“I want history to remember me not just as the first black women to be elected to Congress, not as the first black woman to have made a bid for the presidency of the United States, but as a black woman who lived in the 20th century and dared to be herself. ” Powered by Real Times Media
Volume 87 • Issue 27
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- Shirley Chisholm
February 12 -18, 2015
Ben Jealous sets the record straight on
Black men and Black history at Morehouse College
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COVER STORY
Benjamin Jealous’ inspirational literary tour ‘REACH’ at Morehouse for Black History Month
By Terry Shropshire If Black History Month is the appropriate setting for a powerful forum launching the literary book tour REACH, then Morehouse College was the right setting to discuss ways to uplift, educate and inspire a group of young men striving for transcendent success in America — despite the multiplicity of obstacles that face them. Moderated by renowned TV personality and social commentator Jeff Johnson, the “Reach the Youth” event, which is part of the bevy of Black History Month activities at Morehouse and the Atlanta University Center where the famed college is housed. The historic platform is designed for co-authors Benjamin Jealous and Trabian Shorters to leverage the wealth of intellect that comprises the book REACH as an inspirational instrument to provide superstar role models of color for African American youth and others. Other panelists included; State Rep. Stacey Abrams, actor and activist Lamman Rucker, senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church Dr. Raphael G. Warnock and president of Morehouse College John Silvanus Wilson. While there were many great topics moderator Johnson broached and the illustrious panelists answered that excited the audience, it was a statement by REACH co-editor Trabian Shorters that literally knocked people off their feet. “With black men, as the story has been told, unless you do something about black men, they will destroy the opportunities for America’s future. As the story is being told now, we are always the threat to everyone else’s prosperity. But if you look at the facts, one-quarter of all black men have already served the country in uniform; about 400,000 are on active duty right now … so black men are very patriotic. Black men are creating businesses at twice the rate of the national average. And black households give to charities at a 25 percent higher rate than all other households,” said Shorters, a social entrepreneur with over twenty years of experience in diverse fields including; national service, technology, nonprofits and philanthropy. In 2011, he launched BMe Community while serving as vice president at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. “So listening to the profile that I’m painting,” Shorters continued after a pregnant pause, “we are
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talking about a person who is the most patriotic, most enterprising and most generous in the country, and it happens to be black men. It is very normal for us to find guys who fit that description, because that is our norm. But [our story] that’s being told says this doesn’t exist. And that’s a lie.” The powerful book, REACH: 40 Black Men on Speaking, Leading and Succeeding encompasses the vast landscape of urban American success. The text enables black men from a wide spectrum of specialties, genres and socioeconomic backgrounds to discuss the secrets to their success in ways very few books before have. Among the luminaries who wrote their own first-person accounts included; multiple Grammy Award-winner, singer and songwriter John Legend, NBA Hall of Famer and former coach Isiah Thomas, Academy
Award-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman), former NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, esteemed rapper, poet and activist Talib Kweli Green, actor Lamman Rucker (Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns”), scholar and prolific writer John Hope Bryant, Senator Rodney Ellis, Rev. Al Sharpton, legendary humanitarian and civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, U.S. military Commander Paul Tanks, Bill T. Jones, CNN’s Van Jones and many others. Hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons, who has authored two powerful books of his own including Do You!, provided the foreward. Johnson asked the august body of intellectuals, educators, legislators and celebrities how do we as a people begin to do things more aggressively, so that the book REACH is not just an anomaly, but
a checkpoint for “getting out our stories or turning the needle instead of just inspiring people.” “There is genius in every zip code,” Jealous said by way of explaining why the book REACH had to be written. “Our young men will not duplicate what they do not see.” “Despite the rapid pace of technology, young men of color often lack access to positive images and stories about others who look like them,” wrote Jealous, the former NAACP president and a Rhodes Scholar who studied at arguably the world’s most prestigious university, the University of Oxford in England. “With the exception of one individual who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the reporting that we see of men of color on the nightly news often leaves little good to imitate.” The stories inside REACH are jolting, inspiring, shocking and educational, all wrapped into one electric cover. For example: Isiah Thomas, who won two NBA titles with the Detroit Pistons, rose from extreme poverty on Chicago’s West Side by joining basketball little league teams just so he could get something to eat every day. But it led to him becoming a basketball prodigy, and later a living legend in Chicago and Detroit. Yet he never waned from his great sense of history and devotion to community that was instilled in him by his mother and the oldest of his eight siblings. In another of the books intriguing stories, Van Jones, who calls himself the “renegade nerd,” was taught by his father how to succeed against all odds growing up in a small town in Tennessee. Jones’ father served in the military and established a middle school during the segregation-era South, transforming it from the worst school to the best school in his region of the state. Other stories are jolting and scary but show young people how they can climb from the very bottom to the top. Take Detroit’s Yusef Shakur, the child of an unemployed, alcoholic mother who gang-banged his way into a long prison sentence — where he met his father who was also an inmate. They met at the prison law library and the experience changed his life, as he would go on to write his autobiography and open up a bookstore in the same cultural “desert” community that he ravaged as a kid. And then there is Barrington Irving, who didn’t believe he had the mathematical aptitude to do anything worthwhile in science. However, through an angel of a mentor, Irving became the youngest and first African American to fly solo around the world. No less inspiring is the story of rapper Talib Kweli who wrote his first play at 8 years old. And the fascinating tales of triumphs over tragedies, disasters turning into dynasties and humanity winning over apathy and disenchantment resonate throughout the book. These men come from very similar communities and encountered similar hardships as those they seek to uplift. REACH will also teach the youth in black communities around the country that there are a multitude of ways to get to that often elusive plateau called success and happiness. And that, Jealous and Trabian say, is the reason they must take the book and the forum into New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and others cities in order to share this simple message — seeing is not only believing; it is also doing.
