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What We Blacks Student loan Need to Do complaints up a Parents record 325% over last year, says CFPB Responbilities
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Westside Gazette Broward County's Oldest and Largest African American Owned and Operated Newspaper VOL. 46 NO. 27
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Florida sees this year’s first sexually transmitted Case of Zika as CDC changes testing guidance
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THURSDA Y, AUGUST 10 - WEDNESDA Y, AUGUST 16, 2017 HURSDAY WEDNESDAY
Forty-five years ago, the nation learned about the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Its repercussions are still felt today. Sarah Toy, USA Today
CDC advises pregnant women who have been to Miami-Dade be tested for Zika. By Kate Payne Florida has confirmed its first sexually transmitted case of the Zika virus of this year. That comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are changing their recommendations for testing pregnant women for the disease.
Simone Askew, 20 yearold becomes first Black woman to lead West Point cadets
Cadet Simone Askew, of Fairfax, Virginia, became the first African American woman to lead West Point’s Corps of Cadets, the U.S. Army announced. (Photo: U.S. Army)
Your Zip Code might be as important to health as your genetic code
President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, back, help Herman Shaw, 94, a Tuskegee Syphilis Study victim, during a news conference Friday, May 16, 1997. Making amends for a shameful U.S. experiment, Clinton apologized to Black men whose syphilis went untreated by government doctors. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)
It was 45 years ago Tuesday, when the nation first learned about the horrors of a federally funded experiment on unsuspecting African Americans with syphilis in rural Alabama — a study whose repercussions are still being felt today. Medical researchers and providers withheld treatment from about 400 Black men in Tuskegee, Ala., from 1932 to 1972 in order to study the course of the untreated disease. Researchers did not obtain informed consent from these men, nor did they tell them they were not being treated for syphilis. Instead, the men were told they were being treated for “bad blood.” Even when penicillin became the drug of choice for treating syphilis in 1945, researchers did not offer it to them. Tuskegee burst into the public consciousness when The Associated Press published a story exposing the study on July 25, 1972. Outrage ensued, the study ended, and the men filed a lawsuit the following year, resulting in a $9 million settlement in 1974. President Clinton issued a formal apology on behalf of the U.S. government in 1997. (Cont'd on Page 3)
Trump 'jokes' about police brutality, but cops aren’t laughing President Trump 'jokes' about police brutality in Long Island speech
The Mizell Center issue has become personal “In everything, therefore, [a]treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 (NASB) By Bobby R. Henry, Sr. The proposal pertaining to the Mizell center and the LA Lee YMCA has gotten to the point where it is becoming extremely personal. When I say this, I say it with all due respect. What happened to me on last Friday really shocked me, but I shouldn't have been surprised because this hold undertakening has been one (Cont'd on Page 2)
The Black Archives History & Research Foundation kicks off Capital Development Campaign to restore the D.A. Dorsey House Capital Development Campaign launches to raise additional $300,000 to fully restore and transform historic space into living monument of black entrepreneurship for public access. MIAMI, FL — The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc. kicks off their capital development campaign to restore the D.A. Dorsey House, 250 N.W. Ninth St. in Historic Overtown at https://www.gofundme.com/ RestoreHistoricDorseyHome. The D.A. Dorsey House was originally constructed in the early 1900s and is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Cont'd on Page 5)
The Trump Administration is escalating its war on people of color by undermining Affirmative Action
Shannon McGrath, pictured with her son Rayder, says it has been a lot easier to make her medical appointments recently, thanks to help from a “patient navigator”.
Civil rights trailblazer memorialized By Raven Joy Shonel, Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG, FL – C. Bette Wimbish experienced many first in her 85 years on this earth. She was the first African American to hold modern elected office in the Tampa Bay area, the first Black female lawyer in Pinellas County, third in the state of Florida, and the first Black vice mayor for the City of St. Petersburg. (Read all full stories at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
President Trump seemed to endorse police brutality in a speech on Long Island, N.Y. This photo was taken during WTO protests in Seattle, November 30, 1999. Pepper spray is applied to the crowd. (Wikimedia Commons) President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, August 2017. (AP/Evan Vucci) By Connor Maxwell and Sara Garcia Since its inception, the Trump administration has consistently undermined the work of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, which is tasked with protecting historically oppressed groups from discrimination. (Cont'd on Page 5)
Pleading Our Own Cause
By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor) During a speech at Suffolk County Community College on Long Island, N.Y., President Donald Trump seemed to openly endorse police brutality. Mother Jones reported that it, “Turns out the audience was comprised of officers in a police department that has been scrutinized for racial profiling, and whose former chief was recently sentenced to prison for beating a man.” According to Mother Jones, the speech was supposed to address federal efforts to combat MS-13, “the violent
WWW.
street gang with ties to Central America.” Trump seemed to discourage police officers from safely handling suspects in their care. “When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon. You just see them thrown in, rough. I said, ‘Please, don’t be too nice,’” Trump told the crowd to a smattering of applause. “Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head…like don’t hit their head and they’ve just killed somebody. I said, ‘You can take the (Cont'd on Page 5)
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Westside Gazette
The Mizell Center issue has become personal (Cont'd from FP) without inclusion and laced with half-truths. I was at a funeral repast last Friday, in Melbourne, Florida and received a phone call from a gentleman that I highly respect, one of our elder statesman, a pillar in the community and one of our trailblazers, a promennate senior in our society. When I saw his name on my caller ID, I knew that I had to answer. What he asked pained and distressed me. He asked me and I quote, “Bobby did you call me senile at the CRA Review Board meeting”? Of course, I was shocked, angry, and filled with disbelief. I had to really bite my tongue before I misrepresented myself as being a respectable man towards my elder. So my response was, “Mr. Cummings, you know me. You’ve known me practically all my life. No, I did not call you senile.” Now understanding what this call was about, I went on to say, “I did not call you senile, Sonya did not call you senile, Jasmine did not call you senile,
Marcia did not call you senile, Dale did not call you senile. As a matter fact Mr. Cummings, if you would be so kind as to who ever told you that- if you were to get that person to meet with us face-to-face - then we can put this thing to rest because it is a lie and this whole situation is splitting our community.” Then I began to realize that “they” would be those who want to tear down the Mizell Center, relegating our history to a bust out front with pictures on the wall of a building and wreaking havoc on our community. We would be meeting with them in order to put closure to this whole thing. If “they”, would stoop to this level of lying and tearing up relationships to destroy our community, then what else would they do or what else have they done? If you were to request the minutes from the last City of Fort Lauderdale Commission meeting to read and analyze, you will see where words spewed from the dais were not truthful but hurtful. The person who spewed those lies at the
time appeared to not care about the harm that it would do to the individuals and their families named nor did several other people sitting on the dais object to those misrepresented truths. Which lends itself for a whole other issue to be discussed and changes to be made. If individuals in leadership would sit on the side of what can clearly destroy our community and not at least object and vote to stop the move and have a community discussion and not a select few who agree to tear down the Mizell Center, then they should not be in leadership. And how do you get those individuals out of position? You vote them out. So this incident has galvanized this community to allow us to understand and see what’s truly happening. To see what is transpiring behind closed doors and in some instances invalidation of the Sunshine Law and in other instances allowing people to make a vote who have a vested interest in a project that’s not conducive to what the city leaders and the studies have indicated.
So now as abiding citizens, we have the right to vote them out of office and not allow them to gain any position of authority in any leadership capacity that governs people. Maybe commissioners don’t necessarily want to get into other commissioners’ district business, but when that business is obviously about to destroy the foundation of a community and those leaders do not speak up or out against that individual, then they are just as guilty. Yes, it has become personal, personal to the point that you are willing to allow others to spew lies from the dais that are personal. When it was stated from the dais that the Shirley family had received CRA dollars for their building and then they put a for sale sign on it, that was hurtful, especially when it was not true. “Neither Jasmin Shirley, Carmen Shirley nor I or any member of my family received CRA funding for any property or project. I am also not the owner of the 720 NW 22 Road property . This property did not utilize any CRA funding whatsoever.” There is a march planned for Thursday, August 17, 2017 4 p.m. at the City of Fort Lauder-
www.thewestsidegazette.com dale’s City Hall 100 N. Andrews Ave. We’re gonna take our position to the streets; we’re gonna take our position to the board of commissioners; we’re gonna take our position as far as we have to - to stop this betrayal and hidden agendas of those who care less for this community. I’m not telling you what somebody told me; I’m telling you what I know. What else have “they” done to undermined the community and see our history wiped out? “They” will have their handpicked proponents at the march and commission meetings who were made promises, some even given dollars to support their political campaigns. Some citizens who live in the city of Fort Lauderdale Housing Authority complexes and those who did not, received insinuated threats that if they did not support the tearing down of the Mizell Center, they can no longer use any of the Housing Authority’s meeting facilities. “They” say that they talk to the ministers who are in agreement. However, the minister of new Hope Baptist Church, who sits right next door to the Mizell center, was not involved in any
conversation, was not approached, was not even considered to engage in conversation, and those that were said that they were not presented with all of the facts. Mr. George Burrows, a noted and documented pillar of this community, wrote a letter to the City Commissioners that stated in part: “Having lived and worked in this community all of my life, as well as operated a business on the Sistrunk corridor for over 68 years, I was somewhat disappointed that no earnest attempt was made to discuss the desire to tear down the Mizell Center with the greater community and not just the YMCA community when rebuilding discussions with the YMCA originally began. I certainly did not know and I remain fairly active in our community. I have asked others who pass by my office on a daily basis, and they, too, were un-aware until the Negro Chamber of Commerce brought it to the greater community’s attention last fall.” So yes, there has been an underhanded effort to make people believe that the community wants this to happen under threats, promises and who knows what else! People might do anything. So we need you, the interested people, who want to know the truth to come out and listen for yourself, participate and see what’s really happening. What would happen to the property when the LA Lee YMCA is torn down? Who will get it? Who will develop it? What happens when you put homes there that the people can’t afford, the people that look like us in that community? What happens: property taxes go up, people have to move out and can’t move back in. Gentrification at its best - please pay attention. We’re not against progress, but we are against the progress that doesn’t include us or progress that removes us. “Commissioner McKinzie said from the commission dais at the July 11, 2017 meeting that the FTL Negro Chamber of Commerce received CRA funds to rebuild its new office building. It DID NOT ! The building was rebuilt with the chamber’s own funds along with federal CDBG funds. He also said that same night, that some of us(those who oppose tearing down the Mizell Center) that were in the commission meeting audience were present at the brainstorming meeting for the YMCA project - not true. I was invited to a meeting, but it was NOT a brainstorming meeting as they already had secret plans in place before the meeting I was invited to. We were told that they were “considering” a concept to move the Y to the Mizell Center, not tear it down. We discussed the possibility of other community organizations also using the building. We were told no decisions or further plans would be developed without further meetings. As the meeting went on, it was clear that everyone at the table knew about the secret plan except me and one other person that was also invited to the meeting. We would realize we were invited only as pons so that they would later say we were involved - we WERE NOT. The meeting was a sham held only to use us. We were not involved in the planning of this project. I was not invited back to further meetings until they were preparing to present to the CRA advisory board with the secret plan. I told them at that time I would not support the project.”— Sonya Burrows It is personal when our leaders who have created a program that honors our citizens who have contributed to the history of this city, and when it’s time to honor them, you make a decision to not put their photos out for others to see; that appears to be personal!
