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School of Public Health. “Presumably health ministry members are more knowledgeable than most pastors when it comes to health messages," he went on to say, referencing the group within the church that focuses on the promotion of health and healing as part of the mission and ministry of the larger faith group and the wider community. "I imagine this would vary from one church to the next. However, if appro-

priate technical support can be developed for church health ministries, this could be a valuable new resource for reaching African Americans with accurate and authoritative health information,” LaVeist added.

Celebrating Culture continued from page 1

social groups, educational opportunities and employment opportunities. “Our goal is building empowering connections in our communities. It is our hope that

festival guests will come away with a broader understanding and appreciation of the diverse talent and opportunities available in the Springfield and southwest Missouri,” says Samuel Knox. Door at the Hall will be open at 12:00 p.m. The admission is free and there is free and convenient parking in the multi-level parking garage behind the facility. For more information about this event or if you would like to register your organization to exhibit, please call (417) 864-7444 or (417) 861-8206

Finding Your Roots is back 7:00 p.m. Tuesday in January on Ozark Public TV

Join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of 27 new guest. Each story illuminates the vast patchwork of ethnicity, race and experience that makes up the fabic of America.

www.unitenewsonline.org

UNITE. Building Empowering Connections In Our Diverse Community

Celebrating the Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Holiday

Celebrating Culture In The Ozarks: Jan 18 Springfield, MO—The 19th Annual Springfield Multicultural Festival will be held January 18, 2016 at Juanita K. Hammons Hall. The event will last from noon until 4:00 p.m. This event is presented by Unite of Southwest Missouri. The festival will host over fifty exhibitors and performers representing cultures from all around the world. Exhibits will include health care information, local community and social

Information on page 9

Contrasting ‘Black Lives Matter’ with Past Protest Movements

David Driskell American (born 1931) The Practice, 2005, mixed media on paper David Driskell is a renowned painter, curator, and art collector, as well as one of the foremost authorities on the subject of African American art. Born into a family of Georgia sharecroppers, Driskell went on to study at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine, Howard University, and Catholic University. His significant scholarly contributions have resulted in the founding of the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland which is dedicated to the study of the visual arts, African American culture, and the African Diaspora. Driskell works primarily in collage and mixed media, as well as printmaking. This work is based on the poetry of writer Michael Albert and demonstrates the artist’s affinity for layered, overlapping compositions in bold, lively colors. The main figure’s face is rendered with the stylized abstraction of Sub-Saharan African masks, as traditional patterns and motifs populate this vibrant work.

Stor y on page 5

Feeding your highest good in the New Year By Samuel Knox Unite Managing Editor Photo provided BySpringfield Art Museum

Church Health Care

January 2016 Volume 26/ Number 1 • A Monthly Publication by Unite of Southwest Missouri, Inc •

The year 2015 has drawn to a close, and many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past year and are also looking forward to the promise of the new year. When you look back at last year, remember to revisit the positive moments and to count your blessings, and celebrate your accomplishments. Stories on page 4

Continued on page 12

Church Health Care Programs: What Surveys Show Reprinted from Huffington Post BlackVoices

The separation between church and the state of your health may be narrowing, according to a new study released in the journal Health Promotion Practice this week. In a survey of more than 1,200 members of 11 African-American churches in

North Carolina, an overwhelming majority of congregants said they believe that the church has a responsibility to promote healthy living within the community they serve. “Many of us who’ve grown up in the church understand its historical context, and know that churches function beyond spiritual guidance and social support,” said lead study author

Adebowale A. Odulana, M.D., an internist and pediatrician at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Nevertheless, Odulana says he was surprised at how many Needed:African Continued on page 11

January Unite Page 11

January Unite Page 2

The Salient Conversation: Got Skills for One? DDI Leadership at Work one most likely avoided and the one most needed. Yes, the one for which people need skills to separate personal feelings from behavior and empathy from guilt. As with any skill, practice is necessary before one can I’m taking a break become good. I don’t from my routine profess to be good, but updates about happenI hope 20+ years at race ings within the DDI. relations has provided This time I want to Ken Coopwood me with ample practice. turn heads toward the So, let’s talk about the salient multiple race-based conversaconversation and what it can do tions and demonstrations around when a well-practiced person is the country, even right here in at the helm. good ol’ Springfield. Who would First, the salient conversation think that the country would is relevant, not relative. People be frozen in awe of students’ get that confused. Relevant courage while at the same thing means that the matter at hand is ruminating over why blunt debeing discussed from the pergrees of racism still exist at the spective of the person suffering brink of 2016? Now the work of consequences from the actions it all… how to talk about it… for of others. Going deeper, the sareal – beyond the rhetoric, the lient conversation is the one that marginalization and the deflectargets elements of a person’s tion inherent of human defense perspective that has bearing on mechanisms. I’m talking about the current issue. Got it? If not, the salient conversation, the reread this paragraph again… By Ken Coopwood Unite Contributing Writer

Division for Diversity and Inclusion at MSU

Working Together to Power Springfield Whether you have a material to sell or offer a great service—CU is looking for reputable vendors to help us keep our business up-and-running. Call 417-831-8363 or log on to cityutilities.net, key search “Purchasing”, to learn about ways for us to work together.