February 12 - 18, 2015
Atlanta Daily World
Founded August 5 1928; Became Daily, March 12, 1932 W.A. Scott, II, Founder/Publisher August 5, 1928 to February 7, 1934 Published weekly at 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway Suite 500 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Periodicals Postage Paid at Atlanta Mailing Offices. Publication Number 017255 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Atlanta Daily World, 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway Suite 500 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Subscriptions: One Year: $52 Two Years: $85 Forms of Payment: Check, Money Order, VISA American Express, MasterCard MEMBER: Associated Press Atlanta Business League Central Atlanta Progress Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce National Newspaper Publishers Website: www.AtlantaDailyWorld.com Roz Edward
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ATLANTA DAILY WORLD T:9”
Black College Football Hall of Famers enshrined
Dhani Jones Sports Honoree (not shown)
February 12 - 18, 2015
Iyanla Vanzant Inspirational Honoree
Kevin Liles Entertainment Honoree Henry Coaxum McDonald’s Owner/Operator Honoree
Al Sharpton Humanitarian Honoree Will Packer Arts & Entertainment Honoree
Gabrielle Williams Community Choice Youth Honoree
By Diane Larché
Skyler Grey Community Choice Youth Honoree
LOVIN’ BY EXAMPLE. Here’s to the leaders that don’t talk about dedication, they show it. To the people who constantly perform selfless acts as they reach out, reach back and bring others along. We show our gratitude during Black History Month, but we applaud you everyday. Let’s all be inspired to stay deeply rooted in spreading the love, 365 days a year. Find your motivation at 365Black.com.
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An Atlanta native is among the seven stand-out college football players who will be inducted into The Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 at the Sixth Annual Enshrinement Ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta. Richard Dent, 54, graduated from Murphy High School Richard Dent in Atlanta and went on to star at Tennessee State University before playing with the NFL’s Chicago Bears where he was the MVP of Superbowl XX. Dent will join six other inductees selected from a list of 25 finalists by the BCFHOF Selection Committee. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and spent ten years of his career with the Bears from 1983-1993. The Black College Football Hall of Fame was established in October 2009 by Grambling University Quarterbacks Doug Williams and James “Shack Harris to honor the greatest football players and coaches from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Both Williams and Harris played under famed coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling. Williams is currently a Personnel Executive with the Washington Redskins and Harris holds the same poW.C. Gorden sition with the Detroit Lions. During his career Williams was the first black quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl in with the Redskins. Harris was with the AFL and the NFL, playing for the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams and San Diego Chargers. He was the first black quarterback to start a season in the history of pro football The 2015 class of Black College Football Hall of Famers includes Dent, Roger Brown (University of Maryland Eastern Shore), L.C. Greenwood (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)(Posthumously), Ernie “Big Cat” Ladd (Grambling State University) (Posthumously), Ken Riley (Florida A&M University), Donnie Shell (South Carolina State University) and Coach W.C. Gorden (Jackson State University). The inductees were chosen by a 13-member Selection Committee, comprised of journalists, commentators and historians along with former NFL general managers and executives, as well as from previous BCFHOF inductees. Key sponsors for the evening include the Atlanta Falcons, Kia Motors, Priority Payment Systems, Buffalo Wild Wings and Bank of America. Football legends Harris, Williams, Mel Blount, Willie Lanier and Art Shell are trustees for the organization.
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NEWS
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February 12 - 18, 2015
Local activists hold march and rally for slain Decatur man Kevin Davis
A group of activists, organizers and community leaders around the #Justice4KevinDavis movement on Wednesday, Feb. 11, organized a series of events to increase emphasis on the Kevin Davis case, and the issues of police violence and accountability atlarge in Georgia. Kevin Davis was killed by
a DeKalb County police officer on Dec. 29, 2015 after calling 911 to help his girlfriend, who had been stabbed by a co-worker. Actions will commenced at 5 p.m. with a solemn moment, led by the Davis family, at Kevin Davis’ home, 100 Pine Tree Circle in Decatur, GA, 30032, which was immediately
followed by a march to the DeKalb County As the call to the GBI has been made, Courthouse, at 556 N. McDonough St. much of the focus of activism has shifted At 6:30pm, coinciding with the conclu- towards a broader awareness of systemic insion of the march, a rally was held at the justice in the law enforcement and judicial system, and demands for changes courthouse, including speakers in state and county policy. “While and performance artists. The ralI’m relieved and thankful that ly lasted for an hour, and at 7:30 Chief Alexander has agreed to p.m., activists again set up camp turn this investigation over, we do overnight, this time in the Decatur not take the localized stream of a Square, directly above the Decanational conversation on police tur MARTA station and adjacent brutality lightly,” said Aurielle Mato the courthouse. The second rie, of #itsbiggerthanyou, “We will instance of #SleepOutATL began continue to challenge and conat 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12. front law enforcement authority, Organizers used the space and the as is our right, until there is a conaction to engage with nearby busi- Kevin Davis scious shift in the policing of the ness patrons and workers. black community in the metro Atlanta area.” Earlier in the week, after much pressure #Justice4KevinDavis is a diverse coalition from attorneys and protests, DeKalb Police agreed to send a letter to the GBI, calling for of Atlanta-area activists, organizers, religious an independent investigation of the case. “It and community leaders calling for answers needs to be emphasized that despite his pub- in the Kevin Davis case. The coalition inlic statements encouraging third party inves- cludes, among others, supporters from The tigations of police shootings, Chief Alexan- American Friends Service Committee, the der of the DeKalb police department did not #ShutItDownATL Coalition, Moral Monday want to send this letter. This only happened Georgia, and The Sankofa United Church of because we made noise,” said Shakia Pennix, Christ. from the Gen Y Project.
