January 7, 2015

January 1 - 7, 2015

VOL. 63, No. 52

www.tsdmemphis.com

75 Cents

How music is fueling the #BlackLivesMatter movement

by Deonna Anderson New America Media via VoiceWaves

LONG BEACH – I still remember the first time I heard Lupe Fiasco’s “All Black Everything.” I was in my apartment in Davis, Calif., where I attended college. When I heard the words, I was reminded of the history of black people in America. It made me want to learn even more about my history. Everyone has a sphere of influence, and the music made me ask myself: “How am I using mine?”

Since August, when unarmed teenager Michael Brown was killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., young people have rallied in the streets of Ferguson, New York, Oakland, Los Angeles and other towns across the nation and the world. In Long Beach, young people recently began organizing around the slogan #BlackLivesMatter, a campaign born in 2012 after Trayvon

The rapper Common (right) and Long Beach music artist Vince Staples (left) with the parents of Michael Brown. (Photo: courtesy VoiceWaves) Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, was acquitted of all charges.

Throughout, music has been an undeniable part of the protests, the lat-

est reminder that when used the right way, music can inspire social change.

“Music can be considered the heartbeat of social movements,” says Eric Tandoc, a DJ and a community organizer at the Filipino Migrant Center in Long Beach. Tandoc regularly uses art to inspire youth to take action on social and political issues.

“Not everyone is going to listen to a speech or read a book, but people will listen to a 3-minute song,” he says.

Nationally, respected musicians such as Questlove of the hip-hop group The Roots have urged musicians to create more protest songs, and artists are responding.

The truth of the matter is, musicians have more influence than I do, and even more influence than they had in the 1980s or 1960s. In the age of social media, the possibility of communication between musicians and their fans has been brought to an all time high. If young people see

their favorite musician talking about social change, they might pay more attention to what is happening and be inclined to get involved in making a positive impact.

In his song “ Hands Up,” north Long Beach native Vince Staples raps, “Raidin’ homes without a warrant/Shoot him first without a warning/And they expect respect and non-violence/I refuse the right to be silent.” Fellow Long Beach rapper Crooked I, recently going by Kxing Crooked, released “I Can’t Breathe” in which he raps, “So, no, I can’t buy that pellet gun/They might try to Tamir Rice you.” Tamir Rice was a 12-year old Black boy who was killed by a police officer last month in Cleveland, Ohio.

But lyrics about the current events aren’t just happening in Long Beach.

Let’s go down the list: • Six days after Brown’s death, SEE MUSIC ON PAGE 2

ANALYSIS

SHINNING STAR

What should we expect from the newly-elected African-American Republicans?

Mo’ne Davis Female Athlete of the Year, says Associated Press

by Freddie Allen

The Root

by Yesha Callahan

NNPA News Service

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – African-American Republicans made history during the midterm elections in November by winning in Texas, South Carolina and Utah, but political analysts wonder if the victories will have any longterm impact on the future of the GOP in the AfricanA m e r i c a n community.

Tim Traditionally, Scott A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n candidates running for elected offices not only need a large AfricanA m e r i c a n turnout, but also a majority of the AfricanAmerican vote to win statewide Mia and national Love races.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina made history by becoming the first AfricanA m e r i c a n Republican elected to serve in both the United States House of Representatives and the United Will States Senate.

Hurd He won with just 10 percent of the African-American vote and 82 percent of the white vote, according to exit polls.

Rep.-elect Will Hurd beat his Democratic challenger Pete Gallego in Texas by a narrow 2.1 percent SEE REPUBLICANS ON PAGE 3

MEMPHIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

H-42o - L-41o

H-48o - L-44o

Rain

REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS

Rain

SUNDAY

H-46o - L-33o

Partly Cloudy

Friday Saturday Sunday H-41 L-39 H-48 L-39 H-45 L-31 H-39 L-37 H-46 L-41 H-47 L-32 H-51 L-48 H-64 L-49 H-56 L-38

All together...

The lighting of the Kinara was a team effort involving these children and a little help from Reuben Barnes Jr., aka Diallo Khari, on Day 2 (Kujichagulia - Self Determination) of Kwanzaa at Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, Miss. See page 11 for additional Kwanzaa celebrations. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Change agents of 2014:

African-American women on social media

by Kirsten West Savali The Root

When herstory reflects on the year 2014, the many ways in which African-American women used their social media influence to address pivotal issues will be front and center.

In the tradition of iconic feminist scholar Audre Lorde, the year 2014 found African-American women positioning self-preservation as an act of political warfare on both individual and institutional levels. Whether addressing intraracial domestic violence and the perpetuation of rape culture or the pervasiveness of street harassment, negative media depictions and political marginalization, African-American women were not followers on social media; they were and remain leaders.

Among those leaders is Kimberlé Crenshaw, a law professor at Columbia University and founder of the African American Policy Forum.

Crenshaw spearheaded the #WhyWeCantWait movement to protest the exclusion of women and girls of color from President Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. Her refusal to allow the erasure of black women from conversations on dismantling structural racism was met with wide criticism from many in the African-American community who attributed #WhyWeCantWait to feminists run amok – but that didn’t stop the AAPF. Organizers launched a social media blitz, drafting a letter to President Obama that was signed by more than 1,000 women – including writer Alice Walker, actress Rosario Dawson and legendary activist Angela Davis.

Activists highlighted their assertion that President Obama outsourced

concern for African-American women and girls to his staff, as opposed to including them in his strongest racial initiative to date. The flawed and sexist logic that positions the Beverly Good- empowerment of en (Photo: bev- African-Amererlygooden. ican women as adjacent or seccom) ondary to that of African-American men is one the AAPF continues to challenge on social media and beyond.

Sil Lai Abrams’ RedefiningHERStory has taken her work as founder Kimberlé Cren- and CEO of Truth shaw (Photo: in Reality from Columbia Law the Twittersphere to the campusSchool) es of Grambling State University and Howard University. Determined to situate what some consider to be “guilty pleasure” reality television within this country’s tradition of dehumanizing African-American women, she has used social media to protest the narrative that black women’s realities can be defined by dysfunctional entertainment. Abrams interrupts VH1’s programming each Monday with a Twitter chat that serves to provide an alternative dialogue that runs parallel to viewers’ live tweets during the show.

Author and activist Feminista Jones (No. 59 on The Root 100 list this year) has used her powerful voice to mobilize her diverse social media following behind #YouOKSis, a digital movement to raise awareness about the harassment that women face just trying to navigate public spaces. As more and more women shared their stories, many were cyberattacked by men who accused them of being in bed with the white supremacist power structure that victimizes African-American men through incarceration and police brutality.

Despite these attempts at shaming black women into silence, African-American women continued to speak out, eventually bringing street harassment to the forefront of the national consciousness.

And it didn’t stop there.

Beverly Gooden created the #WhyIStayed hashtag to combat the victim blaming that emerged in the wake of the news that former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice had viciously assaulted his then-fiancee, now-wife, Janay Rice, in an elevator in the now-defunct Revel Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. Keeping the spotlight on domestic violence forced the NFL to take action – suspending Rice – and to change its domestic violence policy.

Prior to that, African-American women appalled by D.L. Hughley’s blatant disrespect of domestic violence victim Tanee McCall-Short banded together through social media and a Change.org petition. The pushback forced the comedian to apologize for his words, acknowledge the severity of domestic violence SEE AGENTS ON PAGE 3

Mo’ne Davis had a lot to celebrate in 2014.

The Philadelphia Little Leaguer took the saying “You throw like a girl” to new heights after becoming the first girl to win a Little League World Series game.

From that point on, she proved to be unstoppable.

Mo’ne’s accomplishments include appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated, having her jersey displayed in baseball’s Hall of Fame and being named Sports Illustrated Kids’ SportsKid of the Year. And let’s not forget that time she met the president and even starred in a Spike Lee commercial.

And what better way to top off the year than to be named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year?

“A lot of adults around me help out, taught me to be respectful, to be calm during everything and not let anything get to you,” Mo’ne said after learning of her latest honor.

Mo’ne is the youngest winner in the history of the award.

But don’t ever label Mo’ne a onetrick pony. She isn’t putting all of her baseballs in one basket. She not only excels at baseball but is also a star basketball player who eventually wants to play college basketball.

Needless to say, if Mo’ne’s 2015 is anything like her 2014, we’ll be hearing a lot from her in the new year.

(Yesha Callahan is editor of The Grapevine and a staff writer at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.)

Mo’ne Davis tips her hat as she is introduced and recognized before the game between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 27, 2014, in Philadelphia. (Photo: Brian Garfinkel/Getty Images)

January 1 - 7, 2015

Page 2

NEWS

The New Tri-State Defender

BRIEFLY SPEAKING • Improving Community and Police Relations will be the topic during the Whitehaven Kiwanis Club Dutch Treat Luncheon on Jan. 6. The luncheon is set for noon to 1:30 p.m. in meeting room A & B at Methodist South Hospital at 1300 Wesley Dr. For more information, contact Calvin Burton at 901-412-2757; email: cburton615@hotmail.com.

• (AP) – State officials say three children in Tennessee have died of complications from the flu in the last month. Two deaths occurred in Middle Tennessee and one was reported in East Tennessee. The latest deaths bring the total number of flu-related child deaths to six, which is higher than normal.

Doctors recommend taking precautions such as washing hands and not touching eyes, hands and nose after interacting with those who may be sick.

• Shelby County Government will again operate a recycling center at the Agricenter for discarded holiday decorations. Christmas trees and other greenery, free of lights and decorations, can be dropped off near Showplace Arena at 105 South Germantown Road anytime through January 10th. For more information, contact Lisa Williams at the Shelby County Public Works Environmental Programs office at lisa.williams@shelbycountytn.gov or 901-2227770.

• The Be the Dream Commemorative Celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Mason Temple, 930 Mason St., on Jan. 19. For more information: http://bethedreammemphis. com/.

• The Psi Beta Zeta Chapter (DeSoto County) of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. – in conjunction with the City of Southaven – will host the Martin L. King Jr. Day Unity Walk 2015 on Jan. 19 beginning at 10 a.m. at Snowden Grove ParkSnowden House.

Hip-hop artist Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, addressed the happenings in Ferguson with a monologue that includes this lyric: “I think many of us are becoming even more aware of where we are, and (there is) urgency to change this miserable condition on this Earth, (as) Malcolm X said.” Visit https://soundcloud. com/sbf-interviews/ yasiin-bey.

MUSIC

CONTINUED FROM FRONT hip-hop artist J. Cole recorded and released “Be Free.”

• Lauryn Hill belted out the lyrics, “Black rage is founded on two-thirds a person/Rapings and beatings and suffering that worsens,” on “Black Rage,” which she released a couple weeks after Brown’s death.

• The Game brought together over ten hip-hop and R&B artists including Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Wale, Swizz Beatz, Curren$y, and TGT to produce “Don’t Shoot.”

• Tink sang and rapped on “Tell the Children” a few days after the grand jury decided not to indict Wilson for the murder.

• Rapper Dizzy Wright also released a song called “I Need Answers.”

These songs are the 21st century protest songs. While each of these songs were created as a response to the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., they speak to an issue African-American communities around the country have been dealing with for centuries. They are reminiscent of Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” and Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power.” The themes don’t seem to have changed much since the 1960s or 1980s.

