Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper May 9 2015

www.afro.comMay 9, 2015 - May 9, 2015,

Volume 123 No. 40

Happy Mother’s Day

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The Baltimore Afro-American

MAY 9, 2015 - MAY 15, 2015

Gang Members’ Role Mothers Stand Against in Baltimore’s Uprising Police Shootings of Blacks

By AFRO Staff

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO While being accused of plotting to kill law enforcement officers by the Baltimore Police Department, members of the Bloods, Crips, and Black Guerrilla Family, all notorious street gangs, organized to protect businesses, journalists, and residents during a period of Photo by Roberto Alejandro

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Gang members Goldie, Bonez and Mugga explained that their groups were falsely accused of targeting police officers. unrest and rioting in Baltimore City.

“It was a total lie, misconception,” said a young member of the Bloods who gave the name Bonez about the allegation by police. “That was never the case. We never actually said, or had a meeting about, ‘we are joining to

The AFRO Appreciates Teachers

National Teacher Appreciation Week 2015

actually hurt the police,’ or different things.”

“We were just trying to help the community,” said a man who gave the name

What do Toya Graham, Baltimore State Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Maryland National Guard Major Gen. Linda Singh and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch have in common?

They are African American mothers who share similar sentiments about the shootings of Black people by police officers. All four women have held a prominent role in not only bringing justice to the forefront in Baltimore in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray, but also bringing about peace.

“To those who are angry, hurt, I urge you to channel energy peacefully,” Mosby told NBC on May 1. “I heard your call for ‘no justice, no peace.’ However your peace is severely needed. To officers, these accusations are not an indictment of the entire force.”

Mosby is a mother of two girls, who has a family of law enforcers. However, according to news reports she is keen on

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Facebook photo

Toya Graham gained notoriety when she forcefully commanded her son leave April 27 rioting in Baltimore.

City Council: Getting Back to Normal

By Kamau High Special to the AFRO It was a busy week for members of the Baltimore City Council. In the aftermath of the riots they could be seen during television interviews on channels from MSNBC to CNN, talking about what is next for Baltimore, how the city is holding up and what the large peaceful rallies held over the weekend meant.

Councilman Brandon M. Scott, District 2, has been at the forefront of calling on members of the community to be responsible and show one another love. He is calling for City Council hearings on the safety of the police wagon fleet. His resolution calls for Anthony Batts, police commissioner, to appear before the City Council and discuss how people transported in police wagons can be kept safer. Freddie Gray, of course, was severely injured while

Morgan Breaks Ground on $79M Facility

By AFRO Staff Morgan State University on April 30 launched construction on its new $79.4 million cutting edge academic and research facility, which is slated for completion in summer 2017.

The Martin D. Jenkins Behavioral

and Social Sciences Center, the result of a partnership with the state of Maryland, is part of the university’s Phase II West Campus Expansion initiative. The more than 148,000-square-foot building replaces the now-obsolete Jenkins building located on Morgan’s main academic quad.

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being transported in a police wagon.

The resolution was adopted by the City Council and now goes to the Police Department for their response.

The other notable piece of news from last week’s City Council meeting was a resolution introduced by Bill Henry, District 4, seeking to call on Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to increase funding for Community Schools. There Continued on A3

TV One Town Hall @Morgan

Community Stretches to Find Peace With Police

By Christian Jones Special to the AFRO Morgan State University was the site of a televised town hall meeting hosted by TV One journalist Roland Martin to discuss fundamental issues of the Black community in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray.

Called “State of Emergency: Baltimore and Beyond,” the gathering, held in the Murphy Fine Arts Center, drew national figures such as Ben Jealous, former president of the NAACP, and locals ranging from Carl Stokes, a member of the City Council, to Tawanda Jones, the sister of Tyrone West, another Black man who died while being arrested by Baltimore police. Several young men wearing the colors of the Crips and Bloods gangs sat with students, retired police officers, lawyers and preachers.

Topics ranged from police brutality to personal responsibility, with elected officials, members of the faith community and legacy civil rights organizations such as the NAACP, taking their share of blame for the ineffectiveness.

But Dr. David Wilson, Morgan’s president, let everyone know Morgan students had been present as protestors

Courtesy photo

Morgan President David Wilson, center, breaks ground with regents and other leaders.

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Copyright © 2015 by the Afro-American Company

Saturday, May 9th, 2:00 p.m.

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fled the scene. The woman was carrying the cash to wire to a relative in Thailand, according to Chicago ABC affiliate WLS. “He pulled her to the ground by her hair, groped her and sexually assaulted her,” Assistant State’s Attorney Joe DiBella said, A Chicago woman recently turned according to The Chicago Tribune. “He in her own son for the robbery and then continued to beat her while sitting sexual assault of another woman on the on her head and held her down so she city’s subway line after picking him could not get off at the next stop.” out of a surveillance video.

After Isabelle’s mother identified According to the New York Daily him in the video, she made him go to News, Chicago prosecutors on said the police and turn himself in, WLS Deshawn Isabelle, 15, was arrested for reported.

Isabelle confessed that he sexually assaulting, physically beating, had committed the crime and allegedly and robbing a 41-year-old woman on spent the money on Jordan jumpsuits April 20. and candy.

Police said Isabelle approached the Chicago Police Department Isabelle was charged as an adult woman from behind on the Chicago Surveillance footage shows Deshawn with aggravated criminal sexual assault Transit Authority’s Blue Line train, beat Isabelle entering a train. and robbery and is being held on $1 her, took $2,000 in cash and her iPhone, and sexually assaulted her before he million bond.

Mother Turns in Son for Robbery Assault after Recognizing Teen in Surveillance Video

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Sentences Cut for 3 ExEducators in Atlanta Cheating Scandal Wayne McKenzie The police are out killing Black males all over the country without being charged or indicted and we imprison educators for “cheating” to improve student grades in

Kay Wiley This is a sin. Teachers are expected to do too much and are held accountable for conditions not under their control.

Bobbie Morn They had orders from people higher trust me!

Anthony Nichols Prison though!!! Decades though! C’mon now no!!!

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The Baltimore Afro-American, May 9, 2015 - May 9, 2015

May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015, The Baltimore Afro-American

Gang Members

Mothers Stand

Mugga (pronounced like ‘moogah’) and is a member of the Crips. “For them to sit there and put it on us, and say we were [targeting police officers], it wasn’t fair. But that’s the outlook they always have on us for years. So all we’re trying to do is help, but for all the help that we do we just keep on getting blamed over and over. But that won’t stop us from helping, we’re just going to keep on going.”

In conversations that have taken place in media and around the city, much has been made of a supposedly new unity emerging among Baltimore street gangs in the aftermath

holding officers accountable for their actions.

Mosby, lead Maryland prosecutor in the case, filed charges against the six police officers involved in the arrest and death of Gray.

Gray, 25, died on April 19 from a spinal cord injury while he was in police custody.

It sparked a massive riot in Baltimore, Md. with hundreds of young Black Americans expressing their anger and frustration with a justice system that unfairly and improperly targets them.

Rawlings-Blake led and continues to lead Baltimore through riots, burnings, media turmoil and enforced curfews. On May 4 the city’s mandatory curfew was lifted.

According to CNN, “the goal,’ said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake ‘has always been to not have the curfew in place a single day longer than was necessary.”

Lynch, new to the job, travelled to Baltimore May 5 to meet with city officials, members of Congress, law enforcement officials, as well as faith and community leaders, CNN reported.

Graham, a concerned Baltimore mother who caught her son throwing rocks at police has also staked a claim in the fight for justice and safety of Black citizens. Titled as “Mother of the Year” for what some say as adhering to the Black mammy stereotype, but as others say, truly caring for her son, she showed not only passion but resembled Black mothers – really all mothers – in America through her

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of media accounts to capture the complexity of the life of inner city gang members, young men whose options were often limited to choosing between bad and worse. “When everybody looks at, ‘Oh, he’s a Blood,’ or, ‘He’s a Crip, he’s doing this, he’s doing that,’ all this is not around just gang banging, or hustling, and all that. There’s more to it, [but] people just don’t see that. Like out here, all these days that we’ve been helping, they don’t put that out, they don’t show us [helping], they just throw it all down and play what they want to show,” said Mugga.

“Me, I actually wrote a book,” said Bonez, who will soon release a self-published book titled, ‘Gangster Statistics: The Untold Story.’

“We have a lot of others that have been doing projects. I’ve been doing projects that have been helping the community, been uplifting the community, been strengthening – Mugga the community. [And] not just one nationality, [all] nationalit[ies] as a whole. Now we are the ones to of the death of Freddie Gray, the Sandtown actually stop the problems, so we can be judged Winchester man who died on April 19, one correctly, and properly,” added Bonez. week after sustaining fatal injuries while in Mugga lamented the fact that the Baltimore the custody of Baltimore police. But the three police have not sought to play a more gang members who spoke to the AFRO before a productive role in poor Black communities, major demonstration at the War Memorial Plaza adopting an adversarial posture instead. The on May 2, said there was nothing new about problem, the three young men concurred, is that this unity in the first place. many police officers have never known what it “We’re setting the differences aside, even is to grow up in the streets, driving an attitude though, there really were no differences,” towards the behavior of those who have to had said Goldie, a member of the Crips. “I’ve to navigate those challenges that is not informed known Bonez for a while now . . . I’ve known by understanding.

Bonez since we were working together, as That limitation, which undermines the far as employment. He’s a good brother. authority of police in difficult neighborhoods, Very educated. You don’t meet too many extends to much of the City’s power structure, representatives of the Crips or the Bloods that said Bonez, explaining why street gangs were are doing anything in reference to try to help the able to have more success at policing their own community, or writing books, or trying to help communities during the April 27 riots than the the kids out.” police themselves.