The path to health
Atlanta Medical Center Leads Affordable Care Act Enrollment
Left to right: Doug Brewer, Chief Business Development Officer - AMC Jannquell Peters, Mayor of East PointDaniel Jackson, Chief Administrative Officer - AMC South Campus Marvin Arrington, Jr., Fulton County Commissioner By: Maynard Eaton While the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obama-Care, remains a partisan political quagmire, it has proven to be a blessing and a boon for retiree Joyce Wagner and thousands of others like her. Wagner was due to lose her city of Atlanta health coverage on January 1st and was “worried” she would be unable to afford a $315 per month insurance payment. The prospect of going without insurance “scared me”, she said. “I didn’t think I had any options.” That’s when she was introduced to the “Path to Health” campaign spearheaded by the Atlanta Medical Center, the second largest and influential hospital in Georgia. The
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campaign is a collaborative effort comprised of elected officials, health advocates, civic leaders and the faith-based community. It is a broad outreach designed to inform and educate as many as possible about the need to enroll in the Affordable Care Act. The deadline is February 15th. “I thought it was for ‘those’ people,” Wagner ruefully admits. “I didn’t think I would ever be a person who needed Obama-Care.” Thanks to the “Path to Health” experts Wagner was able to enroll in a health care plan that costs her only $98 per month and no deductable. “I thought it was going to be a lengthy process but I had my insurance card and a doctor’s visit within 30 days,” she says “It was
very smooth; no hassle. It was much better than I originally thought it would be.” Now there is a passionate push by the Atlanta Medical Center’s two hospital campuses - in the Old Fourth Ward and South Fulton County -- to enroll others like Joyce Wagner into the mandatory Affordable Care Act program. “On both campuses we have served some 130 thousand patients in our emergency rooms within the past year,” says Atlanta Medical Center CAO Daniel Jackson. “We touch over a quarter million people per year. It is important for people to engage in their health care beyond their moment of need. “That’s why this campaign, and this final drive, is so vitally important.” “On both campuses we have served some 130 thousand patients in our emergency rooms within the past year,” says Atlanta Medical Center CAO Daniel Jackson. “We touch over a quarter million people per year. It is important for people to engage in their health care beyond their moment of need. That’s why this enrollment campaign, and this final drive, is so vitally important.” This “Path to Health” campaign is reportedly the most aggressive outreach effort in the Atlanta metropolitan area. There are a wealth of groups and individuals involved. “Everybody is working together under the same spirit,” says Jackson. “The sphere of influence is actually the partnership between AMC, the Small Business Community, the Faith Based Community, municipalities, and elected officials working together for the good of families and communities in metro Atlanta.” Atlanta School Board member, Steven Lee, says he is a campaign participant because he wants to make sure children in the Atlanta school system are covered with health insur-
ance. “I want to make sure there is support that will help students and their parents with the cost of health care,” he says. “There are a lot of parents earning $36,000 or less, and many parents with little or no income, and we need to get those people in. The law is, you must have health care. That’s why we are providing education and information.” East Point Mayor Jannquell Peters argues that politics aside, Obama-Care is essential to the plight of the middle-class, and particularly, to the 34,000 residents of her South Fulton city. “Every individual needs to take advantage of the Affordable Care Act and what it can do for their families,” she contends. “I think the country is beginning to embrace its options with regard to health care coverage. You may not hear about Obama-Care in a positive light and the positive impact it can have on your quality of life, but no matter where you are politically on the issue, it can help.”
Joyce Wagner, Affordable Care Act participant Heather Allen, Navigator
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ATLANTA DAILY WORLD
Febraury 12 - 18, 2015
THE CELEBRATION LASTS 28 DAYS; THE CONTRIBUTION, A LIFETIME. No amount of time would be sufficient to recognize all of the trailblazers who saw what no one else could, did what no one else dared and gave us all what we needed most. Georgia Power is proud to honor the achievements of African-Americans throughout Black History Month and more importantly beyond.
