3 14 2012

VOL. 61, No. 11

One Section/Inserts

March 8 - 14, 2012

www.tristatedefender.com

75 Cents

‘Communities of color’ and education reform Will a new multilingual poll affect the Memphis mix? kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com

by Karanja A. Ajanaku A new multilingual poll to be released next week at the National Civil Rights Museum will address the premise that “communities of color largely are missing from public debates over education reform issues.”

The poll was commissioned by New America Media, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It is being pitched as a

tool to highlight parental perspectives.

In addition, the poll is being relied upon to lead off a discussion with experts on what’s working in school reform, what worries people most, and what news media, specially ethnic media, can do through more and better coverage.

The Memphis release of the poll data will come during a session scheduled next Tuesday (March 13) from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Rose Room of the National Civil Rights Museum at 450 Mulberry Street.

“The most important finding is that parents from ethnic Pollster Sergio Bendixen of Ben- communities need a lot more dixen & Amandi International told information. We find a great The New Tri-State Defender that the differential between their poll measures the opinions of school opinions about the quality of parents in eight southeastern states. It probes what they think about the qual- education their children are ity of the education their children are receiving and the reality.”

Sergio Bendixen receiving and focuses on ethnic parents such as African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans.

“I believe it is the first study of its kind where parents have been interviewed in seven different languages,” said Bendixen. “It is a very compre-

C-USA time in Memphis

hensive study of what parents...that are part of these three most important ethnic minorities in the United States think about the quality of education.”

The eight states are Tennessee,

Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

So, why hasn’t there been such a poll before?

Bendixen pointed to the need to provide interviewers who can speak the languages, whether it’s Spanish, Japanese, Vietnamese or Korean. He also noted that multilingual polling is a new science and that not too many people, companies or enterprises are willing to take on such surveys. It’s also somewhat expensive.

Memphians were included in the SEE POLL ON PAGE 2

ANALYSIS

Overlooked: The economic toll of health disparities America’s Wire

by Kimberly N. Alleyne

University of Memphis Tigers Chris Crawford (left) and Will Barton (right), Conference USA Player of the Year, were in the stands at the FedExForum on Wednesday checking out the C-USA Tournament game between UTEP and Houston. UTEP won in overtime, setting up a battle against Memphis on Thursday evening. The championship game is Saturday. See Sports, page 14. (Photo by Warren Roseborough)

- INSIDE -

• Foot-in-mouth disease, Romney’s got it bad. See Opinion, page 4.

• Urgent need to address racial disparities in school discipline. See Nation, page 6.

• At The Wharton Law Firm, it’s about the basics. See Business, page 7.

• Active shooter drill links MPD, UTHSC. See Opinion, page 5.

Mayor A C Wharton Jr. greets Memphis Branch NAACP Executive Director Madeleine C. Taylor after his keynote address. Wharton said the NAACP was needed to fight for all against injustice.

(Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

Lue Walls-Upchurch

MEMPHIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

H- 5 9o - L - 4 5o A.M. Sho wers

H- 6 1o - L - 5 6o C l ou dy

H- 6 4o - L - 5 5o Ra i n

REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS

Friday H-58 L-44 H-61 L-37 H-64 L-55

Saturday H-59 L-55 H-67 L-51 H-71 L-62

Sunday H-65 L-52 H-65 L-52 H-71 L-63

At 36, the NAACP Freedom Fund Gala is still stepping out strong Special to the Tri-State Defender

by Dorothy Bracy Alston Like a seasoned band still capable of packing the house, the Memphis Branch NAACP drew a sellout crowd to the Memphis Cook Convention Center on Tuesday (March 6) night for 36th Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Gala.

The movers-and-shakers-laced crowd included politicians, businessmen, clergy and other community leaders. Among them was the night’s keynote speaker, Mayor A C Wharton Jr. “Develop a civil rights consciousness instead of a civil rights history. Remember the battles we must fight today,” Wharton challenged the crowd. “Discrimination remains the same. Discrimination is

discrimination is discrimination.”

The NAACP Freedom Fund Gala is one of the most important gatherings the city celebrates, said Wharton, who endeavored to put the civil rights movement in context.

“There is a real need for a civil rights consciousness by the souls of black folks and everyday Americans,” said Wharton. “Too many see it only as a movement that started in 1954 and ended in 1968 with Martin King in Memphis.”

In addition to the need for a civil rights consciousness, there is a need for a heightened awareness of the battlefield for that consciousness, said Wharton.

“We’ve gone from can’t vote to won’t vote and from can’t work to won’t work, from no entrance to school to no exit from school,” chided Wharton.

The theme for the event was “Affirming America’s Promise,” which the evening’s program noted was “built on the premise that all persons are ‘created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’”

The Memphis Branch NAACP was touted as having been at the forefront of affirming the nation’s promise since 1917, particularly in areas such as education, economic advancement, social justice, fair housing and political equality of rights of all persons.

“The cause of the NAACP remains the same,” said Wharton.

“Somewhere civil rights became too narrowly defined.”

SEE NAACP ON PAGE 2

WASHINGTON – Health disparities are creating economic burdens for families, communities and the nation’s health care system. Across the country, infant mortality and chronic diseases continue to affect people of color at rates far higher than those for whites.

In recent years, the focus has increased on the impact of disparities on minority communities, with public officials, community activists, civic leaders and health care experts proposing ways to improve access to medical care and raise awareness of positive benefits of preventive care. But health experts say the economic toll of health disparities and substantial costs associated with lost productivity are being overlooked. ”Racial and ethnic groups have higher incidences of diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer, et cetera,” says Brian D. Smedley, vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C. “That prevalence “of chronic diseases” comes with a price tag in terms of excess direct medical Brian D. costs, nearly $230 Smedley billion over a four-year period that we studied.”

The study found that between 2003 and 2006, 30.6 percent of direct medical care expenditures for African Americans, Asians and Hispanics were excess costs due to health inequalities. The study estimated that eliminating health disparities for minorities would have reduced direct medical expenditures by $229.4 billion and slashed indirect costs associated with illness and premature death by more than $1 trillion for those years.

The 2010 National Healthcare Disparities Report documented that racial and ethnic minorities often receive poorer care than whites while facing more barriers in seeking preventive care, acute treatment or chronic disease management. The report is produced by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

According to the report, minorities also experience rates of preventable hospitalization that, in some cases, are almost double that of whites; African Americans have higher hospitalization rates from influenza; and African-American children are twice as likely to be hospitalized and more than four times as likely to die from asthma as white children.

‘An inequitable distribution of opportunity’

Thomas A. LaVeist, director of the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, says increased health risks for minorities are directly related to where they live and work. ”The fact is that we have an inSEE HEALTH ON PAGE 2

Page 2

POLL

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

polling pool. Stops designed to introduce the poll and its data and to initiate discussions were held last week in Atlanta and New Orleans, with Memphis and Miami on tap for March 13 and March 14.

“The most important finding is that parents from ethnic communities need a lot more information,” said Bendixen.

“We find a great differential

HEALTH

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

equitable distribution of opportunity,” he says. “Where you live determines what schools your children get to attend. It determines if your house will appreciate or deappreciate and whether you can create wealth. It also determines whether you are exposed to environmental inequalities and the type of health care facility that is available to you. Where you live, work, play and pray affects quality of health care.”

Jennifer Ng’andu, deputy director of the Health Policy Project at the National Council of La Raza in Washington, speaks even more pointedly: “If we look at communities of color, we see that many racial and ethnic groups live in unsafe environments, there is poor housing and there is loss of productivity because of illness. ”Essentially, every time a person of color goes to the doctor, 30 percent of their bill is due to health disparities so they end up paying more in the doctor’s office because over time they receive health care that is not appropriate or effective,” she says. “They become needlessly sicker and are more likely to die prematurely, so they end up paying more medical expenses.”

Health experts and civic leaders say financial strains are adversely manifested in varying ways in communities and have a huge impact on children, often involving academic performance.

“There are direct biological consequences in that a child who does not have good access to health services will experience developmental setbacks because they are sick or their parents are sick,” Ng’andu says. “It makes it harder for them to achieve in school and can have serious consequences on their future.

We have to invest in children early, their health early, their education, making sure they have healthy communities to grow in.”

‘When kids are hungry…’

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the percentage of children and adolescents with a chronic disease swelled from 1.8 percent in the 1960s to 7 percent in 2004. The increase has an adverse impact on childhood education. For example, a report by the American Lung Association says asthma is a leading cause nationwide of youngsters missing school. Asthma affects Puerto Rican and African-American children more often, perhaps because they often live in communities with poor air quality. ”Studies show a spread of diabetes among children, but particularly among black and Latino children,” says Sinsi Hernandez-Cancio, director of health equity at Families USA in Washington. ”There are long-term effects. You are more likely to lose a limb, have a heart attack or lose a kidney, and the longer you have the disease, the greater the toll on life quality. We can expect to see this as these children grow older. There is also an impact on children when other family members have a disease because they sometime miss school to care for an ill family member.”

Because racial and ethnic health care disparities can hinder a breadwinner’s earning capacity, the entire family is often affected adversely. ”Kids are forced to be translators at the doctor’s office,” Hernandez-Cancio says. “That has an enormous toll, so they see firsthand all this information on how mommy or daddy is not doing

NEWS

Tri-State Defender

March 8 - 14, 2012

between their opinions about the quality of education their children are receiving and the reality.”

That reality is not particularly good in many of the states, said Bendixen.

“A lot more information…they need to better informed,” Bendixen said, “of what’s really going on, or they are not going to be part of the reform movement, which is what’s needed to get people in the process to get more resources for education to im-

well. We have had stories of children staying home to take care of their parent or another sibling.

Stresses Thomas A. such as LaVeist these affect their ability to develop into an independent, productive individual in the future.”

Ng’andu agrees.

“When kids are hungry, when they are exposed to serious nerve stress and environmental stresses,” she says, “it affects them and their ability to learn and perform well academically. Investment in their health is very important to their future success and achievement and also their ability to work and contribute to their communities.”

Prevention works

Hernandez-Cancio says disparities in infant mortality rates also take a toll on minority families. While the 2010 rate for whites was 5.63 per 1,000 live births, it was 13.31 per 1,000 live births for African Americans, 9.22 for American Indians or Alaska Natives and 7.71 for Puerto Ricans, according to the CDC. “The infant mortality rate is considered a very basic measure of how a country’s health care system is working, and it is an indication of other symptoms,” she says. “We rank 41st globally. As an advanced, wealthy nation, we are not doing well.”

Hernandez-Cancio says that disparities in chronic diseases is also a major problem, that millions of dollars are spent battling such diseases that have been treated improperly or, in some cases, could have been prevented.

Each year, she says, health care inequities result in 100,000 premature deaths in the United States, and many are attributed to chronic diseases. “The health care system is so expensive. If you look at the numbers, a huge portion of health care costs is improving chronic diseases.

When these diseases spiral out of control, it raises costs.

We have to get a handle on these diseases to bend the cost curve.”

Data indicate extreme disparities in chronic diseases, including heart disease, certain cancers, strokes, diabetes and arthritis.

According to the CDC, these diseases cause seven of 10 deaths annually in America and more than 75 percent of health care costs.

Smedley says AfricanAmericans experience higher incidences of diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and other chronic diseases. According to the Joint Center study, chronic diseases cost the U.S. health care system nearly $232 billion from 2003 to 2006. Early detection, quality of care and improving prevention management are important as it becomes clear that doing so

prove education.”

Anthony Advincula of New America Media said “discussion” is the key word for Tuesday’s session at the National Civil Rights Museum.

“So the community can say, ‘hey, that’s not really the issue here. In the African American community it’s this.’ Or the Korean community there could say, ‘Well, for us this is what it is.’And the media can cover it.

So this is a discussion.”

Mark Sturgis, Memphis director of Stand for Children,

in communities of color is crucial to curbing costs.

“If we don’t get a handle on these diseases, it is going to be harder to manage the system,” Hernandez-Cancio says, adding that prevention can alleviate many costs.

The health care reform law includes provisions that improve financing and delivery while also improving access for vulnerable populations and investing in prevention. ”Investments in prevention go a long way in preventing racial and ethnic health inequality in the first place,” Smedley says.

“About five cents of every federal health dollar is spent on prevention. Prevention works. It works to keep our population healthy and reduces health care costs. ”We pay now or pay later.

We’re going to be paying the price in higher health care costs, but also a population that is less healthy and unable to participate in the nation’s economic recovery.”

said the group’s participation in the poll-stimulated discussion is in keeping with an ongoing involvement with the Gates-Memphis City Schools initiative, particularly connecting that work with the community.

“I think this poll is a very strategic way to see what parents are actually thinking and understanding about education,” said Sturgis.

While Stand for Children makes it a priority to view community involvement as

part of the mix of desired outcomes, Sturgis said he is not sure how true that is of others working on local education reform.

