Citizen Suburban Times Weekly 12-16-2020

Y O U R S O U R C E F O R C O R O N AV I R U S N E W S

Citizen The Citizen: Serving The Black Community For 55 Years Week of Dec. 16, 2020

| Vol. 4 | No. 19 | www.citizennewspapergroup.com

SUBURBAN TIMES WEEKLY

Realtor.com® 2021 Housing Forecast: Sellers Will Get Top Dollar As Buyers Struggle with Affordability Page 4

Bevel Presents, “Created For Kings” Page 5

Education experts have agreed that when students of color in underserved schools must go to blended or fully remote learning models, the digital divide gets broader, more profoundly affecting them.

The Association of Black Cardiologists Unveils Diversity Scorecard Initiative Page 9

THE CHALLENGES BLACK AMERICA FACE WITH DISTANT AND VIRTUAL LEARNING DURING COVID-19 Students, teachers, parents, and administrators face ever-rising challenges as the coronavirus pandemic continues to force changes in how young people receive their education. PAGE 3

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2 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

POLITISCOPE

Trump plan to revive the gallows, electric chair, gas chamber and firing squad recalls a troubled history

BY AUSTIN SARAT

The way the federal government can kill death row prisoners will soon be expanded to ghoulish methods that include hanging, the electric chair, gas chamber and the firing squad.

Set to take effect on Christmas Eve, the new regulations authorizing an alternative to lethal injections – the method currently used in federal executions – were announced by the Justice Department on Nov. 27.

The federal move follows the example of several states, including Oklahoma and Tennessee, that have revived alternative methods in the face of challenges to their lethal injection protocols and problems in the supply of drugs needed in the process.

It is not clear whether the administration actually intends to employ the newly announced methods. It may only want to have them in reserve if any of the individuals scheduled for execution before January’s inauguration – five, according to the Department of Justice – should succeed in challenging the current execution protocol.

What is clear is that these new regulations send a message about the lengths the administration will go to kill as many death row inmates as possible before Joe Biden takes office and, as expected, halts the federal death penalty.

If the president and Department of Justice succeed in their plan, the period from July 14, 2020, the date of the first of Trump’s federal executions, through January 20, 2021 will be the deadliest in the history of federal capital punishment in nearly a century.

As someone who has studied execution methods in the U.S., I see in the new regulations echoes of a troubled history of less-than-perfect

execution methods.

Austin Sarat

To grasp their full significance, it is necessary to look at the record of hanging, the electric chair, the gas chamber and firing squads. Each of them has been touted as humane only to be sidelined because its use was found to be gruesome and offensive. Given that history, there are questions over whether the administration’s plans serve any purpose other than continuing a death penalty system deemed to be a cruel outlier among modern societies.

The noose and the chair Let’s start with hanging.

Hanging was the execution method of choice throughout most of American history, and it was used in America’s last public execution in 1936, when Rainey Bethea was put to death in Owensboro, Kentucky. When done correctly, the noose killed by severing the spinal column, causing near instantaneous death.

But, all too often, hanging resulted in a slow death by strangulation and sometimes even a beheading.

Given this gruesome record and hanging’s association with the lynching of mainly Black men, by the end of the 19th century the search for other execution methods

began in earnest.

The first of those alternatives was the electric chair. At the time it was adopted, it was regarded as a truly modern instrument of death, a technological marvel in the business of state killing. Hailed by penal reformers as a humane alternative to hanging, the electric chair was first authorized in 1888 by New York state following the report of a commission that concluded, “The most potent agent known for the destruction of human life is electricity…The velocity of the electric current is so great that the brain is paralyzed; it is indeed dead before the nerves can communicate a sense of shock.”

Yet, right from the start, electrocution’s potency was a problem.

Its first use in the 1890 execution of convicted murderer William Kemmler was horribly botched.

Reports of the execution say that “After 2 minutes the execution chamber filled with the smell of burning flesh.” Newspapers called the execution a “historic bungle” and “disgusting, sickening and inhuman.”

In spite of the Kemmler debacle, the electric chair quickly became popular, being seen as more efficient and less brutal than hanging. From the start of the 20th century until the 1980s, the number of death sentences carried out by this method far outstripped those of any other method.

But electrocutions continued to go wrong, and eventually several dramatic botched executions in Florida helped turn the tide.

Included were two executions, one in 1990, the other in 1997, in which the condemned inmates caught fire.

The gas chamber By the start of the 21st century, states all over the country were

abandoning the electric chair.

As Justice Carol W. Hunstein of the Supreme Court of Georgia explained, “Death by electrocution, with its specter of excruciating pain and its certainty of cooked brains and blistered bodies,” was no longer compatible with contemporary standards of decency.

One alternative to electrocution was the gas chamber, but it too has its own history of problems. First adopted in Nevada in 1922, executions using lethal gas were to take place while the condemned slept.

