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Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson received honorary doctoral Degree from Bethune-Cookman University

This Is Why The Judge In The Bill Cosby Sexual Assault TTrail rail Must Recuse Himself Immediately

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Black Businesses In Chicago Benefit From Goldman Sachs Program

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THURSDA THURSDAYY, DECEMBER 15 - WEDNESDA WEDNESDAYY, DECEMBER 21, 2016

Black community shocked by Michael Slager mistrial Do you really want to help Black businesses grow?

By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

Last week, the nation was shocked to learn that the jury for the trial of Michael Slager, the North Charleston police officer who shot and killed an unarmed Black motorist as he jogged away from a traffic stop in 2015, could not agree on a murder or manslaughter conviction or any punishment for the officer.

“I don’t have anything new to say,” tweeted Deray Mckesson, a prominent activist associated with the Black Lives Matter movement. “I mean, we have a video of an execution and planting evidence and even that’s not enough.”

After a brief struggle offcamera, a passerby recorded Slager shooting Walter Scott in the back from nearly 20 feet away. Then Slager walked back to where the initial struggle took place and picked up what looked like a Taser.

Slager then returned to Scott’s body and dropped the Taser, contradicting his initial police report.

Mckesson, who gained national attention in 2014 for

He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. Proverbs 14:31 (NASB)

By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

Judy Scott (c) Walter Scott’s mother, is comforted by her son Rodney Scott. his social media presence and citizen reporting in the aftermath of the shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, was not the only person who expressed disbelief on Twitter.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, the author of “Between the World and Me” and a national correspondent for The Atlantic, commented about the Charleston County chief prosecutor’s opening statement, where she “acknowledged from the beginning of the trial that she thought Mr.

Scott had contributed to his own death by running away,” according to The New York Times.”

“Re: Walter Scott. When DA sounds like the defense, can’t really be surprised by a mistrial.

(Cont'd on Page 10)

Where greatness comes from:An exclusive interview with AHF’s Michael Weinstein

By Shirley Timothee-Paul and Arri Henry One can imagine that greatness doesn’t have a particular look; it doesn’t have a consistent background, race, upbringing or class. I and

fellow journalist Arri Henry, sat amongst greatness when we had the honor of interviewing CEO and Founder of the AIDS Health Foundation (AHF), Michael Weinstein this week at the beautiful World AIDS Museum in Oakland Park, Fla..

(Cont'd on Page 4)

The high price of imprisonment: A growing list of costs are being passed on to inmates and their families

We’re not exactly sure what we were looking for before meeting him, but for a man who has accomplished so much, we were taken aback by his easily engaging and laid back demeanor.

(Cont'd on Page 11)

100 BMOGFL 'Black Saturday' so much more fun for hundreds of students and their families!

CEO and founder of the AIDS Health Foundation Michael Weinstein.

(Photo by Eclair Bennett)

By Charles Moseley

Dennis Wright, president of the 100 Black Men of Greater Fort Lauderdale, is surrounded by student recipients who received bikes for displaying exceptional talent in school for academic performance and good citizenship.

Pleading Our Own Cause

For the past two weeks I have been bombarded by the need to support Black owned businesses by Black people. This bombardment has come in the form of news stories, public forms, from the pulpits of churches, ect.

Not that I am frustrated, overwhelmed or angry at the needed and noted attention, it’s just that we have been vehemently voicing this message for over 45 years along with some churches, other Black owned media and businesses who have been engaged in this even longer.

Everything is certain in due time, and yes winter does turn into spring, which leads into summer followed by fall and before you know its winter once again.

The Book of Ecclesiastes says that there is nothing new under the sun. However, it is how we respond through our actions which makes it new.

Just think of all the great things that will happen even if we were to spend just 20% of our joined forces in revenue of over $1.3 trillion in Black owned businesses.

WWW.

Like it or not “Black Friday” has become the official start of the holiday season, or even a family tradition, some will say.

But locall, there is another holiday tradition which began several years ago, which was started by the 100 Black Men of Greater Fort Lauderdale (100BMOGFL), which has had a significant impact on families throughout South Florida.

As hundreds stood in line patiently waiting, deserving elementary and middle school students from Broward County didn’t have to push and shove one another, they didn’t even have to spend a dime to make their holiday wishes come truethanks’ to the 100 Black Men of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Annual Bike Drive, which was held Saturday, Dec. 12at Joseph Carter Park in Fort Lauderdale.

(Cont'd on Page 10)

PRISON PHONE BATTLE: Prices can vary wildly depending on where an inmate is housed, from as low as $0.45 for a 15-minute call in West Virginia to $5.65 for the same call just one state over the border in Maryland.

By Eric Easter, Urban News Service (Part I) As incarceration rates continue to grow around the United States, the enormous costs of some prison services are increasingly being paid by those who can least afford it –- the families of inmates.

In 2001, when the DC Department of Corrections closed its notorious prison facility in Lorton, Virginia in 2001, Ulandis Forte, in prison for murder, was relocated to facilities far away from home and family. His grandmother, Martha Wright, nearly blind and unable to travel, made frequent calls to prisons out of state –-in New Mexico, then Arizona, then Kentucky — only to find herself deeply in hardship and debt due to exorbitant fees charged by the private companies contracted to provide prison phone services.

Forte and Wright are only the most well known among thousands of families struggling to stay in contact with incarcerated relatives. Their fight lies at the heart of more than a decade of work by lawyers and activists -–in courts and before the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) – to find relief.

Yet 15 years later, with only some successes to claim, the fight continues, stalled repeatedly by bureaucracy and the power of corporate lobbyists.

(Cont'd on Page 3)

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Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson received honorary doctoral degree from Bethune-Cookman University

Congresswoman S. Wilson (FL-24), being hooded, was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Bethune-Cookman University.

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Congresswoman S. Wilson (FL24), was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from BethuneCookman University (BCU) for her contributions to society and commitment to service at the BCU fall commencement ceremony on Saturday Dec. 10, 2016 in the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center in Daytona Beach. The honorary doctoral degree was presented by BCU President Dr. Edison O. Jackson, and Board of Trustees Chairperson Dr. Joe Petrock.

“I am so grateful to President Jackson, Dr. Petrock and the Board of Trustees, the faculty and students for this amazing accolade,” said Congresswoman Wilson. “I’m beaming with pride

to receive this honor from the University which continues to uphold the same values of academic excellence as its founder, the legendary Mary McLeod Bethune. I am especially pleased to share this very special moment with my family – especially my grandchildren.”

Congresswoman Wilson is a voice for the voiceless who has fought for change in her community and beyond. Her achievements include working with Governor Jeb Bush to remove the Confederate flag from the Florida state capitol, mandating HIV/AIDS testing for newly-released prisoners, opposing high-stakes standardized testing, pushing for a ban of the term ‘illegal alien’ in state public records, and partnering

with Governor Charlie Crist to restore voting rights for ex-felons. She sponsored a bill taking aim at the deadly terrorist group Boko Haram, introduced the American Jobs Act of 2013, the Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights, and the Youth Corp Act of 2013. Congresswoman Wilson, widowed, is the proud mother of three children: Nicole, LaKesha, and Paul. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Fisk University, a Master of Science degree in Elementary Education from the University of Miami, and an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Florida Memorial University.

Elizabeth Keckley Awards presented to leaders working to preserve and strengthen American middle/working class

L to r: Kevin Judd, Esq. President, National Bar Association; Honorable Eric Holder, Karen Carrington, Co-Chair, Black Women for Positive Change, Media and Events; Dr. Stephanie Myers and Delegate Daun S. Hester, National Co-Chairs, Black Women for Positive Change.

On Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016, in Washington, D.C. Black Women for Positive Change (BW4PC) hosted their third “Elizabeth Keckley Awards” Ceremony.

Four honorees were saluted for their outstanding lifelong efforts to preserve and strengthen the American Middle/ Working Class. Honorees were Eric Holder, 82nd Attorney General of the United States and Partner in Covington and Burlin; Rev. Aisha Karimah, former Director of Community Affairs, WRC/NBC TV, Washington, D.C. and Associate Minister for Social Justice, Metropolitan AME Church; John “Jake” Oliver, Publisher, Afro American Newspaper, celebrating its 125 Anniversary; and Stanley Jackson, President/ CEO, Anacostia Economic Development, based in Washington, D.C. The Elizabeth Keckley Awards™ are named for a woman who was born a slave in 1818, in Virginia, who managed to purchase her freedom and become the premiere clothing designer for Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. Mrs. Keckley is the symbol of Black Women for Positive Change, a national/global civic

network working to “Change the Culture of Violence in America, and the World”; and to “Preserve and Strengthen the American Middle/Working Class.”

In a joint statement, Black Women for Positive Change CoChairs Delegate Daun S. Hester and Dr. Stephanie E. Myers said, “It is a pleasure to honor outstanding individuals with Elizabeth Keckley Awards, for their role in preserving and strengthening the middle, working classes. Our honorees have operated at the highest levels of government, media, business and faith institutions.

The Honorable Eric Holder, Rev. Aisha Karimah, Stan Jackson and Jake Oliver are leaders of great stature and yet, they show great humility.

Our youth need to see men and women who place a priority on leading institutions, providing jobs, developing neighborhoods and teaching principals of faith. We, the Black Women for Positive Change and our member Good Brothers salute our honorees.”

Among the BW4PC Members and guests who assembled for the reception were Judge Robert Wilkins, U.S. Court of

Appeals and author of the Long Road to Hard Truth: The 100 Year Mission to Create the Museum of African American History and Culture; Kevin Judd, Esq., President of the National Bar Association; Dr. Ben Chavis, President of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA); Denise Rolark Barnes, Publisher, Washington Informer; Dr. Elsie Scott, Founder and Director of the Ronald W. Walter Leadership and Policy Center; Louis Dubin, Partner, Redbrick, LMD, a development and investment firm; Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds, author of the newly released biography of Coretta Scott King, titled, My Life, My Love, My Legacy; Patricia Duncan, author of A Defining Moment: Barack Obama: The Historical Journey to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Dr. Hattie Washington, author of Driven to Succeed; and Dr. Birthhale Archie, Annette R. Gibson and Dr. Tribly Barnes-Green, representing the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) For more information about Black Women for Positive Change go to www.blackwomenforpositivechange.org.

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DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016 • PAGE 3

Hastings’ statement on Trump rejection of CIA assessment FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Recently (Dec. 12, 2016) , Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) released the following statement in response to President-Elect Trump’s rejection of the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) assessment that Russia interfered with the U.S. election: “Last week's CIA assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 Presidential Election is extremely alarming. Equally alarming is President-Elect Trump’s rejection of these findings and continuous denigration of the American intelligence community. Whether it is due to naivety or arrogance, the leader of the free world cannot afford to neglect facts for fiction.

“For President-Elect Trump to question the competence of the CIA and then appear on Fox News to boast that he declines daily intelligence briefings, because he is ‘like, a smart person’ is disgraceful. These intelligence briefings keep Americans safe, both here at home and abroad, and flippantly ignoring them is a callous dereliction of duty. President-Elect Trump has not even taken office, yet he is already playing games with American security and the safety of our citizens.”

“As Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and the former Vice Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I am deeply disturbed by the incoming administration's admonition of the intelligence community. Congress must prioritize investigating and responding to Russia’s actions, and ensure that the incoming Commander-in-Chief has the best interests of America in mind.”

Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.

Beyond the Rhetoric: There will never be another Fidel

Harry Alford says that there are few individuals in modern history as controversial as Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz. In this 2003 photo, Cuba’s Fidel Castro (r) greets Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil.

