UPW Urban Pro Weekly

UPW URBAN PRO WEEKLY

AUGUST 9 - 31, 2021 • VOL. 10 NO. 1

CHER BEST

INSIDE JAREDWILLIAMS • BACK TO SCHOOL MESSAGE

RICKEYJONES • DOWNTOWN REVERIE

ANDREBENITO • SUPPORTING FRONTLINE TEACHERS

The Brothas: What do they think

about love, health, friendship, success, inspiration

Eddie Bussey 706-772-9800

UrbanProWeekly - AUGUST 19 - 31, 2021

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CONTRIBUTORS K.L Gordon Olivia Gaines Rickey Jones Latasha N. Louis Layout/Design : UrbanProMedia

GROWINGAugusta

Local stakeholders will have the opportunity to address their concerns with state officials AUGUSTA On Wednesday, August 25, several members of the Augusta community will present testimony at a Senate Study Committee hearing on the topic, “Local Efforts to Solve Issues Regarding Access to Healthy Foods”. State Senator Harold Jones II introduced legislation in March of this year to create the food insecurity study committee, and the bill passed 47-2, which Jones said showed the issue is statewide. Jones was appointed as Chair in June. The Study Committee will convene in Augusta, Valdosta, and Atlanta; representing suburban, rural, and urban areas of the state of Georgia. Participants are stakeholders across the vast spectrum of the food chain – farmers, urban gardeners, restaurateurs, non-profit organizations, food hubs, and the like.

Representatives from Georgia General Assembly, Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Authority, SNAP – Food Nutrition Service will be in attendance. Participants include: • Amy Breitmann, Golden Harvest Food Bank • Kellie Cardona, Augusta Dream Cente • Karen Gordon, Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency • Rebecca Van Loenen, Augusta Locally Grown • Menia Chester, Desserts by Latrell Southern Jazz & Sweets • Keith Walton, Journey Sherwood Community Church Study Committee findings will be published on the Georgia General Assembly website. https://www.legis. Loretta Adderson (Adderson’s Fresh Produce) addresses the Growing Augusta Farm Co-Op during July meeting. ga.gov/

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State legislators move to address issue of food deserts

UrbanProWeekly - AUGUST 19 - 31, 2021

A Back-to-School Message JARED WILLIAMS This message is for the young people heading back to school. Your community loves you and wants you to be safe. As your District Attorney, I want every young person out there to know we are here for you. The following are my suggestions on how you can make the most of this school year and set yourself up for success. Respect Yourself The biggest thing you can do to protect yourself is to respect yourself. Take pride in who you are, where you come from, and where you plan to go in life. Decisions you make now can directly affect how far you can go in the future. If you have plans of making money, living your best life, and being respected, it all begins with respecting yourself. No matter where you come from or how hard your struggles are, you are valuable, but people won’t see that if you don’t see it in yourself. You’re not a junky, so don’t post pics JARED WILLIAMS was born on social media of you doing drugs. and raised here in Augusta. He is You’re not a banger, so there’s no a graduate of Westminster, Georgia need to post guns or gang signs for College & State University, and clout. You’re not a thief, so don’t run Stetson University College of Law. in someone’s house because you’re Jared began his career at the bored and have nothing to do. The Augusta District Attorney’s Office. freedom of being young is dangerIn 2015, he left his legal career to ous because of all the free time you pursue his dream to live abroad have on your hands, so remember and become fluent in Spanish. He that everything you do and say is worked for two years as an educa- reflective of how you think. Think tor in Madrid, Spain. After returning highly of yourself, and what you put stateside, Jared began practicing out into the world will bring you the as a criminal defense attorney. In respect of others. 2020, Jared stepped out on faith If you carry yourself like someone to run for District Attorney, ultiwith some sense, people will treat mately becoming the first African you that way. If you walk around American District Attorney for with your head high and know that the Augusta Judicial Circuit, and you are going places, people will the youngest DA in the state of start to believe it’s true. The way Georgia. Jared gives God all the you act, the way you speak, and glory for his accomplishments, and the way you showcase yourself on is focused on keeping our comsocial media all represent to the rest munity safe, while bringing positive of the world how they should treat change to our criminal justice sysyou. Treat yourself with respect, and tem. others will have no choice but to do the same. Respect Others Do not get involved in peo-

