March192015

March 19 - 25, 2015

VOL. 64, No. 10 “I always knew that I could do it.”

– Dr. Maisha T. Robinson, former Memphian

www.tsdmemphis.com

Make way for the

Multicultural ‘Super Consumer’ Nielsen trailblazer report

Encouraging a new breed of African-American doctors

by Kalimah Abioto Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Coming from a city where having a black doctor seemed the norm, I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t seeing black medical doctors, nurses, naturopaths and health workers.

All four of my sisters, including myself, went to Dr. Williams Neal, an African woman pediatrician from babies on up into our young adult years.

I didn’t understand how rare this was until I moved from my hometown of Memphis to Portland, Ore. in 2010.

Shortly after our exodus from the south, my family and I opened a raw and vegan food restaurant in Portland.

As I became more interested in food as a tool for healing and growth so too did my inSt. Jude salutes terest in African-American f i n d i n g ‘postdocs.’ estabSee Community, l i s h e d black Page 13 health care providers.

Portland, for all its wonder: a city of creative incubators, small businesses, naked bike rides, forests and ice cream shops is still wanting of ing black and brown communities.

Yet, the lack of black health and healing providers, not to mention black businesses, is not unique to Portland.

Less than four percent of doctors in the United States are of African-American descent, and the number is on the decline for both men and women. Black doctors (medical doctors, midwives, naturopaths, therapists…), children who want to be black doctors, mentors on the front lines ready for these young people and a community encouraging and expecting to receive them are all greatly needed.

After four years in Portland, I decided I needed to leave the city to connect with this population.

Starting out in Inglewood, Calif. I was introduced to fellow Memphian Maisha Robinson, an African-American neurologist, palliative medicine physician and teaching fellow at UCLA. I felt as though I had come upon a treasure trove when we met. After having been starved of a particular black set of people in Portland the experience was exciting for me.

She was young, successful, a fellow Memphian and a doctor.

As we sat down for tea, Robinson shared with her story of how mentor-

the most dynamic and fasting growing segment of the U.S. consumer economy.

“The Multicultural Edge: Rising Super Consumers report builds on Nielsen’s previous series of reports on the attitudes and spending behaviors of African-American, Asian American and Hispanic consumers,” says Monica Gil, senior vice president and general manager of Multicultural Growth and Strategy, Nielsen. multicultural consumers on the behavior of non-multicultural shoppers is upending outdated assumptions and enlarging and expanding the multicultural market opportunity, which may be the key to the future.”

“Super Consumers,” which refer to the top 10 percent of households who drive at least 30 percent of sales, 40 percent of growth and 50 percent of -

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Multicultural consumers are younger, in their prime and already make up 38 percent of the U.S. population. Expected to become the nu-

SEE MULTICULTURAL ON PAGE 3

by Wiley Henry whenry@tsdmemphis.com

Judith Kerr Patterson – say family and friends – was a blend of many and varied things and traits that spoke to her essence and inpeople.

She was a dotJudith Kerr ing mother and grandmother, piaPatterson nist, poet, mentor, world traveler, avid church worker, decorated teacher, and an instructional supervisor for the legacy Memphis City Schools, where she retired in 2011 after 36 years of service.

Mrs. Patterson was also married to the late Bishop J.O. Patterson Jr., who served as chairman of the international Church of God in Christ’s General Assembly and became the mayor of Memphis when he stepped in as interim in 1982.

Mrs. Patterson died March 11 following a short illness. She was 63.

Sisters Linda Kerr Adkins and Brenda Kerr Johnson fought off grief to express their loss, what their “big sister” meant to them, and to place in context her enduring legacy. The trio had been inseparable until Mrs. Pat-

MEMPHIS WEEKEND SATURDAY

The new mainstream

says Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr.

SEE NEW BREED ON PAGE 3

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derstanding the cultural essence that drives multicultural super consumer behavior today, marketers and advertisers can better understand future market trends.

Multicultural consumers comprise a disproportionate share of many categories, such as dairy, baby food and diapers, laundry supplies and detergents, school supplies and other family goods. Of 126 grocery store categories reviewed, 45 categories (36 percent) over-index in total rate of spending for all multicultural consumers compared to non-multiculturals. The report says such attitudes and behaviors demonstrate cultural and behavioral traits unique to the various ethnicities. icans are more likely to eat organic foods (29 percent). Cultural identity is very important to African Americans (78 percent) and Hispanics (71 percent), and social causes are particularly meaningful to Hispanics (43 percent). Multicultural “Super

LEGACY: Judith Kerr Patterson

SEE PATTERSON ON PAGE 2

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merical majority by 2044, 21 of the top 25 most-populated counties in the United States are already more than 50 percent multicultural. Knowing the cultural appeal of a brand is critical to marketers, as multicultural populations can vary widely even within metro areas. The combination of majority multicultural geographies and high levels of interethnic proximity magnify the need for ethnic and cross-cultural marketing.

(PRNewswire) – With multicultural consumer spending in the United States at $3.4 trillion, this “super consumer” group has tremendous impact on U.S. mainstream culture, according to a Nielsen report released Wednesday.

The report, The Multicultural Edge: Rising Super Consumers,

“Black lives, all lives, depend on the care that we can provide each other and the greater world at large.” – Kalimah Abioto, former Memphian

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This young Grizz fan was in good hands as her special moment with center Marc Gasol becomes a keepsake at the 14th Annual MVP Season Ticket Holder Party at Golf and Games Family Park last Sunday. See related story on page 13. (Photo. Kelley D. Evans)

#BAEOSymposium U.S. largest gathering of black parent choice and education reform supporters in Memphis When they leave, the measure of success will be how much better equipped the participants will be relative to the goal of bringing “high-quality educational options to low-income and working-class families in their communities.

The Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) selected Memphis as the site for the group to host the 15th Anniversary of the annual BAEO Symposium. With The Peabody Hotel the gathering point, 600plus parents, educators, school ademerging leaders and other education reform advocates will have two days

dimensions included being a grandmother who heaped love, affection and attention on her grandchildren. (Courtesy photo)

conversation designed to inform, inspire, and empower.”

BAEO Interim President Jacqueline Cooper said, “We will be joined by parent choice and education reform leaders who will help us get about the work of moving our agenda forward.”

For some, the theme – “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” – will bring a

familiar tune to mind (the 1979 disco song performed by R&B duo McFadden & Whitehead.)

The conference is crafted to promote information exchange between advocates working to bring Jacqueline “more educationCooper al options and transformational education reform initiatives to their communities.”

Founded in 2000, BAEO champions parental choice policies and programs that serve low-income and working-class Black families. It is, however, equally focused on promoting quality to ensure that black students have access to high-performing schools.

What does the future envisioned by BAEO look like?

The answer:

“Low-income and working-class black families … empowered to choose a high-quality primary and secondary education for their children that enable them to pursue the college or career path of their choice, become economically independent adults, and engage in the practice of freedom.”

Concurrent lights:

sessions

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Parents: Using the Courts for Change – Participants in this session will hear from several parent leaders who used the judicial system as an advocacy strategy. “Honest dialogue” between participants will be encouraged as the group considers when to use litigation as an effective strategy. Friday, March 20, 10 a.m.11:30 a.m., Grand Ballroom E-F, Mezzanine Level.

Reclaiming the Black Narrative SEE SYMPOSIUM ON PAGE 3

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March 19 - 25, 2015

NEWS

Sisters Brenda Kerr Johnson (left), Judith Kerr Patterson and Linda Kerr Adkins were inseparable, spending quality time when they could.

(Courtesy photo)

PATTERSON

CONTINUED FROM FRONT terson’s death.

“My sister was an awesome and amazing individual,” said Adkins, wife of Apostle William A. “Bill” Adkins Jr., senior pastor of Greater Imani Church, The Cathedral of Faith. Mrs. Patterson was a founding member.

Apostle Adkins viewed Mrs. Patterson more like a sister than a sister-in-law. “We hit it off as brother and sister,” he said. “She helped raise our children and we helped raise her children.

She was just a wonderful woman.”

He also said she was “outstanding,” her smile infectious.

Phillip Dodson Jr., one of Mrs. Patterson’s three children, said he’d never met a woman who was so sweet and giving, who wanted to make sure that everybody was OK. “I tried to raise my two children (Phillip and Brice) the way she raised me,” said Dodson, 38.

Johnson found solace looking back over her sister’s life and recalling their bond.

“We would always get together and have lunch, reminisce and talk about old times and the future,” she said. “Now there’s a void.”

That void is being felt near and far.

Bishop Brandon B. Porter Sr., senior pastor of Greater Community Temple COGIC, the jurisdictional prelate of the Tennessee Central Jurisdiction and board member of COGIC, said Mrs. Patterson “was by far a person of excellence and grace, uniquely giving and considerate.”

“I guess the greatest gift that my wife and I experienced from her was her gift of love, respect and fellowship,” said Bishop Porter in a statement to The New Tri-State Defender. “On occasion she would just show up to lend support to whatever we, the Porter family, were doing.”

Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr., COGIC’s presiding bishop, said the international church body was saddened to hear the news of Mrs. Patterson’s death. He called her a “beloved sister” who profoundly touched him and his wife, Mae. “We shared many wonderful moments with Judith and her late husband, Bishop J.O. Pat-

terson Jr.,” the presiding bishop said via email.

“We are praying for the family.”

Mrs. Patterson loved the Lord, her sisters said. She was a central figure at Pentecostal Temple COGIC, where her husband had served as senior pastor until his death in 2011. His son, Bishop Charles Harrison Mason Patterson Sr., succeeded him as senior pastor.

Although the church had become Mrs. Patterson’s sanctuary, Adkins and Johnson remember their sister’s lifelong commitment to mentoring, teaching and advocating for children in the school system. A “Distinguished Classroom Teacher Award” exemplified that commitment to the children.

“She was a tenacious individual when it came to education, children and learning,” said Adkins. “She was the consummate educator.”

She also was “multitalented” and “multifaceted,” Johnson added. “She had so many diverse interests and was excellent at what she put her heart to. She was a leader.”

And a pianist as well, she said, recalling that unforgettable day when Mrs. Patterson played “Amazing Grace” for an uncle. In the early ’70s, she played piano for Union Grove M. B. Church and New Era M. B. Church.

Mrs. Patterson also believed in community service and giving back, her sisters said – to orphans in Africa, for example, when she trekked to the continent several times on medical missions.

“She was a joy to the villagers in Africa who needed supplies,” Adkins said.

She was an inspiration, her son added.

Mrs. Patterson died two days before her birthday. Dodson had planned a party for his mother at his new home. “I told my brother and sister (Brian and Tiffany) that we would still do the birthday party – and we did. We had an absolute ball. And I know she was there.”

The visitation is Friday, March 20, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Greater Imani Church, The Cathedral of Faith, 3824 Austin Peay Hwy. There will be a viewing at the church Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by the funeral service.

The interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. E. H. Ford Mortuary has charge.

The New Tri-State Defender

The New Tri-State Defender

March 19 - 25, 2015

NEWS

NEW BREED

MULTICULTURAL

CONTINUED FROM FRONT ship and her own curiosity and wonder led to a passion for medicine, neurology and palliative medicine.

As she tells it, a family member was diagnosed with a benign intracranial tumor while Robinson was in junior high school. From then on, she was driven to know how such a small tumor could cause such a big difference in her family member post surgery.

Robinson continued to search for answers, which led to her fascination with the nervous system. The following summer, she was introduced to a neurological physician, Dr. Miguel, who gave Robinson access to her clinic.

Dr. Robinson continued to take summer medical courses while in high school, going on to pre-med in college, eventually graduating from Tufts medical school with a focus in neurology.

Buoyed by a family and a community of African-American doctors, Robinson was surrounded by mentors who encouraged and provided a vision of possibility that she too could one day become a doctor. Robinson’s father, an internist and her mother, a hospital administrator, along with Dr. Miguel and others in Robinson’s community were consistent guiding lights.

Asked if there was ever a time when she questioned whether she could become a doctor, Dr. Robinson’s response: “I always knew that I could do it.”

Seeing a black physician should not mean much. A black doctor should be as regular an occurrence as seeing a white doctor. But in the U.S, where so many black people are portrayed in negative ways; or in some places rarely seen at all, seeing one black doctor means a lot. These roles should and can be reversed.

Not only is there a shortage of black physicians and practitioners, but physicians across the U.S are in decline. It is estimated that in 2050 there will not be enough doctors to fill the need. In a 2011 Huffington post article, Mae Jemison, a physician and the first black woman astronaut spoke to the press: “White men make up less than 50 percent of the U.S. population. We’re drawing from less than 50 percent of the perceived talent we have available. The more people you have in STEM (science, technology, engineering and medicine), the more innovations you’ll get.”