(Antônio Milena/ABr/Wikimedia Commons)

By Harry C. Alford (NNPA Newswire Columnist) Born on August 13, 1926 out of wedlock on his father’s sugarcane farm in the third world nation of Cuba, Fidel Castro grew up to attend and study law at the University of Havana. It wasn’t long before he became a radical and soon drifted into the socialist rebellion. He participated in foreign rebellions in the Dominican Republic and Columbia. Courageous, he returned to Cuba to attack a military barracks. That landed him in prison for one year.

With his brother Raul and close friend Che Guevara, he journeyed to Mexico to thoroughly form his revolutionary agenda. It was called the 26th of July Movement. Landing by sea from Mexico in 1955, he formed an army and began a revolution against the government of Cuba. By 1959, he resistance efforts led to the defeat and removal of dictator Fulgencio Battista. This was the beginning of Fidel Castro, the President of Cuba, which became a socialist government.

It wasn’t long before the world considered Cuba to be a Communist state. Fidel was ruthless to his opposition. Thousands faced his firing squads. When he allowed a national election for the country, no opponents stepped forward. The United States considered this too close of a threat and sanctioned through the CIA to assassinate him. Dozens of assassination attempts failed. He became increasingly intolerant. When President John Kennedy became equally intolerant of Castro, Kennedy authorized an invasion made up of Cuban exiles from Florida and CIA agents. The invasion was a miserable failure.

Knowing that the United States managed missiles in Turkey

The high price of imprisonment (Cont'd from FP) But even as that phone battle looks for resolution, the companies providing those phones are finding new and creative ways to make an array of new services “essential” to prison management. And nearly all come at a cost to inmates and their families.

Progress, Pushback and Kickbacks The evidence is clear — inmates who stay in regular contact with families and friends fare much better in prison, adjust to life better upon release and have a dramatically better chance of staying out of prison.

Phone calls are intended to solve a critical problem when visitation becomes both a financial and logistical burden.

According to the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, the families of inmates are among America’s poorest, with nearly two-thirds falling under or near the poverty line and unable to meet basic food and housing needs. More than 53% of American inmates are housed from 100-500 miles from where their families reside with over 16,000 inmates, about 2%, as far away as 1000 miles (source: Prison Policy Initiative).

Steven Matthews, the former chief information officer for the Illinois Department of Corrections ,explained the dilemma.

“In Illinois, you have most prisoners being held downstate.

For a family from Chicago, a visit in–person can mean the cost of a rental car, gas, food, maybe loss of work. Then when you get there, a lockdown or any number of things can happen. So add to that the cost of

lodging, food and another day lost. By the end of that, it can be upwards of $600 or more for a visit. And that’s in the same state. Compared to that, a phone call is sometimes the only option.”

Yet, that “cheaper” alternative has become its own costly barrier. For some families, they can mean hundreds, or thousands of dollars in fees in addition to more than $13,000 on average in already existing debt

along the Soviet Union border, Castro convinced the Soviets to have payback by placing intercontinental missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from our Florida coast.

They both underestimated the resolve of President Kennedy.

He demanded their removal and placed an embargo around Cuba. Eventually, the Soviets backed down and removed their missiles. By the way, the U.S. removed their missiles from Turkey as a concession.

This confrontation made Fidel Castro one of the most feared leaders in the world.

Through the help of the Soviet Army, the Cuban Army was trained as a fighting force. Castro and Soviet Union became close allies and Cuba’s government was fully converted to a one-party, pro-socialist state under the Communist Party rule.

The nation also began relationships with other communist states. Eventually, we would find out that Cuban military forces were going to various Communist-linked third world nations. Soviet leader Khrushchev kicked off the program inviting Castro to Moscow for an official visit. That visit kicked off a 14-city tour. After that, the world witnessed Cuban military in nations like Angola, Grenada, Ethiopia, Somalia, Algeria, Chile, North Vietnam, etc.

With Soviet money, Cuba was becoming a militant force in the Third World. Cuba even sent 4,000 troops to Libya to help fight in the Yom Kippur War against Israel. They even brought Viet Cong to Cuba for formal guerilla training.

Soon, this brazen program would end. The Soviet Union was going bankrupt! It formally reorganized itself and changed its name back to Russia and

liberated the seized states of the 1940’s. It also cut Cuba out of its budget. This was a very crippling blow to Castro’s Cuba.

The attempted spread of communism via military activity would soon end.

Castro would start steering Cuba towards humanitarian programs. The famous medical delivery program that Cuba touts started replacing tanks and troops. They have aided millions of sick people over the years and all over the world.

Castro has even offered to send doctors to the impoverished Mississippi Delta in the U.S. Even though Cuba is 30 percent Black, the medical establishment has virtually eliminated sickle cell anemia. Every citizen gets a six-month physical exam.

Their medical system is free.

Cuba became equally proficient in infrastructure programs. They now build bridges, highways, hotels all over the world. I have seen Cuban contractors building a five-star hotel in Paris. It is amazing!

Fidel Castro stepped down as President in 2008. His last years were spent as a figurehead while his brother Raul took the reigns as the virtual leader of the country until his death. There are few individuals in modern history that became as controversial as Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz. Love him or hate him, his influence on our world was definite. After 90 years, there is no more Fidel Castro.

I predict Cuba will become more capitalistic and at peace with the United States. My mentor, the late Arthur A. Fletcher predicted, “One day Cuba will become the Hong Kong of the Caribbean.” That appears to be happening.

calls centers through which the calls are routed and monitored for security reasons. In court cases, representatives of the industry say those security challenges are among the reasons calls come at such a high cost.

After many long years of effort, in 2015, part of the battle against high rates appeared to be won, when the FCC announcednew rate caps that lowered rates to a range of $0.12 to $0.31 per minute, a sliding scale based on the size of a facility. Prior to that ruling, a family could be charged an average $1.21 per minute in

providers of phone services, went on the attack, arguing in courts that the FCC lacked jurisdiction over calls made intrastate. The argument was sufficient enough for a federal judge to stay the action and effectively put most new reforms on hold. While a new ruling is pending, some fees have been held to an “interim cap”, which may or may not remain.

Still, prices can vary wildly depending on where an inmate is housed, from as low as $0.45 for a 15-minute call in West Virginia to $5.65 for the same call just one state over the border in Maryland.

What was an obvious victory for the private phone companies was also cheered by an unexpected ally of the high price phone call game –- the prisons themselves.

Through a complicated system of “commissions”, a practice the Campaign for Prison Phone Justice openly describes as “kickbacks”, Securus, GTL and their smaller competitors win contracts, in part, based on the level of commissions they pay to prison administrations and sheriff’s offices on a per call basis.

In some proposals, those commissions can run as high as 60% or more. Often, the difference between the charge for a phone call, absent of commissions, and the charge including commissions can be dramatic.

Lee Petro, the Washington DC attorney who represented Martha Wright and other inmate families pro bono ahs has been working on the issue for more than 12 years, cites a North Dakota proposal as a prime example.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

But even as that phone battle looks for resolution, the companies providing those phones are finding new and creative ways to make an array of new services “essential” to prison management. And nearly all come at a cost to inmates and their families. from court costs and other expenses related to incarceration.

The phone services are not provided by traditional telecom companies such AT&T, Sprint or other providers. At the center of the issue are handful of private contractors, led by industry leaders Securus and Global TelLink (GTL), who provide both equipment and

some facilities, and as high as $40 per minute in some extreme cases. Inmates themselves make on average, $4.73 per day. At the rate before the proposed caps, a full day’s wages was equivalent to about three-four minutes of a phone call. .

But any sense of long term relief was short-lived. Attorneys representing the major

“For President-Elect Trump to question the competence of the CIA and then appear on Fox News to boast that he declines daily intelligence briefings, because he is ‘like, a smart person’ is disgraceful," stated Congressman Hastings.

‘I Made a V ow’: Ending Vow’ HIV/AIDS Stigma through BT AN Cincinnati BTAN

Jaasiel Chapman (c) of BTAN Cincinnati.

The Black Treatment Advocates Network (BTAN) is transforming lives across the country, linking Black Americans with HIV/AIDS to care, raising HIV science and treatment literacy in Black communities, and advocating for policy change that will help curb the epidemic. Jaasiel Chapman, a community-outreach coordinator for IV-CHARIS, an AIDS service organization, is starting the BTAN chapter in Cincinnati. Chapman shares how creating partnerships can help expand BTAN’s footprint.

Growing up, I had a couple friends that ended up contracting HIV. After seeing the stigma and the hurt that they went through, I made a vow that if I ever got the opportunity to lobby on behalf of individuals that are affected by HIV and AIDS, I would do so. I have made that part of my lifelong mission: to not only lobby for those, but to do my part in erasing the stigma against those living with HIV and AIDS and those within the gay community—more specifically, the gay Black community.

Starting a BTAN chapter here is important because IV-CHARIS, the organization that I’m with, is the only minority-run organization that deals with HIV and AIDS within the local Black community. African Americans are the most at risk and have the highest rates of HIV infection. Not only am I Black, but I am the face of what the epidemic looks like.

We have a lot of young people contracting HIV in our city, and we are in the midst of a crippling heroin epidemic. Our medical director at IV-CHARIS believes that if we don’t get a handle on that, HIV transmission will rise.

It’s important for us to get together and mobilize the community and confront this epidemic head on. I would like to see more young Black men involved in the fight. I think that if Black men were more vocal and more visible, we could really see HIV halted in its tracks.

We just had a PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis] summit on April 30. The health commissioner had come to me one day to talk about PrEP, and it just so happened that IV-CHARIS was in the beginning stages of starting the PrEP summit. Under the leadership of the executive director, Mamie Harris, our organization has a great reputation in the city. Because of that relationship, the Health Department of Cincinnati and then the AIDS Educational Center here partnered with us.

Because of the Health Department, we were able to utilize the convention center here for free to put on the summit. We definitely have plans to work together in the future to promote PrEP in the community.

I’ve built some relationships with organizations in Columbus.

I’ve done some panel discussions in Dayton, Ohio. The partnerships are growing. I got connected with somebody from the University of Louisville, where they’re planning a PrEP summit in November.

A lot of partnerships are allowing me the opportunity to promote PrEP and get this message to the community in the best way possible.

As told to Tamara E. Holmes, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist who writes about health, wealth and personal growth.

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This is why the judge in the Bill Cosby sexual assault trial must recuse himself immediately

Kia Soto says that Mrs. O’Neill should be able to pursue her own career path independently of her husband, but judges and attorneys know that both real and perceived conflict of interests in the courtroom must be avoided at all cost.

By Kia Soto (NNPA Newswire Guest Columnist) Montgomery County Judge

Steven T. O’Neill, who is presiding over Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial, has a glaring conflict of interest that has received very little, if any, mainstream media coverage. If justice is going to be served in this case, Judge O’Neill needs to step down immediately.

In 2002, Judge Steven T. O’Neill was appointed to the Montgomery County, Pa., bench and swore on a Bible, held by his wife, Deborah V. O’Neill, to uphold the United States and Pennsylvania constitutions.

Deborah O’Neill has an extensive background in sexual assault research and has even acknowledged her husband and thanked him for his contributions to her research and work.

Mrs. O’Neill holds a doctoral degree in social work and works closely with victims of sexual

Do you really want to help Black businesses grow?

It is definitely time to start exclusively supporting Black-owned businesses (Cont'd from FP) We could actually create enough wealth generating properties to sustain thousands of communities of greatness from preschools to universities of power and social services that understand the proper programs needed that will open revolving doors to success.

When I use the term Black owned businesses, I’m referring specifically to what terminology is used on the SupportBlackOwn website: Moorish or “So-Called” Black and African-American businesses.

At this juncture in the “State of Black America” we do not and cannot stand any other further separation. We are not, separately, financially able to be disconnected, i.e. Women, Jamaican, Haitian or anything other than Black owned.

