11 6 2013

VOL. 62, No. 44

October 31 - November 6, 2013

Judge Joe Brown

Judge Joe Brown to keynote Men of Excellence Gala TSD event is Nov. 23

Twenty years ago, with great anticipation and as president of the Black Student Association at Rhodes College, I hosted Judge Joe Brown as a speaker at one of our signature campus events.

Now, as president and publisher of The New Tri-State Defender, I’ve invited an equally dynamic and more seasoned Judge Joe Brown to deliver what I am confident will be an inspiring message of challenge to our 2013 Men of Excellence. I am elated that he has accepted the invitation.

I know that Judge Brown truly understands the TSD vision to mobilize and put into action the collective talent represented in this year’s Men of Excellence class. He knows the value of meshing that talent with the immense wealth of talent represented by the distinguished body of four previous years of inductees.

As a judge, he has a unique understanding and perspective on the community’s need for African-American men to work – both individually and collectively – to affect positive change economically, educationally and socially, particularly for future generations. I look forward to “The Judge” bringing it in a way that only he can.

If you can be there on Nov. 23rd at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn, I suggest you get your tickets now because you don’t want to miss it.

For more information, call the TSD office at 901-523-1818; or call Nina Allen-Johnson at 901-679-8545.

www.tsdmemphis.com

75 Cents

A Campus for Caring to aid sickle cell fight Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee moves to purchase landmark location.

With an eye toward a Campus for Caring, The Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee is moving to purchase the historic Hunt-Phelan home and redevelop adjacent real estate.

In the U.S., sickle-cell disease is most prevalent among AfricanAmericans and Hispanics. It strikes one in 375 African-American children. Patients can suffer debilitating pain, swelling, infections, stroke and life-threatening organ damage, which

can lead to a shorter life.

The nonprofit envisions a dramatic expansion to serve more people at home and abroad. Foundation representatives are meeting with donors as part of a $2 million campaign to finance the phased-in development of its Campus for Caring during the next few years.

Elements of the plan were shared at the 175-year-old Hunt-Phelan home during an announcement Tues-

The 175-year-old Hunt-Phelan home and surrounding property would be transformed into a Campus for Caring with expanded health and education programs, temporary housing and other services for sickle-cell patients and their families, if a plan announced Tuesday comes to fruition. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)

day morning. Over time, the Campus for Caring would support expanded health and education programs and provide temporary housing and services to sickle-cell patients and their families.

“Memphis people, Memphis insti-

tutions and Memphis organizations are national leaders in the search for sickle-cell treatments and a Sickle Cell cure,” Foundation Chief ExecuSEE SICKLE CELL ON PAGE 2

- INSIDE -

• Teachers are key to our children’s success. See Opinion, page 4.

• Are you paying more than your parents? See Business, page 8.

‘12 Years A Slave’…

Lupita Nyong'o fills the role of the slave Patsey with scene-grabbing authority in “12 Years A Slave.” The movie, which opens Friday (Nov. 1) in Memphis, “taught me so much about slavery that I didnʼt know and I am sure that it will do the same for lots of other people,” she said. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku) See Opinion, page 4-5.

CELEBRATING MEMPHIS AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY

Boss Ugly Bob to many, he was just ‘Boss’ to me COMMENTARY

India Arie

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Tracy Lavell Matthews

• Grammy winner turns Orpheum into ‘center of the universe.’ See Entertainment, page 10.

• The return of Paul Porter!.

See Entertainment, page 10.

MEMPHIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Rather than stay at a hotel, a young Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam would spend the night at the home of Boss Ugly Bob whenever he was in Memphis. (Photo: Courtesy of Tracy Lavell Matthews)

Robert Karriem, formerly Robert Catron, gained notoriety as Boss Ugly Bob. “Boss,” as I called him, was my father-in-law and earlier this month he was awarded a historical marker from the State of Tennessee at his last place of business at 726 East McLemore near Mississippi Blvd.

This long overdue gesture of recognition (on Oct. 5th) for one of Memphis most successful businessmen and African-American millionaires was a personal inspiration.

Boss Ugly Bob lived a storied life.

He was a DJ on WLOK in the sixties.

As a musician, he played with Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, Roscoe Gordon, and B.B. King with “The Beale Streeters.” A pillar of his community and family man, he stayed married to Claudette Colbert for over 50 years.

“Boss” was in business for almost 60 years as a music store owner and independent distributor of music. He owned 12-plus record stores that spread throughout Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Kentucky, and North and South Carolina.

SEE BOSS ON PAGE 2

African-American luxury spending power; Is Barneys jeopardizing it?

H- 7 1o - L - 4 6o Su nny

H- 6 2o - L - 3 8o S unn y

REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS

Friday H-74 L-47 H-67 L-46 H-75 L-48

H- 6 1o - L - 4 4o S unn y

Saturday H-64 L-39 H-60 L-39 H-68 L-40

Sunday H-61 L-46 H-58 L-41 H-68 L-43

The Grio

by Shartia Brantley Luxury spending power by African Americans is estimated to be nearly $90 billion, according to Diversity Affluence, a consultancy for upscale brands.

This includes affluent AfricanAmerican households with an individual salary of $75,000 and households with income of at least $150,000.

Trying to protect its brand and sales, Barneys New York executives

met with the Rev. Al Sharpton and other leaders from the National Action Network on Tuesday to address the allegations of racial profiling.

As Barneys and Macy’s investigate these allegations their brands may be tarnished, especially with AfricanAmerican luxury shoppers.

Andrea Hoffman, founder and CEO of Diversity Affluence, said, “African-Americans have proven to have political, social and economic clout.”

Regarding spending power, Hoffman said consumers are moving toward more experiences whether it is

in customer service, brand or store.

This means quality treatment, food and products – the whole experience, Hoffman explained.

“Luxury retailers are not doing a great job of marketing to black luxury consumers,” Hoffman said. She added that many luxury retailers and brands fail to do target; they have a “build it and they will come” attitude.

“African-Americans have an affinity toward limited edition, one of a kind, unique products,” said Hoffman. That is what Barneys stands for, so naturally affluent African-Ameri-

cans have an affinity for the retailer.

Loyalty is a word not often used today, however, that’s not true for African-American consumers.

African-Americans tend to be more brand loyal than other groups, according to the 2013 African-American 360 study by NewMediaMetrics.

“African-Americans are either aspiring or trying to replicate something in their own lives,” said Denise Larson, co-founder and president of SEE LUXURY ON PAGE 2

Page 2

SICKLE CELL

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

tive Officer Trevor K. Thompson said. “Our initiative will accelerate progress in those areas and expand the scope of our health, education and social services.”

About 2.5 million Americans carry the gene and 100,000 live with the disease, one of the most common inherited diseases in America and the most frequent among African-Americans. Sickle-cell disease prevents red blood cells from working properly and individuals with it can suffer a lifetime of debilitating pain and life-threatening symptoms.

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. endorsed and offered grant-writing and technical assistance for the Foundation initiative.

“Foundation leaders have

BOSS

NEWS

Tri-State Defender

October 31 - November 6, 2013

challenged themselves to build on their successes, extend their reach and serve more people,” Wharton s a i d .

“Their amTrevor K. bitious viThompson sion is one that builds on the promise of the City of Memphis as a city of hope, a city of healing, and merits our support.”

Scientists with the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences (UTCHS), the Regional Medical Center at Memphis and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have pioneered research and treatment of sickle-cell for more than 50 years. And in recent years, Methodist LeBonheur

Healthcare has expanded its capacity for Sickle Cell research and patient care as well.

The Foundation serves patients of each institution.

Specifically, Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee plans to: Buy the 175-year-old HuntPhelan Home, an historic antebellum mansion on 6.5 acres between the Beale Street and Central Business districts and the medical center, and create a new corporate headquarters and conference center; Preserve and open for public view the 10,000-square-foot mansion that billeted U.S. Presidents Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, Andrew Johnson, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis; It also served as Ulysses S. Grant’s HQ in 1862 and as a Freedmen’s Bureau school for former slaves after the Civil War; Develop an accessible pri-

mary care medical clinic to serve downtown residents; Create dedicated laboratory facilities to expand what is already the largest sickle-cell trait-testing program in the Arkansas- Mississippi-Tennessee region; Develop a hospitality center on nearby property with temporary housing for patients and their families when they are in Memphis for sickle-cell treatment; Generate revenues from enterprises, including a mixeduse low-rise office building, to fund sickle-cell services in other U.S. cities and some overseas.

“Our mission is to provide social services, including health, education and life skills, to enhance the quality of life and self-sufficiency of individuals living with sickle cell,” said Thompson. “Everything we plan builds our capacity and extends our reach to

serve more people. We must grow because there are people in pain who need our help.”

The Campus for Caring initiative requires Foundation leaders to step out on faith, but they are not stepping out alone.

In recent years, the Plough Foundation provided a $1 million grant to help establish an endowed chair in hematology with a joint appointment at UTCHS and Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare.

Three years ago, a community coalition led a $5 million effort to fund The Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center of Memphis at Memphis University Hospital. The effort is a joint venture with Methodist and UTCHS. The 40-bed inpatient unit provides 24-hour acute care and an infusion unit.

The outpatient component provides patient education, genetic counseling, social services and psychosocial support for adults.

Please join the TSD Fan Page on Facebook

LUXURY

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

His influence in the music industry was such that when in Memphis, Michael Jackson, Prince, Earth, Wind and Fire and many other platinumaward winning artists would only use his stores to host their autograph signings.

Even Elvis Presley, in the late ‘60s, would come to his record store to purchase African-American music. I have a photo of the two together in his shop.