Bonez concurred, saying, “There’s already “They have to put people in leadership been a unity.” that are actually in those communities. [Take] “The unity didn’t come together just for one the mayor. The mayor, she doesn’t come situation, or just because Freddie Gray died – out in these communities. She doesn’t build rest in peace Freddie Gray – but this unity has relationships with these actual people. So how already been built. And it’s been built over the do you expect somebody to actually respect years. It wasn’t anything that just came out,” another individual who says they’re supposed continued Bonez. to be in leadership, who is actually not for us,” Mugga expressed frustration at the inability said Bonez.

“For them to sit there and put it on us, and say we were [targeting police officers], it wasn’t fair.”

TV One Town Hall Continued from A1

as well as organizers and helpers.

Martin, the host of TV One’s daily show News One Now, opened the meeting with the topic of police aggression in a city with a police force of more than 3,000 officers.

Motivational speaker and BET TV personality, Jeff Johnson, a Baltimore resident, questioned the trust of law enforcement.

“You don’t even begin to have trust restored until police officers go to jail,” Johnson said to applause.

“If we continue to send police officers to control

communities versus to serve them, there will be no trust.”

The concentration of police officers in Baltimore is higher than cities with much larger populations, according to Martin.

Police brutality has systemic roots that are not only implanted into Whites, but Blacks as well, a retired Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy said, admitting to bigotry among his old Black colleagues due to self hate.

“The cops inherit a system that is racist and look at the Black people as potential threats and as suspicious,” said retired officer, Cleo

Manago.

Ashley Overbey described in detail how her call to report a robbery in her home resulted in her having been beaten and arrested by the officers who answered the call.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Morgan student Imani Brown said she had expected a different outcome from the meeting.

“I was here because I thought this was going to be more action driven,” she said. “You know, we’ve had a lot of discussions and a lot of walks. I felt like this was an opportunity for us to start putting things into plan.”

Morgan Breaks Ground Continued from A1

“The construction of this upgraded and multifunctional facility will increase Morgan’s ability to attract a diverse body of students, qualified faculty and additional research dollars, which in turn further enhances our status as a doctoral research institution,” University President David Wilson said in a statement.

“The instruction and access

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to resources made available in this type of experiential learning environment will be critical to giving our students the necessary skills to compete and excel in an ever competitive workforce.”

Located near the east end of the Northwood Shopping Center on Hillen Road and Argonne Drive, when completed five-story building will feature classrooms,

laboratories, research space, testing rooms, conference rooms, offices, study hall, and computer labs. In addition, the building will house the university’s largest school, the College of Liberal Arts, which comprises the departments of psychology, sociology and anthropology, political science, economics, history and geography.

The Martin D. Jenkins Behavioral and Social Sciences Center is named for educator Martin D. Jenkins who served as Morgan’s president from 1948 to 1970.

Jenkins, who died in 1978, was noted for his pioneering work in the field of education.

The design of the new facility was completed

by HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm. Construction of the project was awarded to Barton Malow Co.

fear of losing a child.

“He gave me eye contact,” Toya Graham told CBS News. “And at that point, you know, not even thinking about cameras or anything like that — that’s my only son and at the end of the day, I don’t want him to be a Freddie Gray. Is he the perfect boy? No he’s not, but he’s mine.”

“To those who are angry, hurt, I urge you to channel energy peacefully.”

–Marilyn Mosby As shown by the mothers, racist actions spur trauma for all income levels as numerous Black people have been shot by police forces across the country. Whether it is Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Akai Gurley, Dante Parker, Yvette Smith or any one of the several dozens of Blacks killed, the trauma affects us all, no matter religion, race, creed, socioeconomic status or income. In fact, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall was born in West Baltimore, Gray’s neighborhood.

President Obama also echoed the same sentiments as the mothers on May 4 during a press conference on the launch of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance in Bronx, N.Y. “I want you to know you matter,” he said.

“We are one people and we need each other.

We should love each and every one of our kids and we should show that love.”

City Council Continued from A1

are 20 Community Schools in Baltimore in each district except for District 8. Community Schools offer additional resources for students as well as the surrounding community. These resources can range from increased mental

health care and help for homeless families to health screenings, among others.

Community Schools currently receive $6 million in funding and the resolution calls for an increase to $10 million.

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The Baltimore Afro-American, May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Depression, Black Superwoman Syndrome, and Suicide

By Shantella Y. Sherman Special to the AFRO

S

he was the founder of For Brown Girls and, later, the #DarkSkinRedLip Project, as well as several online movements celebrating dark-skinned Black women. By all accounts, she was a spirited, beautiful, trooper who inspired millions of women around the world to embrace their natural, God-given beauty. So when Karyn Washington’s death, at 22, was reported as a suicide, disbelief, fear, and anger spread through social media circles like a wildfire.

Fellow blogger Christelyn Karazin lamented the loss as an indictment of the Black community and its Black Superwoman Schema that promotes seeking prayer over medical intervention. “You feel shame when you feel your mind is breaking. There is no safe place. To admit to any mental frailty is to invite scorn and mockery, accusations of acting White. Because only White people suffer from depression.

Only White people commit suicide. Black women are strong.

Black women are not human. And this is a LIE,” Karazin charged.

Some soothed the wounds of their grief over Washington’s death by attaching it to the sorrow she endured in losing her mother to cancer just weeks earlier. But then Titi Cree Branch, the always smiling 45-year-old co-founder of Miss Jessie’s Curly Hair Products, reportedly ended her life, and the nation began to take note. Depression is real. African-American women, though referred to using descriptors such as “strong,” “long suffering,” and even “angry,” are more often masking overwhelming feelings of frustration, hopelessness, and fear.

A growing body of literature indicates that AfricanAmerican women rely on religious beliefs and practices to cope with health problems including depression, with roughly 90.4 percent reporting their faith as a means of managing stressors. Additionally, researchers found that the low use of mental health services among Black women was coupled with high rates of premature termination from counseling.

“Many African Americans are raised with an internalized sense of connectedness to religious values, which provide a sense of purpose, power, and self-identity,” reported psychologist Madonna G. Constantine.

Prayer and religion are often cited as primary coping skills used by African-American women in dealing with personal problems and in comparison with Caucasians, AfricanAmericans are far more likely to endorse the use of prayer and spiritual coping strategies over professional or medicinal therapies. But what happens when faith wavers?

In the case of Monica Deen*, weakened faith and an unwillingness to admit her issues to church elders – including her inability to cope – caused her to spiral almost out of control for several years. “Some issues do not belong in church – that’s what I felt,” said Deen, who found herself caught in an extramarital affair with her supervisor. “This relationship was tied to my own lack of self-esteem, which made me feel like I could not end it. I felt it would jeopardize my job and family if I did the right thing and ended it. But there was no way I would tell the church and I felt like God would not forgive me.”

In addition to the emotional turmoil Deen felt, she spent four years managing hypertension and bulimia as a result of the affair. The day she felt overwhelmed enough to plot her own death, Deen said, she found enough courage to confess to her husband.

“I stood in front of him shaking like a leaf and crying

Depression is real.

African-American women, though referred to using descriptors such as “strong,” “long suffering,” and even “angry,” are more often masking overwhelming feelings of frustration, hopelessness, and fear.

hysterically. Thank God he had enough compassion to sign me into a clinic,” Deen said. “I began talking about all of the things that I couldn’t tell anyone and the guilt and depression lifted. Everyday I acknowledge that I am only human and I give myself leeway to make mistakes and recover from them.”

Researchers, including Cheryl L. Woods-Giscombe, have suggested that health disparities in African-American women, including Deen’s hypertension, adverse birth outcomes, lupus, obesity, and untreated depression, can be explained by stress and coping. The Strong Black Woman / Superwoman role has been highlighted as a phenomenon influencing African-American women’s experiences and reports of stress.

“Cultural and psychological factors of the Superwoman role, such as focusing on the needs of others and making personal health a secondary or tertiary priority, might explain delays in health-seeking behaviors, limited adherence to recommendations made by health care professionals, and lower rates of screening procedures for conditions that are treatable if caught in the early stages,” Woods-Giscombe concluded.

Participants’ characterizations of the

Superwoman role were grouped into five major topic areas: obligation to manifest strength, obligation to suppress emotions, resistance to being vulnerable or dependent, determination to succeed despite limited resources, and obligation to help others. Woods-Giscombe made recommendations that physicians utilize a culture-centered methodology in order to better understand the emotional needs of Black female patients. This may include more aggressive attempts to bridge the church with treatment for depression.

“Health care practitioners who are aware of the potential influence of the Superwoman role on health behaviors might have an enhanced ability to understand the lived experiences of their patients and the ability to integrate appropriate methods of patient education and counseling into their clinical practice,” she said.

Terrie Williams, public relations mogul and author of “Black Pain,” said in an interview with Tom Joyner, that the Superwoman Syndrome has caused many Black women to suffer unduly from their own unrealistic expectations.

“At some point all of us may encounter that one thing, person or event

that breaks us into separate pieces; and the life we built or least portrayed can’t keep going without the other part being self-medicated,” Williams said. “That self-medication can come in the form of drugs (illegal or prescription) or alcohol, engaging in inappropriate relationships, risky sexual behavior, overeating, gambling, working, and violence. These are all symptoms, that, yes, need to be treated, but don’t get at the heart of the problem – undiagnosed and untreated depression.”

Williams, who said she had a nervous breakdown several years ago, has been a stalwart advocate for Black women seeking the help of professional therapists, who tend to hear what family and friends cannot.

“I treasure my weekly talk therapy sessions – they are my lifeline. It is an opportunity for me to speak my pain, my struggles, my gains and losses…

I have learned to let the tears flow, to slow down, to seek professional help and to look for healthy ways to put my pieces back together – through exercise, proper nutrition, planned downtime and by surrounding myself with people not afraid to pull my coattails when they see something is wrong,” Williams said.

