Facing weekend february 22 2017

Week of February 22, 2017 Vol 48 • No 08 • www.thechicagocitizen.com

BUSINESS

Weekly

PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS TO TWEET ABOUT THE SOLAR PANEL INDUSTRY

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Chicago Weekend

Audit Bureau of Circulation ABC AUDITED

Member

FOCUSON BLACKHISTORY

AUTHOR SAYS AMERICA NEEDS

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

In honor of Black History Month, South Suburban College is hosting a series of events which included a discussion about “African American History 101,” by Award-Winning Author Art Burton. Burton is a Retired South Suburban African American History Professor and a prestigious advisor, who gave a 50-minute educational lecture on unknown facts about African Americans. Burton has released three awardwinning books emtitled “Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves,” “Black, Buckskin, and Blue: African American Scouts and Soldiers on the Western Frontier” and “Black, Red, and Deadly: Black and Indian Gunfighters of the Indian Territories, 1870-1907.”

Photo Courtesy of Art Burton.

Read the full story in the South Suburban Citizen or online at www.thechicagocitizen.com.

Legislation Seeks to Ban Juvenile Solitary Confinement Washington, D.C. - Reps. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Mia Love (R-UT), Raúl Labrador (R-ID), John Conyers (D-MI), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) and Karen Bass (D-CA) introduced the Maintaining dignity and Eliminating unnecessary Restrictive Confinement of Youths Act of 2017 (MERCY Act) recently.

The MERCY Act would prohibit the solitary confinement of juveniles who are tried in the federal system and held in pretrial facilities or juvenile detention facilities, barring some extremely exceptional temporary circumstances. Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ),

Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), James Lankford (R-OK), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Bob Casey (DPA) introduced the bill in the Senate.

“When our youth are incarcerated, they are often already forced to reckon with the stark reality of the consequences of their actions—such as being separated from their friends and family and grappling with uncertain futures,” Cummings said. “Compounding incarceration with solitary confinement can break a young person’s spirt beyond repair, and it can have devastating long-term impacts on their mental and physical health. The MERCY Act will take a strong

step toward eliminating this barbaric practice, so that we can ensure our youth have a chance to be rehabilitated and become contributing members of their communities.”

“Our corrections system should not just administer justice but also aim to rehabilitate – not create new or exacerbate existing problems,” Love said.

“Unfortunately, extended solitary confinement is linked to a host of long-term psychological issues. By ending its long-term use, this legislation preserves the dignity

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2 / CITIZEN / Chicago Weekend / Week of February 22, 2017

commentary

1 Rev. Jesse Jackson says that by confirming Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) to serve as the next Attorney General, Donald Trump and the Republican Senate put in office someone who is committed to undermining that Constitution. Photo was taken during a panel discussion on the impact of the Shelby v. Holder United States Supreme Court Decision at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. (Freddie Allen/AMG/ NNPA)(Freddie Allen/ AMG/NNPA)

CIVIL RIGHTS WILL SUFFER UNDER AG SESSIONS

By Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. (Founder, Rainbow PUSH Coalition)

D

news

Court decisions striking down laws banning homosexual sex and same-sex marriage. He voted against equal pay for women and against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, and he argued that it would be a “stretch” to call grabbing a woman’s genitals — as the president boasted of doing — assault. He is a leading opponent of immigration reform and supported Trump’s ban on Muslims.

On civil rights he learned, as Strom Thurmond’s late

onald Trump’s first three weeks in office have left Americans reeling from what Republican speechwriter Peggy Noonan called his “cloud of crazy.” His cabinet nominees seem intentionally perverse: an education secretary who has no clue about public schools; an energy secretary who wanted to eliminate the department; a On civil rights he learned, as Strom treasury secretary from Goldman Sachs Thurmond’s late operative Lee Atwater who ran a home foreclosure factory. So when a White nationalist sympathizer, put it, that “you can’t say ‘n—–’ — that Sen. Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like was confirmed to be Attorney General, it … states’ rights and all that stuff.” Sessions passed by as just another absurdity.

The coverage of the confirmation remains a fierce advocate of states’ rights battle focused primarily on Senate Majority over civil rights.

Leader Mitch McConnell’s outrageous muzzling of Sen. Elizabeth Warren as she tried to read a 1986 letter from Coretta Scott King criticizing Sessions.

The muzzling was an unforgivable indignity. Lost in operative Lee Atwater put it, that “you can’t say ‘n—–’ — the furor was the thrust of King’s letter. She was writing that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like … states’ to urge the Republican-led Senate of the time to reject rights and all that stuff.” Sessions remains a fierce advocate President Reagan’s nomination of Sessions to the federal of states’ rights over civil rights. Even as he joined 97 bench because he had “used the power of his office as U.S. senators in voting to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act in attorney to intimidate and chill the free exercise of the 2006, he gave a speech declaring its enforcement sections ballot.” Sessions had opposed the Voting Rights Act, made unconstitutional. When the Supreme Court’s conservative racist statements and falsely prosecuted Black civil rights gang of five gutted the law, he praised their decision, saying leaders seeking to register people to vote in Alabama. He preposterously, “(I)f you go to Alabama, Georgia, North was an ardent and unrelenting opponent of civil rights. The Carolina, people aren’t being denied the right to vote Republican Senate rejected his nomination. because of the color of their skin.”

Sessions views have not changed. He opposed Supreme Even as he was saying that, states across the South

were preparing a raft of laws to make voting more difficult for African-Americans and the young. Striking down the voter ID law in North Carolina, the federal appeals court found that the new provisions “target African-Americans with almost surgical precision,” while providing “inept remedies” for an alleged problem of voter fraud that is nonexistent.