With all of the excitement being generated it will take most of us to create this network of success to be utilized by all. This means “not doing business as usual.

We cannot take business from a Black business and give it to an “other” business because of kickbacks. I was appalled to here that concerning what is considered to be one of the most prominent Black owned service businesses (funeral homes) was engaging in this kind of demoralizing practices. We need to stop this before our respected business is ruin.

We all have heard how the game of politics can turn dirty as soon as money and a false sense of power enters.

There is much talk about such an act. What was supposed to be an opportunity to bring an economic base for Black construction businesses on the Historic Sistrunk corridor might be given away to a non-Black social service agency.

How is it that when we are in position to create what is needed by us, it has somehow taken another direction.

There is a lot of planning about the revitalization of our last pieces of Black owned properties in the Sistrunk area and yet they cannot get the people in the community to come out –I wonder why?

The only Black on the North Broward Hospital District Board was fired, and her support came from those who are in fraternities and sororities. When the North Broward Hospital District was created to serve “POOR” people, where were the people who the District was designed to serve? Not there- I wonder why? , Our Broward County School Board Superintendent as well as our only other Black board member, has been under fire for trying to do the right thing and their support is wavering. I wonder why?

Even though there are a myriad of possible answers to these question, the one underlining factor is “no communication with the common Black people of interest,” by the Black people in position.

The central focus of communication in these scenarios is land and money, to which, believe it or not, Black folks don’t have, granted neither in large amounts separately, but collectively it means something of value.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “If you want to see what’s going on and who’s behind it follow the money.” It will tell the story every time.

In getting to where we need to be, it’s going to take a shift in thinking, who we communicate with and a needed sacrifice in how we act toward one another.

We can begin to walk in a new way starting by speaking daily with our dollars with those who look, act and think like us in togetherness.

When the question is asked, “Do you really want to help Black businesses grow?” let your actions with your dollars speak louder than the words that fly out of your mouth.

Dear God, help us to do more with those businesses and people who have been taken advantage of because people felt that they could. Amen.

assault and acquaintance rape.

In 2012, as a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, she wrote a 183-page dissertation on acquaintance rape: “Responding to College Campus Acquaintance Rape: Contextual Issues and the Challenge of Inter-Organiza-

tional Collaboration.” She spent countless weeks and hours interviewing rape victims and did a study of her findings.

When she received her doctoral degree she wrote, “To Steve, I share this achievement with you. You are my best friend and the love of my life. Thank

In this issue While HIV/AIDS is global in reach, it is extremely local in impact. People get infected (or not) in local communities. They get tested (or not) in local communities.

They get treated (or not) in local communities. Everything about HIV happens in local communities. Any effort to end the epidemic has to be centered in local communities.

We are very excited to introduce our first BAW issue focusing on our Black Treatment Advocate Network, or BTAN. BTAN chapters are coalitions of local stakeholders, including representatives from health departments, ASOs/CBOs, clinical providers, essential service providers, other stakeholders, people at high risk of HIV infection and, of course, people living with HIV/AIDS. The sole purpose of BTAN chapters is to focus attention on the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in Black communities by raising awareness about the magnitude of the epidemic, increasing treatment and prevention knowledge, building efforts to respond to both the HIV challenges and opportunities facing Black communities.

All the talk about ending the AIDS epidemic in the United States is futile if we don’t have the capacity and the commitment on the ground. This is hard work. It’s hard work to create; it’s hard work to build; it’s hard work to sustain. But there are no other alternatives.

We are so proud of the BTAN chapters that are highlighted in this issue, as well as our BTAN chapters around the country.

Today we share several stories that will give you a sense of what our local BTANs have been up to over the past year.

We open with a piece about the post AIDS 2016 update led by the BTAN chapter in Charlotte, which has identified the role that faith communities can play

WILSON in reducing stigma, as well as providing safe spaces for HIV prevention and community engagement.

The BTAN in Melbourne, Florida has also been working with faith institutions. We run a conversation between that chapter’s co-chairs and the pastor of a local Church of God in Christ about their success in collaborating with each other.

We are proud of the new BTAN in Dallas, where organizers have not only held a PrEP Summit but also have been working to ensure that women and girls don’t get left behind.

In BTAN Broward the cochairs were honored for their longstanding commitment to ending the epidemic. This summer they also held a large concert/testing event. Finally one of our friends from BTAN Cincinnati shares why he became active in the movement to end HIV/AIDS—and how we can expand BTAN’s footprint through partnerships.

If you’re interested in getting involved in a BTAN chapter near you—and we hope you are—please contact our mobilization manager Erica Lillquist at (213) 353-3610, ext.

117.

Yours in the struggle, Phill

October 4, 1951: Henrietta Lacks Died From Cervical Cancer At Johns Hopkins Hospital

Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman who was the unwitting source of cells (from her cancerous tumor) which were cultured by George Otto Gey to create the 1st known human immortal cell line for medical research. This is now known as the HeLa cell line. In 1955 HeLa cells were the 1st human cells successfully cloned.

DIAGNOSIS: On January 29, 1951, Henrietta went to Johns Hopkins Hospital because she felt a knot inside her. It all started when she asked her cousins to feel her belly, asking if they felt the lump that she did. Her cousins assumed correctly that she was pregnant. But, after giving birth to her fifth child, Joseph, Henrietta started bleeding abnormally and profusely. Her local doctor tested her for syphilis, which came back negative, and referred her to Johns Hopkins.

Johns Hopkins was their only choice for a hospital, since it was the only one in proximity to them that treated black patients. Howard Jones, her new doctor, examined Henrietta and the lump in her cervix. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. He cut off a small part of the tumor and sent it to the pathology lab. Soon after, Jones discovered she had a malignant epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix Stage 1 (cervical cancer).

you for being gentle with my insecurities and robust with encouragement. I could not have done this without you.”

Mrs. O’Neill is a counselor at the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), a counseling center for the University of Pennsylvania and she’s also the coordinator of the Sexual Trauma Treatment Outreach and Prevention (STTOP) at the same university. She is listed as a possible affiliate at the Sexual Trauma And Recovery Inc. (S.T.A.R.), a private practice that, “… provides support, education and advocacy to empower all individuals and families affected by sexual trauma.”

Mrs. O’Neill is obviously very passionate and active in her field.

Mrs. O’Neill should be able to pursue her own career path independently of her husband, but judges and attorneys know that both real and perceived conflict of interests in the courtroom must be avoided at all cost.

According to Pennsylvania Code of Judicial Conduct Canon 2 section B, “Judges should not allow their family, social, or other relationships to influence their judicial conduct or judgment. They should not lend the prestige of their office to advance the private interests of others; nor should they convey or knowingly permit others to convey the impression that they are in a special position to influence the judge.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Wells Fargo awarded for their work in minority communities

Wells Fargo Home Lending won the Diversity and Inclusion Award at a recent summit hosted by the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington, D.C.

By Sarafina Wright (The Washington Informer/ NNPA Member) After weeks of bad press, Wells Fargo received an award acknowledging their efforts to diversify homeownership.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) presented Wells Fargo Home Lending with their inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Award on Thursday, Nov. 17 during its third annual Summit on Diversity and Inclusion at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. Franklin Codel, the executive vice president of Wells

Fargo’s Home Mortgage division said that sustainable homeownership stands near and dear to his heart.

“The last couple of weeks hasn’t been good for Wells Fargo, we have to acknowledge that” Codel said. “It means a lot to be recognized in this way.

We do it because it’s the right thing to do for our community and customers.”

“All of you know that homeownership is very important to individuals, communities and the country,” he said. “There is no doubt in my mind that homeownership is still the way to build wealth for families.”

Codel claimed that Wells Fargo Home Lending success comes from going into communities and dispelling myths about what it takes to own a home.

“The myths that are out there are very, very real,” he said.

“Very often we find that the belief is that you have to have perfect credit, a 20 percent down payment and a much higher income.”

Because of prevailing myths, there are entire populations across the country specifically in majority-minority neighborhoods where homeownership doesn’t exist.

“If the family experience is not grounded in homeownership, then people from that family will need assistance,” Codel said.

According to the MBA, Wells Fargo Home Lending has developed and sustained broad comprehensive strategies over the past several years to make sustainable homeownership possible for low-to-moderate and minority customers.

Since 2012, Wells Fargo provided nearly $302 million in down payment assistance and program support through LIFT programs, educating thousands of potential homeowners and revitalizing communities, while helping to create homeowners.

In May, the company launched yourFirst Mortgage, a new, low down payment home loan program that reduces the complexity and barriers of payment options.

Also this year, Wells Fargo Home Lending received USDA recognition as a “Champion of Rural Housing.”

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

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Westside Gazette

Community Digest

DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016 • PAGE 5

Publix is Proud to Support Community News WHERE SHOPPING IS A PLEASURE

Shows

Three Great Show this Holiday Season, Winter Wonderettes Dinner Theater, Tuesday, Dec. 13-14, 2016 at Dillard Center For The Arts, 2501 N.W. 11 St., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For time and cost and info call (754) 322-0838.

Event

Dania Beach PATCH, Urban Farm & Market, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1201 W. Dania Beach Blvd., Dania Beach, Fla. For more info call (954) 926-6801.

Open Casting

Edge of Seat Productions presents Cynthia Bell, Open Casting, Sanofa II, casting dates on Thursday, Dec. 22 & Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016 from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., at Hollywood Jaycess, 2930 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Fla. ***Casting is open, however you must RSVP***. For additional info call (945) 540-2368 email: Cynthiabellproductions@gmail.com

Yard Sale

Yard Sale! Giving back to the community. All spaces are FREE, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Northwest Federal Woman’s Club, 2161 N.W. 19 St., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Reserve your space. Contact (754) 224-7317 or email barnie1@gmail.com

Banquet

AVOR is a grassroots 501©(3) organization which aims to provide vital support services to the individuals and families of those who are currently incarcerated, as well as those recently released from incarceration, are hosting a Christmas banquet, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 at 6 p.m., at the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center, 5440 N.W. 33 Ave., Suite 102, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. F o r additional info call (954) 6352131.

Banquet

AVOR is a grassroots 501©(3) organization which aims to provide vital support services to the individuals and families of those who are currently incarcerated, as well as those recently released from incarceration, are hosting a Christmas banquet, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 at 6 p.m., at the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center, 5440 N.W. 33 Ave., Suite 102, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. F o r additional info call (954) 6352131.

Event

WILLIAMS, JR. Diaspora Arts Coalition & the Honorable David Williams, Jr., City of Miami Gardens, Councilman (Seat 5), presents second annual “Kwanzaa in the Gardens, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016 from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex Auditorium, 3000 N.W. 199 St., Miami Gardens, Fla. For more info call (786) 237-5079 or visit www.dacmiami.org

Leasing/Rental

Leasing/Rental Space now available at Midtown Commerce Center affordable executive office leasing and rental opportunities are now available at Fort Lauderdale’s Midtown Commerce Center. The Midtown is located at 1033 N.W. Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For more info visit dickeyinc.com or call (954) 467-6822. You can also follow us @Midtown6 on IG, @themidtownmcc on Twitter and Facebook.

Celebration

The Areawide Council on Aging of Broward County will celebrate its 36th Annual Installation Dinner on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2017, from 6 to 7 p.m., at Renaissance Fort Lauderdale-Plantation Hotel, 1230 S. Pine Island Rd., Plantation, Fla. For cost and additional info contact Cheryl Morrow at (954) 745-9567, ext. 10296 or Denise at (954) 745-9567, ext. 10216.