It is the policy of City Utilities to offer equal opportunity to individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

City Utilities of Springfield • 301 East Central, Springfield MO • 417.863.9000 • cityutilities.net

and again before you go around saying well-intended but dumb things. Second, salient conversations capture the “essence of the core.” What I mean by this is that focus points throughout the conversation connect dots to make a whole picture about what a person or a people are experiencing. For example, if you’re talking about safety, a relative conversation would never drill down to matters of the mind or even insecurities among fellow citizens, but if you address a specific segment of the population, i.e. black students who demonstrate on college campuses, you can get to the essence of the core by focusing on relevant matters. In other words, stay on the subject (their safety), identify matters of safety (for them only), seek sources of contention (mind, body or spirit), satisfy each source and then intentionally construct an environment that contains all satisfactions. An article in the New York Times by Charles Blow, “Race, College and Safe Space” does an excellent job at getting to core substances of safety for black folks. You can too, but you have to practice. Oh, and there are no shortcuts to a person’s heart or trust. Finally, but not entirely, skillfully-managed salient conversations will cause transparent personal reflection, not guilt, in route to making relevant matters of others relevant to you. What happens is you begin to grow in to and out of yourself at the same time – you actually move from one stage of identity development to the next, and the next.

You know you are on the right track when you actually begin to create salient experiences and environments for yourself that must contain the presence of diverse others before it becomes relevant. Did you get that? That’s deep, but it’s exhilarating in its realization. Now, as a matter of Black Lives Matter, I hope you have a better sense of how and why the movement can and should matter to you. You see, we are all one community, city, state and nation with differences expected and necessary for personal growth. The black community IS our community, unless you say that the lives of others are not relevant to yours or they are not critical to the construction of your own self-identity. If you do, then I contend that you’ve just wasted about 5 minutes of your day trying to find a way to make mockery of this article. If you say yes, black lives affect all lives, then you are ready to learn more about how and why, and you are ready to engage in a salient conversation with relevant points of reference. I wish I had more space, but the papers need to run ads. More about the DDI soon. I hope you enjoyed my break from the norm. As always...Let’s integrate, collaborate and elevate… together! Dr. Coop

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The Library

Black Live Matter

of "Hair-i-tage," community and culture. The day features a Q&A with Dr. Sabrina Brinson, a Diversity Fellow and professor of Childhood Education and Family Studies at Missouri State University. She will talk about strategies to motivate reading in the community. Displays will include “Sunday Mornings,” “Saturday Night Socials” and “Moms’ Inventions.” Coordinated by Peoples Etiquette and the Library, in collaboration with the NAACP Springfield Branch and others. With the Ironclads: Following the 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry Through the Civil War, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2 p.m. in the Library Center auditorium. The 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry organized in the summer and fall of 1863. Join Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Librarian Jeff Patrick and Local History & Genealogy Department Manager Brian Grubbs as they follow these men from slaves to soldiers who earned their place in Civil War history. February exhibits include Images and Books of African Culture and Art Honoring Black History Month at the Library Station; and Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African-American Memory, a slide show exhibit on the Park Central Branch digital billboard. A March 12 event at the Midtown Carnegie Branch will also celebrate the history and culture of Springfield’s African-American community, with the History Museum on the Square and the NAACP Springfield Branch. Kathleen O’Dell is community relations director of the Springfield-Greene County Library

displayed through a person's actions and expressed values. The two are connected. Mimicking the actions of a moral man does not make you a moral man. Those actions have to proceed from sound values and take place in an appropriate context. One cannot credibly protest injustice by acting unjustly. A movement earns moral credibility by resting both its ends and its means on just principles. MLK did that. BLM has not.

