New York Beacon

Transcription

New York Beacon

New York
Beacon
website:
NewYorkBeacon.net
Vol. 17 No. 04
Showing the Way to Truth and Justice
January 28, 2010 - February 3, 2010
E-Mail
[email protected]
75 Cents
GITMO TENT CITY
City may house Haitians at Guantanamo Bay
TENT CITY — Haitians live in a makeshift camp at a golf course in Port-au-Prince, Haiti January 24, 2010. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti
on January 12, killing up to 200,000 and leaving as many as 3 million hurt or homeless and pleading for medical aid, food and water in nightmarish
conditions in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.
(See Story On Page 3)
AT&T prez outlines jobs, economic plans for Blacks
(See Story On Page 3)
Rangel gets $3.6M stimulus money
to improve Harlem housing energy
NEW YORK BEACON, January 28, 2010 - February 3, 2010 newyorkbeacon.net
2
By J. Zamgba Browne
Special to NY Beacon
Archbishp Joseph S. Miot
Haiti archbishop killed
in quake is laid to rest
By J. Zamgba Browne
Tens of thousands of mourners witnessed the funeral mass
held last Saturday in Port-auPrince, for Haiti’s Roman Catholic archbishop Joseph Serge
Miot. The 63-year-old clergyman
was buried at Lilavois Cemetery.
Archbishop Miot was a casualty of the devastating earthquake that hit the Haitian capital
three weeks ago. Haitian President Rene Preval, who attended
the funeral mass, described the
archbishop as a “very good
man.”
President Preval downplayed criticism that he had not been seen in
public since the quake hit. “This is
not about politics,” said Preval,
who left with a security detail and a
slew of TV cameras who followed
him.
Reports said that the mourners, a
majority of them clergy, lined up to
pay their respects to the archbishop, who was laid in an open
casket. There were injuries to his
face, according to the report.
Many Haitians called Miot, who
became archbishop of Haiti in By J. Zamgba Browne
Cong. Charles Rangel
ments, a 198-unit, 10 building,
and Section 8 assistance in Central Harlem.
Rangel said such savings
will help maintain affordable
living costs for Rose, whose
firm last year signed a 15-year
Section 8 contract extension
with HUD.
Congressman Rangel said this
critical financing will address the
housing needs of the families
and communities hardest it by
the economic crisis.
Last April, HUD Secretary
Shun Donovan served as key-
Cuomo sues immigration service
agencies for defrauding immigrants
(Continued on page 16)
Harlem school to host four
German exchange students
For two weeks, beginning Friday Jan. 22, four Oranienburg
High School students will immerse themselves in the life and
culture of Harlem, USA. The visiting students will attend
classes at the Frederick
Douglass Academy (FDA) and
live with FDA host families. In
May, four students and a chaperone from the Frederick
Douglass Academy will travel to
Berlin, Germany, live and attend
school with their German peers
in Oranienburg.
“I started this exchange pro-
Rep. Charles B. Rangel has
brought home a chunk of the
federal stimulus money to his
home district to fund Energy-Efficiency Renovations on 135th
Street multi-family housing
project.
The $3.6 million federal housing loan to New York-based developer Jonathan Rose Companies is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) energy-efficiency renovations program for
multifamily housing.
Rangel said he was very excited about the award. “This
renovation will not only create
jobs, it will bring about a cleaner
and more energy-efficient living
environment, which will benefit
our economy and our health, it
will also serve as a national
model for energy-efficient construction and preserving affordable housing,” said Rangel.
The nearly 200 apartments
along 135th Street will be the first
to be renovated under the energy efficiency program. The
program would lower utility
costs by approximately 25 percent for the 135 Street apart-
note speaker of Rangel’s 15th Congressional District Economic Recovery Conference. The day-long
event brought together community
stakeholders with federal, state,
and local representatives to provide information on how to access
various stimulus programs and
funding sources.
“I am pleased that Secretary
Donovan’s message of hope and
opportunity at last April’s recovery event has come around full
circle where, today, he can talk
about the results of Harlem with
this award,” said Congressman
Rangel.
Retrofits to the housing development will include EnergyStar refrigerators, replacement of 32 boilers with 10 high-efficiency boilers,
rooftop solar photovoltaic panels,
formaldehyde-free kitchen cabinets, recycled-material kitchen
center.
Also EnergyStar ceiling fans,
compact fluorescent lamps fixtures
and bulbs, double-pane argonfilled low emissive windows, insulated exterior doors, low-flow fixtures, shower heads and toilets, linoleum flooring to replace vinyl
tile, wood floor installations using
Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, and non-toxic paints,
adhesives and sealants throughout.
gram in 2008 for my husband, Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, a
Bronx state legislator, because of
an April 2007 video showing a German military instructor urging his
recruits to imagine that they are in
the Bronx and being attacked by a
gang of black thugs,” said
Kennedy Williams-Benjamin, CEO
of the Raina Storm Agency. The
exchange program is designed to
overcome racial stereotypes and
to broaden the minds of young
people on both sides of the Atlan-
New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has sued two
immigration service organizations for defrauding immigrants
with false promises of citizenship,
engaging in the unauthorized
practice of law, and illegally
charging exorbitant fees for services.
Cuomo said the lawsuits were
filed against International Immigrants Foundation (IIF), Inc., and
their President Edward Juarez, all
operating in New York City. IIF
and IPA are both not-for-profit
organizations that generate millions of dollars in revenue each
year.
The Attorney General said he
seeks to prevent these organizations from continuing their
organization’s existing cases and to
protect innocent victims. Cuomo
said the case is a part of his ongoing investigation into immigration
fraud.
“These businesses make millions
of dollars by exploiting the dreams
of New York’s immigrant community,” said Cuomo. “By lying about
their ability to provide legitimate legal services, these organizations
threaten to devastate families and
their hope of a new life,” he added.
Attorney General Cuomo said his
intention is to hold these organizations accountable for their actions
and their blatant disregard for the
people they claim to help.
Cuomo’s lawsuit alleges that IIf
Andrew Cuomo
and IPA misrepresent their qualififraudulent practices and seeks cations to provide immigration-rerestitution for victims. Cuomo lated legal services, falsely promise
said his office is also coordinat- specific legal results, and illegally
ing with several New York legal
associations to help handle the
Brooklyn-based Haitian docs waiting to go home to help
By J. Zamgba Browne
More a dozen Creole-speaking physicians from Brooklyn’s
Crown Heights community are
waiting to travel to earthquake
ravaged Haiti in order to help
in the relief effort, according
Sen. Charles Schumer.
Since the earthquake, Sen.
Schumer said doctors have
been eager to travel to Haiti to
help but were initially blocked by
the U.S. State Department from
traveling because of the growing
log-jam of aid and flights in the
country.
The Senator said about a dozen
doctors who traveled to Miami
had been trying to secure authorization to travel to the country,
but were initially blocked from
traveling. Schumer said he has
been pleading with the State De-
partment to grant these doctors
priority access.
Creole is the language spoken
in Haiti by about eight million
people, which is nearly the entire population. Schumer said
there are several dozen additional Creole-speaking doctors in
a variety of fields eager to travel
to the region but who have yet
to secure transportation.
“Though we need all hands on
deck to help with the Haiti relief
effort,” said Schumer, “any doctor who specializes in trauma and
speaks Creole is just the type of
hand we need more than ever.”
Sen. Schumer he was pleased
to have helped this group of New
York doctors make their way to
Haiti but there is so much more
that needs to be done.
“The dozens of doctors waiting in the wings in Crown
Heights,” Schumer continued,
“can provide critical medical as-
sistance and make a connection
with the local population because
they speak the language. I am going to keep pushing to make sure
these doctors can make their way
down to Haiti as soon as possible.”
The doctors involved are part of
the Medical Surgical, ER and
Trauma team from Kingsborough
Jewish Medical Center in Crown
Heights Brooklyn. All of the physicians speak Creole, according to
Schumer.
The New York Beacon (USPS 011-156), serving Metropolitan New York is published weekly by Smith Haj Group at 237 W. 37th Street, Suite 203, New York, NY 10018.
Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. POSTMASTER; send address changes to The New York Beacon - 237 W. 37th Street, Suite 203, New York, NY 10018.
(212) 213-8585 Fax: (212) 213-6291, Web Site: www.newyorkbeacon.com, Email:[email protected], The New York Beacon Subscription rate: $35.00 per year.
AT&T prez outlines jobs,
economic plans for Blacks
NNPA National Correspondent
CHARLOTTE (NNPA) –
Amidst an economic crisis that
has placed the spotlight once
again on economic injustice and
disparities in the Black community, AT&T North Carolina
President Cynthia Marshall laid
out for America’s Black newspaper publishers what her company is doing to spur progress
in the Black community.
“There is no better way to impact and influence a community
than through the education of
its children,” Marshall said at a
corporate luncheon during the
National Newspaper Publishers
Association’s winter conference in Charlotte last week. The
NNPA has a membership of more
than 215 Black-owned newspapers.
Sticking to NNPA’s “Power to
Influence Black America”
theme, she laid out what she
called AT&T’s “JET agenda”,
an
acronym
for
the
telecommunication’s giant’s focus on jobs, education and
technology.
Marshall said AT&T brought
back 3,000 jobs from overseas
to the United States, and en-
sured that she was able to secure 400 of those jobs for her
home base in North Carolina in
the form of a call center in
Goldsboro, where 60 percent of
the employees are people of
color.
“They are serving the Southeast region and meeting the
needs of people in the Southeast
Region,” Marshall said in the
lively luncheon address.
At 285,000 employees nationwide, AT&T is one of the
country’s largest employers.
They have more represented
union employees than the three
largest automakers combined,
Marshall said.
Last year, the telecommunications company launched a $100
million dollar education initiative
called AT&T Aspire.
AT&T – which recently established a partnership with NNPA
and the NNPA Foundation – has
also aimed to impact the astonishing rates of high school dropouts by funding dropout prevention programs, underwriting academic research, sponsoring conferences that bring people together on these issues and their
involvement in Junior Achievement, a program which allows students to shadow mentors at work.
N.C. AT&T President Cynthia Marshall
(CREDIT: Calvin Ferguson)
TENT CITY — Haitians live in a makeshift camp at a golf course in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
January 24, 2010. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, killing up to
200,000 and leaving as many as 3 million hurt or homeless and pleading for medical aid,
food and water in nightmarish conditions in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.
Haitian tent city is reportedly
planned for Guantanamo Bay
By J. Zamgba Browne
The Obama Administration is
reportedly planning to set up
tent city at the U.S. military facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
to accommodate Haitian refugees fleeing their earthquake
ravaged homeland.
Sources said that soldiers at
the base are setting up tents,
beds and toilets, for the Haitian refugees who may be sent
there, according to Maj. Diana
Haynie, a spokeswoman for the
Joint Task Force Guantanamo
Bay.
However, Maj. Haynie said,
“There is not indication of any
mass migration from Haiti. We
have not been told to conduct
migrant operations.” At present,
she said military personnel at the
base are helping the earthquake
relief effort by shipping bottled
water and food from its ware-
General Douglas Frazer
house.
In addition, Gen. Douglas
Fraser, commander of U.S. Southern Command, said the Navy has
set up “logistics field,” an area
to support bigger ships in the re-
gion.
Maj. Haynie said that Guantanamo has proven its value as a strategic hub for the movement of
supplies to the affected areas on
the island of Haiti.
“As part of the precautionary
measures to prepare for possible
refugees,” Maj. Haynie said the
Army has erected 100 tents, each
holding 10 beds,” adding that toilet facilities are nearby. “If needed,
hundreds more tents are stored in
Guantanamo Bay and can be
erected,” she added.
The refugees will be put on the
leeward side of the island, more
than two miles from some 200 detainees being held on the other
side. Haynie stressed that the refugees will not mix with the detainees.
The Join Task Force Guantanamo Bay is responsible for planning for any kind of Caribbean
mass immigration. In the early
1990s, thousands of Haitian refugees took shelter on the island.
Haitians urged to apply for TPS to stay in U.S.
By Donna Lamb
Andrea Quarantillo, New York
District director of US Citizenship and Immigrations Services
(USCIS), addressed the media
and community leaders regarding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, available to
Haitian nationals already in the
United States by Jan. 12, 2010.
The designation became effective on Jan. 21 and will remain
in effect through July 22, 2011.
The 180-day registration period
for eligible Haitian nationals to
apply will end July 20, 2010.
As Quarantillo explained,
TPS is a temporary immigration
status for eligible nationals of
a country that has experienced
temporary negative conditions
such as armed conflict or environmental disaster that prevent
its nationals from safely return-
ing home. It will enable Haitian
nationals to continue living and
working in the US for the next 18
months, with the probability of
extensions by the Secretary of
Homeland Security.
When applying for TPS, a person is not questioned about their
current immigration status because the measure is meant to accommodate those who are out of
status as well as those who have
status.
Although Haitians who are in
this country currently without
documentation are eligible, a person who has been convicted of a
felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the US is
not. If an individual has had any
brushes with the law whatsoever,
it is recommended that they consult legal counsel before consid- Andrea Quarantillo, USCIS
ering applying.
New York District Director
When a Haitian national is
(Photo by Donna Lamb)
deemed eligible, they are allowed
to 1) remain in the US legally, 2)
obtain authorization to work, and
3) attain permission to travel outside the country and return to
their TPS status. They are not removable from the US or able to
be detained by the Department of
Homeland Security.
Director Quarantillo also outlined the process for applying,
which will require verification of
identity and include fingerprinting. She explained that all applications are to be filed by mail,
with no in-person filings required.
The turnaround time is approximately six-months, and written
notification of approval or denial
of the application will be mailed
to the applicant or any representative they designate.
The director said, too, that it is
advantageous to file for TPS, employment authorization - which
must be adjudicated and completed within 90 days from the filing date - and permission to travel
outside the US all at the same time.
However, if an emergency need to
travel related to the earthquake
arises, USCIS will make every effort to accommodate the request.
Quarantillo also told of the extensive information on TPS-related issues available on the
USCIS
website
at
www.USCIS.gov. Go to the Humanitarian section in the middle of
the homepage and click on Haitian
Earthquake Response to gain access to downloadable forms, helpful hints on applying and questions and answers in English, Creole and French.
There are also USCIS offices at
26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan and
711 Stewart Ave. in Garden City, LI.
By Pharoh Martin
3
ACLU lawsuit challenges abusive
police practices in NY City schools
4
Officers routinely subject
schoolchildren to excessive
force and wrongful arrests
Baltimore City Police Commissioner
Baltimore City Police Dept.
reports crime at 20-year low
By Melanie R. Holmes
Special to the NNPA from the
Afro-American Newspapers
BALTIMORE (NNPA) - The
nickname “Bodymore, Murderland,” suggests that Baltimore is
no longer a city of charm, but
recent crime statistics show otherwise.
Within the past two
years, Baltimore City experienced a 20-year low in homicides. Furthermore, between
2000 and 2008, all violent crime
in the city dropped over 40 percent. The decline was steady
except for an increase from 2004
to 2005, after which the numbers
continued to fall.
“The bottom line is, the Baltimore Police Department over the
years has changed its strategies
as to how to fight crime,” said
Baltimore City police spokesman
Donny Moses. “At one point we
were zero tolerance. Before that,
we were trying to do the community policing. As crime
changes and time changes, the
police department has adjusted
its crime fighting strategy.”
Currently, Moses said Baltimore City police are partnering
with different agencies, federal
officials and community members to bring down local criminals rather than rely on their own
resources as they had in years
past. “Before, we were trying to
combat the problem on our own,”
he said. “Now we’re in targeted
enforcement. We’re figuring out
who [the criminals] are and we’re
trying to make their lives miserable. The [police] commissioner’s
plan of trying to get bad guys with
guns off the streets is our foremost challenge.”
With an increase in security
cameras, Moses said the extra
eyes have helped solve some
cases. However, he emphasized
that they are not an “end all, fix
all” but have captured crimes
while they were occurring and
certain drug corners have cleared
from their assistance. “A lot of
open-air markets are no longer,”
Moses said. “For instance, the
Pennsylvania Ave. area at one
point was probably one of our
worst and biggest headaches.”
In 2000, over 2,400 violent incidents were reported, topping incidents in several large cities including New York, Los Angeles
and Philadelphia. In 2008, over
1,590 violent incidents were reported in Baltimore City, still
above many other cities, but a vast
improvement from its own previous rate.
But despite the decline,
Baltimoreans are still urged to “Be
more careful” since last year’s
crime rates were still above 1,000.
“Of course we’re not satisfied
with that because one life is too
many lives,” Moses said.
New York Police Department
personnel assigned to New York
City’s public schools have repeatedly violated students’ civil
rights through wrongful arrests
and the excessive use of force,
according to a class action federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the
New York Civil Liberties Union
(NYCLU) and the law firm
Dorsey & Whitney LLP.
The landmark lawsuit challenges the conduct and behavior of police officers and school
safety officers (SSOs) serving in
the NYPD’s School Safety Division. It was filed on behalf of
five middle school and high
school students who were
physically abused and wrongfully arrested at school by NYPD
personnel. The plaintiffs seek
system-wide reform in New York
City’s middle schools and high
schools.
“Aggressive policing is stripping thousands of New York
City students of their dignity
and disrupting their ability to
learn,” said Donna Lieberman,
executive director of the
NYCLU. “We all want safe
schools for our children, but the
current misguided system promotes neither safety nor learning. Despite mounting evidence
of systemic misconduct by police personnel in the schools, the
NYPD refuses to even acknowledge any problems with its
school policing practices. We
are confident that the courts
will compel much-needed reform.”
Plaintiff Daija, 13, is an eighthgrade student at Lou Gehrig
Middle School in the Bronx. On
Oct. 7, 2009, Daija was unlawfully arrested by SSOs following a confrontation in front of
her school initiated by two adult
