots will instill in you a powerful connection to the city and its people. Visit AStoryLikeNoOther.com for stories, photos, itineries---even a free iPhone app.guide.
Shortly thereafter, Frost ends up in a “safe house,” where the CIA is prepared to interrogate him about his actions during the past decade or so. The safe house’s housekeeper Matt Weston, played by Ryan Reynolds, has just been sitting idle for months, waiting for some action. His job
DENZEL WASHINGTON, in one of his many disguises as he plays Tobin Forst in Safe House. now become partners who must rely on each other for safety. But the seed has been planted, and Weston must quickly discern
and he plays a character that we have seen many times: he’s conniving, commands the screen and he slyly impresses Weston enough
GONE TOO SOON!
RYAN REYNOLDS ALLOWS Denzel Washington to take the wheel in the movie Safe House, as they try to find a safe spot.
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Whitney Houston 1963-2012
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is to contain and protect Frost, until he can be sent to the United States. But Frost is having none of that, as he ends up “mind-juggling” with Weston. Weston’s hands are filled and he takes on much more than for what he’s bargained. After a feeble attempt at water boarding, where Frost is coaching the CIA in how to get it just right to force him to talk like a canary, the safe house is compromised—the mercenaries breach security and come gunning for Frost. Weston and Frost
whether their attackers are really bad guys or if they have been sent by others on the inside. He must do this quickly, in order for both men to stay alive. In the interim, Weston learns a lot about being a good CIA agent from Frost, as he tries to stay one step ahead, so he can make his bosses proud. But some of his bosses are on the hot seat, because they fear the information that Frost has been trying to sell for millions will expose their own corruption. Safe House is a lot like many Denzel movies,
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so that Weston seems in awe of his charge. In fact, Denzel’s appearance in a few scenes so closely resembles those presented in the Malcolm X movie that it’s surprising. However, the locale, South Africa, is great to behold, and the stadium, car chase and ‘shoot-em-up’ scenes keep the excitement going. Vera Farmiga, Ruben Blades and Sam Shepard are also part of the cast. Safe House is playing in local theaters. The Chicago Crusader
lThe Chicago Crusader
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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
45th Anniversary…It’s a “Celebration!:”
Pop R&B Classic: Kool & The Gang
Band boasts 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop Hits, 31 Gold and Platinum Albums
Legendary groovemeisters Kool & The Gang are back in the arena limelight in a big way, opening for Van Halen on an extensive North American Tour that kicks off in Louisville on February 18. The tour will hit Chicago on Monday, February 24 in the United Center. Combining soulful R&B, pop, hip-hop, Urban AC and more, Kool & the Gang will showcase their extraordinary versatility, qualities that, after 45 years together, have won them the status of musical icons. Kool & The Gang have sold over 70 million albums worldwide and influenced the music of three generations. Thanks to songs like Celebration, Cherish, Summer Madness and Open Sesame, the group has earned two Grammy® Awards and seven American Music Awards and amassed 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums.Kool & The Gang have performed continuously longer
than any R&B group in history. “We are not over yet, we have other things we want to do— when my legs won’t run to those airports anymore then I might give up,” say band co-founder Ronald Khalis Bell. Kool & The Gang vaulted up the pop charts with such indelible tracks as Celebration, Ladies Night and Joanna and continue to deliver a fleet of silky, melodic tunes in their live stage jams,” with a trademark blend of irresistible grooves, expressive horn lines and infectious chorus hooks. Their bulletproof funk and tough, jazzy arrangements have also made them the most sampled band of all time. With the explosion of hip-hop in the ’90s, Kool & the Gang’s incredible catalog of grooves has made them DJ favorites, and they are second only to R&B icon James Brown as sources of rapmusic samples. The Hits Reloaded album found the band collaborating with such acolytes as Lil’ Kim, Sean Paul, Ashanti, and Blackstreet, among others. As they have done for 45 years, Kool & The Gang relay messages
Kool & The Gang of compassion and hope with the same grace and musicality that have made them a household name for decades. As the purveyors of such bootyrocking standards as Jungle Boogie and Hollywood Swinging, the gang never fails to flex their funk – on both old-school workouts
and hip-hop jams. Shortly after their launch, Kool and the Gang found a special sound at the unique intersection of jazz, R&B, funk and pop and their music has been created by the same core of players for over 40 years: Robert “Kool” Bell, his brother Ronald Khalis Bell, their
longtime friends Dennis “DT” Thomas and George “Funky” Brown. Other sidemen include, Clifford Adams, Lavelle Evans, Larry Gittens, Timothy Horton, Shawn McQuiller, Michael Ray and Curtis “Fitz” Williams.