When famous musicians don’t speak out, some are critical.

A few years ago, singer, actor and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte called out two of today’s biggest mu-

sicians, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, saying that they “turned their back on social responsibility.” To Belafonte, those two megastars and other popular artists are at fault for not using their influence to have a positive impact on their fans.

As a young person, I agree with Belafonte: it’s a waste of influence when famous musicians don’t speak up. While it doesn’t necessarily affect whether or not I will continue listening to their music, I personally wish that they would speak at times when there needs to be some action.

Hip-hop artist Yasiin Bey formerly known as Mos Def, put it best in his monologue addressing the happenings in Ferguson: “I think many of us are becoming

even more aware of where we are, and (there is) urgency to change this miserable condition on this Earth, (as) Malcolm X said.”

If all artists spoke up, I truly believe that it could wake up many more young people to demand change and join causes.

“I think music can play an important role in sparking the motivation in wanting to do something,” Tandoc said, while adding, “The long term organizing is where the true power is.”

(Deonna N. Anderson writes for VoiceWaves, a youth-led community news website and trilingual print publication serving Long Beach, Calif., and founded by New America Media.)

The New Tri-State Defender

AGENTS

CONTINUED FROM FRONT and dedicate a segment of his show to discussing the issue.

Conversations on social media about rape culture, led

by African-American women such as writer and political analyst Zerlina Maxwell (No. 85 on The Root 100 list for 2014), particularly as it manifests in African-American communities, created an environment intolerant of slut shaming and victim blaming.

This shift in discourse led to the resignation of Lincoln University President Robert R. Jennings when his dangerous statements suggesting that some women not only are responsible for their own sexual assaults but also lie about them went viral.

When 16-year-old Jada was sexually assaulted at a party in Houston, she faced intense bullying on social media as images of her unconscious, naked body went viral. Although the story seemed to warrant only a passing mention in mainstream media, African-American women on social media rallied around the #IAmJada hashtag, which

January 1 - 7, 2015

NEWS

Page 3

REPUBLICANS

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Clockwise from top left: Zerlina Maxwell (Photo: A. Shaw Photography for Black Enterprise); Beverly Gooden; Feminista Jones; Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors (Photos: Leroy Hamilton); Jada (Twitter screenshot); Kimberlé Crenshaw; Sil Lai Abrams (Photo: Matthew Jordan Smith)

signal-boosted her story and refused to let it die. Because of Jada’s own tenacity and refusal to be shamed into silence on social media, two men were recently arrested for their alleged roles in her assault.

African-American women were the change agents at the forefront and heart of these digital protests and more.

Although critics have often derided “hashtag activism” as inauthentic and ineffective, this year black women on social media proved them wrong. Hashtags have led to tangible change in communities, and the implications of what that means for the future of activism are far-reaching.

As 2014 draws to a close, the extrajudicial killings of African-American people have continued to occur seemingly without pause, and a burgeoning human rights movement continues to strengthen and expand in scope.

Protesters have also rejected the playbook that prioritizes the lives of straight African-American men by default. When they say that #BlackLivesMatter, a hashtag created by three Af-

rican-American queer women – Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza – they mean that all black lives matter. This includes the lives of black transgender and cisgender women – such as Deshawnda “Tata” Sanchez, Nizah Morris, Aura Rosser and Tanesha Anderson – and the rape victims of Officer Daniel Holtzclaw.

This centering of African-American women’s narratives in the fight against state-sanctioned police brutality is primarily due to the unwavering persistence of sisters who, all year, have used social media to empower and amplify the voices of women of color against all systems of oppression.

Whether the threat comes from the state or within our own communities, African-American women on social media have refused to allow racism to be the blanket under which sexism and misogyny hide.

(Kirsten West Savali is a cultural critic and senior writer for The Root, where she explores the intersections of race, gender, politics and pop culture. Follow her on Twitter.)

margin in a predominately Hispanic congressional district (House District 23) to become the first African-American Republican from Texas elected to the United States Congress since Reconstruction.

When the next congressional term begins, Mia Love, an African-American Mormon and daughter of Haitian immigrants, will represent Utah’s 4th House district in a state where African-Americans account for just 1.3 percent of the total population.

Lorenzo Morris, a political science professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., said the African-American community shouldn’t expect much from the African-American Republicans during the next legislative session because they won largely without AfricanAmerican voters. In addition, he said, their rank as freshmen lawmakers will limit their influence within the party.

“Their collective impact, if they are really outspoken, will just be on the plus side of zero, barely zero,” said Morris. “The obvious impact for Republicans is positive only to the extent that it shows visually, if not substantively, an outreach to minorities.”

Scott earned an “F” on the NAACP’s legislative report card during the first session of the 113th Congress from January 2013 – December 26, 2013.

ThinkProgress.org reported that Scott proposed a bill in 2011 to block families from receiving food stamp benefits if one of the adults in the home joined a strike, and as a state legislator Scott supported cuts to South Carolina’s HIV/AIDS budget.

In a 2012 speech, Love accused President Barack Obama of “pitting us against each other based on our income level, gender, and social status” and said that, “His policies have failed.”

Love has also pledged to take the Congressional Black Caucus “apart from the inside out.”

If they continue to express views counter to those held by the African-American electorate that overwhelmingly supported President Obama with more than 90 percent of their votes in back-to-back elections, Morris said their presence could actually hurt that visual image of minority outreach because it will further distance the GOP from the politics that are overwhelmingly characteristic of African-American voters.

Raynard Jackson, a Republican strategist and the president and CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, called Love, “the embodiment of the American Dream” and said that her journey as a first generation Haitian immigrant to become the first African-American Republican female ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives is amazing.

“It doesn’t matter what her politics are or what her party affiliation is, if Love’s story doesn’t inspire you, then there is something wrong with you as an American citizen,” said Jackson.

Former congressman Allen West (R-Fla.) said the Republican Party has to remind African-American voters that the conservative principles and values of the GOP are quite consistent with the history of the African-American community.

“When you go back and read Booker T. Washington’s writings at the turn of the century, his remedy for the black community under the stress and strain of segregation and Jim Crow laws were three points: education, entrepreneurship and self-reliance,” said West.

“When you look at each one of those individuals – Sen. Tim Scott, Representatives-elect Mia Love and Will Hurd – that’s what they represent, and those are the three things we must have conversations about in the African-American community.”

West compared the overwhelming loyalty that African-American voters have for the Democratic Party to an investor that puts all of his eggs in one basket. Just like an investor shouldn’t put all of his money in one fund or one venture, West said, African-American voters should also diversify their political capital.

“The people in these majority-minority districts are going to have to look up and say, ‘Why are we still in this situation? Why do we continue to elect the same person and nothing is getting any better?’” said West.

Morris said that if an African-American Republican wanted to sway African-American voters in any significant way, the candidate would have to talk about social policies and programs in ways that are open and address issues such as income inequality similar to the way a moderate Democrat would. In short: the candidate would have to be a liberal Republican.

“It would take a miracle for a black Republican to win a majority black district,” said Morris.

Still, according to Jackson, the additions of Scott, Hurd and Love will help the party, if they are properly utilized.

Jackson used a basketball analogy to describe how the Republican Party can continue to win with candidates such as Scott, Love and Hurd.

“You have to understand the strengths and the weaknesses of each player and you have to know when to put them in the game and when to sit them down,” said Jackson. “You have to understand when to bring a Tim Scott, a Mia Love, a Will Hurd in to speak. You can’t send them everywhere. You have to understand what their message is to best utilize them. That’s what has to be done.”

Said Jackson: “Just because they’re black, doesn’t mean you throw them out there to a black audience.”

January 1 - 7, 2015

Page 4

OPINION

John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951-1997)

The Mid-South’s Best Alternative Newspaper Powered by Best Media Properties, Inc.

Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor

NNPA president envisions Black Press as ‘mainstream’ (TriceEdneyWire.com) – Civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis, now president of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, says he envisions black newspapers as becoming the “new mainstream” rather than an alternative press as it is often called.

“The Black Press, I believe has an opportunity where it can make even more traction than it has in the past,” Chavis said in a recent interview with the Trice Edney News Wire. “In other words, I don’t see the black press as a side press from the mainstream press.

I want the black press to become the new mainstream because the demographics are changing.”

Chavis was among the speakers at a gala celebration for the 50th Anniversary of the Washington Informer newspaper, published

by NNPA member Denise Rolark Barnes. Black-owned newspapers are often called specialty, alternative or minority press by government agencies and corporate America.

But, according to an analysis of U. S. Census Bureau population stats, people of color, including AfricanAmericans, will gradually increase to become a clear majority of America’s population over the next four decades.

“All in all, minorities, now 37 percent of the U.S. population, are projected to comprise 57 percent of the population in 2060,” according to a U. S. Census report. “The total minority population would more than double, from 116.2 million to 241.3 million over the period.”

During that period, “the black population is expected to increase from 41.2 million to 61.8 million” as the white population will peak in 2024 – 10 years from now – and then gradually decrease by 20.6 million by 2060, the Census reports.

Chavis sees this increase as a prospective boon for NNPA’s more than 200 black-owned newspapers as it anticipates its 75th anniversary in 2015 – but only if certain strategies are put in place.

First, he said, the black press must focus on a stronger economic foundation by generating more revenue. African-Americans spend $1.2 trillion dollars a year, he said, noting that black newspapers must partner with the black church, black banks, black colleges and black organizations to network and support the black press.

This strategy would require much unity, Chavis says. “This is beyond connecting the dots. The dots have to converge...There’s too much disunity in our community. And I’m not just talking about organizational disunity.

I’m talking about disunity even among the so-called personalities...

In my long career in civil rights I’ve seen what happens when leadership goes in divergent paths...To me, it’s a disservice to our community to allow personality conflicts to get in the way.”

Secondly, white-owned businesses must be made to understand the value of supporting black newspapers as businesses and as a sustainable institution, the same as the broadcast media, Chavis says.

“To reach people in our community,

FLASHBACK: 2010

Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher

SPECIAL REPORT

by Hazel Trice Edney

The New Tri-State Defender

they can’t just look at something on TV or hear it on the radio and act.

They’ve got to look at it and read it more than once. That’s the value of the black print press,” he said.

“The pen has to have an economic undergirding so that what is written gets distributed; so that what is written gets circulated. Sometimes we overlook the necessity to the strong economic foundation in our quest for freedom, justice and equality.”

Finally, Chavis said, black newspapers must take full advantage of the digital universe.

“Technology, particularly digital technology can be a great equalizer.

Some people think the digital will supplant the print. I don’t. To me, the digital will make more valuable the print press because every day it’s about the content. We have the content, but we have not aggregated the content,” he said.

Denise Rolark Barnes, who has been publisher of the Informer for 20 years, succeeded her now late father, Dr. Calvin Rolark, a prominent D.C. businessman and black leader.

Barnes recalls how the black press has led America’s media when it comes to many of the issues that have now emerged as headline news for white-owned media, such as police brutality, economic justice and voting rights.

“The more you do it, the more stories you realize need to be told; the more you realize that our community, our black history every day is being thrown away,” says Barnes, in an exhibit hall showing historic front pages and photos from the Informer.

