VOL. 62, No. 18
www.tsdmemphis.com
May 2 - 8, 2013
‘Three Doctors’ to the rescue Frayser High students hear flip-the-script message
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Bernal E. Smith II
The Freedom Award winning and nationally acclaimed “Three Doctors” – Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt – established residence for a day (April 30) at Frayser High School as part of
Teach for America Week. In addition to the Three Doctors’ appearance at Frayser, the FedEx supported and sponsored week included FedEx executives, city officials and other notables spending time as guest teachers in classrooms throughout Memphis. At Frayser High, students got the “real deal” from the three brothers who transcended the hard streets of “Brick City,” aka Newark, N. J. Each shared his story of coming up without a father in the home, difficulties and bad decisions. Collectively they detailed the “Pact” that helped propel them to better lives through educa-
75 Cents
Watchtower role keeps Compliance Office hopping Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones ʻThe Three Doctorsʼ – Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Dr. Rameck Hunt – spoke to students and guests at Frayer High School on Tuesday as part of Teach for America Week. (Photo George Tillman Jr.) tion. Following their talk to the student body, a special book signing and a photo session with honor students
and invited guests, I talked with them about myriad aspects of their jourSEE DOCTORS ON PAGE 13
WOE 2013 – Tribute to a legend
(Part III of a TSD series exploring the behind-the-scenes work of building the city’s minority- and womenowned business enterprise sector.)
The City of Memphis Office of Contract Compliance stands like a watchtower over the process designed to improve the city’s spending effort with minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). Compliance Officer Mary Bright served as guide as The New Tri-State Defender pursued a broader understanding of the office’s intricacy and the workload. But first, this question: “Why is the office needed?” In 1996, the Memphis/Shelby County Intergovernmental Consortium (city and county governments, Memphis Area Transit Authority, Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division and others) adopted a Disparity Study conducted by D.J. Miller & Associates. Over 14 months, the firm analyzed the city’s effectiveness in providing business opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms. It was updated in 2010. In October 2010, the Memphis City Council passed on final reading City Ordinance #5384, which created the Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) Program. Bright describes the EBO Program as, “a race and gender based program that is intended to provide opportunity within local, governmental contracting for a demographic that has historically been discriminated against and left out of that process. It has allowed many MWBE subcontractors to build capacity so that he/she is able to bid on contracts as a SEE COMPLIANCE ON PAGE 2
- INSIDE -
• ‘A Social TKO’ & the proper way to fight Life back. See Opinion, page 4. Rose Jackson Flenorl (left) and Marilynn S. Robinson, senior vice president at Saint Francis Healthcare and co-pastor at St. Andrew AME Church, during a pinning ceremony for previous TSD Women of Excellence honorees. (Photos: Demarcus Bowser)
TSD annual salute to Women of Excellence also has forward spin
Dr. Smith among the first 50. Keynote speaker Rose Jackson Flenorl addressed Dr. Packed house, high energy, smiling faces Smith’s monumental commitment to equality and poignant reflections – all accurate de- and education and the overall betterment of scriptors of The New Tri-State Defender’s Greater Memphis. 2013 Women of Excellence Reflecting on Dr. Smith’s (WOE) Champagne Brunch legacy of service, Flenorl, and Awards Celebration last Manager of Social ResponsibilSaturday (April 27). ity at FedEx Corporation, said Despite a rainy start to the she and each person in the morning, the Memphis Botanic room had to decide whether to Gardens still provided a picturstep up and personally carry on esque setting for the sixth edias Dr. Smith had done for so tion of the WOE gala. many years. She pledged her Another dynamic group of commitment. African-American women Flenorl urged the WOE honwere saluted for their continued • Additional photos and orees – and all who came out to contributions and community a tribute in verse. See support and honor them – to efforts. And throughout the trib- pages 8–9. “buy a ticket.” It was a referute there were reflections on the ence to her light-hearted openlife and legacy of the late Dr. ing narrative, which chronicled Maxine Smith, who passed on Friday – the a woman who repeatedly prayed that she day before the event. The TSD now has saluted 300-plus SEE WOMEN ON PAGE 2 African-American women via the gala, with The New Tri-State Defender
Kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com
by Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku
A civil rights icon to many, Dr. Maxine A. Smith was first and foremost a friend of longstanding to Peggy Cox Brewer. Dr. Smith, who died last Friday (April 26) after an extended illness, is practically synonymous with the Memphis Branch NAACP (having served
for decades as executive secretary) and education (longtime Memphis Board of Education commissioner and a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents). Brewer, the widow of former State Rep. Harper Brewer, acknowledges and appreciates all of Dr. Smith’s career accomplishments. They are just not the first things that come to mind. “Maxine,” she said, “cared deeply about people.” And with that opening, Brewer tapped into her memory of her friend. SEE SMITH ON PAGE 3
• St. Patrick’s ready to roll with mobile produce market. See Religion, page 7. • Wooddale student wins Congressional Art honor. See Entertainment, page 10.
TSD President/ Publisher Bernal E. Smith II (left) and Chuck Thomas III, Regional Director, AT&T External & Legislative Affairs, were among the men saluting women at the 2013 Women of Excellence Champagne Brunch and Awards Celebration last Saturday (April 27).
• Grizz ready for playoff game six on Friday See Sports, page 14.
MEMPHIS WEEKEND
Dr. Maxine A. Smith got the job done ʻMaxine cared deeply about peopleʼ
• Neelys attend White House Correspondents’ dinner. See Business, page 5.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
H -56o - L-41o Ra i n
H- 5 8 o - L - 4 6 o Few Sho wers
H- 6 1 o - L - 4 7 o Mostl y Cl o udy
REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS
ʻWith her death, Memphis has lost a legendary leader for human rights and one of the brightest stars in the great expanse of our cityʼs history,” said Mayor AC Wharton Jr. of Dr. Maxine A. Smith. (Photo Tyrone P. Easley)
Friday H-52 L-39 H-75 L-49 H-61 L-40
Saturday H-61 L-45 H-54 L-49 H-68 L-47
Sunday H-66 L-48 H-62 L-48 H-70 L-51
NEWS
Page 2
Cynthia Scales was among the Women of Excellence alumnae who attended the 2013 gala celebration. (Photo Demarcus Bowser)
WOMEN
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
would win the lottery to escape her financial burdens. After one last catastrophe, another plea heavenward and questioning why God had not delivered, the woman in the story heard a voice that said, “Buy a ticket.” One must make preparation for blessings and opportunity was Flenorl’s point, which she drove home effectively with facts and personal anecdotes. “I can safely say that all who heard her left with at least one golden nugget from which to be encouraged or to pass on for encouragement to another,” said TSD President/Publisher Bernal E. Smith II. The TSD’s ultimate goal,
said Smith, is “to not only honor, recognize and celebrate our Women of Excellence, but to uplift and encourage them in their continued good works.” The key for the WOE event, Smith said, “is to harness the collective energy, aggregating that power towards a ‘village’ effort in improving those things that continue to ail not only the African-American community but Greater Memphis as a whole.” Flenorl, who was among the 2012 WOE honorees, extended to the 2013 honorees a set of points that she had embraced on her journey of personal growth and development 1. Be of Service to Others “No one stands taller on their climb to success then when they bend down to help someone else.”
2. Be Prepared – Be a lifelong leaner – Educate then Re Education Learn everything you can about as much as you can. If you don’t know the ends and outs of your company, your profession or industry, you’re liable to experience more down’s than up’s in your career. 3. Set goals. Short term and long term goals. What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Do you have a realistic game plan defining where you want to be in the next year? Do you initiate projects or wait for them to be assigned to you? Are you enthusiastic – no matter how small the assignments? Are you considered a leader
Kenny ʻthe Sharkʼ Gant, two-time NFL Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys, brandishes his Super Bowl ring, alongside a WOE celebration attendee. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
COMPLIANCE
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
prime (contractor).” The eligible MWBE’s main office must be based within Shelby, Desoto, Marshall, Tate, Tunica, Crittenden, Fayette and Tipton counties – the Memphis Statistical Area. The EBO Program is paired with the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program, which, according to Bright, “has a goal of awarding at least 25% of the city contracting and purchase order dollars to small business located within the City of Memphis. It is a race and gender neutral program for prime (main) contractors.” An SBE eligible firm must have its principal office located in Memphis, and must be owned by a resident of Shelby, Desoto, Marshall, Tate, Tunica, Crittenden, Fayette or Tipton counties. The Compliance Office then goes into action to discuss current contract and bid orders from the various city divisions to see if there are possible dollars to be had for qualified MWBE and local firms. It’s a labor-intensive task covering the city’s varied needs – as far ranging as truckloads of office supplies to replacing fleets of cars. “We have to work with each division every month to compile their expenditure requests,” Bright explained. “We evaluate the scope of services needed for a project. Then we
Tri-State Defender
May 2 - 8, 2013
compare that scope of services needed with the list of the city’s verified MWBE list to see if there are firms potentially eligible to provide services for that particular project.” Based on the availability of MWBEs, a goal is then established for that project, Bright said. “Once the contract is awarded to the prime contractor we make sure that the MWBE they want to use is actually a certified firm.” It’s very time consuming, said Bright, “because you want to make sure that you are pinpoint accurate with your reports.” Certification is crucial. “You can’t take it for granted that the business is structured as it’s reported. You may have a minority male listed as the owner of the business, but have
a majority owner that actually owns the larger share. Certification assures that the businesses are structured properly.” After assuring that the city’s divisions have properly tried to insert MWBEs into the funding stream, more diligence is necessary to assure that the MWBEs that may have gained work from the process are the ones on the job. “We actually go out in to the field to verify who is on the job and what they are doing,” Bright assures. Much is at stake. “(Very often) other compliance agencies throughout the nation may view our reports and we study theirs,” said Bright. “We regularly study each other’s work to see what other areas are doing. It helps us all to be better.”
and an asset among those who count? Are you confident about yourself and your capabilities? Can you accept criticism and learn from your mistakes? Do you fit your company’s corporate image? Have you acquired a sponsor or mentor within the company?