Death row inmates were supposed to be housed in airtight, leakproof prison cells, separate from other prisoners. On the day of the execution, valves would be opened that would fill the chamber with gas, killing the prisoner painlessly.

This plan was soon abandoned because officials decided it would be impractical to implement it, and states constructed special gas chambers fitted with pipes, exhaust fans and glass windows on the front and back walls for witness viewing.

But deaths by lethal gas were never pretty or easy to watch.

Inmates regularly fought against breathing the gas as it entered the chamber. They convulsed, jerked, coughed, twisted and turned blue for several minutes before they died.

Far from solving the problems associated with hangings or electrocutions, lethal gas introduced its own set of horrors to the institution of capital punishment. In fact, by the end of the 20th century, 5% of executions by lethal gas had been botched.

As a result, states used gas as the sole method of execution only from 1924 to 1977, and it was last used in 1999. By then, the gas chamber had become a relic of the past because of its inability to deliver on its promise

to be “swift and painless” and its association with the Nazi use of gas to kill millions during the Holocaust.

The firing sqaud Finally, the firing squad. Of all of America’s methods of execution, it has been least often used. From 1900 to 2010, only 35 of America’s 8,776 executions were carried out using this method, and since 1976 just three people have faced a firing squad, with the last one carried out in Utah in 2010.

Critics point out that because death by guns evokes images of raw, frontier justice in a society awash in gun violence, this method mimicked something that the law wished to discourage. Nonetheless, Utah revived the firing squad in 2015 due to challenges to the state’s lethal injection protocol.

While it has some contemporary proponents who claim it is the least cruel of all execution methods, the history of the firing squad is marked by gruesome mistakes when marksmen missed their target. In the 1951 execution of Eliseo Mares, for example, four executioners all shot into the wrong side of his chest, and he died slowly from blood loss.

A cruel history, revived While Trump’s Department of Justice is now holding out the prospect of using these previously discredited methods of execution, it cannot erase the cruelty that marks their history. That history stands as a reminder of America’s failed quest to find a method of execution that is safe, reliable and humane.

Austin Sarat is an Associate Provost and Associate Dean of the Faculty and Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College.

NEWS FTC Returns Almost $775,000 to Consumers Who Purchased Deceptively Advertised Arthritis and Joint Pain Relief Supplement Synovia from A.S. Research, LLC The Federal Trade Commission is sending checks totaling $774,755 to 13,221 consumers who bought Synovia, a supplement advertised and sold by A.S. Research, LLC as a treatment for arthritis and joint pain. The average refund amount is $58.60 per consumer.

According to the FTC’s complaint, A.S. Research made misleading health claims and

used phony testimonials, including one in which a user said he “gave away his walker” after using the supplement. The FTC also alleged that the defendants told consumers they had to pay extra for a version of Synovia containing an ingredient added to increase pain relief and speed joint repair, when in fact all purchasers received that product.

The order settling the FTC’s allegations prohibits the defendants from misrepresenting the results of any scientific study or endorsement and requires them to disclose any material connections they have with endorsers. It also required the company to pay $821,000 to the Commission for consumer refunds. Refund recipients should deposit

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or cash checks within 60 days, as indicated on the check. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide account information to cash refund checks. Consumers who bought Synovia, but who don’t receive a check, may contact the refund administrator, JND Legal Administration, at 833-707-1185.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

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NEWS

The Challenges Black America Face with Distant and Virtual Learning During COVID-19 Continued from page 1

BY STACY M. BROWN NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Students, teachers, parents, and administrators face ever-rising challenges as the coronavirus pandemic continues to force changes in how young people receive their education.

The challenges are particularly pronounced in the African American community, where access to the internet, working parents, and a haphazard learning model have undermined pre-pandemic gains.

Education experts have agreed that when students of color in underserved schools must go to blended or fully remote learning models, the digital divide gets broader, more profoundly affecting them.

Their school attendance plummets, along with their understanding of the curricula, their motivation to learn, and subsequently their grades.

“The digital divide again doubly impacts these students, as it completely stops our tutoring with almost all of our school partners,” said Richard Kaplan, the executive director of IvyTutorsNetwork.com, a New York City Department of Education-approved vendor that teaches students in multiple underserved public and charter schools in the Bronx, Harlem, and Bedford Stuyvesant.

“Given that the schools are struggling to pay for and provide the most basic teaching during the pandemic and, further, administrators now lack the budget for outside tutors, we have been unable to help.

“We are no longer allowed in the classrooms for health reasons, and the students – many of them homeless – lack reliable Internet connections or suitable devices for effective remote sessions,” Kaplan remarked.

“For some, fully remote actually means they might as well be in Tahiti or Timbuktu, inaccessible to effective teaching and all but forgotten.”

The distance learning scheme or the online classes method of teaching are good strategies in reducing physical contact and helps limit the spread of the virus, asserted Lewis Keegan, owner and operator of SkillScouter.com, which aims to help potential students find their learning paths via online learning platforms.