TO HAVE YOUR UPCOMING EVENTS POSTED PLEASE CALL -(954) - 525-1489 FOR MORE INFO FAX -- (954) - 525-1861 OR EMAIL: wgproof@thewestsidegazette.com

To Whom It My Concern People Helping People provides many services throughout the year. During the Christmas season, People Helping People loves putting a smile on little angel’s faces. In order to make this time of the year one of the happiest, People Helping People needs your help providing gifts for children ages 1-14.

Most agencies provide for children 1-10. People Helping People doesn’t want children ages 11-14 left out. Please assist us in spreading a little joy to children in need. People Helping People thanks you and your company for your support.

Truly Grateful, Patricia Hankerson, Founder/CEO. For additional info call (954) 527-0414.

NOTARY PUBLIC ON PREMISES 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Monday - Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more info call (954) 525-1489

Happenings at African-American Research Library and Cultural Center

African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderale, Fla. For more info call (954) 357-6210.

December 2016 Programs . “Changing America” in the AARLCC Gallery, an exhibit focusing on the Emancipation Proclamation, the March on Washington, and the history of civil rights. Open through Jan. 13, 2017.

Prearranged Group Tours available during library hours * Youth tours, (954) 3576209 *Adult tours, (954) 357-6224 · Monday, Dec. 19 & 21 Changing America Film: Abolitionists vividly bring to life the struggles of the men and women who led the battle to end slavery at 4:30 p.m. · Tuesday, Dec. 27 -Kwanzaa: One People - Kujichagulia Celebration from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 31 - Kwanzaa: One People - Kuumba Celebration: Children’s art show, steel band, face painting, drumming, fashion show, dance, yoga/mediation from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Youth Services · Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays in December After School Homework Help from 3 – 5 p.m. · Saturday, Dec. 3 - Dollars and Sense for Teens. Financial fitness for teens and parents from 2 to 3 p.m. All sessions are open to teens ages 12+ and are free of charge but pre- registration is preferred. For more info call (954) 357-6209 to register! · Wednesday, Dec. 7 Stargazing Night with the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association club near the bike rack area. All sessions are open to all ages and are free of charge but require pre-registration. For more info call (954) 357-6209 to register at 5:30 p.m. · Saturday, Dec. 10 - “Wags & Tales” Come and read to Augy a furry four-legged friend Sponsored by the Humane Society of Broward County, Animal Assisted Therapy Youth Services Dept., from 2 to 3 p.m.

Pre-registration is advised; call (954) 357-6209. · Tuesday, Dec. 27 – The Kwanzaa festivities scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m., and Wednesday-Saturday, Dec. 27 - 31 “Kwanzaa Quickie for Kids!”

Stop by Youth Services daily to learn about the principle of the day. Color pages, easy crafts and a Kwanzaa table will be set up for all to enjoy.

FREE Adult Computer Classes Schedule · Monday, Dec. 19 - Computer Literacy I, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. · Wednesday, Dec. 21 Computer Literacy II, from 6 - 7:30 p.m.

For additional info for FREE classes being offered at other library locations please call (954) 357-6236 or inquire at the Computer or Reference Information Desk.

Need FREE help with resume writing? Inquire at the Computer or Reference Information Desk at (954) 357-6210.

For more information about Broward County Libraries, visit Broward.org/Library.

SUPPORT THE BLACK PRESS, IS THE VOICE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. CALL FOR YOUR SUBCRIPTION TODAY (954) 525-1489

Touch Weekly Events

. The City of Hallandale Beach, Florida will hold a Community Meeting, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016 at 6 p.m., at the City Of Hallandale Beach Cultural Community Center, 410 S.E. Third St., Hallandale, Fla., For additional info call (954) 457-2224. · A Holiday in Sistrunk. Don’t miss the Sistrunk Healthy Community Zone 1st year celebration and YAA ArtHouse Backyard Kick off. Come out and celebrate the Holiday Spirit and our Sistrunk Community, on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 from 2 to 6 p.m., at YYA ArtHouse & Megaphone, 821 N.W. 12 Terr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Join us for: * Healthy Community Zone (HCZ) Vendors * YAA ArtHouse presenting art activities and pictures with Santa * The Megaphone Stage showcasing: Local Community Performances * YMCA YFIT * Local food * Gift Giveaways for ages 13-18 * And much more!

If you are interested in being part of the performance please contact Marie Huntley at Mhuntleyocl@gmail.com or Arely Lozano-Baugh at Abaugh@YMCASouthFlorida.org or call (954) 523-4733. . The City of Hallandale Beach, Florida will hold a Community Meeting, Monday, Dec. 19, 2016 at 6 p.m., at Hallandale High School, 720 N.W. Ninth Ave., Hallandale, Fla. For additional info call (954) 457-2224. · Submit Your Healthy Recipe To Dania Beach today submit your healthy recipes to be entered into the FIRST Ever Dania Beach PATCH Cookbook. Winners will receive their very own cookbook. Pictures are highlyencouraged. email:kpayen@daniabeachfl.gov to submit your recipe. Good Luck! · A Holiday Toy Drive - A Benefit For Healthy Families Broward Healthy Families Broward serves 600 families who are at-risk for child abuse and neglect – Administer by Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc., Please drop of all donations by Friday, December 16, 2016 to: Broward Regional Health Planning Council, 200 Oakwood Lane, Suite 100, Hollywood, Fla Donation Gift Ideas: • Board Games • Puzzles • Play Dough & Play Dough Accessories • Legos • Balls • Books • Puppets • Coloring Books & Crayons • Bicycles • Toy Cars • Reading Books • Action Figured • Remote Control Toys • Gift cards · Week Financial Literacy: Next Steps Series. The topics that will be covered are: Basic Financial Literacy, Credit Literacy, Credit Restoration, Managing Debt, Debt Settlement, Guarding Against Identity Theft, Financial Recovery, Thursday Nights from January 5, 2017 - February 9, 2017 from 6 to 8 p.m., at Jack & Jill Children’s Center, 1315 W. Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Free dinner and child care included.

For more info cost and additional info contact Jeanette Johnson at jjohnson@jackandjillcenter.org or (954) 463-8772 x 208. · 2017 Broward County, Point-in-Time Homeless Count, Volunteer Needed, the Pointin-Time (PIT) Count is a county-wide count of all people experiencing homelessness, both sheltered and unsheltered, during a 24-hour period, on Tuesday - Thursday, Jan. 24 thru Jan. 26, 2017

PAGE 6 • DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016

Opinion

www.thewestsidegazette.com

Westside Gazette The Westside Gazette, under the Management of BI-ADs, Inc., reserves the right to publish Views and Opinions by Contributing Writers may not necessarily reflect those of the Staff and Management of The Westside Gazette Newspaper and are solely the product of the responsible individual(s) who submit comments published in this newspaper.

Senator Sherrod Brown’s bill seeks financial justice for What must we do?

The nation’s third largest bank by assets, Wells Fargo fraudulently credefrauded Wells Fargo victims ated an estimated two million credit Charlene Crowell says that the “Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2016” will give defrauded Wells Fargo customers the opportunity for their day in court.

By Charlene Crowell (NNPA Newswire Columnist) A series of developments following the Wells Fargo scandal has now led to the introduction of legislation designed to bring financial justice to the millions of consumers affected by fees and fraudulent accounts they never authorized nor opened.

On December 1, Ohio U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown introduced a bill that would grant Wells Fargo victims their own day in court – even if they signed contracts that included arbitration for legitimately-opened accounts with the bank.

Entitled the “Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2016,” the bill would work hand-in-hand with provisions of

the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed oversight rule.

While CFPB’s rule would apply to credit contracts signed after the rule took effect, Brown’s legislation would apply only to cases of fraud like those affected by the Wells Fargo scandal that preceded the record $185 million CFPB fine.

A companion bill was also filed in the House of Representatives by California Congressman Brad Sherman.

“I want to thank Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown for working with me to introduce the “Justice for Victims of Fraud Act of 2016.” This bill will give defrauded Wells Fargo customers the opportunity for their day in court,” said Sherman. “If customers never authorized the opening of a phony credit card or checking account, there is no reason they should be bound by the arbitration agreement they were forced to sign when they set up their legitimate account.”

“Forced arbitration is shielding Wells Fargo from being held accountable for tanking customers’ credit scores and charging them fraudulent fines,” said Sen. Brown. “Wells Fargo’s customers never intended to sign away their right to fight back against fraud and deceit. We need to give customers back their ability to seek justice in court so they can be made whole again.”

The legislative initiative follows earlier congressional testimony by John Stumpf, the former CEO of Wells Fargo who said that the bank would continue its practice of forced arbitration, despite Sen. Brown pressing for clear answers as to how cheated customers with damaged credit scores would be treated.

card and deposit accounts.

Forced arbitration authorizes an arbitrator selected and paid by the bank to settle customer disputes. It is also an approach that is usually hidden in the fine printed details of consumer credit agreements. If a consumer is dissatisfied with the decision of the arbitrator, he/she is denied the right to sue or further question the decision.

Already, Brown’s bill has support of 14 Senate co-sponsors representing Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Additionally, the measure is supported by a growing list of organizations that include the NAACP, California Reinvestment Coalition, Public Justice, the Franciscan Action Network, the Economic Policy Institute, National Consumer Law Center, and Americans for Financial Reform.

Speaking on behalf of the Center for Responsible Lending, another organizational supporter, Melissa Stegman, a Senior Policy Counsel said, “This legislation gives these defrauded customers the opportunity to seek justice in court and is a step in the right direction in bringing fairness to consumer finance…Opening fraudulent accounts is not the only abusive tactic Wells Fargo has committed – they are also notorious for manipulating transactions in order to charge excessive overdraft fees to their customers.”

Defrauded consumers do not deserved to be financially victimized a second time. Instead of trying to minimize the costs Wells Fargo will accrue, both the bank’s long-term interests and its customers would be better served by fully acknowledging its actions, providing fair restitution, and enacting reforms to ensure that these kinds of illegal actions will not happen again.

Trump fills cabinet quota with token HUD pick

Ben Carson was tapped to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the incoming Trump Administration. This is an undated photo of Ben Carson speaking in Des Moines, Iowa.

(Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR GUIDELINES The Westside Gazette welcomes your letters. Letters must be signed with name clearly legible along with a phone number and complete address. No unsigned or anonymous letters will be considered for publication. The Westside Gazette reserves the right to edit letters. The letters should be 500 words or less.

In 1984, at age 33, Ben Carson became the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital. He pioneered a number of neurosurgical procedures and was even awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.

Carson is a skilled neurosurgeon and has earned a number of accolades during his storied career in medicine, but none of those accomplishments speak to the skills needed to craft policy for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency that President-elect Donald Trump has asked him to lead.

To run a federal bureaucracy with a $27 billion budget such as HUD is unknown. But Donald Trump has been consistent in selected unqualified millionaires and billionaires with no specific policy expertise to run the federal government. With that, Trump has selected Ben Carson to run HUD. HUD has traditionally been the cabinet department that Republican presidents have chosen African American nominees. It has been the predictable quota position for GOP presidents and Trump is carrying on that tradition. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan selected Sam Pierce as his HUD Secretary and, in 2004, President George W. Bush chose Alfonso Jackson. But whether they were picked in part, because of skin color or not, both Jackson and Pierce still had at least some experience in a government position before becoming Secretary of HUD. Jackson was the former executive director of the St. Louis Housing Authority and later ran the Dallas Housing Authority. “Silent Sam” Pierce had at least served in the Department of Treasury before being selected as Reagan’s only Black cabinet member.

During Pierce’s tenure, a Congressional investigation revealed that, “Pierce’s aides, who said they had been acting on his orders, distributed millions of dollars in housing subsidies to prominent Republican consultants at a time when the Reagan administration was sharply reducing the agency’s budget,” according to “The New York Times.”