The DuSable Museum and Nielsen present“The Trillion Dollar Question” The DuSable Museum of African American History joins with Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights, to present “The Trillion Dollar Question,” an essential and timely discussion inspired by the findings highlighted in “The State of the African American Consumer Report,” a recent consumer study by Nielsen, in collaboration with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). The Report findings show that the buying power of African Americans is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2015 and this event will inform and motivate the audience on strategies to maximize their position as one of America’s most valuable consumer groups. The event will take place on Thursday, February 23, 2012 from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM at the Museum which is located at 740 East 56th Place (57th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue) in Chicago. This “town hall meeting” seeks to go beyond just an intellectual discussion, as there will be a keen focus on concrete solutions and specific actions to address the challenge of financially empowering the African American community. Panelists and special audience guests of The Trillion 14
development of neighborhoods that foster business opportunity, civic activism and healthy lifestyle.
Donna Gaines
Naomi Davis
Ron Carter
Dollar Question include solution-oriented business professionals who not only understand the theory of economic empowerment, but are also practicing the principles in their own highly successful professional and personal lives. Participants scheduled to participate include: CHERYL PEARSON-McNEIL is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Nielsen. She leads the company’s multi-million dollar diversity advertising strategy and its external African American Advisory Council. Ms. PearsonMcNeil is responsible for the development of The State of the
African-American Consumer Report, Nielsen’s first comprehensive compilation of trends and insights of a multicultural demographic group.
keting, advertising and media directed to the African American market.
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TOM BURRELL - Marketing/Communications pioneer and Advertising Hall of Fame inductee Tom Burrell is credited with revolutionizing the image of African Americans in television and changing the face of American advertising. KEN SMIKLE, president and founder of Target Market News, and editor and publisher of its publications, is considered one of the leading authorities on mar-
RON CARTER is chairman of Black Wall Street-Chicago. Black Wall Street-Chicago raises the stakes of business leaders, hosting quarterly summits as a means to increase knowledge building in sustaining and increasing Chicago’s Black businesses. NAOMI DAVIS is an urban theorist, attorney, activist and president and founder of “BIG: Blacks in Green.” In that role, she serves as a bridge and catalyst among communities and their stakeholders in the design and
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DONNA GAINES - As President & CEO for the Alliance of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs (ABLE), Donna Gaines pursues new paradigms in small and minority business development for its members and the community. Ms. Gaines represented ABLE in discussions on small business development with members of the Public Liaison’s Office of President-elect Barack Obama’s Transition Team, and was in attendance at the White House for President Obama’s announcement of the formation of the “Middle Class Task Force for Working Families,” chaired by Vice President Joseph Biden. Admission to “The Trillion Dollar Question” is FREE for DuSable Museum Members and $10 per person for Non-Members. This event will also be simulcast “live” on the DuSable Museum website. Viewers may join in the discussion by asking questions through The DuSable “facebook” page. For more information on this program please visit www.dusablemuseum.org, or telephone 773-947-0600. The Chicago Crusader
SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING The Missionary Society of Progressive Community Center, The People’s Church is hosting their annual breakfast on Saturday, February 12, 2012 beginning at 9:00 AM in the church banquet hall, 56 East 48th Street. According to event chair Ruby Hammond this year’s theme is “We’ve Come This Far by Sharing Our Faith.” Delivering this year’s message is Elder Rosalind Collins. The Missionary Society is dedicating this year’s breakfast to the memory of Mrs. Eunice Thomas, affectionately known as “Aunt Eunice” by members and friends of the society. “Eunice was a very
We’ve come this far
strong advocate of the Missionary Society,” Dolores Fields, president and friend of Thomas stated. “Dedicating this year’s breakfast to her memory and the works she did for the society is a simple expression of our gratitude for having known her for so many years.” Thomas made her transition in 2011 at the age of 99, and was an avid supporter of the breakfast and other church activities. “It was always a pleasure to have Eunice remind me about the breakfast,” one supporter said. “She always made sure she filled at least one table with people she believed would be supportive of the event.”