The lack of black physicians and health professionals can also be linked to the closure of five out of seven black medical colleges in 1910 following the publishing of the Flexner report.

This report supposedly sought to raise the level of medical education in the U.S. Meharry College in Nashville and Howard University in Washington, DC were the only two medical schools that survived beyond the report and still exist today. They continue to graduate the highest number of black physicians and scientists in the U.S. aside from Xavier University in New Orleans and Morehouse in Atlanta.

A necessary part of reversing the current shortage and helping students and young people find the resources and pathways into the medical field is linking them to mentors and programs.

Programs such as The Summer Medical and Dental Entrance Program offered through the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation and smaller regional organizations, such as young doctors D.C (YDDC), offer fully funded medical school preparatory programs.

Robinson, who also benefited from such programs and mentorship from those in her community, now follows in their footsteps, “reaching out to medical students and residents to let them know that they can make those dreams happen for themselves.”

Encouraging our people and letting each other know that becoming a doctor or healthcare worker is an attainable dream is a crucial piece to building a healthier black community.

Black lives, all lives, depend on the care that we can provide each other and the greater world at large. There are many reasons why there are so few black doctors and healers in the U.S. As we and uncover stop gate measures on large and small scales that highly discourage black people from entering and succeeding in these fields and then push forward positively, we will be changed for the better and so will the landscape of STEM. Funds dedicated to educating black people and people of color in the healing arts, offering support to black physicians in isolation as well as reducing medical school educational costs for all students can be apart of the solution. But we can start from where we are with curiosity, encouragement and mentorship.

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Consumers” can heavily influence non-multicultural consumers in “Super Geo” areas – geographies with a higher concentration of Super Consumers.

Proximity to other cultures and the sharing of cultural influences, attitudes, and behaviors in Super Geo clusters magnifies the multicultural opportunity. Despite the cultural sharing taking place in the U.S. today, it is critical to understand the nuances and preferences of each individual consumer, the report concludes Culturally driven behaviors Multicultural consumers take on an “ambicultural” identity – the ability and willingness to function competently in two cultures, which allows many multicultural consumers to simultaneously maintain their cultural heritage and see themselves as equally American.

Multicultural consumers gravitate to

SYMPOSIUM

CONTINUED FROM FRONT – In May 2014, BAEO hosted its first Black Thought Leaders convening to discuss ideas and issues deemed key to ensuring that the needs of the parents and children the group serves were being met. The conversation continues on how to expand black voices in the parental choice and education reform movements. The takeaway: ideas on to actively participate in championing such initiatives. Friday, March 20, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Grand Ballroom D, Mezzanine Level.

Testing as a Tool for Choice – The session explores why standardized testing is used, how it increases

accountability and how standardized testing policies can be improved. Participants will learn “why standardized tests matter to the black community and to parent choice.” Friday, March 20, 2 p.m. to 3:30pm, Grand Ballroom E-F, Mezzanine Level.

Engaging the Community – Participants will “learn effective strategies and identify challenges” in organizing stakeholders and mobilizing community support for education reform and parental choice. Friday, March 20, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Forest Room, Mezzanine Level.

(This story reflects information from PRNewswire-USNewswire.)

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brands, products and activities that reinforce their cultural roots. And these behaviors are affecting the purchase behavior of non-multicultural consumers, too, Nielsen reports.

For example, while multicultural consumers represent 53 percent of hot sauce “Super Consumers,” the category has grown beyond it, becoming a mainstream condiment. Just as soul food, sushi, tacos, pizza and other once-ethnic foods have become as ubiquitous as apple pie and hot dogs, the traditions, attitudes and shopping behaviors of multiculturals are expanding the multicultural market opportunity.

According to Nielsen, these multicultural “Super Consumer” categories have already experienced the future where many categories are likely to follow. The report asserts that understanding how purchase behaviors are driven by multicultural consumer values, lifestyles, tastes and preferences is the key to total market growth.

(To download a copy of the full report, visit www.nielsen.com.)

March 19 - 25, 2015

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OPINION

John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951-1997)

The Mid-South’s Best Alternative Newspaper Powered by Best Media Properties, Inc.

The New Tri-State Defender

Blackonomics: Political frustration

FLASHBACK: 2009

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

“It seems we are willing to settle for so little in response to so much tragedy and injustice.”

The real problem with Memphis youth is Memphis adults Residents, taxpayers, parents and public officials in Memphis and Shelby County are scrambling to figure out the solution to the “Youth Problem” in this community. “What youth problem,” some Tony of them ask, Nichelson when “everything is fine.”

Others, perhaps a little more honest in their assessment, are speaking of the youth problem that fuels our chronically low academic test scores, or the 70 percent youth unemployment rate, or the violent school fights that happen someplace every day, or the 80 percent of elementary school children who are reading below grade-level, or perhaps the occasional student-led brawls on grocery store parking lots or skating rinks.

A national report from Harvard University and U.C. Berkley released last spring, called Memphis “the most economically segregated city in America,” with great wealth on one side of town and intractable poverty on the other. Memphis children did not write that report, nor did they control the elements that led to such a dire accounting of facts. However, the most disturbing and offensive aspect of this and other reports is not the constant suffering and misery of poor children in Memphis, it is the absolute empty response from the adults who were supposed to secure health and prosperity for these children.

This writer is far less interested in proclamations from politicians and preachers who laud themselves for getting a recreation center opened, or who host a holiday meal for the homeless, than in all of the missed opportunities to tangibly help these desperate young Memphians find a way out of generational poverty. The critical needs of Memphis children that haven’t been met for at least 30 years, including Youth Employment Training sites, year-round employment programs, neighborhood-based “Club” activities, full funding for music and art programs, “incubators” for young entrepreneurs, apprenticeships for eleventh-grade students, and real investigations into the epidemic of sexual abuse of young girls, which are just a few of the things that adults in Memphis should have been working on. Even now, some politicians espouse a harsher crackdown on the same children who have so little to call their own.

Instead, we have witnessed a four-decade abandonment of “care and protection” for Memphis’ children in favor of petty political ambitions, “Black Flight” from the inner city, a total collapse of black business opportunities through municipal contracts, and one of the highest foreclosure and bankruptcy rates in America. If our negligence in grooming Memphis children for success were not enough to doom the entire group, then we need only look to the 20 percent voter turnout in nearly every election for the past 20 years. The local politicians who have squeaked through as elected “leaders” have a mandate representing roughly eight of the voter pool in Memphis and Shelby County as they voted to surrender the city’s municipal school charter, effectively wiping out all semblances of culture, and any remaining neighborhood integrity.

African-American adults in Memphis were virtually (and literally) powerless until the early 1970’s after the loss of Dr. King, the ensuing riots and the settlement of the Sanitation Workers strike. Early pioneering leaders such as Fred Davis and the Rev. James Netters, and even the early days of Harold Ford Sr., gave black people in Memphis reason to believe that equality and success were within reach. But when thousands of black Memphians fled as quickly as they could to new places such as Kirby Parkway and East Memphis, the urban core was hollowed out. Post Office jobs, federal jobs and manufacturing jobs at Firestone allowed this inter-county migration. What remained were the “Legacy” of greatness and a shell of neighborhood tradition... nothing more.

The real problem with Memphis youth...

As America dealt with the crack epidemic, Gangsta’ Rap, and the over-sexualization of its urban core at the start of the 1980’s, it was more important than ever for African-American adults to be mature,

sensible and forward-thinking about how much of the garbage we would allow our children to experience and consume. It appears that we decided to open the floodgates to every whim and fad of the 1980’s and 1990’s, no matter how controversial or destructive. The same parents and adults who moved out east in 1975 are the same parents who paid $300 for tennis shoes, gave cell phones to their immature children and never taught them about the American Civil Rights Movement.

Ninety percent of Middle School children in Memphis cannot tell you the date that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, and one Memphis mother now faces felony gun charges after she fired a half dozen shots into a crowd of teenagers at a local skating rink, ostensibly because her teen daughter was attacked by other girls.

Adults in Memphis, particularly African-American adults, allowed a handful of opportunists to surrender the municipal school charter, opening the door to dozens of corporate charter schools and “Teach for America” proponents to pick over the carcass of a once-proud Memphis City School system, full of tradition at Hamilton High and Westwood High, Melrose, Northside, Booker T. Washington and Manassas.

There were clearly issues of academic shortfalls and administrative ineptitude, but the remedy was not to dismantle the cultural fabric of so many historic communities across the city, totally overlooking both rivalries and friendships. Blending schools together without regard for these subtle and nuanced differences led to fights, threats, dropouts, charter school enrollments and a host of other outcomes that adults should have predicted. If the “Transition Planning” Group didn’t know these things could happen, then we’ll chalk it up to their ignorance; If they knew what was about to happen, and did it anyway, then we’ll call it sinister.

After 25 years of having black Mayors and majority-black Memphis City Councils during that same period, how is it possible that the percentage of City and County contracts to blacks is only one-tenth of one percent? Hundreds of street protesters in Memphis and in cities across the nation will show up for a Trayvon Martin or Eric Garner rally, but only a dozen adults will come out for a school literacy kick-off. Parents will rush to a school after a false alarm of a fight or a gun, but haven’t met with their child’s academic counselor all year.

Adults in Memphis allowed Libertyland to close 10 years ago and fought against a Skate Park being placed in Glenview. There are few immediate Skill Training opportunities readily accessible to the children who need and could benefit from them the most. Most churches in Memphis are only open two days a week from nine-to-five and offer nothing tangible to children in their chaotic neighborhoods, including offering civil rights history presentations, part-time work at the church, a safe sanctuary for young girls, or advocacy for young men.

Where are our “Youth Malls” that highlight and promote young entrepreneurs? Where is the music and srt industry in a city that could rival Nashville with its billion-dollar music economy? Why do young sports teams and cheerleaders have to beg for nickels and dimes on street corners instead of Memphis adults providing a great “Youth Boxing League” or competitive cycling team or corporate sponsorship for Memphis Bears Youth Football?

Man of the House Mentoring and College Ready Memphis are following the work that was started by Booker T. Washington 100 years ago in our advocacy of real work skills to every middle school boy through a school-based “Mentoring Club” concept, and the creation of a Youth Training Hub that introduces boys to a variety of immediate career opportunities. We have to teach them how to do things that matter. Adults have to train children just like lions train their young to hunt and eagles teach their young to fly.

If African-American adults are responsible for housebreaking our boys, and then abandon that responsibility, who’s to blame if the young ones tinkle on the carpet, or perhaps brawl on a grocery store parking lot?

This writer believes that the real problem with Memphis youth is Memphis adults. Let’s see what happens next.

(Tony Nichelson is vice president of operations for Man of the House Mentoring.)

Educating the kids that nobody wants After giving a recent education reform speech in Georgia, a thirty-something man approached me to discuss my views on the increasing school expulsion rate for kids, particularly boys of color. He told me that his wife was a special education teacher; that she worked with troubled kids and she had developed a close relationship with a young boy who had been expelled several times from his school.

The man’s wife said that she had been asked to work with the boy because his classroom teacher suspected that the boy had Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Apparently, the boy had been having fits and would, on occasion, throw chairs around the classroom. The teacher reportedly was fearful for her safety and the safety of the other kids in the class.

The man then told me that his wife found out that the boy was consistently abused at home and had no outlet to get the counseling help that he needed. As she began to work with the boy, his behavior improved and his attitude towards school improved. When I asked the man about the boy’s grade, he smiled and said, “Mr. Chavous that is why I wanted to talk with you. The boy is only four years old, and he did not have ADD. My wife can’t believe that she keeps getting more and more of these intervention calls from preschools. What can be done about this?”

Good question.

In 2005, Yale professor Walter Gilliam shocked the nation with the first research showing that preschoolers are expelled at three times the rate of children in kindergarten through 12th grade. He showed that young African-American boys like the boy referenced above are most vulnerable to what he calls “the capital punishment of schools.”

And while preschooler’s expulsion rates continue to outpace their K-12 school counterparts, the fact is that all school expulsion rates are growing along with the high school dropout rate. All of which begs another question, “Who will educate the kids that nobody wants?”

In answering both questions, we must be honest about who will not educate these kids: most local school districts. It is increasingly clear that the vast majority of local school districts – especially in urban America – are either unwilling or unable to educate the growing number of kids coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. And since our teaching core has begun to feel the pressure of having their students do well on standardized tests, they do not have the energy or often the skill set to address the needs of our most challenged school population group. As a result, the average local school district resorts to easy special needs labels as

a way to get these troubled kids out of the classroom so they won’t affect the other students. As the saying goes, ‘one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.’ So, they kick these kids out of school.

