8 8 2012

VOL. 61, No. 31

August 2 - 8, 2012

www.tsdmemphis.com

75 Cents

Will the Election Commission get it together?

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Tony Jones

The U.S. Justice Department, the FBI and the State of Tennessee have monitoring duty for the Aug. 2 election following revelations of a problem with voting tabulation by the Shelby County Election Commission.

Secretary of State Tre Hargrett called the commission on the carpet after it was discovered that an inordi-

nate number of citizens had been given improper information about their voting status during the early voting period from July 13 to July 28.

Noting that the problems date back “more than a decade,” Hargrett – in a conference call with media – said that “unacceptable is probably not a strong enough statement, frankly,” to describe the commission’s history of election snafus.

“Nearly every election cycle in re-

cent memory has been plagued by a myriad of errors and complaints of wrongdoing.”

Election Commissioner Norma Lester, who serves as secretary, said the commission was summoning every level of energy to get the election right.

“Everyone, the commissioners and the staff, are working around the clock to make things as smooth and accurate as possible. It’s a major undertaking, and when you identify and

fix one problem, another glitch arises, but the staff have made some major, major inroads in identifying and addressing issues,” said Lester.

“We have the checks and balances in place wherever we are able, just trying to do the best we can do to try and make sure we have as fluid an election as we possibly can.”

The state dispatched two assistants to help the Election Commission.

Wariness about the election also in-

cludes uneasiness about the state’s new voter ID law. Hargrett’s office has determined that only state-issued photo IDs will be accepted as valid identification for those seeking to vote. And Mayor AC Wharton Jr.’s move to have library photo cards as identification was struck down in court.

“This (problems with elections) goes all the way back to 1974 when SEE ELECTION ON PAGE 6

Sixteen-year-old gymnast Gabrielle Douglas helped the U.S. womenʼs gymnastics team earn gold. Her Facebook page conveyed appreciation: “We are the 2012 London Olympic Gold Medalists!!! We are all so happy right now. Itʼs a dream come true! Gotta give God the Glory! Thank you everyone for praying for me! It means so much to me! Now I have to prepare for the All-Around competition! I am so excited! n Gabby”

OLYMPICS INSIDE

• Racist tweet trips Greek Olympian. See Sports page 13.

• Do slave descendants have ‘superior athletic gene?’ See Sports page 13.

• You don’t have to be an Olympian to keep your body in tip-top shape. See Health page 14.

• Leverage: Olympics can move children to physical activity. See Health page 14.

Patriots...

Susan Matthews, Recreation Therapist for Memphis VA Hospital, directs the Patriots — a veterans group that sang the National Anthem at the Memphis Redbirds game on Tuesday, July 31. The Patriots are Andrew Patterson (left), Andrew Tunstall, Robert Hayes, Gordon Coughlin and Austin Howard. (Photo by Warren Roseborough)

Back to School

- INSIDE -

• Research connects President Obama to ‘the genesis of legalized slavery’.

See Nation, page 5.

• Progressive National Baptist Convention to draw 4,000. See Community, page 12.

• Seal did not disappoint Memphis-area fans. See Entertainment, page 17.

MEMPHIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

H- 9 1o - L - 7 7o H- 9 1o - L - 7 7o H- 9 1o - L - 7 3o Scat. T-Storms Scat. T-Storms Scat. T-Sto rms REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS

Friday H-105 L-79 H-92 L-75 H-95 L-74

Saturday H-100 L-77 H-90 L-75 H-93 L-74

Sunday H-96 L-75 H-91 L-72 H-91 L-73

Melrose High Schoolʼs new principal, Leviticus Pointer, says, “To get an opportunity to ʻcome homeʼ is absolutely incredible, to say the least.” (Photo by Warren Roseborough)

Academic goals are just wishes and desires without the budget/financial plan needed to execute, said Unified School Board member Martavius Jones. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

Dream fulfilled: Leviticus Pointer takes over at Melrose High School

Merger’s path is served at TSD ‘Lunch and Learn’

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Andre Mitchell

Leviticus “Levi” Pointer walked the halls of Melrose High School as a freshman in 1984, graduating in 1989. On Monday morning (Aug. 6), he retraces those steps, this time as principal.

As he moves along, Pointer will carry with him thoughts of former principal LaVaughn Bridges and other Melrose principals, administrators and educators. He says their collective leadership and influence helped ignite and instill values and habits that remain within the hearts of the many “Golden Wildcats” who

yielded to their tutelage.

Here Pointer, Melrose’s seventh principal, talks with The New TriState Defender about his ongoing journey.

Tri-State Defender: Tell us why you feel this is a dream come true for you.

Leviticus Pointer: First and foremost, this is a personal dream come true. I attended this school (Melrose) under the junior/senior high configuration back in 1984. I saw Mr. LaVaughn Bridges run this school and from that moment on, I talked about one day becoming a principal at Melrose High.

SEE MELROSE ON PAGE 2

The New Tri-State Defender staff

Unified School Board Member Martavius Jones is used to being asked, “How did we get here?” The question references the track that Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools are on toward the planned merger.

Jones spoke Tuesday at the inaugural “Lunch and Learn” initiative hosted by The New Tri-State Defender in collaboration with Networking in Memphis at the Lunch Box Eats restaurant on Fourth Street downtown. For 30 minutes, he talked about the unified school system and various topics associated with changes in public education in Memphis and Shelby County.

“Your budget is your financial plan for executing your academic plan,” said Jones. “I don’t care how ambitious your academic goals are, without having the proper funding to implement those goals they are just wishes and desires. That’s how we got here.”

Jones, who took a leadership role in the process that led to the Memphis City Schools board voting to surrender its charter, said he did so because he perceived a threat to the future funding and academic plans of Memphis City Schools system.

He outlined how he arrived at that position, explaining that development created a situation where 40 SEE LUNCH ON PAGE 2

NEWS

Page 2

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

MELROSE

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

• In 1890, a school designated for blacks was built in Orange Mound. This school would later be named in honor of humanitarian/philanthropist, educator, community and civic leader, Dr. Melrose. Fannie M. Kneeland began serving as the only classroom teacher and principal of Melrose School. In 1894, the first class – five girls - graduated.

• In 1919, due to annexation, Melrose officially became part of the Memphis City School System.

William Alexander Lynk succeeded Mrs. Kneeland as principal of the growing school. City school officials looked to devise a plan to finance a much-needed new building.

• In 1938, Melrose and Park Avenue Schools merged, giving Melrose a larger, better-equipped, school building located near the corner of Dallas Street and Park Ave. Melrose graduated its first high school class in 1946. Two years later a sports stadium was built for $217,000.

• In 1949, Floyd M. Campbell was selected as the third principal, promot-

I thought about it while I was a student in college at the University of Tennessee at Martin, as a teacher at Trezevant High, as an assistant principal at Wooddale Middle, as the principal at Vance Middle, and even as recent as the principal at Fairley High last year – it was in my blood!

TSD: What are some things that come to mind as you look back on your days as a student at Melrose, then UT Martin and the stops you’ve made at schools along the way to principal ship?

LP: The first thing that comes to mind is the instrumental administrators and classroom educators in my life who were very strict, demanding, but you knew that they cared and wanted you to succeed. LaVaughn Bridges, Joe Davis, Ruby Strong, Walter Winfrey are a few names that come to mind when I think about the people who helped to mold us.

The teachers were pivotal in helping us understand what it would take to make it in the world. They helped us develop socially and provided the insight on how to be wellrounded individuals. We were encouraged and taught to be not only “book smart” but also “street smart” and how to balance the two in a diverse world. In essence, they provided that legendary Melrose instructional leadership, academically and socially. Teachers like Eugene Powell, Mary Evans, Robert Crawford, George Dowdy...were educators who really taught and they were serious about their craft and they saw to it that you learned or died trying.

Another note to add was that Melrose alum was always in the building. One gentleman that comes to mind is a Jesse Wilburn. He made an impact as a leader – no doubt.

There was an Auto body instructor named Mr. Jerry Browning, who gave me a reallife scenario and ultimatum when he said, “Levi you look like college material, now you can spend four years of your life pursuing a college degree or you can pursue a career in auto body repair.” At that moment, I began to seriously consider attending college.

Nobody had broke it down, to me, like he did, but it was teachers like him who helped me to think, grow and succeed.

ing a family type of culture that helped pave the way for a closer connection between the school administration, teachers, students, parents and community. He emphasized academics, attendance, attitude and athletics, better known as “The four A’s.”

• The elementary grades were dropped in 1965 and four years later, Melrose named Melvin Conley its next principal. In 1972, to its current site at 3870 Deadrick Ave. • In 1979, LaVaughn Bridges became the fifth principal of Melrose. Principal Bridges – affectionately called “Chief” – the Golden Wildcats’ for the next two decades. Under his direction, the school served students in grades seven through twelve until 1995 when the seventh and eighth grades were eliminated.

• In 1997 and again in 2004, the Memphis Education Association recognized Melrose High as “School of the Year.”

• In 2008, Leroy McClain was appointed principal.

• Aug. 6, 2012: the first day of classes at Melrose under the leadership of Leviticus “Levi” Pointer.

MELROSE MOMENTS

For Melrose Principal Leviticus Pointer, helping students understand the history of the school and the community is “a must” to get back to “that level of excellence.”

(Photo by Warren Roseborough) Of course, I followed Mr. Robert Crawford, who was my art instructor; his guidance and influence led me to becoming an art instructor. I would begin to see myself mimicking these men – especially men like LaVaughn Bridges, Harold McRae, Sonny Hicks, Harry T. Cash, (and) Oliver Johnson.

And in my mind, these are legendary men who led their schools and had a phenomenal impact on the students, parents and communities that they served.

Plus, there were people who looked out for me in other ways that was just as major in me being in the position and place I am today. During my days at Melrose, I saw neighborhood friends and classmates who were hustling and getting paid, but this one fellow won’t allow me to get in the game. At first, I didn’t understand. I asked, “My friends doing it, so why, can’t I?” Nevertheless, he encouraged me to “go to college and do the prep thang.” I know better now that God’s design was for him to push me toward another path.

TSD: How does that history relate to our students today?

LP: I feel we must help our students realize that Melrose was an integral part of the community, simply because Orange Mound was built by African-Americans for African-Americans and the church and school were two institutions that people in the community not only valued but looked to for hope and inspiration. Without a doubt, Melrose School played a vital role in

the growth and development of this great community. Especially when you consider when Melrose was a K-12 institution, you had folks who eventually graduated after twelve years of schooling that went on to become prominent doctors, lawyers, judges, professors, skilled professionals, actors, singers, athletes, etc. So it is a must that we help our students understand that history so that we may get back to that level of excellence.

TSD: What do you consider your greatest challenge at the moment?

LP: I feel my greatest challenge and urge is to re-culture, restructure and reformat the school climate so that we have total success emerging from Melrose and the Orange Mound community.

Upon watching a video recently, I am encouraged and reminded of the vast array of ingenuity and talent that has always been a part of Orange Mound. There have been so many great African-American people who have helped to build the Orange Mound community that I am compelled to help our young people learn about that significant, rich history and those great people.

TSD: What factors led you to Melrose?

LP: My mother worked tirelessly to provide for my sisters and me. We were raised with the help of my aunt and uncle who had a strong religious faith and helped introduce me to the Church of God in Christ.

Willie Lee and Pearly Mae

Wicks were like my grandparents and since we stayed with them so to speak, we got a sound dose of Christian principles and values, which helped to give me a solid foundation at an early age. My grandfather whom I would visit each summer taught me the value of hard work and he made sure that I learned and could do things as a man to provide for my family. My uncle played a major role by being a positive male role model as well. Of course there were others, yet my family played a strong, productive role in shaping my character.

Back in the day, I attended school at South Park, then Dunn Avenue and was planning to attend Corry Junior High and then Hamilton High, with my friends, but it never happened. My family moved to Orange Mound in ’84 and that was it, I became a ‘Golden Wildcat’ instead.

TSD: What was your immediate family’s response when they heard you got the (Melrose) position?

LP: Well, I set down with my daughter (Demi), and son (Landon), and had a conversation with them prior to me applying for the position. I wanted them to know and understand why we were having the conversation and what was at stake. Also, I wanted them to recognize the sacrifices that their father has made not only to provide a solid foundation but to also set a good example for them as we strive to achieve success.

My kids were positive, very

inquisitive, but positive. They asked, “Dad, you been talking about this for a long time, right? The man we always see, Mr. Bridges, that’s your principal right? Have you talked to him? What did he say? Have you talked to mom? What did she say? Well, you’ve been talking about this for a long time, so what you waiting on?

Go for it!” All I could think about was this encouragement and support was coming from my kids.

Of course my wife, (Dana), was extremely positive and encouraging as well. She also said to go for it! There was nothing left to do but follow through with the application process.

TSD: What is it that you want to accomplish most during your tenure as principal of Melrose?