Retiring the Cape: How to Avoid the Black Superwoman Syndrome

By Shantella Y. Sherman Special to the AFRO Recognizing depression in African-American women as a condition that mimics complaints of being tired, stressed, uninterested, or even hostile, is the key to getting loved ones the help they need. Depression can be passed from one generation to the next and can be triggered by many life events, including the death of loved ones, loss of employment, and aging. When someone is depressed, he or she typically feels a sadness that lasts longer than a few days or weeks, and this state of mind can be accompanied by thoughts of wanting to hurt or kill oneself.

Common concerns among African-American women who experience depression are: Family problems: feeling uninspired to take part in routine activities, being inattentive, missed appointments, and a lack of productivity around the home.

Relationship problems: conflicts with spouses or significant others, children, and friends and feelings of social or spiritual isolation.

Risky behaviors: violent or aggressive behavior, unprotected sexual practices, alcohol and other drug abuse, driving erratically, and engaging in dangerous activities.

Physical symptoms: muscular tension, insomnia, stomach aches, other physical complaints.

What to do? If you or someone close to you is experiencing any of these symptoms or feelings of hopelessness that last for more than a few weeks, seek assistance from a mental health professional.

Provide as much support as possible by active listening, reassurance that the use of a professional therapist is acceptable, and encouragement, including accompanying them to a trained therapist, if necessary.

National and Local Organizations to Know in Mental Health Crisis • Mental Health Association of D.C. Phone: (202) 265-6363

• District of Columbia Department of Mental Health Phone: (202) 698-2470

• Maryland’s Suicide Prevention

and Early Intervention Network Baltimore Crisis Response (410) 433-5255 provides hotline and mobile crisis services.

• The Compassionate Friends of Baltimore (410) 560-3358 • www.BaltimoreTCF.com provides grief support

• The Suicide Prevention Resource Center

www.sprc.org is the nation’s only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.

May 9, 9, 2015 2015 -- May May 15, 9, 2015, May 2015, The The Baltimore Baltimore Afro-American

Baltimore Event Seeks Healing Lisa Snowden-McCray Special to the AFRO

Mary Alice Rose, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, will speak at an event called “A Talk on the Healing Comforter,” on May 9. She said she’ll bring to Baltimoreans the same message that she’s given to survivors of a devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo.and to people who are still working to undo the painful remnants of apartheid in South Africa.

The event was planned as a response to the mass protests that erupted in Baltimore in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death while in police custody. “The idea of this lecture on Saturday is to help bring some spiritual solutions to some of the events that have been occurring in Baltimore,” Rose said.

“What I’m hoping to provide is a voice from the faith community about spiritual solutions to these things. It’s not just about government and laws and civic duty. There’s this

whole spiritual angle. How does one make good decisions? What spiritual tools can I use to help me in helping the community live more productively and harmoniously?

Although she did not grow up in Baltimore, Rose worked here for 11 years. She says she still feels great affection for the city and everyone here. She said that during the clashes, she was compelled to pray for everyone.

“I had such compassion for everybody. I’m not a person that

rushes to judgement. Frankly, I was just trying to embrace everybody in my prayers. I truly believe everybody is a child of God with equal standing.

God does not see race. God sees his beautiful children and wants only the best for them.”

She said while in South Africa, she had the opportunity to learn more about late South African president Nelson Mandela – and that taught her a lot about race, inequality, and forgiveness.

“What I was so impressed by is

how he had a transformation in his thinking. He moved from an ‘us’ and ‘them’ kind of paradigm to realizing that the only way to take the country forward is to work together. That was quite striking to me. That was the turning point in his life and what enabled him to be the transformative figure.”

The event will be held 2 p.m. at the First Church of Christ, Scientist. For more information, call 410-366-2851 or visit www. christiansciencebaltimore.org

Son of Late West Baltimore Activist Looks to Raise Donations through Free Fitness Class Kibwe Shelton with his mother, the late West Baltimore activist Gwen Shelton. Kibwe will offer a free fitness class on May 2, in Druid Hill Park to raise donations for those affected by the rioting that took place in West Baltimore.

“Our community is worth saving,” the late Gwen Shelton said in late 2013, during the last meeting of the Matthew A. Henson Neighborhood Association over which she presided.

With Shelton’s beloved West Baltimore community rocked by the unrest that followed the death of Freddie Gray on April 19, her son, Kibwe Shelton, hopes to put his mother’s sentiment into action by offering a free fitness class this weekend to raise donations for those affected by the looting that occurred earlier in the week.

Shelton has been a physical trainer for eight years, working with all fitness levels and specializing in training athletes.

“Saturday morning we’re going to get together,” he said. “It will be low-intensity exercise [as] I just want to get people together,

and most of all raise money tangible goods donations, to donate to the community, which he will donate to especially the community recovery efforts in his where my mom is from.” mother’s name.

“I know a lot of people Gwen Shelton was were offset by all the looting a long-time activist in and all the rioting going on, Baltimore, served as so if I can give whatever president of the Matthew it is—monetary, clothes, A. Henson Neighborhood Kibwe Shelton with his food, water,” he added.

Association. The mother, Gwen Shelton.

“Whatever I can give.” group advocates for a The class will take place neighborhood that borders May 2, at 8:30 a.m. by the tennis courts in the Sandtown-Winchester community where Druid Hill Park. Shelton is asking for cash or Freddie Gray was raised.

Courtesy photo

By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO

Baltimore Recovery Check List

Southern Baptist Church Determined to Rise From The Ashes

The Mary Harvin Senior Housing and Transformation Center of Southern Baptist Church was destroyed in a fire, April 30, amidst the chaos of the city wide rioting. The MHTC was a $16M development project envisioned and sponsored

by Southern Baptist Church.

This project, eight years in the making, was slated to provide 60 senior housing units as well as provide a myriad of human services for the East Baltimore communityworkforce training, mentoring, tutoring, health screenings, etc.

The MHTC was nearly 50% completed and was expected to be fully operational this winter.

On the Sunday designated for Peace and Prayer,

community and government leaders convened with Southern’s congregation for a triumphal time of worship and celebration.

“This has been a difficult week for our community and for our church. As people of faith, we are called to remain hopeful and optimistic even in the midst of chaos and destruction. I know that as a church family, Southern is more resilient than ever and we will show the world Baltimore’s true grit and fighting spirit. We did not seek this moment, but we will rise to the occasion. GOD is our refuge and a very present help.” - Dr. Donté Hickman, Pastor of Southern Baptist Church

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HELP SITES: For businesses: Baltimorebusinessrecovery.org For those who want to volunteer: Marylandunites.org

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The Baltimore Afro-American, May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015

TECHNOLOGY

What’s the What: #BaltimoreLootCrew Is Fake But Has Real Consequences need 2 buy makeup for 2yrs, at least! #BaltimoreLootCrew.”

Suibhne found that the picture had been online for at least two years. A destroyed KFC with the caption “me n da niggas just cleard out da kfc #BaltimoreLootCrew free wings 2 night.”

That picture, according to Suibhne, was taken in Pakistan in 2012. As for “li jo n da crew,” they were actually British and the picture was taken overseas.

Articles on Gawker and Motherboard showed that a small group of racists from the message board 8chan.com had been behind most of the #BaltimoreLootCrew messages. During

By Kamau High Special to the AFRO

In times of trouble, you can count on the Internet to make it worse.

As riots tore through parts of Baltimore in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray in police custody, Twitter users took to the service to urge calm and pray people stayed safe. However, one group tried to use the service to amp up the outrage and urge people to steal and destroy.

Using the hashtag #baltimorelootcrew, people began posting images of destroyed restaurants, shoes they said were stolen, and prescription pills they said had grabbed. A group of masked young Black men holding bats and chains showed off seemingly stolen laptops and sneakers with the caption “li jo n da crew wid that newnew loot #BaltimoreLootCrew” Let us take a moment here to acknowledge that even while there are horrible events taking place, a certain segment of society has always enjoyed trying to make it worse. Think of prank calls while breaking news is taking place. No matter what is happening, there is someone bored looking to make themselves and their friends laugh by humiliating someone.

Last week was Baltimore’s turn. The pictures and tweets were put together by a group of trolls who, essentially thought it would be funny to portray a group of loosely organized semiliterate Black thugs who went out and stole sneakers while the city convulsed. They gathered on messageboards with names like 8chan that are dedicated to discussing video games and Japanese anime. As the journalist Eoghan mac Suibhne wrote on Medium.com many if not all of the images posted with #BaltimoreLootCrew were not not pictures from the riot, they were from different parts of the world.

A picture of a bunch of cosmetics spilled on the floor had the caption “Got back from the Hurricane Sandy, the similar hashtag protests, and I hauled #SandyLootCrew made the rounds and is believed it in 2nite! Wont to be the work of the same individuals. Many people All images twitter.com

“Let us take a moment here to acknowledge that even while there are horrible events taking place, a certain segment of society has always enjoyed trying to make it worse.” who responded did so in good faith and said they were going to report the posting and images to the police while several news organizations took them at face value and wrote about them.

An article on the National Review web site entitled, “What Are Baltimore’s Rioters Trying to Communicate?” used the hashtag to note, “Under the hashtag “#BaltimoreLootCrew,” rioters have been posting photographs of their prizes. At least one user – who yesterday posted a picture of four new iPhone 6s – has suspended his account.”

This is not to say there wasn’t damage and looting during the riots. There was plenty across several parts of Baltimore including Fells Point. What is distressing is the ease with which people believe this sort of thing happens.

Baltimore is better than that.