“However, the solution might not be as inclusive, especially for people

of color in other parts of the world,” Keegan observed. “This is because not everyone is privileged for such amenities. Some areas across the globe are still not introduced to the concept of the internet,” he said.

Keegan continued: “Aside from this, having devices such as laptops and phones for learning are not cheap and easily accessible. Because of this, more practical options are chosen by parents like spending their money in food and sustenance, rather than education.”

As the pandemic shuts most people in for what promises to be a long, cold, and socially distant winter, families are suffering, offered Dr. Karen Aronian of Aronian Education Design LLC. “Without a doubt, people of color are our most vulnerable populations.

Special-needs education students in isolated rural communities, those who are homeless, and food insecure, are in dire education straits,” Aronian stated.

She noted that some reports have revealed that the pandemic has forced students to lose as much as 50 percent of their academic growth in math, at least 30 percent of ELA, and perhaps a full school year of academic growth in some cases.

“Strain, struggle, and hardship abound in communities of color, which carries over into family life and lack of hope,” Aronian continued.

“Children’s education becomes secondary to the basic needs of a home and family. The traditional in-person school has been, for many children, a respite from home life, family problems, and dysfunction.

Without school, education has fallen off the radar in homes where survival is first, and education is a much lower rung during COVID times.”

The pandemic has especially been tough on marginalized communities, including those with special needs, added Lisa Lightner, of A Day in Our Shoes, an organization that advocates on behalf of special education.

“I have been chatting with all kinds of families, including Black and Brown families. Here is some of what I’m seeing. The challenges that these families are facing aren’t necessarily due to their skin color – but because their skin color makes them much more likely to be in another category of marginalization,” Lightner proclaimed.

“For example, lower socioeconomic status or non-Native English

speakers. If assignments and instructions are not being provided in the parents’ native language, then there is much less parent participation and follow up for school and assignments,” she stated. “If a child is in a lower socioeconomic category, then they are less likely to have high-speed internet or a device to use even to access the lessons. I know the Philadelphia School District had to get a grant to purchase tens of thousands of Chromebooks and the like.”

According to a recent Duke University panel at the school’s Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, many Black and Brown individuals face challenges that affect their and educators’ ability to resume in-person education safely.

The panel concluded that the issue is a double-edged sword because wealth inequity also makes it harder for these communities to learn remotely.

The average Black household in North Carolina, where the panel

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convened, is about $800,000 less in net worth than the average white home.

According to the Public School Forum of North Carolina, 72 percent of Black and Brown students in the state’s public schools have parents who lack secure employment, compared with 21 percent of white students.

That equates to lower-wealth households having had less access to opportunities for higher-quality education and access to post-secondary studies, education officials said.

Further, Education Week reported that in-person learning yields superior educational outcomes for primary and secondary students — and that the pitfalls of virtual instruction are especially pronounced in minority communities and those living in poverty.

School districts around the country that are strapped for cash have found it increasingly challenging to tackle the learning barriers minority

students disproportionately have experienced during the pandemic.

“The reality is in many economically distressed counties, over 60 percent of families don’t have reliable internet access, and that disproportionately affects students of color. In one of my counties, over 70 percent do not,” said Alex Beene, an adult and high school teacher in Tennessee.

“And while I try to supplement those households with additional packets and materials, it’s just not the same. It’s impossible to attend daily classes and submit assignments digitally if you can’t even connect to join the conversation,” Beene remarked.

“Many families of color also lack adequate nutrition and a culture of learning in the home. When schools are closed down, not having access to school lunches or educators that motivate students to go higher academically can have lasting effects that will stretch on long after the pandemic.”

4 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

NEWS

Realtor.com® 2021 Housing Forecast: Sellers Will Get Top Dollar As Buyers Struggle with Affordability Amid COVID-19 uncertainty, 2021 will be a robust seller’s market as home prices hit new highs (+5.7%) and buyer competition remains strong, according to the realtor.com® 2021 housing forecast released recently.

Inventory is expected to make a slow but steady comeback, which will give buyers some relief. However, increasing interest rates and prices will make affordability a challenge throughout the year.

“The 2021 housing market will be much more ‘normal’ than the wild swings we saw in 2020. Buyers may finally have a better selection of homes to choose from later in the year, but will face a renewed challenge of affordability as prices stay high and mortgage

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rates rise,” said realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “With less cash and no home equity, millennial and Gen Z first-time buyers will be impacted the most by rising home prices and interest rates. While waiting until the fall or winter months of 2021 may mean more home options to choose from, buyers who can find a home to buy earlier in the year will likely see lower prices and mortgage rates.”

Realtor.com® forecasts mortgage rates will continue to hover near 3%, then slowly rise to 3.4% by the end of the year. Home sales are expected to increase 7% and new construction will increase 9% over the previous year. However, the strength of the 2021 housing market is highly dependent on the containment of COVID-19 pandemic and staving off a double dip recession.