LP: I want to be that connector to my administration, teachers, students, parents and Orange Mound residents in an effort to help Melrose students understand that we are here to reach and teach our youth, but also to listen, to guide and to redirect them, if necessary.

TSD: Last question, what is your overall vision for the students of Melrose High?

LP: One, to help them understand that our purpose is to motivate and educate our young people, especially our African-American males. If we don’t help them learn to become more proficient in reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking, as well as become more effective “code switchers” who are able to relate and display appropriate decorum at school and at home, then we’re setting them up to fail.

Two, I think our students (and even we as adults) need to also know that “code switching” doesn’t stop with our mental and verbal capacity, but with our physical appearance and presence also. I want our students to know the importance of their presentation as it relates to how they dress and carry themselves, so they can begin to understand that you don’t have to be loud, obnoxious or disrespectful, but just the same have a powerful presence and speak volumes without saying a word.

EDUCATION BRIEFS South Third Health Loop to host back-to school health fair

The inaugural TSD “Lunch and Learn” series brought a crowd to the Lunch Box Eats restaurant in downtown Memphis on Tuesday. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

LUNCH

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

percent of the property values of Shelby County rested outside the city’s limits. Coupling that fact with the power of special school districts, a scenario evolved where that 40 percent would have been enough to properly educate and fund a special school district outside of Memphis, denying Memphians the use of those funds.

“I felt the quality of education that we were trying to deliver in Memphis City Schools would have been irreparably harmed and would suffer if we removed 40 percent of the second largest funding source for the school system, that being money coming from total Shelby County, Tennessee” said Jones.

Careful not to frame the situation in an urban versus suburban or city versus suburbs context, Jones said he favored a move toward equal representation and the “elimination of taxation with representation,” which he said Memphians had

been facing relative to financially supporting Shelby County Schools since 1998.

Turning to the Transition Planning Commission responsible for recommending a merger plan, Jones said he initially had concerns about the TPC because it was weighted toward the suburban bodies.

Most members, he learned, were committed to “do what’s best for all children.”

It would be unrealistic, said Jones, for the TPC to think the unified school board will put its wholesale stamp of approval on the recommended plan.

Jones said he finds it particularly troublesome that the goal of a world-class school system would be pursued with a substantial investment of funds, noting the millions of dollars cut from the city schools budget over the last six years.

President / Publisher Bernal E. Smith II said the TSD is ecstatic about the launch of its new “Lunch and Learn” initiative in collaboration with Networking in Memphis.

“Twice monthly we will se-

lect a black-owned restaurant located within the Greater Memphis area to which we will go and invite our readers and the general public for a ‘Dutch treat’ (buy your own) lunch,” said Smith, acknowledging Kaia Brewer, the owner of Lunch Box Eats.

“At that lunch we will host thought leaders and influencers from around the area to speak and share information with the attendees, allowing for more direct interaction and greater understanding of various issues facing the community.”

“Lunch and Learn” is designed to: • Have a positive financial boost for the business selected for that day.

• Bring a heightened awareness of a topic or issue to TSD readers/event attendees.

• Allow for networking and the establishment of new relationships for TSD readers/event attendees.

• Foster greater connection between the TSD readership/attendees and leaders of the community.

The Health Loop Primary Care Network, a part of the Regional Medical Center at Memphis family, is hosting a Back To School Community Health Fair on Saturday, Aug. 4. The health fair will be held from noon until 3 p.m. at South Third Health Loop, located in the Southgate Shopping Center at 1955 South Third Street.

The event is designed to provide opportunity for the surrounding community to learn how to improve their health while also learning about health services available in their own backyard. Health screenings at the event will include cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure. Attendees will also enjoy entertainment, workshops, face painting and games.

The community health fair has a special back-to-school theme, with a goal of preparing students and their families for a healthy start to the school year. While supplies last, school-aged children in attendance will be gifted school supplies donated by the staff at Regional Medical Center at Memphis and health fair partners The Life Church and Memphis Athletic Ministries.

The South Third Health Loop is one of four physician offices that are part of the Regional Medical Center at Memphis’ primary care network.

East High students called to serve in Binghampton

First Baptist Church – Broad and The Peer Power Foundation are partners in an upcoming back-to-school festival at East High School and a new initiative to foster volunteer service among East High students in the Binghampton neighborhood near the school.

Through a 10,000-hour challenge, Peer Power and its community partners are calling on students at East High in each grade level to perform at least 2,500 hours of service in the Binghampton area during the upcoming school year and cooperating to help them accomplish the ambitious goal.

“An important part of education is learning about the world around you. By helping East High students help others, they will learn new skills, develop new confidence and grow as they step-up to serve others,” said Meah King, an English teacher and coordinator of the Peer Power programs at East High.

A back-to-school festival where East High students may pick up school supplies and their families may receive information from a variety of community partners is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 4) in the East High Auditorium.

Festival participants include: Christ United Methodist Church, Bridges, Olympic Staffing, Benjamin Hooks Central Library, Mesick Adult Learning Center and MATA, among others.

The Peer Power Foundation, founded by Memphis businessman and philanthropist Charles McVean, provides funding for peer-tutoring and other enrichment programs at public schools in Memphis and the Mid-South.

‘Stop the Killing’ Back 2 School family and community rally

F.F.U.N. (Freedom from Unnecessary Negatives) will host its 9th Annual “Stop the Killing” Back 2 School family and community rally on Saturday (Aug. 4) at the Hollywood Community Center located at 1560 N. Hollywood in north Memphis.

“We must educate our youth and teach them that there are consequences for bad choices, negative behavior, negative influences,” said Stevie Moore, president and founder of F.F.U.N. “Stop the Killing.”

Doors open at 10 a.m. for registration, with the event at 11 a.m. The event is free and will feature school supplies, dental screenings, food/beverage and live entertainment.

For more information, contact Stevie Moore at 502-7387; email rosiland@ffunsaveyouth.org; or visit ffunsaveyouth.org.

Fathers encouraged to take their children to school on first day

On Monday, Aug. 6, The Kelley Price Project encourages Memphis fathers to take their children to school on their first day for the 2012-13 school year.

“We are asking fathers and other significant male figures to volunteer 10 hours during the academic year in their children’s schools,” said Kelley D. Price, CEO of The Kelley Price Project.

Volunteer opportunities include serving as mentors, tutors, chaperones and various other roles.

Price and a host of fathers will be escorting their children and grandchildren to their first day at Kipp Collegiate at 230 Henry.

OPINION

Tri-State Defender

Page 3

August 2 - 8, 2012

Anti-Obama hate soars on social media

by Earl Ofari Hutchinson New America Media

The legion of web sites, bloggers, talk show jocks, and the occas i o n a l GOP official that has teed off on Earl Ofari President Hutchinson O b a m a and at times Michelle Obama with assorted borderline racist digs, taunts, and depictions have been relentless. The offensive remarks quickly evoke a storm of outrage, and the offender gets rebuked. This happens because they are public figures, and their comments are publicly aired. They fly high on the public’s radar scope.

But that’s not the case with the growing barrage of racist assaults on Obama, and other minorities on social media sites. Baylor University researchers, for instance, recently tracked more than 20 Facebook page groups and users and found them jam packed with racist venom aimed at Obama, African Americans and other minorities. The growing number of groups that churn hate on social media sites are secure in the knowledge that they won’t be caught or called out on it.

The signal that Obama would trigger a titanic wave of race baiting and stereotyping danger in cyber space came the moment that he announced he would seek the presidency in February 2007. He had the dubious distinction of being the earliest presidential contender to be assigned Secret Service protection on the campaign trail. As the showdown with Republican presidential rival John McCain heated up in the general election in 2008, the flood of crank, crackpot, and screwball threats that promised murder and mayhem toward Obama continued to pour in. This prompted the Secret Service to tighten security and take even more elaborate measures to ensure his safety. As president, the threats against Obama have been non-stop.

But the first real tip that hate could also find a safe haven on social media sites was the infamous Facebook assassination poll in September 2009. The target was Obama. Hundreds of respondents dignified the question that asked: “Should Obama be killed?” by answering. If the poll hadn’t been quickly yanked, thousands more might have answered the bizarre and murderous question.

In the nearly three years since then, dozens of hate groups have popped up on Facebook. They have several things in common. Their prime target is Obama. They let fly with the most grotesque, offensive, and rabid hate depictions of the president, blacks and other minorities. Thousands of respondents chime in with their own racial haranguing broadsides. They have defacto protection from Facebook, not because Facebook condones or even turns a blind eye to racism on its site and by its users. It has a very strict policy to snatch any group from the site that makes racial, gender, religious, or sexual orientation attacks against individuals or groups. But Facebook bases its existence and success on being a virtually, free and open social media platform.

Facebook permits, even takes pride, in letting individuals and groups poke fun, level ridicule, and toss jibes at any and everything under the guise of humor or satire. It’s the old free speech canard.

Facebook’s extreme reluctance to inhibit the free expression of ideas and opinions no matter how many persons may be offended at the humor or satire provides virtual open license for groups and individuals to spew racial hate. For example, in one posting Obama is depicted in hip-hop garb with a bucket of chicken. In another, a grinning Obama has a bandanna on his head and a mouth full of gold teeth with the caption “Going for the African-American vote.”

The hate groups outwit the Facebook policy enforcers by avoiding use of the more blatant racial slurs and epithets.

They use such neutral language as “Obama is a lousy president.” They know that this will stir an avalanche of comments, many of which will be laced with racial slurs and propagate racial stereotypes.

The social media hate groups also are adept at using innocuous key words and race neutral titles to give the façade that their criticism of the White House has no hidden racial animus. Many innocent social media networkers stumble on the hate group pages and are appalled at what they see and read. But they are still

exposed to the hate mongering and that insures a wider audience.

Hate groups have honed in on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms to influence and even recruit others to their ranks. As the closely contested 2012 presidential election heats up, more groups will skirt the social media cen-

sors and ratchet up their hate filled vitriol on their sites.

They’ll pawn it off as satire and poking fun at Obama, and minorities. And for the most part they’ll get away with it.

(Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is a frequent political commentator on MSNBC and

a weekly co-host of the “Al Sharpton Show” on American Urban Radio Network. He is the author of “How Obama Governed: The Year of Crisis and Challenge.” He is an associate editor of New America Media. He is the host of the weekly “Hutchinson Report” on KPFK-Radio and the Pacifica Network.)

Page 4

OPINION

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)

The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper

A Real Times Newspaper

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

Where’s the outrage about Chicago’s kids?

ED + TECH

Do ‘virtual schools’ work?

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Larry T. Robinson

(Larry T. Robinson is an evangelist for the transcendental matrimony of education + technology. His ED+TECH column is designed to create a forum that inspires insightful discussion regarding this pervasive topic.)

Virtual schools are becoming a very popular and cost-effective choice for many school districts. This popularity has been fueled by those participating districts’ attempt to reach a broader pool of viable students and create new educational options for students that traditional school models do not offer.

Typically, the traditional school models consist of spending approximately seven hours inside the building(s) for five days a week learning various subjects evenly divided between five to eight classes. The aforementioned school districts believe that should no longer be the only effective option. Because of this growth, many for-profit corporations have been created to provide these virtual services and in many cases create, in essence, virtual charter schools.

As with any “new” innovation, there will be supporters as well as detractors. In this particular situation, K12 Inc., the largest private education management organization in the United States, has come under fire because of the report published by the National Education Policy Committee (http://goo.gl/0ibjK). The report shines a light on the poor performance of virtual schools, particularly K12’s, by using federal and state data. The report provides insight into the amount of public funds used by the company at each school level.

The combination of tax dollars expended and the overall weak results in student performance have provided the critics of virtual schools with some tangible ammunition, to curtail their growth. In Tennessee, state Sen. Andy Berke (D-Chattanooga) is shouting from the top of Lookout

Mountain that Tennessee is making a mistake by using these organizations to educate. Becoming increasingly known as an outspoken critic of virtual schools, Berke has asked State Education Larry T. Commissioner Robinson Kevin Huffman to perform a complete review of the operations and the overall effectiveness of the for-profit education entities (story link: http://goo.gl/i2wqK).

As an education stakeholder (anyone with a vested interest in the education of our nation’s students), I hope you review all the related and relevant articles on this situation through the lens of “doing what is best for the students!”

Let’s be clear, Sen. Berke and other elected officials are doing their job when they insure that public resources are used in the most effective manner. However, as it relates to educating the masses, there is more than one way to education enrichment. We must realize that magic bullets and panaceas do not exist.

Although our current system works for a certain set of students, in some cases, over 50 percent of the students are not getting the enrichment they need.

Therefore, they are disproportionately a burden to our system because as adults, they are not adequately equipped to provide for themselves and/or their families.

If we provide effective enrichment options, maybe we can raise the literacy rate in our communities. And, as always, we should keep “the most important thing” as “the most important thing.” We should also trust that as long as our priorities are in order, the results will be to our benefit!