“I’ve learned that history does repeat itself and is repeating itself.”

Hundreds of people packed into the Carnegie Library in Downtown Washington, DC to salute the Informer and its legacy during the event in late fall.

Iconic radio talk show host Joe Madison recalled how the black press has been so audience-specific that readers know that those who advertise in black newspapers specifically want to reach black people. “It means it’s for us,” Madison said.

Madison also underscored black newspapers as a chronicler of black history.

“Most of us would not have known about Emmett Till had it not been for the Black Press. Most of us wouldn’t have known, quite honestly about Martin Luther King Jr. if it wasn’t for the Black Press because white media certainly wasn’t publicizing it...The Black Press is, as Frederick Douglass would probably say, our North Star.”

Chavis is one who has benefited tremendously from the Black Press.

He is one of the historic Wilmington 10 pardoned by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue two years ago in a 1971 firebombing amidst the civil rights struggle. The pardon finally came after the Wilmington Journal of North Carolina, published

by Mary Alice Thatch, escalated the campaign for justice.

Concludes Chavis: “It is in the business of not only reporting the news, but defending the news when it comes to the interest of black people.

That’s what gives the Black Press its unique value, not only to Black America, but to the rest of America.”

NNPA President Benjamin Chavis (Photo: Roy Lewis/Trice Edney News Wire)

2014 lies of the year

There are critical similarities between the furious controversy in the fall about the Ebola crisis in the U.S. – that never materialized – and that which has followed the heinous murder of two New York City Lee A. Daniels police officers by an apparently mentally unstable black man with a long criminal record.

First, in both instances, conservatives ignored “inconvenient” facts in order to spin falsehoods and half-baked conspiracy theories and play the guilt-byassociation card. Secondly, conservative politicians and pundits used both developments to bash progressives, especially President Obama and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and stoke anti-black and anti-brown bigotry and hatred of undocumented immigrants.

The facts available at the time made it clear there was no danger of either a large- or a small-scale outbreak of the lethal virus. Yet, the conservative echo chamber, and some centrists, insistently tried to gin up a national panic. That gambit – obviously done with the November elections in mind – included outlandish and racist claims that Obama and de Blasio actually favored having the disease take root here.

Those and other “exaggerated claims from politicians and pundits” helped “fear of the disease … (stretch) to every corner of America this fall” and “produced a dangerous and incorrect narrative.” That assessment comes from Politifact.com, an independent fact-checking journalism Anyone who has been to an side.

Getting website affiliated with the Tampa Bay emergency room, out-patient clinic medical care Times. Because those “claims – all or undergone a series of medical should not make wrong – distorted the debate about a tests knows how it feels to receive your credit report serious public health issue,” Politifact’s confusing bills from providers you sick.” editors labeled the Ebola exaggerations never knew were treating you. The Lisa Stifler, a Politfact’s “2014 Lie of the Year.” effects of so many bills and their high policy counsel (Politifact’s 2013 Lie of the Year was the costs can almost make a person sick a with the Center Obama administration’s claim that under second time – just from learning how for Responsible Obamacare, if individuals liked their much their medical care costs.

Lending, testified own health plan, they’d unquestionably Each year, 43 million Americans at the hearing, be able to keep it. Obviously, it favors have unpaid medical debt that citing even more neither progressives nor conservatives.)

Charlene adversely affects their credit, says concerns.

Crowell The words Politfact.com used to the Consumer Financial Protection “Debts are describe the Ebola scare precisely describe Bureau (CFPB). Nationwide, one often sold with limited and inaccurate the fear-mongering of conservatives out of every five credit reports or incomplete information about the in the aftermath of the two New York show overdue medical debt and consumers and the debts,” said Stifler. City police officers’ murders. There’s accounted for 52 percent of all “This, along with the collection no evidence that 28-year-old Ismaaiyl debt appearing on credit reports. tactics used, results in people being Brinsley, who had shot his girlfriend Over the past year, the number of harassed and wrongly pursued for in Baltimore before traveling to New debt collection complaints CFPB debts they do not owe, have already York to commit a second reprehensible received surpassed those of both paid, or are too old to be the subject crime, had any connection to the mortgages and credit cards. of a lawsuit. legitimate, justifiable protests of police Beyond confusing bills, CFPB “Debt buyers are also increasingly killings of unarmed Black Americans learned through investigating these operating as lawsuit factories in questionable circumstances – or that complaints that two frequently-cited clogging the courts to collect on the anyone significantly involved in those concerns were the lack of standard debts they purchase, often resulting in protests had any connection to him. practices and deliberate failure to garnished wages and other financial Yet, from the moment the tragedy notify consumers that detrimental harms,” continued Stifler. She also unfolded, conservative politicians and entries were added to the personal noted how the sale of credit card debt pundits spewed the kind of race-baiting, credit reports. has dropped in recent years with debt guilt-by-association lies that racists have The varying amount of time buyers now looking to other forms of always used to try to obscure legitimate that medical providers allot before debt to purchase, including medical black protest. It is a measure of both the turning accounts over to collections debt. political progress Black Americans have agencies can be as short as 30 days To effectively remedy the growing forged, on the one hand, and, on the other, after billing to as long as 180 days. medical debt issue, CFPB announced of the persistent virulence of racism in In other cases, some debt collectors a series of steps it will take to ensure American society that some so-called bypass directly informing consumers accuracy of data in credit reports. respectable white current and former of an alleged delinquency and instead Both creditors and credit bureaus public officials, and police union officials file derogatory comments with credit will be required to regularly provide labeled the president of the United States bureaus.

CFPB with accuracy reports. Some and the mayor of New York City as “antiThe CFPB also found that almost of the key metrics will include: police” and claimed they bear some one in four consumers filing medical • The volume of information and responsibility for the murders. debt complaints claimed that the total number of disputes on the top True, the political calculation in such debts were not their own. These industries reported; statements from Republicans Rudolph consumers were more than twice as • Identification of the creditors Giuliani, former New York City Police likely to allege that the “debt was furnishing the largest number of Commissioner Ray Kelly (who suddenly paid” compared to other types of debt consumer disputes; and see the city’s mayoralty in their sights), collection concerns. A second widely • A record of the efforts taken by and New York Rep. Peter King and claimed position of complainants reporting agencies to investigate Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (both was that the collector was seeking the problems and relevant actions. trying to position themselves for the GOP wrong amount.

For consumers, CFPB released tips presidential nomination) was as glaring These two types of complaints on how to deal with medical debt as Times Square’s neon-sign wonderland.

– the wrong amount owed and the both before and after it reaches credit And so is conservatives’ racial debt being owed by someone else reports. hypocrisy. Last June, two Las Vegas city – together illustrate how the lack Expanding on a quote by William cops who had stopped to take their lunch of uniform standards in medical Osler, considered by many as a break at a restaurant were ambushed by collection negatively impacts father of modern medicine: “Soap Jerad and Amanda Miller, a young white consumers. and water and common sense are the couple who had been part of the mob These and other related reasons best disinfectants,” director Cordray of a thousand armed anti-government prompted CFPB to convene a said. “We can and we will make it a extremists who had gathered at the Nevada public hearing on medical debt on point to apply more common sense to ranch of government-chiseler Cliven December 11. Held at Oklahoma improve life for consumers.”

Bundy prepared to shoot to kill federal City University’s Kerr-McGee

agents there to collect the fees Bundy had Auditorium, CFPB Director Richard (NNPA columnist Charlene Crowell long owed (a potential insurrection that Cordray opened the session saying, is a communications manager with many conservatives supported). In the “It’s hard for consumers to navigate the Center for Responsible Lending. ensuing effort to capture them, the Millers the medical debt maze and come out She can be reached at Charlene. killed a civilian before being shot to death with a clean credit report on the other crowell@responsiblelending.org.) by other officers.

In October, Eric Frein, a white Pennsylvanian who had long espoused SUBSCRIPTIONS: Mailed subscriptions to The New Tri-State Deanti-government and anti-police attitudes, fender are available upon request. One Year, $30.00; Two Years, $55.00. ambushed two state troopers as they Request can be emailed to subscriptions@tsdmemphis.com or mailed to walked out of their barracks. One died; Subscriptions, The New Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, the other was seriously wounded. Frein, Memphis, TN, 38103. Delivery may take one week. an experienced survivalist who had POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The New Tri-State Defendapparently long planned to murder police er, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN, 38103 officers, then took to the thick woods in GENERAL INFORMATION: Any and all inquiries may be submitthe area and eluded a massive manhunt ted in writing by calling (901) 523-1818 or by email. for nearly 50 days before being captured.

TELEPHONE: Editorial, administration, display advertising, classiAs numerous commentators have fied advertising: (901) 523-1818. Fax: (901) 578-5037. pointed out in recent days, neither of these EMAIL: Editorial (press release, news, letters to the editor, etc.): reprehensible police-officer murders – in editorial@tsdmemphis.com; Display advertising (ads, advertising price which white men were the perpetrators – requests, etc.): advertising@tsdmemphis.com; Classified advertising drew any interest from the conservative (ads, advertising price requests, etc.): classifieds@tsdmemphis.com; Subecho chamber. Nor did several other highscriptions/Circulation (subscriptions, subscription price requests, etc.): visibility police murders in recent years subscriptions@tsdmemphis.com; Production (technical questions/specs, that involved white males’ driven by etc.): production@tsdmemphis.com anti-police or anti-government feelings The New Tri-State Defender (USPS 780-220) is published weekly by deliberately ambushing police officers.

Best Media Properties, Inc., 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38103. Second-class postage paid in Memphis, TN. (NNPA columnist Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City.)

Medical debt: confusing and often inaccurate

The New Tri-State Defender

January 1 - 7, 2015

NATIONAL

Page 5

National School Choice Week 2015 gaining momentum Millions of school-choice supporters are making plans to raise awareness about the importance of greater opportunities in K-12 education. Individuals, schools and organizations across the country have planned 10,100 events for January 2015 to bring attention to the issue.

The events are timed to coincide with National School Choice Week 2015, which runs from Jan. 25-31. (www. s c h o o l c h o i c e w e e k . c o m ) .

Events, which are independently planned and independently funded, will include information sessions, roundtable discussion, movie screenings, rallies and other special events.

The goal of National School Choice Week is to shine a positive spotlight on all types of effective ed-

ucation options for children, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, homeschooling, private schools, and online academies.

According to Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week, the growth in enthusiasm for school choice can be attributed to simple supply and demand.

“More American families than ever before are actively choosing the best educational environments for their children, which has galvanized millions of additional parents – those without options – to demand greater choices for their own children,” Campanella said.

“National School Choice Week will feature both of those themes, providing a platform

for people to celebrate school choice where it exists and demand it where it does not.”

National School Choice Week started as an annual celebration in 2011, with 150 events.

“National School Choice Week 2015 will be more than 60 times larger than the first celebration in 2011, because people see the Week as an opportunity to start thousands of individual conversations about educational choice in a positive, forward-looking, fun, nonpolitical and nonpartisan way,” Campanella said.

National School Choice Week 2015 will officially begin on Friday, January 23 with an official kickoff in Jacksonville, Fla. For more information, visit www.schoolchoiceweek.com/ press.

