5 29 2013

VOL. 62, No. 21

May 23 - 29, 2013

www.tsdmemphis.com

75 Cents

Manassas on a roll with 100 percent graduation Principal sets tone with ʻKeeping it 100ʼ campaign Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Dena L. Owens

Renovation started this week on Krogerʼs Whitehaven store at 1212 E. Shelby Drive. The store will remain open during the makeover process. (Photos: Christopher Hope)

Kroger keeps its word with $5 million Whitehaven upgrade Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Tony Jones

A $5 million remodeling of Kroger’s Whitehaven store at 1212 E. Shelby Drive already was being greeted as a welcome addition a full 24 hours before the official announcement on Thursday (May 23).

The store will remain open during the six-month renovation, which started this week.

“It’s perfect timing. It needs modernizing, and they need to be aware of the younger people in the area,” said Sabrina Simmons, who was getting gas at the recently opened Fuel Center on the Kroger lot Wednesday morning.

“For instance, you have Whitehaven High School less than five minutes away. They need to come up with displays, specials and products that they would like. Less of the sugars, candies and sweets; more healthier foods.”

Simmons was traveling with Ashanti Carr. Both attend The LeMoyne Owen College and both are from Whitehaven.

- INSIDE • Divorce & business – Child custody and support. See Business, page 6.

• Score one for gospel artists, lawyer says. See Religion, page 7.

• Michelle Rhee: The “Radical” interview. See Entertainment, page 8.

• Down 2-0, Grizz need to be themselves. See Sports, page 12.

MEMPHIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

H- 7 3o - L - 5 3o Su nny

H- 8 0o - L - 6 3o P a r tl y C l ou dy

H- 7 9o - L - 6 6o Iso. T-Storms

REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS

Friday H-76 L-56 H-70 L-47 H-83 L-55

Saturday H-83 L-63 H-76 L-54 H-85 L-61

Sunday H-84 L-68 H-77 L-61 H-89 L-64

“Itʼs perfect timing. It needs modernizing, and they need to be aware of the younger people in the area.” — Sabrina Simmons

“My family used to shop with Kroger when it was on Finley,” said Carr. “I’m just glad they moved the gas station here. We get a lot of deals on gas. All the Krogers should have them.”

The remodel is part of a $100 million refurbishment of the 40

“My family used to shop with Kroger when it was on Finley. Iʼm just glad they moved the gas station here. ... All the Krogers should have them.” — Ashanti Carr

stores Kroger’s owns in the Greater Memphis area (115 in the Delta Division, including 70 Fuel Centers). A new store is also planned for the Midtown location on Union, and a $2 million redo is slated for the store at Poplar

“Iʼve always done my grocery shopping with them.

For a long time Whitehaven didnʼt have a quality food store and they get the job done.” — Cassius Watkins

and Cleveland.

Kroger’s extensive market footprint chaps the hides of some consumer critics who voice the concern that the grocery giant exSEE KROGER ON PAGE 2

Yes, friedchicken jokes are racist COMMENTARY The Root

by Keli Goff When I heard that a golfer had made a “joke” about Tiger Woods and fried chicken, I had to doublecheck to make sure it wasn’t 1997 all over again.

“That was the year Frank “Fuzzy: Zoeller was asked for his thoughts about Woods’ impending success at the Masters, and he joked about Woods serving “fried chicken” or “collard greens” to celebrate his win.

The remark cost Zoeller his primary sponsor, Kmart, and will likely overshadow his athletic successes in his obituary some day.

Yet despite what the comment cost Zoeller, another golfer just made a similar one. Here’s hoping bad ’90s fashion doesn’t come roaring back with the same vengeance as bad ’90s racial humor.

According to reports, Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia and Woods have been feuding for years, so Garcia was jokingly asked if he would be inviting Woods over for dinner at next month’s U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Garcia replied, “We will have him ’round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”

For someone for whom English is

Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods (Photo: Richard Heathcote/ Getty Images)

Asked if he would be inviting Tiger Woods over for dinner at next month’s U.S. Open, Sergio Garcia replied, “We will have him ’round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”

not a first language, I guess Garcia should be applauded for sounding as ignorantly racist as some people who are born here and who are taught racial stereotypes from the time they are potty-trained.

Woods was rightly offended by the remark. Garcia in turn issued the standard non-apology apology, saying, “I apologize for any offense that may have been caused by my comment onstage during the European Tour Players’ Awards dinner. I answered a question that was clearly

made towards me as a joke with a silly remark, but in no way was the comment meant in a racist manner.”

OK, can he explain how the comment was meant if it wasn’t “meant” in a racist manner? How could this comment be delivered and received in a nonracist manner?

This latest incident brought back memories of the frustrating conversations I had with fellow students about why Zoeller’s comments were racist all those years ago.

“Why is joking about food such a big deal?” It’s a big deal in the same way that Colin Powell calling out conservatives labeling President Obama as “lazy” is a big deal. Engaging in racial stereotypes is not appropriate, no matter how subtly one SEE CHICKEN ON PAGE 2

Manassas High School principal James Griffin, who was challenged as a youth by the same type of economic trials his students now face, developed an idea to help dreams come true, not for some, but all of his graduating class.

On Saturday, May 25, at 5 p.m., 100 percent of Manassas’ 12th graders and eligible 11th graders will graduate at the Cannon Center – not a small triumph since the principal inherited a 55 percent graduation rate in 2010 prior to his arrival.

• The courage Not only will of teachers. his 119 graduates receive diplomas, See Opinion, each has already page 4. received at least two acceptance • Hands held letters from post- high reflect a secondary educational institutions teacher to that will lead to a count on. See Community, career path.

“Keeping it page 11.

100” is the name of the campaign Griffin developed to ensure that every member of the senior class (a) graduates with a diploma and (b) submits at least 10 applications each to universities, trade schools or two-year colleges.

The 2013 class completed 1800 applications and received nearly 260 acceptance letters. Students post copies of each letter to the school’s main hall wall to remind incoming seniors of the expectations. Incoming seniors will take them down and place their letters on the wall to inspire the next class.

Griffin’s campaign motivates students to pursue obtainable career goals.

To keep the students focused, the principal assembled a group of 10 seniors to encourage other members of the 2013 class, and he pulled members of his teaching staff to assist with questions.

“We were skeptical at first, but as several seniors got involved, others fed off their enthusiasm and it grew,” SEE MANASSAS ON PAGE 2

Celebration set for essay contest honoring teachers

A person who acts in such a manner as to profoundly change another person’s life for the better is worthy of recognition, even though they most likely never would seek such an honor.

Memphis’ first “The Teacher Who Changed My Life” Essay contest was designed to shine light on a few who exemplify that in the school setting.

On Thursday night (May 23), New America Media (NAM) and its Memphis ethnic media partners, including The New Tri-State Defender, will celebrate the writers whose choice words saluted change agents who performed deeds that continue to impact them positively. The venue is the Memphis Education Association at 126 Flicker St. with the program from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m.

LaTreece Tate, was the essay contest winner in the category for 14 to 18 year olds. She was presented by the TSD and wrote to honor Anika Graham. The Honorable Mention winners selected were Douglas Telford & Rickeyecea Hines, presented by The Teen Appeal.

Other winners, presenters and categories were: • Maribel Villareal, presented by New America Media, 19-plus years old category; Honorable Mention – Victor Soto & Canila Contreras, presented by LaRaza.

• Yolanda Solorio, presented by El Norte, Teacher in Memory; Honorable Mention – Angel Ortez and Jalon Duncan, presented by New America Media.

• Special Judge’s Award – Ana Maria Hernandez

NEWS

Page 2

MANASSAS

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

says Manassas senior Kalesha Nelson.

Nelson is heading to Anthem Career College after graduation to focus on a career as a medical assistant. “‘Keeping it 100’ needs to keep going,” says Selane Frazier, the aunt to Manassas seniors Raven Walker and Jerome Scott. This fall, Walker will attend Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas, to pursue training as a physical therapist. Scott will attend Eastern Oklahoma State University to major in business management.

Seniors D’ana and Diera McGrew, identical twins, will both head to the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, in August. D’ana plans to be a forensic pathologist; Diera will seek a career as an anesthesiologist.

While Manassas students have struggled academically on end-of-course proficiency tests, in recent years, the school has seen improvement.

Last year, Manassas was the only school with double-digit gains in both math and English. Improving schools generally see a three to four percent increase in proficiency in a year’s time.

When asked how he feels

Deserving…

Balmoral Ridgeway Elementary School, where Robyn Liebenhaut is principal, held a May 9 celebration that noted its International Baccalaureate authorization and recognition. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Tri-State Defender

May 23 - 29, 2013

KROGER

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Manassas principal James Griffin has graduating identical twins on his hands.

Seniors Dʼana and Diera McGrew will both head to the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, in August. (Courtesy photo) about the expectations he places on himself and his students, Griffin is modest yet beams with pride when talking about “the wall.”

“The 100 percent graduation rate is just one step we’re celebrating,” says Griffin.

“We’ve got far more to accomplish, but it does feel good to look at our wall and see how this will help our students

years from now.”

“We don’t make excuses, we make it happen” is the school motto Griffin speaks on his office voice mail greeting. The motto reminds the first-generation college graduate of his own struggles as a teenager.

Griffin recalls reading the mail to his mother, who only had a fifth-grade education.

He would tell his mom when bills were due, and in one instance, he told her when they would be evicted.

In spite of those difficulties, Griffin was determined to succeed. Early on, he developed plans for a fruitful life, which included a “plan A” and a “plan B.” Now, he teaches his students to do the same.

ercises monopoly power over the area’s consumer food needs. Cassius Watkins, however, is not among them.

“It’s a good thing,” said Watkins of the plans to remodel the Whitehaven store.

“I’ve always done my grocery shopping with them. For a long time Whitehaven didn’t have a quality food store and they get the job done.”

Kroger spokesperson Joe Bell teamed up with Whitehaven-area Councilman Harold Collins to announce the Kroger remodel project.

“This is going to be a wall to wall remodel. About the only thing that we’re not going to touch is the location of the cash registers and the front of the store,” said Bell. “ Everything else we’re going to expand, move, increase variety, install new casing, add a sushi bar in the deli area, move the pharmacy from one side of the store to another, and create an entirely new décor and atmosphere.

“We’re apologizing to customers in advance because it’s going to make it tough to shop while we’re remodeling, but it’s going to bring a great improvement for the store.”

