Urban Views Weekly June 29, 2016

June 29, 2016

Scholar of the Week - David Thomas

Church Hill Activities & Tutoring Builds Strong Children

Student at Tiny Tykes Preschool.

Civic Beat FUNdraising Good Times

Community engagement award

Bringing together artists, community leaders, and neighborhood residents is a unique way to create change in under-served communities. Linda Steele, the Chief Community Engagement Officer with ArtsMemphis, is a nationally recognized leader who focuses on bringing these three groups together and ensuring that “the arts” extends beyond the traditionally recognized and established museums and performing organizations to embrace new audiences and positive social outcomes.

projects that use the arts as a vehicle for social change and empowerment in disenfranchised Memphis neighborhoods.

Fellows learn to listen to the needs of residents and collaborate on artistic projects that spring from and uplift the neighborhoods. Steele draws on her experience as an arts administrator and consultant with educational and arts nonprofit institutions in New York City, Cleveland and

“The award recognizes and celebrates exemplary work at the intersection of the arts and community life.”

National recognition was recently bestowed upon Steele’s ArtsMemphis Community Engagement Fellows program.

Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America, awarded the esteemed Robert E. Gard award to the fellowship program. The award recognizes and celebrates exemplary work at the intersection of the arts and community life. Having worked with Steele, we know that this program certainly meets the criteria.

Chicago. She teaches by example, sharing her experience in program and grant management, fundraising, and audience and donor development. She believes that art can create change in under-resourced communities, and help improve the quality of life for residents.

Under Steele’s direction the program engages artists, arts managers, neighborhood leaders, and residents. They create

Fresh Kickz for Every Style

Grand Opening Celebration

Now in its third year the six-month fellowship includes classes, fieldwork, and site visits in Memphis and around the country.

Fellows explore concepts such as creative placemaking, reimagining neighborhoods, community impact, sustainable fundraising, and

cross-sector partnerships. Working together, the fellows also produce arts-based project proposals designed to create lasting community development and build cultural equity. The next steps: funding and implementation!

We salute Linda Steele for spearheading and launching this program. We salute ArtsMemphis for believing in its importance. Creating and sustaining the program requires vision, perseverance and willingness to adapt. The fellowship is a great example of extending the arts beyond the important and well-established arts institutions, and ensuring public support for community-based arts organizations and artists.

Most importantly, it helps build infrastructure and capacity so that emerging organizations and artists understand how to navigate the nonprofit sector; communicate impact; and engage partners who can contribute resources.

We have had the good fortune to observe Steele’s leadership and how she continuously refines the program. What we appreciate about her leadership is that she stays focused on her vision of “Memphis as a national model where others can see and learn how the arts can play a major role in a community’s/ neighborhood's revitalization and address challenges such as blight, unemployment, and youth engagement. The Fellows Program is creating a corps of change agents, cultural warriors and innovators trained to lead their communities in this work.”

Learn more about ArtsMemphis at www.artsmemphis. org. Learn more about Americans for the Arts at www.

AmericansForTheArts.org.

Copyright 2016 – Mel and Pearl Shaw Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of Prerequisites for Fundraising Success available on Amazon.com. For help growing your fundraising visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

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Urban Views Weekly | June 29, 2016

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Cover photo: Cheyenne Varner, Communication and Development Specialist

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Scholar of the Week

David Thomas of Richmond Community

High School

GPA: 4.3 College of Interest: North Carolina A & T Major Community Service: J.B. Fisher E.S. and Jerusalem Baptist Church Strong Interests: Chemistry and engineering Favorite Activities: Soccer, golf, working out, working on cars