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BUSINESS
The Home Depot filling 80,000 job slots
Febraury 12 - 18, 2015
GDOL to host recruitment for Solomon Morgan in Clayton County
EMPLOYEE RECRUITMEN T By Terry Shropshire The Home Depot is breathing new life to the phrase “help wanted.” The Atlanta-based home improvement retailer will fill upwards of 80,000 job vacancies nationwide and that includes more than 1,200 spots in metro Atlanta. The reason behind the sudden need for new employees is simple: More citizens work on their homes and lawns during the Spring season than any other time of the year. Full and part time positions are available,
Home Depot executives say, including sales, cashiers, operations and online order fulfillment. “Spring is a great time to join The Home Depot, where you can work alongside a fun, energetic team that’s passionate about the latest home improvement innovations and great customer service,” Tim Crow, Home Depot’s executive vice president for Human Resources, said in a statement. Applications must be submitted online at www.careers.homedepot.com.
The Georgia Department of Labor will host an employee recruitment on Monday, Feb 16 in College Park to help a staffing company, Solomon Morgan, hire 40 manufacturing workers. The jobs are in Clayton, Fulton and Henry counties. The recruitment will be held Monday, Feb. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the GDOL’s Clayton County Career Center, 1630 Phoenix Blvd. in College Park. The company is hiring production workers, forklift operators, and welders. Due to U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, applicants must be at least 18 years old. They must also have a high school diploma, or a General
Education Diploma, a resume, and two forms of identification. Veterans are encouraged to apply. Depending on the job, an applicant’s work experience in a manufacturing environment may range from six months to three years. Salaries range from $7.25 to $14 an hour, depending on the type of job and the experience of the applicant. The company will conduct background checks and drug-screening tests on selected applicants. For additional information about the recruitment, contact Denise Middleton at the GDOL’s Clayton Career Center at (678) 284-0200.
5 errors that can undermine your new business The dream of launching a business runs deep in the American psyche, but more often than not those dreams go bust. Half of new U.S. companies fail in their first five years, according to Gallup. Expand the timeframe out to 10 years and the failure rate reaches 70 percent. That’s not surprising, says Randy H. Nelson, an entrepreneur who has built multi-million dollar companies. The skills it takes to start a business aren’t necessarily the same as those it takes to keep that business afloat. What is surprising, though? In the U.S., more businesses are now being shut down (470,000) than are being started (400,000). “Many entrepreneurs have the gumption to take that dramatic first step of sparking something into creation, but too many lack the perspective to reflect on what’s needed for the next step,” says Nelson, author of The Second Decision – The Qualified Entrepreneur. Also, anyone can declare themselves an entrepreneur. No qualifications are required. Nelson says that’s different from the Navy, where he served as a nuclear submarine officer and had to prove his qualifications before advancing. Because of that lack of proper qualifications, Nelson says entrepreneurs often make five mistakes that threaten to put their businesses at risk. • Insistence on autonomy. An Inc. magazine study once said that a trait most entrepreneurs share is their desire for autonomy, which is great starting out, Nelson says. “In the startup phase, the company is all about you,” he says. “Your fingerprints are
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on everything, and there is very little you don’t know and aren’t directing.” But after the startup phase, the company steams into the growth phase, becoming more complex and more vulnerable to industry and economic trends. At that point, an entrepreneur’s insistence on autonomy can hinder the company’s ability to respond quickly and intelligently to challenges it faces. “In the growth phase, you simply can’t do it all, and it’s foolish to keep believing you can,” Nelson says. • Unwillingness to build structure, cultivate expertise or delegate. Many entrepreneurs will need to surround themselves with a strong executive team – or at least a steady right-hand individual – to ensure the company’s success, Nelson says. But too many business owners fail to create the kind of structure that produces good
leadership decisions within a managerial team. “As you grow your company and enlarge it to meet new opportunities, you must also build in accountability,” Nelson says. “Systems need to be put into place, and people, too.” The entrepreneur needs to know the employees and where their strengths lie to put them to good use, he says. • Lack of financial leadership. Entrepreneurs by definition take risk when they make the decision to start their own business. In the area of financial leadership, which includes tracking cash levels and trends, financial covenants, metrics and expenses, entrepreneurs who are not financially literate and active will need the direct support of a financial expert to ensure they receive the advice and input needed in their organization.
The Small Business Administration has estimated that up to 60 percent of businesses owe their demise to a lack of cash. Other sources have this number as high as 90 percent. Nelson says: “When it comes to financial leadership, it is what entrepreneurs don’t know that they don’t know that will multiply the risk in their business exponentially.” • Reacting unwisely to boredom. Starting a business proved exhilarating, but the dayto-day operation of it may pale in comparison. A bored entrepreneur can create significant troubles for the business, Nelson says. “Things are going to get up-ended in a hurry, because many bored entrepreneurs either start new companies or abruptly make changes in their current companies to keep their own level of excitement high,” he says. “Of course, entrepreneurs are to be celebrated for their guts and desire to innovate. But when a serial entrepreneur habitually and almost obsessively looks for new sandboxes to play in, what happens to the existing company or companies often isn’t very good.” • Failure to engage in self-examination. Entrepreneurs need to be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, the same things they gauge in their employees. “You need to set aside your probably abundant self-confidence and take stock of what you know, what you’re good at, and what skills you still need to master in your leadership role,” Nelson says.