“They are not on the ground like we are everyday in South Memphis, North Memphis, in Shelby County, in Midtown. We kind of get the vibe of it on the streets, but I think this poll really brings some realization to some of the other partners, and especially our communities that we are trying to ele-

vate through this discussion about what is the disconnect between the work that is underway and the reality of how students are performing and what our families are thinking about education.”

With the local focus on consolidation, “to frame this in a real strategic way is going to be important,” said Sturgis, adding that he is “excited to see how momentum from the poll and the release of information affects how we all work.”

The melodic sounds of the Charles Pender Trio kicked off the 36th Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Gala on Tuesday. (Photos by Tyrone P. Easley)

‘We have to tackle this problem now’

Racial and ethnic minorities are much less likely than the rest of the population to have health insurance, according to the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health, a component of HHS. These minorities constitute about one-third of the U.S. population but are more than half of the 50 million uninsured.

They are also overrepresented among the 56 million people in America with inadequate access to a primary care physician. The Joint Center study found that “the combined costs of health inequalities and premature death in the United States were $1.24 trillion” between 2003 and 2006.

The cost is expected to increase. By 2042, people of color are expected to be 50 percent of the U.S. population, signaling significant economic implications for minority communities.

“About 47 percent of American children under 18 are children of color,” Hernandez- Cancio says. “That really indicates this is the future of this country. The fact that they don’t have the mentorship who can provide structure for them, either because of financial pressures, chronic disease or premature deaths, can be highly detrimental to their future. ”Whether or not you are directly connected to these communities, you have a vested interested in their development and future. We cannot afford not to address financial burdens and health care disparities that contribute directly to instability of our health care system. We have to tackle this problem now.”

(America’s Wire is an independent, nonprofit news service run by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education and funded by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For more information, visit www.americas wire.org.)

The sellout crowd at the Freedom Fund Gala was laced with community movers and shakers.

For many groups, the Freedom Fund gala is an annual affair.

NAACP

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

The national organization was founded in 1909 and Memphis Executive Director Madeleine C. Taylor reminded the audience that, “We must continue in this 103-year struggle for injustice.”

Awards and presentations are part of the order of the day at such events. Dr. Warner Dickerson, president of the Memphis Branch NAACP, presented The Distinguished

Service Award to co-chairs, Kevin Spiegel, CEO of Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare University Hospital, and Otha Brandon Jr., director of Governmental Affairs for Comcast Cable.

In his acceptance speech, Brandon told the crowd, “Since 1909 the mission of ‘your’ NAACP has remained the same.”

As cited, that mission is this: “To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred

and racial discrimination.”

(For more information, contact the Memphis Branch NAACP at 901-521-1343, or email contact@naacpmemphis.com.)

(Dorothy Bracy Alston is a journalist, author, freelance writer and, adjunct English professor. Visit Dorothy’s blog at http://www.CisbaAssociates.blogspot.com; join her on Facebook at www.facebook .com/dorothybracyalston, email her at DBAlston@hotmail.com or call 901-570-3923.)

NATION

Tri-State Defender

Page 3

March 8 - 14, 2012

Richmond – case study: effort to stanch violence is working

RICHMOND, Calif. – Richmond, long burdened by the reputation of being the Bay Area’s most dangerous city, experienced an overall decrease in violent crime last year, according to data recently made public by the city’s police department.

Overall, violent crime decreased 14 percent citywide between 2010 and 2011, according to Richmond Police Department statistics from last January obtained by the Richmond Pulse.

Those crimes include armed carjacking (down 30 percent), attempted homicide (down 14 percent) and attempted robbery (down 65 percent). Also, down were the number of drug-related 911 calls (down 46 percent), “man with gun” calls (down 18 percent) and reports of “neighborhood gunfire” (down 13 percent).

Nicole Valentino, a community-advocate at the Richmond mayor’s office, says it is a mix of resident groups and nonprofit organizations that are making the difference.

“The story of Richmond is more and more (about) people coming together to make things better,” says Valentino.

Those deeply involved in the anti-violence work, she adds, come from an array of backgrounds. Some are from places outside of Richmond who have nevertheless fully committed themselves to the community, while others are Richmond locals who have always had the talent and desire to be neighborhood leaders, but perhaps not the training to be effective.

Then there are those who left Richmond to get a college degree and decided to come back to improve their city. Together, says Valentino, their efforts are beginning to have a noticeable impact.

Not all violent crimes in Richmond, however, have gone down. Most troubling, the number of criminal homicides rose from 21 deaths in 2010 to 26 in 2011. The rise in homicides in Richmond and other Bay Area cities was even the subject of a report in The Wall Street Journal last September. Certain property crimes also increased – residential burglary and car breakins were both up by about 15 percent from the previous year.

Police and neighborhood activists in Richmond, however, now have a reason to be optimistic that those numbers too can be reduced through a coordinated combination of law enforcement and community support for the city’s most troubled youth.

In an email to community stakeholders that accompanied the most recent crime report, Police Chief Chris Magnus wrote, “We recognize…that many factors influence crime and violence in our city, but we believe that active neighborhood and community groups partnering extensively with the police department are a big part of the reason we are making progress towards a safer Richmond.”

One of those community groups is Ceasefire, a collaborative project that seeks to unite clergy, congregations, law enforcement and community members against gun violence in Richmond by approaching troubled youth with a message of love.

“We want to see (the youth) alive and free, but we are no longer going to tolerate being terrorized by gun violence,” said the Rev. Eugene Jackson of Grace Bible Fellowship in Antioch. Jackson is also an organizer for CCISCO (Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization), one of the organizations participating in Ceasefire.

Part of the Ceasefire strategy involves organizing weekly “night walks” in different Richmond neighborhoods, during which participants hand out information about the program and talk to residents about their needs.

“We have people as old as 90 (and) as young as 8 years old,” said Jackson about the participants. “We own the streets in a way that has never been seen.”

Captain Mark Gagan says the increase in residential burglary and auto thefts are keeping Richmond entrenched at the bottom of city crime rankings.

Police Chief Magnus agrees.

“Property crime, while very slightly down (overall), continues to be a challenge, particularly in regards to residential burglaries,” he wrote.

Gretchen Borg is a teacher at Gompers, a continuation high

school in Richmond. She moved into a new house in south Richmond in September 2010, and a week later her house was broken into.

“They took my computer and my punk rock CDs,” Borg says.

“So you know they were kids.”

Borg believes many youth in Richmond resort to theft and burglary because of unstable family situations and the lack of jobs for the young people in the city.

Matthew Stonebraker, 34, was born and raised in central Richmond and after completing his service in the army, decided to come back to serve his community as a police officer.

Stonebraker has been on the force now for more than five years, and says he can see the positive impact that greater community involvement is having on the city.

“When I was growing up, there would be 20 dudes on a

corner selling drugs and maybe three would have guns,” Stonebraker said. “(But) today, a lot of good people are moving in and making a positive change in the city.”

Mike Rubio, youth organizing director at RYSE, a youth center that offers programs and support services to Richmond youth, says change in Richmond will come as a result of “young folks pushing (and making demands to) adults.”

The youth organizers he is training at RYSE, says Rubio, are looking at the big picture, not trying to modify individual behaviors but looking at the root causes of violence and crime, and identifying the policies and programs that will impact as many people as possible.

“They see themselves as agents of change,” says Rubio.

Mayor Gayle McLaughlin also believes the solution to Richmond’s violence lies in

addressing the root causes, as opposed to suppressing the symptoms.

“Ultimately, we have to resolve poverty in general, issues of equality and justice for all,” McLaughlin said. “That is going to be the real solution for really bringing about a full, healthy and safe Richmond.”

Source: New America Media/Richmond Pulse; posted by Monica Quesada.

Page 4

OPINION

Tri-State Defender

March 8 - 14, 2012

John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)

The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper

A Real Times Newspaper

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

Foot-in-mouth disease, Romney’s got it bad

IN THE MAIL

MCS: ‘A bad name without good reason’

I have had the experience recently to visit two Memphis City Schools on their Career Day. In each school, Sheffield High School and Memphis Business Academy, I was impressed with the physical facilities and their upkeep. The facility and students were alert and attentive and made me welcome.

The questions asked by the students were inquisitive and appropriate and showed some real intellectual curiosity, at no time did I see any evidence of the unruly, violent, display that we see on channel 5 news.

I think Memphis City Schools have been given a bad name without good reason. Of course, some nega-

tive things do occur and have to be dealt with, but, what I saw at these schools were students who could compete in the best colleges in the country.

What we as Citizens of Memphis need to do is support the schools, enforce discipline and encourage the teachers. Memphis schools have produced a number of outstanding professionals and with our help can continue this work. Let us utilize the facilities that we have, reduce class sizes and graduate more of our children.

I only wish that I had had as good a school building and facilities when I was in high school.

– Robert J. Smith M.D.

WEB POSTS

From our online readers at www.tristatedefender.com

Redistricting – What is really going on?

Edition: March 1-6, 2012

Guest columnist Shep Wilbun, a former Shelby County Commissioner and Memphis City Councilman, details the facts involved in redistricting - creation of new boundaries from which we select our elected representatives – and then notes two questions that African Americans must ask. Who draws the lines? How are these lines being drawn?)

POST: Many in white America will never accept integration. Integration would lead to far more interracial marriages than what is seen and tolerated. We must come to understand that the unspoken fear of a lot of white people is true integration with people of color. White people will forever distort the truth of their fears and racial paranoias.

The white collective will claim that because of some black inferiority and crime is why they won’t merge with blacks but the truth is white people fear for white genetic survival. At all inter-people activities such as politics, education, science, military, entertainment, and religion and law, whites must be in control.

Our failure as black people to understand the covert and overt attitudes and actions of the white collective mindset of white supremacy will be our undoing.

POST: I’m appreciative of the information. This is a real eye-opener.

Only a fool would not want to vote and get involved in their communities after knowing this.

U.S. Treasury ‘redirect’ will put the hurt on child support debtors Edition: March 1-6, 2012

The U.S. Treasury recently determined that beginning March 2013, it would no longer give individuals the option of receiving a paper check for Social Security, disability and veteran’s benefits. That money will be electronically transmitted into a bank account, and then “redirected” to the state to pay down on child support arrears. Thousands of non-custodial parents in the West Tennessee region will be affected by the Treasury Department’s new electronic payment policy.

POST: This is almost straight forward reporting that delivers some of the truth even if it contains a misdirected delivery of compassion. The last paragraph could have included: Life is full of consequences, espe-

cially the negative consequence that result from poor choices. Fathering children without taking the responsibility for their continued and longterm care bears the consequences just as other forms of breaking the law. (The) children deserve the most compassion – life without a father’s presence, the extended periods without their mother who has had to work multiple jobs to seek out their support, the experience of having to move repeatedly, changing schools multiple times during each school year, living without hope that circumstances will ever improve.

These children must be the recipients of any deserved compassion.

The custodial parent deserves our support, encouragement and continued praise.

Viola’s ‘this is me’ Oscar night Edition: March 1-6, 2012

Guest columnist Pearl Walker-Ali writes that many Memphis-area viewers of “The 84th Academy Awards) were raving over the short, colored and natural hairstyle sported by “The Help’s” Viola Davis.

POST: I LOVE IT! I am a sistah of almost 65 years who has been wearing a “natural” for approximately 45 years. My husband…was always asking me to take the wig off, and was most encouraging of me to wear my natural hairdo. I was wearing a wig when we first met, and we laugh about it today because he says the wig was always sideways (LOL). I do think that if black men were more lovingly encouraging of their wife and friend ladies to wear a “natural” they indeed would, but we have such a complex that straight hair is beautiful. Viola Davis looks WONDERFUL! and Hurray to her beautiful husband!!

And mine too!!!!

POST: I have watched Viola Davis as an actress in many different roles over the years! I am so very happy and excited about her because she is not only a very attractive African American woman, but extraordinary artist in all her characterizations - so diverse and not made stereotypical! Demonstrates strength, intelligence, leadership = an attribute greatly needed for our Black women, very young and not so young! My prayers for her continued success as she continues to be a role model for this community! Blessings, it is so wonderful to see this! Great story!

POST: I too took the wig off along with the tracks and I feel liberated and proud to be a 50-year-old African-American woman who doesn’t worry about looking too ethnic. (The) more ethnic I look, the taller I stand...

FACEBOOK FAN OF THE WEEK Alandas Dobbins

Alandas Dobbins is a second-generation entrepreneur and an astute businesswoman. Mayor A C Wharton Jr. recently appointed her as the director of the Memphis Office of Resource and Enterprise (MORE).

She is a graduate of Central High School (The High School to some) and Tulane University in New Orleans. Her company, Nsight Communications, is a telecommunications and technology company. She is an advocate for the growth and development of women and minority businesses.

Thanks Alandas for being a part of the TSD facebook family!

How connected are you?