Kevin F o r t u n a t e l y, Chavous around the country, there are a number of schools that take pride in educating the kids that nobody wants.

Schools such as the Hope Academy Charter School in Kansas City, Maya Angelou Charter School in D.C. and the Legacy Charter School in Greenville, S.C. Each of these schools, and several others like them, make it their mission to value all of the kids they serve and they refuse to write kids off based on their background, home life or previous school experience.

Knowing that schools like these exist, wouldn’t it make sense for our most challenged school districts to eagerly embrace these alternative programs?

Apparently not.

Recently, charter school authorizers in Philadelphia rejected the application of Ligouri Academy, which made that city the same offer that Hope Academy, Maya Angelou and Legacy made to their cities: let us teach the kids who are the kids toughest to educate. Ligouri, through its founders Mike Marrone and Pat Wright, planned on using a model that included a Personalized and individualized curriculum, which has been proven as an effective strategy for all students, but especially critical for disengaged learners. The proposed Liquori model has yielded impressive results for the most challenged students in places such as Fresno, Calif., Buffalo, N.Y. and Chester, Pa. Still, the authorizers in Philadelphia denied Liquori’s application even though, according to research conducted by the National Center for Dropout Prevention Network, 5000 ninth grade students within the School District of Philadelphia have a less than once percent chance of graduating high school.

At some point, our education elite will wake up to the fact that one size does not fit all. And that having a menu of education offerings available to educate kids with different needs helps not just those kids, but all kids.

(Kevin Chavous is senior advisor and executive counsel for the American Federation for Children and co-founder of Democrats for Education Reform.)

Personalized and individualized curriculum, which has been proven as an effective strategy for all students, but especially critical for disengaged learners.

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Writing has been a catharsis for me since my “angry days” in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. I used to write “Last Poets” kind of stuff and just put it away afterwards. Writing James was a release to Clingman lower the pressure in my mind about the state of our people.

It’s much the same for me today, after nearly 23 years of writing “Blackonomics.” The larger context of my writing this column has evolved into a desire to inform, to educate, and to move our people to progressive economic action.

I share ways and means through which we can achieve true freedom – economic freedom – in this nation.

I don’t write to impress, I write to express. That is to say, I do not intentionally use $50 words; rather, I make every effort to assure that my readers understand and will be moved to act on the information I share. It seems my frustration from the 1960’s and 1970’s has reared its ugly head in the 21st century.

What bothers me most is our view of politics and those who constantly force-feed us their political rhetoric and their “politics-only” solutions to our problems. Instead of espousing economic solutions, they keep telling the young people to vote and “maach.” Marching is fine but without an end game, or if it’s done just for grandstanding and setting up VIP sections by the Marcher-in-Chief, Al Sharpton, what do we get from it except worn out shoes? We must go from politics to “Power-tics.”

Economic and political leverage cause benefits to accrue to those who know how to play the game.

Black folks, so emotionally invested in politics-only strategies, will never get what we say we want and need from politicians. They are too busy meeting the demands of the corporate moguls and their lobbyists, who know all too well how to play “Power-tics.”

The frustration and anger I feel when I see the continuous daily parade of Facebook videos showing someone getting beat down, tasered, kicked or killed by police officers is overwhelming. The difference lies in whether we will continue to accept symbolism over substance when it comes to politics, and whether we are willing to use our economic leverage to solve our problems.

We are indeed a conflicted people right now. It seems we are willing to walk up to the line but not cross over into the arena where the real battle must take place. It seems we are willing to settle for so little in response to so much tragedy and injustice.

Sharpton vowed to come back to the nation’s capital “over and over again” until legislative action is taken so there is “justice for all.”

Will someone tell me when “legislative action” will occur, what it will it look like, and how it will occur?

Without practical economic leverage, black folks will never have the political redress for which we march. Justice for all? Is that a dog-whistle to let certain folks know that Sharpton is not really serious about justice for black people? These nebulous and tepid gestures in an effort to demonstrate the seriousness of our situation are insulting and patronizing.

Our young people are the ones fighting for justice; many of our older folks are just talking about it. That’s why many young people turned their backs on Eric Holder, stormed the stage during the March for Justice to speak, despite being told that they had no “V.I.P” passes, and walked away when Al Sharpton started to speak.

Do our young people know something we don’t know? Are they willing to fight where we are not? I believe they do and I believe they are. They know it will take “Power-tics,” not politics, to make the changes they want to see.

The folks I am working with have an end game, a plan and a solution. Contact me; I’ll share it with you.

(NNPA columnist James Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, can be reached through his website, blackonomics. com.)

The New Tri-State Defender

March 19 - 25, 2015

Page 5

TENNESSEE CLERGY FOR EDUCATIONAL CHOICE SCLC MEMPHIS CHAPTER & CONCERNED CONSTITUENTS AND PARENTS In Support of Educational Choice

Dear Members of the Shelby County Commission, Your recent resolution against school vouchers was disappointing and misguided. There has been a coordinated disinformation campaign against this bill with tired and stale rhetoric. And it is this same tired and stale rhetoric that has kept too many of our children in failing schools and with only one option for a future that is determined by which zip code they are living in.

We are spending nearly $400 million in Shelby County on our schools and only 60% is being spent on actual educational instruction for our children. Administrative costs have skyrocketed, nearly doubling over the past ten years. Shelby County is spending $9,000 total per student currently with horrible results in terms of their educational achievement.

The Gardenhire-Dunn voucher bill would give our Shelby parents approximately $6,800 scholarship to attend another school that is a better fit for their child, and only if they have been attending one of the bottom-performing schools. This means that 50 schools in Shelby County would be affected. And better yet, if a student and their family choose to go to another public, private or charter school that they are accepted into, the prior public school still retains more than $2,000 of that former student’s funding. Only state and local funds follow the student, and the governor’s budget allocated more funding than ever before for our K-12 education. So the public schools get a net gain in per-pupil funding and the parents get a choice in the matter—this is a win-win.

We ask the Shelby County Commission to stand with the 25,000 families in Memphis that have signed the petition of the Memphis Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to empower parents with a choice in their child’s education. Families with the financial means have the choice to move their children to a new school. We want to give families without the financial means the same choice and opportunity.

Sincerely, Minister Shawn M. C. Anderson, Concerned Parent and Constituent Rev. Dwight Montgomery, President, SCLC Memphis Chapter Tennessee Clergy for Educational Choice Dr. C Greer, VP of Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association

March 19 - 25, 2015

Page 6

NATION / WORLD

The New Tri-State Defender

As America’s attention wanes, democracy growing in Africa

by Khalil Abdullah New America Media

Lately, the United States has moved to aggressively bolster pro-western forces in the Ukraine and promote democracy in the Middle East and Asia. But once again, the U.S. and other western powers are largely ignoring Africa, even as democratic movements are quietly spreading throughout the continent after a generation of leaders who often hoarded power and wealth at the expense of their people.

This neglect is a harsh echo of the exploitation the continent has been subjected to ever since European powers met at the Berlin Conference in the late 1800s to draw boundaries that wound up toppling traditional African societies in favor of a map that gave these outside powers control over Africa’s rich array of natural resources.

Now, even as new, global powers like China move in to exploit Africa’s riches, there are powerful signs that Africans are marching into a new phase of their history, as they attempt to assert the principles of self-determination, freedom and democracy, sometimes against difficult odds.

Some of these signs are coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the country’s constitution does not allow President

Kabila to run for a third term in the 2016 election. Sworn in as president in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Kabila won two subsequent elections for five-year terms.

Kabila has refused to comment on his future, raising concerns that he plans to cling to power past 2016. But a government spokesman has said that the president intends to respect the constitution, according to Reuters.

The DRC is not the only African nation where there are flickers of democratic hope. As a result of disputes over the elections of 2007, Kenya entered a dark period of violence that was driven by ethnic rifts. Indeed, a number of leading Kenyans were charged with crimes against humanity in the aftermath of the violence, ac-

cording to reports.

But by 2013, the dynamics in this country changed dramatically, as legions of voters participated in what were widely regarded as peaceful elections that brought Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of famous independence leader, to victory.

A similarly peaceful transition took place in Zambia, where Edgar Lungu was sworn in earlier this year as the country’s new president, after winning a hotly contested election that was held after the death of the previous president, Michael Sata.

Reports showed that Mr. Lungu won slightly more that 48 percent of the vote, compared with the nearly 47 percent picked up by the opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema. While the opposition complained that there

What’s up with Starbucks mixing race talk with coffee?

Some already are branding it one of the worst corporate ideas ever. The “F-” grade is being assigned to the “race relations initiative” unveiled this week by the coffee chain Starbucks.

The idea being pushed by Starbucks involves trying to percolate conversation and debate about the issue of race in the U.S. As of Monday, Baristas for Starbucks had the OK to service their customers like they always do, with the option of adding the handwritten words “Race Together” on cups as a starting point for initiating a discussion on race.

This followed an associated full-page ad in the New York Times on Sunday and another in USA Today on Monday.

USA Today is partnering with Starbucks on the initiative. On Friday, each copy of the newspaper will have the first of a

series of inserts reflecting information about race relations.

Word is the inserts, which Starbucks also plans to stock, will feature myriad points of view.

While some openly are saying that race is way too hot

of a business topic, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is clearly not in that number.

Schulz rejects that outright and in a video address he said this: “It’s an emotional issue.

But it is so vitally important to the country.”

were irregularities in the election, the African Union congratulated Zambians for “organizing an exemplary, successful and peaceful election,” according to published reports.

To be sure, there is a long way to go in Africa. Consider, for example, the fact that Nigeria recently delayed its hotly contested presidential election at the insistence of the ruling party as it faced possible defeat for the first time in more than 15 years. The opposition party quickly denounced the move as a significant setback for democracy in Nigeria.

Africans are nonetheless moving in the right directions – if not always that smoothly. And so while the United States and other western powers focus on bringing democracy to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Africans know that they cannot afford to wait for the west.

But the west is making a grave mistake in ignoring what is going on in Africa. Why? Because the stakes in Africa are enormous. In a 2012 article looking at the state of democracy in Africa, The Economist put the matter in perspective: “Setting aside the quality of African democracy, all but a few of the continent’s 1 billion people now expect to vote in regular national polls. That is something which 1.5 billion Asians, for all their impressive economic performance, cannot do.”

Lamar Alexander

Loretta Lynch (Photo: SIPA)

Alexander to vote against Loretta Lynch for Attorney General U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) on Monday announced his opposition to the nomination of Loretta Lynch for U.S. attorney general. He released the following statement: “I will vote against President Obama’s nomination of Loretta Lynch for attorney general of the United States. This is an opportunity, within the Senate rules, to express my disapproval of the president’s abuse of executive authority, and it’s an opportunity I intend to take.”

Alexander said that Lynch’s confirmation “should be decided by a majority vote of senators, as cabinet nominations have been decided throughout the history of the Senate.” On Feb 4, Alexander and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced legislation to establish by Senate rule the Senate tradition of approving presidential nominations by a simple majority vote, rather than the 60 votes it would take to end a filibuster.

Alexander said that, according to information compiled by the Senate historian and the Congressional Research Service, in the entire history of the U.S. Senate since Thomas Jefferson wrote the rules in 1789, no cabinet nominee has ever been denied confirmation by requiring 60 votes to end a filibuster.

The New Tri-State Defender

March 19 - 25, 2015

BUSINESS

ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY

Charles Mitchell: Bound for the NFL One of the ultimate dreams of many boys is to play professional sports in some way, shape or fashion. Whether it is professional basketball, baseball or football, many parents live vicariously through their children by encouraging them to play sports at the highest level possible.

Out of the hundreds of thousands of kids that play sports, only a few will ever make it to play in colCarlee McCullough, lege and even fewer Esq. will play on the professional level for any length of time. But one kid did realize his dream of playing college ball and now professional football, Charles Mitchell.

He has agreed to share his story with us.

The road to a comfortable retirement is full of risks, and they don’t end when you stop working. As an investor, you are probably aware of market risk.

You might also have considered longevity risk — the risk that you could outlive your retirement assets.

Charles Sims Here are four addiJr., CMFC, tional risks that may LUTCF be worth considering, whether you are in the accumulation phase of your retirement journey or are already spending down your savings.

Charles Mitchell: I am from Clarksdale, Miss. I am a graduate of Mississippi State University. I am a professional football player with family in Memphis.

C.M.: How did you get into playing football?