Labels such as Motown, Stax, Atlantic, Philadelphia Sound and many others would use his network as distributor and direct link to the black consumer market for the southern region of the US. With his wealth, my father-in-law was generous and he ventured into philanthropy, civil rights, and politics. He gave tens of thousands of dollars to LemoyneOwen College, which he attended at age 17 on a music scholarship.

When Harold Ford Sr. was a state representative and contemplating a run for Congress, it was Boss Ugly Bob who helped organized a core of financial and community supporters that included the now-deceased Willie Mitchell, Isaac Hayes and activist Cornelia Crenshaw and others. He also extended financial support to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts to help the sanitation workers’ strike in spite of opposition from the middle class vanguard at that time.

It was this unpopular support for Dr. King that caused the FBI to solicit spies to report on his activities with the Nation of Islam. Minister Louis Farrakhan spent the night at Boss’s house whenever he was in Memphis rather than a hotel.

Mr. Catron was marked by J. Edgar Hoover’s campaign to destroy the civil rights movement. One such way was to falsely accuse him and celebrities such as Red Foxx and Sammy Davis Jr. of not paying their income taxes to the IRS. Many of the Stax artists and executives – Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas and Al Bell among them – sought advice about music distribution. Mr. Bell sent a heart felt letter that was read to the audience by Muhammad Ziyad during the monument dedication.

My biological father, Timothy Lee Matthews, co-writer of the classic song “I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home,” and who recorded under his own label as “El Espada,” was able to place his product in Boss Ugly Bob’s record stores. He told me that “Boss” was a fair man with his accounting.

It was also Boss Ugly Bob

The ventures continue a longstanding commitment among Memphis institutions to sickle cell research and treatment.

The Diggs-Kraus Sickle Cell Center at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis is affiliated with UTCHS. Formed in 1958, it is named for Lemuel W. Diggs, MD, who provided care for sickle-cell patients in their homes and in his medical school office since the 1920s. In 1952, he was joined by A.P. Kraus, MD, who with Memphian Ann Bell discovered Hemoglobin CC and SC in the mid-1950s.

And in 1972, the National Institutes of Health started funding work at the center.

The Diggs-Kraus Sickle Cell Center has provided uninterrupted adult care since the 1950s and continues to do so.

The center’s clinic – headed since 1993 by Patricia AdamsGraves, MD – provides care for about 600 adults.

Motown legend Smokey Robinson was among the many stars to interact with Boss Ugly Bob while in Memphis.

(Photos: Courtesy of Tracy Lavell Matthews) who started me in the entertainment industry of filmmaking. It is because of him that I have had the opportunity to work with Spike Lee and John Singleton, and to meet stars such as Quincy Jones, Prince and many others.

My first television job at News Channel 3, CBS and those that came after at NBC News Channel 5, Fox 13 News, all resulted from his influence. I’ve enjoyed an over 15-year career in television news and Hollywood films. I attribute that success, to my education and the lessons I learned from my father-in-law – Robert Karriem.

I find it amazing and I feel blessed that I had to opportunity to sit at the feet of a legend, a wise man, and a role model that our youth should emulate.

Robert Karriem was an American. He served his country in the armed services, he contributed to his community, and he demanded equality for himself, his family and all of us.

We should celebrate more of the history of Memphis African-Americans who have made an impact in our community.

(Katherine Arandez was a contributing writer of this commentary.)

Boss Ugly Bob (kneeling) developed influence that linked stars to the African-American consumer market.

NewMediaMetrics, regarding brand loyalty.

Her firm tracked emotional attachment or brand loyalty for numerous companies including fifteen retailers such as Macy’s. Her study found that African-Americans were vastly more loyal to Macy’s than the general population, 40.2 percent to 24.1 percent, respectively. African-Americans’ emotional attachment for Target was 47.2 percent compared to 36 percent for the general population.

Due to the high brand loyalty among AfricanAmericans, Larson said the bias allegations at Barneys and Macy’s may have financial repercussions. “It’s like biting the hand that feeds you,” Larson said.

She said it is very important to nurture and not ostracize the people who are most loyal to you. “It’s not only the right thing to do, but (having a bias) doesn’t make sense or cents,” she said.

There is a strong correlation between brand loyalty and sales. The more attached consumers are to a brand the more they spend.

NewMediaMetric’s data reveals brand loyal consumers translate into 47.2 percent more in sales. “The more loyal, the more they spend and the deeper they go into a product category,” Larson said.

Executives at the corporate level may know this, but it may not trickle down to the store level. “This is traditionally the problem in retail, so many locations and employees,” she explained.

So how can Barneys and Macy’s protect its brand and sales?

Barneys has an opportunity to turn this into a positive and lead transformation in the industry, particularly in luxury regarding the “new” America, Hoffman offered.

They should take the lead to start the conversation and be a part of the solution.

Hoffman suggests Barneys host an influencer luncheon with people of color to have a candid dialogue about solutions. “Barneys should understand royaltons; they are not minorities,” Hoffman offered.

Royaltons are a small group of affluent people.

Hoffman said Barneys may also want to look at their corporate board. She said they may need a proper facelift in order to be a forward-thinking, sustainable and profitable brand.

(Shartia Brantley is a producer and on-air reporter at CNBC. Follow Shartia on Twitter at @shartiabrantley.)

Tri-State Defender

Late night …

NEWS

October 31 - November 6, 2013

R&B star R. Kelly (third from right) hooked up with the Suavo and Bones Jazz Band at Robb Hunterʼs Havana Mix Cigar Emporium on Sunday Night for an after party following his concert at the Landers Center in Southaven, Miss. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Touch…

Anthony C. Cohran provides corporate and mobile massage via his company, Magnificent Hands.

Tika Collins is his focus during a networking event hosted by Kelly D. Price at 300 South Main Gallery last Thursday (Oct. 24).

(Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Page 3

Page 4

OPINION

October 31 - November 6, 2013

John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)

The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper

Powered by Best Media

Tri-State Defender

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

Teachers are key to our children’s success

As a pastor and longtime member of the Frayser community, I have a strong interest in seeing our children do well in school.

And although I believe their success is driven by a range of factors such as class sizes and the availability of good texts and other materials, I also know that having a great teacher is the most important school-based factor in student achievement.

Research in a recent report by Shepherding the Next Generation shows that a student assigned to an excellent teacher may gain more than a full year’s worth of additional academic growth compared to a student assigned to a weak teacher. Indeed, a highly effective teacher has a greater impact on achievement than any other factor within the school environment.

That report also examined a Tennessee study that found that an average student with three highly effective teachers scored in the top 10 percent of students after three years, while a similar student with ineffective teachers scored in the bottom 40 percent after the same period of time.

Given these facts, I am gratified that we have so many committed, hard-working, and talented teachers in the Shelby County Schools, including those who are members of my own church. That is why my fellow pastors and I have been setting aside one Sunday each spring to celebrate our teachers for their critical role in shepherding the next generation of children towards success in school and in life.

Of course, this is not to say that all teachers are as successful in the classroom as others – there are clearly more and less effective teachers – or that new teachers don’t benefit from experience and training. That is why I am pleased that the Shelby County Schools have continued the process started over the last several years in Memphis to help teachers get feedback about their practice and learn where they are strong and where they can improve. This process was developed with the input of a wide range of interested parties, including teachers (and their union), administrators, and community representatives.

While I recognize that it’s not always easy to hear criticism, my sense is that this appraisal and feedback is critical to helping teachers know where they stand and to get advice about how to move to the next level of their craft. This is a fairly new development in education. In a nationwide study by The New Teacher Project, almost 75 percent of teachers said they did not receive any specific feedback on improving their performance in their last evaluation, and that less than one percent of teachers received a negative performance rating, even in schools where students continuously failed to meet basic academic standards.

Moving to this new evaluation model is an important step forward that will help underperforming teachers become more effective, and help

successful teachers get even better. (It will also help identify the small minority of teachers who would be better off finding a career outside the classroom.

This is no different than many Pastor other professions.

DeAndre As a pastor, I Brown need to know if I am meeting the needs of my conA great gregation beteacher is cause I have a calling to be their the most shepherd and to important teach and care for school-based them as Christ teaches and cares factor in for me. Without student constructive achievement. feedback by my church’s elder board and members – which I assure you I get – I could be failing my duties without even knowing it.

This approach to teacher assessment can only work, however, if there are processes in place to help teachers improve. There is a great amount of work being done in Shelby County and around the state and country to figure out what kind of professional development is most effective to helping teachers improve their practice. I hope that this continues to be a priority for our school district, and that it devotes enough resources to this based on best practices developed in the profession.

Of course, teachers and administrators do not operate in a vacuum. It is essential that those of us in leadership roles in the community do all we can to encourage and motivate parents to play an important role in the education of their children, at home and in the schools. Teachers can be more successful when they have the support of parents who get their children to school every day, on time, prepared and ready to learn.

I think we’re on track to see continued improvements in our schools as they play a critical role in preparing our children for success in their education, in a career, as parents, and as citizens. Those are the outcomes we want for our kids because that is the pathway to success for Shelby County in the 21st Century.

(Pastor DeAndre Brown of Lifeline Ministries is a partner with Shepherding The Next Generation in Shelby County.)

Your letters to the editor are welcome. For verification, please include your name, address and telephone number.

Mail to: In The Mail, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Ste. 200, Memphis, TN 38103 E-mail: inthemail@tri-statedefender.com Maximum length: 300 words (subject to editing for clarity)

IN THE MAIL

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Mail subscriptions to the Tri-State Defender are available upon request.