NNPA News Service

by Cheryl Pearson-McNeil The rapid-fire, head-spinning way in which technology continues to evolve never ceases to amaze me.

Nielsen recently released its Nielsen and NM Incite’s U.S. Digital Consumer Report, and in it provides a deeper dive into Generation Y – also known as Generation Next, the Millennials, the NET Generation or Boomer Kids.

Depending on your information source, these young people were born between 1980 and 2002, making them between 10 and 34-yearsold. They are generally well-rounded culturally, having been exposed to diversity all their lives and, are accustomed to “playing well with others.”

They have also been described by the media as being “pampered, nurtured and programmed with a slew of activities since they were toddlers, meaning they are both high-performance and high-maintenance.”

Nielsen broke Gen Y into an even smaller subset: Generation C (as in connected), Americans age 18-34.

They make up 23 percent of the U.S. population but an out sized portion of consumers using technology.

Born between the introduction of the VCR and the commercialization of the Internet, this group has taken media consumption to a whole other level. They have redefined their personal connections with new devices and experiences like no other demographic group, watching online video (27 percent), visiting social networking/blog sites (27 percent), owning tablets (33 percent) and using a smartphone (39 percent). Their ownership and use of connected devices makes them incredibly unique consumers, and highly coveted by advertisers and marketers. They represent both a challenge and opportunity for marketers and content providers alike.

But how about the rest of us, how do we stack up technologically?

• For television viewers: 21 percent are 35-49, 20 percent are 50-64 and 13 percent are African American.

• Online video viewers: 28 percent are 35-49, 22 percent are 50-64 and 11 percent are African American.

• Social networking/blog visitors: 28 percent are 35-49, 22 percent are 50-64 and 10 percent are African American.

• Tablet owners: 29 percent are 3549; 21 percent are 50-64 and 11 percent are African American.

• Smartphone users: 30 percent are 35-49, 20 percent are 50-64 and 12 percent are African American.

• Women surpass men in nearly every digital category: TV viewership (51 percent vs. 49 percent), Online Video Viewers (53 percent vs. 47 percent) and Social Network/Blog Visitors (54 percent vs. 47 percent).

Who’s got the power now guys?

• Tablet ownership is the only male-dominated digital category (53 percent vs. 47 percent).

• 274 million Americans (as of the

end of 2011) have Internet access.

That’s more than double the 132 million of connected Americans in 2000. (Remember the Y2K scare that never happened)?

• Flash back: remember the VCR?! (please Cheryl don’t tell me Pearsonyou’re still using McNeil yours)? It seems like eons ago, but it was just 10 years ago, in 2002, when the DVD knocked out the VCR as the champ in the home video market, and accounted for 2/3 of all videos sold.

• In 2007, a mere 3.2 percent of mobile subscribers owned a smartphone. According to a Nielsen study released this January of more than 20,000 mobile consumers, smartphone penetration is now a whopping 48 percent. Smartphone ownership splits evenly, 50-50, between men and women. Those in the 25-34 age group (Generation C again) showed the greatest proportion of smartphone ownership, at 66 % penetration.

Apparently we like to multitask while we watch TV. Well, I don’t because I like to concentrate specifically on what I’m watching. But, once again, I seem to be in the minority.

Because while watching TV: • 57 percent of smartphone and tablet owners checked email.

• 44 percent visited a social networking site.

• Advertisers will like this one: 19 percent searched for product information and 16% looked up coupons and online deals.

All of these cool technological gadgets are creating a new generation – kids who are growing up with all things digital. Another Nielsen study of adults with children under 12 in tablet-owning households in Q4 2011 shows that seven out of every 10 children in tablet-owning households used a tablet computer.

Seventy-seven percent play downloaded games. Fifty-seven percent use them to access educational apps.

And, parents report that tablets entertained their children while traveling (55 percent) or eating in restaurants (41 percent). So much for spending quality time together while at the dinner table, huh? Phones and electronic devices aren’t allowed at the table once food arrives at my house.

But that’s just me.

You may not be a Gen Y or even a Gen C, but according to these facts, you are still connected technologically. And everyone knows no technological connection can work without a power source. In this instance, the source of power is you. So what’s my mantra? Use your power wisely.

(Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is senior vice president of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Nielsen.

For more information and studies go to www.nielsenwire.com.)

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Mitt Romney may have made have moved closer to wrapping up the Republican nomination for president on Tuesday, but he can’t seem to move his foot away from his mouth whenever George he goes off E. Curry script. The former Massachusetts governor has been his worst enemy as he struggles to connect with average voters.

Here are some examples: April 25, 2011 – In an op-ed in the Manchester Union Leader, Romney accused President Obama of going on “one of the biggest peacetime spending binges in American history.”

Simultaneously fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan hardly qualifies as “peacetime.”

April 30 – Speaking at an Americans for Prosperity dinner in Manchester, N.H., Romney said: “Reagan came up with this great thing about the ‘misery index’ and he hung that around Jimmy Carter’s neck. Well, we’re going to have to hang the ‘Obama Misery Index’ around his neck.” Romney continued, “…We’re going to hang him…” After stopping mid-sentence, Romney added,.. “So to speak – metaphorically. You have to be careful these days.”

Yes, Mitt, you do have to be careful these days. And saying even metaphorically that you want to hang a Black man, in this case the president of the United States, shows appalling insensitivity to this country’s long and ugly history of lynching.

June 16 – Speaking to unemployed workers in Tampa, Fla., Romney said, “I am also unemployed.”

When you are worth between $190 million and $250 million and receive more than $20 million a year from investments, you don’t have to work.

Oct. 18 – In the GOP debate in Las Vegas, recalling a conversation he had with his lawn-care service that had employed illegal immigrants: “We went to the company and we said, look, you can’t have any illegals working on our property. I’m running for office, for Pete’s sake, I can’t have illegals.”

Would it be all right if Romney wasn’t running for office?

Jan. 9 – Speaking at a Chamber of Commerce function in Nashua, N.H.: “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me.”

Jan. 17 – In Greenville, S.C., Romney called the $370,000 he earned in speaking fees in 2011 “not very much money.”

According to the Census Bureau, that’s more than seven times the average household income of $49,445.

Feb. 1 – CNN interview: “I’m in this race because I care about Americans. I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there.

If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich; they’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 90 percent, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling.”

Romney made it very clear that he is no John F. Kennedy. And although he professed not to be concerned for the very rich, independent analyses of his tax plan show that’s the group that would most benefit under his proposal.

Comedian Jon Stewart said on his ‘Daily Show’: “It’s like a doctor going, ‘I’m not concerned about the very healthy, because they’re doing fine, or the very sick because, you know, morphine.’”

Feb. 24 – Speaking in Detroit: “I drive a Mustang and a Chevy pickup. Ann drives a couple of Cadillacs, actually.”

Way to go Mitt. Remind the audience that your wife drives two vehicles that sell for $35,485-$54,525 each and that you have two homes, each with its own Cadillac. Workingclass people can really relate to that.

Feb. 26 – When asked by a reporter at the Daytona 500 if he followed racing, Romney replied: “Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans, but I have some great friends who are NASCAR team owners.”

One blogger said Romney saying he had friends that were NASCAR owners was akin to saying you enjoy football because you hang out with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a sky box at the Super Bowl.

Despite Romney’s effort to put his best foot forward, he usually sticks it in his mouth.

(NNPA columnist George E. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/ currygeorge.)

Tri-State Defender

OPINION

March 8 - 14, 2012

The active shooter drill was a mock emergency staged at UTHSC to create an intensive training scenario for Memphis Police and UTHSC Campus Police.

Active shooter drill links MPD, UTHSC (Lue Walls-Upchurch is Chief of Campus Police at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.)

On Friday, March 2, more than 25 police officers from the Memphis Police Department (MPD) and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) Campus Lue WallsPolice collaborated on an Upchurch active shooter drill set on the UTHSC Memphis campus. The mock emergency situation was staged to create an intensive training scenario for law enforcement officers. MPD Tactical Units outlined an active shooter situation for 25 officers. They then paired UTHSC Campus Police and city of Memphis police officers in teams to seek out and apprehend the suspect as described.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2002 there were approximately 16 million students enrolled in 4,200 colleges and universities across the nation. These same college and university campuses are constantly growing and changing. Unfortunately, not all of the change has been favorable. When we consider the recent shootings and other challenges on our nation’s campuses, campus law enforcement finds itself seeking additional ways to increase the level and intensity of training for police officers.

Our campuses have traditionally been viewed somewhat as islands unto themselves, but today it is essential for campus law enforcement and local law enforcement to develop Memorandums of Understanding. These documents open doors to cooperation among various law enforcement and campus safety agencies.

The training exercise…was the result of years of work to build and foster a professional relationship with the Memphis Police Department. We recognize that any major challenge that occurs on the UTHSC campus – such as an “active shooter” – will mandate a response by specialized local law enforcement.

Through joint training exercises with the MPD, both agencies have an opportunity to gain insight into what to expect when responding to an emergency, as well as continuing to foster a greater level of cooperation.

We are very appreciative that MPD Director Toney Armstrong, MPD Colonel Russell Houston and UTHSC Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operations Officer Ken Brown supported this endeavor.

Although, this is the first multi-agency train-

The training exercise was the result of years of work to build and foster a professional relationship between Memphis Police and UTHSC Campus Police.

(Courtesy photos)

ing drill held on the UTHSC campus, UTHSC officers have actively participated in similar drills hosted by other law enforcement agencies. In the coming weeks, UTHSC officers will also be actively engaged in a multi-agency training exercise, which will be hosted by the FBI, University of Memphis Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

As our college and university campuses change, campus law enforcement must maintain training and emergency preparedness as central priorities.

Page 5

Page 6

NATION

March 8 - 14, 2012

Julianne Malveaux to resign as Bennett College president Nationally known economist and author, Dr. Julianne Malveaux is stepping down as president of the historically black, all-female Bennett College this year. Malveaux served as president of the college for five years and will end her tenure effective in May. “Five years is the longest time I’ve ever held a job in my life,” Malveaux said in a statement, “and while I remain committed to HBCUs and the compelling cause of access in higher education, I will actualize that commitment, now, in other arenas. I will miss Bennett College and will remain one of its most passionate advocates.”

Malveaux called her time as president of the college, “one of the most rewarding experiences” of her life.

Charles Barrentine, chair of

the Board of Trustees, said the trustees respect Malveaux’s desire to pursue her other interests at this time.

“We have been extremely fortunate to have her at the helm of Bennett College for the last five years. Given her many talents, the college has been enhanced by having Dr. Malveaux as our leader.”

Under Malveaux’s leadership the college completed a $21 million capital improvements program that renovated existing facilities and erected four new buildings, the first new construction on campus in 28 years.

Barrentine also noted that Malveaux increased enrollment to a historic high of more than 735 students in 2009, expanded alumnae involvement, and enhanced the curriculum with a focus on women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, ex-

cellence in communications, and global awareness.

B e n nett’s accreditation has been reaffirmed through Dr. Julianne 2014 by the SouthMalveaux ern Association of Colleges and Schools.

“Dr. Malveaux empowered the college to build on its historic legacy. In recognition of her distinguished work, she will be named President Emerita of Bennett College at the May 6 commencement,” said Barrentine.

(Special to the NNPA from the Washington Informer)

Urgent need to address racial disparities in school discipline

Education department survey fuels renewed call for action TSD staff and wire reports

Racial disparities in school discipline – including suspensions, expulsions and arrests – remain alarmingly high in districts and states across the country, according to Sec. of Education Arne Duncan, who announced the results of the latest Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) on Tuesday (March 6).

The CRDC is a national survey of 72,000 schools. Key findings show: African-American students are more than three times as likely to be suspended as their white peers.

Over 70 percent of students involved in school-related arrests or referred to law enforcement are Black or Latino.

Students with disabilities are suspended at a rate twice that of students without disabilities.

The data confirms what many civil rights and education advocates have feared. Stark racial disparities across various indicators are hampering educational access and opportunity.

While it applauded U.S. Department of Education on the release of the survey, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) noted its deep alarm about the data.

The data collection for the 2009-10 school year reflects an expanded set of information, including factors such as school-based arrests, referrals to law enforcement and students receiving multiple suspensions. LDF and other civil rights and education advocates have urged inclusion of the reporting categories. They have also asked the Department of Education to collect the data annually from all schools, including all charter schools that receive federal funds.

According to the Department of Education, AfricanAmerican students are more than three-and-a-half times as likely to be suspended or expelled compared to their white peers. African American and Hispanic students are far more likely than white students to be forced to repeat a grade, especially in the elementary and middle grades. And fewer schools with high concentrations of minority students had access to either advanced curriculum or reasonably experienced teachers who can prepare them to compete in today’s global economy.

“We cannot suspend, expel and arrest our way out of our nation’s education problems.