A fool says what he knows, and a wise man knows what he say. -- SayingImages.com
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Back to school immunizations By Bob LaMendola Florida Department of Health in Broward County Before you know it, summer vacation will be gone and the kids will have to get ready for school again. So, it’s time for parents to start planning to get back-to-school immunizations. The best choice is to take the kids to your family doctor to get their shots. But for parents who do not – or cannot – take their children to a physician, county offices of the Florida Department of Health (DOH) are offering free immunizations over the summer. DOH-Broward will offer them again at Lauderhill Mall from Aug. 8 through 23. “Vaccines have helped us wipe out diseases that used to kill our children by the thousand,” says Dr. Paula Thaqi, director of the DOH in Broward County. “Parents who want to protect their children should have them fully immunized.” Skipping immunizations does matter. In South Florida and elsewhere in the U.S., a few unvaccinated children have come down with cases of measles, chickenpox and whooping cough. Florida law says children cannot start school unless they have received all vaccinations that protect against nine contagious and potentially fatal childhood diseases. Every year, parents and school officials get headaches when children cannot be admitted on the first day of classes because of missing shots. Back-to-school Immunizations are especially important for children entering kindergarten and seventh grade, because different requirements begin at those grade levels. Vaccinations required for school include: - Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) –
Forty-five years ago (Cont'd from FP) Tuskegee has been up as one reason for the continued distrust between the Black community and health providers and medical researchers. “Tuskegee plays a significant role in the mindsets of the African American community,” said Lawrence J. Prograis Jr., a physician and adjunct professor at the Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University Medical Center who has written extensively about the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. “It made a significant impact of distrust within the community that still lingers on.” Freddie Lee Tyson was one of the men enrolled in the study. His daughter, Lillie Tyson Head, is the chairwoman of the Voices for Our Fathers Legacy Foundation, which represents the descendants of the men who were in the Tuske-gee study and works to preserve and share their life stories. She said the study still affects how she views the health care field. The fact that the study was carried out by “professionals that had the code of ethics and the swearing of healing and helping and aiding” has made her think twice about trusting health care providers, she said. The study ended decades ago, but Head said “it still has an impact on how your feelings are and how your trust is toward (health) professionals,” adding she sometimes feels apprehension about whether she is being told the truth. In 1974, Congress signed the National Research Act into law, creating the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research and establishing ethical guidelines for research involving humans. Today, human subjects in research studies have rights that ensure their autonomy, including informed consent and the right to leave a study at any time and for any reason. Every new study must also be reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board, which goes over the study’s protocols and determines whether its ethical standards pass muster. But many still feel uneasy about being a part of clinical research. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
Four or five doses of DTaP vaccine for babies and preschoolers. A booster dose, TDaP, before seventh grade. - Polio – Three to five doses of vaccine for babies and pre-
schoolers. - Measles, mumps, rubella (German measles) – Two doses of MMR vaccine for babies and preschoolers. - Varicella (chickenpox) –
Two doses of vaccine for babies and preschoolers. A booster dose before seventh grade. - Hepatitis B – Three doses of vaccine for babies. Parents can also consider additional protection for the children, by giving other immunizations that are not required for school but are recommended by federal health officials. These include vaccines against flu (every year starting at age six months), rotavirus (three doses for babies), Haemophilus influenzae B (three to four doses for babies), pneumococcal disease (four doses for babies), hepatitis A (two doses for babies), human papilloma virus (three doses at age 11 or older) and meningococcal disease (two doses at age 11 or older). But for back-to-school needs, DOH gives free shots provided through the federal Vaccines
AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 16, 2017 • PAGE 3 for Children program: · DOH-Broward – Free school shots at two Department health centers and Aug. 8 through Tuesday Aug. 23, 2016 at Lauderhill Mall, 1267 NW 40 Ave. Evening hours on Thursdays, family fun day / health fair on Saturday, Aug. 13. Details at http:// broward.floridahealth.gov/ programs-and-services/ clinical-and-nutritionservices/immunizations/ index.html or (954) 467-4705. At the mall, DOH-Broward will offer HPV and meningitis vaccines for adolescents.
· DOH-Palm Beach – Free school shots at Department health centers and a mobile van. Details at http:// palmbeach.floridahealth.gov/ programs-and-services/ clinical-and-nutritionservices/immunizations/ index.html or (561) 840-4568. · DOH-Miami-Dade – Free school shots at Department health centers and in the community. Details at http:// miamidade.floridahealth.gov/ programs-and-services/ clinical-and-nutritionservices/immunizations/ clinics/index.html or (786) 8450550.
The A. Philip Randolph National Educational Conference
Sirius XM Host Joe Madison, Actor Danny Glover and Dr. Ron Copeland, Kaiser Permanente. By Don Valentine The 48th annual national conference was held this past week on Hollywood beach in the luxurious Diplomat hotel. The theme this year, for the A. Philip Randolph Institute (A.P.R.I.), is “Stay Woke”. A message for our community to not become complacent given the precarious environment the Trump administration has fostered. The theme was eloquently
voiced by many of Florida’s prominent political staples. Our illustrious Congresswoman Fredrica Wilson opened the conference alongside A.F.L.C.I.O. representatives. This was a fitting tribute to the namesake of this organization, A. Philip Randolph. Mr. Randolph, as many recall, was the forefather of the Civil Rights Movement. He organized and led the “Brotherhood of Sleeping
Car Porters”. That was the first predominantly Black labor union. Given the era of “Jim Crow” laws his accomplishment was extremely courageous. The APRI is a labor and social justice organization which advocates on the behalf of African American workers across the nation. It was co-founded by Mr. Randolph and Bayard Rustin. They proposed a march on Washington to protest racial discrimination in war industries, an end to segregation and of the desegregation of the American Armed forces. Randolph’s vision of peaceful protest was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Mr. Randolph was the empirical predecessor to Dr. King, Congressman John Lewis, Reverend Jackson and Andrew Young, to name a few. The national crowd was also addressed by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Florida State Senators Tony Hill, Dwight Bullard, Tameeka Hobbs and keynote speaker Reverend Al Sharpton.
Traveling safely tto o and fr om school from 1. Teach children to always remain in clear view of the bus driver. 2. Teach children to sit and not move around on the school bus. 3. Teach children to always check to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing the street. 4. Wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb. 5. Children should always board and exit the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or to the school building. 6. If your child’s school bus has lap/shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one
at all times when in the bus. If your child’s school bus does not have lap/shoulder belts, en-
courage the school to buy or lease buses with lap/shoulder belts.
Dillard president to speak on a higher education campuses today. Speakers inreform panel clude Steven Benner, distinBy Brittany Ireland and L. Kasimu Harris Lkharris@dillard.edu NEW ORLEANS — In October, Walter M. Kimbrough, president of Dillard University, will join a cadre of voices from higher education, who will convene in Washington, DC, for the ATHENA Roundtable Conference. The discussions on academic freedom and accountability will feature university presidents, scholars, and trustees on changing education models and solutions to campus free speech issues. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), the leading nonprofit organization advocating for academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability in higher education, announced the conference theme and the distinguished speakers who will appear at its annual ATHENA Roundtable. Entitled “Restoring Excellence: Ideas that Work for 21st Century College Leadership,” the conference will feature two panel discussions with presentations and commentary
KIMBROUGH by nationally renowned higher education leaders and policymakers. The talk will be held on October 20, 2017, at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. Moderated by Catherine Rampell, opinion columnist for The Washington Post, “A Galvanizing Year for Free Speech: A Common Agenda for Academic Freedom,” will bring together prominent scholars and free speech advocates for a discussion on the embattled state of free expression on college
guished fellow of the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution and student member of the 1975 C. Vann Woodward Committee on Freedom of Expression at Yale, Philip Hamburger, the Maurice and Hilda Friedman professor of law at Columbia Law School, Walter M. Kimbrough, president of Dillard University, and Allison Stanger, professor of political science at Middlebury College. “I have been excited to be part of discussions about how we create a climate on campus where we can learn how to embrace difficult conversations from different perspectives,” Kimbrough said. “I learned a great deal from our hosting of a contentious U.S. Senate debate, and it is important to share that with my colleagues.” The second panel is “Money, Markets, and Management: The Changing Model of Higher Ed.” The conference is followed by the Philip Merrill Award Gala Dinner, where University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer will deliver keynote remarks.