Now Sessions will take his states’ rights views to the Justice Department. He will have more power than George Wallace ever had. Wallace had state power.

Sessions has national power with a state agenda, with thousands of lawyers under his command. He will help shape the Supreme Court. And simply by inaction — by refusing to enforce the Voting Rights Act as states act to restrict voting — he can do more to undermine civil rights than Wallace could by standing in the schoolhouse door.

Every senator who voted for this nomination shares the shame. This isn’t or should not have been a partisan question. This is a question of whether the Constitution that Lincoln fought a Civil War to forge and Dr. Martin Luther King led a movement to enforce will be respected. Donald Trump and the Republican Senate have put in office someone who is committed to undermining that Constitution. He is in position to poison the well of justice for a long time.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump wooed African American voters, saying given disproportionate unemployment and poverty, they should vote for him.

“What have you got to lose?” he asked. By making Sessions the next Attorney General, Trump has shown us what we have lost: a Department of Justice committed to equal rights, ready to defend the right to vote. People of color, immigrants, the LGBT and women are likely to experience justice denied directly, and the country as a whole will suffer as justice is defiled.

www.thechicagocitizen.com • 51 years of serving the Black community

CITIZEN Chicago Weekend / Week of February 22, 2017 / 3

1 1 Illinois Veterans Receive Child-Care Assistance

Sawyer said the project, “Tiny Boots Child Care,” all came together while he and his wife were thinking he Illinois Department of Veterans of ways to help veterans in need.

Affairs along with IDVA Director “We went out to the YWCA organization in the Erica Jeffries and Lt. Governor Chicago Metropolitan area and their organization Evelyn Sanguinetti recently along, with the Illinois Department of Veterans announced a new pilot program Affairs, assisted us in putting together programs and called, “Tiny Boots Child Care training [140] daycare providers along with the Program.” The announcement was made at YWCA’s entire staff to make a [safe] environment for Hines VA Hospital located on 5000 S. 5th Ave. veteran’s children,” he said.

The Tiny Boots Child Care program is Many veterans were ecstatic when they heard free for all Illinois veterans who are in need of the announcement of the new child care program, medical assistance, counseling, physiological which began on Feb. 14, 2017, he said, adding, now care and treatment in addition to child care. The veterans with children can get the assistance they pilot program is in partnership with the YWCA need.

Metropolitan Chicago and the USDVA and is “The [veterans] were very excited,” Sawyer said. funded by a Veteran Cash Grant, according to “One [unidentified] veteran man and his wife, who Illinois.gov. have a four-year-old disabled child, were looking for a IDVA Assistant Director Harry Sawyer, daycare so they could both receive help and treatment said he and his wife who has been in child care at the VA facility. Now, the YWCA is working with The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced a new child care pilot program service for 35 years, came up with the idea to help them to find a child care provider who handles special called, “Tiny Boots Child Care Program.” The program assists men and women veterans who are veterans currently in the Cook, Kane and DuPage needs children.” in need of child care services. Photo courtesy of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

Counties. He believes there is no other veterans Sawyer also explained how another veteran female program in the nation like it. who has a five year old son was currently looking for a Sawyer explained that the program is vital treatment and help,” Sawyer said. “[Today, women veterans] job in Cook County and is now receiving help through for Illinois veterans because for many years, veterans with children have one or two children or their husbands are working or they’re the YWCA. Because of the program, she can go to interviews and have been without sufficient assistance in helping them to fight for unemployed and currently are [searching] for jobs. And the complete resume writing. more stable families. women veterans can’t take their children on interviews or medical “We’re running “Tiny Boots Child Care,” as a pilot program “It’s important to have a program like this because men and evaluations, so they need child care and we want to help them by and we’re hoping to spread it out throughout 100 counties in the more so, now women veterans who have children are seeking providing this service.” state of Illinois,” said Sawyer.

By Chris Shuttlesworth

T

Legislation Seeks to Ban Juvenile Solitary Confinement Continued from page 1

of individuals and protects their mental health.

I am proud to join with my colleagues in introducing this legislation and look forward to helping move these reforms forward.”

Labrador said, “Reforming our criminal justice system demands a focus on long-term outcomes.

Solitary confinement of juveniles presents serious risk to the mental and physical health of young offenders who will return to our communities.

We must ensure that incarceration practices don’t hinder their development as we work to set them on a path to become responsible, lawabiding members of society.”

Conyers said, “We must reinforce actions taken by President Obama last year with respect to solitary confinement of juveniles in the federal system by enacting legislation to address this serious issue. As he noted, solitary confinement has the potential to lead to devastating, lasting psychological consequences, and this is particularly so with respect to juveniles. Over time, we have come to recognize these negative impacts and it is time that Congress act. Pursuing smarter strategies for dealing with challenges posed by individual prisoners, especially juveniles, will lead to more effective prison administration, a reduction in recidivism, and safer communities. ” “I am glad to see meaningful criminal justice reform incorporate the valuable insights offered by

when it comes to how we approach juvenile offenders – focusing on retribution instead of rehabilitation,” Maloney said. “Holding children and adolescents in solitary confinement is barbaric, detrimental to their health and can be extremely harmful to their development both mentally and physically.