C.Mitchell: I started in the 5th grade by playing pee wee football.

C.M.: What professional teams have you play for?

C.Mitchell: I played for the Atlanta Falcons during 2012-2013. I spent the off season and training camp with the Denver Broncos in 2014.

C.M.: What inspired you to press on in football?

C.Mitchell: I have always been a competitor and football is one of the most competitive sports out there. The love and passion I have for the game, playing with and for your teammates, and just the excitement it brings to the fans, my family and friends cannot be measured.

C.M.: What is the NFL Vet Scouting Combine?

C.Mitchell: It’s a combine held at the Arizona Cardinals’ practice facility on March 22nd.

It is an opportunity for veteran free agents to work out in front of all 32 teams and hopefully get another chance at playing the game they love.

C.M.: Are you excited or nervous?

C.Mitchell: I’m excited.

I say that because football is natural to me and after this combine hopefully I will get a call from a team where I can actually have a chance to make the roster and help them win.

C.M.: What makes football different than any other professional sport?

C.Mitchell: It is the ultimate team sport. All sports are unique in their own way, but its one of the most physical and most dangerous.

C.M.: What advice would you give to kids who are interested in the NFL? What can they do to prepare to make it?

C.Mitchell: First, they need to maintain a grade point average that allows them to be eligible to play football. Secondly, they need to be dedicated to the sport, be able to study film, have good instincts, have great work ethic, and stay out of trouble.

C.M.: If and when you make the professional team this time, is there anything that you’ll do different this time around?

C.Mitchell: I’ll study my playbook and film more.

C.M.: What do you like most about football?

C.Mitchell: Working with my teammates for a common goal and achieving that goal.

C.M.: What is the greatest reward to playing professional

MONEY MATTERS

Retirement risks to consider

Carlee McCullough: Thank you for taking the time to share with our readers your experience and knowledge.

Tell us about yourself?

C.M.: How did it feel to get drafted?

C.Mitchell: It felt great.

Page 7

Charles Mitchell football?

C.Mitchell: Winning and being able to provide for my family.

C.M.: What’s most challenging about playing football?

C.Mitchell: Working out year round and being away from my family during training camp.

C.M.: How do you remain competitive in one of the most competitive and physical sports?

C.Mitchell: I work hard and stay in shape year round.

C.M.: All athletes experience ups and downs. How do you keep your head and spirits up in times of adversity?

C.Mitchell: By my belief in myself and my faith in God and knowing that He has a plan for me; [it] helps me keep my spirits up in times of adversity.

C.M.: Athletes have to be confident and self-assured.

How do you stay humble and not cocky?

C.Mitchell: I stay humble by not taking anything for granted and understanding that the opportunity to play football can be here today and gone tomorrow.

C.M.: How do you balance family and work?

C.Mitchell: I try to spend as much time as I can with them when I’m not working to let them know how much I appreciate them.

C.M.: What’s next on the horizon for Charles?

C.Mitchell: Hopefully, I will be able to get back in the NFL; if not, I’d love to get into coaching.

C.M.: Any closing remarks?

C.Mitchell: Thank you for this opportunity. God Bless.

(Interested in Charles Mitchell? Stay in touch with him on Twitter: cmitch412 or Instagram: cmitch412) (Contact Carlee M. McCullough, Esq. at 901-7950050; email – jstce4all@aol. com.)

Inflation. The inflation rate has been relatively low over the last five years, averaging about 2.25 percent per year. But even that level can eat into the purchasing power of your savings. And long-term inflation trends have been higher, averaging 2.85 percent annually over the last 30 years.1 although you may want to tilt your portfolio toward more conservative investments after you retire, you still might allocate some assets to stocks and other investments that have the potential to outpace inflation. Of course, all investments are subject to market fluctuation, risk, and loss of principal.

When sold, they may be worth more or less than their original cost.

Unexpected events. A recent survey of Americans aged 50 to 70 found that the average respondent had experienced four “derailers” that temporarily knocked them off track in saving for retirement, with an average loss of $117,000.2 This may sound daunting, but setbacks could be mitigated by maintaining an emergency savings fund.

When you are faced with an unexpected event, the wisest approach may be to resume saving at the highest rate you can afford when your life returns to normal. You

might also have to adjust your spending habits.

Social Security. According to the 2013 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees, Social Security benefits should be fully funded at current levels until 2033, when the trust funds may be exhausted. After that, payroll taxes would be able to fund only about 77 percent of scheduled benefits.3 Depending on your age, you might need to scale back your expectations for Social Security as a major source of retirement income.

Sequencing. The most complex challenge could be sequencing risk, which refers to the timing of unfavorable portfolio returns, especially in the early retirement years. This could result from adverse market conditions and/or an inappropriate withdrawal strategy.

The dramatic market downturn during the Great Recession brought this into focus for many retirees, but sequencing is an ongoing issue that could require regular adjustments to your allocation and withdrawal strategies in response to changes in the market and/or your personal situation. Asset allocation is a method used to help manage investment risk; it does not guarantee a profit or protect against investment loss.

Each of these risks presents its own challenges and potential solutions. Addressing them properly requires a solid strategy that balances a variety of factors. You may benefit from professional help in analyzing and addressing these risks as they apply to your own situation. Although there is no assurance that working with a financial advisor will improve investment results, a professional who focuses on your overall objectives can help you consider strategies that could have a substantial effect on your long-term financial situation.

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

March 19 - 25, 2015

Page 8

RELIGION

KEVIN DAVIDSON AND THE VOICES REUNION CONCERT

BOOK REVIEW

Selling Heaven

by Kam Williams

Special to the New Tri-State Defender

“Religion plays an important part in most people’s lives… Many of us have absolute and often blind faith in the churches we attend. But is such dedication and unconditional loyalty well-founded, or even smart?

Is it good for people to live their fragile lives based on stories told to them by someone who is not an informed, trusted family member, or a loyal and devoted friend?

Why have Christian churches kept their members in the dark for over 2,000 years?

What did the church hierarchy actually know that wasn’t being shared? And why does the church continue to keep secrets, and will that always be the case?

Let Us Prey takes a brief look at organized religion and its attendant, ominous consequences. It is an attempt to help you understand and appreciate how and why your secular world and spiritual world work, or do not work.”

– Excerpted from the Preface (pages 1112) Televangelist Creflo Dollar recently asked members of his congregation to tithe the $60 million he needs to buy himself a luxurious Gulfstream jet so he could travel in style while spreading the word of the Lord around the world. Is the popular prosperity preacher sincere or just another hustler in a collar?

Before you answer, you might want to read “Praedamus: Let Us Prey,“ a jaw dropping expose’ written by Don Spears, a brother who is not one to mince words while making a full frontal assault on organized religion. This very timely tome represents the culmination of nine years of research in religious history stretching back centuries from the present.

The erudite author tackles an impressive range of topics, including racism, homosexuality, Jesus, slavery, Shakespeare, lynching, Sir Francis Bacon and the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans by European colonists, to name a few. Despite the diverse subject matter, the book adds up to make a cohesive point, since every discussion relates directly to religion.

For example, he talks about how the evil institution of slavery was made respectable

by Christianity. This enabled slave masters to pass themselves off as moral pillars of the community while committing serial rapes on black females whose private parts they literally owned. Spears goes so far as to speculate that the reason the Confederates were willing to secede from the Union and die in the hundreds of thousands rather than abolish slavery was because of the sex on demand they had become so addicted to.

Elsewhere in the text, the author questions the wisdom of adopting the faith of one’s enslavers, before offering Black Liberation Theology as a viable alternative. That progressive philosophy indicts “un-Christian” white racists for pushing a different brand of their religion on blacks than the one they practiced. Consequently, to this day, most African-Americans “stake their whole existence on heaven,” as opposed to the way whites focus on faring well, materially, in this life.

Other chapters explore whether Jesus was gay, if Shakespeare ghostwrote the King James Version of the Bible, and how lynching functioned “as a way of reminding blacks of their inferiority and powerlessness.” Spears’ ultimate aim here is ostensibly to undo the ongoing brainwashing of the black masses by the time they finish reading his incendiary arguments.

A whole new look at the Good Book arguably bordering on blasphemy.

The New Tri-State Defender

by Nina Allen-Johnson

Special to the New Tri-State Defender

K

evin Davidson and the Voices were on fire for God during a reunion concert Saturday, March 14 at Mt. Moriah East Baptist Church.

With choir members flocking to the city from far and wide, the choir stand at Mt. Moriah East was filled with those from the Voices of Binghampton days to the Kevin Davidson and the Voices days and all the way up to now. And a joyous time was had by all!

The reunion catalyst for a live CD

recording on the new label was started

by Laurence Plummer Sr. and Leticia Plummer Alexander. With bated breath, the gospel community will await the finished product that was birthed the day of the concert.

And what is sure to be a hit song from the project, we will certainly want more!

(Photos: Creative Solutions)

Kevin Davidson

Gala celebration

The Rev. Dr. Gina M. Stewart

It has been almost 25 years since the Rev. Dr. Gina M. Stewart was first ordained and 20 years since she was elected pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church, 480-494 South Parkway East.

On Friday, March 20, the CMBC family will host a grand gala at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in honor of Dr. Stewart and her contributions to the ministry.

For ticket information, call the church office at 901-948-9786.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

97 and counting...

On Sunday, March 15, Progressive Missionary Baptist Church celebrated its 97th church anniversary. From left: Betty Cleaves-Robinson, chairperson; the Rev. Dr. James B. Collins, the church’s pastor; the Rev. Roosevelt Joyner, pastor of Koinonia Missionary Baptist Church; and Rosanna Williams-Stepney, also a chairperson. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

ENTERTAINMENT The New Tri-State Defender, March 19 - 25, 2015, Page 9

On with the shows! Hattiloo – Season 10

Bennie Nelson West

Open House signals end of FireHouse Community Arts Academy hiatus The Memphis Black Arts Alliance is poised to kick off the new season of the FireHouse Community Arts Academy, with an Open House on tap Saturday at the FireHouse Community Arts Center at 985 South Bellevue Blvd.

It will be a chance to tour the facility, meet the faculty, have a bite to eat and participate in an interactive art experiences for all ages.

“We are thrilled to reopen the academy after a brief hiatus,” said Bennie Nelson West, executive director of the Memphis Black Arts Alliance. “The academy is the city’s first nationally affiliated independent, non-profit community arts school providing instruction in all of the major disciplines of the arts.”

Registrations for the spring session of classes, which begin April 11, will be accepted during the Open House event. In addition to the standard range of classes in all the arts, this year the FireHouse Community Arts Academy will offer a diverse array of new classes in dance/movement, music, theater and visual arts for all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

The Open House will feature a film festival in the dance studio from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The day’s events run through 3 p.m.

Here’s the lineup: Meet the faculty 11 a.m. – Art – Painting/Photography, Shannon Jenkins; art studio.

11:30 a.m. – Art – Quilting, Lurlynn Franklin; art Studio Noon – Music – Vocal, Naomi Moody; upstairs 12:30 p.m. – Music – Instrumental, Kent Suggs/Lance Thompson; upstairs 1 p.m. – Music – Computerized, Uriah Elion; upstairs 1:30 p.m. – Adult Acting/Theater, Naomi Moody/Dr. Webster; upstairs 2 p.m. – Tap Dance, George Nettles; dance studio 2:30 p.m. – Ballet/Hip Hop, Kellye Crawford; dance studio Interactive art experiences 11 a.m. – Instrument Petting Zoo, Kent Suggs/Lance Thompson; upstairs 11:30 a.m. – Instrument Petting Zoo, Kent Suggs/Lance Thompson; upstairs 12:30 p.m. – Face Painting, Shannon Jenkins; art studio 1 p.m. – Face Painting, Shannon Jenkins; art studio 1:30 p.m. – Collage Making, Lurlynn Franklin; art studio 2 p.m. – Collage Making, Lurlynn Franklin; art studio 2:30 p.m. – Instrument Petting Zoo; Kent Suggs/Lance Thompson; art studio 3 p.m. – Instrument Petting Zoo; Kent Suggs/ Lance Thompson; art studio Register for classes online at Memphis Black Arts Alliance (http://www.memphisblackartsalliance.org/) and Brown Paper Tickets (http://firehouseartsacademy.bpt.me/). Or call 901-948-9522 for a registration appointment.

H

attiloo founder Ekundayo Bandele, the theatre’s executive artistic director, has taken the wraps off of the repertory’s new season, it’s tenth.

“Our Tenth Season is a line-up of award-winning, cutting edge performances that serve as a window through which we can see how the environments in which we live affect who we are and who we will become,” said Bandele.