The New York Times article continued: “Under President Ronald Reagan, annual spending on subsidized housing programs dropped to $8 billion from $26 billion, cuts that Mr. Pierce defended.

Carson’s housing strategy is likely to be a mix of novice policymaking and unproven theory. That’s how policy novices who think they know everything on subjects they have no expertise typically approach government.

Given that, Congress is likely to be the entity truly in charge of the policy as Carson fumbles around with the details.

Ben Carson has already shown a rugged disregard for plain fact since the time he retired from Johns Hopkins in 2013. That trait hasn’t gone unnoticed. On the day Carson was nominated, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) blasted Trump’s decision.

“Dr. Carson’s nomination to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is frightening. He may be a brain surgeon but he is not qualified to run HUD. Donald Trump knows this,” Waters asserted in the statement. “During the Republican primary, [Trump] called him a liar, pathological and even violent.

Dr. Carson himself has said he is not qualified to lead a federal agency.

Now, we are expected to forget these disqualifying statements by both of them and entrust Dr. Carson with overseeing HUD, which has a budget of $47 billion.”

The statement continued: “Millions of Americans rely on HUD assistance to help them access safe, decent, and affordable housing. And they are not all in the inner cities; they are in rural and suburban areas as well. HUD provides critical investments in these areas to spur economic development and house the most vulnerable. This is no easy task. The rural and urban Americans who benefit from HUD programs deserve a strong, qualified leader at the helm of this important agency.

Dr. Carson is not this person. We know it, Donald Trump knows it, and yes, even Dr. Carson knows it.”

The confirmation hearing for Carson should be quite long and entertaining. Just like Trump’s choice of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, the choice of Carson by Trump would indicate that the department is of little to no importance to the incoming President, but that there may be major change in federal housing policy on the horizon.

Dear District 1 Stakeholder: Again, let me thank you for your overwhelming support during the November 8 District 1 School Board election. Our collective victory ushered in new leadership and increased opportunities to ensure that the education of our children remains at the forefront of all that we do as a district and community.

Now that the campaign is behind us, I will continue to need your support and active engagement in advocating for positive change and improvements in not only the education of students in District 1, but all students throughout Miami-Dade County. We are one community, one school district and must advocate for and support all schools and all children.

To that end, I am pleased to share with you that my first Board Item will be presented at the Board Meeting of December 14, 2016. The item number is H-5 and will focus on ensuring that we address the needs of the District’s most fragile schools and underperforming student populations.

As District 1 has the highest number of F rated schools, this was a focal point and commitment of my campaign that I am proud to honor. In fact, research has concluded that the most critical function of a local school board is to set policy for improving the educational outcomes for its students.

Consequently, as a Board, we must collectively ensure that all students in the district have fair and equitable access to a quality education.

In closing, I am confident and firmly believe that the Board and Superintendent are committed to the improvement of all schools, including those fragile schools and will deploy the requisite resources and support to ensure their improvement and sustain their success. In fact, subsequent to my presentation of the item, I was humbled and honored to have unanimous co-sponsorship from my colleagues on the Board.

Item H-5 seeks to provide the sense of community awareness and educational urgency that come with any school reform and improvement effort, as well as the consideration for parental and community involvement.

The following link provides a copy of the Item for your review: http:// www.dadeschools.net/schoolboard/ agenda/h5rev4.pdf.

Again, I thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and prayers.

Educationally yours, Dr. Steve Gallon III, School Board Member, District 1

The Gantt Report Dating Donald

By Lucius Gantt Internet dating sites are a quick way to see and consider men and women that appear to be relationship possibilities.

It doesn’t take long, however, to realize that photos and information considered from afar, so to speak, are oftentimes far from looking and being good.

To me, President Elect Donald Trump is like many of the people that have profiles on dating web sites.

If you scroll through a hundred profiles on any of the dating sites you will find that 90% of what you find is not what you thought you had found!

The person’s names are not their names, their home towns are not their home towns, their education status is not a measure of their schooling, their income is not nearly what their worth is and the pictures they post on their dating profiles is not a true and recent photo of how they currently look!

America’s 2016 voters were just like the people that surf the internet dating sites. They were looking for someone to love, looking in all of the wrong places!

I’ve told you time and time and time again that Republicans had this campaign thing down pat while Democrats and others had no clue about how to influence voters, how to determine a political professional from a political charlatan, how to effectively mobilize and solidify its most loyal base of voters, how to create and deliver successful political messages and how to win national, statewide or local elections!

Some candidates will do anything to win. They will lie, they will cheat, they will steal and they will hire anybody that can help them win and it doesn’t matter what race they are, what party they are affiliated with or what campaign contributors, who know little or nothing about winning elections, tell them to do.

Who can help them win is the primary motivating factor in putting together a campaign team that can win elections!

President Elect Donald Trump may be a fool but he is no dummy!

Trump knew what was on the minds of business owners, racists, sexists, segregationists, white nationalists, unemployed Americans, rural Americans, war mongers, industrialists, and many other groups and he knew what words to use and speeches to make to fire them up during election time.

Trump blamed everybody in elected office for both existing and non-existing governmental problems, he described himself as “perfect”, he said he knew more about government, about military operations, about international government relations, foreign trade, race relations, religion, health care and other issues than anyone else in America.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Are President-Elect Trump’s nominations good for Blacks in America?

By Roger Caldwell The first prerequisite to be considered for a cabinet or a high level position in Trump’s administration, you must be against everything President Obama stands for. This may seem obnoxious, but Trump has decided that he knows how to run the government, with no experience. Successful businessmen are a strange breed; because they believe whatever they touch will turn to gold.

Not only is Trump the most powerful man on the planet for four years, but he was right and so many were wrong. That includes his party, all the Democrats, and the majority of the leaders around the world. Many people think this is a bad nightmare, and they will wake up, but Trump does not disappear. When you don’t vote, Trump is what you get.

There are millions of Black folks that did not vote in the presidential election in 2016, and Trump’s nominations were picked because they represent White issues and problems.

Ninety-two percent (92%) of Blacks did not vote for Trump, so he does not owe our community anything. We did not support him so there is no reason for him to support us.

White people unanimously supported President-elect Trump, so he must deliver for this segment of population. Essentially this means that White people can make America White again. Even though America has always been White, many Whites feel they are losing their power.

“I think we’ve going to have one of the great Cabinets ever put together,” Trump boasted. After Trump talked about draining the swamp, it appears he is putting together an administra-

tion that will be the most conservative in decades.

The majority of his nominations for his cabinet will be White men, and probably, two women, one Black, and one Latino.

His White House staff and top level heads will be dominated by wealthy business executives, military leaders, and partisan activists, who oppose the historic mission of the departments they are chosen to head.

Diversity is probably a word, if it is spoken in his administration, you will immediately get fired. Trump has picked three generals to top jobs: retired Marine Corps General James “Mad Dog” Mathis as secretary of Defense, retired Marine Corps General John Kelly as secretary of Homeland Security, and retired Army General Michael Flynn as national security adviser.

These three nominations are not good for Black people in America, because they dismiss the reality of police brutality. They believe the way to control and make the Black community safe is to build more jails and put more Blacks in jail. General Flynn has been accused of making up false stories and news about Hillary Clinton and there is no telling what other stories he may make up as national security advisor.

As Trump continues to put together his cabinet and top level positions, Americans can call this group the millionaires and billionaires club. Many Americans have forgotten that Goldman Sachs was getting ready to go bankrupt and the government saved them with corporate welfare.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

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AF amily T hat Prays T ogether, Stays T ogether Family That Together, Together

Church Directory

New Mount Olive Baptist Church 400 N.W. 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale 33311 (954) 463-5126 ● Fax: (954) 525-9454 CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 8:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Dr. Marcus D. Davidson, Senior Pastor

Worship T his and Every Sunday at the Church of Your Choice This

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church 2211 N.W. 7th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33061 Church: (954) 583-9368 Email: bethelmbchurchfl@att.net

Reverend Jimmy L. English PASTOR WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Worship ............................................................. 8 a.m. & 11 a.m.

Sunday School ........................................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday (Prayer Service & Bible Study) ............................... 7:30 a.m.

Saturday (Women Bible Study) ............................................................ 8 a.m.

"Baptized Believers working together to do the will of God"

DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016 • PAGE 7

Westside Gazette

WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY Sunday .................................................... 7:15 a.m. 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School ............................................................................ 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday Noonday Service .................................. 12:00-12:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting ............................................ 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study ................................................... 7:00 p.m.

Where the kingdom of God is increased through Fellowship.

Leadership, Ownership and Worship F.L.O.W. To Greatness!

Williams Memorial CME “PRAYER IS THE ANSWER”

St Paul United Methodist Church 244 S.E. Second Avenue Deerfield Beach, Florida 33341 (954) 427-9407 EMAIL EMAIL:: Stpaulmeth@bellsouth.net WEBSITE WEBSITE:: saintpauldeerfield.com

Rev. Dr. Jimmie L. Brown Senior Pastor

644-646 NW 13th Terrace Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 (954) 462-5711(Ministry Office Line) (954) 462-8222(Pastor’s Direct Line) Email: wm_cme@bellsouth.net (Church} pastorCal50@yahoo.com (Pastor)

Rev. Cal Hopkins.

M.Div) Senior Pastor/Teacher

The WITNESS of “The WILL” Sunday Worship Experiences ................................................................ 7:45 and 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School ................................................................................................................. 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday Night Triumph {Prayer, Praise and Power} Prayer Meeting ................................................................................................................ 7:00 p.m.

Bible Study ........................................................................................................................ 7:30 p.m.

We STRIVE to PROVIDE Ministries that matter TODAY to Whole Body of Christ, not only the Believers, but also for those stranded on the “Jericho Road”!

“Celebrating over 85 Years of FAITH and FAVOR! Come to the WILL ... We’ll show You the WAY: Jesus the Christ!”

SERVICES

Sunday School .................................................................................... 10 a.m.

Sunday Worship ................................................................................ 11 a.m.

Bible Study (Tuesday) ....................................................... 11 a.m. & 7.p.m.

Obituaries Harris Chapel United Methodist Church Rev. Stanley Melek, M.Div E-MAIL:stanley.melek@flumc.org 2351 N.W. 26th Street Oakland Park, Florida 33311 Church Telephone: (954) 731-0520

James C. Boyd Funeral Home BROWN Funeral services for the late Willie Deloris Brown – 89. Interment: Eden Cemetery Collingdale, Pennsylvania.

SERVICES Sunday Worship ................................................. 7:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Sunday School .............................................................................. 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday (Bible Study) ........................................... 11a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Mount Calvary Baptist Church

800 N.W. 8th Avenue Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 Church Telephone: (954) 943-2422 Church Fax: (954) 943-2186 E-mail Address: Mtcalvarypompano@bellsouth.net

Reverend Anthony Burrell, Pastor SCHEDULE OF SERVICES SUNDAY

New Member Orientation ........................... 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School ................................................ 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service ........................................ 11:00 a.m.

WEDNESDAY Prayer Meeting ............................................... 6:00 p.m.

Bible Study ..................................................... 7:00 p.m.

"Doing God's Business God's Way, With a Spirit of Excellence"

Mount Hermon A.M.E. Church Reverend Henry E. Green, Jr., Pastor 401 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Phone: (954) 463-6309 FAX 954 522-4113 Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Email infor@mthermonftl.com

SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES Worship Service ..................................................................... 7:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Fifth Sunday ONLY .................................................................................... 10 a.m.

Church School ........................................................................................ 9:15 a.m.

BIBLE STUDY: Wednesday ....................................................................... 10 a.m.

Gems & Jewels Ministry Senior Wednesday Wednesday (Bible Study) .................................................... 12 Noon & 7 - 8 p.m.