from

AUGUSTA DISTRICT ATTORNEY

ple’s petty nonsense. If someone’s jaw-jacking you on social media, ignore them. I promise it will infuriate them more than anything you could say back. As a rule, if you treat people with respect, they will have less reason to disrespect you. And if they still do, rise above it. Do not let yourself be bullied, but also do not do or say anything that could make someone watching from the sidelines think you are the bully. Remember that whether it’s a teacher, a law enforcement officer, a family member or peer, show them that you’re worthy of trust and respect by the way you treat them. With your friend and peers, keep people around you who are doing the same thing. Avoid the people who try to drag you into their drama. No one’s fight is worth your life. If you see someone not respecting themselves, or disrespecting others, distance yourself from them. Get away. They’ve got nothing for you, and the places you’re going are far greater than wherever they’ll end up. Stay Busy Many crimes we see come to court are committed by people who are not doing anything with their lives. They’re not in school, they don’t have jobs, and they don’t have anything productive occupying their time. Use your time wisely. Find a job where you can make your own money. With the current labor shortage, this is the easiest time for young people to get work. Start making money, and you’ll find you never want to go back to having none. I used to cut grass all over downtown during the summers and after school on the weekdays. One of the places I used to cut is right by the courthouse where my office now stands. Everyone starts somewhere, so even if it’s not a glamorous job, there’s no shame in getting money. If you earn money the honest way, you never have to worry about the police or the DA taking your freedom or your cash. Remember who you are and where

you’re going in life. The people who are going places are already on their way! Baby steps are still steps forward, so don’t expect success to come in a day. You taking the first step by getting a job means you will be in a position to get a better job later. Don’t ever be too prideful to work a job that’s not glamorous. When I was just starting out as an attorney, I used to leave the courthouse, change from my suit into a t-shirt and apron to serve barbecue at a local restaurant. I used to argue with lawyers in court, then later that night be serving their dinner. Many people would have been embarrassed, but I needed the money and wasn’t going to let pride stand in the way. Every successful person you know started somewhere, that’s just not the story people tell once they’ve made it. So remember to stay humble and on your grind. If money is not your goal, figure out what is and work toward it. Find somewhere to intern. There are so many businesses, government agencies, and charities across the community that would love a chance to let you come in and shadow them. If you think you are interested in law, shadow a lawyer. If you think you might want to be a doctor or a nurse, spend time at a local health clinic. If you want to own your own business one day, there’s a business owner near you who will talk you through their journey. You will learn far more in the real world than you ever could in a classroom, and you just might make the connection that helps set you up for the future. Stay Safe There are a whole lot of people in this community who love you. A whole lot of people want to see you succeed. If you are struggling with any of these things, come talk to me or someone you trust. The truth is that you have a lot of life to live, so do not let one bad decision get in the way of your dreams. Use this time as a launch pad to your success! Have fun, be safe, and stay true to you.

EDUCATIONWATCH

BY ANDRE BENITO

t is an eventful start of the 20212022 school year. In many districts, access to buildings has been restricted to staff and students. The first day of school began with parents standing at the door of the school demanding answers from anyone who would listen. Emotions and temperatures have been high, but teams of dedicated teachers and school leaders are prepared to address the concerns and work to lessen the anxiety of parents and children separating from one another for the first time in several months. Schools have reopened in Georgia and communities are balancing their concern about COVID with their desire to have school-age children return to the halls of our schools this Fall. Educators have never shied away from the complexity of their roles. They have an acute understanding of their significance in the lives of our children. Whether helping develop early literacy in the elementary years or ushering them from the graduation stage to the campus of a college, trade school, or recruitment into the military. With that level of impact comes a great deal of accountability, much of it linked to assessments and performance targets whose formulas change from year to year. Many of the students we serve live in communities blighted by