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Church Health Care continued from page 1

Americans believe their church is responsible for promoting health in their members and the community. But what may be more surprising is how those congregants say they'd like to receive those messages about their health -- by way of interactive workshops and health fairs instead of from the pulpit. In New York, cardiologist Ola Akinboboye has proposed a different approach -- changing the food people consume at church, and ultimately influencing the way they eat at home. “Even though people only go one day a week, it determines

how they live their lives the other six days ... In these church dinners you see a lot of cornbread, rice, fried chicken -- the holy bird,” Akinboboye told the New York Daily News. “People go to church events and see these foods displayed and assume they can eat them the same way at home.” To drive home his message, Akinboboye and his Association of Black Cardiologists produced a documentary titled “Before You Eat The Church Food Watch This Video,” link African-American lifestyles to the heart disease epidemic ravaging the community. See this video on the unitenewsonline.org website. The partnership offers a model for faith communities across the country that public health advocates say is needed to see church-based health programs truly succeed. “I have often been critical of health promotion efforts which seek to reach the black community through churches because while churches are important part of black culture, public health researchers often overestimate the role of the pastor as the mechanism for crafting and presenting health information,” said Thomas A. LaVeist, Ph.D., director of the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Continued on page 12

Good News, Great Music & Warm People 2101 W. Chestnut Expwy. Springfield, MO 65802 (417) 865-4338

Service Times: Sunday 10:30 a.m. & Wednesday 6:00 p.m.

Affordable Housing Opportunities There are currently housing vacancies in the City of Springfield’s program for rental or home ownership. These programs include requirements for fair marketing and non-discrimination. You must be income eligible to qualify. For rental, call Marti Fewell, 417-864-1039 For home ownership, call LeeAnn Camey, 417-888-2020

Every First Tuesday of the Month

Minorities In Business monthly networking meeting

When: 5:15 p.m. 405 N Jefferson Ave, Springfield, MO 65897 Bring a friend or business partner!! For more information call: (417) 837-2631

January Unite Page 10

A Directory of local and regional health resources AIDS Federal hotline; 24 hours a day, everyday, including holidays. 1-800-590-AIDS (2437) Local office: 417-881-1900 Alzheimer’s Association 417-886-2199 Alzheimer's Dementia Workshop Lynette Adams Springfield, MO Any size class available 417-866-6878 American Stroke Association Learn more about strokes by calling 1-888-4-STROKE (78-7653) Cancer Resource Network 1-800-227-2345 Diabetes Hotline Division of Cox Medical Center North 417-269-3737 Medicare Information Medicare Information Hotline 1-800-494-7355 Mental Health Crisis Hotline Counseling needs & crisis intervention 1-800-494-7355 National Parkinson Foundation Education, announcements, links to related sites 1-800-327-4545 www.parkinson.org OTC Dental Hygiene Clinic Provides low cost dental care for adults and children; performed by students under the supervision of faculty and local dentists. Cleanings, X-rays and exams For adults $50. for children $35. Call 417-447-8835 to make appt. DHSS/ Office Of Minority Health The mission is to eliminate health disparities through assertive leadership, advocacy support, and visible interaction with minority communities in Missouri. Call: 1-800-877-3180

January Unite Page 3

IN THIS ISSUE

Health & Mental Fitness Are Black Women Avoiding Exercise To Maintain Hairstyles? (Reuters Health) - A number of obstacles may stand between a person and exercise, and hairstyles may be one of them for African-American women, according to a new study. Researchers found about two of every five African-American women said they avoid exercise because of concerns about their hair, and researchers say that is concerning given the United States' obesity epidemic. "As an African-American woman, I have that problem, and my friends have that problem. So I wondered if my patients had that problem," said Dr. Amy McMichael, the study's senior researcher and a dermatologist at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. McMichael and her colleagues, who published their findings in the Archives of Dermatology on Monday, said hair care can be tedious and costly for African-American women. Rochelle Mosley, who owns Salon 804 in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, told Reuters Health some of her African-American clients come in once per week to get their hair straightened at a cost of about $40. They may not want to wash their hair more than once a week to keep their hairstyle, and may avoid sweating because of that. To find out if women were putting hair above their health, the researchers surveyed 103 African-American women who came to the dermatology clinic at Wake Forest University in

Community News

Enriching MultiCultural Programs At The Library by Kathleen O’Dell , Springfield-Greene County Library District

October 2007. They found that more than half of the women were exercising for less than 75 minutes per week, which is less than the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise. That's also less than U.S. women on average, according to a 2007 study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found about half of all U.S. women were exercising close to 150 minutes per week. More than a quarter of the women in the new study said they didn't exercise at all. About a third of the women said they exercise less than they'd like because of their hair, and half said they have considered changing their hair for exercise. McMichael and her colleagues found that women who avoided exercise because of their hair were almost three times less likely to meet the recommended physical activity guidelines. That finding, how-

ever, could have been due to chance. Also, scalp issues, such as itching and dandruff, played a role in the women's decision-making process. SALON OWNER NOT SURPRISED McMichael also admits that they only surveyed AfricanAmerican women, and they can't say whether this is a problem shared by other ethnicities. "It is a really important conversation that African-American women want to have, and they're looking for solutions," said McMichael. Salon 804's Mosley told Reuters Health that she's not surprised by the findings based on her 22 years in business. Previously, studies have connected people who get their hair done and their overall health. Some barbershops and salons even act as health clinics (see Reuters article of June 29, 2011 here: reut.rs/WjFXgB). Mosley added that some women schedule their visits around their exercise schedule, but she also tries to find a hairstyle that will work with physical activity.