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ENTERTAINMENT
February 12 - 18, 2015
‘Love and Hip Hop’s’ Stevie J pleads not guilty in $1M child support case “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta” reality star and once-upon-a-time musical beat maker, Stevie J has reportedly pleaded not guilty to charges of being over $1.1 million in arrears in child support for his two teen children with former live-in partner, Carol Bennett. Stevie, an industry impresario whose actual name is Steven Jordan, worked alongside Sean “Diddy” Coombs in the 90s, and allegedly has support arrears dating back to March 2001. Stevie, who was summoned to appear at a New York City federal courthouse, was accompanied by his reality show co-star and wife Joseline Hernandez, who reportedly verbally attacked anyone outside of the courthouse who shouted anything disparaging about Stevie being a deadbeat dad. When a middle-aged woman shouted at Stevie, “You should be ashamed!” Hernandez ferociously yelled back at the woman, “Shut up! You don’t know him!” according to sources on the scene. Inside the courtroom, the presiding Judge Paul Crotty was perplexed as to why the case was being tried in federal court, as the complainant lives in
Pennsylvania and Stevie and Joseline live in Atlanta. “I don’t understand what you are doing here,” Crotty said, according to the New York Post. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew DeFilippis however cleared up the courtroom confusion by informing the judge that the monies owed in the case are exorbitant and the support issue was never settled in Family Court over a ten-year-plus period. Meanwhile after the court session, Stevie, who was arrested last June for being delinquent in child support payments, met with reporters outside of the courtroom. The music producer behaved as if he could not lose his case with a judge like Crotty presiding over it telling the Post, “I have been waiting for a judge like this who understands what I am going through.” The man who is also known for his impish grin also managed to shamelessly promote his upcoming single with veteran rapper Snoop Dogg, new music by Hernandez and the upcoming season of his mega hit reality show.
Biggest winners from NAACP Image Awards 2015 By Terry Shropshire Actress Taraji P. Henson had what anyone would call a “career year,” as we appropriately borrow from popular sports parlance, for her stellar performance in 2014 in the TV show “Empire,” as well as her starring roles in the No. 1 box office films No Good Deed and Think Like a Man Too. For her outstanding efforts, the incandescent actress took home best actress honors as well as the 46th NAACP Image Award’s biggest prize as “Entertainer of the Year.” Oh, yah, Henson was also handed the latter award by none other than media maven Oprah Winfrey, which brought her to tears. The inexplicably snubbed movie masterpiece Selma was finally given its just props as the top film of the year, while the woman with what the New York Times characterized as “unconventional” beauty, Viola Davis, took the top prize for best actress in a dramatic TV show. Along with the risky but highly-rewarding television show “black-ish,” whose main stars, Anthony Anderson (the host of the Image Awards), Tracee Ellis Ross and Laurence Fishburne, took home awards, these were the biggest highlights from the NAACP Image Awards 2015. Below are highlights of some of the biggest moments of the night.
RECORDING: Outstanding New Artist 3 Winans Brothers (BMG) Outstanding Male Artist Pharrell Williams (Columbia Records) Outstanding Female Artist Beyoncé (Columbia Records) TELEVISION: Outstanding Comedy Series black-ish (ABC) Outstanding Drama Series How to Get Away With Murder (ABC) DOCUMENTARY: Outstanding Documentary - (Film) Through A Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People (Chimpanzee Productions, Inc.) Outstanding Documentary (Television) Bad Boys (ESPN) MOTION PICTURE: Outstanding Motion Picture Selma (Paramount Pictures) Outstanding Independent Motion Picture Belle (Fox Searchlight Pictures/DJ Films)
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR: Taraji P. Henson LITERATURE: Outstanding Literary Work - Fiction A Wanted Woman - Eric Jerome Dickey (Penguin Random House) Outstanding Literary Work - Non-Fiction Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption - Bryan Stevenson (Spiegel & Grau)
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ENTERTAINMENT
February 12 - 18, 2015
Top Valentine’s Day events and activities in Atlanta Robert Battle Artistic Director Masazumi Chaya Associate Artistic Director
By Roz Edward and Terry Shropshire Glenn Allen Sims. Photo by Andrew Eccles.
Lovers on every level want the celebration of the heart and romance on Feb. 14 to be one of the most memorable days of the year. So whether you’re in a relationship or attempting to establish one, make the day special with a few tips for the ADW romance department. Try enjoying sparkling wines while enjoying panoramic views of the Atlanta skyline from atop luxury hotels or attend cultural events and entertainment venues that help bring out that romantic energy with your significant other. Whether you’re looking for things to do on Valentine’s Day in Atlanta with your sweetie or for a perfect meal, Atlanta has you covered this Feb. 14. Take a look at some of the best places to visit and the hottest things to do on Valentine’s Day in Atlanta.
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Dining out: Sun Dial Restaurant One of the most envied views of the downtown skyline, it’s an even better when you sit down to a delectable meal in the iconic 72nd floor restaurant at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in downtown Atlanta, replete with 360-degree views of Atlanta. TWO Urban Licks This restaurant certainly sets the stage for romance with great music, subtle lighting and sparkling fountains. The ambiance of this ultra-popular spot with the in-crowd is enhanced by an indoor garden area and floating chandeliers. Two Urban Licks boasts the largest variety around of in-house infused vodkas and barreled beer. Aria Aria is synonymous with sophistication and class defined by white linens and mouth-watering menu options. Bacchanalia Five-star restaurant Bacchanalia has long been viewed as one of metro Atlanta’s best and most romantic dining experiences. One Motown Kitchen With an expansive view of Piedmont Park that automatically induces tranquility, and that’s before you sample a portion of the restaurant’s 75-bottle wine list and delicious menu. F&B Atlanta This Valentine’s Day, feel like you’re in the “city of love” and say “je t’aime” with a prix-fixe, four-course dinner crafted by chef Philippe Haddad at Buckhead’s French bistro, F&B Atlanta. Serpas Serpas will bolster its dinner menu with a few sexy specials for sweethearts this Valentine’s Day weekend. Along with the signature dishes you know and love, Serpas will feature off the menu delights and aphrodisiacs including, oysters with jalapeno mignonette and filet stuffed with crispy jumbo crab and passion fruit.