In conjunction with the remodel announcement and noting the new Kroger Fuel Center, Bell said, “We will be announcing that you get double fuel

CHICKEN

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

tries to do it. Couching such stereotypes in “humor” doesn’t change that fact.

But now that we officially live in the age of the first black president, in which everyone knows that saying the n-word will result in public criticism and ostracism, coded racial language employing stereotypes has essentially replaced the n-word, in some ways making it more dangerous.

After all, everyone knows the n-word is considered offensive, but jokes about fried chicken leave just enough wig-

points starting this weekend.”

Collins said Kroger is keeping a commitment to redo the store.

“However, we did not know they were doing it to this magnitude. To invest $5 million dollars is right now the single largest private investment in Whitehaven in quite sometime,” said Collins.

“This investment tells Memphis they are committed to Whitehaven and want to be a part of the resurgence of this great community.”

On Wednesday morning, store manager Gerald Jones and assistant manager Sonny Paschall moved about the store as work tied to the remodeling progressed. After more than a year of preparations, the two said they are ready for the changeover, including any difficulties that should arise.

“The community is really excited, and they deserve it too,” Jones said.

Back at the Fuel Center, Simmons offered Kroger some consumer advice.

“People in Whitehaven don’t follow trends just for the sake of it,” Simmons said.

“Whitehaven is a family-oriented area. We like quality, but not just for the flashiness.

When it’s flashier it just drives the price up, but it doesn’t make the product better.

“Me, I’m a student, so I work hard to watch a dollar and I coupon shop. … I’m fueling up now on my mother’s discount points.”

gle room for the person delivering said joke to claim, “I’m not a racist,” and in turn leave open the possibility that the person on the receiving end is both humorless and paranoid.

So here’s my advice to Garcia, Zoeller and others. The next time you have something to say to Tiger Woods, or any other person of color with whom you have a problem, be man enough not to hide behind humor but to tell them how you really feel.

Use the n-word if you have to.

And be man enough to suffer the consequences.

(Keli Goff is The Root’s special correspondent. Follow her on Twitter.)

Tri-State Defender

Prom night, 50 years deferred…

NEWS

May 23 - 29, 2013

In 1963, senior prom for five of Birminghamʼs segregated high schools for African Americans was canceled because of societal tensions over race. Recently – 50 years later – this prom was reinstated for former students, closing a chapter in their lives.

(Photo: David S. Holloway/CNN)

Almost all lawyers appearing before Supreme Court are white NNPA

by Freddie Allen WASHINGTON – In nearly 4,500 minutes of arguments heard by the justices of the United States Supreme Court since October, one AfricanAmerican lawyer stood before them for less than 12 minutes.

As the nation’s highest court becomes more diverse – with one African-American and three women, including a Latina – the small pool of lawyers that they see tend to look alike.

The Associated Press reported that just one AfricanAmerican lawyer, Debo Adegbile, a former lawyer for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, appeared before the United States Supreme Court during approximately 75 hours of oral arguments. Adegbile represented a small contingent of AfricanAmerican residents of Shelby County, Ala., a jurisdiction challenging section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, a key provision crafted to guard against discrimination at the polls.

The justices that serve on the Supreme Court are the most diverse in history, but from October to April, according to the Associated Press, most lawyers

that appeared before them were white men.

The lack of diversity in the lawyer pool that argues cases at the Debo Supreme Adegbile Court reflects a larger issue of the lack of diversity in the pipeline that flows (through) the nation’s top law firms, from the Office of the Solicitor General to the Supreme Court.

“You can say it’s a reflection or you can say it’s an indictment of the entire legal profession for not having the type of diversity that promotes African-American lawyers to the top,” said Barbara Arnwine, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, an organization that advocates for equality through the rule of law.

Minorities account for less than 7 percent of partners at law firms in the United States, according to a study by the National Association for Law Placement, Inc., a group that offers career counseling and

professional development resources for law students and lawyers. Less than 5 percent of lawyers practicing in the United States are African Americans.

Many of the lawyers presenting cases at the Supreme Court, spring from the Office of the Solicitor General. Three out of the 46 Solicitor Generals in United States history have been African Americans.

Historically, African-American lawyers argued many of the cases involving racial justice and civil rights at the Supreme Court, but times have changed.

Ted Shaw, a law professor at Columbia University, said African-American lawyers need to take a closer look at the civil rights cases that are making their way to the Supreme Court. He said that even though so-called reverse discrimination cases have recently dominated high-profile civil rights cases heard by the court, people of color still need to weigh-in.

“It’s people of color that will be the most affected and they don’t have a voice in these cases and they don’t even have the possibility of an AfricanAmerican lawyer arguing before them. So that’s deeply troubling.”

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John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)

The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper

A Real Times Newspaper

OPINION

Tri-State Defender

May 23 - 29, 2013

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

Julian Bond: My Tea Party ‘Taliban’ comment; The lesson?

(TriceEdneyWire.com)

I have always suspected that racists didn’t like being called out for their racism. Now I have proof.

When I told MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts on May 14th that the Tea Party was “the Taliban wing of American politics,” a firestorm erupted.

Arguing the IRS was correct to target them for extra scrutiny, I also said, “Here are a group of people who are admittedly racist, who are overtly political” and therefore worthy of IRS concern.

I was not prepared for the slew of angry emails, including two from self-identified black people (your worst nightmare, one said) I received.

Many of them suggested I leave the country, reminiscent of the “Go back to Africa” chants racist crowds of whites shouted at black protestors in my youth.

One said my advanced age – I am 73 – meant I would not be around to make such mischief much longer, and I should prepare for that quick eventuality.

A few suggested my employer fire me, not knowing that I retired from that job a year ago. Several of the messages were badly written with misspelled words, including one from a relative by marriage – you can’t choose your in-laws – reading “Your calling folks Talabans borders on Traitorism.”

This same correspondent noted I had been “head of the most classic Racist group in our country,” referring to the NAACP, whose board I chaired for 11 years. Others characterized the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights group, interracial in membership and dedicated to racial integration since 1909, in the same way.

After an exchange of messages with some of them, trying to convince them that while I opposed it, I didn’t condemn every member of the Tea Party, the interactions became more civil and less hostile. Some even wished me well.

But to a person they rejected the labels “racism” and “racist,” even as I thought I had proved that the Tea Party has had racist, anti-Semitic and nativist elements from its beginning until today.

One source is a study conducted for the NAACP by the Institute for Research and Education for Human Rights.

Their study, called “Tea Party Nationalism,” found “Tea Party ranks to be permeated with concerns about race and national identify and other so-called social issues. In these ranks, an abiding obsession with Barack Obama’s birth certificate is often a stand-in for the belief that the first black president of the United States is not a ‘real American.’”

It says Tea Party organizations have given platforms to anti-Semites, racists and bigots and “hard-core white nationalists have been attracted” to Tea Party protests.

A CNN iReporter captured a photo of the sun rising over what was Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla. (Photo: iReport)

Julian Bond

The link between the Tea Party and the Taliban was made by a prominent Republican office holder.

In 2008, the Washington Post reported that former Chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee and present day Congressman Pete Sessions likened the GOP House minority to the Taliban, saying, “Insurgency, we understand perhaps a bit more because of the Taliban.”

Just as my arguments failed to convince my correspondents, so apparently does the actual evidence: Not the ugly racist signs and placards displayed at Tea Party rallies, not the shouts of the “n” word aimed at members of the Congressional Black Caucus, not the spittle “Tea Party at civNationalism,” found hurled il rights icon “Tea Party ranks to and Conbe permeated with g r e s s m a n John Lewis, concerns about not the race and national exidentify and other racists pelled from so-called social the Tea Party issues.” for their venom, not the association of many members with the Council of Conservative Citizens, a lineal descendant of the White Citizen Council, not the anti-gay slurs aimed at former Congressman Barney Frank, not the members whose racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia should be an embarrassment – not all or any of this could get them to acknowledge the label “racist.”

My black correspondents even claimed that their race prohibited them from being racists, as if skin color was a proscription against ignorance. And many of my presumably non-black correspondents accused me of being a racist, so my race apparently offered me no protection from this evil.

What is the lesson here? That the label “racist” has become so toxic that almost everyone rejects it? That the toxicity makes the label unacceptable but its actual practice is still tolerable for many? Or that it is a defense against itself? As the relative-Itry-not-to-claim wrote, “I don’t know any White people who hate Blacks like you advocate Blacks should hate whites.” Or only that while the United States has made much progress in race relations, we still have a long, long way to go?

(Julian Bond is Chairman Emeritus of the NAACP and a Professor at American University in Washington.)

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Tri-State Defender Platform

1. Racial prejudice worldwide must be destroyed.

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

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5. Complete cessation of all school segregation.

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The courage of teachers CNN

by LZ Granderson Each day more than 55 million students attend the country’s 130,000 schools.

Each day, parents and guardians entrust some 7 million teachers with the education of our children.

And on a normal day, that is all we expect teachers to do – teach.

But on those not-so normal days we are reminded that for six hours a day and more, five days a week, teaching is not the only thing teachers are charged with doing. On those not-so-normal days, we are reminded that teachers are also asked to be surrogate parents, protectors, heroes.

Monday was one of those not-sonormal days.

The nation watched in horror as a 2-mile-wide tornado with winds up to 200 mph tore through Moore, Okla. As sirens blared and the ground shook, the full force of the twister hit Plaza Towers Elementary School around 3 p.m. It was full of students, young scared children who had nowhere to hide as the tornado ripped off the roof, sending debris everywhere.

We had to pull a car out of the front hall off a teacher and I don’t know what her name is, but she had three little kids underneath her,” a rescuer said. “Good job teach.”

And that teacher was not the only one whose body shielded children from harm.

A couple of years ago, as state and local officials were looking for ways to cut spending, a study from the American Enterprise Institute emerged in 2011, asking a provocative question: Are teachers overpaid?

Using abbreviated metrics – such as comparing private sector employees’ SAT and GRE scores with those of teachers – the study’s co-author Jason Richwine said the findings

suggested that “years of education could be an overestimate of cognitive skills.”

A counterintuitive and insulting proposition. But in retrospect that shouldn’t be too surprising considering Richwine’s LZ doctoral dissertaGranderson tion advocated keeping out immigrants with low IQs, which he maintained are lower than those of the “native white population.” He also co-authored an attack on immigration reform for the Heritage Foundation. And he resigned as the group’s senior policy analyst shortly afterward.