One example is the homegrown #Onebaltimore, which is been listed on businesses, church, and school signs throughout the city.

At a rally on Sunday at City Hall hundreds of people gathered under that banner to sing, chant, dance, and rally peacefully.

Kamau High, a journalist living in Baltimore, can be reached at kamauhigh@yahoo.com.

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May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015 The Baltimore Afro-American

COMMENTARY

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Truth and the Struggle for Justice Respect for human life is at the core of our Constitution. It is the cornerstone of America’s legal system and the social glue that holds our diverse society together.

This is why for us — and, especially, for our young people — respect for human life must be the “North Star” in our continuing struggle for civil rights.

Most police officers understand the importance of respecting the lives of those whom they are honor bound Elijah Cummings to protect and defend. Yet, troubling evidence exists — both nationally and here in Baltimore — that some police officers are failing to fulfill their most important duty.

In this vein, we cannot rest until the whole truth about the mortal injury of Freddie Gray while in police custody is revealed.

As a lawyer, I have guarded confidence that a fair and deliberate process leading to a full revelation of the facts associated with Mr. Gray’s injury and death can lead to justice for all concerned.

We also must redouble our efforts to achieve significant reforms in the laws and practices under which all police officers utilize force.

Here in Maryland, the American Civil Liberties Union has made a major contribution toward achieving those reforms.

Learning that neither Maryland nor federal law enforcement tracked police-involved deaths, the ACLU performed its own analysis — and on March 18 of this year, the organization released its report.

Their factual findings are a call to action for public safety agencies, elected officials and citizens alike. Here are the facts that the ACLU analysis reveals: The Deaths Between 2010 and 2014, at least 109 people died in police encounters in Baltimore City and 17 of Maryland’s counties. Beyond that troubling number of casualties, it is important to emphasize that 41 percent of those who died (45 people) were not armed with a weapon of any kind.

However, 38 percent of those who died (41 people) appeared to be suffering from medical or mental health issues, disability, substance use or similar concerns.

Racial Disparities

Although Americans of Color make up about 29 percent of Maryland’s population, 75 people or 69 percent of those who died in police encounters were Black.

The rate at which African Americans died in police encounters was five times that of Whites. The number of unarmed African Americans who died (36 people) exceeded the total number of all Caucasians who died (30 people), armed or not. That is a minority rate of death ten times that of Whites.

Accountability In our community and others, we have a great deal of respect for police officers.

However, we also have a right to insist upon accountability for the manner in which our police undertake their duties.

In this regard, the ACLU’s analysis is noteworthy. Police officers were criminally charged in less than two percent (2 cases) of the 109 police-involved deaths.

Federal Action This was the underlying context in which I joined Maryland Senators Mikulski and Cardin, along with Representatives Sarbanes and Ruppersberger, in requesting a federal criminal and civil rights investigation into the death of Mr. Gray — and I am hopeful that the U.S. Department of Justice investigation will lead to justice for Mr. Gray’s family.

In the broader context, Congress must remain engaged in the process of reforming our criminal justice system – both nationally and here in Maryland. Toward that end, our House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, has agreed to my request, as ranking member, to hold a hearing on criminal justice reform.

At a minimum, we must assure that our government agencies are collecting the right information so we can better understand how our criminal justice system must change — especially with respect to law enforcement’s use of force.

Accurate and more comprehensive information is the greatest ally of justice. We must continue our fight for full funding of the National Violent Death Reporting System and push the U.S. Department of Justice to improve its reporting on excessive force.

Baltimore: Another Horror Movie Re-run

The movie we are watching in Baltimore is a re-run and a sequel. The price of admission has always been too high, but we continue to pay the exorbitant price, anyway. As the opening line in the old TV show, “Dragnet,” proclaimed, “The story you are about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.” In today’s society, that second line should say, “The names have been changed to protect the ‘guilty.’”

My 11-year-old nephew, James Clingman since the age of five or six, has been reciting, verbatim, the words from his favorite movies. He knows the directors, the release dates, and the bios of the stars in those movies. He has seen his favorite movies many times over. He reminds me of Black people, as we watch the same movie over and over, except we do not remember the vital information contained in the movie, and we even forget who the main characters were and the roles they played.

The latest movie being run in Baltimore is a sequel to the ones we watched in Ferguson, Mo. and Staten Island, N.Y. It is a rerun of what we saw in Los Angeles, Cleveland, and North Charleston, S.C. How many times are we going to pay the price of admission to see the same movie without memorizing the lines and learning from them?

How many times must we go through the same experience before we

change our response to it?

Some very interesting and pitiful responses (reviews) have come from some of the “leaders” in Baltimore in the aftermath of Freddie Gray’s death. We knew what the politicians’ reviews would be; they are always true to form. But the older folks, who decry the violence as “insulting” and “disrespectful” to Freddie’s family, are even more disingenuous. They seem to have forgotten about 1968 when their generation, and maybe even some of them, burned down buildings and looted all across this nation, in the aftermath of MLK’s assassination. Were their actions deemed insulting and disrespectful to King’s family? If so, did that stop them?

The self-righteousness I hear from those in my generation about the youth who are doing the same thing they did in the 1960s is unfortunate. Where were they before the looting and burning started in Baltimore? Were they busy teaching the youth that what took place in the 1960s was detrimental to their neighborhoods, as they now like to say to TV news reporters? If they have not, until now, passed on those lessons to younger folks, their words ring hollow today.

Some of the sanctimonious comments being made by my generation very strongly suggest that even though we have seen this movie many times, we are content to watch it again without having shared its lessons. Is it because we are ashamed of ourselves now? Do we think we are better than our youth today? We should be bringing the generations together rather than separating them and acting like we have not been where they are.

Amos Wilson said, “The violently oppressed react violently to their oppression.” He also said, “Just as power corrupts, powerlessness also corrupts.” This is the main plot of our 21st century version of the 1968 movie. Same theme, different characters. Why

‘Thug’ is in the Eye of the Beholder

Walter L. Fields

A small section of Baltimore, no more than four to six blocks on the city’s west side, experienced looting and property destruction after the funeral of Freddie Gray, the young man whose spine was mysteriously crushed after being taken into police custody. Gray would later die from his injuries and ‘Charm City’ has been in a meltdown ever since.

The anger over Gray’s death should come as no surprise in a city that has had a history of questionable police tactics and where jobs and opportunity are foreign concepts for the masses of

the city’s Black majority.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake chose to call the looters ‘thugs,’ a conscious choice of words meant to label as criminals those involved in property destruction. President Obama also blamed the unrest on “a handful of criminals and thugs who tore up the place.”

During the weekend protesters who lashed out violently were called ‘outside agitators’ by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, the same term Gov. George C. Wallace of Alabama used to dismiss civil rights activists in the 1960s.

As I watched the wretched reporting of Wolf Blitzer on CNN – the Can’t get it right News Network – it became clear to me that this will not be the last flash point because justice is now a commodity only available to the highest bidder or the politically connected. Americ

As I survey social media and see and hear on-air commentary on the eruption in Baltimore, what stands out is the rush to condemn the looters without any context. There was more concern expressed over the loss of property, most of it that should be insured, than the decades-old economic deprivation that has wiped out generations of Black Baltimoreans.

America knows the Baltimore of the Inner Harbor, Fort McHenry, Camden Yards, and the world renown Johns Hopkins Hospital. It does not know the Baltimore that exists on the corner of North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, where most of the property destruction took place. The nation doesn’t have a clue about Whitelock Street, in the west Baltimore neighborhood where I lived for almost three years, or the gritty neighborhoods of East Baltimore or Cherry Hill.

It is the Baltimore made famous by the gritty HBO series “The Wire” that is on edge. For many, Baltimore is just a star spangled tourist destination and its Black majority invisible…until this weekend.

Those aren’t thugs you see on television. They are what social science researchers define as ‘disconnected youth.’ They are not ‘outside agitators.’ They are Baltimore youth, some teenagers and some young adults. They are the children of a city that has for some time now provided an inadequate education, offered little by way of employment and, like so many other cities, used the criminal justice system to corral youth engaged in the commerce of last resort but easy entry – crime. It is beyond disappointing to hear a Black mayor and a Black president call Black children thugs but offer little programmatically to give youth confidence that their futures will not be as bleak as their present.

What is more striking to me than seeing a CVS burning is the attempt to induce ‘calm’ by elected officials and the suggestion that a police force that is the source of much of the anger unleashed can

The truth is the most powerful defender of both innocence and public safety. Real-time documentation of police encounters serves both our people and the police officers who are duty-bound to protect us.

This is why I have joined my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to introduce the Police CAMERA Act, federal legislation that, building upon President Obama’s actions, would expand federal grants to law enforcement agencies for body-worn cameras.

Clearly, these are first steps, but they are immediately achievable — and they will provide a strong foundation for our continuing struggle to achieve a more just society.

A disciplined search for the truth is a civil rights reform that all Americans should welcome and support.

Congressman Elijah Cummings represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.

do we only react to what young people do, rather than work with them every day by giving them alternatives to prevent their negative behaviors? It irks me to see our grown men saying, “They need jobs.” Well, create some jobs to give them. It’s so sad to hear our adults crying out, “They need education.” Well, provide them with education. Our youth see many of us as weak and impotent when it comes to protecting them.

We have the resources to provide everything we say our youth need. What must they think of our words, our prayer sessions, our news conferences, our political speeches, and our tepid efforts now to stop and correct their behavior, when we have not used our resources to take care of them? Our answer is to run to those who don’t care about them and beg for jobs, food, education, and everything else they need.

Frederick Douglass’ words are clear regarding power, but as I always add, a demand not backed-up by power will not come to fruition; and the real power in this country is the almighty dollar. Just look at what happened in Indianapolis when the LGBT folks were upset. They did not burn anything down or throw one brick, because they know that dollars rule the day. Their threats to withdraw their dollars were immediately addressed by the politicians.