strangers who had threatened
her. An SSO instructed Daija to
go into the school with the
strangers. Frightened, Daija told
the SSO that she preferred to
wait outside for her mother who
was coming to pick her up.
In response, the SSO grabbed
Daija by the arm, handcuffed
her, forcefully threw her down
and pinned her to the ground.
Daija sat handcuffed at a desk
Donna Lieberman
until her mother managed to
find her. No charges were filed
against her. Daija required medical attention as a result of the
assault.
“I feel unsafe at school,” said
Daija. “I’m afraid that School
Safety Officers could attack me
again for no reason. I just want
the school year to be over so I
can be a normal kid again. I
shouldn’t have to be scared of
school.”
The lawsuit maintains that inadequately trained and poorly
supervised police personnel engage in aggressive behavior toward students when no criminal
activity is taking place and
when there is no threat to health
and safety. The police confront
and arrest students over minor
disciplinary infractions such as
talking back, being late for class
or having a cell phone in
school. The lawsuit documents
numerous incidents in which
students engaged in non-criminal conduct were handcuffed,
arrested and physically assaulted by police personnel at
school.
The aggressive policing in the
city’s schools contributes to
the school-to-prison-pipeline, a
disturbing national trend
wherein students are funneled
out of the public schools and
into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. These children tend
to be disproportionately Black
and Latino, and often have learning disabilities or histories of
poverty, abuse or neglect.
“If you treat children like criminals, they will fulfill those expectations,” said Catherine Y. Kim,
staff attorney with the ACLU Racial Justice Program. “Aggressive
policing in public schools undermines efforts to create a nurturing and supportive environment
for children, and without strict accountability and transparency,
too many at-risk youth fall
through the cracks and are denied
equal educational opportunities.”
Since the NYPD took control of
public school safety in New York
City in 1998, more than 5,000
SSOs, civilian NYPD employees
assigned to the schools, and
nearly 200 armed police officers
have been assigned to the city’s
public schools. There are more
police officers patrolling New
York City schools than make up
the entire police forces in Washington, D.C., Detroit, Boston,
Baltimore, Dallas, Phoenix, San
Francisco, San Diego or Las Vegas. The number of police personnel assigned to patrol New
York City public schools has
Cathedral of Saint John to host discussion on race
The 2008 Presidential campaign and the landmark election
of Barack Obama forever
changed the discussion of race
in America. From Senator Reid’s
recent controversial remarks to
former Governor Blagojevich
saying he is “blacker than
Barack Obama,” the conversation of race in politics remains
at the forefront of American
consciousness.
To reflect on the status of race
in America, political journalists
and thought leaders Gwen Ifill,
Michele Norris and William
Baker will lead a discussion
called “Enter the Conversation”
on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m.
at the Cathedral of Saint John the
Divine, located at 1047
Amsterdam Ave. in Manhattan.
Ifill, moderator of PBS’s “Washington Week” and the 2008 Vice
Presidential debate, and Norris,
host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” and the 2009 recipient
of the National Association of
Black Journalists’ Journalist of
the Year award, will discuss racial issues that range from the
mainstream to the hidden conversations of race that are rarely discussed in public arenas. William
Baker, president emeritus of
WNET.org, will moderate the discussion.
“We are thrilled to have such a
Gwen Ifill
Mitchelle Norris
distinguished group of participants come to engage in one of
the great conversations of our age
under the roof of this great Cathedral,” stated The Very Reverend
Dr. James A. Kowalski, dean of the
Cathedral Church of St. John the
Divine.
“Enter the Conversation” is
part of an ongoing series of programs at the Cathedral of Saint
John the Divine that encourages
individuals to become more involved in their communities and
be agents of positive social
change.
Tickets are available for $15 each
and can be purchased at www.st
johndivine.org.
5
6
Editorial
New York
Haiti is crying out for help
Beacon
By Rev. Al Sharpton
NNPA Columnist
Walter Smith: Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Miatta Haj Smith: Co-Publisher & Executive Editor
William Egyir: Managing Editor
Race and politics at the New York Times
By George E. Curry
NNPA Columnist
Slightly more than three years
ago, Gerald M. Boyd, one of my
best friends, died of lung cancer at the age of 56. He had been
promoted to managing editor of
the New York Times, the highest position an African American journalist had ever attained
at the nation’s most influential
newspaper. But his career at the
newspaper abruptly ended in
2003 when it was discovered
that Jayson Blair, another African American, was a serial plagiarizer.
At the time of his death, Gerald
was finishing up his memoir. His
wife, Robin D. Stone, has seen
the project to completion and
the result is a book titled, My
Times in Black and White: Race
and Power at The New York
Times (Lawrence Hill Books).
Gerald has written a revealing
insider’s account of an African
American’s quick rise to the second-highest ranking editorial
position at the New York Times
and his sudden fall from grace
as a result of his close association with Howell Raines, a
deeply disliked White executive
editor, and being unfairly linked
to Jayson Blair, a fraud masquerading as a Black reporter.
I knew Gerald all of his professional career, dating back to the
early 1970s when we both
worked as reporters for the St.
Louis Post-Dispatch. As I have
written earlier in this space, we
lived across the street from each
other in St. Louis, played cards
together, enjoyed flag football
on weekends, started the St.
Louis Minority Journalism Workshop together in 1976, helped establish the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists
and spent long hours on the
road together, covering the campaigns of elder George Bush and
Jesse Jackson.
One of the most striking things
about Gerald’s memoir is how he
naively believed that with his
sterling accomplishments – covering the White House, leading
two series that won the New
York Times Pulitzer Prizes, studying as a Nieman Fellow at
Harvard – he would be judged
on the basis of his talent, not his
race.
Boy, was he wrong on that one.
His first clue should have been
the conversation he had with
Jimmy Greenfield, who handled
newsroom administration at the
Times.
“I really enjoyed your clips –
they’re so well written,”
Greenfield told Gerald. “Did you
write them yourself, or did someone write them for you?” Gerald
replied, “Of course I wrote them
myself!”
Gerald explained, “Later, I
thought I should have told him
how offensive his question was.
I would understand the context:
the Times was a place where
blacks felt they had to convince
their white peers that they were
good enough to be there. It was
my first exposure to the racial cul-
ture of the paper, the ugly underside of life at the Times.”
It wouldn’t be Gerald’s last exposure to the ugly underside of
the newspaper.
After Gerald became an editor,
Soma Golden, the newly-minted
national editor, proposed that
Gerald become Atlanta bureau
chief. The book recounts that
Golden told him, “You are perfect for the job. You can cover
the South as a black man, bringing nuance that no white reporter
could.”
As proud as Gerald was of his
race, he wanted to cover the
news as a reporter, not as a Black
man.
“Clearly, race had motivated
Golden more than talent,” Gerald
wrote. “I was glad that I had declined her offer.”
But he didn’t decline the offer
of Howell Raines, the newly-appointed executive editor, to become his managing editor, the
No. 2 position in the newsroom.
Gerald would later recount that
Raines had told him, “You are
such a great partner, I’m so glad
I picked you.”
However, Raines expressed a
different opinion after the
Jayson Blair explosion caused
their forced resignations. In
2004, Raines wrote a long article
about the Times in the Atlantic
Monthly.
Referring to Raines, Gerald said:
“He portrayed the staff as mediocre, the publisher as lacking backbone. He was equally harsh in his
(NNPA) In 1964, the world honored the greatest civil rights
leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
with the Nobel Peace Prize for
having contributed the most to
the furtherance of peace among
men. He was - and is - upheld to
the highest standards of dignity,
humanity, strength and philanthropy. Always on the side of the
down trodden, and diligently
working to empower the disenfranchised, MLK dedicated his
life to assisting those who were
the most fragile among us. As a
student of this impeccable human
being’s teachings, I can think of
no better way to honor him than
to help the most delicate among
us at this very moment – the citizens of Haiti.
Words simply cannot articulate
the depth of despair and human
suffering taking place in our
neighbor to the South. Haiti, already ranked as the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere
with extreme poverty, lack of adequate education, crumbling infrastructure and imposed economic sanctions, is now on the
verge of a severe catastrophe.
As far back as two years ago,
we witnessed reports of families
being forced to eat mud pies and
mud cookies due to scarcity of
food and rising inflation. This
most recent global economic crisis only exacerbated the situation,
and now after a 7.0 earthquake,
we cannot even fathom the extent
of anguish transpiring.
Haiti has a unique history that
is surprisingly very closely linked
to our own. It became the world’s
first Black-led Republic, and the
first independent Caribbean state
when it overthrew its French colonizers in the 19th century. The
U.S. shares a special relationship
with the nation, for Haitian troops
fought in the crucial battle of Savannah in the American Revolu-
tion, and the Louisiana Purchase
would have never taken place were
it not for the defeat of the French
in the Caribbean.
We unequivocally owe a debt of
gratitude to Haiti for our mere existence. So as its people struggle
to survive, search for loved ones,
seek food, look for shelter and eventually rebuild, we must – we must –
be there every step of the way.
Without the support of the Haitians
there would be no us; without our
support now, the rich cultural heritage of the Haitian people will forever be lost in a cloud of human
despair and frailty.
Centuries of poverty, violence
and natural disaster plagued Haiti.
It’s biggest underlying social issue
- the disparity between the impoverished Creole-speaking Black majority and the French-speaking minority - remains largely unaddressed. And the sheer fact that
1% of this French minority owns
nearly half of the country’s wealth
is beyond troubling and unjust.
But before we even begin to tackle
these complex social issues, we
must first save the people, the culture, the livelihood of Haiti.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital,
suffered the brunt of this devastating earthquake. A bustling city
with millions of residents that encompass both the extremely destitute and the well off, are now crying out for the world’s help. The
city itself, where even the
President’s palace wasn’t spared
destruction, is comprised of a large
population of young people (some
estimates say nearly 40%-50%)
who need immediate assistance today – and tomorrow. The ripple
effects of this natural disaster are
yet to be witnessed, as much of the
island nation depends heavily on
Port-au-Prince for its sustainability.
I commend President Obama for
pledging $100 million in aid and the
physical support of our troops to
our Caribbean neighbor. The out-
Since when has eating become looting?
By James Clingman
Blackonomics
(NNPA) - It’s like Yogi Berra
said, “Déjà vu all over again.” We
saw it in New Orleans, when the
cameras caught the white couple
in the act of “finding” food and
the Black people in the act of
“stealing” food. Now in Haiti, we
see reports of “looting” by the
citizens as they forage for food to
survive. I wonder if those reporters have heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. Not excusing criminal behavior, but
c’mon, brothers and sisters. If you
get hungry and desperate enough
you will engage in what is deemed
as criminal behavior.
Those of us who have been
watching and studying Haiti for
years, and those of us who really
know the history of Haiti, also
know that there is something beneath the surface of what we see
on the evening news programs.
The parallels between the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti and
the aftermath of the hurricane in
New Orleans are so obvious.
Those of us who are willing to
acknowledge the disparities that
always exist between how Black
people and other groups are
treated, locally, nationally, and internationally, are labeled “troublemakers” and “agitators.” Although any reasonable person can
see the differences, the powers of
this world continue to shroud the
truth by controlling the media messages pertaining to our plight. So
I accept being called an agitator;
isn’t that what Frederick Douglass
told us to do?
The overall situation in Haiti is
too much for us to absorb, but the
images of our brothers and sisters foraging for food and life-saving supplies is a microcosm of the
reality of their horrible plight. To
generally label their desperation
as “looting” and to use a broad
brush to describe their attempts
to stay alive is sad commentary
coming from the media. It’s called
surviving – not looting.
The real looting of Haiti has been
taking place for more than 200
years, by outside governments,
including our own. The looting
will continue now by shady charitable organizations, exploitative
greedy contractors, and military
organizations that decide who
gets help and how much aid can
come into the country. There will
surely be yet another general takeover of Haiti by outsiders who, up
until now, viewed Haiti as just “the
poorest country in the western
hemisphere.”
How could a country that has
come to the aid of the U.S. and
demonstrated the same willingness as the U.S. to fight for its independence and win, in spite of
the odds, be ignored, exploited,
corrupted, and allowed to become
the “poorest” among us? Now
that Haiti has been ravaged by the
earthquake, it is in prime position
to be ravaged by crooks, liars, and
thieves – once again. It is ripe for
exploitation by the Halliburton’s,
KBR’s, Blackwater’s, Bechtel’s,
and all of the other private contractors who found their fortunes
in Iraq and New Orleans.
The scene is set, and the action
has already begun. Limited entry
into the country, lack of access to
neighboring Dominican Republic,
military control under the guise of
protection, and created enemies of
the State: looters, which give reason to bring in more troops. We
saw this scenario played out before
in New Orleans. Folks waiting for
food and water that took days to
deliver, innocent people shot down
in the streets by overzealous storm
troopers, refusal by the adjacent
communities to allow entry into their
unaffected community, and contractors sweeping in to capture the
spoils of tragedy.
When Haitian mothers were feeding their children mud pies just to
fill their stomachs, a desperate act
of survival, it was depicted as some-
7
Why Haiti’s earthquake is France’s problem
By Tunku Varadarajan
(When it came to Haiti, France
was first a brutal colonizer,
and then a usurious bully.
Tunku Varadarajan on why it’s
time for reparations.)
As Haitians lurch destitute in
the rubble, and as governments,
churches, and NGOs do the best
they can to bring succor to
Haiti’s hell, a vivid solution to
the country’s needs presents itself, one so obvious and irrefutable—so resonantly just—that
it must be advocated with the
greatest of energy: France must
repay its colonialist debt to Haiti
by paying for much of the island
country’s reconstruction.
Haiti’s chronic impoverishment began at its birth in 1804,
when, having overthrown its
French rulers in a bloody, 12year slave revolt, the newborn
nation was subjected to crippling blockades and embargoes.
This economic strangulation
continued until 1825, when
France offered to lift embargoes
and recognize the Haitian Republic if the latter would pay restitution to France—for loss of
property in Haiti, including
slaves—of 150 million gold
francs. The sum, about five
times Haiti’s export revenue for
1825, was brutal, but Haiti had
no choice: Pay up or perish over
many more years of economic
embargo, not to mention face
French threats of invasion and
reconquest. To pay, Haiti borrowed money at usurious rates
from France, and did not finish
paying off its debt until 1947, by
which time its fate as the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country had been well and truly
sealed.
In this era of multibillion-dollar bailouts of private banking
institutions, $22 billion should
scarcely raise a Gallic eyebrow.
But to Haiti, the sum would be a
godsend.
France must now return every
last cent of this money to Haiti.
In 2004, at the time of the 200th
anniversary of Haiti’s independence, the Haitian government
put together a legal brief in support of a formal demand for “restitution” from France. The sum
sought was nearly $22 billion, a
number arrived at by calculations
that included a notionally equitable annual interest rate. (For a
full account of the calculation,
read Jose de Cordoba’s excellent
news story in The Wall Street
Journal, published on Jan. 2,
2004.) The demand was made by
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide,
a firebrand ex-preacher who was
forced out of office by a violent
uprising that February. His successors, Boniface Alexandre and
Gerard Latortue, controversially
chose to renounce Haiti’s claim
for restitution/reparations.
(There was, of course, much pressure exerted on them by France,
which had found Aristide’s demand politically disconcerting.)
Plus: Mark Leon Goldberg on
Haiti’s recent history, and why
the country deserves our support. This last act of renunciation
weakens Haiti’s legal case
against France, notwithstanding
the fact that the treaty under
which France gouged 150 million
gold francs from Haiti was clearly
unconscionable and executed
under duress. But this story is
not one of law and legality alone,
nor even one of wealth and poverty. (France’s GDP is $2.85 trillion, while Haiti’s is a mere $6.95
billion.) It is, rather, one of historical justice and political morality: No one can dispute that
an extortionate and bullying
treaty, concluded at a time when
France was an imperial hyperpuissance and Haiti a friendless
fledgling, is an ugly stain on
France’s national conscience.
The money involved is not a sum
that will give sleepless nights to
Christine Lagarde (France’s finance minister) or Bernard
Kouchner (its foreign minister) or
President Nicolas Sarkozy. In this
era of multibillion-dollar bailouts
of private banking institutions, $22
billion should scarcely raise a Gallic eyebrow. But to Haiti, the sum
would be a godsend.
More than that, however, this
is money that is Haiti’s own. As
Haitians lie prostrate, buried under the rubble of their nation,
France must do the moral thing,
the just thing, the civilized thing:
France must write Haiti a reparations check for $22 billion.
Tunku Varadarajan is a national affairs correspondent and
writer at large for The Daily
Beast. He is also a research fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution and a professor at NYU’s
Stern Business School. (Follow
him on Twitter here.)
For More of The Daily Beast,
become a fan on Facebook and
follow us on Twitter.
For inquiries, please contact
The Daily Beast at editorial
@thed ailybeast.com.
Massachusetts’ Coakley in context:
She ran a lousy campaign
By Julianne Malveaux
NNPA Columnist
(NNPA) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley
was a lousy candidate who ran a
lousy campaign and lost her bid
for Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat
as a result. Instead of preserving 60 filibuster-proof votes for
Democrats, she handed the Massachusetts senatorial seat to Republican Scott Brown on a silver platter. And, as they are entitled to, Republicans are celebrating, dubbing the extremely
conservative Mr. Brown as “41”
and suggesting that his election
signals a Republican resurgence.
Too many will see this as the
waning of President Obama’s influence, but that’s not necessarily the case. Martha Coakley ran
a lousy campaign. While Scott
Brown was retail politics, she
was wholesale. While he was
“the people’s candidate”, out