Paschal’s Restaurant Romance is in the air at Paschal’s. Enjoy favorites from our main menu or Chef ’s special 3 Course Prix Fixe menu complete with a glass of champagne & live entertainment. Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead Join The Café at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead for Valentine’s Day evening and enjoy a special four-course dinner featuring three options for each course. Georgia Aquarium Sips Under The Sea: Valentine’s Edition Visit one of the world’s greatest aquariums on Feb. 13 for an after-hours adults-only event with cocktails and tapas. Before or after dinner, you may want to take your significant other to one of the following events or stroll through Atlanta’s famous Botanical Garden. Take a look at some of the best things to do and events to attend on Valentine’s Day, with the help of events12.com, atlanta.net, atlantabotannicalgarden. com and atlanta.about.com. Theater and Events Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre - Fox Theatre Feb. 11 to Feb 15 One of Atlanta’s most eagerly-awaited annual traditions is the return of the world’s most popular modern dance company to the fabulous Fox Theatre Tuck Everlasting - Alliance Theatre Now through Feb. 15 A world premiere musical based on the novel by Natalie Babbitt Ages 10+ If you could live forever, would you? A young girl dreaming of adventure meets a family with a fabulous secret. Romeo and Juliette - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Now through Feb. 14 A full-evening of ballet live with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. Choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot. From the Heart - Atlanta Symphony Hall Feb. 13 to Feb. 14 Everyone wants to love and be loved, and music is the language of love. Conductor Michael Krajewski and singer/songwriter Tony DeSare have created a special night of music made just for the romantics of the world. Emory Annual Jazz Festival - Emory University Emerson Concert Hall Feb. 11 to Feb 15 Valentine’s weekend festival features Grammy-winning bassist John Clayton, pianist Gary Motley, Drummer Herlin Riley and a free Emory Big Band Night Botanical Garden Romance Blooms - Atlanta Botanical Garden Feb. 14 from 7 - 11 p.m. Enjoy an elegant evening of music, dancing, cocktails, desserts, orchids and more at the most romantic spot in Atlanta
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COMMUNITY
Chris Tucker, Cynne Simpson host Georgia legislative Black Caucus’ annual dinner
February 12 - 18, 2015
Cricket Wireless celebrates Black History Month and salutes #CommunityStars
By Diane Larché Celebrating Our Heritage, Our History: Saluting African Americans in the Arts is the theme of the annual Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Heritage Dinner set for Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Georgia World Congress Center at 7 p.m. in the Thomas Murphy Ballroom. Hosted by actor/comedian Chris Tucker and Fox TV News anchor Cynne’ Simpson, the dinner will celebrate artists and entertainers with Georgia ties, including Steve Allen, Andre Thompson, Brenda Sigletary, Gilbert Young, James Brown, BRICK, Sheila Ray, Clifford “TI” Harris, Kenny Leon, Bohannan, Will Packer, Dottie Peoples, Otis Redding, Clarence Carter, S.O.S. Band and Millie Jackson. Key sponsors of the celebration include: AT&T Georgia, Astellas, Data Systems and Games, Georgia Association of Educators, Georgia Municipal Association, Georgia Power, Morehouse School of Medicine and Waste Management. The Heritage Dinner Committee members who have been working diligently to bring this historic evening to fruition are Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Sen. Gloria Butler, Rep. Tonya Anderson, Sen. David Lucas, Sen. Lester Jackson, Sen. Donzella James, Rep. DarShun Kendrick, Rep. Billy Mitchell and Rep. Dexter Sharper. Proceeds from the annual dinner support the annual youth symposium and scholarships. “We appreciate the support from our corporate sponsors and community partners,” said GLBC Chair Rep. Dawkins-Haigler. “We will continue to engage in activities that educate and provide scholarships, conduct research, development and training activities, and support, sponsor, underwrite, staff and administer nonpartisan programs that protect the general welfare of Black people, other people of color and disadvantaged citizens of
Georgia.” “The Black Caucus continues its important work that it has been doing for 42 years and is proud that this year our focus on youth has resulted in the highest number of interns at the Capitol and a well-attended youth day with boys and girls from across the state [present],” she added. Last year more than 650 guests attended the dinner which included federal, state and local elected officials to government leaders and community and nonprofit organizations and academia. The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is the largest state black caucus in the nation with a membership of 61 members who represent over 3 million Georgians.