poverty and crime. For some of our students, school offers a safe haven from those traumas and gives them access to a community that celebrates their efforts and embraces them for who they are. We train our educators on the content they must teach for mastery, then we also provide them with training on social-emotional learning because our children desperately need to be socially-emotionally healthy. We work with teachers to fit in the required instructional minutes, but to also find time to have conversations about how our children are feeling. We emphasize that relationships are the cornerstone of impacting the lives of students. We remind our teachers how important ongoing communication is for improving student achievement. Teachers download apps to communicate with families or give parents their personal numbers to ease their anxiety. So as they enjoy evening time with their families or weekend activities, they receive calls and messages from the parents of the children they teach. They sacrifice time and attention from their own lives to serve our children. Enter COVID. Now we are tasking teachers with assisting with contact-tracing and being watchful of symptoms that might put others at risk. I fear that with the reopening of schools during the pandemic, we are

adding to the task list of teachers who are already overworked and underpaid. The level of respect given to teachers by society continues to decline as we demand more and more from those who nurture and develop our children. Let’s shift the tide of our schools and our communities by extending a heightened level of respect and admiration for our educators. Years ago, educators were highly esteemed members of our society, respected alongside our professors, ministers, and our physicians. While the aforementioned professions have been able to maintain that level of respect, teachers have been dealt a different hand. They have navigated changes in certification requirements, raises that are outpaced by the cost of living and evaluation practices that hinge all

of their work on student test performances. If we want better outcomes for our children, we must start by showing appreciation and respect to our teachers. Let’s teach our children to be more respectful of those who have devoted their lives to teaching them. Let’s be more mindful of how we talk about our teachers and our schools in the presence of our children. They internalize our attitudes and dispositions. They respect what we respect. This year, our teachers are placing themselves in harm’s way to create a more normal experience for our children. Let us honor them by not adding additional stress to the lives of our nation’s most undervalued professionals.

UrbanProWeekly - AUGUST 19 - 31, 2021

Our frontline teachers deserve our appreciation and respect

UrbanProWeekly - AUGUST 19 - 31, 2021

Wycliffe Gordon

Tim McFalls

Lenier Kenner

George Sneed

The Brothas: What do they think? BY CHER BEST September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer diagnosed in men, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, after lung cancer. It is frightening when you think about how significant those facts are. Even more frightening is the knowledge that prostate cancer is not given nearly the magnitude of awareness exposure as other forms of cancer. If you think about it, October is a sea of pink as we recognize breast cancer awareness month. Usually in September, most people are focused on back to school. Some people have even made the argument that men don’t get much attention at all when it comes to their one holiday (Father’s Day), their health, or their physical, social and or emotional needs. Wouldn’t be interesting to see what they think about things like friendship, love, health? What about asking them some basic emotional probing questions that shows your interested in how they fell about things. I found some brothers who agreed to let me ask them a few probing questions. I asked them each of them, the following questions. What is your love language? What is your proudest accomplishment? If you we’re blessed to have coffee and convo with any person living or not, who would it be? Why? What does true friendship mean to you? What does love feel like to you? How important is it for men to take care of themselves? (physically/ mentally) I received an interesting array of answers. Feel free to ask the men in your life these questions too. You just may be surprised by their answers. Make sure you ask them how important health is to them and then remind them that September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. In the interest of time and space, I will only share some of their answers with you here. You can see the full answers and the entire blog at 963kissfm.com (Keyword: September).

Lenier Kenner ATLANTA What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment would be becoming a father. If you we’re blessed to have coffee and convo with any person living or not, who would it be? Why? My grandparents. So much wisdom, and knowledge. I got the best education from my grandfather. How important is it for men to take care of themselves? Absolutely important. You have to be right for your family. I like to look good, so I have to do whatever it takes. George Sneed AUGUSTA What is your love language? Smiles. Smiles tell it all. What is your proudest accomplishment? Raising my children. If you we’re blessed to have coffee and convo with any person living or not, who would it be? Why? Barack & Michelle Obama What does true friendship mean to you? Trust. What does love feel like to you? It feels like I can let my guard down. Like a ray of sunshine or a cool breeze. We have each other’s backs. How important is it for men to take care of themselves? Very. Somebody out there is depending on us to be alive and healthy.