Dorothy Jean Smith, who has worked as office manager for her husband, Dr. Robert J. Smith for 30 years, displays the symbol of her WOE selection. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
4. Overcome the Obstacles. Overcome your fears. Don’t be afraid to fail. Successful people are not afraid to fail. They accept failure and continue on, knowing that failure is a natural consequence of trying. Proverb warns, “If you intend to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal.”
5. Keep the faith. “Sorrow looks back. Worry looks around. Faith looks up.” “Faith gives a man hope and hope is what life is all about.” – Tom Landry, Coach “Without faith, nothing is possible. With faith, nothing is impossible.” – Mary McLeod Bethune.
NEWS
Tri-State Defender
May 2 - 8, 2013
At the 2009 Freedom Fund Gala, Dr. Vasco Smith shared in the observance of the NAACPʼs 100th Birthday Celebration with his wife, Maxine, and (lr) National NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous, former NAACP head and National Civil Rights Museum Chairman Benjamin L. Hooks and Herman Morris (seated) a past president of the Memphis Branch NAACP. (Photo: Wiley Henry)
SMITH
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
“She would do anything for you as a friend, and it didn’t matter what it was or how hard it was for her. She was just that kind of person. If she thought I was having a bad day, she would call me I don’t know how many times just to see how I was doing. Or she would call me at 11 o’clock at night or 12 o’clock just to talk.” The last conversation two had will be one that Brewer said she never will forget. It was last Monday. The husband of one of Dr. Smith’s out-oftown friends had died. Dr. Smith was mostly unavailable by telephone and Brewer got a call to go over to the house to let Dr. Smith know of the news. “I did and she was so concerned about how she (her friend) was doing that she could not even think about herself,” said Brewer. “She started telling me all she wanted me to do – get this and get that so that she could get it (to her friend) and support her. I said, ‘OK, I’ll go and pick all that up.’ I was supposed to take it back last Friday and I had gathered everything, but she died that day.” Brewer and Dr. Smith’s
Peggy Cox Brewer
friendship stretches back 41 years. For about two years, she worked directly with Dr. Smith, serving as the Memp h i s Branch NAACP program
director. “I was a teacher at Snowden School and I had done so much volunteer work (for the NAACP) that she was determined that I was going to come and work for the NAACP. My husband didn’t like it that much, not the NAACP, quitting my job with all my benefits to go to a job with none.” Brewer had young children and the job was “just too demanding” to go beyond the two years. She moved on to Memphis Light, Gas & Water. “Working at the NAACP, I would go there in the mornings like at 8 o’clock and sometimes I would not get home until 10 or 11 that night. And Maxine, she thought nothing about it, being there forever and making sure everything she wanted to accomplish was done. I had to stay there with her because
not only was it my job, I didn’t want to leave her there. We were loyal to each other.” People are talking about Dr. Smith’s accomplishments from myriad and varied places all over the city. All deserved, although Dr. Smith was never the kind of person who sought accolades, said Brewer. “Maxine did what she did for the city and the people in Memphis, and not only all the time black people. Sure, her struggle was too improve the plight of black people, but she was kind and courteous and generous to all people,” Brewer said. “Now, she had good judgment to the point that she could spot one that was not sincere right away.” Dr. Smith, said Brewer, “had lots of courage. She would say anything that she wanted, but she did have a way of saying things. She was feisty and she meant she was going to win. She had the ability to frame her words and not be abrasive. But she was not going to give up and she was going to push to the end, no matter what.” Many times, Dr. Smith would get discouraged, said Brewer, “but that made her more determined. It was important to her to accomplish her goals. … “There were times when she did not always get a ‘yes,’ but she would
always get her way in the end.” Services for Dr. Smith will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Metropolitan Baptist Church. The planning for the service calls for it to move in a timely many. Brewer chuckled, remembering that Dr. Smith often didn’t here to prescribed times. “Just walking to get somewhere, she would stop and talk to all these people. They would try to talk to her and she would stop to see what they wanted. And it could be anybody, people who didn’t even know her. That was her. She just really, really loved people?” Many good things will be said at the home going service, and they will be accurate, said Brewer. “I just want to say this: I think Maxine was a very remarkable person and that Memphis is a better place because of her. “There are people who didn’t like her…and probably still don’t like her because of the changes she made. But there were so many more that did.” (A public viewing for Dr. Smith also will be held at Metropolitan Baptist Church at 767 Walker on Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m. R.S. Lewis and Sons Funeral Home has charge. Burial will be in Elmwood.)
Page 3
Dr. Maxine A. Smith gets a congratulatory hug from Herb Hilliard during the ribbon cutting/open house of the Maxine A. Smith Center located at 8800 East Shelby Drive in southeast Memphis. The edifice replaces Southwest Tennessee Community Collegeʼs Southeast Center, formerly located on the corner of Winchester and Mendenhall. (Photo: Earl Stanback)
As executive secretary of the Memphis Branch NAACP, Maxine Smith cherished opportunities to support the efforts of other NAACP members and supporters. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
Page 4
John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)
The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper
A Real Times Newspaper
OPINION
Tri-State Defender
May 2 - 8, 2013
• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
Parenting with purpose offers lifetime benefits for children
When I was a little girl my parents told me that I could be anything that I wanted to be. By the time I entered the third grade, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to become a writer. My Mom says there was a short-lived phase when I would only communicate through writing. My Mom and Dad nurtured my early, yet perplexing interest in words and non-verbal communication (unless my behavior became disruptive). They provided an endless supply of books and diaries that were used as learning tools to improve literacy skills; to discover the world; to express myself creatively; and to vent my childhood frustrations and desires – all from the comfort of my bedroom. By middle school, I preferred to occupy any amount of free time by reading. I can recall being scolded for bringing books to the dinner table and for staying up past my bedtime to read and write. My Mom often mentions that my opinions on what having fun meant were different than those of most young children. “Sometimes, I still don’t know where you came from…you have always just been very different. You didn’t like to play with toys or outdoors, you really loved hanging around adults and listening to us tell stories,” she recalls. My childhood experiences have created positive memories that I often reflect upon. I vividly recall the enjoyment I gained from eavesdropping on or seeing how long I could get away with fading myself into the background of a robust “grown folks business” conversation, before being caught and immediately sent outside or upstairs to play with the other kids. I also remember the excitement and the sense of fulfillment I experienced from completing the latest Judy Blume or R.L. Stine “Goosebumps” book, or from filling blank pages in a new journal by creating my own short stories and occasional poems. As my love and passion for reading and writing flourished throughout high school and college, my career goals crystallized. I now understand that if it were not for my parents’ encouragement and their nurturing approach to my unique (nerd) interests and strengths during early childhood, it is less likely that I would have developed the confidence and skills to become a writer and journalist. I am grateful to them for ensuring that my individual needs were met, while also creating boundaries and limitations that made me feel special but not spoiled. My story is not uncommon. Many of us were raised by parents who purposely encouraged our wild imaginations, strengthened our spirits of independence and willingly sacrificed to make our adult achievements possible. According to The Urban Child Institute, parenting with purpose – also described as positive parenting – is essential for children to become successful on any career. Starting at birth, it is critical for parents to recognize their children’s unique gifts and to take steps necessary to help them become their best selves. To promote ideal mental, social and emotional outcomes for children, parents must devote a significant amount of time, love and attention – particularly during the first three
years of life. Touching, talking, reading and playing are proven ways to encourage healthy brain development. Creating and maintaining a safe and nurturing home enviTarrin ronment that McGhee caters to the basic and unique needs your child has also fosters the development of foundational tools such as language and literacy, self-control, an independent-thinking ability and problem-solving skills. All of these are needed to achieve academic and career success, and to confront and overcome adversity. The Urban Child Institute’s Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) study provides further evidence of the impact that family and home environment has on brain development in young children. The ongoing study follows a representative sampling of Shelby County mothers and children who range in age from the prenatal period to three years old. It evaluates the greatest risk factors that hinder optimal brain development, including poverty, maternal depression and low maternal education. Recent findings reveal that mothers with high stress levels caused by these circumstances were on average less affectionate, less patient and less responsive to their child’s needs. As a result, their babies are more susceptible to developing behavioral and emotional problems, in addition to learning challenges that can persist throughout childhood and adulthood. Amid turmoil, misfortune or difficult times in the family or home environment, parenting styles and techniques can make all the difference in determining how well or poorly a child will perform in school and adjust in society. According to The Urban Child Institute, parents who focus on creating positive experiences for their children lower the stress and anxiety levels they and their children experience. Giving and receiving unconditional love and support can often mitigate the effects of economic disparities and family challenges. No one can dispute the fact that children raised in middle- and highincome households will enjoy added benefits to aid in their overall development. However, even when financial resources are limited, positive parenting is still possible by ensuring that the emotional, physical and mental well-being of your child remains a top priority. What my parents lacked financially was accounted for in the overwhelming amount of time, energy and effort they exerted to ensure that my siblings and I could discover our talents and make our dreams a reality. We will forever be indebted to them for choosing to make our future success their primary purpose for living.