In fact, relying upon exclusionary discipline policies actually fuels academic failure and drives achievement gaps,”

said John Payton, LDF’s president and director-counsel.

“Indeed, if we are to ever fulfill the promise of quality, inclusive education heralded in Brown v. Board of Education, we must equalize resources and address the policies and practices that are pushing young people out of school.”

The LDF hopes the data serves as a clear call to action for school districts and states with significant racial disparities in areas such as school discipline and resource allocation.

“They should understand that inexplicable racial disparities can be a violation of federal law, whether intentional or not.

And this is especially true when a state or school district implements discipline policies that are not supported by sound educational practices.”

Damon Hewitt “They should understand that inexplicable racial disparities can be a violation of federal law, whether intentional or not,” said Damon Hewitt, director of LDF’s Education Practice Group. “And this is especially true when a state or school district implements discipline policies that are not supported by sound educational practices.”

LDF is urging the Department of Education to consider the disparities revealed in the Civil Rights Data Collection when determining whether to honor states’ requests for waivers from the accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act and whether to award discretionary grants to states and districts under its competitive grant programs.

Noting Congressional efforts to replace the No Child Left Behind Act with a reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the LDF said Congress must hold

schools, school districts and states accountable for the types of disparities outlined in the survey and also provide support to assist them in addressing high disciplinary rates and disparities, as well as other inequities.

Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, also applauded the DOE for collecting and releasing the data.

“With this knowledge comes the responsibility for the Department to investigate school districts that may be in violation of federal civil rights law and take appropriate enforcement action,” said Henderson.

“This report paints, in stark terms, how our educational system is failing boys and girls. By showing vast disparities in virtually all dimensions of students’ experiences in schools including discipline, achievement, resources, and support, it reveals a harsh reality of student life for minorities and students with disabilities.”

Eddie Madison, father of three boys in South Central Los Angeles and parent leader at CADRE, a communitybased, parent-led organization focused on stopping the pushout crisis in South LA schools, said parents long have known about the unequal discipline practices in our inner city schools.

“Consistent data collection not only gives our stories legitimacy, but also gives the Department of Education and the Office for Civil Rights real information to deal with the systemic issues plaguing our students of color in the public school systems across the country,” said Madison.

“We applaud this first step, yet we hope this type of data collection can be done more often and more extensively to ensure our children’s human right to a quality education – no matter where they live,” said Madison.

Tri-State Defender

BUSINESS

Tri-State Defender

Page 7

March 8 - 14, 2012

Womenʼs History Month:

ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

At The Wharton Law Firm, it’s about the basics grets of being a businessperson. I encourage anyone who is out there and may be reading this article, to aim high, set some goals, and be willing to work hard every single day, if you are interested in becoming a business owner.

Hard work, accessibility and quality service Part 1

Ruby R. Wharton of The Wharton Law Firm has helped paved the way for many female lawyers during the course of her stellar career. With Women’s History Month as the backdrop, this is the initial installment in a two-part conversation.

Carlee McCullough: What would you say influenced you to become an attorney and how did you begin your career?

Ruby Wharton: I believe it was the time that I was a sixth-grade student I began to think about law. Part of the reason may have been that I got into a lot of trouble at school defending my classmates who were sometimes wrongfully accused. My mother always told me that I should consider being a lawyer because I was always defending someone.

Carlee McCullough

Ruby R. Wharton

CM: As a business owner and someone who has served as counsel and confidant for many businesses, what are some of the life lessons you might want to share with our readers?

RW: I would state unequivocally that a businessperson must be prepared to work extremely hard, sacrifice sometimes with low pay (especially if you are a lawyer), and ultimately be capable of making sacrifices. I believe overall I have no re-

Atlanta Daily World joins the Real Times Media family of companies

sources that are now available will enable us to diversify into a multimedia platform.”

In becoming part of RTM, the Atlanta Daily World five other historic African American newspapers including the Chicago Defender, the Michigan Chronicle, The Michigan FrontPage, the New Pittsburgh Courier, and The New Tri-State Defender in Memphis.

In addition to its newspaper holdings, Real Times Media is parent company to Who’s Who Publishing Company, the leading provider of content celebrating professional achievement in the African-American and Latino markets; and RTM Digital Studios, an archival image licensing company dedicated to artifacts from the past 100 years of the African-American experience.

“The Real Times approach is more than the printed word – our newspapers are continually evolving and remain focused on a 360 degree integration of print, digital opportunities and engagement marketing,” said Jackson. “That’s why we expect the Atlanta Daily World and our other brands to continue to buck industry trends and continue to grow.”

(For more information, www.realtimesmedia.com.)

visit

Deciding when to begin collecting Social Security

A presidential commission has recommended increasing the early retirement age for Social Security to 64 and the full retirement age to 69. Fortunately, the plan, if adopted, would be phased in slowly and wouldn’t be fully implemented until 2075.

Currently, most Americans can choose to start collecting benefits at full retirement age, which ranges from 65 to 67 depending on the year they were born, or to receive a reduced benefit as early as age 62. This is an important decision, so it’s a good idea to consider all the factors involved.

It’s about monthly income

If you claim benefits at age 62, the amount you receive each month would be about 70 percent of your full retirement benefit. Each month you wait to claim benefits after age 62, your monthly benefit increases slightly, so that at full retirement age you would be entitled to 100 percent of your full retirement benefit. For each month you wait to claim Social Security after full retirement age, your monthly benefit will continue to increase until you reach age 70, when you could be entitled to about 132 percent of your full benefit.

If you live an average life expectancy, you will collect the same amount in lifetime benefits regardless of whether you begin benefits at age 62, full retirement age, or 70.

Benefits are reduced at younger ages because, in theory, you will be collecting them for a longer period of time.

It’s important to consider your current financial situation and health as you decide when to begin collecting

CM: I understand that your sons have joined the firm. How did this come about and what impact has this had on your business?

RW: Yes, my three sons have joined the business. Two of them are

CM: Your children joining the firm have to be a source of pride. Can you elaborate on the feeling?

RW: I can truly state that to witness my sons practice before the judiciary here in Shelby County has been so fulfilling and in some instances overwhelming in emotions for me. I am so proud of Alex and Andre’, as lawyers, being able to take a case from day one, to prepare and know the law in the area, and to stand tall, shoulder by shoulder with any lawyer who is their

adversary.

CM: What are some of the challenges in a family business?

RW: The major challenge in a family business is captured in two thoughts: (1) trying not to talk about the business often when we are together and (2) trying to remember that you need to leave the feelings in the office and not take them home with you when you are upset with one another.

CM: What are some of the benefits of a family business?

RW: I would sum up the benefit in one expression, a family’s love and concern for one another is enough to embody the feeling as expressed in a poem – “He is not heavy, he is my brother.”

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

(For more information visit: www.TheWhartonLawFirm.com.)

TSD seeks nominations for 2012 Women Of Excellence

Nationʼs largest African-American owned and operated newspaper organization gets bigger DETROIT – Real Times Media (RTM), the Detroit, Mich.-based multimedia company that owns The New Tri-State Defender, has entered into a strategic alliance with the Atlanta Daily World (ADW) newspaper in Atlanta, Ga. Under the terms of the agreement, RTM will assume full operational responsibility for the 84-year old African-American publication this month.

“The Atlanta Daily World is one of the most storied and legendary newspaper franchises in America and Atlanta is one of the most important markets in the country,” said Hiram E. Jackson, chief executive officer, Real Times Media.

“We believe that building a strong multi-media presence in Atlanta is key to the continued growth of our company,” Jackson said.

Concurrent with the new strategic alliance, a partnership headed by a number of Real Times Media owners, including William F. Pickard and Jackson, acquired 100 percent of the ownership of the Atlanta Daily World.

Founded in 1928 by William A. Scott II, the Atlanta Daily World is Atlanta’s oldest African-Americanowned newspaper.

“The Scott family is very pleased with the marriage of the Atlanta Daily World and the Real Times family,” said William A. Scott IV. M. Alexis Scott, who will continue as publisher, said, “This is truly a new beginning for the paper. The re-

CM: The Wharton Law Firm is truly a family business. Tell us, how have you kept your family business viable for so many years?

RW: The answer is quite simple. I give credit to my husband (A C Wharton Jr., mayor of Memphis) for setting a wonderful model for us to follow. That model consists of hard work, accessibility, and quality services. These basic principles I will credit as the reason we are still in business nearly 32 years later.

lawyers and the other is a paralegal.

At least two of my children have always spoken strongly about coming back to Memphis and it was their desire, once becoming a lawyer, to return to the city and work in the family law firm. I can truly attest to the fact that all of my sons work extremely hard and they are very bright and capable assets to the firm. This has been a continuing contribution in allowing our business to remain viable.

benefits. If you expect to keep working while collecting early benefits, a portion of your benefit will be withheld if your annual earnings exceed the earnings limit.

No earnings limit applies after you Charles reach full retireSims Jr. ment age.

If you are healthy and don’t need the money, it might be a good idea to wait to claim your benefits so you can lock in a higher monthly income.

Calculating your breakeven age may help you decide. This is the age at which the total amount you collect by claiming early benefits would equal the amount collected if you waited until full retirement age. If your breakeven age is later than your probable lifespan, you might be better off taking early benefits.

There may be other factors to consider depending on your circumstances. Deciding when to collect benefits is a big decision that should be considered carefully.

(Charles Sims Jr., CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, is President/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-6822410 or visit www.Sims FinancialGroup.com. The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor.)

The New Tri-State Defender encourages its readers and the entire Greater Memphis community to help us identify 50 African-American women who will be honored at the 5th Annual Tri-State Defender Women of Excellence Spring ‘High Tea’ Reception on April 27. Each candidate must be a local African-American woman executive, business owner or community leader.

Each woman must have demonstrated success within her field of endeavor, be a positive role

model whose contributions encourage others, and be active in community service or organizational involvement.

Forms should be mailed to The New Tri-State Defender, Women of Excellence, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38103; email: editorial@tri-statedefender.com.

All nominations must be received by March 23 at 5 p.m.

(For more information, call 901-523-1818)

RELIGION

Page 8

Tri-State Defender

March 8 - 14, 2012

LIVING THE LIFE I LOVE

Change you can count on requires readiness, courage

I received a call today from a dear lady wishing to register for the Weight Loss class on March 17th.

With her permission, and without sharing her name, I am sharing parts of our conversation because she agreed that it might help someone.

She began by saying to me that even though I said we should stop asking our pocket book for permission to do the things that will help us, she needed to know the cost of the seminar so she could try to find the money. My original brochure price is $77. After talking to this dear lady, I am changing the price to $57. I did this after prayerful consideration.

Now my experience has shown me that what I charge really doesn’t matter. It is all about how you are thinking and placing value on how you spend your money. Spending and eating decisions are quite the same, especially when they become dysfunctional.

When we have succumbed to the stress of undisciplined thinking and behavior we make decisions to re-

lieve our stress and we want instant relief, even when we know that we will be sorry later. This is why many people will not spend money to learn a new way of thinking, being and doing. There is the Lucy fear that they Shaw don’t have the time, the money or the discipline to change. Even though looking in the mirror every day has become painful, the power of habit, the fear of change and the stress of expecting to fail again stops us from even trying. Then we are free to use money as an excuse for not trying. If the class were free, attendance would still be limited.

Now let’s say the class was free.

There are certain behaviors and habits that cannot be easily broken whether we pay to be retrained or not! Why?

It’s not about the money. It’s about what is taught, how it is taught and our readiness and courage to change.

Last week I mentioned that Jesus asked those he healed if they were willing to be made whole. Whether we stand boldly in front of Jesus like the centurion in the book of Luke or sneak up on healing like the woman with the issue of blood, it still boils down to a readiness and willingness for change, at any cost. The class could be free, entertaining, get lots of amens and still those who attend could walk away unchanged unless they came to be changed. The weight loss class is not about diets or what you eat. The debt class is not about what you earn or how you budget.

These classes are about how you think about food and money.

I also feel so blessed by that call this morning because the caller did something else that people who are profoundly stressed do. Even though she was able to speak the truth about God’s word and her duty to her body temple, she had lost all capacity to

RELIGION BRIEFS

recognized celebrity nutritionist and fitness specialist. He serves on the Presidential Task Force on Obesity for the National Medical Association.

Participants will receive a workbook/guide that walks them step by step to establishing a baseline with their physicians, which will include documenting most recent screenings for blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides using the “Physician Card” provided in the workbook.

Walker.

Cornerstone MBC to salute youth and young adults

Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church at 765 South Parkway East will observe Youth and Young Adult Month on Sunday (March 11) at 3 p.m.

The special guests will include Bloomfield Full Gospel Baptist Church and its pastor, the Rev. Ralph White, and Lisa Knowles of The Brown Singers.

At Cornerstone, the host pastor is the Rev. Dr. Eugene Henson. For more information, call 901-755-3223.

