11 12 2014

VOL. 63, No. 44

November 6 - 12, 2014

www.tsdmemphis.com

75 Cents

‘Community L.I.F.T.’ changing face of inner-city blight

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Tenn. voters give OK to abortion, other amendments

by Travis Loller Associated Press

NASHVILLE – Tennessee voters Tuesday approved a constitutional change that will give state lawmakers more power to regulate abortion and also gave a nod to three other amendments on the ballot, including one that will give the Legislature more power over the selection of judges.

The most hard-fought of all the amendments was also the closest race with about 53 percent of voters favoring stricter abortion regulations.

Shelby County voter Angela Goekler said she voted for Amendment 1 on Tuesday out of concerns about the safety of facilities that provide abortions.

“I don’t want to see somebody get in a situation where they’re in a place that’s not licensed or not regulated and end up having problems, because you're putting the mother's life at risk also,” she said.

Williamson County voter Michael Thornton gave a similar reason for supporting the amendment.

“I voted yes because my wife is in the health care industry, and I just think it gives patient protection,” he said.

Hedy Weinberg is executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, a group that fought against the amendment. She issued a statement on Tuesday night saying that she was disappointed but also feels that the coalition of voters they have mobilized for the campaign will continue to grow.

“We know state legislators are poised to begin restricting access to comprehensive reproductive health care in Tennessee during the next legislative session.

But we are prepared to mobilize against measures that serve only to create barriers to health care service,” she said.

A statement from the Yes on 1 campaign attributed their victory, despite being outspent, to “a statewide grassroots campaign heavy on volunteers and smaller financial contributions from individuals, churches and pro-life organizations.”

Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life and a coordinator with Yes on 1, said in a statement, “We are grateful to God and to the good people of Tennessee for this victory.”

The win was 14 years in the making.

The constitutional change was conceived in response to a 2000 Tennessee Supreme Court decision that held abortion was protected by the state constitution as part of a woman’s fundamental right to privacy.

The amendment reads, “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”

Both supporters and opponents of the four constitutional changes exSEE AMENDMENTS ON PAGE 2

MEMPHIS WEEKEND FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Special to the New Tri-State Defender

They are, most of them, 30-something, city-planning luminaries who have been quietly converting some of Memphis’ most disparaged communities into recreated entities of beauty.

Last Friday was their ribbon-cutting ceremony, staged at their new office at 119 Court Avenue, Suite 100 – a generous, in-kind donation by Cadence Bank, valued at $130,000. This is the new home of Community L.I.F.T. (Leveraging Investments For Transformation) for the next two years.

Scores of city officials, community leaders, and well wishers converged on the site to witness the celebration first-hand.

Eric Robertson, the organization’s president, had some impressive words later on during a one-on-one interview with The New Tri-State Defender.

“There are a number of projects we want everyone to know about. We have been working in Frayser, Binghampton and the South Memphis communities to support communitybased organizations by offering four types of capital: financial capital, of course, human capital, intellectual capital, and social capital,” he said.

“We have remained behind the scenes because we want the projects to be about those who live in these communities. Our focus is directed on the collective vision of a community. We help by acting as a traditional intermediary – connecting

REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS

Friday H-59 L-42 H-54 L-36 H-62 L-39

Saturday H-62 L-35 H-59 L-35 H-67 L-39

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needed resources to bring the community’s vision into fruition.”

L.I.F.T. is not a business, non-profit, or a government entity. It is a neutral party with a viable relationship to all three. Once a need is identified, the organization works with one or more of these sectors to access the resources needed by a community.

Leni Stoeva works on staff as the Creative Placemaker for Soulsville, USA. A creative placemaker is a relatively new field. The creative out-

lets of art and music are used to program events, gather needed resources for revitalization projects, and raise public awareness about certain objectives of an organization.

Some of the vision for Soulsville, USA, has already been brought into fruition. The Memphis Slim Home, the early home of Stax recording legend Memphis Slim, was transformed into a musician’s resource center. The site offers classrooms, workshops, and recording facilities where musi-

cians and singers can hone their craft and create professional demo tapes.

“Our vision for Soulsville is to turn the neighborhood into a music magnet where, already, there is the Stax Charter School and Museum,” said Stoeva. “There are three other homes we envision being a part of this magnet. One is the childhood home of Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & the SEE L.I.F.T. ON PAGE 3

COMMENTARY

Election Night: The view from abroad

Serious business…

Rodney Dunigan of ABC 24 proposes to Jackie Orozco during the Phillip Ashley Chocolates’ Inaugural Masquerade Charity Ball at the Pink Palace Mansion on Halloween night. She said, “yes!”

(Related photos on Entertainment, page 9). (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

COMMENTARY

The 5 worst states for black people Taking into account stats on education, health, incarceration, economics and general misery

by Danielle C. Belton The Root

H-56o - L-42o H-59o - L-36o H-56o - L-40o Sunny Mostly Cloudy Sunny

City officials, community leaders and well-wishers attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Community L.I.F.T.’s new office at 119 Court Ave., Suite 100. (Courtesy photo)

Progress, the story of black America.

We started from the most bottom of bottoms (not having personhood) and worked our way up to the age of Obama, where we are leaps and bounds better than we were (hey, we have personhood now!) but are still struggling to make it to the middle, let alone to the top, of society’s heap.

A lot of things are working against us, and a lot of it boils down to where we live.

Let’s face it. Some places are worse to be black in than others, and I’m not just talking historically racial quagmires like Mississippi. Racism

and a weakened social safety net know no region. Wisconsin, Ohio and others have their bad points, which go beyond their lack of NBA championships.

Taking into account stats on education, health, incarceration rate, economics and general misery, these are some of the worst states for black people.

Wisconsin So bad it should get ranked twice, the state of Wisconsin incarcerates black people at the highest rate in the country – 13 percent. Within the state, 49 percent of black men under 30 have already been incarcerated, mostly because of its mandatoryminimum-sentencing drug laws,

overall hostility toward drug users (prison is often preferred over treatment) and “driving while poor,” aka having a suspended license because of unpaid fines. Other problems with Wisconsin include its punitive voterID law, which disproportionately affects African Americans, and its education of black kids – boy, is it bad at education.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation put out a report this year ranking Wisconsin as the worst place to raise black children. (It beat out Mississippi, which was the second-worst place.) The foundation gave Wisconsin a score of 238 out of 600 for “its ability to prepare black children for educational and financial success.”

SEE STATES ON PAGE 5

JERUSALEM – On Election Night, I usually stay awake as long as my eyelids are willing to cooperate. But this year was different. Instead of alternating between watching CNN and trackGeorge E. ing results on the Curry Internet, I was in the Holy Land, nearly 6,000 miles from my office in Washington, D.C. With Daylight Savings Time going into effect last Sunday, I was in a time zone Tuesday seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. That meant that instead of hearing the TV network projections trickle in as polls closed in different regions of the U.S., I had to go to bed not knowing if Democrats had lost control of the Senate, as predicted, and how well African Americans had turned out in the pivotal states of North Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana and Arkansas.

I fell asleep in my hotel room confident of two things: First, no matter how strong African Americans went to the polls in this off-year election, when voting historically favors the party out of the White House, Democrats were unlikely to regain control of the House of Representatives.

Second, if Republicans managed to wrestle control from Democrats in the Senate, Democrats would blame the low turnout among African Americans.

Before departing Washington, I already saw this scenario unfolding.

Both the New York Times and the Washington Post, the two most politically influential newspapers in the nation, had published stories about the importance of the African-American vote in Tuesday’s midterm election and that without a heavy AfricanAmerican turnout, the prospect of Democrats retaining the upper chamber were doomed.

Missing in the analysis was how Democrats had shot themselves in the foot. It is important to understand that SEE ELECTION ON PAGE 3

Page 2

Tri-State Defender

November 6 - 12, 2014

NEWS Much of Tennessee to see wine sales in groceries

by Lucas L. Johnson II Associated Press

NASHVILLE – For a while, Arthur Oliver has wanted to buy his merlot at the supermarket where he gets his steaks. Now, it looks as if he’ll be able to – in 2016.

Nashville, Oliver’s home, is one of 78 municipalities that collected enough signatures to place a referendum on the Tennessee ballot for supermarket wine sales.