Nevertheless, as educators in Chicago voted to strike and benefits such as tenure came under scrutiny, the question that study proposed sparked a national conversation and helped turn 2012 into a year in which teacher-bashing became a popular past time.

But when I think of the importance of teaching in this country, when I think about the heroism demonstrated in Oklahoma, I find it impossible to overpay teachers.

We can certainly talk about the realities of the economy, debate the best method to evaluate effectiveness and discuss the drawbacks of unions. But anyone who characterizes teachers as overpaid is forgetting what we entrust them with each and every day.

Our children.

On a normal day, you don’t think about that too much.

But on a not-so-normal day, that is all you can think about.

Anne Marie Murphy, a mother of four, died trying to protect 6-yearold Dylan Hockley as Adam Lanza terrorized the halls of Sandy Hook

Elementary School in December.

When police found the two victims, Murphy was still holding Hockley in her arms.

And five other educators did not run away from the threat but gave their lives trying to protect students, trying to protect children.

How do you overpay for that?

Obviously no parent or guardian drops their children off at school thinking tragedy is going to happen.

But perhaps we should be grateful that if something terrible does happen, that there are these angels in the building who will do right by our kids. Who will give anything – sometimes even their lives – to protect them in our absence.

One of the Plaza Towers teachers reportedly was lying on top of six students in a school bathroom to shelter them from the horrific storm.

I’m sure that is not in the job description.

So yes, it is fiscally responsible for a community to talk about loss of tax revenue and budget deficits.

But we ought to be careful not to vilify this profession while doing so.

Teachers are not glorified babysitters with summers off. Their profession fuels all others, and on a normal day that is amazing enough in and of itself.

But on a day that’s not so normal, we hope and pray that they are willing to do much more. And time and time again, in the face of terrible tragedies, we have learned that many of them do.

(LZ Granderson, who writes a weekly column for CNN.com, was named journalist of the year by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and was a 2011 Online Journalism Award finalist for commentary. He is a senior writer and columnist for ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter @locs_n_laughs.)

Reflections on Brown v Board

On the anniversary (May 27th) of Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark case that struck down separate but equal and ushered in the era of integrated schools, I reflected on Chief Justice Warren’s published words. On that day in 1954 he wrote, “In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.”

As a native Memphian, attorney and Memphis school board member, I can see that segregation and integration have left indelible marks on our public school system. The 59 years that have passed since Warren’s sage words have brought us diverse school settings where the benefits of education are more consistently experienced by a larger portion of our society – no question.

The charge in the Brown decision was not simply to integrate races in school settings, but to provide consistently excellent education for all children. We are not there yet.

In the 1950’s, parents, students and civic leaders fought for integrated schools under the premise that educational opportunities ought to be equally available to all. Today, zip codes and neighborhoods are still tied to educational attainment and future prospects. Realities in far too many school buildings have not caught up with legislation. A recent analysis from the U.S. Department of Education found that 74 percent of black students attend majority non-

white schools.

Brown defeated the legal basis for the notion that children are different in what they can achieve but we must operationalize that idea in every classroom.

Because of Tomeka Brown, students Hart cannot be turned away from a school because of their race or ethnicity, but the reality of low-income students of color is that they are often still educated in segregated schools, many of which lack the capacity and resources available to higher income students. Students of color continue to lag behind their white peers, with about one-third of African-American students dropping out before graduation. Nationally, 60 percent of whites but only 40 percent of African Americans who start college earn degrees within six years.

There are many stunning examples of the promise within the Brown decision as well. An AfricanAmerican student finishing kindergarten today has a world of possibility available to her. Much of that is because of Brown, and the brave people who implemented it. And we have many teachers and schools showing us what is possible when we support our children to meet high expectations. Data from the Department of Education shows that graduation rates were up for all ethnic groups in 2010.

Educators such as Ashley Foxx in Memphis put a human face on that encouraging data point. She loved sharing children’s literature with her students, but saw a troubling lack of African-American characters in their literacy materials. In addition to her teaching load, Ms. Foxx published her first in a series of books to remedy this situation, called “Keisha Cane and her Very Sweet Tooth.” Ms. Foxx still works as a reading specialist, bridging gaps in literacy with our youngest students.

We need more than examples though; we need new norms for children of color. To do that, we need partnerships in this work – fighting together for educational equity – bringing people together as the NAACP did in Brown. NAACP leaders enlisted 13 dedicated parents representing 20 children to help launch a series of challenges to school segregation that ultimately led to social change on a grand scale.

We need more individuals and organizations in the position to clearly see the intersection between race and educational equity to build powerful and lasting alliances rooted in our communities of color. The inequities we still face are daunting and it will take leadership and partnerships at all levels – from living rooms to classrooms to our community organizations – to ensure that we’re reaching the day when educational opportunity is in fact “made available to all on equal terms.”

(Tomeka Hart is vice president of African American community partnerships at Teach For America.)

HEALTH

Tri-State Defender

Page 5

May 23 - 29, 2013

Boys with ADHD may become obese adults CNN

by Matt Sloane Boys with ADHD may be at risk for obesity later in life, according to a new study – which, if confirmed in larger studies, may have implications for more than 4 million kids in the United States living with the disorder.

Researchers at NYU’s Langone Medical Center have been following more than 200 kids for four decades.

They found those who had ADHD in their early years were twice as likely to be obese at age 41.

“This study was started by Dr. Rachel Klein in 1970, and it involved a number of waves of evaluation, during which the results of having hyperactivity in childhood were assessed,” said Dr. F. Xavier Castellanos, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at NYU and one of

the study authors.

“We brought back individuals who were 41 years of age, and examined a number of measures, including brain imaging analyses. But during those brain imaging analyses, we noted that men who had been hyperactive children had a greater difficulty sitting in the scanner – they were too large for the research scanner.”

That’s when the idea took shape to look at all of the subjects’ height and weight. Castellanos and his team instantly noticed the high levels of obesity – twice as high as those adults who never suffered from ADHD. “This was not the first time this has been noted, so in that sense it is a confirmation,” said Castellanos. “But other studies have not been able to be as definitive. Other studies have found a general tendency towards increased weight, but this is the first study that puts this in terms of clear

clinical obesity.”

However, there is no clear reason as to why ADHD may lead to obesity.

“The most reasonable explanation is that the characteristics of ADHD which involve being impulsive – having a difficult time selecting between (things) that may be immediately gratifying but in the long run are not such a good idea – that that translates to the choices that are made at lunchtime and dinner and snacking,” said Castellanos, though he said there was no direct evidence of that being the case, only speculation.

Other experts say while this correlation appears to be strong, more research needs to be done.

“The sample size was relatively small, and they only looked at white men,” said CNN.com expert Dr. Jennifer Shu, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“That said, their conclusion summed

Children playing in Atlantaʼs Centennial Olympic Park showing signs of over weight and obesity issues. (Photo: Ferreʼ Dollar/CNN) it up nicely: people need to be aware that having childhood ADHD may put them at risk for later obesity.”

Shu also suggested another possible explanation for the link – current treatments are largely centered around stimulant medications, which tend to reduce appetite. If the medication is stopped, appetite increases and patients may start gaining weight.

The bottom line, says Castellanos?

“It’s very difficult across the board for people to lose weight and keep it off, so it’s one of those things that is really best prevented,” he said.

“That’s the major importance of alerting the public – we can look into the future and say, ‘This is coming up, so it’s better to not ignore this potential risk and wait for it to become a problem.’”

CHEF TIMOTHY

Caretaker’s role requires sacrifice and a little empathy Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Chef Timothy Moore

It would take empathy, compassion, commitment and love to be the caretaker of someone who’s gravely ill and incapable of taking care of one’s self. Not everyone is suited for this role. There is no ovation at the end of the day and no Oscar for best performance.

Love is a strong affection for another arising out of kinship, personal ties, warm attachment, enthusiasm, devotion and unselfish and benevolent concerns for the good of others, according to Webster’s Dictionary.

According to Mildred – a mother in Missouri – it’s standard practice.

Mildred has a 24-year-old son who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. A recent graduate with a civil engineering degree, this young man was deemed healthy with a promising future until one day he decided to go to the dentist for what he thought

was a toothache.

It turned out to be a lesion under his tongue. After a battery of tests yielded the diagnosis of cancer.

The family was rocked, shocked and in disbelief after hearing the doctor’s report. A young man with cancer? Totally unheard of, they Dr. Timothy thought. The next step was an inMoore tensive array of radiation and chemotherapy and the removal of half of the young man’s tongue, the removal of half of his right lung, and the removal of three discs from his lower back.

Recovery has been ongoing for the last 15 months. The doctors have done everything humanly possible to save the young man’s life. It seemed as

though divine intervention was needed.

That’s where Mildred steps in. She doesn’t consider herself the divine one, but she does tend to her son’s needs and responds quickly to his calls. Besides, he is her first-born child.

To begin with, Mildred had to resign from her job to provide aroundthe-clock care for her son. She struggles not knowing what she really is suppose to do or how to perform the required services to make her son comfortable and pain free. Still, she tries. It’s her motherly duty, she said.

There is some emotional turmoil, but Mildred keeps going. The situation is weighted by the uncertainty of not knowing the outcome and it scares the heck out of the entire. Will the young man beat the odds? Or will he succumb to death? Mildred doesn’t want to think about it, but she knows death is inevitable.

Mildred is not alone in her caretaker’s role. Millions of people across America are caring for their sick children and children are caring for their

sick parents. Some are confined to the hospital and others languish in care homes. I’m sure it takes a toll on the caretaker and causes undue stress, but unconditional love knows no bounds. Caretakers will continue to make sacrifices even after they become ill themselves.

There are other situations where spouses, friends and family members are forced to become the caretakers of their loved ones. The role of caretaker, notwithstanding the sacrifice it takes, is a job that requires empathy, compassion, commitment and love.

I’m amazed at the sacrifices that people make when caring for loved ones. They put their lives on hold for someone even when that person’s health is severe and, in some cases, life-threatening. The job is ongoing and requires around-the-clock services.

There are countless stories that can be told about households in America where families are stressed to the max because a loved one needs special attention. I pray you look after

your own health, and if a loved one is gravely ill, find someone who can relieve you in case you have to care for that individual. Otherwise, the stress and emotional turmoil will leave you very exhausted and unable to function under normal circumstances.

Remember, regardless of how healthy you think you are, there are circumstances that none of us can control. Mildred couldn’t see her son’s cancer coming, but she’s making some adjustments nonetheless.