By Janeal Downs

When he was just in elementary school, in about the second grade, With his interest in chemical engineering, David plans to attend David Thomas started to play soccer. “It was just an activity to do North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (A & T) in to get to meet people,” David said. “I played it for over 10 years, so Greensboro, North Carolina. “When I first went to visit there they had I just always stuck with it and it’s my favorite thing to do.” Every a very good atmosphere and they were just very welcoming,” David winter, he looked forward to conditioning for the upcoming soccer said about why he chose the university over others. One lesson he will season. He enjoyed trying new healthy things to eat and even working take with him from high school to college is to not procrastinate. As out. Because he wanted to eat healthy and live a good lifestyle, he his senior year came to a close, he maintained a 4.3 GPA. In school, has constantly been motivated to go work out by going to the gym, he was a member of Partnership for the Future, Honor Council, jogging or playing basketball with his friends. He not only enjoys National Honor Society, the National Technical Honor Society, and he playing soccer, but also watching the sport. even won a couple of competitions as a member When he first started playing soccer, his team of Future Business Leaders of America. was named after the English Tottenham Hotspur David volunteers as an usher for Jerusalem soccer, or football, team. Once he started playing, Baptist Church, has helped give away food he began to watch them on TV and it is now his to the homeless in Monroe Park, and he has favorite soccer team. In high school, he played also volunteered over 150 hours at J.B. Fisher for the Huguenot High School’s varsity soccer ™ Elementary School. As a volunteer at the k e team, and he plays club soccer for the Richmond of the We elementary school, he helped supervise the kids, Strikers. David’s other favorite activities include helped them with their homework and anything playing golf and working on cars. else his supervisor needed. Through volunteering

Scholar0

Another one of David’s biggest interests is chemistry. “I first realized with the school, he has learned how much “the youth look up to us.” my passion for it during my 10th grade summer when I was in MSI As his high school life has come to a close and he gets ready to pursue (Math Science Investigators),” David stated in an essay. While working college, David said his mother has been one of his biggest inspirations. in a computational chemistry lab and researching a drug and how to “Even when I didn’t want to do the work, she still made me do it,” he make it work on a quantum level, the experience caused his interest to said. “She just kind of pushed me and helped me get the drive that I grow. Since then, he has decided to pursue a career in the chemistry have now.” With his drive and desire to succeed, David said his main field. Through AP chemistry and by taking engineering classes, David goal in life is to just be happy and work in something that he can do decided to pursue chemical engineering. One of his dream jobs would for the rest of his life. be to work at a processing plant.

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Urban Views Weekly | June 29, 2016

3

ViewPoints

By Dr. T

Gay Pride is dangerous Almost exactly one year to the day that nine African Americans were massacred in Charleston, South Carolina at the Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church while holding a bible study, forty-nine mostly black and brown people of Latin descent out for an evening of music, fun and dance were massacred in Orlando, Florida at the PULSE Night Club. PULSE is a club that is patronized by the LGBT (Q) community and friends of that community. The most recent incident in Orlando was first described by many news outlets as an act of terrorism, but was quickly re-characterized as an act of radical Islamic terrorism when the perpetrator called into 911 and pledged his allegiance to Isis. All of a sudden, the focus shifted from the specific crime of fanatical homophobic hatred and terrorism to the more recognized meme of Anti-American terrorism encapsulated within the concept of Radical Islamic Terrorism. Why? What agenda does it serve when the focus is shifted from homophobia and terrorism to Radical Islam and terrorism?

issues and easy access to high-powered weaponry, not unlike the American men who terrorized and murdered innocent people in South Carolina, Sandy Hook, Aurora and Columbine. The Orlando killer was an American who killed people because they were gay or associated with the LGBT (Q) community. He was acting on his own and not as a coordinated effort by a radical Islamic terrorist group. His motivation was homophobia and he used religion to justify his terror, confusion, and hatred in a way that has become more and more a part of the “American” cultural continuum. Mass shootings happen in this country more than any other country on earth.

Sexuality and gender identity are topics that have moved from the margins to the center of our socio-political discourse like never before in our nation’s history. We are now on the threshold of a cultural revolution that will profoundly transform Did we call it “radical Christianity” when Dylann Roof plotted to kill Black us as a people and as a nation. Change has always been difficult and is, continually, Americans and start a race war by carrying out a murderous killing spree at the Black met with opposition and many times with violence. In this country, we are guaranteed church in Charleston? Did we call it “radical Christianity” when Warren Jeffs, the former the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And yet, it is still dangerous to be President of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and his gay in America and, until we face the legacy of homophobia in this country and the followers were convicted of the rape and the sexual abuse of numerous women? Warren active hatred we allow to exist against the LGBT (Q) community, both systemically is currently serving a sentence of life, plus 20 years. In each case, these men were held and nonchalantly, we cannot truly celebrate our freedom as Americans. Until we reject individually responsible for their actions – not their religion or associations. the scapegoating of an entire religious group and stop shifting focus to an extremist cult outside of America as the main source and focus of our collective and individual There is an obsession with using the term “radical homophobic hatred, we cannot begin to fulfill the Islam” in the media and amongst the political power promise of the nation we are destined to be. All brokers (particularly on the right). This is an attempt Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D. Americans regardless of who we choose to love, or to demonize a religion and justify the mistreatment Founder and Artistic Director how we identify ourselves make up the America we of those who adhere to that religion. A man who was The Conciliation Project and Associate Professor want to celebrate.