COMMENTARY

Actually, we really are all in this together Speaking of racists in high (or low) places that need to just go away and live in obscurity, how about Rudy Giuliani? What does he mean when he says that the Mayor Bill De blasio of New York City needs to apologize to the policemen?

Apologize for what, a madman – who had Rev. Rodney nothing to Beard do with the movement – committing a horrible crime because he was deranged?

Giuliani needs to apologize to Mayor De Blasio, the voters of New York, then the rest of us for inciting public servants to be disrespectful to the elected authority with rhetoric that further polarizes all of us along a stringent line.

After all, it was the police and their policies that have brought us to this point in social order reform, and I pray that we don’t quit now.

It’s scary to think of “peace officers” sworn to “protect and serve” having the audacity to turn their backs on the mayor at the funeral of their fallen brother, which disrespected the deceased and his family that invited the mayor to speak. Now, will they turn their backs on their duty to us as a form of protest next?

When will they think about their sworn oath rather than their agenda for sympathy and attention?

The officers who participated in this impetuous display of personal police politics have tarnished their own image and broken their vow. They should apologize for acting like a bunch of juveniles rather than respected “officers of the law” that we can trust and rely upon to do their jobs. Because of their blatant, very public insubordination at the highest level, it’s imperative that they should be purged from the ranks. Their emotional display would lead one to think that at some point they could all go rogue and wreak even more havoc by establishing their own police state or marshal law what with all the guns, bullets and military equipment (government issued) that they possess and will use.

The community that these officers have turned their backs on gives them an 80 percent positive level of support. We know that the number of good cops trumps the number of the bad ones, but the bad ones are so bad, while the others won’t stand up to them. If anyone should be rooting out the bad apples it should be their own.

In the meantime, their hypocrisy is conspicuous and frightening.

How can we be expected to respect the authority of those who will not submit to their direct authority? Their actions are unacceptable and quite alarming to say the least, even disturbing.

Comments like those made by Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association Chief Pat Lynch insult us.

He declared that Mayor De Blasio “has blood on his hands” for supporting the protests against violent policing and abuse toward people of color. He was even busted telling his officers to “follow the stupid rules when dealing with our enemies, but to be discrete and that the rules are made by them (would that be us?) to hurt you (cops) so we will use them to protect us.” How do you feel about that?

By turning their backs on the mayor, who was elected by “we the people,” these officers are

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at the New York Police Department graduation ceremony at Madison Square Garden on December 29, 2014 in New York City. The Mayor’s relationship with the city’s police force has been strained recently after the deaths of two police officers. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images) creating a broader and deeper chasm in the community rather than being a force for the positive change even they know must occur. Our law enforcement officers need to realize that we actually have their backs, the ones they are turning on us One of my best friends of nearly 20 years is a “top cop” that I have had the chance to actually ride with on that “god-forsaken” job. I was with him and his team one night on a drug raid as a drugged-crazed suspect that seemingly had super-human strength tried to grab his gun.

Three other officers had to subdue the suspect to protect him and their lives. If I had not seen it for myself in the moment, I

would have thought “police brutality.” Instead, I thought “thank God for these truly courageous men.”

Now, I greet every officer that I see and thank them for their service to us, and I mean it because I know that they are just as afraid as we are, but have a job to do as well. We are in this together, so let’s come together.

Enough is enough. Tell me your thoughts.

(The Rev. Rodney Beard is pastor of The Living Word Community Church in Nashville and president of The National Action Network for Greater Nashville.

Contact him at pastorbeard@ comcast.net.)

National School Choice Week 2015 runs from January 25-31.

(Courtesy photo)

January 1 - 7, 2015

Page 6

The New Tri-State Defender

BUSINESS ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

As we move into 2015, it’s time to consider predicted business trends and evaluate whether we need to incorporate any of those trends into our current business models On Our Way to Wealthy.

Sales tactics The old model of heavy usage of “hard core” old school sales tactics has changed. Putting full court presses on customers has become a turn off to many. Clients are in search of value. They expect their sales representatives to be experts and consultants in the subject matter in order to assist in the customers’ business.

So if your business has a sales team, they have to be trained to be consultants to their prospective clients. Sales teams that are perceived to present the best information

and value have the best chance of making the sale of the product or service.

Business trends for 2015

Marketing 101

Carlee B u s i - McCullough, ness use Esq. of social media has increased tremendously in recent years. Those most successful in the use of social media tools understand the process of giving away information as a marketing tool.

Websites have grown more interactive and include information that allow the website to serve as a resource that increases traffic over time.

Clients appreciate content

that is efficient and useful.

Meaningful information underscores the business’ role as a subject matter expert and/or consultant to the client. Useful and meaningful are key words.

The client must see great value in the complimentary information. Remember, the purpose of providing the information is to encourage the client to choose your product or service over the competition.

Marketing today is interactive and can result in a sale immediately. As clever ads are placed on cell phones, websites and Internet radio, the time it takes to determine the effectiveness of a marketing campaign is often little to none.

Price vs. value Using the popularity of Nike Air Jordans as a point of reference, its clear that the client

is willing to pay a premium for an item if the perceived value is present. The market understands that the cheapest in price does not necessarily mean best in value, especially if the product has to be replaced shortly after it is purchased. The ability to convey and deliver superior value can increase the bottom line revenues of a business.

Customer selection Some businesses take a buckshot approach to garnering new clients. However, in 2015 smart companies will be selective in their pursuit of customers. Those that have been in business for a while will truly understand the concept that all business is not good business. Some business comes with more headaches than the associated profit is

worth. Consider steps that target the ideal client for your business by taking the time to identify your ideal client.

Hispanic market As legislation goes into effect impacting the Hispanic market, more businesses are beginning to target this population. In 2015 mainstream businesses will show increased investment in marketing that focuses on the Hispanic community.

Sharing economy As apps and sites such as Uber and Airbnb become more and more popular, the concept of peer-to-peer sharing as a business is growing in popularity. It started with rental of houses; now it is space in a car. Businesses with a focus on sharing

will continue to expand and the concepts will be more and more creative. From storage space to home cooked meals, peer-topeer business is here to stay.

The entrepreneur employee

The cost of entry to start a business has been drastically reduced with the Internet. Associated with that fact is the ease of building a business while maintaining a job.

Entrepreneurs can now hold on to their day jobs longer as they grow their own businesses thereby maintaining benefits and lowering the business risk. If the business is a hit, the entrepreneur can plan her/his exit from the job.

(Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at jstce4all@ aol.)

Don’t let tempting predatory loans spoil holidays fully repay in just a single payment. The typical car tiNNPA Columnist tle loan carries a 300 percent

annual percentage rate. While From Christmas carols to dec- borrowers are only loaned a orations that celebrate the season, fraction of their vehicle’s valthe holidays mark the time of year ue, if vehicles are repossessed, when families and loved ones an- car-title lenders have the right ticipate joyous celebrations and to sell the vehicle at fair margift-giving. It’s a season when ket prices, pocketing the profit excesses can easily go beyond from its sale – despite borrowover-eating to over-spending, ers still being stuck with paybringing debts that can ing debt. last well into the New If your holiday According to reYear. list calls for search by the CenThe holidays are more money ter for Responsible also a time when pred- than available, Lending (CRL), each atory lenders actively don’t make year one particular use tempting adver- the mistake of predatory loan prodtisements of extra uct drains $4.3 bilcash to seek potential falling into the lion in fees on loans trap that may victims. If your holivalued at $1.9 bilday list calls for more take most of lion. Nationwide, car money than available, next year to title lenders operate escape. don’t make the misin 21 states through take of falling into more than 8,100 rethe trap that may take tail outlets. States with annual most of next year to escape. loan volumes surpassing $100 Car title lenders can put not million per year include: Alonly your household budget at abama, Arizona, Tennessee, risk, but your car as well. With Texas and Virginia. promises such as a 50 percent The road of predatory car interest off of the first month, title loans leads most often to or $25 cash payment for re- one of two dead-ends: refiferring new customers, these nancing the loans in exchange financial predators will take a for paying another hefty fee or title to a borrower’s vehicle in losing the car to repossession. exchange for several hundred The typical car title borrower or even a few thousand dollars. refinances their original loan Like payday loans, these eight times. As a result, CRL enticements are designed to research finds that the typical trap consumers into predato- borrower pays twice as much ry loans that are certified debt in interest and fees ($2,349) as traps that few consumers can

by Charlene Crowell

According to research by the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), each year one particular predatory loan product drains $4.3 billion in fees on loans valued at $1.9 billion. (Courtesy photo) the amount of credit extended ($1,042).

Nor will repossession be the end of fated consumers’ financial obligations. The loan payments and all applicable fees must still be repaid despite the loss of the vehicle. Adding to this misery, repossessions usually lead to a new series of

Happy Holidays!

increasingly difficult lifestyle adjustments: reliably arriving at work on time, managing personal business or even accessing medical care.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) found that the typical car-title borrower earns $25,000 or less and often comes from un-

banked household, those lacking a relationship with mainstream financial institutions.

For communities of color, one in five Black and Latino households is unbanked.

Military members are similarly targeted by these financial predators. Earlier this year, both the U.S. Department

of Defense and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publicly addressed how consumer loan terms circumvented the Military Lending Act (MLA) intended to remove financial stress from active duty members. Since MLA’s enactment, some lenders have extended loan terms to more than the 180- day period cited in the law. Some extensions are as little as one day or 181 days.

When financial challenges already haunt most low-to-moderate-income consumers, those considering these loans should ask themselves: “Is this the way I want to begin my New Year?”

“Car title loans, like payday loans, are designed to create a long-term cycle of debt,” said Diane Standaert, CRL’s director of state policy. “Whether big or small, car title loans lead borrowers down a road of financial disaster. State and federal lawmakers have the ability to enforce against the car-title debt trap and should do so.”

This year, keep your holiday safe from predatory lending.

There’s nothing ‘merry’ about debt traps.

(Charlene Crowell is a Communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

The New Tri-State Defender

January 1 - 7, 2015

RELIGION

The race factor: What color was Jesus?

by Joey Matthews

Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times

Tis the season for depictions of baby Jesus and other biblical figures in movies and plays, on cards and in churches.

In response to a Richmond Free Press query, several Richmond, Va.-area faith leaders said it’s time to convey the truth — that pictures of a White Jesus with long flowing locks adorning the sanctuaries of many churches are not accurate. Nor is the portrayal, as in many Christmas plays and re-enactments, of a White baby Jesus surrounded by a Caucasian Mary and Joseph and White travelers from afar coming to worship him in Bethlehem.

Further, those faith leaders said, it’s time for Hollywood to get its act together as well. They point to the latest Hollywood movie, “Exodus,” featuring a cast of mostly White actors, including Christian Bales as Moses, in which people of color are relegated to lesser roles such as servants of the pharaoh.

“The use of mostly Caucasians for the movie ‘Exodus,’ and as the historical Jesus, is historically incorrect and a fabricated myth,” said Dr. Michael A. Sanders, pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church on South Side Richmond. “The Bible and authentic biblical scholarship have proven so.

“From a public policy perspective,” he added, “It justifies unequal and unfair treatment for certain people, especially African-American men. This pervasive attitude and practice has prompted a national protest to show that ‘Black men matter too!’ ” The Rev. Phoebe A. Roaf, rector at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church on North Side, stated, “People relate to images that are familiar to them, either because they look like them or they have always seen things presented in a certain light. It’s an emotional choice and subconscious for many people.