In celebration of Black History Month, Cricket Wireless encourages its employees, customers, fans and followers to engage on social media via Twitter to highlight the positive contributions of local community stars. Using #CommunityStars, these posts can highlight personal efforts or salute others for community support, volunteering efforts, mentoring outreach and progress in the work setting that inspires others. The #CommunityStars conversation will be amplified during in-store events scheduled in select locations in Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles. Featuring winners of the Cricket Community Stars: Salute to Solopreneurs contest, these rap sessions are free and open to the public. Additionally, Cricket will join Black History Month celebrations in Atlanta, New York and Miramar, Florida. “Cricket is proud to join the nation in recognizing African Americans – including our
family of employees and customers – who consistently reach back to help local communities move ahead,” said Jermaine Spight, spokesperson, Cricket Wireless. “We look forward to encouraging an engaging social media dialogue which celebrates these often unsung community stars.” Throughout the year and across the nation, Cricket partners with numerous community organizations – including local chapters of the Urban League, North and South Metro chapters of 100 Black Men of America (Atlanta), and A-MAN, Inc. (Los Angeles) – to support college-bound youth. Additionally, through the Cricket Community Stars contest (launched in 2014), the brand recognized small business owners for their dedication to local communities. For more information or to join the #CommunityStars conversation, visit Cricket on Twitter.
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GUEST COMMENTARY
GUEST COMMENTARY
by George E. Curry
by Julianne Malveaux
Did NBC’S Brian Williams also lie about Hurricane Katrina? “NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams has finally admitted that he had incorrectly asserted that a helicopter he traveled aboard in 2002 while reporting on the Iraq War in 2003 was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, forcing an emergency landing. “This was a bungled attempt by me to thank one special veteran and by extension our brave military men and women veterans everywhere…” he said on air. Williams’ admission came on the heels of a story published in the military publication Stars & Stripes that challenged his retelling of events. “NBC News anchor Brian Williams has told a war story over the years since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It grew to where he was claiming to be on a Chinook helicopter that was forced down after taking rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire,” the newspaper reported. “In his on-air apology Wednesday, he backed off that, but said that he ‘was instead in a following aircraft.’ Soldiers who were in two Chinook companies say he was not in, nor ever near, a helicopter that was being fired upon.” Williams, who makes $13 million a year, has drastically altered his story over the years, according to a timeline published by CNN. Lt. Col. Jerry Pearman, the mission commander when one of the three Chinooks took fire, told Stars & Stripes, “I can say with 100 percent certainty that no NBC reporters were on any of the aircrafts.” Following his public admission, Williams said that he would forgo his anchoring duties at the top-rated network news program “for the next several days.” Politico.com, describing what it called “a sign of deepening trouble,” reported on Sunday that Williams cancelled an appearance on “Late Night with David Letterman” that had been scheduled for Thursday. It was on an earlier Letterman show that Williams also gave his now-discredited account. The New York Times reported, “In 2013, Mr. Williams told David Letterman that he had actually been on the helicopter that got shot down, adding that a crew member had been injured and received a medal. ‘We figured out how to land safely,’ he said, ‘we landed very quickly and hard. We were stuck, four birds in the desert and we were north out ahead of the other Americans.’” Of course, none of that was true. Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), the media watchdog group, said, “Now that he’s cleared that up, there are some other tall tales that Williams might want to take back. Take his recounting of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans (Dateline NBC, 8/22/10; Extra!, 10/10): “You know, I’ve been around a lot of guns and a lot of dead bodies, and a lot of people shooting at people to make dead bodies. But you put them all together and you put it in the United States of America, and boy, it gets your attention…. “It was clear already there weren’t going to
be enough cops…. Everywhere we went, every satellite shot, every camera shot, we were at the height of the violence and the looting and the— all the reports of gunplay downtown. Well, who’s bathed in the only lights in town? It was us…. “We had to ask Federal Protection Service guys with automatic weapons to just form a ring and watch our backs while we were doing Dateline NBC one night…. State troopers had to cover us by aiming at the men in the street just to tell them, ‘Don’t think of doing a smash and grab and killing this guy for the car.’” FAIR stated, “As long as he’s in a confessional mood, Williams might as well admit that he didn’t see ‘a lot of people shooting at people to make dead bodies,’ nor would people have killed him for his car if he hadn’t been surrounded by feds – none of which appeared in his original reporting.” The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported in a Pulitzer Prize-winning story, “Four weeks after the storm, few of the widely reported atrocities have been backed with evidence. The piles of bodies never materialized, and soldiers, police officers and rescue personnel on the front lines say that although anarchy reigned at times and people suffered unimaginable indignities, most of the worst crimes reported at the time never happened.” To Williams’ credit he did air a week-long series called “After the Storm: The Long Road Back” in which the network tackled racial discrimination, among other issues. He said Katrina was different from most disasters and that NBC would “keep covering it.” However, that was not the case. FAIR observed, “… Katrina’s impoverished victims faded rapidly away from NBC’s coverage thereafter. By the six-month anniversary in February, NBC had joined its rivals in limiting coverage to a brief look at the struggles of putting on Mardi Gras in a depopulated city, then moving on before anyone could accuse them of peering too deeply into matters of race or class.” Perhaps it was another ”bungled attempt” by Brian Williams to portray himself as a hero. George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook.