Student loan complaints up a record 325% over last year, says CFPB By Charlene Crowell As students and their families begin preparing for another school year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is reporting a record increase over the past year in the number of student loan complaints. The 325 percent increase in complaints includes federal and private student loans, debt collection, and debt relief. According to Seth Frotman, CFPB Assistant Director and Student Loan Ombudsman, the growing connections between loans to gain educational credentials and the subsequent debt incurred that must be repaid – often on modest incomes – is a reallife dilemma. “[T]the public broadly shares the benefits of a highly educated professional workforce serving in their communities,” noted Frotman. “Yet, too often, the financial costs of these new credentials fall on individuals in careers with limited opportunity for wage growth to offset these costs.” When student loan industry practices that delay, defer, or deny access to critical consumer protections, additional burdens are borne along with the weight of debt owed. Little wonder, then, that consumers have contacted CFPB for assistance. Over 320 companies have been the source of complaints that CFPB received from March 2016 forward to April 1 of this year. The largest number of complaints, 11,500, concerned federal student loan servicing. Another 7,500 complaints were about private student loans. Issues with debt collection, however, affect both types of loans and generated 2,200 complaints. Navient, the nation’s largest student loan servicer, is also the leading servicer when it comes to complaints of debt collection concerning both private and federal student loans. Some 63 percent private student loan complainants identified dealing with the servicer or lender as the key issue, compared to nearly half at 34 percent whose problems were based on an inability to pay their loans. Readers may recall that earlier this year, CFPB sued Navient and two of its subsidiaries for allegedly using shortcuts and deception to cheat 12 million borrowers out of their rights to lower loan repayments. The firm’s loan servicing failures caused more than one-in-four borrowers to pay more than $4 billion in interest they should not have been charged from January 2010 to March 2015, according to CFPB’s complaint. As the litigation is still pending, it does not appear that Navient or other loan servicers have complied completely with the borrower options of Income-Driven Repayment (IDR), or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Both options offer debt relief to student loan borrowers. PSLF was designed to encourage student loan borrowers into public service careers and in return, receive partial loan forgiveness so long as all of the following four conditions were met: 1. A qualifying loan; 2. Enrollment in a qualifying repayment plan; 3. Qualified public service employment, such as teaching, law enforcement, social work, or public health; and 4. 120 on-time, qualified loan payments. What CFPB’s report found was that reported servicer problems were preventing borrowers’ from obtaining their PSLF benefits. Similarly, student loan borrowers hoping for affordable IDR payments have been similarly frustrated in initial enrollment and subsequent recertification with Navient and four other student loan servicers: ACS, AES/PHEAA, Great Lakes, and Nelnet. Among these five, two – AES/PHEAA and ACS – compiled the most IDR issues by complaints. It would be wise to resolve this recent surge in student loan complaints before this October when the Department of Education begins accepting applications for PSLF. To forge progress in this specific area, CFPB has recommendations to ensure that borrowers and servicers alike are treated fairly and in accordance with federal protections. In 2010, the Education Department made an effort to mitigate harms caused to borrowers based in incorrect information that servicers provided. In some of those cases, borrowers were enrolled when they were ineligible for the chosen payment plan. Information that is easy for borrowers to understand would be an important first step in improving borrower-servicer relations. Secondly, for families already enrolled in IDR, reductions or changes in family incomes should be promptly reported and recertified. Both the size of the family and income(s) are both factors that determine what is affordable under IDR. “Servicer breakdowns should never stand between a borrower and the relief they are entitled to under the law,” said Whitney Barkley-Denney, Senior Policy Counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending. “We must ensure that borrowers and their families are getting the information and help they need from servicers to make their payments affordable and to qualify for any relief programs they are eligible for.”
PAGE 4 • AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 16, 2017
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Conference
Women of Worth WOW Conference 2017 on Wednesday, Aug. 9 -13, at Sawgrass Grand Hotel & Suites, 3003 N. Univ. Dr., Sunrise, Fla. Conference host Apostle Helen Edwards. For cost and time call (954) 7333211.
Discussion A Call To Action on Friday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m., at Community Church of God, 1300 N.W. 19 Ct., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Hosted by R.I.P.A.Y.L. We as community need to be informed on how we answer the call when or Nation is in need for healing! For additional info (954) 527-4551.
Event CEC Annual Back to School event on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Washington Park Community Center, 5199 Pembroke Pines, Fla. Event to provide health information, immunizations, back to school supplies and haircuts. For more info contact Marika Guyton at (954) 5498602. EDUCATION MATTERS -Every Child Deserves A Chance
Class
Are you between the ages of 8-18 and interested in becoming a DJ, Music Producer or Audio Engineer in the future? Girls Make Beats and Ali Cultural Arts invite you to register for this class on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Ali Cultural Arts, 353 Hammondville Rd., Pompano Beach, Fla. There is a register fee. For additional info call (954) 786-7876 or an email to director@aliarts.org
Tournament
Fundraiser
Eta Nu Education Foundation presents Eta Nu Benefit Fundraiser honoring founder James L. Jones on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 7 to 10 p.m., at Parkland Golf & Country Club, 10001 Old Club Rd., Parkland Fla. Open bar, dinner, entertainment, live auction. For cost and and additional info call Harry Harrell at (954) 4451515 or visit www.etanu.org
Showcase
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Zeta Rho Omega Chapter and the AKAdemic Foundation are hosting the Seventh Annual Strike For A Cure Bowling Tournament, on Friday, Aug. 25, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., at SpareZ, 5325 S. Univ. Dr., Davie, Fla. There are costs for adults and children which include two hours of bowling, bowling shoes, food/soft drinks and a charitable contribution to Women In Distress of Broward County Inc. For additional info contacthealth@zetarhoomega.org or pay at www.AKA2017Strike.eventbrite.com.
Pompano Beach Cultural Center announces Summer Season Alyona Ushe to showcase Cultural Alliance Members and Community Spirit. All events will be held at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, 50 S.W. First Ave., Pompano Beach, Fla. · Sunday, Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. – Peter & the Wolf and the Music of Russia presented by South Florida Chamber Ensemble. · Sunday, Aug. 27 ay 7 p.m. - American Roots of Jamaican Music: The Legacy presented by Rootz of Music. For cost and additional info call Kay Renz at (561) 6548151.
Aging & Disability Resource Center for Broward County, Inc., Events
* Join the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Broward County, Inc. luncheon to recognize Executive Director Edith Lederberg’s 40 years of services on Friday, Aug. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Renaissance Plantation Hotel, 1330 S. Pine Island Rd., Plantation, Fla. For cost and additional info contact Cheryl Morrow at (954) 745-9567. * Aging & Disabiltiy Resource Center of Broward County presents The 25th Annual Minority Elderly Conference on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 in the Conference Center at Broward Health North, 201 E. Sample Rd., Deerfield Beach, Fla. Preregistration is required. Sessions are offered in English, Spanish, and Creole. For time and cost and additinal info call (954) 745-9567, Ext. 10247. * The Aging and Disability Resource Center will hold its 28th Annual Swing for Seniors Golf Tournament on Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at 9 a.m., at the Inverrary Country Club, in Lauderhill. For cost and additinal info contact Denise Jones at (954) 745-9567 x10216. email: jonesd@adrcbroward.org or visit the ADRC website at www.adrcbroward.org.
Training Program
The Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) presents this NACo Achievement Award-winning training program to provide small business and economic development support and technical assistance to the local business community · Opportunities for non-profits: The ABC’s of Accessing Broward County Human Services Dollars, on Saturday, Aug. 12, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at West Regional Library, 8601 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation, Fla. · NEW! Marketing Tips: How to make your small business Look Big, on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2 to 4 p.m., at Broward County Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave., Sixth Floor, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.. For more info contact the Community Relations and Outreach section by phone call (954) 357-6400.
Touch Weekly Events
· After- School Provider Training on Catch, Training for Nutrition Education in AfterSchool Programs on Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., one day instructor training (maximum 30 participants), and Wednesday, Aug. 9 and 10 from 8:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m., trainer certification (maximum 15 participants) at The Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium, 3700 N.W. 11 Pl., Lauderhill, Fla. * Note: must attend both days to bcome a certified Catch Trainer* · Back 2 School Health Fair on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Three Locations: Pompano Site - 168 N. Powerline Rd., Pompano Beach, Fla.; Central Broward Site1229 N.W. 40 Ave., Lauderhill, Fla.; West Park Site- 5801 W. Hallandale Beach, West Park, Fla. Join us for a day of free prizes, entertainment · Community Resource Fair Join us for health screenings on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Vincent Torres Memorial Park, 4331 N.W. 36 St., Lauderdale, Lakes, Fla., free care packages, free backpacks, school supplies, immunizations, and much more! Apply for resources on the spot! 50 agencies in attendance. · Back 2 School Bash - Friday, Aug. 18, 2017 from 6 to 9 p.m., at 609 N.W. Sixth Ave., Hallandale, Beach, Fla. Students, bring your friends and family to the City of Hallandale Beach's Free Back 2 School Bash! Games, free haircuts and more, school supplies and backpack giveaways. · Labor of Love Day - Save the date for a neighborhood revitalization event on Monday, Sept. 4, 2017 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at NW Ninth Ct., Fort Lauderdale, Fla (Between NW 27th Ave. & NW 28 Terr. · Back 2 School Event at The PATCH - Saturday, Aug. 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Dania Beach PATCH, 1201 W. Dania Beach Blvd., Dania Beach, Fla. Free backpack giveaways, free · Become an Enrollment Site! Help make access to free inperson and impartial assistance easy for your community by becoming an enrollment site. For contact info call Tina Hudson (954) 561-9681 x 1226.
Event Supplier Diversity Day on Friday, Aug. 25, from 11 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., at Omni Auditorium, Broward College North Campus, 1000 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek Fla. This special event will feature panel discussion to address barriers faced by small, minority and women-owned businesses in public contracting plus networking, one-on-one interviews and exhibitors.
Celebration Judah Worship Word Ministries, International will be celebrating Family and Friends Day on Sunday, Aug. 26, at 8:15 a.m., early morning Worship Services, at 4441 W. Sunrise Blvd., Plantation, Fla. The community is welcome. Free bags of groceries will be available for pick up after the 8:15 a.m., services. Apostle W.L. Mitchell, senior pastor. For more info call (954) 791-2999.
Happening 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. Writer Workshop on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at African American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For all ages are welcome to join writer’s workshop. Learn about character development and techniques to improve your story. For more info Darcia at (954) 3576170.