“Many of the famous depictions of Christ come from European painters in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, who painted Christ to look like that period of time,” she added. “Anyone who has been to the Middle East knows that Semitic people are darker and have curly hair, so I am most comfortable with images of Christ that look Semitic.”

She noted, however, that Christmas provides the opportunity to focus on the significance of Jesus’ birth, not so much on the color of his skin.

The Rev. Delores L. McQuinn, associate minister at New Bridge Baptist Church in Highland Springs and a state delegate representing Richmond, shared the view that “Exodus” only mir-

Page 7

Prayer House Church slates youth empowerment event The event will take place Jan. 3 from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Bickford Community Center, 233 Henry Ave. The members at Prayer House Church, located at 224 Reno Ave., feel it is important to invest in the youth of Memphis by providing them with support and resources, and to encourage them to be more confident during the 2015 school year.

The church will host a youth empowerment event on Saturday, Jan. 3, to help bridge the gap between the youth, parents, schools, churches and leadership in the community.

Several agencies and ministries will be there to let the youth know that they are cared for while they’re on the road to

becoming productive citizens.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Bickford Community Center, 233 Henry Ave. The event will include a panel discussion on topics impacting youth, school supply giveaway, FAFSA enrollment, 1040EZ preparation assistance, dental screenings, and a number of vendors.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information about Soar In Faith 2015, or for more information about Prayer House Church, contact Vanessa Sweet at 901409-4706.

An artist’s depiction of Jesus Christ. (Courtesy photo) rors the majority of Hollywood biblical films that historically have reflected a pro-white slant.

“Mostly white casts — and in some instances all White casts — are typical for Hollywood’s mode of operation,” she said. “Many people have expressed that it appears to be a deliberate effort on behalf of Hollywood to not shine positive light on people of color.”

She said those misrepresentations have rallied the black church to “celebrate our culture, educate our people, commemorate our contributions and convey the message that we matter to God, and He will continue to use us.”

She said she expects to see more accurate images and portrayals of Jesus and other figures as public awareness grows and calls increase for historical truths to be told.

Larry Bland, a Richmond gospel music icon, said he is perplexed that some churches with black congregations portray Jesus as Caucasian.

“With the vast amount of information we now have that substantiates Jesus’ skin color being other than white, how black churches can continue to perpetuate this incorrect image is beyond my comprehension,” he said.

He reasoned: “Why waste time trying to describe what Jesus looks like. Clearly, those of us of faith — black, white, red, yellow, brown — believe that we are made in his image. And so, if there were a picture of him, it would have to be all-inclusive, whatever image that would be.

Why waste time trying to create a picture that is, obviously, way beyond our comprehension.”

Dr. Lance D. Watson, se-

nior pastor at St. Paul’s Baptist Church in Henrico County, sounded a bah humbug note to those who depict biblical characters in European-centric fashion.

“Historically, both Jesus and Moses share the commonality of being born into cultures shaped

by African heritage and history.

Yet both figures are often recast in the image of Western Europeans,” he stated. “This is historically inaccurate and all of us, regardless of our ethnicity and culture, should be concerned that history is accurately reported and conveyed to future generations.

To distort it for whatever reasons does not change it.”

Dr. Charles Shannon, president of Faith Leaders Moving Forward, who pastors Mount Level Baptist Church in Amelia County, seconded that point.

“Ancient depictions of Jesus greatly differ from today’s figures, actors in Hollywood and those used in many churches despite the race of the congregation,” he said.” Careful study of the historical Jesus described in the book of Revelation 1:14-15 — and archaeological and temperate zone data readily available via Google search — could not be clearer that Jesus was a black man.

“For both Blacks and Whites, things are slow to change to reflect a true description of Jesus — and other Biblical figures — based on history and reality versus today’s biased depictions done to suit whatever purpose and profit motivations,” he stated. “As a society, we have come a long way and have a long, long, long, way to go.”

The Rev. F. Todd Gray, pastor at Fifth Street Baptist Church on North Side Richmond, said he’s

not surprised by the overwhelmingly White bent of Hollywood films such as “Exodus.”

“It is as old as Charlton Heston as Moses, Liz Taylor as Cleopatra and as recently as Ewan McGregor as Jesus in ‘Last Days in the Desert,’” he said. “It is important to try to be more historically and ethnically accurate, but it is more important that our people see themselves reflected as participants in the human and divine drama.

“Right now, we have much more pressing issues than Hollywood’s casting,” he added.

The Rev. David J. Stanfill of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in the East End said, as a white pastor of an African-American Roman Catholic parish, he tries to best represent those he serves.

“Almost all of our artwork at the parish is done from the black perspective, which I feel is very unique and special. Our baby Jesus is black. Our crucifix was hand carved in Africa,” he said.

The Rev. Shay Auerbach, pastor at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on South Side, serves a predominately Latino congregation. “Actually, we have to remember the white baby Jesus itself is an accommodation,” he stated. “Historically, Jesus would have been Palestinian, probably not blonde and blue-eyed.

“When Christianity got to Europe, it was natural for them to want a Jesus that looked like them. Of course, through colonialism, that white Jesus was taken to the Americas, Asia, and Africa,” he said.

He concluded, For Christmas celebrations among Latinos today, baby Jesus has a variety of skin tones “ranging from White to Black.”

Remember…

Among the myriad images of President Obama from 2014 is this one – taken on March 27 – of the President talking with Pope Francis following a private audience at the Vatican. (White House Photo: Pete Souza)

ENTERTAINMENT The New Tri-State Defender, January 1 - 7, 2015, Page 8

Hell and back!

The AAFCA – What is it and who needs it?

African-American chef crowned ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ winner

by Kam Williams

Special to the New Tri-State Defender

(Founder reflects on organization’s start and progress.)

Kam Williams: Why did you find it necessary to create the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA)?

Gil Robertson: AAFCA was started to address the need to advance diversity and inclusion in cinema, both in front and behind the camera. At the time the group was Gil formed, I was a part of a Robertson very small community of black journalists who had relative good access to film properties and the talent starring in them. It was an extremely hard network to crack, but the access proved valuable in offering us a platform as entertainment journalists.

It was a very small network and those of us who were part of this network each had our grievances about the studio system.

First, there was a double standard at play with regards to black talent, unless they were A-list stars, who were seldom, if ever, invited to participate in promotional activities except for “black-themed” movies. Secondly, next-generation black journalists were given a nearly impossible challenge to gain access to the elite ranks of film journalists. There was a need for advocacy on both sides of the table, and so the creation of AAFCA was essential to address these issues.

KW: How has the organization expanded over the years?

GR: It’s been a long walk, but we’ve been steady in building relationships and infrastructure. We’ve established alliances with the Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild and the African-American Steering Committee at DGA. Over the years, AAFCA has been instrumental in getting our members placed on influential Voting Blocs for the NAACP Image Awards and the BET Awards. We’ve also expanded our network of partners on the film festival circuit through the creation of partnerships with film events in Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, Seattle and Los Angeles.

KW: How did the AAFCA Awards come about?

GR: One of the most visible activities executed by film critics groups is announcing their annual year-end lists of their Top 10 films and other awards in high profile categories. From day one, AAFCA’s leadership wanted to formally present our annual awards list via a live event.

In 2009, that idea came to fruition with an event held at the Ebony Theatre in LA. Since then, we’ve established the show, which now includes a full dinner, as an activity with a growing presence on the Hollywood Awards Calendar. The AAFCA Awards regularly attracts key A-list talent like Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, John Singleton, Paula Patton, Forrest Whitaker and other notable in front and through the executive ranks in Hollywood. It’s been enormously hard work, but we’re getting it done.

KW: What can we expect at this year’s show?

GR: The AAFCA Awards is a really great event. We call it “A Special Evening in Cinema,” because it actually is. It’s a dressy, red carpet ceremony that attracts the upper leadership ranks in Black Hollywood and also leading celebrity talent. The program for our 6th annual live event will include special honors given to icons in the film community like producer Stephanie Allain (“Hustle and Flow,” “Something New” and “Dear White People”) who is also the director of the LA Film Festival; producer Debra Martin Chase who is responsible for a long list of films that includes “The Cheetah Diaries,” “Sparkle” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” Our other honorees are Franklin Leonard who is responsible for The Black List – a key indicator for which scripts will get the greenlight to go into production; Donna Langley, the chair of Universal Pictures; and LA Times reporter Susan King.

KW: What else is going with the organization?

GR: We are always looking for new opportunities to expand AAFCA’s footprint in the marketplace. The AAFCA Screening Series was recently launched, conducting film screenings across America. More and more studios have also begun to license the AAFCA Seal of Approval, which is a quality indicator for black consumers.

Probably the thing the organization is most proud is the AAFCA Student Internship Program that recently completed its 2nd year at Clark Atlanta University and will launch in the fall 2015 at Howard University, Northwestern and a still undetermined college in Southern California. We have a few more projects expected to start in 2015 that will be finalized in the coming months.

KW: What are your plans for AAFCA in the future?

GR: Television, definitely. We are very close to finalizing a partnership with a producing partner to televise the AAFCA Awards.

We are also very interested in creating other special programs for TV audiences. The sky is literally the limit as far as opportunity and we plan to take it all the way.

(For more information about the African American Film Critics Association, visit www. aafca.com.)

by Carolyn Guniss NNPA News Service

Chef La Tasha McCutchen performed well throughout Season 13 on Fox Network’s “Hell’s Kitchen.”

So when she was selected from four chefs to face emotional chef Bryant Gallaher in the final two, she knew she could win.

“Honestly, I was hoping the pressure would get to him,” McCutchen said. “I am cool, calm and collected and I was hoping he would shoot himself in the foot.”

In the end, McCutchen, who has been a part of the South Florida food scene for around seven years, took the title and executive chef job of Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Atlantic City, a prize package worth $250,000.

“La Tasha, you were rock solid and it was no surprise that you were the only person not put up for elimination,” Chef Ramsay said moments before announcing the winner of the culinary reality competition. “You belong in the kitchen.”

On Saturday, McCutchen said she’s still pinching herself because of the victory but in the end, “Mommy and Daddy didn’t raise no fool,” a line she used in the season finale when she dug deep pulling out determination to win.

“My parents taught me to ignore negative comments and never to second-guess myself.

Make a decision and stick to it,” she said.

“Words can’t describe how I feel right now.

I was true to myself,” McCutchen said of her performance.

Her winning menu – get ready for your mouth to water and your mind to race – consisted of prime filet mignon tartare with shallots, capers, whole grain mustard, cornichons, chives, lemon zest, sunny-side-up quail egg and waffle potato crisps; pan-seared Chilean sea bass with beet risotto, glazed thumbelina carrots and herb gremolata; and spiced bread pudding with pumpkin spice ice cream, praline crumble and spiced chocolate anglaise.

Her journey to know food began while watching Chef Emeril Lagasse on “Essence of Emeril” while attending South Carolina State University. She changed major a few times: computer science, math, finally landing in nutrition.

Her classmates noticed her commitment and interest, not in classes but in Lagasse’s show.

“You take more notes watching that show than you do in class,” she said they told her.