All passed the measure.

“It will be right there at the store where you can buy all that you need in one place,” Oliver said.

Currently, wine can be sold only in liquor stores. Because of a state law passed earlier this year, wine can be sold by grocery and convenience stores starting in July 2016 in the communities where citizens vote for the change.

“This is the last step for voters in these Tennessee communities who support the issue,” said Susie Alcorn, campaign manager for the Red White and Food campaign, an advocacy group supporting the measure.

Only communities that currently allow package stores or liquor by the drink were eligible to hold votes as long as at least 10 percent of voters in the community signed petitions.

Oliver, a retired post office worker, said Tuesday that he voted for supermarket wine sales because of the access it would provide. He said he and his wife go to a liquor store for wine and occasionally order it by mail.

And if his wife wants to purchase wine by herself, he thinks she’ll be more comfortable in a grocery store.

“It’s safer,” he said.

Angela Goekler of Bartlett said she also likes the idea of being able to purchase groceries and wine at the same place.

“When you’re in a busy family, and you’ve got a certain amount of time to get from this place to this place to this place, it’s kind of a tug at you,” Goekler said.

However, housewife Elaine Bockhold, also of Bartlett, voted against the measure. She said children who are often with adults in grocery stores shouldn’t be exposed to seeing wine on the shelves.

“If people want it, they can go to the liquor store and buy it,” she said. “That store was created to sell to those that want to drink it.

But to have it in a grocery store, these little kids ... are so impressionable.”

While the concept of supermarket wine sales has broad pub-

AMENDMENTS CONTINUED FROM FRONT pressed concerns that the language of amendments could confuse voters.

“My gosh, I’m very close to having my Ph.D. and it’s very hard to read those things,” Britnie Kane, a graduate student at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College, said after voting Tuesday.

Here’s a look at the remaining three amendments: JUDICIAL SELECTION: Voters approved a change that enshrines merit selection for appeals judges and Supreme Court justices while giving the Legislature some power over the process.

Existing language in the state constitution says Supreme Court justices “shall be elected by the qualified voters of the state.” But since 1994, they have been appointed by the governor, followed by yes-no retention votes.

The amendment writes the current process into the constitution — with the addition of giving state lawmakers the power to reject gubernatorial appointments.

Gov. Bill Haslam, who campaigned for the amendment, issued a statement saying its passage “brings clarity, certainty and accountability to the way we select our appellate court judges in Tennessee.”

INCOME TAX BAN: Voters approved an amendment that would prohibit lawmakers from imposing a state income tax.

State Sen. Brian Kelsey, a Germantown Republican, sponsored the resolution putting the amendment on the ballot. He has said the income tax ban will appeal to businesses and bring jobs to the state.

LOTTERY-VETERANS: Voters approved an amendment to allow charitable gaming fundraisers for veterans’ groups.

A 2002 constitutional amendment that created a state lottery for college scholarships dictated which groups could hold raffles and cakewalks, but veterans groups were left out.

lic support according to various polls, the measure had failed in several consecutive legislative sessions amid opposition from liquor wholesalers and package store owners.

Sen. Bill Ketron, one of the main sponsors of the wine-in-supermarkets legislation, said he wanted voters to have the final say.

“When ... the polling over and over again continued to come back and over 65 percent, that’s what the people wanted,” Ketron said. “Then that’s when it finally dawned on me: I don’t need to be trying to cram this down people’s throats; give the community the opportunity to speak by putting it on the ballot.”

Supermarkets and convenience stores can sell beer containing up to 6.5 percent alcohol by volume.

Anything stronger can be sold only in package stores, which can't sell anything beyond booze and lottery tickets.

But as of July 1, liquor stores were able to sell items other than booze, such as beer, mixers, glasses, corkscrews, food and cigarettes.

Charlie Patel owns a beer store and a liquor store in Murfreesboro. He’s combining the two and changing the name of his business to reflect other items he’ll be able to sell.

Patel said he would prefer the law not be changed, but he’s doing what’s necessary to be competitive.

“If we lose 20, 25 percent of business, we might get 5 percent back,” said Patel, referring to the additional items he’ll be selling.

“It’s not the best thing that happened to us; we’d rather it be the way it was. But we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”

“American Idol” contestants Lil Rounds (Season 8) and Keia Johnson (Season 9) joined Ninth District Rep. Steve Cohen to voice opposition to Amendment 1 on Tuesday.

(Photo: Gary S. Whitlow)

GOP gains to give Tenn. new clout in U.S. Senate

by Erik Schelzig Associated Press

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee is about to gain new clout in the U.S. Senate following national gains by Republicans in Tuesday's election.

Republicans succeeded in picking up at least seven seats, one more than they needed to take over control of the Senate.

That means Sen. Lamar Alexander, who resoundingly defeated Democrat Gordon Ball on Tuesday, is now poised to head the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, while Sen. Bob Corker is set to become chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Alexander, a former governor and two time presidential candidate, had said the prospect of becoming a committee chairman had motivated him to run for a third term.

“I ran for re-election to be part of a new majority in the Senate that will fix our broken system, get the right things done, and begin to move our country in a new direction,” Alexander said in his victory speech in

Knoxville.

“I’ll do this in a way T e n nesseans know well – to work with others to get results.”

Corker, who has Sen. Lamar been a Alexander vocal critic of Presid e n t Barack Obama on foreign policy matters, said in a statement Tuesday that he looks forward to the Sen. Bob change.

Corker “After years of gridlock, this election represents a unique opportunity for Congress and the administration to govern responsibly,” he said. “Some of our country's greatest achievements have oc-

curred when one party controls Congress and another the White House.”

Alexander suffered a closerthan-expected primary contest against tea-party styled challenger Joe Carr in August, but he resoundingly defeated Democrat Ball by 30 percentage points in the general election Tuesday.

Also cruising to re-election Tuesday was Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, who beat Democrat Charlie Brown by 47 percentage points. Brown had no organized campaign and reported raising no money for his gubernatorial bid.

Haslam in his victory speech pledged to “double down on the progress that Tennessee is making,” particularly in education.

“We’ve moved too far in terms of real progress in education,” he said. “We want to have Tennessee be a different place for educational outcomes for our children.”

Haslam has been heavily criticized by the tea party wing of his party for the state’s participation in Common Core education standards.

Statement from Tenn.

Democrats Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron released the following statement regarding the Nov. 4th, 2014 elections: “Facing a flood of millions in outside money being spent by Republicans and special interests, Tennessee Democrats held our ground and fought back against reckless and untrue attacks on our incumbents.

“The Tennessee Democratic Party spent over a quarter-million dollars to fight fire with fire and protect our state legislative incumbents this cycle, far more than what was spent two years ago. And thanks to those efforts, Rep. Darren Jernigan and Rep. Bo Mitchell increased their margins, and Democrats held and even gained ground in rural Tennessee, with Rep. David Shepard being re-elected and with House District 43 becoming Democratic as Kevin Dunlap joins the House Democratic Caucus as its newest member.

“We are also proud to welcome three incredible new members to the Senate Democratic Caucusthree rising stars in Lee Harris (District 29), Sara Kyle (District 30), and Jeff Yarbro (District 21).”

Tri-State Defender

Page 3

November 6 - 12, 2014

NEWS ELECTION CONTINUED FROM FRONT most white voters don’t support Democrats. The last three Democrats elected president – Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama – won each time with a minority of the white vote. Considering there are more white voters in the U.S. than African Americans, perhaps a more appropriate question is: Why are white voters not turning out for Democrats? All that weight should not fall on the shoulders of African-American voters.

A second point to remember is that even with AfricanAmerican voters being key to Democratic success, Democratic strategists have not, as the old lady making church announcements puts it, governed themselves accordingly. Even in battleground states, they didn’t purchase ads in most African-American newspapers, if they bought any ads at all, until the waning days of the

campaign. Last-minute White House efforts were largely directed at radio programs hosted by comedians and DJs, as if they could mobilize AfricanAmerican voters all by themselves with shallow drive-by interviews.

Although I was on foreign soil on Election Night, I did my civic duty by voting before I left. That, too, was different. I usually enjoy the energy of voting on Election Day, seeing who turns out and watching as children enter the voting booth with a parent. Voting early this year had its own satisfying sensation. There was the sheer joy of knowing I had made my voice heard, even though I wouldn’t be home on Tuesday.

