UPW
COMMENTARY by Ken Makin:
Our elders’ experiences need an infusion of youth more than ever
URBAN PRO WEEKLY
FEBRUARY 23 - 28, 2017 VOL. 6 NO. 9
CHEER It’s competitive KENIETHA MCRAE, Augusta University’s cheer competition coach, advises a team of 17 student-athletes in competitive cheering. Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal
Augusta Literary Festival attracts best-selling authors to the Garden City Hasheem Francis
Hildie McQueen
Kimberla Lawson Roby
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Vegetarian Dinners - $7.50 Smoothies Vegetable Shakes - $5.50 Alkaline Water Delivery Free Delivery • Juice Bar • Yogurts • Yogurt Fruit Bar • Yogurt Cups • Smoothies • Organic Products • Vegetarian Foods • Essential Oils & More 1795 Martin Luther King Blvd. Augusta, GA 30901 Phone: (706) 849-2111
Daily Dessert Options: Bean Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Pecan Pie, Peach Cobbler & Fruit Salad
“Brooklyn”
A great venue for your next intimate gathering.
Eclectic atmosphere made for guests to interact with one another. Backyard patio in the near future.
Contact: E. Abrams 706.829.5595
525 Broad Street • Augusta, Ga
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Hasheem Francis, best selling author and printer will share his knowledge on self publishing.
Saturday, March 4 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Hildie McQueen, USA Today BestSelling author will participate in a self publishing workshop.
Kimberla Lawson Roby, NYT and USA Today, bestselling author of the Rev. Curtis Black Series will discuss “Writing a Best Seller.”
UPW caught up with Cheryl Corbin, Coordinator of the Augusta Literary Festival to get updated on the Sixth UPW: This is the 6th Annual Augusta Literary Festival. Tell us where and when everything is happening. Corbin: The festival is at the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library headquarters on Telfair Street. The festival is from 10 am to 4:30 pm. All workshops are on the first floor of the library. We have 30 regional along with local authors who will be selling and signing books. We have something for every reader. UPW: You have a lineup that should excite the area’s writers and book lovers. You’ve got some really successful authors sharing their knowledge. Tell us about this year’s headliner. I understand she’s a best-selling author. Corbin: That is an understatement. Kimberla Lawson Roby is a NY Times and USA Today best-selling author. I am not certain if most people are aware, but she started out as a self-published author. We are so fortunate to have her this year. She is the best-selling author of the Reverend Curtis Black series. She will present a panel discussion on “writing a best seller” at 1:00 pm with a book signing afterward. Because of the size of the crowd
Annual Augusta Literary Festival.
expected, we will broadcast live on the second floor. If anyone didn’t get a ticket for a seat in the room, you will still be able to see and hear everything she has to say. The Book Tavern will be on hand selling her books if you would like a copy and she will be autographing them after her chat. UPW: All of the writers and prospective writers in the area should be excited about your workshops. Explain some of the writers and sessions that will be featured. Brian Panowich, a local firefighter, has a best-selling book, titled Bull Mountain, that he will have a panel discussion at 10:00 AM on “Writing a Great Thriller.” Jackson Pearce, a young adult novelist who writes a spin on your childhood fairy tales, is providing a panel discussion at 11:00 AM on “Crafting a Young Adult Novel.” Of course, at 1:00 PM with Kimberla Lawson Roby will speak on writing a best seller. Our most popular workshop is back at 3:00 PM on Self-Publishing Success with local USA Today BestSelling author, Hildie McQueen and best-selling author-printer, Hasheem Francis (Mass Market vs Direct Sales). It is going to be a very exciting day.
UPW: You seem to have paid attention to the entire literary demographic. Explain what you have in store for the teens and younger participants. Corbin: We have expanded our children’s programming this year with some help from the local Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. We will feature story time from 10:00 -10:20 with Little Red for our youngest readers. I cannot tell you how proud I am to have a local teen author, Tiara Dugger to present a storytelling workshop for young writers from 10:30-11:10 am. It is storytelling 101. For our older teens, there will be a journaling workshop at 11:15 am with a little something special for the teens afterward. UPW: What else can visitors expect at this year’s festival? Corbin: The Augusta-Richmond County Public Library works diligently every year to ensure that our programming mirrors our community and what is being checked out of the library by the public. Visitors can expect to have wonderful conversations with authors about the writing process with hopes that it will inspire the next generation of writers.