Coming from what she calls a modest food background, she started waiting tables to get more exposure to food.

Then the crossroads came: stay with food or choose another path.

She would go on to earn associate degrees from both Horry-Georgetown Technical College and Johnson & Wales University in Miami.

Her growth started under Chef Paula DaSilva, another “Hell’s Kicthen” alum, at 1500°, an eatery inside Miami Beach’s Eden Roc resort. While working as lead line cook, “Hell’s Kitchen” held auditions at the Eden Roc. DaSilva encouraged the staff to try out.

“I was the only person that went down for the audition,” McCutchen said.

After auditioning, McCutchen joined the

“Hell’s Kitchen Season 13” winner Latasha McCutchen is feted with champagne after the finale which aired Dec. 17 on Fox network.

Citron American Brasserie at the JW Marriott Grand Lakes in Orlando, Fla. While there, she got the call that she was selected for the cast of “Hell’s Kitchen’s season 13, which finished airing Dec. 17. After filming the show in early 2014, McCutchen found her South Florida mentor DaSilva and joined her as lead line cook, this time at the award-winning 3030 Ocean restaurant at Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. McCutchen leaves for her executive chef job after the holidays.

She will oversee the operations and opening of Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, set for February.

The highest moment of the show, other than hearing praise from Ramsay, was seeing her parents together.

“Growing up I lived with my mom and my dad lived on the same street, but I never saw them together as a couple,” said McCutchen, who is 34 years old. “When I saw that they both flew across the country together for me that just made me unbeatable.”

Chef La Tasha McCutchen captures ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ title and $250K prize package. (Courtesy (Special to the NNPA from The Miami Times.) photos via NNPA)

Ava DuVernay: The ‘Selma’ Interview

by Kam Williams

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Ava DuVernay is a writer, producer, director and distributor of independent films.

Here, she talks about her new film, “Selma,” which has been nominated for four Golden Globes, including Best Director.

Kam Williams: Hey, Ava, long time-no speak.

Ava DuVernay: It sure has been awhile, Kam….

KW: I was surprised to see you in “Life Itself,” the documentary about Roger Ebert, and to learn that an encouraging encounter with him as an adolescent Ava DuVernay had been such a big influ(Photo: Alberto ence on your life.

E. Rodriguez/© AD: He was such a champion of underrepre2014 Getty sented filmmakers. He was Images/ gettyimages. a very big deal to me. It shows the power of critics. com) People who write about film, like you, can really affect the confidence of a young filmmaker. He did that for me, so it was such a pleasure to have an opportunity to talk about Roger in the movie.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier asks: “Why was it important for you to bring this story about Selma to the big screen?”

AD: Because there’s never been a film with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the center re-

Ava DuVernay at work on the set of ‘Selma.’ (Photo: Atsushi Nishijima/© 2014 Paramount Pictures) leased in theaters. Ever! One does not exist.

You’ve only seen tele-films and stage plays about him. Yet, we have big screens biopics about all kinds of people. So, I think it’s only right that there be a full-length feature about Dr. King. I don’t think there could be enough of them, but there should be at least one. So, here it is!

KW: Patricia also asks: “(Did) did you bring your perspective as a black female to directing Selma?

AD: Yes, Patricia, it was vital to me to include woman characters, and Coretta Scott King [played by Carmen Ejogo] is a prominent one. There’s a full arc where she’s painted, and SEE SELMA ON PAGE 9

The New Tri-State Defender

January 1 - 7, 2015

Page 9

ENTERTAINMENT SELMA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Oscar Isaac (left) and David Oyelowo star in “A Most Violent Year,” a film about the efforts of an immigrant couple.

(Courtesy photo)

“The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death,” a horror sequel that takes place 40 years after the events of the first film, depicts the London bombings of World War II starring Phoebe Fox. (Courtesy photo)

by Kam Williams

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

For movies opening January 2, 2015 BIG BUDGET FILMS “The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death” (PG-13 for disturbing images and mature themes) Haunted house sequel, set in the English countryside during World War II, where a group of children evacuated from London unwittingly unleash a demonic force. Ensemble cast includes Phoebe Fox, Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine, Leanne Best and Adrian Rawlins.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS “Leviathan” (R for profanity, sexuality and nudity) Legal drama about a humble family man (Aleksey Serebryakov) who

retains the services of an attorney (Vladimir Vdovichenkov) to prevent his seaside home with a view from being seized for a pittance through eminent domain by a corrupt mayor (Roman Madyanov). Support cast includes Elena Lyadova, Anna Ukolova and Sergey Pokhodaev. (In Russian with subtitles) “A Most Violent Year” (R for profanity and some violence) American Dream drama, set in NYC in 1981, revolving around the efforts of an immigrant couple (Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac) to make it in the corrupt, oil delivery business during one of the most dangerous periods in the history of the city.

Cast includes David Oyelowo, Albert Brooks and Alessandro Nivola. (In English and Spanish with subtitles) “(REC) 4: Apocalypse” (R for profanity, gore and graphic violence) Fourth and

final installment of the horror franchise finds soldiers rescuing a television reporter (Manuela Velasco) unaware that she’s infected with a demonic virus. With Javier Botet, Paco Manzanedo and Maria Alfonsa Rosso. (In Spanish with subtitles) “The Search for General Tso” (Unrated) Foodie documentary exploring both who was General Tso and the derivation of the sweet and spicy fried dish that has become so popular with the American palette. (In English and Mandarin with subtitles) “The Taking of Tiger Mountain” (Unrated) Adaptation of the Qu Bo novel of the same name about an intrepid captain (Gengxin Lin) who leads a liberation army to recapture a mountain fortress from a ruthless bandit (Tony Leung). With Liya Tong and Hanyu Zhang. (In Mandarin with subtitles)

you get to see behind the veil of her quiet dignity. Another character is Amelia Boynton (played

by Lorraine Toussaint), a freedom-fighter who’s still alive and 104 years-old. She’s the woman who invited Dr. King to Selma. Oprah Winfrey plays Annie Lee Cooper, a woman who tried to register to vote five times, but was rejected and humiliated every time, and had a very infamous tussle with the local sheriff in Selma that landed on President Johnson’s desk through the newspaper accounts. Richie Jean Jackson (played by Niecy Nash) and Diane Nash (played by Tessa Thompson) are also in the film. There are a lot of sisters there who contributed to the fabric of the Civil Rights Movement….

KW: Environmental activist Grace Sinden: “What advice do you have for women trying to break the glass ceiling? Can you share your thoughts on this issue? Was it any more difficult for you personally?”

AD: Ignore the glass ceiling and do your work. If you’re focusing on the glass ceiling, focusing on what you don’t have, focusing on the limitations, then you will be limited. My way was to work, make my short… make my documentary… make my small films… use my own money… raise money myself… and stay shooting and focused on each project.

KW: Editor Lisa Loving: “As you made this film did you have any idea it would be released at a time in history when thousands and thousands of young black people would again be marching in the streets for civil rights?”

AD: I had no idea. It’s very poignant and it moves me beyond words that this film that we’ve made, that this piece of art would be released in such a robust way during this cultural moment rife with energy for change, with people taking to the streets, the power of the people being heard, and their voices being amplified. It’s an honor to have something that speaks to that right now.

It certainly wasn’t anything that we knew was going to happen. But I find it thrilling that people are standing up, and I’m hopeful that it will really move the needle this time around. And it’s a little eerie that some of the events in our film are so similar to some of the things you’re actually seeing on cable news today….

KW: Sangeetha Subramanian asks, “Is there one lesson you would like to hear discussed more that may not be getting enough attention?”

AD: No, I think the film is getting plenty of attention right now. I’m just excited about January 9th when the film will be opening everywhere, and people in the real heart of the country will be able to see it. That’s the day I’m really hopeful about. That’s the day I’ll be on Twitter wanting to listen to what people have to say about the picture, good or bad, as they come out of the theater….

KW: David Roth asks: Did you have any hesitation about casting British actors in the iconic roles of Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King?

AD: Not at all, I just wanted to cast the best actor for the job and, without a doubt, David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo are transformative in these roles. And I knew that they would be. David was the first black man to play a King of England on the stage of the Royal Shakespeare Theater. His chops, his acting abilities are exceptional. He gave all of himself to the part, so I hope people will come check it out….

January 1 - 7, 2015

Page 10

ENTERTAINMENT

The New Tri-State Defender

Russell Simmons: The ‘Who Polices the Police?’ interview NYPD Union President Pat Lynch, too.

RS: The police union can point all the fingers they want at everybody else, but they’re fighting to retain control. They know it’s the #1 issue. But people are avoiding it, and pushing it to the side.

by Kam Williams

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Russell Simmons has been very active as of late in the Black Lives Matter movement, and not merely as a participant on the picket lines. Whether extracting a promise from N.Y. State Gov. Cuomo to appoint special prosecutors in cases of police brutality, or defending Bill de Blasio after NYPD President Pat Lynch suggested the mayor has “blood on his hands,” Rush has been an outspoken advocate urgently lobbying for an overhaul of how the criminal justice system handles the prosecution of cops accused of police brutality.

I don’t think anybody’s going to rest until we get a separation of the local D.A. in these cases. I’ve been in all of the meetings with [Attorney General] Eric Schneiderman. The governor would have to issue an executive order that would land on Schneiderman‘s desk, or he’d have to introduce a bill in Albany to make that change. New York may be the first state to enact such an initiative, and then it could rollover all across the country. Regardless, we’re going to fix New York State. No one’s going to rest until New York has an independent prosecutor to look into these cases.

Kam Williams: Let me start by asking how you feel about the cowardly ambush assassination of NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in their patrol car?

Russell Simmons: It breaks my heart that those two innocent police officers were killed. I am really very, very brokenhearted about it. But the best way to protect both the policemen and the community going forward is by creating a system that’s just, where everyone feels safe. Of course everyone feels terrible about what happened to the policemen, but it’s terrible what happened to Eric Garner, too.

KW: As a lawyer, it’s painfully obvious to me that these cases are being thrown, since any prosecutor could, as they say, indict a ham sandwich if he or she wants to.

RS: All of these prosecutors have thrown the cases. Normally, everybody gets indicted and is put on trial. In the Eric Garner case, the only person the Staten Island grand jury did indict was the guy who filmed the tragic incident.

KW: Why do you spend so much time on the streets marching nowadays and previously in the park with the Occupy Movement, when you have money?

RS: Why not? Why can’t I occupy?

Why can’t the rich help the poor? Why can’t I pay attention to systematic problems that disenfranchise my people?

KW: You’ve been working with the Justice League NYC, a progressive group that has gained a lot of traction as of late, and which issued a specific list of demands.

RS: I’m a little concerned about the group’s demands, all of which are legitimate, because as thoughtful as the list is, it’s still been easy for the New York Post and others to find ways to cherry pick and disparage it.

KW: Well, what would you say is your most important goal?

RS: There’s one overriding issue, namely, that we live in a police state so long as the police get to police themselves.

And that is why cops go unindicted.

KW: Does it all boil down to whether

Russell Simmons

or not black lives matter?

RS: I don’t like to racialize it, but it is a question of whether black lives matter.

They do matter less. We know that from the news when one little white girl going missing in Brooklyn is considered more newsworthy than the fifty black kids who got shot in Chicago the same weekend.