(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, international wellness coach and personal plant-based chef. He is the author of “47 Tips To Reverse Your Diabetes.” He can be reached by email at cheftimothy@ cheftimothymoore.com, visit him at www.cheftimothymoore.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/ cheftimmoore.)

BUSINESS

Page 6

Tri-State Defender

May 23 - 29, 2013

ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

Divorce & business – Child custody and support Whether you have a multimillion dollar business or a minimum wage job, divorce can put your income at risk when it gets down to child support. Although the distribution of property and alimony payments may be governed by a prenuptial agreement, child custody and support will be solely determined by the court.

Child custody

According to the Tennessee Code – Title 36, Sections 366-106, the court may award custody to either parent, or to both parents (joint custody or shared parenting) based on the best interests of the child. The court will consider the following factors: • The love, affection, and emotional ties between the parents and the child; • The ability of the parents to provide the child with food, clothing, medical care, educa-

tion and other necessary care and the degree to which a parent or caregiver has been the primary caregiver; Carlee • The McCullough importance of continuity in the child’s life and the length of time the child has lived in a stable, satisfactory environment; • The stability of the family unit; • The mental and physical health of the parents; • The home, school and community record of the child; • The preference of the child, if 12 years of age or older. The court may also take into the consideration the preference of a younger child up-

on request, but it will not be given as much weight as that of an older child; • Evidence of physical or emotional abuse to the child, the other parent, or any other person; • The character and behavior of any other person who resides in or frequents the home of a parent and the person’s interactions with the child; • Each parent’s past and potential for future performance of parenting responsibilities, including the willingness and ability of each of the parents to facilitate and encourage a close and continuing parentchild relationship between the child and both of the child’s parents, consistent with the best interest of the child; and • The parenting abilities of each parent, including their willingness to encourage a close and continuing relationship between the child and the other parent.

Child support

Prior to the issuance of a child support order, the mother and father have the option of determining paternity, if there is doubt. As a practicing family attorney, I strongly encourage a paternity test simply for confirmation if the parties are not married.

Paternity

Legal paternity must be established prior to obtaining a child support order from the court. The Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) can help determine paternity in instances where a child is born out of wedlock or in instances where paternity is in question.

DHS child support guidelines usually determine child support, and child support obligations cannot be contracted away. Any deviations from the guidelines must have

MONEY MATTERS

Surprise! It’s retirement time

by Charles Sims Jr., CFP

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

In a 2012 survey, 50 percent of current retirees said they retired earlier than they had planned, up from 45 Charles Sims Jr., CFP percent in 2011.

M a n y retirees reported reasons that were beyond their control, such as health problems or disability, company downsizing or closure, changes in the skills required for their jobs, or having to care for a spouse or family member. Yet some said they retired early by choice – because they could afford to or because they wanted to do something different.

If you’re nearing the end of your working years, you probably have a retirement timetable in mind. It may be as specific as a particular date or as general as a range of years.

Regardless of your timetable,

circumstances could change – as the experience of current retirees demonstrates – and retirement might come sooner than you think.

Addressing some key issues now might ease your transition and give you more choices in how you retire.

Calculate your income stream

If you had to retire early, would you be able to maintain your standard of living? It might be helpful to calculate your projected income based on your preferred retirement timetable and an earlier date.

Of course, the sooner you retire, the less time there will be for your investments to pursue potential growth, so accelerating your savings now could make a big difference in how much you might accumulate. If you retire on schedule (or later), having a potentially larger savings balance could give you more flexibility in your retirement lifestyle.

Also keep in mind that Social Security benefits typically will be reduced if you retire before your “full retirement age,” which ranges from 65 to 67, depending on

year of birth.

Reduce your debt

Eliminating or reducing outstanding credit-card balances as soon as possible could be a great step toward getting on track for retirement. Paying off auto loans could also free up more income.

Although retirement strategies in the past were typically based on the assumption that retirees would have no mortgage debt, that has changed.

About a third of homeowners aged 65 and older still have mortgages. If you foresee your mortgage being an issue in your retirement years, you may want to examine options to pay it off early, reduce payments, or otherwise modify the terms.

Consider your health

Your health and the health of your spouse could be among the most important factors in determining when you will retire. Ask yourself the following questions: Is your retirement timetable realistic based on your current health status? Would you be prepared if your health were

Summer academy links students and business Registration is underway for the Memphis Entrepreneurship Academy’s 7-week summer program that teaches children leadership, life skills, healthy lifestyle habits and basic business skills.

Founded in 2013 with support from Networking in Memphis and FireWolf Marketing, the Memphis Entrepreneur Academy (MEA!) will serve 30 students in the Memphis and Shelby County community.

The aim is to transform young students into real, confident entrepreneurs. Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market re-

Memorial Day travel to dip this year

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The volume of travel during Memorial Day weekend is expected to decline slightly this year, said AAA on Wednesday.

AAA, an organization for motorists, forecasts a decline of 0.9% in overall travel compared to last year, with 34.8 million Americans making a journey of 50 miles or more.

AAA President Robert Darbelnet blamed the decline on “an up and down economy” and “the impact of the end of the payroll tax holiday on working families.”

A steep decline in projected air travel dragged down the overall forecast. AAA expects holiday air travel to decrease 8%, to 2.3 million travelers this year from 2.5 last year.

Drivers will be feeling the impact of gas prices that have been on the rise this spring. The national average price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline notched up to $3.66 on Wednesday.

search, pitch their plans to a panel of business owners, and actually launch and run their own legal, fully formed companies and social movements.

The projects-based program also will include guest speakers from the local business community and trips to local companies.

Registration: $100 deposit due with registration until

May 29th. Weekly payments reduced to $67/week, if registered by May 29th.

Date: June 3; Time: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; venue: 300 Art Gallery, 300 South Main St. For more information, contact Kelly D. Price, Founder/CEO at 901- 4512900; email memphisacademy1@gmail.com; visit www.mymeakid.org.

to change?

Have you factored the full cost of health care into your retirement strategy?

A married couple that retired in 2011 (with median expenses for prescription drugs) would need an estimated $287,000 to have a 90 percent chance of paying their healthcare costs throughout retirement. Costs for future retirees may be much higher.

Surprises can be fun in many situations, but not when it comes to retirement. Preparing now could help ease you into a more comfortable retirement lifestyle.

(Charles Sims Jr. is president/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancialGroup .com.)

court approval. The guidelines are based on the “Income Shares” model in which both parents’ combined income is used to determine the support due for the child.

The parent’s share is determined in proportion to their income. Among other factors considered are: other children in the home, other child support obligations and health insurance coverage for the child.

Traditionally, the primary residential parent (PRP) receives the child support. The PRP is typically the parent who the children live with the majority of the time.

there must be a significant change in the amount of monthly child support.

Modification

NEXT WEEK: Property distribution and alimony

During the course of 18 years of a child’s life, child support orders may need to be adjusted or modified. Jobs change, income fluctuates and additional children are born.

However, to qualify for a modification in child support,

Enforcement

Once the court has established child support, it is imperative that the obligation be met. Consequences are swift and severe for the non-compliant parent, with DHS helping to enforce court-ordered child support.

The remedies that may be used to encourage payments include: income withholding, liens on property, license revocation, denial of passports and reporting to the credit bureaus for past due payments.

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

RELIGION

Tri-State Defender

Page 7

May 23 - 29, 2013

Score one for gospel artists, lawyer says Sony settles suit NNPA

by Zenitha Prince

Sony BMG Music Entertainment has settled a lawsuit filed in 2005 by attorney James J. Walker of Walker and Associates, an Atlanta-based law firm that represents gospel artists. After almost a decade of litigation, the settlement is a major win in the battle for the rights of urban artists, the attorney said.

Walker said the settlement was concluded in early May, the day before the trial was supposed to start. He said the case has been “life-changing,” with feedback from all over the world in the David v. Goliath scenario – a billion-dollar company against a small, black-owned firm.

“We felt strongly all along that this was a case we had to fight in order to protect artists and their right to choose effective legal representation and other forms of representation,

including the best manager, attorney, publicist, accountant in protecting themselves as artists,” said company spokesman Kenny Walker.

Filed in 2005 in federal court in Connecticut, the lawsuit alleged that Verity Records, now called RCA Inspirational, and its president, Max Siegel, along with Verity parent company, Zomba Enterprises, and Provident Distribution “set out to deprive gospel artists of effective representation in their contract negotiations” to hack down their compensation from the use of their copyrights and intellectual property.

Walker said company representatives coerced his clients into firing him and defamed his character, robbing him of income. Zomba Enterprises is now owned by Sony.

Elizabeth Young, the spokeswoman for Sony Music Entertainment, said the company had no comment.

Walker said the case shines a light on the persistent ex-

ploitation of black artists within the music industry.

“It’s endemic to urban music, in general,” he said.

“There’s an undercurrent that ‘These are black folks; they’re not that smart.’ There’s a racial undertone that no one wants to talk about…. You walk into the labels and everyone’s white and all the artists are Black.”

Industry observers agree that Walker is one of a few lawyers who successfully represent gospel’s leading artists. From 1999-2002, for example, Walker said he secured top-dollar royalty payments for nearly two dozen artists on the popular “WOW” albums. The series, launched in 1998, became a vehicle for lesser-known artists to gain exposure, revolutionizing the music genre.

Sony representatives, according to the lawsuit, employed “trickery and deceit” to convince those gospel artists – including high-profile clients such as Grammy winners Hezekiah Walker, Donald Lawrence and Twinkie Clark

James Walker (Courtesy photo) and legendary songwriters such as David Frazier and V. Michael McKay – to terminate Walker. The ploys included threats that they would not be included in future projects if they brought the assertive attorney to the negotiating table, according to the lawsuit.

Some of those artists folded, according to news reports.

“When I filed the lawsuit, five

out of 10 people didn’t agree with my decision,” Walker said.

“Now that the settlement has been announced, 12 out of 10 are saying, ‘Great job…I wish I would have stayed with you because I’ve been screwed… I need your help.’”

Frazier acknowledged that he left Walker after he tangled with the music corporation.

“James had gotten me great payments because he was aggressive,” Frazier, who wrote the 2004 gospel hit “I Need You to Survive,” told the Los Angeles Times in 2005. “But my first goal is the ministry of Christ. And as my mama said, ‘If you aren’t heard, you aren’t doing God’s work.’ So I found a new lawyer.”

Walker said when he lost about 20 existing and potential clients, he filed the suit.