My attention for the past two weeks has been split between the midterm elections in the U.S. and growing tension between Israel and Palestine.

Though I have been in the Middle East for that period, at times I had to double-check to make sure I wasn’t reliving my

childhood in segregated Tuscaloosa, Ala. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, reacting to pressure to settlers on land formerly occupied by Palestinians, has proposed barring Palestinians who live in the West Bank, but commute to work in Israel from riding the same buses as Jewish riders.

The proposal to operate segregated buses like the ones I grew up with in Alabama is facing a strong pushback from other Israeli leaders and supporters of Israel in the U.S. Equally disturbing, a delegation of African Americans visiting the village of Bil’in Saturday afternoon was looking at the long, concrete wall encircling a large settlement on previously occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank when one of our hosts noticed a jeep inside the housing compound headed in our direction.

No one worried because we were on the outside of the settlement, which is about seven miles west of the Ramallah,

and we were not breaking any laws.

Still, moments later, several canisters of tear gas were fired just yards from us, forcing us to flee. Most of us were coughing and feeling a burning sensation in our eyes as we quickly fled. It was but a small sample of what Palestinians experience in their everyday life.

I will be returning home this weekend after a fascinating two-week trip. I will write a series of stories based on the visit upon my return. And like all trips abroad, I will be following news out of the Middle East more closely than before.

That is always one of the lasting benefits of traveling to other parts of the world.

(George E. Curry is editorin-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He can be reached via www.georgecurry.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook.)

L.I.F.T. CONTINUED FROM FRONT M.G.’s. Another site was the home of one of the Bar-Kays.

“The third site is the birth home of Aretha Franklin,” she said. “She lived there until the age of four when her family moved to Detroit, Mich., and of course, she claims Detroit as her home. But she was born here.”

‘What we are most proud of…’

“There are a couple of things we have been involved in that makes us most proud,” said Robertson. “The River City Capital Investment Corporation is a non-traditional lender, which lends money to businesses and other entities in distressed communities. This is our lending arm by which projects involving economic development can be funded through loans. We can help those who cannot, otherwise, obtain a loan through a traditional source.

The other effort involves building relationships with national funding sources.

“For so long, Memphis has been at the top and the bottom of all the wrong lists. National foundations don’t have a lot of connections in the South. Quite frankly, I have been traveling a lot to establish relationships with some of the national foundations,” said Robertson.

“Poverty and disenfranchisement is great here. Memphis offers tremendous opportunity for these funding sources.”

(For more information on Community L.I.F.T., call 901521-4233. Visit the company website at: www.communitylift.org.)

Page 4

Tri-State Defender

November 6 - 12, 2014

OPINION John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)

The Mid-South’s Best Alternative Newspaper

• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor

Ebola tracks outbreak of HIV/AIDS pandemic

FLASHBACK: 2011

Powered by Best Media Properties, Inc.

If you did not vote, get ready for some pain With the mid-term elections over and the Republicans solidly in control of the House and Senate, get ready to feel the pain.

I’m not talking to just the minority communities that will be hurt the most. I’m talking about all of America. If you think you haven’t seen anything done yet, you will now see that scenario broadened to include both houses.

If you didn’t vote because (1) we just don’t do it in down-ballot elections, (2) President Obama was not on the ballot, (3) you just didn’t feel like going this time, or (4) you did not realize the scope of the ramifications, well get ready. We are getting ready to see some mighty big changes.

The 1 percent is getting ready to receive a nice big fat raise. Their already swollen bank accounts are getting ready to blow up and ours will shrink. What may be getting ready to happen is that they will do what they do, like shut government down and that will sink the economy (which has grown by 3.5 percent) once again.

Some of us who did not vote and had jobs for the last few years will go back to the unemployment line, and they will block unemployment benefits to save money for themselves while others suffer, especially those whose benefits have already been denied.

And, speaking of unemployment numbers rising, you may as well forget a comprehensive jobs bill and Fair Paycheck reform (not just for women but all of us). Not to mention a minimum wage hike to $10.10. That “ain’t gonna happen.” We had an opportunity to fight them (Republicans) but didn’t show up for the battle.

Not voting in this election is going to hit us in the pocket, as gas prices will rise again and very sharply to record levels. The 1 percent will reap heavy rewards from big oil companies and you will pay more at the pump to line their pockets. The gas pump prices that we are enjoying right now will be like it never happened. We had the opportunity to save at least $300 per year and consumer confidence was at the highest level in 7 years. But, oh well.

There is so much more that is at stake: Obamacare being messed with, the Supreme Court striking down the ban on housing discrimina-

tion, women’s rights violations being even more egregious and openly offensive, and immigrants being left out in the political and racial cold.

We lost this election because we didn’t get beRodney hind our presiBeard dent, who is in my opinion, the greatest reformer in modern history.

He is also the most vilified president in my lifetime, and I’ve had knowledge of them since Eisenhower. They had a plan that they stuck with from the night that Mr. Obama was inaugurated. They did not deviate from it, yet had no shame. It wasn’t his policies – Obamacare and immigration reform was theirs. It was his skin color and that is the root of racism in this country.

I think that it’s so sad the way this man has been treated by us, them and his former supporters. He has been faced with more issues as a president than I can remember – the recession (which he successfully resolved), the wars he got us out of (and more looming), ISIS, Syria, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, etc. He has been bombarded with baseless scandals by awful people (Darrell Issa…repubs), including members of Congress who have conducted themselves like impetuous and racist little children.

Now Democrats are running away from him and his policies instead of to them. We lost because “we” didn’t go vote.

So I guess we just have to hit the ground running for the next election in 2016 and vote them out for good.

But before that happens we must actively educate ourselves about the system, get rid of voter apathy, teach our kids the importance of their vote, and make sure we all come together for our personal self-interests as a community.

Enough is never enough for them, but at some point it must be for us – and our generations.

Let me know what you think.

(The Rev. Rodney Beard is pastor of The Living Word Community Church in Nashville. Contact him at pastorbeard@comcast.net.)

IN THE MAIL

‘Southside wins again’

by Toni Jackson It’s official, the Southside Scrapping Rams have reclaimed our school from the clutches of a hostile takeover by the state sponsored Achievement School District, again.

Yes, it’s true Southside is no longer slated for ASD takeover, but we still remain on the priority list, so we know they will come for us again and we will defeat them once more.

Still, we celebrate this victory with all Memphis schools, as well as the children in public education and we recognize that it is by the grace of God that we can claim it.

When Shelby County (Schools) personnel came to Southside to tell us the good news, she said that the state had taken another look at our data, decided that we were moving in the right direction, our students were growing, and there were no charter operators to match us with, so they decided to leave us alone. That is what SCS said led the state to reverse its decision, but we have no doubt that our vigilance, along with our fighting spirit and our pushback efforts, were instrumental in the state’s turnaround decision. We also know that there were forces working on our behalf in the seen as well as unseen realm.

Having said that, we would like you to know that the war wages on, and even though we can claim a victory for Southside, our goal is to stand for all Memphis schools and to pushback on any more state takeovers.

So we will continue to fight. We still ask for your support and we encourage you to join us in this movement to reclaim our Memphis schools. One thing is for certain, “the squeaky wheel gets the oil.” If

we hadn’t made any noise at Southside, the state would still be coming after us. Being silent, passive and standing idle are not friends to those who are striving to save our schools.

As I have repeatedly stated, there is “Strength in numbers.” Teachers, we have numbers in the thousands, but where is our fortitude to fight as a unit. We professional educators should be leading this charge by galvanizing our forces and mobilizing our troops in preparation for this ongoing battle.

At Southside, we are not naïve enough to believe nor do we trust that the ASD is done with us despite the rhetoric we have heard.

We plan to stay on the offensive and be proactive rather than reactive. By choosing the teaching profession as a career, we all made a decision to educate, protect and empower the children, which encompasses both in and out of the classroom, as well as through books or real life events.

This has not only been a learning experience for us, but a teachable moment for our students as well because it demonstrates to them that one must sometimes take a stand and fight for their beliefs, despite the odds. It also shows our kids that when people come together for a common goal, it can make a difference as to whether the outcome is successful or not.