What 2021 will be like for buyers?

Buyers will find some relief in 2021 as more homes hit the market, but many will struggle with affordability as home prices continue to rise. Mortgage rates will slowly rise toward 3.4% and will no longer help offset the record breaking prices. Additionally, the time it takes to sell a home will slow from late 2020’s frenzy, but fast sales will remain in many parts of the country, which will be particularly difficult for first-time buyers learning the ins and outs of homebuying.

What will 2021 be like for sellers?

Sellers will continue to hold the upper hand throughout 2021 as the number of buyers in the market outweighs the number of homes for sale. Home prices won’t grow as fast as they did in 2020, but steady increases will continue to push home prices to new highs. Additionally, sellers can expect their home to sell relatively quickly in 2021, so having their next home lined up will be key.

Many sellers are also buyers themselves, so they will struggle with the same issues when it comes to purchasing their next home.

Forecast key 2021 housing trends l Millennials continue to drive the market while Gen-Z become market players - The largest generation in history, millennials, will continue to shape the housing market as they outnumber Gen-X and Baby Boomers. Older millennials will likely be trade-up buyers while the larger, younger segment of the generation age into their key home buying

years. Meanwhile, Gen-Z will begin to make their presence known in 2021 as they compete with younger millennials for entry-level homes. The oldest members of Gen-Z will turn 24 in 2021 and their impact on the market will only continue to grow from here. l Affordability becomes a growing obstacle - Buyers in 2020 received a huge boost in affordability as mortgage rates pushed to new lows throughout the year, however, a lack of inventory and strong demand drove prices up, erasing most of the boost.

As mortgage rates are no longer able to counteract rising home prices, affordability will be tested for buyers across the board in 2021. Home price increases are expected to slow as affordability gets stretched throughout the year. Buyers will need to act with a sense of urgency if they want to lock in a low rate before home prices increase even more in 2021. l Inventory will begin the slow road toward recovery - A lack of homes for sale has plagued the U.S. housing market for the last five years. The problem only intensified in 2020, in large part due to an estimated shortfall of nearly 4 million newly constructed homes heading into the year, as well as sellers pulling back due to COVID-19. The number of homes for sale is expected to slowly rebound in 2021, but the road to recovery will be long because the market has to make up for multiple years of declines. Additional homes hitting the market will offer buyers some relief in 2021, but it won’t be enough to tip the scales in favor of buyers. As inventory slowly begins to replenish and buyer demand for homes remains steady, sellers will continue to be in the driver’s seat. l Suburbs will shine if remote work stays around - As COVID-19 lockdowns gripped many of the nation’s largest cities, buyers flocked to nearby suburbs in search of increased space. Now, more and more workers are finding the freedom to work remotely.

This has sparked intense interest in suburban homes, further exaggerating a trend that had been slowly emerging over the last couple of years. The big question is what demand will look like once a coronavirus vaccine is widely available. If companies require workers to return to the office, demand may wane.

Conversely, if companies commit long-term to remote work, demand for these homes could see an additional boost in 2021.

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Realtor.com® 2021 Housing Market Forecast

Wildcards that could shake things up in 2021 l COVID-19 - The deck is stacked with wildcards for 2021. The most impactful will be the U.S.’s ability to control and contain the spread of COVID-19 as well as distribute a vaccine. Additional lockdowns and quarantines could put a dent in housing inventory and sales, slowing the market and putting increased pressure on buyers. Conversely, if a vaccine is rolled out quickly, it could lead to better than expected sales and a strong increase for home prices and inventory. Either way, COVID-19 will have a large impact on the U.S. housing market in 2021. l Double dip recession - The possibility of a double dip recession is still in play for 2021. As the U.S. continues in a K-shape recovery, a gap is widening between those with and without jobs as well as industries recovering well versus those seeing continued lack of business. In the short term, this could lead to less consumer spending which could more broadly impact businesses and economic growth. In the long term, this could impact the U.S. housing market as “would-be” buyers disappear from the market, cooling demand and driving down home prices. The current question is how long the K-shape can diverge before the impact begins to cascade into the broader economy and other previously less-affected sectors such as housing.

For more information, visit realtor.com®.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

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FASHION

BABOR “Breaking Boundaries” Scholarship Program Launched BABOR, a global leader in professional skincare, announced that they will fund four BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) esthetics scholarships administered by the non-profit Beauty Changes Lives for students interested in pursuing careers within the professional beauty industry.

Committed to its ongoing support of the professional spa business, the BABOR Breaking Boundaries Scholarship will shine a light on the vast job opportunities within the industry while advocating for an inclusive and diverse community. Each scholarship will be awarded to four BIPOC students previously unable to pursue their dreams of a career in spa esthetics.