Gay Pride should not be dangerous. born and raised in America did the act of terrorism Virginia Commonwealth University Gay Pride is American Pride. and murder that took the lives of 49 people at the Pulse Night Club. He most probably had serious mental health

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courtesy of Smithfield

Throw Down on the Grill This Summer Tired of the same old go-to grilling recipes? Shake up your backyard barbecue with fresh pork this summer. From tender ribs to mouth-watering tenderloins and juicy chops, the options are endless.

Take your cookout to the next level with these grilling tips and recipe from award-winning celebrity pit master Moe Cason: • Use fresh, high-quality cuts of meat which are

available in a variety of cuts and seasonings.

• Allow cooked meats to rest 3-5 minutes before serving to lock in natural juices.

• Check for proper doneness with a meat thermometer. Remember meats will continue cooking after they’re removed from the grill.

This and other great grilling recipes are available at www.smithfieldthrowdown.com.

Maple-Glazed Black Pepper Chops Recipe courtesy of Moe Cason Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 4 3 3 2 2 2 6 1/4 1/4 2 4

Martin’s A+ School Rewards Program Donates $3 Million To Local Schools

Family Features

tablespoons butter tablespoons minced shallots tablespoons chopped fresh thyme teaspoons minced garlic teaspoons cracked black pepper tablespoons apple cider vinegar cup dark agave nectar cup maple syrup teaspoons sea salt, plus extra for seasoning bone-in New York pork chops, 1-inch thick

In small saucepan, combine butter, shallots, thyme,

garlic and pepper. Cook over low heat until garlic has browned. Stir in vinegar, agave nectar, maple syrup and salt; heat until slightly thickened.

Remove pan from heat.

Heat charcoal grill to medium; lightly oil grates.

Lightly sprinkle surface of chops with sea salt; grill 6 minutes per side.

Reaches $25 million milestone in donations to schools since 2005 GIANT Food Stores and MARTIN’S Food Markets announced a $3 million donation to 2,210 public and private schools through its school fundraiser, A+ School Rewards, for the 2015 -16 school year.

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Elmwood Elementary School in Mechanicsburg, PA was the top earning school this year, receiving $23,721.

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Honoring another gift of life.

When the Donate Life flag rises above downtown and on billboards throughout our community, join us in saluting the organ donor, living or deceased, who has just given others the most selfless gift: life.

See Tuwanda’s inspiring organ donation story at vcuhealthtransplant.org, then sign up to be an organ donor at donatelifevirginia.org.

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Urban Views Weekly | June 29, 2016

5

Church Hill Activities & Tutoring Builds Stro “It’s easier to build strong children than repair broken men.”

the top of their kindergarten class and finish high school strong, with both study and workplace skills that’ll prepare them for the next level. You can’t be what you can’t see, and CHAT allows inner city youth to see their lives as one of purpose and promise through education and community.

When Frederick Douglass wrote these words in 1855, he sought a solution to the damaging ideology held by men who wanted to uphold slavery. It was their beliefs that led to a practice that destroyed families, killed millions, and shaped the world as CHAT’s volunteer and we know it today. Broken mentorship program men, Douglass believed, are allows Richmond’s youth impossible to reach; they’re to see beyond their closed off to the idea of circumstance and forge changing their ideologies positive relationships that and behavior. Their children, build character and shape however, were our true a bright future. Initially, saving grace. Children are those relationships formed the purest form of human by way of fellowship and life, and the key to building food in the Strickland’s own a future full of equality and home, but as the program promise. He believed that evolved, children grew it’s imperative that we mold comfortable enough to ask at Tiny Tykes want their students to develop a love of learning — from colors and shape our children into Teachers for help in specific areas of to letters to numbers and more. men and women who will their lives. Frequent asks for make this world a better place before they become tainted homework assistance sparked a robust tutoring program by the evils of this world. Today, many children—both led by the Stricklands and their founding board members. black and white—are products of the legacy those men left Soon, CHAT’s impact permeated the community, and the behind. That legacy, as we see in underserved communities, program had no choice but to expand into a program that is systemic poverty and poor education, and breaking that met the various needs of the youth who frequented the curse and starting a new legacy begins with our youth. home.