The sumputious meal consisting of eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, fruits, biscuits, juice, coffee and danish rolls is available for a small donation of $12. The morning’s activities will also include songs in addition to the inspirational message. “We are looking forward to having an extraordinary time at this year’s breakfast,” Field said. “The Missionary Society has worked diligently this year, as in previous years, to provide a prayer breakfast which will feed not just the body but the soul as well.” This is just one of several events planned by the Missionary Society for 2012.
Youth programs abound at St. Mark UMC
St. Mark United Methodist Church, the largest AfricanAmerican church in the United Methodist Northern Illinois Conference, was founded on the South Side of Chicago in 1893. Since that time the leadership and congregation have continued to live their mission to help people to “grow in their relationships with God through faith in Jesus
and the like. According to church leadership there are a number of ministries that cater to this group of tomorrow’s leaders. One of the ministries that has been active at St. Mark for over 25 years is the Girl Scouts. The Girl Scout ministry at St. Mark consists of approximately 60 girls who are currently enrolled in kindergarten through 11th grade
tion’s capitol; Cincinnati, Ohio to visit the National Underground Railroad Museum, and to Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin just to have a little water park fun. St. Mark UMC Girl Scouts are participating in the 100th birthday of Girls Scouts on March 12, 2012. Each girl is collecting at least 100 pennies and combining her pennies with not only the
THE WORSHIP DEMONSTRATION TEAM performs during the Martial Arts Sunday worship service. Christ, to one another, and to the larger community, as it implements ministries that make known the Kingdom of God on earth.” In today’s society children young and old sometimes find themselves on the outside looking in trying to find their place. Through St. Mark’s youth programming young boys and girls, teen boys and girls and young adults have opportunities that help build character, focus on virtues and good citizenship in addition to developing life skills
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or in Girl Scout terminology, Daisies through Ambassadors. Currently St. Mark UMC Girl Scouts are in the process of getting ready for cookies to be delivered. For the past 5 years the girls have sold over 48,000 boxes of cookies. Which has enabled the troops to go to camp, purchase scouting materials and travel to a number of local venues. At the end of each scouting year the girls and their families go on a trip. St. Mark UMC Girl Scouts have travelled to Washington, D. C. to visit historic landmarks in the na-
scouts at St. Mark but other Girl Scouts in the area. The pennies collected will be used to purchase a tree that will be planted in a location of the girls’ choosing. But this Saturday, February 18, 2012 the Girl Scouts will celebrate and recognize World Thinking Day. Each year on (or around) February 22nd Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world celebrate World Thinking Day. It is a day when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts think of each other and give thanks and appreciation for the international
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The late Eunice Thomas Trinity United Church of Christ The Micah Legal Ministry to host Illinois Judicial Council panel discussion on urban issues and the judiciary The Micah Legal Ministry of Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 West 95th Street, seeks to keep congregants and others informed about their rights as the situation relates to the legal system. On Sunday, February 19 at 2:30 PM the Illinois Judicial Council will discuss the relationship between the frequency, severity and duration of juvenile neglect and abuse, and juvenile delinquency. The guest panelists include: The Honorable Timothy C.
friendship they find in Girl Scouting and Girl Guides. St. Mark UMC Girls Scouts will make a presentation on their assigned country, India. The presentation will provide basic facts about India, its people and its culture. The girls will prepare Indian food that will be served at a reception held after the presentations. In addition to the St. Mark UMC Girl Scouts there also are the St. Mark Boy Scouts who by the way made history last year by having the largest number of scouts to earn the Eagle Scout award at one time. Current members of the St. Mark UMC Boy Scouts are completing service projects such as collect items to be donated to a local animal shelter that will help them to earn their pin. It is no wonder that when visiting St. Mark UMC one detects a sense of calm, organization, one knows that one is in a place where leaders worship. St. Mark recently recognized classical singer Jonita Lattimore for receiving the
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Evans, Chief Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois; The Honorable Patricia Martin Presiding Judge Child Protection Division, Circuit Court of Cook County, IL; The Honorable Carl A. Walker Juvenile Justice Division Circuit Court of Cook County, IL and The Honorable Carl A. Walker Juvenile Justice Division Circuit Court of Cook County, IL. Moderated by Renee Ferguson, former investigative reporter, CBS 2 and NBC 5 the afternoon should prove to offer great insight into the world of this state’s judicial system. The Micah Legal Ministry is just one of several ministries at Trinity UCC that are a part of the Trinity experience.