We have authors from every genre who are traditionally published as well as self-published. It is our hopes that ever visitor, guest, attendee, and reader walks away with something wonderful, whether it is an arm load of books or a head full of ideas. Everyone has a story to tell. It is my hope that a visit to the library will be the start of the journey. UPW: Is there any cost to the public? Corbin: There is no cost for this event. The workshops are free. However, I do encourage everyone to bring a few dollars, because there will be a book that you will want to buy. Authors are on hand to sell their latest works. We do encourage you to buy from the authors. UPW: Who can we contact for more details? Corbin: Please feel free to call the library for more information at 706-821-2600. You can email me at coordinator@augustaliteraryfestival.org or visit our website at http:// augustaliteraryfestival.org. See you at the 6th Annual Augusta Festival!
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THE CITY Don’t Miss This Event
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PAINE COLLEGE WOMEN’S HEAD BASKETBALL WILLIE ADAMS celebrates after the Lady Lions defeated the Augusta University Lady Jaguars at the HEAL Complex. In a stunning victory, Paine pulled off a last-minute layup with six seconds left on the clock to beat AU 72-70 in the final score. The last time The Lady Lions clawed the Jaguars into defeat was in 2009. (2/13/17 - Augusta) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal Augusta University’s KESHUN SHERRILL (R) moves the ball down the court as Lander’s Rahu Purdie (L) defends during AU’s homecoming game at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Jaguars crushed the Bearcats 82-66. (2/18/17 - Augusta) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/ Sports Journal
Augusta University’s Aaron Byrd (R) moves the ball down the court asgainst Lander’s Niklas Jonsson. (2/18/17 - Augusta) Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal
UPW Urban Pro Weekly Willis Foreman Road Hephzibah, GA 30815
URBAN PRO WEEKLY Publisher URBAN PRO WEEKLY MEDIA 706-306-4647 urbanpromedia@yahoo.com
CEO / Sales FREDERICK BENJAMIN SR. 706-306-4647 editor@urbanproweekly.com
Contributors VINCENT HOBBS Photography & New Media KEN MAKIN contributing columnist
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Augusta University’s ABREA HARRIS moves the ball down the court during AU’s homecoming game against Lander University at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Lady Bearcats defeated the Lady Jags 87-74. Photo by Vincent Hobbs/ Sports Journal
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Kenietha McRae (R) advises a cheerleader on proper form during a team practice at Christenberry Fieldhouse. Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal
CHEER It’s competitive Q & A FOR KENIETHA MCRAE, AU COMPETITIVE CHEER Interview by Vincent Hobbs We’ve all seen the many accolades for the popular Augusta University sports teams, but there is also another hard-working team that you may not know about — the AU Competitive Cheer team. Led by competition cheer coach Kenietha McRae, a soft-spoken woman with a passion for the sport (she volunteers her time), the team of seventeen student-athletes perform gravity-defying stunts and tumbling routines during games and competitions. During the day, McRae works for AU in the division of Enrollment and Student Affairs.
Where does competitive cheer fit into the overall athletic program of Augusta University? Our first and foremost purpose is to support our university and raise the fan level of support for intercollegiate athletics at Augusta University. We compete second. When we compete, we carry the Augusta University Athletics department name behind us and when we do well, our success reflects back on them. Unlike the other teams, our team competes on a National level yearly. We expose
millions of people to the Augusta University name and brand, just by being on the program to compete. We recruit a different caliber of athlete for this team and we hold them to the same standards as other student-athletes at AU. We bring a different fan experience to the game. I’m very big on fan engagement and the crowd gets really excited when we do a cool stunt and that’s what we are there for; to give the fans an experience in addition to the game that makes them want to keep coming back.
How did you get involved in cheerleading? I got involved with cheerleading at AU by default. I cheered and took gymnastics all throughout elementary, middle and high school. I cheered at AU for three years prior to graduation. Before I landed a job on campus, three upcoming sophomores that I cheered with the year before, asked me to coach their club competition team. Of course, I couldn’t completely let go of the cheer world.
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CHEER from page 6
What are some of the cheer team achievements that you’ve seen so far this year? Are there any events that the team has qualified to attend? This season, we transitioned from an all-girl team to a small co-ed team. The team has also improved their college level stunting skills! We received a bronze paid bid to compete at NCA College Nationals in Daytona Beach, FL, which we’re seeking funding to attend. We have also been invited to perform at the Southeast College Cheer Showcase and College Fair at Georgia Tech! This is an amazing opportunity for us because we will be amongst programs from Georgia Tech, Clemson, University of Georgia, Georgia State, Valdosta University and Columbus State University. Give us an idea of some of the work and preparation that goes into training for a cheer competition.
There is a lot of time and work that goes into preparing and training a team for competition. Kiley Fagan (assistant coach) and I spend an additional 6-12 hours per week outside of work and class (she’s a medical student) preparing our team for their competitions. We practice several times a week, sometimes two times per day. There are a lot of sacrifices that have been made to make sure we are on the right track. We make sure everything from a safety stand-point is legal and that the skills are lining up with the score sheet. As with any sport, we review film from other teams and competitors. We also adjust our routine according to the competition we are attending - which takes a lot of pre-planning.