“As a leader in the professional spa industry, we want to help pave the way for creating career opportunities and to facilitate a very inclusive

and diverse community,” says Tim Waller, CEO of BABOR BEAUTY GROUP AMERICAS. “Each scholarship recipient will be mentored by one of BABOR America’s very own expert estheticians, empowering these students with all the tools needed to become future stars of spa esthetics. We hope to inspire other members of the spa community to join forces and fund additional scholarship opportunities as well,” adds Waller.

Beauty Changes Lives is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in an industry long known for affirmation regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. “The best path for bridging the talent gap in the spa sector is to create a larger and more inclusive talent pipeline,” says Lynelle Lynch, president of Beauty Changes Lives. She cited a study published in leading spa

publication Pulse, noting diverse teams often outperform their peers in terms of innovation and revenue growth. The article also noted that companies with diverse management teams were 35% more likely to achieve better financial performance than their peers.

BABOR’s investment in education is widely recognized within the international professional spa sector. “We commend BABOR for their investment in the future of the spa industry and hope their gift will encourage other organizations to support professional development programs for estheticians, massage therapists and other spa professionals,” says Lynne McNees, president of the International Spa Association (ISPA).

ISPA Board Chairman and Vice President Spa and Retail at Montage International Patrick

Huey echoes this sentiment, adding, “We at ISPA are excited to support BABOR and Beauty Changes Lives as they pursue positive change by supporting promising individuals who belong to groups too often under-represented in our industry.”

BABOR’s Breaking Boundaries scholarship will offer four full-tuition scholarships to underrepresented students pursuing cosmetology or esthetic programs beginning Spring 2021. In addition to tuition grants, Beauty Changes Lives provides networking opportunities via mentors and connections that have changed the lives of more than 600 beauty and wellness professionals. For additional information on the BABOR Breaking Boundaries scholarship, please visit babor. com.

New Black-Owned Fitness Brand CYCMODE Introduces an Immersive and Integrated Fitness Experience … and Its About to Get Real, Literally Inspired by cinema, music video experiences and interactive gaming, CYCMODE is a boutique group fitness studio offering multiple fitness offerings under one roof — indoor cycling, strength training, and yoga. Launching in January 2021, CYCMODE will offer up to eight live and live-stream workouts per day led by CYCMODE’s team of top fitness professionals.

CYCMODE believes a proper mindset (or #MODE) is key to achieving fitness goals.

From the moment a new member walks in the door, clients are instructed to define their “MODE.” Whether it’s #GetFitMODE, #BadassMODE, etc., CYCMODE wants clients to own their fitness journey by putting their #MODE to it.

The first-floor indoor cycling studio features 35 bikes and a wall-to-wall massive 60-footwide curved video screen set in a cycling theatre. Workouts such as THE TRIP™ give riders the sensation of climbing and sprinting through digitally created worlds paired with indoor cycling bikes that mimic a real bike, allowing riders to lean, turn and steer.

CYCMODE also offers themed fitness experiences such as its signature MUSIC VIDEO RIDES, which feature a CYCMODE Instructor and favorite music artists and videos — like Atlanta’s own Ludacris, Usher, TI, Migos, Future, Outkast and Ciara — to

CYCMODE

name a few. It is the ultimate immersive fitness party, with the added benefit of burning serious calories.

“Without experiencing it, when we mention we’re immersive, most clients immediately envision we’re cycling wearing a VR headset. That’s not needed here. Once on the bike and with coaching from CYCMODE Instructors, riders

are immediately swept into the workout experience and begin leaning into turns, ducking under bridges or doing power climbs to music videos like Cardi B, which adds even more intensity to an already powerful workout,” said Tasha White, founder/CEO. A separate multi-purpose studio on the mezzanine-level features a 40-footwide video screen and offers a variety of fitness MODES such as HIITMODE, YOGAMODE, and TEAMMODE. HIITMODE — a circuit workout designed to help participants get lean and toned using battle ropes, kettlebells, TRX, Smart Bars and more; YOGAMODE — an upbeat and uplifting yoga flow focused on enhancing endurance, strength and flexibility; and TEAMMODE — a virtual or in-studio corporate team-building experience that promotes individual wellbeing and creates an environment that fosters increased team effectiveness.

In-studio, digital, and on-demand fitness solutions are available for Atlanta-based and digital clients around the world and indoor cycling bikes are available for athome purchase.

To learn more about CYCMODE fitness offerings and workout packages, visit www. cycmode.com.

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Bevel Presents, “Created For Kings” Bevel is reminding the world that Black men deserve self-care too by introducing, “Created for Kings”, a new brand campaign commemorating the beauty, strength, and resilience of Black men.

Written by Walker and Company VP of Marketing, Tia Cummings, “Created for Kings” is a love letter to one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented segments of society.

Comprised of uplifting depictions of Black men across all walks of life, the campaign launches with a powerful message: Black man, you are seen. You are loved. You are a King.