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WHAT WE BLACKS NEED TO DO Back to School—The Parents Responsibilities PROBLEMS: “Some” parents never meet their children’s teachers, attend PTA meetings, monitor homework assignments, discuss report cards, or monitor what their children wear to school. They don’t know how many credits are needed to graduate or how many their children have. They also leave too many important future planning decisions up to the school system and their children. SOLUTIONS: NOTE: If your plan is for one-year plant rice, three years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate your children. Confucius. 1. Only buy clothes you can afford for your children. Remind them that they will be briskly walking down the hall in a school, not sashaying down a fashion runway. Save some money for college or trade school. 2. Take your children to open house and meet all their teachers. 3. Your children’s school day should be the main topic of conversation at the dinner table every school night. Go through their daily schedule, ask them two questions. What did you learn today and do you have any homework? If their answers are repeatedly “nothing” and “no homework”, it is time for you to contact their teachers. 4. Put the dates of the interim reports and reports cards on your refrigerator calendar. Have a sit down one- on- one detailed discussion with your children about both. It is very important that you let them talk and defend their position. 5. Plan to have two hours each school night where you and your household have a lockdown. Cut off all electrical or batteryoperated TVs, gaming devices, and phones. Use that enrichment time for homework, reading, writing, and family discussions. 6. Never give up on your children. Keep encouraging them to respect themselves and others. Teach them how to take notes and study. After you have constructively criticized them, help them find a solution to that problem. Remember, if you watch your children for a long period of time, they will do something wrong and something right. Catch them doing something right each day
and give them a big hug as you praise them for doing well. Age and size does not matter; they are still your “baby”!!! 7. Take the time and have your children teach you how to use the Internet. You must monitor what they are reading, watching, writing, sending, and receiving pictures on line. No secret password for children in your “home”. 8. Buy a one-year subscription to your local Black Newspaper. Some cost less than $40 a year (4 large pizzas that will last about 15 minutes). This should be among the first reading materials you put in your home library. 9. In order for you to help your high school child follow the right educational track, you must know the answers to the questions below. If you don’t know, have your child and the school counselor guide you. A. How many credits does your child need in each of the following subjects to graduate: English____? Math___? Science___? Social Studies____? Health & PE___? Second Language_____? Computer Skills____? Electives____? B. How many does he or she have? C. What is his or her grade point average? D. What is his or her best subject? E. What is his or her ranking in the class? F. What is the grade point average required for the State University system? Community College? Trade School?
(Cont'd from FP) hand away, okay?’” Trump was referring to the police practice of assisting handcuffed suspects into the back of police vehicle and protecting their heads from hitting the door frame on the way in. Some of the officers in the audience chuckled at Trump’s remarks, but negative backlash from the law enforcement community quickly spread across Twitter. “As a department, we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners,” tweeted the Suffolk County Police Department. “The SCPD has strict rules and procedures relating to the handling of prisoners. Violations of those rules are treated extremely seriously.” The two tweets that referred to the president’s remarks in Long Island gained close to 100,000 likes. In reaction to Trump’s rhetoric, New York Police Commissioner James O’Neill said that to “suggest that police officers apply any standard in the use of force other than what is reasonable and necessary is irresponsible, unprofessional and sends the wrong message to law enforcement as well as the public.” In a tweet that would receive over 48,000 retweets and 148,000 likes, the Gainesville,
The Trump Administration is escalating its war on people of color (Cont'd from FP) This week, The New York Times revealed that the Trump administration is diverting the division’s resources to attack affirmative action efforts nationwide. Under the guise of protecting Asian students, the Trump administration seeks to shield white people from the specter of reverse discrimination and disrupt policies that help people of color gain educational opportunities. If the administration succeeds, countless people of color could face reconstructed barriers to higher education. Affirmative action plays a critical role in extending educational opportunities to all people of color. For centuries, racial discrimination prevented qualified candidates from enrolling in the nation’s top universities. Now, many universities prioritize diversity and recognize that it benefits all students on campus. Affirmative action’s benefits are made most clear when the effects of banning it are considered. For example, an analy-
sis by FiveThirtyEight found that minority representation is significantly lower in states that have banned affirmative action. Another study estimated that, compared to their peers, underrepresented minority students experienced a 23 percentage point decline in the likelihood of public college admission after state affirmative action bans came into effect. Beyond its many benefits (and the risks associated with banning it), academically selective universities and Fortune 500 companies support affirmative action on college campuses. Despite this clear evidence, opponents of educational equity have laid siege to affirmative action for years. Last year, an anti-affirmative action lawsuit made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the court ruled that race-conscious admissions programs are constitutional. In the court’s decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy underscored the value of diversity, writing for the majority, “A university is in large part defined by those intangible ‘qualities which are incapable
10. Bullying is a serious problem in every school and grade level. It can be face to face by text or on the internet. You need to have a discussion with your children on a plan of action telling them what to do and who to tell when it happens. Being able to quickly tell the names of the starting five on the NBA champions Golden State Warriors or the main characters in the many dramas on the Oprah Winfrey Network is good for sports entertainment conversation only. Meeting, learning the names and communicating with the five or more teachers that will teach your children this first semester is “priceless”. These are the people you must know. This is the parent’s responsibility!!! 3. John 1:4 -I have no greater joy than to hear my children walk in truth. James J. Hankins is a graduate of “all Black” Williston Senior High School, three-year U.S. Army veteran stationed in Germany, A&T State University alumna, retired vocational education teacher, past president of the New Hanover County Branch NAACP, seven years as construction manager of Youth Build Wilmington, NC, charter member Friends of Abraham Galloway and author of the book “What We Blacks Need To Do; To comment on his commentary or buy his book. E-mail him at jhan606@gmail.com
State diabetes prevention program goes into second year
The Black Archives History & Research Foundation kicks off Trump 'jokes' about police prutality (Cont'd from FP) It was originally restored in the 1980s and serve as one of the last monuments of the black economic independence and entrepreneurship at the turn of the 20th Century. The home is owned and managed by the Black Archives and remains a large piece of Miami’s history. The D.A. Dorsey House was owned by Dana Albert Dorsey, a black pioneer who came to Miami around 1892 with the railroad from Quitman, Georgia. It is said that with $25.00 he purchased his first parcel of land which he developed into a business empire. Through wise investments, Dorsey amassed the largest real estate holdings of any black man in the United States, becoming Miami’s first black millionaire. His numerous enterprises in Miami included the Dorsey Hotel, a popular gathering place in the 1920’s and a neighborhood dry good store. Dorsey had real estate holdings in Dade and Broward counties, Cuba and the Bahamas. Dorsey used his wealth and influence as a businessman and property owner to make significant contributions to the community. He donated the property at Northwest 71st Street and 17th Avenue to Dade County Public Schools, on which Dorsey High School was later built. He also donated land to the community’s first park and library. Through the years, the home has been battered by the elements, damaging the structure, inside and out. The City of Miami Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, has generously awarded the Black Archives a $150,000 grant to initiate the restorative process. In addition to the funds from the CRA, the Black Archives is seeking further funding for a full restoration, and to transform the historic space into a living monument to black entrepreneurship for public access. In addition to preservation, the money raised will be used to purchase of a life-sized animatronic version of D.A. Dorsey. This style of technology which will bring the stories of Dorsey’s contributions to life in an engaging and interactive format for people of all ages. The campaign has kicked off with a goal of $200,000. To make a donation towards the restoration go to www.gofundme.com/ RestoreHistoricDorseyHome. All campaign questions can be directed to The Black Archives at (786) 708 – 4610.
AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 16, 2017 • PAGE 5
of objective measurement but which make for greatness’… Considerable deference is owed to a university in defining those intangible characteristics, like student body diversity, that are central to its identity and educational mission.” Still, the Supreme Court’s ruling has not prevented the administration from seeking to undermine affirmative action. According to an internal document, the politically charged front office of the Civil Rights Division is recruiting lawyers to investigate and potentially sue universities for implementing programs designed to bolster student diversity. By engaging in such behavior, the administration discards decades of institutional precedent and sends a message that it rejects the notion that deference is owed to a university when it comes to prioritizing diversity. The Trump administration sought to downplay its actions by stating that it wants to prevent universities from discriminating against Asian students through affirmative action.
Fla., police department put out a message that read: “The @POTUS made remarks today that endorsed and condoned police brutality. GPD rejects these remarks and continues to serve with respect.” In an emailed letter to employees, acting Drug Enforcement Administrator Chuck Rosenberg wrote, “In writing to you, I seek to advance no political, partisan, or personal agenda. Nor do I believe that a Special Agent or Task Force Officer of the DEA would mistreat a defendant. I know that you would not.” Rosenberg’s letter continued: “I write to offer a strong re-
By Catherine Buckler Diabetes is one of the most common chronic illnesses in Florida’s state employee popuaffirmation of the operating principles to which we, as law enforcement professionals, adhere. I write because we have an obligation to speak out when something is wrong. That’s what law enforcement officers do. That’s what you do. We fix stuff. At least, we try.” Rosenberg said that law enforcement officers must earn and keep the public trust. “Ours is an honorable profession and, so, we will always act honorably,” Rosenberg wrote. A few days after Trump’s speech, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump was “joking” when he seemed to encourage police brutality at Suffolk County Community College.