While some in the gospel music industry supported Walker’s activism, others disdained the litigation as an affront to the spiritual mission of their music.

“The Bible speaks of Chris-

tians not suing one another,” the Rev. Robert Lowe of Mount Moriah AME Church in New York and chairman of the Gospel Artists Progressive Movement told the LA Times.

“This is Jesus’ music and it is governed by the rules of God. Our artists have not gotten our fair share, but the Bible prefers things are decided at a table rather than in the courtroom.”

In 2005, Walker predicted that despite the censure from gospel industry insiders, he would prevail and, when he did, his critics would come onboard.

“Pastors and Christian folk have this tendency to think you’re not supposed to litigate; you’re supposed to pray, scream the name of Jesus, talk in tongues and hope Jesus works it out. But there comes a time when you have to pray that God gives you the wisdom and resources to work it out (yourself),” Walker said.

(Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper)

LIVING THE LIFE I LOVE

Drama Queen by default? Here’s help Dear Lucy: I feel as if my life is one of constant conflict.

I must be a magnet for drama.

I run into it at work, at home, at the beauty shop, on the road and with my family. There must be something that I am doing wrong! Please help. Just give me some practical ways to stop the drama!

– Drama Queen by Default

Purpose is primary…

Evangelist Joyce Rodgers of Primary Purpose Ministries in Carrollton, Texas delivered “The Spoken Word” during the Womenʼs Day observance at Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ on May 19. Elder Charles H. Mason Patterson Sr. is senior pastor. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

For services rendered…

The Rev. William L. Jones (middle) was among those honored at the Airport Inn by the CME Ministerial Alliance on May 17 during Gala 2013, which was designed to “Acknowledge Our Past, Recognize Our Present, Focus on Our Future.”

(Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Dear Queen: This message is for Kings too! Notice that I just called you a Queen. I didn’t say what kind and I didn’t limit you. So, Step 1: Be a Queen. Remember that you are the one who gets to define the kind of Queen you are. You can be the Queen of mean, failure, ugly, sad or any other negative adjective you choose.

On the other hand you can consciously use your power to CHOOSE and be the Queen of Peace, Calm, Contentment, Joy, Solutions, Success or whatever floats your boat in any moment. The fact that you make the choice means that it doesn’t happen by ‘default’. It happens because you choose.

Step 2: Choose the kind of Queen you will be.

Step 3: Keep the peace within yourself. When you have taken steps 1 and 2, you are well on your way to this next step. At first, you may have to do serious battle with your old ways of thinking. That part of you that is not under control and is attracting all of the drama will not want to give up that control. Every time you catch yourself wanting or ex-

pecting drama, immediately remind yourself that you are the Queen of Peace, that peace follows you, is standing Lucy at the left Shaw and right of you, goes before you making the crooked ways straight and lingers behind you holding the peace and covering your back!

Step 4: Accept that Peace, Calm and Wisdom are your birthrights. You deserve to be peace, have peace and bring peace. You are worthy of it!

Step 5: Be willing to set boundaries for yourself and for how you allow others to be when they are in your space.

Remember, you have drawn these situations, conditions and people into your experience for a reason. Maybe the reason is a simple as forcing you to learn how to control your own thinking and expectations for good. Create a set of non-negotiable rules for how you choose to be.

These are simple rules for YOU. They don’t have to be imposed on anyone else once you set and accept them for yourself. For example, “It is not OK for me to cuss, be cussed, or to listen to cussing.”

If you accept this as a boundary/rule, the moment you find yourself in this situation you

PRAISE CONNECT

leave. It also means that you don’t do to others what you don’t find acceptable for yourself. It means that no matter how much you love another or want to be with them, you quietly make the boundary clear.

Do it respectfully and not demandingly. But stick to it.

I only have a few boundary rules. But first, I practice being the way that I want to see my life show up.

I read this quote recently, “Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict – alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.” ometimes the violence we experience comes from inside of us. This can happen when we won’t love ourselves enough to clearly set boundaries that reinforce our own self-worth and acknowledge our own worthiness to live as Queens (or Kings).

Be somebody’s Queen today – your own!

Blessings,

Lucy (Check out Lucy Shaw’s website at http://www.heartworks4u.com. Send your questions to: Heartworks4U, LLC; 4646 Poplar Ave. Ste 201, Memphis, TN 38117 or by email 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.)

-A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-

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

767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126

ASSOCIATE MINISTERS

901-946-4095 fax 948-8311

Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

SUNDAY Sunday School .....................8:30 am Morning Worship Service ....10:00am

WEDNESDAY Bible Study .........................10:30 am Mid-Day Prayer Meeting .....12 noon Evening Prayer Meeting........7:00pm FRIDAY Cable Channel 17 ............... 8:00pm

Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter

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

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

— Proverbs 1:7

—Ecclesiastes 9:11

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

(901) 948-3441

Early Morning..........7:45 AM Church School..........9:45 AM Morning Worship......11:00 AM Bible Study For Youth and Adults Tuesday - 7:00 PM “Spirit, Soul, and Body!”

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

TV Cable Access Broadcast Tuesdays, 7:30 PM, Channel 17 Website:www.saintandrewamec.org Child Care Center (901) 948-6441 Monday-Friday 6 AM- 5:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry & Clothes Closet Wednesday 6 PM-8 PM

Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, Pastor Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, Pastor

“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”

ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, May 23 - 29, 2013, Page 8

WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?

20 Years of ‘janet.’

Time really flies huh? Can you believe that Janet Jackson’s 5th album “janet.” is 20 years old? I can’t, but it is!

Looking back on things, there’s just so much that has happened since then. To name a Myron few: the SuperMays bowl incident, her relationship with Jermaine Dupri, the duet with her brother Michael, “Poetic Justice” as well as her other movies and – most recently – her marriage.

But who could forget one of the most definitive albums in popular music? That was the album that brought you such songs as “That’s the Way Love Goes” and “Anytime Anyplace.”

And no one could forget the album cover, right? You know, the one with the breast and the hands? Yeah, that one…lol. “janet.” – the album and its songs – totally remind me of where I was and what I was doing at the time.

Now, I can remember when Janet Jackson released her “Control” album. I was blown away by her talent. Then there was her “Rhythm Nation 1814” album. I was even more impressed by her influence.

These are the albums that introduced you to the true talent of Janet Jackson. However, “janet.” is the one that introduced you to the sexuality of Janet Jackson and pretty much established her as a sex symbol in popular music. Needless to say, I was very impressed by her transition.

These days Ms. Jackson is a married woman and has sort of taken a break from the music scene. She’s pretty much earned it. After 10 albums and over 100 million records sold, I’d say so.

And just to think, all that from the little girl from “Good Times.”

‘Scandal’ season finale

We had a great time at the ‘Scandal’ Party last Thursday night at Memories. This event was a little different than most. In case you’re not familiar with what a room full of ‘Scandal’ watchers is like, the word of the day is “Quiet” or “shhh” for that matter, lol.

I think everyone was shocked to hear what the last word was…”Dad?” However, no one was shocked to see how quiet the room got when the commercials went off.

That’s right, NO ONE talks during ‘Scandal.’ However, breaths and gasps are allowed. And there were many of those throughout the night as the episode unfolded.

Now that the show has ended for the summer, it’s time for those of you who haven’t caught the show to catch up. We will just have to see if all of the up-to-speed ‘Scandal’ fans can hold out until this fall.

I can already see the withdrawal symptoms in some of my closest friends. lol

What’s happening!

On Saturday morning (May 25th), Fit Nation holds its monthly weighin and group workout at McFarland Community Center at 4955 Cottonwood. The weigh-in starts at 10:30, with the big workout shortly after.

These things are a lot of fun. Not only can you build some great relationships and make good contact, you can get in shape as well…and there’s no fee. Look them up on Facebook under Biggest Loser Memphis.

Saturday afternoon should be pretty exciting as The Takeover returns. What’s The Takeover?

Just think about five hours of fun at some of most popular bars and restaurants in the city. This month, it’’’ be at Café Ole at 959 Cooper. Enjoy some great food and, of course, some of the best margaritas in Memphis. Plus, there will be music provided by DJ Suave, who will provide a mix of R&B, Latin and more.

Admission is free. Look up The Takeover on Facebook to get more information.

Next week, the Singles Mixer returns. Who says being single has to be uneventful? It really doesn’t!

Join us on next Thursday night (May 30th) at Evergreen Grill from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Enjoy live jazz and great food. There’s no admission. So come on out.

Until then, that’s what’s happening!

(Got an event you’d like for me to cover or attend, email me at Myron@whatshappeningmyron.com.)

Reading, Writing & Rhee Michelle Rhee: The ʻRadicalʼ interview Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

ichelle Rhee spent a stormy three years in the public eye as the embattled Schools Chancellor of the Washington, DC public schools. Employing a “kids first” philosophy, she chopped heads in the topheavy administration, firing dozens of dead wood principals, laying off hundreds of extraneous office workers and closing over 20 underperforming schools.

Although students’ test scores improved dramatically during her brief, her anti-union stance proved unpopular.

M

Mayor Fenty’s reelection bid was basically a referendum on whether the city wished to continue with Rhee’s scorched earth philosophy. When he lost, her days were numbered, so she handed in her resignation.

A mother of two, Rhee is married to former NBA star Kevin Johnson, who is now the Mayor of Sacramento, Calif.

She is the author of “Radical,” which was released earlier this year. Here talks about currently serving as CEO of StudentsFirst, a political advocacy organization she founded in 2010 to advance the cause of educational reform.

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

Michelle Rhee spent a stormy three years in the public eye as the embattled Schools Chancellor of the Washington, DC public schools. Employing a “kids first” philosophy, she chopped heads in the top-heavy administration, firing dozens of dead wood principals, laying off hundreds of extraneous office workers and closing over 20 underperforming schools.

Although students’ test scores improved dramatically during her brief, her anti-union stance proved unpopular. Mayor Fenty’s reelection bid was basically a referendum on whether the city wished to continue with Rhee’s scorched earth philosophy. When he lost, her days were numbered, so she handed in her resignation.

A mother of two, Rhee is married to former NBA star Kevin Johnson, who is now the Mayor of Sacramento, Calif.

She is the author of “Radical,” which was released earlier this year. Here talks about currently serving as CEO of StudentsFirst, a political advocacy organization she founded in 2010 to advance the cause of educational reform.

Kam Williams: I really enjoyed reading “Radical.” It humanized you in a way I hadn’t expected, since you came to be presented in the press as such a polarizing figure by the end of your tenure in DC. I found it very informative and moving, especially where you talk about your family, your childhood and your education.