(Larry T. Robinson can be reached at educationplustechnology @gmail.com.)

Pastors’ Spouses plead for Medicare program protection

As Congress works to reduce the deficit, the National Coalition of Pastors’ Spouses (NCPS) ask that it protect the Federal Medicare program. Without a doubt, drastic spending cuts and reforms will have a negative impact on the millions of Americans who rely on this critical program for access to quality care and affordable medicines.

Millions of residents rely on Medicare to help with their health care needs, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare works for America, and should be protected because the program provides seniors, lowincome minorities and disabled Americans with access to affordable treatments and medicines.

Medicare Part D, also known as a Prescription Drug Plan, was created under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (2003 Medicare Act) to help cover the costs of prescription drugs for patients and seniors. Before the health care reform law was passed, Medicare Part D patients who reached a certain level of spending on prescription medications, known as the Part D coverage gap or “donut hole,” were required to pay 100 percent of the cost of their drugs out-of-pocket until their spending reached a level qualifying them for catastrophic coverage.

Regardless of your opinion of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, a/k/a ObamaCare, under this new law, the “donut hole” has the potential to start to close. This particular portion of the Affordable Care Act will cut the cost of prescription drugs for millions of people with Medicare, including a new 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs for seniors and people with disabilities who experience the coverage gap.

That change means preventative care and adherence to prescription drug recommendations by providers for this population segment will only get better.

Spending cuts that negatively impact patient access to care will only make worse the problem of rising health care costs in the long run.

CMS has expressed concern that doctors, and other health care providers, might leave the Medicare program as a result of such extreme cuts. As pastors’ spouses, we are concerned that Vivian this would mean Berryhill ration care, and remove choices and lower the of quality services for seniors, low-income minority families and people with disabilities.

It is no secret that low-income Americans, members of racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and other underserved populations often face limited access to health care and experience poorer health outcomes across their lifespan. For example: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), African Americans and Hispanics have significantly lower influenza and pneumococcal immunization rates compared to the rest of the population.

Older Americans in these underserved populations are also less likely to get the preventive care they need to stay healthy.

People of color experience higher rates of many chronic conditions (such as heart disease and diabetes), as well as higher death rates from many of these conditions compared to the general population.

The National Coalition of Pastors’ Spouses believe that by tweaking the health care delivery process, and improving the current health care payment system, in addition to placing more emphasis on preventative care – using neighborhood churches and other trusted grassroots community facilities as health hubs – are the real keys to reducing health care costs!

(Vivian Berryhill is the founder and president of he National Coalition of Pastors’ Spouses (NCPS),)

Crucifying Chick-fil-A’s owner for his beliefs

In an attempt to drum up more business, Chick-fil-A has ads and billboards featuring black-and-white spotted cows – acting in what the company calls their “enlightened self-interest” – urging people to “Eat Mor Chikin.”

But that’s not what gay rights advocates want in the aftermath of the president of Chick-fil-A expressing his opposition to same-sex marriage. They don’t want the public to eat any chicken served by the Atlanta-based chain.

In a June 12 radio interview on “The Ken Coleman Show,” Chick-filA President and CEO Dan Cathy said, “As it relates to society in general, I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fists at Him and say, ‘We know better than You as to what constitutes a marriage.’ I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about.”

When asked about his support of traditional marriage by the Biblical Recorder, Cathy responded, “Well, guilty as charged.”

It is surprising that anyone would be surprised by the position taken by the Chick-fil-A officials.

“From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business,” the company says on its website. “ For example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.”

Fifteen years ago, the company became the chief sponsor of the Peach Bowl and renamed it the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

“We are the only bowl that has an invocation,”’ Cathy said in the Biblical Recorder interview. “It is our agreement that if Chick-fil-A is associated in this, there’s going to be an invocation. Also, we don’t have our bowl on Sunday, either.”

Both Dan Cathy and his father are devout Christians. And given their religious beliefs and their attitude about working or playing football on Sunday, it should come as no surprise that they believe homosexuality is a sin. As U.S. citizens, they were exercising their First Amendment rights to free speech and religion.

And many people, including me, find that honorable.

The problem with many gay rights advocates is that they try to bully people into subscribing to their point of view. If you don’t believe in samesex marriages or object to their trying to re-frame their position as an issue of “marriage equity,” they are quick to dismiss your genuinely-held opinion as homophobia. No, many opponents of gay marriages are not homophobic – they simply believe it is a sin. Most major religions – including

C h r i s t i a n i t y, Catholicism, Islam, Mormonism and Orthodox Judaism – reject homosexuality. Of course, the problem with some opponents of same-sex marriage is that they want to invoke George the Bible selecE. Curry tively.

In arguing that gay rights activists shouldn’t boycott Chick-fil-A, some liberals are also wrong. Gay rights activists and their supporters have the right to spend their money with whom they please.

And by urging a boycott of Chick-filA, which is a $4 billion a year business, activists are borrowing a page from what leaders of the civil rights movement did in the 1950s and 1960s to break down the walls of segregation.

Politicians on the left and on the right have injected themselves into the controversy.

Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee picked Aug. 1 as the day for people to eat at Chick-fil-A to show their support for the company.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLADD) is promoting a National Same-Sex Kiss Day to be held Aug. 3 at Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country.

The most disturbing part of this controversy is that elected officials are threatening to block Chick-fil-A from building restaurants in their communities. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino have said they might seek to block Chick-fil-A from expanding in their communities. That would amount to government censorship; no one should be punished by elected officials for exercising their right to free speech.

As the Boston Herald observed, “Which part of the First Amendment does (Mayor) Menino not understand?” The editorial continued, “If the mayor of a conservative town tried to keep out gay-friendly Starbucks or Apple, it would be an outrage.”

It’s outrageous that the president of Chick-fil-A, exercising his constitutional rights, is being persecuted for expressing support for the Bible. It’s outrageous to try to prevent gay and lesbian advocates from directing dollars away from a business that they deem unsupportive. And it’s outrageous for anyone on the left or right to think that they should dictate the personal views and opinions of others.

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

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Tri-State Defender Platform

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From July 20 to July 24, I refused to watch TV or listen to the radio. The 20th was the day the media frenzy began in the aftermath of the shootings in Aurora, Colo.

Though my heart Raynard goes out to any Jackson family that lost a loved one, it’s very difficult to justify the aroundthe-clock media saturation that followed those horrendous shootings.

We should value all life, not just when mass murder occurs in the suburbs or some white blond female turns up missing on a sunny island.

Black children have died in massive numbers in Chicago for years, few people seem to notice or fewer seem to even care. No, I am not trying to turn the Colorado shooting into a racial issue. But I am saying the race of the victims does matter, at least when it comes to national media attention. During the first half of this year in Chicago, 201 of 259 homicide victims were black (44 were Hispanic, and 11 were white). There have been more homicides in Chicago this year than the number of our soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If the media really wanted a story, they wouldn’t ignore those figures.

Blacks account for 33 percent of the city’s population, but accounted for 78 percent of the homicides during this time period. According to a spokesman for the Chicago police department, “Most of the violent crime happened in poor, mostly black neighborhoods on the South and West sides (mind you that President Obama lives on the South side)…and a majority of both homicide victims and offenders are young black men with criminal records…

With one exception, blacks have made up more than 70 percent of homicide victims in Chicago every year for the last two decades.”

President Obama and Mitt Romney, the Republican who wants to replace him, both suspended political ads in Colorado, they both made statements the same day of the shootings and suspended their campaigns for the day. The president even made a special trip to Colorado.

But he hasn’t made a regular or special trip to Chicago, his adopted hometown, to deplore the killings there. And nor has Romney. Maybe they feel there is no political gain in carrying about the Southside’s losses.

As professor Cornel West says in the title of one of his books, “Race Matters.” And, so does class. In Colorado, the victims were middle to upward middle class suburbanites. In Chicago, the victims were poor and black.

In today’s politically correct society, no one wants to speak the truth. The problem of crime has everything to do with a poverty of values. There are no absolute principles in society anymore.

Marriage is no longer defined by the union of one male and one female.

Children are no longer born male or female. Lying is no longer wrong.

Marriage is now defined as between two people who love each other (regardless of gender); children now say that were born in the wrong body and want to have surgery to change their sexual organs. Lying is now contingent upon the reason for the lie.

This breakdown in values is at the root of the crime problem in Chicago and throughout the country. There are absolutes. There is right and wrong.

Marriage is between one man and one woman. Your sexuality is what you are at birth. Lying is wrong, period.

The real crime is not the excessive media coverage of Aurora and the lack thereof for Chicago. Rather, it’s the acceptance by all that this is normal in the black community. George W. Bush called it, “the soft bigotry of low expectations.”

Look at what the director of the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab, Jens Ludwig had to say about blacks and crime: “This program, however, suggests that violence is more responsive to targeted social programs than I had thought. There was an amazingly huge reduction in violence. It was a surprise to me. We really can prevent crime.”

This type of thinking from someone who is supposed to be educated and from one of the best-rated schools in the country is stunning.

But most importantly, where is the moral outrage and righteous indignation from within the black community over what is happening in Chicago. Where are the voices of President Obama, Jennifer Hudson, Michael Jordan, R. Kelly, Common – all of whom have Chicago ties? But let a supporter of Romney make a stupid comment about blacks or Obama and these same people will be all over Twitter. The silence is deafening.

(Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.-public relations/government affairs firm.)

NATION

Tri-State Defender

A DECADE BEHIND

Can the South break out of the low-skill trap? kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com

by Karanja A. Ajanaku

Educational attainment is improving in the South, but many parts of the 16-state (plus Washington, D.C.) region are caught in a vicious cycle that ensures they will lag behind the nation in creating high-paying jobs and producing workers who can fill them.

That finding stands out in a report released Tuesday (July 31) by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. The study is titled “A Decade Behind: Breaking Out of the Low-Skill Trap in the Southern Economy.”

Education demand is improving in the South, but is still a decade behind national averages, according to the report, which The New Tri-State Defender got an advanced review of last week (July 27) during Executive Editor Karanja A. Ajanaku’s participation in a New America Media education fellowship in Washington.

By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require some form of postsecondary education and training, researchers concluded, noting that only three areas of the study region will meet or beat the national percentage: Washington, D.C. (76 percent); Virginia (68 percent) and Maryland (66 percent). The remaining 14 states are projected to fall below that level, and some substantially below.

“Today, some 59 percent of all jobs nationally require postsecondary education and training, compared to 54 percent for the South. By 2020, 59 percent of jobs for the South will require postsecondary education and training – the same percentage that the nation as a whole reached in 2010,” the study finds.

“In other words, the South is 10 years behind in terms of educational attainment.”

The study paints a picture of what is termed a “lowwage/low-skill equilibrium,” emphasizing that the so-called phenomenon is not unique to the southern states. The condition occurs when supply and demand for skilled workers balance at the lower end of the pay and educational achievement scale. At such points, educators and employers become dependent on an economic and technological pathway that suppresses wages and discourages human capital development, the study finds.

“Industry has no incentive to locate in those states, employers have no incentive to create jobs that require anything but low skill and pay, and workers have no reason to attain much beyond a minimum education,” according to the researchers.

“This, of course, is no way to compete in a global economy that increasingly emphasizes competition based on knowledge and skill. And yet, it is the situation confronting much of the South.”

Breaking out of a low-skill equilibrium is no small feat.

States, however, can escape the quandary by producing “more workers with postsecondary education and training; modernizing existing industries; and attracting new ones,” the study asserts.

The number of jobs in the South actually is projected to grow by 20 percent from 2010 to 2020, compared to 17 percent for the nation as a whole, the report notes. The issue, said researchers, is “what kinds of jobs will be created; they will be lower-skilled, lower-pay positions that follow the industrial profiles of the various states.”

The report comes as Tennessee wrestles with what

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August 2 - 8, 2012

Gov. Bill Haslam has termed a problem shared with other states: jobs are available, but there are not enough qualified graduates. Haslam has publicly wondered whether Tennessee’s colleges are preparing future workers.

A solution-oriented step, according to Haslam, would be a statewide conversation. A recent workforce development mini-summit, the first of more to come, was designed with that in mind.

Meanwhile, the South, according to the researchers of the new report, has much work to do if it is to catch up to the country in providing opportunity for its residents.

“And there can be little doubt that education will be one of its most critical tools going forward,” the report finds.

“Without it, there is little hope of the South ever escaping its low-skill trap.”

Research connects President Obama to ‘the genesis of legalized slavery’

A research team from Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, has concluded that President Barack Obama is the 11th great-grandson of John Punch, the first documented African enslaved for life in American history.

Remarkably, the connection was made through President Obama’s Caucasian mother’s side of the family.

The discovery is the result of years of research by Ancestry.com genealogists who, through early Virginia records and DNA analysis, linked Obama to John Punch. An indentured servant in Colonial Virginia, Punch was punished for trying to escape his servitude in 1640 by being enslaved for life. This marked the first actual documented case of slavery for life in the colonies, occurring decades before initial slavery laws were enacted in Virginia.