Progressive MBC sets musical celebration

A “Family and Friends Gospel Musical” pre-opening celebration is on tap at Progressive Missionary Baptist Church as part of the church’s Ninety-Forth Church Anniversary.

The celebration on Sunday (March 11) begins at 3 p.m. at the church at 394 Vance Ave. The theme is “Rejoicing In The Lord.”

The program chairpersons are Betty Cleaves-Robinson and Rosanna Stepney. The host pastor and chairperson is the Rev. Dr. James B. Collins.

For more information, call 901527-7738.

Castalia Baptist to celebrate Annual Women’s Day

Castalia Baptist Church at 1540 Castalia St. will celebrate Annual Women’s Day with two services on Sunday (March 11).

At the 8 a.m. service, the guest speaker will be the Rev. Elaine Sanford, a member of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. The Rev. Bonnie Oliver Brandon, a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, will be the speaker at the 11 a.m. service.

The chairpersons are Eloise Fisher and Danielle Chavers. The host pastor is the Rev. Dr. Randolph Meade

Health and career awareness event on tap for Saturday

A health and career awareness event will be held at the Johne Early Family Life Center directly behind St. Paul “Douglass” Missionary Baptist Church at 1543 Brookings St. on Saturday (March 10).

The event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with vendor set-up at 8 a.m.

Health screening, school and career information and HIV/AIDS testing will be available.

For more information, call Mary Kincaide at 901-315-7609 (email: mlpppi@bellsouth.net) or Mardrey Wade at 901-870-8682.

Diet-Free Tennessee Health & Happiness Tour

United Health Care and the “People’s Fat Loss Coach” – Robert Ferguson – present a Town Hall Event for Memphians to reduce waistline and expand lifeline. Free and open to the public, the Diet-Free Tennessee Health & Happiness Tour kicks off on March 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Andrew AME Church at 867 South Parkway East.

Participants will be entertained with a music component that consists of performances by celebrated artists.

Lunch will be catered and everyone participating will be given an opportunity to enroll in a year-long program that teaches how to “eat the food you love, lose all the weight you want and live diet-free.”

Although the event is free, participants are encouraged to donate food (e.g., canned goods) as part of their entry. All foods collected will go to Memphis’ Mid-South Food Bank.

Ferguson is a nationally recognized voice of weight loss, CEO of Diet Free Life, host of “Diet Free Living with Robert Ferguson,” motivational speaker, author, nationally

speak kindly of herself.

This precious woman talked about how “slovenly, lazy, disobedient and sinful” she had become because she continues to overeat, not exercise or any of the other things she could do to control her weight. When I pointed out how badly she was dogging herself and her lack of self compassion she agreed and within less than a minute did it all over again! I reminded her that after she finished beating herself up and making herself feel rotten and unworthy, she would probably go find something to eat to stuff down the pain and cover up her hurt. She laughed and agreed with this as well, saying this is exactly how it works for her.

This is another part of the vicious cycle of stress that comes with repeated failure towards your heart’s desire. The shame, guilt and blame just won’t let up. So whether you sign up for the class at 901-907-0260 or not, this week please pay attention to how you are talking to yourself.

Would you accept that kind of talk

3311 Kimball Ave. Memphis, TN 38111 (901) 744-7531 (901) 744-7664

BRIEFLY: The Church Health Center and MIFA will host a farmers market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays starting May 1 and running through September at Church Health Center Wellness, 1115 Union Ave. For more information, call Esther Wills at (901) 259-4673, Ext. 1604 or visit ChurchHealthCenter.org.

BRIEFLY: Raleigh United Methodist Church at 3295 Powers Rd. will host a jobs fair on March 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring multiple resume copies and come dressed for job hunting. For more information, visit http://www.raleighumc .org/788612

Bible powered…

The Rev. Dr. Johnny Miller of Chicago delivers a sermon at the Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Wisconsin Bible Conference held Feb. 28 through March 1 at St. Stephen Baptist Church where the conference chairperson, the Rev. Dr. James W. Adams, is the host pastor. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

Worship Services

Sunday Sunday School Worship Service

Clarence Kelby Heath Wednesday Pastor

Noon - 1 p.m.

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH

9 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

901-946-4095 fax 948-8311

(901) 948-3441

Early Morning..........7:45 AM Church School..........9:45 AM Morning Worship......11:00 AM

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

Bible Study For Youth and Adults Tuesday - 7:00 PM “Spirit, Soul, and Body!”

AM 1070 WDIA Sundays, 10:00-10:30 AM

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

TV Cable Access Broadcast Tuesdays, 7:30 PM, Channel 17 Website:www.saintandrewamec.org

Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter

TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST

672 So. Lauderdale 38126 P.O. Box 314 Memphis, Tn 38101 Phone (General) 774-1572 Pastor: 775-0740 Secretary: 775-1909 WEEKLY SERVICES

Sunday Sunday School 9:00 a.m.

Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Night YPWW 5:00 p.m.

Night Service 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday Night Prayer 6:00 p.m.

Bible Study 7:15 p.m.

Wednesday Choir Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.

Friday Morning Prayer 9:00 a.m.

Night Service 7:30 p.m.

BROADCASTS 9:30 a.m. Sunday WDIA - 1070 AM

No Telecast Service

ST. ANDREW A.M.E. CHURCH 867 SOUTH PARKWAY EAST Memphis, TN 38106

Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor

ASSOCIATE MINISTERS

(Check out Lucy Shaw’s website at http://www.heartworks4u.com. You may send your questions to her by U.S. mail to: Heartworks4U, LLC; 4646 Poplar Ave. Ste 201, Memphis, TN 38117 or by e-mail to lucy@heartworks4u.com.)

(For help with the feelings that get in the way of prayer and peace of mind, get Lucy’s new book, “BE NOT ANXIOUS.” Order it directly from her at 901-907-0260 or go to her web site www.heartworks4u.com.)

The New Olivet Baptist Church at 3084 Southern Avenue will celebrate the life and legacy of the late Rev. Kenneth T. Whalum on March 25 at 6 p.m.

In addition to filling the role of Pastor of Olivet Baptist Church, Mr. Whalum was a two-time Memphis city councilman, director of personnel for the United States Postal Service and a father of three. He will be celebrated with vocals, instrumentals and spoken word by three generations of Whalum men.

Admission is $10 for adults (18 and older), and free for children (under 18).

For more information, call 901454-7777.

PRAISE CONNECT

767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126

Lucy

Three-generation salute set for the Rev. Kenneth T. Whalum of Olivet

-A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-

Greenwood Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

from anyone else? Is it loving? Or is it condemning?

Being kind and compassionate towards yourself doesn’t mean you let yourself off the hook for unhealthy, temple-disrespecting behavior. But it does mean that you take the first step in keeping the two great commandments: Loving God and loving others by first loving and honoring yourself.

Wishing you a week of deepened self compassion,

Dr. David Allen Hall Pastor

“The Founder’s Church”

First Pastor: Senior Bishop C.H. Mason

THE BLVD Ea s t 6745 Wol f Ri v e r B oule v a r d @ Ki r by Pa r k wa y ( i n t he Cl a rk Ope r a Me mphi s Ce nte r ) Me mp h i s T N 3 8 1 2 0

Dr. Frank A. Thomas Senior Servant

Child Care Center (901) 948-6441 Monday-Friday 6 AM- 5:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, Pastor & Clothes Closet Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, Co-Pastor Wednesday 6 PM-8 PM

“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

— Proverbs 1:7

Tri-State Defender

Masonic salute‌

RELIGION

March 8 - 14, 2012

The Chelsea Masonic Lodge #324 Free and Accepted Mason paid tribute to one of its own, Dr. Willie E. Lindsey, during services held March 2 at St. John Baptist Church at 640 Vance Ave. Dr. Lindsey died Feb. 25. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

Page 9

ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, March 8 - 14, 2012, Page 10

WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?

Authors share sisterhood connection

It’s a great time to be talented!

There’s another talent show coming to TV. There has never been a greater time for those who are looking to become the next superstar!

Think about it, first there was “American Idol,” then “America Has TalMyron ent,” “X Factor” Mays and “The Voice.”

Now The CW network is getting in on the action by adding a new talent competition vehicle with “Queen Latifah’s Star Next Door.”

Queen Latifah will executive produce the series, which will also feature Gloria Estefan. They plan to travel across the country looking for the best and brightest to compete and represent their hometowns when they face-off in Hollywood.

If you are truly talented, I mean truly talented, there is no excuse for you not to make it big this year. So get in the mirror…or the shower and sing your heart out. Then get out and audition for one of these shows and get the superstardom you have been wishing for your entire life. The world is waiting on you! So what are you waiting on?

U of M alums find their voices Special to the Tri-State Defender

by Dorothy Bracy Alston

LaDawna S. Byers (Courtesy photos)

Get your March on

This month find your groove and get out of the house.

Here’s the latest on what’s happening…

Trey Songz at the Landers Center

You love hits such as “The Neighbors Know my Name” and “Can’t Be Friends.” Now the Landers Center in Southaven will be hot as Trey Songz comes to town this weekend Saturday (March 10). Big Sean is on the show as well, so get your tickets right now! Tickets are available at the Landers Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com.

Jae Henderson

Marvin Sapp to Memphis

With his hit songs “Never would have Made It” and “The Best in Me,” Marvin Sapp has broken records in the music industry that are unheard of in popular culture. He is now making his way to the Mid-South to perform at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church at 2237 South Parkway East on Sunday (March 11). All Tickets are $20. Call 901-452-7265 for more details.

Tribute to Motown

Motown Records legends The Contours present a Tribute to Motown! Combine a high-energy show jam-packed with perfect harmonies, smooth choreography – plus the timeless grooves of Motown – and you have a night that promises to take you “higher and higher.” The Contours will perform timeless hits from great artists such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, and the Miracles. Consider it “signed, sealed, delivered” this Saturday (March 10). Tickets are on sale at the Cannon Center box office.

Gospel Super Fest

Gospel greats Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Earnest Pugh will join David and Tamela Mann, Tyrese and host Vivica A. Fox for Gospel Superfest at the Temple of Deliverance Church of God In Christ located at 369 G.E. Patterson Avenue on March 23. Bishop Paul S. Morton Sr. will be honored.

Other performers include Donte Everhart, Rizen, Darrel Petties and more. Tickets are $10 in advance and $20 the day of the show and are on sale through all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit www.gospelsuperfest.com.

Megan Mottley

Legends of Hip Hop II

Salt & Pepa rocked the stage last year and now the Legends of Hip Hop Tour is back with a new slate of Old School Hip Hop Stars! Get ready for Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Tone Loc, Naughty By Nature and the Showboyz.

You’d have to come from the North Pole to not know the impact Showboyz had on Memphis culture.

Their hit song, “Drag Rap,” or otherwise known in Memphis as “Triggerman,” is the official Gangster walking song. You do know that there will be a mass Gangster Walk going on at this show right?

Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com. See ya there!

Summer Owens

Jae Henderson, LaDawna S. Byers, Megan Mottley and Summer Owens are four amazing, savvy and sophisticated sisters with an interconnected sense of sisterhood.

Each is an author with a personal story of setting out for college to get an education and along the way finding a voice, a dream and purpose. African American History Month was the backdrop when the quartet of University of Memphis alums came together recently in the Bluff Room of the University of Memphis’ University Center.

U of M students and staff mingled with members of the Memphis community for the presentation, which doubled as proof that one of the cycles in life holds true – it’s possible to go from searching for role modes to bearing the title oneself.

“It’s the first in a Byers, now a wife and mother, was the series of upcoming first crewmate to become a published author.

She describes her book, “The Perfect Front,” novels that will as a love story with many twists and turns. focus on tragedy “It’s the first in a series of upcoming novand spiritual els that will focus on tragedy and spiritual triumph for the triumph for the everyday reader,” said Byers. everyday reader. It “It is full of drama, drama, drama.”

Byers knows about living a drama-filled is full of drama, life. drama, drama.”

“I was not such a sweet girl while in LaDawna S. Byers school. I was angry in high school and real angry in college. I had a chip on my shoulder due to the things that happened to me.

“There’s a lot that That drama stole a whole semester from me.

Now I know that everyday counts; everywomen do to thing that happens counts. Own it and move beautify themselves on,” said Byers. on the outside, and With publishing success under her belt, Byers became the go-to person and advisor I want women to when Henderson, Mottley and Owens began understand the publishing process. inside is important, the“Within the first month I sold thousands of as well.” copies of my book and a publisher found Megan Mottley me,” said Byers. “I have since sold the rights, as a screen play to Fox.” Mottley, author of “Glamour Girl: How To Get The Ultimate Makeover,” and publisher of DIVINE Magazine, an online and hardcover magazine, said she stumbled into writing.

“I came here wanting to major in chemistry. I was making all F’s but I was breezing through English,” said Mottley. “When my advisor saw that I was passing English and flunking chemistry, she advised me to change my major.”