“Created for Kings” is the latest of Bevel’s ongoing efforts to praise, protect and provide for Black men. The Bevel team has partnered with like-minded creatives to bring the “Created for Kings” campaign to life. First is Creative Theory, a Black-owned and operated creative agency and one of this year’s Ad Age ‘Agency of the Year’ winners. Spearheaded by Co-Founders, Gary Williams Jr. and Tamon George, Creative Theory is a collective of strategic visionaries helping brands to execute authentic cultural storytelling.

George said: “As an agency, we work with brands who see value in our community. Bevel has been one of the brands since the beginning who came with real perspective, understanding and attention to the Black male experience. “Created for Kings” is a reflection of that, and Creative Theory is incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work with a brand that truly SEES our community.”

Also partnering in the campaign launch is New York Times best-selling author and NAACP Image Award Winner, Jason Reynolds, lending his soul-stirring voice to a moving narration addressed directly to Black men.

Layered atop a touching video compilation echoes Reynolds’ voice: “Dear Black man, we see you doing your best every day to survive…

We are here to support you, uplift you, help you show up at your best every day, and remind you that you are a King.” These words are paired with uplifting images of everyday Black Kings – fathers, husbands, partners, entrepreneurs and everyday workers – reminding them and those that love them of their immeasurable value.

2020 has brought echoes of generational trauma to the forefront of global consciousness and conversations. Throughout the year, Bevel has taken a vocal position in support of Black men and the broader Black community by advocating for increased access to mental health resources, supporting distance learning and supporting the beauty and barber community in the face of COVID 19. Tia Cummings reflects on the importance of Bevel’s mission to honor Black men and push back against harmful stereotypes: “Bevel takes great pride in playing a lead role in shaping the narrative around Black men. It is our hope that this campaign will help drive a greater appreciation for the diversity, strength, and beauty of Black men, and serve as a point of pride for the Black community as a whole.” says Cummings.

Bevel invites you to participate in the “Created for Kings” campaign by sharing your own images and stories of Black men at their best. For more information on Bevel or the “Created for Kings” campaign, visit getbevel. com/kings or follow Bevel on Instagram.

6 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

Moving forward as a community The pandemic and humanitarian crisis has brought us together with intensified passion and resilience. At Bank of America, we remain focused on supporting the well-being of our teammates, providing the essential financial services our clients need and helping local communities across the country move forward.

Here in Chicago, we’ve donated masks to local partners to distribute to those most at risk.

We’ve provided lending to local small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help strengthen our local economy. And we continue to partner with local nonprofits and organizations that are working to advance racial equality and economic opportunity in the communities we serve.

We’re grateful for our employees, who have worked tirelessly to support our clients. And we are especially grateful to the healthcare and essential workers who have helped Chicago recover.

My teammates and I remain fully committed to the work to come in 2021 and beyond.

Paul Lambert Chicago Market President

Working together Grateful for our partners in Chicago who gave our community support when it needed it most.

126,000 PPE masks donated 7,810 PPP small business client loans totaling $691 million Bank of America employees

To learn more, please visit bankofamerica.com/community Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2020 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

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8 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

ART SCENE ‘The Black Panther Challenge’ Creator Frederick Joseph’s New Book ‘The Black Friend’ now available from Candlewick Press Award-winning media representation advocate, author and marketer Fred T. Joseph’s debut book, The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person, is now available from Candlewick Press.

During a year which has sparked so much conversation around racial bias, police brutality, and diversity, equity and inclusion, The Black Friend adds to the list of resources for people wanting to learn how to be better allies. While the book is written with young readers in mind, it’s for anyone interested in being better equipped to be actively anti-racist, including educators and members of the corporate community.

“We don’t see color.” “I didn’t know Black people liked Star Wars!” “What hood are you from?”

For Frederick Joseph, life as a transfer student in a largely white high school was full of wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to those white people who didn’t see the negative impact they were having.

Speaking directly to the reader, The Black Friend calls up race-related anecdotes from the author’s

“TOWARD THE END OF THE BLACK FRIEND, FREDERICK JOSEPH WRITES THAT HIS BOOK IS ‘A GIFT, NOT AN OBLIGATION.’ I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. THIS BOOK SHOULD BE AN OBLIGATION FOR WHITE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHITE PARENTS, BECAUSE WE MUST RAISE ANTI-RACIST KIDS WHO WILL NEVER BE PERPETRATORS OF OR BYSTANDERS TO WHITE SUPREMACY AND WHO WILL NEVER MISTAKE TOLERANCE OR APPROPRIATION FOR RESPECT. DON’T SKIP THE PAINFUL PARTS AND READ EVERY WORD. Chelsea Clinton past, weaving in his thoughts on why they were hurtful and how he might handle things differently now. Each chapter features the voice of at least one artist or activist, including Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give; April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite; Jemele Hill, sports journalist and podcast host; and eleven others.