The MERCY Act takes an important step towards breaking the cycle of incarceration and gives young offenders the opportunity to become contributing members of our schools and “Our criminal justice system is broken, community after they have served their time.” especially when it comes to how “The MERCY Act rightly calls attention we approach juvenile offenders – to the need for smart reform and traumainformed care for all justice-involved youth focusing on retribution instead of and is a necessary piece of legislation that rehabilitation,” Maloney said. aims to eliminate harmful and dangerous confinement practices for this vulnerable population. It is time we start addressing the underlying issues of trauma and abuse, as well as the emotionally damaging triggers of adolescent rehabilitation and participation in reentry adolescent behaviors in a humane and medically programming. As I have often stated in the past, informed way. The bottom line here is that cruel ‘meaningful criminal justice reform must look at all and inhumane conditions of confinement for the ways the system touches the lives of our young youth in America must stop,” Bass said. people and communities and recognize that restoring In 2013, the Department of Justice found that their vulnerable population requires trauma-informed 47 percent of juvenile detention centers locked and age appropriate care. This legislation is a step toward catapulting this nation into action on criminal youth in solitary confinement for more than four hours at a time, and some held youth for up to 23 and juvenile justice reform.” hours a day with no human interaction.

“Our criminal justice system is broken, especially the MERCY Act in the pursuit of policy change to remedy the inhumane and harsh treatment suffered by juveniles and youth involved in our justice system,” Jackson Lee said. “I am delighted to be an original co-sponsor of this critical legislation and much needed effort to alleviate the cruel, brutal and inhumane conditions of confinement that prevent

www.thechicagocitizen.com • 51 years of serving the Black community

CITIZEN / Chicago Weekend / Week of February 22, 2017 / 5 4 / CITIZEN / Chicago Weekend / Week of February 22, 2017

business

MONEY MATTERS

1

Deciding What to Do With Your Old 401(k) Fidelity Investments. “That’s NEWSUSA- Just started a new money you won’t have for job with an employer who thinks you’re retirement.” as visionary as Steve Jobs? Or maybe Yes, the government you’re between gigs and “exploring other must have its cut. Specifically, opportunities.” Either way, you need to 20 percent in federal income decide what to do with your old 401(k). taxes, 10 percent in an “earlyIt’s been estimated that there are withdrawal penalty” for those about 15 million such accounts left under age 59?, and -- wait, behind by former employees, mainly we’re not done yet -- whatever because of either inertia or plain additional percentage your confusion over strict rules for moving the individual state may or may money. And since the IRS doesn’t allow not assess. procrastinating on a key decision -- if you Translating that into withdraw even a dime, you’ve got just 60 real money, Fidelity’s website days to reallocate into a different tax(fidelity.com) uses the advantaged account -- here’s a rundown hypothetical example of a of your options to avoid what could be a costly mistake: The wrong move could prove costly for those with 36-year-old who decides to cash out the $16,000 balance * Option No. 1: Cash Out accounts left behind at their former jobs. in her account. After deducting Unless you’re in dire financial straits just the federal taxes and penalties, she’d be left with only and really, really need the bucks to live off, the consensus is $11,200. this is a bad idea.

Feel free to imagine how much you’d be out if your “Cashing out comes with an immediate price, both in account is fatter. terms of giving up potential future gains in your portfolio * Option No. 2: Move the Money to Your New and in the IRS taxes the company handling your 401(k) Employer’s Plan for your former employer is legally obliged to withhold,” Doing what’s called a “rollover” is an easy way to keep explains Nupur Bahal, vice president for retirement at

your 401(k) savings together and growing tax-deferred.

But bear in mind: Investment options vary from plan to plan -- as do fees. (And not all employers even accept rollovers.)

Which means you might want to do some comparison shopping before committing. * Option No. 3: Move the Money Into an IRA As with the previous rollover, you get to avoid the tax bite of cashing out. The difference here, though -; and these could be major plusses -- is that not only do IRAs offer more investment choices than the typical 401(k), but you’re also able to make penalty-free withdrawals for qualified education expenses or up to $10,000 for a first-time home purchase.

“Especially if you already have other, non-401(k) accounts elsewhere, it may be simpler and more effective to consolidate everything under one roof,” says Bahal. * Option No. 4: Leave It With Your Ex-Employer Penalty-free withdrawals are allowed for those who leave their jobs at age 55 or older -- as opposed to 59? for IRAs -- and unique investment options might warrant just letting things ride. But some people forget the account exists with the passage of time -- no, really -- and further contributions are verboten.

Whatever you decide, remember the clock is definitely ticking for you to contact your old 401(k) administrator should you choose to withdraw even that one dime.

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COMMENTARY

PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS TO TWEET ABOUT THE SOLAR PANEL INDUSTRY

By Julianne Malveaux (NNPA Newswire Columnist)

A

s a progressive who worked hard to help get Secretary Hillary Clinton elected, it is challenging for me to accept Donald Trump as President. But, he won. At least for now, I have to make the best of a bad situation. Which means progressives like me will have to both resist the Trump administration’s odious policies, and also pressure — and even cooperate with — the administration to implement policies that reflect our worldview.

This is why I was interested to see a recent letter sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by three Democratic members of Congress. Signed by Congressmen Henry Cuellar of Texas, Emmanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the letter urged the CFPB to look into bad actors operating in the rooftop solar industry.

What we are talking about here are those salespeople that go door-to-door or bombard consumers with telemarketing calls, urging them to put solar panels on their rooftops. Now, for some people, rooftop solar makes both environmental and financial sense. This is why I generally support the industry.

What concerns me, and those three Democratic Congressmen, are the shady operators that mislead potential customers about the cost saving benefits of installing those panels. The letter outlined three major concerns.

First, that new customers may be unaware that the panels can cost upwards of $15,000 and that they will have to pay that money back. This purchase can generate an additional lean against their home making it harder to sell their house, which also decreases its value. For those Americans, who are barely getting by and counting on every dollar of equity in their house, this is problematic. This is especially true, if they hope to sell

their home to fund their retirement.