People whose families own storefront businesses are very unlikely to throw bricks through the windows and burn them down. Sgt. Joe Friday had another saying in Dragnet: “Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.”

Jim Clingman is founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce and can be reached through blackonomics.com.

somehow now be trusted to restore order. Can we have a moment of silence for the truth?

There has been an absolute failure in political leadership in cities such as Baltimore that has resulted in little or no effort to drive substantive change. mayors, city council members, governors and state legislators come and go, and the problems persist.

What I read on social media in reference to the looting is that ‘this is not the way’ or ‘they should vote’ or ‘they need to seek justice’ and criticism that ‘they’ are burning down their own neighborhood.

Let’s get one thing straight: the system has failed Black people, and particularly Black youth, time and time again.

We fix this by addressing poverty, long-term joblessness and equitable access to capital and gender equity. If our neighborhoods can be devastated by the loss of a CVS store and a check cashing establishment, it shows just how little we possess in the local economy. The dearth of small business ownership is ironic given that the late Rep. Parren Mitchell, a Baltimore legend, was a champion of small business development.

We fix this by ending the nonsensical theoretical debates on public education and incessant experimentation, driven by market forces, and start educating our children. When we push Black children out of schools by disproportionately disciplining them for similar offenses committed by their White peers, and then use their suspension or expulsion as a proxy for a criminal record, should we really be surprised by the looting? We fix this by ending the prison pipeline that is fed by the assault on civil liberties, the targeting of Black youth, and the elevation of minor offenses into criminal charges that leads to an endless cycle of incarceration, release and incarceration. What is more thuggish than systemically destroying a people?

Walter L. Fields is executive editor of NorthStar News.

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The Baltimore Afro-American, May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015

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May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015, The Baltimore Afro-American

Gloria Mayfield Banks, a Mary Kay Elite Executive National Sales Director was the keynote speaker at the Baltimore (MD) Links luncheon, “Empowering Women in Leadership.”

In the Calvin and Tina Tyler Ballroom at the Morgan State University Student Center, Banks, the number one African-American sales director in the world, was enthusiastically received by the packed room of guests who had many questions for the international motivational speaker.

Honorable Patricia Jessamy, president of the Baltimore (MD) Chapter held a conversation dialogue with Banks with questions following from the audience and a book signing session for her book, “Quantum Leaps.”

Banks has received worldwide acclaim and recognition. She resides in Baltimore with her husband, Ken Banks. They share four adult children.

Councilwoman Sharon Proceeds benefit the Green Middleton, Children’s Programs, Dr. Charlene Cooperscholarships and GRASP Willhelma GarnerScholarships at Coppin State Boston Brown, Patricia Wilson and Morgan State Universities.

Alumnae Links Lydia Mussenden, Minnie Smoot, Cardrienne Griffin, Laverne Turner, Barbara Owings

Adrienne Stokes Orange, Sarah Elias

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Waiting to have their books signed by author Gloria Mayfield Banks (far right)

Dana P. Moore, Kimberleigh N. De Laine, Shirley Kane

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Baltimore City

Fannie Gaston-Johansson, Dr. Crystal Watkins Johansson, Nettie Watkins

Claudette Edgerton Swain, Judy Rainey

Nikita Haysbert, Patricia Jessamy, president, Baltimore (MD) Chapter, Links, Incorporated

Judge Yvonne Holt Stone, Marilyn HarrisDavis, Leigh Adams Slaughter

Lacetta Bowman, Francine Applewhite

Family legacy Veronica Owens, Veronica Joy Owens, Joy Owens, Jill Owens

Shirley Hargrove, Barbara Blount Armstrong, Annette March-Grier, Karen Bond

Myrtle Brown, Doris Brown, Carolyn Brown-Jackson

Roslyn Smith, Mattie Mumby, Kimberly Mumby Green Photos by Dr. A. Lois De Laine

Debutante Tribute Debutantes, escorts, junior escorts and flower girls sponsored by Tri-State Association, Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Elks of the World

Debutante Morgan Bland dances with escort De’Shawn Winston

Debutante Sharron Moore with escort Damond Dickens

Debutante Kenisha Williams with escort Keondre Robinson

Debutante Amara Hill and father Stephen Hill performing the Traditional FatherDaughter dance

Father-Daughter Traditional Dance

Brother Carlton W.Stanley,

For the past 55 years, the state president, Daughter Improved Benevolent and Bettie L. Weems, president Protective Order of the Elks of the World has held the Tri-State Debutante Cotillion, which is mostly comprised of children and grandchildren of the Elks and other family members. The TriStates include Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.

The coordinators recruit from various schools and churches young ladies in the 11th, 12th grades or first year of college. The student must possess a minimum 2.5 grade point average to apply.

With parents’ and principals’ approval, the young ladies go through a rigorous 10-week training in the areas of etiquette, choreography, social interaction tips and dress code.

The banquet room at the Sheraton North in Towson was packed with proud parents and relatives who witnessed the young ladies being “introduced to society” in their full skirted white gowns while being escorted by their dates for the evening. One of the most significant portions of the program was the audience watching the gleam in the eyes and smiles on the faces of the fathers or guardians as they danced with their daughters.

The cotillion is a memorable occasion for the students and provides lasting experiences and friendships.

Debutante Kyi Katherine Alford with escort Lindsay Freeman

Debutante Amara Hill with escort Martuise Montgomery

Debutante Morgan Bland with escort De’Shawn Winston

Debutante Kai Johnson with escort Darryl Bonner

Cotillion chair Margaret Selby with choreographer Tia Wright

Proud teacher Tammy Mays with her students from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School are from left, Debutantes Amara Hill, Kenisha Williams, Sharron Moore, Tyesha White

Debutante Taniah Harris with escort Kevon Alford

Debutante Tyesha White with escort Tyree Brown Photos by Dr. A. Lois De Laine

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The Baltimore Afro-American, May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015

“I, at first, thought they were thugs, especially after having our business looted. However, there’s a bigger issue going on when a leader of the community speaks this way about her people, it gives “others” the right to say far worse. I have defended these kids as an attorney and most are lost. We have to figure out a way to embrace them, even when they do wrong.

If we don’t look out for our kids, who will? You can call them whatever you want behind closed doors (I sure did when I saw our damage), but public figures are held to a higher standard.

They need to think of solutions to the bigger issue, not flaming the fire. Let’s help these kids instead of condemning them.” – Anonymous “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” – Dorothy from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ On September 11, 2001, the world as we knew it changed; for years, we watched the bombing of cities thousands of miles from home oblivious that it could happen here and then it happened. I watched Ferguson and other cities with a jaundiced eye thanking God, oblivious that it could happen here and then it happened.

We can’t second-guess why it happened, nor can we place the blame on any one person or issue. We all have a responsibility to our neighbors and our city because at the end of the day we all hurt. What’s done is done. We’ve been given a second chance; the question is what we are going to do to heal our city once the cameras leave. The bandage will no longer cover the wounds. The fresh paint will no longer hide the decay and we can no longer look through rose-colored glasses.

To recover we have to take the first step and let our needs be known, let our voice be heard and open our eyes to what is around us; if it needs fixing call to get it fixed or fix it yourself; if things are going on in your neighborhood that are wrong don’t condone it. This is our community and it spreads further

than the Inner Harbor, Harbor East Roland Park, Canton, Mt. Washington and Fells Point; request and demand the same and equal services for your neighborhood.

Tuesday morning when I received word that Maceo’s Lounge another African -American business two blocks from North and Pennsylvania was vandalized I took it personal. I know first-hand what the owners sacrificed to open a business in the city. I immediately came into the city to see what assistance I could give. It was uplifting to see people like Tracee Strum- Gilliam, Nykidra Robinson, Del. Nathaniel Oaks, Derrick Compton, Sen. Cathy Pugh, Del. Antonio Hayes and countless volunteers embracing the community at first light, distributing water, sweeping and distributing voter registration forms. Personally, I feel this set the tone as more and more people came out to offer assistance.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! –Psalm 133:1 Later, I stopped passed The Odyssey to check on my friend owner Barbara “Chili” Washington and the other Sandtown residents who were assisting the volunteers cleaning up their community. Chili and I spent the day watching the media broadcasting while we sat in the midst of the community encouraging the protesters as they silently walked past the Odyssey, walking through neighborhoods they did not know existed before Freddie Gray.

Wednesday attending Doni Glover’s book signing ‘Unapologetically Black” at the Douglas Myers Museum I saw the National Guards and police with streets barricaded. I decided to stop at Ruth’s Chris’ on Water Street to say hello to Lenny and Good Morning to Renita Mingo as I always do when in the area; it was 9 p.m. and the doors were locked. The sight as I passed City Hall and the War Memorial brought tears to my eyes. The city I loved was on lockdown; tanks, cameras

and guns replaced people creating a ghostlike atmosphere.

People silently scurried to get home, like a child afraid of missing curfew. Leaving the city I started crying and singing the O’ Jays “Cry Together” Today I changed the words.

“You know, me and my city we’ve been going through a lot of changes together. It’s been real hard to talk to one another.

You know a relationship ain’t nothing without communication.

Eyes wide open round midnight I felt a tear roll down my face.

Last night me and my city we cry together I said we cry, cry, cry, we cry together. “I know you love me and I love you.” But last night me and my city we cry together.

“One in a million chance of a lifetime” is how Mario Armstrong technology guru and national media consultant and son of our friend Rocky Armstrong described his trip to billionaire Sir Richard Branson‘s Necker Island. Mario and a select group of entrepreneurs invited by Sir Richard to discuss various facets of entrepreneurship and our position in a global society. This elite weekend included high-level entrepreneurs from all over the world sharing ideas on “how to grow your company,” how to maximize employee production and the state of the planet. Mario said, “Sir Richard, owner of Virgin Airlines and Virgin Records provided a social and intellectual experience he’ll always remember. www.marioarmstrong.com.