That is what we believe at Southside, that is why we will never stop fighting, and that is why we were victorious in taking our school back.

Won’t you join us now?

(For more information, call 901207-1470. Visit the blog at schoolsmatter.info.)

We should ban West Africans from entering the country I have had it with all the whining and complaining I am hearing from Africans regarding the growing demand from Americans to deny travel to the U.S. for Africans from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea because of the ebola epidemic that has infected those countries.

Let’s be clear: No one has a right to travel to the U.S. It is a privilege conferred upon would-be travelers at the sole discretion of the U.S. Our government, like others around the world, has the right to deny anyone entry into our country for any or no reason at all.

Except for Obama, every president has put the safety of the American people before “political correctness” or the sensitivities of foreigners.

President Obama seems to be more concerned about hurting the feelings of Africans or hurting their economies more than protecting his own people.

If your neighbor’s kids have come down with a cold or the flu, you don’t allow your children to go next door to play with them until they have totally recovered from their illness.

That is reasonable and normal thing to do for any responsible parent.

This whole ebola crisis has less to do with science and more to do with the American people having absolutely no trust in Obama. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been a total disaster.

So, this demand by the American people for a ban on travel from the three affected African countries is a result of people’s lack of confidence in Obama. Since we can’t believe anything this administration has to say, it seems only prudent to push for a moratorium on all travel from the countries impacted by ebola.

People who share my views have been labeled as xenophobic, an abnormal hatred or fear of foreigners.

Let me make sure I understand the logic here. The American people have been constantly lied to by this president on everything from Benghazi, the IRS, Fast and Furious, immigration, Syria and now ebola. But now we should still trust him and ignore the dangers of ebola?

Americans are called xenophobic because we want to protect our country and its citizens. Well, you Africans should know and understand one thing. More “legal immigrants” are admitted into the U.S. annually than all the other countries of the world combined. How many people are clamoring to leave the U.S. for West Africa?

Some Africans who are now American citizens have been staging protests across the U.S. To my African friends on both sides of the Atlantic, if you don’t like the idea of protecting America and its citizens first, solve your own problems. Stop calling on America every time you get a cold or a headache. We have sent thousands of military personnel

and hundreds of medical professionals to West Africa at no cost to these African countries. A little gratitude would be helpful and appreciated.

America has absolutely no obligation to help Raynard Africa during this Jackson crisis; but because we are America we feel we have extended a helping hand.

The president of Liberia, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson said, “the whole world has a stake in preventing an unfolding catastrophe in Liberia … It is the duty of all of us as global citizens to send a message that we will not leave millions of West Africans to fend for themselves.”

Many West African medical professionals refuse to go to their home countries because they have an obligation to protect their own families here in the U.S. The most notable example of this is President Johnson’s own son, Dr. James Sirleaf.

He is a graduate of Morehouse College and went on to earn his medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville. He is married with four children. He now runs the emergency room at a hospital in Albany, Ga. After he and his mother came under heavy criticism for his refusal to go to Liberia and help with the epidemic, he responded by saying, “The symbolism of me going there (to Liberia) and potentially getting ebola when I have a nine- and a sevenyear-old at home isn’t worth it just to appease people. I’ve made a commitment not to live in Liberia for many reasons, and I think my contribution (contributions through his medical charity that he has since removed all personnel from Liberia) means more.”

Is Dr. Sirleaf also xenophobic? Or, is he simply using common sense? .

The immortal words of Colonel Nathan R. Jessep (played by Jack Nicholson) in the hit movie, “A Few Good Men,” come to mind: “I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man (or country) who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.”

(NNPA columnist Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm. He can be reached via www.raynardjackson.com. Follow him on Twitter at raynard1223.)

‘We expect them to be accountable’ I am pleased that 40-plus percent of the black candidates who ran statewide or in the congressional races were women and half of them won, including five new members of Congress.

I applaud the women who took that bold step to run for office to make a difference in their communities and to make the voice of the African-American woman heard.

The election shows that we have a lot of work to do to get more black women and persons who support issues that significantly affect our communities elected to office.

We must now prepare to let elected officials know that whether or not we voted for them, our tax dollars are being spent by them and we ex-

pect them to be accountable to all of their constituents, including racial minorities, the poor and women."

(Elsie Scott, Ph.D., director of the Ronald W. Elsie Scott, Walters Leadership and Public Ph.D Policy Center at Howard University, is a member of the Black Womens Roundtable, which played a significant role in voter education, protection and mobilization in the 2014 Midterm Election cycle.)

A high school friend of my wife was one of the earliest victims of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. He was a flight attendant, who was stricken and died quickly. When he died they still had not come up Bill with a name for Fletcher Jr. the pandemic.

But then others became sick and died and suddenly the public knew that something deadly was unfolding.

In the beginning of the pandemic there were different ways that it was characterized. The media and the “street” would talk about the “gay cancer” or the “disease” that afflicted Haitians, homosexuals and hemophiliacs. There were those who suggested locking up entire populations.

No one seemed to know whether you could hug and kiss someone with what later came to be called HIV/AIDS. There was panic. While the science was ignored, there was a demand for a cure. All sorts of theories circulated as to how and why HIV/AIDS emerged.

It was through the work of groups such as Gay Men’s Health Crisis, ACT UP and others that the crisis was confronted at the level of public health and justice. They and similar such formations mobilized against the demonization of the HIV/AIDS infected. Slowly the tide began to turn and attitudes started to shift.

That said, it feels, in the midst of the Ebola crisis, that we are back to ground zero. Science is being ignored. The Australian government has cut off visas to West African countries afflicted by the outbreak and has refused to deploy medical personnel to help to confront the tragedy. They seem to think that they can put Australia in some sort of bubble and keep it healthy. I hate to break it to them but in this age of globalization, it does not work that way.

Yet, in the U.S. there are many people with the same impulses. In a country of more than 300 million people there have been nine victims of Ebola. Nine. Yet the actions by some politicians would make you think that thousands of people had crossed the Atlantic and were infecting the population. Worse, there are politicians who are pinning this crisis on President Obama as a way of motivating their base to vote for conservatives.

It is time for something akin to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and ACT UP. There needs to be a broad-based discussion about Ebola and I would argue that the African American community and African immigrants must take the lead because this pandemic is painted with “race” by all sorts of charlatans. Much as HIV/AIDS became another reason to dehumanize gays, Ebola has become yet another reason to condemn the African world.

Panic and irrational responses are not stopped through pleading, and are frequently not stopped through common sense. You sometimes need a strong force that, through its actions, mobilizations, publicity, etc., shatters the panic and actually forces the larger public to consider reality.

That time has arrived.

(NNPA news columnist Bill Fletcher Jr., the host of “The Global African” on Telesur-English, is a racial justice, labor and global justice writer and activist. Follow him on Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com.)

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Tri-State Defender

Page 5

November 6 - 12, 2014

NEWS STATES CONTINUED FROM FRONT The national average score was 345, with Hawaii receiving the highest score, 583. Adding insult to injury, Wisconsin was ranked 10th overall in preparing white children for success.

And its largest city, Milwaukee, is among the most segregated cities in the United States.

Ohio Thank goodness they have LeBron, because Ohio is having a rough time otherwise.

The Buckeye State is home to the second-highest infant mortality rate in the country. The median black household income is a horrid $26,039, compared with $45,400 for white Ohioans. (The national median income for black households is

not awesome but better than Ohio at $33,321.) Cleveland ranks in the top 10 most segregated cites. Ohio is also No. 6 on the list of worst places to raise black children. Oh, and the voter suppression: Ohio has run into myriad voting snafus affecting the black vote, going back to the re-election of George W. Bush in 2004.

Michigan Michigan gets on the list for being the third-worst state in which to raise black children; the home of Detroit, America’s No. 1 most segregated city; and for having the highest black unemployment rate in the nation, which clocks in at 16.7 percent. (Michigan’s white unemployment rate is only 5.8 percent.) To go with that miserable rate, Michigan also has the lowest rate of ap-

proval (23 percent) for jobless benefits.

Iowa If you’re black and into marijuana, avoid Iowa. The state arrests blacks at a rate eight times higher than whites for marijuana possession, despite the rate of drug usage between blacks and whites being about the same. For years, Iowa also held the title for locking up black people at a higher rate than any other state (it recently lost that crown to Wisconsin).