The Library has welcomed a variety of enriching multicultural programs in recent years, including the 2014 Changing America series with scholars and the Kathleen O'Dell Brown sisters of Brown v. Board of Education, and the recent Latino Americans series. In February we again invite the public to learn more about the culture and contributions of African-Americans throughout history. Here’s a sample of upcoming programs and exhibits. • Let's Celebrate Our History With Books! Friday, Feb. 5, 10 a.m., for infants-age 6 in the Midtown Carnegie Branch Children's Department. We’ll read stories by great African-American authors and illustrators. • Meet and Greet Celebration, Saturday, Feb. 6, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. in the Midtown Carnegie Branch. All ages are welcome to enjoy a diverse lineup of educational storytelling presentations that convey the legacy continued on page 11

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SPS students to benefit from Lumina Foundation grant by Gwen Marshall

6

Business News

The Basics of Government Contracting by Allen Waldo

8 10

Lifestyle & Entertainment News

Movie Review —“Hot Movies For 2016” by Lyle Foster

Health & Mental Fitness

Are black women avoiding exercise to maintain hairstyles? by Reuters Health

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City Employment Link The City of Springfield offers a variety of municipal career opportunities for individuals interested in public service. Job opportunities are updated each Friday and can be accessed through a number of mediums: Web: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/jobs; or TV: CityView on Mediacom Cable Digital Channel 80; or In Person: visiting our offices at 840 Boonville, Room 324, Springfield, MO 65802. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability. Individuals with disabilities should request reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to testing or appointment. Proof of United States Citizenship/Authorization to Work in The United States as established by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 is a condition of employment. Pre-employment drug testing required.

UNITE. Volume 26, Number 1 PUBLISHER Unite. of Southwest Missouri, Inc. MANAGING EDITOR Samuel G. Knox CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr Ken Coopwood Lyle Foster Bon Tindle Gwen Marshall Kathleen O'Dell PHOTOGRAPHY Tondaleigha Jones VOLUNTEER Tyra Knox Bradley Knox

The Unite. publication is a monthly newspaper published by Unite of Southwest Missouri, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization. Distribution of Unite. is by free circulation at various locations. However, request for home delivery by mail may be directed to Unite. P. O. Box 1745, Springfield, Missouri 65801 and accompanied by $25. for one year’s postage and handling. Those wishing to make a contribution or become a monthly sponsor should direct correspondence to the same address. Readers comments and questions are welcomed. The opinions expressed in these pages do not necessarily reflect the views of Unite. of Southwest Missouri, Inc. “The Unite Publication in accepting advertising in this publication, makes no independent investigation concerning the services of products advertised and neither endorses nor recommends the same and assumes no liability therefore.” For further information, you can contact us at (417) 864-7444. Email: unitepublication@yahoo. com

January Unite Page 9

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Hot Movies 2016 continued from page 8

SPS students to benefit from Lumina Foundation grant that will provide input on the steps needed to improve higher education outcomes. The Juniors and seniors in Springsteering committee consists of field Public Schools representatives from will benefit from a Luthe City of Springfield, mina Foundation grant Springfield Public awarded to the City Schools and higher of Springfield aimed education partners, the at helping students Missouri Career Cenattain post-secondary ter, Missouri College credentials. The City of Advising Corps, the P20 Gwen Marshall Springfield was recentCouncil, the Springfield ly notified of its inclusion Area Chamber of Comin the national network funded merce, and local employers. by the Lumina Foundation and The steering committee is will receive a $120,000 two-year part of the “Blue Ribbons/Red planning grant to support partFlags-Springfield 2025 Highnerships between local employer Education Project” formed ers and educational institutions last summer designed to align to develop the skills needed for existing programs and systems current and future employees of with measureable strategies to the Springfield area by enhancincrease the number of students ing existing programs. Springwho advance their educations field is one of 75 communities after high school. across the nation selected to Specific goals for the recently receive funds. received grant directed toward The Community Foundation SPS juniors and seniors include of the Ozarks is serving as having high school students the fiscal agent for the Lumitake the ACT more than once na Foundation’s grant and is a year; complete the FASFA convening a steering committee application; graduate from high

school with college credits; and start college or a technical program that leads to a certificate the same year the student graduates from high school. Through this wonderful opportunity Lumina Foundation is helping provide access to higher education technical experts that will help our community reach our city’s goal of 60 percent higher education attainment by 2025. The Springfield Public Schools Board of Education will develop a cooperative agreement with the City of Springfield. About Lumina Foundation: Lumina Foundation is an in-