Legendary Musical Giant Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Classical. Youth can also enjoy exploring careers in solar and wind energy, urban farming and computer science in the Exploring Science Careers and there is also the United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF), which caters to youth ages 12-18. UMYF plans activities, helps the church and the community and develops the character of members. In addition, youth plan fellowship activities and fundraising events. Adults 23 and above are invited to serve as Youth Leaders. So the fellowship experience at St. Mark UMC can be extensive for youth and adults but one can say for certain that it is a little hard to be bored once you get involved. Services at St. Mark are held every Sunday at 7:30 am, 9:30 am, and 11:15 am. For more information, visit www.stmarkumcchicago.org. 15
BUSINESS
Super Bowl, Super Dollars By Cheryl Pearson-McNeil NNPA Columnist Being that I’m not a football fan, it stands to reason that the Super Bowl isn’t normally high on my priority list. But I felt I had a vested interest in tracking the results of Super Bowl XLVI this year for a few reasons. First of all, I’m from Fort Wayne, Indiana (don’t hate) and since the big game was being held in Indianapolis this year I wanted to be sure my state delivered a quality product of which I could be proud. Secondly, I was interested in seeing if this year’s Super Bowl XLVI could deliver more viewers than the last record setting game (including African-American viewers). And lastly, I love creativity and wanted to see how much was apparent in the commercials that usually debut during the game. So of course I did not actually watch the game. But hey, I work for a research company, so I know exactly what happened! Apparently, Indianapolis delivered. There were no major catastrophes or mishaps that will make the state hang its head in shame. In fact, I dare say I had a couple of East Coast friends who attended
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the game say how impressed they were with the city. That they were surprised not to see corn stalks growing in the middle of downtown. Yes, we Hoosiers can be sophisticated when we need to be. As for delivering viewers – Super Bowl XLVI did not disappoint. I have observed in previous columns that the popularity of football seems to have replaced baseball as that age-old American pastime – at least when it comes to television viewing. Last year, Super Bowl XLV, ranked as the #1 Most Watched Show for African-Ameri-
cans (ages 2+), with 12.5 million viewers, from January 2011 – June 2011. This year’s Super Bowl XLVI upheld that new tradition, and attracted even more viewers, an estimated 111.3 million total viewers. Whether you are a diehard fan or a non-football enthusiast such as myself – that’s pretty impressive. (At press time I didn’t know how many of this year’s viewers were Black, but of course I’ll share that information with you as soon as I get it). What’s even more impressive was that $3.5 million advertisers were willing to pay for each thirty second commercial for a chance to reach those millions of viewers. That’s up from $3.1 million from last year’s Super Bowl. I watched every single one of the 54 commercials online back to back. Even minus the football game itself, that took me a while. Nostalgic, confusing, goofy, bad taste, sentimental, action-packed, morbid, sexy, intriguing, fantasy-filled, hilarious – although there were a couple of spots that were unremarkable, there was most assuredly at least one spot that resonated with every viewer (and what’s a Super Bowl game without a cameo appearance
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Cheryl Pearson-McNeil
by Betty White or a shout out to Aretha Franklin these days?) Of course I have my favorites. We all do, which is why those spots cost so much. They grab our attention and are discussed around the water cooler – or, er, in the age of Twitter – tweeted about ad nausea for the next few days. The types of ads that dominate the Super Bowl scene historically tend to be the same each year. According to Nielsen, five advertising categories dominated Super Bowl broadcasts from 2007 – 2011: $172.2 million Automotive: spent over that period Beer: $126.9 million Motion Picture: $120.7 million Regular Soft Drink: $81.2 million Tortilla Chips: $42.5 million Advertisers make such substantial investments because data, analysis and the bottom line – brand awareness, which translates into spending dollars – prove that the Super Bowl is a sure thing. The investment returns are measurable. Ads that aired during 2011’s Super Bowl XLV were, on average, 58% more memorable than commercials which ran dur-