One Year, $30.00; Two Years, $55.00. Domestic subscriptions must be addressed to: Subscriptions, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. Delivery may take one week.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Any and all inquiries can be made in writing, by calling (901) 523-1818 or by e-mail.

TELEPHONE: Editorial and Administration: (901) 523-1818. Display Advertising (901) 523-1818. Classified Advertising (901) 523-1818. Fax: (901) 578-5037.

E-MAIL: Editorial e-mail (press releases, news, letters to editor, etc.): editorial@tristatedefender.com; Display advertising e-mail (ads, advertising price requests, etc.): advertising@tri-statedefender.com; Classified advertising e-mail (ads, advertising price requests, etc.): classifieds@tri-statedefender.com; Subscription/Circulation e-mail (subscriptions, subscription price requests, etc.): subscriptions@tri-statedefender.com; Production e-mail (technical questions/specs, etc.): production@tri-statedefender.com.

The Tri-State Defender (USPS 780-220) is published weekly by Tri-State Defender Publishing Co., 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38103. Second Class postage paid at Memphis, TN.

Tri-State Defender Platform

1. Racial prejudice worldwide must be destroyed.

2. Racially unrestricted membership in all jobs, public and private.

3. Equal employment opportunities on all jobs, public and private.

4. True representation in all U.S. police forces.

5. Complete cessation of all school segregation.

6. Federal intervention to protect civil rights in all instances where civil rights compliance at the state level breaks down

DISTRIBUTION: Tri-State Defender is available at newsstands, street sales, store vendors, mail subscription and honor boxes throughout the Greater Memphis area. No person may, without prior written permission of the Tri-State Defender, reprint any part of or duplicate by electronic device any portion without written permission. Copyright 2013 by Tri-State Defender Publishing, Inc. Permission to Publisher, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. Back copies can be obtained by calling the Tri-State Defender at (901) 523-1818, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

ʻBy the time you are 15 you should know this story,” said Chiwetel Ejiofor, who stars in “12 Years A Slave,” the story of Solomon Northup. (Photos: Karanja A. Ajanaku)

‘12 Years A Slave’ a talker, if you let go of your fear kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com

by Karanja A. Ajanaku I am no stranger to slavery. I literally stumbled into it while doing genealogy research in the early 1980’s, finding a matriarch who showed up in the 1870 census, which listed her as 61 years old and having been born in Africa.

Much meandering later, and with some hard-learned lessons – many of which I did not want to learn – I decided to embrace what I considered a healthier attitude about slavery, changing my name, clothes, language, etc.

This commentary, however, is not about covering the finer aspects of my journey. I share that opening simply as a reference point for the attitude that I took with me to New Orleans for the Red-Carpet premiere there earlier this month of “12 Years A Slave.” The movie debuts in Memphis Friday (Nov. 1) after an advance screening Wednesday at the Malco Majestic.

When the opportunity popped up to attend the event, I embraced it primarily as an opportunity to further my desire to get a sustained conversation about slavery going on in Memphis. Tested by a long night of production at The New Tri-State Defender, I soon found myself right in front of the carpet and in prime position.

Down the carpet came Chiwetel Ejiofor, who portrays the central character, Solomon Northup, a free African American who was sold into slavery and suffered through 12 years of captivity. Within arms length, I asked my question: “Did you find out anything about slavery doing the movie that you didn’t know before?”

“Loads,” he said. “But that was also from the book as well, Solomon Northup’s book. I think it is such a unique story in the sense that it’s very rare to have a story from so deep inside the experience.…I think that anybody reading the book just would uncover so much that maybe they didn’t know about the time.”

I followed up.

“African Americans find it difficult to talk about slavery. Do you think this movie will help in any way in terms of getting a conversation going?”

“Yeah, possibly,” he said. “I don’t know, really. It’s something that I think there have not been enough films about it, and it’s been something missing about it in the whole canon of cinema, especially something like Solomon’s story, which, like I said, is from such a unique perspective; so inside the experience.”

Northup wrote his story the same year he made his way out.

“I think that his story should spark some interesting conversation and I think it should be something that is like required reading, you know,” said Ejiofor. “By the time you are 15 you should know this story.”

Moments later, Lupita Nyong'o, who fills the role of the slave Patsey with scene-grabbing authority, came into view and fielded my question: “Will the movie change how and when you talk about slavery in any way.”

“Most definitely. This taught me so much about slavery that I didn’t know and I am sure that it will do the same for lots of other people,” she said. “And it will give us a common vocabulary and a common story to really face this atrocity and begin to heal.”

The stars were rolling steady now. Alfre Woodard, who plays Mistress Shaw, was talking about

Lupita Nyong'o and Chiwetel Ejiofor in “Twelve Years a Slave.”

(Photo courtesy Fox Searchlight)

Cameron Zeigler was at ease on the red carpet. He portrays Solomon Northupʼs son, Alonzo.

Alfre Woodard, who plays Mistress Shaw, talked about filming on slave plantations.

Sarah Paulson plays Mistress Epps.

bringing characters to life no matter how much time is spent on camera and about what it was like to film on slave plantations.

“A lot of blood has been spilled, a lot of life has been lived and the energy remains,” she said. “It just

makes you even more conscious of what you should be doing as an actor anyway, just totally honoring the life of the character.”

Over Woodard’s left shoulder, I saw the director, Steve McQueen, making his way down the red carpet. From behind, I felt a push forward. I held my ground and seized my shot at one question.

“In Memphis, we are trying to get a conversation going on about slavery,” I said, referring to my recurring guest spot on WLOK’s “The Drum” with host Tony Nichelson.

“It’s really difficult,” I said. “Do you see this film being able to help people talk about it?”

“Absolutely,” said McQueen.

“This movie is causing debate already and people to have a serious conversation about a moment in our recent past.”

The red carpet event was in front of the old Civic Theatre. Inside latSEE TWELVE ON PAGE 5

Tri-State Defender

OPINION

October 31 - November 6, 2013

Director Steve McQueen: “This movie is causing debate already and people to have a serious conversation about a moment in our recent past.” (Photos: Karanja A. Ajanaku)

TWELVE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

er, during a panel discussion after the screening, McQueen was asked about not using African Americans (with the exception of Woodward) in the key roles.

“African Americans do not own slavery,” he said. “I am here as a person from the West Indies, from London, Britain, whatever…It’s not about ownership, it’s about Diaspora, us, me and you.

We’re related … your boat went left, my boat went right,” he said.

He harkened back to a question he had been asked earlier about when he first discovered slavery. “That was like being asked when you learned your name. You cannot really remember,” he said.

Knowing, however, that it was probably early in childhood, McQueen noted that “there is a certain sense of embarrassment, shame” attached to slavery, so you didn’t talk about it. Fast forward to the film, he said, and all these years later, “I want to embrace it. I want to tame it. Similar to how other groups have em-

ʻHanging victimʼ Andre De'Sean Shanks.

braced their unfortunate … past….

“I don’t want to fear it, I don’t want to be embarrassed,” he said. “I want to look at it right in its eyes because that is what happened.

I want to talk about it. I want to think about it freely,” he said.

And, McQueen said, “…this is not a black-American story. It is an American story. It is a white-American story. It is an Asian-American story. It’s a Spanish-American story. …”

Within earshot was Andre De'Sean Shanks, a 24-yearold aspiring actor, who had se-

cured a non-speaking role in “12 Years A Slave.” He was the first cast member I interviewed.

“I’m just one of the victims that gets hung from the tree,” he said. “As Chiwetel (Solomon Northup) was walking past he runs into a lynching.”

I asked what was it like to do such a scene.

“Man, it was very emotional. … Actually … the tree that we hung from was the actual tree that they used to hang slaves from on the real plantation. The owner was back there and showed us mounds and mounds of bodies that are actually buried back there. So, it was real respectful to portray how my ancestors were and for Americans to really see how we were really treated.”

I asked if he would respond differently if he were in a conversation about slavery now as opposed to before the movie.

“I haven’t seen the movie,” he said before getting his first viewing at the screening that was to follow. “But from reading the reviews and the critics already, just from what they said, definitely!”

Page 5

Page 6

NOTICE OF ELECTION COMMISSION OFFICE LOCATION, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND HOURS TENNESSEE STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 91 GENERAL ELECTION & CITY OF MEMPHIS SPECIAL REFERENDUM ELECTION NOVEMBER 21, 2013

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Sec. 2-2-114 (a), Tennessee Code Annotated, that the Shelby County Election Commission office located at 150 Washington Ave., Suite 205, Memphis, TN, 38103, telephone number 222-1200, and Election Operations Center located at 980 Nixon Drive, Memphis, TN, 38134, telephone number 222-6821 is open for voter registration and transfer of registration from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, except for holidays. Registration is closed for 29 days prior to any election.

For the upcoming Tennessee State Representative, District 91 General Election and the City of Memphis Special Referendum Election to allow the maximum local option sales tax levied in the City of Memphis, following voter registration dates and times apply: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM is the last day to register in person Tuesday, October 22, 2013 4:30 PM is the deadline for postmarked mail and mail registration applications submitted to Shelby County Election Commission office.

Tuesday, October 23, 2013 through November 21, 2013 Registration closed for persons living in the city of Memphis Saturday, November 16, 2013 04:00 PM is last day Shelby County Election Commission will accept and process transfer of registration (change of name/address)

NOTE: Shelby County Election Commission office will be closed on Monday, November 11th in observance of Veteran始s Day.

NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN pursuant to Section 2-3-109 (e) (1) and (2), by the Shelby County Election Commission that all polling locations for the November 21, 2013 Elections meet all standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Further notice is hereby given that any elderly or handicapped voter may also vote by one of the following methods for the November 21, 2013, elections:

1. Absentee ballot, with the exception that any voter who registered by mail must vote in person for the first election they are eligible to vote; or

2. Early voting at the Shelby County Office Building located at 157 Poplar Ave., Suite 120, Memphis, TN, during the early voting period from November 1 through November 16, 2013, or

3. Early voting satellite location or

4. Election Day at the Shelby County Election Commission office. Provided such voter completes an affidavit stating that the voter始s designated voting location, to the best of the voter始s knowledge, does not comply with the provisions of Public Law 98-435 of the 98th Congress and of the voter始s intention to vote at the Shelby County Election Commission office located at 150 Washington Ave., Suite 205, Memphis, TN or Election Operation Center, 980 Nixon Drive, Memphis, TN. This affidavit must be received by Tuesday, November 12, 2013 4:30 PM, not less than 10 days prior to the election.

For additional information please visit our web site at www.shelbyvote.com.

SHELBY COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION Robert D. Meyers, Chairman Norma Lester, Secretary Dee Nollner, Member Steve Stamson, Member Anthony Tate, Member

October 31 - November 6, 2013

Tri-State Defender

Tri-State Defender

October 31 - November 6, 2013

Page 7

BUSINESS

Page 8

Tri-State Defender

October 31 - November 6, 2013

ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

Small businesses must plan for the unexpected

Even with the full understanding that some accidents and illnesses cannot be avoided, few small business owners plan for the unexpected.

One step in the planning process is to make sure proper insurance coverage is in place.

For the most part, we are all accustomed to purchasing the basic insurance policies that cover our home, car and life. But there are different types of disability income insurance plans that will protect income and even pay bills when necessary.

Disability income insurance is designed to maintain financial stability when you are sick, hurt or unable to work by providing a monthly income directly to the business owner. It is typically used as the primary income replacement that helps prevent the depletion of savings and retirement income.

MDII

One of the largest debts that an individual has is the home mortgage.

So imagine the stress that ensues when an illness comes about that prevents the entrepreneur from working and paying the mortgage. With Mort-

Carlee McCullough

gage disability income (MDII) in place, the business owner can rest easy knowing that insurance will cover the bill by providing a percentage of income lost.

ICDI

Individual Credit Disability Insurance (ICDI) is used to pay monthly loan installment payments. Payment under ICDI typically requires total disability by accident or sickness.

The benefits are usually made payable directly to the various financial institutions. The policy may have exclusions and limitations, which mean that the payments will not be made under certain circumstances.

While policies vary company to company, typical scenarios that will prevent payouts may include normal pregnancy and childbirth excluding complications, intentional self-inflicted injuries, and/or pre-existing conditions to name a few.

Types of disability insurance

When shopping for a policy, make sure to inquire about whether the policy will pay for partial disability or total disability. This is important to know what you are paying for and the exclusions. The various types of disability income insurance include: “True Own-Occupation Disability Insurance,” “Modified Own-Occupation” and “Gainful Occupation.”

Definitions

Under the true own-occupation type of policy, the definition of total disability is if the policyholder is unable to perform the material and substantial duties of his or her regular occupation. The insurance company will even pay the claim if you are working in some other capacity. This is good, because most people want to work and be productive.

If the opportunity presents itself to get back to work in some other capacity other than your original occupation, the benefits under the policy may not be jeopardized and the claim will usually be paid. So this type of policy appears to be the most flexible

Are you paying more than your parents?

CNNMoney

by Steve Hargreaves NEW YORK – It seems like the price of things goes in one direction only: up.

It’s true that sticker prices usually rise. But in relative terms, you could actually be paying a lot less than your parents did a generation ago.

For example, the price of milk has increased at a pace that’s 9 percent slower than the overall level of inflation since 1983, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Meanwhile, some other things will cost you a lot more than the previous generation paid. Since 1983, a gallon of gas has risen 30 percent relative to everything else.

So what things do you pay relatively more for now than your parents did, and what things cost relatively less?

‘Stuff’ is getting cheaper

The price of manufactured goods is way down. Televisions are now 98 percent cheaper than they were in 1983, according to the Consumer Price Index.

The index accounts for advances in technology. That 98 percent drop means a TV that costs $100 in 1983 – with its dial controls and antenna – would be worth about $2 today.

Toys are another example. The price of toys has fallen 78 percent compared to the overall level of inflation in the last 30 years. And clothing has fallen by 46 percent.

“We’ve experienced the ‘miracle of manufacturing’ over the last 50-60 years,” said Mark Perry, an economist at the University of Michigan Flint School of Business. “Anything that is manufactured has become cheaper and cheaper over time.”

It’s easy to attribute the decline in

price for manufactured goods to outsourcing and rise of China’s economy, but that’s only part of the story.

Other advances in manufacturing include better supply chain management and, especially, automation. The manufacturing sector is currently going through what agriculture went through at the beginning of the last century. At the time, tractors and harvesters replaced human labor on the farms, vastly increasing the amount of food that could be produced and sharply lowering food prices.

The average family now spends less than 20 percent of their income on food and manufactured goods, according to Perry. That’s down from over 40 percent in the late 1940s.

Perry expects these advances to continue, citing the advent of 3D printing and other technologies, and said the quality of manufactured goods should continue rising while the prices fall even further.

Services are getting pricier

What hasn’t experienced a full on

revolution is the services economy.

As such, prices for services and specialty goods have soared.

The cost of college tuition has surged 227 percent over the rate of inflation since 1983, according to BLS. A hospital stay is up 197 percent, while prescription drugs are 89 percent more expensive. And housing costs are more expensive too – up 14 percent from 1983.

What’s happened is the demand for these things has grown substantially as people got richer, said Douglas Irwin, an economics professor at Dartmouth College. But advances in productivity — the ability to churn out ever greater numbers for a cheaper price – hasn’t kept up.

It’s possible that as the labor force moves from the factory floor to what Google Chairman Eric Schmidt calls the “creative and caring economy,” there could be big gains in productivity, but economists have a hard time seeing it.

“It’s hard to shift the supply curve,” said Irwin. It’s just not that easy to automate a college lecture, or a yoga class, or a visit to the doctor.

and lenient of the various types.

Under income replacement insurance, the definition of total disability is if the policyholder is unable to perform the material and substantial duties of his or her occupation and is not engaged in any other occupation. The policyholder will be penalized if he or she is capable of working in another capacity other than the original occupation. The insurance company may deduct any income generated by performance in other capacities from the monthly benefits issued.

The definition of total disability under gainful occupation is the most stringent and restrictive. Total disability is if the policyholder is unable to perform the material and substantial duties of his or her occupation or any occupation for which he or she is deemed reasonably qualified by education, training, or experience.

So under this type it does not matter that the policyholder cannot perform his or her original occupation if the ability to perform any other exists. If the policyholder can perform in another capacity, benefit payouts may be limited under this type of plan.

Costs of policies

The cost of the policies will vary based on the following: company, age of policyholder, type of plan, exclusions, and desired duration of payouts.

Monthly benefits can be payable for a fixed period of time whether it be 2 years or to age 65 while the disability continues. There may even be a waiting period between the time when the claim is filed and the time payouts are received. So a cushion of savings would be recommended if possible.

The policy premium may also vary depending on the occupation of the policyholder and the risk involved in their job. Generally, the policy will only cover a portion of the policyholder’s income, usually between 50 percent to 70 percent of the income.

Providing protection for most people’s biggest asset – which is income – is of the highest importance. So, can small business owner afford to be without it?

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

MONEY MATTERS

What is an IRA rollover?

If you leave a job or retire, you might want to transfer the money you’ve invested in one or more employer-sponsored retirement plans to an individual retirement account (IRA). An IRA rollover is an effective way to keep your money accumulating tax deferred.

Using an IRA rollover, you transfer your retirement savings to an account at a private institution of your choice, and you choose how you will invest the funds. To preserve the tax-deferred status of retirement savings, the funds must be deposited in the IRA within 60 days of withdrawal from an employer’s plan. To avoid potential penalties and a 20 percent federal income tax withholding from your former employer, you should arrange for a direct, institution-to-institution transfer.

You are able to roll over assets from an employer-sponsored plan to a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. Because there are no longer any income limits on Roth IRA conversions, everyone is eligible for a Roth IRA conversion; however, eligibility to contribute to a Roth IRA phases out at higher modified gross income levels. Keep in mind that ordinary income taxes are owed (in the year of the conversion) on all tax-deferred assets converted to a Roth IRA. An IRA can be tailored to your particular needs and goals and can incorporate a variety of investment vehicles, as opposed to the limited number of options available in many employer-sponsored retirement plans. In addition, tax-deferred retirement savings from multiple employers can later be consolidated.

Over time, IRA rollovers may make it easier to manage your re-

tirement savings by consolidating your holdings in one place. This can help cut down on paperwork and give you greater control over the management of your retirement Charles Sims Jr., CFP assets.

Distributions from traditional IRAs are taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to a 10 percent federal income tax penalty if taken prior to reaching age 59½. Just as with employer-sponsored retirement plans, you must begin taking required minimum distributions from a traditional IRA each year after you turn age 70½.

Qualified distributions from a Roth IRA are free of federal income tax (under current tax laws) but may be subject to state, local, and alternative minimum taxes. To qualify for a tax-free and penalty-free withdrawal of earnings, a Roth IRA must meet the five-year holding requirement and the distribution must take place after age 59½ or due to death, disability, or a first-time home purchase ($10,000 lifetime maximum). The mandatory distribution rules that apply to traditional IRAs do not apply to original Roth IRA owners; however, Roth IRA beneficiaries must take mandatory distributions.