(The New Tri-State Defender has partnered with The Urban Child Institute to make sure every child has the best chance for optimal brain development during the critical first three years of each child’s life. This is one in a series of stories and columns in our campaign.)
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& the proper way to fight Life back.
‘A Social Technical Knockout’ (Kelvin Cowans, aka Six-Four, is an author/writer and Memphis-area mentor. He spoke recently to about 20 male youths at Southwest Prep Academy, where he was invited by Don Thomas, director of the Mentor Program.)
Definition of technical knockout: the termination of a boxing match when a boxer is unable or is declared by the referee to be unable (as because of injuries) to continue the fight – called also TKO. Source: Merriam Webster
The Talk
Gentlemen you are losing the fight. The reason that I know you are losing the fight is because you don’t even know that you are in a fight. You are in a fight for your passions, heritage, love, education and dreams. … I understand that I am here to speak on “Goals and Ambitions” and my reply to that is, “For what?” Line these chairs up into one single line across this room. … If you have a father in the house and you are not in a gang and you do not sagg your pants, move your chair forward. Wow, one, one out of twenty. So in essence I’m actually here to speak to just one kid. You wanna know why I’m obviously here to speak to one kid. It’s because society has already calculated that the rest of you will not make it before them to even be recognized for your goals, ambitions, college, job and nothing else. They figure that those of you without a father will eventually turn angry enough to turn every one around you against you, including the police and end up in jail. They figure that those of you who are in a gang will eventually kill each other or yourselves or do a crime violent enough to where they can package you up like a KFC combo and send the whole group to prison for life. They also figure – and know – that the rest of you who simply don’t know how to dress properly will never have a good interview and get the job you want, leading you to frustration, street life and ultimately prison. So to you young man, the one out of the twenty, please stand up and turn around and look at your statistics. You are one out of twenty and this is close to accurate, if not a perfect percentage, of how you will be judged by the world. So while you have the encouragement of your father and have avoided joining a gang and know how to keep your pants up on your behind, you still can prepare to be looked upon as if you are in this group. I congratulate you today for being different. Unfortunately, different doesn’t get you a scholarship to the college of your choice. You are going to need more, so please take your seat. For many of you, your father’s have left and are not in your corners. This is fact. And this particular fact is, or will become, as essential to your growth and lateral movement in life as a (car’s) horizontal movement along the street without tires. Here’s a simple analogy: Your lives are as if a boxing match. Pastors, coaches, teachers and mentors like Mr. Don Thomas here are the referees in your lives. Your oppo-
Tri-State Defender Platform
Southwest Prep Academy students read ʻGame Overʼ – the story Kelvin Cowans wrote for The New Tri-State Defender. It chronicled the story of a Southwest Tennessee Community College basketball player on the comeback trail after being ʻaccused, jailed and acquitted.ʼ (Photo: Kelvin Cowans)
Kelvin Cowans and Don Thomas, director of the Mentor Program at Southwest Prep Academy.
nent in this fight is Life and it is whipping yall’s behind. You are taking too many blows to the body and far too many to the head. We see you trying to get some punches in because you are in school while others skip or have dropped out. Yes, we see some of you playing sports and others heavily involved in community activities…. (Being) referees, who were once fighting in the league that you are in, we can comfortably tell you that your are losing this fight. Life is not about all the things that you do well, it is about the things that you didn’t even realize you were suppose to try to do well at. So as we see Life punch you upside your head with blows that have been so hard that you don’t even know how many
1. Racial prejudice worldwide must be destroyed. 2. Racially unrestricted membership in all jobs, public and private. 3. Equal employment opportunities on all jobs, public and private. 4. True representation in all U.S. police forces. 5. Complete cessation of all school segregation. 6. Federal intervention to protect civil rights in all instances where civil rights compliance at the state level breaks down
times you have been hit, that’s where we jump in and put our arms around you and say, “That’s it, fight’s over.” Just like boxing where the referee has to stop the fight because he has judged that you can not safely go on, we are charged with doing the same. My name is not important. What is important is that I stop the fight and get you to your corner so I can talk to you. As the referee, I just want to ask you a simple question. Like, “What’s your name?” And when you can’t respond, I know then that I’m glad I stopped the fight. Many of you think your name is Little Wayne and that’s not true; he’s your entertainer. Some of you think that your name is “gang member” and that’s not your name, you’re just missing a family. A lot of you think your name is sagging pants and that’s not true either, that’s foolishness. Just like a boxer who has fought too many rounds without the proper defense, you don’t even know how to sit in a chair. Many of you have suffered a social technical knockout and you don’t even know it. I am here, as is Mr. Thomas and others in this school and in your communities, to help you learn the proper way to fight Life back. So, today let’s start by reading an article about a young man who also got knocked out but came back to be a champion. You can do it too, now that you know that you are in a fight.
(Kelvin Cowans can be reached at kelvincowans@hotmail.com)
DISTRIBUTION: Tri-State Defender is available at newsstands, street sales, store vendors, mail subscription and honor boxes throughout the Greater Memphis area. No person may, without prior written permission of the Tri-State Defender, reprint any part of or duplicate by electronic device any portion without written permission. Copyright 2013 by TriState Defender Publishing, Inc. Permission to Publisher, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. Back copies can be obtained by calling the Tri-State Defender at (901) 523-1818, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
BUSINESS
Tri-State Defender
Breaking down Black America’s economy Report probes spending shifts caused by tight economy According to the data found in a new report, The Buying Power of Black America, now may be the most opportune time ever for businesses to develop a strategy for increasing their share of the AfricanAmerican market. With the nation slowly recovering from recession, African-American consumers represent the margin of profitability in most consumer product categories. “What the recession did to Black America’s buying habits is to give them a reason to reevaluate how they spent the billions of dollars they earned collectively,” said Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News and editor of the report. “Before tight economic times, companies felt they could afford to take their loyalty – especially to top brands – for granted. That changed during the downturn. Price was a bigger factor driving purchasing decisions. Now brands have to earn the loyalty of black consumers all over again. Black consumers are asking brands, ‘what have you done for me lately.’” For the past 17 years, Target Market News has published the only report that breaks down in dollars the impact of
the Black Consumer Market. Now approaching a trillion dollars in spending, the earned income of B l a c k America is Ken already the Smikle 1 6 t h largest market in the world, and is on the verge of surpassing the gross national income of Mexico. The 105-page report breaks down how much of AfricanAmerican consumers’ $836 billion in income was spent during 2011 on clothing, entertainment, food, beverages, toys, consumer technology, cosmetics, autos, travel and dozens of other categories. Another factor causing a shift in the loyalty of AfricanAmerican consumers is social media and increased access to business information. The new edition of The Buying Power of Black America includes a section detailing the dollars spent by major companies on advertising in Black media. It also compares the ad spending of companies by cat-
egories. “African-Americans can now rely on their own research about brands,” said Smikle. “This is one of the reasons why we added a section that tracks how much leading advertisers spent in black-oriented media. There is a correlation between building and sustaining black consumers’ patronage and the dollars spent to reach them through advertising. That fact has not changed in this diverse media environment – it has become an imperative for brands that want success.” The report compares spending by African-American households on 500-plus products and services between 2010-11. The top five categories with the largest dollar expenditures were Housing and Related Charges – $206.2 billion; Food – $70.7 billion; Health Care – $25.5 billion; Cars and Trucks (new and used) – $22.6 billion; and Apparel Products – $21.1 billion. The top five categories showing an increase in spending between 2010 and 2011 were Appliances, $2.7billion (29 percent); Sports and Recreational Equipment, $850 million (28 percent); Personal and Professional Services, $5
Less than equal: race, wealth and disparities WASHINGTON, D.C. – Why have middle-income African Americans and Hispanics seen little, if any, improvement in their economic status relative to whites? New research from the Urban Institute’s Opportunity and Ownership Project points to an ever-widening wealth chasm. In 2010, white families averaged six times the wealth of African-American and Hispanic households ($632,000 versus $98,000 and $110,000, respectively), up from a 5-to-1 ratio in 1983. Wealth is total assets, such as bank and retirement accounts and home value, minus debts, including mortgages, student loans, and credit-card balances. The income gap, by comparison, is much smaller. In 2010, the average household income for whites was $89,000, about twice the $46,000 average for AfricanAmerican and Hispanic families and roughly the same ratio as in 1983. As whites, African Americans, and Hispanics age, their wealth trajectories – in absolute and relative term – diverge sharply. Early in their wealth-building years (ages 32–40), white families in 1983 had an average net worth of $184,000. In 2010, near their peak wealth-building period (ages 59–67), their net worth was up to $1.1 million.