shaking hands and exuding personality, she was uptight and
uncommunicative. It probably
ought not matter, but in sportsobsessed Boston she described
a Red Socks pitcher as a Yankee
fan, exhibiting not only igno-
rance of sports, but also of her
base. She disdained hand shaking and was good for a series of
bloopers, which she later described as “jokes”. She is so out
of touch that in a post-election
interview, she said she would not
have done anything differently!
What could President Obama
do with that? He did the best he
could. He showed up and campaigned for Coakley. He attempted to marshall votes for
her. But if anybody ought to be
blamed for the Scott Brown victory, it might be Tim Kaine, who
leads the Democratic National
Committee. He, it seems, should
have had troops on the ground
early enough to understand that
Coakley was in trouble. And he,
it seems, should have made sure
the candidate got media training,
among other things.
After gubernatorial losses in
Virginia and New Jersey (again
with lousy candidates who might
have been rescued), Kaine is an
example of someone whose learning curve is flat. If Republicans
are enjoying a resurgence that
started with November losses,
why wasn’t Kaine on top of it?
To be sure, the Scott Brown victory is a setback for the White
House. But it is clear that health
care was in trouble anyway. The
bill, a decent bill, was full of uncomfortable compromises. It was
not a bill that inspired passion.
Indeed, the most important thing
about the bill is that it is an important first step toward true health
care reform, and a benefit to the
more than 40 million Americans
who do not have health insurance.
There is passion on the right to
kill health care reform, but where
is the passion on the left? Where
is the passion on the left for anything, actually, but carping and
whining? Were there passion on
the left, Martha Coakley, imperfect as she was, would not have
lost. There were enough stayhome voters in Massachusetts to
have taken her over the top, but
they simply didn’t care to.
Why didn’t they care? Lots of
voters feel that they have been
played by the great expectations
they had just a year ago, when
President Obama was inaugurated. Then, he talked in grand
and glowing terms about the reform that was necessary to make
our government move more
smoothly and to pay attention to
working people. Now, there are
Children drop out and into lives of poverty and imprisonment
Marian Wright Edelman
NNPA Columnist
(NNPA) - A homeless man talking about how he ended up on
the streets said he had wanted
to get in with the “cool” crowd
in 8th or 9th grade—a crowd
that smoked marijuana, got into
fights, and skipped school. No
adult reached out to help him
turn his life around so he continued his decline into a life of
chronic joblessness and poverty, and long stretches of incarceration after he dropped out
of school.
Youths who drop out of
school represent a colossal loss
to our communities and nation.
And many dropouts are condemned to the social and economic fringes of our society and
lives less fulfilled than their
peers who graduate from high
school. Today, more than half of
all young adult dropouts are jobless. And dropouts are at greater
risk of being incarcerated and
having poorer physical and mental health than those who graduate.
The impact of the enormous
dropout problem is not evenly
shared among children in
America. Poor and minority
youths are far less likely to
graduate from high school than
White children. An October 2009
report released by the National
Center for Education Statistics
says 59.8 percent of Blacks, 62.2
percent of Hispanics, and 61.2
percent of American Indians
graduated from public high
school in four years with a regular diploma in the 2006–07 school
year compared to 79.8 percent for
Whites and 91.2 percent for
Asian and Pacific Islanders.
Black and Hispanic dropout
rates were more than twice those
of White youths.
Children don’t just wake up
one morning and decide to take
a path to a dead end life. So how
is it possible that more than half
a million of them drop out every
year? I believe the main reason
is that adults have often let our
children down and abandoned
our responsibilities to prepare
them for healthy and productive
lives in our homes and communities. We’d rather punish children after they get into trouble
than prevent child problems. The
only universally guaranteed
child right is a jail or detention
cell after they come in conflict
with the law.
We don’t even assure all children prenatal care to be born as
healthy as possible. We have de-
prived our children of fathers by
locking up young men and putting them in a pipeline to prison,
and we’ve allowed our community supports to fray, depriving
children of safe havens and positive mentors. For most of the
week, congregational doors are
locked and we’ve cut back on the
hours when community centers
and libraries are open. Some
have decided that after-school
and summer enrichment programs are too expensive.
Some states spend more to incarcerate a child for a year than
it would cost to send him to
Harvard University! Some New
York state youth prisons cost
$210,000 to house one child for a
year. Gangs and drug dealers are
open 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, offering apprenticeships in
drug dealing and car stealing and
other illegal behaviors.
So many of our nation’s schools
have let our children down and are
unwitting accomplices to the pipeline to prison’s destructive work.
Academic tracking, social promotion, and out-of-school suspensions and expulsions contribute
mightily to the discouragement,
low self-esteem, and disengagement of so many poor and minority children.
One-size-fits-all school zero tolerance disciplinary policies are responsible for the growth in the
number of school-based arrests of
poor and minority children, funneling them into the juvenile and
criminal justice systems at
younger and younger ages. So
many are suspended, expelled,
even arrested, for nonviolent infractions such as being “disruptive” or “disrespectful.” In the
Opinion
8
African Scene
Nigeria’s religious violence kills 326
Gwede Mantshe
ANC ‘is too concerned
with power,’top pol says
The ANC is under threat as
some of its leaders are more concerned with self-enrichment and
power than serving South Africans, a senior official has said.
ANC Secretary General Gwede
Mantashe said there was a perception that “there is no political life other than vying for positions in the ANC”.
He outlined his concerns in a
report given at a recent national
leadership meeting, reports say.
The ANC retained a huge majority in general elections last
year.
But it has increasingly been
accused of corruption and criticized for not doing enough to
improve the lives of poor South
Africans.
The Cape Times newspaper
says it is in possession of the
report by Mr Mantashe, in
which he accuses party members of exhausting energy on
securing positions and power in
the ANC rather than improving
the lives of its electorate.
“The influence of money” is
changing the character of the
ANC, he said.
He added that he did not know
how many members the party
had because lists were being manipulated by different groups in
the struggle for power.
But ANC spokesman Jackson
Mthembu, who confirmed that
Mr Mantashe submitted “an organizational report” at a recent
leadership meeting, denied that
there are divisions in the ANC.
“We do engage robustly but
maybe it is this robust debate
which has been misconstrued to
mean that there are divisions,”
he told the BBC.
Jacob Zuma became president
after last year’s elections, which
followed a bitter struggle for control of the party against supporters of former President Thabo
Mbeki.
Angola cracks down on
Cabinda rights activists
Special to the NNPA from the Press, Nombo said: “The five
GIN
are just intellectuals that are expressing opinions the governPolice in Angola are using a ment doesn’t share. And as
deadly attack on the Togo na- soon as somebody criticizes the
tional soccer team to round up government, he is tagged as a
the country’s critics, an FLEC member.”
Angolan rights lawyer said.
One of those arrested is ecoAccording to the lawyer, nomics professor Belchior
Martinho Nombo, five people Lanso Tati, who reportedly
arrested last week had nothing asked Nombo to be his lawyer
to do with the incident linked but police have refused access
to the Front for the Liberation to Tati in jail.
of the Enclave of Cabinda, a
Nombo’s concerns were echgroup which has been fighting oed in a Tuesday statement
Angola for a share in the vast from the rights group Amnesty
oil wealth of the Cabinda re- International. The government
denies the charges.
gion.
Cabinda is Angola’s main oilIn the incident, the insurgent
group attacked a convey of producing region, and Angola is
buses including one carrying one of Africa’s top oil producthe Togolese soccer team which ers. But the people of Cabinda
was on its way to compete in remain poor despite the oil revthe Africa Cup. Two Togolese enues, and human rights groups
soccer players died and 8 were have repeatedly accused the
wounded in the Jan. 8 incident. government of hiding oil money,
Speaking to the Associated making it impossible to trace.
JOS, Nigeria – Sectarian violence between Christians and
Muslims in central Nigeria left
326 people dead last week, a
state police commissioner said
Monday, pledging to bring
those responsible for the killings
to justice.
Acting Plateau State Police
Commissioner Ikechukwu
Aduba said officers have arrested 303 people in connection
with the rioting in Jos, a onetime tourist and mining town
that straddles Nigeria’s Christian south and Muslim north. Of
those arrested, 139 have been
taken to Nigeria’s capital, Abuja,
for questioning.
Aduba said more suspects remained at large, including those
who took part in killings that
nearly wiped out a small village
on the southern outskirts of Jos.
Volunteers there discovered
bodies shoved into communal
wells and sewer dumps. Others
lay dead in the bush outside the
village, victims of gunshot and
machete wounds.
Aduba also promised those arrested would face trial in Jos.
Government leaders in Jos have
complained that those involved
in previous riots later made bail
An exact death toll is not known but aid workers say it may
be 300.
in Abuja and never faced justice.
Sectarian violence in this central region of Nigeria has left thousands dead over the past decade.
The latest outbreak came despite
the Nigerian government’s efforts to quell religious extremism
in the West African country.
There are conflicting accounts
about what unleashed the recent
bloodshed. According to a state
police commissioner, skirmishes
began after Muslim youths set a
Christian church ablaze, but Muslim leaders denied that. Muslims
say it began with an argument
over the rebuilding of a Muslim
home in a predominantly Christian
neighborhood that had been destroyed in November 2008.
‘How can we not afford to help Haiti?’
Special to the NNPA from the
GIN
(GIN) - After the earthquake
that devastated one of the poorest countries in the western
hemisphere, Liberia offered Haiti
$50,000 to be used for material
aid.
An editorial this week in
Liberia’s Daily Observer asked:
“How can we afford not to
give?…The relations between
Liberia and Haiti go back a long
way… Haiti and Liberia were the
first two Black countries whose
people came out of slavery and
formed independent countries –
one in the western hemisphere
and the other on the continent
of Africa.
“In the early 40s, Liberia
searched around the world for
doctors to man the Liberian Government Hospital in Monrovia.
Haitian doctors came to Liberia’s
rescue… These Haitian medical
personnel laid the foundation for
the government hospital until a
team of American doctors set up
the National Public Health Service here under the Point Four
program of US President, Harry
Truman.
“In their footsteps, other Haitians came to Liberia and contributed to Liberia’s development. Should we not now share
in their moment of distress?
Should we be so narrow-minded
as to wonder whether we can afford it? That is not the African
tradition. We are indeed indebted to them…
“Today, it is Haiti; tomorrow,
President Abdoulaye Wade
it could be us.”
In a related development,
Senegalese President Abdoulaye
Wade made an offer of land to
homeless Haitians, saying they
could “return to their origin”. Haitians were sons and daughters of
Africa since Haiti was founded by
slaves, he said, including some
thought to be from Senegal.
“Senegal is ready to offer them
parcels of land - even an entire
region. It all depends on how
many Haitians come,” said presidential spokesman Bemba Ndiaye.
Finally, Coumba Gawlo Seck, a
renowned female Senegalese musician, said she is teaming up with
other musicians to produce a mega
concert, the proceeds of which will
go towards helping Haitian people.
Artists expected to be part of the
project are Ivorian star, Alpha
Blondy, Oumou Sangare of Mali,
Congolese Papa Wemba, among
others.
9
10
AUDREY'S 25th Anniversary
SOCIETY
CORE celebrates
WHIRL
silver anniversary
of Martin Luther King, Jr. Dinner
By Audrey J. Bernard
Lifestyles & Society Editor
January 18, 2010 marked the
twenty-fifth observance of the
Federal legal holiday honoring
Martin Luther King, Jr. The
Congress of Racial Equality
(CORE) held its first observance
the year the bill was signed –
one year before the holiday became official – making this
CORE’s 20th observance.
The Act creating the holiday
was passed after more than 16
years of effort by countless
friends and supporters of Martin Luther King, Jr. The Act set
aside the third Monday of January as the official Federal holiday. MLK, Jr.’s actual birthday
is January 15 th. According to
the Act, “the holiday should
serve as a time for Americans to
reflect on the principles of racial equality and nonviolent social change espoused by Martin Luther King, Jr.”
The MLK, Jr. Federal Holiday
Commission has adopted “Living the Dream” as the official
theme for celebrating this
country’s newest national holiday which expresses the message and inspiration Dr. King
generated among Americans in
his dream and what that dream
awakened in America.
On Friday, January 15, 2010,
President Barack H. Obama, the
44 th President of the United
States of America, proclaimed
January 18, 2010 as the Martin
Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday
and encouraged all Americans
to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service programs in honor of Dr.
King’s life and lasting legacy.
The election of this nation’s
first African American president
was one dream Dr. King did not
live to see come true but clearly
moved us in the right direction
for fulfilling his dream of
America’s promise of economic
and social justice.
Another sign of that fulfillment was the election of the
Honorable Michael S. Steele as
the first African American Chairman of the Republican National
Committee that spawned this
reaction from the Honorable
Roy Innis, National Chairman of
CORE. “With Obama and Steele,
both black Americans, as the
leaders of their parties, the
ground is laid for more open
competition between the Democrats and Republicans.”
On Monday, January 18, 2010,
CORE honored Mr. Steele at its
25 th “Silver” Anniversary Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Ambassadorial Reception and Awards
Dinner at the Sheraton New
York Hotel and Towers, 52 nd
Street at Seventh Avenue, New
York, NY.
Each year, CORE, America’s
third oldest and largest civil
rights organization, uses the
event to extol the virtues of exemplary history-makers. Steele
was honored along with two
other pioneering people. The
Honorable James Gilmore,
former Governor of Virginia, presented CORE’s community service award to Mr. Steele.
Honored along with Steele was
Mrs. Tova Leidesdorf, widow of a
descendant of California’s first
African/Danish and Jewish entrepreneur and first American diplomat of African ancestry William A.
Leidesdorf. Dinner-co-chairman
Dr. Herbert I. London, president,
The Hudson Institute, presented
CORE’s international brotherhood
award to Mrs. Tova.
The third honoree was the
Honorable James A. Young, the
first African American Mayor of
Philadelphia, Mississippi, a city
previously best known as the site
of the murder of CORE workers
and civil rights heroes James
Chaney, Andrew Goodman and
Michael Schwerner by members
of the Ku Klux Klan in 1964. Dinner co-chairman Joseph Lovece,
Jr., president & chief executive
officer, Northstar-Foley Contracting Corporation presented
Mr. Young with CORE’s civil
rights award.
The gala dinner kicked off with
a reception followed by dinner
and the program. Emmy Awardwinning actress Lynn Whitfield
served as Mistress of Ceremonies. Lawrence Beames, finalist,
“America’s Got Talent,” entertained.
Dr. Herbert I. London, president, Hudson Institute; Mr. Joseph Lovece, Jr., president,
Northstar Foley Contracting; and
Mr. George W. Holmes, executive
director, CORE, served as gala
dinner co-chairmen.
The Honorable Roy Innis, National Chairman, CORE, his son
Niger Innis, National Spokesman,
CORE, and the King Federal Holiday Committee organized the national observance dinner.
The event drew an impressive
crowd of politicians, celebrities,
corporate and community leaders. CORE wishes to thank its supporters and extends special
thanks to those supporters who
helped CORE to live Martin’s
“dream.”
Hon. Roy Innis, Hon. James Gilmore, Honoree Michael
Hon. Roy Innis, Joseph Lovece Jr., Honoree James A.
S. Steele
Honoree Mrs. Tova Leidesdorf Young
Curtis Sliwa
Dorcedious Davis, Leslie Wyche, Miatta
Haj Smith
Gloria Dulan-Wilson, Cal Ramsey
Host Lynn Whitfield
Mayor James A. Young, Myrtle G.
George Holmes, Roy Ayers, John Pressly, Leslie Wyche Judge Carol E. Wade, Samuel L. Dunston Whitmore, Samuel L. Dunston
(Photos by Gideon Manasseh)
©
Fashion, Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .& Stuff
By Audrey Adams
Head start
Audrey Adams
First thing, every Saturday, and
I do mean every Saturday morning come rain, shine, sleet or
snow (Sound familiar?) I get up
and haul my rear end to the
beauty shop. You see, the shop
I go to doesn’t take appointments and I like to be the first
customer of the day, so I am
standing outside the door at
about 7:45a.m., sharp (she opens
at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday’s) to get
my hair done. I know that if I get
there at 7:46 there will be two or
three other clients in line ahead
of me and I have this absolute
need to be first!
Now you may think that this
is a little silly but I have my
reasons. To be completely fair,
Nellie’s shop (International
Choices) is open Tuesday
through Saturday her late day
is Thursday, but I can’t seem
to get there in time after work.
So Saturday is “Hair Day” but
getting my hair done isn’t the
only thing I have to do, and I
want, no I have to be first!
If you know anything about
the psychology of beauty
shops, you know that getting
in and out quickly is next to
impossible, not that they don’t
try to keep on schedule—it
just doesn’t work out like that
for some reason.
Nellie’s is a neighborhood
beauty shop that I found 25
years ago, as most of us do; I
asked a woman who always
had fabulous looking hair who
she used and the rest is history.
Girlfriend, I haven’t allowed anyone else to perm, cut, condition,
color or touch this head since!
Now I’m sure that someone else
could do my hair, but I am not willing to risk letting anyone else try.
You and I both know that there
are a million shops, but there is
only one that fits your personal
needs. Oh, but I wouldn’t miss my
“Hair Day” time for anything!
Mind you, the reason I have remained a loyal client is because
Nellie takes really good care of my
hair. If her clients were to beg for
some new thing they’d seen or
read about, she would rather say
no and risk losing them then to
cave in and say, “I told you so”
later. I go for other reasons too. I
don’t know what I would do without the camaraderie of the women.
You see, it’s possible to grow up
in the shop, it’s not just about cut,
color and style, it’s also an exhilarating slice of life. As you become a
“regular”, life at the shop takes on
its own rhythm. Heads of hair develop faces, personalities and lives
complete with marriages, births, illnesses, deaths, graduations, divorces, job changes — life challenges all emerge. Shampoo will
wash away the week’s dirt and oil,
conditioners strengthen hair and repair dry split ends; color covers gray,
a layered cut will give you fullness.
Ah . . . but the time spent with
other women will help repair your
spirit. The shop you’ve found
probably fits you to a tee, which
is why you stay because it isn’t
always about hair. Nellie’s is not
the place for you if you are, according to her, “the snotty, gossipy, diva type.”
The beauty shop is a place to
gather, for the quiet reassurance
that you and your hair and life