Mottley strongly resisted. “And with the same fervor and resistance, my advisor pushed back,” she said.

During her sophomore year, a friend suggested Mottley shadow Mikel Carpenter, then the managing editor of Grace Magazine. The result was some freelance writing work and later an internship with the magazine.

“When I saw my name in print, I immediately knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. That day, I changed my major to English,” said Mottley, who launched her own magazine in 2007.

Inspired by the biblical story of Queen Esther, Mottley’s book was birthed after she was challenged to take a year off from dating and to read the Bible in the process.

What did she learn?

“There’s a lot that women do to beautify themselves on the outside, and I want women to understand the inside is important, as well,” she said.

Henderson, a voiceover artist, marketing and media professional, CEO of Put It In Writing, and author of the “I’m A Good Woman Series” majored in broadcast journalism.

“I wanted to be Claudia Barr, but I fell into writing and fell in love with talk radio when I interned, both at Clear Channel and the ‘Tom Joyner Show,’” she said.

The author of “Someday” and the newly released sequel, “Someday, Too,” Henderson describes her books as Christian romance geared toward single Christian women who are trying to build romantic relationships.

“My books provide moral messaging, allowing us to think about the choices we’re making,” she said. “I didn’t want to preach, but I did want people to think about their decisions.”

Owens, senior marketing executive at FedEx, began writing book while in college, but “life got in the way. It took me ten years to complete.”

“Life After Birth: A Memoir of Survival and Success as a Teenage Mother,” is an account of how a 15-year-old teen mother was a campus leader, earned a bachelor’s degree, was named Miss University of Memphis in 2001, became a marketing executive, and with seven-year-old son Jaylan in tow, worked 70 to 80 hours per week, while earning a master’s degree.

“I live a life without excuses,” said Owens. “When I was on campus, I had a two-year-old son, but I got involved in campus life.

Everybody on campus, who knew me, also knew my son, Jaylan. I took him everywhere with me.”

Owens’ book comes with a curriculum and is now part of Memphis City School’s curriculum for teen mothers. It has netted her much exposure, including being featured on CNN Headline News and the Christian Broadcasting Network’s “700 Club.”

Bianca Hall, a U of M senior majoring in education and president of African American Educators of Tomorrow, moderated the panel discussion. During the Q&A session, Dr. Rosie Phillips Bingham, U of M Vice President of Student Affairs, helped put the journeys of the four U of M alums – and now role models – into perspective.

“Isn’t it amazing how the stuff that our grandmother’s told us is still true,” said Bingham. “So, if you’ve done something you don’t like, forgive yourself and move on.”

(For more information, check out LaDawna Byers – www.Facebook.com/ LaDawna.Byers; Megan Motley – www.The GlamourGirlMovement.com; Jae Henderson – www.ImAGoodWoman .com; and Summer Owens www.LifeAfterBirthBook.com.)

(Dorothy Bracy Alston is a journalist, author, freelance writer and, adjunct English professor. Visit Dorothy’s blog at http://www.CisbaAssociates.blogspot.com; join her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dorothybracyalston, email her at DBAlston@hotmail.com or call 901-570-3923.)

ENTERTAINMENT

Tri-State Defender

Page 11

March 8 - 14, 2012

Kerry: Well, I’m on the board of V-Day, which is a global movement to end violence against women. I’m very passionate about that. We have a new campaign called one billion rising.

Kerry Washington:

KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles asks: “How can our stars and idols avoid the pressure that celebrity brings in order to prevent the kind of tragedy we all witnessed recently when we mourned the passing of Whitney Houston?”

Kerry: I’m reluctant to comment about preventing that specifically, since we don’t yet know all the details, and because I didn’t know Whitney well enough. So, I can’t say how we can avoid repeating that particular tragedy.

But I will say that, for me, it is important to have friends and family around that I love and trust and who love and trust me. And having a great therapist also helps.

In her very own words The “A Thousand Words” Interview

KW: Marcia Evans says, “I loved you in ‘Mother and Child’ and I enjoyed the cover story about you in the March issue of Essence Magazine in which you discuss your future acting projects. Do you have an interest in playing any heroic ancestors, such as Harriet Tubman?

Kerry: I do, eventually, although I haven’t settled on any specific people yet. There are so many untold stories when it comes to great women of color. Harriet Tubman’s definitely a shero, for sure. And I just heard that Regina King is doing Shirley Chisholm, perfect casting, which is another story that has to be told.

Special to the Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

Born in the Bronx on Jan. 31, 1977, Kerry Washington attended the Spence School and graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from George Washington University. After making an impressive film debut in “Our Song” in 2000, she won the NAACP Image Award just five years later for playing Ray Charles’ wife, Della, opposite Jamie Foxx in “Ray”. She will again be paired with Jamie as his spouse in “Django Unchained,” Quentin Tarantino’s revenge flick about slavery in the ante bellum South.

Over the course of her meteoric rise in Hollywood, Kerry has proved to be a versatile thespian by virtue of an impressive list of credits that includes memorable performances in “Mother and Child,” “Night Catches Us,” “For Colored Girls,” “The Last King of Scotland,” “The Dead Girl” and “Lakeview Terrace.” She has also co-starred in “Fantastic Four” and its sequel, “Rise of the Silver Surfer,” “Miracle at St. Anna,” “I Think I Love My Wife,” “Little Man,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “She Hate Me,” “Against the Ropes,” “The Human Stain” and “Save the Last Dance.”

On the small screen, Kerry is set to play the lead role of Olivia Pope on “Scandal,” a dramatic TV-series premiering on ABC in April. Here, she talks about her latest film, “A Thousand Words,” a comedy co-starring Eddie Murphy.

Kam Williams: What interested you in A Thousand Words?

Kerry Washington: I really liked the message of the film, as well as the opportunity to work with Eddie Murphy.

KW: What was it like working with Eddie?

Kerry: It was great! It was particularly fun for me because I had worked with so many people who looked up to Eddie, who had been inspired to go into the business by him, from Chris Rock to Jamie Foxx to the Wayans Brothers. So, it was like finally going to the source.

KW: Did you every have trouble keeping a straight face on the set?

Kerry Washington (Photo by Bruce McBroom/Dreamworks Studios)

Kerry: Yeah, he’s very funny. But he’s also incredibly focused, and takes comedy very seriously, if that makes any sense. Chuckles KW: Of course it does. What message do you think people will take away from the movie?

Kerry: It’s kind of about valuing your words, understanding that what you say has consequences, and that you can’t just B.S. your way through life.

KW: I have a lot of questions for you from fans.

Kerry: Oh, fun!

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks: “If you could go back in time and give yourself at 18 a piece of advice, what would that be?”

Kerry: It would be: Relax and enjoy the ride. It gets easier.

KW: Bernadette also asks: What is your favorite charity?

KW: What would be your dream role?

Kerry: Right now my dream role would be to have another season on “Scandal,” which will be debuting on ABC on April 5, because that has just been a tremendously fulfilling experience, artistically, which I’d love to be able to continue. It’s been phenomenal to work with the quality of writers I’ve been exposed to on that project.

KW: The Judyth Piazza question: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

Kerry: I really don’t know whether there is only one, actually. There are many different types of success, so, I don’t think the formula can be reduced to just one key quality.

KW: Let me finish with four questions from Pastor Alex Kendrick: When do you feel the most content?

Kerry: When I’m taking care of myself physically, emotionally and spiritually.

KW: What do you wish other people would note about you?

Kerry: Nothing. (LOL) KW: What motivates you?

Kerry: Wanting to be of service. Not wanting to waste this life that I’ve been blessed to have.

KW: What defines who you are?

Kerry: Oh, that changes all the time.

HOROSCOPES

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam’s Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

Special to the Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

For movies opening March 9, 2012

BIG BUDGET FILMS

“Friends with Kids” (R for profanity and sexuality) No strings comedy about best friends (Adam Scott and Jennifer Westfeldt) who decide to have a child together while maintaining a Platonic relationship and dating others. Ensemble cast includes Kristen Wiig, Megan Fox, Edward Burns, Maya Rudolph and Jon Hamm.

“John Carter” (PG-13 for violence and intense action sequences) Screen adaptation of “A Princess of Mars,” Edgar Rice Burroughs’ sci-fi novel about a Civil War Confederate veteran (Taylor Kitsch) who is magically transported to Mars where he rescues a desperate damsel in distress (Lynn Collins) while on the run from a horde of 12-foot tall green creatures. With Samantha Morton, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church and Ciaran Hinds.

“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” (PG-13 for violence, sexuality and brief profanity) Lasse Hallstrom directed this unlikely-buddies comedy about a British scientist (Ewan McGregor) summoned to Yemen by a filthy rich oil sheik (Amr Waked) determined to turn his dream of fly-fishing in the desert into reality. Cast includes Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas and Tom Mison.

“Silent House” (R for disturbing violence) Claustrophobic remake of the 2010 Uruguayan horror flick about a young woman (Elizabeth Olsen) terrorized by supernatural forces while trapped inside of her parent’s secluded summer home. With Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Haley Murphy and Julia Taylor Ross.

“A Thousand Words” (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality and drug-related humor) Revenge comedy about a lying literary agent (Eddie Murphy) forced to stop talking when a New Age guru (Cliff Curtis) puts a curse on him.

Featuring Kerry Washington, John Witherspoon and Allison Janney.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

“Apart” (R for violence, profanity and bloody images) Romance thriller about a couple of star-crossed lovers (Olesya Rulin and Josh Danziger) who share a psychological disorder which proves fatal for their friends the deeper they fall in love. With Bruce McGill, Joey Lauren Adams and Michael Bowen.

Eddie Murphy (left), and Cliff Curtis in “A Thousand Words.” (Photo by Bruce McBroom/ DreamWorks Studios)

“Attenberg” (Unrated) Bittersweet Greek drama about an inexperienced, 23 year-old (Ariane Labed) who belatedly begins to explore her sexuality with the help of a girlfriend (Evangelia Randou) while caring for her terminally-ill father (Vangelis Mourikis). (In Greek with subtitles)

“The Decoy Bride” (Unrated) Unintended consequences comedy, set on a remote Scottish island, about a British bloke (David Tennant) who develops feelings for the look-alike (Katie Macdonald) he hires to impersonate his famous, Hollywood actress fiancée (Alice Eve) so they can tie the knot in peace without being hounded by the paparazzi. With Dylan Moran, Michael Urie and Sally Phillips. (In English and Gaelic with subtitles) “Footnote” (PG for mature themes, smoking, mild epithets and brief nudity) Israeli drama about a father (Shlomo Bar-Aba) and son (Lior Ashkenazi), both Talmudic scholars at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, whose healthy rivalry turns ugly when the elder wins the nation’s highest prize for scholarship.

With Yuval Scharf, Aliza Rosen and Alma Zack. (In Hebrew with subtitles)

“Good for Nothing” (R for violence and sexual references) Erectile dysfunction Western about a wanted man (Cohen Holloway) who kidnaps a beautiful British woman (Inge Rademeyer) only to go limp when he tries to

have his way with her. Support cast includes Jon Pheloung, Richard Thompson and Allen Hemberger.

“Jiro Dreams of Sushi” (PG for mature themes and brief smoking) Gourmet biopic about 85 year-old Jiro Ono, the legendary chef and owner of Tokyo’s Sukiyabashi Jiro, considered by many to be the best sushi restaurant in the world. (In Japanese with subtitles) “Playback” (R for graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and teen partying) High attritionrate horror flick about an evil spirit that’s suddenly unleashed when a group of high school students decide to explore a dark rumor about their hometown’s past. Starring Christian Slater, Johnny Pacar and Ambyr Childers.

“Shakespeare High” (Unrated) Theater appreciation documentary chronicling promising high school students performing at the 90th Annual Shakespeare Festival staged in L.A. by the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California.

“Sound of Noise” (R for profanity and brief nudity) Swedish crime comedy about a tone deaf cop’s (Bengt Nilsson) attempt to track down the gang of musical anarchists which has been terrorizing Malmo by staging impromptu percussion concerts all over the city.

With Sanna Persson, Magnus Borjeson and Marcus Boij. (In Swedish with subtitles)

March 8-14, 2012

ARIES This is truly your week. Take a break from any disappointments that you may have been remembering and move toward the now with a wise heart. Your attention may focus on personal health, and ways to make yours better.

TAURUS Family matters will be pleasant this week, but save your evenings for your romantic partner. The vibes support a mutually wonderful experience that will deepen your appreciation for one another!

GEMINI You lucky ducklings! Everything goes your way this week, so relax and enjoy the abundant and wonderful soul vibrations. Make calls early in the week so that you can cruise through the afternoon.

CANCER A project at work may suddenly demand your attention. If you pounce on it rather than waiting for it to go away (it won’t), you’ll be finished by lunchtime. Your speed and agility enable you to work smart; use your advantage.