One of the few freestanding, independent black theatres in America, Hattiloo’s productions often feature multiracial casts and production teams. That beat continues in the upcoming season.

“Hattiloo Theatre produces works that help us understand how our minds and hearts as well as the minds and hearts of others work,” said Bandele.

“In The Heights” Aug. 13-Sept. 6 PG / Musical This Broadway dance spectacular brings the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan to the stage. At the center of the show is Usnavi, a bodega owner who pines for the gorgeous girl working in the neighboring beauty salon and dreams of winning the lottery and escaping to the shores of his native Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, Nina, a childhood friend of Usnavi’s, has returned to the neighborhood from her first year at college with surprising news for her parents, who have spent their life savings on building a better life for their daughter. And watching it all from her front stoop is Abuela Claudia, the neighborhood sage. Ultimately, Usnavi and the residents of the close-knit neighborhood get a dose of what it means to be home.

“Radio Golf” Sept. 10-27

by August Wilson R / Drama / Regional Premiere Set in 1997 Pittsburgh, Wilson’s lifework comes full circle as Aunt Ester’s onetime home at 1839 Wylie Avenue is slated for demolition to make way for a slick new real estate venture aimed to boost both the depressed Hill District and Harmond Wilks’ chance of becoming the city’s first African-American mayor. A play in which history, memory, and legacy challenge notions of progress and country club ideals, Wilson ultimately asks whether it is possible for black culture and heritage to be preserved when it is integrated into mainstream white society.

“In The Red And Brown Water”

by Tarrell Alvin McCraney Oct. 1-25 R / Drama

Oya misses her opportunity at a college track scholarship to care for her ailing mother. Displacing her desires into a pair of stormy romances and an unhealthy obsession with pregnancy, her hopelessness leads to a climax that feels at once surprising and inevitable.

friend from lock-up. Throughout the play Elegba and Ogun vie for Oshoosi’s loyalty: Ogun can’t compete with the bond formed by Elegba and Oshoosi in the pen, and as Elegba says to Ogun: “I can’t never be his brother like you his brother.”

A Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,” and “Conjunction Junction.”

“If Scrooge Was A Brother” November 27 – December 20

by Ekundayo Bandele

“Free Man Of Color” March 3 - April 3, 2016

by Chuck Smith G / Drama / Classic

Back from Season Nine, Eb Scroo is a successful African-American businessman with a surly attitude about the world, African-American people, and Christmas. So set in his vile ways, he has allowed his heart to grow cold, displaying no pity on the poor. Three spirits visit Scroo after his former mentor and partner Boss Marley warns him about the punishment he’s making for himself in the afterlife. The Spirit of Christmas Past is not only symbolic to Scroo’s own history but to those of his ancestors.

The Present shows Scroo how a little salvation makes a difference. Finally, the future shows him the ripple effect he could create if he remains the same.

When John Newton Templeton is unexpectedly freed after his master’s death, he migrates to the free state of Ohio where Robert Wilson, an avowed abolitionist and president of Ohio University, brings Templeton to his home. Seeing the opportunity to use Templeton to prove that African Americans were capable of the same academic excellence as whites, Templeton works as the president’s personal “student servant” while attending classes. In this play about race, culture, and the differences between education and assimilation in America, Wilson is forced to reevaluate his abolitionist views and Templeton is forced to examine the reason he was chosen to be the “first.”

Marcus is the 16-year-old son of Elegba (from “In the Red and Brown Water” and “The Brothers Size”).

As he grows into his sexual identity, haunting dreams of his father, and confusing feelings for his female friend Osha and a handsome stranger named Shua complicates his life.

This conclusion to “The Brother/Sister Plays” is a coming-of-age story about a young gay man in the South.

“The Brothers Size” Jan. 7-Feb. 7 R / Drama The Brother/Sister Plays

“Schoolhouse Rock Live!”

(Musical) April 15-24, 2016

When Oshoosi is released from prison, his brother Ogun Size (from “In the Red and Brown Water”), who runs an auto repair shop, decides that Oshoosi should work with him. Their relationship is complicated by the appearance of Elegba (from “In the Red and Brown Water”), Oshoosi’s best

This classic musical follows Tom, a nerve-wracked schoolteacher who is nervous about his first day of teaching. He tries to relax by watching TV when various characters representing facets of his personality emerge from the set and show him how to win his students over with imagination and music, through such songs as “Just

“Marcus; Or The Secret Of Sweet” April 14-May 8, 2016 R / Drama

“The Wiz” June 2-26 Story adapted from L. Frank Baum Music by Charlie Smalls and Luther Vandross G / Musical

An African-American re-imaging of “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy, a kindergarten teacher from Harlem, and her dog Toto are lost in a snowstorm and end up in the Land of Oz. Dorothy learns the only way she can get home is to ease on down the road to see the Wiz. Along the way she meets a scarecrow made of garbage; a Tin Man, who is a turn-of-the-century mechanical carnie; and a lion that was banished from the jungle and must make his living as a statue in front of the New York Public Library.

CONTACT: Administration – 901-502-3486 Box Office – 525-0009 Online: www.hattiloo.org

Memphis Fashion Week to roll out shows March 23-­28 Memphis Fashion Week (will kick off its 4th annual run of shows on Monday (March 23), with a series of events to unfold through Saturday (March 28).

Proceeds from official events benefit the Memphis Fashion Fund and The Emerging Memphis Designer Project (EMDP), an initiative that helps to educate and cultivate education for design and fashion. The Memphis Fashion Fund, housed at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, will work with local educational institutions to create educational opportunities for local designers.

The EMDP accepts local designers in a creative contest to design current and fashionable pieces for the runway. Designers attended a kickoff panel at Memphis College of Art with local designers Tara Skelley, Becca Belz, and storeowner Kimberly Taylor. Designers were asked to submit up to five sketches to MFW. This year, 10 designers were chosen to showcase either a singles or mini collection on the runway, March 27 at Memphis College of Art. “Typical collections from designers include 20­30 looks, which is hard for a smaller designers just starting out,” Abby Phillips said of the

EMDP. “We decided to ask local designers to submit 1 to 5 looks so that if you had a full time job or other life commitments these looks would still be doable.”

The MFW events kick off March 23 with an opening night party and culminate with an emerging designer showcase Friday and a featured designer show Saturday. Designer Pat Kerr, Bruce Bui of Ballet Memphis and Grace Askew will serve as a judges for the Emerging Memphis Designer Project.

The event schedule: • March 23, 6 p.m. – Opening Night Party at Joseph.

• March 26, 5:30 p.m. – Saddle Creek Memphis Fashion Fund Party.

Attendees can register to win tickets to Memphis Fashion Week’s Saturday runway shows and be one of the first shoppers to see Saddle Creek’s new stores. Runway shows at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

• March 27, 8 p.m. – Emerging Memphis Designer Project Show at Memphis College of Art. • March 28 – Featured Designer Show at Overton Square.

(For details, contact Jennifer Sadler at jesadler@connectmemphis. com or 901-490­1791.)

EMISSARIES OF MEMPHIS MUSIC

The Memphis Music Commission saluted Memphis women in music during the 2015 Emissaries of Memphis Music event at the Kroc Center, 800 East Parkway South, on March 12. The honorees included Carol “Miss Carol” Rakestraw; Michelle Prather; Dr. Nancy A. Chase; Yvonne Mitchell and Lorraine Mitchell; Pat Mitchell Worley; Sandy Carroll; and Tracy Bethea. Pictured (l-r): Kurt and Kennedi Clayton, Worley, Bethea, Lorraine Mitchell and Yvonne Mitchell, Dr. Chase, Rakestraw, Prather, Carroll, Mandy Lemons Nikides, and Memphis Music Commission Executive Director Johnnie Walker.

Proceeds from the Emissaries of Memphis Music event benefit the Memphis Musicians Healthcare Plan, which provides Memphis musicians with “no cost” access to medical care.

The evening’s entertainment included “Kurt Clayton and Just Friends.” (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)

Page 10

March 19 - 25, 2015

ENTERTAINMENT

The New Tri-State Defender

Social media used to curate the AfricanAmerican experience Wells Fargo presents #MyUntold)

by Kam Williams

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

For movies opening March 20, 2015 BIG BUDGET FILMS “The Gunman” (R for profanity, sexuality and graphic violence) Pierre Morel (Taken) directed this international action thriller revolving around a military vet-turned-soldier of fortune (Sean Penn) ready to retire but on the run to clear his name when he unfairly becomes marked for assassination. With Idris Elba, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone and Jasmine Trinca.

“Insurgent” (PG-13 for sensuality, pervasive violence, intense action, mature themes and brief profanity) Second installment of the sci-fi series based on Veronica Roth’s best-selling Divergent trilogy. Sequel finds the intrepid heroine (Shailene Woodley) confronting her demons while continuing the fight against an unholy alliance posing a threat to what’s left of society. Ensemble cast includes Theo James, Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet, Zoe Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ashley Judd, Octavia Spencer, Maggie Q, Janet McTeer and Mekhi Phifer.

“Tracers” (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, peril and intense violence) Action thriller, set in NYC, about a bike messenger (Taylor Lautner) on the run from Chinese mobsters who joins forces with a parkour-practicing gang with the help of a fetching femme fatale (Marie Avgeropoulos). With Rafi Gavron, Adam Rayner and Sam Medina.

INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS “Amour Fou” (Unrated) Costume drama, set in Berlin in the Romantic Era, about a young poet (Christian Friedel) who enters a suicide pact with a terminally-ill socialite (Schnoeink) after failing to convince his kissing cousin (Sandra Hueller) to do so. Supporting cast includes Stephan Crossmann, Barbara Schnitzler and Marc Bischoff. (In German with subtitles) “Compared to What” (Unrated) Prestige biopic painting an intimate portrait of former Congressman Barney Frank, who represented Massachusetts’ 4th District in the House of Representatives from 1981-2013.

“Danny Collins” (R for profanity, nudity and drug use) Al Pacino plays the title character in this fact-based tale as an aging, aspiring rock star who decides to clean up his act and reconnect with his family after rereading a 40 year-old letter sent to him by John Lennon.

With Jennifer Garner, Christopher Plummer, Annette Bening, Bobby Cannavale and Melissa Benoist.

“Do You Believe?” (Unrated) Serendipi-

“The Gunman,” staring Idris Elba, is based on a novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette. Elba portrays an operative named Dupont. (Courtesy photo) tous, faith-based drama revolving around a dozen strangers who turn to Christ after their lives unexpectedly intersect in catastrophic fashion. Co-starring Lee Majors, Mira Sorvino, Cybill Shepherd, Ted McGinley, Sean Astin, Brian Bosworth, Andrea Logan White and Shwayze.

“Growing Up and Other Lies” (Unrated) Buddy drama about a guy (Josh Lawson) moving back to Ohio who persuades his BFFS (Adam Brody, Wyatt Cenac and Danny Jacobs) to spend his last day in NYC reminiscing while walking all around Manhattan. With Amber Tamblyn, Scott Adsit and Lauren Miller “Hunting Elephants” (Unrated) Israeli crime comedy, set in Jerusalem, about a trio of revenge-minded retirees (Sasson Gabai, Patrick Stewart and Moni Moshonov) who hatch a plan to rob a bank with the help of a precocious 12 year-old (Gil blank). Featuring Yael Abecassis, Tzvika Hadar and Moshe Ivgy. (In Hebrew and English with subtitles) “Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter” (Unrated) Rinko Kikuchi handles the title role in this character-driven drama inspired by the urban legend about a cash-strapped woman who migrates from Japan to the U.S. in order to find the loot the film “Fargo” suggested is buried somewhere in Minnesota. With Shirley Venard, Nobuyuki Katsube, and David and Nathan Zellner. (In English and Japanese with subtitles) “Lily & Kat” (Unrated) Coming-of-age dramedy about the strain placed on a couple

of inseparable friends’ (Jessica Rothe and Hannah Murray) relationship when one suddenly announces that she’s moving from NYC to London in less than a week. Cast includes Jack Falahee, David Wilson Barnes and Mimi Gianopulos.

“Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed” (Unrated) Road comedy, set in Spain in 1966, revolving around a rabid Beatles fan (Javier Camara) who picks up a couple of hitchhikers (Francesc Colomer and Natalia de Molina) while en route to a movie set where John Lennon is rumored to be shooting a film. With Ramon Fontsere, Rogelio Fernandez and Jorge Sanz.

(In Spanish with subtitles) “Secret of Water” (Unrated) Eye-opening, eco expose’ illustrating the toll that humans’ misuse of H2O is taking on the planet and a precious natural resource.