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May 2 - 8, 2013
In contrast, average AfricanAmerican wealth rose from $54,000 to $161,000, while Hispanic wealth increased from $46,000 to $226,000. Propelling this growing wealth wedge is the lower likelihood that blacks and Hispanics own homes and retirement accounts. For instance, in 2010, fewer than half of African-American and Hispanic families owned homes, while three-quarters of white families did. Between 2007 and 2010, Hispanic families’ wealth plummeted 44 percent, due largely to falling home prices. African-American wealth dropped 31 percent, a product of hits to their retirement assets and high rates of unemployment during the Great Recession (2007–09). White wealth skidded 11 percent. “Wealth isn’t just money in the bank, it’s insurance against tough times, tuition to get a better education and a better job, savings to retire on, and a springboard into the middle class. In short, wealth translates into opportunity,” Signe-Mary McKernan, Caroline Ratcliffe, Eugene Steuerle and Sisi Zhang wrote in “Less than Equal: Racial Disparities in Wealth Accumulation.” Because Hispanics and African Americans are disproportionately low income, the researchers said, their
wealth prospects are strongly affected by safety net policies aimed at low-income families. These policies emphasize consumption, such as having enough food to eat, and often discourage saving by making families ineligible if they have a few thousand dollars socked away. At the same time, most wealthbuilding policies are of limited benefit to families of color, who are less likely to tap into tax subsidies for home mortgages and retirement accounts. “Reforming policies like the mortgage interest tax deduction so it benefits all families, and helping families enroll in automatic savings vehicles, will help improve wealth inequality and promote saving opportunities for all Americans,” the researchers concluded. “Less than Equal: Racial Disparities in Wealth Accumulation” was funded by the Ford Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The researchers used the 1983 to 2010 editions of the Federal Reserve Board’s Survey of Consumer Finances. The Urban Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy research and educational organization that examines the social, economic, and governance challenges facing the nation.
Top 10 Expenditures in Black Households - 2011 (Figures shown in billion of dollars) Housing and Related Charges Food
Health Care
Cars and Trucks - New & Used Apparel Products and Services Insurance
Contributions
Telephone Services
Households Furnishings & Equipment Media
billion (27 percent); Computers, $5 billion (21 percent); and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, $4.3billion (16 percent). The Buying Power of Black America is an analysis of data compiled annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is based on interviews and diaries collected from more than 3,000 African-American households, and is the most comprehensive survey conducted on African-American consumers. This same data is also used as the basis for the U.S. government’s Consumer Price Index. The 17th annual edition of The Buying Power of Black America includes these sections covering: • Expenditure & Trends: An break down of how spending by African-American con-
$206.2 70.7 25.5 22.6 21.1 20.6 19.7 18.2 15.2 9.7
Source: The Buying Power of Black America 2012
sumers has changed in more than 500 individual categories between 2010 and 2011. • Income Data: A detailed look at how much AfricanAmericans earn, explanations of the varied definitions and types of income, city-by-city data on African-American income, a comparison with world economies and a look at African-American buying power over the past 30 years. • Black Buying Power in the Top 35 Markets: An expanded breakdown of the billions of dollars African-American consumers spent in 26 major categories of products and services in the nation’s top markets. • Leading Black Media Advertisers: A ranking of national advertisers and industries according to their ad expenditures in Black media • The 100-Plus Index: A special section providing data on dozens of items for which African-Amer-
ican consumers out-spent their white counterparts. • Demographic Data on the Black Population: The latest information on the AfricanAmerican population including rankings of the largest African-American metropolitan areas, the percentage of Black population in U.S. cities and a listing of the total dollars earned by Black consumers for each of the past three decades. • The Buying Power of Black America is an analysis of data compiled annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is based on interviews and diaries collected from 3,000 African-American households. The data is the basis for the U.S. government’s Consumer Price Index. (For more information about the Buying Power of Black American, call 312408-1881.)
Neelys attend White House dinner
Memphis celebrity couple Pat and Gina Neely rubbed shoulders with the power elite during Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C. Politicians, Hollywood celebrities and journalists were representative of the guests in attendance at the annual event at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C. “It was an amazing experience for us that will always be a great memory,” said Gina Neely, co-host of the Food Network’s highly rated “Down Home with the Neelys” cooking show and spokesperson for the George Foreman® Grills Weight Loss Challenge. The Neelys were the guests of Robin Mazyck, Bureau Chief of Christian Broadcast Network News. They were among some of the top chefs in America, including Mike Isabella, chef/owner of Graffiato in Washington, D.C., and Bart Vandaele, chef/owner of Belga Café, a Belgian restaurant also located in the nation’s capitol. “This was my first dinner and I was elated to meet so many people that I admire – like actress Kerry Washington, Shonda Rhimes, Julie Chen, Gayle King, John Legend and his fiancée, and Gabby (Olympic gymnast Gabrielle Douglass) and her
Gina and Pat Neely of Memphis met with a number of celebrities, including Pat Robertson Jr., at the annua White House Correspondentsʼ Association Dinner on April 27 at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washing ton, D.C. (Courtesy photo) mother,” Neely said. President Barack Obama, who gave remarks at the event, “was quite the comedian,” Neely said. Gina and Pat Neely own the Neely’s Barbecue Parlor
restaurant in New York City. The two joined the Food Network in 2008 with the premiere of their own cooking show, “Down Home with the Neelys.” Their third cookbook is in the works.
RELIGION
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RELIGION BRIEFS Conference: churches and Education Reform
In light of the impending merger of Memphis and Shelby County schools, and uncertainties surrounding the consolidation of the two school systems, Shepherding the Next GenerationShelby County will host a “Renewing Faith in Public Education” conference on Tuesday, May 7. The conference is intended to give faith-based leaders and community residents a greater understanding of the challenges facing public education in Shelby County, and will also examine the role that the faith community can play in actively addressing those challenges. The audience will largely be Memphis and Shelby County pastors, members of their congregations and education reform advocates, although participation is open to the public. BRIEFLY: First Baptist Church-Broad, 2835 Broad Ave., will be the venue for the Mothers of the Nile annual Mother’s Day Dinner on May 9 at 5:30 p.m. Shelby County Commissioner Henri E. Brooks will be the keynote speaker. The theme is “Who Can Impact the Future of a Child? Look in the Mirror.” Individual tickets: $30. Space is limited and reservations must be made. For more information, call 901-292-5817 or email mothersofthenile@aol.com. BRIEFLY: Evangelist Louise D. Patterson, wife to the late Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson (former Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ), will be one of the honorees at the American Diabetes Association 2013 Memphis Living Well Tea: Hatiitude Edition on May 4th from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. The event, which is held in association of Baptist Memorial Healthcare, honors women of Memphis who have a legacy of making a difference. Evangelist Patterson is president and CEO of Bountiful Blessings, Inc.
Tri-State Defender
May 2 - 8, 2013
St. Patrick’s ready to roll with mobile produce market The Green Machine is Memphis’ first mobile produce market and it’s ready roll. And on May 5 at 12:30 p.m., the public is invited to a ready-to-roll celebration at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church downtown at 277 S. 4th St. The retrofitted bus is operated by St. Patrick Community Outreach, Inc., a ministry of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and will bring fresh produce to 15 underserved neighborhoods with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The Green Machine will make three stops a day, five days a week. The targeted locations are community centers, public schools, housing complexes, senior citizen facilities, recreational centers and health clinics. The purpose of The Green Machine is to address the food security needs of Memphis and Shelby County’s low-income residential communities.
These areas have been labeled as food deserts because the residents in those areas have little or no access to fresh, healthy foods needed to maintain a good diet. It is estimated that more than 23 million Americans live in food deserts. “By providing greater access to healthier foods we hope to improve the health of the residents of these neighborhoods,” said Dr. Ken Reardon, a board member of St. Patrick Community Outreach, Inc. “It has taken us about a year and a half to get to this point. The need is there, and we’ve received several phone calls from people to request that we come to their areas. This has been a wonderful experience, and we appreciate the help of all of our volunteers and sponsors.” These statistics help detail the need and the feasibility of a mobile market: • Tennessee ranks 47th in the nation in overall health.
Opening doors and hearts...
The Green Machine will bring fresh produce to 15 underserved neighborhoods. • Food-related illnesses are among the top four causes of early deaths. • National surveys have identified the Memphis region as being among the “least fit” and “most obese” in the country. • Only 7 of the 77 highpoverty communities in Memphis and Shelby County are serviced by full-service super markets The Green Machine is a product of several different organizations and individuals. The need for a convenient fresh food source was identified by the Vance Avenue Collaborative, but the idea for the mobile market and initial research was
The Rev. Robert J. Matthews, senior pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, and his wife (Georgia) led the way as the church at 2350 Elvis Presley Boulevard celebrated the grand opening of its new worship center last Sunday (April 28). (Photo: George Tillman Jr.)
that of Cathy Winterburn, a long time St. Patrick’s parishioner. It will be operated by St. Patrick Community Outreach, Inc. with technical assistance from the University of Memphis and the Healthy Memphis Common Table. The Green Machine bus was donated by MATA. Easy-Way, a local produce store chain will supply the produce, with the majority of it coming from local growers. Prices will be comparable, if not lower than retail stores. The bus conversion, operations, and food purchases were made possible by donations from the Assisi Foundation of
Memphis, the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, FedEx, Bank of America, Baptist Memorial Hospital, and the Memphis Grizzlies. The colorful mural displayed on the exterior of the bus was painted by the students of Hollis F. Price High School, community volunteers and the Memphis Grizzlies.
(For more information contact St. Patrick Community Outreach, Inc. Board Member Ann Walsh at 901-356-7772 or annraywalsh@yahoo.com and visit Facebook.com/TheGreenMachineMobileFoodMarket.)