Touching on everything from cultural appropriation to power dynamics, “reverse racism” to white privilege, microaggressions to the tragic results of overt racism, this book serves as conversation starter, tool kit, and invaluable window into the life of a former “token Black kid” who now presents himself as the friend many readers need. Backmatter includes an encyclopedia of racism, providing details on relevant historical events, terminology, and more.

Writing from the perspective of a

friend, Frederick Joseph offers candid reflections on his own experiences with racism and conversations with prominent artists and activists about theirs—creating an essential read for white people who are committed anti-racists and who’ve newly come to the cause of racial justice. You can purchase a copy of The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person and learn more about Frederick Joseph here: https:/www. theblackfriendbook.com Praise for The Black Friend “Toward the end of The Black Friend, Frederick Joseph writes that his book is ‘a gift, not an obligation.’ I respectfully disagree.

This book should be an obligation for white people, especially white parents, because we must raise anti-racist kids who will never be perpetrators of or bystanders to white supremacy and who will

PRNewsfoto/Candlewick Press

never mistake tolerance or appropriation for respect. Don’t skip the painful parts and read every word.

- Chelsea Clinton About Frederick Joseph Frederick Joseph is an award-winning marketing professional, media representation

advocate, and writer who was recently selected for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. He’s also the winner of the 2018 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, given by Comic-Con International: San Diego, and was selected for the 2018 Root 100 List of Most Influential African Americans. He lives in New York City.

TRAVEL

United Raises Miles for Dozens of Non-Profits that Rely on Travel United recently invited MileagePlus members to give back on Giving Tuesday, but also throughout the holiday season by donating miles to nearly 40 non-profits through United Airline’s crowdsourcing platform, Miles on a Mission.

Non-profits like Thurgood Marshall College Fund, College to Congress and Compass to Care are attempting to raise a total of more than 11 million miles to be used for travel for life-saving health care, continued education, humanitarian aid and more. United will match the first 125,000 miles raised for each of these organizations to help ensure they meet their goals.

The launch of these campaigns is part of United’s ongoing Miles on a Mission program, which began in October 2019 and has raised more than 92 million miles to-date. Past campaigns have helped organizations travel children for life-saving medical treatment and unite parents with newly adopted children from foreign countries. Participating non-profits have 28-days to reach their mile raising goals through the platform.

The organizations that are raising miles

United Raises Miles for Dozens of Non-Profits that Rely on Travel

in this campaign include: l College to Congress: The organization provides support including travel for disadvantaged college students who otherwise could not afford to intern in Washington, D.C. l Thurgood Marshall College Fund: This is the only national organization representing

America’s 47 publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and the nearly 300,000 students that attend them each year. The miles raised will cover the travel expenses to and from campus for students unable to afford them. l My Block, My Hood, My City: This organization provides underprivileged youth with an awareness of the world and opportunities beyond their neighborhood. Miles will be used to fund educational trips for Chicago youths to help them gain a greater understanding of the world outside of their comfort zones. l Compass to Care: The non-profit ensures all children, whose parents have a financial need, can access life-saving cancer treatment.

Compass to Care is raising miles to fund travel to get children from their homes to hospitals for cancer treatment. l Luke’s Wings: This organization is dedicated to the support of service members who have been wounded in battle. Raised miles will be used to purchase plane tickets for families to visit wounded soldiers recovering

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in Army medical centers. l Rainbow Railroad USA: The organization’s mission is to help persecuted LGBTQI+ individuals around the world travel to safety as they seek a haven from persecution. Miles will support the organization’s core Emergency Travel Support program.

This year, United’s legal partner Kirkland & Ellis will also be donating $50,000 to My Block, My Hood, My City and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Other organizations launching campaigns on the platform include: Sisters of the Skies, Inc., Up2Us Sports, Airline Ambassadors International, Austin Smiles, AWS Foundation, Crazy Horse Memorial, FLYTE, Higher Orbits, Lily’s Hope Foundation, Miles4Migrants, Support Utila Inc. and Watts of Love. MileagePlus members can also donate to United’s 20 other existing partner charities including, Airlink, American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish, Shriners Hospitals; Clean the World, Special Olympics and more.

To learn more or donate to these organizations, please visit donate.mileageplus.com.

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

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NEWS The Association of Black Cardiologists Unveils Diversity Scorecard Initiative The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) has launched an annual diversity and inclusion scorecard for academic cardiovascular (CV) training programs in the US. The results from this ranking initiative - ABC DIBS (Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Scorecard) will be published annually.

The Association unveiled the initiative during a first of its kind cardiology workforce webinar featuring directors from top CV medicine fellowship programs. The virtual session, “Towards Legitimacy and Results in Achieving Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in Cardiology Training Programs,” focused on issues impacting the recruitment of Blacks and Hispanics in medicine. Dr. Michelle A. Albert, ABC President and Associate Dean of Admissions at the University of California at San Francisco, opened with

The COVID-19 pandemic utilizing four characteristics: During the webinar, the has amplified the long history (1) number of underrepredirectors identified potential of health care disparities solutions to addressing some sented in medicine (UIM) in that disproportionately challenges in the recruitment general cardiology fellowships; of underrepresented minorities affect communities of color, (2) the change in the number including African-Ameriin cardiology fellowships, such of fellows over the life cycle as an evidence-based screening cans. Diversifying the clinical of the training program; (3) process, a culture that prioritiz- workforce is one step towards trainees’ assessment of a sense of belongingness (i.e. how es diversity and transparency in eliminating these inequities.