In the 372 years since, many significant records have been lost – a common problem for early Virginia (and the South in general) – destroyed over time by

“Two of the most historically significant African Americans in the history of our country are amazingly directly related.”

Joseph Shumway

floods, fires and war. While this reality greatly challenged the research project, Ancestry.com genealogists were able to make the connection, starting with Obama’s family tree.

President Obama is traditionally viewed as an African-American because of his father’s heritage in Kenya. However, while researching his Caucasian mother, Stanley Ann Dunham’s lineage, Ancestry.com genealogists found her to have African heritage as well, which piqued the researchers’ interest and inspired further digging into Obama’s African-American roots.

In tracing the family back from Obama’s mother, Ancestry.com used DNA analysis to learn that her ancestors, known as white landowners in Colonial Virginia, actually descended from an African man. Existing records suggest that this

man, John Punch, had children with a white woman, who then passed her free status on to their offspring.

Punch’s descendants went on to be free, successful land owners in a Virginia entrenched in slavery.

An expert in Southern research and past president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, Elizabeth Shown Mills, performed a third-party review of the research and documentation to verify the findings.

“In reviewing Ancestry.com’s conclusions, I weighed not only the actual findings but also Virginia’s laws and social attitudes when John Punch was living,” said Mills. “A careful consideration of the evidence convinces me that the Y-DNA evidence of African origin is indisputable, and the surviving paper trail points solely to John Punch as the logical candidate.

“Genealogical research on individuals who lived hundreds of years ago can never definitively prove that one man fathered another, but this research meets the highest standards and can be offered with confidence,” Mills said.

“Two of the most historically significant African Americans in the history of our country are amazingly directly related,” said Joseph Shumway, Ancestry.com genealogist.

“John Punch was more than likely the genesis of legalized slavery in America.

But after centuries of suffering, the Civil War, and decades of civil rights efforts, his 11th great-grandson became the leader of the free world and the ultimate realization of the American Dream,” said Shumway.

(More details and supporting information on this discovery and additional research on President Obama’s family lineage can be found at www.ancestry.com/ obama.)

Source: Ancestry.com

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ELECTION

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Harold Ford Sr. was first elected,” said Shelby County Democratic Party Chairman Van Turner.

“Bring it up to 1991 when there were issues when Mayor Herenton was elected and up to the present, this is not a new issue to Memphis and Shelby County.”

The continuation of problems, said Turner, “Has caught the eye of voters of suburban voters, so it’s drawn more attention than it has in recent years. I think there is just a different tenor in what’s happening now.

There are just as many, if not more, Republicans upset now about the issue than Democrats.

“In past years when suits were launched challenging election administration, the position was usually taken that it was just a case of sour grapes,”

ELECTION

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

said Turner. “But now there is widespread displeasure with the process because the (county school) referendums were not on many of the ballots.”

Rep. Mike Kernell brought the latest snafu to light after one of his campaign volunteers, Jim Holt, told him that he received incorrect information when he and his wife were not allowed to vote because they were not listed as living in District 93.

Following redistricting by the Republican-dominated Tennessee General Assembly, Kernell wound up running against fellow Democrat G. A. Hardaway to represent District 93.

“I went to the poll worker and they didn’t take my complaint seriously,” said Holt. “I knew we had a map of the district there (at Kernell’s headquarters) so I borrowed it and went and showed the poll worker where I lived. She got her supervisor, who said there

• State Division of Elections – 877-850-4959.

• FBI Voter Hotline – 901-747-4300.

• Official election information – www.GoVoteTN.com.

• Shelby County Election Commission – http://www.shelbyvote.com/; 901-222-1200.

• The Memphis Branch NAACP will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day. For questions, concerns and complaints regarding voting, call 901-521-1343; email nmemphi1@Comcast.net; or visit www.NAACP Memphis.com.

AT A GLANCE

District 93 candidate Mike Kernell displays a photo of his supporter, Jim Holt, pointing out his home in District 93. It was Holt's problem with early voting that led to the state calling for an audit of the Shelby County Election Commission, but not before the August 2 election. (Photo by Tony Jones) was nothing she could do about it.”

An 11th grade English

teacher at Kirby High School, Holt said the summer break afforded him the luxury of pur-

suing the matter.

“The Election Commission has got to be made more responsive. This was on the first day of voting, but even later that week, two other voters in the district had the same problem and we had to call multiple of times to get any type of response,” said Holt.

“They keep trying to blame it on the county commission’s redistricting, but that makes no

sense since the county districts are not on this ballot. They need to quit waiting until the last minute to do everything.

All they have to do is provide paper ballots for people who may not be listed properly.”

Kernell took the matter to the state, drawing upon a study by a supporter, Dr. Joseph A. Weinberg, who found that more than SEE VOTE ON PAGE 7

ELECTION

Tri-State Defender

VOTE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

2,000 voters may have been given the wrong information when they went to cast their ballot. He cited an early-voting error rate hovering above 5 percent.

“Which is utterly ridiculous,” said Weinberg. “That means about 3200 people got the wrong ballots. We only looked at three races and to have an error rate that high is unbelievable. It’s like people have been displaced.

I study this all the time and I am not aware of it occurring anywhere else in the state.

“The new voting machines are vulnerable enough to hacking and other attacks, and if they can’t even get the data entry part right, I just don’t know what will happen,” Weinberg said. “I don’t think any of them are dishonest, maybe they’re just not capable of getting the election done right.”

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August 2 - 8, 2012

Millions of ex-offenders given a voting ‘death sentence’ NNPA News Service

by Freddie Allen WASHINGTON – Nearly 6 million former prisoners –1 million of them African Americans – will not be able to vote in the November presidential election because of state laws that continue to punish them even after they have completed their sentences, according to a recent report by the Sentencing Project.

The report said 5.85 million citizens who were formerly incarcerated will be prevented from voting.

“The most telling indicator of citizenship in the United States is that ability to cast a vote,” said Desmond Meade, president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, a non-

profit group focused on restoring the civil rights of ex-offenders. “If you don’t have a voice you might as well be a slave.”

Eleven states disenfranchise ex-offenders after they have completed their sentences: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming. Those 11 states account for 45 percent of the entire disenfranchised population.

The report also found that African Americans lose their right to vote at a rate that is four times higher than nonAfrican Americans. If the presidential election were held today, more than 20 percent of African Americans living in Florida, Kentucky, and Vir-

ginia wouldn’t be able to vote.

Meade, a Florida native, served a prison sentence from 2001-04 for multiple crimes, the most serious being an exfelon in possession of a firearm. He won’t be able to vote in this year’s presidential election and maybe the next because Florida has some of the toughest felon disenfranchisement laws on the books.

The Sentencing Project was one of the first groups in the late 1990s to study the impact of the disenfranchisement restrictions. Once the information from the studies started getting out, momentum to change the laws began to build.

In 2007, Maryland lifted the lifetime voting ban on exfelons and Maine and Vermont allow prisoners to vote. In

Iowa, however, Republican Gov. Terry Branstad overturned an executive order that restored voting rights to exfelons, an executive order signed into law by the former Gov. (now Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) Tom Vilsack, a Democrat. Florida’s Republican Gov. Rick Scott reinstated a fiveyear waiting period for nonviolent ex-offenders before they could apply to regain their voting privileges.

Courtney Stewart, chairman of The Reentry Network for Returning Citizens, said many ex-offenders don’t understand the voting process and how crucial the right to vote is when it comes to reclaiming their rights.

Public opinion polls show that many Americans agree

that reformed citizens deserve to have their rights restored.

Christopher Uggens, a criminologist at the University of Minnesota and one of the researchers that worked on The Sentencing Project report, found that 80 percent of those polled favored restoring voting rights for ex-felons, and 60 percent agreed that probationers and parolees should also have the right to vote. Support for voting rights dropped below 50 percent for those still imprisoned.

Meade tells “returning citizens” that, “If you can’t vote (yourself), take five people to the polls and that’s how you can empower yourself, that’s how you can make a difference, and that’s how we can come together and actually make a change.”

BUSINESS

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August 2 - 8, 2012

Tri-State Defender

ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

Family business is serious business

Each year families across the nation start businesses. With the American Dream in mind, they eagerly pool resources and efforts to launch businesses that will hopefully provide them with wealth, independence and a sense of pride. These enterprises tend to work well because of the loyalty and dedication that is intrinsically woven in familial relationships.

While family businesses have their benefits, there are challenges aplenty. Aside from the normal list of challenges awaiting any new business, family-owned businesses have their own list of difficulties. Let’s review a few of the obstacles that family businesses should address on a continuous basis.

Lack of communication

Lack of communication can easily become a problem in the business. Frequently, the person who started the business knows what he/she wants to accomplish and moves in that direction. However, that person also may fail to communicate the plan to the rest of the team.

It is imperative that a family meeting be held on a regular basis to discuss the business. Make sure that the second and third generations working in the business are present as well.

Their presence will be beneficial in the event of future succession.

This meeting should be a time when commu-

Carlee McCullough

nication is open, honest and encouraged. But if there is something sensitive yet crucial that needs to be shared by younger members of the family, encourage them to communicate with the leader as quickly as possible. Sometimes profound things can come from the mouths of babes.

Who’s got next?

Changing of the guard is difficult enough in the private sector. However, in family-owned businesses it can be even tougher. Your child may not be interested in the business. Or maybe your child just does not have the capacity to run the business.

Just because a business is family owned doesn’t mean that it has to be family run. Just ask the Wal-Mart family. Sam Walton’s wife and their children are the five largest shareholders of the publicly traded company. Most of the Walton children are not even involved in the business.

So it is not the end of the world if your child has an interest in something other than the family business. Quite frequently your child may work elsewhere for a while and garner some

MONEY MATTERS

What is your business worth?

The market for selling small businesses improved slightly last year, but buyers typically still had the upper hand. The median selling price rose 3.3 cent to $155,000, while the median revenue for firms sold in 2011 rose by 6.7 percent.

Lenders generally require a professional valuation before extending credit to owners and buyers. But even if a loan or a sale is not in your immediate future, a precise valuation could be useful for effective business, tax, and retirement planning.

Preparing for potential changes. When a firm with several owners has negotiated a buysell agreement, the buyout value should be updated regularly to reflect market conditions and the company’s financial position.

You may also need to seek a business valuation if you plan to implement an employee stock ownership or profit-sharing plan, or for litigation support in the event of a divorce or other type of legal dispute. For tax purposes, it may be necessary to use one of the specific valuation approaches considered acceptable by the IRS. Conserving your estate. One way to help reduce exposure to potential future estate taxes is to begin transferring ownership of a family business to the next generation during your lifetime. An accurate valuation may be needed to help ensure that gifts of partnership shares conform to the annual federal gift tax exclusion (currently $13,000 per year, per person).

Protecting your wealth and your retire-

ment. It’s generally considered risky for investors to hold more than 20 percent to 30 percent of their net worth in a single asset, but many entrepreneurs don’t think twice about having a much larger proportion of their personal wealth in their own businesses. Investing outside your firm could help insulate your total financial Charles Sims Jr., CFP picture from risks associated with your business’s distinct market.

Understanding the true market value of your company may help you make more informed decisions about how much of your income you should save and invest for retirement. It might also lead you to adjust your portfolio in light of the performance of your enterprise and/or your retirement goals.

(Charles Sims Jr. is President/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancial Group.com. The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor.)

Tactical Urbanism Salon in Memphis

Tactical urbanism – described by some as one of the top planning trends of 2011-12 – will get a Memphis focus on Sept. 22 during the Tactical Urbanism Salon.

The Memphis Mayor’s Innovation Delivery Team is partnering with The Street Plans Collaborative to the salon event, which will be held at 363 South Main (Leadership Memphis Gallery) from 1 p.m. to p.m. It is being supported by the Memphis Regional Design Center and Livable Memphis.

Tactical Urbanism focuses on implementing lowcost, short-term actions and pilot projects to test new ideas for the built environment. Temporary, low-risk experimentation allows Tactical Urbanism projects to prove their immediate value to neighborhoods and cities, which can then leverage larger investment in permanent, long-term improvements.

Examples of Tactical Urbanism in Memphis include National PARK(ing) Day, A New Face for an Old Broad (on Broad Ave.), food truck rodeos, pop-up retail installations, and others.

outstanding experience that your business may benefit from eventually.

You want the best person to lead at the helm of your business. Don’t hesitate to recruit a non-family member that can take your company to the next level.

Employees: family versus non-family

Try not to create an “us v. them” atmosphere in the workplace. While family members make sacrifices to grow the business, many employees also sacrifice to help the business grow. A resentful employee is a dangerous employee. Put forth every effort to make sure that special treatment afforded to family will be given at home and not at the workplace. Remember that your non-family members are part of the team as well.