LEO Talk it up this week. You’ve got a gift with words this week that will facilitate all endeavors. If you’ve been meaning to ask for a raise, this week might be the day to broach the subject with the boss. Trust your instincts!

VIRGO Energy in the mornings will be more productive than the energy you feel in the afternoons.

Work hard early each day, then take the afternoons off to play. Better yet, get your honey to join you in playing hooky from work!

LIBRA Finding a way to do it better than others is not going to be hard this week. Share your wisdom with other seekers. All who receive your word will benefit this week. Happiness rules!

SCORPIO Strong vibrations bring a series of dramatic interactions with others this week. Practice your charm. Let it come from the heart, and let your energy carry you upwards to your best, highest self. Keep emotions calm.

SAGITTARIUS People often forget about the roaming side to your personality. This week is a week when you’ll love thinking about “far away places with strange sounding names,” as the song says. What you do about your urges is yet another matter. Home calls too. What a week!

CAPRICORN Move slowly concerning relationships this week. People are a little edgy and they don’t know exactly where you are coming from.

Make full explanations. Don’t assume that they know what’s on your mind. Most of all, stay positive no matter what.

AQUARIUS Exercise will work off some of your excess energy this week. Take a walk and remember that your world is made up of many beautiful parts.

The part you are focusing on so intently this week is not your entire world. Proceed accordingly!

PISCES This week is a good week to dump any extra baggage that has been pulling you down. Stay focused on your goals. Meet and spend time with people who will be able to help you reach them.

Source: NNPA News Service

Page 12

HEALTH

March 8 - 14, 2012

CHEF TIMOTHY

Statistics are weighty in the battle against diabetes

by Chef Timothy Moore Ph.D, N.M.D, C.N. Special to the Tri-State Defender

If you don’t understand data and statistics, you’ll discover that any collection of information is necessary to track just about anything: populations, animals, money, business, religion, deaths, median household income, diseases, etc. You get the point. It also separates fact from fiction.

Sometimes data can be confusing.

But when I cite facts, figures and percentages, it is necessary to prove a point or highlight the seriousness of the topic of discussion. For example, when I write about diseases or serious health problems such as diabetes, statistics are necessary to inform and warn at the same time.

Don’t be alarmed, but 1 in 3 people will become diabetic. If you were born after the year 2000, 1 in 3 will suffer from the disease. But then, if you’re African American, your chances of becoming a diabetic are 1 in 2. Now that’s scary.

So many people suffer from diabetes until it is almost mind-boggling. It has become widespread and a pandemic, in my opinion, waiting to happen. In the United States alone, 1 in 3 adults could have diabetes by the year 2050, according to a 2010 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) also cites some grim statistics for the country’s diabetic population. Its National Diabetes Fact Sheet was released in January 2011 and points to the gravity of the problem in the United States: A total of 25.8 million children and adults – 8.3 percent of the population – have diabetes.

Check this out: In 2010, at least 18.8 million people were diagnosed with diabetes. Another 7 million were undiagnosed, 79 million were pre-diabetic, and, according to the ADA, 1.9 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people aged 20 years and older. Need I say more?

Let’s look at the numbers and percentages for men and women with diabetes. Thirteen million, or 11.8 percent of all men aged 20 years or older have diabetes, compared to 12.6 million, or 10.8 percent of all women aged 20 years or older. Stats for diabetes are also broken down by race.

Diabetes, however, is a serious disease that affects all peoples. The diabetic could suffer from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney failure, nervous system disease (Neuropathy), and amputation. And the costs continue to skyrocket. In 2007 alone, the total costs for diagnosed diabetes was $174 billion. For direct medical costs: $116 billion. And indirect

medical costs (disability, work loss, premature mortality): $58 billion.

As a nation of various cultures and ethnic groups, no one has been able to escape the clutches of diabetes. We are becoming fatter and fatter, and Dr. Timothy some people, Moore believe it or not, are straddling the fence of morbid obesity. They’ve become gluttons and disregard the warning signs that are visible everywhere. The mirror image should be a telltale sign that something is wrong.

There is no harm in going to the doctor to fix the problem. But choose the right one. Most medical doctors, however, are professionals who explain to their diabetic patients the need for medicine and nutrition that works and how food affects the body. But there are some doctors who assume that everyone is diabetic until proven otherwise.

The first thing that a diabetic must do is learn to listen to his or her body and know which foods are causing spikes in their blood sugar. A food allergy test is also good to determine which foods may be causing allergic reactions. This test is the first assault on blood sugar spikes.

A healthy, daily portion of fruits and vegetables are good for diabetics. But then some fruits can be as deadly as poison, because they can spike, or elevate, blood sugar levels.

Even if you take more diabetic medication or more insulin, it wouldn’t matter. The problem will still persist.

You can eat a balanced nutritional meal that’s designed to help you conquer diabetes or control it. If you change your eating habits and your lifestyle, for example, your doctor might consider reducing your medication or taking you off medication altogether.

If your blood sugar is high, make sure you stay away from sodas, fruit juices, watermelon, honeydews, cantaloupes, grapes, figs, dates, fried foods, pastries, cakes and pies.

Then you won’t have to worry about becoming a statistic.

(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, wellness coach and personal plant-based chef. He can be reached by email at cheftimothy@cheftimothymoore.com or visit him on the Web sites at www.cheftimothymoore.com or www.twitter.com/cheftimmoore.)

Methodist Healthcare and The West Clinic partners in online race for community impact funding

Methodist Healthcare, in partnership with The West Clinic, has been selected as a candidate for the LIVESTRONG® Community Impact Project, which was created to bring proven cancer support programs to communities across the United States.

Finalists will be determined through an online voting campaign that began on Wednesday (Mar. 7).

Applicants with the top votes per region will receive a financial award of support to replicate and implement a sustainable program dedicated to supporting families fighting cancer.

Finalists will also receive tools and resources from the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the organization established in 1997 by the cancer survivor and champion cyclist to serve people living with cancer and empower communities to take action against the world’s leading cause of death. The foundation is now known publicly by its brand – LIVESTRONG – and is a leader in the global movement on behalf of 28 million people around the world living with cancer today.

The program Methodist and The West Clinic are seeking votes for is Pillars4Life. It’s : a patient/caregiver support program to enhance quality of life for cancer patients. It allows hospitals and their social workers to more efficiently triage and attend to the psychosocial needs of a much greater number of patients.

In a pilot study at Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, patients who experienced the Pillars perceived their quality-of-life as improved across a range of symptoms including distress, despair, helplessness, hopelessness and fatigue.

Pillars4Life brings patients and

caregivers together in Virtual Training Groups (via phone or video conference) where they are guided through a 9-week coping skills training course by a specially trained counselor – all from the comfort of their own home.

If selected, Methodist will use the awarded funds train social workers to more efficiently triage and attend to the psychosocial needs of a much greater number of patients. Nearly, 40 percent of Methodist’s patients travel from outside of the Shelby County. The Pillars4Life program would allow Methodist to deliver support to the patients without the burden of travel.

“We share LIVESTRONG’s passion for inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer and look forward to working together to make a difference in the lives of cancer survivors and their families,” said Erich Mounce, director of cancer services for Methodist and chief executive officer of The West Clinic.

The 2012 Community Impact Project will offer nearly $1.4 million in implementation awards to 90 finalists. That represents the largest number of financial awards LIVESTRONG has granted in a single year. LIVESTRONG has invested more than $70 million in community-centered organizations.

Voting ends on March 23 at 5 p.m.

CST. (For more information about the LIVESTRONG Community Impact Project and to vote, visit http://vote.livestrong.org/. For more information about Methodist Healthcare, visit www.methodisthealth.org.

For more information about The West Clinic, visit www.westclinic.com)

Automobiles

Auction for Repair Costs 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2door Burgundy Vehicle Identification Number 1G2WP12K6YF253833 Will be auctioned for sale for repairs on April 2, 2012 at 3:30 pm at 131 West Person Avenue. Call 9015031590

Employment

SR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY Works under the general direction of the Deputy City Attorney to independently plan, organize and conduct legal work of a complex and difficult nature requiring a high degree of original and creative research in representing the City. Interprets federal, state, and local legislation relating to the work of the City and furnishes opinions as to the Cityʼs legal rights in any litigation in which it might be involved.

Represents the City in litigation including preparing or drafting a variety of legal documents or instruments as required. Prepares bills relating to the City or for introduction in the legislature or council.

Maintains accurate records and reports of work performed; graduate from an accredited law school and licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee; seven (7) years experience as a practicing attorney; or any combination of experience and training which enables one to perform the essential job functions. Experience and/or training practicing law for public sector entities is preferred.

Send Resumes: Cathy V. Porter, Sr Legal Administrator, City Attorneyʼs Office, 125 N Main St, Rm 336, Memphis, TN 38103-2079

Legal notices

Abandonment Junior Lewis Spencer, husband Jacqueline D. Spencer is seeking her for response in pending legal divorce proceedings. Junior L. Spencer has attempted to contact Jacqueline D. Spencer for the purpose of legal divorce in the State of Tennessee since 2002. He is asking Mrs. Spencer to contact him at 901-949-9749 regarding this matter.

LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS MEMPHIS-SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY Security Guard Services6002August 8, 2005October 6, 2005September 9, 2005Operations and Public SafetyAugust 30, 2005 Fuel and Facilities Management and Maintenance Services RFQ # 12-0007 Request for Statements of Qualifications (“RFQ”) for providing Fuel and Facilities Management and Maintenance Services will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (“Authority”) at Staff Service Division, Memphis International Airport, Administration and Support Facility, 3505 Tchulahoma Road, Memphis, TN 38118-2718 until 11:00 a.m. local time,

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April 17, 2012, and immediately thereafter will be opened and read. No RFQ responses will be accepted after the stated deadline.

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS The response to the Request for Statements of Qualifications shall be submitted in a sealed envelope or container. Each envelope or container must be clearly marked on the outside with the notation Request for Statements of Qualifications, RFQ# 12-0007 Fuel and Facilities Management and Maintenance Services, April 17, 2012. Your company name and address must be on the outside of the envelope or container. No responses will be accepted after the stated deadline. A complete Request for Statements of Qualifications packet with submittal instructions, additional data, and response format may be obtained on our website www.mscaa.com on or after March 8, 2012.

All individuals, firms or other entities (“Respondents”) are hereby notified that all updates, addenda and additional information, if any, shall be posted to the MSCAA website and Respondents are responsible for checking the MSCAA website up to the time of the RFQ submission deadline.

The Authority, shall provide the Quick Turn Around facility for Respondent to manage and operate, to include, fueling facilities, vehicle wash facilities, vacuuming, janitorial, refuse removal and general over sight.

A mandatory pre-response meeting will be held in the Administration and Support Facility, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 3505 Tchulahoma Road, Memphis, TN on March 20, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. CST. Only those attending will be allowed to submit an RFQ response.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Statements of Qualifications and to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions therein. The Authority also reserves the right to reject any RFQ response when a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or predeces-

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sor in interest of the Respondent has pending litigation or claims with the Authority, or if any RFQ responses include a proposed subcontractor or supplier that has pending litigation or claims with the Authority, if the Authority determines, in its sole discretion, such litigation or claims may adversely affect the ability of the parties to work efficiently and effectively under a Contract, or for any other reason as determined by the Authority. Any such RFQ response will be returned to the Respondent. All Respondents must use forms provided by the Authority.

The Authority hereby notifies that it will review and award RFQʼs in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4a and Title 49, Part 26, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act. The Authority further notifies all Respondents that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, Disadvantaged/Minority/ Women Business Enterprises (D/M/WBEs) will be afforded full opportunity to submit responses to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national origin, or disability in its hiring and employment practices, or in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, and activities, in accordance with the Business Diversity Development Program (BDDP) promulgated under the September 2008 Disparity Study for non-discrimination in non-federally assisted programs commissioned by the Memphis-Shelby County Intergovernmental Consortium, as amended.

The D/M/WBE participation goal for this contract is 10% in accordance with the requirements of the D/M/WBE documents.

Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Larry D. Cox, A.A.E. President

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Tri-State Defender

Page 13

March 8 - 14, 2012

BRIEFS & THINGS LOC to celebrate Women’s History Month with book club discussion and luncheon

The LeMoyne-Owen College’s Center for African & African American Studies Will host its Women’s History Month Table Top Book Club Discussion and Luncheon beginning at noon on March 27 on campus in the Dorothy Harris Lounge in the Student Center at 807 Walker Ave. LOC alumna The Rev. Dr. Rosalyn Nichols will lead a discussion about “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander. Participants will share their views about the book over a complimentary lunch. Book club membership is not required.

For more information, contact Dr. Femi Ajanaku, event coordinator, at 901-435-1427, or Daphne Thomas, public relations director at 901-435-1539

Make plans to avoid vehicle inspection lines

As the City of Memphis’ Motor Vehicle Inspection Bureau (MVIB) enters the commercial season and its busiest time of year, citizens are encouraged to get their vehicles inspected at the new Appling City Cove location, off Appling Road.