Feeding Your Good

frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within

By Gwen Marshall Unite Contributing Writer

continued from page 1

Use a positive filter as you look back, and then from that mindset, choose what you want to strive for in 2016. A few days ago I was watching a Disney movie where a father shared a powerful story with his young daughter. He told a story of two wolves who were always fighting. One represented gloom and despair,

the other represented light and hope. The father asked his daughter, “which wolf will win?” Before she could answer, he said, “which ever one you feed.” Here is a famous quote by author Marianne Williamson that I’d like to share with you: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most

dependent, private foundation committed to increasing the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees, certificates and other credentials to 60 percent by 2025. Lumina’s outcomes-based approach focuses on helping to design and build an accessible, responsive and accountable higher education system while fostering a national sense of urgency for action to achieve Goal 2025.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela

Important Dates To Remember January 18, 2016

MLK Jr. Day (School System Closed)

The ACT National Test Dates Test Dates

Registration Deadline

Late Fee Required

February 6, 2016

January 8, 2016

January 9 - 15, 2016

April 9, 2016

March 4, 2016

March 5 - 18, 2016

June 11, 2016

May 6, 2016

May 7 - 20, 2016

us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” This is food for thought as we all plan what we want to aspire to in the upcoming year. A Happy and Joyous New Year to You and yours!

ever heard of the Greek play Lysistrata by Aristophanes this is a modern day adaptation. Hmmmm…what does that mean you may wonder? This is Spike Lee’s satirical response to the terrible gang violence in our cities. Set in the backdrop of Chicago after the murder of a child by a stray bullet a group of women organize to essentially say that they will not engage in sex with their male partners until the violence stops. The film has a surprising strong cast of characters but has not gotten the strong traction that one may think it would. This is due to a number of factors including the new studio that Spike Lee uses for this film. We all know that Spike Lee uses his films to make political statements about every subject imaginable and comparing Chicago to Iraq is certainly going to turn some heads including the mayor of Chicago who is not happy at all. Samuel Jackson, Nick Cannon, Jennifer Hudson, Wesley Snipes, John Cusack, Teyonah Parris, Angela Bassett and Dave Chappelle are all a part of the star studded cast but the plot and execution has a number of twists and turns and while the plot is somewhat interesting it is not quite able to keep the hype going. Ultimately the film is expected to earn most of its revenue on the home release and DVD versions. So we will see.

Burger Lounge

continued from page 8

they focus on burgers and that is their specialty. They do have

Finally I mentioned in my last column that the new Star Wars flick did not need our help to make it successful because the fan base and the unbelievable marketing power have made it a billion dollar success story and counting. If you haven’t seen it yet you have plenty of time to catch it and the IMAX screen is a fantastic place to see it. Did you know that was a twitter campaign to boycott the film because of its black lead and to a lesser extent female lead? As they say we cannot make this stuff up but it is more than obvious that no one seems to be listening and we will not take racism into the galaxies beyond. We have enough of that going on here on planet Earth! British actor and a black man John Boyega plays redeemed Stormtrooper Finn and yes is one of the young leads of the film. We will all be seeing a lot more of him and it is good to see some people of color with some significant roles in space. He is considered the hero of the film and has a neat theatre and film background and born to Nigerian parents. He is cast alongside all of the legends of the Star Wars franchise and he will now be a worldwide star. So the force is definitely with him. See you at one of our local film houses and bring the popcorn!!!

appealing and at this stretch of winter weather it is the right comfort food to help make it through. The open kitchen is behind the bar and it makes for very interesting theatre while getting your meal. The shakes are made with Andy’s frozen custard and have some very special flavors. It is really exciting to see this new trend in our city of restaurants partnering with local artisans to give their signature products even more exposure and to showcase them in new and creative ways. And I think most of us know what goes with burgers and shakes and that is fries. The fries are pretty, pretty good especially the salt and vinegar.

some other menu choices but this is a place for people who want some real gourmet burgers that are made of real meat. The restaurant has a new look and the atmosphere is very

Bring your non-perishable food items & socks for Home At Last, a program of The Kitchen, Inc.

They have a great bar and do the craft cocktails if anyone is wondering. And yes you can get some adult beverage in your shake if so desired. I have come to love the gourmet burger craze that is sweeping the nation and it is great to have another venue in the growing downtown to add to the list of quality burger places that are in our fair city. Black Sheep is a welcome addition to the scene and the spot at 209 E. Walnut has a new restaurant that will certainly be there for a long time. Don’t forget that you may have a wait on weekends….! 4 ½ forks!!!