Programs like CHAT accept Douglass’ charge to “build Today, CHAT’s mission is accomplished through four strong children.” Established in the early 2000s by Percy primary programs that shape youth at every level. Through and Angie Strickland, their after-school program, Church Hill Activities 75 students from around & Tutoring (CHAT) sets the neighborhood are out to empower youth to involved in a variety of break cycles of poverty engaging after-school and reach their goals. “At activities. Next is the the highest level, CHAT Church Hill Academy, is a youth development a private high school program whose mission for grades 9-12 that is to equip youth of the focuses on educating East End of Richmond the “whole student” to make transformative through academics, decisions,” explains Steven career preparation, life Weir, CHAT’s Executive skill-building, economic Church Hill Academy seeks to educate the “whole student” in small, individualized Director. At every level, literacy, and even classroom settings like this. from preschool to their spiritual development. senior year in high school, staff and volunteers work with The Tiny Tykes Preschool enrolls children from ages 2 ½ students to make sure they’re equipped to start school at to kindergarten, and provides a nurturing environment 6

Urban Views Weekly | June 29, 2016

Church Hill Academy’s Class of 2016. Graduates (left to right) Chris, Moniqua, Ra Chowan University and Old Dominion University, respectively.

“It’s easier to build strong child

that encourages learning through interactive play and exploration. What makes the Tiny Tykes Preschool exceptionally special is the commitment to diversity through their scholarship program. “Half of our students are on scholarship and half of them are not,” says Weir. “We manage them pretty tightly, and we do that so that we have a very diverse student body which also leads to a diverse set of parents.

That’s a pretty powerful way for the community to come together.” Ultimately, the goal of the Tiny Tykes’ program is to have Tiny Tykes Preschool is committed to maintaining students transition into

can receive a high-quality education and learn wh community.

ong Children by Instilling Valuable Life Skills

By Janna M. Hall

a’Quan and Shakim will attend Richard Bland College, Chowan University,

dren than repair broken men.” their public school’s kindergarten at the very top of their class. Lastly, the Work Leader Institute allows the older students to learn valuable life skills that prepare them for the workforce, completing everything from woodworking to screen printing.

g small and diverse classes, where students hat it means to be a part of a multicultural

In fact, an exciting addition to the CHAT organization is their marketplace, opening in 2017 on the corner of 26th street and Nine Mile Road. This retail space, developed in partnership with Bon Secours, takes the Work Leader Institute to another level by providing employment opportunities for the

students. It is here that the youth will gain valuable work workshop, sewing, and urban farming, to name a few. experience and have the opportunity to join the workforce Providing students with the opportunity to engage in while also developing those valuable life skills CHAT activities otherwise not available to them is what continues prioritizes. Weir explains to establish CHAT as a critical that roughly 80% of the component in the lives of time, students will be doing underserved youth. They’re “real work”: helping keep able to explore unconventional the marketplace up and interests, find their niche, and running and interacting with nurture their passion at a young customers, and the other age, which opens them to a 20% will be dedicated to world beyond what’s familiar. receiving true job training.

What truly makes this They’ll learn customer organization unique and special service skills, how to handle is that their programs cover customer conflict, how to the entire human experience. manage an inventory, and They go from trust building the ins and outs of managing and fostering relationships to a retail space.

High school students employed by Nehemiah’s Workshop, the woodworking excelling academically, and small business which offers students paid job experience and job skills Sara Pomeroy, Director of extend beyond academics and development.

Strategic Relationships & extracurricular activities and Leadership Development, drives home the importance workforce training. CHAT changes the lives of Church of prioritizing workplace skills among the older students.