Daily Prayer Line ...................................................................................... 6 a.m.

(712)432-1500 Access Code296233#

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 1161 NW 29th Terr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33311 (954) 581-0455 ● Fax: (954) 581-4350 www.mtzionmbc1161.com

Dr. James B. Darling, Jr., Pastor/Teacher WORSHIP SERVICES Worship Service ............................................................................................................ 10:15 a.m.

Sunday School ................................................................................................................ 9:00 a.m.

Communion Service (1st Sunday) ........................................................................... 10:15 a.m.

Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting ........................................................................... 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study ................................................................................... 7:00 p.m.

Saturday (2nd & 4th) Christian Growth & Orientation ................................... 8:30 a.m.

But be doers of the Word - James 1:22 nkjv - “A Safe Haven, and you can get to Heaven from here”

New Birth Baptist Church The Cathedral of Faith International Bishop Victor T. Curry, M.Min., D.Div. Senior Pastor/Teacher 2300 N.W. 135th Street Miami, Florida 33167

ORDER OF SERVICES Sunday Worship ........................................................ 7:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Sunday School ....................................................................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday (Bible Study) ......................................................................................... 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday (Bible Study) ............................................................................... 10:45 a.m.

1-800-254-NBBC * (305) 685-3700 (o) *(305) 685-0705 (f) www.newbirthbaptistmiami.org

DOE Funeral services for the late Jeffrey Doe – 50 were held Dec. 10 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel with Rev. Joyce Wright officiating. Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens (Central).

EVERETT Funeral services for the late Wydell Everett – 58 were held Dec. 10 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel with Min. Terry ScottReese officiating.

LOWERY Funeral services for the late Levi Lowery – 73 were held Dec. 9 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel.

RUSS Funeral services for the late Annie Elizabeth Russ – 77 were held Dec. 10 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel with Brother Bon M. Boyd officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

TURNER Funeral services for the late Willie A. Turner, Jr. – 63 were held Dec. 10 at Mount Bethel Baptist Church with Elder Lowrie C. Simon officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

McWhite's Funeral Home FACYSON Funeral services for the late JP Facyson, Jr. 64 were held Dec.10 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel. Interment: South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, Fla. JOHNSON Funeral services for the late Alvin D. Johnson, Jr. - 56 were

held Dec.10 at Gateway Church with Rev. Preston Williams, II officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

ROKER Funeral services for the late John Allington Theophilius Roker were held Dec. 10 New Mount Olive Baptist Church with Rev. Marcus D. Davidson officiating. Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.

SHAW Funeral services for the late Emmanuel Maurice Shaw were held Dec. 6 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

SUE Funeral services for the late Kent Anthony “Tony” Wood Sue – 53 were held Dec. 8 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. David J. Lynn officiating.

Roy Mizell & Kurtz Funeral Home FREEMAN Funeral services for the late Joi Celine Freeman - 41 were held Dec. 9 at New Mount Olive Baptist Church with Dr. Marcus D. Davidson officiating.

Kids Talk About God What would you write in a Christmas letter to God?

By Carey Kinsolving and friends I asked children to write a letter to God about what Christmas means to them as part of the Kids’ Christmas Art Contest. Here are excerpts of their letters: “Dear God: Every Christmas Day, I always get up first.

I look to see if the cookies are gone. One time, I saw a footprint. We also have hot cocoa.

Your child, Anthony (age 10).”

“Dear God: I know it’s more than just getting presents, but I’m just a kid right now. So, do you think I should ask for an angel or a game cube? Wait a minute. I’m going a little off the subject.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Q & A: What Does Reverend Deal Say?

'Paul was a very intelligent man' Question: How many books in the New Testament did Paul write? Can you tell me something about Paul’s life?

Answer: Out of the 27 Books written in the New Testament 21 are referred to as ‘Epistles or letters’. Paul was the author of 14 epistles. Please note that many biblical scholars, theologians and historians claim that Paul was not the author of the epistle of Hebrews. Nevertheless, the 14 epistles written are: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews.

Paul’s birth name was Saul. The book of Acts 22:3-5states that Paul was born in Tarsus of Cilicia and had a Roman citizenship. Acts 23:6 stated that Paul was a Pharisee and his Jewish studies were under chief Jewish instructor Gamaliel. Paul was very intelligent and he spoke several languages. In Acts 23:16 Paul had a sister and a nephew. In 1st Corinthians 7:8, Paul says that he is unmarried. During Saul’s life before his conversion to Christianity, he persecuted the followers of the Way – the way was Jesus. Saul threw individuals into prison and even to death (Acts 22:3-5). Paul was converted from Judaism to Christianity (Acts 9:1- 19). The bible does not state when Saul’s name was changed to Paul. A lot of individuals assume that while Saul was on the road to Damascus Jesus changed Saul’s name. 2 Corinthians 11:24-25, says that Paul received 39 stripes (whip) 5 times. Paul was beaten three times with rods, almost stoned to death, three times shipwrecked where he spends a night and a day in the open sea. He was bitten by a poisonous snake and survived. (Acts 28:3).

Listed are a few highlights of a troubled and satisfying biography of what Paul the Christian lived. Paul is considered the “Father of the Gentiles”. And he coined the phrase” A thorn in my side”. Join a good Christian bible study group and discover the brilliance of Apostle Paul.

Reverend David Deal is the senior pastor at Every Christian’s Church. Worship services are held at Bass Park, 2750 N.W. 19 St., Fort Lauderdale. Please write to Reverend David Deal in care of the Spiritual Editor, Westside Gazette, 545 N.W. Seventh Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Fla 33311 or email to David.Deal55@gmail.com

Ask Alma:

My husband doesn’t believe in God anymore. What should I do?

Alma Gill says that it’s better to sit on a mountaintop meditating on God and all of His glory, than it is to sit in church disengaged, thinking about taking a hike.

By Alma Gill (NNPA News Wire Columnist) Dear Alma, My husband said he no longer believes in God. He did when I met him and when we got married. We have always attended my family church and have been very active in different organizations. I just don’t understand or think we can remain married. How can I be with someone who doesn’t believe in God. I am so mad! That has always been the first “must have” on my list. My husband even stopped going to church.

I am so hurt, I just don’t know what to do. Do you think I can convince him to go back to what we had and rededicate his life?

How can a marriage stay together if only one person believes in God? Please help us!

Signed, Praying for My Atheist Husband Dear Praying, Holy guacamole, my sister, this is an issue of enormous ramifications. Yes, it could easily end your marriage if not handled with divine intervention. You say you’re a Christian and so was your husband when you met and married, but now he wants to change his stance and he no longer believes in God. Will he con

sider faithbased counseling?

Listen closely as I speak softly, not tilting the taste of judgment — I think you need to be truthful about his change of belief and try to remember what life experience u-turned him towards a different direction. Who, when, where and how was someone else able to grab hold of him when you weren’t watching. I’m not blaming you, oh no, that’s not my intent. I’m merely trying to show you that one doesn’t pick a Savior in one day. We’re too savvy for that nowadays. Folks will research everything on the Internet. Unfortunately, the information no longer needs to be prophetic or true, as long as it’s printed. I’m just wondering out loud, where you were when he was searching, unraveling, disconnecting from your faith.

Wrangle your anger and resentment cause you’ve got to retain control of this with a calm hand and a cool head.

The humbleness of your faith is being tested. Like my mama use to say, “the best of sermons are seen, not heard.” My advice to you is, live the Bible you read, carefully chose the words that you speak and most definitely display what you pray.

Hold off on contacting a divorce lawyer just yet. Pick up a copy of “In Faith and In Doubt: How Religious Believers and Nonbelievers Can Create Strong Marriages” by Dale McGowan and start reading what has happened with other couples.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

PAGE 8 • DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016

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Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said that the numbers from the latest jobs report show that our economy continues to move forward from the worst economic crisis in a generation. This photo was taken during a forum on criminal justice reform in Northwest Washington, D.C. in July 2015. (Freddie Allen/AMG/NNPA)

By Freddie Allen (NNPA Newswire Managing Editor) The Black unemployment rate improved from 8.6 percent in October to 8.1 percent in November, according to the latest jobs report from the Labor Department.

The white unemployment rate ticked down from 4.2 percent in October to 4.1 percent in November, likely because white workers dropped out of the labor market. The labor force participation rate for white workers, which is the share of workers either employed or looking for jobs, continued a three-month slide and was 62.7 percent in November.

Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate for Black workers edged up slightly from 61.8 percent in October to 61.9 percent in November and the employment-population ratio, or the share of Blacks that have jobs compared to the total population, also took steps in the right direction, increasing from 56.5 percent in October to 56.9 percent in November.

Black men over 20 years old showed the most gains among the adult worker groups in November, but they were also in the biggest hole. The unemployment rate for Black men improved from 8.7 percent in October to 7.7 percent in November. The share of Black men who held jobs also increased from 61.7 percent to 62.3 per-

cent. The unemployment rate for Black men was still higher than the jobless rate for white men, white women, and Black women.

Last month, the jobless rate for white men fell below 4 percent to 3.9 percent, but the labor force participation rate also ticked down from 71.9 percent in October to 71.7 percent in November.

Employment prospects for Black women over 20 years old showed small gains in November. The labor force participation rate for Black women increased from 62.3 percent to 62.6 percent and the employment-population ratio also increased from 57.9 percent to 58.2 percent. The jobless rate for Black women was 7.1 percent in November, unchanged since October.

The unemployment rate for white women over 20 years old decreased from 3.8 percent in October to 3.7 percent in November and the share of white women that held jobs slipped from 55.3 percent in October to 55.2 percent in November.

The Labor Department reported that the national unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent in November, and the economy added 178,000 jobs in November.

“In November, 1.9 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force, up by 215,000 from a year earlier,” the Labor Department report said.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

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Miami Dolphins are almost playoff bound

By D’Joumbarey A. Moreau

(Photo's by Ron Lyons)

If you thought that the Miami Dolphins were going to lie down for the rest of the season, you thought wrong.

After last week’s 38-6 shellacking to the Baltimore Ravens, the Dolphins managed to bounce back with a great home win against a tough opponent.

Inside Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins played with their hearts on a sleeve, fighting for a playoff spot against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Dolphins had to expend all of their energy, but it was well worth it as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 26-23.

Dolphins kicker Andrew Franks never attempted a game-winning field before Sunday, but he nailed the 21-yard dagger with ease as Miami walked off with a win because of his foot.

All game long, the Dolphins looked like the team that had more energy and more passion.

This Dolphins team looks completely different from teams in the past, and they showed why.

On the game’s first possession, linebacker Mike Hull got an interception and returned it for a few yards. Less than five plays later, Miami got aggressive and Ryan Tannehill threw a strike to Kenny Stills off of a play action pass for a 29-yard touchdown.

Tannehill left the game late in the third quarter after taking a hit to his left knee from Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell. Tannehill didn’t return to action as he cheered his teammates on the sideline.

Before the injury, Tannehill finished Sunday’s game going 15-of-20 for 195 yards three touchdowns. It was one of his most efficient games of the entire season, let alone his career.

Matt Moore came in and held the ship down. Moore didn’t make many mistakes and allowed the offense to not flutter under his control. For the next

LEGAL NOTICES PUBLICATION OF BID SOLICITATIONS Broward County Board of County Commissioners is soliciting bids for a variety of goods and services, construction and architectural/engineering services. Interested bidders are requested to view and download the notifications of bid documents via the Broward County Purchasing website at: www.broward.org/purchasing.

December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2016

Westside Gazette three weeks, Moore could possibly be running the offense for the remainder of the season.