For you…
Clara Bell Weaver is saluted by Avery Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church during the churchʼs 150th anniversary. A member of the church since she was eight years old, May 7th is her 91st birthday. A gift was made to the LeMoyne-Owen College in her honor. The Rev. Hilda D. Taylor is the host pastor. Pictured: Alonzo Weaver Jr. and Joyce Keys. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
‘I’m outahere’…
Eager to get home, Carrie Richardson Gray expressed that desire at the end of a celebration noting her 95th birthday at New Hope Family Life Center in Southaven. That brought a laugh from congregants who said, “Thatʼs her.” (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
DEADLINE
Deadline for all religion articles is Monday, 5 p.m. Send items to Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Suite 200; Memphis, TN 38103, Email items to editorial@ tri-state defender.com. C a l l (901) 523-1818 for details.
PRAISE CONNECT -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”
Tri-State Defender
May 2 - 8, 2013
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Tri-State Defender
May 2 - 8, 2013
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May 2 - 8, 2013
Master of Ceremony Rodney Dunigan, ABC24 news anchor. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
Karanja A. Ajanaku, Executive Editor Tri-State Defender (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
Darrius Clayton (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
‘To my queens this is your poem’ by Darrius Clayton
A straight shooter raised me So I won’t be hitting you With any fluff
This is merely an attempt To acknowledge your excellence Not nearly enough
Real talk If I had to do Half… Of the things you’re Asked to do A lot of things would go unfinished
Master Multi-tasker The consistently underappreciated Over looked in most cases Under paid Over pressured Still finding ways To find balance With the world’s weight over your shoulders
Fathers missing You step in his position And still find a way to mold us Hitting us with true earned knowledge Tough love and when we needed it most The warm love to hold us
As a child when the world chewed me up There wasn’t a safer place Than in-between my mother’s shoulders
TSD Sales Executive Jamila Webb embraces the future. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser) THE 2013 WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE HONOREES: Frances Anderson, Tracy Bethea, Gwen Bonner, Cynthia Bowen, Mary Bright, Marilyn Brooks, Peggy Brown, Kerri Campbell, Chermale Casem, Dr. Menthia P. Clark, Gerre Currie, Cynthia Daniels, Yolanda Draine, Michelle Fifer, Sheila Floyd, Telisa Franklin, Donzaleigh Frazier, Mary Freeman, Janeen Gordon, Rosalyn Gray, Tiffanie Grier, Veora Harris, Cynthia HazellCutchin, TJ Jefferson, Catherine Johnson, Kela Jones, Selena Jones, Gail Kerr-Moore, Virzola Law, Crystal Lewis-Barrett, Tommie Matthews, Dr. Brenda Partee Morris, Ella Mosby, Carla Norton, Crystal Oliver, Elle Perry, Ayoka Pond, Angel Price, Angela Rixter-Kelley, Cynthia Sharp, Dorothy Jean Smith, Nicky Sparrow, Dorchelle Spence, Sugar Stallings, Pearl Street, Faye Stroud, Tish Towns, Sabrina Ward, Kesha Whitaker, Regenna Williams and Rosalind Withers. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
And when wrong There wasn’t a place more dangerous Than in her path Under her roof In her sight
So I wouldn’t be left behind She kept me right Gave me what I need To succeed in life
Women hold many roles Constantly changing hats Spanning from The kitchen to the boardroom Receptionist to president Had to fight for equality Now your presence holds precedence
The pinning ceremony. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
(Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
You deserve red carpets and trumpet players At every entrance But rarely get a thank you For all the things you do Work your magic When there is static Strategic, wise, and strong I appreciate all that you are Sitting beautifully on your throne Salute and a bow To my queens this is your poem
Entertainment by Prosody. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
Mary Bright, 2013 WOE honoree. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
The 6th Annual Women of Excellence Champagne Brunch and Awards Celebration was a gala event. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
Deborah Powell Alexander, Vice President/Executive Sales Manager Tri-State Defender (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
(Photo: Demarcus Bowser) (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
Shirley Jackson, TSD office manager. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
There were plenty of moments to capture. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
Smiles reflected the mood. (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
Rep. Steve Cohen (Photo: Demarcus Bowser)
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, May 2 - 8, 2013, Page 10
WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?
Wooddale student wins Congressional Art honor
“The Rhythm of Memphis” is headed for a one-year run in the Cannon Tunnel in the U.S. Capitol. The artwork is the handiwork of Jay Williams, a 17-year-old senior at Wooddale High School. On Tuesday (April 30), Williams emerged as the winner of the 2013 Congressional Art Competition. “Jay Williams’ artwork embodies the culture of Memphis,” said Congressman Steve Cohen, who announced Williams’ selection. “His piece, which is a drawn collage of scenes in Memphis that includes Rudy Williams, an Orpheum logo, a Beale Street sign and the downtown trolley, shows how amazing and accomplished some of our young artists are throughout our city. I was proud to select Jay Williams as the winner of the 2013
Congressional Art Competition.” Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each Congressional District. The competition provides an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Students submit entries to their Representative’s office, and the member of Congress selects the winning entry, which is then displayed for one year in the Capitol. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. Since the art competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
Competition for BET is good news for TV viewers
Jay Williamsʼ ʻThe Rhythm of Memphisʼ is a collage of Memphis scenes – Rudy Williams, an Orpheum logo, a Beale Street sign and the downtown trolley.
Theatres archive ... information, present it to you in living forms to make it relevant. We are connecting to our history and it is our culture that does that. When people talk about art being the first thing you can cut, I think it’s the last thing you can cut.
Ekundayo Bandele & the Business of the Arts Part 2 Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Carlee McCullough Hattiloo Theatre’s founder and owner, Ekundayo Bandele, views art as medium to express history and a community’s present conditions. Theatre, he says, must be “supported, maintained and enjoyed.” Spreading that message is part of his business.
Carlee McCullough: How important do you believe the arts are to a community and especially live theatre? Ekundayo Bandele: You know I think it is just as important as food and air. Well, maybe Carlee not as important as air. The things that separate McCullough animals and humans are cultures. Cultures are the defining markers that identify people from another people. We have this T-shirt at Hattiloo that says, “Got Culture.” I pose that question to our community at-large because we often think that we have culture because we may read a book or belong to a book club or we may go and even see the new upcoming movie. However, for instance, do we know that W. E. DuBois not only had a theatre company but used to direct theatre? The first black theatre that opened in America was in 1848 in New York. Do we know that August Wilson won more awards than any other American playwright, black, white or otherwise, including Tennessee Williams and so on and so forth? Our kids don’t really understand what we have achieved. They look at us and say we have a black President but we don’t have that many blacks in the Fortune 500 companies.
CM: What makes the theatre so important to a community? EB: We have achieved so much coming right out of tobacco, cotton and rice fields after slavery like making it to D.C. and becoming representatives. Theatres archive this information, present it to you in living forms to make it relevant. We are connecting to our history and it is our culture that does that. When people talk about art being the first thing you can cut, I think it’s the last thing you can cut.
CM: From a business perspective what entrepreneurial business opportunities are associated with running a theatre? EB: Right now, we’re able to manage the natural physical plant on Marshall. But in the new theatre, we will definitely need janitorial services, dry cleaning because we will be doing four shows a weekend and those lights are hot. So we have to clean those clothes every weekend. We already have someone doing all of our graphic arts. We need marketing to drive people to the theatre, window cleaning because we definitely have a lot of glass in the building and carpentry for building our sets. Also we develop partnerships with musicians … so we can have that live band…when we do our musicals.
CM: What advice can you offer to an entrepreneur, since you are so successful in your project? EB: Numbers don’t lie. Put your balance sheet before everything else. If we can produce a great play but our balance sheet has red on it, it doesn’t matter how good that play is. However, if we have a strong balance sheet and we produce a mediocre play, we still have fun and can stay open. The bottom line is making certain that your finances are in order and that you have strong financial projections. So that things like a recession or you lose an account doesn’t affect you bottom line. CM: So can writers submit their plays to you? EB: Yes. We look for original content. We also look for directors and actors.
Four cable networks broadcast directly to the African-American community as of today – BET, TV One, Aspire and Centric. More are on the way. Could Bob Johnson have Myron imagined this Mays when he started BET way back in 1981? Maybe, but I say probably not. However, as society changes, so do viewing habits and choice of content. For years, BET was the central source of programming for content geared toward the African-American community. It was once the only entity of its kind fully owned by an African American. Things changed in 2005 when Johnson sold the company for a cool $3 billion. Yes that was BILLION with a “B”. TV One came along in 2004, but it was only partially black-owned. It was a joint venture between Radio One and what was once known as NBC Universal, which is now Comcast. Comcast, the largest cable system in the world, recently announced plans to launch 10 new channels over the course of eight years. Eight of those channels will be evenly split between – and independently owned and operated by – African Americans and Hispanics. One of those channels, Aspire, has already been launched; another channel called “Revolt” is set to launch in July. Aspire is a family & faith channel owned and operated by businessman and NBA legend Magic Johnson. The other is called Revolt, an MTV alternative that will be own and operated by Diddy. This initiative should really offer some real diversity among AfricanAmerican viewers, who watch more television than any other racial group. According to Nielsen data, African American viewers watch twice as much television as Asians and over 57 more hours than whites. And although cable television is still largely white, it would be great to not only have more choice of channels to watch, but more choice of programming as well. This has got to mean good news as for as “creativity” is concerned. There’s an audience out there that wants to be properly served. I can’t wait to see what these channels and the others to come have in store for us.