So, yes black lives matter less, but Global Grind [ www.globalgrind.com ] did follow the recent incident involving an African-American policeman who shot a white boy and didn’t get indicted.

We’ll never know whether he’s guilty, because there won’t be a trial. So long as the local district attorney [D.A.] is responsible for indicting a cop, we live in a police state. I will not rest until that one

flaw in the system is changed.

KW: What happened in that meeting you and Jay-Z had with Gov. Cuomo a couple of weeks ago? Afterwards, you held a press conference saying that the governor had pledged to employ special prosecutors in the future, but he seemed to simply say that the system needs to be reformed.

RS: Maybe I misunderstood him about an executive order, but he did promise to change the law. He said something to the effect of, “I promise you, I’m going to get a bill passed establishing a separate office and a separate prosecutor for the state that looks into police abuse.”

KW: You have your differences with

KW: I didn’t know that, but I can’t say I’m surprised.

RS: I’ve spent a lot of time with Eric Garner’s son recently, and it breaks my heart to see his family grieving and to know that unless U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder steps in and brings some civil rights charges, they will never get justice. So, when I march, I’m thinking about that one issue everybody has to agree with. The Police Association is the only one that doesn’t. It’s been horrible, between all the attacks on the mayor and the peaceful protestors.

KW: What needs to be done to reduce the tension between the rank-and-file police officers and the community?

RS: It’s the job of the head of the police union to create a dialogue and a comfort level with the community. Mayor de Blasio’s doing his best to understand the dynamic and to work out a fair plan, but it’s like Lynch doesn’t want to give an inch.

It’s in his power to determine whether a cop is indicted. If a local D.A. indicts a cop, he may as well kiss his ass goodbye. That

conflict of interest can’t exist anymore. If Lynch doesn’t change, then blood could be on his hands, because he has the power to support the appointment of special prosecutors, so that any inappropriate behavior and excessive force can be investigated in a reasonable way.

KW: How well attended were the marches? Did the police play down the head count?

RS: When we marched down Fifth Avenue, there weren’t just 30,000 people out there, but at least 150,000 people out there. It stretched for 35 crowded blocks full of people. I’ll send you the footage shot from a helicopter. It was a peaceful march, and if we don’t adjust the system, we will march again.

Last time, I had everybody from Khloe Kardashian to Miley Cyrus to Kanye to Puffy to Nas out there. They all Instagrammed and Tweeted and used other social media to let folks know that they were going to be there. Tyrese has 20 million followers on Facebook alone.

These people are all waiting for word of when we launch. So, the issue is not going away, until the state is no longer a police state where the policemen police themselves.

KW: New York sure looked like a police state when a long gauntlet of cops turned their backs on the mayor as he walked down the hall of the hospital after paying his respects to the two officers who had just been assassinated. I realized, if they don’t feel that they have to show any respect to the mayor, just think of the contempt they must have for the Average Joe. RS: I would blame [Police Commissioner] Bratton. I’m not sure he’s the right person to bridge the gap. Bratton says, “It’ll go away.” He’s wrong. If he thinks it’s going away, he’s crazy. We’re not going anywhere. We’re just getting started.

If we don’t get a special prosecutor in New York State, we’re going to march.

KW: What about the possibility of it inciting violence?

RS: I’ve never seen so many smart and thoughtful kids as at that 150,000+ march. The only incident involved a white, City College professor. Black people are used to the injustice, but this white professor probably got riled up because he’s white and wasn’t used to it. That was the only incident at a very diverse march.

CLASSIFIEDS THE NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER CLASSIFIEDS 203 Beale Street, Suite 200 Memphis, TN 38103 PH (901) 523-1818 FAX (901) 578-5037 HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

DEADLINES: Display ads Monday 5 p.m.

Classifieds ads Monday 5 p.m.

RATES: Standard rates: $9.50 per line for 1 column ad.

Rates are non-commissionable and are quoted at the net rate. No refund for early cancellation.

If you’re looking for opportunity, you can’t afford to wait. Call us at The New Tri-State Defender and let us place your classifieds.

901-523-1818

For additional information contact Sales Dept. at (901) 746-5201 or email: advertising@tsdmemphis.com

BEER PERMITS Flat Rate: $30 GENERAL INFORMATION: Some categories require prepayment.

All ads subject to credit approval. The New Tri-State Defender reserves the right to correctly classify and edit all copy or to reject or cancel any ad at any time. Only standard abbreviations accepted. Copy change during ordered schedule constitutes new ad & new changes. Deadlines for cancellation are identical to placement deadlines. Rates subject to change.

ADJUSTMENTS: PLEASE check your ad the first day it appears. Call (901) 523-1818 if an error occurs. We can only offer in-house credit and NO REFUNDS are issued.

THE NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER assumes no financial responsibility for errors nor for copy omission. Direct any classified billing inquires to (901) 523-1818.

Classifieds Now Accept

Call The New Tri-State Defender @ 901-523-1818

TSD Classifieds get results

January 1 - 7, 2015

The New Tri-State Defender

Page 11

COMMUNITY

Habari gani! Kwanzaa 2014 is underway!

The 7-day cultural celebration, which kicked off Friday with the observance of the principle of Umoja (unity), continues through New Year’s Day. The seven principles are collectively known as Nguzu Saba. They are: • Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

‘No Refusal’ enforcement during New Year’s Eve holiday period Shelby County is one of eight counties the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is targeting during its “No Refusal” traffic safety enforcement campaign, which kicked off at 12:01 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 31 and concludes at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 4.

State troopers will perform saturation patrols, seat belt, sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints and bar/ tavern checks during the holiday.

The state statute regarding “No Refusal” allows law enforcement officials to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers.

The “No Refusal” enforcement will take place in eight counties across the state – one county in each of the eight THP Districts. The campaign is aimed at deterring impaired driving and reducing fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways.

“Our goal is to help ensure safe roadways for citizens traveling to and from Tennessee during the holiday.

We must remove impaired drivers from the road in order to accomplish that goal. State troopers will aggressively seek those violators throughout this New Year’s holiday period,” THP Colonel Tracy Trott said.

The participating “No Refusal” counties include Roane (Knoxville District); McMinn (Chattanooga District); Rutherford (Nashville District); Shelby (Memphis District); Washington (Fall Branch District); Cumberland (Cookeville District); Maury (Lawrenceburg District); and Hardin (Jackson District).

During last year’s New Year’s holiday period, 16 people were killed in traffic crashes on Tennessee roadways. Of the 16 vehicular fatalities, 15 were vehicle occupants and one was a pedestrian. Alcohol was involved in six (37.5 percent) of the traffic deaths, while seven individuals killed were not wearing seat belts.

Driving under the influence is a category targeted by the state’s highway patrol throughout the year. State troopers have arrested 8,068 individuals for alcohol-impaired driving from January 1 through December 19, 2014.

In 2013, the number of arrests made during that time was 6,192. That’s a 30 percent increase during those same dates.

In Tennessee, the preliminary number of alcohol-related crashes has decreased 6.2 percent in 2014, compared to this same time period last year.

As of December 19, there have been 6,262 crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers investigated by all Tennessee law enforcement agencies.

That is 416 fewer than the 6,678 crashes during those same dates in 2013.

• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together.

• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

• Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

• Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

• Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Here is the list of the remaining Kwanzaa schedule: MID-SOUTH KWANZAA, INC. DAY 6: KUUMBA (CREATIVITY) Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 7 p.m., JAVA COMPLEX 1423 Elvis Presley Sponsored by Johari Brittenum DAY 7: IMANI (FAITH) Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015 4 p.m., UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS Panhellenic Building, 384 Patterson Sponsored by Mid-South Kwanzaa, Inc. MEMPHIS KWANZAA INTERNATIONAL INC. DAY 6: KUUMBA (CREATIVITY) Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 KWANZAA CELEBRATION DAY 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

West Tennessee State Prison at Henning, Tennessee

Tipton County Checkpoint: Sobriety Road/Highway: S.R. 384 S of S.R. 59 Time of day: Night Dyer County Road/Highway: S.R. 211 N of 5MM Time of day: Night Shelby County Road/Highway: All roads Time of day: All shifts No refusal

The focus was on children at the Shelby County Board of Education auditorium for the UMOJA – unity – celebration during the first day of Kwanzaa 2014. The sponsors were SCS Shape, the Orange Mound Progressive Club and Mid-South Kwanzaa, Inc. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Carolyn Crawford, a former teacher and principle, is the center of this image from the UMOJA – unity – celebration at the Shelby County Board of Education auditorium during the first day of Kwanzaa 2014. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

DAY 7: IMANI (FAITH) Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015 A TASTE OF AFRICA Free Tours available 10 A.M.-3 P.M. CELEBRATING THE COUNTRY OF ETHIOPIA Memphis Kwanzaa Headquarters, 1549 Elvis Presley Closing ceremony program (free food and fun) Time: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Dr. Kaia Naantaanbuu, president of Memphis Kwanzaa International, Inc., details the images and artifacts on display at the Memphis Kwanzaa headquarters on Elvis Presley. (Photos: George Tillman Jr.)

Ekpe Abioto sets the tone for the opening night of Kwanzaa celebration at Unity Christian Church in Whitehaven. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

The Memphis Kwanzaa center is dedicated to Dr. Kaia Naantaanbuu’s mother, the late Adjua Abi Naantaanbuu. “We regret that she didn’t live to see it happen, but this … was one of her (life-long) dreams, so I made it mine,” she said.

A Kwanzaa you can touch

NEW YEAR’S HOLIDAY PERIOD CHECKPOINT DIST. 4 MEMPHIS Tuesday, December 31:

The 2014 Kwanzaa celebration at Unity Christian Church at 3345 McCorkle Rd., where the Rev. Eric Donaldson is pastor, was presented by Mid-South Kwanzaa, Inc. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

‘Hands-on’ experience with four African countries The New Tri-State Defender staff

As president of Memphis Kwanzaa International, Inc., Dr. Kaia Naantaanbuu follows in the steps of her mother, the late Adjua Abi Naantaanbuua. For this year’s celebration of the 7-day cultural observance she and those who work with her wanted to do something a bit different “to educate people about the culture” of Africa.

The idea was to move beyond talking about the culture and to provide a hands-on experience with something that people could see. The

result was to place emphasis “on at least four wonders of Africa.”

So visitors to the Memphis Kwanzaa International headquarters at 1549 Elvis Presley got a special treat this week during Kwanzaa. On Tuesday, pivoting as she stood, Naantaanbuu pointed out images and artifacts from Gambia, Senegal, Ghana and Ethiopia.

“These are countries that my mother toured in,” she said. “We have artifacts that is collected from these countries and I wanted to actually give the public something that they had never

experience before.”

Walking to the Gambia display, she pointed out motif prints, tie-dyes done by hand and a display chalked full of information about the country.

She moved through the display for each of the other countries supplying a ready narrative. Along the way, one could see a map of Africa from 1590 AD and an image of the African continent made from salt from the river Nile.

The center is a vehicle to bring Kwanzaa to the community all year round. Tours are free, with donations

accepted.

“We are celebrating 37 years of Kwanzaa in Memphis,” said Naantaanbuu, recalling the years of effort and focus her mother put into extending the essence of Kwanzaa to the Greater Memphis area.