While other states have large prison populations, what makes Iowa stand out is that it’s a relatively small state with a small population. In fact, its black population is only about 3 percent. Adding insult to injury, the poverty rate among African Americans in Iowa is 31 percent, compared with 11

percent for white Iowans.

Mississippi As the second-worst place to raise a black child in America, Mississippi has a lot of other issues to go with that dishonor.

It has the unfortunate distinction of having the highest infant mortality rate in the

country – nearly 10 deaths for every 1,000 births, beating out also-high neighbors Louisiana and Alabama. But why is it so high? Probably because the numbers are heavily skewed by the black birth mortality rate, which is 13.8 per 1,000 births, with 40 percent of all infants in Mississippi being born to black women. One of the

poorest states in the nation, Mississippi also has a high black unemployment rate (13.9 percent) and the worst unemployment benefits (a paltry average of $194 per week).

(Danielle C. Belton is a Washington, D.C.-based satirist and blogger. Follow her on Twitter.)

Page 6

November 6 - 12, 2014

NATIONAL

Do you have an attitude about money?

Change it in 10 easy steps.

by Lynette Holloway NNPA News Service

It’s no secret that African Americans face unique challenges to their financial security that are unlike those of white households. An estimated 42 percent of AfricanAmerican households use credit for basic expenses, such as rent, groceries and utilities, according to The Challenge of Credit Card Debt for the African American Middle Class, a report released last year by the NAACP. Moreover, 99 percent of blacks who started new businesses using credit are struggling to pay off those expenses, compared to just 80 percent of whites, the report says.

The good news is that it’s never too late to overhaul your financial situation. One of the first steps is changing your attitude toward money, according to Sabrina Lamb, founder and CEO of theWorldofMoney.org, an organization dedicated to the financial education of youth in the Tri-State New York area.

“There are three types of people,” she told NewsOne. “There are consumers, producers and investors. Most African Americans go through their lives in the consumer lane. But if you’re always in that lane, how will you grow your money or get it to work for you? You begin by changing your attitude toward money.”

Lamb is author of “Do I Look Like An ATM? A Parent’s Guide To Raising Financially Educated African-American Children,” which was nominated this year for an NAACP Image Awards for outstanding literary work-instructional. She suggests 10 ways to make your money work for you: Examine your “money-logue” Review your inner dialogue about money: how you think, believe and speak about it to yourself. Eliminate words that

reflect lack or loss. Examine if your financial behaviors lean toward asset or liability accumulation and make a change.

Use your current financial situation as a pathway to prosperity to help overcome shame and regret.

2. Make “saving” culturally cool Examine your family’s culture as it relates to money management. Move the healthy and empowering discussion of personal finance front and center in family life and make it a goal-setting team activity.

3. Shop for quality financial services Instead of choosing financial institutions with the best c o m m e r c i a l s , research bankrate.com for the financial institutions that provide the highest compound interest rate for investments in your city or online; or perhaps the lowest mortgage rate.

4. Pay yourself first Seriously. Examine whether you believe that your life is worth saving and that you alone have an emergency fund for when “life happens,” or you encounter hardship. That fund should cover at least 4 months’ worth of expenses.

5. Watch your credit Your credit report should be your bestseller. Review it for errors, including names, addresses, incorrect claims and violations of statute of limitations. The U.S. government makes a free report available at annualcreditreport.com.

6. Monitor your social media reputation Examine your online reputation. People of color are already targeted by toxic sub-prime loans, high interest rates and sub-par financial services. Social media conver-

sations and posts provide financial institutions with a treasure trove of information for a data repository—collecting, storing, and analyzing data—to determine a person’s credit worthiness.

7. Invest in what you know Clueless as to which stock or mutual fund to own? Look around your home and list the products and services of publicly traded companies to which you are already loyal.

Use low-cost sites such as sharebuilder.com that allow you to invest in companies with a modest investment.

8. Just say, “no.”

Cash is king In exchange for a discount, companies try to recruit new customers with “point-of-sale” high interest, high late fee credit cards. Just say no. One debit card is all one needs using the tried but true axiom: “If you don’t have the cash, don’t buy it.”

9. Sight unseen: Direct deposit Open a direct deposit CD or IRA account, which provide higher interest rates than traditional savings accounts. Determine that a percentage of your income is automatically withdrawn.

10. Start now Money attracts money. Your path to financial liberation may seem lonely at first, especially if family and friends choose not to join you. However, avoid having a money-logue only when experiencing an emergency or it’s New Year’s Eve. Becoming financially secure and financially educated is the only way that your money can grow.

(Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward-Times.)

Tri-State Defender

Tri-State Defender

Page 7

November 6 - 12, 2014

BUSINESS MED Week culminates with the Robert R. Church Achievement Awards Luncheon The Memphis MBDA Business Center and The MidSouth Minority Business Council Continuum (The MMBC Continuum) will conclude the 2014 Minority Enterprise Development Week (MED Week – Nov. 3-7) with a seminar on Thursday entitled “Fine Tuning the RFP Process: Best Practices and Tips on How to Complete the RFP” and the annual Robert R. Church Achievement

Awards Luncheon on Friday at the Holiday Inn – University (3700 Central Avenue) at noon with a networking reception starting at 11:30 a.m.

MED Week is a national program of the MBDA (Minority Business Development Agency) under the U.S. Department of Commerce that annually recognizes the power of minority businesses. The MMBC Continuum was awarded a MBDA Business

Center in 2012 as part of a four-year grant.

The keynote speaker for this year’s luncheon will be Larry Jensen, president & CEO of Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors. Jensen will speak about the collaboration necessary to achieve economic impact and the potential to transform the community by engaging minority and women-owned firms.

Each year The MMBC Con-

tinuum recognizes progress toward impacting minority economic development. The achievement awards for this year include: APEX Corporation of the Year, Scalable M/WBE Business of the Year, MBDA Business of the Year and M/WBE Quality Assurance Award. The corporation of the year award is presented to a MMBC Continuum corporate member that has demonstrated an ongoing

commitment to minority economic business development over the past year.

The scalable M/WBE business of the year is presented to a certified minority or woman-owned business that is nominated by a MMBC Continuum corporate member.

The M/WBE nominees have demonstrated scale, capacity and growth in sales and employees while consistently providing quality products or

services at a competitive price.

Through the Robert R. Church Awards, The MMBC Continuum seeks to recognize corporations that engage scalable minority and womenowned businesses to competitively bid for contract opportunities to provide quality goods and services.

Luke Yancy III is president & CEO of The MMBC Continuum.

MONEY MATTERS

ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

After retirement After the desk is cleaned out, pictures removed and the party is over, the reality of retirement begins to settle in.

Some may Carlee travel, play McCullough golf, rest at home or pick up a hobby to pass the time away. But others are not so ready to put their working years behind them. A few retirees are interested in supplementing their retirement savings by launching a startup business.

Although it is not uncommon for folks to start a business while working, retirees are free to concentrate all of their efforts on the new business venture. Armed with a wealth of experience and plenty of time to share it, retirees will find certain businesses a tailor-made fit. The number of selfemployed folks over 55 years of age is growing annually. So let’s consider a few of the options.

Consulting firm Based on the high probability of retiring from a successful career, the retiree has usually achieved a level of expertise.

With a limited investment, the retiree is positioned to immediately gain by using the contacts, information and experience gained in prior years. Once the retiree secures a few consistent clients, a steady stream of income will serve as a supplement to the standard monthly retirement check.

Don’t overlook the possibility that your former employer may very well turn out to be a client if your special skills are still needed in the workplace.

Bed and breakfast With a wonderful home and

the proper permits, a bed and breakfast can provide a retiree much-needed income to supplement the monthly check. Location! Location! Location! Advertising, ambiance and hospitality can create the perfect storm to make a handsome profit. Although the bed and breakfast is a business, it is definitely less stressful that the hustle and bustle of a normal work day in a corporate atmosphere.

Franchise Money in hand, retirees will have the disposable income to put down on a franchise. The benefit of purchasing a franchise eliminates the need to start a business from scratch. A franchise provides all of the operating documents and eliminates a lot of the unknown. This form of business allows the retiree to be the boss, but still have a team of support.