Dr. Louise Johnson and MULBA annual Beer, Wine & Liquor Tasting Expo at the 5th Regiment Armory is Sat. May 9 call (410) 804-9334 for tickets.

“We’ve got some difficult days ahead” –Dr. Martin Luther King God bless our Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby our police officers and the City of Baltimore.

“I’ll be seeing you” –Valerie and the Friday Night Bunch

Author’s Corner Thou Shall Not April K. Oliver June 2015

April K. Oliver was born in New Mexico and raised in Washington, D.C. She received her associate degree in general studies from P.G. College in 2008 and has been in the medical field for 19 years. April has written two books of poetry, girl talk and boy talk which include several short stories. April has been writing and speaking in front of audiences since the delicate age of eight. She is destined on a life-journey for this generation of young people. April is unmistakably incredible in transforming life’s experiences

into poetical expressions. April has a reckless persistence in bringing her, him and them to reality and dealing with the root of it all. She has done spoken word in churches, book signings, youth groups and for different organizations who help those in need.

Why did you write this book?

I decided to write this book, which has a power packed short story called “Speak Up” because many of us have been sexually abused and are afraid to say anything.

speak truth.

What’s the overall theme?

To bring awareness to the many avenues of abuse and to encourage people to say something in order to get the help necessary to move forward in life as a productive person in society.

There are also inspirational and real life poems that

What surprised you about the development of the book?

As I wrote “Speak Up” I was surprised that my fictional story had evolved into non-fiction which was a dark place I had never truly dealt with as far as being sexually abused and I needed closure so that I could let go of the past.

Which character excites you most?

Rain, who was the daughter of one of my main

April K. Oliver is the author of “Thou Shall Not.” characters was surrounded by her dad being married, her having a baby and throwing the baby in the dumpster and her mother finding out, and her boyfriend ends up having an affair with her male cousin. All this reflects how she looks at men in her life.

Who’s the perfect audience for this book?

Young people ages 17 years old and up.

What one thing do you most want the reader to learn?

Many people have been abused whether it is mentally, spiritually, or physically. Do not blame yourself if it has happened to you. You have to speak up and and get help, no matter how long it has been. Love yourself first and then you will learn to love others.

What did you learn during the writing process?

I learned that when you do not deal with things they follow you every day of your life and prevent you from moving forward in certain areas, especially relationships.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

An aspiring writer should always keep a pen and paper on hand; thoughts come to you and you need to be ready to jot them down. And always write in truth and spend time by yourself so that you can truly put thoughts into words and words on paper.

Other books?

I have written two other books, girl talk (published 2005) which is poetry & boy talk (2007) which includes several short stories along with poetry.

May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015, The Baltimore Afro-American

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ARTS & CULTURE

D.C. Non-Violence Program Gets Boost With Documentary Premier

By Christina Sturdivant Special to the AFRO

Fly By Light, an award-winning documentary about the dangerous hurdles faced by D.C. youth, premiered May 1, at the National Geographic Theatre. “The film is a beautiful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It’s a testament to the powerful and necessary work that has to happen,” Hawah Kasat executive director of One Common Unity and producer of the film, told the AFRO in an interview April 29.

Founded in 2000, One Common Unity works with D.C. youth to create a culture of nonviolence in a city where juvenile arrests for violent crimes are nearly six times the national average.

The organization’s signature program, Fly

By Light, is housed in six D.C. schools where

“I think the diversity of D.C. is special and makes it a very beautiful place to test and pilot programming like ours.”

– Hawah Kasat students convene for a series of after-school workshops focusing on self-esteem building, non-violent conflict resolution teachings, effective communication skills, literacy and grassroots organizing.

Instruction is fueled by music and art, which is “the language of the masses,” says

ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror Book Review by Kam Williams Special to the AFRO “This book… set out to answer a simple question asked repeatedly on cable news shows: Where did ISIS come from, and how did it manage to do so much damage in so short a period of time?

The question was understandable, given the images and videos circulating… most notoriously, the horrifying propaganda beheadings of several Western hostages. But the question was also a strange one, because the U.S. has been at war with ISIS for the better part of a decade.

ISIS is a terrorist organization, but it isn’t only a terrorist organization… At once sensationalized and underestimated, brutal and savvy, ISIS has destroyed the boundaries of contemporary nation-states and proclaimed itself the restorer of a lost Islamic empire. An old enemy has become a new one, determined to prolong what has already been an overlong war.”

–Excerpted from the Introduction (pages xiii-xvi) What is ISIS? Where did it come from? What’s its agenda? And how is it different from ISIL and Al-Qaida? These are the sort of questions addressed in ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror, a thorough study of the rapidly-rising terrorist organization which President Obama once condescendingly dismissed as just “the Junior Varsity team” to allay concerns when it captured Fallujah a year ago.

But ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, not only still holds the city, but has expanded its sphere of influence exponentially. Fortunately, Michael Weiss and Hassan Hassan have collaborated on an eye-opening opus explaining everything you ever wanted to know about ISIS but were way too afraid to ask.

The co-authors are not pointy-headed, chin-pulling professors pontificating from an ivory tower, but rather boots on the ground reporting on knowledge accumulated from considerable personal experience. Hassan is a native ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO Syrian from a town that has WIN AN ADMIT 2 PASS TO SEE long served as a portal for jihadists moving back and forth from Iraq. And Weiss is a veteran journalist whose beat was the war-torn city of Aleppo before it became an ISIS fiefdom ruled by Sharia law.

The book explains how ISIS was created in the wake of a split between two al-Qaida leaders, Osama bin Laden and the even more fanatical Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Over the ensuing years, the terrorist organization has evolved into a trans-national arms and oil trafficking cartel capable of deploying foot soldiers anywhere in the Middle East.

It also employs sophisticated marketing methods to recruit new members, and has managed to infiltrate many rival organizations before sabotaging them from within.

Perhaps most critically, ISIS has succeeded in positioning itself in the minds of many Sunni Muslims as the sect’s last line of defense against the United WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 - 7:30 P.M. States, Israel and a host of PLEASE VISIT WWW.WBTICKETS.COM AND ENTER supposedly-apostate Arab THE CODE EJQIB43938 TO DOWNLOAD YOUR states. And it relies on a COMPLIMENTARY PASSES! religious rationale to advocate the slaughter of such infidels THIS FILM IS RATED R FOR INTENSE SEQUENCES OF VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT, AND FOR DISTURBING IMAGES. Please note: Passes are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. No phone calls, please. Limit one pass per person. Each pass admits two. by any means necessary.

Seating is not guaranteed. Arrive early. Theater is not responsible for overbooking. This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending, you agree not to bring any audio or video recording device into the theater (audio recording devices for credentialed press excepted) A chilling wake-up call and consent to a physical search of your belongings and person. Any attempted use of recording devices will result in immediate removal from the theater, forfeiture, and may subject you to criminal and civil liability. Please allow additional time for heightened security. You can assist us by shedding light on a frightening leaving all nonessential bags at home or in your vehicle. force hell bent on resurrecting a medieval Islamic empire with malevolent global MADMAXMOVIE.COM #MADMAX aspirations.

IN THEATERS MAY 15

In the film, four young people embark on an eight-day journey into the mountains of West Virginia, leaving the streets to participate in an ambitious peace education program under mentorship of artist educators and conflict resolution specialists. Behind them, shootings, abuse and neglect are still a reality, but the journey hopes to rewrite their futures.

“We are at a critical moment in the United States where we need to decide how to value and nurture our young people. Every 28 hours a Black person is killed by a police officer. Fly By Light inspires connection across dividing lines and reveals our capacity to overcome violence,” said award-winning D.C. filmmaker and director of Fly By Light Ellie Walton in a press release about the Courtesy of One Common Unity premier.

Having received acclaim Kasat. “It’s how we teach young people to at 12 film festivals across the country, the May tell their stories and we believe that artistic 1 world-premier is the final cut in a grassroots expression is a way to enhance their creativity movement to build more Fly By Light program and to allow them to become more in touch sites at schools throughout the District. with their feelings so there’s a sensitivity and “Washington, D.C. is a hotbed for change an empathy that’s discovered and developed in the world. A lot of the young people in through music and art. In a similar way, its D.C. have access to not just local issues, but the language to which they can communicate international issues,” says Kasat. “I think the to their peers and other members of their diversity of D.C. is special and makes it a very communities.” beautiful place to test and pilot programming Each Fly By Light program session like ours.” culminates with a retreat to a national park.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND GOLD CIRCLE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT A GOLD CIRCLE ENTERTAINMENT/BROWNSTONE PRODUCTION “PITCH PERFECT 2” ANNA KENDRICK REBEL WILMUSICSONHAILEE STEINFELD BRITTAEXECUTIVE NY SNOW SKYLAR ASTIN ADAM DEVINE KATEYMUSICSAGAL ANNA CAMP ALEXISEXECUTIVE KNAPP HANA MAE LEE WITH JOHN MICHAELPRODUCED HIGGINS AND ELIZABETH BANKS SUPERVISOR SARAH WEBSTER MUSIC PRODUCERS JULIANNE JORDAN JULIA MICHELS BY MARK MOTHERSBAUGH PRODUCERS SCOTT NIEMEYER JASON MOORE BY PAUL BROOKS MAX HANDELMAN ELIZABETH BANKS DIRECTED WRITTEN A UNIVERSAL RELEASE

BY ELIZ ABETH BANKS

BY KAY CANNON © 2014 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

LOCAL LISTINGS FOR STARTS FRIDAY, MAY 15 CHECK THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

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The Baltimore Afro-American, May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015

AFRO Sports Desk Faceoff

SPORTS

Will Mayweather Retire after Next Fight?