Michelle Rhee: I’m glad.

KW: For instance, I was surprised to learn that you had taken Black Studies courses as an undergrad at Cornell, since that was my major there.

MR: Yes, I took a fair number of courses in the Africana Studies department.

KW: Tell me a little about your new organization, StudentsFirst.

MR: I started StudentsFirst when I left DC, essentially because of what had happened to my boss (Mayor Fenty). I had very naively taken the job believing that, if we worked hard for the kids and produced results, people would want it to continue. But I learned that that was absolutely not the case, that people were less focused on the results than on the process and the personalities. The problem was that we didn’t have any political muscle through which we could support and defend a person like Fenty.

So, that’s why I founded StudentsFirst, to create an environment where we have a powerful political force advocating on behalf of children. We now have two million members across the country who are putting pressure on their elected officials to put the right laws and policies into effect.

KW: Where did you get the confidence that you could create a national organization from nothing?

MR: From a combination of things. Being able to announce the launch on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and saying that we were going to get a million members and raise a billion dollars in a year was huge. People thought I was crazy. But I have long believed that there are many people out there who are incredibly frustrated with the educational system. I felt that if we could capture that sentiment, and mobilize them to take action and organize others in their communities, then this could be a very powerful force.

KW: The cynic in me wonders whether your organization really has widespread grassroots support, or if it is basically being backed by some arch-conservative billionaires like the Koch brothers.

MR: This is driven by everyday people.

Our average donation is $84. I get why the other side might try to frame it as a right-wing movement, but the bottom line is I am a lifelong Democrat. My husband is a Democratic politician. I was appointed by a Democrat.

The vast majority of the goals on our policy agenda are similar to what President Obama and his administration are advocating.

KW: I tried teaching in an inner-city public school after I first graduated from Cor-

Education reform advocate and author Michelle Rhee says “spending more money without fixing the fundamental flaws in the system wonʼt produce anything different in terms of results.”

nell, but was quickly disillusioned by things like social promotion and low expectations.

So, I admire how you took a similar path, but stuck in there, perhaps because you came from a family of educators.

MR: One of the reasons I wrote the book was to tell my story and to talk about my journey with educational reform, so people can understand why I have the views I have today. I have an absolutely unshakable faith in kids, grounded in the fact that I worked for three years in one of the worst public schools in Baltimore, with kids most people would write off because of their backgrounds.

But, when I set high expectations, at the end of the day, these kids went from scoring at the bottom on standardized tests, to scoring at the top, despite their unfortunate circumstances. I actually saw what could happen with my own two eyes. That experience set a light bulb off in my head that any kid could do it, if you create the right school environment. That’s what drives me every day.

Why wouldn’t we as a country want to do that?

KW: What do you think of school vouchers, charter schools, lotteries and heartbreaking documentaries like “Waiting for Superman?”

MR: If you lived in a neighborhood with a failing public school, and you had an opportunity to take advantage of a voucher or other program that would allow you to send your child to a better school, there isn’t a single parent who would say “no.” That’s why movies like “Waiting for Superman” are so helpful. They show things from the perspective of inner-city families who would do anything to ensure a decent education for their kids. That shatters stereotypes in a very powerful way.

KW: Harriet Pakula-Teweles asks: “What was the biggest lesson you learned from your experience in DC?” MR: We were taking the right steps to fix a dysfunctional school system. But I didn’t realize at the time that how you do things is just as important as what you do.

KW: Harriet also asks: “How can we empower educational systems on the local level that have such drastic financial concerns that they’re making very round corners?”

MR: We are in tough economic times right now, and the first thing we have to do is look at how we’re spending the dollars that we have, and at what kind of return on investment we’re getting. Because I think it will show that spending more money without fixing the fundamental flaws in the system won’t produce anything different in terms of results. In DC, we were spending a whole lot of money on things that had no positive impact on students’ achievement levels.

KW: Kate Newell asks: “How committed are you to saving art programs in schools?”

MR: Even though we closed 15 percent of the schools in DC my first year, we were able to put an art teacher, a music teacher, a P.E. teacher, a librarian, a nurse and a guidance counselor or social worker at every school in the district, whereas before, only the wealthy schools had art teachers, because that community could have an auction and hire art teachers on its own. We pooled the resources for all the schools and thereby broadened the resources available to all the students in the district, which I think was critical.

KW: Are you a stereotypical Asian “Tiger Mom”?

MR: (Chuckles) Do I hold high expectations of them? Yeah. But we all have to have more rigorous expectations of our kids in this country.

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

MR: I just see a mom. That’s who I am and what drives my actions and decisions every day.

KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is your earliest childhood memory?

MR: Being in nursery school, and hearing the teachers saying, “She’s slow.” I remember thinking, “You don’t know anything about me.”

ENTERTAINMENT

Tri-State Defender

Page 9

May 23 - 29, 2013

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam’s Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

Universal Pictures rolls out a sixth installment to its “Fast and Furious” franchise.

(Photo: Universal Pictures) Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

For movies opening May 24, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS

“Epic” (PG for mild action, scary images and brief rude humor) Animated fantasy about a headstrong teenager (Amanda Seyfried) who is magically shrunken and transported to a parallel universe where she is called upon to join forces with a band of diminutive warriors in an epic showdown between good and evil.

Voice cast includes Beyoncé, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler, Christoph Waltz, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell and Pitbull.

“Fast & Furious 6” (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, mayhem, violence and intense action) Latest edition of the luxury car franchise revolves around the gang’s reuniting to help a Diplomatic Security Service agent (Dwayne Johnson) thwart a conspiracy masterminded by a mercenary (Luke Evans) specializing in vehicular warfare. Ensemble includes Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster and Tyrese.

“The Hangover III” (R for sexuality, drug use, violence, brief nudity and pervasive profanity) Third offering in the road trip franchise finds the wolf pack (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifiniakis and Justin Bartha) returning to Las Vegas for another raunchy round of male-bonding hijinks. With Melissa McCarthy, Dr. Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Mike Epps and Jeffrey Tambor.

The animated film “Epic” is voiced by a cast that includes Beyoncé and Pitbull.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

“Before Midnight” (R for sexuality, nudity and profanity) Minimalist drama directed by Richard Linklater with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reprising their roles as lovers now on vacation in Greece in this character-driven sequel to “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset.”

With Ariane Labed, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick and Athina Rachel Tsangari. (In English and Greek with subtitles)

“Fill the Void” (PG for smoking and mature themes) Israeli drama, set in Tel Aviv, about a Hassidic bride-to-be (Hadas Yaron) who is pressured by her mother (Irit Sheleg) to break off her engagement and marry her widowed brother-in-law (Yiftach Klein) after her

sister (Renana Paz) dies while giving birth to her nephew. With Hila Feldman, Yael Tal and Ido Samuel. (In Hebrew with subtitles)

“A Green Story” (Unrated) American Dream biopic about Van Vlahkis (Ed O’Ross), a Greek immigrant who came to the United States in the Fifties with $22 in his pocket and proceeded to build an eco-friendly business into a multimillion-dollar empire. Featuring Shannon Elizabeth, Malcolm McDowell, Roger Bart, Billy Zane and Annabella Sciorra.(In English, Greek and German with subtitles) “We Steal Secrets” (R for profanity, sexuality and disturbing images) Whistleblower documentary about Wikileaks, the anti-establishment website created by free-speech firebrand Julian Assange.

HOROSCOPES

March 28 – April 2, 2013

ARIES You may find that discussions at home have taken a sudden, spiritual orientation. Give everyone room to express their personal beliefs without trying to preach your point of view. Your open-mindedness helps you with deep learning this week.

TAURUS Feeling bold, are we? Well, go with the flow of your feelings! No other sign can call on inner courage as easily as you. Whether at home, at work, or out on the town, let your personal statements be stylish and bold!

GEMINI Tempers may flare around you this week but it’s nothing personal, so keep your mind on your own work and let others act up. You’ll be doing yourself a big favor if you get some exercise this week!

CANCER Restless feelings may arise over health matters, or perhaps education or the lack of it. Do what you need to do to feel comfortable with yourself. If it involves seeing a dentist or taking a class, what’s stopping you? Self-improvement can be a very enjoyable game!

LEO Set a limit on what you can do for others this week. You’ll enjoy your feelings more if you are straightforward about refusing a less than appetizing assignment. Trust your feelings and say “No, I won’t.” Clear boundaries help you define yourself.

VIRGO Let happiness flow inside and outside of you this week. Refuse to be drawn into any pseudocrisis and you’ll stay happy. Stay quietly on task and you’ll have accomplished much by the end of this busy week.

LIBRA A dream in which you already are what you hope to be will offer much insight into your current situation. Take some practical steps to keep the focus on this wonderful vision. You know you can be what you see!

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

SAGITTARIUS You can be very efficient this week if you set your will to the task. New ideas will occur to you as you are working steadily, so keep pencil and paper nearby to jot down your latest brilliance!

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

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

AQUARIUS A message this week may necessitate travel on your part, and you may feel obligated to do something you don’t want to. Let the energy flow past you and do what you think is best. Who you are is who you are—be glad about it!

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

Source: NNPA News Service

Page 10

Employment

We have an opening for job looking for the following: Accounts Bookkeeper, Representatives, Payable/Receivable Requirements: Ability to function independently in a fast paced environment. If you are interested in this job or other Accounting job opportunities from Accounting please apply online at ptommy61@gmail.com

Legal notices

REQUEST for PROPOSALS Proposal Number 13-0030 Service Provider for Wireless Fidelity System and Distributed Antenna System Proposals for a Service Provider for a Wireless Fidelity System (“WiFi”) and Distributed Antenna System (“DAS”) will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (“Authority” or “MSCAA”), Staff Services Division, Memphis International Airport, Administration and Support Facility, 3505 Tchulahoma Road, Memphis, TN 38118-2718 until 11:00 AM CST on June 20, 2013.

INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS The response to the Request for Proposals (“RFP”) shall be submitted in a sealed envelope or container. Each envelope or container must be clearly marked on the outside with the following: 1) Request for Proposals, Service Provider for Wireless Fidelity System and Distributed Antenna System, 2) RFP Number 13-0030 and 3) Your company name and address. No responses will be accepted after the stated deadline. A complete RFP packet with submittal instructions, additional data, and response format may be found on our website www.mscaa.com on or after May 28, 2013.