aren’t that unique. If you just listen instead of running your
mouth, you’ll recognize the nurturing wisdom of the elders. And
if you keep going to the same
shop, you start out a mere girl
and become one (heck of a)
wise supporting woman. If it’s
the right shop for you, you’ll
walk out with a great do,
healthy hair and a warm heart.
Think about it. See you next
week.
Visit my website, TheAdams
Report.com and checkout my
online radio show, Talk! with
Audrey for a series of interviews that will inform, motivate and inspire you. Tune in
to listen to a live broadcast
of TALK! with AUDREY . . .
every Tuesday from 6:00 to
7:00 P.M. on Harlem’s WHCR
90.3 FM.
AUDREY TV: This week, my
guest is TOY VAN LIEROP,
who was the makeup artist for
the movie PRECIOUS. Toy,
an award winning makeup
artist/designer has worked
with a roster of Hollywood’s
finest directors and has to her
credit 35 film and television
credits: The Nutty Professor,
Empire Falls, Mr. & Mrs.
Bridge, Lean on Me, Beverly
Hills Cop 3, Boomerang and
I Am Legend. Van Lierop, a
resident of Harlem, gave me a
very insightful look at the
making of the movie and the
creative process of interpreting Lee Daniel’s dream.
Audrey Adams, former director of corporate public
relations and fashion merchandising for ESSENCE
and model and assistant
commentator for the world
renowned EBONY FASHION
FAIR, motivates and inspires
women through her syndicated columns and motivational speaking engagements and web site, The
Adams Report.com. E-mail
your fashion, beauty and
lifestyle questions or comments to her at Audrey
@theadamsreport.com
First Lady declares war on
obesity epidemic among children
By J. Zamgba Browne
Apparently concerned about
obesity among children and adults,
First Lady Michelle Obama has
declared the disease one of the biggest health battles the country may
face and she wants to use her bully
pulpit to stem the problem.
The First Lady has already enlisted the nation’s mayors to help
her battle what she described as
“an epidemic that could see
today’s kids lead shorter lives
than their parents.”
Noting that childhood obesity
has “tripled in the last 30 years,”
the First Lady, Obama, said the
increase in weight gain “could be
and even greater threat to
America’s health than smoking.
The First Lady warned that the
economic toll obesity brings to
communities, as many employees
do not want to hire obese people
because of the high cost of health
care. “Think about all the missed
days of work and decreased productivity that we are going to see
as a result,” she added.
Last Wednesday, the First Lady
spoke out for children at the U.S.
Conference of Mayors, saying, “It’s
about whether we are willing to use
both our policies and our bully pulpits.”
The First Lady stressed that currently, nearly one third of children
in America are overweight or obese.
“That’s one in three children,” said
Mrs. Obama. “One third of all children today will eventually suffer
from diabetes – and in the AfricanAmerican and Latino communities
– that number goes up to almost
half,” she added.
Mrs. Obama said she wants to put
in place “common sense initiatives
and solutions” that empower families and communities to make
healthy decisions for their children.
She said her initiative calls on the
Ask Deanna! Is an advice column
known for it’s fearless approach
to reality-based subjects.
Dear Deanna!
My neighbor broke her leg and I’ve been going back and forth helping
her out and running daily errands. Since I’ve been around her so much,
I developed interest in her. She has a boyfriend that doesn’t treat her
well and hasn’t been there for her during this time. I’ve stayed with her
a few nights and done things like brush her hair, run her bath water and
serve her food. How do I let her know my feelings and let her know that
I’ve fallen in love and want to date her?
Anthony
Lawton , OK
Dear Anthony:
The first thing you need to address is the situation with her boyfriend. Inquire and find out about this relationship, where they stand
and how serious they are. Once you have those answers and if they’re
in your favor, share your feelings and make your intentions known. You
must be careful because your neighbor may be sensitive and you don’t
want to appear as if you’re taking advantage of her. Again, get answers,
share your feelings and keep it moving.
Dear Deanna!
I have an issue with my loud neighbor. She is so rude and disrespectful and has no regards for the rest of us in the apartment complex. We’re
forced to listen to her loud music, she has company coming in and out
and her place is always one big party. Several of us have joined together asked her to tone it down but she laughs and says she can do as
she pleases as long as she pays her rent. What other options do we
have to deal with this headache?
Annoyed
On-Line Reader
Dear Annoyed:
You can file a complaint and the first stop should be the on-site
manager’s office. If this resource isn’t helpful then you should contact
the management company. Yes, your neighbor pays rent but you pay as
well and are entitled to a decent amount of peace and quiet. Once this is
done, boundaries should be established. On another note, if she violates the noise ordinance after hours, you can call the police as a guarantee for a good nights sleep.
Dear Deanna!
I’m a single mom with five kids and I’ve reunited with my boyfriend of
two years. I admit we’ve had problems on both sides but during this
recent make up he expressed his love, he said that he missed us and he
wants to pick up where we left off. He went to work one day and I didn’t
hear from him until two weeks later. He left me a voice mail saying that
his job had offered him a training position in another town and he would
be back on the weekend. I didn’t hear anything for three days and
decided that I love myself and I’m tired of games. What should I do
about this man?
Confused
Seattle, WA
Dear Confused:
If a man loves you so much, he will not disappear for two weeks and
not contact you. These are signs that he’s immature, selfish and not
very responsible. Your relationship ended for a reason and you should
move forward instead of two steps back. You have enough kids already
and don’t need to add an overgrown man to the bunch. Set an example
for your kids by taking care of them, loving yourself and waiting for a
man that will treat you right.
Ask Deanna is written by Deanna M. Write Ask Deanna!
Email: [email protected] or write:
Deanna M, 264 S. La Cienega, Suite 1283 , Beverly Hills , CA 90211
Website: www.askdeanna.com
Michelle Obama
federal government to work with
local officials and leaders in the business and non-profit sectors to provide more nutritious food in
schools, allow more opportunities
for children to be physically active
and give more communities access
to affordable, healthful food.
The First Lady said she hopes one
of her legacies will be her work in
reducing childhood obesity, an effort she already has begun by planting the White House garden and
joining in physical activities with
children.
About 32 percent of children and
adolescents are obese or overweight, according to government
statistics. Almost 20 percent of children ages 6 to 11 and 18% of those
ages 12 to 19 are also obese.
Mrs. Obama said such children are
at greater risk for weight-related
health problems such as high cholesterol and diabetes, and they have
an increased chance of becoming
obese adults.
11
Deanna!
THE ADAMS REPORT Ask
(Real People, Real Advice)
Beacon On
Help for Haiti Now telethon raises
whopping $57 million and $till counting
The “Hope for Haiti Now:
A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief” telethon, presented by MTV on Friday
evening, January 22, 2010, featured a host of A-list stars urging the world to give to earthquake-stricken Haiti, and they
gave to the tune of $57 million
and $till counting.
Coordinated by George
Clooney and Haitian born rapper
Wyclef Jean the event featured
countless celebrities singing solemn tunes to raise money for millions of Haitians who lost their
homes in the earthquake that
rocked the poor country killing
some 200,000 people.
In Los Angeles, solid gold performances were delivered by Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera,
Dave Matthews, John Legend,
Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift and a group per-
formance by Keith Urban, Kid
Rock and Sheryl Crow. From
New York, Wyclef, Madonna,
Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer
Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira
and Sting performed. And in
London, Beyonce, Chris Martin (Coldplay), Bono, The Edge,
Jay-Z and Rihanna performed.
Throughout the somber benefit,
celebrities like Muhammad Ali,
Russell Simmons, Samuel L.
Jackson, Julia Roberts, Jack
Nicholson, Halle Berry, Chris
Wyclef Jean performs with his band
Rock, Reese Witherspoon,
Brad Pitt, Robert Pattinson,
Jennifer Aniston, Leonardo
DiCaprio, Stephen Spielberg,
Robert DeNiro and many others
manned the phones for the twohour telethon.
All proceeds from the telecast will be split among five organizations working on the
ground in Haiti: Oxfam America,
Partners in Health, American
Red Cross, UNICEF and Wyclef
Jean’s Yéle Haiti Foundation.
The telethon was broadcast from
New York, London, Los Angeles
and Haiti, where CNN’s Anderson
Cooper interviewed quake victims
and anchored news clips of the tragedy. Haitians were able to listen on
Radio One Haiti. Haiti’s native son
Wyclef wrapped up the tragic happenings in his country succinctly.
“My country is in great pain,” he
said. “My people are dying.”
(For more on Wyclef Jean and his
Yéle Haiti Foundation, see MELLOW FELLOW on page 19).
Actors Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, Jack Nicholson
The Edge, U2, Jay Z, Rihanna
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio
Anderson Cooper
Stevie Wonder
Madonna
Mary J. Blige
Beyonce
Jennifer Hudson
(Photo credit: HFHN)
12
TWO THUMBS WAY UP!!!!!
Actress Mo’Nique accepts the Female Actor In A Supporting Role Award for “Precious” at the 16th Annual
Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles. The SAG
Awards are seen as a bellwether of likely winners at the
Academy Awards, which takes place on March 7. She also
won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Role for
her performance. (DT)
“Thanks be to God, we will be celebrating NINE decades
of life for the Matriarch of our family, Susanna Marie Price,
with a cake cutting at her home in the Village of Harlem
on Sunday, January 31 (her 90th birthday) at 3pm. Please
join us if you can, if not, she loves to receive calls and
cards...(212) 410-7557. Address 325 E. 106 Street, apt.
11B, New York City 10029. Affectionately called (Ma Price)
by family and the throngs of people who know that this
fabulous woman is truly an ever-lasting treasure,”
-Don Thomas
(L-r) Friend, Roberta Henry, Pepa, Marylin Mitchel (Ms. Henry’s daughter), attending
fundraiser for cure of cancer bunch held at Taj Lounge in Manhattan. The event was
held to celebrate to life of the late Ms. Roberta Henry, who through her positive thinking daily journey, taught hundreds of community residents near and far how to embrace
life to its fullest.
(Photo: David Shellman)
“The Great Divas of Gospel,” are celebrating 17 years of Gospel singing on Saturday,
January 30 at 3 p.m. for one performance only at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church,
located at 290 Henry Street, just off Montgomery Street, in lower Manhattan. By train,
take the F train to the East Broadway stop, and walk up 3 blocks to the church. The
show is presented by Woodie King’s National Black Touring Circuit and directed by
Ajene Washington. For bookings email Lady Peachena at: [email protected]. (DT)
The Scene
13
CATWALKIN’
14
with Fashion & Beauty Editor Audrey J. Bernard
Christo 5th Avenue Salon is the place
preferred by the Hairnistas crowd
Christo
“Cutting curly hair is an art.
I have to make sure that I work
according to the individual texture of the hair and the structure of the face, since curls have
a mind of their own,” says celebrity stylist Christo at his chic
Fifth Avenue Salon. “Everyone
should be able to achieve the
hairstyle they feel their best in.
This is why my goal is to have
each person’s hair achieve its
maximum potential.”
Christo is one of the world’s
finest celebrity hair experts —
internationally celebrated for his
unrivaled ability to style curly
hair, transform straight hair into
noteworthy locks and to create
color with vitality and originality.
His name is as big in Europe
as it is stateside and his hair care
products have become staples
in any discerning hair care selection. Hairnistas flock to his
salon to have him run his magic
fingers through their hair.
He’s been on top of the hair
game for a very long time dating back to his tender age of 12
where he got his start as an apprentice at his family’s salon in
the Greek island of Cyprus.
During his teenage years, he
ventured to Paris and advanced
as a young talent for his Parisian clientele.
By his early 20s, the hair specialist led a team of platform artists around the world to educate
salon professionals. His pas-
Christo Hair Line Products
Christo Hair Salon
sion for hair also led him to develop his own line of hair care
products that are now widely distributed in Europe, Asia and
South Africa.
It was just a matter of time before the consummate hair stylist
opened his own shop. In 2002,
he opened Christo Fifth Avenue
Salon in order to expand his empire and service his A-list and
royalty clientele.
That same year, he launched
Curlisto Systems, today’s number one botanical hair care line
specially formulated to nourish
and rejuvenate all hair types –
curly and straight. This was a
dream come true for women with
tight curly hair who would like to
wear their hair straight.
Curlisto is one of the leading
global lines among many salon
professionals. In 2004 Christo
launched Colorective, a shampoo
Before and after signature Curlisto hairstyle
and conditioner line in 5 shades
that benefit all colored and highlighted hair. This line offers unlimited “Custom Blend” colors
from 13 shades of shampoos and
conditioners.
In 2008 the celebrity hairstylist premiered the first online DIY
curly hair styling videos. These
online videos deliver absolute
control for consumers to style
their own hair.
In April of 2009, he released
his new “Hair Rehab Program.”
Christo is known for educating
both professionals and consumers through his PsychoHairAnalysis sessions on how to
make hair of all types (straight
and curly) look and feel beautiful.
The hair guru has given lectures at International Beauty
Shows, beauty schools and top
universities. His makeovers and
hair expert blogs have been featured in numerous publications
including The New York Times,
Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe,
American Salon, Glamour Magazine, Teen Vogue and Marie
Claire -- to name a few.
Christo has been featured in
news segments on CW11, ABC,
CBS, FOX 5, and Telemundo. As
a leading hair man, he was invited to transform hair color and
style for TLC’s “Date Patrol”
and Bravo’s “Guide To Style.”
Christo has also received industry wide recognition as the
“King of Curls.” (Daily News,
WWD BeautyBiz). In addition,
he has also been a sponsor and
lead designer for many fashion
shows and major events including New York Fashion Week,
L.A. Fashion Week, San Francisco Fashion Week, Latin
Grammys, Tribeca Film Festival,
Christo putting finishing glam to signature
curl hair design
Latin Billboard Awards, and the
Sundance Film Festival to name a
few.
If he sounds expensive, he is.
A consultation with the master
hairstylist is $100 but the fee will
be credited towards your first haircut. A couture haircut with him
will set you back $395 but he’s
never had an unsatisfied customer.
The hair salon offers a wide
menu of services including sensational styling; couture color with
Christo; marvelous make-up; beautiful bridal designs including hair
and make up; special treatments;
and his exceptional “exclusive”
Curlisto signature line.
For additional information on
hair tips on how to style curly hair
visit Curlisto.comis — one of
today’s top fashion websites for
curly hair. The website provides
hair tips on how to style curly hair
and also showcases all of
Christo’s accessories for his latest fashion line. As they say in
hairsville, “If Christo hasn’t done
your hair, your hair isn’t done!
Model in finished Curlisto look
Children drop out and into lives of poverty and imprisonment
past, many of these problems
would have been resolved in the
principal’s office or referred to
a pastor or social worker or by
calling the parent (who may no
longer be in the house). Too
many children today end up with
an arrest record and are labeled a
troublemaker, increasing the likelihood of dropping out of school.
There are a lot of things we
know about preventing children
Harlem school to host four...
(From page 2)
tic Ocean.
The exchange program is organized by Raina Storm Agency
and is sponsored by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany. And the generous support of Lufthansa, who
sponsored the tickets for the exchange students. Together, with
the staff of the German consulate, Ms. Williams seized upon
the opportunity to grow
Germany’s relationship with the
African American community.
During the week of Jan. 25, Ms.
Williams’ student “ambassadors” will meet with some of New
York’s highest elected officials.
“I have arranged for the students
to visit Governor David Paterson, City Comptroller John Liu,
Public Advocate Bill deBlasio,
Manhattan Borough President
Scott Stringer, and Harlem Assemblyman Keith Wright,” said Ms.
Williams-Benjamin. Also, the students will attend a reception on
Feb. 2, 2010 with Consul General
Horst Freitag at the German House
on East 49th Street.
The exchange program fosters
global understanding and enables
four students to spend two weeks
in New York/Berlin with a host
family. This year, the German students will attend classes at FDA,
tour Harlem and the city, and experience life in New York. Conversely, the American students
will visit the city of Oranienburg
where they will attend English
classes, tour Germany and share
a new experience with their German peers.
from dropping out. New research
has led to a better understanding of how to turn this enormous
crisis around and has identified
schools where graduation is not
the norm. Researchers at Johns
Hopkins University have identified 2,000 high schools in the
country (12 percent) responsible
for nearly half of the nation’s
dropouts. The children attending these “dropout factories”
are overwhelmingly minority.
We can spot students in elementary school who, if adults
do intervene, will be less likely
to drop out. Potential dropouts
can be identified as early as the
fourth and sixth grades by looking at attendance, behavior and,
of course, failure in math and
English. We can focus our resources on these schools and
their students with the goal of
turning them around and rescuing hundreds of thousands of
children from the cradle to
prison pipeline. But the community has to care and raise a
ruckus for our children’s and
nation’s sakes.
This is a national problem requiring all of our focused attention.
The dropout crisis is too costly
to our children, communities,
and nation to let it persist. We
know how to keep children in
school. We simply must decide to
mix our knowledge and experience
with the will to educate every
child.
Marian Wright Edelman is
president of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No
Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start,
a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe
Start and a Moral Start in life
and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more
information go to www.childrens
defense.org.
Cuomo sues immigration service
(From page 2)
charge excessive fees for their
services.
“Specifically, they lure immigrants though newspaper advertisements, articles, conferences,
and television and radio shows
to purchase a membership with
their organization by promising
that members receive special
privileges including free or low
cost registration.
Membership costs a $100 registration fee and dues or $30 per
month. However, members are
then charged at least several thousand dollars more to have immigration papers prepared and filed.
They also provide members with
their “International Citizen Photo
Identification Card, which they
falsely claim guarantees legal representation and provides special
privileges if the member is detained
by law enforcement agencies.
Cuomo said the illegal actions of
IIF and IPA have disastrous consequences on immigrant communities. In addition to being forced
to pay substantial fees, Cuomo
said victims and their families are
put at risk of suffering permanent
damage as a result of receiving incorrect immigration-related legal
advice.
Since when has eating become looting?