WE STAND AS ONE.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2016 Unity March JANUARY 18 START

END

MediaCom Ice Park

Gillioz Theatre

DOORS OPEN 8AM MARCH STARTS 9AM

PROGRAM

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January Unite Page 8

January Unite Page 5

Arts&Entertainment News By Lyle Foster Unite Contributing Writer

Contrasting ‘Black Lives Matter’ with Past Protest Movements

Movie Review: “Hot Movies For 2016”

be trusted and you can’t turn your back on. Just so you know the film shows in two The holiday season is versions ranging from 167 always rich in movie opporminutes to 187 minutes…. tunities and this year is no that is a lot of time involves exception. One of the great an intermission. There are things about this time of positive reviews out there year is that there are and some not so posa variety of choices itive reviews but be so regardless of your aware the violence movie style there is over the top and should be something the language and for you. Let me first some sexual content get the ones out of has gotten some the way that I am not strong reaction. So pushing but just in I can’t endorse but if Lyle Foster full disclosure letting you want to see Mr. you know that it is out there. Jackson you will know what The Hateful Eight is out you are getting into. Director with Samuel Jackson and Quentin Tarantino who many has a cast of you guessed it believe uses film to share eight veteran actors that are many opinions on race relamarooned in a blizzard shorttions does so in this film as ly after the Civil War. They well so Django Unchained are an unruly assortment of was not enough. characters that can’t really Ride Along 2 will be

idea of what will take place released on January 15 and this time. will promise more antics Mr. Hart is very talentand laughs if you need some ed and appeals to a lot of laughs as you pay your audiences that like his style holiday bills. I really don’t of humor and wit and he want to sound like a hater is doing very well at it. As but I sometimes get frusI said at the trated with beginning this the increasing time of year is number of films a great time to that seem to be catch a film so the same show there will be over. Kevin those who want Hart and Ice to laugh and Cube go to escape for a few Miami this time hours so I can in an attempt to appreciate that. do the sequel Next film to their 2014 Chi-Raq with hit. We all none other than know that when Spike Lee the a film does well Disney and Lucasfilm 2015 director. The we can expect plot is a bit surprising but another one to come out there is a point to be made soon. I haven’t seen it yet I suppose. If anyone has but if you saw the first one continued on page 9 we know that we have a good

Restaurant Review: “Black Sheep Burgers Lounge” By Lyle Foster Unite Contributing Writer

The Springfield restaurant scene is getting red hot as I have been saying lately. The current buzz is around the new Black Sheep Lounge on Walnut street downtown. Operated by the Jalili family which is well known in this region for the premier restaurants Flame and Touch the new burger and shake venue has been well received and on weekend nights there is usually a wait. Yes I did say burger and shakes but I will

say right now please don’t think that I mean the burgers and shakes that you may have gotten at a fast food place before. This is in the same category as the rage that is sweeping the country with burgers like you have never had before and shakes like you have never tasted before. There is an irony for those of you who have followed the downtown food scene for a little while because the location of this new place is in the spot that Bijan’s was a few years ago. Since that time several

venues have come and gone in that spot. Sometimes we all know that what was before may come back again. The family restaurants have been known to be upscale and not quite the kind of place many of us can go every week but the name Black Sheep was chosen because it is intended to be family friendly and yes slightly more affordable. The meat is high quality coming from the aging room at Flame Steakhouse. So…..if you can tell the difference between McDonald’s hamburgers and

professed moral equivalence between 1860, 1960, and today. "Black Lives Matter" protestBLM supporters act as if nothing ers and their sympathizers suffer has changed, as if they are the from delusions of grandeur, modern abolition movement or often comparing their "struggle" MLK reborn. The average Joe on the streets of modern cities to bristles, knowing that no injusthe protest tice of today movements comes close of the past. to past sins. One BLM Take the supporter, Woolworth's Dan Thomlunch counter as-Cumsit-in, for exmins, ample. BLM recently apologist Briresponded Were these guys the same as 'Black Lives Matter?' an Peterfeso to my call posted this on for the prosecution of the movemy Facebook page: ment's organizers. He compared He asks of the Woolworth's said organizers to Martin Luprotesters, "Trespassing thugs ther King, Rosa Parks, Harriet -- right, Walter Hudson?" That's Tubman, even Jesus Christ. He where I'm supposed to fold, wrote: kick the dirt, and confess that Jesus was a criminal in his 'Black Lives Matter' is on the time and committed acts that side of the angels. Except I can't, violated the laws of the society because the comparison is inapt. under which he lived, all in the Segregated lunch counters and name of justice and salvation for other segregated public accomthe undesirable. modations, did not result from Oh, Jesus, you say? Well then. private businessmen exercising Case closed. Let's dial things property rights. Rather, such back a bit, shall we? Rather than segregation was mandated under scour history for anyone that Jim Crow. committed an act of civil disobeThis is a crucial distinction. dience to immediately equate The objective of the lunch countwith BLM, let's pause to consider sit-in was to protest governer a vital question. Is civil disment. Sitting at those counters obedience always moral? That's violated Jim Crow laws, not the the implication when citing any rights of property owners. There given dissident as BLM's patron were no victims. Black money saint. Does it matter why Martin spent just as well as white. From Luther King was protesting? this we may derive a principle: Does it matter how he protested? civil disobedience is just only Does the political and legal conwhen the law you break is untext of the time have any bearing just. You can't simply trespass, upon our consideration? Or is then declare yourself in the belching a reference to MLK as same category as Martin Luther far the conversation need go? King. Putting yourself on a cross Among the many reasons doesn't make you Jesus Christ. why so many hold contempt In contrast with the lunch for 'Black Lives Matter' is this counter sit-ins of 1960, "Black By Walter Hudson