All firms, individuals and other entities (“Proposers”) are hereby notified that all updates, addenda and additional information, if any, shall be posted to the MSCAA website and Proposers are responsible for checking the MSCAA website up to the time of the RFP. A mandatory pre-proposal conference will be held May 31, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. CST at the Authorityʼs Board Room, Terminal Building, Mezzanine Level, 2491 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38116.

Only those attending will be allowed to submit responses to this Request for Proposals. Due to security restraints, only firms submitting an RFP response as a prime contractor shall be allowed on the tour and the number of representatives per firm shall be limited to two (2) persons.

The selected Proposer will act as a Service Provider for Wi-Fi and DAS Service Offerings, including services needed to fully install, operate, maintain, and manage the system(s) to the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority at the Memphis International Airport.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Proposals in whole or in part and to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions therein. The Authority also reserves the right to reject any response when a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or predecessor in interest of the Proposer has pending litigation or claims with the Authority, or if any response include a proposed subcontractor or supplier that has pending litigation or

CLASSIFIEDS

Tri-State Defender

May 23 - 29, 2013

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 this RFP, or for any other reason as determined by the Authority.

Any such response will be returned to the Proposer. All Proposers must use forms provided by the Authority.

The Authority hereby notifies that it will review and award bids/proposals in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4a (the “Act”) and Title 49, Part 23, 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 Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“ACDBEs”) will be afforded full opportunity to submit Proposals in response 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 49 CFR Part 23/26. The ACDBE participation goal for any contract awarded as a result of this RFP is 27.49% in accordance with the requirements of the RFP documents.

Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Larry D. Cox, A.A.E. President LEGAL NOTICE TO BIDDERS Small Business Plan DeWitt Spain Airport – Common Hangars Heaters Memphis International Airport MSCAA Project Number 13-1358-00 Sealed bids for the DeWitt Spain Airport – Common Hangars Heaters, MSCAA Project No. 13-1358-00, will be received by the Staff Services Division of the MemphisShelby County Airport Authority (MSCAA), 3505 Tchulahoma Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38118, until 2:00 PM Local Time on Thursday, July 11, 2013, and immediately thereafter will be opened and publicly read.

BIDS WILL NOT BE RECEIVED AT ANY OTHER LOCATION. The scope of work generally consists of installation of tube-type infrared heaters at the General DeWitt Spain Airport. Work efforts include, but are not necessarily limited to, removal of existing heaters; modification of interior gas piping; installation of new heaters, thermostats, and controls; electrical connections; preservation of existing facilities and finishes; and other efforts as required.

Bid Documents may be obtained and found on our website (www.mscaa.com) on or after Friday, May 24, 2013. Bid documents may be examined at the following locations in Memphis, TN: Builderʼs Exchange Plans Room, McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge Plans Room, Memphis Area Minority Contractorʼs Association, Mid-South Minority Business Council, National Association of Minority Contractors, and Renaissance Business Center Bid Room. Information regarding obtaining bid documents, addenda to these documents and any other additional information may be found on our website

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

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All 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 Bid opening.

A MANDATORY Pre-Bid Meeting will be held Thursday, June 6, 2013, at 9:00 AM at the General DeWitt Spain Airport, 2787 North Second Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38127. Only Prime Contractors who attend the Pre-Bid Meeting will be permitted to submit a bid. The project site will be available for inspection immediately following the meeting.

The MSCAA, 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, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, Small Business Concerns (SBC) will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response 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. This project falls under our Small Business Plan in accordance with 49 CFR Part 26.39 and thus there are no goals associated.

Each bid must be by a contractor licensed in Tennessee and accompanied by a 5% Bid Guarantee. In accordance with TCA §62-6-119, the Bidder, and where applicable, one contractor/subcontractor performing electrical, plumbing or heating ventilation work must have its license number, expiration date of the license, and that part of the classification applying to the bid shown on the outside of the envelope containing the bid. Failure to supply all information on the outside of the envelope will

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result in the return of the unopened envelope to the Bidder. The successful Bidder will be required to execute a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond, each in the amount of 100% of the Contract Price. Liquidated damages for delay in contract completion shall be as stated in the Contract Documents.

No Bidder may withdraw an opened bid within the defined period following actual bid opening without MSCAAʼs consent.

Award will be made to the lowest and best responsible qualified Bidder, if any contract is awarded.

MSCAA reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities, technicalities or omissions therein. MSCAA also reserves the right to reject bids from bidders that have pending litigation or claims with MSCAA, or if such bid includes a proposed subcontractor or supplier that has pending litigation or claims with MSCAA, if MSCAA determines, in its sole discretion, such litigation or claims may adversely affect the ability of the parties to work efficiently and effectively under this contract, or for any other reason as determined by MSCAA. Any such bid will be returned to the bidder. See Instructions to Bidders in the project specifications for a further description of this and other reservations of rights.

MEMPHIS-SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY

By Larry D. Cox, President & CEO ALL INTERESTED BIDDERS The Board of Education of the Memphis City Schools District will accept electronic bids for Common Core Text Exemplars.

Visit our website for additional information: http://www.mcsk12.net/ aboutmcs_procurements.asp Questions concerning bid/proposal should be addressed to Procurement Services at (901) 416-5376.

Thank you for supporting Memphis City Schools.

Jacqueline Saunders, Director

Memphis City Schools – Procurement Services

NOTICE TO BIDDER(S) Shelby County Government, an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer, seeks proposals from member organizations of the Mid-South Regional Greenprint Consortium to conduct sub-planning projects toward the development of the MidSouth Regional Greenprint and Sustainability Plan. The RFP is located on the Countyʼs website at www.shelby countytn.gov. Go to Online Services and click on “Purchasing Bids” to locate the above-described RFP. If you do not have access to the Internet and require us to send you a hard copy of the RFP, please call us at (901) 222-2250 to request a copy.

RFP #13-005-84 “Greenprint SubPlanning Awards for Shelby County Tennessee and Surrounding Areas” Due date Friday, August 9, 2013 @ 4:00 PM 1st Pre-Bid Conference: Will be held 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, Thursday, May 30, 2013 at the following location: Pickering Center 7771 Poplar Pike, Germantown, TN. 2nd Pre-Bid Conference: Will be held 10:00 am to 11:30 am, Friday, June 21, 2013 at the following location: Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, 1900 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104 Shelby County is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drug-free with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service.

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

Miscellaneous

“NATURAL BREATHING” TO DESTRESS. FREE! Itʼs simple - When you inhale, just inhale a tiny bit more lower down than usual.

Then, exhale like you usually do. Thatʼs all!

Do just a few breaths to start, 5 or 10. Then just go back to your usual breathing. Later that day, do another 5 or 10 breaths. Do it for a few days. As you get used to it, do 10 or 20 breaths twice a day. As weeks pass, slowly add more breaths and do it more times a day. Do it anywhere, and feel less stressed.

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Tri-State Defender

COMMUNITY

Page 11

May 23 - 29, 2013

LENS & LINES

In Chauncey Laneʼs math class, raised hands suggest success. (Courtesy photo)

Hands held high reflect a teacher to count on Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Alisha Tillery

Strongman Tulga Battokh amazed onlookers with his brute strength.

Auriyanna Carpenter (left) and James Porter get up close and personal with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus during the pre-show.

Chauncey Lane – seventh grade math teacher at Hickory Hill Middle School – stands before a class of eager students with their hands raised skyward. He has a big question about fraction multiplication and the hands are linked to minds eager to answer.

The classroom walls are stripped bare to lower distractions during end-of-year standardized testing. The exception is Lane’s TCAP Hall of Fame.

It’s his way of recognizing students who have excelled in the mathematics portion of the state’s comprehensive test, while motivating others.

This week (May 18-25) Lane is being recognized by the district and the Memphis community for his achievement in the classroom. He is part of the I Teach. I Am…an Irreplaceable exhibit. Six hundred teachers in Memphis City Schools will be honored daily through the multi-media exhibit at 75 S. Main from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“Teachers have the power to drastically change the trajectory of lives, overcoming many obstacles in the process,” said Michael Neal, compensation coordinator for the Teacher Effective Initia-

tive. “This power makes teaching one of the most meaningful and challenging professions and the entire profession should be elevated given its importance.

Some teachers help children grow more than a grade at a time, Neal said. “These teachers are to be celebrated and honored for their contributions, so here is yet another way that we celebrate these teachers in our community.”

The exhibit is an extension of the ongoing I Teach. I Am campaign in which educators known as “Irreplaceables,” are recognized publicly on billboards and public transit vehicles. They are called Irreplaceables because it can take 11 hires to acquire a replacement if a top-performing teacher leaves the district, according to TNTP’s 2012 study, “The Irreplaceables.”

Top-performing teachers have high scores on the Teacher Effectiveness Measure. The evaluation tool scores teaching performance based on classroom observation, student surveys, content knowledge and student growth and achievement.

After a year of instruction, Lane’s sixth grade students received the highest TCAP summative scores in the district.

As a result, his principal asked that he teach them again in seventh-grade to ensure more

Weekend circus turns Landers Center into a land of adventure Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Warren Roseborough I’ve been a photographer for many, many years and nothing brings me greater reward than capturing the encounters between children and the world around them.

Last Friday (May 17), I got yet another chance to record the wonderment that takes place when young people encounter the new and unknown in a safe and secure environment.

The venue was the Landers Center in Southaven and the setting was the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, which ran May 17-19. The circus’

theme was “Fully Charged,” which easily could have described the children’s reaction before, during and after.

I’ve covered this circus previously, learning to get there early so I can capture the pre-show, when the children – from a few years old to teens – get to interact with some of the best that the circus has to offer. They lend the strong man a hand, dance with clowns, touch the camels and make pals of elephants.

I love the look on their faces and how the kids’ enjoyment draw deep smiles from their parents and guardians.

And the circus being the circus, an enduring truth always surfaces – that there is a child-like aspect to all of us.

Duchess the Elephant eating a whole loaf of bread at the pre-show.

academic gains.

Lane, the math department chair, says many teachers often feel unappreciated and that the I Teach. I Am campaign is a breath of fresh air.

“I felt like a star. Like, ‘Wow, they’re doing this type of thing for teachers now?’ …

I’m floored to be able to look around the city on poster boards and see people in my profession, instead of rappers or things like that.”

The recognition is motivation, said Lane.

“I think it was a huge boost to my morale, and it made my professionalism go up a little more,” he said. “I’m focusing more on accuracy and data and making sure every child achieves.”