Senior care services Seniors as a population are growing fast. So the need to supply some form of assisted living facilities or transportation is growing. As seniors grow older, they have the desire and need to maintain as much independence as possible. With a little assistance in preparing meals, providing rides, and/or taking medication on a regular basis, some seniors can remain self-sufficient.

Online products & services With the Internet and a website, a retiree armed with an indemand product or service can make a handsome profit. Unique products and services can fetch nice prices, if the market dictates.

The cost of entry is relatively low as compared to a traditional brick-and-mortar business. The retiree maintains independence, can work from home for the most part and make a profit in the

process.

Professional speaker As a noted expert in a particular field, a retiree can become a professional speaker. With proper marketing, a retiree can build a nice second career by sharing expertise with others. The earning potential is outstanding given the proper audience and budgets. The content of the speeches can range from expert topic to motivational to problem solving. Whatever the content, the key is to make it interesting, original and exciting.

After all, the attendees are paying for your service.

Do you still need life insurance?

Tutoring A working knowledge of music, math or English makes for a great start to a tutoring business.

Children are in need of as much help as possible. The retiree can make a nice side income by simply sharing knowledge with students. The business can grow as large as the retiree desires by hiring additional tutors.

Charles Sims Jr., CMFC, LUTCF

Older people generally have a better understanding of life insurance than younger people. But even if you fully understand the costs and potential benefits of life insurance, you may wonder whether you still need it as you age and your children become self-supporting. Here are some ideas to consider.

Protection for your spouse

If the retiree is blessed with the gift of preparing great food, catering is a wonderful opportunity to increase income. As the clientele grows, so does the revenue.

Even though your children may not need financial support, your spouse might depend on your income, especially if you are still working and/or have debts such as a mortgage, car payment, or student loan, which could be paid off with a life insurance benefit. Losing one spouse’s Social Security benefit could also make it more difficult for the survivor, even with survivor benefits. Widows and widowers aged 55 and older are more likely to live in poverty than married people in the same age group.

Pet sitting

Help for your heirs

Pet owners are serious about their pets. They consider their pets just as important as family members. For a retiree that has a love of pets, a pet sitting business along with pet walking, can be lucrative. The pets can be dropped off at the retiree’s house or the retiree can go to the client’s home to pet sit.

Although fewer families face federal estate taxes because of the high exemption level ($5.34 million in 2014), other end-of-life costs — medical expenses, legal costs associated with tying up financial affairs, and other final expenses — could be a burden for heirs. Unlike some assets, life insurance death benefits are typically paid relatively quickly, and an insurance death benefit is usually not subject to federal income tax.

Catering

(Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)

A more permanent solution Term insurance is generally the most affordable type of life insurance, but premiums can

become more expensive with age, and a term policy provides coverage only for a specified period of time. If you have a term policy that is scheduled to expire, you might be able to extend coverage at a higher premium or convert it to a permanent life policy if that option is available. Another option is to purchase a new permanent life insurance policy.

Permanent life insurance offers a guaranteed death benefit and lifetime protection as long as you pay the premiums. Even though the cost of permanent insurance is usually higher than for term insurance, premiums typically remain level over your lifetime, and a portion of the insurance premium goes into a cash-value account that accumulates on a taxdeferred basis throughout the life of the policy. Not only could this increase the death benefit, but you may be able to borrow against the cash value during your lifetime.

Withdrawals of the accumulated cash value, up to the amount of the premiums paid, are not subject to income tax. Loans are also free of income tax as long as they are repaid. However, loans and withdrawals will reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit. Any guarantees are contingent on the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.

The cost and availability of life insurance depend on factors such as age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Before implementing a strategy involving life insurance, it would be prudent to make sure you are insurable. In addition to the life insurance premiums, other costs include mortality and expense charges. If a policy is surrendered prematurely, there may be surrender charges and income tax implications.

(Charles Sims Jr., CMFC, LUTCF, is President/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group.

Contact him at 901-682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancialGroup.com.)

Page 8

Tri-State Defender

November 6 - 12, 2014

RELIGION

Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church to install 22-year-old pastor

by Tony Jones Special to The New Tri-State Defender

An abiding sense of optimism will color the service at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church this Sunday, Nov. 9th, as the church installs its new 22-year-old pastor, the Rev. Ashton Alexander.

Located at 491 McLemore near Wellington, a banquet will be held on Friday, Nov. 6th celebrating his pastoral position, with the official installation service to take place two days later during regular services.

Founded in 1912, naming a man as young as Alexander is a bold move, but when you learn how he was chosen the selection seems natural.

Pilgrim Rest’s legacy is tied to the civic work of its hallmark pastor, the late Rev. Alfred DeWayne Hill Sr., who served as its leader from 1976 to 2002. Hill led a remodeling drive for the church and became known as a strong, educated, involved and forceful voice in civic matters before he met an untimely death as the victim of a carjacking in New Orleans.

Hill’s wife, Doris Thomas Hill, remained an active member of the church, helping to operate ESPN Academy (Education, Scholarship, Preparation, Nurture), a free afterschool tutoring program for neighborhood children. She

The Rev. Ashton Alexander feels the selection committee “made an excellent choice.”

Chairperson of the Trustees Committee and Pilgrim Rest member since 1970, Helen Smith said the selection really evolved on its own. “I think he’s going to be innovative,” she said, “and that it was God’s will that he be placed as the shepherd over this flock.”

Alexander graduated from Bryant College in Dayton, Tenn. in 2014. He was born and raised in Memphis, raised up at Mt. Pleasant Baptist church and joined Pilgrim Rest in 2012. “A member had brought him here to speak for

Youth Day. Oh, we loved him,” said Smith. “He impressed the entire congregation, especially the young people. They were attentive, and it was noticed by the older members of the church.”

Alexander was still in school and would come home every other weekend, Smith said. “He often spoke at the church when he was here. So when our former pastor resigned, we reached out to him and asked him if he could preach on the first and third Sunday of each month. That’s how the majority of the congregation became involved

with his method of preaching and teaching.”

He is very effective in how he brings understanding of the message, she added, “no matter how many times you’ve heard the same sermon (from others) over the years.”

When it was learned that former pastor, the Rev. McKinley Royal Sr., would be resigning, the congregation was polled about what qualifications the next pastor should possess. Among the questions were queries about experience, Smith pointed out.

“We asked how old a minister should be, how much experience they should have in running a church and other questions to learn what qualifications we as black Baptists felt were necessary for a church pastor.”

Alexander was notified of the selection in May. He grew up in Frayser in the Overton Crossing area and attended Georgian Hills School. The marked difference he felt in his spirit became evident to others, he said. However, he felt comfortable in his skin very early in his life.

“I first felt the call to preach when I was 12,” Alexander says. “I went to my family and we prayed over it. I went to my pastor and we prayed over it, and I chose this path for my life. It was challenging with my friends, in the neighborhood, and at school because

everybody sensed that I was different.

“It was hard sometimes, because I would have to draw my friends downward and let them know I could come outside and play games and have fun, but there were certain boundaries that were forbidden for me,” he said. “And I think that through my own witness there were some times when they were compelled to do some things differently.”

When meeting Alexander for the first time, he easily smiles and has a sense of humor. He answers questions in a straightforward manner that’s refreshing because he tries not to sound like a pastor.

It’s all about “learning and growing in Christ,” he said. “I like to read as a leisure activity and I even see that in creating growth for what I hope to accomplish as a minister.”

The installation services on Sunday follow months of hands-on experience where he’s learning the daily work in operating a church. He credits the deacons and elders for their guidance and believes their guidance is just as important as the Masters of Divinity he is pursuing at Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary.

At Bryant College. Alexander received the Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science. Recalling an eyeopening confrontation, he

said, “I was the only black in my class, and there are few black people in that area (Chattanooga). I went to a Walmart one night and some of the locals followed me around. They were making taunting remarks and monkey sounds. The Frayser came out in me. My fists balled up automatically. But the God in me smiled. I just shook my head at them and walked away. I think they got the point.”

As a young pastor, Alexander could potentially become a real voice in addressing the issues of youth violence, pregnancy, and the lack of goal planning by too many black youths. His goal, he said, is to have Pilgrim Rest to continue its imprint as a community connected congregation.