(Charles Sims Jr. is president/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group.

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

Follow the

TSD at twitter.com/TSDMemphis

RELIGION

Tri-State Defender

October 31 - November 6, 2013

RELIGION BRIEFS

Page 9

The Rev. Rufus Smith next up at Hope Church

Deacon reaches for ‘Gifted Hands’ doctor to help boys

At The New Olivet Baptist Church, several boys, ages 10 to 18, recently viewed “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story” and then answered questions and wrote an essay about the movie.

Several of the top scorers were rewarded with a trip to Union University in Jackson, Tenn. to hear Dr. Carson speak at a banquet on Oct. 22nd.

Deacon Herman Draine Jr. coordinated the effort for the youth.

“A lot of our kids are not taking advantage of their opportunities...(Dr. Carson) had to get in there and do the work. It’s out there for you to get,” said Draine.

You just have to work hard and go get it. ...

“Everybody can’t be Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan ... but you can make yourself whatever you want to be intellectually. God has just put it on my heart...I just want to reach out and help the young boys today” Draine said it’s now a personal goal to help every boy around him grow up to be a successful man.

“Whatever you do for a living, do your best. Take care of your kids,” said Draine. “We have enough failures in the world, enough deadbeats. ...”

The Blvd. to link revival with healthcare initiative

Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, aka The Blvd., will host the “No Limits” Revival beginning Wednesday (Nov. 6) through Friday (Nov. 8). The revival will precede the 92nd church anniversary and Founder’s Day on Nov. 10.

The revival will take place nightly at 7 p.m. at the church’s Midtown location at 70 North Bellevue Blvd. Featured guests include: Dr. Solomon Kinloch Jr. of Triumph Church in Detroit on Nov. 6; Pastor Phillip Pointer of St. Mark Baptist Church in Little Rock on Nov. 7; and Bishop Joseph W. Walker III of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Nashville on Nov. 8.

Sign up for healthcare law informational sessions will be available each night after the revival services. The sessions will take place Nov. 11 through Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. Seminar Room at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.

“I have great expectations for Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church as we lead, learn, live and love without limits. Naturally, the revival celebration was titled, ‘No Limits’,” said the Rev. J. Lawrence Turner, senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.

(For more info, contact Shayna Steward at 901-272-5616 or email steward.shayna@theblvd.org.)

The largest church in Memphis – and the second largest Presbyterian Church in the country – has announced a new senior pastor. But he’s no stranger to the church.

Hope Church has named the Rev. Rufus Smith IV, its current senior associate pastor, to lead the church.

Current Senior Pastor Dr. R. Craig Strickland will maintain a very active and visible role within the church in his new position as founding pastor.

Smith will be installed into his new role the weekend of Nov. 16-17.

Rev. Smith is eager to continue Hope’s mission of embracing those who may have given up on church or even given up on God. That mission

includes creating a welcoming environment for Memphians at any stage in their life, with a particular emphasis on Smith’s passion for developing and deploying the next generation.

“Time will not Rev. Rufus erase nor ages deSmith stroy the lingering gospel legacy of Hope Church under the voice, vision and venture of Richard Craig Strickland. I am most undeserving,

honored and greatly humbled,” Smith said.

A native of Houston, Smith joined the Hope staff in 2010, although he has had very close ties with Strickland and Eli Morris, associate pastor, since 1998. His previous roles have included serving as senior pastor of the City of Refuge Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Houston and also as chaplain for the NBA team, the Houston Rockets.

Strickland is eagerly looking forward to Smith’s leadership.

“I’m incredibly excited for Rufus to officially transition into the role of senior pastor of Hope Church. In all the years I’ve had the privilege of

New Direction broadens Pinkout Sunday focus Special to The New Tri-State Defender

While the “pink” in PinkOUT Sunday at New Direction Christian Church has long emphasized Breast Cancer awareness, this year worshippers were encouraged to get “out” of unhealthy relationships as the church recognized both breast cancer and domestic violence awareness in one powerful service.

Worshippers were encouraged to wear pink and/or purple to show their support. All attendees received abuse hotline information, self-examination info about breast cancer and access to counselors who were on-hand to assist during service in private rooms.

Although generally addressed by adults, this year’s serious content and worship service was led mostly by teens as this bracket has seen a rise in reported instances of domestic violence. In fact, ages 16 to 18 have the highest reported cases of rape and assault.

A DJ welcomed worshippers before blends of live gospel and Christian hip-hop music layered with poetry and a skit about domestic violence rounded out the 90-minute worship service. The sermon for the morning delivered by Senior Associate Pastor Karren Todd was entitled, “I Need Some HOPE!” The powerful message featured two emotional testimonies from members who have survived breast cancer and domestic violence.

Throngs of members flocked to specially marked pink offering baskets to contribute to Sunday’s special offering, which will be matched by the church and then donated to cancer research funds.

The main campus of New Direction Christian Church is located at 6120 Winchester and members gather for Sunday worship at 8 a.m. and at 10:30 a.m. A campus in Collierville is located at 114 Highway 72 East, with services at 9:15 am on Sundays. In 2014, a new campus will launch in Holly Springs, Miss. at 231 Martin Luther King Dr. New Direction Christian Church was founded 12 years ago by Pastor Stacy L. Spencer .

Senior Pastor Karren Toddʼs message was “I Need Some HOPE!” (Courtesy photos)

A skit about domestic violence rounded out the worship service.

(For more information, visit www.n2newdirection.org or follow the church’s Twitter feed @ndccmemphis.)

(Victims of domestic violence are encouraged to call the Counseling Center for the church at 901-3445378 or 901-849-PRAY for 24-Hour Prayer.)

PRAISE CONNECT

knowing him, I can’t think of another person better suited to lead Hope into the future,” Strickland said.

“He shares the same charisma, passion and forward-thinking that have helped grow Hope for the last 25 years, and I can’t wait to see where he takes it in the next 25,” Strickland said.

Associate Pastor Dr. Eli Morris will continue in his role of leading Hope’s Sunday evening service, The Stirring, and the church’s urban ministries.

“I am extremely excited about what the future holds,” Morris said.

“These are wonderful times for Hope Church, and I am thrilled to support Rufus in his new role.”

New CD: Temple of Deliverance Women’s Choir, Gospel stars

Recently, some of the leading ladies in gospel music came together for a power-packed live CD recording at the Temple of Deliverance COGIC, the historic Memphis church founded by the late Bishop G.E. Patterson as Bountiful Blessings Church in 1975.

Aside from being a superior preacher, Bishop Patterson was also known for his spirited traditional gospel recordings of standards such as “My Record Will Be There” and “Inside the Gate.” His successor, Superintendent Milton R. Hawkins, is carrying on the musical legacy by partnering with Habakkuk Music to release a new CD entitled, “Pastor Milton R. Hawkins Presents Live In The Sanctuary.” The CD features the church’s 200-plus voice Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ Women’s Choir.

The twelve song CD hits stores on Nov. 5th, with the album available at a discounted price of $7.99 on iTunes pre-order prior to the release date.

The set was produced by noted musician/ composer Derrick Starks and features the choir performing with soloists such as Grammy Award winner Karen Clark Sheard (performing “Breakthrough”), Tamela Mann (performing “Have Thine Own Way”) and veteran vocalist Lisa Page Brooks (performing “Keep Me All the Way”).

The first radio single “Everybody Praise” has been blazing gospel play lists all summer long.

A Memphis church fixture, Carla Tolbert Taylor, leads the rousing hand clapper. Her father was a singer prior to becoming deaf and it’s been Taylor’s mission to vicariously carry out his singing aspirations through her career.

By supporting the CD project, fans are also supporting Temple of Deliverance’s on-going charitable donations. Over the last few years, the organization has donated over $75,000 to cancer research and various global relief efforts.

(Visit www.habakkukmusic.com for more information.)

-A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-

METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor

767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126

ASSOCIATE MINISTERS

901-946-4095 fax 948-8311

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

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

—Matthew 7: 1-2

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

—Phillipians 4:13

ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, October 31 - November 6, 2013, Page 10

WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?

C’mon Chris, get it together

I was on the air this past Sunday deciding on an entertainment news story to talk about when I stumbled across an article I couldn’t believe I was reading. The caption read, “Chris Brown Arrested Myron for Assault.” I’m Mays thinking to myself, “really?”

As I read the story, I couldn’t believe the details of what led to his arrest.

Brown and his bodyguard, Christopher Hollosy, had been arrested and released without bail early Sunday morning following an altercation with another man outside the W Hotel in Washington D.C. The man was treated at the hospital and released.

Since then, Brown has decided to enter rehab for anger management.

According to a statement released by his reps, “His goal is to gain focus and insight into his past and recent behavior, enabling him to continue the pursuit of his life and his career from a healthier vantage point.”

There’s no doubt that this is being done to avoid possible consequences surrounding his probation. And yes, it’s a step that anyone would take if they were in the same predicament.

But think about…this is actually the second time he has had to seek help for his anger management issues. The first time he was court ordered to attend anger management classes after being convicted of felony assault against his then-girlfriend Rihanna in February 2009. He seemed so proud of himself for completing the program.

But did it not work?

Hopefully, as a result of this anger management treatment, Chris will one day be a reasonable thinking adult. One day, most likely in the distant future, he is gonna wish that he could go back in time and talk some sense into the younger version of himself.

We have all been young and many of us were foolish at the time. However, at some point in our lives there has to be that moment that the light comes on. There has to be that point in our lives where we make the decision to change and then honor that change.