The Dolphins organization believes Tannehill’s injury deals with his ACL. “That’s why we signed Matt (Moore) back this offseason. It was one of those things where he looking, we were kind of looking, and at the end of the day – when we had our meeting – we felt like it was the right fit for both of us. I just know that

I’m glad he’s here” said head coach Adam Gase.

On the brighter side, Miami’s defense this season has been on fire. This game against Carson Palmer, who many seem to feel is an elite quarterback in the league, the defense stepped up. Simply put, Palmer had a terrible day. Palmer went an atrocious 18-of-33 for only 145 yards in a pedestrian effort.

Palmer also only averaged 4.4 yards per pass. Furthermore,

DECEMBERR 15 - DECEMBER 21 , 2016 • PAGE 9 Palmer also got picked off twice and sacked three times.

The defense of the Dolphins was led by their defensive line one again. Miami forced seven pass deflections, had seven quarterback hits and also recorded three tackles for losses.

“We watched film.

We knew what we had to do, and we knew it would be a big game for the defense if we did our job. And if we do our job then the plays come. ‘VJ’ (defensive coordinator Vance Joseph) has a good game plan,

and we just stuck to that, and the plays were there” said defensive end Andre Branch.

Moving forward, Miami will play against their AFC East rival, New York Jets. This game is very crucial to Miami as they will need to most likely win their next three games if they want to make the playoffs. Their next two games are on the road in New York and Buffalo respectively. Then they wrap up the season with a home game against the New England Patriots.

PAGE 10 • DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016

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Westside Gazette

Black businesses in Chicago benefit from Goldman Sachs Program

Kimberly Moore, the president of KDM Engineering, recently completed the Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” program.

(KDM Engineering)

By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor) CHICAGO — Nearly 500 Chicago businesses have joined thousands of entrepreneurs across the country in an initiative to create jobs.

The entrepreneurs are participants in Goldman Sachs

“10,000 Small Businesses,” a scholarship-based program that convenes small business owners to learn critical business skills and create growth plans for their companies.

One of these local entrepreneurs is Kimberly Moore, the president of KDM Engineering, a multi-faceted engineering firm in the power and utilities industries.

“Since completing the program last year, we have hired five new people, and created new jobs by hiring other diverse firms. We have become a very valuable community partner, because we’re helping to change people’s lives,” said Moore. KDM Engineering has built a reputation of providing excellent project support while maintaining a superior level of customer service with each client.

Located in Chicago, KDM Engineering specializes in midto-high-voltage distribution design.

“We currently focus on providing engineering design support along with program and project management to the electrical utility,” Moore said. “Our prime client right now is Exelon Corporation.”

Exelon is a Fortune 100 energy company, signifying Moore’s success in winning contracts with larger clients.

Moore’s story is not unique.

The Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” curriculum is designed by Babson College, the leading business school for entrepreneurship. Just six months after graduation, nearly 69 percent of alumni grow revenues.

Approximately 48 percent of the alumni create new jobs

Trell in the C ity (L ifestyle) City (Lifestyle)

within that same timeframe.

As a comparison, 23 percent of U.S. small businesses added new jobs in 2015.

For Moore, the program was a key step to understanding growth opportunities for her business.

“The ‘10,000 Small Businesses’ program has helped me direct my energy to the right places,” Moore said. “KDM was already a growing company with lots of opportunities, but ‘10,000 Small Businesses and the faculty helped me focus on one opportunity at a time and see those opportunities from different perspectives. This allowed me to differentiate between what was good for us and what wasn’t.”

While participants in ‘10,000 Small Businesses’ hail from a

wide array of industries, they engage in the program from their shared experience as entrepreneurs.

Chicago alumni include businesses focused on hospitality, health and fitness, food service, staffing, education, senior care, and other industries.

Through the peer-to-peer learning environment, participants focus on overcoming universal business challenges – such as human resources, access to finance, and leadership.

“As an entrepreneurial leader, I learned that although I had come this far on my own, I didn’t have to remain alone,” Moore said.

“I learned that networking is key, but for a multitude of reasons. It isn’t always about who can introduce you to a

potential lead,” she said, adding that, “it’s also about placing yourself in an environment of learning and sharing. After graduation, I had 36 additional resources that I could speak to or bounce ideas off.”

With an eye toward the -, Moore is ready to keep growing her business.

“I have a 5-year plan that would employ 75 people with revenue of $65 million,” she said. “KDM will be in multiple markets both nationally and internationally delving into the arena of renewable energy.”

Business owners are invited to apply to the next cohort of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at the City Colleges of Chicago. Learn more at: http://www.10ksbapply.com.

BTAN Charlotte bridging the gap between church and community

Can Love Be Counterfeit and Authentic Listening to one of my favorite Neo-Soul artists, Raheem Devaughn, on Pandora Radio to the song titled Complicated. He said, “Bliss, magnificent, orgasmic…Love can be all these things!” But then he says,” I won’t never hurt them on purpose cause she don’t deserve…and I think she’s perfect…But there’s a chance things will change if she knows this”. I am perturbed if he is saying expressing to a woman about how he adores her, she may change? I think this brother is confused because the last time I was in a relationship…exactly, enough said. So can love be counterfeit and authentic at the same time?

This is a matter of different opinions. You may disagree with me but I’m giving it to you anyway.

Before I continue, let me introduce myself. My name is Trellis Bennett, born and raised in Fort Lauderdale. I have an 8-year-old son who is very smart and intelligent, my future entrepreneur. Some of you may know me from my blog, Trell in the City. My topics are written with personality, sometimes it can pinch your nerve, but interesting. Check me out!

What is authentic love? God

is authentic love; He loves us even when we are a disappointment to ourselves. It probably isn’t surprising that some are confused by this question. Love has been reduced to a physical act in some generations. In my observant, in some cases, what I see presented as love in the African American community is not love at all but counterfeit or authentic love. We are made for love spiritually, emotionally and physically. It seems easy when you look at it like that, but it is work, sometimes difficult but can be accomplished. Every man’s heart is a scuffle between love and lust. If love at its deepest intensity is a self-sacrificial love, the opposite of love would be a selfish attitude towards the other person, not a good feeling.

At this time, I am happily single ready to mingle. I have been out of a relationship for over five years, giving myself a mental colonic cleansing. When I tell you, it is truly refreshing, and not counterfeit. You see, we are made for love and not any kind of love but unconditional and self-giving love.

So why do we settle for everyday difficult love? In the bible, Song of Solomon 4:9-10, 12, Solomon recognizes the remarkable beauty of a Shulamite girl, not

just her outer beauty, but more importantly her inner beauty.

He respects her dignity. No complaints here. Do know that behind the bliss of love, stands the eternal love of God, which sanctifies the love of men and women. Husbands and wives can love each other with physical pleasure because they know the spirit of Christ purifies all human relationships.

The question for me is whether I am willing to wait for the real banquet, or am I so famished for love that I am willing to pass that up to settle for just an appetizer which will ultimately be an unfulfilled love. I will wait!

Counterfeit love can be good or bad. So, how are we supposed to distinguish between authentic and counterfeit love? We can only find true love and happiness when we realize the beauty of authentic love within ourselves. I can’t sincerely love someone else if I can’t genuinely love, value, appreciate, and respect myself. Loving implies a surrender of control and being open to life’s events in front of us.

Black community shocked by Michael Slager mistrial (Cont'd from FP) This is incredible,” Coates tweeted.

During an interview last week on the “Today” show, Dorsey Montgomery II, the jury foreman from the Slager trial, said that several jurors had doubts about convicting the former police officer.

“Initially it was going to be murder,” Montgomery said.

Then jurors requested additional information about the evidence presented in the case and about the possible charges and “the things that were presented to us by the judged, we had come to find out he didn’t do anything malicious.”

Since the 2014 murder of Eric Garner in Staten Island, N.Y, dozens of videos have surfaced showing violent, sometimes fatal, interactions between police and Black men and women. The ease of use of video technology in the information age has brought into public view a problem that has for decades been ignored and dismissed by mainstream media and White society at large: police brutality in the Black community.

Despite the brutal visual evidence, the American police uniform has consistently shielded officers who commit murder from prosecution.

The case of Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Ohio, Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minn., and John Crawford in Beavercreek, Ohio are only a few examples of police shootings caught on camera where the officers involved escaped murder convictions.

The mistrial in the Scott case comes on the 61st anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which started on Dec. 5, 1955. The boycott began four

Jeffrey Edwards Knight, Solita Jeffries, Darrin K. Johnson, Hannah Stutts, and Jaysen Foreman of BTAN Charlotte. chapter of the Black Treatment Advocates Network (BTAN) organized the event. A number of local partners and national organizations took part, including the Mecklenburg County Health Department, RAIN, Quality Home Care Services, Gilead and CADRE. “This discussion in particular talked about how the church can better support members of the congregation and can be used as a safe space for HIV prevention and community engagement,” says Darrin K. Johnson, a research project director at UNC Charlotte, and a BTAN Charlotte co-chair.

The conversation was particularly eye-opening because

many people living with HIV/ AIDS (PLWHA) have felt ostracized by the church at some point in their lives. “Churches want to do work for HIV, which is opposite from the assumed belief in the community,” says Geneva Galloway, chief executive officer of Trinity House CLT, a Charlotte-based organization that educates faithbased organizations about HIV’s impact on the community. Galloway, who was a panelist for the event, says that churches are opening their doors and looking for ways to connect.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

100 BMOGFL 'Black Saturday'

Robert McKinzie Jr. and Lauderhill Vice-Mayor Ken Thurston.

“We need as many positive role models as possible. Kids model what they see,” said Thurston.

“Today’s event is outstanding. The 100 BMOGFL have been doing this for years. We greatly appreciate what they do. It’s all about the kids,” added McKinzie.

Sponsors of the event – included Ultimate Software, Teamster Local 769, Walmart (Broward & Moseley Boulevard /27th Avenue), the Westside Gazette Newspaper and 99 JAMZ- WEDR Cox Radio Broadcasting.

Al Tucker, Vice-President Multicultural Business Development for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, has been a long time member of the 100 and one of its greatest advocates and supporters.

“The 100 BMOGFL works to support one of the most challenged groups in the United States, the Black male. It's essential to our culture and our community to ensure that we provide as many opportunities for the young Black male and the 100 BMOGFL leads that charge.”

“If we do not lift up our community we cannot expect others to do so?”

To find out how you can support, join, or register your child in the 100 BMOGFL Leadership Academy you may go to their website100blackmengfl.org or callDennis Wright at (954)-2404123.

Stigma remains a major challenge when it comes to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but not only can the faith community play a huge role in reducing it, but many spiritual communities also stand ready and willing to lend a hand, said panelists at an AIDS 2016 Local Update event in Charlotte, N.C. The discussion, held Sept. 23, 2016, at the Mecklenburg County Health Department, was one of several events hosted by the Black AIDS Institute across the country to inform the community about the research and advances that came out of the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, in July. The Charlotte

(Cont'd from FP)

North Charleston police officer Michael Slager stands over Walter Scott’s body after shooting him in the back following a traffic stop.

(Screenshot/YouTube.com) days after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a White man on a Montgomery bus. For doing so, she was arrested and fined. The boycott lasted 381 days and a decision in a case that went before the United States Supreme Court forced Montgomery to integrate it s public bus system.

Months before the Montgomery Bus Boycott in late August 1955, Emmett Till was murdered in Money, Mississippi at the age of 14. Till was beaten, tortured and mutilated by two white men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. Both men were acquitted in Till’s murder by an all-white jury and some would suggest that police officers are

given the same preferential treatment by the criminal justice system today.

Civil rights leaders have suggested that it will take the same type of sustained economic pressure of the Montgomery Bus Boycott to force real reform in the criminal justice system.

During a press conference following the announcement of the mistrial, Judy Scott, Walter Scott’s mother said that, “justice will be served, because the God that I serve is able. Injustice will not prevail.”