“A friend of mine and I went driving through the neighborhood just last week to start getting to know it,” said Alexander. “South Memphis is certainly an icon of challenges and we’re willing to engage. From my own perspective, the most important thing is to give them some kind of connection to Christ, and then we have to attack the structural problems.”

What makes poverty possible – which often leads to the miss-education of people – and a person’s attraction to crime? “We have to address the facts. But my own priority is to save their souls,” he said.

St. Andrew AME Church plans to celebrate148th church anniversary

Special thanks...

The church family of Greater New Shiloh M.B. Church celebrated their pastor and wife’s anniversary Sunday, Nov. 2th. The Rev. Dr. Fred C. Lofton and Dr. Ida C. Payne Lofton were the recipients of the church’s outpouring of love and gifts.

The Rev. Dr. J. L. Payne, pastor of Greater Mt. Morian Baptist Church, was the anniversary speaker.

(Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

The Rev. Dr. Floyd H. Flake, pastor of Greater Allen AME Cathedral in Jamaica, New York, will be the guest preacher St. Andrew A.M.E. Church has been ministering to the Memphis community for 148 years. On Sunday, Nov. 9, the Honorable Rev. Dr. Floyd H. Flake, the innovative pastor of the 23,000-member Greater Allen AME Cathedral in Jamaica, New York, is the guest preacher for both the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. services.

During his pastorate, Allen AME has become one of the nation’s foremost Christian churches and development corporations. Flake served 11 years in the U.S. Congress, followed by a stint as president of Wilberforce College.

On Saturday, Nov. 8th at 10 a.m., the church will sponsor the 4th Annual South Memphis 5K Walk/Run. Over 350 people are expected to participate, including both Mayor Mark Luttrell Jr. and Mayor A C Wharton Jr. Following the Walk, the community is invited to attend the Healthy

Church Health Fair to receive health screenings and health information. The Health Fair is sponsored by Blue CrossBlue Shield and includes great door prizes, including an Ipad, Beats headphones and an Xbox gaming system.

The mission of St. Andrew A.M.E. Church is to “Minister to Memphis – spirit, soul, and body.” The Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, M.D., and the Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, MPH, co-pastor the church. Dr. Robinson is the Public Health Policy Advisor for Shelby County and “Rev. Marilynn” is Senior Vice President of Saint Francis Healthcare.

Over the years, The Saint, as it is affectionately called, has had an incredible impact on the lives of its members, the people in South Memphis and throughout Shelby County. This year, St. Andrew’s Back-to-School Ministry gave over 1,400 pairs of new shoes

and 1,400 packs of school supplies to children throughout the community.

In April of this year, The Works, Inc., St. Andrew’s CDC (community development corporation), celebrated the construction and opening of a new grocery store – “The Grocer” – at the South Memphis Farmers Market to help provide access to healthy and affordable foods in the South Memphis community. Connected to the Grocer, the demonstration kitchen has been used to teach community residents healthy cooking techniques.

The church’s other accomplishments include building affordable housing for 113 families, providing social service outreach, community education, childcare and youth education.

For more information call (901) 948-3441 or visit www.saintandrewamec.org

PRAISE CONNECT -A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHESMETROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor 767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126

901-946-4095 fax 948-8311

No Cross...

No Crown

ASSOCIATE MINISTERS Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES SUNDAY Sunday School .....................8:30 am Morning Worship Service ....10:00am WEDNESDAY Bible Study .........................10:30 am Mid-Day Prayer Meeting .....12 noon Evening Prayer Meeting........7:00pm FRIDAY Cable Channel 17 ............... 8:00pm

Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

– Psalm 55:22

Attend the church of your choice

Attend the Church of your choice

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

—Phillipians 4:13

ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, November 6 - 12, 2014, Page 9

E-BRIEFS Film probes local response to death of Ferguson teen “We Shall Overcome” – the Memphis community’s response to the tragic death of an unarmed black teen at the hands of a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo. – will have it’s world premier at the Malco Studio on the Square, 2105 Court Ave., on Thursday (Nov. 6th) starting at 7 p.m.

The documentary is the work of the Memphis-based Black Thread Production company. It builds upon the premise that the issue of race is at the core of the ongoing scenario surrounding the fatal shooting of Michael Brown.

Director William Edwards doesn’t run from the issue. “Instead, Edwards faces the issue of race head on in the unflinching introduction to the film,” declares a promo for the documentary.

“The hope is that this film will act as a conduit and help us reach beyond the racial divide that still exists in this country,” Williams says in the film.

“The hope also is that this film helps in the moving of blacks in this country past the status of second class citizenship.”

(For more information, go to http://www.blackthreadproduction.co m/. View the movie trailer on YouTube on the Black Thread Production channel.

Broad Avenue Fall Art Walk set for Nov. 7 The Broad Avenue Fall Art Walk will be from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 7).

The celebration of art and neighborhood features works by more than 100 visual artists, music, dance and spoken word performances, and artists’ demonstrations.

Check out the newest businesses to open on Broad, 20twelve and Bounty, and preview City & State, which will open in the spring.

Collage Dance Youth Ensemble, who call Broad Avenue home, will be performing at the Water Tower Pavilion (7:30PM.). The event is free, with food and drink available for purchase.

It’s been a busy golden anniversary year for Larry Dodson, James Alexander and the Bar-Kays. Todd Poole, Dodson, Alexander and Scott Bartlett were geared up for the guitar smash commemorating the Grand Reopening of Hard Rock Cage Memphis on Oct. 23. (Photo: Gareth Patterson/Invision for Hard Rock International/AP Images).

Benefit gala to cap Bar-Kays 50th anniversary The Bar-Kays will celebrate five decades in the music industry with a 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 4th.

The black tie gala will be hosted by Elise Neal of TV One’s “Hollywood Divas” and actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs ,who starred in “The Jacksons: An American Dream.”

Sponsored by iHeart Media Memphis, the star-studded event will include tributes and performances by George Clinton, Confunkshun, Eddie Levert, The Dazz Band, Mary Jane Girls, Willie Clay-

Elise Neal, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs to host ton, Sir Charles Jones, Jazze Pha, The SOS Band, Doug E. Fresh, the reunion of the United We Funk All-Stars and DJ Quik.

A portion of the proceeds from the gala will benefit the group’s “Fab Five” charities: The Down Syndrome Association of Memphis & the Mid-South, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, United Way of the Mid-South, The STAX Music

Academy and The Allen Jones/Marjorie Barringer/Bar-Kays Scholarship Fund in support of The LeMoyne Owen College.

The doors open at 6 p.m. to the lobby of the Cannon Center for cocktail hour, with the Red Carpet from 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

The Show starts at 8 p.m.

General Admission for the event is $97.11.

Tickets may be purchased at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts box office, 255 North Main St., Memphis and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets also available from Ticketmaster at 1-800-726-0915 or online at www.thebarkaysfoundation.com.

ABOUT TOWN

Art Walk details At the Water Tower Pavilion: 5:30 p.m. School of Rock: Germantown and Memphis House Bands (music).

7 p.m. POEASTRY: East High School Poetry Club (spoken word).

7:30 p.m. U-dig Dance (dance).

8 p.m. Collage dance Collective (dance).

9 p.m. The Three Kings (music).

‘If Scrooge was a Brother’ After years of staging various drafts, Ekundayo Bandele – playwright and founder of Hattiloo Theatre –has settled on a final draft of the popular holiday play, “If Scrooge was a Brother.”

The major re-write was prompted when an artistic director in Chicago saw the play in Memphis and said while it was entertaining, it never answered the question: “What if Scrooge was a brother?”

Bandele reflected and agreed and also noted that the melting of Eb Scroo’s heart seemed to just happen in the second act; there wasn't a natural progression as he realized the effect he was having on the African American community. So, Bandele completely rewrote the script, which will be staged for the first time Nov. 28-Dec. 21 featuring Michael Adrian Davis from Hallelujah FM as Eb Scroo.

Here's the story: Eb Scroo is a successful AfricanAmerican businessman with a surly attitude about the world, African-American people, and especially Christmas.