Eddie Wiley: ‘HIV saved my life’ (Cont'd from FP) In 2014 Eddie Wiley became a different man. As he stared at the results of the rapid HIV test he took only to comfort a friend who was apprehensive about getting tested, he knew that his life would never be the same again. He now knew he was HIV positive. The then-24-year-old was crushed, and over the next several months, a gamut of emotions—denial, anger and despair—washed over Wiley, who had already been prone to bouts of depression before the diagnosis. But another emotion that plagued him was shame. He felt like a hypocrite and a fraud. For several years the Memphis, Tenn., native had been working in HIV/AIDS as an advocate and passionately fighting against the disease. He began his career as a volunteer in Memphis in 2005, talking to the community about the importance of condoms and HIV testing. In 2006 he’d moved to Little Rock, Ark., to become a youth-service specialist at the Jefferson Comprehensive Care System Inc., where he facilitated conversations for young Black MSM, helped them reduce their risk of contracting HIV and normalized HIV/AIDS testing. In 2012 he worked as a service specialist at ARcare, a primary care provider, where he handled Ryan White case management and enrolled new clients into the medical services. A year later, he’d moved back to Memphis to serve as a linkage-to-care coordinator for the Community Health and WellBeing section of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and then as an outreach supervisor. His responsibilities included connecting people newly diagnosed
with HIV to medical care and counseling MSM like himself about the disease. He was at Le Bonheur when he found out he was HIV positive. “I was embarrassed because I worked so hard to keep other people safe,” says Wiley. “But then I realized it wasn’t only the fact that I was HIV positive; it was the fact that I wasn’t telling them not to get positive—I was only telling them to try to not get positive.” Because he was devastated by his status and still mourning the loss of his father, who had died the year before, it took several months for Wiley to see a doctor, and when he finally did, he dropped out of care shortly thereafter. “I felt like a disappointment. Here I was, the person who links everyone to care, going to medical appointments with them, giving them coping mechanisms, but I wasn’t even going to my own appointments.” Finding Peace Wiley finally decided it was time to come to grips with his disease and get his life together. Through counseling, the help of family and friends, and a lot of prayer, he was able to pull himself out of depression and get back into care. “I am a natural helper—I help other people—but I didn’t know how to help myself. I had to let other people help. I got into counseling and I started doing the affirmations, got back into yoga and took a holistic health approach to my physical health,” he says. “I say I pulled myself out of it, but I can’t give myself that much credit. It was through other people’s encouragement and support. If it weren’t for prayers and my faith, I wouldn’t be here now. I probably would have driven off
lation. The state government and health insurers are working to crack down on the problem through Diabetes Prevention program. The Department of Management Services’ Division of State Group Insurance is teaming up with, Florida Blue and Capital Health Plan to offer state employees a 16-week diabetes prevention program. In a pilot program in April 2016, half of the participants who attended lost a combined total of 1,000 pounds after a minimum of nine classes. A structured lifestyle is said to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. The second run of the program kicks off this month.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER a bridge.” Even though he became at peace with his status, it wasn’t until the summer of 2016 that Wiley felt comfortable enough to start telling his clients he was HIV positive. “At first I would let it slip out here and there. I may have told two or three of my clients, but then my client load increased and I started to tell more of them because some of them were struggling so deeply,” he says. “I knew that my story would help me have a better connection with them. I used that as leverage to give myself the courage to talk to them. And after I told them, I felt empowered.” Today Wiley, 28, also serves as the prevention services manager at Friends for Life Corp. (FFL), an AIDS service organization, where he over-sees various HIV prevention grants for testing, advocacy, linkage to care, substance abuse and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). FFL also serves as a center for Black same-genderloving men. Wiley recently started the Maverick Movement on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr, where people can talk about HIV, depression, body shaming, domestic violence and mental health. The response has been amazing. “HIV actually saved my life,” Wiley admits. “It forced me to take myself serious. When I was giving a lot to my clients, my coworkers and my agency, I wasn’t giving enough to myself. Being able to say that I am living with HIV and I’m living with depression, I’ve become a better person. I thank HIV for giving me the opportunity to stop and become present in my life.” LaShieka Hunter is a freelance writer and editor based on Long Island, N.Y.
PAGE 6 • AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 16, 2017
Opinion
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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.
The Gantt Report
Modern day media devils By Lucius Gantt In the eyes of God, the very worst thing you can be is a hypocrite! You can’t go around saying you the Lord, you love the light, you love the life and you love the truth when you really love Satan, Lucifer and a variety of other devils! Many of America’s Black organizations, groups, teams, fraternities, sororities, churches, mosques, masjids, temples, schools, and businesses are facing and dealing with the same kind of hypocrisy! Today, no group is dealing with and facing more devilish and hypocritical attacks than America’s Black owners of media companies and institutions! As Black owned media companies are fighting a desperate struggle to stay in business, meet employee and staff payrolls and pay their bills to stay afloat, who other than a devil
would tell Black media to refuse advertising from a reputable, respected, trusted and loyal Black advertising agency? Who would tell Black newspapers, magazines, digital and internet firms, radio stations and TV stations to refuse advertising from a politician or political party if they are not the political party that spends less with Black businesses than any other political party? And, who would tell a hardworking, long time, professional Black owned media companies to hate the people that work hard to help you and shy away from the people that can generate money for you and have never had any issues in the past about paying you? I know the answer. The Black me dia devil! Well, the media devil is the person that gets business by throwing shade on the media Angels, pouring salt on the media innovators and lying about the history, experience and capabili-
ties the media business men and women that put Black media owners first and sometimes put themselves last. With so much commercial, governmental and political advertising money being spent these days, there is enough cash to go around. When Black owned media companies unite, Black owned media companies have power! When Black owned media companies work together, they have more strength. When Black media owners join together for a common cause, they can do more for their companies, more for our community and more for themselves! I’m not somebody that just heard about Black owned media. Black media pioneers and Black media icons took me under their wings and helped my fly. If you don’t like The Gantt Report, blame one of the Godfathers of Black owned media in America. Garth Reeves was the very first person to endorse and support The
The reality of whiteness in America in 2017 By Roger Caldwell Reverse discrimination is an old concept that was used in 1974 – charging racial discrimination against White people. And now in 2017, President Trump believes universities and affirmative action programs must be investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) citing whites are being discriminated against due to their race Under the Trump administration it is very important that “the American People” take back their country. When Republicans/Conservatives talk about the American people taking back their country, they really mean white people taking back their country. Something in 2017 is changing the thinking of white people. Whites are fearful those immigrants and other people of color want to take over the country and want to control the political system. As white people become more and more upset about the state of America, Donald Trump is their hero. In a recent poll, only 33% of the American people (mostly all white people) support Donald Trump. White people would have all Americans think that they believe in Democratic principles, equality, and everyone should have a fair opportunity to succeed. But that notion is a misnomer because white people enjoy their status in the country and the world, and they really don’t want things to change. White people have always had an advantage in America with their whiteness, and Donald Trump is fighting everyday to keep that a reality.The American society is based on class and race, and people know what class they are born into. Children know at a very early age what class they are born into, and parents expect their children to follow the family lineage. Whenit comes to race in America, children automatically know the white race is the privileged race in America. They understand from the very beginning that their race and class will provide them with advantages and
privileges. Very few will admit the truth, but no one desires to be poor. Trump has always understood that he’s rich and white. Whiteness has always been a banner of success in America, but in 2008, America began to change with the election of President Barack Obama. President Obama changed the way people of color viewed themselves. People of color begin to see America as a land of opportunity, and if you can dream it, you can achieve it. In the eight years that President Obama was the leader of America, something deep down in the soul of whiteness snapped. It did not matter if you were from the radical right or the radial left, and everything in the middle - whiteness was starting to lose its power. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
By Byler E. Henry Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned although he can currently help out many teams who need it at the quarterback position. The Bills, Jets, Texans, Bears, and Browns are in need of some quarterback help, and they have not taken meetings with him. Last season, Colin decided to kneel instead of stand during the anthem because he wanted to protest against the killing of unarmed Black men by police officers. Why is someone who is willing to protest for a worthy cause looked at as the villain? Many have condemned him for disrespecting the flag, although he has stated that he was not protest-
By Don Valentine
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.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund Deepens Corporate Diversity Recruitment Johnny Taylor, Jr., says that the Thurgood Marshall College Fund has designed a solution for employers seeking highly-talented diverse college graduates. By Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. (President & CEO, Thurgood Marshall College Fund) While “Diversity” is not a new term for the business world, it appears to be experiencing a resurgence of sorts lately. Every major corporation seems to be looking for employees from underrepresented groups—some, because they think these diverse perspectives will improve their corporate culture and make them better corporate citizens, while others believe it is simply “smart business” as they vie for future customers in an increasingly diverse country. But in all its attempts to make progress when it comes to recruiting future executives from America’s colleges, most employers continue to source their talent from the “usual suspects”—the same group of select colleges we all know—effectively ignoring deep pools of talented students attending other lesser-known or ranked schools. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has designed a solution for employers seeking highly-talented diverse college graduates. We work with our corporate partners to identify, develop and deploy diverse talent, tapping into pools of talent found on the campuses of our 47 publiclysupported Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs). Through this process, TMCF builds targeted, sustainable and diverse talent pipelines from HBCUs into corporate America and other major employers. Indeed, according to the National Science Foundation (NSF), of the top 25 undergraduate institutions whose graduates went on to complete STEM doctorates (2,280), 12 HBCUs outproduced prestigious institutions (“the usual suspects”) by 64 percent, and 30 percent of African American STEM doctoral recipients were HBCU undergraduates. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
Trump’s White House Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned - he is being circus continues ing against the military. It seems as if Black balled! many of the owners have decided to
Academics or athletics for your child? The enthusiasm for Pee Wee football in the Black community has run amok. Take a close look as you pass your local park this fall and you will see an alarming sight. The parking lot at your neighborhood park is inundated with enthusiastic dads pushing their sons to play football. Pee Wee football starts at the early age of five, six, seven and eight-yearold. Would our community [Black or white] be better served by putting that same preparation into honing those children’s academic skills? I posit that learning the paradigms for reading and math builds a better foundation than learning tackling techniques. An old adage says Numbers, Never Lie!” The N.F.L. has 32 teams. Each team has 53 players on the active roster and up to 10 on the “taxi squad”. That equates to 3,276 jobs for players in the league. Now contrast that to the approximate 43 million Black citizens. The math will not mislead you on the chances of getting on the N.F.L. payroll. 3,300 is not a promising percentage for your son to make his mark in society. My guess is that the health risks for
Gantt Report when it started as a newsletter, became a newspaper and became the internationally known opinion column it is today! Charles Cherry, Ike Williams, Cleve Johnson, Levi Henry, Les Humphries and other Black media icons joined to make me a President of the Southeast Black Publishers Association during a time when Black newspapers thrived and progressed. Back then media ownership wasn’t always a bowl of cherries. Newspaper publishers fussed and cussed about policies and procedures, about personal relations and many of the things that bother Black media owners today. But they stuck together. I remember when two or three publishers would bring guns to media meetings, but they never fired on each other. They were just ready to fight anyone and everyone that wanted to divide and conquer the Black press, anyone that wanted to attack the Black press and anyone that would lie on Black media owners and set up fake media organizations in order to use and misuse the Black owned media companies that we all loved so much. Don’t let the modern day media devils divide and conquer Black owned media companies. Young publishers and other media owners that inherited media firms from your parents and grandparents, it would behoove you to learn Black media history. The media devil is tricky. Print and broadcast satan is trying to make you think your media friend is your enemy and your enemy is your friend. Ask questions and compare backgrounds of people that come to you. Some Black media people have hopes and dreams while media devils like plots and schemes! (Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. Contact L u c i u s at www.allworldconsultants.net. And, if you want to, “Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook.)