Hill’s youth every single day through the care, concern, “If you stop at the after school tutoring but you don’t set and support of every student who walks through its doors, them up for success in the workforce area, then they’re but their impact isn’t confined to the four walls of the just right back to where they started,” she explains. “In Lighthouse. Neighborhood outreach events are an integral order to really address the issue of poverty you have to part of CHAT’s program, and they use exciting themed give them opportunity to get out of poverty and out of the events and outings to engage the community. You can find systemic issues that are here in this community. CHAT is them out and about during nearly every major holiday, comprehensively addressing all the needs that these kids and piquing local interests with events like their annual Pig have in order to truly see Roast, Pinewood Derby, and success in life: to get an outings to Pocahontas State education, to have family, Park and Virginia Beach. and to get a job. It really Thanks to their dedicated takes a village to raise a kid.” staff, tutors, mentors, CHAT knows that and volunteers, CHAT’s developing well-rounded belief in the power of youth involves so much Christian fellowship does more than what happens exactly what it sets out to do: in school and preparing transform communities at them for the workforce. every level. Though systemic In fact, studies show that and structural injustice students who engage has plagued generations of Students at Tiny Tykes Preschool are given opportunities to engage in self-directed, in extracurricular underserved communities, creative play each day. activities perform better CHAT’s commitment to academically. Knowing this, they offer a plethora of nonRichmond-area youth ensures that there will be less academic classes during what they call Wacky Wednesday. “broken men,” and far more “strong children.”

Those classes include cooking, dance, public speaking, Photo credit: Cheyenne Varner Communication and Development Specialist

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7

The Deal

Homebuyer Education: The First Step to Buying a Home How well do you really understand the homebuying process?

Taking a qualified homebuying class will do more than teach you how to get a mortgage or pull together a down payment.

It will help you determine the amount of home you can afford without endangering other lifetime financial goals.

If you think this training is just for first-timers, think again. Real estate markets change, and so do homebuying environments. It is worth considering taking a class each time you’re making a home purchase, especially if it has been a significant number of years between purchases. The homebuying class can keep you up to date on what you’ll need to know this time around.

Where can you find these courses? Many private lenders offer their own training, but governments — local, state and federal — are the main source for instructional classes for homebuyers. In fact, on both the public and private side, these classes are often tied to special loans or funding assistance for the qualified.

Most homebuyer trainings are free – if you’re asked to pay, get an explanation for what those costs cover.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides a list of approved state and local agencies that offer a range of homebuyer education options – some even help first-time buyers obtain grants and other financial assistance with their down payments. HUD has backed up this effort with additional funding this year.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) also offer assistance and educational programs for qualified buyers. Meanwhile, Fannie Mae and

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Urban Views Weekly | June 29, 2016

Freddie Mac, the two government-sponsored agencies that keep mortgage funding flowing through our lending system, also support their own homebuyer education options. In fact, a 2013 Freddie Mac study indicated that pre-purchased financial counseling may cut the likelihood of a first-time homebuyer becoming seriously delinquent by nearly 30 percent.

Here are some of the major topics a thorough homebuying class should cover: Homebuying readiness. Explore the general questions around a homebuying decision, such as why you want to settle in a particular area, how long you plan to stay, what kind of property you’re considering and where you are in your career and lifestyle. You may also be asked to answer specific financial questions to support your thinking, which should not be shared with others. The best courses will help you determine answers to the big questions, such as whether you should buy a home or stick with renting.

Budgeting and credit. These courses will help you evaluate how you handle money. Do you have a budget? If not, do you know how to create one? Do you understand your credit rating and what goes into determining your score? If you have debt, how are your efforts going to pay it off? Essentially, what you don’t know about spending and borrowing can limit your ability to buy a home.

Preapproval for mortgage financing. Navigate the nittygritty of the loan process – what a mortgage is, the various types of mortgages, how they work and what it takes to be preapproved for a mortgage. Pre-approval involves filling out a full mortgage application, typically with a fee to cover an

By Nathaniel Sillin

extensive credit check as if you were actually buying a home.

Pre-approval, unlike prequalification, allows a potential borrower to receive a loan commitment for a specific amount, which can grease the wheels in a potential purchase.

Knowing what you can afford. Analyze the above and consider the reality of what kind of property you can really afford to buy. Look at price limits and locations and ways to get more for your money, including specific local, state and federal borrowing programs you may qualify for. Buying your dream home can seem nice, but it can turn into a nightmare if you can’t afford the home while living within your means.

Your home search. Determine how, when and where to shop for specific properties within the neighborhoods you are interested in and how to get the best overall deal for what you’re buying.

What you’ll need to close a home sale in your chosen community. Buying a home can also include an introduction to the specific regulatory and cost environment where you’re planning to live. For example, your course should take you through such things as community-specific housing laws and zoning restrictions that could affect what you’ll be investing in the property, property tax issues (particularly if an assessment is pending), your home titling process, inspection requirements and the other costs linked to legal processes and paperwork.