By Stephen D. Riley and Perry Green AFRO Sports Desk After swatting away Manny Pacquiao in a much-heralded bout, Floyd Mayweather improved his record to 48-0, and has hinted that he may fight again in September. His contract with Showtime expires after his next fight, and Mayweather has consistently hinted that he will hang up his gloves once his deal is completed. But with a chance to go 50-0; one-up Rocky Marciano’s near 60-year-old record, and an opportunity to put a final stamp on an undeniable legacy, could we see Mayweather go for 50 wins? Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley of the AFRO Sports Desk debate the question.

Nonetheless, this will look like another easy fight for Floyd, per usual. And then he will tell the world he’s retiring. Only we know he won’t be retire without that perfect 50-0 record, and will probably end up rematching with Pacquiao for his last hurrah. It’s too tempting to go after. And because fight no. 49 is the final bout under his contract with Showtime, Mayweather will have the opportunity to shop around his 50th fight to the highest bidder. He’ll make a fortune off the fight, like he always does, and finally walk away as the richest, undefeated athlete in the history of American sports.

Riley: Mayweather has been a successful brand and been highly marketable for years now, so getting to some fancy number won’t make him any more of a cash cow than he already is. He was already receiving high attention when he was 28-0 or 18-0, and adding another notch won’t suddenly stop critics from being critical or ranking him higher. He’s had a fantastic career and if he wanted to walk away now at 48-0 he would still be as celebrated as if he was 50-0 or 100-0.

More fights mean more risks, and for a man who has created a career off defense and being able to dodge danger, I can’t see him risking his unblemished record any further once his contract is over.

Riley: We’ve seen enough of Mayweather to understand his brilliance as a fighter. Finishing his contract and walking off into the sunset with a potential 49-0 record would still be impressive, no matter the caliber of his next opponent. If he could somehow generate nearly 75 percent of the same drama for his next fight as he did in the build up to the Pacquiao bout, then his payday may be sizable enough for him to Twitter photo. retire. Undefeated records obviously go out the door with Floyd Mayweather has consistently hinted that he will any blemish on them, and despite his still incredible shape hang up his gloves once his deal is completed. and stamina, Mayweather is approaching the age where skills Green: More fights mean more risks, but they also mean begin to slip. Seizing a win over his next opponent will be more dollar signs. One thing you have to respect Floyd for is hard enough, whomever Showtime deems worthy enough to upset the champ. Mayweather’s his business savvy. He knows how to generate money and lots of it, at that. This fight against goal was to finish his contract, and he’s a few months away from doing just that.

Pacquiao generated the most money in boxing history. I’ve seen reports claiming that more than $300 million was made during this fight. Imagine how much could be made during a Green: Okay, here’s what’s going to happen: Floyd is going to end up fighting some lucky rematch with Pacquiao for Mayweather’s 50th and final bout? There would be one last chance opponent, probably Amir Khan, for his 49th bout. Khan isn’t in Mayweather’s league and won’t for Pacquiao to try to end Floyd’s perfect record. I know I’d watch that. Will you? I think we all threaten the undefeated boxer at all. But then again, who is in Mayweather’s league? No one. would.

Ravens Draft Speedy Receiver Breshad Perriman in First Round

By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor With the 26th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens drafted speedy wide receiver Breshad Perriman out of the University of Central Florida.

Perriman is just this third receiver in the 20-year history of the team to be taken by the Ravens in the first round of the draft.

Perriman’s abilities became a pressing need for the Ravens after the team lost speedster Torrey Smith to free agency this offseason. Perriman had the fastest 40-yard dash time recorded out of all receiver prospects this spring—a 4.24 second mark timed at UCF’s pro day. That raw speed will fill the void left by Smith, who was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco’s favorite deep threat over the last four years. Unlike Smith, who stands just 6-feet, 200 pounds, Perriman has a much larger frame at 6-feet, 3-inches, 215-plus pounds.

Some scouts project Perriman to be the next Julio Jones, a two-time Pro Bowl star receiver for the Atlanta Falcons. Jones has nearly identical measurements and skills as Perriman; Jones was the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft, which explains why the Ravens brass decided to use their first-round pick on a kid with similar make up.

Before Perriman, the Ravens had only twice used a first round pick on a receiver. They took former University of Oklahoma receiver Mark Clayton in the first round in 2005 and drafted former University of Florida receiver Travis Taylor in the first round in 2000; neither lived up to their first round potential. Torrey Smith was perhaps the most successful receiver drafted by the Ravens, producing 213 catches for 3591 yards and 30 touchdowns during his tenure in Baltimore. However, he was taken with a second-round pick in 2011.

The mere fact that Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome even took a chance on Perriman in the first round suggests he believes the young prospect will develop into a star contributor on the team.

“He brings an element to our offense that plays into Joe [Flacco’s] strength in that he can be a vertical threat,” Newsome told the media following the pick. “But he also has the ability to run the full route tree.”

Perriman’s family roots also played a factor in his selection by the Ravens. The young receiver is the son of former NFL receiver Brett Perriman, who played in the league for 10 seasons.

“The thing that I like about Perriman is he’s grown up around the game of football,” Newsome said, according to the Associated Press. “The game is not going to be too big for him.”

May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015, The Baltimore Afro-American

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COMMUNITY CONNECTION HBCU Spring 2015 Commencements May 9

• Howard University Commencement Convocation 10 a.m Ursula M. Burns, chairman and chief executive officer of Xerox Corporation, speaker.

• University of DC 10 a.m.

Jeh Johnson, White House Cabinet Secretary of Homeland Security, speaker Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW

Buying Into Baltimore: Home buying Fair Returns

Live Baltimore will host its first Buying into Baltimore event on May 9 at Edmondson-Westside High School, 501 N. Athol Ave., Baltimore, Md. 21229. The event will include narrated bus tours of homes currently for sale in Baltimore City, as well as exhibitors from Baltimore City Housing, the State of Maryland, neighborhood and community groups, and the real estate industry. Buying Into Baltimore is a home buying incentive, made possible by the City of Baltimore as part of its B-HiP Initiative. Attendance at this event will

May 15 • Coppin State University Graduates 4 p.m. Dr. Donald Wilson, speaker James Weldon Johnson Auditorium.

May 16 • Coppin State University Undergraduates 10 a.m.. Johnny C. Taylor, speaker Physical Education Complex.

• Morgan State University 10 a.m.

Hughes Memorial Stadium

May 23 • Bowie State 9 a.m.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, (Md.-07) speaker.

Double Trouble Roller Derby

Join the fun at the Freestate Sports Arena, 5811 Allender Road, White Marsh, Md. 21162 on May 9. Doors open at 5 p.m.; the first whistle is at 5:30 p.m. This event is family friendly and wheelchair accessible. General Admission Tickets are available at the door for $15, but patrons can purchase them online for $12; kids 5 to 12 are $5; kids under 5 are free. There is plenty of parking within walking distance to the venue.Charm City Roller Girls has limited promotional tickets to their games available for media giveaways. If your company is interested in running a ticket promotional with us, please contact the league at media@charmcityrollergirls.com.

make homebuyers eligible for $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance from the City of Baltimore. The 30 available incentives may be used toward homes anywhere in the city. The cost to attend is $10 with online registration at LiveBaltimore.com or $15 at the door. Full incentive details are available at LiveBaltimore.com. Contact Steven Gondol via email, sgondol@livebaltimore.com or call 410-637-3750 x110.

Romeo and Juliet

Productions of Romeo and Juliet are May 10 (adult performance) and May 12 (school age matinee) at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company located at 7 South Calvert Street, Baltimore. Maryland’s own Lauren M. Davis plays Juliet.

Admission is free for students! Contact Jean Thompson, Call 443-845-6130 or email Thompson@chesapeakeshakespeare. com for more information.

Celebrating Survivors, Survivors Dialogue & The Abuser’s Voice

Dr. Akeda Pearson, author of “What In the Hell Do You Want? Finding Peace From Living Hell On Earth,” is hosting Tea Tastings & Testimonials on third Sundays, May 17, at 11711 East Market Place, Fulton, Md. 20759 and July 19, at

4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore, Md. 21209 both 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.The cost is $40. The event will include speakers , exotic teas, sweet delights and more. Tickets and more information can be found at www.akedapearson.com or call 443-695-6110.

Tea by Julia Faye.

Chew On This And That

Want something new to chew on? Approximately 10 Baltimore County Farmers and Producers will offer high quality fresh local produce, meats, flowers, herbs, baked goods, milk, ice cream, pet treats and more at the 6th Annual Baltimore County Farmers Market at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. The event will happen every Wednesday, June 3 – Oct. 28, from 10 a.m.

– 1 p.m at Maryland State Fairgrounds Main Gate 2200 York Road, Timonium, Md. 21093. Contact Edie M. Bernier at 410-2520200, x225 for more information.

Rappel for Kidney Health

The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland (NKF-MD) will hold its sixth annual Rappel for Kidney Health signature event, 1 to 4 p.m., June 5 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 6, at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore. Rappel for Kidney Health invites people of all ages – including those with connections to kidney disease, transplant donors and recipients, adventure seekers, media personalities and local celebrities – to go “over the edge” of the 15-story hotel, from the roof to street level. To register for Rappel for Kidney Health, support a participant or learn about corporate sponsorship, visit www.kidneymd.org or call 410.494.8545.

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Payment Policy for legal notice advertisements. Effective immediately, The Afro American Newspapers will require prepayment for publication of all legal notices. Payment will be accepted in the form of checks, credit card or money order. Any returned checks will be subject to a $25.00 processing fee and may result in the suspension of any future advertising at our discretion.