Keeping the marriage intact

Marriage is difficult enough without adding the pressure of working together. However, some couples have managed to balance work and personal, which is commendable. Although it requires work, it can be done.

It is all too easy to bring home the business problems and/or conversations. Learn to leave the office talk at work. There is nothing sexy or romantic about work problems or issues. Learn

to shut it off and focus on your significant other, if only for a few hours before the start of the next day. Boundaries are a good thing when it comes to separating marriage and business.

Lack of owners’ agreements

Many family businesses are started without much structure. Everyone involved trusts each other because it is family. But family business does not eliminate the need for structure or order. Whether your business structure is a partnership, corporation or limited liability company, an agreement should be created at the very beginning so that everyone is on the same page.

This document should answer these three questions: • Who is the manager?

• What happens to stock in the event of a divorce?

• What happens if an owner quits?

Go into a family business as you would with any other partners, preparing for the worst and hopefully never having to use the plan.

Join us throughout August as we explore family businesses that have survived all of the above situations and are thriving.

(Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, Tenn.

38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)

All dolled up...

Dr. Lisa Williams of San Diego is the CEO of the World Of Entertainment, Publishing and Inspiration (World of EPI), LLC and the creative force behind Positively Perfect Dolls.

This August, Williams is unveiling her latest creativity, the DIVA Doll Collection. DIVA stands for “Dignified, Intelligent, Vivacious and Attractive.” (Courtesy photo)

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

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RELIGION

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Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

LIVING THE LIFE I LOVE

Boss ‘making’ you crazy? Check your power source

Dear Lucy: My boss is a woman who is driving me crazy. She has no sense of time, priority or importance.

She will tell you that something is really important to get done, then waste an hour of your time telling you stories about it, stories from the irrelevant past. Then, when you get started on the task, she will interrupt you with calls about new insights she is having and claim to be redirecting you in some way. I am stuck in the box of having to be courteous, respectful and listen to her while the clock is ticking and the work is getting nowhere. What can I do?

– Melba W. Dear Melba: Rule number 1: stop agreeing to the idea that someone else is “making” you crazy. Please don’t surrender your own power to someone else. This person is stuck in a box and has imprisoned you right in there with them. Not because she is the boss and you have no choice, but because you are allowing it.

So, I will give you some steps to take and you have to be brave enough to take them. You will be fine if you first understand and address your motive. Your motive means your “why,’ your purLucy pose or intention.

Shaw Your loving intention will protect you from harm. If you genuinely do this for the sake of helping yourself and your boss, it will work out fine.

Your boss suffers from undisciplined, fearful thinking. There is a fear of being wrong, making a mistake, being judged and therefore she is stuck on stupid. You don’t have to agree to be stuck on stupid (in a stupor) with her. It is also unkind to indulge someone stuck on stupid! They

RELIGION BRIEFS

Grace Place ready as retirement community

The ribbon-cutting and grandopening celebration for Charis Acres, a Church of Christ related ministry, signals the next phase for the development.

The Grace Place retirement community partnered with Department of Housing and Urban Development and received a 3.1 million dollar grant to build the two-story (29 units of one- bedroom and one twobedroom) independent living facility for residents 62 years old and older who meet income guidelines.

Mayor AC Wharton Jr. and Michael Crusoe, executive director of Grace Place, were set to usher in the new development project at noon Thursday (Aug. 2) at 2131 Wilson Road.

Annual Wailing Women’s Conference on Aug. 9-12

The Fourth Annual Wailing Women’s Conference will be held Aug. 9-12 at Inner Changing Souls Church International at 3180 Old Getwell Rd. Guest speakers include the Rev.

Luella Patrick of Memphis (7 p.m.

Aug. 9), Dr. Janet Floyd of Monroe, La. (7 p.m. Aug. 10), and Dr. Patricia Lewis of Memphis (noon, Aug. 11).

The conference will highlight the “Women’s Day of Beauty” (Aug. 11), which will include a $25 registration fee and feature brunch, a facial makeup demonstration, a fashion show and a health fair.

The host pastor is the Rev. Romalic M. Jones. For more information, call 901-628-4889.

St. Andrew AME sets shoe giveaway

The 20th Annual St. Andrew AME Church Shoe Giveaway will be held Aug. 11 from 7:30 a.m. until 1 pm at the church’s Community Life Center located at 1472 Mississippi Boulevard.

Volunteers will distribute more than 1,200 pairs of new tennis shoes to needy children from all over the Memphis area but children must be accompanied by an adult. Additionally, all school-age children will receive school supplies and free haircuts will be available on site. Representatives from various community service agencies will provide in-

do it because people let them. Whatever you do, do with loving kindness and not out of frustration.

So, the next time she comes with an assignment: Look at your watch and pay attention to the time it takes to listen to her story. Write down the start time. Tell her you are going to take notes to improve the communication and do a better job at the required task she is assigning to you and you wish to do all that you can to respect and maximize the use of time for both of you.

Take notes and each time she tells you something that is not new, pertinent, useful or that you have repeatedly heard from her before this conversation, give it a special mark.

Each time she says something extraneous to the subject, mark it. Each time she repeats something negative that does not enrich the task at hand, write that down. Allow her to finish and mark the total time.

Now tell her that you want to review what was said for clarity. Be-

gin by telling her that this is what she said in “x” number of minutes.

Then tell her only those things that are relevant to the task at hand. If you need more information, ask for it. If she begins to repeat what she said earlier, remind her that you already wrote that down and ask for new information.

Review with her your understanding of the assignment from your notes and get agreement on any specifics about when, what format she wants to receive it in etc.

If she calls later to second guess herself, remind her of the agreement and ask clarifying questions about how her new ideas add, change or enrich your prior instructions from her.

This helps to get her out of her own scary box of failure and not drag you into it with her.

As you follow these instructions, you will also train yourself in the art of staying off stupid. We learn through repetition. By repetition, your boss has learned to reinforce her fear of

BRIEFLY: Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Alpha Eta Zeta – DOVE Foundation, Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority will sponsor their Annual Community-wide Health Fair and School Supply Give-away on Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Potter’s House Life Center, 489 Edith St. The event, which is open to the public, will include a giveaway of school supplies to children.

BRIEFLY: It’s revival time at Oak Hill M.B.C., 1725 Ragan St., on Aug. 8- 10 beginning at 7 p.m.

The revival speaker is the Rev. Dr. Anthony E. Bell. The host pastor is the Rev. Alfred Mays Jr. BRIEFLY: “Rock for Love 6,” the sixth-annual Church Health Center benefit concert, is set for Sept. 6-9 at the Hi-Tone, Overton Square and the Levitt Shell. Bands set to perform include Booker T. Jones, Larry Raspberry and the High Steppers, with members of the original Gentry’s, Star & Micey and more. For more information, visit ChurchHealthCenter.org/RockforLove.

Preaching power…

Dr. Eric Winston, the pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, was the keynote speaker during the Mid Summer Christian Convocation at Mt. Moriah-East Baptist Church, 1248 Haynes St., where the Rev. Dr. Melvin Charles Smith is the host pastor. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

PRAISE CONNECT

—John 13:34

METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH ASSOCIATE MINISTERS

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

Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor

767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126

901-946-4095 fax 948-8311

(901) 948-3441

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

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

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

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

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

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

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

Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter

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

Dr. Frank A. Thomas Senior Servant

TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST

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

WEEKLY SERVICES

Sunday Sunday School 9:00 a.m.

Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Night YPWW 5:00 p.m.

Night Service 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday Night Prayer 6:00 p.m.

Bible Study 7:15 p.m.

Wednesday Choir Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.

Friday Morning Prayer 9:00 a.m.

Night Service 7:30 p.m.

No Telecast Service

— Proverbs 1:7

Dr. David Allen Hall Pastor

“The Founder’s Church”

First Pastor: Senior Bishop C.H. Mason

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

—Ecclesiastes 3:1

Greenwood Christian Methodist Episcopal Church 3311 Kimball Ave. Memphis, TN 38111 (901) 744-7531 (901) 744-7664

Worship Services Sunday Sunday School Worship Service

Clarence Kelby Heath Wednesday Pastor

Noon - 1 p.m.

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

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

“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”

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

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

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

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

formation about social services, affordable housing and financial counseling.

For more information or to volunteer call 901-948-3441.

-A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

failing at leading. Help her to lead rather than manage tasks. You will also train yourself to be a leader. Hopefully, with direct, pertinent directions you will be able to consistently deliver results that help her to look good. In addition, you will soon find her communication style changing.

Remember, “write the vision, make it plain...”. It’s hard to run with a stupid or unclear vision!

Blessings, Lucy

9 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

—Revelation 1:8

Tri-State Defender

RELIGION

August 2 - 8, 2012

‘Live in Memphis’ debut for Memphis gospel ensemble CD Release

Earnest Pugh isn’t content to just make hits on his own anymore. Through his EPM Music Group recording label, he’s spreading the hit-making love with a forthcoming CD by new signee, Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis, a dynamic gospel ensemble from Pugh’s native Memphis.

The group’s new CD, “Live in Memphis,” hits stores everywhere on Oct. 30 and the radio single, “Thank You, Lord” is beginning to make noise on gospel airwaves.

“He is my homie from Memphis and he was greatly influenced by our mutual friend, the great choirmaster, O’Landa Draper,” Pugh said of Tharpe.

“I vowed to pick up O’Landa’s mantle and do what I can to expose the world to all the talent in the Memphis area.

Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis recently teamed up with me at the ‘Gospel Superfest’ TV taping where we shared the stage to sing my song, ‘I Need Your Glory.’

“They did what they do and ‘brought it’ in a major way and I wanted to give them this op-

ʻLive in Memphisʼ by Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis hits stores on Oct. 30. (Courtesy photo) portunity to ‘bring it’ on a national level,” said Pugh. “I’m very optimistic about their ministry because they manage to attract young adults but they are also seasoned enough to capture the attention of the mature church crowd as well.”

Tharpe received the inspiration to launch his own group when he was the director of the Voices of Harambee, a gospel choir at Craigmont High School. He took the word Kenosis from Philippians 2:5-8 (a Biblical scripture) in which Jesus Christ emptied

himself of his divine attributes in order to identify with mankind.

The group has recorded a couple of indie CDs and won a Rhythm of Gospel Award as New Artist of the Year in 2010. They also won Dorinda Clark Cole’s Singers & Musicians Conference Artist Showcase Competition in 2011 and appeared on BET’s legendary, “Bobby Jones Gospel” TV program.

(For more information visit www.epmmusicgroup.com.)

Son, do you hear me?...

Dr. Sherman L. Helton Sr. (right) told his son, the Rev. Sherman L. Helton Jr. (second from left), to complete the Lordʼs mission as he delivered the installation address for the new pastor of New Journey Baptist Church on Directorʼs Row (Airways and Brooks). The installation service was at New Hope Baptist Church in Southaven on Sunday (July 29). (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

Making a connection…

“Women of Prayer and Praise, Submitted to Godʼs Divine Order” was the theme during the Temple of Deliverance COGIC 2012 Womenʼs Day observance at the church last Sunday (July 29). (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)

Page 11

COMMUNITY

Page 12

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

Civil Rights Museum brings it ‘home’ for 2012 Freedom Awards Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Tony Jones

Honoring a Nashville-bred compatriot of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the natural inheritor and present-day driver of St. Jude Hospital’s crucial mission, and four entrepreneurs from worlds apart, the 2012 Freedom Awards announced by the National Civil Rights Museum this week carry a perfect message for the City of Memphis.

They recipients are: International Freedom Award – Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, creator of the innovative Yunus Centre and founder of

Muhammad Yunus

Bernard Lafayette

the Grameen Bank, whose innovative plan to lend money to people without funds or collateral has grown to more than 1,781 branches in 58 countries;

National Freedom Award – Dr. B e r n a r d Lafayette, the Nashville native who served as part of Dr. King’s brain trust, served as the National Coordinator for the 1968 Poor People’s Marlo Campaign, and Thomas assisted in the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); Humanitarian Award – Marlo Thomas, frequent Memphis visitor as

the National Outreach Director for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital; Legacy Award – The 3 Doctors (Dr. Rameck Hunt, Dr. Sampson Davis, Dr. George Jenkins), whose story of vowing as children to become doctors to overcome at-risk circumstances is chronicled in the book and documentary “The Pact.”

With the visit of the Dalai Lama among the crowning achievements, the Freedom Awards have helped extend the museum’s worldwide reach.

Last year, the stage glittered with show business stars committed to community service. And Beverly Robertson, the museum’s executive, said the Yunus story of entrepreneurship for the poorest of the poor rep-

The 3 Doctors (Dr. Rameck Hunt, Dr. Sampson Davis, Dr. George Jenkins)

resents a long held dream.

“For the past four or five years we’ve had Muhammad Yunus on our radar to receive the Freedom Award because of his successful work in creating micro-loans for poor people,” said Robertson. “We are delighted because his work is a model for so many nations around the world.”