the next level you may want to check these meats out ….they are the real deal. The variations on burgers are extraordinary and very creative and must be experienced to really appreciate them. Be sure to ask about everything that is a topping on your burger and a few of them are so piled high that they can be almost a challenge to eat. But they are good and they are something to be experienced and you can certainly find one you like. I like the fact that continued on page 9

Lives Matter" violates the expressed will of property owners and disrupts the use of public infrastructure, victimizing innocents in protest of... what? Police brutality? Even granting the full benefit of the doubt on that complaint, police brutality is no Jim Crow. It certainly isn't slavery. Breaking trespass laws to protest police brutality doesn't resonate as well as breaking Jim Crow laws to protest Jim Crow. There's also much to contrast between the rhetoric of someone like Martin Luther King and the rhetoric of "Black Lives Matter." I'll give you two quotes. You tell me which belongs to whom: A) ... the aftermath of violence

is bitterness. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of a beloved community. A boycott is never an end within itself. It is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor but the end is reconciliation, the end is redemption. B) Pigs in a blanket. Fry 'em like bacon! Take your time. I'll wait for your answer. Martin Luther King dreamed of a world where his children would be judged "not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." We see skin color at a glance. We see character over time, Continued on page 11

Come lend your voice to our University!

Missouri State University is recruiting diverse faculty and staff for a variety of positions. We are committed to inclusive excellence across campus, and we have a unique public affairs mission that encourages cultural competency, community engagement and ethical leadership. We believe diversity is good for our students, our community and our University. Our most important job is to give students an enriching education, complete with the tools for career success. Our faculty and staff must be racially, ethnically, culturally and socioeconomically diverse to help our students understand and appreciate different viewpoints, preparing them to lead the future. We act on our beliefs. Let us welcome you to our campus. Come see for yourself!

Search our vacancies to learn how you can join us.

www.missouristate.edu/careers Employment will require a criminal background check at University expense Missouri State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Minority/Female/Veterans/Disability employer and institution.

January Unite Page 6

A Directory of free or low cost Business Assistance Minorities In Business Monthly Networking Meeting 417.861-0760 Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce www.spfldchamber.com 417.862.5567 Small Business Administration (SBA) www.sba.gov 417.890.8501 Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) www.score.org 417.837.2619 Drury University - Breech Center / Student in Free Enterprise www.drury.edu 417.873.7243 The Library Center Business Reference thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org 417.874.8110 Small Business & Technology Development Center sbtdc.missouristate.edu 417.836.5685

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January Unite Page 7

The BusinessSection The Basics of Government Contracting By Allen Waldo, Guest Contributing Writer

You have a business and you are looking to expand into new markets? One area depending upon your product or service that you may want to explore is governmental contracting. Governmental contracting can mean the federal, state, and local governments including state universities. Some businesses have products that are better “suited” for governmental use than others but you may not know for sure until you have researched what is being bought. As an example, in doing a quick search for this article on the Federal Government’s Purchasing Site (www.fbo.gov), some of the more unusual solicitations that were posted included furniture movers, aerobics instructor, and robotic wildlife decoys. Remember these are unusual governmental purchases and they are generally very geo-

graphically specific. fiscal year 2014 the U.S. GovOne question that is asked ernment spent $450 billion on occasionally especially with contracts. These contracts the federal government included F-15 fighters but though are how often they also included do they buy from housekeeping sersmall companies. vices. While 23% may The U.S. Government not sound like much, recognizes the value when the math is that small businesses done, that means bring to the econover $100 billion was omy. According to spent directly with the Small Business small companies. Allen Waldo and Entrepreneurial And this goal doesn’t Council, the last US even take into account Census has shown that over the subcontracts that many 99% of businesses are consmall businesses have with sidered small (less than 500 large companies. employees for that article). Over the coming months, In addition, small businesses the Missouri Procurement account for approximately Technical Assistance Center 50% of the GDP. As such, (MO PTAC) will be authoring there are federal regulations various articles regarding that the US government must governmental contracting. buy at least 23% of prime conMO PTAC is funded jointly tracts from small businesses between the University of (percent varies by agency). Missouri Extension and the There are “report” cards Defense Logistics Agency. As showing how each agency is such most of our services are doing in meeting their goals. at no cost to the business or continued on page 7 As an example in federal