Here’s What’s Happening
Ekundayo Bandele
CM: Tell us about your Campus Awareness Program. EB: Our campus awareness program is a month-long program that we have been doing for 15 years. It runs Monday thru Friday from 9 until 3 on the campus of Rhodes College. During the course of a month they may learn about people like Billie Holiday, Arthur Ashe, Marcus Garvey and Harriet Tubman. They experience activities such as opera, ballet, martial arts, theatre, poetry, modern dance, chess, film making and jazz. CM: When does it start, the cost and how many kids do you take? EB: It starts the Tuesday after the Memphis City Schools dismisses because that Monday is Memorial Day. The cost is $400 for the whole month, $100 a week. We accept 15 kids, age 10 and up. The camp is life changing. Our graduates really excel and we typically bring them back free of charge for the next year to serve as a mentor to the new group of children. It’s a serious camp.
CM: What’s next for the theatre? EB: We are really getting more youth involved on a technical side, which includes building sets and doing lights. We already have funding now from Memphis and a community foundation for those programs. But we want to expand that funding. CM: Thank you so much for sharing your story.
(For more information, visit www.Hattiloo.org.) (Contact TSD’s On Our Way To Wealthy columnist Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)
The things that separate animals and humans are cultures. Cultures are the defining markers that identify people from another people.
Music and culture rule this weekend in Memphis. The Memphis Black Arts Alliance presents “Soulsville on Fire” this Saturday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at The Firehouse Community Arts Center at 985 South Bellevue. It will be a great venue for kids and adults to experience music, dance and theatre and also enjoy face painting, as well as a petting zoo. Find out more by visiting www.memphisblack artsalliance.org. Also, the first weekend of May is always booked on my calendar. As usual, you can find me somewhere near the Mississippi River for the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Fest. The line-up is always great and this year is business as usual. The Roots always return to Memphis year after year, however, one of my favorite old school hip-hop groups are gonna be coming to town this time. Public Enemy – fresh off of their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – is gonna grace the stage at the Beale Street Music Fest. I’m hoping that Mr. Flavor Flav can manage to fly below the radar until they get here. It just wouldn’t be the same without him. Also on the ticket is Big Bio from Outkast…without Andre 3000 of course. It would’ve been so great to have the both of them here performing as Outkast. But one can only wish, right? If you’re a fan of that ol’ school “blue-eyed soul”, Hall & Oates are gonna be performing this year as well. One thing will notably be missing from that performance…John Oates doesn’t wear a mustache anymore. Anyway, the Beale Street Music Fest goes on all this weekend and you can get the entire line up at www.memphisinmay.org. And if you just so happen to see me in the mix, be sure to say “What’s Happening Myron”! 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.)
ENTERTAINMENT
Tri-State Defender
Page 11
May 2 - 8, 2013
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Special to the The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
For movies opening May 3, 2013
BIG BUDGET FILMS
“Iron Man 3” (PG-13 for intense violence and brief sensuality) Latest installment of the Marvel Comics franchise finds the brilliant billionaire-turned-intrepid superhero (Robert Downey, Jr.) teaming with a precocious, prepubescent sidekick (Ty Simpkins) to take on a new nemesis, Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), the maniacal madman behind a recent string of terrorist bombings. Cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Jon Favreau.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
“Aroused” (Unrated) Revealing documentary featuring revealing interviews with 16 of the world’s most successful, female porn stars as they shed their clothes in preparation for a fancy photo shoot. Cast includes Misty Stone, Ash Hollywood, Asphyxia Noir, Belladonna, Kayden Kross, Lisa Ann, Katsuni, Lexi Belle and Brooklyn Lee. “Desperate Acts of Magic” (Unrated) Romantic comedy about a bored computer programmer/aspiring magician (Joe Tyler Gold) and a pickpocket/street performer (Valerie Dillman) who fall in love after they meet as entrants in the annual Brotherhood of Magicians Competition. With Jonathan Levit, Sacha Alexander and John Getz.
“Generation Umm…” (Unrated) Tawdry tale of sex, drugs and denial chronicling a day in the life of an escort service chauffeur (Keanu Reeves) as he shuttles a couple of self-destructive call girls (Adelaide Clemens and Bojana Novakovic) around Manhattan. Supporting cast includes Daniel Sunjata, Sarita Choudhury and Jake Hoffman.
“Greetings from Tim Buckley” (Unrated) Followed footsteps drama about the launch of Jeff Buckley’s (Penn Badgley) musical career after a performance of his late father Tim’s folk songs at a 1991 tribute concert, only to meet his own untimely demise in a drowning accident a few years later.
“The Happy House” (Unrated) Horror comedy about a Brooklyn couple in crisis (Khan Baykal and Aya Cash) vacationing at a country bed & breakfast to work on their relationship who find themselves cooped up in an old mansion with a motley crew of colorful characters including a demented serial killer with a .44 Magnum. Featuring Marceline Hugot, Mike Houston and Oliver Henzler.
“The Iceman” (R for sexuality, gruesome violence and pervasive profanity) Grisly biopic recounting the real-life exploits of elusive Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon), the sociopathic hit man who murdered hundreds for the mob over several decades before his apprehension in 1986. With James Franco, Winona Ryder, David Schwimmer, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans and Stephen Dorff.
“Kiss of the Damned” (R for nudity, profanity, drug use, gory violence and graphic sexuality) Erotic thriller about a handsome scriptwriter (Milo Ventimiglia) and beautiful vampire (Josephine de La Baume) whose star-crossed love affair becomes imperiled when her troublemaking sister (Roxane Mesquida) makes an unexpected visit. With Anna Mouglalis, Michael Rapaport and Riley Keough.
“Love Is All You Need” (R for nudity, profanity and brief sexuality) Romance drama set at a wedding in Italy where the recently-abandoned, cancer-survivor mother (Trine Dyrholm) of the Danish bride (Molly Blixt Egelind) falls for the British groom’s (Sebastian Jessen) father (Pierce Brosnan), a lonely widower in need of help getting over the loss of his wife. Support cast includes Kim Bodnia, Paprika Steen and Bodil Jorgensen.
“Unmade in China” (Unrated) Big Brother documentary highlighting the frustrations felt by American film director Gil Kofman while trying to shoot an action thriller on location in Communist China under the watchful eye of incessantly-interfering government censors. “What Maisie Knew” (R for profanity) Dysfunctional family drama about an unfortunate little girl (Onata Aprile) caught in the middle of a bitter custody battle between her selfish, immature parents (Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan). With Alexander Skarsgard, Emma Holzer and Joanna Vanderham.