Lane often introduces his lessons with information on careers that use mathematical concepts. For real-life perspectives, he ushers in professionals such as architects to speak to his students.

“Now, they’re engaged. They want to know,” he said. “I try to show them how this is going to benefit them in their future.”

Student growth begins at the start of the school year, not leading up to testing,” he said.

“Through the year, it’s just conditioning their minds to be critical thinkers. That’s what they’re going to need to survive in the future.”

School leaders from GRAD Academy Memphis provide details about the new-start transformation high school now enrolling for the 2013-14 school year. Pictured: Dr. Daryl Ogden, CEO, Dr. Stephanie Hill, dean of students, and MP Carter, a Community Advisory Board member.

(Courtesy photo)

GRAD Academy Memphis ready for August debut GRAD Academy Memphis, a new-start transformation high school recently authorized by the Tennessee Achievement School District (ASD), is now enrolling for the 2013-14 school year.

On Friday (May 17), school leaders announced plans to increase academic achievement, high school graduation, and college attainment and persistence rates among students who reside in the South Memphis community. A technology-focused instructional model will serve students in grades 9-12.

The school’s educational management organization, Project GRAD USA, is one of the nation’s largest college access programs for students in low-income areas, with more than 200 schools operating in cities across the country.

GRAD Academy Memphis is the first Project GRAD USA school to open in Tennessee, and will be housed in Southside Middle School.

It is the sixth school operating within the Achievement School District in Memphis.

“We recognize and appreciate the transformative work that is taking place to improve the public school system, and we are honored by the oppor-

tunity we have to help more local children excel,” said Daryl Ogden, CEO of Project GRAD USA. ASD Supt. Chris Barbric, said the ASD was thrilled to work with Project Grad to launch one of the district’s first two new high schools. In the fall, the ASD will directly manage a new 9th grade Academy in the Frayser community in North Memphis “Project Grad’s track record and commitment to help high school students of all backgrounds make it to and through college is exactly the kind of opportunity that our students deserve and Project Grad will deliver,” said Barbric.

Nationwide, low-income students enrolled in Project GRAD schools reportedly are completing college at a rate of 92 percent above the national average.

Dr. Stephanie Hill, dean of Students for GRAD Academy Memphis, said the school is designed on the New Tech Network – a computer integrated, project based learning model developed in 1999, with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) curricular focus.”

“To further prepare our rising scholars to secure career opportunities in today’s fastest growing industries, each student will be provided a personal laptop for use within the school facility, and our parents will have the ability to track their child’s academic progress online in real time,” Hill said.

The first 50 students who apply to GRAD Academy Memphis will be subsequently enrolled in a corresponding Freedom Schools Program – a free, six-week summer enrichment intensive designed by the Children’s Defense Fund.

The program is to help children “fall in love with reading, increase their self-esteem, and to promote civic engagement through a variety of exploratory learning activities.”

GRAD Academy Memphis will begin the 2013-14 school year with a 9th grade class of 175 students, adding a grade each year until it becomes a full 9-12 high school in 201617.

(For more information or to apply to GRAD Academy Memphis, call 901-206-8848, email enroll@gradacademy memphis.org or go to www.projectgrad.org.)

SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, May 23 - 29, 2013, Page 12

GRIZZ TRACK

Placing athletics above academics COMMENTARY

Why does sports play such a prominent role in college education? Does it crowd out the attention we pay to other aspects of college life? Why are student athletes treated like slaves or gladiators, playing to pay colleges for the fruits of their labor? Other students enjoy “school spirit” when Julianne their team wins, and uniMalveaux versities collect revenue from advertisers when they make it to the big leagues.

Women’s sports don’t reap the same benefits that men’s sports do. Still, Spelman’s President Beverly Daniels Tatum deserves kudos for eliminating the college’s basketball program in favor of providing physical education for all of Spelman’s students. She made the important calculation that organized sports activity costs hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, and just a few students benefit from the athletic training. To be sure, school spirit is elevated when Spelman students cheer against opponents; yet a burst of school spirit, however, is worth a lot less than graduating a cadre of physically aware, if not fit, young women.

At Bennett College for Women, our goal was to educate the “whole” woman – academically, intellectually, spiritually, physically, and socially. Yes, people come to college to be prepared academically, but colleges are more than four-year matriculation experiences. This is why so many colleges attempt to offer a holistic experience for students.

Unfortunately, too many schools place athletics above other aspects of student development. At Penn State University, the football team was such a moneymaking machine that the fabled coach Joe Paterno jeopardized his legacy by allegedly covering up a sex abuse scandal.

At Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University (FAMU), the revered marching band found its glitter not only tarnished but also corroded by the death of one of the band members as a result of his hazing.

At Duke University, lacrosse players were accused of enticing, then abusing strippers at their apartments. While the allegations were disputed, the university earned a black eye for the bad behavior of its athletes.

At nearby University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, departing Chancellor Holden Thorp spent nearly half of his time dealing with athletic scandals that included noshow classes for football players, the firing of a coach, and the possibility of academic sanctions against the university.

Basketball and football at top athletic universities (as distinguished from top academic universities) generate millions of dollars for their institutions. Athletes may be rewarded with scholarships, but with full time academic and training schedules, have to hustle for money to buy a phone, travel home, and pay for other incidentals. If a generous alumnus chooses to subsidize a student for these expenses, both the student and the school will be sanctioned.

Why not pay these athletes at least some of the money they are generating for their colleges? Or why not take college athletics down a notch, putting the millions of dollars of advertising money aside in favor of the purpose of college – education. This would probably shatter a student-pimping industry.

It would also remind students that their tenure in college is about academics, not athletics.

This proposal is as likely to be implement as ice cubes are likely to survive 10 seconds in hell. Yet college leaders must grapple with the many ways that sports dollars and energy distort the educational experience.

There are stadiums full of fans clapping for the last 3-pointer, or the winning touchdown, but little applause for the Phi Beta Kappa graduate, or the best poet on campus. These are societal values that have, unfortunately, penetrated the ivory tower.

My interest in this issue is the fact that many of the athletes are African Americans who often come from low- and moderate-income families. Many are student athletes who combine their athletic prowess with academic ability. Too many others have been recruited for their athletic prowess, notwithstanding athletic ability. Classes that do require little – not even attendance – do not advance the long-term interests of students.

When student-athletes get hurt, what happens to them? Some colleges will continue their scholarships, others will not. Further, the likelihood of moving from the college basketball court or gridiron to a professional one is something like 1 percent. Those who aren’t drafted and don’t make it to an athletic career often languish without even basic skills to market.

If I had my way, I’d ask that every college spend more on physical fitness than on student athletics. If I had my way, fitness would be as required a course as literature or history. Truly, if I had my way I would consider putting exploitive college athletics on the back burner.

I’m not going to have my way. On too many of our nation’s college campuses the sports mission has overshadowed the education mission. Kudos President Beverly Tatum for choosing the road less traveled.

(Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist and writer. She is President Emerita of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, N.C.)

Grizz fans line up in the ʻGrind Houseʼ to get their rooting gear. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)

Down 2-0, Grizz face need to be themselves Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kenny B. Johnson

Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference finals started strange for the Memphis Grizzlies and ended with the same degree of strangeness as they fell to the San Antonio Spurs in overtime 93-89.

Now comes two games in Memphis at FedExForum, with Game 3 essentially a mustwin opportunity, if the Grizz want to keep hope alive for an appearance in the NBA Finals.

Coach Lionel Hollins talked before Game 2 about wanting the Grizzlies, who are getting increased attention in their first Western Conference finals appearance, to avoid being like the boy in junior high school who suddenly decides he needs to change once he gets noticed by a pretty girl.

“We are who we are and we have to stay who

we are, and we have to understand that no matter who’s coming and talking to us, we have to be true to our identity,” Hollins said, “and we can’t go changing and shaving and taking a bath when we haven’t taken one all along.”

Memphis fans are expected to pack the “Grind House” and do their part to help the Grizzlies return to their “true identity” for Game 3.

The usually efficient offense was non-existent in Game 2 as the Spurs led by as much as 18 points. Memphis could not buy a basket and on several occasions, missed lay-ups, wide open jumpers, and had an uncharacteristic amount of turnovers. This was definitely not the same Grizzlies team that we expected to see in this series.

As he did in Game 1, Spurs star point guard Tony Parker torched the Grizzlies with timely buckets, unbelievable assists, and leadership of a championship squad. Even after future Hall-

of-Famer Tim Duncan went to the bench with four fouls, Parker continued to be aggressive in involving other teammates. He had 14 assists in the second and third quarter and eventually went past his career-high for the regular season of 17 during the overtime.

When Parker finally went to the bench, they were comfortably ahead 72-54. But as they have done during these playoffs, the Grizzlies mounted a “grit and grind” type comeback with a 16-6 run of their own, getting as close as 7870. The Spurs countered by bringing Parker back in and once again, the lead grew to 13 points.

Somewhere, I could hear the “We believe” chants ringing loud in Grizz Nation as the Grizzlies stormed back with a 15-2 run over the final 8 minutes of regulation to tie the game at 85. The overtime session was not kind to the Grizz as Duncan scored three times to put the Spurs ahead 91-87 and an eventual win.

Shaq Goodwin gets Team USA shot

Shaq Goodwin goes to the rack against Marshall. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)

University of Memphis rising sophomore Shaq Goodwin has accepted an invitation to attend the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team training camp June 14-19 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC), the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee announced Wednesday.

Players selected after training camp will represent the United States at FIBA U19 World Championship June 27-July 7 in Prague, Czech Republic.

If Goodwin is selected, it would be the fifthstraight year a Tiger played on a Team USA squad. Goodwin played for the U18 team in 2012 and joined Joe Jackson (U19, 2011) and Adonis Thomas (U17, 2010; U16, 2009) in representing the U.S. in international competition.

Goodwin is one of 24 players invited to the training camp.

Last summer, Goodwin came off the bench in all five U18 contests to average 12.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. He led Team USA in field goal percentage (80 percent) and free throw percentage (77.8 percent).

This past season with the Tigers, the 6foot-9, 246-pound forward saw action in all 36 games and made 33 starts. Goodwin averaged 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds, while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 62.8 percent from the free throw line. He also had 40 blocked shots, the second-most on the team.

The 2013 USA U19 World Championship Team will be led by a trio of experienced and successful college coaches, with Florida’s Billy Donovan as head coach and Virginia’s Tony Bennett and VCU’s Shaka Smart as assistant coaches.