We have to realize that today’s actions can create tomorrow’s consequences…and that chances run out.

By Monday morning, the felony assault charge against him was reduced to a misdemeanor, but not without complications. The L.A. County probation department was moving forward with an investigation to determine if the incident violates his probation in the Rihanna case…and it probably will. And when it does, he could face up to four years in jail.

I, for one, hope and pray that whatever happens, Chris gets it together. Second, third and fourth chances are pretty hard to come by.

Here’s What’s Happening!

If you’re looking for some Halloween activities to get into this year, there’s a few good events taking place around the city, so take the kiddies trick or treating early so that you can have a little fun of your own.

The Takeover returns for a special Halloween edition on Thursday (Oct. 31) at Side Street Grill, 35 South Florence, from 6 p.m. until!

There will be a best costume contest, specialty drinks for the evening, half-off imported beers and so much more! Music provided by DJ Suave and Brother John.

Walk the red carpet as your hero, icon, idle or favorite celebrity at Black Star Power! There will be live musical performances by “celebrity” guests and food and drink specials the whole night. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is free for everyone before 8 p.m. and $5 for the rest of the night. There will be a cash prize for the best costume! For VIP tables or more info. call Pam at 901-2362021!

If costumes aren’t your thing, you can still have a good night and get your laugh on at the BIG Halloween Night Comedy show at Flirt Nightclub located at 3659 South Mendenhall at Winchester. Daran Howard is the featured comedian. The show is hosted by Funnyman Prescott and starts at 8 p.m. Admission is free before 7 p.m.

(If there’s an event you’d like me to cover or attend, email me at myron@whatshappeningmyron.com.)

On his recent return to Memphis, Paul Porter had the run of Willie Mitchellʼs Royal Studios, along with his traveling mates, publicist Jason Hardy and label executive Lonnie Deadwyler. (Photos: Christopher Hope)

The return of Paul Porter!

Motownʼs new gospel division provides perfect platform Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Tony Jones

Revered gospel recording artist Paul Porter stepped out of a rental car in front of Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios and exclaimed, “Wow! Can you believe this? Do you know where we are?”

The exclamation and questions were directed to his traveling mates, publicist Jason Hardy and new label executive Lonnie Deadwyler. Porter – in Memphis to attend the “Help Is On The Way” Family Membership and Showcase picnic (Oct. 26th) hosted by the non-profit For The People By The People at Audubon Park – added amplification.

“Man, this was one of my childhood dreams to cut here! This is soul music, baby!”

Minutes later, the studio crew greeted Porter’s team with enthusiasm, giving them the run of the place. Known to gospel music fans for his out-front vocals with the Christianaires, Porter viewed his support of the For The People By The People project as the perfect way to create buzz about his signing with the brand new Motown Gospel label.

“F.R.E.E.” – his first CD with Motown Gospel – is slated for release in Spring 2014.

It’s a joint venture linking the TreMyles music label, which is owned by gospel superstar Smokie Norful, and the Grammy-winning Mars On Sunday production team that has written multiple Grammy-winning hits for Fergie, Beyoncé, Usher, Jamie Foxx and many more.

Porter shares Memphis musical roots with Mars On Sunday’s chief producer and Clarksdale, Miss. native Elvis Williams, known industry wide as “Blac Elvis.”

Williams joined Porter’s team the next night for an extended meet-and-greet session at the crowd-wowing Grammy GPS event at the Stax Museum. Williams and composing partner Harold Lilly wrote and produced much of “F.R.E.E.” and their company, Mars On Sunday, will share label credit with Motown Gospel and Smokie Norful’s TreMyles labels.

Gospel Hall of Famer Paul Porter was hit by a rush of memories outside of Willie Mitchellʼs Royal Studios. The Stellar Award-winnerʼs new CD features his own story of redemption.

The CD marks a resounding comeback for Porter, a Stellar Awards winner, Grammy nominee and Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee with the Christianaires, with whom he earned Grammy nomination, Stellar Awards and induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Born in Detroit, he is a former resident of Olive Branch, with still vivid memories Mitchell’s Royal Studios.

“I was brought here to Royal when I signed my first record deal,” he recalled. “I was with the CGI label, a division of Polygram Records. We came here scouting for studios to cut my first single. I was blown away, doc! I used to lie down for hours listening to Willie Mitchell’s music back in the turntable days. Al Green baby!”

The work with Mitchell was never realized, but Porter and CGI instantly hit as the Christianaires. They consistently produced such gospel classics as the Grammy-nominated “Two Wings,” “God Came Through On Time (Paul Porter’s Testimony),” the Stellar Award winning “Standing Room Only, Live In Huntsville, Alabama,” “Stand Up” on the Marxan label, distributed by Malaco Records. (Malaco also distributes a Christianaires’ greatest hits collection released on Blackberry Records.)

“I’ve also been on Malaco’s Muscle Shoals label and we cut in the famous studio

there,” Porter recalled. “Being here in Memphis for the advance announcement about my new music just brings it all around perfectly.”

The Porter team’s jubilation continued at the next stop, the Stax Museum, where Porter knew all the names in the gospel video history montage opening the permanent exhibit.

“Cassietta Walker, Shirley Caesar, the original Five Blind Boys…man, man, man!” he kept repeating, bursting into song time and time again as he read the exhibits.

The next day, Saturday, before the picnic, state Rep. Larry Miller, chairman of the Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus, presented an official welcome to the state.

“This is a very significant announcement you’ve brought to us,” Miller said. “One, it’s concerning a new division for the most heralded name in music, Motown Records.

Two, your success with the Christianaires is a very significant achievement. And to bring in the hit-making power of Mars On Sunday, and especially Smokie Norful, something to be proud of. And we’re proud that you chose Memphis to help introduce this exciting project.”

‘Same truth – God is!’

Porter’s story goes much deeper, personally and professionally. In 1996, he suffered a brain aneurysm that left him debilitated for nearly a decade. Little by little, his memory and strength came back and Porter started performing in a wheelchair. Now fully recovered, he’s on the march again with his message.

“I kept my faith. And He has delivered.

After years … on my back with no power to do anything but pray, He brought me through. I don’t care how you worship Him, what religion you believe.

“My new CD “F.R.E.E.” tells my story,” said Porter. “From being helpless, speechless and voiceless, I have been rejuvenated and am being supported by the most successful company in black music history to join their new gospel division. And the people at Motown Gospel have been sincere in their commitment.

“All I ask is that gospel music lovers here in Memphis and around the nation start telling their friends to watch out for us in 2014. I have a story to tell. It’s new music but the same truth – God Is!”

India! India! India!

Grammy winner turns Orpheum into ʻcenter of the universeʼ Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Warren Roseborough

India Arie talking to her Memphis fans. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)

Four-time Grammy winner India Arie returned to Memphis and the Orpheum Theatre on Sunday night, treating fans to old favorites and new vibes from her latest album “SongVersation.”

No stranger to Memphis, Arie has graced Bluff-City stages previously in her decade-long career. I’ve had the pleasure of working her shows and the consistency of satisfaction again was on display.

The “Soulbird Presents: A SongVersation with India.Arie” Tour kicked off Sept. 21st in Seattle! Fresh off the Memphis stop, Arie was off on a string of back-to-back-to-backto-back shows that will roll her through Durham, N.C., Washington, D.C., Northampton, Mass., New

York City and Westbury, N.Y. In Memphis, Arie’s performance was so pure many fans clearly left feeling that The Orpheum had been transformed into the center of the universe.

“India! India! India!”

That was the sound of the crowd as Aria stepped out for the night of interaction. She looked awesome – white dress, headwrap and all.

As Arie moved into her classic hit “I Am Not My Hair,” she tossed aside her headwrap and her braided wig. The jamming then flowed throughout the evening.

Along the way, the stylish and palpably-conscious Arie blended in talk of life’s challenges, noting that embedded in each and every one of her songs is a message of positivity.

In Memphis Sunday night, her Memphis fans let her know that they appreciate that plus.

ENTERTAINMENT

Tri-State Defender

Page 11

October 31 - November 6, 2013

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam’s Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

Viola Davis in “Enderʼs Game.

(Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment) Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

For movies opening Nov. 1, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS

“About Time” (R for profanity and sexuality) Romantic comedy about a 21 year-old bachelor (Domhnall Gleeson) with the ability to time travel who puts his special power to use to land the girl of his dreams (Rachel McAdams). Cast includes Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson and Lindsay Duncan.

“Ender’s Game” (PG-13 for violence and mature themes) Adaptation of Orson Scott Ford’s sci-fi novel of the same name about a shy but brilliant boy (Asa Butterfield) who is enlisted to by the military to lead the defense of the planet during an impending alien invasion.

With Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin and Viola Davis.

“Free Birds” (PG for action, rude humor and scenes of peril) Animated family comedy about a couple of squabbling turkeys (Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson) who put aside their differences to travel back in time in order to get turkey taken off the Thanksgiving menu. Voice cast includes Amy Poehler, Keith David and George Takei.

“Last Vegas” (PG-13 for profanity and sexuality) Buddy comedy about four BFFs who venture to Vegas to throw a bachelor party for the last single guy (Michael Douglas) in their aging rat pack. Co-starring Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, 50 Cent, Mary Steenburgen and Michael Ealy.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

“Behind the Blue Veil” (Unrated) War on Terror documentary chronicling the efforts of the son of a Tuareg chief to save his tribe from extinction following the collapse of the government of Mali in the wake of an attack by al-Qaida.

“Big Sur” (R for nudity, sexuality and pro-

fanity) Beat Generation biopic about Jack Kerouac’s (Jean Marc-Barr) descent into drugs and self-doubt at a retreat in Northern California following the success of his best-selling novel, “On the Road.” With Kate Bosworth, Radha Mitchell and Anthony Edwards.