(From page 6)
ing to find food to survive, it is
called looting.
thing to be pitied. Now as Hai- A couple of historical facts are in
tians are in even worse shape, try- order here: In October of 1779, the
Haiti is crying out for help
(From page 6)
pouring of money and relief
pledges worldwide is a positive,
motivating sign indeed. But the
breath and depth of destruction
is beyond human comprehension, and we must work to ensure that such aid reaches those
who need it the most. We must
continue our efforts in the days,
weeks, months and even years as
time passes by, for the need will
continue beyond today. And we
must act swiftly, thoroughly and
without delay.
I myself pledge to do my best to
assist Haiti and our Haitian brothers and sisters - for I know that
our greatest civil rights leader
would have wanted us all to do
just that.
largest contingent of soldiers of
African descent to fight in the
Revolutionary War converged on
Savannah, Georgia to defend it
from the British. The Siege of Savannah included about 700 brave,
committed, dedicated, strong,
Black men who fought, and some
of whom died. They were from
Haiti.
The other significant piece of
history that connects us to Haiti
is the defeat of Napoleon’s army
by the Haitians, which led to a
deal that added 828,000 square
miles of land known as the Louisiana Purchase to the U.S. Who
knows what language we’d be
speaking had Napoleon defeated
those strong-willed Black men of
Haiti?
So why haven’t we taken better care of Haiti and Haitians?
Why haven’t we given them more
financial assistance? Why have
we disproportionately excluded
them from entering this country?
If we had been doing the right
things for Haiti all along, their infrastructure would not be as fragile, their buildings would have
been stronger, and their means
of survival would have been more
accessible.
Haitians have made significant
contributions to the United
States. Despite their willingness
to sacrifice for this country, despite their bravery on the battlefield, despite their proud history
of resistance to being enslaved,
Haitian people are derided and cast
aside as though they are little more
than trash. What happened to
“Give me your tired your poor, your
huddled masses yearning to
breathe free, the wretched refuse
of your teeming shore”? I guess
that didn’t include Haitians, did it?
So, the next time you see scenes
of Haitians searching for food and
taking it from stores, or crowds of
Haitians pushing and shoving to
get their meager rations, don’t be
so eager to agree with the “looting” message by the media. Think
about how easy it is for you to eat,
and then remember that Haitians
must eat too, by any means necessary.
ACLU lawsuit challenges abusive police practices in NY City schools
(From page 4)
grown by 73 percent since the
transfer of school safety to the
NYPD, even though school
crime was declining prior to
the 1998 transfer and even
though student enrollment is
at its lowest point in more than
a decade.
SSOs wear NYPD uniforms
and possess the authority to
stop, frisk, question, search
and arrest students. While
NYPD police officers must complete a six-month training
course before being deployed,
SSOs receive only 14 weeks of
training before being assigned
to schools. School administrators have no supervisory authority over the SSOs who patrol their schools.
“When one of our clients was
11 years old, she was handcuffed and perp-walked into a
police precinct for doing nothing more than doodling on a
desk in erasable ink. Amazingly,
no one in the police department
or the school seemed to think
there was anything wrong with
that,” said Joshua ColangeloBryan, senior attorney at Dorsey
& Whitney and co-counsel on
the case. “It’s a sad day when
you need to resort to a lawsuit
to keep an 11-year-old from being arrested for drawing on her
desk, but in this case it is clear
there is no alternative.”
From 2002 to June 2007, the
NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau
received 2,670 complaints
against members of NYPD’s
School Safety Division – about
500 complaints annually – even
though no effective or publicized mechanism exists for lodging complaints against school
safety officers. Families that
have lodged complaints against
SSOs have reported that, in response, the NYPD simply transfers those SSOs to different public schools. Additionally, the Civilian Complaint Review Board,
which investigates allegations of
police misconduct, has reported
that the NYPD receives about
1,200 complaints a year about
SSOs.
Today’s lawsuit, filed in the
U.S. District Court for the East-
ern District of New York, seeks
the following remedies:
A return of disciplinary decisions traditionally dealt with by
school administrators to New
York City’s school administrators.
Mandatory training of SSOs
regarding conduct relating to
arrests, searches and the use of
force. Officers must get training for working in an educational environment and must be
taught the difference between
the penal code and the disciplinary code when it comes to
arresting students.
A transparent and meaningful
mechanism for students and
parents to file complaints
against members of the NYPD’s
School Safety Division.
Revision of the policies and
procedures regarding discipline
of members of the NYPD’s School
Safety Division who are found to
have committed abuses, including their removal from having
future contact with youth where
appropriate.
Race and politics at the New York Times
(From page 6)
comments about me. ‘I also
wanted to see, as Arthur
[Sulzberger, Jr., the publisher] himself needed to, what Gerald Boyd
could do in the high-demand situation,’ he revealed, reducing my
selection to a question mark. My
career at the Times was one of
measurable accomplishments that
no one could deny. Yet, Raines’s
depiction was of a managing editor trainee. This was even more
painful than the dozens of inaccurate descriptions of me as
Jayson Blair’s mentor.”
After their dismissals, Raines
wrote Gerald a letter suggesting
that they meet for drinks.
“I never responded to his letter,”
Gerald said. “I was tired of being
betrayed, tired of the Times, tired
of him.”
Gerald was savvy enough to
know that in order to move up at
the New York Times, he needed a
rabbi, someone to serve as a sponsor. Howell Raines was one of
those persons, pushing for Gerald
to become managing editor. The
flip side of that equation, however,
is that when you become a tandem, as he and Raines were, you
begin a downward trajectory
whenever your partner flames out.
When Raines was kicked out of
the door, Gerald was pushed out,
too. In fact, he went to his grave
wondering why the Times didn’t
find another spot for him, perhaps
as a columnist or a foreign correspondent. In the end, he painfully
realized he had cared more for the
New York Times than the Times
had cared about him.
George E. Curry, former editorin-chief of Emerge magazine and
the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached
through his Web site, www.george
curry.com You can also follow him
at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.
(From page 7)
15
16
Haitians urged to apply for TPS to stay in U.S.
(From page 3)
One can make an appointment
via the website using Infopass,
but walk-ins for Haiti-related issues will be accommodated at
both locations without an appointment. The call center at 1
(800) 375-5283 has temporarily
extended its hours to 8 am - 11
pm in order to better serve those
affected by the earthquake.
Andrea Quarantillo also
warned that applicants should
be very careful to avoid immigration scams as they seek help
applying for TPS because whenever a catastrophe such as this
one strikes, there are even more
unscrupulous consultants out
there trying to take advantage
of vulnerable people. Some of
her pointers were:
* Do not sign blank applications or other papers, documents that you don’t understand, or documents that contain false or misleading information.
* Do not let anyone keep your
original documents.
* Do not make payments without getting a receipt.
* Always get copies of all docu-
ments that are prepared for you
or submitted in your name.
The USCIS website contains
useful information on how to
avoid becoming a victim of immigration fraud and how to find
reputable legal advice. Informa-
tion is also available through the
offices of the Governor, the
Mayor, Congressman Gregory
Meeks and City Councilmembers
such as Mathieu Eugene, all of
whom are offering assistance and
directing people to reputable, ac-
credited community and faithbased organizations qualified to
help people - mostly free of
charge - with filing.
Since there are people who,
for various reasons, will be nervous about applying and con-
AT&T prez outlines jobs, economic plans for Blacks
(From page 3)
“H1N1 ain’t got nothing on
what’s happening with our children dropping out of school,”
Marshall said alluding to the dangerous influenza virus that has
also disparately ravaged Black
and Latino children. “In fact,
nearly one-third of all freshmen
drop out of school before they
become seniors. It is 50 percent
higher for children of color. That
is an epidemic.”
As part of the AT&T Aspire program, Marshall showcased a motivational traveling exhibit that
the corporation calls the “Choice
Bus”, which is a modified school
bus that shows a class room setting in the front-half of the vehicle and replicated prison cell
NNPA conference held Wednesday through Saturday.
Marshall concludes, “Broadband is the foundation of the JET
Agenda. Yet, for many in the African-American community the
promise of broadband is only a
hope for many of our brothers
and sisters who are looking at the
future from a digital divide.”
Although 74 percent of
America’s adults use the
Internet only 59 percent of African-Americans are users, she
said. The number falls to 40 percent with the number of Blacks
who use the Internet at home.
Because of this disparity,
Marshall announced that AT&T
is standing behind government
policies such as the National
Broadband Strategy, which is the
federal government’s open Internet
plan to fund broadband development for “underserved areas of the
United States” to get the entire
population connected by 2014.
She said her company also
helped to break down digital barriers for underprivileged children,
including through a program in
Raleigh, N.C. which is providing
families with free broadband access for three years.
“We’ve invested $17 to $18 billion dollars in broadband technology just last year. The government
estimates that it will cost $350 billion dollars to get everybody connected. But they only invested $7
billion dollars,” Marshall explained. “So where is the rest going to come from? - From private
industry. - And we support that.”
Stimulus funds are winding
their way through the system,
but more slowly than anyone
rising. And, the bankers that likes. The unemployment situwere bailed out are getting multi- ation is high on most minds, but
million dollar bonuses. How is not high enough on the agenda
that for washing our faces in it! of the White House. We need
liberals to feel some of the same
passion that the tea party posse
feels, liberals who exude energy
and excitement. Instead, there is
something disturbingly blah about
the way many liberals approach
public policy.
This is the context in which
Martha Coakley, lousy candidate
for the United States Senate,
chose to run. She didn’t ooze excitement, she ran a poor campaign,
and she did it at a time when the
Democratic blahs have left onceexcited voters staying home. Republican resurgence? Obama’s
waning influence? Or time, simply,
to return Democratic passion to
politics.
built in the rear-half. The bus is
designed to teach children about
the impact of the choices that
they make, such as whether to
drop out of school.
“I know our efforts at AT&T
can’t fix the dropout problem, but
working together with people like
educators, with business leaders
and others we can have a dramatic
impact on this problem for Black
America,” Marshall stressed.
AT&T aims to continue its
Black economic impact through
its association with the Black
Press of America. Along with jobs
and education, unequal accessibility to advanced technologies
and high-speed Internet service
is another front that AT&T is attacking. The corporation sponsored an Internet Café during the
She ran a lousy campaign
(From page 7)
year, from 7.6 percent to 10 percent, and that’s just the official
fewer people working – the un- rate. Not only are fewer people
employment rate has risen, in a working, but also wages aren’t
Haiti archbishop killed in quake is laid to rest
(From page 2)
March 2008, a “very humble man”
who was widely admired.
The roof of the historic Roman
Catholic cathedral caved in during the earthquake, leaving the
interior and entrance full of
rubble and shattering the
stained-glass windows. The
archdiocese’s offices and Miot’s
cerned about being a fingerprinted, etc., it is highly recommended that applicants get help
from experts at these organizations
as they make their decision about
whether TPS is right for them personally.
residence were destroyed in the
earthquake. A Mexican rescue
crew reportedly found the archbishop dead in the ruins two days
later.
Celebrants who presided at the
funeral mass included Timothy
Dolan, archbishop of New York and
chair of the board of Catholic Relief Services; Thomas Wenski,
bishop of Orlando, and Arch-
bishop Bernardito Auza.
Archbishop Miot was born in
Jeremie, Grand’Anse Department
on Nov. 23, 1946. He was ordained
to the priesthood on July 4, 1975
in the Diocese of Jeremie.
On July 29, 1997, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of
Port-au-Prince by Pope John Paul
II because the people had been
displeased with Aarchbishop
Francois-Wolff Ligonde’s supposed encouragement of the coup
movement – the archdiocesan offices were burned in retribution.
Archbishop Miot received his
Episcopal consecration on the
following Oct. 12 from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, with
Archbishops Francois Gayot and
Ligonde serving as co-consecraJulianne Malveaux is president
tors.
of the Bennett College for Women.
New
York Beacon
New
York
Showingthe
theWay
Way to Truth
and
Justice
Showing
Truth
and
Justice
YES, I would like to subscribe to New York Beacon. Enclosed is my check/money order for $35.00
Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Telephone: Area Code
Zip:
Number
Please mail completed form to
The New York Beacon, 237 W. 37th Street, Suite 203, New York, New York 10018
Tel. (212) 213-8585
Fax. (212) 213-6291
WHAT’S GOING ON
THE OBAMA PRESIDENCY:
A year into the Barack Obama
presidency, he enjoys 50% popularity; but his administration is
out of touch with voters. High
unemployment and foreclosures, not Afghanistan nor national security, characterize
Main Streeters discontent, especially independent voters; while
Wall Street remains aloof, collecting large bonuses while avoiding traditional banking services
like loans and credit to small to
medium businesses - the real
engines of robust employment.
Last week’s upset by conservative Republican Scott Brown,
in a Massachusetts special election for Ted Kennedy’s Senate
seat, was the much-needed
wake up call to the Administration, and Democrats nationwide
that something was amiss during this mid-term election year.
All 435 Congressmen and 36
US Senators face re-election
this year. November’s election
outcomes determine the Obama
legacy and prospects for a second term. To its credit, Team
Obama has reached out to political adviser extraordinaire
David Plouffe, Barack’s 2008
Campaign Manager and author
of best-seller book, “The Audacity To Win,” for assistance
in shaping the White House
message and for state and local Democratic tune-ups.
Media pundits are hungry for
cabinet regime change, especially Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and chief economic adviser Lawrence Summers. More on this after I analyze the State of the Union!
HAITI UPDATE: Entering
phase 2 of the Haiti crisis, the
country needs more triage re:
homelessness, hunger, health
regimens, and overall redevelopment. Last week in NY, Haitiborn musician Wyclef Jean said.
“Haiti needs at least 100,000
tents and immediate evacuation
from Port-Au-Prince,” sentiments unanimously echoed a
week later by most eyewitnesses.
An LA Times story titled
“Haiti’s Elite Hold Nation’s Future In Their Hands” is a partial
truth. Haiti’s future is in the
hands of the world family of
nations and Haitian Americans
committed to rebuilding a nation which benefits all of its
nationals. Haitian President
Rene Preval estimates that
earthquake recovery costs will
be $3+ billion, a little more than
10% of the 2009 Wall Street bonuses.
Is Haiti still a so-called sovereign nation, which just happens to be occupied by the
U.S. which still controls its air
space and its waters. Read
“Securing Disaster In Haiti”
by Canadian Political Philosophy Professor Peter Hallward,
which is accessible online.
Hallward’s 1/22 analysis begins. “During the first 9 days
of the US-led recovery, certain
tendencies were observed
which are similar to those in
the general course of Haiti’s
recent history. 1) It has
adopted military priorities and
strategies 2) It has sidelined
President Obama
Haiti’s leaders and government 3)
It has ignored the needs of the
majority of the Haitian people.”
He continues. “These actions
reinforce the harrowing gap between the rich and the poor.”
Former Jamaica Prime Minister PJ
Patterson, Caricom’s rep to a international committee convened
to address Haiti’s reconstruction, attended the group’s first
meeting in Montreal on 1/25.
Group meets again at the UN in
March. President Abdoulaye
Wade of Senegal offered voluntary repatriation to any Haitian
who wants to return to (the land)
of their origin.
NEWSMAKERS: Why didn’t
he consult one? I refer to Oracle
chief Charles Phillips a married
man with a full time sometimes
lovely, live-in companion of 8 ½
years, YaVaughnie Wilkins. Long
story short Phillips decides to
take a powder admitting that he
and the wife were reconciling, and
not getting a divorce. Then
Shakespeare’s warnings about
hell having no fury like a woman
scorned takes front stage center.
YaVaughnie buys billboard space,
in 3 cities, NY’s Time Square, San
Francisco and Atlanta with a picture of her and Phillips during happier love-filled days, much to the
chagrin of estranged lover
Phillips, who has hired a publicist,
say that he had a serious relationship with her, end of story.
Why such risky behavior for a
former US Marine, a law school
grad, and an economic adviser to
President Obama, who worked hard
to get where he is. He was one of
the architects of Oracle’s biggest
acquisitions, the $7.4 billion purchase of Sun Microsystems, an
European database market company, which will be finalized this
week. Will the billboard scandal jettison his career?
Fond Farewells to Harlem businessman Stanley Penn, 75, died.
A college grad, a US Army vet-
Attorney General Eric Holder
eran. Penn helped grow the family business from Penn Stationery on Lenox and 119 Street,
to corporation, an umbrella for
a retail liquor store and real estate investments . Sports Journalist and author Art Rust, 82,
who dominated radio airwaves,
hosting shows for almost 50
years, on stations like WWRL,
WINS, WMCA, and WBLS,
died. He was a NY Daily News
and Amsterdam News columnist, who wrote the nonfiction
book “Get That Nigger Off The
Field,” a study of Blacks in major league baseball……….and
to Darrell Brown’s parents,
Philadelphians Margaret and
Ronald Brown, who died four
months apart.
AROUND TOWN: February
3: A book reading/signing
party of Jacqueline Luckett’s
first novel “Searching For Tina
Turner” a story about a woman
in crisis who looks into singer
Tina Turner’s life for strength
and inspiration. Party will held
at 59 East 119 Street Manhattan, from 7-9 pm. Sarah Dash,
Barbara Montgomery, Tamara
Tumie and Alyson Williams
will read book excerpts. Book
is $25. Contact [email protected] for
more info.
February 4. Opening reception for a fine arts exhibit Artists
Speaking For the Spirits, 40 mural-sized paintings by 26 artists,
including Otto Neals, Betty
Blayton, James Denmark, Al
Johnson, Aleathia Brown, Linda
Hiwot, Emmett Wigglesworth,
and Sadikisha Collier, will be
held at 22 Chapel Street, off Jay
Street, Brooklyn, from 6-8. The
exhibit is the debut project of
Artcurian, a ground-breaking
initiative of the Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation and its affiliate, the Urban
Resource Institute, two of the
city’s largest nonprofits, human
services providers.
February 5: The Columbia Law
School hosts the 2010 Medal
For Excellence Luncheon at the
Waldorf Astoria, Grand Ballroom, from 12 –2 pm. The 2010
Winter Luncheon honorees are
U.S Attorney General Eric H.
Holder, Jr and Professor Henry
Monaghan. The Medal For Excellence Award is the CLS’S