Scott continued: “It’s not over. [God] will get his just reward.”

To the casual observer it was hard to tell who appeared happier- the students receiving the bikes, their parents, or the mentors from the 100 who distributed the bikes. One thing is for certain, judging by the smiles amongst the crowd, no one left empty handed or disappointed.

Kareema Hodge was beaming with pride as she waited patiently in line with her son Jaheem St. Rose, a fifth grader from Broward Estates Elementary Stem Magnet School.

“Today was great. It was excellent. I love what they’re doing here today. I plan on signing my sons for mentoring as soon as they’re eligible.”

Kareem Timmons stood alongside his daughter Amya, a fourth grader at Lauderhill Paul Turner Elementary, who was grinning from ear to ear as she waited before receiving a brand new bicycle.

I’m proud of my daughter for being great in school and being honored for having good grades,” said Timmons.

Broward Estates Magnet Elementary School Principal Cyntheria Hunt joined in the festivities to show support for her students.

“I think this is a wonderful partnership with Broward Estates Elementary Magnet School. It motivates and inspires our kids to want to excel academically as well as showing the partnership between schools and the community.”

Not only did students receive brand new bicycles but they received an early holiday meal as well during the 100 luncheon ceremony.

Students from 19 elementary and middle schools from the Broward County Public School System participated in 100 BMOGFL the bike drive this year.

100 BMOGFL President Dennis Wright may have been the happiest among the bunch who participated in the bike drive give-away. He beamed with pride as each bike was presented to each student as if they were his own son or daughter.

“We want the kids to know that we support them 100 percent, as they work towards improving themselves from an educational perspective,” said Wright.

The 100 BMOGFL mentor young males during the school year in their Leadership Academy where mentors share valuable lessons on life designed to help young men reach their full potential as they achieve their goals in life.

Norvel Bethel has been an active member of the 100 BMOGFL since 2007 and helps coordinate the Leadership Academy programs.

“Our focus is to award young people in the community for doing good thing in their lives, whether through education or by exhibiting good behavior.”

Local elected officials attending the event included City of Fort Lauderdale Commissioner

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Westside Gazette

DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016 • PAGE 11 the Pepsi tent. Wow!!! That’s a way to party! That’s how I want to experience every concert, that was cool! I got a chance to speak with Joy Dawkins, Membership Manager, of Sam’s Club. She stated that she has worked for Sam’s for 19 years when asked what she thought about the show she said “I love it.” When asked why Sam’s got involved in this event she stated that they “want to give back to the community, and to recognize members in the community that give back to the community.” Sam’s appeared to be doing a good job taking care of it’s participants under the tent.

Overall the concert went well and fans did not seem disappointed.

Pepsi Funk Fest 2016 Dr. Hyacynthia M. Leonce, Entertainment Reporter Photos by Eclair Bennett Pepsi Funk Fest 2016 ran by Variety Entertainment, held on Dec. 9 -10 in Miramar, Fla, was a smash! The line-up was terrific! Per the Orlando press release the Funk Fest has been in operation for over 20 years.

Funk Fest began in Mobile, Ala. and has since grown to include several cities in the southeast and has attracted over 100,000 attendees on a yearly basis. The Funk Fest has attracted musical talents from all over the world.

This year’s host was Uncle Luke. The Dec. 9 line up included H Town, SWV, Dru Hill, Trick Daddy and Jodeci. The Dec. 10 line-up included Mystikal, Teddy Riley and Guy, Bell, Biv, Divoe, and TLC. I got to experience the fun on Dec. 10, Saturday night. Before the headliners came on there were several local artist and Bre-Z, Calesha Murray, AKA Freda Gadson from the TV show Empire. My Show!

She brought down the house, or should I say the park. That girl can spit some lyrics, things I’m not used to hearing as an adult. She did sing her Empire hit Boom, Boom, Boom, Broom.

She was something. I wanted to meet her but was told she had already done interviews the night before.I was disappointed.

I was able to meet Mystikalcol and down to earth, before he went on stage. I asked how he got his name Mystikal and he stated that his real name is “Mike” and his friend gave him the name “Mystikal Mike," and after a while he just kept Mystikal. When asked what he is

doing now, he said “just working.” Mystikal did not disappoint his fans,. His song "Danger" was still able to get people up and dancing.

The rest of the line-up ran a little later than usual. Therefore, I was not able to obtain any other interviews. After Mystikal, Teddy Riley and Guy came on, later BBD, and lastly TLC. These super stars did not disappoint their fans you could see people up and dancing all over the park.

Someone I did get to meet and found it strange to find her in the park was Bern Nadette Stans, AKA Thelma Evans from Good Times. Thelma still looked good! Thelma had a booth and was soliciting donations for her foundation “Remembering the "Good Times.” She offered pictures of her "Good Times" family for a donation of $30, $20 etc.

If you wanted a picture of her or with her you were to give a donation of any amount. Her foundation brings awareness of the Alzheimer’s disease and brings honor to her mother who was stricken with the disease.

She stated that her mother died on Oct. 6, 2011.

Back to the show, well sometime around 8, 8:30 p.m. the weather took a turn for the worse and it started raining.

Fans were prepared and had on their ponchos and umbrella.

The music was stopped for a short while until the heavy rain stopped and then it was restarted again. The fans didn’t seem to mind as they were prepared.

Fans like Lisa Curry, who appeared to not sit down the whole show, stated “I love it… the music ,the crowd, they have it together!” She stated that it is

Mystikal her second Funk Fest and she came all the way from West Palm Beach along with her friend who came from Port St. Lucie. She had no complaints.

Another participant, Debbie J., said “very nice, old school, you don’t get to see these artists very often so I’m glad I got the chance.”

Due to a connection, I got a chance to experience the Sam’s Club tent and the Pepsi tent.

They both were sponsors of this event. Under the tent were drinks, food, and some of the hard drinks were free under

Al B Sure

Thelma of TV show "Good Times".

Where greatness comes from: An exclusive interview with AHF’s Michael Weinstein (Cont'd from FP) Having sat for maybe hundreds of interviews, we could assume this comfort and ease came with habit, but his humility and intellect became transparent in the hour that we spent together.

One after the other, Arri (of Westside Gazette’s Generation Next) and I posed questions that were responded to with far much more information than one could expect. Weinstein had a slew of sharp responses to share filled with statistics, logistics, dates and current initiatives.

Founded in 1986, Weinstein and a group of other “righteous rebels” came together to successfully end the plans to quarantine people living with AIDS. They later organized to become AHF, the powerhouse that we know today, but the battle to go against the grain and fight for what seemed “right” came with its share of harsh criticism.

We often look at the greatness of leaders like Weinstein but rarely do we examine the struggles. When asked how he managed to survive the negativity and ever-growing opposition of those who were for many reasons terrified of this then deadly disease, “each time I was knocked down, I was too dumb to stay down.” Even though Weinstein said it jokingly to us, we knew that his perseverant rebellion had positive intentions. We listened intensely to his every word, still years after beginning a world changing movement (AHF), passion still rang with his every word. For the thousands that lost their lives to this disease, dying with dignity is truly important to him. He revealed how getting things done takes planning, sacrifice and maneuvering, he utilizes a great team of people both inside and outside of the foundation to further this humanitarian cause.

As a resident of Broward County, the second county in the nation for new HIV infections, second only to MiamiDade County, I had to ask, with all that is being done all over the world by the AHF, why is it that the numbers of infections and deaths in our communities continue to rise while there are supposedly advanced treatment and programs available for assistance? Now I’m sure we have all heard of the old saying “You can bring a mule to the water

Teddy Riley featuring Guy.

Boyz II Men and Al B Sure at the Pompano Amphitheater on Friday, Dec 2.

(Photos by Bennett)

Henry, Weinstein and Timothee-Paul but you can’t make him drink”.

Weinstein did not use these exact words but the lesson that we took away from our conversation was as simple as that.

In our community, religion, tradition and culture have always been the things we take pride in, but in the situation of AIDS/HIV, the stigma of shame has been deadly.

We shared our goals of creating a closer community so that this stigma disappears. Weinstein also shared different examples of events that had been held in communities such as ours and spoke of centers in countries like Haiti and what initiatives that are in place. We took note and learned that there is much more for us to do! As he described the different measures and techniques that were being used to get the attention of the youth, we realized that we must use similar tactics to capture the minds of those who live here.

The shame that still plagues those who have been infected and or affected by AIDS is largely the reason for our rise in infections. There must be avenues that feel more welcoming to those dying in silence. Weinstein informed us that in order to survive in the world of community service, we must be selfsustaining and not solely rely on government grants. AHF created the retail store Out of the Closet to help generate these self-sustaining funds to support their global efforts.

From this interview, we discovered that extending our hands for help isn’t always the answer. It will take hard work, strategy, preparation through research and organization that will help us reach our goals.

There is also great need for selfexamination by us individually and as a community, with churches in the foreground to open the door for these uncomfortable conversations. Our traditional methods are not working in an evolving world.

There are leaders right here in our community that can help us reach these goals but they must be open to change. Greatness is here all around us, yes right here in our communities; with a degree of mutual respect and trust of one another, we can position ourselves to become successful and self-sustaining.

Regardless of titles we hold, the jobs we have or our level of education, it’s the desire to put our own personal agendas aside for the sake of our community’s success as a whole… this is where greatness is born!

Mr. Weinstein is truly a ‘Righteous Rebel’, one of many that are described in the book

by Patrick Range McDonald about the crusade of AHF to change the world. If you’re interested in helping us further this plight and join the conversation on how we can combat the stigma and spread of HIV/ AIDS, please email your contact info to Westside-gazette@att.net

Eclair

PAGE 12 • DECEMBER 15 - DECEMBER 21, 2016

Westside Gazette

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3 The Art Way: Music, food and of course… Art! Dr. Hyacynthia M. Leonce, Entertainment Reporter As art week ends KROMA Art Space and Studios closed art week with a bang, a blend of music, food and art, Jamaican style.

Grand Avenue, West Coconut Grove, the home of KROMA Art Space and Studios was hopping on Sunday night. Actor and Artist Paul Campbell, contemporary artist and Chef/Artist/DJ Mark Cameron along with AJ Brown, artist and lead singer of the and world famous reggae band Third World, spearheaded a wonderful event along with KROMA.

Marketed by the famous Nicole Gates from Overtown Media, the place was well attended. Even Councilwoman Lisa C. Davis from Miami Gardens and Miramar Mayor Wayne M. Messam were there.

These three artists' paintings are incredible. When I asked Paul Campbell why he got into the arts he stated, “It was a way to express myself. I couldn’t talk to anyone about what I was going through.”

Well Paul you have channeled your inner dialogue well, exquisitely! Marc stated, “I have to paint, it’s who I am…I have a passion for life ,a passion

for different things.” It shows in your paintings, Marc. They are definitely well crafted and full of passion. AJ’s paintings, in my opinion, depict what one of his songs says “Love is the Key to Life.” Beautiful song AJ, and ornate paintings.

While I was not able to purchase any art I certainly wanted to. Who wouldn’t want to own something so special. The KROMA studios appeared to have some of the finest art I’ve ever seen. Well done KROMA. Hey people go out and buy some art, support our people, our community, and help raise the bar of artist in our community.

L to r: Paul Campbell, AJ Brown, Mark R. Cameron (the background was taken in Mark’s room at Kroma. all the paintings are his creation).

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity donates $11,000 to KID, Inc. L to r: are fraternity members George Odom, ‘Jay’ Reynolds, Nathan Osgood, KID CEO Mark Dhooge, AmTrust Bank Sr. VP Mark Watson, and fraternity members Amed Avila and Ricky Stuart.

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