Second, salespeople sometimes tell customers that they will save a lot of money on their utility bill, because the price of electricity from utility companies is going up. That simply is not accurate. In reality, electric bills are coming down, stabilizing or increasing only slightly. This is because of cheap and abundant natural gas used to produce electricity. Solar panel customers don’t see any savings on their electric bills, but have to pay back the cost of buying or leasing the panels. Every month, people are out of pocket more money, not less.

Third, the letter to the CFPB points out that many of these solar panel sales pitches include promises of “no money down” and other high-pressure sales tactics. Anyone who has ever dealt with a shady salesperson, whether for solar panels or a used car, knows that these tactics are not the tools of an honest broker.

Plus, as the Wall Street Journal exposed this January, we know many solar panel salespeople are pitching so-called government loans that can be used to help make homes more energy efficient. In reality, these Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE loans, are a type of loan which gives creditors top priority on securing repayment – even priority over a

mortgage. No wonder, according to the Journal, that PACE loans are likely “the fastest-growing type of financing in the U.S.” The title of the article should make us all fearful: “America’s Fastest-Growing Loan Category Has Eerie Echoes of Subprime Crisis.”

While there have been rumblings that the Trump Administration would curtail the CFPB, the letter from Congressmen Cleaver, Cuellar and Thompson illustrates why this regulatory agency is important. Action against these shady rooftop solar companies, who seem to target communities of color, is one way that this administration could showcase its commitment to the working people who supported it. Indeed, as President Trump hosted a “listening session” with some Black Republicans “in honor” of Black History Month, he made no specific policy commitments. It would have been fantastic had he taken this small issue on, signaling that he understands the exploitation that some communities experience, because of this solar chicanery.

The solar industry generates more than 200,000 jobs across the nation. While Donald Trump might not be concerned about producing clean energy, he says he cares about protecting American workers. That is why I am urging his administration, and the CFPB, to take steps to eliminate the bad actors in rooftop solar. Unless we do, people will catch on, and walk away from solar. That will hurt our economy and our fight to beat climate change. Hopefully, one out of two of those concerns is enough for the new Administration to take action to protect consumers.

Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist and Founder of Economic Education. Her latest book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available to order at www. juliannemalveaux.com at Amazon.com. Follow Dr. Malveaux on Twitter @drjlastword.

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fashion

GOLDMAN SACHS’ SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM ALUMNI CREATE JOBS, INCREASE REVENUE

Toyota Donates Winter Boots, Socks BALTIMORE - PRNewswire/ -- As temperatures fluctuate this winter across the country, one thing for sure is snowy, icy and even cold rainy days are here through March and warm winter boots and socks are still a “must have” in Baltimore. To protect families from the cold and rain, on Saturday, February 4, 2017, Toyota Motor North America through its “Toyota Walk In My Boots”community outreach project held in conjunction with the Motor Trend International Auto Show-Baltimore activities, stepped in to help Baltimore families by providing new insulated boots and socks to more than 200 participants of The Salvation Army (TSA) Booth House Shelter, a homeless shelter for women, men and families with children; and TSA Boys and Girls Club’s of Franklin Square and Middle River.

“With the need greater than ever because of the often cold winter days, we are blessed to have support from good corporate citizens like Toyota, who are ‘Doing the Most Good’ by raising awareness of our mission to feed, shelter and clothe those who are less fortunate,” said Major Gene A. Hogg, area commander, The Salvation Army of Central Maryland.

Toyota also donated $15,000 to The Salvation Army of Central Marylandenabling them to continue to provide refuge for children and families in times of crisis. They also treated the families to a “Thanksgiving-style” buffet luncheon catered

by JD’s Catering. Baltimore Native MESHELLE, the IndieMom of Comedy, gave the families some encouraging words as she grew up in Baltimore and understands the many struggles that families are facing right now.

On Feb. 4, more than 200 low-income and homeless residents of greater Baltimore received new boots and socks from Toyota Financial Services. The event took place at The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club at Middle River. Right Side from Front to Back: John Ridgeway of Toyota Financial Services, Jade Merrick of Toyota Financial Services, Tim Hale of Toyota Financial Services, the comedian.

Young Entrepreneur Breaking New Ground With Custom-Designed, Gold-Trimmed, Multi-User Mobile Phone (Tallahassee, Florida)- At age 9, Freddie Figgers took a part an old IBM personal computer five times that his father bought at a local Goodwill Store.

On the sixth time, he got it working. He was thrilled – and has never looked back.

Now, the 27-year-old is founder and owner of Figgers Communication, one of the nation’s fastest growing AfricanAmerican-owned telecommunications companies.

Figgers’ privately held company provides cellular, mobile broadband, home phone, and international calling services. He owns four patents with an additional two others pending. He has developed a custom-designed phone the Figger1 phone that has gold trim, highdef display, dual SIMM capability, multiuser capability, automatic anti-texting functionality and super-fast charging.

“I’ve had a pretty good life,” said Figgers who was raised by his adoptive parents in Quincy, Florida, a small community just outside of Tallahassee.

“My parents really supported me. … I want to continue to be innovative.”

Figgers is a computer programmer, engineer, and inventor. At age 13, he started working for the city of Quincy as a computer technician and network administrator in its NetQuincy department, setting up the city’s network and helping residents. At age 16, Figgers started Figgers Computers, repairing computers and installing wireless area networks. By age 17, he created a cloudbased hosting network. By age 18, he had created his own computer operating system.