Thousands expected for Progressive National Baptist Convention The New Tri-State Defender Staff

The Progressive National Baptist Convention – the denominational home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – will hold its 51st annual session in the city where he died.

The event, which will be anchored at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, will begin Aug. 5 and run through Aug. 10. Activities will include a voter empowerment seminar and a march to the National Civil Rights Museum in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A number of clergymen are scheduled to speak each day, including the Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. An estimated 4,000 members will be in Memphis for the five days of Bible-based worship experiences, Biblical exegesis, preaching, study groups, lectures, gospel music, and an opportunity for participants to fellowship, renew relationships and develop new ones.

The host pastor is the Rev. Dr. Reginald Porter of Metropolitan Baptist Church, with the 11-member Tennessee Progressive Baptist Council serving as co-host. The Rev. Anthony Henderson of Beulah Baptist is the council’s president.

“Dr. King was literally denied the opportunity to speak at the National Baptist Convention,” said Porter.

“The Progressive Convention was born in 1961 and therefore obviously has always had a strong civil rights emphasis.”

Many of the civil rights movement’s most prominent figures nationally and locally have been Progressive Baptists, said Porter, relaying that the Rev. Dr. Fred C. Lofton, former pastor of Metropolitan, was the 16th president of the convention.

Rev. Dr. Reginald Porter

Dr. Caroll A. Baltimore Sr.

“Part of meeting this year will be a special service, brief march at the Civil Rights Museum honoring Dr. King and our civil rights legacy as well,” said Porter.

In addition, convention departments will host a health fair, put on a special project for schools, support women’s shelters and carry out street ministering.

“Through our Missions Department we will be making a contribution to St. Jude’s Hospital. Last year we contributed $10,000 to St. Jude,” said Porter.

COGIC’s Presiding Bishop Blake will speak Monday night (Aug. 6).

Dr. Caroll A. Baltimore Sr., the PNBC’s president, is the Senior Pastor of the International Community Baptist Churches in the USA and the Philippines. He will speak at Metropolitan on Sunday (Aug. 12) morning.

The Progressive National Baptist Convention is a Baptist church family of 2.5 million African-American members organized into five regions: the Southern Region, the Southwest Region, the Eastern Region, the Midwest Region and the International Region. Its headquarters are located in Washington, D.C.

FACEBOOK FAN OF THE WEEK Chandra Hudson-Thorton

This weekʼs TSD Facebook Fan of the Week is Chandra Hudson-Thorton. Chandra describes herself as a “twenty-four seven” mom to her daughters Jayda and Jazsmyn! She is a 1987 graduate of Southside High School in Fort Smith, Ark. (not the Scrappers in South Memphis, but still all good!). She is also a 1993 graduate of the University of Memphis, with a multi-discipline degree in Teaching/Fashion Design/Theatre.

Chandraʼs favorite quote is by Deepak Chopra. It reads, “There are no accidents...there is only some purpose that we havenʼt yet understood.”

Chandra is an active friend and fan of the TSD Facebook page and we appreciate her insightful contributions and “likes”.

Thanks Chandra for being a part of the TSD Facebook family.

Mother to mother…

Lexie Marissa Davis will be a floragraph honoree on the Donate Life Rose Parade float on New Yearʼs Day in Pasadena, Calif. Jerlene Gilmore (left) passes the ʻbatonʼ that includes the names of all past floragraph honorees to Davisʼ mother, Yolanda Torres, during a special presentation at Greater Pleasant Hill M.B. Church on July 29. Gilmoreʼs son, Michael, was the honoree last year. His floragraph is on the easel. The Mid-South Transplant Foundation is the area sponsor. Aug. 1 was the first anniversary of Davisʼ death. She lived for 17 years and 17 days and had suffered from epilepsy seizures since she was 8 years old. (Courtesy photos)

Lexie Marissa Davis

Take two…

One base was not enough for this Mt. Zion Saints player, as his first-base coach points the way to extra bases.

We are the champions…

The Wells-Scales team was crowned coach-pitch champions of The Tri-State Academy Baseball League as competition for the year concluded at Jesse Turner Park last Saturday (July 28.)

(Photos by Tyrone P. Easley.)

SPORTS

Tri-State Defender

Page 13

August 2 - 8, 2012

Laurel J. Richie: Life, the league & the Olympics One on one with the WNBA president Special to The New Tri-State Defender

with Kam Williams

Laurel J. Richie has more than three decades of experience in consumer marketing, corporate branding, public relations, and corporate management, with a long track record of developing awardwinning campaigns that transform brands and drive business results. As President of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), she oversees all of the league’s day-to-day business and league operations.

Prior to joining the WNBA in 2011, Richie was senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Girl Scouts of the USA, where she was responsible for the Girl Scouts’ brand, communications, publishing, marketing, and web-based initiatives. A graduate of Dartmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in policy studies, Richie, who lives in New York City, was named one of the 25 Influential Black Women in Business in 2011 by The Network Journal.

Kam Williams: Hi, Laurel, thanks for the time.

Laurel J. Richie: Thanks, Kam.

KW: What interested you in going from the Girl Scouts to the WNBA? LJR: Early on in my career, when I was working at an advertising agency, I went to a very senior-level meeting and I distinctly remember the inside of the boardroom: every single seat was occupied by a man.

In that moment, I made a private promise to myself that I would do everything in my power to bring more diversity to these rooms where leaders gathered and decisions were made.

As my career unfolded and I worked on a wide range of clients and gained experience across lots of different industries, the businesses I enjoyed the most were those that focused on women. This passion really came to the forefront when I made the move from advertising to the Girl Scouts and then, very clearly, when I made the decision to join the WNBA. As the longest-running women’s professional sports league in the country, the

WNBA is a great product comprising 132 of the best female athletes in the world.

And when you look beyond the players to owners, coaches, trainers, accountants, and chief operating officers – it’s a wonderful example of what women can achieve in sports and in business.

KW: How do you hope to generate greater interest in the league and its superstars like Maya Moore and Candace Parker?

LJR: The summer of 2012 is turning out to be very special. We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Title IX and the Olympics are taking place in London, and we have seen increased interest in and exposure of our players. The WNBA is very proud of the fact that all 12 members of the U.S. Women’s Senior National Team are WNBA players. For them to represent our country on an international stage is terrific. Millions around the world will see them and have the opportunity to get to know them not only as great athletes, but as interesting and inspiring women.

KW: Why is there seemingly a stigma on women’s athletics, which is reflected in a lag in the WNBA’s ratings in comparison to the NBA’s?

LJR: We are a young league – now in our 16th season – and we have seen our attendance and viewership increase for each of the past five years. Our growth is a direct result of the fact that our game is exciting and highly competitive, and our in-arena experience is a ton of fun. Once people come to a game, they are hooked.

In many ways, I think the WNBA is changing the way America views women and is having a positive impact on the way America views professional athletes.

We’re showing the world what women can be as athletes and what athletes can be as citizens….

KW: Tell me a little about what mentoring young black girls means to you?

LJR: Throughout my career, I have benefitted from the experience and counsel of a wide range of people who took a very personal interest in me. As a result, I am always happy to share lessons learned from my journey with others. I am particularly passionate about mentoring young black girls. While we are a very diverse

players as they truly are inspiring role models for young girls – and young boys.

KW: How would you like the world to perceive the WNBA players participating in the Olympic Games this year?

LJR: On a professional level, these athletes are quite simply 12 of the best female basketball players in the world. On a personal level, each one has an interesting and unique story to tell about her journey to the Olympics. Over the next two weeks – and beyond – I would like the world to get to know them as athletes, citizens of the world and fabulous women.

Laurel J. Richie

group, there is a special bond that connects us to each other. When I work with them, I see them in me and I believe they see me in them. By coming together, we are able to show the world the power and the promise of black girls.

KW: Will part of your mission involve also encouraging your WNBA players to see themselves as role models and to devote more of their free time to mentoring?

LJR: I don’t have to encourage our players to be positive role models, as that is something that has always been important to them and something that they very willingly embrace. Whether it’s through the WNBA Cares program or through their own initiatives, WNBA players give as much off the court as they do on the court.

They are committed to making a positive impact on the communities in which they live and work, and they do it in very different ways: Tamika Catchings and Swin Cash mentor young girls on self-esteem through their foundations; Tina Charles helped build a school in Africa with her personal donation; Ruth Riley travels the world to bring attention to global diseases.

The list goes on. I am very proud of all our

Racist tweet trips Greek Olympian Greek female triple jumper Voula Papachristou has been kicked off the Olympic team after she tweeted a racist remark about African immigrants in the Mediterranean nation.

Papachristou, who has shown support for Greek’s far right Golden Dawn political party, tweeted a remark about the influx of mosquitoes in the country carrying the West Nile Virus.

“With so many Africans in Greece…At least the West Nile mosquitoes will eat home made food!!!” she tweeted.

Papachristou did not immediately apologize for the tweet, either, defending her remark in another tweet. “That’s how I am. I laugh. I am not a CD to get stuck!!! And if I make mistakes, I don’t press the replay! I press Play and move on!!!”

However, after the controversy gained traction, Isidoros

Kouvelos, head of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, made it clear that her comments would not be tolerated.

He told the (BBC) that she “showed no respect for the basic Olympic value.”

According to reports, a statement from Greek officials said that she’d been “placed outside the Olympic team for statements contrary to the values and ideas of the Olympic movement.”

Papachristou eventually apologized via Twitter after learning her fate saying, “I would like to express my heartfelt apologies for the unfortunate and tasteless joke I published on my personal Twitter account. I am very sorry and ashamed for the negative responses I triggered, since I never wanted to offend anyone, or to encroach human rights.”

KW: What other changes do you envision implementing during your tenure?

LJR: We will continue to focus on attendance and income, as those are our key measures of bringing more and more people to the game and growing our fan base.

We are actively doing outreach to organizations that appreciate and value the WNBA in order to build an even more robust group of sponsors and partners.

KW: What do you hope will be your WNBA legacy?

LJR: I don’t spend much time thinking about my legacy; my focus is on the legacy of the league and of the athletes who give their all on and off the court. We are, and will continue to be, the destination for the best women’s basketball players in the world. Every day we strive to provide our fans with an exciting and entertaining experience.

KW: Do you think there is a need to expand the participation of AfricanAmerican females in the field of sports media?

LJR: I would love to see more AfricanAmerican females engaged in all aspects of sports. All of the research tells us that participation in sports has a very positive impact in both the short and long term.

Girls who participate in sports have a higher self-esteem and are more likely to graduate from college, and 80 percent of female executives played team sports growing up.

KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

LJR: Dream big and stay true to yourself as you pursue your dreams.

Do slave descendants have ‘superior athletic gene?’

High-level support…

First Lady Michelle Obama hugs NBA superstar LeBron James following the USA vs. France menʼs basketball game at Olympic Park during the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England on July 29.

(White House photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

Olympic legend Michael Johnson says a “superior athletic gene” in the descendants of West African slaves means African American and Caribbean sprinters will command the sport at the London Games.

The Olympic gold medalist and BBC commentator said: “Over the last few years, athletes of Afro-Caribbean and AfroAmerican descent have dominated athletics finals.

“It’s a fact that hasn’t been discussed openly before. It’s a taboo subject in the States, but it is what it is.

Why shouldn’t we discuss it?”

Michael Johnson

Johnson’s comments were reported in the Daily Mail.

Page 14

HEALTH

CHEF TIMOTHY

You don’t have to be an Olympian to keep your body in tip-top shape

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

The 2012 Olympic Games in London are filled with excitement as athletes from around the world compete for gold and the title of “best” in the world. The Games are televised daily with eyes worldwide tuning in to the greatest sporting spectacle known to man. It is a test of superiority and greatness that is seldom matched in the “real” world of average humans.

Dozens of countries have sent their best athletes, and many of them have already begun collecting gold, silver and bronze medals – a testament no doubt to the ability of countries to fine-tune their athletes to ready them for fierce competition at the highest level. It is the kind of competition that the average “Joe” or “Jane” may not be able to endure unless he or she is trained to withstand the rigors of hard work.

Not many of us can fortify our bodies like the Olympian. Conditioning requires a serious work ethic, determination, strength training and a special diet that fuels the human machine of muscles, blood vessels, tendons and skeletal system. Many of us would rather watch from the sidelines as athletes swim, race, jump, tumble, box, vault and sprint their way to fame and glory.

If you’re one of those persons on the sideline watching in astonishment the dexterity, drive and agility as a result of human conditioning, you might find comfort in knowing that not all bodies are built the same.

The chiseled bodies of Olympians that are hurled through the air and expend tremendous energy are few in number, if you take into account the population of each participating country.

That brings me to my point: We have allowed our bodies to deteriorate because of sickness and weight problems as a result of poor eating

habits.

Too many people eat the wrong food and become lethargic when their bodies are deprived of basic nutrients, such as an ample portion of fresh fruits and vegetables. It is vitally important to change from a diet that’s devoid Dr. Timothy of basic nutrition to one that supMoore plies the body with life-sustaining nutrients.