“She’s Lost Control” (Unrated) Psychological drama about a lonely sexual surrogate (Brooke Bloom) whose life starts to unravel when she crosses an ethical line by becoming emotionally involved with her new doctor client (Marc Menchaca). With Laila Robins, Ryan Homchick and Roxanne Day. “Zombeavers” (R for gory violence, crude humor, graphic sexuality, gratuitous nudity and pervasive profanity) High attrition-rate, horror comedy about a group of college kids whose plans for a wild weekend of debauchery at a riverside cabin is ruined by the arrival of a horde of bloodthirsty zombie beavers.

Co-starring Rachel Melvin, Cortney Palm and Lexi Atkins.

(Black PR Wire) – Wells Fargo & Company has launched “Wells Fargo Presents: The Untold Stories Collection (#MyUntoldsm),” a social media movement dedicated to sharing personal stories that define what it means to be African American today.

The program is designed to leverage the reach, power and influence of social media to provide an intimate look into the African-American experience. #MyUntold creates a platform for building cultural awareness and promoting healthy dialogue. It is envisioned as “a catalyst for self-expression that celebrates the community by showcasing the broad range of experiences among a common culture. “ Wells Fargo invites people to contribute their inspiring untold stories in video, photo or writing. Users can upload stories to the official website (https://untoldstories.thismoment. com/) and share content on their social media sites using #MyUntold.

“We’ve traveled to events across the country to capture stories and received an overwhelming response,” said Lisa Frison, vice president, African American Segment manager, Wells Fargo.

“This demonstrated the community’s desire to be heard, understood and represented in an authentic light. Now many of these powerful videos are featured on the #MyUntold website.”

Visitors to the website can view untold stories from unknown and known African Americans across the country, including, influencers, community leaders and celebrities, such as: • President and CEO of the NAACP, Cornell William Brooks, who shares how his life is a direct result of the sacrifices made by himself and others that he will never know.

• Actors Niecy Nash and Marcus Scribner, who share stories about the challenges they faced as African Americans breaking into the entertainment industry.

• Celebrity makeup artist and social media influencer, Tatiana Ward, who shares her journey from a small town where she and her mother faced isolation from her grandmother due to her mixed-race heritage to becoming a world-renowned makeup artist.

• Award-winning writer, humorist and veteran blogger Luvvie Ajayi, who shares how the perseverance of past generations bolstered her pride in being an African-American women.

• Atlanta resident Terry Gatson, who shares the untold story about the lesson his father taught him about the perception of African-American men.

The program builds off of Wells Fargo’s African American history celebratory tour, featuring the critically acclaimed exhibit, The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley – Where Art and History Intersect. The #MyUntold program continues the dialogue that began during the tour, which focused on uplifting the community by dispelling myths and amplifying triumphs and achievements. “#MyUntold seeks to highlight stories of historical significance that paved the way for future generations, while bringing light to modern experiences that are equally important,” said Candace McCullom, vice president, brand and advertising manager, Wells Fargo.

“By contributing, individuals are upholding the long-standing African-American tradition of storytelling in a way that is relevant today.”

March 19 - 25, 2015

The New Tri-State Defender

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Trina Catron Tax Parcel # 04002400000320 Tax Sale # 0903 Exhibit # 1363 Price Offered: $3,000.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on April 10, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Mowbray Rowand Tax Parcel # 07502400000320 Tax Sale # 0903 Exhibit # 3060 Price Offered: $2,600.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:00 p.m. on April 7, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Mowbray Rowand Tax Parcel # 07508500000290 Tax Sale # 1002 Exhibit # 1812 Price Offered: $3,800.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:30 p.m. on April 7, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Mowbray Rowand Tax Parcel # 07507700000080 Tax Sale # 1002 Exhibit # 1802 Price Offered: $3,000.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on April 7, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL

Page 11

CLASSIFIEDS

THE NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER CLASSIFIEDS

BEER PERMITS Flat Rate: $30 GENERAL INFORMATION: Some categories require prepayment.

All ads subject to credit approval. The New Tri-State Defender reserves the right to correctly classify and edit all copy or to reject or cancel any ad at any time. Only standard abbreviations accepted. Copy change during ordered schedule constitutes new ad & new changes. Deadlines for cancellation are identical to placement deadlines. Rates subject to change.

203 Beale Street, Suite 200 Memphis, TN 38103 PH (901) 523-1818 FAX (901) 578-5037 HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

DEADLINES: Display ads Monday 5 p.m.

Classifieds ads Monday 5 p.m.

RATES: Standard rates: $9.50 per line for 1 column ad.

Rates are non-commissionable and are quoted at the net rate. No refund for early cancellation.

For additional information contact Sales Dept. at (901) 746-5201 or email: advertising@tsdmemphis.com (901) 222-2581 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Mowbray Rowand Tax Parcel # 07611800000070 Tax Sale # 1002 Exhibit # 1957 Price Offered: $3,800.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 3:00 p.m. on April 7, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Mowbray Rowand Tax Parcel # 07100900000130 Tax Sale # 1002 Exhibit # 1498 Price Offered: $7,800.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 3:30 p.m. on April 7, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Mowbray Rowand Tax Parcel # 07505300000040 Tax Sale # 1002 Exhibit # 1794 Price Offered: $3,000.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:30 p.m. on April 7, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 Request for Proposals The Shelby County Board of Education,

ADJUSTMENTS: PLEASE check your ad the first day it appears. Call (901) 523-1818 if an error occurs. We can only offer in-house credit and NO REFUNDS are issued.

THE NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER assumes no financial responsibility for errors nor for copy omission. Direct any classified billing inquires to (901) 523-1818.

Central Nutrition Center, will be accepting written proposals for a Consulting and Analytical Testing Laboratory.

Visit our website for additional information: www.scsk12.org-Departments, Procurement Services link, click on Bids & RFPs. Questions concerning proposals should be addressed to Central Nutrition Center at (901) 416-5550.

Thank you for your interest and responses.

Shelby County Schools – Procurement Services REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SERVICES March 6, 2015 Charter School Support Services, Inc., (“CSSS”) on behalf of Achievement School District Inc., is seeking competitive proposals from qualified Respondents to provide FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SERVICES. A Mandatory Pre-Proposal conference will be held on March 23, 2015 at 9:00 am CST time. Respondents will meet at Achievement School District Offices located in the Memphis College of Art Building located at 477 S. Main Street, 4th Floor, and Memphis, TN 38103.

Proposal(s) will be accepted until April 8, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER THIS TIME WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. One (1) original hard copy, three (3) hard copies and one CD on Jump Drive of the Proposal must be submitted. ASD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CONTRACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ASD, AND TO REJECT ANY AND ALL PROPOSALS AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO AWARD. Proposals must be sealed in a container marked on the lower left-hand corner with the name and address of the Respondent.

CSSS will date stamp the container with the submission date and the submission time. In addition, the sealed container in which the Proposal is submitted should be labeled “Proposal for Facilities Maintenance Services for ASD”. FAXED RESPONSES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Further instructions for submitting Proposals may be obtained from: Charter School Support Services Inc. Attn: Rebecca Rudder 1661 Worcester Road, Ste. 204 Framingham, MA 01701 rrudder@csssinc.org To acquire a copy of the proposal specification, please contact Rebecca Rudder at the above contact information. To download the proposal specifications go to the Charter School Support Services website at www.csssinc.org, RFP page.

Public Notice Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority ACDBE PROGRAM – 49 CFR PART 23 2014- 2017 Proposed ACDBE and Car Rental Goals 49 CFR 23.45 The Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority (MSCAA) has established this Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 49 CFR Part 23. MSCAA is a primary airport and has received federal funds authorized for airport development after January 1988 (authorized under Title 49 of the United States Code). MSCAA has signed airport grant assurances that it will comply with 49 CFR Part 23.

It is the policy of MSCAA to ensure that ACDBEs as defined in Part 23, have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in concession opportunities. It is also our policy: 1. To ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of opportunities for concessions by airports receiving DOT financial assistance; 2. To create a level playing field on which ACDBEs can compete fairly for opportunities for concessions; 3. To ensure that our ACDBE program is narrowly tailored in accordance with applicable law; 4. To ensure that only firms that fully meet this part’s eligibility standards are permitted to participate as ACDBEs at our airport(s); 5. To help remove barriers to the participation of ACDBEs in opportunities for concessions at our airport(s); and 6. To provide appropriate flexibility to our airports in establishing and providing opportunities for ACDBEs. Richard White, Vice President Properties and Business Diversity Development, has been designated as the ACDBE Liaison Officer (ACDBELO). In that capacity, Richard White is responsible for implementing all aspects of the ACDBE program. Implementation of the ACDBE program is accorded the same priority as compliance with all other legal obligations incurred by MSCAA in its financial assistance agreements with the Department of Transportation.

The Authority is proposing an Overall Annual Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Goal of 14%, of which 12.4% will be achieved by race conscious methods, and 1.6% achieved by race neutral means, for all contracting opportunities scheduled for award during FY 2014 through 2017. During this same period, the Authority is proposing an Overall Annual ACDBE Goal for Car Rental Concessionaires of 1%. The proposed goal and its rationale are available for inspection at Memphis International Airport, 2491 Winchester Rd., Suite 113, Mezzanine Level, from 8:00 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday for thirty days following the date of this notice. The Authority and DOT will accept comments on the proposed goal for forty-five days from the date of this notice. Comments may be forwarded to either of the following addresses: Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Office of Contract Compliance 2491 Winchester Rd., Ste 113 Memphis, TN 38116 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Southern Region P. O. 20636 Atlanta, Georgia 30320 NOTICE TO BIDDER(S) Sealed bids will be received by the Shelby County Government in the Department of Housing, 1075 Mullins Station Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38134 until 9:30 a.m. on March 30, 2015 as shown below: MULTIPLE AND ENTIRELY DIFFERENT REHABILITATION JOBS ARE CONTAINED IN THIS BID NOTICE. BIDDER(S) MAY ELECT TO BID ON ANY OR ALL OF THE JOBS IN THE NOTICE. SEALED BID SBI-000306 DUE: March 30, 2015 1.

Rehabilitation of Owner-Occupied Housing Units throughout Shelby County some of which may require the use of lead based paint safe work practices and techniques; and 2.

Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Jobs.

Detailed specifications for items above may be obtained in the Shelby County Department of Housing at the aforementioned address. All bids will be opened and publicly read by the Shelby County Government at the time mentioned above at the Department of Housing, 1075 Mullins Station Road Memphis, TN 38134, (901) 222-7600; TTY Number (901) 2222301; or for information in Spanish 901222-4289.

As a condition precedent to bidding, each bidder must apply and qualify for a Vendor Number and Equal Opportunity Compliance Eligibility Number prior to the submitting your response. Your EOC number must be displayed on the outside of your envelope for each bid submission.

As a condition precedent to being awarded jobs involving Lead Based Paint, contractors must be certified through EPA as an RRP contractor and/or show proof of application to EPA for said certification and be certified through the State of Tennessee as a Lead Based Paint Firm.

Proof of licensing at time of bid submission is required by the Shelby County Department of Housing.

The label, which is attached to the specifications shall be completely filled out and attached to the bid submission envelope.

You must display your current E.O.C. Eligibility Number or your Locally Owned Small Business (LOSB) Number on the outside of your envelope and a copy of all licenses and insurance policies must be included in your submitted bid package. Unless the label is completely filled out and your current E.O.C. Eligibility Number is noted thereon your bid may be returned to you unopened. Should your label be lost or misplaced, please note the appropriate information in the lower left-hand corner of your envelope. The Department of Housing encourages participation from WBE, MBE, LOSB, and Section 3 Contractors under these rehabilitation programs.

The Shelby County Government reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities therein.

By order of MARK H. LUTTRELL, JR., MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Jim Vazquez, Administrator

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Sixteen Ninety-nine Airways Warehouse, LLC Tax Parcel # 04702000001070 Tax Sale # 0604 Exhibit # 6253 Price Offered: $2,000.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on April 8, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Terence Bowen Tax Parcel # 0130350000002C Tax Sale # 0902 Exhibit # 31 Price Offered: $8,000.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on April 9, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: 1. Purchaser: Danielle P. Williams Tax Parcel # 05006700000110 Tax Sale # 0306 Exhibit # 8338 Price Offered: $300.00

Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) days of the initial publication of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on April 8, 2015, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

SHELBY COUNTY LAND BANK 584 ADAMS AVENUE, MEMPHIS, TN 38103 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581

ENTERTAINMENT

RZA explains how films inspired his music

by Genetta M. Adams The Root

Anyone who has ever listened to the Wu-Tang Clan knows that movies, especially martial art films, have been a big influence on the hip-hop group’s sound and style.