ing regular programming in the first quarter of 2011. That all important brand awareness for commercials airing during the Super Bowl time slot was nearly 275% higher than awareness for the same spots which ran during regular programming. Did your affinity toward any of your favorite brands increase because of their commercials? Or, were you enticed by the elaborate advertising to try the other guy? That’s what it’s all about. While we are certainly entertained, we are also presented with a myriad of choices. How and where we choose to spend our hard-earned consumer dollars is up to us. As always – even for the non-sports fans among us – that’s power, people. And oh, by the way – I saw streaming video of the halftime show after the live broadcast. Madonna, girl, if that’s what 53 looks like, I want to be like you when I grow up! Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is senior vice president of public affairs and government relations for Nielsen. For more information and studies go to www.nielsenwire.com
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ACCESS Fathers Program seeks participants Access Community Health Network Men’s Health Department, in conjunction with the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs and the Chicago Parenting Initiative, is looking for participants for its new “Fathers: Turning Young Men Into Fathers” program. “The program, with the input of male participants, will provide services that will increase the health outcomes of their female partners and children, and their physical and behavioral health outcomes as well,” said Bragg. “The subsequent research will show the impact of male involvement services on maternal child health outcomes.” The program will be conducted at ACCESS health centers on the South and West sides of Chicago. The aim of the “Fathers: Turning Young Men Into Fathers” program is to encourage young men to become more involved in their healthcare outcomes by receiving medical services; physical and mental health services; parenting education; employment assis-
tance; life skills development; and legal assistance. The program also seeks to help fathers become more involved with their children and partners, who are teen girls aged 15-18. To learn more and to register for upcoming sessions, please call 312.733.4475. ABOUT ACCESS Access Community Health Network offers outstanding primary and preventive care in more than 50 community health center locations throughout Chicago, suburban Cook and DuPage counties. Accredited by the Joint Commission, ACCESS health centers provide high-quality, affordable health care, which is accessible to patients right in their communities. More than 200,000 patients of all ages depend on ACCESS for preventive services, medical care and consultation with specialists. To schedule an appointment for you or your family, call toll free 1.866.882.2237. Visit www.accesscommunityhealth.net and follow ACCESS on Twitter at http: //twitter.com/ACCESSHealth.
American Diabetes Association to Host 8th Annual Care to Cure: A Sunday Brunch Chicago Bears Lineman Roberto Garza Featured as Special Guest Join the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for its 8th Annual Care to Cure: A Sunday Brunch on March 4, 2012 at Soldier Field’s United Club at 11:00 a.m. Chicago Bears Lineman Roberto Garza is featured as this year’s special guest. Ryan Baker, CBS Sports Director, will serve as Master of Cere-
Roberto Garza monies. Care to Cure: A Sunday Brunch is an annual fundraiser that benefits ADA research, programs and advocacy with a special opportunity for guests to support ADA summer camps for children with diabetes. “The ADA is the only organization in Northern Illinois that provides support to children with diabetes and their families through our unique camping program and our other youth initiatives,” says Northern IL/Northern IN ADA Executive Director, Jeanette Flom. “This event is a great opportunity to send a child with diabetes to camp and raise funds that will go towards finding a cure.”