Drawing off his success and the lure of the $420 billion mobile phone industry, Figgers started Figgers Communication, which led him to design and manufacture the “Figgers F1” mobile phone in the USA for its 4G Voice over LTE Network.

“I’m using all of my capital to learn and develop new ideas,” Figgers said. “I’m reinvesting in this business.”

3rd Annual Black Fashion Week USA Returns CHICAGO, - Black Fashion Week USA continues with the vision of highlighting designers of color; promoting and exposing their brand aesthetics to the general public for the third straight year. Black Fashion Week USA events take place Feb. 19-26 and help foster the brand development and economic growth of AfricanAmerican fashion designers and professionals in the United States and abroad by serving as a platform for the Black fashion industry. Events include 3 unique fashion shows, a youth scholarship competition, a public shopping event, a “Black Fashion Matters” workshop and Business of Fashion panel discussion, in addition to a movie screening.

For more information, please visit http://blackfashionweekusa.com

www.thechicagocitizen.com • 51 years of serving the Black community

By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

LOS ANGELES — Eight hundred Southern California businesses have joined thousands of entrepreneurs across the country in an initiative to create jobs.

The business owners are participants in Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, a scholarship-based program that convenes them to learn critical business skills and create growth plans for their companies.

Just one of these local entrepreneurs is Patricia Watts, of FCI Management.

“I’m a year out of the program and we’ve added about three employees,” said Watts, who in 1998 established FCI, a Long Beachheadquartered company that develops and implements energy and water efficiency solutions for corporate, residential, commercial and industrial clients as well as for public and private schools, universities, and government and municipal agencies.

“We also had about a 15 to 16 percent growth in revenue,” Watts said.

Watt’s story is not unique.

The Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” curriculum is designed by Babson College, the leading business school for entrepreneurship. Just six months after their graduation, 69 percent of alumni see revenue growth. Approximately 48 percent of the alumni create new jobs within that same timeframe. As a

comparison, 23 percent of U.S. small businesses added new jobs in 2015.

Community colleges across the country run the program in partnership with Babson College faculty, creating a direct connection between business experts and urban communities.

Southern California is the only region in the country where two community colleges jointly run the program. Los Angeles City College and Long Beach City College partner together in the region, creating a scale of impact that is unique nationally.

“We have reached 800 business owners and we have a graduation rate of 99 percent,” said Vivian Shimoyama, the regional executive director for the Southern California Region for “10,000 Small Businesses.”

“Eighty-five percent of the business owners who participate collaborate with the other owners and they are growing their businesses together,” Shimoyama said. She added that “the program has had a great impact on not only increasing revenue, but on creating jobs.”

The Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses” program offers practical business management education for entrepreneurs. Those accepted into the program experience access to the education, business support services, and peer-to-peer networking that helps grow their companies, Shimoyama said.

For Watts, the program was a key step to understanding growth opportunities for her

business.

“The year before I started the program, I ended up at the end of the year in the red with a loss,” Watts said. “However, this year, one year later, we ended up with a profit that was significant, because it was almost a $1.5 million swing from loss to profit,” she said.

While participants in “10,000 Small Businesses” hail from a wide array of industries, they engage in the program from their shared experience as entrepreneurs. Southern California alumni include businesses focused on marketing and design, health and fitness, food service, staffing, education, manufacturing, and other industries.

Through the peer-to-peer learning environment, the participants focus on overcoming universal business challenges such as human resources, access to finance, and leadership.

With an eye to the future, Watts is ready to keep growing her business.

“I’m looking forward to continued growth as a national company. I have an office in New York and an office in Atlanta and I’m looking to grow the company nationally and I’m looking at growing our business in the federal sector,” Watts said, adding that, “I’m always optimistic, the most optimistic person you’ll ever meet and my motto is ‘failure is not an option.’ I don’t accept it and I’m not having it.”

Learn more at: http://www.10ksbapply.com.

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By Audrey A. Lundy (North Dallas Gazette/NNPA Member)

T:6.187”

The light from a few illuminates many.

A single beacon of caring can light up an entire community. Our McDonald’s® 365Black® Awardees shine their beams of compassion in the communities they serve.

It is through their example that we are all a little more enlightened.

Find out more at 365Black.com

Muslims have lived in Texas since 1854. They have established mosques, schools and other institutions that serve the greater community. Like most residents, they are proud Texans and Americans, according to Omar Suleiman, who serves as the Resident Scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center in Irving, Texas.

“In the over 150 years that this community has been here, never has there been a problem with the Muslim community trying to overthrow the system,” he said.

“Not once has there been a Muslim promoting anything unconstitutional that infringes on the rights of our friends and neighbors. These aren’t alternate facts; they’re just facts.”

Recently, Suleiman with a group of interfaith and civil rights leaders held a press conference at Irving City Hall to oppose a summit spearheaded by Texas State Representative Kyle Biedermann and supported by Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne.

The summit entitled, “Defending Against Radical Islamic Terrorism in Texas” took place at the state capitol last week. Community leaders in attendance at the press conference believe the summit unfairly targeted Muslims.

However, Rep. Biedermann disagrees with the community leaders. The North Dallas Gazette sent Rep. Biedermann’s office questions related to this story. Even though staffers at Biedermann’s office acknowledged receipt of the questions, they went unanswered; staffers instead sent a press release about the summit.

“With the rise of radical Islamic terrorism throughout the world, our homeland security must be our top priority. When I took office, I assembled a Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Advisory Council,” Rep. Biedermann stated in the press release. “We have a responsibility as Texans to secure our border and to protect against the serious, and growing, threats of terrorism.”