During a nearly hourlong keynote speech Monday at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, RZA, the group’s chief founder, shared with his audience how the films he watched as a kid inspired and influenced him as an artist.

“When I finally figured out what I wanted to do and that was to be a hiphop artist,” he said, “I started making albums that reflected my idea of what a film would be.”

The first film RZA saw was “Star Wars,” he said, adding that he connected the most with Obi-Wan Kenobi because the character was a “deep, spiritual guy.” The sci-fi classic provided plenty of inspiration for what would become the Wu-Tang style.

“When you look at ‘Star Wars’ or the martial arts films – the sword

swing or the light-saber swing – and then Wu-Tang (having) a sword style of lyricism, you see that all these different films have guided me, informed me, molded me and helped me find my artistic expression (for) music (founded) on film,” RZA said.

Throughout the talk, the hip-hop legend took his audience on a tour of his creative journey from rap artist to film-music composer and movie director.

RZA’s first step was meeting Chinese-born director John Woo, whose films are sampled on some of WuTang’s early albums. That meeting gave the musician insights into the filmmaking process and revealed similarities between directing and making hip-hop music.

“In a way, directors are samplers.

Film is their medium of sampling,” RZA said.

“I use a sampler to sample beats and to sample old songs,” RZA added. “They use film in their minds to sample ideas. This is why we can have someone like Kurosawa, who maybe 2 million people have seen his movies, but at the end of the day, 50 million saw (them) when they watched ‘Star Wars.’ So this is the power of film.”

It was indie filmmaker Jim Jarmusch who brought RZA to his next stop: becoming a film composer. The director wanted RZA to score his 1999 film “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.” The only problem was Jarmusch didn’t know how to reach RZA. Fortunately for the two artists, they had a mutual friend.

“There was a guy who knew us both ... the guy we bought weed off of,” RZA said.

Even though RZA did not have any film-composing experience, he quickly learned those skills and applied them to other movies, he told the audience. But it was only when he watched Quentin Tarantino in China on the set of the first “Kill Bill” movie that RZA’s eyes truly opened

to the power of cinema.

“I remember watching Quentin do his magic, and it hit me in the head like, ‘Yo, I’m proud of what I do,’” RZA said. “But, wow, that felt like the ultimate expression of art.”

The musician said he humbled himself and asked Tarantino to take him on as a film apprentice. RZA followed Tarantino around for six years before making his directorial debut in 2011 with “The Man With the Iron Fist.”

RZA recalled the moment when Tarantino visited him in China on the set of the “Iron Fist”: “Quentin kind of leans over to me and says, ‘Remember (when) you was in Beijing here in China writing notes as a student. Well the student has now graduated.’”

“That was a crowning achievement for me,” RZA added.

“If you’re fortunate enough to get a good mentor, I advise you to take the wisdom, use it, sharpen yourself with it,” RZA shared with the crowd.

“Improve yourself with it.”

(Genetta M. Adams is a senior editor at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.)

March 19 - 25, 2015

Page 12

The New Tri-State Defender

CLASSIFIEDS

David Achila PhD

Colins O. Eno PhD

Michael Johnson PhD

Ezelle McDonald PhD

Peter Mercredi, PhD

Sharnise (Wilson) Mitchell PhD

Deanna Patmoore PhD

William Reeves PhD

Delira Robbins PhD

Shana V. Stoddard PhD

A St. Jude salute to African-American ‘postdocs’ S

t. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has several African-American postdoctoral scholars working at the hospital and they were saluted during the observance of Black History Month.

The young scientists are in training at St. Jude for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue careers in research, the next step after receiving a doctoral degree. “Postdocs,” as they are called, conduct scientific research under the guidance and mentorship of a seasoned scientist.

The career-building temporary position is a step toward obtaining a permanent position at St. Jude or at another research institution.

Their postdoctoral work allows them to contribute to the mission of St. Jude as each is expected to publish results from scientific findings.

St. Jude postdocs, while here, make significant contributions to the Memphis community – some serving as tutors, others providing science presentations for students and several have developed science experiential programs for school children – all in an effort to encourage the pursuit of careers in science.

The scholars:

David Achila PhD

harmful pathogens.

Hometown: Kisumu, Western Kenya, East Africa. Education: BS Biochemistry; PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Research Focus: Investigating the molecular details of how TNIP proteins function in TollLike Receptor (TLR) signaling pathways

Ezelle McDonald

Colins O. Eno PhD Hometown: Tiko, South West Region, Cameroon, Central Africa. Education: PhD & M. Sc. Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville; M.Sc. Plant Sciences and Genetics, North Dakota State University; B. Sc., Biochemistry, University of Buea, Cameroon, Central Africa. Research Focus: Induction of Tumor Cell Apoptosis by Direct Activation of the Pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 Protein Bax. Michael Johnson PhD Hometown: Chicago. Education: BA, Music, Duke University; PhD, Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Research Focus: Immunology, studying ways of how the body eliminates

Hometown: Tampa, Fla. Education: BS Chemistry and MS, Pharmaceutical Science, Florida A & M University; PhD, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt Research Focus: Structural Biology.

Peter Mercredi, PhD

Hometown: Bronx, N.Y. Education: PhD Biochemistry, University of Maryland Research Focus: Structural Basis for Post-Translational Modification by Ubiquintin.

Sharnise (Wilson) Mitchell PhD Hometown: Memphis. Education: PhD Biochemistry, Ohio State University. Research Focus: The molecular pathogenesis and elucidation of the underlying genetic lesions in Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia.

Deanna Patmoore PhD Hometown: Manchaster, Jamaica. Educa-

tion: BS, Biology, Voorhees College; PhD Cancer and Cell Biology, University of Cincinnati. Research Focus: Understanding the role of DDX3X in the progenitor cells, lower rhombic lips cells and in the development and progression of Medulloblastoma.

Delira Robbins PhD

Hometown: Shreveport, La. Education: BS, Biochemistry, Louisiana State University; PhD Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University. Research Focus: Determining whether novel protein-protein interactions with nuclear hormone receptors can modulate the DNA damage response during tumor development.

Shana V. Stoddard PhD Hometown: Louisville, Ky. Education: BS, Chemistry, Prairie View A & M University; PhD Chemistry, University of Mississippi.

Research Focus: Design, characterization and translation of novel radiopharmaceutical antibodies for discrimination of drug efficacy, and therapeutic staging in high risk solid tumors in pediatric populations.

March 19 - 25, 2015

The New Tri-State Defender

Page 13

COMMUNITY

Grizz MVP fans enjoy day in the sun with Memphis stars

by Kelley D. Evans kdevans@tsdmemphis.com

Elizabeth Woods-Wiseman (Courtesy photo)

Centenarian tribute Elizabeth Woods-Wiseman and the Wiseman family of Olive Branch, Miss. recently helped her celebrate 100 years of life.

Born Feb. 28, 1915 to Clufus and Delia Woods, she married Walter Wiseman in 1935, with seven children coming from the union. “Queen Elizabeth,” as she was called on her birthday, experienced working in cotton fields, segregation and the civil rights movement and has lived to see 19 presidents, including voting for the first African-American president, Barack Obama.

A woman of compassion, she enjoys gardening, spending time with family and friends and loves the Lord and her church.

Voucher amendment would extend beyond private schools to out-of-district

The sun was beaming and fans were out by the hundreds for fun in the sun with their favorite Memphis Grizzlies as the team hosted the 14th annual MVP Season Ticket Holder Party at Kelley D. Golf and Games Evans Family Park last Sunday.

Players, coaches and staff were onhand to mix and mingle as the MVPs of the court went face to face with the MVPs of the stands.

“This is great,” said starting point guard Mike Conley, who was still nursing an ankle injury. “It means a lot, the support that we get throughout the city. It continues to get better and better each year.”

Shooting guard Courtney Lee, fresh off of a team-high 17 points against the Milwaukee Bucks two nights before, framed a picture of what the Grizzlies “need” from their fans.

“When we go to the games and we’re playing against teams, we need the atmosphere. We need the crowd to be there behind us and they give us that extra energy to push through what we need to get through,” he said.

On Sunday, Lee came out focused on showing his appreciation to the

Grizzlies newcomer JaMychal Green gets sprayed with water by fans on the bumper boats during the 14th annual MVP Season Ticket Holder Party at Golf and Games Family Park last Sunday. (Photo: Kelley D. Evans) fans, along with one other goal: “Just defending my title at the Putt-Putt game.”

As the players entered through the front gates they were met by waves of Grizz enthusiasts wanting pictures of their favorites and autographs. Veteran Vince Carter made his way into the crowd and then paused and evaluated his surroundings.

“I’m a big kid. So I’m looking to do a little bit of everything,” Carter said. “This is my first time here and I really didn’t know what to expect.

It’s a warm day, so I think everybody really wanted to get outside the house

anyway.”

Super MVP supporter Montanez Shepherd attended the event with Tonya Shaw, another super MVP supporter.

“I’ve been a Grizzly fan for going on 10 years now,” Shepherd said. “I really appreciate them coming out to greet us on this level because they really don’t have to. But they do so much for our community and I’m just really overly excited to come out here and to meet them.

While some fans watched rookies Jarnell Stokes and Russ Smith enjoy miniature golf, others laughed

(Follow Kelley D. Evans: kelleysthrngrl.)

Pride of the Tigers…

by Grace Tatter

The Memphis Metro Chapter of the Lincoln University Alumni Association donated $10,775 to the Jefferson City, Mo. HBCU last Saturday, March 14 during an event at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis. Those present for the event included Lincoln University President Kevin Rome, Cassandra Turner, president of the Memphis alumni chapter, and Alfred L. Harris, president of the national alumni association. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Chalkbeat Tennessee

A bill that would allow low-income students to receive vouchers to help pay for private school tuition passed Tuesday in the Senate Finance Committee, as it did last year in Tennessee. But this year, an amendment was added that would expand the program to out-of-district public schools.

The panel voted unanimously to amend Senate Bill 999 to allow families also to choose public schools across district lines, with state funding following the students through a voucher system.

The amendment was proposed by Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville).

“What if there’s a child in public school A who is not receiving an adequate education for any number of reasons, and the parents wish to free that child of such bondage, and could do so, and might have the means for transporting said student to another public school close enough by?” Norris asked the committee. “Why must we limit it to non-public schools?”

It wasn’t until after the amendment passed that Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), a longtime voucher supporter, raised concerns about the change. Kelsey told the panel that allowing funding to travel across district lines could result in complications with the Basic Education Program (BEP), the state’s formula to determine how much funding every school system receives from the state.

The amendment could impact Shelby County Schools and its surrounding suburban municipal school districts, which broke off in 2014 following the 2013 merger of the former Memphis City Schools with Shelby County Schools.

Norris and Kelsey both represent Shelby County districts that include new suburban school systems.

If the bill becomes law, it would not mandate that schools accept vouchers, meaning that schools still could rebuff families who desire to use the voucher system to switch to private schools or to public schools outside of their district.

Two committee members, Sen. Thelma Harper (D-Nashville) and Sen. Doug Overbey (R-Maryville), voted against the bill. “I just think it’s ridiculous,” Harper said before the 9-2 vote. “Basically, what you’re doing is getting rid of public schools.”

The House version of the bill was removed Tuesday from the agenda of the Education Administration and Planning Committee. Rep. Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville), the lead sponsor, said it will be back in a few weeks.

while Carter and Nick Calathes took on a competitive go-kart race. Many chuckled at newcomer JaMychal Green as he was sprayed with water by fans on the bumper boats.

Laser tag, face painting and a photo booth were all part of the festivities as an on-site DJ played tunes for all ages.

MVPs enjoyed free Rendezvous barbeque, food from Sleddogs and drinks provided by Pepsi and Coors.

“Hey Zbo!” “Hey little man,” said Grizz star forward Zach Randolph, greeting a four-year-old fan as if they were old friends.

“It’s great to be able to come here with the fans, sign autographs and just mingle and take pictures,” Randolph said. “That’s what it’s all about.

It’s good for the organization and it’s good for the city.”

Long a Grizz-fan favorite, Randolph had fans on his heels from arrival to departure. “It’s all love,” Randolph said.

“I give love back to the community.”

Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger walked in hand-in-hand with his family.

“It’s fun to hang out and have the interaction,” said Joerger. “People feel how much we all care about the community and you feel how the people feel about the organization and the players; and there’s a lot of love.”

Joerger said it feels good to break from the routine of the season and share moments with fans.