You only get one life to live. Like the Olympian, you have to make the best of it if you want to live a healthy life. Eating the right food and working out to shake off lethargy is the key to getting the body in optimum shape. You may not be able to run, jump or tumble, but you can get the adrenaline flowing by taking smaller steps until you reach your goal of physical fitness.

Everyone, I’m sure, suffers from occasional pain. However, don’t be alarmed. My question to you is: Are you ready to believe in yourself and work toward a healthy mind, body and spirit? Your health is your most valuable asset, one that shouldn’t be taken for granted. If you’re looking for a quick fix, forget it. Greatness comes in different forms and takes time to master; it can’t be rushed.

You shouldn’t offer excuses if you fail to fortify your body with the proper diet of nutrient-rich food.

Who could you blame anyway, other than yourself, if you lapse into ill health and contract a deadly disease?

Cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and strokes are far too common when the wrong food is consumed.

In most cases, death is the common denominator.

I have noted in this column that a great deal of food sold on the market

CLASSIFIEDS

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

today is processed and loaded with saturated fats and calories that tend to make you crave more food than necessary. Have you noticed that there is an obesity epidemic in this country? Not long ago, Memphis was listed in a national report as the fattest city in the country. The city, dubbed the barbeque capital of the world, is chockfull of restaurants serving a heaping of pork, beef and chicken – all cooked and served in a slather of artery clogging grease.

These types of foods lead to obesity and subsequent health problems. If you want to win the battle of the bulge, you have to watch what you’re eating and whip your body in shape with the proper exercise tools. In most cases, that means starting a light regimen of brisk walking before graduating to a higher level of conditioning.

If you are obese, I’m sure you’re tired of yo-yo diets, sleepless nights, hot flashes, headaches and mood swings. If you are sick and taking prescribed medication, I wouldn’t advise you to stop. But I would encourage you to change your diet, your environment (if it’s the reason you’re seriously ill) and start an exercise program to restore your health. Remember, there is no quick fix.

A plant-based diet of fresh fruits and vegetables can have a major impact on your life. You’ll feel better and look even better as long as you continue to fuel your body with nutritious food – the same kind of fuel the Olympians are consuming to keep their bodies in tip-top shape.

(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, wellness coach and personal plant-based chef. He 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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NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS OF CITY OF BARTLETT CONSTRUCTION BIDS TO BE RECEIVED 8/24/2012 Sealed Bids will be received by the City of Bartlett, at their offices located at 6400 Stage Road, P.O. Box 341148, Bartlett, Tennessee 38134-1148, until 2:00 P.M., Friday. August 24, 2012 and opened publicly at 6400 Stage Road, Bartlett, Tennessee 38134-1148 at that hour. The reading of the bids will begin at 2:00 P.M. The project consists of the construction of a pedestrian walkway and pedestrian bridge over Fletcher Creek Lateral “C”. The total project length is 0.111 miles. Sealed bids are to be marked “Burloe Pedestrian Path and Bridge – City of Bartlett” and addressed to the attention of Mayor A. Keith McDonald delivered to the following address: City of Bartlett 6400 Stage Road P.O. Box 341148 Bartlett, Tennessee 38134-1148.

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

The City of Bartlett hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this

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Leverage: Olympics can move children to physical activity All eyes are on London as the Summer Olympic Games commence, and, according to an expert at Baylor College of Medicine, the sporting events are a great opportunity for children and adolescents to learn about physical activity and goal setting.

According to Dr. Jorge Gomez, associate professor of pediatrics in the division of adolescent and sports medicine at BCM and a sports medicine physician at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, Olympic competitions will encourage children to do something fun and active, and the activity can vary depending on a child’s age. Young children will have an impulse to do something active with their parent, whereas older children may way to get out and try something on their own.

“Research has shown that the strongest predictor of children remaining physically active into adulthood is having experiences of being active with their parents,” said Gomez.

Make it fun

Either way, “fun” is the key word when it comes to encouraging children to be physically active and trying new sports.

When parents are watching the

Olympic Games with their children, it’s important to point out that the athletes do what they do because it’s fun for them.

“When you start taking the fun out of physical activity is when you start turning kids away from physical activity,” said Gomez.

It’s also necessary to emphasize that they got where they are after years and years of dedicated hard work. Parents can make it clear that they don’t expect children to necessarily pursue a sport to that extent, but they do want their children to try new physical activities that they enjoy.

Discuss sportsmanship

Parents can also take the opportunity to discuss what it means to be a team player and to have good sportsmanship.

“Most Olympians won’t be on the medal stands, so it’s helpful for parents to point out that the individual with the bronze medal is a very good athlete and that they deserve recognition,” said Gomez.

“They weren’t the best, but look how they are responding, shaking the hand of the gold medalist, giving them a hug – that’s a really good sportsman and we should all try to be like that.”

Emphasize health over looks

Children and adolescents can feel intimidated by the athletes’ build, but it’s necessary for parents to focus on the fact that these athletes are fit because they take good care of themselves.

“These athletes eat well and watch their weight, and it’s important to tell children from early on that everybody has to take good care of themselves, everybody has to watch what they eat and everybody has to exercise regularly, not just Olympians and not just people who are overweight,” said Gomez.

“Focus on the health aspect of it versus the look aspect of it.”

Safety first

While encouraging children and adolescents to explore new activities, be sure to keep safety in mind.

“Doing something alongside a parent, particularly a new activity, ensures that children do it safely,” said Gomez.

“Most accidents happen when children are trying to do something new and they are not properly supervised.”

Source: Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu)

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ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, August 2 - 8, 2012, Page 15

WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?

Time to shift out of ‘Idol’?

Am I the only one who thinks “American Idol” has outstayed its welcome?

Once upon a time, we couldn’t get enough “American Idol.”

We wanted more.

It was a treat!

Now it’s seems Myron that we are being Mays force fed a version of it that was prepared by some inexperienced cook who filled in for the house chef.

We hated Simon Cowell didn’t we?

But you gotta admit we loved him at the same time. He made the show.

Although Cowell was very hard on a lot of the contestants, he did say a lot of things that needed to be said.

The guy added a certain element to the show that made you want to keep coming back.

Paula Abdul was too nice and Randy Jackson…well, he was the guy in the middle. You know the one who could go with either side, didn’t really wanna rock the boat, glad to be a black guy making that kind of money.

Now Simon is off doing “X-Factor” on NBC. And now that he’s gone, “American Idol” is on life support. Could he have decided to jump off of a sinking ship?

The show started with Simon, Paula and Randy. Abdul left in 2009 and was replaced by Kara DioGuardi.

Cowell left in 2010 and DeoGuardi followed suit. Ellen Degeneres came, then Ellen Degeneres left.

Then along comes Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. But then after one season, they both leave as well. Is it just me or does it seem as if no one wants the job? The latest addition is Mariah Carey, who will be making about $18 million for the season she will be on. But who knows how many she will do?

Now, I’m no rocket scientist, but if Mariah Carey is gonna be paid this kind of money, JLo and Steven Tyler had to have been making a boatload of cash as well. Why would they walk away from that kind of gig? I mean Randy is still there, right? Ok, maybe he is not a good example.

However, there is still the third slot open and they can’t seem to find the right person to fill it. What’s wrong with this picture?

I say make this season the biggest and most exciting season of them all and then cancel the show immediately after the next American Idol is chosen. That way the show can die with some dignity and respect.

Here’s what’s happening:

Rickey Smiley at the Orpheum

Funnyman Rickey Smiley is coming back to Memphis and he is bringing all of his personalities with him – you know, Bernice Jenkins and Lil Daryl and others.

Smiley has earned a reputation for delivering audience-pleasing performances onstage or off through his stand-up routines, television appearances and his top-rated syndicated morning show. He will be at the Orpheum on Sept. 7 at 7:30. Get your tickets at the Orpheum Box office and through all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com.

Bartlett Comedy Spot

Don’t forget to catch J.J. Williamson at the Bartlett Comedy Spot this Friday and Saturday night (Aug. 3-4). Show times are 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. each night. Admission is $15.

Next week, funny man Red Grant will be in the house. The Bartlett Comedy spot is located at 5709 Raleigh LaGrange. Call 901-5903620 for more information. Support a local business and get your laugh on at the same time.

Parting shots

Well, I’m getting geared up for the What’s Happening Myron Book Club meeting coming up on Aug. 11 at 4 p.m. We have a new location, the allnew Evergreen Grill, located at 1545 Overton Park. We will be wrapping up the “Fifty Shades Trilogy” and moving on to a new book. You should join us!

And, happy birthday to my good friend, Kenyarda Jackson! See ya Saturday Night!

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)

“I just want to be faithful to Him so He can continue to be faithful to me.”

‘Best Days’ ahead for Tamela Mann Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Nona N. Allen

As a child, Tamela Mann sang into pencils and hair combs to the sounds of the Clark Sisters.

“I always had hope (that I could be a gospel star), but I never dreamed that I would be on the same stage as Karen Clark Sheard. God has shown me favor!” exclaimed Mann. “I just want to be faithful to Him so He can continue to be faithful to me.”

Last Sunday (July 29) Mann found herself in the spot she described as beyond her childhood dreams – sharing stage billing with Sheard. The setting was Bountiful Blessings Church of God In Christ.

I spoke Mann after the show. We talked like old friends about everything from movies to music. In everything, said Mann, she has focused on demonstrating her commitment to God and the advancement of the Kingdom.

Here is a bit of our conversation:

On ‘Best Days’

The first single of Mann’s new CD – “Best Days” – was written and produced by her old friend, Kirk Franklin. As a former member of Kirk Franklin and the Family, Mann and Franklin have history. I asked her about working with Franklin again. (The two had not worked together since the song Franklin made with Bishop T.D. Jakes about 9/11.)

“It was like we were never apart. The chemistry was still there,” Mann bubbled.

“He even put (my husband) David out of the studio.”

It was exciting, Mann said, for two people of God to come together and see the growth in each other.

The CD, which is a mix of traditional COGIC, urban, hymns and pop, was produced mainly by artist Myron Butler. The variety was admittedly a new vein for Mann, who is eager to hear the response of listeners. Her personal favorites from the CD project are two worship songs: “All to Thee” and Lord We’re Waiting.”

“Those songs can really get you in the presence of God,” said Mann.

‘Sparkle’ & Whitney Houston

Mann is at home on the stage and screen.

She has been featured in a slew of Tyler Perry plays, movies and television shows as the loveable Cora, daughter of Holy Roller Deacon Brown and pistol packing Madea. Recently, she was featured in the remake of the movie “Sparkle” (release date Aug. 17) with Jordan Sparks and Whitney Houston. Mann plays Sarah Waters, mother of Sparkle’s best friend.

I asked her how it felt to play a part in a movie without a gospel message.

“It was different, but being in “Sparkle” did not compromise me,” said Mann. “It’s just a testament to the fact that we can be in this world, but not of this world.”

And how was it to work with the now late Whitney Houston? Houston, Mann said, was a Christian who was friendly and a true professional.

“It was wonderful to work with Whitney!

I was in awe that she knew me! Who am I that Whitney Houston knows me?”

Mann said she was hurt when Houston died because the person that the media portrayed is not the person she knew.

Tamela Mannʼs creative roll includes a role in the new movie “Sparkle,” featuring Whitney Houston.

AT A GLANCE

Life outside music & movies

Mann is a wife, mother and a grandmother. She is married to the hilarious “Deacon Leroy Brown” played by her husband David Mann. As a couple, they are spokespersons for the American Diabetes Association. After her husband was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, the couple began to eat right and exercise. With this lifestyle change, David’s diabetes has been regulated.

Tamela and David have not only worked together in movies, plays and in Kirk Franklin’s family, they also work together in the kitchen. The couple has developed a cooking show called “Hanging with the Manns” and it is coming to a channel near you soon.

Tamela Mannʼs new CD is a mix of traditional COGIC, urban, hymns and pop. (Courtesy photos)

I asked Mann about her relationship with her husband.

“We need to keep our men lifted up. Our life is hard, but theirs is harder,” she said.

• Tamela Mann • NAACP Image Award nominated actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman.

• Stars as “Cora Simmons” on the TBS comedy ʻTyler Perryʼs Meet The Brownsʼ • New CD: “Best Days” • Available: Aug. 14 • Where: iTunes, Amazon.com, Bestbuy.com, Walmart.com, and www.tillymannmusic.com • Preorders: www.tillymannmusic.com • CD: $11.99; Digital download: $9.99 • Single: “Take Me to the King” available now on iTunes “David is in my corner and I thank God for that every day.”

Tamela Mann was a joy to talk to, and I came away from the exchange stimulated by her conviction to experience ever-better days.