Community leaders said Rep. Biedermann should spend more time building relationships with the Muslim community and speaking out against racists and xenophobes.

“Texas strength is in its diversity.

This is one of the most diverse states in the country and that is what makes us strong,” said Sahar Aziz, a board member of the ACLU of Texas during last week’s press conference.

“If he truly cares about Texas, then he should be defending the religious freedom rights of all Texans of all faiths.”

T:10”

From Left: Toni Braxton, Lonnie Bunch, Lauren Seroyer, Larry Tripplett, Donovan Smith, Charles Tillman, Wendy Raquel Robinson ©2017 McDonald’s

COMMENTARY

MINORITY LEADERS FEEL MUSLIMS ARE UNFAIRLY TARGETED

Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne (center) speaks at the summit entitled, “Defending Against Radical Islamic Terrorism in Texas” in Austin, Texas. (David Wilfong/North Dallas Gazette)

Hispanic activist Carlos Quintanilla said Mayor Van Duyne should also stop the rhetoric and support the large Hispanic and Muslim communities in Irving.

“We need to send a message to Mayor Beth Van Duyne that the City of Irving constituents will not tolerate hatred,” said Quintanilla, the leader of Accion America.

“We have never seen any radical Islamic behavior in Irving and we need to share that type of awareness with the community. Irving has a large minority community that includes Muslims and hate mongering is not acceptable.”

The North Dallas Gazette also sent Mayor Van Duyne’s office a series of questions for this article, but her staffers also declined to offer a response for this story.

Suleiman said Muslims welcome government officials to visit mosques to get to know them in the spirit of friendship and not suspicion. He said that reject a privately funded poll sent out to Muslim groups earlier this month by Rep. Biedermann requesting their response.

“The representative didn’t reach out to us through one of the many mosques in Texas. Some [mosques are] in his own district,” Suleiman said during the press conference last week. “Instead, he decided to put us through a litmus test that is grounded in intimidation. These loyalty tests are not new in America, and they essentially imply a secondclass citizenship on the part of those who receive them. We reject that status and characterization. By sending us these letters dictated by Xenophobes and hate groups not even based in our state, he is negating decade of interfaith dialogue, multi-faith cooperation and civic engagement here in Texas.”

Dr. Michael W. Waters, who also attended the press conference, said he is concerned about the growing acceptance of racism and xenophobia sweeping across the country.

“I believe there is an assault on our civil liberties that were secured for us, in blood, by generations of soldiers and generations of activists,” said Waters, a pastor of Joy Tabernacle A.M.E. Church in South Dallas. “I believe Muslims are being targeted.”

Shayan Elahi, an American Muslim who is the chair of the civil rights committee of the Dallas County Democratic Party added, “Political intimidation will not work just as it has not worked against other minorities.”

North Dallas Gazette is a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

Learn more about becoming a member at www.nnpa.org.

AUTHOR HIGHLIGHTS BLACK “PATHFINDERS” IN NEW BOOK

By Julianne Malveaux (NNPA Newswire Columnist)

Y

ou’ve heard of Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), Ida B. Wells, Dr. Dorothy Height, WEB DuBois and Mary McLeod Bethune. But do you know Venture Smith, Mary Bowser, James Forten, Charles Wiggins, Clara Smith, Paul R. Williams, and Jackie Ormes? These are just some of the pathfinders that Tonya Bolden has lifted up in her book, “Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls.” Her book is extraordinary, not only because it features the biographies of relatively unknown and amazing African Americans, but also because she puts their lives in context. Thus, each biography talks about what was happening historically during the subject’s life. She also highlights their contemporaries, expanding the reach of the book and, perhaps, challenging students to do their own research about other notable African Americans.

Tonya Bolden is an award-winning children’s book author, but “Pathfinders” is no children’s book. To be sure it should be ordered in every school library and purchased by many parents.

But young people will not be the only ones enhanced by a book that highlights sixteen stellar African Americans, many unknown. Bolden says, “Without denying racism and oppression,

I did not want to talk about racism, but about accomplishment.” So she set out to offer a range of occupations for the young people who will read her book. “I wanted to give kids variety,” she told me. “I also wanted to expose them to people who had done something.” Black folks have done amazing things, and Bolden says she wants to encourage young people to “dream big and take chances”. Her book reflects that, lifting up Richard Potter, a Black magician who traveled the world as a cabin boy before joining a circus, studying with a ventriloquist, and stepping out on his own to be, says Bolden, “the first magician born in the United States to have success in the land of his birth.” Or who would have thought that Sissieretta Jones, the daughter of enslaved people, would have had a successful career as a concert singer? Jones performed at Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall, sung at the White House for President Benjamin Harrison, and completed a European tour. Bolden says she wants young people to “think big.” Well, in spotlighting Sissieretta Jones, she encourages that dream.

While the average American earned about $400 a year in Jones’ heyday, her earnings were more than $8000 a year. She was one of the highest paid Black entertainers in the United States.

The richness of Bolden’s book lies in the fact that she does offer occupational variety. There are entertainers, but there are also women near and

dear to my heart, women that I’ve written about over the years. One is Dr. Sadie Tanner Mosell Alexander, the first African American woman to receive the Ph.D. in economics, and one of the first three to receive the Ph.D. in a single week in June 1921. Georgiana Rose Simpson earned her Ph.D. in German from the University of Chicago, and Eva Beatrice Dykes earned her Ph.D. in English from Radcliffe (now Harvard). She taught at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., Howard University and Oakwood College (now University) in Huntsville, Alabama.