Tim McFalls Augusta

Wycliffe Gordon AUGUSTA What is your proudest accomplishment? There is no one instance or situation. It’s anytime that I can play a role in successfully uplifting others with my music or act of kindness. What does true friendship mean to you? True friendship is knowing you have someone that loves and supports you through the lowest as well

What does true friendship mean to you? Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. “I want to be that friend, and that is what true friendship means to me. How important is it for men to take care of themselves? Let me start by reminding your Blog readers, that “Health Care”

as the highest moments in your life, and without judgement. How important is it for men to take care of themselves? It is very important for men (everyone) to take care of themselves physically and emotionally. Physical health at the simplest level means working out and getting your body in shape, but you have to be mentally fit for it all to be worth something. You have to be “in shape” mentally while working on your body. Emotional health relates to the men-

is expensive and not readily available to everyone. Also, that historically, men that look like me have been mistreated by the medical profession. In “The Tuskegee Syphilis Study” (1932), Black men were given to believe they were being “treated” for their condition, were in fact being purposefully “denied” treatment, is just one example. Less we fall into the misconception that this was ancient history, The Tuskegee Syphilis study ended in 1972! Another example is story of “Henrietta Lacks” a black woman who’s unique cells have been used for countless medical advances, yet done without her consent or that of her family. I urge your readers to read the Book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. It is a non-fiction book by American author Rebecca Skloot. So, since we have sacrificed

tal state of being, also. We (men) have to be willing to get counseling to help us understand that we’re not always right and/or it’s okay to simply not know something. Seeking the counsel of others used to have a stigma attached to it for me, because of a few bad marital counseling situations. I recommend one-on-one counseling first in all situations. Group counseling for men has done wonders for me. Listening to others talk about similar life issues they are dealing with makes it easy to know and understand that you are

so much and our sacrifices have increased the knowledge base of medicine across the globe and through the years, why not take advantage of that sacrifice and reap the benefits. Still, let’s give a bit of deference to my brothers. We must each come to realize the hard fact that Blacks are 25% more likely to die from chronic disease than whites according to data and numerous articles available to anyone willing to research. Therefore, we must move beyond the past infractions of man’s inhumanity to man and stress the importance of seeing a physician you trust. It can be the difference between dying at 58 rather than 85. Brothers be here for your family. Be an example to your children and show them that medical check-ups and Dental hygiene.

not alone. It is good to trust and let someone else’s eyes into your soul because we cannot “see” all things. And as hard as it is, gentlemen, it’s sometimes okay to admit that we’re lost, and we need guidance. It’s worked wonders for me. Cher Best is a radio talent on iHeartMedia’s 96.3 Kiss FM and a former lifestyle and entertainment writer for Applause Magazine. She can be heard on 96.3 Kiss FM weekday afternoons (3pm-7pm).

Young, Gifted, and Black

darnell williams

matt stone

alex brown

yolanda butler

7 UrbanProWeekly - AUGUST 19 - 31, 2021

What is your love language? If you are referring to the themes from the Gary Chapman book, “The Five Love Languages”, I believe I am a combination of all five. Here are the five primary love languages that people speak according to Chapman. 1. Words of affirmation, 2. Quality time,3. Physical touch, 4. Acts of service, 5. Receiving gifts. The overriding influence on my relationships, be they amorous or not, is my desire to do “Acts of service”. My Dad is a great example. Seeing my Father as a missionary, literally give a man the shirt off his own back had an impact on me and created the drive to serve others more than myself. Having

not always being perfect in this, my actions have hurt people in my life. Resolving these regrets was not easy but allows me to press ahead hoping to live my life in a way that does not cause pain. The best answer to that is to “Serve” others more than yourself and strive to avoid the spotlight while finding ways of shinning it on others.

