A2
The Afro-American, June 18, 2016 - June 24, 2016
NATION & WORLD First African-American Woman Takes Command of U.S. Navy Forces in Europe, Africa By AFRO Staff The first African-American woman to lead the U.S. Navy’s forces in Europe and Africa officially took command in a ceremony on June 7. Admiral Michelle Howard took command of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, a key NATO base, as well as U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, consisting of the Navy’s assets in both Europe and Africa. As the leader of the U.S. Navy’s presence in Europe and Africa, Howard’s duty will be to (US Navy) “[lead] full spectrum maritime Admiral Michelle Howard operations in concert with allied, coalition, joint, interagency and other partners to advance U.S. interests while enhancing maritime security and stability in Europe and Africa,� according to a NATO press release. In addition, her role as commander of Allied Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy places her as one of two subordinates to NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, and charges her with support of NATO operations in that region. Howard was previously the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, the second highest ranking commission in the Navy. According to the Navy Times, she is the highest-ranking woman in the Navy, was the first woman to achieve the rank of four-star admiral, and was the first African-American woman to command a warship, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore. She also oversaw the counter-piracy operations which freed Capt. Richard Phillips from his captivity at the hands of Somali pirates. Alana Robinson, D.C. High School Graduate, is a Triple Threat By Breana Pitts Special to the AFRO When Alana Robinson closes her eyes, she pictures herself on a Broadway stage in New York City. She dreams of bright lights, musical scores and cheering audiences. As lead senior vocalist for the Duke Ellington Show Choir Ensemble, Robinson dedicates most of her time to singing, dancing and performing. A graduating senior at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Robinson has performed across the Washington metropolitan area as a vocalist and dancer. However, unlike many of her peers, Robinson regularly leaves the stage for the track, where she competes as a sprinter. She started running to stay in shape for cheerleading, but eventually fell in love with the sport. Because Duke Ellington doesn’t have a track team, Robinson competed as part of the Woodrow Wilson Senior High track team. “Running is something I do to stay level-headed,� she said. “When I’m running, it clears my mind.� Robinson—a key member of Wilson’s 2016 relay team—said the
importance of teamwork and communication is transferable from the track to the stage. “They require the same commitment,� she said. “Even though with track, most of the time I’m doing individual races, there’s always a time when we do relays, so I have to get with my team to practice. Her performances with the Ellington choir requires the same team participation. There might be solos here and there, but we’re all still one big group.� Robinson was recently honored as a recipient of the 2015-16 District of Columbia Courtesy Photo State Athletic Association’s Alana Robinson Student-Athlete Scholarship. The scholarship is reserved for student-athletes who lead not only in athletics, but also thrive in the classroom and community. “I think just by virtue of competing in high school athletics, sort of automatically elevates them to some extent in the eyes of their peers,� said the association’s executive director, Clark Ray. “Being able to juggle some demands of school and competitive athletic venture, it just goes hand in hand.� In addition to track and Ellington show choir, Robinson also competes in pageants. She was named first runner-up in the 2015 Miss District of Columbia Teen USA pageant. During summers, she works as a lifeguard at the local pool. Despite juggling a full-time schedule, Robinson was able to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.31. She will study musical theater at Temple University in the fall, and hopes to continue running in college.