FOSTER PARENT

Become a Foster Parent!

Treatment Foster Parents work from home, receive a tax-free stipend and professional 24 hour on-call support for providing shelter for a young person who has suffered abuse or neglect. For more information, call the CHOSEN Treatment Foster Care Program at 1-800-621-8834.

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AUCTIONS AUCTION - Construction Equipment & Trucks, Excavators, Dozers, Dumps & More!

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TYPESET: Wed May 06 13:43:12 2015 LEGAL EDT NOTICES CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for GS 15813MECU Building Envelope Improvements will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204, City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, June 10, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon.The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, in Room 6 located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of Friday, May 8, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $100.00.

Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package.

All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call 410-396-6883 or contact the Committee at 3000 Druid Park Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is E13002Over Three Story Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $2,000,000.01 to $3,000,000.00 A ”Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted at The Site: 401 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. Principal Items of work for this project are: 1. Demolition 2. Concrete 3. Fencing 4. Window/Curtain Wall 5. Conveying 6. Fire Suppression 7. Plumbing/HVAC 8. Drywall/Painting 9. Electrical 10. Site/Scaffolding

CONTRACT NO. GS 15813

APPROVED: Steve Sharkey Director, Department of General Services TYPESET: Wed May 06 13:43:50 EDT 2015

Sealed proposals addressed to the Board of Estimates of Baltimore will be received until, but not later than 11:00a.m. local time on the following date(s) for the stated requirements: May 27, 2015 *ASH BORER TREATMENT B50004010 * P R O V I D E D A I LY R O U N D T R I P T R A N S P O R TAT I O N F O R N O N AMBULATORY AND OTHER CHILDREN B50004035 *ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY STAFFING SUPPORT B50004056 *JOHN DEERE GATORS B50004068 THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT CAN BE VIEWED AND DOWN LOADED BY VISITING THE CITY’S WEB SITE: www.baltimorecitibuy.org TYPESET: Wed May 06 15:35:29 EDT 2015

CONTRACT NO. GS 15807 APPROVED: Bernice H. Taylor Clerk, Board of Estimates APPROVED: Steve Sharkey Director, Department of General Services

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410-554-8200

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CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for GS 15807Structural Repairs to Four Firehouses will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204, City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, June 10, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon.The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, in Room 6 located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of Friday, May 8, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $50.00.

Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package.

All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call 410-396-6883 or contact the Committee at 3000 Druid Park Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is F03300Concrete Construction Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $100,000.01 to $500,000.00 A ”Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted at The Site: Starting with Engine 57 at 4427 Pennington Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21226, then proceeding to the other three Firehouses on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. Principal Items of work for this project are: 1. General Requirement 2. Concrete 3. Masonry 4. Structural Steel The MBE goal is 27% The WBE goal is 6%

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ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Correctional Facility Administrator Deputy Sheriff I, Lateral Entry Environmental Sanitarian Supervisor Facilities Maintenance Mechanic Supervisor Facilities Maintenance Supervisor Secretary III, Detention Center Solid Waste Supervisor, Landfill Operations Zoning Plan Reviewer (Planning Technician II Visit our website at www.aacounty.org for additional information and to apply on-line. You may use the Internet at any Anne Arundel County library, or visit our office at 2660 Riva Road in Annapolis. Deadlines to apply posted on website.

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May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015, The Baltimore Afro-American

B7

A Riot is the Language of the Unheard

Courtesy Photo

By Marsha Joyner Special to the AFRO It is incontestable and deplorable that Black and Brown people have committed crimes, but they are derivative crimes.

They are born of the greater crimes of the White society, imperialism and racism. The two are intimately connected, with each reinforcing the other.

“Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.” Martin Luther King Jr. The western media has made him the patron saint of the Civil Rights Movement. Therefore, it is easy to quote a dead hero and think we have done something.

And what have we done?

The New York Post’s headline read, “Liberals make excuses for Baltimore Riots” and not one word of their part in the uprising. The NAACP also said not a word about what they have NOT done for the growing unrest in their backyard.

Every time I see the images of Baltimore’s unrest I cry like a bathtub overflowing listening to White commentators of major media talking about the Baltimore riots as if they knew what they are talking about.

In the Letter from the Birmingham Jail, Dr. King, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. We can never again rest with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not deal with underlying causes.”

Today we will examine the underlying causes.

African centered psychologist Dr. Amos Wilson stated quite concisely, “For the [white]-westerner to rule the world as he does today, or at least intimidate it as he does, contradictions must be a chronic part of the lives on non-white people, us,...as well as that of the [white]-western.

The imperialistic Westerner of European origin must essentially function in a very devilish fashion. That is, in a fashion that uses deception as its major characteristic.

Consequently, fundamental values and ways of seeing reality must be reversed. The good must appear to be bad, the light, dark. Truth must be taken for the lie; the lie for truth.

Otherwise a small group such as western people could not continue to keep the rest of the world out of its mind.” Except as “spoils of war.”

The police vs the minority community is a war. Make no mistake about it.

Using deceit and alleged reason as its major characteristic since before the birth of the nation, America has been a fraud and a charlatan. The European/western MO is to lie, obfuscate,

and misrepresent themselves in order to seize what they want, other people’s land, its abundant natural resources such as oil, diamonds, uranium, gold, manganese etc., riches and their body and soul. American history is replete with fraud, treachery and violence; with fraud being the worst.

Why is fraud worse than violence? The answer is simple, because fraud always comes before violence. And sometimes – always, when governments get involved – the violence created by fraud is not just enormous but several magnitudes beyond human comprehension. No one can imagine 177 million people killed at the hands of governments during the

was hit in the head and injured with a backpack full of liquor bottles. Another officer was hit in the head with a brick.

Hundreds of police officers used tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets as the situation descended into a riot, with partygoers ripping out street signs, lighting small fires and trashing vehicles. Dozens of people were hospitalized. The situation turned into what police called a “major disturbance, emergency situation.”

In Dante’s 14th-century epic poem “Divine Comedy” which is neither divine nor a comedy, Dante passes through the gate of Hell, completely down to the nine rings. The deepest rings in hell are reserved for fraud, acts of treachery and violence. There is even a place in hell for those who see and know what is happening and say nothing.

When Dante said that fraud comes before violence, he was right. Before anyone can commit a crime against another, the one thing he must do is dehumanize the other person, turn him into a thing. The first thing any criminal must do is lie to himself – rationalize, even if unconsciously – that his victim isn’t fully human, and as such deserved what he got. The criminal must commit a fraud against himself before he can commit a crime against others. The Three-Fifths Compromise, is found in Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3 of the United States Constitution which makes US three fifths of all other Persons.

You cannot murder someone you realize is a human being.

But you can kill a human when you ignore his humanity and devalue him to a thing. Like the Baltimore Police official who called the group of protesters a “lynch mob” when in fact only White people have ever created lynch mobs.

The police like a soldier can press a button to send a bullet to kill not only enemy combatants, but also innocent women and children, the only way he can do it is if he lies to himself, and rationalizes, that he is doing the right thing. He has to deny the humanity of those he is about to kill. The lie comes first, the crime, second. Self-deception or fraud is the forerunner to the crime.

That is the purpose of American propaganda: to make us deceive ourselves into thinking we are noble and pure and good, and our enemies are evil. And being evil, of course

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20th century. And that number grows exponentially when you include “slaves & coolies.”

Governments use fraud against its own people to get them to support slavery, discrimination, and wars with nations as well as wars with its own people in the streets. Thus the Baltimore riots. And of course, riots are relegated to Black people. When Whites go on spring break every year and trash the towns and beaches it is never called a riot, it is just spring break.

At least six police officers were injured and more than 100 people arrested after a popular spring break street party near the University of California at Santa Barbara. Fifty-six of the estimated 15,000 revelers at the unauthorized “Deltopia” party had been arrested.

Witnesses say the mood turned ugly when a police officer

Courtesy Photo

Santa Barbara Spring Break - police statement a “major disturbance, emergency situation.”

they are not completely human, and therefore can safely be annihilated. But we, as colonized people, indigenous peoples, people of color, are human, and evil only in the colonizers’ deluded minds.

The colonizers have lied to themselves for so long that they are unable to tell truth from lies. The colonizer sees us as “others” and things, not completely human. He has no respect for us. He doesn‘t even see us. We are mere objects, a necessity to his ends. It applies to everyone, and most especially to those who use political power to rule others.

They delude themselves into thinking that political power and war and murder and theft – are really virtues. And even give medals for killing other people.

The conquerors became Lord and Master, Sovereign over highly sophisticated, prosperous and ancient civilizations.

They imbued themselves with a sense of “manifest destiny” that they were the superior race and were born to rule the world. Therefore, it is not a surprise that they have come to see themselves as racially, socially and morally superior to ALL non-whites on the planet.

In Baltimore where the mayor, city council, police commissioner, state’s attorney, members of the state legislature, the NAACP, business owners and community leaders are Black, the most down trodden white has come to see himself infinitely superior to the Asians with a 5,000-year lineage, the Polynesians with a 3,000-year lineage and the Africans and Native Americans with a lineage that pre-dates history.

I probably don’t need to tell you this; you already know.

Now there’s another layer of illusion covering up the racist heart of the U.S., the disappearance of surface Jim Crow images. The Klan dresses in three-piece suits, not sheets. They get elected to high offices. They are the titans of commerce, the captains of industry. There’s no special back door on buses, no “white” and “colored” drinking fountains. But the seed of racism has been sown and tended so well in her children that it grows to full flower if you have eyes to see it.

Marsha R. Joyner is a freelance writer living in Hawaii.

B8

The Baltimore Afro-American, May 9, 2015 - May 15, 2015