Statistics show that Black welcome they feel in that the recommendation process. doctors help provide better program); and (4) the number “The problem with academMichelle Albert, MD, MPH health outcomes for Black of UIM faculty overall as well ic medicine in many ways is (PRNewsfoto/Association of Black patients and are more likely as in leadership spots in their that if I time traveled back a Cardiologi) to work in underserved cardiology training program. hundred years, it looks pretty highlights of ABC’s past and communities. However, while A “traffic light” rating will much how it looks now,” said present effortsClient: to increase the African Americans make up evaluate programs as poor, atDr. Karol E. Watson, Director, Bleed: ComEd Region: US number of minorities the Print SECOND the population, fewer riskLanguage: or excellent based on these Cardiovascular Campaign:inOOH ROUND Medicine Trim:13% 10” of x 6.5” English CV pipeline. Agency Job #: B1241-021281-00 Live:than 3% of cardiologists are None fourNotes: metrics.

Rankings will be Fellowship, UCLA David #/AD ID: QEXL1054000 “For nearlyAD 50 years, the African American, according announced on a yearly basis.

Geffen School of Medicine and Date Modified: December 2, 2020 2:29 PM Keyline Scale: 100% ABC has beenCR: working to to aat:2015 American College co-chair of ABC’s PrevenThis diversity scorecard is Output AD Round: create transparent and plauof Cardiology survey. tive Cardiology Committee. Page: the next iteration of a 2006 efsible paths to cardiology for “People tend to hire themselves fort when the ABC conducted Additionally, the same those with the aptitude for NOT TOthat BE FORa COLOR APPROVAL over and over, so we need to study to determine historsurvey found lessUSED than 3% and interest in becoming a get people to understand how ically the most inclusive and of medical school faculty are ACD: A. Del Valle CD: G. Apfelbach PC: M. Bilbrey / R. Swift P: C. Capola AM: L. Mitchell BM: E. Schmidt physician,” Dr. Albert said in important diversity is and get exclusive training programs for African American. ABC seeks the event’s opening segment. buy-in from the community. It underrepresented minorities. to address this gap and foster “These programs have ranged has to be everyone’s responsiThe new effort aligns with an inclusive and more diverse from middle school students bility, not just African-AmeriABC’s ultimate goal of imcardiology workforce, by all the way to new faculty.” cans, to bring all of us along.” proving the health status, both assessing academic programs

cardiovascular and overall, for Black Americans and other disadvantaged minorities as well as improving access to high-quality health care. More details will be forthcoming.

About the Association of Black Cardiologists Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity such that all people can live long healthy lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health professionals, lay members of the community (Com­munity Health Advocates), corporate and institutional members.

Today, the ABC’s public and private partnerships continue to increase its impact in communities across the nation.

POWERING NEIGHBORS. EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES.

We power a city of neighborhoods. Whether through charitable contributions or sponsoring community initiatives in education, arts & culture and the environment, we’re proud to support the organizations and people that make each of Chicago’s neighborhoods a better place to live and work.

Learn more about grants and resources available to you or your organization at ComEd.com/CommunityPrograms

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104434_QEXL1054000_V2 Leo Burnett

Stronger Communities

10 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

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12 | CITIZEN | Suburban Times Weekly | Week of Dec. 16, 2020

The all-new Hyundai ELANTRA. Tech-savvy, sleek and seriously dripping.

Designed for the young at heart, this sleek compact sedan offers a fully integrated tech experience with flavor you can savor right at your fingertips. Imagine a Digital Key that locks, unlocks, and starts your ride along with a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. Mix in Dynamic Voice Recognition that allows you to roll down your windows, pop your trunk, and control the temperature with your voice. Suddenly you have an intuitive, tech-savvy car designed for better living without breaking the bank. Now that’s dripping.

Preproduction model shown with optional features. Near Field Communication (NFC) digital smartphone key requires a compatible Android smartphone and an appropriately equipped 2021 Elantra. Not all Android devices are compatible. The Elantra must be equipped with smart key with push button start, wireless device charging, and Audio Video Navigation System 5.0 (or newer) or Display Audio 2.0. Lock/unlock functionality works on driver’s door only. See your Owner’s Manual for details and limitations. Dynamic Voice Recognition varies by unit. Speak in a normal voice and minimize background noise for best results. See Owner’s Manual for details and limitations. Hyundai is a registered trademark of Hyundai Motor Company. All rights reserved. ©2020 Hyundai Motor America.