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During the event, guests will enjoy a seated brunch, a silent auction, a program that features stories by Roberto Garza and ADA campers and an opportunity to fund camp scholarships. VIP guests will also have the opportunity to attend the VIP Reception with a Behind the Scenes tour of Soldier Field, including the locker room, on-field access, and the box suite. They will also have the exclusive opportunity for a photo op and autograph from Roberto Garza. If you would like to support this event by purchasing a ticket, $200 for an individual and $100 for a child, or for more information please call Kristen Young at 312346-1805 ext. 6572. The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-3422383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
ACCESS COMMUNITY HEALTH Network’s Charles Barron, M.D.; CEO Donna Thompson; Dir. of Research Programs Milton Eder, Ph.D.; Dir. of Maternal Child Health Misty Drake; Program Manager Brian Bragg; Program Supervisor Lisa Doot and one of the Chicago Parenting Initiative’s FATHERS Program partners Ron Tonn, COO of North Lawndale Employment Network, at the recent kick-off event for the FATHERS Program. The FATHERS Program, which will be implemented on Chicago’s South and West sides, will help sustain and keep young mothers and fathers together, while strengthening the family unit and supporting the entire household by providing needed medical care and community resources. (Photo by Warren Skalski Photography)
$25 billion mortgage settlement seen as one step towards fairness (Continued from page 9) tion of the new servicing standards. In June 2010, CRL research
HOUSES FOR SALE
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found that African-American and Latino homeowners with mortgages lost $350 billion of family wealth through foreclosures. A 2011 foreclosure update by CRL again found that these communities of color continued to suffer disproportionate losses. Even when African-American and Latino consumers had high credit scores of 660 or more, they were still three times more likely than similar white consumers to receive a high-cost loan with risky features.
LEGAL NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was filed by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. File No. D12128995on the 1st day of February, 2012. Under the Assumed Name of VELDANA PRO with the business located at 400 W. Ontario #513, Chicago, IL 60654. The true name(s) and residence address of the owner(s) is Daniela Velasquez, 400 W. Ontario, Chicago, IL 60654. 2/4/12, 2/11/12, 2/18/12
Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said of the settlement, “You cannot put a dollar value on the suffering of these families but we can seek progress. And today’s settlement is a step in the right direction.” Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at: Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org
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SPORTS McDonald’s® celebrates 35 years of All American basketball games 35th McDonald’s All American® Games coincides with the release of the 35 Greatest McDonald’s All American Players List
Carter (1995), Kevin Garnett (1995), Paul Pierce (1995), Kobe Bryant (1996), Jay Williams (1999), Carmelo Anthony
Last week, the McDonald’s All American Games unveiled its list of 35 of the Greatest McDonald’s All Americans, released in celebration of the 35th Anniversary of the McDonald’s All American High School Boys Basketball Game and in an effort to honor all the elite athletes that have participated in the Games over its
American Games, success at the collegiate and professional level, and post-career accomplishments. “For 35 years, the McDonald’s All American Games have showcased the top high school basket-
ball players nationwide,” said Morgan Wootten, McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee Chairman. “These 35 players are representative of all the great athletes that have participated in the McDonald’s All
American Games over the years.” Each of the 35 Greatest McDonald’s All Americans will receive a custom-designed basketball, produced by Anaconda Sports® The Rock®, to commemorate this special honor.
LeBron James (2002), Amare Stoudemire (2002), LeBron James (2003), Chris Paul (2003), Dwight Howard (2004), Tyler Hansbrough (2005), Kevin Durant
Derrick Rose history. The 35 of the Greatest McDonald’s All Americans list is comprised of some of the top names in basketball history, and features past and present Olympics, NBA and NCAA stars, including: Earvin “Magic” Johnson (McDonald’s All American class of 1977), Clark Kellogg (1979), Ralph Sampson (1979), Isiah Thomas (1979), Dominique Wilkins (1979), James Worthy (1979), Sam Perkins
Earvin “Magic” Johnson (2006) and Derrick Rose (2007). “This list of great McDonald’s All Americans recognizes 35 years of basketball excellence,” said Douglas Freeland, director of the McDonald’s All American Games. “These players are a veri-
Kobe Bryant (1980), Glenn “Doc” Rivers (1980), Patrick Ewing (1981), Michael Jordan (1981), Chris Mullin (1981), Kenny Smith (1983), Danny Manning (1984), Larry Johnson (1987), Christian Laettner (1988), Alonzo Mourning (1988), Bobby Hurley (1989), Shaquille O’Neal (1989), Grant Hill (1990), Glenn Robinson (1991), Jason Kidd (1992), Jerry Stackhouse (1993), Vince
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Michael Jordan table ‘who’s who’ of basketball’s modern era.” Each of the players was selected by members of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee. In determining the list, all past McDonald’s All Americans were considered based on his high school career and performance in the McDonald’s All Blacks Must control their own coMMunity
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