Another sister Bolden lifts up is Maggie Lena Walker, the first African American woman to form and run a bank, Penny Savings Bank, in Richmond, Virginia. Maggie Lena, cannily merged her bank with others to survive the Great Depression, and the bank thrived until it closed in 2009.

On Saturday March 18, 2017, to honor those in the books and our communities’ authorless, book parties will be held around the country.

To participate or host an event contact -read@ theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org.

Julianne Malveaux is an author, economist and founder of Economic Education. Her latest book “Are We Better Off ? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available to order at www. juliannemalveaux.com at Amazon.com. Follow Dr. Malveaux on Twitter @drjlastword.

CITIZEN / Chicago Weekend / Week of February 22, 2017 / 11

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LEGAL NOTICE

BALDWIN DOCUMENTARY “I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO” RECEIVES OSCAR NOD

By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)

On February 1, the first day of Black History Month, the National Museum of African American History and Culture premiered the Oscar-nominated documentary “I Am Not Your Negro,” which features commentary by James Baldwin. The film is a tribute to the staggering contribution of one of America’s greatest men of letters.

Director Raoul Peck spent ten years completing the film. The documentary was inspired by one of Baldwin’s unfinished manuscripts regarding his

“I Am Not Your Negro,” features commentary by James Baldwin and is a tribute to the staggering contribution of one of America’s greatest men of letters.

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friendships and views on three of his friends: Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. None of the three would live to see their 40th birthday. Medgar Evers was assassinated in 1963 in Jackson, Miss.; Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 in New York City; King was assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tenn.

At the heart of the film, the jarring documentary provides Baldwin’s sociopolitical observations and showcases the writer’s eloquence and directness as a communicator.

Peck credits Baldwin with changing his life after he read “The Fire Next Time” when he was a teenager.

“The starting point of the movie are the words of a person, a great author, James Baldwin,” Peck said at the The Hollywood Reporter’s Documentary Oscar Roundtable. “My job was to put myself in the background. I knew those words since I was 15 years old.

“If I can summarize the

www.thechicagocitizen.com • 51 years of serving the Black community

essential part of Baldwin, it is the ability and obligation to always question whatever truth is put in front of you.

Beginning with images, beginning with stories, beginning with cinema.

This is something that I learned very early on,” Peck told a reporter last week.

“And Baldwin gave me the words and the instruments to do that, to be able to deconstruct whatever was put in front of me—ideology, stories, narrative—very concretely.”

Baldwin was an American social critic, novelist, essayist, playwright and poet. His essays, as collected in “Notes of a Native Son” (1955), explore issues of race and class differences in a poignant, sometimes provocative way.

His books include “The Fire Next Time” (1963), “Giovanni’s Room” (1965), “No Name in the Street” (1972), and “The Devil Finds Work” (1976).

There hasn’t been anyone who has been able to duplicate the power of Baldwin since his death at 63 in France in 1987.

Baldwin confronted the “moral monsters” of racism in the United States and dealt with the complex social and psychological pressures confronting Black people in America. Baldwin often challenged White Americans on the question of racism.

“It does matter any longer what you do to me,” Baldwin said in an interview in 1965. “The problem now is how are you going to save yourselves?”

Lauren Victoria Burke is a political analyst who speaks on politics and African American leadership. She is also a frequent contributor to the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com.

Connect with Lauren by email at LBurke007@ gmail.com and on Twitter at @LVBurke.

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Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or trans­ action of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was regis­ tered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County.

Registration Number: D17149595 on February 8, 2017 Under the Assumed Business Name of STEFANIE CINADR PHOTOGRAPHY with the business located at: 4011 WHISPERING TRAILS COURT, HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL 60192 The true and real full name and resi­ dence address of the owner is: STE­ FANIE CINADR 4011 WHISPERING TRAILS COURT HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL 60192, USA __________________________________ Common Law Copyright Notice 103149­03/CLC Common Law Notice: All rights reserved re: common­law copyright of trade name/trademark, EUGENE CLARKE JR© as well as any and all derivatives and variations in the spelling of said trade­names/trademarks ­ Copyright 1949 October­31st 1949, by Eugene Clarke Jr. Said trade­names/trade­ marks.©. May neither be used, nor reproduced, neither in whole nor part, nor in any manner whatsoever, without the prior, express, written consent and acknowledgment of Eugene Clarke Jr. as signified by only the blue­ink signa­ ture of Eugene Clarke, hereafter 'Secured Party.' With the intent of being contractually bond, any Juristic Person, As well as the agent of said Juristic Person, consents and agrees by this Copyright Notice that neither said Juristic Person, nor the agent of said Juristic Person, shall display, nor other­ wise use in any manner, the trade­ name/trademark, nor common­law copy­ right described herein, nor any deriva­ tive of, nor any variation in the spelling of, said name without prior, express, written consent and acknowledgment of Secured Party, as signified by Secured