most prestigious award, presented annually to an alumnus
or to a past or present faculty
member. Tickets are $70.
February 8 The Evidence
Dance Company presents its
“Grace In Winter Silver Ball,” a
fundraiser celebration of its 25th
Anniversary, at Manhattan’s
Plaza Hotel, and will honor Evidence Founder/Artistic Director Ronald Brown and Booz
Allen Hamilton’s Reginald Van
Lee, Evidence Board Chair and
individual and corporate patron.
Hosted by Victoria Rowell, the
Evidence Gala begins at 6:30 pm
with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and entertainment provided by the Evidence
dancers who will perform signature piece “Grace,” vocalist Jennifer Holliday and jazz musician
Peven Everett. Black tie with a
touch of silver is the Gala dress
regulation. For reservations, call
718.230.4633 or email info@ev
idencedance.com
Rev. Jesse Jackson sits at the dining room table of Angela
Walker, where he promises to help Walker and her daughter, Nazarin, (seated behind) save their home from foreclosure. Walker is one of hundreds of Prince George’s County
residents who are at risk of losing their homes as a result
of job loss or health-related situations.
(Photo credit: Maurice Fitzgerald)
Rev. Jackson puts face on
foreclosures,urges action
By Denise Rolark Barnes
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Angela Walker is about to lose her
home. A job-related injury she
suffered in 2006 ignited a
firestorm of legal battles and
growing debt that now has the
Prince George’s County resident
facing a “giant” she never expected, the imminent threat of
losing her home to foreclosure.
Walker, 49, is a single mother,
who lives with her daughter,
Nazarin, 11, in a three-bedroom
townhouse in Suitland, Md. Before her injury, Walker worked as
a corrections officer with the
Prince George’s Department of
Corrections. Litigation involving her eligibility for disability
insurance has dragged on for so
long that she now joins hundreds of residents in Prince
George’s County who face the
highest foreclosure rate than any
other county in Maryland. Yet,
Walker represents the lone face
of those who, for a host of reasons, remain silent and fail to
seek help until it is too late.
“We have to put a face to this
crisis,” said Rev. Jesse Jackson,
chairman of Rainbow Push Coalition. Jackson held a press conference recently in front of
Walker’s home to bring attention
to banking institutions that benefited from the Wall Street bailouts but aren’t moving quickly
enough to bailout homeowners
who are at-risk of losing their
homes.
“This is the new face of poverty,” Jackson said. “We’re seeing people in the food lines who
had a job and a home three
months ago. We need to call for
a moratorium on foreclosures
and demand the banks begin to
restructure these loans.”
Jackson and Walker were
joined by state and county
elected officials, along with Rev.
Grainger Browning, pastor of
Ebenezer AME Church in Fort
Washington, Md. In December,
Jackson met at Ebenezer with
homeowners and ministers of
churches that are also being affected by the financial crisis.
Browning said while his
church had never missed a mort-
gage payment, the lender issued a
demand to place $750,000 in reserve,
which placed an enormous hardship
on his 10,000-member congregation.
“We were able to raise $500,000 in
three months,” Browning said, but
he also gave credit to Jackson who
helped the situation by acquiring
some leniency from the bank.
The Maryland Black Mayors organization has reached out for help for
families whose homes are at-risk of
foreclosure. Colmar Manor Mayor
Diana Ferrell, who chairs a committee to address the foreclosure crisis,
said the organization signed a memorandum of understanding with
Homefree USA that has resulted in
saving nearly 250 homes.
Marcie Griffith, of Homefree USA,
also joined Jackson and others who
later sat in Walker’s dining room to
outline approaches to the problem.
Griffith said it can take up to nine
months to have a loan restructured
and that the process is a difficult one
for a homeowner to undergo alone.
“It’s a frustrating situation,”
Griffith said. “Hold on. Things are
much better than they were last year.
But, don’t walk away from your
home. Please don’t do that!”
Jackson is calling for mass demonstrations to help bring those who
are “too embarrassed” to ask for
help.
“Many of these are working people
who are caught up in this problem
through no fault of their own. We
are going to organize because it is
now time to fight back,” he said.
Walker said her home was on the
brink of foreclosure last May, but a
tax payment allowed her to pay
enough to avoid losing her home.
She has since received another letter from her lender, but this time she
is getting an assist from Jackson.
Soon she will fill out papers to
modify her loan which requires a
decision from Prince George’s
County on her appeal for disability
compensation, her pension or a job.
“I have gone through slaying many
a giant,” Walker said.
She said, “God has kept me in his
hands and sustained me through
these times. Until they lower the
mortgage and I get some closure in
my financial situation, I’m doing
what I need to do and being patient.
I’m believing that God is going to
work this out for my good.”
By Victoria Horsford
17
18
NNPA Award Winner
Enter tainment
Black History Month Films
By Don Thomas
On The TUBE
The Documentary Channel
(DOC) will celebrate “Black History Month” this February by
showcasing rarely or never-before televised documentary films
about the African-American ex-
the visions and voices of these
talented filmmakers be seen,
heard and celebrated.
“We are thrilled to champion
documentaries both by Black filmmakers and about the Black ex-
Born in New York on November 30, 1924, Shirley
Chisholm grew up in Brooklyn where her Barbadian parents, long on discipline but strong on love, survived the
depths of the depression and poverty to give their children college educations. It was during these formative
years that her developing awareness gathered into resolve
to do something concrete for the black community.
perience and featuring AfricanAmerican filmmakers, producers
and directors.
Leading off is the 2005 Academy Award nominated documentary “Street Fight” on Feb.
7 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by awardwinning films “The Visitors,”
“Beyond the Steps: Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater” and
“Chisholm’72: Unbought &
Unbossed” on Feb. 14, 21 and
28.
“Given the state of both the
economy and the motion picture
business, the world of documentary filmmaking has never
been more challenging,” says
two-time Emmy Award-nominated television and motion picture producer Debra Martin
Chase, who worked with DOC to
curate compelling and poignant
films for its Sunday “Black History Month” primetime programming block.
“It is particularly difficult for
African-American filmmakers
and I fear that as a result a whole
generation will be lost. Tom Neff
and The Documentary Channel
share my concern and we have
designed this showcase to let
perience, and feel these are
unique, important perspectives
for the American public to see,”
adds Tom Neff, The Documentary
Channel founder and chief creative officer.
“DOC is committed to exposing these and other similar incredible films which are rarely
seen, or have disappeared from
the public eye for too long. Working with Debra and her team on
curating these films was a great
privilege and pleasure, and has
spurred us to work together on
other, new projects involving
Black and minority filmmakers.”
Making its network premiere
Sunday, Feb. 7 is “Street Fight,”
a 2005 Oscar nominee written, directed and produced by Marshall
Curry which chronicles the underbelly of American democracy.
When Cory Booker, a 32-year-old
Yale Law grad, takes on the fourterm mayor of Newark, New Jersey, he gets an education in the
politics of the streets.
The city’s political machine
unleashes a campaign of harassment and voter intimidation, and
the election unfolds amid accusations of terrorism, a Watergate-
style burglary, and sexual scandal. When it becomes racially
charged—a surprising twist for
a battle between two AfricanAmerican candidates—voters
are forced to ask what it means
to be “really Black” in America
today. In addition to an Oscar
nomination, “Street Fight” also
won awards at the Hot Docs
Canadian and was nominated
for an EMMY Award for outstanding continuing coverage
of a news story (long form).
In its United States television premiere Sunday, Feb. 14,
“The Visitors” is a documentary
about passengers of a charter
bus who leave New York City
every weekend for various prisons located in remote rural
towns and villages in Upstate
New York, where 95 percent of
the state’s 70 prisons are located.
Every Friday night about 800
people, mostly women and children, almost all of them African
American and Latino, gather at
Columbus Circle in Manhattan
and board buses. Depending
on the destination, the trips can
take 8 or 10 hours one way. Reflecting the struggles of a
unique culture living at the intersection of confinement and
the free world, the story of “The
Visitors” follows the coordinator of a bus -Denise- whose
husband is coming home soon
after 17 years of imprisonment.
Produced and directed by
Melis Birder, the film was an official selection to the 2009
Urbanworld, Full Frame and
Istanbul International film festivals.
“Beyond the Steps” premieres on DOC for the first time
Sunday, Feb. 21 and follows
Alvin Ailey’s American Dance
Theater during a pivotal time in
its history as the company ventures abroad while establishing
new roots at home in New York
City.
When the company moves
into a state-of-the-art facility
called “the largest in the country devoted exclusively to
dance,” longtime company Artistic Director Judith Jamison
creates a new ballet entitled
“Love Stories.” Choreographed
in collaboration with Hip-Hop
pioneer Rennie Harris and modern dance maverick Robert
Battle, Jamison explains that
“Love Stories” expresses the
past, present and future of the
company.
Ailey dancers take center
stage in the documentary as the
troupe brings new work to the
White Nights Dance Festival in
St. Petersburg, Russia. “Beyond the Steps,” directed and
produced by Phil Bertelsen, tells
the story of what it takes to
keep dance modern, art relevant,
and a legacy alive.
“Chisholm ’72: Unbought &
Unbossed” won the 2006
Peabody Award and makes its
debut on DOC Sunday, Feb. 28.
It is the first historical documen-
the Chisholm Trail and continue
fighting “The Good Fight.” A
REALside Production, “Chisholm
‘72” also collected nominations at
the Sundance Film Festival and
Independent Spirit Awards.
The history that Alvin Ailey drew upon, with connections
that reach back to the age of slavery and the blues and
gospel of the south, provided him with a foundation that is
common to all who struggle to find their unique voice in
the world, especially the indigenous cultures that fight for
their very survival to this day. It is to those who feel lost
and disenfranchised that his work speaks loudest.
tary on Brooklyn Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and her
campaign to become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee in 1972.
Director/producer Shola Lynch
follows Chisholm from the announcement of her candidacy in
January ‘72 to the Democratic
National Convention in Miami,
Florida in July ’72. The story is
like Chisholm herself— fabulous,
fierce, and fundamentally “right
on.” Chisholm’s fight is for inclusion, as she writes in her book
“The Good Fight” (1973), and encompasses all Americans who
agree that the institutions of this
country belong to all of the
people who inhabit it.
Shunned by the political establishment, Congresswoman
Chisholm asks people of color,
feminists and young voters for
their support to “reshape our society and take control of our destiny as we go down the Chisholm
Trail in 1972.” To the surprise of
many, voters responded.
“Chisholm ’72” reflects her wit,
spirit, and charisma, reminding all
Americans of their power as citizens while inspiring some to join
Black History Month
Sundays schedule
Sunday, Feb. 7 “Street Fight” 8
p.m. ET/PT. Feb. 14 “The Visitors” (P) 8 p.m. ET/PT. Feb. 21
“Beyond the Steps” 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Feb. 28 “Chisholm ’72: Unbought
& Unbossed” 8 p.m. ET/PT. (P) –
Denotes exclusive United States
Television Premiere. DOC is available on DISH Network (Channel
197), and several broadcast stations in major markets including
NYC TV (Channel 25) throughout
the greater New York City metropolitan area.
About The Documentary Channel
The Documentary Channel
(DOC) is the United States of
America’s first 24-hour television
network exclusively devoted to
documentary films and the independent documentary filmmaker,
providing viewers with round-theclock opportunities to see fascinating, eclectic and award-winning documentary films of all
lengths and genres. For more information on DOC, visit
www.documentarychannel.com.
MELLOW FELLOW
19
Wyclef Jean is the most famous Goodwill Ambassador for
Haiti. In 2005, Jean created the
Yéle Haiti Foundation to provide
aid and assistance to his native
country. Yéle Haiti is a grassroots
movement inspiring change in
Haiti through programs in education, sports, the arts and environment. Yéle was coined by
Jean in a song and means “a cry
for freedom.”
“The objective of Yéle Haiti
is to restore pride and a reason
to hope, and for the whole
country to regain the deep spirit
and force that is part of our heritage,” explained Jean. Subsequently, the foundation
launched the Haiti Storm Relief
Fund to help combat the devastation wrought by Hurricanes
Gustav, Ike and a series of other
storms that have ravaged his
beleaguered country.
Through Yéle Haiti, Jean
uses music, sports and the media to reinforce projects that are
making a difference in education, health, environment and
community development.
In practical terms this translates to over 3,000 new jobs,
close to 7,000 children being
put in school, more than 8,000
people a month receiving food
and approximately 2,000 young
people a month learning about
HIV/AIDS prevention.
The organization has been
garnering international attention for its work including being featured in the Associated
Press, USA Today, CNN, Fox
News, NBC’s Today show, on
60 Minutes and most recently,
Oprah.
“The greatest accomplishment is giving hope to young
kids,” says the consummate
singer/producer. “Yéle Haiti allows kids to dream and it’s been
a minute in Haiti since the kids
had good dreams. Their dreams
have been nightmares. That’s
what got me here, dreaming,” he
said.
Since its inception Yéle Haiti
has doled out food, water, purification tablets, tents, blankets,
medical supplies, hygiene kits
and cash to various nonprofit
relief organizations to help; but
it was like putting a bandage on
an open wound.
Back then Jean said, “My
country is facing a serious catastrophe at the moment, and
we urgently require assistance.
But the long-term catastrophe
is that we have less than 2 percent tree cover, and without restoring our forests, we will always be susceptible to
mudslides and flash floods from
storms and hurricanes.”
Then his friends Brad Pitt
and Angelina Jolie, the Clintons
and other notables joined him
in his plight to save his people
and help build his country and
the world started to pay closer
attention. And just when he felt
that things looked hopeful for his
beloved country, the earth
opened up and swallowed over
200,000 of his people; displacing
thousands others.
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010,
Haiti was hit by a 7.0 earthquake
outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti. As
a spokesperson for his povertystricken country, Haiti’s proud native son issued the following
statement:
“Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake – and several very strong
aftershocks – struck only 10 miles
from Port-au-Prince. I cannot
stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will
only make this tragedy worse.
“The over 2 million people in
Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.
President Obama has already said
that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S.
Military is the only group trained
and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do
so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise
to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.
“Many people have already
reached out to see what they can
do right now. We are asking those
interested to please do one of two
things: Either you can use your
cell phone to text Yéle to 501501,
which will automatically donate $5
to the Yéle Haiti Earthquake Fund
(it will be charged to your cell
phone bill), or you can visit
www.Yele.org and click on DONATE.”
The text message fundraising
project was very successful raising $2 million. At the same time, a
story leaked that the foundation
was having accounting problems
and allegations swirled around
Jean that he had used some of the
funds for his personal use.
Jean passionately denied any
wrongdoing. “I denounce any allegation that I have ever profited
personally through my work with
Yéle Haiti,” he tearfully stated.
“These baseless attacks are simply not true.”
Matter of fact, Jean donated
one million dollars of his own
money to start the non-profit Yéle
Haiti Foundation, also known as
the Wyclef Jean Foundation. “I
never, or would ever, take money
for my personal pocket when it
comes to Yéle Haiti.”
After the devastating earthquake that took thousands of
lives and still counting, Jean, actor/philanthropist
George
Clooney and CNN’s Anderson
Cooper leaped into action to coordinate an all-star benefit show
on Friday, January 22, 2010 to raise
funds. They called it “Hope for
Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for
Earthquake Relief.”
The event that was put together quicker than a shotgun
wedding by Clooney, Jean and
Cooper — and presented by MTV
Networks — raised $57 million
dollars and still counting for
earthquake relief. (See Beacon
On The Scene, page 12, for
Hope for Haiti Now telethon).
The telethon was broadcast
live from New York, London, Los
Angeles and Haiti where Cooper interviewed quake victims
and anchored news clips of the
tragedy. Haitians were able to
listen on Radio One Haiti. In
addition, 60 countries and 60
international networks aired the
Telethon.
The benefit concert for earthquake relief was filled with hundreds of celebrities who answered the call for help either
singing heartfelt tributes to Haiti
or offering inspiring words of
hope for a people who have sustained more pain and heartache
fore this catastrophic happening
in his country that he has been
raising awareness of the plight
of his people and their need for
decency and help.
The Haitian-born rapper
voiced his “disgust” over claims
he’s profiting off his foundation
noting that he used $1 million of
his own money to start his foundation. “My dad always told me,
‘If you’re a man with a clear conscience, speak with a clear conscience and the world will
know,’” the superstar singer
said. “Have we made mistakes
before? Yes. Did I ever use Yéle
money for personal benefit? Absolutely not.” Enough said!
With that out of the way, Jean
told Oprah that he was eager to
return to his country with his
wife as he’s hoping to revolution-
“I have been committed to helping the people of
Haiti throughout my life, and that commitment
will continue until the day I die.” – Wyclef Jean
than any other.
And after many poignant performances by fellow celebrities
including his own emotional
performance of “Rivers of
Babylon,” Jean broke it down!
Proudly wearing his country’s
flag around his neck, Jean
shouted out “Enough of this
moping, man, let’s rebuild Haiti,
let’s show ‘em how we do it
where we come from!”
Then, feeling an out-of-body
experience of the resilient spirit
of his country, Jean broke out
into the happy dance and joyful
tune “Yéle” with an island beat,
as musicians danced around
him, singing the refrain: “Earthquake, we see the earth shake,
but the soul of the Haitian
people will never break!”
Prior to the celebrity telethon,
while stateside, Jean stopped by
Oprah to explain the accusations
against his Yéle Haiti Foundation
before returning to his native
country to lend a helping hand.
During his appearance Jean
reminded everyone that long be-
ize the well-intentioned yet undignified and at times wholly ineffective methods of food distribution.
The Haitian people, he urged,
“are not animals.” But that’s exactly how he believes residents
are being treated, judging by the
news coverage of helicopter-assisted food drops that have been
taking place since last week’s
earthquake.
Instead, he told Oprah, that
he wanted the U.S. military to set
up tent camps for the displaced
people outside Port-au-Prince,
with the intention of turning
them into housing at a later date.
He did not, he made clear, want