“The Broken Circle Breakdown” (Unrated) Romance drama about an atheist (Johan Heldenbergh) and a believer (Veerle Baetens) who fall in love at first sight despite their differences, only to have their marriage later tested when their 6 year-old daughter (Nell Cattrysse) develops an incurable disease. Supporting cast includes Nils De Caster, Geert Van Rampelberg and Robbie Cleiren. (In Flemish and English with subtitles)

“Dallas Buyers Club” (R for nudity, drug use, graphic sexuality and pervasive profanity) AIDS saga recounting Texas electrician Ron Woodroof’s (Matthew McConaughey) real-life struggle to survive with the help of experimental medications after being diagnosed with HIV and given just 30 day to live.

With Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner, Griffin Dunne and Steve Zahn.

“Diana” (PG-13 for sensuality, smoking and brief profanity) Naomi Watts plays the title role in this biopic about the Princess of Wales’ clandestine love affair towards the end of her life with a Pakistani heart surgeon (Naveen Andrews). Featuring Douglas Hodge, Geraldine James and Charles Edwards.

“Doonby” (PG-13 for violence, sexuality and mature themes) Serendipitous fantasy about a mysterious drifter (John Schneider) who gets off a Greyhound bus in a tiny Texas town where he proceeds to touch the lives of everyone he meets. With Ernie Hudson, Joe Estevez and Jennifer O’Neill.

“Forced March” (Unrated) Re-release of 1989 drama, set in Hungary, about an actor (Chris Sarandon) shooting a film in Budapest who finds himself forced to face the horrors of the Holocaust while playing a poet who perished in a death camp. With Josef Sommer, John Seitz and Renee Soutendijk.

“Mr. Morgan’s Last Love” (Unrated) Adaptation of Francoise Dornier’s romance novel, set in Paris, about a suicidal American widower (Michael Caine) who gets a new lease on life when he falls head-over-heels for a young French woman (Clemence Poesy). Featuring Gillian Anderson, Justin Kirk and Jane Alexander. (In English and French with subtitles) “Mr. Nobody” (R for nudity, sexuality, violent images and brief profanity) Flashback fantasy, set in 2092, revolving around the reflections of an 118 year-old man (Jared Leto) who had been forced at 9 to pick which of his divorcing parents (Rhys Ifans and Natasha Little) would get custody of him.

Support cast includes Toby Regbo, Juno Temple, Sarah Polley and Diane Kruger.

“The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology” (Unrated) Sequel to The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema finds filmmaker Sophie Fiennes and philosopher Slavoj Zizek now exploring how movies tend to reinforce the status quo.

“Running from Crazy” (Unrated) Mariel Hemingway is the focus of this documentary about her struggle to understand her family history marked by mental illness and 7 suicides. Featuring archival footage of her late sister Margaux and other relatives.

“Sal” (Unrated) James Franco wrote, directed and plays the title character in this biopic revisiting the final hours in the life of teen idol-turned-openly gay actor Sal Mineo (1939-1976). With Val Lauren, Jim Parrack and Stacey Miller.

“Skinwalker Ranch” (R for profanity and violence) Fact-based horror flick revisiting the events surrounding the mysterious disappearance of a cattle rancher’s (Jon Gries) 10 yearold son (Nash Lucas). With Taylor Bateman, Steve Berg and Michael Black.

“Sweet Dreams” (Unrated) Rwandan reconciliation documentary about a remarkable, allfemale drumming troupe comprised of both Tutsi and Hutu survivors of the country’s 1994 genocide. (In Kinyarwanda with subtitles)

HOROSCOPES

Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2013

ARIES This week you need to balance keeping your eyes on the heavens and your head here on earth. Much work needs to be done before you can accomplish the task before you. If you let yourself, you can get a lot done this week.

TAURUS Details might trouble you early in the week, but you don’t have to go with that flow of energy. You can choose to focus your attention on the now and work through each task patiently.

Things will clear up quickly if you forego idle dreams.

GEMINI A slight adjustment in your attitude could create a whole new vista for your outlook.

What you think is not in conflict with what you do; it simply describes it. Look for a new way to describe your ideas and thoughts.

CANCER A spirit of rivalry may have you envious this week. Forget about competition. Celebrate your uniqueness and know that no one really ever competes with you in the matter most essential -your good feelings about yourself. A good friend is waiting with a great surprise.

LEO It’s a week tailor-made for your energies, so get out there and let every perfect moment flow toward you. You’ve got an abundance of pleasant feelings why not spread them around?

VIRGO Remember that you are an intensely physical sign, and you need to move your body in order to relax. Take a walk, go for a swim, play tennis, or scrub that kitchen floor. However you choose to move, you’ll liberate your spirit and relax at the same time. Get going!

LIBRA You start the week feeling peaceful and wise. Discussions with a close friend may reveal the source of your inner freedom in a very tangible way. So talk about it. You’ve got everything good to gain.

SCORPIO A message this week may necessitate travel on your part, and you may feel obligated to do something you don’t want to. Let the energy flow past you and do what you think is best.

Who you are is who you are—be glad about it!

SAGITTARIUS Accomplishment gives you a feeling of personal satisfaction this week, and you’ll feel very happy with your abilities. Take care not to quarrel with a friend; be tactful when asked for your “honest” opinion! Let minor irritations pass you by, and you’ll find your way into a very romantic mood.

CAPRICORN Avoid getting involved in any office politics or family feuds this week. The week’s energy is excitable, but not necessarily exciting. Do your own thing and be proud of what you do.

Let others do their own thing, so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.

AQUARIUS Do you realize that you are the only one who can tell you what to think and how to feel? Let go of any behaviors that are keeping you from achieving the things you want to achieve. Be creative and positive this week.

PISCES Any nervous energy you may be feeling can be dispelled with some physical activity. You are doing just fine, so take long walks or try a yoga class and leave your worries behind you.

Everything is working out in a perfect way.

Source: NNPA News Service

SPORTS

Page 12

CLASSIFIEDS

Tri-State Defender

October 31 - November 6, 2013

TRI-STATE DEFENDER CLASSIFIEDS 203 Beale Street, Suite 200 Memphis, TN 38103 PH (901) 523-1818 FAX (901) 578-5037 HOURS: Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm

DEADLINES; Display ads Monday 5 p.m.

Classified ads Monday 5 p.m.

Several Memphis Grizzlies were on hand to interact with fans at the Tip-Off Luncheon at FedExForum on Monday. (Photos: Warren Roseborough)

Grizz tip off season with loss in San Antonio

The Grizzlies kicked off the 2013-14 campaign on Wednesday (Oct. 30) in San Antonio against the Spurs losing 94 to 101.

The home opener is Friday against the Detroit Pistons, with tipoff at 7 p.m.

One of the annual signs that the season is here unfolded at the FedExForum on Wednesday. The 12th annual Tip-Off Luncheon featured a silent auction and other auctions, with the benefits going to St. Jude Hospital.

Several Memphis Grizzlies were on hand to interact with Grizzlies starting point guard Mike Conley and Evans, a St. Jude fans. cancer patient, teamed up for this framed moment at the 12th Annual Tip-Off Luncheon.

Grizz fans examine auction items at the Tip-Off Luncheon at FedExForum.

RATES: Rates are non-commissionable and are quoted at the net rate. All rates are flat rates. No refund for early cancellation.

For additional information contact Sales Dept. at (901) 746-5201 or email: advertising@tristatedefender.com BEER PERMITS Flat Rate $30

Legal notices

ALL INTERESTED BIDDERS The Shelby County Board of Education will accept written bids for Roof Replacement – Carnes Elementary, 943 J.W. Williams Lane, Memphis TN 38105.

Visit our website for additional information: www.scsk12.org-Departments, Procurement Services link, click on Bids & RFPs. Questions concerning proposals should be addressed to Procurement Services at (901) 416-5376.

Thank you for your interest and responses.

Jacqueline Saunders, Director Shelby County Schools – Procurement Services NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS OF CONSTRUCTION BIDS TO BE RECEIVED November 25, 2013 Sealed Bids will be received by the Town of Arlington, at their offices in Town Hall, 5854 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee, 38002, until 2:00 P.M., November 25, 2013 and opened publicly at Town Hall, 5854 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee, 38002 at that hour. The reading of the bids will begin at 2:00 P.M. The Town of Arlington is soliciting proposals for Construction Services for the Airline Road Bridge Replacement over Hall Creek project in Arlington, Tennessee. A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held Monday, November 14, 2013 at 10:00 A.M., at Town Hall, 5854 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee 38002.

PROPOSAL CONTRACTS WILL BE ISSUED UNTIL THE TIME SET FOR OPENING BIDS A Prime Contractor must prequalify with the Department of Transportation in accordance with Section 54-5-117 of the “Tennessee Code Annotated” and Tennessee Department of Transportation Rule 16805-3 prequalification of contractors before biddable proposals will be furnished.

The Town of Arlington hereby notifies all bidders that a 10% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal has been set for this project and must be met or exceeded.

The Town of Arlington hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation,

SOUL SURVIVAL 1 Column - 1 Week $30 2 Column - 1 Week $40

MEDICAL - 1 Month $128 LEGACY - $150 - $350

GENERAL INFORMATION Some categories require prepayment.

All ads subject to credit approval. TriState 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 charges.

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.

TRI-STATE DEFENDER assumes no financial responsibility for errors nor for copy omission. Direct any classified billing inquiries to 901-523-1818.

and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex or disability in consideration for an award.