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Party's signature in blue ink. Secured Party neither grants, nor implies, nor otherwise gives consent for any unau­ thorized use of EUGENE CLARKE JR©, and all such unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Secured Party is not now, nor has Secured Party ever been, an accommodation party, nor a surety, for the purported debtor, i.e. "EUGENE CLARKE JR©," nor for any derivative of, nor for any variation in the spelling of, said name, nor for any other juristic per­ son, and is so­indemnified and held harmless by Debtor, i.e. " EUGENE CLARKE JR©," in Hold­harmless and Indemnity Agreement No. 103140­04 dated the 15th Day of the 2nd Month in the Year of Lord Twenty and Seventeen against any and all claims, legal actions, orders, warrants, judgments, demands, liabilities, losses, depositions, sum­ monses, lawsuits, cost, fines, liens, levies, penalties, damages, interests, and expenses whatsoever, both absolute and contingent, as are due and as might become due, now existing and as might hereafter arise, and might be suffered by, imposed on, and incurred

by Debtor for any and every reason, pur­ pose, and cause whatsoever. Self­exe­ cuting Contract/Security Agreement in Event of Unauthorized Use: By this Copyright Notice, both Juristic Person and the agent of said Juristic Person, hereafter jointly and severally "User," consent and agree that any use of "EUGENE CLARKE JR©", other than authorized use as set forth above; con­ stitutes unauthorized use of Secured Party's copyrighted property and con­ tractually binds User. This Notice by Declaration becomes a Security Agreement wherein User is a debtor and "Upper and Lower Case Name Here' is Secured Party, signifies that User: (1) grants Secured Party a security interest in all of User's property in the sum cer­ tain amount of $500,000.00 per each trade name/trademark use, per each occurrence of use (violation/infringe­ ment), plus triple damages, plus cost for each such use, as well as for each and every use of any and all derivatives of, and variations in the spelling of, "EUGENE CLARKE JR©,"; (2) authenti­ cates This Security Agreement wherein User is debtor and Eugene Clarke Jr. is Secured Party, and wherein User pledges all of User's property, i.e. all consumer goods, farm products, inven­ tory, equipment, money, investment property, commercial tort claims, letters of credit, letter­of­credit rights, chattel paper, instruments, deposit accounts, accounts, documents and general intan­ gibles, and all User's interest in all such foregoing property, now owned and hereafter acquired, now existing and hereafter arising, and wherever located, as collateral for securing User contrac­ tual obligation in favor of Secured Party for User's unauthorized use of Secured Party's copyrighted property; (3) con­ sents and agrees with Secured Party's filing of a UCC Financing Statement wherein User is debtor and Eugene Clarke Jr. is Secured Party; ( 4) consents and agrees that said UCC Financing Statement described above in paragraph "(3)" is a continuing financing state­ ment, and further consents and agrees with Secured Party's filing of any contin­ uation statement necessary for main­ taining Secured Party's perfected secu­ rity interest in all of User's property and interest in property pledged as collateral in Security Agreement described above in paragraph "(2)" until User's contractu­ al obligation theretofore incurred has been fully satisfied; (5) authorized Secured Party's filing of any UCC Financing Statement, as described above in paragraph "(3)," as well as in paragraph " ( 4 )," and the filing of any Security Agreement, as described above in paragraph "(2)," in the UCC filing office; (6) consents and agree that any and all such filings described in para­ graph "( 4)," and "(5)" above are not, and may not be considered, bogus, and that User will not claim that any such filing is bogus; (7) waives all defenses; and (8) appoints Secured Party as Authorized Representative for User; effective upon User's default re User's contractual obli­ gations in favor of Secured Party as set forth below under "payment Terms" and "default Terms,' with full authorization and power granted Secured Party for engaging in any and all actions on behalf of User including, but not limited by, authentication of a record on behalf of User, as Secured Party, in Secured Party's sole discretion, deems appropri­ ate, and User further consents and agrees that this appointment of Secured Party as Authorized Representative for User, effective upon User's default, is irrevocable and coupled with a security interest. User further consents and agrees with all of the following additional terms of Self executing

Contract/Security Agreement in Event of Unauthorized Use. Payment Terms: In accordance with fees unauthorized use of "EUGENE CLARKE JR©," as set forth above, User hereby consents and agrees that User shall pay Secured Party all unauthorized­use fees in full within ten (10) days of date Secured Party's invoice, hereinafter "Invoice," itemizing said fees, is sent and received. Secured Party for engaging in any and all actions on behalf of User including, but not lim­ ited by, authentication of a record on behalf of User, as Secured Party, in Secured Party's sole discretion, deems appropriate, and User further consents and agrees that this appointment of Secured Party as Authorized Representative for User, effective upon User's default, is irrevocable and cou­ pled with a security interest. User fur­ ther consents and agrees with all of the following additional terms of Self executing Contract/Security Agreement in Event of Unauthorized Use. Payment Terms: In accordance with fees unauthorized use of "EUGENE CLARKE JR©," as set forth above, User hereby consents and agrees that User shall pay Secured Party all unautho­ rized­use fees in full within ten (10) days of date Secured Party's invoice, here­ inafter "Invoice," itemizing said fees, is sent and received. Party, which is not in the possession of, nor otherwise dis­ posed of by, Secured Party upon expira­ tion of said twenty (20) day strict fore­ closure period. Ownership subject to common­law copyright and UCC Financing Statement and Security Agreement filed with the UCC filing office. Record Owner: Eugene Clarke Jr., Autograph Common Law Copyright 1949. Record owner: Secured Party / creditor name autograph common­law copyright. Copyright Date: February 7, 2017.

Without Prejudice/ Without Recourse EUGENE CLARKE JR Secured Party ACKNOWLEDGMENT __________________________________

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Celebrating

Women's HISTORY MONTH “Representing The Best Me, I Am A Mother, I Am A Teacher, I Am A Wife And I Am A Leader…”

“I Am Every Women”

For decades, women across the world have struggled to be counted equally and to prove their self worth. Through their struggles, they have gone on to become CEOS, mayors, entrepreneurs, heads of states, moms, senators, daughter's, wives, activists and so much more!

In March during Women's History Month, the contributions of women are celebrated. Coming up next week, the Citizen will kick-off Women's History Month on March 1, with a special focus on 'Herstory.'

Join us as we celebrate the specialness of women who are making a statement with their stories.

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