them to build “refugee camps.”
He also brought a message
from the Haitian people. “The
Haitian people told me specifically when I was coming on your
show to tell people, ‘Stop with
the photo ops,’” he said.
“Haiti don’t need no more
photo ops,” he said emphatically. “We need logistics, we
need people to go to the airport
who can get stuff out of the airport and to the people,” he concluded to a standing ovation.
“I have been committed to helping the people of Haiti throughout my life, and that commitment
will continue until the day I die.”
About Wyclef Jean
Haitian-born Wyclef Jean is a
Grammy Award-winning songwriter,
musician, producer, humanitarian,
Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti, and
founder of Yéle Haiti. A founding
member of the pioneering hip-hop
group Fugees and prolific solo artist, Wyclef has effortlessly crossed
genres, generations and geographic
boundaries with his music.
Wyclef’s musical journey began in Haiti where he sang in his
father’s church at the age of three.
At the age of 10, he moved to the
United States where he formed his
first serious musical collaboration,
the Tranzlator Crew, in 1987, with
his New Jersey classmates Lauryn
Hill and Pras Michel. By 1994, the
Tranzlator Crew had become the
Fugees and the group enjoyed its
first critical acclaim with its debut
album, Blunted On Reality.
The Fugees sophomore album,
1996’s The Score, became a fullblown cultural phenomenon
reaching the #1 slot on Billboard’s
Top 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums charts.
It produced three hit singles,
“Fu-Gee-La,” “Killing Me Softly
With His Song,” and “Ready Or
Not,” and earned two Grammys:
Best R&B Performance By A Duo
Or Group With Vocals (“Killing Me
Softly With His Song”) and Best
Rap Album. The Score went on to
become the world’s #1 top-selling
hip-hop album of all-time, selling
more than 19 million copies globally and still counting.
In 1997, the next move for this
gifted writer and producer was to
embark upon a solo career. Wyclef
Jean Presents The Carnival Featuring The Refugee All-Stars
earned him a Grammy nomination.
Five other albums followed with
2000’s The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II A
Book, 2002’s “Masquerade,” 2003’s
autobiographic “The Preacher’s
Son,” 2004’s “Welcome To Haiti:
Creole 101,” marked his most radical artistic and musical statement.
It was during this period that he had
made his first visit back to his homeland since childhood.
Wyclef’s sixth album, Carnival
Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant,
featured the platinum-selling
“Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill),” his
first Top 10 single as a solo artist.
In 2008, Wyclef participated in
the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
where he attended panel discussions and spoke about his native
Haiti. In 2009, Wyclef participated
in several balls in Washington DC
during the Presidential Inauguration including the Mid-Atlantic
Ball. Wyclef is currently working
on his forthcoming record, Wyclef
Jean which comes out March
2010. His EP, DJ Drama Presents
Wyclef Jean AKA Toussaint St
Jean is currently in stores.
Haiti’s own native son, Wyclef Jean,
keeps hope alive in his beloved country
20
Open Mic Launch
A bevy of stars to perform ‘Just A Piano’ benefit for Haiti
Compiled By Don Thomas
Tyrick Wiltez Jones (Photo: Joan Marcus)
The Triad and Lee Summers
present the “Just A Piano Open
Mic Launch: A Benefit For
Haiti” on Monday, January 31st,
at 7:30pm The “Just A Piano”
concept broadens for the series
inviting singers to also bring accompanists or pre-recorded
tracks, musical instruments or
play on The Triad’s recently refurbished baby grand!
Special guests include
Adriane Lenox, LaChanze,
Lillias White, Kecia LewisEvans, Tituss Burgess, Todd
Hunter, Kevin Anthony, Kenny
Williams, Tyrick Wiltez Jones,
Bobby Daye, Connie Pachl and
Jim Conant, Crystal Joy, Joseph
P. Murray, Tahraqa Patterson
and many more artists.
The evening will be hosted by
Lee Summers and co-hosted by
motivational speaker, Shaun
Derik, with guest composer ar-
ranger, Zane Mark occasionally
on piano. Summers’ concert series has presented numerous artists singing to just a piano since
2006 at New York’s historic Triad
located on West 72 Street (between Broadway and Columbus
Avenues) in Manhattan.
“Just A Piano” concert series
also features pianists, Timothy
Graphenreed, Brian Whitte, Ray
Leslee, James Samplina, Matt
Perri Onaje Allan Gumbs, Shelton
Becton, Doug Oberhamer. There
is a $10 suggested donation plus
1 drink minimum. For reservations visit www.triadnyc.com.
Proceeds will go to The Clinton
Bush Haiti Fund and The American Red Cross.
Rainbow,” actor/singer Tyrick
Wiltez Jones, who hails from Mobile, Alabama, as also appeared
in “Hairspray” (for almost 4
years).
His other national touring credits include “Seussical,” FOSSE,”
and “Show Boat,” as well as regional theatre credits including
“Dreamgirls,” “Chicago,” and
“Soup, Soap & Salvation.”
Jones also toured singing backup for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer
Mary Wilson of the Supremes in
her Motown Show. He also performed in the United States premiere of “Sacred Ellington” starring Jessye Norman with the
Carnegie Hall Honor Series.
Tyrick made numerous film and
television appearances throughAbout actor/singer
out the United States and Europe.
Tyrick Wiltez Jones
Currently he teaches Master
Classes (including Broadway
Featured as (Howard) in the Classroom). He particularly enrecently closed Broadway re- joys working with young, up and
vival of the musical “Finian’s coming performers.
The Apollo’s famous ‘Amateur Night’ returns
Ray Chew and The Crew (Photo: Ronnie Wright)
Comedian/MC Captone
(Photo: Courtesy Apollo Theater)
The landmark Apollo Theater
recently announced details of
the 2010 season of its signature
program “Amateur Night” competition.
After going on hiatus through
the run of the production of
“Dreamgirls,” “Amateur Night”
returned with a special Opening
Night Show featuring new enhancements and hosted by the
comedian Capone on Wednesday, January 27 th at 7:30pm.
Opening Night also featured a
performance by the ultimate
party starter – hip-hop legend
Doug E. Fresh.
The Apollo Theater’s Amateur
Night has long been revered by
Doug E. Fresh, Legendary Hip Hop/Rap
Megastar
artists as a transformative experience where up and coming talent
feels the power of the legendary
performers who have come before
them, and where audience response
can help make or break a career.
For the past 75 years, “Amateur Night” has reigned as one
of New York City’s ultimate live
entertainment experiences, attracting performers and audiences from all over the world and
establishing the Apollo as a cultural anchor.
While fans of the show can
still expect the return of show
staples like C.P. Lacey in the role
of the “Executioner” (the character who sweeps unworthy
contestants off the stage) and
celebrated Music Director Ray
Chew and his band “The Crew.”
“ ‘Amateur Night’ has always
been about the connection between the audience and the artist and about what’s next.
“We decided to take a look at
the show to find new ways to
keep it fresh and exciting for performers and audiences alike.
“We think the enhancements
we’re implementing will complement Apollo traditions like the
executioner and the house band,
and will only add to the freshness of the event,” said Marion
Caffey, producer of “Amateur
Night.” Tickets for Amateur
Night begin at $17 and are available at The Apollo Theater Box
Office or visit Ticketmaster at
www.ticket master.com/venue/6
YOU GO, GIRL!
21
“You have got to discover you, what you do, and trust it.”
– Barbra Streisand
Edited by Audrey J. Bernard
Barbra Streisand is one of
the most commercially and critically successful female entertainers in modern entertainment
history and one of the best-selling solo recording artists with
more than 71 million albums
shipped in the United States and
140 million albums sold worldwide.
Streisand has produced albums reaching number one in
four consecutive decades and is
the top album-selling female recording artist. A ten-time
Grammy honoree, her 50 gold albums, 30 platinum albums,18
multi-platinum albums and 29
top ten albums are all records for
female singers.
As the #1 female album-selling recording artist in history
and the only woman to make the
Top 10 all time best selling artists list she continues to set numerous records that may never
be exceeded with the release of
her 2009 album, Love is the Answer, which topped a powerful
field of newly released albums
last year to propel her to the #1
spot.
Although no other artist or
act had matched her prior record
of four straight decades at #1,
the new achievement may be a
bar that can never be equaled.
Streisand’s fifth #1 album is also
her first full-length collection of
new studio recordings since
2005’s Guilty Pleasures, and
first new album since Live In
Concert 2006.
Love is the Answer — her
new album of jazz standards and
classics — presents the artist as
a cabaret and jazz singer of emotional clarity, depth and maturity,
offering the listener a warm and
intimate selection of late night
meditations on love’s powers,
heartbreaks and solaces.
When it was released late last
year, Love is the Answer debuted
as #1 on the US charts by selling
180,415 for the week of September 29, 2009. She has increased
her prior record of length of
time between her first #1 album
(People, 1964) and her most recent. This unprecedented success ties her with the Beatles for
3rd place behind Frank Sinatra
(41) and Rolling Stones (36) for
top 10 album first week sales.
Soon after its release, Love is
the Answer was certified Gold by
the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), bringing the number of gold albums
awarded to the golden girl to 51.
In addition, she is the recipient
of 30 platinum albums and 13
multi-platinum albums.
The rich collection of intimate
jazz standards from the eighttime Grammy award winner was
officially released on Tuesday,
September 29, 2009. Prior to the
release of Love is the Answer,
Streisand performed at the epicenter for jazz, the Village Vanguard, on Saturday, September
26, 2009.
The once-in-a-lifetime show
was attended by 100 of
Streisand’s luckiest fans from
around the world who had been
selected from scores of entrants
in a variety of contests launched
on the artist’s website. Also in
attendance were VIPs Bill, Hillary
and Chelsea Clinton, Nicole
Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker.
This was a nostalgic show for
the sensational singer who was
performing in the storied jazz club
forty-eight years after she first
appeared there opening for Miles
Davis to perform songs from her
latest gem of an album mainly because it’s where it all began for
her and because of its intimate
setting.
Backed by a small, tightlyhoned band, Streisand delivered
a passionate and unforgettable
performance of some of her classics as well as selections from
Love is the Answer. The historic
Village Vanguard performance is
scheduled to be released on DVD
in February 2010. Stay tuned!
Love is the Answer provides
an opportunity for Streisand to
work for the first time with the
Grammy-winning Canadian jazz
artist Diana Krall and her quartet
(piano, guitar, bass, and drums)
who bring a refined and sensual
poignancy to the album’s sophisticated and subtle accompaniments. The album also pairs producer Krall with co-producer
Tommy DePuma. Streisand is executive producer.
Rounding out the album’s
smoky after-hours ambience with
his sublime orchestrations is the
legendary songwriter (“The
Shadow of Your Smile”) and
Grammy-winning arranger
Johnny Mandel who worked with
Streisand on her 1993 Back to
Broadway album and arranged/
co-produced Krall’s 1998
Grammy-winning When I Look in
Your Eyes.
The deluxe version of Love is
the Answer is a two-disc package that features the Mandel arranged orchestra versions on
disc one and quartet counterparts on disc two featuring
Streisand accompanied only by
quartet (piano, bass, guitar &
drums). The complete track listing for Love is the Answer will
feature:
“Here’s To Life” (Artie Butler/
Phyllis Molinary); “In The Wee
Small Hours” (Bob Hilliard/David
Mann); “Gentle Rain” (Luiz
Bonfa/Matt Dubey); “If You Go
Away” (Jacques Brel/Rod
McKuen); “Spring Can Really
Hang You Up The Most” (Tommy
Wolf/Fran Landesman); “Make
Someone Happy” (Jule Styne/
Betty Comden/Adolph Green);
and
“Where
Do
You
Start?”(Johnny Mandel/Alan
Bergman/Marilyn Bergman);
Also “A Time For Love”
(Johnny Mandel/Paul Francis
Webster); “Here’s That Rainy
Day” (Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van
Heusen); “Love Dance” (Ivan
Lins/Gilson Peranzzetta with English lyrics by Paul Williams);
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”
(Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach);
“Some Other Time” (Leonard
Bernstein/Betty Comden/Adolph
Green); and a Bonus Track, “You
Must Believe In Spring” (Michel
Legrand/Alan & Marilyn
Bergman).
An artist of unparalleled accomplishments in multiple entertainment fields, Streisand has
made her mark as an award winning actress of stage and screen,
recording artist, concert performer, movie producer, film director, screenwriter and
songwriter.
The filmmaker/entertainer won
Oscars for both Best Actress and
Best Song Composer, five
Emmys, ten Golden Globes, eight
Grammys, a special Tony Award
in 1970 as “Star of the Decade,”
two Cable Ace awards, she is
the only performer to hold honors from all of those institutions.
Additionally, the three films
she directed received 14 Oscar
nominations. A leading film star
in dramas, comedies and musicals, her latest film, “Meet the
Fockers,” became and remains
the only live-action comedy to
exceed the half billion dollar box
office mark.
In addition, Streisand is a recipient of the American Film
Institute’s Life Achievement
Award, the National Endowment
for the Arts National Medal of
Arts, the prestigious Peabody
Award, and a Grammy Lifetime
Achievement Award.
Her civil rights activism and
philanthropic pursuits are just
as impressive. The Streisand
Foundation has given millions
of dollars to 700 non-profit organizations and she has raised
many millions more through her
performances.
The career of Streisand has
been paved with bold, creative
achievements and highlighted
by a series of firsts. She was
honored by France as a Commander of the Order of Arts and
Letters. In addition, French
President Nikolas Sarkozy presented her with France’s Legion
Of Honour.
Recipient in 1995 of an Honorary Doctorate in Arts and Humanities from Brandeis University, she has also received from
President Bill Clinton the National Medal of Arts, was accorded The Humanitarian Award
from the Human Rights Campaign.
In 2008, Streisand was
awarded the prestigious
Kennedy Center Honor for Exemplary Lifetime Achievement
in The Performing Arts making
her the first female film director
to receive that high honor.
Streisand’s Barwood Films,
through its TV arm, Barwood
Television (in which she was
partnered with Cis Corman), has
had award-winning success as
well. In 1995, the same year as
her “Barbra Streisand:
The Concert” Emmy successes, “Serving In Silence: The
Margarethe Cammermeyer
Story,” Barwood’s first television dramatic production, had
six nominations and earned an
additional three Emmy trophies,
a total of eight Emmys for
Streisand’s company that year,
and another Peabody Award in
the process.
Reflecting Streisand’s social
concerns, over $3 million went
to AIDS organizations, with
other gifts addressing such urgencies as women and children
in jeopardy, Jewish/Arab relations and agencies working to
ameliorate relations between African-Americans and Jews.
Actress/singer/director/
writer/composer/producer/designer/activist/philanthropist
Barbara Joan Streisand was
born April 24, 1942 in Brooklyn to
Diana and Emanuel Streisand. Her
father, who passed away when
Barbra was 15 months old, was a
highly respected teacher and
scholar.
An honor student at Erasmus
High School in Brooklyn, the teenage Streisand plunged, unassisted
and without encouragement, into
show business by winning a singing contest at a small Manhattan
club.
She developed a devout and
growing following at the clubs
which began hiring her, and soon
she was attracting music industry
attention at such spots as the Bon
Soir and the Blue Angel.
“You have got to discover you,
what you do, and trust it,”
Streisand once said in an interview
which pretty much sums up her
long and luxurious relationship
with Columbia Records where
she’s been anchored since 1962,
where her debut album quickly
became the nation’s top-selling
record by a female vocalist.
Streisand is the only artist ever
to receive Oscar, Tony, Emmy,
Grammy, Directors Guild of
America, Golden Globe, National
Endowment for the Arts and
Peabody Awards, as well as the
American Film Institute’s Lifetime
Achievement Award.
Her accomplishments include
50 gold, 30 platinum and 13 multiplatinum albums. Barbra’s previous number #1 albums include:
People (1964), The Way We Were
(1974), Greatest Hits Volume II
(1979), Guilty (1980), The Broadway Album (1985), Back to Broadway (1993) and Higher Ground
(1997).
Like the true Renaissance
woman Streisand is, her life and
her art are dedicated to the humanities as reflected by The
Streisand Foundation, which is
committed to gaining women’s
equality, the protection of both
human rights and civil rights and
liberties, the needs of children at
risk in society, and the preservation of the environment.
Through The Streisand Foundation, she directly funded the United
States Environmental Defense
Fund’s research for and participation in the Global Warming world
summit conference in Kyoto.
The uber singer once said, “It
is every woman’s dream to be
some man’s dream woman.”
“Babs” found her dream mate
when she married director/actor
James Brolin. She is best friends
with designer Donna Karan and
actress Shirley MacLaine, with
whom she shares a joint birthday
together every year. Her favorite
color is white.
Streisand’s vocal gift is in a
class by itself and after all these
years her voice remains one of the
greatest “instant recognizable”
brands. She is one of few artists
who can sing anything. The “actress who sings,” as Streisand
once termed herself, has repeatedly
been at the top of her game – and
sales charts — since she opened
her beautiful mouth.
‘Love Is The Answer’ marks Barbra Streisand’s
5th record breaking #1 album
22
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir raises $80, 000 for Haitian relief
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir members proudly display
Haitian flag as they march across the Brooklyn Bridge.
The six-time Grammy Award
winning Brooklyn Tabernacle
Choir had a busy weekend. The
ensemble that recently performed music from their new CD
“Declare Your Name” on ABC
TV’s “Good Morning America”
program marched across the
Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan
in support of Haitian relief efforts.
Aside from the 300 member
choir, more than1,200 other
people walked with them as they
waved purple flags (signifying
royalty in the Bible), sang songs
and distributed tickets for a
Sunday afternoon concert to
raise money for Haitian relief efforts following the January 10th
earthquake that stole over
150,000 lives.
The following day, the choir
staged a 3pm concert at Brooklyn Tabernacle’s Smith Street
headquarters that drew more
than 1,000 spectators and raised
$80,000 for two daily feeding
programs that the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church has supported in
Port-au-Prince and Jacmel for
several years.
Since 1983, the choir has
earned six Grammy Awards, six
Dove Awards, and an R.I.A.A.
gold certification for their “He’s
Been Faithful” project. They
have also performed at Radio
City Music Hall, and Madison
Square Garden. The Choir’s 28th
CD “Declare Your Name” recently debuted at #7 on
Billboard’s Top Gospel Album
sales chart and continues to sell
briskly.
“The project `Declare Your
Name’ is fresh and new, full of
original songs of encouragement
and hope. Now is the time to
spread this joy throughout the
city and the world. We want to
present a symbol of hope to a
hopeless world,” says Carol
Cymbala, Choir founder. Visit
h t t p : / / w w w. b ro o k l y n t a b
ernacle.org/missions for more information.
Hundreds of concerned New Yorkers joined the Choir’s
march across the Brooklyn Bridge during Haiti relief
fundraiser drive.
CLASSIFIED
Adoption
A BABY IS OUR DREAM: We’re Tom
& Cheryl, a loving couple who’slonging
to adopt! We care about you. Please
call 1-800-982-3678. Expenses paid.
Adoption- Loving, creative home
awaits your baby through adotion.
AllNYC has to offer. Expenses paid.
Call or Email Ellen Toll-free888-8688778,
[email protected]
eeadption.com
ADOPT: Childless loving woman
(teacher) wishes to adopt a newborn.
Financially secure home with close