marcus collins

IN TOWN

UrbanProWeekly - AUGUST 19 - 31, 2021

Markets & Kumquats This past Saturday was my first time at the Saturday Market at the River since the pandemic, and I was delighted at how vibrant my time was. BY RICKEY JONES saw succulents and soaps; and big black top grills and crystals. The Saturday Market is truly a treat. There’s a real sense of community and it was great to see so many patrons in an open environment. My favorite part of the Market is the stage that backs up to the River. It’s a space that hosts various local artists and other events. When I got to the Market, there was a cooking demonstration by Menia Chester of Desserts by Latrell. I also met long-time DJ Bruce Butler who found DJing in the 80s as a hobby to make extra money. 30 years later he’s gone through the entire transformation of music as we know it. He told that he he had an entire wall of records, and from the motion of his hands it was a very large amount. He books the stage the 4th Saturday of every month, and is happy that people are coming out to the Market. He’d be remiss if he didn’t shout out his sons and team DJ Dub South (Aybre Butler, Sr.) and DJ Mister Fat Face (Ronnie Thomas) who obviously are legends just by their stage names. I bought my trike Kumquat (that’s her name, duh) shortly after moving into my Olde Town apartment. Since I was in high school, I wanted to live in the Olde Town, the community is quaint, special and familiar. The trike was for sale on my eternal kingdom, Facebook Marketplace. I already knew I wanted a bike to ride around Olde Town. Crazy enough the trike was all of 4 blocks from my house and I walked to get her and rode right back home! She’s been a great addition to my joy meter. And how crazy she looks like me, doesn’t she? I decided to ride her to the

Market and get my legs pumping. Rugrats was my favorite show growing up, and people really sleep on the TJ Maxx graphic tees. Also, I show off my legs because I can and you would too. The orange shorts and shades just had to be accented with the bike, right? Glad we’re on the same page. I feel free. I have been waiting for someone to show up and be the bike riding, market going, blog writing, food loving person that I am, but I’m not sure how I concluded that it couldn’t just be me. It could be anyone, but why not me right? Ok then. With a new chapter in life comes new opportunities, and I’m allowing my opportunities for freedom and fun and expression to be loud and center because that’s my right. It’s yours too, your flair is yours and it means that you have the right, honestly the duty to use it the way you know how, even if you don’t, try until you figure it out. One day at a time. Be free to think past your own limitations. Also, allow yourself to fall in love with your passions, even if the future is unforeseen. My new buddy Bruce probably never thought he’d have to throw away an entire wall of records to make way for the new change that was happening in music. Don’t be afraid to take inventory of what you have, purge and make room for the new. I have a feeling you just might need it, I know I did. Here’s to more markets, and more kumquats (trike or not). Rickey Jones is a writer, photographer, event planner and fashion designer based in Augusta. GA. You can find is work at www.rickeyrenoy.com

Top: Rickey on his trike Kumquat Bottom: DJs Dub South & Mister Fat Face @ Saturday Market

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Augusta libraries expand hours of service; masks encouraged for all patrons All Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System (ARCPLS) branches will be moving to phase four of the reopening process beginning Saturday, August 21, 2021. Currently, the Friedman Branch Library is closed for renovations and will move to phase four once reopened. Branch hours are listed as the following: HEADQUARTERS - Monday-Thursday 9:00am-8:00pm Friday 9:00am-5:30pm, Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm-5:00pm

Effective September 1, 2021, the auditorium and meeting rooms will be available for reservations. This includes all open branch locations. Patrons will be able to browse all areas of the open branches and check out materials. There will be a one-hour time limit for patrons APPLEBY - Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:30pm, Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm, using computers. We have fewer Sunday-Closed computers and limited seating in our branches. In-person programDIAMOND LAKES AND FRIEDMAN - Monday & Wednesday ming is taking place in all open 9:00am-7:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday-Friday 9:00am-5:30pm, Saturday branch locations. 11:00am-4:00pm, Sunday-Closed If you are a patron entering any of MAXWELL BRANCH - Tuesday and Thursday 9 am-7 pm, Monday, our ARCPLS locations, we strongly Wednesday, Friday, 9 am-5:30 pm, Saturday, 11 am-4 pm, Sunday-Closed encourage you to wear a mask. WALLACE - Monday-Thursday 9:00am-5:30pm, Friday 12:00 noon5:30pm, Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm, Sunday-Closed

All library branches will still be offering curbside pickup services

during phase four. Patrons may place holds on materials for pickup online through their PINES account or by calling the library branch of their choice. Library staff will call you to let you know when your items are available and schedule a curbside pickup time. We ask that you give our library staff 24 to 48 hours to get your materials prepared. Pickup times will be Monday through Friday between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm. All of our book drops are currently open if you want to return materials. We ask that you be patient with our staff during this time as there will be a 3-day delay when checking in materials.

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