SBTDC: Providing businesses with training and solutions Springfield, MO—Missouri State University's Small Business & Technology Development Center, with offices located in Springfield and West Plains, is part of a nationwide network and is affiliated with and supported by Missouri State University's Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development (VPRED). Our local center was established to provide businesses with training, products and solutions designed to help

them become part of Missouri's thriving business sector. The following are a few program dates scheduled for the Springfield community. January 28th – “Smart Borrowing for Small Business” – targeted to rural businesses (outside Springfield but really anyone can attend); 4:30 to 6:30 w/light meal at 4:15; free; here at the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center; registration will be required – 4 speakers from lending organizations

(SBA, USDA, Justine Petersen, Guaranty Bank) plus a small business owner Feb 22 – Mar 22 – “Money Smart for Small Businesses: A Financial Education Program for Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners” – 5:15 to 6:30, M/T each week; 10 modules; $75 for all 10 or $10 each if attending only a few; again a light meal will be provided; registration required; at the Robert W. Plaster Center. continued on page 7

Contracting Basics continued from page 6

the individual. More information about MO PTAC and information on how to set up an appointment can be found at www.moptac.net. The phone number for the local office in Springfield is (417) 837-2612.

SBTDC

continued from page 6 April 28th – “SBTDC Start Up Seminar: How to Start a Business in Missouri” – targeted to anyone thinking about starting a business; 4:00 to 6:00 w/light meal; free; registration required; here at the Plaster Center – 5 speakers (lender, CPA, attorney, insurance, small business owner) All of our regular training seminars are open to anyone and can be found at our website: www.sbtdc.missouristate. edu

The Struggle for Economic Liberty By Walter Willians, Columnist

Here's my taxi question. If a person is law-abiding, has a driver's license, has a car or van that has passed safety inspection, and has adequate liability insurance, is there any consumer-oriented reason he should not be able to become a taxicab owner/operator? Put another way: If you wish to hire the services of such a person, what right does a third party have to prevent that exchange? Many cities have granted monopoly power to taxi companies -- the right to prevent entry by others. Sometimes this monopoly takes the form of exclusive government-granted rights to particular individuals to provide taxi services.

In other cases, the number of licenses is fixed, and a prospective taxi owner must purchase a license from an existing owner. In New York City, such a license is called a taxi medallion. Individual medallions have sold for as high as $700,000 and corporate medallions as high as $1 million. In other cities -- such as Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston -- taxi licenses have sold for anywhere between $300,000 and $700,000. These are prices for a license to own and operate a single vehicle as a taxi. Where public utility commissions decide who will have the right to go into the taxi business, a prospective entrant must apply for a "certificate of public convenience and necessity." Lawyers for the incumbent taxi owners, most often corporate owners or owner associations, appear at the hearing to argue that there is no necessity or public convenience that would be served by permitting a new entrant. Where medallions are sold, the person must have cash or the credit standing to be able to get a loan from a lender, such as the Medallion Financial Corp., that specializes in taxi medallion purchases. Medallion Financial Corp. has held as much as $520 million in loans for taxi medallions. So what are the effects of taxi regulation? When a person must make the case for his entry before a public utility commission, who is likelier to win, a single individual with limited resources or incumbent taxi companies with corporate lawyers representing them? I'd put my money on the incumbent taxi companies being able to use the public utility commission to keep the wannabes out. Who is handicapped in the cases in which one has to purchase a $700,000 medallion in order to own and operate a taxi? If you answered "a person who doesn't have $700,000

lying around or doesn't have the credit to get a loan for $700,000," go to the head of the class. A natural question is: Who are the people least likely to be able to compete with corporate lawyers or have $700,000 lying around or have good enough credit to get such a loan? They are low- and moderate-income people and minorities. Many own cars and have the means to get into the taxi business and earn between $40,000 and $50,000 annually, but they can't overcome the regulatory hurdle. Enter Uber and Lyft, two ride-hailing services. Both companies use freelance contractors who provide rides with their own cars. The companies operate mobile applications that allow customers with smartphones to submit trip requests,

which are then routed to Uber or Lyft drivers, who provide

taxi-like services with their own cars. The legality of these companies has been challenged by taxi companies and politicians who do the bidding of established taxi companies. They allege that the use of drivers who are not licensed to drive taxicabs is unsafe and illegal. Uber and Lyft drivers like the idea of working when they want to. Some have full-time jobs. Picking up passengers is an easy way to earn extra money. Everyone is happy about the arrangement except existing taxi companies and government officials who do their bidding. Taxi companies retain much of their monopoly because Uber and Lyft are prohibited from cruising. They are also prohibited from picking up passengers at most train stations and airports. But that monopoly may not last much longer. Let's hope not.