HOROSCOPES
MAY 2-8, 2013
ARIES Sweet sincere emotions can run through you like the odors of different perfumes. Open yourself up and let it flow. If love offers itself this week please accept the offer. Write down what you think of yourself this week. Save it. TAURUS Business as usual is good business. Energy is high. Others give back to you what you gave to them the past few weeks. We hope you were generous because what you get this week will be a multiple of what you bestowed. GEMINI Did joy take a vacation on you? Well, joy is back and ready to unpack. Get the spare room ready or move over and let joy crawl in bed with you. Smile in joy’s face and make joy feel at home. Know that you’ve done good. CANCER Putting the world back in balance is your chore this week. Cheerfulness has been a little lower on the scale than it should be. You can spread it around lavishly this week. Give some to everyone. The more you give the more you’ll get. LEO Celebrate! It’s summer time! Communications will flow easily for you this week. Dress up and get the weekend started earlier. Social life can take your mind off of heavy subjects. Don’t tighten up, brighten up. VIRGO Stay positive on all fronts. You’ll receive subtle cues this week that will confirm what you already know to be true. Act on your instincts and others will be receptive to your vibes. Even if you feel fleeting moments of uncertainty, go with the flow, and be a team player. LIBRA Your positive energy will spread feverishly among family and friends this week. Your timing is just right because your positive vibes will be the extra nudge someone needs to pull through the week. Your strength and friendship will be tested. SCORPIO Call a family member to ask for a second opinion on something important. A different perspective will give you more options on your action plan. Use your faith to guide you through a mental maze that might stir up confusion. SAGITTARIUS Give yourself a break this week! You’ve been going at full speed and you need to shift down to a lower gear. Time is a luxury and it will be on your side this week. Kick off your shoes, enjoy a long afternoon nap, or curl up with a good book to read. CAPRICORN This week remember to pamper yourself by giving. To give with no expectation of receiving in return is truly a luxury of the joy filled spirit. The act of giving has a reciprocal effect. So when you share your gifts know that as you do you are lavishing not only others but also yourself. AQUARIUS Romance, friendship, family ties, no matter what you call it, love is indeed your special blessing this week. Allow yourself to show love and to be loved. Bless someone by sharing your love and you will be blessed in return. PISCES You’re not usually a gambler but luck is with you as never before in recent months. You have the Midas touch this week. Buy a lottery ticket or make a wager. Gamble on love if you have that option handy. You can’t miss if you follow your instincts. Source: NNPA News Service
HEALTH
Page 12
CHEF TIMOTHY
Eat your fresh fruits & veggies and take the bite out of cancer by Chef Timothy Moore Ph.D, N.M.D, C.N. Special to The New Tri-State Defender
I recently had a sobering encounter with a widow whose 40-year-old husband had died from prostate cancer. It was more proof telling me something that I already knew: cancer is a health hazard that continues to wreak havoc in our society. I am honoring this grief-stricken widow’s wish to remain anonymous. Her name is not important. The circumstances, however, are because they just might help someone avoid dying prematurely. The widow was feeling the weight of a painful uncertainty. She wondered whether her late husband still would be alive if he had taken his health more seriously. I asked why he didn’t change his life. She said he just felt his cancer would go away and that his family should understand that he’d made his decision. Tens of thousands of people are diagnosed each year with cancer. Of the 576,614 cancer patients in the United States, about 1,555 of them die each day. Among killer diseases, cancer ranks second only to heart disease. And when the newest data is released, you can rest assure that the overall number of those stricken by cancer will increase. We spend billions of dollars each year looking for a cure for cancer. Is there a cure in the foreseeable future? I would hope so. So many of us have lost loved ones to the dreaded
disease. Cancer doesn’t care about your race, age or status in life. We have to stop this disease in its tracks. We can’t allow it to control us. Some cancers, of course, can be prevented; and some can be reversed. But we Dr. Timothy must believe it’s Moore possible to eradicate cancer altogether. Stop listening to the voices of negativity, for they often are at the root of a lot of our illnesses. If you’re trying to reduce your risk of cancer, the American Institute for Cancer Research says you have to exercise 30 to 45 minutes a day, reduce your busy schedule, and take control of your body. You have to be active and maintain a moderate exercise program that allows you to function at optimum levels. If losing weight is your goal, you can control it with relative ease, if you eat healthy and exercise. Today, there is so much emphasis on weight loss, but don’t lose focus. Get the weight off and you may not need to worry about cancer. In some studies, there is a link between obesity and cancer. Excess body fat has been known to increase the risk for pancreas, colon, rectum, kidney, breast and gallbladder cancers. Prevention starts with eliminat-
Check out our
ing fat from the waistline and body, and maintaining an overall body structure according to the body mass index chart. A dietary change is important too. What you eat determines your overall well being as it relates to cancer or any other type of disease. Nutrition information can be confusing and misleading. Doctors and nutritionists sometimes contradict themselves about the right foods to eat. So who really knows what foods to eat to stay healthy? There is research to show that eating the right foods can assist in the fight against cancer. The major cancer fighting fruits and vegetables are apples, blueberries, broccoli, cruciferous vegetables, cherries, cranberries, flaxseeds, legumes (dry beans, peas, lentils), drank green leafy vegetables, garlic, tomatoes and whole grains. I am convinced that eating fresh fruits and vegetables can help prevent and reverse cancer. They are very low in calories and great in helping us to remain healthy.
(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.)
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Healthcare Subcontracting Opportunities The Finch-Henry Job Corps Center is accepting proposals for a Mental Health Consultant to serve one hundred ninetytwo (192) students located at 821 Highway 51 South, Batesville, Mississippi. The Mental Health consultant will give advice to the center director and the health wellness staff on all mental health matter and overall center program and administrative staff on a regular basis. Consultation with center health wellness staff, counselors, residential advisor, instructors and other appropriate staff concerning the ongoing mental health problem of students. Ensure the maintenance, confidentiality, and safeguarding of all necessary mental health matters. The Mental Health Consultant will work fifteen (15) hours per week, effective June 16, 2013 through April 30, 2015. The award of options is contingent of the Governmentʼs award of an option to the center operator. Contract specification may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Department at 662-563-4656, Ext. 221. Proposal must be sent via e-mail to Keys.janet@jobcorps.org . Finch Henry Job Corps Center 821 Highway 51 South Batesville, Mississippi 38606
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COMMUNITY
Tri-State Defender
Page 13
May 2 - 8, 2013
BRIEFS & THINGS NAWBO Memphis, marketing and the economy
Businesswomen will learn “What Every Business Owner Needs to Know about Marketing in Today’s Economy” when they attend NAWBO Memphis’ monthly luncheon Tuesday, May 14, at Chickasaw Country Club. Lori Turner-Wilson, co-founder of RedRover, a sales development and marketing consulting firm, will be the guest speaker. Before opening her firm, Turner-Wilson spent more than 15 years leading corporate sales, marketing and communications divisions in the financial services, hospitality and franchise restaurant sectors. Turner-Wilson recently was recognized in the Memphis Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” and as a finalist in its Executive of the Year competition. She writes a syndicated weekly column entitled “Guerrilla Sales & Marketing,” which runs in the Daily News, Memphis News, Nashville Ledger and Desoto Times. Registration will begin at 11:15 a.m.,with lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Cost is $25 for NAWBO members, $30 for nonmembers and $35 for on-site registration. To register online, go to w w w. N AW B O M e m p h i s . o rg . Chickasaw Country Club is located at 3395 Galloway Ave. One of 80 U.S. chapters, NAWBO Memphis’ mission is to propel women entrepreneurs into economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide.
Once homeless teen parent named student speaker for Southwest Commencement Once a homeless teen parent with a crisis pregnancy, she is now a wife, mother, business owner, speaker, mentor and motivator with a testimony of overcoming the odds. Southwest’s 2013 commencement student speaker, Myckelle P. Williams, is proof that the best diamonds are created through pressure. She overcame the odds from a background of neglect and abuse and now helps empower women to overcome the traumas of their past. Williams volunteers in many community programs focused on helping women cut off the dead roots of their
past, re-generate new roots and then cultivate a healthy legacy for themselves and the next generation. A public speaker mentoring young women all over the country, Williams is Myckelle P. co-founder of Williams B.L.O.G. (Beautiful Ladies of Grace) Magazine™, an online
women’s support magazine. She’s the creator of the Heartwood Project™ for Women, which helps women overcome their painful pasts, and was featured on “Joy in our Town” on the TBN Network for her development of the PURE Satisfaction™ Abstinence Program in Atlanta in 2009. After a long absence taken to raise her family, Williams returned to school to demonstrate the value of education to her own college-aged children. While taking her psychology classes, she served as a peer mentor in cooperative learning groups at Southwest. She will be the first person to
have a college degree in her family. Williams will be awarded an Associate of Arts degree with emphasis in psychology. She desires to create an avenue that helps women to boldly, yet patiently, overcome the traumas and injuries of yesteryear. Williams graduates as an enhanced member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and with a summa cum laude class distinction. Her upcoming book, “Choosing the Road Less Traveled,” is due to be released later this year. Source: The Southwest Scoop
Here’s some help… Shelter Insurance Companies agent Tony Blackmon does double-duty presenting Central High School seniors Zakieya Branch (right) and Stone McSpadden $2,000 scholarships. Each student will use the funds toward their college educations. The scholarships are made possible by the Shelter Insurance Foundation, an organization created for charitable and educational purposes, and agent Blackmon. (Courtesy photos)
Run with NAACP Youth Council
The Memphis NAACP Youth Council will sponsor a 5KFund Run/Walk on Saturday (May 4) at Audubon Park, with the starting line at Goodlett and Park Ave. Pre-registration for youth under 14 is $10; MRTC members, $15; all others $20; Register online at NAACPMemphis.com or call 901-5211343. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m., with the race getting under way at 8:30 a.m. The event is Sponsored by FedEx. 2013 National Teacher Day Banquet
‘Three Doctors’ – getting personal
Bernal E. Smith II: You guys do a lot of traveling, a lot of events and speaking engagements. I see you have your foundation as well, so there is quite a bit of work that goes into all that. Are you actually practicing physicians? (Lot’s of laughter from the three!) The Three Doctors: Yes, we are practicing physicians, practicing every day!!!
Brothers Darren Ratliff II and Sidney C. Martin, inspired by The Three Doctors, have made their own pact, attending the special session with their parents. (Photo: George Tillman Jr.)
DOCTORS
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
ney(s), including their careers as physicians and their passion to help young people succeed.
Bernal E. Smith II: About two weeks ago, Dr. Rod Paige (former U.S. Secy. Of Education) spoke here in Memphis, and earlier this week our executive editor interviewed (bestselling author) Dr. Dennis Kimbro (“Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice.” They both made a similar point: While certain groups and individuals have made remarkable strides, the evidence suggests that the African-American community desperately needs to do more, and in many cases has lost ground. What is your view of that assertion and does it mesh with what you see? What must we do differently to see greater change, particularly for young brothers? Dr. Sampson Davis: I think on many levels it is true. The issue is that there is a dichotomy that exists in the African-American community.