extended family. Legal/Confidential.
Expenses paid. Please call Denise: 1866-201-4602Pin#0196
ADOPTION: PREGNANT? Need
adoption advice/ Financial assistance?
Licensed adoption agency with compassionate counselors are here tohelp.
Call Joy at Forever Families Through
Adoption 1-866-922-3678
Autos Wanted
DONATE VEHICLE: RECEIVE
$1000 GROCERY COUPON. NOAH’S
ARC SUPPORT NO KILL SHELTERS, RESEARCH TO ADVANCE
VETERINARY TREATMENTS FREE
TOWING, TAX DEDUCTIBLE,
NON-RUNNERS ACCEPTED 1-866912-GIVE
Business Opportunity
ALL CASH VENDING! Do you earn
$800 in a day? Your own local
candyroute. Includes 25 Machines and
Candy All for $9,995. 1-888-7713496
Career Opportunities
STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Seeks Local Coordinators Passionate
about your community? Help us expand! Unpaid but monetary/ travel incentives. Must be 25+. Visit
effoundation.org or 877-216-1293
Employment
Drivers Solo & Teams: Dedicated Runs
with Consistent Freight, Top Pay,
Weekly Home-Time & More! Werner
Enterprises 888-567-3103
Equipment For Sale
NEW
Norwood
SAWMILLSLumberMate-Pro handles logs 34" diameter, millsboards 27" wide. Automated quick-cycle-sawing increases efficiency upto 40%! www.Norwood
Sawmills.com/300N 1-800-661-7746
Ext 300N
Help Wanted
AIRLINES ARE HIRING- Train for high
paying Aviation Maintenance Career.
FAA approved program. Financial aid if
qualified- HousingAvailable. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888)3495387
Homes for Sale
NATIONWIDE FORECLOSED HOME
AUCTION 700+ Homes/ BIDS OPEN
2/8. OpenHouse: 1/30, 31 & 2/6 View
Fll Listings www.Auction.com REDC/
Brkr109901870
Lots & Acreage
ABANDONED UPSTATE NY FARMABSOLUTE SALE 10 acres- Stream$29,900! Lake region, gorgeous setting!
Woods, fields, stonewalls. Solid investment! Owner terms! For priority appt.
Call 877-613-8138. Virtual tour:
www.newyorklandandlakes.com
FORECLOSED GOLF HOMES & GOLF
LOTS! 100’s of listings in the Carolinas. Own for fraction of value! Call 1877-526-3615,
x
2450
foreclosedgolfhome.com
Misc for Sale
CHERRY BEDROOM SET. Solid Wood,
never used, brand new in factoryboxes.
English Dovetail. Original cost $4500.
Sell for $749. Candeliver. 917-731-0425
Miscellaneous
ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from
home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal,
*Accounting, *Criminal Justice. Job
placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. Call 888201-8657 www.CenturaOnline.com
Real Estate
***FREE Foreclosure Listings*** Over
400,000 properties nationwide. LOW
Down Payment. Call NOW! 1-800762-6314
Vacation Rentals
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC- Oceanfront Beach Homes and Condos. Best
Selection, Services, and Rates Guaranteed! Free Brochure. Call 866-878-2754
or www.northmyrtlebeachtravel.com
OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure.
Open daily. Holiday RealEstate. 1-800638-2102.
Online
reservations:
www.holidayoc.com
Wanted to Buy
WE BUY ANYTHING OLD. Costume
Jewelry, fountain pens, old watches,
world fair and military items. Cigarette
lighters; anything gold. Call Mike 718204-1402.
LEGAL NOTICES
Notice is hereby given that an Order
entered by the Civil Court, New York
County, on 01/12/2010, bearing, Index Number NC-000049-10/NY, a
copy of which can be examined at the
Office of the Clerk, located at 111
Center Street New York, NY 10013,
grants Katherine Louise Edmonds
AKA Katherine Edmonds, Katherine
Edmonds Pusztai, Katherine Edmonds
Opalach the right to assume the name
of Katharine Louise Edmonds.
The place of birth is Madison, MN,
the date of birth is April 8, 1945 and
the present address is 209 West 97th St
Apt 7A, New York, NY 10025
grants Kenneth Jerome Moore AKA
Kenneth J Behlin, Kenneth Jerome
Behlin the right to assume the name
of Kenneth J Behlin. The place of
birth is Brooklyn, NY, the date of birth
is March 30, 1975 and the present address is 1615 Fulton Street, Apt. B11,
Brooklyn, NY 11213
grants Female Gamble AKA Janae
Shantae Gamble, Janae Major the right
to assume the name of Janae’
Shantae Major. The place of birth
is Bronx, NY, the date of birth is April
12, 1990 and the present address is
410 East 105 St, Apt 2E, NY, NY
10029
grants Emily Carry Carter AKA Emily
Elizabeth Carter the right to assume
the name of Emily Elizabeth Carry.
The place of birth is Boynton Beach,
FL, the date of birth is Feb. 8, 1985
and the present address is 228 East
81st St. Apt 2A, NY, NY 10028
grants Siddeek Haiden Hamid the right
to assume the name of Siddeek
Haiden Hamid Jr. The place of birth
Brooklyn, NY, the date of birth is April
1382 St. Johns Place, Apt. #9, Brooklyn, NY 11213
grants Amanda Joyce Feuer the right
to assume the name of Amanda
Victoria Jenks. The place of birth
is Miami, FL, the date of birth is March
515 West 48 th Street, Apt 3FE, NY,
NY 10036
grants Eric Bloom the right to assume
the name of Eric Nathan Bloom. The
place of birth is Chicago, IL, the date
of birth is June 13, 1974 and the
present address is 211 East 53 Street,
Apt. #5J, NY, NY 10022
grants Soren Sharma Leih the right to
assume the name of Arjun Isaac Leih.
The place of birth is Manhattan, NY,
the date of birth is Aug. 13, 2009 and
the present address is 363 West 30
Street, Apt. #12B, New York, NY
10001
grants Phoebe Ni the right to assume
the name of Timmy Ni. The place of
birth is Brooklyn, NY, the date of birth
is Dec. 16, 2009 and the present address is 873 60th Street, Brooklyn, NY
11220
Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, New York
County, on 01/25/2010, bearing, Index
Number NC-000125-10/NY, a copy of
which can be examined at the Office of
the Clerk, located at 111 Center Street
New York, NY 10013, grants Zion
O’Neil AKA Sarita Louise Pinkard, Syreeta
Louise Pinkard Dinkins the right to assume the name of Zaziiz O’Neil
Simmons. The place of birth is Belize,
the date of birth is Oct. 12, 1958 and the
present address is 2473 7th Ave Apt #4B,
NY, NY 10030
Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, New York
County, on 01/06/2010, bearing, Index
Number NC-003055-09/NY, a copy of
which can be examined at the Office of
the Clerk, located at 111 Center Street
New York, NY 10013, grants David Olds
AKA David Bell the right to assume the
name of David Bell. The place of birth
is Bronx, NY, the date of birth is June
26, 1955 and the present address is 1769
Jerome Avenue, Apt #209, Bronx, NY
10453
SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF
BRONX - U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR THE
MLMI SURF TRUST SERIES 2006-BC5
C/O WILSHIRE CREDIT CORPORATION, Plaintiff, AGAINST WILLY
ABREU, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale
duly dated 7/7/2009, I, the undersigned
Referee will sell at public auction at the
Bronx County Courthouse, Room 600,
851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY, New
York, on 2/8/2010 at 2:00 PM, premises
known as 1026 OLD KINGSBRIDGE
ROAD, A/K/A 1026 GROTE STREET,
BRONX, NY 10460. All that certain plot
piece or parcel of land, with the buildings
and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the New York City
Borough of BRONX, County of Bronx
and State of New York, Section, Block
and Lot: Block: 3100 Lot: 12. Approximate amount of judgment $550,308.04
plus interest and costs. Premises will be
sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #14480/07. Larry Alfonso
Arias, Referee, Steven J. Baum PC, Attorneys for Plaintiff, P.O. Box 1291,
Buffalo, NY 14240-1291 Dated: 12/28/
2009
grants Tina Louise Epstein the right
to assume the name of Tina Rosen.
The place of birth is Chicago, IL, the
date of birth is June 17, 1968 and the
present address is 510 East 85th Street
#7C, New York, NY 10028
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE
OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW
YORK Index No. 305003/2009 Date
Summons Filed: May 5, 2009 CINTRA
MANOO, Plaintiff, against MARC
ANTHONY MEACHAM, Defendant.
Plaintiff designates New York County
as the place of trial. The basis of
venue is CPLR Sec. 509. SECOND
AMENDED SUMMONS WITH NOTICE - Filed on November 5, 2009.
Plaintiff resides at 125-19 Linden
Boulevard, South Ozone Park, New
York11420. ACTION FOR A DIVORCE To the above named Defendant: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to serve a notice of appearance on Plaintiff ’s Attorneys within
twenty (20) days after the service of
this summons, exclusive of the day of
service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to
you within the State of New York);
and in case of your failure to appear,
judgment will be taken against you by
default for the relief demanded in the
notice set forth below. Dated: November 9, 2009 Rena C. Dawson, Esq.,
Koehler & Isaacs LLP, Attorneys for
Plaintiff,61 Broadway, 25th Floor, New
York, NY 10006,917-551-1300 Attorney signature pursuant to Sec. 1301.1-a of the Rules of the Chief Administrator (22 NYCRR) Rena C.
Dawson, Esq., Attorney for Plaintiff.
NOTICE: The nature of this action
is to dissolve the marriage between
the parties, on the grounds: DRL Section 170 subd. (2) - the abandonment
of the Plaintiff by the Defendant for
a period of more than one year. Summons with Notice amended to correct
the pre-marriage name of plaintiff
from “Metwali” to “Manoo”. Second amended Summons with Notice
amended to include DRL SEC. 255,
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: That once
a Judgment of Divorce is signed, you
may or may not be eligible to be covered under your spouse’s health insurance plan, depending on the terms of
the plan and that each party shall be
responsible for his or her own health
insurance coverage, and may be entitled to purchase health insurance on
his or her own through a COBRA option, if available. Notice: The relief
sought is a judgment of absolute divorce in favor of the Plaintiff dissolving the marriage between the parties in this action. The nature of any
ancillary or additional relief is: That
the Family Court shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the Supreme
Court with respect to any future issues of maintenance and support.
That either party may resume the use
of a pre-marriage name, as follows:
the Plaintiff may resume use of her
maiden name, Manoo, or any other
former surname. That the Court grant
such other and further relief as the
Court may deem just and proper. The
parties have divided up the marital
property, and no claim will be made
by either party under equitable distribution. VERIFIED COMPLAINT
ACTION FOR DIVORCE The
Plaintiff, by Koehler & Isaacs LLP,
complaining of the Defendant, alleges
the following: FIRST: The Plaintiff
and the Defendant were married on
October 13, 2006, in Kew Gardens,
New York. SECOND: The Plaintiff
has lived in New York State for a continuous period in excess of two years
immediately preceding the commencement of this action. THIRD:
There is no child as a result of this
marriage, and no child is expected.
The Plaintiff’s address is 125-19 Linden Boulevard, South Ozone Park,
New York 11420. The Defendant’s
last known address is 45 Houghton Avenue, Buffalo, New York 114212 and
the Plaintiff is unaware of the
Defendant’s social security number as
parties were married in 2006, but did
not maintain joint financial state-
ments or accounts. The parties are
covered by the following group health
plans: NOT APPLICABLE — There
are no children of the marriage.
FOURTH: The grounds for divorce,
in accordance with Subdivision (2) of
Section 170 of the Domestic Relations
Law, are as follows: (a) Commencing
on or about October 31, 2007, the Defendant willfully and without cause or
justification abandoned the Plaintiff,
who had been a faithful and dutiful wife;
(b) on or about October 31, 2007, while
living at 125-19 Linden Boulevard,
South Ozone Park, New York 11420,
the Defendant left said premises with
intent not to return, without the
Plaintiff ’s consent and against her
wishes, and the Defendant never returned; and ( c ) more than one year
has elapsed since that date, and the Defendant has been willfully and continuously absent from the marital residence
and has not lived or cohabited with the
Plaintiff since that date. FIFTH:
There is no judgment for a divorce in
favor of either party and against the
other and no other matrimonial action
for divorce between the parties is pending in any court of competent jurisdiction. SIXTH: The marriage was not
performed by a clergyman, minister,
or leader of the Society for Ethical Culture. WHEREFORE, the Plaintiff demands judgment against the Defendant,
dissolving the marriage between the
parties to this action, and granting the
following relief: That the Family
Court shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the Supreme Court with respect to any future issues of maintenance and support. That either party
may resume the use of a pre-marriage
name, as follows: the Plaintiff may
resume use of her maiden name, Manoo,
or any other former surname. That the
Court grant such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and
proper. The parties have divided up
the marital property, and no claim will
be made by either party under equitable distribution.
Dated: April 27,
2009 Rena C. Dawson, Esq.,Koehler
& Isaacs LLP
Attorneys for Plaintiff, 61 Broadway,
25th Floor, New York, NY 10006, 917551-1300 VERIFICATION STATE
OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NEW
YORK, ss. I am the Plaintiff in the
within action for a divorce. I have
read the foregoing Complaint and know
the contents thereof. The contents of
the Complaint are true to my knowledge, except as to those matters therein
stated to be alleged upon information
and belief, and as to those matters I
believe them to be true. Cintra Manoo
Subscribed and sworn to before me on
this 30 th day of April, 2009. Rena C.
Dawson, Notary Public, State of New
York, No. 03-4999897, Qualified in
Bronx County, Commission expires: 8/
3/2010.
Supreme Court of the State of New
York County of New York Index
#312185/09 Date Summons filed 11/
12/09 Plaintiff designates New York
County as the place of trial. The basis
of venue is Plaintiff ’s residence.
SUMMONS WITH NOTICE Plaintiff resides at 2 River Terrace, Apt.
2A, NY, NY 10282. Juan Nestor
Figueroa, Plaintiff against Hilda
Garcia-Figueroa, Defendant. ACTION
FOR DIVORCE To the above named
Defendant: YOU ARE HEREBY
SUMMONED to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff’s Attorneys
within 20 days after the service of
this summons, exclusive of the day of
service (or within 30 days after the
service is complete if this summons is
not personally delivered to you within
the State of NY); and in case of your
failure to appear, judgment will be
taken against you by default for the
relief demanded in the notice set forth
below. Dated: 10/30/09 Leta Liou, Esq.
The Law Firm of Liou & Maisonet,
PLLC 124 Nassau St,Ste 2, NY,NY
10038 (646)587-0188. NOTICE:
The nature of this action is to dissolve the marriage between the parties, on the grounds DRL §170(2) the
abandonment of Plaintiff by Defendant for a period of more than 1 year.
The relief sought is a judgment of absolute divorce in favor of Plaintiff
dissolving the marriage between the
parties in this action. The nature of
any ancillary relief demanded is: That
the Family Court shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the Supreme
Court with respect to any future issues of maintenance and support. That
Defendant may resume use of her
maiden name, Garcia, or any other
former surname. That the Court grant
such other and further relief as the
Court may deem just and proper. The
parties have divided up the marital
property, and no claim will be made
by either party under equitable distribution. Notice of Automatic Orders
(DRL 236) Pursuant to Domestic
Relations Law § 236 Part B, Section
2, the parties are bound by certain
automatic orders which shall remain
in full force and effect during the pendency of the action. For further details you should contact the clerk of
the matrimonial part, Supreme Court,
60 Centre Street, New York, NY
10007-1474 TEL (646)386-3010.
CLASSIFIED
23
24
BEACON
Marc Rasbury
SPORTS
The Jets come to a crash landing
By Marc Rasbury
Now the title of this piece
may have a negative connotation. Yes, I’m disappointed
that the Jets lost to the Colts,
30-17, in the AFC Championship game but the future and
the direction that this franchise is going has me eagerly
waiting for next September ’s
opening day.
I did not have those warm
and fuzzy feelings when
Peyton Manning connected
for that TD that brought the
Colts within four points right
before halftime. Moreover, I
got a queasy feeling in my
gut when the Jets had to
settle for a FG on the series
right before Manning led that
magnificent four play 80-yard
TD drive. I would have felt
much better if the Jets would
have scored a TD taking up
more time so that Manning
would not have been able to
get the ball back before intermission when he (was) so
dangerous.
To be honest with you, as a
Jet fan I was emotionally playing with house money. I was
happy that they made the playoffs, let alone advanced to the
AFC Championship. If you
would have told me after they
imploded against the Falcons,
that this team would be 60minutes away from playing in
the Super Bowl, I would have
signed up for that in a New
York Minute. Playing in the
AFC Championship Game led
by a rookie QB and Head
Coach that do not happen
very often. Therefore, let’s
take this season for what it
really is, an unequivocal success!
I know that this team made
some glaring mistakes along
the way this year. The defense failed to hold on to 3
late game leads. Mark
Sanchez threw for more interceptions than the law allows.
Rex Ryan mismanaged the
game clock on several occasions. Braylon Edwards
dropped passes, killing several scoring opportunities
and drives. And the Special
Teams did not do their jobs
more than once.
Yet, with all that said, they
still ended up in the AFC
Championship game. The
question now is can they use
this to catapult them on to
greater things to come. I say
“Yes!”
It all starts at the top. Not
with Rex Ryan, but GM Mike
Tannenbaum. Tannenbaum is
the one that put this squad
together and took a chance
on the rowdy ride piper head
coach Rex Ryan. Tannenbaum
brought in some nice veteran
pieces like Kris Jenkins,
Calvin Pace and Alan Seneca
via trade or through free
agent signing.
He is the GM that moved up
in the previous drafts in order to select Derrell Revis,
Shonn Green, Dustin Keller
and Sanchez. This shows that
he is not only a good talent
evaluator but he is willing to
gamble.
H o w e v e r, h i s b i g g e s t
gamble might have been on
tapping Rex Ryan for his head
coach. For years, Ryan has
been past over for several
coaching vacancies. Everyone in the NFL knew that he
was on top o his game as far
as the Xs and Os where concerned. Some just felt that he
was not as polished as an NFL
coach should be. Well, they
were right as far as the Xs and
Os are concerned. As far as
being rough around the
edges, he is to a degree.
But he was also a breath of
fresh air. Ryan wears his emotions on his sleeve. He tells
you and his players what was
on his mind and he does not
care about how you took it.
And, after three years of Eric
Mangini, you could not wait
for his press conferences because they were like good
stand-up comedy routines
where football was discussed
in detail. With Ryan at the
helm, the Jets produced well
beyond expectations.
Tannenbaum has done an
excellent job blending in the
crafty veterans who still have
a lot in the tank with talented
first to third year young talent. When Jenkins and, hopefully, Leon Washington return
next year, this will be a very
deep and dangerous team. If
the GM can fill in a few holes
like a pass rushing line man
and/or another good DB to
compliment Revis look out!
Besides Rex and the roster
he will have to work with, the
Jets are moving into a new
stadium that they will co-own.
Hopefully, they will feel like
they are homeowners and not
subleasing a space like it felt
at Giants Stadium. Home ownership, even if it is a two family house, has its privileges
and pride is the most important one.
Yes, the 2010-11 campaign
appears to be something to
look forward to in the eyes of
Gang Green. They will have an
exciting head coach, great
roster and a new home. I cannot wait for the opening kick
off.
Sanchez and the Jets will have the last laugh in the not-so-distant future.
The Jets defense will continue to suffocate opposing offenses.
(Photos by Marc Rasbury)

New York Beacon

Transcription

Similar documents

FATHER JOSEPH - APF-USA

CONGOLESE WORLD AFRO POP SOUL music

Feb 2012 - GalcomUSA

university offers

January 12th, 2016 marked the 6year anniversary of the

Présentation PowerPoint

Art with hint of voodoo spells out a bright future

Stay Tuned... - Galcom International

UF in Haiti: Behind the Mountains

News from Haiti, the final week: We visited Milot hospital (Hôpital