ENTERTAINMENT

Page 16

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

HOROSCOPES

Aug 2-8, 2012

OPENING THIS WEEK

Kam’s Kapsules:

Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

For movies opening August 3, 2012

BIG BUDGET FILMS

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” (PG for rude humor) Third installment in the underdog-friendly franchise finds hapless protagonist Greg (Zachary Gordon) hanging out with his portly pal Rowley (Robert Capron) and pretending to be employed at a country club after all his summer vacation plans fall through. With Steve Zahn, Devon Bostick and Rachael Harris.

“Total Recall” (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality, brief nudity and intense violence) Colin Farrell stars in this remake of the Schwarzenegger, sci-fi classic as a factory worker plagued by disturbing nightmares who ends up on the run from the brain police accompanied by a member of the resistance (Jessica Biel) of corporate mind control. Co-starring Ethan Hawke, Bill Nighy, Kate Beckinsale, John Cho and Bokeem Woodbine.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS

“360” (R for sexuality, nudity and profanity) Screen adaptation of La Ronde, Arthur Schnitzler’s class-conscious play exploring the sexual mores of a peripatetic jet set spread out over Vienna, Paris, London, Denver, Phoenix, Rio de Janeiro and Bratislava. Ensemble includes Anthony Hopkins, Ben Foster, Jude Law and Rachel Weisz.

“Assassin’s Bullet” (R for violence) International thriller about a U.S. Ambassador stationed in Europe (Donald Sutherland) who enlists the assistance of a former FBI Agent (Christian Slater) in order to track down the vigilante killing terrorists on America’s 10 Most Wanted list. With Elika Portnoy, Timothy Spall and Marian Valev.

“The Babymakers” (Unrated) Biological clock comedy about a sterile, wannabe daddy (Paul Schneider) who recruits his buddies and an East Indian mobster (Jay Chandrasekhar) to steal the sperm he sold to a fertility clinic years ago so that he might still impregnate his miserablychildless wife (Olivia Munn). With Aisha Tyler, Wood Harris and Noureen DeWulf.

“Celeste and Jesse Forever” (R for profanity, sexuality and drug use) On the rocks dramedy revolving around the effort of an almost-divorced couple (Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg) to remain friends while simultaneously pursuing new relationships. Cast includes Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts, Ari Graynor and Eric Christian Olsen.

“Craigslist Joe” (Unrated) My brother’s keeper documentary chronicling 29 year-old Joseph Garner’s attempt to survive for a month relying on the kindness of strangers he met on the internet for food, shelter, transportation and companionship.

“Dreams of a Life” (Unrated) Maudlin post mortem revisiting the unnoticed demise of Joyce Vincent (Zawe Ashton), a British woman of Caribbean extraction whose body wasn’t discovered until several years after she passed away of natural causes while ironically wrapping Christmas presents for family and friends. With Neelam Bakshi, Jonathan Harden and Lee Colley.

“Mosquita y Mari” (Unrated) Coming-of-age drama, set in Southern

California, about a 15-year-old Latina (Fenessa Pineda) who bonds with a new neighbor (Venecia Troncoso) her age only to be surprised when their friendship blossoms into a lesbian relationship. Support cast includes Joaquin Garrido, Laura Patalano and Dulce Maria Solis. (In Spanish and English with subtitles)

“Soldiers of Fortune” (R for profanity and violence) Action adventure about wealthy thrill seekers who encounter a lot more than they bargained for after paying to tag along on a military mission led by a former U.S. Special Forces soldier (Christian Slater). Starring Ving Rhames, James Cromwell, Freddy Rodriguez and Colm Meaney.

“Sushi: The Golden Catch” (Unrated) Raw fish documentary traces the evolution of sushi over the past 30 years from a fast food sold by Japanese street vendors into an international delicacy popular at restaurants all over the world.

“You’ve Been Trumped” (Unrated) David and Goliath documentary about the legal battle mounted in Scotland by locals to block Donald Trump’s application for a zoning variance that would allow the smug billionaire to turn a picturesque seaside village into a luxury golf resort.

ARIES It’s easy to take it easy! Just slow down and let each moment arrive at its own speed.

You’ll get a lot done this week if you get in tune with the rhythm of the week.

TAURUS Change is near, and it’s going to be good.

Clear your desk of pesky tasks this week and get your mind free to receive what life brings. Positive results help you feel even more positive.

GEMINI You are the boss of your week this week, so act like the leader you are and let the week follow you around. Your creativity is soaring; schedule enough time to get some of your brilliant ideas on paper.

CANCER A steady stream of opportunities is beaming your way, lucky you and they contain endless variations of possibilities. Wear your instincts like a rainbow colored coat this week and gather the good resources that you need.

LEO Some down time will work wonders for you this week. You’ve been running fast with your projects, and now it’s time to slow it down. Try to spend time outdoors and with nature. Enjoy!

VIRGO Center yourself at every opportunity during this busy week and keep your quest for emotional and spiritual balance in the forefront. Make an effort to take your time; that way you’ll recognize opportunity from impulse-control problems immediately.

LIBRA Happiness arrives and sits on your shoulder like a bright butterfly this week. A relationship can make significant progress if you stay open to love. Keep your evening free for romance in a social setting.

SCORPIO Take charge of a project at work and get it finished up. It’s been languishing on someone else’s shoulders and desk for way too long. A sensible outlook will get you far this week. Forget about all grudges and move forward in love.

SAGITTARIUS You may find yourself faced with many distractions this week but you’ll sail through and accomplish much if you stay focused on each task and take them one at a time. You know you can do it this evening.

CAPRICORN Creativity is favored and yours is especially favored with some project that you’ve been working especially hard on. For the next few days watch for a romance that will bring special gifts.

AQUARIUS Your new ideas combine well with your will and skill. You get a lot done at work this week. Be soft and forceful. Make time for family life this week. Your rewards come from those who are related to you by blood.

PISCES Before you spend your money check the quality of the goods. This rule applies to intangible goods as well. Make the first move with your honey this week. Be sweetly aggressive.

Source: NNPA

Dance festival & expo to pump a healthy beat

Bubbly…

Breyanna Tillman stars as Viveca, an actress in New York, where her bubbly personality is challenged by the harsh realities of racism that she refuses to accept.

The musical now playing through Aug. 12 at the Hattiloo Theatre highlights the difficulties faced by African-American women finding their way in a world where accusations of “acting white” leave lasting scars. For more information: call 901-5250009; visit hattilootheatre.org. (Courtesy photo)

The Memphis Dance Festival & Kids Expo, presented by Incredible Pizza, is designed to get kids moving towards a healthier and more active lifestyle through dance.

The free event is on tap for Aug.18 at Robert R. Church Park (Beale Street and Fourth St.) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The fun starts as the Memphis Dance Festival introduces kids and teens to myriad dance styles, including ballroom, jazz, African, salsa, contemporary, liturgical, hip-hop, ballet, belly dance and more. Dance companies, studios, groups and teams from throughout the MidSouth and surrounding areas will participate.

Kid-friendly zumba demonstrations and the festival’s Line Dance Party will give attendees a chance to dance and the opportunity to learn the latest and hottest dance moves while showing how getting in shape can be fun.

“It is our desire for children to understand at an early age the importance of being active and what better way to do so than using an activity they all love, dancing,” said Tony Crowder, marketing director for Incredible Pizza.

The Dance Festival line up features dance studios and groups that are passionate about the art of dance and kids.

“This is a great opportunity for us to come outside of the four walls of our studio and pour into the lives of the children in Memphis,” said Dewayne Hambrick, founder and artistic director of Graffiti Playground.

The lineup of festival performers includes TMH Dance, Colonial Middle CAPA Dance Department, Grafitti Playground, Subculture Royalty, Robert R. Church Elementary Dance Program, Studio B, Camp Industry, Divas of Olive Branch, Storm Gymnastics, E-xtreme Cheer & Dance, House of Talent, N-Spire and Gravity O. The Memphis Kids Expo will feature nonstop interactive fun and entertainment for kids of all ages, as well as valuable information for parents. Back packs and school supplies will be given away to the first 100 attendees. The Pink Palace Museum, Incredible Pizza, Jabber Blabber and other sponsoring entities will provide give-aways, information and coupons. The Shelby County Office of Early Childhood and Youth program and other city and county programs geared to help families and youth also will distribute information.

“It is important for parents to be aware of all the resources that are available to them and we are planning to make those resources available at this event,” said Bernal E. Smith III, President / Publisher of The New Tri-State Defender, a sponsor.

(For more information, contact Adrian Alexander or Viara Boyd at 888-927-1176, or email info@memphisdancefestival.com. Festival funding includes a grant from the Downtown Memphis Commission.)

BOOK REVIEW

A sensitive soul’s unlikely route to racial tolerance Special to The New Tri-State Defender

by Kam Williams

“Hi! My name is Loco…

I’m a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn. I currently live in Yokohama, Japan, where I put my English degree in English to use teaching junior high school kids…

My hobbies are reading, watching movies, taking pictures of trains and stations, social networking and playing basketball… but my passion is writing… And, oh yeah, I’m a racist.

(This) book is a selection of stories and reflections… Initially, I dismissed the idea…

But as I wrote my way down Memory Lane, I noticed that

there was a racial thread that had run through my life from childhood until the present; that race had not only played a significant role in my upbringing, but a traumatic one…

And that it might, indeed, make for an interesting book.”

– Excerpted from the Introduction (pgs. 8 & 15) Baye “Loco” McNeil is an African American who took a most unorthodox path to discovering, confronting and eradicating the racism he found within himself. Born in BedStuy, Brooklyn, he was raised by parents with a Pan-African ideology, which led to the lad as a teenager joining that preached black superiority.

But after serving in the U.S. Army and earning a B.A. at Long Island University, McNeil ventured to Japan where he would teach English for eight years. And in the Land of the Rising Sun, he found himself subjected to a vicious brand of bigotry that made him feel like a social pariah.

For instance, none of the locals would sit next to him whenever he rode the subway, even if the car was crowded. In a chapter entitled “An Empty Seat on a Crowded Train” he recounts how an overprotective mother had hissed “Abunai!” (Japanese for “dangerous”) while yanking her 4year-old daughter back to her feet rather than allow the child

to spend one second in the vicinity of a “gaijin” (“foreigner”) with dark skin, thereby indoctrinating the impressionable young girl in the ways of discrimination at an early age.

Such routine displays of contempt on the part of fellow commuters day-in and day-out left Baye in a helpless state of “impotent hate” as if these strangers were spitting in his face. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, or play it down as merely the consequence of a homogenous culture, it still bothered him because it was clear that white Americans were being treated very differently.

He knew that the Japanese had bought into a bunch of

stereotypes about black people which allowed them to think things like: “We don’t like you.

We don’t trust you. We think you’re a bad person, a pitiful person, an inferior human lacking morality. You steal. You habitually womanize and rape.

You commit violent acts against innocent people like us as a matter of course.”

What is surprising is that McNeil wasn’t embittered by all the years of relentless ostracism, but rather he came to see the empty subway seat beside him as a gift. For, through introspection, he realized that he had to work on his own prejudices about whites, Asians and others, and he evolved to the point where today he takes on

racism of any form every time he encounters it.

A really remarkable and thought-provoking memoir about a sensitive soul’s most unlikely route to a life-changing epiphany about the true meaning of racial tolerance.

ENTERTAINMENT

Tri-State Defender

August 2 - 8, 2012

Page 17

LENS & LINES

Seal did not shortchange his Memphis-area fans, performing for two-plus hours. (Photos

by Warren Roseborough)

Seal gets a warm greeting from one of his many Memphisarea admirers.

SEAL-sational

by Warren Rosenborough

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Macy Gray opened up for Seal during the concert at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

International pop star Seal really left an everlasting impression during his visit to Memphis last weekend. This man puts on a show!

Macy Gray, who performed at last year’s Memphis in May International Festival, opened up for Seal, coming out – as usual – in her cabaret-style attire and delivering a high-energy performance.

Concert protocol dictates that the headliner goes last, and Seal most certainly has earned that billing. He reached deep into his

repertoire and sang most of his songs, including his platinum hit, “Kiss from A Rose,” and “Crazy.” Along the way, he told the nearly-sold out and diverse crowd at the Memphis Botanic Gardens that he loved being in Memphis, the home of King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley and iconic singers such as Al Green.

Performing for two-plus hours, Seal sang “Let’s Stay Together” and covered some of Green’s other hits. With the crowd singing and swaying, he also did a version of Teddy Pendergrass’ “Love TKO.” If Seal has lost any of the quality of his voice, no one I encountered was pointing it out nor wish-

Faye Gilland (left) and Tracee Taylor, both big-time fans of Seale, relaxed in the VIP tent before the start of the concert. ing for the Seal that came on the scene back in the middle 80s before his career skyrocketed in the early 90s. Asked if they wanted him to keep the show rolling, the concertgoers roared their choice,

and he kept going and going.

I wasn’t a big Seal fan before I covered this show, but I am now.

I had a chance to interview two huge fans of Seal before the man of the hour made his move.

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August 2 - 8, 2012

Tri-State Defender