TMCF: Deepening corporate diversity recruitment
an Accountant, Dentist or Attorney are not close to that of an aspiring N.F.L. athlete. How many Real Estate Agents do you know that have C.T.E. issues? As an educator it is disgusting to pass these parks. It is depressing to see the energy wasted on investing in what amounts to a lottery ticket on our youth. Share with your family and peers the lasting reward of applying that effort to educating our youth. The average tenure for the lottery winners that make it to the league is around three years. What do you think the earning years are for an Electrical Engineer might be? [15-40 years]. Then again, you could invest the time into hoping little “Johnny” becomes the next Odell Beckham Jr.
not meet or sign Kaepernick to make an example out of him, “When you step out of line this is what happens to you. Nobody else get any ideas or you’re next. Stand up for the anthem, shut your mouth and play boy.” Their actions are dictating a slave master’s mentality. If Colin had not protested, he would have been signed a long time ago by a new team, or the 49ers would have brought him back. Here is his NFL body of work: he took over as the 49ers quarterback when Alex Smith suffered a concussion. In 2013, he led the 49ers to the Super Bowl going 243 of 416 passing for 3,197 yards with 21 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Many of the quarterbacks who have been signed have not even made the playoffs including Matt Barkley, Brian Hoyer, Mark Sanchez,and Mike Glennon, all of whom have received a contract while Kaepernick, who has proven he can be a starting quarterback, still has not been signed. There are not many athletes today who are willing to speak out because of fear of retribution. Colin has shown an act of courage to stand up for what he believes in, especially having no fear of risking being hated by some. Many prominent people have been hated for standing up for their beliefs. Muhammad Ali was an athlete who refused to go to the Vietnam War because he refused to fight for a country who oppressed him. As a result he was stripped of his world heavyweight title, denied a boxing license from March of 1967 to October 1970. Kaepernick is risking endorsements and losing money by standing up for what he believes in and I commend him for it. Since he is standing up for our community, we need to show him our support. Since America is a capitalistic society, we should hit the owners where it hurts to get our point across, which is in their pockets. We should boycott the NFL by not buying their merchandise, not watching their games on TV, and not buying tickets to their games. Also, don’t buy the Madden NFL 18 video game until Colin is signed. Even though football is beloved by many, the issue Colin is bringing awareness to is more important than the games on Sunday. To fill the void of football, we also have the NBA and the MLB to look forward to. Since Colin has decided to stand up for us, let’s do the same for him.
Anthony Scaramucci lasted 10 days as White House Communications Director. In this photo, SkyBridge Capital found er Anthony Scaramucci speaks at the 2016 SkyBridge Alternatives “SALT” Conference at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. (Jdarsie11/Wikimedia Commons By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor) In only six months in the White House, the Trump Administration has delivered the shortest tenure of any White House Chief of Staff in United States history (189 days) and the shortest tenure for a White House Communications Director (10 days). President Trump’s former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, holds the record for the shortest tenure of any National Security Advisor in U.S. history (24 days). On July 21, Anthony Scaramucci made his debut as the new White House Communications Director in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House. It was a smooth-talking, personality-driven press conference; Scaramucci showed all the signs that he was ready for prime time as newly-appointed White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stood nearby. The political commentator and capital management executive took question after question and many political observers called Scaramucci Trump’s “Mini Me.” The conservative New York Post ran a cover that depicted the jungleset reality TV show “Survivor” featuring several current White House employees including Counselor to President Trump Kellyanne Conway; then-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus; senior advisor to President Trump Jared Kushner; and then-White House Communication Director Anthony Scaramucci. It turns out the cover was extremely well timed. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
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BUSINESS
Westside Gazette
AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 16, 2017 • PAGE 7
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PEMBROKE PINES, FL – Jeremiah, age 16, came into foster care with his two brothers due to parental neglect. He and his siblings have called Children’s Harbor, a family style group home facility, ‘home’ for the past three years. Jeremiah is very shy and struggled fitting in at high school. Feeling like an outsider, Jeremiah’s academic performance suffered and he lacked the motivation to improve his grades. Over 60% of youth will exit the foster care system without a high school diploma. Knowing that success in school can act as a positive counterbalance to a childhood filled with
abuse and neglect; Children’s Harbor teamed up with ChildNet, the lead child welfare agency for Broward & Palm Beach counties, to develop the Grounded for Life Program. Grounded for Life, funded by the AT&T Aspire grant, provides youth like Jeremiah a Graduation Coach who will meet with them individually once a week to help improve their basic skills, provide support and tutoring, encourage school participation, set personal educational goals, develop problem solving skills, and inspire them to become lifelong learners. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
Russell Simmons inspires youth with “Keep The Peace” program
Russell Simmons takes a selfie with a student from the Community Coalition’s Freedom School, during RushCard’s “Keep The Peace” initiative at the University of Southern California. (Andre L. Perry/Los Angeles Sentinel) By Shaquille Woods (Los Angeles Sentinel/NNPA Member) Hip-hop mogul Russell Sim- 75 young people from southern mons recently hosted an event Los Angeles filled the room. for RushCard’s “Keep The (Read full story at: Peace” initiative at the Univerwww.thewestsidegazette.com) sity of Southern California; over
PAGE 8 • AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 16, 2017
AF amily T hat Prays T ogether, Stays T ogether Family That Together, Together
Church Directory
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"
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Westside Gazette 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
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 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” 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!”
Honor your loved ones in the Westside Gazette Newspaper Call -- (954) 525-1489 * In Memoriam * Happy Birthday Remembrance * Death Notice * Obituaires * Cards Of Thanks
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
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.
James C. Boyd Funeral Home
Roy Mizell & Kurtz Funeral Home
HUGHES Funeral services for the late Cathy Diane Cook-Hughes 55 were held August 5 at New Hope Baptist Church with Rev. Ricky Scott officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.
LENNON Funeral services for the late Cassidy Danielle Lennon – 8 years-old were held August 5 at Mount Hermon A.M.E. Church with Rev. Henry E. Green Jr. officiating. Interment: Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
McWhite's Funeral Home STURRUP Funeral services for the late Aveion Sturrup were held August 5 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Bettin Greene officiating.
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 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 Rev Henry E. Green, Jr. PASTOR 401 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Phone: (954) 463-6309 - FAX 954 522-4113 Office Hours: Tues. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Email: infor@mthermonftl.com
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES Worship Service ................................................................................... 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”
Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, Oakland Park "The Miracle On 33rd Street" 420 N.E. 33rd Street Oakland Park, Florida 33334 Church: (954) 563-3060 Email: mtzion420@gmail.com
Rev. George A. Hardy, Pastor SERVICES Sunday Church School ................................................................... 8:45 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship ........................................................... 10:00 a.m. Tuesday Night (Family Prayer & Bible Study) ........................... 7:00 p.m. Wednesday (Prayer Conference Line) ................................................ 8:00 p.m. (Dail (786) 233-6715 - Acess Code 703513) Oakland Park CDC (Senior Activity Center) Daily ............10 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say d. say,, on the Lor Lord. Psalm 27:14
ROBINSON Funeral services for the late Robert Sherman Robinson 91 were held August 5 at First Baptist Church Piney Grove with Rev. Derrick J. Hughes officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens. WHITE Funeral services for the late Leon White, Jr. - 71 were held August 5 at Roy Mizell and Kurtz Worship Center with Bishop Charlie E. Williams officiating. Interment: West Lawn Cemetery.
Q & A: What does Reverend Deal say this week!
'Your body is a weapon against Satan'
Question: Brother James asked: why is it important for a Christian to work out? Answer: Paul says in Romans 6:13: Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes’ (GNB). In other words your body should be used as a weapon against Satan. When it is time to fight, when it is ‘crunch time’ our bodies should be a fine tune weapon for the Lord. Your body is a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1), our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor 6:19-20). Emphasis should be placed on keeping a sound body. One of the great doctrines of our faith is the Doctrine of Divine Healing. When you have been healed from a physical dilemma you should work diligently for God. God loves you more than anything imaginable. That is why God sacrificed His only Son for you to have everlasting life. God expects you to have a spiritual body as well as a good physical body. Through-out Scripture one can find evidence of physical exertion to maintain your body. Isaiah speaks about a swimmer spreading his hands (Isaiah 25:11). John the Revelator expressed that we are good in health as well as in spirit (3 John 1:2). Paul mentions that physical exercise has some value’ (1 Tim 4:8). Paul speaks about being involved in an Olympic type event with strict discipline training’ (1 Corin 9:24-27). The Bible tells us to eat healthy, and not to get drunk. It is a hard task to concentrate on what the Lord is saying when you are experiencing physical turmoil. We must do all we can to workout. Start a training regimen. There are a host of local parks to take a walk. Instead of using the elevator take the stairs. Utilize better eating habits, lose some weight, cut down on the drinking and smoking. Fight time is here. God needs a spiritual mind as well as a physical body. Reverend David Deal is the senior pastor at Every Christian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Rev Deal can be reached at the Westside Gazette, 545 NW Seventh Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Fla 33311, or by email at David.Deal55@gmail.com.
Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart -- Proverbs 3:5
Pastor Dwight McKissic explains why his church is staying in the Southern Baptist Convention
Texas pastor Dwight McKissic moved to bring his proposal on the “alt-right” to messengers Tuesday June 13, 2017. (Photo: Baptist Press/Van Payne) By William Dwight McKissic, Sr. Lawrence Ware’s recent New York Times op-ed, “Why I’m Leaving The Southern Baptist Convention,” raised questions about race and the future of the country’s largest Protestant denomination, which claims more than 15 million members. As a Black pastor and the author of the SBC’s recent “Alt-Right Resolution,” many have asked me about my commitment to the convention. I almost left the SBC 11 years ago, but I remain committed to the larger cause. Even when we do not fit well together, when we don’t understand each other and when we struggle to like each other, we need each other. Cornerstone Baptist Church, where I pastor in Arlington, Tex., has been greatly helped by the SBC since we decided to join the SBC 33 years ago. The SBC needs pastors like me and multicultural congregations like the one I pastor to accomplish our shared mission to evangelize the entire world for Christ. Believe me, there are plenty of things in the SBC that make me uncomfortable, and I don’t always agree with the decisions made by the most prominent leaders in the SBC. In 2006, I spoke out against certain policies of the SBC’s International Mission Board regarding missionaries that have since been reversed. Everyone did not appreciate my criticism, and I considered leaving the SBC, but I stayed. Some have called me “the racial conscience of the SBC” as I have spoken on the need for racial inclusion and empowerment. Many deny or even acknowledge that the SBC preserves a white-dominated culture. But until it is acknowledged and addressed, all SBC constituents will not share equitably in decision-making. Many SBC leaders are uncomfortable with discussing racial inequity within their ranks. I understand being uncomfortable; it is uncomfortable for me and some of my colleagues to feel like we are in someone else’s house — invited for dinner, but told to sit at the kids’ table instead of with the grown-ups, who are calling the shots for the whole party.