The aftermath. A solid homebuying class should give you a wide picture of the costs you’ll face after the sale and how to manage them so you don’t put the rest of your finances in jeopardy. Being too “house poor” not only puts you at a risk of losing Continues to Page 11

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For many affected by our most recent storm, they would say, “power outages are the worst”. They deprive us of the everyday things we take for granted, such as, air conditioning, phones, computer and televisions.

If your home or business is hit too often by power outages you might want to consider getting a generator. A generator provides you with clean, useful electricity from a local source. Whether you've lost electricity due to the weather, a downed power line or some other occurrence, a generator will help you get back to business quickly.

AUTOMATIC STANDBY GENERATORS Automatic standby generators are on continuous standby, meaning that the generator can power itself on and off, regardless of whether you are home. Once a stop in the flow of electricity is detected, these machines respond instantly. They turn themselves on and begin supplying power.

Installed outside of your home, these generators are similar to central heating and air units. They are powered by liquid propane or natural gas. The generator www.UrbanViewsWeekly.com

supplies electricity directly to your home's circuit breaker.

Because they operate quietly and smoothly, they are not an annoyance or distraction to you or your neighbors.

PORTABLE GENERATORS Portable generators are built to remain outside of your home. These mobile units are fueled by gasoline and manually operated.

Extension cords will make it easier to plug objects directly into the generator. These kinds of generators are usually cheaper than automatic standby generators.

STANDBY VS PORTABLE Despite the price difference, there are plenty of advantages to buying an automatic standby generator.

Since automatic standby generators use natural gas and liquid propane, the cost of running this machine will be cheaper.

The Red Cross endorses automatic standby generators because they are a cleaner method of powering your home. Portable generators produce harmful byproducts that can damage the environment.

These units keep your house neat and clear of clutter. Portable generators require

TanyaFree.com/ Urban Views Weekly Poll Democratic lawmakers staged a dramatic sit-in and protest on the House floor for more than 25 hours, while pledging to continue to find ways to pressure Republicans to hold votes on gun-control measures. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan characterized the sit-in as “a publicity stunt and now a fund-raising scheme.”

What’s your take? Will the historic protest change the way Congress operates or was this simply grand political theatre?

Check out the story and respond to this week’s poll at TanyaFree.com and the Urban Views Weekly FACEBOOK Page. Listen to the Tanya Free and Friends Talk Show Wednesdays @ 2pm on WCLM1450AM streaming LIVE @ TanyaFree.com and BlackTalkRadioNetwork.com. You can now watch us LIVE at TanyaFree.com and ustream.tv

numerous wires and extension cords running through your home. It is much easier to have power connected directly into your home's infrastructure.

Once power is restored, automatic standby units turn themselves off. There is no need to worry about shutting it off yourself.

GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR GENERATOR It is important to pick a generator that can supply power to all the items you need in your house.

Understand running and surge wattage.

These two values inform you how much power your appliances need and the maximum amount of electricity they can handle. Prior to purchasing a generator, check the safety tags on your appliances for the correct wattage. The running and surge wattage on the generator needs to be high enough to satisfy the ratings of your most demanding appliances.

Why wait? Don’t be caught wishing you had bought a generator the next time there’s a power outage.

Urban Views Weekly | June 29, 2016

9

S:6.5”

Dear Sam, I thought we were in this together, but apparently I was wrong.

You’ve been ignoring me for a while. We don’t go for walks as often as we used to.

You barely eat anything green anymore.

And you don’t realize the daily pressure you put me under. It’s just too much.

B:10.25”

T:10”

S:9.5”

I QUIT! Sincerely,

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Urban Views Weekly | June 29, 2016

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Classifieds

Deal continued from page 8

the property, it can threaten other important financial goals.

If you have your eye on particular lenders in your community, call them to see whether homebuying education can be a helpful factor in getting approved for a loan. Ask them to explain how they evaluate such training and what courses they recommend. Always ask whether any homebuyer class has a fee and why. Also, get a second opinion – if you work with a qualified financial professional, ask what he or she thinks about the course and its benefits.

As you consider such a course, don’t think narrowly about what you can get out of it. It’s not just about getting the mortgage. It’s a chance to ask about how a home purchase may affect other aspects of your financial life – all personal finance goals should be considered equally.

Bottom line: Since the mortgage industry collapse in 2008, it’s been a new day in residential homebuying.

Whether you’re buying your first home or beyond, taking a homebuyer education class can help you understand the mortgage process, improve your credit and shop smarter for a home you can actually afford.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education programs.

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