Publishes Every Thursday
The Carter G. Woodson Legacy The racial differential in the poverty rate is staggering. Last time I checked, about 12 percent people in the United States, one in eight people are poor. Depending on race and ethnicity, however, poverty is differently experienced. Fewer than one in ten whites are poor, more than one in four African Americans and Latinos are poor. Differences in occupation, income, employment and education are considered the main reasons for poverty, with current and past discrimination playing a role in educational, employment and occupational attainment. We see the discrimination when we consider that African American women with a doctoral degree have median earnings of about $1000 a week, compared to about $1200 a week for black men and white women, and $1600 a week for white men. White men earn 60 percent more than African American women, and a third more than black men and white women. It would not take much to recite the differences, by race, or education, unemployment, earnings and occupation. The recurrent question in reviewing the data is “what are we going to do”. It makes no sense to just recite the data and then wring our hands as if nothing can be done. The three steps in social change are organization (especially protest), which leads to legislation (width pressure) and litigation (when legislation is not implemented). Often laws preventing discrimination have been passed but not adhered to, forcing litigation to get offenders to “do the right thing”. Of course, it takes more than a minute. It takes people who are committed to the long run. “The arc of the moral universe is long”, Dr. Martin Luther King said in 1964, “but it bends toward justice. Dr. Carter Goodson Woodson understood the long arc when he founded the Journal of Negro History and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915. The organization and the journal have changed their names to reflect the nomenclature of these times, and they are now called The Journal of African American History and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Both the organization and the journal have now existed for one hundred years which is perhaps why ASALH chose “A Century of Black Lives, History and Culture” as its 2015 theme. (ASALH, as founders of Black History Month,
choose a theme each year). This year their focus on the long arc of African American life in our nation and asserts that “this transformation is the result of effort, not chance”. Dr. Carter G. Woodson made many choices that led to his education and to the creativity and brilliance that motivated him to uplift Black History through Negro History week, now called Black History Month. Woodson was born the son of former slaves, and a family that was large and poor. He worked as a miner in West Virginia, and attended school just a few months a year. At 20, he started high school; by 28 he earned his bachelor’s degree. He was only the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard (WEB DuBois was the first). He was a member of the Howard University faculty; later he was the Dean. He wrote, “If you can contrail a man’s thinking, you don’t worry about his action. If you can determine what a man thinks you do not have to worry about what he will do. If you can make a man believe that he is inferior, you don’t have to compel him to seek an inferior status, he will do so without being told, and if you can make a man believe that he is justly an outcast, you don’t have to order him to the back door, he will go to the back door on his own and if there is no back door, the very nature of the man will demand that you build one.” In other words, poverty can be the reality of living, but it doesn’t have to be a state of mind. Many are trapped in poverty because that may be all they know, and because protest, legislation, and litigation have not provided passages out of poverty. No one provided a passage out of poverty for Woodson. He worked as a miner to earn a living, and he transcended his status as a minor to make a life of embracing his people and our history. He wrote about the ways that our thinking could oppress us as much as living conditions can. He is a role model and example for African Americans today because, motivated by a desire to be educated, he fought his way out of poverty. There is a difference between thinking you can live like Carter G. Woodson, and thinking that you can’t. (CHECK OUT www.ASALH.org for more information on Carter G Woodson and his organization.)
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February 12 - 18, 2015
2015 Pan African Film and Arts Festival
By Ricky Richardson Don’t fret; there is still plenty of time to get in on the fun, culturally enriching experience offered during the 23rd Annual Pan Africa Film and Arts Festival, held at the RAVE Cinemas 15 at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. My musical exploration began with Hear Me Move. One could easily witness how American hip hop, krumping, stepping and bounce, etc. is connected to the hypnotic dance moves in South Africa. This movie was bursting at the rim with the explosive energy of South African youth. Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band was a remarkable biography/concert footage about the brilliant arranger and composer Mary Lou Williams. Everyone left the screening with a better appreciation and understanding of her
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tremendous body of work in jazz. Oggun: An Eternal Presence is the story of the magical legend Oggun, the Yoruba god of metals, iron and warfare. The audience and I were treated to a double dose of delight. Oggun: The Eternal Presence was intertwined with and narrated by the spiritual life story of Lazaro Ros, Cuba’s leading akpwon (singer) in Santeria ceremonies. If that wasn’t enough, scenes from a toque (Yoruba ceremony) were danced by members of Cuba’s acclaimed Conjunto Folklorico National. Una Vida: A Fable of the Music and the Mind is based on the novel of the same name by Dr. Nicolas Bazan, an acclaimed Neuroscientist. This was a touching story about a lovely street musician, Una Vida, who suffers from Alzheimer’s and the effort by a disheartened Neuroscientist who is intent on helping her. I found myself reminiscing about past visit to the Crescent City because the director and his team did an excellent job of bringing together the city of New Orleans and the jazz that made it famous. The film stars Bill Cobb, Ajujanue Ellis, Andre Royo, Ruth Negga and Sharon Lawrence. The Q&A featured Bill Cobb, Sharon Lawrence and Tom Lembcke, Director of Photography, as they talked about the making of the movie as well as the continued research by Dr. Bazan to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. I look forward to viewing additional movies throughout the duration of the festival, now through Monday, February 16th. There is also a Spoken Word Fest, PAFF Fashion Show, ARTFEST, PAFF Community Forum, PAFF Film Institute and PAFF New Media Fest. AS you can see, there is something for everyone.