There are those who are progressive and educated that are moving up the corporate and professional ladders and they are bringing their families forward with them. Once one person in an African-American family makes progress, the whole family tends to benefit from that. The problem is the community isn’t graduating and moving forward. So there’s that separation. So there’s still this battle. That’s why we are here today, we feel like we are talking to those that need to hear it the most. We try to reach those that need to have that light turned on to see a different possibility for their lives because we know the potential is there. We have to reach a level in which we as the African-American community take charge, take the initiative that everyone in the community has to step up to the plate and make a better environment for our kids, while also raising the bar for them and expecting more from them. I put it in medical terms: When a patient has an abscess, which is a collection of pus or
infection underneath the skin, I cut the abscess open to let the pus drain out, but I leave it open so it can heal from the inside out. Likewise, we have to start to heal, plan and galvanize from the inside so that the community can heal. Ultimately, once a person begins to feel better about him or herself and have higher expectations they begin to work to meet those higher expectations and that changes the complexion of the community. Dr. Rameck Hunt: America’s youth in general are very entitled and much different in work ethic and values than when we were growing up. It seems that those issues have impacted the African-American community even more, disproportionately. As much as I love music and sports, it seems our kids are stunted in their growth thinking that they snap their fingers and they are going to be rich and successful because they are going to have the biggest rap album in the world or they’ll be the next LeBron James when that’s actually not reality. And the reason that they feel
that way is the same reason that people play the lottery, thinking one day they are going to hit it big. When all the while we know that that is not the way to success. The way is through consistent hard work and diligent efforts doing the right things the right way. We have to show them what those things are and how to establish the success work ethic. I agree, we have to be more cohesive as a community and revitalize our togetherness as a community on those things that are critical for our survival and then our ability to grow and thrive both individually and collectively. We have to help ourselves first. BES: Would it be safe to say that you feel the influence of popular culture, music, television and the Internet has driven in us this destructive sense of individualism versus the sense of community that we used to share? Dr. Hunt: Yes! Absolutely! We have to combat that to get to more positive outcomes. BES: In looking at your
BES: So what are you disciplines? What sort of medicine do each of your practice? Dr. Sampson Davis: I practice emergency medicine, so I’m allowed to schedule my shifts at the hospital around speaking, traveling and foundation work. It’s really a full time commitment on several levels, but obviously this is a passion of ours and we are dedicated to making it happen! Dr. George Jenkins: I’m dental faculty at Columbia College of General Medicine. So I primarily teach and do research and things along those lines. We basically take vacation time to do this work. So the time most people use to travel and do family things, we use to go spread this message to kids. We have fun, but it’s certainly not on the beach. Our institutions are certainly understanding at least within reason. Despite (the) obstacles, we are determined to do this work. We just know that it’s always at the expense of something else. Dr. Rameck Hunt: I’m an internal medicine physician and assistant professor of medicine at Robert Woods Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J.. Same thing for me, I see patients 60-70 hours a week, but the days I take are my vacation days.
BES: So on a personal note are you guys married, families, etc? Dr. Jenkins: Well, that’s one of those things that all this is at the expense of, but it’s been that way all along. However, we’ve found ways to work it out. I got married three years ago and was lucky to find someone that I connected with and understood my work. I’ve also have two stepchildren. So after I knew, I went from just me in my one-bedroom apartment to a home with me plus three other people and a dog! (All laughing) Dr. Hunt: With those 60-70 hours a week, that’s something I’m still working on. So I’m still single. Dr. Davis: I have a family. I have a four year old and one on the way.
three books, you continue the theme of “the Pact.” It brought to mind for me that today many of our kids are making pacts, just the wrong kind. They are making pacts in street gangs, pregnancy pacts and other destructive behaviors. How do you guys see the messages in your books and your experiences being able to help today’s youth flip the script with the pacts that they are making in gangs and translating those into the kind of promise and success that you guys have had? Dr. George Jenkins: We try
to encourage teachers and school leaders and the students themselves to model the principles that we have formulated, because we realize they represent the flip side of the gang. Just like we talk about negative peer pressure and negative influences, we flipped that and used positive influences on each other to reach the positions we currently have. Our pact represents what can happen when young brothers in the hood uplift, uphold and challenge each other in a positive way despite any obstacles that might lay in the way.
SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, May 2 - 8, 2013, Page 14
Brazile: But can the dude play? Special to CNN
by Donna Brazile My dad was an avid sports fan and a great athlete in his day. We used to watch basketball and football games together, and I know some of his proudest moments as a father were when I wore my sports uniforms in high school and college. He was a man’s man – a hard drinking, foul-mouthed veteran of the Korean War who came on to every voluptuous nurse who crossed his path. He passed away about this time last year. I think about him often, and more during March Madness. I thought about him as I read about Jason Collins coming out as the first openly gay player in NBA history. I wondered, “If my dad were reading this, what would he say?” And, clear as day, I heard his voice. “Yeah, but can the dude play?” It made me laugh because isn’t it just that simple? Can he play? Can he do his job? At the same time that Jason Collins’ announcement has caused a stir, there also has been noteworthy non-reaction among many. “Is this really still news?” we ask. The answer is yes. It is news because it’s never happened before. Pro sports, especially the ones where athletes get paid millions upon millions of dollars, are bastion of masculinity. Manhood, athleticism and heterosexuality are all woven together in our cultural paradigm. It’s still news because the stereotype of gay men as being effete, weak, uncoordinated (except where it comes to Lady Gaga impersonations) and otherwise “girly” is still so strong. It shouldn’t be. Gay comes in all shapes, sizes, strengths and personalities. Just like straight does. It shouldn’t be news that – guess what – some gay people don’t fit your stereotype. But it is. It shouldn’t be news for that reason, but I’m grateful that it is news for an entirely different reason. Jason’s coming out is a very, very public “it gets better” message to all the LGBTQ youth coming up, and out, right now. According to the Trevor Project, an organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 10- to 24-year-olds, and it’s the second leading cause of death on college campuses. Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers. This is why an openly gay NBA player should be news, because it busts stereotypes, normalizes homosexuality and gives kids of all orientations a positive role model of self-love and professional excellence. Until there are no more hate crimes, no more vicious bullying and ugly slurs, whenever a person comes out – whether that person is a celebrity or a ‘nobody’ – it should be celebrated like the triumph of courage it is. That is why it should be news. Jason Collins is tremendously brave and deserves to be celebrated as such.
All that said, we aback to the question my dad would have asked. “Yeah, but can the dude play?” Yes, he can play. He’s an aggressive, big man who Donna holds his Brazile space on the court. At 34, he’s probably aging out of the sport, but he’s played consistently and well over the years and deserves to be remembered for what he has done on the court, not what he did while off. I applaud his career and his bravery, and I look forward to the day that sexual orientation is a non-issue. We are all so much more than our sexuality. It is vital to the situations in which it’s important – namely, in looking for a mate – but it has nothing to do with job performance, whether your job is as a secretary or a professional basketball player. Our sexuality is just one of a thousand pieces of our identity, not the sole determining factor. Jason Collins is gay. That’s not all he is, and it would be nice if we could keep this one piece of identity in context with the whole. Finally, it’s nice to see institutionalized homophobia crumbling. First it was the military, with the repeal of don’t ask, don’t tell. For decades, the argument had been that having openly gay people in the military would impair unit cohesion. Setting aside all the flawed assumptions that undergird those fears, you know what has happened to unit cohesion since the fall of don’t ask, don’t tell? It’s stayed the same or gotten slightly better. This is probably because it’s easier for people to bond when they’re not forbidden from being themselves. First, it was the military, now it’s pro sports being forced to realize that there is no “us” and “them” when it comes to sexuality. We are all on the same team. I’ll bet that Jason Collins will be the first in a string of professional athletes to openly acknowledge their homosexuality. You can also think of him as the next in a chain of civil rights pioneers. And I’ll bet you’ll start seeing them play a bit better. We’re all at our best when we don’t have to hide who we are, when we can bring it all to the court. I’m proud to see Jason come out and encouraged to see the overwhelmingly positive reaction he’s received. And yet, I can’t wait for the day we greet it with “so what?” and a yawn. I think my dad would agree.
Melrose volleyball star hitting on all cylinders Ashundria McNeal, a senior volleyball player at Melrose High School, was a Best of the Preps selection this year. On Wednesday, she signed with Alabama A & M University. McNeal is the first volleyball player from Melrose to receive a full volleyball scholarship to a Division 1 school. Nominated to the district all-star team for the past three seasons, McNeal was ranked in the top 20 in the state in hitting percentage during the regular season. Off the court, McNeal is ranked No. 5 in her senior class with a 4.0
For the Grizz, grind goes on Game 6 of the Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Clippers NBA Playoffs first round series is a sellout. The FedExForum will be raucous place as the Grizz go for the knockout up three games to two against the Clippers. It’s not an absolute mustwin game, with the series shifting back to L.A. should Memphis coming up short in its bid to snare its second playoff series win in franchise
history. With the home-court advantage in hand after snatching it away from the Clippers in Game 5, the stars are aligned for Memphis to eclipse L.A. The FedExForum, aka the “Grindhouse”, has been kind to the home team this season and in this year’s playoffs, with Memphis having taken both games against the L.A. here. Three is the charm.
(Donna Brazile, a CNN contributor and a Democratic strategist, is vice chairwoman for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee. She is a nationally syndicated columnist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and author of “Cooking with Grease: Stirring the Pot in America.” She was manager for the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign in 2000.)
Ashundria McNeal (right) and her mother, Scheherazarde McNeal. (Courtesy photo)
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
The Grizzlies fans celebrate after their blowout victory in Game 4. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)
G.P.A. “Ashundria has demonstrated outstanding character and responsibility since I met her as a 9th grader,” said Angela Long, Melrose’s head volleyball coach. “She has been a team captain for the past three years and her leadership abilities are evident on and off the court. “I have been coaching her all four years and I would like to help her celebrate this achievement,” said Long, spreading the word about McNeal’s signing. “This is not only a crowning achievement for her and the school, but also the community of Orange Mound.
Memphis forward Zach Randolph has been a man on fire, with the Grizz now a victory away from escaping the first round of the playoffs. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)
Blake Griffin, you are traveling. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)