“The Center was put together in her honor for the work that she dedicated her life for. She was very excited upon her death that this center was coming to fruition,” said Naantaanbuu.

“We regret that she didn’t live to see it happen, but this … was one of her (life-long) dreams, so I made it mine.”

HEALTH The New Tri-State Defender, January 1-7, 2015, Page 12

HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE REPORT

‘Vast majority’ of Tennessee’s 2015 enrollees getting financial assistance According to a report released by the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday, 87,137 people in Tennessee selected plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace leading up to the December 15 deadline for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

About 83 percent of Tennesseans who selected health insurance plans in the first month of open enrollment were determined eligible for financial assistance to lower their monthly premiums, compared to 75 percent who selected plans over a similar period last year. Of the 87,137 Tennesseans who

selected a plan, 51 percent reenrolled in a Marketplace plan in 2015 and 49 percent signed up for the first time.

Open Enrollment in the Marketplace runs from Nov. 15, 2014 through Feb. 15, 2015.

“We’re pleased that in Tennessee 87,137 people signed up for Marketplace coverage during the first month of open enrollment. The vast majority were able to lower their costs even further by getting tax credits, making a difference in the bottom lines of so many families,” HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said.

“Interest in the Marketplace has been strong during the first month of open enrollment. We still have a ways to go and a lot of work to do before Feb-

ruary 15, but this is an encouraging start.”

The report provides the first detailed analysis of enrollment in the Marketplaces for the first month of the 2015 open enrollment period. Because the automatic reenrollment process for the 37 states using the HealthCare.gov platform (including Tennessee) began on December 16 and was completed for the vast majority of consumers on December 18, the report with data through December 15 does not fully capture the number of people who selected plans leading up to the deadline for Jan. 1, 2015

coverage.

Nationwide, more than 4 million people signed up for the first time or reenrolled in coverage for 2015 during the first month of open enrollment.

That includes more than 3.4 million people who selected a plan in the 37 states that are using the HealthCare.gov platform for 2015, and more than 600,000 consumers who selected plans in the 14 states that are operating their own Marketplace platform for 2015.

Consumers should visit HealthCare.gov to review and compare health plan options. Consumers shopping

HEALTHY LIVING

Ebola hot spots ebb and flow as fight continues

Five tips for New Year’s weight loss resolution

Deaths climb above 7,300

by Barrington M. Salmon NNPA News Service

Ebola may have fallen off America’s radar, but the virus continues to devastate communities in several affected West African countries.

Since March, according to World Health Organization (WHO) officials, key numbers are going down in some areas, but the epidemic continues to rage in spots, such as the western sections of Sierra Leone.

The Ebola epidemic, which erupted in Guinea in December 2013, has killed more than 7,300 and affected more than 18,000 people in total, WHO officials said.

“We’re making progress by dealing with the epidemic district-by-district and section-by-section,” said WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein. “Areas have been divided and segmented, and we have dozens of outbreaks being handled by separate teams. We’re also making sure we have adequate burial teams.

“In a sense, things have improved. The epidemic’s numbers have gone down in Liberia,” said Epstein. “But cases are increasing slightly in Guinea and markedly in Sierra Leone. We found a new surge in western Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has surpassed Liberia in terms of numbers. Part of it is that they’re lacking what they need, but people in remote western areas didn’t recognize it had cases. People were hiding cases, rejecting the idea that people had Ebola.

We’re working to clean this hot spot.”

The transitory nature of the epidemic has made it hard to contain, with hot spots flaring up and moving rapidly to different regions of the affected countries. Last week, President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone launched what U.N. officials described as “an intensified surge operation” in Freetown, the capital, and areas in the west of the country.

The international organization Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières first sounded the alarm and was one of the loudest voices calling for a robust international response to the fast-moving virus. Then, as now, officials argued that the response to the Ebola crisis had been slow and uneven, leaving local people, national governments and non-governmental organizations to do most of the practical, hands-on work.

MSF officials continue to warn that the international community risks failing to adapt to the outbreak after initially failing to respond quickly enough.

“People are still dying horrible deaths in an outbreak that has already killed thousands,” said MSF International President Dr. Joanne Liu. “We can’t let our guard down and allow this to become double failure, a response that was slow to begin with and is ill-adapted in the end.”

She said training NGOs and local health care workers to safely operate case management facilities can take weeks. While MSF and other organizations have been offering training, she explained, the bottleneck has created significant delays.

(Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer.)

“People are still dying horrible deaths in an outbreak that has already killed thousands,” said Dr. Joanne Liu, president of Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, the international organization calling for a robust international response to the Ebola crisis. (Courtesy photo)

for health insurance coverage should sign up by Jan. 15, 2015, in order to have coverage effective on Feb. 1, 2015.

If consumers who were automatically reenrolled decide in the coming weeks that a better plan exists for their families, they can make that change at any time before the end of open enrollment on Feb. 15.

Consumers can find local help at: Localhelp.healthcare. gov/. Or call the federally-facilitated Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596.

TTY users should call 1-855889-4325. Translation services are available. The call is free.

There is research supporting the notion that many of the physiological changes related to aging – such as loss of balance – can be prevented or postponed with regular exercise. (Photo: Courtesy of StatePoint)

For older adults, regular exercise may stem aging effects One out of every three adults over 65 years old falls each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And for older adults with dementia, the risk of falling is three times higher than those with no cognitive impairment, according to the AARP Bulletin.

However, research supports the notion that many of the physiological changes related to aging – such as loss of balance – can be prevented or postponed with regular exercise. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that many senior living communities are making comprehensive health and wellness programs available to their residents.

“We’re seeing residents increase their mobility, endurance and balance, and improve their range of motion and fitness levels,” says Katie Westberg, national director of Life Enrichment at The Goodman Group, a company that has developed a new fitness program for its senior living and health care communities.

“Many of the residents involved in our FIT Functional Fitness program start seeing long-lasting and significant strength training benefits within an eightto 16-week period.”

The experts behind the FIT Functional Fitness program – in partnership with a physical therapist and board certified geriatric specialist – offering these tips for older adults looking to improve their well-being

and restore their vigor.

• Engage in exercises that can improve your core strength, balance and cardiovascular health. If you live in a senior living community, inquire about onsite programs. Additionally, many community centers and health clubs conduct exercise classes designed specifically for senior health.

• Invest in a stationary bike. It’s easy to incorporate this activity into your day while watching TV, listening to music or talking to your family, and pedaling lowers blood pressure, according to AARP. • Consult your physician before getting started.

Your exercise routine should take into account your current health level and functionality as well as your physical needs.

• Food and health are directly correlated, so pair your exercise with healthy eating. The FIT Functional Fitness program at The Goodman Group, for example, incorporates local, organic, seasonal produce as well as lean protein alternatives and plant strong ingredients in their menu options.

• Stick to it. Results may come quickly, but a longterm health benefit requires commitment.

(For more information, visit www.TheGoodmanGroup.com.)

Source: StatePoint

Tips to ward off heartburn Everybody suffers from indigestion, heartburn and an upset stomach from time to time – and triggers can range from stress to an odd schedule to overindulgence in rich or spicy food.

While sometimes the habits that lead to these symptoms are unavoidable, you don’t need to be in pain afterward. Take steps to make day-to-day living more pleasant on your stomach: • Seek balance: Eating a balanced diet is a key factor in preventing indigestion, constipation and other digestive problems, but accomplishing this goal may be a bit tricky at times. Drink plenty of water and be sure to incorporate fruit, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and low-fat dairy – especially yogurt – into your daily diet.

• Enjoy slowly: Enjoy meals slowly. You’ll be more likely to practice portion control this way.

Additionally, digestion will be easier if you don’t make your body process too much at once.

• Reduce stress: Stress can manifest itself through the digestive system in the form of heartburn. Carve out a few moments daily to relax.

• Cook smart: Certain herbs are well known to aid digestion or settle an upset stomach. Counteract the effects of all those rich foods and drinks by incorporating basil, dill, mint, cilantro and ginger into cooking.

• Listen to your body: Symptoms are usually an expression of the body’s attempt to correct an imbalance. Instead of masking symptoms such as acid indigestion, upset stomach, nausea, heartburn or a hangover, try a homeopathic medicine that works with the body to alleviate discomfort.

For example, Boiron makes dissolvable pellets called Nux vomica for symptomatic relief. The sweettasting pellets melt in your mouth without water, and won’t bother an already upset stomach. Be attentive to the body’s signals and use it at the first sign of symptoms. For a natural indigestion remedy or natural hangover remedy, try it after too much coffee, alcohol, spicy or rich food, or when feeling drowsy after a big meal. More information can be found at www.

BoironUSA.com.

• Kitchen cabinet remedies: Your kitchen cabinet contains an arsenal of remedies, say experts.

“Take two tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar before eating to help with digestion. You can also try drinking a cup of organic herbal tea, such as chamomile, dandelion or burdock, with fresh lemon juice after meals to help with liver detox and promote relaxation,” says celebrity chef and culinary nutritionist Amie Valpone, HHC, AADP. More healthy eating tips from Valpone can be found at www.TheHealthyApple.com.

• Exercise: Regular exercise benefits a healthy digestive system, so get plenty of it. Just be sure to avoid anything strenuous directly after a heavy meal, which can actually put digestion on hold by redirecting blood away from your digestive tract to support the heart and muscles, according to Harvard Medical School.

Keep your body in balance with natural remedies to treat and reduce common digestive symptoms.

Source: StatePoint

New Year’s Resolutions are easier to make than to keep, especially when it comes to dieting. While life can often seem at odds with your health and fitness goals, there are plenty of ways to avoid common pitfalls this New Year and stay on the weight loss track.

• Snack and drink smart: When you’re one-the-go, easy protein-packed snacks will help you stay on track.

Try beef jerky, low-fat string cheese, or 100 calorie packs of almonds. Fiber-rich wholegrains, fruits and vegetables can also help keep hunger at bay.

Calories from drinks add up fast. Stick with dry wines, as they often have fewer calories than sweeter varieties. Light beers, with approximately 100 calories for every 12 ounce serving, are also a good choice. If you prefer cocktails, use calorie-free mixers, such as seltzer with 1.5 oz. of spirits.

• Make it easy: Dieting should be easy. Most people often complain they fail at diets because they need to constantly count calories, or weigh and measure foods.

Look for programs that help you stick to your goals by offering convenience and support.

• Eat out, right: Eating out is sometimes unavoidable. Just be sure to check out a restaurant’s nutrition information online before you go, so you can make wise choices.

Make substitutions like salad, with dressing on the side, instead of fries and don’t be afraid to ask if a menu item can be modified.

Also, be mindful of portion sizes. Take half your meal home and enjoy it for tomorrow’s lunch.

• Facing the scale: Weight fluctuates throughout the day. Weigh yourself at the same time of day in similar weight clothing to get the most accurate readings. Remember though, the number on the scale won’t always reflect your hard work. Focus instead on healthy, positive changes and how you feel.

• Aim for 30: Squeeze 30 minutes of activity into your day. Walk during lunch, jump rope during your favorite nightly TV show or turn on music and dance around the house.

Remember, everyone falls off the wagon from time to time, but the New Year is the perfect time to commit to your weight loss goals.

Source: StatePoint