A resolution I submitted for consideration this year dealt with the alt-right movement and the white supremacist ideology that animates it. Even though it ultimately passed in an edited form, the resolutions committee initially rejected it. Whether the committee’s members consider it a factor in their decision, the panel is largely made up of people who are white, people with historical power and privilege. Of course, you have what you are born with, but people with power and privilege need the voice of racial minorities to understand our different experiences. Because the committee contained only one African American member out of 10 members, the panel failed to prioritize the need to subvert white supremacy in all its expressions. I don’t like seeing minorities underrepresented on stage and in leadership at the annual SBC meetings. I’m thankful many of our churches have racial minorities playing in bands and praise teams, but bands and praise teams don’t make the decisions that affect all SBC churches. Committees, employees and trustees make the decisions that have the largest impact on all of our churches. Unfortunately, some people view my church’s dual alignment with the National Baptist Convention (NBC) — the country’s largest majorityBlack denomination, with 7.5 million members — as “twotiming.” How quickly some forget the SBC has not always co-operated with pastors who share my skin color. There’s nothing wrong with having two friendships, one long and reliable, the other new and growing. Despite these challenges, I am remaining a Southern Baptist for three reasons. First, my roots with and respect for the SBC run deep. My childhood home was always filled with Southern Baptist books, hymnals and literature. We often shared positive and powerful interactions with Southern Baptists in various venues and contexts in my early years. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
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Westside Gazette
AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 16, 2017 • PAGE 9
New education state plans receive mixed reviews Educa ye xper ts 'disa ppointed' b y some ESSA sta te plans Education policy exper xperts 'disappointed' by state tion polic Newswire Contributor) Education policy experts have expressed serious concerns about some of the state plans submitted under the Every Student Succeeds Act. President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law in December 2015. The law replaces the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act; states will begin implementing ESSA in the fall. Erika McConduit, the president and CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana, said that some ESSA state plans have failed to take into account the academic performance of historically disadvantaged students. There’s also a lack of clarity on how many poor-performing
schools would be identified as needing improvement, or what actions would be required to show they’ve improved, said McConduit, who served as one of the policy experts that recently reviewed more than a dozen state education proposals that were submitted to the Department of Education. “While [we] do believe that states obviously have a vested interest in wanting to advance the outcomes of students, there is cause for concern when it comes to accountability,” McConduit said. Federal oversight has always provided a layer of accountability, ensuring there are checks and balances; those protections may no longer be available under some of the plans that been reviewed, which wor-
ries education advocates, like McConduit. McConduit, who earned a mass communications degree from Howard University and a law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, said that as states transition from NCLB to ESSA, education advocates don’t want to lose any ground that has been gained in closing the achievement gap between Black and White students. Recently, McConduit worked with a group of education policy experts organized by the Collaborative for Student Success and Bellweather Education Partners to review state accountability plans. The Howard University graduate also took part in the Education Trust’s “ESSA Boot Camp
II: Advocating for Equity and Achievement in ESSA Implementation,” which focused on rating systems for schools, and support and improvement for struggling schools. McConduit said that it’s difficult to say that ESSA will be successful across the board. “What we have seen in the peer review process—not all states have submitted and we’re looking at a fraction so far— some [state officials] have really focused on designing [good] plans,” she said. “We’ve also been disappointed with some states who really did not resolve critical details in advance of submitting their plans.” As a reviewer and a leader of a civil rights organization, McConduit said that she worked deeply on Louisiana’s plan,
Covering all Florida’s Children with health insurance
More than 283,000 Florida children do not have health insurance — the third largest number in the nation. Because of that, they do not receive adequate care, do not seek prompt treatment when they are ill, and when they do enter a hospital, are 1.5 times as likely to die there as are insured children. Working with others to address this problem, The
Movement is engaging in costeffective targeted enrollment efforts in the Florida KidCare program, particularly through school-based efforts and a local grassroots outreach campaign. The inability to make health insurance accessible to Florida’s most vulnerable citizens is not acceptable. Now is the time for action to provide quality, coordinated health care for all
its children. When we allow almost one of every 15 Florida children to languish without coverage, we not only compromise their health, but also hinder their chance at success in life. Research shows that those with better childhood health earn and save more money, are more productive, and are less dependent on welfare and public subsidies. Children without health insurance will not only miss out on opportunities to succeed in the future – they also are taking a toll on our state’s economy today. Uninsured children tend to visit the hospital more often for problems that could have been avoided through adequate primary care, and they are less successful in school. Here are two ways to fix this: · We must insure all of Florida’s children. Most of Florida’s uninsured children are already eligible for Florida KidCare, our state’s health insurance program for children without private insurance, but
Mentoring Mentoring programs connect children with caring adults and create the structure for a nurturing relationship. The Movement, working with partners from around the state and through the support of longtime early-childhoodadvocates Carol and Barney Barnett of Lakelan, launched ReadingPals in fall 2011 as an early learning and mentoring initiative focused on†literacy. The goal: Provide mentors from the private sector for children from VPK to third grade. Volunteers must commit to one hour a week for at least 25 weeks to ensure more children are reading at grade level by third grade. We continue to push this call for volunteers vigorously through 15 regions and the almost 100,000 Floridians we
communicate with weekly. We would seek community volunteers from all walks of life throughout this state. All children need caring adults in their lives to offer guidance, serve as role models, give emotional support and provide new experiences. Research shows these ongoing relationships result in increased school
attendance, increased graduation rates, reduced use of alcohol and illegal drugs, improved attitudes toward the future, and lower levels of problem behaviors such as bullying. Such involvement may be especially important for at-risk children who often live in more stressful environments. Return-
Access to screening, diagnosis and services for healthy Child de velopm en developm velopmen entt Many children have special needs, temporarily or throughout their lives. Others at risk can avoid permanent disability if helped early. Information and support – online, by phone and in the community – are needed to help parents through these challenges. Unfortunately, many do not know how or where to find help. Together, we must put this information at parents’ fingertips if there’s reason to be concerned. Florida’s future depends on its children, and so we have an obligation to help them develop to their full potential. Unfortunately, the approach to helping children with special needs is inadequate. This failure to assist those children adds to the economic burden on Florida’s families. These costs will only grow in the future, when today’s children may fail to develop into successful adults. Untreated special needs also
incur long-term costs. Children who do not receive early identification and intervention have more difficulty succeeding in life and are more likely to get into trouble. Estimates indicate that early screening and treatment of special needs can save $30,000 to $100,000 per child over the long run. Research by The Washington Economics Group shows that every dollar spent by the state to improve the health and wellbeing of children creates an aggregate total of $4.55 in economic output. That is a return of 455 percent on in-vestment. We must expand the availability of services such as Early Steps, Child Find and Help Me Grow to prevent children from slipping through the cracks. Florida must address these persistent issues: The absence of statewide coordination of services and funding. The failure to share best interventions. Service gaps. No assurance of timely
access to service. Insufficient high-quality data to evaluate outcomes. We must create a single entity that represents parents, state agencies, child development experts and providers and that works to develop a database of best interventions, existing services and eligibility, geographic coverage and evaluation data. With common-sense investment, Florida can transform itself into a state that leads the nation in promoting healthy children, giving them the tools they need and deserve to achieve success in life.
many parents don’t know that their children are eligible or may not know how to enroll in the program. We must launch a grassroots and mass media effort to make sure that all of Florida’s families have the facts about KidCare and, if eligible, can enroll. We also must expand KidCare eligibility to children of state employees and to families that earn 201-300 percent of the federal poverty line in order to take advantage of federal funding and enroll more kids. · We must make sure that children have what is called a “medical home.” This means having a provider who knows the child, has access to health records, and who can make sure that care is coordinated. Coordinated care cuts down on costs, both by improving prevention and by limiting duplicative care. North Carolina launched a coordinated care effort several years ago that saved the state an astounding $231 million for fiscal years 2005 and 2006. on-investment studies have estimated a return of $4.89 for every $1 invested in mentoring programs, with some studies showing returns as high as $8.18 for closely targeted programs to reduce property crimes among high-risk youth. A highly cost-effective strategy, mentoring can make a tremendous difference for our youth. Florida has been the national leader in mentoring and can reestablish this position through focus, sustained leadership and funding. This investment has the potential to improve dramatically the prospects of young people in Florida. Join ReadingPals today to help make a difference in the lives of children in need.
making sure that certain components were included. McConduit said that she was disappointed to see how some states did not move to flesh out thorough plans. “We know there are gaps, historic gaps, where there have always been groups of students left out of the mainstream,” McConduit said. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) ESSA requires, “each state to create a plan for its statewide accountability system. In particular, ESSA calls for state plans that include strategies for reporting education outcomes by grade for all students and for economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and English learners.” (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
McConduit, the president and CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana expressed concerns about ESSA state plans that she reviewed with a group of education policy experts. (Urban League of Louisiana) By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA
Back-to-school does not have to mean back-to-worrying. Though safety inside school is ultimately the responsibility of the security professionals, principal and school staff, parents can take a few basic steps make sure their kids are safe. Here are a few guidelines. 1. Learn the protocol. Important phone numbers, and all sort of other information relevant to emergencies are often printed in school handbooks and posted in classrooms. Familiarize yourself and your child, so that he/she has the necessary information in case they need to make quick decisions. Children should be aware of all emergency exits in the building. 2. Follow the rules. If the security guards require signing in when visiting the school, be sure to oblige as it is only for the benefit of your child. The same holds true for schools that require visitors to be escorted when walking through the building, or wearing a visitor pass. Parents who respect their children’s school raise children who respect their environment as well. 3. Communicate. From food allergies to disabilities, it is in your best interest to make sure that the schools know everything they need to know about your child. If your son or daughter has been subject to bullying, or exposed to other difficult behaviors, the teacher or principal should keep an eye on them to ensure safety. Make sure all relevant people are informed. 4. The alternate path. Fire trucks, ambulances or other emergency vehicles can obstruct roads and change traffic patterns. Children who walk or bike to school should be familiar with more than one path home. 5. Talk with your child. Children do not necessary understand vague sweeping statements so make sure to be specific. They should know to take their feelings seriously and recognize if a situation does not seem normal or is fearful. Give the children tools by explaining what to do in a tense situation,. For example, find a teacher or call 911. Make sure he/she knows how to contact you or a trusted neighbor who is likely to be at home. 6. Get involved. Talk with the principal about providing proper security at all times. All schools should have trained professionals making sure that our most valuable resources, our children, are safe at all times. As an approved provider for the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) ISSM Protectie Services hires only the best guards. We take the safety of school children to heart.