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There has been some debate over the years as to whether or not cheerleading should be recognized as a sport. In December 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted provisional recognition to the International Cheer Union (ICU) as the governing body of the sport. This opens the way for cheerleading to be included in future Olympics. How did you feel about this recognition? This is a huge accomplishment for the sport of cheerleading. For many years, we’ve been trying to get NCA A to recognize cheer as a sport and even went as far as creating a spin-off of cheer called STUNT the Sport, and it still has not be recognized. Considering that cheerleading already had its own type of Olympics called the Cheerleading Worlds, I think this recognition sets the bar even higher for cheerleaders and training centers across the world. My hope is that following the provisional status in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the IOC will grant it Olympic Status.
As a coach, what are some of the key ingredients to make the team successful? Positivity! No matter what the situation is, we have to stay positive. It’s a rule we have at practice. You are required to lift up your teammates, not tear them down. We also have an “I can’t” rule. The word basically does not exist if you’re an Augusta University Competitive Cheerleader. A third ingredient is that, although I know what it’s like to be in their shoes, we have to push them harder than they’ve ever been pushed before. Is there anything that the community can do to help support the AU Competitive Cheer team? Yes! Anyone wishing to support the Augusta University Competitive Cheer team can do so by donating to our program! All donations can be mailed to Kenietha McRae; 1120 15th Street, Fanning Hall 201, Augusta, GA 30912. We’d also love to invite the community to our Nationals Send-Off on Wednesday, March 15 at 7:30 PM. The event will be held at Christenberr y Fieldhouse. Admission is free but donations will be greatly appreciated!
Augusta University competiton cheerleaders Kimi Wilcox (top flyer), Hannah Joslin (L) and Jazmine bates (R) build a pyramid during a team practice at Christenberry Fieldhouse. Photo by Vincent Hobbs/Sports Journal
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The Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys is pleased to announce that the Honorable Herbert E. Phipps, former Presiding Judge, the Court of Appeals of Georgia, will be speaking in Augusta on:
“The Importance of Courage in Lawyers”
Honorable Herbert E. Phipps
March 2, 2017 • 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Lucy Craft Laney Museum 1116 Phillips Streets, Augusta, Ga. 30901 The Public is invited to Attend. Attorneys: This program has been approved for 1 hour (professionalism) CLE For More information Contact:
Attorney Laverne Lewis Gaskins, Vice President-Augusta, GABWA 229-834-2215 Co-sponsored by State Bar of Georgia’s Committee to Promote Inclusion in the Profession
OF RICHMOND COUNTY
MEDICAL VILLA PHARMACY WE TAKE
• Georgia medicaid • Insurance plans • Charge cards • WIC vouchers
The Richmond County School System will accept bids and request for proposals until 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 8, 2017, for the following: 1. Band Uniforms for Glenn Hills High School RFQ#17-767 2. Electric Combi Convection Oven/Steamer for Jenkins White Elementary RFQ#17-768 3. Gas Steamer for Tutt Middle and Jenkins White Elementary RFQ#17-770 4. Hephzibah Elementary Office Flooring Refurbishment RFP#2017-004 5. Xerographic Paper RFQ#17-769
Marshall Curtis, Pharmacist/Owner Baron Curtis, Pharmacist
Bid specifications may be obtained by contacting Cecilia Perkins in the Business Office at perkice@boe.richmond.k12.ga.us or 706-826-1298, on our web site at www.rcboe.org/bids, or at Richmond County School System, Central Office 864 Broad Street, 4th Floor, Augusta, GA 30901. The Richmond County School System reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION OF RICHMOND COUNTY By: Dr. Angela D. Pringle, Secretary
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COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
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MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin LETTER TO THE OLD GUARD
Our elders’ experiences need an infusion of youth more than ever A few months ago, there was a very disrespectful ideology which caused a wave around social media. The phrased that characterized this “movement” stated: “I’m not my grandparents, you can catch these hands.” The idea was that today’s Black youth would not tolerate the racial atrocities of the past – like their predecessors did. They would fight back. Forgive those young folks for not knowing their history. If only they knew about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King who carried a concealed weapon. Or if they only knew about the late Rosa Parks’ description of her grandfather, who “kept his gun – a double-barreled shotgun – close by at all times.” In short, our grandparents didn’t play any games. This isn’t a column about the insufficiencies of how we teach Black history. Nor is it a column about how inadequate 28 or 29 days are to capture the essence of Black history. Today, I want to respectfully talk to “our grandparents.”