The Town of Arlington is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drugfree with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service.

Telephone 901-867-4980 THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IS RESERVED Bidding documents and information, and plans, may be obtained by contacting Arlington Town Hall, 5854 Airline Rd., Arlington, TN 38002 at (901) 867-2620, upon receipt of a $200.00 non-refundable deposit.

NOTICE TO BIDDER(S) Shelby County Government is soliciting written proposals on a competitive basis for Construction Services for Shelby County Courthouse, 140 Adams Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103, Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, 201 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103 and Additional Building Automation Monitoring. Information regarding this RFP is located on the Countyʼs website at www.shelbycountytn.gov. At the top of the home page, click on the links “Department,” “P” for the Purchasing Department and “Bids” to locate the name of the above-described RFP. Copies of the project manual and drawing are posted at this location and can be downloaded at no cost to prospective bidders.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DUE NOVEMBER 15, 2013 AT 4:00 PM RFP #14-009-14A – BOILER MODIFICATION A VOLUNTARY pre-bid conference will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, 201 Poplar Avenue, Auditiorium, 1st Floor Lobby, Memphis, TN 38103.

PLEASE BE ON TIME, ONCE THE PREBID CONFERENCE STARTS LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND. Shelby County is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drug-free with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service.

THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IS RESERVED By order of MARK H. LUTTRELL, JR., SHELBY COUNTY MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Wait till it’s for real…

Jeremy Lin of the Houston Rockets drove past Tony Allen of the Grizzlies and scored during the last preseason game at the FedExForum (Oct. 25) before the home opener on Friday (Nov. 1) against the Detroit Pistons.

Classifieds NOW ACCEPTS Call Tri-State Defender @ 901-523-1818

COMMUNITY

Tri-State Defender

Page 13

October 31 - November 6, 2013

BRIEFS & THINGS

NAACP ‘Lay Down’ is a membership push Special to The New Tri-State Defender

“Come Home to the NAACP” is not only a call to action for the city of Memphis it is also the name of the annual fall membership campaign designed to encourage new members to join and old members to renew. In September, the call went out to churches, social and civic organizations to join this annual harvest of NAACP memberships and bring them to the “Membership Lay Down.”

The “Lay Down” was held Saturday (Oct. 26th) at the Jesse H. Turner Sr. Freedom House. Churches and organizations from around the city

brought in the NAACP memberships they had been collecting since the kickoff of the campaign on Sept. 1st and entered an hourly drawing for prizes provided by area businesses.

“The Memphis Branch has been in existence since 1917 which is a testament to the unwavering support of this community. We will continue to carry the torch of freedom and be the hub for all those who seek justice for mankind,” said Madeline Taylor, executive director of the Memphis NAACP. “However, we need the community’s help. Through membership we are able to

continue our programs and advocacy both on a local and national level.”

This year’s honorary chair for the campaign is television news anchor Stephanie Scurlock. She was present at the Lay Down even, rallying members and stressing the importance of the organization’s efforts.

The campaign will end on Dec. 31st. Annual Adult memberships are $30 and Youth members can enroll for $10 or $15 with a subscription to the quarterly Crisis Magazine.

Memberships support the ongoing work of the NAACP as it “strives to address social injustice in this city and the national community.”

African American Male Image Awards set for Nov. 16

Television news anchor Stephanie Scurlock (left), who is anchoring the NAACPʼs fall membership campaign, gets in some planning time with Madeleine C. Taylor, the Memphis Branch NAACP executive director. (Courtesy photo)

Craigmont High students on a road to self-discovery

Every high school student has passions and interests that are unique to them. However, many young people have trouble connecting what they are naturally interested in – whether it is playing video games, reading mystery novels, or catching bugs in their back yard – to a potential career down the road.

With that challenge in mind, Roadtrip Nation – with the support of AT&T and the AT&T Foundation – is set to produce a mobile-friendly curriculum that helps high school students connect their studies to career pathways. The goal is to help students connect the dots between their personal interests and real world opportunities.

Earlier this year, Roadtrip Nation received $1 million from AT&T and the AT&T Foundation to produce a mobile-friendly curriculum that helps students at risk of dropping out of high school connect their studies and interests to real-world opportunities. With this new funding, Roadtrip Nation will extend its program offerings to 10,000 stu-

I hear you…

dents in six states, including Tennessee.

The curriculum engages students in self-reflection exercises to help identify their interests.

Roadtrip Nation’s vast interview archive, which contains video interviews with hundreds of successful real-world leaders spanning every industry, allows students to learn the steps the featured leaders took to get where they are today.

To make the learning process more tangible to students’ lives, the curriculum project sends students out on their own “Roadtrips” to interview local leaders in their communities who share their interests. Throughout the experience, students connect to an online student community, where they can share their projects and connect with likeminded peers who share their same goals.

On Friday (Nov. 1) from noon to 2 p.m., Roadtrip Nation will host a live engagement event at Craigmont High School, which will be adopting the Roadtrip Nation Experience curriculum

with its students this school year.

The kickoff event, which will feature interactive activities, is designed to bring career exploration to life, with speakers to include state Sen. Reginald Tate, state Rep. Antonio Parkinson and community leader Dan Lord.

“This is an exciting and creative program to engage students in career exploration; allowing them to discover career options and share their learnings,” said Tate. “I am excited to join the students at Craigmont High School to share my experiences and to hear from them about their goals and career desires.”

Parkinson said exposing students to career options and helping them develop a career path is important to their lives, the city and the state.

“I applaud Craigmont High School, Roadtrip Nation and AT&T for engaging in this exciting endeavor,” said Parkinson.

Chuck Thomas, regional director for AT&T, said The Roadtrip Nation Experience motivates students to find and then follow

their own passions in life.

“By bringing the real world into the classroom and connecting the dots between students’ personal interests and potential careers, we hope to show the relevance of learning and further combat forces that drive students to dropout,” said Thomas.

The support for Roadtrip Nation is part of AT&T Aspire, AT&T’s $350 million commitment to education. With more than 1 million students impacted since its launch in 2008, Aspire is one of the nation’s largest corporate commitments focused on helping more students graduate from high school ready for college and careers.

“The heart of our curriculum is to allow students to map their interests to future pathways in life,” said Mike Marriner, cofounder, Roadtrip Nation.

“With the help of AT&T, we will be able to deliver this valuable program to underserved schools and students across the nation in need of new, dynamic opportunities to explore pathways for their futures.”

Nearly 500 people representing Memphisʼ civic and business communities attended Leadership Memphisʼ annual Multicultural Breakfast to hear Robbie Stokes, founder of I Talk to Strangers, one of the nationʼs fastest growing social movements. Stokes said the more we know about each other, the greater the chance we will respect someoneʼs views, even if we disagree with them. (Courtesy photo)

Many thanks…

Amanda Harman Coleman claps her appreciation for family and friends who celebrated her 100th birthday at the Appling Ballroom in Cordova last Saturday (Oct. 26). (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Sen. Reginald Tate

Rep. Antonio Parkinson

Dan Lord

The Hobson-Goodlow Education Foundation and the Memphis Alumni Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. will present their 19th Annual African American Male Image Awards Banquet on Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. at The Hotel Memphis, 2625 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Edward Stanton III, U.S. Atty. for the Western District of Tennessee, will be the keynote speaker. Radio personality Bev Johnson of WDIA will serve as our Mistress of Ceremonies.

The banquet, which raises funds to support collegebound African-American male high school seniors, also recognizes African-American men in the Memphis community who are role models for brotherhood, scholarship and community service. Banquet co-chair George Hilliard said the Foundation recognizes men who excel in six key areas – arts, business, corporate, community service, education and Religion.

Local honorees for 2013 are: Education – Bobby White, founder and CEO of Frayser Community Schools; Business – Charles Sims Jr., president, The Sims Financial Group, Inc.; Religion – Milton Hawkins, pastor, Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ; Community Service – Van Turner, attorney, Bruce Turner, PLLC; Corporate – Shannon Brown, senior vice president, FedEx; and Arts – Bernal E. Smith II, president and publisher, The New TriState Defender.

The Fraternity also will present its “Service for Humanity” Award to David Porter, Hall of Fame songwriter and record producer, The Consortium MMT (Memphis Music Town). Individual $1,000 scholarships will be given to five young men who exemplify the ideals of the fraternity and demonstrate “great respect for scholarship.”

The Memphis Alumni Chapter – Tau Iota Sigma – was chartered on June 7, 1935.

The Hobson-Goodlow Foundation, Incorporated was founded in 1999 by the local chapter and officially incorporated in 2001. James Bailey is president of the Memphis Alumni Chapter.

Tickets are $45 each and a table of 10, $450. For more information, call 901-4090762.

BRIEFLY: Baptist Memorial Health Care will host free flu shot events on Saturday (Nov. 2) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, Baptist Minor Medical Center in Olive Branch, Miss. and Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville. For more information, visit: www.baptistonline .org/flushots.

BRIEFLY: To celebrate Halloween in a safe, family setting, the Friends of the Library volunteer and philanthropic organization is hosting “BOO-ks with Friends” on Thursday, Oct. 31 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library at 3030 Poplar Ave.

Trunk’n Treat…

Team Memphis Camaro Club (TMCC) hosted a Trunk n Treat in the parking lot of Raleigh Springs Mall leading up to Halloween. With several Camaros, lined up for inspection, TMCC recruiters Pamela Tuggle and Robin Johnson were ready with information. Tuggle and Johnson said the TMCC promotes and sponsors events in communities where children are less fortunate. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow)

Page 14

October 31 - November 6, 2013

Tri-State Defender