The City’s MVIB facilities experience a higher volume of traffic during the annual commercial season, which results in longer lines for residents. The commercial season begins in March and lasts through June.

Average wait times for the Appling Road facility are around 10 minutes; wait times at the other stations vary between 20 and 45 minutes.

Vehicles from 2009 or newer are exempt from inspection.

Rhodes lecture to explore African-Spanish connection

On March 22, Rhodes College’s Communities in Conversation series will present a lecture

by Dr. Jane Landers titled “African Kingdoms, Black Republics and Free Black Towns in the Iberian Atlantic.”

The free lecture begins at 7 p.m. in Blount Auditorium of Buckman Hall on campus and is sponsored by Rhodes’ Department of History and the Spence Wilson Chair in Interdisciplinary Humanities.

Landers’ talk will trace the evolution of communities of African descent in the Spanish colonial world from their earliest formulations as sixteenth-century African kingdoms established in remote locales in Hispaniola and Colombia through their last vestiges as free black towns in eighteenth century Mexico and Florida.

Landers is the Gertrude Conaway Professor of History and former Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Science and past Director of the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt. Her book, “Atlantic Creoles in the Age of Revolutions” (Harvard, 2010) was awarded the Rembert Patrick Book Award and her work “Black Society in Spanish Florida” was awarded the Frances B. Simkins Prize for Distinguished First Book in Southern History.

For more information, contact Dr. Jonathan Judaken, the Spence L. Wilson Chair in Humanities at Rhodes, at 901-843-3292 or judakenj @rhodes.edu.

Year two on tap for Med Night, A Soul Celebration

The MED Foundation will return to the Peabody’s Grand Ballroom on March 31 at 6 p.m. for the 2nd Annual MED Night, A Soul Celebration.

This year’s star-studded artist lineup will have guests grooving to the Motown sound and favorite soul legends, featuring The Temptations featuring Dennis Edwards, The Four Tops, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. and Thelma Houston. A cocktail reception before the main event is from 6 p.m. to 7pm in the Continental ballroom.

The event features a live auction where guests can bid on fine jewelry, dinners at some of Memphis’s most celebrated restaurants and trips to Bali, China, Paris, Tuscany or San Francisco wine country. The presenting sponsor for this year’s gala is Drexel Chemical.

The MED Foundation manages more than 40 funds that support everything from basic necessities for infants and purchases of advanced surgical equipment, to providing training and educational opportunities for its employees.

For more information, visit www.themed foundation.org.

BRIEFLY: The Motley Initiative Against Domestic Abuse (MIADA), sponsored by Drs. Todd and Ann-Marie Motley, is a year-long campaign to raise awareness, offer assistance to victims and survivors, and seek an end to Domestic Abuse of women and girls. The 13th Monthly DV Healthwalk at Oak Court mall will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 10.

BRIEFLY: The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) – Memphis March meeting will feature Pamela Marshall, executive director of MAAG (Memphis Area Association of Governments), on March 13 at The Crescent Club at 6075 Poplar Ave., Suite 909, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, contact Natasha Bowen at 901-328-8842.

BRIEFLY: The City of Memphis’ Ambassadors Program is taking applications. Interested parties must be entering the 10th, 11th or 12th grade in the upcoming 2012-2013 school year.

Applications can be completed at www.cityofmemphis.org until March 16th. Applicants will be ranked March 22nd, and interviews will occur in April.

BRIEFLY: The Heal the Hood Foundation of Memphis (HTH) will host the HTH “Game Changer” Advocate & Humanitarian Award during the 4th Annual “Living the Dream Telethon” on April 14 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hickory Ridge Mall. To find out about the award categories and/or nominate a “Game Changer,” contact Roshunda Buchanan, Team Coordinator at 901-489-2386 or email Roshunda.Buchanan @yahoo.com to receive a 2011-12 nomination form.

Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash congratulates 5th grade students at Caldwell-Guthrie Elementary School for their performance of “Treemonisha,” an opera presented on March 1 for ThinkShow, an MCS learning event.

(Courtesy photos)

ThinkShow primes MCS students for real world work Special to the Tri-State Defender

by Dena L. Owens Students throughout Memphis dashed to complete projects by March 1 for this year’s ThinkShow, an annual learning showcase held at all Memphis City Schools.

From startup business models to cancer awareness activities and from opera performances to earthquake-proof building replicas, ThinkShow 2012 presented a multitude of projects. The work fortifies the case that MCS students are creative, analytical and eager to learn more about present-day careers.

“Our class liked the opera experience and dressing as if headed to the opera,” said Erwin Purnell, 8th grade orchestra student at Colonial Middle School. Purnell was dashing in a black tuxedo and played the cello during a performance.

With ThinkShow, students are challenged to find solutions to modern work issues. All projects require a math or writing element based on Common Core State Standards for learning.

“Research proves that students perform better on standardized tests when academic rigor and hands-on experience are combined,” said MCS Coordinator Jacqueline Stewart. “Today, standardized tests include open-ended questions.

ThinkShow improves a student’s ability to explain the answers.”

ThinkShow 2012 involved more than 100,000 students at MCS elementary, middle and high schools. Projects were evaluated by teachers and by nearly 7,000 citizens representing various industries. Those who volunteered as “jurors” included corporate leaders, elected officials and news personalities.

City Councilman Myron Lowery and FOX 13 meteorologist Ed Echols were among the well-known local jurors. The event also attracted special guest juror Noelle Thorn, the Metropolitan Opera’s

For ThinkShow 2012, a team of students at Overton High School created music CD covers as their graded project. The activity challenged their technical and creative skills, and abilities for working as a team.

manager of education outreach. Thorn traveled to Memphis from New York City to evaluate orchestra students at Colonial Middle School.

Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr., MCS Board of Education Commissioner, marveled about Caldwell-Guthrie Elementary School’s performance of the opera “Treemonisha” by its 5th grade class.

Other jurors boasted about the “live museum” at White Station Elementary School, where students dressed and acted as famous individuals.

Unique projects included an Android cell phone app created by Booker T. Washington High School students and distinctive T-shirts crafted by Douglas High School students.

Eighth-grade classes at Kate Bond Middle School and Hickory Ridge Middle School used their activities to double as Capstone projects, which require a

service-learning focus. Kate Bond focused on a Mid-South Food Bank activity, while Hickory Ridge raised cancer awareness and funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Both projects lifted the students’ compassion for individuals suffering hardships.

“Project-based learning enhances learning in general and prepares students for work,” said Elizabeth Hereen, EdD, MCS project-based learning coordinator.

Hereen said project-based learning also reduces absenteeism and increases graduation rates.

Students receive two grades for ThinkShow projects, one by teachers and one by jurors. Both grades are indicated on report cards to provide feedback to parents.

“Kids love the projects!” said Stewart.

“They remember the models they assembled or the research they performed, and how it felt to talk to a juror.”

AKA continues legacy of promoting the arts Special to the Tri-State Defender

Twelve talented high school seniors from various schools throughout Memphis competed for over $5,000 in scholarships and prizes during the 11th Annual Pat Gill Performing Arts Scholarship Showcase at Rhodes College last week (March 3).

The event was presented by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated of Phi Lambda Omega Chapter (PLO). The theme was “A Masquerade of Talent” and the contestants were adorned with Mardi Gas masks that complemented the decorations throughout the venue at the Bryan Campus Life Center.

Performances included vocal, dance and dramatic expressions, 400-plus in attendance.

Christopher Katchens II from Southwind High School won first place and received a $2,000 scholarship; Chasiti Brooks from Central High School netted at $1,500 scholarships for second place; Alexis Ware of Whitehaven High School placed third, earning a $1,000 scholarship; and Kierra Turner of White Station earned a $500 scholarship for fourth place.

Each contestant wrote a 250-word essay on what the scholarship would mean to him or her. Brooks was the essay winner and also received the award for the highest ticket sales.

Other participants were Ashley Threat, Whitehaven; Taylor Wells, Houston; Jamesia Terry, White Station; Breanna Shannon, Southwind; Lenora Washington, Whitehaven; Kendra Currie, Whitehaven; Bianca Fondren, Whitehaven; and Tyuana Stripling, Whitehaven.

The showcase featured a welcome by Katrina Thompson, president of PLO, and was moderated by Dr. Marlah Mardis. Judge Gina Higgins created context, highlighting the importance of continuing a legacy of reaching

Pictured (l-r): Trina Hyman, Alexis Ware, Kierra Turner, Christopher Katchens II, Katrina Thompson, Chasiti Brooks and Janice Gray. (Courtesy photo)

out and offering positive directions to students.

The PLO extended its philanthropic efforts to four groups as special guests – The Emerging Young Leaders, The Ivy League, Cypress Middle School and Corry Middle School.

Other guests included vocal performers Tiffany Williams and A’Mirrah Elise.

A special presentation was awarded to PLO member Gwendolyn Gilbert Shorter for longstanding service to the showcase, whose chairperson this year was Janice Gray.

Trina Hyman, vice president and program chairperson of PLO, capped the showcase with encouragement for each person to make a difference in the lives of others.

SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, March 8 - 14, 2012, Page 14

Will Barton nets C-USA honor

Top coach: Larry Eustachy, Southern Miss

You can’t stop this…

Julian Washburn of UTEP soars and scores on Houstonʼs Jonathan Simmons, who was called for the blocking foul. UTEP defeated Houston 67-62 in overtime and will face the top-seeded University of Memphis Tigers on Thursday evening. (Photo by Warren Roseborough)

University of Memphis sophomore guard Will Barton has been named the Conference USA Player of the Year for the 2011-12 season.

The announcement came Wednesday morning, prior to the opening of the 2012 Conference USA Men’s Basketball Championship at the FedExForum.

The coach of the year honor bears the name of the late Gene Bartow and it was awarded to Southern Miss head coach Larry Eustachy.

Bartow, the legendary former coach at Memphis and UAB, along with other schools, passed away in January.

Barton leads the Tigers and Conference USA in scoring with an 18.7 average. The 6foot-6 guard is also ranked among the league leaders in rebounding (6th), field goal percentage (7th), free throw percentage (13th), assists (13th), steals (4th) and minutes played (4th). He is the only guard ranked in the top-10 of C-USA’s rebounding leaders.

A Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy midseason candidate, Barton reached the 1,000-point milestone for his career with his 30 points in the regular-season finale victory over Tulsa Mar. 3. He is one of nine players in Tigers history to reach the 1,000-point plateau in only two seasons.

The Baltimore, Md., native

has 10 doubledoubles this season and is one of three players in the nation to average at least 1 6 . 0 points, 7.0 Larry rebounds Eustachy and 2.5 assists.

Last year, Barton was an All-C-USA third team selection and a C-USA All-Freshman Team pick. He is the fourth Tiger to win C-USA Player of the Year honors and the first since Chris DouglasRoberts in 2008.

In his eighth season at Southern Miss, Eustachy takes home his first C-USA Coach of the Year award after guiding the Golden Eagles (24-7) to its highest win total as a Division I school (surpassing the 1986-87 squad) and a second place finish in the regular season with an 11-5 league mark.

That ties the 2001 Southern Miss squad for its best regular season showing as a member of C-USA. On February 25, Eustachy posted his 400th career victory with a win over Rice, becoming the 43rd active head coach to reach that milestone.

He entered the C-USA Cham-

Will Bartonʼs yearlong stellar play earned him the CUSA Player of the Year award. Tiger-nation is hopeful the sophomore will stick around for another seasons.

(Photo by Warren Roseborough) pionship with a career record of 401-256 in 21 seasons as a head coach. At Southern Miss, Eustachy is currently at 141 wins, and is behind only M.K. Turk (301) and Lee Floyd (246). His average of 17.6 wins a season is tied for second with Floyd and behind only Fred Lewis (17.8).

This is the fifth conference Coach of the Year award for Eustachy, who was twice named Big West Coach of the Year at Utah State and twice earned Big 12 Coaching hon-

ors at Iowa State. In 2000, he was the Associated Press National Coach of the Year and was the runner-up for that same award in 2001.

The Golden Eagles enter the Conference USA Championship as the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2001.

Southern Miss will face either Rice or East Carolina in a quarterfinal round game on Thursday.

Source: .com

ConferenceUSA

And they’re off…

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

The MIAA Track and Field season has begun and the first meets are scheduled for this week. On Friday (March 9), Bellevue will compete against Airways, Craigmont, Colonial and Kate Bond at the Fairgrounds.

Assistant Bellevue coach Warren Hampton keeps a watchful eye during running exercises. (Photos courtesy of Andre Mitchell)

Like most other track & field coaches, head coach Wiley McKinney (left) and assistant Warren Hampton have their hands full trying to prepare their teams for competition. Last season, they molded champions by seasonʼs end.