I sincerely appreciate the various sacrifices you all have made to improve our way of life in this unapologetically crooked country. You risked life, limb and liberty for the most basic of rights. My concern at the present time is that we have so romanticized certain pieces of Black history, such as the Civil Rights Movement, that the figures of that time get a free pass, to the detriment of us all. I present the example of Congressman John Lewis. Lewis, is the U.S. representative for Georgia’s fifth congressional district. He is best known for his role in the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965, which yielded the horrific scene known as “Bloody Sunday.” Last month, Rep. Lewis made a comment about Donald Trump – saying that he isn’t a “legitimate” President. While there are a LOT of things we can say about Trump, he is, begrudgingly, our President. Lewis is representative (no pun intended) of a growing group of Black folks in politics (and in everyday life) who would rather focus on Trump’s failures as a per-
son at the expense of challenging Trump’s policies. This ultimately works to the detriment of our community. Why? Because our political leaders are fighting the wrong battles, while economic and social disparities widen the gap between AfricanAmericans and the rest of the country. Oh, I know y’all mad. “How could you disrespect John Lewis? He’s done so much for Black folks!” No disrespect here. I’m just separating the legend of John Lewis from the EFFECTUAL POLITICS of John Lewis. The next challenge is to take that separation, which is nothing more than accountability, and apply it to our own local leaders. When we do this, I sense what we will find is that our leaders’ actions aren’t bad, per se. They’re just outdated and antiquated. Those actions also take young folks out of the picture. That’s the real reason why we can’t get young people in the church or in politics, because they feel like old folks are boxing them out. And they’re right.
We can no longer afford to confuse experience and the laurels of the past with leadership. We must learn to infuse youthful exuberance and energy into the experiences of our elders. This dynamic fusion can close the generation gap AND unif y Black people in a way that we have NEVER SEEN. The truth is, I am my predecessors. I am my grandparents. All of us – old and new – are fighting the battles of yesteryear in the present-day. We need each other’s help, more than ever. With love, Ken J. Makin Ken J. Makin is the founder of “Makin’ A Difference,” a media conglomerate that incorporates podcasting/radio, social media and commentary. The podcast is available at soundcloud.com/ makinadifference. Updates on the show are available at facebook. com/makinadifferenceshow. Ken can be reached by email at makinadifferenceshow@gmail.com or by text at (803) 270-2331.
LETTERS:
Children pay the ultimate price for a gun-happy populace Dear Editor America has a problem. More children are bringing guns to school. When there is an incident, the parent and child experience the wrath of the gun god. Usually, the parent alone is the scapegoat served up to atone for the sins of the gun manufacturers, as well as to pacify the guilty conscience of the judgmental, gun worshipping public. That is why, when it comes to gun manufacturers and politicians making gun policy, Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Their self-serving agenda is why America has become a mega-cult of gun worship. The gun seller’s lust for profit, the politician’s lust for power, and the gun buyer’s obsession for personal safety has become a religion with the gun as god. Moreover, when it comes to guns, the figures don’t lie, but the liars figure. According to the Brady Center’s, Kids and Guns Report
2016, “The United States is home to approximately 300 million guns and the accessibility of these guns has a devastating impact on children.” For example, in 2014, over 16,000 children and teens were shot. In addition, 2,549 children and teens were killed by firearms. Furthermore, firearms were the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 1 – 19.” The report goes on to say, “Most parents bring a gun into the home legally with no intent of doing
harm. Many think they’re doing their family a service by offering protection. Yet, it is these guns that cause the majority of gun deaths and injuries.” Furthermore, it is these legally purchased guns that are brought to school. The law is not holy. Just because something is legal does not make it safe or right. Author Henry David Thoreau said, “To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.” Kevin Palmer, Martinez, GA,
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The Augusta Richmond County Public Library Presents The 6th Annual
Saturday, March 4, 2017 10 am - 4:30 pm Book Signings • Panel Discussions • Workshops
Featuring Kimberla Lawson Roby NY Times & USA Today Best Selling Author
The 2017 Schedule CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING 10:00 - 10:20 Story Time with Little Red 10:30 - 11:00 Story Time 101 with Tiara Dugger 11:15 - 12:15 Journaling Workshop
10:00 AM 11:00 AM 1:00 PM 3:00 PM
ADULT PROGRAMMING Brian Panowich on Writing a Great Thriller Jackson Pearce on Crafting a Young Adult Novel Writing a Best Seller with NYTimes and USA Today Best Selling Author Kimberla Lawson Roby Self Publishing Success with Hildie McQueen and Hasheem Francis (Mass Market vs Direct Sales)
Plus: 30 Regional Authors http://augustaliteraryfestival.org 823 Telfair Street • Augusta, GA