Scroo is so set in his vile ways that he has allowed his heart to grow cold, displaying no pity on the poor. After his former mentor and partner, Boss Marley, warns him about the punishment he's making for himself in the afterlife, three ghosts visit Scroo. The Ghost of Christmas Past is not only symbolic to Scroo’s own history but to those of his ancestors. The Present shows Scroo how a little salvation makes a difference. Finally, The Future shows him the ripple effect he could create if he remains the same.

For more information: 901-5023486, administration; 901-525-0009, box office; 901-525-0039, fax. Visit www.hattiloo.org.

BRIEFLY: Stylish Events and Promotions presents Terry Wright’s Southern Soul Birthday Bash live at Classic Soulz at 1027 E. Brooks Rd. on Nov. 28. Wright – aka “The Anytime Man” – is a Coday Records Recording artist and writer. Doors open at 8 p.m.; show at 10 p.m. Tickets: $25, general admission; VIP seating specials available; early bird special, $15, at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/terrywrights-southern-soul-birthday-bashtickets-13918623979.

Dressed to…

The local chapter of the National Council of Negro Women held its annual Best Dressed Fashion Show at the Memphis Hilton on Sunday (Nov. 2nd). (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)

Having a ball…

(Left and above) Phillip Ashley Chocolates’ inaugural Masquerade Charity Ball debuted at the Pink Palace mansion on Halloween night and attendees had no trouble getting into the spirit of evening. (left) Ashley found himself in tall company.

Well suited…

The 25th Annual Stanley E. Smith and Erolé Exposé fashion extravaganza was held last Sunday (Nov. 2nd) at the Memphis Hilton and no one enjoyed it more than its namesake.

Page 10

November 6 - 12, 2014

Tri-State Defender

ENTERTAINMENT OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam’s Kapsules: Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

Courtesy photo

‘Freedom Series’ at University of Mississippi

by Kam Williams Special to The New Tri-State Defender

For movies opening November 7, 2014 BIG BUDGET FILMS “Big Hero 6” (PG for action, peril, crude humor and mature themes) Animated family comedy inspired by the Marvel Comics series about a 14 year-old inventor (Ryan Potter) who teams with his inflatable robot (Scott Adsit) and his close friends to solve a string of crimes. Voice cast includes Jamie Chung, T.J. Miller, Genesis Rodriguez, Damon Wayans, Jr., Maya Rudolph and James Crowell.

“Interstellar” (PG-13 for intense action and brief profanity) Post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller about an outer space expedition undertaken through a wormhole by scientists searching for a habitable planet in the wake of climate change that has left Earth devastated by drought and famine. Ensemble cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain, Ellen Burstyn, John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, David Oyelowo, Topher Grace, Bill Irwin and William Devane.

“The Theory of Everything” (PG-13 for suggestive material and mature themes) Bittersweet biopic focused on the relationship of physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and wife Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones), the friend of his sister (Charlotte Hope) he met while they were students at Cambridge in the Sixties. With Emily Watson, Charlie Cox and Simon McBurney.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS “21 Years: Richard Linklater” (Unrated) Reverential biopic chronicling the first 21 years in the career of indie filmmaker Richard Linklater.

“The Better Angels” (PG for mature themes and brief smoking) Abraham Lincoln Braydon Denney) biopic about how a challenging Indiana childhood marked by traumas and tragedy helped shaped the future president for greatness. With Diane Kruger, Jason Clarke and Brit Marling.

“Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain” (Unrated) 30th anniversary retrospective revisiting the Union Carbide industrial accident in India which claimed over 10,000 lives in just a few hours. (In English and Hindi with subtitles) “Death Metal Angola” (R for profanity) Musical documentary about the heavy metal scene in war-ravaged Angola, the richest country in Africa in terms of natural resources.

“Elsa & Fred” (PG-13 for brief profanity) Shirley Maclaine and Christopher Plummer

T.J. Miller and Damon Wayans Jr. talk about their roles in the movie “Big Hero 6,” an animated family comedy. (Courtesy photo) co-star in the title roles of this remake of the 2005 Argentine romantic comedy about a widower who gets a new lease on life when he falls in love with a free-spirited septuagenarian. Cast includes Marcia Gay Harden, Chris Noth, George Segal and James Brolin.

“Jessabelle” (PG-13 for terror and violence) Sarah Snook portrays the title character in this haunted house flick about a young woman who returns to Louisiana to recuperate in her family’s waterfront mansion after a car accident, only to come face-to-face with a demonic spirit that’s been awaiting her return.

With Mark Webber, Joelle Carter and Amber Stevens.

“A Merry Friggin’ Christmas” (PG-13 for profanity and violence) Dark comedy about an estranged father (Robin Williams) and son (Joel McHale) who grudgingly share an eighthour road trip to retrieve forgotten Christmas presents. Support cast includes Candice Bergen, Wendi McClendon-Covey, Clark Duke, Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham.

“National Gallery” (Unrated) Art documentary giving a guided tour around a- London’s museum housing thousands of masterpieces painted between the 13th and 19th Centuries.

“On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter” (PG for crashes, peril and mild epithets) International motorcycle racing is the subject of this documentary inspired by another on the same sport released in 1971.

“Open Windows” (Unrated) Stalker thriller about a frustrated fan (Elijah Wood) who starts monitoring an actress’ (Sasha Grey) every move over the internet after she refuses to honor a dinner date won in a contest. With Neil Maskell, Nacho Vigalondo and Ivan Gonzalez. (In English and Spanish with subtitles) “Pelican Dreams” (Unrated) Ornithological documentary, directed by Judy Irving (The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill), follows a wayward pelican from the Golden Gate Bridge to a San Francisco rehab facility.

“Sex Ed” (Unrated) Haley Joel Osment stars in this romantic comedy as a health teacher in an inner city school who finds himself falling in love with the older sister (Lorenza Izzo) of one of his students (Kevin Hernandez). With Retta Sirleaf, Laura Harring, Abby Elliott and George Eads.

“Virunga” (Unrated) Endangered species documentary chronicling conservationists’ efforts to save the last of the gorillas in the midst of a civil war over the Congo’s natural resources. (In English, French and Swahili with subtitles) “The Way He Looks” (Unrated) Homoerotic romance drama about a blind teenager (Ghilherme Lobo) who develops unexpected feelings for the new kid in town (Fabio Audi).

With Tess Amorim, Julio Machado and Selma Egrei. (In Portuguese with subtitles)

OXFORD, Miss. – Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Mississippi Freedom Summer, the University of Mississippi has a slate of events coming up Nov. 15-18 in its Freedom Series.

Scheduled events include the UM Gospel Choir’s 40th anniversary concert Nov. 15 and an Oxford Civic Chorus concert Nov. 17. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Adult admission is $10 each night, with a special $5 admission for students the second night only.

The Burns-Belfry Museum and Multicultural Center, 710 East Jackson Ave., will be open to visitors from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 16. A screening of the documentary “Freedom Summer” begins at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Oxford Studio Cinema on Jackson Avenue. Both events are free to the public.

“For years, the events of Freedom Summer evaded the history books, and several generations of Mississippians are unaware of the details surrounding the events,” said Donald Cole, assistant provost, assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs and program cocoordinator.

“If you are one of the individuals who missed this part of your state’s history, or were told only portions of it or if you want to hear from individuals who actually experienced it, then you will want to attend the events planned for Freedom Summer.”

The Oxford Civic Chorus concert features music inspired by the civil rights movement.

Special guests include the Grammy-nominated UM Gospel Choir, Mississippians Jazz Ensemble, Lafayette High School Choir, Oxford High School Choir and Blue Ten Harmony.

The concert will begin with composer-music teacher-pastor Lena McLin's famous 1973 cantata, "Free At Last: A Portrait of Martin Luther King Jr." Other songs will highlight protest from the era and inspiration.

“Dr. McLin, who grew up with Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta, wrote this piece to honor the memory of her friend,” said Brooke Worthy, civic chorus director. “This is a great opportunity to hear an important piece that is rarely performed in the United States.”

Presented by UM Libraries, the nationallyacclaimed documentary “Freedom Summer” focuses on the memorable 10 weeks in 1964 when more than 700 student volunteers from around the country joined organizers and local African Americans in an effort to shatter the foundations of white supremacy in the South.

“Freedom Summer” is part of the Created Equal film series that chronicles the legacy of the long civil rights movement.