“Especially when it’s 70 degrees out and we won last night,” he said.

‘Madea’ at 90…

Maggie Kendall knew just what to do when family members took to their feet and showed their appreciation for “Madea” on her 90th birthday; she flashed the smile they have come to love. The celebration was held March 14 at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis and included her sister, Alberta Winston (left) of Ferguson, Mo. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region Day on the Hill Special to The New Tri-State Defender

In the early morning rain on Tuesday, March 10th, the back parking lot of Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region (PPGMR) was buzzing with people loading out of their cars and onto a bus. The purpose was simple. Women and men of all ages, races, genders and sexual orientations were headed to Nashville from Memphis to Paint the Hill Pink in the name of women’s reproductive rights.

And while there were no paintbrushes or spray cans involved, each person was armed with talking points, information on their legislators and a desire to be heard.

During the bus ride to Nashville, Gail Tyree, director of Community Partnerships went over what to expect during the trip and answered questions. “Don’t forget that administrative staff has a lot of influence. It’s very important to get to know them, too, and to be polite,” reminded Tyree as she checked with her group to make sure that they all had their “Day on the Hill” information packets.

The PPGMR delegation and others from across the state gathered for lunch in one of the planning rooms at the Nashville Public Library on Church

Street. All in all, 230 advocates from across the state came together to speak on behalf of Planned Parenthood.

After mingling with supporters and taking photos, PPGMR’s CEO Ashley Coffield and PPMET’s CEO Jeff Teague thanked everyone and explained the importance of the day from Planned Parenthood’s perspective.

“It’s important to let our legislators know we’re here and that we are aware of the legislation that will affect access to safe abortions. This is an opportunity to express our concerns during the political process. Share your stories, engage them in meaningful dialogue,” said Coffield.

Keri Adams, VP of External Affairs for PPMET, added, “You only get a few minutes with your legislators. Make sure that you let them know that you are from their districts. Also, don’t forget to leave behind information on how to get in touch with you on the cards provided.

Most importantly share a few reasons why you are here and what this Day on the Hill means for you.”

After the session, the group headed to the capitol building. They entered the Capitol in their bold pink I Stand with Planned Parenthood T-shirts and were met by crowds of people in the hallways who were just as energized and busy as they were.

“This is an eye-opening experience,” said Bruce Welch, a law enforcement officer who traveled with the PPGMR delegation. “I’ve never done this before but I’m proud to be here with such remarkable women on behalf of such a noble cause.”

The Tennessee Equality Project, a partner organization of Planned Parenthood in Tennessee focused on the protection of the civil and human rights of the LGBTQ community, was meeting with legislators the same day. They welcomed the Planned Parenthood advocates with open arms, sharing stories of how their collective day had been so far.

Legislators, assistants, lobbyists and reporters zoomed through the halls, stopped at every corridor to take pictures, hold impromptu conversations and hear requests, while others attended sessions, grabbed lunch in the over-crowded cafeteria or addressed the floor. Lines of people waited outside in the halls or in the common areas of their senator’s and legislator’s offices for just a moment to speak with them.

There was at least one PPGMR supporter that everyone knew: former Sen. Beverly Marrero moved through the halls in her signature stylish hat, and stopped to chat with legislators from both sides of

the aisle, as well as former constituents who just wanted to say hello.

Aimee Lewis, VP of External Affairs for PPGMR, said Marrero is “such an inspiration and such a trailblazer. We are really fortunate to have her on our side.”

While some legislators were not available for meetings, most met with PPGMR attendees, even citing to some how many constituents in their districts had voted no on the Amendment 1 campaign the previous year, and sharing how they would continue to support Planned Parenthood. Others simply listened and agreed to share their concerns with their colleagues on the Hill.

Coffield summed up the day: “Planned Parenthood knows how important it is for a woman to have accurate information about all her options regarding a pregnancy and to have full support in making her decision about abortion. Mandatory waiting periods block access to safe, legal abortion and make it more difficult for women to get the care that they need,” she said.

“It is important for us to share with our legislators that elected officials should not be involved in a woman’s personal medical decisions about her pregnancy. Hopefully, this Day on the Hill will speak to our concerns.”

SPORTS The New Tri-State Defender, March 19 - 25, 2015, Page 14

There is likely no other sports figure in recent history that has so thoroughly and consistently been labeled a monster than Michael Gerard Tyson. Recently, we have seen the man feared as “Iron” Mike in depth and in person.

A monster named Mike and the man he is now

by Howard Robertson and Larry Robinson 1. A creature that typically is large, ugly and frightening; 2. An inhumanely cruel or wicked person; 3. A person, typically a child, who is rude or badly behaved.

Those are three definitions of the same word – monster.

There is likely no other sports figure in recent history that has so thoroughly and consistently been labeled a monster than Michael Gerard Tyson.

Howard In the past, the media rarely talkRobertson ed about Mike Tyson in terms of “who” he was. Was he conceived in a petri dish, a test tube or hatched?

Who were his parents? These never seemed germane to any reports about Mike.

Lorna Mae Tyson gave birth to the youngest of her three children, Michael, on June 30, 1966 in Brooklyn, N.Y. His father Purcell Tyson, a man of Jamaican descent, was never in his son’s life. So Mike was pretty much on his own.

Larry He was a little kid with a lisp, a Robinson squeaky voice and a particular love for pigeons. Ironically, his peaceful, passive, passion for pigeons pushed him into pugilistic pursuits. A bigger, older kid once ripped the head off one of Mike’s pigeons. Mike attacked. This began a life of brutal, rage-fueled beatings that would become his lifestyle.

The streets raised Mike Tyson; home training didn’t really exist. By the time he was 13 he’d been arrested 38 times. His momma died when he was 16 and he dropped out of high school. He became the ward of boxing manager and trainer Cus D’Amato, who became his legal guardian.

Mike was Cus’ son and fight prodigy, studying at the feet of D’Amato who poured his boxing knowledge and savvy into the young, receptive boxing “Frankenstein” he was building. While other kids his age were studying chemistry, socializing, dating and considering colleges, Mike was studying boxing history, dissecting skills and styles of fighters and boxing eight hours a day…every day.

Shortly after Mike turned 19, Cus died in 1985. He took it hard. Within three short years he had lost the two closest, wisest people he knew. But by this time, the little kid had become a chiseled 220-pound tank with a new first name…”Iron.” Then, one year after Cus’ death, Trevor Berbick World Boxing Council (WBC) Heavyweight Champion lost his title in a 2nd round TKO to the 20-year-4-month old “Iron” Mike Tyson. He became the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

That’s when the “baddest man on the planet” began consistently committing and contributing to the perception of him as a monster in the hearts and minds of the American public.

He, in many ways, became a sideshow freak promoted by the all-time king of hucksters, Don King.

He was like a mute beast beside the “beauty” (well, not really but you get the parallel) Robin Givens, who spoke for and about him on primetime television while he appeared tranquilized and oblivious to what was happening. He was the brutal sexual deviant accused in the assault and rape of Desiree Washington. He was a fool with nearly a half-billion dollar fortune who’d lose it all because he had far more dollars than he had sense. He was a prisoner. Then, like an animal or a cannibal, he bit Evander Holyfield in a championship fight, twice.

Recently, we have seen the man that is Mike Tyson in depth and in person. In “Undisputed Truth,” the Spike Lee produced HBO documentary and at his live oneman show, Mike Tyson bares himself to the world. He strips naked to show the world who he is…his humanity.

Naked usually ain’t pretty, as anyone with flaws and a mirror knows. So Mike is predictably vulgar, sometimes crude and he gets angry. But he is brutally honest, very well read, smart, funny and he does a brilliant job of self-analysis. He describes himself and his life in the most accurate, self-deprecating-yet-entertaining ways like nobody we’ve ever seen, except maybe Richard Pryor.

Mike has also become a loving husband and doting father. How’d he learn to be one without seeing one?

We like the man Mike Tyson has become and we respect his journey because despite the fame and fortune, life for him “ain’t been no crystal stair.” We also admire his freedom. Every night he’s purging himself of his demons and dancing like there’s nobody looking.

Wow! The monster named Mike is really human.

Who knew? (“A Little R&R on Sports” podcasts can be downloaded from: IHeart Radio, ITunes, Google Play or randronsports.com. In Memphis, tune to AM 990 KWAM at 10 Saturday mornings or stream R&R live Saturdays at 10 a.m. CDT on sportsbyline.com.)

It wasn’t the fanciest means of transportation, but it got the job done for Hamilton High students, faculty and administration.

They arrived in Murfreesboro in plenty of time to see the Wildcats claim the Tennessee Class AAA boys championship.

(Photo: Curtis Weathers)

Hamilton claims AAA crown with 45-second push!

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.

(AP) – Jordan Cummings’ jump shot with 16 seconds left and Romero Hill’s closing foul shots lifted Hamilton to a 65-62 win over Brentwood for the Tennessee Class AAA boys championship at the Murphy Center on Saturday.

Brentwood (30-7) trailed by 15 points with 4:05 left, but pulled close with six 3-pointers the rest of the way.

Grant Teichmann’s 3-point play gave the Bruins a 62-61 lead with 45 seconds left.

Cummings led Hamilton (1816) with 21 points. Dedric Lawson, a Class AAA Mr. Basketball finalist and Memphis signee, had 20 points and 11 rebounds.

His brother, K.J. Lawson, the Class AAA Mr. Basketball and tournament MVP, added 17 points and nine rebounds. K.J. also With the Hamilton High faithful doing all they could to help, the Wildcats oversigned with Memphis. came a late run by Brentwood to win the Tennessee Class AAA boys champiThe Bruins made 12 of 28 from onship, 65-62. (Photo: Curtis Weathers) 3-point range. Jalen Lawson led Todd Day, Arkansas’ career scoring state title in his first season with the Brentwood with 19 points, five leader, coached Hamilton to its third Wildcats.

3-pointers and six assists.

Mitchell High School great and former U of M star Andre Turner, Mitchell vs. Errrrbody T-Shirt creator Memphis Meeks and the Tigers’ coach Faragi Phillips at the Tennessee Class A boys championship in Murfreesboro. (“MemphisMeeks” courtesy photos) Mitchell’s Tigers at the halftime break of their lopsided win over Union City at the Murphy Center on Saturday.

Two in a row for Mitchell!

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) – Jeremiah Martin scored 19 points and Naba Echols added 18, leading Mitchell to its second straight Tennessee Class A boys championship with a 69-39 win over Union City at the Murphy Center on Saturday.

Martin hit 8 of 10 from the field and grabbed six rebounds. He was named tournament MVP and the Class A Mr. Basketball winner. Martin has committed

to Louisiana Tech.

Echols hit 14 of 17 from the foul line.

Lorenzo Hunt added 11 points and six rebounds.

Second-ranked Mitchell (32-6) won its last 18 games.

Parker Stewart and Marcus DeBerry led top-ranked Union City (33-4) with 13 points each. DeBerry, a Mr. Basketball finalist, hit 5 of 14 field-goal attempts.

The loss ended the Golden Tornadoes’

15-game win streak.

The Tigers, who are coached by Faragi Phillips, set the tone early, scoring the game’s first eight points. Mitchell pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Union City 25-8.

Mitchell outscored Union City 24-7 at the foul line and shot 53.7 percent from the field while the Golden Tornadoes hit just 31.1 percent, including 4 of 20 from 3-point range.

Southwest’s coach, star player net top conference honors

The Southwest Saluqis – regular season basketball champions of the Community College Athletic Association – now have Coach of the Year and Player of the Year honors as marks of the team’s success.

In a vote by the conference’s coaches, Jerry Nichols was named Coach of the Year, with the Player of the Year selection going to sophomore guard Rasheed Brooks.

Southwest, the 11th-ranked men’s team, had five players named All-Tennessee Community College Athletic Asso-

ciation in a vote by the conference’s coaches.

In addition to Brooks, sophomore guard Johnathan Burroughs-Cook and freshman forward Jimario Rivers were first team picks

Jerry Nichols

while sophomore guard Earl Bryant was a second team member.

Brooks, a University of Mississippi signee, led the Saluqis in scoring with a Rasheed 14.2 average Brooks and was also among team leaders in assists (2.1)

and steals (1.9). Burroughs-Cook was second on the team in scoring (13.5), assists (2.4) and steals (1.8).

Bryant averaged 10.7 points per game and led the team with a 3.5 assist average and Rivers averaged 10.3 points and led the team with 7.2 rebounds per game.

For the Southwest women, freshman guard LaKyesha Stennis was selected first team All-TCCAA and was the only Lady Saluqi honored. Stennis averaged 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game.