Michael Jace, 53, was sentenced by a judge in Los Angeles after a jury convicted him last week of second-degree murder in the death of April Jace two years ago. “There is absolutely no justification for my actions on that night,â€? Jace told his wife’s family members in court. “I am profoundly sorry for the pain that I’ve caused everyone.â€? He said it was important that (Frederick M. Brown, Pool) her family know he didn’t commit Michael Jace, an actor first-degree murder. “There was no who played a police officer premeditated anything,â€? he said. on the TV show “The “I realize it does not bring her Shield,â€? sits in Los Angeles back and it doesn’t help, but it would seem to me to matter,â€? he Superior Court during his said. sentencing for the murder April Jace’s mother, Kay of his wife June 10. Henry, angrily shook her head and walked out of the courtroom in the middle of his comments. Henry addressed the court before Jace did, weeping as she talked about her daughter, saying the night she was killed, “we both died.â€? “My first thought on my mind most mornings is, ‘Your daughter has been murdered.’ Then I wonder about how I’ll do today without her,â€? she said. “I think about how my grandsons will navigate their teen years ‌ Will they remember their mother and how much she loved them?â€? Henry also spoke of nightmares that plague her. “I dream about violence and danger and death,â€? she said. “I once dreamt about seeing April in a pile of dead bodies but then imagined she had moved her hand only to wake up and realize again that she’s dead.â€? April Jace’s three sons are also haunted, said her cousin, Monique Lejay, who’s now raising the boys. The two youngest boys witnessed their mother’s death at the ages of 8 and 5. “They awaken through the night with nightmares of being abandoned,â€? Lejay said through tears. “One of them wakes at the crack of dawn before I go to work just to hug me because he fears I will not return home.â€? She said Jace should never be allowed out of prison so he can live the rest of his days and “mourn the loss of his own life.â€? Soon after killing April, Jace told detectives he had retrieved the gun to kill himself but couldn’t go through with it. Instead, he planned to shoot his wife, an avid runner, in the leg so she would feel pain, Jace said in a recorded interview. His attorney, Jamon Hicks, told jurors that Jace “snappedâ€? and shot his wife in the heat of passion. Prosecutor Tannaz Mokayef cited testimony from the couple’s now 10-year-old son, who told jurors he heard his father say, “‘If you like running, then run to heaven,’â€? before firing the second time. “Who is going to argue that this was not an intent to kill?â€? Mokayef said. “Where else is heaven?â€? Mokayef said the actor was upset his wife wanted a divorce and believed she was having an affair, although no evidence was presented during the trial that she was cheating. Mokayek said June 10 that Jace’s sentence was appropriate. “And he’s right,â€? she added. “There is no justification for what he did.â€? Jace’s attorney didn’t respond to a request for comment on June 10. April Jace, 40, was a financial aid counselor at Biola University. She was married to Michael Jace for nine years. Michael Jace had small roles in films such as “Planet of the Apes,â€? â€?Boogie Nightsâ€? and “Forrest Gump.â€?
Virginia Tech 1st Black Fraternity Banned for 10 Years
By The Associated Press Virginia Tech’s first Black Greek organization has been banned from campus for 10 years after a pledge says he was blindfolded and beaten over several days earlier this year. Citing a letter sent from the university to the national (Courtesy Photo) Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, The Virginia Polytechnic Roanoke Times reports that the Institute and State school’s Theta Iota chapter was University, popularly barred for abusive conduct and known as Virginia Tech. hazing. In an executive order from the fraternity recommending that the chapter disband, national fraternity investigators say that pledges were blindfolded and attacked for several nights in a row in January while being quizzed about fraternity history. One of the six pledges told the national fraternity he was hospitalized and withdrew from school. The five other pledges backed the man’s statement. Michael Jace, ‘Shield’ Actor Gets 40 Years to Life in Wife’s Killing By The Associated Press
Your History • Your Community • Your News
The Afro-American Newspapers
Baltimore Office • Corporate Headquarters 2519 N. Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4602 410-554-8200 • Fax: 1-877-570-9297 www.afro.com
An actor who played a police officer on the TV show “The Shield� was sentenced June 10 to 40 years to life in prison after tearfully apologizing for fatally shooting his wife but still insisting he didn’t mean to kill her, much to her family’s outrage.
Founded by John Henry Murphy Sr., August 13, 1892 Chairman of the Board/Publisher - John J. Oliver, Jr. President - Benjamin M. Phillips IV Executive Assistant - Sallie Brown - 410-554-8222 Receptionist - Wanda Pearson - 410-554-8200 Director of Advertising Lenora Howze - 410-554-8271 - lhowze@afro.com Baltimore Advertising Manager Robert Blount - 410-554-8246 - rblount@afro.com Director of Finance - Ronald W. Harrison - 410-554-8242 Assistant Archivist - Shelia Scott - 410-554-8265 Director, Community & Public Relations Diane W. Hocker - 410-554-8243 Editorial Managing Editor - Kamau High Washington D.C. Editor - LaTrina Antoine Associate Editor - James Bentley Editorial Assistant - Takiea Hinton Production Department - 410-554-8288 Baltimore Circulation/Distribution Manager Sammy Graham - 410-554-8266
Â
Â
Washington Office 1816 12th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-4422 202-332-0080 • Fax: 1-877-570-9297
(Washington Publisher Emerita - Frances L. Murphy II) General Manager Washington Circulation/Distribution Manager Edgar Brookins - 202-332-0080, ext. 106 Director of Advertising Lenora Howze - ext. 119 - lhowze@afro.com Advertising Account Executive Vetta Ridgeway - ext. 1104 - vridgeway@afro.com
%& Â " $ # Â ! Â Â
Office Administrator - Mia Hayes-Hawkins - ext. 100
Customer Service, Home Delivery and Subscriptions: 410-554-8234 • Customer Service@afro.com Billing Inquiries: 410-554-8226 Nights and Weekends: 410-554-8282