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Cha’iel Johnson sets new AAU Club Nationals record
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Westside Gazette with Louis Gossett, Jr., prior to the Gala. In addition, “Forgiveness,” a short film written and directed by Satie Gossett, will be screened on Thursday evening. The CCBFF Opening Night Gala will be preceded by a cocktail reception and a “Living Art Gallery” display at 7 p.m. “We are incredibly excited and humbled that Louis Gos-
sett, Jr., will be with us as we celebrate our 5th Anniversary. His are the shoulders on which we stand as we present the wealth of filmmaking and acting talent that exists in the African American community,” said Winston G. Williams, Executive Director of the Capital City Black Film Festival. “We hold Mr. Gossett, Jr., in the highest regard, as do millions
around the world, for his character and integrity, his immense talent and the magic he brings to the stage and screen.” World Premieres Premieres Friday, August 18th. Breaking Brooklyn tells the story of a 12-year-old boy with a passion for dance and his brother who are rescued from the streets by an old showman (Louis Gossett, Jr.) who
takes them in to live with his estranged former dancing partner/brother (Vondie CurtisHall). Breaking Brooklyn is directed by Paul Becker and written by Paul Becker and Rory Owen Delaney. The movie stars Colin Critchley, Madeleine Mantock and Catherine Curtin. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
LEGAL NOTICES
Cha’iel Johnson By Byler Henry Cha’iel Johnson is making headlines at the AAU National Club Championships in Orlando, Florida. So far she has already won two events and still has the 400m final left to go on Saturday. She set a new AAU Club Nationals record in the 800m with a time of 2:14.80, winning the competition by almost a full second. She also had a dominant 1500m win with a time of 4:47.92, her first ever 1500m race. In the preliminary round she ran 59.38 in the 400m, the third fastest qualifier behind Olicia Lucas who ran 59.34 and Kylee Bernard
with a time of 59.38. However, Cha’iel leads the nation among 12-year-olds with her personal best of 56.48. Ashton Lindley set the AAU Club Nationals 12-year-old 400m record with a time of 55.76 in 2014, so there is another record that could be broken. Cha’iel also will compete at the USATF Junior Olympics in Kansas and the AAU Junior Olympics in Michigan later this summer. She currently represents Miami Gardens Xpress (MGX) and is coached by Darius Lawshea, who also oversees the development and training of Tyrese Cooper, the national high school record holder for the 300m.
Capital City Black Film Festival to honor Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Winner Louis Gossett, Jr. at the Festival’s 2017 opening night gala — Two World Premieres – “Breaking Brooklyn” and “The Reason” – Featuring Louis Gossett, Jr., Will Be Screened at the Festival — Louis Gossett, Jr. to appear at the 2017 Capital City Black Film Festival AUSTIN, TX — The Capital City Black Film Festival
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. August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2017
(CCBFF) today announced that Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy winner Louis Gossett, Jr., will be honored at the film festival’s Opening Night Gala on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, at the Austin Convention Center. This year marks the Festival’s 5th Anniversary of showcasing the best in Black independent film from the brightest minds in filmmaking. Each year, CCBFF’s Opening Night Gala elevates the arts and honors those who have paved the way for artists and entertainers of color. Louis Gossett, Jr., will receive the Harlem Lights! Living Legend Award at the Gala on Thursday at 8 p.m. The award is named in honor of East Austin’s legendary Harlem Theater, which served African American moviegoers from 1935 to 1973. At that time, the Harlem Theater was one of only seven Blackowned theaters in the country. VIP Pass holders will be treated to a special Meet-and-Greet
(Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
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In The Armed Forces ables the ship to conduct longrange surveillance, tracking, and engagement of short and medium-range ballistic missiles. “My Sailors are the heart and soul of this ship, and I absolutely have the best of the best. They have that adventurous spirit, and they truly want to be here,” said Cmdr. Andria Slough, Commanding Officer, USS Porter. “They’re a phenomenal group and are always willing to tackle any challenge and excel at every mission this ship is assigned. I feel pri-
Westside Gazette vileged to be the Captain of such a talented and dedicated group of hard working men and women.” Approximately 30 officers and 300 enlisted men and women make up the ship’s company. Their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry and everything in between. “The command makes serving enjoyable and that is why the camaraderie is so good,” said Zamora. “I also enjoy traveling to a lot of places. I have
been to 11 countries.” Although it is difficult for most people to imagine living on a ship, the challenging living conditions build strong fellowship among the crew. The crew is highly motivated, and quickly adapt to changing conditions. It is a busy life of specialized work, watches, and drills. As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Zamora and other Porter sailors know they are part of a legacy that will be last beyond their lifetimes. “I get to serve and give back,” said Zamora. “We are a part of the camaraderie.”
MCINTOSH U.S. Air Force Airman Bianca S. McIntosh graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San AntonioLackland, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. McIntosh is the daughter of Debbian C. Reynolds of Tamarac, Fla., and Brian D. McIntosh of Lauderhill, Fla., sister of Breanna S. McIntosh of Lauderhill, Fla., and grand-daughter of Janette and Ansel McIntosh of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. She is a 2016 graduate of Piper High School, Sunrise, Fla.
WILLIAMS U.S. Air Force Airman Darius D. Williams graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Williams is the son of Lennox and Liana Elliott of Lauderhill, Fla. By Navy Office of Community Outreach ROTA, SPAIN – A John Bound High School graduate and Miami native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Porter. Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Zamora is a culinary specialist aboard the forward-deployed Arleigh Burkeclass guided missile destroyer operating out of Rota, Spain. Porter is one of four destroyers homeported in Rota. A Navy culinary specialist is responsible for ships services such as laundry, meal preparations, and the barbershop. “I love to prepare good food for the crew,” said Zamoran. “It makes me feel good to know that they appreciate the time and effort put into it.” Commissioned in 1999, the Arleigh Burke-class guidedmissile destroyer, Porter, is 509 feet long; the length of more than 3 football fields. The ship is named after Commodore David Porter and his son, Adm. David Dixon Porter. Porter is a tactical multi-mission surface combatant capable of conducting anti-air submarine surface warfare in conjunction with being outfitted with aegis ballistic missile defense capabilities. BMD en-
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ZAMORA
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Gwendolyn Br ooks won the Pulitzer Prize while living in a housing pr oject Brooks project
Poet Gwendolyn Brooks (inset) lived in Chicago’s Ivy Park Homes, formerly known as the Princeton Park housing project, when she won the Pulitzer Prize in 1950. (Erick Johnson/Chicago Crusader) By Erick Johnson (Chicago Crusader/NNPA Member) Gwendolyn Brooks’ apartment was dark on May 1, 1950. The brilliant, award-winning Black poet, who wrote about life on Chicago’s South Side, had not paid her electric bill.
With no electrical power, little money and a nine-year old son to feed Brooks made headlines around the world while living in a housing project. A reporter called Brooks and told her that she had won a Pulitzer award, one of the most prestigious prizes in literature. At 32-years-old, Brooks crashed the white-dominated literary world as the first Black woman to win the award. When Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize with her publisher Harper Row in 1950, she received $500, which is equivalent to about $5,000 today, when adjusted for inflation. Today, the Pulitzer comes with a $15,000 cash award. The achievement was important for Brooks’ career, but how she lived was not completely different than other working-class Black women in the 1950s. (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
WV SU vice pr esident wins N ational WVSU president National Leader ship A war d Leadership Aw ard By Brittany Ireland INSTITUTE, W.VA. – West Virginia State University Vice President for Research and Public Service Dr. Orlando F. McMeans is the Association of Research Directors (ARD) recipient of the 2017 Leadership Award from the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP), a division of the national Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). ESCOP is the executive body of APLU’s Experiment Station Section (ESS) Board on Agriculture Assembly, and handles
continuing business, organization and policy issues on behalf of the state agricultural experiment station directors. “The research leadership Dr. McMeans provides on both the regional and national levels is commendable, and this award from his peers in the land-grant system is truly deserved,” WVSU President Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins said. “Under his leadership, the research portfolio at WVSU has significantly expanded and diversified. During his tenure, externally sponsored funding has also increased from less than $1 million to more than $16 million annually,
DR. MCMEANS which has translated into more than $148 million for the University and the State.” (Read full story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law condemns latest Justice Department action to obstruct work of Civil Rights Division Latest action seeks to divert resources to address so-called ‘intentional race-based discrimination’ at colleges and universities
CLARKE WASHINGTON, D.C. — Recently, Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, released the following statement in response to the release of new information signaling efforts to redirect resources of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division toward investigating and suing universities that maintain race-conscious admissions policies.
“We wholly condemn this latest attempt by the Justice Department to attack the use of race-conscious admissions policies in the higher education context. By assembling a team of attorneys in the front office of the Civil Rights Division to focus on so-called ‘intentional race-based discrimination’, this Justice Department is laying the groundwork to attack policies that help promote racial diversity at colleges and universities. Throughout his career, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has pushed efforts to end affirmative action programs and he has a clear record of hostility to racial diversity. We will not stand by idly as this administration continues to hijack and obstruct this Division’s core civil rights mission. Americans deserve a Justice Department that will focus on preserving racial
SESSION diversity and addressing racial discrimination faced by African Americans, Latinos and other minority communities.” The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has been focused on this administration’s efforts to obstruct civil rights enforcement, and has condemned repeated actions taken to reverse or delay action in active matters handled by the Civil Rights Division.